Sir Gaspard's Affinity

Introduction

I, Arline Baxabert, Granddaughter of Sir Gaspard Baxabert, Bart., and of Lady Baxabert (Victoria), his wife, write these few words in order to explain the circumstances under which this simple story was nar rated. We, the Grandchildren, assembled round our beloved Grandmother (Victoria) every evening, whilst she related this tale, picking up the thread each time, at the point where she had previously dropped it. I took notes as she proceeded, and as I am blessed with a good memory, I think you have the story just as it fell from dear Grannie's lips, for I arranged and put it together with much care. (Signed) Arline Baxabert. (Signed) Victoria, Lady Baxabert, who declares and affirms that the statement of the afore-named Arline Baxabert is correct. This 27 th of August 1896 Bax Priory, Kent.

Chapter I

You ask me, dear children, for so you seem to me although you are grown up, to tell you the story of my life ; of the many long years I have passed. You gaze at my face as if to read my thoughts, and in the guileless countenances, so transparent in their sweet candour to such an experienced world-wise person as myself, T read your thoughts far more clearly than you can guess mine, and they are these : ' Ah,' you say, ' how old, how very old she is, her hair is white, her brow is furrowed by time or care, or both. Her grey eyes are still bright, but something in their expression tells us that at least once — perhaps long ago — she has suffered deeply, but there is no sorrow in them now ; only its traces linger, reflected or mirrored, as it were, in their depths, whilst above is firmly stamped the seal of contentment.

She has known more radiant happiness than bitter pain, but an intimate acquaintance with grief, maybe in her youth, has widened her views, softened and strengthened her character, and made her strangely sympathetic. There fore do we fly to her for refuge and consolation in all our little trials ; we open our hearts to her, for we know that dear Grannie ever understands, as others do not always, and that she will always comfort us. Sometimes she sighs and says, " What a happy girlhood is yours," that is because hers was the very reverse, we are sure.' You blush and tell me that I must surely be a witch, for that indeed I am perfectly correct in my surmises. Well, my dears, I am, in truth, an old woman, seventythree next birthday ; and during my long life, doubtless I have gathered some knowledge of persons and things, and have gained some slight insight to spirit and matter ; souls that are not honest and pure, cannot conceal their vileness from me so easily as formerly, yet I have always been sensitive, and my intuition would detect the evil.

How the wind whistles round the corners of the house ; do you hear it ? It is bitterly drear and cold without, and deliciously cosy and warm within. See how bright the fire burns ; thank God that we are so comfortable, and let us not be forgetful of those who are shivering on these wintry nights ; I mean let each and all of us endeavour to do something to help such. ' Tiresome old lady,' you may say, but no ; your hearts are kind, and you know me well enough to feel certain that I have not any desire to preach ; but you are young, and the young are apt to be thoughtless, though youth is fleeting, only once does it come with its joyous glamour, and a very beautiful thing it is, and its gay carelessness too. Now I won't be tedious, but begin at once to relate the story you wish to hear, commonplace though it may be ; well, you must judge of that.

Did you ever hear of Cain Waite ? No. Then I must give you some information about him first, for you will be surprised later to learn the extent of his influence, and how it reached to me and mine, and appeared to colour and alter lives, although perhaps the word ' alter ' is too strong ; for surely we are all in higher hands than in those of any human being, but it seems to me that at any rate there are strong, powerful natures of a domineering kind that are instruments permitted for some good reason to interfere in the affairs of others, and to master weaker people, and lead them into different grooves, whether for better or worse. Cain Waite was such a man. He possessed wonderful magnetism, no doubt, for he attracted crowds in the villages through which he passed. He was a kind of Methodist Preacher, and used literally to stand on a tub and hold forth wherever he could command an audience, and after his discourse he would invite the bystanders to come and converse with him.

Cain dearly loved an argument, and such topics as ' The Devil's Work,' ' The Torture of the Lost in Hell,' and the rejoicings of the Elect, were to him sources of never-ending delight, and he exulted in being able to worst an adversary in wordy conflict. He was wont to hold an open Bible in his hand, and to quote from it in order to uphold his theories, and he naturally interpreted the various passages and texts to suit his own views ; and as he was certainly a firm believer in his own opinions, whilst having a marvellous gift of speech, his opponents were usually nowhere, and besides being made to feel extremely small, were constantly converted to his way of thinking. Cain's home was near Havant in Hampshire. He worked on his own farm, a very modest one, and when he was not ' Missionising,' his time was pretty well taken up in looking after his two cows, the chickens, ducks and sheep, besides being compelled to divide his attention with the fat pony, the antiquated carriage, and the garden ; for Cain was not wealthy enough to be able to employ many hands, so he had to content him self with the services of two raw village lads, and with the help that his wife was able to give him in the time she could spare from the household duties.

They were childless ; so much the better, I should say, for Cain's religion was of too terrifying and repulsive a nature to have been ingrafted in the minds of his progeny. Never shall I forget the first time I beheld this curious fanatic, nor the impression his personality made upon me. I cannot have been more than nine years old (I leave you to calculate the time), and Cain must have been about thirty or thereabouts, I imagine. My nurse was taking me to the village Post Office one evening (you know where my father's, your great-grandfather's house, Croft Manor, still stands ? quite close to the common) ; well, Cain Waite stood near the pump that you remember seeing so often. He was surrounded by a group of gaping rustics, to whom he was discoursing most eloquently, his right hand pointing upwards and his left hand grasping an open Bible.

His countenance inspired me with the greatest terror ; his eyes seemed flaming, the nostrils of his long aquiline nose were dilated, his long black hair shook like a shaggy mane, as he moved his head backwards and forwards in his intense excitement : ' And unless you are able to believe, as I tell you, without the smallest thought of a doubt, you must perish everlastingly. ' You must burn and burn for ever in hell fire.' These were the words he was bellowing forth in a voice of thunder. My nurse had stopped to listen, and by her side was I, holding my breath in mingled fear and astonishment. ' No matter what good works ye may do,' he continued in awful tones, ' they will be of no use — they will but help to pave hell, and to make the fire burn all the fiercer unless you believe ; do you hear me ? ' Then there was the sounds of moans and sobs, as some of the women amongst his hearers could retain their composure no longer, frightened beyond measure by the horrible doctrine of Eternal Punishment which Cain held up to them, and forced upon them with such unmerciful and vigorous severity.

I was melted to tears also from sheer fright, and, observing my condition the nurse caught hold of my hand and hurried me forward, as she said in tremulous tones, ' But you must mind and be a good girl, Miss Victoria, for if not, for certain sure, you will go to that awful place. Cain speaks the truth, it's written in the Bible, you know.' I shuddered. 'Are you quite sure if it is true, Martha ? ' I asked appealingly. ' Of course it is,' she replied ominously, ' and whenever I know he is in the neighbourhood, and I have time, I come and listen to that good man, who is doing his best to save perishing souls.' We entered the little shop, which was Post Office as well, and where stamps were handed over the counter to my nurse, whilst above were dangling sundry joints of the unclean animal, the whole atmosphere being pervaded with an odour of bacon, mingled with cheese ; for of the latter product there was a fair amount, besides butter, tea, sugar and other articles of every-day consumption, which were neatly arranged on one end of the counter and on shelves in the wall.

It may seem strange to you young folks that I should be able to recall these little trivialities, but I have a good memory, and they were more firmly impressed upon my mind than such things usually are, on account of Cain Waite. The incidents of the day on which I first set eyes on him stand out sharply and clearly, he being the central figure. Every thing else that I saw or did at that time appears to belong to him, to surround him, as it were, in the way the scenery forms a back-ground to the actor, and the stage properties seem part and parcel of him, all assisting to build up the whole. I cannot recollect all that happened on other days in the same way, so I fancy that the reason I have given you for this entire remembrance is the correct one. I know that we returned home another way down a green lane, which lane runs through the Manor estate, and in which you too have often walked, gathering wild flowers meanwhile.

It had been a glorious afternoon — the month was July, but very oppressively warm, and I think I can now see the big black clouds gathering over the blue sky, and obscuring the sun as we neared the last stile, that divides the park from the garden. Fortunately we just reached the house in time, for at that moment there was a flash of lightning followed by a terrific clap of thunder, which told us how near the storm was, and then there was flash after flash, and peal after peal like roaring cannons, and then the rain came, a regular downpour, but we were safe indoors. My poor mother, I can see her now, drawing down the blinds in her bedroom and covering the looking-glass with a shawl — she was so afraid of lightning — she sat down in an arm-chair, in the furthest corner of the room away from the windows, and drew me down on her lap.

How lovely she was, and how gentle ; she had the prettiest blue eyes and the softest light brown hair that I have ever seen, and the sweetest smile always played around her mouth — when she spoke to me at least. No, not when she was talking to my father, your great grandfather, dear girls. It is no good disguising truth or mincing matters : you know from hearsay what he was then. I believe that when your great-grandmother was with him she was never at her ease — at least I used to notice that if she had been laughing merrily and chatting with my only sister and me, as soon as he appeared she would suddenly grow silent, and even sometimes when he addressed her in his cold and harsh tones, I have seen her grow white to the lips. Well, on that afternoon, as I sat on my mother's knee, he burst into the room ; I felt my mother tremble. ' Frightened as usual ? ' he said sarcastically, frowning so that his heavy black eyebrows met over his nose.

She made no reply, but I saw that she winced and grew paler. 'And encouraging this child to indulge her foolish whims also,' he continued in an angry tone of voice. ' That I simply will not allow. Get up, Victoria, im mediately, and come downstairs with me,' he said roughly. I obeyed, but turning to my mother as I reached the door, I cried : ' But oh, mamma, I can't bear to leave you alone.' 'Nonsensical sham sentiment,' muttered my father under his breath, as he held the handle, being already half out of the room. ' Come along,' he added impatiently to me, and just leaving me sufficient space to pass, he banged the door quickly after me. ' Go and play the piano or anything else you like, and don't be a fool,' he said, as I descended to an almost empty room at the back of the house, which was given up to my sister and me to make hay in, as the phrase is, for therein we could do whatever we liked, cook, paint, and make the usual mess that children delight in.

We had a governess, a cross old thing we considered her ; she lived up in the schoolroom, and she neither troubled us, nor we her, out of school hours. Miss Bacon was her name, and she gave herself out as being a descendant of the Great Roger, which amused us greatly. She was prim, stiff and starch, and had mighty little patience ; she was no favourite of my mother's, but my father had a high opinion of her, and would not hear of her leaving ; that I know for a fact, but why she ever came to us I never knew, for I should have thought she would have considered it beneath her dignity to under take the education of two such young children as we were on her arrival ; I have, however, a latent shrewd suspicion that her age was rather against her, and that possibly she had not the choice of many situations ; I also feel pretty certain that my father must have had something to do in her selection.

Miss Bacon was in the habit of taking offence at nothing at all, and I distinctly remember, how on one memorable occasion, the little black cap which she always wore caught fire over the candle, by which she was studying a map, whilst giving my sister a lesson in geography. Cecilia had sufficient presence of mind to extinguish the rising flames with promptitude, and after the danger was passed, she was able to maintain a grave demeanour, when she beheld the curious spectacle of strag gling and scant locks, which the poor governess's head presented. As for me, I regret to say that I burst out laughing, and of course Miss Bacon was furious, and would not speak to me for a whole week. The good lady wore false teeth, but of this we had no idea, until on one afternoon she appeared minus her two front ones ; we gazed at her in undisguised horror, thinking she had met with an accident. ' Your teeth, Miss Bacon ! ' we exclaimed in one breath.

She left the room promptly with her thin lips tightly pressed together, and to our astonishment presently returned with the missing walrus-like fangs replaced. We then discovered that we had suddenly grown wiser, so we discreetly held our tongues, whilst she also kept silence, and to our intense surprise, displayed for once not the faintest ire. But to return to where I broke off in my narrative. When I entered the playroom, I found Cecilia quietly reading, and not paying the slightest attention to the storm ; she was of far less nervous and excitable disposition than I was, and partly for this reason was my father's favourite, who used to say : ' Cecilia is so self contained ; she is what I call a capable girl.' I imagine he considered me a very incapable specimen of my sex ; however, this troubled me but little then.

Cecilia was the elder by three years, but of course you are aware of that fact. ' Where have you been, Victoria ? ' she asked rather laughingly. When I told her of how I had seen Cain Waite, she evinced but slight interest. ' I have heard papa mention his name,' she said. ' Oh, have you,' I exclaimed eagerly, ' and what did he say about him — does he know him ? ' ' Know him,' repeated Cecilia haughtily, ' one does not talk about "knowing" a common person like that, I daresay papa may have spoken to him once or twice; " Cain Waite is a praiseworthy man — a very excellent man," those were the words he used.' ' Well, I heard him preach, and I think he said very ugly things,' I observed, ' all about hell fire.' 'Oh,' answered Cecilia, 'but then you are not at all religious, Victoria ; you quite shocked both papa and me the other day by saying you did not care about going to church — and you know you don't always read Sunday books on Sunday as you ought.' ' That is true,' I retorted, ' but I don't think that it is always those who like going to church who are the kindest or best ; look at John the cowman, he doesn't care if the pigs and ducks have nothing to eat on Sundays ; he says he has his religious " dooties " to attend to, and that they can wait till Monday.' ' It is no use arguing with a child like you, you are too silly to understand such subjects,' said Cecilia scornfully, and she once more buried her nose in her book.

Now, dear girls, I believe that I have given you our conversation almost word for word, it all comes back to me so freshly. Meanwhile the storm was gradually abating, and I, feeling somewhat snubbed, walked over to the latticed casement, and drummed carelessly on the window-sill, whilst I watched the parting clouds. The sky was clearing fast ; there was the sound of thunder rumbling in the far distance, that was all, the rain had ceased. The room faced due west, and presently it was flooded with light from the brilliant golden rays of the setting sun, which was banked up on a mass of splendour in roseate and mauve tints ; the evening glory upon which one never tires of gazing, and which gives one thoughts of Heaven. I looked across at my sister, and till then, I had never realised how completely beautiful she was.

The soft, shimmering radiance enveloped her as in a shining mist, causing her to appear almost unearthly and ethereal. Her Rubens' red hair shone and glowed like fire ; her fine skin was shown up in all its dazzling whiteness and fairness : she turned her head, and I thought as she fixed her large liquid hazel eyes on me that they were lovely indeed, and that one must forgive that queer proud temper on account of her great beauty ; I took her in at a glance and noticed every point ; the dark brows and lashes, the short upper lip, the perfectly chiselled nose and mouth. And you have often heard, my dears, of the handsome Cecilia Pyecroft, your great -aunt ; and how she was the belle of the County, and what a graceful figure she possessed. But to return to my story. Just as I was lost in ad miration of my sister's charms, the door opened and my mother entered.

She looked worn and ill, and it pained me to see her sad face. I ran up to her and threw my arms round her neck, and then I remember Cecilia said something about Cain Waite, and my mother replied, ' she didn't think he was a nice man,' and then I asked her where he lived, and she said : ' Oh, ten miles off— but he comes round here sometimes,' and then I confided in her, and saying I had seen and heard him, begged her to tell me, if what he had said was the truth. ' My dear, we know so little,' she answered, ' but don't worry your little head about such things, I can't believe them ; God is very good, always trust Him and do your best, then you will be all right, that is what I think. And she kissed me. ' Victoria is so babyish, she can't understand anything, and she asks such ridiculous, absurd questions,' remarked the wise Cecilia. ' Yes, but you see you are older, Cecilia, and you just take things as they are, and Victoria wants so much to know the reasons of things,' said my mother kindly, and added, 'Now, you are both good little girls, so be quick, change your shoes, and get some roses from the garden and give them to Mrs Wilkins for the drawing-room.

Mrs Wilkins was the maid-housekeeper who had been with my mother ever since she was married. After this day, I can't remember anything particular that was said or done for a long time. Nothing stands out alone ; everything seems rather blurred and indis tinct till I was about twelve years old, and then I saw Cain Waite once more. He was strolling round the garden with my father, who appeared to be in earnest conversation with him, and I kept well out of the way, for I never at any time ventured near my father unless he called me, for otherwise he would scowl at me as if I were an intruder. Once I recollect that he said : ' Why do you stand staring like that ; you have such un canny, piercing grey eyes for a child. Is there anything peculiar about me, that you look me through and through so oddly ?

Go and play with your dolls.' And half to himself, I heard him say, for my ears were un usually sharp : ' Precious ugly child she is, and so weird and unearthly-looking ; gives one the creeps.' B

Chapter II

On the evening of the day on which I saw Cain Waite, when mamma came up after dinner to bid me good-bye and kiss me according to her wont, as I lay in bed in the old night nursery, I noticed that she was crying. When she had gone down again, Cecilia appeared, as was her custom also before retiring ; her room opened out of mine, so she had to pass through it to reach hers. I asked her what was the matter with mother, and she told me that she and papa had been having an animated discussion about Cain Waite, and that to mamma's extreme annoyance, papa had invited him to come and preach in the long library as often as he liked — every Saturday afternoon, in fact, if he could manage it. All the servants were to be present, and papa expected that mamma and we girls should attend also, and papa meant to pay him for his trouble. ' But how dreadful ! ' I exclaimed ' How can you be so wicked, Victoria ? ' retorted Cecilia. ' As papa says, we ought to esteem it a favour that we are so blessed.

You should have been a heathen, I really think ! ' ' Look here, Cecilia,' said I mischievously, ' I always have heard that savages are very fond of feathers and beads, now you always put on your best necklace when you have a chance of showing it.' ' What has that got to do with religion, I should like to know ? ' replied Cecilia, with heat. ' I'm sure I can't explain,' I said, ' only that I wondered if you had a little bit of the heathen savage in your composition too.' ' No, indeed, I haven't got an ugly yellow skin like yours ! ' and her cheeks flamed. I longed to ask her why mamma was so upset about Cain Waite — as after all it didn't much matter — but Cecilia was very angry, and flounced out of the room, and I knew it would not be the least good asking her in her present mood. Saturday afternoon arrived at last, and with it Cain Waite.

I can see now the stiff bow my mother gave him as she entered the long library with Cecilia and me, for there he was standing behind a table, on which were placed the Family Bible and a glass of water ; by his side was papa. A bell was rung, and in walked the majestic Mrs Wilkins clad in rustling black silk', followed by a troop of domestics, for our establishment was a large one. The butler, Mears, looked as if he had swallowed six pokers ; the first footman had his mouth drawn down in a comic way, which I had never before noticed — I expected he was trying to look reverent and grave ; as for the second one, a mere boy, he grinned inanely as he held the door open for his fellow-servants to enter. The cook looked stolidly complacent, and the scullery-maid kept wriggling about, and evidently did not know what to do with her hands ; and in the most solemn and terrible part of Cain's harangue, I saw William, the second footman, give her a nudge, whereat she looked at him out of the corners of her eyes and blushed furiously.

Cain ranted away and hurled invectives at our heads in the same fashion as I had already heard him. For a whole hour we were obliged to sit patiently there, and afterwards we had to listen to his prayers for a good twenty minutes ; I say ' listen ' advisedly, for I certainly did not join in them, and doubt much whether all the others did. However, I cannot tell ; the prayers partook largely of the nature of curses hurled at all enemies of the ' true faith ' ; and I imagine that the Roman Catholics, the high Church party, the Jews, Turks, infidels and heretics would have had a real bad time of it, if to Cain had been entrusted the general arrangement of mundane affairs. At length the fearful meeting was over, and the servants marched out of the room, headed again by Mrs Wilkins. Prompted by her usual good breeding, my mother advanced towards Cain Waite, and inquired ' what refreshments he would prefer ' ; he replied, with the churlish manners of a thorough boor, hands in pockets, with the evident desire of giving himself im portance, 'that he would take a little hot whisky and water and some bread and cheese.' His wants were at tended to, and I overheard the butler say afterwards to the first footman, when they were clearing the things away — for with a child's curiosity I had peered into the room later : ' By Jove, if the minister hasn't nearly emptied the decanter.' ' Those coves are mostly good hands at " Speerits," ' replied James sententiously. ' Between you and me, Mr Mears,' he began mysteriously, then looking round he saw me, and stopped abruptly. ' Has Cain Waite gone ? ' I inquired of the butler. ' Can't say, Miss Victoria, he went to the stables with your papa,' he answered.

I then ran quickly upstairs to the schoolroom, where I found Cecilia endeavouring to manufacture some very artificial-looking wax flowers, and Miss Bacon dozing peacefully in an arm-chair, with her handkerchief over her head to keep off the flies. She awoke as I entered. 'You never came down to hear Cain Waite, Miss Bacon,' I remarked. ' No, I have had a severe headache during the whole afternoon, which I believe was partly caused by that noise you made with the concertina before luncheon,' said Miss Bacon in an aggrieved tone of voice, and in the slow, measured way in which she always spoke. ' I am very sorry,' I answered, ' but I do want to learn it, it amuses me so.' ' You will never master it alone, and I think, dear, you should consider the feelings of others ; I always did suffer from nerves,' and the governess sighed in a genteel manner. ' I am rather surprised that papa makes quite so much of Cain Waite,' observed Cecilia. ' Of course he is a very good man, but then he isn't papa's equal, and when you come to think the Pyecrofts are descended from the Sea- Kings,' she continued half jestingly, but not altogether, for Cecilia was arrogant.

Poor Cecilia ! ' But you have no right to comment upon your papa's actions,' said Miss Bacon. ' Girls had far more dutiful respect for their parents in my time, and, besides, you always seem to think that your family is better than other people's ; ' you forget, for instance, that mine is descended from the Great Roger Bacon in a direct line, without a bar sinister, and that is more than most can say ! ' and she sniffed with pride, like an old war-horse, with her nose in the air. ' I mean,' she added, ' that no one can accuse me of giving myself airs, or of looking down upon those who have the misfortune to be born in a lower station of life ; now, when Mrs Wilkins comes in sometimes after supper for a chat, I am always pleased to see her, or even Buxton.' ' Well,' I said, ' Mrs Wilkins is not common ; her father was a stationer, who knew five languages ; and as for Martha, her father was very respectable — he was head gardener for years at Lord Digswell's ; but why will you call Martha ' Buxton,' Miss Bacon ? 'Because,' replied she stiffly, 'I do not consider it proper to address or speak of an upper servant like your nurse, and of her mature age — the oldest person in the household — by her Christian name ; I have heard your mamma call her Buxton, and the servants do the same, and I think it is most uncourteous, not to say rude, of you to say ' Martha.' ' I only know that I can't and won't alter that habit, and Martha would be mortally hurt and offended if I did,' I retorted, with feelings of annoyance at the lady's punctiliousness ; then a funny notion came into my little pate. ' Talking of reasons for pride, Miss Bacon,' and I tossed up my head disdainfully, ' surely I ought to be vain-glorious, considering I was named after the Princess Victoria ' (two years later she was Queen), ' because I came into the world a few short years after she did, I suppose ! ' ' You might, with advantage, possess a little more dignity, Victoria,' remarked the instructress, ' but let us hope it may come,' and she raised her eyes towards the ceiling with fervour.