The Money Moon: A Romance

by Jeffery Farnol

  CHAPTER XXII

  _Coming events cast their shadows before_

  "I s'pose they'll be marrying each other, one of these fine days!" saidSmall Porges as they crossed the meadow, side by side.

  "Yes, I expect so, Shipmate," nodded Bellew, "and may they live long,and die happy, say I."

  "Aye, aye, Captain,--an' Amen!" returned Small Porges.

  Now as they went, conversing of marriage, and ships, and the wonders,and marvels of foreign lands,--they met with Adam who stared up at thesky and muttered to himself, and frowned, and shook his head.

  "Good arternoon, Mr. Belloo sir,--an' Master Georgy!"

  "Well, Adam, how are the hops?"

  "'Ops sir,--there never was such 'ops,--no, not in all Kent, sir. AllI'm wishin' is that they was all safe picked, an' gathered. W'ot do youmake o' them clouds, sir,--over there,--jest over the p'int o' theoast-house?"

  Bellew turned, and cast a comprehensive, sailor-like glance in thedirection indicated.

  "Rain, Adam, and wind,--and plenty of it!" said he.

  "Ah! so I think, sir,--driving storm, and thrashing tempest!"

  "Well, Adam?"

  "Well, sir,--p'raps you've never seen w'ot driving rain, an' ragingwind, can do among the 'op-bines, sir. All I wish is that they 'ops wasall safe picked an' gathered, sir!" And Adam strode off with his eyestill turned heaven-ward, and shaking his head like some great birdof ill-omen.

  So the afternoon wore away to evening, and with evening, came Anthea;but a very grave-eyed, troubled Anthea, who sat at the tea-table silent,and preoccupied,--in so much, that Small Porges openly wondered, whileMiss Priscilla watched over her, wistful, and tender.

  Thus, Tea, which was wont to be the merriest meal of the day, was butthe pale ghost of what it should have been, despite Small Porges' flowof conversation, (when not impeded by bread and jam), and Bellew'stactful efforts. Now while he talked light-heartedly, keeping carefullyto generalities, he noticed two things,--one was that Anthea made but apretence at eating, and the second, that though she uttered a word, nowand then, yet her eyes persistently avoided his.

  Thus, he, for one, was relieved when tea was over, and, as he rose fromthe table, he determined, despite the unpropitious look of things, toend the suspense, one way or another, and speak to Anthea just so soonas she should be alone.

  But here again he was balked and disappointed, for when Small Porgescame to bid him good-night as usual, he learned that "Auntie Anthea" hadalready gone to bed.

  "She says it's a head-ache," said Small Porges, "but I 'specks it's thehops, really, you know."

  "The hops, my Porges?"

  "She's worrying about them,--she's 'fraid of a storm, like Adam is. An'when she worries,--I worry. Oh Uncle Porges!--if only my prayers canbring the Money Moon--soon, you know,--very soon! If they don't bring itin a day or two,--'fraid I shall wake up, one fine morning, an' findI've worried, an' worried myself into an old man."

  "Never fear, Shipmate!" said Bellew in his most nautical manner, "'all'swell that ends well,'--a-low, and aloft all's a-taunto. So just take aturn at the lee braces, and keep your weather eye lifting, for you maybe sure of this,--if the storm does come,--it will bring the MoneyMoon with it."

  Then, having bidden Small Porges a cheery "Good-night"--Bellew went outto walk among the roses. And, as he walked, he watched the flying wrackof clouds above his head, and listened to the wind that moaned in fitfulgusts. Wherefore, having learned in his many travels to read, andinterpret such natural signs and omens, he shook his head, and mutteredto himself--even as Adam had done before him.

  Presently he wandered back into the house, and, filling his pipe, wentto hold communion with his friend--the Cavalier.

  And thus it was that having ensconced himself in the great elbow-chair,and raised his eyes to the picture, he espied a letter tucked into theframe, thereof. Looking closer, he saw that it was directed to himself.He took it down, and, after a momentary hesitation, broke the seal,and read:

  Miss Devine presents her compliments to Mr. Bellew, and regrets to saythat owing to unforeseen circumstances, she begs that he will providehimself with other quarters at the expiration of the month, being theTwenty-third inst.

  Bellew read the lines slowly, twice over, then, folding the note verycarefully, put it into his pocket, and stood for a long time staring atnothing in particular. At length he lifted his head, and looked up intothe smiling eyes of the Cavalier, above the mantel.

  "Sir," said he, very gravely, "it would almost seem that you were in theright of it,--that yours is the best method, after all!" Then he knockedthe ashes from his pipe, and went, slowly, and heavily, up-stairsto bed.

  It was a long time before he fell asleep, but he did so at last, forInsomnia is a demon who rarely finds his way into Arcadia. But, all atonce, he was awake again,--broad awake, and staring into the dark, for athousand voices seemed to be screaming in his ears, and eager hands wereshaking, and plucking at window and lattice. He started up, and then heknew that the storm was upon them, at last, in all its fury,--rain, anda mighty wind,--a howling raging tempest. Yes, a great, and mighty windwas abroad,--it shrieked under the eaves, it boomed and bellowed in thechimneys, and roared away to carry destruction among the distant woods;while the rain beat hissing against the window-panes.

  Surely in all its many years the old house of Dapplemere had seldomborne the brunt of such a storm, so wild,--so fierce, and pitiless!

  And, lying there upon his bed, listening to the uproar, and tumult,Bellew must needs think of her who had once said:

  "We are placing all our hopes, this year, upon the hops!"