IN WHICH MR. IRONS RECOUNTS SOME OLD RECOLLECTIONS ABOUT THE PIED HORSE
AND THE FLOWER DE LUCE.
It was so well known in Chapelizod that Sturk was poking after Lord
Castlemallard's agency that Nutter felt the scene going on before his
eyes between him and Dangerfield like a public affront. His ire was that
of a phlegmatic man, dangerous when stirred, and there was no mistaking,
in his rigid, swarthy countenance, the state of his temper.
Dangerfield took an opportunity, and touched Nutter on the shoulder, and
told him frankly, in effect, though _he_ wished things to go on as
heretofore, Sturk had wormed himself into a sort of confidence with Lord
Castlemallard.
'Not confidence, Sir--_talk_, if you please,' said Nutter grimly.
'Well, into talk,' acquiesced Dangerfield; 'and by Jove, I've a hard
card to play, you see. His lordship will have me listen to Doctor
Sturk's talk, such as it is.'
'He has no talk in him, Sir, you mayn't get from any other impudent
dunderhead in the town,' answered Nutter.
'My dear Sir, understand me. I'm your friend,' and he placed his hand
amicably upon Nutter's arm; 'but Lord Castlemallard has, now and then, a
will of his own, I need not tell you; and somebody's been doing you an
ill turn with his lordship; and you're a gentleman, Mr. Nutter, and I
like you, and I'll be frank with you, knowing 'twill go no further.
Sturk wants the agency. You have _my_ good-will. _I_ don't see why he
should take it from you; but--but--you see his lordship takes odd
likings, and he won't always listen to reason.'
Nutter was so shocked and exasperated, that for a moment he felt
stunned, and put his hand toward his head.
'I think, Sir,' said Nutter, with a stern, deliberate oath, I'll write
to Lord Castlemallard this evening, and throw up his agency; and
challenge Sturk, and fight him in the morning.'
'You must not resign the agency, Sir; his lordship is whimsical; but you
have a friend at court. I've spoken in full confidence in your secrecy;
and should any words pass between you and Dr. Sturk, you'll not mention
my name; I rely, Sir, on your honour, as you may on my good-will;' and
Dangerfield shook hands with Nutter significantly, and called to Irons,
who was waiting to accompany him, and the two anglers walked away
together up the river.
Nutter was still possessed with his furious resolution to fling down his
office at Lord Castlemallard's feet, and to call Sturk into the lists of
mortal combat. One turn by himself as far as the turnpike, however, and
he gave up the first, and retained only the second resolve. Half-an-hour
more, and he had settled in his mind that there was no need to punish
the meddler that way: and so he resolved to bide his time--a short one.
In the meanwhile Dangerfield had reached one of those sweet pastures by
the river's bank which, as we have read, delight the simple mind of the
angler, and his float was already out, and bobbing up and down on the
ripples of the stream; and the verdant valley, in which he and his
taciturn companion stood side by side, resounded, from time to time,
with Dangerfield's strange harsh laughter; the cause of which Irons did
not, of course, presume to ask.
There is a church-yard cough--I don't see why there may not be a
church-yard laugh. In Dangerfield's certainly there was an omen--a glee
that had nothing to do with mirth; and more dismaying, perhaps, than his
sternest rebuke. If a man is not a laugher by nature, he had better let
it alone. The bipeds that love mousing and carrion have a chant of their
own, and nobody quarrels with it. We respect an owl or a raven, though
we mayn't love him, while he sticks to his croak or to-whoo. 'Tisn't
pleasant, but quite natural and unaffected, and we acquiesce. All we ask
of these gentlemanlike birds is, that they mistake not their
talent--affect not music; or if they do, that they treat not us to their
queer warblings.
Irons, with that never-failing phantom of a smile on his thin lips,
stood a little apart, with a gaff and landing-net, and a second rod, and
a little bag of worms, and his other gear, silent, except when spoken
to, or sometimes to suggest a change of bait, or fly, or a cast over a
particular spot; for Dangerfield was of good Colonel Venables' mind,
that 'tis well in the lover of the gentle craft to associate himself
with some honest, expert angler, who will freely and candidly
communicate his skill unto him.'
Dangerfield was looking straight at his float; but thinking of something
else. Whenever Sturk met him at dinner, or the club, the doctor's
arrogance and loud lungs failed him, and he fell for a while into a sort
of gloom and dreaming; and when he came slowly to himself, he could not
talk to anyone but the man with the spectacles; and in the midst of his
talk he would grow wandering and thoughtful, as if over some
half-remembered dream; and when he took his leave of Dangerfield it was
with a lingering look and a stern withdrawal, as if he had still a last
word to say, and he went away in a dismal reverie. It was natural, that
with his views about the agency, Sturk should regard him with
particular interest. But there was something more here, and it did not
escape Dangerfield, as, indeed, very little that in anywise concerned
him ever did.
'Clever fellow, Doctor Sturk,' said the silver spectacles, looking
grimly at the float. 'I like him. You remember him, you say, Irons?'
'Ay, Sir,' said Blue-chin: 'I never forget a face.' 'Par nobile,'
sneered the angler quietly.' In the year '45, eh--go on.'
'Ay, Sir; he slept in the "Pied Horse," at Newmarket, and was in all the
fun. Next day he broke his arm badly, and slept there in the closet off
Mr. Beauclerc's room that night under laudanum, and remained ten days
longer in the house. Mr. Beauclerc's chamber was the "flower de luce."
Barnabus Sturk, Esq. When I saw him here, half the length of the street
away, I knew him and his name on the instant. I never forget things.'
'But he don't remember you?'
'No,' smiled Blue-chin, looking at the float also.
'Two-and-twenty-years. How came it he was not summoned?'
'He was under laudanum, and could tell nothing.'
'Ay,' said the spectacles, 'ay,' and he let out some more line. 'That's
deep.'
'Yes, Sir, a soldier was drownded in that hole.'
'And Dr. Toole and Mr. Nutter don't love him--both brisk fellows, and
have fought.'
Blue-chin smiled on.
'Very clever dog--needs be sharp though, or he'll come to--ha!' and a
gray trout came splashing and flickering along the top of the water upon
the hook, and Irons placed the net in Dangerfield's outstretched hand,
and the troutling was landed, to the distant music of 'God save the
King,' borne faintly on the air, by which the reader perceives that the
band were now about to put up their instruments, and the gay folk to
disperse. And at the same moment, Lord Castlemallard was doing old
General Chattesworth the honour to lean upon his arm, as they walked to
and fro upon the parade-ground by the river's bank, and the general
looked particularly grand and thoughtful, and my lord was more than
usually gracious and impressive, and was saying:--
''Tis a good match every way: he has good blood in his veins, Sir, the
Dangerfields of Redminster; and you may suppose he's rich, when he was
ready to advance Sir Sedley Hicks thirty-five thousand pounds on
mortgage, and to my certain knowledge has nearly as much more out on
good securities; and he's the most principled man I think I ever met
with, and the cleverest dog, I believe, in these kingdoms; and I wish
you joy, General Chattesworth.'
And he gave the general snuff out of his box, and shook hands, and said
something very good, as he got into his carriage, for he laughed a good
deal, and touched the general's ribs with the point of his gloved
finger; and the general laughed too, moderately, and was instantaneously
grave again, when the carriage whirled away.