ft Gojy right. yoj,ly Ht OF CALIP. LIBRARY, LOS ANGELR8 Jn the Qolden Days. -BY- Q EDNA LYALL, \ Author of "DONOV4N," "WE Two," WoN BY WAITING,' ' KNIGHT-ERRANT." \ It is not but the tempest that doth show The seaman's cunning ; but the field that tries The captain's courage ; and we come to know Best what men are in their worst jeopardies ; For lo, how many have we seen to grow To high renown from lowest miseries, Out oi the hands of death, and many a one T' feMB been undone, had they not been undone." S.DAHIBL. 1619. NEW YORK : HURST & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS. IN THE GOLDEN DAYS. CHAFFER I. " aooD KINO CHARLES'S QOLOHJ? What stronger breastplate than a heart untainted: Thrice is he armed that hath his quarrel just, And he but naked, though locked up in steel Whose conscience with injustice is corrupted. SHAKESPIABJU "THAT stripling of yours is too quiet by half, Randolph 1 You should shake him up a bit give him a little of youf superfluous energy." " Hugo is but nineteen ; you can hardly expect him to be aught but a raw schoolboy." Sir Peregrine Blake laughed. " Schoolboy indeed ! as little of a boy as ever I saw. You've kept him too close, Randolph, and that's a fact I Mewed him up as though he were a convent maid. " " He had good schooling at Westminster," returned the other ; " and if Dr. Busby couldn't birch him into an ordi- nary fellow how can I help it? I am sure he has had enough thrashings from me alone to harden him 1 " " 1 11 warrant that 1 " said Sir Peregrine, smiling broadly. " You were ever a good hand at keeping other folk in order. For my part I marvel that your brother is so willing to bow down to you in everything. " " Habit, Blake a mere matter of habit I've brought him up to it, and now begin to reap the reward of my pains. He will be a useful second to me." " Why don't you get him a commission ? The army is the best cure for your bookish, philosophizing youth ! " "He's not fit for active service. Besides, I would rather fcave him in my own profession." 2131111 gri H 6 IV THE GOLDEN DAYS. Others believe no voice to an organ So sweet as lawyer's in his bar-gown.'" trolled Sir Peregrine, quoting from Hudibras, the greal satire of the times. "Well, after all, the bar is the usual thing for younger sons. Have you fairly settled tha matter ? " "Quite. He was entered as a student at the Inner Temple six months ago, and already he has taken tip with the most jovial and rollicking of the Templars, who will soon stir him up ! " "What, that fellow Denham, who's riding with him now ? " "Ay, the one who was so lucky yesterday at New- market I never knew such a fellow ; he was born to win 1 " " By my faith ! an odd pair of friends ! " said Sir Pere- ine, laughing. "Rupert Denham dare-devil, and ugo Wharncliffe passive obedience in the flesh I " The elder brother frowned a little. "Passive obedience has its advantages," he remarked, rith some asperity. And for a few minutes there was a pause in the conver- sation. The two were riding along a rough track which in those days two hundred years ago was dignified by the name of a road. All around them lay a vast expanse of slightly undulating ground covered with low gorse bushes and heather. Of cultivation no trace was to be seen ; wild, open, and utterly waste lay the great stretch of land a? far as the eye could reach, without one field reclaimed, or one acre turned to the profit of a nation which yet was often in sore need of bread. That the state of the country was not all that it might have been, did not, however, occur to the two gentlemen as they rode on in silence on that October afternoon of the year 1682. Randolph Wharncliffe had indeed a grievance, but it was a private grievance, and as to troubling himself about the people and the land, or the laws of supply and demand, or the abject condition of the poor, or the responsibility of riches, it would never have entered his head. He was now a little over forty, a clever, cold-looking man, evidently one who, having set his mind on any object, would pursue it through thick and thin. His feat- IN THE GOLDEN DAYS. 7 ores were regular and good, but there was an ominouf want of repose in the forehead, while the mouth, plainly visible under the slender moustache, betrayed a bitter and overbearing temper. He wore the usual long curled wig of the period, a crimson riding-suit, a short cloak thrown back over one shoulder, and a crimson felt hat cocked on the left side. His companion, Sir Peregrine Blake, was a few years older in reality, but years had left few traces on his face either for good or evil. He was a bluff, ruddy, hot-tem- pered country squire, proud of his long pedigree, his an- cestral mansion, and his well-stocked deer-park. He was a Suffolk magistrate, and flattered himself that he dis- charged his duties with great dignity and decorum. Both gentlemen were returning from the autumn races at New- market, and Randolph Wharncliffe and his brother were to spend the night under Sir Peregrine's roof on their way back to London. The rough track had now led down to a broader and more regular thoroughfare, deeply scored, however, with ruts. On each side of the way was a wood, dusky enough to make Randolph draw up his steed sharply, and glance back across the heathy country they had left "Those two are loitering," he said. "Maybe we had better wait for them. This wood might prove a snug retreat for highwaymen." "I don't think it," said Sir Peregrine. " Tis not far from the village of Mondisfield, and but half-a-mile from the Hall." " Mondisfield ! " exclaimed Randolph, in a tone which made his companion look up quickly. "Ay, Colonel Wharncliffe's place. Why, bless my soul, I never thought of that before ! I suppose he's near of kin to you ? " "Thank heaven, no ! " said Randolph, bitterly. "We are very distantly related. But I come into the estate at his death." Sir Peregrine uttered half-a-dozen unwritable ejacula- tions. ' ' To think that you are akin to that grave, puritanical re- publican ! We'll drink to-night to his speedy dissolution ! 'Twould be something like to have you master of Mondi* field Hall." Had the king rewarded his friewds instead of pardon- a I If THE GOLDEN DA VS. ing his foe should have been in possession these twenty year*," said Randolph, his brow darkening, his lips contracting themselves into a straight line, his eyes gleaming with cold anger. " Ho, ho ! " exclaimed Sir Peregrine. " Now I see how the land lies ! You are one the many unrequited cava- liers whose fathers melted the family plate for the Blessed Martyr's use, and lost their broad acres for the privilege of fighting his battles." " I care not for what we have lost," returned the other. "But I do care that this minion of Cromwell's, this hater of monarchy, should be calmly enjoying all his posses- sions, while loyal subjects are yet crippled by poverty. " "You should get the fellow denounced to the king. Catch him using treasonable words, or haunting con- venticles. Why, confound it, Randolph! what's the good of your being a lawyer if you can't make out a pretty little case in your own behoof? " Randolph did not reply. He looked round impatiently towards the oth'er horsemen, who were approaching them as rapidly as the bad roads would permit The elder of the two was a merry, careless-looking fel- low of three-and-twenty, his whole face seemed to sparkle with humor, and his fantastic dress, covered at every available point with loops and streamers of bright-colored ribbons, suited his face to a nicety. The younger, Hugo, was indeed a strange contrast In those days, such a face could not but challenge observa- tion, it was so ctlriously unlike the generality of faces. In complexion he was pale and fair. Like the rest of the world, he was clean-shaven, save for a very slight mous- tache ; and, unlike the rest of the world, he had not yet adopted the prevalent wig, though it was, as a rule, eagerly coveted even by young boys. He wore his own hair, which was light brown, and somewhat wanting in color, but made up for its deficiencies in that way by its crisp curliness, and its great thickness and length. The rather large and marked features were well cut, the chin pointed, the mouth singularly sweet-tempered. But the power of the face lay in the forehead, which was strik- ingly broad and open, and in the large, strangely-shaped, dark-gray eyes. Altogether, it was a face to haunt one fall of interest because full of possibilities. Apparently there was, however, some truth in Sir Peregrine's strict* /A' TKE GOLDEN DAYS. 9 urea. Hugo did, in fact, look as though he needed wak- ing up. He lived in a world of his own, blissfully re* moved from the coarse and sensual world which sur- rounded him, but a world too shadowy, too dreamily peaceful to call forth his best faculties. "What the devil do you mean by keeping me waiting like this? "said Randolph, as his brother rejoined him. "Ah, I see how it has been ! " he continued, catching sight of a harmless-looking bundle of herbs fastened to his saddle-bow. "You've been loitering over thoe wretched specimens of yours. I'll put a stop to U alto- gether, if you make it such a general nuisance." And, with an angry gesture, he reached across, tore oft the bunch of herbs, and flung them far away into the copse which bordered the road. Hugo looked after them with a sort of regret, but not even a gleam of anger dawned in his quiet eyes. He made no excuse for his slowness, neither did he express any concern for having caused his brother to wait for him. He was absolutely, yet not sulkily, silent It was rather as if some noisy, screaming bird had flown across the surface of a calm lake, thinking to create a vast dis- turbance, but quite powerless to trouble the deep, still waters. The small cavalcade rode on. "Well!" ejaculated Denham, turning a look of uttet astonishment upon his companion, " I'm blessed if I'd have let him do that to me ! Why, he's thrown away that weed you were so mighty pleased at finding." " Ay," said Hugo ; "I would I had not put it with the rest. Something must have angered Randolph. Maybe he has had words with Sir Peregrine." " If you aren't the meekest of Templars, my name's not Rupert 1 " exclaimed Denham. " What right had he to fling away what belonged to you ? " " Right ! " ejaculated Hugo. " Why, it was Randolph ! He's my guardian, you know, my brother everything to me! " His face became more animated as he spoke, evidently loyalty to his very despotic elder was his most pronounced characteristic. It had never occurred to him not to obey, not to reverence. Just at this moment Sir Peregrine's horse stumbled, 8 proceeding which caused that worthy to swear lustily. 10 lif THE GOLDEN DAYS. "A stone in his shoe, if I'm not mistaken," said Ratx dolph ; then, raising his voice, "Dismount, Hugo, in- stantly, and see what is amiss with the beast." Hugo flung the reins of his own steed to Denham, and in a moment was making the best of his way through the mud and loose stones to the Squire's horse. Sir Peregrine had also dismounted, but he left his horse to Hugo, per- haps not caring to spoil his long riding-gloves, perhaps because he had caught sight of an attraction which he could never resist By the roadside, gathering the blackberries which grew on the outskirts of the wood, was a lovely girl ; beside her stood a little child of ten years old holding the large basket already more than half filled with (he shining ripe fruit Exactly what passed Hugo never knew. He was very unobservant at all times, and now, absorbed in his own thoughts, and busy with the horse, he heard nothing but a hum of meaningless conversation, until a frightened, indignant cry in a girlish voice fell upon his ear and startled him back to the world of realities. The scene that met his gaze was of too common occur- rence to have aroused him under ordinary circumstances. That a pretty girl should be waylaid by a fine gentleman, kissed, complimented, treated with every sort of insulting familiarity, seemed to him, or had seemed until now, in- evitable. But then few of the women he knew made any sort of objection to such treatment This girl objected very strongly. All his life long Hugo could call up that picture. The background of autumn trees in russet and gold, the broad strip of grass by the roadside, dotted here and there with bramble bushes, the little child with a face of astonishment and horror, and in vivid contrast the red-visaged Squire and the victim of his rude attentions, her blue eyes wide with fright and bright with indignation, her cheeks pale, the short rings of sunny brown hair lightly stirred by the wind and unprotected by the brown hood which had fallen back from her head. Sir Peregrine, nettled by her resistance, grew more rude and importunate. "No, no, nol* cried the girl " Evelyn 1 call for help ! " B* ven as she said the words, she knew that they IN THE GOLDEN DAYS. II were useless. Every one was at work gathering apples in the orchard, and the orchard was half-a-mile away. It was at this moment that Hugo woke up. Had Sir Peregrine guessed what would be the first results of that waking, he would have prudently left his wish unuttered. For all at once, and in a manner which absolutely took away his breath, he was aware of an apparition in Lincoln green which thrust itself between him and the object of his admiration, a pair of strong arms encircled him, an adroit push and jerk came at that one vulnerable point the back of his knee, and in a trice he was sprawling on his back among the long grass. "There! run off while you can I " said Hugo, rather breathlessly, turning to the rescued maiden. He was evidently well taught in all gymnastic feats, but out of training. "Oh," she faltered, " how shall I thank you enough ! " "By getting into safety now," he said, smiling, and motioning her back from the road. It was the first time he had ever spoken so decidedly, or assumed such an air of command ; he felt altogether a different creature, stronger, freer, but less peaceful for once in his life, indeed, positively anxious. Both Randolph and Denham had now dismounted. Denham was trying to conceal his silent convulsions of laughter, while Randolph, with an air of great concern and a crease in his brow which boded ill for Hugo's future, bent over Sir Peregrine, who was struggling again to his feet. "The impudent, meddling puppy f "* he exclaimed, pouring forth a whole volley of oaths. J ' You shall pay dearly for this, sir ! I'll call you out for this, sir ! " Randolph looked not a little discomposed at this an- nouncement. It was quite in accordance with the customs of the times, but somehow he had never contemplated the possibility of a duel for his brother. "You would never fight a mere schoolboy like that, Blake ! I promise you he shall have a sound thrashing to-night for his impudence. Come here, Hugo ; apologize to Sir Peregrine at once. " Hugo moved a few steps forward, but did not utter a word. Denham watched his face curiously. All its dreamy content was gone, all its unquestioning calm dis- pelled; there had come to him one of those terrible 12 IN THE GOLDEN DA FS. moments which occur in most lives when suddenly, with out the slightest warning, we are called upon to choose between two courses, both painful to us, both apparently evil Was he now at last to disobey his guardian, or was he to own himself in the wrong when he knew that he had been right ? Either decision would, as he was even now dimly aware, involve him in great danger. If he obeyed his brother's command, his moral being would be degraded. If he disobeyed, his physical being would be in mortal peril ; for he was quite well aware that, although by mere ability he might manage to throw Sir Peregrine, he had no chance in an actual duel. But to disobey Ran- dolph, and to do so with nothing but death staring him in the face ! The habit of a lifetime was not to be easily broken ; the habitually submissive will could not assert itself with- out a violent and a most painful effort. There was a dead pause, not a sound was to be heard save the autumn wind sighing among the trees, and the munching of the horses as they grazed by the roadside. ' ' What do you mean by hesitating like this ? " said Ran- dolph, laying a heavy hand upon his shoulder. " Do as I tell you, apologize at once." "I can't apologize," said Hugo at last, in a quick, agi- tated voice. " I am sorry to have had to throw Sir Pere- grine, but it was a disagreeable necessity." "You meddling, conceited jackanapes, what do you mean by a necessity ? " thundered Sir Peregrine, purple with rage. " Leave him to me, Blake," interposed Randolph ; " I'll bring him to his senses. Now, look here, Hugo, you know well enough that I never go back from what I've said. I command you to apologize. I am your guardian, and I insist that you shall do your duty and obey me." Another pause. Hugo had grown deathly white. At last he spoke with a great effort "I obey you in all things, sir; but you must stand second to my conscience." "Conscience ! " There was a shout of laughter. "He'll turn con venticler next," shouted Sir Peregrine. "You idiot, don't you know that you are uttering pestilent heresy substituting your beggarly private judgment for authority ? " " Will you obey me? " said Randolph, once more, Iff THE GbLDEN DAYS. 13 Ing yet more heavily upon his shoulder, and speaking in a tone which, owing to certain old memories, made the blood curdle in Hugo's veins. He looked right up into the fierce, gray eyes, however, and answered, firmly, ''No, sir, I will not." There was a touch of dignity in his manner which startled Denham. Perhaps it was owing to the entire absence of defiance, the mingled regret and respect of his tone. "Then go to your destruction !" said Randolph, furi- ously. "Blake, I am happy to act as your second. I hope you'll give this impudent rebel a good lesson." " No delay, then," roared Sir Peregrine. "We'll have it out, now that my blood's up. Come, look sharp, Wharn- cliffe ! " "My man has the choice of weapons," said Denham, stepping forward, and voluntarily taking the part of second to his friend. Sir Peregrine laughed. "Let him take it, then, and be quick. Tell him that both my sword and my pistol have seen good service, and have settled better men ere now." Denham rejoined Hugo, who had retired a little dis- tance, and delivered the message. "And you'd best choose swords, old fellow, for Blake is such a confounded good shot, that you'd not stand a chance that way," he added. "All right," said Hugo, mechanically drawing his weapon from its scabbard, and examining its edge. At that time, a sword was part of the ordinary dress of every gentleman, but Hugo's had at present been orna- mental rather than useful. He had grasped the hilt each Sunday when the women curtseyed in the Creed, but the action had been purely mechanical. It had never occurred to him that he might one day be called on to defend his faith. Denham crossed over once more with the decision, then returned. His merry face looked a trifle graver than usual, and his jokes came with a slight effort. " By heaven ! I wish I could go in instead of you," he said. "That hot-tempered squire is as strong as an ox, and a practised hand, while you ! " He broke off, and glanced at his companion, who ha