18. _Run to Earth_
"The is noon in this hous schuld bynde me this night." --_The Coke's Tale of Gamelyn._
Dick burst open the door of the billiard-room rather suddenly, and thenstood holding on to the handle and smiling down upon his relative in ahappy and affectionate but rather weak manner.
"So here you are!" he said. "Been lookin' for you everywhere. What'sgood of shutting 'self in here? Come up and play gamesh. No? Come in andhave shupper. I've had shupper."
"So I perceive," observed Uncle Marmaduke; and the fact was certainlyobvious enough.
"Tell y'what I did," giggled the wretched Dick. "You know I never didget what I call regular good blow out--always some one to shay 'hadquite 'nough' 'fore I'd begun. So I thought this time I would have atuck-in till--till I felt tired, and I--he-he-he--I got down 'foreanybody elsh and helped myshelf. Had first go-in. No one to help tothingsh. No girlsh to bother. It was prime! When they've all gone upagain you and me'll go in and have shome more, eh?"
"You're a model host," said his uncle.
"It's a good shupper," Dick went on. "I ought to know. I've had some ofeverything. It'sh almost too good for kids. But it'sh a good thing Iwent in first. After I'd been in a little time I saw a sponge-cake onthe table, and when I tried it, what d'ye think I found? It was as fullinside of brandy-an'-sherry as it could be. All it could do to shtand! Isaw d'rectly it washn't in condition come to table, and I said, 'Take itaway! take it away! It'sh drunk; it'sh a dishgraceful sight forchildren!' But they wouldn't take it away; sho I had to take it away.But you can't take away a whole tipshy-cake!"
"I am quite sure you did your best," murmured Paradine.
"Been having such gamesh upstairs!" said Dick, with another giggle."That lil' Dolly Merridew's jolly girl. Not sho nice as Dulcie, though.Here, you, let'sh go up and let off fireworksh on balcony, eh? Letshhave jolly lark!"
"No, no," said his uncle. "You and I are too old for that sort of thing.You should leave the larks to the young fellows."
"How do you know I'm too old for sorterthing?" said Dick, with anoffended air.
"Well, you're not a young man any longer, you know. You ought to behavelike the steady old buffer you look."
"Why?" demanded Dick; "why should I behave like shteady ole buffer, whenI don't feel shteady ole buffer? What do you want shpoil fun for? Tellyou I shall do jus' zackly wharriplease. And, if you shay any more, I'llpunch y' head!"
"No, no," said his uncle, slightly alarmed at this intimation. "Come,you're not going to quarrel with me, I'm sure!"
"All ri'," said Dick. "No; I won' quarrel. Don' wanter quarrel anybody."
"That's right," said Paradine. "I knew you were a noble fellow!"
"Sho I am," said Dick, shaking hands with effusion. "Sho are you. Nearlyash noble 'sh me. There, you're jolly good fellow. I say, I've goo' mindtell you something. Make you laugh. But I won't; not now."
"Oh, you can tell me," said Marmaduke. "No secrets between friends, youknow."
"Shan't tell you now," said Dick. "Keep shecret little longer."
"Do you know, my friend, that there's something very odd about you I'venoticed lately? Something that makes me almost fancy sometimes you'renot what you pretend to be."
Dick sat down heavily on one of the leather benches placed against thewall.
"Eh, what d'you shay?" he gasped. "Shay tharragain."
"You look to me," said Marmaduke slowly, "like some one excellently madeup for the part of heavy father, without a notion how to play it. Dick,you young dog, you see I know you! You can't take me in with all this.You'd better tell me all about it."
Dick seemed almost sobered by this shock.
"You've found me out," he repeated dully. "Then it's all up. If you'vefound me out, everybody elsh can find me out!"
"No, no; it's not so bad as that, my boy. I've better eyes than mostpeople, and then I had the privilege of knowing your excellent fatherrather well once upon a time. You haven't studied his littlepeculiarities closely enough; but you'll improve. By the way, where _is_your excellent father all this time?"
"He's all right," said Dick, beginning to chuckle. "He-he. He's atschool, he is!"
"At school. You mean to say you've put him to school at his time oflife! He's rather old for that sort of thing, isn't he? They don't takehim on the ordinary terms, do they?"
"Ah," said Dick, "that'sh where it is. He isn't old, you see, now, tolook at."
"Not old to look at! Then how on earth---- I should like to know how youmanaged all that. What have you been doing to the poor gentleman?"
"That'sh my affair," said Dick. "An' if I don' tell you you won' findthat out anyway!"
"There's only one way you could have done it," said Paradine, pretendingto hesitate. "It must have been done by some meddling with magic. Nowwhat---- Let me see--yes---- Surely the Stone I brought your poor motherfrom India was given to me as a talisman of some sort? You can't havebeen sharp enough to get hold of that!"
"How did you know?" cried Dick sharply. "Who told you?"
"I am right, then? Well, you are a clever fellow. I should like to knowhow you did it, now?"
"Did it with the Shtone," said Dick, evidently discomposed by suchunexpected penetration, but unable to prevent a little naturalcomplacency. "All my own idea. No one helped me. It--it washn't sho badfor me, wash it?"
"Bad! it was capital!" cried Marmaduke enthusiastically. "It was astroke of genius! And so my Indian Stone has done all this for you.Sounds like an Arabian Night, by Jove! By-the-by, you don't happen tohave it about you, do you? I should rather like to look at it again.It's a real curiosity after this."
Paul trembled with anxiety. Would Dick be induced to part with it? Ifso, he was saved! But Dick looked at his uncle's outstretched hand, andwagged his head with tipsy cunning.
"I dareshay you would," he said, "but I'm not sho green as all that.Don't let that Stone out of my hands for anyone."
"Why, I only wanted to look at it for a minute or two," said Marmaduke;"I wouldn't hurt it or lose it."
"You won' get chance," said Dick.
"Oh, very well," said Paradine carelessly, "just as you please, itdoesn't matter; though when we come to talk things over a little, youmay find it better to trust me more than that."
"Wha' do you mean?" said Dick uneasily.
"Well, I'll try to explain as well as I can, my boy (drink a little ofthis soda water first, it's an excellent thing after supper); there,you're better now, aren't you? Now, I've found you out, as you see; butonly because I knew something of the powers of this Stone of yours, andguessed the rest. It doesn't at all follow that other people, who knownothing at all, will be as sharp; if you're more careful about yourbehaviour in future--unless, unless, young fellow----" and here hepaused meaningly.
"Unless what?" asked Dick suspiciously.
"Unless I chose to tell them what I've found out."
"What would you tell them?" said Dick.
"What? Why, what I know of this talisman; tell them to use their eyes;they wouldn't be very long before they found out that something waswrong. And when one or two of your father's friends once get hold of theidea, your game will be very soon over--you know that as well as I do."
"But," stammered Dick, "you wouldn't go and do beastly mean thing likethat? I've not been bad fellow to you."
"The meanness, my dear boy, depends entirely upon the view you take ofit. Now, the question with me, as a man of honour (and I may tell you anover-nice sense of honour has been a drawback I've had to struggleagainst all my life), the question with me is this: Is it not my plainduty to step in and put a stop to this topsy-turvy state of things, toshow you up as the barefaced young impostor you are, and restore myunhappy brother-in-law to his proper position?"
"Very well expressed," thought Paul, who had been getting uncomfortable;"he has a heart, as he said, after all!"
"How does that seem to strike you?" added Paradine.
"It shtrikes
me as awful rot," said Dick, with refreshing candour.
"It's the language of conscience, but I don't expect you to see it inthe same light. I don't mind confessing to you, either, that I'm a poordevil to whom money and a safe and respectable position (all of which Ihave here) are great considerations. But whenever I see the finger ofduty and honour and family affection all beckoning me along a particularroad, I make a point of obeying their monitions--occasionally. I don'tmean to say that I never have bolted down a back way, instead, when itwas made worth my while, or that I never will."
"I wonder what he's driving at now," thought Paul.
"I don't know about duty and honour, and all that," said Dick; "my headaches, it's the noise they're making upstairs. Are you goin' to tell?"
"The fact is, my dear boy, that when one has had a keen sense of honourin constant use for several years, it's like most other articles, apt tobecome a little the worse for wear. Mine is not what it used to be,Dicky (that's your name, isn't it?). Our powers fail as we grow old."
"I don' know what you're talking about!" said Dick helplessly. "Do tellme what you mean to do."
"Well then, your head's clear enough to understand this much, I hope,"said Paradine a little impatiently, "that, if I did my duty and exposedyou, you wouldn't be able to keep up the farce for a single hour, inspite of all your personal advantages--you know that, don't you?"
"I shpose I know that," said Dick feebly.
"You know too, that if I could be induced--mind, I don't say I can--tohold my tongue and stay on here and look after you and keep you frombetraying yourself by any more of these schoolboy follies, there's notmuch fear that anyone else will ever find out the secret----"
"Which are you going to do, then?" said Dick.
"Suppose I say that I like you, that you have shown me more kindness ina single week than ever your respectable father has since I first madehis acquaintance? Suppose I say that I am willing to let the sense ofhonour and duty, and all the rest of it, go overboard together; that wetwo together are a match for Papa, wherever he may be and whatever hechooses to say and do?"
There was a veiled defiance in his voice that seemed meant for more thanDick, and alarmed Mr. Bultitude; however, he tried to calm hisuneasiness and persuade himself that it was part of the plot.
"Will you say that?" cried Dick excitedly.
"On one condition, which I'll tell you by-and-by. Yes, I'll stand byyou, my boy, I'll coach you till I make you a man of business every bitas good as your father, and a much better man of the world. I'll showyou how to realise a colossal fortune if you only take my advice. Andwe'll pack Papa off to some place abroad where he'll have no holidaysand give no trouble!"
"No," said Dick firmly; "I won't have that. After all, he's mygovernor."
"Do what you like with him then, he can't do much harm. I tell you, I'lldo all this, on one condition--it's a very simple one----"
"What is it?" asked Dick.
"This. You have, somewhere or other, the Stone that has done all thisfor you--you may have it about you at this very moment--ah!" (as Dickmade a sudden movement towards his white waistcoat) "I thought so! Well,I want that Stone. You were afraid to leave it in my hands for a minuteor two just now; you must trust me with it altogether."
Paul was relieved; of course this was merely an artifice to recover theGaruda Stone, and Marmaduke was not playing him false after all--hewaited breathlessly for Dick's answer.
"No," said Dick, "I can't do that; I want it too."
"Why, man, what use is it to you? it only gives you one wish, you can'tuse it again."
Dick mumbled something about his being ill, and Barbara wishing him wellagain.
"I suppose I can do that as well as Barbara," said his uncle. "Come,don't be obstinate, give me the Stone; it's very important that itshould be in safe hands."
"No," said Dick obstinately; he was fumbling all the time irresolutelyin his pockets; "I mean to keep it myself."
"Very well then, I have done with you. To-morrow morning I shall step upto Mincing Lane, and then to your father's solicitor. I think hisoffices are in Bedford Row, but I can easily find out at your father'splace. After that, young man, you'll have a very short time to amuseyourself in, so make the best of it."
"No, don't leave me, let me alone for a minute," pleaded Dick, stillfumbling.
At this a sudden suspicion of his brother-in-law's motives for wishingto get the Stone into his own hands overcame all Paul's prudence. If hewas so clever in deceiving Dick, might he not be cheating _him_, too,just as completely? He could wait no longer, but burst from behind thescreen and rushed in between the pair.
"Go back!" screamed Paradine. "You infernal old idiot, you've ruinedeverything!"
"I won't go back," said Paul, "I don't believe in you. I'll hide nolonger. Dick, I forbid you to trust that man."
Dick had risen in horror at the sudden apparition, and staggered backagainst the wall, where he stood staring stupidly at his unfortunatefather with fixed and vacant eyes.
"Badly as you've treated me, I'd rather trust you than that shiftyplausible fellow there. Just look at me, Dick, and then say if you canlet this cruelty go on. If you knew all I've suffered since I have beenamong those infernal boys, you would pity me, you would indeed.... Ifyou send me back there again, it will kill me.... You know as well as Ido that it is worse for me than ever it could be for you.... You can'treally justify yourself because of a thoughtless wish of mine, spokenwithout the least intention of being taken at my word. Dick, I may nothave shown as much affection for you as I might have done, but I don'tthink I deserve all this. Be generous with me now, and I swear you willnever regret it."
Dick's lips moved; there really was something like pity and repentancein his face, muddled and dazed as his general expression was by hisrecent over-indulgence, but he said nothing.
"Give papa the Stone by all means," sneered Paradine. "If you do, hewill find some one to wish the pair of you back again, and then, backyou go to school again, the laughing-stock of everybody, you silly youngcub!"
"Don't listen to him, Dick," urged Paul. "Give it to me, for Heaven'ssake; if you let him have it, he'll use it to ruin us all."
But Dick turned his white face to the rival claimants and said, gettingthe words out with difficulty: "Papa, I'm shorry. It is a shame. If Ihad the Shtone, I really would give it you, upon my word-an'-honour Iwould. But--but, now I can't ever give it up to you. It'sh gone. Losht!"
"Lost!" cried Marmaduke. "When, where? When do you last recollect seeingit? you must know!"
"In the morning," said Dick, twirling his chain, where part of the cheapgilt fastening still hung.
"No; afternoon. I don't know," he added helplessly.
Paul sank down on a chair with a heartbroken groan; a moment ago he hadfelt himself very near his goal, he had regained something of his oldinfluence over Dick, he had actually managed to touch his heart--and nowit was all in vain!
Paradine's jaw fell; he, too, had had his dreams of doing wonderfulthings with the talisman after he had cajoled Dick to part with it.Whether the restoration of his brother-in-law formed any part of hisprogramme, it is better, perhaps, not to inquire. His dreams werescattered now; the Stone might be anywhere, buried in London mud, lyingon railway ballast, or ground to powder by cartwheels. There was littlechance, indeed, that even the most liberal rewards would lead todiscovery. He swore long and comprehensively.
As for Mr. Bultitude, he sat motionless in his chair, staring in dull,speechless reproach at the conscience-stricken Dick, who stood in thecorner blinking and whimpering with an abject penitence, odd and painfulto see in one of his portly form. The children had now apparentlyfinished supper, for there were sounds above as of dancing, and "SirRoger de Coverley," with its rollicking, never-wearying repetition, wasdistinctly audible above the din and laughter. Once before, a week agothat very day, had that heartless piano mocked him with its untimelygaiety.
But things were not at their worst even yet, for, while
they sat likethis, there was a sharp, short peal at the house-bell, followed by loudand rather angry knocking, for carriages being no longer expected, theservants and waiters had now closed the front-door, and left the passagefor the supper-room.
"The visitors' bell!" cried Paul, roused from his apathy; and he rushedto the window which commanded a side-view of the portico; it might beonly a servant calling for one of the children, but he feared the worst,and could not rest till he knew it.
It was a rash thing to do, for as he drew the blind, he saw a largeperson in a heavy Inverness cloak standing on the steps, and (which wasworse) the person both saw and recognised _him_!
With fascinated horror, Mr. Bultitude saw the Doctor's small grey eyesfixed angrily on him, and knew that he was hunted down at last.
He turned to the other two with a sort of ghastly composure: "It's allover now," he said. "I've just seen Dr. Grimstone standing on mydoorstep; he has come after me."
Uncle Marmaduke gave a malicious little laugh: "I'm sorry for you, myfriend," he said, "but I really can't help it."
"You can," said Paul; "you can tell him what you know. You can save me."
"Very poor economy that," said Marmaduke airily. "I prefer spending tosaving, always did. I have my own interests to consider, my dear Paul."
"Dick," said poor Mr. Bultitude, disgusted at this exhibition ofselfishness, "you said you were sorry just now. Will you tell him thetruth?"
But Dick was quite unnerved, he cowered away, almost crying; "Idaren't, I daren't," he stammered; "I--I can't go back to the fellowslike this. I'm afraid to tell him. I--I want to hide somewhere."
And certainly he was in no condition to convince an angry schoolmasterof anything whatever, except that he was in a state very unbecoming tothe head of a family.
It was all over; Paul saw that too well, he dashed frantically from thefatal billiard-room, and in the hall met Boaler preparing to admit thevisitor.
"Don't open the door!" he screamed. "Keep him out, you mustn't let himin. It's Dr. Grimstone."
Boaler, surprised as he naturally was at his young master'sunaccountable appearance and evident panic, nevertheless never moved amuscle of his face; he was one of those perfectly bred servants, who, ifthey chanced to open the door to a ghoul or a skeleton, would merelyinquire, "What name, if you please?"
"I must go and ask your Par, then, Master Dick; there's time to 'ook itupstairs while I'm gone. I won't say nothing," he added compassionately.
Paul lost no time in following this suggestion, but rushed upstairs, twoor three steps at the time, stumbling at every flight, with a hideousnightmare feeling that some invisible thing behind was trying to trip uphis heels.
He rushed blindly past the conservatory, which was lit up by Chineselanterns and crowded with little "Kate Greenaway" maidens crowned withfantastic headdresses out of the crackers, and comparing presents withboy-lovers; he upset perspiring waiters with glasses and trays, andscattered the children sitting on the stairs, as he bounded on in hisreckless flight, leaving crashes of glass behind him.
He had no clear idea of what he meant to do; he thought of barricadinghimself in his bedroom and hiding in the wardrobe; he had desperatenotions of getting on to the housetop by means of a step-ladder and thesky-light above the nursery landing; on one point he was resolved--hewould not be retaken _alive_!
Never before in this commonplace London world of ours was an unfortunatehouseholder hunted up his own staircase in this distressing manner; evenhis terror did not blind him to the extreme ignominy and injustice ofhis position.
And below he heard the bell ringing more and more impatiently, as theDoctor still remained on the wrong side of the door. In another minutehe must be admitted--and then!
Who will not sympathise with Mr. Bultitude as he approaches the crisisof his misfortunes? I protest, for my own part, that as I am compelledto describe him springing from step to step in wild terror, like ahighly respectable chamois before some Alpine marksman, my own heartbleeds for him, and I hasten to end my distressing tale, and make therest of it as little painful as I may with honesty.
19. _The Reckoning_
MONTR. The father is victorious. BELF. Let us haste To gratulate his conquest. 1ST CAPT. We to mourn The fortune of the son. MASSINGER. _The Unnatural Combat._
Poor Mr. Bultitude, springing wildly upstairs in a last desperate effortto avoid capture, had now almost reached his goal. Just above him wasthe nursery landing, with its little wooden gate, and near it, leaningagainst the wall, was a pair of kitchen steps, with which he had hopesof reaching the roof, or the cistern loft, or some other safe andinaccessible place. Better a night spent on the slates amongst thechimney-pots than a bed in that terrible No. 6 Dormitory!
But here, too, fate was against him. He was not more than half-a-dozensteps from the top, when, to his unspeakable horror, he saw a small formin a white frock and cardinal-red sash come running out of the nursery,and begin to descend slowly and cautiously, clinging to the banisterswith one chubby little hand.
It was his youngest son, Roly, and as soon as he saw this, he lost hopeonce and for all; he could not escape being recognised, the child wouldprobably refuse to leave him, and even if he did contrive to get awayfrom him, it would be hopeless to make Roly understand that he was notto betray his hiding-place.
So he stopped on the stairs, aghast at this new misfortune, and feelinghimself at the end of all his resources. Roly knew him at once, andbegan to dance delightedly up and down on the stair in his little bronzeshoes. "Buzzer Dicky," he cried, "dear buzzer Dicky, tum 'ome to party!"
"It's not brother Dicky," said Paul miserably; "it's all a mistake."
"Oh, but it is though," said Roly; "and you don't know what Roly'sfound."
"No, no," said Paul, trying to pass (which, as Roly persisted in leapingjoyously from side to side of the narrow stair, was difficult); "youshall show me another time. I'm in a hurry, my boy, I've got anappointment."
"Roly's got something better than that," observed the child.
Mr. Bultitude, in spite of his terror, was too much afraid of hurtinghim by brushing roughly past to attempt such a thing, so he trieddiplomacy. "Well, what has Roly found--a cracker?"
"No, no, better than a cwacker--you guess."
"I can't guess," said Paul; "never mind, I don't want to know."
"Well then," said Roly, "there." And he slowly unclosed a fat littlefist, and in it Paul saw, with a revulsion of feeling that turned himdizzy and faint, the priceless talisman itself, the identical GarudaStone, with part of the frail gilt ring still attached to it.
The fastening had probably given way during Master Dick's uproariousrevels in the drawing-room, and Roly must have picked it up on thecarpet shortly afterwards.
"Isn't it a pitty sing?" said Roly, insisting that his treasure shouldbe duly admired.
"A very pretty thing," said his father, hoarse and panting; "but it'smine, Roly, it's mine!"
And he tried to snatch it, but Roly closed his fist over it and pouted,"It isn't yours," he said, "it's Roly's. Roly found it."
Paul's fears rose again; would he be wrecked in port after all? His ear,unnaturally strained, caught the sound of the front door being opened,he heard the Doctor's deep voice booming faintly below, then the noiseof persons ascending.
"Roly shall have it, then," he said perfidiously, "if he will say afterme what I tell him. Say, 'I wish Papa and Brother Dick back as they werebefore,' Roly."
"Ith it a game?" asked Roly, his face clearing and evidently delightedwith his eccentric brother Dick, who had run all the way home fromschool to play games with him on the staircase.
"No--yes!" cried Paul, "it's a very funny game; only do what I tell you.Now say, 'I wish Papa and Brother Dick back again as they were before.'I'll give you a sugar-plum if you say it nicely."
"What sort of sugar-plum?" demanded Roly, who inherited busi
nessinstincts.
"Any sort you like best!" almost shrieked Paul; "oh, do get on!"
"Lots of sugar-plums, then. 'I with'--I forget what you told me--oh, 'Iwith Papa and----' there'th thomebody tummin' upsthairs!" he broke offsuddenly; "it'h nurth tummin' to put me to bed. I don't want to go tobed yet."
"And you shan't go to bed!" cried Paul, for he too thought he heardsome one. "Never mind nurse, finish the--the game."
--'Papa and Buzzy Dicky back again as--as they were before,' repeatedRoly at last. "What a funny--ow, ow, it'h Papa! it'h Papa! and he toldme it wath Dicky. I'm afwaid! Whereth Dicky gone to? I want Bab, take meto Bab!"
For the Stone had done its work once more, and this time with happierresults; with a supreme relief and joy, which no one who has read thisbook can fail to understand, Mr. Bultitude felt that he actually was hisold self again.
Just when all hope seemed cut off and relief was most unlikely, themagic spell that had caused him such intolerable misery for one hideousweek was reversed by the hand of his innocent child.
He caught Roly up in his arms and kissed him as he had never been kissedin his whole life before, at least by his father, and comforting him aswell as he could, for the poor child had naturally received rather asevere shock, he stepped airily down the staircase, which he had mountedwith such different emotions five minutes before.
On his way he could not resist going into his dressing-room and assuringhimself by a prolonged examination before the cheval-glass that theStone had not played him some last piece of jugglery; but he foundeverything quite correct; he was the same formal, precise and portlyperson, wearing the same morning dress even as on that other Mondayevening, and he went on with greater confidence.
He took care, however, to stop at the first window, when he managed,after some coaxing, to persuade Roly to give up the Garuda Stone. Assoon as he had it in his hands again, he opened the window wide andflung the dangerous talisman far out into the darkness. Not till thendid he feel perfectly secure.
He passed the groups of little guests gathered about the conservatory,and lower down he met Boaler, the nurse, and one or two servants andwaiters, rushing up in a state of great anxiety and flurry; evenBoaler's usual composure seemed shaken. "Please, sir," he asked, "theschoolmaster gentleman, Master Dick--he've run upstairs, haven't youseen him?"
Paul had almost forgotten Dick in his new happiness; there would be aheavy score to settle with him; he had the upper hand once more, andyet, somehow, he did not feel as much righteous wrath and desire forrevenge as he expected to do.
"Don't be alarmed," he said, waving them back with more benignity thanhe thought he had in him. "Master Dick is safe enough. I know all aboutit. Where is Dr. Grimstone? In the library, eh? Very well, I will seehim there."
And leaving Roly with the nurse, he went down to the library; not, ifthe truth must be told, without a slight degree of nervousness,unreasonable and unaccountable enough now, but quite beyond his power tocontrol.
He entered the room, and there, surrounded by piles of ticketed hats andcoats, under the pale light of one gas-burner, he saw the terrible manbefore whom he had trembled for the last seven horrible days.
A feeling of self-defence made Paul assume rather more than his oldstiffness as he shook hands. "I am very glad to see you, Dr. Grimstone,"he said, "but your coming at this time forces me to ask if there is anyunusual reason for, for my having the--a--pleasure of seeing you here?"
"I am exceedingly distressed to have to say that there is," said theDoctor solemnly, "or I should not have troubled you at this hour. Try tocompose yourself, my dear sir, to bear this blow."
"I will," said Paul, "I will try."
"The fact is then, and I know how sad a story it must be for a parent'sear, but the fact is, that your unhappy boy has had the inconceivablerashness to quit my roof." And the Doctor paused to watch the effect ofhis announcement.
"God bless my soul!" cried Paul. "You don't say so!"
"I do indeed; he has, in short, run away. But don't be alarmed, my dearMr. Bultitude, I think I can assure you he is quite safe at the presentmoment" ("Thank Heaven, he is!" thought Paul, thinking of his ownmarvellous escape). "I should certainly have recaptured him before hecould have left the railway station, where he seems to have gone atonce, only, acting on information (which I strongly suspect now wasintentionally misleading), I drove on to the station on the up-line,thinking to find him there. He was not there, sir, I believe he neverwent there at all; but, guessing how matters were, I searched the train,carriage by carriage, compartment by compartment, when it came up."
"I am very sorry you should have had so much trouble," said Paul, with avivid recollection of the exploring stick; "and so you found him?"
"No, sir," said the Doctor passionately, "I did not find him, but he wasthere; he must have been there! but the shameless connivance of twoexcessively ill-bred persons, who positively refused to allow me accessto their compartment, caused him to slip through my fingers."
Mr. Bultitude observed, rather ungratefully, that, if this was so, itwas a most improper thing for them to do.
"It was, indeed, but it is of no consequence fortunately. I was forcedto wait for the next train, but that was not a very slow one, and so Iwas able to come on here before a very late hour and acquaint you withwhat had taken place."
"Thank you very much," said Paul.
"It's a painful thing to occur in a school," observed the Doctor after apause.
"Most unfortunate," agreed Paul, coughing.
"So apt to lead persons who are not acquainted with the facts to imaginethat the boy was unhappy under my care," continued the Doctor.
"In this case, I assure you, I have no doubts," protested Paul withpoliteness and (seldom a possible combination) perfect truth.
"Very kind of you to say so; really, it's a great mystery to me. Icertainly, as I felt it my duty to inform you at the time, came verynear inflicting corporal punishment upon him this morning--very near.But then he was pardoned on your intercession; and, besides, the boywould never have run away for fear of a flogging."
"Oh, no, perfectly absurd!" agreed Paul again.
"Such a merry, high-spirited lad, too," said the Doctor, sincerelyenough; "popular with his schoolfellows; a favourite (in spite of hisfaults) with his teachers."
"No, was he though?" said Paul with more surprise, for he had not beenfortunate enough to reap much vicarious benefit from his son'spopularity, as he could not help remembering.
"All this, added to the comforts (or, may I say, the luxuries?) heenjoyed under my supervision, does make it seem very strange andungrateful in the boy to take this sudden and ill-considered step."
"Very, indeed; but do you know, Dr. Grimstone, I can't helpthinking--and pray do not misunderstand me if I speak plainly--that,perhaps, he had reasons for being unhappy you can have no idea of?"
"He would have found me ready to hear any complaints and prompt toredress them, sir," said the Doctor. "But, now I think of it, hecertainly did appear to have something on his mind which he wished totell me; but his manner was so strange and he so persistently refused tocome to the point, that I was forced to discourage him at last."
"You did discourage him, indeed!" said Paul inwardly, thinking of thoseattempted confidences with a shudder. "Perhaps some of his schoolfellowsmay have--eh?" he said aloud.
"My dear sir," exclaimed the Doctor, "quite out of the question!"
"Do you think so?" said Paul, not being able to resist the suggestion."And yet, do you know, some of them did not appear to me to lookvery--very good-natured, now."
"A more manly, pleasant, and gentlemanly set of youths never breathed!"said the Doctor, taking up the cudgels for his boys, and, to do himjustice, probably with full measure of belief in his statement. "Curiousnow that they should have struck you so differently!"
"They certainly did strike me very differently," said Paul. "But I maybe mistaken."
"You are, my dear sir. And, pardon me, but you had no
opportunity oftesting your opinion."
"Oh, pardon me," retorted Paul grimly, "I had indeed!"
"A cursory visit," said the Doctor, "a formal inspection--you cannotfairly judge boys by that. They will naturally be reserved andconstrained in the presence of an elder. But you should observe themwithout their knowledge--you want to know them, my dear Mr. Bultitude,you want to go among them!"
It was the very last thing Paul did want--he knew them quite wellenough, but it was of no use to say so, and he merely assented politely.
"And now," said the Doctor, "with regard to your misguided boy. I haveto tell you that he is here, in this very house. I tracked him here,and, ten minutes ago, saw him with my own eyes at one of your windows.
"Here!" cried Paul, with a well-executed start; "you astonish me!"
"It has occurred to me within the last minute," said the Doctor, "thatthere may be a very simple explanation of his flight. I observe you aregiving a--a juvenile entertainment on a large scale."
"I suppose I am," Paul admitted. "And so you think----?"
"I think that your son, who doubtless knew of your intention, was hurtat being excluded from the festivities and, in a fit of mad wilfulfolly, resolved to be present at them in spite of you."
"My dear Doctor," cried Paul, who saw the conveniences of this theory,"that must be it, of course--that explains it all!"
"So grave an act of insubordination," said the Doctor, "an act of doubledisobedience--to your authority and mine--deserves the fullestpunishment. You agree with me, I trust?"
The memory of his wrongs overcame Mr. Bultitude for the moment: "Nothingcan be too bad for the little scoundrel!" he said, between his teeth.
"He shall have it, sir, I swear to you; he shall be made to repent thisas long as he lives. This insult to me (and of course to you also) shallbe amply atoned for. If you will have the goodness to deliver him overto my hands, I will carry him back at once to Market Rodwell, andto-morrow, sir, to-morrow, I will endeavour to awaken his conscience ina way he will remember!"
The Doctor was more angry than an impartial lover of justice mightperhaps approve of, but then it must be remembered that he had seenhimself completely outwitted and his authority set at nought in a veryhumiliating fashion.
However, his excessive wrath cooled Paul's own resentment instead ofinflaming it; it made him reflect that, after all, it was he who had thebest right to be angry.
"Well," he said, rather coldly, "we must find him first, and thenconsider what shall be done to him. If you will allow me I will ringand----"
But before he could lay his hand upon the bell the library door opened,and Uncle Marmaduke made his appearance, dragging with him the unwillingDick: the unfortunate boy was effectually sobered now, pale andtrembling and besmirched with coal-dust--in fact, in very much the sameplight as his ill-used father had been in only three hours ago.
There was a brazen smile of triumph on Mr. Paradine's face as he metPaul's eyes with a knowing wink, which the latter did not at allunderstand.
Such audacity astonished him, for he could hardly believe that Paradine,after his perfidious conduct in the billiard-room, could have the clumsyimpudence to try to propitiate him now.
"Here he is, my boy," shouted Paradine; "here's the scamp who has givenus all this trouble! He came into the billiard-room just now and told mewho he was, but I would have nothing to do with him of course. Not mybusiness, as I told him at the time. Then--(I think I have the pleasureof seeing Dr. Grimstone? just so) well, then you, sir, arrived--and hemade himself scarce. But when I saw him in the act of making a bolt upthe area, where he had been taking shelter apparently in thecoal-cellar, I thought it was time to interfere, and so I collared him.I have much pleasure in handing him over now to the proper authorities."
And, letting Dick go, he advanced towards his brother-in-law, still withthe same odd expression of having a secret understanding with him, whichmade Paul's blood boil.
"Stand where you are, sir," said Paul to his son. "No, Dr. Grimstone,allow me--leave him to me for the present, please."
"That's much better," whispered Paradine approvingly; "capital. Keep itup, my boy; keep it up! Papa's as quiet as a lamb now. Go on."
Then Paul understood; his worthy brother-in-law had not been present atthe last transformation and was under a slight misapprehension: heevidently imagined that he had by this last stroke made himself and Dickmasters of the situation--it was time to undeceive him.
"Have the goodness to leave my house at once, will you!" he saidsternly.
"You young fool!" said Marmaduke, under his breath, "after all I havedone for you, too! Is this your gratitude? You know you can't get onwithout me. Take care what you're about!"
"If you can't see that the tables are turned at last," said Paul slowly,"you're a duller knave than I take you to be."
Marmaduke started back with an oath: "It's a trick," he said savagely;"you want to get rid of me."
"I certainly intend to," said Paul. "Are you satisfied? Do you wantproofs--shall I give them--I did just now in the billiard-room?"
Paradine went to Dick and shook him angrily: "You young idiot!" he said,in a furious aside, "why didn't you tell me? What did you let me make afool of myself like this for, eh?"
"I did tell you," muttered Dick, "only you wouldn't listen. It justserves you right!"
Marmaduke soon collected himself after this unexpected shock; he triedto shake Paul's hands with an airy geniality. "Only my little joke," hesaid, laughing; "ha, ha, I thought I should take you in!... Why, I knewit directly.... I've been working for you all the time--but it wouldn'thave done to let you see my line."
"No," said Paul; "it was not a very straight one, as usual."
"Well," said Marmaduke, "I shouldn't have stopped Master Dick there if Ihadn't been on your side, should I now? I knew you'd come out of it allright, but I had a difficult game to play, don't you know? I don'twonder that you didn't follow me just at first."
"You've lost your game," said Paul; "it's no use to say any more. Sonow, perhaps, you'll go?"
"Go, eh?" said Paradine, without showing much surprise at the failureof so very forlorn a hope, "oh, very well, just as you please, ofcourse. Let your poor wife's only brother go from your doors without apenny in the world!--but I warn you that a trifle or so laid out instopping my mouth would not be thrown away. Some editors would be gladenough of a sensation from real life just now, and I could tell somevery odd tales about this little affair!"
"Tell them, if a character for sanity is of no further use to you," saidPaul. "Tell them to anyone you can get to believe you--tell thecrossing-sweeper and the policemen, tell your grandmother, tell thehorse-marines--it will amuse them. Only, you shall tell them on theother side of my front door. Shall I call anyone to show you out?"
Paradine saw his game was really played out, and swaggered insolently tothe door: "Not on my account, I beg," he said. "Good-bye, Paul, my boy,no more dissolving views. Good-bye, my young friend Richard, it was goodfun while it lasted, eh? like the Servian crown--always a pleasantreminiscence! Good evening to you, Doctor. By the way, for educationalpurposes let me recommend a 'Penang lawyer'--buy one as you go back forthe boys--just to show them you haven't forgotten them!"
And, having little luggage to impede him, the front door closed upon himshortly afterwards--this time for ever.
When he had gone, Dick looked imploringly at his father and then at theDoctor, who, until Paradine's parting words had lashed him into furyagain, had been examining the engravings on the walls with a studieddelicacy during the recent painful scene, and was now leaning againstthe chimney-piece with his arms folded and a sepulchral gloom on hisbrow.
"Richard," said Mr. Bultitude, in answer to the look, "you have not donemuch to deserve consideration at my hands."
"Or at mine!" added the Doctor ominously.
"No," said Dick, "I know I haven't. I've been a brute. I deserve a jollygood licking."
"You do," said his father, but in spite
of his indignation, thebroken-down look of the boy, and the memory of his own sensations whenwaiting to be caned that morning, moved him to pity. And then Dick hadshown some compunction in the billiard-room: he was not entirely lost tofeeling.
"Well," he said at last, "you've acted very wrongly. Because I thoughtit best that you should not--ahem, leave your studies for this party,you chose to disobey me and alarm your master by defying my orders andcoming home by stealth--that was your object, I presume?"
"Y--yes," said Dick, looking rather puzzled, but seeing that he wasexpected to agree; "that was it."
"You know as well as I do what good cause I have to be angry; but, if Iconsent to overlook your conduct this time, if I ask Dr. Grimstone tooverlook it too" (the Doctor made an inarticulate protest, while Dickstared, incredulous), "will you undertake to behave better for thefuture--will you?"
Dick's voice broke at this, and his eyes swam--he was effectuallyconquered. "Oh, I will!" he cried, "I will, really. I never meant to goso far when I began."
"Then, Dr. Grimstone," said Paul, "you will do me a great favour if youwill take no further notice of this. You see the boy is sorry, and I amsure he will apologise to you amply for the grave slight he has doneyou. And by the way--I should have mentioned it before--but he will haveto leave your care at the end of the term for a public school--I intendto send him to Harrow, so he will require some additional preparation,perhaps: I may leave that in your hands?"
Dr. Grimstone looked deeply offended, but he only said, "I will see tothat myself, my dear sir. I am sorry you did not tell me this earlier.But, may I suggest that a large public school has its pitfalls for aboy of your son's disposition? And I trust this leniency may not haveevil consequences, but I doubt it--I greatly doubt it."
As for Dick, he ran to his father, and hung gratefully on to his armwith a remorseful hug, a thing he had never dared to do, or thought ofattempting, in his life till then.
"Dad," he said in a choked voice, "you're a brick! I don't deserve anyof it, but I'll never forget this as long as I live."
Mr. Bultitude too, felt something spring up in his heart which drew himtowards the boy in an altogether novel manner, but no one will say thateither was the worse for it.
"Well," he said mildly, "prove to me that I have made no mistake. Goback to Crichton House now, work and play well, and try to keep out ofmischief for the rest of the term. I trust to you," he added, in a lowertone, "while you remain at Market Rodwell, to keep my--my connectionwith it a secret; you owe that at least to me. You may probablyhave--ahem, some inconveniences to put up with--inconveniences you arenot prepared for. You must bear them as your punishment."
And soon afterwards a cab was called, and Dr. Grimstone prepared toreturn to Market Rodwell, with the deserter, by the last train.
As Paul shook hands through the cab window with his prodigal son, herepeated his warning. "Mind," he said, "_you_ have been at school allthis past week; you have run away to attend this party, you understand?Good-bye, my boy, and here's something to put in your pocket, andanother for Jolland; but he need not know it comes from me." And whenDick opened his hand afterwards, he found two half-sovereigns in it.
So the cab rolled away, and Paul went up to the drawing-room, where,although he certainly allowed the fireworks on the balcony and in thegarden to languish forgotten on their sticks, he led all the otherrevels up to an advanced hour with jovial _abandon_ quite worthy ofDick, and none of his little guests ever suspected the change of host.
When it was all over, and the sleepy children had driven off, Paul satdown in an easy chair by the bright fire which sparkled frostily in hisbedroom, to think gratefully over all the events of the day--eventswhich were beginning already to take an unreal and fantastic shape.
Bitterly as he had suffered, and in spite of the just anger and thirstfor revenge with which he had returned, I am glad to say he did notregret the spirit of mildness that had stayed his hand when his hour oftriumph came.
His experiences, unpleasant as they had been, had had their advantages:they had drawn him and his family closer together.
In his daughter Barbara, as she wished him good-night (knowing nothing,of course, of the escape), he had suddenly become aware of a girlishfreshness and grace he had never looked for or cared to see before. Rolyafter this, too, had a claim upon him he could never wish to forget, andeven with the graceless Dick there was a warmer and more natural feelingon both sides--a strange result, no doubt, of such unfilial behaviour,but so it was.
Mr. Bultitude would never after this consider his family as a set oftroublesome and thankless incumbrances; thanks to Dick's offices duringthe interregnum, they would henceforth throw off their reserve andconstraint in their father's presence, and in so doing, open his eyes toqualities of which he had hitherto been in contented ignorance.
* * * * *
It would be pleasanter perhaps to take leave of Mr. Bultitude thus, ashe sits by his bedroom fire in the first flush of supreme and unalloyedcontent.
But I feel almost bound to point out a fact which few will find anydifficulty in accepting, namely, that, although the wrong had beenretrieved without scandal or exposure, for which Paul could not be toothankful, there were many consequences which could not but survive it.
Neither father nor son found himself exactly in the same position asbefore their exchange of characters.
It took Mr. Bultitude considerable time and trouble to repair all thedamage his son's boyish excesses had wrought both at Westbourne Terraceand in the City. He found the discipline of his clerks' room andcounting-house sorely relaxed, and his office-boy in particularattempted a tone towards him of such atrocious familiarity that he wasindignantly dismissed, much to his astonishment, the very first day. Andprobably Paul will never quite clear himself of the cloud that hangsover a man of business who, in the course of however well regulated acareer, is known to have been at least once "a little odd."
And his home, too, was distinctly demoralised: his cook was an artist,unrivalled at soups and entrees; but he had to get rid of hernotwithstanding.
It was only too evident that she looked upon herself as the prospectivemistress of his household, and he did not feel called upon as a parentto fulfil any expectations which Dick's youthful cupboard love hadunintentionally excited.
For some time, as fresh proof of Dick's extravagances came home to him,Paul found it cost him no little effort to restrain a tendency to hisformer bitterness and resentment, but he valued the new understandingbetween himself and his son too highly to risk losing it again by anyopen reproach, and so with each succeeding discovery the victory overhis feelings became easier.
As for Dick, he found the inconveniences at which his father had hintedanything but imaginary, as will perhaps be easily understood.
It was an unpleasant shock to discover that in one short week hisfather had contrived somehow to procure him a lasting unpopularity. Hewas obviously looked upon by all, masters and boys, as a confirmedcoward and sneak. And although some of his companions could not fairlyreproach him on the latter score, the imputation was particularlygalling to Dick, who had always treated such practices with sturdycontempt.
He was sorely tempted at times to right himself by declaring the realstate of the case; but he remembered his promise and his father'sunexpected clemency and his gratitude always kept him silent.
He never quite understood how it was that the whole school seemed tohave an impression that they could kick and assault him generally withperfect impunity; but a few very unsuccessful experiments convinced themthat this was a popular error on their part.
Although, however, in everything else he did gradually succeed inrecovering all the ground his father had lost him, yet there was onerespect in which, I am sorry to say, he found all his efforts toretrieve himself hopeless.
His little sweetheart, with the grey eyes and soft brown hair, cruellyrefused to have anything more to do with him. For Dulcie's pride hadbeen wounded by what
she considered his shameless perfidy on thatmemorable Saturday by the parallel bars; the last lingering traces ofaffection had vanished before Paul's ingratitude on the followingMonday, and she never forgave him.
She did not even give him an opportunity of explaining himself, never byword or sign up to the last day of the term showing that she was evenaware of his return. What was worse, in her resentment she transferredher favour to Tipping, who became her humble slave for a too briefperiod; after which he was found wanting in polish, and wasignominiously thrown over for the shy new boy Kiffin, whose head Dickfound a certain melancholy pleasure in punching in consequence.
This was Dick's punishment, and a very real and heavy one he found it.He is at Harrow now, where he is doing fairly well; but I think thereare moments even yet when Dulcie's charming little face, her prettyconfidences, and her chilling disdain, are remembered with something asnearly resembling a heartache as a healthy unsentimental boy can allowhimself.
Perhaps, if some day he goes back once more to Crichton House "to seethe fellows," this time with the mysterious glamour of a great publicschool about him, he may yet obtain forgiveness, for she is gettinghorribly tired of Kiffin, who, to tell the truth, is something of amilksop.
As for the Garuda Stone, I really cannot say what has become of it.Perhaps it was dashed to pieces on the cobble-stones of the stablesbehind the terrace, and a good thing too. Perhaps it was not, and isstill in existence, with all its dangerous powers as ready for use asever it was; and in that case the best I can wish my readers is, thatthey may be mercifully preserved from finding it anywhere, or if theyare unfortunate enough to come upon it, that they may at least be morecareful with it than Mr. Paul Bultitude, by whose melancholy example Itrust they will take timely warning.
And with these very sincere wishes I beg to bid them a reluctantfarewell.
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends