CHAPTER LXXXIV.
THE EXCITED POPULACE.--VARNEY HUNTED.--THE PLACE OF REFUGE.
There seemed, now a complete lull in the proceedings as connected withVarney, the vampyre. We have reason to believe that the executioner whohad been as solicitous as Varney to obtain undisputed possession ofBannerworth Hall, has fallen a victim to the indiscriminating rage ofthe mob. Varney himself is a fugitive, and bound by the most solemn tiesto Charles Holland, not only to communicate to him such particulars ofthe past, as will bring satisfaction to his mind, but to abstain fromany act which, for the future, shall exercise a disastrous influenceupon the happiness of Flora.
The doctor and the admiral, with Henry, had betaken themselves from theHall as we had recorded, and, in due time, reached the cottage whereFlora and her mother had found a temporary refuge.
Mrs. Bannerworth was up; but Flora was sleeping, and, although thetidings they had to tell were of a curious and mixed nature, they wouldnot have her disturbed to listen to them.
And, likewise, they were rather pleased than otherwise, since they knewnot exactly what had become of Charles Holland, to think that they wouldprobably be spared the necessity of saying they could not account forhis absence.
That he had gone upon some expedition, probably dangerous, and so onewhich he did not wish to communicate the particulars of to his friends,lest they should make a strong attempt to dissuade him from it, theywere induced to believe.
But yet they had that confidence in his courage and active intellectualresources, to believe that he would come through it unscathed, and,probably, shortly show himself at the cottage.
In this hope they were not disappointed, for in about two hours Charlesmade his appearance; but, until he began to be questioned concerning hisabsence by the admiral, he scarcely considered the kind of dilemma hehad put himself into by the promise of secrecy he had given to Varney,and was a little puzzled to think how much he might tell, and how muchhe was bound in honour to conceal.
"Avast there!" cried the admiral; "what's become of your tongue,Charles? You've been on some cruize, I'll be bound. Haul over the ship'sbooks, and tell us what's happened."
"I have been upon an adventure," said Charles, "which I hope will beproductive of beneficial results to us all; but, the fact is, I havemade a promise, perhaps incautiously, that I will not communicate what Iknow."
"Whew!" said the admiral, "that's awkward; but, however, if a man saidunder sealed instructions, there's an end of it. I remember when I wasoff Candia once---"
"Ha!" interposed Jack, "that was the time you tumbled over the blessedbinnacle, all in consequence of taking too much Madeira. I remember it,too--it's an out and out good story, that 'ere. You took a rope's end,you know, and laid into the bowsprit; and, says you, 'Get up, youlubber,' says you, all the while a thinking, I supposes, as it was longJack Ingram, the carpenter's mate, laying asleep. What a lark!"
"This scoundrel will be the death of me," said the admiral; "there isn'tone word of truth in what he says. I never got drunk in all my life, aseverybody knows. Jack, affairs are getting serious between you and I--wemust part, and for good. It's a good many times that I've told youyou've forgot the difference between the quarter-deck and the caboose.Now, I'm serious--you're off the ship's books, and there's an end ofyou."
"Very good," said Jack; "I'm willing I'll leave you. Do you think I wantto keep you any longer? Good bye, old bloak--I'll leave you to repent,and when old grim death comes yard-arm and yard-arm with you, and youcan't shake off his boarding-tackle, you'll say, 'Where's Jack Pringle?'says you; and then what's his mane--oh ah! echo you call it--echo'llsay, it's d----d if it knows."
Jack turned upon his heel, and, before the admiral could make any replyhe left the place.
"What's the rascal up to now?" said the admiral. "I really didn't thinkhe'd have taken me at my word."
"Oh, then, after all, you didn't mean it, uncle?" said Charles.
"What's that to you, you lubber, whether I mean it, or not, youshore-going squab? Of course I expect everybody to desert an old hulk,rats and all--and now Jack Pringle's gone; the vagabond, couldn't hestay, and get drunk as long as he liked! Didn't he say what he pleased,and do what he pleased, the mutinous thief? Didn't he say I run awayfrom a Frenchman off Cape Ushant, and didn't I put up with that?"
"But, my dear uncle, you sent him away yourself."
"I didn't, and you know I didn't; but I see how it is, you've disgustedJack among you. A better seaman never trod the deck of a man-of-war."
"But his drunkenness, uncle?"
"It's a lie. I don't believe he ever got drunk. I believe you allinvented it, and Jack's so good-natured, he tumbled about just to keepyou in countenance."
"But his insolence, uncle; his gross insolence towards you--hisinventions, his exaggerations of the truth?"
"Avast, there--avast, there--none of that, Master Charlie; Jack couldn'tdo anything of the sort; and I means to say this, that if Jack was herenow, I'd stick up for him, and say he was a good seaman.
"Tip us your fin, then," said Jack, darting into the room; "do you thinkI'd leave you, you d----d old fool? What would become of you, I wonder,if I wasn't to take you in to dry nurse? Why, you blessed old babby,what do you mean by it?"
"Jack, you villain!"
"Ah! go on and call me a villain as much as you like. Don't you rememberwhen the bullets were scuttling our nobs?"
"I do, I do, Jack; tip us your fin, old fellow. You've saved my lifemore than once."
"It's a lie."
"It ain't. You did, I say."
"You bed----d!"
And thus was the most serious misunderstanding that these two worthiesever had together made up. The real fact is, that the admiral could aslittle do without Jack, as he could have done without food; and as forPringle, he no more thought of leaving the old commodore, than of--whatshall we say? forswearing him. Jack himself could not have taken astronger oath.
But the old admiral had suffered so much from the idea that Jack hadactually left him, that although he abused him as usual often enough, henever again talked of taking him off the ship's books; and, to thecredit of Jack be it spoken, he took no advantage of the circumstance,and only got drunk just as usual, and called his master an old foolwhenever it suited him.
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