"Oh, no! your grace," replied the secretary; "there are two nearer than he is. But they say the succession is quite clear. Charles Lord Orham, the great-grandfather of the last, had three sons, from one of whom descends William Orham; but the eldest son, succeeding, had two sons and a daughter, all of whom married, and had issue; the eldest son, Thomas Lord Orham, him succeeded, who had only issue the last lord. The daughter had five sons, and the second son, Hugh Orham, had one only daughter, who married Arthur Bulmer, Earl of Wilmington, who died, leaving issue one only daughter, Mistress Katrine Bulmer, by courtesy the Lady Katrine Bulmer, whom your grace may remember the queen took very young, when it was found that Lord Wilmington's estates went in male descent. She is the undoubted heiress."
"Ha!" said Wolsey, "that changes much. Well, well! go see that it be clearly made out. Now, what says Sir Payan Wileton?" he continued, turning to the messenger, who had just returned.
"The house is empty, so please your grace," replied the usher, "all but one old porter, who says that Sir Payan and his train set out for Chilham yesterday morning, after visiting your reverend lordship. He affirms, moreover, that the knight never got off his horse, but only gave orders that the priest should be sent down to Richmond with all speed, and then rode away himself for Kent."
"So!" said the cardinal, his lip curling into a scornful sneer, "he finds his miscreant is caught, and thinks to deceive me with a tale that would not cloud the eyesight of an old woman. But let him stay; he shall lull himself into a fool's paradise, and then find himself fallen to nothing. That will do." The usher fell back, and for a moment Wolsey, as was often his wont, continued muttering to himself, "The Lady Katrine: she was Darby's fool passion. If it lasts he shall have her: 'tis better than the other. Besides, the other girl is away, and he must have gold to bear out his charges at this meeting at Ardres; so shall it be. Well, well! Send in whoever waits without," he added, speaking in a louder voice, and then applied himself to other business.
CHAPTER XXXI.
Three sides are sure inbarred with craggs and hills,
The rest is easy, scarce to rise espy'd;
But mighty bulwarks fence the plainer part:
So art helps nature, nature strengtheneth art.--Fairfax.
Sir knight, if knight thou be,
Abandon this forestalled place as erst,
For fear of farther harm.--Fairy Queen.
It may well be supposed, that under the circumstances in which we last left Sir Osborne, his feelings could not be of the most tranquil or gratifying nature, when, after having heard all that passed upon deck, he distinguished the steps of the officer sent to arrest him coming down the ladder. Longpole, for his part, looked very much as if he would have liked to display cold iron upon the occasion; but the knight made him a sign to forbear, and in a moment after, a gentleman splendidly dressed, as one high in military command, entered the cabin, followed by two or three armed attendants.
"Well, sir," said the knight, not very well distinguishing the stranger's features by the light in which he stood, "I suppose----" But he had not time to finish his sentence, for the officer grasped him heartily by the hand, exclaiming, "Now heaven bless us! Lord Darnley, my dear fellow in arms! how goes it with you these two years?"
"Excellent well, good Sir Henry Talbot," replied the knight, frankly shaking the hand of his old companion. "But say, does your business lie with me?"