A Set of Rogues

by Frank Barrett

  CHAPTER XXV.

  _A table of various accidents._

  As your guide, showing you an exhibition of paintings, will linger overthe first room, and then pass the second in hurried review to come thequicker to a third of greater interest, so I, having dwelt, may be, atundue length upon some secondary passages in this history, musteconomise my space by touching lightly on the events that cameimmediately before Moll's marriage, and so get to those more movingaccidents which followed. Here, therefore, will I transcribe certainnotes (forming a brief chronicle) from that secret journal which, forthe clearer understanding of my position, I began to keep the day I tookpossession of Simon's lodge and entered upon my new office.

  _December 8._ Very busy all this forenoon setting my new house in order,conveying, with the help of the gardener, all those domestic andpersonal goods that belong to Simon into the attick; but Lord! so fewthese things, and they so patched and worn, that altogether they are notworth ten shillings of anybody's money. I find the house wondrous neatand clean in every part, but so comfortless and prison-like, that I lookforward with little relish to living here when the time comes for me toleave the Court. After this to examining books, papers, etc., and themore closely I look into these, the more assured I am that never was anyservant more scrupulous, exact, and honest in his master's service thanthis old steward, which puts me to the hope that I may be only half asfaithful to my trust as he, but I do fear I shall not.

  Conversing privily with Don Sanchez after dinner, he gave me his opinionthat we had done a very unwise thing in turning out old Simon, showinghow by a little skill I might have persuaded Moll to leave this businessto Mr. Godwin as the proper ruler of her estate; how by such delay Mr.Godwin's resentment would have abated and he willing to listen to goodargument in the steward's favour; how then we should have made Simonmore eager than ever to serve us in order to condone his late offence,and how by abusing our opportunities we had changed this useful servantto a dangerous enemy whose sole endeavour must be to undo us and recoverhis former position, etc.... "Why, what have we to fear of thismiserable old man?" says I. "Unless he fetch Mrs. Godwin from Barbary,he cannot disprove Moll's right to the estate, and what else can he do?"

  "There's the mischief of it," answers he. "'Tis because you know not howhe may attack you that you have no means of defending yourself. 'Tisever the unseen trifle in our path which trips us up." And dismissingthis part of the subject with a hunch of his shoulders, he advises meseriously to sell as many more farms as I may for ready money, and keepit in some secret convenient corner where I may lay hands on it at amoment's warning.

  This discourse coming atop of a night's ill rest, depressed my mind tosuch a degree that I could take no interest in my work, but sat there inmy naked room with my accounts before me, and no spirit to cast 'em up,Nor was I much happier when I gave up work and returned to the Court.For, besides having to wait an hour later than usual for dinner, Moll'streatment of me was none of the best,--she being particularly perverseand contrary, for having dressed herself in her best in expectation ofher lover's return, and he not coming when at last she permitted supperto be dished. We were scarcely seated, however, when she springs up witha cry of joy and runs from the room, crying she hears her Richard'sstep, which was indeed true, though we had heard nothing more pleasantthan the rattle of our plates. Presently they come in, all radiant withhappiness, hand in hand, and thenceforth nought but sweetness and mirthon the part of Mistress Moll, who before had been all frown and pout. Atsupper Mr. Godwin tells us how his sweetheart hath certainly dispelledthe clouds that have hung so long over him, he having heard in Londonthat Sir Peter Lely, on seeing one of his pieces, desires to see him atHatfield (where he is painting) on good business, and to Hatfield hewill go to discharge this matter before his marriage; which joyeth Mollless than me, I being pleased to see he is still of the same, stoutdisposition to live an active life. In the evening he gives Moll a verybeautiful ring for a troth token, which transports her with joy, so thatshe cannot enough caress her lover or this toy, but falls first tokissing one and then t'other in a rapture. In return, she gives him aring from her finger. "'Tis too small for my finger, love," says he;"but I will wear it against my heart as long as it beats." After that hefinds another case and puts it in Moll's hand, and she, opening it,fetches her breath quickly and can say nothing for amazement; then,turning it in the light, she regards it with winking eyes, as if dazzledby some fierce brilliancy. And so closing the case as if it were toomuch for her, she lays her face upon Mr. Godwin's breast, he having hisarm about her, murmuring some inarticulate words of passionate love.Recovering her energies presently, she starts up, and putting the casein her lover's hand, she bids him put on his gift, therewith pullingdown her kerchief to expose her beautiful bare neck, whereupon he drawsfrom the box a diamond collar and clasps it about her throat with apretty speech. And truly this was a gift worthy of a princess, the mostbeautiful bauble I have ever seen, and must have cost him all he had ofme to the last shilling.

  _December 10._ Finding amongst Simon's quittances a bill for lawexpenses of one John Pearson, attorney, at Maidstone, I concluded thismust be the most trustworthy man of his kind in the country; and so setforth early this morning to seek him,--a tedious, long journey, and theroads exceedingly foul. By good luck I found Mr. Pearson at home,--avery civil, shrewd man, as I think. Having laid my business before him,he tells me there will be no difficulty in dividing the estate accordingto the wish of Mr. Godwin and Moll, which may be done by a simple deedof agreement; and this he promises to draw up, and send to us forsignature in a couple of days. But to get the seal to Moll's successionwill not be such an easy matter, and, unless we are willing to giveseven or eight hundred pounds in fees, we may be kept waiting a year,with the chance of being put to greater expense to prove our right; forhe tells me the court and all about it are so corrupt that no ministeris valued if he do not, by straight or crooked ways, draw money into thetreasury, and that they will rather impede than aid the course ofjustice if it be to the king's interest, and that none will stir a handto the advantage of any one but the king, unless it be secretly to hisown, etc. And, though he will say nothing against Simon, save (by way ofhint) that all men must be counted honest till they are proved guilty,yet he do apprehend he will do all in his power to obstruct the grantingof this seal, which it is only reasonable to suppose he will. So, toclose this discussion, I agree he shall spend as much as one thousandpounds in bribery, and he thinks we may certainly look to have it in amonth at that price. Home late, and very sore.

  _December 11._ Much astonished this morning on going to my house to findall changed within as if by inchantment--fine hangings to my windows,handsome furniture in every room, all arranged in due order (with a pairof pictures in my parlour), the linen press stocked with all that isneedful and more, and even the cellar well garnished with wines, etc.And truly thus embellished my house looks no longer like a prison, butas cheerful and pleasant a dwelling-place as the heart of man coulddesire (in moderation), and better than any I have yet dreamt ofpossessing. And 'twas easy to guess whose hands had worked thistransformation, even had I not recognised certain pieces of furniture ascoming from the Court, for 'twas of a piece with Moll's loving andplayful spirit to prepare this surprise for me while I was goneyesterday to Maidstone. I am resolved I will sleep herehenceforth,--there being two bedrooms all properly furnished,--as beingmore in keeping with my new position.

  _December 13._ This day a little before dinner time came Dawson to theCourt, quite sober and looking as like a rough honest seaman as anythingcould be, but evidently with his best shore-going manners on. And whenMoll very graciously offers him her hand, he whips out a red handkercherand lays it over her hand before kissing it, which was a piece ofceremony he must have observed at Greenwich, as also many odd phrasesand sea expressions with which he garnished his conversation.

  "Captain Evans," says Moll, taking her lover's hand, "this is Mr.Godwin, my cousin, and soon to be my husband."
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br />   Mr. Godwin holds forth his hand, but ere he would take it, Dawson lookshim full in the face a good minute; then, taking it in his great grimyhand, and grasping it firmly, "Master," says Jack, "I see thou art anhonest man, and none lives who hath ever sold me tar for pitch, be henever so double-faced, and so I wish you joy of your sweet wife. As foryou, Mistress" (turning to Moll) "who have ever been kind to me beyondmy deserts, I do wish you all the happiness in the world, and I countall my hardships well paid in bringing you safely to this anchorage. Forsure I would sooner you were still Lala Mollah and a slave in Barbarythan the Queen of Chiney and ill-mated; and so Lord love the both ofyou!"

  After staying a couple of hours with us, he was for going (but notbefore he had given us the instructive history of the torment he hadendured, by telling his wife, in an unguarded moment, of his gallantrieswith Sukey Taylor), nor would he be persuaded to sleep at the Court andleave next day, maintaining that whilst he had never a penny in theworld he could very honestly accept Moll's hospitality, but that nowbeing well-to-do, thanks to her bounty, he blessed Heaven he hadsufficient good breeding, and valued himself well enough not to takeadvantage of her beneficence. However, hearing I had a house of my own,and could offer him a bed, he willingly agreed to be my guest for thenight, regarding me as one of his own quality. We stayed to sup at theCourt, where he entertained us with a lengthy account of his latevoyage, and how being taken in a tempest, his masts had all been sweptby the board, and his craft so damaged that 'twas as much as she wouldhold together till he brought her into Falmouth, where she must liea-repairing a good two months ere he could again venture to sea in her.And this story he told with such an abundance of detail and so manynautical particulars, that no one in the world could have dreamt he waslying.

  He explained to me later on that he had refused to lie at the Court, forfear a glass or two after supper might lead his tongue astray, tellingme that he had touched nothing but penny ale all his long journey fromLondon, for fear of losing his head; and on my asking why he hadfabricated that long history of shipwreck he vowed I had put him to itby saying I had a house of my own where he could lie; "For," says he,"my ship being laid up will furnish me with a very good excuse forcoming to spend a day or two with you now and then. So may I get anotherglimpse of my own dear Moll, and see her in the fulness of her joy."

  He could not sufficiently cry up the excellence of Mr. Godwin, his noblebearing, his frank, honest countenance, his tenderness for Moll, etc.,and he did truly shed tears of gratitude to think that now, whateverbefell him, her welfare and happiness were assured; but this was when hehad emptied his bottle and had got to that stage of emotion whichusually preceded boisterous hilarity when he was in his cups.

  And whilst I am speaking of bottles, it will not be amiss to note here,for my future warning, a grave imprudence of mine, which I discovered onleaving the room to seek more wine. On the flame of my candle blowingaside, I perceived that I had left my door unfastened, so that it nowstood ajar. And, truly, this was as culpable a piece of oversight as Icould well have committed; for here, had an enemy, or even an idlebusybody, been passing, he might very well have entered the littlepassage and overheard that which had been our undoing to have madeknown.