Part 83 (1/2)

”Nay, I would not hurt their bodies for all their cruel hearts.”

”Then ye must e'en laugh at them, wife. What! a woman grown, and not see why mesdames give tongue? You are a buxom wife; they are a bundle of thread-papers. You are fair and fresh: they have all the Dutch rim under their bright eyes, that comes of dwelling in eternal swamps. There lies your crime. Come, gie me thy pitcher, and, if they flout me, shalt see me scrub 'em all wi' my beard till they squeak holy mother.” The pitcher was soon filled, and the soldier put it in Margaret's hand. She murmured ”Thank you kindly, brave soldier.”

He patted her on the shoulder. ”Come, courage, brave wife; the divell is dead!” She let the heavy pitcher fall on his foot directly. He cursed horribly, and hopped in a circle, saying, ”No, the Thief's alive and has broken my great toe.”

The ap.r.o.n came down, and there was a lovely face all flushed with emotion, and two beaming eyes in front of him, and two hands held out clasped.

”Nay, nay, 'tis nought,” said he, good-humouredly, mistaking.

”Denys?”

”Well?--But--Hallo! How know you my name is--”

”Denys of Burgundy!”

”Why, odsbodikins! I know you not, and you know me.”

”By Gerard's letter. Cross-bow! beard! handsome! The divell is dead.”

”Sword of Goliah! this must be she. Red hair, violet eyes, lovely face.

But I took ye for a married wife, seeing ye--”

”Tell me my name,” said she quickly.

”Margaret Brandt.”

”Gerard? Where is he? Is he in life? Is he well? Is he come? Why is he not here? Where have ye left him? Oh, tell me! prithee, prithee, prithee, tell me!”

”Ay, ay, but not here. Oh, ye are all curiosity now, mesdames, eh? La.s.s, I have been three months a-foot travelling all Holland to find ye, and here you are. Oh, be joyful!” and he flung his cap in the air, and seizing both her hands kissed them ardently. ”Ah, my pretty she-comrade, I have found thee at last. I knew I should. Shalt be flouted no more.

I'll twist your necks at the first word, ye little trollops. And I have got fifteen gold angels left for thee, and our Gerard will soon be here.

Shalt wet thy purple eyes no more.”

But the fair eyes were wet even now, looking kindly and gratefully at the friend that had dropped among her foes as if from heaven: Gerard's comrade. ”Prithee come home with me, good, kind Denys. I cannot speak of him before these.” They went off together, followed by a chorus. ”She has gotten a man. She has gotten a man at last. Hoo! hoo! hoo!”

Margaret quickened her steps; but Denys took down his crossbow and pretended to shoot them all dead: they fled quadrivious, shrieking.

CHAPTER LIII

THE reader already knows how much these two had to tell one another. It was a sweet yet bitter day for Margaret, since it brought her a true friend, and ill news: for now first she learned that Gerard was all alone in that strange land. She could not think with Denys that he would come home; indeed he would have arrived before this.

Denys was a balm. He called her his she-comrade, and was always cheering her up with his formula and hilarities, and she petted him and made much of him, and feebly hectored it over him as well as over Martin, and would not let him eat a single meal out of her house, and forbade him to use naughty words. ”It spoils you, Denys. Good lack, to hear such ugly words come forth so comely a head: forbear, or I shall be angry: so be civil.” Whereupon Denys was upon his good behaviour, and ludicrous the struggle between his native politeness and his acquired ruffianism. And as it never rains but it pours, other persons now solicited Margaret's friends.h.i.+p. She had written to Margaret Van Eyck a humble letter telling her she knew she was no longer the favourite she had been, and would keep her distance; but could not forget her benefactress's past kindness. She then told her briefly how many ways she had battled for a living, and, in conclusion, begged earnestly that her residence might not be betrayed, ”least of all to his people. I do hate them, they drove him from me. And, even when he was gone, their hearts turned not to me as they would an if they had repented their cruelty to him.”

The Van Eyck was perplexed. At last she made a confidante of Reicht. The secret ran through Reicht, as through a cylinder, to Catherine.

”Ay, and is she turned that bitter against us?” said that good woman.