Peregrine's Progress Read online

  CHAPTER IX

  DESCRIBES THE WOES OF GALLOPING JERRY, A NOTORIOUS HIGHWAYMAN

  "An' now--wot about my door?" demanded a gruff voice. Starting, Iturned to find the landlord at my elbow and immediately my forlornnessgrew intensified. I felt miserably helpless and at a loss, for theman's sullen face seemed to hold positive menace and I yearnedmightily for Anthony's masterful presence beside me or a little of hispolite ferocity.

  "Come--wot about my door?" demanded the landlord, more threateningthan ever. "Ten shillin' won't mend my door--"

  "What door?" I questioned, fronting his insolent look with as muchresolution as I could summon.

  "The door as you an' that desp'rit villain broke betwixt ye--fifteenshillin'--ah, a pound won't pay for the mendin' o' my door--wot aboutit--come!" Here he lurched towards me, shoulders hunched, chinbrutally out-thrust so that I shrank instinctively from him,perceiving which, he grew the more aggressive.

  "That will do!" said I in woefully feeble imitation of Anthony'smasterful manner. "That will do--and what is more--"

  "Oh, will it do? Wot about my door?"

  "You may charge it in your bill--"

  "Not me, by goles! 'T is money as I wants--thirty shillin'--in my'and--this 'ere very moment."

  "I intend to stay the night, so will you please have a fire lighted inyour best--"

  "Thirty-five shillin's the word--in my 'and--this moment--my finelittle gent--that's wot!"

  Feeling myself quite powerless to cope with this drunken creature, Ishrank before him, trembling with mingled rage and disgust; perceivingwhich, he scowled the fiercer and thrust a hairy fist into my face.Threatened thus with bodily harm, I glanced hastily over my shoulderwith some wild notion of ignominious flight, but dignity forbidding, Istood my ground sick with apprehension and with my sweating handstight-clenched.

  "Smell it!" quoth the landlord, setting his fist under my nose. "Whichis it t' be,--forty shillin' or this?"

  I was groping for my purse when over my shoulder came a large, plump,red hand that took my scowling aggressor by an ear and tweaked it tillhe writhed, and turning, I beheld the large, plump woman who, puttingme aside, interposed her comfortable bulk before me.

  "Oh, Sammy," sighed she reproachfully. "You been a-drinkin'again--shame on ye to go a-frightin' an' a-scarin' this poor child. Goan' put your wicked 'ead under the pump this instant, you bad boy. Asfor you, my pore lamb, never 'eed 'im; 'e bean't so bad when 'e'ssober. Come your ways along o' me, dearie." And folding me within onerobust arm she brought me into that room that was half bar and halfkitchen.

  "There!" she exclaimed, leading me to the great settle beside thefire. "Sit ye there, my lamb, and never mind nobody. Lor'! You bea-shiverin' an' shakin' like a little asp, I declare. Poor child!"sighed she, gustily commiserate, and patting my head with her greatplump hand. "Pore little soul--never mind, then!"

  "Madam," said I, somewhat overwhelmed by her solicitude, "I am not sovery--so extreme youthful as you deem me."

  "Ain't you, lovey?"

  "Indeed, no! I am nineteen."

  "Nineteen, dearie--lor', an' you s' small an' all--"

  "I am five feet three--almost!"

  "Are ye, dearie--lor'! But then I'm s' big, most other folks seemssmall to me--'specially men--men is all children--'specially my man.Which do mind me. Sammy," she called, "go into the wash'us an' letSusie pump on ye. Susie, jest you pump water on your master's'ead--this moment."

  "Yes, ma'm!" And presently sure enough, from somewhere adjacent rosethe clank of a pump to the accompaniment of much splashing andgasping.

  "That'll do, Susie!"

  "Yes, ma'm."

  "Now you, Sammy, go an' lie down--this moment. 'E'll be all rightarter this, dearie. Susie!"

  "Yes, ma'm."

  "Go light a fire for this young genelman in Number Four. This moment."

  "Yes, ma'm."

  "The best chamber but one, dearie. And a feather bed!" All this as shebustled to and fro, and very quietly despite her size, while I satgazing into the fire and hearkening to the patter of rain on thewindows and the wind that howled dismally without and rumbled in thewide chimney so that I must needs wonder how it fared with thetravellers and if I should ever see either of them again.

  "You look very lonesome, dearie!" remarked the landlady at last, witha large wooden spoon in her hand. "Can I get ye anythink? A drop o'kind rum or nice brandy--or say a glass o' purl--a drop o' purl tookwarm would be very comfortin' for your little inside."

  "Thank you--no!" said I, a little shortly. "But if you could oblige mewith pen, ink and paper, I should be grateful."

  "Why, for sure, though I'm afraid the pen's broke."

  "I'll cut another."

  "Ye see there ain't much writin' done 'ere, 'cept by me with myB-e-t-y for Betty and S-a-m-i-e for Samuel." So saying, she presentlyset out the articles in question; then, having made shift to cut andtrim a new point to the quill, I wrote as follows:

  NOBLEST AND BEST OF AUNTS:It is now an eternity of twenty-four hours since I left the securehaven of your loving care. Within this space I have found the worldmore wonderful than my dreams and man more varied than a book. I havealso learned to know myself for no poet--it remains for me to convincemyself that I am truly a man.

  As to my sudden departure, I do beg you to banish from your mind anydoubt of my deep love and everlasting gratitude to you, the noblest ofwomen, believe rather I was actuated by motives as unselfish assincere. Writing this, I pray that though this separation pain you asit does me, it may yet serve to bring to you sooner or late a deeperhappiness than your great unselfish heart has ever known. In whichsincere hope I rest ever your grateful, loving PEREGRINE.

  P.S. I shall write you of my further adventures from time to time.

  I was in the act of folding my epistle when I started, for above thelash of rain and buffeting wind, it seemed that some one was hailingfrom the road. Presently, as I listened, I heard a mutter of roughvoices without, a tramp of feet, and the door swung suddenly open toadmit two men, or rather three, for between them they dragged one, ashort, squat fellow in riding boots and horseman's coat, but all sotorn and bedraggled, so foul of blood and mire, as to seem scarcehuman. His hat was gone and his long, rain-soaked hair clung in blacktangles about his bruised face and as he stood, swaying in his bonds,I thought him the very figure of misery.

  "House!" roared one of his captors. "House--ho!" In response thelandlady entered, followed by her sullen spouse (somewhat sobered byhis late ablutions) and the man Vokes.

  "Lor'!" exclaimed the landlord, plump fists on plump hips and eyeingthe newcomers very much askance. "An' what might all this be?"

  "Thieves, missus--a murderin' 'ighwayman--Galloping Jerry 'isself--abloody rogue--"

  "'E looks it!" nodded the landlady. "Bleedin' all over my cleankitchen, 'e be. Take 'im out t' barn--"

  "Not us, ma'm, not us--'e's nigh give us the slip once a'ready, dang'im!" Saying which, the speaker kicked the poor wretch so that hewould have fallen but for the wall, whereupon the man Vokes laughedand nodded.

  "Ecod!" quoth he. "I'm minded to try my boots on 'im myself."

  "Not you, Mr. Vokes!" said the landlady. "No one ain't a-goin' t' kicknobody in my kitchen, and no more I don't want no murderin' 'ighwaymenneither--so out ye go."

  "Not us, missus, not us! We be officers--Bow Street officers--wi' awerry dangerous criminal took red 'anded an' a fifty-pound reward goodas in our pockets--so 'ere we be, an' 'ere we bide till mornin'. Laydown, you!" Saying which he fetched the wretched captive a buffet thattumbled him into a corner where he lay, his muddy back supported inthe angle. And lying thus, it chanced that his eye met mine, a brighteye, very piercing and keen. Now beholding him thus in hishelplessness and misery, I will confess that my very natural andproper repugnance for him and his past desperate crimes was greatlymodified by pity for his present deplorable situation, the which itseemed he was quick to notice, for with his keen gaze yet holdingmine, he spoke, albeit mumbling
and somewhat indistinct by reason ofhis swollen lips:

  "Oh, brother, I'm parched wi' thirst--a drink o' water--"

  "Stow ye gab!" growled the man Tom. "Gi'e him one for 'is nob, Jimmy."But as his nearer captor raised his cudgel, I sprang to my feet.

  "That'll do!" I cried so imperatively that the fellow stayed his blowand turned to stare, as did the others. "You've maltreated himenough," said I, quite beside myself; "if he desires a little waterwhere's the harm; he will find few enough comforts where he is going?"And taking up a jug of water that chanced to be near I approached thepoor wretch, but ere I could reach him, the man Tom interposed, yet ashe eyed me over, from rumpled cravat to dusty Hessians, his mannerunderwent a subtle change.

  "No, no, young sir--can't be--I knows a genelman when I sees one, butit's no go--Jerry's a rare desperate cove an' oncommon sly--"

  "Then give him the water yourself--"

  "Not me, sir!"

  "I tell you the man is faint with thirst and ill-usage--"

  "Then let 'im faint. A young gent like you don't want nothin' to dowi' th' likes o' 'im--let 'im faint--"

  At this I set down the jug and taking out my purse, extracted aguinea.

  "Landlord," said I, tossing the coin upon the table, "a bottle of yourbest rum for the officers--a bowl of punch would do none of us anyharm, I think."

  "Lor'!" exclaimed the landlady, sitting down heavily.

  "By goles!" quoth the landlord, reaching for the guinea.

  "Allus know a genelman when I sees one!" said the man Tom, making aleg to me and knuckling shaggy eyebrow. So they suffered me to takethe water to their prisoner, who drank avidly, his eyes upraised tomine in speechless gratitude.

  "Don't believe 'em, brother," he whispered under cover of the talkwhere the others clustered around the hearth watching the preparationsfor the punch; "don't believe 'em, friend--I'm no murderer an' my poreold stricken mother on 'er knees for me this night, an' my sweet wifean' babbies weepin' their pretty eyes out, an' all for me. I'm a porelame dog, brother, an' here's a stile as be 'ard to come over;howsomever, whether 'tis sweet wind an' open road for me by an' by, orTyburn Tree--why God love ye for this, brother!"

  Here he closed his eyes and bowed his head as one in prayer, for I sawhis swollen lips moving painfully, then glancing up, beheld the manJimmy watching us.

  "Wot's Jerry a-sayin' of, sir?" he questioned.

  "Praying, I believe."

  "More like cursing. Jerry's a-flamming o' ye, young sir. An' the punchis ready at last." So while the storm raged outside, we sat down atthe table beside the hearth where glasses were filled from a greatbowl of steaming brew and forthwith emptied to my very good health.And now to the accompaniment of howling wind and lashing rain, the BowStreet officers recounted the history of Galloping Jerry's capture.

  "'T were this evenin' as ever was just about dark, on the 'ill yonder.About 'arf way up there's a biggish tree, an' we was a-layin' for 'imthere, Jimmy an' me, wi' our barkers ready, 'avin' been given theoffice. Presently we 'ears the sound o' hoofs an' down 'ill easy-likecomes a mounted cove. It's 'im!' says I. 'Sure?' says Jimmy. 'Sartin,'says I, 'I knows 'im by 'is 'at!' 'Werry good!' says Jimmy, an' letsfly an' down comes the 'oss 'eadfirst, squealin' like a stuck pig, an'away down 'ill shoots Jerry, rollin' over an' over, an' then we was on'im wi' our truncheons an' we give 'im wot for--eh, Jimmy?"

  "Ar!" quoth Jimmy. "We did!"

  "And a werry pretty little job it were--eh, Jimmy?"

  "Ar!" quoth Jimmy. "It were!"

  "Considerin' 'im such a werry desp'rit cove an' all--an' a pair o'popps in 'is 'olsters as long as your arm--they're in the pockets o'my greatcoat yonder--you can see 'em stickin' out. Yes, a sweet,pretty bit o' work as ever we done, eh, Jimmy?"

  "Ar--though 'e floored you once."

  "Aye--that was when 'e slipped off the darbies--Oh, a desp'rit covean' the more credit to us! A desp'rit villain--slipped th' darbies, 'edid, an' us was forced to truss 'im wi' rope."

  Here every one vied in expressions of acclaim and all eyes turned tothat shadowy corner where the prisoner sat crouched in the sameposture, bloody head bowed feebly on bowed breast. And now, as theglasses emptied and were refilled (with the exception of mine), wehearkened to tales of horrid murders and ghastly suicides, of gruesomedeeds and bloody affrays of hunters and hunted until the landladygasped and, calling the maid for company, went off to bed, while themen turned to stare uneasily behind them and I myself felt my fleshcreep. But as the great bowl emptied, tongues began to stutter, and inthe midst of a somewhat incoherent reminiscence of Tom's, the manVokes snored loudly, whereupon Tom blinked and pillowing his bullethead on the table, promptly snored also; and glancing drowsily aroundupon the others, I saw they slumbered every one. Hereupon I rose,minded to seek my chamber, but before I reached the door I wasarrested by a hoarse whisper:

  "Brother--for th' love o' God!"

  Peering towards the captive, I saw him upon his back, his face ghastlyin the shadow. "Oh, brother," he whispered faintly, "I think I'ma-dyin'! Show kindness to a dyin' man an' ease my poor arms a bit."Moved by pity for his misery and seeing how cruelly he was bound, Icontrived, with no small ado, to loosen his bonds somewhat, whereuponhe blessed me faintly and closed his eyes. "If ye could bring me adrop more water, death 'ud come easier," he whispered.

  So I rose and, coming to the table, found the jug empty, therefore outI went to the place beyond where I judged was the pump, and here founda bucket brimming with water wherewith I filled the jug. Creeping backto the kitchen, I stopped at once, my heart thumping, for to my wonderand dismay I beheld the prisoner on his feet, free of his bonds andrubbing and chafing his wrists and hands and arms. Then all at oncethis pitiful creature leapt to swift and terrible action, for at onebound, as it seemed, he had reached the chair where hung the officer'sgreatcoat, whipped forth and cocked the pistols and with thesemurderous things levelled in his hands, crept upon the sleepers. Thejug slipped from my nerveless hold and, roused by the crash of itsfall, the man Tom lifted his head only to stare dazedly into thenearest pistol muzzle and the awful scowling face behind it; while thehighwayman, reaching out his second pistol, awoke Mr. Vokes with asmart rap on the crown, whereupon, cursing drowsily, he sat up,clasping his hurt and immediately sank cowering in his chair, whichaction roused the landlord who stared, gasped a feeble "Lorramighty!"and sat motionless.

  "Norra word!" quoth the highwayman. "Let a man s' much as whisper an'I blow that man's face off. Ah, an' by hookey, I would, whether or no,if I was th' bloody rogue ye tell me for, 'stead of an 'ighlyrespectable genelman o' the road with a eye to business. So now turnout your pockets all--an' quick about it."

  It was strange to see with what apparent eagerness each man strippedhimself of such valuables as he possessed, all of which the highwaymanappraised with expert eye.

  "Young master," quoth he, beckoning to me with a flourish of hisnearest pistol, "come you here!" Trembling I obeyed and at his commandtransferred the spoil to the capacious pockets of his muddy coat--in Ithrust them with unsteady fingers,--rings, purses, a couple ofwatches, silver snuff and tobacco boxes, etc.: which done, he bade mefetch the ropes that had bound him.

  "Now you," quoth he, tapping the flinching Tom's bristly cheek withhis pistol barrel, "you're a likely cove at tying knots--get to work,my lad, and sharp it is!"

  So under his watchful eye, Tom proceeded to bind his companions verysecurely to their chairs, which done, the highwayman again summoned meand commanding Tom to remove his belt, constrained me to bind theofficer's arms behind him therewith and scarce knowing what I did, Ilashed the man Tom fast to his chair. This done, the highwayman showedme how I must gag them and when this had been done to hissatisfaction, he nodded:

  "And now," quoth the highwayman, his battered features twisted in awry smile as they sat thus gagged and helpless, "hearken all. If I wasthe murderous cove you name me, I might cut your throats as ye sit,which would be a j'y, or I might shoot ye or set the place afire an'roast ye,
'stead o' which I spits on an' leaves ye. An' now, youngmaster, for your own sake--come along o' me; they'll likely be arteryou too for this as a accomplice o' the fact. So come along o' Jerryan' damn their eyes an' limbs, say I!" With which, having stayed tokick Mr. Vokes and the two Bow Street officers, he thrust pistols intopockets and seizing me in powerful grip, hurried me away.