The Refugees (The Scarlet Pimpernel)

01III.

02THE REFUGEES Feeling in every part of England certainly ran very high at this time against the French and their doings.

03Smugglers and legitimate traders between the French and the English coasts brought snatches of news from over the water, which made every honest Englishman's blood boil, and made him long to have a good go at those murderers who had imprisoned their king and all his family, subjected the queen and the royal children to every species of indignity, and were even now loudly demanding the blood of the whole Bourbon family, and of every one of its adherents.

04The execution of the Princesse de Lamballe, Marie Antoinette's young and charming friend, had filled every one in England with unspeakable horror.

05The daily execution of scores of royalists of good family, whose only sin was their aristocratic name, seemed to cry for vengeance to the whole of civilized Europe.

06Yet with all that, no one dared to interfere.

07Burke had exhausted all his eloquence in trying to induce the British Government to fight the revolutionary Government of France.

08But Mr.

09Pitt, with characteristic prudence, did not feel that this country was fit yet to embark on another arduous and costly war.

10It was for Austria to take the initiative—Austria, whose fairest daughter was even now a dethroned queen, imprisoned and insulted by a howling mob.

11Surely, "'twas not,' so argued Mr.

12Fox, for the whole of England to take up arms, because one set of Frenchmen chose to murder another.

13As for Mr.

14Jellyband and his fellow John Bulls, though they looked upon all foreigners with withering contempt, they were royalist and anti-revolutionist to a man, and at this present moment were furious with Pitt for his caution and moderation, although they naturally understood nothing of the diplomatic reasons which guided that great man's policy.

15By now Sally came running back, very excited and very eager.

16The joyous company in the coffee-room had heard nothing of the noise outside, but she had spied a dripping horse and rider who had stopped at the door of the Fisherman's Rest, and while the stable-boy ran forward to take charge of the horse, pretty Miss Sally went to the front door to greet the welcome visitor.

17"'I think I see my lord Antony's horse out in the yard, father,' she said, as she ran across the coffee-room.

18But already the door had been thrown open from outside, and the next moment an arm, covered in drab cloth and dripping with the heavy rain, was round pretty Sally's waist, while a hearty voice echoed along the polished rafters of the coffee-room.

19"'Ay, and bless your brown eyes for being so sharp, my pretty Sally,' said the man who had just entered, whilst worthy Mr.

20Jellyband came bustling forward, eager, alert, and fussy, as became the advent of one of the most favoured guests of his hostel.

21"'Lord, I protest Sally,' added Lord Antony, as he deposited a kiss on Miss Sally's blooming cheeks.

22"'But you are growing prettier and prettier every time I see you.

23And my honest friend Jellyband here have hard work to keep the fellows off that slim waist of yours.

24What say you, Mr.

25Waite?' Mr.

26Waite, torn between his respect for my lord and his dislike of that particular type of joke, only replied with a doubtful grunt.

27Lord Antony Dewhurst, one of the sons of the Duke of Exeter, was in those days a very perfect type of a young English gentleman.

28Tall, well set up, broad of shoulders and merry of face, his laughter rang loudly wherever he went.

29A good sportsman, a lively companion, a courteous, well-bred man of the world, with not too much brains to spoil his temper, he was a universal favourite, in London drawing-rooms or in the coffee-rooms of village inns.

30At the fisherman's rest every one knew him, for he was fond of a trip across to France, and always spent a night under worthy Mr.

31Jellyband's roof on his way there or back.

32He nodded to Waite, Pitkin, and the others, as he at last released Sally's waist, and crossed over to the hearth to warm and dry himself.

33As he did so, he cast a quick, somewhat suspicious glance at the two strangers, who had quietly resumed their game of dominoes, and for a moment a look of deep earnestness, even of anxiety, clouded his jovial young face.

34But only for a moment.

35The next he turned to Mr.

36Hempseed, who was respectfully touching his forelock.

37"'Well, Mr.

38Hempseed, and how is the fruit?' "'Badly, my lord, badly,' replied Mr.

39Hempseed dolefully.

40"'But what can you spect with this year government favouring them rascals over in France, who would murder their king and all their nobility?' "'Odd's life,' retorted Lord Antony.

41"'So they would, Honest Hempseed.

42At least those they can get hold of, worse luck.

43But we have got some friends coming here to-night, who at any rate have evaded their clutches.' It almost seemed, when the young man said these words, as if he threw a defiant look towards the quiet strangers in the corner.

44"'Thanks to you, my lord, and to your friends, so I've heard it said,' said Mr.

45Jellyband.

46But in a moment Lord Antony's hand fell warningly on mine host's arm.

47"'Hush!' he said peremptorily, and instinctively once again looked towards the strangers.

48"'Oh, lord love you!

49They're all right, my lord,' retorted Jellyband.

50"'Don't you be afraid.

51I wouldn't have spoken.

52Only I knew we were among friends.

53That gentleman over there is as true and loyal a subject of King George as you are yourself, my lord, saving your presence.

54He is but lately arrived in Dover, and is setting down in business in these parts.' "'In business?

55Faith, then, it must be as an undertaker.

56For I vow I never beheld a more rueful countenance.' "'Nay, my lord, I believe that the gentleman is a widower, which no doubt would account for the melancholy of his bearing.

57But he is a friend, nevertheless.

58I'll vouch for that.

59And you will own, my lord, that who should judge a face better than the landlord of a popular inn?' "'Oh, that's all right, then, if we are among friends,' said Lord Antony, who evidently did not care to discuss the subject with his host.

60"'But tell me, you have no one else staying here, have you?' "'No one, my lord, and no one coming, either.

61Leastways—' "'Leastways?' "'No one your lordship would object to, I know.' "'Who is it?' "'Well, my lord, Sir Percy Blakeney and his lady will be here presently.

62But they ain't a-goin' to stay.' "'Lady Blakeney?' queried Lord Antony, in some astonishment.

63"'Aye, my lord.

64Sir Percy's skipper was here just now.

65He says that my lady's brother is crossing over to France to-day in the day-dream, which is Sir Percy's yacht.

66And Sir Percy and my lady will come with him as far as here to see the last of him.

67It don't put you out, do it, my lord?' "'No, no, it doesn't put me out, friend.

68Nothing will put me out unless that supper is not the very best which I have done.' Miss Sally can cook, and which has ever been served in the fisherman's rest." "'You need have no fear of that, my lord,' said Sally, who all this while had been busy setting the table for supper, and very gay in inviting it looked, with a large bunch of brilliantly coloured dahlias in the centre, and the bright pewter goblets and blue china about.

69"'How many shall I lay for, my lord?' "'Five places, pretty Sally.

70But let the supper be enough for ten at least.

71Our friends will be tired, and, I hope, hungry.

72As for me, I vow I could demolish a little bit of a baron of beef to-night.' "'Here they are, I do believe,' said Sally excitedly, as a distant clatter of horses and wheels could now be distinctly heard, drawing rapidly nearer.

73There was a general commotion in the coffee-room.

74Every one was curious to see my lord Anthony's swell friends from over the water.

75Miss Sally classed one or two quick glances at the little bit of mirror which hung on the wall, and worthy Mr.

76Jellyband bustled out in order to give the first welcome himself to his distinguished guests.

77Only the two strangers in the corner did not participate in the general excitement.

78They were calmly finishing their game of dominoes, and did not even look once towards the door.

79"'Straight ahead, Comtesse, the door on your right,' said a pleasant voice outside.

80"'Aye, there they are, all right enough,' said Lord Anthony, joyfully.

81"'Off with you, my pretty Sally, and see how quick you can dish up the soup.' The door was thrown wide open, and preceded by Mr.

82Jellyband, who was profuse in his bows and welcomes.

83A party of four, two ladies and two gentlemen, entered the coffee-room.

84"'Welcome!

85welcome to old England,' said Lord Anthony effusively, as he came eagerly forward with both hands outstretched towards the newcomers.

86"'Ah!

87you are Lord Anthony Dewhurst, I think,' said one of the ladies, speaking with a strong foreign accent.

88"'At your service, madame,' he replied, as he ceremoniously kissed the hands of both the ladies, then turned to the men and shook them both warmly by the hand.

89Sally was already helping the ladies to take off their travelling cloaks, and both turned, with a shiver, towards the brightly blazing half.

90There was a general movement among the company in the coffee-room.

91Sally had bustled off to her kitchen, whilst Jellyband, still profuse with his respectful salutations, arranged one or two chairs around the fire.

92Mr.

93Hempseed, touching his forelock, was quietly vacating the seat in the hearth.

94Every one was staring curiously, yet deferentially, at the foreigners.

95"'Ah, monsieur, what can I say?' said the elder of the two ladies, as she stretched a pair of fine, aristocratic hands to the warmth of the blaze, and looked with unspeakable gratitude, first at Lord Anthony, then at one of the young men who had accompanied her party, and who was busy divesting himself of his heavy caped coat.

96"'Only that you are glad to be in England, Comtesse,' replied Lord Anthony, and that you have not suffered too much from your trying voyage.

97"'Indeed, indeed, we are glad to be in England,' she said, while her eyes filled with tears.

98"'And we have already forgotten all that we have suffered.' Her voice was musical and low, and there was a great deal of calm dignity, and of many sufferings nobly endured, marked in the handsome, aristocratic face, with its wealth of snowy white hair dressed high above the forehead, after the fashion of the times.

99"'I hope my friend, Sir Anthony Foulkes, proved an entertaining travelling companion, madame?' "'Ah, indeed, Sir Andrew, with kindness itself.

100How could my children and I ever show enough gratitude to you, oh, monsieur?' Her companion, a dainty, girlish figure, childlike and pathetic in its look of fatigue and of sorrow, had said nothing as yet.

101But her eyes, large, brown, and full of tears, looked up from the fire, and sought those of Sir Andrew Foulkes, who had drawn near to the hearth, and to her.

102Then, as they met his, which were fixed with unconcealed admiration upon the sweet face before him, a thought of warmer colour rushed up to her pale cheeks.

103"'So this is England,' she said, as she looked round with childlike curiosity at the great hearth, the oak rafters, and the yokels with their elaborate smocks and jovial rubicund British countenances.

104"'A bit of it, mademoiselle,' replied Sir Andrew, smiling, "'but all of it at your service.' The young girl blushed again, but this time a bright smile, fleet and sweet, illumined her dainty face.

105She said nothing, and Sir Andrew, too, was silent.

106Yet those two young people understood one another, as young people have a way of doing all the world over, and have done since the world began.

107"'But I say, supper!' here broke in Lord Antony's jovial voice.

108"'Supper, honest Jellyband.

109Where is that pretty wench of yours, and the dish of soup?

110Zooksman, while you stand there gaping at the ladies, they will faint with hunger.' "'One moment, one moment, my lord,' said Jellyband, as he threw open the door that led to the kitchen and shouted lustily, "'Sally!

111Hey, Sally there!

112Are you ready, my girl?' Sally was ready, and the next moment she appeared in the doorway, carrying a gigantic tureen, from which rose a cloud of steam and an abundance of savoury odour.

113"'Odds life's supper at last!' ejaculated Lord Antony merrily, as he gallantly offered his arm to the Comtesse.

114"'May I have the honour?' he added ceremoniously, as he led her towards the supper-table.

115There was a general bustle in the coffee-room.

116Mr.

117Hempseed and most of the yokels and fisher-folk had gone to make way for the quality, and to finish smoking their pipes elsewhere.

118Only the two strangers stayed on, quietly and unconcernedly playing their game of dominoes, and sipping their wine, whilst at another table, Harry Waite, who was fast losing his temper, watched pretty Sally bustling round the table.

119She looked a very dainty picture of English rural life, and no wonder that the susceptible young Frenchman could scarce take his eyes off her pretty face.

120The Vicombe de Tournai was scarce nineteen, a beardless boy, on whom terrible tragedies which were being enacted in his own country had made but little impression.

121He was elegantly and even foppishly dressed, and once safely landed in England he was evidently ready to forget the horrors of the revolution in the delights of English life.

122"'Bardi, if this is England,' he said, as he continued to ogle Sally with marked satisfaction, "'I am of it satisfied.' It would be impossible, at this point, to record the exact exclamation which escaped through Mr.

123Harry Waite's clenched teeth.

124Only respect for the quality, and notably for my Lord Antony, kept his marked disapproval of the young foreigner in check.

125"'Nay, but this IS England, you abandoned young reprobate,' interposed Lord Antony with a laugh.

126"'And do not, I pray, bring your loose foreign ways into this most moral country.' Lord Antony had already sat down at the head of the table, with the Comtesse on his right.

127Jellyband was bustling round, filling glasses and putting chairs straight.

128Sally waited, ready to hand round the soup.

129Mr.

130Harry Waite's friends had at last succeeded in taking him out of the room, for his temper was growing more and more violent under the Vicomte's obvious admiration for Sally.

131"'Suzanne?' came in stern, commanding accents from the rigid Comtesse.

132Suzanne blushed again.

133She had lost count of time and of place, whilst she had stood beside the fire, allowing the handsome young Englishman's eyes to dwell upon her sweet face, and his hand, as if unconsciously, to rest upon hers.

134Her mother's voice brought her back to reality once more, and with a submissive, "'Yes, Mama,' she took her place at the supper-table." End of chapter 3