第7章

“Servedhimrightenough，too，Ifancy，“saidCaptainJack。 “I’ll’avethelawontheloto’ye，Iwill。I’mapoorworkin’ man，butI’vegotmyrights，an’ifthere’sajusticeinthisGawdforsakencountryI’ll’aveprotectionformyfamily。“AndMr。 Wigglesworth，workingupafury，backedoffdownthelane。 “Don’tfear，Wigglesworth，you’llgetallthejusticeyouwant。 PerhapsSamwilltellus——Hello！WhereisSam？“ ButSamhadvanished。HehadnomindforaninvestigationinthepresenceofCaptainJack。 “Well，well，hecan’tbemuchinjured，Iguess。Meantime，canI giveyoualift，Annette？“ “No，thankyou，“saidthegirl，thecolourinhercheeksmatchingthecrimsonribbonatherthroat。“I’mjustgoinghome。It’sonlyalittleway。Idon’t——“ “Theyoungleddyiswithme，sir，“saidtheyoungScotchmanquietly。 “Oh，sheis，eh？“saidCaptainJack，lookinghimover。“Ah，well，then——Good-bye，Annette，forthepresent。“Heheldouthishand。 “Wemustrenewouroldacquaintance，eh？“ “Thankyou，sir，“saidthegirl。 “’Sir？’Rot！Youaren’tgoingto’sir’me，Annette，afterallthefunandthefightswehadintheolddays。Notmuch。We’regoingtobegoodchumsagain，eh？Whatdoyousay？“ “Idon’tknow，“saidAnnette，flashingaswiftglanceintoCaptainJack’sadmiringeyes。“Itdependson——“ “Onme？“ “Ididn’tsayso。“Herheadwentupabit。 “Onyou？“ “Ididn’tsayso。“ “Well，letitgo。Butwewillbepalsagain，Annette，Ivow。 Good-bye。“CaptainJackliftedhishatandmovedaway。 AshereachedhiscarheranupagainstyoungRupertStillwell。 “DeucedlyprettyAnnettehasgrown，eh？“saidStillwell。 “Annette’sallright，“saidJack，ratherbrusquely，enteringhiscar。 “Workinginyourboxfactory，Iunderstand，eh？“ “Don’treallyknow，“saidJackcarelessly。“Probably。“ ThecrowdhadmeantimefadedawaywithCaptainJack’sgoing。 “DidnaknowtheCaptainwasafriendofyours，Annette，“saidMack，fallingintostepbesideher。 “No——yes——Idon’tknow。WewenttoPublicSchooltogetherbeforethewar。Iwasakidthen。“Hermannerwasabstractedandhereyeswerefaraway。Mackwalkedgloomilybyherononeside，littleSteveontheother。 “Huh！He’snoyoursort，Adoot，“hesaidsullenly。 “Whatdoyousay？“criedAnnette，returningfromherabstraction。 “Whatdoyoumean，’mysort’？“Herheadwenthighandhereyesflashed。 “Hewouldnalookatye，foronyguid。“ “Hedidlookatmethough，“repliedAnnette，tossingherhead。 “Noforonyguid！“repeatedMack，stubbornly。 Annettestoppedinhertracks，aburningredonhercheeksandadangerouslightinherblackeyes。 “Mr。McNish，that’syourroad，“shesaid，pointingoverhisshoulder。 “A’lltakittae，“saidMcNish，wheelingonhisheel，“an’yecanhaeyourCaptainforme。“ WithneveralookathimAnnettetookherwayhome。 “Good-bye，Steve，“shesaid，stoopingandkissingtheboy。“Thisisyourcorner。“ “Annette，“hesaid，withaquick，shylookupintoherface，“I likeCaptainJack，don’tyou？“ “No，“shesaidhurriedly。“Imeanyes，ofcourse。“ “AndIlikeyoutoo，“saidtheboy，withanadoringlookinhisdeepeyes，“better’nanyoneintheworld。“ “Doyou，Steve？I’mglad。“Againshestoopedswiftlyandkissedhim。“Nowrunhome。“ Shehurriedhome，passedintoherroomwithoutawordtoanyone。 Slowlysheremovedherhat，thenturningtoherglassshegazedatherflushedfaceforafewmoments。Alittlesmilecurvedherlips。“Hedidlookatmeanyway，“shewhisperedtothefacethatlookedoutather，“hedid，hedid，“sherepeated。Thenswiftlyshecoveredhereyes。Whenshelookedagainshesawafacewhiteanddrawn。“Hewouldnalookatye。“Thewordssmoteherwithachill。Drearilysheturnedawayandwentout。 TheRectorywasoneoftheveryoldestofthemoresubstantialofBlackwater’sdwellings。Builtofgreylimestonefromthelocalquarries，itssolidsquaremassrelievedbyitsquaintdormerwindowswassoftenedfromitsprimaluglinessbytheBostonivythathadclamberedtotheeavesandlaydrapedaboutthewindowslikeasoftgreenmantle。Builtintheearlydays，itstoodwiththelittlechurch，agemofGothicarchitecture，withinspaciousgroundsboughtwhenlandwascheap。Behindthehousestoodthestable，builtalsoofgreylimestone，andatonesideacherryandappleorchardformedacharmingbackgroundtothegreybuildingswiththeircrowdingshrubberyandgardens。Agravelledwindingdriveledfromthestreetthroughtoweringelms，apicturesqueremnantfromtheoriginalforest，tothefrontdoorandroundthehousetothestableyardbehind。FromthedrivewayagravelledfootpathledthroughtheshrubberyandflowergardenbyawicketgatetotheChurch。WhenfirstbuilttheRectorystoodindignifiedseclusionontheedgeofthevillage，buttheprosperityofthegrowingtowndemandingspaceforitsinhabitantshaddrivenitsstreetsfarbeyondtheRectorydemesneoneveryside，tillnowitstood，agreenoasisofshelteredloveliness，amidacrowdingmassofmodernbrickdwellings，comfortableenoughbutaridofbeautyandsuggestiveonlyoftheutilitariandemandsofabusymanufacturingtown。 FornearlyaquarterofacenturytheRev。HerbertAvelingTempleton，D。D。，LL。D。，forwhomtheRectoryhadbeenbuilt，hadministeredinholythingstotheParishofSt。Alban’sandhadexercisedaguidingandpaternalcareoverthesocialandreligiouswell-beingofthecommunity。TheyoungersonofoneofEngland’snoblefamilies，educatedinanEnglishPublicSchoolandUniversity，herepresented，inthelifeofthisnew，thriving，bustlingtown，thetraditionsandmannersofanEnglishgentlemanoftheOldSchool。Stillinhisearlysixties，hecarriedhisyearswithallthevigourofamantwentyyearshisjunior。Ashedailytookhismorningwalkforhismail，steppingwiththebriskpaceofonewhosepoisetheyearshadnotbeenabletodisturb，yetwiththestatelybearingconsistentwiththedignityattachingtohispositionandoffice，men’seyesfollowedthetall，handsome，white-haired，wellsetupgentlemanalwayswithadmirationand，whereknowledgewasintimate，withreverenceandaffection。Beforetherecentrapidgrowthofthetownconsequentupontheestablishmentofvariousmanufacturingindustriesattractedthitherbytheuniquerailroadfacilities，theRector’swalkwassomethinginthenatureofpublicperambulatoryreception。Forheknewthemall，andforallhadawordofgreeting，ofenquiry，ofcheer，ofadmonition，sothatbythetimehehadreturnedtohishomehemighthavebeensaidtohaveconductedapastoralvisitationofaconsiderableproportionofhisflock。Evenyet，withthechangesthathadtakenplace，hiswalktothePostOfficewaspunctuatedwithgreetingsandsalutationsfromhisfellow-citizensinwhoseheartshistwenty-fiveyearsofdevotiontotheirwell-being，spiritualandphysical，hadmadeforhimanenduringplace。 TheladyoftheRectory，thoughsometwentyyearshisjunior，yet，byreasonofdelicatehealthduelargelytothedoubleburdenofhouseholdcaresandparishduties，appearedtobequiteofequalage。Gentleinspirit，frailinbody，thereseemedtobeinhersoulsomethingofthequalityoftemperedsteel，yetwithalastrainofworldlywisdommingledwithastrangeignoranceoftheaffairsofmodernlife。Herliferevolvedaroundonecentre，heradoredhusband，acentreenlargedastimewentontoincludeheronlysonandhertwodaughters。Allothersandallelseinherworldwereofinterestsolelyastheymightbemoreorlesscloselyrelatedtothese，themembersofherfamily。Thetownandthetownfolksheknewsolelyasherhusband’sparish。Therewereotherpeopleandothercommunions，nodoubt，butbeingbeyondthepaletheycouldhardlybesupposedtomatter，or，atanyrate，shecouldnotbesupposedtoregardthemwithmorethantheinterestandspasmodicconcernwhichshefeltitherdutytobestowuponthoseunfortunatedwellersinpartibusinfidelium。 RegardingthePublicSchoolofthetownwithaversionbecauseofitswoefullydemocraticcharacter，shewasweanedfromherhostilitytothatinstitutionwhenherson’snamewasentereduponitsroll。Hereldestdaughter，indeed，shesentasagirloffourteentoanexclusiveEnglishschool，theexpenseofwhichwasbornebyherhusband’seldestbrother，SirArthurTempleton，forsheheldtheopinionthatwhileforaboythePublicSchoolwasanexcellentinstitutionwithagirlitwasquitedifferent。Hence，whilehereldestdaughterwent“Home“forhereducation，herboywenttotheBlackwaterPublicandHighSchools，whichinstitutionsbecamehenceforthinvestedwiththehighestqualificationsascentresofeducation。Herboy’sfriendswereherfriends，andtothemherhousewasopenatallhoursofdayornight。Indeed，itbecamethegoverningideainherdomesticpolicythatherhouseshouldbetherallyingcentreforeverythingthatwasrelatedinanydegreetoherchildren’slife。Hence，shequietlybuteffectivelylimitedthecircleofthechildren’sfriendstothosewhowereableandwerewillingtomaketheRectorytheirsocialcentre。ShesawtoitthatforHerbert’sintimateboyfriendsthebigplayroomatthetopofthehouse，onceabareandemptyroomandlaterthelargeandcomfortablefamilylivingroom，becametheplaceofmeetingforalltheirsocialandathleticclubactivities。 Withunsleepingvigilanceshestoodonguardagainstanythingthatmightbreakthatcircleofherheart’sdevotion。Thecirclemightbe，indeedmustbeenlarged，asforinstancetotakeintheMaitlandboys，Herbert’sclosestchums。Shewaswiseenoughtoseethewisdomofthat，butnothingonearthwouldsheallowtofilchfromherasingleunitofthepricelesstreasuresofherheart。 Tothislawofherlifeshemadeoneglorious，onesplendidexception。Whenhercountrycalled，she，afterweeksofsilent，fierce，lonely，agonisedstrugglegaveupherboyandsenthimwithvoiceless，tearlesspridetotheWar。 But，whentheboy’sColonelwroteintermsofaffectionateprideofherboy’sgloriouspassing，withnewandstrangeadaptabilityherheartcirclewasextendedtoincludeherboy’scomradesinwarandthosewholikeherselfhadsentthemforth。Thencefortheverykhakicoveredladwastoherason，andeverysoldier’smotherafriend。 Asherownimmediatehomecirclegrewsmaller，theintensityofherdevotionincreased。Hertwodaughtersbecameherabsorbingconcern。Withthemodernnotionthatagirlmightmakeforherselfacareerinlifeshehadnosympathywhatever。Toseethemhappilymarriedandinhomesoftheirownbecametheabsorbingambitionofherlife。Tothisendsheadministeredhersocialactivities，withthispurposeinviewsheencouragedordiscouragedherdaughters’ friendshipswithmen。Withtheworldlywisdomofwhichshehadherownshareshecametotheconclusionthatineligiblemenfriends，thatis，menfriendsunabletogiveherdaughtersapropersettinginthesocialworld，weretobeeffectivelyeliminated。Thatthemenofherdaughters’choosingshouldbegentlemeninbreedingwentwithoutsaying，butthattheyshouldbesufficientlyendowedwithwealthtosupportapropersocialpositionwasequallyessential。 ThatJackMaitlandhadsomehowdroppedoutoftheintimatecircleoffriendswhohadinpre-wardaysmadetheRectorytheirheadquarterswastoheramorebitterdisappointmentthanshecaredtoacknowledgeeventoherself。HersonandthetwoMaitlandboyshadbeeninseparableintheirschoolandcollegedays，andwiththetwoyoungmenherdaughtershadbeenassociatedintheveryclosesttermsofcomradeship。ButsomehowCaptainJackMaitlandafterthefirstmonthssucceedinghisreturnfromthewarhaddrawnapart。 Disappointed，perplexed，hurt，shevainlyhadstriventorestoretheoldfootingbetweentheyoungmanandherdaughters。YoungMaitlandhadtakenuphismedicalstudiesforafewmonthsathisoldUniversityinTorontoandsohadbeenoutoftouchwiththesociallifeofhishometown。Thenafterhehad“chucked“hiscourseasimpossiblehehadathisfather’searnestwishtakenupworkatthemills，atfirstintheoffice，laterinthemanufacturingdepartment。TherewassomethingqueerinJack’sattitudetowardhisoldlifeanditsassociations，andafterherfirstfailuresinattemptingtorestoretheoldrelationshiphereldestdaughter’sprideandthenherownforbadefurtherefforts。