CHAPTER THE SIXTH.
Alas! they had been friends in youth; But whispering tongues can poison truth; And constancy lives in realms above; And life is thorny, and youth is vain; And to be wroth with one we love, Doth work like madness in' the brain. * * * * * * Each spoke words of high disdain, And insult to his heart's dear brother, But never either found another To free the hollow heart from paining-- They stood aloof, the scars remaining, Like cliffs which had been rent asunder; A dreary sea now flows between, But neither heat, nor frost, nor thunder, Shall wholly do away, I ween, The marks of that which once hath been. CHRISTABELLE OF COLERIDGE.
In prosecution of the intention which, when his blood was cool, seemedto him wisest, Sir John de Walton resolved that he would go to theverge of indulgence with his lieutenant and his young officers, furnishthem with every species of amusement which the place rendered possible,and make them ashamed of their discontent, by overloading them withcourtesy. The first time, therefore, that he saw Aymer de Valence afterhis return to the castle, he addressed him in high spirits, whetherreal or assumed.
"What thinkest thou, my young friend," said De Walton, "if we try someof the woodland sports proper, they say, to this country? There arestill in our neighbourhood some herds of the Caledonian breed of wildcattle, which are nowhere to be found except among the moorlands--theblack and rugged frontier of what was anciently called the Kingdom ofStrath-Clyde. There are some hunters, too, who have been accustomed tothe sport, and who vouch that these animals are by far the most boldand fierce subjects of chase in the island of Britain."
"You will do as you please," replied Sir Aymer, coldly; "but it is notI, Sir John, who would recommend, for the sake of a hunting-match, thatyou should involve the whole garrison in danger; you know best theresponsibilities incurred by your office here, and no doubt must haveheedfully attended to them before making a proposal of such a nature."
"I do indeed know my own duty," replied De Walton, offended in turn,"and might be allowed to think of yours also, without assuming morethan my own share of responsibility; but it seems to me as if thecommander of this Dangerous Castle, among other inabilities, were, asold people in this country say, subjected to a spell--and one whichrenders it impossible for him to guide his conduct so as to affordpleasure to those whom he is most desirous to oblige. Not a great manyweeks since, whose eyes would have sparkled like those of Sir Aymer deValence at the proposal of a general hunting-match after a new objectof game; and now what is his bearing when such sport is proposed,merely, I think, to disappoint my purpose of obliging him?--a coldacquiescence drops half frozen from his lips, and he proposes to go torouse the wild cattle with an air of gravity, as if he were undertakinga pilgrimage to the tomb of a martyr."
"Not so, Sir John," answered the young knight. "In our presentsituation we stand conjoined in more charges than one, and although thegreater and controlling trust is no doubt laid upon you as the elderand abler knight, yet still I feel that I myself have my own share of aserious responsibility. I trust, therefore, you will indulgently hearmy opinion, and bear with it, even though it should appear to haverelation to that part of our common charge which is more especiallyintrusted to your keeping. The dignity of knighthood, which I have thehonour to share with you, the _accolade_ laid on my shoulder by theroyal Plantagenet, entitles me, methinks, to so much grace."
"I cry you mercy," said the elder cavalier; "I forgot how important aperson I had before me, dubbed by King Edward himself, who was moved nodoubt by special reasons to confer such an early honour; and Icertainly feel that I overstep my duty when I propose any thing thatsavours like idle sport to a person of such grave pretensions."
"Sir John de Walton," retorted De Valence, "we have had something toomuch of this--let it stop here. All that I mean to say is, that in thiswardship of Douglas Castle, it will not be by my consent, if anyamusement, which distinctly infers a relaxation of discipline, beunnecessarily engaged in, and especially such as compels us to summonto our assistance a number of the Scots, whose evil disposition towardsus we well know; nor will I, though my years have rendered me liable tosuch suspicion, suffer any thing of this kind to be imputed to me; andif unfortunately--though I am sure I know not why--we are in future tolay aside those bonds of familiar friendship which formerly linked usto each other, yet I see no reason why we should not bear ourselves inour necessary communications like knights and gentlemen, and put thebest construction on each other's motives, since there can be no reasonfor imputing the worst to any thing that comes from either of us."
"You may be right, Sir Aymer de Valence," said the governor, bendingstiffly: "and since you say we are no longer bound to each other asfriends, you may be certain, nevertheless, that I will never permit ahostile feeling, of which you are the object, to occupy my bosom. Youhave been long, and I hope not uselessly, my pupil in the duties ofchivalry. You are the near relation of the Earl of Pembroke, my kindand constant patron; and if these circumstances are well weighed, theyform a connexion which it would be difficult, at least for me, to breakthrough. If you feel yourself, as you seem to intimate, less strictlytied by former obligations, you must take your own choice in fixing ourrelations towards each other."
"I can only say," replied De Valence, "that my conduct will naturallybe regulated by your own; and you, Sir John, cannot hope more devoutlythan I do that our military duties may be fairly discharged, withoutinterfering with our friendly intercourse."
The knights here parted, after a conference which once or twice hadvery nearly terminated in a full and cordial explanation; but stillthere was wanting one kind heartfelt word from either to break, as itwere, the ice which was fast freezing upon their intercourse, andneither chose to be the first in making the necessary advances withsufficient cordiality, though each would have gladly done so, had theother appeared desirous of meeting it with the same ardour; but theirpride was too high, and prevented either from saying what might at oncehave put them upon an open and manly footing. They parted, therefore,without again returning to the subject of the proposed diversion; untilit was afterwards resumed in a formal note, praying Sir Aymer deValence to accompany the commandant of Douglas Castle upon a solemnhunting-match, which had for its object the wild cattle of theneighbouring dale.
The time of meeting was appointed at six in the morning, beyond thegate of the outer barricade; and the chase was declared to be ended inthe afternoon, when the _recheat_ should be blown beneath the greatoak, known by the name of Sholto's Club, which stood a remarkableobject, where Douglas Dale was bounded by several scattered trees, theoutskirts of the forest and hill country. The usual warning was sentout to the common people, or vassals of the district, which they,notwithstanding their feeling of antipathy, received in general withdelight, upon the great Epicurean principle of _carpe diem_, that is tosay, in whatever circumstances it happens to present itself, be sureyou lose no recreation which life affords. A hunting-match has stillits attractions, even though an English knight take his pleasure in thewoods of the Douglas.
It was no doubt afflicting to these faithful vassals, to acknowledgeanother lord than the redoubted Douglas, and to wait by wood and riverat the command of English officers, and in the company of theirarchers, whom they accounted their natural enemies. Still it was theonly species of amusement which had been permitted them for a longtime, and they were not disposed to omit the rare opportunity ofjoining in it. The chase of the wolf, the wild boar, or even the timidstag, required silvan arms; the wild cattle still more demanded thisequipment of war-bows and shafts, boar-spears and sharp swords, andother tools of the chase similar to those used in actual war.Considering this, the Scottish inhabitants were seldom allowed to joinin the chase, except under regulations as to number and arms, andespecially in preserving a balance of force on the side of the Englishsoldiers, which was very offensive to them. The greater part of thegarrison was upon such occasions kept on foot, a
nd several detachments,formed according to the governor's direction, were stationed indifferent positions in case any quarrel should suddenly break out.