Biographical fiction; Historical fiction; Short stories, English
Then the Captain laughed and dismissed him, bidding him be Ready on the
Morrow, and the Polander went to a Bed set for him in a Garret of the
_Black Bull_. He was Much Troubled in his Mind that the first Service
asked of him by the Captain should be a Murder and that on the second
night of his stay in a Strange Country he should have such a Task put
on him as to Shoot a Gentleman coming from _Church_, for it seemed an
unmanly Action.
What Penalties might follow he did not know, for he was Ignorant of
the Laws of _England_; to this he gave Little Heed for, however: he
had faith in the Captain and that Great Gentleman who was his friend,
Charles, Count of Conningsmarke. As he sat in the Dark wondering where
the right lay in this Case he decided to make Proof of it and to that
end went on his Knees and Recited the _Lord’s Prayer_ very Gravely
and Earnestly. And when he had finished he rose up again and Searched
in his Heart to see if he was Strengthened against this Action; but
he found no change in his Feelings: so he thought that if it had been
anything Wrong God would have this Way told him; so was Comforted and
Decided to Help the Captain.
Having come to this Resolve he lay down on his bed, dressed as he was,
and Chanced to Dream of Poland which Country he had not seen this Great
While–but he saw it in the Dream very Clear with the sparkle of Snow in
Winter and the bright-coloured dresses in the Streets.
He thought he saw a Church too and dreamt he stood on the threshold and
was thinking with much pleasure of Entering when he was awakened by the
voice of Christopher Vratz.
The Polander got to his Feet, Remembering everything and the Captain
put in his hand a Blunderbuss and bade him be Silent; the two went down
to the stables of the _Black Bull_ where was Ernest Stern and three
Horses and it was then about Seven of the Clock.
And the Polander, on seeing he was to be Mounted was greatly
Encouraged, for he believed no evil could come to him when he was on
the back of a Horse, so took this for a Good Omen.
“I wish we had Another Man,” said Captain Vratz, “for Esquire Thynne is
one to go with a great Medley of Servants about him.”
They mounted then and as they Rode out of the Yard the _German_ asked
what this Mr. Thynne was?
And the Captain made answer that he was a Man Well Known in _London_
for his marriage to Elizabeth, my Lady Ogle, last of the Percies, who
was heiress to Five Baronies and one of the richest Women in the World;
she had been married before, yet was but a child of fifteen and still
under Governance at _The Hague_ and Mr. Thynne was looked upon as a
lucky Man to have all this Wealth without the trouble of a Wife.
“The death of such a One will make a Stir in _England_,” said the
lieutenant with an air of Misgiving; but Vratz bid him take Courage.
“For,” he declared, “if there be any Penalties, I will pay them all.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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