Windsor Castle
Page 43
VI.
Of the Desperate Resolution formed by Tristram and Fenwolf, and how the Train was laid.
Transported with rage at the escape of the fugitives, Fenwolf turned toold Tristram, and drawing his knife, threatened to make an end of him.But the old man, who was armed with a short hunting-sword, stood uponhis defence, and they remained brandishing their weapons at each otherfor some minutes, but without striking a blow.
"Well, I leave you to Herne's vengeance," said Fenwolf, returning hisknife to his belt. "You will pay dearly for allowing them to escape."
"I will take my chance," replied Tristram moodily: "my mind is made upto the worst. I will no longer serve this fiend."
"What! dare you break your oath?" cried Fenwolf. "Remember the terribleconsequences."
"I care not for them," replied Tristram. "Harkee, Fenwolf: I know youwill not betray me, for you hate him as much as I do, and have as greata desire for revenge. I will rid the forest of this fell being."
"Would you could make good your words, old man!" cried Fenwolf. "I wouldgive my life for vengeance upon him."
"I take the offer," said Tristram; "you shall have vengeance."
"But how?" cried the other. "I have proved that he is invulnerable andthe prints of his hands are written in black characters upon my throat.If we could capture him, and deliver him to the king, we might purchaseour own pardon."
"No, that can never be," said Tristram. "My plan is to destroy him."
"Well, let me hear it," said Fenwolf.
"Come with me, then," rejoined Tristram.
And taking up the lamp, he led the way down a narrow lateral passage.When about half-way down it, he stopped before a low door, cased withiron, which he opened, and showed that the recess was filled with largecanvas bags.
"Why, this is the powder-magazine," said Fenwolf. "I can now guess howyou mean to destroy Herne. I like the scheme well enough; but it cannotbe executed without certain destruction to ourselves."
"I will take all the risk upon myself," said Tristram, "I only requireyour aid in the preparations. What I propose to do is this. There ispowder enough in the magazine, not only to blow up the cave, but to setfire to all the wood surrounding it. It must be scattered among the drybrush-wood in a great circle round the cave, and connected by a trainwith this magazine. When Herne comes hack, I will fire the train."
"There is much hazard in the scheme, and I fear it will fail," repliedFenwolf, after a pause, "nevertheless, I will assist you."
"Then, let us go to work at once," said Tristram, "for we have no timeto lose. Herne will be here before midnight, and I should like to haveall ready for him."
Accordingly, they each shouldered a couple of the bags, and returningto the cavern, threaded a narrow passage, and emerged from the secretentrance in the grove.
While Fenwolf descended for a fresh supply of powder, Tristramcommenced operations. Though autumn was now far advanced, there hadbeen remarkably fine weather of late; the ground was thickly strewn withyellow leaves, the fern was brown and dry, and the brushwood crackledand broke as a passage was forced through it. The very trees wereparched by the long-continued drought. Thus favoured in his design,Tristram scattered the contents of one of the bags in a thick line amongthe fern and brushwood, depositing here and there among the roots of atree, several pounds of powder, and covering the heaps over with driedsticks and leaves.
While he was thus employed, Fenwolf appeared with two more bags ofpowder, and descended again for a fresh supply. When he returned, ladenas before, the old forester had already described a large portion of thecircle he intended to take.
Judging that there was now powder sufficient, Tristram explained to hiscompanion how to proceed; and the other commenced laying a train on theleft of the secret entrance, carefully observing the instructions givenhim. In less than an hour, they met together at a particular tree, andthe formidable circle was complete.
"So far, well!" said Tristram, emptying the contents of his bag beneaththe tree, and covering it with leaves and sticks, as before; "and now toconnect this with the cavern."
With this, he opened another bag, and drew a wide train towards thecentre of the space. At length, he paused at the foot of a large hollowtree.
"I have ascertained," he said, "that this tree stands immediately overthe magazine; and by following this rabbit's burrow, I have contrivedto make a small entrance into it. A hollow reed introduced through thehole, and filled with powder, will be sure to reach the store below."
"An excellent ideal," replied Fenwolf. "I will fetch one instantly."
And starting off to the side of the lake, he presently returned withseveral long reeds, one of which was selected by Tristram and thrustinto the burrow. It proved of the precise length required; and as soonas it touched the bottom, it was carefully filled with powder from ahorn. Having connected this tube with the side train, and scatteredpowder for several yards around, so as to secure instantaneous ignition,Tristram pronounced that the train was complete.
"We have now laid a trap from which Herne will scarcely escape," heobserved, with a moody laugh, to Fenwolf.
They then prepared to return to the cave, but had not proceeded manyyards, when Herne, mounted on his sable steed, burst through the trees.
"Ah! what make you here?" he cried, instantly checking his career. "Ibade you keep a strict watch over Mabel. Where is she?"
"She has escaped with Sir Thomas Wyat," replied Fenwolf, "and we havebeen in search of them."
"Escaped!" exclaimed Herne, springing from his steed, and rushing upto him; "dogs! you have played me false. But your lives shall pay thepenalty of your perfidy."
"We had no hand in it whatever," replied Fenwolf doggedly. "Shecontrived to get out of a chamber in which I placed her, and to liberateSir Thomas Wyat. They then procured a steed from the stable, and plungedthrough the pool into the lake."
"Hell's malison upon them, and upon you both!" cried Herne. "But youshall pay dearly for your heedlessness,--if, indeed, it has not beensomething worse. How long have they been gone?"
"It may be two hours," replied Fenwolf.
"Go to the cave," cried Herne, "and await my return there; and if Irecover not the prize, woe betide you both!"
And with these words, he vaunted upon his steed and disappeared.
"And woe betide you too, false fiend!" cried Fenwolf. "When you comeback you shall meet with a welcome you little expect. Would we had firedthe train, Tristram, even though we had perished with him!"
"It will be time enough to fire it on his return," replied the oldforester; "it is but postponing our vengeance for a short time. And nowto fix our positions. I will take my station in yon brake."
"And I in that hollow tree," said Fenwolf. "Whoever first beholds himshall fire the train."
"Agreed!" replied Tristram. "Let us now descend to the cave and see thatall is right in the magazine, and then we will return and hold ourselvesin readiness for action."