It was now mid-June. The air was dry and cool. But Robert Sadler
thought not of June nor dryness and coolness of air as in triumph he
made ready for his journey.
"I should have gone," grumbled Humphrey the serving-man when he heard
of it. "Who knoweth this Robert Sadler? My lord had him at the
recommendation of Lord Clifford and he hath been at the castle not yet
a year. Who knoweth that he is to be trusted? I should have gone. I did
dream of serpents last night, and that foretelleth a prison. Robert
Sadler will no doubt be caught by some marauding baron as he cometh
again from Chester, and he will be thrown into the dungeon, and then my
lady will see."
So grumbling he was summoned to the ladies' bower just as the
drawbridge was lowered to permit the departure of Robert Sadler.
Ungraciously he obeyed; and just as ungraciously he continued his
grumbling in her ladyship's presence. "I did dream of serpents last
night," he began, "and that foretelleth a prison."
Lady De Aldithely shivered. "I pray thee, speak not of prisons,
Humphrey," she said firmly, "but attend my words."
"Am I not faithful?" demanded Humphrey.
"Thou art, my good Humphrey," was the reply.
"Was it then for Robert Sadler to do thine errand?"
"I have a greater errand for thee," was the grave answer. "Robert
Sadler is a traitor, and we have much to do ere he return."
Humphrey seemed bewildered. "And wouldst thou trust a traitor?" he at
length demanded.
"Abroad, good Humphrey, and in a small matter, but not within these
walls."
The dense Humphrey showing still by his countenance that he could not
comprehend his mistress, Lady De Aldithely spoke more plainly. "I must
tell thee, Humphrey, that Robert Sadler designeth for a sum of money to
deliver Josceline to the king."
Humphrey stared.
"I have discovered it, and have been almost crazed in consequence. But
a deliverer hath come."
"I saw no one," said Humphrey in a dazed tone.
"Didst thou not see Hugo?" asked Lady De Aldithely with a faint smile.
"My lord will be fain to do much for him when he heareth what Hugo will
do for Josceline."
"And what can a lad like him do?" demanded Humphrey. "Thou hadst better
trust me. I am forty years of age and have served the De Aldithelys all
my life."
"I do trust thee, Humphrey, and I do honor thee by sending thee to
attend on this brave lad, Hugo."
"I will not go," declared Humphrey. "Why should I leave thee and
Josceline to serve a stranger? Here I bide where my lord left me."
"Wilt thou not go at my command, Humphrey?"
There was no reply but a mutinous look, and Lady De Aldithely
continued, "Thou hast doubtless seen how very like in appearance Hugo
is to my son. This good lad, Hugo, this best of lads, Hugo, will, for
my sake and Josceline's, assume to be my son. He will ride forth toward
London as if he made to escape to his father in France. The servants of
the king will hear of it through the spies they keep in the wood near
us. They will pursue him while Josceline and I escape into Scotland."
Humphrey reflected. "I see it, I see it," he said at last. "Hugo is the
good lad."
"He is indeed, Humphrey. So good I cannot see him go unattended. Thou
art the trustiest servant I have; and so I send thee with him to keep
him from what peril thou mayest, and to defend him in what thou canst
not ward off. Thou must serve him as thou wouldst Josceline, on pain of
my displeasure."
"I did dream of serpents," said Humphrey, slowly, "and they foretell a
prison. It were better for thee to abide here, for, perchance, it is
not to foretell the fate of Robert Sadler but the fate of Josceline
that the dream was sent."
"Abide here, and let Robert Sadler take my son? Nay, good Humphrey, we
must away. Hugo and thou to-morrow morn, Josceline and I to-morrow
night." And then Humphrey was dismissed with the command, "Send Hugo to
me."
Almost immediately the boy appeared, and Lady De Aldithely met him with
a smile. "I send thee forth to-morrow morn," she said, "and Humphrey
will go with thee--if thou be still of a mind to go."
"I am still of a mind to go, Lady De Aldithely," was the answer.
"Thou knowest the danger to thyself," she said. "And 'twere not to save
my only son, I could not let thee take such peril. Cross thou to
France, I charge thee, and take this favor to my husband. Tell him,
because thou wouldst do knightly service for me and mine, I give it
thee. Thou wilt not go unrewarded." And she held out a knot of blue
ribbon.
The boy looked from it to her green robe, and back again. Lady De
Aldithely saw the look. "Green is not my color, Hugo," she said. "It is
but the fashion of the time." Suddenly she drew back her hand and laid
the knot against her sleeve. "See how the colors war," she said. "But
not more than truth and constancy with the wickedness of this most
wicked reign." Then she held out the knot of blue to him again.
"Receive it, dear lad," she said. "Whatever knightly service it is
thine to render after thou hast taken thy vow, thou canst render none
greater than thou dost now render to Matilda De Aldithely."
"And what service is that?" inquired Josceline as he came smiling into
the room. "And what solemn manner is this, my mother? There must be
great deeds afoot to warrant it." And he glanced from one to the other.
"Thou hast well come, my son," returned his mother, gravely. "I would
this moment have sent to summon thee. Thou and I must away to-morrow
night to wander through the forest of Galtus and on into the wilds of
Scotland, where we may, perchance, find safety."
At this Josceline stared in astonishment. "We be safe here in the
castle," he said at length.
"Nay, my son," returned his mother. "Here be we not safe. I had told
thee before of the treachery of Robert Sadler but for thy hasty,
impetuous nature which, by knowing, would have marred my plans. Thou
wouldst have dealt with him according to his deserts--"
"Ay, that would I," interrupted Josceline, "if he be a traitor. And
that will I when he returneth."
Lady De Aldithely looked at him sadly. "We be in the midst of grave
perils, my son," she said. "Control thyself. It is not always safe to
deal with traitors according to their deserts, and never was it less
safe than now. When Robert Sadler returneth we must be far away."
But Josceline was hard to convince. "Here is the castle," he said,
"than which none is stronger, and here be good men and true to defend
it. Moreover, Robert Sadler is now outside the walls. Thou canst, if
thou wilt, keep him out, and we have naught to fear. Why should we go
wandering with our all on the backs of sumpter mules, and with only a
few men-at-arms and serving-men to bear us company?"
"My son," said Lady De Aldithely, rising from her seat, "thy father
gave thee into my keeping. And thou didst promise him upon thine honor
to obey me. Thou mayest not break thy pledged word."
"I had not pledged it," rejoined Josceline, sulkily, "had I known of
wanderings through forest and wild."
"Better forest and wild than the king's dungeon, my son," replied Lady
De Aldithely. "We go hence to-morrow night."
During this conversation Hugo had stood a silent and unwilling
listener. Josceline now turned to him. "And whither goest thou, Hugo?"
he asked. "With us?"
"Nay, let me speak," said Lady De Aldithely, holding up her hand to
check Hugo's reply. "Hugo goeth south toward London clad in thy
bravery, and with Humphrey to attend him."
Again Josceline showed astonishment. "I understand not thy riddles," he
said at last petulantly.
"He is thy counterpart, my son, and he will personate thee," said Lady
De Aldithely. "He setteth out to-morrow morn. The king's spies will
pursue him, and thus we shall be able to flee unseen."
"And thou hast planned all this without a word to me?" cried Josceline,
angrily. "But for my pledged word I would not stir. Nay, not even if I
knew Robert Sadler would give me up to the king's messengers."
Lady De Aldithely gave Hugo a sign to leave the room. When he was gone
she herself withdrew, and Josceline was left alone in the ladies'
bower, where he stamped about in great irritation for a while. But he
could not retain his anger long. Insensibly it faded away, and he found
visions of wood and wild taking its place.
Meanwhile Lady De Aldithely had gone to the castle hall, when she sent
a summons to William Lorimer to attend her there. To him, when he
arrived, she unfolded Robert Sadler's treachery and her own meditated
flight with her son.
"Thee," she said, "I leave in charge of these bare walls to deal with
Robert Sadler on his return. Whatever happeneth I hold thee blameless.
Do as seemeth thee best, and when thou art through here, repair with
the others I leave behind, to my lord in France. And if thou shouldst
ever find Hugo to be in need, what thou doest for him thou doest for my
lord and me."
The man-at-arms bowed low. "I will deal with Robert Sadler as I may,"
he answered. "Only do thou leave me the postern key. As for Hugo, I
will not fail him if ever in my presence or hearing he hath need."
Then Lady De Aldithely with a relieved smile gave him the postern key
and he withdrew.
The day was now drawing to a close, and an air of solemnity was upon
the castle. Each man knew he was facing death; each man was anxious for
the safety of Lady Aldithely and her son; and each man cast a sober eye
on Hugo and Humphrey. The effect upon Hugo was visibly depressing,
while upon Humphrey it was irritating.
Humphrey had been thinking: and while he would be ostensibly Hugo's
servant, he had decided that he would be in reality the master of the
expedition. "I like not this obeying of strangers," he said to himself.
"Moreover, it is not seemly that any other lad than our own young lord
should rule over a man of my years. Let the lad Hugo think I follow
him. He shall find he will follow me. And why should these men-at-arms
look at us both as if we went out to become food for crows? Did I not
dream of acorns last night, and in my dream did I not eat one? And what
doth that betoken but that I shall gradually rise to riches and honor?
Let the men-at-arms look to themselves. They will have need of all
their eyes when that rascal Robert Sadler cometh galloping again to the
castle with the king's minions at his back."
Now all this grumbling was not done in idleness. For all the time
Humphrey was busy filling certain bags which were to be swung across
the haunches of the horses he and Hugo were to ride. Brawn, meal for
cakes, grain for the horses, and various other sundries did Humphrey
stow away in the bags which were to supply their need at such times as,
on account of pursuit, they would not dare to venture inside a town.
"And what care I that the interdict forbiddeth us meat as if we were in
Lent," grumbled Humphrey as he packed the brawn. "Were the king a good
king, meat would be our portion as in other years. Since he is the bad
king he is, I will e'en eat the brawn and any other meat to be had. And
upon the head of the king be the sin of it, if sin there be."
And the packing finished, he went early to rest.
The castle stood on a ridge near the river Wharfe, from which stream
the castle moat derived its water. Its postern gate was toward the
east, the great gate being on the northwest. From the postern Hugo and
Humphrey were to set out and follow along down the river toward Selby.
They were to make no effort at concealment on this first stage of their
journey which might, therefore, possibly be the most dangerous part of
it. They had little to fear, however, from arrows, as the king's men
would not so much wish to injure the supposed Josceline as to capture
him. They had shot at him before simply to disable him before he could
reach the shelter of the castle.
But Humphrey was not thinking of the dangers of the way. He was up and
looking at the sky at the early dawn. "I did hear owls whooping in the
night before I slept, which foretelleth a fair day for the beginning of
our enterprise," he said. "The sky doth not now look it, but my trust
is in owls. I will call Hugo. It is not meet that he should slumber
now."
Hugo was not easily roused. He had slept ill: for as night had come
down upon him in the castle for the last time, he had not felt quite so
sure of being able to lead his pursuers a merry chase. And it was
midnight when he fell into an uneasy sleep which became heavy as
morning dawned. Humphrey knew nothing of this, however, nor would he
have cared if he had. By his own arguing of the case in his mind, he
was now firm in the conviction that Hugo had been put into his charge,
and he was quite determined to control him in all things. So he routed
him from his slumbers and his bed without the slightest compunction,
bidding him make haste that they might take advantage of the fair day
prognosticated by the owls.
This duty done, Humphrey betook himself to the walls near the postern
where he had before noticed William Lorimer apparently deeply engaged
in reconnoitring and planning. Now, whatever Humphrey lacked, it was
not curiosity; and he was speedily beside the man-at-arms, who
impatiently, in his heart, wished him elsewhere.
"What seest thou?" began Humphrey curiously as he gazed about him on
all sides.
"The same that thou seest, no doubt," retorted William Lorimer,
gruffly.
"Why, then," observed Humphrey, slowly, "thou seest what I and thou
have seen these many times,--a bare open place beyond the ditch, and
then the wood. I had thought some king's man must have shown himself
from his hiding."
"Not so, good Humphrey, not so," rejoined William Lorimer more
pleasantly as he reflected that he would soon be rid of the prying
serving-man. "Hugo and thou will see king's men before I do."
"Ah, trust me," boasted Humphrey, complacently. "I shall know how to
manage when we see them."
"Thou manage?" said William Lorimer, teasingly. "Bethink thee, thou art
but servant to Hugo. Hast thou not promised Lady De Aldithely to be his
servant?"
Humphrey hesitated a moment and then replied: "Yea, in a measure. But I
take it that there are servants and servants. Besides, I did dream of
acorns of late and of eating one of them, which doth foretell that I
shall gradually rise to riches and honor; and surely the first step in
such a rise is the managing of Hugo. My dream hath it, thou seest, that
Hugo shall obey me. Wherefore I said I shall know how to manage when I
see the king's men."
"Hath Hugo heard of this fine dream?" inquired William Lorimer with
pretended gravity.
"Not he. Why should he hear of it? He is as headstrong as our young
lord Josceline, though not so haughty. I shall but oppose the weight
of my years and experience against him at every turn, and thou shalt
see I shall prevail." So saying, Humphrey, with an air of great
self-satisfaction, turned and descended the wall to the court-yard.
For a moment William Lorimer smiled. "I would I might follow the two,"
he said. "There will be fine arguments between them."