In the Roar of the Sea/Chapter 18
CHAPTER XVIII.
UNA.
When Judith opened her eyes, she found herself in a strange room, but as she looked about her she saw Aunt Dionysia with her hands behind her back looking out of the window.
"Oh, aunt! Where am I?"
Miss Trevisa turned.
"So you have come round at last, or pleased to pretend to come round. It is hard to tell whether or not dissimulation was here."
"Dissimulation, aunt?"
"There's no saying. Young folks are not what they were in my day. They have neither the straightforwardness nor the consideration for their elders and betters."
"But—where am I?"
"At the Glaze; not where I put you, but where you have put yourself."
"I did not come here, auntie, dear."
"Don't auntie dear me, and deprive me of my natural sleep."
"Have I?"
"Have you not? Three nights have I had to sit up. And natural sleep is as necessary to me at my age as is stays. I fall abroad without one or the other. Give me my choice—whether I'd have nephews and nieces crawling about me or erysipelas, and I'd choose the latter."
" But, aunt—I'm sorry if I am a trouble to you."
"Of course you are a trouble. How can you be other? Don't burs stick? But that is neither here nor there."
"Aunt, how came I to Pentyre Glaze?"
"I didn't invite you, and I didn't bring you—you may be sure of that. Captain Coppinger found you somewhere on the down at night, when you ought to have been at home. You were insensible, or pretended to be so—it's not for me to say which." "Oh, aunt, I don't want to be here."
"Nor do I want you here—and in my room, too. Hoity-toity! nephews and nieces are just like pigs—you want them to go one way and they run the other."
"But I should like to know where Captain Coppinger found me, and all about it. I don't remember anything."
"Then you must ask him yourself."
"I should like to get up; may I?"
"I can't say till the doctor comes. There's no telling—I might be blamed. I shall be pleased enough when you are shifted to your own room," and she pointed to a door.
"My room, auntie?"
"I suppose so; I don't know whose else it is."
Then Miss Trevisa whisked put of the room.
Judith lay quietly in bed trying to collect her thoughts and recall something of what had happened. She could recollect fastening her wrist to the shrub by her brother's dog-chain; then, with all the vividness of a recurrence of the scene—the fall of the man, the stroke on her cheek, his roll over and plunge down the precipice. The recollection made a film come over her eyes and her heart stand still. After that she remembered nothing. She tried hard to bring to mind one single twinkle of remembrance, but in vain. It was like looking at a wall and straining the eyes to see through it.
Then she raised herself in bed to look about her. She was in her aunt's room, and in her aunt's bed. She had been brought there by Captain Coppinger. He, therefore, had rescued her from the position of peril in which she had been. So far she could understand. She would have liked to know more, but more, probably, her aunt could not tell her, even if inclined to do so.
Where was Jamie? Was he at Uncle Zachie's? Had he been anxious and unhappy about her? She hoped he had got into no trouble during the time he had been free from her supervision. Judith felt that she must go back to Mr. Menaida's and to Jamie. She could not stay at the Glaze. She could not be happy with her ever-grumbling, ill-tempered aunt. Besides, her father would not have wished her to be there.
What did Aunt Dunes mean when she pointed to a door and spoke of her room?
Judith could not judge whether she were strong till she tried her strength. She slipped her feet to the floor, stood up and stole over the floor to that door which her aunt had indicated. She timidly raised the latch, after listening at it, opened and peeped into a small apartment. To her surprise she saw the little bed she had occupied at her dear home, the rectory, her old washstand, her mirror, the old chairs, the framed pictures that had adorned her walls, the common and trifling ornaments that had been arranged on her chimney-piece. Every object with which she had been familiar at the parsonage for many years, and to which she had said good-by, never expecting to have a right to them any more—all these were there, furnishing the room that adjoined her aunt's apartment.
She stood looking around in surprise, till she heard a step on the stair outside, and, supposing it was that of Aunt Dionysia, she ran back to bed, and dived under the clothes and pulled the sheets over her golden head.
Aunt Dunes entered the room, bringing with her a bowl of soup. Her eye at once caught the opened door into the little adjoining chamber.
"You have been out of bed!"
Judith thrust her head out of its hiding-place, and said, frankly, "Yes, auntie! I could not help myself. I want to see. How have you managed to get all my things together?"
"I? I have had nothing to do with it."
"But—who did it, auntie?"
"Captain Coppinger; he was at the sale."
"Is the sale over, aunt?"
"Yes, whilst you have been ill."
"Oh, I am so glad it is over, and I knew nothing about it."
"Oh, exactly! Not a thought of the worry you have been to me; deprived of my sleep—of my bed—of my bed," repeated Aunt Dunes, grimly. "How can you expect a bulb to flower if you take it out of the earth and stick it on a bedroom chair stirring broth? I have no patience with you young people. You are consumed with selfishness."
"But, auntie! Don't be cross. Why did Captain Coppinger buy all my dear crinkum-crankums?"
Aunt Dionysia snorted and tossed her head.
Judith suddenly flushed; she did not repeat the question, but said hastily, "Auntie, I want to go back to Mr. Menaida."
"You cannot desire it more than I do," said Miss Trevisa, sharply. "But whether he will let you go is another matter."
"Aunt Dunes, if I want to go, I will go!"
"Indeed!"
"I will go back as soon as ever I can."
"Well, that can't be to-day, for one thing."
The evening of that same day Judith was removed into the adjoining room, "her room," as Miss Trevisa designated it. "And mind you sleep soundly, and don't trouble me in the night. Natural sleep is as suitable to me as green peas to duck."
When, next morning, the girl awoke, her eyes ranged round and lighted everywhere on familiar objects. The two mezzotints of Happy and Deserted Auburn, the old and battered pieces of Dresden ware, vases with flowers encrusted round them, but with most of the petals broken off—vases too injured to be of value to a purchaser, valuable to her because full of reminiscences—the tapestry firescreen, the painted fans with butterflies on them, the mirror blotched with damp, the inlaid wafer-box and ruler, the old snuffer-tray. Her eyes filled with tears. A gathering together into one room of old trifles did not make that strange room to be home. It was the father, the dear father, who, now that he was taken away, made home an impossibility, and the whole world, however crowded with old familiar odds and ends, to be desert and strange. The sight of all her old "crinkum-crankums," as she had called them, made Judith's heart smart. It was kindly meant by Coppinger to purchase all these things and collect them there; but it was a mistake of judgment. Grateful she was, not gratified.
In the little room there was an ottoman with a wool-work cover representing a cluster of dark red, pink, and white roses; and at each corner of the ottoman was a tassel, which had been a constant source of trouble to Judith, as the tassels would come off, sometimes because the cat played with them, sometimes because Jamie pulled them off in mischief, sometimes because they caught in her dress. Her father had embroidered those dreadful roses on a buff ground one winter when confined to the house by a heavy cold and cough. She valued that ottoman for his sake, and would not have suffered it to go into the sale had she possessed any place she could regard as her own where to put it. She needed no such article to remind her of the dear father—the thought of him would be forever present to her without the assistance of ottomans to refresh her memory.
On this ottoman, when dressed, Judith seated herself, and let her hands rest in her lap. She was better; she would soon be well; and when well would take the first opportunity to depart.
The door was suddenly thrown open by her aunt, and in the doorway stood Coppinger looking at her. He raised his hand to his hat in salutation, but said nothing. She was startled and unable to speak. In another moment the door was shut again.
That day she resolved that nothing should detain her longer than she was forced. Jamie—her own dear Jamie—came to see her, and the twins were locked in each other's arms.
"Oh, Ju! darling Ju! You are quite well, are you not? And Captain Coppinger has given me a gray donkey instead of Tib; and I'm to ride it about whenever I choose!"
"But, dear, Mr. Menaida has no stable, and no paddock."
"Oh, Ju! that's nothing. I'm coming up here, and we shall be together—the donkey and you and me and. Aunt Dunes!"
"No, Jamie. Nothing of the sort. Listen to me. You remain at Mr. Menaida's. I am coming back."
"But I've already brought up my clothes."
"You take them back. Attend to me. You do not come here. I go back to Mr. Menaida's immediately."
"But, Ju! you've got all your pretty things from the parsonage here!"
"They are not mine. Mr. Coppinger bought them for himself."
"But—the donkey?"
"Leave the donkey here. Pay attention to my words. I lay a strict command on you. As you love me, Jamie, do not leave Mr. Menaida's; remain there till my return."
That night there was a good deal of noise in the house. Judith's room lay in a wing, nevertheless she heard the riot, for the house was not large, and the sounds from the hall penetrated every portion of it. She was frightened, and went into Miss Trevisa's room.
"Aunt! what is this dreadful racket about?"
"Go to sleep—you cannot have every one shut his mouth because of you."
"But what is it, auntie?"
"It is nothing but the master has folk with him, if you wish particularly to know. The whole cargo of the Black Prince has been run, and not a finger has been laid by the coast-guard on a single barrel or bale. So they are celebrating their success. Go to bed and sleep. It is naught to you."
"I cannot sleep, aunt. They are singing now."
"Why should they not; have you aught against it? You are not mistress here, that I am aware of."
"But, auntie, are there many down-stairs?"
"I do not know. It is no concern of mine—and certainly none of yours."
Judith was silenced for a while by her aunt's ill-humor; but she did not return to her room. Presently she asked—
"Are you sure, aunt, that Jamie is gone back to Polzeath?"
Miss Trevisa kicked the stool from under her feet, in her impatience.
"Really! you drive me desperate. I did not bargain for this. Am I to tear over the country on post-horses to seek a nephew here and a niece there? I can't tell where Jamie is, and what is more, I do not care. I'll do my duty by you both. I'll do no more; and that has been forced on me, it was not sought by me. Heaven be my witness."
Judith returned to her room. The hard and sour woman would afford her no information.
In her room she threw herself on her bed and began to think. She was in the very home and head-quarters of contrabandism. But was smuggling a sin? Surely not that, or her father would have condemned it decidedly. She remembered his hesitation relative to it, in the last conversation they had together. Perhaps it was not actually a sin—she could recall no text in Scripture that denounced it—but it was a thing forbidden, and though she did not understand why it was forbidden, she considered that it could not be an altogether honorable and righteous traffic. Judith was unable to rest. It was not the noise that disturbed her so much as her uneasiness about Jamie. Had he obeyed her and gone back to Uncle Zachie? Or had he neglected her injunction, and was he in the house, was he below along with the revellers?
She opened the door gently, and stole along the passage to the head of the stairs, and listened. She could smell the fumes of tobacco; but to these she was familiar. The atmosphere of Mr. Menaida's cottage was redolent of the Virginian weed. The noise was, however, something to which she was utterly unaccustomed: the boisterous merriment, the shouts, and occasional oaths. Then a fiddle was played. There was disputation, a pause, then the fiddle recommenced; it played a jig; there was a clatter of feet, then a roar of laughter—and then—she was almost sure she heard the voice of her brother.
Regardless of herself, thinking only of him, without a moment's consideration, she ran down the stairs and threw open the door into the great kitchen or hall.
It was full of men—wild, rough fellows—drinking and smoking; there were lights and a fire. The atmosphere was rank with spirits and tobacco; on a chair sat a sailor fiddling, and in the midst of the room, on a table, was Jamie dancing a jig, to the laughter and applause of the revellers.
The moment Judith appeared silence ensued—the men were surprised to see a pale and delicate girl stand before them, with a crown of gold like a halo round her ivory-white face. But Judith took no notice of anyone there—her eyes were on her brother, and her hand raised to attract his attention. Judith had been in bed, but, disturbed by the uproar, had risen and drawn on her gown; her feet, however, were bare, and her magnificent hair poured over her shoulders unbound. Her whole mind, her whole care, was for Jamie; on herself not a thought rested; she had forgotten that she was but half clothed.
"Jamie! Jamie!" she cried. "My brother! my brother!"
The fiddler ceased, lowered his violin, and stared at her.
"Ju, let me alone! It is such fun," said the boy.
"Jamie! this instant you shall come with me. Get down off the table!"
As he hesitated, and looked round to the men who had been applauding him for support against his sister, she went to the table, and caught him by the feet.
"Jamie! in pity to me! Jamie! think—papa is but just dead."
Then tears of sorrow, shame, and entreaty filled her eyes.
"No, Ju! I'm not tied to your apron-strings," said the lad, disengaging himself.
But in an instant he was caught from the table by the strong arm of Coppinger, and thrust toward the door.
"Judith, you should not have come here."
"Oh, Mr. Coppinger—and Jamie! why did you let him——"
Coppinger drew the girl from the room into the passage.
"Judith, not for the world would I have had you here," said he, in an agitated voice. "I'll kill your aunt for letting you come down."
"Mr. Coppinger, she knew nothing of my coming. Come I must—I heard Jamie's voice."
"Go," said the Captain, shaking the boy. He was ashamed of himself and angry. "Beware how you disobey your sister again."
Coppinger's face was red as fire. He turned to Judith——
"Your feet are bare. Let me carry you up-stairs—carry you once more."
She shook her head. "As I came down so I can return."
"Will you forgive me?" he said, in a low tone.
"Heaven forgive you," she answered, and burst into tears. "You will break my heart, I foresee it."