CHAPTER VIII.
I do believe it: the common world Teems out with things we know not; and our mind, Too gross for us to scan the mighty whole, Knows not how busy all creation is.
In the original history here follows a long chapter describing how SirPayan Wileton, sitting in deep and earnest consultation with SirCesar, the magician, regarding the teeming future, was only awakenedto a full sense of the present by the very resonant "Oh!" uttered byJekin Groby as he fell from the window. And the same chapter goes onat great length to detail all that Sir Payan did and said upon makingthe discovery of his prisoners' evasion. His fury, his menaces, hisorders, his promises to those who should retake them, are alldescribed fully, and in very sublime language by ProfessorVonderbrugius. But nevertheless we shall omit them, as well as thelong account by which they are preceded of the strange and curiousceremonies employed by Sir Cesar to ascertain the event of many darkschemes that were then revolving in the breasts of men; and we thinkthat the reasons which induce us to leave out all those curiousparticulars, will fully justify our so doing in the opinion of ourreaders. In the first place, we wish to follow our hero as fast aspossible; in the next place, every reader whose head is any betterthan a turnip, can easily figure the mad rage of a passionate thoughwily man, on finding that his prey has escaped from his hand; and inthe third place, we did not translate this chapter, inasmuch asVonderbrugius, besides being vastly sublime, was whollyunintelligible.
Making, therefore, that short which was originally long, we shall onlysay that all the servants, roused from their beds, beat the woods inevery direction, searching vainly for the young knight and RichardHeartley, who, as we have seen, contrived to evade their pursuit. Notsuch, however, was the fate of poor Jekin Groby, who, running straightforward up one of the avenues, was soon seen and overtaken by a partyof servants, who taking it for granted that he would resist mostviolently, beat him unmercifully out of mere expectation.
Roaring and grumbling, the unfortunate clothier was brought back tothe manor, and underwent Sir Payan's objurgation with but an illgrace. "You are a villain! you are!" cried Jekin. "You had better letme alone, you had! You'll burn your fingers if you meddle with me.You've stolen my bags already. But the king and Lord Darby shall hearof it; ay, and the cardinal to boot, and a deal more too. Did not Ihear you promise to murder him, you black-hearted vagabond?"
"Tie him hand and foot," said Sir Payan, "and bring him back againinto the strong room. Bring him along, I would fain see how theyreached the window." And followed by the servants, hauling on poorJekin, who ever and anon muttered something about Lord Darby, and theking, and his bags, he proceeded to the chamber where the young knighthad been imprisoned. There the settle and the rope gave evidence ofthe manner in which the escape had been effected, and were instantlyremoved by order of the knight, to prevent the honest clothier, thoughnow bound hand and foot, from making the attempt again. "This man'sevidence would damn me," thought Sir Payan.
"Fool that I was to forget that he was here, and not look in thatstraw closet, before I committed myself with the other! But he must betaken care of, and never see England again. What is that?" continuedhe aloud, pointing to the scroll which caught his eye on the ground."Give it me. Ha! All fair! Can old Sir Cesar have aided in this trick:we will see." And with hasty strides he proceeded to the high chamberwhere he had left the astrologer. He slackened his pace, however, withsome feelings of awe, for as he approached he heard a voice speakinghigh. "In the name of God most high," it cried, "answer! Shall hishead be raised so high for good or for evil? Ha! thou fleetest away!Let be! let be!"
At this moment Sir Payan threw open the door, and found the old manwith his hair standing almost erect, his eye protruded, and his armsextended, as if still adjuring some invisible being. "It is gone!"cried he, as the other entered. "It is gone!" And he sank backexhausted in his chair.
Notwithstanding the fund of dauntless resolution which Sir Payan held,his heart seemed to grow faint as he entered the apartment, in whichthere was a strange sickly odour of incense and foreign gums, and athin blue smoke, that diffusing itself from a chafing-dish on thetable, rendered the various objects flickering and indistinct. Norcould he help persuading himself that something rushed by him as heopened the door, like a sudden gust of cold wind, that made him givean involuntary shudder.
When he had left the room below, he had determined to tax the oldknight boldly with having aided in the prisoners' escape; but hisfeelings were greatly changed when he entered, and accosting him witha mixture of awe and respect, he asked how it was that peoplediscovered any characters written in a certain sort of ink he hadheard of, which was quite pure and white till the person who had thesecret submitted it to some other process.
"Hold the paper to the fire!" said Sir Cesar, feebly.
Sir Payan immediately extended the parchment over the chafing-dish,but in vain; no trace of any kind appeared, and vexed and disappointedhe let it drop into the flame.
"Know ye that my prisoner has escaped," said he, "and I am againinsecure?"
"Listen to what is of mightier moment," cried Sir Cesar, with a greateffort, as if his powers were almost extinct with some vast excitementjust undergone. "Listen, and reply not; but leave me the moment youhave heard. You besought me to ascertain the fate of Edward, Duke ofBuckingham, that you might judge whether to serve him as he would haveyou. I have compelled an answer from those who know, and I learn that,within one year, Buckingham's head shall be the highest in the realm.Mark! determine! and leave me!"
Sir Payan, aware that it was useless to remain when Sir Cesar had oncedesired to be alone, quitted the chamber in silence. "Yes!" said he,thoughtfully, "I will serve him, so long as I do not undo myself. Iwill creep into his counsels; I will appear his zealous friend, but Iwill be wary. He aims at the crown: as he rises I will rise; but if Isee him make one false step in that proud ascent, I will hurl himdown, and when the fair lands of Buckingham are void----who knows? Weshall see. Less than I have risen higher! Ho! Who waits? When thePortingallo returns, give the prisoner into his hands; but first makethe captain speak with me. Buckingham's head shall be the highest inthe realm! That must be king. Never did I know his prophecies fail,though sometimes they have a strange twisted meaning. Highest in therealm! There can be none higher than the king! Harry has no male heir.Well, we shall see!"