The Baroque Cycle - The System Of The World Part 46

"I know a few things about what happened at St. James's St. James's today," Daniel said, "but as you came hither, instead of going thither, I presume you are more concerned with happenings at today," Daniel said, "but as you came hither, instead of going thither, I presume you are more concerned with happenings at Newgate Newgate."

"When did he escape?" Isaac asked.

"Sometime during the night. Mr. Partry is there now, interviewing the gaolers."

"As we could not trust Mr. Partry to keep Mr. Arlanc in the gaol, I see no reason to entrust him with further responsibilities."

"It was not his task to keep keep Arlanc at Newgate but to Arlanc at Newgate but to deliver deliver him there-which he did. There, the chains that Partry had put on him were removed, and replaced by much heavier ones, as is the usual practice of the gaolers." him there-which he did. There, the chains that Partry had put on him were removed, and replaced by much heavier ones, as is the usual practice of the gaolers."

"It is also their usual practice to accept money to replace those heavy chains with lighter ones."

"Indeed. After Arlanc had spent a night heavily ironed in the Condemned Hold, he got a new set of chains, which were so light as to be mere tokens, and he was moved-"

"To the Press-yard and Castle!?" Isaac shook his head, and turned his gaze to the traffic moving down Coppice Row. "Someone-obviously Jack, or one of his agents-came in and spread some money round the gaolers, then. They gave him a pleasant flat for a night and then looked the other way as he slid down a drainpipe. I should have antic.i.p.ated it."

"Perhaps the reason you did not, not, was that it does not really was that it does not really matter matter."

"I serve under a solemn Indenture, Daniel. To me, the administration of Justice always always matters." matters."

"Let me say it otherwise, then. All that was left in Arlanc's future was punishment. We should not have gotten any more information from him. This much was obvious. So the tedious business of looking after his incarceration and trial moved to the back of your mind. As it did to mine."

Both men now saw through the window Peter Hoxton and Sean Partry. They had been coming up Coppice Row from the general direction of Newgate. Saturn was walking in the lead, breaking a trail through the traffic, almost all of which was moving the opposite way.

This was Tuesday. Friday was a Hanging-Day at Tyburn. The streets would be impa.s.sable then, and on Thursday. Meat that was brought into the city on the hoof today or tomorrow would fetch a good price later in the week; accordingly, every few minutes a drover would come by, moving a small herd of doomed cattle down towards Smithfield. So the usual traffic of hay-wains, manure-carts, and holiday-makers coming back down from the open swales to the north of town, had to be crammed into the intervals between these herds. Northbound pedestrians, such as Saturn and Sean Partry, had a bad time of it. They entered the shop in a choleric mood, smelling of all the cow-s.h.i.+t they'd been forced to step in. But compared to Newgate this smelled like the gardens of Shalimar.

"There is not a man at Newgate but will aver that the disappearance of Henry Arlanc is a bottomless mystery," Partry announced, with no preliminaries. "From which you may a.s.sume-as you likely have done already-that it was arranged by that infamous Black-guard Jack Shaftoe."

"It was not worth your going to Newgate to collect that intelligence," said Newton, who might have been getting ready to accuse Partry of padding his bill.

But Partry was too quick for him. "In attending so keenly to Arlanc, Jack has forgotten about another inmate, scheduled to be drawn and quartered on Friday, whose testimony might be more useful to the Clubb, and more damaging to Jack, than that of Arlanc."

"Ah, you are speaking of that man who was convicted of coining some weeks ago, and whom you were planning to approach this week. I had quite forgotten about him," said Daniel.

"Do not punish yourself, Doc, for Jack has forgotten about him, too, and therein lies our opportunity."

"I have never heard heard of him," Isaac protested. of him," Isaac protested.

"You'd know his name, if I spoke it," Partry a.s.sured him, "he was caught up in one of your coining investigations some time ago, and duly convicted. But he made me swear I'd not reveal his name, and so you'll not know who he is until Thursday evening, at the Black Dogg, in the cellar of Newgate Prison."

"And then he shall be willing to talk to us of Jack?"

"Yes, sir-provided you come with guineas to put in his pockets."

"A gratuity for Jack Ketch so that this coiner shall die a swift merciful death the next day at Tyburn. It shall not be the first time I have enriched Mr. Ketch thus, to further my pursuit of bigger game," Isaac said, in a tone of exhausted resignation.

At this Partry nodded, and seemed satisfied-but only for an instant, because Daniel pulled him up short with a warning look, and a shake of the head. "Hold," he said, "the transaction as you have set it forth won't do."

"What do you mean it won't do?" asked Partry.

"Pray make yourself comfortable here, Mr. Partry," said Daniel, moving toward the back door, and staring at Isaac until Isaac noticed, and began staring back. "Or down the street at the pub, if you please. I must go for a stroll with Sir Isaac, and discuss with him certain complications."

Partry chewed his tongue for a few beats, and answered: "I shall husband my energies for yet another journey to Newgate and back. I wish you a pleasant stroll and a non-fatal."

"I'll see to the latter," offered Saturn, and followed Daniel and Isaac out the back into the Court of Technologickal Arts.

"WHAT IS IT YOU WISH to shew me here?" to shew me here?"

It was necessary for Isaac to ask this, for as always the Court was a riot of invention. One of Mr. Newcomen's acolytes had come out from Devon with parts of an Engine, which had lately been put together in the middle of the yard to form a great smoking and steaming, sucking and thras.h.i.+ng terror, thronged with grimy admirers. In another corner, Mr. Hauksbee was trying out a new and yet more dangerous spark-maker, which had drawn in those few who were not fascinated by the Engine.

Daniel had hoped that Isaac would be enthralled. But he was not. And the tone in which he spoke, his rigid posture, his flared nostrils, all seemed calculated to let Daniel know that he did not especially like what he saw. It was perhaps a small act of mercy that Isaac did not ask any questions more grueling than What is it you wish to shew me here? What is it you wish to shew me here? For as Daniel surveyed the Court, he noted that very little progress was being made on the Logic Mill. If he were more responsible-minded, he should have been alarmed by that. Had he styled himself a leader of men, he should have taken measures to bring these aimless For as Daniel surveyed the Court, he noted that very little progress was being made on the Logic Mill. If he were more responsible-minded, he should have been alarmed by that. Had he styled himself a leader of men, he should have taken measures to bring these aimless ingenieurs ingenieurs back to order. But he did not feel so moved. He had brought these men together here and given them what they most longed for: freedom to make things, and to work on whatever they found most interesting. For several months, the most interesting thing had been the Logic Mill, and all of them had glady worked together on it, without having to be told to. Of late they had become interested in new adventures. For a little while Daniel had been annoyed by their fickleness. Then he had reflected that the world, as of July 1714, was of a sudden crowded with interesting projects for men such as these: enough to keep them all busy for hundreds of years. If they let their attention drift from the Logic Mill, who was Daniel to command them not to be interested in sparks, or steam? And if Isaac was bored by the Engine for Raising Water by Fire, what power or right had Daniel to forbid it? It was nothing more than the Boyle/Hooke Rarefying Engine, built larger, and that was from fifty years ago. back to order. But he did not feel so moved. He had brought these men together here and given them what they most longed for: freedom to make things, and to work on whatever they found most interesting. For several months, the most interesting thing had been the Logic Mill, and all of them had glady worked together on it, without having to be told to. Of late they had become interested in new adventures. For a little while Daniel had been annoyed by their fickleness. Then he had reflected that the world, as of July 1714, was of a sudden crowded with interesting projects for men such as these: enough to keep them all busy for hundreds of years. If they let their attention drift from the Logic Mill, who was Daniel to command them not to be interested in sparks, or steam? And if Isaac was bored by the Engine for Raising Water by Fire, what power or right had Daniel to forbid it? It was nothing more than the Boyle/Hooke Rarefying Engine, built larger, and that was from fifty years ago.

"Nothing," Daniel finally answered. "It is merely a convenient way to get out of doors without being overrun by cattle." He led Isaac toward a side-exit of the Court, and Saturn-who'd fallen behind, as he'd gone to roust a pair of young culls who'd been playing at dice on a barrel-head-rushed up to grip its heavy bolt and toss it out of the way. The two dice-players fell in behind Daniel and Isaac, each stepping along smartly with a ma.s.sive walking-stick in his hand, though neither of them seemed to have any trouble with rheumatism.

Preceded by Saturn and followed by the two bludgeon-men, Daniel and Isaac now embarked on a mockery of a country stroll. They were moving through a ragged net-work of paths and alleys chalking out small plots of dirt on the fringe of the metropolis-some still grazing sheep or growing turnips, others active construction sites. One day these would be streets, but now they were too narrow, soft, and wandersome to support any traffic other than a pair of elderly strollers and their van- and rear-guards. "From here we may ramble north without too much unpleasantness."

"What is north of here here that is worth a walk?" Isaac wanted to know. Daniel ignored the question, and Isaac, after a moment's hesitation, fell in step alongside. that is worth a walk?" Isaac wanted to know. Daniel ignored the question, and Isaac, after a moment's hesitation, fell in step alongside.

"The arrangement proposed by Mr. Partry won't do," Daniel insisted. "We must have answers tomorrow-even tonight, if the prisoner can be induced to talk."

"Does this have something to do with whatever it was that happened at St. James's today?" Isaac asked. "For I have not heard such urgency from you before now."

"Events have overtaken us; we must catch up," Daniel said. "Bolingbroke has a plan. I know not what it is. It may be a perfectly stupid plan, or brilliant. Strangely, that does not matter. What matters is that he he has a plan, has a plan, he he moves, moves, he he acts, and all others are forced to observe him and to respond. He is the center of all attention, which, I begin to suspect, is more important to him than to achieve any particular goal. Who does acts, and all others are forced to observe him and to respond. He is the center of all attention, which, I begin to suspect, is more important to him than to achieve any particular goal. Who does not not have a plan is my lord Oxford, until recently the Lord Treasurer-" have a plan is my lord Oxford, until recently the Lord Treasurer-"

"What do you mean, until recently until recently? Am I to understand that this Realm has a new Lord Treasurer today?"

"I didn't say that-only that Oxford is gone. He surrendered the White Staff to the Queen today in Council."

"Of his own volition or-"

"She demanded it of him. Strange to think of anyone so frail demanding anything; but that is what they say."

"And she still holds it?"

"She has not bestowed it on anyone else just yet, according to my sources."

"Who are are your sources, Daniel? They seem to be better than mine-certainly your sources, Daniel? They seem to be better than mine-certainly quicker quicker."

"That is another conversation. The point is that Oxford-and with him all the moderate Tories-are out. Thus has the Queen let all the world know, today, that she favors Bolingbroke and the Jacobites. She has set in motion events that shall lead to the overturning of the Settlement Act, the rejection of the Hanovers, and a Catholic King."

"In her dreams," Isaac corrected him. "In truth, Britain will sooner have a second Civil War than a Popish King."

"Of course. Now, consider Bolingbroke's position. He has captured the Queen, and in the same instant, gained unquestioned dominance of the Tories, and hence of Parliament. His next move will be to parley with the Whigs: his only remaining opposition."

"Why should he bother?" Isaac asked. "I should think he is in a position to dictate terms."

"Behold Sir John Oldcastle's," was Daniel's answer. For they had come out into an open place where they could look across a hay-mow to an estate, on the other side of the main road, consisting of a few stately old buildings at the southern end, and a small wooded game-park extending to the north for perhaps two hundred yards, where it covered the slopes of a k.n.o.bby little hill. Daniel drew Isaac's attention to the hill, which would have gone unnoticed and unnamed in most parts of England. Here on the boggy floodplain of the Fleet it was really something. One could see for hundreds of yards from its top! And indeed, three men were standing atop it right now, enjoying the prospect. "What do you make of them, Isaac? They put me in mind of observers posted on a height-of-land above a battlefield."

"That is a very romantick notion, I'm sure," Isaac said, "but in truth they are likely friends or kin of the Oldcastles, enjoying an afternoon ramble through the coppice."

"What? Through all of those tents, you mean!" Daniel answered, and pointed into the little wood. The growth at this time of year was too dense to allow a clear look, but a careful, keen-eyed observer-Sir Isaac Newton, for instance-could glimpse, through gaps between branches, taut canvas, and the occasional hemmed edge, tent-pole, or staked rope.

"Why, there is a little encampment there," Isaac said, "probably Vagabonds come to watch the hangings."

"Do you really think the lord of the manor would permit Vagabonds?"

"What is your explanation, if you do not favor mine?"

"That is a military encampment. But it is not one of the Queen's battalions. Ergo, a militia."

"Whig, or Tory?"

"Remember that Sir John Oldcastle was an early Protestant. The Oldcastles of today are not so fiery as he, but they still lean that way."

"Very well. It is a Whig a.s.sociation company, then," Isaac said. "I have heard about them. But I admit that to see them out in force on the edge of London is a different matter."

"Let us stroll up a bit farther, and see what goes on up yonder, round Merlin's Cave," Daniel proposed, pointing north across fields to another up-cropping of buildings and trees, a quarter of a mile away. This was a good bit smaller, newer, and meaner than the Oldcastle estate, being a Spaw lately thrown up round a natural cave at the foot of the rise that led up eventually to Islington.

Presently it was hosting several who had ridden out from town on horseback. Though it was difficult to resolve much at this distance, it was obvious from the way these men handled their mounts that they were young, and skilled hors.e.m.e.n all, inclined to gallant and reckless displays. It was almost as if they were showing off in front of some ladies; but even at a quarter-mile it could be seen that no women were present. They were showing off for one another. As Daniel and Isaac drew nearer, which only took a minute or two, it became clear that all of these men affected the Mohawk. They, or rather their servants, were piling up branches to make a bonfire later.

"You have seen their like before. Whig gentlemen's sons," said Daniel, and stopped. "If we rambled deeper into the countryside we should see more like them, scattered about here and there, in parks and hamlets, or on high places where signal-fires may be kindled." He turned his back on the Mohawk camp before Merlin's Cave, and began walking back towards Clerkenwell. Isaac, after a pause for a last look, followed him.

Daniel continued, "Those we have seen are the spear-head. On a signal from my lord Ravenscar they should be the first to march down Saffron Hill and in through Newgate to take London. If we went to different suburbs, we should observe, on certain large estates, similar formations of Tory militia, who've already sworn allegiance to the Pretender."

Isaac was silent most of the way back.

Then he said, "What is going to happen tomorrow?"

"A dinner party," Daniel answered, "in Golden Square."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Bolingbroke has sent word round to Roger and the other Whigs, inviting them to join him tomorrow at his house on Golden Square. All of these great men who have been playing the game for so many years, and with such enormous stakes, must finally lay their cards on the table tomorrow evening. Bolingbroke has chosen the time and place of it, and he has done so most cunningly. The Queen is faring poorly indeed. After the meeting of the Council today she collapsed from the strain-strain placed upon her by Bolingbroke, perhaps with malice in his heart, or perhaps because he is oblivious to the damage he leaves in his own wake. Whatever the case may be, she is not expected to live long. And so Bolingbroke has this one moment-perhaps a day, perhaps as much as a week-when everything is perfect for him. Parliament is prorogued, and so he need not concern himself, for the moment, about the Asiento money. Oh, he has the money, he has the money, mind you, or the influence he has bought with it, but has not yet begun to suffer the consequences of having stolen it. The Tories are united behind him; he has the Queen's favor; she is too weak to oppose him, but not weak enough to die; he has thrown all of us Dissidents and Nonconformists back on our heels with his Schism Act; and he has the Pyx. These are the cards he shall lay on the table tomorrow evening. What has Ravenscar in his hand? A few strong cards, to be sure." mind you, or the influence he has bought with it, but has not yet begun to suffer the consequences of having stolen it. The Tories are united behind him; he has the Queen's favor; she is too weak to oppose him, but not weak enough to die; he has thrown all of us Dissidents and Nonconformists back on our heels with his Schism Act; and he has the Pyx. These are the cards he shall lay on the table tomorrow evening. What has Ravenscar in his hand? A few strong cards, to be sure."

"But we may strengthen his hand immeasurably," Isaac said, "and at the same instant weaken Bolingbroke's, by capturing Jack the Coiner, and exonerating the Pyx. It is very clear to me now. Thank you for the walk, Daniel."

"IT WILL NOT BE an easy negotiation," Sean Partry said, after giving the matter thorough consideration. "For it matters nothing, to this condemned wretch in Newgate, how high the political stakes may be. A civil war? Why should he care, when his boiled and tarred head shall watch the battle from the top of the Treble Tree?" an easy negotiation," Sean Partry said, after giving the matter thorough consideration. "For it matters nothing, to this condemned wretch in Newgate, how high the political stakes may be. A civil war? Why should he care, when his boiled and tarred head shall watch the battle from the top of the Treble Tree?"

"Has he any family?" asked Daniel.

"Dead of the smallpox. Only one thing in all the world matters to this cull, and that is, how much pain shall he suffer on Friday?"

"Then it is a simple affair of bribing Jack Ketch," Daniel said. "I fail to see-"

"It is a not-so-very-simple affair," said Partry, "of bribing him most most and and last, last, even as Jack's men-who, as we've seen, infest Newgate Prison-are disputing the issue with us. This is why I was keen to do it on Thursday night. 'Twould afford Jack less time to offer a counter-bribe. But to do it on Tuesday evening-" He shook his head. even as Jack's men-who, as we've seen, infest Newgate Prison-are disputing the issue with us. This is why I was keen to do it on Thursday night. 'Twould afford Jack less time to offer a counter-bribe. But to do it on Tuesday evening-" He shook his head.

"Let us forget about today, then, and have a go at it on Wednesday," Daniel suggested.

"That will help-a little."

"But it must be in the afternoon-we cannot wait until the evening."

Partry mooted it, and finally gave up a shrug. "Anything is worth a try," he said. "But you had better show up with pounds sterling in your purse, and be ready to buy your information a word at a time."

"If it is simply a matter of showing up with pounds sterling," Isaac said, "then I know where I can get some."

Golden Square LATE AFTERNOON, 28 JULY 1714.

"HOW MUCH HARM COULD a stiff drink possibly do you, at this stage of the game?" asked Roger Comstock, the Marquis of Ravenscar. "You and I are already off the charts of the Royal Society's annuity tables-living affronts to the Actuarial Profession." a stiff drink possibly do you, at this stage of the game?" asked Roger Comstock, the Marquis of Ravenscar. "You and I are already off the charts of the Royal Society's annuity tables-living affronts to the Actuarial Profession."

"Hadn't you better go in there sober sober?" Daniel asked. He was facing, and Roger was showing his a.r.s.e to, the best house on the Square. It put Daniel in mind of the stage of a theatre: not the new opera-house style, in which the actors were pent up behind a proscenium arch, but the W. Shakespeare wooden O, consisting of a flat patch of dirt (here the Square) walled in by galleries crowded with well-heeled voyeurs (the houses all round) and dominated by one magnificent edifice thrust out and over all (Bolingbroke's place) and cunningly shot through with pa.s.sages, chutes, ladders, and stairs interconnecting diverse balconies, cupolas, windows, &c., where, at any moment, important personages might pop up for a conversation, tryst, complot, or sword-fight that would in some way move the drama along. An a.r.s.enal of Possibilities it was. The groundlings salted about the Square could not take their eyes off of it. Except for Roger. But then, Roger was not not a groundling. He was no mere spectator, but a leading man-a Capulet or a Montague, take your pick-who was using the Square as a sort of Green Room. He was making ready to enter stage left, and begin his performance; but his lines had not been written yet. a groundling. He was no mere spectator, but a leading man-a Capulet or a Montague, take your pick-who was using the Square as a sort of Green Room. He was making ready to enter stage left, and begin his performance; but his lines had not been written yet.

No wonder he was drinking. "You've been hoisting tankards in the Black Dogg. Fair is fair." been hoisting tankards in the Black Dogg. Fair is fair."

The mere idea of putting his lips against any of the available receptacles in the Black Dogg sent exquisite shudders up and down the length of Daniel's alimentary tract. "I would not even sit down sit down there, much less there, much less drink drink."

"We're not sitting down here, here," Roger pointed out, "and that's not stopping me me." One of his less dangerous-looking servants had drawn nigh, bearing a tray, desolate save for two amber thimbles. Roger pinched one off and projected its contents into his ivory-decked maw. Daniel s.n.a.t.c.hed the other, only to prevent Roger from having a double.

"Your unwillingness to come right out and say how the negotiations are going is a kind of torture to me," Roger explained. Then, to the servant: "Another round, please, to dull the pain inflicted on me by my reticent chum."

"Stay," Daniel said, "we have not spoken to the prisoner yet."

Roger went into an o.r.g.a.s.m of coughing.

"It is good news!" Daniel a.s.sured him. Which was so brazenly false that it silenced Roger, and straightened him up.

"You toy with me, sirrah."

"Not at all. Why should our prisoner be so so apprehensive that he'll not even consent to show his face in the Black Dogg?" apprehensive that he'll not even consent to show his face in the Black Dogg?"

"Because he's a b.l.o.o.d.y coward?"

"Even a coward coward should have naught to fear from Jack-unless he possessed information that was dangerous to Jack in the extreme." should have naught to fear from Jack-unless he possessed information that was dangerous to Jack in the extreme."

"I have a question for you, Daniel."

"Pray ask it then, Roger."

"Have you ever partic.i.p.ated in a negotiation in your entire life? For a quality oft found in persons who have, is an ability to look past some of the more fanciful a.s.sertions made by the adversary."