Volume II Part 47 (1/2)
Trusting that he should be able to eke out the tune in spite of these interruptions, he hastened immediately to his destination. He crossed a narrow bridge and pa.s.sed through a gap into the garden, taking his station on one side of the house, where he commenced a low prelude by way of ascertaining if the lady were within hearing, and likewise the situation of her chamber. To his inexpressible delight a window, nearly opposite the tree under which he stood, was gently opened, and he could distinguish a figure in white moving gently behind the drapery. He now determined to try the full power of his instrument, and warbled, with no inconsiderable share of skill and pathos, the following ditty:--
”Fair as the moonbeam, Bright as the running stream, Sparkling, yet cold; In Love's tiny fingers A shaft yet there lingers,
”And he creeps to thy bosom, and smiles, lady.
Soon his soft wings will cherish A flame round thine heart, And ere it may perish Thy peace shall depart.
Oh listen, listen, lady gay; Love doth not always sue; The brightest flame will oft decay, The fondest lover rue, lady!
The fondest lover rue, lady!”
At the conclusion he saw a hand, presently an arm, stretched out through the cas.e.m.e.nt. Something fell from it, which glistened with a snowy whiteness in the clear moonlight. He ran to seize the treasure--a sc.r.a.p of paper neatly folded--which, after a thankful and comely obeisance towards the window, he deposited in his bosom. The cas.e.m.e.nt was suddenly closed. The lover, eager to read his billet, made all imaginable haste to regain the road, where, mounting his steed, he arrived in a brief s.p.a.ce, almost breathless with antic.i.p.ation and impatience, at his own door. The contents of the despatch were quickly revealed in manner following:--
”I know thine impatience; but faith must have its test. Send a message to my father; win his consent to thy suit; but as thou holdest my favour in thine esteem come not near the house thyself ere one month have elapsed. Ask not why; 'tis sufficient that I have willed it. Shouldst thou not obey, I renounce thee for ever.
”This shall be the test of thy fidelity.
KATHERINE.”
He kissed the writing again and again; he skipped round the chamber like unto one demented; and when the old housekeeper, who was in a sore ill-temper at being deprived of her accustomed allowance of rest, came in to know his intentions about supper, he bade her go dream of love and give supper to the hogs.
The morning found Anthony early at his studies. A letter, painfully elaborated, was despatched in due form ”To Master Roger Anderton, these;” and the lover began to ruminate on his good fortune. The terms were hard, to be sure, and the time was long; but women, and other like superior intelligences, will not bear to be thwarted; at least, so thought Master Anthony Hardcastle, as he threw his taper legs over the opposite chair, s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g his forbearance to the test.
The same day an answer was received, briefly as follows:--
”Though thy person and qualifications be unknown to me, yet have I not been ignorant of the respect and esteem which thy father enjoyed. Shouldst thou win my daughter's favour, thou shall not lack my consent, if thou art as deserving as he whose substance thou hast inherited.”
Leaving to Anthony the irksome task of minuting down the roll of time for one unlucky month, turn we to another personage with whom it is high time the reader should be acquainted. At Turton Tower, a few miles distant, dwelt a cavalier of high birth, whose pedigree was somewhat longer than his rent-roll. To this proud patrician Kate's father had long borne a bitter grudge, arising out of some sporting quarrel, and omitted no opportunity by which to manifest his resentment. Dying recently, he had left an only son, then upon his travels, heir to the inheritance and the feud with Anderton.
Shortly after his return, Kate, being on a visit in the neighbourhood, saw him; and as nothing is more likely to excite love than the beholding of some forbidden object, unwittingly, in the first instance, she began to sigh; and with each sigh came such a warm gush of feeling from the heart as did not fail to create a crowd of sensations altogether new and unaccountable. On his part the feeling was not less ardent, though less inexplicable, at least to himself, and a few more glances fixed them desperately and unalterably in love.
Hopeless though it might be, yet did the lovers find a sad and mournful solace in their regrets, the only sentiment they could indulge. They had met, and in vows of secrecy had often pledged unintermitting attachment.
Love at times had prompted some stratagem to accomplish their union, for which the capricious and unforgiving disposition of the old gentleman seemed to afford a fair excuse. It is a most ingenious and subtle equivocator that same idle boy, and hath ever at hand palliatives, and even justifications, in respect to all crimes done and committed for the aiding and comforting of his sworn lieges. And thus it fell out, Kate's wits were now at work to make Anthony's suit in some way or another subservient to this object. Once committed to a purpose of such duplicity, no wonder that contrivances and plots not altogether justifiable should ensue; and Kate's natural archness and vivacity, coupled with the mischievous temper of her maid, gave their proceedings a more ludicrous character than the dignity of the pa.s.sion would otherwise have allowed.
The month was nigh spent when Hodge one morning entered the chamber of his master, who sat there dribbling away the time over a treatise on archery.
”How now, sirrah?”
”Please ye, master, Mistress Kate is to be wed on the feast of St Crispin; an' I'm a-thinking I've no body-gear fitting for my occupation.”
”Married, sayest thou?--to whom?”
”Nay, master, an' ye know not, more's the pity if it be not to your honour.”
”To me, sayest thou?”
”They ha' so settled it, belike; and I thought, if it would please ye, to order me new boots and a coat for the wedding.”
”Peace!--where gattest thou the news?”
”At the smithy. I was but just getting the mare shoed, and a tooth hammered into the garden rake.”