XXXIV
HOW I MET A GREAT LORD AS MAN TO MAN
The room in which I found myself was the guest-chamber, furnishedluxuriously, for that day and place, in French-fashioned mahogany andgilt. The bed was high and richly canopied, as befitted a peer's restingplace; there was a square of Turkish drugget on the floor, a cheerfulfire burning in the chimney arch, and on the small table whereat theoccupant of the guest-room had lately breakfasted, a goodly display ofthe Ireton silver.
My Lord was busy at his writing-desk when I entered; but when he lookedup I saw the light of instant recognition in his eye. Never, I think,did another prisoner at the bar strive harder to read his sentence inhis judge's eyes than I did in that moment of suspense. I liked not muchthe look he gave me; but his greeting was affable and kindly enough.
"Ah, Captain Ireton; 'tis you, is it? We are well met, at last. Theytold me you were gone to join the rebels, did they not?"
Here was an opening for a bold man, and in a flash I came to theright-about, choked down the defiance I had meant to hurl at him, andtook quick counsel of cool audacity.
"Indeed, my Lord, I know not what they have told you. In times past, theking had no truer soldier than I; and when I came across seas 'twas notto fight against him. But that I have not joined the rebels is no faultof certain of your Lordship's officers."
"Say you so? But how is this? Surely I am not mistaken. I could becertain Colonel Tarleton reported your taking as a spy, and his tryingof you. And was there not something about a rescue at the last moment bya band of these border bravos? But stay; let us have the colonel's storyat first hands. Have the goodness to ring the bell for me, will you,Captain?"
The crisis was come. A pull at the bell-cord would summon the guard, andthe guard would be sent after Colonel Tarleton. Well, said the demonDespair, 'tis time you were gone to make room for Richard Jennifer; andI laid a hand upon the tasseled rope. But when I would have rung, allthe man-pride, of race and of soldier training, rose up to bid me fightfor space to strike one good blow in freedom's cause by way ofleave-taking.
So, as it had been an afterthought, I said: "A word further with youfirst, my Lord, and then, if you please, I will call the guard. All youremember is true, save as to the principal fact. So far from being a spyin intent, or even a partizan of either side, I was at the time butnewly come into the province, knowing little of the cause of quarrel andcaring still less. But Captain Falconnet and Colonel Tarleton did theirearnest best to make a rebel of me out of hand."
"Ah? But the proof of all this, Captain Ireton."
"The best I can offer is the present fact of my coming to place myselfat your Lordship's disposal, being moved thereto by your Lordship's owndesire expressed in an order sent some weeks since to Sir FrancisFalconnet."
"So?--then you knew of that order?"
"Captain Falconnet showed it to me after I was condemned and the firingsquad was drawn up to snuff me out."
My Lord Charles gave me the courtier smile that so endeared him to hissoldiers,--he was well-loved of his men,--and bade me sit.
"The plot thickens, as Mr. Richardson would say. Let me have your story,Captain Ireton. I would rejoice to know why Captain Sir FrancisFalconnet saw fit to disobey his orders."
I was clear of the lee shore and the breakers at last, but I was fain tobelieve that not Machiavelli himself could hope to weather the storm inthe open. How much or how little did Lord Cornwallis remember of ColonelTarleton's report? How explicit had that report been?--was there anymention in it of my eavesdropping at the conference between Captain JohnStuart and the baronet; of my attempt to warn the over-mountain menagainst the Indian-arming? Could I hope to tell his Lordship a tale sonear the truth as to be unassailable by Tarleton and his officers, byGilbert Stair and the spiteful little pettifogger, and yet so deftlygarbled as to keep my neck out of the halter for the time being?
All these questions thronged upon me as a mob to pull cool reason fromher seat, and I could only play the part of the trapped rat and snapback at them. Yet my Lord Cornwallis was waiting for his answer, and asingle moment's hesitation might breed suspicion.
You must forgive me, my dears, if I confess it beyond me to set downhere in measured words the tale I told his Lordship. A lie is a lie, beit told in never so good a cause; a thing deplorable and not to beglozed over or boasted of after the fact. So I beg you to let thesequibblings to which I was driven rest in oblivion, figuring toyourselves that I used all the truth I dared, and that I strove throughit all not wholly to sink the gentleman and the man of honor in the spy.
'Twas but a bridge of glass when all was said; a bridge that carried mesafely over for the moment into my Lord's confidence, yet one which apebble flung by any one of a dozen hands might shiver in the dropping ofan eyelid.
"Truly, you have had a most romantic experience," said his Lordship,when I had made an end. Then he lay back in his chair and laughed tillthe stout body of him shook again. "And all about a little wench of theprovincials. Well, well; Sir Francis was always a sad dog with thewomen. But all this was in the early summer, you say; where have youbeen since?"
Here was a chance for more romancing, this time of a sort lessdangerous. So I drew breath and plunged again, telling how I had beencarried off by my captor-rescuers; how I had fallen into the hands ofthe Indians--not all of whom, I would remind his Lordship, were friendlyto the king; and lastly how I had but lately escaped from the mountainfastnesses back of Major Ferguson's camp at Gilbert Town. At this pointmy Lord interrupted the tale-telling.
"So you know of the major and his doings? I would you had brought melate news of him. 'Tis a week since his last courier reached us."
This was the moment for the playing of my trump card--the only one Iheld. I rose, bowed, took from my pocket that other letter given me byColonel Davie and handed it to his Lordship. 'Twas Major Ferguson's lastreport, intercepted by one of Davie's vigilant scouting parties.
"Ah!" said my Lord; and I strolled to the window whilst he read theletter.
When I turned to front him again he was all affability; and I knew I wassafe--for the time, at least.
"The major commends you highly as a good man and a true, CaptainIreton," he said, and truly the letter did contain a warm-heartedcommendation of "the bearer," whose name, for safety's sake, wasomitted; and not only this, but the writer desired to have his man backagain. Then my Lord added: "You are here to take your old service again,I assume?"
I hesitated. There be things that even a spy may balk at; and the takingof the oath of allegiance to the other side I conceived to be one ofthem. So I said:
"I have worn many uniforms since I doffed that of King George, my Lord,and--"
He laughed cheerily. "'But me no buts,' Captain Ireton; once anEnglishman, always an Englishman, you know. I shall assign you to dutyin my own family."
At this I made a bold stroke. "Let it be then as an officer of herApostolic Majesty's service, and your Lordship's guest for the time.Believe me, it is thus I may best serve your--ah--the cause."
"As how?" he would ask.
I smiled and touched the braided jacket of my hussar uniform.
"As an Austrian officer on a tour of observation in the campaign I maygo and come where others may not, and see and hear things which yourLordship may wish to know. Does your Lordship take me?"
He laughed and rose and clapped me on the shoulder.
"You may call the guard now, Captain, and I will turn you over--not to afiring squad, but to the tender mercies of our old rascal host who is a'trimmer' of the devil's own school. If he tries to screw a penny's payout of you, as he is like to, put him in arrest."
"It is your Lordship's meaning that I should be quartered here?--in thishouse?" I gasped.
"And why not? Ah, my good Captain of Hussars, I have made you myhonorary aide-de-camp and a member of my family so that I may keep aneye on you. _Comprenez-vous?_"
He said it with a laugh and another hearty hand-clap on my shoulder, andI would fain
take it for a jest. Yet there be playful gibes that hint atgibbets; and I may confess to you here, my dears, that I left my Lord'spresence with the conviction that my acquittal was but a reprieveconditioned upon the best of future good behavior. So it took anotherturn of the audacity screw to tune me up for the battle royal withGilbert Stair and the pettifogger, Owen Pengarvin.
The Master of Appleby Page 36