Part 85 (1/2)
”We are all going to Hawkhurst, at once, John,” continued Barnabas, ”so pack up whatever you think necessary--a couple of valises will do, and tell Martin I'll have the phaeton,--it's roomier; and I'll drive the bays. And hurry things, will you, John?”
So John Peterby bowed, solemn and sedate as ever, and went upon his errand. But it is to be remarked that as he hastened downstairs, his lips had taken on their humorous curve, and the twinkle was back in his eyes; also he nodded his head, as who would say:
”I thought so! The Lady Cleone Meredith, eh? Well,--the sooner the better!”
Thus the Bo'sun had barely finished his ale, when the Gentleman-in-Powder appeared to say the phaeton was at the door.
And a fine, das.h.i.+ng turn-out it was, too, with its yellow wheels, its gleaming harness, and the handsome thorough-breds pawing impatient hoofs.
Then, the Bo'sun having duly ensconced himself, with Peterby in the rumble as calm and expressionless as the three leather valises under the seat, Barnabas sprang in, caught up the reins, nodded to Martin the gray-haired head groom, and giving the bays their heads, they were off and away for Hawkhurst and the Lady Cleone Meredith, whirling round corners and threading their way through traffic at a speed that caused the Bo'sun to clutch the seat with one hand, and the glazed hat with the other, and to remark in his diffident way that:
”These here wheeled craft might suit some, but for comfort and safety give me an eight-oared galley!”
CHAPTER XLV
HOW BARNABAS SOUGHT COUNSEL OF THE d.u.c.h.eSS ”BO'SUN?”
”Sir?”
”Do you know the d.u.c.h.ess of Camberhurst well?”
”Know her, sir?” repeated the Bo'sun, giving a dubious pull at his starboard whisker; ”why, Mr. Beverley, sir, there's two things as I knows on, as no man never did know on, nor never will know on,--and one on 'em's a s.h.i.+p and t' other's a woman.”
”But do you know her well enough to like and--trust?”
”Why, Mr. Beverley, sir, since you ax me, I'll tell you--plain and to the p'int. We'll take 'er Grace the d.u.c.h.ess and say, clap her helm a-lee to tack up ag'in a beam wind, a wind, mind you, as ain't strong enough to lift her pennant,--and yet she'll fall off and miss her stays, d'ye see, or get took a-back and yaw to port or starboard, though, if you ax me why or wherefore, I'll tell you as how,--her being a woman and me only a man,--I don't know. Then, again, on the contrary, let it blow up foul--a roaring hurricane say, wi' the seas running high, ah! wi' the scud flying over her top-s'l yard, and she'll rise to it like a bird, answer to a spoke, and come up into the wind as sweet as ever you see. The d.u.c.h.ess ain't no fair-weather craft, I'll allow, but in 'owling, raging tempest she's staunch, sir, --ah, that she is,--from truck to keelson! And there y'are, Mr. Beverley, sir!”
”Do you mean,” inquired Barnabas, puzzled of look, ”that she is to be depended on--in an emergency?”
”Ay, sir--that she is!”
”Ah!” said Barnabas, nodding, ”I'm glad to know that, Bo'sun,--very glad.” And here he became thoughtful all at once. Yet after a while he spoke again, this time to Peterby.
”You are very silent, John.”
”I am--your valet, sir!”
”Then, oh! man,” exclaimed Barnabas, touching up the galloping bays quite unnecessarily, ”oh, man--forget it a while! Here we sit--three men together, with London miles behind us, and the Fas.h.i.+onable World further still. Here we sit, three men, with no difference between us, except that the Bo'sun has fought and bled for this England of ours, you have travelled and seen much of the world, and I, being the youngest, have done neither the one nor the other, and very little else--as yet. So, John,--be yourself; talk, John, talk!”
Now hereupon John Peterby's grave dignity relaxed, a twinkle dawned in his eyes, and his lips took on their old-time, humorous curve.
And lo! the valet became merged and lost in the cosmopolitan, the dweller in many cities, who had done and seen much, and could tell of such things so wittily and well that the miles pa.s.sed unheeded, while the gallant bays whirled the light phaeton up hill and down dale, contemptuous of fatigue.
It needs not here to describe more fully this journey whose tedium was unnoticed by reason of good-fellows.h.i.+p. Nor of the meal they ate at the ”Chequers” Inn at Tonbridge, and how they drank (at the Bo'sun's somewhat diffident suggestion) a health ”to his Honor the Cap'n, and the poor old 'Bully-Sawyer,' Seventy-four.”
And thus Barnabas, clad in purple and fine linen and driving his own blood horses, talked and laughed with a one-legged mariner, and sought the companions.h.i.+p of his own valet; which irregularity must be excused by his youth and inexperience, and the lamentable fact that, despite his purple and fine linen, he was, as yet, only a man, alas!
Thus, then, as evening fell, behold them spinning along that winding road where stood a certain ancient finger-post pointing the wayfarer:
TO LONDON. TO HAWKHURST