THE GREAT IRON CHEST
The next morning Master Mowbray went over to Newbiggin to look at the
cottage that had been occupied by “Moll o’ the graves,” as it was
his property, on the old Middleton estate which was much larger and
more important than Holwick. The cottage was in poor condition and he
decided that it should be rebuilt. It was dinner time before he came
back, so they were not able to go down to the secret room till the
afternoon.
“Now,” said Aline, as they entered, “first the chest has to be laid on
its back.”
This they tried to do, but it was too heavy. They pushed and pulled,
but they could not stir it.
“Let us use some of those stout poles there, standing in the corner,”
said Ian; “then we can lever it over.”
This they did and with some difficulty the chest was turned over.
“I expect that is the very thing for which the poles were used,” Audry
suggested.
“Probably,” said Aline, as she put her finger on the top right hand
rivet head and slid it an inch to the left.
“Oh, that is how it works,” exclaimed Master Richard, greatly
interested.
“Now you have to turn it back again.”
“Oh, dear,” they all cried; but set to work, and again the chest stood
upright. Aline then moved the second rivet in the same way.
“Now turn it over again,” she said.
“This is too much, we are not galley slaves,” expostulated Ian. “You
are a tyrant, Your Highness.”
“Well, anyway I help, my Lord,” answered Aline, with mock gravity.
“‘Help,’ you wee kitten!” said Master Richard; “I think I do most of
this; and it is my belief,” he added, “that it is not to my interest
that the chest should be opened at all.”
“Why not?” they all exclaimed.
“Never mind. Come. I want to see what’s inside i’ faith.”
Once again they heaved and tugged and turned it over. Aline then moved
the rivet. “Now turn it back again.”
“Look here, we cannot go on that way,” said Master Richard. “There must
be thirty rivets. We shall rebel, my liege.”
“No, you must do your duty.”
So once more they struggled and turned it back.
“There, you have done your part,” said Aline, and they all stood round
and laughed at each other, when they saw how hot they looked. Every one
watched Aline with great curiosity as she now slid aside the whole of
one of the iron plates of the chest and disclosed a small lock. Into
this she fitted a key and turned it with some difficulty. It was the
key on the bunch in the library, whose use Master Richard had not
known. This enabled all the central part of the front to hinge down and
disclose the large lock to which belonged the key from the moat.
The lid was very heavy and it took two of them to open it. The contents
were covered by a black velvet cloth, and above it lay a parchment upon
which was inscribed in large letters:
ALINE GILLESPIE
IN ACCORDANCE WITH MY WILL, WHICH
LIETH BEHIND THE LOCK OPPOSITE THAT
WHICH CONCEALETH THE BOOK.
JAMES MOWBRAY.
Aline gazed in blank astonishment when she saw her own name.
“That is your great-grandmother’s name,” said Master Richard, “but it
is all right, the chest is yours all the same, as you are the sole
heiress of that line. But if you do not mind I should like to see the
will, even before you lift the velvet cloth.”
Aline ran upstairs, her heart beating with wild excitement, and was
followed by Audry. The lock moved exactly as the other one had done and
there lay the lost will.
“How stupid of us not to find it before,” said Audry, “but, oh, I am so
glad that something really good has come to you at last.”
They ran down again.
“Here it is,” said Audry, who was holding the will.
“Let his Grace read it,” said Master Richard, “as he is a disinterested
party.”
It was a long will, but the tenour of it was,--that the old Mowbray
estates at Middleton went to James Mowbray’s son, but the little
Holwick property, with half the contents of the library, was left to
his daughter, Aline, and to her heirs after her forever.
The will concluded,--“And that the said Aline Gillespie and my
son-in-law Angus Gillespie may be able to keep up the Holwick estate
in a manner that is befitting, I also bequeath for the use of the said
Aline and Angus and their heirs after them the great iron chest and its
contents, the which chest, with the name of Aline Gillespie inside,
is now within the secret room; and the means for the discovery of all
these things are in the little book in the library, concealed in the
lock opposite to this. The parchment with holes, that is hidden in the
cover of the aforesaid book, is to be placed over each page in turn and
the letters that appear through the holes may then be read as words.”
“Well, little one, I always suspected that the Holwick property might
be yours; but James Mowbray died suddenly and the will was never
found,” said Master Richard.
He saw clouds of anxiety gathering on the child’s face, so he went
on,--“You must not think about it now; let us look at the chest.”
Aline lifted the velvet and on the top was a tray. It was filled with
orphreys and other embroideries of the celebrated _opus anglicum_
and was of immense value. So perfectly had the chest fitted that the
colours were all as marvellous as the day they were done.
Below this was another tray, which contained exquisitely carved ivories
and wonderful enamel work, several beautifully bound illuminated
manuscripts of the highest possible excellence, many of the covers
being elaborately garnished with precious stones, and two jewelled
swords, one of Spanish make and one from Ferrara that almost equalled
Ian’s own.
Beneath this tray again was a layer of soft leather bags in ten rows of
five each, every one of which contained five hundred gold pieces.
This brought them about one-third of the way down the chest. The
remainder was in three portions. In the middle was a large oak box,
that exactly fitted from front to back, and left about a fifth of the
chest on each side. These fifths were filled with solid gold and silver
bars, packed like bricks to fill every crevice. Their total value was
four or five times that of the gold pieces in the bags.
Richard Mowbray and Ian lifted out the oak box and it was found to
contain a collection composed of the choicest examples of art in metal
work that any of them had ever seen in their lives. There were large
mazers and other cups, a wonderful nef, and skilfully wrought platters.
There were daggers and hunting horns and belts. There were chatelaines
and embracelets and diadems. Then in a smaller receptacle were lesser
things, such as rings, pendants, necklaces, chains, clasps and buckles.
But finely jewelled as many of them were, it was the supreme art of the
designs and the craftsmanship of their execution that was their main
attraction.
Little Aline was too overcome to speak. At last she recovered herself
sufficiently to say;--“And are all of these things mine?”
“Of course they are,” said Master Richard, “and I do not know any one
more worthy of them.”
She was silent for some time and then said,--“Well, we cannot leave
them all lying round. I must put everything back.”
The others helped and, although every one kept commenting on the lovely
things and the strange experience, Aline never said a word all the
time. It was clear that she was thinking hard and that the putting
back of the things was only to give her an opportunity to settle her
thoughts.
When they had finished they all stood up.
“Now we can save the Ochil estates,” said Aline triumphantly. “Ian, I
give you half the gold and silver and one of the swords, and you are
to have the other half, Audry darling, and Cousin Richard is to have
Holwick Hall as long as he lives and the other sword. Then everybody is
to have some nice presents from the trays and the box, Audry and Cousin
Richard, and Joan and Mistress Mowbray and all the others, and Ian is
to have the rest.”
“Impossible,” said Ian.
“Nonsense,” said Master Richard.
“Absurd,” said Audry.
“I absolutely mean what I say,” said Aline.
“But you have left nothing for yourself,” objected Audry.
“Yes, I shall have Holwick when I am old and no longer able to do
anything; and if you are not married we can live together.”
“My little maiden must not be foolish,” said Ian. “I think you are
quite right to let Audry have half, unless you let Cousin Richard have
the use of it first, for it would go to Audry, and I am sure you are
right about Holwick; but my estates have nothing to do with you, sweet
child. Besides how are you going to live until you are too old to do
anything? You cannot go a begging, princess, and some one would have to
take care of you.”
“O dear, I had not thought about that. Yes, I suppose I should need
some one to look after me.”
“I will look after you, little heart, if Cousin Richard will let me,”
said Ian softly.
Richard Mowbray laid his hand on the young man’s shoulder. “I agree,”
he said.
Aline put up her hands and drew down Ian’s face till their lips met.
A look of happy content shone in her eyes. “Then I shall be well
protected,” she said.
MY DEAR CHILDREN:
The time has now come to say good-bye, both to you and Aline; but
it might interest you to know that I read the story to a little
girl before it was quite finished and asked her if there was
anything she would like to suggest. “Yes,” she said, “a birthday
party.”
Now a sixteenth century birthday party was rather a difficulty
as I never saw one described; but then there were so many
difficulties of that sort. People in those days, for instance,
thought that shaking hands was a much warmer sign of affection
than kissing. You probably know that in France men still kiss
each other at the railway station. But that would not do for my
story. So, as in the case of language, I have modernized to suit
my purpose. When, therefore, your learned uncle tells you that
the story is all wrong and that they did not fence with helmets
and that the curtsey was not invented till much later and that
the library is far too big and so on; you just tell him to write
you a sixteenth century story and then you send it to me, and we
will see how he gets along.
If any of you would write to me and tell me what you would
like altered or what else you would like put in, I should be
delighted. The story is only written to please you and I wish I
could see you and tell it to you myself. Also you might let me
know what you think ought to happen to Aline and then, if you
like the story, I will write you a sequel. But you must tell me
how old you are, that is a very important point.
With best wishes from Avis and myself;--now do not tell me that
you do not know who Avis is,--look at the dedication and the
first chapter and guess.
Yours aff’ly,
IAN B. STOUGHTON HOLBORN.
1735 Grand Central Terminal,
New York City.
(or, in Britain, Merton College, Oxford).
Transcriber’s Note:
The following are changes known to have been made to the text
as it appears in the original publication:
Page 65
new art of swordmanship _changed to_
new art of swordsmanship
Page 91
The vinter’s daughter _changed to_
The vintner’s daughter
Page 101
chance in that abode.’” _changed to_
chance in that abode.’
Page 135
glancing at Aline. There will be _changed to_
glancing at Aline. “There will be
Page 137
had befallen her that night. _changed to_
had befallen her that night.”
Page 147
some of Aisop _changed to_
some of Aesop
Page 182
“talium enim est regnum dei” _changed to_
“talium enim est regnum dei,”
Page 248
brushed passed him as she spoke _changed to_
brushed passed him as she spoke
Page 288
and the seventh day from now.” _changed to_
and the seventh day from now.
Page 376
gift of love,’ he read. Pray God _changed to_
gift of love,’” he read. “Pray God
Page 386
gently on a mattress _changed to_
gently on a mattrass
Page 390
What I did was nothing” he said _changed to_
What I did was nothing,” he said
Page 392
But listen to this: ‘Exactly
But listen to this: Exactly
Page 405
in a smaller receptable
in a smaller receptacle
End of Project Gutenberg's The Child of the Moat, by Ian B. Stoughton Holborn