'"To be sure? He's too much of a blockhead to make out the meaning of half our proceedings. We need only tell him that we want to give Father Niccolo a fright. That will be quite enough for his thick skull to take in. In the matter of cloaks and disguises, you may trust me," Hal went on to say, looking very important. "I know of one who will get me all I want, and ask no questions, either now or afterwards. You need not open your eyes so wide, Master Innocence; but just go and secure Phil and Roger, and let out as little of the project as need be to them. They'll be ready enough to join us, I warrant, for the sake of the frolic."
'And he went off, whistling a bar of the "Old and Young Courtier"—a tune for which he had a great partiality—while I proceeded on the mission entrusted to me, distracted between my admiration for Hal's cleverness and a haunting fear which would beset me that we were not going the right way to work.
'It was quite dusk (about eight o'clock, I think) when we four conspirators, being released from attendance on the Queen till supper-time, one by one left the great gallery where most of our fellow-pages were congregated, and slipped away to don our disguises, and make our way down to the Palace gardens, which Hal had appointed as our place of meeting. Hal's mysterious friend evidently understood the art of concealment. We were cloaked and muffled to the eyes; and so tall and broad did my three companions look, that I hardly recognised them in the dim light. They were all in excellent spirits. Roger Crosbie and Phil Buckthorne (who, as I ought to have told you, was a brother of Lady Sarah's) had taken mightily to the idea of reducing Father Niccolo to a state of abject submission, by means of his fears. A Popish priest was considered fair game; and they offered not only to keep him prisoner in the dark passage till Hal had worked his will upon him, but also, if need were, to duck the unfortunate father in the river which ran at the further end of the alley. But Hal pronounced this to be both impolitic and unnecessary; and beseeching us to be silent and cautious, he led the way to our hiding-place.
'At the time at which I am speaking, the chapel and the Queen's apartments at Whitehall were all en suite; so that, when you stood in the green walk facing the chapel windows, you had the gardens on your left hand, with the windows of the Queen's rooms looking into them, and behind you a block of buildings, through which ran the narrow passage wherein we were to hide.
'And there we crouched down, waiting, with our eyes fixed on the strip of grass and paved walk, which were all we could see from the narrow opening in front of us, till it grew so dark, that it was impossible to distinguish between grass and pavement; and I began to fear that when Father Niccolo did come, we should not be able to see him.
'"I am beginning to feel uncommonly like Guy Fawkes," whispered Roger, half laughing, in my ear.
'I myself had been feeling so for some time; and it was only by calling up to my mind's eye a picture of poor Lady Dalrymple sitting lonely in her lodgings, waiting for the good news I was to bring her, that I could force myself to stay where I was, and go through with the undertaking. Just then the chapel bell began to ring for vespers; and between the strokes we distinctly heard a footstep echoing on the flagged pathway.
'"He's coming!" said Hal below his breath. And springing to his feet, he peered eagerly into the darkness.
'A figure was passing between us and the faint glimmer of light, which was all that remained, and in another moment it was surrounded, seized, enveloped over head and shoulders in a large cloak, and dragged struggling into the dark archway. The old priest fought desperately; and Roger and I were obliged to pinion his hands behind him with both our own before Hal dared raise the muffler, and whisper in his ear, "You are safe. Only be still, and no one shall harm you."
'A piercing scream was the only answer; and at the same moment I let go my hold, calling out in dismay, "Hal! Hal! It's a woman! I felt the rings on her hands."