"Now go on, and wait for me at the first little public-house you come
to," whispered Captain Barecolt, as soon as he and his companions had
passed the gates of Hull. "I will not be a minute;" and, turning away
underneath the wall which surrounded the city, he appeared with a
shrewd eye to be examining the fortifications. Lucky it was for him
that he did so; for, the moment after, the officer of the guard,
having been roused somewhat early from his slumber, and thinking it
unnecessary to go to bed again, sauntered forth to enjoy the breeze of
the morning, and to observe what the strange captain was about. No
sooner did our worthy friend, giving a backward glance towards the
gates, perceive that he was watched, than, without a moment's
deliberation, he beckoned the officer up to him, and addressed him
when he approached with a torrent of engineering terms, some in
French, some in English, some in a language compounded of the two.
"Begar," he cried, after having vented a great deal of learning upon
the incomprehensive ears of his auditor, "I not able to tell what de
gouverneur vill have do here. Look, sair; look, my good friend: if I
be not much mistake, dat hill dare, not above one half-mile off,
command de bastion all along. Let me beseech you, have de bounty to
take von leetle valk up to de top of de hill. Den vid one stick making
a level--so; see if de line do not cover de top of de curtain--_c'est
à dire_, if it do not _dominé_ it. You understand?"
"Oh, yes; I understand quite well," replied the officer of the
train-bands; "but I'll tell you what, captain: you must go yourself,
for I cannot leave the guard."
"_Sapristi!_ dat be true," said Barecolt, turning away and walking
towards the slight elevation he had pointed out. The officer of the
guard watched him for a moment, as with his usual dignified stride he
walked on towards the hill, and then turning back again to the gates,
entered, causing them once more to be closed behind him.
Barecolt paused when he reached the top of the rise, and turning
round, examined the town of Hull, but more especially the gate from
which he had issued forth, making sundry gesticulations as if he were
endeavouring to ascertain the relative height of the hill and the
fortifications, suspecting that some one might be observing him still.
In doing so, however, he scanned every nook and corner with a curious
eye, and having satisfied himself that he was not watched, he turned
sharply to the left, regained the road along which Falgate and Arrah
Neil had taken their way; and, covered by a small clump of trees which
grew near at that time, he hurried on with long steps towards the
little public-house which Hugh O'Donnell had mentioned.
The pace at which he went was so rapid that, notwithstanding the
interruption he had met with, he came in sight of the little solitary
house just at the moment that Arrah Neil and her companion reached it.
There was a tall man standing at the door; and the next instant,
before Captain Barecolt came up, three horses were led out by a man
and a boy, and the worthy captain could see his Irish acquaintance,
Mr. O'Donnell, lift the fair girl upon one of the beasts, and then,
approaching his head close to her ear, appear to whisper to her
eagerly for several minutes.
Whatever was the nature of his communication, it was just over when
Captain Barecolt laid his hand upon the Irishman's shoulder; and Mr.
O'Donnell only added the words, "Remember, to none but himself, or
her."
He then turned to Captain Barecolt, exclaiming, "Quick, quick! upon
your horse's back, and away!"
"Oh, there's no such haste, Master O'Donnell!" replied Barecolt, who
loved not to receive the word of command from a merchant. "Nothing but
cowardice is ever in a hurry; so what is to pay for the horses, my
friend?"
"Seventeen pounds for that," replied O'Donnell, pointing to one, "and
two-and-twenty pounds for the other, which you had better mount
yourself, lest your long legs touch the ground. They are cheap."
"Cheap or dear, they must be paid for," replied Barecolt; "and they
don't seem bad beasts either. Come, Master Falgate, bring forth the
crowns; you see, having short legs saves you five pounds;" and while
the worthy painter unfolded his bundle, in which, besides his own
apparel, were now contained such parts of Barecolt's goods and
chattels as he thought it absolutely necessary to take with him, the
captain drew forth a leathern purse and disbursed the sum required for
his own beast, which operation, to say the truth, left his pocket but
scantily garnished.
"Now, mount, mount, Master Falgate!" continued Barecolt. "T'other side
of your horse, man, and t'other foot in the stirrup, or we shall have
you with your face to the tail. Now, Mistress Arrah, are you ready?"
But when he turned to look at her, Arrah Neil had fallen into one of
her deep fits of abstraction, and he had to repeat the question before
she roused herself.
"Yes, yes," she answered with a start, "I am ready;" and then turning
to O'Donnell, added, "I remember it all now. That name, like the
sudden drawing of a curtain, has let in the light upon memory, and I
see the past."
"God speed you, young lady!" replied O'Donnell; "but now hasten upon
your way, and I will take mine; for it will not be long ere your
flight is discovered, and before that I hope I shall be in my house,
and you many miles hence."
Thus saying he waved his hand, and Barecolt, striking his horse with
his heel, led the way along the road at a quick pace. Arrah Neil
followed, and was at his side in a moment; but good Diggory Falgate,
who seemed less accustomed to equestrian exercise than either of his
companions, was not a little inconvenienced by the trotting of his
horse. Merciless Captain Barecolt, however, though, to tell the truth,
he saw the difficulty with which their companion followed them at a
still increasing distance, kept up the same rapid rate of progression
for some six or seven miles, speaking now and then a word to his fair
companion, but showing, upon the whole, wonderful abstinence from his
usual frailty. At length they reached the top of a long sloping hill
which commanded a view over a wide extent of country behind them, and
along at least one-half of the road they had followed from Hull; and
turning his horse for a moment or two, Captain Barecolt paused and
examined the track beneath his eyes, to see if he could discover any
signs of pursuit. All was clear, however. The sun, now risen a degree
or two above the horizon, but still red and large from the horizontal
mist through which it shone, cast long shadows from tree, and house,
and village spire, over the ground in some places, and in others,
bright gleams of rosy light; but almost all the world seemed still
slumbering, for no moving object was to be seen on the road, and
nothing even in the fields around but where team of horses driven
slowly by a whistling ploughman, at about a hundred yards upon the
left of the party on the hill, wended slowly onward to commence their
labours for the day.
"You may go a little slower now, young lady," said Barecolt, after he
had concluded his examination; "we have a good start of them, and I do
not think they would venture to send out far in pursuit."
"Thank God!" answered Arrah Neil, not in the common tone of
satisfaction with which those words are usually pronounced, but with
the voice of heartfelt gratitude to Him from whom all deliverance
comes. "But do you think we are really safe?" continued Arrah, after a
moment's thought. "Perhaps it would be better to go on quickly for a
time; but that good man who came with us seems hardly able to make his
horse keep up with us."
"Then we will make him lead as soon as he comes up," answered
Barecolt; "we can follow at his pace, for I think we are secure enough
just now. The truth is, he is evidently unaccustomed to a horse's
back, and sits his beast like a London tapster in a city pageant. 'Tis
a lamentable thing, Mistress Arrah, that so few people in this country
ever learn to ride. Now, before I was twelve years old, there was not
a _pas_ of the _manége_ that I could not make the wildest horse
perform; and serviceable indeed have I found it in my day; for I
remember well when the small town of Alais was taken, which I had
aided to defend, with twenty other gentlemen of different nations, we
determined that we would have nothing to do with the capitulation; and
on the morning when the king's troops were just about to march into
the town, we issued forth to cut our way out, or to find it through
them in some manner. We had not gone above three hundred yards from
the gate when we found a line of pikemen drawn up across the road and
in a meadow. There were no other troops on that side of the town, for
the chief attack was at another point; but as soon as they saw us,
down went their pikes, when, crying 'Now, gentlemen, follow me!' I
dashed up to them as if to charge. I was mounted on a swift and
powerful horse--I called him Drake, in memory of the great Sir
Francis; but, just as I was at the point of their pikes, I lifted him
on his haunches, struck my spurs into his flanks, and with one spring
over the line we went."
"And what became of the rest?" asked Arrah Neil.
"You shall hear," replied Barecolt. "The horse as he came over lashed
out behind, and striking one of the pikemen on the head, dashed in his
steel cap and his skull together, so that down he went, and my friends
charging on, cut a way for a part of themselves before the confusion
was over. Five got through and joined me; but the rest had to eat cold
steel."
"They were killed?" asked Arrah Neil. "Alas! war is a sad thing."
"Very true," replied Barecolt; "but one comes to think of it as
nothing. It is the occupation of brave men and gentlemen; and when one
makes up one's mind every day to lose one's life if need be, he does
not think much of seeing others go a few hours before us. If I could
call up again all the men I have seen killed, since I first smelt
powder when I was about fifteen, I should have a pretty strong army of
ghosts to fight the Roundheads with.----Well, Master Falgate," he
continued, as the painter came up, "you seem red in the face and out
of breath."
"Ugh! there never was such a beast!" exclaimed Falgate. "It is like
riding a rhinoceros. He has as many hard knobs in him as a cow, and
his pace is like a galloping earthquake. Oons, captain! you go so
fast, too!"
"Well, my good friend, tell me," said Barecolt, "did you ever take a
journey on a horse before?"
"No," replied Falgate boldly, "else I do not think I should ever have
got on one again. But, in pity, good Captain Barecolt, don't go at
such a rate, or faith you must leave me behind, which would not be
like a good _camarado_."
"No, no; we won't leave you behind, Falgate," replied Barecolt, "and
for that reason we will make you go first. So shall we be ready to
pick you up if you fall off; and you can go at your own pace, though
it must be the quickest you can manage."
"Oh, butter and eggs for ever!" cried Falgate, putting himself in the
van, and going on at a jog-trot: "if an old market-woman can keep her
seat and not break her eggs, I do not see why one of the lords of the
creation should tumble off and crack his bones."
"Nor I either," replied Barecolt; "and if he do, he deserves to break
his head. But get on a little faster, Master Falgate, or we shall have
the fat citizens of Hull at our heels."
"Oh, no fear! no fear!" rejoined Falgate; "they are all miraculous
horsemen, and ride as well as I do; so, unless the governor pursue you
in person, and bring all the horses out of his own stable, you may
ride to York and back before any of them will stir. Would that the man
who sold me this horse were in as sore a skin as he who bought it," he
continued, after a short pause; "I am sure he must have had an
ill-will at my poor bones--plague light upon him!"
"Ah, no!" cried Arrah Neil. "He is a good and a kind man."
"He is a very close one," replied Barecolt; "for I know, young lady, I
tried my best yesterday to worm out of him all the secrets that we
wanted to know; but he held his mouth as tight shut as the shell of an
oyster."
"He had a reason, doubtless," answered Arrah Neil, falling into
thought again.
"Well, if he have told you all about it," rejoined Barecolt, assuming
an indifferent air, "it does not matter. I have no curiosity. Only
when we wish to send despatches securely, we give a copy to two
separate messengers, and if, as I understood him, you are to tell Lord
Walton or the young lady, it might have been better to inform me too,
as then I could have carried them the intelligence in case of our
being separated and of my seeing them first."
"Perhaps it might have been better," said Arrah Neil; "but all
promises are sacred things, and, methinks, more especially, promises
to the dead."
"Ay, that they are," answered Barecolt, who saw that he was not likely
to learn from his fair companion what had been the substance of her
conversation with O'Donnell. "Ay, that they are. I remember a very
curious and entertaining story about that, which happened at the siege
of a certain town, when I was serving in the north. I will tell it to
you as we go; it will serve to while away the time."
CAPTAIN BARECOLT'S STORY.
"There is a little town called Le Catelet, just upon the French
frontier, which was besieged by the Spanish army, after the French had
taken it and held it for about a year. The attack began in the winter,
and a number of honourable gentlemen threw themselves into it, to aid
in the defence as volunteers. Amongst the rest were two friends who
had fought in a good many battles together. One was called the
Viscount de Boulaye, and the other the Capitaine la Vacherie. Every
day there were skirmishes and sallies, and one night when they were
sitting drinking and talking together, after a very murderous sortie,
Capitaine la Vacherie said to his friend--
"'How cold those poor fellows must be whom we left dead in the
trenches to-day!'
"'Ay, that they must!' said Boulaye; 'and 'pon my life, La Vacherie, I
am glad the place is so full that you and I have but one room and one
bed between us, otherwise I know not how we should keep ourselves
warm.'
"'Nor I either,' replied La Vacherie. 'Mind, Boulaye, if I am some day
left in the trenches, you come and look for me, and bring me out of
the cold wind.'
"He spoke laughing, and the viscount answered in the same way--
"'That I will, La Vacherie; don't you be afraid.'
"Well, about a fortnight after, the Spaniards attempted to storm the
place; but they were driven back, after fighting for near an hour, and
Boulaye and La Vacherie, with the regiment of Champagne, pursued them
to their entrenchments. Boulaye got back, safe and sound, to the town
just as it was growing dark, and went to the governor's house, talked
for an hour over the assault, and then returned to his room, and asked
his servant if Capitaine la Vacherie had come back. The man answered
No; and so Boulaye swore that he would be hanged if he would wait for
his supper. When supper came and La Vacherie did not, the viscount
began to think, 'I should not wonder if that poor devil, La Vacherie,
had left his bones outside;' and after he had eaten two or three
mouthfuls, and drunk a glass or two of wine, he sent the servant to
the quarters of the regiment of Champagne, to see if he could hear
anything of his friend. But the servant could find no one who knew
anything of him; and when he came back, he found the viscount sitting
with the table and the wine upon his right hand, and his feet upon the
two andirons, with a warm fire of wood blazing away before him. When
he told him that he could learn nothing, Boulaye exclaimed--.
"'_Sacrement!_ I dare say he is dead: poor fellow, I am very sorry;'
and he filled himself another glass of wine, and kept his foot on the
andirons. In about half-an-hour more he went to bed, and, just as he
was getting comfortable and beginning to doze, seeing the fire
flickering against the wall one minute and not seeing it the next, he
heard a step upon the stairs, and instantly recollected La Vacherie's,
who came up singing and talking just as usual.
"'Ah!' cried he, 'La Vacherie, is that you? I thought you had been
killed!'
"'The deuce you did, Boulaye,' replied La Vacherie; and he began to
move about the bottles and glasses as if he were feeling for a candle
to light it.
"'Well, don't make a noise, there's a good man,' said Boulaye; 'for I
am tired, and have a good deal to do tomorrow.'
"'I'm sure so have I,' replied La Vacherie, 'so I will go to bed at
once.'
"'Had you not better have some supper?' asked the viscount.
"'No,' replied his friend; 'I've had all the supper I want;' and
accordingly he pulled off his clothes and lay down beside his comrade.
But by that time the viscount was asleep, so that they had no further
conversation that night. The next morning when Viscount de Boulaye
awoke, he found that La Vacherie had already risen, and left his
nightcap upon the pillow, and he did not see him again till night, for
the enemy made several fierce attacks, and all the troops of the
garrison were busy till sunset. Well, he supped alone that night as
before, and just as he got into bed, he heard La Vacherie's step
again, and again he came in, and again he would eat no supper, but
went to bed as before. The viscount, however, did not sleep so easily
this night, for he thought there was something odd about his friend.
So after lying for about half-an-hour, he said, 'La Vacherie, are you
asleep?'
"'Not yet,' replied La Vacherie; 'but I shall soon be so.'
"'Well, I want to ask you something,' said Boulaye, turning himself
sharp round, and as he did so, his hand came against La Vacherie's. It
was like a bit of ice!
"'Why, how cold you are!' cried the viscount.
"'And how can you expect me to be otherwise,' replied La Vacherie, in
a terrible voice, 'when you left me out there in the trenches through
two long January nights?' and that moment he jumped out of bed, threw
open the window, and went off. His body was found next morning where
he had been killed two days before."
Arrah Neil was silent; but Falgate, who, while riding on at his slow
pace had kept one ear always open to his companion's story, turned
round and asked, "But what became of the viscount?"
"Why, when the town capitulated," replied Barecolt, "he went into a
Capuchin convent, and was called Father Henry.--But, hark! There is
the sound of a trumpet, by the Lord Harry! Gallop, Falgate! gallop! or
I'll drive my sword through you!" and at the same time he drew the
weapon and pricked forward the horse of his companion with the point.
The Galloway, for it deserved no higher title, started on, lashing out
behind in a manner that had nearly sent the poor painter out of the
saddle and over its head; but when once the beast had fairly started
in a gallop, Falgate found his seat much more comfortable than at a
trot; and away the whole party went at full speed over hill and dale
for about a mile and a half, when suddenly, to Barecolt's surprise,
the sound of a trumpet was again heard upon his left nearer than
before. After pausing for a moment to listen, he made up his mind that
whatever body of men were near, they did not come from the side of
Hull; but judging that when escorting treasure or a lady he should
best show his valour by discretion, the renowned captain turned sharp
off from the high-road down a lane to his right, and after having gone
rather more than one mile in that direction, through pleasant rows of
trees, without hearing any more of the sounds which had alarmed him,
he pulled up at a house, from the front of which a pole bearing a
garland protruded over the road, indicating that some sort of
entertainment would there be found for way-faring travellers.
"We will here water our horses, Mistress Arrah," he said; "and keeping
in mind that we may not find loyal subjects in every house, we will
refresh the inner man with gravity and moderation;" and assuming a sad
and sanctimonious air, he addressed a dry-looking man who presented
himself, asking if they could obtain wherewithal to strengthen
themselves for their further journey. A ready affirmative was given,
and, aiding Arrah Neil from her horse, Barecolt led her in, and then,
never forgetting his military habits, returned to see that the beasts
were taken care of. The landlord followed him out, and the worthy
captain continued to eye him with a considerate glance as he aided in
washing the horses' mouths and taking out their bits. By the time this
was accomplished, Barecolt's opinion of his companion was completely
formed, and when the latter remarked, "You seem to have been riding
very bard, master," he replied in a solemn tone, much to the
astonishment of Diggory Falgate--
"Yea, verily have we, for the sound of a trumpet met our ears, and we
feared, being few in number, to fall in with a party of the swaggering
malignants who we hear are riding about the country. Wilt thou get the
horses, little corn, my friend?"
"Right willingly, master," replied the host; "I see thou art a godly
man, and I am glad to serve thee."
The moment he was gone, Barecolt whispered to Falgate, who had
remained silent, partly from fatigue and partly from surprise, "We
must cozen the crop-eared knave. Whine, cant, and look devout, Master
Falgate, and forget your swagger if you can."
"By St. Winifred!" replied Falgate, "this rough beast has taken all
the swagger out of me. I can hardly stand, captain."
"Well, get thee in," replied Barecolt, "and leave me to deal with him.
The best thing for thee to do is to hold thy tongue, for if thou once
openest thy mouth we shall see some profane saint or other popping
out, and marking thee for a malignant in a minute."
After remaining for some ten minutes more at the door, in slow and
solemn converse with the host, Barecolt stalked into the house, and
found Arrah Neil sitting with her beautiful head leaning on her fair
hand, and her elbow resting on a table very respectably covered with
provisions.
"Now let us to our meat," said Barecolt, "for we must soon be on our
way again."
Falgate was instantly settling himself upon a stool to fall to,
without further ceremony; but the captain gave him a grave admonishing
look, and standing before the table with his clasped hands resting on
his stomach, and the two thumbs elevated towards his chin, began a
grace which had well nigh exhausted the patience of Falgate before it
was done, but which greatly edified the master of the house. After
this was concluded, they all sat down to meat; and Barecolt, who well
knew that the portion of good things which the saintly men of his day
allotted themselves was by no means small, carved away at the joints
without any modesty, and loaded his own plate amongst others with a
mess sufficient for an ogre.
Alas for the brief period of mundane felicity! Scarcely had three
mouthfuls passed between Ins grinders, scarcely had one deep draught
from the foaming tankard wetted his lips, when the sound of many
horses' feet was heard, and the next instant the detestable blast of
the trumpet was once more heard before the door. The landlord, who, as
was then very customary, had sat down to share the meal prepared for
his guests, started up, and ran out to the door, while Barecolt
quietly approached the window and looked forth; then returning to the
table, he whispered in a low voice to Diggory Falgate and Arrah Neil,
"A party of the drunken tapsters and pimpled-nosed serving-men whom
the roundhead rebels call cavalry. Master Falgate, be as silent as a
church mouse, I command you, and answer not more than a monosyllable,
whatever is asked you."
"Are they from Hull?" demanded Arrah Neil, in a tone of alarm, as
Barecolt resumed his seat and began to eat.
"No, I think not," replied the gallant captain; "but we shall soon see,
for here come some of them along the passage;" and as he spoke the door
opened, giving admission to a stout, short-set man in a well-worn buff
coat.