He paused at this e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n; and Everard, desirous at once of knowing how far he stood committed, replied, "Your Excellency seems to have something in your mind in which I am concerned. May I request you will speak it out, that I may know what I am accused of?"
"Ah, Mark, Mark," replied the General, "there needeth no accuser speak when the still small voice speaks within us. Is there not moisture on thy brow, Mark Everard? Is there not trouble in thine eye? Is there not a failure in thy frame? And who ever saw such things in n.o.ble and stout Markham Everard, whose brow was only moist after having worn the helmet for a summer"s day; whose hand only shook when it had wielded for hours the weighty falchion?-But go to, man! thou doubtest over much. Hast thou not been to me as a brother, and shall I not forgive thee even the seventy-seventh time? The knave hath tarried somewhere, who should have done by this time an office of much import. Take advantage of his absence, Mark; it is a grace that G.o.d gives thee beyond expectance. I do not say, fall at my feet; but speak to me as a friend to his friend."
"I have never said any thing to your Excellency that was in the least undeserving the t.i.tle you have a.s.signed to me," said Colonel Everard, proudly.
"Nay, nay, Markham," answered Cromwell; "I say not you have. But-but you ought to have remembered the message I sent you by that person" (pointing to Wildrake;) "and you must reconcile it with your conscience, how, having such a message, guarded with such reasons, you could think yourself at liberty to expel my friends from Woodstock, being determined to disappoint my object, whilst you availed yourself of the boon, on condition of which my warrant was issued."
Everard was about to reply, when, to his astonishment, Wildrake stepped forward; and with a voice and look very different from his ordinary manner, and approaching a good deal to real dignity of mind, said, boldly and calmly, "You are mistaken, Master Cromwell; and address yourself to the wrong party here."
The speech was so sudden and intrepid that Cromwell stepped a pace back, and motioned with his right hand towards his weapon, as if he had expected that an address of a nature so unusually bold was to be followed by some act of violence. He instantly resumed his indifferent posture; and, irritated at a smile which he observed on Wildrake"s countenance, he said, with the dignity of one long accustomed to see all tremble before him, "This to me, fellow! Know you to whom you speak?"
"Fellow!" echoed Wildrake, whose reckless humour was now completely set afloat-"No fellow of yours, Master Oliver. I have known the day when Roger Wildrake of Squattlesea-mere, Lincoln, a handsome young gallant, with a good estate, would have been thought no fellow of the bankrupt brewer of Huntingdon."
"Be silent!" said Everard; "be silent, Wildrake, if you love your life!"
"I care not a maravedi for my life," said Wildrake. "Zounds, if he dislikes what I say, let him take to his tools! I know, after all, he hath good blood in his veins! and I will indulge him with a turn in the court yonder, had he been ten times a brewer."
"Such ribaldry, friend," said Oliver, "I treat with the contempt it deserves. But if thou hast any thing to say touching the matter in question speak out like a man, though thou look"st more like a beast."
"All I have to say is," replied Wildrake, "that whereas you blame Everard for acting on your warrant, as you call it, I can tell you he knew not a word of the rascally conditions you talk of. I took care of that; and you may take the vengeance on me, if you list."
"Slave! dare you tell this to me?" said Cromwell, still heedfully restraining his pa.s.sion, which he felt was about to discharge itself upon an unworthy object.
"Ay, you will make every Englishman a slave, if you have your own way," said Wildrake, not a whit abashed;-for the awe which had formerly overcome him when alone with this remarkable man, had vanished, now that they were engaged in an altercation before witnesses.-"But do your worst, Master Oliver; I tell you beforehand, the bird has escaped you."
"You dare not say so!-Escaped?-So ho! Pearson! tell the soldiers to mount instantly.-Thou art a lying fool!-Escaped?-Where, or from whence?"
"Ay, that is the question," said Wildrake; "for look you, sir-that men do go from hence is certain-but how they go, or to what quarter"-
Cromwell stood attentive, expecting some useful hint from the careless impetuosity of the cavalier, upon the route which the King might have taken.
-"Or to what quarter, as I said before, why, your Excellency, Master Oliver, may e"en find that out yourself."
As he uttered the last words he unsheathed his rapier, and made a full pa.s.s at the General"s body. Had his sword met no other impediment than the buff jerkin, Cromwell"s course had ended on the spot. But, fearful of such attempts, the General wore under his military dress a shirt of the finest mail, made of rings of the best steel, and so light and flexible that it was little or no enc.u.mbrance to the motions of the wearer. It proved his safety on this occasion, for the rapier sprung in shivers; while the owner, now held back by Everard and Holdenough, flung the hilt with pa.s.sion on the ground, exclaiming, "Be d.a.m.ned the hand that forged thee!-To serve me so long, and fail me when thy true service would have honoured us both for ever! But no good could come of thee, since thou wert pointed, even in jest, at a learned divine of the Church of England."
In the first instant of alarm,-and perhaps suspecting Wildrake might be supported by others, Cromwell half drew from his bosom a concealed pistol, which he hastily returned, observing that both Everard and the clergyman were withholding the cavalier from another attempt.
Pearson and a soldier or two rushed in-"Secure that fellow," said the General, in the indifferent tone of one to whom imminent danger was too familiar to cause irritation-"Bind him-but not so hard, Pearson;"-for the men, to show their zeal, were drawing their belts, which they used for want of cords, brutally tight round Wildrake"s limbs. "He would have a.s.sa.s.sinated me, but I would reserve him for his fit doom."
"a.s.sa.s.sinated!-I scorn your words, Master Oliver," said Wildrake; "I proffered you a fair duello."
"Shall we shoot him in the street, for an example?" said Pearson to Cromwell; while Everard endeavoured to stop Wildrake from giving further offence.
"On your life harm him not; but let him be kept in safe ward, and well looked after," said Cromwell; while the prisoner exclaimed to Everard, "I prithee let me alone-I am now neither thy follower, nor any man"s, and I am as willing to die as ever I was to take a cup of liquor.-And hark ye, speaking of that, Master Oliver, you were once a jolly fellow, prithee let one of thy lobsters here advance yonder tankard to my lips, and your Excellency shall hear a toast, a song, and a-secret."
"Unloose his head, and hand the debauched beast the tankard," said Oliver; "while yet he exists, it were shame to refuse him the element he lives in."
"Blessings on your head for once," said Wildrake, whose object in continuing this wild discourse was, if possible, to gain a little delay, when every moment was precious. "Thou hast brewed good ale, and that"s warrant for a blessing. For my toast and my song, here they go together-
Son of a witch, Mayst thou die in a ditch, With the hutchers who back thy quarrels; And rot above ground, While the world shall resound A welcome to Royal King Charles.
And now for my secret, that you may not say I had your liquor for nothing-I fancy my song will scarce pa.s.s current for much-My secret is, Master Cromwell-that the bird is flown-and your red nose will be as white as your winding-sheet before you can smell out which way."
"Pshaw, rascal," answered Cromwell, contemptuously, "keep your scurrile jests for the gibbet foot."
"I shall look on the gibbet more boldly," replied Wildrake, "than I have seen you look on the Royal Martyr"s picture."
This reproach touched Cromwell to the very quick.-"Villain!" he exclaimed; "drag him hence, draw out a party, and-But hold, not now-to prison with him-let him be close watched, and gagged, if he attempts to speak to the sentinels-Nay, hold-I mean, put a bottle of brandy into his cell, and he will gag himself in his own way, I warrant you-When day comes, that men can see the example, he shall be gagged after my fashion."
During the various breaks in his orders, the General was evidently getting command of his temper; and though he began in fury, he ended with the contemptuous sneer of one who overlooks the abusive language of an inferior. Something remained on his mind notwithstanding, for he continued standing, as if fixed to the same spot in the apartment, his eyes bent on the ground, and with closed hand pressed against his lips, like a man who is musing deeply. Pearson, who was about to speak to him, drew back, and made a sign to those in the room to be silent.
Master Holdenough did not mark, or, at least, did not obey it. Approaching the General, he said, in a respectful but firm tone, "Did I understand it to be your Excellency"s purpose that this poor man shall die next morning?"
"Hah!" exclaimed Cromwell, starting from his reverie, "what say"st thou?"
"I took leave to ask, if it was your will that this unhappy man should die to-morrow?"
"Whom saidst thou?" demanded Cromwell: "Markham Everard-shall he die, saidst thou?"
"G.o.d forbid!" replied Holdenough, stepping back-"I asked whether this blinded creature, Wildrake, was to be so suddenly cut off?"
"Ay, marry is he," said Cromwell, "were the whole General a.s.sembly of Divines at Westminster-the whole Sanhedrim of Presbytery-to offer bail for him."
"If you will not think better of it, sir," said Holdenough, "at least give not the poor man the means of destroying his senses-Let me go to him as a divine, to watch with him, in case he may yet be admitted into the vineyard at the latest hour-yet brought into the sheepfold, though he has neglected the call of the pastor till time is wellnigh closed upon him."
"For G.o.d"s sake," said Everard, who had hitherto kept silence, because he knew Cromwell"s temper on such occasions, "think better of what you do!"
"Is it for thee to teach me?" replied Cromwell; "think thou of thine own matters, and believe me it will require all thy wit.-And for you, reverend sir, I will have no father-confessors attend my prisoners-no tales out of school. If the fellow thirsts after ghostly comfort, as he is much more like to thirst after a quartern of brandy, there is Corporal Humgudgeon, who commands the corps de garde, will preach and pray as well as the best of ye.-But this delay is intolerable-Comes not this fellow yet?"
"No, sir," replied Pearson. "Had we not better go down to the Lodge? The news of our coming hither may else get there before us."
"True," said Cromwell, speaking aside to his officer, "but you know Tomkins warned us against doing so, alleging there were so many postern-doors, and sallyports, and concealed entrances in the old house, that it was like a rabbit-warren, and that an escape might be easily made under our very noses, unless he were with us, to point out all the ports which should be guarded. He hinted, too, that he might be delayed a few minutes after his time of appointment-but we have now waited half-an-hour."
"Does your Excellency think Tomkins is certainly to be depended upon?" said Pearson.
"As far as his interest goes, unquestionably," replied the General. "He has ever been the pump by which I have sucked the marrow out of many a plot, in special those of the conceited fool Rochecliffe, who is goose enough to believe that such a fellow as Tomkins would value any thing beyond the offer of the best bidder. And yet it groweth late-I fear we must to the Lodge without him-Yet, all things well considered, I will tarry here till midnight.-Ah! Everard, thou mightest put this gear to rights if thou wilt! Shall some foolish principle of fantastic punctilio have more weight with thee, man, than have the pacification and welfare of England; the keeping of faith to thy friend and benefactor, and who will be yet more so, and the fortune and security of thy relations? Are these, I say, lighter in the balance than the cause of a worthless boy, who, with his father and his father"s house, have troubled Israel for fifty years?"
"I do not understand your Excellency, nor at what service you point, which I can honestly render," replied Everard. "That which is dishonest I should be loth that you proposed."
"Then this at least might suit your honesty, or scrupulous humour, call it which thou wilt," said Cromwell. "Thou knowest, surely, all the pa.s.sages about Jezebel"s palace down yonder?-Let me know how they may be guarded against the escape of any from within."
"I cannot pretend to aid you in this matter," said Everard; "I know not all the entrances and posterns about Woodstock, and if I did, I am not free in conscience to communicate with you on this occasion."
"We shall do without you, sir," replied Cromwell, haughtily; "and if aught is found which may criminate you, remember you have lost right to my protection."
"I shall be sorry," said Everard, "to have lost your friendship, General; but I trust my quality as an Englishman may dispense with the necessity of protection from any man. I know no law which obliges me to be spy or informer, even if I were in the way of having opportunity to do service in either honourable capacity."
"Well, sir," said Cromwell, "for all your privileges and qualities, I will make bold to take you down to the Lodge at Woodstock to-night, to enquire into affairs in which the State is concerned.-Come hither, Pearson." He took a paper from his pocket, containing a rough sketch or ground-plan of Woodstock Lodge, with the avenues leading to it.-"Look here," he said, "we must move in two bodies on foot, and with all possible silence-thou must march to the rear of the old house of iniquity with twenty file of men, and dispose them around it the wisest thou canst. Take the reverend man there along with you. He must be secured at any rate, and may serve as a guide. I myself will occupy the front of the Lodge, and thus having stopt all the earths, thou wilt come to me for farther orders-silence and dispatch is all.-But for the dog Tomkins, who broke appointment with me, he had need render a good excuse, or woe to his father"s son!-Reverend sir, be pleased to accompany that officer.-Colonel Everard, you are to follow me; but first give your sword to Captain Pearson, and consider yourself as under arrest."
Everard gave his sword to Pearson without any comment, and with the most anxious presage of evil followed the Republican General, in obedience to commands which it would have been useless to dispute.