Читать книгу The 'Piping Times' - John Jeffery Farnol - Страница 9

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SIDE by side they went, carefree Youth and sober Man, and both for some while in a musing silence; at last:

“Timkins,” said Tom.

“My lord?”

“Well now, look here,—since we are to travel so many miles together and be so closely associated for heaven knows how long, we had better come to an understanding at once. And first of all, I must ask you to drop all this ‘my lording’ rot and what not, I must be Tom to you from now on, and no confounded Justin, Hereward and all the rest of it—just plain Tom, mind, and you shall be Tim. Tim and Tom. Agreed?”

“But, my lord——”

“There you go! Tom, man, Tom. Say Tom, Tim.”

“Very well, Tom.”

“Good! Now tell me, Tim, as between man and man, what precisely is the Noble Sire’s idea in making you my, well—let’s call it bear-leader, or should it be shadow? Just why has My Lord Austerity set you on to me, Tim?”

“By reason of his care for your present and anxiety for your future welfare, Tom.”

“Highly distressing and very mortifying, Tim! For dammit,—I’m not exactly an unfledged chicken or woolly lamb, being well over age.”

“Twenty-two years, six months and an odd week, Tom, to be precise.”

“So you know me to a week, do you?”

“Oh yes. I remember your being born.”

“Do you, by Jove?”

“Quite well, though I was not in the Earl’s service then.”

And now once more they walked in thoughtful silence, this buoyant youth and experienced man; but presently youth became less sprightly, his plain, usually sweet-tempered face grew dark again, and sullen with bitter thought which suddenly found expression, thus:

“When I was a mere impish, ungoverned brat, years ago, where was the kindly parental care should have guided? When I was a very lonely boy yearning for sympathy and affection and hiding it under a screen of cheek and impudence, where was my father to check and comfort me? ‘Employed on greater things,’ says you, affairs of state, embassies and what not. But says I, ‘leaving his only son to the care of hirelings!’ To-day, now that I am a man and can manage alone, he suddenly becomes aware of me, and, by proxy, smothers me with care. Ah, but it comes too late! and I scorn it!”

“May I know why?”

“Because his present too-evident concern for me, his anxiety for my welfare and so on, is utterly and absolutely selfish!”

“How so, pray?”

“Because it originates—not in a father’s natural love for his son, but merely an Earl’s anxiety for his heir. And this, I repeat, is merely selfish, contemptible, and revolts me. My Lordly Sire, this high-nosed arrogant, never was a real father,—and though I am born his heir, dammit—I have never felt a son’s regard for him—and never shall! So now, ha—now that I am of age and my own master,—master of myself I will be, yes and you may as well know it.”

Here, Tom glanced at his hearer who, inclining his head, murmured:

“I see!” Yet in his lean, grave face was so very much more that Tom demanded:

“Well, what now? Out with it,—what are you thinking about?”

“Dogs!” answered his companion, gently.

“Eh,—dogs?” repeated Tom.

“Yes, once again I am musing on dogs, very young dogs that, being so very young, are blind.”

“Oh?” said Tom, eyeing the speaker askance.

“Yes. I was thinking that any son who would, from his ignorance, speak thus of his father, is no better than a very small, blind puppy that yaps unregarded.”

Ten paces ... twenty paces Tom strode before he could utter a word, and when, at last, speech came, his voice was low, hoarse and quite unlike his usual cheery, pleasant tones:

“I think ... I mean to say ... ‘puppy’ was the word, I think?”

“To be exact,” answered his companion in the same gently conversational manner, “the words were,—‘very small, blind puppy.’ To which might be added such other words as ‘cub’ and ‘unlicked.’ ”

“Sir,” quoth Tom, halting, “were you only a little younger I should now proceed to thrash you.”

Mr. Timkins glanced at Tom’s powerful, eager fists, at Tom’s passion-contorted face, smiled provokingly, shook head reprovingly and answered placidly:

“My lord, were I even a little older I could, if so minded, knock the stuffing out of your lordship.”

“S-suppose you try!” said Tom, between quivering lips.

“Oh, with pleasure, since your lordship asks. Yes, under the circumstances, I feel called upon to knock your lordship down. Let us retire to the field yonder, your lordship will find it softer than the road.”

So, by means of convenient stile to this field they went; and here, having doffed their knapsacks, Tom shed his Norfolk jacket also; Mr. Timkins merely buttoned his own. Then exuberant, eager youth and placid-seeming man fronted one another.

Tom feinted dexterously, led gracefully, was blocked forcefully, side-stepped nimbly, swung hard with powerful ‘right,’ missed by an inch, felt a jarring shock ... felt—nothing. And presently as he gazed up vaguely into the vast, blue serenity of heaven this was obscured by a head, a down-bent face whereat, for no particular reason, Tom did his best to smile, at which valiant effort this somewhat anxious face smiled also; then a singularly powerful arm lifted Tom and a warmly kind, perfectly strange voice enquired:

“Are you all right again, Tom, old fellow?”

“As a trivet!” he answered, sitting up with an effort. “Oh yes ... absolutely! But I’m glad of the grass, old sportsman.... Yes, I‘m grateful for your ... forethought.”

“To be sure I hit you rather hard.”

“Sledge hammers,” sighed Tom, “cannon-balls and earthquakes would be so many caresses in comparison! You caught me exactly right, so I beg to know where and how was I so exactly wrong?”

“Using ‘right’ instead of ‘left,’ Tom, which opened you wide to my cross-counter.”

Tom sighed, shook his yellow head, rose unaided, and stretched out his hand.

“Tim,” said he, “an honest English fist can do as much good as honest English ale—shake!”

“It can,” answered Tim, as their hands gripped, “but only between true sportsmen!”

Then having shaken hands and helped each other on with their knapsacks, they turned back to the dusty highway and went on together in still better understanding and an ever-growing friendship.