CHAPTER X
In which Master Pory gains Time to some Purpose
Rolfe, coming down by boat from Varina, had reached the town in the duskof that day which had seen the arrival of the _Santa Teresa_, and I hadgone to him before I slept that night. Early morning found us togetheragain in the field behind the church. We had not long to wait in thechill air and dew-drenched grass. When the red rim of the sun showedlike a fire between the trunks of the pines came my Lord Carnal, andwith him Master Pory and Dr. Lawrence Bohun.
My lord and I bowed to each other profoundly. Rolfe with my sword andMaster Pory with my lord's stepped aside to measure the blades. Dr.Bohun, muttering something about the feverishness of the early air,wrapped his cloak about him, and huddled in among the roots of agigantic cedar. I stood with my back to the church, and my face to thered water between us and the illimitable forest; my lord opposite me,six feet away. He was dressed again splendidly in black and scarlet,colours he much affected, and, with the dark beauty of his face and thearrogant grace with which he stood there waiting for his sword, made apicture worth looking upon.
Rolfe and the Secretary came back to us. "If you kill him, Ralph," saidthe former in a low voice, as he took my doublet from me, "you are toput yourself in my hands and do as you are bid."
"Which means that you will try to smuggle me north to the Dutch. Thanks,friend, but I'll see the play out here."
"You were ever obstinate, self-willed, reckless--and the man most to myheart," he continued. "Have your way, in God's name, but I wish not tosee what will come of it! All's ready, Master Secretary."
Very slowly that worthy stooped down and examined the ground, narrowlyand quite at his leisure. "I like it not, Master Rolfe," he declared atlength. "Here is a molehill, and there a fairy ring."
"I see neither," said Rolfe. "It looks as smooth as a table. But we caneasily shift under the cedars, where there is no grass."
"Here's a projecting root," announced the Secretary, when the new groundhad been reached.
Rolfe shrugged his shoulders, but we moved again.
"The light comes jaggedly through the branches," objected my lord'ssecond. "Better try the open again."
Rolfe uttered an exclamation of impatience, and my lord stamped his footon the ground. "What is this foolery, sir?" the latter cried fiercely."The ground's well enough, and there's sufficient light to die by."
"Let the light pass then," said his second resignedly. "Gentlemen, areyou read---- Ods blood! my lord, I had not noticed the roses upon yourlordship's shoes! They are so large and have such a fall that they sweepthe ground on either side your foot; you might stumble in all thatdangling ribbon and lace. Allow me to remove them."
He unsheathed his knife, and, sinking upon his knees, began leisurely tosever the threads that held the roses to the leather. As he worked, helooked neither at the roses nor at my lord's angry face, but beneath hisown bent arm toward the church and the town beyond.
How long he would have sawed away at the threads there is no telling;for my lord, amongst whose virtues patience was not one, broke from him,and with an oath stooped and tore away the offending roses with his ownhand, then straightened himself and gripped his sword more closely."I've learned one thing in this d--d land," he snarled, "and that iswhere not to choose a second. You, sir," to Rolfe, "give the word."
Master Pory rose from his knees, unruffled and unabashed, and still witha curiously absent expression upon his fat face and with his ears cockedin the direction of the church. "One moment, gentlemen," he said. "Ihave just bethought me----"
"On guard!" cried Rolfe, and cut him short.
The King's favourite was no mean antagonist. Once or twice the thoughtcrossed my mind that here, where I least desired it, I had met my match.The apprehension passed. He fought as he lived, with a fierce intensity,a headlong passion, a brute force, bearing down and overwhelming mostobstacles. But that I could tire him out I soon knew.
The incessant flash and clash of steel, the quick changes in position,the need to bring all powers of body and mind to aid of eye and wrist,the will to win, the shame of loss, the rage and lust of blood,--therewas no sight or sound outside that trampled circle that could forceitself upon our brain or make us glance aside. If there was a suddencommotion amongst the three witnesses, if an expression of immenserelief and childlike satisfaction reigned in Master Pory's face, we knewit not. We were both bleeding,--I from a pin prick on the shoulder, hefrom a touch beneath the arm. He made a desperate thrust, which Iparried, and the blades clashed. A third came down upon them with suchforce that the sparks flew.
"In the King's name!" commanded the Governor.
We fell apart, panting, white with rage, staring at the unexpecteddisturbers of our peace. They were the Governor, the commander, the CapeMerchant, and the watch.
"Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace!" exclaimed MasterPory, and retired to the cedar and Dr. Bohun.
"This ends here, gentlemen," said the Governor firmly. "You are bothbleeding. It is enough."
"Out of my way, sir!" cried my lord, foaming at the mouth. He made a madthrust over the Governor's extended arm at me, who was ready enough tomeet him, "Have at thee, thou bridegroom!" he said between his teeth.
The Governor caught him by the wrist. "Put up your sword, my lord, or,as I stand here, you shall give it into the commander's hands!"
"Hell and furies!" ejaculated my lord. "Do you know who I am, sir?"
"Ay," replied the Governor sturdily, "I do know. It is because of thatknowledge, my Lord Carnal, that I interfere in this affair. Were youother than you are, you and this gentleman might fight until doomsday,and meet with no hindrance from me. Being what you are, I will preventany renewal of this duel, by fair means if I may, by foul if I must."
He left my lord, and came over to me. "Since when have you been upon myLord Warwick's side, Ralph Percy?" he demanded, lowering his voice.
"I am not so," I said.
"Then appearances are mightily deceitful," he retorted.
"I know what you mean, Sir George," I answered. "I know that if theKing's darling should meet death or maiming in this fashion, uponVirginian soil, the Company, already so out of favour, might find somedifficulty in explaining things to his Majesty's satisfaction. But Ithink my Lord Southampton and Sir Edwyn Sandys and Sir George Yeardleyequal to the task, especially if they are able to deliver to his Majestythe man whom his Majesty will doubtless consider the true and only rebeland murderer. Let us fight it out, sir. You can all retire to a distanceand remain in profound ignorance of any such affair. If I fall, youhave nothing to fear. If he falls,--why, I shall not run away, and the_Due Return_ sails to-morrow."
He eyed me closely from under frowning brows.
"And when your wife's a widow, what then?" he asked abruptly.
I have not known many better men than this simple, straightforward,soldierly Governor. The manliness of his character begot trust, invitedconfidence. Men told him of their hidden troubles almost against theirwill, and afterward felt neither shame nor fear, knowing the simplicityof his thoughts and the reticence of his speech. I looked him in theeyes, and let him read what I would have shown to no other, and felt noshame. "The Lord may raise her up a helper," I said. "At least she won'thave to marry _him_."
He turned on his heel and moved back to his former station between ustwo. "My Lord Carnal," he said, "and you, Captain Percy, heed what Isay; for what I say I will do. You may take your choice: either you willsheathe your swords here in my presence, giving me your word of honourthat you will not draw them upon each other before his Majesty shallhave made known his will in this matter to the Company, and the Companyshall have transmitted it to me, in token of which truce between you youshall touch each other's hands; or you will pass the time between thisand the return of the ship with the King's and the Company's will instrict confinement,--you, Captain Percy, in gaol, and you, my LordCarnal, in my own poor house, where I will use my best endeavours tomake the days pass as
pleasantly as possible for your lordship. I havespoken, gentlemen."
There was no protest. For my own part, I knew Yeardley too well toattempt any; moreover, had I been in his place, his course should havebeen mine. For my Lord Carnal,--what black thoughts visited that fierceand sullen brain I know not, but there was acquiescence in his face,haughty, dark, and vengeful though it was. Slowly, and as with onemotion, we sheathed our swords, and more slowly still repeated the fewwords after the Governor. His Honour's countenance shone with relief."Take each other by the hand, gentlemen, and then let's all to breakfastat my own house, where there shall be no feud save with good capon pastyand jolly good ale." In dead silence my lord and I touched each other'sfinger tips.
The world was now a flood of sunshine, the mist on the river vanishing,the birds singing, the trees waving in the pleasant morning air. Fromthe town came the roll of the drum summoning all to the week-dayservice. The bells, too, began to ring, sounding sweetly through theclear air. The Governor took off his hat. "Let's all to church,gentlemen," he said gravely. "Our cheeks are flushed as with a fever,and our pulses run high this morning. There be some among us, perhaps,that have in their hearts discontent, anger, and hatred. I know nobetter place to take such passions, provided we bring them not forthagain."
We went in and sat down. Jeremy Sparrow was in the pulpit. Singly or ingroups the town folk entered. Down the aisle strode bearded men, oldsoldiers, adventurers, sailors, scarred body and soul; young menfollowed, younger sons and younger brothers, prodigals whose portion hadbeen spent, whose souls now ate of the husks; to the servants' benchescame dull labourers, dimly comprehending, groping in the twilight; womenentered softly and slowly, some with children clinging to their skirts.One came alone and knelt alone, her face shadowed by her mantle. Amongstthe servants stood a slave or two, blindly staring, and behind them allone of that felon crew sent us by the King.
Through the open windows streamed the summer sunshine, soft andfragrant, impartial and unquestioning, caressing alike the uplifted faceof the minister, the head of the convict, and all between. Theminister's voice was grave and tender when he read and prayed, but inthe hymn it rose above the people's like the voice of some mightyarchangel. That triumphant singing shook the air, and still rang in theheart while we said the Creed.
When the service was over, the congregation waited for the Governor topass out first. At the door he pressed me to go with him and his partyto his own house, and I gave him thanks, but made excuse to stay away.When he and the nobleman who was his guest had left the churchyard, andthe townspeople, too, were gone, I and my wife and the minister walkedhome together through the dewy meadow, with the splendour of the morningabout us, and the birds carolling from every tree and thicket.