Prentice Hugh

by Frances Mary Peard

She is a cousin of Franklyn's, and thoughtI was a made man when she had stinted herself sufficiently to pay thepremium. But I shall never be more than a mason," added Wat dolefully."Now thou hast it in thee."

  "I know not. Franklyn has never a good word for aught I do."

  "Never heed old Franklyn. He is as sour as a crab, because he wantedthe master to take his little jackanapes of a nephew as prentice. Hewould like to keep thee back, but do thou hold on and all will comeright. Why, even I can see what thy work is like, and so does he, andso does the master, only the master will do nothing to touch Franklyn'sauthority, and so he holds his peace."

  "But you think he knows?" asked Hugh eagerly.

  "Think? How should he not know? He can measure us all better thanFranklyn, and he knows, too, that I am more fitted for a life in thegreenwood than to be chopping away with mallet and chisel."

  It was very unusual for Wat to talk with so much shrewdness and commonsense. Usually he was addle-pated enough, caring little for ratings,and plunging into trouble with the most good-natured tactlessness, sothat friends and foes alike showered abuse upon him. Hugh had taken itfor granted that he would be the same wherever he was, never realisingthat his present life was especially distasteful to him, and yet that heaccepted it without gainsaying. It gave his words now a weight whichwas quite unusual, for he seemed never to suppose it possible that Hughcould go against his promise to his father, while he quite acknowledgedthat the other life would have been delightful. All seemed to arrangeitself simply into two sides, right and wrong, so that Hugh began towonder how he could ever have doubted when it was so clear to Wat.

  In the house he found Joan shrieking because her father could not takeher forth, and he was glad enough to make her over to Hugh, telling himthat the king was to ride down the High Street to see the new bridgebefore returning to the banquet at the Guildhall, and warning him totake care not to allow Joan to be over-much entangled in the crowd.Then he put his hands on the boy's shoulders and looked into his face.

  "What said the knight to thee?"

  "He offered, if thou wouldst consent, sir, to take me back with him, andto bring me up in his household."

  "As I expected," said Elyas, gravely. "And that would content thee?"

  "It is what I ever longed for," said poor Hugh.

  There was a pause. Gervase seemed to find it difficult to put the nextquestion.

  "Does the knight come here then to see me?"

  "Nay," said the boy wearily, "it were no use, goodman. I told him thatI was bound by my promise to my father."

  "Ay, didst thou so? And what said he?"

  "There was a holy father there who would have urged me, but the knightstopped him, and said a promise was binding, and that the king's wordwas ever `Keep covenant.'"

  Gervase's eyes glistened. "It was well, it was well. Hadst thou beenset upon it, Hugh, I had not withstood thee, but I should have grieved.No blessing comes from self-seeking. And hast thou," he added morecheerily, "hast thou forgotten the corbels thou hast to do for thebishop?"

  His words put fresh heart into the boy, and he felt that even had hefollowed his own longings it would have cost him much to leave MasterGervase. Then Joan ran in, warmly and daintily dressed, gathering upher little skirts to show Hugh her new long pointed shoes, all her tearsforgotten, and her mind running upon the king and his knights. Hermother, though sharp with Hugh, would trust her little maid anywherewith him, and the two set forth down the narrow streets where was athrong of villeins, of country people who had poured in for miles round,of guild-brothers in their distinctive dresses, of monks from themonasteries of Saint Nicholas and Saint James, grey and black friars,Kalendar sisters, while mingling with these graver dresses were the morebrilliantly clad retainers of the nobles who had accompanied or come tomeet the king, most gorgeous among whom were those of the household ofDame Alicia de Mohun, who had journeyed in great state from Tor Mohun,near Torbay, and the trappings of whose palfrey caused the citizens muchamazement. As many minstrels, dancing girls, and jongleurs hadcollected as if it had been fair time, and the bakers who sold bread bythe Carfax were so pressed upon that they were forced to gather up theirgoods and remove them hastily.

  Joan did not find it as delightful as she expected. Not all Hugh'sefforts could keep the crowd from pressing upon her, and he lookedanxiously about for some safer means of letting her see the show. Hespied at last a projection from one of the houses where he thought shemight stand, and from whence she could look over the shoulders of thecrowd, and there with much difficulty and pushing he managed to placeher, standing himself so that he could both shield and hold her. Therewas no chance of seeing anything himself, for he was hedged in by amoving crowd, and more than one looked rather angrily upon him forhaving secured this standing-point before they had discovered itsadvantages. But Joan was mightily pleased. She was out of the press,and could see all that was to be seen, upon which she chattered volublyto her faithful guard below.

  They had long to wait, but there was enough amusement for her not toweary, and when at last she became a little silent and Hugh wonderedwhether she would be content much longer, a cry of "The king!" wasraised, and heads were eagerly stretched to see him turn out from BroadGate. Down came the gay train, larger than that of the day before,owing to the many nobles and knights, Champernownes, Chudleighs,Fulfords, Pomeroys, Courtenays, and others, who had come into the city,and very noble they looked turning down the steep hill between the oldhouses.

  But Hugh could neither see nor think of them, he was in so much dreadthat Joan would be swept or dragged off her standing place. The peoplewere wild to have sight of the king, and those who were behind lookedcovetously at the projection. One or two pressed violently by Hugh,muttering that children were best left at home, and at last, as thecavalcade drew nearer and the excitement heightened, a wizened littleman pushed the girl off and would have clambered into the place if astronger fellow had not collared him and climbed there himself. Joanmeanwhile was in danger of being trampled under foot, though Hugh foughtand kicked with all the vigour in the world, shielding her at the costof many hard blows on himself from those who were bent only upon pushingforward without heeding what was in their way. Joan, however, was notone to be maltreated without protest, and the instant she realised whathad happened, she uttered a series of piercing shrieks, which caused theking and his train to look in her direction. Edward pulled up, and twoor three of the men-at-arms, hastily parting the crowd, disclosed Joanclinging to Hugh, uttering woeful cries and prayers to be taken home.One of them would have raised her in his arms, but this was freshterror, and whispering to Hugh, "Bring her thyself," he pushed themgently along towards the royal party.

  "Is the child hurt?" asked Edward hastily, and then recognising Hugh,who was red with shame at his own plight, and to have Joan hanging roundhis neck, the king smiled, and beckoned to him. Hugh bent on his kneeas well as he could for Joan, and answered the king's brief questionsclearly. Someone had pulled the little maid down, and she was afraid ofbeing trampled upon, and Joan, convinced now that she was in safety,relaxed her hold and gazed from one to the other with eyes full ofinnocent awe.

  "She is a fair little maiden," said Edward, kindly, "and thou art abrave prentice. Ever keep on the side of the weak. Now, my lords," headded, "as the matter is not serious, we will ride to the bridge."

  The people cheered lustily as he passed on, and Hugh and Joan were thehero and heroine of the hour.

  "What said he? What said he?"

  "Blessings on him, he hath a kindly heart! There's many a proud baronwould have paid no heed to a babe's cries, but I warrant me he thinks ofhis lady."

  "Where's the churl that pushed her off? A good ducking should he have."

  But, fearing this turn of the tide, the man had slunk away, and Joan,pleased as she was with the admiring epithets bestowed upon her, desiredto be taken home, and made a discovery which moved her to tears, in thefact that the long toes of her new shoes, s
ubjects of much pride, werehopelessly-ruined.

  She reached the house weeping, and her mother, flying out, rated Hughsoundly before hearing anything of what had happened, whereupon Joanflung her arms round his neck, said that Hugh was good, the king hadsaid so, and the people were naughty. Prothasy listening in amazementcould scarce believe her ears, making Hugh tell his story over and overagain, and pouring it out to Elyas when he came back from the banquet.

  "The king called her a fair maiden, what thinkest thou of that,goodman?" she asked proudly.

  "And Hugh a brave prentice, what thinkest thou of that, goodwife?"returned her husband, with a smile.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN.

  AGRIPPA BRINGS PROMOTION.

  The king's visit was short, for the next