CHAPTER XVI. "A CHALLENGE"
"He 's here; he arrived last night," said Magennis, as he entered theroom after a short exploring tour through the stables, the kitchen, andevery other quarter where intelligence might be come at. "He came alone;but the major of the detachment supped with him, and that looks likebusiness!"
"The earlier you see him the better, then," said Mas-singbred.
"I'll just go and get my beard off," said he, passing his hand across avery grizzly stubble, "and I'll be with him in less than half an hour.There's only a point or two I want to be clear about. Before he struckyou, did you gesticulate, or show any intention of using violence?"
"None. I have told you that I caught his horse by the bridle, but thatwas to save him from falling back."
"Ah, that was indiscreet, at all events."
"Would n't it have been worse to suffer him to incur a severe dangerwhich I might have prevented?"
"I don't think so; but we'll not discuss the point now. There was ablow?"
"That there was," said Jack, pointing to the spot where a great strap ofsticking-plaster extended across his forehead.
"And he seemed to understand at once that reparation was to be made forit?"
"The suggestion came from himself, frankly and speedily."
"Well, it's pretty evident we have to deal with a gentleman!" saidMagennis, "and that same's a comfort; so I'll leave you now for a shorttime: amuse yourself as well as you can, but don't quit the room." Andwith this caution Magennis took his departure, and set off in search ofMr. Repton's chamber.
"Where are you bringing the mutton chops, Peter?" said he to a waiter,who, with a well-loaded tray of eatables, was hastening along thecorridor.
"To the ould Counsellor from Dublin, sir. He's break-fastin' with theMajor."
"And that's his room, No. 19?"
"Yes, sir."
"They 're merry, at all events," said Magennis, as a burst of heartylaughter was heard from within the chamber.
"'T is just that they are, indeed," replied Peter. "The Counsellor doesbe telling one story after another, till you 'd think he 'd no endof them. He began last night at supper, and I could scarce change theplates for laughin'."
Muttering some not very intelligible observation to himself, Magennispassed down the stairs, and issuing into the street, wended his way tothe barber's.
If the Oughterard Figaro had not as brilliant a vocation as hiscolleague of Seville, his occupations were scarcely less multifarious,for he kept the post-office, was clerk at petty sessions, collectedthe parish cess, presided over "the pound," besides a vast number ofinferior duties. Whether it was the result of a natural gift, or by thevarious information of his official life, Hosey Lynch was regarded inhis native town as a remarkably shrewd man, and a good opinion on anumber of subjects.
He was a short, decrepit old fellow, with an enormous head of curlyblack hair, which he seemed to cultivate with all the address of hiscraft; probably intending it as a kind of advertisement of his skill,displaying as it did all the resources of his handiwork. But even abovethis passion was his ardor for news,--news political, social, legal, orliterary; whatever might be the topic, it always interested him, andit was his especial pride to have the initiative of every event thatstirred the hearts of the Oughterard public.
The small den in which he performed his functions occupied the cornerof the street, giving a view in two directions, so that Hosey, whilecutting and curling, never was obliged to lose sight of that worldwithout, in whose doings he felt so strong an interest. In the oneeasy-chair of this sanctum was Magennis now disposed, waiting forMr. Lynch, who had just stepped down to "the pound," to liberatethe priest's pig. Nor had he long to wait, for Hosey soon made hisappearance, and slipping on a very greasy-looking jean-jacket, proceededto serve him.
"The top of the morning to you, Captain,"--he always styled him by thetitle,--"it's a rare pleasure to see you so early in town; but it willbe a bad market to-day--cut and curled, Captain?"
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"No; shaved!" said Magennis, bluntly.
"And shaved you shall be, Captain,--and beautifully shaved, too, for Ihave got an excellent case from Lamprey's; they came yesterday,--camewith the writ against Jones Creegan."
"At whose suit?"
"Mrs. Miles Creegan, the other brother's widow," said Hosey, latheringaway and talking with breathless rapidity. "There was a clause in oldSam's will, that if ever Tom, the chap that died at Demerara--you'd likemore off the whiskers, it's more military. It was only yesterdayMajor Froode remarked to me what a soldierlike-looking man was CaptainMagennis."
"Is he in command of the detachment?"
"He is in his Majesty's--1st Foot--the 'Buccaneers,' they used to becalled; I suppose you never heard why?"
"No, nor don't want to hear. What kind of a man is the Major?"
"He 's a smart, well-made man, with rather a haughty look," said Hosey,drawing himself up, and seeming to imply that there was a kind ofresemblance between them.
"Is he English or Irish?"
"Scotch, Captain,--Scotch; and never gives more than fivepence for a cutand curl, pomatum included.--No letters, Mrs. Cronin," cried he, raisingup the movable shutter of the little window; then bending down his earhe listened to some whispered communication from that lady, afterwhich he shut the panel, and resumed his functions. "She 's at law withO'Reilly about the party wall. There's the Major now going down to thebarracks, and I wonder who's the other along with him;" and Hosey rushedto the door to find some clew to the stranger. In less than a quarterof a minute he was back again, asking pardon for absence, and informingMagennis "that the man in plain clothes was a Dublin counsellor, thatarrived the night before. I think I can guess what he's here for."
"What is it?" cried Magennis, eagerly.
"There's an election coming on, and the Martins expect acontest.--Nothing for you, Peter," said he, to an applicant for a letteroutside. "He's looking to be made barony constable these four years, andhe 's as much chance as I have of being--what shall I say?--"
"Are you done?" asked Magennis, impatiently.
"One minute more, sir--the least touch round the chin,--and, as I wassaying, Captain, the Martins will lose the borough."
"Who thinks so besides you?" asked Magennis, gruffly.
"It is, I may say, the general opinion; the notion current in-- There's Miss Martin herself," cried he, running to the window. "Well, really,she handles them ponies elegant!"
"Does she come often into town?"
"I don't think I saw her in Oughterard--let me see when it was--it's twoyears--no, but it's not far off--it's more than--"
"Are you done?" said Magennis, impatiently. "I told you that I waspressed for time this morning."
"You're finished now, Captain," said Hosey, presenting him with a smallcracked looking-glass. "That's what I call a neat chin and a beautifulsweep of whisker. Thank you, Captain. It's a pleasure and an honor--notto say that it's--"
Magennis did not wait for the peroration, but striding hastily out ofthe little shop, issued into the street that led to the inn. On arrivingthere, he heard that Mr. Rep-ton had gone out, leaving word that hewould be found at Major Froode's quarters. Thither Magennis now repairedwith all the solemn importance befitting his mission.
As he sent in his name, he could overhear the short colloquy that passedwithin, and perceived that Repton was about to retire; and now theservant ushered him into the presence of a smart, light-whiskered littleman, with a pair of shrewd gray eyes, and a high forehead.
"A brother officer, I perceive, sir," said he, looking at the card,whereupon the title Captain was inscribed; "pray take a chair."
"You anticipate the reason of this visit, Major Froode," said the other,with some degree of constraint, as though the preliminaries were thereverse of pleasant to him. The Major bowed, and Magennis went on: "Isuppose, then, I'm to treat with you as the friend of Mr. ValentineRepton?"
"And you are Mr. Massingbred's?" said the Major, answ
ering the questionwith another.
"I have that honor, sir," said Magennis, pompously; "and now, sir, howsoon can it come off?"
"Don't you imagine, Captain Magennis, that a little quiet discussionof the question at issue between two old soldiers, like you and myself,might possibly be advisable? Is there not a chance that our unitedexperience might not suggest an amicable arrangement of this business?"
"Quite out of the question,--utterly, totally impossible!" saidMagennis, sternly.
"Then perhaps I lie under some misconception," said the Major,courteously.
"There was a blow, sir!--a blow!" said Magennis, in the same stern tone.
"I opine that everything that occurred was purely accidental,--just hearme out,--that a hasty word and a hurried gesture, complicated with theimpatient movement of a horse--"
A long whistle from Magennis interrupted the speech, and the Major,reddening to the very top of his high forehead, said,--
"Sir, this is unbecoming,--are you aware of it?"
"I'm quite ready for anything when this is settled," said Magennis, butwith less composure than he desired to assume. "What I meant was, thatfor a blow there is but one reparation."
"Doubtless, if the injury admit of no explanation," said the Major,calmly; "but in that lies the whole question. Consider two things,Captain Magennis: first of all, the equivocal appearance of _your_friend, the age and standing of _mine_."
"By Jove! you'll kill me in trying to save my life," said Repton,bursting into the room. "I didn't want to play eavesdropper, Froode,but these thin partitions are only soundboards for the voice. Thisgentleman," added he, turning to Magennis, "is perfectly correct. Therewas a blow; and a blow has only one consequence, and that one I 'mready for. There may be, for aught I know, twenty ways of settlingthese matters in London or at the clubs, but we 're old-fashioned in ournotions in Ireland here; and I don't think that even when we pick up newfashions that we 're much the better for them, so that if your friend ishere, Captain, and ready--"
"Both, sir; here and ready!"
"Then so am I; and now for the place. Come, Froode, you don't knowIreland as well as I do; just humor me this time, and whenever I getinto a scrape in Scotland you shall have it all your own way. Eh,Captain, is n't that fair?"
"Spoke like a trump!" muttered Magennis.
"For _me_, did you say?" said Repton, taking a letter from the servant,who had just entered the room.
"Yes, sir; and the groom says there's an answer expected."
"The devil take it, I 've forgotten my spectacles. Froode, just tell mewhat's this about, and who it comes from."
"It's Miss Martin's hand," said Froode, breaking the seal and runningover the contents. "Oh, I perceive," said he; "they're afraid you havetaken French leave of them at Cro' Martin, and she has driven into townto carry you back again."
"That comes of my leaving word at the little post-office to forward myletters to Dublin if not asked for to-morrow. Take a pen, Froode,and write a couple of lines for me; say that a very urgent call--aprofessional call--will detain me here to-day, but that if not back bydinner-time--Captain Magennis thinks it not likely," added he, turningtowards him as he sat, with a very equivocal expression, half grin, halfsneer, upon his features--"that I 'll be with them at breakfast nextmorning," resumed Repton, boldly. "Make some excuse for my not answeringthe note myself,--whatever occurs to you. And so, sir," said he, turningto Magennis, "your friend's name is Massingbred. Any relation to ColonelMoore Massingbred?"
"His son,--his only son, I believe."
"How strange! I remember the father in the 'House'--I mean the IrishHouse--five-and-thirty years ago; he was always on the Governmentbenches. It was of him Parsons wrote those doggerel lines,--
'A man without a heart or head, Who seldom thought, who never read, A witty word who never said, One at whose board none ever fed, Such is the Colonel M--g--b--d.'
He could n't call him a coward, though; for when they went out--whichthey did--Massingbred's manner on the ground was admirable."
"Will that do?" said Froode, showing a few lines he had hastily jotteddown.
"I can't read a word of it, but of course it will," said he; "and then,sir," added he, addressing Magennis, "the sooner we place ourselves atyour disposal the better."
Froode whispered something in Repton' ear, and by his manner seemed asif remonstrating with him, when the other said aloud,--
"We 're in Ireland, Major; and, what's more, we 're in Galway, asMacleweed said once to a prisoner, 'With a Yorkshire jury, sir, I 'dhang you. Your sentence now is to pay five marks to the King, and findbail for your good behavior.' You see what virtue there is in locality."
"There's a neat spot about two miles off, on the road to Maum," saidMagennis to the Major. "We could ride slowly forward, and you might keepus in view."
"In what direction did you say?"
"Take the second turn out of the market-place till you pass the baker'sshop, then to the left, and straight on afterwards. You can't miss it."
"Stop a moment, sir," said Froode to Magennis, as he moved towards thedoor; "one word, if you please. It is distinctly understood that I havebeen overruled in this business,--that, in fact, I have submitted--"
"Your point has been reserved," said Repton, laughing, while he led himaway; and Magennis at the same moment took his departure.
It was, indeed, with no slight feeling of triumph that thia gentlemannow hastened back to the Martin Arms. Never did a great diplomatistexperience more pride in the conclusion of some crowning act ofnegotiation than did he in the accomplishment of this affair.
"There 's many a man," said he to himself, "who 'd have accepted anapology here. There's many a man might have let himself be embarrassedby the circumstances; for, certainly, the taking hold of the bridle wasan awkward fact, and if the Major was a cute fellow he 'd have made astand upon it. I must say that the Counsellor showed no backwardness; hecomes of that fine old stock we used to have before the Union."
And with this profound reflection he entered the room where Massingbredsat awaiting him.
"It's all settled. We're to meet at the Priest's Gap within an hour,"said Magennis, with the air of a man who had acquitted himself cleverly."And though I say it that should n't, if you were in other hands thismorning you would n't have got your shot."
"I always relied implicitly upon your skill!" said Massingbred, humoringhis vanity.
"Have you anything to arrange,--a letter or so to write; for I'll stepdown to Dr. Hearkins to tell him to follow us?"
Massingbred made no reply as the other left the room. Once more alone,he began to think gravely over his present situation. Nor could all hishabitual levity steel him against the conviction that five minutes ofcommon-sense talk might arrange a dispute which now promised a seriousending. "However," thought he, "we are not in the land where suchdifferences admit of amicable solution, and there's no help for it."
A sharp tap at the door startled him from these musings, and before hecould well reply to it Daniel Nelligan entered the room, and advancedtowards him with an air of mingled ease and constraint.
"I hope you 'll forgive me, Mr. Massingbred," he began. "I feel certainthat you will at some future day, at least, for what I 'm going to do."Here he stopped and drew a long breath, as if not knowing in what termsto continue. Massingbred handed him a chair, and took one in front ofhim without speaking.
"I know what brought you here to-day; I am aware of it all."
He paused, and waited for the other to speak; but Massingbred satwithout offering a word, and evidently relying on his own social tact toconfound and embarrass his visitor.
"I know, sir, that you are likely to regard my interference asimpertinent," resumed Nelligan; "but I trust that the friend of my son,Joe--"
"I must set you right upon one point, at least, Mr. Nelligan," saidMassingbred, with an easy smile. "If you be only as accurate inyour knowledge of my affairs as you are with respect to my privatefriendships,
this visit has certainly proceeded from some misconception.Your son and I were friends once upon a time. We are so no longer!"
"I never heard of this. I never knew you had quarrelled!"
"We have not, sir. We have not even met. The discourtesy he has shown mesince my arrival here--his avoidance of me, too marked to be explainedaway--is an offence. The only misfortune is that it is one which can bepractised with impunity."
"My son asks for none such," said Dan, fiercely. "And if yourobservation is meant for an insult--" He stopped suddenly, as if checkedby something within, and then said, but in a voice full and measured,"I'm magistrate of this town, sir, and I come here upon information thathas reached me of your intentions to commit a breach of the peace."
"My dear Mr. Nelligan," began Massingbred, in his most seductive ofmanners,--but the other had already witnessed the rupture of theonly tie which bound them, the supposed friendship between Joe andMassingbred, and cared nothing for all the blandishments he couldbestow,--"my dear Mr. Nelligan, you cannot, surely, suppose that a merestranger as I am in your county--scarcely ten days here--should havebeen unfortunate enough to have incurred the animosity of any one."
"I hold here a statement, sir," said Nelligan, sternly, "which, if youplease to pledge your honor to be incorrect--"
"And this is Galway!" exclaimed Massingbred,--"this glorious land ofchivalrous sentiment of which we poor Englishmen have been hearingto satiety! The Paradise of Point of Honor, then, turns out a verycommonplace locality, after all!"
"I 'm proud to say that our county has another reputation than its oldone; not but--" and he added the words in some temper--"there are a fewleft would like to teach you that its character was not acquired fornothing."
"Well, well!" sighed Jack, as he closed his eyes, and appeared asif indulging in a revery, "of all the mockeries I have lived to seeunmasked, this is the worst and meanest."
"I have not come here to listen to this, sir," said Nelli-gan,haughtily, as he arose. "I waited upon you, intending to accept yoursolemn pledge, by word of honor, to commit no act hostile to the publicpeace. Now, sir, I shall call upon you to give me the legal guaranteefor this security,--good and sufficient bail, and that within an hour!"
"My dear Mr. Nelligan," replied Massingbred, with all the quiet ease ofan unruffled temper, "I have not a single friend here, except yourself,upon whom I could call in such an emergency. I am utterly unknown inthese parts; my very name unheard of before my arrival. If I _did_ byany unhappy circumstance find myself in such an involvement as you speakof, I solemnly assure you my first thought would be to address myself toMr. Nelligan."
The easy impertinence of this speech would have been perfectlysuccessful a short time previous, when Nelligan yet believed in theclose friendship with his son. It came now, however, too late, and theold man listened to it with something bordering on anger.
"Good and sufficient bail, sir,--yourself and two others," repeated he,slowly, and moving towards the door.
"One word, I pray," said Jack, rising, and speaking with moreearnestness and apparently with more sincerity. "I do not ask you anydetails as to the circumstances you impute to me, but perhaps you would,as a favor, tell me how this information has reached you?"
"I will not, sir," was the abrupt reply.
"I am sure no friend of mine could have--"
"It is no use, Mr. Massingbred; all your address will avail you nothing.You shall not cross-examine _me!_"
"You must, however, see, sir," said Massingbred, "that unknown andunfriended as I am here, bail is out of the question."
"The Bench will hear anything you desire to say on that subject," saidNelligan, coldly. "Good-morning to you."
And with these words he left the room, and descended into the street.
The passionate warmth which Massingbred had so successfully controlledin the presence of his visitor burst forth the first moment he foundhimself alone. He inveighed against the country, the people, theirhabits, and all belonging to them; cursed his own fate at being everthrown into such companionship; and wound up by resolving to submit toany terms by which he might quit Galway forever, and forget, for therest of his days, that he had ever entered it. While he was yet fumingin this fashion, the waiter entered and presented him with a verydirty-looking note, fastened by two wafers, and inscribed "Mostprivate." Massingbred opened it and read,--
"My dear Mr. M.,--We 're found out--I believe by Hosey Lynch, where I dropped a bullet-mould this morning when he was shaving me. At all events, we 're blown, and as I am under L250 recognizances to keep the peace for three years, I 'm off to the mountains till this passes over. I 'm sure, from what I saw of the Counsellor, that he 'll keep himself open to a proposal elsewhere. Meanwhile, there's nothing for it but to give your bail and satisfy the blackguards--bad luck to them--that spoiled the sport! You can go back to the house when all's over, and I 'll return as soon as it is safe for
"Your sincere friend,
"T. M."
Scarcely had he finished reading this epistle, when Major Froodepresented himself in his chamber, the door of which the waiter was yetholding ajar. Having introduced himself, he briefly informed Massingbredof his position as Mr. Repton's friend, and as briefly stated thatthe Counsellor had been obliged to pledge himself against any hostileintentions,--a step which, he foresaw, would also be required of him."For this reason I have come," continued he, "to say that any assistanceI can be of to you is frankly at your service. I have learned that youare a stranger here, and not likely to have many acquaintances."
"If they would be satisfied with my word," began Jack.
"Of course they will, and shall," interrupted Froode; "and now, what isthere in the way of _amende_ my friend can make, for what he is preparedto confess was a mere accident?"
"The acknowledgment is ample. I ask for nothing beyond it," saidMassingbred. "I am not quite certain but that my own conduct mightrequire a little explanation; but as your friend's vigor put mattersbeyond negotiation at the time, we 'll not go back upon bygones."
"And now, sir," burst in Repton, who had waited outside the door,--"andnow, sir, I beg you to accept the humblest apology I can tender for whathas happened. I 'm not as safe on my saddle as I used to be forty yearsago; and when the nag reared and threatened to fall back upon me, I amashamed to own that I neither saw nor cared what I struck at. I 'd havesaid all this to you, Mr. Massingbred, after your fire, had we beenpermitted to go the ground; and although there is some additionalhumiliation in saying it here, I richly deserve all the pain it givesme, for my want of temper. Will you give me your hand?"
"With sincere pleasure," said Jack, shaking him warmly and cordiallywith both his own.
"There 's but one thing more to be done," said Repton. "These boroughmagistrates, vulgar dogs as they are, will want you to give a bail bond.Take no notice of them, but just drive out with me to Cro' Martin, andwe 'll settle it all there."
"I am not acquainted with Mr. Martin."
"But you shall be. He 'll be charmed to know you, and the place is worthseeing. Come, you mustn't leave the West with only its barbarism in yourmemory. You must carry away some other recollections."
The new turn affairs had just taken was by no means distasteful toMassingbred. It promised another scene in that drama of life he lovedto fashion for himself, with new scenery, new actors, and new incidents."The Counsellor," too, struck his fancy. There was a raciness in the oldman's manner, a genial cordiality, united with such palpable acuteness,that he promised himself much pleasure in his society; and so heaccepted the proposal with all willingness, and pledged to hold himselfready for his friend within an hour.
Repton and the Major had but just left the room, when the formerre-entered it hurriedly, and said, "By the way, I must leave you to yourown guidance to find your road to Cro' Martin, for there's a young ladybelow stairs has a lien upon me. You shall be presented to her when youcome out, and I promise you it will repay the journey
."
"This must be the Mary Martin I 've been hearing of," thoughtMassingbred, when again alone; "and so the morning's work will probablyturn out better than I had anticipated."