Part 5 (1/2)
he said
”The admiral hath held a council at Newnham to-day, and thou hast lost heart because a few dull wits have been pondering together,” pursued the priest ”Dost thou know their plans?”
”Partly, father”
”A child h at them! Our brave Basil here will reduce their watchmen to a jelly of terror before this moon wanes When flies catch spiders, then these fools will catch us Now hearken If thou dost show the white feather again, thou diest; Basil hath sworn it That is all that I have to say to thee by way of threat or reproof Now this, by way of encourageainst heretics, the Holy Father against apostates, the ainst a vain and foolish woman My plans are perfected
A vessel manned by stout hearts will be here, in the river, a er and have never known defeat will be aboard of her They will land at s ready for the last blow These uard, such as the admiral can set, will prevent us I want thine aid 'Tis an honour for thee to be linked with our holy cause; beware how thou dost carry the dignity This house of thine -place and headquarters for o when I please, and, be assured, I shall time my movements so that none shall know of them A safe asylum in the forest is necessary I have chosen this I command; thou dost obey Have I made it plain to thee?”
Windybank's dry lips murmured ”Yes”
”Thou hast an enemy?”
”I have”
”Basil hath set his mark upon him”
”I know it”
”If thou art faithful, thy rival dies Now lead us to the chamber of which thou hast told us Basil and I are weary, and would sleep
Come, thou shall wait upon us and make us secure”
The ht
Chapter VIII
MASTER WINDYBANK WALKS ABROAD
Athat time the stir of apprehension died down in the forest Men pursued their wonted occupations, by the river, in the greenwood and the ht was as untroubled as the day; the dreaded ot to scan bush and bracken for the deadly and cadaverous form of Basil Simple, honest souls believed that the admiral's council at Newnham, and the measures of defence adopted thereat, had shown the e Philip how impossible was their wild enterprise
”Verily,” said they, ”the villains have gotten a fright, and are gone back to their rascally master”
Which opinion did credit to the clean-souled felloho uttered it, and a glaring injustice to the cunning knaves who had caused such a fearful cost thee at Dean Tower, co alltheir plans
Andrew Windybank had lived the wretchedest month of his life A e, jealousy, and wounded pride gnawed unceasingly at his heart He knew that he was a suspected person: his neighbours shunned hi looks and spying ways, showed that they mistrusted him Within a week of the time when Father Jerome and his two lieutenants quartered the master of Dean Toent about with pale face and bowed head, ashamed to er surged up in his heart, equally against those whose tool he was and against those who stepped aside with a shrug to let hionies that come upon weak natures that fall into temptation or succumb to evil influences He dreaded the power of the Church of Roland's laws against traitors He loved his country in a way, and he was proud of her; yet, having done nothing to merit the applause of his fellow-countrymen, he was encies, or deliberately planned great deeds, and thus won themselves fame He loved Mistress Dorothy, and he felt that, if she would only love hi, sian, who had ossips as the fittest and properest husband for pretty Mistress Dawe Master Windybank could not help but admire the valiant admiral, and he remembered how he had flushed with pleasure when Drake had taken him by the hand on the occasion of their introduction He hated and feared Father Jero to frustrate those of the gallant sailor whoan to torture hied servitor only had been aduests in the Tower, and the honest veteran had gone straightway upon his knees and besought his young master to cast them out Of the Roainst his lawful Queen, and no truckling to the cruel bigot who sat upon the throne of Spain But love of histool of the conspirators Both fear and affection lead men to belie their better selves
After a month of as al by the river He walked into Newnham, and made his way to the ferry to watch the tide race up the river Men, horses, and dogs were cohareat hunt fixed for that very day Windybank, as a verderer, should have rehtier matters had driven it from his mind
There was plenty of bustle at the ferry; , and hounds were baying The townsfolk had come down to welcome their friends from the other side, but no Newnham man approached the , soham folk cut him as completely as did those of Newnhaentleman turned on his heel and strode off up the street He held his head defiantly erect, and he gave scorn for scorn and shrug for shrug Fro peal of laughter told hian ithin, and two boar-hounds tethered to the doorpost proclaiaher up the street the angry roup of dark-haired, sallow-faceda holiday, and a hiss of ”Papist!
papist!” greeted hier, but the fellows flourished their oaken cudgels within an inch of his nose; so he contented his!” and went on