Sylvia's Lovers - Page 113/290

The two young men felt as shy of the interview with their master

under such unusual relations of guest and host, as a girl does of

her first party. Each rather drew back from the decided step of

knocking at the door; but with a rebuffing shake at his own folly,

Philip was the one to give a loud single rap. As if they had been

waited for, the door flew open, and a middle-aged servant stood

behind, as spotless and neat as the house itself; and smiled a

welcome to the familiar faces.

'Let me dust yo' a bit, William,' said she, suiting the action to

the word. 'You've been leanin' again some whitewash, a'll be bound.

Ay, Philip,' continued she, turning him round with motherly freedom,

'yo'll do if yo'll but gi' your shoon a polishin' wipe on yon other

mat. This'n for takin' t' roughest mud off. Measter allays polishes

on that.' In the square parlour the same precise order was observed. Every

article of furniture was free from speck of dirt or particle of

dust; and everything was placed either in a parallel line, or at

exact right-angles with every other. Even John and Jeremiah sat in

symmetry on opposite sides of the fire-place; the very smiles on

their honest faces seemed drawn to a line of exactitude.

Such formality, however admirable, was not calculated to promote

ease: it was not until after supper--until a good quantity of

Yorkshire pie had been swallowed, and washed down, too, with the

best and most generous wine in Jeremiah's cellar--that there was the

least geniality among them, in spite of the friendly kindness of the

host and his brother. The long silence, during which mute thanks for

the meal were given, having come to an end, Jeremiah called for

pipes, and three of the party began to smoke.

Politics in those days were tickle subjects to meddle with, even in

the most private company. The nation was in a state of terror

against France, and against any at home who might be supposed to

sympathise with the enormities she had just been committing. The

oppressive act against seditious meetings had been passed the year

before; and people were doubtful to what extremity of severity it

might be construed. Even the law authorities forgot to be impartial,

but either their alarms or their interests made too many of them

vehement partisans instead of calm arbiters, and thus destroyed the

popular confidence in what should have been considered the supreme

tribunal of justice. Yet for all this, there were some who dared to

speak of reform of Parliament, as a preliminary step to fair

representation of the people, and to a reduction of the heavy

war-taxation that was imminent, if not already imposed. But these

pioneers of 1830 were generally obnoxious. The great body of the

people gloried in being Tories and haters of the French, with whom

they were on tenter-hooks to fight, almost unaware of the rising

reputation of the young Corsican warrior, whose name would be used

ere a dozen years had passed to hush English babies with a terror

such as that of Marlborough once had for the French.