The Cloister and the Hearth: A Tale of the Middle Ages

  CHAPTER LIV

  WHEN she came down again she was a changed woman. Her eyes were wet, butcalm, and all her bitterness and excitement charmed away.

  "Denys," said she, softly, "I have got my orders. I am to read mylover's letter to his folk."

  "Ye will never do that?"

  "Ay will I."

  "I see there is something in the letter has softened ye towards them."

  "Not a jot, Denys, not a jot. But an I hated them like poison I wouldnot disobey my love. Denys, 'tis so sweet to obey, and sweetest of allto obey one who is far, far away and cannot enforce my duty, but musttrust my love for my obedience. Ah, Gerard, my darling, at hand I mighthave slighted thy commands, misliking thy folk as I have cause to do;but now, didst bid me go into the raging sea and read thy sweet letterto the sharks there I'd go. Therefore, Denys, tell his mother I have gota letter, and if she and hers would hear it, I am their servant, letthem say their hour, and I'll seat them as best I can, and welcome themas best I may."

  Denys went off to Catherine with this good news. He found the family atdinner, and told them there was a long letter from Gerard. Then in themidst of the joy this caused, he said, "And her heart is softened, andshe will read it to you herself; you are to choose your own time."

  "What, does she think there are none can read but her?" asked Catherine."Let her send the letter and we will read it."

  "Nay, but mother," objected little Kate; "mayhap she cannot bear to partit from her hand; she loves him dearly."

  "What, thinks she we shall steal it?"

  Cornelis suggested that she would fain wedge herself into the family bymeans of this letter.

  Denys cast a look of scorn on the speaker. "There spoke a bad heart,"said he. "La Camarade hates you all like poison. Oh, mistake me not,dame; I defend her not, but so 'tis; yet maugre her spleen at a wordfrom Gerard she proffers to read you his letter with her own prettymouth, and hath a voice like honey--sure 'tis a fair proffer."

  "'Tis so, mine honest soldier," said the father of the family, "andmerits a civil reply, therefore hold your whisht ye that be women, and Ishall answer her. Tell her I, his father, setting aside all pastgrudges, do for this grace thank her, and, would she have double thanks,let her send my son's letter by thy faithful hand, the which will I readto his flesh and blood, and will then to her so surely and faithfullyreturn, as I am Eli a Dierich a William a Luke, free burgher of Tergou,like my forbears, and, like them, a man of my word."

  "Ay, and a man who is better than his word," cried Catherine; "the onlyone I ever did foregather."

  "Hold thy peace, wife."

  "Art a man of sense, Eli, a dirk, a chose, a chose,"[B] shouted Denys."The she-comrade will be right glad to obey Gerard and yet not face youall, whom she hates as wormwood, saving your presence. Bless ye, theworld hath changed, she is all submission to-day: 'Obedience is honey,'quoth she; and in sooth 'tis a sweetmeat she cannot but savour, eatingso little on't, for what with her fair face, and her mellow tongue; andwhat wi' flying in fits and terrifying us that be soldiers to death, andwe thwart her; and what wi' chiding us one while, and petting us likelambs t'other, she hath made two of the crawlingest slaves ever you sawout of two honest swashbucklers. I be the ironing ruffian, t' otherwashes."

  "What next?"

  "What next? why whenever the brat is in the world I shall rock cradle,and t' other knave will wash tucker and bib. So, then, I'll go fetchthe letter on the instant. Ye will let me bide and hear it read, will yenot?"

  "Else our hearts were black as coal," said Catherine.

  So Denys went for the letter. He came back crestfallen. "She will notlet it out of her hand neither to me nor you, nor any he or she thatlives."

  "I knew she would not," said Cornelis.

  "Whisht! whisht!" said Eli, "and let Denys tell his story."

  "'Nay,' said I, 'but be ruled by me.' 'Not I,' quoth she. 'Well but,'quoth I, 'that same honey Obedience ye spake of.' 'You are a fool,' saysshe; 'obedience to Gerard is sweet, but obedience to any other body, whoever said that was sweet?'"

  "At last she seemed to soften a bit, and did give me a written paper foryou, mademoiselle. Here 'tis."

  "For me?" said little Kate, colouring.

  "Give that here!" said Eli, and he scanned the writing, and said almostin a whisper, "These be words from the letter. Hearken!

  "'And, sweetheart, an' if these lines should travel safe to thee, makethou trial of my people's hearts withal. Maybe they are somewhat turnedtoward me, being far away. If 'tis so, they will show it to thee, sincenow to me they may not. Read, then, this letter! But I do strictlyforbid thee to let it from thy hands; and if they still hold aloof fromthee, why then say nought, but let them think me dead. Obey me in this;for, if thou dost disrespect my judgment and my will in this thou lovestme not.'"

  There was a silence, and Gerard's words copied by Margaret were handedround and inspected.

  "Well," said Catherine, "that is another matter. But methinks 'tis forher to come to us, not we to her."

  "Alas, mother! what odds does that make?"

  "Much," said Eli. "Tell her we are over many to come to her, and bid herhither, the sooner the better."

  When Denys was gone, Eli owned it was a bitter pill to him. "When thatlass shall cross my threshold, all the mischief and misery she hath madehere will seem to come in adoors in one heap. But what could I do, wife?We _must_ hear the news of Gerard. I saw that in thine eyes, and felt itin my own heart. And she is backed by our undutiful but still belovedson, and so is she stronger than we, and brings our noses down to thegrindstone, the sly, cruel, jade. But never heed. We will hear theletter: and then let her go unblessed, as she came unwelcome."

  "Make your mind easy," said Catherine. "She will not come at all." And atone of regret was visible.

  Shortly after Richart, who had been hourly expected, arrived fromAmsterdam grave and dignified in his burgher's robe and gold chain,ruff, and furred cap, and was received not with affection only, butrespect; for he had risen a step higher than his parents, and such stepswere marked in mediaeval society almost as visibly as those in theirstaircases.

  Admitted in due course to the family council, he showed plainly, thoughnot discourteously, that his pride was deeply wounded by their havingdeigned to treat with Margaret Brandt. "I see the temptation," said he."But which of us hath not at times to wish one way and do another?"

  This threw a considerable chill over the old people. So little Kate putin a word. "Vex not thyself, dear Richart. Mother says she will notcome."

  "All the better, sweetheart. I fear me, if she do, I shall hie me backto Amsterdam."

  Here Denys popped his head in at the door, and said "She will be here atthree on the great dial."

  They all looked at one another in silence.

  FOOTNOTE:

  [B] Anglice, a Thing-em-bob.