CHAPTER XXII
An hour went by and still old Bartlemy did not come; an hour of silencebroken only by occasional whispers between Hugo and Humphrey.
Then the old man softly opened the door and stood smiling before them.
"Thou didst think me false, is it not so?" he said, addressing Humphreyand casting an affectionate glance as he did so on the small mole nearthe end of the Saxon's nose.
Great as was his anxiety, Hugo could but laugh to see how the serving-manwas placed before himself, and all on account of an unfortunateblemish on his countenance. And his enjoyment was heightened by theembarrassment and half-concealed irritation it occasioned Humphrey.
But old Bartlemy paid no attention to Hugo and his merry mood. Heproceeded with despatch to set out the morning meal from the hiddencupboard. "Eat well and heartily," he exhorted both his guests; "for soshall ye be able to set your enemies at defiance. A full stomach givetha man courage and taketh him through many dangers. But why," hecontinued, addressing Humphrey solicitously, "why shouldest thou havemany dangers? Why dost thou not let the young lord ride forth alone?"
Humphrey's answer was a look so full of indignation that the old manventured to say nothing more, except, "I see that thou art not to bepersuaded, and I will e'en help ye both."
So saying, he went outside and brought in a bundle or pack which hehad, on his return to the hut, secreted in a convenient hiding-place."I have been to a spot I wot of," he began, "and there did I borrowthis raiment. I did borrow it, I say, and ye must put it on. When yehave no further need of it, then I will return it to its owner."
Bartlemy Bore Garments for Disguise]
Humphrey gazed at him in astonishment. At last he said, "Thou knowestthat we journey hence this morn and shall see thee no more. Whatmeanest thou?"
"Why, this," was the response. "I go with thee."
"Thou goest with me!" repeated Humphrey.
"Ay," was the stubborn answer. "Thinkest thou I will lightly part withhim who is decreed to make my fortune? Thou art the man thefortune-teller spake to me of. 'Cleave to him that hath a mole near theend of his nose,' saith the fortune-teller, and I will of a surety doso. But tell me truly, should the young lord be captured, would thyability to make my fortune be diminished?"
"Yea, verily," answered Humphrey, positively. "Were my dear ladcaptured, I could do nothing for thee."
"Thou needst say no more," said the old man, for the first time thatmorning looking full at Hugo. "He seemeth a good lad. I will protecthim also with my life, if need be. For what will a man not do if he maythereby escape the marring of his fortune?"
Old Bartlemy now ceased speaking and devoted all his energies tohastily undoing the bundle he had brought in, and sorting out a portionof what it contained.
"What hast thou there?" asked Humphrey, contemptuously, as he pointedto a woman's robe, tunic, and hood of green. "Here be no fine ladies."
"Nay, speak not so fast," replied old Bartlemy, stubbornly. "Thy younglord will don these things, and then shalt thou see a fair lady on ajourney bent."
Hugo flushed. "I wear no woman's dress," he said with determination.
"Why, how now?" demanded old Bartlemy. "Art thou better than Longchamp,bishop of Ely? When he did flee he fled as a woman, and in a greentunic and hood, moreover. When thou art as old as thou now art young,thou wilt welcome the means that helpeth thee safely on." The old man'smanner was so changed from that of the night before, and he displayedso much energy, foresight, and knowledge, that Hugo and Humphrey lookedat each other in wonder. He was still old, but he was no longer senile.
"Knowest thou not," he continued, "that the king's men look for theeeither as the young lord or as the false priest's novice? Dally nolonger, but put on this woman's garb."
"Yea, lad," counselled Humphrey, "put it on. It will suit thee betterthan the king's dungeon."
Thus urged, Hugo obeyed, and presently was stepping about the hut mostdiscontentedly in the guise of a woman. "Stride not so manfully or webe undone," cried old Bartlemy. "Canst thou not mince thy gait? There!That hath a more seemly look."
The pack he had brought in was very large, and from it he now took thegarments and armor of an esquire, which he handed to Humphrey. "Whenthou shalt don these," he said, "it will come to pass that thou hastbeen sent to bring thy young lady safe to London town."
With alacrity Humphrey tossed aside his priest's robe and clad himselfin what old Bartlemy offered him. "Now may I forget my _pax vobiscum_and no harm be done," he exclaimed joyfully.
Hugo could but smile at the pride and pleasure of Humphrey's manner ashe arrayed himself. "Ah, my good Humphrey!" he cried; "I have foundthee out. Thou wouldst be an esquire, even as I would be a knight."
Humphrey sighed. "Yea, lad," he confessed, "but I am but a Saxonserving-man."
Like a hawk the little old man was watching both. "And I have foundthee out," he said, turning to Hugo. "The mole on his nose doth signifythe good fortune thou wilt bring him, even as it signifieth what hewill do for me. Be sure, gentle lady, I shall serve thee well."
Hugo laughed and, in his character of lady, inclined his headcourteously.
Humphrey, who could not for a moment forget the business in hand,ignored this pleasantry and inquired curtly: "But how goest thou withus, Bartlemy? Will not the men who were here last night know thee?"
"Nay, verily," replied Bartlemy. "I have a friend to my counsel thatthey know not of. 'Tis he who did lend these disguises, and didinstruct me, moreover, in many matters. He did bid me overcome theyoung lord's objections to wearing woman's dress by naming Longchampand his green tunic and hood. And many other matters he hath helped meto, even the whole conduct of the journey, as thou shalt presentlysee." With one last look at Humphrey's nose he backed out of the hutand made off in a surprisingly agile manner for one of his age.
"Now a plague upon his foolishness!" exclaimed Humphrey. "I had all butforgotten my nose, but he will be ever bringing it to my mind. Yet, ifthe mole on it take us safely through London, I complain not. And I dohope he forget not his instructions and become again upon our hands thewitless old man of last night." He advanced to the door and glancedout. "But here come two horses and a mule," he continued. "Whose theybe, I know not, nor what hath been done with ours."
Hugo at this also looked out the door. "In size and in gait thesehorses be ours," he said.
"Yea, lad; but what should be thy black is a rusty brown with a star inhis forehead and one white foot. And what should be my gray is thatsame rusty brown with two white feet and a patch on his side. And thetails of both be bobbed, and the manes cropped, and the saddles andhousings be different. This is more of Bartlemy's 'friend to hiscounsel,' perchance. And I hope his friend be not the Evil One." Hepaused a moment. "Seest thou the old woman on the mule that leadeth thehorses?" he continued.
"That is Bartlemy," replied Hugo.
"Ay," agreed Humphrey. "But we had not known it had we not been madeready for mysteries. He looketh like an ancient crone, and will be thyold nurse, no doubt, going with thee on thy journey. Well, they be wisemen that would know the five of us."
"Five?" questioned Hugo.
"Ay, lad. Thou and Bartlemy and I and the two horses. Perchance themule is honest and what he seemeth to be."
Bartlemy, having tied the animals, now came up to the door of the hutin great exultation. "What thinkest thou of these strange horses,Humphrey?" he asked.
"I do think they lack their tails," answered Humphrey, gravely, "whichis a sad lack in summer."
The old man grinned. "And what more thinkest thou?" he asked.
"I do think they have need of manes also," was the reply.
With an air of pride the old man, clad in his woman's dress, consistingof a long, loose, blue robe surmounted by a long, red head-rail whichreached to his knees, walked back to the horses. "Come hither," he saidto Humphrey. "It were not well to cut off what one may need before itgrow again. Seest thou how only the outside of the tail is cut so as tobush
out over what is braided fine in many strands and caught upcunningly beneath? And come hither. Seest thou how the mane iscunningly looped and gummed, so that it seemeth to be short, when a dipin the stream will make it long again? And this brown is but a stain,and the white patches a bleach that will last but till the horse shedsagain."
"This is the work of thy friend?" inquired Humphrey, gravely.
"Yea," answered old Bartlemy, jubilantly.
"And he is an honest man?"
Old Bartlemy frowned. "He is my friend. And he hath served thee well,if he hath kept thee and the lad from the hands of the king. Ask nomore. He had not done so much, but that I did tell him it was to makemy fortune. And now mount, my esquire! mount, my gentle lady! and I,thy nurse, will mount. And we will all away to London town.""By which road?" asked Humphrey, reining in his stained and bleachedhorse.
"By the Watling Street," was the confident answer.
Humphrey seemed dissatisfied. Seeing which the old man said: "Why, wemust e'en go by the Watling Street or the Ermine Street, since we havethe young lady here in charge. Such is the custom of travellers to goby one or the other."
"I like not the Watling Street," objected Humphrey.
"Didst hear the men at the door of my hut?" asked old Bartlemy,earnestly.
"Yea," replied Humphrey, briefly.
"Didst note how he who watcheth for us on the Watling Street did tellhis plans in a voice that all might hear?"
"Yea."
"Therefore I go by the Watling Street and not by the Ermine Street,"said old Bartlemy, with determination. "He that hath so littlediscretion that he telleth his plans in the ears of all who may listenis less to be feared than he that sayeth little. He that watcheth forus on the Ermine Street hath keen eyes and a silent tongue. Thereforego we by the Watling Street and, moreover, the friend to my counselhath bid me so to do. I warrant thee more than one priest will bestopped there, while the esquire and the young lady and the nurseescape notice."
"Mayhap thou art right," agreed Humphrey, after some reflection.
Bartlemy did not wait to answer, but, giving his mule a slap with thereins, set forward, and in a moment all three were crossing the glade,whence they followed the same bridle-path by which Hugo and Humphreyhad come the day before, and so gained the Watling Street. Many peoplewere upon it, and Bartlemy, following the instructions of him who hadplanned for him, managed to ride near enough to a merchant's party tobe mistaken as members of it by an unthinking observer.
In his garb of esquire Humphrey was more at home than in that of thepriest, and he looked boldly about him. "Here be a strange thing, lad,"he said. "As we did come upon this road I did see a priest with hisnovice pass by. Seest thou that other near at hand? And looking back Isee yet another. He that watcheth for us is like to have his handsfull."
"Many priests be abroad," replied Hugo, with a smile. "It was to thatthe Canon Thurstan trusted when he sent us forth."
"He should, then, not have sent us to that rascally one at Oundle,"growled Humphrey. "Speak not o'er much with the lady," cautioned oldBartlemy, riding up. "It is not seemly. Let her stay by me, her nurse.So hath the friend to my counsel instructed me."
At once Hugo fell back, reining his horse alongside the mule and a halfpace in advance; whereat old Bartlemy smiled in approbation.
"Where go we in London?" asked Hugo, curiously.
"Thou shalt see in good time," answered Bartlemy. "It may be one place,it may be another. I can tell when we have passed him who watcheth forus. I know many places."
The old man, turning his face away, Hugo saw that he did not wish totalk further, so he contented himself by seeing as much as he couldwith his keen young eyes of what went on before him, old Bartlemyhaving previously cautioned him against gazing about over much.
As they drew nearer the city the crowd became more dense, being swelledby those who were coming out of it on their way north. A little partyof knights, esquires, pages, and ladies travelling at a faster paceovertook them, and so they were still better protected from observationthan before, as the new party were now obliged, by the throng, to goforward slowly. So on they went till they came to the church of St.Andrew, and the Fleet River, and, crossing the bridge, foundthemselves, as old Bartlemy said, not far from the New Gate, throughwhich they must enter the city. They had no sooner entered than oldBartlemy said to Hugo,
"Thou didst not see the man at the hut?"
"Nay," answered Hugo, with a nervous start.
"Yon at the entrance to the meat market opposite the Grey Friars is he.Seem not to notice him, but mark him well. He hath a bailiff to hishelp, and it will go hard with somebody."
"He stoppeth not that priest and his novice," observed Hugo.
"That is because the bailiff knoweth both and hath instructed him,"answered Bartlemy. "Look downward now right modestly till we be safelypast, for thou hast a speaking eye. Thou art not lucky like the goodHumphrey, to have a dull eye, which seeth much and seemeth to seenaught."
Hugo glanced down as he was bid, and soon they were past in safety. ButHumphrey, half turning in his saddle and gazing back, saw a priest andhis novice stopped. "And the priest rideth a gray and the novice ablack," mused Humphrey, "which is a wonderful thing, and not to beaccounted for except by chance."
Humphrey Half Turning in His Saddle Saw the Priest]
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