by James Payn
CHAPTER III.
BEFORE THE BLOW.
As yet in ignorance of the mischief which I had unwittingly done to mydearest friend, I could not but wonder why I received no news fromHarley Street. I had confessed to Mr. Long what Sir Massingberd hadpersuaded me to do, and although he had thought me wrong to have actedwithout consulting him in the matter, he anticipated no evilconsequences. He rather sought to laugh me out of my own forebodings andpresentiments. Still there was this somewhat suspicious corroboration ofthem, that the newborn courtesies of our formidable neighbour hadsuddenly ceased, as though the end for which they had been used wasalready attained. The baronet's manner towards us was as surly as ever,and even a trifle more so, as if to recompense himself for his previousconstrained politeness. To myself, his manner was precisely that of aman who does not attempt to conceal his contempt for one whom he hasduped. Since Marmaduke's departure, there had gone forth variousdecrees, injunctions, and what not, from the Court of Chancery, obtaineddoubtless through Mr. Clint, on behalf of the heir-presumptive, againstcertain practices of Sir Massingberd connected with the estate. Formerlyhe had done what he chose, not only with "his own," but with what wasnot his own in the eye of the law. But Marmaduke's reversionary rightswere now strictly protected. Not a tree in the park could fell beneaththe axe, but the noise thereof reached the Chancellor's ears, andbrought down reproof, and even threats, upon the incensed baronet. Hishesitation to institute proceedings for the recovery of his ward, hadgiven confidence to his opponents; and Mr. Gerard was not one to sufferthe least wrong to be committed with impunity; it was out of his pocketthat the expenses came for the edicts necessary to enforce compliance,and I have heard him say that he never remembered to have spent anymoney with greater personal satisfaction.
This "thinning the timber" (as Sir Massingberd euphoniously termedcutting down the most ornamental trees, in his excusatory despatches),having been put a stop to, the squire took to selling the family plate.A quantity of ancient silver, with the astonished Griffins upon it, wastransferred from the custody of Gilmore to that of certain transmutersof metal in town, and came back again to Fairburn Hall in the shape ofgold pieces. But even the melting-pot was compelled to disclose itssecrets; and the squire received such a severe reprimand upon the textof heirlooms, as made him writhe with passion, and which put an end toany friendly connection that might have before existed between himselfand John, Lord Eldon, at once and for ever. I think it must have beenimmediately after the receipt of that very communication, that SirMassingberd came over to the rectory upon the following errand. Mr. Longand myself were at our "Tacitus" in the study one evening, when thebaronet was announced, and I rose to leave the room. "Stay where youare, young gentleman," said he roughly; "what I have to say will, it islike enough, soon be no secret to anybody. Mr. Long, I must tell you atonce that money I must have. The way in which my property is meddledwith by the lawyer in London, set on to do it by friends of yours, too,is beyond all bearing. I declare to you, that I--Sir Massingberd Heath,the nominal owner of twenty thousand acres, and of a rent-toll of halfas many thousand pounds--have not five guineas in my pocket at thismoment, nor do I know how to raise them. Now, am I a man, think you, tosit down with my hands before me, and submit to such a state of thingsas this?"
"Really, Sir Massingberd, I cannot say," returned my tutor; "I cannotsee how I can help you in anyway."
"Yes, you _can_ help me, sir. You have influence with thosepersons--curse them!--who have taken it in hand to do me theseinjuries, who have interfered between uncle and nephew, between guardianand ward. Now, I have made up my mind what I will do, and I am come hereto let you know it. You pretend to entertain some regard towards yourlate pupil, Marmaduke."
"The regard is genuine, Sir Massingberd. I wish others entertained thelike, who are more nearly connected with him than by the bond of pupiland tutor."
"Pray put me out of the question," returned the baronet coolly. "What Ihave to say concerns others, not myself. You like this lad, and wish himwell; you hope for him an unclouded future; you trust that the characterof the family will be redeemed in his virtuous hands, and that theremembrance of what it has been will not cleave to him, but willgradually die out."
"That is my earnest desire," replied Mr. Long, gravely.
"I am glad to hear it," continued the other; "and I suppose Mr. Clintcherishes some similar notion; and this man Gerard--this rebel, thishypocrite----"
"Sir Massingberd Heath," said I, interrupting him, "you have bidden mestay here; but I shall not remain to listen to slanders against Mr.Harvey Gerard; he is no hypocrite, but a very honest and kind-heartedman."
"He has hoodwinked this young wise-acre already, you see," pursued thebaronet. "His object is evidently to secure the heir of Fairburn for hisdaughter; I have not the least doubt the jade is making play with thepoor molly-coddle as fast as----"
Mr. Long and myself both rose before the speaker could finish thesentence. My tutor checked with his finger the wrathful words that wereat my lips, and observed with energy: "Sir Massingberd, be silent!Under my roof, you shall not traduce that virtuous and excellent younggirl."
I never saw Mr. Long so excited; I never admired him so much. Thebaronet paused, as though hesitating whether it was worth while toindulge himself in uttering insults; I am thankful to say he decidedthat it was not. It would have been pollution to Lucy Gerard's name tohave heard it spoken by such lips.
"Well, well," returned he, "I have nothing to say against the youngwoman. It is probable, however, you will allow, that some attachment mayarise between herself and my nephew. You grant that, do you? Ah, Ithought so. In that case, Mr. Gerard would prefer the husband of hisdaughter to be free from all stain. Good! There are three persons then,at least, all interested in my nephew's good name. Now, listen: you knowsomething, parson, of the mode of life pursued by the Heaths fromgeneration to generation; you know something of the deeds that have beencommitted at Fairburn Hall. What is known, however, is honourable andharmless compared to what is _not_ known; the vices which you haveshuddered at are mere follies--the offspring of idleness and highspirits--compared to those of which you have yet to hear."
It is impossible to imagine a more repulsive spectacle than this manpresented, exulting not only in his own wickedness, but in that of hisforefathers. He took from his pocket a huge manuscript, and thusproceeded:--"The records of the House of Heath are red with blood, andblack with crime. I hold them in my hand here, and they are very prettyreading. Now, look you, I will leave them here for your perusal,parson--they have at least this attraction about them, they are_true_--and when you have made yourself master of the contents, perhapsyou can recommend to me a publisher."
"Is it possible," cried my tutor, "that you can do this dreadful wrongat once to ancestors and descendant? Have you no mercy even for kith andkin? Do you dare to defy God and Man alike?"
"I dare publish that pamphlet, unless I have money," quoth SirMassingberd scornfully, "and that is the sole question with which weneed now concern ourselves. A pretty welcome young Sir Marmaduke willmeet with when he comes into the country among all who know his familyhistory. As for me, my character is one which is not likely to sufferfrom any disclosure."
"Are all the murders done and attempted set down here, Sir Massingberd?"inquired my tutor, taking up the pamphlet "The catalogue of crime istruly frightful; but you do not seem to have brought the narrative downto the most recent dates."
"The most recent dates?" reiterated the baronet mechanically.
"Yes, sir," responded my tutor, "the history is evidently incomplete. Ifit should come out in its present form, it would need an appendix. Iwould scarcely recommend you to run the risk of another personpublishing a continuation. You had better take it home, and reconsiderthe matter."
The baronet affected to receive this advice in earnest, and retired,foiled and furious.[1] He never more set foot in the Rectory, savetwice; once when he called upon me, and persuaded me to forward thathateful letter to Mar
maduke, and again upon the occasion I am about todescribe. The errand he then came upon was of small consequence, but thecircumstance I shall never forget. After-events have made it one of themost memorable in my life, for it was the last time, save one, that Iever beheld Massingberd Heath. Little did I think what a mystery wasthen impending--so frightful, so unexampled, that it now seems almoststrange that it did not visibly overshadow that giant form, thatruthless face. If we could thus read the future of others, how fearfulwould be many a meeting which is now so conventional and commonplace! Itis true that we should always part, both from friends and from enemies,in some sort as though we were parting with them for the last time; buthow different a leave-taking would it be, if we were indeed assuredthat they and we would meet no more upon this side the grave! How Ishould have devoured that man with mine eyes, had I known that theywould not again behold him--save one awful Once--before we should bothstand together in the presence of God! What terrors, what anxieties,what enigmas were about to be brought to us and to others by themorrow's sun! Yet, at the time, with what little things we occupiedourselves! It was in the morning that Sir Massingberd paid his visit--amorning of early November, when the first sharp frost had just set in.He came about money matters, as usual. We were surprised to see him,because, as I have said, he had relapsed into his accustomed sternunsociable habits, and had seemed to have given up all attempts to gainany furtherance of his plans from Mr. Long. He had called he said, abouta matter that affected the parson himself, or he would not havetroubled him. Certain Methodists had offered him twenty pounds a year asthe ground-rent of a chapel to be built upon the outskirts of the Park,and within view of the Rectory windows. For his part, he hated theMethodists; and had no sort of wish to offend Mr. Long by granting theirprayer. Still, being grievously in want of money, he had come to saythat if Mr. Clint could not be induced to give him some pecuniary help,the chapel must be built.
My tutor, who had a very orthodox abhorrence of all dissent, andespecially when it threatened his own parish, was exceedingly disturbedby this intelligence.
"What!" cried he; "you preach to your nephew doctrines of Conservatism,Sir Massingberd, and yet are induced for a wretched bribe to let a nestof sectaries be built in the very avenue of your Park!"
"It is terrible indeed," quoth the baronet drily; "but they might set itup opposite my front door for an extra five-pound note. I announce theiroffer solely on your account. They call on me to-morrow for my finaldecision, and I cannot afford to say, 'No.' Now, you can do what youplease with Mr. Clint, and may surely represent to him that this is acase where twenty pounds may be well expended. The matter will thus bestaved off for a year at least; and next year, you know, I may be inbetter circumstances--or dead, which many persons would greatly prefer."
"Certainly," returned my tutor gravely, "I will do my best with Mr.Clint; but in the meantime, rather than let this chapel be built, I willadvance the money you mention at my own risk. I happen to have aconsiderable sum in the house at present, which I intended to lodge withthe bank at Crittenden to-morrow. So you shall have the notes at once."
"That is very fortunate," said the baronet, coolly; and Mr. Long countedthem out into his hand--twenty flimsey, but not yet ragged, one-poundnotes, for the imitation of the like of which half-a-dozen men were atthat time often strung up in front of the Old Bailey together. From82961 to 82980 the numbers ran, which--albeit I am no great hand atrecollecting such things--I shall remember, from what followed, as longas I live. I can see the grim Squire now, as he rolls them tightly up,and places them in that huge, lapelled waistcoat-pocket; as he slaps itwith his mighty hand, as though he would defy the world to take themfrom him, however unlawfully acquired; as he leaves the room with aninsolent nod, and clangs across the iron road with his nailed shoes.
I watch him through the Rectory window, as, ere he puts the key in hisgarden-door, he casts a chance look-up at the sky. He looks to see whatwill happen on the morrow. Does he read nothing save Continuance of Fineand Frosty Weather? Nothing. All is blue and clear as steel; not a cloudto be seen the size of a man's hand from north to south, from east towest. There is no warning to be read in the cold and smiling heaven; no"_Mene, mene_," for this worse than Belshazzar on its broad ceruleanwall!
[1] Years afterwards I became possessed of the pamphlet in question,which, having glanced at, I very carefully committed to the flames. I donot doubt, however, that Sir Massingberd would have carried his threatinto execution, had not Mr. Long's menace shaken his purpose.
