Boys and Girls From Thackeray | Page 8

run anywhere for the service of his

beloved priest. When the Father was away, he locked his private
chamber; but the room where the books were was left to little Harry.
Great public events were happening at this time, of which the simple
young page took little count. But one day, before the family went to
London, riding into the neighbouring town on the step of my lady's
coach, his lordship and she and Father Holt being inside, a great mob of
people came hooting and jeering round the coach, bawling out, "The
Bishops forever!" "Down with the Pope!" "No Popery! no Popery!" so
that my lord began to laugh, my lady's eyes to roll with anger, for she
was as bold as a lioness, and feared nobody; whilst Mr. Holt, as
Esmond saw from his place on the step, sank back with rather an
alarmed face, crying out to her ladyship, "For God's sake, madam, do
not speak or look out of window; sit still." But she did not obey this
prudent injunction of the Father; she thrust her head out of the coach
window, and screamed out to the coachman, "Flog your way through
them, the brutes, James, and use your whip!"
James the coachman was more afraid of his mistress than of the mob,
probably, for he whipped on his horses as he was bidden, and the
post-boy that rode with the first pair gave a cut of his thong over the
shoulders of one fellow who put his hand out towards the leading
horse's rein.
It was a market-day, and the country-people were all assembled with
their baskets of poultry, eggs, and such things; the postilion had no
sooner lashed the man who would have taken hold of his horse, but a
great cabbage came whirling like a bombshell into the carriage, at
which my lord laughed more, for it knocked my lady's fan out of her
hand, and plumped into Father Holt's stomach. Then came a shower of
carrots and potatoes.
The little page was outside the coach on the step, and a fellow in the
crowd aimed a potato at him, and hit him in the eye, at which the poor
little wretch set up a shout The man, a great big saddler's apprentice of
the town, laughed, and stooped to pick up another potato. The crowd
had gathered quite between the horses and the inn door by this time,
and the coach was brought to a dead standstill. My lord jumped as

briskly as a boy out of the door on his side of the coach, squeezing little
Harry behind it; had hold of the potato-thrower's collar in an instant,
and the next moment the brute's heels were in the air, and he fell on the
stones with a thump.
"You hulking coward!" says he, "you pack of screaming blackguards!
how dare you attack children, and insult women? Fling another shot at
that carriage, you sneaking pigskin cobbler, and by the Lord I'll send
my rapier through you!"
Some of the mob cried, "Huzzah, my Lord!" for they knew him, and
the saddler's man was a known bruiser, near twice as big as my Lord
Viscount.
"Make way there," says he (he spoke with a great air of authority).
"Make way, and let her ladyship's carriage pass."
The men actually did make way, and the horses went on, my lord
walking after them with his hat on his head.
This mob was one of many thousands that were going about the
country at that time, huzzahing for the acquittal of seven bishops who
had been tried just then, and about whom little Harry Esmond knew
scarce anything. The party from Castlewood were on their way to
Hexton, where there was a great meeting of the gentry. My lord's
people had their new liveries on and Harry a little suit of blue and silver,
which he wore upon occasions of state; and the gentlefolks came round
and talked to my lord: and a judge in a red gown, who seemed a very
great personage, especially complimented him and my lady, who was
mighty grand. Harry remembers her train borne up by her gentlewoman.
There was an assembly and ball at the great room at the inn, and other
young gentlemen of the county families looked on as he did. One of
them jeered him for his black eye, which was swelled by the potato,
and another called him a cruel name, on which he and Harry fell to
fisticuffs. My lord's cousin, Colonel Esmond of Walcote, was there,
and separated the two lads--a great, tall gentleman, with a handsome,
good-natured face.

Very soon after this my lord and lady went to London with Mr. Holt,
leaving the page behind them. The little man had the great house