diff options
Diffstat (limited to '21234.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 21234.txt | 3118 |
1 files changed, 3118 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/21234.txt b/21234.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4022dc3 --- /dev/null +++ b/21234.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3118 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gold that Glitters, by Emily Sarah Holt + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Gold that Glitters + The Mistakes of Jenny Lavender + +Author: Emily Sarah Holt + +Illustrator: W.O.E. Evans + +Release Date: April 27, 2007 [EBook #21234] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLD THAT GLITTERS *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +The Gold that Glitters +The Mistakes of Jenny Lavender + +By Emily Sarah Holt +________________________________________________________________________ +The action in this little book comes just at the point in British +History where Charles the First had been executed, and his son and heir +was on the run. The famous incident where Colonel Lane hides the young +King up in an oak tree was recently past. + +Young Jenny is a sixteen-year-old living on a farm, but she has reached +the age where so many teenagers have disagreements with their parents, +and she decides to find a way to leave home. So she takes a job as a +lady's maid in Colonel Lane's household, which of course is a bit of a +snub to her as she is treated in the servants' hierarchy as so low she +is not even allowed to speak at meals. Eventually she finds that she is +learning to handle these conventions, and is even quite enjoying her +work. But one day the Lane family decide they must leave Britain, and +go to France, so Jenny is to get her notice. The book is not long, and +there is not room in it for many developments, but she does eventually +go back home, where everyone is very glad to have her back, not least +her boy-friend. NH +________________________________________________________________________ + +THE GOLD THAT GLITTERS +THE MISTAKES OF JENNY LAVENDER + +BY EMILY SARAH HOLT + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +JENNY PREPARES TO GO A-JOURNEYING. + +"Jenny, my dear maid, thou wilt never fetch white meal out of a sack of +sea-coal." Jenny tossed her head. It would have been a nice little +brown head, if it had not been quite so fond of tossing itself. But +Jenny was just sixteen, and laboured under a delusion which besets young +folks of that age--namely, that half the brains in the world had got +into her head, and very few had been left in her grandmother's. + +"I don't know what you mean, Grandmother," said Jenny, as an +accompaniment to that toss. + +"O Jenny, Jenny! what a shocking thing of you to say, when you knew what +your grandmother meant as well as you knew your name was Jane Lavender!" + +"I rather think thou dost, my lass," said old Mrs Lavender quietly. + +"Well, I suppose you mean to run down Mr Featherstone," said Jenny, +pouting. "You're always running him down. And there isn't a bit of use +in it--not with me. I like him, and I always shall. He's such a +gentleman, and always so soft-spoken. But I believe you like that +clod-hopper Tom Fenton, ever so much better. I can't abide him." + +"There's a deal more of the feather than the stone about Robin +Featherstone, lass. If he be a stone, he's a rolling one. Hasn't he +been in three places since he came here?" + +"Yes, because they didn't use him right in none of 'em. Wanted him to +do things out of his place, and such like. Why, at Hampstead Hall, they +set him to chop wood." + +"Well, why not?" asked Mrs Lavender, knitting away. + +"Because it wasn't his place," answered Jenny, indignantly. "It made +his hands all rough, and he's that like a gentleman he couldn't stand +it." + +"Tom Fenton would have done it, I shouldn't wonder." + +"As if it would have mattered to Tom Fenton, with his great red hands! +They couldn't be no rougher than they are, if he chopped wood while +Christmas. Besides, it's his trade--wood-chopping is. Mr +Featherstone's some'at better nor a carpenter." + +"They're honest hands, if they are red, Jenny." + +"And he's a cast in his eyes." + +"Scarcely. Anyhow, he's none in his heart." + +"And his nose turns up!" + +"Not as much as thine, Jenny." + +"Mine!" cried Jenny, in angry amazement, "Grandmother, what will you say +next? My nose is as straight as--as the church tower." + +"Maybe it is, in general, my lass. But just now thou art turning it up +at poor Tom." + +"`Poor Tom,' indeed!" said Jenny, in a disgusted tone. "He'd best not +come after me, or I'll `poor Tom' him. I want none of him, I can tell +you." + +"Well, Jenny, don't lose thy temper over Tom, or Robin either. Thou'rt +like the most of maids--they'll never heed the experience of old folks. +If thou wilt not be `ruled by the rudder, thou must be ruled by the +rock.' `All is not gold that glitters,' and I'm afeard thou shalt find +it so, poor soul! But I can't put wisdom into thee; I can only pray the +Lord to give it thee. Be thy bags packed up?" + +"Ay," said Jenny, rather sulkily. + +"And all ready to set forth?" + +"There's just a few little things to see to yet." + +"Best go and see to them, then." + +Mrs Lavender knitted quietly on, and Jenny shut the door with a little +more of a slam than it quite needed, and ran up to her own room, where +she slept with her elder sister. + +"Jenny, thy bags are not locked," said her sister, as she came in. + +"Oh, let be, Kate, do! Grandmother's been at me with a whole heap of +her old saws, till I'm worn out. I wish nobody had ever spoke one of +'em." + +"What's the matter?" + +"Oh, she's at me about Robin Featherstone: wants me to give up keeping +company with him, and all that. Tom Fenton's her pattern man, and a +pretty pattern he is. I wouldn't look at him if there wasn't another +man in Staffordshire. Robin's a gentleman, and Tom's a clown." + +"I don't see how you are to give up Robin, when you are going into the +very house where he lives." + +"Of course not. 'Tis all rubbish! I wish old women would hold their +tongues. I'm not going to Bentley Hall to sit mewed up in my mistress' +chamber, turning up the whites of my eyes, and singing Psalms through my +nose. I mean to lead a jolly life there, I can tell you, for all +Grandmother. It really is too bad of old folks, that can't knock about +and enjoy their lives, to pen up young maids like so many sheep. I +shall never be young but once, and I want some pleasure in my life." + +"All right," said Kate lightly. "I scarce think they turn up the whites +of their eyes at Bentley Hall. Have your fling, Jenny--only don't go +_too_ far, look you." + +"I can take care of myself, thank you," returned Jenny scornfully. +"Lock that striped bag for me, Kate, there's a darling; there's father +calling downstairs." + +And Jenny ran off, to cry softly in a high treble to Kate, a minute +afterwards--"Supper!" + +Supper was spread in the large kitchen of the farmhouse. Jenny's father +was a tenant farmer, his landlord being Colonel Lane, of Bentley Hall, +and it was to be maid (or, as they said then, "lady's woman") to the +Colonel's sister, that Jenny was going to the Hall. Mrs Jane was much +younger than her brother, being only six years older than Jenny herself. +In the present day she would be called Miss Jane, but in 1651 only +little girls were termed _Miss_. Jenny had always been rather a pet, +both with Mrs Lane and her daughter; for she was a bright child, who +learned easily, and could repeat the Creed and the Ten Commandments as +glibly as possible when she was only six years old. Unhappily, lessons +were apt to run out of Jenny's head as fast as they ran in, except when +frequently demanded; but the Creed and the Commandments had to stay +there, for every Saturday night she was called on to repeat them to her +Grandmother, and every Sunday afternoon she had to say them at the +catechising in church. In Jenny's head, therefore, they remained; but +down to Jenny's heart they never penetrated. + +It was only now that Mrs Jane was setting up a maid for herself. +Hitherto she had been served by her mother's woman; but now she was +going on a visit to some relatives near Bristol, and it was thought +proper that she should have a woman of her own. And when the question +was asked where the maid should be sought, Mrs Jane had said at +once--"Oh, let me have little Jenny Lavender!" + +Farmer Lavender was not quite so ready to let Jenny go as Mrs Jane was +to ask it. Bristol seemed to him a long way off, and, being a town, +most likely a wicked place. Those were days in which people made their +wills before they took a journey of a hundred miles; and no wonder, when +the roads were so bad that men had frequently to be hired to walk beside +a gentleman's carriage, and give it a push to either side, when it +showed an inclination to topple over; or oxen sometimes were fetched, to +pull the coach out of a deep quagmire of mud, from which only one half +of it was visible. So Farmer Lavender shook his head, and said "he +didn't know, no, he didn't, whether he'd let his little maid go." But +Mrs Jane was determined--and so was Jenny; and between them they +conquered the farmer, though his old mother was on the prudent side. +This was Friday, and Mrs Jane was to leave home on Tuesday; and on +Saturday afternoon, Robert Featherstone, Colonel Lane's valet, whom +Jenny thought such a gentleman, was to come for her and her luggage. + +If a gentleman be a man who never does any useful thing that he can +help, then Mr Robin Featherstone was a perfect gentleman--much more so +than his master, who was ready to put his hand to any work that wanted +doing. Mr Featherstone thought far more of his elegant white hands +than the Colonel did of his, and oiled his chestnut locks at least three +times as often. He liked the Colonel's service, because he had very +little to do, and there were plenty of people in the house as idle and +feather-pated as himself. Colonel Lane was in Robin's eyes a good +master, though old Mrs Lavender thought him a bad one. That is, he +allowed his servants to neglect their work with very little censure, and +took no notice of their employments during their leisure hours. And +Satan was not a bit less busy in 1651 than he is in 1895, in finding +mischief for idle hands to do. Leisure time is to a man what he chooses +to make it--either a great blessing or a great curse. And just then, +for those who chose the last, the disturbed and unsettled state of the +country offered particular opportunities. + +The war between the King and the Parliament was just over. Charles the +First had been beheaded at Whitehall nearly two years before; and though +his son, Charles the Second, was still in England, fighting to recover +his father's kingdom, it was pretty plainly to be seen that his struggle +was a hopeless one. The great battle of Worcester, which ended the long +conflict, had been fought about three weeks before, and the young King +had only just escaped with his life, through the bravery of his gallant +troops, who made a desperate stand in the street, keeping the victors at +bay while their commander fled to a place of concealment. + +The Cavaliers, as Charles's troops were called, had few virtues beyond +their loyalty and courage. After their dispersion at Worcester, they +spread over the country in small parties, begging, stealing, or +committing open ravages. Many of the Parliamentary troops--not all-- +were grave, sensible, God-fearing men, who were only concerned to do +what they believed was right and righteous. Much fewer of the Cavaliers +had any such aim, beyond their devotion to the monarchy, and their +enthusiastic determination to uphold it. They were mostly gay, +rollicking fellows, with little principle, and less steadfastness, who +squandered their money on folly, if nothing worse; and then helped +themselves to other people's goods without any uneasiness of conscience. + +Colonel Lane was a Cavalier, and devoted to the King, and most of his +tenants were Cavaliers also. A few were Roundheads--staunch adherents +of the Parliament; and a few more had no very strong convictions on +either side, and while they chiefly preferred the monarchy, would have +been content with any settlement which allowed them to live honest and +peaceable lives. Old Mrs Lavender belonged to this last class. If +asked which side she was on, she would have said, "For the King"; but in +her heart she had no enmity to either. Her son was a warmer politician; +Jenny, being sixteen, was a much warmer still, and as Robin +Featherstone, her hero, was a Cavalier, so of course was she. + +We have given the worthy farmer and his family a good while to sit down +to supper, which that night included a kettle of furmety, a mermaid pie, +and a taffaty tart. What were they? A very reasonable question, +especially as to the mermaid pie, since mermaids are rather scarce +articles in the market. Well, a mermaid pie was made of pork and eels, +and was terribly rich and indigestible; a taffaty tart was an apple-pie, +seasoned with lemon-peel and fennel-seed; and the receipt for furmety--a +very famous and favourite dish with our forefathers--I give as it stands +in a curious little book, entitled, _The Compleat Cook_, printed in +1683. + +"Take a quart of cream, a quarter of a pound of French barley, the +whitest you can get, and boyl it very tender in three or four several +waters, and let it be cold; then put both together. Put into it a blade +of mace, a nutmeg cut in quarters, a race of ginger cut in four or five +pieces, and so let it boyl a good while, still stirring, and season it +with sugar to your taste; then take the yolks of four eggs, and beat +them with a little cream, and stir them into it, and so let it boyl a +little after the eggs are in: then have ready blanched and beaten twenty +almonds (kept from oyling), with a little rosewater; then take a boulter +strainer, and rub your almonds with a little of your furmety through the +strainer, but set on the fire no more: and stir in a little salt, and a +little sliced nutmeg, pickt out of the great pieces of it, and put it in +a dish, and serve it." + +The farmhouse family consisted only of Farmer Lavender, his mother, and +his two daughters, Kate and Jenny. But fifteen people sat down to +supper: for the whole household, including the farmer's men down to the +little lad who scared the crows, all ate together in the big kitchen. +Mrs Lavender sat at the head of the table, the farmer at the other end, +with Jenny on his right hand: for there was in the father's heart a very +warm place for his motherless Jenny. + +"All ready to set forth, my lass?" he said gently--perhaps a little +sadly. "Yes, Father, all ready." + +"Art thou glad to go, child?" + +"I'd like well to see the world, Father." + +"Well, well! I mind the time when I'd ha' been pleased enough to have +thy chance, my lass. Be a good girl, and forget not the good ways thy +grandmother has learned thee, and then I cast no doubt thou'lt do well." + +Jenny assented with apparent meekness, inwardly purposing to forget them +as fast as she could. She ran into the garden when supper was over, to +gather a nosegay, if possible, of the few flowers left at that time of +year. She was just tucking a bit of southernwood into her bodice, when +a voice on the other side of the hedge said softly,-- + +"Jenny." + +"Well, what do you want, Tom Fenton?" responded Jenny, in a tone which +was not calculated to make her visitor feel particularly welcome. + +It was one of Jenny's standing grievances against Tom, that he would +call her by her name. Robin Featherstone called her plain "Mrs Jenny," +which pleased her vanity much better. + +"You're really going to-morrow, Jenny?" + +"Of course I am," said Jenny. + +"You'll forget me, like as not," said Tom, earnestly hoping to be +contradicted. + +"Of course I shall," replied Jenny flippantly. + +"I wish you wouldn't, Jenny," said Tom, with a meek humility that should +have disarmed Jenny's resentment, but only increased it. Like many +other foolish people, Jenny was apt to mistake pert speeches for +cleverness, and gentleness for want of manly spirit. "I wish you +wouldn't, Jenny. There isn't a soul as thinks as much of you as I do, +not in all the country-side. Nor there isn't one as 'll miss you like +me." + +"I just wish you'd take up with somebody else, and give over plaguing +me," said Jenny mercilessly. "There's Ruth Merston, and Dolly Campion, +and Abigail--" + +"I don't want ne'er a one on 'em," answered Tom, in a rather hurt tone. +"I've never thought, not a minute, o' nobody but you, Jenny, not since +we was a little lad and lass together. I've always loved you, Jenny. +Haven't you ne'er a kind word for me afore we part? May be a long day +ere we shall meet again." + +"I'm sure I hope it will," said Jenny, half vexed at Tom's pertinacity, +and half amusing herself, for she thought it good fun to tease him. + +"Don't you care the least bit for me, Jenny, dear?" + +"No, I don't. Why should I?" + +"But you used, Jenny, once. Didn't you, now? That day I brought you +them blue ribbons you liked so well, you said--don't you mind what you +said, dear heart?" + +"I said a deal o' nonsense, I shouldn't wonder. Don't be a goose, Tom! +You can't think to bind a girl to what she says when you give her blue +ribbons." + +"I'd be bound to what I said, ribbons or no ribbons," said Tom firmly. +"But I see how it is--it's that scented idiot, Featherstone, has come +betwixt you and me. O Jenny, my dear love, don't you listen to him! +He'll not be bound to a word he says the minute it's not comfortable to +keep it. He'll just win your heart, Jenny, and then throw you o' one +side like a withered flower, as soon as ever he sees a fresh one as +suits him better. My dear maid--" + +"I'm sure I'm mighty obliged to you, Mr Fenton!" said Jenny, really +angry now. "It's right handsome of you to liken me to a withered +flower. Mr Featherstone's a gentleman in a many of his ways, and +that's more nor you are, and I wish you good evening." + +"Jenny, my dear, don't 'ee, now--" + +But Jenny was gone. + +Tom turned sorrowfully away. Before he had taken two steps, he was +arrested by a kindly voice. + +"You made a mistake, there, Tom," it said. "But don't you lose heart; +it isn't too bad to be got over." + +Tom stopped at once, and went back to the hedge, whence that kindly +voice had spoken. + +"Is that you, Kate?" he said. + +"Ay," answered the voice of Jenny's sister. Kate was not a very wise +girl, but she was less flighty and foolish than Jenny; and she had a +kind heart, which made her always wish to help anyone in trouble. "Tom, +don't be in a taking; but you've made a mistake, as I said. You know +not how to handle such a maid as Jenny." + +"What should I have said, Kate? I'm fair beat out of heart, and you'll +make me out of charity with myself if you tell me 'tis my own fault." + +"Oh, not so ill as that, Tom! But next time she bids you go and take up +with somebody else, just tell her you mean to do so, and `there are as +good fish in the sea as ever came out of it.' That's the way to tackle +the likes of her; not to look struck into the dumps, and fetch sighs +like a windmill." + +"But I don't mean it, Kate," said Tom, looking puzzled. + +"Oh, be not so peevish, Tom! Can't you _say_ so?" + +"No," answered Tom, with sudden gravity; "I can't, truly. I've alway +looked for Jenny to be my wife one day, ever since I was as high as +those palings; but I'll not win her by untruth. There'd be no blessing +from the Lord on that sort of work. I can't, Kate Lavender." + +"Well, I never did hear the like!" exclaimed Kate. "You can't think so +much of Jenny as I reckoned you did, if you stick at nought in that +way." + +"I think more of Jenny than of anyone else in the world, Kate, and you +know it," said Tom, with a dignity which Kate could not help feeling. +"But I think more yet of Him that's above the world. No, no! If ever I +win Jenny--and God grant I may I--I'll win her righteously, not lyingly. +I thank you for your good meaning, all the same." + +"Good even to you both!" said an old man's voice; and they turned to see +the speaker coming down the lane. He was a venerable-looking man, clad +in a long brown coat, girt to him by a band of rough leather; his long, +silvery hair fell over his shoulders, and under his arm was a large, +clasped book, in a leather cover which had seen much service. + +"Uncle Anthony!" cried Tom. "I knew not you were back. Are you on your +way up the hill? Here, prithee, leave me carry your book. Good even, +Kate, and I thank you!" + +"Good even!" said Kate, with a nod to both; and Tom tucked the big book +under his own arm, and went forward with the traveller. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +HOW JENNY FARED THE FIRST EVENING. + +"Well, for sure, Aunt Persis will be some fain to see you!" said Tom +Fenton, as he and his uncle, old Anthony, went forward up the hill. +"But whence come you, now, Uncle? Are you very weary? Eh, but I'm glad +you've won home safe!" + +"God bless thee, my lad! Ay, He's brought me home safe. A bit +footsore, to be sure, and glad enough of rest: but gladder to be +suffered to do His will, and minister to His suffering servants. Whence +come I? Well, from Kidderminster, to-day; but--" + +"Dear heart! but you never footed it all the way from Kidderminster?" + +"No, no, dear lad. A good man gave me a lift for a matter o' eight +miles or more. But, dear me! I mind the time I could ha' run nigh on a +mile in five minutes, and ha' trudged my forty mile a day, nor scarce +felt it. I reckon, Tom, lad, thou'rt not so lissome as I was at thy +years. Well, to be sure! 'Tis all right; I'm only a good way nearer +Home." + +They walked on together for a few minutes in silence. Tom's thoughts +had gone back from the momentary pleasure of welcoming his uncle, to +whom he was greatly attached, to his sore disappointment about Jenny. + +"What is it, Tom?" said the old man quietly. + +"Oh, only a bit of trouble, Uncle. Nought I need cumber you with." + +"Jenny Lavender?" was the next suggestion. + +"Ay. I thought not you knew how I'd set my heart on her, ever since she +was that high," said Tom, indicating a length of about a yard. "I've +never thought o' none but her all my life. But she's that taken up with +a sorry popinjay of a fellow, she'll not hear me now. I'd always +thought Jenny'd be my wife." + +Poor Tom's voice was very doleful, for his heart was sore. + +"Thou'd alway thought so," said the quiet voice. "But what if the Lord +thinks otherway, Tom?" + +Tom came to a sudden stop. + +"Uncle Anthony! Eh, but you don't--" and Tom's words went no further. + +"My lad, thou'rt but a babe in Christ. 'Tisn't so many months since +thou first set foot in the narrow way. Dost thou think He means Jenny +Lavender for thee, and that thy feet should run faster in the way of His +commandments for having her running alongside thee? Art thou well +assured she wouldn't run the other way?" + +Old Anthony had spoken the truth. Tom was but a very young Christian, +of some six months' standing. He had never dreamed of any antagonism +arising between his love to Christ and his love to Jenny Lavender. +Stay--had he not? What was that faint something, without a name--a sort +of vague uneasiness, which had seemed to creep over him whenever he had +seen her during those months--a sense of incongruity between her light +prattle and his own inmost thoughts and holiest feelings? It was so +slight that as yet he had never faced it. He recognised now it was +because his heart had refused to face it. And conscience told him, +speaking loudly this time, that he must hold back no longer. + +"Uncle Anthony," he said, in a troubled voice, "I'm sore afeard I've not +set the Lord afore me in that matter. I never saw it so afore. But now +you've set me on it, I can't deny that we shouldn't pull same way. But +what then? Must I give her up? Mayn't I pray the Lord to touch her +heart, and give her to me, any longer?" + +The old man looked into the sorrowful eyes of the young man, whom he +loved as dearly as if he had been his own son. + +"Dear lad," he said, "pray the Lord to bring her to Himself. That's +safe to be His will, for He willeth not the death of a sinner. But as +to giving her to thee, if I were thou, Tom, I'd leave that with Him. +Meantime, thy way's plain. `Be ye not unequally yoked together.' The +command's clear as daylight. Never get a clog to thy soul. Thou canst +live without Jenny Lavender; but couldst thou live without Jesus +Christ?" + +Tom shook his head, without speaking. + +"To tell truth, Tom, I'm not sorry she's going away. Maybe the Lord's +sending her hence, either to open her eyes and send her back weary and +cloyed with the world she's going into so gaily now, or else to open +thine, and show thee plain, stripped of outside glitter, the real thing +she is, that thou mayest see what a sorry wife she would make to a +Christian man. No, I'm not sorry. And unless I mistake greatly, Tom, +the time's coming when thou shalt not be sorry neither. In the +meantime, `tarry thou the Lord's leisure.' If He be the chief object of +thy desire, thy desire is safe to be fulfilled. `This is the will of +God, even our sanctification.'" + +They turned to the left at the top of the hill, and went a few yards +along the lane, to a little cottage embowered in ivy, which was +Anthony's home. + +"Wilt thou come in, Tom, lad?" + +"No, Uncle, I thank you. You've opened my eyes, but it's made 'em smart +a bit too much to face the light as yet. I'll take a sharp trudge over +the moor, and battle it out with myself." + +"Take the Lord with thee, lad. Satan'll have thee down if thou doesn't. +He's strong and full o' wiles, and if he can't conquer thee in his +black robe, he'll put on a white one. There's no harm in thy saying to +the Lord, `Lord, Thou knowest that I love Jenny Lavender'; but take care +that it does not come before, `Lord, Thou knowest that I love _Thee_.' +Maybe He's putting the same question to thee to-night, that He did to +Peter at the lake-side." + +"Ay, ay, Uncle. I'll not forget. God bless thee!" + +Tom wrung old Anthony's hand, and turned away. + +One moment the old man paused before he went in. + +"Lord, Thou lovest the lad better than I do," he said, half aloud. "Do +Thy best for him!" + +Then he lifted the latch, and met a warm welcome from his wife Persis. + +"Mrs Jenny, your servant!" said the smooth tones of Robin Featherstone +at the farmhouse door, about twenty hours later. "The horse awaits your +good pleasure, and will only be less proud to bear you than I shall to +ride before you." + +Jenny's silly little heart fluttered at the absurd compliment. + +"Farewell, Grandmother," she said, going up to the old lady. "Pray, +your blessing." + +Old Mrs Lavender laid her trembling hand on the girl's head. + +"May God bless thee, my maid, and make thee a blessing! I have but one +word for thee at the parting, and if thou wilt take it as thy motto for +life, thou mayest do well. `Look to the end.' Try the ground afore +thou settest down thy foot. `Many a cloudy morrow turneth out a fair +day,' and `'tis ill to get in the hundred and lose in the shire.' So +look to the end, Jenny, and be wise in time. `All that glittereth is +not gold,' and all gold does not glitter, specially when folk's eyes be +shut. We say down in my country, `There's a hill against a stack all +Craven through,' and thou'lt find it so. God keep thee!" + +Jenny's father gave her a warm embrace and a hearty blessing, and his +hand went to his eyes as he turned to Robin Featherstone. + +"Fare you well, Robin," said he, "and have a care of my girl." + +The elegant Mr Featherstone laid his hand upon that portion of his +waistcoat which was supposed to cover his heart. + +"Mr Lavender, it will be the pride of my heart to serve Mrs Jenny, +though it cost my life." + +He sprang on the brown horse, and Jenny, helped by her father, mounted +the pillion behind him. Women very seldom rode alone at that day. + +Kate ran after them, as they started, with an old shoe in her hand, +which she delivered with such good (or bad) effect that it hit the horse +on the ear, and made it shy. Happily, it was a sedate old quadruped, +not given to giddy ways, and quickly recovered itself. + +"Good luck!" cried Kate, as they rode away. + +A second horse followed, ridden by one of Colonel Lane's stable-boys, +carrying Jenny's two bags. + +It was not a mile from the farm to Bentley Hall, and they were soon in +the stable-yard, where Jenny alighted, and was taken by Featherstone +into the servants' hall, where with another complimentary flourish he +introduced her to the rest of the household. + +"My lords and ladies, I have the honour to present to you the Lady Jane +Lavender." + +"Now you just get out of my way, with your lords and ladies," said the +cook, pushing by them. "Good even, Jenny. We've seen Jenny Lavender +afore, every man jack of us." + +Mr Featherstone got out of the way without much delay, for the cook had +a gridiron in his hand, and he had been known before now to box +somebody's ears with that instrument. + +He recovered his dignity as soon as he could, and suggested that Jenny +should go up to the chamber of her new mistress. + +"Maybe Mrs Millicent should be pleased to take her," he said, making a +low bow to Mrs Lane's maid. + +"She knows her way upstairs as well as I do," answered Millicent +bluntly. "Have done with your airs, Robin! and prithee don't put Jenny +up to 'em. + +"Now, Jenny, you run up and wait for Mrs Jane; she'll be there in a +minute, most like. You can hang your hood and cloak behind the door." + +There were no bonnets in those days, nor shawls; women wore hoods or +tall hats on their heads when they went out, and cloaks in cold weather; +when it was warm they merely tied on a muslin or linen tippet, fastening +it with a bow of ribbon at the throat. + +The gown sleeves then came down mostly to the wrist; but sometimes only +to the elbows, where they were finished with a little frill. How the +neck was covered, in the house, depended on its owner's notions. If she +were gay and fashionable, it was not covered at all. But if she were +sensible and quiet, she generally wore the same kind of muslin tippet +that was used on warm days out of doors. Old women sometimes wore the +close frill round the neck, which had been used in Queen Elizabeth's +time; but this was quite gone out of fashion for younger ones. + +Mrs Jane's room was empty. Jenny knew her way to it well enough, for +she had often been there before; but her heart beat high when she saw +something in the corner that had never been there before--a neat, little +low bed, covered with a quilt of coarse, padded blue silk. That was for +Jenny, as Jenny knew. The room was long, low, and somewhat narrow. +Four windows, so close together as to have the effect of one, ran along +the whole length of one end, filled with small diamond-shaped panes of +greenish glass. + +In the midst of these stood a toilet-table, whereon were a number of +pots and boxes, the uses of which were as yet unknown to the new maid. +The large bed was hung with flowered cherry-coloured satin; an inlaid +chair, filled with cushions, stood before the fireplace, and a small +Turkey carpet lay in front of it. + +Jenny stood contemplating everything, with a sense of great elation to +think that her place henceforward would be in the midst of all this +comfort and grandeur. Suddenly a quick step ran up the polished +staircase, the door opened, and a young lady made her made her +appearance. + +Her description will serve for the ladies of that day in general. + +Her skirt came just down to the foot, and was moderately full; it was +made of green satin. Over this was the actual gown, of tawny or +yellowish-brown silk, trimmed with silver lace. The skirt was open in +front, and was bunched up all round so as barely to reach the knees. +The bodice, which was tight to the figure, was laced up in front with +silver; it was cut low on the neck, and over it was a tippet of clear +muslin, tied with green ribbon to match the skirt. The sleeves were +slightly fulled, and were finished by very deep cuffs of similar muslin, +midway between the wrist and the elbow. The young lady's hair was +dressed in a small knob behind; it came a little over the forehead at +the front in a point, and flowed down at the sides in slender ringlets. + +"Oh, Jenny, are you come? That is right," said she. + +"Yes, madam, to serve you," answered Jenny, dropping a courtesy. + +"Very good. Here, pick up these pins, and put them into that box. You +must learn to dress me, and dress my hair. Dear me, you have all to +learn! Well, never mind; the best woman living had to begin once." + +"Yes, madam," said smiling Jenny. + +Mrs Jane sat down before the toilet-table, and with more rapidity than +Jenny could well follow, showed her the articles upon it, and the uses +for which they were designed. + +"Here is pearl powder; that is for my forehead. This is rouge, for my +cheeks and lips. Now, mind what you do with them! Don't go and put the +white powder on my cheeks, and the red upon my nose! This is pomatum +for my hair; and this empty box holds my love-locks (you'll have to +learn how to put those in, Jenny); in this bottle is a wash for my face. +I don't dye my hair, nor use oils for my hands--one must draw the line +somewhere. But the other matters you must learn to apply." + +Jenny listened in silent amazement. She had never realised till that +moment what an artificial flower her young mistress was. + +Her own cosmetics were soap and water; and she was divided between +disgust and admiration at the number of Mrs Jane's beautifiers. Poor +Jenny had no idea that Mrs Jane used a very moderate amount of them, as +contrasted with most fashionable ladies of her day. + +"I must have a word with you, Jenny, as to your manners," said Mrs +Jane, more gravely. "I can't do to have you falling in love with +anybody. It would be very inconvenient, and, in fact, there's nobody +here for you. Remember _now_, you are above Featherstone and all the +men-servants; and you must not set your cap at the chaplain, because +he's Mrs Millicent's property." + +Above that elegant gentleman, Mr Featherstone! Jenny felt as if she +trod on perfumed air. She was not in the least surprised to be told +that she was not to marry the chaplain; the family chaplain, of whom +there was one in every family of any pretension, was considered a poor +mean creature, whose natural wife was the lady's maid; and Jenny quite +understood that Mrs Millicent took precedence of her. + +"You take your seat at table, Jenny, next below Mrs Millicent. Of +course you know you are not to speak there? If any one should have such +ill-manners as to address you, you must answer quite respectfully, but +as short as possible. Well, now to tell you your duties. You rise +every morning at five of the clock; dress quietly, and when you are +ready, wake me, if I have not woke sooner. Then you dress me, go with +me to prayers in the chapel, then to breakfast in the hall; in the +morning (when I am at home) you follow me about in my duties in the +kitchen, stillroom, and dairy; you help me to see to the poultry, get up +my muslins and laces, and mend my clothes. In the afternoon you go out +visiting with me, work tapestry, embroider, or spin. In the evening, if +there be music or dancing, you can join; if not, you keep to your +needle." + +Jenny courtesied, and meekly "hoped she should do her duty." Some +portions of this duty, now explained to her, were sufficiently to her +taste; others sounded very uninteresting. These were the usual services +expected from a lady's maid two hundred years ago. + +"Very well," said Mrs Jane, looking round. "I think that is all at the +present. If I think of any other matter, I will mention it. Now ring +that little bell on the side-table, and Millicent shall give you your +first lesson in dressing my hair." + +Jenny found that first lesson a trial. Millicent was quick and precise; +she gave her instructions almost sharply, and made little allowance for +Jenny's ignorance and inaptitude. + +She seemed to expect her to know what to do without being told, or at +the utmost to need only once telling. Jenny found it necessary to have +all her wits about her, and began to think that her new situation was +not quite so perfect a Paradise as she had supposed it. + +From this exercise they went down to supper in the hall, where Jenny +found herself placed at the higher table between Millicent and the +steward--a stiff, silent, elderly man, who never said a word to her all +supper-time. Robin Featherstone sat at the lower table; for the two +tables made the only distinction between the family and the household, +who all ate together in the hall. + +The next discovery was that she must never ask for a second helping, but +must take what was given her and be content. Accustomed to the freedom +and plenty of the farmhouse kitchen, Jenny sadly felt the constraint of +her new life. She was obliged to fall back for her consolation on the +pleasure of her elevation above all her old associates. It was rather +poor fare. + +When, after assisting Mrs Jane to undress, with sundry snubbings from +Millicent, and some not ill-natured laughter from her young mistress at +Jenny's blunders, she was at last free to lie down to rest herself, she +was conscious of a little doubt, whether the appellation of "Mrs +Jenny," the higher place at the table, and the distinction of being +nobody in the drawing-room, were quite as agreeable as plenty to eat and +drink, and liberty to run into the garden, dance and sing whenever she +chose to do so. + +The Sunday which followed was spent as the Holy Day was wont to be spent +by Cavalier families who were respectable and not riotous. + +The Lanes were members of the Church of England, but the Church had been +abolished, so far as it lay in the power of those in authority at that +time. Many of the clergy were turned out of their livings--it cannot be +denied that some of them had deserved it--and the Book of Common Prayer +was stringently suppressed. No man dared to use it now, except +secretly. Those solemn and beautiful prayers, offered up by many +generations, and endeared to their children as only childhood's memories +can endear, might not be uttered, save in fear and trembling, in the +dead of night, or in hushed whispers in the day-time. + +Early in the morning, before the world was astir, a few of Colonel +Lane's family met the chaplain in the private chapel, and there in low +voices the morning prayers were read, and the responses breathed. There +was no singing nor chanting; that would have been too much to dare. The +men who had themselves suffered so much for holding secret conventicles, +and preferring one style of prayer to another, now drove their +fellow-countrymen into the very same acts, and imposed on them the same +sufferings. + +This secret service over, the family met at breakfast, after which they +drove in the great family coach to Darlaston Church. The present Vicar, +if he may so be termed, was an independent minister. These ministers, +who alone were now permitted to minister, were of three kinds. + +Some were true Christians--often very ripely spiritual ones--who +preached Christ, and let politics alone. Another class were virulent +controversialists, who preached politics, and too often let Christianity +alone. And a third consisted of those concealed Jesuits whom Rome had +sent over for the purpose of stirring up dissension, some of whom +professed to be clergy of the Church, and some Nonconformists. + +The gentleman just now officiating at Darlaston belonged to the second +class. His sermon was a violent diatribe against kings in general, and +"Charles Stuart" in particular, to which the few Royalists in his +congregation had to listen with what patience they might. + +Jenny Lavender did not carry away a word of it. Her head was full of +the honour and glory of driving in the Bentley Hall coach (wherein she +occupied the lowest seat by the door), and of sitting in the Bentley +Hall pew. + +She only hoped that Ruth Merston and Dolly Campion, and all the other +girls of her acquaintance, were there to see her. + +They drove back in the same order. Then came dinner. + +As Jenny took her seat at the table she perceived that a stranger was +present, who sat on the right hand of Mrs Lane, and to whom so much +deference was paid that she guessed he must be somebody of note. He was +dressed in a suit of black plush, slashed with yellow satin, and a black +beaver hat; for gentlemen then always wore their hats at dinner. His +manners charmed Jenny exceedingly. Whenever he spoke to either of the +ladies, he always lifted his plumed hat for a moment. Even her model +gentleman, Robin Featherstone, had never treated her with that courtesy. + +Jenny was still further enchanted when she heard Mrs Lane say to him, +"My Lord." + +So interested and excited was she that she actually presumed to ask +Millicent, in a whisper, who the stranger was. Millicent only +demolished her by a look. The steward, on the other side of Jenny, was +more accommodating. + +"That is my Lord Wilmot," he said; "an old friend of the Colonel." + +Jenny would have liked to ask a dozen questions, but she did not dare. +She already expected a scolding from Millicent, and received it before +an hour was over. + +"How dare you, Jane Lavender," demanded Jenny's superior officer, "let +your voice be heard at the Colonel's table?" + +"If you please, Mrs Millicent," answered Jenny, who was rather +frightened, "I think only Mr Wright heard it." + +"You think! Pray, what business have you to think? Mrs Jane does not +pay you for thinking, I'm sure." + +Jenny was too much cowed to say what she thought--that Mrs Jane did not +pay her extra to hold her tongue. She only ventured on a timid +suggestion that "they talked at the lower table." + +"Don't quote the lower table to me, you vulgar girl! You deserve to be +there, for your manners are not fit for the upper. Everybody knows the +lower table is only for the household"--a word which then meant the +servants--"but those who sit at the upper, and belong to the family, +must hold their tongues. If we did not, strangers might take us for the +gentlewomen." + +Jenny silently and earnestly wished they would. + +"Now then, go into the parlour and behave yourself!" was the concluding +order from Millicent. + +Poor Jenny escaped into the parlour, with a longing wish in her heart +for the old farmhouse kitchen, where nobody thought of putting a lock +upon her lips. She felt she was buying her dignities very dear. + +What was she to do all this long Sunday afternoon? Being Sunday, of +course she could not employ herself with needlework; and though she was +fond of music, and was a fairly good performer on the virginals, she did +not dare to make a noise. + +She was not much of a reader, and if she had been, there were no books +within her reach but the Bible and a cookery book, on the former of +which, for private reading, Jenny looked as a mere precursor of the +undertaker. + +Sunday afternoon and evening, at the farmhouse, were the chief times of +the week for enjoyment. There were sure to be visitors, plenty of talk +and music, and afterwards a dance: for only the Puritans regarded the +Sabbath as anything but a day for amusement, after morning service was +over. Farmer Lavender, though a sensible and respectable man in his +way, was not a Puritan; and though his mother did not much like Sunday +dancing, she had not set her face so determinately against it as to +forbid it to the girls. + +The long use of _The Book of Sports_, set forth by authority, and +positively compelling such ways of spending the Sabbath evening, had +blunted the perception of many well-meaning people. The idea was that +people must amuse themselves, or they would spend their leisure time in +plotting treason! and the rulers having been what we should call +Ritualists, they considered that the holiness of the day ended when +Divine service was over, and people were thenceforward entitled to do +anything they liked. Yet there in the Bible was the Lord's command to +"turn away from doing their pleasure on His holy day." + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +THE GOLD THAT GLITTERS. + +Jenny, crushed by Millicent, crept into a corner of the parlour, from +which she amused herself in the only way she could find--watching the +family and their guest, Lord Wilmot. They sat in the bay window, +conversing in low tones, a few words now and then reaching Jenny in her +corner, but only just enough to give her an idea that they were speaking +of the young fugitive King, and of the sore straits to which he might be +reduced. His stay at Boscobel House, and his subsequent adventure in +the oak, so well known in future years, were discussed at length, for it +was only a few days since they had happened. + +"What a mercy the leaves were on the trees!" said Mrs Lane. + +"Ay, in very deed," replied the Colonel. "Had the boughs been bare, His +Majesty had been taken without fail." + +"I saw him two days gone," added Lord Wilmot, "and a sorry sight he was: +his dress a leather doublet, with pewter buttons; a pair of old green +breeches and a coat of the same; his own stockings, the embroidered tops +cut off; a pair of old shoes, too small for him, cut and slashed to give +ease to his feet; an old, grey, greasy hat, without lining, and a noggen +shirt of the coarsest linen." + +The word _noggen_ originally meant made of hemp, and had come to signify +any texture which was thick, rough, and clumsy. + +"Poor young gentleman!" exclaimed Mrs Lane. + +"What a condition for the King of England!" said the Colonel, +indignantly. + +"Ay, truly," answered Lord Wilmot. "The disgrace is England's, not his +own." + +Mr Lane was one of the party this evening. He was an elderly man, and +an invalid, mostly keeping to his own quiet room. Mrs Lane, who was +younger, and much more active, managed the house and estate with the +help of her son; and the Colonel having for some years been practically +the master, was generally spoken of as such among the tenants. The old +man now rose, and said that he would go back to his own chamber. The +Colonel gave his arm to his father to help him upstairs; and Mrs Jane, +turning from the window, caught sight of Jenny's tired, dull look. + +"Come, we have had enough of talk!" said she. "Sweep the rushes aside, +and let us end the evening with a dance." + +"You were best to dance after supper," responded her mother, glancing at +the clock. "There is but a half-hour now." + +Mrs Jane assented to this, and going to the virginals, called Jenny to +come and sing. The half-hour passed rapidly, until the server, or +waiter, came to say that supper was served in the hall, and the party +sat down. + +As Jenny took her place, she saw Robin Featherstone making room at the +lower table for a stranger--a young man, aged about two or three and +twenty, dressed in a tidy suit of grey cloth, and apparently a new +servant. His complexion was unusually dark, and his hair jet black. He +was not handsome, and as Jenny did not admire dark complexions, she +mentally set him down as an uninteresting person--probably Lord Wilmot's +man. + +The good-natured steward, on her right hand, noticed Jenny's look at the +new comer. + +"That is Mrs Jane's new man," said he kindly; "he goeth with you into +Somerset. My Lord Wilmot hath spoken for him to the Colonel, and +commends him highly, for a young man of exceeding good character." + +Young men of good character were not attractive people to Jenny; a young +man with good looks would have had much more chance of her regard. + +"His name is William Jackson," added the steward. + +Jenny was rather sorry to hear that this uninteresting youth would have +to go with them to Bristol; the rather, because it destroyed the last +vestige of a faint hope she had entertained, that Robin Featherstone +might be chosen for that purpose. + +The worst of all her grievances was, that she seemed completely cut off +from his delightful society. She had really seen far more of him at the +farm than she did now, when she was living in the same house. And then +to have all her rose-coloured visions for the future destroyed--Jenny +felt herself a badly used young woman. + +Supper ended, the dance followed according to Mrs Jane's decree, led +off by herself and Lord Wilmot; and Jenny, to her great satisfaction, +found herself the partner of the enchanting Robin. + +"Mrs Jenny, I have not had so much as a word with you since +yestereven!" said that gentleman reproachfully. + +"No, in very deed," assented Jenny; "and I hear you go not into +Somerset, Mr Featherstone." + +"No such luck!" lamented the valet. "I'm to be mewed up here. That +black crow yonder will rob me of all your sweet smiles, my charmer." + +"Indeed he won't!" said Jenny. "I don't like the look of him, I can +tell you." + +At that moment the new servant, and his partner, the dairy-maid, whisked +round close beside them, and Jenny saw, from the amused twinkle in his +dark eyes, that Jackson had overheard her disparaging remark. + +"He looks as if he hadn't washed himself this week," observed Mr +Featherstone, whose complexion was fair. + +"He's an ill-looking fellow," replied Jenny. + +"Do you hear what they say of you?" asked Fortune, the dairy-maid, of +her partner. + +"I hear 'em," was Will Jackson's reply. + +"Won't you knock him down?" + +"I think not. Wouldn't be convenient to the Colonel." + +"I doubt you're chicken-hearted," replied she. + +"Think so?" said Will Jackson, quite calmly. + +"Well, you're a queer fellow!" said Fortune. + +"Hold you there!" was the reply; "I shall be queerer anon." + +The Monday was a very busy day, for Mrs Jane proposed to set forth with +the lark on the Tuesday morning. She had obtained a pass from the +Parliament for herself and friends, and four others were to accompany +her; her cousin Mr Lascelles, and his wife, and a neighbouring lady and +gentleman named Petre. Jenny was very busy all day packing trunks and +bags under the instructions of her young mistress. In the afternoon, as +they were thus employed, Mrs Lane came rather hastily into the room. + +"Jane, child," she said to her daughter, "I am really concerned that you +should have no better attendance in your journey than that fellow +Jackson. I do indeed think we must send him back, and get you a more +suitable man." + +Mrs Jane was on her knees, packing a little leather trunk. She looked +up for a moment, and then resumed her work, giving all her attention to +a troublesome box, which would not fit into the space that she had left +for it. + +"Is he unsuitable, madam? I pray you, how so?" + +"Child, the man doth not know his business. He is now in the yard, +looking to your saddle and harness; and he doth not know how to take the +collar off the horse. Dick bade him lift the collar off Bay Winchester, +and he was for taking it off without turning it. And really, some of +his--" + +The sentence was never finished. + +"O, Madam! O, Mrs Jane!" cried Millicent, coming in with uplifted +hands. "That horrid creature. I'm certain sure he's a Roundhead! +Robin has heard him speak such dreadful words! Do, I beseech you, +madam, tell the Colonel that he is cherishing a crocodile in his bosom. +We shall all be murdered in our beds before night!" + +Mrs Jane sat back on the floor and laughed. + +"Ah, my dear young gentlewoman, you may laugh," was the solemn comment +of Millicent; "but I do assure you 'tis no laughing matter. If Mrs +Jane will not listen to reason, madam, I beg _you_ to hear me when I +tell you what I have heard." + +The solemnity of Millicent's tones was something awful. Mrs Jane, +however, was so misguided as to laugh again; but her mother said, in a +half-alarmed tone, "Well, Millicent, what is it? You speak of the new +man, Jackson, I suppose?" + +"Madam, Robin tells me that early this morning, as soon as my Lord +Wilmot was gone, he went down to the blacksmith's with something of the +Colonel's--a chain, I think he said, or was it--" + +"Never mind what it was," said Mrs Jane; "let us have the story." + +"Well, he was in the blacksmith's shop, and to get out of the way of the +blacks, which were flying all over, he had slipped behind the door; when +who should come up but this Jackson, on Mrs Jane's horse, that had cast +a shoe. He could not see Robin, he being behind the door; I dare be +bound if he had, he would not have been so free in his talk. You know, +madam, what a horrid Roundhead the blacksmith is; Robin saith he wishes +in his heart he never had to go near him. Well, as this fellow holds +the horse's foot (and Robin says he did it the most awkward he ever +saw), he asks the smith what news. `Oh,' saith he, `none that I know +of, since the good news of the beating of the rogues of Scots.' `What,' +saith Jackson, `are none of the English taken that were joined with the +Scots?' Then, madam, the smith said, saving your presence, for really +it makes me feel quite creepy to repeat such shocking words, `I don't +hear,' quoth he, `that that rogue Charles Stuart is taken, but some of +the others are.' Oh, madam, to speak so dreadfully of His Sacred +Majesty!" + +Mrs Millicent's eyes went up till more white than iris was visible. + +"Very shocking, truly," said Mrs Lane. "Well, what further?" + +"And then, madam, that Jackson said--Robin heard him!--`If that rogue +were taken,' quoth he, `he deserves to be hanged more than all the rest, +for bringing in the Scots.' Oh, dear, dear! that I should live to tell +you, madam, that a servant of my good master could let such words come +out of his lips! Then quoth the smith, `You speak like an honest man.' +And so Jackson up on the horse and rode away." + +"Well, it doth but confirm me in my view that the man is a most +unsuitable guard for you, Jane. I shall speak to your brother about +making a change." + +"I don't think Jackson is a Roundhead," said Mrs Jane quietly, +rearranging some laces in a little box. + +"Dear heart, Mrs Jane! but what could the creature have said worse, if +he had been Oliver Cromwell himself?" + +"Well, and I do not think he is Oliver Cromwell either," replied Mrs +Jane, laughing. "And as to his not knowing his business, madam," she +added, turning to her mother, "I pray you remember how exceeding good a +character my Lord Wilmot gave him." + +"My dear Jane! A good character is all very well, but I do want some +capability in my servants as well as character. You do not choose your +shoemaker because he is sober and steady, but because he makes good +shoes." + +"Under your correction, madam, he would not make good shoes long if he +were neither steady nor sober. Howbeit, I pray you, speak to my +brother: methinks you shall find him unready to discharge Jackson for no +better reason than that he cannot take the collar off an horse." + +"But the words, Mrs Jane! Those awful words!" + +"Very like they grew in Robin's brain," calmly answered Mrs Jane, +turning the lock of her trunk. "He is a bit jealous of Jackson, or I +mistake." + +"Jealous of that black creature!" cried Millicent. "Why, he could not +hold a tallow candle to Robin!" + +"I dare say he won't try," replied Mrs Jane, with a little amusement in +her voice. + +Mrs Lane, who had left the room, returned looking somewhat discomfited. + +"No, I cannot win your brother to see it," she said, in rather a vexed +tone. "He thinks so much, as you do, of the commendation my Lord Wilmot +gave the young man. He saith he is sure he is not a Roundhead (I marvel +how he knows); and as for his inaptitude, he said the man hath not been +before in service, and hath all to learn. If that be so, it cannot be +helped, and you will have to be patient with him, Jane." + +"I will be as patient as I can, madam," said Mrs Jane gravely. + +"Oh, my dear Mrs Jane! Oh, Madam! how you _can_!" exclaimed Millicent. +"We shall all be murdered by morning, I feel certain of it! Oh, dear, +dear!" + +"Then you'd better make your will this evening," coolly observed Mrs +Jane. "Look here, Millicent, should you like these cherry ribbons? +They would not go ill with your grey gown." + +Millicent passed in a moment from the depths of despair to the heights +of ecstasy. + +"Oh, how good of you, Mrs Jane! They are perfectly charming! I shall +take the guarding off my grey gown to-morrow, and put them on." + +"If you survive," said Mrs Jane solemnly. + +Millicent looked slightly disconcerted. + +"Well, Mrs Jane, I was going to tell you--but after what Madam said--if +the young man be respectable--I don't know, really--this morning, as he +was coming into the hall, I thought--I really thought he was going to +offer to take me by the hand. It gave me such a turn!" + +"I don't see why, if he had washed his hands," said Mrs Jane. + +"Oh, Mrs Jane! what things you do say!" + +Millicent had some excuse for her horror, since at that time shaking +hands was a form of greeting only used between relatives or the most +intimate friends. To give the hand to an inferior was the greatest +possible favour. + +"Well," said Mrs Jane, locking the second trunk, "I expect Will Jackson +is a decent fellow, and will attend me very well. At any rate, I mean +to try him." + +"Well, Mrs Jane, I have warned you!" + +"You have so, Millicent. And if Jackson murders me before I come home, +I promise to agree with you. But I don't believe he will." + +"Well!" repeated Millicent, "one thing is certain; the creature has +surely never been in a _gentleman's_ service before. I expect he has +followed the plough all his life. But I do hope, Mrs Jane, you may +come back safe." + +"Thank you, Millicent; so do I," answered Mrs Jane. + +The friends who were to accompany Mrs Jane arrived at Bentley Hall on +the Monday evening, and the party set out, eight in all, a little after +five o'clock on the Tuesday morning. Mrs Lascelles and Mrs Petre rode +behind their husbands; Mrs Jane behind her new man, Jackson. For Jenny +an escort was provided in the shape of Mr Lascelles' servant, a +sober-looking man of about forty years, whom she thought most +uninteresting. So they rode away from Bentley Hall, Robin Featherstone +kissing his hand to Jenny, and making her a very elaborate bow in the +background. + +The first day's journey brought them to the house of Mr Norton, a +relative of the Lanes. + +"Remember, Jackson," said Mrs Jane as she alighted, "I shall want my +palfrey by six to-morrow morning at the latest." + +Jackson touched his hat, and promised obedience. Mr Norton led Mrs +Jane into the house, desiring his butler, whose name was Pope, to look +to her man, and to put Jenny in the care of Mrs Norton's maid. Jenny, +being unused to ride much on horseback, was sadly tired by her day's +journey, and very glad when bed-time came. She made one nap of her +night's rest, and was not very readily roused when, before it was fully +light, a tap came on Mrs Jane's door. + +Mrs Jane sat up in bed, awake at once. + +"Who is there? Come within," she said. + +The answer was the entrance of Ellice, Mrs Norton's maid. + +"I crave pardon for disturbing you thus early, madam, but my mistress +hath sent me to say your man is took very sick of an ague, and 'twill +not be possible for you to continue your journey to-day." + +"How? Was ever anything so unfortunate!" cried Mrs Jane. "Is he +really very bad?" + +"My master thinks, madam, he is not the least fit for a journey." + +Mrs Jane lay down again, with an exclamation of dismay. + +"I do hope the young man is not weakly," she said. "'Tis most annoying. +I reckoned, entirely, on continuing my journey to-day. Well, there is +no help, I suppose, though this news is welcome but as water into a +ship. We must make a virtue of necessity. Come, Jenny, we'll take +another nap. May as well have what comfort we can." + +And, turning round, Mrs Jane went off to sleep again. + +For three days Mr Norton reported Jackson quite too poorly to ride; on +the fourth he was a little better, and by the evening of the following +Sunday it was thought Mrs Jane might venture to resume her journey the +next day. + +They were up early the next morning, and as Jenny followed her mistress +into the hall, Mrs Norton being with them, Pope and Jackson came in +from the opposite door. Jackson at once came forward to meet them, and +for an instant Jenny was reminded of Millicent's complaint, for he +seemed just on the point of shaking hands with the ladies. Suddenly he +drew back, took off his hat, and with a low bow informed Mrs Jane that +he was ready to do her service. + +The departure was fixed to take place after dinner; but before that meal +was served, Mrs Norton was seized with sudden and serious illness. +Mrs Jane showed great concern for her cousin, seeming to Jenny's eyes +much more distressed than she had been for the previous postponement of +her journey. While everything was in confusion, a cavalcade of visitors +unexpectedly arrived, and made the confusion still greater. Mrs Jane +arranged to stay for some days longer, and act as hostess in Mrs +Norton's place. + +As the party sat that night at supper, a traveller's horn sounded at the +gate, and Pope, having gone to receive the new arrival, returned with a +letter, which he gave to Mrs Jane. + +"Dear heart!" she exclaimed in surprise, "what have we now here? This +is from my mother." + +"Pray you open it quickly, cousin," replied Mr Norton. "I trust it is +no ill news." + +Mrs Jane's reply was to bury her face in her handkerchief. She seemed +scarcely able to speak; but Mr Norton, to whom she passed the letter, +informed the company that it contained very sad news from Bentley Hall. +Mr Lane had become so much worse during the week of his daughter's +absence, that her mother desired her to return as soon as she had paid a +hurried visit to her cousins in Somersetshire. + +"I fear, cousin, we must not keep you with us longer," said Mr Norton, +kindly to Jane. + +Mrs Jane was understood to sob that she must go on the next morning. +Too much overcome to remain, she left the hall, and went up to the +chamber of Mrs Norton, still with her handkerchief at her eyes. Jenny +followed her, going into her bedroom, which was near to that of the +hostess. She heard voices through the wall, accompanied by sounds which +rather puzzled her. Was Mrs Jane weeping? It sounded much more like +laughing. But how could anyone expect so devoted a daughter to have the +heart to laugh on this sad occasion? + +When Mrs Jane came out of her cousin's room, she was apparently calm +and comforted. The handkerchief had disappeared; but considering the +bitter sobs she had heard, Jenny wondered that her eyes were not redder. + +The journey was resumed, and they arrived safely at Trent Hall, the +residence of Colonel Wyndham, who was strolling about his grounds, and +met them as they came up to the house. Mrs Jane having alighted and +shaken hands with her cousin the Colonel, it astonished Jenny to see +Will Jackson go familiarly up as if to offer the same greeting. +Remembering himself in an instant, he slunk back as he had done before, +and took off his hat with a low bow. Colonel Wyndham, Jenny thought, +looked rather offended at Jackson's bad manners, dismissing him by a +nod, and calling one of his stable-men to see to him, while he took Mrs +Jane into the house. Jenny felt once again that Millicent must have +guessed rightly, and that Jackson had never been in service in a +gentleman's family before. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +SUDDEN CHANGES. + +Great was the lamentation among the cousins at Trent House, when it was +found that Mrs Jane could stay only two days with them, instead of the +two months upon which they had reckoned. + +"I am the most to be pitied, Jane," said one of the young ladies, whose +name was Juliana Coningsby, "for I start for Lyme in a week hence, and I +had hoped to win you to accompany me thither. Now I know not what to do +for a convoy." + +"Well, I cannot go, Gillian," was the answer, "yet may I help you at +this pinch. Take you my man as your guard; I can contrive without him, +since my good cousin, Mr Lascelles, is to return with me." + +A little friendly altercation followed, Mrs Juliana protesting that she +could not dream of depriving her cousin of so needful a servant, and +Mrs Jane assuring her that the pleasure of helping her out of a +difficulty was more than compensation for so slight an inconvenience; +but in the end it was agreed that Jackson should proceed with Mrs +Juliana, returning to Bentley Hall when she should no longer require his +services. + +The party of eight, therefore, who had left Bentley, were reduced to +four on their return, Mrs Jane and Mr Lascelles on one horse, Jenny +and Mr Lascelles' groom upon another. + +They reached the Hall late on a Thursday evening, Mr Lascelles +suggesting when they came to the lodge that Mrs Jane should sit and +rest for a few minutes, while he rode up to the house to hear the latest +news of Mr Lane's health. + +The woman who kept the lodge came out courtesying to meet them, and +Jenny wondered why they did not ask her how the old gentleman was. + +Mr Lascelles, however, had ridden hastily forward, and he soon returned +with cheering news. Mr Lane had "got well over this brunt," he said; +and Mrs Jane professed herself much cheered and comforted to hear it. + +In the hall, as they entered, was Millicent. + +"Well, Millicent, I'm not murdered, you see!" cried Mrs Jane cheerily. + +"Indeed, Mrs Jane, I'm glad to see it, in especial considering all the +warnings we've had. Three times of a night hath old Cupid bayed the +moon; and a magpie lighted on the tree beside my window only this +morning; and last night I heard the death-watch, as plain as plain could +be!" + +"Oh, then, that's for you, not me," responded Mrs Jane quite +cheerfully; "so look Jackson doth not murder you on his return, as he +has left me unharmed." + +Millicent looked horrified. + +"Oh me! Mrs Jane, is the fellow coming back?" + +Mrs Jane only laughed, and said, "Look out!" + +Considering the chain of shocks and disappointments which Mrs Jane had +suffered, Jenny was astonished to see how extremely bright and mirthful +she was, and still more surprised to perceive that this +light-heartedness appeared to infect the Colonel. It was not, however, +shared by Mrs Lane. + +"Well, Jane, child," she said one morning to her daughter, "I am truly +glad to see thee so light of heart, in especial after all the troubles +and discomfitures thou hast gone through. 'Tis a blessing to have a +hopeful nature." + +"Oh, I never trouble over past clouds when the sun shines again, madam," +said Mrs Jane cheerily. + +"I marvel what we can make of your man, when he cometh back," resumed +Mrs Lane. "If you go not now again into Somerset, you will have no +work for him to do." + +"Maybe, Madam, he shall not return hither," answered her daughter. + +"My cousin, Colonel Wyndham, had some notion he could find him a good +place down yonder, and I thought you would judge it best to leave the +matter to his discretion." + +"Oh, very good," assented Mrs Lane. "So much the better. I would not +have the young man feel himself ill-used, when my Lord Wilmot spake so +well of him." + +"There is no fear of that, I hope," replied Mrs Jane. + +"O Mrs Jane! I am so thankful to hear that creature may not come back, +after all!" cried Millicent. + +"Ay, Millicent, you may sleep at ease in your bed," said Mrs Jane, +looking amused. "But I marvel why you feared him thus. I found him a +right decent fellow, I can assure you." + +"Then I can assure you solemnly, madam," answered Millicent, with a look +to match her words, "that is more than I did. Never can I forget the +horrid moment when I thought that nasty black creature went about to +take me by the hand. It made me feel creepy all over--faugh! I cannot +find words to tell you!" + +"Pray don't trouble yourself," calmly responded Mrs Jane. "I am going +upstairs, so you need not give yourself the labour to look for them." + +Before many weeks were over, Colonel Lane came one evening into the +drawing-room, to report a wonderful piece of good news. + +"His Majesty hath escaped the realm!" cried he, "and is now clean over +sea to France." + +"God be praised!" exclaimed his mother. "This is indeed good news." + +Farmer Lavender was almost as excited as his landlord, and declared that +he would light a bonfire in the farm-yard, if he could be sure the +stacks wouldn't get alight. + +"Nay, Joe, I wouldn't," said his prudent mother. "Thou can be as glad +as thou wilt, and the Parliament 'll say nought to thee; but bonfires is +bonfires, lad." + +Will Jackson did not come back to Bentley, and Mrs Jane remarked in a +satisfied tone that she supposed Colonel Wyndham had found a place to +suit him. + +Millicent contemptuously observed to Jenny that she wondered how Colonel +Wyndham, who was a gentleman born, could take any trouble about that +creature Jackson. + +"Well, and I do too, a bit," said Jenny, "for I'm sure the Colonel did +not seem over pleased when Will would have taken him by the hand as we +was a-coming up to the house." + +"No, you don't say!" ejaculated Millicent. "Did he really, now?--to the +Colonel? Well, I'm sure, the world's getting turned upside down." + +Millicent was considerably more of that opinion when a few months were +over. Early one spring morning, before anyone was up, some slight but +singular noises roused Mrs Jane from sleep, and calling Jenny, she +desired her to look out of the window and see what was the matter. + +Jenny's shriek, when she did so, brought her young mistress to the +casement in a moment. Bentley Hall was surrounded by armed men-- +Parliamentary soldiers, standing still and stern--awaiting in complete +silence the orders of their commander. + +Mrs Jane went very white, but her self-command did not desert her. + +"Never mind screaming, Jenny," she said coolly. "That will do no good. +They'll not take you, child; and these Roundheads, whatever else they +are, are decent men that harm not women and children. I must say so +much for them. Come quick, and dress me, and I will go down to them." + +"Oh dear!" cried Jenny. "Madam, they'll kill you!" + +"Not they!" said the young lady. "I'm not afraid,--not of a man, at any +rate. I don't say I should have no fear of a ghost. Jenny, hast thou +lost thy head? Here be two shoes--not a pair--thou hast given me; and +what art thou holding out the pomade for? I don't wash in pomade." + +Jenny, who was far more flurried and frightened than her mistress, +confusedly apologised as she exchanged the pomade for the soap. + +"But--Oh dear! madam, will they take you?" she asked. + +"Maybe not, child," said Mrs Jane, quite coolly. "Very like not. I +guess 'tis rather my brother they want. We shall see all the sooner, +Jenny, if thou makest no more blunders." + +Jenny, however, contrived to make several more, for she was almost too +excited and terrified to know what she was doing. She put on Mrs +Jane's skirt wrong side out, offered her the left sleeve of her kirtle +for the right arm, and generally behaved like a girl who was frightened +out of her wits. + +Mrs Jane, dressed at last, softly opened her door, and desired Jenny to +follow. + +"I will wake none else till I know what the matter is," she said. + +"Come after me, and I will speak with the Captain of these men from the +little window in the hall." + +Jenny obeyed, feeling as if she were more dead than alive. + +Mrs Jane quietly unfastened the little window, and said to a soldier +who had taken up his position close beside it--"I would speak with your +Captain." + +The Captain appeared in a moment. + +"For what reason are you here?" asked the young lady. + +"Madam, I hold a warrant to take the bodies of Thomas Lane, and John +Lane his son, and I trust that none in this house shall impede me in the +execution of my duty." + +"My brother!--and my father!" exclaimed Mrs Jane, under her breath. + +"Sir, we shall not do that. But will you suffer me to say to you that +my father is an old and infirm man, in weakly health, and I beg of you +that you will be as merciful to his condition as your duty will allow." + +The Roundhead captain bowed. + +"Be assured, madam," he said respectfully, "that Mr Lane shall fare +better for the beseechment of so good a daughter, and that I will do +mine utmost to have him gently handled." + +"I thank you, sir," replied Mrs Jane, as she closed the window. + +Then, Jenny still following, a little less frightened, since the enemy +seemed after all to be a man, and not a very bad man either. + +Mrs Jane went upstairs and tapped at her brother's door. + +"Who's there?" demanded the Colonel's voice very sleepily. + +"The reward of your deeds," answered his sister, drily. "Make haste and +busk thee, Jack; thou art wanted to go to prison." + +"Very good!" responded the Colonel, to Jenny's astonishment. "Do you +bear me company?" + +"Nay; would I did, rather than our father." + +"Our father! Is _he_--?" + +"Ay. God have mercy on us!" said Mrs Jane gravely. + +"Amen!" came through the closed door. + +"Jenny, go back to my chamber," said her mistress. "I will come to thee +anon. The hardest of my work lieth afore me yet." + +For two hours all was haste and tumult in Bentley Hall. Then, when the +soldiers had departed, carrying their prisoners with them, a hush almost +like that of death fell upon the house. + +Mrs Lane had wept till she had no more tears to shed; her daughter did +not weep, but she looked very white and sad. + +"Now you mark my words!" said Millicent to Jenny; "'tis that Jackson has +done it. He's played the traitor. Didn't I always say he was a +Roundhead! Depend upon it, he's betrayed something the Colonel's done +in His Majesty's service, and that's why that wicked Parliament's down +on him. Robin, he says the same. He never did like that scheming black +creature, and no more did I." + +"Well, I don't know! He seemed a decent sort o' man, far as I could +see, only that he wasn't well-favoured," said Jenny doubtfully. + +"He was a snake in the grass!" said Millicent solemnly; "and you'll find +that out, Jenny Lavender." + +To the surprise of the whole family, and themselves most of all, the +prisoners were released after only four months' detention. That was +considered an exceedingly short business in 1652. Neither father nor +son seemed any worse for their trial; the Roundheads, they said, had not +treated them ill, and had even allowed sundry extra comforts to old Mr +Lane. + +So matters dropped back into their old train at Bentley Hall for about a +month longer. Then, one August morning, Colonel Lane, who had ridden to +Kidderminster, entered the parlour with an open letter in his hand. His +face was grave almost to sternness, and when his sister saw it, an +expression of alarm came into her eyes. + +"A letter, Jane, from Penelope Wyndham," he said, giving her the letter. + +"Mrs Millicent and Mrs Jenny, I pray you give us leave." + +That was a civil way of saying, "Please to leave the room," and of +course it was at once obeyed. Evidently something of consequence was to +be discussed. + +"I do hope Mrs Jane will not go away again," said Millicent. + +"Well, I don't know; I shouldn't be sorry if she did," answered Jenny. + +"Very like not; you think you'd go withal. But I can tell you it is +vastly dull for us left behind. There's a bit of life when she is +here." + +Jenny went up to Mrs Jane's room, where she occupied herself by tacking +clean white ruffles into some of her mistress's gowns. She had not +progressed far when that young lady came up, with a very disturbed face. + +"Let those be," she said, seeing how Jenny was employed. "Jenny, child, +I am grieved to tell thee, but thou must needs return to thine own +home." + +"Send me away!" gasped Jenny. "Oh, Mrs Jane, madam, what have I done!" + +"Nothing, child, nothing; 'tis not that. I am going away myself." + +"And mustn't I go with you?" asked Jenny, in a very disappointed tone. + +"To France? We are going to France, child." + +Jenny felt in a whirl of astonishment. Going abroad in those days was +looked on as a very serious matter, not to be undertaken except for some +important reason, and requiring a great deal of deliberation. And here +was Mrs Jane, after scarcely half-an-hour's reflection, announcing that +she was going to start at once for France. + +Mrs Jane put her hand in her pocket. + +"Here be thy wages, Jenny," she said. "Twelve pound by the year we +agreed on, and thou hast been with me scarce a year; howbeit, twelve +pound let it be. And for the ill-conveniency I put thee to, to send +thee away thus suddenly, thou shalt have another pound, and my flowered +tabby gown. Thou wilt soon win another place if thou list to tarry in +service, and my mother hath promised to commend thee heartily to any +gentlewoman that would have thee. + +"So cheer up, child; there is no need for thee to fret." + +Jenny felt as if she had considerable need to fret. Here were all her +distinctions flying away from her at a minute's notice. Instead of +being Mrs Jenny, and sitting in the drawing-room at Bentley Hall, she +would once more be plain Jenny Lavender in the farmhouse kitchen. It +was true her freedom would return to her; but by this time she had +become accustomed to the restraint, and did not mind it nearly so much. +The tears overflowed and ran down. + +"Come, come, child!" said Mrs Jane, giving her a gentle pat on the +shoulder; "take not on thus, prithee. Thy life is yet before thee. +Cheer up and play the woman! Ah, Jenny, maid, 'tis well for thee thou +art not so high up as some I could name, and therefore shalt fall the +lighter. Now go, and pack up thy mails, and Robin shall take thee and +them to the farm this evening." + +"Must I go to-day, madam?" exclaimed Jenny, more dismayed than ever. + +"I go myself to-day, Jenny," said Mrs Jane, gently but gravely. "The +matter will brook no delay. Take thine heart to thee, and do as I bid +thee: thou wert best be out of it all." + +Poor Jenny went slowly up to the garret to fetch her bags, which had +been stowed there out of the way. + +As she came down with them in her hands, she met Millicent. + +"You've had warning, have you?" said Millicent, in a whisper. "There's +somewhat wrong, you take my word for it! You make haste and get away, +and thank your stars you've a good home to go to. We're all to go, +every soul save two--old Master's Diggory and me." + +"What, Mr Featherstone too?" exclaimed Jenny. + +"Oh, he's going with the Colonel to France. But Master and Madam, they +set forth to-morrow, and Diggory and I go with them. Mark my words, +there's somewhat wrong! and if it goes much further, I shall just give +my warning and be off. I've no notion of getting into trouble for other +folks." + +"But whatever is it all about?" said Jenny. + +"Well, if you want my thoughts on it," whispered Millicent, in an +important tone, "I believe it's all 'long of that Jackson. You thought +he was a decent sort of fellow, you know. But you've to learn yet, +Jenny Lavender, as all isn't gold as glitters." + +"I think I'm finding that out, Mrs Millicent," sighed Jenny; "didn't I +think I was made for life no further back than yesterday? However, +there's no time to waste." + +She packed up her things, and made a hurried dinner; took leave of all +in the house, not without tears; and then, mounting Bay Winchester +behind Robin Featherstone, rode home in the cool of the evening. + +"Farewell, sweetheart!" said Featherstone, gallantly kissing Jenny's +fingers. "I go to France, but I leave my heart in Staffordshire. Pray +you, sweet Mrs Jenny, what shall I bring you for a fairing from the gay +city of Paris? How soon we shall return the deer knows; but you will +wait for your faithful Robin?" And Mr Featherstone laid his hand +elegantly on his heart. + +"Oh, you'll forget all about me when you are over there taking your +pleasure," said Jenny, in a melancholy tone. + +Mr Featherstone was only half through a fervent asseveration to the +effect that such a catastrophe was a complete impossibility, when Farmer +Lavender came out. + +"What, Jenny I come to look at us?" said he. "Thou'rt as welcome, my +lass, as flowers in May. But how's this--bags and all? Thou'st never +been turned away, child?" + +"Not for nought ill, father," said Jenny, almost crying with conflicting +feelings; "but Mrs Jane, she's going to France, and all's that upset--" +and Jenny sobbed too much to proceed. + +Mr Featherstone came to the rescue, and explained matters. + +"Humph!" said the farmer; "that's it, is it? World's upset, pretty +nigh, seems to me. Well, folks can't always help themselves--that's +true enough. Howbeit, thou'rt welcome home, Jenny! there's always a +place for thee here, if there's none anywhere else. You'll come in and +take a snack, Mr Featherstone?" + +Mr Featherstone declined with effusive thanks. He had not a moment to +spare. He remounted Winchester, shook hands with the farmer, kissed his +hand to Jenny, and rode away. And the question whether Jenny would wait +for his return was left unanswered. + +"I'm glad to see thee back, my lass," said old Mrs Lavender. "Home's +the best place for young lasses. Maybe, too, thou'lt be safer at the +farm than at the Hall. The times be troublous; and if more mischief's +like to overtake the Colonel, though I shall be sorry enough to see it, +I shan't be sorry to know thou art out of it. Art thou glad to come +back or not, my lass?" + +"I don't know, Granny," said Jenny. + +Kate laughed. "Have you had your fling and come down, Jenny?" she +asked; "or haven't you had fling enough?--which is it?" + +"I think it's a bit of both," said Jenny. "It's grand to be at the +Hall, and ride in the coach, and sit in the pew at church, and that; but +I used to get dreadful tired by times, it seemed so dull. There's a +deal more fun here, and I'm freer like. But--" + +Jenny left her "but" unfinished. + +"Ay, there's a many buts, I shouldn't wonder," said Kate, laughing. +"Well, Jenny, you've seen somewhat of high life, and you've got it to +talk about." + +Jenny felt very sad when she went to church on the following Sunday. +The Hall pew was empty, and Jenny herself was once more a mere nobody in +the corner of her father's seat. There was no coach to ride in; and +very humiliated she felt when Dorothy Campion gave her a smart blow on +the back as she went down the churchyard. + +"Well, _Mrs_. Jenny! so you've come down from your pedestal? Going to +be very grand, weren't you?--couldn't see your old acquaintances last +Sunday! But hey, presto, all is changed, and my fine young madam come +down to a farmhouse lass. + +"How was it, Jenny? Did Mrs Jane catch you at the mirror, trying on +her sky-coloured gown? or had her necklace slipped into your pocket by +accident? Come, tell us all about it." + +"She gave me a gown, then," said Jenny, with spirit; "and that's more, I +guess, than she ever did to you, Dolly Campion. And as for why I'm come +home, it's neither here nor there. Mrs Jane's a-going to France, to be +one of the Queen's ladies, maybe, and that's why; so you can take your +change out o' that." + +Miss Campion immediately proceeded to take her change out of it. + +"Dear heart, Jenny, and why ever didn't you go and be one of the Queen's +ladies, too?" + +"Oh, she's climbed up so high, queens isn't good enough company for +her," suggested Abigail Walker, coming to Dolly's help. + +"Now, you two go your ways like tidy maids," said the voice of Tom +Fenton behind them; "and don't make such a to-do of a Sabbath morning. + +"Jenny, I'll see you home if you give me leave." + +He spoke with a quiet dignity, which was not like the old Tom Fenton +whom Jenny had known; and his manner was more that of a friend helping +her to get rid of an annoyance, than that of a suitor who grasped at an +opportunity of pleading his cause. + +"I thank you, Tom, and I'll be glad of it," said the humbled and +harassed Jenny. + +So they went back together, Tom showing no sign that he heard Dorothy's +derisive cry of-- + +"Room for Her Majesty's Grace's Highness and her servant the carpenter!" + +The word lover, at that day, meant simply a person who loved you; where +we say "lover," they said "servant." + +At the farmhouse door Tom took his leave. + +"No, I thank you, Jenny," he said, when she asked him to come in; "I'm +going on to Uncle Anthony's to dinner. Good morning." + +And Jenny felt that some mysterious change in Tom had put a distance +between him and her. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +WILL JACKSON REAPPEARS. + +Fortune May, the dairy-maid at Bentley Hall, came into the farmhouse at +supper-time that Sunday evening. + +"Well, they're all gone," said she, "and the house shut up. They say +the Parliament 'll send folks down to take it some day this week, and +'ll give it to some of their own people." + +"Ay, I hear Mr Chadderton, whose land joins the Colonel's, has applied +for it," answered Farmer Lavender. "Though he's a Roundhead, he's a +friend of the Colonel's, and I shouldn't wonder if he give it him back +when King Charles comes in." + +"That'll not be so soon, I take it," observed his mother. + +"The time's out of joint," said the farmer. "I'd as lief not say +what'll be or won't be." + +"Jenny, I've a good jest to tell you," said Fortune, with a twinkle in +her eyes. "I did not see you in time afore you left the Hall. You'll +mind, maybe, that Robin and me and Dolly Campion went together to the +green, Sunday even?" + +Yes, Jenny did remember, and had been rather put out that Featherstone +should prefer Fortune's company to hers, though a little consoled by the +reflection that it was on account of her superior dignity. + +"Well!" said Fortune, telling her tale with evident glee, "as we went up +the blind lane come a little lad running down as hard as ever he could +run. `What's ado?' says I. `Mad bull! mad bull!' quoth he. Dolly was +a bit frighted, I think; I know I was. But will you believe it, Robin, +he takes to his heels without another word, and leaves us two helpless +maids a-standing there. Dolly and me, we got over the gate into the +stubble-field, and hid behind the hedge; and presently we saw some'at +a-coming down the lane, but I thought it came mortal slow for a mad +bull. And when it got a bit nigh, lo and behold! it was Widow Goodwin's +old dun cow, as had strayed. There she was coming down the lane as +peaceable as could be, and staying by nows and thens to crop the grass +by the roadside. We'd a good laugh at the mad bull, Dolly and me; and +then says I to Dolly, `Let's go and hunt out Robin.' So we turned back, +but nought of him could we see till we came to the big bean-field, and +then a voice comes through the hedge, `Is he by, maids?' Eh, but he is +a coward! Did you think he'd been so white-livered as that?" Farmer +Lavender laughed heartily. Jenny was exceedingly disgusted. She tried +to persuade herself that Fortune's tale was over-coloured, perhaps +spiteful. But one and another present chimed in with anecdotes of +Featherstone's want of moral and physical courage, till disbelief became +impossible. + +"How will he get along in France, think you?" said Fortune. "They've +naught but frogs to eat there, have they?" + +On that point the company was divided, being all equally ignorant. But +Farmer Lavender's good sense came to the rescue. + +"Why," said he, "Jenny here tells me Colonel Wyndham's got a Frenchman +to his cook; and he'd make a poor cook if he'd never dressed nought but +frogs, I reckon." + +"They'll have a bit o' bread to 'em, like as not," suggested the +waggoner. + +"Well, I must be going," said Fortune, rising. "Jenny, what's come of +your grand gown as Mrs Jane gave you? We looked to see you in it this +Sunday. Folks 'll think it's all a make-up if you put it off so long." + +"'Tisn't finished making up," said Kate, laughing. + +"You'll see me in it next Sunday, if you choose to look," replied Jenny, +in a rather affronted tone. + +She was put out by Fortune's hint that the dress was considered a +fiction; and she was thoroughly annoyed by the story about +Featherstone's cowardly conduct. Bravery was one of the qualities that +Jenny particularly admired; and she could not help feeling angry with +Featherstone for thus lowering himself in her esteem. She thought of it +many times during the week, when she was altering the flowered tabby to +fit herself, and by the time that the dress was finished, Jenny's regard +for Robin Featherstone was about finished also. Love she had never had +for him; but he had flattered her vanity, and she liked it. + +The next Sunday morning came, and Jenny dressed herself in the flowered +tabby, with a pink bow on her muslin tippet. With a gratified sense of +pride, she passed Fortune and Dolly Campion on her way up the +churchyard; not less gratified to hear their respective whispers. + +"Well, it wasn't a make-up, then!" said Dolly, in a rather disappointed +tone. + +"Dear heart! isn't she fine?" responded Fortune. + +Little did Jenny Lavender think, as she passed up the aisle to her +father's pew, that the Jenny who entered that church was never to leave +it again. There was a stranger in the pulpit that day--a man of a very +different sort from the usual preacher. He was an old man, and the +style of his sermon was old-fashioned. Instead of being a learned and +closely-reasoned discourse, seasoned with scraps of Latin, or a +political essay on the events of the day, it was a sermon such as had +been more common in the beginning of the century--simple, almost +conversational, striking, and full of Gospel truth. Such a sermon Jenny +Lavender had never heard before. + +The text was Genesis, chapter 32, verse 26: "I will not let Thee go, +except Thou bless me." The preacher told his hearers in a plain +fashion, without any learned disquisitions or flowery phrases, what +blessing meant; that for God to bless a man was to give him, not what he +wished, but what he really needed for his soul's welfare; that many +things which men thought blessings, were really evils, and that all +which did not help a man towards God, only hurried him faster on the +road to perdition. He told them that Christ was God's greatest +blessing, His unspeakable gift; and that he who received Him was in +truth possessed of all things. When he came near the end of his sermon, +he bent forward over the pulpit cushion, and spoke with affectionate +earnestness to his hearers. + +"Now, brethren, how many here this day," he said, "are ready to speak +these words unto the Lord? How many of you earnestly desire His +blessing? What, canst thou not get so far, poor soul? Be thine hands +so weak that thou canst not hold Him? Be thy feet so feeble that thou +canst not creep thus far up the ladder at the top whereof He standeth? +Well, then, let us see if thou canst reach the step beneath--`Lord, I +most earnestly desire Thy salvation.' Or is this too far for thy foot +to stretch? Canst thou say but, `Lord, I desire Thy salvation,' however +feeble and faint thy desire be? Poor sinful soul, art thou so chained +and weak, that thou canst not come even so far? Then see if thy +trembling foot will not reach the lowest step of all: `Lord, make me to +desire Thy salvation.' Surely, howsoever sunk in the mire, and +howsoever blind thou be, thou canst ask to be lifted forth, and to have +sight given thee. Brethren, will ye not so do? When ye fall to your +prayers this even, ere ye sleep, will ye not say so much as this? Yea, +will ye not go further, and run up the ladder, and cry with a mighty +voice, `I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me'?" + +When Jenny Lavender came out of church, she stood on the second step of +the ladder. She scarcely heard Abigail Walker's taunt of "Well, if Mrs +Jane did give her the gown, I'll go bail she stole that pink ribbon." +Such things were far beneath one who had set foot on that ladder. And +Jenny did not stay at the bottom; she ran up fast. By the time that she +knelt down at her bedside for her evening prayers, she had come to the +fourth step--"I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me." + +The last atom of Jenny's old admiration for Robin Featherstone, which +had been already shaken, vanished that day. The Spirit of God, who had +touched her heart through the preacher, led her to see that folly, +vanity, and frivolity were utterly out of concord with Him. And then +came a feeling of regret for the unkind flippancy with which she had +treated Tom Fenton. Jenny knew that Tom was a Christian man; it had +been one reason why she despised him, so long as she was not herself a +Christian woman. There was a gulf between them now, and of her own +digging. Tom had given over coming to the farm except on business; he +gave her a kindly "Good morrow!" when they met, but it was no more than +he gave to Kate, or any other girl of his acquaintance; and Jenny saw +nothing of him beyond that. On every side she heard his praises, as a +doer of brave and kindly actions. She knew that, apart from the mere +outside, there was not a man to be compared to Tom Fenton in the whole +neighbourhood. It was bitter to reflect that the time had been when Tom +was ready to put himself and all he had at her feet, and she had only +her own folly to thank that it was over. No wonder Jenny grew graver, +and looked older than she used to be. Her father was uneasy about her; +he feared she was either ill or unhappy, and consulted his sensible old +mother. + +"Nay," said Mrs Lavender, "Jenny's not took bad; and as for her +sadness, it's just womanhood coming to her. Don't you spoil it, Joe. +The furnace burns up the dross, and let it go! It won't hurt the good +gold." + +"You don't think then, mother, there's any fear of the dear lass going +into a waste, like?" asked Farmer Lavender anxiously. + +"No, Joe, I don't; I'll let you know when I do. At this present I think +she's only coming to her senses a bit." + +The old preacher appeared no more in the pulpit at Darlaston; but so far +as Jenny Lavender was concerned, he had done the work for which he was +sent there. Jenny had not a single Christian friend except old Persis +Fenton; and she kept away from Tom's aunt, just because she was his +aunt. She was therefore shut up to her Bible, which she read +diligently; and perhaps she grew all the faster because she was watered +direct from the Fountain-Head. Old Mrs Lavender was wise in a moral +sense, but not in a spiritual one, beyond having a general respect for +religion, and a dislike to any thing irreverent or profane. Farmer +Lavender shared this with her; but he looked on piety as a Sunday thing, +too good to use every day. So Jenny stood alone in her own family. + +While all this was passing at the farm, Colonel Lane and Mrs Jane were +speeding, post-haste, to France. The Colonel explained to Featherstone, +whom alone of his servants he took with him, that he and his sister +having had the honour of performing an important service to the King, +their lives were in danger from the resentment of the Parliamentary +party. + +The King himself was now safe at Paris, where they hoped to join him; +and on arriving there, if Featherstone wished to return home, he thought +there was no doubt that he could get a passage for him in the suite of +some person journeying to England. If, on the contrary, he preferred to +remain in France, the Colonel would willingly retain his services. + +"I have entered into arrangements," he concluded, "whereby my rents will +be secure, and will be remitted to me from time to time while we remain +in France. I trust it may not be long ere the King shall be restored, +and we can go back with him." + +Featherstone requested a little time to think the matter over. He +certainly had no desire to leave the Colonel before reaching Paris, a +city which he wished to see beyond all others. + +"Ay, take your time," answered the Colonel. "My sister will provide +herself with a woman when we arrive thither. In truth, it was not for +her own sake, but for Jenny's, that she left her at home." + +This conversation confirmed Featherstone in two opinions which he +already entertained. First, he was satisfied that an understanding had +been arrived at between the Colonel and his friend Mr Chadderton, +whereby the latter was to remit the Colonel's rents under colour of +keeping the estates for himself. Secondly, he was more convinced than +ever that Will Jackson had played the traitor, and that it was through +him the Parliament had been made aware of the Colonel's service to the +King's cause, whatever it might be. + +Dover was reached in safety, and the party embarked on board the +_Adventure_ for Calais. It took them twenty hours to cross; and before +ten of them were over, Robin Featherstone would have been thankful to be +set down on the most uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean, with no +prospect of ever seeing Paris or anything else, might he but have been +safe upon dry land. It was in a very limp, unstarched condition of mind +and body that he landed on the Calais quay. Colonel Lane, an old +traveller, and an excellent sailor, was rather disposed to make merry at +poor Robin's expense; for toothache and sea-sickness are maladies for +which a man rarely meets with much sympathy. + +They slept the last night at Saint Denis, where the Colonel encountered +an old acquaintance, an English gentleman who was just starting for +Paris, and who assured the Colonel that he should communicate the news +of his approach to the King. + +"Truly, I am weary of horse-riding as I may well be," said Mrs Jane, as +she mounted the next morning, to traverse the eight miles which lie +between Saint Denis and Paris. "Poor little Jenny Lavender! 'tis well I +brought her not withal; she would have been dog-weary ere we had won +thus far." + +For this short distance Mrs Jane rode by herself, the Colonel mounting +another horse beside her. Featherstone followed, and a French youth +came last, conducting the baggage-horse. Rather more than half the +distance to the capital had been traversed, when a large cavalcade was +seen approaching. It consisted of a number of gentlemen on horseback, +preceding one of the large cumbrous coaches then in common use, in which +sat two ladies and a little girl. The coach was drawn by six heavy +Flanders mares, which went at so leisurely a pace that they could easily +be accompanied by a crowd of French sight-seers who ran before, behind, +and all around them. + +As soon as the two parties came within sight of each other, one of the +gentlemen who preceded the coach rode forward and met the travellers, +pulling off his hat as he came up to them. Featherstone perceived that +he was Lord Wilmot. + +"How do you, Colonel Lane?" he said. "Mrs Jane, your most obedient! I +pray you be in readiness for the high honour which awaits you. His +Majesty comes himself to meet you, with the Princes his brothers, and +the Queen in her coach, desiring to do you as much honour, and give you +as good a welcome as possible." + +"We are vastly beholden to their Majesties," replied Colonel Lane, +looking as pleased as he felt, which was very much: for the honour thus +paid to him was most unusual, and showed that the young King and his +mother considered his service an important one. "Featherstone!" he +called, looking back, "keep you close behind, or we may lose you." + +Featherstone tried hard to obey, but found the order difficult of +execution. The crowd was only bent on seeing the meeting, and cared not +a straw whether Featherstone were lost or not. He knew not a word of +French, and was aware that if he did lose his master, he would probably +have no little trouble in finding him again. Moreover, he was very +curious to see the King--partly on Kate Lavender's principle, of +afterwards having it to talk about. Just at that awkward moment his +horse took to curvetting, and he had enough to do to manage him. He was +vaguely conscious that one of the riders, who sat on a fine black horse, +had come forward beyond the rest, and was cordially shaking hands with +Mrs Jane and the Colonel. He heard this gentleman say, "Welcome, my +life, my fair preserver!" and dimly fancied that the voice was familiar. +Then, having reduced his horse to decent behaviour, he lifted up his +eyes and saw--Will Jackson. + +Will Jackson, and none other, though now clad in very different garb! +He it was who sat that black barb so royally; the King's plumed hat was +in his left hand, while the right held that of Mrs Jane. It was at +Will Jackson's words of thanks that she was smiling with such delight; +it was he before whom Colonel Lane bent bare-headed to his saddlebow. +The awkward lout who had never been in a gentleman's service, the +ignorant clown, fresh from the plough-tail, the Roundhead, the traitor, +had all vanished as if they had never been, and in their stead was King +Charles the Second, smilingly complimenting the friends to whose care +and caution he owed his safety. If the earth would have opened and +swallowed him up, Featherstone thought he would have been thankful. But +a worse ordeal was before him. As he sat on his now quiet horse, gazing +open-mouthed and open-eyed, the King saw him, and the old twinkle, which +Featherstone knew, came into the dark eyes. + +"Ha! I see an old friend yonder," said he comically. "I pray you, +fetch my fellow-servant up to speak with me." + +Poor Featherstone was laid hold of, pulled off his horse, and pushed +forward close to that of the King. + +"How do, Robin?" asked the merry monarch, who heartily enjoyed a little +affair of this sort. "Nay, look not so scared, man--I am not about to +cut off thine head." + +Featherstone contrived to mumble out something in which "forgive" was +the only word audible. + +"Forgive thee! what for?" said King Charles. "For that thou knewest me +not, and tookest me for a Roundhead? Why, man, it was just then the +finest service thou couldst have done me. I have nought to forgive thee +for save a glass of the best ale ever I drank, that thou drewest for me +at breakfast on the morrow of my departing. Here, some of you"--His +Majesty plunged both hands in turn into his pockets, and, as usual, +found them empty. "What a plague is this money! Can none of you lend +me a few louis?" + +The pockets of the suite proved to be almost as bare as those of the +King. The Duke of Hamilton managed to find a half-louis (which he well +knew he should never see again); Queen Henrietta was applied to in her +coach, but in vain, as she either had no money, or did not choose to +produce it, well knowing her son's extravagance and thoughtlessness. +Colonel Lane had a sovereign, which he furnished. The King held them +out to Featherstone. + +"There!" he said, "keep somewhat for thyself, and give somewhat to the +little dairy-maid that took my part, and would have had me knock thee +down. Tell her she'll make a brave soldier for my Guards, when all the +men are killed. Divide it as thou wilt. Nay, but I must have a token +for pretty Mrs Jenny." His Majesty cast his eyes about, and they fell +on his plumed hat. Without a minute's consideration he loosened the +diamond buckle. "Give her that," said he, "and tell her the King +heartily agrees with her that Will Jackson's an ill-looking fellow." + +It was just like King Charles to give away a diamond buckle, when +neither he nor his suite had money to pay for necessaries. Robin +Featherstone stepped back into the crowd, where he was pretty well +hustled and pushed about before he regained his horse; but he managed to +keep fast hold of the money and the diamond clasp. He was rather +troubled what to do with them. The jewel had so pointedly been intended +for Jenny, that he could scarcely help dealing rightly in that instance; +but the division of the money was not so clear. A man who was just and +generous would have given the sovereign to Fortune, and have kept the +half-louis (worth about 8 shillings 6 pence) for himself; but Feathers +tone was not generous, and not particularly anxious to be just. The +portion to be appropriated to Fortune dwindled in his thoughts, until it +reached half-a-crown, and there for very shame's sake it stayed. + +"And why not?" demanded Mr Featherstone of his conscience, when it made +a feeble remonstrance. "Did not His Majesty say, `Divide it as thou +list'? Pray who am I, that I am not to obey His Majesty?" + +Had His Majesty's order been a little less in accordance with his own +inclinations, perhaps Mr Featherstone would not have found it so +incumbent on him to obey it. It is astonishing how easy a virtue +becomes when it runs alongside a man's interest and choice. +Featherstone had never learned self-denial; and that is a virtue nearly +as hard to exercise without practice as it would be to play a tune on a +musical instrument which the player had never handled before. In that +wonderful allegory, the _Holy War_--which is less read than its +companion, the _Pilgrim's Progress_, but deserves it quite as much-- +Bunyan represents Self-Denial as a plain citizen of Mansoul, of whom +Prince Immanuel made first a captain, and then a lord. But he would +never have been selected for either honour, if he had not first done his +unobtrusive duty as a quiet citizen. Self-denial and self-control are +not commonly admired virtues just now. Yet he is a very poor man who +has not these most valuable possessions. + +Robin Featherstone stayed with the Colonel just as long as it suited +himself, and until he had exhausted such pleasures as he could have in +Paris without knowing a word of the French language, which he was too +lazy to learn. What a vast amount of good, not to speak of pleasure, +men lose by laziness! When this point was reached, Featherstone told +the Colonel that he wished to return to England; and Colonel Lane, who, +happily for himself, was not lazy, set things in train, and procured for +Robert a passage to England in the service of a gentleman who was going +home. + +"I wonder how little Jenny's going on," said our idle friend to himself, +as he drew near Bentley. "I might do worse than take little Jenny. I +only hope she hasn't taken up with that clod-hopper Fenton while I've +been away, for want of a better. I almost think I'll have her. Dolly +Campion's like to have more money, 'tis true; but it isn't so much more, +and she's got an ugly temper with it. I shouldn't like a wife with a +temper--I've a bit too much myself; and two fires make it rather hot in +a house. (Mr Featherstone did not trouble himself to wonder how far +Jenny, or any other woman, might like a husband with a temper.) Ay, I +think I'll take Jenny--all things considered. I might look about me a +bit first, though. There's no hurry." + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +WHEREIN JENNY MAKES HER LAST MISTAKE. + +"I marvel Tom and Jenny Lavender doesn't make it up," said Persis +Fenton, as she laid the white cloth for supper on her little table. +"Here's Jenny got a fine sensible young woman, with God's grace in her +heart (more than ever I looked for), and Tom goes on living in that +cottage all by his self, and never so much as casts an eye towards her-- +and that fond of her as he'd used to be, afore, too! Tony, man, don't +you think it's a bit queer?" + +"I think," said old Anthony, looking up from his big Bible, which he was +reading by the fireside, "I think, Persis, we'd best leave the Lord to +govern His own world. He hasn't forgot that Tom's in it, I reckon, nor +Jenny neither." + +"Well, no--but one'd like to help a bit," said Persis, lifting off the +pan to dish up her green pudding, which was made of suet and +bread-crumbs, marigolds and spinach, eggs and spice. + +"Folks as thinks they're helping sometimes hinders," replied Anthony, +quietly taking off his great horn spectacles, and putting them away in +the case. + +"Tell you what, Tony, I hate to see anything wasted," resumed Persis, +after grace had been said. "If there's only an end of thread over, I +can't abear to cast it away; I wind it on an old bobbin, thinking it'll +come in some time." + +"The Lord never wastes nothing, wife," was Anthony's answer. "See how +He grows plants in void places, and clothes the very ruins with +greenery. It's always safe to trust Him with a man's life." + +"Ay," half assented Persis, "but it do seem a waste like of them young +things' happiness." + +"Where didst thou ever read in the Word, Persis, as happiness was the +first thing for a man to look to? The Lord's glory comes first, and +then usefulness to our fellows, a long way afore happiness. Bless the +Lord, He do make it happy work for man to seek His glory--and that's +what Tom doth. I'll trust the Lord to see to his happiness." + +Just as the green puddings came out of the pan, Tom Fenton turned into +the lane leading up to his own home, having been engaged in delivering a +work-table that he had made for the Vicar's wife. It was a beautiful +day at the end of October, very warm for the time of year, and the sun +was near its setting. As Tom came to a turn in the lane, he saw a short +distance before him, up a bye-road which led past Farmer Lavender's +house, a solitary girlish figure, walking slowly, and now and then +stopping to gather something from the bank. A slight quickening of his +steps, and a turn into the bye-road, soon brought him up with the +solitary walker. + +"Good even, Jenny!" + +"Good even, Tom!" + +For some seconds they walked abreast without any further speech. Then +Tom said-- + +"I've just been up to parson's." + +"Oh, have you?" replied Jenny, a little nervously. + +"Their Dorcas saith she's heard as Featherstone's back." + +"Is he so?" said Jenny, in a still more constrained tone. + +"Didn't like it in France, from what she heard." + +"Very like not," murmured Jenny. + +"He's got a place with Mr Chadderton--the young gentleman who was +married of late, and who's coming to live at Bentley Hall; so you're +like to see a bit of him again." + +"I don't want to see him," said Jenny suddenly. "I'd as lief he didn't +come nigh me." + +"You was used to like him middling well wasn't you, Jenny?" + +Before Jenny could answer, the very person of whom they were speaking +appeared at a turn of the lane, coming towards them. + +"Mrs Jenny Lavender, as I live!" said he. "Now, this is luck! I was +on my way to the farm--" + +"With your back to it?" asked Tom. + +Mr Featherstone ignored both Tom and the question. + +"Mrs Jenny, since I had the delight of sunning myself in your fair +eyes, I have had the high honour of beholding His Most Gracious Majesty +King Charles, who was pleased to command me to deliver into your white +hands a jewel which His Majesty detached from his own hat. He--" + +"Me!" exclaimed Jenny, in so astounded a tone as to remind Featherstone +that he was beginning his story at the wrong end. + +"Oh, of course you know not," he said, a little put out, for his speech +had been carefully studied, though he had forgotten the peroration, +"that His Majesty is Will Jackson. I mean, Will Jackson was His +Majesty. At least--" + +"Are you quite sure you know what you do mean, Mr Featherstone?" +demanded Tom. "Sounds as if you'd got a bit mixed up, like. Is it the +King you've seen, or is't Will Jackson?" + +Tom rather suspected that Featherstone was not quite sober. But he was, +though between annoyance and self-exaltation he was behaving rather +oddly. + +"Look here!" he said angrily, holding out the diamond clasp. "Was Will +Jackson like to give me such as this for Mrs Jenny? I tell you, His +Majesty the King gave it me with his own hand." + +Suddenly Tom's conscience spoke. "Are you acting like a Christian man, +Tom Fenton?" it said. "Have you any right to work Featherstone up into +a passion, however foolish he may have been? Is that charitable? is it +Christ-like?" + +"Very good, Mr Featherstone," said Tom quietly. + +"I ask your pardon, and I'll relieve you of my company. Good night-- +Good night, Jenny." + +Jenny could have cried with disappointment. She was afraid that Tom was +vexed with her, and wholly unwilling to be left to the society of +Featherstone. As to the diamond buckle, she did not half believe the +story. Tom's action, however, had its effect upon Featherstone. + +"Don't you believe me, Mrs Jenny?" he said more gently. "I doubt I've +made a mess of my story, but 'tis really true. Will Jackson was the +King himself in disguise, and he bade me bring that to you, and tell you +that he entirely agreed with you that Will was an ill-looking fellow." + +When Jenny really understood the truth, she was overwhelmed. Was it +possible that she had actually told King Charles to his face that she +considered him ugly? Of course she was pleased with the gift in itself, +and with his kindly pardon of her impertinence. + +"But, eh dear!" she said, turning round the clasp, which flashed and +glistened as it was moved, "such as this isn't fit for the likes of me!" + +Farmer Lavender was exceedingly pleased to see the clasp and hear its +story, and in his exultation gave Featherstone a general invitation to +"turn in and see them whenever he'd a mind." + +"Why, Jenny!" cried Kate, "you'll have to hand that down to your +grandchildren!" + +Jenny only smiled faintly as she went upstairs. She liked the clasp, +and she liked the gracious feeling which had sent it; but what really +occupied her more than either was a distressed fear that she had +offended Tom Fenton. He never came to the farm now. The only hope she +had of seeing him lay in an accidental meeting. + +Sunday came, and Jenny dressed herself in the flowered tabby, tying her +tippet this time with blue ribbons. When she came into the kitchen +ready to go to church, her sister's eyes scanned her rather curiously. +"Why, Jenny, where's your clasp?" + +"What clasp?" asked Jenny innocently. Her thoughts were elsewhere. + +"What clasp!" repeated Kate, with a burst of laughter. "Why, the clasp +King Charles sent you, for sure. Have you got so many diamond clasps +you can't tell which it is?" + +"Oh!--Why, Kate, I couldn't put it on." + +"What for no? If a King sent me a diamond, I'd put it on, you take my +word for it!--ay, and where it'd show too." + +"I'd rather not," said Jenny in a low voice. "Not for church, anyhow." + +"Going to save it for your wedding-day?" Jenny felt very little +inclined for jests; the rather since she was beginning to feel extremely +doubtful if she would ever have any wedding-day at all. She felt +instinctively that a jewel such as King Charles's clasp was not fit for +her to wear. Tom would not like to see it, she well knew; he detested +anything which looked like ostentation. And, perhaps, Christ would not +like it too. Would it not interfere with the wearing of that other +ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, with which He desired His +handmaidens to adorn themselves? Jenny resolved that she would not put +on the clasp. + +"No, Kate, I shouldn't like to wear it," she said quietly. "I've got it +put by safe, and you can see it whenever you have a mind: but it's best +there." + +"Thou'rt right, my lass," said old Mrs Lavender. + +"Well, I shouldn't like you to lose it, of course," admitted Kate. + +Jenny fancied, and with a heavy heart, that Tom carefully avoided +speaking to her in the churchyard. Old Anthony and Persis had a kind +word for her, but though Tom went away in their company, carrying his +aunt's books, he never came up to speak with Jenny. It distressed her +the more because Kate said afterwards: + +"Have you had words with Tom Fenton, Jenny? I asked him if he'd a +grudge against you, that he never spoke." + +"What did he say?" asked Jenny quickly. + +"He didn't say neither yea nor nay," answered Kate, laughing. + +The afternoon brought several young people, and there was, as usual, +plenty of mirth and chatter. Jenny felt utterly out of tune for it, and +slipped out of the back door into the lane. She went slowly up, feeling +very low-spirited, and wondering what God was going to do with her. +When she came to the gate of the bean-field--the place where Tom had +overtaken her a few evenings before--she stopped, and resting her arms +upon the gate, watched the sun sinking slowly to the west. Thinking +herself quite alone, she said aloud, sorrowfully--"Oh dear! I wonder if +I've never done anything but make mistakes all my life!" + +"Ay, we made one the other night, didn't we?" said a voice behind her. + +Jenny kept her start to herself. + +"Yes, we did, Tom," she replied soberly. + +"I've made a many afore now," said Tom gravely. + +"Not so many as me," answered Jenny, sorrowfully. + +"Tell me your biggest, Jenny, and you shall hear mine." + +"There's no doubt of that, Tom. The biggest mistake ever I made was +when I fancied God's service was all gloom and dismalness." + +"Right you are, Jenny. That's about the biggest anybody can make. But +what was the second, now?" + +"Oh look, Tom, those, lovely colours!" cried Jenny, suddenly seized with +a fervent admiration for the sunset. "Them red streaks over the gold, +and the purple away yonder--isn't it beautiful?" + +"It is, indeed. But that second mistake, Jenny?" + +"Nay, I was to hear your biggest, you know," said Jenny slily. + +"Well, Jenny, the biggest mistake ever I made, next after that biggest +of all that you spoke of just now--was to fancy that I could forget +Jenny Lavender, my old love." + +Two hours afterwards, the door of old Anthony's cottage opened about an +inch. + +"Uncle Anthony, are you there?" + +"Ay, lad. Come in, Tom." + +"Don't want to come in. I only want to tell you that the Lord's given +me back the greatest thing I ever gave up for Him." + +Old Anthony understood in a moment. + +"Ay so, Tom? I'm fain for thee. And thou'lt be glad all thy life long, +my lad, that thou waited for the Lord to give it thee, and didn't snatch +it like out of His hand. We're oft like children, that willn't wait +till the fruit be ripe, but makes theirselves ill by eating it green. +And when folks does that, there's no great pleasure in the eating, and a +deal of pain at after." + +"That's true. Well, good night, Uncle Anthony. I thought I'd just let +you know." + +"I'm right glad to know it, my dear lad. Good night, and God bless +thee!" + +It was not for nine years that the Lanes came back to Bentley Hall. +Their lives would have been in danger had they done so at an earlier +date. They came back with King Charles--when Oliver Cromwell was dead, +and his son Richard had shown himself unfit to govern, and a season of +general tumult and uncertainty had brought England into readiness to +accept any firm hand upon the helm, and an inclination to look longingly +to the son of her ancient Kings, as the one above all others given by +God to govern her. But she had made the terrible mistake of first +driving him away into lands where he found little morality and less +religion, and it was to her woeful hurt that he came back. + +It was on a beautiful June evening that the Lanes returned to Bentley: +and the old master of the Hall only came back to die. Colonel Lane was +looking much older, and his mother was now an infirm old woman. Mrs +Jane, a blooming matron of thirty, came with her husband, Sir Clement +Fisher, of Packington Hall, Warwickshire, a great friend of her brother, +and like him an exile for the King. + +Charles did not forget the service done him by the Lanes, nor leave it +unrewarded, as he did that of some of his best friends. He settled on +Lady Fisher an annuity of a thousand pounds, with half that sum to her +brother; and he presented Colonel Lane with his portrait, and a handsome +watch (a valuable article at that time), which he desired might descend +in the family, being enjoyed for life by each eldest daughter of the +owner of Bentley Hall. They are still preserved by the Lane family. + +A few days after the Lanes returned, Jenny Fenton stood washing and +singing in the back yard of the cottage. Tom's work-shed ran along one +side of it, and there he was carefully fitting the back of a chair to +its seat, while a younger Tom, and a still more youthful Joe, were as +diligently building a magnificent sailing-vessel in the corner. A woman +of middle age came up to the door, lifted her hand as if to knock, +stepped back, and seemed uncertain how to act. A child of six years +old, at that moment, ran round the cottage, and looked up in surprise at +the stranger standing before the door. + +"Little maid, what is thy name?" said the stranger. + +A little doubtful whether the stranger, who in her eyes was a very grand +lady, was about to hear her say her catechism, the small child put her +hands meekly together, and said-- + +"Molly, please." + +"Molly what?" pursued the stranger, with a smile. + +"Molly Fenton, please." + +"That will do. Where's mother?" + +"Please, she's a-washing at the back." + +"Is that she that singeth?" + +"Yes, that's her," returned Molly, carefully avoiding grammar. + +The song came floating to them through the balmy June air. + + "`O God, my strength, and fortitude, + Of force I must love Thee! + Thou art my castle and defence + In my necessity.'" + +The strange lady sighed, much to Molly's perplexity; then she rapped at +the door. It was opened by Jenny, who stood with an inquiring look on +her face, which asked the visitor plainly to say who she was. + +"You don't know me, then, Jenny Lavender?" + +"No, Ma-- Dear heart! is it Mrs Millicent?" + +"It is Millicent Danbury, Jenny. And I am Millicent Danbury still, +though you are Jenny Fenton." + +"Pray you, come within, Mrs Millicent," said Jenny cordially. "I'm +right glad to see you. There's been a many changes since we met--Molly, +dust that chair, quick, and bring it up for the gentlewoman." + +"Ay," said Millicent, with another sigh, as she sat down in the heavy +Windsor chair which it required all Molly's strength to set for her; +"there are many changes, Jenny, very many, since you and I lived +together at Bentley Hall." + +"Not for the worser, are they?" replied Jenny cheerfully. + +"Ah! I'm not so sure of that, Jenny," answered Millicent. + +"Well, I'm nowise afeard of changes," said Jenny, in the same bright +tone. "The Lord means His people good by all the changes He sends. +Mrs Millicent, won't you tarry a while and sup your four-hours with +us?" + +The meal which our ancestors called "four-hours" answered to our tea; +but tea had not yet been introduced into England, though it was very +soon to be so. They drank, therefore, either milk, or weak home-brewed +ale. + +"With all my heart," was the reply, "if I'm not in your way, Jenny. You +are washing, I see." + +"I've done for to-day, and Tom and me'll be as pleased as can be if +you'll take a bit with us, Mrs Millicent. Molly, child, fetch forth +the table-cloth, and get the salt-cellar, and then run and tell +father.--She's a handy little maid for her years," added Jenny, with +motherly pride. + +Millicent smiled rather sadly. "You are a happy woman, Jenny!" she +said. + +"Bless the Lord, so I am!" echoed Jenny. "It's the Lord's blessing +makes folks happy." + +"Say you so?--then maybe that is why I am not," said Millicent, rather +bitterly. "I don't know much of the Lord." + +"That's a trouble can be mended," said Jenny softly; "and you'll be main +glad when it is, take my word for it." + +"I don't know how to set about it, Jenny." + +"Why, dear heart! how do you set about knowing anybody? Go and see 'em, +don't you, and talk with 'em, and get 'em to do things for you? The +good Lord always keeps His door open, and turns away none as come." + +At that moment Tom came in, with a hearty welcome to his guest. Jenny, +helped by Molly, bustled about, setting the table, and cutting bread and +butter, while Tom drew the ale; and they had just sat down when a little +rap came on the door. + +"Anybody at home here?" asked a bright voice. Jenny knew it at once. + +"O Mrs Jane!--I crave pardon, my Lady!--pray you come in, and do us the +honour to sit down in our house." + +"I'll do you more honour than that," said Lady Fisher comically, as she +came forward. "I'll eat that bread and butter, if you'll give it me, +for I have been a great way afoot, and I am as hungry as a hunter." + +"I pray you take a chair, madam, and do us so much pleasure," said +smiling Jenny. "I have here in the oven a cake but just ready to come +forth, made the Princess Elizabeth's way, His Majesty's sister, and I +shall be proud if your ladyship will taste it." + +"I'll taste it vastly, if I get the chance," said Lady Fisher, laughing, +as Jenny took her cake out of the oven. + +The Princess Elizabeth was that young gentle girl who had died a +prisoner at Carisbrooke Castle, a few years after her father's murder, +her cheek resting on the little Bible which had been his last gift. Her +cake was a rich plum-cake, made with cream, eggs, and butter. + +"Did you get your other honour, Jenny?" asked Lady Fisher, as she helped +herself to the cake. + +"Madam?" asked Jenny, in some doubt. + +"Why, the jewel His Majesty sent you. I was something inclined to doubt +Featherstone might forget it." + +"Oh yes, madam, I thank you for asking, I have it quite safe. It was a +vast surprise to me, and most kind and gracious of His Majesty." + +"Well, now I think it was very ungracious in His Majesty," said Lady +Fisher, laughing. "I am sure he ought to have sent it to Millicent +here, who reckoned him a Roundhead and an assassin to boot, if he meant +to show how forgiving he could be to his enemies." + +"Oh!" cried Millicent, clasping her hands, "shall I ever forget how the +dear King took me by the hand? To think of having touched the hand of +His Sacred Majesty--" + +"Hold, Millicent! that's a new story," said Lady Fisher. "Last time I +heard you tell it, that horrid creature, Will Jackson, only offered to +take you by the hand. Has he got it done by now?" + +Millicent looked slightly confused, but speedily recovered herself. + +"O madam, I think he touched me. I do think I had the honour of +touching His Gracious Majesty's little finger, I really do!" + +"Really do, by all means, if it makes you happier; _I've_ no objection. +Jenny, I shall eat up all your cake. It is fit to be set before the +Queen. Millicent, I wonder you can find in your heart to wash your +hands." + +"Oh, but I _had_ washed them, madam, before I knew," answered Millicent +regretfully. + +"Well, I hope you had," answered Lady Fisher, "seeing there lay nine +years betwixt. Heigh ho! time runs away, and we with it. Seems pity, +doesn't it!" + +"Depends on where we're running to," replied Tom, who had entered +unseen. "Children that's running home, when they know their father's +got a fine present for them, isn't commonly feared of getting there too +soon." + +"But how if folks don't know, Tom?" suggested Jenny, and Millicent's +eyes reflected her query. + +"My dear," answered Tom humbly, "it's not for the likes of me to speak +afore such as her Ladyship. But I know what my dear old Uncle Anthony +was wont to say: `The only way to be certain you're on the way Home is +to make sure that you are going to your Father; and to do that you must +go with Him.' And I doubt if he'd speak different, now that he's got +Home." + +"Ay, I suppose we would all like to have God go with us," said Lady +Fisher gravely. + +"Madam, saving your presence, Uncle was used to say there's a many would +like vastly well to have God go with them, that isn't half so ready to +get up and go with God. David spake well when he said, `Make _Thy_ way +plain before my face.' The Lord's way is the sure and safe way, and +'tis the only one that leads Home." + +"I think, Jenny, you _are_ a happy woman," said Lady Fisher, an hour +later, as she took her leave. Tom had gone back to his work-shed. +"Good night; God be with you." + +"I am that, Madam, the Lord be praised," answered Jenny. "But the Lord +is to be praised for it, for I've done nought all my life but make +mistakes, until He took hold of me and put me right." + +------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Note: That part of the story which relates to King Charles and the Lane +family is quite true, with the exception of a few small details. +Authorities differ as to whether the King and Mrs Jane rode to Trent +House alone, or accompanied by the persons mentioned. Lord Wilmot +followed them the whole time, at a safe distance. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Gold that Glitters, by Emily Sarah Holt + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOLD THAT GLITTERS *** + +***** This file should be named 21234.txt or 21234.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/2/3/21234/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |