Fair Margaret

by H. Rider Haggard

  CHAPTER XVIII

  THE HOLY HERMANDAD

  Down the long passages, through the great, fretted halls, across thecool marble courts, flitted Inez and Margaret. It was like a dream. Theywent through a room where women, idling or working at tapestries, lookedat them curiously. Margaret heard one of them say to another:

  "Why does the Dona Margaret's cousin leave her?" And the answer,"Because she is in love with the marquis herself, and cannot bearto stay."

  "What a fool!" said the first woman. "She is good looking, and wouldonly have had to wait a few weeks."

  They passed an open door, that of Morella's own chambers. Within it hestood and watched them go by. When they were opposite to him some doubtor idea seemed to strike his mind, for he looked at them keenly, steppedforward, then, thinking better of it, or perhaps remembering Betty'sbitter tongue, halted and turned aside. That danger had gone by!

  At length, none hindering them, they reached the yard where the escortand the horses waited. Here, standing under an archway, were Castell andPeter. Castell greeted Margaret in English and kissed her through herveil, while Peter, who had not seen her close since months before herode away to Dedham, stared at her with all his eyes, and began to drawnear to her, designing to find out, as he was sure he could do if oncehe touched her, whether indeed this were Margaret, or only Betty afterall. Guessing what was in his mind, and that he might reveal everything,Inez, who held a long pin in her hand with which she was fastening herveil that had come loose, pretended to knock against him, and ran thepoint deep into his arm, muttering, "Fool!" as she did so. He sprangback with an oath, the guard smiled, and she began to pray his pardon.

  Castell helped Margaret on to her horse, then mounted his own, as didPeter, still rubbing his arm, but not daring to look towards Margaret,whose hand Inez shook familiarly in farewell as though she were herequal, addressing her the while in terms of endearment such as Spanishwomen use to each other. An officer of Morella's household came andcounted them, saying:

  "Two men and a woman. That is right, though I cannot see the woman'sface."

  For a moment he seemed to be about to order her to unveil, but Inezcalled to him that it was not decent before all these Moors, whereon henodded and ordered the captain to proceed.

  They rode through the arch of the castle along the roadway, through thegreat gate of the wall also, where the guard questioned their escort,stared at them, and, after receiving a present from Castell, let themgo, telling them they were lucky Christians to get alive out of Granada,as indeed they were.

  At the brow of the rise Margaret turned and waved her handkerchieftowards that high window which she knew so well. Another handkerchiefwas waved in answer, and, thinking of the lonely Betty watching themthere while she awaited the issue of her desperate venture, Margaretwent on, weeping beneath her veil. For an hour they rode forward,speaking few words to each other, till at length they came to thecross-roads, one of which ran to Malaga, and the other towards Seville.

  Here the escort halted, saying that their orders were to leave them atthis point, and asking which road they intended to take. Castellanswered that to Malaga, whereon the captain replied that they werewise, as they were less likely to meet bands of marauding thieves whocalled themselves Christian soldiers, and murdered or robbed alltravellers who fell into their hands. Then Castell offered him apresent, which he accepted gravely, as though he did him a great favour,and, after bows and salutations, they departed.

  As soon as the Moors were gone the three rode a little way towardsMalaga. Then, when there was nobody in sight, they turned across countryand gained the Seville road. At last they were alone and, haltingbeneath the walls of a house that had been burnt in some Christian raid,they spoke together freely for the first time, and oh! what a moment wasthat for all of them!

  Peter pushed his horse alongside that of Margaret, crying:

  "Speak, beloved. Is it truly you?"

  But Margaret, taking no heed of him, leant over and, throwing her armaround her father's neck, kissed him again and again through her veil,blessing God that they had lived to meet in safety. Peter tried to kissher also; but she caused her horse to move so that he nearly fell fromhis saddle.

  "Have a care, Peter," she said to him, "or your love of kissing willlead you into more trouble." Whereon, guessing of what she spoke, hecoloured furiously, and began to explain at length.

  "Cease," she said--"cease. I know all that story, for I saw you," then,relenting, with some brief, sweet words of greeting and gratitude, gavehim her hand, which he kissed often enough.

  "Come," said Castell, "we must push on, who have twenty miles to coverbefore we reach that inn where Israel has arranged that we should sleepto-night. We will talk as we go." And talk they did, as well as theroughness of the road and the speed at which they must travelwould allow.

  Riding as hard as they were able, at length they came to the _venta_, orrough hostelry, just as the darkness closed in. At the sight of it theythanked God aloud, for this place was across the Moorish border, and nowthey had little to fear from Granada. The host, a half-bred Spaniard anda Christian, expected them, having received a message from Israel, withwhom he had had dealings, and gave them two rooms, rude enough, butsufficient, and good food and wine, also stabling and barley for theirhorses, bidding them sleep well and have no fear, as he and his peoplewould watch and warn them of any danger.

  Yet it was late before they slept, who had so much to say to eachother--especially Peter and Margaret--and were so happy at their escape,if only for a little while. Yet across their joy, like the sound of afuneral bell at a merry feast, came the thought of Betty and thatfateful marriage in which ere now she must have played her part. Indeed,at last Margaret knelt down and offered up prayers to Heaven that thesaints might protect her cousin in the great peril which she hadincurred for them, nor was Peter ashamed to join her in that prayer.Then they embraced--especially Peter and Margaret--and laid them down,Castell and his daughter in one room, and Peter in the other, and sleptas best they could.

  Half an hour before dawn Peter was up seeing to the horses while theothers breakfasted and packed the food that the landlord had made readyfor their journey. Then he also swallowed some meat and wine, and at thefirst break of day, having discharged their reckoning and taken a letterfrom their host to those of other inns upon the road, they pressed ontowards Seville, very thankful to find that as yet there were no signsof their being pursued.

  All that day, with short pauses to rest themselves and their horses,they rode on without accident, for the most part over a fertile plainwatered by several rivers which they crossed at fords or over bridges.As night fell they reached the old town of Oxuna, which for many hoursthey had seen set upon its hill before them, and, notwithstanding theirMoorish dress, made their way almost unobserved in the darkness to thatinn to which they had been recommended. Here, although he stared attheir garments, on finding that they had plenty of money, the landlordreceived them well enough, and again they were fortunate in securingrooms to themselves. It had been their purpose to buy Spanish clothes inthis town, but, as it happened, it was a feast day, and at night everyshop in the place was closed, so they could get none. Now, as theygreatly desired to reach Seville by the following nightfall, hopingunder cover of the darkness to find and come aboard of their ship, the_Margaret_, which they knew lay safely in the river, and had beenadvised by messenger of their intended journey, it was necessary forthem to leave Oxuna before the dawn. So, unfortunately enough as itproved, it was impossible for them to put off their Moorish robes andclothe themselves as Christians.

  They had hoped, too, that here at Oxuna Inez might overtake them, as shehad promised to do if she could, and give them tidings of what hadhappened since they left Granada. But no Inez came. So, comfortingthemselves with the thought that however hard she rode it would bedifficult for her to reach them, who had some hours' start, they leftOxuna in the darkness before any one was astir.

  Having crossed some miles of
plain, they passed up through olive grovesinto hills where cork-trees grew, and here stopped to eat and let thehorses feed. Just as they were starting on again, Peter, looking round,saw mounted men--a dozen or more of them of very wild aspect--canteringthrough the trees evidently with the object of cutting them off.

  "Thieves!" he said shortly. "Ride for it."

  So they began to gallop, and their horses, although somewhat jaded,being very swift, passed in front of these men before they could regainthe road. The band shouted to them to surrender, and, as they did notstop, loosed a few arrows and pursued them, while they galloped down thehillside on to a plain which separated them from more hills also clothedwith cork-trees. This plain was about three miles wide and boggy inplaces. Still they kept well ahead of the brigands, as they took them tobe, hoping that they would give up the pursuit or lose sight of themamongst the trees. As they entered these, however, to their dismay theysaw, drawn up in front of them and right across the road, another bandof rough-looking men, perhaps twelve in all.

  "Trap!" said Peter. "We must ride through them--it is our only chance,"at the same time spurring his horse to the front and drawing his sword.

  Choosing the spot where their line was weakest he dashed through iteasily enough but next second heard a cry from Margaret, and pulled hishorse round to see that her mare had fallen, and that she and Castellwere in the hands of the thieves. Indeed, already rough men had hold ofher, and one of them was trying to tear the veil from her face. With ashout of rage Peter charged them, and struck so fierce a blow that hissword cut through the fellow's helmet into his skull, so that he felldown, dying or dead, Margaret's veil still in his hand.

  Then they rushed at him, five or six of them, and, although he woundedanother man, dragged him from his horse, and, as he lay upon his back,sprang at him to finish him before he could rise. Already their knivesand swords were over him, and he was making his farewells to life, whenhe heard a voice command them to desist and bind his arms. This wasquickly done, and he was suffered to rise from the ground to see beforehim, not Morella, as he half expected, but a man clad in fine armourbeneath his rough cloak, evidently an officer of rank. "What kind of aMoor are you," he asked, "who dare to kill the soldiers of the HolyHermandad in the heart of the King's country?" and he pointed tothe dead man.

  "I am not a Moor," answered Peter in his rough Spanish. "I am aChristian escaped from Granada, and I cut down that man because he wastrying to insult my betrothed, as you would have done, Senor. I did notknow that he was a soldier of the Hermandad; I thought him a commonthief of the hills."

  This speech, or as much as he could understand of it, seemed to pleasethe officer, but before he could answer, Castell said:

  "Sir Officer, the senor is an Englishman, and does not speak yourlanguage well--"

  "He uses his sword well, anyhow," interrupted the captain, glancing atthe dead soldier's cloven helm and head.

  "Yes, Sir, he is of your trade and, as the scar upon his face shows, hasfought in many wars. Sir, what he tells you is true. We are Christiancaptives escaped from Granada and flying to Seville with my daughter, towhom I pray you to do no harm, to ask for the protection of theirgracious Majesties, and to find a passage back to England."

  "You do not look like an Englishman," answered the captain; "you looklike a Marano."

  "Sir, I cannot help my looks. I am a merchant of London, Castell byname. It is one well known in Seville and throughout this land, where Ihave large dealings, as, if I can but see him, your king himself willacknowledge. Be not deceived by our dress, which we had to put on inorder to escape from Granada, but, I beseech you, let us go onto Seville."

  "Senor Castell," answered the officer, "I am the Captain Arrano ofPuebla, and, since you would not stop when we called to you, and havekilled one of my best soldiers, to Seville you must certainly go, butwith me, not by yourselves. You are my prisoners, but have no fear. Noviolence shall be done to you or the lady, who must take your trials foryour deeds before the King's court, and there tell your story, trueor false."

  So, having been disarmed of their swords, they were allowed to remounttheir horses and taken on towards Seville as prisoners.

  "At least," said Margaret to Peter, "we have nothing more to fear fromhighwaymen, and have escaped these soldiers' swords unhurt."

  "Yes," answered Peter with a groan, "but I hoped that to-night we shouldhave slept upon the _Margaret_ while she slipped down the river towardsthe open sea, and not in a Spanish jail. Now, as fate will have it, forthe second time I have killed a man on your behalf, and all the businesswill begin again. Truly our luck is bad!"

  "I think it might be worse, and I cannot blame you for that deed,"answered Margaret, remembering the rough hands of the dead soldier, whomsome of his comrades had stopped behind to bury.

  During all the remainder of that long day they rode on through theburning heat, across the rich, cultivated plain, towards the great cityof Seville, whereof the Giralda, which once had been the minaret of aMoorish mosque, towered hundreds of feet into the air before them. Atlength, towards evening, they entered the eastern suburbs of the vastcity and, passing through them and a great gate beyond, began to threadits tortuous streets.

  "Whither go we, Captain Arrano?" asked Castell presently.

  "To the prison of the Holy Hermandad to await your trial for the slayingof one of its soldiers," answered the officer.

  "I pray that we may get there soon then," said Peter, looking atMargaret, who, overcome with fatigue, swayed upon her saddle like aflower in the wind.

  "So do I," muttered Castell, glancing round at the dark faces of thepeople, who, having discovered that they had killed a Spanish soldier,and taking them to be Moors, were marching alongside of them in greatnumbers, staring sullenly, or cursing them for infidels. Indeed, oncewhen they passed a square, a priest in the mob cried out, "Kill them!"whereon a number of rough fellows made a rush to pull them off theirhorses, and were with difficulty beaten back by the soldiers.

  Foiled in this attempt they began to pelt them with garbage, so thatsoon their white robes were stained and filthy. One fellow, too, threw astone which struck Margaret on the wrist, causing her to cry out anddrop her rein. This was too much for the hot-blooded Peter, who,spurring his horse alongside of him, before the soldiers couldinterfere, hit him such a buffet in the face that the man rolled uponthe ground. Now Castell thought that they would certainly be killed, butto his surprise the mob only laughed and shouted such things as "Wellhit, Moor!" "That infidel has a strong arm," and so forth.

  Nor was the officer angry, for when the man rose, a knife in his hand,he drew his sword and struck him down again with the flat of it,saying to Peter:

  "Do not sully your hand with such street swine, Senor."

  Then he turned and commanded his men to charge the crowd ahead of them.

  So they got through these people and, after many twists and turns downside streets to avoid the main avenues, came to a great and gloomybuilding and into a courtyard through barred gates that were opened attheir approach and shut after them. Here they were ordered to dismountand their horses led away, while the officer, Arrano, entered intoconversation with the governor of the prison, a man with a stern but notunkindly face, who surveyed them with much curiosity. Presently heapproached and asked them if they could pay for good rooms, as if not hemust put them in the common cells.

  Castell answered, "Yes," and, by way of earnest of it, produced fivepieces of gold, and giving them to the Captain Arrano, begged him todistribute them among his soldiers as a thankoffering for theirprotection of them through the streets. Also, he said loudly enough forevery one to hear, that he would be willing to compensate the relativesof the man whom Peter had killed by accident--an announcement thatevidently impressed his comrades very favourably. Indeed one of themsaid he would bear the message to his widow, and, on behalf of the rest,thanked him for his gift. Then having bade farewell to the officer, whotold them that they would meet again before the judges, they were le
dthrough the various passages of the prison to two rooms, one small andone of a fair size with heavily barred windows, given water to wash in,and told that food would be brought to them.

  In due course it came, carried by jailers--meat, eggs, and wine, andglad enough were they to see it. While they ate, also the governorappeared with a notary, and, having waited till their meal was finished,began to question them.

  "Our story is long," said Castell, "but with your leave I will tell ityou, only, I pray you, suffer my daughter, the Dona Margaret, to go torest, for she is quite outworn, and if you will you can question herto-morrow."

  The governor assenting, Margaret threw off her veil to embrace herfather, thus showing her beauty for the first time, whereat the governorand the notary stared amazed. Then having given Peter her hand to kiss,and curtseyed to the governor and the notary, she went to her bed in thenext room, which opened out of that in which they were.

  When she had gone, Castell told his story of how his daughter had beenkidnapped by the Marquis of Morella, a name that caused the governor toopen his eyes very wide, and brought from London to Granada, whitherthey, her father and her betrothed, had followed her and escaped. But ofBetty and all the business of the changed bride he said nothing. Also,knowing that these must come out in any case, he told them his name andbusiness, and those of his partners and correspondents in Seville, thefirm of Bernaldez, which was one that the governor knew well enough,and prayed that the head of that firm, the Senor Juan Bernaldez, mightbe communicated with and allowed to visit them on the next morning.Lastly, he explained that they were no thieves or adventurers, butEnglish subjects in misfortune, and again hinted that they were bothable and willing to pay for any kindness or consideration that was shownto them, of all of which sayings the governor took note.

  Also this officer said that he would communicate with his superiors,and, if no objection were made, send a messenger to ask the SenorBernaldez to attend at the prison on the following day. Then at lengthhe and the notary departed, and, the jailers having cleared away thefood and locked the door, Castell and Peter lay down on the beds thatthey had made ready for them, thankful enough to find themselves atSeville, even though in a prison, where indeed they slept very wellthat night.

  On the following morning they woke much refreshed, and, after they hadbreakfasted, the governor appeared, and with him none other than theSenor Juan Bernaldez, Castell's secret correspondent and Spanishpartner, whom he had last seen some years before in England, a stout manwith a quiet, clever face, not over given to words.

  Greeting them with a deference that was not lost upon the governor, heasked whether he had leave to speak with them alone. The governorassented and went, saying he would return within an hour. As soon as thedoor was closed behind him, Bernaldez said:

  "This is a strange place to meet you in, John Castell, yet I am notaltogether surprised, since some of your messages reached me throughour friends the Jews; also your ship, the _Margaret_, lies refitted inthe river, and to avoid suspicion I have been lading her slowly with acargo for England, though how you will come aboard that ship is morethan I can say. But we have no time to waste. Tell me all your story,keeping nothing back."

  So they told him everything as quickly as they could, while he listenedsilently. When they had done, he said, addressing Peter:

  "It is a thousand pities, young sir, that you could not keep your handsoff that soldier, for now the trouble that was nearly done with hasbegun anew, and in a worse shape. The Marquis of Morella is a verypowerful man in this kingdom, as you may know from the fact that he wassent to London by their Majesties to negotiate a treaty with yourEnglish King Henry as to the Jews and their treatment, should any ofthem escape thither after they have been expelled from Spain. Fornothing less is in the wind, and I would have you know that theirMajesties hate the Jews, and especially the Maranos, whom already theyburn by dozens here in Seville," and he glanced meaningly at Castell.

  "I am very sorry," said Peter, "but the fellow handled her roughly, andI was maddened at the sight and could not help myself. This is thesecond time that I have come into trouble from the same cause. Also, Ithought that he was but a bandit."

  "Love is a bad diplomatist," replied Bernaldez, with a little smile,"and who can count last year's clouds? What is done, is done. Now I willtry to arrange that the three of you shall be brought straight beforetheir Majesties when they sit to hear cases on the day after to-morrow.With the Queen you will have a better chance than at the hands of anyalcalde. She has a heart, if only one can get at it--that is, exceptwhere Jews and Maranos are concerned," and again he glanced at Castell."Meanwhile, there is money in plenty, and in Spain we ride to heaven ongold angels," he added, alluding to that coin and the nationalcorruption.

  Before they could say more the governor returned, saying that the SenorBernaldez' time was up, and asking if they had finished their talk.

  "Not altogether," said Margaret. "Noble Governor, is it permitted thatthe Senor Bernaldez should send me some Christian clothes to wear, for Iwould not appear before your judges in this soiled heathen garb, nor, Ithink, would my father or the Senor Brome?"

  The governor laughed, and said he thought that might be arranged, andeven allowed them another five minutes, while they talked of what theseclothes should be. Then he departed with Bernaldez, leaving them alone.

  It was not until the latter had gone, however, that they remembered thatthey had forgotten to ask him whether he had heard anything of the womanInez, who had been furnished with his address, but, as he had saidnothing of her, they felt sure that she could not have arrived inSeville, and once more were much afraid as to what might have happenedafter they had left Granada.

  That night, to their grief and alarm, a new trouble fell on them. Justas they finished their supper the governor appeared and said that, byorder of the Court before which they must be tried, the Senor Brome,who was accused of murder, must be separated from them. So, in spite ofall they could say or do, Peter was led away to a separate cell, leavingMargaret weeping.