the pigeon pie-第9部分

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〃So　you　can　sing　again；　Deb；〃　she　began；　〃now　the　Roundheads　are　gone

and　Diggory　come　back？〃



〃Little　girls　should　not　meddle　with　what　does　not　concern　them；〃

answered　Deborah。



〃You　need　not　call　me　a　little　girl；〃　said　Lucy。　　〃I　am　almost　eleven

years　old；　and　I　know　a　secret；　a　real　secret。〃



〃A　secret；　Mistress　Lucy？　　Who　would　tell　their　secrets　to　the　like

of　you？〃　said　Deborah；　contemptuously。



〃No　one　told　me；　I　found　it　out　for　myself！〃　cried　Lucy；　in　high

exultation。　　〃I　know　what　became　of　the　pigeon　pie　that　we　thought

Rose　ate　up！〃



〃Eh？　　Mistress　Lucy！〃　exclaimed　Deborah；　pausing　in　her　ironing；　full

of　curiosity。



Lucy　was　delighted　to　detail　the　whole　of　what　she　had　observed。



〃Well！〃　cried　Deborah；　〃if　ever　I　heard　tell　the　like！　　That　slip　of

a　thing　out　in　all　the　blackness　of　the　night！　　I　should　be　afraid　of


my　life　of　the　ghosts　and　hobgoblins。　　Oh！　　I　had　rather　be　set　up

for　a　mark　for　all　the　musketeers　in　the　Parliament　army；　than　set

one　foot　out　of　doors　after　dark！〃



As　Deborah　spoke；　Walter　came　into　the　hall。　　He　saw　that　Lucy　had

observed　something；　and　was　anxious　every　time　she　opened　her　lips。

This　made　him　rough　and　sharp　with　her；　and　he　instantly　exclaimed；

〃How　now；　Lucy；　still　gossipping？〃



〃You　are　so　cross；　I　can't　speak　a　word　for　you；〃　said　Lucy；

fretfully；　walking　out　of　the　room；　while　Walter；　in　his　usual

imperious　way；　began　to　shout　for　Diggory　and　his　boots。　　〃Diggory；

knave！〃



〃Anon；　sir！〃　answered　the　dogged　voice。



〃Bring　them；　I　say；　you　laggard！〃



〃Coming；　sir；　coming。〃



〃Coming；　are　you；　you　snail？〃　cried　Walter；　impatiently。　　〃Your　heels

are　tardier　now　than　they　were　at　Worcester！〃



〃A　man　can't　do　more　nor　he　can　do；　sir；〃　said　Diggory；　sullenly；　as

he　plodded　into　the　hall。



〃Answering　again；　lubber？〃　said　Walter。　　〃Is　this　what　you　call

cleaned？　　You　are　not　fit　for　your　own　shoe…blacking　trade！　　Get

along　with　you！〃　and　he　threw　the　boots　at　Diggory　in　a　passion。　　〃I

must　wear　them；　though；　as　they　are；　or　wait　all　day。　　Bring　them　to

me　again。〃



Walter　had　some　idle　notion　in　his　head　that　it　was　Puritanical　to

speak　courteously　to　servants；　and　despising　Diggory　for　his

cowardice　and　stupidity；　he　was　especially　overbearing　with　him；　and

went　on　rating　him　all　the　time　he　was　putting　on　his　boots；　to　go

out　and　try　to　catch　some　fish　for　the　morrow's　dinner；　which　was

likely　to　be　but　scanty。　　As　soon　as　he　was　gone；　Diggory；　who　had

listened　in　sulky　silence；　began　to　utter　his　complaints。



〃Chicken…heart；　moon…calf；　awkward　lubber；　those　be　the　best　words　a

poor　fellow　gets。　　I　can　tell　Master　Walter　that　these　are　no　times

for　gentlefolks　to　be　hectoring；　especially　when　they　haven't　a　penny

to　pay　wages　with。〃



〃You　learnt　that　in　the　wars；　Diggory；〃　said　Deborah；　turning　round；

for；　grumble　as　she　might　herself；　she　could　not　bear　to　have　a　word

said　by　anyone　else　against　her　lady's　family；　and　loved　to　scold　her

sweetheart；　Diggory。　　〃Never　mind　Master　Walter。　　If　he　has　not　a

penny　in　his　pocket；　and　the　very　green　coat　to　his　back　is　cut　out

of　his　grandmother's　farthingale；　more's　the　pity。　　How　should　he

show　he　is　a　gentleman　but　by　hectoring　a　bit　now　and　then；

'specially　to　such　a　rogue　as　thou；　coming　back　when　thy　betters　are

lost。　　That　is　always　the　way；　as　I　found　when　I　lost　my　real　silver

crown；　and　kept　my　trumpery　Parliament　bit。〃



〃Ah；　Deb！〃　pleaded　Diggory；　〃thou　knowst　not　what　danger　is！　　I

thought　thou　wouldst　never　have　set　eyes　on　poor　Diggory　again。〃



〃Much　harm　would　that　have　been；〃　retorted　Mrs。　Deb；　tossing　her

head。　　〃D'ye　think　I'd　have　broke　my　heart？　　That　I'll　never　do　for　a

runaway。〃



〃'Twas　time　to　run　when　poor　Farmer　Ewins　was　cut　down；　holloaing　for

quarter；　and　Master　Edmund's　brains　lying　strewn　about　on　the　ground；

for　all　the　world　like　a　calf's。〃



〃'Tis　your　own　brains　be　like　a　calf's；〃　said　Deborah。　　〃I'd　bargain

to　eat　all　of　Master　Edmund's　brains　you　ever　saw。〃



〃He's　as　dead　as　a　red　herring。〃



〃I　say　he　is　as　life…like　as　you　or　I。〃



〃I　say　I　saw　him　stretched　out；　covered　with　blood；　and　a　sword…cut

on　his　head　big　enough　to　be　the　death　of　twenty　men。〃



〃Didn't　that　colonel　man；　as　they　call　him；　see　him　alive　and　merry

long　after？　　It's　my　belief　that　Master　Edmund　is　not　a　dozen　miles

off。〃



〃Master　Edmund！　hey；　Deb？　　I'll　never　believe　that；　after　what　I've

seen　at　Worcester。〃



〃Then　pray　why　does　Mistress　Rose　save　a　whole　pigeon　out　of　the　pie；

hide　it　in　her　lap；　and　steal　out　of　the　house　with　it　at　midnight？

Either　Master　Edmund　is　in　hiding；　or　some　other　poor　gentleman　from

the　wars；　and　I　verily　believe　it　is　Master　Edmund　himself；　so　a　fig

for　his　brains　or　yours；　and　there's　for　you；　for　a　false…tongued

runaway！　　Coming；　mistress；　coming！〃　and　away　ran　Deborah　at　a　call

from　Rose。



Now　Deborah　was　faithful　to　the　backbone；　and　would　have　given　all

she　had　in　the　world；　almost　her　life　itself；　for　her　lady　and　the

children；　she　was　a　good　and　honest　woman　in　the　main；　but　tongue　and

temper　were　two　things　that　she　had　never　learnt　to　restrain；　and　she

had　given　her　love　to　the　first　person　by　whom　it　was　sought；　without

consideration　whether　he　was　worthy　of　affection　or　not。　　That

Diggory　was　a　sullen；　ill…conditioned；　selfish　fellow；　was　evident　to

everyone　else；　but　he　had　paid　court　to　Deborah；　and　therefore　the

foolish　woman　had　allowed　herself　to　be　taken　with　him；　see

perfections　in　him；　promise　to　become　his　wife；　and　confide　in　him。



When　Deborah　left　the　hall；　Diggory　returned　to　his　former　employment

of　chopping　wood；　and　began　to　consider　very　intently　for　him。



He　had　really　believed；　at　the　moment　of　his　panic…terror；　that　he

saw　Edmund　Woodley　fall；　and　had　at　once　taken　flight；　without

attempting　to　afford　him　any　assistance。　　The　story　of　the　brains

had；　of　course；　been　invented　on　the　spur　of　the　moment；　by　way　of

excusing　his　flight；　and　he　was　obliged　to　persist　in　the　falsehood

he　had　once　uttered；　though　he　was　not　by　any　means　certain　that　it

had　been　his　master　whom　he　saw　killed；　especially　after　hearing

Colonel　Enderby's　testimony。　　And　now　there　came　alluringly　before

him　the　promise　of　the　reward　offered　for　the　discovery　of　the

fugitive　cavaliers；　the　idea　of　being　able　to　rent　and　stock　poor

Ewins's　farm；　and　setting　up　there　with　Deborah。　　It　was　money　easily

come　by；　he　thought；　and　he　would　like　to　be　revenged　on　Master

Walter；　and　show　him　that　the　lubber　and　moon…calf　could　do　some

harm；　after　all。　　A　relenting　came　across　him　as　he　thought　of　his

lady　and　Mistress　Rose；　though　he　had　no　personal　regard　for　Edmund；

who　had　never　lived　at　Forest　Lea；　and　his　stolid　mind　was　too　much

enclosed　in　selfishness　to　admit　much　feeling　for　anyone。　　Besides；

it　might　not　be　Master　Edmund；　he　was　probably　killed；　it　might　be

one　of　the　lords　in　the　battle；　or　even　the　King　himself；　and　that

would　be　worth　1；000　pounds。　　Master　Cantwell　called　them　all　tyrants

and　sons　of　Belial；　and　what　not；　and　though　Dr。　Bathurst　said

differently；　who　was　to　know　what　was　right？　　Dr。　Bathurst　had　had

his　day；　and　this　was　Cantwell's　turn。　　There　was　a　comedown　now　of

feathered　hats；　and　point　collars；　and　curled　hair；　and　leathern

jerkin　should　have　its　day。　　And　as　for　being　an　informer；　he　would

keep　his　own　counsel；　at　any　rate；　the　reward　he　would　have。　　It　was

scarcely　likely　to　be　a　hanging　matter；　after　all；　and　if　the

gentleman；　whoever　he　might　be；　did　chance　to　be　taken；　he　would　get

off　scot　free；　no　harm　done　to　him。　　〃Diggory　Stokes；　you're　a　made

man！〃　he　finished；　throwing　his　bill…hook　from　him。



Ah！　　Lucy；　Lucy；　you　little　thought　of　the　harm　your　curiosity　and

chattering　had　done；　as　you　saw　Diggory　stealing　along　the　side　of

the　wood；　in　the　direction　leading　to　Chichester！







CHAPTER　VI。







In　the　afternoon　Lady　Woodley　was　so　much　better　as　to　be　able　to

come　downstairs；　and　all　the　party　sat　round　the　fire　in　the

twilight。　　Walter　was　just　come　in　from　his　fishing；　bringing　a

basket　of　fine　trout；　Eleanor　and　Charles　were　admiring　their

beautiful　red　spots；　Lucy　wondering　what　made　him　so　late；　while　he

cast　a　significant　look　at　his　eldest　sister；　showing　her　that　he　had

been　making　a　visit　to　Edmund。



At　that　moment　a　loud　authoritative　knocking　was　heard　at　the　door；

Walter　shouted　to　Diggory　to　open　it；　and　was　answered　by　Deborah's

shrill　scream　from　the　kitchen；　〃He's　not　here；　sir；　I've　not　seen

him　since　you　threw　your　boots　at　him；　sir。〃



Another　thundering　knock　brought　Deborah　to　open　the　door；　and　what

was　the　dismay　of　the　mother　and　children　as　there　entered　six　tall

men；　their　buff　coats；　steeple…crowned　hats；　plain　collars；　and　thick

calf…skin　boots；　marking　them　as　Parliamentary　soldiers。　　With　a

shriek　of　terror　the　little　ones　clung　round　their　mother；　while　he

who；　by　his　orange　scarf；　was　evidently　the　commanding　officer；

standing　in　the　middle　of　the　hall；　with　his　hat　on；　announced；　in　a

Puritanical　tone；　〃We　are　here　by　order　of　his　Excellency；　General

Cromwell；　to　search　for　and　apprehend　the　body　of　the　desperate

malignant　Edmund　Woodley；　last　seen　in　arms　against　the　Most　High

Court　of　Parliament。　　Likewise　to　arrest　the　person　of　Dame　Mary

Woodley；　widow；　suspected　of　harbouring　and　concealing　traitors：〃　and

he　advanced　to　lay　his　hand　upon　her。　　Walter；　in　an　impulse　of

passion；　rushed　forward；　and　aimed　a　blow　at　him　with　the　butt…end　of

the　fishing…rod；　but　it　was　the　work　of　a　moment　to　seize　the　boy　and

tie　his　hands；　while　his　mother　earnestly　implored　the　soldier　to

have　pity　on　him；　and　excuse　his　thoughtless　haste　to　protect　her。



The　officer　sat　down　in　the　arm…chair；　and　without　replying　to　Lady

Woodley；　ordered　a　soldier　to　bring　the　boy　be