CHAPTER VII.
In the early morning, I was off for London, taking Mrs. Fletcher withme, much against my will, because she seemed to cumber me both inthought and action. Between the door and the avenue, I looked from theopen carriage--I hate to be shut up in summer--at the dear old house.Lily had got up to breakfast with me, in spite of my prohibition; andshe was going with us as far as the lodge, to have a nice walk back. Tomy great surprise I saw my poor Uncle, standing at his open window,wrapped in a dressing-gown. He kissed his hand and waved me his lastfarewell. I leaped on the seat to reply, and then scolded him with myglove. Half in play and half in sorrow, he mocked my lively gestures,and the morning breeze lifted his silver hair, as he wafted me the lastkiss. I told Lily to scold him well, with my very best love, and sheasked me in the most ladylike manner, if I saw any green in her eye.The girl had picked up a great deal of slang among the fair collegians.Mrs. Fletcher looked sadly shocked; so I said, to reassure her: "Youknow, Mrs. Fletcher, we must make allowances for young ladies who comefrom college."
"To be sure, Miss Vaughan, to be sure we must," she replied with hermost sagacious air: and at Gloucester she whispered to the coachman,"John, the villain that stole Miss Lily sent her to Oxford, in a younggentleman's clothes, and she took a very high degree: but don't say aword about it." "Not by any means, ma'am," answered John, with a grin.Nevertheless, it found its way over the house, and the result was thatall the girls came to Lily about their sweethearts.
I mention this trifling incident only to show how little I thought thatI then saw the last of my Uncle.
At Paddington we met Annie Franks taking her ticket for Gloucester, andlooking most bright and blooming, with a grand pocket in her cloak, madeto hold a three-volumed novel. I had only time for a few words withher, in which I commended my Uncle to her especial attention, as she hadten times my cousin's experience. Then I went with her to thedown-platform, and saw her get into the carriage, and gave her the lastof my sandwiches, while a cruel guard made her turn out her new pocket,insisting that she must have a little dog concealed there. I laughed atthe poor little dear, as crimson with mortification she showed beforeall the gentlemen the triple fluted bulk, and the guard read out, morein amazement than rudeness, "Sir Ingomar of the Red Hand; or, The Knightof St. Valentine, and the Paynim Lady." The gentlemen were gentlemen,and tried very hard not to smile; but the way the guard scratched hishead was a great deal too much for them. "Dog's ears, anyhow," criedhe, trying to escape with a joke. I drew her out of the carriage, withtears in her soft gray eyes, and put her into another, where Sir Ingomarwas unknown, and might spur on at pleasure. Then the smiles returned toher shy and innocent face, and she put her head to the window, andwhispered gently to me:
"Any strawberries left, dear?"
"I should think so, Annie. The best of them all, the British Queens,are just coming in. And such a crop of grapes!"
Annie's conception of perfect bliss was to sit upon a shady bank, "thebreeze just fanning her delicate cheek," with a cabbage-leaf full ofstrawberries by her, and a cut-and-thrust novel upon her lap. Off shewent with a lovely smile, foreseeing all these delights.
From Paddington we drove straightway to the lodgings of Conrad Vaughan.As we jolted along the New-road, which always has more holes in it thanany other street in London, I lost my wits in a tumult of thicktempestuous thought. What would Conny say to see me, me the haughtyClara, coming all impatiently even in quest of him? Would it not havebeen far better, far more like an English maiden, to wait, and wait, andwear the soul out, rather than to run the risk of mis-interpretation?True, it was for his father's sake, to save him from deadly peril, andto make his happiness complete; but might not all have been done bymessenger, as well as by me in person? So at least might fancy thosewho did not know our enemy. Worst of all, and cloudiest thought, thatfilled the eyes every time it came,--would he love me still? Would notthe strong revulsion, that must have torn him in two, when he dashed hishand on his forehead, and forgot even man's forbearance, would not, mustnot this have snapped all the delicate roots of love? I could not tell.Of man's heart I know nothing; but I felt that with me, a woman, such ahorrible thing would create only longing to make amends.
"Mrs. Fletcher, how is my hair?"
"Lovely, my pretty child"--she always called me so from habit when noone else was present--"you look your very best; and I'd like to see themthat could--talk to me of Lilies indeed, when our Miss Clara--"
"No smuts on my nose, Mrs. Fletcher, I hope? I never feel sure, inLondon. You don't know London, you see."
"No, my pretty, as clean as a whistle, and as clear as the voice of aMay-bird, every atom of you. There's no such complexion nowhere out ofGloshire or in it: and its all along of the brimstone and treacle I giveyou, when you was small. Talk to me of Lilies--why I see three greatbutter spots, as big as the point of a needle, and I know by the make ofher boot that her little toe turn over; and what's more than that--"
"Mrs. Fletcher, I won't hear a word of it. As to her little toe, I canmost solemnly declare that you are wrong altogether; for I have seen hernaked foot, and a lovelier one never was--"
"Take yours out of the way, Miss. But--"
"But-- here we are; and you have made my cheeks quite red! I shall beashamed to be seen."
However, it did not matter; for there was no one there to see me.Conrad was gone to Paris; he had quitted London quite suddenly, andthere was a letter left for his sister, which the girl forgot to post,till she thought it was too late. And he said very likely he should goon to Italy; and they were not to keep the rooms, if they had a chanceof letting them, only to put away the things he had left, in thecupboard. So I took the letter, directed "Miss Isola Ross," but I didnot dare to open it, much as I longed to do so. Having enclosed it in anew envelope, and posted it in the nearest letter-box, with a heavyheart I re-entered the cab, and went on to Mrs. Shelfer's.
Mrs. Shelfer was of course surprised to see me so soon again.Nevertheless she was all kindness and hospitality, as usual. Theresidue of her little debt had been long ago released, and now I paidfull rent, for I could easily afford it. In answer to my eagerinquiries as to what had occurred since Wednesday, the little woman saidshortly:
"Nothing at all, Miss, of any account, I thank you. Only Charley threwdouble size, three times running, and won--"
"I don't mean that, Mrs. Shelfer; I mean, what has happened for me?"
"Nothing, Miss Vaughan; no, nothing to concern a great lady like you:only such a queer lot come, and they seemed to be friends of yours.They ain't gone from here more than half an hour ago."
"Tell me all about them."
"They come and ringed the bell, as modest as could be; and when I wentto the door, says they, 'If you please, where be Miss Clara, ma'am?''Miss Clara!' says I, 'a set of dressed up trollops like you, come andask for Miss Clara! She'd Miss Clara you, pretty quick time, I doubt,if she was only here.' 'Us humbly hopes no offence, ma'am,' says thegreat big man, the biggest man as ever I see without paying, 'only ushas come up from the country, ma'am.' 'Up from the country!' says I,'needn't tell me that, my good giant; any fool can see that. And if youtake my advice, you'll clap your hat on, and go down again, and thankGod for it.' You see, Miss, he had got his hat off, and he standing outof doors, on the shady side of the street! So what I said seemed tostop him altogether, and he looked as if he wanted to think about it;and I was just a slapping the door in their faces, when the other man,the queerest guy I ever see, a hanging in his clothes like a skiver in adish-clout, he look full in my face as grave as a heretic parson, andstretch out his skinny arm, and keep time with one foot, while he say orsing,
"'Ma'am, us be here now in this Lunnon town, And it bain't likely as we be going down, Till us see every mortal thing as there be for to see, And take all the change out in a thorough-going spree.'
Then the big man laugh and clap him on the back; and the little one winkboth his e
yes, and look to see what I think of it. Then when he see melaugh, he make me such a coorous bow, that what with his--what do theycall the plaister, Miss?"
"Diachylon, perhaps you mean, Mrs. Shelfer?"
"Ah, that's the word. What with his strange diaculum, and his dancingaltitude, I declare I was a most a going to invite them in: but Irecollects, no, no: If Charley gets along of such Reginalds as these, Imay stand at the bed-room door and whistle for a week. There's nothingCharley loves so much as a downright Reginald."
Poor simple-minded woman; how little she perceived that she of all thenumber was by far the most original! And, like most of those who aretruly so, she would have taken the imputation as an outrageous insult.Only the sham original glories in being thought queer.
"Well, Mrs. Shelfer, I want to hear the end of it."
"Just what I say, Miss. Yes, yes, no time to spare, and the puddingboiling. So I says, quite sharp, 'What name, my good sir, and will youleave a message? Miss Vaughan is out of town.' 'Wull,' says he, justas I tell you, Miss, 'ony plase you say, ma'am, as Jan Uxtable, andBeany Dawe, and the two beggest of the chillers has doed theirselves thehonour of coming to lave their dooty.' Then the little girl look up andshe flash her ribbons and say, 'Mr. Huxtable, if you please, ma'am, andMr. Ebenezer Dawe, and Miss Huxtable, and Master John, has called.''Hadn't you better write it down, Miss?' says I, as innocent aspossible. 'Do you suppose I can't then?' says she, with such a spittingout of her eyes, and she swinging a new parry sole. 'Just give me asheet of papper, if you keep such a thing in the house.' 'Plase toexcuse the little wanch, ma'am,' says the big man, quite humble, 'uscan't hardly make head nor tail of her, since her come to this hereLunnon. If I had only knowed it I'd have had her mother along of me,that I would ees fai, and the coo be her own midwaife. But ony plaseyou say Jan Uxtable come if they count it dacent hereaway. Threescoreacres and five, ma'am, without reckon the Cleeve, and no man have acall, to my mind, to christen himself "Mister" on less than a hundredacres, in Lunnon or out of it.' 'Very well, sir,' I says, for I took tothe big man somehow, 'I will deliver your message. Miss Vaughan onlywent from here of middle day on Wednesday.' 'And tell her please, ifshe do come back,' says spirity Miss Parrysole, with the tears in hergreat blue eyes, 'that Sally Huxtable leave her very best love and duty,and hope so much Miss Clara will come to see the great wrestlingto-morrow, twelve o'clock, and be early. And they be betting now two toone on the other man, ma'am. But he have no chance, no more than TimBadcock with father.' 'I be much afeared, ma'am,' says the deep-voicedman, as soft as any bell, 'I be afeared our Sally will be begger by alanyard nor ever her daddy or her mammy was. But likely it be all forthe best.' And with that all four of them crooked their legs to me mostpolite, and went on round the corner; and after them went a score ofboys, that seemed to follow them everywhere. The boys knew all aboutit, and so did I at last, that it was the great champion wrestling, thatis to be to-morrow. Charley have been mad about it going on now twomonths. And can you please to tell him, Miss, which way to lay hismoney?"
"To be sure, I can. Let him take every offer of two to one against theDevonshire champion; and if he loses I will make it good to him, uponcondition that he gives you everything he wins. Now please to let mehave a cup of strong tea."
Having thus got rid of my most talkative friend, and Mrs. Fletcherhaving started off to buy something, I had time to think a little.
It was nearly two o'clock on the Friday afternoon. Nothing more could bedone at present towards recovering Conrad, for he had not even left athis lodgings any Continental address. Possibly his place of sojournmight be revealed in the letter to his sister, posted by my hand: but itwas far more likely that he himself knew not, at the time of writing,where he should find quarters. I must have been beside myself withworry and disappointment, when I dropped that letter into Her Majesty'sbox; for if I returned, as had been arranged, by the express at fiveo'clock, several hours would be saved in the delivery of its tidings.And, as yet, I little dreamed where I should be at five P.M.
In that little room, whose walls were more relieved than decorated bycertain daubs of mine, which even in my narrowest straits I could notbear to part with, because an indulgent critic had found merit inthem--a discovery requiring much acumen--here I now sat, gazing fondly,dreaming hazily, yearning strongly for the days gone by, yet only threemonths old, when I had not a crust or dress till I earned it by mylabour. How that pinch enlarged my heart, God only knows, not I. Ah,then I was a happy girl, though I never guessed it. How proudly Iwalked down the Square, with my black straw bonnet on--which Idolscalled the Dowdy,--and my dark plaid shawl around me, the plainest ofthe plain, yet not prepared to confess myself so quotidian as my dress.Who could tell, in those happy days, who might come, or round whatcorner, and who could say whether of the twain would look the moreaccidental? And then the doubt--shall I look or not, better perhaps beintent on the fire-plug, and make him come round again?
But now. Ah me, they have heaped up riches for me, and who shall cometo enjoy them?
Just as I was warming to this subject, gushing along in a fine vein ofthat compassion which alone of soft emotions we find it no duty towrestle with, I mean of course self-pity--in came Mrs. Fletcher,suddenly, and in anger.
"Well, Miss Clara," she exclaimed, throwing down her parcel, "so this isLondon, is it?"
"To be sure, Mrs. Fletcher. What objection have you to make to it?"
"No objection, Miss, only this, that if ever I seen a set of countrifiedfolk, the Londoners are them. Why the commonest of our kitchen-maidswould be ashamed to talk so broad, and to dress so contemptuous. Andhere I went half a mile to buy boots, real London-made; and trees allalong by the side of the road, and pots on the shelves of the windows.I never, if Gloucester don't look much more like a town."
As Mrs. Fletcher did not tell a story with the Herodotean vivacity ofTim Badcock, I will render her facts in my own unpretending version,premising only that she had taken the farmer and Sally for specimens ofthe true Cockney; a bit of saltatory reasoning of which she has notheard (and perhaps never will hear) the last. While then the worthyhousekeeper was driving a slow but shrewd bargain, in a smart shop bythe Broadway, taking the boots to the sunshine, to pick clever holes inthe stitching, she observed a diminutive boy, of the genuine shoe-blackorder, encamping in a bight or back-eddy of pavement, just at the sideof the door. This little fellow was uniformed, or rathermulti-coloured, in gold, and red, and green. His cap was scarlet, andedged with gold twist; his tunic red, and his apron of very bright greenbaize. On his cap, and on one shoulder, appeared his number, 32, infigures of brass, an inch and a half in length. Strapped on his back hecarried an oblong block of wood, like a great club-foot, and nearly aslarge as himself. This he deposited, with elaborate fuss, on the curbof the inner pavement, which terraced some inches above the truethoroughfare. A blacking-jar hung at one end of his block; from adrawer below he pulled out three well-worn brushes, and began to hissand to work away, in double quick time, with both hands, at some bootprojected towards him on the delicate foot of fancy. As he grew warm athis work, with one sharp eye all the while looking out for a genialpassenger, there slowly came straggling towards him a bevy quite freshfrom Arcadia. First, in treble importance walked, impressively rollingand leering around, Hermes, Pan, and the owl of Pallas, combined in oneEbenezer Dawe. His eyes, never too co-operative, roved away upon eitherside, in quest of intelligence, which they received with a blink thatmeant, "Pooh, don't I know it?" With occasional jerks of his lank rightarm, he was dragging along, like a saw through a knot, the sturdy,tight-buttoned, and close-pronged form of our little Jack. Jack wasarrayed in a black wide-awake, with blue ribbons, and a bran-new suit ofbroad-furrowed corduroy, made of nights by his mother and Suke, andturned out with countless pockets, each having three broad buttons, tofoil the London thieves. In one of these pockets, the trouser one I dobelieve, in spite of all Sally had taught him, he was now chinking, tothe creak of the c
orduroys, his last-abiding halfpence, and laggingheavily on the poet's arm, he cast fond glances at a pile of gloriouspeg-tops. Sticking her toes into little Jack's heels, to kick anybodythat dared to steal him, came my little Sally, all fire, and wonder, andself-assertion, towing her mighty father along, like a grasshopperleading an ox. At times she strove to drag him towards the finery ofthe windows, and paid very little heed to his placid protestations."Walk fitty, my dear; walk as you ought to do, my dear. Oh fai! oh fai!Whatever wull they Lunnoners think of Davonsheer, if they zees youagooin on laike this here? There, dang that Beany Dawe; blest if Ibaint a toornin Pouet too. Coomth of larnin to wraite, I reckon." Thefarmer's pockets were crammed with circulars, handbills, and puffs ofevery description, which he received from all who offered, and wassaving them all for his wife.
"Clean your boots, my gentleman," cried a little shrill voice; "cleanboth your boots for a halfpenny. Never say die, Sir; polish 'em brighttill the cat at home won't know them. Three-fardings-worth of blacking,and a penny in skill and labour, and all for the laughable sum of onehalf-penny. Pure satisfaction guaranteed, or the whole of the moneyreturned. Up with your foot, my gentleman!"
The farmer pulled up suddenly, for fear of walking over him, as the boy,despising Beany Dawe, had dashed in between Jack and Sally, and dancedbefore Mr. Huxtable. His brushes were whisking about, like bumble-beesroughly disturbed, and already menaced the drab of the Sunday fustiangaiters.
"Zober now," cried the farmer, who could not believe that he wasaddressed, having never dreamed, in his most ambitious moments (if anysuch he had), of ever being called a gentleman, "zober now, wull'e.Where bee'st gooin to, thou little hosebird; be they your Lunnon-townmanners? Lat alo-un, I zay; lat alo-un now, wull 'e?"--as the boy gotmore and more tentative--"Heart alaive, cant e zee, they be my Zundaygaiters? Oh, if my missus wor here! And 'e bain't more nor naine yearold! Wull, wull, where ever do 'e goo to schouell?"
"Hinstitooshun 66. No children or females admitted. Up with your foot,old bloke! Do the young uns and tootor half-price. Just two minutes tospare, till the Dook of Cambridge's turn. Great Exhibition polish, andall to encourage the fine arts."
The good farmer was lost beyond hope, in the multitude of subjectspressed all of a pulp on his slow understanding; nevertheless, he hadpresence of mind to feel first for his watch and his money, and then forthe best pocket-handkerchief stitched into the crown of his hat;meanwhile the boy got hold of one foot, and began to turn up hisgaiters. Then Sally and little Jack rushed to the rescue, and Jackpunched the boy in the face, while Beany Dawe looked on with a grin ofbroad experience. But in spite of all aid, the farmer began to collapsebefore his mosquito enemy; when luckily three giant Life-guards (for acrowd was now collected) opened their mouths, like the ends of amonkey-fur muff, in a round and loud guffaw, with a very coarse sneer atpoor Sally. The farmer looked at them in much amazement; then hisperplexity went like a cloud, and his face shone with something to do,as he gave Sally his hat to hold. Till now all the mockers had been toosmall for him anyhow to fall foul of. Ere the echo of laughter wasover, the three dandy Lifeguards lay on their backs in the mud, withtheir striped legs erect in the air, like the rods of a railwaysurveyor. The crowd fell back headlong, as if from a plunging horse,then laughed at the fallen and with the conqueror. Even the boy washumility multiplied into servility.
"Wutt be up to, arl on 'e?" asked the farmer, replacing his hat; "cas'nnone on 'e lat a pacible chap alo-un? And wutt will they chillers thinkas coom here to get example? Why, Beany, if us had knowed this, uswould have brought Bill constable with us, ees fai. Now 'e don't knownothing about it"--he remonstrated with the admiring multitude--"one o'them dree worn't throw handsome laike, ony dree pins, I tull 'e. Butus'll do it over again, if he claimeth it. Can't do nothing vitty, zinI laved my missus at home. But her wadn't coom, God knows." These lasttwo remarks were addressed to himself, but the crowd had full benefit ofthem. "Worn't 'e axing of lave, two or dree minutes agone, little chapwith the brisk there, to tend my butts, and tuk it amost wiout axing?Us be bound laike to stap here now till us zees if them 'lisher menfeels up for any moor plai. Do as 'e plase, little chap, zoon as Sallyhath toorned my best gaiters up, if her bain't too grand in Lunnon."
With bright ribbons fluttering and finery flapping about her, poor Sallyknelt down in a moment to work at the muddy fustian: but her fatherwould not allow it, he had only wished to try her; so he caught her upwith one hand, and kissed her, and I think, from what Mrs. Fletchersaid, he must have given her sixpence at least.
It is needless to say that, although the boy worked with both hands inthe most conscientious manner, the farmer's boots defied him.Neats'-foot oil, and tallow, and beeswax held their own against Day andMartin. "Coom, little chap," said Mr. Huxtable, kindly, "thee hast dooedthy very best, but our Zuke will have the laugh of thee. Tache theeperhaps it wull to be zoberer next taime, and not be quite so peart todo a dale more nor thee can do. But thee hast used more ink than ai wudover two copies. Here be a groat for the Exhibition polish."
In this little episode, as will be manifest, Sally has helped me morethan Mrs. Fletcher. But now, to return to my narrative.
Almost directly after the housekeeper left me, Patty came trotting inwith a large white breakfast-cup full of most powerful tea. I cannothelp thinking that the little woman put some brandy in it, or allowedMrs. Fletcher, who trusted much in that cordial, to do so; but theystoutly deny the charge, and declare that there was only a pinch ofgunpowder. Whatever it was, being parched with thirst, I swallowedwithout tasting it, and the effect upon my jaded brain was immediate andamazing. All self-pity was gone; and self-admiration, and haughtycourage succeeded. Was I, Clara Vaughan, who had groped and grubbed foryears to find the hole of a blasting snake, and had now got my hand uponit, was I to start back and turn pale at his hiss, and say, "God speedyou and polish your skin. Give me your slough for a keepsake?" Would Inot rather seize the incarnate devil, trample his spine, and make histongue sputter in dust? In a moment my cloak and hat were on again; Iscarcely looked at the glass, but felt the hot flush on my cheeks, as Ilightly skipped down the stairs, and silently left the house. What todo next I knew not, nor asked, but flew headlong before the impulse, tolift and confront--as is my nature--the danger that lay before me. As Iglided along, I was conscious of one thing, the people in the streetturned in surprise to watch me. As if by instinct, I hurried straightto Lucas Street, my courage mounting higher and higher as I neared theaccursed threshold. Balaam and Balak stood at the bar of a tavern whichcommanded a view of the street, but were much too busy with beer to seeme passing so swiftly. Loudly I rang the bell of No. 37; the figureswere bright on the door, and looking narrowly, I perceived the old No.19, more by the lines than the colour.
Old Cora came as usual; but started at seeing me, and turned as pale asdeath.
"Is your master within?" I could not use his false name.
"Yes, Meesa, but you not see him now."
"Dare you to disobey Our Lady's heart?" And I held my gordit beforeher. She cowered with one knee on the mat and kissed it; then led meinto the presence of Lepardo Della Croce.