CHAPTER XX. AT THE PLAGUE-PIT.
The effect of the whisper was magical. Everything that had been darkbefore, became clear as noonday; and Sir Norman sat absolutely astoundedat his own stupidity in not having found it out for himself before.Every feature, notwithstanding the disguise of wig and beard, becameperfectly familiar; and even through the well-assumed voice, herecognized the royal tones. It struck him all at once, and with it thefact of Leoline's increased danger. Count L'Estrange was a formidablerival, but King Charles of England was even more formidable.
Thought is quick--quicker than the electric telegraph or balloontraveling; and in two seconds the whole stated things, with all theattendant surprises and dangers, danced before his mind's eye like apanorama; and he comprehended the past, the present, and the future,before Hubert had uttered the last word of his whisper. He turned hiseyes, with a very new and singular sensation, upon the quondamcount, and found that gentlemen looking very hard at him, with, apreternaturally grave expression of countenance. Sir Norman knew well asanybody the varying moods of his royal countship, and, notwithstandinghis general good nature, it was not safe to trifle with him at alltimes; so he repressed every outward sign of emotion whatever, andresolved to treat him as Count L'Estrange until he should choose to sailunder his own proper colors.
"Well," said the count, with unruffled eagerness, "and so you decline togo any further Sir Norman?"
Hubert's eye was fixed with a warning glance upon him, and Sir Normancomposedly answered
"No, count; I do not absolutely decline; but before I do go any further,I should like to know by what right do you bring all these men here, andwhat are your intentions in so doing."
"And if I refuse to answer?"
"Then I refuse to move a step further in the business!" said Sir Norman,with decision.
"And why, my good friend? You surely can have no objection to anythingthat can be done against highwaymen and cut-throats."
"Right! I have no objections, but others may."
"Whom do you mean by others?"
"The king, for instance. His gracious majesty is whimsical at times; andwho knows that he may take it into his royal head to involve us somehowwith them. I know the adage, 'put not your trust in princes.'"
"Very good," said the count, with a slight and irrepressible smile;"your prudence is beyond all praise! But I think, in this matter I maysafely promise to stand between you and the king's wrath. Look at thosehorsemen beyond you, and see if they do not wear the uniform of hismajesty's own body-guard."
Sir Norman looked, and saw the dazzling of their splendid equipmentsglancing and glistening in the moonbeams.
"I see. Then you have the royal permission for all this?"
"You have said it. Now, most scrupulous of men, proceed!"
"Look there!" exclaimed Hubert, suddenly pointing to a corner of therain. "Someone has seen us, and is going now to give the alarm."
"He shall miss it, though!" said Sir Norman, detecting, at the sameinstant, a dark figure getting through the broken doorway; and strikingspurs into his horse, he was instantaneously beside it, out of thesaddle, and had grasped the retreater by the shoulder.
"By your leave!" exclaimed Sir Norman. "Not quite so fast! Stand outhere in the moonlight, until I see who you are."
"Let me go!" cried the man, grappling with his opponent. "I know who youare, and I swear you'll never see moonlight or sunlight again, if you donot instantly let me go."
Sir Norman recognized the voice with a perfect shout of delight.
"The duke, by all that's lucky! O, I'll let you go: but not until thehangman gets hold of you. Villain and robber, you shall pay for yourmisdeeds now!"
"Hold!" shouted the commanding voice of Count L'Estrange. "Cease, SirNorman Kingsley! there is no time, and this is no person for you toscoff with. He is our prisoner, and shall show us the nearest way intothis den of thieves. Give me your sword, fellow, and be thankful I donot make you shorter by a head with it."
"You do not know him!" cried Sir Norman; in vivid excitement. "I tellyou this is the identical scoundrel who attempted to rob and murder youa few hours ago."
"So much the better! He shall pay for that and all his othershortcomings, before long! But, in the meantime, I order him to bring usbefore the rest of this outlawed crew."
"I shall do nothing of the kind," said the duke, sullenly.
"Just as you please. Here, my men, two of you take hold of thisscoundrel, and dispatch him at once."
The guard had all dismounted; and two of them came forward with edifyingobedience, to do as they were told.
The effect upon the duke was miraculous. Instantly he started up, withan energy perfectly amazing:
"No, no, no! I'll do it! Come this way, gentlemen, and I'll bring youdirect into their midst. O good Lord! whatever will become of us?"
This last frantic question was addressed to society in general, but SirNorman felt called upon to answer:
"That's very easily told, my man. If you and the rest of your titledassociates receive your deserts (as there is no doubt you will) from thegracious hand of our sovereign lord, the king, the strongest rope andhighest gallows at Tyburn will be your elevated destiny."
The duke groaned dismally, and would have come to a halt to beg mercy onthe spot, had not Hubert given him a probe in, the ribs with the pointof his dagger, that sent him on again, with a distracted howl.
"Why, this is a perfect Hades!" said the count, as he stumbled after, inthe darkness. "Are you sure we are going right, Kingsley?"
The inquiry was not unnatural, for the blackness was perfectlyTartarian, and the soldiers behind were knocking their tall shinsagainst all sorts of obstacles as they groped blindly along, invokingfrom them countless curses, not loud, but deep.
"I don't know whether we are or not," said Sir Norman significantly;"only, God help him if we're not! Where are you taking us to, youblack-looking bandit?"
"I give you my word of honor, gentlemen," said an imploring voice inthe darkness, "that I'm leading you, by the nearest way, to the MidnightCourt. All I ask of you in return is, that you will let me enter beforeyou; for if they find that I lead you in, my life will not be worth amoment's purchase."
"As if it ever was worth it," said Sir Norman, contemptuously. "On withyou, and be thankful I don't save your companions the trouble, by makingan end of you where you stand."
"Rush along, old fellow," suggested Hubert, giving him another poke withhis dagger, that drew forth a second doleful howl.
Notwithstanding the darkness, Sir Norman discovered that they were beingled in a direction exactly opposite that by which he had previouslyeffected an entrance. They were in the vault, he knew, by the darkness,though they had descended no staircase, and he was just wonderingif their guide was not meditating some treachery by such a circuitousroute, when suddenly a tumult of voices, and uproar, and confusion, methis ear. At the same instant, their guide opened a door, revealing adark passage, illuminated by a few rays of light, and which Sir Normaninstantly recognized as that leading to the Black Chamber. Here againthe duke paused, and turned round to them with a wildly-imploring face.
"Gentlemen, I do conjure you to let me enter before you do! I tell youthey will murder me the very instant they discover I have led you here!"
"That would be a great pity!" said the count; "and the gallows will becheated of one of its brightest ornaments! That is your den of thieves,I suppose, from which all this uproar comes?"
"It is. And as I have guided you safely to it, surely I deserve thistrifling boon."
"Trifling, do you call it," interposed Sir Norman, "to let you makeyour escape, as you most assuredly will do the moment you are out of oursight! No, no; we are too old birds to be caught with such chaff; andthough the informer always gets off scot-free, your services deserve nosuch boon; for we could have found our way without your help! On withyou, Sir Robber; and if your companions do kill you, console yourselfwith the thought that they have only anticipated the exe
cutioner by afew days!"
With a perfectly heart-rending groan, the unfortunate duke walked on;but when they reached the archway directly before the room, he came toan obstinate halt, and positively refused to go a step farther. It wasdeath, anyway, and he resisted with the courage of desperation,feeling he might as well die there as go in and be assassinated by hisconfederates, and not even the persuasive influence of Hubert's daggercould prevail on him to budge an inch farther.
"Stay, then!" said the count, with perfect indifference. "And, soldiers,see that he does not escape! Now, Kingsley, let us just have a glimpseof what is going on within."
Though the party had made considerable noise in advancing, and hadspoken quite loudly in their little animated discussion with the duke,so great was the turmoil and confusion within, that it was not heeded,or even heard. With very different feelings from those with which he hadstood there last, Sir Norman stepped forward and stood beside the count,looking at the scene within.
The crimson court was in a state of "most admired disorder," and theconfusion of tongues was equal to Babel. No longer were they languidlypromenading, or lolling in the cushioned chairs; but all seemed runningto and fro in the wildest excitement, which the grandest duke amongthem seemed to share equally with the terrified white sylphs. Everybodyappeared to be talking together, and paying no attention whatever tothe sentiments of their neighbors. One universal centre of union aloneseemed to exist, and that was the green, judicial table near the throne,upon which, while all tongues ran, all eyes turned. For some minutes,neither of the beholders could make out why, owing to the crowd(principally of the ladies) pressing around it; but Sir Norman guessed,and thrilled through with a vague sensation of terror, lest it shouldprove to be the dead body of Miranda. Skipping in and out among thefemales he saw the dwarf, performing a sort of war dance of rage andfrenzy; twining both hands in his wig, as if he would have torn it outby the roots, and anon tearing at somebody else's wig, so that everybodybacked off when he came near them.
"Who is that little fiend?" inquired the count; "and what have they gotthere at the and of the room, pray?"
"That little fiend is the ringleader here, and is entitled PrinceCaliban. Regarding your other question," said Sir Norman, with a faintthrill, "there was a table there when I saw it last, but I am afraidthere is something worse now."
"Could ever any mortal conceive of such a scene," observed the countto himself; "look at that little picture of ugliness; how he hops aboutlike a dropsical bull-frog. Some of those women are very pretty, too,and outshine more than one court-beauty that I have seen. Upon my word,it is the most extraordinary spectacle I ever heard of. I wonder whatthey've got that's so attractive down there?"
At the same moment, a loud voice within the circle abruptly exclaimed
"She revives, she revives! Back, back, and give her air!"
Instantly, the throng swayed and fell back; and the dwarf, with a sortof yell (whether of rage or relief, nobody knew), swept them from sideto side with a wave of his long arms, and cleared a wide vacancy forhis own especial benefit. The action gave the count an opportunityof gratifying his curiosity. The object of attraction was now plainlyvisible. Sir Norman's surmises had been correct. The green table of theparliament-house of the midnight court had been converted, by the aid ofcushions and pillows, into an extempore couch; and half-buried in theirdowny depths lay Miranda, the queen. The sweeping robe of royal purple,trimmed with ermine, the circlets of jewels on arms, bosom, and head,she still wore, and the beautiful face was whiter than fallen snow.Yet she was not dead, as Sir Norman had dreaded; for the dark eyes wereopen, and were fixed with an unutterable depth of melancholy on vacancy.Her arms lay helplessly by her side, and someone, the court physicianprobably, was bending over her and feeling her pulse.
As the count's eyes fell upon her, he started back, and grasped SirNorman's arm with consternation.
"Good heavens, Kingsley!" he cried; "it is Leoline, herself!"
In his excitement he had spoken so loud, that in the momentary silencethat followed the physician's direction, his voice had rung through theroom, and drew every eye upon them.
"We are seen, we are seen!" shouted Hubert, and as he spoke, a terriblecry idled the room. In an instant every sword leaped from its scabbard,and the shriek of the startled women rang appallingly out on the air.Sir Norman drew his sword, too; but the count, with his eyes yet fixedon Miranda, still held him by the arm, and excitedly exclaimed,
"Tell me, tell me, is it Leoline?"
"Leoline! No--how could it be Leoline? They look alike, that's all. Drawyour sword, count, and defend yourself; we are discovered, and they areupon us!"
"We are upon them, you mean, and it is they who are discovered," saidthe count, doing as directed, and stepping boldly in. "A pretty hornet'snest is this we have lit upon, if ever there was one."
Side by side with the count, with a dauntless step and eye, Sir Normanentered, too; and, at sight of him a burst of surprise and fury rangfrom lip to lip. There was a yell of "Betrayed, betrayed!" and thedwarf, with a face so distorted by fiendish fury that it was scarcelyhuman, made a frenzied rush at him, when the clear, commanding voice ofthe count rang like a bugle blast through the assembly,
"Sheathe your swords, the whole of you, and yield yourselves prisoners.In the king's name, I command you to surrender."
"There is no king here but I!" screamed the dwarf, gnashing his teeth,and fairly foaming with rage. "Die; traitor and spy! You have escaped meonce, but your hour is come now."
"Allow me to differ from you," said Sir Norman, politely, as he evadedthe blindly-frantic lunge of the dwarf's sword, and inserted an inch ortwo of the point of his own in that enraged little prince's anatomy. "Sofar from my hour having come--if you will take the trouble to reflectupon it--you will find it is the reverse, and that my little friend'sbrief and brilliant career is rapidly drawing to a close."
At these bland remarks, and at the sharp thrust that accompanied them,the dwarfs previous war-dance of anxiety was nothing to the horn-pipeof exasperation he went through when Sir Norman ceased. The blood wasraining from his side, and from the point of his adversary's sword, ashe withdrew it; and, maddened like a wild beast at the sight of his ownblood, he screeched, and foamed, and kicked about his stout little legs,and gnashed his teeth, and made grabs at his wig, and lashed the airwith his sword, and made such desperate pokes with it, at Sir Norman andeverybody else who came in his way, that, for the public good, theyoung knight run him through the sword-arm, and, in spite of all hisdistracted didos, captured him by the help of Hubert, and passed himover to the soldiers to cheer and keep company with the duke.
This brisk little affair being over, Sir Norman had time to look abouthim. It had all passed in so short a space, and the dwarf had been sodesperately frantic, that the rest had paused involuntarily, and werestill looking on. Missing the count, he glanced around the room, anddiscovered him standing on Miranda's throne, looking over the companywith the cool air of a conqueror. Miranda, aroused, as she very wellmight be by all this screaming and fighting, had partly raised herselfupon her elbow, and was looking wildly about her. As her eye fell on SirNorman, she sat fairly erect, with a cry of exultation and joy.
"You have come, you have come, as I knew you would," she excitedlycried, "and the hour of retribution is at hand!"
At the words of one who, a few moments before, they had supposed to bedead, an awestruck silence fell; and the count, taking advantage of it,waved his hand, and cried,
"Yield yourselves prisoners, I command you! The royal guards arewithout; and the first of you who offers the slightest resistance willdie like a dog! Ho, guards! enter, and seize your prisoners!"
Quick as thought the room was full of soldiers! but the rest of theorder was easier said than obeyed. The robbers, knowing their doomwas death, fought with the fury of desperation, and a short, wild, andterrible conflict ensued. Foremost in the melee was Sir Norman and thecount; while Hubert, who had taken possession of
the dwarf's sword,fought like a young lion. The shrieks of the women were heart-rending,as they all fled, precipitately, into the blue dining-room; and,crouching in corners, or flying distractedly about--true to theirsex--made the air resound with the most lamentable cries. Some five orsix, braver than the rest, alone remained; and more than one of theseactually mixed in the affray, with a heroism worthy a better cause.Miranda, still sitting erect, and supported in the arms of akneeling and trembling sylph in white, watched the conflict withterribly-exultant eyes, that blazed brighter and brighter with the luridfire of vengeful joy at every robber that fell.
"Oh, that I were strong enough to wield a sword!" was her fierceaspiration every instant; "if I could only mix in that battle for fiveminutes, I could die with a happy heart!"
Had she been able to wield a sword for five minutes, according to herwish, she would probably have wielded it from beginning to end of thebattle; for it did not last much longer than that. The robbers foughtwith fury and ferocity; but they had been taken by surprise, and wereoverpowered by numbers, and obliged to yield.
The crimson court was indeed crimson now; for the velvet carpeting wasdyed a more terrible red, and was slippery with a rain of blood! A scoreof dead and dying lay groaning on the ground; and the rest, beaten andbloody, gave up their swords and surrendered.
"You should have done this at first!" said the count, coolly wiping hisblood-stained weapon, and replacing it in its sheath; "and, by so doing,saved some time and more bloodshed. Where are all the fair ladies,Kingsley, I saw here when we entered first?"
"They fled like a flock of frightened deer," said Hubert, taking it uponhimself to answer, "through yonder archway when the fight commenced. Iwill go in search of them if you like."
"I am rather at a loss what to do with them," said the count,half-laughing. "It would be a pity to bring such a cavalcade of prettywomen into the city to die of the plague. Can you suggest nothing, SirNorman?"
"Nothing, but to leave then here to take care of themselves, or let themgo free."
"They would be a great addition to the court at Whitehall," suggestedHubert, in his prettiest tone, "and a thousand times handsomer thanhalf the damsels therein. There, for instance, is one a dozen timer morebeautiful than Mistress Stuart herself!"
Leaning, in his nonchalant way, on the hilt of his sword, he pointed toMiranda, whose fiercely-joyful eyes were fixed with a glance that madethe three of them shudder, on the bloody floor and the heap of slain.
"Who is that?" asked the count, curiously. "Why is she perched up there,and why does she bear such an extraordinary resemblance to Leoline? Doyou know anything about her, Kingsley?"
"I know she is the wife of that unlovely little man, whose howls inyonder passage you can hear, if you listen, and that she was the queenof this midnight court, and is wounded, if not dying, now!"
"I never saw such fierce eyes before in a female head! One would thinkshe fairly exulted in this wholesale slaughter of her subjects."
"So she does; and she hates both her husband and her subjects, with anintensity you cannot conceive."
"How very like royalty!" observed Hubert, in parenthesis. "If she were areal queen, she could not act more naturally."
Sir Norman smiled, and the count glanced at the audacious page,suspiciously; but Hubert's face was touching to witness, in its innocentunconsciousness. Miranda, looking up at the same time, caught the youngknight's eye, and made a motion for him to approach. She held outboth her hands to him as he came near, with the same look of dreadfuldelight.
"Sir Norman Kingsley, I am dying, and my last words are in thanksgivingto you for having thus avenged me!"
"Let me hope you have many days to live yet, fair lady," said SirNorman, with the same feeling of repulsion he had experienced in thedungeon. "I am sorry you have been obliged to witness this terriblescene."
"Sorry!" she cried, fiercely. "Why, since the first hour I remember atall, I remember nothing that has given me such joy as what has passednow; my only regret is that I did not see them all die before my eyes!Sorry! I tell you I would not have missed it for ten thousand worlds!"
"Madame, you must not talk like this!" said Sir Norman, almost sternly."Heaven forbid there should exist a woman who could rejoice in bloodshedand death. You do not, I know. You wrong yourself and your own nature insaying so. Be calm, now; do not excite yourself. You shall come with us,and be properly cared for; and I feel certain you have a long and happylife before you yet."
"Who are those men?" she said, not heeding him, "and who--ah, greatHeaven! What is that?"
In looking round, she had met Hubert face to face. She knew that thatface was her own; and, with a horror stamped on every feature that nowords can depict, she fell back, with a terrible scream and was dead!
Sir Norman was so shocked by the suddenness of the last catastrophe,that, for some time, he could not realize that she had actually expired,until he bent over her, and placed his ear to her lips. No breath wasthere; no pulse stirred in that fierce heart--the Midnight Queen wasindeed dead!
"Oh, this is fearful!" exclaimed Sir Norman, pale and horrified.
"The sight of Hubert, and his wonderful resemblance to her, hascompleted what her wound and this excitement began. Her last is breathedon earth!"
"Peace be with her!" said the count, removing his hat, which, up tothe present, he had worn. "And now, Sir Norman, if we are to keep ourengagement at sunrise, we had better be on the move; for, unless I amgreatly mistaken, the sky is already grey with day-dawn."
"What are your commands?" asked Sir Norman, turning away, with a sigh,from the beautiful form already stiffening in death.
"That you come with me to seek out those frightened fair ones, who area great deal too lovely to share the fate of their male companions. Ishall give them their liberty to go where they please, on condition thatthey do not enter the city. We have enough vile of their class therealready."
Sir Norman silently followed him into the azure and silver saloon, wherethe crowd of duchesses and countesses were "weeping and wringing theirhands," and as white as so many pretty ghosts. In a somewhat brief andforcible manner, considering his characteristic gallantry, the countmade his proposal, which, with feelings of pleasure and relief, was atonce acceded to; and the two gentlemen bowed themselves out, and leftthe startled ladies.
On returning to the crimson court, he commanded a number of his soldiersto remain and bury the dead, and assist the wounded; and then, followedby the remainder and the prisoners under their charge, passed out, andwere soon from the heated atmosphere in the cool morning air. The moonwas still serenely shining, but the stars that kept the earliest hourswere setting, and the eastern sky was growing light with the hazy grayof coming morn.
"I told you day-dawn was at hand," said the count, as he sprang into hissaddle; "and, lo! in the sky it is gray already."
"It is time for it!" said Sir Norman, as he, too, got into his seat;"this has been the longest night I have ever known, and the mosteventful one of my life."
"And the end is not yet! Leoline waits to decide between us!"
Sir Norman shrugged his shoulders.
"True! But I have little doubt what that decision will be! I presume youwill have to deliver up your prisoners before you can visit her, and Iwill avail myself of the opportunity to snatch a few moments to fulfilla melancholy duty of my own."
"As you please. I have no objection; but in that case you will need someone to guide you to the place of rendezvous; so I will order my privateattendant, yonder, to keep you in sight, and guide you to me when yourbusiness is ended."
The count had given the order to start, the moment they had leftthe ruin, and the conversation had been carried on while riding at abreak-neck gallop. Sir Norman thanked him for his offer, and they rodein silence until they reached the city, and their paths diverged; SirNorman's leading to the apothecary's shop where he had left Ormiston,and the count's leading--he best knew where. George--the attendantreferred to--joined the knight, an
d leaving his horse in his care, SirNorman entered the shop, and encountered the spectral proprietor at thedoor.
"What of my friend?" was his eager inquiry. "Has he yet shown signs ofreturning consciousness?"
"Alas, no!" replied the apothecary, with a groan, that came wailingup like a whistle; "he was so excessively dead, that there was no usekeeping him; and as the room was wanted for other purposes, I--pray, mydear sir, don't look so violent--I put him in the pest-cart and had himburied."
"In the plague-pit!" shouted Sir Norman, making a spring at him; but theman darted off like a ghostly flash into the inner room, and closed andbolted the door in a twinkling.
Sir Norman kicked at it spitefully, but it resisted his every effort;and, overcoming a strong temptation to smash every bottle in the shop,he sprang once more into the saddle, and rode off to the plague-pit.It was the second time within the last twelve hours he had stood there;and, on the previous occasion, he who now lay in it, had stood byhis side. He looked down, sickened and horror-struck. Perhaps, beforeanother morning, he, too, might be there; and, feeling his blood runcold at the thought, he was turning away, when some one came rapidlyup, and sank down with a moaning gasping cry on its very edge. Thatshape--tall and slender, and graceful--he well knew; and, leaning overher, he laid his hand on her shoulder, and exclaimed:
"La Masque!"