In another instant the shadow manifested itself in a substantial little personage, booted, spurred, and mud-bespattered. He was brought before our highwayman, who had, meanwhile, vaulted into his saddle.
"Mr. Coates!" cried d.i.c.k, bursting into a loud laugh at the ridiculous figure presented to his view, "or the mud deceives me."
"It does not deceive you, Captain Turpin," replied the attorney; "you do, indeed, behold that twice unfortunate person."
"What brings you here?" asked d.i.c.k. "Ah! I see, you are come to pay me my wager."
"I thought you gave me a _discharge_ for that," rejoined Coates, unable, even in his distress, to resist the too-tempting quibble.
"True, but it was _in blank_," replied Turpin readily; "and that don"t hold good in law, you know. You have thrown away a second chance. Play or pay, all the world over. I shan"t _let you off_ so easily this time, depend upon it. Come, post the pony, or take your measure on that sod.
No more replications or rejoinders, sir, down with the dust. Fake his clies, pals. Let us see what he has about him."
"In the twinkling of a bed-post," replied Rust. "We"ll turn him inside out. What"s here?" cried he, searching the attorney"s pockets. "A brace of barkers," handing a pair of pistols to Turpin, "a haddock, stuffed with nothing, I"m thinking; one quid, two coach-wheels, half a bull, three hogs, and a kick; a d--d d.i.c.ky concern, captain."
"Three hogs and a kick," muttered Coates; "the knave says true enough."
"Is there nothing else?" demanded d.i.c.k.
"Only an old snuffy fogle and a pewter sneezer."
"No reader?[90] Try his hoxter."[91]
"Here"s a pit-man,[92] captain."
"Give it me. Ah! this will do," cried d.i.c.k, examining the contents of the pocket-book. "This is a glorious windfall indeed; a bill of exchange for 500_l._, payable _on demand_, eh, Mr. Coates? Quick! indorse it, sir. Here"s pen and ink. Rascal! if you attempt to tear the bill, I"ll blow your brains out. Steady, sir, sign. Good!" added he, as Coates most reluctantly indorsed the bill. "Good! good! I"ll be off with this bill to London to-night, before you can stop it. No courier can beat Bess--ha, ha! Eh! what"s this?" continued d.i.c.k, as, unfolding another leaf of the pocket-book, he chanced upon a letter; "My Lady Rookwood"s superscription! Excuse me, Mr. Coates, I must have a peep at her ladyship"s billet-doux. All"s safe with me--man of honor. I must detain your _reader_ a moment longer."
"You should take charge of yourself, then," replied Coates, sulkily.
"_You_ appear to be my reader."
"Bravo!" cried Turpin. "You may jest now with impunity, Mr. Coates. You have paid dear enough for your jokes; and when should a man be allowed to be pleasant, if not at his own expense?--ha, ha! What"s this?"
exclaimed he, opening the letter. "A ring, as I"m awake! and from her ladyship"s own fair finger, I"ll be sworn, for it bears her cipher, ineffaceably impressed as your image upon her heart--eh, Coates? Egad!
you are a lucky dog, after all, to receive _such_ a favor from _such_ a lady--ha, ha! Meantime, I"ll take care of it for you," continued d.i.c.k, slipping the ring on his little finger.
Turpin, we have before remarked, had a turn for mimicry; and it was with an irresistible feeling of deferential awe creeping over him that Coates heard the contents of Lady Rookwood"s epistle delivered with an enunciation as peremptory and imperious as that of her ladyship"s self.
The letter was hastily indited, in a clear, firm hand, and partook of its writer"s decision of character. d.i.c.k found no difficulty in deciphering it. Thus ran the missive:
"a.s.sured of your devotion and secrecy, I commit my own honor, and that of my son, to your charge. Time will not permit me to see you, or I would not write. But I place myself entirely in your hands. You will not dare to betray my confidence. To the point:--A Major Mowbray has just arrived here with intelligence that the body of Susan Bradley--you will know to whom I allude--has been removed from our family vault by a Romish priest and his a.s.sistants. How it came there, or why it has been removed, I know not; it is not my present purpose to inquire. Suffice it, that it now lies in a vault beneath the ruins of Davenham Priory. My son, Sir Ranulph, who has lent a credulous ear to the artful tales of the impostor who calls this woman mother, is at present engaged in arming certain of the household, and of the tenantry, to seize upon and bring away this body, as resistance is apprehended from a horde of gipsies who infest the ruins. Now, mark me. THAT BODY MUST NOT BE FOUND! Be it your business to prevent its discovery. Take the fleetest horse you can procure; spare neither whip nor spur. Haste to the priory; procure by any means, and at any expense, the a.s.sistance of the gipsies. Find out the body; conceal it, destroy it--do what you will, so my son find it not. Fear not his resentment; I will bear you harmless of the consequences with him. You will act upon my responsibility. I pledge my honor for your safety. Use all despatch, and calculate upon due requital from
"MAUD ROOKWOOD.
"Haste, and G.o.d speed you!"
"G.o.d speed you!" echoed d.i.c.k, in his own voice, contemptuously. "The devil drive you! would have been a fitter postscript. And it was upon this precious errand you came, Mr. Coates?"
"Precisely," replied the attorney; "but I find the premises preoccupied.
Fast as I have ridden, you are here before me."
"And what do you now propose to do?" asked Turpin.
"Bargain with you for the body," replied Coates, in an insinuating tone.
"With _me_!" said d.i.c.k; "do you take me for a resurrection cove; for a dealer in dead stock, eh! sirrah?"
"I take you for one sufficiently _alive_, in a general way, to his own interests," returned Coates. "These gentlemen may not, perhaps, be quite so scrupulous, when they hear my proposals."
"Be silent, sir," interrupted Turpin. "Hist! I hear the tramp of horses"
hoofs without. Hark! that shout."
"Make your own terms before they come," said Coates. "Leave all to me.
I"ll put "em on a wrong scent."
"To the devil with your terms," cried Turpin; "the signal!" And he pulled the trigger of one of Coates"s pistols, the shot of which rang in the ears of the astounded attorney as it whizzed past him. "Drag him into the mouth of the vault," thundered Turpin: "he will be a capital cover in case of attack. Look to your sticks, and be on the alert;--away!"
Vainly did the unfortunate attorney kick and struggle, swear and scream; his hat was pushed over his eyes; his bob-wig thrust into his mouth; and his legs tripped from under him. Thus blind, dumb, and half-suffocated, he was hurried into the entrance of the cell.
d.i.c.k, meanwhile, dashed to the arched outlet of the ruin. He there drew in the rein, and Black Bess stood motionless as a statue.
_CHAPTER XIV_
_d.i.c.k TURPIN_
Many a fine fellow with a genius extensive enough to have effected universal reformation has been doomed to perish by the halter. But does not such a man"s renown extend through centuries and tens of centuries, while many a prince would be overlooked in history were it not the historian"s interest to increase the number of his pages?
Nay, when the traveller sees a gibbet, does he not exclaim, "That fellow was no fool!" and lament the hardship of the times?--SCHILLER: _The Robbers_.
Turpin"s quick eye ranged over the spreading sward in front of the ancient priory, and his brow became contracted. The feeling, however, was transient. The next instant saw him the same easy, reckless being he had been before. There was a little more paleness in his cheek than usual; but his look was keener, and his knees involuntarily clasped the saddle more firmly. No other symptom of anxiety was perceptible. It would be no impeachment to d.i.c.k"s valor were it necessary to admit that a slight tremor crossed him as he scanned the formidable array of his opponents. The admission is needless. d.i.c.k himself would have been the last man to own it; nor shall we do the memory of our undaunted highwayman any such injustice. Turpin was intrepid to a fault. He was rash; apt to run into risks for the mere pleasure of getting out of them: danger was his delight, and the degree of excitement was always in proportion to the peril incurred. After the first glance, he became, to use his own expressive phrase, "as cool as a cuc.u.mber;" and continued, as long as they permitted him, like a skilful commander, calmly to calculate the numerical strength of his adversaries, and to arrange his own plan of resistance.
This troop of hors.e.m.e.n, for such it was, might probably amount in the aggregate to twenty men, and presented an appearance like that of a strong muster at a rustic fox-chase, due allowance being made for the various weapons of offence; to-wit: naked sabers, firelocks, and a world of huge horse-pistols, which the present _field_ carried along with them. This resemblance was heightened by the presence of an old huntsman and a gamekeeper or two, in scarlet and green jackets, and a few yelping hounds that had followed after them. The majority of the crew consisted of st.u.r.dy yeomen; some of whom, mounted upon wild, unbroken colts, had pretty lives of it to maintain their seats, and curvetted about in "most admired disorder;" others were seated upon more docile, but quite as provoking specimens of the cart-horse breed, whose sluggish sides, reckless alike of hobnailed heel or ash sapling, refused to obey their riders" intimations to move; while others again, brought stiff, wrong-headed ponies to the charge--obstinate, impracticable little brutes, who seemed to prefer revolving on their own axis, and describing absurd rotatory motions, to proceeding in the direct and proper course pointed out to them. d.i.c.k could scarcely forbear laughing at these ridiculous manuvres; but his attention was chiefly attracted towards three individuals, who were evidently the leaders of this warlike expedition. In the thin, tall figure of the first of these he recognized Ranulph Rookwood. With the features and person of the second of the group he was not entirely unacquainted, and fancied--nor incorrectly fancied--that his military bearing, or, as he would have expressed it, "the soldier-like cut of his jib," could belong to no other than Major Mowbray, whom he had once eased of a purse on Finchley Common. In the round, rosy countenance and robustious person of the last of the trio he discovered his ancient ally, t.i.tus Tyrconnel.
"Ah, t.i.tus, my jewel, are you there?" exclaimed d.i.c.k, as he distinguished the Irishman. "Come, I have _one_ friend among them whom I may welcome. So, they see me now. Off they come, pell-mell. Back, Bess, back!--slowly, wench, slowly--there--stand!" And Bess again remained motionless.
The report of Turpin"s pistol reached the ears of the troop; and as all were upon the alert, he had scarcely presented himself at the gateway, when a loud shout was raised, and the whole cavalcade galloped towards him, creating, as may be imagined, the wildest disorder; each horseman yelling, as he neared the arch, and got involved in the press occasioned by the unexpected concentration of forces at that point, while oaths and blows, kicks and cuffs, were reciprocated with such hearty good-will, that, had Turpin ever read Ariosto or Cervantes, or heard of the discord of King Agramante"s camp, this _melee_ must have struck him as its realization. As it was, entertaining little apprehension of the result, he shouted encouragement to them. Scarcely, however, had the foremost horseman disentangled himself from the crowd, and, struggling to the door, was in the act of levelling his pistol at Turpin"s head, when a well-directed ball pierced the brain of his charger, and horse and man rolled to the ground. Vowing vengeance, a second succeeded, and was in like manner compelled to bite the dust.
"That will let Old Peter know that Ranulph Rookwood is at hand,"
exclaimed d.i.c.k. "I shan"t throw away another shot."
The scene at the archway was now one of complete confusion. Terrified by the shots, some of the boors would have drawn back, while others, in mid career, advanced, and propelled them forwards. It was like the meeting of two tides. Here and there, regardless of the bit, and scared by the firing, a wild colt broke all bounds, and, hurling his rider in the air, darted off into the green; or, in another case, rushed forward, and encountering the prostrate cattle c.u.mbering the entrance to the priory hall, stumbled, and precipitated his master neck-over-heels at the very feet of his enemy. During all this tumult, a few shots were fired at the highwayman, which, without doing him a jot of mischief, tended materially to increase their own confusion.
The voice of Turpin was now heard above the din and turmoil to sound a parley; and as he appeared disposed to offer no opposition, some of his antagonists ventured to raise themselves from the ground, and to approach him.
"I demand to be led to Sir Ranulph Rookwood," said Turpin.
"He is here," said Ranulph, riding up. "Villain, you are my prisoner."
"As you list, Sir Ranulph," returned d.i.c.k, coolly; "but let me have a word in private with you ere you do aught you may repent hereafter."