Through quiet hedgerows and calm and solitary lanes Smeaton pursued
his way towards Keanton. As he advanced, he thought he recognised the
objects around him. It might be fancy, or it might, indeed, be memory;
but he had often heard the place described, and two well-executed
views of the house and neighbouring grounds always hung in his
mother's chamber. So that a clear brawling brook which cut across the
road, and a group of old oaks upon a knoll, seemed quite familiar to
him, and showed him that he was approaching Keanton rapidly.
Before going to the family mansion, he thought it better to call at
the house of farmer Thompson, and inquire into the state of things in
the neighbourhood. He found nobody within, however, but the stout
servant-maid, who looked at him apparently with some degree of
suspicion, and gave very short answers to his questions. "She could not
tell where Mr. Thompson was," she said. "She did not know whether Mr.
Jennings was at the house or not. Her master might be home soon or he
might not, just as it happened. He was very uncertain, 'specially just
about harvest-time."
"Well, my good girl," said Smeaton, "there are two things I think you
must do for me. Give me a draught of milk, if you have got any, and
call somebody who can tell me more."
He spoke with soldier-like frankness; and the girl laughed, replying:
"Milk you shall have, sir, and welcome, and I'll call somebody else;
but, whether they can tell you more or not, I cannot say."
Leaving him in the passage where he stood, she went away towards the
back of the house, discussing with herself in half-uttered sentences
the question of whom she should call.
"Not Tom," she said; "for he would blurt out everything in a minute,
all about the fat man up at the great house, and all. I'll call Dick
Peerly. There is no getting anything out of him--at least _I_ never
could."
After getting a bowl of milk at the dairy, she mounted upon a stone
step let into the wall of the yard, and screamed at the top of her
voice to good Van Noost's first acquaintance at Keanton, who was
working in the field behind.
"Here, Dick, Dick Peerly," she cried, "come hither. Here is somebody
wishes to speak to thee, man." Having thus vociferated, she carried
the bowl to the stranger.
Dick Peerly sauntered up to the house at her bidding, whistling as
usual; but, as soon as he saw the visitor, he put his hand up to his
forehead as a salutation, with much greater signs of respect than he
had shown to Van Noost.
"Can you tell me, my man, where farmer Thompson is?" asked Smeaton.
"No, that I cannot, sir," replied the lad. "He may be gone to
Ballimoree for aught I know."
"Ballimoree!" echoed Smeaton, gazing at him. "Where is that?"
"Why, you fool, Dick, cannot you give the gentleman a reasonable
answer?" exclaimed the girl. "It is all his nonsense, sir. There is no
such place as Ballimoree."
"I only meant to say, he might be anywhere in the world, sir, for
aught I knew," replied the young man, eyeing Smeaton very attentively.
"But here he comes up the road, if you want to see him."
Smeaton drank the milk, and then, leaving his horse with the servant,
walked on to meet the good farmer, while the maid and the peasant-lad
looked after him down the road. The meeting was too far off for them
to hear any of the words spoken; but, in an instant, they saw the
farmer uncover his head, and stand with his hat in his hand till
Smeaton made him a sign to put it on again. Then, without returning to
the farm-house, they walked away towards the mansion, making a sign to
the servant to follow with the horses.
They reached the great iron gates and went in; the servant followed
and disappeared also; and the girl was turning to her work again, when
suddenly a clattering sound was heard upon the road near, and a small
party of horse came down at full speed.
The moment the lad Dick Peerly beheld them, he darted away to meet
them, and, laying his hand on the neck of the charger mounted by an
elderly man in a plain brown suit, he uttered the word "Ballimoree."
"Ay, Ballimoree, to be sure," replied the general, ordering his troop
to halt, "Are you Dick Peerly?"
The spy, for such he was, nodded his head, saying, in a low
tone--"He's up there at the house, or I am quite out. He came not ten
minutes ago. But go carefully to work, sir; for there are so many ins
and outs in that old place, that he'll get off if you make much
noise."
"Come with me, and guide us," said the general. "We will use all
caution."
The whole party then rode quietly up the road towards the mansion; but
their proceedings had not passed without notice. The servant-girl,
startled and surprised by the suddenness of the lad's spring forward
to meet the soldiers, ran into the front room of the farm-house, and
watched them from the window. Whatever shape her suspicions might
take, she resolved at once that her master should not be without help
in need; and, casting her apron over her head, she ran out by the back
way, from cottage to cottage, and from field to field, saying a few
words to every man and boy she met. The effect of what she told was
instantaneous. All her hearers seemed enraged and surprised. One got a
thick stick, another a flail, another a scythe. One or two ran into
the cottages and brought forth old guns used for frightening the birds
from the corn; and some eighteen or nineteen men, together with a
number of women and boys, were soon directing their steps towards
Farmer Thompson's house, all muttering threats against some one who
was probably no other than treacherous Master Dick Peerly.
In the meantime, Smeaton and the farmer had, as we have seen, quietly
pursued their way to the mansion, and had opened the great door, which
was merely latched. A large old stone hall then presented itself; but
it was vacant, as were also the rooms to the right and left. Voices,
talking and laughing, however, were heard from a distance; and, as the
surest means of discovering where Master Jennings, the steward, was,
Farmer Thompson led his young lord towards the great kitchen, in which
a stout rosy dame was bustling and scolding the maids. From her they
learned that her husband Jennings was out in the little court with
"the fat strange man, helping him in his tomfooleries," as she chose
to express it.
"They have spoiled my best ladle amongst them," she said; "that is all
I know; and I think Jennings is as great a fool as the other, for he
has let the two men be called off their work in the garden for his
nonsensical lead-melting. But, if my lord chooses all this to go on,
there is no help for it, I suppose."
Smeaton smiled; and Farmer Thompson led the way towards the back
court, through empty passages and a number of open doors. In the
little stone-paved enclosure which they soon reached, an animated
scene presented itself. Slung upon a tripod, such as that much in use
amongst our friends of the gipsy race, was an immense large pot or
caldron with a furious fire of brushwood beneath it. Two men in the
garb of labourers were supplying fresh fagots to the flame; and the
steward Jennings, a man upwards of sixty years of age, was standing by
looking on, while Van Noost himself, the presiding demon of the flame,
bustled about, stripped to the waist, and thickly begrimed with smoke
and dirt.
For an instant he did not seem to perceive the approach of the young
nobleman and his companion, so busily was he engaged in looking into
the great pot, and moving some substance in it with a long ladle which
he held in his hand. When he saw Smeaton, however, he rolled towards
him with a joyous laugh, exclaiming--
"Here I am, my lord--here I am, at my old trade, and in your
lordship's service!"
At the same time Farmer Thompson beckoned up the steward and
introduced him to his young master. A few kindly words passed from the
lips of Smeaton, and expressions of respect and attachment from those
of Jennings; after which, Smeaton turned to Van Noost, saying--
"Well, my good friend, what are you about now?"
"Casting balls, my lord--casting balls for pinnacles," replied Van
Noost, turning back to his caldron. "There is not one left in the
place. What is a pinnacle without a ball, more than a cannon without a
shot? Halloo! halloo! who are these gentlemen?"
His exclamation immediately led Smeaton to turn in the direction which
Van Noost's eyes had taken; and he beheld, at each of the three doors
which led into the court, a small party of dismounted troopers, every
man having his cocked pistol in his hand. At the head of one of these
parties was the general officer, in his plain brown suit.
"Halt there!" said the old officer, to the men; and he moved quietly
alone, and unarmed, towards the scene around the caldron.
Without the slightest hesitation or embarrassment, Smeaton advanced a
step or two to meet him, knowing that he himself was the person who
must now speak and think for the rest.
"May I ask," said he, civilly, "to what we owe the pleasure of your
company, sir?"
"To a somewhat unpleasant cause," replied the general, mildly. "One of
the persons without is charged with a warrant for the apprehension of
Henry, Earl of Eskdale. I do not know whether I have the honour of
addressing that nobleman."
"The same, sir," returned Smeaton. "I shall of course submit, although
this is a very inconvenient proceeding, which I was not led to expect.
The Earl of Stair assured me that I should not be molested."
"I know not that he had any power to give such an assurance, my lord,"
remarked the old officer; "but the warrant runs in the name of the
high sheriff of the county, and I have no choice but to see it
executed, being directed to give him every aid and assistance.
Nevertheless, I doubt not that if you could prove such assurance had
been given to you, it might have had great influence; but----"
He paused; and Smeaton instantly re-joined--
"I can easily prove the fact, sir. Amongst my baggage at Ale Manor, I
have a letter from his lordship to General C----, which I was to
deliver, in case of obstruction."
"My name is General C----, my lord," said the old officer; "and I
shall be most happy to receive his lordship's commands."
"Then, if you will take the trouble of riding with me to Ale," pursued
Smeaton, "you shall have the letter immediately, by which you will see
that not only is my presence in England well known to, and permitted
by, the government, but that my whole baggage and papers have passed
under examination in London."
"This is somewhat strange," observed the old officer; "for no
knowledge of such facts have reached this county. Nevertheless, I
fear, my lord, it is my duty to take you to Exeter; and indeed I have
not time to turn so far out of the way as Ale."
"I think you are a little hard," said Smeaton. "May I inquire whether
I am apprehended on suspicion merely, or upon some positive charge,
which might justify my being carried away--to jail as I suppose--not
only without the baggage necessary for my personal convenience, but
without the very means of showing that such a suspicion can have no
just foundation?"
"I do not wish to deal harshly, my lord," rejoined the other, taking
out his watch; "and perhaps, as it is not yet two o'clock, I may make
such arrangements as may tend to your convenience. I must now put you
in the hands of the officer who bears the warrant; but I shall tell
him, at the same time, that if he feels it consistent with his duty to
take you round by Ale, for the purpose of obtaining what baggage and
papers you want, I have no objection. Your lordship demanded whether
you are apprehended on suspicion. Such indeed is the case; but I am
much afraid that what we have seen here this day must form the basis
of a very grave charge."
As he spoke, he pointed with his hand towards the great caldron, by
the side of which Van Noost was standing, an image of fat despair, and
shaking in every limb, notwithstanding the heat.
Smeaton could not help laughing.
"Pray, General," he said, "what do you think they are about?"
"Casting bullets beyond a doubt," replied the old officer. "We
overheard the admission from that man's own lips as he came up. He
talked of cannon indeed; but we see none about the place. However, the
object is perfectly clear; and he must accompany your Lordship to
Exeter."
Smeaton laughed somewhat bitterly.
"Prepossession induces strange mistakes," he said. "If you will ask
the man what he was really about, he will tell you; and, if you
please, I will tell you beforehand, so that you can compare the two
accounts."
"I am not here to take examinations, my Lord," returned the old
officer. "Any explanations you have to give had better be reserved for
another place. I heard some of the words I have alluded to; and the
men heard others. That is all we have to testify to; and I presume
there is no doubt of this being a caldron full of lead. At all events
I will see."
Thus saying he walked up to the fire, and looked into the large pot,
adding, as he did so:
"The matter is very plain. This is boiling lead for casting bullets."
"For casting no such thing," exclaimed Van Noost, in a voice affected
both by fear and indignation. "I have not got a bullet-mould in the
world, and never cast a bullet in my life. The lead was melted to cast
balls for the pinnacles and corners of the roof."
"A very good excuse," said the old officer, drily, staring at the
grotesque figure of the statuary. "Pray, sir, what may be your name?"
Van Noost hesitated to reply; and the old general added, with a smile:
"It does not much matter; for, under whatever name you go, we must
have you in Exeter, my good friend."
"Well, then, my name is Van Noost," said the statuary, with the
boldness of despair. Then, fancying he saw a better chance of
obtaining credence for his story if he stated his profession, he
added, "Van Noost, the statuary and founder of leaden figures,
Decorator of Gardens, etc., etc. I have had the honour of doing many a
piece of work for good Queen Anne; and I declare, so help me Heaven, I
was doing nothing at all but going to cast round balls for the angles,
where you may see the old ones have fallen off."
"I am afraid the balls might have been used for other purposes, good
Master Van Noost," said General C----; "but I am very happy to have
met with you; for you are wanted in London on a charge of holding
seditious correspondence with his Majesty's enemies."
"Upon my word, sir," interrupted Jennings, now speaking for the first
time, "the poor man was doing nothing but what he says. You do not
recollect me, I dare say; but my name is Jennings; and I believe I am
well known to everybody as a peaceful and quiet man, who never meddles
with politics or anything that does not concern him. At all events, my
Lord knew nothing of the casting; for he has not arrived two minutes;
and this is the first time he has been here since he was a boy."
"You had better follow your rule of not meddling, on this occasion
also," rejoined General C----. "You may say things that I would rather
not hear. I am not at all disposed to act harshly, or put any one to
the pain of imprisonment unnecessarily, although I am not sure that,
in the strict line of duty, I should not send every one here to Exeter
jail. However, I shall content myself with this noble Lord and this
worthy statuary, against whom charges exist, independent altogether of
the present suspicious transaction. That also will have to be
investigated; and then, Master Jennings, if you have any evidence to
give, it will be received.--Now, Corporal Miles, call in Captain
Smallpiece."
Having said this, he crossed his arms upon his chest, and looked
gravely down upon the ground, till the person he sent for appeared;
and then, pointing to Smeaton and the sculptor, he said,
"That gentleman's name is the Earl of Eskdale; and the other is Master
Van Noost. I give them both into your custody, Captain Smallpiece; and
you will have the goodness to conduct them to Exeter."
"I suppose I am to tie their arms?" said the insolent soldier,
interrupting him.
"You are to show them no indignity whatever, sir," replied the
general, "but to remember that, for your proper treatment of them, as
well as for their safe custody, you will be held responsible. His
lordship has expressed a wish to have part of his baggage, and some
papers necessary to his defence, from Ale Manor; and I have no
objection to him to your riding round that way and permitting him to
obtain what he wants. But you will, on no account, lose sight of him;
and I think it will be better for you to seal up the rest of his
lordship's baggage at Ale Manor, and to mark, with your own hand, all
the papers which he may think fit to bring away. These are
precautions, my lord, which I am sorry to be obliged to take; but my
duty requires them."
The young nobleman bowed stiffly; and Captain Smallpiece demanded in a
less bullying tone than ordinary--
"Are you not going with us, then, General?"
"No," replied the old officer. "I must ride after the high-sheriff.
Good morning, my Lord. I trust that you will be able to clear
yourself of all charges; and, in the meantime, I shall be happy to
receive my Lord of Stair's letter--for which I will give you an
acknowledgement--and produce it upon the proper occasion."
Thus saying, he walked slowly out of the court, leaving Smeaton and
Van Noost to the tender mercies of Captain Smallpiece, who beckoned up
his troopers to assist in the removal of the prisoners.
At that period of English history, and for the greater part
of that century, the constitution of the armies of England was
very different from any thing we have seen in our own time.
Abuses, hardly credible to us, so rapid and complete have been the
reforms of late years, existed in every branch of the service. When
we hear of mere boys being made colonels and general officers, and
receiving the pay and appointments due to active service, or when we
read of _valet-de-chambres_, bullies, and more degraded persons still,
receiving commissions in the army by the influence of debauched and
unscrupulous patrons, we are inclined to think that the tale is a
romance; but such, alas! is not the fact. These things really did take
place; and the mess-table of an English regiment presented a strange
mixture, for which we have no parallel at present.
Now Captain Smallpiece was neither of the best nor of the worst of the
classes which composed the British army. He was the son of a small
hosier at Taunton; and, having been found exceedingly difficult to
manage, or to instruct, given to swaggering, swearing, and drinking,
his father took a quieter brother to his bosom and his shop, and
contented himself with obtaining, for his eldest son, a commission in
the army, through the interest of a nobleman who owed him money, and
did not choose to pay it.
Placed under a very strict disciplinarian upon first entering the
service, Captain Smallpiece decidedly improved. He lost some of his
bad habits, or, at all events, he learned to control them; acquired a
certain military tone and manner; and, as he was sharp and daring,
though somewhat negligent, he gained the reputation of a smart
officer. He had been in battle, too--had not run away, and had
received a wound in the service, so that he easily contrived to get
from an infantry into a cavalry regiment. Nevertheless, the old
proverb, in regard to the difficulty of making a silk purse out of a
sow's ear, was often brought to the mind of his military companions:
and to those over whom he had dominion he certainly did not appear in
the most favourable light. At the same time, he had certain notions
with regard to the perquisites and privileges of his station, which
savoured much more of the mercenary sworder of a former day, or of the
thief-taker or jailer of his own times, than of the modern soldier. He
had no idea of sparing any one the least pain, or yielding to any one
the least convenience, without being paid for it; and he had a happy
art of making his requirements known without demanding money in formal
terms, which might have subjected him to punishment.
Strange as it may seem, by no one would his hints have been more
easily understandable than by Smeaton; for he had served too long in
foreign armies not to have seen the same conduct even in greater
excess. He appeared to enter into the character of the man at once;
and, rapidly considering his own peculiar position, made up his mind
to pay largely for any concession which might enable him to see
Emmeline even for a moment before he was removed to Exeter, or perhaps
to London.
"I presume," he said, as soon as the general was gone, "you will
permit me to ride my own horse, which is waiting."
"If you pay for his keep and dressing, my lord," replied the captain.
"Oh, yes, I understand all that," said the young nobleman, "I have
served many years myself, my good friend, and understand what is right
and proper on these occasions. What is done for my own convenience
must, of course, be done at my own expense."
Captain Smallpiece grinned graciously; for he at once perceived that
he should be spared any embarrassing explanations. However, he thought
it best to begin his exactions vigorously at once, for fear of any
after resistance; and so, rubbing his head, he observed, in a sort of
meditative tone--
"As to taking this round about by Ale, 'pon my life, I do not know
what to do. Zounds, my lord, it makes nine miles difference; and that,
upon a long march, is something. I don't believe we shall ever be able
to reach Exeter to-night if we do; and then I shall have to feed the
men and horses; and I doubt whether the magistrates will allow the
money. The general did not _order_ me to do it. He only said I
_might_."
"Which was as good as an order," added the Earl, who had heard him
quietly to an end. "As to your expenses being allowed, whether the
magistrates do that or not, I shall defray them. We can settle that,
captain, at the first place where we stop for any time; but, if we do
not go to Ale Manor House, I shall have no means of defraying
anything, as, not expecting this adventure, I have not a guinea in my
purse."
"Well, we must go, I suppose," grumbled the worthy officer. "That is
to say, if you think what General C---- said was intended for an
order."
"Oh, that it was, that it was," cried Van Noost, who was struggling,
all begrimed as he was, into his smart coat and waistcoat.
"I should take it as such, were I in your place," observed Smeaton;
"and I am a soldier, you must recollect, as well as yourself."
"Very well then, come along, my lord," rejoined Captain Smallpiece,
assigning two of his soldiers to guard each of the prisoners. "Stand
back, fellows! No private talk with people in custody!"
This was addressed to Jennings and Farmer Thompson, who were pressing
forward to take leave of their lord. The first bore it with much
patience; and the second drew back, and made no farther attempt; but
he had a hot and angry brow, and muttered something to himself with
regard to basting Captain Smallpiece heartily, before he had done with
him.
"Halloo, what is all this?" cried Captain Smallpiece, when they
entered the court before the house, and saw through the iron gates a
great number of peasantry, armed and unarmed, and bearing a very
threatening aspect. "Cock your pistols, my men, and mount your
horses."
"Stay, stay a minute, my good friend," said the young nobleman, not
liking the appearance of things at all. "Thompson. Jennings, go and
speak with those men, and get them away. Let there be no violence, I
beg. It may do me harm, but no good; and I am not in the slightest
danger."
"I won't have the King's troops insulted," exclaimed Captain
Smallpiece, in a loud tone.
"I trust there is not the least chance of it," said the young
nobleman. "Go forward, Thompson, and take them away into the hamlet."
The good farmer obeyed, but evidently unwillingly; and as he
approached the iron gate to open it, the lad, Dick Peerly, who was
within the court with the soldiers, sprang forward, and caught hold of
his sleeve, saying something to him which was not heard where Smeaton
stood.
But the good farmer pushed him away violently, exclaiming--
"Get thee back, hound! Thou shalt have what thou deservest, if I catch
thee in the place in five minutes. I have got other work to do just
now."
Going to the gates, he was seen speaking to the people, for a moment
or two, evidently having some difficulty to persuade them. At length,
however, he walked down the road, with the little crowd following him,
though some lingered a while longer, and many turned to look at the
departure of the soldiers, when they had got about a hundred and fifty
yards from the gates. Smeaton's horse was then brought forward by his
own servant, and, as he mounted, the man asked--
"Shall I come with you, sir?"
"Do as you like," replied Smeaton. "I shall not be long in captivity.
Perhaps you had better ride with us to Ale Manor, at all events."
"Ah, you impudent varlet!" cried Captain Smallpiece. "You are the
rascal who made such fools of us at Ale."
"Heaven help me, noble sir!" replied the man. "I made no fool of you.
That would have been trouble thrown away." At the same moment he
loosed his lord's stirrup, and jumped out of the reach of the
captain's arm.
After some questions, and some trouble, good Van Noost was mounted
upon his fat pony, with a very rueful face; and, near the head of the
troop, with a soldier on either side, he and the young nobleman rode
out of the gates. Smeaton's servant, Thomas Higham, followed at the
end of the file, a little indeed in the rear; and, before he left the
village, he rode quickly down to the spot where Farmer Thompson was
speaking to some people, said a few words to him, and then cantered
off after his master.