We left Captain Christison and his son just as they had gallantly
rescued the stranger who had been set upon by ruffians in one of the
principal thoroughfares of London. They had scarcely time to proceed
far with him before they met a carriage accompanied by a couple of
running footmen.
"O my lord duke! Are you safe? are you safe?" exclaimed the men.
"No thanks to your bravery, varlets," answered the nobleman. "Had it
not been for these gentlemen, you would probably have never seen me
again alive. And now, gentlemen," he said, turning to the captain and
his son, "let me beg you will take a seat in my carriage, that I may
convey you to your abode; or, if you will, honour me by coming to my
mansion, that I may thank you more particularly for the essential
service you have rendered me. I am the Duke of Ormonde. I was seated
in my carriage, not dreaming of an attack, when two men suddenly opened
the door, dragged me out, and, before my attendants could interfere, one
of them, a powerful fellow, hoisted me up on the saddle before him. I
struggled, and had just succeeded in bringing him with myself to the
ground, when you came up. Why I have been thus assaulted I cannot tell,
but I fear that it was in consequence of the animosity of some political
opponents."
"Thank you, my lord duke," answered Christison. "We are lodging in the
City, and I would not wish to take your grace so far out of your way,
nor can we intrude upon you at this hour of the evening; but to-morrow
morning we will, with your leave, wait on your grace. We have met
before, though perhaps the recollection of the circumstances may not be
altogether pleasant. I will not therefore now speak of them, though, as
your grace at present sits on the upper end of the seesaw, you may look
back on those days without annoyance."
"As you will," said the duke; "but you have not given me your name, and
I should wish to recollect one who has rendered me so essential a
service."
"Wenlock Christison,--an old soldier, an it please your grace," said the
captain, introducing his son at the same time.
"Ah! ah! now I recollect you well, Captain Christison," answered the
duke, "and truly I bear you no grudge because you sided with those I
considered my foes; but let bygones be bygones, and I shall be very glad
to see you again."
Saying this, with the help of his attendants, the duke entered his
carriage, shaking hands very warmly with Wenlock. "I owe you a heavy
debt, young gentleman," he said, "and one I shall at all times be glad
to repay, and yet consider that I have not paid you sufficiently."
"A fortunate meeting," said Captain Christison to his son, as they
walked on together. "The Duke of Ormonde is a powerful nobleman, and a
truly upright and honest gentleman at the same time. What he promises
he will fulfil. It is more than can be said of most of those in King
Charles's court. Take my advice, Wenlock. Do not let this opportunity
of gaining a good position in the world pass by. I do not suppose that
he will offer me anything, but if he does, I shall be inclined to accept
it. You see, Wenlock, our finances are far from being in a flourishing
condition. I cannot turn to trade like my friend Mead, as I have no
knowledge of it. In truth, as our family have always followed the
calling of arms, or one of the liberal professions, I am not much
disposed to yield to my worthy friend's arguments, and sheathe my sword
for ever. I cannot understand why people should not be soldiers, and at
the same time honest men and Christians."
"I will have a talk with Mistress Mary Mead on the subject," answered
Wenlock, "when next we meet. At the same time I desire to follow your
wishes, father."
"I rather suspect that Mistress Mary's bright eyes will weigh somewhat
in the balance with her arguments, Master Wenlock," said his father,
with a laugh. "However, we will pay our visit to the duke, and if he
throws fortune in our way, I see not why we should refuse to clutch it."
The next morning was bright and dry. The captain and his son set off to
pay their intended visit to the Duke of Ormonde. Wenlock, in his new
slash doublet and hose, with a feather in his cap and a sword by his
side, looked a brave young gallant, as in truth he was.
His father gazed at him proudly. "It were a pity," thought the old
soldier to himself, "to see the lad turn Quaker, and throw away the
brilliant prospects he has of rising in the world. Such a chance as
this may never occur to him again; for though I perchance might get him
a commission in a troop of horse with myself, yet he would have many
hard blows to strike before he could rise to fortune and fame, while a
bullet might, long ere he reached them, cut short his career."
On arriving at the Duke of Ormonde's residence, they were at once shown
into an ante-chamber, where two or three pages in attendance minutely
scrutinised young Wenlock. They suspected, perhaps, from his manner and
appearance, that he had come to take service with them. Courtesy,
however, prevented them making any inquiries on the subject. After a
short time, a gentleman came out of the duke's chamber and invited
Captain Christison and his son to enter. His manner was especially
respectful, and this evidently raised the visitors in the opinion of the
young pages. The duke came forward and shook Captain Christison
cordially by the hand. He received Wenlock in a still more kind manner.
Then turning to a dignified young man by his side, he said, "Allow me
to introduce you to my son Ossory. He desires also to thank you for the
service you have rendered his father."
"Indeed I do, gentlemen," said Lord Ossory, coming forward; "and I only
hope that this young gentleman will allow me to show my gratitude. Who
the villains were from whom you rescued the duke we have been as yet
unable to ascertain, but there can be no doubt that their purpose was to
murder him; indeed, preparations for hanging some one were found made
this morning under the gibbet at Tyburn; and coupling this with a
threatening letter received a few days ago by the duke, we suspect that
they intended to put him thus ignominiously to death."
Captain Christison made a suitable reply to these remarks of the duke
and the earl. "As to myself," he said, "I have been a stranger to
England for many years, and came home for the sake of seeing my native
land again, and then taking service afloat or on shore, wherever I might
find my sword acceptable, and my conscience would allow me."
"I understand you, my friend," said the duke; "and since old foes have
shaken hands, and Roundheads and Cavaliers now unite together, I trust
that you will not object to accept a company in my regiment. As senior
captain, you will have the command; and as you have fought at sea, you
will not object, I presume, to serve again on board ship, should a war
break out. Lord Ossory, who is in the navy, desires to retain your son
about his own person, should the young gentleman like to see something
of the world. Otherwise, I should be glad to give him a post in my
household."
"You overwhelm us with kindnesses, my lord duke," said Captain
Christison. "For myself, nothing would suit me better than what you
propose, and I must beg to leave my son to choose for himself. What say
you, Wenlock? Do you wish to take time to think on the matter, or will
you run the chance of seeing service under the noble Earl of Ossory?"
The worldly ambition of the old soldier, excited by the flattering
remarks of the duke, imparted itself to Wenlock. Could he make up his
mind to turn draper's assistant in the City, as he had been meditating
doing yesterday, while so brilliant a prospect had opened itself up
before him? The thought were ridiculous.
"I heartily accept the offer of the Earl of Ossory, my lord duke," he
said, with a bow which could not have been surpassed had he been all his
life at court. "I could not wish to serve under a more noble and
gallant leader."
"I am glad it is so settled," said the Duke. "To be frank with you,
Captain Christison, I remember you well, and the good service you did to
the cause you advocated. I have not forgotten, either, the courteous
way in which you treated me when I fell into your hands on the fatal
field of Worcester; and, by my troth, the way the Cavaliers behaved on
that occasion made me ashamed of my order and the cause I served. You
tell me that you are lodging in the City. You can, however, move here
as soon as you please. There are rooms for you both, and places at my
table. In truth, after the dastardly attack made upon me last night, I
shall be thankful to have two such trusty friends within call, for I
know not when I may be again assaulted."
Thus invited, the captain and his son were glad to move that very
evening to the duke's house; indeed, the few gold pieces remaining in
the old soldier's purse reminded him that he must find some speedy means
of replenishing it, or run the risk of having to live upon short
commons. The captain had never been a prudent man, and Wenlock little
thought what a hole the cost of his suit had made in his father's
exchequer.