Part 20 (1/2)

With this mingled strain of earthly politics, and fanatical prediction, Harrison so overpowered Colonel Everard, as to leave him no time to urge him farther on the particular circ.u.mstances of his nocturnal skirmish, concerning which it is plain he had no desire to be interrogated. They now reached the Lodge of Woodstock.

CHAPTER THE FIFTEENTH.

Now the wasted brands do glow, While the screech-owl, sounding loud, Puts the wretch that lies in woe, In remembrance of a shroud.

Now it is the time of night That the graves, all gaping wide, Every one lets out its sprite, In the church-way paths to glide.

MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.

Before the gate of the palace the guards were now doubled. Everard demanded the reason of this from the corporal, whom he found in the hall with his soldiers, sitting or sleeping around a great fire, maintained at the expense of the carved chairs and benches with fragments of which it was furnished.

”Why, verily,” answered the man, ”the corps-de-garde, as your wors.h.i.+p says, will be hara.s.sed to pieces by such duty; nevertheless, fear hath gone abroad among us, and no man will mount guard alone. We have drawn in, however, one or two of our outposts from Banbury and elsewhere, and we are to have a relief from Oxford to-morrow.”

Everard continued minute enquiries concerning the sentinels that were posted within as well as without the Lodge; and found that, as they had been stationed under the eye of Harrison himself, the rules of prudent discipline had been exactly observed in the distribution of the posts. There remained nothing therefore for Colonel Everard to do, but, remembering his own adventure of the evening, to recommend that an additional sentinel should be placed, with a companion, if judged indispensable, in that vestibule, or ante-room, from which the long gallery where he had met with the rencontre, and other suites of apartments, diverged. The corporal respectfully promised all obedience to his orders. The serving-men being called, appeared also in double force. Everard demanded to know whether the Commissioners had gone to bed, or whether he could get speech with them? ”They are in their bedroom, forsooth,” replied one of the fellows; ”but I think they be not yet undressed.”

”What!” said Everard, ”are Colonel Desborough and Master Bletson both in the same sleeping apartment?”

”Their honours have so chosen it,” said the man; ”and their honours' secretaries remain upon guard all night.”

”It is the fas.h.i.+on to double guards all over the house,” said Wildrake. ”Had I a glimpse of a tolerably good-looking house-maid now, I should know how to fall into the fas.h.i.+on.”

”Peace, fool!” said Everard.-”And where are the Mayor and Master Holdenough?”

”The Mayor is returned to the borough on horseback, behind the trooper, who goes to Oxford for the reinforcement; and the man of the steeple-house hath quartered himself in the chamber which Colonel Desborough had last night, being that in which he is most likely to meet the-your honour understands. The Lord pity us, we are a hara.s.sed family!”

”And where be General Harrison's knaves,” said Tomkins, ”that they do not marshal him to his apartment?”

”Here-here-here, Master Tomkins,” said three fellows, pressing forward, with the same consternation on their faces which seemed to pervade the whole inhabitants of Woodstock.

”Away with you, then,” said Tomkins;-”speak not to his wors.h.i.+p-you see he is not in the humour.”

”Indeed,” observed Colonel Everard, ”he looks singularly wan-his features seem writhen as by a palsy stroke; and though he was talking so fast while we came along, he hath not opened his mouth since we came to the light.”

”It is his manner after such visitations,” said Tomkins.-”Give his honour your arms, Zedekiah and Jonathan, to lead him off-I will follow instantly.-You, Nicodemus, tarry to wait upon me-it is not well walking alone in this mansion.”

”Master Tomkins,” said Everard, ”I have heard of you often as a sharp, intelligent man-tell me fairly, are you in earnest afraid of any thing supernatural haunting this house?”

”I would be loth to run the chance, sir,” said Tomkins very gravely; ”by looking on my wors.h.i.+pful master, you may form a guess how the living look after they have spoken with the dead.” He bowed low, and took his leave. Everard proceeded to the chamber which the two remaining Commissioners had, for comfort's sake, chosen to inhabit in company. They were preparing for bed as he went into their apartment. Both started as the door opened-both rejoiced when they saw it was only Everard who entered.

”Hark ye hither,” said Bletson, pulling him aside, ”sawest thou ever a.s.s equal to Desborough?-the fellow is as big as an ox, and as timorous as a sheep. He has insisted on my sleeping here, to protect him. Shall we have a merry night on't, ha? We will, if thou wilt take the third bed, which was prepared for Harrison; but he is gone out, like a mooncalf, to look for the valley of Armageddon in the Park of Woodstock.”

”General Harrison has returned with me but now,” said Everard.

”Nay but, as I shall live, he comes not into our apartment,” said Desborough, overhearing his answer. ”No man that has been supping, for aught I know, with the Devil, has a right to sleep among Christian folk.”

”He does not propose so,” said Everard; ”he sleeps, as I understand, apart-and alone.”

”Not quite alone, I dare say,” said Desborough; ”for Harrison hath a sort of attraction for goblins-they fly round him like moths about a candle:-But, I prithee, good Everard, do thou stay with us. I know not how it is, but although thou hast not thy religion always in thy mouth, nor speakest many hard words about it, like Harrison-nor makest long preachments, like a certain most honourable relation of mine who shall be nameless, yet somehow I feel myself safer in thy company than with any of them. As for this Bletson, he is such a mere blasphemer, that I fear the Devil will carry him away ere morning.”

”Did you ever hear such a paltry coward?” said Bletson, apart to Everard. ”Do tarry, however, mine honoured Colonel-I know your zeal to a.s.sist the distressed, and you see Desborough is in that predicament, that he will require near him more than one example to prevent him thinking of ghosts and fiends.”