John Deane of Nottingham | Page 8

three hundred
head of cattle from the Yorkshire hills down South, and I hope in time
to deal on a large scale, like Mr Strelley, and other friends I know of."
"Well, well, Master Jack, you must take your own way," answered Mr
Harwood, "or be guided by your honoured parents: we will have a talk
another time about these matters."
Mr Deane's lips had become considerably compressed while his son
was speaking, and there was an hysterical cry from Aunt Bethia, whose
great wish had always been to see her favourite Jack figure in what she
called good society.
"You may quit the society of your equals, for which you have so little
respect, Jack," said his father in somewhat stern accents; "those you do
not value will take little pains to keep you among them; but let me hear
no more of this matter. Now, friends," he continued, making an effort
to recover his usual tone of voice, "fill the ladies' glasses, and keep the
bottles moving among you. Lads often talk nonsense when they fancy
they are talking sense, and so may I beg you to forget what my son Jack
has just said? He will think better on the subject another day."
"Don't be too hard on the lad, cousin," said Dr Nathaniel, turning to the
host. "It is a great thing, in my opinion, to get a young man to choose a

profession for himself. There are too many men like Jack who are not
content unless they can mount a helmet and jackboots, and go about the
world slaughtering their fellow-creatures without rhyme or reason,
should they not find a good cause to fight for. So, Jack, here's to your
health, my boy, and success to you in whatever honest calling you
determine to follow!"
Dr Nathaniel's word was law in Mr Deane's family, as it was in several
others in the town, and he therefore quickly succeeded in smoothing
down the somewhat ruffled temper of different members of the family.
Other toasts and speeches followed, but the songs which were generally
sung on such occasions were reserved for the supper, of which all the
guests present were expected to partake, at a later hour of the day.
The ladies then rising, gracefully sailed out of the room, while the
gentlemen continued to pass the battle round for some time longer. It
was still broad daylight, though the fresh air of evening was already
blowing through the windows. Mrs Deane therefore proposed to her
female guests that they should enjoy the breeze for a while on the
Castle Terrace, which was the usual promenade of the gay world of
Nottingham, and there was a general call for hoods and gloves. The
party of ladies, as they glided out of the house, precedence being given
to the more elderly dames, took their way towards the castle, and
passing through the grand gateway which had stood so many attacks,
soon ascended the broad stone steps with massive balustrades which
led in two flights to the noble terrace in front of the building. It was
well paved with large flat stones, and with a breastwork of stone, and
on the south side of the castle a convenient arcade, where in rainy or
hot weather the gentry of the town could walk under shelter. On that
beautiful summer's evening, however, the ladies required only their
green fans to protect their eyes from the almost level rays of the setting
sun, which fans the young ones occasionally found useful for other
purposes--either to hide their faces from an unwelcome admirer, or to
beckon a too timid one, perchance. The park with its three long avenues
lay before them, and the steep declivities which ran down from it to the
river Leen were covered with woods, broken here by some old tower

which had withstood all attempts at its demolition, and there by a
jutting mass of grey rock, looking scarcely more solid than the
rock-like masonry of the tower. The new building had only been
finished the year Jack was born, as Mrs Deane was in the habit of
telling any friends who came to visit her for the first time at
Nottingham. It was built in the Italian style of architecture, with a fine
double flight of steps to the principal entrance, over which was an
equestrian alto-relievo of Charles the Second. The flat roofs were
surrounded by balustrades, and the spaces between the long terrace of
windows were filled up with architraves and entablatures, which
produced a rich and picturesque though somewhat heavy effect. On one
side the view ranged over the town, with its fine churches, and the
distant sweeps of Sherwood Forest, and the nearer woods of Colwick
Park. On the other side lay a rich and