CHAPTER III
It was now mid-June. The air was dry and cool. But Robert Sadlerthought not of June nor dryness and coolness of air as in triumph hemade ready for his journey.
"I should have gone," grumbled Humphrey the serving-man when he heardof it. "Who knoweth this Robert Sadler? My lord had him at therecommendation of Lord Clifford and he hath been at the castle not yeta year. Who knoweth that he is to be trusted? I should have gone. I diddream of serpents last night, and that foretelleth a prison. RobertSadler will no doubt be caught by some marauding baron as he comethagain from Chester, and he will be thrown into the dungeon, and then mylady will see."
So grumbling he was summoned to the ladies' bower just as thedrawbridge was lowered to permit the departure of Robert Sadler.Ungraciously he obeyed; and just as ungraciously he continued hisgrumbling in her ladyship's presence. "I did dream of serpents lastnight," he began, "and that foretelleth a prison."
Lady De Aldithely shivered. "I pray thee, speak not of prisons,Humphrey," she said firmly, "but attend my words."
"Am I not faithful?" demanded Humphrey.
"Thou art, my good Humphrey," was the reply.
"Was it then for Robert Sadler to do thine errand?"
"I have a greater errand for thee," was the grave answer. "RobertSadler is a traitor, and we have much to do ere he return."
Humphrey seemed bewildered. "And wouldst thou trust a traitor?" he atlength demanded.
"Abroad, good Humphrey, and in a small matter, but not within thesewalls."
The dense Humphrey showing still by his countenance that he could notcomprehend his mistress, Lady De Aldithely spoke more plainly. "I musttell thee, Humphrey, that Robert Sadler designeth for a sum of money todeliver Josceline to the king."
Humphrey stared.
"I have discovered it, and have been almost crazed in consequence. Buta deliverer hath come."
"I saw no one," said Humphrey in a dazed tone.
"Didst thou not see Hugo?" asked Lady De Aldithely with a faint smile."My lord will be fain to do much for him when he heareth what Hugo willdo for Josceline."
"And what can a lad like him do?" demanded Humphrey. "Thou hadst bettertrust me. I am forty years of age and have served the De Aldithelys allmy life."
"I do trust thee, Humphrey, and I do honor thee by sending thee toattend on this brave lad, Hugo."
"I will not go," declared Humphrey. "Why should I leave thee andJosceline to serve a stranger? Here I bide where my lord left me."
"Wilt thou not go at my command, Humphrey?"
There was no reply but a mutinous look, and Lady De Aldithelycontinued, "Thou hast doubtless seen how very like in appearance Hugois to my son. This good lad, Hugo, this best of lads, Hugo, will, formy sake and Josceline's, assume to be my son. He will ride forth towardLondon as if he made to escape to his father in France. The servants ofthe king will hear of it through the spies they keep in the wood nearus. They will pursue him while Josceline and I escape into Scotland."
Humphrey reflected. "I see it, I see it," he said at last. "Hugo is thegood lad."
"He is indeed, Humphrey. So good I cannot see him go unattended. Thouart the trustiest servant I have; and so I send thee with him to keephim from what peril thou mayest, and to defend him in what thou canstnot ward off. Thou must serve him as thou wouldst Josceline, on pain ofmy displeasure."
"I did dream of serpents," said Humphrey, slowly, "and they foretell aprison. It were better for thee to abide here, for, perchance, it isnot to foretell the fate of Robert Sadler but the fate of Joscelinethat the dream was sent."
"Abide here, and let Robert Sadler take my son? Nay, good Humphrey, wemust away. Hugo and thou to-morrow morn, Josceline and I to-morrownight." And then Humphrey was dismissed with the command, "Send Hugo tome."
Almost immediately the boy appeared, and Lady De Aldithely met him witha smile. "I send thee forth to-morrow morn," she said, "and Humphreywill go with thee--if thou be still of a mind to go."
"I am still of a mind to go, Lady De Aldithely," was the answer.
"Thou knowest the danger to thyself," she said. "And 'twere not to savemy only son, I could not let thee take such peril. Cross thou toFrance, I charge thee, and take this favor to my husband. Tell him,because thou wouldst do knightly service for me and mine, I give itthee. Thou wilt not go unrewarded." And she held out a knot of blueribbon.
The boy looked from it to her green robe, and back again. Lady DeAldithely saw the look. "Green is not my color, Hugo," she said. "It isbut the fashion of the time." Suddenly she drew back her hand and laidthe knot against her sleeve. "See how the colors war," she said. "Butnot more than truth and constancy with the wickedness of this mostwicked reign." Then she held out the knot of blue to him again."Receive it, dear lad," she said. "Whatever knightly service it isthine to render after thou hast taken thy vow, thou canst render nonegreater than thou dost now render to Matilda De Aldithely."
"And what service is that?" inquired Josceline as he came smiling intothe room. "And what solemn manner is this, my mother? There must begreat deeds afoot to warrant it." And he glanced from one to the other.
"Thou hast well come, my son," returned his mother, gravely. "I wouldthis moment have sent to summon thee. Thou and I must away to-morrownight to wander through the forest of Galtus and on into the wilds ofScotland, where we may, perchance, find safety."
At this Josceline stared in astonishment. "We be safe here in thecastle," he said at length.
"Nay, my son," returned his mother. "Here be we not safe. I had toldthee before of the treachery of Robert Sadler but for thy hasty,impetuous nature which, by knowing, would have marred my plans. Thouwouldst have dealt with him according to his deserts--"
"Ay, that would I," interrupted Josceline, "if he be a traitor. Andthat will I when he returneth."
Lady De Aldithely looked at him sadly. "We be in the midst of graveperils, my son," she said. "Control thyself. It is not always safe todeal with traitors according to their deserts, and never was it lesssafe than now. When Robert Sadler returneth we must be far away."
But Josceline was hard to convince. "Here is the castle," he said,"than which none is stronger, and here be good men and true to defendit. Moreover, Robert Sadler is now outside the walls. Thou canst, ifthou wilt, keep him out, and we have naught to fear. Why should we gowandering with our all on the backs of sumpter mules, and with only afew men-at-arms and serving-men to bear us company?"
"My son," said Lady De Aldithely, rising from her seat, "thy fathergave thee into my keeping. And thou didst promise him upon thine honorto obey me. Thou mayest not break thy pledged word."
"I had not pledged it," rejoined Josceline, sulkily, "had I known ofwanderings through forest and wild."
"Better forest and wild than the king's dungeon, my son," replied LadyDe Aldithely. "We go hence to-morrow night."
During this conversation Hugo had stood a silent and unwillinglistener. Josceline now turned to him. "And whither goest thou, Hugo?"he asked. "With us?"
"Nay, let me speak," said Lady De Aldithely, holding up her hand tocheck Hugo's reply. "Hugo goeth south toward London clad in thybravery, and with Humphrey to attend him."
Again Josceline showed astonishment. "I understand not thy riddles," hesaid at last petulantly.
"He is thy counterpart, my son, and he will personate thee," said LadyDe Aldithely. "He setteth out to-morrow morn. The king's spies willpursue him, and thus we shall be able to flee unseen."
"And thou hast planned all this without a word to me?" cried Josceline,angrily. "But for my pledged word I would not stir. Nay, not even if Iknew Robert Sadler would give me up to the king's messengers."
Lady De Aldithely gave Hugo a sign to leave the room. When he was goneshe herself withdrew, and Josceline was left alone in the ladies'bower, where he stamped about in great irritation for a while. But hecould not retain his anger long. Insensibly it faded away, and he foundvisions of wood and wild taking its place.
Meanwh
ile Lady De Aldithely had gone to the castle hall, when she senta summons to William Lorimer to attend her there. To him, when hearrived, she unfolded Robert Sadler's treachery and her own meditatedflight with her son.
"Thee," she said, "I leave in charge of these bare walls to deal withRobert Sadler on his return. Whatever happeneth I hold thee blameless.Do as seemeth thee best, and when thou art through here, repair withthe others I leave behind, to my lord in France. And if thou shouldstever find Hugo to be in need, what thou doest for him thou doest for mylord and me."
The man-at-arms bowed low. "I will deal with Robert Sadler as I may,"he answered. "Only do thou leave me the postern key. As for Hugo, Iwill not fail him if ever in my presence or hearing he hath need."
Then Lady De Aldithely with a relieved smile gave him the postern keyand he withdrew.
The day was now drawing to a close, and an air of solemnity was uponthe castle. Each man knew he was facing death; each man was anxious forthe safety of Lady Aldithely and her son; and each man cast a sober eyeon Hugo and Humphrey. The effect upon Hugo was visibly depressing,while upon Humphrey it was irritating.
Humphrey had been thinking: and while he would be ostensibly Hugo'sservant, he had decided that he would be in reality the master of theexpedition. "I like not this obeying of strangers," he said to himself."Moreover, it is not seemly that any other lad than our own young lordshould rule over a man of my years. Let the lad Hugo think I followhim. He shall find he will follow me. And why should these men-at-armslook at us both as if we went out to become food for crows? Did I notdream of acorns last night, and in my dream did I not eat one? And whatdoth that betoken but that I shall gradually rise to riches and honor?Let the men-at-arms look to themselves. They will have need of alltheir eyes when that rascal Robert Sadler cometh galloping again to thecastle with the king's minions at his back."
Now all this grumbling was not done in idleness. For all the timeHumphrey was busy filling certain bags which were to be swung acrossthe haunches of the horses he and Hugo were to ride. Brawn, meal forcakes, grain for the horses, and various other sundries did Humphreystow away in the bags which were to supply their need at such times as,on account of pursuit, they would not dare to venture inside a town."And what care I that the interdict forbiddeth us meat as if we were inLent," grumbled Humphrey as he packed the brawn. "Were the king a goodking, meat would be our portion as in other years. Since he is the badking he is, I will e'en eat the brawn and any other meat to be had. Andupon the head of the king be the sin of it, if sin there be."
And the packing finished, he went early to rest.
The castle stood on a ridge near the river Wharfe, from which streamthe castle moat derived its water. Its postern gate was toward theeast, the great gate being on the northwest. From the postern Hugo andHumphrey were to set out and follow along down the river toward Selby.They were to make no effort at concealment on this first stage of theirjourney which might, therefore, possibly be the most dangerous part ofit. They had little to fear, however, from arrows, as the king's menwould not so much wish to injure the supposed Josceline as to capturehim. They had shot at him before simply to disable him before he couldreach the shelter of the castle.
But Humphrey was not thinking of the dangers of the way. He was up andlooking at the sky at the early dawn. "I did hear owls whooping in thenight before I slept, which foretelleth a fair day for the beginning ofour enterprise," he said. "The sky doth not now look it, but my trustis in owls. I will call Hugo. It is not meet that he should slumbernow."
Hugo was not easily roused. He had slept ill: for as night had comedown upon him in the castle for the last time, he had not felt quite sosure of being able to lead his pursuers a merry chase. And it wasmidnight when he fell into an uneasy sleep which became heavy asmorning dawned. Humphrey knew nothing of this, however, nor would hehave cared if he had. By his own arguing of the case in his mind, hewas now firm in the conviction that Hugo had been put into his charge,and he was quite determined to control him in all things. So he routedhim from his slumbers and his bed without the slightest compunction,bidding him make haste that they might take advantage of the fair dayprognosticated by the owls.
This duty done, Humphrey betook himself to the walls near the posternwhere he had before noticed William Lorimer apparently deeply engagedin reconnoitring and planning. Now, whatever Humphrey lacked, it wasnot curiosity; and he was speedily beside the man-at-arms, whoimpatiently, in his heart, wished him elsewhere.
"What seest thou?" began Humphrey curiously as he gazed about him onall sides.
"The same that thou seest, no doubt," retorted William Lorimer,gruffly.
"Why, then," observed Humphrey, slowly, "thou seest what I and thouhave seen these many times,--a bare open place beyond the ditch, andthen the wood. I had thought some king's man must have shown himselffrom his hiding."
"Not so, good Humphrey, not so," rejoined William Lorimer morepleasantly as he reflected that he would soon be rid of the pryingserving-man. "Hugo and thou will see king's men before I do."
"Ah, trust me," boasted Humphrey, complacently. "I shall know how tomanage when we see them."
"Thou manage?" said William Lorimer, teasingly. "Bethink thee, thou artbut servant to Hugo. Hast thou not promised Lady De Aldithely to be hisservant?"
Humphrey hesitated a moment and then replied: "Yea, in a measure. But Itake it that there are servants and servants. Besides, I did dream ofacorns of late and of eating one of them, which doth foretell that Ishall gradually rise to riches and honor; and surely the first step insuch a rise is the managing of Hugo. My dream hath it, thou seest, thatHugo shall obey me. Wherefore I said I shall know how to manage when Isee the king's men."
"Hath Hugo heard of this fine dream?" inquired William Lorimer withpretended gravity.
"Not he. Why should he hear of it? He is as headstrong as our younglord Josceline, though not so haughty. I shall but oppose the weightof my years and experience against him at every turn, and thou shaltsee I shall prevail." So saying, Humphrey, with an air of greatself-satisfaction, turned and descended the wall to the court-yard.
For a moment William Lorimer smiled. "I would I might follow the two,"he said. "There will be fine arguments between them."