by John Buchan
CHAPTER VII
I SPEND MY DAYS IN IDLENESS
Summer came on the heels of spring, and the little strip of garden belowmy windows grew gay as the frock of a burgher's wife on a Sunday. Therewere great lines of tulips, purple and red and yellow, stately as kings,erect as a line of soldiers, which extended down the long border nigh tothe edge of the water. The lawn was green and well trimmed and shadedby the orderly trees. It was pleasant to sit here in the evenings, whenNicol would bring out the supper-table to the grass, and we would drinkour evening ale while the sun was making all the canal a strip of beatengold. Many folk used to come of an evening, some of them come to theuniversity on the same errand as myself, others, Scots gentlemen out ofplace and out of pocket, who sought to remedy both evils by paying courtto the Stadtholder. Then we would talk of our own land and tell talesand crack jests till the garden rang with laughter. I could well wishthose times back, if I could bring with them the _forte latus, nigrosangusta fronte capillos, dulce loqui, ridere decorum_. But fie on mefor such discontent! Hath not God given good gifts for age as well asyouth--aye, perhaps in greater abundance?
I pursued my studies in the ancient literatures and philosophy with muchdiligence and profit. Nevertheless, there was much to turn myattention, and I doubt if I did not find the folk around me the morediverting objects of study. I lived in an air of theology andphilosophy and statecraft, hearing discussions on these and kindredmatters all the day long. There were many of my own countrymen in theplace, who are notoriously the most contentious of mankind: so that Icould scarcely walk down any street without hearing some violentdisputation in my own tongue. As for the other people of the place, Ifound them both civil and hospitable.
The routine of my days was as regular as clockwork, for it was alwayspart of my method to apportion my day equally among my duties. In themorning, immediately upon rising, I went to Master Sandvoort's lectureon the Latin tongue. Then I broke my fast in the little tavern, _TheGray Goose_, just at the south entrance to the college. It was a clean,well-fitted place, where was found the fattest landlord and the best alein Holland. Then at the hour of ten in the forenoon I went to listen tothe eloquence of Master Quellinus. Having returned thence to my lodgingI was wont to spend the time till dinner in study. Thereafter I walkedin the town, or resorted to the houses of my friends, or read in thegarden till maybe four o'clock, when it was my custom to go to thedwelling of Sir William Crichtoun (him whom I have spoken of before),and there, in the company of such Scots gentlemen as pleaded to come, topass the time very pleasantly. From these meetings I had vast profit,for I learned something of the conduct of affairs and the ways of theworld, in the knowledge of which I had still much to seek. Then homeonce more to study, and then to bed with a clear conscience and greatdrowsiness.
But there were several incidents which befell during this time, andwhich served to break the monotony of my life, which merit the telling.Firstly, towards the end of September who should come to visit me but mykinsman, Gilbert Burnet of Salisbury, a scholar shrewd and profound, agentleman of excellent parts, and the devoutest Christian it has everbeen my lot to fall in with. He was just returning from his journey toItaly, whereof he has written in his work, "Some Letters to T.H.R.B.Concerning his Travels in Italy and Holland." It was one afternoon as Isat in the arbour that Nicol came across the green followed by anelderly man of grave and comely appearance. It was to my great joy thatI recognised my kinsman. He had alighted in Leyden that morning andproposed to abide there some days. I would have it that he should putup at my lodgings, and thither he came after many entreaties. Duringhis stay in the city he visited many of the greater folk, for his famehad already gone abroad, and he was welcome everywhere. He was a man ofdelightful converse, for had he not travelled in many lands and mixedwith the most famous? He questioned me as to my progress in letters anddeclared himself more than satisfied. "For, John," said he, "I have metmany who had greater knowledge, but none of a more refined taste andexcellent judgment. Did you decide on the profession of a scholar Ithink I could promise you a singular success. But indeed it is absurd tothink of it, for you, as I take it, are a Burnet and a man of action andone never to be satisfied with a life of study. I counsel you not totarry too long in this foreign land, for your country hath sore need ofmen like you in her present distress." Then he fell to questioning meas to my opinions on matters political and religious. I told him that Iwas for the church and the king to the death, but that I held that theone would be the better of a little moderation in its course, and thatthe other had fallen into indifferent hands. I told him that it grievedmy heart to hear of my own countrymen pursued like partridges on themountains by some blackguard soldiers, and that when I did return, whiledeeming it my duty to take the part of the king in all things, I wouldalso think it right to hinder to the best of my power the persecution.In this matter he applauded me. It pained him more than he could tell,said he, to think that the church of his own land was in such an illcondition that it did not trust its friends. "What in Heaven's name isall this pother?" he cried. "Is a man to suffer because he thinks oneway of worshipping his God better than another? Rather let us rejoicewhen he worships Him at all, whether it be at a dyke-side or in theKing's Chapel." And indeed in this matter he was of my own way ofthinking. When finally he took his leave it was to my great regret, forI found him a man of kindly and sober counsels.
Yet his visit had one result which I had little dreamed of, for it ledme to show greater friendliness to such of the Scots covenanters as wererefugees in the town. I learned something of their real godliness andcourage, and was enabled to do them many little services. Inparticular, such letters as they wished to write to their friends athome I transmitted under my own name and seal, since all communicationwith Holland was highly suspected unless from a man of approved loyalty.
The other matter which I think worth noting was the acquaintance Iformed with a Frenchman, one M. de Rohaine, a gentleman of birth, whowas in great poverty and abode in a mean street off the Garen Markt.The way in which I first met him was curious. I was coming home lateone evening from Master Swinton's house, and in passing through a littlealley which leads from near the college to the Garen Markt, I wasapprised of some disturbance by a loud noise of tumult. Pushing forwardamid a crowd of apprentices and fellows of the baser sort, I saw alittle man, maybe a tailor or cobbler from his appearance, with his backagainst a door and sore pressed by three ruffians, who kept crying outthat now they would pay him for his miserly ways. The mob was clearlyon their side, for it kept applauding whenever they struck or jostledhim. I was just in the act of going forward to put an end to so unequala combat, when a tall grave man thrust himself out of the throng andcried out in Dutch for them to let go. They answered with some taunt,and almost before I knew he had taken two of the three, one in eitherhand, and made their heads meet with a sounding crack. I was hugelydelighted with the feat, and broke forward to offer my help, for it soonbecame clear that this champion would have to use all his wits to getout of the place. The three came at him swearing vehemently, and withevil looks in their eyes. He nodded to me as I took my stand at hisside.
"Look after the red-beard, friend," he cried. "I will take the othertwo."
And then I found my hands full indeed, for my opponent was tough andactive, and cared nothing for the rules of honourable warfare. In theend, however, my training got the mastery, and I pinked him veryprettily in the right leg, and so put him out of the fight. Then I hadtime to turn to the others, and here I found my new-found comrade sorebested. He had an ugly cut in his forehead, whence a trickle of bloodcrawled over his face. But his foes were in a worse case still, andwhen word came at the moment that a body of the guard was coming theymade off with all speed.
The man turned and offered me his hand,
"Let me thank you, sir, whoever you may be," said he. "I am the Sieurde Rohaine at your service."
"And I am Master John Burnet of Barns in Scotland," said I.
"What," he cried, "a Scot!" And nothing would serve him but that I mustcome with him to his lodging and join him at supper. For, as it seemed,he himself had just come from Scotland, and was full of memories of theland.
I found him a man according to my heart. When I spoke of his gallantryhe but shrugged his shoulders. "Ah," said he, "it was ever my way to getinto scrapes of that kind. Were I less ready to mix in others' businessI had been a richer and happier man to-day," and he sighed.
From him I learned something more of the condition of my own land, andit was worse even than I had feared. M. de Rohaine had had many strangeadventures in it, but he seemed to shrink from speaking of himself andhis own affairs. There was in his eyes a look of fixed melancholy as ofone who had encountered much sorrow in his time and had little hope formore happiness in the world. Yet withal he was so gracious and noble inpresence that I felt I was in the company of a man indeed.
If I were to tell all the benefit I derived from this man I should filla volume and never reach the end of my tale. Suffice it to say thatfrom him I learned many of the tricks of sword play, so that soon Ibecame as nigh perfect in the art as it was ever in my power to be. Ilearned too of other lands where he had been and wars which he hadfought; and many tales which I have often told at home in Tweeddale Ifirst heard from his lips. I was scarce ever out of his company, untilone day he received a letter from a kinsman bidding him return on urgentnecessity. He made his farewells to me with great regret, and onparting bade me count on his aid if I should ever need it. From thatday to this I have never cast eyes on his face or heard tidings of him,but I herewith charge all folk of my family who may read this tale, ifever it be their fortune to meet with one of his name or race, that theybefriend him to the best of their power, seeing that he did muchkindness to me.
So the summer passed with one thing and another, till, ere I knew,winter was upon us. And I would have you know that winter in the LowCountries is very different from winter with us among the hills ofTweed. For here we have much mist and rain and a very great deal ofsnow; also the cold is of a kind hard to endure, since it is not of themasterful, overbearing kind, but raw and invidious. But there the frostbegins in late autumn and keeps on well till early spring. Nor wasthere in my experience much haze or rain, but the weather throughout themonths was dry and piercing. Little snow fell, beyond a sprinkling inthe fore-end of January. Every stream and pond, every loch and canalwas hard and fast with ice, and that of the purest blue colour and thekeenest temper I have ever seen. All the townsfolk turned out todisport themselves on the frozen water, having their feet shod withrunners of steel wherewith they performed the most wondrous feats ofactivity. The peasant-girls going to market with their farm producewere equipped with these same runners, and on them proceeded morequickly than if they had ridden on the highroad.
Often, too, during the winter, there were festivals on the ice, when themen arrayed in thick clothes and the women in their bravest furs came toamuse themselves at this pastime. I went once or twice as a spectator,and when I saw the ease and grace of the motion was straightway smittenwith a monstrous desire to do likewise. So I bought a pair of runnersand fitted them on my feet. I shall not dwell upon my immediateexperiences, of which indeed I have no clear remembrance, having spentthe better part of that afternoon on the back of my head in great bodilydiscomfort. But in time I made myself master of the art and soon wascovering the ice as gaily as the best of them. I still remember thetrick of the thing, and five years ago, when the floods in Tweed made asea of the lower part of Manor valley, and the subsequent great frostmade this sea as hard as the high-road, I buckled on my runners and hadgreat diversion, to the country folks' amazement.
In all this time I had had many letters from Marjory, letters writ in acheerful, pleasant tone, praying indeed for my return, but in no wisecomplaining of my absence. They were full of news of the folk ofTweedside, how Tam Todd was faring at Barns, and what sport her brotherMichael was having in the haughlands among the wild-duck. I lookedeagerly for the coming of those letters, for my heart was ever atDawyck, and though I much enjoyed my sojourning in Holland, I was yetglad and willing for the time of departure to arrive. In January of thenext year I received a bundle of news written in the gayest of spirits;but after that for three months and more I heard nothing. From thislong silence I had much food for anxiety, for though I wrote, I am sure,some half-dozen times, no reply ever came. The uneasiness into whichthis put me cast something of a gloom over the latter part of thewinter. I invented a hundred reasons to explain it. Marjory might beill; the letters might have gone astray; perhaps she had naught to tellme. But I could not satisfy myself with these excuses, so I had e'en towait the issue of events.
It was not till the month of April that I had news from my love, andwhat this was I shall hasten to tell.