"Why, he was made governor thereof, I hear; so that would be the place to find her?""You don't mean to go thither to seek her?" shouted Cary, forcing a laugh.
"That depends on whether I can go, sir; but if I can scrape the money together, or get a berth on board some ship, why, God's will must be done."Will looked at him, to see if he had been drinking, or gone mad;but the little pigs' eyes were both sane and sober.
Will knew no answer.To laugh at the poor fellow was easy enough;to deny that he was right, that he was a hero and cavalier, outdoing romance itself in faithfulness, not so easy; and Cary, in the first impulse, wished him at the bottom of the bay for shaming him.Of course, his own plan of letting ill alone was the rational, prudent, irreproachable plan, and just what any gentleman in his senses would have done; but here was a vulgar, fat curate, out of his senses, determined not to let ill alone, but to do something, as Cary felt in his heart, of a far diviner stamp.
"Well," said Jack, in his stupid steadfast way, "it's a very bad look-out; but mother's pretty well off, if father dies, and the maidens are stout wenches enough, and will make tidy servants, please the Lord.And you'll see that they come to no harm, Mr.
William, for old acquaintance' sake, if I never come back."Cary was silent with amazement.
"And, Mr.William, you know me for an honest man, I hope.Will you lend me a five pound, and take my books in pawn for them, just to help me out?""Are you mad, or in a dream? You will never find her!""That's no reason why I shouldn't do my duty in looking for her, Mr.William.""But, my good fellow, even if you get to the Indies, you will be clapt into the Inquisition, and burnt alive, as sure as your name is Jack.""I know that," said he, in a doleful tone; "and a sore struggle of the flesh I have had about it; for I am a great coward, Mr.
William, a dirty coward, and always was, as you know: but maybe the Lord will take care of me, as He does of little children and drunken men; and if not, Mr.Will, I'd sooner burn, and have it over, than go on this way any longer, I would!" and Jack burst out blubbering.
"What way, my dear old lad?" said Will, softened as he well might be.
"Why, not--not to know whether--whether--whether she's married to him or not--her that I looked up to as an angel of God, as pure as the light of day; and knew she was too good for a poor pot-head like me; and prayed for her every night, God knows, that she might marry a king, if there was one fit for her--and I not to know whether she's living in sin or not, Mr.William.--It's more than Ican bear, and there's an end of it.And if she is married to him they keep no faith with heretics; they can dissolve the marriage, or make away with her into the Inquisition; burn her, Mr.Cary, as soon as burn me, the devils incarnate!"Cary shuddered; the fact, true and palpable as it was, had never struck him before.
"Yes! or make her deny her God by torments, if she hasn't done it already for love to that-- I know how love will make a body sell his soul, for I've been in love.Don't you laugh at me, Mr.Will, or I shall go mad!""God knows, I was never less inclined to laugh at you in my life, my brave old Jack.""Is it so, then? Bless you for that word!" and Jack held out his hand."But what will become of my soul, after my oath, if I don't seek her out, just to speak to her, to warn her, for God's sake, even if it did no good; just to set before her the Lord's curse on idolatry and Antichrist, and those who deny Him for the sake of any creature, though I can't think he would be hard on her,--for who could? But I must speak all the same.The Lord has laid the burden on me, and done it must be.God help me!""Jack," said Cary, "if this is your duty, it is others'.""No, sir, I don't say that; you're a layman, but I am a deacon, and the chaplain of you all, and sworn to seek out Christ's sheep scattered up and down this naughty world, and that innocent lamb first of all.""You have sheep at Hartland, Jack, already.""There's plenty better than I will tend them, when I am gone; but none that will tend her, because none love her like me, and they won't venture.Who will? It can't be expected, and no shame to them?""I wonder what Amyas Leigh would say to all this, if he were at home?""Say? He'd do.He isn't one for talking.He'd go through fire and water for her, you trust him, Will Cary; and call me an ass if he won't.""Will you wait, then, till he comes back, and ask him?""He may not be back for a year and more.""Hear reason, Jack.If you will wait like a rational and patient man, instead of rushing blindfold on your ruin, something may be done.""You think so!"
"I cannot promise; but--"
"But promise me one thing.Do you tell Mr.Frank what I say--or rather, I'll warrant, if I knew the truth, he has said the very same thing himself already.""You are out there, old man; for here is his own handwriting."Jack read the letter and sighed bitterly."Well, I did take him for another guess sort of fine gentleman.Still, if my duty isn't his, it's mine all the same.I judge no man; but I go, Mr.Cary.""But go you shall not till Amyas returns.As I live, I will tell your father, Jack, unless you promise; and you dare not disobey him.""I don't know even that, for conscience' sake," said Jack, doubtfully.