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In Honour's Cause: A Tale of the Days of George the First, a novel by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 7. How Frank Gowan Grew One Year Older In One Day |
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_ CHAPTER SEVEN. HOW FRANK GOWAN GREW ONE YEAR OLDER IN ONE DAY "I Seem to have so many things to worry me," thought Frank. "Any one would think that in a place like this without lessons or studies there would be no unpleasantries; but as soon as I've got the better of one, another comes to worry me." This was in consequence of the invitation for the following Monday. His mind was pretty well at ease about his confidential talk with his father; but he was nervous and uncomfortable about the visit to the club, and several times over he was on the point of getting leave to go across to Sir Robert to ask his opinion as to whether he ought to go. "I can't go and bother my mother about such a thing as that," he mused. "I ought to be old enough now to be able to decide which is right and which is wrong. Drew thinks and talks like a man, while it seems to me that I'm almost a child compared to him. "Well, let's try. Ought I to go, or ought I not? There can't be any harm to me in going. There may be some friends of Drew's whom I shan't like; but if there are I needn't go again. It's childish, when I want to become more manly, to shrink from going into society, like a great girl.--I'll go. If there's any harm in it, the harm is likely to be to Drew, and--yes, of course; I could save him from getting into trouble. "Then I ought to go," he said to himself decisively, and he felt at ease, troubling himself little more about the matter, but going through his extremely easy duties of waiting in the anteroom, bearing letters and messages from one part of the Palace to the other, and generally looking courtly as a royal page. Then the Monday came, with Andrew Forbes in the highest of spirits, and ready to chat about the country, his friend's life at Winchester, and to make plans for running down to see them when his father and mother went out of town. "I don't believe you'd like it if you did come," said Frank. "Oh yes, I should. Why not?" "Because you'd find some of the lanes muddy, and the edges of the roads full of brambles. You wouldn't care to see the bird's and squirrels and hedgehogs, nor the fish in the river, nor the rabbits and hares." "Why, those are all things that I am dying to see in their natural places. I wish you would not think I am such a macaroni. Why, after the way in which you have gone on about the country, isn't it natural that I should want to see more of it?" He kept on in this strain to such an extent that, instead of convincing his companion, he overdid it, and set him wondering. "I don't understand him a bit," he said to himself; "and I wish he wouldn't keep on calling me my dear fellow and slapping me on the back. I never saw him so wild and excitable before." The lad's musings were interrupted to his great disgust by Andrew coming behind him with the very act and words which had annoyed him. For he started and turned angrily upon receiving a sounding slap between the shoulders. "Why, Frank, my dear fellow," cried Andrew, "what ails you? Hallo! eyes flashing lightning and brow heavy with thunder. Has the gentle, shepherd-like swain from the country got a temper of his own?" "Of course I have," cried the boy angrily. "Why don't you let it lie quiet, and not wake it up by doing that!" "Is the temper like a surly dog, then?" cried Andrew, laughing mockingly. "Will it bite?" "Yes, if you tease it too much," snapped out Frank. "Oh, horrible! You alarm me!" cried Andrew, bounding away in mock dread. "Don't be a fool!" cried Frank angrily; and the tone and gesture which accompanied the request sobered Andrew in a moment, though his eyes looked his surprise that the boy whom he patronised with something very much like contempt could be roused up into showing so much strength of mind. "What's the matter, Frank boy?" he said quietly; "eaten something that hasn't agreed with you?" "No," said the boy sharply. "I haven't eaten it--I can't swallow it." "Eh? What do you mean? What is it?" "You," said Frank shortly. "Oh!" said Andrew, raising his eyebrows a little and staring at him hard; "and pray how is it you can't swallow me?" "Because you will keep going on in this wild, stupid way, and treating me as if I were some stupid boy whom you meant to make your butt." "What, to-day?" "Yes, and yesterday, and the day before that, and last week, and--and ever since I've been here." "Then why didn't you tell me of it if I did, like a gentleman should, and not call me a fool?" "I didn't; I said don't be a fool." "Same thing. You insulted me." "Well, you've insulted me dozens of times." "And amongst gentlemen, sir," continued Andrew haughtily, and ignoring the other's words, "these things mean a meeting. Gentlemen don't wear swords for nothing. They have their honour to defend. Do you understand?" "Oh yes, I understand," said Frank warmly. "I haven't been behind the trees in the big field at Winchester a dozen times perhaps without knowing what that means." "Pish!" said Andrew contemptuously; "schoolboys' squabbles settled with fists. Black eyes, bruised knuckles, and cut lips." "Well, schoolboys don't wear swords," cried Frank, who was by no means quelled. "I learned fencing, and I dare say I could use mine properly. I've fenced with my father in the holidays many a time." "Then I shall send a friend to you, sir," said Andrew fiercely. "You mean an enemy," said Frank grimly. "A friend, sir--a friend," said Andrew haughtily; "and you can name your own." "No, I can't, and I shouldn't make such a fool of myself," cried Frank defiantly. "You are very free, sir, with your fools," cried Andrew. "Such language as this is not fitted for the anteroom in the Palace." "I suppose I may call myself a fool if I like." "When you are alone, sir, if you think proper, but not in my presence. Perhaps you will have the goodness to name your friend now; it will save time and trouble." Frank looked at his companion sharply. "Then you mean to fight?" "Yes, sir, I mean to chastise this insolence." "They wouldn't let us cross swords within the Palace grounds." "Pooh! No paltry excuses and evasions, sir," cried Andrew, in whose thin cheeks a couple of red spots appeared. "Of course we could not hold a meeting here. But there is the Park. I see, though. Big words, and now the dog that was going to bite is putting his tail between his legs, and is ready to run away." "Is he?" said Frank sharply, and a curiously stubborn look came into his face. "Don't you be too sure of that. But, anyhow, I'm not going to cross swords with you in real earnest." "I thought so. You are afraid that I should pink you." "Who's afraid?" "Bah!" cried Andrew contemptuously. "You are." "Oh, am I?" growled Frank. "Look here; I'm sure my father wouldn't like me to fight you with swords, whether you pinked me as you call it, or I wounded you." "Pish! Frank Gowan, you are a poltroon." "Perhaps so; but look here, Andrew Forbes, you've often made me want to hit you when you've been so bounceable and patronising. Now, we were going to see your friend to-night--" "We are going to see my friend to-night, sir. Even if gentlemen have an affair, they keep their words." "If they can, and are fit to show themselves. I'm not going to that place with you this evening, though I had got leave to go out. You can go afterwards if you like; but if you'll come anywhere you like, where we shan't be stopped, I'll try and show you, big as you are, that I'm not a coward." "Very well. I dare say we can find a place. But your sword is shorter than mine. You must wear my other one." "Rubbish! I'm not going to fight with swords!" cried Frank. "What! you mean pistols?" "I mean fists." In Honour's Cause. "Pah! like schoolboys or people in the mob." "I shan't fight with anything else," said Frank stubbornly. "You shall, sir. Now, then, name your friend." "Can't; he wouldn't go. He's such a hot, peppery fellow too." "Then he is as big a coward as you are." "Look here," said Frank, almost in a whisper. "I don't know so much as you do about what we ought to do here, but I suppose it means a lot of trouble; and if it does I can't help it, but if you call me a coward again I'll hit you straight in the face." "Coward then!" cried Andrew, in a sharp whisper. "Now hit me, if you dare." As he spoke he drew himself up to his full height, threw out his chest, and folded his arms behind him. Quick as thought Frank doubled his fist, and as he drew back his arm raised his firm white knuckles to a level with his shoulder, and then reason checked him, and he stood looking darkly into his fellow-page's eyes. "I knew it," cried the latter--"a coward; and your friend is worse than you, or you wouldn't have chosen him." "Oh! don't you abuse him," said Frank, with his face brightening; and his eyes shone with the mirth which had suddenly taken the place of his anger. "What! do you dare to mock me?" cried Andrew. "No; only it seemed so comic. You know, I've only had one friend since I've been here. How could I ask you?" For a _few_ moments Andrew stood gazing at him, as if hardly knowing how to parry this verbal thrust, and then the look which had accompanied it did its work. "I say," he said, in an altered tone, "this is very absurd." "Yes, isn't it?" said Frank. "I never thought we two were going to have such a row." "But you called me a fool." "Didn't! But you did call me a coward. Ha--ha! and yourself too. But, I say, Drew, you don't think I'm a coward, do you?" Andrew made no reply. "Because I don't think I am," continued Frank. "I always hated to have to fight down yonder. And as soon as we began I always felt afraid of hurting the boy I fought with; but directly he hit out and hurt me I forgot everything, and I used to go on hammering away till I dropped, and had to give in because he was too much for me, and I hadn't strength to go on hammering any more. But somehow," he added thoughtfully, and with simple sincerity in his tones, "I never even then felt as if I was beaten, though of course I was." "But you used to beat sometimes?" said Andrew quietly. "Oh yes, often; I generally used to win. I've got such a hard head and such bony knuckles. But, I say, you don't think I should be afraid to fight, do you?" "I'm sure you wouldn't be," cried Andrew, with animation, "and--and, there I beg your pardon for treating you as I have and for calling you a coward. It was a lie, Frank, and--will you shake hands?" There was a rapid movement, and this time the boy's fist flew out, but opened as it went and grasped the thin white hand extended toward him. "I say, don't please; you hurt," said Andrew, screwing up his face. "Oh, I beg your pardon," cried the boy. "I didn't mean to grip so hard. I say, though, is it as the officers say to the soldiers?" "What do you mean?" said Andrew wonderingly. "As you were?" "Of course. I'm sure our fathers never quarrelled and fought, and I swear we never will." "That's right," cried Frank. "And I never felt as if I liked you half so much as I do now. Why, Frank, old fellow, you seem as if you had suddenly grown a year older since we began to quarrel." "Do I?" said the boy, laughing. "I am glad. No, I don't think I am. But, I say, we mustn't quarrel often then, for I shall grow old too soon." "I said we'd never quarrel again," said Andrew seriously; "and somehow you are really a good deal older than I have thought. But, I say, we must go and meet Mr Selby to-night." "Oh yes, of course; and I shall always stand by and stop you in case you turn peppery to any one else, and stop you from righting him." "If it was in a right cause you would not." "I shouldn't?" "No; I believe you would help me, and be ready to draw on my behalf." Frank turned to the speaker with a thoughtful, far-off look in his eyes, as if he were gazing along the vista of the future at something happening far away. "I hope that will never come," he said quietly, "for when I used to fight with my fists, as I said, I always forgot what I was about. How would it be if I held a drawn sword?" "You would use it as a gentleman, a soldier, and a man of honour should," said Andrew warmly. "Should I?" said Frank sadly. "Yes, I am sure you would." _ |
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