Part 23 (1/2)
”I hope no offence, Mr Willia after--after her?” The name stuck in his throat
Cary was taken aback
”What's that to thee, Catiline the blood-drinker?” asked he, trying to laugh it off
”What? Don't laugh at ht worse, I expect, than red wine Whatever it ore our oaths, Mr Cary; and oaths are oaths, say I”
”Of course, Jack, of course; but to go to look for her--and e've found her, cut her lover's throat Absurd, Jack, even if she orth looking for, or his throat worth cutting Tut, tut, tut--”
But Jack looked steadfastly in his face, and after some silence: How far is it to the Caracas, then, sir?”
”What is that to thee, overnor thereof, I hear; so that would be the place to find her?”
”You don't h
”That depends on whether I can go, sir; but if I can scrape the et a berth on board some shi+p, why, God's will must be done”
Will looked at hione s' eyes were both sane and sober
Will knew no answer To laugh at the poor felloas easy enough; to deny that he was right, that he was a hero and cavalier, outdoing romance itself in faithfulness, not so easy; and Cary, in the first i hi ill alone was the rational, prudent, irreproachable plan, and just what any gentlear, fat curate, out of his senses, deter, as Cary felt in his heart, of a far diviner stamp
”Well,” said Jack, in his stupid steadfast way, ”it's a very bad look-out; but mother's pretty well off, if father dies, and the h, and will make tidy servants, please the Lord And you'll see that they come to no harm, Mr William, for old acquaintance' sake, if I never come back”
Cary was silent with amazement
”And, Mr William, you know me for an honest man, I hope Will you lend me a five pound, and take my books in pawn for them, just to help me out?”
”Are you mad, or in a dream? You will never find her!”
”That's no reason why I shouldn't do ood fellow, even if you get to the Indies, you will be clapt into the Inquisition, and burnt alive, as sure as your name is Jack”
”I know that,” said he, in a doleful tone; ”and a sore struggle of the flesh I have had about it; for I areat coward, Mr William, a dirty coward, and alas, as you know: but maybe the Lord will take care of me, as He does of little children and drunken men; and if not, Mr Will, I'd sooner burn, and have it over, than go on this way any longer, I would!” and Jack burst out blubbering
”What way, ht be
”Why, not--not to knohether--whether--whether she's el of God, as pure as the light of day; and knew she was too good for a poor pot-head like ht , if there was one fit for her--and I not to knohether she's living in sin or not, Mr William--It's more than I can bear, and there's an end of it And if she is married to him they keep no faith with heretics; they can dissolve the e, or make aith her into the Inquisition; burn her, Mr Cary, as soon as burn me, the devils incarnate!”
Cary shuddered; the fact, true and palpable as it was, had never struck him before
”Yes! or make her deny her God by torments, if she hasn't done it already for love to that-- I kno love will make a body sell his soul, for I've been in love Don't you laugh at o h at you in my life, my brave old Jack”
”Is it so, then? Bless you for that word!” and Jack held out his hand ”But ill become of my soul, after my oath, if I don't seek her out, just to speak to her, to warn her, for God's sake, even if it did no good; just to set before her the Lord's curse on idolatry and Antichrist, and those who deny Hih I can't think he would be hard on her,--for who could? But I must speak all the same The Lord has laid the burden on me, and done it must be God help me!”
”Jack,” said Cary, ”if this is your duty, it is others'”
”No, sir, I don't say that; you're a layman, but I am a deacon, and the chaplain of you all, and sworn to seek out Christ's sheep scattered up and down this naughty world, and that innocent lamb first of all”
”You have sheep at Hartland, Jack, already”
”There's plenty better than I will tend theone; but none that will tend her, because none love her like me, and they won't venture Who will? It can't be expected, and no shah would say to all this, if he were at hoo through fire and water for her, you trust him, Will Cary; and call me an ass if he won't”
”Will you wait, then, till he comes back, and ask him?”
”He may not be back for a year and more”
”Hear reason, Jack If you ait like a rational and patientmay be done”
”You think so!”
”I cannot pro Do you tell Mr Frank what I say--or rather, I'll warrant, if I knew the truth, he has said the very sa himself already”
”You are out there, old ”
Jack read the letter and sighed bitterly ”Well, I did take hientleman Still, if e no o you shall not till Amyas returns As I live, I will tell your father, Jack, unless you promise; and you dare not disobey him”
”I don't know even that, for conscience' sake,” said Jack, doubtfully
”At least, you stay and dine here, old fellow, and ill settle whether you are to break the fifth coood dinner was (as we knohat Jack loved, and loved too oft in vain; so he subht, ere he went, that he had talked him pretty well round At least he went home, and was seen no more for a week
But at the end of that time he returned, and said with a joyful voice-- ”I have settled all, Mr Will The parson of Welcombe will serve my church for two Sundays, and I am away for London town, to speak to Mr Frank”
”To London? Hoilt get there?”
”On Shanks his s ”But I expect I can get a lift on board of a coaster so far as Bristol, and it's no way on to signify, I hear”
Cary tried in vain to dissuade him; and then forced on him a small loan, hich aent Jack, and Cary heard no more of him for three weeks
At last he walked into Clovelly Court again just before supper- ti- men till Will appeared
Will took him up above the salt, and made much of him (which indeed the honest fellow much needed), and after supper asked him in private how he had sped