English
Therewas,asmaywellbeimagined,muchstiramongstoursmallcommunityatthenewsthattheHallwastobeinhabitedoncemore,andconsiderablespeculationastothenewtenants,andtheirobjectinchoosingthisparticularpartofthecountryfortheirresidence.
Itspeedilybecameapparentthat,whatevertheirmotivesmightbe,theyhaddefinitelydetermineduponalengthystay,forrelaysofplumbersandofjoinerscamedownfromWigtown,andtherewashammeringandrepairinggoingonfrommorningtillnight.
Itwassurprisinghowquicklythesignsofthewindandweatherwereeffaced,untilthegreat,square-sethousewasallasspick-and-spanasthoughithadbeenerectedyesterday.
TherewereabundantsignsthatmoneywasnoconsiderationtoGeneralHeatherstone,andthatitwasnotonthescoreofretrenchmentthathehadtakenuphisabodeamongus.
“Itmaybethatheisdevotedtostudy,”suggestedmyfather,aswediscussedthequestionroundthebreakfasttable.
“Perhapshehaschosenthissecludedspottofinishsomemagnumopusuponwhichheisengaged.
IfthatisthecaseIshouldbehappytolethimhavetherunofmylibrary.”
EstherandIlaughedatthegrandiloquentmannerinwhichhespokeofthetwopotato-sacksfulofbooks.
“Itmaybeasyousay,”saidI,“butthegeneraldidnotstrikemeduringourshortinterviewasbeingamanwhowaslikelytohaveanyverypronouncedliterarytastes.
IfImighthazardaguess,Ishouldsaythatheishereuponmedicaladvice,inthehopethatthecompletequietandfreshairmayrestorehisshatterednervoussystem.
Ifyouhadseenhowheglaredatme,andthetwitchingofhisfingers,youwouldhavethoughtitneededsomerestoring.”
“Idowonderwhetherhehasawifeandafamily,”saidmysister.“Poorsouls,howlonelytheywillbe!
Why,exceptingourselves,thereisnotafamilythattheycouldspeaktoforsevenmilesandmore.”
“GeneralHeatherstoneisaverydistinguishedsoldier,”remarkedmyfather.
“Why,papa,howevercameyoutoknowanythingabouthim?”
“Ah,mydears,”saidmyfather,smilingatusoverhiscoffee-cup,“youwerelaughingatmylibraryjustnow,butyouseeitmaybeveryusefulattimes.”
Ashespokehetookared-coveredvolumefromashelfandturnedoverthepages.
“ThisisanIndianArmyListofthreeyearsback,”heexplained,“andhereistheverygentlemanwewant-‘Heatherstone,J.B.,CommanderoftheBath,’mydears,and‘V.C.’,thinkofthat,‘V.C.’—‘formerlycolonelintheIndianInfantry,41stBengalFoot,butnowretiredwiththerankofmajor-general.’
Inthisothercolumnisarecordofhisservices—‘captureofGhuzneeanddefenseofJellalabad,Sobraon1848,IndianMutinyandreductionofOudh.Fivetimesmentionedindispatches.’
Ithink,mydears,thatwehavecausetobeproudofournewneighbour.”
“Itdoesn’tmentiontherewhetherheismarriedornot,Isuppose?”askedEsther.
“No,”saidmyfather,wagginghiswhiteheadwithakeenappreciationofhisownhumour.
“Itdoesn’tincludethatundertheheadingof‘daringactions’—thoughitverywellmight,mydear,itverywellmight.”
Allourdoubts,however,uponthisheadwereverysoonsetatrest,forontheverydaythattherepairingandthefurnishinghadbeencompletedIhadoccasiontorideintoWigtown,andImetuponthewayacarriagewhichwasbearingGeneralHeatherstoneandhisfamilytotheirnewhome.
Anelderlylady,wornandsickly-looking,wasbyhisside,andoppositehimsatayoungfellowaboutmyownageandagirlwhoappearedtobeacoupleofyearsyounger.
Iraisedmyhat,andwasabouttopassthem,whenthegeneralshoutedtohiscoachmantopullup,andheldouthishandtome.
Icouldseenowinthedaylightthathisface,althoughharshandstern,wascapableofassuminganotunkindlyexpression.
“Howareyou,Mr.FothergillWest?”hecried.
“ImustapologizetoyouifIwasalittlebrusquetheothernight—youwillexcuseanoldsoldierwhohasspentthebestpartofhislifeinharness—Allthesame,youmustconfessthatyouareratherdark-skinnedforaScotchman.”
“WehaveaSpanishstraininourblood,”saidI,wonderingathisrecurrencetothetopic.
“Thatwould,ofcourse,accountforit,”heremarked.
“Mydear,”tohiswife,“allowmetointroduceMr.FothergillWesttoyou.Thisismysonandmydaughter.
Wehavecomehereinsearchofrest,Mr.West—completerest.”
“Andyoucouldnotpossiblyhavecometoabetterplace,”saidI.
“Oh,youthinkso?”heanswered.“Isupposeitisveryquietindeed,andverylonely.Youmightwalkthroughthesecountrylanesatnight,Idaresay,andnevermeetasoul,eh?”
“Well,therearenotmanyaboutafterdark,”Isaid.
“Andyouarenotmuchtroubledwithvagrantsorwanderingbeggars,eh?Notmanytinkersortrampsorrascallygipsies—noverminofthatsortabout?”
“Ifinditrathercold,”saidMrs.Heatherstone,drawingherthicksealskinmantletighterroundherfigure.“WearedetainingMr.West,too.”
“Soweare,mydear,soweare.Driveon,coachman.Good-day,Mr.West.”
ThecarriagerattledawaytowardstheHall,andItrottedthoughtfullyonwardstothelittlecountrymetropolis.
AsIpasseduptheHighStreet,Mr.McNeilranoutfromhisofficeandbeckonedtometostop.
“Ournewtenantshavegoneout,”hesaid.“Theydroveoverthismorning.”
“Imetthemontheway,”Ianswered.
AsIlookeddownatthelittlefactor,Icouldseethathisfacewasflushedandthatheboreeveryappearanceofhavinghadanextraglass.
“Givemearealgentlemantodobusinesswith,”hesaid,withaburstoflaughter.
“TheyunderstandmeandIunderstandthem.‘WhatshallIfillitupfor?’
saysthegeneral,takingablankchequeouto’hispouchandlayingitonthetable.
‘Twohundred,’saysI,leavingabito’amarginformyowntimeandtrouble.”
“Ithoughtthatthelandlordhadpaidyouforthat,”Iremarked.
“Aye,aye,butit’swelltohaveabitmargin.
Hefilleditupandthrewitovertomeasifithadbeenanauldpostagestamp.
That’sthewaybusinessshouldbedonebetweenhonestmen—thoughitwouldnadoifonewasinclinedtotakeanadvantage.
Willyenotcomein,Mr.West,andhaveatasteofmywhisky?”
“No,thankyou”saidI,“Ihavebusinesstodo.”
portraitofSirArthurConanDoyle
“Well,well,businessisthechiefthing.
It’swellnottodrinkinthemorning,too.
Formyownpart,exceptadropbeforebreakfasttogivemeanappetite,andmaybeaglass,oreventwa,afterwardstopromotedigestion,Inevertouchspiritsbeforenoon.
Whatd’yethinko’thegeneral,Mr.West?”
“Why,Ihavehardlyhadanopportunityofjudging,”Ianswered.
Mr.McNeiltappedhisforeheadwithhisforefinger.
“That’swhatIthinkofhim,”hesaidinaconfidentialwhisper,shakinghisheadatme.“He’sgone,sir,gone,inmyestimation.Nowwhatwouldyoutaketobeaproofofmadness,Mr.West?”
“Why,offeringablankchequetoaWigtownhouse-agent,”saidI.
“Ah,you’reayeatyourjokes.Butbetweenoorsel’snow,ifamanaskedyehowmanymilesitwasfraeaseaport,andwhethershipscometherefromtheEast,andwhetherthereweretrampsontheroad,andwhetheritwasagainsttheleaseforhimtobuildahighwallroundthegrounds,whatwouldyemakeofit,eh?”
“Ishouldcertainlythinkhimeccentric,”saidI.
“Ifeverymanhadhisdue,ourfriendwouldfindhimsel’inahousewithahighwallroundthegrounds,andthatwithoutcostinghimafarthing,”saidtheagent.
“Wherethen?”Iasked,humouringhisjoke.
“Why,intheWigtownCountyLunaticAsylum,”criedthelittleman,withabubbleoflaughter,inthemidstofwhichIrodeonmyway,leavinghimstillchucklingoverhisownfacetiousness.
ThearrivalofthenewfamilyatCloomberHallhadnoperceptibleeffectinrelievingthemonotonyofoursecludeddistrict,forinsteadofenteringintosuchsimplepleasuresasthecountryhadtooffer,orinterestingthemselves,aswehadhoped,inourattemptstoimprovethelotofourpoorcroftersandfisherfolk,theyseemedtoshunallobservation,andhardlyevertoventurebeyondtheavenuegates.
Wesoonfound,too,thatthefactor’swordsastotheinclosingofthegroundswerefoundeduponfact,forgangsofworkmenwerekepthardatworkfromearlyinthemorninguntillateatnightinerectingahigh,woodenfenceroundthewholeestate.
Whenthiswasfinishedandtoppedwithspikes,CloomberParkbecameimpregnabletoanyonebutanexceptionallydaringclimber.
Itwasasiftheoldsoldierhadbeensoimbuedwithmilitaryideasthat,likemyUncleToby,hecouldnotrefrainevenintimesofpeacefromstandinguponthedefensive.
Strangerstill,hehadvictualledthehouseasifforasiege,forBegbie,thechiefgrocerofWigtown,toldmehimselfinaraptureofdelightandamazementthatthegeneralhadsenthimanorderforhundredsofdozensofeveryimaginablepottedmeatandvegetable.
Itmaybeimaginedthatalltheseunusualincidentswerenotallowedtopasswithoutmaliciouscomment.
OverthewholecountrysideandasfarawayastheEnglishbordertherewasnothingbutgossipaboutthenewtenantsofCloomberHallandthereasonswhichhadledthemtocomeamongus.
Theonlyhypothesis,however,whichthebucolicmindcouldevolve,wasthatwhichhadalreadyoccurredtoMr.McNeil,thefactor—namely,thattheoldgeneralandhisfamilywereoneandallafflictedwithmadness,or,asanalternativeconclusion,thathehadcommittedsomeheinousoffenceandwasendeavouringtoescapetheconsequencesofhismisdeeds.
Thesewerebothnaturalsuppositionsunderthecircumstances,butneitherofthemappearedtometocommenditselfasatrueexplanationofthefacts.
ItistruethatGeneralHeatherstone’sbehaviourontheoccasionofourfirstinterviewwassuchastosuggestsomesuspicionofmentaldisease,butnomancouldhavebeenmorereasonableormorecourteousthanhehadafterwardsshownhimselftobe.
Then,again,hiswifeandchildrenledthesamesecludedlifethathedidhimself,sothatthereasoncouldnotbeonepeculiartohisownhealth.
Astothepossibilityofhisbeingafugitivefromjustice,thattheorywasevenmoreuntenable.
Wigtownshirewasbleakandlonely,butitwasnotsuchanobscurecorneroftheworldthatawell-knownsoldiercouldhopetoconcealhimselfthere,norwouldamanwhofearedpublicityseteveryone’stonguewaggingasthegeneralhaddone.
Onthewhole,Iwasinclinedtobelievethatthetruesolutionoftheenigmalayinhisownallusiontotheloveofquiet,andthattheyhadtakenshelterherewithanalmostmorbidcravingforsolitudeandrepose.
Weverysoonhadaninstanceofthegreatlengthstowhichthisdesireforisolationwouldcarrythem.
Myfatherhadcomedownonemorningwiththeweightofagreatdeterminationuponhisbrow.
“Youmustputonyourpinkfrocktoday,Esther,”saidhe,“andyou,John,youmustmakeyourselfsmart,forIhavedeterminedthatthethreeofusshalldriveroundthisafternoonandpayourrespectstoMrs.Heatherstoneandthegeneral.”
“AvisittoCloomber,”criedEsther,clappingherhands.
“Iamhere,”saidmyfather,withdignity,“notonlyasthelaird’sfactor,butalsoashiskinsman.
InthatcapacityIamconvincedthathewouldwishmetocalluponthesenewcomersandofferthemanypolitenesswhichisinourpower.
Atpresenttheymustfeellonelyandfriendless.WhatsaysthegreatFirdousi?
‘Thechoicestornamentstoaman’shousearehisfriends.’”
MysisterandIknewbyexperiencethatwhentheoldmanbegantojustifyhisresolutionbyquotationsfromthePersianpoetstherewasnochanceofshakingit.
Sureenoughthatafternoonsawthephaetonatthedoor,withmyfatherperchedupontheseat,withhissecond-bestcoatonandapairofnewdriving-gloves.
“Jumpin,mydears,”hecried,crackinghiswhipbriskly,“weshallshowthegeneralthathehasnocausetobeashamedofhisneighbours.”
Alas!Pridealwaysgoesbeforeafall.Ourwell-fedponiesandshiningharnesswerenotdestinedthatdaytoimpressthetenantsofCloomberwithasenseofourimportance.
Wehadreachedtheavenuegate,andIwasabouttogetoutandopenit,whenourattentionwasarrestedbyaverylargewoodenplacard,whichwasattachedtooneofthetreesinsuchamannerthatnoonecouldpossiblypasswithoutseeingit.
Onthewhitesurfaceofthisboardwasprintedinbig,blacklettersthefollowinghospitableinscription:
GENERALANDMRS.HEATHERSTONE
HAVENOWISH
TOINCREASE
THECIRCLEOFTHEIRACQUAINTANCE.
Weallsatgazingatthisannouncementforsomemomentsinsilentastonishment.
ThenEstherandI,tickledbytheabsurdityofthething,burstoutlaughing,butmyfatherpulledtheponies’headsround,anddrovehomewithcompressedlipsandthecloudofmuchwrathuponhisbrow.
Ihaveneverseenthegoodmansothoroughlymoved,andIamconvincedthathisangerdidnotarisefromanypettyfeelingofinjuredvanityuponhisownpart,butfromthethoughtthataslighthadbeenofferedtotheLairdofBranksome,whosedignityherepresented.
Share this article to
FINISH