"It may be difficult," he said, "to find private audience of those two persons whom we both feel most anxious to meet. Dame Fortune, however, may befriend us; but we must be cautious even to an excess, for Wolsey has eyes that see where he is not present, and ears that hear over half the realm, and the first step to make our plans successful, depend upon it, is to conceal them. But, lo! where Sir Cesar stands at the window of the hall. Now, in the name of fortune, where will he lead us to-night? 'Tis strange that there should be men so gifted with rare qualities as to see into the deepest secrets of nature, to view things that to others are concealed, and yet seemingly to profit little by their knowledge; for never did I meet or hear of one of these astrologers that were either happier or more fortunate than other men. And yet, what were the good to Sir Cesar to boast a knowledge that he did not possess? For he seeks no reward, will accept of no recompense, and hourly exposes what he says to contradiction if it be not true. But doubtless it is true, for every day gives proofs thereof. That man is a riddle, which would have gained the Sphynx a good dinner off œdipus. You seem to know him well, but I dare say know no more of him than any one else does; for no one that I ever met knows who he is, nor where he comes from, nor where he goes to; and yet he is well received everywhere, courted, ay, and even loved, for he is beneficent, charitable, and humane; is rich, though it is unknown whence his wealth arises, and possesses wonderful knowledge, though, I fear me, wickedly acquired. I have heard that those poor wretches who have mastered forbidden secrets often strive to repair, by every good deed, the evil that their presumptuous curiosity has done to their own souls: God knows how it is. But come, let us join him. The information we gain from him, at all events, is sure."
Entering the manor-house, they passed on into the hall, where they found Sir Cesar buried in deep thought; and while the young knight proceeded to his own apartments, to procure the letter which Lady Katrine Bulmer had entrusted to him, the Earl of Darby approached the old knight with that sort of constitutional gaiety which, like a spoiled servant, would very often play the master with its lord. "Well, Sir Cesar," cried he, "where are your thoughts roaming? In the world above, or the world below?"
"Farther in heaven than you will ever be," replied the old man.
"Nay, then," continued the earl, "as you can tell everything, past, present, and to come, could you divine what we were talking of but now in the gardens?"
"At first you were talking of what did concern yourselves, and afterwards of what did not concern you," answered the knight.
"Magic, by my faith!" cried the earl; "and in truth, your coming just in the nick of time, as folks have it, to save us from slicing each other's throats, must have had a spice of magic in it too."
"If one used magic for so weak a purpose as that of saving an empty head like thine," replied the knight, "it would be worthy the jest with which you treat it. Fools and children attribute everything to magic that they do not comprehend; but, however, my coming here had none. Was it not easy for one friend to tell another that he had heard two mad young men name a place to slaughter each other, they knew not for what? But here comes thy companion. Read thy letter, and then come with me; for the light is waning, and the hour comes on when I can show ye both some part at least of your destiny."
Lord Darby eagerly cut the silk which fastened Lady Katrine's letter, and read it with that air of intense earnestness which can never be put on, and which would have removed from the mind of Sir Osborne any doubt of the young earl's feelings, even if he had still continued to entertain such. This being done, they prepared to accompany Sir Cesar, who insisted that not even a page should follow them; and accordingly Lord Darby's attendant was ordered to remain behind and wait his lord's return.
Passing, then, out into the street, they soon found themselves in the most crowded part of the city of London, which was at that time of the evening filled with the various classes of mechanics, clerks, and artists, returning to their homes from their diurnal toil. Gliding through the midst of them, Sir Cesar passed on, not in the least heeding the remarks which his diminutive size and singular apparel called forth, though Lord Darby did not seem particularly to relish a promenade through the city with such a companion, and very possibly might have left Sir Osborne to proceed alone if he liked it, had not that strong curiosity which we all experience to read into the future carried him on to the end.
Darkness now began to fall upon their path, and still the old man led them forward through a thousand dark and intricate turnings, till at length, in what appeared to be a narrow lane, the houses of which approached so closely together, that it would have been an easy leap from the windows on one side of the way into those of the other, the old knight stopped and struck three strokes with the hilt of his dagger upon a door on the left hand.