saint george for england-第24章

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cognized　from　my　description　of　him。　I　came　to　tell　you　in　order　that　you　might　decide　what　my　conduct　should　be。　If　you　wish　it　so　I　will　keep　the　secret　in　my　breast；　but　if　you　fear　aught　from　him　I　will　openly　accuse　him　before　the　king　of　the　crime　he　attempted；　and　shall　be　ready　to　meet　him　in　the　ordeal　of　battle　should　he　claim　it。〃

〃I　have　seen　Sir　James；〃　Lady　Vernon　said。　〃I　had　a　letter　writ　in　a　feigned　hand　telling　him　that　his　handiwork　in　the　plot　against　my　life　was　known；　and　warning　him　that；　unless　he　left　England；　the　proofs　thereof　would　be　laid　before　justice。　He　at　once　sailed　for　Spain；　whence；　he　has　returned　but　a　few　days　since。　He　does　not　know　for　certain　that　I　am　aware　of　his　plottings　against　us；　but　he　must　have　seen　by　my　reception　of　him　when　he　called　that　I　no　longer　regard　him　with　the　friendship　which　I　formerly　entertained。　I　have　received　a　message　from　him　that　he　will　call　upon　me　this　evening；　and　that　he　trusts　he　will　find　me　alone；　as　he　would　fain　confer　with　me　on　private　matters。　When　I　have　learned　his　intentions　I　shall　be　the　better　able　to　judge　what　course　I　had　best　adopt。　I　would　fain；　if　it　may　be；　let　the　matter　rest。　　Sir　James　has　powerful　interest；　and　I　would　not　have　him　for　an　open　enemy　if　I　can　avoid　it；　besides；　all　the　talk　and　publicity　which　so　grave　an　accusation　against　a　knight；　and　he　of　mine　own　family；　would　entail；　would　be　very　distasteful　to　me；　but　should　I　find　it　necessary　for　the　sake　of　my　child；　I　shall　not　shrink　from　it。　I　trust；　however；　that　it　will　not　come　to　that；　but　I　shall　not　hesitate；　if　need　be；　to　let　him　know　that　I　am　acquainted　with　his　evil　designs　towards　us。　I　will　inform　you　of　as　much　of　our　interview　as　it　is　necessary　that　you　should　know。〃

That　evening　Sir　James　Carnegie　called　upon　Dame　Vernon。　〃I　would　not　notice　it　the　other　day；　fair　cousin；〃　he　said；　in　return　for　her　stiff　and　ceremonious　greeting；　〃but　methinks　that　you　are　mightily　changed　in　your　bearing　towards　me。　I　had　looked　on　my　return　from　my　long　journeying　for　something　of　the　sisterly　warmth　with　which　you　once　greeted　me；　but　I　find　you　as　cold　and　hard　as　if　I　had　been　altogether　a　stranger　to　you。　I　would　fain　know　in　what　way　I　have　forfeited　your　esteem。〃

〃I　do　not　wish　to　enter　into　bygones；　Sir　James；〃　the　lady　said；　〃and　would　fain　let　the　past　sleep　if　you　will　let　me。　Let　us　then　turn　without　more　ado　to　the　private　matters　concerning　which　you　wished　to　speak　with　me。〃

〃If　such　is　your　mood；　fair　dame；　I　must　needs　fall　in　with　it；　though　in　no　way　able　to　understand　your　allusion　to　the　past；　wherein　my　conscience　holds　me　guiltless　of　aught　which　could　draw　upon　me　your　disfavour。　I　am　your　nearest　male　relative；　and　as　such　would　fain　confer　with　you　touching　the　future　of　young　Mistress　Edith；　your　daughter。　　She　is　now　nigh　thirteen　years　of　age；　and　is　the　heiress　of　broad　lands；　is　it　not　time　that　she　were　betrothed　to　one　capable　of　taking　care　of　them　for　her；　and　leading　your　vassals　to　battle　in　these　troubled　times？〃

〃Thanks；　Sir　James；　for　your　anxiety　about　my　child；〃　Dame　Vernon　said　coldly。　　〃She　is　a　ward　of　the　king。　I　am　in　no　way　anxious　that　an　early　choice　should　be　made　for　her；　but　our　good　Queen　Philippa　has　promised　that；　when　the　time　shall　come；　his　Majesty　shall　not　dispose　of　her　hand　without　my　wishes　being　in　some　way　consulted；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　when　the　time　shall　come　that　she　is　of　marriageable　age　…　and　I　would　not　that　this　should　be　before　she　has　gained　eighteen　years；　for　I　like　not　the　over　young　marriages　which　are　now　in　fashion　…　a　knight　may　be　found　for　her　husband　capable　of　taking　care　of　her　and　her　possessions；　but　may　I　ask　if；　in　so　speaking　to　me；　you　have　anyone　in　your　mind's　eye　as　a　suitor　for　her　hand？〃

〃Your　manner　is　not　encouraging；　certes；　but　I　had　my　plan；　which　would；　I　hoped；　have　met　with　your　approval。　I　am　the　young　lady's　cousin；　and　her　nearest　male　relative；　and　although　we　are　within　the　limited　degrees；　there　will　be　no　difficulty　in　obtaining　a　dispensation　from　Rome。　I　am　myself　passably　well　off；　and　some　of　the　mortgages　which　I　had　been　forced　to　lay　upon　my　estates　have　been　cleared　off　during　my　absence。　I　have　returned　home　with　some　reputation；　and　with　a　goodly　sum　gained　in　the　wars　with　the　Moors。　I　am　older　than　my　cousin　certainly；　but　as　I　am　still　but　thirty…two；　this　would　not；　I　hope；　be　deemed　an　obstacle；　and　methought　that　you　would　rather　entrust　her　to　your　affectionate　cousin　than　to　a　stranger。　The　king　has　received　me　very　graciously；　and　would；　I　trust；　offer　no　opposition　to　my　suit　were　it　backed　by　your　goodwill。〃

〃I　suppose；　Sir　James；〃　Dame　Vernon　said；　〃that　I　should　thank　you　for　the　offer　which　you　have　made；　but　I　can　only　reply；　that　while　duly　conscious　of　the　high　honour　you　have　done　my　daughter　by　your　offer；　I　would　rather　see　her　in　her　grave　than　wedded　to　you。

The　knight　leapt　from　his　seat　with　a　fierce　exclamation。　　〃This　is　too　much；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃and　I　have　a　right　to　know　why　such　an　offer　on　my　part　should　be　answered　by　disdain；　and　even　insolence。〃

〃You　have　a　right　to　know；〃　Dame　Vernon　answered　quietly；　〃and　I　will　tell　you。　　I　repeat　that　I　would　rather　see　my　child　in　her　grave　than　wedded　to　a　man　who　attempted　to　compass　the　murder　of　her　and　her　mother。〃

〃What　wild　words　are　these？〃　Sir　James　asked　sternly。　　〃What　accusation　is　this　that　you　dare　to　bring　against　me？〃

〃I　repeat　what　I　said；　Sir　James；〃　Dame　Alice　replied　quietly。　〃I　know　that　you　plotted　with　the　water　pirates　of　Lambeth　to　upset　our　boat　as　we　came　down　the　Thames；　that　you　treacherously　delayed　us　at　Richmond　in　order　that　we　might　not　reach　London　before　dark；　and　that　by　enveloping　me　in　a　white　cloak　you　gave　a　signal　by　which　I　might　be　known　to　your　creatures。



The　knight　stood　for　a　moment　astounded。　He　was　aware　that　the　fact　that　he　had　had　some　share　in　the　outrage　was　known；　and　was　not　surprised　that　his　cousin　was　acquainted　with　the　secret；　but　that　she　should　know　all　the　details　with　which　but　one　besides　himself　was；　as　he　believed；　acquainted；　completely　stupefied　him。　He　rapidly；　however；　recovered　himself。

〃I　recall　now；〃　he　said　scornfully；　〃the　evidence　which　was　given　before　the　justices　by　some　ragged　city　boy；　to　the　effect　that　he　had　overheard　a　few　words　of　a　conversation　between　some　ruffian　over　in　the　Lambeth　marshes；　and　an　unknown　person；　but　it　is　new　to　me　indeed　that　there　was　any　suspicion　that　I　was　the　person　alluded　to；　still　less　that　a　lady　of　my　own　family；　in　whose　affection　I　believed；　should　credit　so　monstrous　an　accusation。〃

〃I　would　that　I　could　discredit　it；　Sir　James；〃　Dame　Vernon　said　sadly；　〃but　the　proofs　were　too　strong　for　me。　　Much　more　of　your　conversation　than　was　narrated　in　court　was　overheard；　and　it　was　at　my　request　that　the　ragged　boy；　as　you　call　him；　kept　silence。〃

〃And　is　it　possible；〃　the　knight　asked　indignantly；　〃that　you　believed　the　word　of　a　fellow　like　this　to　the　detriment　to　your　kinsman？　Why；　in　any　court　of　law　the　word　of　such　a　one　as　opposed　to　that　of　a　knight　and　gentleman　of　honour　would　not　be　taken　for　a　moment。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　sir；〃　Dame　Vernon　said　haughtily。　　〃You　may　remember；　in　the　first　place；　that　the　lad　who　overheard　this　conversation　risked　his　life　to　save　me　and　my　daughter　from　the　consequences　of　the　attack　which　he　heard　planned；　in　the　second　place；　he　was　no　ragged　lad；　but　the　apprentice　of　a　well…known　citizen；　thirdly；　and　this　is　of　importance；　since　he　has　recognized　you　since　your　return；　and　is　ready　should　I　give　him　the　word；　to　denounce　you。　　He　is　no　mere　apprentice　boy；　but　is　of　gentle　blood；　seeing　that　he　is　the　son　of　Sir　Roland　Somers；　the　former　possessor　of　the　lands　which　I　hold；　and　that　he　is　in　high　favour　with　the　good　knight　Sir　Walter　Manny；　whose　esquire　he　now　is；　and　under　whom　he　distinguished　himself　in　the　wars　in　France；　and　is；　as　Sir　Walter　assured　me；　certain　to　win　his　spurs　ere　long。　Thus　you　see　his　bare　word　would　be　of　equal　value　to　your　own；　beside　the　fact　that　his　evidence　does　not　rest　upon　mere　assertion；　but　that　the　man　in　the　hut　promised　to　do　what　you　actually　performed；　namely；　to　delay　me　at　Richmond；　and　to　wrap　me　in　a　white　cloak　in　order　that　I　might　be　recognized　by　the　river　pirates。〃

Sir　James　was　silent。　In　truth；　as　he　saw；　the　evidence　was　overwhelmingly　strong　against　him。　After　a　while　he　stammered　out；　〃I　cannot　deny　that　I　was　the　man　in　question；　but　I　swear　to　you　that　this　boy　was　mistaken；　and　that　the　scoundrel　acted　altogether　beyond　my　instructions；　which　were　simply　that　he　should　board　the　boat　and　carry　you　and　your　daughter　away　to　a　safe　place。〃

〃And　with　what　object；　sir；〃　Dame　Vernon　said　contemptuously；　〃was　I　to　be　thus　taken　away？〃

〃I　do　not　seek　to　excuse　myself；〃　the　knight　replied　calmly；　having　now　recovered　his　self…possession；　〃for　I　own　I　acted　wrongly　and　basely；　but　in　truth　I　loved　you；　and　would　fain　have　made　you　my　wife。　I　knew　that　you　regarded　me　with　only　the　calm　affection　of　a　kinswoman；　but　I　thought　that　were　you　in　my　power　you　would　consent　to　purchase　your　freedom　with　your　hand。　I　know　now　that　I　erred　greatly。　I　acknowledge　my　fault；　and　that　my　conduct　was　base　and　unknightly；　and　my　only　excuse　is　the　great　love　I　bore　you。

〃And　which；〃　the　lady　said　sarcastically；　〃you　have　now　transferred　to　my　daughter。　I　congratulate　you；　Sir　James；　upon　the　possession　of　a　ready　wit　and　an　invention　which　does　not　fail　you　at　a　pinch；　and　of　a　tongue　which　repeats　unfalteringly　any　fable　which　your　mind　may　dictate。　You　do　not；　I　suppose；　expect　me　to　believe　the　tale。　Still；　I　own　that　it　is　a　well…devised　one；　and　might；　at　a　pinch；　pass　muster；　but　fear　not；　Sir　James。　As　hitherto　I　have　kept　silence　as　to　the　author　of　the　outrage　committed　upon　me；　so　I　have　no　intention　of　proclaiming　the　truth　now　unless　you　force　me　to　do　so。　Suffice　that　both　for　myself　and　for　my　daughter　I　disclaim　the　honour　of　your　hand。　So　long　as　you　offer　no　molestation　to　us；　and　abstain　from　troubling　us　in　any　way；　so　long　will　my　mouth　be　sealed；　and　I　would　fain　bury　in　my　breast　the　memory　of　your　offence。　I　will　not　give　the　world's　tongue　occasion　to　wag　by　any　open　breach　between　kinsfolk；　and　shall　therefore　in　public　salute　you　as　an　acquaintance；　but　under　no　pretence　whatever　will　I　admit　you　to　any　future　private　interview。　Now　leave　me；　sir；　and　I　trust　that　your　future　life　will　show　that　you　deeply　regret　the　outrage　which　in　your　greed　for　my　husband's　lands　you　were　tempted　to　commit。〃

Without　a　word　Sir　James　turned　and　left　the　room；　white　with　shame　and　anger；　but　with　an　inward　sense　of　congratulation　at　the　romance　which　he　had；　on　the　spur　of　the　moment；　invented；　and　which　would；　he　felt　sure；　be　accepted　by　the　world　as　probable；　in　the　event　of　the　share　he　had　in　the　matter　being　made　public；　either　upon　the　denunciation　of　Dame　Vernon　or　in　any　other　manner。

One　determination；　however；　he　made；　and　swore；　to　himself；　that　he　would　bitterly　avenge　himself　upon　the　youth　whose　interference　had　thwarted　his　plans；　and　whose　report　to　his　kinswoman　had　turned　her　mi