第36章 CHAPTER VIII(4)

He called me aside,explained to me,and asked my advice and consent,as Abel Fletcher's son,to a plan that had come into his mind.It was to write orders,which each man presenting at our mill,should receive a certain amount of flour.

"Do you think your father would agree?"

"I think he would."

"Yes,"John added,pondering--"I am sure he would.And besides,if he does not give some,he may lose all.But he would not do it for fear of that.No,he is a just man--I am not afraid.Give me some paper,Jael."He sat down as composedly as if he had been alone in the counting-house,and wrote.I looked over his shoulder,admiring his clear,firm hand-writing;the precision,concentrativeness,and quickness,with which he first seemed to arrange and then execute his ideas.He possessed to the full that "business"faculty,so frequently despised,but which,out of very ordinary material,often makes a clever man;and without which the cleverest man alive can never be altogether a great man.

When about to sign the orders,John suddenly stopped."No;I had better not.""Why so?"

"I have no right;your father might think it presumption.""Presumption?after to-night!"

"Oh,that's nothing!Take the pen.It is your part to sign them,Phineas."I obeyed.

"Isn't this better than hanging?"said John to the men,when he had distributed the little bits of paper--precious as pound-notes--and made them all fully understand the same."Why,there isn't another gentleman in Norton Bury,who,if you had come to burn HIS house down,would not have had the constables or the soldiers,have shot down one-half of you like mad dogs,and sent the other half to the county gaol.Now,for all your misdoings,we let you go quietly home,well fed,and with food for children,too.WHY,think you?""I don't know,"said Jacob Baines,humbly.

"I'll tell you.Because Abel Fletcher is a Quaker and a Christian.""Hurrah for Abel Fletcher!hurrah for the Quakers!"shouted they,waking up the echoes down Norton Bury streets;which,of a surety,had never echoed to THAT shout before.And so the riot was over.

John Halifax closed the hall-door and came in--unsteadily--staggering.Jael placed a chair for him--worthy soul!she was wiping her old eyes.He sat down,shivering,speechless.I put my hand on his shoulder;he took it and pressed it hard.

"Oh!Phineas,lad,I'm glad;glad it's safe over.""Yes,thank God!"

"Ay,indeed;thank God!"

He covered his eyes for a minute or two,then rose up pale,but quite himself again.

"Now let us go and fetch your father home."

We found him on John's bed,still asleep.But as we entered he woke.

The daylight shone on his face--it looked ten years older since yesterday--he stared,bewildered and angry,at John Halifax.

"Eh,young man--oh!I remember.Where is my son--where's my Phineas?"I fell on his neck as if I had been a child.And almost as if it had been a child's feeble head,mechanically he smoothed and patted mine.

"Thee art not hurt?Nor any one?"

"No,"John answered;"nor is either the house or the tan-yard injured."He looked amazed."How has that been?"

"Phineas will tell you.Or,stay--better wait till you are at home."But my father insisted on hearing.I told the whole,without any comments on John's behaviour;he would not have liked it;and,besides,the facts spoke for themselves.I told the simple,plain story--nothing more.

Abel Fletcher listened at first in silence.As I proceeded he felt about for his hat,put it on,and drew its broad brim close down over his eyes.Not even when I told him of the flour we had promised in his name,the giving of which would,as we had calculated,cost him considerable loss,did he utter a word or move a muscle.

John at length asked him if he were satisfied.

"Quite satisfied "

But,having said this,he sat so long,his hands locked together on his knees,and his hat drawn down,hiding all the face except the rigid mouth and chin--sat so long,so motionless,that we became uneasy.

John spoke to him gently,almost as a son would have spoken.

"Are you very lame still?Could I help you to walk home?"My father looked up,and slowly held out his hand.

"Thee hast been a good lad,and a kind lad to us;I thank thee."There was no answer,none.But all the words in the world could not match that happy silence.

By degrees we got my father home.It was just such another summer morning as the one,two years back,when we two had stood,exhausted and trembling,before that sternly-bolted door.We both thought of that day:I knew not if my father did also.

He entered,leaning heavily on John.He sat down in the very seat,in the very room,where he had so harshly judged us--judged him.

Something,perhaps,of that bitterness rankled in the young man's spirit now,for he stopped on the threshold.

"Come in,"said my father,looking up.

"If I am welcome;not otherwise."

"Thee art welcome."

He came in--I drew him in--and sat down with us.But his manner was irresolute,his fingers closed and unclosed nervously.My father,too,sat leaning his head on his two hands,not unmoved.I stole up to him,and thanked him softly for the welcome he had given.

"There is nothing to thank me for,"said he,with something of his old hardness."What I once did,was only justice--or I then believed so.What I have done,and am about to do,is still mere justice.

John,how old art thee now?"

"Twenty."

"Then,for one year from this time I will take thee as my 'prentice,though thee knowest already nearly as much of the business as I do.

At twenty-one thee wilt be able to set up for thyself,or I may take thee into partnership--we'll see.But"--and he looked at me,then sternly,nay,fiercely,into John's steadfast eyes--"remember,thee hast in some measure taken that lad's place.May God deal with thee as thou dealest with my son Phineas--my only son!""Amen!"was the solemn answer.

And God,who sees us both now--ay,NOW!and,perhaps,not so far apart as some may deem--He knows whether or no John Halifax kept that vow.