CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.
ON THE BRIDGE.
The river Avon bisecting the city of Bristol was spanned by a bridge;one of those quaint structures of the olden time, with a narrowcauseway, high _tete-de-pont_, and houses along each side. There wereshops and dwellings, with a church of rare architectural style and rarerproportions--being but twenty-one feet in width, while over seventy inlength!
A conspicuous and important part did this bridge of Bristol play in thepolitical action of the time; for it was invested with a politicalcharacter. Creditable, too; the dwellers upon it--the "Bridgemen," ascalled--being all warm partisans of the Parliament. As a consequence,it was a favourite assembling-place for the citizens so disposed;especially in evening hours, after the day's work had been done.
Though dark and keenly cold that seventh of March night, it did notdeter a number of them from congregating, as was their wont, about thebridge's head, to talk over the news and events of the day, with theprospects and probabilities for the morrow. The fervour of theirpatriotism rendered them regardless of personal discomfort or exposure;just as one may see at a political meeting in the present time thethronging thousands, packed thick as mackerels in a barrel, standingthus for hours, up till midnight--ay, morning, if leave be allowedthem--eagerly listening to hear words of truth and promise, with thehope of the promise being fulfilled.
I know no more pleasing or grander spectacle than that to be witnessedfrom a Liberal platform, a sea of faces--the faces of the people--bytheir expression giving proof of man's natural inclinings to what isgood and right, and abhorrence of what is wicked and wrong.
Nor can I conceive any shabbier spectacle than the crowd which usuallydisplays itself before a platform where Toryism is preached. For thereassemble all who are the foes of liberty, the enemies and oppressors ofmankind.
Among the friends of liberty that night gathered upon the bridge ofBristol were several men armed and wearing uniform; soldiers, though notbelonging to any regiment of the regular army. Volunteers, they were; aforce then for the first time heard of in England, taking the place ofthe militia or "trained bands." They were on guard with a young officerin command, one who afterwards made name and fame in the annals of hisCountry, and his sword sharply felt by its enemies. For it was CaptainJohn Birch--the merchant-soldier.
The writers of the Restoration have flung their defiling mud at thisbrave man--which did not stick, however--by representing him as ofhumble birth, and mean calling--a common carrier, the driver of apack-horse,--stigmas similar to that cast at Cromwell, the brewer ofHuntingdon. But it should be remembered that in those days trade wasnot deemed degrading; and if here and there aristocratic noses wereturned up at it, here and there also aristocratic people took a hand init. What were the Coningsbys, those types of the Cavalier idea, butsoap-boilers and soap-chandlers, holding a monopoly from the King forthe making and selling of this useful commodity? As for John Birch, hewas neither base-born nor of humble occupation; instead, engaged inhonourable merchandise, and, for the times, on a somewhat extensivescale. His correspondence, extant, so far from proving him coarse orilliterate, shows both refinement and education beyond most of hiscontemporaries--soldier or civilian--even superior to that of the Kinghimself.
In intelligence and courage few were his equals, while, as a partisanleader, he is entitled to first place; some of his feats in the_guerilla_ line reading more like the fictions of troubadour romance.
One of the earliest and most ardent espousers of the Parliamentarycause, he had enrolled this company of Bristol volunteers--most of them"Bridgemen"--with a detail of whom on the bridge itself he was nowkeeping guard; not so much against an outside enemy, but one within thecity's walls. Bristol was full of Cavalier officers, prisoners in itsgaols, but many of them freely circulating through the streets _onparole_--ready to break it if they but saw the chance, as some of them,to their eternal disgrace, actually did; though it failed to disgracethem in the eyes of their Royal master, who rather, the more favouredthem after--as with Vavasour--promoting them to higher command!
The treason not only winked at, but fostered, by the deposed governor--now in the prison of Berkeley Castle--had not all been trodden out, butwas still rampant, and ready to raise its Hydra head; so that ColonelNathaniel Fiennes had his hands full in keeping it under. But he couldnot have had a better man to help him than John Birch. The youngcaptain of Volunteers was especially prepared for this duty; since hehad himself suffered from the late governor's delinquency--the insult ofhaving been placed under arrest. So, tempered to vigilance, if notrevenge, he held guard upon the bridge-head, watchful and wary,carefully scrutinising all who passed over it.
While thus engaged he saw a party approaching of such singularcomposition as to attract him more than common. Little man with awooden leg; tall woman nearly twice the man's height; between the two adonkey, with pair of panniers--Jack, Winny, and Jinkum.
If Birch was not himself a pack-horse carrier, in his capacity oftrading merchant he was well acquainted with all the country routes, andthe modes of traffic and transit thereon. At a glance he took in thecharacter of the cadgers; saw they were rustics fresh from the country;and, by the direction from which they were approaching, concluded theymust have made entry at the gate towards Gloucester. On the bridgethere was light in plenty, both from lamps and shops; and, as they cameclose, a scrutiny of their features gave the sharp-witted captain anidea that they, too, were of quick wit, especially the woman. Shelooked like one who did not tramp the roads without seeing what was tobe seen, and hearing all that could be heard; one, moreover, capable offorming a correct estimate of how things stood, social, political, ormilitary. If from Gloucester, or even Berkeley, she or the man mighthave picked up some scraps of news worth extracting from them.
Stepping out into the middle of the causeway, he confronted the cadgerparty, and brought it to a stop, with the interrogation:
"Whence come you, my worthy people?"
"Frae Gloster, yer honner," responded Jack, spokesman by right of sexand seniority.
"And what's your business in Bristol?"
"Only our reg'lar business, sir. As ye see, us be cadgers."
"But your panniers appear to be empty!" said the officer, peeping intoand giving them a shake. "How is that?"
The question was awkward, nonplussing Jerky, and, the second time,calling for explanation from his sister; who, however, promptlyvouchsafed it.
"Ye see, master, us be come to Bristol to take back some things Glosterway, an' far ayont. Us belong to the Forest o' Dean."
"Ah! All that way off. And when left you the Forest country?"
"A good week agone, yer honner," Jerky giving the response.
"At least that, I should say," rejoined the officer, with a look at thewooden leg. "Well, you must have seen and met many people upon theroad, especially between this and Gloucester. Can you tell mewhether--"
He ceased speech abruptly, seeing it was overheard by the streetpassengers, who, attracted by the oddness of the group, had begun togather round it.
He was about to demand of the cadgers, _sotto voce_, where they intendedputting up, with a view to further conference, when a man of herculeanstature--soldier in cavalry uniform--made appearance inside the circleof bystanders, going straight up to the woman, and speaking some words,as one who had familiar acquaintance with her,--
"Ah! Sergeant Wilde," said the Volunteer officer, "you know thesepeople, do you?"
"I ought to, Captain. All o' us war born an' brought up in the Foresto' Dean, not very far apart."
"Enough," said, or rather thought, Birch, who, after a whispered wordwith the colossal trooper, gave permission for the cadger party to passon over the bridge.
Rob went with them; soon as beyond earshot of the crowd, saying:
"Dear Win! I ha' got leave o' guard duty for the whole o' an hour.Captain Trevor coined back to the gate 'most the minnit ye left it.When I tolt him who'd passed through, it war, `Rob,
go and see to theirbein' stowed in comfortable quarters.' Kind o' him, warn't it?"
"Deed war it," answered Win, but without thinking it strange; herwoman's instinct told her the why and wherefore of Captain Trevor'skindness.
Jerky seemed less satisfied than either of the other two; for a reasonhe knew of, equally known to his sister. That detention on the bridge'shead had been torture to him; it might forfeit the reward promised andexpected. She cared less for it, hers already gained, in having herbeloved Rob once more by her side.
The two, talking of old things and times, might have lagged upon theway, had Jack given them time and opportunity, which he did not; on thecontrary, urging greater haste than ever, while persuading Jinkum tomake still better speed by a multiplication of "gee-ups," and a storm ofsolid thwacks administered by the cudgel.
But they had not reached the Bird in the Bush--were scarce beyond sightof the people who saw them depart from the bridge--when he who had justheld speech with them was accosted by one whose speech and air told thatshe, too--for it was a woman--had a secret to communicate; but, unlikethe cadgeress, wanted--was impatient--to reveal it. And altogetherunlike the latter otherwise was the new applicant for converse withCaptain Birch--so far as could be seen of her--for she was cloaked andhooded. But when the hood was tossed back, so that she could herselfsee and speak freely, a face was revealed, beautiful and of delicateoutlines, unmistakably that of a lady.
That she was not unknown to the young Volunteer officer might be toldfrom the start of surprise at seeing her. Still better proof of theirbeing acquainted in the words she addressed to him, spoken in pantinghaste and excitedly. He had said, interrogatively:
"What's brought you hither, Marian?" to get for response, "You, John;your life's in danger."
"How? From what?"
"Treason. Even now--at this minute--there are conspirators armed andready to start out into the streets, with a cry for the King."
"But where?"
"Some in the house of Yeomans, others at Boucher's. They haveexpectation of help from the outside; that's why they're gathered now."
"How do you know it, Marian?"
"Don't ask me, John; God help me! To think my own father is one ofthem--my brother, too! But your life is dearer to me than either. Andyou will lose it if you don't listen to my warning."
"Dearest Marian, I not only listen to, but believe in it. More, I'lltake instant action to stop this conspiracy you speak of, trust me forthat."
She could trust him, and did; saw that to leave him unfettered, and freefor the action intended, she should no longer remain there; and pullingthe hood down over her face, though not till after two pairs of lips hadmet under it, she lightened the cloak around her shoulders, and hurriedaway from the bridge-head.
Heart full of sweet thoughts, thrilled by them, the youngmerchant-soldier stood looking after the graceful figure till it wanedand was lost in the dim light of distant lamps. No wonder he should solong continue his gaze. She was one of Bristol's fairest daughters;daughter, too, of one of its richest merchants, and proudest; her fathera man who would have seen her hurled from the parapet of that bridge,and drowned in Avon's stream, rather than know of her having stood uponits head, and said what she had said to John Birch.
Whatever the reflections of John Birch himself about thisjealously-guarded daughter, they seemed to pass away soon as she was outof sight; though not the warning she had given. This was with himstill; and so vividly realistic, he lost not a moment in acting up toit. A word or two with his sergeant of guard--orders earnestlyenjoined--and away went he from the bridge, with face turned towards theCastle, and step hurried as man could make, almost a run!