With Ring of Shield Part 16

"Hus.h.!.+" said he, "or thou shalt be overheard."

This recalled me to myself, and I took good care thereafter not to think aloud when in the presence of men that I regarded as mine enemies.

The moment that Catesby saw Harleston check me he leaned over the Chancellor's shoulder and whispered something in his ear. I know not what it was; but it must have referred to us, for Hastings turned at once and eyed me suspiciously. His gaze was anything but pleasant; for he clearly showed his displeasure at something, by his long and frowning look.

"Another debt I owe thee, Master Catesby," said I, taking good care, however, that I did not p.r.o.nounce the words by other agents than my mind.

So it was there decided that the two Churchmen should go together, and try to persuade the Queen to hand over the Duke of York to them. In case this failed they were to inform her that Gloucester would have him taken from her by force.

CHAPTER XV

MICHAEL AND CATESBY

Though Harleston and I were both anxious to go at once unto the Sanctuary, and see the girls, yet my friend, who thought it might arouse suspicion were we to be seen there by the Cardinal and the Bishop, persuaded me to wait until the following day. "For," said he, "I do believe that fellow Catesby already suspects us of being in some way connected with the Queen's flight. Methinks 'twas in reference to that he whispered to Hastings, and which caused Lord William to look on us so unpleasantly."

"I believe that thou art right," I replied.

We were sitting in my room when this conversation took place. Just then a knock came at the door. I feared that we might have been overheard, so I thought the best plan should be to open, without any show of mystery. I therefore called out, without changing my position:--"Come in!" I scarcely know what I expected to see when the door should open; yet methinks I had not been surprised had it been either Lord Hastings himself, or a body of yeomen sent to arrest me.

Remember, my dears, after the example I had seen as we were entering Stony Stratford my mind was in a fit state to expect something of this kind. It was with a sigh of relief, therefore, that I did recognize mine Irish messenger, which had so well fulfilled his mission. The enormous fellow completely filled the door, as he stood upon the threshold, cap in hand, awaiting a further command ere he did enter.

"Ah! Michael, it is thou."

"Divil anither," he replied, without moving a muscle.

I smiled at his serious humour, and asked him to enter and close the door; for I knew from his manner that he had something to communicate.

"And now, Michael, I must thank thee for the speedy way in which thou didst fulfil thy mission."

"Uh! yer honour, it's no thanks Oi desarve fer doin' moy dooty," and he s.h.i.+fted from one foot to the other and struck his boot with his cap, as though my thanks but made him to feel uneasy. With all his giant strength he was at heart but a great boy.

"But what is now thy business with me? If there be aught that I can do for thee thou hast but to ask and it is done, Michael."

"No, yer honour, it is not that," he replied. "Oi came but to till thee, sor, that thoine armour--which was rusted some--hath bin clained and is now ridy fer wear," said he, quickly, as he eyed Harleston closely.

"What in the devil's name art thou talking about? Why, I have no armour that is rusted."

"No, not now, sor," said he, with that same serene face. When he had finished this, however, and saw Harleston's head thrown back, as my friend stared at the ceiling, in an effort to refrain from laughing, Michael raised his eyebrows, and jerked his head in Frederick's direction.

"Ah! so that is the difficulty," said I, laughing. "'Tis my friend thou fearest. Ah, Michael, I am proud of thy discretion," I continued, as I walked over to where he stood, and slapped him on that shoulder which stood out like a block of iron draped with cloth. And indeed one might as well have struck a piece of steel as that shoulder with its s.h.i.+rt of mail beneath the rough coa.r.s.e jacket. "However, thou needst not fear to speak out boldly before Sir Frederick, as I have no secret that is unknown to him."

"In that case, sor, Oi must pray thoy pardon," said he, speaking to Harleston; "but in these toimes, whin great min, as will as the common folk, turn out to be divils it be moighty hard to pick out the honest soul."

"Indeed thou art right, Michael, and it shall be well for thee to continue to trust but those that thou knowest full well to be true and honest men," said my friend, which admired this frank admission of suspicion. "Thou art an honest fellow, and I like thee well; but be careful of this," he continued,--"be sure that thou dost practise thine honesty with great caution. Honesty, now-a-days, seems to be the shortest road to the block; unless thou art cautious enough to be honestly dishonest."

"Oi understand not thoy wourds," said Michael, as he scratched his head, with a puzzled look; but for a moment only. "Uh!" said he, "Oi think that Oi have a hould on what yer honour manes, and Oi'll profit by yer advice, sor."

"But come," said I, "What is it that thou wishest to tell me? For well do I know that story about mine armour to be but a disguise."

"In faith it was, sor, and Oi now craves yer pardon fer the tillin' of a loie to yer honour."

"It had been granted ere thou didst ask. Come, to thy news."

"Will, sor, it was jist after Oi had delivered thoy missage, and was walkin' along the hall on moy way to look after moy horse, which was sore toired, that Oi mit his honour, Sor William Catesby. As Oi took off moy cap to him, he stops me, and sez he:--'Whare didst thou come from?'

"'From Oireland, yer honour,' sez Oi. This Oi said that Oi moight have toime to git a good loie through moy thick skull.

"'Thou needst not have tould me that,' sez he, and he began to laugh, though fer the loife o' me Oi know not yit what so playzed him."

I glanced at Harleston. His head was thrown back in his chair, as was his habit whilst sitting and listening to anything that interested him.

I could see by his amused smile that he was not surprised at Catesby's laughter. No more was I.

"What said you then?" asked I, as I saw Michael looking at me in surprise. No doubt he was wondering what I saw to so amuse me.

"Uh! thin Oi said:--'But yer honour axed me, so Oi had to till thee.'

"'Oi mint not whare wast thou born, but whare hast thou come from jist now?' sez he.

"'Uh! yer honour manes whare am Oi jist after lavin', this minit?' sez Oi.

"Thin he nodded, and still kipt on a smoilin'.

"'Bad luck to me fer a stoopid clown,' sez Oi. 'Oi moight have known what yer honour mint, without kapin' ye standin, explainin' the houle o' this toime.'

"Now all this whoile, sor, Oi was warein' out what little brains the good Lord gave me (and Oi think he moight have bin moure liberal or ilse kape me out o' the way o' sich confusin' quistions) to troy and foind a somethin' raisonable excuse fer bein' thare. At last Oi saw that Oi had gained all the toime that moight be, without makin' him angry, so Oi said the first thing that came to moy tongue.

"'Uh! sor,' sez Oi, 'some wan's stray dawg came in at the oupen door, so Oi came after to troy and put the baste out.'

"'Thou lookest strangely besmeared with mud. Didst thou git that with chasin' of the dawg?' sez he, and he oyed me loike the divil.

"'Uh! sure, yer honour, Oi was jist a gittin off o' moy horse whin Oi saw the baste inter,' sez Oi.

"'And whare moight you have bin on thoy horse?' sez he.

"'Whoy, upon his back, sor,' sez Oi.

"'Nay, nay,' sez he, 'Oi mane from whare didst thou roide to-day, fer from thoy looks thou hast bin beyond the city gates?'

"'Yis, yer honour,' sez Oi, 'thou hast found me out; but Oi pray thee do not report me to moy master, whin he returns.'

"'And who is thoy master?' sez he.

"'Sor Walter Bradley, and it playze yer honour,' sez Oi.

"Now methought, sor, that this would put him off the scint; fer by the close way he quistioned me Oi filt sure he must be on it. But whin Oi mintioned thoy name, sor, he wint into a divil of a timper, indade he did, yer honour. And thin he turned on me and called me sich avil names as made it hard fer me to hould back moy hand from brakin' the head o' the spalpeen; fer indade, sor, he is no gintlemin, with all his foine airs, and knoight though he be."

"And what said he of me?" I asked. "Surely he had a bad word for me."