Great Britain -- History -- Revolution of 1688 -- Fiction; James II, King of England, 1633-1701 -- Fiction
The dummy Pope was lowered from his seat of mock triumph and pitched
forward into the centre of the flames, the Devil clinging to him, at
which a savage roar rose as if real flesh and blood had been sacrificed
to appease fierce passions.
Mr. Sidney a little drew back against the flame-flushed pillars behind
him. As the spreading fire scorched his face so the temper of the crowd
put a kind of awe into his heart.
"Who is to manage these?" he murmured. He was no statesman. Then he
pulled his companion by the sleeve. "There was a man killed to-day—let
us get on——"
But the sailor, with his arms folded across his breast, was watching the
bonfire, in the heart of which the Pope appeared to be writhing as he
shrivelled, while his wax face ran into one great tear, his tiara shrunk
and disappeared, and the Devil, a black patch in the redness, emitted
horrid fumes of sulphur as he was consumed.
"’Tis a pretty show," he said briefly.
"But one not pleasing to the King’s Majesty, do you think?" flashed the
dark youth who had been their guide.
"No," smiled the other. "I think it would grieve His Majesty even more
than the acquittal of the holy fathers——"
The young man laughed; he seemed very excited.
"See you, sir, if you wait awhile you will see a warming-pan burnt—with
the pretended Prince of Wales, that Popish brat, within!"
Mr. Sidney interrupted.
"We have a boat to catch at Gravesend, if you could make a passage for
us, my friend——"
More than a little flattered at being thus addressed by so fine a
gentleman, the youth, by various shouted commands to his companions,
elbowings and blows administered in a lively manner, steered Mr. Sidney
and the sailor out of the crowd with the same dexterity that he had
guided them to the church steps.
On the confines of the press, Mr. Sidney, rather breathless, shook out
his mantle and adjusted his hat. The glow from the bonfire cast their
shadows long and leaping over the grass. In the distance towards the
archery fields and the Mall were other crowds and processions to be seen
passing in and out of the trees, and another bonfire was burning in
front of the mansion of the Protestant Northumberlands. The air was
full of the harsh colour of artificial light, the smell of powder and
tar, of burning rag and oil, belching smoke and the crack of squib,
rocket and bomb, mingled with noisy shouting of anti-Popish songs and
hoarse cheers for the bishops, the Dissenters, and the Protestant
succession.
"This must be pleasant music at Whitehall," remarked the sailor, with
good-humoured indifference. He was standing now full in the light of
the lantern at the corner of the church, and the young man, who had been
looking at him with great eagerness, exclaimed softly—
"It is Admiral Herbert!"
He turned instantly.
"My name is not for public hearing to-night," he said quickly. "And, God
of Heaven, boy, how did you know me?"
The young man flushed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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