CHAPTER XLI.
"The Earl of Ashby, my good lord, desires to speak with you," saidstout Tom Blawket, addressing Hugh de Monthermer, as he sat at a table,writing.
"Admit him instantly," answered Hugh. "Is he alone?"
"Quite alone, my lord," replied the man, and retired.
The burst of anger to which Alured de Ashby had given way, whenirritated by his cousin's presence, had passed off; and he now enteredthe chamber of Hugh de Monthermer, grave and sad, but with feelings ofa high and noble kind. He turned his eye back, as he passed the doortowards the ante-room, where a page and some yeomen were seated; andHugh de Monthermer, divining the meaning of the glance, bade Blawket,as he ushered the Earl in, clear the outer chamber and let no oneremain there.
The Earl advanced at once towards his adversary, and with a frankthough grave air, held out his hand. Hugh took it and pressed it in hisown, and seating themselves together, Alured de Ashby began upon themotive of his coming.
"Monthermer," he said, "I cannot meet you to-morrow in the field, asneeds must be in consequence of my own rashness and the world'sopinion, without saying a word or two to clear my conscience andrelieve my heart. When I made the charge I did make, I was induced byartful men to believe you guilty. Since then, however, reason andthought, and some accidental discoveries, have made me doubt the fact.
"Doubt?" exclaimed Hugh de Monthermer, in a tone of reproach.
"Well, well," said Alured, "to believe that the charge is false. Willthat satisfy you?"
"It must," replied Hugh de Monthermer. "Am I then to suppose, that itis the world's opinion, the fear of an idle scoff alone, which makesyou draw your sword against a friend, which makes you still urge--but Iwill not use a term that can pain you--which makes you risk your lifeand mine, a sister's happiness, and your own repose of mind for ever,all for an idle scoff?"
"Even so, Monthermer, even so!" said Alured de Ashby, in a sad, butdetermined tone. "I know it all--all you could urge; but yet you and Iare well matched in arms; both have some renown--yours, perhaps, higherthan my own, from having fought in Palestine--and it is impossiblethat, after having called you to the field, I can in aught retract,without drawing down upon myself a charge of fear, which must neverrest upon my name. Men would say I dared not meet you, and that mustnot be."
Hugh rose from his seat, and walked twice across the room, then shookhis head with a grieved and sorrowful expression, replying, "Ashby, youare wrong; but I, on my part, must say no word to shake yourresolution. As you judge best, so must you act, but I go to the fieldwith a heart free from wrong; sad, bitterly sad, that I am forced todraw the sword against a man whom I would fain take to my heart withlove;--sad, bitterly sad, that whether I live or die, a charge I havenot merited brings sorrow upon me. But, as I have said, I will urge nomotive upon you to change your purpose; only hear me, Alured, when Icall God and all the holy saints to witness, that the thought ofinjuring your father by word or deed never could cross my mind--that Iam, in short, as guiltless of his death as the babe unborn!"
"I believe you--I do believe you, indeed," said the young Earl.
"Well, then," replied Hugh, "I have a charge to give you, Alured. Nonecan tell what the result of such a day as to-morrow may be. I go withmy heart bent down with care and sorrow; your sister's love blunts mylance and rusts my sword--hatred of the task put upon me hangs heavy onmy arm--and 'tis possible that, though mine be the righteous cause,yours the bad one, I may fall, and you may conquer. If so, there is adebt of justice which you owe me, and I charge you execute it--ay, asan act of penitence. Proclaim with your own voice the innocence of theman you have slain, seek every proof to show he was not guilty, andbring the murderers to the block--even should you find them in your ownhouse."
The Earl covered his eyes with his hands, and remained silent for amoment, but then looked up again, saying, "No, no; 'tis I that shallfall. The penalty of my own rashness at first, the penalty of my ownweakness now--for it is a weakness--will be paid by myself, Monthermer.I feel that my days are at an end; my death under your lance will clearyou of the charge that I have brought against you, and yours will bethe task to seek and punish the assassins of my father."
"And your sister?" said Hugh de Monthermer.
"I have seen her," replied her brother. "I have seen her, and told hermy wishes and my will. Of that no more; only remember, Monthermer, thatwhen to-morrow I call God to witness that my cause is just, the cause Imean is not my charge against you, but the defence of my own honouragainst the injurious suspicions of the world."
Hugh looked at him with a rueful smile. "Alas, Alured!" he said, "Ifear the eye of Heaven will not see the distinction. Ask your confessorwhat he thinks of such a reservation. But if it must be so, so let itbe!! Yet 'tis a strange thing that two men, most unwilling to do eachother wrong, should be doomed by one hasty word to slaughter each otheragainst conscience."
"Ay, so goes the world, Hugh," replied the Earl, "and so it will gotoo, I fear, till the last day. We must all do our devoir as knights."
Hugh de Monthermer remembered of his knightly oath and the true dutiesof chivalry, and he could not help thinking that the mere reputation ofa lesser virtue was held to be of more importance than the great andleading characteristics of that noble institution. He said nothing,however; for he would not urge the Earl to forego his purpose, and heknew that reproach would irritate, but not change him.
"I grieve, Alured," he said, "that you feel it so; but as you are themover in all this, with you must it rest. I can but defend my innocenceas best I may."
The tone which the young knight assumed, the calmness, the kindness,the want of all bravado, touched Alured de Ashby's heart more thanaught else on earth could have done, and wringing Hugh de Monthermer'shand, he said, "Good bye, good bye! I believe you innocent, from mysoul, Monthermer, and I would give my right hand that you or I were ahundred miles hence this night."
With these words he quitted the room, and turned his steps toward hisown lodging. He had thought, by visiting his adversary, to satisfythose better feelings, which, under the pressure of dark and terriblecircumstances, had arisen in his heart--he had thought to relieve hisbosom of the load that sat upon it, to make his conscience feel lightand easy, and to cast off the burden of regret. But the result had beenvery different: the bitterness in his heart was doubled; sorrow, shame,anxiety, were all increased; and yet not one word or look of him whomhe had deeply injured, gave human nature the opportunity of rousing upanger to take the place of regret. He felt his heart burn within him,his eyeballs seemed on fire, his head ached, and, ere he entered thedoor which led to his apartments, he threw back his hood, and walkedthree or four times up and down the court.
He was just about to go in, when another figure, coming across from thesame side where his lodgings lay, approached and cut him off, as itwere; and in a moment after, Guy de Margan was at his side.
"Give you good evening, my lord," he said.
"Good night," rejoined Alured, advancing as if to pass him.
"Pray what is the matter with your cousin Richard?" asked the other. "Imet him hurrying through the gates but now like a madman."
"I know not, sir," replied Alured, impatiently; but, the moment afterhe continued, in a changed tone--"By the way, Sir Guy, I would fainspeak with you. Thou hast been a friend and companion of Richard deAshby."
"Well, my lord!" exclaimed Guy de Margan.
"Thou hast aided him with all thy might, to fix the crime of myfather's death on Hugh de Monthermer!" said the Earl, and then paused,as if for a reply.
None was made, however, and he went on. "The accusers may be theaccused some day--so look to it! look to it!" and he turned hastilytowards his lodging.
Guy de Margan stayed for a moment in the middle of the court, and thendarted after Alured de Ashby, exclaiming, "My lord--my lord! one word.Do you mean to charge me with any share in your father's death? If youdo, I demand, that this instant, before the King, you make it
publicly.I know, too well, my lord, to dare you to arms upon such a quarrel; butif the Earl of Ashby thinks fit first to accuse one, and then another,I will put myself upon my trial by my peers, who will force you toprove your words."
"Out of my way, reptile!" cried the Earl--"Out of my way, or I willstamp upon thy head, and crush thee like a poisonous worm. Who accusedthee? I did not!"
"I thought the Earl of Ashby might seek to avoid fighting hisadversary," said Guy de Margan, drawing a step or two back, "and wishto do it at my expense--Hugh de Monthermer is a renowned knight, and nopleasant foe to meet at outrance."
Alured felt for the pommel of his sword, but he had left it on thetable behind him; and springing at once upon Guy de Margan, he caughthim by the throat before he could dart away, and hurled him backwardswith tremendous force upon the pavement.
Stunned and bleeding, Guy de Margan lay without sense or motion; andthe young Earl, crying, "Lie there, fox!" strode back to hisapartments. Passing hastily through the other rooms to his own chamber,he paused by the side of the table, in deep thought; and then,pronouncing the words, "A set of knaves and villains!" he filled theagate cup to the brim with wine, raised it to his lips, and drained itto the dregs.
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