Dering

“ Now as she stood thus, seeing but unseen, the mysterious Fates decreed that Sir John Dering, reaching the hilltop in turn, should rein in his horse within a yard of her, to glance round about him upon the peaceful countryside, little dreaming of the bright eyes that watched him so keenly, or the ears that hearkened so inquisitively.
“A sweet prospect, Hector!” he exclaimed; “fair and chaste and yet a little sad. ’Tis like looking deep into the eyes of a good woman—if there be such! It fills the soul with a sense of unworthiness and sorrow for the folly o’ the wasted years.” ”

“ For, hid within John Dering I am conscious of a soul, Rose, a soul so very much greater than John Dering that ’tis great marvel John Dering is not greater than John Dering, seeing John Dering is the outward though very imperfect manifestation of John Dering’s soul—a soul that will live and love and go marching on when poor John Dering is dust. And, look you! True love being not passion of the flesh but virtue o’ the soul, ’tis therefore sure that I, John Dering, shall some day love with a love exceeding great, a love as imperishable as John Dering’s soul. ”

“ The contrast between the stir and unceasing sound of the broad Bath Road and the stillness of Lady Rich Road struck Dering with a sense of unwonted pleasure. As he put his latch-key in the front door, he remembered that his wife had told him that their young Danish servant was to have that day her evening out. Well, so much the better: they would have their talk, their discussion concerning their future plans, without fear of eavesdropping or interruption. ”

“ It makes me squint horribly, and I never admired squints much."
Dering slid the coral chips through his fingers in silence. Five times he had tried to scale the rough palm-boles for the crown of green cool leaves at the top. Then, in wrath and desperation, he had chipped the bark until his knife snapped. Now, strong man though he was, he could do nothing. And the spirit of this young brave-eyed girl was not his to thank God for. The stars were big in the purple plush of the sky. Somewhere a fish flopped, and the wet splash gave Dering a thought. ”

“ And now as the two Englishmen paused,--partly because the swift change from the glare without to the gloom within was startling,--this same pantaloon, with a white muslin robe superadded to the livery as a badge of his dignity as door-keeper, precipitated himself upon them from the shadows, with ancient skips of alacrity and loop-like salaams; then with crab-like sidlings led the way, the young men following.
"I must have that old chap on paper before I leave," said Vincent Dering; "he's too good to be lost." ”

“ Dering, you're a steward, I believe. Turn that man out for obtruding the exigencies of everyday life--including a swallow-tail coat--into Paradise."
"I've objected already, sir," said Vincent Dering, laughing; "but he declares he is a malarial bacillus."
"A what?" remonstrated the brogue. ”

“ O John.... O lad—is this the end——”
[5]
Sir John Dering’s eyes opened, and he stared up into the square, bronzed face above him with a faint smile.
“Hector ... is’t you, Hector?” he whispered. “Tell her ... the lady ... that I think ... her vengeance will end ... to-night! Which is ... very well—”
“Woman,” cried the man Hector, lifting agonised face, “if ye be true woman run for the surgeon quick, ere he die!” ”

“ But the glory of earth was poor to the glory in her eyes and on her trembling mouth, and Dering looked away hurriedly. This girl's holy of holies was not for such as he to meddle with. Then he grew angry—with himself and with her.
"There's land of some sort ahead," he said. "We'd best try for it while our strength lasts. We are inside the reef, anyhow, for the sea is calm as a lagoon, and the sharks have let us alone so far."
Ten minutes later he staggered up the trend of the coral beach, dragged her after him, and fell on his face, exhausted. ”

“ Dering's younger brother, Sir Samuel Dering, Knight, one of the most substantial City men, a man who had a house in Kensington Palace Gardens, a yacht, a country place in Sussex, and piles of papers in a safe, meaning investments. He was a widower without encumbrance: he was fifty-seven years of age, not yet decayed: he wanted a wife to be the mistress of his house, and to look well at his dinner-parties. Of course, when one does want a wife, at any age, one wants her young. Hilda Arundel, his brother's ward, looked as if she would discharge the duties required of the position admirably. ”

“ IN WHICH SIR JOHN DEVOTES HIMSELF TO THE MUSE
Dering of Dering being home again and his fame on every lip, it befell, to Sir John’s dismay, that the ‘Market Cross Inn’ was generally a-throng with visitors: sporting farmers who trotted up on their “bits o’ blood,” country gentry, bucks of the quality, and not a few ladies of fashion, all hither come to pay homage in their several ways to “the Wicked Dering.” ”

“ Congreve resorted to his handkerchief again, and waved its scarlet folds back and forth in much agitation for a few seconds, then, as he put it back in its capacious pocket, and sniffed once or twice, as if in defiance to some internal commotion, Mrs. Dering remembered that he had once had a little lame girl, who died before reaching womanhood. ”

“ His mother died when Lionel Dering was eighteen years old, six months after his younger brother, Richard, had gone to India to carve out for himself that mythical fortune which every youthful enthusiast believes must one day infallibly be his. ”

“ THE HERMIT OF GATEHOUSE FARM.
Lionel Dering at this time was twenty-eight years old. A tall, well-built, fair-complexioned man, but bronzed by much exposure to the sun and wind. His eyes were dark gray, very steady and penetrating. ”

“ He had taken great interest in the escape of Lionel Dering, as detailed in his favourite journal; and week after week he carefully culled whatever scraps of news he could find, that bore the remotest reference to that strange occurrence. One day he came across the following lines, which he read to his wife.
“We understand that up to the present time the police have obtained no clue to the whereabouts of Mr. Dering, the prisoner whose clever escape from Duxley gaol was duly chronicled in our columns a few weeks ago. ”

“ DERING, Sir EDWARD (1598–1644) , antiquary and politician, was the eldest son of Sir Anthony Dering of Surrenden, Kent. His mother, Sir Anthony's second wife, was Frances, daughter of Chief Baron Robert Bell (d. 1577) [q. v.] He was born in the Tower of London on 28 Jan. 1598, his father being the deputy-lieutenant. He was educated at Magdalene College, Cambridge. After leaving the university he devoted himself to antiquarian studies and to the collection of manuscripts. ”

“ Be this another o’ your honour’s clever guesses?”
“And so, Rose,” he went on placidly, “if you must laugh indeed, laugh behind his back; do not let him see, for ’twould wound him deeply——”
“And d’ye think I don’t know it!” she exclaimed furiously. “Do you think I don’t see in him all that is lacking in yourself, Sir John Dering? Simplicity, unselfishness, a noble innocence—the child in the man, thinking no evil. ”

“ On the contrary, it strengthened it; just as a temptation resisted always strengthened that resistance.
So, in the balcony where lovers had sat and talked of love, those two sat talking of that midsummer night's dream, of everything but love. Of Vincent Dering's song, of the raft, of Lance's experience as he clung to the highest crevice, and felt the water stop steady between his knee and his ankle. Of his incredulity when Am-ma appeared, and his immediate lapse into unconsciousness ”

“ I'd prefer a polecat; but," he gave a distasteful glance at his companion, "I believe you like strong scents."
"Why not?" laughed Vincent Dering, drawing out a handkerchief deluged with white-rose, and sniffing at it, "it's a harmless taste," here his jest passed to earnest, and his eyes took a half soft, half cynical expression,--"so's the other, in a way. It isn't altogether despicable to let yourself loose in Paradise without an arrière pensée of flaming swords. Especially if you can give pleasure to someone else thereby. One could act Romeo and Juliet nicely in this garden. ”

“ But Dering appears only really to have aimed at the abolition of Laud's archiepiscopacy, and to have wished to see some purer form of prelacy re-established in place of the old. Naturally his views gave offence, which he only increased by republishing his speeches on matters of religion, Parliament being so incensed that it burned his book, and [99] committed its author for a week to the Tower (February 2nd, 1642) .
Dering's was the common fate of moderate men in stormy times, who, seeing good on each side, are ill thought of by both. ”

“ His heart suddenly went out to his friend—the prosperous lawyer had reason to remember that hundred-pound legacy, for ten pounds of it had gone to help him out of some foolish scrape. But Dering had forgotten all that; he went on speaking, but more slowly: "And then, as you know, we came back and settled down in Gray's Inn, and though we were horribly poor, perhaps poorer than even you ever guessed, we were divinely happy." He turned his back to the room and stared out once more at the greyness opposite. "But you're quite right, old man, it's time we did like our betters! ”

“ Besides, Dering knew well enough, when he examined his own heart and conscience, that he felt very differently about all manner of things from what he had been wont to feel ten years ago. After all, he was following in the footsteps of men greater and wiser than he. It is impossible to be wholly consistent. ”

“ Don’t you see we are driven forth of Sir John Dering’s inn on Sir John Dering’s land by men wearing Sir John Dering’s livery and acting under instructions of Sir John Dering’s steward! It is all quite delightfully grotesque! So get our things, Bob, nor seek to ruin so exquisite a situation by violence; let us rather steal humbly away. We will try Alfriston, Bob. ”

“ After nine years of married happiness, Godfrey Dering died, leaving his widow with two children, Lionel, aged eight, and Richard, aged six. Mrs. Dering found herself with an annuity of six hundred pounds a year, which her husband’s care and prevision had secured to her. ”

“ To this place came Lionel Dering in less than a month after writing his last letter to Edith West, and here he had since stayed. Two farm labourers and one middle-aged woman constituted the whole of his household. What further labour he might require in his farming operations, he hired. He rose at five o’clock in summer and at six in winter. From the time he got up till two o’clock he worked as hard as any of his own men. ”

“ Nor could he be moved by any assertion that his position was impossible. 'For, my friend,' said Athelstan, 'the man who sent you with the cheque was the man who robbed Mr. Dering.'
'Can't help that, sir. If the gentleman I saw yesterday walking from Lincoln's Inn to Bedford Row was Mr. Dering—then he robbed hisself.'
'That's foolishness. Oh! there must be some explanation. Look here! Mr. Edward Dering leaves his office every evening between six and seven. I will be in New Square on the west side this evening at six. You be there, as well. Try not to seem as if you were watching for anybody. ”

“ What is to be, will be, let us strive and struggle how we will. And ’twill soon be dark, so ha’ your pistol ready——”
“I—I do not fear the dark!” she answered, quite forgetting to yawn.
“Nay, ’tis not of the dark I warn you but of myself, child!” he sighed. “Great pity is it you should ha’ found me out so soon, for as John Derwent I was in every sense a gentle, worthy and reverent soul, but—as Sir John Dering, ’tis a vastly different matter, for [66] the censorious world expects me to live up to, or down to, my reputation, so ha’ your pistol ready, girl!” ”

“ The wind blew up cold, and carrying the spray sheer over the little island. Dering pulled off his coat, wrapping it round the girl, unheeding her indignation.
"Don't let me have to allow the whole palm of pluck to a woman," he said. ”

“ Pray believe that my gratitude is yours, now and ever!”
“Indeed,” said she, noting his earnest face, “you are strangely unlike the Sir John Dering I anticipated. Your—your reputation, sir——”
“Aye, my reputation!” he repeated wearily. “’Faith, madam,’tis my incubus that hath me in a strangle-gripe. For years I have endured it with a fool’s content, but now when I would be rid on’t I may not. ’Tis a haunting shadow, a demon mocking my best endeavours. Evil is naturally expected of [144] me, virtue—never. ”

“ Scarsdale, “now you mention it, I did——”
“Hid?” cried Lord Aldbourne. “What did ye hide for, sir, and where?”
“My lord, I say that I caught a brief glimpse of Sir John Dering’s ‘buxom wench’!”
“Oh, rat me, but did ye so, Scarsdale?” piped Mr. Prescott. “And was she handsome indeed—come?”
“Let me parish, sir, if she wasn’t!” cried Mr. [137] Scarsdale, ecstatic. “A magnificent crayture, on my life! A plum, sir, a glorious piece——”
“We believe you, sir!” quoth Captain Armitage. “Dering ever had an infallible eye, a most exact judgment!” ”

“ Then Dering had gone to Cambridge, and Wingfield, more humbly, to take up life as an articled clerk to a good firm of old-established attorneys. Again, later, they had come together once more, sharing a modest lodging, while Dering earned a small uncertain income by contributing to the literary weeklies, by "ghosting" writers more fortunate than himself, by tutoring whenever he got the chance,—in a word, by resorting to the few expedients open to the honest educated Londoner lacking a definite profession. ”