The Coming of the King Part 59

"What then?"

"I know not. But I will go and help the woman I love. If she will wed me, no man in England will be so happy as I."

"How will you live?" said my father with a sneer.

"I will escape to New England, even as some of our forefathers did," I cried. "Some of her forefathers are also there."

"And if you did this what would you do?"

"I am not a fool, even although you say I am," I cried. "I am young, and at her side I shall be strong. Men no better than I have had a career in other lands, and I will be in no whit behind them."

My father smiled sadly. "Well, come with me to the old home, and then we can think of these things together," he said presently.

"If mother were where Constance is, what would you do?" I asked again.

At this my father became silent for a time, then he burst out.

"Have you any of these Puritan beliefs?"

"Which would you rather I became?" I said. "A Puritan, or like unto the swashbucklers which I am told throng the king's court?"

"But hath this woman converted you?"

"I do not know," I replied; "but I would be worthy of her. Whom would you have me wed, father, a woman such as she is, or one of the women whom Charles loves to have around him."

"The women of Charles' Court!" he cried, and he seemed to be speaking to himself rather than to me. "Great G.o.d! I have thought since I returned, that there doth not remain a pure woman in London. The example of the king hath corrupted the country. Morality is laughed at, while the preachers wink at things which five years ago were regarded with holy horror. And yet no man can find favour in these days unless he licks Charles' boots and praises his way of living. I did not realize it while I was in France, but since I have returned I have seen what I thought might come. England is turned into a pigsty, and those who would live for faith and purity are treated like vermin!"

"Then what would you have me do father?" I asked.

He was silent for a time, then he said quietly--

"You will be able to walk out of here to-morrow a free man. I have seen to that. It is not far from here to the _Virgin Queen_, where our old servant Caleb Bullen lives. Caleb will expect you, and you may find out when you get there what I would have you do."

He kissed me affectionately as he bade me good-bye; indeed, it seemed to me as though he were taking a long farewell. But I knew not what was in his mind, neither did I ask questions, for my father was never a man who made known his secret thoughts with readiness. And yet the feeling which had possessed me at first concerning him had pa.s.sed away. He had grown more and more like he was during my boyish days as our interview proceeded. Nay, more; I thought he had sympathized with me as I spoke to him, even although he was angry that I had not behaved with more worldly wisdom.

When I left the prison on the following morning I heard the Nonconformists comforting each other by singing hymns, and by prayers, so that while I could not understand many of their scruples my heart went out to them in sympathy. I noticed, too, that my gaolers paid me much respect as I left, and I judged that my father had somehow made them think of me as different from those whom they usually guarded.

As I walked up Ludgate Hill towards St. Paul's Cross no one paid heed to me, and yet as I caught sight of myself in one of the windows as I pa.s.sed by, I scarce knew myself, for I had grown a beard several inches long, while my face was as pale as the face of a dead man.

When I entered the _Virgin Queen_ old Caleb Bullen started back like a man frightened.

"Great Lord! Is that you, Master Roland?" he cried. "If it had been night I should e'en have taken you for a ghost."

"If you will give me some breakfast, I will prove to you that I am no ghost, Caleb," I replied.

"Ay, but that hath been ready this last half-hour, Master Roland," he replied. "Your father gave orders concerning it last night. In truth, so particular was he about it, that I cut a new ham, the very best I have, and six eggs have I had fried for you. But come this way, Master Roland," and he led me into the room I had occupied long months before.

"My father," I said, to Caleb, "is he here?"

"Not one word will I speak about him till you have had something to eat," said Caleb. "Faith, Master Roland, but it makes my flesh creep to see you. No, no, I will speak no word, not one word until you have eaten half a pound of ham. It was a good pig, Master Roland, twenty score weight, and fed on good barley."

In truth, although I was anxious to know what my father had said to him, the smell of the ham was so appetising that I fell to eating without further parley, while Caleb stood by watching me as though he was deriving great comfort by doing so.

"It does me good to see you, Master Roland," he said presently. "Why, you are looking better already. Another rasher now, Master Roland, just one more rasher."

"Not another particle, Caleb," I said with a laugh, for a hearty meal had made me feel like a new man. "Now tell me, is my father here?"

"No, Master Roland."

"Where is he? Do you know?"

"No, I do not, but he left this for you," and he brought a bag and placed it on the table before me.

I heard the jingle of money, and on opening the bag I found a large number of gold pieces. As I judged, there must have been a hundred pounds. But it was not of this that I paid so much heed. Besides the gold pieces I found a letter, and this was what my father had written:

"G.o.d bless you, my son--my only son. I do not think you have disappointed me much, though for a time I was sorely angered. After all, a youth cannot help loving at some time, and if the woman he loves be good and true, his love should not be laughed at. In my young days we said that the more danger there was in the rescue, the more was the rescue worthy of a brave man. I grieve much that we cannot spend some days together in the old home, but that I must leave to you. Black Ben is in the stable of the _Virgin Queen_. I knew you would like to have him, so I obtained him, although with difficulty. In this bag are a hundred pounds; you may need them. Rest a day and a night before you begin to do what is in your heart. You will need all your strength. I can do nought for you, but your mother would, I know, have you do what is in your heart. So would I. If you succeed, and have need to come to the old home, see that you take many precautions. But whatever may happen, be sure that your father loves you."

My eyes were full of tears when I finished reading this, and I knew then that although he often spoke words which seemed hard and bitter, his heart was full of love towards me.

I rushed out to the stable, where Black Ben welcomed me with a whinney.

In truth, I thought he trembled with joy as he saw me.

"I have more work for you, my beauty!" I said, whereupon he rubbed his nose against my arm.

"Great G.o.d, help me!" I prayed, as I thought of what lay before me; and into my heart came a great resolution to do what was in my heart to do.

I longed much to start on my journey that day, but I was too weak.

Nevertheless, at an early hour next morning, I rode through Barnet on my way to Bedford.

CHAPTER XXVIII

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE BEDFORD ROAD

I could scarce believe after I pa.s.sed through Barnet that it was indeed I, Roland Rashcliffe, who bestrode Black Ben. All the long weary months which had pa.s.sed since last I had ridden along that road seemed like a painful dream. Then the summer was in the full glory of its loveliness.

The trees were clothed in their green garments, flowers bloomed everywhere, while the heavens resounded with the song of the birds. The sky was, I remember, of perfect blue, while the lambs sported in the fields as we rode along; and even although I was a prisoner, the woman I loved was by my side, and we were excited at the thought that we were journeying to the presence of the king. Besides, I was then strong and vigorous; my nerves felt like steel, and my heart beat high with hope.

Now all was different. A year and nine months had pa.s.sed away, and we were in March. Not a sign of spring appeared, although I saw the farmers sowing oats and barley. Showers of sleet and snow were swept across the country by cold, biting east winds. The song of the birds was nowhere to be heard. The cold hand of winter still gripped the earth, and the cattle stood s.h.i.+vering by the hedge as if longing for the shelter of their houses.

Then, moreover, the country was rejoicing at the coming of the king. Men were glad because they had escaped the strict morality of the Puritan reign, and expressed the hope of happier times under an indulgent king.

But that, too, had changed. Those who had built their hopes for a happier time under Charles had been disappointed, Cromwell had left the country strong and great. Under Charles II it was becoming weak and despised. Louis XIV of France regarded Charles as a kind of va.s.sal, while Holland looked upon us with contempt. Heavy taxes were levied to pay for the king's extravagances, and even his best friends looked upon him as a weak, pleasure-loving, sensual man. He longed to be regarded as an absolute monarch, yet would he not take the trouble to rule the nation righteously. Men saw everywhere that the resources of the land were being drained for no good purpose.

The glad, happy times for which people had hoped, had degenerated into wild, lawless orgies. Virtue among women was not believed in; in men the idea of it was scorned. The Church had become the tool of those in authority, and was made to condone the most frightful abuses. Those who longed for a pure morality and the advancement of true religion, were sneered at as Puritans, and were denied preferment. Nonconformists were persecuted everywhere. Every prison in the country was full of them, and the only charge brought against them was that they sought to pray and preach in another fas.h.i.+on than that ordained by law. The expressed determination of the Episcopal clergy was to stamp out dissent by the iron heel of force. Dissenters were hunted from place to place and persecuted on every hand, and those who in any way sympathized with them were boycotted and persecuted.

All this made my work the harder, for I reflected that Constance was a Nonconformist, and her father had been hanged as a regicide. Moreover, I had no plan of action. I determined to find Constance's hiding-place, and yet I must do so without giving any one else a clue to where she was. Even when I had found her, I knew not how I could help her. My body had been enfeebled by long months of imprisonment, and although at starting out I was buoyed up by the hope of seeing Constance again, I quickly realized that I could not reach Bedford that day, as I had hoped.

Still, I was neither dismayed nor cast down. I knew my strength would soon come back to me, for every breath I drew was the breath of liberty and hope. I bestrode Black Ben, surely the best horse ever a man rode.

At my side hung a good blade, my pistols were ready to hand, and I possessed enough money for my needs. I had also obtained new clothes according to the fas.h.i.+on of the times. I again presented a brave appearance.