Now the reader must remember that a castle of those days, though
fallen from the "high estate" of feudal garrison and constant
preparation, was a very different place from a modern house, whether
in town or country. Grosvenor Square will give no idea of it; and no
country mansion, not even with park wall, and lodge, and iron gates,
will assist comprehension in the least. Sir William Arden had to
traverse a considerable number of round rubble stones, before he found
himself standing under the arch by the porter's dwelling.
The man had just given admission or exit to some one; for he was
standing at the wicket with the keys in his hand, gazing forth to the
westward, although all trace of the sun's setting had disappeared.
Arden cast his eyes towards the south, in which direction Chartley's
tower was situated; but it was not visible from the gate; and,
satisfied on that point, the good knight turned to the porter, saying,
without any preliminary explanation, to point out the person of whom
he was about to speak,
"He has gone to the chaplain's house under the hill, has he not?"
"Yes, honourable sir," replied the porter. "But, by my faith, my lord
perhaps reckons without his host; for the good priest calculates upon
no marriages, baptisms, or burials, to-night; and he is just the man
to forget that such a case may happen, and lay in a share of ale or
Bordeaux, too large to let any other thoughts enter."
"Oh, he will be sober enough to work matrimony, though he must not
undertake it himself," answered Arden. "Ha, ha, ha!"
The porter laughed too, right joyously, saying, "Jack stopped a minute
to tell me his errand; and I could not help laughing, to think how
suddenly the matter had come on at last."
And, as he spoke, he hung the enormous bunch of heavy keys up by the
side of the door, addressing to them the words, "Ay, you are rusty
enough to be spared more labour. Nobody will try to get into the
castle now-a-days."
"It would be a hard morsel," answered Arden. "But who are those I saw
riding up the hill at so much speed?"
"Heaven knows," replied the porter. "There were only two of them; and
we shall soon see what they want if they come here. It does those
knaves good to make them wait a little. So, by your leave, worshipful
sir, I will go and finish my supper."
Sir William Arden still stood near the gate; and a minute or two after
a horn without sounded; and the porter, creeping out of his den once
more, came forward to demand, through the little iron grate, who it
was that asked admission.
"We must see my Lord Chartley immediately," replied the man. "It is on
business of great importance."
"Who are you, and what are you?" demanded the porter; "and who is that
old woman in white on horseback? We don't admit any witches here."
These words were addressed to a man bearing the appearance of an
ordinary servant, with a badge upon his arm; but the janitor, as he
spoke the last words, pointed with his hand to the figure of good Ibn
Ayoub, who sat his horse like a statue, while all this was going on,
wrapped up in his white shroud-like garments, so that little or
nothing of face or person was to be seen.
"I am the lord's slave," said the voice of the Arab, from under the
coif-like folds which shrouded his head; "and this is my comrade--what
you call a servant in this land of Giaours. Open, and let us through."
"The orders were to admit his servants," said the porter, musing, and
turning at the same time partly towards Sir William Arden, as if
seeking his counsel.
"Oh, let them in, let them in," said the knight. "Of course, he must
have his servants about him. There can be no wrong in that."
The man immediately undid the bolts and bars, giving admission to the
two servants, who bowed low when they saw their master's kinsman under
the archway; and Arden, turning with them, walked by their side,
directing them to the stables.
"Keep your news safe, whatever it is," he said in a low voice to Ibn
Ayoub, "or you may do mischief. But stay, I will wait for you, till
you come out of the stables."
While the two men were taking in their horses, Sir William Arden
examined accurately the low range of building used as the ecury, or
cury, as it was sometimes called at Chidlow. It was very extensive,
though low, and situated under the wall for protection; but each of
the windows, small and high up as they were, were secured by strong
iron bars; and there was no means of entrance or exit, but by the
large door in the centre, and two smaller ones at the extreme ends,
but on the same face.
"Come this way, Ibn Ayoub," said the knight, when the Arab came forth.
"I will show you the way to your lord's lodging. Go up to him at once,
and beg him to come down to my chamber below, to speak with me on some
business of importance. Say, if he meets with obstruction by the way,
not to resist, but to return quietly, and I will come to him. You will
have to pass three men with partizans on the stairs, who are keeping
watch upon the good lord; and they may perchance refuse to let him go
forth."
"Then will I put my knife into them," said Ibn Ayoub.
"Softly, softly, wild son of Ismael. Do no such thing, but quietly
mark all that happens; and then, when your lord is in his room again,
come down to me; but tell him he will see me soon." Such were the good
knight's last injunctions to the Arab, who then mounted the stairs of
the tower: and immediately after, some words in a sharp tone were
spoken above. Sir William Arden listened, and then entered his own
apartments, which, as I have elsewhere mentioned, were on the lower
story. Two of his servants were in waiting in his ante-room, engaged
in the very ancient game of mutton bones. A word from their master
however soon sent one of them away, and when he returned, at the end
of five minutes, he brought with him four of Chartley's men. Almost at
the same moment, Ibn Ayoub returned, saying, with rolling eyes,
"They will not let him pass."
"Never mind, my friend," replied Arden; "remain here with these good
men till my return; and then, be all ready with what weapons you
have."
The Arab smiled, well pleased with the name of weapons, and bared his
sinewy arm up to the elbow. At the end of about five minutes, the
knight returned, and, in a calm and easy tone, ordered three of
Chartley's servants to go up to their lord, after which he turned to
the rest, saying, "now, good fellows, I wish you to understand clearly
what I desire to have done; and I command you in nothing to exceed the
orders you receive. There are three men on the stairs, keeping guard
upon my cousin and friend, Lord Chartley. This is contrary to the
orders of the king, and contrary to an express agreement between Lord
Chartley and Lord Calverly. I therefore intend to take those three
men, and lock them up in the room above, which looks upon the walls,
and to keep them there as long as I think proper. There must be no
bloodshed, no violence, but what is necessary to force them into that
room. You mark me, Ibn Ayoub. The great object is to avoid all noise,
which may attract others to the spot. I am not to be disobeyed in
anything, remember. Now, some one jump upon that table, and strike the
roof twice with his sword."
One of the men sprang up, and obeyed the order; and then, saying
"Follow!" Arden went out to the foot of the stairs. He ascended a few
steps leisurely, and till sound of voices was heard above.
"You cannot pass, my lord," said some one; "our orders are strict."
"My orders to you are, that you get out of the way," said Chartley;
"if not take the consequences. In one word, will you move?"
"My lord, it is impossible; you cannot pass," replied the voice, in a
louder and sterner tone; and at the same moment Arden ran rapidly up
the steps, followed by his companions, saying, "keep back, Ibn Ayoub.
Remember, no violence."
On reaching the little square piece of level flooring, commonly called
the landing-place, at Chartley's door, he found three of Lord
Calverly's servants with partizans in their hands, in the act of
resisting the progress of the young nobleman and his two servants, who
seemed determined to make their way out. Now, of all weapons on earth,
the most unwieldy and the least fitted for use in a narrow space was
the ancient partizan. It might have been employed to advantage,
indeed, in preventing Arden from mounting a stairs. But the servants
were eagerly occupied with Lord Chartley, who was on the same level
with themselves, where they had no room to shorten their weapons, so
as to bring the spear points to bear against his breast. One of them
looked over his shoulder, indeed, at the sound of feet rushing up, but
had they turned to oppose the ascent of Sir William Arden and his
party, they exposed themselves at once to attack from Chartley and his
two servants. Thus, between Scylla and Charybdis, they were
overpowered in a moment, and their weapons taken from them.
One of them then thought fit to say, that they had no intention of
offending, and that Lord Chartley might pass. But in profound silence
they were hurried into a small room, the windows of which looked
towards the walls, and not to the court, where the people of the
castle were likely to pass. There the door was locked and barred upon
them without any explanation; and Chartley and his friend looked at
each other and laughed.
"Now if you will take my advice," said Sir William, addressing his
cousin, "you will stay quietly here and not meddle any more. We have
got three of them safe; we must have five or six more; and then we
shall be in force enough to deal with the rest in a body."
"Out on it!" exclaimed Chartley. "What, shall I stay here like a
singing bird in a cage, while you are busily doing my work for me?"
"Hear me, hear me, Chartley," said Sir William, "and don't be a fool,"
and, drawing him away from the men, he said in a low voice, "remember
the king may have to deal with this at some time. Now, for me it is
all very well; for I act in the king's name, to stop a marriage to
which he has not given his consent. But with you the case is very
different, being a prisoner in ward."
"Preach to whom you will, my dear Arden," exclaimed Chartley, "I was
not made for sitting still when other men are acting. But I'll be very
prudent, on my life. For many reasons, I would not embroil myself with
good Lord Calverly, if there be any help for it; and when you deal
with him, I'll be your lackey, and wait without, unless I hear I am
wanted. In the mean time, however, I must help you to put some of
these rats into the rat-trap, and now let us lose no precious moments.
Where do you begin? With the porter?"
"No, no," answered Arden. "We must let the priest and the man who is
gone for him pass in first, or we shall have an alarm given. Besides,
I want to speak with the priest. So you had better take these men, and
secure all the fellows in the stables. There must be several of them
there now, tending their lord's horses after the ride; for I will
answer for it they all supped first. Remember there are three doors;
and you have nothing to do but lock each of them. Then you have our
men, as you say, in a rat-trap. I, in the mean time, will gather
together the rest of our own people, and come to you there, after I
have seen and spoken to the priest, and locked up the porter, and any
of his men that I can get."
On this briefly sketched out plan they acted, Chartley and his
attendants securing, without the slightest difficulty, two of Lord
Calverly's grooms, and three of Lord Fulmer's, in the stables, without
the prisoners even knowing, at first, that they were locked in. In the
mean time, Arden, passing alone through those parts of the castle in
which the servants generally congregated, gathered together two or
three of Chartley's men, who had not previously been summoned, sent
one of them to call the rest quietly out into the court, and then
proceeded towards the porter's lodging, followed at a little distance
by two of the men. In crossing the court towards the gateway, he found
that he was just in time; for the priest had hastened with reverent
diligence to obey Lord Calverly's summons; and he was already half way
between the barbican gate and the great door of the hall. Arden
stopped him, however, saying, "Ay, good evening, father, I am glad to
see you; for I want to put to you a case of conscience."
"Holy Mary, I cannot stop now, my son," cried the priest; "for I have
been summoned by my good lord in haste."
"What, is he ill? Is he dying? Are you going to shrive him?" exclaimed
Arden, with affected apprehension, still standing in the priest's way.
"No, no," cried the worthy man, impatiently; "'tis but to marry the
Lady Iola to the Lord Fulmer. The hour is ten; and 'tis coming fast."
"Not so, not so," said Arden; "'tis not yet half past nine; and I must
have my doubt resolved before you go."
"Then speak it quick," cried the priest, sharply. "You should choose
fitter times."
"'Tis but this," said Arden, with a smile. "If a man see another about
to do a wrong thing, and one which may produce great danger to
himself, is it a sin to stop him, even by force?"
"A sin!" exclaimed the priest, with a not very decent interjection,
common in those days, but which cannot be admitted there; "no sin at
all, but a good work. There, let me pass."
Arden made way and walked on, laughing, to the gate, where he found
the porter just entering his own abode, and saying good night to one
of the servants, who had been sitting with him.
"Why, you have not closed the gates for the night, have you, porter?"
said Arden, standing in the door-way of the lodge, so as to oppose the
egress of either of the two.
"Yes, indeed, I have, worshipful sir," replied the man.
"Why, the priest will have to go forth," said Arden.
"Not he," cried the porter, with a laugh, which was echoed by the
other servant. "After he has done his function, he'll get as drunk as
a fiddler, and sleep on one of the truckle beds. I should not wonder
if I had him here knocking for accommodation; but he shall not have
it."
As he spoke, he deliberately hung the keys upon a peg, just at the
side of the door.
"These are large keys," said Sir William, taking them down, to the
man's surprise, and fixing in his own mind upon the one which he
supposed to belong to the door of the lodge.
"Yes, they are, sir," answered the porter, somewhat gruffly. "Be
pleased to give them to me. I never suffer them out of my hands."
"Back, knave! Would you snatch them from me," exclaimed Arden,
thrusting him vehemently back; and the next moment he pulled the door
to, by the large bowed handle, and applied the key to the lock. It did
not prove the right one, however; and he had some difficulty in
holding the door close, against the united efforts of the two men in
the inside, till he had found one to fit the keyhole.
Chartley's men, however, had been trained to activity and vigilance,
in travelling with their lord; and the two who had followed Sir
William Arden, seeing a little bustle, and the light from the lodge
suddenly shut out, sprang forward to the knight's assistance. The door
was then soon locked; and, speaking through it, Sir William Arden
said, "Now, saucy porter, I shall keep you there for a couple of
hours, for attempting to snatch the keys from me."
The man was heard remonstrating and bellowing in the inside; but,
without paying any attention, Sir William hastened back towards the
stables, leaving the keys hanging in the doorway of the porter's
tower. In the stable court, as it was called, he found Chartley
himself, with eight companions; and a brief consultation ensued as to
the next step.
"How many have you got under lock and key in the stable?" demanded
Arden.
"Five at least," replied Chartley.
"Then there are five in your lodging and at the gate," said Arden,
"That makes ten in all. Allowing five for cooks and stragglers, we are
their superior in numbers, and a good deal their superior, I should
think, in the use of arms. Now let us go on. Hold back. Let that
fellow pass towards the kitchen."
"Had we not better go by the great hall?" said Chartley, as soon as
one of the servants of the house had crossed the other side of the
court. "We can secure any men who may be there."
"No, no," said Arden. "Leave all the management to me. I have promised
there shall be no bloodshed; and I do not want even to show any force,
unless it be needful. Let us go in by the back way, and up to the west
of the little hall. By that means we shall cut them off from the
chapel; and then, while you wait in the ante-room, to be ready in case
of need, I will go in and reason with the good lords."
"But," said Chartley, "suppose they have gone to the chapel, already.
I see light in the window."
"Then we must follow them," answered Arden. "But above all things, my
good lord, do not show yourself in the affair, if you can help it. You
may put yourself in great peril with the king, remember; whereas all
that Dickon, as I shall manage it, can say of me is, that I was
somewhat too zealous for his service. Do not come forward, at all
events, till you hear strife."
"Well, well," answered Chartley; "that I may promise at least, Now on;
for there is no time to spare."
Approaching quietly one of the many small doors which gave exit from
the great mass of the castle buildings into the courts around, the
whole party found before them a staircase, which, strange to say, was
broader and more easy of ascent than those communicating with either
of the two principal entrances. Treading as softly on the stone steps
as possible, they soon reached a wide landing-place, from one side of
which ran away a long corridor, passing over part of the staircase,
and guarded from it by an open screen of stonework, while on the other
side was a door; leading down by ten steps, to the entrance of the
chapel; and between the two appeared another door, opening into a
little ante-room, flanking the lesser or upper hall.
Sir William Arden lifted the latch of the ante-chamber door, and
opened it gently, when immediately the voice of Lord Calverly was
heard, raised to a loud and angry tone, exclaiming, "Get you gone,
mistress, and tell her to come down this instant, or I will come and
fetch her. Tell not me that you cannot get admission or an answer. If
I come, it shall be to make a way for myself."
"But it is not ten yet, my lord," said the sweet voice of Constance.
"You said you would give her till ten."
"What matters five minutes?" cried the old lord, in the same sharp
tone. "But we will be to the letter, and so shall she. Let her know,
girl, if she is not here, in this hall, by the time the castle clock
chimes the last stroke of ten, I will come to fetch her, and drag her
to the altar by the wrists."
Sir William Arden had held up his hand to those who were following
him, at the first sounds of the voices speaking; and the whole party
paused, some upon the stairs, and a few upon the landing. The next
moment, the door of the ante-room opened; and, coming with a slow
step, Constance appeared. She gave a slight start at seeing Arden and
the rest, where she least expected to meet them; but he quietly laid
his finger on his lip, and pointed along the corridor to the stone
screen. Constance made a mute gesture, as if deprecating violence, and
then passed on with a quickened step.
Arden did not immediately enter the ante-room, but waited till the
light foot-fall of Constance had died away; and then, once more giving
his directions to his followers, and bestowing another word of caution
upon Chartley, he walked straight through the ante-room into the hall.
When he entered, Lord Calverly was walking up and down one side of the
long chamber, and Lord Fulmer doing the same in the other. The face of
each was grave and moody; and they seemed not very well pleased with
each other, or with anything that was taking place around them. Both
however started on seeing Sir William Arden; and, in a tone of bitter
civility, Lord Calverly addressed him, approaching quite close as he
did so.
"I had thought, Sir William, you had retired to rest," he said, "and
was wishing you tranquil slumbers. Allow me to say that, at the
present moment, I and Lord Fulmer are busy with matters of much
personal importance."
"Good faith, my lord," replied Sir William Arden, in a light tone, "I
heard below that there were jovial things to take place in the castle,
and I wish to share in the festivities of my honoured host."
"I know not what you mean, sir," said Lord Calverly, with a cold
stare; but Fulmer at once advanced to the knight, saying--
"There is a meaning in your tone, sir, which must be explained. It
seems to me, that you are determined to force your uninvited society
upon us, at a moment when we desire to be alone."
"Exactly, my good lord," replied Arden. "I am precisely in that very
unpleasant predicament. You will see how disagreeable it must be to
me; and therefore I trust you will make it as smooth to me as
possible."
"Why, marry, what is all this?" exclaimed Lord Calverly.
"If so painful, what brings you here?" demanded Fulmer sternly.
"I will tell you, young man," answered Arden. "I have learned, that it
is the intention of this good lord to bestow on you the hand--"
"From whom, from whom?" shouted Lord Calverly.
"From an exceedingly fat priest, amongst others," replied Arden,
smiling; "but the news is all over the castle. If your lordship cannot
keep your own secrets, depend upon it, others will not."
"But what affair is this of yours, Sir William?" said Fulmer, with a
sneer. "Are you an aspirant to the lady's hand?"
"Not at present," answered Arden. "But the case is this, without
farther words, my lords. I find that this marriage is against the
lady's will, and that threats are held out to her of using force--"
"Oh, she has made her complaint to you, has she?" said Lord Calverly.
"No, she has not," replied Arden; "but hearing it by accident, and
having a great regard for your two lordships, I wished, as a knight
and a gentleman of some experience and repute, to remonstrate with
you, and show you what danger and disgrace to your fair names you
bring upon yourselves by such proceedings--proceedings unworthy of
English noblemen and Christian men."
He spoke so calmly, and in such a quiet reasoning tone, that neither
Fulmer nor Lord Calverly suspected for one moment that he intended to
proceed to any other measure than mere remonstrance. That they thought
bold enough; and Fulmer replied, "We understand from whence your
inspiration comes, Sir William; and I only wonder the prompter does
not appear himself."
"That I took care of," said Lord Calverly. "I am not one, my young
friend, to neglect any precautions. I think I have some experience in
dealing with men, and some foresight too as to all that is likely to
occur. It is not easy to catch me sleeping. Now, Sir William Arden,
One word for all. I am not inclined to be wanting in hospitality or
courtesy towards a guest; but I must desire to be left to the
management of my affairs, without either your presence or your
counsel;" and he made a low bow.
Arden paused for a moment, as if in expectation that he would add
something more; and the old nobleman, who had with difficulty bridled
his anger so far, went on in a tone far from cool, to say; "I would
lack no courtesy; but, if you do not go, you must be removed."
"I have but little more to say," replied Arden, with imperturbable
coolness, which contrasted somewhat strangely with his vehemence upon
minor occasions; "but that little is important. This marriage must not
go forward."
"But I say it must!" exclaimed Lord Calverly, calling down a bitter
curse upon his own head if he did not carry it through; and then,
striding to the door which led to the staircase from the great hall,
he shouted aloud, "Ho! Two of you come up here; here is something
unpleasant that must be removed."
Steps were immediately heard running up; and Arden retreated towards
the door by which he had entered, slowly and calmly, but with a smile
upon his countenance.
"My good lord," he said; "you do not know what you do;" and, opening
the door of the ante-room, he said aloud, "Here, I want some of you,
my friends. Two stand on the landing, and keep that way against all
comers."
"Take hold of him and carry him away to his own rooms," exclaimed Lord
Calverly, at the same moment, addressing two of his attendants, who
had entered; but when he turned and saw the number of armed men
pouring in, he stood as one aghast; and Arden whispered to one of his
followers, "secure that door," pointing to the one on the opposite
side of the hall.
The man to whom he spoke, and two others, darted across, and had
reached the middle of the hall, before the servants of the castle
seemed to comprehend what was going on.
"Keep the door, keep the door!" cried Lord Fulmer; and they both
immediately ran towards it. It was a race which of the parties should
reach it first; and indeed neither won; but, just as the first of the
old lord's servants was stretching forth his hand to seize the door,
which was partly open, a stout arm applied a blow to the side of his
head, which made him stagger back, and then measure his length upon
the floor. The next instant the door was closed and locked; and Sir
William Arden remained the master of both entrances.
"I beg your lordship's pardon," he said, "for taking somewhat decided
means to obtain a fair hearing, which it seems you were not inclined
to give me."
"Are we to consider ourselves prisoners, sir?" exclaimed the old
nobleman, confounded and dismayed. "If so, I must appeal to the throne
against such violence."
"If you, or Lord Fulmer either, can venture to do so, pray do,"
replied Arden, calmly. "But I too, my lord, am a prudent man, as well
as yourself; and it is difficult to catch me sleeping. I said that
this marriage must not go forward; and I now ask you both, my lords,
whether you have the king's consent to this proceeding? In a word,
whether it was not your intention to act in this business in direct
disobedience to his authority?"
Fulmer gazed down upon the ground, and bit his lip; but Lord Calverly
demanded fiercely--
"Who told you that, sir? I protest against such an interference in any
man."
"It matters not who told me," replied Arden. "Suffice it that I am
well prepared to justify what I do. Now, my lord, after what I have
said, you dare not proceed to the act which you were about to
commit--an act which would have only led you and Lord Fulmer here to
long imprisonment, if not worse. If you give up all notion of such
rashness, if you pledge me your word, that you will make no attempt to
carry through this marriage, till the king's full consent has been
obtained, and if this noble lord agrees to ride forward immediately
upon the errand with which he is charged by the king, I will restore
to you the command of your own house, which I have been obliged to
take possession of in his grace's service. Moreover, I will refrain
from reporting to the king the intended disobedience which I have been
in time to frustrate. If not, I shall feel it my painful duty to put
you both under arrest, and convey you myself to York."
It is hardly possible to describe the sensations produced by these
words, and the calm and quiet tone in which they were uttered, upon
the minds of his two hearers. Lord Calverly was astounded and
terrified; for, like almost all very vain and pompous men, he was very
easily depressed by difficulties and dangers. It only required to
humble his vanity sufficiently, to make it a very submissive and
patient quality, however vehement and pugnacious it might be under a
slight mortification. To find himself suddenly deprived of all power
in his own house, and treated with an air of authority and reproof, by
a guest who ventured to back his pretensions by the redoubted name of
Richard, was quite sufficient to silence him, although his wrath still
swelled and fretted within.
Lord Fulmer, for his part, heard the words which had just been spoken,
not only in sullen silence, but with much surprise. He well knew that,
hurried on by passion, he had placed himself in a position of very
great danger, and that the act of disobedience he had committed, if it
reached Richard's ears, was likely to be followed by the ruin of all
his hopes, and long imprisonment. But how Sir William Arden had so
rapidly received tidings of the commands the king had laid upon him,
he could not divine, forgetting entirely that the necessity of his
departure on the following morning had been mentioned to Iola in the
presence of Constance. At the same time, he felt that to remain would
be ruin, and that resistance was vain. His only hope, therefore, was
to escape the present danger, trusting that some of the many changing
events of the day would afford him better opportunities, or at all
events give him at some future time the means of revenge.
All Lord Calverly thought of, after he had in some degree mastered his
anger and surprise, was how to retract, in as dignified a manner as
possible; and he had just begun to reply, "Well, sir, if I am a
prisoner in my own house, I have nothing to do but to submit;" but the
voice of Constance was heard, speaking eagerly to some one without.
A moment or two after, she entered with a face still somewhat pale,
and a look of much anxiety, saying:--
"I am sorry to tell you, my lord, that my cousin is not to be found.
After knocking for some time at her door, I and her girl Susan chanced
to see the key lying on the table of the ante-room; but we used it
only to find her chamber vacant."
"Heaven and earth!" exclaimed Lord Calverly; "this is too much. Where
can the foolish child have concealed herself? From the castle she
could not go, for the gates were all locked at sunset. Let us search
for her immediately."
"Ay, let us search," exclaimed Lord Fulmer, with a look of great
anxiety. "If any evil have happened, I shall never forgive myself."
Sir William Arden was somewhat alarmed; but, although Constance's face
expressed anxiety, it struck him there was less terror in it than
might have been expected.
"Ay, noble lord," he said, "we always regret wrong actions when it is
too late; but, before I permit either of you to quit this hall, we
must have a clear understanding. Do you accept the conditions I
mentioned?"
"Assuredly," replied Lord Calverly; "I must search for this poor child
at once."
"And you, Lord Fulmer?" said Arden.
"I do," replied Fulmer, bowing his head.
"Then I commend you to your horse's back at once," said Arden; "and I
will have the honour of waiting upon you to the stables. Otherwise,
perchance, you might find neither men nor horses free to serve you."
"This is hard," said Fulmer.
"It may be no better, I fear," replied Arden. "Excuse me, for a
moment, my lords, while I speak with the guard without;" and, turning
to the men at the door, he added, "Suffer no one to quit the hall, but
the lady, till I return."
He was not long absent; but, many had been the questions poured forth
in the mean time, upon Constance, who was replying to one of them,
when Sir William re-entered the room.
"I cannot even divine, my dear uncle," she said; "she communicated not
her intention to me in any shape; and I certainly expected to find her
in her own chamber, when I returned at the end of the hour, during
which she wished to be left in solitude."
Arden seemed not to notice the words, though he heard them, but
informing Lord Fulmer that he was ready to accompany him, prepared to
lead the way.
At that moment, however, one of the servants whom Lord Calverly had
called into the hall, and who had of necessity remained there with the
rest, remarked, in a dull and sullen voice:--
"There is somebody ringing the great bell at the gate. 'Tis the third
time it has rung. The old porter must be sleeping, not to open."
"He has no power," said Sir William Arden. "I have the keys. Go you,"
he continued, speaking to one of his own followers--"open the wicket;
but give no admission to any large party. Two or three you may suffer
to enter."
Lord Calverly was apparently about to say something; but the veteran
soldier waved his hand to the man, as a signal to depart; and he
retired at once, knowing no authority but that of his own master.
During his absence, which lasted some two or three minutes, the whole
party stood in unpleasant silence. Lord Calverly, indeed, ventured a
word in a low tone to Fulmer, but obtained no reply; and some one came
and tried the door on the side of the principal staircase, leading to
the great hall; but it was locked and guarded. The eyes of Constance
sought the face of Arden; but neither spoke.
At length the servant returned; but he was not alone. Close upon his
steps came a man dressed as an ordinary post or courier of the court,
who gazed round the scene presented to him in some surprise.
"Which is Sir William Arden?" he said, somewhat to the dismay both of
Fulmer and the old lord.
"I am he," replied Arden, advancing with a mind relieved; for, though
resolved, at all hazards, to carry through what he had undertaken; yet
he had some fear that his first plans might be in a degree
disconcerted by the appearance of the royal messenger.
The post immediately handed him a letter, sealed with the broad seal,
and Arden received it as an ordinary occurrence, with admirable
command of his countenance.
"By your leave, my lords," he said, and, approaching one of the
sconces, he opened the paper and read. The cover seemed to contain two
other letters, and after having perused his own, he turned towards
Lord Calverly, presenting one of them to him, and saying:
"I presume, my lord, this is an order to deliver up the ward of my
cousin, Lord Chartley, to myself."
But there was more in the epistle to the old nobleman, and when he
read it his face turned very pale.
"Now, sir," said Arden, addressing Lord Fulmer, "I will conduct you to
your horse, and then immediately perform, the commands of his grace
the king."
"In the name of all the saints, my dear child," said Lord Calverly, as
soon as Arden and Fulmer had quitted the room; "what is to be done, if
we cannot find your cousin?"
"Nay, I know not," answered Constance, "but I trust we shall find her
well and safe, or at all events hear from her, if she should have
taken refuge elsewhere. In the midst of all this confusion, it is very
possible she may have slipped out of the castle unperceived."
Constance, it would appear, did not choose her means of consolation
well; for her words had anything but a soothing effect upon her uncle,
who walked up and down for two or three minutes, in a state of great
agitation, making sundry addresses to saints and the virgin, which
savoured much more of impatience than piety. At length, returning to
his niece's side, as she remained standing in the midst, of the room,
he whispered:--
"We must find her, we must find her, Constance. This is the most
unfortunate out of all. You don't know what is in this letter;" and he
struck it with his fingers. "The king here tells me to send her back
to the abbey immediately, and that he makes the abbess, my good
sister, responsible for her safeguard, till he can decide in the
matter of her marriage himself. He must have had some inkling of this
rash mad-headed boy's purpose."
"That is unfortunate, indeed," answered Constance, thoughtfully.
"Unfortunate!" exclaimed her uncle. "It is ruin, child. Why, I risk
not only imprisonment but confiscation. I cannot comply with the
king's commands; nor can I explain to him why I do not comply, without
telling him all that has occurred to-night. It is ruin, I tell you.
Here, come aside, that knave of a courier seems listening to us."
"You had better tell Sir William Arden your difficulty," replied
Constance, when they had got to the farther end of the hall. "Though
his manner is rough and blunt, yet sure I am he has a kind heart."
"Let us search well for her first," said her uncle. "Perhaps we may
find her in the castle after all. I wish the knight would return. What
a long time he stays. Hark!" he continued, after a pause of a minute
or two. "There is the sound of horses' feet in the court-yard. Now,
thank God, Fulmer is gone; a good riddance, on my life, for he had
well nigh persuaded me to that which might have been my destruction."
Only a short interval took place before Arden returned; and, after
giving some orders in a low tone to his own men, he advanced towards
Lord Calverly, holding out his hand and saying--
"I beseech you, my good lord, to let all angry feeling pass away
between us. Believe me, I have saved you from a great danger, into
which you were persuaded to run, by your regard for the young nobleman
who is just gone, contrary to the dictates of your own wisdom and
experience."
Lord Calverly took his hand, and shook it heartily, saying--
"That is very true, Sir William, that is very true. I never liked the
business, and was hard to persuade; but, having once decided, of
course I could not suffer myself to be thwarted by a mere child. Pray,
now, let us seek for her. I am ready, God knows, to obey the king in
everything," he added in a loud tone, for the messenger's ears.
"Well, we will seek for her at once," said Arden. "But first let us
restore the house to its propriety."
The followers of Chartley and of Arden himself were dismissed to their
several occupations; the servants of Lord Calverly permitted to depart
from the hall; the refreshment of the king's post was provided for;
and the search was commenced, Chartley having been called to aid, at
the suggestion of his cousin. Every nook and corner of the extensive
building was examined, but Iola was not to be found.