CHAPTER XVII. THE SCHOOL FEAST.

Notoncombatbent,noroffoemeninsearch,wasthispriest-ledandwoman-officeredcompanyyettheirmusicplayedmartialtunes,and,tojudgebytheeyesandcarriageofsome—MissKeeldar,forinstance—thesesoundsawoke,ifnotamartial,yetalongingspirit.OldHelstone,turningbychance,lookedintoherfaceandhelaughed,andshelaughedathim. "Thereisnobattleinprospect,"hesaid"ourcountrydoesnotwantustofightforit.Nofoeortyrantisquestioningorthreateningourliberty.Thereisnothingtobedone.Weareonlytakingawalk.Keepyourhandonthereins,captain,andslackthefireofthatspirit.Itisnotwanted,themore'sthepity." "Takeyourownadvice,doctor,"wasShirley'sresponse.ToCarolineshemurmured,"I'llborrowofimaginationwhatrealitywillnotgiveme.Wearenotsoldiers—bloodshedisnotmydesire—orifweare,wearesoldiersoftheCross.Timehasrolledbacksomehundredsofyears,andweareboundonapilgrimagetoPalestine.Butnothatistoovisionary.Ineedasternerdream.WeareLowlandersofScotland,followingaCovenantingcaptainupintothehillstoholdameetingoutofthereachofpersecutingtroopers.Weknowthatbattlemayfollowprayerandaswebelievethatintheworstissueofbattleheavenmustbeourreward,wearereadyandwillingtoreddenthepeat-mosswithourblood.Thatmusicstirsmysoulitwakensallmylifeitmakesmyheartbeat—notwithitstemperatedailypulse,butwithanew,thrillingvigour.Ialmostlongfordanger—forafaith,aland,oratleastalovertodefend." "Look,Shirley!"interruptedCaroline."WhatisthatredspeckaboveStilbro'Brow?YouhavekeenersightthanI.Justturnyoureagleeyetoit." MissKeeldarlooked."Isee,"shesaidthenaddedpresently,"thereisalineofred.Theyaresoldiers—cavalrysoldiers,"shesubjoinedquickly."Theyridefast.Therearesixofthem.Theywillpassus.Notheyhaveturnedofftotheright.Theysawourprocession,andavoiditbymakingacircuit.Wherearetheygoing?" "Perhapstheyareonlyexercisingtheirhorses." "Perhapsso.Weseethemnomorenow." Mr.Helstoneherespoke. "WeshallpassthroughRoydLane,toreachNunnelyCommonbyashortcut,"saidhe. AndintothestraitsofRoydLanetheyaccordinglydefiled.Itwasverynarrow—sonarrowthatonlytwocouldwalkabreastwithoutfallingintotheditchwhichranalongeachside.Theyhadgainedthemiddleofit,whenexcitementbecameobviousintheclericalcommanders.Boultby'sspectaclesandHelstone'sRehoboamwereagitatedthecuratesnudgedeachotherMr.Hallturnedtotheladiesandsmiled. "Whatisthematter?"wasthedemand. Hepointedwithhisstafftotheendofthelanebeforethem.Loandbehold!another,anopposition,processionwasthereentering,headedalsobymeninblack,andfollowedalso,astheycouldnowhear,bymusic. "Isitourdouble?"askedShirley,"ourmanifoldwraith?Hereisacardturnedup." "Ifyouwantedabattle,youarelikelytogetone—atleastoflooks,"whisperedCaroline,laughing. "Theyshallnotpassus!"criedthecuratesunanimously"we'llnotgiveway!" "Giveway!"retortedHelstonesternly,turninground"whotalksofgivingway?You,boys,mindwhatyouareabout.Theladies,Iknow,willbefirm.Icantrustthem.Thereisnotachurchwomanherebutwillstandhergroundagainstthesefolks,forthehonouroftheEstablishment.—WhatdoesMissKeeldarsay?" "Sheaskswhatisit." "TheDissentingandMethodistschools,theBaptists,Independents,andWesleyans,joinedinunholyalliance,andturningpurposelyintothislanewiththeintentionofobstructingourmarchanddrivingusback." "Badmanners!"saidShirley,"andIhatebadmanners.Ofcourse,theymusthavealesson." "Alessoninpoliteness,"suggestedMr.Hall,whowaseverforpeace"notanexampleofrudeness." OldHelstonemovedon.Quickeninghisstep,hemarchedsomeyardsinadvanceofhiscompany.Hehadnearlyreachedtheothersableleaders,whenhewhoappearedtoactasthehostilecommander-in-chief—alarge,greasyman,withblackhaircombedflatonhisforehead—calledahalt.Theprocessionpaused.Hedrewforthahymnbook,gaveoutaverse,setatune,andtheyallstruckupthemostdolorousofcanticles. Helstonesignedtohisbands.Theyclashedoutwithallthepowerofbrass.Hedesiredthemtoplay"Rule,Britannia!"andorderedthechildrentojoininvocally,whichtheydidwithenthusiasticspirit.Theenemywassungandstormeddown,hispsalmquelled.Asfarasnoisewent,hewasconquered. "Now,followme!"exclaimedHelstone"notatarun,butatafirm,smartpace.Besteady,everychildandwomanofyou.Keeptogether.Holdonbyeachother'sskirts,ifnecessary." Andhestrodeonwithsuchadeterminedanddeliberategait,andwas,besides,sowellsecondedbyhisscholarsandteachers,whodidexactlyashetoldthem,neitherrunningnorfaltering,butmarchingwithcool,solidimpetus—thecurates,too,beingcompelledtodothesame,astheywerebetweentwofires,HelstoneandMissKeeldar,bothofwhomwatchedanydeviationwithlynx-eyedvigilance,andwereready,theonewithhiscane,theotherwithherparasol,torebuketheslightestbreachoforders,theleastindependentorirregulardemonstration—thatthebodyofDissenterswerefirstamazed,thenalarmed,thenbornedownandpressedback,andatlastforcedtoturntailandleavetheoutletfromRoydLanefree.Boultbysufferedintheonslaught,butHelstoneandMalone,betweenthem,heldhimup,andbroughthimthroughthebusiness,wholeinlimb,thoughsorelytriedinwind. ThefatDissenterwhohadgivenoutthehymnwasleftsittingintheditch.Hewasaspiritmerchantbytrade,aleaderoftheNonconformists,and,itwassaid,drankmorewaterinthatoneafternoonthanhehadswallowedforatwelvemonthbefore.Mr.HallhadtakencareofCaroline,andCarolineofhim.HeandMissAinleymadetheirownquietcommentstoeachotherafterwardsontheincident.MissKeeldarandMr.Helstoneshookhandsheartilywhentheyhadfairlygotthewholepartythroughthelane.Thecuratesbegantoexult,butMr.Helstonepresentlyputthecurbontheirinnocentspirits.Heremarkedthattheyneverhadsensetoknowwhattosay,andhadbetterholdtheirtonguesandheremindedthemthatthebusinesswasnoneoftheirmanaging. Abouthalf-pastthreetheprocessionturnedback,andatfouroncemoreregainedthestarting-place.Longlinesofbencheswerearrangedintheclose-shornfield