Book: The Blue Pavilions

S >> Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller Couch >> The Blue Pavilions




"We'd best get out of this."

"That's not easy. There's a score of soldiers between us and the
gate; and the sergeant looks like mischief."

"Bless my soul, what a face I've put on that young man!"

The officer, who had been stunned for a moment by his fall, was soon
recalled to life by the pain of the stings. He sat up and looked
round. Already his face had about as much feature as a turnip.
His eyes were closing fast, and a lump as large as a plover's egg
hung on his under-lip.

"Seize those men!" he shouted, and began a string of oaths, but
stopped because the utterance caused him agony.

The sergeant, who had been bending over him, drew his side-arm and
advanced--a hulking big fellow with a pimply face and an ugly look in
his eye.

"Dad," said Tristram, "you made me promise once never to run a man
through unless he molested me in the midst of a peaceful pursuit."

"Well?"

"It appears to me that bee-keeping is a peaceful pursuit."

"Decidedly."

"And that this fellow is going to molest me."

"It looks like it."

"Then I may run him through?"

"Say rather that you must."

"Thank you, dad. I felt sure of it; but this is the first time I've
had to decide, and as it was a promise--You'd best get behind me, I
think. Set your back to the arch. Now, sir."

"You are my prisoners," the sergeant announced.

"Pardon me. Let me direct your notice to this weapon, which is in
_carte_--you seem to have overlooked it."

"You are making matters worse."

"That is very likely. Guard, sir, if you please!"

"You mean to resist?"

"Ah, have you grasped that fact, at last?"

The sergeant rushed upon him and crossed swords. His first lunge was
put aside easily, and he was forced to break ground.

"Hullo! So you can really fence!" he panted, feinting and aiming a
furious thrust at Tristram's throat.

"Upon my word," said Tristram, parrying, and running him through the
thigh as he recovered, "this gentleman seems astonished at
everything!"

As the sergeant dropped, Captain Barker darted from behind Tristram
and pounced upon a musket which one of the soldiers had abandoned
when first assailed by the bees.

"This gets serious," he muttered. "Those fellows yonder are fixing
bayonets."

Indeed, some half a dozen of the red-coats had already done so, and
surrender seemed but a matter of a few moments.

"Give me the musket," said Tristram placidly, "and take the sword.
My arm is longer than yours. Now get behind my shoulder again.
Don't expose yourself, but if one of these fellows slips under my
guard, I leave him to you."

"Good boy!" murmured the little man, exchanging weapons. It is a
fact that tears of pride filled his eyes.

"There are six of them. Excuse me, dad, if I ask you to look out for
your head. I am going to try a _moulinet_."

The six soldiers came on in a very determined manner, each man
presenting his bayonet at Tristram's chest. They had little doubt of
his instant submission, and were considerably surprised when
Tristram, lifting the musket by its barrel, began to whirl it round
his head with the fury of a maniac. The foremost, as the butt
whizzed by his cheek, drew back a pace.

"Run the rebels through!" cursed the officer behind them.

The leader shortened his grasp on his bayonet, and, watching his
opportunity, dashed under Tristram's arm. At the same instant
Captain Barker popped out, and with a quiet pass spitted him clean
through the right lung.

"All together, you sons of dogs!" yelled the sergeant, who had
dragged himself to a little distance, and was stanching the flow of
blood from his wounded thigh.

Two of the soldiers heard the advice and came on together with a
rush. The first of them caught the full swing of Tristram's musket
on the side of his stiff cap and went down like an ox. The second
took Captain Barker's sword through the left arm and dropped his
bayonet. But before either Tristram or the Captain could disengage
his weapon the other three assailants were upon them, and the fight
was over.

"Surrender!" cried one, holding his point against Tristram's chest.

"Must I?" the latter inquired, turning to Captain Barker.

"H'm, there seems to be no choice."

"And you also, sir."

"Certainly. Here is my sword; it belongs to your captain yonder,
whom you may recognise by his uniform. Assure him, with my
compliments--"

He was interrupted by the clatter of hoofs, and two gentlemen on
horseback came cantering up the road and drew rein suddenly.

"Hey! What have we here?" demanded a foreign voice.

The soldiers turned and presented arms in a flurry. The taller of
the two horsemen was an extremely handsome cavalier in a nut-brown
peruque and scarlet riding-suit on which several orders glistened.
He bestrode a black charger of remarkable size and beauty; and
seemed, by his stature and presence, to domineer over his companion,
a small man with a hooked nose and an extremely emaciated face, who
wore a plain habit of dark purple and rode a sorrel blood-mare of no
especial points. Nevertheless it was this little man who had spoken,
and at the sound of his voice a whisper ran through the crowd:

"The King!"

It was, in fact, his Majesty King William III., who, tired of the
slow jolting of the royal coach along the abominable road of that
period, had exchanged that equipage for his favourite mare and
cantered ahead of his escort, refreshing his senses in the strong
breeze that swept from seaward across the level country.

"Sir, will you be good enough to explain?" he demanded again,
addressing the unfortunate officer, who had picked himself up from
the road and stood covered with shame and swellings.

"Your Majesty, the two prisoners here were engaged in obstructing
your Majesty's high-road."

"They seem to be still doing so."

"And knowing that your Majesty was shortly expected to pass, I
proceeded to remove them."

"But what is this? A company of my foot-guards in confusion!
One-two-three-four of them wounded--if, indeed, one is not killed
outright! Do you tell me that this old man and this boy have done it
all, besides bruising the faces of a dozen more?"

"They and a swarm of cursed bees, your Majesty."

"This is incredible! . . . Bees?"

"Yes, your Majesty," put in Captain Barker, "he is telling you the
truth. You see, it happened that my bees swarmed this afternoon, and
had no better taste than to alight on this arch, under which your
Majesty was shortly expected to pass. We were about to hive them
when this young gentleman came along at the head of his company, and
there arose a discussion, at the end of which I hived him instead."

"But these wounded men--"

"Ah, your Majesty, it was unfortunate; but one can never tell where
these discussions will end."

"Three of my men and a sergeant placed _hors de combat_--a dozen more
unfit to be seen--an officer dismounted, and his whole company
scattered like a flock of geese! I am seriously annoyed, sir. What
is your name?"

"Sire, I am called Captain Barker, and was formerly an officer in the
fleet of his late Majesty King Charles the Second."

"Barker . . . Barker? I seem to remember your name. Captain John
Barker, are you not?"

"That is so."

"Sometime in command of the _Wasp_ frigate?"

"Your Majesty has a perfect recollection of his most insignificant
enemies."

King William bit his lip.

"My memory is good, Captain Barker, as you say. Why did you quit the
service?"

"For private reasons."

"Come, sir; you were, if I remember right, a gallant commander.
With such their country's service stands above private reasons.
Of late your country's claim has been urgent upon all brave men; and,
by the havoc I see around, you are not past warfare."

"Well, but--"

"Speak out."

"Sire, all my life I have fought against Dutchmen."

"You found them worthy foes, I expect."

"In all respects."

"Would they be less worthy allies?"

"Not at all. But consider, sire, the habits of a lifetime.
From boyhood I never met a Dutchman whom it was not my duty to knock
down. To-day, if I sailed in an English ship-of-war, what should I
find? Dutchmen all around me. Your Majesty, I cannot speak the
Dutch language except with a cutlass. I distrust my habits.
They would infallibly lead to confusion. In the heat of action, for
instance--"

The little man stopped abruptly. It seemed that his speech gave
uncommon pleasure to the tall gentleman on the black charger, whose
face twitched with a barely perceptible smile. King William, on the
other hand, was frowning heavily.

"Sir," he said, "your tongue runs dangerously near sedition."

"I am sorry your Majesty thinks so."

"You are also very foolish. I find you incurring my just anger, and
hint, as plainly as I can, at an honourable way of escape. Captain
Barker, are you aware that your case is serious?"

"I am, sire. Nevertheless, I decline to escape by the road you are
good enough to leave open."

"Your reasons?"

"They are private, as I had the honour to inform your Majesty."

"My lord," said the King, turning irritably to his companion,
"what shall I do to this intractable old man? You have a voice in
this, seeing that he has spoilt four of your favourite guards."

The tall man in scarlet bent and muttered a word or two in a low
voice.

"Ah, to be sure: I had forgotten the youngster. Is this your son,
sir?"

"By adoption only."

"A strapping fellow," said his Majesty, eyeing Tristram from head to
foot.

"And as good as he's tall. Sire, his offence--if offence it be--
arose from the affection he bears me, and from no worse cause.
He would not willingly hurt a fly."

"What is he called?"

"Tristram."

"He has a second name, I suppose?"

"Tristram Salt, then, in full."

The man in scarlet at these words gave a quick, penetrating glance at
the speaker, and for an instant seemed about to speak; but closed his
lips again, and fell to regarding Tristram with interest, as King
William went on:

"He ought to be in my army."

"Your Majesty does him much honour, but--"

"But?"

"May it please your Majesty, I had other intentions concerning him."

"My lord of Marlborough," said the King, turning coldly from the
little man and pointing with his gloved hand towards Tristram,
"allow me to present you with a recruit."

Captain Barker's face was twisted with a spasm of fury. But as he
stammered for words another voice was lifted, and Captain Runacles
came through the crowd. He had been fetched from his laboratory by
Mr. Swiggs, and had arrived on the scene in time to hear the last
sentence.

"Your Majesty! Listen to me!"

King William was turning calmly to ride back to his escort. But at
sight of the intruder's commanding and venerable figure he checked
his mare.

"Pray, sir, who are you? And what have you to say?"

"I'm Jeremy Runacles, and this lad's guardian."

"He is peculiarly unfortunate in the loyalty of his protectors."

"Sire, I have served my country in times past."

"I know it, Captain Runacles. But it seems that you, too, fight only
against the Dutch."

"Your Majesty has, it appears, done me the honour to study my poor
record."

"My word, sir! Does that surprise you?"

"No, sire, it reassures me. For you must be aware that I am no
rebel."

"H'm."

"Though, to be sure, I cannot help my tastes."

"You may suffer for them, none the less."

"I am ready to pay for them. Since your Majesty has taken a fancy to
this young man--"

"Who, by the way, has maltreated a whole company of my guards."

"--Permit me, as his guardian, to ransom him. He has large estates."

"You forget, sir," exclaimed the King haughtily, "that I am punishing
him. Do you entertain the idea of bribing me?"

"I forget nothing, sire. I even remember that this is England, and
not Holland."

"My lord," said William, turning to the Earl of Marlborough, "I pray
you dispose of the recruit as you think fit. Have him removed, and
have the highroad cleared of these rebels; for I see my escort down
the road."

And touching the sorrel with his heel, his Majesty cantered back to
meet the approaching cavalcade.



CHAPTER VI.


THE EARL OF MARLBOROUGH SEEKS RECRUITS.

Night had fallen. It was past eight o'clock, and Captain John and
Captain Jemmy sat facing each other, one on each side of the empty
fireplace, in Captain John's library. They were in complete
darkness--for the red glow of tobacco in the pipe which Captain Jemmy
puffed dejectedly could hardly be called a light. For half an hour
no word had been spoken, when somebody tapped at the door.

"What is it?" asked Captain Barker.

"A gentleman to see you," answered the voice of Mr. Swiggs.

"What's his name?"

"He won't say."

"Tell him I am busy to-night."

Narcissus withdrew, and knocked again a minute later.

"He says he must see you."

"Have you turned him out?"

"I told him you were busy with Captain Jemmy. 'Who's Captain Jemmy?'
he asks. 'Captain Jemmy Runacles,' I answers. 'All the better,'
says he."

"Excuse me," said a voice at the door; "but my business concerns both
of you gentlemen. Also it concerns Tristram Salt."

"Narcissus, bring a couple of candles."

While Mr. Swiggs was executing this order an oppressive silence
filled the room. The stranger's dark shadow rested motionless by the
doorway. Above the breathing of the three men could only be heard
the far-off sound of Harwich bells still ringing their welcome to
King William.

When the candles were brought in and Narcissus had retired again
after closing the shutters, the stranger removed the broad-brimmed
hat and heavy cloak which he had worn till that moment, and tossed
them negligently on the table before him.

It was the scarlet-coated cavalier who had ridden beside the King
that afternoon.

"The Earl of Marlborough!"

"The same, sirs; and your servant."

"Be kind enough, my lord, to state the message you bring from your
master, and to leave this house as soon as it is delivered."

To Captain Barker's astonishment, the Earl showed no sign of
resenting this speech.

"You are wrong," he answered quietly; "William of Orange is not my
master. If I mistake not, you and I, gentlemen, acknowledge but one
sovereign ruler, King James."

At these bold words, uttered in the calmest voice, the two captains
caught their breath and stared at each other. Captain Runacles was
the first to recover. He laughed incredulously.

"Your lordship appears to have forgotten Salisbury."

Any other man would have winced at this taunt. But the Earl of
Marlborough met it with the face of a statue.

"Captain Runacles, I have neither forgotten it nor am likely to.
The remembrance of that affair has followed me night and day.
I cannot--even now that I am pardoned--rid myself of its horror.
I cannot eat; I cannot sleep. I see my crime in its true light, and
am appalled by its enormity. And yet--God help me!--I thought at the
time I was saving my country. Gentlemen, you, who have faced no such
responsibility as then confronted me, will be apt to judge me without
mercy. I know not if I can persuade you that my remorse is honest.
But consider--Here am I at William's right hand, already rich and
powerful, and possessing limitless prospects of increased power and
riches. Yet am I ready to sacrifice everything, to brave everything,
to bring utter ruin on my fortune, if only I can rid myself of this
nightmare of shame. Is this the attitude of insincerity?"

"Upon my word, my lord, I'd give something to know why the devil you
tell all this to us."

"I hardly know myself," answered the Earl, sighing deeply, but still
without a grain of expression on his handsome face. "A man haunted
as I am can hardly account for all his utterances. I have come to do
you a service, and, having done it, might have withdrawn without a
word. But the sight of you recalled the honest words you spoke to
the usurper this afternoon. Sirs, I envied you then; and just now an
insane longing took hold of me to set myself right with two such
inflexible friends of King James."

"Would it not be more to the point if you first obtained pardon from
King James himself?"

"I have done so."

"Well, my lord, I cannot yet see what your affairs have to do with
us. But if it will give you any pleasure that we should believe
these remarkable statements--"

"I have assured you that it will."

"Then perhaps you will produce some proof of them in black and
white."

The Earl drew a folded paper from his breast and spread it upon the
table before them. It was an affectionate letter of pardon, dated a
month back from the Court of Saint Germains, written throughout and
signed by the hand of King James himself.

"Thank you, my lord. When his Majesty writes thus, it is not for his
subjects to bear rancour. Will you kindly state your immediate
business?"

"It concerns the young man Tristram Salt. You desire that he should
be restored to you?"

"My lord," said Captain Barker, "that young man is more to me than
many sons."

"You are indignant at the recollection of this afternoon?"

"What has that to do with it?"

"Much. But let me continue. Your adopted son, Captain Barker,
is at this moment lying in the hold of his Majesty's frigate the
_Good Intent_. He is in irons."

"In irons!"

"Yes, sir. He has undoubtedly imbibed your opinions with regard to
the Dutch, for he began his military career by blacking the eyes of a
gentleman of that nation, who, as ill-luck will have it, is his
superior officer."

"The devil!"

"To-morrow morning he will receive six dozen lashes--perhaps more.
I take the most cheerful view in order to spare your feelings; but
most decidedly it will be six dozen, unless--"

"Unless--what?"

"Unless I remit the sentence. The young man, you understand, was
placed under my care."

"My lord, you will pardon him?"

"With pleasure. Nay, I will restore him to you this very night--"

Captain Barker leapt up from his seat in a transport of gratitude,
and would have caught the Earl's hand had not his friend dragged him
back by the coat-tails.

"--On conditions," his lordship concluded.

"Name them."

"In a moment. We are agreed, I believe, that to blacken a Dutchman's
eyes is no great sin. There are too many Dutchmen around his
Majesty--as you, sirs, had the courage to inform his Majesty this
afternoon."

"Did we say that?"

"I understood you to hint it, at any rate. I assure you that I am
never so much disposed to regret my change of allegiance on that
November night at Salisbury as when I look around and see how little
my own countrymen have profited by that action."

"A while ago," interposed Captain Runacles sharply, "it was the crime
itself that pursued you with remorse."

"The results, sir, have helped me to see the crime in its proper
light."

"My lord, I have the deepest respect for your genius; but at the same
time it appears to me that you lack something."

"Indeed? It would be a kindness to point out in what respect--"

"Let me call it--a gift. But I interrupt you."

"To proceed, then. We are at one on the question of these Dutchmen;
at one also on the question of William's high-handed action this
afternoon. Let me propose a plan by which you can effectively mark
your disgust of both, while at the same time you recover the young
man on whom you set so much store. Gentlemen, you are not past
serving your country on the seas."

"King William hinted as much to-day," replied Captain Barker, "and I
gave him my answer."

"I appeal to you not in the name of William, but in the name of your
true sovereign, King James."

"That is another matter, I'll admit. Would you mind putting the
question definitely?"

"I must have your word to regard what I am about to say as a secret."

"If it does not bind us in any way."

"It does not. You are free to accept or reject my offer."

"We promise, then."

"Listen: I am in a position to offer each of you the command of one
of his Majesty's ships."

"As a condition of getting back Tristram tonight?"

The Earl nodded.

"But excuse me--"

"Ah, I know what you will say. It is a sacrifice of your leisure.
I admit it; but from certain expressions of yours this afternoon I
gathered that your love for this lad might overcome your natural
disinclination."

"You mistake. I was about to say that this offer of yours strikes us
as rather barren. At least it might have been kept until King James
is restored to his country. In that event he may very well prefer to
give his commands to younger men; but in any event he will find us
obedient to his royal wish."

"That is a very loyal attitude. But, as it happens, you would be
required to enter into your commands before his Majesty's
restoration."

"Explain yourself, my lord."

"I am not in a position to speak with authority or exactness
of the events which will shortly take place in the British fleet.
I am a mere soldier, you understand. But let us suppose a case.
King William sails early to-morrow, with Rear-Admiral Rooke's
squadron, for the Maese. Let us suppose that no sooner is his
Majesty landed at The Hague and safe in his own beloved realm than
our gallant English sailors display a just distaste for their Dutch
commanders by setting those commanders ashore, and running--let us
say--for Calais, where their true Sovereign waits to be conveyed
across to the country which his rival has quitted. Obviously, for
this purpose, the fleet would need, on the spot, capable officers to
step into the shoes of the deposed Dutchmen."

"You propose that Jack and I shall be two of these officers?" asked
Captain Runacles slowly, with a glance at his comrade.

"I think it advisable that you should be at The Hague. You
understand that I merely sketch out a possible course of events."

"Of course. Do you think it likely that the British squadron--
supposing it to behave as you say--would receive support at Calais?"

"I fancy it might find a large squadron of his French Majesty's fleet
waiting there to co-operate."

"And the army?"

"It is possible that events might happen, about that time, among our
regiments in Flanders."

"That, in other words, they would desert to King Lewis?"

"You put it crudely, Captain Runacles. I believe that our gallant
soldiers will act with a single eye to their country's welfare; and I
am sure they will do nothing that can be constructed as a blot upon
their country's flag."

"I also am tolerably certain of that, my lord," answered Captain
Jemmy drily. "Come, Jack--your answer?"

The little hunchback had been leaning back, during the last minute or
two, with his face in the shadow; but at these words he bent forward.
His cheeks were white and drawn.

"Why must I give the answer, Jemmy?"

"Because the lad is your son. It rests with you to save him or not."

Captain Barker stood up.

"You'll abide by my decision?"

"Certainly." Captain Runacles crossed his legs and eyed the visitor
deliberately.

"Then," said the little man, dragging out the words syllable by
syllable, "there, my lord, are your hat and cloak. Oblige me by
quitting this house of mine at once."

"God bless you, Jack!" muttered his friend. The Earl's brow did not
even flush at the rebuff. Throughout his career this extraordinary
man was able to overlook the contempt of others as easily as he
disregarded their sufferings. Probably, as Captain Runacles had
said, he lacked a gift.

On this occasion he picked up his hat and cloak without a trace of
discomposure.

"I understand you to refuse my offer?" he said.

"Yes."

"You prefer that the young man should receive six dozen lashes
to-morrow morning."

Captain Barker winced and his mouth contracted painfully.

"My lord, I took that boy from his dead mother when he was a few
hours old. Never in his life has a hand been laid upon him in anger.
He will hardly understand what it means. But he has been taught to
know honour and to cherish it. I choose as he would choose, were he
here."

"Are you going, my lord?" added Captain Jemmy. "You have your
answer."

"Not quite yet, I fancy. Captain Barker, you told me you took this
lad from his dead mother. She was a Mistress Salt, I believe."

"Excuse me if I fail to see--"

"You will see in a moment. I am not wrong, perhaps, in supposing
that lady to have been the wife of Roderick Salt, sometime my comrade
in the Foot Guards. He married in Harwich, I remember; and in many
respects the resemblance which this lad bears to him is remarkable."

"There is no likeness in their characters, my lord."

"I daresay not; indeed, I hope not. But suppose now I inform you
that Roderick Salt is still alive--"

The Earl broke off and looked at the two captains narrowly.

"Did you know that?" he asked.

There was no answer.

"I seem to remember an expression which you, Captain Runacles, let
fall this afternoon. You told his Majesty that Tristram Salt owned
large estates. Is the boy's father aware of this?"

Again he paused for an answer, but none came.

"These estates are administered under trust, I presume. Who are the
legal trustees?"

"I am," Captain Jemmy replied, with a sudden effort.

"You alone?"

Captain Jemmy, after struggling for a moment with the wrath in his
throat, answered:

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