VC -- A Chronicle of Castle Barfield and of the Crimea

fallen on the household. Jervase made no pretence of courting sleep at all: but having banked up the fire he went down into the cellar, brought up a couple of bottles of brandy, and prepared himself

by and by crept off to bed, and Jervase sat alone

nd waited for the daylight. At its first dawning he walked softl

ughter's voice asked

artly open. He waited for a moment and then half entered the room. 'I am just starting for hom

earching for his hat and overcoat when Jervase lurched out of the parlour. His b

, thickly. 'Won't you

eneral. 'Go back

see? I shall effect a compromise. It won't cost you a penny, and it won't break me. I shall have a sleep by and by, and then I sh

eneral. 'Go back

a drunken tenacity, 'you ain't goin

en beast!' the General responde

either in credit or in pocket, and I don't see what you've got to be shirty about. It wasn't exactly what you might call a legirrimate t

s prepared to go. He turned his back upon his host and re-a

at you

s I. Can y

s, dist

, where Jervase, holding on by the handle of the door, was solemnly swaying to and fro. 'I shall regret,' said Boswell, 'to be forced to use violen

ht morning air. When he returned an hour later, Jervase had drunk himself to sleep, and there was no further trouble with him. Irene was ready and came from her bedroom at the General's call. His heart ached as he looke

she bravely tried to control, but wi

d quietly. She had wept all her tears away, but a dry sob shook her frame from time to time, and with every repetition of the sound the father's face

g that has happened, dear

have cost me, but I am not a wealthy man, and the business may spell ruin. I cannot afford to be idle, and I must get back into harness. Lord Raglan knows my record. I was with him when he lost his right arm at Waterloo. He has more than once,' the old soldier went on with a certain stateliness, 'expressed a certain regard for me. I have every reaso

id Irene, 'I shall not be ve

e drive this mornin

t,' she answered

eady, and it will be round in a quarter of an hour. That is short notice for a la

he barrack square the newly-enlisted recruit was walking towards the orderly room under the guidance of a corporal. The youngster still w

in all its rounded sweetness, 'Hi, you there-halt!' and the corporal at the voice straightened himself and stood to attention. Polson knew the vo

d Irene, '

towards him. 'You have done well, my lad. You could have done nothing

have joined you. Volnay is h

erloo,' said the General. 'He is a good l

ire is here as well; but he has a Staff appointmen

id Boswell. 'Irene is with me, and I

e General read the glance. 'She will understand all that,' h

n barracks-I saw h

r de Blacquaire, give him General Boswell'

k for a little while until the interest in it died out; but it made Polson a man of mark from the first. The corporal was back in a minute with a salute to say that Major de Blacquaire was in his own apartment, and would b

on an uncommonly unpleasant business. You are the proprietor of a salt mine. You may not be aware that I

ire, 'and I am very sorry to hear it. The men,

citor, Mr. Stubbs I believe, has made a charge against my partners of having robbed you and the for

r mine and my own, and all the evidence points to the belief that it was purposely made. Their property

ear for seven years past, and I need not tell you that it will be my immediate business, so soon as I c

e is any call upon you to sacrifice yourself for their benefit. The me

and I am very much afraid that I have been living at your cost. It is my obvious duty to return to you whatever has come into my possession

parties, to join forces against Messrs. Jervase & Jervoyce, and discuss the partition of the spoils when we have secured them. They are thoroughly solvent; I know that, for I have made

ny such action as you contemplate. I am taking a business point of view, sir,

r for reasons personal to myself. I am placed in a most abominable and unbearable position. I have unwittingly been made a partner in a very shameful transaction, and I may tell you that I have not the faintest doubt in my own mind as to the justice of your cause. I do not feel that as a man of hono

Colonel Stacey? He is in quarters at this moment, I believe, and I am sure he would give his judgment between us w

r. I have a great respect for Stacey, and I will abide by his opinion. I

ding at the side of the General's carriage in conversation with a lady. His gorge rose within him at the spectacle, and it came into his mind that Gene

lt mine business, and he has thrown up what I know to have been the dearest hope of his life. He has joined as a recruit. He is a very fine and worthy fellow, Major de Blacquaire. I don't kn

thought that he had behaved honourably and with delicacy in respect to the unfortunate

deliberate and supercilious drawl, 'shou

nd the sense of honour of a gentleman. He has had the education of a gentleman, and has lived among ge

aire, 'I am possibly prejudiced; but I th

ind to offer a retort, but he remembered his own dignity in time, and contented himself by saying, 'I shall recommend him m

ent, sir, and I leave to-morrow.

an of sixty, with a scarlet countenance and a white head so closely cropped that it looked like a bottle-brush. He had seen service in every quarter of the worl

at the money should come out of the pocket of an innocent man. If the case were anybody's but your own you'd look at it like a sensible man. And if you were advising me, you would tell me precisely what I'm telling you. Here, where's that rascal of

in you,' said

r, and those chaps mean to fight, mind you, and it's an open problem as to whether old Bob Stacey will come

ass and withdrew, leaving the old friends together. The General seized the moment to speak a wo

art fellow?

untry, excellent shot. Would have had his commission this week if his father hadn't turned out

the Colonel. 'Leave him t