Squire, said a big fellow, white with hunger, Squire, I hevnt touched food of any kind for forty hours. You count hours when you are hungry, squire.
Were all o us, said his companion, faint and clemmed. We hevnt strength to be men any longer. Look at me! Im wanting to cry like a bairn.
Im ready to fight, squire, added a man standing near by; I hev a bit o manhood yet, and Id fight for my rights, I would that! if I nobbnd hed a slice or two o bread.
At the same time a young woman, little more than a child, came tottering forward, and stood at the side of Mistress Annis. She had a little baby in her arms, she did not speak, she only looked in the elder womans face then cast her eyes down upon the child. It was tugging at an empty breast with little sharp cries of hungry impatience. Then she said, I hev no milk for him! The lile lad is sucking my blood! Her voice was weak and trembling, but she had no tears left.
Madam covered her face, she was weeping, and the next moment Katherine emptied her mothers purse into the starving womans hand. She took it with a great cry, lifting her face to heaven Oh God, it is money! Oh God, it is milk and bread! Then looking at Katherine she said, Thou hes saved two lives. God sent thee to do it and with the words, she found a sudden strength to run with her child to a shop across the street, where bread and milk were sold.
Its little Dinas Sykes, said a man whose voice was weak with hunger. Eh! but Im glad, God hes hed mercy on her! and all watched Dinas running for milk and bread with a grateful sympathy. The squire was profoundly touched, his heart melted within him, and he said to the little company with the voice of a companion, not of a master, Men, how many of you are present?
About forty-four men and a few half grown lads. They need food worse than men do they suffer more poor lile fellows!
And you all hev women at home? Wives and daughters?
Ay, squire, and mothers, too! Old and gray and hungry some varry patient, and just dying on their feet, some so weak they are crying like t childer of two or four years old. My God! Squire, t mens suffering isnt worth counting, against that of t women and children.
Friends, I hev no words to put against your suffering and a ten pound note will be better than all the words I could give you. It will at least get all of you a loaf of bread and a bit of beef and a mug of ale. Who shall I give it to?
Ben Shuttleworth, was the unanimous answer, and Ben stepped forward. He was a noble-looking old man just a little crippled by long usage of the hand loom. Squire Annis, he said, Ill gladly take the gift God hes sent us by thy hands and Ill divide it equally, penny for penny, and may God bless thee and prosper thy journey! Were none of us men used to saying thankee to any man but we say it to thee. Yes, we say it to thee.
Kindred scenes occurred in every village and they did not reach Leeds in time for the mail coach they intended to take. The squire was not troubled at the delay. He said, he hed a bit of his awn business to look after, and he was sure Katherine hed forgotten one or two varry necessary things, that she could buy in Leeds.
Katherine acknowledged that she had forgotten her thimble and her hand glass, and said she had been worrying about her back hair, which she could not dress without one.
Madam was tired and glad to rest. But Antony, she said, Dick will meet this coach and when we do not come by it, he will have wonders and worries about us.
Not he! Dick knows something about women, and also, I told him we might sleep a night or two at some town on the way, if you were tired.
The next day they began the journey again, half-purposing to stop and rest at some half-way town. The squire said Dick understood them. He would be on hand if they loitered a week. And Madam was satisfied; she thought it likely Dick had instructions fitting his fathers uncertainty.
Yet though the coach prevented actual contact with the miserable famine sufferers, it could not prevent them witnessing the silent misery sitting on every door step, and looking with such longing eyes for help from God or man. Upon the whole it was a journey to break a pitiful heart, and the squire and his family were glad when the coach drew up with the rattle of wheels and the blowing of the guards horn at its old stand of Charing Cross.
The magic of London was already around them, and the first face they saw was the handsome beaming face of Dick Annis. He nodded and smiled to his father, who was sitting where he had sat most of the journey at the side of the driver. Dick would have liked to help him to the street, but he knew that his father needed no help and would likely be vexed at any offer of it, but Dicks mother and sister came out of the coach in his arms, and the lad kissed them and called them all the fond names he could think of. Noticing at the same time his fathers clever descent, he put out his left hand to him, for he had his mother guarded with his right arm. You did that jump, dad, better than I could have done it. Are you tired?
We are all tired to death, Dick. Hev you a cab here?
To be sure, I have! Your rooms at the Clarendon are in order, and there will be a good dinner waiting when you are ready for it.
In something less than an hour they were all ready for a good dinner; their faces had been washed, Katherines hair smoothed and Madams cap properly adjusted. The squire was standing on the hearthrug in high spirits. The sight of his son, the touch of the town, the pleasant light and comfort of his surroundings, the prospect of dinner, made him forget for a few minutes the suffering he had passed through, until his son asked, And did you have a pleasant journey, father?
A journey, Dick, to break a mans heart. It hes turned me from a Tory into a Radical. This government must feed the people or we will kick them back
Dear father, we will talk of that subject by ourselves. It isnt fit for two tired women, now is it?
Mebbe not; but I hev seen and I hev heard these last two or three days, Dick, what I can niver forget. Things hev got to be altered. They hev that, or
We will talk that over after mother and Kitty have gone to sleep. We wont worry them to-night. I have ordered mothers favorite Cabinet pudding for her, and some raspberry cream for Kitty. It wouldnt be right to talk of unhappy things with good things in our mouths, now would it?
They are coming. I can hear Kittys laugh, when I can hear nothing else. Ring the bell, Dick, we can hev dinner now.
There were a few pleasant moments spent in choosing their seats, and as soon as they were taken, a dish of those small delicious oysters for which England has been famous since the days of the Roman Emperors were placed before them. I had some scalloped for mother and Kitty, Dick said. Men can eat them raw, alive if they choose, but women Oh no! It isnt womanlike! Mother and Kitty wouldnt do it! Not they!
And what else hes ta got for us, Dick? asked the squire. Im mortal hungry.
The last word shocked him anew. He wished he had not said it. What made him do it? Hungry! He had never been really hungry in all his life; and those pallid men and women, with that look of suffering on their faces, and in their dry, anxious eyes, how could he ever forget them?
He was suddenly silent, and Katherine said: Father is tired. He would drive so much. I wonder the coachman let him.
He was suddenly silent, and Katherine said: Father is tired. He would drive so much. I wonder the coachman let him.
Father paid for the privilege of doing the drivers work for him. I have no doubt of that, my dears, said Madam. Well, Dick, when did you see Jane?
Do you not observe, mother, that I am in evening dress? Jane has a dance and supper to-night. Members from the government side will be dropping in there after midnight, for refreshment. Both Houses are in all-night sittings now.
How does Leyland vote?
He is tremendously royal and loyal. You will have to mind your ps and qs with him now, father.
Not I! I take my awn way. Leylands way and mine are far apart. How is your Aunt Josepha?
She is all right. She is never anything else but all right. Certainly she is vexed that Katherine is not to stay with her. Jane has been making a little brag about it, I suppose.
Katherine could stay part of the time with her, said the squire.
She had better be with Jane. Aunt will ask OConnell to her dinners, and others whom Katherine would not like.
Why does she do it? She knows better.
I suspect we all know better than we do. She says, OConnell keeps the dinner table lively. So he does. The men quarrel all the time they eat and the women really admire them for it. They say Oh! at a very strong word, but they would love to see them really fighting. Women affect tenderness and fearfulness; they are actually cruel creatures. Aunt says, that was what her dear departed told her, and she had no doubt he had had experiences. Jane sent her love to all of you, and she purposes coming for Katherine about two oclock to-morrow.
Oh! said Madam, in a rather indifferent way, Katherine and I can find plenty to do, and to see, in London. Jane told me recently, she had a new carriage.
One of the finest turn-outs Long Acre could offer her. The team is good also. Leyland is a judge of horses, and he has chosen a new livery with his new honors gray with silver trimmings. It looks handsome and stylish.
And will spoil quickly, said Madam. Jane asked me about the livery, and I told her to avoid light colors.
Then you should have told her to choose light colors. Jane lives and votes with the opposition. In pleasant domestic conversation the hours slipped happily away, but after the ladies had retired, Dick did not stay long. The squire was really weary, though he pooh-poohed the idea. A drive from Leeds to London, with a rest between, what is that to tire a man? he asked, adding, I hev trotted a Norfolk cob the distance easy in less time, and I could do it again, if I wanted to.
Of course you could, father. Oh, I wish to ask you if you know anything of the M.P. from Appleby?
A little.
What can you say about him?
He made a masterly speech last session, in favor of Peels ministry. I liked it then. I hevnt one good word for it now.
He is a very fine looking man. I suppose he is wealthy. He lives in good style here.
I know nothing about his money. The De Burgs are a fine family among the oldest in England Cumberland, I believe, down Furness way. Why art thou bothering thysen about him?
He is one of Janes favorites. He goes to Ley-lands house a deal. I was thinking of Katherine.
What about Katherine? What about Katherine? the squire asked sharply.
You know Katherine is beautiful, and this De Burg is very handsome in his way.
What way?
Well, the De Burgs are of Norman descent and Stephen De Burg shows it. He has indeed the large, gray eyes of our own North Country, but his hair is black very black and his complexion is swarthy. However, he is tall and well-built, and remarkably graceful in speech and action quite the young man to steal a girls heart away.
Hes he stolen any girls heart from thee?
Not he, indeed! I am Annis enough to keep what I win; but I was wondering if our little Kitty was a match for Stephen De Burg.
Tha neednt worry thysen about Kitty Annis. Ill warrant her a match for any man. Her mother says she hes a fancy for Harry Bradley, but I
Harry is a fine fellow.
Nobody said he wasnt a fine fellow, and there is not any need for thee to interrupt thy father in order to tell him that! Harry Bradley, indeed! I wouldnt spoil any plan of De Burgs to please or help Harry Bradley! Not I! Now I hope tha understands that! To-morrow thou can tell me about thy last goddess, and if she be worthy to sit after thy mother in Annis Court, Ill help thee to get wedded to her gladly. For Im getting anxious, Dick, about my grandsons and their sisters. Id like to see them that are to come after me.
Then Dick went away with a laugh, but as the father and son stood a moment hand-clasped, their resemblance was fitting and beautiful; and no one noticing this fact could wonder at the Englishmans intense affection and anxious care for the preservation of his family type.
The squire then put out the candles and covered the fire just as he would have done at Annis and while he did so he pondered what Dick had told him and resolved to say nothing at all about it. Then, he reflected, I shall get Katherines real opinions about De Burg. Women are so queer, they wont iver tell you the truth about men unless they believe you dont care what they think: and I wont tell Annie either. Annie would take to warning and watching, and, for anything I know, advising her to be faithful and true to her first love. Such simplicity! Such nonsense!
Then he went to his room and found Mistress Annis sitting with her feet on the fender, sipping a glass of wine negus, and as she dipped her little strips of dry toast into it, she said, I am so glad to see thee, Antony. I am too excited to sleep and I wanted a few words with thee and thee only. For three days I hev missed our quiet talks with each other. I heard Dick laughing; what about?
I told him I was getting varry anxious about my grandsons, eh?
Then both laughed and the squire stooped and kissed his wife and in that moment he sat down by her side and frankly told her all he had heard about De Burg. They talked about it for half-an-hour and then the squire went calmly off to sleep without one qualm of conscience for his broken resolution. In fact he assured himself that he had done right. Katherines mother was Katherines proper guardian and he was only doing his duty in giving her points that might help her to do her duty. That reflection was a comfortable one on which to sleep and he took all the rest it gave him.
Madam lay awake worrying about Katherines wardrobe. After hearing of her sisters growing social importance she felt that it should have been attended to before they left Yorkshire. For in those days there were no such things as ready-made suits, and any dress or costume lacking had to be selected from the web, the goods bought, the dressmaker interviewed, and after several other visits for the purpose of trying-on the gown might be ready for use. These things troubled Madam. Katherine felt more confidence in her present belongings. I have half a dozen white frocks with me, mother, she said, and nothing could be prettier or richer than my two Dacca muslins. The goods are fine as spider webs, the embroidery on them is nearly priceless, and they are becoming every year more and more scarce. I have different colored silk skirts to wear under them, and sashes and beads, and bows, with which to adorn them.