Hilda, a love story

Chapter I. The Steanger

It is not many years ago that the evening train from London brought to Snoreton a certain traveller of insignificant appearance. The trains on this Great Southern line are slow ; the weather during the whole of this particular April day had been unusually cold, and the traveller, under the influence of these and other hardships, had by this time sunk into the state of torpor which must be suffi ciently familiar to all our readers who have ever passed under the same conditions a period of ten hours. On arriving at Brew ino-ton, which his Bradshaw showed to be the station immediately next to Snoreton, he roused himself, and, after a good stretch, B betook himself to the open window of his compartment, out of which he continued to gaze with the greatest interest at the features of the landscape while the train sped on, and in spite of the keen breeze.

These two places or towns are connected by a straight piece of line, and in approaching Snoreton on this side you observe that it lies at the bottom of a valley, at the central point of which the houses cluster thickly together, gradually rising on either side, and thinning off sky wards. Something about this aspect speaks to you of warmth (perhaps the red-tiled roofs), peace and homeliness, an impression strength ened by the light purple haze generally float ing over all. Our stranger noted all these signs, while the train gradually slackened speed, and finally stopped to the tune of squeaking and jarring breaks at the terminus. Here an unpleasant every-day reality put his dreams to flight — the scarcity of railway porters. The crowd melted rapidly away, however, leaving him alone on the platform ; in which situation he at length attracted the notice of the only official present, who ad vanced to his assistance in reply to his call.

" Hi, porter !" " Sir ?" " Will you try to find my luggage, please ? One large wooden box, two portmanteaux, and a tin case. And — can I get a cab here ?" " Well," replied the one addressed, doubt fully, " I don't think as you can. Gentlemen mostly always orders them beforehand ; where for, Sir ?" " The Eagle Hotel ; if there is such a place." " Oh ! Eagle !— John ?" " Coming," replied a voice from outside the station premises. " One for you, John." " Right you are ! Eagle, Sir ?" The one so enquiring proved, on present ing himself, to be a short, red-headed, good humoured looking man of the ostler species, whose throat was tightly bound round with a woollen comforter, and who carried in his right hand a long whip. " Give me yer 'at-box," he continued, with out waiting for an answer, " 'bus is out there (jerking his head in its direction), we always meets the trains."

Everyone has heard of the commotion, and probably most have experienced it for them selves, which the arrival of any stranger of decent exterior stirs up in a small country town. For the honour thus paid us we may b thank our tailor rather more than our natural builder. Also in such places there is generally one person of all others whose function it is to acquire early information concerning an intruder, and this person, by long practice and experience, certainly does contrive, in process of time, to form very accurate off hand opinions regarding such an one. This post, in connection with his native town, had naturally, by reason of his continual trips to the station, " a carry-in of all sorts," as he himself expressed it, fallen to the lot of the above mentioned John, whose intelligence proceeded in this case to work in its cus tomary fashion.

"Gentleman — I think." This, with its saving clause, constituted his first impression. Number two was as follows — " 'Is name'll be on 'is 'at-box." " You go there, my friend," he continued, to the article in question, as he placed it for further refer ence on the box in such a position that he could decipher the name as he drove ; for John was but a poor speller it must be ad mitted. By slow degrees the stranger's pro perty was at last collected, placed on a truck, and wheeled through the ticket office to the 'bus outside. Our traveller watched with some amusement the operation of transferring it to the roof ; there was something so new to him in the tardiness and deliberation of those engaged in it. When, later on, he came to know Southshire better, he under stood that these qualities are peculiar and deeply rooted points in the local character.

They have always got on very well without hurry, and, as the good folks consider it quite incompatible with comfort and dignity of even a low order, you couldn't get them to change their views by anything you might say. You must not suppose that the title of " gentleman" was rashly conferred by John Dobbs upon every waif and stray without some good proof. Such was not his usage. Gentleman is as gentleman does. Satisfied on this point by his personal experience, he conferred the dignity at once, and it seldom happened that Snoreton refused to confirm and approve. It is true that you might earn the distinction slowly and painfully at some future time, and refuse to pay your footing on en trance, but what a poor way of proceeding ; not to be thought of by anyone with the spirit of a mouse ! Well, in process of time, and when our stranger had become, if possible, rather more frozen than before, behold, the 'bus stood ready to convey him to a cheerful fire — he hoped.

" Your boxes was 'eavy, very 'eavy, Sir," insinuated the porter, as he held the door open ; " thank you, Sir," as his hand closed on the shilling. " Right, John" (this had a double meaning) and with upraised hand in true G.S.R. fashion, he signalled that personage to start. The look of satisfaction which accompanied the action, and conveyed such a reply to the ele vated eyebrow on the box, was lost on the stranger, who, clambering into the vehicle, only saw before him a great variety of parcels and packages monopolising the floor, and greater part of the seats. He scraped a place for himself, however, and sat down, leaving his companions to find their own level, as they One by one neared the edge, jolted over in succession, and took up their natural positions at his feet. A cramped and stuffy omnibus, with the dirt of weeks caked on its small windows, does not afford a man of enquiring mind much sphere for the exercise of his bent, but our new-comer was able to make out in a dim fashion, sundry buildings and objects, which a longer stay in Snoreton enabled him afterwards to recognise.

A sudden turn to the right, which nearly levelled him among the parcels, and an almost equally abrupt stoppage, causing him to part company with his hat, finished the journey, and he returned to earth at the bidding of John. " Thought I'd better come 'ere stryght with you, Sir, though I've all these ere parcels to deliver, but yer boxes is outside, and its ryning." " Very good — is this the Eagle ?" This may appear a random question, but hardly unnecessary. "Where is the Eagle?" he added, fairly puzzled, for a glance any way showed nothing resembling an inn, far less a hotel. " Why, be-'ind you, Sir — not there — that door— there." " Oh, indeed, thank you, yes of course." It is very difficult, when one is thoroughly taken aback, to give to one's words and manner a complimentary flavour, and there fore it was that something of surprise, not to say, disappointment, in the tone that struck the two listeners, one of whom, unfortunately, was no less a personage than Mr. Fillup, the landlord of the house himself, who looked threatening and disagreeable as he stood in the doorway, a very monarch in his own estimation, and not a bad sort of fellow in that of those others who knew him.

I know of no graceful way out of such a predicament, and even if there be one, it is not at the end of an unpleasant day's work that one is most fitted or disposed for conciliation ; other matters more practical demand one's attention, and, besides, the stranger had somewhat buoyed himself up with the idea of a brilliant finish, and was irritated at the reality. " Can you give me a bed here to night, and something to eat ?" he inquired of the little man, watching him with a pair of cold, un friendly, blue eyes. The look on Mr. Fillup' s face said plainly enough — " Yes, and a dozen such as you ; aye, or twenty, if need be." When he opened his mouth at last to answer, he replied stiffly, " I daresay we can," and turned to the little group (consisting of his wife, her sister, a stableman, and a maid which had collected in rear of him) as if for confirmation.

The stranger felt an itching desire to charge head foremost into the middle of this group which stood in solemn array inspecting him at leisure with looks of distrust and suspicion. Not one of its items advanced to his assis tance, or bade him welcome, and his luggaoe lay unheeded on the pavement outside, just where it had been let down by John. A keen sense of the ridiculous overcame him, and he laughed aloud. This broke the spell, and the group also, and he entered the house in triumph, every one making way for him. What on earth do they take me for ? he asked himself, and you, who have known other welcomes at somewhat different estab lishments than small country pot-houses, may well re-echo it. The reception is rather over done sometimes, as I daresay you, as well as I, have felt when we only happened to have a half crown in our pockets to lunch off and fee the bowing menial in addition.

Here, however, was a healthy tonic, as well as a startling contrast, calculated to bring a man to his bearings. If it had not been that the new comer was previously strongly recommended to the Inn, that he was cold and tired, and such an utter stranger as to be ignorant whether Snoreton could boast anything better, and that he rightly or wrongly felt some apology due to the offended host, to which we may add that a strong feeling of curiosity to see the end had seized him, he would have launched himself and his belongings once more upon the bleak outer world in search of more b propitious accommodation. Once up-stairs with his face in a basin of warm water he began to revive with the sense of cleanliness, the prospect of a meal of some sort, and re turning circulation. Before long a knock at the door was followed up by a request to know what he would have to eat.

This is one of those questions which, put in such general terms, a bachelor, or, let us say a man, finds it so hardto answer. In a large hotel you cover your confusion, and obtain a little time by requesting a sight of the bill of fare, unless, indeed, that document is already thrust upon you. Disregarding the temptation to reply " beefsteak," or " mutton chop," which beset him, he resolved to try the re sources of this queer establishment, mentally reflecting, " I suppose it will prove to be the choice they give you in Ireland — eggs and bacon, with the alternative of bacon and eggs." " A roast fowl as soon as possible ; if you can give me such a thing." The steps departed, but there was no reply, probably because none was called for : but it appeared ominous to our friend. " I have either disgusted them with another proof of infidelity, or my dinner is still walking about in the yard having his dinner," he thought.

Supported by the same sense of the ridiculous which is one of the best gifts a man can possess in this life, he finished dressing, and set out to find the coffee room. The Eagle is a rambling old place, covering a considerable area, as he found out, but only two stories high. This is a merit, and he duly placed it to the credit side, hitherto a blank. But the basements are dark, and full of queer passages and unexpected steps, so that it behoved the traveller to go cautiously, especially as he saw no one to tell him the way, and he dreaded breaking in upon some private sanctum or other, not knowing how such an intrusion might be taken after what had already passed. " You pays your money, and takes your choice, I suppose," he mut tered as he brought himself to an anchor in one of the three rooms which he had in spected.

" At all events there are two of us here, so we must be in the same box, if any objection is made." The other tenant of the room was undoubtedly a commercial traveller, everything about him proclaimed it. He was busily engaged with a memorandum book, and only looked up as our friend entered, resuming his occupation at once without a remark. His case or parcel of samples stood on a chair, surmounted by his hat, and before him on the table lay the remains of his feast. The room was low ceilinged and stuffy, the furniture long past yielding any comfort, but capable of bare stern use, and the old sporting prints on the walls, which, with the ceiling, had, by neglect of years, become toned down to the same neutral tint, required a close in spection before they conveyed any particular meaning to your senses.

Over the mantelpiece there hung one of those looking-glasses in which it is not a pleasure to survey your misrepresentation if you be a vain person, and in which you would find a difficulty in parting your hair straight if you be a particular one. On the departure of the commercial gentleman, our stranger flung open the window, and by this means had somewhat sweetened the atmosphere by the time that the door opened to admit the sandy haired maid, laden with the preliminaries for his meal. In this latter he had fully made up his mind to find the last straw, or rather the last straw but one, for there was still the night to be got over somehow. The scared expres sion which he had last beheld on the damsel's truth-telling face, had given place to one of curiosity, plain, unvarnished, and not particularly modest.

The fact was, that John had published his report, in words somewhat oracular, but still favourable. It was by dark sayings that he supported his character of prophet, and was able when things turned out adverse, to still hold up his head. His actual discovery on this occasion had, in reality, been smaller than usual, for he had failed to conquer the name, a thing that seldom happened to him. " Gen'lman's a Captain something," said he, " but he's no writer, for certain. Name begins with a N, that's all I'd time to make out, what with the sleet and that 'ere young horse a'most a pulling me off the box. After all, I doubt but what that's good enough — coming, Sir." Here John hastened to an swer an imaginary call, and so rid himself of further awkward questions. " Everything considered," he reasoned with himself, " the shilling he give me, and the bad writing, pro claims him the real article ; your Volunteer Captain writes like copperplate, and he don't throw his money away on such as me.

He'd rig me out gratis in a suit of ' reach-me downs' out of 'is shop winder! There's no cheating such-like, no, no !" Captain Newcome at length sat down to that repast, concerning which his hopes had been of such a faint description, and the best of all sauces waited on him. His praises, as delivered by proxy of the sandy-haired maid in the bar parlour at its conclusion, went far to soothe the disagreeable feelings he had at first excited. " I never had a better roast fowl in my life," he said, " and the beer was splendid. I suppose this is a brewing county, isn't it? Now, Mary, may I end a thoroughly good feed by an equally fine cigar, and may I smoke in this room ? Thank you," he added, as he made his choice, "now I want some one to be so good as to go for the Sergeant-Major of the Militia, and to tell him that the new Adjutant is here, and wishes to see him."

Mr. Fillup was a proud man, and a prosperous ; for it is wonderful what an amount of money innkeepers of his class can scrape together in small country towns. He had his connection among the farmers, and his far mers' dinner at two o'clock every Saturday all the year round ; and his reputation ex tended not only over the whole of Southshire, but far and wide among that class of com mercial travellers which made the Eagle its house of call. He was therefore quite independent of casual wayfarers, and took care to let them see it, especially since he had some times found reason to regret his hospitality. The name on the Captain's luggage had not escaped him, but titles are now common enough, and not always genuine. The Eagle did not call itself an hotel (our stranger had so described it on his address in ignorance), and the new designation did not flatter Mr. Fillup — in fact it created suspicion of a desire to get on his blind side, and excited his prejudices at once, causing his face to harden very disagreeably.

It was, therefore, left as it always is, for woman's wit to discover the truth. While the Captain was at work on his dinner, Mr. Fillup wastaken to task at once by his better half and her sister. " You never will believe me, James, but I'm always right," said the feminine half of the life partnership. " I'm sure he's a gentleman, trust me to know when I see one, and what's more, he's the new Captain in place of Captain Longago, see if he isn't. It's all very well to shake your head, but you'll find I'm right, and then the Militia officers will go to the Rentrolle, and never come here any more." This was a view of affairs which had faileel to strike the obtuse landlord. He stared rather blankly at his wife, who had resumed her knitting. " Nonsense, woman," he said at length, but not quite bravely, " he's a deal too young.

What ? a young hop-o'-my-thumb like that ? You're wrong this time wife, and I wish I had a big bet on it." There was silence for a while in the bar parlour, broken only by the tune softly whistled by Mr. Fillup, as he stood pondering and warming himself before the fire, with his eyes full on his wife. Presently he started unmistakeably. " Oh ! if you please Sir, said Mary, the maid, hurriedly entering, " gentleman says he's new Captain, and wants some one to go fetch Sarjunt-Major." Mrs. Fillup gave her husband a quiet, mis chievous look. " Send John," she replied, seeing that the nobler animal was too stag gered to give an order of any kind. " A man may call himself the Prince of Wales." With this poor excuse and refusal to admit himself vanquished, the landlord slunk away from the scene of his humiliation, leaving the women to enjoy a quiet laugh at his expense.

Newcome had arrived at that pleasant state of drowsiness which results from a good fire, a savoury meal, a cold journey, and a fragrant cigar (which he was about half-way through) when Mr. Fillup roused him. '' I've sent for the Sergeant-Major, Sir, as you wanted — didn't at all know who you was, that's the fact," said he, poking up the fire apologeti cally. " I'm sure I 'ope you'll forgive — God bless me ! God bless me !" he continued, fidgetting about in an irritable way ; " what a mistake to make. I 'ope you'll permit me to shake hands with you, Sir. Dear, dear — tut — tut ; my wife knew you at once — clever things is women, a deal more than us, to be sure. Well, well. Pardon me, Sir, you're probably a single man. I've knowed five of your predecessors, so I have. There was Captain Short, Captain Long, Captain Nonde script, Captain Flyaway, and Captain Longago.

Aye, I've knowed um all, what a time it is, sureky. You wouldn't think I was seventy, now, would you ? A man of that age did orter know a gentleman by this time, you're thinking ? and so he did, and so he did." " I've nothing to complain of at all," said Newcome, " I never had a better dinner, or a better cigar, and I'm not so easily offended as all that. You must forgive me for having laughed in your face as I did." " And so you well might. Here is the Sergeant-Major, now Sir, so I'll leave you alone with him — a most worthy soul," he whispered, " I don't know what Captain Long ago would have done without him." Mr. Fillup retired with a light heart after these satisfactory proceedings, and though he somewhat dreaded to meet his wife, he found her generous, and (what was better) silent on the subject of her victory, when he once more came across her.

Chapter II. The Inspector Of Breweries

These were piping times of peace. Not a single cloud threatened the navigators of our national ship, and sundry small voices, which cannot make themselves heard when any thing great or exciting is on the tapis, at this moment claimed the ear of society and vexed and played upon its nerves. Over civilization was ruining and degenerating our physique, as a race we were becoming dwarfs, and what was to be done ? We are unqualified our selves to enter into the battle and, therefore, keep out of it, but we wish to introduce an in dividual who, in consequence of his proud ability to see over the top of every other man's (in Snoreton) chimney pot hat, may fairly serve as one exception to prove the rule. Men of this goodly altitude, always provided that nature has not withheld her other gift of fair proportion, "lounge " along rather than walk, and are much given to striking neglige attitudes at street corners, whereby they secure attention and admiration from two directions.

A better place is where four roads meet, but street corners are perhaps more numerous and also get-at-able, for the species is also lazy. Bad health, poverty, and a series of shocks to the nerves will upset all this, and they had so upset Colonel David Ross, a brawny Celt and Government Inspector of Breweries, for Southshire. If you had seen him, you would have exclaimed, " Hercules in the flesh ! " but it was Hercules with a canker. If this gallant half-pay officer had been able to strike his attitudes on market days on the steps of the Town Hall, to the accompani ment of the jingling of sovereigns in his pocket, he would have been true to his type, but silver, though sweet in the form of cornet, especially when vibrated by Mr. Levy, has not, in another form, the soothing sound of the yellow metal, while coppers ! — Easy circumstances and good health make the lounger, but the landscape must not wave before your eyes, or be speckled with swiftly jerking dots.

Ross was highly nervous and fretful, and showed it not only in his conver sation, but also in his general restlessness of limb and features, perhaps morally also in his infirmity of purpose or indecision. In one respect he was true to his kind. Your very tall men generally affect a flowing or loose style of dress, and a disregard of buttons ; their coats are more often un fastened than not, no matter what may be the fashion or intention of the tailor ; their hats are frequently soft, shapeless, and care lessly thrust on the head, without any regard to position. They are so far correct that the result is picturesque and effective, and pro bably not without comfort to themselves. A short man cannot carry off this style ; he looks a snob at once, it belongs exclusively to the gigantic. A sort of depression or melancholy always attended Ross, even in society.

He had a great fund of small talk and gossip, highly acceptable to the ladies he came across, but even these had a kind of perception that he never heard more than half of what was addressed to him by the way in which he would sink into a dream in the middle of conversation. Love, of course, an early disappointment, so they set it down, and worshipped him all the more, the fact being that he had undergone two or three unpropitious affairs without changing his single condition. When an air of gentle mystery thus sits upon a decidedly handsome bachelor of forty-three, there will not be wanting many caps to be set at him, and in more ways than one Ross came to understand that it was his own fault that his life was thus wasted. He had advanced opinions on the brewery question, and the knack of setting forth his views, and, as was believed, those of head-quarters, in after dinner speeches of a pointed and meritorious style, and naturally his opinions as a government official were of considerable interest to Snore ton society, as beer drinkers if not as brewers.

A man who can make a good speech seldom wants an audience, no matter what his topic may be, the living impersonation appeals to one so much more than the dead page, or what would become of the theatres ? England is becoming so crowded that you can nowhere bury yourself, and secure oblivion any longer. Of course Ross's affairs and antecedents were common pro perty in Snoreton long before the first year of the ten which he had passed there was over. He was getting on well in the army, when he received his wounds, as a captain in the Mutiny, and his liver having also exhibited signs of unsoundness from which it was feared that he would never recover sufficiently for another day's duty, his grateful country placed him on half -pay, pressed on his accept ance a few ribbons and decorations, and then said good-bye to him.

Half pay will not keep a man, so Ross was forced to look about him, and so it was that he one day came down in his manly proportions, but somewhat yellow in hue, to live out his days in Snoreton, and superintend the working of the last new Act. Whatever may be said of over-legislation there is one great and good point about these new acts which civilization cannot do with out ; viz. that if they create new crimes they give employment to so many people in superintending their enforcement, or in other words doing the detective work which they entail. Even the government stamp, how ever, does not blind Snoreton in social matters ; the community is suspicious, and does not altogether approve of bachelors of Ross's age and status. The male youth of this country town go elsewhere to make their plunge into the vortex of life, excepting the few who succeed to the businesses and prosessions of their relations, leaving behind them a considerable population of idle and dressed up young women, who are only re strained from the delights and perils of adventure by the scarcity of objects to reciprocate.

If they did not actually run after Ross, he certainly met them unaccountably often in his walks ; and women have a hundred ways of opening up acquaintance, which it requires a man to be of very hard heart, or very much alive to his danger, to resist. It takes a woman to catch a woman, just as it takes a thief to catch a thief. Every one knows it who has ever watched a rustic couple out for a Sunday walk ; the sharper-witted girl making the most pointed demonstrations towards male passers-by, obtusely unnoticed by her phlegmatic companion, who is quite oblivious to blowing of noses and speaking eyes, and full only of his own merits. There was more than one father in Snoreton whose muscles twitched to lay a stick over his back, and yet he was harmless enough so far. Amono gamekeepers and ostlers, and such like, he was immensely popular, familiar in his address, and ready with his tips ; he did not offend their prejudices as he did those of the tradesmen, perhaps, because this class is easier going, and has more sympathy with nature.

Snoreton is deceptive, and it is only by an occasional explosion that you get a glimpse of what is going on under the calm, unruffled surface. If you go there casually, you fall to wondering how its inhabitants support themselves ; there are not half-a-dozen people in High-street ; the shopkeepers lounge at their doors, or slumber within, unmolested; and there is apparently a total absence of any thing doing. If you were to accompany the postman on his rounds, and could see the packet of post-cards he delivers at every door} you would be let into half the secret, and a country walk in any direction would show you the gigs conveying country orders to their destinations. The tradesmen of Snoreton live on the large houses round about, and on each other. In former days they had also their votes to turn to account, but not much is done in this way now, although the local landlords, the Duke of Rentrolle and Lord Liberalle of course possess much interest.