Читать книгу With Ring of Shield - Knox Magee - Страница 6

The next morning after Harleston had come unto my rooms I called at his apartments to see how he did like the way that he had been placed. I found him in the act of completing his toilet, and therefore, as he had not broken his fast, I invited him to come and breakfast with me; which invitation he did readily accept.

During our meal he asked me many questions as to the manner in which people conducted themselves at court, to which questions I gave him very complete answers, so that he might be able to manage without any breach of etiquette, which thing to do, at Edward's court, was not so easy as one might imagine.

"Now, in regard to your ladies," said he, "do they insist upon being worshiped, as do the ones of France, or are they cold and chilling, as are the fogs of mine almost forgotten native land?"

"Thou shalt have an opportunity for the satisfying of thyself as to that same, to-day; for I am about to take thee with me to see two of England's fairest primroses; the one, my cousin, Lady Mary Atherby, to whose tender care I will leave thee, and the other, Lady Hazel Woodville, to whose mercy I do entrust my soul—if she be pleased to take the present at my hands."

"Do these ladies live at court?"

"Yes," I replied. "They are both ladies-in-waiting to the Queen. And now, having done all the damage we can to the present repast, what dost thou say to a stroll through the park, where we are like to meet the ladies, and there satisfy thy curiosity as to their dispositions?"

"With all my heart," said he. "I have never been known to be elsewhere than in the front rank in such an attack, though ever do I meet with a repulse."

We then strolled forth into the park, and wandered through the walks, among the grand old trees, for some time, without meeting anyone.

"I fear that we are not destined to fall in with the enemy," said Harleston, after we had walked in silence for some time.

"Fear not," I replied; "we shall soon commence the encounter; for there, unless mine eyes do deceive me, is the first sign of danger."

"Thou meanest that fair outpost yonder, where those two oaks do meet above the path?"

"The same," I replied; "but it now looketh as though there are others there before us."

While this conversation was going on we had gradually approached a bench, placed behind a clump of bushes, through which we saw some fair, fresh, faces, watching our approach. Upon the bench, and talking with the girls, were two men, in which, as we drew closer, I recognized the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Buckingham. Richard was dressed—as was his wont—in the extreme of fashion and in the richest of materials. Buckingham, though not so showily attired, was magnificently dressed in black, figured velvet, with dark maroon facings.

After saluting the Prince, the ladies, and Buckingham, I introduced my new friend to them all. I then said unto his Royal Highness—"Sir Frederick, here, hath but yesterday been made a brother officer, by his Majesty."

"Yes," said Harleston, "the King did command me to report to your Royal Highness for service with thee in your expedition into Scotland."

"Much am I joyed, Sir Frederick, to have thy noble assistance in our chastisement of the insolent Scot: for England can ill afford to spare any brave knight from her expeditions, now that they have become so thinned out by our late, unhappy wars," said the Prince, with that heartiness he so well could use, and of which he knew the power.

"But let me warn ye both," he continued, with a mock gravity and a quick glance at the maidens, "that ye shall have short time in which to enjoy the pleasures of the court; for we march next week. Therefore make the most of your opportunities."

Buckingham, who ever smiled, but said little, though he was no mean orator, merely agreed with the Prince's remark, and with a pleasant bow they left us, the limping Prince leaning on the arm of Buckingham.

"Thank God!" I cried, with a sigh, when the two were out of earshot.

"Is he not most disrespectful?" laughed Hazel, as she turned to Harleston.

"Nay, of that I cannot judge, fair lady," replied he, with a smile. "The customs of the court I have yet before me to master. 'Tis possible that ere I have been here a week I will commend Sir Walter's act."

"Indeed thou shalt," cried both of the girls at once.

"Oh! those two are simply unbearable," said Hazel with a force that left no doubt as to her opinion. But then she hath ever been one which feared not to express her dislikes, and they are ever as passionate as are her likes.

"And so, Sir Frederick, thou hast come all the way from France merely for the pleasure of marching off to battle and slaughtering poor Scotchmen, or of being killed thyself?" said gentle cousin Mary. "Alas, when will ever you men learn that there are other things to live for, in which there is more glory, far, than in the cruel wars and slaughters."

Both Hazel and I did laugh at the little maid for the solemn way in which she said this; but Harleston did not smile, and on the contrary listened with attention. Mary without noticing us continued—"Look at Lord Rivers and behold what he hath accomplished: introduced printing, and by that one act hath done more real good for England than if he had won the greatest of all battles."

"I quite agree with thee, Lady Mary," Sir Frederick replied; "but battles are also necessary, in order that our homes and country may be protected, and that we may be permitted to enjoy those luxuries such as is the one which Lord Rivers hath taken the pains to introduce."

"Mayhap thou art right; I never looked at it in that way before; but still I do not like them," said Mary, wrinkling her little forehead, and shaking her pretty head in the most bewitching way, and causing some little golden curls to dance and lightly kiss her cheeks. I could tell by the look on Harleston's face, that he did envy those curls their position. And who would not? Had ye but seen Mary at that time, ye should have been changed from freemen into Mary's slave, and that quite freely, that is, had the Lady Hazel not been there: for had she been ye would love the one on which your eyes first fell.

Whilst the afore-put-down conversation was taking place we had been walking slowly through the park; and now Hazel and I began, gradually, to drop behind. Of course we had naught whatever to do with this; it must have been that Harleston and Mary did quicken their pace.

"What dost thou think of my new friend?" I asked, when they were out of ear-shot.

"Quite an acquisition to the court," Hazel replied. "Indeed 'tis time we had another handsome gentleman at court," (here my chest did begin to swell, and at least two inches were added unto my stature, which did not need it;) "besides the King," she added.

Since that day I have had the greatest sympathy with Lucifer. Verily, I never fell from such a height before, nor since. I have been thrown from my horse in battle, and had hundreds ride over me, yet have I felt better than I did that morning in the park. I stopped and stared at her, with my mouth open, like a bumpkin gazing at an army passing.

Now at that time (and I say it without conceit) there were few men at court who would not have been glad to change their looks with Walter Bradley; therefore the blow did fall with more stunning force. When I had somewhat recovered myself, I walked on, wishing every woman at the bottom of the sea, and swearing revenge on her, which was now walking by my side; yet cursing myself, silently, for having made a fool of myself by showing my surprise. Hazel, instead of laughing, which would have made me feel better, wore the most innocent look that it is possible to imagine: yet methought the look was overdone. However, I was now determined not to show my disappointment any more; so I continued the conversation, using the same subject.

"I do not believe Harleston need fear the Scottish arrows; for, unless I be a false prophet, he will leave the most vital part of his body, namely, the heart, here at Windsor. And yet," I continued, becoming bolder, and heaving a heavy sigh, "he shall not be the only one to do so."

"No," she replied; "the Duke of Gloucester said he was leaving his heart here."

"To whom said he that?" cried I, for the one danger of this accursed court life was the chance of men in high places casting a jealous eye on the maidens of the court.

"I heard him tell the Queen that he would leave his heart with the King and his family," answered Hazel, and she laughed at my apprehension of the danger which I thought threatened her.

"Why dost thou like to torment me so?" I asked.

"Because thou art so easily teased."

Why, oh why, did the Creator arm these fair creatures with such a power to make us happy or miserable, good or bad, send us to Heaven or to Hell, make us sensible men or the veriest of fools as best doth please their whims?

"But look, here cometh the Queen," said my fair companion. "I fear I shall get a scolding for leaving her, to walk with thee."

"Tell her that the Duke of Gloucester kept thee talking with him, the which is the truth," I said.

But when we met her Majesty, who was walking with her daughters and some others of her suite, she most kindly did receive us, and no thoughts of scolding were in her gracious mind. When we had spoken for some time, the Queen enquired as to where Mary was.

"She came on ahead of us, your Majesty," replied I, "and I had surely thought that thou must have met her."

"Do thou go, Hazel dear, and when thou hast found her, tell her that I wish to speak to her."

Hazel courtesied, I bowed, and we passed on, searching for Mary and Harleston.

"The Queen is the best mistress that any servant could wish for," said Hazel, when we had gone a few paces. "She is never angry, and so kind; she treats both Mary and me as though we were her own daughters."

I did not wonder that the Queen did use them both go well; for who could help loving either of those dear, dainty maidens?

We had not gone far ere we met Mary and Harleston returning.

"They seem to be getting on famously," observed Hazel; "for they are so preoccupied that they do not see us coming."

When they came near, Mary, who had evidently been listening with great attention to something that Harleston was telling to her, burst forth into her rippling, childlike laugh. Then, as she caught sight of us, she stopped suddenly and said:—

"Oh, here they come now!" Then, as we met them:—"We thought that ye must have turned back; so we were just coming to search for you."

"And what has Sir Frederick been telling thee that was so amusing?" I asked.

"Oh!" replied Harleston, "the Lady Mary hath been completing mine education, which thou, Sir Walter, didst start last night, and then I, in order to, in some small way, repay part of the debt, was telling her some of the stories that I had heard in France, where indeed they are most expert in story-telling, though not so accomplished with regard to the truth."

Here Hazel delivered the Queen's message, and we all started back to the Palace, laughing and chattering, like nothing more than school children. Upon reaching the castle I found some orders from Duke Richard, the fulfillment of which did keep me busy for the remainder of the day.

The next few days, Harleston and I spent in making ready for the march; so we did not see much of the ladies. However, the morning before we left Windsor, we met them in the park, whither we had gone in search of them. When they beheld us, they came forward to meet us, and methought that Hazel did not look as happy as was her wont; but it may have been that I was hoping to see her look sorrowful, and therefore, I did imagine it.

"We have come to receive the benediction," said Sir Frederick.

"And also a charm that will give unto us both charmed lives," I laughingly put in.

"Indeed thou needst not to laugh, Walter," said Mary, solemnly, and with reproof in her tone and manner. "I know that thou dost not believe in such things, and therefore they are worthless to thee; for in order to be protected by these mysterious benefactors, one must have unquestioned faith in their ability to protect. Now, Sir Frederick," she continued, with a slight hesitation, "if thou art not so skeptical as Walter there, and if thou wilt promise to keep it safe, and not to lose it, I will lend thee a charm that will indeed protect thee from all harm. I always have it with me, and nothing hath ever harmed me."

"'Twould truly be a fiendish fate which could send harm unto one so fair," said he. Then, as she did hand unto him, the charm (which was a scarf of scarlet silk, and had been given to her by her father, who had obtained it from a Turk,) he thanked her, and placing his hand over his heart, he swore to protect it as he would his life, and never to permit a thought of doubt, as to its ability to protect, to cross his mind.

"Wilt thou not give unto me a charm that I may take with me, Lady Hazel?" I asked, coaxingly, when we had gone some little way.

"Thou dost not believe in them, and therefore, as Mary doth say, it would do thee no good," she replied, with a toss of her pretty head, as much as to say, "Now, thou wouldst be skeptical."

"Do but give it me, and I do hereby swear to trust in it, and no doubt as to its virtues shall ever cross my mind; yes, this do I swear by all the saints of paradise." Now this did I consider an exceeding fine speech, and therefore I was not prepared for the reception that it did receive, which was a burst of laughter, and clapping of the hands from Hazel.

"Excellent! excellent!" laughed she; "Oh, Sir Walter, thou hast missed thy calling; thou wouldst have made such a splendid priest; thou saidst those words with such a religious tone, and looked so saintly." Then, as I showed my disappointment and annoyance, "Come, come," she added, "do not sulk; here is my glove, which I do now command to protect thee through all the dangers of this war. Now, am I not kind to thee?"

I nearly went wild with delight. I kissed that glove so fondly that Hazel had to warn me not to eat it, as it would not protect me if I did. And then I said a lot of things which all my male readers either have said or are only awaiting an opportunity to say. Presently I was interrupted in my avowals by coming suddenly upon Harleston and Mary, who were sitting on a bench beside the path.

"Is Sir Frederick telling thee some more stories, Mary?" asked Hazel, when we saw them.

"Not the kind I heard Walter telling thee, just now," replied Mary, as she looked at me, with a wicked little smile playing over her fair features. Then, as I reddened to the ears, both Harleston and Mary burst out a-laughing, and I, after stammering out some explanation about some messages I was leaving with Hazel, to deliver to the Queen,—which set them laughing louder than ever, thought it best to keep quiet.

However, as we were bidding good-by to the girls, Hazel said something that made me to forget mine embarrassment. It was just as we were leaving them that she called me back and said, as she kept her eyes staring fixedly at the ground:—"Remember, Walter, I think a great deal of that same glove, and do not want any harm to come to it; therefore try and keep it out of danger."

"Oh, fear not; I now do know that I shall return again." And ere she could prevent me I seized her hand and kissed it.

I went back to my rooms with my toes scarce touching the ground.

Our time was now but short; and soon we did mount our horses and set out in the train of the Duke of Gloucester, on our march to Scotland, and had soon left the castle behind.

However, so long as we could see the left wing, we watched two scarfs waving, to which we waved our lances in return.

And so we rode off to the wars.