Mistress Nell Part 37

Moll did not wait to be asked.

"Not one visitor to-night," she a.s.serted promptly.

"Odso!" cried Charles, in a mocking tone. "Whence came the Jack at the window--the brave young challenger--'Would ye raise honest men from their beds at such an hour?'"

A burst of laughter followed the King's grave imitation of the window-boaster.

"Sire!" sighed Rochester, in like spirit. "'Do you think this a vintner's? There are no topers here.'"

Another burst of merry laughter greeted the speaker, as he punctuated his words by catching up the wine-cups from the table and clinking them gaily.

Nell's face was as solemn as a funeral.

"To your knees, minx," commanded James, grimly, "and crave mercy of your prince."

"Faith and troth," pleaded Nell, seriously, "'t was I myself with helmet and mantle on. You see, Sire, my menials were guests at Portsmouth's ball--to lend respectability."

"Saucy wag," cried the Merry Monarch. "A ball?--A battle--which would have killed thee straight!"

"It had liked to," reflected Nell, as she tartly replied: "A war of the s.e.x without me? It was stupid, then. The d.u.c.h.ess missed me, I trow."

"Never fear," answered Charles, with difficulty suppressing his mirth; "you were bravely championed."

"I am sure of that," said Nell, slyly; "my King was there."

"And a bantam c.o.c.k," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Charles, sarcastically, "upon whose lips 'Nell' hung familiarly."

"Some strange gallant," cried Nell, in ecstasy, "took my part before them all? Who was he, Sire? Don't tantalize me so."

She smiled, half serious, half humorous, as she pleaded in her charming way.

"A chip from the Blarney Stone," observed the King at length, ironically, "surnamed Adair!"

"Adair! Adair!" cried Nell, to the astonishment of all. "We spent our youth together. I see him in my mind's eye, Sire, throw down the gauntlet in Nell's name and defy the world for her. Fill the cups. We'll drink to my new-found hero! Fill! Fill! To Beau Adair, as you love me, gallants! Long life to Adair!"

The cups were filled to overflowing and trembled on eager lips in response to the hostess's merry toast.

"Stay!" commanded the King, in peremptory tones. "Not a drop to a coward!"

"A coward!" cried Nell, aghast. "Adair a coward? I'll never credit it, Sire!"

She turned away, lest she reveal her merriment, as she bethought her: "He is trembling in my boots now. I can feel him shake."

"Our pledge is Nell, Nell only!" exclaimed the King, his cup high in air.

With one accord, the gallants eagerly took up the royal pledge. "Aye, aye, Nell!" "Nell!" "We'll drink to Nell!"

"You do me honour, royal gentlemen," bowed Nell, well pleased at the King's toast.

She had scarce touched the cup to her lips, however, with a mental chuckle, "Poor Adair! Here's a health to the inner man!" when her eye fell upon one of Adair's gray boots, which Moll had failed to hide, in her excitement, now revealing itself quite plainly in the light of the many candles. She caught it adroitly on the tip of her toe and sent it whizzing through the air in the direction of poor Moll, who, fortunately, caught it in midair and hid it quickly beneath her ap.r.o.n.

The King turned at the sound; but Nell's face was as woefully unconcerned as a church-warden's at his hundredth burial.

The wine added further zest to the merry-making and the desire for sport.

"Now, fair huswife," continued Charles, his thoughts reverting to Adair, "set forth the dish, that we may carve it to our liking. 'Tis a dainty bit,--lace, velvet and ruffles."

"Heyday, Sire," responded Nell, evasively, "the larder's empty."

"Devil on't," cried Charles, ferociously; "no mincing, wench. In the confusion of the ball, the bird escaped my guard by magic. We know whither the flight."

The King a.s.sumed a knowing look.

"Escaped the guard?" gasped Nell, in great surprise. "Alas, I trow some petticoat has hid him then."

"I'll stake my life upon't," observed James, who had not been heard from in some time but who had been observing the scene with decorous dignity.

"Sire, you would not injure Adair," pleaded Nell, now alert, with all her arts of fascination. "You are too generous. Blue eyes of heaven, and such a smile! Did you mark that young Irishman's smile, Sire?"

Her impudence was so bewitching that the King scarce knew whether it were jest or earnest. He sprang to his feet from the couch, where he had thrown himself after the toast to Nell, and, with some forcefulness, exclaimed:

"Odsfish, this to my teeth, rogue! Guard the doors, gallants; we'd gaze upon this paragon."

"And set him pirouetting, Sire," sardonically suggested James.

"Yea, to the tune of these fiddle-sticks," laughed Charles, as he unsheathed his rapier. "Search from tile to rafter."

"Aye, aye," echoed the omnipresent Rochester, "from cellar to garret."

Before, however, the command could be obeyed, even in resolution, Nell moved uneasily to a curtain which hung in the corner of the room and placed herself before it, as if to s.h.i.+eld a hidden man.

"Sire," she pleaded fearfully, "spare him, Sire; for my sake, Sire. He is not to blame for loving me. He cannot help it. You know that, Sire!"

"Can he really be here?" muttered Charles, with clouding visage. "Saucy wench! Hey! My blood is charging full-tilt through my veins. Odsfish, we'll try his mettle once again."

"Prythee, Sire," begged Nell, "he is too n.o.ble and brave and handsome to die. I love his very image."

"Oh, ho!" cried Charles. "A silken blind for the silken bird! Hey, St.

George for merry England! Come forth, thou picture of cowardice, thou vile slanderer."

He grasped Nell by the wrist and fairly dragged her across the room.

Then, rus.h.i.+ng to the curtain, he seized its silken folds and tore it completely from its hangings--only to face himself in a large mirror.

"Ods-pitikins, my own reflection!" he exclaimed, with menacing tone, though there was relief as well in his voice. He bent the point of his blade against the floor, gazed at himself in the pier-gla.s.s and looked over his shoulder at Nell, who stood in the midst of his courtiers, splitting her sides with laughter, undignified but honest.

"Rogue, rogue," he cried, "I should turn the point on thee for this trick; but England would be worse than a Puritan funeral with no Nell.

Thou shalt suffer anon."

"I defy thee, Sire, and all thy imps of Satan," laughed the vixen, as she watched the King sheathe his jewelled sword. "Cast Nell in the blackest dungeon, Adair is her fellow-prisoner; outlaw Nell, Adair is her brother outlaw; off with Nell's head, off rolls Adair's. Who else can boast so true a love!"