The loyalists : $b an historical novel, Vol. 1-3West, Jane
History
The loyalists : $b an historical novel, Vol. 1-3
West, Jane
Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Fiction
The family considered on Colonel Evellin's request, and as none but
themselves knew of Jobson's first retreat, they thought the safety of
their noble charge would not be hazarded by indulging him with a
companion. It was, however, still deemed expedient to conceal his name
and connexion with the Beaumonts, and to describe him to Jobson only as
a loyal officer, disabled by hard service, who sought concealment till
he was sufficiently recovered to leave England. Jobson rejoiced in the
change of apartments. The tincture of superstition, which was universal
in those times, gave him a great reluctance to being hid in a monument,
though he disguised his general apprehension of supernatural beings
under the pretence of dislike to Sir William Waverly. "If it had been a
loyal gentleman's tomb," said he, "I dare say I could have slept in it
all night very well, but I know the Baronet was no better than a rebel
in his heart, and the malice of those scoundrels is not cured by
knocking their brains out. To say the truth, my teeth chattered in my
head, and my legs twitched so about, that I am sure I never should have
got well while I staid there."
Jobson's light heart now foreboded that his wound would quickly heal,
and that the brave gentleman, who was his companion in affliction, would
take him to be his servant, when he should be able to leave England; he,
therefore, settled in his own mind, that he would stay in Colonel
Evellin's service till the King sent for him to make him a Beef-eater.
The concealed Loyalists soon fell into that intimacy which suffering in
the same cause naturally inspires. Adversity is a great leveller, not
only of artificial distinctions, but also of personal qualities. The
dispossessed nobleman, and the village-ploughman, conversed familiarly
together of many a hard-fought day. The scene of their warfare lay in
different parts of the kingdom; but each listened with painful interest
to the details of the other: Evellin ruminating on the errors which had
ruined the King's cause, Jobson cursing the knaves who betrayed, and the
traitors who beheaded, him.
"I cannot help making free with Your Honour," said Jobson, "though I see
by all your ways you are a right true gentleman, and not like the
Rump-tinkers and Old Noll's make-believes. You would hardly think, merry
as I seem with you, that I am very sad at heart: not about Madge Jobson,
my wife as was; no, let her go where she will, for she always was a bad
one; but 'tis about that noble family that are so good to us both. And
that pretty Mistress Constance, as sighs so when she bandages up my
knee; sweet creature! she thinks she hurts me, but I would not cry out
if she did; for I have a story I could tell her would make her sigh
more, and look paler than she does, though she is now as white as a
coward marching up to a charged battery."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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