CHAPTER X
_How Bellew and Adam entered into a solemn league and covenant_
"Look at the moon to-night, Uncle Porges!"
"I see it."
"It's awfull' big, an' round, isn't it?"
"Yes, it's very big, and very round."
"An'--rather--yellow, isn't it?"
"Very yellow!"
"Just like a great, big golden sovereign, isn't it"
"Very much like a sovereign, my Porges."
"Well, do you know, I was wondering--if there was any chance that it wasa--Money Moon?"
They were leaning out at the lattice, Small Porges, and Big Porges.Anthea and Miss Priscilla were busied upon household matters whollyfeminine, wherefore Small Porges had drawn Bellew to the window, andthere they leaned, the small body enfolded by Bellew's long arm, and thetwo faces turned up to the silvery splendour of the moon.
But now, Anthea came up behind them, and, not noticing the position ofBellew's arm as she leaned on the other side of Small Porges, it befellthat her hand touched, and for a moment, rested upon Bellew's hand,hidden as it was in the shadow. And this probably began it.
The air of Arcadia, as has been said before, is an intoxicating air; butit is more, it is an air charged with a subtle magic whereby thecommonest objects, losing their prosaic, matter-of-fact shapes, becometransfigured into things of wonder, and delight. Little things that passas mere ordinary common-places,--things insignificant, and whollybeneath notice in the every day world, become fraught with such infinitemeaning, and may hold such sublime, such undreamed of possibilities--here in Arcadia. Thus, when it is recorded that Anthea's handaccidentally touched, and rested upon Bellew's--the significance of itwill become at once apparent.
"And pray," said Anthea, laying that same hand in the most naturalmanner in the world, upon the Small Porges' curls, "Pray what might youtwo be discussing so very solemnly?"
"The moon," answered Small Porges. "I was wondering if it was a MoneyMoon, an' Uncle Porges hasn't said if it is, yet."
"Why no, old chap," answered Bellew, "I'm afraid not."
"And pray," said Anthea again, "what might a Money Moon be?"
"Well," explained Small Porges, "when the moon's just--just so, then yougo out an'--an' find a fortune, you know. But the moon's got to be aMoney Moon, and you've got to know, you know, else you'll find nothing,of course."
"Ah Georgy dear!" sighed Anthea, stooping her dark head down to hisgolden curls, "don't you know that fortunes are very hard to get, andthat they have to be worked for, and that no one ever found one withouta great deal of labour, and sorrow?"
"'Course--everyone can't find fortunes, Auntie Anthea, I know that, butwe shall,--my Uncle Porges knows all about it, you see, an' I know thatwe shall. I'm sure as sure we shall find one, some day, 'cause, you see,I put it in my prayers now,--at the end, you know. I say: 'An' pleasehelp me an' my Uncle Porges to find a fortune when the Money Mooncomes,--a big one, world without end--Amen!' So you see, it's all right,an' we're just waiting till the Money Moon comes, aren't we,Uncle Porges?"
"Yes, old chap, yes," nodded Bellew, "until the Money Moon comes."
And so there fell a silence between them, yet a silence that held awondrous charm of its own; a silence that lasted so long that thecoppery curls drooped lower, and lower upon Bellew's arm, until Anthea,sighing, rose, and in a very tender voice bade Small Porges say'Goodnight!' the which he did, forthwith, slumberous of voice, andsleepy eyed, and so, with his hand in Anthea's, went drowsily up to bed.
Wherefore, seeing that Miss Priscilla had bustled away into the kitchen,Bellew sauntered out into the rose-garden to look upon the beauty of thenight. The warm air was fragrant with dewy scents, and the moon, alreadyhigh above the tree-tops, poured down her gentle radiance upon thequaint, old garden with its winding walks, and clipped yew hedges, whileupon the quiet, from the dim shadow of the distant woods, stole thesoft, sweet song of a nightingale.
Bellew walked a path bordered with flowers, and checkered with silverpatches of moon-light, drinking in the thousand beauties about him,staring up at the glory of the moon, the indigo of the sky, andlistening to the voice of the lonely singer in the wood. And yet it wasof none of these he was thinking as he paused under the shadow of "KingArthur,"--nor of Small Porges, nor of any one or anything in this worldbut only of the sudden, light touch of a warm, soft hand upon his. "Bethat you, sir?" Bellew started and now he found that he had beensitting, all this while, with an empty pipe between his teeth, yetcontent therewith; wherefore he shook his head, and wondered.
"Be that you, Mr. Beloo, sir?"
"Yes Adam, it is I."
"Ah! an' how might you be feelin' now--arter your exercise wi' thepitch-fork, sir?"
"Very fit, I thank you, Adam. Sit down, and smoke, and let us conversetogether."
"Why thankee sir," answered Adam, producing the small, black clay pipefrom his waistcoat pocket, and accepting Bellew's proffered pouch. "I'vebeen up to the 'ouse a visitin' Prudence, the cook,--an' a rare cook shebe, too, Mr. Beloo sir!"
"And a rare buxom girl into the bargain, Adam!"
"Oh, ah!--she's well enough, sir; I won't go for to deny as she's afine, up-standing, well-shaped, tall, an' proper figure of a woman asever was, sir,--though the Kentish lasses be a tidy lot, Mr. Beloo sir.But, Lord! when you come to think of her gift for Yorkshire Puddin',likewise jam-rollers, and seed-cake,--(which, though mentioned last,ain't by no manner o' means least),--when you come to think of her brewo' ale, an' cider, an' ginger wine,--why then--I'm took, sir, I'm tookaltogether, an' the 'Old Adam' inside o' me works hisself into such astate that if another chap--'specially that there Job Jagway getslookin' her way too often, why it's got to get took out o' him, or tookout o' me in good 'ard knocks, Mr. Belloo, sir."
"And when are you going to get married, Adam?"
"Well sir, we was thinkin' that if Miss Anthea has a good season, thisyear, we'd get it over an' done wi' some time in October, sir,--but it'sall accordin'."
"According to what?"
"To the 'ops, sir,--the H-O-P-S--'ops, sir. They're comin' on fine,--ah!scrumptuous they be! If they don't take the blight, sir, they'll be thefinest 'ops this side o' Maidstone. But then, if they do take theblight,--why then my 'opes is blighted likewise sir,--B-L-I-T-E-D,--blighted, Mr. Belloo sir!" which said, Adam laughed once, nodded hishead several times, and relapsed into puffing silence.
"Mr. Cassilis was over to-day, Adam," said Bellew, after a whilepursuing a train of thought.
"Ah sir!--I seen him,--'e also seen me. 'E told me as Job Jagway was upand about again,--likewise Job Jagway will be over 'ere to-morrow, alongwi' the rest of 'em for the sale, sir."
"Ah yes,--the sale!" said Bellew, thoughtfully.
"To think o' that there Job Jagway a coming over here to buy MissAnthea's furnitur' do set the Old Adam a workin' inside o' me to thatamazin' extent as I can't sit still, Mr. Belloo sir! If that there Jobcrosses my path to-morrer--well--let 'im--look out, that's all!" sayingwhich, Adam doubled up a huge, knotted fist and shook it at animaginary Job.
"Adam," said Bellew, in the same thoughtful tone, "I wonder if you woulddo something for me?"
"Anything you ax me, sir, so long as you don't want me to--"
"I want you to buy some of that furniture for me."
"What!" exclaimed Adam, and vented his great laugh again, "well, if thatain't a good 'un, sir! why that's just w'ot I'm a going to do! Ye see, Iain't w'ot you might call a rich cove, nor yet a millionaire, but I'vegot a bit put by, an' I drawed out ten pound, yesterday. ThinksI,--'here's to save Miss Anthea's old sideboard, or the mirror as she'sso fond of, or if not--why then a cheer or so,--they ain't a going toget it all,--not while I've got a pound or two,' I sez to myself."
"Adam," said Bellew, turning suddenly, "that sentiment does you credit,that sentiment makes me proud to have knocked you into a ditch,--shakehands, Adam." And there, beneath the great apple tree, while the moonlooked on, they very solemnly shook hands.
"And now, Adam," pursued Bellew, "I want you to put back your tenpounds, keep it for Prudence,--because I happen to have rather more thanwe shall want,--see here!" And, with the words, Bellew took out aleathern wallet, and from this wallet, money, and bank-notes,--moremoney, and more bank-notes than Adam had ever beheld in all his thirtyodd years, at sight of which his eyes opened, and his square jawrelaxed, to the imminent danger of his cherished clay pipe.
"I want you to take this," Bellew went on, counting a sum into Adam'snerveless hand, "and to-morrow, when the sale begins, if any one makes abid for anything, I want you to bid higher, and, no matter what, youmust always buy--always, you understand?"
"But sir,--that there old drorin'-room cab'net wi' the--carvings--"
"Buy it!"
"An' the silver candle-sticks,--and the four-post bed-stead,--an' the--"
"Buy 'em, Adam,--buy everything! If we haven't enough money there'splenty more where this came from,--only buy!--You understand?"
"Oh yes sir, I understand! 'Ow much 'ave you give me? Why,here's--forty-five,--fifty,--sixty,--Lord!--"
"Put it away, Adam,--forget all about it till to-morrow,--and not aword, mind!"
"A hundred pound!" gasped Adam, "Lord!--Oh I won't speak of it, trustme, Mr. Belloo, sir! But to think of me a walking about wi' a hundredpound in my pocket,--Lord! I won't say nothing--but to think of Old Adamwi' a hundred pound in his pocket, e'Cod! it do seem that comical!"saying which, Adam buttoned the money into a capacious pocket, slappedit, nodded, and rose. "Well sir, I'll be going,--there be Miss Anthea inthe garden yonder, and if she was to see me now there's no sayin' but Ishould be took a laughin' to think o' this 'ere hundred pound."
"Miss Anthea!--where?"
"Comin' through the rose-gardin. She be off to see old Mother Dibbin.They call Mother Dibbin a witch, an' now as she's down wi' therheumatics there ain't nobody to look arter 'er,--'cept MissAnthea,--she'd ha' starved afore now if it 'adn't been for Miss Anthea,but Lord love your eyes, an' limbs, Mr. Belloo sir! Miss Anthea don'tcare if she's a witch, or fifty witches, not she! So good-night, Mr.Belloo sir, an' mum's the word!"
Saying which, Adam slapped his pocket again, nodded, winked, and wentupon his way.
The Money Moon: A Romance Page 10