Part 84 (1/2)
”Tell me who you are?” cried Richard.
”I am the hermit of the wood,” replied the old man. ”Some people call me Hobthurst, and some by other names, but you will have no difficulty in finding me out. Look yonder!” he added, pointing through the trees.
And, glancing in the direction indicated, Richard beheld a small party on horseback advancing across the plain, consisting of his father, his sister, and Alizon, with their attendants.
”'Tis she!-'tis she!” he cried.
”Can you hesitate, when it is to save her?” demanded the old man.
”Heaven help me, or I am lost!” fervently e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Richard, gazing on high while making the appeal.
When he looked down again the old man was gone, and he saw only a large black snake gliding off among the bushes. Muttering a few words of thankfulness for his deliverance, he sprang upon his horse.
”It may be the arch-tempter is right,” he cried, ”and that but few hours of life remain to me; but if so, they shall be employed in endeavours to vindicate Alizon, and defeat the snares by which she is beset.”
With this resolve, he struck spurs into his horse, and set off in the direction of the little troop. Before, however, he could come up to them, their progress was arrested by a pursuivant, who, riding in advance of the royal cavalcade, motioned them to stay till it had pa.s.sed, and the same person also perceiving Richard's purpose, called to him, authoritatively, to keep back. The young man might have disregarded the injunction, but at the same moment the King himself appeared at the head of the avenue, and remarking Richard, who was not more than fifty yards off on the right, instantly recognised him, and shouted out, ”Come hither, young man-come hither!”
Thus, baffled in his design, Richard was forced to comply, and, uncovering his head, rode slowly towards the monarch. As he approached, James fixed on him a glance of sharpest scrutiny.
”Odds life! ye hae been ganging a fine gait, young sir,” he cried. ”Ye maun be demented to ride down a hill i' that fas.h.i.+on, and as if your craig war of nae account. It's weel ye hae come aff scaithless. Are ye tired o' life-or was it the muckle deil himsel' that drove ye on? Canna ye find an excuse, man? Nay, then, I'll gi'e ye ane. The loadstane will draw nails out of a door, and there be la.s.sies wi' een strang as loadstanes, that drag men to their perdition. Stands the magnet yonder, eh?” he added, glancing towards the little group before them. ”Gude faith! the la.s.s maun be a potent witch to exercise sic influence, and we wad fain see the effect she has on you when near. Sir Richard Hoghton,” he called out to the knight, who rode a few paces behind him, ”we pray you present Sir Richard a.s.sheton and his daughter to us.”
Had he dared so to do, Richard would have thrown himself at the King's feet, but all he could venture upon was to say in a low earnest tone, ”Do not prejudge Alizon, sire. On my soul she is innocent!”
”The King prejudges nae man,” replied James, in a tone of rebuke; ”and like the wise prince of Israel, whom it is his wish to resemble, he sees with his ain een, and hears with his ain ears, afore he forms conclusions.”
”That is all I can desire, sire,” replied Richard. ”Far be it from me to doubt your majesty's discrimination or love of justice.”
”Ye shall hae proofs of baith, man, afore we hae done,” said James. ”Ah! here comes our host, an the twa la.s.sies wi' him. She wi' the lintwhite locks is your sister, we guess, and the ither is Alizon-and, by our troth, a weel-faur'd la.s.s. But Satan is aye delusive. We maun resist his snares.”
The party now came on, and were formally presented to the monarch by Sir Richard Hoghton. Sir Richard a.s.sheton, a middle-aged gentleman, with handsome features, though somewhat haughty in expression, and stately deportment, was very graciously received, and James thought fit to pay a few compliments to Dorothy, covertly regarding Alizon the while, yet not neglecting Richard, being ready to intercept any signal that should pa.s.s between them. None, however, was attempted, for the young man felt he should only alarm and embarra.s.s Alizon by any attempt to caution her, and he therefore endeavoured to a.s.sume an unconcerned aspect and demeanour.
”We hae heard the beauty of the Lancas.h.i.+re la.s.sies highly commended,” said the King; ”but, faith! it pa.s.ses expectation. Twa lovelier damsels than these we never beheld. Baith are rare specimens o' Nature's handiwark.”
”Your Majesty is pleased to be complimentary,” rejoined Sir Richard a.s.sheton.
”Na, Sir Richard,” returned James. ”We arena gien to flichtering, though aften beflummed oursel'. Baith are bonnie la.s.sies, we repeat. An sae this is Alizon Nutter-it wad be Ailsie in our ain Scottish tongue, to which your Lancas.h.i.+re vernacular closely approximates, Sir Richard. Aweel, fair Alizon,” he added, eyeing her narrowly, ”ye hae lost your mither, we understand?”
The young girl was not discomposed by this question, but answered in a firm, melancholy tone-”Your Majesty, I fear, is too well acquainted with my unfortunate mother's history.”
”Aweel, we winna deny having heard somewhat to her disadvantage,” replied the King-”but your ain looks gang far to contradict the reports, fair maid.”
”Place no faith in them then, sire,” replied Alizon, sadly.
”Eh! what!-then you admit your mother's guilt?” cried the King, sharply.
”I neither admit it nor deny it, sire,” she replied. ”It must be for your Majesty to judge her.”
”Weel answered,” muttered James,-”but I mustna forget, that the deil himsel' can quote Scripture to serve his purpose. But you hold in abhorrence the crime laid to your mother's charge-eh?” he added aloud.
”In utter abhorrence,” replied Alizon.