Peveril of the Peak Page 8
CHAPTER VIII
My native land, good night! --BYRON.
Lady Peveril remained in no small anxiety for several hours after herhusband and the Countess had departed from Martindale Castle; moreespecially when she learned that Major Bridgenorth, concerning whosemotions she made private inquiry, had taken horse with a party, and wasgone to the westward in the same direction with Sir Geoffrey.
At length her immediate uneasiness in regard to the safety of herhusband and the Countess was removed, by the arrival of Whitaker, withher husband's commendations, and an account of the scuffle betwixthimself and Major Bridgenorth.
Lady Peveril shuddered to see how nearly they had approached to renewalof the scenes of civil discord; and while she was thankful to Heaven forher husband's immediate preservation, she could not help feeling bothregret and apprehension for the consequences of his quarrel with MajorBridgenorth. They had now lost an old friend, who had showed himselfsuch under those circumstances of adversity by which friendship ismost severely tried; and she could not disguise from herself thatBridgenorth, thus irritated, might be a troublesome, if not a dangerousenemy. His rights as a creditor, he had hitherto used with gentleness;but if he should employ rigour, Lady Peveril, whose attention todomestic economy had made her much better acquainted with her husband'saffairs than he was himself, foresaw considerable inconvenience from themeasures which the law put in his power. She comforted herself with therecollection, however, that she had still a strong hold on Bridgenorth,through his paternal affection, and from the fixed opinion which hehad hitherto manifested, that his daughter's health could only flourishwhile under her charge. But any expectations of reconciliation whichLady Peveril might probably have founded on this circumstance, werefrustrated by an incident which took place in the course of thefollowing morning.
The governante, Mistress Deborah, who has been already mentioned, wentforth, as usual, with the children, to take their morning exercise inthe Park, attended by Rachael, a girl who acted occasionally as herassistant in attending upon them. But not as usual did she return. Itwas near the hour of breakfast, when Ellesmere, with an unwonted degreeof primness in her mouth and manner, came to acquaint her lady thatMistress Deborah had not thought proper to come back from the Park,though the breakfast hour approached so near.
"She will come, then, presently," said Lady Peveril with indifference.
Ellesmere gave a short and doubtful cough, and then proceeded to say,that Rachael had been sent home with little Master Julian, and thatMistress Deborah had been pleased to say, she would walk on with MissBridgenorth as far as Moultrassie Holt; which was a point at whichthe property of the Major, as matters now stood, bounded that of SirGeoffrey Peveril.
"Is the wench turned silly," exclaimed the lady, something angrily,"that she does not obey my orders, and return at regular hours?"
"She may be turning silly," said Ellesmere mysteriously; "or she maybe turning too sly; and I think it were as well your ladyship looked toit."
"Looked to what, Ellesmere?" said the lady impatiently. "You arestrangely oracular this morning. If you know anything to the prejudiceof this young woman, I pray you speak it out."
"I prejudice!" said Ellesmere; "I scorn to prejudice man, woman, orchild, in the way of a fellow-servant; only I wish your ladyship to lookabout you, and use your own eyes--that is all."
"You bid me use my own eyes, Ellesmere; but I suspect," answered thelady, "you would be better pleased were I contented to see through yourspectacles. I charge you--and you know I will be obeyed--I charge you totell me what you know or suspect about this girl, Deborah Debbitch."
"I see through spectacles!" exclaimed the indignant Abigail; "yourladyship will pardon me in that, for I never use them, unless a pairthat belonged to my poor mother, which I put on when your ladyshipwants your pinners curiously wrought. No woman above sixteen ever didwhite-seam without barnacles. And then as to suspecting, I suspectnothing; for as your ladyship hath taken Mistress Deborah Debbitch fromunder my hand, to be sure it is neither bread nor butter of mine. Only"(here she began to speak with her lips shut, so as scarce to permit asound to issue, and mincing her words as if she pinched off the endsof them before she suffered them to escape),--"only, madam, if MistressDeborah goes so often of a morning to Moultrassie Holt, why, I shouldnot be surprised if she should never find the way back again."
"Once more, what do you mean, Ellesmere? You were wont to have somesense--let me know distinctly what the matter is."
"Only, madam," pursued the Abigail, "that since Bridgenorth came backfrom Chesterfield, and saw you at the Castle Hall, Mistress Deborah hasbeen pleased to carry the children every morning to that place; andit has so happened that she has often met the Major, as they call him,there in his walks; for he can walk about now like other folks; andI warrant you she hath not been the worse of the meeting--one way atleast, for she hath bought a new hood might serve yourself, madam; butwhether she hath had anything in hand besides a piece of money, no doubtyour ladyship is best judge."
Lady Peveril, who readily adopted the more good-natured construction ofthe governante's motives, could not help laughing at the idea of a manof Bridgenorth's precise appearance, strict principles, and reservedhabits, being suspected of a design of gallantry; and readily concluded,that Mistress Deborah had found her advantage in gratifying his parentalaffection by a frequent sight of his daughter during the few days whichintervened betwixt his first seeing little Alice at the Castle, and theevents which had followed. But she was somewhat surprised, when, anhour after the usual breakfast hour, during which neither the child norMistress Deborah appeared, Major Bridgenorth's only man-servant arrivedat the Castle on horseback, dressed as for a journey; and havingdelivered a letter addressed to herself, and another to MistressEllesmere, rode away without waiting any answer.
There would have been nothing remarkable in this, had any other personbeen concerned; but Major Bridgenorth was so very quiet and orderly inall his proceedings--so little liable to act hastily or by impulse, thatthe least appearance of bustle where he was concerned, excited surpriseand curiosity.
Lady Peveril broke her letter hastily open, and found that it containedthe following lines:--
"_For the Hands of the Honourable and Honoured Lady Peveril-- These:_
"Madam--Please it your Ladyship,--I write more to excuse myself to your ladyship, than to accuse either you or others, in respect that I am sensible it becomes our frail nature better to confess our own imperfections, than to complain of those of others. Neither do I mean to speak of past times, particularly in respect of your worthy ladyship, being sensible that if I have served you in that period when our Israel might be called triumphant, you have more than requited me, in giving to my arms a child, redeemed, as it were, from the vale of the shadow of death. And therefore, as I heartily forgive to your ladyship the unkind and violent measure which you dealt to me at our last meeting (seeing that the woman who was the cause of strife is accounted one of your kindred people), I do entreat you, in like manner, to pardon my enticing away from your service the young woman called Deborah Debbitch, whose direction, is, it may be, indispensable to the health of my dearest child. I had purposed, madam, with your gracious permission, that Alice should have remained at Martindale Castle, under your kind charge, until she could so far discern betwixt good and evil, that it should be matter of conscience to teach her the way in which she should go. For it is not unknown to your ladyship, and in no way do I speak it reproachfully, but rather sorrowfully, that a person so excellently gifted as yourself--I mean touching natural qualities--has not yet received that true light, which is a lamp to the paths, but are contented to stumble in darkness, and among the graves of dead men. It has been my prayer in the watches of the night, that your ladyship should cease from the doctrine which causeth to err; but I grieve to say, that our candlestick being about to be removed, the land will most likely be involve
d in deeper darkness than ever; and the return of the King, to which I and many looked forward as a manifestation of divine favour, seems to prove little else than a permitted triumph of the Prince of the Air, who setteth about to restore his Vanity-fair of bishops, deans, and such like, extruding the peaceful ministers of the word, whose labours have proved faithful to many hungry souls. So, hearing from a sure hand, that commission has gone forth to restore these dumb dogs, the followers of Laud and of Williams, who were cast forth by the late Parliament, and that an Act of Conformity, or rather of deformity, of worship, was to be expected, it is my purpose to flee from the wrath to come, and to seek some corner where I may dwell in peace, and enjoy liberty of conscience. For who would abide in the Sanctuary, after the carved work thereof is broken down, and when it hath been made a place for owls, and satyrs of the wilderness?--And herein I blame myself, madam, that I went in the singleness of my heart too readily into that carousing in the house of feasting, wherein my love of union, and my desire to show respect to your ladyship, were made a snare to me. But I trust it will be an atonement, that I am now about to absent myself from the place of my birth, and the house of my fathers, as well as from the place which holdeth the dust of those pledges of my affection. I have also to remember, that in this land my honour (after the worldly estimation) hath been abated, and my utility circumscribed, by your husband, Sir Geoffrey Peveril; and that without any chance of my obtaining reparation at his hand, whereby I may say the hand of a kinsman was lifted up against my credit and my life. These things are bitter to the taste of the old Adam; wherefore to prevent farther bickerings, and, it may be, bloodshed, it is better that I leave this land for a time. The affairs which remain to be settled between Sir Geoffrey and myself, I shall place in the hand of the righteous Master Joachim Win-the-Fight, an attorney in Chester, who will arrange them with such attention to Sir Geoffrey's convenience, as justice, and the due exercise of the law, will permit; for, as I trust I shall have grace to resist the temptation to make the weapons of carnal warfare the instruments of my revenge, so I scorn to effect it through the means of Mammon. Wishing, madam, that the Lord may grant you every blessing, and, in especial, that which is over all others, namely, the true knowledge of His way, I remain, your devoted servant to command, RALPH BRIDGENORTH.
"_Written at Moultrassie Hall, this tenth day of July, 1660._"
So soon as Lady Peveril had perused this long and singular homily,in which it seemed to her that her neighbour showed more spirit ofreligious fanaticism than she could have supposed him possessed of,she looked up and beheld Ellesmere,--with a countenance in whichmortification, and an affected air of contempt, seemed to struggletogether,--who, tired with watching the expression of her mistress'scountenance, applied for confirmation of her suspicions in plain terms.
"I suppose, madam," said the waiting-woman, "the fanatic fool intends tomarry the wench? They say he goes to shift the country. Truly it's time,indeed; for, besides that the whole neighbourhood would laugh him toscorn, I should not be surprised if Lance Outram, the keeper, gave him abuck's head to bear; for that is all in the way of his office."
"There is no great occasion for your spite at present, Ellesmere,"replied her lady. "My letter says nothing of marriage; but it wouldappear that Master Bridgenorth, being to leave this country, has engagedDeborah to take care of his child; and I am sure I am heartily glad ofit, for the infant's sake."
"And I am glad of it for my own," said Ellesmere; "and, indeed, for thesake of the whole house.--And your ladyship thinks she is not like to bemarried to him? Troth, I could never see how he should be such an idiot;but perhaps she is going to do worse; for she speaks here of coming tohigh preferment, and that scarce comes by honest servitude nowadays;then she writes me about sending her things, as if I were mistress ofthe wardrobe to her ladyship--ay, and recommends Master Julian to thecare of my age and experience, forsooth, as if she needed to recommendthe dear little jewel to me; and then, to speak of my age--But I willbundle away her rags to the Hall, with a witness!"
"Do it with all civility," said the lady, "and let Whitaker send her thewages for which she has served, and a broad-piece over and above; forthough a light-headed young woman, she was kind to the children."
"I know who is kind to their servants, madam, and would spoil the bestever pinned a gown."
"I spoiled a good one, Ellesmere, when I spoiled thee," said the lady;"but tell Mistress Deborah to kiss the little Alice for me, and tooffer my good wishes to Major Bridgenorth, for his temporal and futurehappiness."
She permitted no observation or reply, but dismissed her attendant,without entering into farther particulars.
When Ellesmere had withdrawn, Lady Peveril began to reflect, with muchfeeling of compassion, on the letter of Major Bridgenorth; a person inwhom there were certainly many excellent qualities, but whom a series ofdomestic misfortunes, and the increasing gloom of a sincere, yet sternfeeling of devotion, rendered lonely and unhappy; and she had more thanone anxious thought for the happiness of the little Alice, broughtup, as she was likely to be, under such a father. Still the removal ofBridgenorth was, on the whole, a desirable event; for while he remainedat the Hall, it was but too likely that some accidental collision withSir Geoffrey might give rise to a rencontre betwixt them, more fatalthan the last had been.
In the meanwhile, she could not help expressing to Doctor Dummerarher surprise and sorrow, that all which she had done and attempted, toestablish peace and unanimity betwixt the contending factions, had beenperversely fated to turn out the very reverse of what she had aimed at.
"But for my unhappy invitation," she said, "Bridgenorth would not havebeen at the Castle on the morning which succeeded the feast, would nothave seen the Countess, and would not have incurred the resentment andopposition of my husband. And but for the King's return, an event whichwas so anxiously expected as the termination of all our calamities,neither the noble lady nor ourselves had been engaged in this new pathof difficulty and danger."
"Honoured madam," said Doctor Dummerar, "were the affairs of this worldto be guided implicitly by human wisdom, or were they uniformly to fallout according to the conjectures of human foresight, events would nolonger be under the domination of that time and chance, which happenunto all men, since we should, in the one case, work out our ownpurposes to a certainty, by our own skill, and in the other, regulateour conduct according to the views of unerring prescience. But man is,while in this vale of tears, like an uninstructed bowler, so to speak,who thinks to attain the jack, by delivering his bowl straight forwardupon it, being ignorant that there is a concealed bias within thespheroid, which will make it, in all probability, swerve away, and losethe cast."
Having spoken this with a sententious air, the Doctor took hisshovel-shaped hat, and went down to the Castle green, to conclude amatch of bowls with Whitaker, which had probably suggested this notableillustration of the uncertain course of human events.
Two days afterwards, Sir Geoffrey arrived. He had waited at Vale Royaltill he heard of the Countess's being safely embarked for Man, and thenhad posted homeward to his Castle and Dame Margaret. On his way, helearned from some of his attendants, the mode in which his lady hadconducted the entertainment which she had given to the neighbourhood athis order; and notwithstanding the great deference he usually showedin cases where Lady Peveril was concerned, he heard of her liberalitytowards the Presbyterian party with great indignation.
"I could have admitted Bridgenorth," he said, "for he always bore himin neighbourly and kindly fashion till this last career--I could haveendured him, so he would have drunk the King's health, like a trueman--but to bring that snuffling scoundrel Solsgrace, with all hisbeggarly, long-eared congregation, to hold a conventicle in my father'shouse--to let them domineer it as they listed--why, I would not havepermitted them such liberty, when they held their head the highest! Theynever, in the worst of times, found any way into Martindale Castle butwhat Noll's cannon
made for them; and that they should come and cantthere, when good King Charles is returned--By my hand, Dame Margaretshall hear of it!"
But, notwithstanding these ireful resolutions, resentment altogethersubsided in the honest Knight's breast, when he saw the fair features ofhis lady lightened with affectionate joy at his return in safety. As hetook her in his arms and kissed her, he forgave her ere he mentioned heroffence.
"Thou hast played the knave with me, Meg," he said, shaking his head,and smiling at the same time, "and thou knowest in what manner; but Ithink thou art true church-woman, and didst only act from silly womanishfancy of keeping fair with these roguish Roundheads. But let me have nomore of this. I had rather Martindale Castle were again rent by theirbullets, than receive any of the knaves in the way of friendship--Ialways except Ralph Bridgenorth of the Hall, if he should come to hissenses again."
Lady Peveril was here under the necessity of explaining what she hadheard of Master Bridgenorth--the disappearance of the governante withhis daughter, and placed Bridgenorth's letter in his hand. Sir Geoffreyshook his head at first, and then laughed extremely at the idea thatthere was some little love-intrigue between Bridgenorth and MistressDeborah.
"It is the true end of a dissenter," he said, "to marry his ownmaid-servant, or some other person's. Deborah is a good likely wench,and on the merrier side of thirty, as I should think."
"Nay, nay," said the Lady Peveril, "you are as uncharitable asEllesmere--I believe it but to be affection to his child."
"Pshaw! pshaw!" answered the Knight, "women are eternally thinking ofchildren; but among men, dame, many one carresses the infant that hemay kiss the child's maid; and where's the wonder or the harm either, ifBridgenorth should marry the wench? Her father is a substantial yeoman;his family has had the same farm since Bosworthfield--as good a pedigreeas that of the great-grandson of a Chesterfield brewer, I trow. But letus hear what he says for himself--I shall spell it out if there is anyroguery in the letter about love and liking, though it might escape yourinnocence, Dame Margaret."
The Knight of the Peak began to peruse the letter accordingly, but wasmuch embarrassed by the peculiar language in which it was couched. "Whathe means by moving of candlesticks, and breaking down of carved workin the church, I cannot guess; unless he means to bring back the largesilver candlesticks which my grandsire gave to be placed on the altarat Martindale Moultrassie; and which his crop-eared friends, likesacrilegious villains as they are, stole and melted down. And in likemanner, the only breaking I know of, was when they pulled down the railsof the communion table (for which some of their fingers are hot enoughby this time), and when the brass ornaments were torn down from Peverilmonuments; and that was breaking and removing with a vengeance. However,dame, the upshot is, that poor Bridgenorth is going to leave theneighbourhood. I am truly sorry for it, though I never saw him oftenerthan once a day, and never spoke to him above two words. But I see howit is--that little shake by the shoulder sticks in his stomach; and yet,Meg, I did but lift him out of the saddle as I might have lifted theeinto it, Margaret--I was careful not to hurt him; and I did not thinkhim so tender in point of honour as to mind such a thing much; but Isee plainly where his sore lies; and I warrant you I will manage thathe stays at the Hall, and that you get back Julian's little companion.Faith, I am sorry myself at the thought of losing the baby, and ofhaving to choose another ride when it is not hunting weather, than roundby the Hall, with a word at the window."
"I should be very glad, Sir Geoffrey," said the Lady Peveril, "that youcould come to a reconciliation with this worthy man, for such I musthold Master Bridgenorth to be."
"But for his dissenting principles, as good a neighbour as ever lived,"said Sir Geoffrey.
"But I scarce see," continued the lady, "any possibility of bringingabout a conclusion so desirable."
"Tush, dame," answered the Knight, "thou knowest little of such matters.I know the foot he halts upon, and you shall see him go as sound asever."
Lady Peveril had, from her sincere affection and sound sense, as gooda right to claim the full confidence of her husband, as any woman inDerbyshire; and, upon this occasion, to confess the truth, she had moreanxiety to know his purpose than her sense of their mutual and separateduties permitted her in general to entertain. She could not imagine whatmode of reconciliation with his neighbour, Sir Geoffrey (no very acutejudge of mankind or their peculiarities) could have devised, which mightnot be disclosed to her; and she felt some secret anxiety lest the meansresorted to might be so ill chosen as to render the breach rather wider.But Sir Geoffrey would give no opening for farther inquiry. He had beenlong enough colonel of a regiment abroad, to value himself on the rightof absolute command at home; and to all the hints which his lady'singenuity could devise and throw out, he only answered, "Patience, DameMargaret, patience. This is no case for thy handling. Thou shalt knowenough on't by-and-by, dame.--Go, look to Julian. Will the boy neverhave done crying for lack of that little sprout of a Roundhead? But wewill have little Alice back with us in two or three days, and all willbe well again."
As the good Knight spoke these words, a post winded his horn in thecourt, and a large packet was brought in, addressed to the worshipfulSir Geoffrey Peveril, Justice of the Peace, and so forth; for he hadbeen placed in authority as soon as the King's Restoration was put upona settled basis. Upon opening the packet, which he did with no smallfeeling of importance, he found that it contained the warrant which hehad solicited for replacing Doctor Dummerar in the parish, from which hehad been forcibly ejected during the usurpation.
Few incidents could have given more delight to Sir Geoffrey. He couldforgive a stout able-bodied sectary or nonconformist, who enforced hisdoctrines in the field by downright blows on the casques and cuirassesof himself and other Cavaliers. But he remembered with most vindictiveaccuracy, the triumphant entrance of Hugh Peters through the breachof his Castle; and for his sake, without nicely distinguishing betwixtsects or their teachers, he held all who mounted a pulpit withoutwarrant from the Church of England--perhaps he might also inprivate except that of Rome--to be disturbers of the publictranquillity--seducers of the congregation from their lawfulpreachers--instigators of the late Civil War--and men well disposed torisk the fate of a new one.
Then, on the other hand, besides gratifying his dislike to Solsgrace,he saw much satisfaction in the task of replacing his old friend andassociate in sport and in danger, the worthy Doctor Dummerar, in hislegitimate rights and in the ease and comforts of his vicarage. Hecommunicated the contents of the packet, with great triumph, to thelady, who now perceived the sense of the mysterious paragraph in MajorBridgenorth's letter, concerning the removal of the candlestick, and theextinction of light and doctrine in the land. She pointed this out toSir Geoffrey, and endeavoured to persuade him that a door was now openedto reconciliation with his neighbour, by executing the commission whichhe had received in an easy and moderate manner, after due delay, andwith all respect to the feelings both of Solsgrace and his congregation,which circumstances admitted of. This, the lady argued, would be doingno injury whatever to Doctor Dummerar;--nay, might be the means ofreconciling many to his ministry, who might otherwise be disgusted withit for ever, by the premature expulsion of a favourite preacher.
There was much wisdom, as well as moderation, in this advice; and, atanother time, Sir Geoffrey would have sense enough to have adopted it.But who can act composedly or prudently in the hour of triumph? Theejection of Mr. Solsgrace was so hastily executed, as to give it someappearance of persecution; though, more justly considered, it was therestoring of his predecessor to his legal rights. Solsgrace himselfseemed to be desirous to make his sufferings as manifest as possible.He held out to the last; and on the Sabbath after he had receivedintimation of his ejection, attempted to make his way to the pulpit, asusual, supported by Master Bridgenorth's attorney, Win-the-Fight, and afew zealous followers.
Just as their party came into the churchyard on the one side, DoctorDummerar, dressed in full pontifica
ls, in a sort of triumphal processionaccompanied by Peveril of the Peak, Sir Jasper Cranbourne, and otherCavaliers of distinction, entered at the other.
To prevent an actual struggle in the church, the parish officers weresent to prevent the farther approach of the Presbyterian minister; whichwas effected without farther damage than a broken head, inflictedby Roger Raine, the drunken innkeeper of the Peveril Arms, upon thePresbyterian attorney of Chesterfield.
Unsubdued in spirit, though compelled to retreat by superior force, theundaunted Mr. Solsgrace retired to the vicarage; where under some legalpretext which had been started by Mr. Win-the-Fight (in that dayunaptly named), he attempted to maintain himself--bolted gates--barredwindows--and, as report said (though falsely), made provision offire-arms to resist the officers. A scene of clamour and scandalaccordingly took place, which being reported to Sir Geoffrey, he came inperson, with some of his attendants carrying arms--forced the outer-gateand inner-doors of the house; and proceeding to the study, found noother garrison save the Presbyterian parson, with the attorney, who gaveup possession of the premises, after making protestation against theviolence that had been used.
The rabble of the village being by this time all in motion, SirGeoffrey, both in prudence and good-nature, saw the propriety ofescorting his prisoners, for so they might be termed, safely through thetumult; and accordingly conveyed them in person, through much noise andclamour, as far as the avenue of Moultrassie Hall, which they chose forthe place of their retreat.
But the absence of Sir Geoffrey gave the rein to some disorders, which,if present, he would assuredly have restrained. Some of the minister'sbooks were torn and flung about as treasonable and seditious trash, bythe zealous parish-officers or their assistants. A quantity of hisale was drunk up in healths to the King and Peveril of the Peak.And, finally, the boys, who bore the ex-parson no good-will for histyrannical interference with their games at skittles, foot-ball, and soforth, and, moreover, remembered the unmerciful length of hissermons, dressed up an effigy with his Geneva gown and band, and hissteeple-crowned hat, which they paraded through the village, and burnedon the spot whilom occupied by a stately Maypole, which Solsgrace hadformerly hewed down with his own reverend hands.
Sir Geoffrey was vexed at all this and sent to Mr. Solsgrace, offeringsatisfaction for the goods which he had lost; but the Calvinisticaldivine replied, "From a thread to a shoe-latchet, I will not takeanything that is thine. Let the shame of the work of thy hands abidewith thee."
Considerable scandal, indeed, arose against Sir Geoffrey Peveril ashaving proceeded with indecent severity and haste upon this occasion;and rumour took care to make the usual additions to the reality. It wascurrently reported, that the desperate Cavalier, Peveril of thePeak, had fallen on a Presbyterian congregation, while engaged in thepeaceable exercise of religion, with a band of armed men--had slainsome, desperately wounded many more, and finally pursued the preacher tohis vicarage which he burned to the ground. Some alleged the clergymanhad perished in the flames; and the most mitigated report bore, that hehad only been able to escape by disposing his gown, cap, and band,near a window, in such a manner as to deceive them with the idea of hisperson being still surrounded by flames, while he himself fled by theback part of the house. And although few people believed in the extentof the atrocities thus imputed to our honest Cavalier, yet still enoughof obloquy attached to him to infer very serious consequences, as thereader will learn at a future period of our history.