J Fenimore Cooper - "The Prairie"

Upton Sinclair - "The Machine"

William Shakespeare - "The Tragedy of Coriolanus"

G.A. Henty - "Won by the Sword"

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The Trial

C >> Charlotte M. Yonge >> The Trial




'Never mind,' said Leonard, 'he sneers at everybody all alike! I
can't think how Dr. May came to have such a son, or how Aubrey can
run after him so.'

'I should like to know whether they really think it irreverent to do
illuminations.'

'Nonsense, Ave; why should you trouble yourself about what he says to
tease you? bad luck to him!'

Nevertheless, Averil was not at ease till she had asked Mary's
opinion of illumination, and Mary had referred to Ethel, and brought
back word that all depended on the spirit of the work; that it was a
dangerous thing, for mere fashion, to make playthings of texts of
Scripture; but that no one could tell the blessing there might be in
dwelling on them with loving decoration, or having them placed where
the eye and thought might be won by them. In fact, Ethel always
hated fashion, but feared prejudice.

The crown of the whole carnival was to be the Abbotstoke
entertainment on the enrolment of the volunteers. Preparations went
on with great spirit, and the drill sergeant had unremitting work,
the target little peace, and Aubrey and Leonard were justly accused
of making fetishes of their rifles. The town was frantic, no clothes
but uniforms could be had, and the tradesmen forgot their customers
in the excitement of electing officers.

Averil thought it very officious of Mrs. Pugh to collect a romantic
party of banner-working young ladies before the member's wife or the
mayor's family had authorized it; and she refused to join, both on
the plea of want of time, and because she heard that Mr. Elvers, a
real dragoon, declared colours to be inappropriate to riflemen. And
so he did; but his wife said the point was not martial correctness,
but popular feeling; so Mary gratified the party by bringing her
needle, Dr. Spencer took care the blazonry of the arms of the old
abbey was correct, and Flora asked the great lady of the county to
present the banner, and gave the invitation to Mrs. Pugh, who sighed,
shook her head, dried her eyes, and said something about goodness and
spirits; and Mrs. Rivers professed to understand, and hope Mrs. Pugh
would do exactly as best suited her.

Was this manoeuvring, or only living in the present?

Mary accompanied Harry for a long day of shopping in London when he
went to report himself, starting and returning in the clouds of
night, and transacting a prodigious amount of business with intense
delight and no fatigue; and she was considered to have fitted out the
mayor's daughters suitably with his municipal dignity, of which Ethel
piqued herself on being proud.

The entertainment was not easy to arrange at such a season, and
Blanche's 'experience,' being of early autumn, was at fault; but
Flora sent for all that could embellish her conservatories, and by
one of the charities by which she loved to kill two birds with one
stone, imported a young lady who gained her livelihood by singing at
private concerts, and with her for a star, supported by the Minster
and Cathedral choirs, hoped to get up sufficient music to occupy
people till it should be late enough to dance. She still had some
diplomacy to exercise, for Mrs. Ledwich suggested asking dear Ave
Ward to sing, her own dearest Matilda would not object on such an
occasion to assist the sweet girl; and Mrs. Rivers, after her usual
prudent fashion, giving neither denial nor assent, Mrs. Ledwich
trotted off, and put Averil into an agony that raised a needless
storm in the Bankside house; Leonard declaring the request an insult,
and Henry insisting that Ave ought to have no scruples in doing
anything Mrs. Pugh thought proper to be done. And finally, when Ave
rushed with her despair to Mary May, it was to be relieved at finding
that Mrs. Rivers had never dreamt of exposing her to such an ordeal.

Though it was the year 1860, the sun shone on the great day, and
there were exhilarating tokens of spring, singing birds, opening
buds, sparkling drops, and a general sense of festivity; as the gray
and green began to flit about the streets, and while Mr. Mayor
repaired to the Town Hall to administer the oaths to the corps, his
unmartial sons and his daughters started for the Grange to assist
Flora in the reception of her guests.

The Lord Lieutenant's wife and daughters, as well as the
Ernescliffes, had slept there, and Ethel found them all with Flora in
the great hall, which looked like a winter garden, interspersed with
tables covered with plate and glass, where eating and drinking might
go on all day long. But Ethel's heart sank within her at the sight
of Flora's haggard face and sunken eyes. 'What is the matter?' she
asked Blanche, an image of contented beauty.

'Matter? Oh, they have been stupid in marking the ground, and Hector
is gone to see about it. That's all. He is not at all tired.'

'I never supposed he was,' said Ethel, 'but what makes Flora look so
ill?'

'Oh, that tiresome child has got another cold, and fretted half the
night. It is all their fault for giving way to her; and she has done
nothing but whine this whole morning because she is not well enough
to go out and see the practice! I am sure it is no misfortune that
she is not to come down and be looked at.'

Ethel crossed over to Flora, and asked whether she should go up and
see little Margaret.

'I should be so thankful,' said poor Flora; 'but don't excite her.
She is not at all well, and has had very little sleep.'

Ethel ran up-stairs, and found herself in the midst of a fight
between the governess and Margaret, who wanted to go to the draughty
passage window, which she fancied had a better view than that of her
nursery. Luckily, Aunt Ethel was almost the only person whom
Margaret did not like to see her naughty; and she subsided into a
much less objectionable lamentation after Uncle Harry and his anchor
buttons. Ethel promised to try whether he could be found, and
confident in his good-nature, ran down, and boldly captured him as he
was setting out to see Hector's operations. He came with a ready
smile, and the child was happy throughout his stay. Flora presently
stole a moment's visit, intending her sister's release as well as
his; but Ethel, in pity to governess as well as pupil, declared the
nursery window to be a prime post of observation, and begged to be
there left.

Margaret began to believe that they were very snug there, and by the
time the bugles were heard, had forgotten her troubles in watching
the arrivals.

Up came the gray files, and Ethel's heart throbbed and her eye
glistened at their regular tread and military bearing. Quickly
Margaret made out papa; but he was too real a soldier to evince
consciousness of being at his own door, before the eyes of his wife
and daughter; and Aubrey's young face was made up in imitation of his
impassiveness. Other eyes were less under control, and of these were
a brown pair that wandered restlessly, till they were raised to the
nursery window, and there found satisfaction.

The aunt and niece were too immediately above the terrace to see what
passed upon it, nor could they hear the words; so they only beheld
the approach of the Ensign, and after a brief interval, his return
with the tall green silk colours, with the arms of the old abbey
embroidered in the corner, and heard the enthusiastic cheer that rang
out from all the corps.

Then the colours led the way to the ground for practice, for
manoeuvres were as yet not ready for exhibition. Almost all the
gentlemen followed; and such ladies as did not object to gunpowder or
damp grass, thither betook themselves, guided by the ardent Mrs.
Ernescliffe. Having disposed of the others in the drawing-rooms and
gardens, Flora and her father came to the nursery, and Ethel was set
at liberty to witness the prowess of her young champions, being
assured by Flora that she would be of more use there in keeping the
youthful population out of danger than in entertaining the more timid
in the house.

She slipped out and hurried down a narrow path towards the scene of
action, presently becoming aware of four figures before her, which
her glass resolved into Harry and Tom, a lady in black, and a child.
Evidently the devoted Tom was keeping guard over one of the
enchantresses, for the figure was that of Averil Ward, though, as
Ethel said, shaking hands, she was hardly to be known with only one
sister.

'We have been delayed,' said Averil; 'poor little Ella was in an
agony about the firing, and we could not leave her till your
brother'--indicating Harry--'was so kind as to take her to Gertrude.'

'True to the Englishwoman's boast of never having seen the smoke of
an engagement,' said Tom.

'A practising is not an engagement,' said Ethel.

'There may be quite as many casualties,' quoth Tom, indulging in some
of the current ready-made wit on the dangers of volunteering, for the
pure purpose of teasing; but he was vigorously fallen upon by Harry
and Ethel, and Averil brightened as she heard him put to the rout.
The shots were already heard, when two more black figures were seen
in the distance, going towards the gate.

'Is that Richard?' exclaimed Tom.

'Ay, and I do believe, the widow!' rejoined Harry.

'Oh, yes,' said Averil. 'I heard her talking about Abbotstoke
Church, and saying how much she wished to see it. She must have got
Mr. May to show it to her.'

Ethel, who had no real fears for Richard herself, looked on amused to
watch how the guardian spirit was going to act. He exclaimed, 'By
the bye, Miss Ward, would you not like to see it? They have a very
nice brass to old Mr. Rivers, and have been doing up the chancel.'

'Thank you, said Ave, 'I should prefer going to see how Leonard is
getting on.'

'Right, Miss Ward. said Harry; 'the church won't run away.'

'Well, then,' said Tom, after a moment's hesitation, 'I think I shall
just run down, as the church is open, and see what sort of work they
have made of the chancel.'

Ethel had the strongest fancy to try what he would do if she were to
be seized with a desire to inspect the chancel; but she did not wish
to let Harry and Averil appear on the ground under no escort but
Minna's, and so permitted Tom to leave them to her keeping, and
watched him hasten to break up the tete-a-tete.

Coming among the spectators, who, chiefly drawn up on the carriage
drive, were watching from a safe distance the gray figures in turn
take aim and emit from their rifles the flash and cotton-wool-like
tuft of smoke, Ethel's interest was somewhat diminished by hearing
that all the other marksmen had been distanced by the head keepers of
Abbotstoke and Drydale, between whom the contest really lay.

'The rest is a study of character,' said Dr. Spencer, taking a turn
up and down the road with her. 'I have been watching the various
pairs of brothers; and I doubt if any stand the test as well as the
house of May.'

'There's only one in the field to-day.'

'Yes, but I've seen them together before now, and I will say for even
Tom that he has no black looks when his junior shoots better than he
does.'

'Oh, yes! But then it is Aubrey.'

Dr. Spencer laughed. 'Lucky household where that "it is" accounts
for all favours to the youngest, instead of for the countenance
falling at his successes.'

'I am afraid I know whom you mean. But he has no generosity in him.'

'And his sister helps to make him jealous.'

'I am afraid she does; but though it is very sad, one can't wonder at
her preference of the great to the small.'

'Poor girl, I wonder how she will get on when there is a new inmate
in the happy family.'

'Ha! you shocking old gossip, what have you found out now?'

'Negotiation for the introduction of a Pug dog from the best circles
--eh?'

'Well, if he were alone in the world, it would be a capital match.'

'So she thinks, I fancy; but £600 a year might do better than
purchase so many incumbrances. Depend upon it, the late lamented
will remain in the ascendant till there are no breakers ahead.'

In process of time, ladies, volunteers, and all, were assembled in
the great music-room for the concert; and Ethel, having worked hard
in the service of the company, thought her present duty lay with the
sick child, and quietly crept away, taking, however, one full view of
the entire scene, partly for her own satisfaction, partly in case
Margaret should be inclined to question her on what every one was
doing.

There was the orchestra, whose erection Richard had superintended;
there was the conductor in his station, and the broad back of the
Cathedral organist at the piano, the jolly red visages of the singing
men in their ranks, the fresh faces of the choristers full of
elation, the star from London, looking quiet and ladylike,
courteously led to her place by George Rivers himself. But, for all
his civility, how bored and sullen he looked! and how weary were poor
Flora's smiles, though her manner was so engaging, and her universal
attention so unremitting! What a contrast to the serene, self-
enfolded look of happiness and prosperity on the pretty youthful face
of Blanche, her rich delicate silk spreading far beyond the sofa
where she sat among the great ladies; and her tall yellow-haired
husband leaning against the wall behind her, in wondering
contemplation of his Blanche taking her place in her own county.

Farther back, among the more ordinary herd, Ethel perceived Mrs.
Pugh, bridling demurely, with Tom on guard over her on one side, and
Henry Ward looking sulky on the other, with his youngest sister in
his charge. The other was looking very happy upon Leonard's knee,
close to Averil and Mary, who were evidently highly satisfied to have
coalesced. Averil was looking strikingly pretty--the light fell
favourably on her profuse glossy hair, straight features, and
brilliant colouring; her dark eyes were full of animation, and her
lips were apart with a smile as she listened to Leonard's eager
narration; and Ethel glanced towards Harry to see whether he were
admiring. No; Harry was bringing in a hall arm-chair in the
background, for a vary large, heavy, vulgar-looking old man, who
seemed too ponderous and infirm for a place on the benches. Richard
made one of a black mass of clergy, and Aubrey and Gertrude had
asserted their independence by perching themselves on a window-seat,
as far as possible from all relations, whence they nodded a merry
saucy greeting to Ethel, and she smiled back again, thinking her tall
boy in his gray tunic and black belt, and her plump girl in white
with green ribbons, were as goodly a pair as the room contained.

But where was the Doctor?

Ethel had a shrewd suspicion where she should find him; and in the
nursery he was, playing at spillekens with his left hand.

It was not easy to persuade him that the music would be wasted on
her, and that he ought to go down that it might receive justice; but
Margaret settled the question. 'You may go, grandpapa. Aunt Ethel is
best to play at spillekens, for she has not got a left hand.'

'There's honour for me, who used to have two!' and therewith Ethel
turned him out in time for the overture.

Margaret respected her aunt sufficiently not to be extra wayward with
her, and between the spillekens, and a long story about Cousin Dickie
in New Zealand, all went well till bed-time. There was something in
the child's nervous temperament that made the first hours of the
night peculiarly painful to her, and the sounds of the distant
festivity added to her excitability. She fretted and tossed, moaned
and wailed, sat up in bed and cried, snapped off attempts at hymns,
would not listen to stories, and received Ethel's attempts at calm
grave commands with bursts of crying, and calls for mamma and papa.
The music had ceased, tuning of violins was heard, and Ethel dreaded
the cries being heard down-stairs. She was at her wits' end, and was
thinking who would most avail, and could be fetched with least
sensation, when there was a soft knock at the door, and Harry's voice
said, 'Hollo, what's the matter here?' In he came with his white
glove half on, and perceiving the state of the case said, 'Can't go
to sleep?'

'Oh, Uncle Harry, take me;' and the arms were stretched out, and the
tear-stained face raised up.

'We'll put you to sleep as sound as if you were in a hammock just off
middle watch,' said Harry; and the next moment he had her rolled up
in her little blue dressing-gown, nestling on his broad shoulder,
while he walked up and down the room, crooning out a nautical song,
not in first-rate style, but the effect was perfect; the struggles
and sobs were over, and when at the end of a quarter of an hour Harry
paused and looked at the little thin sharp face, it was softened by
peaceful sleep.

Ethel pointed to the door. There stood Flora, her eyes full of
tears.

Harry laid the little sleeper on her bed, and covered her up. Flora
laid her arm on his shoulder and gave him such a kiss as she had not
given even when he had come back as from the dead. Then she signed
to them to come, but sped away before them, not trusting herself to
speak. Ethel tarried with Harry, who was in difficulties with gloves
too small for his broad hand, and was pshawing at himself at having
let Tom get them for him at Whitford.

'O, Harry,' said Ethel, 'you are the most really like papa of us all!
How did you come to think of it!'

'I'd have given a good deal if any one would have walked quarter-deck
with me some nights last summer,' said Harry, still intent on the
glove. 'What is to be done, Ethel! that rogue Tom always snaps up
all the beauty. I dare say he has engaged Miss Ward and the widow
both.'

It was no time for sentiment; so Ethel suggested getting half into
one glove, and carrying the other.

'You'll be quite irresistible enough, Harry! And if all the beauty
is engaged, I'll dance with you myself.'

'Will you?' cried the lieutenant, with sparkling eyes, 'then you are
a jolly old Ethel! Come along, then;' and he took her on his arm,
ran down-stairs with her, and before she well knew where she was, or
what was going on, she found herself in his great grasp passive as a
doll, dragged off into the midst of a vehement polka that took her
breath away. She trusted to him, and remained in a passive, half-
frightened state, glad he was so happy; but in the first pause
heartily wishing he would let her go, instead of which she only
heard, 'Well done, old Ethel, you'll be a prime dancer yet! you're as
light as a feather;' and before she had recovered her breath, off he
led her with 'Go it again!'

When at length, panting and bewildered, she was safely placed on a
seat, with 'You've had enough, have you? mind, I shan't let you off
another time,' she found that her aberration had excited a good deal
of sensation in her own family. Blanche and Gertrude could not
repress their amusement; and Dr. May, with merry eyes, declared that
she was coming out in a new light. She had only time to confide to
him the reason that she had let Harry do what he pleased with her,
before two volunteers were at her side.

'Miss May, I did not think you ever danced!'

'Nor I,' said Ethel; 'but you see what sailors can do with one.'

'Now, Ethel' said the other over his shoulder, 'now you have danced
with Harry, you must have this waltz with me.'

'A dangerous precedent, Ethel,' said the Doctor, laughing.

'I couldn't waltz to save my life, Aubrey,' said Ethel; 'but if you
can bear me through a polka as well as Harry did, you may try the
next.'

'And won't you--will you--for once dance with me? said his companion
imploringly.

'Very well, Leonard, if I can get through a quadrille;' and therewith
Ethel was seized upon by both boys to hear the story of every hit and
miss, and of each of the difficulties that their unpractised corps
had encountered in getting round the corners between Stoneborough and
the Grange. Then came Leonard's quadrille, which it might be hoped
was gratifying to him; but which he executed with as much solemn
deference as if he had been treading a minuet with a princess,
plainly regarding it as the great event of the day. In due time, he
resigned her to Aubrey; but poor Aubrey had been deluded by the
facility with which the strong and practised sailor had swept his
victim along; and Ethel grew terrified at the danger of collisions,
and released herself and pulled him aside by force, just in time to
avoid being borne down by the ponderous weight of Miss Boulder and
her partner.

'You did not come to grief with Harry!' muttered the discomfited
boy.

'No more did the lamb damage the eagle; but remember the fate of the
jackdaw, Mr. Gray-coat! I deserve some ice for my exertions, so come
into the hall and get some, and tell me if you have had better luck
elsewhere.'

'I have had no partner but Minna Ward, and she trips as if one was a
dancing-master.'

'And how has Tom been managing?'

'Stunningly civil! He began with Ave Ward, in the Lancers, and it
was such fun--he chaffed her in his solemn way, about music I believe
it was, and her harmonium. I could not quite hear, but I could see
she was in a tremendous taking, and she won't recover it all the
evening.'

'What a shame it is of Tom!'

'Oh! but it is such fun! And since that he has been parading with
Pug.'

'She has not danced!'

'Oh no! She got an audience into Meta's little sitting-room--Henry
Ward, Harvey Anderson, and some of the curates; they shut the door,
and had some music on their own hook.'

'Was Richard there!'

'At first; but either he could not bear to see Meta's piano profaned,
or he thought it too strong when they got to the sacred line, for he
bolted, and is gone home.'

'There's Harry dancing with Fanny Anderson. He has not got Miss Ward
all this time.'

'Nor will,' said Aubrey. 'Tom had put her in such a rage that she
did not choose to dance with that cousin of hers, Sam Axworthy, so
she was obliged to refuse every one else; and I had to put up with
that child!'

'Sam Axworthy! He does not belong to our corps. How does he come
here?'

'Oh! the old man has some houses in the borough, and an omnium
gatherum like this was a good time to do the civil thing to him.
There he is; peep into the card-room, and you'll see his great
porpoise back, the same old man that Harry in his benevolence
assisted to a chair. He shook hands with Leonard, and told him there
was a snug desk at the Vintry Mill for him.'

'I dare say!'

'And when Leonard thanked him, and said he hoped to get off to
Cambridge, he laughed that horrid fat laugh, and told him learning
would never put him in good case. Where shall I find you a place to
sit down? Pug and her tail have taken up all the room,' whispered
Aubrey, as by the chief of the glittering tables in the hall, he saw
Mrs. Pugh, drinking tea, surrounded by her attendant gentlemen, and
with her aunt and Ella Ward, like satellites, a little way from her.

'Here is a coign of vantage,' said Ethel, seating herself on a step a
little way up the staircase. 'How those people have taken possession
of that child all day!'

'I fancy Leonard is come to reclaim her,' said Aubrey, 'don't you see
him trying to work through and get at her! and Miss Ward told me she
was going home early, to put the children to bed. Ha! what's the
row? There's Leonard flaring up in a regular rage! Only look at his
eyes--and Henry just like Gertrude's Java sparrow in a taking--'

'It must not be,' cried Ethel, starting up to attempt she knew not
what, as she heard Leonard's words, 'Say it was a mistake, Henry!
You cannot be so base as to persist!'

There it became evident that Ethel and Aubrey were seen over the
balusters; Leonard's colour deepened, but his eye did not flinch;
though Henry quailed and backed, and the widow gave a disconcerted
laugh; then Leonard pounced on his little sister and carried her off
to the cloak-room. 'What treason could it have been?' muttered
Aubrey; 'we shall get it all from Ward;' but when Leonard re-appeared
it was with his sister cloaked and bonneted on his arm, each leading
a little one; he took them to the entrance and was seen no more.

Nor was the true history of that explosion ever revealed in the May
family, though it had grave consequences at Bankside.

Rumour had long declared at Stoneborough that the member's little
daughter was carefully secluded on account of some deformity, and
Mrs. Pugh had been one of many ladies who had hoped to satisfy their
curiosity on this head upon the present occasion. She had asked
Henry Ward whether it were so, and he had replied with pique that he
had no means of judging, he had never been called in at the Grange.
By way of salve to his feelings, the sympathizing lady had suggested
that the preference for London advice might be from the desire of
secrecy, and improbable as he knew this to be, his vanity had
forbidden him to argue against it. When no little Miss Rivers
appeared, the notion of her affliction gained ground, and Leonard,
whose gray back was undistinguishable from other gray backs, heard
Mrs. Pugh citing his brother as an authority for the misfortune which
Mr. and Mrs. Rivers so carefully concealed as to employ no surgeon
from their own neighbourhood.

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