The Admirable Lady Biddy Fane

by Frank Barrett

  CHAPTER LVI.

  I AM PUT TO GREAT CONCERN ON ACCOUNT OF A PORTUGAL, WHICH PRESENTLYTAKES THE PRETTIEST TURN IMAGINABLE.

  The next morning I awoke at daybreak, but lay very still for a goodhour, not to disturb my dear lady; and this time was in nowise tedious,for my head was full of glee to think that here was another day of joybefore me. And also my mind was well occupied in turning over theparticulars of our existence, and devising means by which I might makethe day agreeable to my lady as well as joyful to myself.

  Among other things, I thought it would not be amiss if I went a-huntingin the woods for some fresh game to replace the buccan, which is at bestbut an indifferent dry kind of victuals. "Moreover," thinks I, "myabsence will give Lady Biddy occasion to bathe her sweet body if she beso minded." Whereupon I cast off my mat, and stepping into the shallow,that I might not overmuch joggle the canoe about, I gave myself a sluiceand dressed myself.

  Presently my lady, awaking, calls to me to know if it were time to rise.

  "Nay," says I, "there is no hurry, for I am going a-hunting in the woodsand shall not return maybe for an hour."

  "You are sure you will not be back before, Benet?" says she.

  "As for that," says I, "I will not stir from the place if you are afraidto be alone."

  "Nay," says she, with a little laugh, "I am not afraid of that."

  "Then I shall assuredly not be back for an hour," says I. "And if youare disposed to bathe, you will find the water very fresh and proper. Isee no danger now, but I do beg you, ere you step in the water, to lookwell about you that there be no water-serpents nor cockadrils nigh."

  She promised me she would be very careful; and so with a bow and a dozenarrows away I went into the woods, as cheerful as you please. And there,after shooting at a bird with a beak as big as his body (which is calleda _tucana_) and missing him, I had the good chance to spy a _tumandua_,which is a long-haired beast with a snout three parts of a yard long,that feeds on the ants of the earth, which he licks up with a prodigiouslong tongue, like any whip-thong. I killed him with my first arrow, andhaving taken the skin off I cut the best parts, packed them in a coolleaf, and left the rest behind. And now I looked about for a milk-treesuch as I have spoken of, and having the good fortune to find one I gaveit a couple of gashes and drew off as much as a quart of excellent goodmilk in a gourd I had bethought me to sling on to my waist-belt. And bythe time this was done, and I had plucked some good fruits, I reckonedit was time to return to the river; so thither I made my way, stoppingnow and then to stuff my pockets with such dry husks of nuts as make abrisk fire, and culling a few flowers that I thought might refresh mydear lady's senses as she ate. In this manner I charged myself prettywell: with this under one arm, that under t'other, my pockets stickingout on either side, my bow on my back, and my hands full.

  But I was like to let all these things drop from me when I came to thatpoint of the woods whence I could see the canoe, for the boat lay thereempty, and nowhere could I catch a glimpse of my lady. But, to myhorror, I presently spied, through an opening in the wood to my right, aPortugal (as I accounted him by his dress), fitting an arrow to his bow.I caught sight of him but for a moment, for having fitted his arrow hestole forward stealthily, as if to take his quarry by surprise, anddisappeared behind a thicket. Then, as I say, was I like to have droppedall I had for amazement and terror. And now in a moment it appeared tome that my lady, having caught sight of this enemy, had fled into thewood to find me, and that, hampered by the thick growth, she had beenbrought to a stand, whither this wicked Portugal was stealing upon herto take her life. Whereupon, casting everything to the ground, I rushedforward, hallooing with all my force.

  "Turn, villain Portugal!" shouts I. "Here is your enemy!"

  But ere I had run fifty paces I was stayed by a new amazement, for,coming to the edge of the thicket, I was brought face to face with whatI had taken for a Portugal, and now found was none other than Lady Biddyherself, but arrayed in a Portugal's doublet and trunks like any boy.

  Hearing my terrible shout, and then catching sight of me all dumbfoundedwith astonishment, she must needs fall into a merry laugh; but the nextmoment she hung her head, blushing up to the eyes, and her knees turnedin together for shame to be seen in that dress.

  However, coming to herself presently, and perceiving there was no needto be ashamed of that which is done with no ill-motive, she lifts up herhead, though her cheek yet burned and her bright eyes twinkled, andtells me how she had begged these clothes (which had belonged to thestripling that was page, as I have told, to Lewis de Pino) of the Ingasfor her own use. And now I remembered how, when she stepped first intothe canoe, she carried with her a packet which she put carefully in onepart of the canoe, where, as may be believed, I had left it untouched.

  "I shall need my gown," says she, "when we get out of these wilds, andassuredly there would be little left of it if I tried to make my waythrough these woods wearing it. Now," adds she, "I need be no plague toyou, Benet, when we have to leave the river, for I can pass as readilyas you through the bushes and thickets. Nay, I wish to be independent,so far as my strength will allow, that you may not fear to leave mealone if there be occasion; and to that end I was practising with thisbow, and I thought I was brave enough for anything till you frightenedme out of my wits by shouting out so terribly." And therewith she fellto laughing again; but now she was more at her ease, perceiving that Idid not regard her in any unbecoming manner.

  "Your judgment is never at fault, cousin," says I; "and sure it is morefit you should travel in this sort than in a gown which you have nomeans to mend when it suffered by an unseemly rent. Also 'twill be agreat comfort to me to know you will not be left helpless by anyaccident that may happen to me."

  "We will not think of such misfortunes," says she; "but I am heartilyglad you approve of what I have done; and now, to complete theimprovement, do, prithee, cut my hair close with your knife."

  "Nay," says I, "that I can not do; you know not how pretty it is."

  "Perhaps I do," says she sadly, and yet with a certain depth of meaningthat I did not then fathom; "and so do as I beg you; for I can not welldo it myself, and I am still woman enough to dread the thought of itsbeing cut away."

  "What need is there to cut it at all?" says I deploringly.

  "Why," says she, "'tis as like to catch in the briars as my skirts, andthe vexation will be greater. Besides, 'tis out of character with mydress, and I wish to feel my head as free as my limbs are. See," saysshe, undoing the knot and letting it fall, "how unbecoming it is to ayoung fellow, and what a deal of trouble it may get me into."

  Here again was a hint of her meaning, yet I could not catch it then foradmiring of the long waving tresses that came down to her waist, andglittered like threads of spun silk, with the color of a chestnut justburst from its husk.

  However, seeing she would take no denial, I screwed up courage to takeoff some of this beautiful adornment; but I would cut it no shorter thanher shoulders, which I maintained was the length that pages do wear it.And I would not lose a single hair; but when the business was done Itied the long locks in a thick knot, tenderly and in silence, for myheart was sorrowing with the reflection that one day this would be allthat I could have of her.

  "You are not going to keep that, Benet?" says she, seeing what I wasabout.

  "Ay," says I, "if you will let me." And then, not knowing any betterexcuse to make, I added, "It may serve very well for fish-lines if therebe any angling to do."

  Thereupon we fell to talking of fishing and hunting, as that were themain question (though, so far as I was concerned, it was a long waytherefrom), and I took her to see what I had got us in the shape ofprovision; and, to our content, no mischief had happened to those thingsby casting them down so hurriedly, for they had fallen into a tuft ofgrass, and the gourd of milk was unspilt. So we set about making a fireand preparing our food, all with a light and cheerful heart, as if 'twasthe most natural thing in the world for my lady to be figuring
in thegarb of a boy. But when she was occupied with the cooking of thetamandua, under the pretense of seeing that the canoe had not shifted, Iwithdrew a little out of sight, and having pressed my lips and cheek tothe cold shining locks of her hair, I opened my doublet and slipped theminto my breast, where I ever kept them thereafter.

  And now, to make an end to this part of our history, I must say herethat I think my dear lady had another and secret intent in putting onthe boy's habit and cutting off her hair, which was that she might thatway abate somewhat the passion of love that reigned in my heart, andwas, despite my utmost endeavors to conceal it, yet visible to her eyes.She thought, as I believe, that by putting off the garb and character ofher sex, I might come to regard her less as a woman, and more as acomrade of my own kind. It is not necessary to be a philosopher--it isenough to be a woman--to perceive that a man's tenderness does increaseby the dependence of womankind upon his means and love; and 'twas forthis reason she desired to undertake what I undertook, to overcome herweakness, and to stand alone, as one may say.

  But my passion was proof against these devices. For I could trace noaction of hers to its motive without increasing my admiration anddelight in the contemplation of her fine disposition. Nay, the aspect ofher mind did delight my soul, as much, I truly believe, as the sight ofher dear person; and she could do nothing to conceal the one or disguisethe other from my searching perception. "Lord!" thinks I, when I darenot look at her, "can there be another soul so beautiful in all theworld?" And then, when her eyes were elsewhere and I could regard herunseen, I would mark the dainty outline of her brow and nose, and theshort upper lip that did betray her delicacy, her rounded under lip thatspoke of mirth, her full, round chin, in which was no sign of weak orwanton purpose; also (with joy) how her hair that I had cut so barbarousstraight did begin to curl at the end, and would sit shining on hershoulder or flutter in the soft breeze lightly by her downy cheek, likea butterfly beside a peach-plum.