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 woefully 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 offenses--an
ill-timed, stupid, over-zealous 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 toward 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 afterward 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 vapor 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 honor 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 toward 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.