Joan Haste by H. Rider Haggard (ereader manga .txt) 📕

HUSBAND AND WIFE

When Joan parted from Henry she walked quickly to Monk’s Vale station

to catch the train. Arriving just in time, she bought a third-class

ticket to Bradmouth, and got into an empty carriage. Already they were

starting, when the door opened, and a man entered the compartment. At

first she did not look at him, so intent was she upon her own

thoughts, till some curious influence caused her to raise her eyes,

and she saw that the man was her husband, Samuel Rock.

She gazed at him astonished, although it was not wonderful that she

should chance to meet a person within a few miles of his own home; but

she said nothing.

“How do you do, Joan?” Samuel began, and as he spoke, she noticed that

his eyes were bloodshot and wild, and his face and hands twitched: “I

thought I couldn’t be mistook when I saw you on the platform.”

“Have you been following me, then?” she asked.

“Well, in a way I have. You see it came about thus: this morning I

find that young villain, Willie Hood, driving his donkeys off my

foreshore pastures, and we had words, I threatening to pull him, and

he giving me his sauce. Presently he says, ‘You’d be better employed

looking after your wife than grudging my dickies a bellyful of sea

thistles; for, as we all know, you are a very affectionate husband,

and would like to see her down here after she’s been travelling so

long for the benefit of her health.’ Then, of course, I ask him what

he may chance to mean; for though I have your letter in my pocket

saying that you were coming home shortly, I didn’t expect to have the

pleasure of seeing you to-day, Joan; and he tells me that he met you

last night bound for Monk’s Vale. So you see to Monk’s Vale I come,

and there I find you, though what you may happen to be doing,

naturally I can’t say.”

“I have been to see Mr. Levinger,” she answered; “he is very ill, and

telegraphed for me yesterday.”

“Did he now! Of course that explains everything; though why he should

want to see you it isn’t for me to guess. And now where might you be

going, Joan? Is it ‘home, sweet home’ for you?”

“I propose to go to Moor Farm, if you find it convenient.”

“Oh, indeed! Well, then, that’s all right, and you’ll be heartily

welcome. The place has been done up tidy for you, Joan, by the same

man that has been working at Rosham to make ready for the bride. She’s

come home to-day too, and it ain’t often in these parts that we have

two brides home-coming together. It makes one wonder which of the

husbands is the happier man. Well, here we are at Bradmouth, so if

you’ll come along to the Crown and Mitre I’ll get my cart and we’ll

drive together. There are new folks there now. Your aunt’s in jail,

and your uncle is in the workhouse; and both well suited, say I,

though p’raps you will think them a loss.”

To all this talk, and much more like it, Joan made little or no

answer. She was not in a condition to observe people or things

closely, nevertheless it struck her that there was something very

strange about Samuel’s manner. It occurred to her even that he must

have been drinking, so wild were his looks and so palpable his efforts

to keep his words and gestures under some sort of control.

Presently they were seated in the cart and had started for Moor Farm.

The horse was a young and powerful animal, but Samuel drove it quietly

enough till they were clear of the village. Then he commenced to shout

at it and to lash it with his whip, till the terrified beast broke

into a gallop and they were tearing along the road at a racing pace.

“We can’t get home too fast, can we, darling?” he yelled into her ear,

“and the nag knows it. Come on, Sir Henry, come on! You know that a

pretty woman likes to go the pace, don’t you?” and again he bought

down his heavy whip across the horse’s flanks.

Joan clung to the rail of the cart, clenched her teeth and said

nothing. Luckily the last half-mile of the road ran up a steep

incline, and, notwithstanding Rock’s blows and urgings, the horse,

being grass-fed, became blown, and was forced to moderate its pace.

Opposite the door of the house Rock pulled it up so suddenly that Joan

was almost thrown on to her head; but, recovering her balance, she

descended from the cart; which her husband gave into the charge of a

labourer.

“Here’s your missus come home at last, John,” he said, with an idiotic

chuckle. “Look at her: she’s a sight for sore eyes, isn’t she?”

“Glad to see her, I’m sure,” answered the man. “But if you drive that

there horse so you’ll break his wind, that’s all, or he’ll break your

neck, master.”

“Ah! John, but you see your missus likes to go fast. We’ve been too

slow up at Moor Farm, but all that’s going to be changed now.”

As he spoke two great dogs rushed round the corner of the house

baying, and one of them, seeing that Joan was a stranger, leapt at her

and tore the sleeve of her dress. She cried out in fear, and the man,

John, running from the head of the horse, beat the dogs back.

“Ah! you would, Towser, would you?” said Rock. “You wait a moment, and

I’ll teach you that no one has a right to touch a lady except her

husband,” and he ran into the house.

“Don’t go, pray,” said Joan to the man; “I am frightened,”—and she

shrank to his side for protection, for the dogs were still walking

round her growling, their hair standing up upon their backs.

By way of answer John tapped his forehead significantly and whispered,

“You look out for yourself, missus; he’s going as his grandfather did.

He’s allus been queer, but I never did see him like this before.”

Just then Rock reappeared from the house, carrying his

double-barrelled gun in his hand.

“Towser, old boy! come here, Towser!” he said, addressing the dog in a

horrible voice of pretended affection, that, however, did not deceive

it, for it stood still, eyeing him suspiciously.

“Surely,” Joan gasped, “you are not going–-”

The words were scarcely out of her mouth when there was a report, and

the unfortunate Towser rolled over on to his side dying, with a charge

of No. 4 shot in his breast. The horse, frightened by