St. George and St. Michael, Volume 2MacDonald, George
History
St. George and St. Michael, Volume 2
MacDonald, George
Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Fiction
'I think so, my lord. I am sure, at least, but for that I would not
have gone. Yet surely I mistook, for see what hath come of it,' she
added, turning to lady Margaret.
'We must not judge from one consequence where there are a thousand
yet to follow,' said his lordship. '--And thou sayest, when thou
didst enter the room thou didst find no one there?'
'I say so, my lord, and it is true.'
'That I know as well as thou. What then didst thou think of the
matter?'
'I was filled with fear, my lord, when I saw the bedclothes all in a
heap on the floor, but upon reflection I hoped that he had had the
better in the struggle, and had escaped; for now at least he could
do no harm in Raglan, I thought. But when I found the door was
locked,--I dare hardly think of that, my lord; it makes me tremble
yet.'
'Now, who thinkest thou in thy heart did lock the door upon thee?'
'Might it not have been Satan himself, my lord?'
'Nay, I cannot tell what might or might not be where such a one is
so plainly concerned. But I believe he was only acting in his usual
fashion, which, as a matter of course, must be his worst--I mean
through the heart and hands of some one in the house who would bring
thee into trouble.'
'I would it were the other way, my lord.'
'So would I heartily. In his own person I fear him not a whit. But
hast thou no suspicion of any one owing thee a grudge, who might be
glad on such opportunity to pay it thee with interest?'
'I must confess I have, my lord; but I beg of your lordship not to
question me on the matter further, for it reaches only to suspicion.
I know nothing, and might, if I uttered a word, be guilty of
grievous wrong. Pardon me, my lord.'
Lord Herbert looked hard at his wife. Lady Margaret dropped her
head.
'Thou art right, indeed, my good cousin!' he said, turning again to
Dorothy; 'for that would be to do by another as thou sufferest so
sorely from others doing by thee. I must send my brains about and
make a discovery or two for myself. It is well I have a few days to
spend at home. And now to the first part of the business in hand.
Hast thou any special way of calling thy dog? It is a moonlit night,
I believe.'
He rose and went to the window, over which hung a heavy curtain of
Flemish tapestry.
'It is a three-quarter old moon, my lord,' said Dorothy, 'and very
bright. I did use to call my dog with a whistle my mother gave me
when I was a child.'
'Canst thou lay thy hand upon it? Hast thou it with thee in Raglan?'
'I have it in my hand now, my lord.'
'What then with the moon and thy whistle, I think we shall not
fail.'
'Hast lost thy wits, Ned?' said his wife. 'Or what fiend wouldst
thou raise to-night?'
'I would lay one rather,' returned lord Herbert. 'But first I would
discover this same perilous fault in the armour of my house. Is thy
genet still in thy control, Dorothy?'
'I have no reason to think otherwise, my lord. The frolicker he, the
merrier ever was I.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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