John Halifax, Gentleman Read online

“Nay—there’s no need to be sorry. You don’t know how comfortable it is to sleep out of doors; and so nice to wake in the middle of the night and see the stars shining over your head.”

  “But isn’t it very cold?”

  “No—not often. I scoop out a snug little nest in the bark and curl up in it like a dormouse, wrapped in this rug, which one of the men gave me. Besides, every morning early I take a plunge and a swim in the stream, and that makes me warm all day.”

  I shivered—I who feared the touch of cold water. Yet there with all his hardships, he stood before me, the model of healthy boyhood. Alas! I envied him.

  But this trying life, which he made so light of, could not go on. “What shall you do when winter comes?”

  John looked grave. “I don’t know: I suppose I shall manage somehow—like the sparrows,” he answered, perceiving not how apposite his illustration was. For truly he seemed as destitute as the birds of the air, whom ONE feedeth, when they cry to Him.

  My question had evidently made him thoughtful; he remained silent a good while.

  At last I said: “John, do you remember the woman who spoke so sharply to you in the alley that day?”

  “Yes. I shall never forget anything which happened that day,” he answered, softly.

  “She was my nurse once. She is not such a bad woman, though trouble has sharpened her temper. Her biggest boy Bill, who is gone off for a soldier, used to drive your cart, you know.”

  40“Yes?” said John, interrogatively; for I was slow in putting forth my plans—that is, as much of them as it was needful he should know.

  “Sally is poor—not so very poor, though. Your twopence a night would help her; and I dare say, if you’ll let me speak to her, you might have Bill’s attic all to yourself. She has but one other lad at home: it’s worth trying for.”

  “It is indeed. You are very kind, Phineas.” He said no more words than these—but their tone spoke volumes.

  I got into my little carriage again, for I was most anxious not to lose a day in this matter. I persuaded John to go at once with me to Sally Watkins. My father was not to be seen; but I ventured to leave word for him that I was gone home, and had taken John Halifax with me: it was astonishing how bold I felt myself growing, now that there was another beside myself to think and act for.

  We reached Widow Watkins’ door. It was a poor place—poorer than I had imagined; but I remembered what agonies of cleanliness had been inflicted on me in nursery days; and took hope for John.

  Sally sat in her kitchen, tidy and subdued, mending an old jacket that had once been Bill’s, until, being supplanted by the grand red coat, it descended upon Jem, the second lad. But Bill still engrossed the poor mother’s heart—she could do nothing but weep over him, and curse “Bonyparty.” Her mind was so full of this that she apparently failed to recognise in the decent young workman, John Halifax, the half-starved lad she had belaboured with her tongue in the alley. She consented at once to his lodging with her—though she looked up with an odd stare when I said he was “a friend” of mine.

  So we settled our business, first all together, then Sally and I alone, while John went up to look at his room. I knew I could trust Sally, whom I was glad enough to help, poor woman! She promised to make him extra-comfortable, and keep my secret 41too. When John came down she was quite civil to him—even friendly.

  She said it would really be a comfort to her, that another fine, strapping lad should sleep in Bill’s bed, and be coming in and out of her house just like her poor dear boy.

  I felt rather doubtful of the resemblance, and indeed half-angry, but John only smiled.

  “And if, maybe, he’d do a hand’s turn now and then about the kitchen—I s’pose he bean’t above it?”

  “Not a bit!” said John Halifax, pleasantly.

  Before we left I wanted to see his room; he carried me up, and we both sat down on the bed that had been poor Bill’s. It was nothing to boast of, being a mere sacking stuffed with hay—a blanket below, and another at top; I had to beg from Jael the only pair of sheets John owned for a long time. The attic was very low and small, hardly big enough “to whip a cat round,” or even a kitten—yet John gazed about it with an air of proud possession.

  “I declare I shall be as happy as a king. Only look out of the window!”

  Ay, the window was the grand advantage; out of it one could crawl on to the roof, and from the roof was the finest view in all Norton Bury. On one side, the town, the Abbey, and beyond it a wide stretch of meadow and woodland as far as you could see; on the other, the broad Ham, the glittering curve of Severn, and the distant country, sloping up into “the blue bills far away.” A picture, which in its incessant variety, its quiet beauty, and its inexpressibly soothing charm, was likely to make the simple, everyday act of “looking out o’ window,” unconsciously influence the mind as much as a world of books.

  “Do you like your ‘castle,’ John?” said I, when I had silently watched his beaming face; “will it suit you?”

  “I rather think it will!” he cried in hearty delight. And my heart likewise was very glad.

  42Dear little attic room! close against the sky—so close, that many a time the rain came pattering in, or the sun beating down upon the roof made it like a furnace, or the snow on the leads drifted so high as to obscure the window—yet how merry, how happy, we have been there! How often have we both looked back upon it in after days!

  43CHAPTER IV

  Winter came early and sudden that year.

  It was to me a long, dreary season, worse even than my winters inevitably were. I never stirred from my room, and never saw anybody but my father, Dr. Jessop, and Jael. At last I took courage to say to the former that I wished he would send John Halifax up some day.

  “What does thee want the lad for?”

  “Only to see him.”

  “Pshaw! a lad out o’ the tan-yard is not fit company for thee. Let him alone; he’ll do well enough if thee doesn’t try to lift him out of his place.”

  Lift John Halifax out of his “place”! I agreed with my father that that was impossible; but then we evidently differed widely in our definition of what the “place” might be. So, afraid of doing him harm, and feeling how much his future depended on his favour with his master, I did not discuss the matter. Only at every possible opportunity—and they were rare—I managed to send John a little note, written carefully in printed letters, for I knew he could read that; also a book or two, out of which he might teach himself a little more.

  Then I waited, eagerly but patiently, until spring came, when, without making any more fruitless efforts, I should be 44sure to see him. I knew enough of himself, and was too jealous over his dignity, to wish either to force him by entreaties, or bring him by stratagem, into a house where he was not welcome, even though it were the house of my own father.

  One February day, when the frost had at last broken up, and soft, plentiful rain had half melted the great snow-drifts, which, Jael told me, lay about the country everywhere, I thought I would just put my head out-of-doors, to see how long the blessed spring would be in coming. So I crawled down into the parlour, and out of the parlour into the garden; Jael scolding, my father roughly encouraging. My poor father! he always had the belief that people need not be ill unless they chose, and that I could do a great deal if I would.

  I felt very strong to-day. It was delicious to see again the green grass, which had been hidden for weeks; delicious to walk up and down in the sunshine, under the shelter of the yew hedge. I amused myself by watching a pale line of snowdrops which had come up one by one, like prisoners of war to their execution.

  But the next minute I felt ashamed of the heartless simile, for it reminded me of poor Bill Watkins, who, taken after the battle of Mentz, last December, had been shot by the French as a spy. Poor, rosy, burly Bill! better had he still been ingloriously driving our cart of skins.

  “Have you been to see Sally lately?” said I, to Jael, who was cutting winter cabbages h
ard by; “is she getting over her trouble?”

  “She bean’t rich, to afford fretting. There’s Jem and three little ’uns yet to feed, to say nought of another big lad as lives there, and eats a deal more than he pays, I’m sure.”

  I took the insinuation quietly, for I knew that my father had lately raised John’s wages, and he his rent to Sally. This, together with a few other facts which lay between Sally and me, made me quite easy in the mind as to his being no burthen, but 45rather a help to the widow—so I let Jael have her say; it did no harm to me nor anybody.

  “What bold little things snowdrops are—stop, Jael, you are setting your foot on them.”

  But I was too late; she had crushed them under the high-heeled shoe. She was even near pulling me down, as she stepped back in great hurry and consternation.

  “Look at that young gentleman coming down the garden; and here I be in my dirty gown, and my apron full o’ cabbages.”

  And she dropped the vegetables all over the path as the “gentleman” came towards us.

  I smiled—for, in spite of his transformation, I, at least, had no difficulty in recognising John Halifax.

  He had on new clothes—let me give the credit due to that wonderful civiliser, the tailor—clothes neat, decent, and plain, such as any ’prentice lad might wear. They fitted well his figure, which had increased both in height, compactness, and grace. Round his neck was a coarse but white shirt frill; and over it fell, carefully arranged, the bright curls of his bonny hair. Easily might Jael or any one else have “mistaken” him, as she cuttingly said, for a young gentleman.

  She looked very indignant, though, when she found out the aforesaid “mistake.”

  “What may be thy business here?” she said, roughly.

  “Abel Fletcher sent me on a message.”

  “Out with it then—don’t be stopping with Phineas here. Thee bean’t company for him, and his father don’t choose it.”

  “Jael!” I cried, indignantly. John never spoke, but his cheek burnt furiously.

  I took his hand, and told him how glad I was to see him—but, for a minute, I doubt if he heard me.

  “Abel Fletcher sent me here,” he repeated, in a well-controlled voice, “that I might go out with Phineas; if HE objects to my company, it’s easy to say so.”

  46And he turned to me. I think he must have been satisfied then.

  Jael retired discomfited, and in her wrath again dropped half of her cabbages. John picked them up and restored them; but got for thanks only a parting thrust.

  “Thee art mighty civil in thy new clothes. Be off, and be back again sharp; and, I say, don’t thee be leaving the cart o’ skins again under the parlour windows.”

  “I don’t drive the cart now,” was all he replied.

  “Not drive the cart?” I asked, eagerly, when Jael had disappeared, for I was afraid some ill chance had happened.

  “Only, that this winter I’ve managed to teach myself to read and add up, out of your books, you know; and your father found it out, and he says I shall go round collecting money instead of skins, and it’s much better wages, and—I like it better—that’s all.”

  But, little as he said, his whole face beamed with pride and pleasure. It was, in truth, a great step forward.

  “He must trust you very much, John,” said I, at last, knowing how exceedingly particular my father was in his collectors.

  “That’s it—that’s what pleases me so. He is very good to me, Phineas, and he gave me a special holiday, that I might go out with you. Isn’t that grand?”

  “Grand, indeed. What fun we’ll have! I almost think I could take a walk myself.”

  For the lad’s company invariably gave me new life, and strength, and hope. The very sight of him was as good as the coming of spring.

  “Where shall we go?” said he, when we were fairly off, and he was guiding my carriage down Norton Bury streets.

  “I think to the Mythe.” The Mythe was a little hill on the outskirts of the town, breezy and fresh, where Squire Brithwood had built himself a fine house ten years ago.

  “Ay, that will do; and as we go, you will see the floods 47out—a wonderful sight, isn’t it? The river is rising still, I hear; at the tan-yard they are busy making a dam against it. How high are the floods here, generally, Phineas?”

  “I’m sure I can’t remember. But don’t look so serious. Let us enjoy ourselves.”

  And I did enjoy, intensely, that pleasant stroll. The mere sunshine was delicious; delicious, too, to pause on the bridge at the other end of the town, and feel the breeze brought in by the rising waters, and hear the loud sound of them, as they poured in a cataract over the flood-gates hard by.

  “Your lazy, muddy Avon looks splendid now. What masses of white foam it makes, and what wreaths of spray; and see! ever so much of the Ham is under water. How it sparkles in the sun.”

  “John, you like looking at anything pretty.”

  “Ah! don’t I!” cried he, with his whole heart. My heart leaped too, to see him so happy.

  “You can’t think how fine this is from my window; I have watched it for a week. Every morning the water seems to have made itself a fresh channel. Look at that one, by the willow-tree—how savagely it pours!”

  “Oh, we at Norton Bury are used to floods.”

  “Are they ever very serious?”

  “Have been—but not in my time. Now, John, tell me what you have been doing all winter.”

  It was a brief and simple chronicle—of hard work, all day over, and from the Monday to the Saturday—too hard work to do anything of nights, save to drop into the sound, dreamless sleep of youth and labour.

  “But how did you teach yourself to read and add up, then?”

  “Generally at odd minutes going along the road. It’s astonishing what a lot of odd minutes one can catch during the day, if one really sets about it. And then I had Sunday afternoons besides. I did not think it wrong—”

  48“No,” said I; decisively. “What books have you got through?”

  “All you sent—Pilgrim’s Progress, Robinson Crusoe, and the Arabian Nights. That’s fine, isn’t it?” and his eyes sparkled.

  “Any more?”

  “Also the one you gave me at Christmas. I have read it a good deal.”

  I liked the tone of quiet reverence in which he spoke. I liked to hear him own, nor be ashamed to own—that he read “a good deal” in that rare book for a boy to read—the Bible.

  But on this subject I did not ask him any more questions; indeed, it seemed to me, and seems still, that no more were needed.

  “And you can read quite easily now, John?”

  “Pretty well, considering.” Then, turning suddenly to me: “You read a great deal, don’t you? I overheard your father say you were very clever. How much do you know?”

  “Oh—nonsense!” But he pressed me, and I told him. The list was short enough; I almost wished it were shorter when I saw John’s face.

  “For me—I can only just read, and I shall be fifteen directly!”

  The accent of shame, despondency, even despair, went to my very heart.

  “Don’t mind,” I said, laying my feeble, useless hand upon that which guided me on so steady and so strong; “how could you have had time, working as hard as you do?”

  “But I ought to learn; I must learn.”

  “You shall. It’s little I can teach; but, if you like, I’ll teach you all I know.”

  “O Phineas!” One flash of those bright, moist eyes, and he walked hastily across the road. Thence he came back, in a minute or two, armed with the tallest, straightest of briar-rose shoots.

  49“You like a rose-switch, don’t you? I do. Nay, stop till I’ve cut off the thorns.” And he walked on beside me, working at it with his knife, in silence.

  I was silent, too, but I stole a glance at his mouth, as seen in profile. I could almost always guess at his thoughts by that mouth, so flexible, sensitive, and, at times, so infinitely sweet. It wore that expression
now. I was satisfied, for I knew the lad was happy.

  We reached the Mythe. “David,” I said (I had got into a habit of calling him “David;” and now he had read a certain history in that Book I supposed he had guessed why, for he liked the name), “I don’t think I can go any further up the hill.”

  “Oh! but you shall! I’ll push behind; and when we come to the stile I’ll carry you. It’s lovely on the top of the Mythe—look at the sunset. You cannot have seen a sunset for ever so long.”

  No—that was true. I let John do as he would with me—he who brought into my pale life the only brightness it had ever known.

  Ere long we stood on the top of the steep mound. I know not if it be a natural hill, or one of those old Roman or British remains, plentiful enough hereabouts, but it was always called the Mythe. Close below it, at the foot of a precipitous slope, ran the Severn, there broad and deep enough, gradually growing broader and deeper as it flowed on, through a wide plain of level country, towards the line of hills that bounded the horizon. Severn looked beautiful here; neither grand nor striking, but certainly beautiful; a calm, gracious, generous river, bearing strength in its tide and plenty in its bosom, rolling on through the land slowly and surely, like a good man’s life, and fertilising wherever it flows.

  “Do you like Severn still, John?”

  “I love it.”

  I wondered if his thoughts had been anything like mine.

  50“What is that?” he cried, suddenly, pointing to a new sight, which even I had not often seen on our river. It was a mass of water, three or four feet high, which came surging along the midstream, upright as a wall.

  “It is the eger; I’ve often seen it on Severn, where the swift seaward current meets the spring-tide. Look what a crest of foam it has, like a wild boar’s mane. We often call it the river-boar.”

  “But it is only a big wave.”

  “Big enough to swamp a boat, though.”

  And while I spoke I saw, to my horror, that there actually was a boat, with two men in it, trying to get out of the way of the eger.

  “They never can! they’ll assuredly be drowned! O John!”