With my horse reduced to some show of order, but yet champing
fretfully at his bit and throwing back his head in such manner as but
for my quick avoidance had endangered the soundness of my own, I
cantered gaily to that part where the exercising was, with head erect
and a firm hold upon the great war-saddle that seemed no longer too
vast to grip between the knees. There I perceived that Simon Emmet
was at great pains to get the words of command and their significance
not only into the heads of his troopers but also into that of
Christopher Kidd, who there was sweating visibly in attempt at once
to control a fresh horse he had gotten, and to repeat after Simon
words of whose meaning he had less knowledge than the men that, for
lack of a better, he was to command. At once and without a word I
fell into line, and, after a few mistakes, very successfully put
myself and Roan Charley through the simple evolution in progress. At
first Simon did not mark me, being the more busied that the dulness
of Kidd was much increased by his amazement at the sight of me. But
when at length Simon saw the direction of his awkward pupil's regard,
he as quickly perceived his new recruit.
Giving the command to halt in his great voice of an old sergeant of
horse, he walked up to me, saying, with a rough petulance: "How now,
young gentleman? What have you to do among these?" Then, at the
laugh with which I answered him, he drew near and understood. And
mightily put about he was, and would have me at once return to the
house.
But, "Tush, Simon!" I said, smiling on him in the fashion I had used
from a child when I would have my way rather than his, "do I not do
it all fit and properly? You are not to know who I am, but a young
gentleman that would exercise with you."
"You must leave the ranks," said Simon, gruff but wavering.
"So I will indeed," I answered, "if Mr. Kidd will but take my place."
And this Christopher, ever ready for Prue's sake to pleasure me, very
readily did, without more said; whereupon I took his place, and,
before Simon had well lowered his brows of amazement, I was giving
out in the greatest voice I could compass all the words of command I
had spent my morning in learning from my window. The troop, falling
in with the jest, acquitted themselves so well that Simon did not
interfere; and I had halted them at length with intent to coax old
Emmet to fetch my father, that he might see how good a man I was,
when from round the corner where lay the front of the house there
came a great and growing confusion of sound: the wheels of a coach,
the hoofs of many horses, and a mixed murmur of voices. And then the
great voice of my father rang out, at the sound of which all was
hushed; wheels stopped, horses stood, and men held their breath.
Bidding Simon keep his men as they were, I cantered round the
southeast corner of the house, and, checking my horse, stood for some
minutes unmarked in the confusion, to observe a scene not a little
curious.
The coach was my Lady Mary's, easily recognized in our parts for the
newness of its fashion. By its side stood our friend and neighbor,
Sir Giles Blundell, that instant dismounted, and opening the door
that my lady might descend. Behind him were two young gentlemen, one
of whom held Sir Giles's horse by the bridle. My lady, of a pallor
very death-like, and stumbling as she stepped down from the coach so
that she was like to have fallen but for the ready support of his
hands, said a few words to Sir Giles, but all in a voice so low from
weakness of fatigue and the faintness of terror as no word of it to
reach my ears. His answer, however, was given clearly enough. And
as he spoke my father, till now delayed in his descent of the steps
by the lameness of his leg, drew near and stood beside my lady,
leaning upon his stick.
"Indeed, dear madam," said Sir Giles, "I will do no such thing. I
and my friends here are vastly pleased we were in the way to rescue
you from such evil hands; 't was a small service we are proud to have
rendered to so good a friend and neighbor. But to ride further to
Royston Chase on the mere chance of some danger to His Highness of
Orange, that has an army to protect him, is but to mix ourselves with
a game we are well resolved to watch at a safe distance."
"Ah, Giles," says Sir Michael, who had known him from a boy, "your
father had been of one part or the other. What, in God's name, is
coming to England, when Englishmen are found that cannot even take a
side?" Whereupon more words to little purpose ensued, Sir Giles and
the two other gentlemen at length departing as they had come, after
replying with much forbearance to some heated and scornful
animadversions of my father upon the lukewarmness of their conduct.
Gratitude for what these gentlemen had done in her behalf and the
need of recovering her spirits from the great perturbation into which
they had been thrown by the events of the morning kept my lady silent
until their departure was accomplished, when she turned to Sir
Michael with a great beseeching in her countenance, saying: "Surely
you will help me, my old friend." On which he gave her assurance he
would do all he might, but told her he was yet ignorant what was her
trouble and need. And it is great wonder to me that all the time she
was telling and he hearing her story neither did observe me sitting
there on my horse, and but partly hidden from their eyes by the
branches of a tree. But her eagerness was well equalled by his
interest; and there was a great bustling of our hostlers and her two
servants about the coach. For one of the horses had fallen when
brought to a stand, and lay, it seemed, at the point of death, two
more being in a very bad case.
In brief, the tale she told him, of which I heard near every word,
was this: that one had come at six o'clock of that morning with a
letter from her son, announcing a visit, as she interpreted its
terms, from His Highness of Orange; that by nine she was well
advanced with her preparation for his fit reception, when all was
thrown into confusion by the sudden arrival and enforced entry of a
strange and ill-assorted body of men, acting, with a silent obedience
truly wonderful to see in so unlikely a comradeship, under the orders
of a little fat man with a dark face and red hair. This fellow,
after he had compelled her with the threat of death and a pistol at
her head to write that letter to her son which I have already
mentioned, did force her, with her maid and one man-servant, into the
coach which the other was to drive, a ruffian of decent mien being
seated beside him with a loaded pistol to quicken his obedience and
despatch. One other, in like manner persuasive, was in the coach,
while Red-head and a fourth with a led horse rode beside. This
party, in the endeavor to reach Salisbury, but much delayed by the
devices of my lady's coachman, after escaping the pursuit of Farmer
Kidd, had fallen the more easily before the gallant assault of Sir
Giles Blundell and his friends that they were weakened by the absence
of their leader; he having, as I believe (though this came not in
Lady Mary's narrative), lost his way in drawing off Christopher's
attack, and, being minded from the first to return before the end to
Royston Chase, and falling in with my brother Philip, was glad enough
to enforce his attendance as a guide, if not also to vent an old
spleen by making of him an unwilling accomplice in his wicked purpose.
Of the three villains left with the coach, one was slain in the
rescue and the other two escaped on their horses.
My lady ended her tale by telling her fear that the life of His
Highness was aimed at, and imploring Sir Michael with tears that he
should at once send his men (for Simon had by this brought his troops
in very fair order round into the drive) for the warning and defence
of His Highness; adding most piteously that her fear was no less for
the honor of her son and his father's house than for the life of the
Prince.
"Ay, madam," says my father; "but since there is none to lead them,
and they are like a flock of sheep lacking a shepherd, they must wait
the time of writing a letter."
"Write! write!" cried her ladyship, wringing her hands, "write!
while even now it is perhaps too late!"
"I would I had one left of them all," said Sir Michael, with a groan;
"or anybody with a head-piece on a sound body. You see what I am,
and Simon is well-nigh a cripple these three years."
And with that I cantered up to them; and, bringing suddenly my horse
to a stand, and saluting very finely, _more militari_--"I will go,
sir," I cried.
"Who 's here?" cries my father, and "Mercy on us!" says my lady, like
any milkmaid, in one breath with him.
"Who but your son Philip?" I answered, laughing gaily, and, I think,
blushing a little, as well indeed I might. "And your son Philip is
the best horseman in the country; your son Philip bestrides the best
nag in three; and your son Philip knows the crow's-road to Royston,
while it is of common knowledge that he has a very pretty head-piece
on his shoulders."
My father being past speaking for amazement, my lady breaks in with:
"Thou 'rt a brave girl, but why this masquerade, dear child?"
"To convince Sir Michael Drayton," I pertly replied, "that there is
some use even in daughters, when they can hold a sword and sit in a
war-saddle of Prince Rupert's time."
Sir Michael here made to seize my bridle, but Roan Charley had caught
excitement from my voice, and a little slacking of his rein with a
pressure of the knee at once put him at the distance of three great
bounds from any detaining hand.
"Come back, Philippa!" cries my father.
"Not so, dear sir," said I, turning in the saddle, "for I shall go,
an you will allow it."
"The roads and fields are not safe for thee, child," said he, "with
so many bad men about, and an army close to hand, else were I willing
enough."
"Then let these men follow me," I cried. "Simon will tell you, dear
sir, that I can give and take the word of command. Christopher has
no wit to handle them. Send the six best mounted, and let them come
up with me if they can, and I will give Roan Charley to him that
reaches Royston neck and neck with me."
And if they answered me again I heard it not, for Charley was away,
taking in his stride the fence of the paddock that lies behind the
stable; and although that way did mean a leap-out at a point where
the fence was high, with the ground falling sharply on the other
side, we did the second jump as well as we had done the first, and so
gained three hundred yards on the pursuing troop, whom I already
heard pounding after me with many a hearty cry and much rattling of
harness.