FOUL PLAY.
When a man has conceived a deadly hatred of one of his fellow-men, and
has further resolved to let slip no chance of satisfying it, his revenge
becomes to him simply a question of time, for the chance is sure to come
sooner or later.
It was this conviction, I think, that kept my cousin Jasper Stapleton
quiet during the next few months. He knew that in due course his revenge
would have an opportunity of glutting itself, and for that evil time he
was well content to wait. You may wonder that so young a man should have
possessed such cruel feelings toward one who had never done him any
willful wrong. But as events proved Jasper was of an exceeding cruel
and malignant nature, and his wickedness was all the worse because it
was of a cold and calculating sort. If a man gave him an honest
straightforward blow or buffet, it was not Jasper's way to strike back
there and then, face to face, but rather to wait until some evil chance
presented itself--and then, his adversary's back being turned, Jasper
would plant a dagger between his shoulders. In other words, he bided his
time, and when he did strike, struck at an unguarded place.
Now at that time I had very little idea that Jasper entertained such
hard thoughts of me--my knowledge of his cruelty only came by later
experience. All that spring and summer of 1578 I was living in a very
paradise, and cared not for Jasper or Dame Barbara or anybody else. My
uncle had sanctioned the betrothal of Rose Herrick and myself, and the
good vicar had given us his blessing in choice Latin. There had been
some little scolding of us from both manor-house and vicarage, for Sir
Thurstan and Master Timotheus both thought us too young to talk of love
and marriage; but in the end our pleadings prevailed, and it was
arranged that we were to consider ourselves plighted lovers, and that
our wedding was to take place in two years. This settled, there was
naught but happiness for me and Rose. I think we spent most of that
summer out of doors, wandering about the Chase, and talking as lovers
will, of all the days to come. Never once did there come a cloud over
the fair heaven of our hopes, unless it was once, when in a remote
corner of the woods, we suddenly came face to face with Jasper
Stapleton. He had been out with his bow, and when we met him he was
advancing along the path, with a young deer slung over his shoulders. At
the sound of our footsteps on the crackling underwood, he stopped,
looked up, and, recognizing us, turned hastily away and vanished in the
thick bushes.
"Why did Jasper go away so suddenly?" asked Rose.
"Because he was not minded to meet us," said I.
"But why? And I have not seen him these many weeks--he seems to avoid
me. Did you mark his face, Humphrey,--how white it turned when he set
eyes on us? And there was a look on it that frightened me--a look that
seemed to promise no love for you, Humphrey," she said.
"Have no fear, sweetheart," I answered. "Jasper is a strange fellow,
but he will do me no harm. He is only disappointed because I have won
a flower that he would fain have possessed himself."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I mean, sweetheart, that Jasper was much in love with Mistress Rose
Herrick, and liked not that Humphrey Salkeld should win her.
There--perhaps I have done wrong to tell thee this; but, indeed, I like
not mysteries."
But so strange are women, that Rose immediately fell to sighing and
lamenting on Jasper's woes. "It is sad," she said, "that any man should
sorrow over a maiden's pretty face, when there are so many girls in the
world." This train of thought, however, suddenly slipped from her when
she remembered Master Jasper's ugly looks.
"He will do you a mischief, Humphrey," she said. "I saw it in his eyes.
He hates you. They say that jealousy breeds murder--oh! what if Jasper
should try to kill you?"
I laughed at the notion. I was so cock-a-whoop at that time, so elated
with my love and my fair prospects, that I did not believe anything
could harm me, and said so. Nevertheless, I believe Rose was from that
time much concerned as to the relations between me and Jasper, having
some woman-born notion that all might not go so well as I, in my boyish
confidence, anticipated. But when she set forth her fears from time to
time, I only laughed at her, never thinking that my cousin's opportunity
was already close at hand.
Early in the month of October in that year Sir Thurstan called Jasper
and myself into the library one morning, and informed us that he had
business for us at the port of Scarborough. There was, he said, a ship
coming over from Hamburg, the master of which had been entrusted with a
certain commission from him, and as the vessel was now due, he wished us
to go over to Scarborough and complete the matter, by receiving certain
goods and paying the master his money. Neither Jasper nor I were
displeased at the notion of this trip, for we were both minded to see a
little of the world. True, I did not like the idea of being separated
from my sweetheart for several days; but then, as she said, there would
be the delight of looking forward to our meeting again. Alas! neither of
us knew that that meeting was not to take place for three long and
weary years.
We set out from Beechcot, Jasper and I, one Monday morning, having with
us money wherewith to pay the charges of the ship-master. From the
manor-house to Scarborough there was a distance of twenty odd miles, and
therefore we rode our horses. Sir Thurstan had given us instructions to
put up at the Mermaid Tavern, near the harbor, and there we accordingly
stabled our beasts and made arrangements for our own accommodation. The
ship which we were expecting had not yet arrived, and was not likely to
come in before the next day, so that we had naught to do but look about
us and derive what amusement we could from the sights of the little
fishing town. Small as the place was, it being then little more than a
great cluster of houses nestling under the shadow of the high rock on
which stands Scarborough Castle, it was still a place of importance to
us, who had never for many years seen any town or village bigger than
our own hamlet of Beechcot, where there were no more than a dozen
farmsteads and cottages all told. Also the sailors, who hung about the
harbor or on the quay-side, or who sat in their boats mending their nets
and spinning their yarns one to another, were sources of much interest,
so that we felt two or three days of life in their company would not be
dull nor misspent. Moreover, the merchant, whose ship it was that
carried Sir Thurstan's goods, showed us much attention, and would have
us to his house to talk with him and tell him of our uncle, whose
acquaintance he had made many years previously, but had not been able to
cultivate.
There is, near the harbor of Scarborough, lying half-hid amongst the
narrow streets which run up towards the Castle Hill, a quaint and
curious inn known as the Three Jolly Mariners. At its door stands
a figure carved in wood, which at some time, no doubt, acted as
figurehead to a ship, but whether it represents Venus or Diana, Hebe or
Minerva, I do not know. Inside, the house more resembles the cabin of a
vessel than the parlor of a tavern. On the walls are many curious things
brought by mariners from foreign parts, together with relics of ships
that had made many voyages from the harbor outside, and had finally come
home to be broken up. In this place, half-parlor, half-cabin, there
assembled men of seafaring life: salts, young and old, English, Scotch,
Norwegians, and Danes, with now and then a Frenchman or Spaniard, so
that there is never any lack of interesting and ofttimes marvelous
discourse.
Our ship not having come in on the Tuesday night, Jasper and I, in
company with the merchant aforesaid, entered the Three Jolly Mariners,
and having saluted the assembled company, sat down to wait awhile, the
harbor-master thinking it likely that our vessel would shortly be
signaled. There were several men in the inn, drinking and talking, and
all were of interest in my eyes, but one of them much more so than the
others. He was a stoutly-built, tall man of middle age, dressed in what
seemed to my eyes a very fantastic style, there being more color in his
dress than was then usual. He had a high, white forehead, over which his
jet-black hair was closely cropped, his eyes were set rather too near
together to be pleasant, his nose was long, his teeth very white and
large, and his beard, almost as black as his hair, was trimmed to a
point. As he sat and listened to the conversation around him he never
laughed, but occasionally he smiled, exposing his cruel teeth, and
reminding me of a dog that shows its fangs threateningly.
Our friend the merchant whispered to us that this gentleman was a
certain Captain Manuel Nunez, who came trading to Scarborough from
Seville. He further informed us that his ship now lay outside in the
harbor, and was a fine vessel, of very graceful proportions, and much
more beautiful to look at than our English ships, which are somewhat
squat and ugly, though not difficult to handle.
"And although he is a Spaniard," continued our friend, "this Senor Nunez
is well liked here, for he makes himself courtly and agreeable to those
who have to do with him, so that our recent relations with his country
have not prevented him from coming amongst us."
However, there was something about the man which almost made me afraid.
He reminded me of a viper which I once killed in Beechcot Woods. And
though we entered into conversation with him that night, and found him a
mightily agreeable companion, I still preserved the notion that he was a
man not to be trusted, and like to prove cruel and treacherous.
The following day, going down to the harbor-wall to see if there were
any signs of our ship, I saw my cousin engaged in close conversation
with Senor Nunez. I did not intrude myself upon them, but presently the
Spaniard, catching sight of me, came to my side, and with a courteous
salutation addressed me.
"I have been inviting your good cousin, Master Stapleton, to go aboard
my vessel yonder," said he, "and I would tender the same courtesy to
yourself, Master Salkeld. It is not often that an English country
gentleman has a chance of seeing a Spanish ship in these sad days,
unless, alack! it be in this deplorable warfare; and, therefore, I
thought you might both be glad of this opportunity."
"What do you say, Humphrey?" asked Jasper, who had now approached us. "I
would like to see the inside of a Spanish ship. If 'tis aught like the
outside it should be well worth an examination."
"A look at the Santa Luisa will repay your trouble, gentlemen," said the
Spaniard with a proud smile. "There is no faster ship for her size on
the high seas."
"I am agreeable," said I. "Our own ship is not yet come, and time begins
to hang heavy."
"Then you shall come on board to-night," said Captain Nunez. "Until six
of the clock I am engaged on shore, but at that hour I will have a boat
awaiting us at the harbor stairs, and you shall go aboard with me,
gentlemen."
So we agreed and parted with him, Jasper full of the matter, and
exclaiming that we should have much to tell the folks at home. I,
however, was beginning to get somewhat impatient with respect to our own
ship, which its owner now believed to have been unexpectedly detained,
and I only regarded the visit to the Santa Luisa as a diversion.
At six o'clock that night, Jasper and I met the Spaniard at the harbor
stairs and went on board his vessel. We found the Santa Luisa to be a
very fine ship, and of much more pretentious appearance as regarded her
fittings than our own English trading vessels. We passed an hour or so
in examining her, and were then pressed by Senor Nunez to enter his
cabin and enjoy his hospitality.
I have no very clear recollection of what followed. I remember that we
ate and drank, that the Spaniard was vastly amusing in his discourse,
and that I began to feel mighty sleepy. After that I must have gone to
sleep.
When I came to my full senses again I was lying in a hammock, and I
could tell from the motion of the ship that we were at sea in a good,
fresh wind. The Spaniard stood by me, regarding me attentively. I
started up and addressed him.
"Senor Nunez! I have been asleep. Where am I? The ship seems to be
moving!"
"The ship is moving, Master Salkeld," he answered, in his smooth, rich
voice. "At this moment she is off the Lincolnshire coast. You have slept
for twelve hours."