"Nay, lady, he hath laid by that foolish fancy. He will be a carver,
like myself."
She lifted her pretty eyebrows.
"In good sooth? Now we had settled matters quite otherwise. I had won
my good husband to consenting that he should be taken into our meine,
and there he might have risen. Is the subject quite decided?"
"Quite, lady," Bassett said firmly. "I thank you very humbly for your
goodness, but Hugh and I must hold together while I live, and I have set
my heart upon his carving a name for himself with a lowlier but a more
lasting weapon than the sword."
His cough shook him again as he spoke, and Dame Edith, though unused to
opposition, was too kindly natured to show displeasure. She asked to
see what he had brought, and was soon wrapt in admiration at the free
and delicate work which was displayed. Meanwhile, Eleanor could whisper
to Hugh--
"Hath Agrippa eaten all the nuts? Doth he like spice-bread or figs?
I'll give thee some. But oh, I wish, I wish thou hadst brought him!
Wolf is gone to the shire-oak. And see now, bend down thy head, and
hearken to a secret. Madam, our mother, has a silken cord for thee to
hold him with. When may we come again and see him? I should like it to
be to-day."
Dame Edith was a liberal purchaser. Her last choice was a beautiful
little reliquary box, minutely carved, yet with a freedom of design
which enchanted her. She would scarcely allow them to leave her, and
the afternoon had advanced before father and son found themselves on
their way back to the sacristan's house. He met them at the door--a
little, withered old man--in an indignant temper.
"Folk should shut the door behind them, and not leave the house to be
pillaged," he said, crossly. "Here I come back and find all in
disorder, and the door wide open to invite all the ill loons in the
place to come in and work their will."
"We left the door safely shut," said Bassett, in surprise.
"Father--Agrippa!" cried Hugh, bolting into the house.
His fears were too true. No Agrippa chattered his welcome to them from
the rafters, and as he always remained in that place of refuge during
their absence, and was too timid to come down to any stranger, it was
evident that some dire abduction had taken place. Hugh, who had grown
very fond of the monkey, was like one distracted. John, the sacristan,
who loved it less, was disposed to be philosophical.
"Well, well, well," he said, "if the varlets have taken nought else I
wish them joy of their bargain, and 'tis well it's no worse. By 'r
Lady, 'tis a foul thing to break into a man's house, and we shall see
what the Master of the College will say to the watch."
"I'll find the poor beast, if he be still alive," said Hugh, with a
choke in his voice, "wherever they've bestowed him. 'Tis Peter's work!"
He was rushing out when Bassett checked him.
"Softly, softly," he said, "prudence may do more than valour in this
case. Let us ask a few questions to begin with. Master John, at what
time came you back?"
"At four o' the clock, and found the door open--thus, and the tankard of
ale I had left emptied. The scurvy knaves! But there's no virtue left
in the watch since Master Simpkins got the upper hand, and hath upset
all the ancient customs."
Scarce restraining Hugh's impatience, his father made inquiries at some
of the houses round, and ended at last in gaining information. Goody
Jones was sick of a fever, and her little grandchild, playing at
bob-apple before the door with another, had seen Peter, the smith's son,
and two other boys, whom she named, go into the sacristan's house.
Pressed to say whether she saw them come out again, she said nay. Her
grandam had called her, and she had run in.
Link the first was therefore established.
Hugh was for rushing at once to Peter, and forcing the rest out of him,
but Bassett counselled more wary walking.
"'Tis a deep-laid plot," he said, "and it were best to meet craft by
craft. Besides, if they are accused, they may kill the poor beast to
save themselves and spite thee. Let us go out to the fair, and maybe we
shall pick up some tidings."
It was dreadful to Hugh to behold Peter in the distance, and to be
restrained from falling upon him, and the fair had quite lost its charm,
though the noise and stir had increased. Costard-mongers were bawling
apples--red, white, and grey costards--at the top of their voices;
pig-women inviting the passers-by to partake of the roast pig which
smoked on their tables; tooth-drawers and barbers, each proclaiming his
calling more loudly than the other. The abbot of a neighbouring
monastery had his palfrey surrounded by a group of clothiers, while a
fool in motley was the centre of another group. Among these the
wood-carver spied a sturdy yeoman, the same Dick-o'-the-Hill who had
opposed the cobbler earlier in the day. It struck him that here was a
man for his purpose, and he managed to extract him from the others, and
to tell him what they were seeking. Honest Dick-o'-the-Hill scratched
his head.
"If you knew where they had disposed the beast," he said, "and breaking
of heads could do it, I'm your man. But as for finding where 'tis hid,
my wife would tell you I was the veriest numskull!" The next moment he
brightened. "I have it! There's my cousin before us, carrying that
fardel of hay. He's the wisest head for miles round, and I'll warrant
he'll clap some sense on the matter. Hi, Mat! Ancient Mat!"
Thus adjured, a small, dried-up, pippin-faced man paused on his way, and
waited till his cousin overtook him and explained what was amiss. He
listened testily, showing profound contempt for honest Dick's
straightforward, though somewhat heavy-handed, suggestions, but more
deference towards Stephen Bassett.
"More likely that the knaves have sold than harmed the creature," he
pronounced at the end of the story.
"Find out where it is, and I'll do what cracking of crowns is needed,"
said Dick.
"Mend thine own, which is cracked past recovery," growled the other.
"Hearken, master,"--to Bassett--"who is likely to buy such a beast?"
"Some noble household."
"Rather some puppet-show or party of mountebanks; those who have dancing
dogs or a bear."
"Right!" cried Stephen, joyfully. "What a fool was I not to think of
it!"
"I said he had the best head in the shire," said Dick, with triumph.
"And," continued Matthew, unheeding, "thou wottest that the licence to
all foreigners expires to-day, and that they must leave the fair? See
there, those Flemish traders are putting their wares together, and the
abbot has made a good bargain for his silken hangings. My counsel is to
go to the watch, and, when the bear and his masters are on the march,
search for the monkey. If I mistake not they will not be able to hide
him."
"Well thought of, friend," said Bassett, heartily. "No need of the
watch, though," put in Dick-o'-the-Hill; "I'll bring a stout fellow or
two who'll do what is necessary."
"Ay, and get us trounced up as the trailbastons the king hates,
numskull," said his cousin. "But 'tis nothing to me. Go thine own way
for an obstinate loggerhead!"
Dick, who seemed to regard Mat's railing as something rather honourable
than otherwise entered into the proposal with extreme zest. He produced
a quarterstaff, which he flourished with formidable ease, declaring
himself ready with its aid to encounter the bear himself. Stephen
Bassett hoped to carry the matter through peaceably, but he felt that
his efforts might go more smoothly backed up by a display of force, and
welcomed Dick's assistance, as well as that of a neighbour whom he
offered to fetch. There was not much time to lose, and they agreed to
meet at a certain spot within half an hour, a time which to Hugh's
impatience seemed interminable. His father had enough to do in keeping
him quiet, and in finding out where the watch, whose business it was to
keep order at the fair, were bestowed. Matthew, having disposed of his
hay, rejoined Bassett, really desirous to know whether his surmises
turned out to be correct; but, as he declared, solely that he might help
to check his cousin Dick's ignorant zeal.
Four of them, therefore, to say nothing of Hugh, took up their position
in the field just on the outskirts of the fair, and waited patiently or
impatiently, after their natures, for the event.
Soon a motley crowd began to emerge from the booths. The most
picturesque features of the show, indeed, were departing, for foreigners
were not allowed to compete with the English traders beyond a certain
number of days; and Flemish, Italians, Chinese, streamed forth, to find
a night's lodging as best they might beyond the forbidden limits. This
expulsion was accompanied by a good deal of coarse jesting and railing
from the other sellers, who rejoiced at the departure.
It was not long before the bear appeared, led by two men.
"Father, father!" cried Hugh, in a tumult of excitement.
"Speak the word, master, when thou desirest an appeal to my
quarterstaff," put in Dick-o'-the-Hill, "or even give me a nod, and I'll
warrant I'll not be backward. I'll answer for the bear."
"Ay, I verily believe thy head to be as thick as its own," said Matthew.
"When wilt thou learn that brains are better than fists? Peace, and
keep back."
Stephen Bassett had stepped out, and civilly informed the men that a
monkey had been taken from his house, and that he had reason to think it
might be in their possession.
"Going beyond known facts," muttered Matthew, "yet one must sometimes
make a leap in the dark. They shake their heads and deny. What next?
Friend Stephen presses his demand, and all four knaves wax violent in
vowing lies; and Dick is puffing and blowing with desire to break heads.
They have the beast, but where?"
His quick eyes, darting hither and thither, had soon answered this
question. One or two of the men had bundles on their backs, and a boy
carried something of the same sort, though smaller. Matthew noticed
that, at a word from one of the men, this boy slipped out of the group,
and, avoiding the side where Dick and his neighbour Hob were mounting
guard, passed round near Matthew himself. In an absolutely unexpected
moment he found himself caught by the arm, and though he fought and
kicked he was held in a vice. The men turned upon Matthew with
threatening gestures, and Dick, in high delight, flourished his
quarterstaff, and pressed up to the defence with one eye on the bear,
who in a free fight might be held to represent an unknown quantity.
Finding they had fallen into powerful hands the Italians confined
themselves to pouring out violent ejaculations, while Hugh flung himself
upon the bundle. His fingers trembled so much with excitement that he
could hardly drag out the wooden skewers which served to keep it
together, but in a minute or two it was unrolled, and the terrified
monkey sprang out. He had made one frightened leap already when Hugh's
call checked him, and the next moment, with a cry of delight, almost
human in its intensity, he ran to the boy, and clambering on his
shoulder gave the most unmistakable signs of pleasure.
"The monkey is his own jury," said Matthew, sententiously. "Tried and
found guilty, my masters."
The Italians, however, had no intention of giving up their booty without
a struggle, and they called upon several jongleurs, who had crowded
round, to assist them. One went so far as to seize the monkey,
whereupon Dick's cudgel, describing a circle in the air, came down upon
the head of the assailant with such force that he dropped like a stone,
and Hob following up with another blow scarcely less formidable, it
seemed likely that here would be a battle royal. Two men fell upon
Matthew, who would have been in evil case had not Dick done as much for
him as he had for the monkey; and Stephen Bassett was set upon with a
vigour which soon left him breathless, although Hugh, clasping Agrippa
with one hand, with the other arm laid about him to such excellent
purpose that he hoped to save his father from hurt till Dick could come
to the rescue.
But might has been often found to get the upper hand of right, and both
Stephen and Dick had fallen into the common English error of underrating
their opponents. A good many of the foreigners had closed round with
the desire to help their own body, and without knowing anything of the
quarrel; and the English, who would have stoutly taken the opposite
side, could only see that some quarrel was going on, and supposed the
strangers to be fighting among themselves. Dick had done prodigies of
valour, and dealt furious blows with his quarterstaff, but he was
hampered by numbers who clung to his arm, and by the charge of
protecting his cousin, and he was reluctantly framing a call for rescue
when a party of horsemen rode into the very thick of the struggling
mass, and scattered it in all directions.