BANNS.
Sunday morning. A more idyllic and peaceful scene than Peter Tavy Church
on Sunday could hardly be found. The grand old granite church with its
bold grey tower and rich pinnacles standing among trees, now bursting
with leaf; overhead, the soaring moors strewn with rock; the river or
brook bounding, brawling down between the hills, with a pleasant rush
that filled the air with a fresh, never-failing music.
The rooks cawing, pee-whits calling, larks thrilling, wood-pigeons
cooing, and the blackbirds piping during the pauses of the church-bells.
And within the church, after the service had begun, when the psalm was
not sung, as an accompaniment to the parson's prayer came in through the
open door, with the sweet spring air and the sunlight, and through the
ill-set and cracked wavy-green glass of the windows--that wondrous
concert of Nature. As an organist sometimes accompanies the Confession
and the Creed and Lord's Prayer, with a subdued change of harmonies on
the instrument, so did mighty awakening Nature give its changing burden
to this voice of prayer within, without a discord, and never unduly
loud.
A quaint old church, with fragments of stained glass in the windows,
with old oak-carved benches representing on shields various strange
sea-monsters, also rabbits running in and out of their holes, moor-birds
fluttering over their young, and along with these symbols of trade, a
spit with a goose on it, a flax-beating rack, a sheaf of wheat, and a
sickle, and again the instruments of the Lord's Passion, and armorial
bearings of ancient families, a queer jumble of subjects sacred and
profane, a picture of human life. The screen existed almost intact,
richly sculptured and gilt, and painted with the saints and apostles.
Above this a great Royal Arms.
The church was full. In the great carved pew, mentioned in a former
chapter, were the Crymes family; in another, newly erected, were Squire
Cleverdon and his daughter. Urith and her uncle sat in the old bench
belonging to the Willsworthy Manor; the family had not had the stray
cash at command to replace this with a deal pew, according to the new
fashion. Anthony was within the screen, in the rectory seat.
Looking through the screen, he could see his father, with his blue
coat--the collar dusted over with powder--his dark eyebrows and sharp
features. The old man looked straight before him, and purposely kept his
eyes away from the chancel and his son when he stood up during Psalm and
Creed.
The Second Lesson was read, and then ensued a pause. Even Anthony's
heart gave a leap and flutter then, for he knew what was to follow.
Luke, in distinct tones, but with a voice in which was a slight tremor,
announced: "I publish the banns of marriage between Anthony Cleverdon,
of this parish, bachelor, and Urith Malvine----"
He was interrupted by a strange noise--something between a cry of pain
and the laugh of a madman. Squire Cleverdon, who had risen to his feet
on the conclusion of the Lesson, had fallen back in his pew, with livid
face and clenched hands.
The curate waited a moment till the commotion was abated; then he
proceeded--"Urith Malvine, of this parish, spinster. If any of you know
any just cause why these persons may not be joined together in holy
matrimony----"
Squire Cleverdon staggered to his feet, and, clasping the back of the
pew with both hands, in a harsh voice that rang through the church,
cried, "I forbid the banns."
"This is the first time of asking." Luke proceeded, with a voice now
firm: "If any objection be raised, I will hear it immediately after
Divine Service."
Little attention was given through the rest of public worship to
anything save the old father, his son, and to Urith. All eyes wandered
from the Cleverdon pew, in which the Squire sat screened, and in which
he no more rose, to Anthony in the chancel, and then to Urith, who was
deadly pale.
Luke's sermon may have been eloquent and instructive; not a person in
the congregation gave heed to it.
There was another person present who turned white at the announcement,
and that was Julian Crymes; but she speedily recovered herself, and,
rising, looked across the church at Urith with eyes that flamed with
jealousy and hate. Her hand clenched her gloves, wrapped together in it.
Yes, that wild moor-girl had won in the struggle, and she--the rich, the
handsome Julian--was worsted. Her heart beat so furiously that she was
afraid of leaning against the carved oak sides of the pew lest she
should shake them. Her eye encountered that of her half-brother,
twinkling with malice, and the sight gave back her self-possession; she
would not let Fox see, and triumph over her confusion.
The congregation waited with impatience for the conclusion of the
service, and then, after defiling into the churchyard, did not disperse;
they tarried to hear the result of the objection raised to the
publication.
Urith hastened away with her uncle, but she had difficulty in persuading
him to go with her. He had so many friends in the churchyard, there was
such a topic for discussion ready; but her will prevailed over his, and
after a forlorn look back at his friends, and a shrug of the shoulders,
he left with her.
But Anthony remained with head erect; he knew that no objection his
father could make would avail anything. He nodded his head to
acquaintances, and held out his hand to friends with his wonted
confidence; but all showed a slight hesitation about receiving his
advances, a hesitation that was so obvious that it angered him. He was
at variance with his father, and the father held the purse-strings. All
knew that, and none liked to be too friendly with the young man fallen
out of his fortune, and out of place.
Fox alone was really friendly. He pushed forward, and seized and shook
Anthony's hand, and congratulated him. The young man was pleased.
"Bygones are bygones," said Fox, whose eye was covered with a patch, but
no longer bandaged. "My sight is not destroyed, I shall receive it
again, the doctor says. As for that affair on the moor, at the
Drift--you know me better than to suppose I meant you harm."
"Certainly I do," answered Anthony with warmth. "Just as you knew that
when I struck you with the glove, I had not the smallest desire to hurt
you. It was--well, what you like to call it--a passage of arms or a
frolic. It is over."
"It is over, and all forgotten," said Fox. "You will not be deterred by
your father's refusal to give consent to this marriage?"
"Certainly I will not," answered Anthony. "He will come round in time.
It is but a question of time."
There was no vestry. Old Cleverdon waited in the church till Luke had
taken off his surplice, and then went up to him in the chancel.
"What is the meaning of this?" he asked, rudely. "How dare you--who have
eaten of my bread, and whose back I clothed, take the part of Anthony
against me?"
Luke replied gravely, "I have done my office; whoever asks me to read
his banns, or to marry him, I am bound to execute my office."
"I will send to the rector, and have you turned out of the cure."
"You may do so, if you please."
Luke maintained his calm exterior. The old man was trembling with anger.
"If you have objections to the marriage, state them," said Luke.
"Objections! Of course I have. The marriage shall not take place. I
forbid it."
"On what grounds?"
"Grounds!--I do not choose that it shall take place; let that suffice."
"That, however, will not suffice for me. I am bound to repeat the banns,
and to marry the pair, if they desire it, unless you can show me
reasons--legitimate reasons--to make me refuse. Anthony is of age."
"He _shall_ not marry that hussy. I will disinherit him if he does. Is
not that enough? I will not be defied and disputed with. I have grounds
which I do not choose to proclaim to the parish."
"Grounds I know you have," answered Luke gravely; "but not one that will
hold. Why not give your consent? Urith is not penniless. Willsworthy
will prove a good addition to Hall. Your son loves her, and she loves
him."
"I will not have it. He shall not marry her!" again broke from the
angry man. "He does it to defy me."
"There you are in error. It is you who have forced him into a position
of estrangement, and apparent rebellion, because you will not suffer him
to obey his own heart. He seeks his happiness in a way different from
what you had mapped out; but it is _his_ happiness, and he is better
able to judge what conduces thereto than are you."
"I do know better than he. Does it lead to happiness to live separated
from me--for I will never see him if he marries that hussy? Will it be
to his happiness to see Hall pass away into other hands? Never, so help
me God! shall he bring her over my threshold--certainly never as
mistress. Answer me that."
The blood mounted to Luke's cheeks, and burnt there in two angry spots.
"Master Cleverdon," he said, and his voice assumed the authority of a
priest, "your own wrongdoing is turning against you and yours. You did
Urith's father a wrong, and you hate him and his daughter because you
know that you were guilty towards him. You took from him the woman he
loved, and who loved him, and sought to build your domestic happiness on
broken hearts. You failed: you know by bitter experience how great was
your failure; and, instead of being humbled thereby, and reproaching
yourself, you become rancorous against his innocent child."
"You--you, say this! You beggar, whom I raised from the dunghill, fed,
and clothed?"
"I say it," answered Luke, with calmness, but with the flame still in
his cheek, "only because I am grateful to you for what you did me, and I
would bring you to the most blessed, peace-giving, and hopeful state
that exists--a state to which we must all come, sooner or later--some
soon, some late, if ever we are to pass into the world of Light--a
knowledge of self. Do not think that I reproach you for any other
reason. You know that I speak the truth, but you will not admit it--bow
your head and beat your breast, and submit to the will of God."
The Squire folded his arms and glared from under his heavy eyebrows at
the audacious young man who presumed to hold up to him a mirror.
"You will not refrain from reading these banns?"
"Not without just cause."
"And you will defy me--and marry them?"
"Yes."
The old man paused. He was trembling with rage and disappointment. He
considered for a while. His face became paler--a dusky grey--and the
lines between his nostrils and the corners of his mouth hardened and
deepened. Forgetting that he was still in the church, he put his hat on
his head; then he turned to walk away.
"I have shown all--all here, that I am against this; I have proclaimed
it to the parish. I will not be defied with impunity. Take care you,
Luke! I will leave no stone unturned to displace you. And as for
Anthony, as he has made his bed so shall he lie--in his pigstye.
Never--I call God to my witness--never in Hall."
As he passed through the richly-sculptured and gilt and painted screen,
an old woman stepped forward and intercepted him on his way to the
church door.
He put out his hand impatiently, to wave her away, without regarding
her, and would have thrust past. But she would not be thus put aside.
"Ah, ha! Master Cleverdon!" she exclaimed, in harsh tones. "Look at me.
Do you not know me--me, your wife's mother. Me, whom you threatened with
the stick should I venture through your doors to see my daughter?"
Old Cleverdon looked at her with a scowl. "Of course I know you--you old
beldame Penwarne."
"There is a righteous God in heaven!" cried the old woman, with
vehemence--extending her arms to bar his passage. "Now will he
recompense to you all the heartache and misery you brought on my
child--aye, and through your own child too. That is well! That is well!"
"Stand aside!"
"I will not make a way for you to go," continued the old woman. "If you
venture to go away until I have spoken, I will run after you and shriek
it forth in the churchyard where all may hear. Will you stay now?"
He made no further attempt to force his way past her.
"You thought that with your money you could buy everything--even my
child's heart; and when you found you could not, then you took her poor
heart, and trampled on it; you spurned it; and you trod it again and
again under your cursed foot till all the blood was crushed out of it."
Her eyes glowed, there was the madness of long-retained and fostered
hate in her heart. "You made a wreck of her life, and now your own child
spurns you, and tramples on all your fatherly love, laughs at your
ambition, mocks all your schemes, and flings back your love in your face
as something too tainted, too base, to be worth a groat. Ah, ha! I have
prayed to see this day. I see it, and am glad. Now go."
She stepped on one side, and the Squire walked down the church. In the
porch he found Bessie, or rather Bessie found him, for he did not
observe her. She put her hand on his arm, and looked earnestly,
supplicatingly into his eyes. He shook off her hand, and walked on.
Half the congregation--nearly all the men, and a good many of the women,
were in the churchyard in groups, talking. Fox was with Anthony, but as
soon as the Squire appeared, he fell from him and drew back near one of
the trees of the church avenue, and fixed his keen observant eye on the
old man. But every other eye was on him as well. Cleverdon came slowly,
and with that mixture of pomposity and dignity which was usual with him,
but which was this day exaggerated, down the avenue, he nodded and
saluted with his hat the acquaintances whom he observed, but he said no
word of greeting to any one. Presently he came opposite his son, then he
stayed his foot, looked at him, and their eyes met. Not a muscle was
relaxed in his face, his eye was cold and stony. Then he turned his head
away, and walked on at the same leisurely pace.
The blood boiled up in Anthony's arteries. A film passed over his sight
and obscured it, then he turned and went down another path, and abruptly
left the graveyard.