XXIX
THE KING MAKES A FRIEND
"Oh, good sir," he gasped, dabbing with his kerchief the merry tearsfrom his smiling eyes, "you had better do as this lady urges, for, bySt. George! she employs the most irresistible logic."
Evander and Brilliana, blown apart, as it were, by the breath of theKing's merriment, regarded the monarch with very different feelings.Though he stood upon the edge of peril's precipice, at the thresholdof death's temple, Evander could not scrutinize without vivid andconflicting emotions the face of the man because of whom the solidrealm of England seemed to be dissolving into anarchy. This was theKing of ship-money, the heart's-brother of Buckingham, the betrayerof Strafford, the doer to death of Eliot, the would-be baffler offree speech, the baffled hunter after the five members. To Brillianahe was simply the King, not even the whole hero and half-martyr Kingfor whom she had held Loyalty House so sturdily, but simply the onlyman living graced with power to save the man she loved. She turned tohim at once with a petulant expression of impatience.
"Your Majesty," she sighed, "I wish you would speak to this proudgentleman. I cannot make him listen to reason."
The almost infantile simplicity of her address stirring the King torenewed merriment, served her cause better, in its veryinappropriateness to the situation, than the most impassioned or themost calculated appeals to pity or to justice. The audacity withwhich the Loyalty lady coolly enlisted the King as her advocateagainst the King's interests seemed to the sovereign so exquisite, sogrotesque, as to merit calling irresistible.
"Truly," he said to her, smiling that sweet Stuart smile which madeall who ever shone in it adore him, "the man must be namedFelicissimus who is loved by such a lady."
Then he turned his gaze upon Evander, and the smile grew graver, theeyes more imperious.
"So, sir," he said, "you are so certain sure of the righteousness ofyour side in this quarrel that you cannot, for your life's sake, foryour love's sake, consent to stand neuter and look on, CaptainInfallibility?"
Evander faced the slightly frowning interrogation bravely. Hesaluted soldierly, conscious of the subtle Stuart charm,understanding it would conquer men and women, glad to find himselfunconquered.
"Your Majesty," he said, "let me answer you as I answered this dearlady. If one of those gentlemen, those Cavaliers who rallied to yourflag at Nottingham and drew their swords for you at Edgehill, weremade prisoner of the Parliament, and accepted his life on thecondition that he stood aside and left you to fight without his aid,would you count him a loyal subject, would you call him a faithfulfriend, could you admit that he was an honest soldier?"
Charles looked at Evander curiously. There were some of his friends,he thought, who might not stand the trial too well. He brushed thethought aside, for he knew that most of the Cavaliers would act asgallantly as the young Puritan before him, and he could not butapplaud, even while he wondered at so stiff a constancy in one whomhe regarded as a rebel.
"Well, well," he said, "if this incomparable lady could not persuadeyou, how could a poor King hope to succeed? We must not break thislady's heart, sir, between us, for 'tis something of a rare jewel,and so you shall go back to your own people, and when I win the day Ishall remember to be clement to you. Try and come out of the scufflealive, for the sake of your sweetheart."
The King was so winning in his grace, in his dignity, in histenderness, that Evander felt his heart in his mouth and he tried notto falter in his words.
"I humbly thank your Majesty."
As for Brilliana, she fell on her knees with tears in her eyes, butthe King would not have her kneel. In his courtliest manner he liftedher, raised her right hand to his lips and kissed it, and thensignifying to her with a gesture to go to Evander, he seated himselfat the table and wrote rapidly for some seconds, while the two loversstood side by side, silent in hope and joy.
When the King had finished writing he shook the powder over the paperand let it slide back into the standish, drying the ink as it slid.Then he turned and held the paper to Evander, who advanced and tookit kneeling.
"This safe-conduct," said Charles, "will insure you from illtreatment or delay at the hands of any loyal subjects, in arms orotherwise." He leaned forward and struck upon the bell. To thesoldier on guard who entered he gave order that he wished to see SirRufus Quaryll immediately. When the soldier had left, he turned inhis chair a little, so as to survey Evander and Brilliana standingbefore him in silence, and there was a light of mockery in his eyes.
"Young people," he said, affecting mirthfully an exhortatory manner,"you have played the first act of your love-play. How it is to gowith you hereafter it is for all to hope, albeit for none to guesswith discretion. But in a little while this land distracted will becalm again, and it may well be, Mr. Cloud, that I shall be glad tosee you at Whitehall."
The King's manner was mild, the King's voice benign; he was reallyvery well pleased with himself for his clemency, and very wellpleased with the man and woman for affording him an opportunity ofjustifying his character of benevolent autocrat. He would have saidmore, but at this moment the door opened and Sir Rufus entered theroom, looking as fierce and angry as he dared to look in the presenceof his royal master. He knew well enough that Brilliana's interviewwith the King was likely to mean mischief to his schemes, and hisrage and hate tore at his life-strings like wild beasts.
An impish malice lurked on Charles's lips. This discomfiture of thetruculent Rufus supplied for him the comic element of hisentertainment, and came just in the nick of time to prevent itsheroics and its sentimentalities from palling.
"Sir Rufus," said the King, gravely, "we ride at once to Oxford, ourloyal, loving Oxford. Take order for this on the instant. The LadyBrilliana resumes her command of Loyalty House, with our royal thanksfor her man's spirit and our royal sympathy for her woman's heart. Asfor the stranger within our gates, we have of our clemency given himfull leave to go hence in all freedom, not without some privatesupplications that Heaven may be pleased to lift a misguidedgentleman into a better way of life."
Sir Rufus opened his lips as if to speak, and then closed them againwithout speaking. He knew well enough how stubborn the King could beon occasion, and that there was no hope for him to win his game withthe King's help. He saluted the King and left the presence with furyin his heart.
The King turned to Evander.
"Go, sir," he commanded, "and make ready for your departure, whichshould follow promptly upon mine, for I do not think the atmosphereof Oxford will be sweet breathing for gentlemen of your incliningfrom this out. I give you half an hour from my riding to say youradieus to your sweet saint here. Farewell."
Evander fell on one knee.
"Your Majesty," he pleaded, "permit me to kiss your hand." The Kingsmiled whimsically, yet a thought wistfully.
"You are a gentle rebel," he said, and held out his fine, white handfor Evander's salutation. Then the young soldier rose, and with onelook of love to Brilliana, left the room. Charles stood with hisgrave eyes fixed on his hostess, smiling.
"What a thing is civil war!" he sighed. "How it rips through thepretty web of workaday life, dividing sire from son, sunderingbrother from brother, parting lover from lass! But I was forced toit--I was forced to it."
"It will end soon, sire," Brilliana suggested, tears in her eyes atthe sadness in his. The King seemed to catch at her speech.
"Ay," he agreed, more cheerily. "That's it, that's true. 'Tis but awalk to loyal Oxford, 'tis but a march on disloyal London, and all'sdone."
"London will prove loyal when your Majesty enters in triumph,"Brilliana cried. A bright look came over the King's worn face. As ina dream he saw himself, the rose of that triumphant entry, flowers athis feet, flags in the air, loyalty abroad in its bravest, huzzaingits loudest, and all grim, sour-hearted fellows safe out of sightunder lock and key. Exultantly he held out his hand for Brilliana tosalute.
"Farewell, Lady of Loyalty."
"Nay," Brilliana protested, "I must bring you
r Majesty to the gate.If the fitting welcome were missing, you shall not lack theceremonial 'God speed you.'"
"I thank you, madam," gravely answered Charles. Brilliana dipped hima reverence, and then, opening the door, conducted her royal guestout of the chamber. In the corridor they found Halfman waiting tokiss the King's hand. Charles felt for a moment for his purse, andthen swiftly and regally changing his mind, he drew a ring from hisfinger.
"Wear this for me, friend," he requested, graciously, "in memory ofold days."
Halfman rose from his knees and drew himself up as if on parade.
"God save the King!" he thundered, and with that loyal music in hisears the King followed Brilliana down the great staircase over whichthe carven angels kept watch and ward. Halfman, leaning over therail-way, saw the pair pass through the hall, then he turned andentered the apartment that Charles had left, and stood there, rigidin meditation.
The Lady of Loyalty House: A Novel Page 30
