The Candlemass Road. George Fraser MacDonald
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Название: The Candlemass Road
Автор: George Fraser MacDonald
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Приключения: прочее
isbn: 9780007502042
isbn:
“Poorly, my good lady,” says he, and cringed. “But poorly. I am not young, I cannot take these knocks, please you, my lady.”
She compassioned his ill-usage, and said the gentlemen had heard of it, and the Warden would see justice done on the Nixons. But at this he raised a great cry of terror that he looked not for justice, but security. “’Tis not what they’ve done, my lady, but what they’ll do yet! They have sworn to ride on me again, and my folk and our poor beasts, aye, this night! They’ll take and burn all, because I cannot pay Ill Will’s tribute! Oh, my lady, I fear for my life!”
Now it was news to her that peril threatened him so close, so up starts she at Carleton, demanding was this so, and where were his watches and troopers, or was this the nether side of Russia, that a man’s life and goods could be torn away? The whiles Bell pawed at her shoe, crying, “Ill Will will have us, lady, oh, sweet lady! Liddesdale never promised but performed! He’ll have us! I’m Dacre’s man, and served your grandsire,” and the like. The Land Sergeant said again ’twas not his charge, and if he rode to every hamlet that feared a raid o’ the Scots, he would never be done, and this being so, it behoved men to pay or fend for themselves.
“For themselves?” cries my lady, white as the wall. “Look at him, sir, can he fend for himself or anything? Or do you mean that I, his landlord, must take the field and fight, because your law cannot or will not?” She swore the Queen should know of it, and Carleton said, curtly enough, that Her Grace knew already. Lightfoot interposed that there was much ill, and much wrong, on the border, but it must be looked to, aye, and redress made, given time and much labour to perfection, and anon and anon, until she cried him down, and stood biting her lip to find herself at a loss what to do, and vented her rage on poor Wattie, who was at the fire, bidding him go clatter elsewhere. Then she turned on Carleton, speaking more composed, but still moved inwardly.
“Master Carleton, you cannot aid me with your office, it seems. Yet you were my grandfather’s friend, and you have a name as a stout gentleman. Will you, then, not aid me as a friend, that am in sore need? I ask not the Land Sergeant, but your own self, sir.”
He would need a heart of stone that resisted her (for she was fair, and brave in her distress), and then I saw Tom Carleton as near out of countenance as ever I saw, for he was a proud man, and a valiant, and but for his own policy I believe had offered his sword. To do him right, I believe he weighed in his mind what might come of fronting the Nixons, and what mischief would follow, and would have seen Bell and Triermain in Hades that put him to the choice. But a politician always, he said he might not, for it lay not in his charge, and would have spake more but she turned straight to Anton Yarrow and asked of him the same. And he stood dumb, and looked askance at Carleton, and said he might not, for he was bound by his office likewise. It choked him to say it, for he would fain have said Aye.
To my astoniment, she turned to me, and said something could be done, surely. “You are a priest,” says she, “no matter what persuasion, and were these pillagers as cruel and wanton as demons, they will hardly strike where the Church protects.” She said it so piteous, and her so proud, that I was near to tears to nay-say her.
“For when I was first in this country, I did such a thing, offering myself as a sacrifice, even, for the Lord’s sake. And, lady, they laughed and rode by, crying ‘Bless us, father’, and when I cursed them, they laughed again. Oh, good lady, if you have seen the baited bear snap his chain and rush among the mastiffs, ravening, you would as well reason with him as with Ill Will Nixon and his folk, when they have a foray before them.”
She made no answer, but sat her down, and fingered the crumbs upon her plate, and then called up Bell again.
“I am but lately come, and all at sea here, Master Bell,” says she. “But this I tell you: you shall have security of me, your liege lord. So go up now to your place, and none shall harm you. Go.” And when Bell had slobbered his thanks, and blessed her, and her grandsire, and all else that came to his mind, and gone away in wonder, rejoicing, she looked about full calm, and when Carleton and Lightfoot would have remonstrated at her, told the latter to confer with the bailiff, and give her news of the estate anon. To Carleton she inclined her head and said:
“Master Carleton and Master Yarrow, we thank you for your courteous welcome, and look to see you again. Susan, take away my plate, and see that all is ready overstairs, for I would rest awhile. And bid our ragged Prometheus see to the fire, and build it up, for it is shrewd weather.” And gave a dainty little yawn behind her hand, and fell to looking on her nails, but negligently. Carleton, being in dudgeon to find himself thus dismissed, yet kept his countenance, and giving her his leg would have gone forth silent, but the bailiff saying he had business with the Land Sergeant, by her leave, she gave him joy of it, adding that so it was business that required him not to do his duty, he should prove helpful indeed.
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