Idonia: A Romance of Old London

by Arthur Frederick Wallis

  CHAPTER XVI

  THE SIEGE OF PETTY WALES

  We had stood awhile fronting each other thus, when "By the Mass!" criedMr. Skene, clapping his open palm upon my shoulder, "'tis Mr. DenisCleeve or the devil is in it," and so led me forward to the light.

  "Are you two acquainted, then?" asked Idonia, her whole countenance ofgravity exchanged for a bewildered expectancy. "Oh, why knew I not ofthis sooner? Oh, I am glad," she said, as she advanced to us, herbosom heaving, and such a light of pleasure in her eyes, as it seemedto lighten the very room itself, that had formerly showed so darksomeand sinister.

  "But tell me," she went on eagerly, and came so close that I could feelthe warmth of her breath on my cheek, "is it a long while you have beenfriends?"

  Now so struck with amazement was I, no less by the suddenness of thisrecognition than by the satire that Idonia's innocent speech implied,as I could answer nothing; but leaving the handling my sword, I stoodresigned to what should follow.

  "I think we be hardly friends yet," said Skene, with a laugh of greatgood nature, "and 'twould be a bolder coroner than I, who shouldpronounce all enmity dead between us. Am I not in the right, MasterCleeve?" he ended, on a note of some sharpness.

  I looked up at that, first at Idonia to see how she took the matter,and then at Skene.

  "You are right," said I, "seeing you stole my money."

  "I knew your answer before you spoke it," replied Skene, nodding; "butyet I am glad 'tis out, for all that. A hidden grievance is like adagger worn without a scabbard, that often hurts him that carries itmore than him he means to use it against. Nay, I am not angry," hesaid with a motion of his hand. "Your case seemed to you perfect; I donot blame you. Nor will you me neither, when you shall hear all thathath befallen me 'twixt that and this. As for your money, it is safeenough; and had it passed your mind to inform me of where you lodgedafter you left Mr. Malt's in Fetter Lane, why, Mr. Cleeve, you couldhave had it any time for the asking." His tone had changed while hecontinued to speak, from a certain eagerness to slow reproach.

  "But, sir," I began, when he stopped me peremptorily.

  "It is ill bickering thus before a girl," he said, and going to thegreat press whence Idonia had before fetched forth her ledger-book heopened it, and without more ado restored to me my parcels of gold. Icould have cried for very shame.

  "Count them o'er," he said, with some contempt, but that was the wordthat sent my blood back into my head again. For I was assured the manwas a villain and had meant to rob me, though by his cunning he had puta complexion of honesty upon his dealings, and forced me into the wrong.

  "I will do so later," said I, coolly, "but now I would ask of you onefurther question. What name shall I call you by?" Meaning, should Iname him my uncle Botolph or no, and so waited for the effect of that,being sure that by how little soever he should falter upon his reply, Ishould detect it. What measure of astonishment was mine, then, when heturned to Idonia with a smile.

  "You shall reply for me," said he, "since you know me pretty well."

  "When my father was killed," said Idonia, looking at me with her eyesall brimmed with tears, "in that affray under John Fox that I havealready related to you, my mother dying soon after of grief, she leftme a babe and quite friendless save for Mr. Skene, whom if you haveanything against, I beseech you put it by for my sake, and because hehad pity on me."

  Then going a pace or two nearer to Skene she laid a hand on his arm andsaid--

  "Sir, Mr. Cleeve has been kind to me, and protected me once from aman's insolence when you were absent. I had thought you had beenfriends before, but it seems you were enemies. We have enough of them,God wot! and a plenty of suspicions and hatreds to contend with. Thenif it please you, sir, be friends now, you and he, else I know not whatshall be done."

  Whatever anger I still held, it died down (for that time) at herentreaties, and 'twas with no further thought than to have done withall strife that I offered my hand on the instant to Skene. Andalthough later I did somewhat censure myself for such precipitancy offorgiveness in a case that more concerned my father than myself, yet Isilenced my misgivings with the thought that I might take the occasionSkene had himself offered (when he said that I should learn what hadbefallen to prevent his meeting me on the day appointed in SerjeantsInn), and, if he should then fail to satisfy me, I would take up myquarrel anew.

  The attorney took my hand with an apparent and equal openness.

  "I thank you," he said, quietly, "and so enough. Much there may be totell of that hath passed; but 'twill not lose by the keeping."

  A burst of ringing from All Hallow's Church, close at hand, seemed togreet our new compact, or truce rather, with a shower of music.

  "Why, how merry the world goes!" exclaimed Idonia. "Is it the Queen'sbirthday, or some proclaimed holiday? For I remember not the like ofit."

  I told her it was for the victory of the _Primrose_ that had returnedwith the Governor of Biscay a prisoner.

  "And would to God we had more captures in that kind to show," quoth I,"for they be a curse to the land, these Spaniards and black lurkingJesuits."

  But no sooner were the words spoken, than I remembered the JesuitCourcy that had been discovered here in hiding in this house, and sobreaking short off I gazed full at Skene. He met my glance withoutwinking.

  "You speak very truly," he said, slowly, "and I swear by all I holdmost sacred, that had I the ability, I would so deal with that tribe asthe Israelites wrought with them beyond Jordan, and utterly destroythem." Now, whether in this sentence the man spoke his true mind, ordamnably forswore himself, it remained with the sequel to be made clear.

  Idonia gave a little movement the while he was speaking, but whether byway of assent or of a natural shrinking I could not tell. For myself Isaid nought, but regarded Skene steadfastly, who soon added--

  "I have business above, Idonia, which cannot be stayed. It is pastdinner time, and if Mr. Cleeve will so honour our poor house, I wouldhave him remain to dinner. I am engaged abroad, an hour hence, andwill take my meal then." He smiled. "Mr. Denis I leave to your care,child, and believe you will use him well." He turned on his heel andwent upstairs, leaving us alone together in the hall.

  To relate all that ensued I think not necessary to the understanding ofthis history, and also I should find it difficult to set down inwriting or by any understood rule of grammar the things that were said,or elliptically expressed, between us. For Syntax helpeth no man atsuch seasons, nor Accidence any maid; 'tis an ineffable intercoursethey use, from which slip away both mood and tense and reason, and theworld too ... all which apparatus and tophamper overboard I found itsurprisingly easy to convey my meaning; to which Idonia replied verymodestly that 'twas her meaning no less, and with that I withdrew myarm and blessed High Heaven for my fortune.

  Idonia was a radiant spirit that day. Her hitherto coldness and thebackwardness with which she had been constrained to receive me Iperceived had been due to no other cause than a fear how her guardianwould regard my visits to the house; for despite his kindness to her(which she acknowledged) I saw she stood in awe of the man, and hardlyventured to cross him in the lightest matter.

  "Neither doth the company he maintains about him like me overmuch,"said she. "But now I care less than a little for such things, whoshall soon leave this place for ever; ah! dear heart, but I shall beglad of such leaving, and no man shall ever have had so faithful andloving a wife, nor one," she added swiftly, "so apt at thebook-keeping."

  I was thinking of her hair, and said so.

  "And I was thinking of a long-limbed boy with but three hairs to hisbeard," quoth Idonia, "and for wits to his skull, not so much as wouldvarnish the back of a beetle. Why, how much doth your worship earn bythe week?"

  I told her, seven shillings, besides a new suit twice in the year.

  "It must be bettered, master," said Idonia, grave at once.

  "It shall be better spent," said I.

  "But 'tis not en
ough by the half," quoth she.

  "Well, we will eke out the rest by other ways, of which I have a storein my head, that, being happily vacant of wits, hath the more room toaccommodate them."

  Idonia's answer to this, I, having considered the matter, pass over asforeign to the argument.

  'Twas a little after, that starting up, she cried: "Why, bless my dullappetite, we have not dined! And I with a fat hen upon the spit, freshfrom the Cheape this morning."

  "'Tis not enough by the half," said I, mocking her; but she would notstay longer, saying I must eat, for I had a big body to fill; thoughfor my head, that was another song and a sad one; and ere I could lether, she was gone from me into the great kitchen beyond the stair.

  I sat awhile where I was, marvellous happy and free from cares; and sawmy love of this maid, like a new Creation arising from the waters, tomake a whole world for me where before was nothing; for all seemed tome as nothing in comparison with her, so that I forgot my troubles andlosses, my wounds and sickness, my father, my home, my uncle...

  "What was that?" said I, sitting up straight, for I had, I think,fallen into a sort of trance, and imagined some noise had disturbed me.

  "Hist!" came a whisper from aloft, and I leapt to my feet.

  "Who is it speaks?" cried I, searching every corner of the dark hallwith narrowed eyes.

  "Hist!" said the voice again. "There is danger threatening to the folkof this house."

  "What danger is there?" said I, who had now discovered who it wasspoke; for there, lurking in the aperture of the wall to which theladder reached up, I saw Andrew Plat, the lyrick poet, his tawny hairwild about his pale face, and his neck craned forward like a heron's.Yet for all the comick figure that he made I could not neglect theapparent seriousness of his warning, and especially when he added in ahoarse voice--

  "Where is Mistress Avenon? O, fair Idonia, hasten hither, if you bewithin this fated mansion!"

  "She is in the kitchen cooking a fowl," said I, pretty short, for thisadjuration of his mightily displeased me.

  "Cooking!--she!" returned the poet, with a despairing gesture. "Herlily hands! O monstrous indignity, and cruel office of a cook!"

  I had thought he would fall headlong down the ladder, so distractedlydid he behave himself, and called upon him sharply to tell me whereinlay this danger to Idonia he affected to fear.

  "I stand alone against a host," said he with a flourish, "but Lovemaketh a man sufficient, and will fortify these arms."

  "Enough," I shouted, "or I will assuredly call in question theauthorship of a certain rascal poem you wot of."

  "It is mine own," he screamed, and danced upon the sill for very rage."There is no resemblance betwixt my verses and that preposterousfellow's--whose name even I know not. I vow there hath been nought,since Catullus, writ with so infinite and original an invention as myHymn to the Spring," and off he went with his "Fresh Spring, the lovelyherald of Great Love," with so great an eagerness of delight in thepoor cuckoo-chick words, as I could not but pity him.

  By this time our loud and contrary arguments had been overheard, andere he had done Idonia came running forth from the kitchen, her sleevesabove the elbow, and her dress all tucked up; while a little after,Skene called over the stair-rail to inquire out the cause of thisdisturbance.

  "'Tis Mr. Plat, the celebrated poet," I replied, "that says there is adanger threatening this house, though of what nature I cannot learn."

  Suddenly recalled by my protest, the poet clapped his hand to hisforehead and cried out:

  "O, whither hath my Muse rapt me? Return, my soul, and of this tumulttell..."

  "Out with it, man!" quoth Mr. Skene, in his usual calm manner ofcommand, that did more than all my attempts to come by the truth.

  "They are returning from the Tower," said the poet, "whither they havecarried off the Spaniard. They are coming hither, an incrediblecompany with staves and all manner of weapons."

  "And wherefore?" demanded Skene.

  "Because 'tis constantly affirmed that you have here concealed a sortof plotting Jesuits and base men that would spy out the land, andenslave us. Nay, they go so far as to say that one such was caughthere not so long ago in the open light of day, for which they swear tobeat the house about your ears and slay you every one.

  "Be silent," said the attorney briefly, and we all stood awhileattentive to any sound of menace from without. We had not long towait, for almost on the instant there came a shuffle and rush of manyfeet, and that deep unforgettable roll, as of drums, that means theanger of confused and masterless multitudes.

  Skene addressed me: "You alone have a sword, sir. You will cover ourretreat."

  I bowed without speaking, and unsheathing my sword, went to the door,where I clapped to the bolts and made all fast.

  "Oh, Denis, Denis!" cried Idonia, who saw it was intended I shouldremain behind. "Sir," she pleaded with her guardian, "he must comewith me where'er you lead me."

  "He will follow," said he; and then to Plat--

  "Do they compass the whole house, or is there a way of escape beyond?"

  "There is yet," he answered, having made espial; "for the attack goesbut upon the street side, leaving the lane free. But lose no time, forthey be already scattering--ah! 'tis for fuel to lay to the door,"cried he, all aghast now and scarce articulate. "Come away after me,"and so was gone.

  Skene said no more, but cast a quiet glance at me, that I knew meant hetrusted me, and for which, more than all I had yet had from him, Ithanked him. But hard work had I to refrain myself, when Idoniabesought me with tears not to leave her and, when presently herguardian bore her half fainting up the ladder, to appear smiling andconfident.

  "I will follow you by and by," said I, and then sat down, suddenly sickat heart, upon a wooden grate of ship's goods; for the tumult at thegate was now grown intolerably affrighting.

  "You must try another way than this," said Skene, who had now gainedthe sill, and I comprehended that he was about to draw up the ladderafter, in order to mask their way of escape when the door should beforced in or burnt. I nodded, remembering that Idonia had been movedby the same consideration formerly, when the soldiers came with theirwarrant of search; and so the ladder was drawn up and I left.

  It is not fit that I should describe all that followed, for no man canexactly report all, when all is in turmoil and an unchained madnesshurrieth through every mind; madness of defiance and that hideousmadness of fear. For if ever man gazed into the very eyes of thespectre of fear, it was I then, whom nameless horror possessed, so thatmore than once, when the hammering upon the gate shook even the flagswith which the hall was paven, I shrunk back to the farthest corner inthe dark, biting my knuckles till they bled; and even when the door washalf down, and I at the breach making play with my sword to fend offthe foremost that would enter, I felt my heart turn to water at thesight of that grinning circle of desperate and blood-hungry faces, andat the roar as of starved forest beasts ravening after their prey.

  My defence came to an end suddenly; for although I might have madeshift awhile longer to avert the danger from the gate (but indeed I wasnigh spent with my labours there), I chanced just then to gaze sidelongat the shuttered window upon the left of it, and saw the shutter allsplintered, and a fellow with a great swart beard, already astraddle onthe ledge. Without a moment's parley I ran my sword half to the hiltsinto his side, and as he sank down in a huddle, I left the swordsticking where it was, and ran for my life.

  How I got free of the house I know not, but it was by a window of thekitchen, I think, or else a hole I burst for myself; but by someventure of frenzy I gained the street, or rather an enclosed court,arched under at the further end by a sort of conduit or channel in thewall; and so, half on my belly shuffling through this filthy bow, Icame by good hap into the open street, that I found was Tower Street,where at length I thought it safe to take leisure to breathe, and lookabout me.

  But even here I was deceived of my security; for my passage havingbeen, I
suppose, easily discovered, there wanted not a full minute ereI heard an halloo! and a scraping of feet beneath the arched way, bywhich I perceived I was hotly followed. I stumbled to my feetstraightway and fled westward up the street, while in my ears rang thealarm: "Stop thief! Jesuit! Hold, in the Queen's Name!" which, thepassengers taking it up, and themselves incontinently joining in thepursuit, made my hopes of safety and my little remnant of strength toshrink together utterly, like a scroll of parchment in the fire.

  I knew not how far I had gone, nor whither I had come, for all wasstrange to my disordered vision, but I know now that I had won nigh tothe standard upon Cornhill (having turned to my right hand upGracechurch Street); and holding my pursuers a little in check byrepeated doublings, I found myself free to take refuge within a certainyard giving upon the public way and close against a tavern that iscalled the Leaden Porch. But fearing to remain openly in this placefor any man to apprehend me, I cast about for some means ofconcealment, for I could go no further; and there being by good hap acart standing under the arch in the entry (the carter having doubtlessbetaken himself to the tavern, as is the custom of such men), I got meup into it, painfully crawling beneath the load it carried, which was,methought, something oddly protected by a frame of timber hung aboutwith linen-stuff or such-like, that I skilled not to discover the useof; and here I lay close, until very soon, as well from mere exhaustionas from a despairing indifference to the event, I fell asleep.

  No thought of the money I had been so near to recovering disturbed myrepose, nor indeed for three full days after did I so much as rememberto have left the treasure bags behind me in the hurry of my flight.