Chapter 7
It was only to Oswald that Edward made known what had occurred; he knew that he was to be trusted. The next day, Edward resumed his forester’s dress, while another one was preparing for him, and went over to the cottage, where, with the consent of the intendant, he proposed remaining for a few days. Of course, Edward had not failed to acquaint the intendant with his proposed plans relative to Chaloner and Grenville, and received his consent; at the same time advising that they should gain the other side of the Channel as soon as they possibly could. Edward found them all very anxious for his arrival. Humphrey and Pablo had been to the cottage, which they had found undisturbed since the capture of the robbers, and made every thing ready for the reception of the two Cavaliers, as, on their first journey, they took with them a cart-load of what they knew would be necessary.
Chaloner and Grenville appeared to be quite at home already, and not very willing to shift their quarters. They, of course, still retained their troopers’ clothes, as they had no other to wear until they could be procured from Lymington; but, as we have before mentioned, they were in no want of money. They had been amusing the girls and Humphrey with a description of what had occurred during the campaign, and Edward found that he had but little to tell them, as Chaloner had commenced his narrative with an account of his first meeting with Edward when he had been attacked by the highwaymen. As soon as he could get away, Edward went out with Humphrey to have some conversation with him.
“Now, Humphrey, as you have pretty well heard all my adventures since our separation, let me hear what you have been doing.”
“I have no such tales of stirring interest to narrate as Chaloner has been doing as your deputy, Edward,” replied Humphrey. “All I can say is, that we have had no visitors—that we have longed for your return—and that we have not been idle since you quitted us.”
“What horses were those in the stable,” said Ed ward, “that you turned out to make room for ours when we arrived?”
Humphrey laughed, and then informed Edward of the manner in which they had succeeded in capturing them.
“Well, you really deserve credit, Humphrey, and certainly were not born to be secluded in this forest.”
“I rather think that I have found that I was born for it,” replied Humphrey, “although, I must confess, that since you have quitted us, I have not felt so contented here as I did before. You have returned, and you have no idea what an alteration I see in you since you have mixed with the world, and have been a party in such stirring scenes.”
“Perhaps so, Humphrey,” replied Edward; “and yet do you know, that, although I so ardently wished to mix with the world, and to follow the wars, I am anything but satisfied with what I have seen of it; and so far from feeling any inclination to return to it, I rather feel more inclined to remain here, and remain in quiet and in peace. I have been disappointed, that is the truth. There is a great difference between the world such as we fancy it when we are pining for it, and the world when we actually are placed within the vortex, and perceive the secret springs of men’s actions. I have gained a lesson, but not a satisfactory one, Humphrey; it may be told in a very few words. It is a most deceitful and hollow world! and that is all said in a few words.”
“What very agreeable, pleasant young men are Master Chaloner and Grenville,” observed Humphrey.
“Chaloner I know well,” replied Edward, “he is to be trusted, and he is the only one in whom I have been able to place confidence, and therefore I was most fortunate in falling in with him as I did on my first starting. Grenville, I know little about; we met often, it is true, but it was in the presence of the king, being both of us on his staff; at the same time, I must acknowledge that I know nothing against him; and this I do know, which is, that he is brave.”
Edward then narrated what had passed between the intendant and him since his return; and how well satisfied the intendant had been with his ruse in returning to him in the dress of a trooper.
“Talking about that, Edward, do you not think it likely that we shall have the troopers down here in search of the king?”
“I wonder you have not had them already,” replied Edward.
“And what shall we do if they arrive?”
“That is all prepared for,” replied Edward; “although, till you mentioned it, I had quite forgotten it. The intendant was talking with me on the subject last night, and here is an appointment for you as verderer, signed by him, which you are to use as you may find necessary; and here is another missive, ordering you to receive into your house two of the troopers who may be sent down here, and find them quarters and victuals, but not to be compelled to receive more. Until the search is over, Chaloner and Grenville must retain their accouterments and remain with us. And, Humphrey, if you have not made any use of the clothes which I left here—I mean the first dress I had made when I was appointed secretary, and which I thought rather too faded to wear any longer—I will put it on now, as should any military come here as scouters to the intendant, I shall have some authority over them.”
“It is in your chest, where you left it, Edward. The girls did propose to make two josephs out of it for winter wear, but they never have thought of it since, or have not had time. By-the-by, you have not told me what you think of Alice and Edith after your long absence.”
“I think they are both very much grown and very much improved,” replied Edward, “but I must confess to you that I think it is high time that they were, if possible, removed from their present homely occupations, and instructed as young ladies should be.”
“But how, Edward, is that to be?”
“That I can not yet tell, and it grieves me that I can not; but still I see the necessity of it, if ever we are to return to our position in society.”
“And are we ever to return?”
“I don’t know. I thought little of it before I went away and mixed in society; but since I have been in the world, I have been compelled to feel that my dear sisters are not in their sphere, and I have resolved upon trying if I can not find a more suitable position for them. Had we been successful I should have had no difficulty, but now I hardly know what to do.”
“I have not inquired about Mistress Patience, brother; how is she?”
“She is as good and as handsome as ever, and very much grown; indeed, she is becoming quite womanly.”
“And Clara?”
“Oh, I do not perceive any difference in her: I think she is grown, but I hardly observed her. Here comes Chaloner; we will tell him of our arrangements in case we are disturbed by the military parties.”
“It is a most excellent arrangement,” said Chaloner, when Edward had made the communication, “and it was a lucky day when I first fell in with you, Beverley.”
“Not Beverley, I pray you; that name is to be forgotten; it was only revived for the occasion.”
“Very true; then, Master Secretary Armitage, I think the arrangement excellent: the only point will be to find out what troops are sent down in this direction, as we must of course belong to some other regiment, and have been pursued from the field of battle. I should think that Lambert’s squadrons will not be this way.”
“We will soon ascertain that; let your horses be saddled and accoutered, so that should any of them make their appearance, the horses may be at the door. It is my opinion that they will be here some time to-day.”
“I fear that it will be almost impossible for the king to escape,” observed Chaloner. “I hardly know what to think of his leaving us in that way.”
“I have reflected upon it,” replied Edward, “and I think it was perhaps prudent: some were to be trusted and some not; it was impossible to know who were and who were not—he therefore trusted nobody. Besides, his chance of escape, if quite alone, is greater than if in company.”
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