Giving the command to halt in his great voice of an old sergeant4 of horse, he walked up to me, saying, with a rough petulance5: "How now, young gentleman? What have you to do among these?" Then, at the laugh with which I answered him, he drew near and understood. And mightily6 put about he was, and would have me at once return to the house.
But, "Tush, Simon!" I said, smiling on him in the fashion I had used from a child when I would have my way rather than his, "do I not do it all fit and properly? You are not to know who I am, but a young gentleman that would exercise with you."
"You must leave the ranks," said Simon, gruff but wavering.
"So I will indeed," I answered, "if Mr. Kidd will but take my place."
And this Christopher, ever ready for Prue's sake to pleasure me, very readily did, without more said; whereupon I took his place, and, before Simon had well lowered his brows of amazement, I was giving out in the greatest voice I could compass all the words of command I had spent my morning in learning from my window. The troop, falling in with the jest, acquitted7 themselves so well that Simon did not interfere8; and I had halted them at length with intent to coax9 old Emmet to fetch my father, that he might see how good a man I was, when from round the corner where lay the front of the house there came a great and growing confusion of sound: the wheels of a coach, the hoofs10 of many horses, and a mixed murmur11 of voices. And then the great voice of my father rang out, at the sound of which all was hushed; wheels stopped, horses stood, and men held their breath. Bidding Simon keep his men as they were, I cantered round the southeast corner of the house, and, checking my horse, stood for some minutes unmarked in the confusion, to observe a scene not a little curious.
The coach was my Lady Mary's, easily recognized in our parts for the newness of its fashion. By its side stood our friend and neighbor, Sir Giles Blundell, that instant dismounted, and opening the door that my lady might descend12. Behind him were two young gentlemen, one of whom held Sir Giles's horse by the bridle13. My lady, of a pallor very death-like, and stumbling as she stepped down from the coach so that she was like to have fallen but for the ready support of his hands, said a few words to Sir Giles, but all in a voice so low from weakness of fatigue14 and the faintness of terror as no word of it to reach my ears. His answer, however, was given clearly enough. And as he spoke15 my father, till now delayed in his descent of the steps by the lameness16 of his leg, drew near and stood beside my lady, leaning upon his stick.
"Indeed, dear madam," said Sir Giles, "I will do no such thing. I and my friends here are vastly pleased we were in the way to rescue you from such evil hands; 't was a small service we are proud to have rendered to so good a friend and neighbor. But to ride further to Royston Chase on the mere17 chance of some danger to His Highness of Orange, that has an army to protect him, is but to mix ourselves with a game we are well resolved to watch at a safe distance."
"Ah, Giles," says Sir Michael, who had known him from a boy, "your father had been of one part or the other. What, in God's name, is coming to England, when Englishmen are found that cannot even take a side?" Whereupon more words to little purpose ensued, Sir Giles and the two other gentlemen at length departing as they had come, after replying with much forbearance to some heated and scornful animadversions of my father upon the lukewarmness of their conduct.
Gratitude18 for what these gentlemen had done in her behalf and the need of recovering her spirits from the great perturbation into which they had been thrown by the events of the morning kept my lady silent until their departure was accomplished20, when she turned to Sir Michael with a great beseeching21 in her countenance22, saying: "Surely you will help me, my old friend." On which he gave her assurance he would do all he might, but told her he was yet ignorant what was her trouble and need. And it is great wonder to me that all the time she was telling and he hearing her story neither did observe me sitting there on my horse, and but partly hidden from their eyes by the branches of a tree. But her eagerness was well equalled by his interest; and there was a great bustling23 of our hostlers and her two servants about the coach. For one of the horses had fallen when brought to a stand, and lay, it seemed, at the point of death, two more being in a very bad case.
In brief, the tale she told him, of which I heard near every word, was this: that one had come at six o'clock of that morning with a letter from her son, announcing a visit, as she interpreted its terms, from His Highness of Orange; that by nine she was well advanced with her preparation for his fit reception, when all was thrown into confusion by the sudden arrival and enforced entry of a strange and ill-assorted body of men, acting24, with a silent obedience25 truly wonderful to see in so unlikely a comradeship, under the orders of a little fat man with a dark face and red hair. This fellow, after he had compelled her with the threat of death and a pistol at her head to write that letter to her son which I have already mentioned, did force her, with her maid and one man-servant, into the coach which the other was to drive, a ruffian of decent mien26 being seated beside him with a loaded pistol to quicken his obedience and despatch27. One other, in like manner persuasive28, was in the coach, while Red-head and a fourth with a led horse rode beside. This party, in the endeavor to reach Salisbury, but much delayed by the devices of my lady's coachman, after escaping the pursuit of Farmer Kidd, had fallen the more easily before the gallant29 assault of Sir Giles Blundell and his friends that they were weakened by the absence of their leader; he having, as I believe (though this came not in Lady Mary's narrative), lost his way in drawing off Christopher's attack, and, being minded from the first to return before the end to Royston Chase, and falling in with my brother Philip, was glad enough to enforce his attendance as a guide, if not also to vent19 an old spleen by making of him an unwilling30 accomplice31 in his wicked purpose.
Of the three villains32 left with the coach, one was slain33 in the rescue and the other two escaped on their horses.
My lady ended her tale by telling her fear that the life of His Highness was aimed at, and imploring34 Sir Michael with tears that he should at once send his men (for Simon had by this brought his troops in very fair order round into the drive) for the warning and defence of His Highness; adding most piteously that her fear was no less for the honor of her son and his father's house than for the life of the Prince.
"Ay, madam," says my father; "but since there is none to lead them, and they are like a flock of sheep lacking a shepherd, they must wait the time of writing a letter."
"Write! write!" cried her ladyship, wringing35 her hands, "write! while even now it is perhaps too late!"
"I would I had one left of them all," said Sir Michael, with a groan36; "or anybody with a head-piece on a sound body. You see what I am, and Simon is well-nigh a cripple these three years."
And with that I cantered up to them; and, bringing suddenly my horse to a stand, and saluting37 very finely, more militari—"I will go, sir," I cried.
"Who 's here?" cries my father, and "Mercy on us!" says my lady, like any milkmaid, in one breath with him.
"Who but your son Philip?" I answered, laughing gaily, and, I think, blushing a little, as well indeed I might. "And your son Philip is the best horseman in the country; your son Philip bestrides the best nag38 in three; and your son Philip knows the crow's-road to Royston, while it is of common knowledge that he has a very pretty head-piece on his shoulders."
My father being past speaking for amazement, my lady breaks in with: "Thou 'rt a brave girl, but why this masquerade, dear child?"
"To convince Sir Michael Drayton," I pertly replied, "that there is some use even in daughters, when they can hold a sword and sit in a war-saddle of Prince Rupert's time."
Sir Michael here made to seize my bridle, but Roan Charley had caught excitement from my voice, and a little slacking of his rein39 with a pressure of the knee at once put him at the distance of three great bounds from any detaining hand.
"Come back, Philippa!" cries my father.
"Not so, dear sir," said I, turning in the saddle, "for I shall go, an you will allow it."
"The roads and fields are not safe for thee, child," said he, "with so many bad men about, and an army close to hand, else were I willing enough."
"Then let these men follow me," I cried. "Simon will tell you, dear sir, that I can give and take the word of command. Christopher has no wit to handle them. Send the six best mounted, and let them come up with me if they can, and I will give Roan Charley to him that reaches Royston neck and neck with me."
And if they answered me again I heard it not, for Charley was away, taking in his stride the fence of the paddock that lies behind the stable; and although that way did mean a leap-out at a point where the fence was high, with the ground falling sharply on the other side, we did the second jump as well as we had done the first, and so gained three hundred yards on the pursuing troop, whom I already heard pounding after me with many a hearty40 cry and much rattling41 of harness.
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1
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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petulance
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| n.发脾气，生气，易怒，暴躁，性急 | |
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mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
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acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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coax
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| v.哄诱，劝诱，用诱哄得到，诱取 | |
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hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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lameness
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| n. 跛, 瘸, 残废 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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beseeching
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| adj.恳求似的v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的现在分词 ) | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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bustling
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| adj.喧闹的 | |
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acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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mien
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| n.风采；态度 | |
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despatch
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| n./v.(dispatch)派遣；发送；n.急件；新闻报道 | |
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28
persuasive
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| adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的 | |
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29
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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accomplice
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| n.从犯，帮凶，同谋 | |
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32
villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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imploring
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| 恳求的，哀求的 | |
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wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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36
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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37
saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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38
nag
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| v.(对…)不停地唠叨；n.爱唠叨的人 | |
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rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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40
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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41
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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