Читать книгу A Gilded Serpent - James Edward Muddock - Страница 7

Table of Contents

THAT very night Jim had written an answer to Norah's letter and himself conveyed it to the secret post office. It was a letter strong in expressions of love and devotion, and he vowed that nothing should separate him from her. He asked her to try and arrange an interview, as he had a proposal to make. To restrain his impatience until he had got her answer was difficult, and the time went by with leaden feet. She told him that an interview was out of the question as she was being closely watched; nor would it be safe to write again for some time, as she was afraid she could not convey a letter to the place appointed without running risk of discovery. She renewed her vows of constancy, and bade him hope and wait.

"Be patient," she counselled, "and all may be well."

Before many days had passed Mr. Lacey returned. His wife's letter brought him back from London post-haste. He was a hot- headed, excitable man, with a tremendous belief in himself, and a very exaggerated sense of his own importance. Of course he had his good points, and was not without a considerable measure of generosity. His great weakness was vanity. Let him have his own way and he was genial enough; but thwart him and you could expect no mercy. Mr. Spedwick senior had always thwarted him. Spedwick senior had treated him with contempt, and that according to Mr. Lacey was an unpardonable offence. Jim's love-making with Norah was a very sore point. He considered it an impertinence. He had set his heart on her marrying the Hon. Randolph Pym. This young man had been very wild, and had committed many sins against good taste and good manners. He had spent some time at Oxford, but had distinguished himself more by running into debt than by anything else. His father at last got tired of paying his debts and took him away. Since then he had lived the life of an exquisite, and had managed to ingratiate himself very strongly in the good opinion of Mr. and Mrs. Lacey. There was plenty of money in his family; his father was a man of distinction and to the Laceys a union between Norah and Randolph seemed to promise great things. The prospect of Norah becoming the wife of a baronet's son filled the hearts of her parents with unspeakable felicity. The return of young Spedwick, however, and the scene that had taken place consequent on his "unheard-of impertinence" in going to the Hall not only cast a shadow over their path, but filled them with misgivings, and Mr. Lacey hurried from London, resolved on taking very drastic measures to stop the love-making. So impatient was he to return that he would not wait for the stage coach, but had posted all the way. He had hoped when Jim left England he had disappeared for good, but here he was back again, and poor Mr. Lacey felt that he would know no peace of mind until this "young fellow's impudent pretensions were put an end to once and for all."

Of course the parental wrath descended in the first instance on the head of Norah. Mr. Lacey sincerely believed that the immortal welfare of his daughter was imperilled by her obstinacy in continuing to regard Jim with favour; he would not admit that she had any right to an independent judgment. It was her duty, he insisted, her "solemn sacred duty," to render unquestioning obedience to her parents who had her interests at heart, and were desirous of protecting her from the "malignant influence" of a "shameless scapegrace." He reminded her that she was a mere girl, and quite incapable at that stage of shaping her own future for her own welfare.

Norah did not venture on any counter argument, but she did press this question, "Why should you and my mother desire me to marry a man for whom I entertain no respect, and whom I certainly can never love? It will be a mere marriage of convenience, and can only result in misery and unhappiness."

Mr. Lacey met this with a flippant assertion that a girl of her age did not know her own mind, and the superior judgment of her parents was beyond cavil. It was a pretty conceit but not sound logic. Of course women have made grave mistakes in matters of love, but that doesn't prove that the parents are always right. At any rate in matters of the heart, rightly or wrongly, a woman strives for her own way and generally gets it. Though whether Norah was likely to do so, seemed very doubtful.

Having expended the first outburst of his wrath on his daughter, Mr. Lacey went off in a hot fume to interview Mr. Spedwick senior. He was resolved there should be a clear understanding once and for all, and Jim must be taught to know his place. There was an angry scene between the two men. Mr. Lacey was patronizing and mordacious, and the other resented it with a forcibleness of retort that did not make for peace.

"I consider it perfectly monstrous," said Mr. Lacey, "that the peace and happiness of my family should be disturbed and imperilled by the hair-brained pretentions of your ne'er-do-weel son."

Spedwick bitterly resented this imputation on his boy.

"You've no right to term him a ne'er-do-weel," he exclaimed. "He is honest, straightforward, and gentlemanly; that is more than can be said of the Hon. Randolph Pym."

This of course was oil on the fire, and Mr. Lacey fumed; but at this stage of the contest Jim himself unexpectedly appeared. He had been into the town, and was not a little surprised to find Mr Lacey and his father together. He knew at once what it meant. There was war.

"Look here, young man," cried Lacey impetuously. "You've got to cease poisoning my daughter's mind. Now let there be no mistake. I will not tolerate it. I must insist upon your respecting my wishes. But to prove that I bear you no ill-feeling I will give you a hundred guineas on your consenting to leave the country at once."

Nothing more undiplomatic, nothing more calculated provoke irritation than this, could have been thought of by Mr. Lacey. Father and son alike resented it. They were poor, but proud, and their pride was wounded to the quick. With a scorn that almost took Mr. Lacey's breath away Jim replied—

"If you offered me a thousand guineas I wouldn't accept it. I deny your right either to try to buy me or to sell your daughter."

"If you will accept a word of advice from me," put in Spedwick senior while his opponent was struggling to recover himself, "you will allow the young lady to follow her own inclinations instead of forcing her to accept a man for whom she has no love. Marriages of convenience should be left for royal families, and history leaves us in no doubt as to how they usually turn out. If my lad and your lass love each other, what is the use of trying to separate them."

Mr. Lacey's stock of patience, not great at any time, was exhausted, and he allowed his feeling to find vent in heated and unguarded language which culminated in a threat to invoke the aid of the law to protect his daughter from the "persecution of a disgraceful young scamp."

The threat was absurd, but Mr. Lacey was at his wits' ends, and his offer of money having been scornfully refused, he felt desperate. The object of his visit had not been secured, and he must now think out some other plan to prevent his daughter from being led into paths of disobedience.

Father and son were glad to get rid of their unwelcome visitor, but Mr. Spedwick was a little concerned in his own mind as to what the upshot of it all would be. This concern found expression in words.

"Much as I should like to bring old Lacey to his senses," he said, "I don't think there's much chance of doing it."

"Why?" asked Jim quickly.

"Well, you see, it's hardly likely Norah will have strength of mind to stand up against her father. Anyway trouble will come out of this business if you don't mind. I think the best thing you can do is to get back to Jamaica. I've told you before there are still as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it. Give Norah up. You will find somebody else you will like quite as well before long."

This advice, sound as it seemed, did not tend to elevate Jim's spirits, and as the days sped away he became more and more depressed, for he received no further communication from Norah. Night after night he went to the secret post office in the tree in the Black Lake Copse, but only to meet with disappointment, and his father's words, "It's hardly likely Norah will have strength of mind to stand up against her father," seemed to him now to be prophetic; but when it came to a question of leaving the country he wavered. If he could only obtain, one more interview with Norah and hear from her own lips what she desired he would be satisfied, he thought.

Thus the weeks dragged on and his misery increased. Suspense tortured him. One evening he was persuaded by some companions to adjourn to a renowned posting inn, known as the Half Moon, situated at the entrance to the town of Ministerfield. It was the birthday of one of the party who had invited the rest to celebrate the occasion by a supper. When the supper was ended they fell to playing cards in the public coffee-room, and while they were so engaged a second party of young men came upon the scene, and amongst them was the Hon. Randolph Pym. They had evidently been enjoying themselves and were a little hilarious. Jim ignored the presence of his rival, probably he did not even know that he was in the room, which was a very large one and a great many people were present. Spedwick's party occupied a recess formed by a large window. The card party had been playing for very moderate stakes, and success had favoured Jim who had quite a pile of counters in front of him. Suddenly Pym started up, moved to the recess, and, excited and flurried, exclaimed—

"Gentlemen, this man Mr. James Spedwick is cheating. I watched him cut the cards, and secretly slip an ace from the pack and place it on the top."

The confusion and uproar that followed on this accusation was remarkable. Jim sprang to his feet, the hot blood surging into his face.

"You lie," he exclaimed, "and I'll ram the lie down your throat." Before he could attack his enemy a strong pair of arms encircled him and held him back, and the landlord rushed upon the scene.

"I don't lie," answered Pym, still very excited. "I've been watching you, and I saw you manipulate the cards."

Jim tried to reach his accuser but was restrained. The landlord interposed, and said he could not allow the peace of his house to be disturbed, and if the gentlemen wished to quarrel they must leave his premises.

Feeling ran very high in the room, for a good many of those present were under the effects of wine. Of course the landlord was well acquainted with Pym and Spedwick, and was anxious to keep on good terms with the former. He therefore persuaded Jim to leave, telling him that as a gentleman he had his remedy. If he felt himself aggrieved he could challenge his accuser. Jim's party seemed unable to make up their minds one way or the other, but at last three or four of them vigorously espoused his case and expressed belief in his integrity. Smarting from the charge he denounced Pym as a blackguard, who, being his rival for the affections of the same lady, had taken this cowardly means to ruin him. This told in Jim's favour to some extent, but being afraid that a general scrimmage would ensue the landlord insisted on Jim's leaving, and yielding to the persuasions of his friends he took his departure, though before doing so told Pym he would call upon him to make good his words, and that on the morrow he would send him a challenge. It was an age of duelling, and it needed very little at times to breed a quarrel between two men, the sequel to which was a meeting with lethal weapons and, generally, bloodshed.

Jim Spedwick was greatly upset by the accusation made against him, and he appealed to his friends for an expression of their opinion. Those who knew him best did not hesitate to declare a belief in his innocence. The others were undecided, and one, a young fellow named Ralph Tinker, clerk to a solicitor in the town, said that it was rather an ugly circumstance that Jim had been winning all the evening.

"I admit that luck was in my favour," answered Jim, "but I swear solemnly that my play was fair."

As is ever the case in such matters there were divided opinions and Spedwick felt that his position was an awkward one. Spedwick senior, to whom his son had made a faithful statement, of all that had happened, took the nattier up, and let it be known widely in the town that Pym, being Jim's rival, could not be relied on.

In a little community like that of Ministerfield an incident of the kind became a common topic of conversation, and as the parties concerned were so well know, unusual interest was manifested, and the town practically ranged itself into two camps. When it became known that Jim Spedwick had sent a challenge to the Hon. Randolph Pym, who had returned for answer a distinct refusal, adding that as a gentleman he could and would not fight with a blackleg, the interest increased, and the question asked—

"What will Spedwick do now?"

Ralph Tinker, the solicitor's clerk, volunteered his advice to Jim in the following form—

"You cannot force Mr. Pym to fight with you, and you cannot clear yourself of this charge; you will, therefore, do well, it seems to me, to leave the country at once. In the course of time the incident will be forgotten; but at present things look exceedingly black against you. Now take my advice and go. To remain here is madness. I don't see what you can possibly hope to gain by doing so."

Jim could hardly refrain from laying violent hand on Tinker, whom he accused of being a creature of Pym's. This promised to lead to further complications. Those, however, who thought that Jim Spedwick was going to take things lying down made a grave mistake. He nursed his grievance and bided his time, and his time came on the market day following the night of the accusation. A week had elapsed. The Ministerfield Market dated back for many generations, and people brought in their goods from quite far distant parts of the country. On this particular day Randolph Pym attended the market with a view to purchasing a horse. Under any circumstances he generally came into the town on the market day, and at such times he dined at the Half Moon inn, where on that day there was always an ordinary, which was a great attraction, as it brought people together and naturally led to much conviviality.

Anticipating his coming Spedwick had been on the look-out for him, and meeting him in the part of the market devoted to horses and cattle, he at once accosted him, and in the presence of the crowd exclaimed—

"Randolph Pym, here in this public place I charge you with being a liar and a scoundrel, and since you have declined to afford me the satisfaction of a gentlemen I publicly horsewhip you."

Suiting the action to the word, he produced a whip from under his coat and proceeded to vigorously lash his rival about the face and neck.