With Ring of Shield Part 35

This room was empty; but on the opposite side from where stood Michael was another door, and to the right of this, in the other wall, was yet another.

Then I heard a slight click at the lock of the door by which we had entered the house. I drew my sword and walked to this door and tried to open it. It was locked.

Then the whole plot flashed upon my mind. This then was Catesby's plan for getting both Hazel and me within his power. No wonder that he did laugh as Harleston left the courtyard. Well might he laugh; for never did a trap work with more success than did this clever one, laid by this most ingenious scoundrel.

I went to the window and tried to loosen some of the bars that ran across the square. Even the great Michael's strength should here be of no avail. The bars were very heavy, and firmly imbedded in the masonry, of which the lower part of the house was made.

I watched the doors leading from the room in the expectancy that they were about to fly open and a band of men rush in to do their work.

Still they did remain closed. Michael still stood before the open door, awaiting mine instructions.

After waiting for a few moments with the painful feeling that one has when convinced that the eyes of a concealed foe are on him, watching his every move, I walked to the great table and, placing my sword upon it, I moved it back across one of the corners of the room; thus forming a frail barricade to protect my dear Hazel.

I then placed my dagger in her hand and said:--"Be brave my dearest, and if thou seest that thou canst not escape with honour, thou knowest the use of this little weapon. However, so long as thou seest hope, refrain from its use; for even in our position no one can tell what the result may be."

"Fear not, Walter dear, unless I may be thy spotless bride my husband shall be death."

"Mine own dear, brave, little maiden," I murmured, and placed her, with a loving kiss upon her brow, behind the--in some measure--protecting table.

I then took up my good sword and, holding it at arm's length to test its reach, I said to Michael:--

"Do thou go, good Michael, to yon door, and see if there be any one within the room behind it."

"Oi will, sor." And he crossed the inner room in three good lengthy strides.

This door was unfastened, so he opened it as he had done the other, except that this one opened towards him, and still stood he upon the threshold.

"Sure, yer honour, thare's anither door here, sor."

"Open it also, Michael;" though the next moment I had rather have cut the tongue from my throat than have uttered those words.

Michael had just disappeared into this second unexplored room when, with a crash, the door that had remained closed in the room adjoining where Hazel and I waited flew open, and several armed men rushed in.

"Beware Michael! come back! come back!" I cried in warning.

Ere he could obey, however, the door was closed and securely locked and barred behind him. At the same instant the room in which I stood was filled with soldiers, which entered by the other doors.

"Come on, ye pack of cowards! Why do ye hesitate? Do ye fear the single sword of one good knight? Come on, I say, ye pack of sneaking wolves that fear to attack, and yet stand in a circle round and growl!"

I cried in defiance at them.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Come on, ye pack of cowards."]

There must have been well nigh a score; something more than half in my room, and the others in the room betwixt Michael and us.

The giant now thundered at the separating door, and swore an unceasing stream of oaths of vengeance.

This door, however, was a heavy oaken one, and withstood even Michael's mighty a.s.sault with great endurance.

Still the soldiers stood waiting, swords in hands.

Presently, with leisurely, swinging stride and clanking armour, a smile of triumph on his sneering face, entered my dearest foe, Catesby. With a courtly bow, accompanied by a graceful wave of the hand, he saluted Hazel, who, with great calmness, stood with clenched hands and firm-pressed lips behind her barricade.

"Welcome, my dear lady, to this house that taketh in poor troubled refugees. Methinks the directions in my poor note must have been clear; for my guests have arrived even earlier than I had expected,"

said he, as he folded his arms and regarded us with a smile of satisfaction.

"Cease thine insolence, thou false and degraded knight, and draw thy sword and fight me like a man, and do not further stain thy name by setting upon a gentleman a band of coward ruffians!"

"Nay, nay, Sir Walter, we have twice crossed swords ere this, and on both occasions thou didst have the better of me. Verily, thou must be selfish to ever desire to play the victor's part. Oh, no!" he added with a laugh, "I now do hold the stronger hand, and it should be casting an insult upon the G.o.ddess of Fortune to thus throw aside her bounteous gift of advantage.

"Do thou close yon door and lock it, Peter," said he, turning to a fellow which stood behind him and which carried his arm in a sling; "that loud disturbing Irishman doth interrupt my speech. And besides,"

he continued, with some uneasiness, as I thought, "that door doth seem not strong enough for his beastlike strength. This other here is stouter."

The fellow with the disabled arm--no doubt 'twas he which did attempt to murder me in my tent--then closed and locked the door, whilst three of the soldiers remained in the inner room, that they might check the gallant Michael, should he succeed in breaking down the door. And indeed it now sounded as though the oak must give way; for the giant had ceased his oaths, and all his breath was now being used to support his great strength, that was being exerted on the creaking opposition.

I almost smiled as I thought of the fate of the three men when the great man should rush in upon them.

"And now, Master Catesby," said I, "wilt thou enlighten me as to thine object, in as few words as possible? for mine ears have no desire to listen to thee at length, nor have mine eyes the wish to gaze upon thy recreant body.

"Then hear my purpose in thus luring ye both into this place. I do desire to have yon same lady, which in her fear is even more beautiful than when she smileth, delivered up into my hands. Her safety and tender treatment thou mayest be well a.s.sured of; for I do love her to distraction.

"As for thyself, if thou dost offer no resistance, then shalt thou be permitted to go forth from this place a free man, even though I do hate thee as I do a viper."

I bowed, and smiled grimly, and he continued. "If thou dost resist; well, thou knowest that thou needst not to expect mercy."

"Is that all?"

"That is all."

"Then know, thou slave of degradation and all that is most abominable, that I, as would any man, reject thy base proposal, with words too poor and weak to express, in any good measure, my contempt for the proposer."

At this moment the inner door fell from its hinges with a crash; and then the adjoining room was filled with oaths and the ring of fearful blows.

"Come then, make haste!" cried Catesby to his followers, "yon Herculean savage hath burst through the inner door. Next will he break down this; unless those knaves do stop him."

Then the whole pack of varlets rushed upon me from all points but my back, where the table did prevent them from surrounding me.

"Ha! thou caitiff! ha! thou slave!" cried I, as I struck down the two foremost of the a.s.sa.s.sins.

"What! do ye hesitate, and shrink from a single sword? Strike him down, ye varlets, or at your peril stay a hand until we have him!" and the chiefest of mine attackers drew forth his sword and, stepping o'er the body of one of his fallen band, he did engage with me so hotly as to cause me to use all of my defence in guarding me from his fierce cuts and thrusts.

In then there rushed the others; but so many were there that they did interfere with each other; thus enabling me to still guard off their blows with my good armoured left arm.

Michael had now overcome his three antagonists, and thundered with his mighty shoulders against the remaining door. I knew that this would be more difficult to break down; for, besides being more heavy, as Catesby had said, it opened towards Michael, and this did add greatly unto its powers of resistance. I dared not turn mine eyes towards the door, lest on mine head a stunning blow should fall.

My left arm now had lost its wonted strength, with guarding of the many blows that fell so hard and thick upon it.

"Now we have him! Press him both close and hard!" cried Catesby, as he renewed, with all his activity, his lightning-like attack.

Never in my life have I, before that day nor since, fought with such quickness or strength. I was as a madman for the nonce, and fought with the delight of intoxicated recklessness. My sword seemed everywhere at once, and even the shifty Catesby was pressed back. I stepped forward in the delirium of feverish thirst for slaughter.