Jack Straw

“ Count von Bremer coming.
Jack Straw.
Who the deuce is he?
Holland.
He’s your ambassador.
Jack Straw.
Of course, how stupid of me!
Lady Wanley.
[With a little scornful smile.] But he won’t come.
Mrs. Parker-Jennings.
Don’t you make too sure about that. He’s coming right enough. The British aristocracy was quite willing to ’ob-nob with the Parker-Jennings, but this duty foreigner wouldn’t be seen in the same street with us. And you all sniggered up your sleeves, because you thought you was getting a bit of your own back. But I’ve got ’im to-day, and I was going to fling him in your faces. ”

“ Jack Straw.
[With a dramatic gesture.] Madam, my mother’s only son has never fled before a foe. I will stay and face the music.
Mrs. Parker-Jennings.
I’m not thinking of myself now. If there is a scandal I’m rich enough to make people forget it.
Serlo.
I say, old man, you’d better hook it. England’s no place for you just now.
Ethel.
[In an undertone.] If you care for me at all, don’t run this horrible risk.
Jack Straw.
If you were only pressing me to stay this unanimity would be extremely flattering.
Mrs. Parker-Jennings.
The man’s mad. The man’s as mad as a March ’are. ”

“ But now as soon as those men began to move on us directly in face, Jack Straw put his horn to his lips and blew a loud rough blast that was echoed by five or six others along the orchard hedge. Every man had his shaft nocked on the string; I watched them, and Will Green specially ”

“ Lady Wanley.
I can well imagine that nothing could be more respectable than to import eggs to Soho.
Jack Straw.
The head-waiter, who is an excellent fellow, with female relatives of his own, promised to overlook his absence if he could find a substitute. Pierre, like myself, is a person of somewhat striking physique and could find no one able to wear his clothes. He confided his distress to me, and I, knowing that his uniform would fit me like a glove offered, at once to step into the—breach.
Holland. ”

“ Jack Straw was still using the holly twig, and the swashbuckler grew facetious.
“Take my dagger, Jack. We are getting ready to be great lords and gentles all by the cleaning of our nails!”
John Ball’s eyes fixed themselves on his neighbour’s hands. He began to speak in a slow and inward voice.
“Our brother cleanseth his nails. It is a symbol, surely. All the world shall have clean fingers.”
“And no pickings! My cock, father, I must pick up something on the point of my sword!”
The priest of Kent looked up and around at the black boughs and tops of the hollies. ”

“ Serlo.
I may be a blithering ass, but I can see without your tellin’ me that Ethel wouldn’t have had me at any price if she hadn’t wanted to score off you.
Jack Straw.
Oh, how some men throw away their chances! Strike the pathetic note, old man, or you’re done. When you’ve finished there oughtn’t to be a dry eye in the place.
Serlo.
Well, the fact is—it had entirely slipped my memory at the moment, but I had a letter this morning from the lady’s solicitor to remind me—I happen to be engaged to a young woman who can kick a man’s topper off too. ”

“ Lewis Abbott and Mrs. Abbott (Rosie) . Jack Straw leaves Holland and Lady Wanley to attend to some people.
Lady Wanley.
There are the Withers. Why, they’ve got Rosie with them and her husband.
[She gets up and goes towards the Withers, who are honest, simple people, not distinguished, but good-natured and kindly. Lewis Abbott is a nice-looking, frank young parson. Rosie is very pretty and fragile. She is simply dressed.
Lady Wanley.
[Smiling to Rosie.] My dear, what are you doing in this sink of iniquity? I am surprised to see you. And Lewis! ”

“ It was Bélisaire. Jack made a futile effort at explanation. The man scolded the boy gently, lifted him up, and led him away.
Where are they going? And who comes here? and what do they want of him? Rough men accost him; they shake him and put irons on his wrists, and he cannot resist, for he is still more than half asleep. He sleeps in the wagon into which he is thrust; in the boat, where he lies utterly inert; and how happy he is after being thus buffeted about to finally throw himself on a straw pallet, shut out from all further disturbance by huge locks and bolts. ”

“ They had three bloody heads on poles, the which they bore for banners, and these were three clerks that served the tax-collector was driven out of Brentwood the last week in May. Crows flew squawking round about these heads. Meanwhile, the men strode on, chaunting:—
'Jack Trueman doth you to understand that falseness and guile have reigned too long.'
And they told Stephen and Calote as how other Essex men were encamped t' other side the river before Aldgate, to keep the city from that side. And these other were Jack Straw's men. ”

“ Your ideas are so beastly middle-class. You mustn’t expect a man like Serlo to do things like—like the people we used to know at....
Mrs. Parker-Jennings.
That’ll do, Vincent. We all know quite well where we used to live before your father’s poor uncle was taken, and you needn’t refer to it. [Ethel shrugs her shoulders impatiently.] It seems to me that Vincent and I are the only ones of the family who know ’ow to live up to our position. [Jack Straw comes up with the coffee and liqueurs. Another waiter hands round the cigars. Serlo rejoins them.] [Very affably.] Come and sit by me, Lord Serlo. ”

“ For v. 102–14, which bears on the history of the company, cf. ch. xii (Paul’s) .
[22]
The Life and Death of Jack Straw > 1593
S. R. 1593, Oct. 23. ‘An enterlude of the lyfe and deathe of Jack Strawe.’ John Danter (Arber, ii. 639) . ”

“ Jack-knife. The name formerly given to a large folding pocket-knife, and now used by sailors, in contradistinction to a “Penknife.” See “Jack Tar.”
Jackson. The name of a river and several towns of the United States, after General Andrew Jackson, the seventh President.
Jack Straw’s Castle. A noted hostelry at Hampstead, said to have been built on the spot where Jack Straw, one of the leaders in Wat Tyler’s insurrection, made his habitation on the hillside.
Jack Tar. A sailor, because he wears tarpaulins in “dirty weather.” Jack is a generic name for a man or servant. ”

“ Parker-Jennings.
Well, Vincent, ’ow much longer are you going to stand there like a stuffed owl?
Jack Straw.
Do my eyes deceive me, or is that a local paper that I see? [He takes it up.] Ah, I surmised that it would have an account of your garden party. Two columns of it, by Jove! You must wish you hadn’t asked so many people. [Reading.] The Duchess of St. Erth, the Marchioness of Mereston, the Marquess of Mereston, Lord and Lady Hollington, Viscount Parnaby—dear me, how smart—Lady Wanley, Mr. and Mrs. Lamberville, the Bishop of Sheffield, and the Honourable Mrs. Spratte.... ”

“ The blue eyes seemed more cloudily blue than usual, and the crisp, sandy hair hinted more than ever of the pale straw-gold that was not there. Never had she seen him quite so royally young. As he smiled to greet her, with a slow white flash of teeth from between red lips, she caught again the promise of easement and rest. ”

“ I refer to the snow because it is the best natural cover on earth and will give the fairest test, but if you are where there is no snow to try it out, just take some chaff, straw, or sawdust and cover your bait with that. ”

“ Up he goes, up the bastion; bang goes t'other pistol; then he outs with his cutlass, a-roarin' hurray with a voice like a twelve pounder; down goes three o' them Moors; another breaks Jack's cutlass with his simitar; bless you, what's he care? don't care a straw, which his name is Strahan; he've got a fist, he have, an' he dashes it in the Moor's face, collars his simitar, cuts his throat and sings out, 'Ho, mateys! this 'ere fort's mine!'
"Up comes three or four of his mates what heard his voice; they swings round the cannon on the bastion an' turns it on the enemy ”

“ The glare of the fire showed him the ghastly countenance of Gideon Prawle turned toward the ceiling.
“Wake up! Wake up, Prawle! The place is on fire!” cried Jack, seizing the man from the West and shaking him roughly.
But Prawle never made a move of his own accord, but lay like a log in the boy’s grasp.
“What’s the matter with you? Wake up!”
Jack grabbed him with both hands and pulled him up into a sitting posture.
Prawle’s head rolled over on his shoulder like that of a dead man.
“In Heaven’s name, what can be the matter with the man? He looks like death. Has he had another fit?” ”

“ My father wasn't one of the men, but Peakslow turned all his spite against him."
"He imagines he has been wronged," said Jack.
"I suppose so, for he is one of that kind who never can see any side to a quarrel but their own. The land is growing more valuable every year; he covets it accordingly, and so the ferment in his mind is kept up. Of course," Rufe confessed, "we have done, or neglected to do, a good many things which have kept adding fuel to the fire; for it's impossible to live peaceably alongside of such a selfish, passionate, unreasonable neighbor. ”

“ Now Jack loved his mother; besides, he felt just a bit sneaky at being such a big boy and doing so little to help, so he said, "Cheer up! Cheer up! I'll go and get work somewhere." And he felt as he spoke as if he would work his fingers to the bone; but the good woman shook her head mournfully.
"You've tried that before, Jack," she said, "and nobody would keep you. You are quite a good lad but your wits go a-wool-gathering. No, we must sell Milky-White and live on the money. ”

“ I hope Jack will not forget to come for the letter. But I know he won't. Poor old Jack, he is kind and good, if he is stupid. But everyone can't be clever. The young Squire looked as if he knew a good deal; and he was very handsome. Though I hate him, I can't help seeing he is handsome, but cruel and hard—yes, hard as nails, as poor grandfather said. I might as well try to soften that big bit of rock.'
Then Bryda let the gate of the orchard close behind her, and went towards the house.
[Pg 39]
CHAPTER IV THE LETTER DELIVERED.
Jack Henderson was up before the sun the next morning. ”

“ And indeed there was little time for Jack to consider the matter, for even as he made a mental note of the enemy's bravado, he heard a word of command given in a loud voice, and saw Elbel emerge from a small clump of bushes at the edge of the gully. The whole force, except ten men carrying barrels, flung themselves flat on their faces; and Jack had only time to give a rapid warning to his men when a scattered volley flashed from the line of prone figures, the bullets pattering on the stone wall like hail on a greenhouse. ”

“ Jack mused for a moment. "This looks more like the work of Gabe Werner to me."
"Oh, Jack! suppose he should attack you some time when you weren't aware?"
"That's a risk a fellow has to run. Of course, I expect to keep on my guard, not only against Gabe Werner but also against Martell, Brown and Glutts. The whole four don't like any of our crowd."
"But just read the dreadful thing he says," continued the girl, as she caught Jack tightly by the arm. "He says he'll pound your face into a jelly! Oh, Jack! don't you ever give him a chance to do that," and Ruth's face showed her solicitude. ”

“ As the time went on Reff Ritter became more and more jealous of Major Jack’s popularity. A contest in the gymnasium was arranged between the two, and then Ritter, with a wickedness which he was wise enough to keep to himself, dosed the young major with some French headache powders, putting the stuff in Jack’s drinking water. As a consequence, Jack, while on the flying rings, became dizzy and then unconscious, and would have hurt himself seriously had he not been caught as he fell. ”

“ I knew he couldn't have got up those stairs as quick as that. He came into the parlour, and he took a cigar himself, and while he was lighting it I heard those steps again overhead. His hand shook, and he dropped the match.
"Have you got in somebody to help?" I asked.
"No," Jack answered sharply, and struck another match.
"There's somebody upstairs, Jack," I said. "Don't you hear footsteps?"
[Pg 154]
"It's the wind, captain," Jack answered; but I could see he was trembling.
"That isn't any wind, Jack," I said; "it's still and foggy. I'm sure there's somebody upstairs." ”

“ To have the faintest idea of the emotions that agitated the squire at sight of Jack and the shoes full of coin,—the wrath, the surprise, the avarice,—one must have seen him as he stood there, or have heard Jack (as I have heard him many times) describe the grim and frowning figure that met his eyes.
“What’s this, what’s this, eh?” cried Peternot, taking a stride forwards. “Money! on my land!” and the gray eyes glittered. “Ha! ha! This, then, is the meaning of all that talk about treasure-trove the other day!” ”

“ He is one of the most urgent men I ever saw," added Jack, mashing his potato.
Vinnie smiled, while the others laughed; but her eyes were full of anxiety, as they beamed on Jack.
"Isn't it possible," she said, "to meet such arguments with kindness? I didn't think there was a man so bad that he couldn't be influenced by reason and good-will."
"It might rain reasons on Peakslow, forty days and forty nights,—he would shed 'em, as a duck does water," Jack replied. "Isn't it so, Mr. Betterson?" ”

“ The wagon was a buggy, and the horse was Snowfoot, standing before the gate, waiting patiently to be let in.
Quite wild with delight and astonishment, Jack took the lantern and examined horse and vehicle.
"Old Lion! you were right," he exclaimed. "The scamp must have let the horse go, and taken to his heels. And the horse made for home."
"The most he cared for was to get off with the money," said Rufe, not quite so abundantly pleased as his friend. "What's this thing under the seat?"
"The compass!" said Jack, if possible, still more surprised and overjoyed, "which I accused Zeph of stealing!" ”