The Children of the New Forest

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER XVI.

  Edward then took the counterpane off the bed, and went with it into thenext room. He gently drew the body to the corner of the room, andcovered it up with the counterpane, and then proceeded to examine thecupboards, etc. In one he found a good store of books, in another therewas linen of all sorts, a great many curious arms, two suits of brightarmor such as was worn in those times, pistols, and guns, andammunition. On the floor of one of the cupboards was an iron chestabout two feet by eighteen inches. It was locked. Edward immediatelyconcluded that this chest held the money of the unfortunate man; butwhere was the key? Most likely about his person. He did not like toafflict the poor boy by putting the question to him, but he went to thebody and examined the pockets of the clothes; he found a bunch ofseveral keys, which he took, and then replaced the coverlid. He triedone of the keys, which appeared to be of the right size, to the lock ofthe iron chest, and found that it fitted it. Satisfied with this, hedid not raise the lid of the chest, but dragged it out into the centerof the room. There were many things of value about the room; thecandlesticks were silver, and there were goblets of the same metal.Edward collected all these articles, and a timepiece, and put them intoa basket, of which there were two large ones at the end of the room,apparently used for holding firewood. Every thing that he thought couldbe useful, or of value, he gathered together for the benefit of thepoor orphan boy. He afterward went into another small room, where hefound sundry small trunks and cases locked up. These he brought outwithout examining, as he presumed that they contained what was ofvalue, or they would not be locked. When he had collected every thing,he found that he had already more than the cart could carry in onetrip; and he wanted to take some bedding with him, as he had not aspare bed in the cottage to give to the boy. Edward decided in his ownmind that he would take the most valuable articles away that night, andreturn with the cart for the remainder early on the following morning.It was now past noon, and Edward took out of the cupboard what victualswere left, and then went into the chamber where the boy was, and beggedthat he would eat something. The poor boy said that he had no appetite;but Edward insisted and at last prevailed upon him to eat some breadand drink a glass of wine, which proved of great service to him. Thepoor fellow shuddered as he saw the body covered up in the corner ofthe room, but said nothing. Edward was trying to make him eat a littlemore, when Pablo made his appearance at the door.

  "Have you put up all that you want in the bedchamber?" said Edward.

  "Yes, I have put up every thing."

  "Then we will bring them out. Come, Pablo, you must help us."

  Pablo made signs, and pointed to the door. Edward went out.

  "First pull body away from this."

  "Yes," replied Edward, "we must do so."

  Edward and Pablo pulled the body of the robber on one side of thedoorway, and threw over it some dried fern which lay by; they thenbacked the cart down to the door; the iron chest was first got in, thenall the heavy articles, such as armor, guns, and books, etc., and bythat time the cart was more than half loaded. Edward then went into thechamber, and brought out the packages the boy had made up, and put themall in the cart until it was loaded high up; they brought out someblankets, and laid over all to keep things steady; and then Edward toldthe boy that all was ready, and that they had better go.

  "Yes, I am willing," replied he, with streaming eyes; "but let me seehim once more."

  "Come, then," said Edward, leading him to the corpse, and uncoveringthe face.

  The boy knelt down, kissed the forehead and cold lips, covered up theface again, and then rose and wept bitterly on Edward's shoulder.Edward did not attempt to check his sorrow, he thought it better itshould have vent; but, after a time, he led the boy by degrees tillthey were out of the cottage.

  "Now then," said Edward, "we must go, or we shall be late. My poorlittle sisters have been dreadfully alarmed at my not having come homelast night, and I long to clasp them in my arms."

  "Indeed you must," replied the boy, wiping away his tears, "and I amvery selfish; let us go on."

  "No room for cart to get through wood," said Pablo; "hard work, cartempty--more hard work, cart full."

  And so it proved to be; and it required all the united efforts ofBilly, Edward, and Pablo to force a passage for the cart through thenarrow pathway; but at last it was effected, and then they went on at aquick pace, and in less than two hours the cottage was in sight. Whenwithin two hundred yards of it, Edith, who had been on the watch, camebounding out, and flew into Edward's arms, and covered him with kisses.

  "You naughty Edward, to frighten us so!"

  "Look, Edith, I have brought you a nice little playfellow. Welcome him,dearest."

  Edith extended her hand as she looked into the boy's face.

  "He is a pretty boy, Edward, much prettier than Pablo."

  "No, Missy Edith," said Pablo; "Pablo more man than he."

  "Yes, you may be more man, Pablo; but you are not so pretty."

  "And where is Alice?"

  "She was getting supper ready, and I did not tell her that I saw youcoming, because I wanted first kiss."

  "You little jealous thing! but here comes Alice. Dear Alice, you havebeen very uneasy, but it was not my fault," said Edward, kissing her."If I had not been where I was, this poor boy would have been killed aswell as his father. Make him welcome, Alice, for he is an orphan now,and must live with us. I have brought many things in the cart, andtomorrow we will bring more, for we have no bed for him, and to-nighthe must sleep with me."

  "We will make him as happy as we can, Edward; and we will be sisters tohim," said Alice, looking at the boy, who was blushing deeply. "How oldare you, and what is your name?"

  "I shall be thirteen years old next January," replied the boy.

  "And your Christian name?"

  "I will tell you by-and-by," replied he, confused.

  They arrived at the cottage, and Edward and Pablo were busy unpackingthe cart, and putting all the contents into the inner chamber, wherePablo now slept, when Alice, who, with Edith, had been talking to theboy, came to Edward and said,

  "Edward, she's a girl!"

  "A girl!" replied Edward, astonished.

  "Yes, she has told me so, and wished me to tell you."

  "But why does she wear boys' clothes?"

  "It was her father's wish, as he was very often obliged to send her toLymington to a friend's house, and he was afraid of her getting intotrouble; but she has not told me her story as yet--she says that shewill to-night."

  "Well, then," replied Edward, "you must make up a bed for her in yourroom to-night. Take Pablo's bed, and he shall sleep with me. To-morrowmorning I will bring some more bedding from her cottage."

  "How Humphrey will be surprised when he comes back!" said Alice,laughing..

  "Yes; she will make a nice little wife for him some years hence; andshe may prove an heiress, perhaps, for there is an iron chest withmoney in it."

  Alice returned to her new companion, and Edward and Pablo continued tounload the cart.

  "Well, Pablo, I suppose you will allow that, now that you know she is agirl, she is handsomer than you?"

  "Oh yes," replied Pablo, "very handsome girl; but too much girl forhandsome boy."

  At last every thing was out of the cart, the iron chest dragged intoPablo's room, and Billy put into his stable and given his supper, whichhe had well earned, for the cart had been very heavily loaded. Theythen all sat down to supper, Edward saying to their new acquaintance,

  "So I find that I am to have another sister instead of another brother.Now you will tell me your name?"

  "Yes; Clara is my name."

  "And why did you not tell me that you were a girl?"

  "I did not like, because I was in boys' clothes, and felt ashamed;indeed I was too unhappy to think about what I was. My poor dearfather!" and she burst into tears.

  Alice and Edith kissed her and consoled her, and she became calm again.After supper was over, they busied themsel
ves making arrangements forher sleeping in their room, and then they went to prayers.

  "We have much to be thankful for, my dears," said Edward. "I am sure Ifeel that I have been in great danger, and I only wish that I had beenmore useful than I have been; but it has been the will of God, and wemust not arraign his decrees. Let us return thanks for his greatmercies, and bow in submission to his dispensations, and pray that hewill give peace to poor little Clara, and soften her affliction."

  And as Edward prayed, little Clara knelt and sobbed, while Alicecaressed her with her arm round her waist, and stopped at times herprayer to kiss and console her. When they had finished, Alice led heraway to her bedroom, followed by Edith, and they put her to bed. Edwardand Pablo also retired, both worn out by the fatigue and excitement ofthe day.

  They were up on the following morning at day-dawn, and, putting Billyin the cart, set off for the cottage of Clara. They found every thingas they had left it, and, having loaded the cart with what had beenleft behind the day before, and bedding for two beds, with severalarticles of furniture which Edward thought might be useful, there beingstill a little room left, Edward packed up, in a wooden case with driedfern, all the wine that was in the cupboard; and, having assisted Pabloin forcing the cart once more through the path in the wood, he left himto return home with the cart, while he remained to wait the arrival ofHumphrey, and whoever might come with him from the intendant's. Aboutten o'clock, as he was watching outside of the wood, he perceivedseveral people approaching him, and soon made out that Humphrey, theintendant, and Oswald were among the number. When they came up to him,Edward saluted the intendant in a respectful manner, and shook handswith Oswald, and then led the way by the narrow path which led throughthe wood to the cottage. The intendant was on horseback, but all therest were on foot.

  The intendant left his horse to the care of one of the verderers, andwent through the wood on foot with the rest of the party, preceded byEdward. He appeared to be very grave and thoughtful, and Edward thoughtthat there was a coolness in his manner toward himself--for it must berecollected that Mr. Heatherstone had not seen Edward since he hadrendered him such service in saving the life of his daughter. Theconsequence was that Edward felt somewhat indignant; but he did notexpress his feelings, by his looks even, but conveyed the party insilence to the cottage. On their arrival, Edward pointed to the body ofthe robber, which had been covered with fern, and the verderers exposedit.

  "By whose hand did that man fall?" said the intendant.

  "By the hand of the party who lived in the cottage."

  Edward then led the way round to the back of the cottage where theother robber lay--

  "And this man was slain by my hand," replied Edward.

  "We have one more body to see," continued Edward, leading the way intothe cottage, and uncovering the corpse of Clara's father.

  Mr. Heatherstone looked at the face and appeared much moved. "Cover itup," said he, turning away; and then sitting down on a chair close tothe table--

  "And how was this found?" he said.

  "I neither saw this person killed, nor the robber you first saw, but Iheard the report of the firearms at almost the same moment, and Ipresume that they fell by each other's hands."

  The intendant called his clerk, who had accompanied him, and desiredhim to get ready his writing materials, and then said--

  "Edward Armitage, we will now take down your deposition as to what hasoccurred."

  Edward then commenced by stating, "that he was out in the forest andhad lost his way, and was seeking a path home."

  "You were out in the forest during the night?

  "Yes, sir, I was."

  "With your gun?"

  "I always carry my gun," replied Edward.

  "In pursuit of game?"

  "No, sir; I was not. I have never been out in pursuit of game duringnight-time in my life."

  "What were you then about? you did not go out for nothing?"

  "I went out to commune with my own thoughts; I was restless, and Iwandered about without knowing where I went, and that is the reason whyI lost my way."

  "And pray what may have excited you?"

  "I will tell you: I was over with Oswald Partridge the day before; youhad just arrived from London, and he gave me the news that King Charleshad been proclaimed in Scotland, and that news unsettled me."

  "Well, proceed."

  Edward met with no more interruption in his narrative. He statedbriefly all that had taken place, from the time he fell in with therobbers till the winding up of the catastrophe.

  The clerk took down all that Edward had stated, and then read it overto him to ascertain if he had written it down correctly, and theninquired of Edward "if he could read and write?"

  "I should hope so," replied Edward, taking the pen and signing his name.

  The clerk stared, and then said--"People in your condition do not oftenknow how to read and write, Mr. Forester, and therefore you need not beoffended at the question."

  "Very true," replied Edward. "May I ask if my presence is consideredany longer to be necessary?"

  "You stated that there was a boy in the house, young man," said theintendant: "what has become of him?"

  "He is removed to my cottage."

  "Why did you do so?"

  "Because when his father died I promised to him that I would take careof his child; and I intend to keep my word."

  "You had spoken with him, then, before he died?" said the intendant.

  "Not so; it was all carried on by signs on his part, but it was asintelligible as if he spoke, and what I replied he well understood; andI really think I removed a great anxiety off his mind by giving him thepromise."

  The intendant paused, and then said--"I perceive that some articleshave been removed--the bedding, for instance--have you taken any thingaway?"

  "I have removed bedding, for I had no bed to offer to the lad, and hetold me that the cottage and furniture belonged to his father; ofcourse by his father's death it became his, and I felt that I waswarranted in so doing."

  "May I ask, did you remove any papers?"

  "I can not tell; the lad packed up his own things; there were someboxes removed, which were locked up, and the contents are to me whollyunknown. I could not leave the boy here in this scene of death, and Icould not well leave the property belonging to him to be at the mercyof any other plunderers of the forest. I did as I considered right forthe benefit of the boy, and in accordance with the solemn promise whichI made to his father."

  "Still the property should not have been removed. The party who nowlies dead there is a well-known Malignant."

  "How do you know that, sir?" interrupted Edward; "did you recognize himwhen you saw the body?"

  "I did not say that I did," replied the intendant.

  "You either must have so done, sir." replied Edward, "or you must havebeen aware that he was residing in this cottage: you have to choosebetween."

  "You are bold, young man," replied the intendant, "and I will reply toyour observation. I did recognize the party when I saw his face, and Iknew him to be one who was condemned to death, and who escaped fromprison a few days before the one appointed for his execution. I heardsearch had been made for him, but in vain, and it was supposed that hehad escaped beyond the seas. Now his papers may be the means of givingthe Parliament information against others as well as himself."

  "And enable them to commit a few more murders," added Edward.

  "Silence, young man; the authorities must not be spoken of in soirreverent a manner. Are you aware that your language is treasonable?"

  "According to act of Parliament, as now present constituted, it maybe," replied Edward, "but as a loyal subject of King Charles theSecond, I deny it."

  "I have no concern with your loyalty, young man, but I will not admitany language to be uttered in my presence against the ruling powers.The inquest is over. Let every one leave the house except EdwardArmitage, to whom I would speak alone."

  "Excuse me one moment, sir,"
said Edward, "and I will return."

  Edward went out with the rest, and, calling Humphrey aside, said tohim, "Contrive to slip away unperceived; here are the keys; haste tothe cottage as fast as you can; look for all tho papers you can find inthe packages taken there; bury them and the iron chest in the garden,or anywhere where they can not be discovered."

  Humphrey nodded and turned away, and Edward re-entered the cottage.

  He found the intendant was standing over the corpse; he had removed thecoverlid, and was looking mournfully down on the face disfigured withblood. Perceiving the entrance of Edward, he again took his seat at thetable, and after a pause said,

  "Edward Armitage, that you have been brought up very superior to yourstation in life is certain; and that you are loyal, bold, and resoluteis equally so; you have put me under an obligation which I never canrepay, even if you allowed me to exert myself in your behalf. I takethis opportunity of acknowledging it; and now allow me to say, that,for these times, you are much too frank and impetuous. This is no timefor people to give vent to their feelings and opinions. Even I am asmuch surrounded with spies as others, and am obliged to behave myselfaccordingly. Your avowed attachment to the king's cause has preventedme from showing that more than cordiality that I really feel for you,and to which you are in every way entitled."

  "I can not conceal my opinions, sir; I was brought up in the house of aloyal Cavalier, and never will be otherwise."

  "Granted--why should you be? but do you not yourself see that you dothe cause more harm than good by thus avowing your opinions when suchavowal is useless? If every other man in the county, who is of youropinion, was to express himself, now that your cause is hopeless, asyou have done, the prisons would be crowded, the executions would bedayly, and the cause would be, in proportion, weakened by the loss ofthe most daring. 'Bide your time' is a good motto, and I recommend itto you. You must feel that, however we may be at variance in ouropinions, Edward Armitage, my hand and my authority never can be usedagainst one to whom I am so indebted; and, feeling this, you compel me,in the presence of others, to use a harshness and coldness toward you,contrary, wholly contrary, to what, you may believe me when I say it, Ireally feel for one who so nobly rescued my only child."

  "I thank you, sir, for your advice, which I feel to be good, and foryour good opinion, which I value."

  "And which I feel that you deserve; and you shall have, young as youare, my confidence, which I know you will not abuse. I did know thisman who now lies dead before us, and I did also know that he wasconcealed in this cottage; Major Ratcliffe was one of my earliest anddearest friends, and until this unhappy civil war, there never was anydifference between us, and even afterward only in politics, and thecause we each espoused. I knew, before I came down here as intendant,where his place of concealment was, and have been most anxious for hissafety."

  "Excuse me, Mr. Heatherstone, but each day I find more to make me likeyou than I did the day before; at first I felt most inimical; now Ionly wonder how you can be leagued with the party you now are."

  "Edward Armitage, I will now answer for myself and thousands more. Youare too young a man to have known the cause of the insurrection, or,rather, opposition, to the unfortunate King Charles. He attempted tomake himself absolute, and to wrest the liberties from the people ofEngland: that his warmest adherents will admit. When I joined the partywhich opposed him, I little thought that matters would have beencarried so far as they have been; I always considered it lawful to takeup arms in defense of our liberties, but at the same time I equallyfelt that the person of the king was sacred."

  "I have heard so, sir."

  "Yes, and in truth; for never did any people strive more zealously toprevent the murder of the king--for murder it was--than my relativeAshley Cooper and myself--so much so, indeed, as to have incurred notonly the suspicion but the ill-will of Cromwell, who, I fear, is nowmaking rapid advances toward that absolute authority for which the kinghas suffered, and which he would now vest in his own person. Iconsidered that our cause was just; and, had the power been left in thehands of those who would have exercised it with discretion andmoderation, the king would even now have been on the throne, and theliberties of his subjects sacred; but it is easier to put a vast andpowerful engine into motion than to stop it, and such has been the casein this unfortunate civil war. Thousands who took an active partagainst the king will, when the opportunity is ripe, retrace theirsteps; but I expect that we have much to suffer before that time willcome. And now, Edward Armitage, I have said more to you than I have toany person breathing, except my own kinsman."

  "I thank you for your confidence, sir, which not only will not bebetrayed, but will act as a warning to guide my future conduct."

  "I meant it should. Be no longer rash and careless in avowing youropinions. You can do no good to the cause, and may do yourself muchharm. And now I must ask you another question, which I could not beforethe other people. You have surprised me by stating that Major Ratcliffehad a son here; there must be some mistake, or the boy must be animpostor. He had a daughter, an only daughter, as I have; but he neverhad a son."

  "It is a mistake that I fell into, sir, by finding a boy here, as Istated to you at the inquest; and I considered it to be a boy, until Ibrought her home, and she then discovered to my sisters that she was agirl dressed in boys' clothes. I did not give that as explanation atthe inquest, as it was not necessary."

  "I am right, then. I must relieve you of that charge, Edward Armitage;she shall be to me as a daughter, and I trust that you will agree withme, without any disparagement to your feelings, that my house will be amore fit residence for her than your cottage."

  "I will not prevent her going, if she wishes it, after your explanationand confidence, Mr. Heatherstone."

  "One thing more. As I said to you before, Edward Armitage, I believemany of these verderers, all of which have been selected from the army,are spies upon me: I must therefore be careful. You said that you werenot aware that there were any papers?"

  "I saw none, sir; but I suspect, from the many locked-up trunks andsmall boxes, that there may be; but when I went out with the othersfrom the inquest, I dispatched my brother Humphrey to the cottage,advising him to open all the locks and to remove any papers which hemight find."

  The intendant smiled.

  "Well, if such is the case, we have only to go to your cottage and makean examination. We shall find nothing, and I shall have performed myduty. I was not aware that your brother was here. I presume it was theyoung man who walked with Oswald Partridge."

  "It was, sir."

  "By his appearance, I presume that he, also, was brought up at Arnwood?"

  "He was, sir, as well as I," replied Edward.

  "Well, then, I have but one word more to say--recollect, if I appearharsh and severe in the presence of others, it is only assumed towardyou, and not real. You understand that?"

  "I do, sir, and beg you will exercise your discretion."

  The intendant then went out and said to the party, "It appears fromwhat I can extract from this lad Armitage, that there are boxes whichhe removed to his cottage; we will go there to see what they maycontain. It is now noon. Have you any refreshment to offer us in yourcottage, young man, when we arrive?"

  "I keep no hostelry, sir," replied Edward, somewhat gloomily; "my ownlabor and my brother's is sufficient for the support of my own family,but no more."

  "Let us move on; and two of you keep your eye upon that young man,"said the intendant aside.

  They then proceeded through the wood; the intendant mounted his horse,and they set off for the cottage, where they arrived at about twoo'clock in the afternoon.