UNDER FAIRER AUSPICES.
Knowing now what I had to expect from Parson Chowne and from all his
train (whether clothed or naked), and even perhaps from Parson Jack, who
lay beneath his thumb so much, and who could thrash me properly; I
seized the chance of a good high tide, and gave a man sixpence to help
me, and warped the Rose of Devon to a berth where she could float and
swing, and nobody come a-nigh her without a boat or a swimming-bout.
Because I knew from so many folk what a fiend I had to deal with, and
that his first resort for vengeance (haply through his origin) generally
was to fire. They told me that when he condescended to do duty in either
church--for two he had, as I may have said--all the farmers took it for
a call to have their ricks burned. They durst not stay away from church,
to save the very lives of them, nor could they leave their wives behind,
on account of the unclothed people: all they could hope was that no
offence had come from their premises, since last service. The service he
held just as suited his mood; sometimes three months, and the
church-door locked; sometimes three Sundays one after the other, man,
woman, and child demanded. Whenever this happened, the congregation knew
that the parish had displeased him, and that he wanted them all in
church; while his boy was at the stackyards. He never deigned to preach,
but made the prayers themselves a comedy, singing them up to the clerk's
"amen," and the neigh of his mare from the vestry.
I cannot believe even half that I hear from the very best authority;
therefore I set nothing down which may be overcoloured. But the
following story I know to be true, because seven people have told it to
me, and not any two very different. Two or three bishops and archdeacons
(or deacons of arches, I know not which, at any rate high free-masons)
desired to know some little more about a man in their jurisdiction
eminent to that extent, and equally notorious. They meant no harm at
all, but just to take a little feel of him. Because he had come to
visitation, once or twice when summoned, with his huntsman and his
hounds, and himself in leathern breeches. There must have been something
amiss in this, or at any rate they thought so; and his lordship, a
bishop just appointed, made up his mind to tackle him. He came in a
coach-and-four, and wearing all his high canonicals, and they managed
somehow to get up the hill, and appear at Nympton Rectory. Then a
footman struck the door with a gold stick well embossed; and he struck
again, and he struck again, more in dudgeon every time.
Because no man had yet been seen, nor woman on the premises; only dogs
very wild and mad, but kept away from biting. "Strike again," said his
lordship, nodding under his wig, with some courtesy; "we must never be
impatient. Jemmy, strike again, my lad." Jemmy struck a thundering
stroke, and out came Mrs Steelyard. She looked at them all, and then she
said, with her eyes full on the Bishop's, "Are you robbers, or are you
savages? My master in that state and you do this!" And they all saw that
she could not weep, by reason of too much sorrow. "It is the Lord
Bishop," said the footman, keeping a little away from her. "Excellent
female," began his Lordship, spreading his hands in a habit learned
according to his duties, "tell your master that his[C] Jehoshaphat wishes
to see him." "Mr Jehoshaphat," she replied, "you are just in time, and
no more, sir. How we have longed for a minister! You are just in time
and no more, sir. Will you have the kindness to come this way, and to
step as quietly as you can?" His Lordship liked not the look of this;
being, however, a resolute man, he followed the stony woman up the
staircase, and into a bedroom with the window-curtains three quarters
drawn. And here he found a pastille burning, and a lot of medicine
bottles, and a Bible on the table open, and on it a pair of spectacles.
In the bed lay some one, with a face of fire heavily blotched with bungs
of black, and all his body tossing with spasms and weak groaning. "What
means this?" asked his Lordship, drawing considerably nearer to the
door. "Only the[D] plague," said the stony woman; "he was took with it
yesterday; doctor says he may last two hours more almost, particular if
he can get anybody to take the symptoms off him. I expect to be down
with it some time to-night, because I feel the tingling. But your
Highness will stop and help us." "I am damned if I will," cried the
Bishop, sinking both manners and dignity in the violence of alarm; and
he ran down the stairs at such a pace that his apron strings burst, and
he left it behind, and he jumped into the coach with his two feet
foremost, and slammed up the windows, and ordered full speed. Then
Parson Chowne rose, and threw off his mask, and drew back the
window-curtain, and sat in his hunting-clothes, and watched with his
usual bitter smile the rapid departure of his foe. And he had the
Bishop's apron framed, and hung it in the parsonage hall, from a
red-deer's antlers, with the name and date below. And so of that Bishop
he heard no more.
Now a man who had beaten three bishops, and all the archdeacons in the
country, was of course tenfold of a match for me; and when he rode down
smoothly to me, as he did in a few days' time, and never touched on our
little skirmish, except with a sort of playful hit (so far as his
haughty mind could play), and riding another horse without a word about
the mischief which his favourite mare had taken, and demanded, as a
matter of justice, that having quitted his service now, I should pay
back seven-and-sixpence drawn in advance for wages, I was obliged to
touch my hat, as if I had never made stroke at his, or put my knee upon
him. He had flogged me to such purpose that I ever must admire him; for
the flick of the boatswain's lash was a tickle compared to what Chowne
took out of me; and if I must tell the whole truth, I was prouder of
having knocked down such a wonderful man than of all of my victories put
together. But one of my weak and unreasonable views of life is this,
that having thrashed a man, I feel a great power of goodwill to him, and
a desire to give him quarter, and the more so the less he cries for it.
But, on the whole, I was not so young after all that was said by
everybody, as to imagine for a moment that I had felt the last of him.
The very highest in the land had been compelled to yield to him: as when
he turned out my Lord G----'s horses from the stabling ordered at Lord
G----'s inn. Would such a man accept defeat from a crazy old mariner
like me? Feeling my danger, and meaning never to knock under any more, I
refused, as a matter of principle, to restore so much as a halfpenny;
and if I understand law at all, he was bound to give me another week's
wages, in default of notice. However, I could not get it; and therefore
am glad to quit such trifles.
From all experience it was known that this man never hurried vengeance.
He knew that he was sure to get it; and he liked to dwell upon it, thus
prolonging his enjoyment by the means of hope. He loved, as in the case
of that unfortunate Captain Vellacott, to persuade his enemies that he
had forgiven, or at least forgotten them, and then to surprise them, and
laugh to himself at their ignorance of his nature. So I felt pretty sure
that I had some time till my life would be in danger. For, of course, he
knew that my ferry business, growing in profit daily, would keep me
within his reach for the present, over and above the difficulty of
getting across the Channel now. However, he began upon me sooner than I
expected, on account, perhaps, of my low degree.
But in the meanwhile, feeling sure that I could not stand worse with him
than I did--desiring, moreover, to ease my conscience, and perhaps
improve my income, by an act of justice--I crossed the river to Narnton
Court, and getting among the servants nicely, sent word in to Miss
Isabel Carey that the old ferryman begged leave to see her upon business
most particular. For, of course (although, in the hurry of things, I
may have forgotten to mention it), the lovely young lady I ferried
across, and whose name I was thrashed so for not betraying, was Captain
Drake's sweetheart, the ward of Sir Philip.
One of the most hateful things in Chowne was, that he never did anything
in the good old-fashioned manner, unless it were use of the horsewhip.
And it now rejoiced my heart almost to be shown into a fine dark room,
by the side of good long passages, with a footman going before me, and
showing legs of a quite superior order, and then under my instructions
boldly throwing an oaken door wide, and announcing, "Mr David Llewellyn,
ma'am!"
For though I had left Felix Farley behind, from a sort of romantic
bashfulness, I had seen in the hall a coloured gentleman, who seemed
justly popular; therefore I had just dropped a hint (not meant to go any
further) concerning my risk of life and fortitude for the sake of black
men. And this made the women admire me, for it turned out that this
worthy negro stood high in the house, and had saved some cash. The room
which I entered was large and high, with an amazing number of books in
it, and smelling exceeding learned. And there in a deep window sat the
young lady, with the light from the river glancing on the bright
elegance of her hair. And when she rose and came towards me, I felt
uncommonly proud of having been even thrashed for her sake: nor did I
wonder at Captain Drake's warm manner of proceeding, or at Chowne's
resolve to keep so jealous a watch over her. Over and above her beauty,
which was no business of mine, of course, she had such pretty eyebrows
and so sweet a way of looking, that a thrill went to my experienced
heart, in spite of all experience; and women seemed a different thing
from what I was accustomed to.
Therefore I left her to begin; while I made bows, and felt afraid of
giving offence by gazing. She, however, put me at my ease almost
directly, having such a high-bred way, so clarified and gentle, that I
neither could be distant nor familiar with her. Only to be quite at
ease, like, respect, and love her. And this lady was only about
seventeen! It is wonderful how they learn so much.
I need not follow all I said, or even what she said to me. Without for a
moment sacrificing my true sense of dignity, I gave her to understand,
very mildly, that I had seen something, and had taken a vague sense of
its import, when I chanced to be after wild-ducks. Also that strong
attempts had been made to set me spying after her, and that I might have
yielded to them, but for my own lofty sense of being a victorious
veteran, and the way in which I was conquered by her extraordinary
beauty.
She seemed for a moment to doubt how far I should have touched that
subject; and if I had only looked up she would have rung the bell
decidedly. But I bowed, and kept down my eyelashes; which were grey now,
and helped me much in paying innocent compliments to every kind of
woman. Even in the bar of very first-rate public-houses have I been
pressed to take, and not pay for, glasses even of ancient stingo,
because of the way I have paid respects, and looked through my shadows
afterwards. Therefore this young lady said, "I hardly know what to do or
say. Mr Llewellyn, it is a strange tale. Why should any one watch me?"
"That is more than I can say, my lady. I only know that the thing is
done, and by a very wicked man indeed."
"And you have found it out, as ferryman? How clever of you, to be sure!
And how honest to come and tell me! You have been a royal sailor?"
"In the Royal Navy, ma'am! Our captains are the most noble men, so
brave, and glorious, and handsome! If you could only see one of them!"
"Perhaps I have," she said, under her breath, being carried away by my
description, as I hoped to do to her; and then she came back through a
shading of colours to herself, and looked at me, as if to say, "Have you
detected me now?" I touched my lock; and by no means seemed to have
dreamed a suspicion of anything.
"You are a most worthy man," she said; "and wonderfully straightforward.
None but a Royal Navy sailor could have behaved so nobly. In spite of
all the bribes offered you----"
"No, no, no!" I cried; "nothing to speak of! nothing to speak of! What
is a guinea and a half a-week when it touches a man's integrity?"
"Three guineas a-week you shall have at once; because you have behaved
so nobly, and because you have fought for your country so, and been left
with nothing (I think you said), with half of your lungs quite shot
away, except twopence a-day to live upon!"
"One and eightpence farthing a-week, my lady; and to be signed by a
clergyman; and twenty-eight miles to walk for it."
"It vexes mo so to hear such things. Don't tell me any more of it. What
is the use of having money except for the people who want it? Mr
Llewellyn, you must try not to be offended."
I saw that there was something coming, but looked very grave about it. A
man of my rank and mark must never be at all ready, and much less eager,
to lay himself under any form of trifling obligation. And thoroughly as
she had won me over, I tried very hard not to be offended, while she was
going to a small black desk. If she had come thence with a guinea or
two, my mind was made up to do nothing more than gracefully wave it back
again, and show myself hurt at such ignorance of me. But now when she
came with a £5 note (such as Sir Philip seemed to keep in stock), my
duty to Bardie and Bunny rose as upright as could be before my eyes, and
overpowered all selfish niceties. I would not make a fuss about it, lest
I might hurt her feelings, but placed it in my pocket with a bow of
silent gratitude. Perhaps my face conveyed to her that it was not the
money I cared for; only to do what was just and right, as any British
sailor must when delicately handled. Also her confidence in me was so
thoroughly sweet and delicate, that I felt the whole of my heart wrapped
up in saving her from her enemies. We made no arrangements about it; but
I went into her service bodily, being left to my own discretion, as
seemed due to my skill and experience. I was to keep the ferry going,
because of the opportunities, as well as to lull suspicion, and always
at dark I was bound to be (according to my own proposal) near the river
front of the house, to watch against all wicked treachery. And
especially if a spy of Chowne's should come sneaking and skulking there,
whether in a boat or out of it, I gladly volunteered to thrash him
within an inch of his foul base life. The bad man's name never passed
between us; and indeed I may say that the lady forbore from committing
herself against anybody, so that I was surprised to find such wit in one
so youthful.
We settled between us that my duties were to begin that very day, and my
salary of course to run, also how the lady was to let me know when
wanted, and I to tell her when I discovered anything suspicious. And as
I had been compelled to restore the Parson's gun to his gunmaker, Miss
Carey led me to a place you might almost call an armoury, and bade me
choose any piece I liked, and her own maid should place it where I could
find it that same evening, as though it were to shoot wild-fowl for
them. But she advised me on no account to have any talk with Nanette, or
any servants of the household, whether male or female, not only because
of the wicked reports and cruel slanders prevailing, but also that it
might not be known how I was to act in her interest. And then having
ordered me a good hot dinner in the butler's pantry, as often was done
for poor people, she let me go once, and then called me back, and said,
"Oh, nothing;" and then called me again, and said, looking steadily out
of the window, "By the by, I have quite forgotten to say that there is a
boat belonging to a ship commanded by a son of Sir Philip Bampfylde, a
white boat, with three oars on each side, and sometimes an officer
behind them. If they should happen to come up the river, or to go ashore
upon business here, you need not--I mean, you will quite understand that
no harm whatever is intended to me, and therefore that you may--you see
what I mean."
"To be sure, to be sure, my lady. Of course I may quit my duty so long
as there is a man-of-war's boat in the river; even the boldest and worst
of men would venture nothing against you then."
"Quite so," she replied, looking bravely round, with as much of pride in
her bright blue eyes as of colour on her soft fresh cheeks. So I made my
best bow and departed.