The White Gauntlet Part 39

"Like enough, by Ged!"

"Had I only slipped in a postscript, giving the king a hint about the character of the rascals to whom his courier so tamely surrendered, perhaps the best thing he could have done would have been to string himself up. I haven't the slightest doubt about its being the band of scarecrows that stopped the son of Sir Marmaduke. Of course, it must have been: since it was on the same night, and in the same spot. Ha!

ha! ha! In all my campaigns I never heard of a more clever bit of strategy! Ha! ha! ha!"

"Nor I," said Stubbs, joining in the laugh.

"I'd give a month's pay to get hold of the comical villain that planned it. If he felt inclined to join our cuira.s.siers, I'd make a corporal of him, without asking a question."

"He'd make a first-rater. He would, by Ged!"

"I should like, also, to get hold of him for another reason," continued Scarthe, changing to a more serious tone. "We might recover the lost despatches--which, no doubt, are still in the doublet he stripped from the chicken-hearted courier. Ha! ha! ha! What a pickle we found him in! A pigeon completely plucked and trussed! Oh! how the queen will laugh when she reads my report to her. I hope she won't tell it to the king. If she do blab, it'll be no laughing matter for the poor devil of a messenger!"

"It won't, by Ged!"

"Particularly if the despatches contained anything of importance. I wonder what they were about--sent so soon after us! Hope it wasn't a countermand."

"By Ged! I hope not."

"I'm not tired of our country quarters just yet: and won't be, till I've tried them a little longer. Rather icy these girls are, Stubbs? Don't repine, lad. Perhaps they'll thaw, by and by."

"I hope so," said Stubbs, his stolid face brightening up at the idea.

"If it wasn't for that young sop of a cousin 'twould be all right. I believe it would, by Ged!"

"Pooh! pooh! Don't make your mind uneasy about him. It appears to be only kittenly affection that's between them. He's just come home, after a three years' absence from her ap.r.o.n-string; and it's natural she should like to play with him a bit. Only as a toy, Stubbs. She'll soon tire of him, and want another. Then will be your turn, my killing cornet."

"Do you think so, captain?"

"Think so! Sure of it. Ha! if it were my game, I shouldn't want an easier to play. Mine's a different affair--very different. It will require all the skill of--of Captain Scarthe to win in that quarter.

Ho! Who's there? Come in!"

The interrogatory had been called forth by a knock heard outside. At the command to enter, the door was opened, showing a cuira.s.sier standing upon the stoop, with his hand raised to his helmet.

"Your business, sergeant?" demanded the captain.

"A messenger has arrived, escorted by three files of dragoniers."

"Whence?"

"From London."

"Show him in; and see that his escort are taken care of outside."

The sergeant disappeared to execute the order.

"This should be the bearer of the duplicate despatch?" said Scarthe conjecturally; "and, if it contains a countermand, I hope it has been also lost."

"I doubt it," rejoined the cornet; "the three files of dragoniers ought to have been a match for the dozen dummies!" and, as Stubbs said this, he smiled conceitedly at the pretty speech he had perpetrated.

The courier came in--a cavalier by his costume and bearing; but of a type very different from the one rifled by the robber. He was a grizzled old veteran, armed from the toes to the teeth; and his steel-grey eye, shining sagely through the bars of his helmet, betokened a character not likely to have been duped by Gregory Garth and his scarecrows. Had this individual been bearer of the original despatch, instead of the copy, in all likelihood the repentant footpad would have committed no other crime on that memorable night; and would have been saved the sin of breaking the promise he had made to his master.

"A courier from the king?" said Scarthe, bowing courteously as the cavalier came forward.

"A despatch from his Majesty," returned the messenger, with an official salute, at the same time holding out the doc.u.ment. "It is the copy of one sent three days ago, and lost upon the road. Captain Scarthe, I believe, is already acquainted with the circ.u.mstance."

A slight twinkling in the steel-grey eye of the speaker, while making the concluding remark, told that he had heard of the adventure, and was not insensible to its ludicrous nature.

"Oh, yes!" a.s.sented Scarthe. "I hope the bearer of the original has not come to grief through his misadventure."

"Dismissed the service," was the formal rejoinder.

"Ah! I am sorry for that. The fright he had was I should think punishment enough; to say nothing of the loss of his horse, purse, watch, and love locket. Ha! ha! ha!"

The hearty laugh in which the captain indulged, chorused by Stubbs, sanctioned only by a grim smile on the part of grey eye, told that the sympathy of the latter for the disgraced courtier was not very profound.

"Cornet Stubbs," said Scarthe, turning to his subaltern, and waving his hand towards the messenger, "see that this gentleman does not die of hunger and thirst. Excuse me, sir, while I peruse the king's despatch.

Perhaps it requires an answer."

The comet, inviting the courier to follow him, pa.s.sed out of the room; while Scarthe, stepping into the embayment of the window, broke open the royal seal, and read:

"_His Majestie the King to Captain Scarthe, commanding ye Cuira.s.siers in the County of Bucks_.

"_In addition to ye orders already given, Captain Scarthe is hereby commanded to raise by recruit in ye county of Bucks as many men as may be disposed to take service in his Maiestie's regiment of cuira.s.siers; and he is by these same presents empowered with ye king's authority to offer to each and every recruit a bounty as prescribed in if accompanying schedule_.

"_Furthermore, it having come to ye ear of his Majestie, that divers disloyal citizens of said shire of Bucks have of late shown symptoms of disaffection to his Majestie's Government, in the holding of secret meetings, and divers other and like unlawful acts, and by speeches containing rebellious doctrines against his Majesty's Government, and person as likewise against the well-being of ye state and ye church; therefore, his Majestie do command his loyal and trusted servant, ye Captain Scarthe aforesaid, to search, discover, and take cognisance of all such dissentious persons; and if he find good and substantial proof of their disloyalty, then is he hereby enjoined and commanded to communicate ye same to ye Secretary of his Majestie's Council of State, in order that such rebellious subjects be brought to trial before ye Star Chamber, or ye High Commission Court, or such other court or courts as may conform to the nature of their offence and punishment_.

"_Given at our palace of Whitehall_.

"_Signed Carolus Rex_."

"Pish!" exclaimed Scarthe, as he concluded reading the despatch.

"That's a pretty duty to put _me_ on! Making a spy of me! The king forgets that I am a gentleman!"

"I shall obey the first command readily enough. My troop wants recruiting; and I suppose, along with the increased numbers, I may get that colonelcy I ought to have had long ago. As to my eavesdropping about inns, and listening for every silly speech that Jack makes to Jem, and Jem repeats to Colin--with the usual embellishments of the rural fancy--I'll do nothing of the sort;--unless," added he, with a significant smile, "unless the _queen commands me_. To gratify her sweet grace, I'll turn potboy, and wait upon the gossips of the tap.

Ho! what's this?--more writing;--a postscript! Perhaps, as in the letters of ladies, the most important part of the epistle?"

"_Since writing the above dispatch, his Majesty hath been further informed that one of his Majestie's subjects--by name Holtspur--and bearing the Christian name of Henry, hath more than any other been of great zeal in promoting the subversive doctrines aforementioned; and it is believed that the said Holtspur is an active instrument and coadjutor among the enemies of his Majesties government. Therefore Captain Scarthe is directed and enjoined to watch the goings and comings of ye said Holtspur, and if anything do appear in his conduct that may be deemed sufficient for a charge before ye Star Chamber, then is Captain Scarthe directed to proceed against and arrest the said individual. His Majestie in ye matter in question will trust to the discretion of Captain Scarthe to do nothing on slight grounds,--lest the arrest of a subject of his Majesty, who might afterwards be proven innocent, bring scandal on ye name and government of his Majestie_.

"_C.R_."

"Spy!" exclaimed Scarthe, starting to his feet as he finished reading the postscript, "Spy, you say? I thank you for the office. Fear me not, kind king! I'll play the part to perfection.

"Did I not say so?" he continued, striding to and fro across the floor, and waving the paper triumphantly over his head. "The women are wise.

They keep their best bit for the last. Henceforth of a letter give me the postscript!

"So, Master Henry Holtspur, I thought there was something not sound about you--ever since you drank that toast to taunt me. Aha! If I don't have you on the hip--as Will Shakespeare says--then I'm not d.i.c.k Scarthe, captain of the king's cuira.s.siers!

"Stay! I must go gently about this business--gently and cautiously.

The king counsels it so. No fear for my rashness. I know when to be stormy, and when to be tranquil. Proofs are required. That won't be difficult, I ween--where a red rebel stands before the bar. I'll find proofs. Never fear, your Majesty. I'll find, or _frame_ them--proofs that will satisfy that scrupulous tribunal--the Star Chamber! ha! ha!

ha!"