CHAPTER XLV.
The Two Plotters Congratulate Each Other.
When Master Joseph arrived home, he told his wife of what a perversecourse things had taken, amid his own and her frequent laughter. Andthen he could do nothing else than walk up and down impatiently,glancing at frequent intervals towards the road, to see if anybody werecoming.
In the course of an hour or so, nobody appearing and Sweetbriar beingsweetened up again by a good feed, he ordered the horse brought out.Then he was persuaded by his wife to recall the order, and waitpatiently till sundown.
"What impatient creatures you men are!" said Mistress Elizabeth withfeminine superiority. "Doubtless he will be along. Give him sufficienttime. Now, do not worry, husband mine, but take things patiently."
So Master Joseph was induced to control his restlessness and just assoon as he could have been reasonably expected, Master Raymond was seenriding up the lane at a light canter.
"Hurrah!" cried Master Joseph, running to meet him. "And is it allover?"
"We have smitten Ammon, hip and thigh, from Aroer even till thou come toMinnith!" answered Master Raymond, laughing. "It was you that kept theshe-wolf away, I know. How did you do it?"
"Come in and I will tell you all about it. And I want to hear how allwent off in Salem."
After a couple of hours' conversation, broken frequently byirresponsible bursts of laughter, the young men were mutuallyenlightened; and complimented each other upon the success with whichthey had worked out their respective schemes--while young MistressElizabeth complimented them both, thinking honestly in her innocentheart that two such wonderful young men certainly had never beforeexisted.
"How I should like to have seen you astonishing old Squire Hathorne,"said Master Joseph.
"I am afraid you would have spoiled all by laughing," said his youngwife. "You know you never can control your merriment, Joseph."
"I cannot? You should have seen me preaching to sister Ann thisafternoon. I kept my face all the time as sober as a judge's. You knowshe had to take it all quietly--she could not even run away from it."
"I would have given one of your five-pound Massachusetts notes to seeit," said Master Raymond. "And five pounds more to see your brotherThomas stamping up and down the bar-room of the 'Crown and Anchor,'waiting for that Ipswich man to meet him."
"I was very careful all through not to tell a direct falsehood," saidMaster Joseph; "it is bad enough to deceive people, without being guiltyof downright lying."
"Oh, of course," replied Master Raymond. "I do not know that I told adownright lie either, all day; although I must admit that I acted apretty big one. But you must deal with fools according to theirfolly--you know we have Scripture for that."
"I do not think I would have done it merely to save myself," said MasterJoseph, evidently a little conscience-smitten. "But to save you, myfriend, that seems to be different."
"And Dulcibel," added Master Raymond. "If I were imprisoned what wouldbecome of her?"
"Yes, I am glad I did it," responded his friend, regaining hisconfidence. "I have really hurt neither brother Thomas nor Sister Ann;on the contrary, I have prevented them from doing a great wrong. I amwilling to answer for this day's work at the Last Day--and I feelcertain that then at least, both of them will thank me for it."
"I have no doubt of it," said Mistress Elizabeth who herself brought upin the rigid Puritan school, had felt the same misgivings as herhusband, but whose scruples were also removed by this lastconsideration.
As for Master Raymond, he, being more a man of the world, had felt noscruples at playing such a deceitful part. I am afraid, that to saveDulcibel, he would not have scrupled at open and downright lying. Notthat he had not all the sensitiveness of an honorable man as to hisword; but because he looked upon the whole affair as a piece ofmalicious wickedness, in defiance of all just law, and which everytrue-hearted man was bound to oppose and defeat by all means allowablein open or secret warfare.
"I suppose you go back to Boston to morrow?" said his host, as they wereabout to separate for the night.
"Yes, immediately after breakfast. This affair is a warning to me, topush my plans to a consummation as soon as possible. I think I know whattheir next move will be--a shrewd man once said, just think what is thewisest thing for your enemies to do, and provide against that."
"What is it?"
"Remove the Governor."
"Why, I understood he was a mere puppet in the hands of the twoMathers."
"He would be perhaps; but there is a Lady Phips."
"Ah!' the gray mare is the better horse,' is she, as it is over atbrother Thomas's?"
"Yes, I think so. Now mark my prediction, friend Joseph; the first blowwill be struck at Lady Mary. If Sir William resists, as I feel certainthat he will--for he is, if not well educated, a thoroughly manlyman--then he will be ousted from his position. You will note that it hasbeen the game all through to strike at any one, man or woman, who camebetween these vampires and their prey. I know of only one exception."
"Ah, who is that?"
"Yourself."
Master Joseph smiled grimly. "They value their own lives very highly,friend Raymond; and know that to arrest me would be no child's play.Besides, Sweetbriar is never long unsaddled; and he is the fastest horsein Salem."
"Yes, and to add to all that, you are a Putnam; and your wife is closelyconnected with Squire Hathorne."
"There may be something in that," said his friend.
"Yes, even Mistress Ann has her limits, which her husband--submissive inso many things--will not allow her to pass. But we are both a littletired, after such an eventful day. Good night!"