Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor

by R. D. Blackmore

  CHAPTER XXXVIII

  A GOOD TURN FOR JEREMY

  John Fry had now six shillings a week of regular and permanent wage,besides all harvest and shearing money, as well as a cottage rent-free,and enough of garden-ground to rear pot-herbs for his wife and allhis family. Now the wages appointed by our justices, at the time ofsessions, were four-and-sixpence a week for summer, and a shilling lessfor the winter-time; and we could be fined, and perhaps imprisoned, forgiving more than the sums so fixed. Therefore John Fry was looked uponas the richest man upon Exmoor, I mean of course among labourers, andthere were many jokes about robbing him, as if he were the mint of theKing; and Tom Faggus promised to try his hand, if he came across Johnon the highway, although he had ceased from business, and was seeking aRoyal pardon.

  Now is it according to human nature, or is it a thing contradictory(as I would fain believe)? But anyhow, there was, upon Exmoor, no morediscontented man, no man more sure that he had not his worth, neitherhalf so sore about it, than, or as, John Fry was. And one thing he didwhich I could not wholly (or indeed I may say, in any measure)reconcile with my sense of right, much as I laboured to do John justice,especially because of his roguery; and this was, that if we said toomuch, or accused him at all of laziness (which he must have known to bein him), he regularly turned round upon us, and quite compelled usto hold our tongues, by threatening to lay information against us forpaying him too much wages!

  Now I have not mentioned all this of John Fry, from any disrespect forhis memory (which is green and honest amongst us), far less from anydesire to hurt the feelings of his grandchildren; and I will do them thejustice, once for all, to avow, thus publicly, that I have known a greatmany bigger rogues, and most of themselves in the number. But I havereferred, with moderation, to this little flaw in a worthy character (orfoible, as we call it, when a man is dead) for this reason only--thatwithout it there was no explaining John's dealings with Jeremy Stickles.

  Master Jeremy, being full of London and Norwich experience, fell intothe error of supposing that we clods and yokels were the simplest of thesimple, and could be cheated at his good pleasure. Now this is not so:when once we suspect that people have that idea of us, we indulge themin it to the top of their bent, and grieve that they should come out ofit, as they do at last in amazement, with less money than before, andthe laugh now set against them.

  Ever since I had offended Jeremy, by threatening him (as before related)in case of his meddling with my affairs, he had more and more alliedhimself with simple-minded John, as he was pleased to call him. JohnFry was everything: it was 'run and fetch my horse, John'--'John, are mypistols primed well?'--'I want you in the stable, John, about somethingvery particular', until except for the rudeness of it, I was longingto tell Master Stickles that he ought to pay John's wages. John forhis part was not backward, but gave himself the most wonderful airs ofsecrecy and importance, till half the parish began to think that theaffairs of the nation were in his hand, and he scorned the sight of adungfork.

  It was not likely that this should last; and being the only man in theparish with any knowledge of politics, I gave John Fry to understandthat he must not presume to talk so freely, as if he were at least aconstable, about the constitution which could be no affair of his, andmight bring us all into trouble. At this he only tossed his nose, as ifhe had been in London at least three times for my one; which vexed me sothat I promised him the thick end of the plough-whip if even the name ofa knight of the shire should pass his lips for a fortnight.

  Now I did not suspect in my stupid noddle that John Fry would ever tellJeremy Stickles about the sight at the Wizard's Slough and the man inthe white nightcap; because John had sworn on the blade of his knife notto breathe a word to any soul, without my full permission. However, itappears that John related, for a certain consideration, all that hehad seen, and doubtless more which had accrued to it. Upon this MasterStickles was much astonished at Uncle Reuben's proceedings, havingalways accounted him a most loyal, keen, and wary subject.

  All this I learned upon recovering Jeremy's good graces, which came topass in no other way than by the saving of his life. Being bound to keepthe strictest watch upon the seven rooks' nests, and yet not bearingto be idle and to waste my mother's stores, I contrived to keep my workentirely at the western corner of our farm, which was nearest to GlenDoone, and whence I could easily run to a height commanding the view Icoveted.

  One day Squire Faggus had dropped in upon us, just in time for dinner;and very soon he and King's messenger were as thick as need be. Tom hadbrought his beloved mare to show her off to Annie, and he mounted hispretty sweetheart upon her, after giving Winnie notice to be on hervery best behaviour. The squire was in great spirits, having justaccomplished a purchase of land which was worth ten times what he gavefor it; and this he did by a merry trick upon old Sir Roger Bassett, whonever supposed him to be in earnest, as not possessing the money. Thewhole thing was done on a bumper of claret in a tavern where they met;and the old knight having once pledged his word, no lawyers couldhold him back from it. They could only say that Master Faggus, beingattainted of felony, was not a capable grantee. 'I will soon cure that,'quoth Tom, 'my pardon has been ready for months and months, so soon as Icare to sue it.'

  And now he was telling our Annie, who listened very rosily, and believedevery word he said, that, having been ruined in early innocence by themeans of lawyers, it was only just, and fair turn for turn, that havingbecome a match for them by long practice upon the highway, he shouldreinstate himself, at their expense, in society. And now he would goto London at once, and sue out his pardon, and then would his lovelydarling Annie, etc., etc.--things which I had no right to hear, and inwhich I was not wanted.

  Therefore I strode away up the lane to my afternoon's employment, sadlycomparing my love with theirs (which now appeared so prosperous), yetheartily glad for Annie's sake; only remembering now and then the oldproverb 'Wrong never comes right.'

  I worked very hard in the copse of young ash, with my billhook and ashearing-knife; cutting out the saplings where they stooled too closetogether, making spars to keep for thatching, wall-crooks to drive intothe cob, stiles for close sheep hurdles, and handles for rakes, andhoes, and two-bills, of the larger and straighter stuff. And all thelesser I bound in faggots, to come home on the sledd to the woodrick.It is not to be supposed that I did all this work, without many peeps atthe seven rooks' nests, which proved my Lorna's safety. Indeed, wheneverI wanted a change, either from cleaving, or hewing too hard, or stoopingtoo much at binding, I was up and away to the ridge of the hill, insteadof standing and doing nothing.

  Soon I forgot about Tom and Annie; and fell to thinking of Lorna only;and how much I would make of her; and what I should call our children;and how I would educate them, to do honour to her rank; yet all the timeI worked none the worse, by reason of meditation. Fresh-cut spars arenot so good as those of a little seasoning; especially if the sapwas not gone down at the time of cutting. Therefore we always find itneedful to have plenty still in stock.

  It was very pleasant there in the copse, sloping to the west as it was,and the sun descending brightly, with rocks and banks to dwell upon. Thestems of mottled and dimpled wood, with twigs coming out like elbows,hung and clung together closely, with a mode of bending in, as childrendo at some danger; overhead the shrunken leaves quivered and rustledripely, having many points like stars, and rising and fallingdelicately, as fingers play sad music. Along the bed of the slantingground, all between the stools of wood, there were heaps of dead brownleaves, and sheltered mats of lichen, and drifts of spotted stick gonerotten, and tufts of rushes here and there, full of fray and feathering.

  All by the hedge ran a little stream, a thing that could barely nameitself, flowing scarce more than a pint in a minute, because of thesunny weather. Yet had this rill little crooks and crannies dark andbravely bearded, and a gallant rush through a reeden pipe--the stem ofa flag that was grounded; and here and there divided threads, from thepoints of a
branching stick, into mighty pools of rock (as large as agrown man's hat almost) napped with moss all around the sides and hungwith corded grasses. Along and down the tiny banks, and nodding into oneanother, even across main channel, hung the brown arcade of ferns; somewith gold tongues languishing; some with countless ear-drops jerking,some with great quilled ribs uprising and long saws aflapping; otherscupped, and fanning over with the grace of yielding, even as a hollowfountain spread by winds that have lost their way.

  Deeply each beyond other, pluming, stooping, glancing, glistening,weaving softest pillow lace, coying to the wind and water, when theirfleeting image danced, or by which their beauty moved,--God has made nolovelier thing; and only He takes heed of them.

  It was time to go home to supper now, and I felt very friendly towardsit, having been hard at work for some hours, with only the voice of thelittle rill, and some hares and a pheasant for company. The sun was gonedown behind the black wood on the farther cliffs of Bagworthy, and therusset of the tufts and spear-beds was becoming gray, while the greynessof the sapling ash grew brown against the sky; the hollow curves ofthe little stream became black beneath the grasses and the fairy fansinnumerable, while outside the hedge our clover was crimping its leavesin the dewfall, like the cocked hats of wood-sorrel,--when, thanking Godfor all this scene, because my love had gifted me with the key to allthings lovely, I prepared to follow their example, and to rest fromlabour.

  Therefore I wiped my bill-hook and shearing-knife very carefully, forI hate to leave tools dirty; and was doubting whether I should try foranother glance at the seven rooks' nests, or whether it would be toodark for it. It was now a quarter of an hour mayhap, since I had madeany chopping noise, because I had been assorting my spars, and tyingthem in bundles, instead of plying the bill-hook; and the gentle tinkleof the stream was louder than my doings. To this, no doubt, I owe mylife, which then (without my dreaming it) was in no little jeopardy.

  For, just as I was twisting the bine of my very last faggot, beforetucking the cleft tongue under, there came three men outside the hedge,where the western light was yellow; and by it I could see that all threeof them carried firearms. These men were not walking carelessly, butfollowing down the hedge-trough, as if to stalk some enemy: and for amoment it struck me cold to think it was I they were looking for. Withthe swiftness of terror I concluded that my visits to Glen Doone wereknown, and now my life was the forfeit.

  It was a most lucky thing for me, that I heard their clothes catch inthe brambles, and saw their hats under the rampart of ash, which is madeby what we call 'splashing,' and lucky, for me that I stood in a goyal,and had the dark coppice behind me. To this I had no time to fly, butwith a sort of instinct, threw myself flat in among the thick fern, andheld my breath, and lay still as a log. For I had seen the light gleamon their gun-barrels, and knowing the faults of the neighbourhood, wouldfain avoid swelling their number. Then the three men came to the gapin the hedge, where I had been in and out so often; and stood up, andlooked in over.

  It is all very well for a man to boast that, in all his life, he hasnever been frightened, and believes that he never could be so. Theremay be men of that nature--I will not dare to deny it; only I havenever known them. The fright I was now in was horrible, and all my bonesseemed to creep inside me; when lying there helpless, with only a billetand the comb of fern to hide me, in the dusk of early evening, I sawthree faces in the gap; and what was worse, three gun-muzzles.

  'Somebody been at work here--' it was the deep voice of Carver Doone;'jump up, Charlie, and look about; we must have no witnesses.'

  'Give me a hand behind,' said Charlie, the same handsome young Doone Ihad seen that night; 'this bank is too devilish steep for me.'

  'Nonsense, man!' cried Marwood de Whichehalse, who to my amazement wasthe third of the number; 'only a hind cutting faggots; and of course hehath gone home long ago. Blind man's holiday, as we call it. I can seeall over the place; and there is not even a rabbit there.'

  At that I drew my breath again, and thanked God I had gotten my coat on.

  'Squire is right,' said Charlie, who was standing up high (on a rootperhaps), 'there is nobody there now, captain; and lucky for the poordevil that he keepeth workman's hours. Even his chopper is gone, I see.'

  'No dog, no man, is the rule about here, when it comes to coppice work,'continued young de Whichehalse; there is not a man would dare workthere, without a dog to scare the pixies.'

  'There is a big young fellow upon this farm,' Carver Doone mutteredsulkily, 'with whom I have an account to settle, if ever I come acrosshim. He hath a cursed spite to us, because we shot his father. He wasgoing to bring the lumpers upon us, only he was afeared, last winter.And he hath been in London lately, for some traitorous job, I doubt.'

  'Oh, you mean that fool, John Ridd,' answered the young squire; 'a verysimple clod-hopper. No treachery in him I warrant; he hath not the headfor it. All he cares about is wrestling. As strong as a bull, and withno more brains.'

  'A bullet for that bull,' said Carver; and I could see the grin on hisscornful face; 'a bullet for ballast to his brain, the first time I comeacross him.'

  'Nonsense, captain! I won't have him shot, for he is my oldschool-fellow, and hath a very pretty sister. But his cousin is of adifferent mould, and ten times as dangerous.'

  'We shall see, lads, we shall see,' grumbled the great black-beardedman. 'Ill bodes for the fool that would hinder me. But come, let usonward. No lingering, or the viper will be in the bush from us. Body andsoul, if he give us the slip, both of you shall answer it.'

  'No fear, captain, and no hurry,' Charlie answered gallantly, 'would Iwere as sure of living a twelvemonth as he is of dying within the hour!Extreme unction for him in my bullet patch. Remember, I claim to be hisconfessor, because he hath insulted me.'

  'Thou art welcome to the job for me,' said Marwood, as they turned away,and kept along the hedge-row; 'I love to meet a man sword to sword; notto pop at him from a foxhole.'

  What answer was made I could not hear, for by this time the stout ashenhedge was between us, and no other gap to be found in it, until at thevery bottom, where the corner of the copse was. Yet I was not quit ofdanger now; for they might come through that second gap, and then wouldbe sure to see me, unless I crept into the uncut thicket, before theycould enter the clearing. But in spite of all my fear, I was not wiseenough to do that. And in truth the words of Carver Doone had filled mewith such anger, knowing what I did about him and his pretence to Lorna;and the sight of Squire Marwood, in such outrageous company, had somoved my curiosity, and their threats against some unknown person soaroused my pity, that much of my prudence was forgotten, or at least thebetter part of courage, which loves danger at long distance.

  Therefore, holding fast my bill-hook, I dropped myself very quietlyinto the bed of the runnel, being resolved to take my chance of theirentrance at the corner, where the water dived through the hedge-row. Andso I followed them down the fence, as gently as a rabbit goes, only Iwas inside it, and they on the outside; but yet so near that I heard thebranches rustle as they pushed them.

  Perhaps I had never loved ferns so much as when I came to the end ofthat little gully, and stooped betwixt two patches of them, now mychiefest shelter, for cattle had been through the gap just there, inquest of fodder and coolness, and had left but a mound of trodden earthbetween me and the outlaws. I mean at least on my left hand (upon whichside they were), for in front where the brook ran out of the copse was agood stiff hedge of holly. And now I prayed Heaven to lead them straighton for if they once turned to their right, through the gap, the muzzlesof their guns would come almost against my forehead.

  I heard them, for I durst not look; and could scarce keep still fortrembling--I heard them trampling outside the gap, uncertain which trackthey should follow. And in that fearful moment, with my soul almostlooking out of my body, expecting notice to quit it, what do you thinkI did? I counted the threads in a spider's web, and the flies he hadlately eaten, as their skeletons s
hook in the twilight.

  'We shall see him better in there,' said Carver, in his horrible gruffvoice, like the creaking of the gallows chain; 'sit there, behind hollyhedge, lads, while he cometh down yonder hill; and then our good-eveningto him; one at his body, and two at his head; and good aim, lest webaulk the devil.'

  'I tell you, captain, that will not do,' said Charlie, almostwhispering: 'you are very proud of your skill, we know, and can hit alark if you see it: but he may not come until after dark, and we cannotbe too nigh to him. This holly hedge is too far away. He crosses downhere from Slocomslade, not from Tibbacot, I tell you; but along thattrack to the left there, and so by the foreland to Glenthorne, where hisboat is in the cove. Do you think I have tracked him so many evenings,without knowing his line to a hair? Will you fool away all my trouble?'

  'Come then, lad, we will follow thy lead. Thy life for his, if we failof it.'

  'After me then, right into the hollow; thy legs are growing stiff,captain.'

  'So shall thy body be, young man, if thou leadest me astray in this.'

  I heard them stumbling down the hill, which was steep and rocky in thatpart; and peering through the hedge, I saw them enter a covert, by theside of the track which Master Stickles followed, almost every evening,when he left our house upon business. And then I knew who it was theywere come on purpose to murder--a thing which I might have guessed longbefore, but for terror and cold stupidity.

  'Oh that God,' I thought for a moment, waiting for my blood to flow; 'Ohthat God had given me brains, to meet such cruel dastards according totheir villainy! The power to lie, and the love of it; the stealth tospy, and the glory in it; above all, the quiet relish for blood, and joyin the death of an enemy--these are what any man must have, to contendwith the Doones upon even terms. And yet, I thank God that I have notany of these.'

  It was no time to dwell upon that, only to try, if might be, to preventthe crime they were bound upon. To follow the armed men down the hillwould have been certain death to me, because there was no covert there,and the last light hung upon it. It seemed to me that my only chance tostop the mischief pending was to compass the round of the hill, as fastas feet could be laid to ground; only keeping out of sight from thevalley, and then down the rocks, and across the brook, to the track fromSlocombslade: so as to stop the King's messenger from travelling anyfarther, if only I could catch him there.

  And this was exactly what I did; and a terrible run I had for it,fearing at every step to hear the echo of shots in the valley, anddropping down the scrubby rocks with tearing and violent scratching.Then I crossed Bagworthy stream, not far below Doone-valley, andbreasted the hill towards Slocombslade, with my heart very heavilypanting. Why Jeremy chose to ride this way, instead of the more directone (which would have been over Oare-hill), was more than I could accountfor: but I had nothing to do with that; all I wanted was to save hislife.

  And this I did by about a minute; and (which was the hardest thing ofall) with a great horse-pistol at my head as I seized upon his bridle.

  'Jeremy, Jerry,' was all I could say, being so fearfully short ofbreath; for I had crossed the ground quicker than any horse could.

  'Spoken just in time, John Ridd!' cried Master Stickles, still howeverpointing the pistol at me: 'I might have known thee by thy size, John.What art doing here?'

  'Come to save your life. For God's sake, go no farther. Three men in thecovert there, with long guns, waiting for thee.'

  'Ha! I have been watched of late. That is why I pointed at thee, John.Back round this corner, and get thy breath, and tell me all about it. Inever saw a man so hurried. I could beat thee now, John.'

  Jeremy Stickles was a man of courage, and presence of mind, and muchresource: otherwise he would not have been appointed for this business;nevertheless he trembled greatly when he heard what I had to tellhim. But I took good care to keep back the name of young Marwood deWhichehalse; neither did I show my knowledge of the other men; forreasons of my own not very hard to conjecture.

  'We will let them cool their heels, John Ridd,' said Jeremy, afterthinking a little. 'I cannot fetch my musketeers either from Glenthorneor Lynmouth, in time to seize the fellows. And three desperate Doones,well-armed, are too many for you and me. One result this attempt willhave, it will make us attack them sooner than we had intended. And onemore it will have, good John, it will make me thy friend for ever. Shakehands my lad, and forgive me freely for having been so cold to thee.Mayhap, in the troubles coming, it will help thee not a little to havedone me this good turn.'

  Upon this he shook me by the hand, with a pressure such as we feel notoften; and having learned from me how to pass quite beyond view of hisenemies, he rode on to his duty, whatever it might be. For my part I wasinclined to stay, and watch how long the three fusiliers would have thepatience to lie in wait; but seeing less and less use in that, as Igrew more and more hungry, I swung my coat about me, and went home toPlover's Barrows.