"That is one thing I wanted to say. You see, sir, we have but just come into your house, and already, last night, Jamie was tempted to disobey me, and take what I thought unadvisable, so--I have been turning it over and over in my head--I thought I would like to come to a clear understanding with you, Mr. Menaida. It seems ungracious in me, but you must pity me. I have now all responsibility for Jamie on my head, and I have to do what my conscience tells me I should do; only, I pray you, do not take offence at what I have said."
"Fudge! my dear; you are right, I dare say."
"And now that I have your promise--I have that, have I not?"
"Yes, certainly."
"Now I want your opinion, if you will kindly give it me. I have no father, no mother, to go to for advice; and so I venture to appeal to you--it is about Captain Coppinger."
"Captain Coppinger!" repeated Uncle Zachie, s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g up his brows and mouth. "Umph! He is a bold man who can give help against Captain Coppinger, and a strong man as well as bold. How has he wronged you?"
"Oh! he has not wronged me. It is I who have hurt him."
"You--you!" Uncle Zachie laughed. "A little creature such as you could not hurt Captain Cruel!"
"But, indeed, I have; I have thrown him down and broken his arms and some of his bones."
"You--you?" Uncle Zachie"s face of astonishment and dismay was so comical that Judith, in spite of her anxiety and exhaustion, smiled; but the smile was without brightness.
"And pray, how in the name of wonder did you do that? Upon my word, you will deserve the thanks of the Preventive men. They have no love for him; they have old scores they would gladly wipe off with a broken arm, or, better still, a cracked skull. And pray how did you do this?
With the flour-roller?"
"No, sir, I will tell you the whole story."
Then, in its true sequence, with great clearness, she related the entire narrative of events. She told how her father, even with his last breath, had spoken of Coppinger as the man who had troubled his life by marring his work; how that the Captain had entered the parsonage without ceremony when her dear father was lying dead up-stairs, and how he had called there boisterously for Aunt Dionysia because he wanted something of her. She told the old man how that her own feelings had been wrought, by this affront, into anger against Coppinger. Then she related the incident in the lane, and how that, when he raised his arm against her, she had dashed the b.u.t.tons into his face, frightened his horse, and so produced an accident that might have cost the Captain his life.
"Bless my soul!" exclaimed Mr. Menaida, "and what do you want? Is it an a.s.sault? I will run to my law-books and find out; I don"t know that it can quite be made out a case of misadventure."
"It is not that, sir."
"Then what do you want?"
"I have been racking my head to think what I ought to do under the circ.u.mstances. There can be no doubt that I aggravated him. I was very angry, both because he had been a trouble to my darling papa, and then because he had been so insolent as to enter our house and shout for Aunt Dunes; but there was something more--he had tried to beat Jamie, and it was my father"s day of burial. All that roused a bad spirit in me, and I did say very bad words to him--words a man of metal would not bear from even a child, and I suppose I really did lash him to madness, and he would have struck me--but perhaps not, he might have thought better of it. I provoked him, and then I brought about what happened. I have been considering what I ought to do. If I remain here and take no notice, then he will think me very unfeeling, and that I do not care that I have hurt him in mind and body. It came into my head last night that I would ask aunt to apologize to him for what I had done, or, better still, should aunt not come here to-day, which is very likely, that I might walk with Jamie to Pentyre and inquire how Captain Coppinger is, and send in word by my aunt that I am sorry--very sorry."
"Upon my soul, I don"t know what to say. I could not have done this to Coppinger myself for a good deal of money. I think if I had, I would get out of the place as quickly as possible, while he was crippled by his broken bones. But then, you are a girl, and he may take it better from you than from me. Well--yes; I think it would be advisable to allay his anger if you can. Upon my word, you have put yourself into a difficult position. I"ll go and look at my law-books, just for my own satisfaction."
A heavy blow on the door, and without waiting for a response and invitation to enter, it was thrown open, and there entered Cruel Coppinger, his arm bandaged, tied in splints, and bound to his body, with his heavy walking-stick brandished by the uninjured hand. He stood for a moment glowering in, searching the room with his keen eyes till they rested on Judith. Then he made an attempt to raise his hand to his head, but ineffectually.
"Curse it!" said he, "I cannot do it; don"t tear it off my head with your eyes, girl. Here, you Menaida, come here and take my hat off.
Come instantly, or she--she will do--the devil knows what she will not do to me."
He turned, and with his stick beat the door back, that it slammed behind him.
CHAPTER VIII.
A PATCHED PEACE.
"Look at her!" cried Coppinger, with his back against the house door, and pointing to Judith with his stick.
She was standing near the piano, with one hand on it, and was half turned toward him. She was in black, but had a white kerchief about her neck. The absence of all color in her dress heightened the l.u.s.tre of her abundant and glowing hair.
Coppinger remained for a moment, pointing with a half sneer on his dark face. Mr. Menaida had nervously complied with his demand, and had removed the hat from the smuggler, and his dark hair fell about his face. That face was livid and pale; he had evidently suffered much, and now every movement was attended with pain. Not only had some of his bones been broken, but he was bruised and strained.
"Look at her!" he shouted again, in his deep commanding tones, and he fixed his fierce eyes on her and knitted his brows. She remained immovable, awaiting what he had to say. Though there was a flutter in her bosom, her hand on the piano did not shake.
"I am very sorry, Captain Coppinger," said Judith, in a low, sweet voice, in which there was but a slight tremulousness. "I profess that I believe I acted wrongly yesterday, and I repeat that I am sorry--very sorry, Captain Coppinger."
He made no reply. He lowered the stick that had been pointed at her, and leaned on it. His hand shook because he was in pain.
"I acted wrongly yesterday," continued Judith, "but I acted under provocation that, if it does not justify what I did, palliates the wrong. I can say no more--that is the exact truth."
"Is that all?"
"I am sorry for what was wrong in my conduct--frankly sorry that you are hurt."
"You hear her?" laughed Coppinger, bitterly. "A little chit like that to speak to me thus"--then, turning sharply on her, "Are you not afraid?"
"No, I am not afraid; why should I be?"
"Why? Ask any one in S. Enodoc--any one in Cornwall--who has heard my name."
"I beg your pardon. I do not want to ask any one else in S. Enodoc, any one else in Cornwall. I ask you."
"Me? You ask me why you should be afraid of me?" He paused, drew his thick brows together till they formed a band across his forehead. "I tell you that none has ever wronged me by a blade of gra.s.s or a flock of wool but has paid for it a thousand-fold. And none has ever hurt me as you have done--none has ever dared to attempt it."
"I have said that I am sorry."
"You talk like one cold as a mermaid. I do not believe in your fearlessness. Why do you lean on the piano. There, touch the wires with the very tips of your fingers, and let me hear if they give a sound--and sound they will if you tremble."
Judith exposed some of the wires by raising the top of the piano. Then she smiled, and stood with the tips of her delicate fingers just touching the chords. Coppinger listened, so did Uncle Zachie, and not a vibration could they detect.
Presently she withdrew her hand, and said, "Is not that enough? When a girl says, "I am sorry," I supposed the chapter was done and the book closed."
"You have strange ideas."
"I have those in which I was brought up by the best of fathers."
Coppinger thrust his stick along the floor.
"Is it due to the ideas in which you have been brought up that you are not afraid--when you have reduced me to a wreck?"
"And you?--are you afraid of the wreck that you have made?"
The dark blood sprang into and suffused his whole face. Uncle Zachie drew back against the wall and made signs to Judith not to provoke their self-invited visitor; but she was looking steadily at the Captain, and did not observe the signals. In Coppinger"s presence she felt nerved to stand on the defensive, and more, to attack. A threat in his whole bearing, in his manner of addressing her, roused every energy she possessed.