A Reputed Changeling Read online

  CHAPTER VI: A RELAPSE

  "A tell-tale in their company They never could endure,And whoso kept not secretly Their pranks was punished sure.It was a just and Christian deed To pinch such black and blue;Oh, how the commonwealth doth need Such justices as you!"

  BISHOP CORBETT.

  Several days passed, during which there could be no doubt thatPeregrine Oakshott knew how to behave himself, not merely to grown-up people, but to little Anne, who had entirely lost her dread ofhim, and accepted him as a playfellow. He was able to join thefamily meals, and sit in the pleasant garden, shaded by the walls ofthe old castle, as well as by its own apple-trees, and looking outon the little bay in front, at full tide as smooth and shining as alake.

  There, while Anne did her task of spinning or of white seam, Mrs.Woodford would tell the children stories, or read to them from thePilgrim's Progress, a wonderful romance to both. Peregrine, stilltamed by weakness, would lie on the grass at her feet, in a tranquilbliss such as he had never known before, and his fairy romances toAnne were becoming mitigated, when one day a big coach came alongthe road from Fareham, with two boys riding beside it, escortingLady Archfield and Mistress Lucy.

  The lady was come to study Mrs. Woodford's recipe for preservedcherries, the young people, Charles, Lucy, and their cousin Sedley,now at home for the summer holidays, to spend an afternoon withMistress Anne.

  Great was Lady Archfield's surprise at finding that Major Oakshott'scross-grained slip of a boy was still at Portchester.

  "If you were forced to take him in for very charity when he washurt," she said, "I should have thought you would have been rid ofhim as soon as he could leave his bed."

  "The road to Oakwood is too rough for broken ribs as yet," said Mrs.Woodford, "nor is the poor boy ready for discipline."

  "Ay, I fancy that Major Oakshott is a bitter Puritan in his ownhouse; but no discipline could be too harsh for such a boy as that,according to all that I hear," said her ladyship, "nor does he lookas if much were amiss with him so far as may be judged of featuresso strange and writhen."

  "He is nearly well, but not yet strong, and we are keeping him heretill his father has decided on what is best for him."

  "You even trust him with your little maid! And alone! I wonder atyou, madam."

  "Indeed, my lady, I have seen no harm come of it. He is gentle andkind with Anne, and I think she softens him."

  Still Mrs. Woodford would gladly not have been bound to her colanderand preserving-pan in her still-room, where her guest's housewifelymind found great scope for inquiry and comment, lasting for nearlytwo hours.

  When at length the operations were over, and numerous little pots ofjam tied up as specimens for the Archfield family to taste at home,the children were not in sight. No doubt, said Mrs. Woodford, theywould be playing in the castle court, and the visitor accompaniedher thither in some anxiety about broken walls and steps, but theywere not in sight, nor did calls bring them.

  The children had gone out together, Anne feeling altogether at easeand natural with congenial playmates. Even Sedley's tortures werepreferable to Peregrine's attentions, since the first were only thetyranny of a graceless boy, the other gave her an indescribablesense of strangeness from which these ordinary mundane comrades werea relief and protection.

  However, Charles and Sedley rushed off to see a young colt in whichthey were interested, and Lucy, in spite of her first shrinking,found Peregrine better company than she could have expected, when heassisted in swinging her and Anne by turns under the old ash tree.

  When the other two were seen approaching, the swinging girl hastilysprang out, only too well aware what Sedley's method of swingingwould be. Then as the boys came up followed inquiries why Peregrinehad not joined them, and jests in schoolboy taste ensued as to elf-locks in the horses' manes, and inquiries when he had last ridden toa witch's sabbath. Little Anne, in duty bound, made her protest,but this only incited Charles to add his word to the teasing, tillLucy joined in the laugh.

  By and by, as they loitered along, they came to the Doctor's littleboat, and there was a proposal to get in and rock. Lucy refused,out of respect for her company attire, and Anne could not leave her,so the two young ladies turned away with arms round each other'swaists, Lucy demonstratively rejoicing to be quit of the troublesomeboys.

  Before they had gone far an eldritch shout of laughter was respondedto by a burst of furious dismay and imprecation. The boat with thetwo boys was drifting out to sea, and Peregrine capering wildly onthe shore, but in another instant he had vanished into the castle.

  Anne had presence of mind enough to rush to the nearest fisherman'scottage, and send him out to bring them back, and it was at thisjuncture that the two mothers arrived on the scene. There waslittle real danger. A rope was thrown and caught, and after abouthalf an hour of watching they were safely landed, but the tide hadebbed so far that they had to take off their shoes and stockings andwade through the mud. They were open-mouthed against the imp whohad enticed them to rock in the boat, then in one second had cut thepainter, bounded out, and sent them adrift with his mocking 'Ho! ho!ho!' Sedley Archfield clenched his fists, and gazed round wildly insearch of the goblin to chastise him soundly, and Charles was readyto rush all over the castle in search of him.

  "Two to one!" cried Anne, "and he so small; you would never be socowardly."

  "As if he were like an honest fellow," said Charley. "A goblin likethat has his odds against a dozen of us."

  "I'd teach him, if I could but catch him," cried Sedley.

  "I told you," said Anne, "that he would be good if you would let himalone and not plague him."

  "Now, Anne," said Charles, as he sat putting on his stockings, "howcould I stand being cast off for that hobgoblin, that looks as if hehad been cut out of a root of yew with a blunt knife, and allcrooked! I that always was your sweetheart, to see you consortingwith a mis-shapen squinting Whig of a Nonconformist like that."

  "Nonconformist! I'll Nonconform him indeed," added Sedley. "I wishI had the wringing of his neck."

  "Now is not that hard!" said Anne; "a poor lad who has been verysick, and that every one baits and spurns."

  "Serve him right," said Sedley; "he shall have more of the samesauce!"

  "I think he has cast his spell on Anne," added Charles, "or how canshe stand up for him?"

  "My mamma bade me be kind to him."

  "Kind! I would as lief be kind to a toad!" put in Lucy.

  "To see you kind to him makes me sick," exclaimed Charles. "You seewhat comes of it."

  "It did not come of my kindness, but of your unkindness," reasonedAnne.

  "I told you so," said Charles. "You would have been best pleased ifwe had been carried out to sea and drowned!"

  Anne burst into tears and disavowed any such intention, and Charleswas protesting that he would only forgive her on condition of hernever showing any kindness to Peregrine again, when a sudden showerof sand and pebbles descended, one of them hitting Sedley prettysharply on the ear. The boys sprang up with a howl of imprecationand vengeance, but no one was to be seen, only 'Ho! ho! ho!'resounded from the battlements. Off they rushed headlong, but thenearest door was in a square tower a good way off, and when theyreached it the door defied their efforts of frantic rage, whilstanother shower descended on them from above, accompanied by theusual shout. But while they were dashing off in quest of anotherentrance they were met by a servant sent to summon them to returnhome. Coach and horses were at the door, and Lady Archfield was inhaste to get them away, declaring that she should not think theirlives safe near that fiendish monster. Considering that Sedley wasnearly twice as big as Peregrine, and Charles a strong well-grownlad, this was a tribute to his preternatural powers.

  Very unwillingly they went, and if Lady Archfield had not kept astrict watch from her coach window, they would certainly have turnedback to revenge the pranks played on them. The last view of themshowed Sedley turning round shaking his whip and clenching his t
eethin defiance. Mrs. Woodford was greatly concerned, especially asPeregrine could not be found and did not appear at supper.

  "Had he run away to sea?" the usual course of refractory lads atPortchester, but for so slight a creature only half recovered it didnot seem probable. It was more likely that he had gone home, andthat Mrs. Woodford felt as somewhat a mortifying idea. However, onlooking into his chamber, as she sought her own, she beheld him inbed, with his face turned into the pillow, whether asleep orfeigning slumber there was no knowing.

  Later, she heard sounds that induced her to go and look at him. Hewas starting, moaning, and babbling in his sleep. But with morningall his old nature seemed to have returned.

  There was a hedgehog in Anne's bowl of milk, Mrs. Woodford's poultrywere cackling hysterically at an unfortunate kitten suspended froman apple tree and let down and drawn up among them. The three-legged stool of the old waiting-woman 'toppled down headlong' asthough by the hands of Puck, and even on Anne's arms certain blackand blue marks of nails were discovered, and when her motherexamined her on them she only cried and begged not to be made toanswer.

  And while Dr. Woodford was dozing in his chair as usual after thenoonday dinner Mrs. Woodford actually detected a hook suspended froma horsehair descending in the direction of his big horn spectacles,and quietly moving across to frustrate the attempt, she unearthedPeregrine on a chair angling from behind the window curtain.

  She did not speak, but fixed her calm eyes on him with a look ofsad, grave disappointment as she wound up the line. In a fewseconds the boy had thrown himself at her feet, rolling as if inpain, and sobbing out, "'Tis all of no use! Let me alone."

  Nevertheless he obeyed the hushing gesture of her hand, and held hisbreath, as she led him out to the garden-seat, where they had spentso many happy quiet hours. Then he flung himself down and repeatedhis exclamation, half piteous, half defiant. "Leave me alone!Leave me alone! It has me! It is all of no use."

  "What has you, my poor child?"

  "The evil spirit. You will have it that I'm not one of--one ofthem--so it must be as my father says, that I am possessed--the evilspirit. I was at peace with you--so happy--happier than ever I wasbefore--and now--those boys. It has me again--I could not help it--I've even hurt her--Mistress Anne. Let me alone--send me home--tobe scorned, and shunned, and brow-beaten--and as bad as ever--thenat least she will be safe from me."

  All this came out between sobs such that Mrs. Woodford could notattempt to speak, but she kept her hand on him, and at last shesaid, when he could hear her: "Every one of us has to fight with anevil spirit, and when we are not on our guard he is but too apt totake advantage of us."

  The boy rather sullenly repeated that it was of no use to fightagainst his.

  "Indeed! Nay. Were you ever so much grieved before at having lethim have the mastery?"

  "No--but no one ever was good to me before."

  "Yes; all about you lived under a cruel error, and you helped themin it. But if you had not a better nature in you, my poor child,you would not be happy here and thankful for what we can do foryou."

  "I was like some one else here," said Peregrine, picking a daisy topieces, "but they stirred it all up. And at home I shall be justthe same as ever I was."

  She longed to tell him that there was hope of a change in his life,but she durst not till it was more certain, so she said--

  "There was One who came to conquer the evil spirit and the evilnature, and to give each one of us the power to get the victory.The harder the victory, the more glorious!" and her eyes sparkled atthe thought.

  He caught a moment's glow, then fell back. "For those that arechosen," he said.

  "You are chosen--you were chosen by your baptism. You have thestirrings of good within you. You can win and beat back the evilside of you in Christ's strength, if you will ask for it, and go onin His might."

  The boy groaned. Mrs. Woodford knew that the great point with himwould be to teach him to hope and to pray, but the very name ofprayer had been rendered so distasteful to him that she scarce durstpress the subject by name, and her heart sank at the thought ofsending him home again, but she was glad to be interrupted, and saidno more.

  At night, however, she heard sounds of moaning and stifled babblingthat reminded her of his times of delirium, and going into his roomshe found him tossing and groaning so that it was manifestly akindness to wake him; but her gentle touch occasioned a scream ofterror, and he started aside with open glassy eyes, crying, "Oh takeme not!"

  "My dear boy! It is I. Perry, do you not know me?"

  "Oh, madam!" in infinite relief, "it is you. I thought--I thought Iwas in elfland and that they were paying me for the tithe to hell;"and he still shuddered all over.

  "No elf--no elf, dear boy; a christened boy--God's child, and underHis care;" and she began the 121st Psalm.

  "Oh, but I am not under His shadow! The Evil One has had me again!He will have me. Aren't those his claws? He will have me!"

  "Never, my child, if you will cry to God for help. Say this withme, 'Lord, be Thou my keeper.'"

  He did so, and grew more quiet, and she began to repeat Dr. Ken'sevening hymn, which had become known in manuscript in Winchester.It soothed him, and she thought he was dropping off to sleep, but nosooner did she move than he started with "There it is again--theblack wings--the claws--" then while awake, "Say it again! Oh, sayit again. Fold me in your prayers--you can pray." She went back tothe verse, and he became quiet, but her next attempt to leave himcaused an entreaty that she would remain, nor could she quit himtill the dawn, happily very early, was dispelling the terrors of thenight, and then, when he had himself murmured once--

  "Let no ill dreams disturb my rest,No powers of darkness me molest,"

  he fell asleep at last, with a softer look on his pinched face.Poor boy, would that verse be his first step to prayer anddeliverance from his own too real enemy?