Shrewsbury: A Romance

by Stanley John Weyman

  CHAPTER XIII

  Such was the man I saw before me; on whose face, as if heaven purposedto warn his fellows against him, malignant passion and an insanevanity were so plainly stamped that party spirit must have gone tolengths, indeed, before it rendered men blind to his quality. Hisshambling gait seemed a fitting conveyance for a gaunt, stoopingfigure so awkward and uncouth that when he gave way to gesticulationit seemed to be moved by wires; yet, once he looked askance at you,face and figure were forgotten in the gleam of the eyes that,treacherous and cruel, leered at you from the penthouse of his huge,ill-fitting wig.

  Nevertheless, I confess that, while I hated and loathed the man, hecowed me. His latest escape had intoxicated him, and astride on mytable, or stalking the floor, he gave way to his vanity. Pouring out aflood of ribald threats and imaginings, he now hinted at the fatewhich had never failed to befall those who thwarted him; now heboasted of his cunning and his hundred intrigues, and now he touched,not obscurely, on some great design soon to be executed. His audacity,no less than his frankness, bewildered me; for if he did not tell meall, he told enough, were it true, to hang a man. Yet I soon foundthat he had method in his madness; for while I listened with ashamefaced air, hating him and meditating informing against him themoment I was freed from his presence, he turned on me with a hideousgrin, and thrusting the muzzle of his pistol against my temple, sworewith endless curses to slay me if I betrayed him.

  "You will go to Brome to-morrow, as usual," he said. "The Whiggish olddotard, I could pluck out his inwards! And you will say not one wordof Mr. Ferguson! For, mark me, sirrah Dick, alone or in company Ishall be at your elbow, nor will all Cutts's guards avail to save you!Do you mark me? Then d---- you, down on your knees! Down on yourknees, you white-livered dog, and swear by the Gospels you will tellno living soul by tongue or pen that you have seen me."

  He pressed the cold steel muzzle to my temple and I knelt and swore.When it was done, he roared and jeered at me. "You see, I have myoath!" he cried, "as well as Little Hooknose! And no non-jurors! Nowsay 'Down with King William!'"

  I said it.

  "Louder! Louder!" he cried.

  I could only comply.

  HE PRESSED THE RING OF COLD STEEL]

  "Now, write it! Write it!" he continued, thrusting a piece of paperunder my nose, and slapping his huge hand upon it. "I'll have it inblack and white! Or write this--ha! ha! that will be better. Are youready? Write, 'I hereby abjure my allegiance to Prince William.'"

  "No," I said faintly, laying down the pen which I had taken up at hisbidding. "I will not write it."

  "You _will_ write it!" he answered in a terrible tone. "And within avery few seconds. Write it at once, sirrah! 'I hereby abjure myallegiance to Prince William!'"

  I wrote it with a shaking hand, after a glance at the pistol muzzle.

  "And swear that I regard King James as my lawful sovereign. And Iundertake to obey the rules of the St. Germain's Club, and to forwardits interests. Good! Now sign it."

  I did so.

  "Date it," cried the tyrant; and when I had done so he snatched thepaper from me and flourished it in the air, "There is my passport!"quoth he, with an exultant laugh. "When I am taken that will be taken,and when that is taken the worse for Mr. Richard Price if he is taken.He will taste of the hangman's lash. So! You are a clever fellow,Richard Price, but Robert Ferguson is your master, as he has beenbetter men's!"

  The man was so much in love with cruelty, that even when he had gainedhis point he could not bear to give up the pleasure of torturing me;and for half an hour he continued to flout and jeer at me, sometimespicturing my fate if the paper fell into the Secretary's hands, andsometimes threatening me with his pistol, and making sport of myalarm. At last, reluctantly, and after many warnings of what wouldhappen to me if I informed, he took himself off; and I heard him gointo the opposite rooms, and slam the door.

  Be sure I was not long in securing mine after him! I was in a pitiablestate of terror; shaking at thought of the man's return, and in anague when I considered the power over me, which the paper I had signedgave him. I could hardly believe that, in so short a time, anything sodreadful had happened to me! Yet it were hard to say whether, with allmy terror, I did not hate him more than I feared him; for though atone time my heart was water when I thought of betraying him, atanother it glowed with rage and loathing, and to spite him, and tofree myself from him, I would risk anything. And as I was not wantingin foresight, and could picture with little difficulty the slavery inwhich he would hold me from that day forward--and wherein his cruelspirit would delight--it was the latter mood that prevailed with me,and determined my action when morning came.

  Reflecting that I could expect no mercy from him, but had little tofear from the Government, if I told my tale frankly, I determined atall risks to go to the Secretary. I would have done so, the moment Irose, the thought that at any moment he might burst in upon me keepingme in a cold sweat; but I was prudent enough to abide by my habits,and refrain from anticipating by a second the hour at which it was mycustom to descend. I waited in the utmost trepidation, therefore,until half-past seven, when with a quaking heart, but a mind made up,I ventured down to the street.

  It was barely light, but the coffee-houses were open, and betweenearly customers to these, and barbers passing with their curlingtongs, and milkmen and hawkers plying morning wares, and apprenticessetting out their masters' goods, the ways were full and noisy; sothat I had no reason to fear pursuit, and in the hubbub gained couragethe farther I left my oppressor behind me. Nevertheless, I took theprecaution of going first to Mr. Brome's, opposite St. Dunstan's; andpassing in there, as was my daily custom, lingered a little in theentry. When by this ruse I had made assurance doubly sure, I slippedout, and went through the crowded Strand to Whitehall.

  Mr. Brome had a species of understanding with the Government; and onone occasion being ill, had made me his messenger to the Secretary's.I knew the place therefore, but none the less gave way to timiditywhen I saw the crowd of ushers, spies, tipstaves, and busybodies thathung about the door of the office, and took curious note of everyonewho went in or out. My heart failed me at the sight, and I was alreadymore than half inclined to go away, my business undone, when someonetouched my sleeve, and I started and turned. A girl still in herteens, with a keen and pinched face, and a handkerchief neatly drawnover her head, handed a note to me.

  "For me?" I asked.

  "Yes," said she.

  I took it on that and opened it, my hands shaking. But when I read thecontents, which were these--"Mr. Robert Ferguson's respects to theSecretary, and he has to-day changed his lodging. He will to-morrow bepleased to supply the bearer's character"--I thought I should havefallen to the ground. Nor was my alarm the less for the reflectionwhich immediately arose in my mind that the note had of necessity beenwritten and despatched before I left Mr. Brome's door; andconsequently before I had taken any step towards the execution of mydesign!

  Still, what I held was but a piece of paper bearing a message from aman proscribed, who dared not show his face where I stood. A word tothe doorkeepers and I might even now go in and lay my information. Butthe man's omniscience cowed my spirit, terrified me, and broke medown. Assured after this, that whatever I did or wherever I went hewould know and be warned in time, and I gain by my information nothingbut the name of a gull or a cheat, I turned from the door. Then seeingthat the girl waited, "There is no answer," I said.

  "Will you please to go to the gentleman?" quoth she.

  My jaw dropped. "God forbid!" I said, beginning to tremble.

  "I think you had better," said she.

  And this time there was that in her voice roused doubts in me and mademe waver--lest what I had done prove insufficient, and he betray me,though I refrained from informing. Sullenly, therefore, and after amoment's thought, I asked her where he was.

  "I am not to tell you," she answered. "You can come with me if youplease."

  "Go on," I said.r />
  She cast a sharp glance at the group about the office, then turned,and walking rapidly north by Charing Cross led me through St. Martin'sLane and Bedford Bury to Covent Garden. Skirting this, she threadedHart Street and Red Lion Court, and crossing Drury Lane conducted meinto Lincoln's Inn Fields, where she turned sharply to the left andthrough Ralph Court to the Turnstile. Seeing that she lingered hereand from time to time looked back, I fancied that we were near ourdestination; but starting afresh, she led me along Holborn and throughStaple Inn. Presently it struck me that we were near Bride Lane, and Icried "He is in my room?"

  "Yes," she said gravely, and without explanation. "If he pleases youwill find him there." And without more she signed to me to go on, anddisappeared herself in the mouth of an alley by Green's Rents.

  It did please him. When I entered with the air, doubtless, of awhipped hound, I found him sitting on my table swinging his legs andhumming an air; and with so devilish a look of malice and triumph onhis face as sent my heart into my boots. Notwithstanding, for a whileit was his humour not to speak to me but to leer at me askance out ofthe corner of his eyes, and keep me on tenterhooks, expecting what hewould say or do; and this he maintained until he had finished histune, when with a grin he asked after his friend the Secretary.

  "Was it Trumball you saw, or the new Duke?" said he; and when I didnot answer he roared out an oath, and snatching up the pistol whichlay on the table beside him, levelled it at me. "Answer, will you? Doyou think that I am to speak twice to such uncovenanted dirt as you?Whom did you see?"

  "No one," I stammered, trembling.

  "And why not?" he cried. "And why not, you spawn of Satan?"

  "I received your note," I said.

  "Oh, you received my note!" he whimpered, dropping his voice andmocking my alarm. "Your lordship received my note, did you? And if youhad not got my note, you would have informed, would you? You wouldhave informed and sent me to the gallows, would you? Answer! Answer,or----"

  "Yes!" I cried in an agony of terror; for he was bringing the pistolnearer and nearer to my face, while his finger toyed with the trigger,and at any moment might press it too sharply.

  "So! And you tell me that to my face, do you?" he answered, eyeing meso truculently, that I held up my hands and backed to the door. "Youdare tell me that, do you? Come here, sirrah!"

  I hesitated.

  "Come here!" he cried. "Or by ---- I will shoot you! For the lasttime, come here!"

  I went nearer.

  "Oh, but I would like to see you in the boot!" he said. "It would bethe finest sight! It would not need a turn of the screw to make youcry out! And mind you," he continued, suddenly seizing my ear in hisgreat hand, and twisting it until I screamed, "in a boot of some kindor other I shall have you--if you play me false! Do yon understand,eh? Do you understand, you sheep in wolf's clothing?"

  "Yes!" I cried. "Yes, yes!" He had forced me to my knees, and broughthis cruel sneering face close to mine.

  "Very well. Then get up--if you have learned your lesson. You have hadone proof that I know more than others. Do not seek another. But,umph--where have I seen you before. Master Trembler?"

  I said humbly, my spirit quite broken, that I did not know.

  "No?" he answered, staring at me with his face puckered up. "Yetsomewhere I have. And some day I shall call it to mind. In themeantime--remember that you are my slave, my dog, my turnspit, tofetch or carry, cry or be merry at my will. You will sleep or wake, goor come as I bid you. And so long as you do that--Richard Price, youshall live. But on the day you play me false, or whisper my name toliving soul--on that day, or within the week, you will hang! Do youhear, hang, you Erastian dog! Hang, and be carrion: with Ayloffe, andmany another good man, that would stint me, and take no warning!"