But yonder comes my faithful friend,
That like assaults hath often tried;
On his advice I will depend
Whe'er I shall win or be denied;
And, look, what counsel he shall give,
That will I do, whe'er die or live
HENRY WILLOBY.
Robin, when he arrived in London, loitered away an hour around Whitehall
and the Park, before he proceeded farther, and easily ascertained that
the Protector was then at Hampton Court; as to who went with him, how
long he would remain, or when he would return, he could receive no
intelligence; for the best of all possible reasons--the movements of his
Highness were secrets even from his own family.
There was much talk, however, and considerable speculation among all
classes of people, as to whether he would yield to the eager entreaties
of a certain party in the parliament, who were urgently pressing forward
a motion, the object of which was, that Cromwell should exchange the
title he had heretofore borne, and adopt the more time-honoured, but,
alas! more obnoxious one, of King. Some of the more rigid sects were
busily discoursing in groups, respecting Walton's Polyglott Bible, and
the fitness or unfitness of the committee that had been sitting at
Whitelock's house at Chelsea, to consider properly the translations and
impressions of the Holy Scriptures. Robin received but surly treatment
at the palace-gates, for minstrelsy was not the fashion; and he almost
began to think the disguise he had selected was an injudicious one. He
hastened on to the city, along the line of street now called the Strand,
but which was then only partially skirted by houses, and delivered
Dalton's invoices to the merchant beyond St. Paul's, who had need of the
Genoa velvets; then proceeded to the dealer in jewels, by whom the
pearls had been commanded. Here it appeared no easy matter to gain
admission; but a few words mysteriously pronounced to a grave-looking
person, whose occupation was half porter, half clerk, removed all
obstacles, and he found himself in a dark, noisome room, at the back of
one of the houses in Fenchurch Street--at that time much inhabited by
foreign merchants, who were generally dealers in contraband goods, as
well as in the more legitimate articles of commerce.
As soon as the wayfarer entered, he disburdened himself of his hump, and
from between its folds produced strings of the finest pearls and heaped
them on the table. The dealer put on his glasses, and examined them
separately, with great care, but much rapidity; while Robin, like a good
and faithful steward, kept his eyes steadily fixed upon the jewels,
never losing sight of them for a single moment, until his attention was
arrested by a person entering and addressing the merchant. Robin
immediately recognised the stranger as the old Jew, Manasseh Ben Israel,
whom he had seen at Sir Willmott Burrell's.
"Excuse me, I pray you, for a few moments, good Rabbi," observed the
merchant, who was now occupied in entering the number, size, and quality
of the pearls in a large book.
"I cannot wait, friend," was the Jew's quick reply, "for I am going a
journey, and the night draws on darkly."
"Whither, sir, I pray you?"
"Even to Hampton House," replied Ben Israel, "to commune with his
Highness, whom the God of Abraham protect!--and I am sorely perplexed,
for my own serving-man is ill, and I know not whom to take, seeing I am
feeble and require care, unless you can lend me the man Townsend: Samuel
assures me he is a person of trust."
"Townsend is, unhappily, gone on secret business to a long distance, set
off not an hour since: would that I had known it before!"
"There is no lack of servants," continued the Rabbi, "but there is great
lack of faithfulness. I know not what to do, for I must see his Highness
to-night."
"If it so please you," said little Robin, eagerly stepping forward, "I
will go with you; I am sure this gentleman can answer for my fidelity,
and I will answer for my own fitness."
The Rabbi and the merchant looked at each other, and then the latter
observed,--
"I can well answer for this young man's trust-worthiness, seeing he has
been engaged to bring me goods such as these, from secret sources, the
nature of which you understand, excellent Ben Israel. But what know you
of the service befitting a gentleman's servant?"
"I have been in that capacity, too," replied little Robin Hays.
"With whom?" inquired Manasseh.
"With one I care not much to name, sirs, for he does me no credit," was
Robin's answer; "with Sir Willmott Burrell."
The old man shuddered, and said in an agitated voice--"Then, indeed, you
will not do for me on this occasion."
"Under favour," persisted Robin, "I know not the occasion, and therefore
cannot judge, if I may speak so boldly; but I have seen you before, sir,
and can only say, that knowing all his manoeuvres well, I am just the
person to be trusted by his enemy."
"Young man," said the Jew, severely, "I am no man's enemy; I leave such
enmity as you speak of to my Christian brethren. I ask only justice from
my fellow mortals, and mercy from my God."
"But, sir, I thought you had sustained some wrong at the hands of Sir
Willmott Burrell, from your visit at such an hour, and your manner on
that night."
"Wrong! ay, such wrong as turns a father's hair grey, his veins dry,
and scorches up his brain." The old man paused, for his feelings had
overpowered him.
"I know none more faithful than Robin Hays," urged the pearl-merchant;
"and now that I call to remembrance, the time he served that same
knight, (who, I hear, is going to repair his fortunes by a wealthy
marriage,) I think he did well as a lackey; though, to own the truth, I
should fancy him more in his place, and to his liking, as the servitor
to a bold Buccaneer."
"Buccaneer!" repeated Ben Israel--"What Buccaneer?"
"Oh!" said the merchant, smiling, "Hugh Dalton--the fairest man in the
free trade."
"Hugh Dalton!" repeated the Jew, slowly: then adding, after a lengthened
pause, "Art cunning in disguises?"
"As cunning as my body will permit," replied Robin.
"You have seen my faithful Samuel?"
"I have, sir."
"Then array thyself on the instant as much after his dress and fashion
as is possible."
Robin hastily and right cheerfully obeyed this command; and, in less
than half an hour, was rolling along the road to Hampton Court, in the
guise of a serving Jew.