XXVI
RESURRECTION
Some hours later Rufus Quaryll sat alone in the garden-room, writing.It was coming on dusk; candles had been lit, the fire was ruddy onthe hearth. Rufus, as he wrote, was well content with the turn ofthings. He raged at Brilliana, but she should marry him all the samewhen the Puritan dog was dead. He had, as he believed, convinced theKing at meat that the plea Evander raised was valueless, thatEvander's life was rightly forfeit. Evander was under close guard;so, indeed, was Brilliana, for he had stationed a sentry at the doorof her apartments: he was determined that she should not see the Kingagain. Now the King lay in the inner room, sleeping; when he rose itwould be easy to get the order for Evander's death. Furious in hishate, furious in his love, he would neither spare Evander norsurrender Brilliana. She should be his wife, if he had to drag herbefore an altar.
As he thought and wrote, the door opened and Halfman entered theroom. Rufus, lifting his head, faced him with a finger on his lipswhile with the other he pointed to the door of the inner chamber.
"Hush!" he whispered; "the King sleeps. But all is well. He has asgood as promised the Puritan shall die."
"All is not so well as you think," said Halfman, sardonically. "Herecomes one more pleased to see you than you to see him."
He went to the door again and ushered in a man who had waitedoutside, a man muffled in a cloak, and his face hidden by the way hishat was pulled over it. The man advanced slowly towards the surprisedRufus, and suddenly dropping his cloak and throwing back his hatuncovered a youthful, jovial face. Rufus gaped at him in despair andgasped a name:
"Randolph!"
Randolph Harby dropped into a chair and chuckled.
"No wonder you stare as if you faced a spectre. But I'm flesh andblood, lad."
Rufus, trying to collect himself against this staggering blow, againraised a warning hand.
"For Heaven's sake speak lower! The King is asleep yonder. How do youcome here?"
Randolph leaned over and whispered, giggling, into Sir Rufus's ear.Halfman watched with grim amusement. If he loved Evander little, cometo think of it he loved Rufus less, all said and done; so he grinnedat his discomfiture.
"A wonder," Randolph said. "When they had the time to try me, theirfools' court-martial, thanks to that damned Cromwell, settled me fora spy and sentenced me to be shot. But the jailer where I lay had adaughter. Need I say more? We Harbys are invincible. Any way, therewas no prisoner when the shooting-party came to claim me, and here Iam, in time, I hope, to save the life of that poor Puritan devil."
Sir Rufus's wits were busy hatching mischief. He looked with aversionat the smiling, self-complacent ass whose resurrection tangled hisplan. But his voice was very amiable as he asked:
"Do any in the household know of your return?"
"Devil a one," the youth answered, cheerily, and Sir Rufus would haveliked to drive a knife into him for his mirth, though his spiritsrose at his answer. "I thought to take my cousin by surprise, scareher with my ghost, maybe. So I came skulking through the park andran on this good sir, who nabbed me." He indicated Halfman with awave of the hand. "I explained to him, so that my joke should notspoil, and he smuggled me in here to surprise you. Where isBrilliana?"
Rufus looked at him thoughtfully.
"Are you fresh enough to ride?" he asked.
"If need be," Randolph replied, astonished.
Rufus talked rapidly, writing a letter as he spoke.
"Then you may save your Puritan yet. We sent your hostage to Oxfordfor safe-keeping. News came of your death, and but now the King sentan order to have the fellow shot. But you can overtake the order,outstrip it. Here is a reprieve for the prisoner."
Rufus folded the paper, sealed it, and handed it to the bewilderedRandolph.
"Pick what horse you please, and ride for the honor of our cause."
Randolph gasped.
"May I not see the King?"
Rufus refused him firmly.
"Impossible. His Majesty sleeps."
"My cousin Brilliana?" Randolph asked. "What of my joke?"
Rufus spoke very solemnly.
"The one thing now is to save a man's life. Ride hard, and God speedyou." Randolph yielded cheerfully.
"Well, well, I should be sorry the rebel dog should die wrongfully.You will justify me to the King for not attending him?"
Rufus nodded.
"I will justify you to his Majesty."
"And not a word to Brilliana," Randolph iterated. "I will have myjoke on my return. Farewell."
He muffled himself again and went out quickly. Rufus sat biting theend of his quill. Halfman stepped forward and made him a series ofextravagant salutations, which parodied the most elaborate congees ofa dancing-master. Rufus glared at him.
"What is the matter with you?" he asked, savagely. Halfman leeredapishly at him.
"You are a splendid scoundrel," he vowed. "Do not frown. I have livedwith such and I speak in praise."
Rufus struck his hands upon the table.
"I will have this Puritan devil," he swore, "if the King do not playthe granny."
Halfman winked at him, diverted by his heat and hate.
"Say that more softly, for I think I hear him stirring."
The two listened in silence. The curtains of the inner room wereparted and Charles entered the room. He still looked haggard, ill atease.
"Was any one here?" he asked, as the two men rose respectfully. Rufusanswered, glibly:
"No, your Majesty. We spoke in whispers to respect your rest. Didyour Majesty sleep well?"
"Ill, very ill," Charles answered, drearily. "I had bad dreams andcould not wake from them. Leave me, sirs."
Rufus solicited his eyes.
"And the prisoner?"
Charles looked at him vaguely.
"The prisoner?"
"The rebel hostage for murdered Randolph Harby," Rufus reminded him.
Charles looked vexed.
"Oh yes, I suppose he must die. Surely he must die. His plea isspecious, but Randolph Harby is dead."
"Brave, murdered Randolph." Rufus's regret was pathetic. "Shall Igive order for the firing party?" He made as if to write. Charlesfrowned.
"You are over-zealous, sir; I have not made up my mind."
Rufus read obstinacy in the royal face and knew that it were uselessto argue further then.
"As your Majesty please," he submitted.
The King seated himself heavily at the table and fixed his eyes uponan open map. Behind his back Rufus shrugged his shoulders and leftthe room. Halfman followed, a very Jaques of meditations, touched bythe pathos of the tired King, grimly diverted by the ruffianism ofRufus. A mad world!
The Lady of Loyalty House: A Novel Page 27