CHAPTER XXIII.
Poor Arrah Neil had passed an anxious and uneasy day, for, though theknowledge that she had a friend so near, ready to aid her in herescape, had proved no slight consolation, and though hope, of course,magnified Captain Barecolt's powers, and elevated his qualities farbeyond their real extent, yet suspense is always full of terrors, andFear usually treads close upon the steps of Hope. Ezekiel Dry had alsosuffered all those blessed results which intemperance is sure toentail; and having lain in his bed for several hours after the wholetown was up and stirring, with sick stomach and aching head, he rose,declaring that something he had eaten at dinner had disagreed withhim, and that he must have a small portion of strong waters to promotedigestion. He was as morose, too, through the whole day, as a sicktiger, and would not stir beyond the doors till after he had dined. Hewas angry with the maid, rude to the landlady, assuring her that shewas "a vessel of wrath;" and above all, irritable and even fierce withArrah Neil.
Though it is probable that he had no cause of any kind for suspicion,yet his mind was in that state of sullen discontent from bodilysuffering that gives rise to incessant jealousy. He prowled about thedoor of her room; sent for her twice down to the little parlour,between breakfast and dinner; looked out whenever he heard a dooropen; and twice stopped Mrs. White when she was going upstairs, uponthe pretence of asking some question. The last time this occurred, hisinquiry once more was after Mr. Hugh O'Donnell.
"Really, sir, I have not been able to hear," replied Mrs. White; "butI dare say the governor, Sir John, could tell you."
"That will not do, woman," replied Mr. Dry, pettishly: "I only seek tohold communion with the godly of the land. How can I tell that SirJohn Hotham is any better than an uncircumcised Philistine? Though hehave taken a part with the righteous in behalf of this poor country,peradventure it may be but with an eye to the spoil."
"Goodness, sir! think of what you are saying in Hull!" exclaimed Mrs.White, giving a glance to some of the bystanders: "you may getyourself into trouble if you speak so of the governor."
"Nay, woman; am I not called to lift up my voice and spare not?"rejoined Mr. Dry. "Is this a time for showing a respect to persons?Verily, I will take up a word against them."
"Well, then, I am sure I will not stay to hear it," replied thelandlady; and away she went, leaving Mr. Dry to finish his exhortationto the maid, the ostler, and two townsmen, if he chose.
Shortly after, however, the dinner of the guest was served up to him,and gradually, under its influence, he was restored to a more placablestate of mind, having sought the aid of sundry somewhat potentlibations, which he termed supporting the inner man, but which Mrs.White denominated taking "a hair of the dog that had bit him."
As soon as he had satisfied both hunger and thirst, Mr. Dry took ArrahNeil back to her chamber again, and having locked the door, and soughthis hat and cloak in his own room, he walked slowly down the stairs,resolved to pursue his perquisitions for Mr. Hugh O'Donnell in person;but, before he reached the door of the "Swan," his tranquillity wasmuch overset by the entrance of a bold, swaggering, joyous-lookingperson, whose very cheerfulness of face was offensive in the sight ofthe sour and sober Mr. Dry. He looked at him, then, with a glance ofamazement and reprobation, and then, while our good friend DiggoryFalgate brushed past, raised his eyes towards heaven, as if inquiringwhether such things as a blithe heart and cheerful countenance couldbe tolerated on earth.
Falgate immediately caught the look, and, as it unfortunately happenedfor Mr. Dry, recollected in him a personage whom he had seen in novery respectable plight in the streets of Hull the night before. Heinstantly paused, then, and bursting into a laugh, began to singthe well-known old words--older than they are generally supposed tobe--
My wife Joan's a Presbyterian; She won't swear, but she will lie; I to the ale-home, she to the tavern; She'll get drunk as well as I.
and, ending with another laugh, he walked on to Mrs. White's littleroom.
The wrath of Mr. Dry, of Longsoaken, was overpowering; but it couldnot find vent in words, and after once more lifting up his eyes, andhis hands also, he hurried out of the house, resolved that, if hestaid beyond the following day in Hull, he would quit an inn wheresuch godless people were permitted to pass the door.
We will not pursue him on his track through the town, but return topoor Arrah Neil, whose day, as we have said, had passed in anxiety andpain; and who now sat with her hand beating time upon the table tosome fancied tune, as the sun sank lower and lower, and the hues ofevening began to spread over the sky.
As she thus sat, she saw Mr. Dry walk away from the door, cross overthe street, and enter a house opposite. He turned before he went in,and looked up at the windows of the "Swan," but Arrah Neil was in oneof those meditative moods, when the spirit seems to be separate fromthe body, or scarcely conscious of a connection between the two. Shesaw the man she so much hated and despised gaze up to where she wassitting; but in thinking of him and his baseness, of the power he hadobtained over her, of his perseverance in maintaining that power, ofhow she could escape from him, and whither he could now be going--sheseemed to forget altogether that it was upon her his eyes were turned,and, without moving her place, she remained watching him as if he werea mere piece of mechanism, whose springs and whose wheels were worthyof observation, but incapable of observation in return.
It was the best course she could have pursued, though she did sounconsciously; for, after Mr. Dry had been a minute or two in thehouse which he entered, he came out again, and seeing her stillsitting there immoveable, with her eyes fixed upon the same spot, hemuttered, "The girl is a fool, that's clear!" and went on about hisbusiness.
Other eyes had been watching him as well as those of Arrah Neil, andbefore he had actually quitted the street the step of Mrs. White washeard upon the stairs. But ere the good landlady could reach the top,the voice of Nancy from below, exclaimed, "Here's a gentleman, ma'am,wants to speak to you!"
Arrah waited for a moment or two, in the hope that the new guest woulddepart, and that the hostess would pay her her accustomed visit; for,in those moments of anxious expectation and suspense, she felt thepresence of any sympathising human creature a benefit and a relief.But after a while, she turned to gaze from the window again, andmurmured--for she did not sing--some lines of an old song which shehad learned in her infancy. As she thus sat, she heard another stepupon the stairs, slower and more heavy than that of the landlady, andwithout giving it a second thought, she returned to sport with her ownfancies, when a key was put into the lock and the door opened.
Arrah Neil started and turned round, and not a little was her surpriseto see a tall, powerful, elderly man, with white hair, and deep blueeyes, the lashes of which, as well as the eyebrows, were still black,enter her chamber, fasten the door behind him, and advance towardsher. She was a little frightened, and would have been more so, butthere was a kindly and gentle air in the visiter's countenance whichwas not calculated to produce alarm; and as he came nearer, he said,"I beg your pardon, young lady, but I much wished to see you. I havenot seen you for many a long year, not since you were quite a littlething."
"Then you knew me in my childhood, sir!" exclaimed Arrah, eagerly,"and----"
"You may well say that, lady," replied Hugh O'Donnell, before shecould proceed. "These arms were the first that received you when youset foot upon this shore. Oh! a sorrowful landing it was, andsorrowful was the fate that followed, and sorrowful were the days thatwent before; and there has been little but sorrow since. But good luckto-morrow, it may bring something brighter, and the sky won't beovercast for ever, that's impossible."
"Then you are the Mr. O'Donnell of whom Mrs. White has told me." saidArrah. "Oh, sir! I beseech you, tell me more about myself and mykindred. Whosoever's child I am, let me know it. If a peasant's, sayso without fear. I would rather cast away the vain but bright dreamsthat have haunted me so long, and fix my best affections on the m
emoryof some good plain people, than have this wild doubt and uncertaintyany longer. Tell me--tell me anything, if it be not disgraceful to theliving or the dead."
"Disgraceful!" cried Hugh O'Donnell; "I should like to hear any mansay that! No, no; there's nothing disgraceful, my darling; but Icannot and I must not tell you all that I could wish, young lady--notjust at present, that is to say. By-and-by you will hear all."
"And in the mean time what misfortunes may befal me!" said Arrah Neil,in an earnest tone; "what misfortunes have already befallen me, whichperhaps might have been averted!"
"Why, that is true, too," replied O'Donnell, after a moment's thought;"and yet it could not be helped. What to do now I cannot rightly tell;for, from what the good woman below says, old Neil, when he was dying,wished you to know all."
"I am sure he did," answered the poor girl; "but they had swept thecottage of everything, and I much fear that the papers he wished me tohave fell into the hands of this old man."
"Ay, you must be got out of his clutches; that's the first thing,"said O'Donnell. "On my life! if there were anything like law in theland, we would make him prove before the justices what right he has tomeddle with you. His ward indeed! But, alas! young lady, there isneither law nor justice left in England, and the simple word of thatcrop-eared knave would weigh down a host of what they call malignants.The only way to follow is, for you to get away secretly, and putyourself under the care of those who have already been kind to you.You are very willing to go back to Lord Walton and his sister, Isuppose?"
"Oh, that I am!" exclaimed Arrah Neil, with the warm colour mountingin her fair cheek; but the next moment she cast her eyes thoughtfullydown, and murmured, "And yet, and yet----"
"Yet what, young lady?" asked O'Donnell, seeing that she did notconclude the sentence.
"Nothing," replied Arrah Neil: "'tis but a vain regret. When I was inpoverty and beggary they were generous and kind to me; and at timeswhen I schooled myself to think that such must have been my originalsituation, notwithstanding the idle dreams of brighter days that cameback to trouble me, I used to fancy that I could be well content to betheir lowest servant, so that I might follow and be with them always.But since I came hither, and the memories of the past grew clear, andthe mistress of this house confirmed them, I have been thinking that,perhaps, before I returned to those two kind and noble friends, Imight learn all my own fate and history, and be able to tell themthat, when they condescended to notice and protect a being so lowlyand humble as I was when they found me, they were unknowingly showinga kindness to one not so far inferior in blood to themselves as theyimagined."
"And, by the Lord, you shall be able to tell them so!" repliedO'Donnell; "for, proud as they may be, I can tell them----"
"Oh, no!" said Arrah, interrupting him: "they are not proud; neitherwas it from any pride that I wished to tell them that poor Arrah Neilwas not the lowly being they had thought; for they were so gentle andso kind, that dependence on them was sweet; but I wished them tounderstand how it was and why that I have been so strange and wild attimes--so thoughtful. And yet there may have been pride," she added,after a moment's pause, fixing her eyes upon the ground, and speakingas if to herself. "I would not have him think me so low, so very low.But you said I should be able to tell them. Speak, speak! let me hearwhat it is."
"Well, then," replied Hugh O'Donnell, "you may tell them there is----"
But ere he could go on, Mrs. White ran into the room, exclaiming, "Heis coming! he is coming! Nancy sees him at the end of the street.Quick! quick! Master O'Donnell!"
"Oh! speak, speak!" cried Arrah.
"I will see you again, dear lady," cried O'Donnell, quickly; "I willcome with the horses myself. But in the meantime this money belongs toyou; it may be needful; it may be serviceable; do not let him see it;"and, laying a small leathern purse on the table, he hurried towardsthe door. Before he quitted the room, however, he turned, and seeingthe poor girl's beautiful eyes filled with tears, he added, "Do not beafraid; I will see you again before this time to-morrow."
The landlady of the "Swan" and her visiter hurried down to the littleparlour, but, as so often happens when people are taken by surprise,they made more haste than was necessary; for, whether Mr. Dry ofLongsoaken met with something to detain him, or whether he walkedslowly as he came down the street, he did not make his appearance onthe steps leading up to the inn for several minutes after they haddescended.
"I will speak with this man, Mistress White," said O'Donnel, after amoment's thought. "Tell him that I have come to see him, that you sentfor me by some one who knew where to find me."
"Are you sure that is a good plan?" asked the landlady. "We want timeto get the young lady away."
"Never fear! never fear!" replied her companion. "I will keep him inplay for a week, if need be."
"Well, well," said Mrs. White; and while O'Donnell took a seat andleaned his cheek upon his arm as if waiting patiently for some one'scoming, the good landlady bustled about, making a noise amongstbottles and measures with as unconcerned an air as she could assume.
The next minute Mr. Dry walked solemnly up the four steps which ledfrom the street to a little flat landing-place of stone, encircledwith an iron railing, which lay without the door; and as soon as hethus became apparent, Mrs. White ran out of her parlour, exclaiming,"Sir, Sir! the gentleman you wished to see is come. The man who bringsthe eggs called a few minutes ago, and as he knew where to find him, Ibade him tell Mr. O'Donnell to come and see you."
"That was right! that was right!" cried Mr. Dry, his small red eyessparkling with satisfaction. "Where is he, Mrs. White?"
"Here, sir, in the bar," answered the landlady; and with a slow andsolemn step, calculating how he was to proceed, and smoothing his facedown to his usual gravity, Mr. Dry walked deliberately into the littleroom where Hugh O'Donnell was seated.
"Here is Master Dry, sir," said the hostess, opening the door for him,but Mr. Dry waved his hand pompously for silence, and then consideredMr. O'Donnell attentively.
"This good lady tells me you wish to speak with me, sir," saidO'Donnell, after giving the new-comer quite sufficient time to inspecthis countenance; "pray what may be your business with me?"
"It is of a private nature, Master O'Donnell," replied Mr. Dry, "andmay perhaps be better explained at your own house than here, if youwill tell me where that is."
O'Donnell smiled and shook his head. "I am not fond of privatebusiness at my own house, sir," he answered drily. "These aresuspicious times; people will be for calling me a malignant orsomething of that kind. I am a plain man, sir; an honest, openmerchant, and not fond of secrets. If you have anything to say, I canhear it here."
"Well, then, come into this neighbouring room, my good friend,"replied Dry; "to that you can have no objection; and as to beingcharged with malignancy, methinks the conversation of Ezekiel Dry ofLongsoaken would never bring such an accusation upon any man's head."
"I beg your pardon, sir; I did not know you," replied O'Donnell,following towards the little room where Mr. Dry had dined after hisfirst arrival. "I have heard of you from the people of Bishop'sMerton, whom I occasionally supply with dry beef and neats' tonguesfrom Hamburgh."
"Pray be seated, Master O'Donnell," said Mr. Dry closing the doorcarefully after they had entered; and then, taking a chair opposite tohis companion, he went on to speak as follows, interrupting hisdiscourse with sundry hems and haws, which gave him time both to thinkof what he was next to say, and to examine the countenance ofO'Donnell as he proceeded.
"You must know, Mr. O'Donnell," he said, "that, after the death of acertain old man--a clear and undoubted malignant--named SergeantNeil--hum!--with whom I think you have had a good deal to do--ha!"
"Very little, sir," replied O'Donnell, as he paused: "I had to pay himsome money every year sent to me by my correspondents beyond sea. Ishould think the man was somewhat of a malignant from some of hisletters on the receipt."
"Verily was he, and a most ferocious one too," replie
d Mr. Dry; "butafter the death of this person, I, with the consent and appointment ofthe authorities--hum!--took upon me the care and protection of thegirl supposed to be his grand-daughter--hum!--his grand-daughter, asshe was called--I say, Master O'Donnell--ha!"
"Very kind of you indeed, sir," answered O'Donnell--"especially asold Neil could not die rich."
"As poor as a rat," replied Mr. Dry, emphatically. "Pray what was ityou paid him per annum, Master O'Donnell?"
"About fifty pounds a-year, as far as I recollect," said O'Donnell;"but I cannot tell till I look in my books."
"That was but a small sum," rejoined Dry, "for taking care of thisgirl, when her family are so wealthy and the estates so great--ha!"
"Are they, sir?" asked O'Donnell in an indifferent tone, "Pray,whereabouts do they lie?"
"Come, come, Master O'Donnell," said Mr. Dry, with a significant nod;"you know more than you pretend to know--hum! We have found lettersand papers--hum!--which show that you have full information--ha!--andit is necessary that you should speak openly with me--hum! Do youunderstand me?--ha!"
"Oh! I understand quite well, sir," replied O'Donnell, not in theleast discomposed: "my letters were all upon business. I sent themoney--I announced the sending--I asked for my receipts; and, wheneverthere was a word or two sent over for us to forward, such as, 'All iswell,' 'Things going on better,' or anything of that sort, I wrotethem down just as I received them, without troubling my head aboutwhat they referred to."
Mr. Dry was somewhat puzzled how to proceed--whether to take the highand domineering tone that he had often found very successful atBishop's Merton, or to cajole and bribe, as he had had occasion to doat other times; but, after a little reflection, he determined that thelatter would be the best course at first, as he could always haverecourse to the former, which, if employed too soon and without duecaution, might lead to more publicity than was at all desirable.
"Now listen to me, Master O'Donnell," he said at length: "you are awise man and prudent, not to confide your secrets to strangers, but itis of vast importance that the true rank, station, fortune, family,and connections of this young woman should be clearly ascertained; andthough, perhaps, you may not like to say at once, 'I know this,' or 'Iknow that,' yet I ask you, can you not secretly and quietly, get meinformation upon all these matters, if I make it worth your while totake the trouble--well worth your while--very well worth your while?"
"That is another matter," answered O'Donnell; "quite another matter,sir; but the question is, what would make it worth my while? I'm amerchant, sir; and we must make it a matter of trade."
Mr. Dry pondered; but, before he could answer, Mr. O'Donnell added,"Come, Master Dry; let me hear distinctly what it is you want to know,and then I can better judge how much it is worth."
"That I will tell you immediately," rejoined Mr. Dry, feeling in hispocket; and at length drawing forth the bundle of papers which CaptainBarecolt had examined the night before, he began to read. "'Habakkukii. 5. Yea, also, because he transgresseth by wine'--no, that is notit; and, besides, it was not wine but strong waters. Ah! here itis;" and he proceeded to address to his companion the series ofquestions which the worthy captain above-named had warned Mr.O'Donnell would be propounded to him.
"A goodly list!" said the Irishman, in a tone that Mr. Dry did notthink very promising; but he went on immediately to add: "Well, Ithink all this information I could obtain if it were made worth mywhile, and a great deal more too; but you see, Mr. Dry, this is purelya mercantile transaction: you come to me for information as forgoods."
"Certainly, certainly," replied he of Longsoaken; "It is all a matterof trade."
"Well, then," continued O'Donnell, "I must know to what market youintend to take the goods."
"I do not understand," said Mr. Dry.
"I'll I'll explain it to you in a moment," replied the other; "I mean,what is your object? If it should be shown that the girl is differentfrom what she seems--if fair and probable prospects of money and suchgood things should spring up--what do you intend to do with her?"
"That is a question I have not yet considered with due deliberationand counsel," replied Mr. Dry.
"But it is one well worth consideration," answered his companion. "Ina word, Master Dry, do you intend to put the girl and her propertyunder the protection, as it is called, of the law, or to give heranother protector--your son, or yourself perhaps?"
"What if I say to put her under the protection of the law?"
"Then I say you're a great goose for your pains," replied O'Donnell,rising; "and I'm afraid we can't deal. The law is a bad paymaster, anddoes not make it worth men's while to do it service, or take troublefor it, and this would cost me a great deal of pains and work. Now, ifyou had made up your mind to marry her quietly and secretly to yourson, or any near relation, it would be a different affair, and youwould not mind giving a good per-centage."
"I have no son--I have no relations," replied Dry, somewhat pettishly;"but I shall not mind giving a good per-centage notwithstanding."
"Then of course you intend to marry her yourself," said O'Donnell."Well, that being the case, I will go home and consider between thisand this hour to-morrow what I will take. I must make my calculations,for I am a man of my word, and like to know exactly what a thing isworth before I put a price upon it; but by this time to-morrow I willtell you; so good-morning, Mr. Dry: it is getting late."
"But where shall I find you? where shall I find you?" asked Mr. Dry,as the other moved towards the door.
"Oh, Mrs. White will send a boy with you," replied O'Donnell; "sheknows where it is now: good afternoon;" and issuing forth, he spoke aword or two to the landlady, and then quitted the house, murmuring,"The old snake! I know them, those canting vipers--I know them!"