A Set of Rogues

by Frank Barrett

  CHAPTER XV.

  _Lay our hands on six hundred pounds and quarter ourselves in HurstCourt, but stand in a fair way to be undone by Dawson, his folly._

  The next day comes Simon with a bag of six hundred pounds, which hetells over with infinite care, groaning and mopping his eyes betwixteach four or five pieces with a most rueful visage, so that it seemed hewas weeping over this great expenditure, and then he goes to prepare theCourt and get servants against Moll's arrival. By the end of the week,being furnished with suitable clothing and equipment, Moll and DonSanchez leave us, though Dawson was now as hale and hearty as ever hehad been, we being persuaded to rest at Chatham yet another week, togive countenance to Jack's late distemper, and also that we might appearless like a gang of thieves.

  Before going, Don Sanchez warned us that very likely Simon would pay usa visit suddenly, to satisfy any doubts that might yet crop up in hissuspicious mind; and so, to be prepared for him, I got in a good storeof paper and books, such as a merchant might require in seeking toreestablish himself in business, and Dawson held himself in readiness todo his share of this knavish business.

  Sure enough, about three days after this, the drawer, who had beeninstructed to admit no one to my chamber without my consent, comes up tosay that the little old man in leather, with the weak eyes, would seeme; so I bade him in a high voice bid Mr. Simon step up, and settingmyself before my table of paper, engage in writing a letter (alreadyhalf writ), while Dawson slips out into the next room.

  "Take a seat, Mr. Steward," says I, when Simon entered, cap in hand, andcasting a very prying, curious look around. "I must keep you a minute ortwo"; and so I feign to be mighty busy, and give him scope forobservation.

  "Well, sir," says I, finishing my letter with a flourish, and setting itaside. "How do you fare?"

  He raised his hands, and dropped them like so much lead on his knees,casting up his eyes and giving a doleful shake of his head for a reply.

  "Nothing is amiss at the Court, I pray--your lady Mistress Godwin iswell?"

  "I know not, friend," says he. "She hath taken my keys, denied meentrance to her house, and left me no privilege of my office save theuse of the lodge house. Thus am I treated like a faithless servant,after toiling night and day all these years, and for her advantage,rather than mine own."

  "That has to be proved, Mr. Steward," says I, severely; "for you mustadmit that up to this present she has had no reason to love you, seeingthat, had her fate been left in your hands, she would now be in Barbary,and like to end her days there. How, then, can she think but that youhad some selfish, wicked end in denying her the service we, who arestrangers, have rendered her?"

  "Thee speakest truth, friend, and yet thee knowest that I observed onlythe righteous prudence of an honest servant."

  "We will say no more on that head, but you may rest assured on mypromise--knowing as I do the noble, generous nature of yourmistress--that if she has done you wrong in suspecting you of basepurpose, she will be the first to admit her fault and offer youreparation."

  "I seek no reparation, no reward, nothing in the world but the right tocherish this estate," cries he, in passion; and, upon my looking at himvery curiously, as not understanding the motive of such devotion, hecontinues: "Thee canst not believe me, and yet truly I am neither a liarnor a madman. What do others toil for? A wife--children--friends--thegratification of ambition or lust! I have no kith or kin, no ambition,no lust; but this estate is wife, child, everything, to me. 'Tis likesome work of vanity,--a carved image that a man may give his whole lifeto making, and yet die content if he achieves but some approach to thecreation of his soul. I have made this estate out of nothing; it hathgrown larger and larger, richer and more rich, in answer to my skill;why should I not love it, and put my whole heart in the accomplishmentof my design, with the same devotion that you admire in the maker ofgraven images?"

  Despite his natural infirmities, Simon delivered this astonishingrhapsody with a certain sort of vehemence that made it eloquent; andindeed, strange as his passion was, I could not deny that it was asreasonable in its way as any nobler act of self-sacrifice.

  "I begin to understand you, Mr. Steward," says I.

  "Then, good friend, as thee wouldst help the man in peril of being tornfrom his child, render me this estate to govern; save it from the handsof usurers and lawyers, men of no conscience, to whom this Spanish Donwould deliver it for the speedy satisfaction of his greed."

  "Nay, my claim's as great as his," says I, "and my affairs morepressing" (with a glance at my papers), "I am undone, my credit lost, myoccupation gone."

  "Thee shalt be paid to the last farthing. Examine my books, enquire intothe value of my securities, and thee wilt find full assurance."

  "Well, one of these days mayhap," says I, as if to put him off.

  "Nay, come at once, I implore thee; for until I am justified to mymistress, I stand like one betwixt life and death."

  "For one thing," says I, still shuffling, "I can do nothing, nor youeither, to the payment of our just claim, before the inheritance issafely settled upon Mistress Godwin."

  "That shall be done forthwith. I understand the intricacies of the law,and know my way" (tapping his head and then his pocket), "to get a seal,with ten times the despatch of any attorney. I promise by Saturday theeshalt have assurance to thy utmost requirement. Say, good friend, theewilt be at my lodge house on that day."

  "I'll promise nothing," says I. "Our poor Captain Evans is still aprisoner in his room."

  "Aye," says Dawson, coming in from the next room, in his nightgown,seeming very feeble and weak despite his blustering voice, "and I'm liketo be no better till I can get a ship of my own and be to sea again.Have you brought my money, Mr. Quaker?"

  "Thee shalt have it truly; wait but a little while, good friend, alittle while."

  "Wait a little while and founder altogether, eh? I know you land sharks,and would I'd been born with a smack of your cunning; then had I nevergone of this venture, and lost my ship and twoscore men, that money'llne'er replace. Look at me, a sheer hulk and no more, and all throughlending ear to one prayer and another. I doubt you're minded to turnyour back on poor old Bob Evans, as t'others have, Mr. Hopkins,--and whynot? The poor old man's worth nothing, and cannot help himself." Withthis he fell a-snivelling like any girl.

  "I vow I'll not quit you, Evans, till you're hale again."

  "Bring him with thee o' Saturday," urged Simon. "Surely, my mistress cannever have the heart to refuse you shelter at the Court, who owes herlife to ye. Come and stay there till thy wage be paid, friend Evans."

  "What! would ye make an honest sailor play bum-bailiff, and stick in ahouse, willy nilly, till money's found? Plague of your dry land! Give mea pitching ship and a rolling sea, and a gale whistling in my shrouds.Oh, my reins, my reins! give me a paper of tobacco, Mr. Hopkins, and apipe to soothe this agony, or I shall grow desperate!"

  I left the room as if to satisfy this desire, and Simon followed,imploring me still to come on Saturday to Chislehurst; and I at lengthgot rid of him by promising to come as soon as Evans could be left orinduced to accompany me.

  I persuaded Dawson, very much against his gree, to delay our going untilMonday, the better to hoodwink old Simon; and on that day we set out forChislehurst, both clad according to our condition,--he in rough frieze,and I in a very proper, seemly sort of cloth,--and with more guineas inour pockets than ever before we had possessed shillings. And a verymerry journey this was; for Dawson, finding himself once more atliberty, and hearty as a lark after his long confinement and under noconstraint, was like a boy let loose from school. Carolling at the topof his voice, playing mad pranks with all who passed us on the road, andstaying at every inn to drink twopenny ale, so that I feared he wouldcertainly fall ill of drinking, as he had before of eating; but theexercise of riding, the fresh, wholesome air, and half an hour's doze ina spinney, did settle his liquor, and so he reached Hurst Court quitesober, thanks be to Heaven, though very gay. And there we had
need ofall our self-command, to conceal our joy in finding those gates open tous, which we had looked through so fondly when we were last here, and tospy Moll, in a stately gown, on the fine terrace before this noblehouse, carrying herself as if she had lived here all her life, and DonSanchez walking very deferential by her side. Especially Dawson couldscarce bring himself to speak to her in an uncouth, surly manner, asbefitted his character, and no sooner were we entered the house but hewhips Moll behind a door, and falls a-hugging and kissing her like anysly young lover.

  Whilst he was giving way to these extravagances, which Moll had not theheart to rebuff,--for in her full, warm heart she was as overjoyed tosee him there as he her,--Don Sanchez and I paced up and down thespacious hall, I all of a twitter lest one or other of the servantsmight discover the familiarity of these two (which must have been a finematter for curious gossip in the household and elsewhere), and the Donmighty sombre and grave (as foreseeing an evil outcome of thisbusiness), so that he would make no answer to my civilities save by dumbgestures, showing he was highly displeased. But truly 'twas enough toset us all crazy, but he, with joy, to be in possession of all theseriches and think that we had landed at Chatham scarce a fortnight beforewithout decent clothes to our backs, and now, but for the success of ourdesign, might be the penniless strolling vagabonds we were when DonSanchez lighted on us.

  Presently Moll came out from the side room with her father, her hair alltumbled, and as rosy as a peach, and she would have us visit the housefrom top to bottom, showing us the rooms set apart for us, her ownchamber, the state room, the dining-hall, the store closets for plateand linen, etc., all prodigious fine and in most excellent condition;for the scrupulous minute care of old Simon had suffered nothing to fallout of repair, the rooms being kept well aired, the pictures,tapestries, and magnificent furniture all preserved fresh with linencovers and the like. From the hall she led us out on to the terrace tosurvey the park and the gardens about the house, and here, as withindoors, all was in most admirable keeping, with no wild growth orrunaweeds anywhere, nor any sign of neglect. But I observed, as anindication of the steward's thrifty, unpoetic mind, that the garden bedswere planted with onions and such marketable produce, in place offlowers, and that instead of deer grazing upon the green slopes of thepark there was only such profitable cattle as sheep, cows, etc. And atthe sight of all this abundance of good things (and especially thewell-stored buttery), Dawson declared he could live here all his lifeand never worry. And with that, all unthinkingly, he lays his arm aboutMoll's waist.

  Then the Don, who had followed us up and down stairs, speaking never oneword till this, says, "We may count ourselves lucky, Captain Evans, ifwe are suffered to stay here another week."