CHAPTER XXII
A MIDNIGHT ADVENTURE
Tired were we when at length night came and the first day of the great tournament was ended. 'Twas five of the clock when King Richard threw down his truncheon, and thus put an end, until the morrow, to the jousts.
My total injuries for the whole long day were a few dints in my shield and armour, and the loss of my fine plumes, which had been shorn off with a sword blow from behind, whilst I was engaged with another knight, in the battle of the six and twenty, which had been declared an even contest; though verily do I think our side had a slight advantage; for when, at last, the contest was stopped, on account of the great blood-shed caused, we still had five knights mounted, whilst our opponents had but four. True our leader had been placed hors de combat, but methinks this was more than compensated for by there being one more in the saddle on our side. However, it may have been more fair to both parties to have the decision as it was, though for my own part I had preferred to have the battle fought to a definite conclusion. Then again, the Usurper lost not any supporters by stopping the contest before either side had any decided advantage.
We had been in our tent for some time previous to the conclusion of the day's events, the last of which was more archery.
Michael, after assisting me in the removal of mine armour, asked, in that fashion that ever made it impossible for me to refuse his request:—
"Sure, yer honour, may Oi agin crave yer honour's pardon fer axin' ye, sor, to be absent a short toime, whoilst Oi agin look after thim ould ladies yonder. Sure ye know, sor, Oi'd not be botherin' loike, if Oi wasn't so bound by moy falein's to look after thim in the crowd."
"Yes, Michael, thou mayest go; but tarry not after thou hast taken them safely from the field."
"Uh! sure, sor, Oi fale loike a thafe fer so botherin' yer honour with ivir wantin' somethin'. Thank ye sor. Oi'll be back the minute that Oi takes thim out o' danger," and with a respectful salute he vanished.
We were at our supper when Michael returned, completely out of breath, as though he had travelled far at no slow pace.
"What in the devil's name hast thou been doing unto thyself?" I asked in surprise.
"Runnin', sor," he gasped.
"Short and definite, as well as evident," said I. "But for why didst thou come in such haste?"
"Uh! sure, yer honour, as Oi was returning after takin' the ould ladies to a place o' safety, and as Oi came in soight o' yer honour's tint, uh! sure if Oi didn't behould a damned varmint o' a raven a floyin' in circles ouver this viry tint. Sure, sor, it's an ill day fer poor Moichael when Oi have the misfortune to have to till moy master o' sich bad luck," and he wrung his enormous hands in pure agony of spirit.
"Nay, my faithful friend, feel thankful rather that thou wert permitted to see, and thus inform me of the ill-omened bird's presence, in which the Royal Arthur now flies on wings of Hell's own darkness o'er this fair land, employed as he is in the worthy mission of warning those which danger threatens, and thus giving them some time to be employed in guarding against the trouble."
"But did it alight upon the tent, or merely circle overhead?" asked Harleston.
"Nay, sor; it was about to aloight, and had its avil bake agap to utter some foul curse whin, at moy full spade, Oi rushed, with wavin' o' moy arms in its doirection.
"I thank thee truly, Michael, for thy timely aid; for since it alighted not, the danger is less great."
"True then was what the Frenchman told us of thy danger," said my friend, speaking most serious. "Come, think again, Walter, and resolve to leave the court at once. The Lady Hazel shall be protected from thine enemy so long as Frederick Harleston hath a sword to swing in her defense. Besides this," he added, "I can contrive to have her leave the Sanctuary in safety, and go to thee, when thou hast found some fit abode for both. Thou canst not here avoid the danger that doth threaten thee; and if thou dost fall a victim to Catesby's vengeance, bethink thee of the fate that shall then be her's. Let thy love for thy promised wife o'er-rule thy pride, and resort to flight, where it is to thy profit."
"Ah! my friend, it is a bitter draught to swallow, my flying from mine enemy."
"Yes, Walter; but remember that one might better fight a giant, which is armoured cap-à-pie, holding in his hand a sword of ponderous weight, with edge as sharp as is thy razors, than match thy strength against a child, which holds in its puny grasp the seal of power."
I could not help but admit the truthfulness of this statement; but still I did not relish the idea of fleeing like a hunted animal. I therefore replied:—
"Well, Frederick, I promise thee to consider and debate within my mind on what thou hast said. In the morning I will tell thee which hath conquered, my pride or better reason."
So, wearily throwing ourselves upon the cloaks stretched on the ground, we soon thought not of danger.
"Ha! thou bloody varmint! Mither-o'-Gawd! ye murtherin' baste!"—A scuffle, "Thou wouldst scratch? Thare, damn ye, take that!"—A heavy blow that sounded like unto when one doth strike, with his clenched fist, his armoured thigh,—a heavy, clattering fall,—more swearing from Michael.
"Ha, thou bloody varmint."
These were the confusing and unusual sounds that caused me to awaken with a start, and in my half dazed state to grasp my sword and shield, as though by instinct.
"Anither mouve out o' ye and ye'll have moure than a browken arm to carry to Hill along with yer bloody soul, if thou hast wan, thou damned, snakein' dawg," again growled Michael, as he stood and shook his enormous fist over a prostrate form, lying betwixt the door and me, from which came groans of agony.
"What is it, Michael?" asked Harleston and I, both in the same words, as we sprang to our feet and stood before the enraged squire.
"Sure, yer honours, its some koind o' baste that useth a dagger with too great a fradom.
"Loy quoite, ye spalpeen, or Oi'll tramp the dawg's loife out o' ye with the hale o' moy boot!"
"Open still further the flap of the tent," I commanded Michael. Then, speaking to the prostrate form upon the ground, I said:—
"Arise sirrah, and tell us truthfully what is thy name, and what thy business here at this unseemly hour."
He slowly rose. Then, as Michael opened wider the tent door, the bright moon's rays fell on the shining blade of a dagger lying at my feet.
"What means this dagger, sirrah?" and I stooped to pick it up.
"Hold! Beware there, Michael!" cried Harleston, as he dashed after the stranger, which had taken advantage of my stooping, to attempt to make good his escape.
Michael, who was outside of the tent, making fast the flap, sprang after the fugitive with the speed of a horse. Almost he had the knave by the collar when, as fortune would have it, his foot caught upon one of the cords which served in securing the tent from being blown to the ground, and fell headlong upon his face, with as great a noise as that made by a falling tree. Harleston, at the same instant, dashed at full speed from the tent and, tripping on the fallen Michael, fell with his full weight upon my squire, thereby adding nothing to that angry person's comfort.
"Uh!" said Michael, "this is that damned raven's work. 'Tis useless; the varmint must escape; all Hill is with him."
I heard no more; but, leaving Harleston and Michael to regain their feet, I hastened in pursuit of the owner of the dagger. He was at that moment disappearing among the scores of tents with which this part of the field was filled. I pursued him until I realized how impossible it was to here find anyone desirous of escaping capture, and then giving up the attempt I returned to my own tent.
Michael was still swearing, and cursing the raven for the luck that it had brought unto us.
"Hill! Whoy didn't Oi brake the varmint's skull, instid o' his arm? Thin the charm had bin browken. Now Gawd knows what'll be the nixt to curse us."
"Come, Michael," said Frederick, "no one is to blame for his escape. Thou didst do right nobly in the saving of our lives from being taken by the dagger of an assassin."
"But tell us," said I, "how thou didst learn of his presence here, and what he was doing when thou didst attack him."
"Will, sor, it was loike this:—Oi was awakened by some wan astippin' ouver moy chist, as though he feared to disturb me. At first, sor, Oi thought it must be ather thee or Sor Fridrick. Thin, thinks Oi to moysilf, what in the divil's name doth make Sor Walter or Sor Fridrick walk so cautious loike? He jist takes a stip in the doiriction o' thee, sor, and thin he stops and waits, whoilst wan moight count a score, as though he was alistenin' fer somethin'. 'Tis moighty strange that ather wan o' yer honours would go on loike that in yer own tint, sez Oi, to moysilf. This koind o' made me curious loike, so Oi jist sits up and watches him. Thin, Mither-o'-Gawd, sor! the blissid moon shines on a dagger in the varmint's hand. Thin, sor, Oi pounces upon him, and the varmint troid to stab me with his damned dagger. This made me lose moy timper, loike; so Oi jist gives him a rap on the arm, and sure, sor, the thing snapped loike a rotten branch astickin' from out the soide o' a dead tree. Thin, sor, Oi lays him down, akoind o' rough loike, and he thought he'd bitter stay thare. Jist at that toime yer honours wakened up, and ye know the rist as will, or bitter, than Oi do."
"Ah! Michael, my faithful friend, what should I do without thee? Thou hast saved my life, this night, and repaying that is beyond my power; unless thou art ever threatened, when I would save thee and risk mine own life, as thou hast done for me."
"Uh! sure, yer honour, dount talk loike that; Oi have no moure than done moy dooty. Sure it's ashamed o' moysilf Oi should be if Oi didn't crush a snakein' varmint loike that, whin he comes acrawlin' into moy master's tint, and roight ouver me, as though I wasn't thare to guard the door."
I could not help but laugh at the easy way in which Michael turned all the credit from himself. I grasped his hand, and slapped him on his huge shoulder. 'Twas useless to say anything more; and indeed my heart took all my speech away.
For this Michael seemed thankful. He betook himself to his position, across the opening of the tent, and, stretching himself at his ease, he soon forgot the part he had played in that night's almost tragedy.
However, Frederick and I sat up and conversed in low tones for some time after Michael had entered that happy land of oblivion, where troubles or plots—except sometimes those that have no reality—intrude not.
"Was it Catesby, thinkest thou?" asked Harleston. "The person was about his stature; and he spoke not even when his arm was broken; a circumstance that points to his fear of his voice being known unto us."
"Verily it was Catesby," I replied. "What other man is there upon this field would attempt such an act? Besides, he alone hath an interest in my death.
"Ah! Catesby," said I, betwixt my clenched teeth, "some day we shall meet again, where there shall be no rules of tourney to put a stop to my revenge.
"Tell me, Frederick, why it is that such scoundrels are permitted to have such positions of authority? Why doth the Ruler of Heaven and Earth permit it? Tell me, for I feign would know."
"My dear Walter," he replied, in that gentle, reasoning way, "thou dost not observe the laws of nature, or thou shouldst not have asked that question.
"The brightest flowers in the stagnant pond of life do rise to the surface with their worthy blooms."
"Surely thou dost not put Richard and Catesby in that class?"
"Nay, nay," he replied, "do but let me finish.
"True, the flowers do come unto the surface," he continued; "but ever remember, Walter, that they must first make their way through the green and evil-smelling scum that also floats on top. The beauteous blossom is made stronger and more large by reason of its stinking opposition. Such is life in all its forms, and such shall it ever be.
"But come," said he, changing from his philosophical to his practical style of conversation, "does not this night's work make clear to thee thy danger? Surely thou wilt not longer hesitate?"
"Verily, I have decided," I replied.
"That is the part of wisdom."
"Do but wait until I have finished; as thou but now saidst to me."
"I do," he smiled.
"Yes, Harleston, I am fully resolved,—to fly not."
"What?"
"Before this incident of the night did happen 'tis possible I might have decided to follow thine advice, the which is no doubt the properest and most reasonable course. But sith Master Catesby hath attempted to play the part of an assassin I am determined to remain and show to his coward's face that Walter Bradley fears him not. Let him do his worst. In London I remain until the Earl of Richmond lands."
"Oh, Bradley, Bradley, that hot head of thine will never be content until it has been severed from its trunk. And yet," he continued thoughtfully, "thou hast most excellent reason, if it were not for thine accursed temper. Well, well, I know that it is now useless to attempt to change thee. The next best thing to do is to try and save thee, after thou art in his power. 'Tis a difficult task; but it's all that your friends can do for thee."
"What dost thou think his next move will be?"
"He will not use the dagger, after to-night's failure," replied Frederick; "and besides, he hath a broken arm if it were he which visited us."
"Thou meanest that his next attempt will be the axe of the executioner?"
"Yes."
"A pleasant prospect; but one that the loss of sleep cannot save from." So saying I stretched me upon my cloak and soon thought naught of Catesby nor his vengeance.