Though I had consented to this scheme, I was conscious that some hazards
attended it. I was afraid of calumny, which might trouble the peace or
destroy the reputation of my friend. I was afraid of my own weakness,
which might be seduced into an indiscreet marriage by the charms or
sufferings of this bewitching creature. I felt that there was no price
too dear to save her from slander. A fair fame is of the highest
importance to a young female, and the loss of it but poorly supplied by
the testimony of her own conscience. I had reason for tenfold solicitude
on this account, since I was her only protector and friend. Hence, I
cherished some hopes that time might change her views, and suggest less
dangerous schemes. Meanwhile, I was to lose no time in visiting
Malverton and Philip Hadwin.
About ten days had elapsed since we had deserted Malverton. These were
days of successive storms, and travelling had been rendered
inconvenient. The weather was now calm and clear, and, early in the
morning that ensued the dialogue which I have just related, I set out on
horseback.
Honest Caleb was found eating his breakfast nearly in the spot where he
had been first discovered. He answered my inquiries by saying, that, two
days after our departure, several men had come to the house, one of whom
was Philip Hadwin. They had interrogated him as to the condition of the
farm, and the purpose of his remaining on it. William Hadwin they knew
to have been some time dead; but where were the girls, his daughters?
Caleb answered that Susy, the eldest, was likewise dead.
These tidings excited astonishment. When died she, and how, and where
was she buried?
It happened two days before, and she was buried, he believed, but could
not tell where.
Not tell where? By whom, then, was she buried?
Really, he could not tell. Some strange man came there just as she was
dying. He went to the room, and, when she was dead, took her away, but
what he did with the body was more than he could say, but he had a
notion that he buried it. The man stayed till the morning, and then went
off with Lizzy, leaving him to keep house by himself. He had not seen
either of them, nor, indeed, a single soul since.
This was all the information that Caleb could afford the visitants. It
was so lame and incredible that they began to charge the man with
falsehood, and to threaten him with legal animadversion. Just then Mr.
Ellis entered the house, and, being made acquainted with the subject of
discourse, told all that he himself knew. He related the midnight visit
which I had paid him, explained my former situation in the family, and
my disappearance in September. He stated the advice he had given me to
carry Eliza to her uncle's, and my promise to comply with his counsel.
The uncle declared he had seen nothing of his niece, and Caleb added,
that, when she set out, she took the road that led to town.
These hints afforded grounds for much conjecture and suspicion. Ellis
now mentioned some intelligence that he had gathered respecting me in a
late journey to ----. It seems I was the son of an honest farmer in that
quarter, who married a tidy girl of a milkmaid that lived with him. My
father had detected me in making some atrocious advances to my
mother-in-law, and had turned me out of doors. I did not go off,
however, without rifling his drawer of some hundreds of dollars, which
he had laid up against a rainy day. I was noted for such pranks, and was
hated by all the neighbours for my pride and laziness. It was easy, by
comparison of circumstances, for Ellis to ascertain that Hadwin's
servant Mervyn was the same against whom such heavy charges were laid.
Previously to this journey, he had heard of me from Hadwin, who was loud
in praise of my diligence, sobriety, and modesty. For his part, he had
always been cautious of giving countenance to vagrants that came from
nobody knew where, and worked their way with a plausible tongue. He was
not surprised to hear it whispered that Betsy Hadwin had fallen in love
with the youth, and now, no doubt, he had persuaded her to run away with
him. The heiress of a fine farm was a prize not to be met with every
day.
Philip broke into rage at this news; swore that if it turned out so, his
niece should starve upon the town, and that he would take good care to
balk the lad. His brother he well knew had left a will, to which he was
executor, and that this will would in good time be forthcoming. After
much talk and ransacking the house, and swearing at his truant niece, he
and his company departed, charging Caleb to keep the house and its
contents for his use. This was all that Caleb's memory had retained of
that day's proceedings.
Curling had lately commented on the character of Philip Hadwin. This man
was totally unlike his brother, was a noted brawler and bully, a tyrant
to his children, a plague to his neighbours, and kept a rendezvous for
drunkards and idlers, at the sign of the Bull's Head, at ----. He was
not destitute of parts, and was no less dreaded for cunning than
malignity. He was covetous, and never missed an opportunity of
overreaching his neighbour. There was no doubt that his niece's property
would be embezzled should it ever come into his hands, and any power
which he might obtain over her person would be exercised to her
destruction. His children were tainted with the dissoluteness of their
father, and marriage had not repaired the reputation of his daughters,
or cured them of depravity: this was the man whom I now proposed to
visit.
I scarcely need to say that the calumny of Betty Lawrence gave me no
uneasiness. My father had no doubt been deceived, as well as my father's
neighbours, by the artifices of this woman. I passed among them for a
thief and a profligate, but their error had hitherto been harmless to
me. The time might come which should confute the tale without my
efforts. Betty, sooner or later, would drop her mask, and afford the
antidote to her own poisons, unless some new incident should occur to
make me hasten the catastrophe.
I arrived at Hadwin's house. I was received with some attention as a
guest. I looked, among the pimpled visages that filled the piazza, for
that of the landlord, but found him in an inner apartment with two or
three more seated round a table. On intimating my wish to speak with him
alone, the others withdrew.
Hadwin's visage had some traces of resemblance to his brother; but the
meek, placid air, pale cheeks, and slender form of the latter were
powerfully contrasted with the bloated arrogance, imperious brow, and
robust limbs of the former. This man's rage was awakened by a straw; it
impelled him in an instant to oaths and buffetings, and made his life an
eternal brawl. The sooner my interview with such a personage should be
at an end, the better. I therefore explained the purpose of my coming as
fully and in as few words as possible.
"Your name, sir, is Philip Hadwin. Your brother William, of Malverton,
died lately and left two daughters. The youngest only is now alive, and
I come, commissioned from her, to inform you that, as no will of her
father's is extant, she is preparing to administer to his estate. As her
father's brother, she thought you entitled to this information."
The change which took place in the countenance of this man, during this
address, was remarkable, but not easily described. His cheeks contracted
a deeper crimson, his eyes sparkled, and his face assumed an expression
in which curiosity was mingled with rage. He bent forward, and said, in
a hoarse and contemptuous tone, "Pray, is your name Mervyn?"
I answered, without hesitation, and as if the question were wholly
unimportant, "Yes; my name is Mervyn."
"God damn it! You then are the damned rascal"--(but permit me to repeat
his speech without the oaths with which it was plentifully interlarded.
Not three words were uttered without being garnished with a--"God damn
it!" "damnation!" "I'll be damned to hell if"--and the like energetic
expletives.) "You then are the rascal that robbed Billy's house; that
ran away with the fool his daughter; persuaded her to burn her father's
will, and have the hellish impudence to come into this house! But I
thank you for it. I was going to look for you; you've saved me trouble.
I'll settle all accounts with you here. Fair and softly, my good lad! If
I don't bring you to the gallows--If I let you escape without such a
dressing! Damned impudence! Fellow! I've been at Malverton. I've heard
of your tricks. So! finding the will not quite to your mind, knowing
that the executor would balk your schemes, you threw the will into the
fire; you robbed the house of all the cash, and made off with the
girl!--The old fellow saw it all, and will swear to the truth."
These words created some surprise. I meant not to conceal from this man
the tenor and destruction of the will, nor even the measures which his
niece had taken or intended to take. What I supposed to be unknown to
him appeared to have been communicated by the talkative Caleb, whose
mind was more inquisitive and less sluggish than first appearances had
led me to imagine. Instead of moping by the kitchen-fire when Eliza and
I were conversing in an upper room, it now appeared that he had
reconnoitred our proceedings through some keyhole or crevice, and had
related what he had seen to Hadwin.
Hadwin proceeded to exhaust his rage in oaths and menaces. He frequently
clenched his fist and thrust it in my face, drew it back as if to render
his blow more deadly; ran over the same series of exclamations on my
impudence and villany, and talked of the gallows and the whipping-post;
enforced each word by the epithets _damnable_ and _hellish_; closed each
sentence with--"and be curst to you!"
There was but one mode for me to pursue; all forcible opposition to a
man of his strength was absurd. It was my province to make his anger
confine itself to words, and patiently to wait till the paroxysm should
end or subside of itself. To effect this purpose, I kept my seat, and
carefully excluded from my countenance every indication of timidity and
panic on the one hand, and of scorn and defiance on the other. My look
and attitude were those of a man who expected harsh words, but who
entertained no suspicion that blows would be inflicted.
I was indebted for my safety to an inflexible adherence to this medium.
To have strayed, for a moment, to either side, would have brought upon
me his blows. That he did not instantly resort to violence inspired me
with courage, since it depended on myself whether food should be
supplied to his passion. Rage must either progress or decline; and,
since it was in total want of provocation, it could not fail of
gradually subsiding.
My demeanour was calculated to damp the flame, not only by its direct
influence, but by diverting his attention from the wrongs which he had
received, to the novelty of my behaviour. The disparity in size and
strength between us was too evident to make him believe that I confided
in my sinews for my defence; and, since I betrayed neither contempt nor
fear, he could not but conclude that I trusted to my own integrity or to
his moderation. I seized the first pause in his rhetoric to enforce this
sentiment.
"You are angry, Mr. Hadwin, and are loud in your threats; but they do
not frighten me. They excite no apprehension or alarm, because I know
myself able to convince you that I have not injured you. This is an inn,
and I am your guest. I am sure I shall find better entertainment than
blows. Come," continued I, smiling, "it is possible that I am not so
mischievous a wretch as your fancy paints me. I have no claims upon your
niece but that of friendship, and she is now in the house of an honest
man, Mr. Curling, where she proposes to continue as long as is
convenient.
"It is true that your brother left a will, which his daughter burnt in
my presence, because she dreaded the authority which that will gave you,
not only over her property, but person. It is true that on leaving the
house she took away the money which was now her own, and which was
necessary to subsistence. It is true that I bore her company, and have
left her in an honest man's keeping. I am answerable for nothing more.
As to you, I meant not to injure you; I advised not the burning of the
will. I was a stranger, till after that event, to your character. I knew
neither good nor ill of you. I came to tell you all this, because, as
Eliza's uncle, you had a right to the information."
"So! you come to tell me that she burnt the will, and is going to
administer--to what, I beseech you? To her father's property? Ay, I
warrant you. But take this along with you:--that property is mine; land,
house, stock, every thing. All is safe and snug under cover of a
mortgage, to which Billy was kind enough to add a bond. One was sued,
and the other _entered up_, a week ago. So that all is safe under my
thumb, and the girl may whistle or starve for me. I shall give myself no
concern about the strumpet. You thought to get a prize; but, damn me,
you've met with your match in me. Phil Haddin's not so easily choused, I
promise you. I intended to give you this news, and a drubbing into the
bargain; but you may go, and make haste. She burnt the will, did she,
because I was named in it,--and sent you to tell me so? Good souls! It
was kind of you, and I am bound to be thankful. Take her back news of
the mortgage; and, as for you, leave my house. You may go scot-free this
time; but I pledge my word for a sound beating when you next enter these
doors. I'll pay it to you with interest. Leave my house, I say!"
"A mortgage," said I, in a low voice, and affecting not to hear his
commands; "that will be sad news for my friend. Why, sir, you are a
fortunate man. Malverton is an excellent spot; well watered and manured;
newly and completely fenced; not a larger barn in the county; oxen and
horses and cows in the best order; I never set eyes on a finer orchard.
By my faith, sir, you are a fortunate man. But, pray, what have you for
dinner? I am hungry as a wolf. Order me a beef-steak, and some potation
or other. The bottle there,--it is cider, I take it; pray, push it to
this side." Saying this, I stretched out my hand towards the bottle
which stood before him.
I confided in the power of a fearless and sedate manner. Methought
that, as anger was the food of anger, it must unavoidably subside in a
contest with equability. This opinion was intuitive, rather than the
product of experience, and perhaps I gave no proof of my sagacity in
hazarding my safety on its truth. Hadwin's character made him dreaded
and obeyed by all. He had been accustomed to ready and tremulous
submission from men far more brawny and robust than I was, and to find
his most vehement menaces and gestures totally ineffectual on a being so
slender and diminutive at once wound up his rage and excited his
astonishment. One motion counteracted and suspended the other. He lifted
his hand, but delayed to strike. One blow, applied with his usual
dexterity, was sufficient to destroy me. Though seemingly careless, I
was watchful of his motions, and prepared to elude the stroke by
shrinking or stooping. Meanwhile, I stretched my hand far enough to
seize the bottle, and, pouring its contents into a tumbler, put it to my
lips:--
"Come, sir, I drink your health, and wish you speedy possession of
Malverton. I have some interest with Eliza, and will prevail on her to
forbear all opposition and complaint. Why should she complain? While I
live, she shall not be a beggar. No doubt your claim is legal, and
therefore ought to be admitted. What the law gave, the law has taken
away. Blessed be the dispensers of law! Excellent cider! open another
bottle, will you, and, I beseech, hasten dinner, if you would not see me
devour the table."
It was just, perhaps, to conjure up the demon avarice to fight with the
demon anger. Reason alone would, in such a contest, be powerless, but,
in truth, I spoke without artifice or disguise. If his claim were legal,
opposition would be absurd and pernicious. I meant not to rely upon his
own assertions, and would not acknowledge the validity of his claim till
I had inspected the deed. Having instituted suits, this was now in a
public office, and there the inspection should be made. Meanwhile, no
reason could be urged why I should part from him in anger, while his
kindred to Eliza, and his title to her property, made it useful to
secure his favour. It was possible to obtain a remission of his claims,
even when the law enforced them; it would be imprudent at least to
diminish the chances of remission by fostering his wrath and provoking
his enmity.
"What!" he exclaimed, in a transport of fury, "a'n't I master of my own
house? Out, I say!"
These were harsh terms, but they were not accompanied by gestures and
tones so menacing as those which had before been used. It was plain that
the tide, which so lately threatened my destruction, had begun to
recede. This encouraged me to persist.
"Be not alarmed, my good friend," said I, placidly and smiling. "A man
of your bone need not fear a pigmy like me. I shall scarcely be able to
dethrone you in your own castle, with an army of hostlers, tapsters, and
cooks at your beck. You shall still be master here, provided you use
your influence to procure me a dinner."
His acquiescence in a pacific system was extremely reluctant and
gradual. He laid aside one sullen tone and wrathful look after the
other; and, at length, consented not only to supply me with a dinner,
but to partake of it with me. Nothing was more a topic of surprise to
himself than his forbearance. He knew not how it was. He had never been
treated so before. He was not proof against entreaty and submission; but
I had neither supplicated nor submitted. The stuff that I was made of
was at once damnably tough and devilishly pliant. When he thought of my
impudence, in staying in his house after he had bade me leave it, he was
tempted to resume his passion. When he reflected on my courage, in
making light of his anger, notwithstanding his known impetuosity and my
personal inferiority, he could not withhold his esteem. But my patience
under his rebukes, my unalterable equanimity, and my ready consent to
the validity of his claims, soothed and propitiated him.
An exemption from blows and abuse was all that I could gain from this
man. I told him the truth, with regard to my own history, so far as it
was connected with the Hadwins. I exhibited, in affecting colours, the
helpless condition of Eliza; but could extort from him nothing but his
consent that, if she chose, she might come and live with him. He would
give her victuals and clothes for so much house-work as she was able to
do. If she chose to live elsewhere, he promised not to molest her, or
intermeddle in her concerns. The house and land were his by law, and he
would have them.
It was not my province to revile or expostulate with him. I stated what
measures would be adopted by a man who regarded the interest of others
more than his own; who was anxious for the welfare of an innocent girl,
connected with him so closely by the ties of kindred, and who was
destitute of what is called natural friends. If he did not cancel, for
her sake, his bond and mortgage, he would, at least, afford her a frugal
maintenance. He would extend to her, in all emergencies, his counsel and
protection.
All that, he said, was sheer nonsense. He could not sufficiently wonder
at my folly, in proposing to him to make a free gift of a hundred rich
acres, to a girl too who scarcely knew her right hand from her left;
whom the first cunning young rogue like myself would _chouse_ out of the
whole, and take herself into the bargain. But my folly was even
surpassed by my impudence, since, as the _friend_ of this girl, I was
merely petitioning on my own account. I had come to him, whom I never
saw before, on whom I had no claim, and who, as I well knew, had reason
to think me a sharper, and modestly said, "Here's a girl who has no
fortune. I am greatly in want of one. Pray, give her such an estate that
you have in your possession. If you do, I'll marry her, and take it into
my own hands." I might be thankful that he did not answer such a
petition with a horse-whipping. But if he did not give her his estate,
he might extend to her, forsooth, his counsel and protection. "That I've
offered to do," continued he. "She may come and live in my house, if she
will. She may do some of the family work. I'll discharge the chambermaid
to make room for her. Lizzy, if I remember right, has a pretty face. She
can't have a better market for it than as chambermaid to an inn. If she
minds her p's and q's she may make up a handsome sum at the year's end."
I thought it time to break off the conference; and, my dinner being
finished, took my leave, leaving behind me the character of _a queer
sort of chap_. I speeded to the prothonotary's office, which was kept in
the village, and quickly ascertained the truth of Hadwin's pretensions.
There existed a mortgage, with bond and warrant of attorney, to so great
an amount as would swallow up every thing at Malverton. Furnished with
these tidings, I prepared, with a drooping heart, to return to Mr.
Curling's.