17 - Pagans Cup by Fergus Hume

Set against the backdrop of a tranquil seaside village, this English mystery unfolds through the life of an old family and their domineering matriarch. Striving to shape her adopted son according to her will, she finds herself entangled with the local vicar and his enchanting daughter. A stranger seeking acceptance among the villagers adds another layer of intrigue. The narrative weaves a tale of unseen connections and hidden secrets, all coming together to form an engrossing drama.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Chapter seventeen of The Pagan's Cup by Fergus Hume. This
liberyvox recording is in the public domain. Read by your
ganon The Pagan's Cup, Chapter seventeen, Lord Kilspindy explains, before

(00:21):
you begin your story, my lord, said the Vicar. Will
you please inform me how you came to know of
the laws of the cup. I've already done so, mister Tempest.
I saw the advertisement offering a reward for its recovery.
The description and the quotation of the Latin motto were
sufficient to show me that it was my hairloam. I
wrote to the office of the paper, and afterwards received

(00:43):
a letter from Missus Tempest here asking me to call.
I've taken up my abode at the Inn, as I
may stay here for a few days. I want to
know all I can about the matter. If you can
only trace and recover the cup through your agency, I
shall be eternly your debta. I cannot tell you more
than I have related, replied the Vicar. This man Pratt

(01:05):
took back the cup and is now in London, where
no one knows. I fear the cup is as lost
as though it had been swallowed up by the ocean.
It is enough that I know in whose possession it is,
said Kilspindy, with determination. In some way or another, I
shall find this man. For I may tell you, mister Tempest,
that besides the recovery of a family treasure, I have

(01:27):
another and more important object in view, the recovery of
my son, who was stolen from me at the time
the cup disappeared. Tempest expressed much astonishment at this information,
and Sybil opened her eyes wide. She had never thought
that her attempt to clear the character of a lover
would lead to such a result. Neither she nor a

(01:48):
father knew what to say, and seeing them silent, Lord
Kilspindy continued to speak, How the cup came into the
possession of this man, I cannot say. It was taken
from the castle wind nurse called Janet Grant, who also
carried away a child. Why did she do that? Asked Sybil,
horrified out of revenge for a fancied slights she received

(02:11):
from my wife, replied Kilspindy with a sigh. But it
is best I should tell you all from the beginning.
First you must know the legend of the cup, that
you may understand the value we grants attached to its possession.
I'm fond of folklore, settling himself down for a pleasant
half hour. Your family name is Grant, then, my lord, Yes,

(02:33):
my title is Kilspendy, and earldom my son who was stolen,
my only son, an only child, alas is Lord Morven
if he be still alive, But who knows if I
shall ever see him again. Hope for the best, said
the vicar gently, God is over all. You're right, mister tempest.

(02:54):
But how many years I have waited and have had
no comfort myself in that fashion? Oh, when I had
lost all hope, the advertisement roused it again. If I
find the cup, I may discover my boy, or at
all events I may find out if he is alive
or dead. I'm sure he is alive, said Sybil impulsively.
Dear Lord Kilspindley, if there was no chance of your

(03:16):
finding him, I should not have been guided to put
in that advertisement. It was entirely my own doing. And
had I consulted with my father, which would never have appeared,
it certainly would not, said the vicar promptly. I had
placed the matter in the hands of mister Martin, and
I was angry when I saw the advertisement very angry. Indeed,

(03:37):
you must not be angry anymo, mister Tempest, said Kilspinny
with a smile, seeing that it may lead to the
discovery of my son. I owe much to miss Tempest
indiscretion as you. No, i'd call it, no, said Sybil resolutely.
I am not sure Papa does not call it that.
I did it to help Leo, and I would do
it again. But tell us a legend, Lord Kilspindy, the

(03:59):
old man laughed. If you have not the imagination of
the celt you will think it but a poor thing.
He said. In the day, Sir Bruce and on the border,
Nigel Grant, head of the clan my ancestor, mister Tempest,
was riding home from a foray against English. He had
been successful and had collected a large mob of cattle,
which were being driven to the castle by his followers.

(04:21):
He was anxious to get home, for when he had
left two weeks previously, his wife was expected to give
birth to a child. The chief eagerly decided it might
be a boy, for he had few relatives, and those
he had were his bitterest enemies. What said Tempest, and
the Scotch is so clannish. They are more clarish in
the highlands. Stand on the border, replied the old lord.

(04:43):
Many of the boarder families wought with one another. Mike
Lan did also for many a long day, although they
are friendly enough now. However, you know the reason that
Nigel Grant was so eager for an heir. Wouldn't a
girl have done, asked sybyl mischievously, by no means. The
chief one a brave boy to bestride a horse and
wheeld a sword, and governed the unduly grand clan with

(05:05):
a strong hand. He had prayed to the Virgin to
give him his heart's desire. They were all Roman Catholics
in those days, remember, so you may guess. He rode
home at top speed, and as he near the castle,
he was far advance of his followers and alone. And
then came the fairies. The fairies, echoed Sybil, this is interesting,

(05:25):
and she laughed. We call them the good neighbors in Scotland,
you know, because if fairies don't like to be talked
about with disrespect. But to go on with my story,
Nigel Brandt was on a wide moor all alone, although
the lances of his men at arms glittered on the
verge of the horizon. Suddenly, from the viewless air, apparently
since there was no rock or tree or shelter of

(05:48):
any kind, that appeared a small woman dressed in green
with a golden crown. At the sight of her, the
chief's horse stopped all at once, as though stricken into stone.
The fairy queen, for it was she the same I
suppose who appeared to Thomas the raymer. Ah, she was
mounted on a horse, said Sybil half to herself. Indeed, well,

(06:09):
this queen was on foot and in her arms she
carried a child. Stopping before Nigel, she placed a child
on a saddle bow and told him to take him
home for a year and a day. If it returns
to us safe and sound, she continued, great good fortune
will befall the grands, but if anything wrong is turned
to it, then will sorrow come. So speaking, she vanished,

(06:32):
and the hoarse, suddenly regaining motion, galloped home to the castle,
bearing the amazed chief with his child in his arms.
His child, my lord, asked the wackher, smiling. It had
to be his child. For a year of the day,
he found that during his absence his wife had given
birth to a fine boy, but that a day or
so after it was born, the cradle was bound empty.

(06:54):
Lady Grant was in a great state of terror, as
you may imagine. When the Chief told the story. She
declared that her child had been carried off by the
good neighbors. It was a wish to kill the changeling,
but this the chief, mindful of the prophecy, would not permit.
It was supposed that the fairy child required to be
nursed by a mortal woman, and this was why the
chief's boy had been carried away. I never heard that

(07:15):
version of the old story before, said tempest. No, it
usually said that the fairies warned the child for themselves.
But in this story what I have told you was believed.
Lady Grant, hoping to get back her own child in
a year and a day, nursed the changeley. It was
a peevish cross, whimpering creature, and marvelously ugly, but when
she fed it with her milk, it grew fat and

(07:37):
strong and became good tempered. On the night when the
year and a day were up, there was heard the
sound of galloping horses around the castle. A wind swept
into the rooms and down the corridors, every one in
the castle fell into a magic sleep. But in the
morning the true child was found smiling in his cradle,
and fairy changeling was gone in the cradle, And so

(08:00):
was a cup I am seeking, and a scroll saying
that while it was kept in the family, no ill
would befall, but that if lost, the line would be
in danger of extinction. And did the prophecy ever come true?
Asked Sybil twice, replied Kilspindy with the most profound conviction.
In the reign of the first Chains of Scotland, and

(08:20):
the cup was stolen, and three brothers of the chief
were slain in battle. Only the child of one of
them lived, for the chief had no family. Then the
cup was brought back. I could tell you how, but
the story is too long, And the child was spared
to pickome the father of a large family. And the
second time, asked Tempest, wondering how much of this wild
tale the old lord believed. The second time was the

(08:41):
reign of Henry the Eighth. The castle was sacked and
the cup taken. All the family were killed, but the
nurse managed to save one child, with whom she fled.
After a series of adventures. The cup was restored and
the child Reggae his inheritance. How strange, said Sybil, And
now that cup is lost again. Pinny's smiled. Well, you see,

(09:02):
miss Tempest, I've but one son, and he is lost.
If I do not find him, the title and estates
must go to a distant cousin, and the prophecy of
the fairies will be fulfilled. That's why I'm so anxious
to get the cup. If I can find it and
bring it back to Kilspindy Castle, I am certain that
I shall find my boy. A wild story, said the vicar,

(09:22):
after a pause. There is oftentimes a grain of truth
in these folk tales. But tell me how came it
that the cup was stolen the third time? I'm about
to tell you, replied the visitor. There's a woman called
Janet Grant, the daughter of one of my tenants. She
was in service at my place, but after some years
she became weary of the dull life. We are not

(09:43):
very lively up in the north, said kilspin Dey with
a laugh. However, this woman got tired and went up
to London. There I believe she obtained a situation. But
what a life was While absent, I do not know.
She was always reticent. On the point. After six years
she returned. In the interval I had married, and at
the time Janet returned, or a year before my wife

(10:05):
became a mother, I was a father of a splendid boy,
my son and heir, Lord Morven. Janet was taken back
into my service as an under nurse. For she was
a very capable woman. Had she a good temper, asked
sybyl guessing what was coming, one of the worst tempers
in the world. Also, she was evil in her disposition.

(10:25):
Had I known then what was told to me afterwards
by other servants, she should never have re entered my service.
But they were all afraid of Janet and a wicked ways,
and therefore remained silent when it was their duty to
speak out. When the boy was two years of age,
or it may be a trifle low, the head nurse died.
Janet expected to succeed, but my wife appointed another woman

(10:47):
she did not trust. Janet hinted the vicar No. By
this time Janet was not so careful in her behavior,
and my wife began to suspect a true character. Janet
was very angry at this light, as she called it,
and swore she would be revenged. Of course, she knew
the legend of the cup, so it struck her no
doubt that if she stole the cup, the usual disaster
would follow. What superstition armored mister Tempest? Well, I don't know, sir,

(11:13):
said Kilspindy quietly. You see, mister Tempest, we had chapter
in words for what might happen. However, Janett, out of revenge,
took away the child and stole the cup. She had
no difficulty in doing either. The cup was placed in
the picture gallery under a glass shade, for no one
ever expected that it would be stolen. It was not
guarded so carefully as it should have been. But who

(11:35):
would have thought that any one of my faithful servants
would steal As to the child Jane, it was one
day sent out with him. The head nurse remained at home.
I believe she then took the cup with her at
all e When she never returned, and when a search
was made, both the child and the cup were missing. Here,
Lord Kilspindley stopped and shook his head. What happened after that?

(11:57):
Asked Sybil curiously. There's no more to tell, Miss Tempest.
The woman vanished utterly with the child in the cup.
My wife, poor soul, died of grief. I employed all
manner of means to find the woman, but without result.
I even offered a reward and a pardon if she
would bring back what she had taken, but she gave
no sign of her existence. Well, Kilspindley sighed, that's all.

(12:20):
I've been a lonely man for over twenty years, and
things have gone wrong with me in every way. I'm
certain that prosperity will not return to me and mine
until the cup is brought back. Then I may hope
to recover my son. You can understand now how anxious
I am to find this man Pratt. I would willingly
pardon him all if we would give back the cup.

(12:41):
I wonder how he came possessed of it, said tempest Ah,
said Kilspindy. That's what we must find out. He seems
to be accomplished thief, So it may be that he
stole the cup. On the other end, Jane and finding
herself hard up, may have pawned it and Pratt may
have got it into his possession. In that way, you
tell me that he has a love for beautiful things

(13:02):
such shall love, said the Vicar, sadly that he is
willing to be a thief to obtain them. Well, my Lord,
at present, I do not see how we can help you.
There's one way, said Kilspinley, after a pause. Give me
a letter to this mister Martin, and with his side
I may succeed in tracing Pratt. In the meantime, I
intend to wait here for a few days, at my

(13:24):
age and not able to get about so rapidly as
I once did. The man did indeed look old and
worn out, but he was a fine courtly gentleman of
what is called the old school, and Sybil was quite
fascinated with him. After some further conversation, it was arranged
that he should remain in the Inn until the end
of the week it was no Wednesday, and that afterwards

(13:45):
the Vicar would accompany him to London to introduce him
personally to Martin. Leaving her father and Kilspindy together, Sybil
went to a room to think over the strange episode,
which was the outcome of her advertisement. She was anxious
to tell Leo all about it, but he was in
portrait and she had received no letter from him. Sybil
wondered at this, as it was not like Leo to

(14:06):
neglect her for the moment she was inclined to drive
to Portrait and see him. He had given her no
reason for his departure, and she was becoming anxious about him.
Missus Gabriel still remained in seclusion, and so far as
Sybil knew, Leo had never been to see her. It
was therefore no use talking to missus Gabriel about the
man she had so cruelly cast off her father. She

(14:28):
could not appeal to because although he wished to make
amends to Leo for his unjust suspicions, he did not
wish him to marry her, and would therefore do nothing
likely to bring them together. In this tyleama, it struck
Sybil that she might see Raston. He was a kindly creature,
and all through the dark day had believed in Haveles's innocence.
She thought that Raston might be induced to bring Leo

(14:50):
back from Portfront. So Sybil put on her hat and
sought out the curate. He was at home and delighted
to see her. This is an unexpected plush in his tempest,
he said, wheeling the arm chair forward. I hope there
is nothing wrong. Why should there be anything wrong, asked Sybil. Smiling.
Raston passed his hand across his forehead with a troubled air.

(15:12):
This fact is I do not feel well this morning,
he said. I have received a letter from Tone which
has worried me. But do not let me inflict my
troubles on you, Miss Tempest. What can I do? I'll
tell you, mister Raston, but first of all, you must
promise to keep all I tell you a secret. I
don't think I am breaking confidence in saying what is
in my mind, as I gave no promise of secrecy.

(15:35):
But I must tell you all as you are the
only person who can advise me. I promise to keep
your secret, whatever it may be, Miss Tempest. Then listen
to the latest information about the cup, said Sybil, and
Forthwith related to Raston the news of Lord Kilspindy's arrival
and how he had been brought to Kolister by means
of the advertisement. Having made this pulinary explanation, she related

(15:58):
the story, which had been told to a farther and herself.
As no promise of secrets he had been given. Sybil
did not think she was doing wrong and besides, it
was necessary for Aston to know all the details before
he could help her to bring Leo back. Finally, she
had the utmost confidence in the curate's silence. It's a
most extraordinary story, he said when she had finished, and

(16:19):
more curious still here he stopped short and considered, I
can tell you what is in my mind. Later, he said,
at present, you must let me know in what way
I can serve you. I want you to help me
with Leo, said Sybil promptly. For some reason, he has
gone to portrait and stopping there. I would go over
myself and bring him back, but I am afraid of
offending my father. I want Leo to be introduced to

(16:41):
Lord Kilspendy. For what reason, miss tempest Sybil looked at
the ground and began to draw diagrams with the dainty show. Well,
mister Aston, you know that I want to marry Leo,
she said, with a blush, And at present there are
so many obstrucles to her engagement. My father's not so
just towards Leo as he should. I suppose this is

(17:01):
because he's poor and has no prospects if he Endliss
and goes to the war. I do not see how
that will bring us together. Even if he gets a commission,
I cannot marry him. There will not be enough money. Now,
I thought that as he had done something to bring
Lord Kilspindy a chance of getting back the cup, he
might be induced to do something for myself and Leo

(17:23):
something might come of it. Certainly, Miss Tempest, I am
sure Lord Kilspiny is very kind, she said, in a
feminine way. He looks kind. Leo has delightful manners, as
you know, mister Aston. He is clever in his own
way and well educated. Lord Kilspindy might take a fancy
to him and make him a secretary or something. At
all events, he might put him in the way of
earning money. For I am sure that Lord Kilspendy has

(17:46):
power as well as wealth. Then you want Leo to
come back and meet him? Yes, you must tell him
all I have told you and say that if he
loves me, he must come back at once. I shall
do what you say, mister temp and if I can
induce Leo to return, he certainly shall. I do not
know why you went to portrait. His name was cleared,

(18:07):
and he need have had no hesitation in remaining at Coollister.
I'm sure I don't know what is the matter with him,
said Sybil with a sigh. He has been so strange lately.
I'm sure he's keeping something from me. But if I
get him to myself, I'll find out what it is.
But you will go to Port Frind, Mister Raston, Yes,

(18:27):
this afternoon. In fact, I was going that way. In
any case, miss Tempest, as I intend to journey to London.
Why are you going to London? Asked Sybil in surprise.
She knew that Rasdon rarely went to the great city.
The Curate hesitated again and rubbed his hair in a
distracted way. I would rather you did not ask me,
miss Tempest, he said at length. I am going to

(18:47):
London in answer to a letter. I hope to be
back on Saturday. I have to preach in Sunday. As
you know, there were cars said something about taking a
service at Portfront. Asir Lord Kilspindy will be at the
church on Sunday, said Sybil. I think Papa will stay.
He looks upon Lord Kilspindy as his guest. Well, in
any case, I'll be back, said the Curate with a nod.

(19:08):
Then I shall be able to tell you the reason
I had to go. In the meantime, Miss Tempest, I
wish you would see Pearl Daddy. Occasionally she goes wandering
about the more lamenting a lost soul, poor creature. I've
been with her a good deal, but while I'm away
she may do something desperate. You see her, Miss Tempest,
and persuade her that she's under the care of the Master.

(19:30):
I'll do my best, replied Sybil, but I'm afraid I'm
not good enough to preach. Mister Raston, what a shame
of missus Cheeld to put these ideas into the girl's head.
She knew that Pearl was not sane, and to make
her think such things was down quite dangerous. I know,
Raston sighed, if we could only get back the cup,
Pearl would be satisfied that the Master is pleased with

(19:52):
her and has taken her into favor again. Then she
would recover her old fate and the goodness and love
of God, which missus Cheele was the best intentions, no
doubt has destroyed. I cannot think missus Jeell is a
good woman. I'm sure she's a very bad one, said
Sybil emphatically. However, I'll do as you wish, mister Ashton.
Good day, a pleasant journey, and she departed. The Curate

(20:16):
took out a letter, glanced at it shook his head.
He was puzzled by the communication and knew not what
to make of it. The end of chapter seventeen