CHAPTER V.
"Papa has promised to come home early this evening," repeated the children to each other; "we must not begin without him. Mama, do you think he will be long?"
"No, my dears, I expect him every minute; but he may be detained by business, and you must not be disappointed if he should not come as soon as you desire."
"We will try and not complain," they answered, in a tone that showed they would be much inclined to do so if they had the trial.
"You need not frighten yourselves," said their aunt; "he is now on the stairs."
The door was quickly opened for him, and he was begged to make haste and seat himself, whilst poor baby was prohibited from paying her visit to him till they had finished.
"You are expected to commence," said Mrs. Arabin, "and to puzzle the whole party."
But papa did not consider that it was at all fair he should be directly made to task himself. He reminded them that he had never seen the game played, and promised that if their mama would begin, he would speak after her.
"I am quite ready to do so," said Mrs. Macdonald; "and my first picture will show you a little child of not more than three years of age. She is laid on a bed of sickness, and the deepest anxiety may be traced in her attendants' countenances. Whispers of fear at the consequences of her death are escaping them. The child herself, had she been capable, would have been thankful for her release: she was a queen, and even at her early age, by her marriage, the nation had decreed she should secure a sister-country's interest for her own people. Her ladies in vain exert all the means that can be thought of to restore her; she was called from earth in her pure, bright innocence."
"Was her name Anne, mama?"
"No; you are thinking of Earl Warwick's daughter, who married Prince Edward, the son of Edward the Fourth, and whose dreadful, early death you all have heard of. My little bride was a young queen of Scotland."
"Let papa guess now," said Alfred.
"Then I shall ask, was the bride the daughter of the king of Norway?"
"You are right, and must not now refuse us your history."
"I have no desire to do so; and you must all take a journey with me into Scotland, for I wish to be present at a coronation in that country; we shall find a lady asserting the right of her family to crown all the kings of the nation. She was the only representative of it then able to perform the ceremony: she places the diadem on the brow of one destined to continual struggles for liberty; his countenance bespeaks prudence, valour, and great enthusiasm."
"I think, George," remarked Mrs. Macdonald, "you have taken a scene from Scottish annals. We have at present confined ourselves to English history. You have, however, puzzled the children, I perceive."
"I did not, you must remember, hear any of your rules; but I shall expect the true answer to my account to be given in five minutes by my watch."
"Oh, mama! how cruel papa is; pray help us."
"I think your father spoke of a Countess Buchan."
Ignorance was still confessed, till a hint was given of a spider having urged the same hero in after life to persevere in toil and exertions; the riddle was now soon solved.
"I have a story," said Mary, "of a great indignity that was once offered to a royal prisoner, by the orders of the hard-hearted man who had the custody of him. His attendants had brought some water out of a dirty ditch to shave him with; the poor victim meekly submitted; the tears trickled down his cheeks, and he murmured, 'Here is clean warm water, whether you will or no.'"
The question of "Was he not a king, and born in Wales?" showed that this subject was known.
"The wicked queen, I think," said Annie, "put him into prison, and thus caused all these indignities."
"Yes; she took advantage of the naturally weak disposition of her husband. Now, Charles, you who have only returned from school to-day ought to give us a capital recital."
"I fear my historical characters are of an earlier date than yours, and are more Grecian and Roman heroes; but I will do my best. In a retired room of a castle, no longer standing, there were two people sitting together in apparent security; the lady had the air and manners of a Frenchwoman, but her expression was disagreeable, giving the idea of a cruel, deceitful person. The gentleman also had no very pleasing aspect; in the midst of their conversation a secret door is broken open, and a king, with men following him, seize and carry away the man, in spite of the female's earnest entreaties."
"Mary, Queen of Scots," ventured an undecided voice.
"No; Darnley was not a king."
"Was the lady a queen, and mother to the person who forced away her companion?"
"And I think," exclaimed another of the circle, as the truth broke upon them, "the queen begged them to have pity on the gentle Mortimer."
"Quite right," was Charles's answer; "her entreaties were, however, disregarded, for he was soon after hanged on a gibbet at Tyburn: it appears a very hard-hearted act, but I suppose the young king believed it to be the only way to render himself free from the authorities who governed his youth."
"I conclude the step was considered a politic one," added Mrs. Macdonald; "but it is always difficult to me to reconcile man's right to take away the life that we know was given for some wise purpose. Suppose we give papa hard work now we have secured him, and let him relate every story till it is time to leave off our game."
Papa in vain begged they would not be so unjust; the proposal was thought so excellent, that directly Alfred would leave off clapping his hands, he good-naturedly acquiesced:—
"A field of battle presents all the usual horrors, but in one respect has a particular that I do not think is paralleled. An aged king is to be seen in all the perils of the day; he is well mounted, and a knight rides on each side of him, leading his horse; if you examine him, you will find that he is blind, and has braved danger to assist the French. The motto on his shield was 'Ich dien,' which means, 'I serve.'"
"I am sure," said Alfred, "he was very foolish to go to battle. He could not see who would attack him, and he prevented the two knights from fighting. I do not know anything about such a silly old man."
"I am not sure when I told the story that I expected you to give me the answer, Alfred."
"Did he lose his life?" inquired Edward.
"Yes, I am sure he did," interrupted Emily; "the scene was in France, and the chief leader of the English party was a youthful prince, famed for his courage and amiable character."
"My next picture," resumed Mr. Macdonald, "shall be a crowded street, with banners flying from every window; arches of boughs and flowers, with many other signs of joy and exultation. A procession passes amidst deafening applause; the principal figures are a king, dressed in his royal robes, and mounted on a beautiful steed; the other, much younger, with an attractive expression of countenance, rides at his side on a small palfrey. The people bestow their chief attention and admiration on the latter."
"Did he not," asked the children, "once wait on this same king at his supper?"
"Yes; I see your favourite is again revealed. This was a reign full of glorious acts, but peaceful improvements were not forgotten. Windsor Castle was rebuilt and enlarged; many other restorations were executed, and much attention was paid to the laws. Ever since William the Conqueror's reign they had been in Norman-French; they were now written in English. I think I have now done my part towards this evening's amusement."
"One more story, please, dear papa."
"Indeed, uncle," said the little girl next to him, "we have time to listen to one more, if you will be so good as to tell it to us."
This last appeal could not be resisted, and the river Thames was next described:—"It has seldom presented so curious a scene as that I now relate. A king was in his royal barge, surrounded by a few of his noblemen. On the shore there are at least ten thousand of the rabble awaiting his approach; their frightful cries, when they see the vessel, so terrifies the royal party, that they turn the boat's head, and escape to the Tower."
"You have now given us a very difficult one, papa."
"I hope I have; I shall not tell you any more to-night, and you may be as long as you like asking questions."
The nurse now entered, and not liking them to keep her waiting, Mrs. Macdonald told them that Wat Tyler afterwards headed the rabble.
"Then we know the whole history, mama, and will wait for some more stories till another evening."
1. The death of the young queen of Scotland, and infant daughter of the king of Norway.
2. Coronation of Robert Bruce. A.D. 1307.
3. Edward the Second insulted by Maltravers. A.D. 1327.
4. Death of Mortimer, Earl of March. A.D. 1331.
5. The king of Bohemia at the battle of Cressy. A.D. 1345.
6. Edward the Black Prince returning in triumph to London. A.D. 1356.
7. Richard the Second meeting the insurgents at Rotherhithe. A.D. 1381.