The Carbonels Part 15

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

LINCH-PINS.

"And leave them laughing, Ho! Ho Ho!"--_Robin Goodfellow_.

Notice was sent from the Bishop of the diocese that he was about to hold a Confirmation at Poppleby in six weeks' time. This was matter of rejoicing to Mr Harford, who had mourned over the very few communicants. Before he came the Celebrations had been only three times a year, and were attended by most of the aged paupers. To the joy of the Carbonels, the feast was monthly after his coming; but the first time the aged people were there, and all lingered, George Hewlett, the clerk, said, when the curate looked to him for information--

"The alms, sir. They be waiting for the money in the plate."

"Why, that is to be reserved for sick and distressed."

"Mr Selby, he always give it out to them, and so did Mr Jones afore him, sir. They be all expecting of it."

Mr Harford thought that it might be best not to disappoint the old people suddenly, so he stood at the vestry door counting heads, and numbering among them two whom he had already been somewhat startled to see present themselves, namely, Dame Spurrell, whom he had heard abusing her neighbour with a torrent of foul words, and who pretended to be a witch, and Tom Jarrold, whom Hewlett had described to him as the wickedest old chap in the parish.

He took counsel with the churchwardens, Farmers Goodenough and Rawson, who both agreed that they were a bad lot, who didn't deserve nothing, but it helped to keep down the rates. Then he talked to Captain Carbonel, who, being a reverent man, was dismayed at what he heard.

"Just paying the old souls for coming in no fit state," he said.

"Then you advise me to change the system?"

"You have no other choice," returned the soldier. "Read out your standing orders, and preach, if you will, explaining the matter."

This Mr Harford did, but not by any means all the persons concerned were present, and he afterwards went round among them explaining that, though they were to be helped in any distress, and the alms would be kept for the purpose, it was profane to give them out as a sort of payment to those who partook. Old Redford, Widow Mole's father, was the only person who seemed to enter into the scruples.

"Yes, sir," he said, "it went agin me to sim to be paid for coming to the Lord's Table, and I wouldn't ne'er ha' done it, but a shilling is a shilling to my poor daughter, and when I could get to church, it was hard on her to miss the chance."

The next Celebration was only attended by the Carbonels, old Mrs Rawson, and Redford; nor at the next ensuing Whitsuntide were the numbers much increased. In spite of all that Mr Harford could preach, and say in private, the main body of the parishioners would not listen to the invitation. And the disaffected grumbled among themselves, that he kept the money for himself, and no one would never see the colour of it. There really were only thirteen communicants in the parish when these had seceded. And Mr Harford looked to the Confirmation to bring more intelligent and devout worshippers, though the time for preparation was short.

He found that most people had been confirmed at Minsterham Cathedral, and there were reminiscences of great holidays, few and far between, and no difficulty was made as to the young people, up to twenty years old, being nominated for Confirmation. There was some disappointment that it should be only at Poppleby, as furnishing so much less of a day's pleasure; and when it was found that Mr Harford expected the candidates at regular cla.s.ses and private lectures, there were objections. Farm lads could not be spared, maids in farmhouses still less.

"What should parson want to be always at 'em," said Mrs Goodenough.

"Old Mr Jones, he never made no work with them."

However, she had two daughters to be confirmed, and the reigning "Lizzie" was allowed to go as an escort to them. The elder lads, who were really grown men, would not come at all, and could never be found.

"They wouldn't be catechiz--not they." The Sunday scholars, male and female, came pretty well, but not in large numbers, and the age fixed for Confirmation was fifteen, so that those who were fresh from teaching were not many. Sophia Carbonel was a candidate, and very much in earnest, but Mr Harford preferred giving her books to read and questions to answer in private, as with most of the others he had to begin at the very beginning. The Misses Goodenough knew almost nothing--far less than Susan Pucklechurch and Rachel Mole, who were the gems of the female cla.s.s, as was Johnnie Hewlett of that of the youths.

The brightest of these was, however, in some respects, Fred Allen, of the general shop. He had been at school at Downhill, and could really read and write better than Johnnie, and far better than any one else; for the chief scholars only made what Betty Pucklechurch called "a sad hackering job of un," and most scarcely knew a letter, having forgotten whatever they might have learnt at Dame Verdon's before they went out bird-starving. Fred Allen began by answering, when asked what was done in Confirmation, "Taking all your G.o.dfather's and G.o.dmother's sins upon you, and becoming liable to be balloted for the militia!" It was a startling view, and, as far as Mr Harford could make out, it was shared by most of the candidates; but, then, they had very little notion of what sin meant, as, if they had a general idea, it was plain that they did not seriously expect to suffer for their sponsors sins after Confirmation, or that the sponsors suffered for theirs previously.

The curate taught, questioned, explained, and exhorted. Fred Allen knew little, but his wits were sharper, and he took in Mr Harford's instructions more readily, and remembered them better, while apparently most of the other minds were, and remained, a blank. Only he could not refrain from causing horse-laughs outside, and making grins at every opportunity.

But, with much anxiety, and after many exhortations, Mr Harford gave out his tickets. The girls were to be conveyed--the most of them--in the Greenhow waggon, driven by old Pucklechurch, the boys to walk. Mr Goodenough would drive his daughters; and Sophia, in her white dress and cap (n.o.body wore a veil then), would be with her sisters and brother in the chariot with post-horses. Captain Carbonel and Mr Harford went outside on the box.

They had pa.s.sed Downhill, and were getting on, as well as their horses could, through the muddy ground at the bottom, freshly stirred up by a previous wet day. Before them was a steep, short ascent, but at the bottom of this there was a sudden stop. The captain put his head in at the window and said, "Only the cart--no harm," and strode on following Mr Harford, while the ladies craned their heads out, and Dora, exclaiming "An accident," ran after him, and Mary only just withheld Sophy, in consideration of her white dress, on the post-boy's a.s.surance, with a scarcely suppressed grin, "No harm done, ma'am. Only they lads."

For what the two gentlemen and the amused post-boy had seen was this.

The squadron of boys had overtaken the cart full of girls, when, just as the waggon had come to the pitch of the hill, all the load of maidens were seen tumbling out at the back, and as the horses of the chariot halted, the girls' screams, mingled with the horse-laughter of the boys, was plainly to be heard. Only Susan Pucklechurch, sitting on the front seat with her father, remained in her place. The girls were giggling and helping one another up, nearly all unhurt, but some very angry, and Bessy Linwood was scolding violently, Pucklechurch likewise in his most growling voice, "Ye young good-for-noughts! I'll lay the cart whip about your idle, mischievous backs," while the party of boys were still laughing, and one voice was heard to shout, "Rubbish shot here." A peal of laughter followed, but was cut short by Bessy Linwood's, "Here's parson; you'll catch it." Then, at the top of her voice, "Sir, 'tis them boys! They've bin and pulled out the linch-pins and shot us all down into the mud!"

"Is this so?" said the captain sternly, while silence came down on the party, except for the sobs of Jenny Hewlett, who had gone into a dirty pool, and whom Rachel Mole and Betsy Seddon were brushing down vigorously.

"Quite true, sir," returned Pucklechurch. "They young dogs got behind, and played the poor maids this trick."

"Who did?" demanded Mr Harford.

Bessy Linwood spoke up and said it was "all on 'em," but she saw Fred Allen at it.

No doubt, the fun of the thing had been too much for the boys, in their holiday mood of thoughtlessness, and they stood looking sheepish, but Mr Harford was very stern and sharp with them.

"Lads, do you think that, if you could play such a trick, you can be in a fit state to take solemn vows upon you?"

No one spoke up except Fred Allen. "We didn't do 'em no harm," he said.

"No harm! To disturb all good thoughts in their minds and your own, and drive out all serious impressions by this mischievous trick! Now, will any one come forward and say he is sorry?"

Mr Harford waited, but no one stirred. He bade the girls get in again, and Pucklechurch drive them on. He waited again, but no one spoke.

Indeed, Allen and another big youth were seen making for a gap in the hedge.

"Will no one say he is sorry for what was an idle trick, but very wrong when you ought to be thinking how you would be giving yourselves up to G.o.d?"

They stood like stocks, and Captain Carbonel said, "Has no one the grace to regret a very improper and thoughtless action?"

Still no one moved.

"Then," said the clergyman, "there is no choice left to me. It would be profanation to take persons in such a mood to make vows, and kneel to receive G.o.d's grace, which they evidently make light of. Whoever will not come and apologise must go home."

There was no movement among the white round frocks. Boys are like sheep: what one does, the others do, and few are to be found to stand alone. Mr Harford looked anxiously at Johnnie Hewlett and one or two more, from whom he expected better things, but they only looked down, with their hands in their pockets and sullen faces; and Captain Carbonel held up his watch to show that they should all be too late. There was nothing to be done but to return to their seats, and urge the post-boy to hurry on.

The bells of Poppleby church might ring merrily, but the heart of the curate was very heavy with the questions--whether this misfortune could be owing to his not having impressed the lads enough while preparing them, or to his having been too hasty and peremptory in his indignation.

Captain Carbonel said they were such intolerable louts that to disappoint them was all the better, and they would know how to present themselves more seriously another time, but Mr Harford much doubted whether they would ever present themselves again.

"It would just be mockery for them to make the vow," said the captain.

"Ah! they miss the grace," said the curate.

Harriet Allen was crying all through the time of the Confirmation when she perceived that her brother's head was not among the boys. Indeed the only male candidate from Uphill was Will c.o.x, who had gone with his cousins from Downhill. Most of the boys were glad to have got off making the vow, for, in spite of all Mr Harford's teaching, there were some who still believed that they would take all their G.o.d-parents' sins upon them, or, at any rate, that they should feel more bound to take heed to their ways.

Johnnie Hewlett indeed was sorry when he went home to his aunt, and had to tell her why he had not been confirmed after all.

"Oh, Johnnie, Johnnie, you didn't go for to upset the maids?"

"I? No. I was at the bottom of the hill with Harry Coles."

"Then why couldn't you have said so?" He hung his head and twisted his hands. "Oh, Johnnie, what was it? Was it only the going along with the others?"

Still he made no reply, but Judith saw in his face that this was the reason.

"Oh, my boy! To think that you did not feel that G.o.d's blessing and grace were worth standing out for against a lot of idle chaps; and now you won't be able to take the Sacrament!"