CHAPTER IV.
THE SEARCH.
Immediately after Catesby's departure, Heydocke was summoned to hismistress's presence. He found her with the priest, and was informed thatin all probability the house would be visited that night by themessengers of the Privy Council. The old steward received theintelligence as he might have done his death-warrant, and looked sobewildered and affrighted, that Viviana half repented having acquaintedhim with it.
"Compose yourself, Master Heydocke," she said, trying to reason him outof his fears; "the search may not take place. And if it does, there isnothing to be alarmed at. I am not afraid, you perceive."
"Nothing to be alarmed at, my dear young lady!" gasped the steward. "Youhave never witnessed a midnight search for a priest by these ruffianlycatchpoles, as I have, or you would not say so. Father Oldcorne willcomprehend my uneasiness, and excuse it. The miscreants break into thehouse like robbers, and treat its inmates worse than robbers would treatthem. They have no regard for decency,--no consideration for sex,--norespect for persons. Not a chamber is sacred from them. If a door isbolted, they burst it open; a cabinet locked, they tarry not for thekey. They pull down the hangings, thrust their rapier-points into thecrevices of the wainscot, discharge their fire-arms against the wall,and sometimes threaten to pull down the house itself, if the object oftheir quest be not delivered to them. Their oaths, abominations, andmenaces are horrible; and their treatment of females, even of yourdegree, honoured mistress, too barbarous to relate. Poor Lady Nevil diedof the fright she got by such a visit at dead of night to her residencein Holborn. Mrs. Vavasour, of York, lost her senses; and many otherswhom I could mention have been equal sufferers. Nothing to be alarmedat! Heaven grant, my dear, dear young lady, that you may never befatally convinced to the contrary!"
"Suppose my apprehensions are as great as your own, Master Heydocke,"replied Viviana, who, though somewhat infected by his terrors, stillmaintained her firmness; "I do not see how the danger is to be avertedby idle lamentations and misgivings. We must meet it boldly; and trustto Him who is our only safeguard in the hour of peril, for protection.Do not alarm the household, but let all retire to rest as usual."
"Right, daughter," observed the priest. "Preparations for resistancewould only excite suspicion."
"Can you depend on the servants, in case they are examined?" askedViviana of the steward, who by this time had partially recovered hiscomposure.
"I think so," returned Heydocke; "but the threats of the officers are sodreadful, and their conduct so violent and outrageous, that I canscarcely answer for myself. I would not advise your reverence to remainin that hiding-place," he added, pointing to the chimney-piece; "theyare sure to discover it."
"If not here, where shall I conceal myself?" rejoined Oldcorne,uneasily.
"There are many nooks in which your reverence might hide," replied thesteward; "but the knaves are so crafty, and so well experienced in theirvocation, that I dare not recommend any of them as secure. I wouldadvise you to remain on the watch, and, in case of alarm, I will conductyou to the oratory in the north gallery, adjoining Mistress Viviana'ssleeping-chamber, where there is a panel in the wall, known only tomyself and my master, opening upon a secret passage running many hundredyards underground, and communicating with a small outbuilding on theother side of the moat. There is a contrivance in this passage, which Iwill explain to your reverence if need be, which will cut off anypossibility of pursuit in that quarter."
"Be it so," replied the priest. "I place myself in your hands, goodMaster Heydocke, well assured of your fidelity. I shall remainthroughout the night in this chamber, occupied in my devotions."
"You will suffer me to pray with you, father, I trust?" said Viviana.
"If you desire it, assuredly, dear daughter," rejoined Oldcorne; "but Iam unwilling you should sacrifice your rest."
"It will be no sacrifice, father, for I should not slumber, even if Isought my couch," she returned. "Go, good Heydocke. Keep vigilant watch:and, if you hear the slightest noise without, fail not to give uswarning."
The steward bowed, and departed.
Some hours elapsed, during which nothing occurred to alarm Viviana andher companion, who consumed the time in prayer and devout conversation;when, just at the stroke of two,--as the former was kneeling before herspiritual adviser, and receiving absolution for the slight offences ofwhich a being so pure-minded could be supposed capable,--a noise likethe falling of a bar of iron was heard beneath the window. The priestturned pale, and cast a look of uneasiness at the maiden, who saidnothing, but snatching up the light, and motioning him to remain quiet,hurried out of the room in search of the steward. He was nowhere to befound. In vain, she examined all the lower rooms,--in vain, called tohim by name. No answer was returned.
Greatly terrified, she was preparing to retrace her steps, when sheheard the sound of muttered voices in the hall. Extinguishing her light,she advanced to the door, which was left ajar, and, taking care not toexpose herself to observation, beheld several armed figures, some ofwhom bore dark lanterns, while others surrounded and menaced with theirdrawn swords the unfortunate steward. From their discourse sheascertained that, having thrown a plank across the moat, and concealedthemselves within the garden until they had reconnoitred the premises,they had contrived to gain admittance unperceived through the window ofa small back room, in which they had surprised Heydocke, who had fallenasleep on his post, and captured him. One amongst their number, whoappeared to act as leader, and whom, from his garb, and the white wandhe carried, Viviana knew must be a pursuivant, now proceeded tointerrogate the prisoner. To every question proposed to him the stewardshook his head; and, in spite of the threats of the examinant, and theblows of his followers, he persisted in maintaining silence.
"If we cannot make this contumacious rascal speak, we will find othersmore tractable," observed the pursuivant. "I will not leave any cornerof the house unvisited; nor a soul within it unquestioned. Ah! here theycome!"
As he spoke, several of the serving-men, with some of the femaledomestics, who had been alarmed by the noise, rushed into the hall, andon seeing it filled with armed men, were about to retreat, when theywere instantly seized and detained. A scene of great confusion nowensued. The women screamed and cried for mercy, while the men struggledand fought with their captors. Commanding silence at length, thepursuivant proclaimed in the King's name that whoever would guide him tothe hiding-place of Father Oldcorne, a Jesuit priest, whom it was known,and could be proved, was harboured within the mansion, should receive afree pardon and reward; while those who screened him, or connived at hisconcealment, were liable to fine, imprisonment, and even more severepunishment. Each servant was then questioned separately. But, though allwere more or less rudely dealt with, no information could be elicited.
Meanwhile, Viviana was a prey to the most intolerable anxiety. Unable toreach Father Oldcorne without crossing the hall, which she did not dareto attempt, she gave him up for lost; her sole hope being that, onhearing the cries of the domestics, he would provide for his own safety.Her anxiety was still farther increased when the pursuivant, havingexhausted his patience by fruitless interrogatories, and satisfied hismalice by frightening two of the females into fits, departed with aportion of his band to search the house, leaving the rest as a guardover the prisoners.
Viviana then felt that, if she would save Father Oldcorne, the attemptmust be made without a moment's delay, and at any hazard. Watching heropportunity, when the troopers were occupied,--some in helpingthemselves to such viands and liquors as they could lay handsupon,--some in searching the persons of the prisoners for amulets andrelics,--while others, more humane, were trying to revive the swooningwomen, she contrived to steal unperceived across the lower end of thehall. Having gained the passage, she found to her horror that thepursuivant and his band were already within the star-chamber. They weresounding the walls with hammers and mallets, and from theirexclamations, she learnt that they had discovered the retreat behind thefire-place
, and were about to break it open.
"We have him," roared the pursuivant, in a voice of triumph. "The oldowl's roost is here!"
Viviana, who stood at the door, drew in her breath, expecting that thenext moment would inform her that the priest was made captive. Insteadof this, she was delighted to find, from the oaths of rage anddisappointment uttered by the troopers, that he had eluded them.
"He must be in the house, at all events," growled the pursuivant; "noris it long since he quitted his hiding-place, as this cushion proves. Wewill not go away without him. And now, let us proceed to the upperchambers."
Hearing their footsteps approach, Viviana darted off, and quicklyascending the principal staircase, entered a long corridor. Uncertainwhat to do, she was about to proceed to her own chamber, and bar thedoor, when she felt her arm grasped by a man. With difficulty repressinga shriek, she strove to disengage herself, when a whisper told her itwas the priest.
"Heaven be praised!" cried Viviana, "you are safe. How--how did youescape?"
"I flew upstairs on hearing the voices," replied Oldcorne. "But what hashappened to the steward?"
"He is a prisoner," replied Viviana.
"All then is lost, unless you are acquainted with the secret panel hespoke of in the oratory," rejoined Oldcorne.
"Alas! father, I am wholly ignorant of it," she answered. "But, comewith me into my chamber; they will not dare to invade it."
"I know not that," returned the priest, despairingly. "Thesesacrilegious villains would not respect the sanctity of the altaritself."
"They come!" cried Viviana, as lights were seen at the foot of thestairs. "Take my hand--this way, father."
They had scarcely gained the room, and fastened the door, when thepursuivant and his attendants appeared in the corridor. The officer, itwould seem, had been well instructed where to search, or wassufficiently practised in his duty, for he proceeded at once to severalhiding-places in the different chambers which he visited. In one room hedetected a secret staircase in the wall, which he mounted, anddiscovered a small chapel built in the roof. Stripping it of its altar,its statue of the Virgin, its crucifix, pix, chalice, and otherconsecrated vessels, he descended, and continued his search. Viviana'schamber was now the only one unvisited. Trying the door, and finding itlocked, he tapped against it with his wand.
"Who knocks?" asked the maiden.
"A state-messenger," was the reply. "I demand entrance in the King'sname."
"You cannot have it," she replied. "It is my sleeping-chamber."
"My duty allows me no alternative," rejoined the pursuivant, harshly."If you will not admit me quietly, I must use force."
"Do you know to whom you offer this rudeness?" returned Viviana. "I amthe daughter of Sir William Radcliffe."
"I know it," replied the pursuivant; "but I am not exceeding myauthority. I hold a warrant for your father's arrest. And, if he had notbeen from home, I should have carried him to prison along with theJesuit priest whom, I suspect, is concealed within your chamber. Openthe door, I command you; and do not hinder me in the execution of myduty."
As no answer was returned to the application, the pursuivant commandedhis men to burst open the door; and the order was promptly obeyed.
The chamber was empty.
On searching it, however, the pursuivant found a door concealed by thehangings of the bed. It was bolted on the other side, but speedilyyielded to his efforts. Passing through it, he entered upon a narrowgallery, at the extremity of which his progress was stopped by anotherdoor, likewise fastened on the further side. On bursting it open, heentered a small oratory, wainscoted with oak, and lighted by an orielwindow filled with stained glass, through which the newly-risen moon waspouring its full radiance, and discovered the object of his search.
"Father Oldcorne, I arrest you as a Jesuit and a traitor," shouted thepursuivant, in a voice of exultation. "Seize him!" he added, calling tohis men.
"You shall not take him," cried Viviana, clinging despairingly to thepriest, who offered no resistance, but clasped a crucifix to his breast.
"Leave go your hold, young mistress," rejoined the pursuivant, graspingOldcorne by the collar of his vestment, and dragging him along; "andrest thankful that I make you not, also, my prisoner."
"Take me; but spare him!--in mercy spare him!" shrieked Viviana.
"You solicit mercy from one who knows it not, daughter," observed thepriest. "Lead on, sir. I am ready to attend you."
"Your destination is the New Fleet, father," retorted the pursuivant, ina tone of bitter raillery; "unless you prefer the cell in Radcliffe Halllately vacated by your saintly predecessor, Father Woodroofe."
"Help! help!" shrieked Viviana.
"You may spare your voice, fair lady," sneered the pursuivant. "No helpis at hand. Your servants are all prisoners."
The words were scarcely uttered, when a sliding panel in the wall flewopen, and Guy Fawkes, followed by Humphrey Chetham, and anotherpersonage, sprang through the aperture, and presented a petronel at thehead of the pursuivant.
Guy Fawkes; or, The Gunpowder Treason: An Historical Romance Page 7