Part 77 (1/2)
”True, so I was. But, luckily, no one would lend me any,” said Nicholas.
”There yo're wrong, squoire-fo' unluckily they aw did,” replied Nance, with a scarcely-suppressed laugh. ”Roger Nowell gied him one hundred; Tummus Whitaker of Holme, another; Ruchot Parker o' Browsholme, another. An more i' th' same way.”
”And the rascal pocketed it all, and never brought me back one farthing,” cried Nicholas, in a transport of rage. ”I'll have him hanged-pshaw! hanging's too good for him. To deceive me, his friend, his benefactor, his patron, in such a manner; to dwell in my house, eat at my table, drink my wine, wear my habiliments, ride my horses, hunt with my hounds! Has the dog no conscience?”
”Varry little, ey'm afear'd,” replied Nance.
”And the worst of it is,” continued the squire-new lights breaking upon him, ”I shall be liable for all the sums he has received. He was my confidential agent, and the lenders will come upon me. It must be six or seven hundred pounds that he has obtained in this nefarious way. Zounds! I shall go mad.”
”Yo wur to blame fo' trustin him, squoire,” rejoined Nance. ”Yo ought to ha' made proper inquiries about him at first, an then yo'd ha' found out what sort o' chap he wur. Boh now ey'n tell ye. Lawrence Fogg is chief o' a band o' robbers, an aw the black an villanous deeds done of late i' this place, ha' been parpetrated by his men. A poor gentleman wur murdert by 'em i' this varry spot th' week efore last, an his body cast into t' river. Fogg, of course, had no hont in the fow deed, boh he would na ha interfered to prevent it if he had bin here, fo' he never scrupled shedding blood. An if he had bin content wi' robbin' yo, squoire, ey wadna ha betrayed him; boh when he proposed to cut your throttle, bekose, os he said, dead men tell neaw teles, ey could howd out nah longer, an resolved to gi' yo warnin.”
”What a monstrous and unheard-of villain!” cried the squire. ”But is he one of the ambuscade?”
Nance replied in the affirmative.
”Then, by heaven! I will confront him-I will hew him down,” pursued Nicholas, griping the hilt of his sword.
”Neaw use, ey tell ye-yo'n be overpowert an kilt,” said Nance. ”Tak me wi' yo, an ey'n carry yo safely through em aw; boh ge alone, or yo'n ne'er see Downham again. An now it's reet ey should tell ye who Lawrence Fogg really is.”
”What new wonder is in store for me?” cried Nicholas. ”Who is he?”
”Maybe yo ha heerd tell that Mother Demdike had a son and a dowter,” replied Nance; ”the dowter bein', of course, Elizabeth Device; and the son, Christopher Demdike, being supposed to be dead. Howsomever, this is not the case, for Lawrence Fogg is he.”
”I guessed as much when you began,” cried Nicholas. ”He has a cursedly bad look about the eyes-a d.a.m.ned Demdike physiognomy. What an infernal villain the fellow must be! without a jot of natural feeling. Why, he has this very day a.s.sisted at his nephew's capture, and caused his own sister to be arrested. Oh, I have been properly duped! To lodge a son of that infernal hag in my house-feed him, clothe him, make him my friend-take him, the viper! to my bosom! I have been rightly served. But he shall hang!-he shall hang! That is some consolation, though slight. But how do you know all this, Nance?”
”Dunna ax me,” she replied. ”Whatever ey ha' been to Christopher Demdike, ey bear him neaw love now; fo', as ey ha towd yo, he is a black-hearted murtherin' villain. Boh lemme get up behind yo, an ey'n bring yo through scatheless. An to-morrow yo may arrest the whole band at Malkin Tower.”
”Malkin Tower!” exclaimed the squire, in fresh surprise. ”What, have these robbers taken up their quarters there? This accounts for all the strange sights said to have been seen there of late, and which I treated as mere fables. But, ah! a terrible thought crosses me. What have I done? Mistress Nutter will be there to-night. And I have sent her. Death and destruction! she will fall into their hands. I must go there at once. I cannot take any a.s.sistance with me. That would betray the poor lady.”
”If yo'n trust me, ey'n help yo through the difficulty,” replied Nance.
”Get up then quickly, la.s.s, since it must be so,” rejoined Nicholas.
With this he moved forward, and giving her his hand, she was instantly seated behind him upon Robin, who seemed no way incommoded by his double burthen, but dashed down the further side of the causeway, in answer to a sharp application of the spur. Pa.s.sing her arms round the squire's waist, Nance maintained her seat well; and in this way they rattled along, heedless of the increasing difficulties of the road, or the fast-gathering gloom.
The mile was quickly pa.s.sed, and Nance whispered in the squire's ear that they were approaching the Boulder Stones. Presently they came to a narrow glen, half-filled with huge rocky fragments, detached from the toppling precipices on either side, and forming an admirable place of ambuscade. One rock, larger than the rest, completely commanded the pa.s.s, and, as the squire advanced, a thundering voice from it called to him to stay; and the injunction being disregarded, the barrel of a gun was protruded from the bushes covering its brow, and a shot fired at him. Though well aimed, the ball struck the ground beneath his horse's feet, and Nicholas continued his way unmoved, while the faulty marksman jumped down the crag. At the same time four other men started from their places of concealment behind the stones, and, levelling their calivers at the fugitives, fired. The sharp discharges echoed along the gorge, and the shots rattled against the rocks, but none of them took effect, and Nicholas might have gone on without further hindrance; but, despite Nance's remonstrances, who urged him to go on, he pulled up to await the coming of the person who had first challenged him. Scarcely an instant elapsed before he was beside the squire, and presented a petronel at his head. Notwithstanding the gloom, Nicholas recognised him.
”Ah! is it thou, accursed traitor?” cried Nicholas. ”I could scarcely believe in thy villainy, but now I am convinced.”
”The jade you have got behind you has told you who I am, I see,” replied Fogg. ”I will settle with her anon. But this will save further explanations with you!”
And he discharged the petronel full at the squire. But the ball rebounded, as if his doublet had been quilted. It was in fact lined with gold. On seeing the squire unhurt, the robber captain uttered an exclamation of rage and astonishment.
”You are mistaken, you see, perfidious villain,” cried Nicholas. ”You have yet to render an account of all the wrongs you have done me, but meantime you shall not pa.s.s unpunished.”
And as he spoke, he s.n.a.t.c.hed the petronel from Fogg, and with the but-end dealt him a tremendous blow on the head, felling him to the ground.
By this time the other robbers had descended from the rocks, and, seeing the fall of their leader, rushed forward to avenge him, but Nicholas did not tarry for any further encounter; but, fully satisfied with what he had done, struck spurs into Robin, and galloped off. For a few minutes he could hear the shouts of the men, but they soon afterwards died away.