Bring in the evidence.
Thou robed man of justice, take thy place,
And thou, his yoke-fellow of equity,
Bench by his side; you are of the commission,
Sit you too.
King Lear.
While the carriage was getting ready, Glossin had a letter to compose,
about which he wasted no small time. It was to his neighbour, as he was
fond of calling him, Sir Robert Hazlewood of Hazlewood, the head of an
ancient and powerful interest in the county, which had in the decadence
of the Ellangowan family gradually succeeded to much of their authority
and influence. The present representative of the family was an elderly
man, dotingly fond of his own family, which was limited to an only son
and daughter, and stoically indifferent to the fate of all mankind
besides. For the rest, he was honourable in his general dealings because
he was afraid to suffer the censure of the world, and just from a better
motive. He was presumptuously over-conceited on the score of family pride
and importance, a feeling considerably enhanced by his late succession to
the title of a Nova Scotia baronet; and he hated the memory of the
Ellangowan family, though now a memory only, because a certain baron of
that house was traditionally reported to have caused the founder of the
Hazlewood family hold his stirrup until he mounted into his saddle. In
his general deportment he was pompous and important, affecting a species
of florid elocution, which often became ridiculous from his misarranging
the triads and quaternions with which he loaded his sentences.
To this personage Glossin was now to write in such a conciliatory style
as might be most acceptable to his vanity and family pride, and the
following was the form of his note:--
‘Mr. Gilbert Glossin’ (he longed to add of Ellangowan, but prudence
prevailed, and he suppressed that territorial designation)--‘Mr. Gilbert
Glossin has the honour to offer his most respectful compliments to Sir
Robert Hazlewood, and to inform him that he has this morning been
fortunate enough to secure the person who wounded Mr. C. Hazlewood. As
Sir Robert Hazlewood may probably choose to conduct the examination of
this criminal himself, Mr. G. Glossin will cause the man to be carried to
the inn at Kippletringan or to Hazlewood House, as Sir Robert Hazlewood
may be pleased to direct. And, with Sir Robert Hazlewood’s permission,
Mr. G. Glossin will attend him at either of these places with the proofs
and declarations which he has been so fortunate as to collect respecting
this atrocious business.’
Addressed,
‘Sir ROBERT HAZLEWOOD of Hazlewood, Bart. ‘Hazlewood House, etc. etc.
‘ELLN GN.
‘Tuesday.’
This note he despatched by a servant on horseback, and having given the
man some time to get ahead, and desired him to ride fast, he ordered two
officers of justice to get into the carriage with Bertram; and he
himself, mounting his horse, accompanied them at a slow pace to the point
where the roads to Kippletringan and Hazlewood House separated, and there
awaited the return of his messenger, in order that his farther route
might be determined by the answer he should receive from the Baronet. In
about half an hour, his servant returned with the following answer,
handsomely folded, and sealed with the Hazlewood arms, having the Nova
Scotia badge depending from the shield:--
‘Sir Robert Hazlewood of Hazlewood returns Mr. G. Glossin’s compliments,
and thanks him for the trouble he has taken in a matter affecting the
safety of Sir Robert’s family. Sir R.H. requests Mr. G.G. will have the
goodness to bring the prisoner to Hazlewood House for examination, with
the other proofs or declarations which he mentions. And after the
business is over, in case Mr. G.G. is not otherwise engaged, Sir R. and
Lady Hazlewood request his company to dinner.’
Addressed,
‘Mr. GILBERT GLOSSIN, etc. ‘HAZLEWOOD HOUSE, Tuesday.’
‘Soh!’ thought Mr. Glossin, ‘here is one finger in at least, and that I
will make the means of introducing my whole hand. But I must first get
clear of this wretched young fellow. I think I can manage Sir Robert. He
is dull and pompous, and will be alike disposed to listen to my
suggestions upon the law of the case and to assume the credit of acting
upon them as his own proper motion. So I shall have the advantage of
being the real magistrate, without the odium of responsibility.’
As he cherished these hopes and expectations, the carriage approached
Hazlewood House through a noble avenue of old oaks, which shrouded the
ancient abbey-resembling building so called. It was a large edifice,
built at different periods, part having actually been a priory, upon the
suppression of which, in the time of Queen Mary, the first of the family
had obtained a gift of the house and surrounding lands from the crown. It
was pleasantly situated in a large deer-park, on the banks of the river
we have before mentioned. The scenery around was of a dark, solemn, and
somewhat melancholy cast, according well with the architecture of the
house. Everything appeared to be kept in the highest possible order, and
announced the opulence and rank of the proprietor.
As Mr. Glossin’s carriage stopped at the door of the hall, Sir Robert
reconnoitred the new vehicle from the windows. According to his
aristocratic feelings, there was a degree of presumption in this novus
homo, this Mr. Gilbert Glossin, late writer in---, presuming to set up
such an accommodation at all; but his wrath was mitigated when he
observed that the mantle upon the panels only bore a plain cipher of G.G.
This apparent modesty was indeed solely owing to the delay of Mr. Gumming
of the Lyon Office, who, being at that time engaged in discovering and
matriculating the arms of two commissaries from North America, three
English-Irish peers, and two great Jamaica traders, had been more slow
than usual in finding an escutcheon for the new Laird of Ellangowan. But
his delay told to the advantage of Glossin in the opinion of the proud
Baronet.
While the officers of justice detained their prisoner in a sort of
steward’s room, Mr. Glossin was ushered into what was called the great
oak-parlour, a long room, panelled with well-varnished wainscot, and
adorned with the grim portraits of Sir Robert Hazlewood’s ancestry. The
visitor, who had no internal consciousness of worth to balance that of
meanness of birth, felt his inferiority, and by the depth of his bow and
the obsequiousness of his demeanour showed that the Laird of Ellangowan
was sunk for the time in the old and submissive habits of the quondam
retainer of the law. He would have persuaded himself, indeed, that he was
only humouring the pride of the old Baronet for the purpose of turning it
to his own advantage, but his feelings were of a mingled nature, and he
felt the influence of those very prejudices which he pretended to
flatter.
The Baronet received his visitor with that condescending parade which was
meant at once to assert his own vast superiority, and to show the
generosity and courtesy with which he could waive it, and descend to the
level of ordinary conversation with ordinary men. He thanked Glossin for
his attention to a matter in which ‘young Hazlewood’ was so intimately
concerned, and, pointing to his family pictures, observed, with a
gracious smile, ‘Indeed, these venerable gentlemen, Mr. Glossin, are as
much obliged as I am in this case for the labour, pains, care, and
trouble which you have taken in their behalf; and I have no doubt, were
they capable of expressing themselves, would join me, sir, in thanking
you for the favour you have conferred upon the house of Hazlewood by
taking care, and trouble, sir, and interest in behalf of the young
gentleman who is to continue their name and family.’
Thrice bowed Glossin, and each time more profoundly than before; once in
honour of the knight who stood upright before him, once in respect to the
quiet personages who patiently hung upon the wainscot, and a third time
in deference to the young gentleman who was to carry on the name and
family. Roturier as he was, Sir Robert was gratified by the homage which
he rendered, and proceeded in a tone of gracious familiarity: ‘And now,
Mr. Glossin, my exceeding good friend, you must allow me to avail myself
of your knowledge of law in our proceedings in this matter. I am not much
in the habit of acting as a justice of the peace; it suits better with
other gentlemen, whose domestic and family affairs require less constant
superintendence, attention, and management than mine.’
Of course, whatever small assistance Mr. Glossin could render was
entirely at Sir Robert Hazlewood’s service; but, as Sir Robert
Hazlewood’s name stood high in the list of the faculty, the said Mr.
Glossin could not presume to hope it could be either necessary or useful.
‘Why, my good sir, you will understand me only to mean that I am
something deficient in the practical knowledge of the ordinary details of
justice business. I was indeed educated to the bar, and might boast
perhaps at one time that I had made some progress in the speculative and
abstract and abstruse doctrines of our municipal code; but there is in
the present day so little opportunity of a man of family and fortune
rising to that eminence at the bar which is attained by adventurers who
are as willing to plead for John a’ Nokes as for the first noble of the
land, that I was really early disgusted with practice. The first case,
indeed, which was laid on my table quite sickened me: it respected a
bargain, sir, of tallow between a butcher and a candlemaker; and I found
it was expected that I should grease my mouth not only with their vulgar
names, but with all the technical terms and phrases and peculiar language
of their dirty arts. Upon my honour, my good sir, I have never been able
to bear the smell of a tallow-candle since.’
Pitying, as seemed to be expected, the mean use to which the Baronet’s
faculties had been degraded on this melancholy occasion, Mr. Glossin
offered to officiate as clerk or assessor, or in any way in which he
could be most useful. ‘And with a view to possessing you of the whole
business, and in the first place, there will, I believe, be no difficulty
in proving the main fact, that this was the person who fired the unhappy
piece. Should he deny it, it can be proved by Mr. Hazlewood, I presume?’
‘Young Hazlewood is not at home to-day, Mr. Glossin.’
‘But we can have the oath of the servant who attended him,’ said the
ready Mr. Glossin; ‘indeed, I hardly think the fact will be disputed. I
am more apprehensive that, from the too favourable and indulgent manner
in which I have understood that Mr. Hazlewood has been pleased to
represent the business, the assault may be considered as accidental, and
the injury as unintentional, so that the fellow may be immediately set at
liberty to do more mischief.’
‘I have not the honour to know the gentleman who now holds the office of
king’s advocate,’ replied Sir Robert, gravely; ‘but I presume, sir--nay,
I am confident, that he will consider the mere fact of having wounded
young Hazlewood of Hazlewood, even by inadvertency, to take the matter in
its mildest and gentlest, and in its most favourable and improbable,
light, as a crime which will be too easily atoned by imprisonment, and as
more deserving of deportation.’
‘Indeed, Sir Robert,’ said his assenting brother in justice, ‘I am
entirely of your opinion; but, I don’t know how it is, I have observed
the Edinburgh gentlemen of the bar, and even the officers of the crown,
pique themselves upon an indifferent administration of justice, without
respect to rank and family; and I should fear--’
‘How, sir, without respect to rank and family? Will you tell me THAT
doctrine can be held by men of birth and legal education? No, sir; if a
trifle stolen in the street is termed mere pickery, but is elevated into
sacrilege if the crime be committed in a church, so, according to the
just gradations of society, the guilt of an injury is enhanced by the
rank of the person to whom it is offered, done, or perpetrated, sir.’
Glossin bowed low to this declaration ex cathedra, but observed, that in
the case of the very worst, and of such unnatural doctrines being
actually held as he had already hinted, ‘the law had another hold on Mr.
Vanbeest Brown.’
‘Vanbeest Brown! is that the fellow’s name? Good God! that young
Hazlewood of Hazlewood should have had his life endangered, the clavicle
of his right shoulder considerably lacerated and dislodged, several large
drops or slugs deposited in the acromion process, as the account of the
family surgeon expressly bears, and all by an obscure wretch named
Vanbeest Brown!’
‘Why, really, Sir Robert, it is a thing which one can hardly bear to
think of; but, begging ten thousand pardons for resuming what I was about
to say, a person of the same name is, as appears from these papers
(producing Dirk Hatteraick’s pocket-book), mate to the smuggling vessel
who offered such violence at Woodbourne, and I have no doubt that this is
the same individual; which, however, your acute discrimination will
easily be able to ascertain.’
‘The same, my good sir, he must assuredly be; it would be injustice even
to the meanest of the people to suppose there could be found among them
TWO persons doomed to bear a name so shocking to one’s ears as this of
Vanbeest Brown.’ ‘True, Sir Robert; most unquestionably; there cannot be
a shadow of doubt of it. But you see farther, that this circumstance
accounts for the man’s desperate conduct. You, Sir Robert, will discover
the motive for his crime--you, I say, will discover it without difficulty
on your giving your mind to the examination; for my part, I cannot help
suspecting the moving spring to have been revenge for the gallantry with
which Mr. Hazlewood, with all the spirit of his renowned forefathers,
defended the house at Woodbourne against this villain and his lawless
companions.’
‘I will inquire into it, my good sir,’ said the learned Baronet. ‘Yet
even now I venture to conjecture that I shall adopt the solution or
explanation of this riddle, enigma, or mystery which you have in some
degree thus started. Yes! revenge it must be; and, good Heaven!
entertained by and against whom? entertained, fostered, cherished against
young Hazlewood of Hazlewood, and in part carried into effect, executed,
and implemented by the hand of Vanbeest Brown! These are dreadful days
indeed, my worthy neighbour (this epithet indicated a rapid advance in
the Baronet’s good graces)--days when the bulwarks of society are shaken
to their mighty base, and that rank which forms, as it were, its highest
grace and ornament is mingled and confused with the viler parts of the
architecture. O, my good Mr. Gilbert Glossin, in my time, sir, the use of
swords and pistols, and such honourable arms, was reserved by the
nobility and gentry to themselves, and the disputes of the vulgar were
decided by the weapons which nature had given them, or by cudgels cut,
broken, or hewed out of the next wood. But now, sir, the clouted shoe of
the peasant galls the kibe of the courtier. The lower ranks have their
quarrels, sir, and their points of honour, and their revenges, which they
must bring, forsooth, to fatal arbitrament. But well, well! it will last
my time. Let us have in this fellow, this Vanbeest Brown, and make an end
of him, at least for the present.’