CHAPTER IV
THE PASSAGE
The passage in which Dick and Joanna now found themselves was narrow,dirty, and short. At the other end of it, a door stood partly open; thesame door, without doubt, that they had heard the man unlocking. Heavycobwebs hung from the roof; and the paved flooring echoed hollow underthe lightest tread.
Beyond the door there were two branches, at right angles. Dick chose oneof them at random, and the pair hurried, with echoing footsteps, alongthe hollow of the chapel roof. The top of the arched ceiling rose like awhale's back in the dim glimmer of the lamp. Here and there werespy-holes, concealed, on the other side, by the carving of the cornice;and looking down through one of these, Dick saw the paved floor of thechapel--the altar, with its burning tapers--and stretched before it onthe steps, the figure of Sir Oliver praying with uplifted hands.
At the other end, they descended a few steps. The passage grew narrower;the wall upon one hand was now of wood; the noise of people talking, anda faint flickering of lights, came through the interstices; andpresently they came to a round hole about the size of a man's eye, andDick, looking down through it, beheld the interior of the hall, and somehalf-a-dozen men sitting, in their jacks, about the table, drinkingdeep and demolishing a venison pie. These were certainly some of thelate arrivals.
"Here is no help," said Dick. "Let us try back."
"Nay," said Joanna; "maybe the passage goeth farther."
And she pushed on. But a few yards farther the passage ended at the topof a short flight of steps; and it became plain that, as long as thesoldiers occupied the hall, escape was impossible upon that side.
They retraced their steps with all imaginable speed, and set forward toexplore the other branch. It was exceedingly narrow, scarce wide enoughfor a large man; and it led them continually up and down by littlebreakneck stairs, until even Dick had lost all notion of hiswhereabouts.
At length it grew both narrower and lower; the stairs continued todescend; the walls on either hand became damp and slimy to the touch;and far in front of them they heard the squeaking and scuttling of therats.
"We must be in the dungeons," Dick remarked.
"And still there is no outlet," added Joanna.
"Nay, but an outlet there must be!" Dick answered.
Presently, sure enough, they came to a sharp angle, and then the passageended in a flight of steps. On the top of that there was a solid flag ofstone by way of trap, and to this they both set their backs. It wasimmovable.
"Some one holdeth it," suggested Joanna.
_"We must be in the dungeons," Dick remarked_]
"Not so," said Dick; "for were a man strong as ten, he must still yielda little. But this resisteth like dead rock. There is a weight upon thetrap. Here is no issue; and, by my sooth, good Jack, we are here asfairly prisoners as though the gyves were on our ankle bones. Sit yethen down, and let us talk. After awhile we shall return, when perchancethey shall be less carefully upon their guard; and, who knoweth? we maybreak out and stand a chance. But, in my poor opinion, we are as good asshent."
"Dick!" she cried, "alas the day that ever ye should have seen me! Forlike a most unhappy and unthankful maid, it is I have led you hither."
"What cheer!" returned Dick. "It was all written, and that which iswritten, willy nilly, cometh still to pass. But tell me a little whatmanner of a maid ye are, and how ye came into Sir Daniel's hands; thatwill do better than to bemoan yourself, whether for your sake or mine."
"I am an orphan, like yourself, of father and mother," said Joanna; "andfor my great misfortune, Dick, and hitherto for yours, I am a richmarriage. My Lord Foxham had me to ward; yet it appears Sir Danielbought the marriage of me from the king, and a right dear price he paidfor it. So here was I, poor babe, with two great and rich men fightingwhich should marry me, and I still at nurse! Well, then the worldchanged, and there was a new chancellor, and Sir Daniel bought thewarding of me over the Lord Foxham's head. And then the world changedagain, and Lord Foxham bought my marriage over Sir Daniel's; and fromthen to now it went on ill betwixt the two of them. But still LordFoxham kept me in his hands, and was a good lord to me. And at last Iwas to be married--or sold, if ye like it better. Five hundred poundsLord Foxham was to get for me. Hamley was the groom's name, andto-morrow, Dick, of all days in the year, was I to be betrothed. Had itnot come to Sir Daniel, I had been wedded, sure--and never seen thee,Dick--dear Dick!"
And here she took his hand, and kissed it, with the prettiest grace; andDick drew her hand to him and did the like.
"Well," she went on, "Sir Daniel took me unawares in the garden, andmade me dress in these men's clothes, which is a deadly sin for a woman;and, besides, they fit me not. He rode with me to Kettley, as ye saw,telling me I was to marry you; but I, in my heart, made sure I wouldmarry Hamley in his teeth."
"Ay!" cried Dick, "and so ye loved this Hamley!"
"Nay," replied Joanna, "not I. I did but hate Sir Daniel. And then,Dick, ye helped me, and ye were right kind, and very bold, and my heartturned towards you in mine own despite; and now, if we can in any waycompass it, I would marry you with right good-will. And if, by crueldestiny, it may not be, still ye'll be dear to me. While my heart beats,it'll be true to you."
"And I," said Dick, "that never cared a straw for any manner of womanuntil now, I took to you when I thought ye were a boy. I had a pity toyou, and knew not why. When I would have belted you, the hand failed me.But when ye owned ye were a maid, Jack--for still I will call youJack--I made sure ye were the maid for me. Hark!" he said, breakingoff--"one cometh."
And indeed a heavy tread was now audible in the echoing passage, and therats again fled in armies.
Dick reconnoitred his position. The sudden turn gave him a post ofvantage. He could thus shoot in safety from the cover of the wall. Butit was plain the light was too near him, and, running some way forward,he set down the lamp in the middle of the passage, and then returned towatch.
Presently, at the far end of the passage, Bennet hove in sight. Heseemed to be alone, and he carried in his hand a burning torch, whichmade him the better mark.
"Stand, Bennet!" cried Dick. "Another step, and y'are dead."
"So here ye are," returned Hatch, peering forward into the darkness. "Isee you not. Aha! y' 'ave done wisely, Dick; y' 'ave put your lampbefore you. By my sooth, but, though it was done to shoot my own knavebody, I do rejoice to see ye profit of my lessons! And now, what makeye? what seek ye here? Why would ye shoot upon an old, kind friend? Andhave ye the young gentlewoman there?"
"Nay, Bennet, it is I should question and you answer," replied Dick."Why am I in this jeopardy of my life? Why do men come privily to slayme in my bed? Why am I now fleeing in mine own guardian's strong house,and from the friends that I have lived among and never injured?"
"Master Dick, Master Dick," said Bennet, "what told I you? Y'are brave,but the most uncrafty lad that I can think upon!"
"Well," returned Dick, "I see ye know all, and that I am doomed indeed.It is well. Here, where I am, I stay. Let Sir Daniel get me out if he beable!"
Hatch was silent for a space.
"Hark ye," he began, "I return to Sir Daniel, to tell him where ye are,and how posted; for, in truth, it was to that end he sent me. But you,if ye are no fool, had best be gone ere I return."
"Be gone!" repeated Dick. "I would be gone already, an I wist how. Icannot move the trap."
"Put me your hand into the corner, and see what ye find there," repliedBennet. "Throgmorton's rope is still in the brown chamber. Fare yewell."
And Hatch, turning upon his heel, disappeared again into the windings ofthe passage.
Dick instantly returned for his lamp, and proceeded to act upon thehint. At one corner of the trap there was a deep cavity in the wall.Pushing his arm into the aperture, Dick found an iron bar, which hethrust vigorously upwards. There followed a snapping noise, and the slabof stone instantly started in its bed.
They were free of the passage. A little exercise of streng
th easilyraised the trap; and they came forth into a vaulted chamber, opening onone hand upon the court, where one or two fellows, with bare arms, wererubbing down the horses of the last arrivals. A torch or two, each stuckin an iron ring against the wall, changefully lit up the scene.