SHUT OUT.
A raw gray morning.
Mehetabel had run forth into it with nothing over her head, no
shawl about her shoulders, with hair tangled, and eyes dazed,
holding her child to her heart, with full resolve never again to
set foot across the threshold of the farmhouse of Jonas Kink.
No doubt whatever remained now in her mind that the Broom-Squire
had endeavored to compass the death of his child, first by means
of poison, and then by suffocation.
Nothing would ever induce her again to risk the precious life of
her child at his hands. She had no thought whither she should go,
how she should live--her sole thought was to escape from Jonas,
and by putting a distance between herself and him, place the infant
beyond danger.
As she ran up the lane from the house she encountered Sally Rocliffe
at the well head.
"Where be you goyne to, like that; and with the child, too?" asked
the woman.
Mehetabel drew the little face of the babe to her, lest the eye of
its aunt should light on it. She could not speak, palpitating with
fear, as she was.
"What be you runnin' out for this time o' the mornin'?" asked Mrs.
Rocliffe again.
"I cannot tell you," gasped the mother.
"But I will know."
"I shall never, never go back again," cried Mehetabel.
"Oh! he's kicked you out, has he? That's like Jonas."
"I'm runnin' away.
"And where be yo goyne to?"
"I don't know."
"But I do," said Mrs. Rocliffe with a chuckle.
Mehetabel gave no thought to her words. She thrust past her, and
ran on.
Fear, love, gave strength to her limbs. She had no consideration
for herself, that she was dishevelled and incompletely clad, that
she had eaten nothing; she sped up the side of the Common, to
escape from the Punch-Bowl, the place where she had weltered in
misery. There was no hope for her and her child till she had
escaped from that.
In the cold air, charged with moisture, the larks were singing.
A ploughboy was driving his horses to the field that was to be
turned up by the share.
As she passed him he stared at her with surprise. She reached the
village. The blacksmith was up and about; he was preparing to put
a tire on a cart-wheel. For this purpose he had just kindled a
fire of turf "bats," that were heaped round the fire on the ground
outside the forge. He looked up with astonishment as Mehetabel
sped past, and cast to her the question, "Wot's up?" which,
however, she did not stay to answer.
She made no tarry till she reached the Ship Inn. There she entered
the porch, and would have gone through the door into the house,
had she not been confronted by Polly, the maid, who at that moment
was coming up the passage from the bar.
Polly made no attempt to give room for Mehetabel to pass; she
saluted her with a stare and a look at her from head to feet, full
of insolence.
"Wot do you want?" asked the girl.
"I wish to see and speak to father," answered Mehetabel.
"I always heard as your father lies in Thursley Churchyard,"
answered the servant.
"I mean I should like to speak with Mr. Verstage."
"Oh! the landlord?"
"Yes; the landlord. Where is he?"
"Don' know. Somewhere about, I reckon."
"It is cold, and my child is ill. I would go into the kitchen, by
the fire."
"Why don't you then go home?"
"I have no home."
"Oh! it's come to that, is it?"
"Yes. Let me in."
"No, indeed. This ain't the place for you. If you think you're
goyne to be mistress and order about here you're mistaken. You go
along; I'm goyne to shut the door."
Mehetabel had not the spirit to resent this insolence.
She turned in the porch and left the inn, that had once been her
home, and the only home in which she had found happiness.
She made her way to the fields that belonged to Simon Verstage,
and after wandering through a ploughed glebe she found him.
"Ah, Matabel!" said he, "glad to see you. What brings you here so
early in the day?"
"Dear father, I cannot tell you all, but I have left Bideabout.
I can stay with him no longer, something has happened. Do not
press me to tell--at least not now. I can never return to the
Punch-Bowl. Will you take me in?"
The old man mused.
"I'll consult Polly. I don't know what she'll say to it. I'm rather
dependent on her now. You see, I know nothing of the house, I
always put that into Susanna's charge, and now poor Sanna is gone,
Polly has taken the management. Of course, she makes mistakes, but
wun'erfully few. In fact, it is wun'erful how she fits into Sanna's
place, and manages the house and all--just as if she had been
brought up to it. I'll go and ask her. I couldn't say yes without,
much as I might wish."
Mehetabel shook her head.
The old man was become feeble and dependent. He had no longer a
will of his own:
"I will not trouble you, dear father, to ask Polly. I am quite
sure what her answer will be. I must go further. Who is Guardian?"
"That's Timothy Puttenham, the wheelwright."
Then Mehetabel turned back in the direction of the village and
came in front of the shop. Puttenham and his apprentice were
engaged on the fire, and Mehetabel stood, with the babe folded
in her arms, watching them at work. They might not be disturbed
at the critical period when the tire was red hot and had to be
fitted to the wheel.
A circle of flame and glowing ashes and red-hot iron was on the
ground. At a little distance lay a flat iron disc, called the
"platform"; with a pole in the centre through which ran a spindle.
On this metal plate lay a new cast wheel, and the wright with a
bar screwed a nut so as to hold the cart-wheel down firmly on the
"platform."
"Now, boy, the pincers!"
Then he, grasping a long pair of forceps, his apprentice with
another, laid hold of the glowing tire, and raising it from the
fire carried it scintillating to the wheel, lifted it over the
spindle, and dropped it about the woodwork. Then, at once, they
seized huge hammers and began to belabor the tire, to drive it
on to the wheel, which smoked and flamed.
"Water, boy, water!"
The apprentice threw water from a pitcher over the tire throughout
its circumference, dulling its fire, and producing clouds of steam.
Mehetabel, well aware that at this juncture the wright must not be
interfered with, drew close to the fire, and kneeling by it warmed
herself and the sleeping child, whilst she watched the sturdy men
whirling their hammers and beating the tire down into place around
the wheel.
At length the wright desisted. He leaned on his great hammer; and
then Mehetabel timidly addressed him.
"Please, Mr. Puttenham, are you not Guardian of the Poor?"
"Certainly, Mrs. Kink."
"May I be put in the Poors' House?"
"You!"
The wheelwright opened his eyes very wide.
"Yes, Mr. Puttenham, I have no home."
"Why, Matabel! What is the sense of this? Your home is in the
Punch-Bowl."
"I have left it."
"Then you must return to it again."
"I cannot. Take me into the Poors' House."
"My good girl, this is rank nonsense. The Poor House is not for
you, or such as you."
"I need its shelter more than most. I have no home."
"Are you gone off your head?"
"No, sir. My mind is sound, but to the Punch-Bowl I cannot, and
will not, return. No, never!"
"Matabel," said the wheelwright, "I suppose you and Jonas have had
a quarrel. Bless you! Such things happen in married life, over and
over again, and you'll come together and love each other all the
better for these tiffs. I know it by experience."
"I cannot go back! I will not go back!"
"It is not cannot or will not--it is a case of must. That is your
home. But this I will do for you. Go in and ask my old woman to
let you have some breakfast, and I'll send Jack"--he signed to his
apprentice--"and bid him tell Bideabout where you are, and let
him fetch you. We mustn't have a scandal."
"If Jonas comes, I shall run away."
"Whither?"
That Mehetabel could not say.
"Where can you go? Nowhere, save to your husband's house. For
God's sake!" he suddenly exclaimed, knocking his hammer on the
tire, "don't say you are going to Guildford--to Iver Verstage."
Mehetabel raised her heavy eyes, and looked the wheelwright
frankly in the face. "I would rather throw myself and baby into
one of the Hammer Ponds than do that."
"Right! You're a good gal. But there was no knowing. Folks talk.
Come in! You shall have something--and rest a while."
The kind, well-intentioned man laid his large hand on her shoulder
and almost forced her, but gently, towards the house. She would
not enter the door till he had promised not to send for Jonas.
Selena Puttenham, the wright's wife, was a loquacious and inquisitive
woman, and she allowed Mehetabel no rest. She gave her bread and
milk with readiness, and probed her with questions which Mehetabel
could not answer without relating the whole horrible truth, and
this she was resolved not to do.
The wright was busy, and could not remain in his cottage. The wife,
with the kindest intentions, was unable to restrain herself from
putting her guest on the rack. The condition of Mehetabel was one
to rouse curiosity. Why was she there, with her baby, in the early
morning? Without having even covered her head; fasted and jaded?
Had there been a quarrel. If so--about what? Had Bideabout beaten
her? Had he thrust her out and locked the door? If so, in what had
she offended him? Had she been guilty of some grievous misdemeanor?
At length, unable further to endure the torture to which she was
subjected, Mehetabel sprang up, and insisted on leaving the cottage.
Without answering Mrs. Puttenham's question as to whither she was
going, what were her intentions, the unhappy girl hastened out of
the village clasping in her arms the child, which had begun to sob.
And now she made her way towards Witley, of which Thursley was a
daughter parish. She would find the Vicar, who had always treated
her with consideration, and even affection. The distance was
considerable, in her weary condition, but she plodded on in hopes.
He was a man of position and authority, and she could trust him to
protect her and the child. To him she would tell all, in confidence
that he would not betray her secret.
At length, so fagged that she could hardly walk, her arms cramped
and aching, her nerves thrilling, because the child was crying,
and would not be comforted, she reached the Vicarage, and rang at
the back door bell. Some time elapsed before the door was opened;
and then the babe was screaming so vociferously, and struggling in
her arms with such energy, that she was not able to make herself
heard when she asked for the Parson.
The woman who had answered the summons was a stranger, consequently
did not know Mehetabel. She made signs to her to go away.
The cries of the child became more violent, and the mother's
efforts were directed towards pacifying it. "Let me come in, I
pray! I pray!" she asked with a brow, in spite of the cold, bathed
in perspiration.
"I cannot! I must not!" answered the woman. She caught her by the
arm, drew her aside, and said--"Do you not know? Look! the blinds
are all down. He died in the night!"
"Dead!" cried Mehetabel, reeling back. "My God! whither shall I go?"