Windsor Castle
Page 32
VII.
Of the Mysterious Noise heard in the Curfew Tower.
On quitting the kitchen, Henry, having been informed by Bouchier thatTristram Lyndwood was lodged in the prison-chamber in the lower gateway,proceeded thither to question him. He found the old man seated on abench, with his hands tied behind him; but though evidently much alarmedat his situation, he could not be brought either by threats or proffersto make any confession.
Out of patience, at length, the king ordered him to be conveyed tothe dungeon beneath the Curfew Tower, and personally superintended hisremoval.
"I will find a means of shaking his obstinacy," said Henry, as hequitted the vault with Bouchier. "If I cannot move him by other means,I may through his granddaughter I will interrogate him in her presenceto-night."
"To-night, sire!" exclaimed Bouchier.
"Ay, to-night," repeated the king. "I am resolved, even if it shouldcost the life of this maiden, whose charms have moved me so, to breakthe infernal machinery woven around me. And now as I think it notunlikely the miscreant Herne may attempt the prisoner's deliverance,let the strictest watch be kept over the tower. Station an arquebusierthroughout the night at the door of the dungeon, and another at theentrance to the chamber on the ground floor. Your own post must be onthe roof of the fortification, that you may watch if any attempt is madeto scale it from the town side, or to get in through the loopholes.Keep a sharp lookout Bouchier, for I shall hold you responsible if anymischance occurs."
"I will do my best, my liege," replied Bouchier; "and were it with amortal foe I had to contend, I should have no fear. But what vigilancecan avail against a fiend?"
"You have heard my injunctions, and will attend to them," rejoined theking harshly. "I shall return anon to the examination."
So saying, he departed.
Brave as a lion on ordinary occasions, Bouchier entered upon his presentduty with reluctance and misgiving; and he found the arquebusiers bywhom he was attended, albeit stout soldiers, equally uneasy. Herne hadnow become an object of general dread throughout the castle; and thepossibility of an encounter with him was enough to daunt the boldestbreast. Disguising his alarm, Bouchier issued his directions in anauthoritative tone, and then mounted with three arquebusiers to thesummit of the tower. It was now dark, but the moon soon arose, and herbeams rendered every object as distinguishable as daylight would havedone, so that watch was easily kept. But nothing occurred to occasionalarm, until all at once, a noise like that of a hammer stricken againsta board, was heard in the chamber below.
Drawing his sword, Bouchier hurried down the steps leading into thischamber, which was buried in darkness, and advanced so precipitatelyand incautiously into the gloom, that he struck his head against acrossbeam. The violence of the blow stunned him for a moment, but assoon as he recovered, he called to the guard in the lower chamber tobring up a torch. The order was promptly obeyed; but, meanwhile, thesound had ceased, and, though they searched about, they could notdiscover the occasion of it.
This, however, was not so wonderful for the singular construction of thechamber, with its numerous crossbeams, its deep embrasures and recesses,its insecure and uneven floor, its steep ladder-like staircases, washighly favourable to concealment, it being utterly impossible, owingto the intersections of the beams, for the searchers to see far beforethem, or to move about quickly. In the midst of the chamber was a largewooden compartment enclosing the cumbrous and uncouth machinery of thecastle clock, and through the box ran the cord communicating with thebelfry above. At that time, pieces of ordnance were mounted in allthe embrasures, but there is now only one gun, placed in a portholecommanding Thames Street, and the long thoroughfare leading to Eton. Theview from this porthole of the groves of Eton, and of the lovelyplains on the north-west, watered by the river, is enchanting beyonddescription.
Viewed from a recess which has been partly closed, the appearance ofthis chamber is equally picturesque and singular; and it is scarcelypossible to pass beneath its huge beams or to gaze at the fantastic yetstriking combinations they form in connection with the deep embrasures,the steep staircases and trap-doors, and not feel that the whole placebelongs to romance, and that a multitude of strange and startlingstories must be connected with it. The old architects were indeed greatromancers, and built for the painter and the poet.
Bouchier and his companion crept about under the great meshwork ofbeams-peered into all the embrasures, and beneath the carriages ofthe culverins. There was a heap of planks and beams lying on the floorbetween the two staircases, but no one was near it.
The result of their investigations did not tend to decrease their alarm.Bouchier would fain have had the man keep watch in the chamber, butneither threats nor entreaties could induce him to remain there. Hewas therefore sent below, and the captain returned to the roof. He hadscarcely emerged upon the leads when the hammering recommenced moreviolently than before. In vain Bouchier ordered his men to go down. Noone would stir; and superstitious fear had by this time obtained suchmastery over the captain, that he hesitated to descend alone. To add tohis vexation, the arquebusier had taken the torch with him, so that heshould have to proceed in darkness.
At length he mustered up courage to make the attempt; but he pausedbetween each step, peering through the gloom, and half fancying he coulddiscern the figure of Herne near the spot where the pile of wood lay.Certain it was that the sound of diabolical laughter, mingled with therattling of the chain and the sharp blows of the hammer, smote hisears. The laughter became yet louder as Bouchier advanced, the hammeringceased, and the clanking of the chain showed that its mysterious wearerwas approaching the foot of the steps to meet him. But the captainhad not nerve enough for the encounter. Invoking the protection of thesaints, he beat a precipitate retreat, and closed the little door at thehead of the steps after him.
The demon was apparently satisfied with the alarm he had occasioned, forthe hammering was not renewed at that time.