TRAITORS’ GATE.
The bride’s sudden indisposition naturally put an end to the breakfast, and ere many minutes all the guests had quitted the Stone Kitchen. On being brought into the open air, Lilias speedily revived, and the bloom which had temporarily deserted1 them returned to her cheeks. A stroll on the green completely restored her, though she was nearly made ill again by an injudicious remark of Xit, who pointed2 out to her the spot whereon the scaffold was usually erected3.
In order to divert her from the gloomy thoughts which seemed to have been inspired by Mauger, Og took her to the palace and showed her over the royal apartments, with the size and splendour of which she was much astonished. They next visited the garden, with which she was also delighted, and were crossing the outer court towards the Cold Harbour Tower, when they encountered Lovel, the keeper of the Jewel Tower, who, courteously5 saluting6 the bride, volunteered to show her the treasures under his custody7.
Lilias gratefully accepted the offer, and was taken with her husband and the whole party into the Jewel House, where the many precious articles contained in it were displayed to them. After they had feasted their eyes on this rich collection, Lovel said to the bride,—
378“You shall now see the coffers containing the bullion8 deposited here by his Majesty9. This is the only opportunity you will have of viewing them, for they are to be removed to the Exchequer10 to-night.”
Upon this he unlocked the door of the strong-room, and showed them fifteen mighty11 chests piled within it. Each chest was wrapped in a cover emblazoned with the arms of Castile and Aragon. Removing the cover from one of them, Lovel disclosed a handsome coffer made of walnut12, strengthened by bands of brass13, and secured by two locks.
“Oh! how I should like to see what is inside it!” cried Lilias, after she had examined the exterior14 of the box.
And she looked so beseechingly15 at Lovel that he could not refuse to gratify her curiosity.
“It is against my orders to open the chests,” he said. “Nevertheless, I will yield to your wishes.”
And taking a bunch of keys from his girdle, he unlocked the coffer, and raising the lid, revealed the bars of gold to Lilias’s admiring gaze.
“Oh! how beautiful they look!” she cried, clapping her hands. “Cannot you spare one of them?—it would never be missed.”
“Were the gold mine, you should have one, and welcome, fair mistress,” replied Lovel, gallantly16. “But this is the King’s treasure, and I am bound to guard it.”
“But suppose it were carried off by force, what would you say then?” pursued Lilias, playfully.
“I cannot entertain any such supposition,” he replied, shutting down the lid, and locking the coffer. “There! now I have removed temptation,” he added, with a smile.
“That chest must be enormously heavy,” observed Lilias to her husband. “Do you think you could lift it, Og?”
“I don’t know,” he replied; “but if Master Lovel will allow me, I will try.”
“Make the attempt, and welcome,” replied Lovel, with a laugh.
Seizing hold of the chest with a herculean grasp, Og threw it over his shoulder.
“There, now you have got possession of it, away with you,” cried Lilias. “Master Lovel will not prevent you.”
379“Hold! hold!” exclaimed the keeper of the treasure. “This is carrying the jest rather too far.”
“Did you really think I was making off with the chest, Master Lovel?” cried Og, setting it down with a great laugh.
“Well, it looked like it, I must own,” returned the other. “But you couldn’t go very far with such a burden as that.”
“Couldn’t I?” rejoined Og. “You don’t know what I could do if I tried. Why, I would carry the chest from the Tower to Whitehall, if the King would only bestow17 it upon me for my pains.”
And he burst into another tremendous laugh, in which his brothers heartily18 joined.
“That were a feat19 worthy20 of Samson,” observed Lovel, dryly. “Suppose I put your strength to the test.”
“Do so,” rejoined Og. “What would you have me perform? You have just told us that the chests are to be removed to the Exchequer to-night. You don’t want me to carry them to Westminster Hall?”
“No, no! I don’t want that,” said Lovel, laughing. “They are to be transported by water, and it will save time if they are taken at once to Traitor’s Gate, where they will be embarked21.”
“Say no more—we’ll do it, won’t we?” cried Og, turning to his brothers, who readily assented22.
Without more ado, he again took up the ponderous23 coffer, and called out, “Now, I’m ready.”
“So are we,” cried Gog and Magog, as they each shouldered a chest.
Upon this, the whole party went out of the chamber24, the door of which was carefully locked by the keeper. It was a striking sight to see the three giants, laden25 in the manner we have described, cross the court of the palace, and descend26 with slow but firm footsteps the slope leading to the Bloody27 Tower, each having upon his broad shoulders a weight sufficient to call into activity the full forces of three ordinary men, and yet bearing it—if not easily—yet stoutly28. It was true that the muscles of their bull throats and brawny29 legs were tremendously developed, and looked almost as large as cables, but these were the 380only evidences of the strain put upon them. Lilias walked by the side of her husband, enchanted30 by this display of his strength, while Xit strutted31 in front, as if the giants were under his command.
State offenders32, as is well known, were formerly33 brought into the Tower through a gloomy archway, spanning a sluice34 from the river—the sluice being protected by a ponderous wooden gate, constructed of huge beams of wood, worked by machinery35 in the superstructure. This massive portal was popularly known as “Traitors’ Gate.” A flight of stone steps offered a landing-place from the channel, which was capable of holding some three or four large boats, and led to the outer ward4 of the fortress36, but the approach was guarded by another ponderous wooden portal. Within the archway on the right of the steps was a stone platform, whence there was access through a narrow arched passage to a guard-room in the building above, which was known as Saint Thomas’s Tower. These details are necessary for the understanding of what is to follow.
It was upon the platform just described that Lovel caused the giants to deposit the chests. This done, they immediately went back to the Jewel Tower for a fresh supply, and paused not in their exertions37 till the fifteen ponderous coffers had been laid upon the platform. Lovel, of course, superintended their task, and, when their labours were over, proposed an adjournment38 to the Stone Kitchen, to which the giants made no objection, so the gate being locked, and instructions given to Croyland, the warder who had charge of Saint Thomas’s Tower, the whole party proceeded in search of refreshment39. On reaching the Stone Kitchen, Lovel called for a plentiful40 supply of hydromel, which being quickly brought by Peter Trusbut, the giants were enabled to quench41 their thirst. By her husband’s desire, Lilias sipped42 a few drops from his brimming goblet43 ere he emptied it.
“I tell you what, Master Lovel,” observed Magog. “I have some misgiving44 about that treasure. Do you think it quite safe where you have left it?”
“Ay, marry,” replied the other; “as safe as in the Jewel House itself. Who can meddle45 with it? Traitors’ Gate will not be opened by Croyland without my order.”
“True,” rejoined Magog. “Still, with a treasure like 381that, no precautions ought to be neglected. To make matters sure, I will go to Saint Thomas’s Tower, and stay there till all the chests are fetched away.”
“Then you will have to stay there till night,” said Lovel.
“No matter,” rejoined Magog, getting up. “Peter Trusbut will send me a few flasks46 of wine, and I shall be just as comfortable there as anywhere else. Are you coming with me, Gog?” he added to his brother.
“I will follow in a few minutes, and bring the wine with me,” replied Gog.
“And I will join you later on—as soon as Lilias can spare me,” laughed Og.
“Nay, then, there can be no doubt the treasure will be well guarded,” said Lovel.
And, bowing to the company, he quitted the Stone Kitchen with Magog.
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1
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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3
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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4
ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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5
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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6
saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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7
custody
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| n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留 | |
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8
bullion
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| n.金条，银条 | |
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9
majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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10
exchequer
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| n.财政部；国库 | |
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11
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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12
walnut
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| n.胡桃，胡桃木，胡桃色，茶色 | |
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13
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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14
exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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15
beseechingly
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| adv. 恳求地 | |
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16
gallantly
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| adv. 漂亮地，勇敢地，献殷勤地 | |
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17
bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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18
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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19
feat
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| n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的 | |
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20
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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21
embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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22
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23
ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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24
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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25
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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26
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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27
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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28
stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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29
brawny
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| adj.强壮的 | |
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30
enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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31
strutted
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| 趾高气扬地走，高视阔步( strut的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
offenders
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| n.冒犯者( offender的名词复数 )；犯规者；罪犯；妨害…的人（或事物） | |
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33
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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34
sluice
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| n.水闸 | |
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35
machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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36
fortress
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| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
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37
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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38
adjournment
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| 休会； 延期； 休会期； 休庭期 | |
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39
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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40
plentiful
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| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
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41
quench
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| vt.熄灭，扑灭；压制 | |
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42
sipped
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
goblet
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| n.高脚酒杯 | |
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44
misgiving
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕 | |
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45
meddle
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| v.干预，干涉，插手 | |
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46
flasks
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| n.瓶，长颈瓶， 烧瓶( flask的名词复数 ) | |
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