CHAPTER LIV. MORE DISCOVERIES
All that morning I pondered over the devious lane of my life, which hadled up to so fair a garden. And one thing above all kept turning andturning in my head, until I thought I should die of waiting for itsfulfilment. Now was I free to ask Dorothy to marry me, to promise herthe ease and comfort that had once been hers, should God bring us safeback to Maryland. The change in her was little less than a marvel tome, when I remembered the wilful miss who had come to London bent uponpleasure alone. Truly, she was of that rare metal which refines, andthen outshines all others. And there was much I could not understand.A miracle had saved her from the Duke of Chartersea, but why she hadrefused so many great men and good was beyond my comprehension. Not aglimpse of her did I get that day, though my eyes wandered little fromthe knob of the door. And even from Aunt Lucy no satisfaction was to behad as to the cause of her absence.
"'Clare to goodness, Marse Dick," said she, with great solemnity,"'clare to goodness, I'se nursed Miss Dolly since she was dat high, andneber one minnit obher life is I knowed what de Chile gwine t' do denext. She ain't neber yit done what I calcelated on."
The next morning, after the doctor had dressed my wounds and bantered meto his heart's content, enters Mr. Marmaduke Manners. I was prodigiouslystruck by the change in him, and pitied him then near as much as I hadonce despised him. He was arrayed in finery, as of old. But the finerywas some thing shabby; the lace was frayed at the edges, there was aneat but obvious patch in his small-clothes, and two more in his coat.His air was what distressed me most of all, being that of a man whospends his days seeking favours and getting none. I had seen too many ofthe type not to know the sign of it.
He ran forward and gave me his hand, which I grasped as heartily as myweakness would permit.
"They would not let me see you until to-day, my dear Richard," heexclaimed. "I bid you welcome to what is left of our home. 'Tis notArlington Street, my lad."
"But more of a home than was that grander house, Mr. Manners."
He sighed heavily.
"Alas!" said he, "poverty is a bitter draught, and we have drunk deep ofit since last we beheld you. My great friends know me no more, and willnot take my note for a shilling. They do not remember the dinners andsuppers I gave them. Faith, this war has brought nothing but misery, andhow we are to get through it, God knows!"
Now I understood it was not the war, but Mr. Marmaduke himself, whichhad carried his family to this pass. And some of my old resentmentrekindled.
"I know that I have brought you great additional anxiety and expense,Mr. Manners," I answered somewhat testily. "The care I have been to Mrs.Manners and Dorothy I may never repay. But it gives me pleasure to feel,sir, that I am in a position to reimburse you, and likewise to loan yousomething until your lands begin to pay again."
"There the Carvel speaks," he cried, "and the true son of our generousprovince. You can have no conception of the misfortunes come to me outof this quarrel. The mortgages on my Western Shore tobacco lands areforeclosed, and Wilmot House itself is all but gone. You well know, ofcourse, that I would do the same by you, Richard."
I smiled, but more in sadness than amusement. Hardship had only degradedMr. Marmaduke the more, and even in trouble his memory was convenientas is that of most people in prosperity. I was of no mind to jog hisrecollection. But I wanted badly to ask about his Grace. Where had myfine nobleman been at the critical point of his friend's misfortunes?For I had had many a wakeful night over that same query since my talkwith McAndrews.
"So you have come to your own again, Richard, my lad," said Mr.Marmaduke, breaking in upon my train. "I have felt for you deeply, andtalked many a night with Margaret and Dorothy over the wrong done you.Between you and me," he whispered, "that uncle of yours is an arrantknave, whom the patriots have served with justice. To speak truth, sir,I begin myself to have a little leaning to that cause which you have sobravely espoused."
This time I was close to laughing outright. But he was far too seriousto remark my mirth. He commenced once more, with an ahem, which gave mea better inkling than frankness of what bothered him.
"You will have an agent here, Richard, I take it," said he. "Yourgrandfather had one. Ahem! Doubtless this agent will advance you allyou shall have need of, when you are well enough to see him. Fact is, hemight come here."
"You forget, Mr. Manners, that I am a pirate and an outlaw, and that youare the shielder of such."
That thought shook the pinch of Holland he held all over him. But herecovered.
"My dear Richard, men of business are of no faction and of no nation.Their motto is discretion. And to obtain the factorship in London of alike estate to yours one of them would wear a plaster over his mouth,I'll warrant you. You have but to summon one of the rascals, promise hima bit of war interest, and he will leave you as much as you desire, andnothing spoken."
"To talk plainly, Mr. Manners," I replied, "I think 'twould be theheight of folly to resort to such means. When I am better, we shall seewhat can be done."
His face plainly showed his disappointment.
"To be sure," he said, in a whining tone, "I had forgotten your friends,Lord Comyn and Mr. Fox. They may do something for you, now you ownyour estate. My dear sir, I dislike to say aught against any man. Mrs.Manners will tell you of their kindness to us, but I vow I have not beenable to see it. With all the money at their command they will not loanme a penny in my pressing need. And I shame to say it, my own daughterprevents me from obtaining the money to keep us out of the Fleet. I knowshe has spoken to Dulany. Think of it, Richard, my own daughter, uponwhom I lavished all when I had it, who might have made a score of grandmatches when I gave her the opportunity, and now we had all been rollingin wealth. I'll be sworn I don't comprehend her, nor her mother either,who abets her. For they prefer to cook Maryland dainties for a living,to put in the hands of the footmen of the ladies whose houses they oncevisited. And how much of that money do you suppose I get, sir? Will youbelieve it that I--" (he was shrieking now), "that I, the man of thefamily, am allowed only my simple meals, a farthing for snuff, and not agroat for chaise-hire? At my age I am obliged to walk to and from theirlordships' side entrances in patched clothes, egad, when a new suitmight obtain us a handsome year's income!"
I turned my face to the wall, completely overcome, and the tearsscalding in my eyes, at the thought of Dorothy and her mother bendingover the stove cooking delicacies for their livelihood, and watching atmy bedside night and day despite their weariness of body. And not aword out of these noble women of their sacrifice, nor of the shame andtrouble and labour of their lives, who always had been used to everyluxury! Nothing but cheer had they brought to the sickroom, and not asign of their poverty and hardship, for they knew that their brothsand biscuit and jellies must have choked me. No. It remained for thiscontemptible cur of a husband and father to open my eyes.
He had risen when I had brought myself to look at him. And as I hope forheaven he took my emotion for pity of himself.
"I have worried you enough for one day with my troubles, my lad," saidhe. "But they are very hard to bear, and once in a while it does me goodto speak of them."
I did not trust myself to reply.
It was Aunt Lucy who spent the morning with me, and Mrs. Manners broughtmy dinner. I observed a questioning glance as she entered, which I tookfor an attempt to read whether Mr. Marmaduke had spoke more than heought. But I would have bitten off my tongue rather than tell her of mydiscoveries, though perhaps my voice may have betrayed an added concern.She stayed to talk on the progress of the war, relating the gallantstorming of Stony Point by Mad Anthony in July, and the latest Toryinsurrection on our own Eastern Shore. She passed from these matters toa discussion of General Washington's new policy of the defensive,for Mrs. Manners had always been at heart a patriot. And whilst I laylistening with a deep interest, in comes my lady herself. So was itever, when you least expected her, even as Mammy had said. She curtseyedvery prettily, with her chin tilted back and he
r cheeks red, and askedme how I did.
"And where have you been these days gone, Miss Will-o'the-Wisp, sincethe doctor has given me back my tongue?" I cried.
"I like you better when you are asleep," says she. "For then you aresometimes witty, though I doubt not the wit is other people's."
So I saw that she had tricked me, and taken her watch at night. For Islept like a trooper after a day's forage. As to what I might have saidin my dreams--that thought made me red as an apple.
"Dorothy, Dorothy," says her mother, smiling, "you would provoke asaint."
"Which would be better fun than teasing a sinner," replies the minx,with a little face at me. "Mr. Carvel, a gentleman craves the honour ofan audience from your Excellency."
"A gentleman!"
"Even so. He presents a warrant from your Excellency's physician."
With that she disappeared, Mrs. Manners going after her. And who shouldcome bursting in at the door but my Lord Comyn? He made one rush at me,and despite my weakness bestowed upon me a bear's hug.
"Oh, Richard," cried he, when he had released me, "I give you my oaththat I never hoped to see you rise from that bed when we laid you there.But they say that love works wondrous cures, and, egad, I believe thatnow. 'Tis love is curing you, my lad."
He held me off at arm's length, the old-time affection beaming from hishandsome face.
"What am I to say to you, Jack?" I answered. And my voice was all butgone, for the sight of him revived the memory of every separate debt ofthe legion I owed him. "How am I to piece words enough together to thankyou for this supreme act of charity?"
"'Od's, you may thank your own devilish thick head," said my Lord Comyn."I should never have bothered my own about you were it not for her. Hadit not been for her happiness do you imagine I would have picked you outof that crew of half-dead pirates in the Texel fort?"
I must needs brush my cheek, then, with the sleeve of my night-rail.
"And will you give me some account of this last prodigious turn you havedone her?" I said.
He laughed, and pinched me playfully.
"Now are you coming to your senses," said he. "There was cursed littleto the enterprise, Richard, and that's the truth. I got down to Dover,and persuaded the master of a schooner to carry me to Rotterdam. Thatwas not so difficult, since your Terror of the Seas was locked up safeenough in the Texel. In Rotterdam I had a travelling-chaise stripped,and set off at the devil's pace for the Texel. You must know that thewhole Dutch nation was in an uproar--as much of an uproar as those boorsever reach--over the arrival of your infamous squadron. The Court Partyand our ambassador were for having you kicked out, and the Republicansfor making you at home. I heard that their High Mightinesses had givenPaul Jones the use of the Texel fort for his wounded and his prisoners,and thither I ran. And I was even cursing the French sentry at thedrawbridge in his own tongue, when up comes your commodore himself.You may quarter me if wasn't knocked off my feet when I recognized theidentical peacock of a sea-captain we had pulled out of Castle Yardalong with you, and offered a commission in the Royal Navy."
"Dolly hadn't told you?"
"Dolly tell me!" exclaimed his Lordship, scornfully. "She was in a stateto tell me nothing the morning I left, save only to bring you to Englandalive, and repeat it over and over. But to return to your captain,--he,too, was taken all aback. But presently he whipt out my name, and I his,without the Jones. And when I told him my errand, he wept on my neck,and said he had obtained unlimited leave of absence for you from theParis commissioners. He took me up into a private room in the fort,where you were; and the surgeon, who was there at the time, said thatyour chances were as slim as any man's he had ever seen. Faith, youlooked it, my lad. At sight of your face I took one big gulp, for I hadno notion of getting you back to her. And rather than come without you,and look into her eyes, I would have drowned myself in the Straits ofDover.
"Despite the host of troubles he had on his hands, your commodorehimself came with us to Rotterdam. Now I protest I love that man, whohas more humanity in him than most of the virtuous people in England whocall him hard names. If you could have seen him leaning over you, andspeaking to you, and feeling every minute for your heart-beats, egad,you would have cried. And when I took you off to the schooner, he gaveme an hundred directions how to care for you, and then his sorrow bowledhim all in a heap."
"And is the commodore still at the Texel?" I asked, after a space.
"Ay, that he is, with our English cruisers thick as gulls outside'waiting for a dead fish. But he has spurned the French commission theyhave offered him, saying that of the Congress is good enough for him.And he declares openly that when he gets ready he will sail out in theAlliance under the Stars and Stripes. And for this I honour him," addedhe, "and Charles honours him, and so must all Englishmen honour himwhen they come to their senses. And by Gads life, I believe he will getclear, for he is a marvel at seamanship."
"I pray with all my heart that he may," said I, fervently.
"God help him if they catch him!" my Lord exclaimed. "You should see thebloody piratical portraits they are scattering over London."
"Has the risk you ran getting me into England ever occurred to you,Jack?" I asked, with some curiosity.
"Faith, not until the day after we got back, Richard," says he, "whenI met Mr. Attorney General on the street. 'Sdeath, I turned and ranthe other way like the devil was after me. For Charles Fox vows thatconscience makes cowards of the best of us."
"So that is some of Charles's wisdom!" I cried, and laughed until I wasforced to stop from pain.
"Come, my hearty," says Jack, "you owe me nothing for fishing you outof Holland--that is her debt. But I declare that you must one day payme for saving her for you. What! have I not always sworn that she lovedyou? Did I not pull you into the coffee-room of the Star and Garteryears ago, and tell you that same?"
My face warmed, though I said nothing.
"Oh, you sly dog! I'll warrant there has been many a tender talk justwhere I'm sitting."
"Not one," said I.
"'Slife, then, what have you been doing," he cries, "seeing her everyday and not asking her to marry you, my master of Carvel Hall?"
"Since I am permitted to use my tongue, she has not come near me, savewhen I slept," I answered ruefully.
"Nor will she, I'll be sworn," says he, shaken with laughter.
"'Ods, have you no invention? Egad, you must feign sleep, and seize herunawares."
I did not inform his Lordship how excellent this plan seemed to me.
"And I possessed the love of such a woman, Richard," he said, in anothertone, "I think I should die of happiness. She will never tell you howthese weeks past she has scarce left your side. The threats combined ofher mother and the doctor, and Charles and me, would not induce herto take any sleep. And time and time have I walked from here to BrookStreet without recognizing a step of the way, lifted clear out of myselfby the sight of her devotion."
What was my life, indeed, that such a blessing should come into it!
"When the crash came," he continued, "'twas she took command, and 'tisGod's pity she had not done so long before. Mr. Marmaduke was pushedto the bottom of the family, where he belongs, and was given onlysnuff-money. She would give him no opportunity to contract anotherdebt, and even charged Charles and me to loan him nothing. Nor would shereceive aught from us, but" (he glanced at me uneasily)--"but she andMrs. Manners must take to cooking delicacies--"
"Yes, yes, I know," I faltered.
"What! has the puppy told you?" cried he.
I nodded. "He was in here this morning, with his woes."
"And did he speak of the bargain he tried to make with our old friend,his Grace of Chartersea?"
"He tried to sell her again?" I cried, my breath catching. "I havefeared as much since I heard of their misfortunes."
"Yes," replied Comyn, "that was the first of it. 'Twas while they werestill in Arlington Street, and before Mrs. Manners and Dorothy knew. Mr.Marmaduke goes pos
ting off to Nottinghamshire, and comes back inside theduke's own carriage. And his Grace goes to dine in Arlington Street forthe first time in years. Dorothy had wind of the trouble then, Charleshaving warned her. And not a word would she speak to Chartersea thewhole of the dinner, nor look to the right or left of her plate. Andwhen the servants are gone, up gets my lady with a sweep and confrontshim.
"'Will your Grace spare me a minute in the drawing-room?' says she.
"He blinked at her in vast astonishment, and pushed back his chair. Whenshe was come to the door, she turns with another sweep on Mr. Marmaduke,who was trotting after.
"'You will please to remain here, father,' she said; 'what I am to sayis for his Grace's ear alone.'
"Of what she spoke to the duke I can form only an estimate, Richard," myLord concluded, "but I'll lay a fortune 'twas greatly to the point. Forin a little while Chartersea comes stumbling down the steps. And hehas never darkened the door since. And the cream of it is," said Comyn,"that her father gave me this himself, with a face a foot long, for meto sympathize. The little beast has strange bursts of confidence."
"And stranger confidants," I ejaculated, thinking of the morning, and ofCourtenay's letter, long ago.
But the story had made my blood leap again with pride of her. Thepicture in my mind had followed his every sentence, and even the verywords she must have used were ringing in my ears.
Then, as we sat talking in low tones, the door opened, and a heartyvoice cried out:
"Now where is this rebel, this traitor? They tell me one lies hid inthis house. 'Slife, I must have at him!"
"Mr. Fox!" I exclaimed.
He took my hands in his, and stood regarding me.
"For the convenience of my friends, I was christened Charles," said he.
I stared at him in amazement. He was grown a deal stouter, but my eyewas caught and held by the blue coat and buff waistcoat he wore. Theywere frayed and stained and shabby, yet they seemed all of a piece withsome new grandeur come upon the man.
"Is all the world turning virtuous? Is the millennium arrived?" I cried.
He smiled, with his old boyish smile.
"You think me changed some since that morning we drove together toHolland House--do you remember it after the night at St. Stephen's?"
"Remember it!" I repeated, with emphasis, "I'll warrant I can give youevery bit of our talk."
"I have seen many men since, but never have I met your equal for a mostdamnable frankness, Richard Carvel. Even Jack, here, is not half soblunt and uncompromising. But you took my fancy--God knows why!--thatfirst night I clapped eyes on you in Arlington Street, and I loved youwhen your simplicity made us that speech at Brooks's Club. So you havenot forgotten that morning under the trees, when the dew was on thegrass. Faith, I am glad of it. What children we were!" he said, andsighed.
"And yet you were a Junior Lord," I said.
"Which is more than I am now," he answered. "Somehow--you maylaugh--somehow I have never been able to shake off the influence of yourwords, Richard. Your cursed earnestness scared me."
"Scared you?" I cried, in astonishment.
"Just that," said Charles. "Jack will bear witness that I have saidso to Dolly a score of times. For I had never imagined such a singlecharacter as yours. You know we were all of us rakes at fifteen, towhom everything good in the universe was a joke. And do you recall theteamster we met by the Park, and how he arrested his salute when he sawwho it was? At another time I should have laughed over that, but it cutme to have it happen when you were along."
"And I'll lay an hundred guineas to a farthing the fellow would put hishead on the block for Charles now," cut in his Lordship, with his handon Mr. Fox's shoulder. "Behold, O Prophet," he cried, "one who is becomethe champion of the People he reviled! Behold the friend of Rebellionand 'Lese Majeste', the viper in Britannia's bosom!"
"Oh, have done, Jack," said Mr. Fox, impatiently, "you have no moremusic in your soul than a cow. Damned little virtue attaches to it,Richard," he went on. "North threw me out, and the king would havenothing to do with me, so I had to pick up with you rebels andtraitors."
"You will not believe him, Richard," cried my Lord; "you have only tolook at him to see that he lies. Take note of the ragged uniform of therebel army he carries, and then think of him 'en petite maitre', withhis cabriolet and his chestnuts. Egad, he might be as rich as Rigby wereit not for those principles which he chooses to deride. And I have seenhim reduced to a crown for them. I tell you, Richard," said my Lord, "byespousing your cause Charles is become greater than the King. For hehas the hearts of the English people, which George has not, and theallegiance of you Americans, which George will never have. And if youonce heard him, in Parliament, you should hear him now, and see theSpeaker wagging his wig like a man bewitched, and hear friends andenemies calling out for him to go on whenever he gives the sign of apause."
This speech of his Lordship's may seem cold in the writing, my dears,and you who did not know him may wonder at it. It had its birth in anadmiration few men receive, and which in Charles Fox's devoted coteriewas dangerously near to idolatry. During the recital of it Charleswalked to the window, and there stood looking out upon the grayprospect, seemingly paying but little attention. But when Comyn hadfinished, he wheeled on us with a smile.
"Egad, he will be telling you next that I have renounced the devil andall his works, Richard," said he.
"'Oohs, that I will not," his Lordship made haste to declare. "For theywere born in him, and will die with him."
"And you, Jack," I asked, "how is it that you are not in arms for theKing, and commanding one of his frigates?"
"Why, it is Charles's fault," said my Lord, smiling. "Were it not forhim I should be helping Sir George Collier lay waste to your coasttowns."