LORD FALKLAND'S ADVICE
Half an hour later the Queen and Rupert found the King standing by
the sundial; the sun had faded from the heavens, leaving them faintly
purple, the trees were intertwining shapes, grey avenues of darkness,
the scent of the violets by the dial was rich and strong, the air blew
chilly, and in the palace windows the yellow lights were springing up,
one by one.
The Queen in her dark careless garments and Rupert in his brilliant
bravery alike gloomed up out of the twilight as indistinct shapes.
The King peered at them a little before he knew them.
"John Pym and I will never speak together more," he said abruptly
and in a hoarse tone. "When I returned to London it was not with the
purpose of winning these men but of punishing them, and to that purpose
I adhere."
"Lord Falkland," answered Rupert, "said Your Majesty had promised him
to take no violent measures, and to consult him and your new advisers
in all your actions."
"Of late I have had to make many promises that are impossible for me
to keep," returned Charles gloomily. "If men press on a king they must
expect he will use all weapons against them. I shall act without my
Lord Falkland's advice. How can he," added the King with a grand air,
"or any man, know what I feel towards these men who threaten my sacred
crown and God His Holy Church? Who imprison my bishops and take from
me--my friends?" his voice broke into sadness. "Truly, as I stood by
this dial, I thought it was like an emblem of my life, all the sunny
hours numbered and the finger now moving into darkness."
"But to-morrow will see the sun again," cried Rupert, "and so Your
Majesty, coming from an eclipse, shall behold a brighter day."
"Alas," answered Charles, "the moon is misty and clouds and rain
threaten for to-morrow. But though I am encompassed with many dangers I
will not hesitate to bring these traitors to judgment."
"This is what I from the first advised," said the Queen. "When we came
from Scotland, and the people were shouting and the city feasting
us--then was the moment to strike."
"It is not too late," replied Charles.
"Take care it be not," urged Henriette Marie. "Last autumn half a day's
delay ruined my Lord Strafford, so quick was this accursed Pym."
"He shall be avenged," cried the King in great agitation. "This time I
will strike first--keep it from my council. The King acts for the King,
now. Come in, my dear love, our short winter day is over--I feel it
cold."
"A keen wind blows up the river," said the Queen, with a little
shudder. "I saw the gulls to-day at Whitehall; that means a stormy
winter."
"But so far it hath been sweet as spring," said Rupert, "and there are
so many flowerets out, that you might think it Eastertide."
They returned to the palace, and the King had sent for Lord Falkland
and was proceeding to his cabinet, when he was met by Lord Winchester,
one of the most influential and ardent of his courtiers, a magnificent
and wealthy Cavalier, a Romanist, and one greatly beloved by King and
Queen.
"Sire," said this gentleman in a low, hurried voice. "I have just come
from Westminster where there are some most horrid rumours abroad. I
must acquaint you with----"
Charles looked at him in a startled and bewildered fashion.
"More ill news?" he murmured.
"Nay," said the Marquess, "it is but one of many rumours such as now
for ever beat the air--but I have sounded several on the likely truth
of this report, and do believe it to be more than an idle alarm."
The King took his friend's arm and drew him into his cabinet where
the wax-lights had already been lit and the fire sparkled between the
gleaming brass andirons.
"Dear lord, be concise and brief," he said affectionately. "I have
summoned Lord Falkland, and he," added Charles with his usual
imprudence, "is not in my confidence. I have taken him because I must.
Now, thy news."
The Marquess, who was as magnificent in appearance as he was in
temperament, being in all things the great noble, the patron of the
arts, the refined proud gentleman, the type of all that Charles most
admired, began to pace the room as if in some perturbation of mind.
"I do not know how to frame the thing in words," he began; "'tis about
John Pym."
"Ah, John Pym!" exclaimed Charles. He went to the fire and broke one of
the flaming logs with the toe of his boot.
"It is soberly said and credibly received," continued the Marquess,
"that this knavish fellow who hath such a marvellous hold on the minds
of his party is preparing an impeachment of----"
My lord paused, and the King turned sharply from the fire.
"What friend of mine doth he strike at now?" he asked, in a tone of
bitter anger and shame.
"It is said----"
"Thyself?"
"Nay, sire--should I for that have troubled you? It is said he
meditates impeaching Her Most Sacred Majesty."
"Oh, just God!" cried Charles, "shall I endure this another hour,
another minute?" He struck his breast with his open hand, and the rush
of blood to his face showed even through the glow of the fire. "Am I
the King and cannot I protect my wife?"
"Among Pym's party the thing is denied," said the Marquess, with an
instinctive desire to be fair even to people so hateful to him as were
the Puritans, "but remembering how suddenly he struck before, and
seeing how persistent the rumour was and how many held it credible, I
thought it well to bring it before Your Majesty----"
"It needed but that!" exclaimed the King. "Yet it needed not a further
outrage. I had already decided on my course."
He crossed suddenly to the Marquess and grasped him by the embroidered
sleeves.
"Ever since Strafford died," he said, struggling with violent emotion,
"I have vowed in my heart, by my crown and before God, that Pym and
the Parliament should pay! And they shall--to the last drop of blood
in their bodies! Let no one ask me for mercy for John Pym, for I would
sooner lose my all than lose my vengeance on these rebellious heretics!"
"It were better to strike at once," replied the Marquess, who well knew
the King's habit of hesitation, and whose sympathies were with the more
reckless counsels of the Queen. "Nor wait until they have gathered
strength and courage, or till fear giveth them daring. For I believe
they have their suspicions that Your Majesty meaneth to punish them."
"My lord," replied Charles, "you speak with wisdom. You shall not
have long to wait. Let me but beguile my Lord Falkland, who is for a
compromise with these fellows."
He returned to the fireplace and stood there, shivering, and warming
his hands, though not that he was cold; his features had a red, swollen
look as if he had lately wept, and his eyes were heavy-lidded and
bloodshot.
"My lord," he said, "come to me when Lord Falkland hath gone, and I
shall have my project ready."
Before the Marquess could answer, the King's page ushered in Lord
Falkland.
The King stood silent, biting his forefinger as the young noble saluted
him.
Not without misgiving did Lord Falkland see the Marquess in this
closeness with the King. He knew him to be a man of honour and
loyalty, but he knew him also to be one of those whose perverse and
reckless advice the King most leant on--advice fatal to the peace of
the kingdom, my lord thought, despairing of bringing Charles into an
alliance with the Puritans when the great Romanist noble thus held his
ear. The Marquess on his side regarded Lord Falkland as little better
than a mild fanatic, and in his heart likened him, half bitterly, half
humorously, to one who, at a bear baiting, should strive to separate
the furious animals by Christian reasoning when the stoutest stick made
would be scarce sufficient.
So to the Marquess, who, though no statesman and no idealist, yet was
shrewd enough in a worldly way, did Lord Falkland's attempt to make
peace among the factions appear.
He took a half-laughing leave of the Viscount, and, kissing the King's
hand, retired.
Charles picked up a small black leather portfolio from his bureau
and began turning over the sketches it contained; they were Italian
drawings recently brought by the Earl of Arundel from Rome, and the
King glanced at them with real pleasure and relief. They were to his
distracted mind what wine and gaiety would be to other men.
Lucius Carey, my Lord Falkland, with a look of anxiety on his beautiful
face, waited for him to speak.
"Mr. Pym," said Charles at length, gazing at a little drawing in bistre
of a rocky landscape with trees, "did make some discourse with me on
the government of England."
"Was his speech such as to please Your Majesty?" asked the Viscount
eagerly.
"Please me?" repeated the King, keeping his voice steady, but the paper
in his hand fluttering from the nervous shaking of his wrist. "He
wished to discuss matters with me as if we were two stewards set over
an estate--not as if we were King and subject. Yet I do not doubt that
he is a man of influence and one full of expedients and devices."
"He is honest," said my lord, "and of great power, and it is most
necessary that Your Majesty should consider him and his party."
"Have I not," asked the King with subdued violence, "considered them?"
He put the drawing back in the portfolio and turned his sad, angry gaze
on Lord Falkland.
"It is most necessary," returned the Viscount, "that Your Majesty
should put aside all prejudice, and entertain the advices of these men
with sincerity and openness. It is said at Westminster----"
"Yea, it is said at Westminster!" interrupted Charles, thinking of
what the Marquess of Winchester had told him. "What is not said at
Westminster?"
Lord Falkland was entirely ignorant of what the King referred to, and
knew nothing of the designs imputed to Mr. Pym.
"I referred to those floating whispers and alarming rumours which
declare Your Majesty intendeth, and hath intended, ever since your
coming from Scotland, some sudden and violent measures against the
popular leaders."
The King turned to his portfolio again and drew out a delicate pencil
sketch of the Madonna and Child; the few strokes of lead glowed with
all the sweetness and grace of the Umbrian School.
"There is a lovely Raffaello, my lord," he said. "Who would not rather
spend his time with these than with dusty politics?"
"A King hath no choice, sire," answered the Viscount, who had himself
left a wealthy cultured retirement at the call of patriotism.
"No," said Charles, "there are many matters in which I have no
choice. As to these reports you have heard, did I not lately promise
the Commons that their safety was as much my care as that of my
own children? And have I not promised you, my lord, and my other
councillors, to take no step without your advice? What more can you ask
of your King?"
"Nothing more," replied Lord Falkland. "If Your Majesty remain of that
mind I believe there will be but little difficulty to bring all things
to a happy conclusion. Only I know that there are certain rash perverse
courtiers who would tempt Your Majesty to step outside the law."
"You have caught a republican tone from this Puritan party," said
Charles haughtily. "How shall I keep within the law who am alone the
law?"
Lord Falkland reddened at the rebuke, but answered the King manfully
and earnestly.
"Sire, if I am not honest with you, I lack in loyalty. The constitution
of England is a mighty thing, and even the King must respect it--even
as you have promised. And if you go against it, and against the party
and principles of Mr. Pym, there will be great store of unhappiness
ahead of us all."
Charles closed the portfolio and flung it down.
"I will do all things in reason," he said, facing the Viscount, "but I
stand as fast by my faith as they by their heresies. I will not forsake
the Church of England."
Lord Falkland was silent.
"And they ask for the militia," added Charles. "They desire that the
army for Ireland be in their hands, officered by their creatures."
"Your Majesty," suggested Falkland, "might allow them the militia for a
time."
"No, by Christ!" cried Charles, "not for an hour! You ask what was
never asked of King before. Neither Church nor sword will I surrender."
"Then the conference of Your Majesty with Mr. Pym hath been
unavailing?" asked my lord mournfully.
"I do not say so much," replied Charles. "I have said I will not be
unreasonable, nor regardless in any way, of the good of the people. I
will see Mr. Pym again."
"Forgive me, sire," said the Viscount, "but a temperate carriage is
advisable now in all things, to keep our friends, to gain others, and
to render impossible the horrid chance of bloodshed."
The King's eyes narrowed.
"They would fight, would they?" he answered. "Well, so would I--I am
not fearful of that. I should know how to meet rebellion."
"Rebellion?" repeated Lord Falkland. "I do not dare to use or think
that word!"
"There are some who do," said Charles dryly, "but with God's grace we
will avoid that danger. Are you satisfied, my lord?"
The Viscount bowed.
"I have Your Majesty's word for those measures we believe most
necessary now. I am content to leave the rest in the hands of Your
Majesty."
In his heart, the Viscount, who had met much disillusion and
disappointment since he had joined the Court party, was far from
satisfied. He found the King, as ever, vague, shifting, and reserved,
and he was bound to conclude that the interview with John Pym had
proved absolutely fruitless. Yet he drew some comfort from the fact
that Charles had promised to commit no violence on any of the Members
of the Commons nor to take any steps without the advice of his new
counsellors--those moderate, loyal men of whom Falkland and Hyde were
the chief, and whose mild and patriotic measures were entirely devoted
to the task of making a settlement in the kingdom and mediating between
Charles and the Parliament.
Charles seemed to notice the shade of sadness, perhaps of mistrust,
on my lord's fair face, and he touched him lightly and kindly on the
shoulder.
"Believe I shall act as becometh a King," he said, smiling.
Lord Falkland kissed his sovereign's hand and withdrew, reassuring
himself as best he might, and comforting himself with those fair
visions of truth and concord that never failed to fill his idealistic
mind.
Charles returned to the portfolio and continued to handle the drawings
with a loving, delicate touch, and to gaze at them with the sensitive
eyes of appreciation and knowledge.
He was so employed when my Lord Winchester returned. When the splendid
Marquess entered, he put the sketches by.
"There is little satisfaction to be had from my Lord Falkland," he
remarked. "He is little better than an ambassador of the Puritans."
"What will Your Majesty do?" asked the Marquess eagerly.
"To-morrow," replied Charles, "there will be a few of these enemies
of mine lodged in the Tower. To-morrow I impeach Pym and four of his
creatures of high treason, at the Bar of the House of Lords."