CHAPTER XII.
THE TRAITOR BETRAYED.
Lord Mounteagle arrived at the Tower shortly after Viviana, andrepairing at once to the lieutenant's lodgings, had a brief conferencewith him, and informed him that he had a secret order to deliver toJasper Ipgreve, from the Earl of Salisbury, touching the conspirators.Sir William Waad would have summoned the jailer; but Mounteaglepreferred visiting him at the Well Tower, and accordingly proceededthither.
He found Ipgreve with his wife and daughter, and telling him he desireda moment's private speech with him, the jailer dismissed them.Suspecting that the new-comer's errand related in some way to Viviana,Ruth contrived to place herself in such a situation that she couldoverhear what passed. A moment's scrutiny of Jasper's villanouscountenance satisfied Mounteagle that the Earl of Salisbury was notmistaken in his man; and, as soon as he supposed they were alone, heunhesitatingly opened his plan to him. As he expected, Jasper exhibitedno reluctance to undertake it; and, after some further discussion, itwas agreed to put it in execution without delay.
"The sooner Mr. Tresham is silenced the better," said Jasper; "for hethreatens to make disclosures to the Council that will bring some noblepersons," with a significant look at Mounteagle, "into trouble."
"Where is he confined?" demanded the other.
"In the Beauchamp Tower," replied Ipgreve.
"I will visit him at once," said Mounteagle; "and when I have conferredwith him, will call for wine. Bring two goblets, and in that which yougive to Tresham place this powder."
Ipgreve nodded assent, and with a grim smile took the packet. Shortlyafter this, they quitted the Well Tower together, and passing under thearchway of the Bloody Tower, crossed the green, and entered thefortification in which the traitor was confined. Tresham was treatedwith far greater consideration than the other conspirators, beingallowed the use of the large room on the upper floor of the BeauchampTower, which was seldom allotted to any persons except those of thehighest distinction. When they entered, he was pacing to and fro withinhis chamber in great agitation; but he immediately stopped on seeingMounteagle, and rushed towards him.
"You bring me my liberation?" he said.
"It is impossible to effect it at present," returned the other. "Butmake yourself perfectly easy. Your confinement will not be of longduration."
"I will not be trifled with," cried Tresham, furiously. "If I amexamined by the Council, look to yourselves. As I hope for salvation,the truth shall out."
"Leave us," said Mounteagle, with a significant look at the jailer, whoquitted the chamber.
"Hark'e, Mounteagle," said Tresham, as soon as they were alone, "I havebeen your tool thus far. But if you propose to lead me blindfold to thescaffold, you are greatly mistaken. You think that you have me safewithin these walls; that my voice cannot be heard; and that I cannotbetray you. But you are deceived--fearfully deceived, as you will find.I have your letters--the Earl of Salisbury's letters, proving that youwere both aware of the plot--and that you employed me to watch itsprogress, and report it to you. I have also letters from Doctor Dee, thewarden of Manchester, detailing his acquaintance with the conspiracy,and containing descriptions of the persons of Fawkes and Catesby, whichI showed to the Earl of Salisbury.--These letters are now in mypossession, and I will deliver them to the Council, if I am notreleased."
"Deliver them to me, and I swear to you, you shall be set free," saidMounteagle.
"I will not trust you," rejoined Tresham. "Liberate me, and they areyours. But I will not rob myself of vengeance. I will confound you andthe false Earl of Salisbury."
"You wrong us both by your unjust suspicions," said Mounteagle.
"Wrong you!" echoed Tresham, contemptuously. "Where is my promisedreward? Why am I in this dungeon? Why am I treated like a traitor? Ifyou meant me fairly, I should not be here, but like yourself at liberty,and in the enjoyment of the King's favour. But you have duped me,villain, and shall rue it. If I am led to the scaffold, it shall be inyour company."
"Compose yourself," rejoined Mounteagle, calmly. "Appearances, I own,are against us. But circumstances render it imperatively necessary thatthe Earl of Salisbury should appear to act against you. You have beencharged by Guy Fawkes, when under the torture, of being a confederate inthe design, and your arrest could not be avoided. I am come hither togive you a solemn assurance that no harm shall befal you, but that youshall be delivered from your thraldom in a few days--perhaps in a fewhours."
"You have no further design against me," said Tresham, suspiciously.
"What motive could I have in coming hither, except to set your mind atrest?" rejoined Mounteagle.
"And I shall receive my reward?" demanded Tresham.
"You will receive your reward," returned Mounteagle, with significantemphasis. "I swear it. So make yourself easy."
"If I thought I might trust you, I should not heed my imprisonment,irksome though it be," rejoined Tresham.
"It cannot be avoided, for the reasons I have just stated," repliedMounteagle. "But come, no more despondency. All will be well with youspeedily. Let us drown care in a bumper. What ho! jailer," he added,opening the door, "a cup of wine!"
In a few minutes, Ipgreve made his appearance, bearing two gobletsfilled with wine on a salver, one of which he presented to Mounteagle,and the other to Tresham.
"Here is to your speedy deliverance from captivity!" said Mounteagle,draining the goblet. "You will not refuse that pledge, Tresham?"
"Of a surety not," replied the other. "To my speedy deliverance!"
And he emptied the cup, while Mounteagle and the jailer exchangedsignificant glances.
"And now, having fully discharged my errand, I must bid you farewell,"said Mounteagle.
"You will not forget your promise?" observed Tresham.
"Assuredly not," replied the other. "A week hence, and you will make nocomplaint against me.--Are you sure you did not give me the wronggoblet?" he added to Ipgreve, as they descended the spiral staircase.
"Quite sure, my lord," returned the jailer, with a grim smile.
Mounteagle immediately quitted the Tower, and hastening to Whitehall,sought out the Earl of Salisbury, to whom he related what he had done.The Earl complimented him on his skilful management of the matter; andcongratulating each other upon having got rid of a dangerous and nowuseless instrument, they separated.
On the following day, Tresham was seized with a sudden illness, andmaking known his symptoms to Ipgreve, the chirurgeon who attended theprison was sent for, and on seeing him, pronounced him dangerously ill,though he was at a loss to explain the nature of his disorder. Everyhour the sick man grew worse, and he was torn with racking pains.Connecting his sudden seizure with the visit of Lord Mounteagle, an ideaof the truth flashed upon him, and he mentioned his suspicions to thechirurgeon, charging Jasper Ipgreve with being accessory to the deed.The jailer stoutly denied the accusation, and charged the prisoner inhis turn with making a malicious statement to bring him into discredit.
"I will soon test the truth of his assertion," observed the chirurgeon,taking a small flat piece of the purest gold from his doublet. "Placethis in your mouth."
Tresham obeyed, and Ipgreve watched the experiment with gloomycuriosity.
"You are a dead man," said the chirurgeon to Tresham, as he drew forththe piece of gold, and perceived that it was slightly tarnished. "Poison_has_ been administered to you."
"Is there no remedy--no counter-poison?" demanded Tresham, eagerly.
The chirurgeon shook his head.
"Then let the lieutenant be summoned," said Tresham; "I have animportant confession to make to him. I charge this man," pointing to thejailer, "with giving poisoned wine to me. Do you hear what I say toyou?"
"I do," replied the chirurgeon.
"But he will never reveal it," said Ipgreve, with great unconcern. "Ihave a warrant from the Earl of Salisbury for what I have done."
"What!" cried Tresham, "can murder be committed here with impunity?"
"Yo
u have to thank your own indiscretion for what has happened,"rejoined Ipgreve. "Had you kept a close tongue in your head, you wouldhave been safe."
"Can nothing be done to save me?" cried the miserable man, with animploring look at the chirurgeon.
"Nothing whatever," replied the person appealed to. "I would advise youto recommend your soul to God."
"Will you not inform the lieutenant that I desire to speak with him?"demanded Tresham.
The chirurgeon glanced at Ipgreve, and receiving a sign from him, gave apromise to that effect.
They then quitted the cell together, leaving Tresham in a state ofindescribable agony both of mind and body. Half an hour afterwards, thechirurgeon returned, and informed him that the lieutenant refused tovisit him, or to hear his confession, and wholly discredited the fact ofhis being poisoned.
"I will take charge of your papers, if you choose to commit them to me,"he said, "and will lay them before the Council."
"No," replied Tresham; "while life remains to me I will never part withthem."
"I have brought you a mixture which, though it cannot heal you, will, atleast, allay your sufferings," said the chirurgeon.
"I will not take it," groaned Tresham. "I distrust you as much as theothers."
"I will leave it with you, at all events," rejoined the chirurgeon,setting down the phial.
The noise of the bolts shot into their sockets sounded to Tresham as ifhis tomb were closed upon him, and he uttered a cry of anguish. He wouldhave laid violent hands upon himself, and accelerated his own end, buthe wanted courage to do so, and continued to pace backwards and forwardsacross his chamber as long as his strength lasted. He was about to throwhimself on the couch, from which he never expected to rise again, whenhis eyes fell upon the phial. "What if it should be poison!" he said,"it will end my sufferings the sooner."
And placing it to his lips, he swallowed its contents. As the chirurgeonhad foretold, it alleviated his sufferings, and throwing himself on thebed he sank into a troubled slumber, during which he dreamed thatCatesby appeared to him with a vengeful countenance, and tried to draghim into a fathomless abyss that yawned beneath their feet. Shriekingwith agony, he awoke, and found two persons standing by his couch. Oneof them was the jailer, and the other appeared, from his garb, to be apriest; but a hood was drawn over his head so as to conceal hisfeatures.
"Are you come to witness my dying pangs, or to finish me?" demandedTresham of the jailer.
"I am come for neither purpose," replied Ipgreve; "I pity yourcondition, and have brought you a priest of your own faith, who, likeyourself, is a prisoner in the Tower. I will leave him with you, but hecannot remain long, so make the most of your time." And with thesewords, he retired.
When he was gone, the supposed priest, who spoke in feeble andfaltering accents, desired to hear Tresham's confession, and havinglistened to it, gave him absolution. The wretched man then drew from hisbosom a small packet, and offered it to the confessor, who eagerlyreceived it.
"This contains the letters of the Earl of Salisbury and Lord Mounteagle,which I have just mentioned," he said. "I pray you lay them before thePrivy Council."
"I will not fail to do so," replied the confessor.
And reciting the prayer for one _in extremis_ over the dying man, hedeparted.
"I have obtained the letters from him," said Mounteagle, throwing backhis hood as he quitted the chamber, and addressing the jailer. "And nowyou need give yourself no further concern about him, he will be deadbefore morning."
Jasper Ipgreve locked the door upon the prisoner, and proceeded to theWell Tower. When he returned, he found Mounteagle's words had come topass. Tresham was lying on the floor quite dead--his collapsed frame anddistorted countenance showing the agonies in which he must have expired.