Darnley; or, The Field of the Cloth of Gold

by G. P. R. James

Mistress Margaret vowed that she was silence itself; and the meal which the good doctor's foresight had taken care to provide for them being ended, he led them forth by a different door from that which had given them entrance, not choosing to trust even the servants, of whose discretion he had boasted the night before. Day had now dawned, and in the court-yard of the inn they found a large litter, or sort of long box swung between two horses, one before and the other behind, and accompanied by a driver on horseback, who, smacking his whip, seemed tired of waiting for them.

"Come, get in, get in!" cried he, "I have been waiting half-an-hour. There's room enough for you, sure!" he proceeded, seeing some little difficulty occur in placing the travellers; "why, I brought four just like you up from Gloucester in it, three days ago. Here, come over to this side, Mother Longshanks." This address to Dr. Wilbraham had again very near overset Mistress Margaret's gravity; but at length, all being placed, in spite of the chaplain's long legs, which were rather difficult to pack, the travellers took leave of the physician, and commenced their journey to the sea-coast.

All passed on tranquilly enough during the forenoon; and at a little watering-house, where they stopped on the road, they were enabled quietly to rehearse their parts, as Sister Wilbraham, Sister Margaret, and Sister Grey. The good clergyman declared that his part should be to keep down his veil and hold his tongue, and Mistress Margaret willingly undertook to be the talker for the whole party, while Constance, not yet at all assured of safety, listened for every sound with a beating heart, and trembled at every suspicious look that she beheld, or fancied that she beheld, in the people around her.

As soon as the horses were sufficiently refreshed, they again began their journey, and had proceeded some way when the galloping of a horse made itself heard behind them, and through the opening of the curtains they could perceive a sergeant-at-arms, with full cognizance, and accompanied by two followers, pass by the side of their vehicle. In a moment after he stopped on overtaking their driver, who was a little in advance, and seemed to question him in a hasty tone. "Three nuns!" cried he, at length. "I must see that."

Constance, almost fainting, drew back in the corner of the litter. Dr. Wilbraham shrunk himself up to the smallest space possible; and, in fact, Mistress Margaret was the only one who preserved her presence of mind. "If it were the lord cardinal himself," whispered she to her lady, "he would never know you, my lady, in that dress."

In the mean time, the sergeant-at-arms rode up, and drew back the curtain of the litter. "Your pardon, ladies," said he, giving a look round, which seemed quite satisfactory; "I ask your pardon; but as I am sent in pursuit of some runaways, I was obliged to look in."

Here the matter would have terminated, had not Mistress Margaret, desirous of showing off a total want of fear, replied, "Quite welcome, fair sir, quite welcome. We are travelling the same road." The officer replied; and this brought on a long allegory on the part of Mistress Margaret, who told him that they were nuns of Richborough, who had been to London for medical advice for poor sister Mary, there, in the corner (pointing to Dr. Wilbraham), who was troubled with the falling sickness. The sergeant-at-arms recommended woodlice drowned in vinegar as a sovereign cure, which the pretended nun informed him they had tried; and though it must be owned that the abigail played her part admirably well, yet, nevertheless, she contrived to keep her lady and the chaplain in mortal fear for half-an-hour longer than was necessary.

At length, however, the officer, taking his leave, rode away, and then descended upon the head of Mistress Margaret the whole weight of good Dr. Wilbraham's indignation. Not for many years had he preached such an eloquent sermon upon the duty of adhering strictly to the truth as on the present occasion; and he pointed out clearly to the waiting-woman that she had told at least two-and-thirty lies more than the circumstances required. Mistress Margaret, however, was obstinate in her error, and would not see the distinction, declaring angrily that she would either tell no lies at all, and let it be known who they were, or she would tell as many as she thought proper.

"Margaret," said Lady Constance, in a calm, reproachful tone, that had more effect than a more violent reproof, "you forget yourself." The abigail was silent; but nevertheless she determined, in her own mind, to give the good doctor more truth than he might like, on the very first occasion; and such an opportunity was not long in occurring.

With the usual hankering which drivers and postilions always have for bad inns, the master of the litter did not fail to stop for the night at one of the smallest, meanest, and most uncomfortable little alehouses on the road; and on getting out of the vehicle, the three nuns were all shown into one room, containing two beds, one large and one small one. It may easily be supposed such an arrangement did not very well suit the circumstances of the case; and Constance looked at Dr. Wilbraham, and Dr. Wilbraham at Constance, in some embarrassment. On inquiring whether they could not have another room, they were informed that there was indeed such a thing in the house, but that it was always reserved for guests of quality. The hostess was surprised at nuns giving themselves such airs: the room they had would do very well for three people; and, in short, that they should have no other.