The Lion's Skin

by Rafael Sabatini

  CHAPTER III. THE WITNESS

  At last the page was found again by Mr. Jenkins. Having found it, hehesitated still a moment, then cleared his throat, and in the manner ofone hurling himself forward upon a desperate venture, he began to read.

  "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God," he read,and on in a nasal, whining voice, which not only was the very voice youwould have expected from such a man, but in accordance, too, with soundclerical convention. The bridal pair stood before him, the groom with aslight flush on his cheeks and a bright glitter in his black eyes, whichwere not nice to see; the bride with bowed head and bosom heaving as inresponse to inward tumult.

  The cleric came to the end of his exordium, paused a moment, andwhether because he gathered confidence, whether because he realizedthe impressive character of the fresh matter upon which he entered, heproceeded now in a firmer, more sonorous voice: "I require and chargeyou both as ye will answer on the dreadful day of judgment."

  "Ye've forgot something," Mr. Caryll interrupted blandly.

  His lordship swung round with an impatient gesture and an impatientsnort; the lady, too, looked up suddenly, whilst Mr. Jenkins seemed tofall into an utter panic.

  "Wha--what?" he stammered. "What have I forgot?"

  "To read the directions, I think."

  His lordship scowled darkly upon Mr. Caryll, who heeded him not at all,but watched the lady sideways.

  Mr. Jenkins turned first scarlet, then paler than he had been before,and bent his eyes to the book to read in a slightly puzzled voicethe italicized words above the period he had embarked upon. "And alsospeaking unto the persons that shall be married, he shall say:" he read,and looked up inquiry, his faintly-colored, prominent eyes endeavoringto sustain Mr. Caryll's steady glance, but failing miserably.

  "'Tis farther back," Mr. Caryll informed him in answer to that mutequestion; and as the fellow moistened his thumb to turn back the pages,Mr. Caryll saved him the trouble. "It says, I think, that the manshould be on your right hand and the woman on your left. Ye seem to havereversed matters, Mr. Jenkins. But perhaps ye're left-handed."

  "Stab me!" was Mr. Jenkins' most uncanonical comment. "I vow I amover-flustered. Your lordship is so impatient with me. This gentleman isright. But that I was so flustered. Will you not change places with hislordship, ma'am?"

  They changed places, after the viscount had thanked Mr. Caryll shortlyand cursed the parson with circumstance and fervor. It was well done onhis lordship's part, but the lady did not seem convinced by it. Her facelooked whiter, and her eyes had an alarmed, half-suspicious expression.

  "We must begin again," said Mr. Jenkins. And he began again.

  Mr. Caryll listened and watched, and he began to enjoy himselfexceedingly. He had not reckoned upon so rich an entertainment when hehad consented to come down to witness this odd ceremony. His sense ofhumor conquered every other consideration, and the circumstance thatLord Rotherby was his brother, if remembered at all, served but to add aspice to the situation.

  Out of sheer deviltry he waited until Mr. Jenkins had labored for asecond time through the opening periods. Again he allowed him to getas far as "I charge and require you both-," before again he interruptedhim.

  "There is something else ye've forgot," said he in that sweet, quietvoice of his.

  This was too much for Rotherby. "Damn you!" he swore, turning a lividface upon Mr. Caryll, and failed to observe that at the sound of thatharsh oath and at the sight of his furious face, the lady recoiled fromhim, the suspicion lately in her face turning first to conviction andthen to absolute horror.

  "I do not think you are civil," said Mr. Caryll critically. "It was inyour interests that I spoke."

  "Then I'll thank you, in my interests, to hold your tongue!" hislordship stormed.

  "In that case," said Mr. Caryll, "I must still speak in the interestsof the lady. Since you've desired me to be a witness, I'll do my duty byyou both and see you properly wed."

  "Now, what the devil may you mean by that?" demanded his lordship,betraying himself more and more at every word.

  Mr. Jenkins, in a spasm of terror, sought to pour oil upon these waters."My lord," he bleated, teeth and eyeballs protruding from his pallidface. "My lord! Perhaps the gentleman is right. Perhaps--Perhaps--" Hegulped, and turned to Mr. Caryll. "What is't ye think we have forgotnow?" he asked.

  "The time of day," Mr. Caryll replied, and watched the puzzled look thatcame into both their faces.

  "Do ye deal in riddles with us?" quoth his lordship. "What have we to dowith the time of day?"

  "Best ask the parson," suggested Mr. Caryll.

  Rotherby swung round again to Jenkins. Jenkins spread his hands in mutebewilderment and distress. Mr. Caryll laughed silently.

  "I'll not be married! I'll not be married!"

  It was the lady who spoke, and those odd words were the first that Mr.Caryll heard from her lips. They made an excellent impression uponhim, bearing witness to her good sense and judgment--although belatedlyaroused--and informing him, although the pitch was strained just now;that the rich contralto of her voice was full of music. He was a judgeof voices, as of much else besides.

  "Hoity-toity!" quoth his lordship, between petulance and simulatedamusement. "What's all the pother? Hortensia, dear--"

  "I'll not be married!" she repeated firmly, her wide brown eyes meetinghis in absolute defiance, head thrown back, face pale but fearless.

  "I don't believe," ventured Mr. Caryll, "that you could be if youdesired it. Leastways not here and now and by this." And he jerked acontemptuous thumb sideways at Mr. Jenkins, toward whom he had turnedhis shoulder. "Perhaps you have realized it for yourself."

  A shudder ran through her; color flooded into her face and out again,leaving it paler than before; yet she maintained a brave front thatmoved Mr. Caryll profoundly to an even greater admiration of her.

  Rotherby, his great jaw set, his hands clenched and eyes blazing, stoodirresolute between her and Mr. Caryll. Jenkins, in sheer terror, nowsank limply to a chair, whilst Gaskell looked on--a perfect servant--asimmovable outwardly and unconcerned as if he had been a piece offurniture. Then his lordship turned again to Caryll.

  "You take a deal upon yourself, sir," said he menacingly.

  "A deal of what?" wondered Mr. Caryll blandly.

  The question nonplussed Rotherby. He swore ferociously. "By God!" hefumed, "I'll have you make good your insinuations. You shall disabusethis lady's mind. You shall--damn you!--or I'll compel you!"

  Mr. Caryll smiled very engagingly. The matter was speedingexcellently--a comedy the like of which he did not remember to haveplayed a part in since his student days at Oxford, ten years and moreago.

  "I had thought," said he, "that the woman who summoned me to bea witness of this--this--ah wedding"--there was a whole volume ofcriticism in his utterance of the word--"was the landlady of the 'Adamand Eve.' I begin to think that she was this lady's good angel; Fate,clothed, for once, matronly and benign." Then he dropped the easy,bantering manner with a suddenness that was startling. Gallic fireblazed up through British training. "Let us speak plainly, my LordRotherby. This marriage is no marriage. It is a mockery and a villainy.And that scoundrel--worthy servant of his master--is no parson; no, notso much as a hedge-parson is he. Madame," he proceeded, turning now tothe frightened lady, "you have been grossly abused by these villains."

  "Sir!" blazed Rotherby at last, breaking in upon his denunciation, handclapped to sword. "Do ye dare use such words to me?"

  Mr. Jenkins got to his feet, in a slow, foolish fashion. He put out ahand to stay his lordship. The lady, in the background, looked on withwide eyes, very breathless, one hand to her bosom as if to control itsheave.

  Mr. Caryll proceeded, undismayed, to make good his accusation. He haddropped back into his slightly listless air of thinly veiled persiflage,and he appeared to address the lady, to explain the situation to her,rather than to justify the charge he had made.

  "A blind man could have
perceived, from the rustling of his prayerbook when he fumbled at it, that the contents were strange to him. Andobserve the volume," he continued, picking it up and flaunting it aloft."Fire-new; not a thumbmark anywhere; purchased expressly for this foulventure. Is there aught else so clean and fresh about the scurvy thief?"

  "You shall moderate your tones, sir--" began his lordship in a snarl.

  "He sets you each on the wrong side of him," continued Mr. Caryll, allimperturbable, "lacking even the sense to read the directions which thebook contains, and he has no thought for the circumstance that the timeof day is uncanonical. Is more needed, madame?"

  "So much was not needed," said she, "though I am your debtor, sir."

  Her voice was marvelously steady, ice-cold with scorn, a royal angerincreasing the glory of her eyes.

  Rotherby's hand fell away from his sword. He realized that blusterwas not the most convenient weapon here. He addressed Mr. Caryll veryhaughtily. "You are from France, sir, and something may be excused you.But not quite all. You have used expressions that are not to be offeredto a person of my quality. I fear you scarcely apprehend it."

  "As well, no doubt, as those who avoid you, sir," answered Mr. Caryll,with cool contempt, his dislike of the man and of the business in whichhe had found him engaged mounting above every other consideration.

  His lordship frowned inquiry. "And who may those be?"

  "Most decent folk, I should conceive, if this be an example of yourways."

  "By God, sir! You are a thought too pert. We'll mend that presently. Iwill first convince you of your error, and you, Hortensia."

  "It will be interesting," said Mr. Caryll, and meant it.

  Rotherby turned from him, keeping a tight rein upon his anger; and somuch restraint in so tempestuous a man was little short of wonderful."Hortensia," he said, "this is fool's talk. What object could I seek toserve?" She drew back another step, contempt and loathing in her face."This man," he continued, flinging a hand toward Jenkins, and checkedupon the word. He swung round upon the fellow. "Have you fooled me,knave?" he bawled. "Is it true what this man says of you--that ye're noparson at all?"

  Jenkins quailed and shriveled. Here was a move for which he was allunprepared, and knew not how to play to it. On the bridegroom's part itwas excellently acted; yet it came too late to be convincing.

  "You'll have the license in your pocket, no doubt, my lord," put inMr. Caryll. "It will help to convince the lady of the honesty of yourintentions. It will show her that ye were abused by this thief for thesake of the guinea ye were to pay him."

  That was checkmate, and Lord Rotherby realized it. There remained himnothing but violence, and in violence he was exceedingly at home--beinga member of the Hell Fire Club and having served in the Bold Bucks underhis Grace of Wharton.

  "You damned, infernal marplot! You blasted meddler!" he swore, andsome other things besides, froth on his lips, the veins of his browcongested. "What affair was this of yours?"

  "I thought you desired me for a witness," Mr. Caryll reminded him.

  "I did, let me perish!" said Rotherby. "And I wish to the devil I hadbit my tongue out first."

  "The loss to eloquence had been irreparable," sighed Mr. Caryll, hiseyes upon a beam of the ceiling.

  Rotherby stared and choked. "Is there no sense in you, you gibberingparrot?" he inquired. "What are you--an actor or a fool?"

  "A gentleman, I hope," said Mr. Caryll urbanely. "What are you?"

  "I'll learn you," said his lordship, and plucked at his sword.

  "I see," said Mr. Caryll in the same quiet voice that thinly veiled hisinward laughter--"a bully!"

  With more oaths, my lord heaved himself forward. Mr. Caryll was withoutweapons. He had left his sword above-stairs, not deeming that he wouldbe needing it at a wedding. He never moved hand or foot as Rotherby boredown upon him, but his greenish eyes grew keen and very watchful.He began to wonder had he indulged his amusement overlong, andimperceptibly he adjusted his balance for a spring.

  Rotherby stretched out to lunge, murder in his inflamed eyes. "I'llsilence you, you--"

  There was a swift rustle behind him. His hand--drawn back to thrust--wassuddenly caught, and ere he realized it the sword was wrenched fromfingers that held it lightly, unprepared for this.

  "You dog!" said the lady's voice, strident now with anger and disdain.She had his sword.

  He faced about with a horrible oath. Mr. Caryll conceived that he wasbecoming a thought disgusting.

  Hoofs and wheels ground on the cobbles of the yard and came to a haltoutside, but went unheeded in the excitement of the moment. Rotherbystood facing her, she facing him, the sword in her hand and a look inher eyes that promised she would use it upon him did he urge her.

  A moment thus--of utter, breathless silence. Then, as if her passionmounted and swept all aside, she raised the sword, and using it as awhip, she lashed him with it until at the third blow it rebounded to thetable and was snapped. Instinctively his lordship had put up his handsto save his face, and across one of them a red line grew and grew andoozed forth blood which spread to envelop it.

  Gaskell advanced with a sharp cry of concern. But Rotherby waved himback, and the gesture shook blood from his hand like raindrops. His facewas livid; his eyes were upon the woman he had gone so near betrayingwith a look that none might read. Jenkins swayed, sickly, against thetable, whilst Mr. Caryll observed all with a critical eye and came tothe conclusion that she must have loved this villain.

  The hilt and stump of sword clattered in the fireplace, whither shehurled it. A moment she caught her face in her hands, and a sob shookher almost fiercely. Then she came past his lordship, across the room toMr. Caryll, Rotherby making no shift to detain her.

  "Take me away, sir! Take me away," she begged him.

  Mr. Caryll's gloomy face lightened suddenly. "Your servant, ma'am," saidhe, and made her a bow. "I think you are very well advised," he addedcheerfully and offered her his arm. She took it, and moved a step or twotoward the door. It opened at that moment, and a burly, elderly man camein heavily.

  The lady halted, a cry escaped her--a cry of pain almost--and she fellto weeping there and then. Mr. Caryll was very mystified.

  The newcomer paused at the sight that met him, considered it with adull blue eye, and, for all that he looked stupid, it seemed he had witenough to take in the situation.

  "So!" said he, with heavy mockery. "I might have spared myself thetrouble of coming after you. For it seems that she has found you out intime, you villain!"

  Rotherby turned sharply at that voice. He fell back a step, his browseeming to grow blacker than it had been. "Father!" he exclaimed; butthere was little that was filial in the accent.

  Mr. Caryll staggered and recovered himself. It had been indeed astaggering shock; for here, of course, was his own father, too.