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624 THE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP
was a good friend to Whipham. He was a good landlord to a good
tenant. If he had his will, Whipham would have kept its own.
His Lordship paid half the expense after the burning of the townhall.
He was an arbitrary man, certainly, and he flogged Alderman
Duffle before his own shop, but he apologised for it most handsome
afterwards. Would the gentlemen like port or sherry ? Claret not
called for in Whipham; not at all ; and no fish, because all the fish
at Periwinkle Bay is bought up and goes to London. Such were the
remarks made by the landlord of the " Ringwood Arms " to three
cavaliers who entered that hostelry. And you may be sure he told
us about Lord Ringwood's death in the postchaise as he came from
Turreys Regura; and how his Lordship went through them gates
(pointing to a pair of gates and lodges which skirt the town), and was
drove up to the castle and laid in state; and his Lordship never
would take the railway, never ; and he always travelled like a nobleman,
and when he came to a hotel and changed horses, he always
called for a bottle of wine, and only took a glass, and sometimes not
even that. And the present Sir John has kept no company here as
yet ; and they say he is close of his money, they say he is. And
this is certain, Whipham haven't seen much of it, Whipham haven't.
We went into the inn-yard, which may have been once a
stirring place, and then sauntered up to the park gate, surmounted
by the supporters and armorial bearings of the Ringwoods. " I
wonder whether my poor mother came out of that gate when she
eloped with my father ?" said Philip. " Poor thing, poor thing !"
The great gates were shut. The westering sun cast shadows over
the sward where here and there the deer were browsing, and at
some mile distance lay the house, with its towers and porticos and
vanes flaming in the sun. The smaller gate was open, and a girl
was standing by the lodge-door. Was the house to be seen ?
" Yes," says a little red-cheeked girl, with a curtsey.
" No !" calls out a harsh voice from within, and an old woman
comes out from the lodge and looks at us fiercely. " Nobody is
to go to the house. The family is a-coming."
That was provoking. Philip would have liked to behold the
great house where his mother and her ancestors were born.
" Marry, good dame," Philip's companion said to the old beldam,
" this goodly gentleman hath a right of entrance to yonder castle,
which, I trow, ye wot not of. Heard ye never tell of one Philip
Ringwood, slain at Busaco's glorious fi _________ "
" Hold your tongue, and don't chaff her, Pen," growled Firmin.
"Nay, an she knows not Philip Ringwood's grandson," the
other wag continued, in a softened tone, "this will convince her of
our right to enter. Canst recognise this image of your Queen ?"