John Herring: A West of England Romance. Volume 3 (of 3)Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
General
John Herring: A West of England Romance. Volume 3 (of 3)
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
West Country (England) -- Fiction
’There!’ said Genefer, ’it be a brave and improving sight. I reckon it
do as much good to the soul as a lump of sugar with a drop of peppermint
on it does to the stomick when out of sorts. It warms and strengthens
and gives tone. He be a young man. Well, the Lord, I reckon, has got a
work in store for he, as He has called him out of the deep, and has
given him the life back as were trembling at the door of his heart to
leave. As for the rest, they be cut off in their sins. Take him to
Welltown.’
’Stay, stay!’ exclaimed Mirelle, interposing with vehemence. ’He shall
not—he shall never go thither. Never, so long as I am mistress there.’
’Is he to lie here on the snow?’ asked Genefer. ’You will have to give
an account of it if he do, and die in consequence.’
’He shall not be taken to Welltown.’
The men looked at each other.
’Where be we to carry un to, then?’ asked Pentecost.
’If he die, I’m danged if it be fair if you deny us the ten guineas. He
has life in him now, and if he lose it, it will be your fault, young
lady. We’ve done our parts and earned our money.’
’Take him where you will, but not to Welltown.’
’There is no other house near.’
’Here,’ said Mirelle, her hand trembling: ’here is the key; take him
into the slate-quarry office. There is a bed there.’
’Ay, let him go there,’ said Genefer; ’he can be cared for there just as
well as at Welltown.’
The men stooped and raised the unconscious man again. Mirelle covered
her eyes—the man saved was Sampson Tramplara.
She had promised ten guineas—and that ten guineas had saved his
worthless life. Well for her had she at this juncture offered fifty to
have him tossed back into the sea. The men would not have done it for
twenty—there were too many present; they would have hesitated for
thirty. But for fifty, he would have troubled her no more.
*CHAPTER L.*
*TWO DISOBEDIENCES.*
Next day Orange arrived. Mirelle had sent for her; she could not remain
longer alone at Welltown, especially now that young Sampson was so near.
She did not go to the office on Willapark to see him; she did not
inquire after him. But she told Genefer that he was to be supplied with
whatever he needed, and was to remain where he was till he was well
enough to leave, and then he was to go his way.
As soon as Orange arrived Mirelle told her that Sampson had been saved
from drowning after shipwreck, and was at the office; and Orange went
immediately to see him.
Sampson was now quite recovered from his submersion. The fire was
lighted in the stove, and the room was warm.
’Oh! you have come, have you?’ he asked, when Orange entered. ’Not
wise, I reckon, unless you are bent on bringing observation on me. What
is this I hear? I am on Herring’s land and in his office! This is a
queer state of affairs; but the wheel of fate in its revolutions lands
one in strange places, and places where one would least like to be. How
came you here?’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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