Antony smiled contemptuously, and the squire continued, almost angrily,
"There's things more unlikely; look here, my lad, nivver spit in any
well: thou may hev to drink of t' water."
When the words were said the squire was sorry for them. They had come
from his lips in that forceful prophetic way some speeches take, and
they made an unpleasant impression on both father and son; just such
an impression as a bad dream leaves, which yet seems to be wholly
irrelevant and unaccountable.
Craven was in Leeds jail, and the trial was fixed for the summer term.
All things may be better borne than suspense, and all were glad when
Ben could have a fair hearing. But every thing was against him, and
at the end of the second day's trial, the squire came home in sincere
trouble; Ben had been found guilty, but a conviction of his innocence,
in spite of the evidence, seemed also to have possessed the jury, for
they had strongly recommended him to her majesty's mercy.
Elizabeth and Phyllis went with sick, sorrowful heart to see the dame.
The strain had told upon her before the trial, and she had lost her
cheerfulness somewhat. But she had come to a place now where anger
and sense of wrong and impatience were past.
"Lost confidence, sister Phyllis," she said; "not I; I hev only stopped
reckoning on any man or woman now, be 't queen's sen; and I hev put
my whole trust i' God. Such like goings on as we've hed! Paper and
ink and varry little justice; but God'll sort ivery thing afore long."
"The case is to come before the queen."
"That's well enough. Miss Hallam, but I'll tak' it mysen into God's
council-chamber--there's no key on that door, and there's no fee to
pay either. He'll put ivery thing right, see if he doesn't!"
"And besides, Sister Martha, things may not be as far wrong as we think
they are--may not be wrong at all. God moves in a mysterious way."
"And he needs to, Sister Phyllis. There's many a soul 'ud run away
from him, even when he was coming to help 'em, if they knew it was
him." "I understand what you mean, Martha--'as a thief in the night.'
He breaks all bars and bursts all doors closed against him when he
visits either a soul or a cause. I heard you were at Leeds. Do you
mind telling us how things went? The squire will not talk to any one."
"I nivver was one to shut my grief up i' my heart, and let it poison
my life; not I, indeed. It seemed to me, though, as varry little fight
were made for Ben Clough afore he died; he'd signed a paper, declaring
positive as it were Ben who shot him; and t' case were half done when
that were said. Then Bingley were sworn, and he said, as he were
coming ovver t' moor, about half past six, he heard a shot, and saw
Ben Craven come from behind a whin bush, and run toward t' village;
and a minute after Bill Laycock came in sight; and Ben, he said, ran
past him, also; and Laycock looked after Ben, and said to
Bingley--'that's Ben Craven; he's in a bit of a hurry, I think.'"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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