CHAPTER XXXIII.
Night had succeeded to day, and that day had been an uneasy one; forduring the hours of light that remained after the parliamentarymilitia had taken possession of Langley Hall, Lady Margaret had invain endeavoured to find some opportunity of opening one of theseveral doors which led into the private rooms and passages of thehouse. Wherever she went she found one or other of the soldiers on thewatch, and she became alarmed lest the want of necessary food should,in the earl's weakened state, prove detrimental to his health.
Miss Walton said nothing; but her beautiful eyes were so full ofanxious thought, that whenever they turned upon her aunt, the good oldlady felt her heart ache for the painful apprehensions which she knewwere in her fair niece's bosom; and as the shades of evening fell, sherang for her servant William, and asked him several questions in a lowtone. What his answers were, neither Annie Walton nor Arrah Neil couldhear for some time; but at length, in reply to some injunction of hismistress, he said aloud, "I will try, my lady; but I do not think itwill do. He is a sad, sober man, and when they were eating, shortlyafter they came, he would drink little or nothing."
"Well, give him my message," said Lady Margaret, "and if he will notdrink, we must find another means. Warn all the tenants, William,to-morrow early, that they may be wanted; but now go, and see the winebe the best in the cellar."
The man retired, but in a few minutes after he opened the door again,announcing Captain Hargood, and the commander of the small force leftat the Hall made his appearance with a ceremonious bow.
"Madam," he said, "I hope you do not put yourself to inconvenience orrestraint to ask a stranger to your table who is here against yourwill, and in some degree against his own."
"Not in the least, Captain Hargood," answered Lady Margaret; "I alwayshave loved and esteemed brave men, whatever be their party; andthough, in all that is justifiable, I would never scruple to oppose tothe death an enemy, yet where we are not antagonists I would alwayswish to show courtesy and forget enmity."
"I hope, madam, you will not consider me as an enemy," replied theofficer.
"Whoever keeps forcible possession of my fortress," said the old lady,with a smile, "must be so for the time; but let us not speak ofunpleasant things--supper must be served," and advancingunembarrassed, she rested her hand upon the arm of her unwelcomeguest, and led the way with him to the hall.
But the stout Roundhead was not one to lose his active watchfulness byindulging in the pleasures of the table. The wine was excellent, andthe servants were always ready to fill for him; but he dranksparingly, and Lady Margaret did not venture to press him, lest herpurpose should become apparent, and lead to suspicions beyond.
After partaking lightly of the wine, she rose, and with her two faircompanions retired, leaving him with the potent beverage still on theboard, in the hope that he might indulge more freely when he wasalone. As soon as they were in the withdrawing-room, she explained toAnnie Walton and Arrah Neil, in low but earnest tones, the exactposition of the room in which was the entrance to the secret passagewhich she had opened for Lord Beverley, and the means of making himhear and withdraw the bolt.
"I will send up a basket of food and wine to your chamber, Annie," shesaid; "and as soon as all seems quiet in the house, you and our dearArrah go, by the moonlight if you can, to that place, and try to gainadmission. If you should fail, or if you should find any one on thewatch, come down to me. They have so scattered their men about, thatit is well-nigh hopeless before they go to sleep. It would almost seemthat they knew whereabouts the doors lie. There is one means, indeed,and that must be taken if all others fail; yet I would fain shrinkfrom it."
"What means is that, dear aunt?" asked Annie Walton.
But the old lady replied that it mattered not; and shortly after theyseparated, and the two fair girls retired to their chamber. MissWalton's maids were there ready to aid her in undressing; and thoughAnnie and her friend had much to say to each other, all privateconversation was stayed for the time. Shortly after Lady Margaret'schief woman appeared with a covered basket, set it down, and retiredwithout saying a word; and in a few minutes more Annie sent hermaidens to bed, saying that she would sit up for a while, and adding,"Leave me a lamp on that table."
But, now that they had the opportunity of speaking more freely, ArrahNeil and her noble friend could but poorly take advantage of it, soeager were they to watch for the diminution of all sounds in the hall.They did speak, indeed, words of kindly comfort and support; andmanifold dreamy reasonings took place on all the events of the day,and their probable consequences; but still they interrupted theirspeech continually to listen, till all at length seemed profoundlystill, and Arrah whispered--
"Now I think we may go."
"Yet but a moment or two, dear Arrah," replied Miss Walton. "Let thembe sound asleep."
In deep silence they remained for about a quarter of an hour, but thenAnnie herself rose and proposed to go.
"I am grown such a coward, Arrah," she said, "that I would fainperform this task speedily, and fain escape it too."
"'Tis the desire to do it," answered her fair companion, "that createsthe fear of failing. But let me go, Annie, if you dread it so much."
"Nay, nay! No hand but mine, for worlds!" exclaimed the young lady."But come, I am ready; let us go."
Slowly and quietly opening the door, they issued forth into thepassages, and, remembering as well as they could Lady Margaret'sdirection, were making their way towards the room to which she had ledthe earl, when suddenly, out of a neighbouring chamber, walked theofficer of militia, and stood confronting them in the midst of thepassage. Annie Walton trembled, and caught poor Arrah's arm to stopher; but her fair companion was more self-possessed, and whispering,"Come on; show no fear!" she advanced straight towards the officer,saying aloud--
"Will you have the kindness, sir, to accompany us to the door of LadyMargaret's chamber? We are afraid of meeting some of your men, whomight be uncivil."
"Do you not think that Lady Margaret may be asleep by this time?"asked the officer, with a doubtful smile.
"Oh, dear, no!" replied Annie Walton, who had gained courage from herfair companion's presence of mind. "She never goes to bed till one ortwo. Perhaps we may even find her in the withdrawing-room."
"I think not," said the officer; "but we can easily see." And thusspeaking, he led the way down, having made himself thoroughlyacquainted with the ordinary passages of the house.
The door of the usual sitting-room was ajar, a light was within, andthe officer put in his head. Instantly perceiving Lady MargaretLangley seated reading, and recollecting her threatened vengeance ifany one of his band approached her apartments, he said, "I haveescorted these two young ladies hither, madam, as they were afraid tocome alone."
"I thank you, sir," replied the old lady, laying down the book. "Down,Basto! down! Come hither, Annie. Close the door, my sweet Arrah. Ithank you, sir. Good night. They are foolish, frightened girls; but Iwill see them back when we have done our evening duties."
The perfect tranquillity of the old lady's manner removed thesuspicion which Captain Hargood had certainly entertained; and closingthe door, he retired to the room he had chosen for himself.
As soon as he was gone, Lady Margaret said, in a low tone, "So youwere stopped, I suppose, by that rascal?"
"Yes, indeed," replied Annie Walton: "we had scarce taken twenty paceswhen he met us, and I was fool enough to lose all judgment; but thisdear girl saved us both."
"Well," rejoined Lady Margaret, "there is but one means, then. I amweak, girls--very weak--or I would not have kept the good earl so longin darkness and in hunger for my own foolish thoughts. Come with me;"and, opening the door which led from the right-hand side of thewithdrawing-room to her own chamber, she went in, closing it againwhen they had both passed, and fastening it with a bolt. She thenpaused for a moment in the midst, gazing down upon the floor with alook of deep sadness, and then approached a large closet, which sheo
pened. It was full of shelves; but, putting her hand upon one ofthem, Lady Margaret drew it forth, laid it down beside her, and pushedhard against the one below. It instantly receded with the whole backof the closet, showing the entrance to a room beyond.
"See, but say nothing," whispered the old lady; and while Annie Waltonfollowed with the lamp, she entered before them.
It was a small room, fitted up somewhat like a chapel, but hung withtapestry. At the farther end was a table or altar, covered with alinen cloth yellow with age, and having beneath what Annie Waltonimagined to be the chalice and plate of the communion. Above, however,hung the picture of a very young woman, whose sweet and radiant look,yet tender and mournful eyes, might well have accorded with arepresentation of the Blessed Virgin; but the figure was dressed inthe fashion of no very remote time; and as soon as Lady Margaretraised her eyes to it, the tears rose in them, and tottering to one ofthe large crimson chairs that were ranged along the side, she sankinto it and bent her head in silence.
Annie Walton and Arrah Neil stood and gazed upon the picture as ifthey were both fascinated, but neither spoke; and at length LadyMargaret rose again, saying abruptly, "I am a fool, and will be so nomore. This is the chamber of retribution, my sweet Arrah," shecontinued, approaching the two fair girls, and taking the lamp out ofthe hand of Miss Walton. "Here for many a year I and one now gone weptand prayed for forgiveness;" and, holding up the lamp towards thepicture, she gazed at it with a mournful look. Then, laying her handupon the edge of the cloth which covered the table, she seemed aboutto withdraw it, but paused, and her face became almost livid withemotion. "I will do it!" she said at length; "I will do it--but saynothing--ask no question--utter not a word!"
As she spoke, she cast back the cloth; and lying on the table, whichwas covered with crimson velvet, appeared a pale and gory human head,severed at the neck. The face was turned up, the eyes were closed,the mouth was partly open, and the fine white teeth were shown.Though pale as ashes, the traces of great beauty remained in thefinely-chiselled features: the curling lip, covered with the darkmoustache; the wide, expansive brow, the high forehead, the blue tingeof the eyes shining through the dark-fringed lids--all showed that inlife it must have been the face of as handsome a man as ever had beenseen, but over all was the grey shade of death.
Annie Walton started back in terror; but Lady Margaret turned to hersternly and sadly, saying, "Foolish girl! it is but wax. For you ithas none of those memories that give it life for me. There--you haveseen enough!" and she drew the cloth back again over that sad memento.Then, gazing for a moment again at the picture, the old lady set thelamp down upon the table; and casting her arms round the fair neck ofArrah Neil, she leaned her eyes upon her shoulder and wept bitterly.
Annie Walton would not intrude upon her aunt's grief, either by askingany questions or by calling to her remembrance the situation of theEarl of Beverley, although, as soon as the first impression of theextraordinary spectacle which had been presented to her had passedaway, the state in which her lover had been so long kept naturallyoccurred to her mind. But Lady Margaret, herself a woman of strong andvigorous character, though somewhat eccentric in her habits ofthought, soon roused herself, and starting up she wiped the tears fromher eyes, exclaiming, "This is not all folly, my child; but yet anygrief, if it prevent us from doing our duty, is a weakness and awrong. Come, we will soon find the earl."
Miss Walton took up the basket; and Lady Margaret, with the light,approached a door on the other side of the room which led to a narrowand very steep staircase; but Arrah Neil paused till the light wasnearly gone, to gaze at the picture, and when she at length followed,her eyes too were running over with bright drops. A long passage atthe top of the stairs conducted them to a door, which Lady Margaretgently opened, exposing a room within, furnished with a chair, a bed,and a small table, by which the earl was sitting, his head resting onhis hand.
As may readily be supposed, he was well pleased to see his visiters;for long solitude in darkness and uncertainty, without occupation,will have a depressing effect upon the firmest heart and bestregulated mind. The cause of their long absence was soon explained;and, the acceptable stores which they brought being taken from thebasket and deposited on the table, though Annie Walton would fain haveremained some time to console her lover in his imprisonment, he toostrongly felt the danger of her so doing to permit it; and, onlypetitioning that when any one returned some books might be added tohis store, to while away the hours of solitude, he saw them depart,though not without a sigh. No interruption took place on the return ofthe two young ladies to their room, and the night passed over withoutany other event deserving of notice.