The Channings Part 2

"Lost!" echoed Mr. Yorke.

"Irrevocably. We were discussing ways and means amongst ourselves," said Hamish, "for of course this changes our prospects materially."

"And Constance is going out as a governess, if she can find any one to take her, and Arthur is to plod on with Joe Jenkins, and Tom means to apply for the post of bell-ringer to the cathedral," interposed the incorrigible Annabel, who had once more darted in, and heard the last words. "Can you recommend Constance to a situation, Mr. Yorke?"

He treated the information lightly; laughed at and with Annabel; but Constance noticed that a flush crossed his brow, and that he quitted the subject.

"Has the inked surplice been found out, Tom,--I mean the culprit?"

"Not yet, Mr. Yorke."

"Charles, you can tell me who it was, I hear?"

There was a startled glance for a moment in Charles's eye, as he looked up at Mr. Yorke, and an unconscious meaning in his tone.

"Why, do you know who it was, sir?"

"Not I," said Mr. Yorke. "I know that, whoever it may have been deserves a sound flogging, if he did it willfully."

"Then, sir, why do you suppose I know?"

"I met Hurst just now, and he stopped me with the news that he was sure Charley Channing could put his hand upon the offender, if he chose to do it. It was not yourself, was it Charley?"

Mr. Yorke laughed as he asked the question. Charley laughed also, but in a constrained manner. Meanwhile the others, to whom the topic had been as Sanscrit, demanded an explanation, which Mr. Yorke gave, so far as he was cognizant of the facts.

"What a shame to spoil a surplice! Have you cause to suspect any particular boy, Charley?" demanded Hamish.

"Don't ask him in my presence," interrupted Tom in the same hurried manner that he had used in the cloisters. "I should be compelled in honour to inform the master, and Charley would have his life thrashed out of him by the school."

"Don't you ask me, either, Mr. Yorke," said Charles; and the tone of his voice, still unconsciously to himself, bore a strange serious earnestness.

"Why not?" returned Mr. Yorke. "I am not a senior of the college school, and under obedience to its head-master."

"If you are all to stop in this room, I and Tom shall never get our lessons done," was all the reply made by Charles, as he drew a chair to the table and opened his exercise books.

"And I never could afford that," cried Tom, following his example, and looking out the books he required. "It won't do to let Huntley and Yorke get ahead of me."

"Trying for the seniorship as strenuously as ever, Tom?" asked Mr. Yorke.

"Of course I am," replied Tom Channing, lifting his eyes in slight surprise. "And I hope to get it."

"Which of the three stands the best chance?"

"Well," said Tom, "it will be about a neck-and-neck race between us. My name stands first on the rolls of the school; therefore, were our merits equal, in strict justice it ought to be given to me. But the master could pa.s.s me over if he pleased, and decide upon either of the other two."

"Which of those two stands first on the rolls?"

"Harry Huntley. Yorke is the last. But that does not count for much, you know, Mr. Yorke, as we all entered together. They enrolled us as our initial letters stood in the alphabet."

"It will turn wholly upon your scholastic merits, then? I hear--but Helstonleigh is famous for its gossip--that in past times it has frequently gone by favour."

"So it has," said Tom Channing, throwing back his head with a whole world of indignation in the action. "Eligible boys have been pa.s.sed over, and the most incapable dolt set up above them; all because his friends were in a good position, and hand-in-glove with the head-master. I don't mean Pye, you know; before he came. It's said the last case was so flagrant that it came to the ears of the dean, and he interfered and forbade favour for the future. At any rate, there's an impression running through the school that merit and conduct, taken together, will be allowed fair play."

"Conduct?" echoed Arthur Channing.

Tom nodded:--"Conduct is to be brought in, this time. One day, when the first desk fell into a row with the head-master, through some mischief we had gone into out of school, he asked us if we were aware that our conduct, as it might be good or ill, might gain or lose us the seniorship. Yorke, who is bold enough, you know, for ten, remarked that that was a new dodge, and the master overheard the words, and said, Yes, he was happy to say there were many new 'dodges' he had seen fit to introduce, which he trusted might tend to make the school different from what it had been. Of course we had the laugh at Yorke; but the master took no more notice of it. Since then, I a.s.sure you, Mr. Yorke, our behaviour has been a pattern for young ladies--mine, and Huntley's, and Yorke's. We don't care to lose a chance."

Tom Channing nodded sagaciously as he concluded, and they left the room to him and Charles.

CHAPTER IV.

NO HOLIDAY TO-DAY.

"Now, Constance, that we have a moment alone, what is this about you?" began Mr. Yorke, as they stood together in the garden.

"Annabel said the truth--that I do think of going out as daily governess," she replied, bending over a carnation to hide the blush which rose to her cheeks, a very rival to the blushing flower. "It is a great misfortune that has fallen upon us--at least we can only look at it in that light at present, and will, beyond doubt, be productive of some embarra.s.sment. Do you not see, William, that it is inc.u.mbent upon us all to endeavour to lighten this embarra.s.sment, those of us who can do so? I must a.s.sume my share of the burden."

Mr. Yorke was silent. Constance took it for granted that he was displeased. He was of an excellent family, and she supposed he disliked the step she was about to take--deemed it would be derogatory to his future wife.

"Have you fully made up your mind?" he at length asked.

"Yes. I have talked it over with mamma--for indeed she and I both seem to have antic.i.p.ated this--and she thinks with me, that it is what I ought to do. William, how could I reconcile it to my conscience not to help?" she continued. "Think of papa! think of his strait! It appears to be a plain duty thrown in my path."

"By yourself, Constance?" "Not by myself," she whispered, lifting for a moment her large blue eyes. "Oh, William, William, do not be displeased with me! do not forbid it! It is honourable to work--it is right to do what we can. Strive to see it in the right light."

"Let that carnation alone, Constance; give your attention to me. What if I do forbid it?"

She walked a little forward, leaving the carnation bed, and halted under the shade of the dark cedar tree, her heart and colour alike fading. Mr. Yorke followed and stood before her.

"William, I must do my duty. There is no other way open to me, by which I can earn something to help in this time of need, except that of becoming a governess. Many a lady, better born than I, has done it before me."

"A daily governess, I think you said?"

"Papa could not spare me to go out altogether; Annabel could not spare me either; and--"

"I would not spare you," he struck in, filling up her pause. "Was that what you were about to say, Constance?"

The rosy hue stole over her face again, and a sweet smile to her lips: "Oh, William, if you will only sanction it! I shall go about it then with the lightest heart!"

He looked at her with an expression she did not understand, and shook his head. Constance thought it a negative shake, and her hopes fell again. "You did not answer my question," said Mr. Yorke. "What if I forbid it?"

"But it seems to be my duty," she urged from between her pale and parted lips.

"Constance, that is no answer."

"Oh, do not, do not! William, do not you throw this temptation in my way--that of choosing between yourself and a plain duty that lies before me."

"The temptation, as you call it, must be for a later consideration. Why will you not answer me? What would be your course if I forbade it?"

"I do not know. But, Oh, William, if you gave me up--"

She could not continue. She turned away to hide her face from Mr. Yorke. He followed and obtained forcible view of it. It was wet with tears.

"Nay, but I did not mean to carry it so far as to cause you real grief, my dearest," he said, in a changed tone. "Though you brought it on yourself," he added, laughing, as he bent his face down.

"How did I bring it on myself?"

"By doubting me. I saw you doubted me at the first, when Annabel spoke of it in the study. Constance, if you, possessed as you are of great acquirements, refused from any notion of false pride, to exert them for your family in a time of need, I should say you were little fitted for the wife of one whose whole duty it must be to do his Master's work."

"You will sanction the measure then?" she rejoined, her countenance lighting up.

"How could you doubt me? I wish I could make a home at once to take you to; but as you must remain in this a little longer, it is only fair that you should contribute to its maintenance. We all have to bend to circ.u.mstances. I shall not love my wife the less, because she has had the courage to turn her talents to account. What could you be thinking of, child?"

"Forgive me, William," she softly pleaded. "But you looked so grave and were so silent."

Mr. Yorke smiled. "The truth is, Constance, I was turning in my mind whether I could not help to place you, and pondering the advantages and disadvantages of a situation I know of. Lady Augusta is looking out for a daily governess."

"Is she?" exclaimed Constance. "I wonder whether--I--should suit her?"

Constance spoke hesitatingly. The thought which had flashed over her own mind was, whether Lady Augusta Yorke could afford to pay her sufficient remuneration. Probably the same doubt had made one of the "disadvantages" hinted at by Mr. Yorke.

"I called there yesterday, and interrupted a 'scene' between Lady Augusta and Miss Caroline," he said. "Unseemly anger on my lady's part, and rebellion on Carry's, forming, as usual, its chief features."

"But Lady Augusta is so indulgent to her children!" interrupted Constance.

"Perniciously indulgent, generally; and when the effects break out in insolence and disobedience, then there ensues a scene. If you go there you will witness them occasionally, and I a.s.sure you they are not edifying. You must endeavour to train the girls to something better than they have been trained to yet, Constance."

"If I do go."

"I knew how long it would last, Lady Augusta's instructing them herself," resumed Mr. Yorke. "It is not a month since the governess left."

"Why does she wish to take a daily governess instead of one in the house?"

"Why Lady Augusta does a thing, is scarcely ever to be accounted for, by herself or by any one else!" replied Mr. Yorke. "Some convenience, or inconvenience, she mentioned to me, about sleeping arrangements. Shall I ascertain particulars for you, Constance; touching salary and other matters?"

"If you please. Papa is somewhat fastidious; but he could not object to my going there; and its being so very near our own house would be a great point of--"

"Constance!" interrupted a voice at this juncture. "Is Mr. Yorke there?"

"He is here, mamma," replied Constance, walking forward to Mrs. Channing, Mr. Yorke attending her.

"I thought I heard you enter," she said, as Mr. Yorke took her hand. "Mr. Channing will be pleased to see you, if you will come in and chat with him. The children have told you the tidings. It is a great blow to their prospects."

"But they seem determined to bear it bravely," he answered, in a hearty tone. "You may be proud to have such children, Mrs. Channing."

"Not proud," she softly said. "Thankful!"

"True. I am obliged to you for correcting me," was the clergyman's ingenuous answer, as he walked, with Mrs. Channing, across the hall. Constance halted, for Judith came out of the kitchen, and spoke in a whisper.

"And what's the right and the wrong of it, Miss Constance? Is the money gone?"

"Gone entirely, Judith. Gone for good."

"For good!" groaned Judith; "I should say for ill. Why does the Queen let there be a Lord Chancellor?"

"It is not the Lord Chancellor's fault, Judith. He only administers the law."

"Why couldn't he just as well have given it for your papa, as against him?"

"I suppose he considers that the law is on the other side," sighed Constance.

Judith, with a pettish movement, returned to her kitchen; and at that moment Hamish came downstairs. He had changed his dress, and had a pair of new white gloves in his hand.

"Are you going out to-night, Hamish?"

There was a stress on the word "to-night," and Hamish marked it. "I promised, you know, Constance. And my staying away would do no good; it could not improve things. Fare you well, my pretty sister. Tell mamma I shall be home by eleven."

"It'll be a sad cut-down for 'em all," muttered Judith, gazing at Hamish round the kitchen door-post. "Where he'll find money for his white gloves and things now, is beyond my telling, the darling boy! If I could but get to that Lord Chancellor!"

Had you possessed the privilege of living in Helstonleigh at the time of which this story treats--and I can a.s.sure you you might live in a less privileged city--it is possible that, on the morning following the above events, your peaceful slumbers might have been rudely broken by a noise, loud enough to waken the seven sleepers of Ephesus.

Before seven o'clock, the whole school, choristers and king's scholars, a.s.sembled in the cloisters. But, instead of entering the schoolroom for early school, they formed themselves into a dense ma.s.s (if you ever saw schoolboys march otherwise, I have not), and, treading on each other's heels, proceeded through the town to the lodgings of the judges, in pursuance of a time-honoured custom. There the head-boy sent in his name to the very chamber of the Lord Chief Justice, who happened this time to have come to the Helstonleigh circuit. "Mr. Gaunt, senior of the college school"--craving holiday for himself, and the whole fry who had attended him.

"College boys!" cried his lordship, winking and blinking, as other less majestic mortals do when awakened suddenly out of their morning sleep.

"Yes, my lord," replied the servant. "All the school's come up; such a lot of 'em! It's the holiday they are asking for."

"Oh, ah, I recollect," cried his lordship--for it was not the first time he had been to Helstonleigh. "Give one of my cards to the senior boy, Roberts. My compliments to the head-master, and I beg he will grant the boys a holiday."

Roberts did as he was bid--he also had been to Helstonleigh before with his master--and delivered the card and message to Gaunt. The consequence of which was, the school tore through the streets in triumph, shouting "Holiday!" in tones to be heard a mile off, and bringing people in white garments, from their beds to the windows. The least they feared was, that the town had taken fire.

Back to the house of the head-master for the pantomime to be played through. This usually was (for the master, as wise on the subject as they were, would lie that morning in bed) to send the master's servant into his room with the card and the message; upon which permission for the holiday would come out, and the boys would disperse, exercising their legs and lungs. No such luck, however, on this morning. The servant met them at the door, and grinned dreadfully at the crowd.

"Won't you catch it, gentlemen! The head-master's gone into school, and is waiting for you; marking you all late, of course."

"Gone into school!" repeated Gaunt, haughtily, resenting the familiarity, as well as the information. "What do you mean?"

"Why, I just mean that, sir," was the reply, upon which Gaunt felt uncommonly inclined to knock him down. But the man had a propensity for grinning, and was sure to exercise it on all possible occasions. "There's some row up, and you are not to have holiday," continued the servant; "the master said last night I was to call him this morning as usual."

At this unexpected reply, the boys slunk away to the college schoolroom, their buoyant spirits sunk down to dust and ashes--figuratively speaking. They could not understand it; they had not the most distant idea what their offence could have been. Gaunt entered, and the rest trooped in after him. The head-master sat at his desk in stern state: the other masters were in their places. "What is the meaning of this insubordination?" the master sharply demanded, addressing Gaunt. "You are three-quarters of an hour behind your time."