"Yes," said he, "this boy, then, shall console me for the perverse brutality of the other. He shall indeed drink of my cup, and eat of my bread, and be to me as a brother."
"What!" said Mr. Spencer, changing countenance, "you do not intend to take Sidney to live with you. I meant him for my son--my adopted son."
"No; generous as you are," said Arthur, pressing his hand, "this charge devolves on me--it is my right. I am the orphan"s relation--his mother consigned him to me. But he shall be taught to love you not the less."
Mr. Spencer was silent. He could not bear the thought of losing Sidney as an inmate of his cheerless home, a tender relic of his early love.
From that moment he began to contemplate the possibility of securing Sidney to himself, unknown to Beaufort.
The plans both of Arthur and Spencer were interrupted by the sudden retreat of the brothers. They determined to depart different ways in search of them. Spencer, as the more helpless of the two, obtained the aid of Mr. Sharp; Beaufort departed with the lawyer.
Two travellers, in a hired barouche, were slowly dragged by a pair of jaded posters along the commons I have just described.
"I think," said one, "that the storm is very much abated; heigho! what an unpleasant night!"
"Unkimmon ugly, sir," answered the other; "and an awful long stage, eighteen miles. These here remote places are quite behind the age, sir--quite. However, I think we shall kitch them now."
"I am very much afraid of that eldest boy, Sharp. He seems a dreadful vagabond."
"You see, sir, quite hand in glove with Dashing Jerry; met in the same inn last night--preconcerted, you may be quite shure. It would be the best day"s job I have done this many a day to save that "ere little fellow from being corrupted. You sees he is just of a size to be useful to these bad karakters. If they took to burglary, he would be a treasure to them--slip him through a pane of gla.s.s like a ferret, sir."
"Don"t talk of it, Sharp," said Mr. Spencer, with a groan; "and recollect, if we get hold of him, that you are not to say a word to Mr.
Beaufort."
"I understand, sir; and I always goes with the gemman who behaves most like a gemman."
Here a loud halloo was heard close by the horses" heads. "Good Heavens, if that is a footpad!" said Mr. Spencer, shaking violently.
"Lord, sir, I have my barkers with me. Who"s there?" The barouche stopped--a man came to the window. "Excuse me, sir," said the stranger; "but there is a poor boy here so tired and ill that I fear he will never reach the next town, unless you will koindly give him a lift."
"A poor boy!" said Mr. Spencer, poking his head over the head of Mr.
Sharp. "Where?"
"If you would just drop him at the King"s Awrms it would be a chaurity,"
said the man.
Sharp pinched Mr. Spencer in his shoulder. "That"s Dashing Jerry; I"ll get out." So saying, he opened the door, jumped into the road, and presently reappeared with the lost and welcome Sidney in his arms.
"Ben"t this the boy?" he whispered to Mr. Spencer; and, taking the lamp from the carriage, he raised it to the child"s face.
"It is! it is! G.o.d be thanked!" exclaimed the worthy man.
"Will you leave him at the King"s Awrms?--we shall be there in an hour or two," cried the Captain.
"We! Who"s we?" said Sharp, gruffly. "Why, myself and the choild"s brother."
"Oh!" said Sharp, raising the lantern to his own face; "you knows me, I think, Master Jerry? Let me kitch you again, that"s all. And give my compliments to your "sociate, and say, if he prosecutes this here hurchin any more, we"ll settle his bizness for him; and so take a hint and make yourself scarce, old boy!"
With that Mr. Sharp jumped into the barouche, and bade the postboy drive on as fast as he could.
Ten minutes after this abduction, Philip, followed by two labourers, with a barrow, a lantern, and two blankets, returned from the hospitable farm to which the light had conducted him. The spot where he had left Sidney, and which he knew by a neighbouring milestone, was vacant; he shouted an alarm, and the Captain answered from the distance of some threescore yards. Philip came to him. "Where is my brother?"
"Gone away in a barouche and pair. Devil take me if I understand it."
And the Captain proceeded to give a confused account of what had pa.s.sed.
"My brother! my brother! they have torn thee from me, then;" cried Philip, and he fell to the earth insensible.
CHAPTER XI.
"Vous me rendrez mon frere!"
CASIMER DELAVIGNE: Les Enfans d"Edouard.
["You shall restore me my brother!]
One evening, a week after this event, a wild, tattered, haggard youth knocked at the door of Mr. Robert Beaufort. The porter slowly presented himself.
"Is your master at home? I must see him instantly."
"That"s more than you can, my man; my master does not see the like of you at this time of night," replied the porter, eying the ragged apparition before him with great disdain.
"See me he must and shall," replied the young man; and as the porter blocked up the entrance, he grasped his collar with a hand of iron, swung him, huge as he was, aside, and strode into the s.p.a.cious hall.
"Stop! stop!" cried the porter, recovering himself. "James! John! here"s a go!"
Mr. Robert Beaufort had been back in town several days. Mrs. Beaufort, who was waiting his return from his club, was in the dining-room.
Hearing a noise in the hall, she opened the door, and saw the strange grim figure I have described, advancing towards her. "Who are you?" said she; "and what do you want?"
"I am Philip Morton. Who are you?"
"My husband," said Mrs. Beaufort, shrinking into the parlour, while Morton followed her and closed the door, "my husband, Mr. Beaufort, is not at home."
"You are Mrs. Beaufort, then! Well, you can understand me. I want my brother. He has been basely reft from me. Tell me where he is, and I will forgive all. Restore him to me, and I will bless you and yours."
And Philip fell on his knees and grasped the train of her gown. "I know nothing of your brother, Mr. Morton," cried Mrs. Beaufort, surprised and alarmed. "Arthur, whom we expect every day, writes us word that all search for him has been in vain."
"Ha! you admit the search?" cried Morton, rising and clenching his hands. "And who else but you or yours would have parted brother and brother? Answer me where he is. No subterfuge, madam: I am desperate!"
Mrs. Beaufort, though a woman of that worldly coldness and indifference which, on ordinary occasions, supply the place of courage, was extremely terrified by the tone and mien of her rude guest. She laid her hand on the bell; but Morton seized her arm, and, holding it sternly, said, while his dark eyes shot fire through the glimmering room, "I will not stir hence till you have told me. Will you reject my grat.i.tude, my blessing? Beware! Again, where have you hid my brother?"
At that instant the door opened, and Mr. Robert Beaufort entered. The lady, with a shriek of joy, wrenched herself from Philip"s grasp, and flew to her husband.
"Save me from this ruffian!" she said, with an hysterical sob.
Mr. Beaufort, who had heard from Blackwell strange accounts of Philip"s obdurate perverseness, vile a.s.sociates, and unredeemable character, was roused from his usual timidity by the appeal of his wife.
"Insolent reprobate!" he said, advancing to Philip; "after all the absurd goodness of my son and myself; after rejecting all our offers, and persisting in your miserable and vicious conduct, how dare you presume to force yourself into this house? Begone, or I will send for the constables to remove YOU!
"Man, man," cried Philip, restraining the fury that shook him from head to foot, "I care not for your threats--I scarcely hear your abuse--your son, or yourself, has stolen away my brother: tell me only where he is; let me see him once more. Do not drive me hence, without one word of justice, of pity. I implore you--on my knees I implore you--yes, I,--I implore you, Robert Beaufort, to have mercy on your brother"s son. Where is Sidney?" Like all mean and cowardly men, Robert Beaufort was rather encouraged than softened by Philip"s abrupt humility.