Paul Clifford — Complete
The three men now were drawn up quite still and motionless by the side
of the hedge. The broad road lay before them, curving out of sight on
either side; the ground was hardening under an early tendency to frost,
and the clear ring of approaching hoofs sounded on the ear of the
robbers, ominous, haply, of the chinks of “more attractive metal” about,
if Hope told no flattering tale, to be their own.
Presently the long-expected vehicle made its appearance at the turn of
the road, and it rolled rapidly on behind four fleet post-horses.
“You, Ned, with your large steed, stop the horses; you, Augustus, bully
the post-boys; leave me to do the rest,” said the captain.
“As agreed,” returned Ned, laconically. “Now, look at me!” and the horse
of the vain highwayman sprang from its shelter. So instantaneous were
the operations of these experienced tacticians, that Lovett's orders
were almost executed in a briefer time than it had cost him to give
them.
The carriage being stopped, and the post-boys white and trembling, with
two pistols (levelled by Augustus and Pepper) cocked at their heads,
Lovett, dismounting, threw open the door of the carriage, and in a very
civil tone and with a very bland address accosted the inmate.
“Do not be alarmed, my lord, you are perfectly safe; we only require
your watch and purse.”
“Really,” answered a voice still softer than that of the robber, while
a marked and somewhat French countenance, crowned with a fur cap, peered
forth at the arrester,--“Really, sir, your request is so modest that I
were worse than cruel to refuse you. My purse is not very full, and you
may as well have it as one of my rascally duns; but my watch I have a
love for, and--”
“I understand you, my lord,” interrupted the highwayman. “What do you
value your watch at?”
“Humph! to you it may be worth some twenty guineas.”
“Allow me to see it!”
“Your curiosity is extremely gratifying,” returned the nobleman, as with
great reluctance he drew forth a gold repeater, set, as was sometimes
the fashion of that day, in precious stones. The highwayman looked
slightly at the bauble.
“Your lordship,” said he, with great gravity, “was too modest in your
calculation; your taste reflects greater credit on you. Allow me to
assure you that your watch is worth fifty guinea's to us, at the least.
To show you that I think so most sincerely, I will either keep it, and
we will say no more on the matter; or I will return it to you upon your
word of honour that you will give me a check for fifty guineas payable,
by your real bankers, to 'bearer for self.' Take your choice; it is
quite immaterial to me!”
“Upon my honour, sir,” said the traveller, with some surprise struggling
to his features, “your coolness and self-possession are quite admirable.
I see you know the world.”
“Your lordship flatters me!” returned Lovett, bowing. “How do you
decide?”
“Why, is it possible to write drafts without ink, pen, or paper?”
Lovett drew back, and while he was searching in his pockets for writing
implements, which he always carried about him, the traveller seized
the opportunity, and suddenly snatching a pistol from the pocket of the
carriage, levelled it full at the head of the robber. The traveller was
an excellent and practised shot,--he was almost within arm's length
of his intended victim,--his pistols were the envy of all his Irish
friends. He pulled the trigger,--the powder flashed in the pan; and
the highwayman, not even changing countenance, drew forth a small
ink-bottle, and placing a steel pen in it, handed it to the nobleman,
saying, with incomparable sang froid: “Would you like, my lord, to try
the other pistol? If so, oblige me by a quick aim, as you must see the
necessity of despatch. If not, here is the back of a letter, on which
you can write the draft.”
The traveller was not a man apt to become embarrassed in anything
save his circumstances; but he certainly felt a little discomposed and
confused as he took the paper, and uttering some broken words, wrote the
check. The highwayman glanced over it, saw it was written according to
form, and then with a bow of cool respect, returned the watch, and shut
the door of the carriage.
Meanwhile the servant had been shivering in front, boxed up in that
solitary convenience termed, not euphoniously, a dickey. Him the robber
now briefly accosted.
“What have you got about you belonging to your master?”
“Only his pills, your honour! which I forgot to put in the--”
“Pills!--throw them down to me!” The valet tremblingly extricated from
his side-pocket a little box, which he threw down and Lovett caught in
his hand.
He opened the box, counted the pills,--“One, two, four, twelve,--aha!”
He reopened the carriage door. “Are these your pills, my lord?”
The wondering peer, who had begun to resettle himself in the corner of
his carriage, answered that they were.
“My lord, I see you are in a high state of fever; you were a little
delirious just now when you snapped a pistol in your friend's face.
Permit me to recommend you a prescription,--swallow off all these
pills!”
“My God!” cried the traveller, startled into earnestness; “what do you
mean?--twelve of those pills would kill a man!”
“Hear him!” said the robber, appealing to his comrades, who roared with
laughter. “What, my lord, would you rebel against your doctor? Fie, fie!
be persuaded.”
And with a soothing gesture he stretched the pill-box towards the
recoiling nose of the traveller. But though a man who could as well as
any one make the best of a bad condition, the traveller was especially
careful of his health; and so obstinate was he where that was concerned,
that he would rather have submitted to the effectual operation of
a bullet than incurred the chance operation of an extra pill. He
therefore, with great indignation, as the box was still extended towards
him, snatched it from the hand of the robber, and flinging it across the
road, said with dignity,--
“Do your worst, rascals! But if you leave me alive, you shall repent the
outrage you have offered to one of his Majesty's household!” Then, as if
becoming sensible of the ridicule of affecting too much in his present
situation, he added in an altered tone: “And now, for Heaven's sake,
shut the door; and if you must kill somebody, there's my servant on the
box,--he's paid for it.”
This speech made the robbers laugh more than ever; and Lovett, who liked
a joke even better than a purse, immediately closed the carriage door,
saying,--
“Adieu, my lord; and let me give you a piece of advice: whenever you
get out at a country inn, and stay half an hour while your horses are
changing, take your pistols with you, or you may chance to have the
charge drawn.”
With this admonition the robber withdrew; and seeing that the valet held
out to him a long green purse, he said, gently shaking his head,--
“Rogues should not prey on each other, my good fellow. You rob your
master; so do we. Let each keep what he has got.”
Long Ned and Tomlinson then backing their horses, the carriage was
freed; and away started the post-boys at a pace which seemed to show
less regard for life than the robbers themselves had evinced.
Meanwhile the captain remounted his steed, and the three confederates,
bounding in gallant style over the hedge through which they had
previously gained the road, galloped off in the same direction they had
come; the moon ever and anon bringing into light their flying figures,
and the sound of many a joyous peal of laughter ringing through the
distance along the frosty air.
CHAPTER XIII
What is here?--
Gold?
Thus much of this will make black white, foul fair.
Timon of Athens.
Came there a certain lord, neat, trimly drest,
Fresh as a bridegroom.
Henry the Fourth.
I do not know the man I should avoid
So soon as that spare Cassius!
He reads much. He is a great observer; and he looks
Quite through the deeds of men.
Often he smiles; but smiles in such a sort,
As if he mocked himself or scorned his spirit,
That could be moved to smile at anything.
Julius Caesar.
The next day, late at noon, as Lucy was sitting with her father, not as
usual engaged either in work or in reading, but seemingly quite idle,
with her pretty foot upon the squire's gouty stool, and eyes fixed on
the carpet, while her hands (never were hands so soft and so small as
Lucy's, though they may have been eclipsed in whiteness) were lightly
clasped together and reposed listlessly on her knees,--the surgeon of
the village abruptly entered with a face full of news and horror. Old
Squire Brandon was one of those persons who always hear news, whatever
it may be, later than any of their neighbours; and it was not till all
the gossips of the neighbourhood had picked the bone of the matter quite
bare, that he was now informed, through the medium of Mr. Pillum,
that Lord Mauleverer had on the preceding night been stopped by three
highwaymen in his road to his country-seat, and robbed to a considerable
amount.
The fame of the worthy Dr. Slopperton's maladventure having long ere
this been spread far and wide, the whole neighbourhood was naturally
thrown into great consternation. Magistrates were sent to, large dogs
borrowed, blunderbusses cleaned, and a subscription made throughout the
parish for the raising of a patrol. There seemed little doubt but that
the offenders in either case were members of the same horde; and Mr.
Pillum, in his own mind, was perfectly convinced that they meant to
encroach upon his trade, and destroy all the surrounding householders
who were worth the trouble.
The next week passed in the most diligent endeavours, on the part of the
neighbouring magistrates and yeomanry, to detect and seize the robbers;
but their labours were utterly fruitless; and one justice of peace, who
had been particularly active, was himself entirely “cleaned out” by an
old gentleman who, under the name of Mr. Bagshot,--rather an ominous
cognomen,--offered to conduct the unsuspicious magistrate to the very
spot where the miscreants might be seized. No sooner, however, had he
drawn the poor justice away from his comrades into a lonely part of
the road than he stripped him to his shirt. He did not even leave his
worship his flannel drawers, though the weather was as bitter as the
dog-days of 1829.
“It is not my way,” said the hoary ruffian, when the justice petitioned
at least for the latter article of attire,--“'t is not my way. I be 's
slow about my work, but I does it thoroughly; so off with your rags, old
un.”
This was, however, the only additional instance of aggression in the
vicinity of Warlock Manor-house; and by degrees, as the autumn declined,
and no further enormities were perpetrated, people began to look out
for a new topic of conversation. This was afforded them by a piece of
unexpected good fortune to Lucy Brandon:
Mrs. Warner--an old lady to whom she was slightly related, and with whom
she had been residing during her brief and only visit to London--died
suddenly, and in her will declared Lucy to be her sole heiress. The
property, which was in the Funds, and which amounted to L60,000, was to
be enjoyed by Miss Brandon immediately on her attaining her twenty-first
year; meanwhile the executors to the will were to pay to the young
heiress the annual sum of L600. The joy which this news created in
Warlock Manor-house may easily be conceived. The squire projected
improvements here, and repairs there; and Lucy, poor girl, who had no