Arrah Neil; or, Times of Old

by G. P. R. James

  CHAPTER XLII.

  Day dawned at length into the dark and lonely prison of the Earl ofBeverley--the bright warm day, clear and beautiful, and rosy with thehue of the rising sun. A long ray of light streamed through the highwindow and painted the opposite wall; then slowly descending, as theorb rose higher in the heaven, rested on the graceful figure and therich curling hair of the captive, as he still sat at the table, butfast asleep with his head now bent down on his folded arms. The quietsunshine did not wake him, for he had watched, with anxious thoughtsfor his only companions, through the greater part of the night; andnot till about an hour before morning had slumber fallen upon him. Buthe was not destined long to know repose; for shortly after dawn avoice was heard in the room, saying, "Is there any one below?"

  The sound but not the sense caught his ear; and starting up he gazedround the room. All was vacant, however, and he thought he had beendreaming, when suddenly the question was repeated--

  "Is there any one below?"

  It seemed to come from the chimney; and approaching, he repliedaloud--

  "Yes! Who speaks?"

  "Who are you? what is your name?" demanded the voice; but, though thetones seemed not unfamiliar to Lord Beverley's ear, he could not ofcourse venture to give his real name to a person he did not see; andhe replied--

  "That is nothing to any one. Who is he that talks to me?"

  "My name is Ashburnham," replied the person, who seemed speaking fromsome room above; "a prisoner like yourself, if you be one."

  "I am, indeed, Ashburnham," answered the earl. "I will not utter myname, lest there should be other ears listening; but I am he whom youjoined going to France, and who was taken with you."

  "Bad luck indeed!" said Colonel Ashburnham. "Hotham has lied, then,for he told me you were gone."

  "He spoke truth there," answered the earl; "but, as ill fortune wouldhave it, I returned last night on business and was arrested by hisson, who tore my pass, and vows he will try me as a spy."

  "Ay, a curse fall upon him!" cried the other voice. "He respects norules of honour or courtesy, and, since his father fell ill, has putme in close confinement. If Hotham could know, he would treat youvetter; but I cannot help you, for I am locked in here."

  "Hush!" cried the earl; "here are steps coming."

  The next moment the key was turned in the lock, the bar taken down,and two soldiers appeared. In a dull and indifferent tone, as if hewere bidding the prisoner come to the morning meal, one of the mentold Lord Beverley to follow to the colonel's council; and obeying,with very little hope that anything he could say would change thestern purpose of the parliamentary officer, the earl was led along thepassage to what seemed a dining-hall on the same floor, in which hefound Colonel Hotham seated at a table, with four inferior officersround him. Two wore the garb of the train-bands, the others seemedstrangers to the city; for when the prisoners entered they were askingsome questions concerning the fortifications. His appearance, however,instantly drew their eyes upon himself; and, walking with a firm stepto the end of the table, he gazed calmly over them, scanning thecountenance of each of those who seemed assembled to judge him, not atall abashed by the somewhat fierce stare with which one or two of themregarded him.

  Colonel Hotham had in general chosen his men well. The two Londonershe had long known as very unscrupulous and fiery zealots in the causeof the parliament; and Captain Marden, one of the officers of thetrain-bands, whom he had called to his aid, had made himself somewhatremarkable on several occasions by his gloomy fierceness ofdisposition. He had commanded the party by whom the two unfortunatemen mentioned by Falgate had been put to death, and he had seemed onlythe more morose and dogged after the horrid scene in which he hadborne a part. The fourth officer was known as a religious enthusiast,a preacher in one of the conventicles of the city, and, as wasgenerally supposed, as wild and unsparing as the rest, so that ColonelHotham entertained no doubt that his purposes towards the prisonerwould receive the sanction of these men's authority, without scrupleor hesitation on their part.

  After pausing for a moment, while the earl stood at the end of thetable as we have described, the parliamentary commander demanded, in asharp tone--

  "What is your name?"

  "Not knowing that you have any authority to ask it," replied the earl,with perfect calmness, "I shall, most undoubtedly, refuse to answer."

  "That will serve you little, sir," said one of the men from London;"for if you do refuse, the court will proceed to try you withoutfurther ceremony."

  "What court?" demanded the earl. "I see five persons sitting round atable, but no court."

  "This, sir, is a summary court-martial," replied Colonel Hotham,"called to try a person accused of entering a garrisoned town as aspy."

  "With a pass from the governor?" added Lord Beverley.

  "But that pass, we have every reason to believe," replied ColonelHotham, "was obtained by a false representation of your name andquality, and as such was invalid."

  "That point will be easily established," replied the earl, "by callingthe governor himself. I maintain that he gave it to me with fullknowledge of my person; and I therefore require that he be called, totestify as to the the validity of the pass which you, sir, mostdishonourably and dishonestly tore to pieces last night."

  "The governor is too ill, sir, to give his evidence," said one of theofficers from London.

  "If, gentlemen, your purpose is to commit a cold, deliberate murder,"said the earl, "you may do it without all this ceremony. I am in yourhands, have no power to resist you, and no means of obtaining justice;but I will not further your views by recognising this as a court,which is in fact none at all. If Sir John Hotham is too ill to attend,delay the inquiry till he is better. I stand upon the safe-conductwhich I received from him; and if you violate it you are murderers,and not men of honour."

  "Had he a pass?" demanded the preacher officer of the train-bands,turning gloomily to Colonel Hotham.

  "He had, but under a feigned name," replied Hotham.

  "What proof have you?" demanded the enthusiast. "Remember, sir, 'whososheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed!' If you bringnot your father to testify, how can we know that this safe-conduct waswrongly obtained?"

  Colonel Hotham's cheek turned red, for he loved not such opposition;and he paused for a moment ere he replied, feeling that he was angry,and fearing that he might commit himself.

  "I think," he answered at length, in a tone so soft that it betrayedthe struggle to keep down his passion--"I think that we can prove thatit was obtained under a false name by other witnesses, withoutdisturbing my father, which might be dangerous;" and then, turning tothe two guards who remained at the door, he said, "Where is the otherprisoner? Let him be brought in. Has the other man been summoned, whois said to know something of these persons?"

  "Yes, colonel," replied the man to whom he spoke; "they are bothwithout there--one in one room, and the other in another."

  "Bring in the prisoner first," said Colonel Hotham; "we will confrontthem together, gentlemen."

  A pause ensued for the space of about two minutes, during which no onespoke except one of the officers of the train-bands, who said a fewwords to the other in a low voice, and then the door opened; andturning round his head, the earl, as he had apprehended, beheld therenowned Captain Barecolt marched in amongst some soldiers. As it wasnot the first time that the worthy officer had found himself in suchan unpleasant position, he showed himself very little disturbed by hissituation, and walked up to the end of the table with a boldcountenance, smoothing down his moustaches, and drawing his beard to apoint between his fingers, as if he had not had time to complete histoilet are he was brought from the inn.

  The cool self-sufficiency of his air seemed to move the wrath ofColonel Hotham, who instantly addressed him, saying--

  "What is your name, fellow?"

  "I be not your fellow, sair," replied Barecolt, boldly, "and am not socall. My name vere Captain Je
rsval, for your service, gentlemen."

  "And now speak out, and speak the truth," continued the colonel, whileBarecolt bowed ceremoniously round the table; "leave your mumming,sir, and answer. Who is this person, with whom you entered the townyesterday evening? Answer truly, for your life depends upon it."

  "Begar, it vere one very difficult thing for me to tell," repliedBarecolt in the same unconcerned tone. "First, sair, it cannot alvaybe easy to tell who one be oneself; and much more uneasy to tell whode oder man be."

  "What does the fool mean?" demanded one of the Roundhead officers;"not always easy to tell who you are yourself! What do you mean, man?"

  "Vhy, sair," replied Barecolt, with an agreeable laugh, "one day, notso very long time ago, I met vid one saucy man who to my face--to myvery beard, sair--swear I vas one oder man but myself. He swear I verenot Jersval, but Barecole--one Capitaine Barecole, a very great man indese parts--a famous man, I hear."

  "Cease this foolery, sir," cried Colonel Hotham, "and answer myquestion directly, or prepare to walk out to the water-gate andreceive a volley. Who is the person, I say, now standing beside you?"

  "_Pardi!_ how de devil should I know?" rejoined Barecolt, with someheat of manner; "I have seen him twice, dat is all; once aboard desheep vere he was very seek, and once I meet him just half-a-leagueout of de gate. Ve vere chase hard by a party of vat you call Cavaliermalignant, and ride togeder for our lifes."

  "That is true, for I saw them," said one of the officers of thetrain-bands.

  "And do you pretend to say you do not know his name?" demanded ColonelHotham, gazing with the fierceness of disappointment upon the worthyCaptain's face.

  "Oh, I tink I heard his name on board de sheep," answered Barecolt;"but I cannot be too sure. Let me see. It vas de Colonel de Mery: vasit not dat you told me, sair?" and he turned to the earl with a lowbow.

  "I answer no questions here, sir," replied Lord Beverley. "This is nolawful court, and the people are not seeking justice, but a pretextfor murder."

  "Ah! murder--dat be very bad;" cried Captain Barecolt, with a shrug ofhis shoulders; "men may kill one de oder in fair fight very vell, butmurder be very bad indeed! Perhaps dey murder me too!"

  "Very likely," answered the earl, drily; but Colonel Hotham exclaimed,"Silence! I have given you an opportunity, sir, of saving your life bytelling plainly who this man is. You would not take it, and now weshall soon see who you are yourself. Bring in that Mr. Dry."

  Captain Barecolt's countenance fell, for he had remarked the room-doorof Mr. Dry open on the preceding night, as he walked somewhat late tobed; and, though he had not been aware at the time that the worthymaster of Longsoaken was awake and watching, he doubted not now thathis own arrest was owing to that gentleman's good offices. He preparedfor the worst, however, and determined to adhere stoutly to his story,thanking his stars that he had alluded to his recontre with CornetStumpborough, before Mr. Dry was called.

  He was not long kept in suspense, however; for not more thanhalf-a-minute elapsed before Mr. Dry, of Longsoaken, entered the room,with his face very pale and his nose very blue, as if recovering froma severe illness; and taking his place at a convenient distance fromthe renowned captain, replied at once to Colonel Hotham's firstquestion--

  "That, worshipful sir?--that is one Captain Barecolt, a notoriousmalignant, now actually in arms against the authority of the twohouses."

  "Oh, I tell you so!" cried Barecolt, with a well-feigned look ofimpatience; "Capitaine Barecole again! Cuss Capitaine Barecole! Now heswear me black in de face dat I vere Capitaine Barecole just as deoder did."

  "I will swear, to be sure," replied Mr. Dry; "for, as I have aconscience and a soul to be saved, you are the man. We all know youare very cunning, Captain Barecolt; but if you can cheat in othermatters, you cannot cheat in this. I know you well enough, afterhaving been carried along as a captive in bonds, by you and otherAmorites like you, for several mortal days."

  "What he mean by Amorite?" asked Barecolt, with a look of ignorance;but Colonel Hotham interposed, saying--

  "That will do, sir; stand down! You shall hear more as soon as youcould wish. Now, worshipful Master Dry, be so good as to look well atthat other person, and say if you have seen him before."

  Mr. Dry did as he was directed, but the appearance of the earl puzzledhim more; for, though the beauty of his features was remarkable, yet,even to those who had seen him often, the black dye with which he hadtinged his hair and beard made so great a change that it would havebeen difficult to recognise him.

  "Yes," said the master of Longsoaken, at length--"yes, I am very sureI have seen him before, though I think his hair was of a differentcolour then. I met him as he was riding up to the house of themalignant Lord Walton, at Bishop's Merton. He staid there all night, Iheard, on the day when the house took fire. I am quite sure it is thesame, though, his hair is dyed."

  "It is," replied Colonel Hotham, in a stern and determined tone, "andI will tell you who he is, gentlemen; for, though he thinks I do notknow him, yet I do. I was fool not to recognise him at first. This,sirs, is the noble Earl of Beverley, who has now come into thisgarrison of Hull as a spy, and deserves death by all the laws of war."

  "It is false, sir!" answered the earl, gazing on him fixedly. "WhoeverI am, I came not here as a spy."

  "Do you mean to deny your name, my lord?" demanded Colonel Hotham.

  "I mean to answer no questions, sir," said the earl, "but merely togive you the lie in your teeth, when you assert a falsehood. I standupon your father's safe-conduct, and call him to witness that he gaveit to me."

  "The pass I tore was not in favour of the Earl of Beverley," repliedthe officer; "and that you are he will soon be proved, though Ithought fit to call upon these men first. Ask Colonel Jackson to stephither," he continued, speaking to the guard, "and the two othergentlemen in the red room."

  The name he mentioned was familiar to the ear of Lord Beverley, whoremembered that Colonel Jackson was in the hall where he had had hisfirst interview with Sir John Hotham, but, owing to the disguise whichhe had assumed, had not recognised him on that occasion. He couldlittle hope, however, that the parliamentary officer would fail to doso now, when his attention was particularly drawn to the examination,and the matter was but too soon decided. Three gentlemen were one byone introduced into the room, and told to examine the earl and statewho he was; and each, though with apparent reluctance, pronounced thewords, "Lord Beverley."

  "The case is clear, gentlemen," said Colonel Hotham. "The Earl ofBeverley, under a feigned name and with an invalid pass, hasintroduced himself into this garrison. It is for you to say, whether,under these circumstances, he is or is not a spy, and subject to theinvariable law of such cases."

  "Remembering always," rejoined the earl, "that you have no proof thatthe safe-conduct was invalid, Colonel Hotham having torn it, so thatit has never been beneath your eyes; and not forgetting that, evensupposing this to be a lawfully-constituted court-martial--which Ideny, he having no authority to summon one--he has refused to call theonly witness I judged necessary to my defence."

  He spoke calmly and firmly, with his cheek perhaps a shade paler thanit usually was, but with no other visible sign of emotion, while thecountenance of Colonel Hotham, on whom his eyes were fixed, workedwith many mingled passions which resisted control.

  "This is all vain and foolish!" cried the latter; "I will tell theearl that I have authority, which I should not scruple to exercise, toput him to death at once, but that I have thought it better to givehim the chance of this investigation."

  "Young man," said the military preacher, addressing Hotham in a solemntone, "if you give a man in bonds a chance, it should be a fair one.Such has not been afforded the prisoner. Why did you tear the paper?Why do you now refuse to confront him with the witness he calls?--andif that witness be too ill, why not wait till he be well, as herequires? Why not, if not to doom him to death at your pleasure? Iwill go no farther in this--I wash my hands of this blood."

&nb
sp; "Well, then, we will put it to the vote," cried Colonel Hotham,fiercely; "and look to yourself, Captain Marsh. He that puts his handto the plough must not turn back. Look to yourself, I say."

  "I will," replied the old officer of the train-bands, "and I am not tobe frightened from a righteous course by loud words or frowning brows.I fear not what man can do unto me."

  "Pshaw!" cried Colonel Hotham, turning away. "Your verdict, sir, uponthese two men--guilty or not guilty?"

  "Guilty," said the Londoner to whom he spoke, without a moment'spause.

  "Guilty," said the other, on the colonel's left, answering a merelook.

  "I doubt," replied Captain Marden of the train-bands, when Hothamturned to him.

  "But I do not," rejoined that officer; "and I say guilty too--so thereare three voices against two. They are condemned. Take them hence tothe water-gate, call out a file of men, and the rest--as yesterday. Ispare you the rope, Lord Beverley, in consideration of your rank. Youshall die as a soldier."

  "And you as a murderer!" shouted Barecolt, rushing towards him sosuddenly, that he caught him by the throat with both hands before anyone could interpose.

  The two parliamentary officers drew their swords; the guards wererushing up from the door; but, under the strong pressure of CaptainBarecolt's fingers, Colonel Hotham was turning black in the face, andmight have been strangled before he could have been delivered, whensuddenly a voice was heard exclaiming, "Halt! Not a man stir! Guardthe door!" and all was silence.

  Captain Barecolt slightly relaxed his grasp, the parliamentaryofficers drew back, and Sir John Hotham, with an excited and angrycountenance, and evidently in great pain, walked up the room and tookhis place at the head of the table.

  "What is all this?" he demanded. "Unloose my son, sir! What is themeaning of this, Colonel Hotham?"

  "_Pardi!_ I will unloose him, now you be come, gouverneur," repliedBarecolt, taking away his hands and drawing back; "but, begar, if youhad not come, he be strangle!"

  Colonel Hotham sank in a chair, gasping for breath, and one of theofficers from London took upon him to reply: "This is a court-martial,Sir John, summoned to try----"

  "And by whose authority?" demanded the governor, fiercely; "who daresto summon a court-martial in Hull but myself?"

  "But you were ill, sir," replied the officer, "and Colonel Hothamjudged it expedient to summon us."

  "He did! did he?" cried the governor. "Colonel Hotham, give up yoursword. You are under arrest. Remove him, wards; take him away! This isno court--all its proceedings are illegal, and shall so be dealt with.Gentlemen, you are dismissed. Away! We have had too much of you."

  Some of those present were inclined to remonstrate; but the old manwho alone had interfered in behalf of the earl said aloud, "You arequite right, Sir John. The court and all its proceedings were illegaland iniquitous."

  Colonel Hotham, too, strove to make himself heard; but the governorexclaimed, in a loud and angry tone, "Away! have I not said it?Guards, clear the room, and take that young man away. Place a sentryat his chamber-door; he is under arrest."

  Sir John Hotham had not come alone, for the further end of the halldisplayed a considerable party of the train-bands; and, muttering somevery unpleasant observations on his father's conduct, Colonel Hothamwas removed, while the rest of the body whom he had chosen toconstitute a court-martial retired slowly and sheepishly, leaving thegovernor with two prisoners, Mr. Dry, of Longsoaken, and a party ofthe guard.