"As you please, unthankful kern," replied the baron, haughtily. "De Boteler forces his gifts upon no onehere," he continued, throwing the piece to an attendant, who stood behind his chair"you will not refuse it." He then turned round to the table and commenced a game at cards, without further noticing Holgrave. The yeoman stood a few minutes awaiting the baron's pleasure, but perceiving he did not heed him, presently took Margaret's hand, and making a low obeisance, retired.
At last the crisis camethrough George, the youngest, least-considered son at Odiam. He had always been a weakling, as if Naomi had passed into his body her own[Pg 221] passionate distaste for life. Also, as is common with epileptic children, his intellect was not very bright. It had been the habit to spare him, even Reuben had done so within reason. But he should not really have worked at all, or only in strict moderationcertainly he should not have been sent out that October evening to dig up the bracken roots on the new land. Tilly expostulated"Anyhow he didn't ought to work alone "but Reuben was angry with the boy, whom he had caught loafing once or twice that day, and roughly packed him off."And you w?an't, nuther," said Pete, soothing him.
ONE:Caro was not like her sister; she was of larger build, yet thinner, and much darker, inheriting her father's swarthy skin and thick black hair. She did not give Reuben the same anxiety as Tillyshe was heavy and coltish, and, he felt, would not appeal to men. But[Pg 195] Tilly, especially when the summer heats had melted together the little freckles over her nose, struck his masculine eye in a way that made him half proud, half fearful.
TWO:"Good-bye. Say it to the others for me."The host was called in, and unlocked a drawer in which they were deposited. The galleyman, with visible reluctance, arrayed himself in the garments, and he was observed to shudder more than once during the investiture of the dead man's apparel.
TWO:"'Pray am I to remove this dirt?'Did you ever hear such pr?aperness and denticalness?all short and soft lik the Squire himself. You wash out all that mucky sharn, my lad, if that's wot you mean."But it was too late. There was a sudden roar, a sheet of flame, a crash, a dreadful scream, and then a far more dreadful silence.
TWO:"King Richard, I'll now tell you what the commons want: first, I want a commission to behead all the lords, and those who began the poll-taxI would have no more lords nor bishops, nor lawyers, nor bondage; and I would have you king of the commonsand now sir king, be quick with the charter, for, by St. Nicholas! I shall not eat or drink till every mother's son of those yonder, can go and come, when and where they will; aye, and be as proud as the proudest of ye."He had quite changed the look of Boarzell. Instead of the swell and tumble of the heather, were now long stretches of chocolate furrows, where only the hedge mustard sometimes sprang mutinously, soon to be rooted up. Reuben, however, looked less on these than on the territories still unconquered. He would put his head on one side and contemplate the Moor from different angles, trying to size the rough patch at the top. He wondered how long it would be before it could all be his. He would have to work like a fiend if he was to do it in his lifetime. There was the Grandturzel inclosure, too.... Then he would go and whip up his men, and make them work nearly as hard as he worked himself, so that in the evening they would complain at the Cocks of[Pg 374] "wot a tedious hard m?aster Mus' Backfield wur, surelye!"
"Quick," muttered Joe, and he guided her cleverly enough through the pack of dancers, leading her out on the opposite side."I reckon I cud, for f?ather ?un't going this year, he's got an auction at Appledore."The year dipped into winter, then rose again into spring. Lambs began to bleat in the pens, and with the last of them in March came Naomi's baby.But Stephen heard her not;indeed, he was a few paces from the door ere she had finished the exclamation.
荣誉榜
THREE:The saddler at Rye had not heard of the theft when young Backfield handed over the note in payment of the harness bill. He had at the time remarked to his wife[Pg 170] that old Ben seemed pretty flush with his money, but had thought no more of it till the matter was cried by the Town Crier that evening, after Robert and Pete had gone home. Then out of mere curiosity he had looked at the number on his note, and found it was the same as the Crier had announced. Early the next day he went to the Police Station, and as young Bardon now remembered lending his coat to Robert Backfield it was fairly easy to guess how the theft had been committed.
THREE:"I wish Caro or Jemmy cud meet someone like her. I d?an't think as Pete minds."He pondered sternly over the three young men, who[Pg 452] all looked sober enough now. As a matter of fact, Dumpling was no great loss; fifteen pounds would have paid for her. But he was not disposed to let off George Fleet so easily. Against the two other youths he bore no grudgethey were just ordinary ineffective young asses, of Radical tendencies, he noted grimly. George, however, stood on a different footing; he was the mocker of Odiam, the perpetrator of many gross and silly practical jokes at its expense. He should not escape with the mere payment of fifteen pounds, for he owed Reuben the punishment of his earlier misdeeds.
