Parr_Hero_Carthew.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']
! " exclaimed contemptu-
ously, ", how can they take from un what he arn't a
got; whether 'tis hisn or theirn, folks must ate and drink,
and ha' garments to their backs."
", that's true," replied , slowly draining the meas-
ure which was being handed round. setting it down
with an unctuous smack of his lips, he ran his mouth slowly
along his jacket sleeve, adding with a sly look round,
" may be punchin o' heads, mates, but there's no
rippin o' " and the conclusion of his sentence was con-
veyed by the pantomimic movement in which he indulged.
.
how about this marriage ?
" ! "
"!"
in another moment the mother's sorrow-stricken
head was bowed upon her son's breast, while her pale,
trembling lips tried to shape words of sorrow and self-re-
proach words to which her son refused to listen.
her hush them, he told her it was she who had taught him
how to bear reverses and to endure disappointments.
stretching out his hand towards , who at a little
distance stood watching them, he drew her to them, saying
that he had yet much to love and live for.
", ! can never, never, tell you all -
ine has been to me," exclaimed . , her tears
gushing forth afresh. " it had not been for her, what
should have done, what would have become of me ? "
" dear mother, what would have become of either
of us?" answered, filled with fears at his mother's
anguish. "," he added cheerfully, "let us try at
least for the present to put away this unfortunate subject.
will make the effort for my sake, know. have
been terribly tried during the few past weeks, and coming
home is the first gleam of anything approaching to sun-
shine."
appeal was the surest inducement to self-control,
and it was not long before . was calm enough,
to listen with apparent interest to the details of her son's
movements during his absence whom he had seen, the
various people who had called upon him, and the several
proofs of kindness he had leceVve^.
.
307
" one instance more particularly," he said, " for the
offer came from a man who was a comparative stranger to
me, ," and he turned to , " who
has just been appointed to , came and asked if
thought there was anything which he could obtain for me.
was not only the thing itself, but the way in which it
was done. had no idea that he was such a nice fel-
low."
** have always liked ," said,
quietly, while if a little sigh which rose to . 's
lips had spoken, it would have said, " to hopes
and fears, alike past and gone."
" now about are the victors, ,
you or the villagers ? "
laughed. "," she said, "perhaps there
is a on both sides."
" shall never forget their devotion," said . ,
"and a delicacy of feeling that * could not have credited
such a rough set of people with possessing. entrusted
to convey to them my thanks and grati-
tude."
" was right," said , heartily pleased. "
could not have found a more fitting ambassador, mother.
has been very busy, has he not ? "
" he is to answe;^ for himself," said . -
chere, as the door opened, and was an-
nounced. great was the old gentleman's astonish-
ment to find that had arrived a full hour
before, and that he had not known of it.
" ," he said, " you have sloped in quietly this time.
, where had all the quay fellows got ? "
" don't know, but always notice that about four
o'clock the seems to be pretty clear, so managed
to land about that time."
gave a triumphant chuckle.
" 's quite true, my dear madam," he said, turning en-
thusiastically to . . " he'd been born and
bred here, he couldn't know the place better than he dees,
and that's what the fellows \\ke, fox \we^'x^ nssx^^^xwonss^
308 .
cute, are sailor men. 'll see whether you've anything
of the little big coat about you in the handling of a
knife."
" were just speaking of you as you came in," said
. .
" ," said , " my cousin tells me that you have
been working wonders about the place."
shook his head in denial of this flattery.
" , no, nothing of the sort, only as my poor old father
used to say after he'd been beating to quarters for a day or
two, ''s the use of having a temper if you don't show
it ? ' so there's no use in being left first lieutenant unless
you let 'em know it ; and as soon as your back was turned,
sent for and old ); , and we regularly
overhauled the place. consequence is now" and
the old man went through a mock salute " we're ready
for a general inspection."
" along, then," said , " and we'll rfake it.
want to have a little chat with you, and we can manage
the two things together."
leaving the house, some little time was taken up
in seeing a fence which had been repaired, and then
asked,
" you going to ? will walk there
with you. find your daughter at home ? "
" bless ye, there's been no getting her under weigh
lately," and he gave a perplexed sigh, after which the two
walked on in silence. , in front of a gate the
made a stand.
" now," he said, flourishing his stick towards a
newly made path. " do you think of that ? -
ever there's a gate, leave a gangway ; so set . to
work there, and a very nice job he's made of it.
fellow, that ; wets the other eye a little too often, but
a first-rate workman. his back into a thing. 's
what 1 like to see."
" about his marriage ? consented to
fix the day yet ? "
" she, nor never wWV n\\\\?i "^^ ? ^q\. n^-^i youngster
,
309
of mine to busnack after. 'd die in a week if she
couldn't get at ; bless her for it."
" you cannot keep forever."
" , no," said the old man, ** suppose not. began
to feel rather shaky, can tell you, when found out the
course was shaping ; but it's all right, though
it would cost you your commission to say so to ,
poor old soul. do you think of a flagstaff here ?
would be uncommonly handy for the men."
did not answer, and the turning to see
the cause, found his hand suddenly seized by his companion,
who said with nervous haste,
" , will you give , your daughter,
to me ? "
" do what?" roared the captain emphatically, the
visible astonishment in his face and manner so irresistibly
comic, that could not help smiling as he again
proffered his demand.
" want your consent to my asking to be my wife.
knows that love her."
" deuce she does ! the young monkey," he
exclaimed, a sudden light breaking in upon him.
" asked her to marry me some months ago," interrupted
. " she fancied herself bound in a way to
somebody else. now that she is free, think that is,
hope have a chance."
's face assumed a comical expression as he
said, **, suppose it's time was laid on the shelf, for
you've both stolen a march on me, it seems ; " and then
gripping 's hand, he added with a rather quavery
attempt at cheerfulness, " , as am to be super-
seded, thank the it's by one after my own heart ; so
luck with you, my boy. believe you're worthy of her, and
can't say more than that;" an opinion in which -
phen evidently shared, for, putting his arm
through that of his elected father-in-law, he began telling
him the various details which related to his income, pros-
pects, and so forth. conversation engrossed them.
3IO
.
-\
until they reached gate, which held open
for the old man to enter.
** , no," he said with a laugh, " think 1*11 go and
see if can't run foul of one of my old chums."
'* -by, then, for the present," said, holding
out his hand.
" -by, and hope there'll be no hitch in the block,
and that you'll come off with flying colors. a mess-
mate of mine used to say (poor , and no
bad judge either, though he made a mess of it at last, and
married a woman old enough to be his grandmother), *
may circumnavigate the world and circumvent the devil,
before you'll calculate the exact course a woman's steering
m."
looked as if he felt tolerably certain of the
woman he was going to, and too impatient to listen to fur-
ther advice, he hurried down the narrow path on to the flat,
and catching sight of a figure as he passed the windows,
without knocking he entered the house, and pushing open
the door of the room, found himself in the presence of .
he seemed to realize the joy which lay so close
to him, and this gave the quiver to his voice as he almost
j^ whispered, '^Hero!"
startled look, a low cry, as she sprang up, a tremor
running through her lithe form, these gave her answer ; then
as she turned her face to his, she caught the soft contagion
of his eyes. " ," she tried to say \ but before the
sound had left her lips she was folded in his arms, while her
heart spoke to his in a language known but to those who
love and are beloved again.
*^* ^m %i^ ^^ ^^fi
^^ ^P ^p ^^ ^^
^M ^M ^M ^M ^^ ^^
w^ ^ g^ ^^ ^ ^^
" would now that had all, and much more than have
lost to offer you," he said, framing her dear^^ upturned face,
as some days after, all settled and the marriage day fixed,
the two lingered together, looking at the , on
the very place where once they had endured such misery.
^^I could sometimes sigh, after it, , only you do not
seem to care."
.
311
" do not," she said, with her old, bright smile, and
merry laugh. " is but one thing in the world 1 care
for."
" that ? "
" to be your wife."