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"To Sissinghurst, sir." "You have a long walk before you, and, with your permission, I will accompany you a little way." "With pleasure, sir!" I answered, "though I fear you will find me a moody companion, and a somewhat silent one; but then, I shall be the better listener, so light your pipe, sir, and, while you smoke, talk."
"Is there a good inn at Sissinghurst?" "Ay, theer's 'The Bull, comfortable, an' draws fine ale!" "Then I will go to Sissinghurst." "Ay, ay," nodded the old man, "if it be good ale an' a comfortable inn you want you need seek no further nor Siss'n'urst; ninety an' one years I've lived there, an' I know." "Ninety-one years!" I repeated. "As ever was!" returned the Ancient, with another nod.
An', if you was to ax me, I should say as it died because its 'eart were broke, Peter. Yes, trees is very like men, an' the older you grow the more you'll see it." I listened, It was thus we talked, or rather, the Ancient talked and I listened, until we reached Sissinghurst. At the door of the smithy we stopped. "Peter," said the old man, staring very hard at a button on my coat. "Well, Ancient?"
In an adjacent glen almost surrounded by woods are the ruins of Sissinghurst, where Chancellor Baker lived and built the stately mansion of Saxenhurst, from which the present name of its ruins is derived. The artists Horsley and Webster lived at Sissinghurst and Cranbrook for many years, and found there frequent subjects of rustic study.
A broad, white road; on either hand some half-dozen cottages with roofs of thatch or red tile, backed by trees gnarled and ancient, among which rises the red conical roof of some oast-house. Such, in a word, is Sissinghurst.
"No," said the Ancient, shaking his head, "ye see it be this way: David were my brother, an' uncommon proud 'e were o' bein' the oldest man in these parts, an' now that 'e be dead an' gone it du seem a poor thing ah! a very poor thing! to tak' 'vantage of a dead man, an' him my own brother!" Saying which, the Ancient rose, and we went on together, side by side, towards Sissinghurst village.
"Ah to be sure!" nodded the fellow, looking from me to Charmian with an evil leer, "early to bed an' " "Come get off!" said I angrily. "Wot are ye goin' to turn me away at this time o' night!" "It is not so far to Sissinghurst!" said I: "But, Lord! I wouldn't disturb ye an' there's two rooms, ain't there?" "There are plenty of comfortable beds to be had at 'The Bull."
Swift we flew, with the wind before, and the dust behind, past wayside inns where besmocked figures paused in their grave discussions to turn and watch us by; past smiling field and darkling copse; past lonely cottage and village green; through Sevenoaks and Tonbridge, with never a stop; up Pembry hill, and down, galloping so lightly, so easily, over that hard, familiar road, which I had lately tramped with so much toil and pain; and so, as evening fell, to Sissinghurst.
WHEREAS, PETER SMITH, blacksmith, late of SISSINGHURST, in the county of Kent, suspected of the crime of WILFUL MURDER, did upon the Tenth of August last, make his escape from his gaolers, upon the Tonbridge road, somewhere between SISSINGHURST and PEMBRY; the above REWARD, namely, FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS, will be paid to such person, or persons who shall give such INFORMATION as shall lead to the ARREST, and APPREHENSION of the aforesaid PETER SMITH. In the furtherance of which, is hereunto added a just and close description of the same VIZ. He is six foot tall, and a sizable ROGUE. His hair, black, his eyes dark and piercing.
Talking thus, we presently reached a stile beyond which the footpath led away through swaying corn and by shady hopgarden, to Sissinghurst village. Here the Preacher stopped and gave me his hand, but I noticed he still puffed at his pipe. "And you are now a blacksmith?" "And mightily content so to be." "You are a most strange young man!" said the Preacher, shaking his head.
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