CHAPTER XI
THE strange glance of hatred the burgomaster had cast on Gerard, coupledwith his imprisonment, had filled the young man with a persuasion thatGhysbrecht was his enemy to the death: and he glided round the angle ofthe tower, fully expecting to see no supernatural appearance, but somecruel and treacherous contrivance of a bad man to do him mischief inthat prison, his escape from which could hardly be known.
As he stole forth, a soft but brave hand crept into his, and Margaretwas by his side to share this new peril.
No sooner was the haunted tower visible, than a sight struck their eyesthat benumbed them as they stood. More than half way up the tower, acreature with a fiery head, like an enormous glowworm, was steadilymounting the wall: the body was dark, but its outline visible throughthe glare from the head, and the whole creature not much less than fourfeet long.
At the foot of the tower stood a thing in white, that looked exactlylike the figure of a female. Gerard and Margaret palpitated with awe.
"The rope, the rope! It is going up the rope," gasped Gerard.
As they gazed, the glowworm disappeared in Gerard's late prison, but itslight illuminated the cell inside and reddened the window. The whitefigure stood motionless below.
Such as can retain their senses after the first prostrating effect ofthe supernatural, are apt to experience terror in one of its strangestforms, a wild desire to fling themselves upon the terrible object. Itfascinates them as the snake the bird. The great tragedian Macready usedto render this finely in Macbeth at Banquo's second appearance. He flunghimself with averted head at the horrible shadow. This strange impulsenow seized Margaret. She put down Gerard's hand quietly, and stoodbewildered; then, all in a moment, with a wild cry, darted towards thespectre. Gerard, not aware of the natural impulse I have spoken of,never doubted the evil one was drawing her to her perdition. He fell onhis knees.
"Exorcizo vos. In nomine beatae Mariae, exorcizo vos."
While the exorcist was shrieking his incantations in extremity ofterror, to his infinite relief he heard the spectre utter a feeble cryof fear. To find that hell had also its little weaknesses wasencouraging. He redoubled his exorcisms and presently he saw the ghastlyshape kneeling at Margaret's knees and heard it praying piteously formercy.
Kate and Giles soon reached the haunted tower. Judge their surprise whenthey found a new rope dangling from the prisoner's window to the ground.
"I see how it is," said the inferior intelligence, taking facts as theycame. "Our Gerard has come down this rope. He has got clear. Up I go,and see."
"No, Giles, no!" said the superior intelligence, blinded by prejudice."See you not this is glamour? This rope is a line the evil one casts outto wile thee to destruction. He knows the weaknesses of all our hearts;he has seen how fond you are of going up things. Where should our Gerardprocure a rope? how fasten it in the sky like this? It is not in nature.Holy saints protect us this night, for hell is abroad."
"Stuff!" said the dwarf: "the way to hell is down, and this rope leadsup. I never had the luck to go up such a long rope. It may be years ereI fall in with such a long rope all ready hung for me. As well beknocked on the head at once as never know happiness."
And he sprung on to the rope with a cry of delight, as a cat jumps witha mew on to a table where fish is. All the gymnast was on fire; and theonly concession Kate could gain from him was permission to fasten thelantern on his neck first.
"A light scares the ill spirits," said she.
And so, with his huge arms and his legs like feathers, Giles went upthe rope faster than his brother came down it. The light at the nape ofhis neck made a glowworm of him. His sister watched his progress withtrembling anxiety. Suddenly a female figure started out of the solidmasonry, and came flying at her with more than mortal velocity.
Kate uttered a feeble cry. It was all she could, for her tongue clove toher palate with terror. Then she dropped her crutches, and sank upon herknees, hiding her face and moaning:
"Take my body, but spare my soul!"
_Margaret_ (panting). "Why it is a woman."
_Kate_ (quivering). "Why it is a woman."
_Margaret._ "How you scared me."
_Kate._ "I am scared enough myself. Oh! oh! oh!"
"This is strange. But the fiery-headed thing? Yet it was with you, andyou are harmless. But why are you here at this time of night?"
"Nay, why are YOU?"
"Perhaps we are on the same errand? Ah you are his _good_ sister, Kate."
"And you are Margaret Brandt."
"Yea."
"All the better. You love him: you are here. Then Giles was right. Hehas won free."
Gerard came forward, and put the question at rest. But all furtherexplanation was cut short by a horrible, unearthly noise, like asepulchre ventriloquizing.
"PARCHMENT!--PARCHMENT!--PARCHMENT!"
At each repetition it rose in intensity. They looked up, and there wasthe dwarf, with his hands full of parchments, and his face, lighted withfiendish joy, and lurid with diabolical fire. The light being at hisneck, a more infernal "transparency" never startled mortal eye. With theword the awful imp hurled parchment at the astonished heads below. Downcame records, like wounded wild ducks, some collapsed, others flutteringand others spread out and wheeling slowly down in airy circles. They hadhardly settled when again the sepulchral roar was heard:"Parchment:--Parchment!" and down pattered and sailed another flock ofdocuments: another followed: they whitened the grass. Finally thefire-headed imp with his light body and horny hands slid down the ropelike a falling star and (business before sentiment) proposed to hisrescued brother an immediate settlement for the merchandise he had justdelivered.
"Hush!" said Gerard; "you speak too loud. Gather them up and follow usto a safer place than this."
"Will you not come home with me, Gerard?" said little Kate.
"I have no home."
"You shall not say so. Who is more welcome than you will be, after thiscruel wrong, to your father's house?"
"Father? I have no father," said Gerard sternly. "He that was my fatheris turned my gaoler. I have escaped from his hands; I will never comewithin their reach again."
"An enemy did this and not our father."
And she told him what she had overheard Cornelis and Sybrandt say. Butthe injury was too recent to be soothed. Gerard showed a bitterness ofindignation he had hitherto seemed incapable of.
"Cornelis and Sybrandt are two curs that have shown me their teeth andtheir heart a long while; but they could do no more. My father it isthat gave the burgomaster authority, or he durst not have laid a fingeron me, that am a free burgher of this town. So be it, then. I was hisson. I am his prisoner. He has played his part. I shall play mine.Farewell the burgh where I was born and lived honestly, and was put inprison. While there is another town left in creation, I'll never troubleyou again, Tergou."
"Oh, Gerard! Gerard!"
Margaret whispered her:--"Do not gainsay him now. Give his choler timeto cool!"
Kate turned quickly towards her. "Let me look at your face!" Theinspection was favourable, it seemed, for she whispered:--"It is acomely face, and no mischief-maker's."
"Fear me not," said Margaret, in the same tone. "I could not be happywithout your love as well as Gerard's."
"These are comfortable words," sobbed Kate. Then, looking up, she said,"I little thought to like you so well. My heart is willing, but myinfirmity will not let me embrace you."
At this hint, Margaret wound gently round Gerard's sister, and kissedher lovingly.
"Often he has spoken of you to me, Kate, and often I longed for this."
"You, too, Gerard," said Kate, "kiss me ere you go, for my heart liesheavy at parting with you this night."
Gerard kissed her, and she went on her crutches home. The last thingthey heard of her was a little patient sigh. Then the tears came andstood thick in Margaret's eyes; but Gerard was a man, and noticed nothis sister's sigh.
As they turned to go to Sevenberge
n, the dwarf nudged Gerard with hisbundle of parchments, and held out a concave claw.
Margaret dissuaded Gerard. "Why take what is not ours?"
"Oh! spoil an enemy how you can."
"But may they not make this a handle for fresh violence?"
"How can they? Think you I shall stay in Tergou after this? Theburgomaster robbed me of my liberty; I doubt I should take his life forit if I could."
"Oh fie, Gerard!"
"What? Is life worth more than liberty. Well I can't take his life, so Itake the first thing that comes to hand."
He gave Giles a few small coins, with which the urchin was gladdened,and shuffled after his sister. Margaret and Gerard were speedily joinedby Martin, and away to Sevenbergen.