Part 80 (2/2)
”Nah! it's neaw impossible,” rejoined Nance, pertinaciously; ”yo con do it, an yo shan. Yo owe me a good turn, and mun repay it now.”
”But why the devil do you want to go in?” cried Nicholas, impatiently. ”You know the King is the sworn enemy of all witches, and, amongst this concourse, some one is sure to recognise you and betray you. I cannot answer for your safety if I do take you in. In my opinion, you were extremely unwise to venture here at all.”
”Ne'er heed my wisdom or my folly, boh do as ey bid yo, or yo'n repent it,” said Nance.
”Why, you can get in without my aid,” observed the squire, trying to laugh it off. ”You can easily fly over the walls.”
”Ey ha' left my broomstick a-whoam,” replied Nance-”boh no more jesting. Win yo do it?”
”Well, well, I suppose I must,” replied Nicholas, ”but I wash my hands of the consequences. If ill comes of it, I am not to blame. You must go in as Doll w.a.n.go-that is, as a character in the masque to be enacted to-night-d'ye mark?”
Nance signified that she perfectly understood him.
The whole of this hurried discourse, conducted in an under-tone, pa.s.sed unheard and unnoticed by the bystanders. Just then, an opening took place amid the crowd, and the squire pushed through it, hoping to get rid of his companion, but he hoped in vain, for, clinging to his saddle, she went on along with him.
They were soon under the deep groined and ribbed arch of the gate, and Nance would have been here turned back by the foremost halberdier, if Nicholas had not signified somewhat hastily that she belonged to his party. The man smiled, and offered no further opposition; and the gigantic porter next advancing, Nicholas exhibited his pa.s.s to him, which appearing sufficiently comprehensive to procure admission for Richard and Sherborne, they instantly availed themselves of the licence, while the squire fumbled in his doublet for a further order for Nance. At last he produced it, and after reading it, the gigantic warder exclaimed, with a smile illumining his broad features-
”Ah! I see;-this is an order from his wors.h.i.+p, Sir Richard, to admit a certain woman, who is to enact Doll w.a.n.go in the masque. This is she, I suppose?” he added, looking at Nance.
”Ay, ay!” replied the squire.
”A comely wench, by the ma.s.s!” exclaimed the porter. ”Open the gate.”
”No-not yet-not yet, good porter, till my claim be adjusted,” cried another woman, pus.h.i.+ng forward, quite as young and comely as Nance, and equally gaily dressed. ”I am the real Doll w.a.n.go, though I be generally known as Dame Tetlow. The squire engaged me to play the part before the King, and now this saucy hussy has taken my place. But I'll have my rights, that I will.”
”Odd's heart! two Doll w.a.n.gos!” exclaimed the porter, opening his eyes.
”Two!-Nay, beleedy! boh there be three!” exclaimed an immensely tall, stoutly proportioned woman, stepping up, to the increased confusion of the squire, and the infinite merriment of the bystanders, whose laughter had been already excited by the previous part of the scene. ”Didna yo tell me at Myerscough to come here, squire, an ey, Bess Baldwyn, should play Doll w.a.n.go to your Jem Tospot?”
”Play the devil! for that's what you all seem bent upon doing,” exclaimed the squire, impatiently. ”Away with you! I can have nothing to say to you!”
”You gave me the same promise at the Castle at Preston last night,” said Dame Tetlow.
”I had been drinking, and knew not what I said,” rejoined Nicholas, angrily.
”Boh yo promised me a few minutes ago, an yo're sober enough now,” cried Nance.
”Ey dunna knoa that,” rejoined Dame Baldwyn, looking reproachfully at him. ”Boh what ey dun knoa is, that nother o' these squemous queans shan ge in efore me.”
And she looked menacingly at them, as if determined to oppose their ingress, much to the alarm of the timorous Dame Tetlow, though Nance returned her angry glances unmoved.
”For Heaven's sake, my good fellow, let them all three in!” said Nicholas, in a low tone to the porter, at the same time slipping a gold piece into his hand, ”or there's no saying what may be the consequence, for they're three infernal viragos. I'll take the responsibility of their admittance upon myself with Sir Richard.”
”Well, as your wors.h.i.+p says, I don't like to see quarrelling amongst women,” returned the porter, in a bland tone, ”so all three shall go in; and as to who is to play Doll w.a.n.go, the master of the ceremonies will settle that, so you need give yourself no more concern about it; but if I were called on to decide,” he added, with an amorous leer at Dame Baldwyn, whose proportions so well matched his own, ”I know where my choice would light. There, now!” he shouted, ”Open wide the gate for Squire Nicholas a.s.sheton of Downham, and the three Doll w.a.n.gos.”
And, all obstacles being thus removed, Nicholas pa.s.sed on with the three females amidst the renewed laughter of the bystanders. But he got rid of his plagues as soon as he could; for, dismounting and throwing his bridle to an attendant, he vouchsafed not a word to any of them, but stepped quickly after Richard and Sherborne, who had already reached the great fire with the bull roasting before it.
<script>