The Young Castellan: A Tale of the English Civil War

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER TWENTY.

  WAR TO THE KNIFE.

  War to the knife without a doubt, for in the gathering gloom of theevening, as Roy went up to the top of the north-west tower, followed byMaster Pawson, it was to see that mounted men were in a goodly bodymaking a complete circuit of the castle, roughly marking out a lineabout half a mile in diameter, and at every hundred yards or so a coupleof troopers were halted, and retained their posts.

  "Shutting us in, Master Pawson," said Roy, after watching the manoeuvrefor some time.

  "Ah!" said the secretary, with a sigh; "they will patrol the country allround now, and stop communications with the outside."

  "Yes," said Roy, frowning; "and I suppose I must give up all hope of themen from the farm getting in."

  "Ah, yes! they are prisoners before this. So your poor father is lookedupon as a rebel now."

  "Stop, Master Pawson," said Roy, hotly; "these words must not be spokenhere."

  "I only meant them as the opinion of the other party, who presume to saythe estate is confiscated."

  "My father acknowledges no other party. Confiscated! Why, this placehas belonged to the Roylands from the days of the Plantagenets, MasterPawson. Let these people come and take it if they can."

  "Ah, yes! that's brave and true, Roy, brave and true. Then you do meanto fight?"

  "Yes, and you too," cried the boy. "You want to save my father'sestate."

  "Oh, yes, I want to save the estate," said the secretary, eagerly.

  "Then do everything you can," cried Roy. "Yes, they will soon haveformed a ring round the castle now! Well, let them keep their distance,for I shall give orders for the garrison to fire at any one who attemptsto approach."

  "And how long do you hope to be able to hold out?"

  "As long as it is necessary," said Roy, proudly; "till my father comeswith his men, and scatters all these people away."

  "To be sure, yes," said the secretary. "How proud he will be of you,Roy, when he knows all."

  Roy hurried down to join his lieutenant, whom he found humming a tune inthe armoury, busy over some preparations by the light of a lamp.

  "You don't seem in very bad spirits, Ben," he said. "Bad spirits! Whatabout, sir? Why, it's like the good old time when your father and Iwere young. Not so young as you, though! Well, sir, we've beenthinking over our plans. They won't do anything yet--only shut us in.They're going to wait for more men and more artillery."

  "But we must be well on the watch against surprise, Ben."

  "Why, of course, sir! You'll have your watch on the towers. And you'veseen how they've got a ring of patrols round us?"

  "Yes, I watched them. So we may give up all hope of getting those tenof Raynes's."

  "I'm afraid so. It's a bad job, sir, as the corporal was saying justnow, for we'd trained them into being our best gunners."

  "A terrible loss."

  "Well, not so very terrible, sir, because we must train up some more.Oh! we can keep the enemy outside the moat and enjoy ourselves whilethey're starving without a roof to cover them. But I want to say aserious thing or two, sir."

  "I know, Ben; you want to say that my mother's garden must go."

  "That's one thing, sir."

  "Well, take what ground you want, and we'll put it straight when we'vesent the Parliament to the right-about."

  "Oh, you'll make a good general, sir; and this trouble's a blessing indisguise to save you from being wasted on books, and becoming a sort ofMaster Pawson. And that brings me to the other things."

  "Well, what are those?"

  "Just you tell me plain, as a soldier--which you are now--what you setdown as the strongest bits of the castle?"

  "Why, the towers, of course!"

  "That's right, sir. Very well, then, they must be well manned."

  "As well as we can man them."

  "That's it, sir; and we must have elbow-room."

  "Of course!"

  "Then will you speak to my lady, and ask her to give Master Pawson acouple of rooms in the private part somewhere, or one room ought to beenough now, for I want those two chambers of his badly?"

  "He won't like that, Ben," said Roy, quickly.

  "I s'pose not, sir; and there'll be a lot of things none of us willlike, but we've got to put up with them. If you'll see about that atonce, I shall be glad."

  "Is it very necessary, Ben?"

  "You know best about that, sir."

  "Yes, it is very necessary, Ben," said Roy; and he hurried off to talkthe matter over with his mother, visiting the ramparts on his way.

  He found Lady Royland busy writing, and she looked up with a smile.

  "I am keeping a diary of all that has taken place since we began thedefence. But tell me first--Raynes's men--are we to give them up?"

  "I'm afraid so, mother. They have not failed us, but have been takenprisoners."

  "This is a sad blow, Roy, but we must make up for it by workingtogether.--But what is it? You have not come to chat about nothings."

  "No, mother," said the boy, seriously. "I have come to say that thepleasaunce must go. Ben Martlet says he cannot do without it now."

  "I have been expecting this, my boy. It has always been a dear delightto me, but it is a pleasure for peace; and when the happy days comeback, I shall want the whole garrison to restore it to me again."

  "Then I was right in telling Ben to take what he wanted?"

  "Of course, my boy.--Something else?"

  "Yes, mother--another bit of self-sacrifice. Martlet and I both feelthat we must have the north-west tower.--Ah, Master Pawson, you there?"

  "Yes. I knocked twice, and I thought you said `Come in.'"

  "Then you heard what I said just now."

  "I heard you mention the western tower. Have you been telling herladyship of what we saw this evening?"

  "No. What did you see?" cried Lady Royland, quickly.

  "The enemy has completely surrounded us with sentinels."

  "Ah! they would, of course."

  "It was not that, Master Pawson--but this; I was about telling my motherthat, for the purposes of defence, Martlet and I feel that we must havethe north-west tower."

  "But you have it; the guns are there."

  "The top only," said Roy. "The chambers below are required for the menwho work the guns, for ammunition, and other purposes."

  Master Pawson looked at him in blank horror.

  "My mother will see that you have comfortable rooms or a room somewherehere. I will give up mine to you if you like."

  "Oh! I could not take that," said the secretary, quickly. "But surelythis is not necessary."

  "Yes; it is absolutely necessary. Besides, that tower will certainly bebattered by the enemy's guns, and it will not be safe for you."

  "I wish you would not persist in looking upon me as such a coward, Roy;it is not fair. I was never meant for a soldier, but surely a man maybe a man of peace and yet not a coward."

  "No, no; I do not look upon you as a coward," said Roy, hastily. "It isreally because that will be a dangerous spot, and the rooms must bestrongly occupied."

  "But, as I said, you have the guns at the top. Really, I must protest;I am so much attached to those little rooms. Surely you can let mestay. I do not mind the firing. I will not go near the windows."

  "You do not grasp the fact that these angle towers are our greatestprotection," said Roy, firmly. "I am sorry to give you all the troubleand annoyance, but we must have the chambers below. The one you use fora sleeping-room is absolutely necessary for the powder."

  "Indeed, Lady Royland, they could manage without," protested thesecretary, warmly. "It would be a dreadful inconvenience to me to givethem up. There are the books and my papers. Oh, it is reallyimpossible."

  "You forget, Master Pawson, that we all have to make sacrifices now, andthat we shall have to make more and greater ones yet, before thisunhappy trouble is at an end."

  "Yes, yes, I know, Lady Royland, and I
am ready to do anything to assistyou," cried the secretary, excitedly.

  "Then give up your rooms like a man," said Roy, "and without making somuch fuss."

  Master Pawson darted an angry look at the boy and then turned to hismother.

  "You know, Lady Royland, how I have thrown myself heart and soul intothe defence since I have found it necessary. You bade me go, but Iwould not. Duty said stay, and I risked my life in doing so; but as afavour, I beg that you will not let me be ousted from my two poor littlerooms to gratify the whim of a very obstinate old soldier, who wouldturn your pleasaunce into a drill-ground."

  "I have given up my garden because it is wanted, Master Pawson," saidLady Royland, coldly.

  "To gratify a good soldier, I know, but a man who would have everythingturned into a fighting place."

  "It is not fair of you, sir," said Roy, speaking very firmly. "This isno whim on the part of Martlet. Now that we are coming to using theguns, the men must have a place of shelter beneath the platform, and onewhere the powder may lie ready for handing up. We must have yoursleeping-room."

  "Take it then," cried the secretary. "I give it up; but spare me mylittle sitting-room."

  "We want that too," said Roy. "We may have wounded men."

  "Then bring them in there, and I'll help to dress their wounds; but Imust keep that."

  "Surely you can manage without depriving Master Pawson of that place,Roy," said Lady Royland.

  "Thank you, thank you, Lady Royland.--Yes, you hear that, Roy. Youcan--you must--you shall spare me that poor place. It is so small."

  "And suppose we have an accident, and the powder bestowed in yourchamber above is blown up?"

  "Well, I shall have died doing my duty," said the secretary, withhumility.

  "Wouldn't it be doing your duty more to try and avoid danger, so as tobe useful to us all?" said Roy; and his mother's eyes flashed withpleasure, while the secretary started to hear such utterances from themere boy he despised.

  "Perhaps so," he said, with a faint laugh; "but really, Roy, you willnot be so hard upon me as to refuse that favour. Do not make me thinkthat now you are castellan, you are becoming a tyrant."

  "There is no fear of my son becoming a tyrant, Master Pawson," said LadyRoyland, smiling, and with something suggesting contempt for the speakerin her tones.--"Roy, dear, I think you might manage to let the lowerroom remain as it is for Master Pawson's use, if the upper floor isgiven up to the men. He could have the room next to yours for abedchamber."

  "Oh, that would not be necessary," said the secretary, eagerly. "Theone room is all I want--it can be my bedchamber too."

  "I hardly know what to say, mother," said the boy, gravely.--"Well,then, Master Pawson, keep your study; but we must have the upper room atonce, and if you are annoyed by the going to and fro of the men on thestaircase, you must not blame me."

  "My dear boy," he cried, with effusion, "pray do not think me sounreasonable. I am most grateful to you, Lady Royland, and to you too,Roy. I shall never forget this kindness. I will go and see to the newarrangement at once. Can I have two servants to help to move down thefew things I shall want?"

  "You can have two of the garrison, Master Pawson," replied Roy, smiling;"they all consider themselves to be soldiers now."

  "Thank you, thank you," he cried, in a voice which sounded as if it werechoked by emotion, and he hastily left the room.

  "I wish he would not be so dreadfully smooth," said Roy, petulantly. "Iwant to like Master Pawson, but somehow he always makes me feel cross."

  "He is rather too fond of thanking one for every little favour; but itis his manner, dear, and he has certainly been doing his best to help usin this time of need."

  "Yes," said Roy; "and we should have thought bad enough of him if he hadgone and left us in the lurch. There, mother, I must go and see BenMartlet and tell him what has been arranged. He will not like it,though; but he will have two things out of three."

  "You must not give up too much to Martlet, my boy," said Lady Royland,retaining her son's hand as he rose to go. "He is a faithful oldservant, and will fight for us to the death; but remember that you aregovernor of the castle."

  "He makes me remember it, mother," cried Roy, merrily. "Don't you beafraid of his being presuming, for he will not do a thing without I givethe order. There, good-bye."

  "Good-bye? You will be back soon."

  "No," replied Roy; "I must be on the battlements all night, visitingposts and helping to keep watch. You forget that the enemy surround usnow."

  "Alas! no, Roy. I know it only too well. Come back in an hour's time--you will want some refreshment. I will see that it is ready, and I hopeby then you will find things so quiet that you can take a few hours'rest."

  "We shall see, mother," said Roy, kissing her affectionately. "Howbrave you have grown!"

  She shook her head sadly as she clung to him for a few moments; and, assoon as the door had closed, and his steps died away on the oaken floorof the corridor, she sank in a chair sobbing as if her heart wouldbreak.