CHAPTER XII. BACK IN LONDON.
"Why, Tom, my lad! Now this is a welcome sight in sooth! Verily itis you yourself, else should I think I must sure be dreaming! Comein, come in, lad, and a hearty welcome to you! Faith, we had almostbegun to give you up for lost! There be so many who go to foreignparts, but return thence no more, and of whom nothing more is everheard. The Lord be praised that that has not been your fate!"
Cale had taken Tom by both hands, and was drawing him eagerly intothe house. The young man had entered the doorway just as theshutters were being put up at dusk. The light lasted long now thatMay had come, and Cale was about to step forth to take the air fora while himself, when he beheld the tall figure darkening thedoorway, and saw that it was indeed Tom who was entering.
"Why, methinks you are taller than ever! and have gotten the air ofa man of travel! This will be news for my little Rosy tomorrow.Why, it was but last Sunday, as we sat and talked of you, that thetears came into her eyes, and she said she feared we should neversee you more! How she will laugh and skip tomorrow when she seesyou in your accustomed place!"
"It was kind of Mistress Rosamund to spare a thought for me," saidTom, feeling that it was good to be welcomed home again so warmly.
Other home welcome had he not yet received, for they had notreturned by Holland and the port of Harwich. The good monks hadtaken them the shorter way through France, and had seen them safeupon a vessel bound for Southampton, where they had safelydisembarked a few days ago. They had spent their last money ingetting themselves clothing other than a monkish habit, and hadthen ridden merrily to London in quick time. Tom had left his goodmare in Lord Claud's stable, and had marched off forthwith toMaster Cale's shop; whilst his companion had declared his intentionof making speedy application for the payment due to them for theirrecent enterprise, which had now been successfully carried through.
"I would I could have seen the Duke himself," said Lord Claud; "buthe is gone back to the Hague, men say, and may be anywhere now. ButI shall lay my case before some of the ministers of the realm, andclaim our reward. The Duke of Savoy knows the value of the news Ibrought him, and the labourer is worthy of his hire. You shall haveyour share, Tom, when I get the gold; for you took your share ofperil boldly, and were a stanch comrade in all moments of danger.You suffered more than I, and that shall not be forgotten."
So Tom felt light and happy of heart. He was back again in the oldcountry, hearing his native tongue once more around him, thesatisfaction of success in his heart, the experiences of a man oftravel giving him added dignity in his own eyes. If his purse waslight, he would soon replenish it; and in the welcome accorded tohim by the honest perruquier he felt the earnest of other welcomesin store for him.
As they sat at table together the traveller told his adventures tohis host, Cale listening with eager attention, and rubbing hishands softly together as he heard how Montacute had been outwitted,and how he had been well-nigh throttled by Tom, as well as rebukedby the pious monks.
"I have seen the fellow," he said thoughtfully--"he came here oncefor a peruke--and a more evil countenance I have seldom seen. Theysay he is half an Italian, though he passes here for an Englishman;and that he is in the pay of the King of France is a thing commonlyreported. He has an evil face, and I hope we shall see it no morein this land. You must have a care, Tom, if ever he crosses yourpath again. He will not forget that grip on his throat in a hurry!"
"Nor I those lashes upon my back!" answered Tom between his shutteeth. "He will find me ready for him whenever he wants! I amsometimes fain to regret that I did not squeeze the life out of himas he lay in my grasp, even as--well, others I know have regrettedthat they did not run him through the heart in a duelling bout."
"It is not many who get that chance, if report speaks truth," saidCale; "Sir James Montacute is reckoned a notable swordsman."
"He is no mean antagonist, truly," answered Tom, with a slightsmile; "yet I have seen a better."
The day following was Sunday, and eagerly did Tom await the arrivalof Rosamund, whom her father had set out betimes to fetch. But hehad promised to keep the secret of Tom's return for a surprise tomeet her on her arrival; and so, when she turned the corner of thestreet upon her father's arm, laughing and chattering to him in herbrightest fashion, there was Tom standing in the doorway, clad inone of his finest suits (left behind in the care of Cale), smilingbravely, hat in hand, and looking altogether so grand and finisheda gentleman that at the first moment Rosamund could scarce makesure if it was he himself.
But when convinced of this, her pleasure was pretty to see. Shemade him stand by the window where she could see him; she lookedhim all over, clapping her hands, and declaring that he had grownso grand and handsome that she was quite afraid of him. But herdancing eyes and laughing lips belied her words, and soon she waschattering away in the old free style; and Tom sat looking at her,thinking how pretty she was, and what a pleasant thing it was to behome again after such a period of peril and adventure.
Of course he had to tell his story over again, whilst Rosamund'sface turned red and pale by turns, and her breath came fitfullybetween her lips. She clung to her father's hand in a tremor ofsympathetic fear as she heard of the doings of that memorable nightin the rude hut amid the snows of the Little St. Bernard; but thatTom was a greater hero than ever in her eyes, after she had heardall, could not for a moment be doubted, and perhaps that was whyshe felt that in him she could safely confide a secret fear whichwas troubling her own mind.
She waited till her father had gone down to set the dinner upon thetable; but when once she and Tom were alone together she was notlong in opening her trouble.
"Do you remember those four ill men who set upon you in the streetthat day when first you walked abroad with us?"
"Yes, I know them well--a set of cowardly braggarts and bullies!Sure, Mistress Rose, they are not troubling you yet?"
"I fear me they are," she answered, with a shadow of fear in hereyes. "I saw nought of them through the dark winter months. Indeed,I had well-nigh forgotten that any such creatures lived. Then whenthe spring days began to come, and the streets of the city becamegayer, I thought once or twice that I saw them in the throngs as wewalked hither and thither; but they never accosted us, and I gavethe matter little heed."
"Until when?"
"Until one evening in March, towards the end of the month, when thedaylight lasts till seven of the clock, and my father let me remainlater than usual with him, and then took me back as was his custom.The roads were quiet, and there were few abroad as we nearedHighgate; yet I could not help thinking that I always heard stepsbehind us, and ever and anon I looked over my shoulder. I did notalways see men following, but sometimes I did, and it seemed alwaysas though there were four of them together. Once I heard a laughthat I seemed to remember, and I felt a qualm of fear, I scarceknew why."
"You spoke no word to your father?"
"No; I thought myself the victim of some foolish fear, and I wantednot to trouble him. He bade me goodbye at the gate, and saw me runup to the house and let myself in. I went up straight to my windowto wave my hand to him as was my wont, and just at that moment fourmen lounged by arm-in-arm with swaggering mien."
"And you think it was those same men?"
"I was almost sure of it, and hastily withdrew, glad that they didnot follow my father down the hill, but walked slowly on in theopposite direction, and then turned and paced slowly back two orthree times. For though I did not show myself, I peeped out andwatched to see what they did."
Tom's face was very black. He had a keen personal hatred for thefour bullies, and a very strong interest and affection for Rosamundherself. He saw she had still something more to say, and she drew alittle nearer as she added:
"And since then I have caught sight of them several times in ourlanes, walking up and down rather near the house, or hanging aboutround the tavern at the crossroads where our lane branches from thewider road. Once I am sure I heard their steps coming after me; butI fled
so fast they could not overtake me, and I dared not lookbehind lest I should trip over a stone. I am almost afraid now toleave the house alone, save in the early morning hours; and untilthis happened I came and went freely, and my aunt is used tosending me visiting to the neighbours. I like not to alarm her bytalking of these men, nor do I wish to cause anxiety to my father.I have often wished I could tell you the tale, that I might ask youwhat I should do."
The childlike appeal in the maiden's face stirred Tom to achivalrous desire to help her at all costs.
"Zounds!" he exclaimed, "but we will teach those curs a lesson theyrichly need. As it is, they are becoming a byword even in Londonstreets. Hark you, pretty Rosamund, have no fears. I will get HarryGay to join with me, and together we will come to Highgate, andhang about your house in concealment until these bold swaggerersshow themselves; and then we will set upon them, and give them sucha trouncing as they shall not quickly forget. And we will make themunderstand that if ever they are seen there again they will receivea like chastisement. After that I think you need feel no fear. Theyare as cowardly as they are blustering, and love not the feel ofhard blows upon their backs, as we have good reason to know. Two ofus would be equal to vanquishing the four."
"And there is a strapping young farmer, William Long by name, whowould gladly lend you the strength of his right arm," criedRosamund, kindling into excitement. "He was lately wedded to mybest friend, Mary Baker, and they live not far from our cottage. Ihad thought to speak to him if things went on so; but four to oneis long odds, and moreover he is something stolid in the head, andmight mistake his men, and so get himself into trouble."
The thought of a battle on behalf of his good friend's daughter wascongenial enough to Tom, who had always felt a strong personalantagonism to these bullies; an antagonism warmly shared by HarryGay, who eagerly entered into the plan for freeing Rose of theirunwelcome presence in her neighbourhood. He was also an admirer ofpretty Rosamund, whom he had known from childhood, although theydid not meet very regularly, as Harry did not often intrude uponCale on the Sunday, when he knew he liked to have Rosamund tohimself. However, he knew very well the haunts most frequented bythe four bullies who had taken it into their heads to persecute theperruquier's daughter. They probably bore Cale a grudge for hisaction towards them upon the Sunday when there had been the fightin the street; and certainly if he had had any idea that they wereseeking to touch him through his child, he would have beenexceedingly uneasy, and his business must have suffered.
"I will keep a watch upon them," said Harry Gay, who was quitepleased to join with so great a man as Tom Tufton had become insome affair of this sort; "I will have an eye to them, and if Ithink they are starting off for the north of the town, I will runat once and fetch you; and we will follow and outstrip them, forthey must needs stop at every tavern as they go, and we can slip byand be ready for them at Highgate."
So Tom remained for the most part in and about his lodging for thenext day or two, pleased enough to watch the busy life of thestreets, and hear the gossip of the young dandies in Cale's shop.No word of any kind came to him from Lord Claud during this time ofwaiting; but Tom had no anxieties as to the money he was to receivefor his services, and Master Cale had still a few guineas in handfrom the sum left to pay for his lodging chamber in his absence,which Tom had desired to continue to rent, that he might leavethere his worldly possessions.
It was on the forenoon of Wednesday that Harry came to seek him,all eagerness and speed.
"They have started forth towards the north," he said, "and I hearda few scraps of talk, and am certain that they are bound forHighgate. We shall quickly overtake and pass them; and, with thehelp of honest William, we will give them such a lesson as shallmake them avoid the locality for the rest of their lives, I hope.So, if you are ready, let us be off."
Tom was ready in a trice, and very soon they found themselvesfollowing in the track of the four young rakes, who were swaggeringalong the sunny streets in their usual rolling way, accosting andinsulting the passers by, knocking citizens' hats into the gutter,singing scraps of ribald songs, and ready to come to blows with anyother bullies who might run up against them.
But it was not long before they swaggered into an alehouse; andthen Tom and Harry went swiftly by, and, taking the straight routeup to Highgate, arrived there long before the others could beexpected.
Rosamund was tending her flowers in the garden when they came up tothe gate, and looked up with a smile and a blush. She was alone inthe house that day, she said, save for the servant woman, who wasvery deaf. This suited very well for the present purpose, as theydid not desire that the aunt should be alarmed.
They bade Rose remain in the garden for the next few hours, andthey would hide in a clump of bushes at the corner and watch whatbetided. Harry strode off to fetch William Long, who had promisedthe help of his sturdy staff right willingly. In a short time thethree men were in their hiding place, whilst Rose went on with hertasks amid the flowers, her heart beating a little with excitement,although she felt no fear.
Presently the sound of lurching steps and foolish laughterapproached along the lane. Rose never looked round, but the colourin her cheeks went and came. The steps presently stopped at thegate, and those in hiding could see the four bullies, who werealready somewhat the worse for drink, leaning upon it and eyeingthe maiden at work with silly leers and nudgings.
"Pretty Mistress Rosamund," said Slippery Seal, in his mostwheedling voice, "will you favour a thirsty traveller with a cup ofwater from your well?"
Rose faced round at that, her face flushed, but her manner quitecalm.
"If you are thirsty, sir, there is water to be had in the brookyonder. My father would not have me speak with strangers on theroad."
"But, fair maid," said another, "we cannot sure be calledstrangers. We have seen your rosy cheeks and bright eyes many timesbefore, we--"
But before he had finished speaking, Rose had turned her back andwas walking up the path towards the house.
"No, no, no!" cried Dicing Dick; "you do not run away like that,pretty Rosamund!"
The next moment he had flung the gate wide, and the whole four weremaking a dash up the path in pursuit of the girl. They had probablylearned from the servant at the inn that her aunt was out, and hadthought they could terrify her into doing their pleasure, andsetting food and drink before them.
But they did not get far. With a sound like a growl and ayell--such as he had given when he sprang at Montacute'sthroat--Tom dashed out from the thicket, and seized Bully Bullen ina bear-like clasp. The other two were not many yards behind, andimmediately there was a wholesale scrimmage in the little garden;the sound of blows and oaths resounded, and many a yell of pain andrage told that one or another of the bullies had got a well-meritedchastisement.
It was not Tom's wish to use his sword, but he applied his goodcudgel freely to the back of the bully, who was more his own heightand make than any of the others. Bully Bullen swore, and raved, andthreatened, and made ineffectual efforts to draw his rapier and runhis antagonist through the body. But he had been drinking, andneither hand nor eye were steady; whilst Tom's clutch upon his coatcollar, as he kept swinging him half off his feet, and laying hisstout staff to his back, almost throttled him, and rendered hisefforts abortive.
Once Slippery Seal showed himself worthy of his name, by slippingthrough the clutches of Harry, and dashing to get a good blow atTom, for whom these four worthies had conceived a powerful hatred;but Tom saw the advance, and cleverly swerved round, so that theblow descended upon the luckless Bullen, who roared anew with rageand pain.
"Let them go now! let them go!" cried Rosamund at last, halffrightened at the scrimmage, and almost ready to pity the ruffians,who were getting so much the worst of it.
Lusty William had quickly laid Dicing Dick prostrate on motherearth, and was giving a drubbing to Thirsty Thring, who washelpless in his stout grasp. This attack, so unexpected and soresolute, had quite taken the wind out of the sails of theb
lustering four; and when, at Rosamund's cry, their antagonistspaused and gave to each a parting kick, they had no desire to doanything but slink away with bruised shoulders--black rage in theirhearts.
"If ever you come prowling here again, I'll have my men and my dogsout at you!" bawled William, whose blood was well up. "I livehandily, just behind yon clump of trees. Rosamund has but to liftup her voice in a good screech, and I'll loose every dog in theplace upon you! You'll not forget the feel of their fangs so soonas you'll forget the feel of my cudgel!"
That threat was quite enough for the bullies, they almost began torun; but so soon as they had put the fence between themselves andtheir antagonists, they paused and looked back, shaking their fistsin vindictive fury.
They seemed to divine that Tom was in some sort the originator ofthis plan, and towards him was their chief malevolence directed.
"We will have our revenge for this, Tom Tufton!" they cried. "It'syour turn today, but it will be ours another. You shall rue the dayyou made enemies of us!"
"Do your worst!" cried Tom scornfully. "Do you think I fear anysuch ruffians as you?"
"Strike me purple!" raged Bully Bullen, using an oath which hadcome into vogue since the terrible days of the Plague, "if I do notmake you bitterly repent this day's work, you insolent youngcoxcomb!"
"Get off with you, or I call my dogs!" cried William, who saw thatRosamund's cheeks were growing pale; and at this hint the bulliesmade the best of their way out of sight, never to be seen again inthe neighbourhood where so many perils awaited them.
Rose was rid of her tormentors, but she cast apprehensive glancesin the direction of Tom.
"Can they hurt him?" she asked of Harry.
And he replied, with a light laugh:
"He looks a child that can stand up for himself!"
Nevertheless, after William had taken Rose to his house to pass therest of the time of her aunt's absence, and Tom and Harry werewalking southwards again, the latter said to his friend:
"All the same, Tom, I would have you take care of yon braggarts.They are as evil a set of fellows as walk the streets of this city,and if they could chance to do you an ill turn, be sure they wouldnot let it pass."
But Tom only laughed. He had passed through many perils of late,and he felt that in the heart of this great city he could take careof himself. A sort of careless self confidence had been his chiefperil through life, and his association with Lord Claud had nottended to diminish it. In the presence of his patron, indeed, heoften felt of little account; but elsewhere he fancied himselfsomething of a hero, and was by no means disposed to tremble beforethe malevolence of a set of swaggering bullies.
The town was very gay this bright springtide, and Tom was more thanready to plunge into the vortex of such amusements as were open tohim. His lack of funds did not embarrass him, as Harry was ready tolend him money, and he had some success at the dicing tables inthose coffee houses which he frequented. Gambling had not any greatattractions for him, but a little excitement did not come amiss,and the fascination of winning was powerful.
Sometimes he was persuaded to try his luck at basset or ombre, andhere his lack of knowledge of the games often caused him to lose.But he cared little, telling himself that he should soon have hisshare of the reward offered by the Duke to his secret messengers;and he plunged more and more deeply into debt, rather by way ofpassing the time than for any particular delight in play. He hadnot yet acquired strength enough to decline to share the amusementsof those about him. He kept up his sword practice in the mornings,and took long walks with Harry Gay to visit different places ofinterest in and about the city; but the afternoon and evening wereusually spent in some place of amusement, and little by little Tombecame impatient for his money. He had borrowed several times fromHarry; but he thought he ought to be hearing something from LordClaud.
At last he called at his rooms, and asked for him. He was asked towait, as Lord Claud was expected home shortly, and Tom's face waswell known to the valet. He went up to the familiar room, but notedwith surprise how many pictures and curios were missing from theirplaces. The rooms were comfortable, even luxurious, but they lackedthe costly elegance which had characterized them before. It seemedto Tom as though Lord Claud must have been in need of money, too,and have been selling his valuables to keep himself in funds. Thatseemed a strange shift for one to whom the state owed so heavy adebt.
Tom had perhaps sat still waiting for half an hour before the dooropened to admit Lord Claud, who came in with a dark look upon hisface, and threw down his hat and gloves upon the table with asmothered oath.
Then he saw Tom, and the cloud lightened, although it did notdisappear. He shook the young man warmly by the hand.
"Tom, you are come in a good hour, and an evil one! I was justwishing I had you to stand by me. What think you is the reply ofthose to whom I have proffered my claim on our behalf? They willhave nothing of it. They will scarce give me a hearing. I may go tothe Duke of Marlborough with my tale, they tell me in some scorn,as though incredulous of my words, but they will have nought to dowith it. And will not even make an advance, whilst they know thatto reach the Duke one must run many a peril and risk much money. Itis a shameful trick! I know they would not have dared treat all menso, but they think they may put their despite upon me!"
He ground his teeth, and then broke out into strange wild talkwhich Tom did not understand, though it inspired him with a senseof great anger against those in high places.
Moreover, he was not a little disturbed on his own account by thefailure of Lord Claud. How should he pay his debts? How should helive himself? Had he not risked his life for the sake of hiscountry? Had he not suffered scourging and sickness on her behalf?It took very little of Lord Claud's fire to kindle an answeringflame in his own heart. His anger was always readily stirred, andhis appreciation of his own merit caused him to feel the more hotand aggrieved.
"Tom," said Lord Claud suddenly, "there is one other way. If youhave a clear head, a strong arm, and a stout heart, there is yet ahope that we may gain our ends."
Tom looked up eagerly. He saw something in Lord Claud's face whichseemed to him strange, and which inspired him with a sense of keen,quick curiosity and excitement. He felt as though he were on theverge of some new discovery. His breath came thick and fast, but itwas with eagerness, not fear. He had been so worked upon and playedupon by a master hand, that the thought of fear found no placewithin his breast. What was this other way of which his masterspoke?
"The gold is ours, Tom. We have won it with the best that is inus--with our heart's blood, as men say. It is ours. We have theright to it. If they withhold it in injustice, have we not theright to lay hands on it ourselves?"
"Ay, verily!" answered Tom in a whisper, his eyes fixed upon theburning eyes of Lord Claud, which seemed to fascinate and hold himas the snake does the bird.
Then Lord Claud approached and laid a hand upon Tom's shoulder, andstanding over him, talked long and earnestly in a low, quiet voice,which nevertheless sounded trumpet-like in his ears.
Tom sat perfectly still, gazing at him and uttering no word, butwithin his heart the fire seemed to glow and kindle; and when LordClaud paused and searched his face with his keen glance, he saw nofaltering there.
"Then we are brothers once again, Tom! Brothers now and always!"
"Now and always!" echoed Tom, in a voice almost the echo of LordClaud's. "Now and always!"