Fair or not fair, at least I brought them to it--more especially since, even though they had most utterly disapproved of my proposed method, they could neither of them have opposed it. For I was the Earl of Marlborough's officer; nay, more, I was his own particular and private messenger; I had come under his orders, and was still under them. Moreover, his last words to me had been: "Do your duty; fulfil the task I charge you with; then make your way back to me as best you can." That was all, yet enough.
Therefore it was arranged without more demur, though Sir George Rooke, who was now growing old, shook his head somewhat gravely, even as he ceased endeavouring to turn me from what I had resolved on.
"For," said he, kindly, "I like it not. You are still young--some years off thirty, I should suppose--and you are a good soldier--too good to be spared to any crawling Spaniard's knife or to fall into any truculent Frenchman's hands. And I would have taken you to England and put in the first queen's ship for Holland, had you chosen. Still, as you will, you will. Only, be very careful."
"Sir!" I said, touched at his fatherly consideration. "Be sure I will. Yet I think I can take care of myself. I have a good sword and a strong arm, and--well, one bullet is much the same as another. If one finds me in Spain or France, 'twill be no worse than one in Flanders. And, perhaps, my bullet is not moulded yet!"
As for his Grace, he took a different tack, he being younger and more débonnair than the admiral.
"Oddsbobs," he said, "bullets are bullets, and may be a soldier's lot or not. But for you, Lieutenant, I fear a worse danger. You are a good-looking fellow enough, with your height and breadth, blue eyes and brown hair. Rather, therefore, beware of the Spanish girls, and keep out of their way--or, encountering them, give them no cause for jealousy! Oh! I know them, and--well, they are the devil! 'Tis they who wield the knife--as often as not against those whom they loved five minutes back."
And, looking at the duke--who was himself of great manly beauty--I could well enough believe he knew what he was talking of. For, if all reports were true--but this matters not.
The time had not, however, yet come, for some day or so, for me to set out, since 'twas arranged that I should be put ashore by one of the Pembroke's boats when the fleet went out of the bay, and that then my last farewell would be made to those amongst whom I had now lived for some weeks. Meanwhile, Sir George asked me what had become of my young friend, the Spanish gentleman, whom he called my "captive."
Now, this young captive had had still another interview with him after that first one, Sir George having sent for him from the Pembroke, into which he had been temporarily received as a guest--since La Sacra Familia had been sunk by us after being dismantled of all in her of any worth--and he had once more renewed his offer of taking him to England. And it surprised me exceedingly--I being present at this interview--to observe the extraordinary courtesy and deference which he--who was more used to receive deference from his fellow-men than to accord it--showed to the youth; for he took him very graciously by the hand when he entered the cabin, led him to a seat, and, when there, renewed once more that offer of which I have spoken.
Indeed, his politeness was so great that I began to wonder if, by any chance, the admiral knew of this young man being any one of extreme importance, to whom it might be worth his while, as the chief representative of England here, to pay court. Yet, so silly was that wonderment that I dismissed it instantly from my mind, deciding that it was pity for his youth and loneliness which so urged the other.