CHAPTER XXIV
A FRIEND IN NEED
It was with much apprehension that Francis awaited the return of thesecretary. Stories that she had heard regarding the tortures inflictedupon prisoners in the Tower came to her mind with such vividness andforce as to cause her soul to sicken with fear.
"I must not think on them," she said, trying to drive this terror fromher mind. For diversion she arose and examined the inscriptions in theroom. "How many there have been before me!" she mused gazing at the coatsof arms and other devices with which the walls were covered. "Whatmelancholy memorials of illustrious and unfortunate people! Here is thename of the Earl of Arundel."
She looked long and earnestly at the autograph of that unhappy nobleman,Phillip Howard, Earl of Arundel, who was beheaded for aspiring to thehand of Mary Stuart. This name was written boldly over the fireplace,and the girl turned from it with a sigh as the thought occurred to herthat all who were connected in any manner with that ill-starred princessmust meet with some untoward fate.
She passed with a shudder from the next inscription bearing the recentdate of 1582, which read:
"Thomas Miagh which liethe here alone That fain wold from hence begone By torture straunge my trouth was tryed Yet of my liberty denied;"
for that "torture straunge" suggested thoughts of too painful a nature todwell upon. The next bore the date, "Anno D. 1571, 10 Sept., and read:
"The most unhappy man in the world is he that is not patient inadversities; for men are not killed with the adversities they have, butwith the impatience they suffer."
And so she went from one to another, marveling at the resignation,patience and endurance breathed by many of the inscriptions, andshuddering at the thought of those "straunge tortures" which were hintedat by others.
Three days elapsed. On the morning of the fourth day, as Francis satlistlessly awaiting the coming of her jailer with her noonday meal, whichwas the only diversion that her prison life afforded, the door opened toadmit, not her keeper, but Sir Francis Walsingham and two warders. Everyparticle of color left her face at sight of him, and she uttered a silentprayer for help as she arose in response to his greeting.
"Well, young master, I hope that I find you in a more amiable frame ofmind to-day?" half questioned, half asserted the secretary.
"Sir," replied she, "I am of the same opinion as heretofore. I confessthat if to carry letters to Mary, Queen of Scots, be treason, then am Iguilty of rebellion against the queen's highness. Therefore, adjudge meguilty, and give me, I beseech you, a speedy death. But, if the word ofone who stands in peril of life may be taken, I solemnly declare that myfather is innocent of all design of harming the Queen of England."
"That declaration, boy, will not save him," replied Walsingham sternly."By not revealing the conspiracy, if he knew of it, he acquiesced in it.His first duty was to his sovereign. I now ask you for the last time withgentleness, in the name of the queen, did he know of it?"
Francis remained silent.
"'Tis enough," said the minister sternly. "'Tis the law that he whorefuses to answer a query put in the queen's name, may be questioned in afar sharper manner. Bring him along, wardens."
"There is no need," said Francis with dignity as the two advanced towardher. "I will attend without force."
The wardens bowed and opening the door of the chamber, ushered her intothe corridor. Traversing this for a short distance they came to a flightof steps which they descended. Here they were confronted by a strong doorwhich one of the men opened. It admitted them to a dark, narrow passageof considerable extent so far as could be discerned. After pursuing adirect course for some time they came to an opening on the left, intowhich they struck. This hall was so narrow that they were obliged towalk singly. The roof was clustered with nitrous drops and the floor wasslippery with moisture.
Francis did not know what part of the Tower she was in but she had heardthat the whole substructure of the fortress was threaded withsubterranean passages which led to different parts of the edifice. Thisparticular one was contrived in the thickness of the ballium wall whichled from Beauchamp Tower to Develin Tower. On either side of the corridorwas a range of low, strong doors which gave entrance to dungeons, andhorrible thoughts of what the inmates of these noisome cells must endureflashed across the girl's mind, rendering her faint and sick.
At the end of the passage was an open door leading to a small circularchamber which the four entered and the door was closed. Francis gave onequick glance around her and her senses reeled for the room was one of thetorture chambers of the Tower.
On the ground was a large brazier beside which lay an immense pair ofpincers. In one corner stood a great oaken frame about three feet highmoved by rollers. This was the rack. Upon the wall hung a broad hoop ofiron opening in the centre with a hinge--a dreadful instrument of torturecalled the Scavenger's daughter. The walls and floor were covered withgauntlets, saws and other implements of torture, but the rack caught andheld her eyes with terrible fascination.
Walsingham seated himself at a small table upon which were writingmaterials, and turning to Francis said earnestly,
"Gaze about thee, boy, and reflect upon what thou seest. There is yettime to tell all that thou knowest. Think well ere thou dost doom thytender limbs to the rack."
The perspiration started forth in great drops upon the girl's forehead.Her trembling lips could scarcely frame her utterance as she answered:
"Do to me as ye list, Sir Francis. I will not speak further concerning myfather."
With an exclamation of impatience the secretary made a sign. From behinda stone pillar there stepped forth a man at whose appearance Franciscould not forbear a scream. He was tall and very attenuated, clothedwholly in black. His face thin and sinister was of a pale sickly colorwhile his eyes, black and glittering, held the gaze with a basiliskglare. He was the sworn tormentor of the Tower.
Francis shrieked at sight of him, striving in vain to control her terror.Just as the torturer reached her side the door was flung open and awarder, accompanied by Lord Shrope, burst into the room.
"Sir Francis, Sir Francis," cried Lord Shrope in agitated accents, "forthe love of mercy, forbear!"
"My lord," cried Walsingham starting up, "what means this intrusion?"
"It means, sir, that for thy honor's sake, for the love which thoubearest thine own fair daughter, I implore you to desist. Wouldst thousubject a maiden to the rack?"
"A what, my lord?" cried the secretary aghast.
"A maiden," repeated Lord Shrope. "Francis Stafford is not the son butthe daughter of Lord Stafford."
"Then, in the name of St. George, why this disguise?" asked thesecretary.
"Tell him, child," commanded the nobleman, but Francis clung to himconvulsively, unable to speak. Seeing her condition, Lord Shrope relatedthe matter hurriedly, concluding with:
"I knew that you knew not her sex, Walsingham, so I sought you to informyou anent it. Learning that you had come here, and fearing that this stepwould be taken, for well do I ken the stubbornness of the girl where herfather is concerned, I hastened hither."
"But, my lord, if this act be foregone how shall we proceed? Thou knowestwell all evidence that can be obtained anent every one implicated withthat 'bosom serpent, Mary,' should be gotten wil or nil."
"My Lord of Burleigh is seeking you," said Lord Shrope. "He reporteththat Babington hath made full confession, and hath thrown himself uponthe mercy of the queen."
"Say you so?" Walsingham started for the door, and then paused. "Thyservices will not be needed to-day," he said to the tormentor. "As forthee," turning to Francis, "thy sex protects thee from torture, but insooth I wonder that one so young should be so staunch."
"Wouldst thou have a daughter speak aught that would go against herfather?" asked Francis finding her voice at last. "Nay; 'twas cruel toexpect it even though I were in truth my father's son."
"Yet still it hath been done," answered th
e secretary.
"Perchance thou wilt be more fortunate than I in informing Her Majesty ofthe matter," suggested Lord Shrope. "Thou hast her ear."
"True, my lord; yet what would it avail? The queen is not disposed to belenient now since the design upon her life was so nearly successful. Shewould grant the maiden proper attire, I trow, but no more."
"I do not wish other garb than this," interposed the girl. "None shallgive it me save my father."
"Then must the matter drop," said Walsingham. "Damsel, I will speak tothe lieutenant of the Tower, and thou shalt have other lodgings but moreclemency thou must not expect."
"I crave none, sir," answered Francis.
"My lord, will you come with me, or go with the girl?" queried thesecretary.
"With you, Sir Francis. I dare not stay," whispered Lord Shrope. "Later,if I may, I will see thee, child. It would not do now."
And with a friendly pressure of her hands he followed after the ministerwhile Francis was conducted back to her prison.
In Doublet and Hose: A Story for Girls Page 24
