CHAPTER II--"IN MINE ENEMIES' HOUSE"
Sir Daniel's residence in Shoreby was a tall, commodious, plasteredmansion, framed in carven oak, and covered by a low-pitched roof ofthatch. To the back there stretched a garden, full of fruit-trees,alleys, and thick arbours, and overlooked from the far end by the towerof the abbey church.
The house might contain, upon a pinch, the retinue of a greater personthan Sir Daniel; but even now it was filled with hubbub. The court rangwith arms and horseshoe-iron; the kitchens roared with cookery like abees'-hive; minstrels, and the players of instruments, and the cries oftumblers, sounded from the hall. Sir Daniel, in his profusion, in thegaiety and gallantry of his establishment, rivalled with Lord Shoreby,and eclipsed Lord Risingham.
All guests were made welcome. Minstrels, tumblers, players of chess, thesellers of relics, medicines, perfumes, and enchantments, and along withthese every sort of priest, friar, or pilgrim, were made welcome to thelower table, and slept together in the ample lofts, or on the bare boardsof the long dining-hall.
On the afternoon following the wreck of the Good Hope, the buttery, thekitchens, the stables, the covered cartshed that surrounded two sides ofthe court, were all crowded by idle people, partly belonging to SirDaniel's establishment, and attired in his livery of murrey and blue,partly nondescript strangers attracted to the town by greed, and receivedby the knight through policy, and because it was the fashion of the time.
The snow, which still fell without interruption, the extreme chill of theair, and the approach of night, combined to keep them under shelter.Wine, ale, and money were all plentiful; many sprawled gambling in thestraw of the barn, many were still drunken from the noontide meal. Tothe eye of a modern it would have looked like the sack of a city; to theeye of a contemporary it was like any other rich and noble household at afestive season.
Two monks--a young and an old--had arrived late, and were now warmingthemselves at a bonfire in a corner of the shed. A mixed crowdsurrounded them--jugglers, mountebanks, and soldiers; and with these theelder of the two had soon engaged so brisk a conversation, and exchangedso many loud guffaws and country witticisms, that the group momentarilyincreased in number.
The younger companion, in whom the reader has already recognised DickShelton, sat from the first somewhat backward, and gradually drew himselfaway. He listened, indeed, closely, but he opened not his mouth; and bythe grave expression of his countenance, he made but little account ofhis companion's pleasantries.
At last his eye, which travelled continually to and fro, and kept a guardupon all the entrances of the house, lit upon a little processionentering by the main gate and crossing the court in an oblique direction.Two ladies, muffled in thick furs, led the way, and were followed by apair of waiting-women and four stout men-at-arms. The next moment theyhad disappeared within the house; and Dick, slipping through the crowd ofloiterers in the shed, was already giving hot pursuit.
"The taller of these twain was Lady Brackley," he thought; "and whereLady Brackley is, Joan will not be far."
At the door of the house the four men-at-arms had ceased to follow, andthe ladies were now mounting the stairway of polished oak, under nobetter escort than that of the two waiting-women. Dick followed closebehind. It was already the dusk of the day; and in the house thedarkness of the night had almost come. On the stair-landings, torchesflared in iron holders; down the long, tapestried corridors, a lampburned by every door. And where the door stood open, Dick could look inupon arras-covered walls and rush-bescattered floors, glowing in thelight of the wood fires.
Two floors were passed, and at every landing the younger and shorter ofthe two ladies had looked back keenly at the monk. He, keeping his eyeslowered, and affecting the demure manners that suited his disguise, hadbut seen her once, and was unaware that he had attracted her attention.And now, on the third floor, the party separated, the younger ladycontinuing to ascend alone, the other, followed by the waiting-maids,descending the corridor to the right.
Dick mounted with a swift foot, and holding to the corner, thrust forthhis head and followed the three women with his eyes. Without turning orlooking behind them, they continued to descend the corridor.
"It is right well," thought Dick. "Let me but know my Lady Brackley'schamber, and it will go hard an I find not Dame Hatch upon an errand."
And just then a hand was laid upon his shoulder, and, with a bound and achoked cry, he turned to grapple his assailant.
He was somewhat abashed to find, in the person whom he had so roughlyseized, the short young lady in the furs. She, on her part, was shockedand terrified beyond expression, and hung trembling in his grasp.
"Madam," said Dick, releasing her, "I cry you a thousand pardons; but Ihave no eyes behind, and, by the mass, I could not tell ye were a maid."
The girl continued to look at him, but, by this time, terror began to besucceeded by surprise, and surprise by suspicion. Dick, who could readthese changes on her face, became alarmed for his own safety in thathostile house.
"Fair maid," he said, affecting easiness, "suffer me to kiss your hand,in token ye forgive my roughness, and I will even go."
"Y' are a strange monk, young sir," returned the young lady, looking himboth boldly and shrewdly in the face; "and now that my first astonishmenthath somewhat passed away, I can spy the layman in each word you utter.What do ye here? Why are ye thus sacrilegiously tricked out? Come ye inpeace or war? And why spy ye after Lady Brackley like a thief?"
"Madam," quoth Dick, "of one thing I pray you to be very sure: I am nothief. And even if I come here in war, as in some degree I do, I make nowar upon fair maids, and I hereby entreat them to copy me so far, and toleave me be. For, indeed, fair mistress, cry out--if such be yourpleasure--cry but once, and say what ye have seen, and the poor gentlemanbefore you is merely a dead man. I cannot think ye would be cruel,"added Dick; and taking the girl's hand gently in both of his, he lookedat her with courteous admiration.
"Are ye, then, a spy--a Yorkist?" asked the maid.
"Madam," he replied, "I am indeed a Yorkist, and, in some sort, a spy.But that which bringeth me into this house, the same which will win forme the pity and interest of your kind heart, is neither of York norLancaster. I will wholly put my life in your discretion. I am a lover,and my name--"
But here the young lady clapped her hand suddenly upon Dick's mouth,looked hastily up and down and east and west, and, seeing the coastclear, began to drag the young man, with great strength and vehemence,up-stairs.
"Hush!" she said, "and come! Shalt talk hereafter."
Somewhat bewildered, Dick suffered himself to be pulled up-stairs,bustled along a corridor, and thrust suddenly into a chamber, lit, likeso many of the others, by a blazing log upon the hearth.
"Now," said the young lady, forcing him down upon a stool, "sit ye thereand attend my sovereign good pleasure. I have life and death over you,and I will not scruple to abuse my power. Look to yourself; y' 'avecruelly mauled my arm. He knew not I was a maid, quoth he! Had he knownI was a maid, he had ta'en his belt to me, forsooth!"
And with these words, she whipped out of the room and left Dick gapingwith wonder, and not very sure if he were dreaming or awake.
"Ta'en my belt to her!" he repeated. "Ta'en my belt to her!" And therecollection of that evening in the forest flowed back upon his mind, andhe once more saw Matcham's wincing body and beseeching eyes.
And then he was recalled to the dangers of the present. In the next roomhe heard a stir, as of a person moving; then followed a sigh, whichsounded strangely near; and then the rustle of skirts and tap of feetonce more began. As he stood hearkening, he saw the arras wave along thewall; there was the sound of a door being opened, the hangings divided,and, lamp in hand, Joanna Sedley entered the apartment.
She was attired in costly stuffs of deep and warm colours, such as befitthe winter and the snow. Upon her head, her hair had been gatheredtogether and became her as a crown. And she, who had seemed so
littleand so awkward in the attire of Matcham, was now tall like a youngwillow, and swam across the floor as though she scorned the drudgery ofwalking.
Without a start, without a tremor, she raised her lamp and looked at theyoung monk.
"What make ye here, good brother?" she inquired. "Ye are doubtlessill-directed. Whom do ye require? And she set her lamp upon thebracket.
"Joanna," said Dick; and then his voice failed him. "Joanna," he beganagain, "ye said ye loved me; and the more fool I, but I believed it!"
"Dick!" she cried. "Dick!"
And then, to the wonder of the lad, this beautiful and tall young ladymade but one step of it, and threw her arms about his neck and gave him ahundred kisses all in one.
"Oh, the fool fellow!" she cried. "Oh, dear Dick! Oh, if ye could seeyourself! Alack!" she added, pausing. "I have spoilt you, Dick! I haveknocked some of the paint off. But that can be mended. What cannot bemended, Dick--or I much fear it cannot!--is my marriage with LordShoreby."
"Is it decided, then?" asked the lad.
"To-morrow, before noon, Dick, in the abbey church," she answered, "JohnMatcham and Joanna Sedley both shall come to a right miserable end.There is no help in tears, or I could weep mine eyes out. I have notspared myself to pray, but Heaven frowns on my petition. And, dearDick--good Dick--but that ye can get me forth of this house before themorning, we must even kiss and say good-bye."
"Nay," said Dick, "not I; I will never say that word. 'Tis like despair;but while there's life, Joanna, there is hope. Yet will I hope. Ay, bythe mass, and triumph! Look ye, now, when ye were but a name to me, didI not follow--did I not rouse good men--did I not stake my life upon thequarrel? And now that I have seen you for what ye are--the fairest maidand stateliest of England--think ye I would turn?--if the deep sea werethere, I would straight through it; if the way were full of lions, Iwould scatter them like mice."
"Ay," she said, dryly, "ye make a great ado about a sky-blue robe!"
"Nay, Joan," protested Dick, "'tis not alone the robe. But, lass, yewere disguised. Here am I disguised; and, to the proof, do I not cut afigure of fun--a right fool's figure?"
"Ay, Dick, an' that ye do!" she answered, smiling.
"Well, then!" he returned, triumphant. "So was it with you, poorMatcham, in the forest. In sooth, ye were a wench to laugh at. Butnow!"
So they ran on, holding each other by both hands, exchanging smiles andlovely looks, and melting minutes into seconds; and so they might havecontinued all night long. But presently there was a noise behind them;and they were aware of the short young lady, with her finger on her lips.
"Saints!" she cried, "but what a noise ye keep! Can ye not speak incompass? And now, Joanna, my fair maid of the woods, what will ye giveyour gossip for bringing you your sweetheart?"
Joanna ran to her, by way of answer, and embraced her fierily.
"And you, sir," added the young lady, "what do ye give me?"
"Madam," said Dick, "I would fain offer to pay you in the same money."
"Come, then," said the lady, "it is permitted you."
But Dick, blushing like a peony, only kissed her hand.
"What ails ye at my face, fair sir?" she inquired, curtseying to the veryground; and then, when Dick had at length and most tepidly embraced her,"Joanna," she added, "your sweetheart is very backward under your eyes;but I warrant you, when first we met he was more ready. I am all blackand blue, wench; trust me never, if I be not black and blue! And now,"she continued, "have ye said your sayings? for I must speedily dismissthe paladin."
But at this they both cried out that they had said nothing, that thenight was still very young, and that they would not be separated soearly.
"And supper?" asked the young lady. "Must we not go down to supper?"
"Nay, to be sure!" cried Joan. "I had forgotten."
"Hide me, then," said Dick, "put me behind the arras, shut me in a chest,or what ye will, so that I may be here on your return. Indeed, fairlady," he added, "bear this in mind, that we are sore bested, and maynever look upon each other's face from this night forward till we die."
At this the young lady melted; and when, a little after, the bellsummoned Sir Daniel's household to the board, Dick was planted verystiffly against the wall, at a place where a division in the tapestrypermitted him to breathe the more freely, and even to see into the room.
He had not been long in this position, when he was somewhat strangelydisturbed. The silence, in that upper storey of the house, was onlybroken by the flickering of the flames and the hissing of a green log inthe chimney; but presently, to Dick's strained hearing, there came thesound of some one walking with extreme precaution; and soon after thedoor opened, and a little black-faced, dwarfish fellow, in Lord Shoreby'scolours, pushed first his head, and then his crooked body, into thechamber. His mouth was open, as though to hear the better; and his eyes,which were very bright, flitted restlessly and swiftly to and fro. Hewent round and round the room, striking here and there upon the hangings;but Dick, by a miracle, escaped his notice. Then he looked below thefurniture, and examined the lamp; and, at last, with an air of crueldisappointment, was preparing to go away as silently as he had come, whendown he dropped upon his knees, picked up something from among the rusheson the floor, examined it, and, with every signal of delight, concealedit in the wallet at his belt.
Dick's heart sank, for the object in question was a tassel from his owngirdle; and it was plain to him that this dwarfish spy, who took a maligndelight in his employment, would lose no time in bearing it to hismaster, the baron. He was half-tempted to throw aside the arras, fallupon the scoundrel, and, at the risk of his life, remove the telltaletoken. And while he was still hesitating, a new cause of concern wasadded. A voice, hoarse and broken by drink, began to be audible from thestair; and presently after, uneven, wandering, and heavy footstepssounded without along the passage.
"What make ye here, my merry men, among the greenwood shaws?" sang thevoice. "What make ye here? Hey! sots, what make ye here?" it added,with a rattle of drunken laughter; and then, once more breaking intosong:
"If ye should drink the clary wine, Fat Friar John, ye friend o' mine-- If I should eat, and ye should drink, Who shall sing the mass, d'ye think?"
Lawless, alas! rolling drunk, was wandering the house, seeking for acorner wherein to slumber off the effect of his potations. Dick inwardlyraged. The spy, at first terrified, had grown reassured as he found hehad to deal with an intoxicated man, and now, with a movement of cat-likerapidity, slipped from the chamber, and was gone from Richard's eyes.
What was to be done? If he lost touch of Lawless for the night, he wasleft impotent, whether to plan or carry forth Joanna's rescue. If, onthe other hand, he dared to address the drunken outlaw, the spy mightstill be lingering within sight, and the most fatal consequences ensue.
It was, nevertheless, upon this last hazard that Dick decided. Slippingfrom behind the tapestry, he stood ready in the doorway of the chamber,with a warning hand upraised. Lawless, flushed crimson, with his eyesinjected, vacillating on his feet, drew still unsteadily nearer. At lasthe hazily caught sight of his commander, and, in despite of Dick'simperious signals, hailed him instantly and loudly by his name.
Dick leaped upon and shook the drunkard furiously.
"Beast!" he hissed--"beast and no man! It is worse than treachery to beso witless. We may all be shent for thy sotting."
But Lawless only laughed and staggered, and tried to clap young Sheltonon the back.
And just then Dick's quick ear caught a rapid brushing in the arras. Heleaped towards the sound, and the next moment a piece of the wall-hanginghad been torn down, and Dick and the spy were sprawling together in itsfolds. Over and over they rolled, grappling for each other's throat, andstill baffled by the arras, and still silent in their deadly fury. ButDick was by much the stronger, and soon the spy lay prostrate under hisknee, and, with a single stroke of the long poniard, ceased to b
reathe.