Though Evander surveyed his enemies as composedly as if they had been
children threatening him with pins, Brilliana knew that the spirit of
mischief was alive and that the Cavaliers would not boggle at
cruelty, six to one, for the sport of making a Parliament man honor
the King against his will. She hated the man, but she would not have
him so handled. Instantly she stepped between Evander and the
Cavaliers, who fell back with lowered points before their hostess.
"Wait, sirs," she ordered, "let me see if my entreaties will not make
the bear more gracious."
She took up the cup where Rufus had set it down, and, coming close to
Evander, held the vessel to him with her sweetest smile, the smile
which, she had been assured a thousand times, would tame a savage and
shatter adamant. "Will you not pledge the best gentleman in England?"
she asked, with a voice all honey.
Very courteously Evander took the proffered cup from her fingers and
gave her back her smile. Brilliana's heart thrilled with pleasure at
this new proof of beauty's victory.
"I will drink at your wish," he said, looking at her with a quiet
smile and speaking as if he and she were alone together in the great
hall. "I will drink at your wish, but with my own wit." Still looking
into the gratified eyes of Brilliana, he lifted the cup.
"I drink," he cried, loud and clear, "to the best man in England. I
drink to Colonel Cromwell."
He drained the glass and sent it crashing into the fireplace. Then he
folded his arms and faced his antagonists.
Brilliana's heart seemed for a second to stand still. So beauty had
not triumphed, after all. Dimly, as one in a dream, she could hear
the fury of the Cavaliers find words.
"You black Jack, I will clip your ears," Rufus promised.
"Blood him. Blood him," bawled Fawley.
"Slit his nose," Radlett suggested.
"Duck him in the horse-pond," suggested Bardon.
"Set him in the stocks," Ingrow advised.
Halfman, seeing how Brilliana leaned against the table, her face
pale as her smock, raged at her daring denier. He stretched out his
sword as if to marshal and restrain the passions of the Cavaliers.
"Would it not be properer sport, sirs," he asked, "to tie him in a
chair, like Guido Fawkes on November day, and take him through the
village that loyal lads may pelt a traitor?"
Once again Halfman's pleasant invention pleased the fancy of his
allies.
"Well said," assented Rufus. "Fetch a rope, some one."
Brilliana, hearing, moved a little forward. She had failed and felt
shamed. Yet this thing must not happen. She could not leave her enemy
thus to the mercy of his enemies. But what she would have said was
stayed by a sudden diversion.
Interest in all the events that had so swiftly passed before them had
gravely relaxed the vigilance of Evander's guardians. Garlinge and
Clupp--a strong Gyas and a strong Cloanthes--open-eyed and
open-mouthed, were open-handed also and clawed no clutch upon their
prisoner's shoulder. Thoroughgood, confused between jealous thoughts
of Tiffany and envious admiration of the manner in which Halfman
handled the gentry, was as heedless as his inferiors, and was
therefore taken too much by surprise to offer the slightest
resistance when Evander, suddenly springing from between his guards,
snatched from his supine arms the captured sword that had been
intrusted to his keeping. Before he or any other of the astonished
spectators could take any action Evander had leaped lightly into the
alcove of the window, and, dragging by main force the heavy table in
front of him, so as to blockade his corner, showed himself snugly
intrenched behind a rampart which his single sword might well hope to
hold at least for some time against the swords of half a dozen
assailants.
"You will find me a spoil sport," he cried, cheerily, as he stood on
guard behind the massive bulk of oak. "Dogs, here is a hart at bay;
beware his antlers."
"Bravely done, rebel," Brilliana cried, aloud, as if in spite of
herself, as she beheld the reckless deed, and "Bravely done, rebel,"
Halfman echoed, in his reluctant turn, as he heard his lady's words
and saw the light of praise on his lady's face. Though he hated the
Puritan as cordially as if he had been a King's man all his days, he
could not deny his courage, and his scene of effective action made
him wish himself in Evander's place, taking the stage so skilfully
and dominating the situation. But above all this, if Brilliana
applauded the rebel's act, then the rebel's life was of some value,
and until he received his lady's orders the rebel's life should be
sacred to Halfman. So he struck up with his sword the pikes that
Garlinge and Clupp levelled, clumsily enough, and were preparing to
thrust at Evander over the interposing barrier. At the same moment
Rufus, for a very different reason, restrained the action of his
comrade Cavaliers, who were making ready for a combined rush, sword
in hand, upon their enemy. Rufus saw instantly how well intrenched
their enemy lay; it would be hard for any sword to reach him across
that width of oak, and even push of pike, when delivered by such
loutish fingers as now governed those weapons, might easily be
parried by a swordsman so skilful as he guessed Evander to be. But
there was no generosity towards a brave adversary in Rufus's action.
In his hot ferocity he merely wished to make sure of his quarry as
quickly as possible.
"You shall be no hart-royal," he answered, fiercely, taking up the
hunter's challenge. "You shall not escape. We shall sound the mort of
the deer in a moment. Give me your gun, fellow."
This last command was addressed to Thoroughgood, who had brought his
musketoon to the ready and was waiting irresolute for command. Sir
Rufus snatched the weapon from him and was about to aim at Evander
when, to his rage, Brilliana stepped between him and his mark.
"Stay your hand, Sir Rufus," she commanded, with a frown on the fair
face to which the color had now returned. "It is for me, and for me
only, to give orders here. This is my prisoner, and were he ten times
a Roundpoll he should have honest handling."
Sir Rufus would fain have protested, would fain have carried his
point, but he saw that in the face of her whom it was his heart's
desire to please which reduced him to sullen obedience. He shrugged
his shoulders. "As you please," he muttered, as he returned the gun
to Thoroughgood and, turning on his heel to hide his vexation, joined
his comrades, who seemed all to share, discomfited, in his rebuke,
and to deprecate the anger of Brilliana. Brilliana went up to the
table, and, poising herself against it by pressing the palms of her
hands on its surface, looked with gracious entreaty into the grave
eyes of Evander, who lowered his sword in respectful greeting.