with a bunch of grass when hecame to the first pause, "what may be the nature of your mission,Beniah?"
"Let me ask, first," replied the Hebrew, also wiping his mouth with asimilar pocket handkerchief, "have you found the lad Cormac yet?"
"No," answered the prince, gloomily, and with a slightly surprised look,for the expression of Beniah's countenance puzzled him. "Why do youask?"
"Because that bears somewhat on my mission. I have to deliver a messagefrom your father, the king. He bids me say that you are to return homeimmediately."
"Never!" cried Bladud, with that Medo-Persic decision of tone andmanner, which implies highly probable and early surrender, "never! untilI find the boy--dead or alive."
"For," continued the Hebrew, slowly, "he has important matters toconsider with you--matters that will not brook delay. Moreover, Gadarnbid me say that he has fallen on the tracks of the lad Cormac, and thatwe are almost sure to find him in the neighbourhood of your father'stown."
"What say you?" exclaimed Bladud, dropping his drumstick--not the sameone, but another which he had just begun--"repeat that."
Beniah repeated it.
"Arkal," said the prince, turning to the captain, "I will leave you incharge here, and start off by the first light to-morrow morning. Seethat poor Konar is well cared for. Maikar, you will accompany me, and Isuppose, Dromas, that you also will go."
"Of course," said Dromas, with a meaning smile--so full of meaning,indeed, as to be quite beyond interpretation.
"By the way," continued Bladud,--who had resumed the drumstick,--"hasthat fellow Gadarn found his daughter Branwen?"
Beniah choked on a bone, or something, at that moment, and, looking atthe prince with the strangest expression of face, and tears in his eyes,explained that he had not--at least not to his, Beniah's, absolutelycertain knowledge.
"That is to say," he continued in some confusion, "if--if--he has foundher--which seems to me highly probable--there must be some--some mysteryabout her, for--it is impossible that--"
Here the Hebrew choked again with some violence.
"Have a care, man!" cried the prince in some alarm. "However hungry aman may be, he should take time to swallow. You seem to becontradicting yourself, but I don't wonder, in the circumstances."
"Verily, I wonder at nothing, in the circumstances, for they areperplexing--even distressing," returned the Hebrew with a sigh, as hewiped his eyes with the sleeve of his coat.
"Better not speak with your mouth full, then. Ah! poor Gadarn," saidBladud, in an obviously indifferent tone of voice. "I'm sorry for him.Girls like his daughter, who are self-willed, and given to running away,are a heavy affliction to parents. And, truly, I ought to feel sympathywith him, for, although I am seeking for a youth of very differentcharacter, we are both so far engaged in similar work--search for thelost. And what of my father, mother, and sister?"
"All hale and hearty!" replied Beniah, with a sigh of relief, "and allanxious for your return, especially Hafrydda."
At this point Dromas looked at the speaker with deepened interest.
"She is a good girl, your sister," continued Beniah, "and greatly takenup just now with that old woman you met in my cave. Hafrydda hasstrange fancies."
"She might have worse fancies than being taken up with poor old women,"returned the prince. "I'm rather fond of them myself, and wasparticularly attracted by the old woman referred to. She was--what!choking again, Beniah? Come, I think you have had enough for one meal.And so have we all, friends, therefore we had better away to roost if weare to be up betimes in the morning."
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.
BLADUD'S RETURN AND TRIALS.
We need scarcely say that there was joy at the court of King Hudibraswhen Bladud returned home, cured of his terrible disease.
The first person whom the prince hurried off to visit, after seeing hisfather, and embracing his mother and sister, was the northern chiefGadarn. That jovial character was enjoying a siesta after the mid-daymeal at the time, but willingly arose on the prince being announced.
"Glad to see you, Gadarn," said Bladud, entering the room that had beenapportioned to the chief, and sitting down on a bench for visitors,which, according to custom, stood against the inner wall of theapartment. "I hope your head is clear and your arm strong."
"Both are as they should be," answered Gadarn, returning the salutation.
"I thank you," replied the prince, "my arm is indeed strong, but my headis not quite as clear as it might be."
"Love got anything to do with it?" asked Gadarn, with a knowing look.
"Not the love of woman, if that is what you mean."
"Truly that is what I do mean--though, of course, I admit that one'shorses and dogs have also a claim on our affections. What is it thattroubles you, my son?"
The affectionate conclusion of this reply, and the chief's manner, drewthe prince towards him, so that he became confidential.
"The truth is, Gadarn, that I am very anxious to know what news you haveof Cormac--for the fate of that poor boy hangs heavy on my mind.Indeed, I should have refused to quit the Swamp, in spite of the king'scommands and my mother's entreaties, if you had not sent that message bythe Hebrew."
"Ah, Bladud, my young friend, that is an undutiful speech for a son tomake about his parents," said the chief, holding up a remonstrativeforefinger. "If that is the way you treat your natural parents, how canI expect that--that--I mean--"
Here the chief was seized with a fit of sneezing, so violent, that itmade the prince quite concerned about the safety of his nose.
"Ha!" exclaimed Gadarn, as a final wind up to the last sneeze, "the airof that Swamp seems to have been too strong for me. I'm growing old,you see. Well--what was I saying?--never mind. You were referring tothat poor lad Cormac. Yes, I have news of him."
"Good news, I hope?" said the prince, anxiously. "O yes--very good--excellent! That is to say--rather--somewhat indefinite news, for--forthe person who saw him told me--in fact, it is difficult to explain,because people are often untrustworthy, and exaggerate reports, so thatit is not easy to make out what is true and what is false, or whetherboth accounts may be true, or the whole thing false altogether. Yousee, Bladud, our poor brains," continued the chief, in an argumentativetone, "are so--so--queerly mixed up that one cannot tell--tell--why,there was once a fellow in my army, whose manner of reporting any event,no matter how simple, was so incomprehensible that it was impossibleto--to--but let me tell you an anecdote about him. His name was--"
"Forgive my interrupting you, chief, but I am so anxious to hearsomething about my lost friend that--"
"Ha! Bladud, I fear that you are a selfish man, for you have not yetasked about my lost daughter."
"Indeed I am not by any means indifferent about her; but--but, you know,I have never seen her, and, to tell the plain truth, my anxiety aboutthe boy drove her out of my mind for the moment. Have you found her?"
"Ay, that I have; as well and hearty as ever she was, though somewhatmore beautiful and a trifle more mischievous. But I will introduce herto you to-morrow. There is to be a grand feast, is there not, at thepalace?"
"Yes; something of the sort, I believe, in honour of my return,"answered the prince, a good deal annoyed by the turn the conversationhad taken.
"Well, then, you shall see her then; for she has only just arrived, andis too tired to see any one," continued Gadarn, with a suppressed yawn;"and you'll be sure to fall in love with her; but you had better not,for her affections are already engaged. I give you fair warning, so beon your guard."
The prince laughed, and assured his friend that there was no fear, as hehad seen thousands of fair girls both in East and West, but his hearthad never yet been touched by one of them.
At this the chief laughed loudly, and assured Bladud that his case hadnow reached a critical stage: for when young men made statements of thatkind, they were always on the point of being conquered.
"But leave me now, Bladud," he continued, with a ya
wn so vast that theregions around the uvula were clearly visible; "I'm frightfully sleepy,and you know you have shortened my nap this afternoon."
The prince rose at once.
"At all events," he said, "I am to understand, before I go, that Cormac_has_ been seen?"
"O yes! Certainly; no doubt about that!"
"And is well?"
"Quite well."
Fain to be content with this in the meantime, Bladud hurried to theapartment of his sister.
"Hafrydda!" he exclaimed, "has Gadarn gone out of his mind?"
"I believe not," she replied, sitting down beside her brother and takinghis hand. "Why do you ask?"
"Because he talks--I say it with all respect--like an idiot."
Hafrydda laughed; and her brother thereupon gave her a full account ofthe recent interview.
"Now, my sister, you were always straightforward and wise. Give me aclear answer. Has Cormac been found?"
"No, he has not been found; but--"
"Then," interrupted Bladud, in a savage tone that was very foreign tohis nature, "Gadarn is a liar!"
"Oh, brother! say not so."
"How can I help it? He gave me to understand that Cormac _has_ beenfound--at least, well, no, not exactly found, but _seen_ and heard of.I'm no better than the rest of you," continued Bladud, with a sarcasticlaugh. "It seems as if there were something in the air just now whichprevents us all from expressing ourselves plainly."
"Well, then, brother," said Hafrydda, with a smile, "if he told you thatCormac has been seen and heard of, and is well, surely that may relieveyour mind till to-morrow, when I know that some one who knows all aboutthe boy is to be at our festival. We begin it with games, as usual.Shall you be there?"
"I'd rather not," replied the prince almost testily; "but, of course, itwould be ungracious not to appear. This, however, I do know, that Ishall take no part in the sports."
"As you please, brother. We are only too glad to have you home again,to care much about that. But, now, I have something of importance totell you about myself."
Bladud was interested immediately; and for the moment forgot his owntroubles as he gazed inquiringly into the fair countenance of theprincess.
"I am going to wed, brother."
"Indeed! You do not surprise me, though you alarm me--I know not why.Who is the man?--not Gunrig, I hope."
"Alas! no. Poor Gunrig is dead."
"Dead! Ah, poor man! I am glad we met at the Swamp."
Bladud looked sad for a moment, but did not seem unduly oppressed by thenews.
"The man who has asked me to wed is your friend Dromas."
"What!" exclaimed the prince, in blazing surprise, not unmingled withdelight. "The man has been here only a few hours! He must have beenvery prompt!"
"It does not take many hours to ask a girl to wed; and I like a promptman," returned the princess, looking pensively at the floor.
"But tell me, how came it all about? How did he manage it in so short atime?"
"Well, brother dear--but you'll never tell any one, will you?"
"Never--never!"
"Well, you must know, when we first met, we--we--"
"Fell in love. Poor helpless things!"
"Just so, brother; we fell, somehow in--whatever it was; and he told mewith his eyes--and--and--I told him with mine. Then he went off to findyou; and came back, having found you--for which I was very grateful.Then he went to father and asked leave to speak to me. Then he went tomother. What they said I do not know; but he came straight to me, tookmy hand, fixed his piercing black eyes on me, and said, `Hafrydda, Ilove you.'"
"Was that _all_?" asked Bladud.
"Yes; that was all he _said_; but--but that was not the end of theinterview! It would probably have lasted till now, if you had notinterrupted us."
"I'm so very sorry, sister, but of course I did not know that--"
They were interrupted at that moment by the servitor, to whom the readerhas already been introduced. He entered with a brightly intelligentgrin on his expressive face, but, on beholding Bladud, suddenlyelongated his countenance into blank stupidity.
"The old woman waits outside, princess."
"Oh, send her here at once." (Then, when the servitor had left.) "Thisis the person I mentioned who knows about Cormac."
Another moment and the little old woman in the grey shawl was usheredin. She started visibly on beholding Bladud.
"Come in, granny. I did not expect you till to-morrow."
"I thought I was to see you alone," said the old woman, testily, in herhard, metallic voice.
"That is true, granny, but I thought you might like to see my brotherBladud, who has just returned home safe and well."
"No, I _don't_ want to see your brother. What do I care for people'sbrothers? I want to see yourself, alone."
"Let me congratulate you, at all events," interposed the prince, kindly,"on your having recovered your hearing, grannie. This is not the firsttime we have met, Hafrydda, but I grieve to see that my old friend'snerves are not so strong as they used to be. You tremble a good deal."
"Yes, I tremble more than I like," returned the old woman peevishly,"and, perhaps, when you come to my age, young man, and have got thepalsy, you'll tremble more than I do."
"Nay, be not angry with me. I meant not to hurt your feelings; andsince you wish to be alone with my sister, I will leave you."
When he was gone Branwen threw back the grey shawl and stood up withflashing, tearful eyes.
"Was it kind--was it wise, Hafrydda, to cause me to run so great a riskof being discovered?"
"Forgive me, dear Branwen, I did not mean to do it, but you arrivedunexpectedly, and I let you come in without thinking. Besides, I knewyou could easily deceive him. Nobody could guess it was you--not evenyour own mother."
"There must be some truth in that," returned the maiden, quicklychanging her mood, and laughing, "for I deceived my own fatheryesterday. At the Swamp he found me out at once as Cormac, for I had tospeak in my natural voice, and my full face was exposed; but the greyshawl and the metallic voice were too much for him. Dear, good,patient, old man, you have no notion what a fearful amount of abuse hetook from me, without losing temper--and I gave him some awfulhome-thrusts too! I felt almost tempted to kiss him and beg his pardon.But now, Hafrydda, I am beginning to be afraid of what all thisdeceiving and playing the double-face will come to. And I'm ashamed ofit too--I really am. What will Bladud think of me when he finds out?Won't he despise and hate me?"
"Indeed he will not. I know his nature well," returned the princess,kissing, and trying to reassure her friend, whose timid look and tearfuleyes seemed to indicate that all her self-confidence and courage werevanishing. "He loves you already, and love is a preventive of hate aswell as a sovereign remedy for it."
"Ay, he is fond of Cormac, I know, but that is a very different thingfrom loving Branwen! However, to-morrow will tell. If he cares onlyfor the boy and does not love the girl, I shall return with my father tothe far north, and you will never see Branwen more."
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.
THE PLOT THICKENS.
During the residence of Gadarn at the court of King Hudibras, that wilynorthern chief had led the king to understand that one of hislieutenants had at last discovered his daughter Branwen in the hands ofa band of robbers, from whom he had rescued her, and that he expectedher arrival daily.
"But what made the poor child run away?" asked the king at one of hisinterviews with his friend. "We were all very fond of her, and she ofus, I have good reason to believe."
"I have been told," replied the chief, "that it was the fear of Gunrig."
"Gunrig! Why, the man was to wed my daughter. She had no need to fearhim."
"That may be so, but I know--though it is not easy to remember how Icame to know it--that Gunrig had been insolent enough to make up to her,after he was defeated by Bladud, and she was so afraid of him that sheran away, and thus fell into the hands of
robbers."
While the chief was speaking, Hudibras clenched his hands and glaredfiercely.
"Dared he to think of another girl when he was engaged to my daughter!"he said between his teeth. "It is well that Gunrig is dead, forassuredly I would have killed him."
"It is well indeed," returned Gadarn, "for if your killing had not beensufficient, I would have made it more effectual. But he is out of theway now, so we may dismiss him."
"True--and when may we expect Branwen back again, poor child?" asked theking.
"In a day or two at latest. From what was told me by the runner who wassent on in advance, it is possible that she may be here to-morrow, intime for the sports."
The wily chief had settled it in his own mind that Branwen should arriveexactly at the time when there was to be a presentation of chiefs; whichceremony was to take place just before the commencement of the sports.This arrangement he had come to in concert with a little old woman in agrey shawl, who paid him a private visit daily.
"Do you know, Gadarn, who this youth Cormac is, whom Bladud raves somuch about?"
The northern chief was seized at that moment with