Put Yourself in His Place [97]
the spirits in the old church are saying mass for their souls. I'll go to supper.' So he came here to drink my ale, and tell his cock- and-bull story."
Grace put in her word with a sweet, candid face. "Sir, if there had been a light in that church, should we not have seen it?"
"Why, of course you would: you must have been within a hundred yards of it in your wanderings. I never thought of that."
Grace breathed again.
"However, we shall soon know. I have sent George and another man right up to the church to look. It is quite clear now."
Grace felt very anxious, but she forced on a careless air. "And suppose, after all, there should be a light?"
"Then George has his orders to come back and tell me; if there is a light, it is no ghost nor spirit, but some smuggler, or poacher, or vagrant, who is desecrating that sacred place; and I shall turn out with fifty men, and surround the church, and capture the scoundrel, and make an example of him."
Grace turned cold and looked at Mr. Coventry. She surprised a twinkle of satisfaction in his eye. She never forgot it.
She sat on thorns, and was so distraite she could hardly answer the simplest question.
At last, after an hour of cruel suspense, the servant came in, and said, "George is come back, sir."
"Oh, please let him come in here, and tell us."
"By all means. Send him in."
George appeared, the next moment, in the doorway. "Well?" said Mr. Raby.
"Well?" said Grace, pale, but self-possessed.
"Well," said George, sulkily, "it is all a lie. Th' old church is as black as my hat."
"I thought as much," said Mr. Raby. "There, go and get your supper."
Soon after this Grace went up to bed, and Jael came to her, and they talked by the fire while she was curling her hair. She was in high spirits, and Jael eyed her with wonder and curiosity.
"But, miss," said Jael, "the magpie was right. Oh, the foul bird! That's the only bird that wouldn't go into the ark with Noah and his folk."
"Indeed! I was not aware of the circumstance."
"'Twas so, miss; and I know the reason. A very old woman told me."
"She must have been very old indeed, to be an authority on that subject. Well, what was the reason?"
"She liked better to perch on the roof of th' ark, and jabber over the drowning world; that was why. So, ever after that, when a magpie flies across, turn back, or look to meet ill-luck."
"That is to say the worst creatures are stronger than their Creator, and can bring us bad luck against His will. And you call yourself a Christian? Why this is Paganism. They were frightened at ravens, and you at magpies. A fig for your magpies! and another for your Gabriel hounds! God is high above them all."
"Ay, sure; but these are signs of His will. Trouble and all comes from God. And so, whenever you see a magpie, or hear those terrible hounds--"
"Then tremble! for it is all to end in a bowl of punch, and a roaring fire; and Mr. Raby, that passes for a Tartar, being so kind to me; and me being in better spirits than I have been for ever so long."
"Oh, miss!"
"And oh, miss, to you. Why, what is the matter? I have been in danger! Very well; am I the first? I have had an adventure! All the better. Besides, it has shown me what good hearts there are in the world, yours amongst the rest." (Kissing her.) "Now don't interrupt, but listen to the words of the wise and their dark sayings. Excitement is a blessing. Young ladies need it more than anybody. Half the foolish things we do, it is because the old people are so stupid and don't provide us enough innocent excitement. Dancing till five is a good thing now and then; only that is too bodily, and ends in a headache, and feeling stupider than before. But to-night, what glorious excitement! Too late for dinner--drenched with snow--lost on a mountain--anxiety--fear--the Gabriel hounds--terror--despair--resignation--sudden relief--warm stockings--delightful sympathy--petted on every side--hungry--happy-- fires--punch! I never lived till to-night--I never relished
Grace put in her word with a sweet, candid face. "Sir, if there had been a light in that church, should we not have seen it?"
"Why, of course you would: you must have been within a hundred yards of it in your wanderings. I never thought of that."
Grace breathed again.
"However, we shall soon know. I have sent George and another man right up to the church to look. It is quite clear now."
Grace felt very anxious, but she forced on a careless air. "And suppose, after all, there should be a light?"
"Then George has his orders to come back and tell me; if there is a light, it is no ghost nor spirit, but some smuggler, or poacher, or vagrant, who is desecrating that sacred place; and I shall turn out with fifty men, and surround the church, and capture the scoundrel, and make an example of him."
Grace turned cold and looked at Mr. Coventry. She surprised a twinkle of satisfaction in his eye. She never forgot it.
She sat on thorns, and was so distraite she could hardly answer the simplest question.
At last, after an hour of cruel suspense, the servant came in, and said, "George is come back, sir."
"Oh, please let him come in here, and tell us."
"By all means. Send him in."
George appeared, the next moment, in the doorway. "Well?" said Mr. Raby.
"Well?" said Grace, pale, but self-possessed.
"Well," said George, sulkily, "it is all a lie. Th' old church is as black as my hat."
"I thought as much," said Mr. Raby. "There, go and get your supper."
Soon after this Grace went up to bed, and Jael came to her, and they talked by the fire while she was curling her hair. She was in high spirits, and Jael eyed her with wonder and curiosity.
"But, miss," said Jael, "the magpie was right. Oh, the foul bird! That's the only bird that wouldn't go into the ark with Noah and his folk."
"Indeed! I was not aware of the circumstance."
"'Twas so, miss; and I know the reason. A very old woman told me."
"She must have been very old indeed, to be an authority on that subject. Well, what was the reason?"
"She liked better to perch on the roof of th' ark, and jabber over the drowning world; that was why. So, ever after that, when a magpie flies across, turn back, or look to meet ill-luck."
"That is to say the worst creatures are stronger than their Creator, and can bring us bad luck against His will. And you call yourself a Christian? Why this is Paganism. They were frightened at ravens, and you at magpies. A fig for your magpies! and another for your Gabriel hounds! God is high above them all."
"Ay, sure; but these are signs of His will. Trouble and all comes from God. And so, whenever you see a magpie, or hear those terrible hounds--"
"Then tremble! for it is all to end in a bowl of punch, and a roaring fire; and Mr. Raby, that passes for a Tartar, being so kind to me; and me being in better spirits than I have been for ever so long."
"Oh, miss!"
"And oh, miss, to you. Why, what is the matter? I have been in danger! Very well; am I the first? I have had an adventure! All the better. Besides, it has shown me what good hearts there are in the world, yours amongst the rest." (Kissing her.) "Now don't interrupt, but listen to the words of the wise and their dark sayings. Excitement is a blessing. Young ladies need it more than anybody. Half the foolish things we do, it is because the old people are so stupid and don't provide us enough innocent excitement. Dancing till five is a good thing now and then; only that is too bodily, and ends in a headache, and feeling stupider than before. But to-night, what glorious excitement! Too late for dinner--drenched with snow--lost on a mountain--anxiety--fear--the Gabriel hounds--terror--despair--resignation--sudden relief--warm stockings--delightful sympathy--petted on every side--hungry--happy-- fires--punch! I never lived till to-night--I never relished