An Accident.
The sea of fortune doth not ever flow,
She draws her favours to the lowest ebb
Her tides have equal time to come and go,
Her loom doth weave the fine and coarsest web
No joy so great, but runneth to an end,
No hap so hard but may in time amend.
--Southwell.
Not far from Scout Farm were several gentlemen's residences, occupied
chiefly by Manchester merchants, who travelled to and from the city
morning and evening by rail. One of the largest of these residences, and
also the farthest away from Scoutleigh Road Station, was occupied by a
Mr. Munroe, who was reputed to be a man of great wealth, and also of
great liberality. In consequence of the distance of Mr. Munroe's house
from the station, his coachman used to drive him to Scoutleigh Road in
the morning and fetch him in the evening, sometimes taking Mrs. Munroe,
or one of the children, at the same time.
Mrs. Munroe was the only sister of Mr. Lawrence, of Liverpool, Benny's
former master, and, at the time to which we refer, Eva Lawrence was
spending a few weeks at Brooklands with her uncle and aunt. Little did
our hero think, as he sometimes looked across the valley at Mr. Munroe's
house, almost hidden by trees, that his "angel" was staying there. It
was doubtless well for him that he did not know. He would have been
impatient to look once more upon the face of the maiden that, next to
his sister Nelly, had been the brightest vision of his life. He still
kept the shilling that she had given him, and often when alone he would
take it out of his purse and look at it, and wonder what had become
of the little girl that befriended him in his hour of need, and would
almost long for one more sight of her angel face.
It was at such times as these that Benny grew restless, and pined
for the bustle of Liverpool streets, and for the sight of old faces,
that day by day were fading from his memory. Yet he never seriously
entertained the idea of going back. There were only Joe and granny, and
Mr. Lawrence and Eva, that he cared to see, but that they would care to
see him was very doubtful, and he could not go back to be looked at with
suspicion. And not only so: he believed that he was where God intended
him to be. He had a home, and a good one, among friends who believed in
his honesty, and treated him with kindness. And even yet, had he been
disposed to pay a visit to his old haunts, he had no time. He was fully
employed every day of the week, and every season of the year brought its
appointed work. The days were so short in winter that they had always
their hands full, and sometimes more than they could do. And spring
was always a busy time: the lambs had to be attended to; fences had to
be repaired; and so many "crops" had to be got in, that hay harvest
came upon them frequently before they were ready. Then huge fields of
turnips and mangolds and potatoes had to be hoed, and ere that was done
the fields were white unto the harvest. Then came sheep-shearing and
ploughing land for next year's wheat crop, and potato digging, and half
a dozen other things, that allowed them no time for idleness, and it was
well for Benny that it was so. He had no time to mope or to waste in
useless regrets.
One evening he had to pass Brooklands on his way to a neighbouring
farm. The day had been beautifully fine--a real June day, people said;
a few people complained that it had been too hot about noon, but as
the day declined a fresh breeze had sprung up, that made the evening
deliciously cool. Benny enjoyed few things more than a saunter across
the fields during a summer's evening. And this evening he was just in
the mood to enjoy the song of birds, and the scent of apple blossom and
new-mown hay. It wanted several hours yet of sundown, so he sauntered
on very leisurely, and paused when near Mr. Munroe's house, arrested by
the sound of laughter. Not far from where he stood three or four young
ladies were engaged in a game of archery, and as he could not be seen by
them, he waited awhile to watch them. He did not know that one of those
fair maidens was Eva Lawrence; how should he know? She was a little
girl when he saw her last, now she was just blooming into womanhood.
The beauty, of which her early life gave promise, was now more than
realized. But had Eva Lawrence been plain of feature, she would still
have been beautiful in the eyes of those who knew her well. Hers was
a beautiful life, and people did not wonder that it was mirrored in a
lovely face. It was a picture that would have pleased an artist's eye
on which Benny gazed, and their rippling laughter formed a pleasant
accompaniment to the rustling of the leaves and the music of the brook
that murmured down the glen. But as Benny gazed at the picture he only
saw one face, that of Eva Lawrence. He thought he had never seen the
face before, and yet it affected him strangely. It seemed to bring back
to him some half-forgotten dream. What was it that it reminded him of?
He could not tell; whatever it might be, it eluded his grasp. Like the
snatch of a forgotten song it came and went, leaving nothing definite
upon the mind.
An hour later he returned by another way across the glen or ravine
(adown which the brook babbled) by a narrow bridge with low parapets,
and turned a sudden corner down the lane towards Scout Farm. For a
moment he paused and remarked to himself, "This is a dangerous corner;
I wonder Mr. Munroe does not alter it; and that bridge too, it is
altogether too narrow. If I drove this way as often as he does, I would
pull down that antiquated structure, and build a good wide bridge with
a high wall on either side;" and, having given expression to an opinion
that he had expressed a hundred times before, he turned on his heel and
quietly pursued his way. He had not gone many yards, however, before he
heard a great hue and cry, and, looking down the lane, he saw that Mr.
Munroe's horse had taken fright, and was rushing towards him at headlong
speed. The coachman, who had been riding behind, had coolly dropped
himself down on the road, and stood staring after the flying carriage in
blank astonishment, and shouting at the top of his voice. Benny saw that
Mr. Munroe was trying in vain to check the mad gallop of the horse,
and he saw also that the young lady whose face had attracted him so
strangely before was sitting by his side, pale and motionless. Here and
there people rushed out from the fields into the road and held up their
hands or hoes, but always retreated after a few frantic gesticulations
in time for the affrighted steed to pass. Instantly Benny thought of
the sharp corner and the narrow bridge over the deep ravine. If the
road had been straight, the wisest course would have been to have given
the horse rein, and let it tire itself out. But as it was, the horse
must be stopped before it reached the bridge, or almost certain death
would be the fate of Mr. Munroe and his niece. He had little time to
think, but he knew that to attempt to stop the horse would be attended
with considerable risk to himself. If he failed to grasp the bridle the
horse and carriage would go over him, in all probability killing him on
the spot; but he had no time to debate the question, the startled horse
was full upon him. In an instant he dashed at the bridle and caught it,
the end of the shaft striking him on the arm at the same moment, almost
causing him to let go his hold, but he held tight. For a dozen yards the
horse dragged him along the road; then he succeeded in getting it on its
knees with its nose against a hedge, and Mr. Munroe and Eva alighted in
perfect safety. By this time, however, a number of people had gathered
round, the coachman amongst the rest, who at once took charge of the
horse, and Benny slunk away as quietly as possible, and made his way
along the road as fast as he was able. Mr. Monroe, however, seeing his
intentions, followed him at once.
"Come, come, my young friend," he said; "I cannot let you go without
thanking you for your noble act."
"Do not mention it, sir," said Benny, with an effort, turning pale at
the same time.
"I would be ungrateful indeed," said Mr. Munroe, "were I not to mention
it. No, I shall never forget that to your heroism my niece and myself
owe our lives."
"I am very thankful if I have been of service to you," said Benny; "but
I could not have acted otherwise, so please----"
But he did not finish the sentence; setting his teeth together, as if in
pain, he staggered towards a seat by the hedge.
Instantly Mr. Munroe sprang towards him, exclaiming, "You're hurt, I'm
sure you are; tell me what's the matter."
"My arm is broken, that is all," said Benny, with a poor attempt at a
smile; then everything began to spin around him in a very bewildering
manner, and he could never exactly recollect what happened after. He
always carried with him, however, a lively recollection of the process
of bone-setting, which he afterwards underwent, and of the sleepless
night that followed.
Next morning Mr. Munroe came to Scout Farm and sat with Benny for half
an hour, chatting about things in general, and before he left he thanked
him again in the warmest terms for his bravery, and made him promise
to visit Brooklands as soon as he was able, stating that Mrs. Munroe
was very anxious to see him, as were also his daughters and niece,
especially the latter, who wanted to thank him personally for saving her
life.
Benny blushed at first and begged to be excused, but Mr. Munroe would
not hear of it. So Benny reluctantly consented at last to endure the
martyrdom (to him) of being introduced to the fine ladies at the big
house, and in his heart wished he was well out of it all. He felt sure
that he should look silly and make a hole in his manners, for he had
never been used to grand people; and what would be the proper thing to
say when they thanked him he had not the remotest idea.
"Well, Ben Bates," he said to himself when Mr. Munroe had left the room,
"you're in for it now, and no mistake. Here's a pretty kettle of fish
for you, my lad, and you've to see to it that you don't go and make
a fool of yourself. A lot you know about etiquette and drawing-room
manners; and won't you do the graceful before the ladies! Oh, dear,
dear!"
And he laughed till the tears ran down his face, spite the pain in his
arm.
"I think I see you going through the introduction, my lad, trying to
do the thing proper as if you knew how, and only succeeding in making
yourself look silly. And won't the ladies giggle after you're gone!"
Then Benny looked serious, and after a long pause he went on again:
"Look here, Ben Bates: do you think you are a downright fool, or do you
think you have just a few grains of common sense? For, unless you're a
born natural, you'll put on no airs at the big house; but you'll just
be yourself, remember, and not ape anybody else; you profess a great
hatred of sham, then don't be a sham yourself, and make yourself look
ridiculous. Remember what you are, Ben Bates; and remember, too, that
you've got nothing to be ashamed of."
Then, after another pause:
"I wish I was well out of this job, notwithstanding. I hate to be
thanked. I wonder, by the bye, who that young lady is? How her face
reminds me of something, something in the old life, but what I cannot
make out. How strange everything seems! I fancy sometimes I must have
lived here always, and dreamed all the rest. But no, Nelly was real,
and that shilling was real. Ah! I wonder what's become of her." And a
far-away look came into his eyes, as if he were back again in the old
life of mingled joy and pain.
Meanwhile Mr. Munroe was out in the yard talking with Mr. Fisher.
"A fine young fellow that of yours, Mr. Fisher," was his first greeting.
"Yes," said the farmer; "I'd back him against any young man his age for
ten miles round."
"An adopted son of yours, I suppose?"
"Well, no, not exactly," replied Mr. Fisher.
"Beg pardon, I thought you had adopted him."
"Well, perhaps you are not far wrong either. You see, he came to us five
or six years agone, a poor little famished, wizened creature. It was a
sweltering hot day too, and he had walked all the way from Liverpool,
sleeping at nights by the roadside, and by the time he got here--or
rather, he didn't get here--our folks were making hay in the home close,
and he just got inside the gate, and dropped down in a fit, or something
of the sort. Well, he was completely done up; the doctor never thought
he would come round again, but he did, and you see what a fine fellow
he's grown to."
"Yes, indeed! And so he has lived with you ever since?"
"Ever since. My wife says she believes the Lord directed him here. Any
way, the boy was a great comfort to her, for we'd only just buried our
little Rob, and he seemed to fill up the gap a bit, you see."
"I suppose you find him very handy about the farm now, Mr. Fisher?"
"Handy? I tell you, there isn't his equal for miles around. He took to
the farm as natural as a duck takes to the water. In fact, the plucky
little dog said he wouldn't stay to be a burden to us, and he never has
been. In fact, if we came to square accounts, I fancy that I should find
that I was considerably in his debt."
"And you find him perfectly trustworthy?"
"He's as honest as the daylight, sir, and as good as gold. Why, I'd
trust him with my life, and so would the missus. She thinks a sight of
him, I can assure you."
"I do not wonder at it, Mr. Fisher; he's a brave young fellow, and
deserves notice and help--if he needed it."
"Brave? Well, you've said just right in that, Mr. Munroe; he's as brave
as a lion. I don't think the young dog knows what fear is. I expect
it'll be getting him into trouble some of these days. But then, bless
you, on the other hand, he's as gentle as a woman, and the very soul of
kindness. I believe the young scamp would give away the last copper he
had, if he saw some one he fancied wanted it more than himself."
"Indeed!" said Mr. Munroe, feeling rather amused at Mr. Fisher's
enthusiasm. "It is not often you see people possessing so many good
qualities."
"Good! Well, you've hit it again, the lad _is_ good; and yet, mark you,
he ain't none of the goody-goody sort either. Why, bless you, he's as
full of fun and frolic as an egg is full of meat. You should just see
the carryings on we have here when the lads are home from school. I
laugh sometimes fit to kill myself, and yet feel as mad as a sheep at
'em, for they give me no peace of my life."
"Well, we cannot expect the young folks to be as sedate and steady-going
as we older people, Mr. Fisher."
"That's what my wife says, sir; she says it's as natural for the lads
to play as it is for the kittens, and that it's quite as harmless, and
I don't think she's far wrong. In fact, I generally give in to her;
she's had a sight better education than ever I had, so she ought to know
better."
"Ah, speaking about education, Mr. Fisher, what sort of education has
this young man had?"
"Well, Mr. Munroe, I confess I'm no judge in matters of that sort. You
see, he was never at a day school a day in his life; but for all that he
seems to have a natural gift for learning. Our George says he's got on
wonderfully; and old Mr. Jones, that keeps the night school yonder at
Scoutleigh, says he can't teach him any more."
"Excuse me asking all these questions, Mr. Fisher, but I feel quite
interested in the young man. It's but natural I should, since I owe my
life to him; and I should like to do something for him, if I could see
how it's to be done."
"It's very kind of you, I'm sure, and I can assure you you'll not find
me stand in the lad's way. Fact is, I've thought many times of late that
he's too good--too well informed, and that kind of thing--to be a farm
labourer all his life, and he'd never get enough as a day labourer to
become a farmer on his own account."
"Just so; the same thought has occurred to me, but we'll see what can be
done. Good morning, Mr. Fisher."
"Good morning, sir, good morning."
And Mr. Fisher went his way to his farm, and Mr. Munroe to the station,
to catch the noon train to Manchester.
Benny kept indoors two whole days, and declared that they were two of
the longest days of his life. But on the third morning he was out in the
fields again with his arm in a sling. He could not work, so he took a
book with him and lay down by a sunny hedge, and read till dinner-time.
He would not be treated as an invalid.
"I'm all right but for my game arm," he said to Mrs. Fisher, when she
brought him some little delicacy that she had cooked for his special
benefit; "and I think I know some one that will enjoy it a great deal
more than I should," looking across to baby Winnie, who was eyeing the
dish with curious eyes. "At any rate, she shall have a share. Come here,
Winnie," he said, turning to the child, "come to Benny."
And the little bit of humanity slipped off her chair in what Benny would
have once characterized as "sca'se no time," and came toddling round the
table towards him, holding up her little fat dimpled hands, and with
eyes brimful of delight.
"Take us up, 'enny," said the little prattler; "Winnie 'oves 'oo very
much."
"Easier said than done, you young foxy," said Benny, laughing down upon
the child. "Come, mammy," turning to Mrs. Fisher, "lend us a helping
hand, and get this young soldier where she wants to be." And soon Benny
and baby were eating out of the same dish, and it would have been hard
to decide which enjoyed it most.
So day after day passed away, and Benny kept putting off the promised
visit to Brooklands. Mrs. Fisher was constantly reminding him of his
promise, and yet every day he found some fresh excuse for staying away.
One afternoon, however, about a fortnight after the accident, he
announced to Mrs. Fisher that he was going to pay his promised visit to
the lions that afternoon.
"That's right, Benny; though I don't think from your own experience that
you have any occasion to call the ladies lions," and Mrs. Fisher bent on
him a knowing look.
"Right you are, mammy; I believe they are mostly angels after all, and
perhaps those at Brooklands will be no exception to the rule."
"I'm sure they will be kind to you, Benny; so you had better be off and
get ready."
Half an hour later he came into the sitting-room to Mrs. Fisher, dressed
for his visit.
"Now, mammy," he said, "am I presentable?"
"Go away with you," she said, laughing, though casting at the same
time an admiring look at the manly young fellow that stood before her,
"you'll be as proud as a peacock soon."
"Right you are again. I feel the pride creeping up already. But now for
a sight of the angels, so good-bye."
And off he started to pay a visit that was to be fraught with vastly
more important issues than he had any conception of.