Peveril of the Peak Read online

  CHAPTER XLVIII

  ----But oh! What shall I say to thee, Lord Scroop; thou cruel, Ingrateful, savage, and inhuman creature! Thou that didst bear the key of all my counsels, That knew'st the very bottom of my soul, That almost mightst have coined me into gold, Wouldst thou have practised on me for thy use? --HENRY V.

  At no period of his life, not even when that life was in imminentdanger, did the constitutional gaiety of Charles seem more overclouded,than when waiting for the return of Chiffinch with the Duke ofBuckingham. His mind revolted at the idea, that the person to whom hehad been so particularly indulgent, and whom he had selected as thefriend of his lighter hours and amusements, should prove capable ofhaving tampered with a plot apparently directed against his libertyand life. He more than once examined the dwarf anew, but could extractnothing more than his first narrative contained. The apparition of thefemale to him in the cell of Newgate, he described in such fanciful andromantic colours, that the King could not help thinking the poor man'shead a little turned; and, as nothing was found in the kettledrum, andother musical instruments brought for the use of the Duke's band offoreigners, he nourished some slight hope that the whole plan might beeither a mere jest, or that the idea of an actual conspiracy was foundedin mistake.

  The persons who had been despatched to watch the motions of Mr. Weiver'scongregation, brought back word that they had quietly dispersed. It wasknown, at the same time, that they had met in arms, but this auguredno particular design of aggression, at a time when all true Protestantsconceived themselves in danger of immediate massacre; when the fathersof the city had repeatedly called out the Train-Bands, and alarmed thecitizens of London, under the idea of an instant insurrection of theCatholics; and when, to sum the whole up, in the emphatic words of analderman of the day, there was a general belief that they would allwaken some unhappy morning with their throats cut. Who was to do thesedire deeds, it was more difficult to suppose; but all admitted thepossibility that they might be achieved, since one Justice of the Peacewas already murdered. There was, therefore, no inference of hostileintentions against the State, to be decidedly derived from acongregation of Protestants _par excellence_, military from oldassociations, bringing their arms with them to a place of worship, inthe midst of a panic so universal.

  Neither did the violent language of the minister, supposing that to beproved, absolutely infer meditated violence. The favourite parables ofthe preachers, and the metaphors and ornaments which they selected, wereat all times of a military cast; and the taking the kingdom of heavenby storm, a strong and beautiful metaphor, when used generally as inScripture, was detailed in their sermons in all the technical languageof the attack and defence of a fortified place. The danger, in short,whatever might have been its actual degree, had disappeared as suddenlyas a bubble upon the water, when broken by a casual touch, and had leftas little trace behind it. It became, therefore, matter of much doubt,whether it had ever actually existed.

  While various reports were making from without, and while their tenorwas discussed by the King, and such nobles and statesmen as he thoughtproper to consult on the occasion, a gradual sadness and anxietymingled with, and finally silenced, the mirth of the evening. All becamesensible that something unusual was going forward; and the unwonteddistance which Charles maintained from his guests, while itadded greatly to the dulness that began to predominate in thepresence-chamber, gave intimation that something unusual was labouringin the King's mind.

  Thus play was neglected--the music was silent, or played without beingheard--gallants ceased to make compliments, and ladies to expect them;and a sort of apprehensive curiosity pervaded the circle. Each asked theothers why they were grave; and no answer was returned, any more thancould have been rendered by a herd of cattle instinctively disturbed bythe approach of a thunderstorm.

  To add to the general apprehension, it began to be whispered, that oneor two of the guests, who were desirous of leaving the palace, had beeninformed no one could be permitted to retire until the general hourof dismissal. And these, gliding back into the hall, communicated inwhispers that the sentinels at the gates were doubled, and that therewas a troop of the Horse Guards drawn up in the court--circumstances sounusual, as to excite the most anxious curiosity.

  Such was the state of the Court, when wheels were heard without, andthe bustle which took place denoted the arrival of some person ofconsequence.

  "Here comes Chiffinch," said the King, "with his prey in his clutch."

  It was indeed the Duke of Buckingham; nor did he approach the royalpresence without emotion. On entering the court, the flambeaux whichwere borne around the carriage gleamed on the scarlet coats, lacedhats, and drawn broadswords of the Horse Guards--a sight unusual, andcalculated to strike terror into a conscience which was none of theclearest.

  The Duke alighted from the carriage, and only said to the officer, whomhe saw upon duty, "You are late under arms to-night, Captain Carleton."

  "Such are our orders, sir," answered Carleton, with military brevity;and then commanded the four dismounted sentinels at the under gate tomake way for the Duke of Buckingham. His Grace had no sooner entered,than he heard behind him the command, "Move close up, sentinels--closeryet to the gate." And he felt as if all chance of rescue were excludedby the sound.

  As he advanced up the grand staircase, there were other symptoms ofalarm and precaution. The Yeomen of the Guard were mustered in unusualnumbers, and carried carabines instead of their halberds; andthe Gentlemen-pensioners, with their partisans, appeared also inproportional force. In short, all that sort of defence which the royalhousehold possesses within itself, seemed, for some hasty and urgentreason, to have been placed under arms, and upon duty.

  Buckingham ascended the royal staircase with an eye attentive to thesepreparations, and a step steady and slow, as if he counted each stepon which he trode. "Who," he asked himself, "shall ensure Christian'sfidelity? Let him but stand fast, and we are secure. Otherwise----"

  As he shaped the alternative, he entered the presence-chamber.

  The King stood in the midst of the apartment, surrounded by thepersonages with whom he had been consulting. The rest of the brilliantassembly, scattered into groups, looked on at some distance. All weresilent when Buckingham entered, in hopes of receiving some explanationof the mysteries of the evening. All bent forward, though etiquetteforbade them to advance, to catch, if possible, something of what wasabout to pass betwixt the King and his intriguing statesman. At the sametime, those counsellors who stood around Charles, drew back on eitherside, so as to permit the Duke to pay his respects to his Majesty in theusual form. He went through the ceremonial with his accustomed grace,but was received by Charles with much unwonted gravity.

  "We have waited for you some time, my Lord Duke. It is long sinceChiffinch left us, to request your attendance here. I see you areelaborately dressed. Your toilette was needless on the presentoccasion."

  "Needless to the splendour of your Majesty's Court," said the Duke, "butnot needless on my part. This chanced to be Black Monday at York Place,and my club of _Pendables_ were in full glee when your Majesty's summonsarrived. I could not be in the company of Ogle, Maniduc, Dawson, and soforth, but what I must needs make some preparation, and some ablution,ere entering the circle here."

  "I trust the purification will be complete," said the King, without anytendency to the smile which always softened features, that, ungilded byits influence, were dark, harsh, and even severe. "We wished to ask yourGrace concerning the import of a sort of musical mask which you designedus here, but which miscarried, as we are given to understand."

  "It must have been a great miscarriage indeed," said the Duke, "sinceyour Majesty looks so serious on it. I thought to have done yourMajesty pleasure (as I have seen you condescend to be pleased with suchpassages), by sending the contents of that bass-viol; but I fearthe jest has been unaccept
able--I fear the fireworks may have donemischief."

  "Not the mischief they were designed for, perhaps," said the Kinggravely; "you see, my lord, we are all alive, and unsinged."

  "Long may your Majesty remain so," said the Duke; "yet I see there issomething misconstrued on my part--it must be a matter unpardonable,however little intended, since it hath displeased so indulgent amaster."

  "Too indulgent a master, indeed, Buckingham," replied the King; "and thefruit of my indulgence has been to change loyal men into traitors."

  "May it please your Majesty, I cannot understand this," said the Duke.

  "Follow us, my lord," answered Charles, "and we will endeavour toexplain our meaning."

  Attended by the same lords who stood around him, and followed by theDuke of Buckingham, on whom all eyes were fixed, Charles retired intothe same cabinet which had been the scene of repeated consultations inthe course of the evening. There, leaning with his arms crossed on theback of an easy-chair, Charles proceeded to interrogate the suspectednobleman.

  "Let us be plain with each other. Speak out, Buckingham. What, in oneword, was to have been the regale intended for us this evening?"

  "A petty mask, my lord. I had destined a little dancing-girl to comeout of that instrument, who, I thought, would have performed to yourMajesty's liking--a few Chinese fireworks there were, thinking theentertainment was to have taken place in the marble hall, might, Ihoped, have been discharged with good effect, and without the slightestalarm, at the first appearance of my little sorceress, and were designedto have masked, as it were, her entrance upon the stage. I hope therehave been no perukes singed--no ladies frightened--no hopes of nobledescent interrupted by my ill-fancied jest."

  "We have seen no such fireworks, my lord; and your female dancer, ofwhom we now hear for the first time, came forth in the form of our oldacquaintance Geoffrey Hudson, whose dancing days are surely ended."

  "Your Majesty surprises me! I beseech you, let Christian be sentfor--Edward Christian--he will be found lodging in a large old housenear Sharper the cutler's, in the Strand. As I live by bread, sire,I trusted him with the arrangement of this matter, as indeed thedancing-girl was his property. If he has done aught to dishonour myconcert, or disparage my character, he shall die under the baton."

  "It is singular," said the King, "and I have often observed it, thatthis fellow Christian bears the blame of all men's enormities--heperforms the part which, in a great family, is usually assigned to thatmischief-doing personage, Nobody. When Chiffinch blunders, he alwaysquotes Christian. When Sheffield writes a lampoon, I am sure to hear ofChristian having corrected, or copied, or dispersed it--he is the _amedamnee_ of every one about my Court--the scapegoat, who is to carry awayall their iniquities; and he will have a cruel load to bear into thewilderness. But for Buckingham's sins, in particular, he is the regularand uniform sponsor; and I am convinced his Grace expects Christianshould suffer every penalty he has incurred, in this world or the next."

  "Not so," with the deepest reverence replied the Duke. "I have no hopeof being either hanged or damned by proxy; but it is clear some one hathtampered with and altered my device. If I am accused of aught, let me atleast hear the charge, and see my accuser."

  "That is but fair," said the King. "Bring our little friend from behindthe chimney-board. [Hudson being accordingly produced, he continued.]There stands the Duke of Buckingham. Repeat before him the tale you toldus. Let him hear what were those contents of the bass-viol which wereremoved that you might enter it. Be not afraid of any one, but speak thetruth boldly."

  "May it please your Majesty," said Hudson, "fear is a thing unknown tome."

  "His body has no room to hold such a passion; or there is too little ofit to be worth fearing for," said Buckingham.--"But let him speak."

  Ere Hudson had completed his tale, Buckingham interrupted him byexclaiming, "Is it possible that I can be suspected by your Majesty onthe word of this pitiful variety of the baboon tribe?"

  "Villain-Lord, I appeal thee to the combat!" said the little man, highlyoffended at the appellation thus bestowed on him.

  "La you there now!" said the Duke--"The little animal is quite crazed,and defies a man who need ask no other weapon than a corking-pin to runhim through the lungs, and whose single kick could hoist him from Doverto Calais without yacht or wherry. And what can you expect from anidiot, who is _engoue_ of a common rope-dancing girl, that capered on apack-thread at Ghent in Flanders, unless they were to club their talentsto set up a booth at Bartholomew Fair?--Is it not plain, that supposingthe little animal is not malicious, as indeed his whole kind bear ageneral and most cankered malice against those who have the ordinaryproportions of humanity--Grant, I say, that this were not a maliciousfalsehood of his, why, what does it amount to?--That he has mistakensquibs and Chinese crackers for arms! He says not he himself touched orhandled them; and judging by the sight alone, I question if the infirmold creature, when any whim or preconception hath possession of hisnoddle, can distinguish betwixt a blunderbuss and a black-pudding."

  The horrible clamour which the dwarf made so soon as he heard thisdisparagement of his military skill--the haste with which he blunderedout a detail of this warlike experiences--and the absurd grimaces whichhe made in order to enforce his story, provoked not only the risibilityof Charles, but even of the statesmen around him, and added absurdity tothe motley complexion of the scene. The King terminated this dispute, bycommanding the dwarf to withdraw.

  A more regular discussion of his evidence was then resumed, and Ormondwas the first who pointed out, that it went farther than had beennoticed, since the little man had mentioned a certain extraordinary andtreasonable conversation held by the Duke's dependents, by whom he hadbeen conveyed to the palace.

  "I am sure not to lack my lord of Ormond's good word," said the Dukescornfully; "but I defy him alike, and all my other enemies, and shallfind it easy to show that this alleged conspiracy, if any grounds forit at all exist, in a mere sham-plot, got up to turn the odium justlyattached to the Papists upon the Protestants. Here is a half-hangedcreature, who, on the very day he escapes from the gallows, which manybelieve was his most deserved destiny, comes to take away the reputationof a Protestant Peer--and on what?--on the treasonable conversationof three or four German fiddlers, heard through the sound-holes of avioloncello, and that, too, when the creature was incased in it, andmounted on a man's shoulders! The urchin, too, in repeating theirlanguage, shows he understands German as little as my horse does; and ifhe did rightly hear, truly comprehend, and accurately report what theysaid, still, is my honour to be touched by the language held by suchpersons as these are, with whom I have never communicated, otherwisethan men of my rank do with those of their calling and capacity?--Pardonme, sire, if I presume to say, that the profound statesmen whoendeavoured to stifle the Popish conspiracy by the pretended Meal-tubPlot, will take little more credit by their figments about fiddles andconcertos."

  The assistant counsellors looked at each other; and Charles turned onhis heel, and walked through the room with long steps.

  At this period the Peverils, father and son, were announced to havereached the palace, and were ordered into the royal presence.

  These gentlemen had received the royal mandate at a moment of greatinterest. After being dismissed from their confinement by the elderBridgenorth, in the manner and upon the terms which the reader musthave gathered from the conversation of the latter with Christian, theyreached the lodgings of Lady Peveril, who awaited them with joy, mingledwith terror and uncertainty. The news of the acquittal had reached herby the exertions of the faithful Lance Outram, but her mind had beensince harassed by the long delay of their appearance, and rumours ofdisturbances which had taken place in Fleet Street and in the Strand.

  When the first rapturous meeting was over, Lady Peveril, with an anxiouslook towards her son, as if recommending caution, said she was now aboutto present to him the daughter of an old friend, whom he had _never_(there was an emphasis on the word) se
en before. "This young lady," shecontinued, "was the only child of Colonel Mitford, in North Wales, whohad sent her to remain under her guardianship for an interval, findinghimself unequal to attempt the task of her education."

  "Ay, ay," said Sir Geoffrey, "Dick Mitford must be old now--beyond thethreescore and ten, I think. He was no chicken, though a cock of thegame, when he joined the Marquis of Hertford at Namptwich with twohundred wild Welshmen.--Before George, Julian, I love that girl asif she was my own flesh and blood! Lady Peveril would never have gotthrough this work without her; and Dick Mitford sent me a thousandpieces, too, in excellent time, when there was scarce a cross to keepthe devil from dancing in our pockets, much more for these law-doings. Iused it without scruple, for there is wood ready to be cut at Martindalewhen we get down there, and Dick Mitford knows I would have done thelike for him. Strange that he should have been the only one of myfriends to reflect I might want a few pieces."

  Whilst Sir Geoffrey thus run on, the meeting betwixt Alice and JulianPeveril was accomplished, without any particular notice on his side,except to say, "Kiss her, Julian--kiss her. What the devil! is that theway you learned to accost a lady at the Isle of Man, as if her lips werea red-hot horseshoe?--And do not you be offended, my pretty one; Julianis naturally bashful, and has been bred by an old lady, but you willfind him, by-and-by, as gallant as thou hast found me, my princess.--Andnow, Dame Peveril, to dinner, to dinner! the old fox must have hisbelly-timber, though the hounds have been after him the whole day."

  Lance, whose joyous congratulations were next to be undergone, had theconsideration to cut them short, in order to provide a plain but heartymeal from the next cook's shop, at which Julian sat, like one enchanted,betwixt his mistress and his mother. He easily conceived that the lastwas the confidential friend to whom Bridgenorth had finally committedthe charge of his daughter, and his only anxiety now was, to anticipatethe confusion that was likely to arise when her real parentage wasmade known to his father. Wisely, however, he suffered not theseanticipations to interfere with the delight of his present situation,in the course of which many slight but delightful tokens of recognitionwere exchanged, without censure, under the eye of Lady Peveril, undercover of the boisterous mirth of the old Baronet, who spoke for two, atefor four, and drank wine for half-a-dozen. His progress in thelatter exercise might have proceeded rather too far, had he not beeninterrupted by a gentleman bearing the King's orders, that he shouldinstantly attend upon the presence at Whitehall, and bring his son alongwith him.

  Lady Peveril was alarmed, and Alice grew pale with sympathetic anxiety;but the old Knight, who never saw more than what lay straight beforehim, set it down to the King's hasty anxiety to congratulate him onhis escape; an interest on his Majesty's part which he considered by nomeans extravagant, conscious that it was reciprocal on his own side.It came upon him, indeed, with the more joyful surprise that he hadreceived a previous hint, ere he left the court of justice, that itwould be prudent in him to go down to Martindale before presentinghimself at Court--a restriction which he supposed as repugnant to hisMajesty's feelings as it was to his own.

  While he consulted with Lance Outram about cleaning his buff-belt andsword-hilt, as well as time admitted, Lady Peveril had the means to giveJulian more distinct information, that Alice was under her protection byher father's authority, and with his consent to their union, if it couldbe accomplished. She added that it was her determination to employ themediation of the Countess of Derby, to overcome the obstacles whichmight be foreseen on the part of Sir Geoffrey.