THE SEARCH.
The news soon spread that the conjuror--body and soul--had vanished from
the room in which he was supposed to have died; and various were the
reports that got into circulation. Some said they didn't believe he had
been there at all; others thought he wasn't dead when the squire and
party left him; while others again believed that he was really dead, but
that, by some supernatural agency, he had been resuscitated and taken
away through the keyhole, or up the chimney, and that probably he was
then wandering about invisible. And those who held this belief were
pitiable objects; for they feared to speak a word against "The Maister,"
lest he should instantly appear in his bodily form, and annihilate them
as they stood. The dread of "The Maister" and his evil eye was bad
enough when he was alive and in the flesh, but now it was ten times
worse. Little knots of gossips might be seen here and there, holding
private conversations in whispers;--but that was all nonsense, the
believers in the supernatural would say. If "The Maister" was walking
about invisible he could come close enough to hear them, whisper so low
as they would.
Josiah was rather glad than otherwise that things had turned out as they
had; for his father didn't laugh at him now for fancying he heard noises
in the night. Captain Trenow thought it was Josiah's duty to go and
inform the gentlemen at Tol-pedn-Penwith what had happened, and Josiah
was of the same opinion, but he said he wouldn't go unless his father
went with him.
"What! afeard to go up there in the day-time now, art aw?" said his
father; "why, we shall be forced for to have a little maid for to lead
thee about soon."
"No, no," said Josiah, smiling; "I arn't afeard. Tesn't that altogether,
but you knaw what 'twas this mornin' when I told the story, and it may
be the same up there,--sure to be, I s'pose, weth them youngsters, that
don't believe in no such thing as ghosts. No, no, I arn't going for to
be made a maagum of, don't you think et."
"Well, ef that's the case," said his father, "why, I'll go too."
So away the two men started at a brisk pace; and it was well they both
went, for the gentlemen could scarcely believe the tale, although it was
confirmed in a most solemn manner by the old man, who did not look or
speak as if he was trying to deceive them.
As the squire had taken an active interest in the affair, it was thought
advisable to consult him before they took any steps to follow the
fugitive, for although they did not believe that there was anything
supernatural connected with it, they were at a loss to conjecture what
it was, or how such a strange affair could have happened.
They appeared a formidable party as they emerged from the lieutenant's
cabin, each man stooping to avoid knocking his head against the upper
part of the low doorway as he came out. They were all tall and
strong-built,--indeed you would not meet with five such fine-looking men
again in a good distance. They were embarked in one common cause; so
they kept together, and approached Pendrea-house, a strong body.
Alrina, after a good night's rest, seemed more cheerful, and was pleased
at the little attentions shewn her by Mrs. Pendray and her daughters.
Blanche was most attentive to her;--she would not leave her for a single
moment, and seemed to be continually thinking what she could do more
than she had done to make their guest comfortable. Maud received her
kindly and paid her great attention, but it seemed constrained; she
appeared to look upon her as an inferior, almost an infected, being,
from her unfortunate connection with that man, whom everyone now spoke
of with disgust and abhorrence; for all his evil doings that had yet
been discovered were now pretty generally known and perhaps exaggerated.
In the course of the morning, as Alrina regained her wonted composure,
her situation became more apparent and galling. She could not but
appreciate the kindness of the family, and especially the delicate
attention of the gentle Blanche, for whom Alrina conceived an almost
intuitive love, as for a dear sister; and therefore, for the present,
she thought she must accept their kindness, and when all was done that
was necessary for the interment of the remains of her poor erring
father, she would seek some employment by which she might maintain
herself without being a burden on others.
The money and jewels which Captain Trenow had found on her father's
person, she determined she would not touch; for doubtless they had
belonged to others and had been unlawfully obtained. Poor girl!
notwithstanding all that the ladies at Pendrea were doing for her, and
the kind attention they bestowed on her, she was ill-at-ease. She had
many heavy thoughts and afflictions weighing her down, which her kind
friends knew not of. Her father's death was not the greatest. Alas! she
had, in her loftiness of soul, discarded the only being in the world who
could have relieved her present sufferings and made everything smooth
and bearable for her at this terrible juncture. She had decided on her
course, however, in that respect; and the deep love she felt for him
made her now more than ever determined not to bring disgrace upon him.
After the treatment he had received at her hands, however, she did not
believe he would ever come near her again, or think of her but with
disdain;--indeed she did not deserve that he should,--she had taken her
course, and she felt that she did not deserve his love or pity any more.
This thought racked her brain, and rendered her silent and reserved. Her
kind friends imputed it to her grief for her father's death, and the
circumstances under which it had taken place. They knew now the strange
story of the body having disappeared; but the squire thought it best not
to let Alrina know this until they had ascertained more fully concerning
it, and for this purpose he cheerfully received the formidable party
that now sought his aid and co-operation.
They sat long in consultation,--one suggesting one plan, and one
another. Frederick Morley, however, did not feel capable of joining in
their deliberations. He walked to the window, and looked out on the
dreary scene which bounded that wing of the house; but nothing that he
could see without seemed so dreary, at that moment, as that which he
felt within. He didn't care for the old conjuror, he said to himself, he
might go to the devil if he would,--perhaps he was gone there. He wanted
to see Alrina, and he knew that she was in that house, but how could he
get an interview with her without betraying their secret?
He excused himself to the squire, and went out into the garden. Here he
met one of the female servants, whom he had seen before in his former
visits to the house with Lieutenant Fowler. He entered into conversation
with her, and asked her in what he thought a disinterested off-hand
manner, about Miss Alrina Freeman. But the shrewd girl saw at once how
matters stood, and she pitied them both. He tore a leaf from his
pocket-book, and wrote a few hurried lines in pencil, and asked her to
convey them to Miss Freeman, which the girl undertook to do as soon as
the way was clear. Cunning girl! she knew at once, almost by instinct,
that there was something between those two, which they did not wish the
world to know at present. Even the prospect of having these few lines
conveyed to Alrina was some relief to Frederick and he returned to his
friends, who were still deep in consultation, but no plan had as yet
been decided on. At length Captain Trenow, who had listened to all their
plans without giving an opinion, said,--
"I'll tell 'ee, gentlemen,--'The Maister' dedn't walk off by hisself,
that's a sure thing. Now, who helped 'n?--that's the point. Who are his
friends? Tell me that, and we may guess, purty nigh, where he's likely
to be carr'd to.
"Why I'll tell 'ee, fe-a-thar," said Josiah; "I b'lieve the friends he
ha' got are them that slocked away Maister Frederick Morley here, and
pocked 'n down in the cellar."
"Zackly like that," replied his father, looking at the gentlemen in a
knowing way; "'Birds of a feather do flock together.'"
"A good thought!" exclaimed Mr. Morley, rising. "Don't let us lose any
time, but proceed at once."
Horses were procured from the neighbouring farmers--for there were no
gigs or dog-carts in those days at the Land's-End--and they started on
their expedition; but lest so formidable a party should alarm the
neighbourhood, they agreed to go by different routes and to meet at
Portagnes, and to go in a body to Cooper's house; for that the body of
the conjuror was taken there no one seemed to doubt;--it was the only
place they could think of at all likely. For, although one of the party
strongly believed that the noises he heard, and the removal of the body,
were caused by supernatural agency, he did not express his thoughts on
that point, but followed the others, fully persuaded that they would
find their labour in vain.
Frederick Morley lingered behind his party a little, and under pretence
of having left something behind at Pendrea, he returned there, promising
to overtake his brother and the squire shortly. Fowler had gone another
way, accompanied by Captain Trenow and Josiah.
Frederick had indeed left something behind at Pendrea, and, knowing that
Alrina was there, he determined not to leave that place without having
an interview with her, and hearing from her own lips an explanation of
her conduct; and if it was from any feeling of delicacy, or as he deemed
it foolish fear, that by uniting herself with him she would be bringing
disgrace upon him and his family, he would insist on her recalling her
vow, if she had made one; and if she still loved him as he believed she
did, nothing on earth should prevent him from making her his own, and
claiming it as his right to cherish and protect her against all the
world.
This feeling had become a thousand times stronger than ever now, since
he knew that she so much wanted protection. It strengthened his love, if
possible, and made him more determined than ever not to leave that
place without seeing her, and compelling her to give up her foolish
scruples, and become his wife without delay; and the more he thought of
her present destitute position, the more did he blame himself for ever
having left her.
In the meanwhile, the squire and Mr. Morley pressed on their horses
towards Portagnes, thinking that Frederick would overtake them; but as
he did not, they supposed he had taken the other route, and had joined
Lieutenant Fowler's party. They met according to appointment; but
Frederick was not there. No one had seen him since he left them to
search for what he said he had left behind at Pendrea-house. However,
every moment was of consequence now, and they determined on proceeding
at once to Cooper's house, where they believed they should find the
fugitive. No one except Josiah doubted this for a moment; so it was
determined that the outside of the house should be closely watched, by
two of the party, while the others effected an entrance, by force if
necessary. The constable, with his warrant, had accompanied Fowler and
his party; and the lieutenant had left orders for two of his men to go
round by water to the entrance of the cavern, and keep a look-out
there,--so that escape was now impossible.
Lieutenant Fowler and Josiah watched outside, while the other three,
accompanied by the constable, proceeded to effect an entrance into the
house. They found the outer door of the garden unlocked, and they
thought they should gain an easy entrance; for the fugitives had
evidently either not returned there or were confident of their security.
These thoughts passed through the mind of each as they passed from the
outer door, through the garden, to the door of the house. Here, however,
they found an obstacle, for the door was bolted. They knocked several
times, and, no answer being returned, they held a consultation as to the
best way to break open the door, when a head protruded from one of the
upper windows, and they were asked, rather sharply, what they wanted.
"Come down, you old hag, and open the door, or we'll break it open,"
said Mr. Morley, in an angry tone, giving the door several knocks at the
same time with his walking-stick.
"Don't be so hasty, gentlemen," said the woman; "I was fool enough to
let you in last time, but you shan't come over me so easy again, I can
tell 'ee. You should oft to be ashamed of yourselves,--iss you ded--for
to come here with your staves and clubs to frighten a poor lone woman
like me."
"Come down, you miserable specimen of humanity," said the squire, "and
open the door, or it shall be broken open, and your house ransacked from
top to bottom, and you will not be let off so easily this time, I can
tell you."
"What did you please to want gentleman, when you do get in?" asked the
woman, in what the squire thought a very impertinent tone. And he was
about to reply, in a manner which would have given the woman an
opportunity of keeping up the conversation, and thereby keeping them out
of the house for a considerable time longer, when the constable thought
it was time for him to begin; for he was a shrewd man in his way, and
saw the woman's object. He believed she was keeping them in conversation
outside, in order to give the other inmates time to get away or to
conceal themselves in the house somewhere; so he said in as commanding a
tone as he could,--
"You know me, good woman, don't you?"
"No, I don't," she replied, "and, what's more, I don't want to."
"I'm the head constable of the district I am," said he; "and I claim
entrance, in the King's name, under a bench warrant."
"I don't care if you're the tail constable; you shan't come in here,"
replied the woman, shutting down the window.
"Thank you for nothing," said the constable; for at this moment the door
was opened from the inside by Captain Trenow, who had gone round the
house to reconnoitre, while the others were still trying to persuade the
old woman to let them in; and, finding a window open at the back of the
house, he entered that way, and now admitted the whole party. The old
woman protested there was no one in the house but herself, and so it
turned out; for they searched everywhere--upstairs and down--in the
cellars and even out to the extremity of the cavern. There was no one
there; so they beat a retreat and went back to the house they had before
met at, hoping that by this time Frederick had arrived; but in this they
were also disappointed. He was not there, nor had he been seen by
anyone; so, after partaking of a hasty refreshment, they turned their
horses' heads once more in the direction of the Land's-End, crestfallen
and disappointed.