CHAPTER XXIV.
THE GREAT MOGUL.
One evening, Tom Fool, and a groom, his particular friend, were takingtheir pastime after a somewhat selfish fashion, by no means newlydiscovered in the castle--that of teasing the wild beasts. There was onein particular, a panther, which, in a special dislike to grimaces, haddiscovered a special capacity for being teased. Betwixt two of the barsof his cage, therefore, Tom was busy presenting him with one hideouspuritanical face after another, in full expectation of a satisfactoryoutburst of feline rancour. But to their disappointment, the panther onthis occasion seemed to have resolved upon a dignified resistance totemptation, and had withdrawn in sultry displeasure to the back of hiscage, where he lay sideways, deigning to turn neither his back nor hisface towards the inferior animal, at whom to cast but one glance, heknew, would be to ruin his grand Oriental sulks, and fly at the hideousape-visage insulting him in his prison. It was tiresome of the brute.Tom Fool grew more daring and threw little stones at him, but thepanther seemed only to grow the more imperturbable, and to heed hismissiles as little as his grimaces.
At length, proceeding from bad to worse, as is always the way withfools, born or made, Tom betook himself to stronger measures.
The cages of the wild beasts were in the basement of the kitchen tower,with a little semicircular yard of their own before them. They weresolid stone vaults, with open fronts grated with huge iron bars--ourancestors, whatever were their faults, did not err in the direction offlimsiness. Between two of these bars, then, Tom, having procured a longpole, proceeded to poke at the beast; but he soon found that the polethickened too rapidly towards the end he held, to pass through the barsfar enough to reach him. Thereupon, in utter fool-hardiness, backed bythe groom, he undid the door a little way, and, his companionundertaking to prevent it from opening too far, pushed in the pole tillit went right in the creature's face. One hideous yell--and neither ofthem knew what was occurring till they saw the tail of the pantherdisappearing over the six-foot wall that separated the cages from thestableyard. Tom fled at once for the stair leading up to thestone-court, while the groom, whose training had given him a bettercourage, now supplemented by the horror of possible consequences, ran towarn the stablemen and get help to recapture the animal.
The uproariest tumult of maddest barking which immediately arose fromthe chained dogs, entered the ears of all in the castle, at least everyone possessed of dog-sympathies, and penetrated even those of the ratherdeaf host of the White Horse in Raglan village. Dorothy, sitting in herroom, of course, heard it, and hearing it, equally of course, hurried tosee what was the matter. The marquis heard it where he sat in his study,but was in no such young haste as Dorothy: it was only after a little,when he found the noise increase, and certain other sounds mingle withit, that he rose in some anxiety and went to discover the cause.
Halfway across the stone court, Dorothy met Tom running, and the momentshe saw his face, knew that something serious had happened.
'Get indoors, mistress,' he said, almost rudely, 'the devil is to paydown in the yard.' and ran on. 'Shut your door, master cook,' she heardhim cry as he ran. 'The Great Mogul is out.'
And as she ran too, she heard the door of the kitchen close with a greatbang.
But Dorothy was not running after the fool, or making for any door butthat at the bottom of the library tower; for the first terror thatcrossed her mind was the possible fate of Dick, and the first comfortthat followed, the thought of Marquis; so she was running straight forthe stable-yard, where the dogs, to judge by the way they tore theirthroats with barking, seemed frantic with rage.
No doubt the panther, when he cleared the wall, hoped exultant to findhimself in the savage forest, instead of which he came down on the topof a pump, fell on the stones, and the same instant was caught in ahurricane of canine hate. A little hurt and a good deal frightened, forhe had not endured such long captivity without debasement, he glaredaround him with sneaking enquiry. But the walls were lofty and he saw nogate, and feeling unequal at the moment to the necessary spring, hecrept almost like a snake under what covert seemed readiest, anddisappeared--just as the groom entering by a door in one of the wallsbegan to look about for him in a style wherein caution predominated.Seeing no trace of him, and concluding that, as he had expected, theclamour of the dogs had driven him further, he went on, crossing theyard to find the men, whose voices he heard on the green at the back ofthe rick-yard, when suddenly he found that his arm was both broken andtorn. The sight of the blood completed the mischief, and he fell down ina swoon.
Meantime Dorothy had reached the same door in the wall of thestableyard, and peeping in saw nothing but the dogs raging and RUGGINGat their chains as if they would drag the earth itself after them toreach the enemy. She was one of those on whose wits, usually sedate intheir motions, all sorts of excitement, danger amongst the rest, operatefavourably. When she specially noticed the fury of Marquis, the samemoment she perceived the danger in which he, that was, all the dogs,would be, if the panther should attack them one by one on the chain; notone of them had a chance. With the thought, she sped across the spacebetween her and Marquis, who--I really cannot say WHICH concerning sucha dog--was fortunately not very far from the door. Feeling him a littlesafer now that she stood by his side, she resumed her ocular search forthe panther, or any further sign of his proximity, but with one hand onthe dog's collar, ready in an instant to seize it with both, and unclaspit.
Nor had she to look long, for all the dogs were straining their chainsin one direction, and all their lines converged upon a little dark shed,where stood a cart: under the cart, between its lower shafts, she caughta doubtful luminousness, as if the dark while yet dark had begun tothrob with coming light. This presently seemed to resolve itself, andshe saw, vaguely but with conviction, two huge lamping cat-eyes. I willnot say she felt no fear, but she was not terrified, for she had greatconfidence in Marquis. One moment she stood bethinking herself, and oneglance she threw at the spot where her mastiff's chain was attached tohis collar: she would fain have had him keep the latter to defend hisneck and throat: but alas! it was as she knew well enough before--theone was riveted to the other, and the two must go together.
And now first, as she raised her head from the momentary inspection, shesaw the groom lying on the ground within a few yards of the shed. Herfirst thought was that the panther had killed him, but ere a second hadtime to rise in her mind, she saw the terrible animal creeping out fromunder the cart, with his chin on the ground, like the great cat he was,and making for the man.
The brute had got the better of his fall, and finding he was notpursued, the barking of the dogs, to which in moderation he wassufficiently accustomed, had ceased to confuse him, he had recovered hisawful self, and was now scenting prey. Had the man made a singlemovement he would have been upon him like lightning; but the few momentshe took in creeping towards him, gave Dorothy all the time she needed.With resolute, though trembling hands, she undid Marquis's collar.
The instant he was free, the fine animal went at the panther straightand fast like a bolt from a cross-bow. But Dorothy loved him too well tolose a moment in sending even a glance after him. Leaving him to hiswork, she flew to hers, which lay at the next kennel, that of an Irishwolf-hound, whose curling lip showed his long teeth to the very root,and whose fury had redoubled at the sight of his rival shooting past himfree for the fight. So wildly did he strain upon his collar, that shefound it took all her strength to unclasp it. In a much shorter time,however, than she fancied, O'Brien too was on the panther, and thesounds of cano-feline battle seemed to fill every cranny of her brain.
But now she heard the welcome cries of men and clatter of weapons. Some,alarmed by Tom Fool, came rushing from the guard-rooms down the stair,and others, chiefly farm-servants and grooms, who had heard thefrightful news from two that were in the yard when the panther boundedover the wall, were approaching from the opposite side, armed withscythes and pitchforks, the former more dangerous to their bearers than
to the beast.
Dorothy, into whom, girl as she was, either Bellona or Diana, or both,had entered, was now thoroughly excited by the conflict she ruled,although she had not wasted a moment in watching it. Having just undonethe collar of the fourth dog, she was hounding him on with a cry, littleneeded, as she flew to let go the fifth, a small bull-terrier, mad withrage and jealousy, when the crowd swept between her and her game. Thebeast was captured, and the dogs taken off him, ere the terrier had hada taste or Dorothy a glimpse of the battle.
As the men with cart-ropes dragged the panther away, terribly torn bythe teeth of the dogs, and Tom Fool was following them, with his handsin his pockets, looking sheepish because of the share he had had inletting him loose, and the share he had not had in securing him again,Dorothy was looking about for her friend Marquis. All at once he camebounding up to her, and, exultant in the sense of accomplished duty,leaped up against her, at once turning her into a sanguineous objectfrightful to behold; for his wounds were bad, although none of them wereserious except one in his throat. This upon examination she found sosevere that to replace his collar was out of the question. Telling himtherefore to follow her, in the confidence that she might now ask forhim what she would, she left the yard, went up the stair, and wascrossing the stone court with the trusty fellow behind her, making a redtrack all the way, when out of the hall came the marquis, looking alittle frightened. He started when he saw her, and turned pale, butperceiving instantly from her look that, notwithstanding the conditionof her garments, she was unhurt, he cast a glance at her now ratherdisreputable-looking attendant, and said,
'I told you so, mistress Dorothy! Now I understand! It is that preciousmastiff of yours, and no panther of mine, that has been making thisuproar in my quiet house! Nay, but he looks evil enough for any devil'swork! Prithee keep him off me.'
He drew back, for the dog, not liking the tone in which he addressed hismistress, had taken a step nearer to him.
'My lord,' said Dorothy, as she laid hold of the animal, for the firstand only time in her life a little inclined to be angry with herbenefactor, 'you do my poor Marquis wrong. At the risk of his own lifehe has just saved your lordship's groom, Shafto, from being torn inpieces by the Great Mogul.'
While she spoke, some of those of the garrison who had been engaged insecuring the animal came up into the court, and attracted the marquis'sattraction by their approach, which, in the relaxation of disciplineconsequent on excitement, was rather tumultuous. At their head was lordCharles, who had led them to the capture, and without whose rulingpresence the enemy would not have been re-caged in twice the time. Asthey drew near, and saw Dorothy stand in battle-plight, with her dogbeside her, even in their lord's presence they could not resist theimpulse to cheer her. Annoyed at their breach of manners, the marquishad not however committed himself to displeasure ere he spied a joke:
'I told you so, mistress Dorothy!' he said again. 'That rival of minehas, as I feared, already made a party against me. You see how my ownknaves, before my very face, cheer my enemy! I presume, my lord,' hewent on, turning to the mastiff, and removing his hat, 'it will be mywisdom to resign castle and title at once, and so forestall deposition.'
Marquis replied with a growl, and amidst subdued yet merry laughter,lord Charles hastened to enlighten his father.
'My lord,' he said, 'the dog has done nobly as ever dog, and deservesreward, not mockery, which it is plain he understands, and likes not.But it was not the mastiff, it was his fair mistress I and my menpresumed on saluting in your lordship's presence. No dog ever yet shookoff collar of Cranford's forging; nor is Marquis the only dog thatmerits your lordship's acknowledgment: O'Brien and Tom Fool--thelurcher, I mean--seconded him bravely, and perhaps Strafford did best ofall.'
'Prithee, now, take me with thee,' said the marquis. 'Was, or was notthe Great Mogul forth of his cage?'
'Indeed he was, my lord, and might be now in the fields but for cousinVaughan there by your side.'
The marquis turned and looked at her, but in his astonishment saidnothing, and lord Charles went on.
'When we got into the yard, there was the Great Mogul with three dogsupon him, and mistress Dorothy uncollaring Tom Fool and hounding him atthe devilish brute; while poor Shafto, just waking up, lay on thestones, about three yards off the combat. It was the finest thing I eversaw, my lord.'
The marquis turned again to Dorothy, and stared without speech ormotion.
'Mean you--?' he said at length, addressing lord Charles, but stillstaring at Dorothy; 'Mean you--?' he said again, half stammering, andstill staring.
'I mean, my lord,' answered his son, 'that mistress Dorothy, withself-shown courage, and equal judgment as to time and order of attack,when Tom Fool had fled, and poor Shafto, already evil torn, had swoonedfrom loss of blood, came to the rescue, stood her ground, and loosed dogafter dog, her own first, upon the animal. And, by heaven! it is allowing to her that he is already secured and carried back to his cage,nor any great harm done save to the groom and the dogs, of which poorStrafford hath a hind leg crushed by the jaws of the beast, and must bekilled.'
'He shall live,' cried the marquis, 'as long as he hath legs enough toeat and sleep with. Mistress Dorothy,' he went on, turning to her oncemore, 'what is thy request? It shall be performed even to the halfof--of my marquisate.'
'My lord,' returned Dorothy, 'it is a small deed I have strewn to gathersuch weighty thanks.'
'Be honest as well as brave, mistress. Mock me no modesty.' said themarquis a little roughly.
'Indeed, my lord, I but spoke as I deemed. The thing HAD to be done, andI did but do it. Had there been room to doubt, and I had yet done well,then truly I might have earned your lordship's thanks. But good my lord,do not therefore recall the word spoken,' she added hurriedly, 'butgrant me my boon. Your lordship sees my poor dog can endure no collar:let him therefore be my chamber-fellow until his throat be healed, whenI shall again submit him to your lordship's mandate.'
'What you will, cousin. He is a noble fellow, and hath a right noblemistress.'
'Will you then, my lord Charles, order a bucket of water to be drawn forme, that I may wash his wounds ere I take him to my chamber?'
Ten men at the word flew to the draw-well, but lord Charles ordered themall back to the guard-room, except two whom he sent to fetch a tub. Withhis own hands he then drew three bucketfuls of water, which he pouredinto the tub, and by the side of the well, in the open paved court,Dorothy washed her four-legged hero, and then retired with him, to do alike office for herself.
The marquis stood for some time in the gathering dusk, looking on, andsmiling to see how the sullen animal allowed his mistress to handle evenhis wounds without a whine, not to say a growl, at the pain she musthave caused him.
'I see, I see!' he said at length, 'I have no chance with a rival likethat!' and turning away he walked slowly into the oak parlour, threwhimself down in his great chair, and sat there, gazing at the eyelessface of the keep, but thinking all the time of the courage and patienceof his rival, the mastiff.
'God made us both,' he said at length, 'and he can grant me patience aswell as him;' and so saying he went to bed.
His washing over, the dog showed himself much exhausted, and it was withhanging head he followed his mistress up the grand staircase and thesecond spiral one that led yet higher to her chamber. Thither presentlycame lady Elizabeth, carrying a cushion and a deerskin for him to lieupon, and it was with much apparent satisfaction that the wounded andwearied animal, having followed his tail but one turn, dropped like alog on his well-earned couch.
The night was hot, and Dorothy fell asleep with her door wide open.
In the morning Marquis was nowhere to be found. Dorothy searched for himeverywhere, but in vain.
'It is because you mocked him, my lord,' said the governor to his fatherat breakfast. 'I doubt not he said to himself, "If I AM a dog, my lordneed not have mocked me, for I could not help it, and I did my duty."'
'I would make him an apo
logy,' returned the marquis, 'an' I had but theopportunity. Truly it were evil minded knowingly to offer insult to anybeing capable of so regarding it. But, Charles, I bethink me: didst everlearn how our friend got into the castle? It was assuredly thy part todiscover that secret.'
'No, my lord. It hath never been found out in so far as I know.'
'That is an unworthy answer, lord Charles. As governor of the castle,you ought to have had the matter thoroughly searched into.'
'I will see to it now, my lord,' said the governor, rising.
'Do, my lad,' returned his father.
And lord Charles did inquire; but not a ray of light did he succeed inletting in upon the mystery. The inquiry might, however, have lastedlonger and been more successful, had not lord Herbert just then comehome, with the welcome news of the death of Hampden, from a woundreceived in attacking prince Rupert at Chalgrove. He brought news alsoof prince Maurice's brave fight at Bath, and lord Wilmot's victory oversir William Waller at Devizes--which latter, lord Herbert confessed,yielded him some personal satisfaction, seeing he owed Waller moregrudges than as a Christian he had well known how to manage: now he wasable to bear him a less bitter animosity. The queen, too, had reachedOxford, bringing large reinforcement to her husband, and prince Ruperthad taken Bristol, castle and all. Things were looking mighty hopeful,lord Herbert was radiant, and lady Margaret, for the first time sinceMolly's death, was merry. The castle was illuminated, and Marquisforgotten by all but Dorothy.