HOW URSO GIVES WAS WEDDED TO MARY RUSHOUT.
Amid his manifold distractions, Careless had not forgotten pretty
Mary Rushout. Twice had he seen her at her grandmother's dwelling in
Angel-lane, but on the second occasion she prayed him with tears in her
eyes never to come to the house again.
"We must part," she said; "and it would have been better if we had
never met. Urso, you know, is exceedingly jealous, and keeps the
strictest watch over me. He saw you enter the house last night, and
waited outside till you departed."
"He must have waited long," remarked Careless, smiling.
"Ah! it's no laughing matter, I can assure you," cried Mary. "Urso is
a terrible man. I won't tell you how bitterly he reviled you, but he
said you had better look to yourself if you came to Angel-lane again.
I shouldn't wonder if he is on the watch now. Ay, there he is of a
surety," she added, stepping towards the little lattice window, and
peeping out into the lane.
"Heed him not," cried Careless, drawing her back. "I was going--but, to
punish him, I'll stay an hour longer."
"No, no--you mustn't--indeed you mustn't!" she exclaimed. "It will
drive him frantic, and when he is in one of his rages, he is capable of
killing me. You must go immediately."
"Impossible, sweetheart. I have much to say to you. Don't trouble
yourself about this jealous Roundhead. Leave me to deal with him. I'll
crop his ears still more closely to his head. Why don't you give him
up?"
"Unluckily, I've plighted my troth to him, or I would."
"Never mind that, sweetheart. I'll liberate you from your pledge."
"You graceless Cavaliers will swear anything, and care not for breaking
your vows--that's what Urso says."
"Truce to Urso. You will believe me, when I swear that I love you."
"No; because I find you do not regard an oath."
"Bah! promise to love me."
"No; because it would be sinful to make such a promise. Urso himself
would say so."
"Urso again!--confound him! I must find means to free you from this
tie--even if I sever it with my sword."
"That won't make me love you--rather hate you. But you must really go.
Pray do not quarrel with Urso."
"If he stops me, I shall assuredly chastise him. Adieu, sweetheart!
Expect me at the same hour to-morrow?"
"No, no--you must not come--indeed, you must not."
But she seemed so little in earnest, that Careless construed her
prohibition in the opposite sense, and believed she wished him to come.
As he went forth, Angel-lane--a narrow street running nearly parallel
with the walls on the north of the city, in the direction of All
Hallows--appeared quite deserted, and he thought that Urso Gives was
gone. But he had scarcely reached the church, when a tall figure
stepped from behind a buttress and barred his path.
"Out of my way, fellow!" he cried, haughtily, feeling sure it was Urso.
"Not till I have spoken with you," rejoined the other, maintaining his
ground.
The Independent then continued, in a stern, menacing voice, "On the
peril of your life, I forbid you to re-enter the house you have just
profaned by your presence. You have beguiled the damsel who dwells
there by your false speeches, and have sought to corrupt her. You
cannot feign ignorance that she is my affianced wife, for I myself
heard her tell you so."
"Since you have been playing the spy, you might easily have learnt that
I am coming again to-morrow night at the same hour," rejoined Careless,
in a mocking tone.
"Think it not," rejoined Urso, fiercely. "Since you will not be
deterred from your evil courses by the warning given you, look to
yourself!"
And suddenly drawing forth the long tuck-sword which he held under his
cloak, he placed its point at the other's breast.
Careless sprang back and so saved his life, and drawing his own sword,
their blades were instantly crossed.
Notwithstanding his eminently peaceful vocation, Urso proved no
contemptible swordsman, and Careless failed to disarm him as soon as he
expected. The clash of steel roused the inmates of the houses, and some
of them opened their doors, but when they perceived that an officer of
rank was engaged with a Roundhead they did not interfere.
Mary Rushout, however, came forth, screaming with terror, and reached
the combatants just as Careless, having knocked Urso's weapon from his
grasp, seized him by the throat, and forced him down upon his knees,
exclaiming:
"Sue for mercy, caitiff hound, or I will despatch thee!"
"Spare him, gentle sir!--spare him!" cried Mary, seizing the Cavalier's
arm.
"He owes his worthless life to your intercession, sweet Mary," cried
Careless, spurning Urso from him. "If he is not sufficiently grateful
for the obligation, let me know, and I will sharpen his gratitude.
Adieu, till to-morrow!"
And sheathing his sword, he strode away.
Quite crestfallen at his discomfiture, and eager to escape from
the jeers of the neighbours who had come forth, Urso picked up his
tuck-sword and hurried back to the house with Mary.
What passed between them need not be recounted. It will be sufficient
to state the result.
Not till the second evening after the occurrence just described, did
Careless return to Angel lane. His duties to the king had detained him
in the interval.
After tapping softly at the door of Mary's dwelling, he raised the
latch, but the door was fastened, and he was compelled to knock more
loudly. Still, no answer to the summons. He listened intently, but
not the slightest sound was to be heard within; neither was any light
visible through the little lattice window.
While he was making another ineffectual attempt to obtain admittance, a
glover, who lived next door, came forth and told him that Dame Rushout
and Mary were gone.
"Gone! whither?" cried Careless.
"That is more than I am able to inform your honour," replied the
glover; "but you are not likely to see Mary again, since Master Gives
has taken her way."
"'Sdeath! did she consent to go with him?"
"She could not very well refuse, seeing that she has become his wife,"
responded the glover.
"Amazement!" cried Careless. "I could not have believed she would wed
him."
"No one expected it, though the marriage has been long talked of,"
said the glover. "But we think her grandam must have wrought upon
Mary to consent--for she herself seemed wondrously reluctant. Be this
as it may, and I cannot speak for certain, she and Urso were married
by the Rev. Laban Foxe, an Independent minister, and soon after the
ceremony--if ceremony it can be called--Urso and his bride, with the
old dame, quitted Worcester."
Careless had heard enough, and strode away to hide his vexation.