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To The West, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 9. Difficulties |
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_ CHAPTER NINE. DIFFICULTIES Mrs Dean was in waiting for me next morning, and attacked me directly. "Do, do, pray try and help me, my dear," she whispered, so that her voice might not rise to the little bed-room where we could hear Esau stamping about, knocking the jug against the basin, and snorting like a hippopotamus over his ablutions. "You have such a way with you, and Esau looks up to you so as being a gentleman, and I know he'll do what you tell him." "Nonsense, Mrs Dean!" I said; "surely he'll mind his mother more than he does me." "No, my dear, no," she said sadly. "He has always been the dearest and best of boys, and I used to make him think just as I liked; but of late, since he has been grown big and strong, he generally ends by making me think as he likes, and he is so obstinate." "Oh no; he's a very good fellow." "Yes, my dear. Hush! don't talk so loud. You see he has got it into his head that it is the best thing for us, and I want you to get it out." "But how can I, when I think the same?" "Now, Mr Gordon, my dear, you don't--you can't think it's best for you two boys to go trapesing hundreds of thousands of miles, and going living among wild beasts in forests." "I'm afraid I do, without the wild beasts," I said. "But suppose you were both taken ill, my dear, there's no hospitals, or dispensaries, or doctors out there." "But you said you would come with us, and if we were taken ill, where could we get a better nurse?" "It's very kind of you to say so, my dear, and of course I shouldn't think of going without some camomiles, and poppy-heads, and a little castor-oil, and salts and senny, and jollop. Yes, and a roll of sticking-plaster. And that reminds me, how is your poor ear?" "Oh, not very bad," I said laughing. "But there, I'm afraid I cannot do what you wish, Mrs Dean, for if Esau does not come, I shall certainly go myself." "And he'd be sure to, then, my dear. He'd have been a soldier by this time, only you kind of held him back. He does think such a deal of--" "Hallo, you two! Ketched you, have I, making plots and plans?" "No, no, my dear." "Why, you've been coaxing him to get me not to go." "Well, my dear, it was something of that sort." "Yes, I know, mother. That's just like you, trying to stop me when I'm going to make a big fortune." "But you don't know that you are, my dear. Such lots of people go abroad to make fortunes, and I never knew one yet who brought a fortune back." "Then you're going to know two now--him and me. Breakfast ready?" "Yes, my dears; and I thought you'd like some hot rolls, so I went and got 'em." "I say, mother, you're going it. Hot rolls! Are they buttered?" "Yes, my dear, and in the oven." "Did you cut 'em in three?" "Yes, dear, and put plenty of butter in, as you like them." "Hooray! Come on then, and let's begin." "But, Esau dear, if you'll only promise to stop, you shall have hot rolls for breakfast every morning. You shall, if I work night and day." "Then Esau and I would rather have hard biscuit and dry bread out yonder, Mrs Dean," I said warmly; and Esau shouted-- "Hear, hear!" Two days passed, then a third, and we had been out, and, to please Esau's mother, tried in several places to get engagements. But we soon found that it was hopeless, and after tramping about for hours went back to the cottage. "Such waste of time, and such a lot of trouble," grumbled Esau. "Why, we might have done a lot of good work hunting, or shooting, or gardening, out in Merriky yonder." But Mrs Dean only shook her head, and told us to try again; and we tried. I think it was on the fourth evening that we were sitting in the little kitchen, tired, discontented, and miserable, with Mrs Dean stitching away more quickly than ever, when we all started, for there was a double knock at the door, "Hullo!" cried Esau. "Hush! my dear," said his mother, mysteriously; "I know. It's either Mr Dempster to beg you to go back, or news about a new place." She smoothed her apron and went to the door, picking off threads and ravelings from her dress so as to look neat, though that she always looked; and the next moment I ran to the door too, for I heard a familiar voice, and to my surprise found both Mr and Mrs John. "Ah, my dear boy," he cried eagerly, "we were getting uneasy about you, and thought you must be ill. My wife could not rest till we came." I led them into the little parlour, and placed chairs; while Mrs Dean, after a humble courtesy, went away into the kitchen. "Is that your landlady?" continued Mrs John, as she glanced quickly round; and, before I could answer, "How beautifully neat and clean." "Yes, beautifully," assented Mr John, hurriedly. "Have you heard of an engagement, Mayne?" "No, sir," I said sadly. "Then you have not tried?" "Indeed, sir, both Esau and I have tried very hard, as his mother is so averse to his going abroad." "Then you have given up all thought of going abroad, my dear boy?" I shook my head. "But you should, Mayne," said Mrs John, in rather a low voice. "We are forced to go for my health's sake, but you are young and strong, and with energy you ought to succeed here." "I should like to do what you think right, ma'am," I said sadly. "And we both think it right, my boy," said Mr John. "We should dearly like to have you with us; but it would be unjust to you to encourage you to take a step which you might afterwards bitterly repent, and we should feel ourselves to blame." I looked at Mrs John, and she took my hand, and said sadly-- "Yes, we have had many talks about it, Mayne, and we can only come to that conclusion." "Then you are both going away, and I shall never see you again?" I said bitterly. "Who can say?" said Mrs John, smiling. "You know why I am going. I may come back in a few years strong and well, to find you a prosperous and--Ah!" "Alexes! my child!" cried Mr John in agony, for Mrs John, who had been speaking in a low voice, suddenly changed colour, raised her hands to her throat, as she uttered a low sigh, and would have fallen from her chair if I had not caught and supported her. We were lifting her to the little horse-hair couch, when there was a tap at the door, and Mrs Dean appeared. "Is anything the--" "Matter," she would have said, but as she caught sight of Mrs John's white face, she came forward quickly, and with all the clever management of a practised nurse, assisted in laying the fainting woman back on the couch. "She's weak, and been trying to do too much, sir." "Yes, yes, I was afraid," cried Mr John. "But she would come--to see you, Mayne. Tell me where--I'll run for a doctor." "Oh no, sir," said Mrs Dean, quietly; "I'll bathe her temples a bit. She'll soon come round." Mrs Dean hurried out of the room, and was back directly with basin, sponge, towels, and a tiny little silver box. "You hold that to her nose, Mr Gordon, while I sponge her face. Mind-- it's very strong." "But a doctor," panted Mr John in agony. "She has been so terribly ill. This was too much for her." "If you fetched a doctor, sir, he'd tell us to do just what we're a-doing. Bathe her face and keep her head low. There, poor dear! she's coming round. Oh, how thin and white she is!" Mrs Dean was quite right, for under her ministrations the patient soon opened her eyes, to look vacantly about for a few moments, and murmur-- "So weak--so weak." "Are you better, dearest?" whispered her husband. She smiled feebly, and closed her eyes for a time. Then with a deep sigh she looked up again, and made an effort to rise. "Ah, that's right," said Mr John; "you feel better." "No, no," said Mrs Dean, firmly, "not yet. She must lie still till the faintness has gone off, or she'll bring it back," and, with a sigh, Mrs John resigned herself to the stronger will, Mr John nodding at me, and saying in a whisper-- "Yes, Mayne; she knows best." A few minutes later Mrs Dean went towards the door. "I'll be back again directly," she whispered. "I want to speak to Esau." She was back directly, and Mrs John held out her hand to her. "Thank you, thank you so very much," she whispered. "I am so sorry to have given you all this trouble." Mrs Dean laughed. "Trouble!" she said, merrily; "as if it was trouble for one woman to help another. I mean a lady," she said, colouring. There was silence for a few moments, and then Mrs John said-- "I thought I must come down to see Mayne. Has he told you of his wish to go with us to the West?" "Told me?" cried Mrs Dean, excitedly. "Ah, now you are talking about trouble indeed." "We came down to tell him that it is impossible--foolish of him to think of such a thing." "Oh, thank you kindly, ma'am," cried Mrs Dean; "and me thinking all kinds of evil of you, and that you had been persuading him to go." "No, no, my good woman, no," said Mr John. "And thank you too, sir. And I hope Mr Gordon will take it to heart, for if he had gone my Esau would have been sure to go too, and I should have seemed to be quite alone in the world." "Yes, it would be hard for you," said Mrs John, looking at her searchingly. "Mayne, my dear, you will not try and influence her son?" I shook my head. "Oh, but he don't, ma'am, never," said Mrs Dean, eagerly; "he crosses him; but my Esau always sets Mr Gordon here up for a hidle, and thinks whatever he does must be right." "Why, Mayne," said Mr John, smiling, "I did not know you were such a model boy." "Oh, but he is, sir," cried Mrs Dean; "and my Esau is ever so much better since--" "I'm going for a walk," I said, with my face scarlet. But just then there was a tap at the door, to which Mrs Dean responded, and came back directly with a little tray, on which was her favourite black teapot and its companions. "I'm afraid, ma'am, it isn't such tea as you're used to, but I thought a cup--and my boy Esau got it ready." Mrs John gave her a grateful look, and soon after, very much refreshed, she quite sat up, Mrs Dean helping her to a chair. "But oh, my dear," she said, "you're so weak and thin; you're not fit to take a long voyage and a journey such as Mr Gordon talked about." "If I stay in England I shall die," said Mrs John, sadly. "Oh, don't say that, my--ma'am. But are you going alone?" "No; with my husband." "And soon?" "The vessel sails in a fortnight." "A fortnight? There, Mr Gordon, you see you could not go. It is too soon." "And you will give up all thought of going, Mayne?" said Mrs John, "for our sake." I was silent for a few moments, and then my voice was very husky as I said-- "For some years now I have had no friends except Mrs Dean and her son. Then I met Mr John Dempster, and since then it has been like having old times. Now you are going away, and you say don't go too." "Yes, yes," said Mrs John; "I am speaking for your good." "I know you think you are, Mrs John; but if Mr John here had at my age been placed in my position, I'm sure he would not have done as you advise." "I'm afraid I should, my boy," he faltered. "I never did have your energy." "Then I can't help it," I cried. "I shall not say good-bye to you, for go I must." "Oh, Mr Gordon," cried Mrs Dean, "if you go Esau is sure to go too." "Then we will try the harder either to make you a home out there, or to come back here prosperous men." "Then I say it again," cried Mrs Dean, just as if she were putting my hopes into shape, "you two couldn't make a home comfortable; so if it is to be, why there's an end of it. And look here, sir and ma'am, this poor dear is not fit to go all that long journey alone, and as I'm going too, I shall come along with you and tend to her, and do the best I can." "Oh no, no," cried Mrs John. "It is impossible," said Mr John. "Do you want to wake up some day, sir," cried the little woman firmly, "and find this poor, weak, suffering thing dying for want of help? Of course you don't. Here, Esau," she cried, throwing open the door. "Yes, mother; more hot water?" came from the kitchen. "No; you may begin to pack up. We're going across the sea." Before Mr and Mrs John left us that night it was all settled; and when I returned from going part of the way with them, I found Esau and his mother hard at work, planning as to what was to be taken and what sold, Mrs Dean rousing her son's anger as I entered the kitchen, and making him stamp. "Why, what is the matter?" "Mother is so obstinate," he cried. "Why, what about? Does she say now she will not go?" "No, Mr Gordon, I only told him I must take my four flat-irons with me. They don't take up much room, and take 'em I will. Why, bless the boys! do you think you won't want clean shirts?" _ |
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