CHAPTER XVII. MR. ANTHONY NICKIE, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW.
We have said that Mr. Dempsey had barely time to conceal himself whenthe door was opened,--so narrow indeed was his escape, that had the newarrival been a second sooner, discovery would have been inevitable; asit was, the pictorial Daly and Sandy rocked violently to and fro, makingtheir natural ferocity and grimness something even more terrible thanusual. Mr. Nickie remarked nothing of this. His first care was to divesthimself of certain travelling encumbrances, like one who proposes tomake a visit of some duration, and then, casting a searching look aroundthe premises, he proceeded,--
"Now for Mr. Darcy--"
"If ye 'r maning the Knight of Gwynne, sir, his honor--"
"Well, is his honor at home?" said the other, interrupting with a saucylaugh.
"No, sir," said Tate, almost overpowered at the irreverence of hisquestioner.
"When do you expect him, then,--in an hour or two hours?"
"He 's in England," said Tate, drawing a long breath.
"In England! What do you mean, old fellow? He has surely not left thislately?"
"Yes, sir, 'twas the King sent for him, I heerd the mistress say."
A burst of downright laughter from the stranger stopped poor Tate'sexplanation.
"Why, it's _you_ his Majesty ought to have invited," cried Mr. Nickie,wiping his eyes, "_you yourself_, man; devilish fit company for eachother you 'd be."
Poor Tate had not the slightest idea of the grounds on which thestranger suggested his companionship for royalty, but he was not theless insulted at the disparagement of his master thus implied.
"'T is little I know about kings or queens," growled out the old man,"but they must be made of better clay than ever I seen yet, or they 'renot too good company for the Knight of Gwynne."
After a stare for some seconds, half surprise, half insolence, Nickiesaid, "You can tell me, perhaps, if this cottage is called 'The Corvy'?"
"Ay, that's the name of it."
"The property of one Bagenal Daly, Esquire, isn't it?"
Tate nodded an assent.
"Maybe he is in England too," continued Nickie. "Perhaps it was theQueen sent for him,--he 's a handsome man, I suppose?"
"Faix, you can judge for yourself," said Tate, "for there he is, lookingat you this minute."
Nickie turned about hastily, while a terrible fear shot through him thathis remarks might have been heard by the individual himself; for, thougha stranger to Daly personally, he was not so to his reputation forhare-brained daring and rashness, nor was it till he had stared at thewooden representative for some seconds that he could dispel his dread ofthe original.
"Is that like him?" asked he, affecting a sneer.
"As like as two pays," said Tate, "barring about the eyes; Mr. Daly'sis brighter and more wild-looking. The Blessed Joseph be near us!"exclaimed the old man, crossing himself devoutly, "one would think thecrayture knew what we were saying. Sorra lie in 't, there 's neitherluck nor grace in talking about you!"
This last sentiment, uttered in a faint voice, was called forth by aninvoluntary shuddering of poor Mr. Dempsey, who, feeling that the wholescrutiny of the party was directed towards his hiding-place, trembled soviolently that the plumes nodded, and the bone necklace jingled with themotion.
While Mr. Nickie attributed these signs to the wind, he at the sametime conceived a very low estimate of poor Tate's understanding,--animpression not altogether un-warranted by the sidelong and stealthylooks which he threw at the canoe and its occupants.
"You seem rather afraid of Mr. Daly," said he, with a sneering laugh.
"And so would you be, too, if he was as near you as that chap is,"replied Tate, sternly. "I 've known braver-looking men than either of usnot like to stand before him. I mind the day--"
Tate-s reminiscences were brought to a sudden stop by perceiving hismistress and Miss Darcy approaching the cottage; and hastening forward,he threw open the door, while by way of introduction he said,--
"A gentleman for the master, my Lady."
Lady Eleanor flushed up, and as suddenly grew pale. She guessed at oncethe man and his errand.
"The Knight of Gwynne is from home, sir," said she, in a voice herefforts could not render firm.
"I understand as much, madam," said Nickie, who was struggling torecover the easy self-possession of his manner with the butler, butwhose awkwardness increased at every instant. "I believe you expect himin a day or two?"
This was said to elicit if there might be some variance in the statementof Lady Eleanor and her servant.
"You are misinformed, sir. He is not in the kingdom, nor do I anticipatehis speedy return."
"So I told him, my Lady," broke in the old butler. "I said the Kingwanted him--"
"You may leave the room, Tate," said Lady Eleanor, who perceived withannoyance the sneering expression old Tate's simplicity had called up inthe stranger's face. "Now, sir," said she, turning towards him, "may Iask if your business with the Knight of Gwynne is of that nature thatcannot be transacted in his absence or through his law agent?"
"Scarcely, madam," said Nickie, with a sententious gravity, who, in thevantage-ground his power gave him, seemed rather desirous of prolongingthe interview. "Mr. Darcy's part can scarcely be performed by deputy,even if he found any one friendly enough to undertake it."
Lady Eleanor never spoke, but her hand grasped her daughter's moreclosely, and they both stood pale and trembling with agitation. Helenwas the first to rally from this access of terror, and with an assuredvoice she said,--
"You have heard, sir, that the Knight of Gwynne is absent; and as yousay your business is with him alone, is there any further reason foryour presence here?"
Mr. Nickie seemed for a moment taken aback by this unexpected speech,and for a few seconds made no answer; his nature and his calling,however, soon supplied presence of mind, and with an air of almostinsolent familiarity he answered,--
"Perhaps there may be, young lady." He turned, and opening the door,gave a sharp whistle, which was immediately responded to by a cry of"Here we are, sir," and the two followers already mentioned entered thecottage.
"You may have heard of such a thing as an execution, ma'am," saidNickie, addressing Lady Eleanor, in a voice of mock civility, "theattachment of property for debt. This is part of my business at thepresent moment."
"Do you mean here, sir--in this cottage?" asked Lady Eleanor, in anaccent scarcely audible from terror.
"Yes, ma'am, just so. The law allows fourteen days for redemption, withpayment of costs, until which time these men here will remain on thepremises; and although these gimcracks will scarcely pay my client'scosts, we must only make the best of it."
"But this property is not ours, sir. This cottage belongs to a friend."
"I am aware of that, ma'am. And that friend is about to answer for hisown sins on the present occasion, and not yours. These chattels areattached as the property of Bagenal Daly, Esquire, at the suit of PeterHickman, formerly of Loughrea, surgeon and apothecary."
"Is Mr. Daly aware-does he know of these proceedings?" gasped LadyEleanor, faintly.
"In the multiplicity of similar affairs, ma'am, it is quite possible hemay have let this one escape his memory; for if I don't mistake, hehas two actions pending in the King's Bench, an answer in equity, threecases of common assault, and a contempt ol court,--all upon his handsfor this present session, not to speak of what this may portend."
Here he took a newspaper from his pocket, and having doubled down aparagraph, handed it to Lady Eleanor.
Overwhelmed by grief and astonishment, she made no motion to take thepaper, and Mr. Nickie, turning to Helen, read aloud,--
'"There is a rumor prevalent in the capital this morning, to which wecannot, in the present uncertainty as to fact, make any more than aguarded allusion. It is indeed one of those strange reports which we canneither credit nor reject,--the only less probable thing than its truthbeing that any one could deliberately fabricate so foul a calu
mny. Thestory in its details we forbear to repeat; the important point, however,is to connect the name of a well-known and eccentric late M. P. for anIrish borough with the malicious burning of Newgate, and the subsequentescape of the robber Freney.
"'The reasons alleged for this most extraordinary act are so marvellous,absurd, and contradictory that we will not trifle with our readers'patience by recounting them. The most generally believed one, however,is, that the senator and the highwayman had maintained, for years past,an intercourse of a very confidential nature, the threat to revealwhich, on his trial, Freney used as compulsory means of procuring hisescape.'
"Carrick goes further," added Mr. Nickie, as he restored the paper tohis pocket, "and gives the name of Bagenal Daly, Esq., in full; stating,besides, that he sailed for Halifax on Sunday last."
Lady Eleanor and Helen exchanged looks of intelligent meaning, as hefinished the paragraph. To them Daly's hurried departure had a mostsignificant importance.
"This, ma'am, among other reasons," resumed Nickie, "was another hint tomy client to press his claim; for Mr. Daly's departure once known, therewould soon be a scramble for the little remnant of his property. Withyour leave, I 'll now put the keepers in possession. Perhaps you 'll notbe offended," added he, in a lower tone, "if I remark that it's usual tooffer the men some refreshment. Come here, M'Dermot," said he, aloud,-"avery respectable man, and married, too,--the ladies will make youcomfortable, Mick, and I 'm sure you 'll be civil and obliging."
A grunt and a gesture with both hands was the answer.
"Falls, we'll station you in the kitchen; mind you behave yourself.
"I 'll just take a slight inventory of the principal things,--a merematter of form, ma'am,--I know you 'll not remove one of them," said Mr.Nickie, who, like most coarsely minded people, was never more offensivethan when seeking to be complimentary. He did not notice, however,the indignant look with which his speech was received, but proceededregularly in his office.
There is something insupportably offensive and revolting in thebusiness-like way of those who execute the severities of the law. Likethe undertaker, they can sharpen the pangs of misfortune by vulgarizingits sorrows. Lady Eleanor gazed, in but half-consciousness, atthe scene; the self-satisfied assurance of the chief, the ruffiancontented-ness of his followers, grating on every prejudice of her mind.Not so Helen; more quick to reason on impressions, she took in, at aglance, their sad condition, and saw that, in a few days at furthest,they should be houseless as well as friendless in the world,--no onenear to counsel or to succor them! Such were her thoughts as almostmechanically her eyes followed the sheriff's officer through thechamber.
"Not that, sir," cried she, hastily, as he stopped in front of aminiature of her father, and was noting it down in his list, among theobjects of the apartment,--"not that, sir."
"And why not, miss?" said Nickie, with a leer of impudent familiarity.
"It is a portrait of the Knight of Gwynne, sir, and _our_ property."
"Sorry for it, miss, but the law makes no distinction with regard toproperty on the premises. You can always recover by a replevin."
"Come, Helen, let us leave this," said Lady Eleanor, faintly; "comeaway, child."
"You said, sir," said Helen, turning hastily about,--"you said, sir,that these proceedings were taken at the suit of Dr. Hickman. Was it hisdesire that we should be treated thus?"
"Upon my word, young lady, he gave no special directions on the subject,nor, if he had, would it signify much. The law, once set in motion, musttake its course; I suppose you know that."
Helen did not hear his speech out, for, yielding to her mother, shequitted the apartment.
Mr. Nickie stood for a few moments gazing at the door by which they hadmade their exit, and then, turning towards M'Dermot, with a knowing winkhe said, "We'll be better friends before we part, I 'll engage, littleas she likes me now."
"Faix, I never seen yer equal at getting round them," answered the sub,in a voice of fawning flattery, the very opposite of his former grufftone.
"That's the way I always begin, when they take a saucy way with them,"resumed Nickie, who felt evidently pleased at the other's admiration."And when they 're brought down a bit to a sense of their situation, Ican just be as kind as I was cruel."
"Never fear ye!" said M'Dermot, with a sententious shake of the head."Devil a taste of her would lave the room, if it wasn't for the mother."
"I saw that plain enough," said Nickie, as he threw a self-approvinglook at himself in a tall mirror opposite.
"She's a fine young girl, there's no denying it," said M'Dermot, whoanticipated, as the result of his chief's attention, a more liberalscale of treatment for himself. "But I don't know how ye 'll ever getround her, though to be sure if _you_ can't, who can?"
"This inventory will keep me till night," said Nickie, changing thetheme quite suddenly, "and I'll miss Dempsey, I 'm afraid."
"I hope not; sure you have his track,--haven't you?"
"Yes, and I have four fellows after him, along the shore here, but theysay he 's cunning as a fox. Well, I 'll not give him up in a hurry,that's all. Is that rain I hear against the glass, Mick?"
"Ay, and dreadful rain too!" said the other, peeping through the window,which now rattled and shook with a sudden squall of wind. "You 'll notbe able to leave this so late."
"So I 'm thinking, Mick," said Nickie, laying down hiswriting-materials, and turning his back to the fire; "I believe I muststay where I am."
"'T is yourself is the boy!" cried Mick, with a look of admiration athis master.
"You 're wrong, Mick," said he, with a scarce repressed smile, "allwrong; I wasn't thinking of her."
"Maybe not," said M'Dermot, shaking his head doubtfully; "maybe she'snot thinking of you this minute! But, afther all, I don't know how ye'll do it. Any one would say the vardic was again you."
"So it is, man, but can't we move for a new trial?" So saying, he turnedsuddenly about, and pulled the bell.
M'Dermot said nothing, but stood staring at his chief, with awell-feigned expression of wonderment, as though to say, "What is hegoing to do next?"
The summons was speedily answered by old Tate, who stood in respectfulattention within the door. Not the slightest suspicion had crossed thebutler's mind of Mr. Nickie's calling, or of his object with theKnight, or his manner would certainly have displayed a very differentpoliteness. "Didn't you ring, sir?" said he, with a bow to Nickie, whonow seemed vacillating, and uncertain how to proceed.
"Yes--I did--ring--the--bell," replied he, hesitating between eachword of the sentence. "I was about to say that, as the night was sosevere,--a perfect hurricane it seems,--I should remain here. Eh, didyou speak?"
"No, sir," replied Tate, respectfully.
"You can inform your mistress, then, and say, with Mr. Nickie'srespectful compliments,-mind that!--that if they have no objection, hewould be happy to join them at supper."
Tate stood as if transfixed, not a sign of anger, not even of surprisein his features. The shock had actually stupefied him.
"Do ye hear what the gentleman 's saying to you?" asked Mick, in a sternvoice.
"Sir?" said Tate, endeavoring to recover his routed faculties,--"sir?"
"Tell the old fool what I said," muttered Nickie, with angry impatience;and then, as if remembering that his message might possibly be notover-courteously worded by Mr. M'Dennot, he approached Tate, and said,"Give your mistress Mr. Nickie's compliments, and say that, not beingable to return to Coleraine, he hopes he may be permitted to pass theevening with her and Miss Darcy." This message, uttered withgreat rapidity, as if the speaker dare not trust himself with moredeliberation, was accompanied by a motion of the hand, which half pushedthe old butler from the room.
Neither Mr. Nickie nor his subordinate exchanged a word during Tate'sabsence. The former, indeed, seemed far less confident of his successthan at first, and M'Dermot waited the issue, for his cue what part totake in the transaction.
If Tate's countena
nce, when he left the room, exhibited nothing butconfusion and bewilderment, when he reentered it his looks were composedand steadfast.
"Well?" said Nickie, as the old butler stood for a second withoutspeaking,--"well?"
"Her Ladyship says that you and the other men, sir, may receive anyaccommodation the house affords." He paused for a moment or two, andthen added, "Her Ladyship declines Mr. Nickie's society."
"Did she give you that message herself?" asked Nickie, hastily; "arethose her own words?"
"Them's her words," said Tate, dryly.
"I never heerd the likes--"
"Stop, Mick, hold your tongue!" said Nickie, to his over-zealousfollower; while he muttered to himself, "My name is n't Anthony Nickie,or I 'll make her repent that speech! Ay, faith," said he, aloud, asturning to the portrait of the Knight he appeared to address it, "youshall come to the hammer as the original did before you." If Tate hadunderstood the purport of this sarcasm, it is more than probable thediscussion would have taken another form; as it was, he listened to Mr.Nickie's orders about the supper with due decorum, and retired to makethe requisite preparations. "I will make a night of it, by-------,"exclaimed Nickie, as with clinched fist he struck the table before him."I hope you know how to sing, Mick?"
"I can do a little that way, sir," grinned the ruffian, "when thecompany is pressin'. If it was n't too loud--"
"Too loud! you may drown the storm out there, if ye 're able. But waittill we have the supper and the liquor before us, as they might cutoff the supplies." And with this prudent counsel, they suffered Tate toproceed in his arrangements, without uttering another word.