If, in the simplicity of his heart, and the crudeness of his
experience, Lenny Fairfield had conceived it probable that Mr Stirn
would address to him some words in approbation of his gallantry, and in
sympathy for his bruises, he soon found himself wofully mistaken. That
truly great man, worthy prime-minister of Hazeldean, might, perhaps,
pardon a dereliction from his orders, if such dereliction proved
advantageous to the interests of the service, or redounded to the
credit of the chief; but he was inexorable to that worst of diplomatic
offences--an ill-timed, stupid, overzealous obedience to orders, which,
if it established the devotion of the _employé_, got the employer into
what is popularly called a scrape! And though, by those unversed in
the intricacies of the human heart, and unacquainted with the especial
hearts of prime-ministers and Right-hand men, it might have seemed
natural that Mr Stirn, as he stood still, hat in hand, in the middle
of the road, stung, humbled, and exasperated by the mortification he
had received from the lips of Randal Leslie, would have felt that that
young gentleman was the proper object of his resentment; yet such a
breach of all the etiquette of diplomatic life as resentment towards
a superior power was the last idea that would have suggested itself to
the profound intellect of the Premier of Hazeldean. Still, as rage like
steam must escape somewhere, Mr Stirn, on feeling--as he afterwards
expressed it to his wife--that his "buzzom was a burstin," turned with
the natural instinct of self-preservation to the safety-valve provided
for the explosion; and the vapours within him rushed into vent upon
Lenny Fairfield. He clapped his hat on his head fiercely, and thus
relieved his "buzzom."
"You young willain! you howdacious wiper! and so all this blessed
Sabbath afternoon, when you ought to have been in church on your
marrow bones, a-praying for your betters, you has been a-fitting with
a young gentleman, and a wisiter to your master, on the werry place
of the parridge hinstitution that you was to guard and pertect; and
a-bloodying it all over, I declares, with your blaggard little nose!"
Thus saying, and as if to mend the matter, Mr Stirn aimed an additional
stroke at the offending member; but, Lenny mechanically putting up both
his arms to defend his face, Mr Stirn struck his knuckles against the
large brass buttons that adorned the cuff of the boy's coat-sleeve--an
incident which considerably aggravated his indignation. And Lenny,
whose spirit was fairly roused at what the narrowness of his education
conceived to be a signal injustice, placing the trunk of the tree
between Mr Stirn and himself, began that task of self-justification
which it was equally impolitic to conceive and imprudent to execute,
since, in such a case, to justify was to recriminate.
"I wonder at you, Master Stirn,--if mother could hear you! You know it
was you who would not let me go to church; it was you who told me to--"
"Fit a young gentleman, and break the Sabbath," said Mr Stirn,
interrupting him with a withering sneer. "O yes! I told you to disgrace
his honour the Squire, and me, and the parridge, and bring us all
into trouble. But the Squire told me to make an example, and I will!"
With those words, quick as lightning flashed upon Mr Stirn's mind the
luminous idea of setting Lenny in the very Stocks which he had too
faithfully guarded. Eureka! the "example" was before him! Here, he
could gratify his long grudge against the pattern boy; here, by such a
selection of the very best lad in the parish, he could strike terror
into the worst; here he could appease the offended dignity of Randal
Leslie; here was a practical apology to the Squire for the affront
put upon his young visitor; here, too, there was prompt obedience to
the Squire's own wish that the Stocks should be provided as soon as
possible with a tenant. Suiting the action to the thought, Mr Stirn
made a rapid plunge at his victim, caught him by the skirt of his
jacket, and, in a few seconds more, the jaws of the Stocks had opened,
and Lenny Fairfield was thrust therein--a sad spectacle of the reverses
of fortune. This done, and while the boy was too astounded, too
stupefied by the suddenness of the calamity for the resistance he might
otherwise have made--nay, for more than a few inaudible words--Mr Stirn
hurried from the spot, but not without first picking up and pocketing
the half-crown designed for Lenny, and which, so great had been his
first emotions, he had hitherto even almost forgotten. He then made
his way towards the church, with the intention to place himself close
by the door, catch the Squire as he came out, whisper to him what had
passed, and lead him, with the whole congregation at his heels, to gaze
upon the sacrifice offered up to the joint Powers of Nemesis and Themis.