Sylvia's Lovers - Page 38/290

'Ay! ay! all in good time; for a've a long tale to tell yet; an' a

mun have some 'un to iron me out my seams, and look me out my bits,

for there's none here fit for my purpose.' 'Dang thy bits! Here, Sylvie! Sylvie! come and be tailor's man, and

let t' chap get settled sharp, for a'm fain t' hear his story.' Sylvia took her directions, and placed her irons in the fire, and

ran upstairs for the bundle which had been put aside by her careful

mother for occasions like the present. It consisted of small pieces

of various coloured cloth, cut out of old coats and waistcoats, and

similar garments, when the whole had become too much worn for use,

yet when part had been good enough to be treasured by a thrifty

housewife. Daniel grew angry before Donkin had selected his patterns

and settled the work to his own mind.

'Well,' said he at last; 'a mought be a young man a-goin' a wooin',

by t' pains thou'st taken for t' match my oud clothes. I don't care

if they're patched wi' scarlet, a tell thee; so as thou'lt work away

at thy tale wi' thy tongue, same time as thou works at thy needle

wi' thy fingers.' 'Then, as a were saying, all Monkshaven were like a nest o' wasps,

flyin' hither and thither, and makin' sich a buzzin' and a talkin'

as niver were; and each wi' his sting out, ready for t' vent his

venom o' rage and revenge. And women cryin' and sobbin' i' t'

streets--when, Lord help us! o' Saturday came a worse time than

iver! for all Friday there had been a kind o' expectation an' dismay

about t' Good Fortune, as t' mariners had said was off St Abb's

Head o' Thursday, when t' Resolution came in; and there was wives

and maids wi' husbands an' sweethearts aboard t' Good Fortune

ready to throw their eyes out on their heads wi' gazin', gazin'

nor'ards over t'sea, as were all one haze o' blankness wi' t' rain;

and when t' afternoon tide comed in, an' niver a line on her to be

seen, folk were oncertain as t' whether she were holding off for

fear o' t' tender--as were out o' sight, too--or what were her mak'

o' goin' on. An' t' poor wet draggled women folk came up t' town,

some slowly cryin', as if their hearts was sick, an' others just

bent their heads to t' wind, and went straight to their homes,

nother looking nor speaking to ony one; but barred their doors, and

stiffened theirsels up for a night o' waiting. Saturday morn--yo'll

mind Saturday morn, it were stormy and gusty, downreet dirty

weather--theere stood t' folk again by daylight, a watching an' a

straining, and by that tide t' Good Fortune came o'er t' bar. But

t' excisemen had sent back her news by t' boat as took 'em there.

They'd a deal of oil, and a vast o' blubber. But for all that her

flag was drooping i' t' rain, half mast high, for mourning and

sorrow, an' they'd a dead man aboard--a dead man as was living and

strong last sunrise. An' there was another as lay between life an'

death, and there was seven more as should ha' been theere as wasn't,

but was carried off by t' gang. T' frigate as we 'n a' heard tell

on, as lying off Hartlepool, got tidings fra' t' tender as captured

t' seamen o' Thursday: and t' Aurora, as they ca'ed her, made off

for t' nor'ard; and nine leagues off St Abb's Head, t' Resolution

thinks she were, she see'd t' frigate, and knowed by her build she

were a man-o'-war, and guessed she were bound on king's kidnapping.

I seen t' wounded man mysen wi' my own eyes; and he'll live! he'll

live! Niver a man died yet, wi' such a strong purpose o' vengeance

in him. He could barely speak, for he were badly shot, but his

colour coome and went, as t' master's mate an' t' captain telled me

and some others how t' Aurora fired at 'em, and how t' innocent

whaler hoisted her colours, but afore they were fairly run up,

another shot coome close in t' shrouds, and then t' Greenland ship

being t' windward, bore down on t' frigate; but as they knew she

were an oud fox, and bent on mischief, Kinraid (that's he who lies

a-dying, only he'll noane die, a'se bound), the specksioneer, bade

t' men go down between decks, and fasten t' hatches well, an' he'd

stand guard, he an' captain, and t' oud master's mate, being left

upo' deck for t' give a welcome just skin-deep to t' boat's crew

fra' t' Aurora, as they could see coming t'wards them o'er t'

watter, wi' their reg'lar man-o'-war's rowing----' 'Damn 'em!' said Daniel, in soliloquy, and under his breath.