Part 4 (1/2)

The old man trembled with the fierceness of his emotions.

”I only am master here,” he said, ”and I should have died upon this threshold ere my Lord Rippingdale and the King's men had ever crossed it, but for you, an Enderby, who deserted me in the conflict--a coward who went over to the enemies of our house.”

The young man's face twitched with a malignant anger. He suddenly started forward, and with a sidelong blow struck his father with the flat of his sword. A red ridge of bruised flesh instantly rose upon the old man's cheek and ear. He caught the arm of the chair by which he stood, staggering back as though he had received a mortal wound.

”No, no, no!” he said, his voice gulping with misery and horror.--”No, no! Kill me, if you will--I but cannot fight you. Oh, my G.o.d, my G.o.d!”

he gasped scarcely above a whisper. ”Unnatural-unnatural!” He said no more, for, upon the instant, four men entered the room. They were of Cromwell's Ironsides. Young Enderby looked round swiftly, ready to fight, but he saw at once that he was trapped. The old man also laid his hand upon his sword, but he saw that the case was hopeless. He dropped into his chair and leaned his head upon his hands.

Two months went by. The battle of Dunbar was fought, and Charles had lost it. Among the prisoners was Garrett Enderby, who had escaped from his captors on the way from Enderby House to London, and had joined the Scottish army. He was now upon trial for his life. Cromwell's anger against him was violent. The other prisoners of war were treated as such, and were merely confined to prison, but young Enderby was charged with blasphemy and sedition, and with a.s.saulting one of Cromwell's officers--for on the very day that young Enderby made the a.s.sault, Cromwell's foreign commission for John Enderby was on its way to Lincolns.h.i.+re.

Of the four men who had captured Garrett Enderby at Enderby House, three had been killed in battle, and the other had deserted. The father was thus the chief witness against his son. He was recalled from Portugal where he had been engaged upon Cromwell's business.

The young man's judges leaned forward expectantly as John Enderby took his place. The Protector himself sat among them.

”What is your name, sir?” asked Cromwell. ”John Enderby, your Highness.”

”It hath been said that you hold a t.i.tle given you by the man of sin.”

”I have never taken a t.i.tle from any man, your Highness.”

A look of satisfaction crossed the gloomy and puritanical faces of the officers of the court-martial. Other questions were put, and then came the vital points. To the first of these, as to whether young Enderby had uttered malignant and seditious libels against the Protector, the old man would answer nothing.

”What speech hath ever been between my son and myself,” he said, ”is between my son and myself only.” A start of anger travelled round the circle of the court-martial. Young Enderby watched his father curiously and sullenly.

”Duty to country comes before all private feeling,” said Cromwell. ”I command you, sir, on peril of a charge of treason against yourself, to answer the question of the Court. 'If thy right hand offend thee, cut it off; if thy foot cause thee to stumble, heave it to the shambles.

The pernicious branch of the just tree shall be cloven and cast into the brush-heap.' You are an officer of this commonwealth, sir?” asked Cromwell, again.

”By your Highness's permission,” he replied.

”Did your son strike you upon the face with the flat of his sword upon the night recorded in this charge against him?”

”What acts have pa.s.sed between my son and myself are between my son and myself only,” replied Enderby, steadily. He did not look at his son, but presently the tears rolled down his cheeks, so that more than one of his judges who had sons of their own were themselves moved. But they took their cue from the Protector, and made no motion towards the old man's advantage. Once more Cromwell essayed to get Enderby's testimony, but, ”I will not give witness against my son,” was his constant and dogged reply. At last Cromwell rose in anger.

”We will have justice in this realm of England,” said he, ”though it turn the father against the son and the son against the father. Though the house be divided against itself yet the Lord's work shall be done.”

Turning his blazing eyes upon John Enderby, he said: ”Troublous and degenerate man, get gone from this country, and no more set foot in it on peril of your life. We recalled you from outlawry, believing you to be a true lover of your country, but we find you malignant, seditious and dangerous.”

He turned towards the young man.

”You, sir, shall get you back to prison until other witnesses be found.

Although we know your guilt, we will be formal and just.”

With an impatient nod to an officer beside him, he waved his hand towards father and son.

As he was about to leave the room, John Enderby stretched out a hand to him appealingly.

”Your Highness,” said he, ”I am an old man.”