"Young woman," said the merchant, "you are plainly of better birth and breeding than you choose to affect. Now I am thinking of getting married. I have ships at sea, and stuffs and jewels coming from Venice and Araby; and I am like to be Lord Mayor ere long; but there"s that I like in your face and discreet bearing, and I"ll make you my wife, and give you all my keys-your father willing!"
"Your turn"s out, old burgher," said a big, burly, and much younger man, pressing forward. "Pretty wench! I"m not like to be Lord Mayor, nor nothing of that sort; but I"m a score of years nigher thine age, and a l.u.s.ty fellow to boot, that could floor any man at single-stick, within the four seas. Ay, and have been thought comely too, though Joyce o" the haugh did play me false; and I come o" this pilgrimage just to be merry and forget it. If thou wilt take me, and come back to spite Joyce, thou shalt be hostess of the Black Bull, at Brentford, where all the great folk from the North ever put up when they come to town; the merriest and richest hostel, and will have the comeliest host and hostess round about London town!"
The lady bowed her head. Perhaps those rosy lips were trying hard to keep from laughing.
"A hostel"s no place for a discreet dame to bide in," put forth an honest voice. "Maiden, I know not who or what you are, but I came o" this pilgrimage to please my old mother, who said I might do my soul good, and bring home a wife-better over the moor than over the mixen-and I know she would give thee a right good welcome. I"m Baldric of the Cheddar Cliff, and we have held our land ever since the old days, or ever the Norman kings came here. Three hundred kine, woman, and seven score swine, and many an acre of good corn land under the hill."
The lady had never looked up while these suitors were speaking. When Baldric of Cheddar had done, she gave one furtive glance through her long eyelashes, as if to see if there were any more, and then her cheek flushed. There still remained the knight. Some others had slunk away when brought to such close quarters, but he stepped forth more hesitatingly, and said, "Lady, I know not whether the bare rock and castle I have to offer can weigh against the ships, the hostel, or the swine. I have few of either; I am but a poor baron, but such as I am, I am wholly yours. Thine eyes have bound me to you for ever, and all I seek is leave to make myself better known, and to ask that your n.o.ble father may not deem me wholly unworthy to be your suitor."
The lady trembled a little, but she held her place in the doorway. "Gentles," she said, "I thank ye for the honour ye have done me, but I may not dispose of mine own self. My father is ill at ease, and can see no one; but he bids me tell you that he will meet all who have aught to say to him, under the trysting tree at Bethnal Green, the day after the Midsummer feast."
With these words she retired into her hut, and closed the door. She was seen again no more that day; and on the next the hut stood open, empty, and deserted.
CHAPTER XV-THE BEGGAR"S DOWRY
""But first you shall promise and have it well knowne The gold that you drop shall all be your owne;"
With that they replyed, "Contented we bee;"
"Then here"s," quoth the beggar, "for pretty Bessee.""
Old Ballad.
The day after Midsummer had come, and towards the fine elm tree that then adorned the centre of Bethnal Green, three hors.e.m.e.n were wending their way. Each had his steed a good deal loaded: each looked about him anxiously.
"By St. Boniface," said one, "the girl"s father is not there. Saucy little baggage, was she deluding us all?"
"Belike he is bringing too long a train of mules with her dowry to make much speed," quoth the merchant. "He will think it needful to collect all his gear to meet the offers of Master Lambert of Cripple- gate. Ha! Sir Knight, well met! You are going to try your venture!"
"I must! So it were not all enchantment," said the knight, almost breathlessly, gazing round him. "Yet," he said, almost to himself, "those eyes had a soul and memories that ne"er came out of fairyland!"
"Ha!" exclaimed the innkeeper, "there"s old Blind Hal under the tree! I"ll tell him to get out of our way. Hal!" he shouted, "here"s a tester for thee, but thou"st best keep out of the way of the mules."
"What mules, Master Samson?" coolly demanded Hal, who had comfortably established himself under the tree with his back against the trunk.
"The mules that the brave burgess is going to bring his daughter"s dowry on. They are cranky brutes, Hal; bad customers for blind men- best let me give thee a hand out of the way."
"But who is this burgess that you talk of?" asked the beggar.
"The father of the pilgrim la.s.s that prayed at St. Winifred"s Well," said Samson.
"And was called Queen of the Dew-drops?"
"Ay, ay, old fellow! Thou knowest every bird that flies! She is to be my wife, I tell thee, and a right warm corner shall she keep for thee at the Black Bull, for thou canst make sport for the guests right well."
"I hope she will keep a warm corner for me," said the beggar; "for no man will treat for her marriage save myself."
"Thou! Old man, who sent thee here to insult us?" cried the merchant.
"None, Master Lambert. I trysted you to meet me here if you purposed still to seek my child in marriage."
"Thy child?" cried all three, vehemently.
"My child!" answered the beggar. "Mine own lawful child."
There was a silence. Presently Samson growled, "I mind me he used to have a little black-eyed brat with him."
"Caitiff!" exclaimed the merchant; "I"ll have thy old vagabond bones in the Fleet for daring so to cheat his Grace"s lieges."
"If you can prove a cheat against me I will readily abye it, Sir," returned the beggar.
"Palming a beggar"s brat off for a n.o.ble dame."
"So please you, Sir," interrupted the beggar, "keep truth with you. What did the child or I ever profess, save what we were? No foul words here. I trysted you to meet me here, anent her marriage. Have you any offers to make me?"
"Aye, of a cell in the Fleet if you persist in your insolence!" cried the merchant.
"Thanks," quietly said the beggar. "And you, Master Samson?"
""Tis a sweet pretty la.s.s," said Samson, ruefully; "and pity of her too, but you see a man like me must look to his credit. I"ll give her twenty marks to help her to a husband, Hal, only let her keep out of my sight for ever and a day."
"I thought I heard another voice," said the beggar. "I trow the third suitor has made off without further ado."
"Not so, fair Sir," said a voice close to him, thick and choked with feeling. "Your daughter is too dear to me for me thus to part, even were mine honour not pledged."
"Sir knight," interfered the merchant, "you will get into a desperate coil with your friends."
"I am my own master," answered the knight. "My parents are dead. I am of age, and, Sir, I offer myself and all that is mine to your fair daughter, as I did at Saint Winifred"s Well, as one bound both by honour and love."
"It is spoken honourably," said Hal; "but, Sir, canst thou answer me with her dowry? Tell down coin for coin."
He held up a heavy leathern bag. The knight, who had come prepared, took down another such bag from his saddle-bow. Down went one silver piece from the knight. Down went another from the beggar.
"Stay, stay," cried Samson. "I can play at that game too."
"No, no, Master Samson," said the beggar; "your pretensions are resigned. Your chance is over."
Mark after mark-crown after crown-all the Dunster rents; all the old h.o.a.rds, with queer figures of Saxon kings, lay on the gra.s.s, still for each the beggar had rained down its fellow, and inexhaustible seemed the bags that he sat upon. Samson bit his lips, and the merchant muttered with vexation. It could not be fairly come by: he must be the president of a den of robbers; it should be looked to.
The last bag of the knight lay thin and exhausted; the beggar clutched one bursting with repletion.
"I could not put the lands and castle of Dunster into a bag and add thereto," said the knight, at last. "Would that I could, my sword, my spurs, and knightly blood to boot, and lay them at your daughter"s feet."
"Let them weigh in the balance," said the beggar; "and therewith thy truth to thy word."
"And will you own me?" exclaimed the knight. "Will you take me to your daughter?"
"Nay, I said not so," returned Blind Hal. "I am not in such haste. Come back on this day week, when I shall have learnt whether thou art worthy to match with my child."