The Knight Of The Golden Melice by John Turvill Adams (cat reading book txt) 📕

Gratitude, And The Reward

Of Him Who Shall Enable Us To Lay Hands On The Traitor."

  

 

"He Is No Traitor, Base Slanderer. Thou Hadst Never Dared To Utter

These Injurious Words In His Presence."

 

  

"I Would He Were In Presence," Said Spikeman, Sternly, "And You Would

Soon Be Convinced Of The Contrary. But More Plainly, Madam. Let Me

Entreat You, For Your Own Sake, To Disclose The Hiding-Place Of This

Man, And To Deliver To Me His Papers, For Only By So Doing Can You

Escape Severe And Dreadful Punishment."

 

 

 

A Deeper Pallor Overspread The Pale Face Of The Lady, But Recovering

Herself She Said--

 

  

"If I Understand Thee Aright, Thou Dost Seek To Make Me An Accomplice

Of Thy Crime."

  

 

"It Is No Crime, But An Acceptable Deed, To Deliver A Criminal To

Justice, To Suffer For His Deserts. On Such Conditions, And On Such

Only, Can I Promise Immunity For Thyself."

 

 

 "Justice! I Trust Not The Justice Of A State, Where Such As Thou Bear

Rule. Ye Know Not The Meaning Of The Word. Sacred Heaven! What Would

You Have Me Do? Betray Into Your Toils An Innocent Man, That I May

Avoid, I Know Not What Consequences! Infamous Tempter, I Spurn Thee!

And Know, That Were I Capable Of Such Inexpressible Shame, I Could Not

Commit It. I Know Not Where Is Sir Christopher."

 

 

 But, Evidently, Spikeman Placed No Confidence In The Denial. He Strode

Across The Room, As Though Reflecting On Some Subject, And Then

Stepping Up To The Lady, Bent Over, And Whispered Some Inaudible Words

Into Her Ear.

 

  

"It Is False. Holy Virgin!" She Exclaimed, Forgetting Herself In The

Excitement Of Feeling, "Must I Bear This? Leave Me! Leave Me! Rid Me

Of Your Hateful Presence! The Room Is Full Of Horrid Shapes Since You

Came In."

  

 

"Ha! Madam," Cried Spikeman, "You Have Betrayed Yourself. I Have Your

Secret, And Will Find Means To Force You To Speak The Truth, Ere I Am

Quit Of You," And Scowling Malignantly, He Left The Apartment.

 

 

 

The Excitement Which Had Hitherto Sustained The Lady, Seemed Now To

Desert Her, And She Sunk Upon A Seat. Sobs Broke From Her Bosom, And

Tears, Which She Vainly Tried To Restrain, Streamed Down Her Cheeks.

 

  

"O, Holy Virgin," She Murmured--"Immaculate Lady, Whose Heart Was

Pierced With So Many Sorrows, Help Me To Bear My Own. This Is The

Sorest Trial Of All. Without Thy Preventing Grace, Divine Mary, I

Shall Sink Under It. Intercede With Thy Dear Son For Me."

 

  

The Little Indian Girl, Who, During The Whole Time While Spikeman

Remained, Had Stood By The Lady's Side, Showing No Apprehension

Whatever, But Listening Attentively To Every Word, And Following Each

Motion With Her Keen Eyes, Now Kneeled Down By The Lady, And Looking

Into Her Face, Said--

  

 

"Do Not Cry, Lady. Owanux Have Not Found The Book With The Pretty

Pictures, Nor The Man With The Sweet Face, With His Eyes Shut, And His

Head Falling On One Side, Upon His Shoulder, Who Makes Neebin Feel

Like Crying When She Looks At Him; And Sir Christopher Is Gone Away,

So That They Cannot Catch Him."

  

 

"Dear Neebin," Said The Lady, "Thine Are Timely Words Of Consolation.

Out Of The Mouth Of Babes And Sucklings," She Added, Looking Up, "Dost

Thou Ordain Strength. I Will Be Grateful For These Mercies, Nor Allow

A Weakness To Overcome Me Again."

 

  

The Lady Now, With More Care, Adjusted Her Garments, Which, When

Wakened By The Noise Made At The Entrance Of The Band Into The House,

She Had Hastily Thrown On, And Smoothed Down The Hair That, Without A

Curl, Lay On Her Temples. She Paid The Same Attention To Neebin, And

Then, Crossing Her Hands, Sat Down To Await What Should Follow.

 

 

 "Has Any Thing Been Heard Or Seen Of Him Whom We Seek?" Demanded

Spikeman Of A Soldier, As He Entered The Room Wherein He Had Left Joy.

  

 

"Nothing, So Please You," Answered The Man; "And Philip Here Says That

Our Search Will Be Bootless, For That He Is Not In The House."

 

 

 

"A Fine Soldier Thou, And A Shrewd," Said Spikeman, Contemptuously,

"To Trust What A Prisoner May Say! Call Me Lieutenant Venn."

 

 

 he Soldier Went Out, And Presently Returned With The Lieutenant.

 

 

 "Hast Thou Discovered Nothing On Thy Watch On The Outside?" Inquired

Spikeman.

  

 

"We Invested The Building So Closely," Answered Venn, "That Had A

Mouse Attempted To Run Away, We Had Seen And Captured It; But No Sound

Has Broken The Silence, Nor Aught Met Our Sight."

 

  

"Has The Whole Interior Been Thoroughly Searched?"

 

  

"But Short Time Does It Require To Unshell The Kernel Of A Nut Like

This," Returned The Officer, Looking Round; "And Cowlson Reports To Me

That Everything In It, Save In The Woman's Quarters, (Which His

Modesty Did Not Permit Him To Search,) Is As Well Known To Him As The

Contents Of His Own Cabin."

  

 

"I Fear That The Principal Object Of Our Undertaking Is Defeated,"

Said Spikeman, With A Look, Of Disappointment.

 

  

"Yea," Said The Officer, "The Prey Hath Escaped Even As A Bird From

The Snare. What Is To Be Done Now, Seeing That Sir Christopher Is Not

To Be Found?"

 

  

Spikeman Did Not Hesitate, For He Had Been Considering The Course To

Be Adopted In The Contingency, And He Therefore Promptly Answered--

 

  

"We Have Not Entirely Failed. We Have At Least The Woman, And

Important Information May Be Obtained From Her. The Hope Of Working

Her Deliverance, Or Of Making Terms With Us On Her Account, May Also

Induce The Knight To Put Himself In Our Power."

 

 

 "I Like Not," Said Venn, "A Foray, Whose Achievement Is The Making

Prisoners Of Miles Arundel, Of Honest Philip, And Of A Sorrowful-Looking

Woman. Meseems It Redounds But Little To The Credit Of A File Of Twenty

Men."

  

 

"I Understand Not," Continued Spikeman, As Though The Remark Failed To

Reach Him, "By What Means The Man Was Apprised Of Our Design. Or It

May Be, That, By Mere Chance, He Is Absent; For Some Evil Purpose,

Doubtless. It Will, However, Avail Him Nothing, For Sooner Or Later He

Must Fall Into Our Net. I Have Lingered In The Hope That He Might

Return And Be Caught By The Men On The Margin Of The Wood--A Hope I

Give Not Up Yet, And, Therefore, Perhaps It Were Better To Wait

Awhile."

   

"I Pray You, Sir," Said Lieutenant Venn, "To Do Me A Pleasure In One

Thing. Delay Not Our Departure Until It Be So Late That The Sun Is

Risen When We Enter Boston. I Confess To Some Shame On Account Of This

Night's Work, And Desire That What Was Begun In Darkness May Be Ended

In Like Manner."

 

 

 "What Fanciful Follies Be These?" Said Spikeman. "Art Thou Degraded By

Any Service Which Promotes The Interests Of The Commonwealth?"

 

  

"Nevertheless, Be It A Fanciful Folly Or Grave Wisdom, I Will Take The

Liberty To Iterate The Request, And Will Hold Myself Indebted If It Be

Granted."

 

 

 

"Surely," Said Spikeman, "It Is A Light Thing, And Because You Wish

It, It Shall Be Done. Call In The Men From The Margin Of The Clearing,

And We Will Begin Preparations For Return."

  

 

Let No Surprise Be Felt At The Character Of The Conversation Betwixt

The Superior And Inferior Officer, And At The Influence Exercised By

The Latter Over The Former. The Men Under The Command Of The Assistant

For The Occasion Were Not Regular Soldiers But Ordinary Citizens;

Liable, It Is True, To Be Called Out At Any Moment To Do Military Duty

Whenever An Exigency Arose, But Without Being Subject To Any Very

Strict Discipline. The Most Of Them Were Voters, And Hence A Source Of

Power, And Therefore To Be Courted By Any One Ambitious Of Political

Distinction. Such An One Was The Assistant, And He Stood In About The

Same Relation To His Men That A Modern Militia Captain, Who Is

Desirous Of Civil Office, Does To His Company Of Soldiers, And Who,

Through Fear Of Giving Offence And So Losing The Object Of His

Aspirations, Is Obliged To Relax The Strictness Of Military Rule.

 

 

 On Receiving The Order, Lieutenant Venn Started Off To Execute It,

And, As Soon As He Was Gone, Spikeman Took Ephraim Pike Aside.

 

 

 "Ephraim," He Said, "The Badger May Lie Hid In Some Cunning Place Of

Concealment In The House, And After All Laugh At Our Simplicity At Our

Departure Without Him."

  

 

"That Can Hardly Be," Said Pike. "The House Has Been Thoroughly

Searched, And I Would Pledge My Life The Knight Is Not In It."

 

 

 

"Verily Thou Mayest Be Right, Yet Is There A Possibility Of Mistake.

Ephraim, With Our Hands On The Plough, We Will Not Look Back. We Must

Burn This Nest Of Hornets, And Should The Knight Of The Melice Be

Burned With It, There Will Be No Harm Done."

  

 

"I Suppose," Said Ephraim, Rather Sulkily, "This Is A Service You Want

To Put On My Shoulders, But An' You Wish To Burn The House, You Can

Burn It Yourself."

 

  

"That Can I Not Do," Answered Spikeman. "The Thing Must Be Done

Secretly, So That It May Appear The Consequence Of Some Accident. Were

I To Absent Myself I Should Be Missed, But Thou Canst Do It Without

Suspicion."

 

 

"And Suppose It Done, What Then?" Asked Pike.

 

 

 

"Thou Shalt Have A Gold Piece For That Which Costs Thee But Little

Trouble And No Risk."

 

 

"How Shall It Be Done?"

 

 

 "I Will Presently Take All The Inmates Of The Cabin With Us On Our

Return. After We Have Gone A Few Rods, Do Thou Retrace Thy Steps And

Fire The Building, And Hurry Back Immediately."

 

 

 "But Should I Be Missed?"

  

 

"There Is Little Probability Of That; But Thou Knowest Me, Ephraim,

And Can Be Certain That I Will Be Able To Account Satisfactorily

Therefor Should It Happen."

 

 

 Yea, I Do Know Thee," Said Ephraim To Himself, "For As Cunning A One

As Beelzebub Himself; But Thou Hast Never Failed Me, And I Will Trust

Thee Yet Again. I Will Do The Thing," He Said Aloud, "Since Thy Mind

Is Set Thereon; But It Rubs Mightily Against The Grain."

  

 

"Thou Shalt Not Repent It," Replied Spikeman. "We Are In Some Sort

Confederates, And Our Fates Are So Interwoven That Thy Fortunes Depend

On Mine."

 

 

 

With These Prophetic Words The Assistant Left His Coadjutor, And

Returning To The Apartment Of The Lady, Requested Her To Prepare

Herself And The Indian Child To Accompany Him. She Made No Reply, And,

On His Departure, Sat Some Little Time Pondering What It Became Her To

Do; After Which, She Rose And Prepared Some Articles Of Clothing.

 

 

 Spikeman Soon Re-Appeared, And Directing One Of His Soldiers To Carry

The Clothing, Begged The Lady To Follow Him. This She Did Without

Objection, Holding The Girl By The Hand, And Appearing Indifferent To

All That Happened. She Found Arundel And Joy, With A Number Of Strange

Persons, In The Largest Room Of The Building, Preparing For Departure.

The Countenances Of The Two Men Expressed The Indignation Which They

Felt, But They Were Obliged To Content Themselves With The Offer Of

Such Services, As Their Situation Permitted. This The Lady Graciously

Acknowledged In A Few Words, But Seemed More Inclined To Indulge In

Her Own Private Thoughts Than To Encourage Any Conversation. They All

Left The House Together, And, When In The Open Air, Were Committed To

The Special Guard Of Half A Dozen Of The Party, Who Composed The

Centre; And, In This Order, Led By Spikeman, The Cavalcade Commenced

Their March. They Had Proceeded At A Slow Pace, On Account Of The

Females, And In Silence, Broken Only By An Occasional Question And

Answer, For Perhaps Half An Hour, When One Of The Men Observed That

Either The Moon Had Risen Or The Morning Was Breaking.

 

  

"There Is No Moon, Cowlson," Said A Soldier; "Nor, According To My

Reckoning, Can It Be Much Past Midnight. The Light Ye See Comes From

The North; And, An' It Were Winter, I Should Think It Was The Shooting

Of The Northern Lights."

 

 

 

"These Be No Northern Lights, Nor Southern, Nor Moon, Nor Morning,"

Said Another. "An' It Be Not A Fire, My Name Is Not Job Bloyce."

 

 

"How Can It Be A Fire?" Said Ephraim Pike, Who Had Contrived To Join

The Band Without His Absence Being Noticed, After Accomplishing His

Purpose. "There Is Nothing In That Direction But The House We Just

Left, And Sure It Cannot Be That."

 

  

"I Know Not," Said Spikeman. "It May Be The Work Of The Desperate Man

Whom We Failed To Take, And Who Has Done The Deed, In Order To Throw

Disgrace In Some Sort On Us."

 

  

"That Is A Strange Supposition," Said Lieutenant Venn. "A Man Would

Hardly Be Likely To Destroy His Own Property."

 

  

"Not Without Some Malicious Design, I Grant Ye; But That Were Motive

Sufficient With Sir Christopher. Besides, What Is It He Would Burn Up

But A Heap Of Old Logs, Whose Whole Value Could Scarcely Exceed Ten

Pounds?"

 

  

By This Time The Fire Had Gained Such An Ascendancy Over The Building,

As To Throw A