A FRUITLESS EMBASSY.
"A bold, bad man."--Spenser.
To return to myself. I paced to and fro in the abbey grounds in anguish
and suspense, waiting for Badger's return, yet almost dreading it, lest
he should bring ill news. But midnight passed, and the small hours of
the morning came on, with no tidings of Ethel. I feared for her personal
safety, and I feared also the effects upon her mind. For I must state
here, for the benefit of the reader, that Ethel's surroundings had been
such as to strongly imbue her mind with the heathenish beliefs of her
ancestors. Her father came of an old viking stock, and rigidly adhered
to the superstitions of his forefathers. He had likewise given to Ethel
a large measure of his stern and aggressive temperament, and had striven
to instil into her mind his own religious beliefs. I had seen also at
times the strange flashing of the fierce fire within her, when deeply
stirred. Yet I saw there were elements of gentleness and delicacy in her
composition, inherited in all probability from her mother, who was
Saxon, and a devout Christian. With my whole energy I had striven, at
the request of her dying mother, to train her in the Christian faith:
but my opportunities had been of a most desultory nature. Then when I
began to hope that my work would be accomplished, this terrible invasion
occurred. Thus efforts to show her how the fierce passions and reckless
bloodshedding of the Norsemen--her father's ancestors--were cruel and
heathenish, and their religion a gross superstition, were frustrated by
this war of usurpation inflicted upon us by a Christian nation, with the
approbation and blessing of the Pope, whilst at the head of their army
they carried sacred banners and holy relics of saints. Thus the
Christian religion was made to sanction bloodshed and massacre,
unsparing and fiendish in its extent and in its mercilessness. In the
train of these professedly Christian soldiery also, there followed
nameless horrors and offences, which outdid the excesses of Norseman and
Dane tenfold. But, worse than all, her father and her two brothers had
been massacred--their home levelled--and she, having to fly to the
shelter of the sanctuary, only found that the sanctuary was no sanctuary
to her, and no protection against violence and brutality. It is utterly
impossible to imagine any one more completely shorn of every prop and
stay than she was; and I feared much also for her faith. I knew that
there was that in her which would not permit her to tamely submit to
indignities. But where would her revolt end?
Well, feeling that it would be better to be doing something to effect
her rescue than to be absorbed in these painful cogitations, I decided I
would start at once for the Norman camp. It was a long and a weary tramp
in the darkness through the forest, but still, I hoped, by patient
plodding forward, I should reach the camp by daylight. Happily I found I
had not overrated my powers. As I drew near, I was challenged by the
outpost. There was a considerable parleying, and a determination evinced
to prevent my farther advance. But my sacred calling, coupled with the
fact that I was unarmed, and that it was now broad daylight, ultimately
prevailed, and I was conducted to a tent not far from the one occupied
by Lady Alice de Montfort, with whom, after some time, I received an
audience, and whom we will in future call Alice. To her I related all
that I knew of the outrage, with such description of the persons taking
part in it as I had been able to gather. From my description of the
leader, she had no difficulty in identifying Pierre as the man.
"Well, Father, I may as well tell you at the outset, that this is what I
expected. I warned this Saxon lady of the risks she ran by staying at
the monastery, but I could not persuade her to accept my protection."
"She has been a great sufferer, gracious madame," I replied, "during
these wars; and she was, no doubt, greatly afraid. Probably, also, she
was greatly averse to joining your camp; though it was unquestionably a
generous offer on your part."
"Well, reverend Father, I am not saying this to excuse my inaction now,
but I assure you from what I know, and what I suspect of the
participants in this outrage, that it would have been far easier to keep
the prey from the jaws of the lion than it will be to force his den and
wrest it from him. I will do my utmost, I assure you. Jeannette," said
she, turning to her maid, "let our guest have some refreshment, for he
will be weary and faint, I am sure." So saying, she departed I know not
where.
She returned in the course of half an hour; but she gave me little hope
of success, though she said the Count, her father, had gone out in quest
of the persons whom he suspected. She was most gracious to me, and asked
most anxiously as to whether we were treated properly by the soldiers
quartered upon us. I suspected very strongly that the comparative
immunity from personal molestation we had hitherto enjoyed arose in
great part from her goodwill and protection. She asked many questions
with regard to our books; to our endowments; especially to the great
relief we had been able to extend to the poor, and to strangers. I was
highly impressed, not only with the charms of her person, but with her
highly cultivated mind, and gracious demeanour.
I hastened my departure with as little delay as decency would permit;
for to tell the truth, I was driven back upon my first hopes, that
Badger's cunning and prowess would be equal to the emergency. I was thus
extremely anxious to get me back to the monastery, that I might learn
how he had fared. So I hurried over the open plain, and gat me into the
forest as quickly as I could. For in very deed I felt myself anything
but safe, as I noticed jealous eyes watching me narrowly. But I had
scarcely entered the forest when I found myself in the presence of the
ungodly Norman who had desecrated the sanctuary, and endeavoured to
carry off Ethel--whom, also, I strongly suspected of being at the bottom
of this latest outrage. I involuntarily crossed myself, and uttered a
prayer for help, for I felt instinctively that I had myself in very
truth fallen into the jaws of the lion.
"Well, shaveling," said he, "thou hast said thy prayers, I perceive.
Thou hast done well to be prepared, lest the devil should get thee. What
has been thy errand to the camp so early? Be explicit and prompt, or
thou wilt rue it."
"I have had particular business there, my lord."
"I knew that already, dolt! Let us have details. With whom hast thou had
business?"
"With Lady de Montfort."
"So I thought. What was the matter that disturbed your saintly bosom,
old smooth-pate? Out with it!"
"There has been an outrage committed upon us, and one of our refugees
carried off by force from the monastery."
"Ah! that was terrible! So you first despatched a posse of your
bog-trotting Saxon churls to murder two of my men; then you dragged your
battered old shins through the woods, to raise a hullaballoo at the
camp. It was well done. Now, what shall I give you for your trouble? I
think a broken neck is about your deserts."
So, without more ado, he laid violent hands upon me, and tore my cloak
from my back. Then he tried to strangle me; but I had been stout of
limb, and agile as any of my fellows, when I was young, so I resisted
with all my might. I was delighted to find, in spite of the disadvantage
of a score of years, he was more blown than I was. Eventually, I was
able to slip from his grasp, and immediately took to my heels. He was
younger, but stout and bulky; and I found in this point, also, I was
greatly his superior, and quickly increased the distance between us. So
he gave up the chase, and permitted me for the time being to go in
peace. For this wonderful deliverance I gave God thanks.