In reference to this latter point, old John was far from agreeing with his friend; for besides that he by no means approved of an adventurous spirit in the abstract, it occurred to him that if his son and heir had been seriously damaged in a scuffle, the consequences would assuredly have been expensive and inconvenient, and might perhaps have proved detrimental to the Maypole business. Wherefore, and because he looked with no favourable eye upon young girls, but rather considered that they and the whole female sex were a kind of nonsensical mistake on the part of Nature, he took occasion to retire and shake his head in private at the boiler; inspired by which silent oracle, he was moved to give Joe various stealthy nudges with his elbow, as a parental reproof and gentle admonition to mind his own business and not make a fool of himself.
Joe, however, took down the lantern and lighted it; and arming himself with a stout stick, asked whether Hugh was in the stable.
“He’s lying asleep before the kitchen fire, sir,” said Mr. Willet. “What do you want him for?”
“I want him to come with me to look after this bracelet and letter,” answered Joe. “Halloa there! Hugh!”
Dolly turned pale as death, and felt as if she must faint forthwith. After a few moments, Hugh came staggering in, stretching himself and yawning according to custom, and presenting every appearance of having been roused from a sound nap.
“Here, sleepyhead,” said Joe, giving him the lantern. “Carry this, and bring the dog, and that small cudgel of yours. And woe betide the fellow if we come upon him.”
“What fellow?” growled Hugh, rubbing his eyes and shaking himself.
“What fellow?” returned Joe, who was in a state of great valour and bustle; “a fellow you ought to know of and be more alive about. It’s well for the like of you, lazy giant that you are, to be snoring your time away in chimney-corners, when honest men’s daughters can’t cross even our quiet meadows at nightfall without being set upon by footpads, and frightened out of their precious lives.”
“They never rob me,” cried Hugh with a laugh. “I have got nothing to lose. But I’d as lief knock them at head as any other men. How many are there?”
“Only one,” said Dolly faintly, for everybody looked at her.
“And what was he like, mistress?” said Hugh with a glance at young Willet, so slight and momentary that the scowl it conveyed was lost on all but her. “About my height?”
“Not—not so tall,” Dolly replied, scarce knowing what she said.
“His dress,” said Hugh, looking at her keenly, “like—like any of ours now? I know all the people hereabouts, and maybe could give a guess at the man, if I had anything to guide me.”
Dolly faltered and turned paler yet; then answered that he was wrapped in a loose coat and had his face hidden by a handkerchief and that she could give no other description of him.
“You wouldn’t know him if you saw him then, belike?” said Hugh with a malicious grin.
“I should not,” answered Dolly, bursting into tears again. “I don’t wish to see him. I can’t bear to think of him. I can’t talk about him any more. Don’t go to look for these things, Mr. Joe, pray don’t. I entreat you not to go with that man.”
“Not to go with me!” cried Hugh. “I’m too rough for them all. They’re all afraid of me. Why, bless you mistress, I’ve the tenderest heart alive. I love all the ladies, ma’am,” said Hugh, turning to the locksmith’s wife.
Mrs. Varden opined that if he did, he ought to be ashamed of himself; such sentiments being more consistent (so she argued) with a benighted Mussulman or wild Islander than with a stanch Protestant. Arguing from this imperfect state of his morals, Mrs. Varden further opined that he had never studied the Manual. Hugh admitting that he never had, and moreover that he couldn’t read, Mrs. Varden declared with much severity, that he ought to be even more ashamed of himself than before, and strongly recommended him to save up his pocket-money for the purchase of one, and further to teach himself the contents with all convenient diligence. She was still pursuing this train of discourse, when Hugh, somewhat unceremoniously and irreverently, followed his young master out, and left her to edify the rest of the company. This she proceeded to do, and finding that Mr. Willet’s eyes were fixed upon her with an appearance of deep attention, gradually addressed the whole of her discourse to him, whom she entertained with a moral and theological lecture of considerable length, in the conviction that great workings were taking place in his spirit. The simple truth was, however, that Mr. Willet, although his eyes were wide open and he saw a woman before him whose head by long and steady looking at seemed to grow bigger and bigger until it filled the whole bar, was to all other intents and purposes fast asleep; and so sat leaning back in his chair with his hands in his pockets until his son’s return caused him to wake up with a deep sigh, and a faint impression that he had been dreaming about pickled pork and greens—a vision of his slumbers which was no doubt referable to the circumstance of Mrs. Varden’s having frequently pronounced the word “Grace” with much emphasis; which word, entering the portals of Mr. Willet’s brain as they stood ajar, and coupling itself with the words “before meat,” which were there ranging about, did in time suggest a particular kind of meat together with that description of vegetable which is usually its companion.
The search was wholly unsuccessful. Joe had groped along the path a dozen times, and among the grass, and in the dry ditch, and in
