Having achieved this performance, he cast it on the ground, andsliding down the pole with inconceivable rapidity, alighted on hisfeet almost as soon as it had touched the earth.
"There, sir," said John, relapsing into his usual stolid state,"you won"t see that at many houses, besides the Maypole, wherethere"s good accommodation for man and beast--nor that neither,though that with him is nothing."
This last remark bore reference to his vaulting on horseback, asupon Mr Chester"s first visit, and quickly disappearing by thestable gate.
"That with him is nothing," repeated Mr Willet, brushing his wigwith his wrist, and inwardly resolving to distribute a small chargefor dust and damage to that article of dress, through the variousitems of his guest"s bill; "he"ll get out of a"most any winder inthe house. There never was such a chap for flinging himself aboutand never hurting his bones. It"s my opinion, sir, that it"spretty nearly allowing to his not having any imagination; and thatif imagination could be (which it can"t) knocked into him, he"dnever be able to do it any more. But we was a-talking, sir, aboutmy son."
"True, Willet, true," said his visitor, turning again towards thelandlord with his accustomed serenity of face. "My good friend,what about him?"
It has been reported that Mr Willet, previously to making answer,winked. But as he was never known to be guilty of such lightnessof conduct either before or afterwards, this may be looked upon as a malicious invention of his enemies--founded, perhaps, upon theundisputed circumstance of his taking his guest by the third breastbutton of his coat, counting downwards from the chin, and pouringhis reply into his ear:
"Sir," whispered John, with dignity, "I know my duty. We want nolove-making here, sir, unbeknown to parents. I respect a certainyoung gentleman, taking him in the light of a young gentleman; Irespect a certain young lady, taking her in the light of a younglady; but of the two as a couple, I have no knowledge, sir, nonewhatever. My son, sir, is upon his patrole."
"I thought I saw him looking through the corner window but thismoment," said Mr Chester, who naturally thought that being onpatrole, implied walking about somewhere.
"No doubt you did, sir," returned John. "He is upon his patrole ofhonour, sir, not to leave the premises. Me and some friends ofmine that use the Maypole of an evening, sir, considered what wasbest to be done with him, to prevent his doing anything unpleasantin opposing your desires; and we"ve put him on his patrole. Andwhat"s more, sir, he won"t be off his patrole for a pretty longtime to come, I can tell you that."
When he had communicated this bright idea, which had its origin inthe perusal by the village cronies of a newspaper, containing,among other matters, an account of how some officer pending thesentence of some court-martial had been enlarged on parole, MrWillet drew back from his guest"s ear, and without any visiblealteration of feature, chuckled thrice audibly. This nearestapproach to a laugh in which he ever indulged (and that but seldomand only on extreme occasions), never even curled his lip oreffected the smallest change in--no, not so much as a slightwagging of--his great, fat, double chin, which at these times, asat all others, remained a perfect desert in the broad map of hisface; one changeless, dull, tremendous blank.
Lest it should be matter of surprise to any, that Mr Willet adoptedthis bold course in opposition to one whom he had oftenentertained, and who had always paid his way at the Maypolegallantly, it may be remarked that it was his very penetration andsagacity in this respect, which occasioned him to indulge in thoseunusual demonstrations of jocularity, just now recorded. For MrWillet, after carefully balancing father and son in his mentalscales, had arrived at the distinct conclusion that the oldgentleman was a better sort of a customer than the young one.
Throwing his landlord into the same scale, which was already turnedby this consideration, and heaping upon him, again, his strongdesires to run counter to the unfortunate Joe, and his oppositionas a general principle to all matters of love and matrimony, itwent down to the very ground straightway, and sent the light causeof the younger gentleman flying upwards to the ceiling. MrChester was not the kind of man to be by any means dim-sighted toMr Willet"s motives, but he thanked him as graciously as if he hadbeen one of the most disinterested martyrs that ever shone onearth; and leaving him, with many complimentary reliances on hisgreat taste and judgment, to prepare whatever dinner he might deemmost fitting the occasion, bent his steps towards the Warren.
Dressed with more than his usual elegance; assuming a gracefulnessof manner, which, though it was the result of long study, sateasily upon him and became him well; composing his features intotheir most serene and prepossessing expression; and setting inshort that guard upon himself, at every point, which denoted thathe attached no slight importance to the impression he was about tomake; he entered the bounds of Miss Haredale"s usual walk. He hadnot gone far, or looked about him long, when he descried comingtowards him, a female figure. A glimpse of the form and dress asshe crossed a little wooden bridge which lay between them, satisfied him that he had found her whom he desired to see. Hethrew himself in her way, and a very few paces brought them closetogether.
He raised his hat from his head, and yielding the path, sufferedher to pass him. Then, as if the idea had but that momentoccurred to him, he turned hastily back and said in an agitatedvoice:
"I beg pardon--do I address Miss Haredale?"
She stopped in some confusion at being so unexpectedly accosted bya stranger; and answered "Yes."
"Something told me," he said, LOOKING a compliment to her beauty,"that it could be no other. Miss Haredale, I bear a name which isnot unknown to you--which it is a pride, and yet a pain to me toknow, sounds pleasantly in your ears. I am a man advanced in life,as you see. I am the father of him whom you honour and distinguishabove all other men. May I for weighty reasons which fill me withdistress, beg but a minute"s conversation with you here?"