"Let me share your watch here an hour, Captain," I said. "I am very wakeful, and it will be company for us both."
"Will you do so?" he asked with some eagerness, and once more glancing at me with that same look, at once curious and shy, that I had before noted3. "Indeed I shall be glad of your company, were it only to help me keep open eyes." And with that he flung himself wearily into a seat over against me, hitching4 round his belt so that his sword lay between the long legs that, to rest them the better, he stretched full before him. "I was in the saddle all last night," he went on, "and indeed it seems a week since I was in a bed. So here let us sit, you and I, with the fate of England in our hands,"—at which he pointed5 to the door of the Prince's stairway. "Hast recovered of the spleen?"
I answered him that I was recovered.
"How came he to anger you?" he then asked me.
"Why, sir," I replied, "he did give bad names to all things in England; and then he fell foul6 of the women—and—and I do not like him."
"De Rondiniacque," said Captain Royston, "is a good comrade and a brave soldier; and, faith, I did think all women were fair to him. He will fall in love and again fall out thrice in a day. But no woman is long fair in his eyes when his fortune has been ill. There was a lass in Flanders—" and here he broke into a laugh, and I into a yawn of subterfuge7, in hope to put him off his tale. For I feared, unjustly enough, more talk of that kind that I had comprehended but sufficiently9 to dislike. Whereat he asked if he wearied me, and I answered that he did not so, but that I would know if he were of a like complexion10 with M. de Rondiniacque in matters of women and love.
"Nay11, indeed, lad," he answered, laughing again; "De Rondiniacque and I are little akin12 in such matters. I have, as he would say, the slower temper—perhaps the more constant."
"Constant!" said I; and as I said the word I could feel the little tremor13 in my laughter which I hoped his ear would not detect. "Constant to what—to whom? Ah, there is doubtless some lady that looks out over the endless canals and ugly windmills of flat Holland for your return, Captain Royston."
"Nay, nay," he answered, "there is no broad Dutch face wet with tears of my causing." And then the mirth died out of his voice, as with a very tender hesitancy he continued: "But there is, or there was, a little maid—a child—but, plague on me! what do I babble14 of? And what does so young a lad as you know of these things?"
"H'm-m-m!" said I, as one that could, if he would but speak, lay claim to knowledge enough and to spare.
"What, what!" he cried, mocking me. "Is your heart even as tender as your years? Does the baby think he knows what love is?"
"On my conscience, yes," I answered; "but I may know and never feel it, I do suppose."
"What an outlandish boy it is!" said Ned, laughing; and, more gravely, "when you love, lad, and would have your lady look upon you, be as when you served us so well this day, and not the child that is disordered by the chance word of a jolly soldier. I have heard tell that women do love one that is a man, be his vows15, even as De Rondiniacque's, never so brittle16."
"Perhaps they do," I answered; and wondered, sickly a little in my heart, how it would fare with me if his were so. "But," I continued, "if men's vows are so light, what of that little maid?"
And my gallant17 Captain seemed to retire, as it were, again into his shell, saying he would speak of her no more, and that indeed he knew not wherefore he had called her to mind. Whereto I said that maybe I could tell him.
"'T is little likely," said he, smiling as one that suffers the gambols18 of a merry child, even to the peril19 of a wound but half healed.
"But tell you I can," I persisted; "you spoke20 of her, not because she did come to your mind, but because she is never out of it. Is it not so?"
Again he looked at me with that glance of enquiry.
"Indeed, I think it is so," he replied; "but how you should know it, Master——, by my life, here have I had all manner of converse21 with you, even to the telling things that have not passed my lips this three years, and yet I know not your name. Prithee, tell it me."
"My name is Drayton," I said.
"Is it even so?" cried Ned. "It is strange. Where do you live?"
"From here some five leagues on the great road, Salisbury way," I answered.
"At Drayton Manor," I replied.
"But old Sir Michael," says Ned, "had no son of your youth."
"Nay," said I, "I am no son of Sir Michael. But he is my nearest of kin8, and in his house do I live this many a day."
"Ah, so! I have heard," said Royston musingly23, "of other branches of the family. But, if Drayton be your home, you can tell me of—of the child, your cousin; of Mistress Philippa Drayton, I mean, Sir Michael's daughter."
"Aha! the little maid! At last we come at his little maid!" I cried, clapping my hands together in a manner that suited but ill, as I suppose, with my boots and spurs.
But he, like the man he was, being much occupied in attempt to conceal24 the secret he was about revealing, did not mark me, but sternly stiffened26 his face and made straight his back, and replied: "I said not it was she. But I would have her news. Is she well, and is she now at Drayton?"
"Gad27 's my life!" I answered, feeling very blusterous and naughty as I used my father's favorite oath, "it is so. She is well, and she is at Drayton. I would she were not. She does keep her heart safe for me, the baggage! Troth, I have little mind to her—a bouncing, overgrown country wench, of ill manners, loud tongue, and shrewish speech. Pah!" Whereat I twisted my mouth into a grimace28 very disgustful, and I saw the light of anger come into his eye.
"You shall not so speak of that lady," he said, in a tone that was not loud, yet had in it that which made one part of me shake with fear, while the rest of the woman was singing a little inward song of thanksgiving. Whereof it is like enough he saw in my face some sign, for he went on more gently to say he knew it was not so; that I but railed at her in mischief29; that I mocked at him because, with something womanish that is in a half-grown boy, I had divined the secret of his love. "My heart," he said, rising from his seat with eyes that looked afar, as if none was by him, "has never left her keeping since she did ride upon my shoulder, but her little hands ever hold me fast, even as they did use to cling and grip me by the hair." With that he passed his hand over his head, as if he still did feel the clutching baby fingers. Then he came back to me. "You see, sir, I let you know at what it is you mock. Yet if you own the words were but spoken in jest, I will pass the matter by."
And then I knew that I had been playing with fire, and made all haste to quench30 it, owning with averted31 face that I had indeed but spoken out of mischief to anger him, and saying that the girl was well enough. It was, I suppose, from pride that he took no note of this grudging32 opinion, yet it did not control his curiosity.
"And does she keep me in mind?" he asked, as he sank again into his seat.
"'T is like enough," I answered, as if I cared little for the matter. "I have heard her name you."
"In what terms?" said he; "I pray you, tell me what she said."
"Indeed, I do forget," I replied, mischief rising once more in my heart. "And I will wager33 there have been times when you have forgot the minx as readily as I would, if you would but let me, Captain."
"A fig34 for your wager!" said Royston lightly. "Why, I have never, since I was out of England, entered a new town but I have bought some toy or jewel for her." And I saw his hand steal to the breast of his coat, and, guessing that there was a pocket beneath, I began at once to be mighty curious to know what was in it, and to think my masquerade had lasted near long enough when it kept me from my rights.
"Do you carry them?" I asked, striving to keep all eagerness out of my manner.
"Nay, nay," he answered; and, had he been another man, I had thought his smile and the short and hesitating laugh that followed it well-nigh foolish: "Nay, 't is but a pair of the new kid-leather gloves that they do use in France." And here he drew a small packet from the pocket I had divined, and added, with much tenderness: "They did make me think of her pretty hands, and I could no more put them away from me."
And, as he regarded the packet and gently smoothed the wrapper, I snatched it from his hand, and—"Let me see," I said, and proceeded to unfold it.
"Gently, gently!" cried Ned; "they must not be so handled."
"Ay, they would fit me well," said I, measuring one against my left hand. "And our hands are near of a size. Will you give them to me in her stead, sir?"
"That will I not, young Avarice," he answered, recovering the gloves with a snatch that took me by surprise. "My lady's gloves, indeed! what next, monkey? Do you think, because you have a small fist and handle a glove like a great girl, that you will get all you ask?"
"Well," said I, pouting35 and growing reckless in my delight of the game I played, "well, I shall have them of her in the end."
"No more, jackanapes," he answered angrily, and I scarce know how I should have fared had not the door at the foot of the Prince's stair at that moment opened to admit Mr. William Bentinck.
To which Captain Royston replied that he wished the fare deserved them better, and enquired37 whether Mr. Bentinck knew the way to his chamber38.
"I do," he replied. "I wish you a good-night, Captain Royston. It were well," he added, with a dark and significant glance, "that no further alarm befell—in your house, Captain."
"I am so much of your mind, sir," said Royston, "that I have asked and obtained His Highness's consent here to watch the night through myself. I wish you good rest." Mr. Bentinck turned again as he reached the door, saying that His Highness had enquired of him where the prisoners had been lodged39 that were taken after the affair in the orchard40.
"They lie under lock and guard in the strong-room above," said Royston; "all but the priest, who is in the chamber that adjoins it on the left, for greater safety. I did not think it well to leave his clever head to work among them." And here M. de Rondiniacque, looking into the room as he went his rounds, very readily undertook, at Captain Royston's desire, to conduct Mr. Bentinck, that he might with his own eyes, as Captain Royston said, see how these prisoners were disposed. They being departed on this business, Captain Royston stood gazing moodily41 into the fire. It seemed he had quite forgotten me; and, since it did not fall with my wishes to be left out of his thoughts, I plucked him timidly by the sleeve, and asked if I had angered him with my freakishness.
"No, lad, no," he answered, still gazing into the fire. "I know not indeed why I told you as much, unless it be that the Drayton face of you did bring to mind old days, and made me think my thoughts aloud. I know my poor secret is safe with a Drayton." And then he turned and looked hard in my face.
And under his gaze I trembled, and had much ado not to throw my arms about his neck and cry "Ned" to him. And yet I dared not, for shame of my clothes, and so, to change the color of his thought, I said: "That man does eye you with mistrust, Captain."
"He is no friend to me," said Ned, "nor ever has been. But His Highness has no more faithful servant and friend than William Bentinck. He had of late warning from France that the Prince's life was sought after, and that a certain priest should lead the assassins. To-day the attack is made, a priest is taken, and all in my house, and I one of the few that knew His Highness should come to this place. I can scarce wonder if he look on me with suspicion, and would see himself how we guard the dogs above there in the strong-room."
And then Mr. Bentinck and M. de Rondiniacque returned. The first was pleased to approve all he had seen, but pointed out that the prison of the priest was the chamber to the right of the strong-room, and not on its left, as Captain Royston had said. M. de Rondiniacque here explained that the prisoner had at his order been transferred from the room to the other, on the report of the sentry that two bars in the window of the priest's first lodging42 were rotten and might easily be burst.
"It will serve as well, nay, better," said Captain Royston, still dreamily gazing into the fire. And Mr. Bentinck, expressing himself satisfied that all was well, departed to his chamber in company of M. de Rondiniacque.
Now as these matters had for me little of interest, and as my fatigue43 was great, I had been growing very weary and full of sleep; so it came that when these gentlemen left us I signified my pleasure thereat with a great yawn of weariness and a long sigh of satisfaction.
"Poor lad!" cried Ned, with such tenderness as he was wont44 to use to the child that had so loved and hectored him, "poor lad, you are faint for sleep. I will see where we may put you."
"It is not sleep, Captain," I said, stifling45 a second yawn. "But I take little interest in prisoners, and I am, oh! so thirsty."
"'T is the long ride, and your dinner was naught," he answered. "Keep your eyes open, and watch a while here in my place, and I will bring you food and wine. I pray you, do not close your eyes."
And as he neared the door, I saw him start as hit by a thought forgotten, and—"The chamber on the right," he murmured. "How came I to forget? But he will never find the panel, even though he were a Jesuit." And so, with yet another warning that I should watch well and not sleep, he went out into the gallery. And I sat by the fire, wondering what those strange words should mean. Open indeed I did keep my eyes, but I believe my mind was not very far from dreams at the moment when a thing happened so like to a trick of sleeping fancy that it awoke me quite. I thought that I saw, in that dim light (for one great candlestick was above with His Highness of Orange, the other below in the hand of Captain Royston), a great piece of the stone wall that made the far side of the wide and lofty hearth46 slowly to draw back and recede47 from my eyes, as a door that is opened stealthily from behind. I sat erect48 and rubbed my eyes, and still did it draw away from me, and made a noise of rusted49 grinding as it went. And a nameless horror crept over my body till it reached and seemed to stiffen25 the roots of my hair. I would have cried aloud as I sat and expected something to come whence the door of stone had gone; but before I could find voice there came from the gap in the wall the darkly clad figure of a man, who stepped from the hearth, and stood looking down upon me. His face I could not clearly perceive, for the fire was behind him, but the sound of his voice I thought I had once already heard.
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1
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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hitching
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| 搭乘； （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的现在分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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5
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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6
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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7
subterfuge
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| n.诡计；藉口 | |
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8
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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9
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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akin
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| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
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tremor
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| n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震 | |
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babble
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| v.含糊不清地说，胡言乱语地说，儿语 | |
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15
vows
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| 誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿 | |
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16
brittle
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| adj.易碎的；脆弱的；冷淡的；(声音)尖利的 | |
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17
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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gambols
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| v.蹦跳，跳跃，嬉戏( gambol的第三人称单数 ) | |
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19
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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20
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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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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manor
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| n.庄园，领地 | |
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musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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stiffen
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| v.(使)硬，(使)变挺，(使)变僵硬 | |
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stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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gad
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| n.闲逛；v.闲逛 | |
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28
grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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29
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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30
quench
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| vt.熄灭，扑灭；压制 | |
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31
averted
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| 防止，避免( avert的过去式和过去分词 )； 转移 | |
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32
grudging
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| adj.勉强的，吝啬的 | |
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wager
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| n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌 | |
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34
fig
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| n.无花果(树) | |
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pouting
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| v.撅（嘴）( pout的现在分词 ) | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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37
enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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38
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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39
lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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40
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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41
moodily
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| adv.喜怒无常地；情绪多变地；心情不稳地；易生气地 | |
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42
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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43
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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44
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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45
stifling
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| a.令人窒息的 | |
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46
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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47
recede
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| vi.退(去)，渐渐远去；向后倾斜，缩进 | |
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48
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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49
rusted
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| v.（使）生锈( rust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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