THE TALISMAN.
After a while he got up and looked about him. The river was much
swollen, and was hurrying past its banks with such fury that it was
useless to think of returning as he had come. No, he must go on. His
head was confused, so that he could not think clearly about Honeymead,
and still less about Rosamund. She seemed far away and indistinct. Did
she love him? Did he love her? At all events, it was better to fix his
mind on London now. He looked thither, but the clouds had gathered
over the sky, and the sunlight no longer gleamed upon the golden
pinnacles. The city did not seem so alluring as from the other side of
the river. However, time was flying, and London was seven miles away.
Raymond set forth.
By and by he came to a milestone, on which he sat down to rest, and to
wonder how he was to make his fortune in London when he got there. It
was true that he had a talisman, but how was that to help him? A
yellow cap! It was, indeed, woven of golden thread, and might be sold
for a guinea; but a guinea was not a kingdom. Meanwhile the cap made
his head ache so that he pulled it off. It was certainly a fine cap.
It was lined with the best yellow satin, and a peacock's feather was
stuck in the band. On the band some letters were embroidered. Raymond
spelt them out, and found that they made the following couplet:--
Cap on--cap and knee!
Cap off--who is he?
It was the same that the dwarf had repeated to him in the river. What
did it mean? The dwarf had said it was full of wisdom; but Raymond had
never been much in the way of wisdom, and perhaps might fail to
recognise it when he saw it. He could not even be sure whether it were
better wisdom to put the cap on again or to keep it off. He was
inclined to keep it off. His head felt much clearer so; he was able to
think lovingly of Rosamund once more, and he longed to see her again.
What if some harm came to her in his absence? Might not that half of
the spade guinea give the dwarf some power over her? He rose to his
feet full of anxiety, and looked back towards Honeymead. Through a
break in the clouds the sun lit up the little village; the cottages
showed clearly in the warm light; and amongst them, with its thatched
and gabled roof, and with the great lime-trees standing over it, was
the Brindled Cow. Rosamund was there, no doubt, wondering where her
Raymond was. Now, perhaps, the dwarf was coming in, with the
half-guinea round his neck. What if he were to assert that he was the
true Raymond, showing the token in proof thereof? When this thought
came into Raymond's mind he started up from the milestone, resolved to
go back to Honeymead without the loss of an instant. How blind and
stupid he had been! Was not Rosamund more precious than a kingdom, or
than all the money in the Bank of England? Of course she was!
But just as Raymond's eyes were sparkling with good resolutions, and
one foot advanced on the way back to the Brindled Cow, he heard a
flourish of trumpets, hautboys, and cymbals, and, behold! a splendid
cavalcade advancing towards him on the way to London. In front rode a
company of knights in glittering armour; then came a long array of
men-at-arms, squires, and attendants, gorgeously attired; then more
knights, riding two-and-two; then a body of courtiers, and in the
midst of these, borne upon the shoulders of some of them, a platform
draped in cloth of gold. Upon the platform was a chair of carved
ivory, and in the chair sat a man with a long white beard falling over
his breast, and an ermine mantle on his shoulders. One foot rested on
a golden footstool, thereby showing a fine silk stocking with
embroidered clocks. The sight of that stocking made Raymond's heart
beat.
By this time the vanguard of knights had reached the milestone beside
which Raymond was standing. As they passed they glanced at him
contemptuously. This annoyed him, for he was used to think well of
himself, and the Honeymead people treated him with consideration. But
if the knights looked contemptuous, the men-at-arms and attendants
jeered and made mouths at him; and as for the pages they mocked and
bantered him unmercifully.
'Here's an odd fish!' cried one, pointing with his finger.
'He's lost his way trying to swim on land!' laughed another.
'A scaly fellow--let's skin him and clean him!' called out a third.
'How much are you a pound, fish?' asked a fourth.
'Bah! he's stale already!' shouted a fifth.
'What's that in his right fin?--a human cap and feather, I declare!'
exclaimed a sixth.
'Take it away from him!' cried several together; and one spurred his
horse towards the young man and reached forth the point of his lance,
as if to catch the cap from Raymond's hand.
But Raymond, though a minute ago he was almost ready to throw the cap
away, was not going to submit to being robbed of it. He caught the
lance by the shaft and jerked it from the page's grasp; then, putting
the cap firmly on his head, he stood on his guard boldly, with the
weapon advanced.
Why was the laugh with which the other pages had begun to greet their
companion's mishap checked so suddenly? Why was every eye bent upon
Raymond with an expression of respect and subservience? Why did all
salute him so profoundly, bowing to their saddles in silent homage?
What did this sudden change mean? It could not be that they were awed
by the bold front he had shown; it was more likely that this was but a
new way of making fun of him. And yet it was odd that all should have
joined in it unanimously and at an instant's notice. What did it all
mean?
The pages passed on, and the second company of knights followed.
Strange! they also seemed to have taken up the jest, for one and all
made deep obeisance to Raymond as they passed. And now came on the
courtiers, bearing aloft the platform on which sat the majestic figure
in the pink silk stockings. Raymond began to feel alarmed. If this
were (as he more than suspected) his Majesty King Ormund himself, what
punishment would be inflicted for the audacious crime of disarming one
of his Majesty's bodyguard? To lose his head was the least he might
expect. There could be no doubt that Raymond was alarmed, for he
actually forgot to uncover his head in the presence of his sovereign.
There he stood, upright and pale, with the spear in his hand, the
yellow cap on his head, and his eyes fixed upon the king.
The courtiers saw him. There was a flutter and a murmuring amongst
them; one of them said something to the King, at which he gave a
start.
'Now for it!' thought Raymond. He moved his head a little--perhaps he
would not have the power of moving it much longer. He wondered how it
would look when it was off his shoulders.
The King now leaned forward in his ivory chair and gazed at Raymond
intently. Then he gave an order to those about him, and the platform
was lowered to the ground by those who carried it. The King stepped
from it and came straight towards Raymond, the crowd falling back on
either side. How strange! instead of frowning his Majesty wore a very
cordial smile. He was close up to Raymond now; he was throwing his
royal arms about his neck; he was kissing him heartily on both
cheeks; he was saying, 'It delights our heart to see thee.
Welcome--welcome to England!'
'What, in the name of wonder, is the meaning of it all?' said Raymond
to himself.