CHAPTER XXVI
_How the money moon rose_
Evening had deepened into night,--a night of ineffable calm, a night ofan all pervading quietude. A horse snorted in the stable nearby, a dogbarked in the distance, but these sounds served only to render thesilence the more profound, by contrast. It was, indeed, a night whereinpixies, and elves, and goblins, and fairies might weave their magicspells, a night wherein tired humanity dreamed those dreams that seem sohopelessly impossible by day.
And, over all, the moon rose high, and higher, in solemn majesty,filling the world with her pale loveliness, and brooding over it likethe gentle goddess she is. Even the distant dog seemed to feel somethingof all this, for, after a futile bark or two, he gave it up altogether,and was heard no more.
And Bellew, gazing up at Luna's pale serenity, smiled and nodded,--asmuch as to say, "You'll do!" and so stood leaning upon his spadelistening to:
"That deep hush which seems a sigh Breathed by Earth to listening sky."
Now, all at once, upon this quietude there rose a voice up-raised infervent supplication; wherefore, treading very softly, Bellew came, andpeeping round the hay-rick, beheld Small Porges upon his knees. He wasequipped for travel and the perils of the road, for beside him lay astick, and tied to this stick was a bundle that bulged with his mostcherished possessions. His cheeks were wet with great tears thatglistened in the moon-beams, but he wept with eyes tight shut, and withhis small hands clasped close together, and thus he spoke,--albeit muchshaken, and hindered by sobs:
"I s'pose you think I bother you an awful lot, dear Lord,--an' so I do,but you haven't sent the Money Moon yet, you see, an' now my AuntieAnthea's got to leave Dapplemere--if I don't find the fortune for hersoon. I know I'm crying a lot, an' real men don't cry,--but it's only'cause I'm awful--lonely an' disappointed,--an' nobody can see me, so itdoesn't matter. But, dear Lord, I've looked an' looked everywhere, an' Ihaven't found a single sovereign yet,--an' I've prayed to you, an'prayed to you for the Money Moon an'--it's never come. So now, dearLord, I'm going to Africa, an' I want you to please take care of myAuntie Anthea till I come back. Sometimes I'm 'fraid my prayers can'tquite manage to get up to you 'cause of the clouds, an' wind, butto-night there isn't any, so, if they do reach you, please--Oh! pleaselet me find the fortune, and, if you don't mind, let--_him_ come back tome, dear Lord,--I mean my Uncle Porges, you know. An' now--that's all,dear Lord, so Amen!"
As the prayer ended Bellew stole back, and coming to the gate of therick-yard, leaned there waiting. And, presently, as he watched, he saw asmall figure emerge from behind the big hay-stack and come stridingmanfully toward him, his bundle upon his shoulder, and with the moonbright in his curls.
But, all at once, Small Porges saw him and stopped, and the stick andbundle fell to the ground and lay neglected.
"Why--my Porges!" said Bellew, a trifle huskily, perhaps, "why,Shipmate!" and he held out his hands. Then Small Porges uttered a cry,and came running, and next moment Big Porges had him in his arms.
"Oh, Uncle Porges!--then you--have come back to me!"
"Aye, aye, Shipmate."
"Why, then--my prayers _did_ reach!"
"Why, of course,--prayers always reach, my Porges."
"Then, oh!--do you s'pose I shall find the fortune, too?"
"Not a doubt of it,--just look at the moon!"
"The--moon?"
"Why, haven't you noticed how--er--peculiar it is to-night?"
"Peculiar?" repeated Small Porges breathlessly, turning to look at it.
"Why, yes, my Porges,--big, you know, and--er--yellow,--like--er--like avery large sovereign."
"Do you mean--Oh! do you mean--it's--the--" But here Small Porges chokedsuddenly, and could only look his question.
"The Money Moon?--Oh yes--there she is at last, my Porges! Take a goodlook at her, I don't suppose we shall ever see another."
Small Porges stood very still, and gazed up at the moon's broad, yellowdisc, and, as he looked the tears welled up in his eyes again, and agreat sob broke from him.
"I'm so--glad!" he whispered. "So--awful--glad!" Then, suddenly, hedashed away his tears and slipped his small, trembling handinto Bellew's.
"Quick, Uncle Porges!" said he, "Mr. Grimes is coming to-night, youknow--an' we must find the money in time. Where shall we look first?"
"Well, I guess the orchard will do--to start with."
"Then let's go--now."
"But we shall need a couple of spades, Shipmate."
"Oh!--must we dig?"
"Yes,--I fancy that's a--er--digging moon, my Porges, from the look ofit. Ah! there's a spade, nice and handy, you take that andI'll--er--I'll manage with this pitchfork."
"But you can't dig with a--"
"Oh! well--you can do the digging, and I'll just--er--prod, you know.Ready?--then heave ahead, Shipmate."
So they set out, hand in hand, spade and pitch-fork on shoulder, andpresently were come to the orchard.
"It's an awful big place to dig up a fortune in!" said Small Porges,glancing about. "Where do you s'pose we'd better begin?"
"Well, Shipmate, between you and me, and the pitch-fork here, I ratherfancy 'King Arthur' knows more than most people would think. Any way,we'll try him. You dig on that side, and I'll prod on this."
Saying which, Bellew pointed to a certain spot where the grass lookedsomewhat uneven, and peculiarly bumpy, and, bidding Small Porges get towork, went round to the other side of the great tree.
Being there, he took out his pipe, purely from force of habit, and stoodwith it clenched in his teeth, listening to the scrape of SmallPorges' spade.
Presently he heard a cry, a panting, breathless cry, but full of a joyunspeakable:
"I've got it!--Oh, Uncle Porges--I've found it!"
Small Porges was down upon his knees, pulling and tugging at a sack hehad partially unearthed, and which, with Bellew's aid, he dragged forthinto the moonlight. In the twinkling of an eye the string was cut, andplunging in a hand Small Porges brought up a fistful of shiningsovereigns, and, among them, a crumpled banknote.
"It's all right, Uncle Porges!" he nodded, his voice all of a quaver."It's all right, now,--I've found the fortune I've prayed for,--gold,you know, an' banknotes--in a sack. Everything will be all right againnow." And, while he spoke, he rose to his feet, and lifting the sackwith an effort, swung it across his shoulder, and set off towardthe house.
"Is it heavy, Shipmate?"
"Awful heavy!" he panted, "but I don't mind that--it's gold, you see!"But, as they crossed the rose-garden, Bellew laid a restraining handupon his shoulder.
"Porges," said he, "where is your Auntie Anthea?"
"In the drawing-room, waiting for Mr. Grimes."
"Then, come this way." And turning, Bellew led Small Porges up, andalong the terrace.
"Now, my Porges," he admonished him, "when we come to the drawing-roomwindows,--they're open, you see,--I want you to hide with me in theshadows, and wait until I give you the word--"
"Aye, aye, Captain!" panted Small Porges.
"When I say 'heave ahead, Shipmate,'--why, then, you will take yourtreasure upon your back and march straight into the room--youunderstand?"
"Aye, aye, Captain."
"Why, then--come on, and--mum's the word."
Very cautiously they approached the long French windows, and paused inthe shadow of a great rose-bush, near-by. From where he stood Bellewcould see Anthea and Miss Priscilla, and between them, sprawling in aneasy chair, was Grimes, while Adam, hat in hand, scowled in thebackground.
"All I can say is--as I'm very sorry for ye, Miss Anthea," Grimes wassaying. "Ah! that I am, but glad as you've took it so well,--no cryingnor nonsense!" Here he turned to look at Miss Priscilla, whoseeverlasting sewing had fallen to her feet, and lay there all unnoticed,while her tearful eyes were fixed upon Anthea, standing white-facedbeside her.
"And when--when shall ye be ready to--leave, to--vacate Dapplemere,Miss Anthea?" Grimes went on. "Not as I mean to
'urry you, mind,--only Ishould like you to--name a day."
Now, as Bellew watched, he saw Anthea's lips move, but no sound came.Miss Priscilla saw also, and catching the nerveless hand, drew it to herbosom, and wept over it.
"Come! come!" expostulated Grimes, jingling the money in his pockets."Come, come, Miss Anthea, mam!--all as I'm axing you is--when? All as Iwant you to do is--"
But here Adam, who had been screwing and wringing at his hat, nowstepped forward and, tapping Grimes upon the shoulder, pointed tothe door:
"Mister Grimes," said he, "Miss Anthea's told ye all as you come here tofind out,--she's told ye as she--can't pay, so now,--s'pose you--go."
"But all I want to know is when she'll be ready to move, and I ain't agoing till I do,--so you get out o' my way!"
"S'pose you go!" repeated Adam.
"Get out o' my way,--d'ye hear?"
"Because," Adam went on, "if ye don't go, Mister Grimes, the 'Old Adam'be arising inside o' me to that degree as I shall be forced to ketch youby the collar o' your jacket, and--heave you out, Mr. Grimes, sir,--sos'pose you go."
Hereupon Mr. Grimes rose, put on his hat, and muttering to himself,stamped indignantly from the room, and Adam, shutting the door upon him,turned to Miss Anthea, who stood white-lipped and dry-eyed, while gentlelittle Miss Priscilla fondled her listless hand.
"Don't,--don't look that way, Miss Anthea," said Adam. "I'd rayther seeyou cry, than look so. It be 'ard to 'ave to let the old placego, but--"
"Heave ahead, Shipmate!" whispered Bellew.
Obedient to his command Small Porges, with his burden upon his back, ranforward, and stumbled into the room.
"It's all right, Auntie Anthea!" he cried, "I've got the fortune foryou,--I've found the money I prayed for,--here it is, oh!--here it is!"
The sack fell jingling to the floor, and, next moment, he had poured aheap of shining gold and crumpled banknotes at Anthea's feet.
For a moment no one moved, then, with a strange hoarse cry, Adam hadflung himself down upon his knees, and caught up a great handful of thegold; then while Miss Priscilla sobbed with her arms about Small Porges,and Anthea stared down at the treasure, wide-eyed, and with her handspressed down upon her heart, Adam gave a sudden, great laugh, andspringing up, came running out through the window, never spying Bellewin his haste, and shouting as he ran:
"Grimes!" he roared, "Oh! Grimes, come back an' be paid. Comeback--we've had our little joke wi' you,--now come back an' be paid!"
Then, at last, Anthea's stony calm was broken, her bosom heaved withtempestuous sobs, and, next moment, she had thrown herself upon herknees, and had clasped her arms about Small Porges and Aunt Priscilla,mingling kisses with her tears. As for Bellew, he turned away, and,treading a familiar path, found himself beneath the shadow of "KingArthur." Therefore, he sat down, and lighting his pipe, stared up at theglory of the full-orbed moon.
"Happiness," said he, speaking his thought aloud, "'Happiness shall comeriding astride the full moon!' Now--I wonder!"
The Money Moon: A Romance Page 26