With Ring of Shield Part 28

"Done, by Heaven! That cloak will suit me well. I'll lay on Michael's judgment."

When we were fully armed we strolled forth from our tent to watch the spectators arrive in one continuous stream, like a sluggish, winding river, and well nigh as unceasing.

Michael again did ask permission to be absent for a little while, that he might escort the old ladies unto their seats, and protect them in the enormous crowd. In a short time we saw his head moving towards the rows of seats, as he brushed aside, as though they had been reeds, the groups of angry tradesmen, that he might make way for those which he did escort.

"What friends of Michael's are those same old ladies, to which he showeth such faithful attention and care?" asked Frederick.

"Thou knowest them as well as I."

"Nay, but hast thou never asked him?"

"No; I thought it of but little moment until now. But methinks that I have seen those same figures somewhere ere this; though where, I cannot now recall," said I, as Michael and his charge appeared from out the crowd. "I will ask Michael when he returns."

But ere my squire did return the heralds rode into the lists, and started their tedious recitation of the rules of that day's sports; the which we were so absorbed in listening to, in the effort to gather some small particle of sense from, that I thought not of that which I had intended asking Michael.

The marshals then entered the field, and took up their customary positions to enforce the rules of the joust; the which were, as near as I could make out, not different from the first day's.

"There, Walter, I have won my wager; for, if mine eyes do serve me aright, thine ancient foe, Catesby, hath taken his place among the King's guards."

"Thou art right; the cloak is thine. But see! he wears not his armour, although his both arms appear to be whole and sound."

"True, your treatment of him yesterday hath been sufficient to satisfy his appet.i.te for glory and revenge, such as he obtained in the lists."

Then, as mine enemy turned his head, Michael, who was now standing behind me, exclaimed, in a voice low but heavy, like the roll of distant thunder:--"The d.a.m.ned villain's head is cracked; fer look at the clout that shows beneath his cap. Sure its bad luck that the blow that did it stopped ere it rached the varmint's chin."

That evening, as we journeyed slowly and wearily back from the field that had been during the last two days the scene of so many n.o.ble feats of arms, and of which nothing now remained but the long and narrow strip of sandy ground where the sod had been removed to leave a level and firm place for the list, and the black spots to point out the places where had glowed the fires, Harleston remarked in his low and musing voice:--

"Verily, yon place doth represent the lives of men."

"How so?" I asked.

"Records of our deeds are imprinted in the sand. If a storm doth arise to-night, all the little mounds that indicate some n.o.ble courses run shall be levelled, and a traveller pa.s.sing there to-morrow will notice nothing but a barren strip, with nowhere on its face a mark to tell of glorious deeds performed."

The thought of this was sad, and yet 'twas true; as are the most of gloomy thoughts. It is for this same reason that I ever try to turn my mind's eye to the pleasures and the joys of life, the which are far from few. I therefore, on this occasion, turned from the contemplation of this dreary sight to the scene that should await me when, that evening, I would go unto the Sanctuary; for such was mine intent. I could picture, in my mind's eye, my fair Hazel waiting and watching with the agony of expectation for me; wondering if I ever should return from that sport which she so much disliked on account of its "inhumanity," as she had said.

I wondered if Harleston's mind were not drawing the same picture. Had he yet asked Mary to be his wife? I believed he had; for the day before we rode forth to the tournament, when we had visited the girls, Hazel had let drop a remark that did arouse my suspicions; and when I questioned her upon the point she laughingly informed me of the fact that I was "too inquisitive," the which I doubt not. And try as I would I could get nothing more from her. I had not liked to ask Harleston; for there seems to be a something, the name of which I know not, that ever doth keep us from mentioning this subject to one which we believe to be in love, unless they first do bring it up.

By this time we had almost reached the Palace of King Richard.

Loud cheered the people as the King rode along the crowd-lined streets and scattered gold among them with a lavish hand.

"G.o.d save King Richard!" rang out on every side.

I had as soon cried:--"G.o.d save the devil!"

The broken-headed Catesby rode beside the King. The two seemed to be conversing as we reached Crosby Place.

"Not favourable to me," said I in Harleston's ear, as I nodded in the direction of the hump-backed King and his adviser.

My friend did not reply, in words; but he shook his head in a manner which showed that he realized my danger fully.

After giving our horses to our grooms we entered the great hall, and from there--when the King had withdrawn himself--we went to mine own room.

How gloomy and lonely did it seem. Something huge, black and terrible did seem to vanish from the centre of the room, dividing into a score of parts, and each part retaining, for an instant only, a pair of fiery eyes, as the light of our lamp burst into the room, dispelling all the darkness.

Now, on this night my room seemed not the same. Ever did I expect to see some spirit of evil arise before mine eyes and stretch out its fantastic arms to seize me. A great gloom had fallen on us both.

Neither spoke for some time; and when at length I said to Harleston:--

"No longer can I bear this life; to-morrow I leave this Palace forever," mine own voice did seem to startle me; so hollow and unnatural did it sound.

Then, as if the words I had said were to be turned into a prophecy, a knock came at the door, and, upon opening, in walked Sir James Tyrrell and a half a score of men-at-arms.

"I regret, Sir Walter Bradley, that I am compelled to ask you for your sword, and to tell thee that I now arrest thee."

"Upon what charge?"

"High treason, Sir Walter."

Harleston arose and grasped my hand in a grip that could not be mistaken.

"Tell not my dear Hazel of this; that is, not at present."

"Keep up thy courage," he replied; "thou shalt not die by the hand of an executioner. I, thy friend, Harleston, have said it, and I never yet have told a lie."

I thanked him for his kind words with the pressure of my hand, and with a firm step marched from the room.

In the hall I met Michael on his way to my quarters. When he saw me he made a movement as though he thought to attack the soldiers which surrounded me.

"Farewell, Michael," I said, as a great lump arose in my throat, and I gripped his mighty hand. "Go to Sir Frederick, in my room, and in future serve him as faithfully as in the past thou hast served me."

He dropped to one knee and, though I tried to prevent him, he kissed my hand as though I were a King. Then he arose and walked slowly toward the door where Harleston stood.

As I marched on I wiped two drops of moisture from the back of my hand.

CHAPTER XXIV

IN THE TOWER

I was conducted into the Tower through the "Traitor's Gate," the which, when I pa.s.sed through, added nothing unto my lightness of spirit. As I gazed at the enormous arches, the memory of past events when, as a boy, I had heard of those which had entered this waterway with the charge of treason clinging to their names, never again to be heard of by the outside world, came to my mind with a renewed freshness and a force never to be by me forgotten, so long as mine old grey head retains its wonted reason.

But then, this was as nothing compared with the great feeling of loneliness, and crus.h.i.+ng weight of the conviction of hopelessness which settled on my heart when the door of my prison had been closed and locked, and I was left alone, but for my tormenting thoughts, within my cruel room in that Tower which rumour told had been the place of murder of our little King.

When the keepers had departed, and the sound of their clanking steps had died out, I still stood in the centre of the room, benumbed and dazed, as the full reality of my situation was gradually absorbed by my whirling mind. Then I moved, and mine armour rattled with a noise that sounded, to mine ears, as though a s.h.i.+eld had fallen from a great height and alighted on a floor of stone. I started, gasped, and my hand flew to the place where should have hung my sword. I felt my brow. It was cold and moist. I laughed at my foolishness; but the sound of mine own voice was so awful that I was as much startled as I had been by the sound of mine armour. Then I stood still and held my breath and listened, for what I know not. The stillness was so intense that it did seem to have a substance, and press into mine ears with such a force as did cause me to think that they were like to burst.