Kingston William Henry Giles Foxholme Hall, and Other Tales
Story 1-Chapter I STORY ONE Foxholme Hall; or, Christmas at an Old Country House
Foxholme for ever, I repeated. Of course there couldnt be the thinnest slice of a shadow of doubt about the matter. Therell be Cousin Peter, and Julia, and Tom and Ned Oxenberry, and Sam Barnby, and Ponto, and Hector, and Beauty, and Polly; and therell be hunting, and shooting, and skating, if theres a frost and of course there will be a frost and, oh, it will be such jolly fun!
A few weeks after this we were bowling along the road to Southampton on the top of the old Telegraph, driven by Taylor as fine a specimen of a Jehu as ever took whip in hand with four white horses a team of which he was justly proud. I see him now before me, his fine tall figure, truly Roman nose, and eagle eye, looking as fit to command an army as to drive a coach, with his white great-coat buttoned well up to his gay-coloured handkerchief, a flower of some sort decking his breast, a broad-brimmed beaver of white or grey, and a whip which looked as if it had just come from the makers hands indeed, everything about him was polished, from the crown of his hat to his well-fitting boots; and I believe that no accident ever happened to the coach he drove. There was the Independent, also a first-rate coach, and, in those days, Colliers old coach, which carried six inside, in which we once made a journey that is, Jack and I with four old ladies who ate apples and drank gin, with the windows up, all the way, and talked about things which seemed to interest them very much, but which soon sent us to sleep.
The sky was bright, the air fresh, with just a touch of a frosty smell in it, and we were in exuberant spirits. We had our pea-shooters ready, and had long been on the watch for the lumbering old vehicle, when we saw it approaching. Didnt we pepper the passengers, greatly to their indignation! What damage we did we could not tell, for we were by them like a flash of lightning.
At Southampton we changed into a much slower coach, which, however, conveyed us safely through the forest to the neighbourhood of Lyndhurst, when, waiting in the road, we espied, to our intense delight, a pony-carriage driven by Sam Barnby, who held the office of extra coachman, gamekeeper, and fisherman, besides several other employments, in the establishment at Foxholme. With us he was a prodigious favourite, as he was with all the youngsters who went to the place; and Sir Hugh, I know, trusted him completely, and employed him in numerous little private services of beneficence and charity when a confidential agent was required. He was the invariable companion of all the youngsters in our boating, fishing, and shooting excursions.
It was dusk when we got into the carriage, and as our way lay for some distance through the thickest part of the forest by a cross-road which few people but Sam Barnby would have attempted to take at that late hour, we could often scarcely distinguish the track under the thick branches of the leafless trees which, stretching across it, formed a trellis-work over our heads, while the thick hollies and other evergreens formed an impenetrable wall on either side. Now and then, when the forest opened out and the forms of the trees were rather more clearly defined, they often assumed shapes so fantastic and strange, that I could scarcely prevent a sort of awe creeping over me, and half expected that the monsters I fancied I saw would move from their places and grab up Jack, Sam Barnby, the carriage, and me, and bolt off with us into some recess of the forest. Jack was talking away to Sam. I had been up bolstering the night before, and had not slept a wink. Suddenly the carriage stopped, and I heard Sam and Jack utter an exclamation. I echoed it, and pretty loudly too; for I thought that one of the monsters I had been dreaming about had really got hold of us.
Hillo! who have we got here? exclaimed Sam. Do you hold the reins, Master
Jack, and Ill get out and see.
I was now fully awake. I asked Jack what it was.
We nearly drove over somebody; but the pony shied, fortunately. There he is; I can just see him moving.
Why, I do believe its poor silly Dick Green! exclaimed Sam. Is it you, Dicky? Speak out, man! How came you here?
Yes, it be I, said the idiot. Cant I sleep here? Its very comfortable all clean and nice no smoke, no noise.
Why, you would be frozen to death, man, if you did, answered Sam. But, I ask, what brought you here?
Thats a secret I beant a-going to tell thee, whispered the idiot. But just do thee stop here; theell foind it very pleasant.
No, thank you; wed rather not, said Sam. But just do thee get into the carriage alongside Master William there, and well take thee to the Hall, and give thee some supper thats what thee wants, lad.
Well, now, thats kind like, simpered the idiot. I know thee well, Sam Barnby; thee hadst always a good heart.
Well, well, lad, dont stand talking there, but scramble in at once, cried Sam, as he forced the poor creature down by my side.