Part 26 (1/2)
”As you will, good mother; but I am about to return instantly to the Lodge, to which, in these times, I cannot admit strangers. You can follow me no farther than the verge of the wilderness, and I am already too long from home: I will send some one to meet and relieve you of the pitcher.” So saying, she turned her back, with a feeling of terror which she could hardly account for, and began to walk quickly towards the Lodge, thinking thus to get rid of her troublesome acquaintance.
But she reckoned without her host; for in a moment her new companion was by her side, not running, indeed, but walking with prodigious long unwomanly strides, which soon brought her up with the hurried and timid steps of the frightened maiden. But her manner was more respectful than formerly, though her voice sounded remarkably harsh and disagreeable, and her whole appearance suggested an undefined, yet irresistible feeling of apprehension.
”Pardon a stranger, lovely Mistress Alice,” said her persecutor, ”that was not capable of distinguis.h.i.+ng between a lady of your high quality and a peasant wench, and who spoke to you with a degree of freedom, ill-befitting your rank, certainly, and condition, and which, I fear, has given you offence.”
”No offence whatever,” replied Alice; ”but, good woman, I am near home, and can excuse your farther company.-You are unknown to me.”
”But it follows not,” said the stranger, ”that your fortunes may not be known to me, fair Mistress Alice. Look on my swarthy brow-England breeds none such-and in the lands from which I come, the sun which blackens our complexion, pours, to make amends, rays of knowledge into our brains, which are denied to those of your lukewarm climate. Let me look upon your pretty hand,-(attempting to possess herself of it,)-and I promise you, you shall hear what will please you.”
”I hear what does not please me,” said Alice, with dignity; ”you must carry your tricks of fortune-telling and palmistry to the women of the village.-We of the gentry hold them to be either imposture or unlawful knowledge.”
”Yet you would fain hear of a certain Colonel, I warrant you, whom certain unhappy circ.u.mstances have separated from his family; you would give better than silver if I could a.s.sure you that you would see him in a day or two-ay, perhaps, sooner.”
”I know nothing of what you speak, good woman; if you want alms, there is a piece of silver-it is all I have in my purse.”
”It were pity that I should take it,” said the female; ”and yet give it me-for the princess in the fairy tale must ever deserve, by her generosity, the bounty of the benevolent fairy, before she is rewarded by her protection.”
”Take it-take it-give me my pitcher,” said Alice, ”and begone,-yonder comes one of my father's servants.-What, ho!-Joceline-Joceline!”
The old fortune-teller hastily dropped something into the pitcher as she restored it to Alice Lee, and, plying her long limbs, disappeared speedily under cover of the wood.
Bevis turned, and barked, and showed some inclination to hara.s.s the retreat of this suspicious person, yet, as if uncertain, ran towards Joliffe, and fawned on him, as to demand his advice and encouragement. Joceline pacified the animal, and, coming up to his young lady, asked her, with surprise, what was the matter, and whether she had been frightened? Alice made light of her alarm, for which, indeed, she could not have a.s.signed any very competent reason, for the manners of the woman, though bold and intrusive, were not menacing. She only said she had met a fortune-teller by Rosamond's Well, and had had some difficulty in shaking her off.
”Ah, the gipsy thief,” said Joceline, ”how well she scented there was food in the pantry!-they have noses like ravens, these strollers. Look you, Mistress Alice, you shall not see a raven or a carrion-crow in all the blue sky for a mile round you; but let a sheep drop suddenly down on the green-sward, and before the poor creature's dead you shall see a dozen of such guests croaking, as if inviting each other to the banquet.-Just so it is with these st.u.r.dy beggars. You will see few enough of them when there's nothing to give, but when hough's in the pot, they will have share on't.”
”You are so proud of your fresh supply of provender,” said Alice, ”that you suspect all of a design on't. I do not think this woman will venture near your kitchen, Joceline.”
”It will be best for her health,” said Joceline, ”lest I give her a ducking for digestion.-But give me the pitcher, Mistress Alice-meeter I bear it than you.-How now? what jingles at the bottom? have you lifted the pebbles as well as the water?”
”I think the woman dropped something into the pitcher,” said Alice.
”Nay, we must look to that, for it is like to be a charm, and we have enough of the devil's ware about Woodstock already-we will not spare for the water-I can run back and fill the pitcher.” He poured out the water upon the gra.s.s, and at the bottom of the pitcher was found a gold ring, in which was set a ruby, apparently of some value.
”Nay, if this be not enchantment, I know not what is,” said Joceline. ”Truly, Mistress Alice, I think you had better throw away this gimcrack. Such gifts from such hands are a kind of press-money which the devil uses for enlisting his regiment of witches; and if they take but so much as a bean from him, they become his bond-slaves for life-Ay, you look at the gew-gaw, but to-morrow you will find a lead ring, and a common pebble in its stead.”
”Nay, Joceline, I think it will be better to find out that dark-complexioned woman, and return to her what seems of some value. So, cause enquiry to be made, and be sure you return her ring. It seems too valuable to be destroyed.”
”Umph! that is always the way with women,” murmured Joceline. ”You will never get the best of them, but she is willing to save a bit of finery.-Well, Mistress Alice, I trust that you are too young and too pretty to be enlisted in a regiment of witches.”
”I shall not be afraid of it till you turn conjuror,” said Alice; ”so hasten to the well, where you are like still to find the woman, and let her know that Alice Lee desires none of her gifts, any more than she did of her society.”
So saying, the young lady pursued her way to the Lodge, while Joceline went down to Rosamond's Well to execute her commission. But the fortune-teller, or whoever she might be, was nowhere to be found; neither, finding that to be the case, did Joceline give himself much trouble in tracking her farther.
”If this ring, which I dare say the jade stole somewhere,” said the underkeeper to himself, ”be worth a few n.o.bles, it is better in honest hands than in that of vagabonds. My master has a right to all waifs and strays, and certainly such a ring, in possession of a gipsy, must be a waif. So I shall confiscate it without scruple, and apply the produce to the support of Sir Henry's household, which is like to be poor enough. Thank Heaven, my military experience has taught me how to carry hooks at my finger-ends-that is trooper's law. Yet, hang it, after all, I had best take it to Mark Everard and ask his advice-I hold him now to be your learned counsellor in law where Mistress Alice's affairs are concerned, and my learned Doctor, who shall be nameless, for such as concern Church and State and Sir Henry Lee.-And I'll give them leave to give mine umbles to the kites and ravens if they find me conferring my confidence where it is not safe.”
CHAPTER THE NINETEENTH.
Being skilless in these parts, which, to a stranger, Unguided and unfriended, often prove Rough and inhospitable.
TWELFTH NIGHT.