Athelstane Ford Read online

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  Athelstane Ford

  BY

  ALLEN UPWARD

  AUTHOR OF "THE PRINCE OF BALKISTAN," "A CROWN OF STRAW," "SECRETS OF THE COURTS OF EUROPE," ETC

  London C. ARTHUR PEARSON LIMITED HENRIETTA STREET W.C. 1899

  CONTENTS

  CHAP. PAGE

  I. COUSIN RUPERT GAINS A RECRUIT 1 II. THE TAVERN OF THE "THREE-DECKER" 14 III. THE BEGINNING OF THE RIVALRY 27 IV. "A LA MORT" 41 V. ON BOARD THE KING'S SHIP 55 VI. IN THE POWER OF THE ENEMY 69 VII. THE SIEGE OF GHERIAH 83 VIII. IN THE COMPANY'S SERVICE 96 IX. THE SPY 112 X. TAKEN CAPTIVE 128 XI. THE BLACK HOLE 152 XII. RUPERT IN A NEW LIGHT 163 XIII. A NIGHT ADVENTURE 180 XIV. IN A STRANGE LAND 197 XV. THE COMING OF SABAT JUNG 212 XVI. A BATTLE IN THE DARK 227 XVII. A MISSION OF DANGER 244 XVIII. MEER JAFFIER'S OATH 260 XIX. PLASSY 276 XX. RETRIBUTION 288 XXI. COLONEL OLIVE'S MESSAGE 302 XXII. AFTER MANY DAYS 312

  ATHELSTANE FORD

  CHAPTER I

  _COUSIN RUPERT GAINS A RECRUIT_

  It has not happened to many men, as I think, to have fallen into thehands of as cruel and bloodthirsty a monster as ever defiled God'searth, and to have escaped to tell the tale. Yet it is of this that Ihave come to write; and of all the hardships and perils which I wentthrough from the time I fled from my father's house to seek fortreasure in the East Indies; and of the battles in which I fought; andof the madness of love and jealousy which I knew; and of how the man Itrusted became my enemy, and pursued me with his vengeance; and of thetreasure which I found in the palace of the Hindoo king; and of how Ireturned at last to my own home.

  Nor do I greatly expect that the hearing of these things will beeffectual to hinder those who come after me from adventuring in theirturn, for young blood will have its way, like sap in the veins of agrowing tree. But there are times when I think that if I could havelooked forward and seen what was to come, and all the dire straitsthrough which I was to pass--both among my own countrymen and in thosedistant lands--I might have given a different welcome to my cousinRupert when he came riding into Brandon, on the evening of that daywhich was to be the last of my boyhood.

  I had come out of the house before supper was laid, as I often used,and had made my way along the edge of the dyke which runs through ourmeadows into the broad, which we call Breydon Water; and there by themargin of the broad I stood, while the sun was setting behind me, andwatched the light flush and fade over the grey spire and high redroofs of Yarmouth town. Many a night I had come there to the same spotand gazed with wistful eyes at that prospect; for though I was, in amanner, familiar with the old town, and had gone in there on marketdays many a time since I was a boy, yet, at this hour, and seen acrossthe water in the bright blaze of the sunset, it seemed to be strangelyremoved and glorified--like that city which Christian had a prospectof from the Delectable Mountains--and I could never think of it asother than an enchanted region, the gate of the great world, wherethe hours throbbed with action, and life was more full and splendidthan in our lonely grange among the broads; and my heart was frettedwithin me, and day by day the longing grew upon me to break out of thenarrow limits in which my life was bound, and take my way thither intothe glamour and the mystery of the world.

  Then all at once, as I stood there and gazed, I was aware of the soundof a horse's hoofs coming over the wet grass, and turned and saw mycousin riding towards me on his black mare and waving his whip to meas he came.

  I had a great affection for my cousin in those days, mingled with asort of dreadful admiration for the character he bore. He was my elderby nearly ten years, and had been, in my eyes, a man ever since I wasa child, so that I looked up to him with reverence, and thoughtnothing so delightful as to have him come down, bringing the air andrumour of the outside world into our quiet homestead. Indeed, heseemed to be of a superior order to us, and might almost be reckonedas one of the gentry, for his father came of the Gurneys of Lynn, andhad set up a great brewery of ale there, by which he enriched himselfpast all counting. How such a man had come to marry my aunt I neverknew, for my father kept silence on the subject, and Rupert himselfcould tell me nothing of his mother, who had died when he was but aninfant. Nor was there much intercourse between our families, exceptthat twice a year, at Lady-day and Christmas, Mr. Gurney would sendus a barrel of his best brewing; and once a year, on the 1st ofJanuary--for he would give no countenance to the feasts of theChurch--my father despatched a pair of fine turkeys to Lynn.

  Cousin Rupert always showed a friendship for us, and I believe wouldhave given us his company more often but for my father's disapprovalof his manner of life; for he was already known as a wild companion,and one who set little store by religion and respectability. There waseven a scandalous report that he had been fined by the Aldermen ofYarmouth under the new statute made against profane swearing. They hadfixed his fine, so it was said, at two shillings, being the penaltyfor common persons above the degree of a day labourer; but my cousinRupert, taking out his purse with a great air, demanded to have hisoath assessed like a gentleman's, and paid down a silver crown uponthe table.

  Since then he had been away beyond seas, nor had I set eyes on him forthe best part of three years. It was thought that he had been takingsome part in the wars which then raged all over Europe; and difficultenough it was to understand what they were all about, and whom we werefighting; for at one time we were on the side of the great EmpressMaria Theresa, and against the young King of Prussia, who was dubbedan infidel; and then later on we were fighting against the Empress--itis true she was a Papist--and King Frederic was in all men's mouthsas the Protestant hero: I remember myself seeing his portrait paintedup on the sign-board of the inn at Blundell. However, we were alwaysagainst the French, whatever happened.

  But, as it turned out, all this had no concern with my cousin. Icannot tell how glad I was to see him back again, and I think he wasnot ill-pleased at seeing me.

  "Hallo, is that young Athelstane!" he called out as soon as he wasnear enough. "Come on with me, cousin, and help me to put up my horse.I have ridden out from Yarmouth, and I mean to sleep here to-night."

  He sounded his words in the mincing, London fashion, which was thenbeginning to spread among the better class in Norfolk; but I cannotimitate his speech, and so write it down as if it were plain English.

  Quick as my feet could carry me I ran forward in front of the horse,and was there with the gate of the yard open before my cousin came up.

  My father turned out of doors at the clatter, and looked not overpleased when he caught sight of Rupert's dark face. However, he was aman who would never shut the door against his own blood, and he gavehim some sort of a friendly greeting.

  "Well, Nephew Rupert, how long have you been back in England?" heasked him, as soon as the horse had been taken in and given its feed.

  "It is scarce a month since I landed," my cousin answered; "but beingin Yarmouth, and
you so near, I could not forbear riding over to spenda night with you."

  By this time we were come into the house, and my mother was in thehall to welcome him, which she did with great kindness; for though hewas not of her kin, I believe she loved him better than my father did.But that is saying little, for who was there about her that she didnot love? Even those who held aloof from my father as a stubbornIndependent had a kindness for my mother, who seemed to understandnought of differences in religion, except between Christian andheathen.

  My father was of a different stamp. It was his boast that he wasrelated to the family of the famous John Bradshaw, the judge whopronounced sentence on King Charles I, and whose house stands onYarmouth quay to this day. My father has many a time pointed it out tome, and told me of the secret conclave held there of the Independentleaders, when it was resolved to bring the unfortunate king to theblock. I have often thought that it was well for us that my father wasa freeholder, owning the fee simple of Brandon Farm; for the gentryaround were now all become staunch Churchmen, though loyal to KingGeorge II, and showing no favour to the young Pretender in his latedesperate rebellion. Of that, however, I remember little, being scarcetwelve years old when it occurred.

  With the Rector of Brandon parish we held scant intercourse, except attithing time, when my father always received him with grim civilityand bade him take what the law gave him, since title from the Gospelhe had none. Our only friend in the neighbourhood was one AbnerThurstan, a farmer who lived over the border in Blundell parish; butas he was an Anabaptist--or Baptist as they were then beginning tocall themselves--and my father had a great contempt and dislike forthe visionary ideas of that sect, even he came but seldom to ourhouse. His daughter Patience was a great favourite with my mother; andfor that matter I did not dislike the child, and would oftentimespluck her an apple from our trees or cut a whistle for her out of atwig of elder wood.

  The man whom my father most held in esteem was Mr. Peter Walpole, awool factor of Norwich, and a very religious man. He had a great giftin the expounding of Scripture and in prayer, and it was his customonce in every month to ride over to our house from Norwich of aSaturday and hold a service on the next day for such as chose to come.This was before the Methodists had arisen in our parts, and there wasno other means of hearing the Gospel in country places, the Churchclergy being for the most part men of the world.

  Lest I seem to be wandering from my story, let me say here that myfather had been in treaty with this Mr. Peter Walpole concerning myapprenticeship to him in Norwich. After moping a long time at thedullness of my life in Brandon I had plucked up courage to tell myfather that I would fain be abroad. He heard me less unkindly than Ihad feared, and contrived this plan for settling me away from home fora few years, after which, he was pleased to say, I might have senseenough to wish to come back. Good Mr. Walpole came into the schemevery readily, and I believe it was only a matter of fifty poundsbetween them before the thing could be carried out; but each heldfirmly to his own view of the bargain, and though there was the samefriendship between them as ever, and Mr. Walpole prayed over thebusiness in our house, they could by no means come to terms.

  Things stood at this pass, and I was sorely impatient with it all,when, as I have said, my cousin Rupert arrived, and, for good or evil,gave my life a far different turn.

  As soon as my father had seen to it that the cloth was laid for four,and sent down the maid with orders to fill a jug from the barrel onthe right-hand side of the cellar door, he turned to Rupert.

  "You shall taste your father's brewing," he said. "I trust all is wellwith him?"

  "I have no doubt it is, and I am much obliged to you, sir," answeredhe carelessly. "To tell you the truth, I have not yet found my way toLynn."

  "What, nephew! Have you come here before paying your respects to yourown father?"

  "I am afraid it is even so; and I will not pay you so poor acompliment as to remark that Brandon Grange lies forty miles nearer toYarmouth than King's Lynn."

  "Fie, young man, I am ashamed to hear you! I doubt whether I ought tohave let you cross my threshold if I had known of this. Jessica," headded, turning to my mother, "here is a youth who comes to pay you avisit before he has so much as set eyes on Lynn brewery, after threeyears!"

  And thrice during the evening he returned to the same subject, eachtime rating master Rupert soundly for his filial neglect, and pointingout the many advantages which his father's rich house at Lynn had overwhat it pleased him to call the homely grange of Brandon.

  He questioned Rupert while we supped concerning his adventures, andwhat quarter of the world he had been in. But as to this my cousinmaintained a singular reserve, merely stating that he had spent mostof the time on a voyage round the Cape of Good Hope to the factoriesof the great East India Company, of Leadenhall Street in the City ofLondon.

  All this time I listened, saying nothing, for it was not my father'scustom to permit me to speak in his presence, unless I was firstquestioned. I cared for this the less because I knew that as soon aswe were upstairs together my cousin would unburden himself to mefreely. And already I scented some mystery under his guarded speech,which made me impatient for the time when we should be alone. Ilistened with an ill grace to the chapter which my father read to thehousehold after supper, and it seemed to me that he had never prayedat such length and to so little purpose. I thought it especiallyneedless that he should petition, for the space of full five minutes,for the fruitfulness of our flocks, for by this time the ewes had alldropped their lambs, and not one of them was a weakling.

  Nevertheless it was over at last, and I quickly lighted the candle andconducted my cousin upstairs. He was always my bedfellow on theoccasions of his visits to Brandon, and never spared to keep me awakeas long as it pleased him to talk to me.

  As soon as we were snugly settled in bed, Rupert, as I had expected,laid aside his reserve.

  "Now, Cousin Athelstane, what do you suppose it is that has brought mehere?"

  I could only shake my head in sign of pure ignorance.

  "I will tell you. I have come here to offer you a berth on board myship, the _Fair Maid_, now lying in Yarmouth river."

  My breath was fairly taken away by this announcement. All the dreams Ihad cherished for so long seemed suddenly to have put on substance,and what was yesterday a thousand miles away had come at one wordwithin my reach. Yet I could only stammer out--

  "The _Fair Maid_? Is that the ship in which you went to the EastIndies? And is she bound thither again?"

  Rupert nodded his head.

  "She sails as soon as ever she can be fitted out, and we are shippingthe bravest fellows in all Norfolk for our crew. A word in your ear,cousin: we sail with letters of marque against the Frenchmen, and itwill go hard if you or I come back with less than a thousand pounds toour share."

  "What! Is the _Fair Maid_ a privateer?"

  I spoke in some dismay, for in those days privateers bore a bad name.They were commissioned only to prey upon the commerce of suchcountries as we were at war with, but it was currently believed thatthey did not always look too closely at the flag of a vessel whichfell in their way, and that if peace was proclaimed while they wereabroad on a cruise they took care not to hear of it till such time assuited their convenience. Among good men, therefore, they wereesteemed little better than pirates, and I could understand why mycousin had been so chary in speaking about his voyage to my father.

  "You needn't look so scared, youngster," he said, noting my behaviour."Our commission was signed by his Majesty King George himself; andeven the Frenchmen we took had nothing to complain of beyond the lossof their property, and occasionally their lives when we found thatnecessary to our own safety."

  I felt my flesh creep, and yet the fascination of it was stronger thanthe dread.

  "You mean you killed them?" I asked, gazing into his face as if I hadnever seen it before.

  "We had to, sometimes, lest they should tell tales against us. OffMauritius we were chased more than once
by a sloop of war, and itwould have gone hard with us if we had been captured. The French therehave got a devil of a governor, La Bourdonnais, and he has vesselsperpetually prowling up and down in those seas, and as far asPondicherry and Chandernagore. But what do you say, cousin? Are youman enough to join us? You have the right stuff in you, I warrant--allthe Fords have. Our great-grandfather fought at Naseby, and though hewas a scurvy Roundhead, I'll swear he gave a good account of himself."

  I hesitated, my whole heart on fire to accept, and yet held back by asubtle distrust for which I could in no way account.

  "Come, boy, you have only to slip away to-morrow night, after I havegone, and join me privately in Yarmouth, at the sign of the'Three-decker.' I will tell my worthy uncle in the morning that I amon my way to East Dereham and Lynn, so it will be long enough beforethey suspect where you are gone. And by the time the hue and cryreaches Yarmouth you shall be safely stowed in the hold of the _FairMaid_, or maybe in a snug attic of the tavern, where only a bird couldfind you out."

  I made little more ado, but gave my consent, whereupon my cousin,reaching down to the pocket of his breeches which he had cast on thefoot of the bed, drew out a golden guinea, which he pressed into myhand.

  "Here is handsel for your engagement," he said. And that settled, heturned over and betook himself to sleep, leaving me to get out of bedand extinguish the light.

  But I could not sleep so easily, and lay there tossing and turning farinto the night, while I speculated on the new life that lay before meand all the great deeds I would do.