There was no doubt that a couple of years ago Mr. Harris could be, andwas considered, the greatest Actor of his time; but since Mr. Bettertonhad consolidated his own triumph by playing the parts of _Pericles_, of_Hamlett_ and of _Prince Alvaro_ in "Love and Honour," the older Actor'sreputation had undoubtedly suffered by comparison with the Genius of hisyounger Rival, at which of course he was greatly incensed. I caughtsight now and then of his florid face, so different in expression to Mr.Betterton's more spiritual-looking countenance, and from time to timehis pompous, raucous voice reached my ears, as did the more strident,high-pitched voices of the Ladies. I heard one young Lady say, to theaccompaniment of some pretty, mincing gestures:
"Mr. Betterton was positively rapturous last night ... enchanting! You,Mr. Harris, will in truth have to look to your laurels."
And an elderly Lady, a Dowager of obvious consideration and dignity,added in tones which brooked of no contradiction:
"My opinion is that there never has been or ever will be a Player equalto Mr. Betterton in Purity of Diction and Elegance of Gesture. He hathindeed raised our English Drama to the level of High Art."
I could have bowed low before her and kissed her hand for this; aye! andhave paid homage, too, to all these gaily-dressed Butterflies who, intruth, had more Intellectuality in them than I had given them creditfor. Every word of Eulogy of my beloved Friend was a delight to mysoul. I felt mine eyes glowing with enthusiasm and had grave difficultyin keeping them fixed upon my book.
I had never liked Mr. Harris personally, for I was wont to think hisconceit quite overweening beside the unalterable modesty of Mr.Betterton, who was so incomparably his Superior; and I was indeedpleased to see that both the Dowager Lady--who, I understood, was theMarchioness of Badlesmere--and the younger Ladies and Gentlemen feltmischievously inclined to torment him.
"What is your opinion, Mr. Harris?" my Lady Badlesmere was saying to thediscomfited Actor. "It would be interesting to know one Player's opinionof another."
She had a spy-glass, through which she regarded him quizzically, whilsta mocking smile played around her thin lips. This, no doubt, causedpoor Mr. Harris to lose countenance, for as a rule he is very glib oftongue. But just now he mouthed and stammered, appeared unable to findhis words.
"It cannot be denied, your Ladyship," he began sententiously enough,"that Mr. Betterton's gestures are smooth and pleasant, though theyperhaps lack the rhythmic grandeur ... the dignified sweep ... of ... of... the..."
He was obviously floundering, and the old Lady broke in with a raspinglaugh and a tone of somewhat acid sarcasm.
"Of the gestures of Mr. Harris, you mean, eh?"
"No, Madam," he retorted testily, and distinctly nettled. "I was aboutto say 'of the gestures of our greatest Actors.'"
"Surely the same thing, dear Mr. Harris," a young Lady rejoined withwell-assumed demureness, and dropped him a pert little curtsey.
I might have been sorry for the Man--for of a truth these smallpin-pricks must have been very irritating to his Vanity, already sorelywounded by a younger Rival's triumph--but for the fact that he thenwaxed malicious, angered no doubt by hearing a veritable Chorus ofEulogy proceeding from that other group of Ladies and Gentlemen of whichMr. Betterton was the centre.
I do not know, as a matter of fact, who it was who first gave a spitefulturning to the bantering, mocking Conversation of awhile ago; but in mymind I attributed this malice to Lord Douglas Wychwoode, who came upwith his clerical friend just about this time, in order to pay hisrespects to the Marchioness of Badlesmere, who, I believe, is a nearRelative of his. Certain it is that very soon after his arrival uponthe scene, I found that every one around him was talking about theabominable Episode, the very thought of which sent my blood into a Feverand my thoughts running a veritable riot of Revenge and of Hate. Ofcourse, Mr. Harris was to the fore with pointed Allusions to the graveInsult done to an eminent Artist, and which, to my thinking, should havebeen condemned by every right-minded Man or Woman who had a spark oflofty feeling in his or her heart.
"Ah, yes!" one of the Ladies was saying; "I heard about it at the time... a vastly diverting story...."
"Which went the round of the Court," added another.
"Mr. Betterton's shoulders," a gay young Spark went on airily, "are saidto be still very sore."
"And his usually equable Temper the sorer of the two."
Lord Douglas did not say much, but I felt his spiteful Influence runningas an undercurrent through all that flippant talk.
"Faith!" concluded one of the young Gallants, "were I my Lord Stour, Iwould not care to have Mr. Betterton for an enemy."
"An Actor can hit with great accuracy and harshness from the Stage," Mr.Harris went on pompously. "He speaks words which a vast Public hearsand goes on to repeat _ad infinitum_. Thus a man's--aye! or aLady's--reputation can be made or marred by an Epilogue spoken by apopular Player at the end of a Drama. We all remember the case of SirWilliam Liscard, after he had quarrelled with Mr. Kynaston."
Whereupon that old story was raked up, how Mr. Kynaston had revengedhimself for an insult upon him by Sir William Liscard by making pointedAllusions from the Stage to the latter's secret intrigue with somelow-class wench, and to the Punishment which was administered to him bythe wench's vulgar lover. The Allusions were unmistakable, because thatpunishment had taken the form of a slit nose, and old Sir William hadappeared in Society one day with a piece of sticking plaster across themiddle of his face.
Well, we all know what happened after that. Sir William, covered withRidicule, had to leave London for awhile and bury himself in the depthsof the Country, for, in Town he could not show his face in the streetsbut he was greeted with some vulgar lampoon or ribald song, hurled athim by passing roisterers. It all ended in a Tragedy, for Lady Liscardgot to hear of it, and there was talk of Divorce proceedings, whichwould have put Sir William wholly out of Court--His Majesty beingentirely averse to the dissolution of any legal Marriage.
But all this hath naught to do with my story, and I only recount thematter to You to show You how, in an instant, the temper of all thesegreat Ladies and Gentlemen can be swayed by the judicious handling of anevil-minded Person.
All these Ladies and young Rakes, who awhile ago were loud in theirpraises of a truly great Man, now found pleasure in throwing mud at him,ridiculing and mocking him shamefully, seeing that, had he been amongstthem, he would soon have confounded them with his Wit and brought themback to Allegiance by his magic Personality.
Once again I heard a distinct Allusion to the Countess of Castlemaine'savowed predilection for Lord Stour. It came from one of the Cavaliers,who said to Lord Douglas, with an affected little laugh:
"Perhaps my Lord Stour would do well to place himself unreservedly underthe protection of Lady Castlemaine! 'Tis said that she is more thanwilling to extend her Favours to him."
"Nay! Stour hath nothing to fear," Lord Douglas replied curtly. "Hestands far above a mere Mountebank's spiteful pin-pricks."
Oh! had but God given me the power to strike such a Malapert dumb! Ilooked around me, marvelling if there was not one sane Person here whowould stand up in the defence of a great and talented Artist againstthis jabbering of irresponsible Monkeys.
9
I must admit, however, that directly Mr. Betterton appeared upon thescene the tables were quickly turned once more on Mr. Harris, and evenon Lord Douglas, for Mr. Betterton is past Master in the art of wordyWarfare, and, moreover, has this great Advantage, that he never losescontrol over his Temper. No malicious shaft aimed at him will everruffle his Equanimity, and whilst his Wit is most caustic, he invariablyretains every semblance of perfect courtesy.
He now had the Duchess of York on his arm, and His Grace of Buckinghamhad not left his side. His Friends were unanimously chaffing him aboutthat Epilogue which he had spoken last night, and which had so delightedthe Countess of Castlemaine. My Lord Buckhurst and Sir William Davenantwere quoting
pieces out of it, whilst I could only feel sorry that sogreat a Man had lent himself to such unworthy Flattery.
"'Divinity, radiant as the stars!'" Lord Buckhurst quoted with a laugh."By gad, you Rogue, you did not spare your words."
Mr. Betterton frowned almost imperceptibly, and I, his devoted Admirer,guessed that he was not a little ashamed of the fulsome Adulation whichhe had bestowed on so unworthy an Object, and I was left to marvelwhether some hidden purpose as yet unknown to me had actuated sohigh-minded an Artist thus to debase the Art which he held so dear. Itwas evident, however, that the whole Company thought that great thingswould come from that apparently trivial incident.
"My Lady Castlemaine," said Sir William Davenant, "hath been wreathed insmiles ever since you spoke that Epilogue. She vows that there isnothing she would not do for You. And, as already You are such afavourite with His Majesty, why, Man! there is no end to your goodfortune."
And I, who watched Mr. Betterton's face again, thought to detect astrange, mysterious look in his eyes--something hidden and brooding wasgoing on behind that noble brow, something that was altogether strangeto the usually simple, unaffected and sunny temperament of the greatArtist, and which I, his intimate Confidant and Friend, had not yet beenable to fathom.
Whenever I looked at him these days, I was conscious as of a sultrySummer's day, when nature is outwardly calm and every leaf on every treeis still. It is only to those who are initiated in the mysteries of theSkies that the distant oncoming Storm is revealed by a mere speck ofcloud or a tiny haze upon the Bosom of the Firmament, which hath nomeaning to the unseeing eye, but which foretells that the great forcesof Nature are gathering up their strength for the striking of aprodigious blow.
CHAPTER VII
AN ASSEMBLY OF TRAITORS
1
I, in the meanwhile, had relegated the remembrance of Lord DouglasWychwoode and his treasonable Undertakings to a distant cell of my mind.I had not altogether forgotten them, but had merely ceased to think uponthe Subject.
I was still nominally in the employ of Mr. Baggs, but he had engaged anew Clerk--a wretched, puny creature, whom Mistress Euphrosine alreadyheld in bondage--and I was to leave his Service definitely at the end ofthe month.
In the meanwhile, my chief task consisted in initiating the aforesaidwretched and puny Clerk into the intricacies of Mr. Theophilus Baggs'business. The boy was slow-witted and slow to learn, and Mr. Baggs, whowould have liked to prove to me mine own Worthlessness, was neverthelessdriven into putting some of his more important work still in my charge.
Thus it came to pass that all his Correspondence with Lord DouglasWychwoode went through my Hands, whereby I was made aware that theTraitors--for such in truth they were--were only waiting for afavourable opportunity to accomplish their damnable Purpose.
They meant to kidnap His Majesty's sacred Person, to force him to signan Abdication in favour of the son of Mistress Barlow--now styled theDuke of Monmouth--with the Prince of Orange as Regent during the Duke'sminority.
A more abominable and treasonable Project it were impossible toconceive, and many a wrestling match did I have with mine ownConscience, whilst debating whether it were my Duty or no to betray theconfidence which had been reposed in me, and to divulge the terribleSecret of that execrable plot, which threatened the very life of HisMajesty the King.
I understood that the Manifestos which it had been my task tomultiplicate, had met with some success. Several Gentlemen, who heldrigidly Protestant views, had promised their support to a project whichostensibly aimed at the overthrow of the last vestiges of Popery in theCountry. My Lord Stour, who had also become a firm Adherent of thenefarious scheme, in deference, I presume, to the Lady Barbara's wishesin the matter, had, it seems, rendered valuable service to the cause, bytravelling all over the Country, seeing these proposed Adherents inperson and distributing the fiery Manifestos which were to rally theWaverers to the cause.
I imagined, however, that the whole project was in abeyance for themoment, for I had heard but little of it of late; until one day Ihappened to be present when the Conspirators met in the house of Mr.Theophilus Baggs.
How it came to pass that these Gentlemen--who were literally playingwith their lives in their nefarious undertaking--talked thus openly oftheir Plans and Projects in my hearing, I do not pretend to say. It iscertain that they did not suspect me; thought me one of themselves, nodoubt, since I had written out the Manifestos and was Clerk to Mr.Baggs, who was with them Body and Soul. No doubt, had Mr. Baggs been onthe spot on that day, he would have warned the Traitors of my presence,and much of what happened subsequently would never have occurred.
Thus doth Fate at times use simple tools to gain her own ends, and itwas given to an insignificant Attorney's Clerk to rule, for this oneday, the future Destinies of England.
2
My Lord Stour was present on that memorable afternoon. I am betrayingno Secret nor doing him an injury by saying that, because his connectionwith the Affair is of public knowledge, as is that of Lord DouglasWychwoode. The names of the other Gentlemen whom I saw in Mr. Baggs'room that day I will, by your leave, keep hidden behind the veil ofAnonymity, contenting myself by calling the most important among them myLord S., and another Sir J., whilst there was also present on thatoccasion the gentleman in clerical Attire whom I had seen of late inLord Douglas' Company, and who was none other than the Lord Bishop of D.
My Lord Stour was in great favour amongst them all. Every one waspraising him and shaking him by the hand. His Lordship the Bishop tookit upon himself to say, as he did most incisively:
"Gentlemen! I am proud and happy to affirm that it is to the Earl ofStour that we shall owe to-night the Success of our Cause. It is he whohas distributed our Appeal and helped to rally round us some of our mostloyal Friends!"
Lord Stour demurred, deprecated his own efforts. His Attitude was bothmodest and firm; I had not thought him capable of so much Nobility ofManner.
But, believe me, dear Mistress, that I felt literally confounded by whatI heard. Mr. Baggs, who had pressing business in town that day, hadcommanded me to remain at home in order to receive certain Gentlemen whowere coming to visit him. I had introduced some half-dozen of them, andthey had all gone into the inner office, but left the communicating doorbetween that room and the parlour wide open, apparently quiteacquiescing in my presence there. In fact, they had all nodded veryfamiliarly to me as they entered; evidently they felt absolutely certainof my Discretion. This, as you will readily understand, placed me in aterrible Predicament. Where lay my duty, I did not know; for, in truth,to betray the Confidence of those who trust in You is a mean and lowtrick, unworthy of a right-minded Christian. At the same time, therewas His Majesty the King's own sacred Person in peril, and that, as faras I could gather, on this very night; and surely it became equally theduty of every loyal Subject in the land to try and protect his Sovereignfrom the nefarious attacks of Traitors!
Be that as it may, however, I do verily believe that if my Lord--Stourwhom I hated with so deadly a hatred, and who had done my dear, dearFriend such an irreparable injury--if he, I say, had not been mixed upin the Affair, I should have done my duty as a Christian rather than asa subject of the State.
But You, dear Mistress, shall be judge of mine actions, for they have adirect bearing upon those subsequent events which have brought Mr.Betterton once again to your feet.
I have said that my Lord Stour received his Friends' congratulations andgratitude with becoming Modesty; but his Lordship the Bishop and alsoLord S. insisted.
"It is thanks to your efforts, my dear Stour," Lord S. said, "that atlast success is assured."
"But for you," added the Bishop, "our plan to-night might havemiscarried."
My God! I thought, then it _is_ for to-night! And I felt physicallysick, whilst wondering what I should do. Even then, Lord DouglasWychwoode
's harsh Voice came quite clearly to mine ear.
"The day is ours!" he said, with a note of triumph in his tone. "Erethe sun rises again over our downtrodden Country, her dissolute King andhis Minions will be in our hands!"
"Pray God it may be so!" assented one of the others piously.
"It shall and will be so," protested Lord Douglas with firm emphasis."I know for a fact that the King sups with the Castlemaine to-night.Well! we are quite ready. By ten o'clock we shall have taken up ourPositions. These have all been most carefully thought out. Some of uswill be in hiding in the Long Avenue in the Privy Garden; others underthe shadow of the Wall of the Bowling Green; whilst others again havesecured excellent points of vantage in King Street. I am in command ofthe Party, and I give you my word that my Company is made up of youngEnthusiasts. They, like ourselves, have had enough of this corrupt anddissolute Monarch, who ought never to have been allowed to ascend theThrone which his Father had already debased."
"You will have to be careful of the Night Watchmen about the Gardens,and of the Bodyguard at the Gate," one of the Gentlemen broke in.
"Of course we'll be careful," Lord Douglas riposted impatiently. "Wehave minimized our risks as far as we are able. But the King, when hesups with the Castlemaine, usually goes across to her House unattended.Sometimes he takes a Man with him across the Privy Gardens, butdismisses him at the back door of Her Ladyship's House. As for the CityWatchmen over in King Street, they will give us no trouble. If they do,we can easily overpower them. The whole thing is really perfectlysimple," he added finally; "and the only reason why we have delayedexecution is because we wanted as many Sympathizers here in London aspossible."