CHAPTER VIII
THE STREET OF THE BUTCHERY
It was still quite early one crisp morning when Kate McGhie set outto do her marketing. Ever since the first few days after her arrivalin the city of Amersfort, she had been intrusted with this duty--bothbecause she desired to do something to help her friend and gossipMaisie with her household cares, and also because, being a laird'sdaughter, she was more learned in the accomplishments of foreigntongues than the daughter of Anton Lennox of the Duchrae.
The sun shone on her face and touched lovingly the small strayingcurls of her hair, as Kate stood at the outer door of the lodgingsin Zaandpoort Street. She was drawing on a pair of gloves which madea difficulty about the matter, and needed to be repeatedly coaxedwith that adorable pout which Wat loved. She was clad from head tofoot in doublet and pleated skirt of gray Scots cloth, woven both ofthem by that very worthy man and elder in the Kirk, William Edgar ofRhonehouse. She wore also a flat, broad bonnet; and the ribbon of theblue snood, which, in token of maidenhood, bound her hair, was tied ina dainty love-knot behind her ear.
The rebellious gloves were a pair of Spanish gauntlets of untannedleather, and she was calculating what she could buy for the silverflorin, which comprised all the united resources of the Zaandpoortestablishment for the day. She allowed the slightest sigh to escapeher of regret for the easier finances of Balmaghie, where neither herfather nor she herself ever knew aught of the providing till the disheswere on the table, so completely did the ancient house-keeper of RogerMcGhie keep the matter in her own responsible but exceedingly jealoushands.
"This experience of marketing will teach you many things you do notknow," said Maisie, the newly married wife, darkly. "It would indeed bea pretty pass if when you came to be married you did not know a leg ofbeef from a shoulder of mutton."
Yet, in spite of Maisie's words, there was no great chance, in theordering of the domestic economy of Zaandpoort Street, of gettingfirst-hand information upon the subject of such expensive andformidable dainties as these.
For the pay of a gentleman-private in the Covenanter's regiment did notallow of extragavances, even when it was supplemented by certain smallsums brought safely over from Scotland by the hand and favor of morerecent exiles.
But Kate McGhie had not come to live upon Will and Maisie as adependant. She would be, she declared to her hostess, neither sornernor idler; for she had brought with her certain moneys of her own, andher father in Scotland had promised to send her more at such timesas he got the chance of a douce Scottish merchant coming to the LowCountries in search of Dutch tobacco and Flemish cloth.
It was, therefore, with the light, free step of one who is a partnerin the concern that Kate took her way towards the market-place ofAmersfort. She carried a small white wicker-basket over her right arm,and in her left hand she held the skirt of her kirtle as she wentalertly stepping over the puddles and gutters in the streets, andeven overleaping the backs of sundry slumbering dogs with a quickand dainty disdain which became her well. The soldier lads hurryingby with despatches turned their heads to watch her as she passed; andthe brisk merchant 'prentices, going to their counting-houses at sixin the morning (as was the custom of the time and place), risked theirmaster's reprimand to stand awhile and gaze as she tripped out ofsight, careless in her maiden freedom alike of the gold braid of theofficer and the broadcloth of the merchant.
At last Kate arrived in the wide square, into which looked down thehundred windows of the historical townhall of Amersfort, one of themost famous in Netherlandish history. She at once penetrated fearlesslyinto that babel of discord, and, disregarding the proffered attentionsof the first noisy stall-keepers, she swept past them and threaded herway steadily to the favored and regular recipients of her custom, whoby honest dealing and courtesy had already established their right toher confidence.
Pretty enough it was to see the practical intentness with which sheexamined the portions of meat and bundles of vegetables submitted toher judgment. How sagely and charmingly, and eke with what an airof wisdom, did she not listen to these voluble explanations, oneword in ten of which she might possibly understand. Then, holding upthree or four slender white fingers, she would indicate the number ofinfinitesimal copper coins which she was willing to pay for the article.
Whereat the vendor would laugh, and reject the offer with a sadlyresigned air, as much as to say that doubtless such a noble young ladymust needs have her jest with a poor man. And when, in her turn, Katewould smile sweetly and persistently, or even as a last resort pretendto go on to another stall, then presently and swiftly the bargainwould be completed upon her own terms, and to the ample profit andsatisfaction of the merchant.
Thus drawing all eyes upon her as she went by, trim and dainty fromhead to foot, graceful from the proud setting of her head on theswan-like neck to the turn of the slender ankle, this tall youngScots maid passed, light-foot, heart-whole, and fearless, through thediscursive clamor of the market-place. Verily, a most pleasant sightfor the eyes of men and women to behold.
And amongst others, my Lord of Barra watched her this day, not by anymeans for the first time. For though he had left his bed betimes andcome down to the market-place of the city, ostensibly in order toobserve the mood of the turbulent and often rebellious town--in realityhe had left the palace solely for the purpose of watching for theslight form and swiftly gracious carriage which pertained to the latestarrival among the exiles from his own country. Nevertheless, he didnot try to speak to her. Murdo of Barra had wisdom enough to wait tillby chance or stratagem he could compass an effective entrance upon thestage of her life. On the very first day of her sojourn in Amersforthe had taken the trouble to find out all that was known about heramong the Scottish refugees. And without any great difficulty he haddiscovered a man from Galloway who had informed him how that this maidwas not only the sole heiress to the broad acres of Balmaghie, but alsoa true-blue daughter of the Covenants, and one who had quarrelled withher father and all her kin for the sake of the banner of the Bible andthe Sword.
Barra shrugged his shoulders.
"For such a lip and such a waist the king himself might venture tosubscribe as many covenants as there are, and yet cry out for more!"
So it came to pass that, as often as Kate McGhie visited the morningbustle of the thronging market-place of Amersfort, so often there couldbe seen on the skirts of the crowd a tall, dark man in a close-fittingsuit of black velvet, with ribbon-bows of the new flat shape at theknees, and the orange-colored hose and cloak of the prince's household.He seemed mainly to be watching the delivering of the customs-dues bythe incoming merchants, but also to be keeping a wary eye upon thechaffering crowd in the interests of law and order, as indeed became aprovost-marshal.
But, in spite of all, his eye never for a moment lost sight of theslim, graceful figure, nor of the gray cap and eagle's feather whichtold of another country and a warmer blood than that which flowed soplacidly in the veins of the honest burghers' wives who did theirserenely contentious marketing at Kate McGhie's elbow.
It was nigh upon the stroke of seven when the girl emerged withheightened color and quickened breath at the far end of themarket-place. Her basket had grown heavy upon her rounds, and the long,green purse was weighty now with copper coin, instead of holding asingle knob of silver at one end.
Straight in front of Kate lay an alley which promised to conduct her bya nearer way to the shaded canal bank, from which diverged the streetof Zaandpoort, where already Maisie would be waiting for her returnwith the daily stores.
Kate struck fearlessly into the opening. It was a narrow and steep lanewhich led abruptly upward from the market-place. The houses, with theirbeetle-browed swallow-nests' balconies, almost met overhead, while thelower stories were taken up with crowded booths containing the humblestmerchandise. Dirty children swarmed in the gutters. Fierce, battered,scowling faces of men looked out of sullen doorways, and scarred anddisfigured women showed their heads, fiercely or inquiringly, at therag-stuffed
holes which served for windows.
At a curious elbow in this street of the Butchery (as was itswell-befitting name) Kate paused, startled a little at her strangesurroundings. She looked anxiously about her. The girl had never beenin this part of the town before, and she began to wish that she hadtaken her usual circuitous route homeward by the main streets and thecanal bank.
But even while she looked uncertainly about, several fellows of thebaser sort disengaged themselves from various low doorways and strolledtowards her. Instantly Kate gripped the handle of her basket a littletighter, and, keeping well in the middle of the street, endeavored topass the men by with great unconcern.
The first pair, who were indeed none other than our friends of theinn of Brederode, the Calf and the Killer, divided to let her pass.And Kate, having swept between them with her head high, found herselfalmost in the arms of Haxo the Bull, who held his hands wide tointercept her, laughing the while, as though she had been a poor beastthat wished to escape from his shambles.
"Gently, my pretty one," he said, cocking his scarred and brutal headto the side to look at her, "'tis not so often that we have suchdainty, high-stepping maids come to visit us here in the Street of theButchery; and when they do, it is the custom of the country that theypay toll ere they depart."
And he would have laid a heavy hand on her shoulder; but Kate startedback so quickly and fiercely that Haxo thought that she was about todraw a weapon upon him. With a well-executed feint she pretended topass him on the right hand, then, light as a swallow, she made a dartpast on his left, and, lifting her kirtle wellnigh to her knee, she ranswiftly up the street. But from a dark alley in front two other menemerged and intercepted her, while from behind Haxo and his myrmidonsclosed in upon her, running with all their might.
Seeing that it was impossible for her to escape by flight, Kateset down her basket at her feet and drew forth the keen littlehunting-knife which she always wore in her garter. Then she set herback to the nearest wall, and resolved that it should go ill with thefirst who dared to lay a hand upon her.
"Fairly and softly, beauty," cried Haxo, insinuatingly, as he cameup panting, "we mean you no harm, lady. But you must know that it isthe custom of the Street of the Butchery that every stranger must paytoll to us. And for you the toll is of the sweetest, and will costyou naught but what you have plenty store of. I' faith! when did thetasting of such lips as yours do harm to any man!"
And Haxo's smile as he spoke became an entire infernal epic.
He drew cautiously closer, and as he brought his hideous, greasy face,stamped with all pollution, nearer to hers, Kate drew back her handready to strike at him desperately with the knife. But as she did so,the snaky hand of the Killer grasped her wrist like a vise, while theCalf leaned over her shoulder and with his right hand took away theweapon. Kate was left completely at their mercy.
"Help! Help!" she shouted, desperately, and the cry of pity and appealrang vainly up and down the street. A few of the battered drabs ofwomen leaned listlessly out of the windows, scarcely amused by thehorse-play of Haxo and his companions. They saw so many much moreterrible things every night and day in the Street of the Butchery.