I picked a big, broad boat at the inn stairs, and we were soon dropping
gently over the tide, but I would not row hard, as I wanted to be near
assistance. To my astonishment Darbishire began to talk quite lucidly,
and went on for a few minutes with all the charm that distinguished him
when he was sober. By some strange process the blood had begun to
circulate with regularity in the vessels of the impoverished brain, and
the man was sane. I was overjoyed, and in the fulness of my heart I
said, "We'll drive home, or row there to-morrow. My dear fellow, I
thought you were going dotty." His jaw fell; he yelled, "Stop him--stop
him! He's coming with his mouth open! Oh! red-hot teeth and his belly
full of flames--the cat! Oh, I'll stand this no more--you brute, you
shall drown!" In an instant he sprang overboard; the clouds came over
the moon, and I could only tell Bob's whereabouts by hearing him
wallowing and snarling like a dog. I backed up to him, leaned over, and
passed one of the rudder-lines under his arm-pits; his struggling ceased
and I shouted for help. Lights moved on the bank, and presently a boat
shot towards us. The landlord said, "Mercy on us! Excuse me, sir, but
you did ought to be careful. You ought to be shot for risking that man's
life; I see as how it is." I was only too glad to have missed seeing a
tragedy, and I let Boniface talk on.
It was agreed that Bob should have his draught, and that I should sit up
by his bedside till four next morning. We wrapped him in warm blankets,
and coaxed him into taking the medicine. He started and twitched for
some time, and at last sank into sleep. He moaned again and again, but
showed no signs of waking, and I sat quietly smoking and framing good
resolutions. My eyeballs were irritable, and I found that I could only
obtain ease by closing my eyes. Once I started up and walked to and fro;
then it struck me I ought to throw the Derringer out of the window, and
I did so; then I sat down. The clock struck two; my tired eyes closed,
but I was sure I could keep awake, and I began to repeat old songs
merely to test my memory and keep the brain active.
Crash! I was sitting on the floor. The clock struck one, two, three! Bob
was gone. I had fallen asleep and betrayed my trust. I could have cried,
but that would do little good. The door opened, and Darbishire
appeared--prowling stealthily and glaring. A long glitter met my eye,
and I saw that Bob had taken down an old Yeomanry sabre from the wall of
the next room. He came on, and I shrank under the shadow of my
arm-chair. He heaved up the sabre, and shouted, "Now, you beast, I've
got you on the hop!" and hacked at the bed with wild fury. As he turned
his back on me, I prepared to lay hold on him; he whirled round swiftly,
and my heart came into my mouth. I cried out, "Bob, old man!" He started
furiously for a second, and then made a pass at me, sending the steel
through my clothes on the right side. I felt a slight sting, but did not
mind, and by wrenching myself half round I tore the sabre from his
hand. Then I closed, and held him, in spite of his struggles and
frothing curses, until the landlord and ostler burst in and helped me.
The cut on my side only needed sticking-plaister, but I was completely
exhausted, and I resolved not to risk such another experience for any
price. I said to the landlord, "He must be taken to the town, where we
can have a doctor and attendants handy."
"But you won't drive that poor lady out of her senses, will you?"
"No, I'll take him to The Chequers, and smuggle him in at night. They
know me there, and not a soul but the doctor and the men will be able to
tell where he is."
Boniface was not quite satisfied, but he agreed to lend me two men, and
at dusk I drove round to the back gate of The Chequers, and smuggled Bob
through the stables.
He was very well behaved when the doctor came, and even thanked him for
providing two careful attendants. The doctor's directions were very
simple. "I'll give him some strong meat essence at once; then he must
have the draught that I will send. No alcohol on any consideration, no
matter if he goes on his knees to you. Let him have milk and beef-tea as
often as you can, and never leave him for an instant."
Our landlord of The Chequers was very funny about the jim-jams, and
funnier still about my suddenly taking to swell company; but I let him
talk on, and he certainly kept unusually quiet, though no more
inveterate gossip ever lived.
At a very late hour I was strolling homeward, long after the last
reeling coster had swayed and howled towards his slum, when two women
stopped me Then a man came from the shadow of the wall, and I thought I
had fallen across some strange night-birds; but one of the women spoke,
and I knew she was a lady. "You have my boy in that horrid place. Tell
me, is he well? I must see him; I'll tear the doors down with my nails."
Then the man said, "I drove the keb, sir. I knows Mr. Robert, and I
thought I'd better tell his mother." I eagerly said, "Madam, you shall
see him, but, pray, not to-night. The shock might kill him. On my honour
he is in good hands, and I promise to come to you on the instant when it
is safe for you to meet him." The lady moaned, "Oh, my boy--my
darling--my own! Oh! the curse!"--and then she went away.
In two days Bob was quite calm and rational. He craved for food, and
seemed so well that I thought I might manage him single-handed. So the
attendants were dismissed, with the doctor's permission, and Bob and I
settled down for a quiet chat. I shall never forget that talk. The lad
was not maudlin, and he utterly refused to whimper, but he seemed
suddenly to have seen the horror of the past. "You can stop in time, old
man," he said, "but I can't. When I'm well, I'll turn to work, and I'll
try to keep other chaps from getting into the mud. It would be funny to
see me preaching to the boys up river, wouldn't it?" For a moment I
thought, "I'll turn teetotal as well," but I did not say it. I bent
towards Bob and asked, "Would you care to see your mother, old man?" He
smiled beautifully, and eagerly answered, "Go for her now."
I was away about two hours, and returned with Mrs. Darbishire. The
landlord met us, and gravely said "I've been away, but the potman tells
me a queer yarn. Mr. Darbishire made queer signs out of window to the
man you call the Ramper, and Mr. Ramper goes to the pub over the way and
then up to the room. And now Mr. Robert's been locked in for a hour and
a half." My heart gave one leap, and then I felt cold. We hurried up
stairs, and we heard a long shrill snarl--not like a human voice.
"Locked! Fetch a crowbar, and call up one of the lads to help."
We burst open the door, and there on the bed lay Bob. He was chattering,
as it were, in his sleep, and a brandy bottle lay on the floor. He had
swallowed nearly the whole of the poison raw, and his limbs were
paralyzed. Suddenly he opened his eyes; then he writhed and yelled,
"Mother!--the beast! the beast!" The lady threw herself down on her
knees with a pitiful cry, but Bob did not speak to her. He never spoke
any more.