A few minutes later Castell, in his costliest feast-day robe, greeted d’Aguilar in the ante-hall, and, the two of them being alone, asked him how matters went as regarded de Ayala and the man who had been killed.
“Well and ill,” answered d’Aguilar. “Doctor de Puebla, with whom I hoped to deal, has left London in a huff, for he says that there is not room for two Spanish ambassadors at Court, so I had to fall back upon de Ayala after all. Indeed, twice have I seen that exalted priest upon the subject of the well-deserved death of his villainous servant, and, after much difficulty, for having lost several men in such brawls, he thought his honour touched, he took the fifty gold angels—to be transmitted to the fellow’s family, of course, or so he said—and gave a receipt. Here it is,” and he handed a paper to Castell, who read it carefully.
It was to the effect that Peter Brome, having paid a sum of fifty angels to the relatives of Andrew Pherson, a servant of the Spanish ambassador, which Andrew the said Peter had killed in a brawl, the said ambassador undertook not to prosecute or otherwise molest the said Peter on account of the manslaughter which he had committed.
“But no money has been paid,” said Castell.
“Indeed yes, I paid it. De Ayala gives no receipts against promises.”
“I thank you for your courtesy, Señor. You shall have the gold before you leave this house. Few would have trusted a stranger thus far.”
d’Aguilar waved his hand.
“Make no mention of such a trifle. I would ask you to accept it as a token of my regard for your family, only that would be to affront so wealthy a man. But listen, I have more to say. You are, or rather your kinsman Peter, is still in the wood. De Ayala has pardoned him; but there remains the King of England, whose law he has broken. Well, this day I have seen the King, who, by the way, talked of you as a worthy man, saying that he had always thought only a Jew could be so wealthy, and that he knew you were not, since you had been reported to him as a good son of the Church,” and he paused, looking at Castell.
“I fear his Grace magnifies my wealth, which is but small,” answered Castell coolly, leaving the rest of his speech unnoticed. “But what said his Grace?”
“I showed him de Ayala’s receipt, and he answered that if his Excellency was satisfied, he was satisfied, and for his part would not order any process to issue; but he bade me tell you and Peter Brome that if he caused more tumult in his streets, whatever the provocation, and especially if that tumult were between English and Spaniards, he would hang him at once with trial or without it. All of which he said very angrily, for the last thing which his Highness desires just now is any noise between Spain and England.”