Hayslope Grange | Page 7

suffer me to
speak to you of this to-morrow, and hear me when I say that Gilbert
Clayton here hath not sought to draw me to this way of thinking. I had
some converse upon it with Mistress Maud before his arrival."
Master Drury glanced at Clayton suspiciously; he had not noticed his
presence before.
"If you are clear of this thing, young man," he said, "you can abide here
until the morning; but Harry Drury departs from Hayslope Grange this
night."
[Illustration: HARRY DRIVEN FROM THE GRANGE.]
Harry started in blank astonishment.
"Marry then, where am I to tarry?" he said.
"That I know not; but traitors cannot abide under this honest roof, that
has never sheltered any but true and loyal men since it was raised by
Roger Drury ninety years ago."
"But, my father----"
"Call me not by that name," interrupted the old man, "unless you are
ready to return, and willing to do true and loyal service to your King
and country."
"My country I am willing to serve; but, my father, this King is trying to
enslave it," said Harry, earnestly.
"Prithee! what will you say next? But hold, I am not here to banter
words with you. Will you enter the King's service, and fight his battles
under Prince Rupert?" demanded Master Drury.
"Serve under that Prince of Plunderers?--never!" said Harry, in a
determined tone.
"It is enough," said his father. "I give you this purse, which contains

enough to keep you from starving for a few days, and for the rest you
must look to yourself. You have no further part or lot in Hayslope
Grange. I cast you off for ever."
But Harry did not attempt to touch the purse, which his father had
placed on the table beside him. Throwing himself again on his knees,
he begged his father to revoke the dreadful words he had just uttered.
"I will remain at home, and never again seek to serve the Parliament, if
you forbid it," he said.
Master Drury looked down at him, and his lips quivered with emotion.
"Say you will renounce these new opinions and serve the King, and you
are my son still," he said.
But Harry started back.
"Give up my principles! all that I have learned to see is just and true
and honest! My father, you cannot ask me to do this?" said Harry.
"I ask you to give up all traitorous friendships, and return to your
allegiance and duty to your King," said his father.
"But I should be a traitor to my conscience. I should sell my
convictions of right and duty for your favour. My father, you would not
have your son a slave?"
"I would that I had no son at all!" groaned the old man, covering his
eyes with his hands.
"Forgive me, oh, forgive me the pain I have caused you, my father; and
let me remain at home with you still; only don't ask me to be a traitor to
my conscience!" implored Harry.
"I ask you nothing," said Master Drury. "I command you to swear this
moment that you will enter the King's service without delay; and if you
do not obey me, you leave this house at once, and I have no son from
this night."

Harry slowly rose from his knees with bowed head.
"I cannot swear," he said. "I will serve my country, not sell her into the
power of tyrants," and he turned to leave the room. But at the door he
paused for a moment, and then turned back. "You will give me your
blessing once more, my father, before I depart?" he said; and he would
have knelt to receive it, but the old man waved him off.
"Leave me, leave me at once, lest I curse you!" he said, in a hoarse
voice; and Harry, without glancing at the purse, which still lay on the
table, retreated from that look of stern wrath which had settled on his
face.
The two young men walked straight out into the fields, and for some
time neither spoke; but at length Harry said,--
"What are we to do, Clayton?"
"We had better get round to the barn for to-night, and sleep there,"
replied Gilbert, "and then to-morrow you had better see your father
again."
But Harry shook his head sadly.
"Marry, it will be of no use," he said.
"By my troth, I would try, though you cannot marvel that he is angry,
speaking as you did," said Gilbert, warmly.
"Yes, I know I was wrong; but you do not know my father, Gilbert, or
you would not advise me to thrust myself into his presence again for a
while. No, no; I must go to London now, and seek my fortune there."
"But you