With Ring of Shield

by Knox Magee

CHAPTER XXV

MICHAEL AND I

The key rattled in the lock, and I heard my jailer's voice:—

"This is the place. Best let me go in first; for he's as ugly as the devil, and may guzzle thee, a stranger, unless I tell him you're coming. Though methinks he'd soon drop thee, when he found the kind of game he had caught."

Then the door opened cautiously, and the straw-like head peeped fearfully around the corner. He had learned this lesson by my almost breaking his head one day when he happened to enter at a moment when my rage knew no bounds, as I thought of my wrongs, and imagined all kinds of fates for Hazel.

"Come in, and fear not, thou fool!" I said, for I liked not to behold such cowardice.

"Ha! thou hadst best keep quiet now; for here's one can master thee, big and all as thou art." And he shook his ring of enormous keys in mockery at me; however, from a safe distance.

I heard a rattle of armour, and, to my great surprise and delight, in walked Michael. I sprang to my feet and started to rush toward him; but he put his finger to his lip in warning.

The keeper who was busy with the locking of the door, turned in haste as he heard me start to my feet. Then, seeing me halt suddenly, he burst into a loud laugh.

"Ha, ha, ha!" bubbled from his frog-like throat. "Methinks that thou hast done well to stop and consider ere thou dost spring against a wall of stone. Well, upon my soul, sir, this is now my turn to laugh! Ha, ha, ha! Why dost thou stop? Why dost thou not break his head, as thou didst mine? Ha, ha, ha! Well, upon my—"

The place of the missing word was taken up in a gurgle, different however from his disgusting, coarse laugh. Michael had changed from his statue-like stolidity and, in the twinkling of an eye, the astounded keeper was dangling in the air, held at arm's length by the mighty Irishman, to whom it was no more exertion than it is to a female servant to shake, and then hurl from the door, a mischief-making cat.

"Kape still, ye varmint," growled Michael, as the struggling keeper kicked in every direction, some of his blows striking Michael on the legs.

Out flew the dagger from the keeper's belt, and with it he struck wildly at my squire's arm.

"Ha! thou scratchin' divil; why dost thou not be quoite? 'Twill do thee no good to stroike: mine arm is armoured. Uh! thou baste," he growled, as the dagger struck his bare hand. "Oi must thin finish thee." And releasing the hand that he had held at the back of the swine-like neck, and still holding the struggling keeper from the floor with the other, he struck him a blow upon the head with his clenched fist. There was a sound like that made by an egg when it is let fall upon a stone. A trembling from head to foot. The knees drew partly up, and then the legs stretched out full length, and stiff, and the keeper which had flung at me his taunts had died by the hand of my Herculean squire.

"Oh! my poor Michael, what hast thou done?" I cried. "Now thy honest life must pay for this."

"Beg pardon, sor, but playze don't spake so loud; some wan may hear us," said he, as he carried the dead jailer by the neck and laid him tenderly upon the bed.

"Oi had not mint to kill thee, thou poor fool; but Sor Fridrick tould me to make thee quoite, and, as thou wouldst scratch, I saw no other way." This to the body.

"But what means all this, Michael?" I asked, when I had done embracing him, (I could have kissed him; so glad was I to again see his honest face) at which he blushed like a maiden.

"Sure, sor, this same mysterious litter 'll till ye all, sor. Ser Fridrick found it on his table whin he returned to-noight." And then he told me, shortly, all that had happened since mine arrest.

"And hath Richmond yet landed?" I asked eagerly.

"Yis sor, Sor Fridrick tould me that he was now on his way to London. The King laves the city to-morrow, with an army, to take up his place at Leicester, as Oi think."

"Why Leicester?"

"Sor Fridrick said 'twas that he moight be near the cintre o' the country, so that his min can rache him without havin' to march far."

"That is like the tyrant, ever on the alert to take any advantage. A clever man is Richard. Such a King as he might have made, had he not been born a blood-supper."

Then I remembered the letter, and hastily I read it.

"What! is it to assist me to escape from this accursed place that thou hast come?"

"Sure, sor, fer divil a thing ilse."

The idea of such a chance had not even dawned upon my dazed brain. Remember, my dears, I had been for many long days and nights confined within a narrow room within the Tower. Ye cannot understand what that means, unless ye do go yourselves through it, the which pray God ye never may.

"But how?" I asked, as I drew the back of my hand across my brow in an effort to assist my comprehension. "It surely cannot be possible!"

"Possible or not, sor, we can do no worse than fail. But if what that strange litter sez be true we shan't fail, sor."

Then he told me where Harleston had gone to make all ready, in case we should succeed.

"What thinks Sir Frederick of this same letter?"

"Sure, sor, he knows not what to make out o' it. But sure, yer honour, so far the order hath bin all that we could wish, and if the rist o' what the writer sez be as good as has been the furst, uh! sure we'll have a good swim, and lave this damned place that gives wan the shivers to be on the insoide o'."

"It shall be difficult to swim in our armour."

"Sure it's not far, yer honour."

"Then assist me to make haste, that no time may be lost. But first tie up that scratch upon thy hand."

"Uh! sure, yer honour 'tis nothin'."

However, I bound my scarf about the hand of him I now loved so dearly, and then he assisted me to arm.

We were soon ready to start on this perilous attempt for freedom, that meant so much to me, if I should succeed, and such a calamity unto myself and another which I loved better a thousand times than I did my life, if I should fail.

I then went to the poor corpse upon the bed and detached the chain by which the ring that held his keys was suspended from his belt. I then crossed to the smoky lamp and re-read the letter with great care and attention, that its contents might be fully engraven upon my memory. I then carefully placed it within my gauntlet, and, warning Michael to leave his hands bare, that he might use them freely in quieting the soldier at the breach—in case we ever reached it—I cautiously unlocked the door. Then I opened it for a sufficient space to allow my head an exit, and fearfully I looked both ways along the corridor to make sure that no one was about. The hall was clear. I opened the door wider, and motioning Michael to follow, I stepped, as quietly as mine armour would permit, into the hall. With the quietness of a thief I re-locked the door and started on tip-toe down the passage. I had taken but a few steps, however, when Michael's hand was laid upon mine arm. I started, turned in fear, and then remembering Michael, I blushed in the darkness at my foolish, girl-like action.

"Beg pardon, sor, but dount ye think 'twould be bitter if we was to walk along as though we had the roight and didn't give a damn fer a soul o' thim?" whispered my companion.

"Well thought on, Michael," I returned, and we strode along with the apparent confidence of two keepers. Then Michael started whistling a gay Irish tune. This was more than my o'er-strained and assumed confidence could bear; so I placed my hand over his mouth and his whistling came to an abrupt end.

Then down the stairs we went until we reached the heavy door opening into the great archway through this tower. Here we paused for a moment whilst I asked Michael concerning the portcullis.

"It was up, sor, whin Oi intered."

"Then all is well. Now be careful, Michael, and watch me for any signal I may give thee; for on thee now depend our chances of success."

Then, with hands trembling with excitement, I at last found the proper key and inserted it in the lock. Then, with apparent carelessness, I flung the door wide open and strode forth, Michael following. At this very moment a soldier, as though on guard, marched with measured step along the arch-topped way. As he heard the door swing open he halted and, turning, watched us in the dim light cast by the flickering torch overhead. To hesitate for but an instant meant failure and certain death. Adopting Michael's plan I whistled softly an air that came by inspiration to my mind, and at the same time closed the door again and locked it with a great show of care. Then taking Michael by the arm I walked leisurely along, swinging the great ring of keys and whistling as I went.

Ah! my children, ye know not how trying was that indifferent walk. How sore was I tempted to break into a run, in a mad effort to leave that awful place behind me. But then, had I done so, I had not lived to see the setting of another sun. As we passed beneath the great portcullis I glanced back to where we had left the sentry. He was still standing beneath the light and gazing after us. No doubt he wondered who we were; but my apparent confidence and ease of manner re-assured him; for as we turned to our left to pass the round tower which adjoins the one in which I had been confined, he shouldered his pole-axe and resumed his lonely tramp.

"Two difficulties safely past," I whispered. "Now, Michael, have a great care and let not the soldier at the breach make the faintest sound."

"Oi'll do moy bist, sor," and I felt sure he would. Then we came to the short inner wall that runneth from the tower of St. Thomas back unto the square tower that we had just left.

As is ever the case, when one is in great haste, I tried every key but one depending from the ring, and still the great gate remained closed, none of them mating the lock. When I came to this last key a sudden horror came over me as I thought of the possibility of the whole affair being a trap to raise my hopes in the belief that I was about to escape, and then to have them hurled to the ground with shattering force. My life depended on this key. Would it turn back the bars and give me freedom and life, or would it, like the others, mock with its silent contempt my anxiety? How I longed to know my fate, and yet dreaded the test, lest I should fail. My hand shook as with palsy, and made it well nigh impossible for me to insert the key. Then 'twas in the lock; and still I did not turn it.

Verily, I have faced the deadly cannon, oft, and yet have felt no anxiety nor fear. But now, as I stood before that heavy gate, with the key already in the lock, requiring but a turn—that is if it did work—to set me at least nearer unto liberty, my courage did forsake me, and I really feared to turn the key.

Some there are, I know, who will say it was unmanly in me to thus hesitate. Mine answer, in advance, is:—Let them but place themselves in the same position and see then how they will act. It requires but little courage to tell what one would do; but it is different when one doth face the reality and not the argument.

At length, with a mighty effort, such as a man doth make when heaving with his shoulder in an attempt to move a mighty boulder, I summoned up all my strength of spirit, and exerted pressure on the key. Thank Heaven, it turned! I would have cheered with delight had not the plain warning of the letter remained fresh in my mind. Softly we swung the gate open and passed beneath the arch. I was about to push on and leave the gate open behind, but Michael, who seemed less disturbed than was I—but then he had not been confined within the Tower for long weeks—whispered:—

"Beg pardon, sor, but dount ye think 'twould be safer to lock the gate agin? They moight follow loike."

With great care I closed and locked the gate. Then, stealing slowly, as doth the fox, along the wall, we in time reached the shadow of St. Thomas tower. It was so dark here that I could scarce see Michael; for now 'twas past the hour of midnight, and the young moon had grown weary and was sinking her head upon the lap of earth, casting long, black shadows as she sank into her sleep.

How I cursed my creaking, yet necessary, armour as I stole along.

Then my heart beat so loudly that I thought the sentry near which we were now drawing must hear it and break forth with his loud, disturbing challenge. Back and forth he paced with weary, clanking steps, unconscious of the two dark forms working their way slowly, and well nigh breathlessly, towards him. Now we were pressing against the wall, as he halted almost within arm's length before us. Verily, his eyes must have been closed in partial sleep, or he had seen us. Then he tramped round, as though he had been fastened to a cord which permitted him to go but to its length and then warned him to return.

At that moment I attempted to draw back still further. My spur struck the wall with a sharp click, and this did cause me to lose my balance, and mine armoured shoulders clanked against the stones.

The soldier turned like a flash of light, and brought his axe from shoulder unto thigh. He was about to challenge when Michael, forcing the axe's point above his head, clapped his mighty hand over the surprised sentry's mouth, permitting no sound to escape.

I seized the axe, lest it should fall and rouse the guard.

"Be quoiet, thou fool, and no harm 'll come unto thee," whispered Michael in the fellow's ear, as he held him firmly to the ground.

With haste I searched me for my scarf.

"It's here, sor, about moy hand; jist untoie it, playze sor. Sure a little blood 'll do thee no harm. Thou shouldst thank the Lord that it isn't thoine own." This to the sentry.

When he had been made fast at both hands and feet, the which we bound with his belt, after cutting the leather into two strings, and when he had been securely gagged with the scarf, we carried him and placed him close to the wall, and then I warned him.

"Now, sirrah, if thou dost lie still and make no attempt to free thyself, or to attract attention, thou shalt not be mistreated. But, by all the fiends, if thou dost make a movement thou shalt be ripped from ear to ear, and then thrown into the moat. We shall be near at hand, and any sound from thee must reach us."

Then we proceeded to the breach with less care than we had hitherto used. Here the wall was torn away until but a foot in height remained. The artisan's tools were laid upon this low wall, and were well nigh the cause of our ruin; for just as I made a move to cross the breach my foot struck upon the pile of tools and almost caused them all to fall into the moat. Carefully we removed them from our way, and then we descended into the water.

I had never before attempted to swim while dressed in a complete suit of heavy armour; and much therefore did I doubt mine ability to do so now.

"Didst thou ever swim across water, whilst dressed in thine armour?" I asked of Michael.

"Divil a toime, yer honour."

"It will be difficult, Michael, and I may be compelled to ask thee to lend me a hand."

"All roight, yer honour." And we set out.

I had not overestimated the difficulty of our task, and ere we reached the outer wall I was glad to place my hand upon Michael's great shoulder to keep from sinking.

At length we reached the other side and, still struggling to keep our heads above the surface, we commenced to feel along the wall for the ladder mentioned in the letter.

"What if it should not be here?" I asked myself. Truly it should be a grand device for luring me unto my death; for it had been impossible for me to again cross the moat, so exhausted was I by the great exertion. Even the mighty giant by my side was breathing in great gasps, as though his Herculean strength were ebbing fast. Mine arms had now become so weak that I could scarce lift them above the surface for an instant that I might feel for the ladder.

"Here—sor," gasped my faithful squire, as he grasped me by the arm and drew me to him. "Oi—have it—at last—yer honour. The saints—be praised."

Yes, there it was, and how welcome did it feel to my trembling hand.

We remained thus, with our heads only above the water, for some moments, until we regained a part of our breaths.

I mounted the ladder first and climbed wearily to the top. Verily, never in all my life have I felt my body to be of such prodigious weight. Ah! I was on the top; and there I sat whilst Michael's enormous form came dripping out of the water below and wearily climbed the ladder.

"I climbed wearily to the top."

"Mither-o'-Gawd! Oi fale loike a damned drowned rat." And indeed I felt as though the simile applied unto me most thoroughly.

Then we drew up the ropes and, unfastening the hooks, we reversed them and let down the ladder on the other side. Down this we went, and, thank Heaven, we were free from that great, black, menacing congregation of cold, cruel towers and walls.

I felt like a soul but new granted its release from the torturous fires of purgatory must feel as he looks back, with hunted, awe-struck eyes, at the place of his late confinement, and sighs with thankfulness for his freedom; yet shudders in fear that this liberty is but a dream from which he shall soon awaken to find himself again within the gates of agony.

Then we hastened on with soggy steps, making as wide an arch as the river would permit, that we might pass as far as possible from the Tower of St. Thomas.

We at length reached the place where Michael had left the horses. They were tethered in a shed attached to a vacant house not far from the walls of the Tower, and on the western side.

The sword that Michael had brought for my use was hanging from the lance-rest of the saddle. Hastily buckling it on I felt once more a man and knight. Then, mounting our horses, we rode forth into the night, and, at no slow pace, started by the nearest way on our journey to the Sanctuary.