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diff --git a/old/13944-8.txt b/old/13944-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bb919e0 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13944-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8617 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of After London, by Richard Jefferies + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: After London + Wild England + +Author: Richard Jefferies + +Release Date: November 3, 2004 [EBook #13944] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AFTER LONDON *** + + + + +Produced by Malcolm Farmer + + + + + + + + + + AFTER LONDON + or + Wild England + + + by + + + Richard Jefferies + + + + + + +Contents + + +Part I The Relapse into Barbarism + + + Chapter 1 The Great Forest + + Chapter 2 Wild Animals + + Chapter 3 Men of the Woods + + Chapter 4 The Invaders + + Chapter 5 The Lake + + + +Part II Wild England + + + Chapter 1 Sir Felix + + Chapter 2 The House of Aquila + + Chapter 3 The Stockade + + Chapter 4 The Canoe + + Chapter 5 Baron Aquila + + Chapter 6 The Forest Track + + Chapter 7 The Forest Track continued + + Chapter 8 Thyma Castle + + Chapter 9 Superstitions + + Chapter 10 The Feast + + Chapter 11 Aurora + + Chapter 12 Night in the Forest + + Chapter 13 Sailing Away + + Chapter 14 The Straits + + Chapter 15 Sailing Onwards + + Chapter 16 The City + + Chapter 17 The Camp + + Chapter 18 The King's Levy + + Chapter 19 Fighting + + Chapter 20 In Danger + + Chapter 21 A Voyage + + Chapter 22 Discoveries + + Chapter 23 Strange Things + + Chapter 24 Fiery Vapours + + Chapter 25 The Shepherds + + Chapter 26 Bow and Arrow + + Chapter 27 Surprised + + Chapter 28 For Aurora + + + + + +Part I + +The Relapse into Barbarism + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE GREAT FOREST + + +The old men say their fathers told them that soon after the fields were +left to themselves a change began to be visible. It became green +everywhere in the first spring, after London ended, so that all the +country looked alike. + +The meadows were green, and so was the rising wheat which had been sown, +but which neither had nor would receive any further care. Such arable +fields as had not been sown, but where the last stubble had been +ploughed up, were overrun with couch-grass, and where the short stubble +had not been ploughed, the weeds hid it. So that there was no place +which was not more or less green; the footpaths were the greenest of +all, for such is the nature of grass where it has once been trodden on, +and by-and-by, as the summer came on, the former roads were thinly +covered with the grass that had spread out from the margin. + +In the autumn, as the meadows were not mown, the grass withered as it +stood, falling this way and that, as the wind had blown it; the seeds +dropped, and the bennets became a greyish-white, or, where the docks and +sorrel were thick, a brownish-red. The wheat, after it had ripened, +there being no one to reap it, also remained standing, and was eaten by +clouds of sparrows, rooks, and pigeons, which flocked to it and were +undisturbed, feasting at their pleasure. As the winter came on, the +crops were beaten down by the storms, soaked with rain, and trodden upon +by herds of animals. + +Next summer the prostrate straw of the preceding year was concealed by +the young green wheat and barley that sprang up from the grain sown by +dropping from the ears, and by quantities of docks, thistles, oxeye +daisies, and similar plants. This matted mass grew up through the +bleached straw. Charlock, too, hid the rotting roots in the fields under +a blaze of yellow flower. The young spring meadow-grass could scarcely +push its way up through the long dead grass and bennets of the year +previous, but docks and thistles, sorrel, wild carrots, and nettles, +found no such difficulty. + +Footpaths were concealed by the second year, but roads could be traced, +though as green as the sward, and were still the best for walking, +because the tangled wheat and weeds, and, in the meadows, the long +grass, caught the feet of those who tried to pass through. Year by year +the original crops of wheat, barley, oats, and beans asserted their +presence by shooting up, but in gradually diminished force, as nettles +and coarser plants, such as the wild parsnips, spread out into the +fields from the ditches and choked them. + +Aquatic grasses from the furrows and water-carriers extended in the +meadows, and, with the rushes, helped to destroy or take the place of +the former sweet herbage. Meanwhile, the brambles, which grew very fast, +had pushed forward their prickly runners farther and farther from the +hedges till they had now reached ten or fifteen yards. The briars had +followed, and the hedges had widened to three or four times their first +breadth, the fields being equally contracted. Starting from all sides at +once, these brambles and briars in the course of about twenty years met +in the centre of the largest fields. + +Hawthorn bushes sprang up among them, and, protected by the briars and +thorns from grazing animals, the suckers of elm-trees rose and +flourished. Sapling ashes, oaks, sycamores, and horse-chestnuts, lifted +their heads. Of old time the cattle would have eaten off the seed leaves +with the grass so soon as they were out of the ground, but now most of +the acorns that were dropped by birds, and the keys that were wafted by +the wind, twirling as they floated, took root and grew into trees. By +this time the brambles and briars had choked up and blocked the former +roads, which were as impassable as the fields. + +No fields, indeed, remained, for where the ground was dry, the thorns, +briars, brambles, and saplings already mentioned filled the space, and +these thickets and the young trees had converted most part of the +country into an immense forest. Where the ground was naturally moist, +and the drains had become choked with willow roots, which, when confined +in tubes, grow into a mass like the brush of a fox, sedges and flags and +rushes covered it. Thorn bushes were there, too, but not so tall; they +were hung with lichen. Besides the flags and reeds, vast quantities of +the tallest cow-parsnips or "gicks" rose five or six feet high, and the +willow herb with its stout stem, almost as woody as a shrub, filled +every approach. + +By the thirtieth year there was not one single open place, the hills +only excepted, where a man could walk, unless he followed the tracks of +wild creatures or cut himself a path. The ditches, of course, had long +since become full of leaves and dead branches, so that the water which +should have run off down them stagnated, and presently spread out into +the hollow places and by the corner of what had once been fields, +forming marshes where the horsetails, flags, and sedges hid the water. + +As no care was taken with the brooks, the hatches upon them gradually +rotted, and the force of the winter rains carried away the weak timbers, +flooding the lower grounds, which became swamps of larger size. The +dams, too, were drilled by water-rats, and the streams percolating +through, slowly increased the size of these tunnels till the structure +burst, and the current swept on and added to the floods below. Mill-dams +stood longer, but, as the ponds silted up, the current flowed round and +even through the mill-houses, which, going by degrees to ruin, were in +some cases undermined till they fell. + +Everywhere the lower lands adjacent to the streams had become marshes, +some of them extending for miles in a winding line, and occasionally +spreading out to a mile in breadth. This was particularly the case where +brooks and streams of some volume joined the rivers, which were also +blocked and obstructed in their turn, and the two, overflowing, covered +the country around; for the rivers brought down trees and branches, +timbers floated from the shore, and all kinds of similar materials, +which grounded in the shallows or caught against snags, and formed huge +piles where there had been weirs. + +Sometimes, after great rains, these piles swept away the timbers of the +weir, driven by the irresistible power of the water, and then in its +course the flood, carrying the balks before it like battering rams, +cracked and split the bridges of solid stone which the ancients had +built. These and the iron bridges likewise were overthrown, and +presently quite disappeared, for the very foundations were covered with +the sand and gravel silted up. + +Thus, too, the sites of many villages and towns that anciently existed +along the rivers, or on the lower lands adjoining, were concealed by the +water and the mud it brought with it. The sedges and reeds that arose +completed the work and left nothing visible, so that the mighty +buildings of olden days were by these means utterly buried. And, as has +been proved by those who have dug for treasures, in our time the very +foundations are deep beneath the earth, and not to be got at for the +water that oozes into the shafts that they have tried to sink through +the sand and mud banks. + +From an elevation, therefore, there was nothing visible but endless +forest and marsh. On the level ground and plains the view was limited to +a short distance, because of the thickets and the saplings which had now +become young trees. The downs only were still partially open, yet it was +not convenient to walk upon them except in the tracks of animals, +because of the long grass which, being no more regularly grazed upon by +sheep, as was once the case, grew thick and tangled. Furze, too, and +heath covered the slopes, and in places vast quantities of fern. There +had always been copses of fir and beech and nut-tree covers, and these +increased and spread, while bramble, briar, and hawthorn extended around +them. + +By degrees the trees of the vale seemed as it were to invade and march +up the hills, and, as we see in our time, in many places the downs are +hidden altogether with a stunted kind of forest. But all the above +happened in the time of the first generation. Besides these things a +great physical change took place; but before I speak of that, it will be +best to relate what effects were produced upon animals and men. + +In the first years after the fields were left to themselves, the fallen +and over-ripe corn crops became the resort of innumerable mice. They +swarmed to an incredible degree, not only devouring the grain upon the +straw that had never been cut, but clearing out every single ear in the +wheat-ricks that were standing about the country. Nothing remained in +these ricks but straw, pierced with tunnels and runs, the home and +breeding-place of mice, which thence poured forth into the fields. Such +grain as had been left in barns and granaries, in mills, and in +warehouses of the deserted towns, disappeared in the same manner. + +When men tried to raise crops in small gardens and enclosures for their +sustenance, these legions of mice rushed in and destroyed the produce of +their labour. Nothing could keep them out, and if a score were killed, a +hundred more supplied their place. These mice were preyed upon by +kestrel hawks, owls, and weasels; but at first they made little or no +appreciable difference. In a few years, however, the weasels, having +such a superabundance of food, trebled in numbers, and in the same way +the hawks, owls, and foxes increased. There was then some relief, but +even now at intervals districts are invaded, and the granaries and the +standing corn suffer from these depredations. + +This does not happen every year, but only at intervals, for it is +noticed that mice abound very much more in some seasons than others. The +extraordinary multiplication of these creatures was the means of +providing food for the cats that had been abandoned in the towns, and +came forth into the country in droves. Feeding on the mice, they became, +in a very short time, quite wild, and their descendants now roam the +forest. + +In our houses we still have several varieties of the domestic cat, such +as the tortoise-shell, which is the most prized, but when the +above-mentioned cats became wild, after a while the several varieties +disappeared, and left but one wild kind. Those which are now so often +seen in the forest, and which do so much mischief about houses and +enclosures, are almost all greyish, some being striped, and they are +also much longer in the body than the tame. A few are jet black; their +skins are then preferred by hunters. + +Though the forest cat retires from the sight of man as much as possible, +yet it is extremely fierce in defence of its young, and instances have +been known where travellers in the woods have been attacked upon +unwittingly approaching their dens. Dropping from the boughs of a tree +upon the shoulders, the creature flies at the face, inflicting deep +scratches and bites, exceedingly painful, and sometimes dangerous, from +the tendency to fester. But such cases are rare, and the reason the +forest cat is so detested is because it preys upon fowls and poultry, +mounting with ease the trees or places where they roost. + +Almost worse than the mice were the rats, which came out of the old +cities in such vast numbers that the people who survived and saw them +are related to have fled in fear. This terror, however, did not last so +long as the evil of the mice, for the rats, probably not finding +sufficient food when together, scattered abroad, and were destroyed +singly by the cats and dogs, who slew them by thousands, far more than +they could afterwards eat, so that the carcases were left to decay. It +is said that, overcome with hunger, these armies of rats in some cases +fell upon each other, and fed on their own kindred. They are still +numerous, but do not appear to do the same amount of damage as is +occasionally caused by the mice, when the latter invade the cultivated +lands. + +The dogs, of course, like the cats, were forced by starvation into the +fields, where they perished in incredible numbers. Of many species of +dogs which are stated to have been plentiful among the ancients, we have +now nothing but the name. The poodle is extinct, the Maltese terrier, +the Pomeranian, the Italian greyhound, and, it is believed, great +numbers of crosses and mongrels have utterly disappeared. There was none +to feed them, and they could not find food for themselves, nor could +they stand the rigour of the winter when exposed to the frost in the +open air. + +Some kinds, more hardy and fitted by nature for the chase, became wild, +and their descendants are now found in the woods. Of these, there are +three sorts which keep apart from each other, and are thought not to +interbreed. The most numerous are the black. The black wood-dog is short +and stoutly made, with shaggy hair, sometimes marked with white patches. + +There can be no doubt that it is the descendant of the ancient +sheep-dog, for it is known that the sheep-dog was of that character, and +it is said that those who used to keep sheep soon found their dogs +abandon the fold, and join the wild troops that fell upon the sheep. The +black wood-dogs hunt in packs of ten or more (as many as forty have been +counted), and are the pest of the farmer, for, unless his flocks are +protected at night within stockades or enclosures, they are certain to +be attacked. Not satisfied with killing enough to satisfy hunger, these +dogs tear and mangle for sheer delight of blood, and will destroy twenty +times as many as they can eat, leaving the miserably torn carcases on +the field. Nor are the sheep always safe by day if the wood-dogs happen +to be hungry. The shepherd is, therefore, usually accompanied by two or +three mastiffs, of whose great size and strength the others stand in +awe. At night, and when in large packs, starving in the snow, not even +the mastiffs can check them. + +No wood-dog, of any kind, has ever been known to attack man, and the +hunter in the forest hears their bark in every direction without fear. +It is, nevertheless, best to retire out of their way when charging sheep +in packs, for they then seem seized with a blind fury, and some who have +endeavoured to fight them have been thrown down and seriously mauled. +But this has been in the blindness of their rush; no instance has ever +been known of their purposely attacking man. + +These black wood-dogs will also chase and finally pull down cattle, if +they can get within the enclosures, and even horses have fallen victims +to their untiring thirst for blood. Not even the wild cattle can always +escape, despite their strength, and they have been known to run down +stags, though not their usual quarry. + +The next kind of wild wood-dog is the yellow, a smaller animal, with +smooth hair inclining to a yellow colour, which lives principally upon +game, chasing all, from the hare to the stag. It is as swift, or nearly +as swift, as the greyhound, and possesses greater endurance. In coursing +the hare, it not uncommonly happens that these dogs start from the brake +and take the hare, when nearly exhausted, from the hunter's hounds. They +will in the same way follow a stag, which has been almost run down by +the hunters, and bring him to bay, though in this case they lose their +booty, dispersing through fear of man, when the hunters come up in a +body. + +But such is their love of the chase, that they are known to assemble +from their lairs at the distant sound of the horn, and, as the hunters +ride through the woods, they often see the yellow dogs flitting along +side by side with them through bush and fern. These animals sometimes +hunt singly, sometimes in couples, and as the season advances, and +winter approaches, in packs of eight or twelve. They never attack sheep +or cattle, and avoid man, except when they perceive he is engaged in the +chase. There is little doubt that they are the descendants of the dogs +which the ancients called lurchers, crossed, perhaps, with the +greyhound, and possibly other breeds. When the various species of dogs +were thrown on their own resources, those only withstood the exposure +and hardships which were naturally hardy, and possessed natural aptitude +for the chase. + +The third species of wood-dog is the white. They are low on the legs, of +a dingy white colour, and much smaller than the other two. They neither +attack cattle nor game, though fond of hunting rabbits. This dog is, in +fact, a scavenger, living upon the carcases of dead sheep and animals, +which are found picked clean in the night. For this purpose it haunts +the neighbourhood of habitations, and prowls in the evening over heaps +of refuse, scampering away at the least alarm, for it is extremely +timid. + +It is perfectly harmless, for even the poultry do not dread it, and it +will not face a tame cat, if by chance the two meet. It is rarely met +with far from habitations, though it will accompany an army on the +march. It may be said to remain in one district. The black and yellow +dogs, on the contrary, roam about the forest without apparent home. One +day the hunter sees signs of their presence, and perhaps may, for a +month afterwards, not so much as hear a bark. + +This uncertainty in the case of the black dog is the bane of the +shepherds; for, not seeing or hearing anything of the enemy for months +altogether, in spite of former experience their vigilance relaxes, and +suddenly, while they sleep, their flocks are scattered. We still have, +among tame dogs, the mastiff, terrier, spaniel, deerhound, and +greyhound, all of which are as faithful to man as ever. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +WILD ANIMALS + + +When the ancients departed, great numbers of their cattle perished. It +was not so much the want of food as the inability to endure exposure +that caused their death; a few winters are related to have so reduced +them that they died by hundreds, many mangled by dogs. The hardiest that +remained became perfectly wild, and the wood cattle are now more +difficult to approach than deer. + +There are two kinds, the white and the black. The white (sometimes dun) +are believed to be the survivors of the domestic roan-and-white, for the +cattle in our enclosures at the present day are of that colour. The +black are smaller, and are doubtless little changed from their state in +the olden times, except that they are wild. These latter are timid, +unless accompanied by a calf, and are rarely known to turn upon their +pursuers. But the white are fierce at all times; they will not, indeed, +attack man, but will scarcely run from him, and it is not always safe to +cross their haunts. + +The bulls are savage beyond measure at certain seasons of the year. If +they see men at a distance, they retire; if they come unexpectedly face +to face, they attack. This characteristic enables those who travel +through districts known to be haunted by white cattle to provide against +an encounter, for, by occasionally blowing a horn, the herd that may be +in the vicinity is dispersed. There are not often more than twenty in a +herd. The hides of the dun are highly prized, both for their intrinsic +value, and as proofs of skill and courage, so much so that you shall +hardly buy a skin for all the money you may offer; and the horns are +likewise trophies. The white or dun bull is the monarch of our forests. + +Four kinds of wild pigs are found. The most numerous, or at least the +most often seen, as it lies about our enclosures, is the common +thorn-hog. It is the largest of the wild pigs, long-bodied and +flat-sided, in colour much the hue of the mud in which it wallows. To +the agriculturist it is the greatest pest, destroying or damaging all +kinds of crops, and routing up the gardens. It is with difficulty kept +out by palisading, for if there be a weak place in the wooden framework, +the strong snout of the animal is sure to undermine and work a passage +through. + +As there are always so many of these pigs round about inhabited places +and cultivated fields, constant care is required, for they instantly +discover an opening. From their habit of haunting the thickets and bush +which come up to the verge of the enclosures, they have obtained the +name of thorn-hogs. Some reach an immense size, and they are very +prolific, so that it is impossible to destroy them. The boars are fierce +at a particular season, but never attack unless provoked to do so. But +when driven to bay they are the most dangerous of the boars, on account +of their vast size and weight. They are of a sluggish disposition, and +will not rise from their lairs unless forced to do so. + +The next kind is the white hog, which has much the same habits as the +former, except that it is usually found in moist places, near lakes and +rivers, and is often called the marsh-pig. The third kind is perfectly +black, much smaller in size, and very active, affording by far the best +sport, and also the best food when killed. As they are found on the +hills where the ground is somewhat more open, horses can follow freely, +and the chase becomes exciting. By some it is called the hill-hog, from +the locality it frequents. The small tusks of the black boar are used +for many ornamental purposes. + +These three species are considered to be the descendants of the various +domestic pigs of the ancients, but the fourth, or grey, is thought to be +the true wild boar. It is seldom seen, but is most common in the +south-western forests, where, from the quantity of fern, it is called +the fern-pig. This kind is believed to represent the true wild boar, +which was extinct, or merged in the domestic hog among the ancients, +except in that neighbourhood where the strain remained. + +With wild times, the wild habits have returned, and the grey boar is at +once the most difficult of access, and the most ready to encounter +either dogs or men. Although the first, or thorn-hog, does the most +damage to the agriculturist because of its numbers, and its habit of +haunting the neighbourhood of enclosures, the others are equally +injurious if they chance to enter the cultivated fields. + +The three principal kinds of wild sheep are the horned, the thyme, and +the meadow. The thyme sheep are the smallest, and haunt the highest +hills in the south, where, feeding on the sweet herbage of the ridges, +their flesh is said to acquire a flavour of wild thyme. They move in +small flocks of not more than thirty, and are the most difficult to +approach, being far more wary than deer, so continuously are they hunted +by the wood-dogs. The horned are larger, and move in greater numbers; as +many as two hundred are sometimes seen together. + +They are found on the lower slopes and plains, and in the woods. The +meadow sheep have long shaggy wool, which is made into various articles +of clothing, but they are not numerous. They haunt river sides, and the +shores of lakes and ponds. None of these are easily got at, on account +of the wood-dogs; but the rams of the horned kind are reputed to +sometimes turn upon the pursuing pack, and butt them to death. In the +extremity of their terror whole flocks of wild sheep have been driven +over precipices and into quagmires and torrents. + +Besides these, there are several other species whose haunt is local. On +the islands, especially, different kinds are found. The wood-dogs will +occasionally, in calm weather, swim out to an island and kill every +sheep upon it. + +From the horses that were in use among the ancients the two wild species +now found are known to have descended, a fact confirmed by their evident +resemblance to the horses we still retain. The largest wild horse is +almost black, or inclined to a dark colour, somewhat less in size than +our present waggon horses, but of the same heavy make. It is, however, +much swifter, on account of having enjoyed liberty for so long. It is +called the bush-horse, being generally distributed among thickets and +meadow-like lands adjoining water. + +The other species is called the hill-pony, from its habitat, the hills, +and is rather less in size than our riding-horse. This latter is short +and thick-set, so much so as not to be easily ridden by short persons +without high stirrups. Neither of these wild horses are numerous, but +neither are they uncommon. They keep entirely separate from each other. +As many as thirty mares are sometimes seen together, but there are +districts where the traveller will not observe one for weeks. + +Tradition says that in the olden times there were horses of a slender +build whose speed outstripped the wind, but of the breed of these famous +racers not one is left. Whether they were too delicate to withstand +exposure, or whether the wild dogs hunted them down is uncertain, but +they are quite gone. Did but one exist, how eagerly it would be sought +out, for in these days it would be worth its weight in gold, unless, +indeed, as some affirm, such speed only endured for a mile or two. + +It is not necessary, having written thus far of the animals, that +anything be said of the birds of the woods, which every one knows were +not always wild, and which can, indeed, be compared with such poultry as +are kept in our enclosures. Such are the bush-hens, the wood-turkeys, +the galenæ, the peacocks, the white duck and the white goose, all of +which, though now wild as the hawk, are well known to have been once +tame. + +There were deer, red and fallow, in numerous parks and chases of very +old time, and these, having got loose, and having such immense tracts to +roam over unmolested, went on increasing till now they are beyond +computation, and I have myself seen a thousand head together. Within +these forty years, as I learn, the roe-deer, too, have come down from +the extreme north, so that there are now three sorts in the woods. +Before them the pine-marten came from the same direction, and, though +they are not yet common, it is believed they are increasing. For the +first few years after the change took place there seemed a danger lest +the foreign wild beasts that had been confined as curiosities in +menageries should multiply and remain in the woods. But this did not +happen. + +Some few lions, tigers, bears, and other animals did indeed escape, +together with many less furious creatures, and it is related that they +roamed about the fields for a long time. They were seldom met with, +having such an extent of country to wander over, and after a while +entirely disappeared. If any progeny were born, the winter frosts must +have destroyed it, and the same fate awaited the monstrous serpents +which had been collected for exhibition. Only one such animal now exists +which is known to owe its origin to those which escaped from the dens of +the ancients. It is the beaver, whose dams are now occasionally found +upon the streams by those who traverse the woods. Some of the aquatic +birds, too, which frequent the lakes, are thought to have been +originally derived from those which were formerly kept as curiosities. + +In the castle yard at Longtover may still be seen the bones of an +elephant which was found dying in the woods near that spot. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +MEN OF THE WOODS + + +So far as this, all that I have stated has been clear, and there can be +no doubt that what has been thus handed down from mouth to mouth is for +the most part correct. When I pass from trees and animals to men, +however, the thing is different, for nothing is certain and everything +confused. None of the accounts agree, nor can they be altogether +reconciled with present facts or with reasonable supposition; yet it is +not so long since but a few memories, added one to the other, can bridge +the time, and, though not many, there are some written notes still to be +found. I must attribute the discrepancy to the wars and hatreds which +sprang up and divided the people, so that one would not listen to what +the others wished to say, and the truth was lost. + +Besides which, in the conflagration which consumed the towns, most of +the records were destroyed, and are no longer to be referred to. And it +may be that even when they were proceeding, the causes of the change +were not understood. Therefore, what I am now about to describe is not +to be regarded as the ultimate truth, but as the nearest to which I +could attain after comparing the various traditions. Some say, then, +that the first beginning of the change was because the sea silted up the +entrances to the ancient ports, and stopped the vast commerce which was +once carried on. It is certainly true that many of the ports are silted +up, and are now useless as such, but whether the silting up preceded the +disappearance of the population, or whether the disappearance of the +population, and the consequent neglect caused the silting, I cannot +venture to positively assert. + +For there are signs that the level of the sea has sunk in some places, +and signs that it has become higher in others, so that the judicious +historian will simply state the facts, and refrain from colouring them +with his own theory as Silvester has done. Others again maintain that +the supply of food from over the ocean suddenly stopping caused great +disorders, and that the people crowded on board all the ships to escape +starvation, and sailed away, and were no more heard of. + +It has, too, been said that the earth, from some attractive power +exercised by the passage of an enormous dark body through space, became +tilted or inclined to its orbit more than before, and that this, while +it lasted, altered the flow of the magnetic currents, which, in an +imperceptible manner, influence the minds of men. Hitherto the stream of +human life had directed itself to the westward, but when this reversal +of magnetism occurred, a general desire arose to return to the east. And +those whose business is theology have pointed out that the wickedness of +those times surpassed understanding, and that a change and sweeping away +of the human evil that had accumulated was necessary, and was effected +by supernatural means. The relation of this must be left to them, since +it is not the province of the philosopher to meddle with such matters. + +All that seems certain is, that when the event took place, the immense +crowds collected in cities were most affected, and that the richer and +upper classes made use of their money to escape. Those left behind were +mainly the lower and most ignorant, so far as the arts were concerned; +those that dwelt in distant and outlying places; and those who lived by +agriculture. These last at that date had fallen to such distress that +they could not hire vessels to transport themselves. The exact number of +those left behind cannot, of course, be told, but it is on record that +when the fields were first neglected (as I have already described), a +man might ride a hundred miles and not meet another. They were not only +few, but scattered, and had not drawn together and formed towns as at +present. + +Of what became of the vast multitudes that left the country, nothing has +ever been heard, and no communication has been received from them. For +this reason I cannot conceal my opinion that they must have sailed +either to the westward or to the southward where the greatest extent of +ocean is understood to exist, and not to the eastward as Silvester would +have it in his work upon the "Unknown Orb", the dark body travelling in +space to which I have alluded. None of our vessels in the present day +dare venture into those immense tracts of sea, nor, indeed, out of sight +of land, unless they know they shall see it again so soon as they have +reached and surmounted the ridge of the horizon. Had they only crossed +to the mainland or continent again, we should most likely have heard of +their passage across the countries there. + +It is true that ships rarely come over, and only to two ports, and that +the men on them say (so far as can be understood) that their country is +equally deserted now, and has likewise lost its population. But still, +as men talk unto men, and we pass intelligence across great breadths of +land, it is almost certain that, had they travelled that way, some echo +of their footsteps would yet sound back to us. Regarding this theory, +therefore, as untenable, I put forward as a suggestion that the ancients +really sailed to the west or to the south. + +As, for the most part, those who were left behind were ignorant, rude, +and unlettered, it consequently happened that many of the marvellous +things which the ancients did, and the secrets of their science, are +known to us by name only, and, indeed, hardly by name. It has happened +to us in our turn as it happened to the ancients. For they were aware +that in times before their own the art of making glass malleable had +been discovered, so that it could be beaten into shape like copper. But +the manner in which it was accomplished was entirely unknown to them; +the fact was on record, but the cause lost. So now we know that those +who to us are the ancients had a way of making diamonds and precious +stones out of black and lustreless charcoal, a fact which approaches the +incredible. Still, we do not doubt it, though we cannot imagine by what +means it was carried out. + +They also sent intelligence to the utmost parts of the earth along wires +which were not tubular, but solid, and therefore could not transmit +sound, and yet the person who received the message could hear and +recognise the voice of the sender a thousand miles away. With certain +machines worked by fire, they traversed the land swift as the swallow +glides through the sky, but of these things not a relic remains to us. +What metal-work or wheels or bars of iron were left, and might have +given us a clue, were all broken up and melted down for use in other +ways when metal became scarce. + +Mounds of earth are said to still exist in the woods, which originally +formed the roads for these machines, but they are now so low, and so +covered with thickets, that nothing can be learnt from them; and, +indeed, though I have heard of their existence, I have never seen one. +Great holes were made through the very hills for the passage of the iron +chariot, but they are now blocked by the falling roofs, nor dare any one +explore such parts as may yet be open. Where are the wonderful +structures with which the men of those days were lifted to the skies, +rising above the clouds? These marvellous things are to us little more +than fables of the giants and of the old gods that walked upon the +earth, which were fables even to those whom we call the ancients. + +Indeed, we have fuller knowledge of those extremely ancient times than +of the people who immediately preceded us, and the Romans and the Greeks +are more familiar to us than the men who rode in the iron chariots and +mounted to the skies. The reason why so many arts and sciences were lost +was because, as I have previously said, the most of those who were left +in the country were ignorant, rude, and unlettered. They had seen the +iron chariots, but did not understand the method of their construction, +and could not hand down the knowledge they did not themselves possess. +The magic wires of intelligence passed through their villages, but they +did not know how to work them. + +The cunning artificers of the cities all departed, and everything fell +quickly into barbarism; nor could it be wondered at, for the few and +scattered people of those days had enough to do to preserve their lives. +Communication between one place and another was absolutely cut off, and +if one perchance did recollect something that might have been of use, he +could not confer with another who knew the other part, and thus between +them reconstruct the machine. In the second generation even these +disjointed memories died out. + +At first it is supposed that those who remained behind existed upon the +grain in the warehouses, and what they could thresh by the flail from +the crops left neglected in the fields. But as the provisions in the +warehouses were consumed or spoiled, they hunted the animals, lately +tame and as yet but half wild. As these grew less in number and +difficult to overtake, they set to work again to till the ground, and +cleared away small portions of the earth, encumbered already with +brambles and thistles. Some grew corn, and some took charge of sheep. +Thus, in time, places far apart from each other were settled, and towns +were built; towns, indeed, we call them to distinguish them from the +champaign, but they are not worthy of the name in comparison with the +mighty cities of old time. + +There are many that have not more than fifty houses in the enclosure, +and perhaps no other station within a day's journey, and the largest are +but villages, reckoning by antiquity. For the most part they have their +own government, or had till recently, and thus there grew up many +provinces and kingdoms in the compass of what was originally but one. +Thus separated and divided, there came also to be many races where in +the first place was one people. Now, in briefly recounting the principal +divisions of men, I will commence with those who are everywhere +considered the lowest. These are the Bushmen, who live wholly in the +woods. + +Even among the ancients, when every man, woman, and child could exercise +those arts which are now the special mark of nobility, _i.e._ reading +and writing, there was a degraded class of persons who refused to avail +themselves of the benefits of civilization. They obtained their food by +begging, wandering along the highways, crouching around fires which they +lit in the open, clad in rags, and exhibiting countenances from which +every trace of self-respect had disappeared. These were the ancestors of +the present men of the bushes. + +They took naturally to the neglected fields, and forming "camps" as they +call their tribes, or rather families, wandered to and fro, easily +subsisting upon roots and trapped game. So they live to this day, having +become extremely dexterous in snaring every species of bird and animal, +and the fishes of the streams. These latter they sometimes poison with a +drug or a plant (it is not known which), the knowledge of which has been +preserved among them since the days of the ancients. The poison kills +the fishes, and brings them to the surface, when they can be collected +by hundreds, but does not injure them for eating. + +Like the black wood-dogs, the Bushmen often in fits of savage frenzy +destroy thrice as much as they can devour, trapping deer in wickerwork +hedges, or pitfalls, and cutting the miserable animals in pieces, for +mere thirst of blood. The oxen and cattle in the enclosures are +occasionally in the same manner fearfully mutilated by these wretches, +sometimes for amusement, and sometimes in vengeance for injuries done to +them. Bushmen have no settled home, cultivate no kind of corn or +vegetable, keep no animals, not even dogs, have no houses or huts, no +boats or canoes, nothing that requires the least intelligence or energy +to construct. + +Roaming to and fro without any apparent aim or object, or any particular +route, they fix their camp for a few days wherever it suits their fancy, +and again move on, no man knows why or whither. It is this uncertainty +of movement which makes them so dangerous. To-day there may not be the +least sign of any within miles of an enclosure. In the night a "camp" +may pass, slaughtering such cattle as may have remained without the +palisade, or killing the unfortunate shepherd who has not got within the +walls, and in the morning they may be nowhere to be seen, having +disappeared like vermin. Face to face the Bushman is never to be feared; +a whole "camp" or tribal family will scatter if a traveler stumbles into +their midst. It is from behind a tree or under cover of night that he +deals his murderous blow. + +A "camp" may consist of ten or twenty individuals, sometimes, perhaps, +of forty, or even fifty, of various ages, and is ruled by the eldest, +who is also the parent. He is absolute master of his "camp", but has no +power or recognition beyond it, so that how many leaders there may be +among them it is not possible even to guess. Nor is the master known to +them as king, or duke, nor has he any title, but is simply the oldest or +founder of the family. The "camp" has no law, no established custom; +events happen, and even the master cannot be said to reign. When he +becomes feeble, they simply leave him to die. + +They are depraved, and without shame, clad in sheep-skins chiefly, if +clad at all, or in such clothes as they have stolen. They have no +ceremonies whatever. The number of these "camps" must be considerable, +and yet the Bushman is seldom seen, nor do we very often hear of their +depredations, which is accounted for by the extent of country they +wander over. It is in severe winters that the chief danger occurs; they +then suffer from hunger and cold, and are driven to the neighbourhood of +the enclosures to steal. So dexterous are they in slipping through the +bushes, and slinking among the reeds and osiers, that they will pass +within a few yards without discovering their presence, and the signs of +their passage can be detected only by the experienced hunter, and not +always by him. + +It is observed that whatever mischief the Bushman commits, he never sets +fire to any ricks or buildings; the reason is because his nature is to +slink from the scene of his depredations, and flame at once attracts +people to the spot. Twice the occurrence of a remarkably severe winter +has caused the Bushmen to flock together and act in an approach to +concert in attacking the enclosures. The Bushmen of the north, who were +even more savage and brutal, then came down, and were with difficulty +repulsed from the walled cities. In ordinary times we see very little of +them. They are the thieves, the human vermin of the woods. + +Under the name of gipsies, those who are now often called Romany and +Zingari were well known to the ancients. Indeed, they boast that their +ancestry goes back so much farther than the oldest we can claim, that +the ancients themselves were but modern to them. Even in that age of +highest civilization, which immediately preceded the present, they say +(and there is no doubt of it) that they preserved the blood of their +race pure and untainted, that they never dwelt under permanent roofs, +nor bowed their knees to the prevalent religion. They remained apart, +and still continue after civilization has disappeared, exactly the same +as they were before it commenced. + +Since the change their numbers have greatly increased, and were they not +always at war with each other, it is possible that they might go far to +sweep the house people from the land. But there are so many tribes, each +with its king, queen, or duke, that their power is divided, and their +force melts away. The ruler of the Bushman families is always a man, but +among the gipsies a woman, and even a young girl, often exercises +supreme authority, but must be of the sacred blood. These kings and +dukes are absolute autocrats within their tribe, and can order by a nod +the destruction of those who offend them. Habits of simplest obedience +being enjoined on the tribe from earliest childhood, such executions are +rare, but the right to command them is not for a moment questioned. + +Of the sorcerers, and particularly the sorceresses, among them, all have +heard, and, indeed, the places where they dwell seem full of mystery and +magic. They live in tents, and though they constantly remove from +district to district, one tribe never clashes with or crosses another, +because all have their especial routes, upon which no intrusion is ever +made. Some agriculture is practiced, and flocks and herds are kept, but +the work is entirely done by the women. The men are always on horseback, +or sleeping in their tents. + +Each tribe has its central camping-place, to which they return at +intervals after perhaps wandering for months, a certain number of +persons being left at home to defend it. These camps are often situated +in inaccessible positions, and well protected by stockades. The +territory which is acknowledged to belong to such a camp is extremely +limited; its mere environs only are considered the actual property of +the tribe, and a second can pitch its tents with a few hundred yards. +These stockades, in fact, are more like store-houses than residences; +each is a mere rendezvous. + +The gipsies are everywhere, but their stockades are most numerous in the +south, along the sides of the green hills and plains, and especially +round Stonehenge, where, on the great open plains, among the huge +boulders, placed ages since in circles, they perform strange ceremonies +and incantations. They attack every traveller, and every caravan or +train of waggons which they feel strong enough to master, but they do +not murder the solitary sleeping hunter or shepherd like the Bushmen. +They will, indeed, steal from him, but do not kill, except in fight. +Once, now and then, they have found their way into towns, when terrible +massacres have followed, for, when excited, the savage knows not how to +restrain himself. + +Vengeance is their idol. If any community has injured or affronted them, +they never cease endeavouring to retaliate, and will wipe it out in fire +and blood generations afterwards. There are towns which have thus been +suddenly harried when the citizens had forgotten that any cause of +enmity existed. Vengeance is their religion and their social law, which +guides all their actions among themselves. It is for this reason that +they are continually at war, duke with duke, and king with king. A +deadly feud, too, has set Bushman and gipsy at each other's throat, far +beyond the memory of man. The Romany looks on the Bushman as a dog, and +slaughters him as such. In turn, the despised human dog slinks in the +darkness of the night into the Romany's tent, and stabs his daughter or +his wife, for such is the meanness and cowardice of the Bushman that he +would always rather kill a woman than a man. + +There is also a third class of men who are not true gipsies, but have +something of their character, though the gipsies will not allow that +they were originally half-breeds. Their habits are much the same, except +that they are foot men and rarely use horses, and are therefore called +the foot gipsies. The gipsy horse is really a pony. Once only have the +Romany combined to attack the house people, driven, like the Bushmen, by +an exceedingly severe winter, against which they had no provision. + +But, then, instead of massing their forces and throwing their +irresistible numbers upon one city or territory, all they would agree to +do was that, upon a certain day, each tribe should invade the land +nearest to it. The result was that they were, though with trouble, +repulsed. Until lately, no leader ventured to follow the gipsies to +their strongholds, for they were reputed invincible behind their +stockades. By infesting the woods and lying in ambush they rendered +communication between city and city difficult and dangerous, except to +bodies of armed men, and every waggon had to be defended by troops. + +The gipsies, as they roam, make little secret of their presence (unless, +of course, intent upon mischief), but light their fires by day and night +fearlessly. The Bushmen never light a fire by day, lest the ascending +smoke, which cannot be concealed, should betray their whereabouts. Their +fires are lit at night in hollows or places well surrounded with +thickets, and, that the flame may not be seen, they will build screens +of fir boughs or fern. When they have obtained a good supply of hot wood +coals, no more sticks are thrown on, but these are covered with turf, +and thus kept in long enough for their purposes. Much of their meat they +devour raw, and thus do not need a fire so frequently as others. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE INVADERS + + +Those who live by agriculture or in towns, and are descended from the +remnant of the ancients, are divided, as I have previously said, into +numerous provinces, kingdoms, and republics. In the middle part of the +country the cities are almost all upon the shores of the Lake, or within +a short distance of the water, and there is therefore more traffic and +communication between them by means of vessels than is the case with +inland towns, whose trade must be carried on by caravans and waggons. +These not only move slowly, but are subject to be interrupted by the +Romany and by the banditti, or persons who, for moral or political +crimes, have been banished from their homes. + +It is in the cities that cluster around the great central lake that all +the life and civilization of our day are found; but there also begin +those wars and social convulsions which cause so much suffering. When +was the Peninsula at peace? and when was there not some mischief and +change brewing in the republics? When was there not a danger from the +northern mainland? + +Until recent years there was little knowledge of, and scarcely any +direct commerce or intercourse between, the central part and the +districts either of the extreme west or the north, and it is only now +that the north and east are becoming open to us; for at the back of the +narrow circle or cultivated land, the belt about the Lake, there extend +immense forests in every direction, through which, till very lately, no +practicable way had been cut. Even in the more civilized central part it +is not to this day easy to travel, for at the barriers, as you approach +the territories of every prince, they demand your business and your +papers; nor even if you establish the fact that you are innocent of +designs against the State, shall you hardly enter without satisfying the +greed of the officials. + +A fine is thus exacted at the gate of every province and kingdom, and +again at the gateways of the towns. The difference of the coinage, such +as it is, causes also great loss and trouble, for the money of one +kingdom (though passing current by command in that territory) is not +received at its nominal value in the next on account of the alloy it +contains. It is, indeed, in many kingdoms impossible to obtain sterling +money. Gold there is little or none anywhere, but silver is the standard +of exchange, and copper, bronze, and brass, sometimes tin, are the +metals with which the greater number of the people transact their +business. + +Justice is corrupt, for where there is a king or a prince it depends on +the caprice of a tyrant, and where there is a republic upon the shout of +the crowd, so that many, if they think they may be put on trial, rather +than face the risk at once escape into the woods. The League, though +based ostensibly on principles the most exalted and beneficial to +humanity, is known to be perverted. The members sworn to honour and the +highest virtue are swayed by vile motives, political hatreds, and +private passions, and even by money. + +Men for ever trample upon men, each pushing to the front; nor is there +safety in remaining in retirement, since such are accused of biding +their time and of occult designs. Though the population of these cities +all counted together is not equal to the population that once dwelt in a +single second-rate city of the ancients, yet how much greater are the +bitterness and the struggle! + +Yet not content with the bloodshed they themselves cause, the tyrants +have called in the aid of mercenary soldiers to assist them. And, to +complete the disgrace, those republics which proclaim themselves the +very home of patriotic virtues, have resorted to the same means. Thus we +see English cities kept in awe by troops of Welshmen, Irish, and even +the western Scots, who swarm in the council-chambers of the republics, +and, opening the doors of the houses, help themselves to what they will. +This, too, in the face of the notorious fact that these nations have +sworn to be avenged upon us, that their vessels sail about the Lake +committing direful acts of piracy, and that twice already vast armies +have swept along threatening to entirely overwhelm the whole +commonwealth. + +What infatuation to admit bands of these same men into the very +strongholds and the heart of the land! As if upon the approach of their +countrymen they would remain true to the oaths they have sworn for pay, +and not rather admit them with open arms. No blame can, upon a just +consideration, be attributed to either of these nations that endeavour +to oppress us. For, as they point out, the ancients from whom we are +descended held them in subjection many hundred years, and took from them +all their liberties. + +Thus the Welsh, or, as they call themselves, the Cymry, say that the +whole island was once theirs, and is theirs still by right of +inheritance. They were the original people who possessed it ages before +the arrival of those whom we call the ancients. Though they were driven +into the mountains of the far distant west, they never forgot their +language, ceased their customs, or gave up their aspirations to recover +their own. This is now their aim, and until recently it seemed as if +they were about to accomplish it. For they held all that country +anciently called Cornwall, having crossed over the Severn, and marched +down the southern shore. The rich land of Devon, part of Dorset (all, +indeed, that is inhabited), and the most part of Somerset, acknowledged +their rule. Worcester and Hereford and Gloucester were theirs; I mean, +of course, those parts that are not forest. + +Their outposts were pushed forward to the centre of Leicestershire, and +came down towards Oxford. But thereabouts they met with the forces of +which I will shortly speak. Then their vessels every summer sailing from +the Severn, came into the Lake, and, landing wherever there was an +opportunity, they destroyed all things and carried off the spoil. Is it +necessary to say more to demonstrate the madness which possesses those +princes and republics which, in order to support their own tyranny, have +invited bands of these men into their very palaces and forts? + +As they approached near what was once Oxford and is now Sypolis, the +armies of the Cymry came into collision with another of our invaders, +and thus their forward course to the south was checked. The Irish, who +had hitherto abetted them, turned round to defend their own usurpations. +They, too, say that in conquering and despoiling my countrymen they are +fulfilling a divine vengeance. Their land of Ireland had been for +centuries ground down with an iron tyranny by our ancestors, who closed +their lips with a muzzle, and led them about with a bridle, as their +poets say. But now the hateful Saxons (for thus both they and the Welsh +designate us) are broken, and delivered over to them for their spoil. + +It is not possible to deny many of the statements that they make, but +that should not prevent us from battling with might and main against the +threatened subjection. What crime can be greater than the admission of +such foreigners as the guards of our cities? Now the Irish have their +principal rendezvous and capital near to the ancient city of Chester, +which is upon the ocean, and at the very top and angle of Wales. This is +their great settlement, their magazine and rallying-place, and thence +their expeditions have proceeded. It is a convenient port, and well +opposite their native land, from which reinforcements continually +arrive, but the Welsh have ever looked upon their possession of it with +jealousy. + +At the period when the Cymry had nearly penetrated to Sypolis or Oxford, +the Irish, on their part, had overrun all the cultivated and inhabited +country in a south and south-easterly line from Chester, through Rutland +to Norfolk and Suffolk, and even as far as Luton. They would have spread +to the north, but in that direction they were met by the Scots, who had +all Northumbria. When the Welsh came near Sypolis, the Irish awoke to +the position of affairs. + +Sypolis is the largest and most important city upon the northern shore +of the Lake, and it is situated at the entrance to the neck of land that +stretches out to the straits. If the Welsh were once well posted there, +the Irish could never hope to find their way to the rich and cultivated +south, for it is just below Sypolis that the Lake contracts, and forms a +strait in one place but a furlong wide. The two forces thus came into +collision, and while they fought and destroyed each other, Sypolis was +saved. After which, finding they were evenly matched, the Irish withdrew +two days' march northwards, and the Cymry as far westwards. + +But now the Irish, sailing round the outside of Wales, came likewise up +through the Red Rocks, and so into the Lake, and in their turn landing, +harassed the cities. Often Welsh and Irish vessels, intending to attack +the same place, have discerned each other approaching, and, turning from +their proposed action, have flown at each other's throats. The Scots +have not harassed us in the south much, being too far distant, and those +that wander hither come for pay, taking service as guards. They are, +indeed, the finest of men, and the hardiest to battle with. I had +forgotten to mention that it is possible the Irish might have pushed +back the Welsh, had not the kingdom of York suddenly reviving, by means +which shall be related, valiantly thrust out its masters, and fell upon +their rear. + +But still these nations are always upon the verge and margin of our +world, and wait but an opportunity to rush in upon it. Our countrymen +groan under their yoke, and I say again that infamy should be the +portion of those rulers among us who have filled their fortified places +with mercenaries derived from such sources. + +The land, too, is weak, because of the multitude of bondsmen. In the +provinces and kingdoms round about the Lake there is hardly a town where +the slaves do not outnumber the free as ten to one. The laws are framed +for the object of reducing the greater part of the people to servitude. +For every offence the punishment is slavery, and the offences are daily +artificially increased, that the wealth of the few in human beings may +grow with them. If a man in his hunger steal a loaf, he becomes a slave; +that is, it is proclaimed he must make good to the State the injury he +has done it, and must work out his trespass. This is not assessed as the +value of the loaf, nor supposed to be confined to the individual from +whom it was taken. + +The theft is said to damage the State at large, because it corrupts the +morality of the commonwealth; it is as if the thief had stolen a loaf, +not from one, but from every member of the State. Restitution must, +therefore, be made to all, and the value of the loaf returned in labour +a thousandfold. The thief is the bondsman of the State. But as the State +cannot employ him, he is leased out to those who will pay into the +treasury of the prince the money equivalent to the labour he is capable +of performing. Thus, under cover of the highest morality, the greatest +iniquity is perpetrated. For the theft of a loaf, the man is reduced to +a slave; then his wife and children, unable to support themselves, +become a charge to the State, that is, they beg in the public ways. + +This, too, forsooth, corrupts morality, and they likewise are seized and +leased out to any who like to take them. Nor can he or they ever become +free again, for they must repay to their proprietor the sum he gave for +them, and how can that be done, since they receive no wages? For +striking another, a man may be in the same way, as they term it, +forfeited to the State, and be sold to the highest bidder. A stout brass +wire is then twisted around his left wrist loosely, and the ends +soldered together. Then a bar of iron being put through, a half turn is +given to it, which forces the wire sharply against the arm, causing it +to fit tightly, often painfully, and forms a smaller ring at the +outside. By this smaller ring a score of bondsmen may be seen strung +together with a rope. + +To speak disrespectfully of the prince or his council, or of the nobles, +or of religion, to go out of the precincts without permission, to trade +without license, to omit to salute the great, all these and a thousand +others are crimes deserving of the brazen bracelet. Were a man to study +all day what he must do, and what he must not do, to escape servitude, +it would not be possible for him to stir one step without becoming +forfeit! And yet they hypocritically say that these things are done for +the sake of public morality, and that there are not slaves (not +permitting the word to be used), and no man was ever sold. + +It is, indeed, true that no man is sold in open market, he is leased +instead; and, by a refined hypocrisy, the owner of slaves cannot sell +them to another owner, but he can place them in the hands of the notary, +presenting them with their freedom, so far as he is concerned. The +notary, upon payment of a fine from the purchaser, transfers them to +him, and the larger part of the fine goes to the prince. Debt alone +under their laws must crowd the land with slaves, for, as wages are +scarcely known, a child from its birth is often declared to be in debt. +For its nourishment is drawn from its mother, and the wretched mother is +the wife of a retainer who is fed by his lord. To such a degree is this +tyranny carried! If any owe a penny, his doom is sealed; he becomes a +bondsman, and thus the estates of the nobles are full of men who work +during their whole lives for the profit of others. Thus, too, the woods +are filled with banditti, for those who find an opportunity never fail +to escape, notwithstanding the hunt that is invariably made for them, +and the cruel punishment that awaits recapture. And numbers, foreseeing +that they must become bondsmen, before they are proclaimed forfeit steal +away by night, and live as they may in the forests. + +How, then, does any man remain free? Only by the favour of the nobles, +and only that he may amass wealth for them. The merchants, and those who +have license to trade by land or water, are all protected by some noble +house, to whom they pay heavily for permission to live in their own +houses. The principal tyrant is supported by the nobles, that they in +their turn may tyrannise over the merchants, and they again over all the +workmen of their shops and bazaars. + +Over their own servants (for thus they call the slaves, that the word +itself may not be used), who work upon their estates, the nobles are +absolute masters, and may even hang them upon the nearest tree. And here +I cannot but remark how strange it is, first, that any man can remain a +slave rather than die; and secondly, how much stranger it is that any +other man, himself a slave, can be found to hunt down or to hang his +fellow; yet the tyrants never lack executioners. Their castles are +crowded with retainers who wreak their wills upon the defenceless. These +retainers do not wear the brazen bracelet; they are free. Are there, +then, no beggars? Yes, they sit at every corner, and about the gates of +the cities, asking for alms. + +Though begging makes a man forfeit to the State, it is only when he has +thews and sinews, and can work. The diseased and aged, the helpless and +feeble, may break the law, and starve by the roadside, because it +profits no one to make them his slaves. And all these things are done in +the name of morality, and for the good of the human race, as they +constantly announce in their councils and parliaments. + +There are two reasons why the mercenaries have been called in; first, +because the princes found the great nobles so powerful, and can keep +them in check only by the aid of these foreigners; and secondly, because +the number of the outlaws in the woods has become so great that the +nobles themselves are afraid lest their slaves should revolt, and, with +the aid of the outlaws, overcome them. + +Now the mark of a noble is that he can read and write. When the ancients +were scattered, the remnant that was left behind was, for the most part, +the ignorant and the poor. But among them there was here and there a man +who possessed some little education and force of mind. At first there +was no order; but after thirty years or so, after a generation, some +order grew up, and these men, then become aged, were naturally chosen as +leaders. They had, indeed, no actual power then, no guards or armies; +but the common folk, who had no knowledge, came to them for decision of +their disputes, for advice what to do, for the pronouncement of some +form of marriage, for the keeping of some note of property, and to be +united against a mutual danger. + +These men in turn taught their children to read and write, wishing that +some part of the wisdom of the ancients might be preserved. They +themselves wrote down what they knew, and these manuscripts, transmitted +to their children, were saved with care. Some of them remain to this +day. These children, growing to manhood, took more upon them, and +assumed higher authority as the past was forgotten, and the original +equality of all men lost in antiquity. The small enclosed farms of their +fathers became enlarged to estates, the estates became towns, and thus, +by degrees, the order of the nobility was formed. As they intermarried +only among themselves, they preserved a certain individuality. At this +day a noble is at once known, no matter how coarsely he may be dressed, +or how brutal his habits, by his delicacy of feature, his air of +command, even by his softness of skin and fineness of hair. + +Still the art of reading and writing is scrupulously imparted to all +their legitimate offspring, and scrupulously confined to them alone. It +is true that they do not use it except on rare occasions when necessity +demands, being wholly given over to the chase, to war, and politics, but +they retain the knowledge. Indeed, were a noble to be known not to be +able to read and write, the prince would at once degrade him, and the +sentence would be upheld by the entire caste. No other but the nobles +are permitted to acquire these arts; if any attempt to do so, they are +enslaved and punished. But none do attempt; of what avail would it be to +them? + +All knowledge is thus retained in the possession of the nobles; they do +not use it, but the physicians, for instance, who are famous, are so +because by favour of some baron, they have learned receipts in the +ancient manuscripts which have been mentioned. One virtue, and one only, +adorns this exclusive caste; they are courageous to the verge of +madness. I had almost omitted to state that the merchants know how to +read and write, having special license and permits to do so, without +which they may not correspond. There are few books, and still fewer to +read them; and these all in manuscript, for though the way to print is +not lost, it is not employed since no one wants books. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE LAKE + + +There now only remains the geography of our country to be treated of +before the history is commenced. Now the most striking difference +between the country as we know it and as it was known to the ancients is +the existence of the great Lake in the centre of the island. From the +Red Rocks (by the Severn) hither, the most direct route a galley can +follow is considered to be about 200 miles in length, and it is a +journey which often takes a week even for a vessel well manned, because +the course, as it turns round the islands, faces so many points of the +compass, and therefore the oarsmen are sure to have to labour in the +teeth of the wind, no matter which way it blows. + +Many parts are still unexplored, and scarce anything known of their +extent, even by repute. Until Felix Aquila's time, the greater portion, +indeed, had not even a name. Each community was well acquainted with the +bay before its own city, and with the route to the next, but beyond that +they were ignorant, and had no desire to learn. Yet the Lake cannot +really be so long and broad as it seems, for the country could not +contain it. The length is increased, almost trebled, by the islands and +shoals, which will not permit of navigation in a straight line. For the +most part, too, they follow the southern shore of the mainland, which is +protected by a fringe of islets and banks from the storms which sweep +over the open waters. + +Thus rowing along round the gulfs and promontories, their voyage is +thrice prolonged, but rendered nearly safe from the waves, which rise +with incredible celerity before the gales. The slow ships of commerce, +indeed, are often days in traversing the distance between one port and +another, for they wait for the wind to blow abaft, and being heavy, +deeply laden, built broad and flat-bottomed for shallows, and bluff at +the bows, they drift like logs of timber. In canoes the hunters, indeed, +sometimes pass swiftly from one place to another, venturing farther out +to sea than the ships. They could pass yet more quickly were it not for +the inquisition of the authorities at every city and port, who not only +levy dues and fees for the treasury of the prince, and for their own +rapacious desires, but demand whence the vessel comes, to whom she +belongs, and whither she is bound, so that no ship can travel rapidly +unless so armed as to shake off these inquisitors. + +The canoes, therefore, travel at night and in calm weather many miles +away from the shore, and thus escape, or slip by daylight among the +reedy shallows, sheltered by the flags and willows from view. The ships +of commerce haul up to the shore towards evening, and the crews, +disembarking, light their fires and cook their food. There are, however, +one or two gaps, as it were, in their usual course which they cannot +pass in this leisurely manner; where the shore is exposed and rocky, or +too shallow, and where they must reluctantly put forth, and sail from +one horn of the land to the other. + +The Lake is also divided into two unequal portions by the straits of +White Horse, where vessels are often weather-bound, and cannot make way +against the wind, which sets a current through the narrow channel. There +is no tide; the sweet waters do not ebb and flow; but while I thus +discourse, I have forgotten to state how they came to fill the middle of +the country. Now, the philosopher Silvester, and those who seek after +marvels, say that the passage of the dark body through space caused an +immense volume of fresh water to fall in the shape of rain, and also +that the growth of the forests distilled rain from the clouds. Let us +leave these speculations to dreamers, and recount what is known to be. + +For there is no tradition among the common people, who are extremely +tenacious of such things, of any great rainfall, nor is there any +mention of floods in the ancient manuscripts, nor is there any larger +fall of rain now than was formerly the case. But the Lake itself tells +us how it was formed, or as nearly as we shall ever know, and these +facts were established by the expeditions lately sent out. + +At the eastern extremity the Lake narrows, and finally is lost in the +vast marshes which cover the site of the ancient London. Through these, +no doubt, in the days of the old world there flowed the river Thames. By +changes of the sea level and the sand that was brought up there must +have grown great banks, which obstructed the stream. I have formerly +mentioned the vast quantities of timber, the wreckage of towns and +bridges which was carried down by the various rivers, and by none more +so than by the Thames. These added to the accumulation, which increased +the faster because the foundations of the ancient bridges held it like +piles driven in for the purpose. And before this the river had become +partially choked from the cloacæ of the ancient city which poured into +it through enormous subterranean aqueducts and drains. + +After a time all these shallows and banks became well matted together by +the growth of weeds, of willows, and flags, while the tide, ebbing lower +at each drawing back, left still more mud and sand. Now it is believed +that when this had gone on for a time, the waters of the river, unable +to find a channel, began to overflow up into the deserted streets, and +especially to fill the underground passages and drains, of which the +number and extent was beyond all the power of words to describe. These, +by the force of the water, were burst up, and the houses fell in. + +For this marvellous city, of which such legends are related, was after +all only of brick, and when the ivy grew over and trees and shrubs +sprang up, and, lastly, the waters underneath burst in, this huge +metropolis was soon overthrown. At this day all those parts which were +built upon low ground are marshes and swamps. Those houses that were +upon high ground were, of course, like the other towns, ransacked of all +they contained by the remnant that was left; the iron, too, was +extracted. Trees growing up by them in time cracked the walls, and they +fell in. Trees and bushes covered them; ivy and nettles concealed the +crumbling masses of brick. + +The same was the case with the lesser cities and towns whose sites are +known in the woods. For though many of our present towns bear the +ancient names, they do not stand upon the ancient sites, but are two or +three, and sometimes ten miles distant. The founders carried with them +the name of their original residence. + +Thus the low-lying parts of the mighty city of London became swamps, and +the higher grounds were clad with bushes. The very largest of the +buildings fell in, and there was nothing visible but trees and hawthorns +on the upper lands, and willows, flags, reeds, and rushes on the lower. +These crumbling ruins still more choked the stream, and almost, if not +quite, turned it back. If any water ooze past, it is not perceptible, +and there is no channel through to the salt ocean. It is a vast stagnant +swamp, which no man dare enter, since death would be his inevitable +fate. + +There exhales from this oozy mass so fatal a vapour that no animal can +endure it. The black water bears a greenish-brown floating scum, which +for ever bubbles up from the putrid mud of the bottom. When the wind +collects the miasma, and, as it were, presses it together, it becomes +visible as a low cloud which hangs over the place. The cloud does not +advance beyond the limit of the marsh, seeming to stay there by some +constant attraction; and well it is for us that it does not, since at +such times when the vapour is thickest, the very wildfowl leave the +reeds, and fly from the poison. There are no fishes, neither can eels +exist in the mud, nor even newts. It is dead. + +The flags and reeds are coated with slime and noisome to the touch; +there is one place where even these do not grow, and where there is +nothing but an oily liquid, green and rank. It is plain there are no +fishes in the water, for herons do not go thither, nor the kingfishers, +not one of which approaches the spot. They say the sun is sometimes +hidden by the vapour when it is thickest, but I do not see how any can +tell this, since they could not enter the cloud, as to breathe it when +collected by the wind is immediately fatal. For all the rottenness of a +thousand years and of many hundred millions of human beings is there +festering under the stagnant water, which has sunk down into and +penetrated the earth, and floated up to the surface the contents of the +buried cloacæ. + +Many scores of men have, I fear, perished in the attempt to enter this +fearful place, carried on by their desire of gain. For it can scarcely +be disputed that untold treasures lie hidden therein, but guarded by +terrors greater than fiery serpents. These have usually made their +endeavours to enter in severe and continued frost, or in the height of a +drought. Frost diminishes the power of the vapour, and the marshes can +then, too, be partially traversed, for there is no channel for a boat. +But the moment anything be moved, whether it be a bush, or a willow, +even a flag, if the ice be broken, the pestilence rises yet stronger. +Besides which, there are portions which never freeze, and which may be +approached unawares, or a turn of the wind may drift the gas towards the +explorer. + +In the midst of summer, after long heat, the vapour rises, and is in a +degree dissipated into the sky, and then by following devious ways an +entrance may be effected, but always at the cost of illness. If the +explorer be unable to quit the spot before night, whether in summer or +winter, his death is certain. In the earlier times some bold and +adventurous men did indeed succeed in getting a few jewels, but since +then the marsh has become more dangerous, and its pestilent character, +indeed, increases year by year, as the stagnant water penetrates deeper. +So that now for very many years no such attempts have been made. + +The extent of these foul swamps is not known with certainty, but it is +generally believed that they are, at the widest, twenty miles across, +and that they reach in a winding line for nearly forty. But the outside +parts are much less fatal; it is only the interior which is avoided. + +Towards the Lake the sand thrown up by the waves has long since formed a +partial barrier between the sweet water and the stagnant, rising up to +within a few feet of the surface. This barrier is overgrown with flags +and reeds, where it is shallow. Here it is possible to sail along the +sweet water within an arrow-shot of the swamp. Nor, indeed, would the +stagnant mingle with the sweet, as is evident at other parts of the +swamp, where streams flow side by side with the dark or reddish water; +and there are pools, upon one side of which the deer drink, while the +other is not frequented even by rats. + +The common people aver that demons reside in these swamps; and, indeed, +at night fiery shapes are seen, which, to the ignorant, are sufficient +confirmation of such tales. The vapour, where it is most dense, takes +fire, like the blue flame of spirits, and these flaming clouds float to +and fro, and yet do not burn the reeds. The superstitious trace in them +the forms of demons and winged fiery serpents, and say that white +spectres haunt the margin of the marsh after dusk. In a lesser degree, +the same thing has taken place with other ancient cities. It is true +that there are not always swamps, but the sites are uninhabitable +because of the emanations from the ruins. Therefore they are avoided. +Even the spot where a single house has been known to have existed, is +avoided by the hunters in the woods. + +They say when they are stricken with ague or fever, that they must have +unwittingly slept on the site of an ancient habitation. Nor can the +ground be cultivated near the ancient towns, because it causes fever; +and thus it is that, as I have already stated, the present places of the +same name are often miles distant from the former locality. No sooner +does the plough or the spade turn up an ancient site than those who work +there are attacked with illness. And thus the cities of the old world, +and their houses and habitations, are deserted and lost in the forest. +If the hunters, about to pitch their camp for the night, should stumble +on so much as a crumbling brick or a fragment of hewn stone, they at +once remove at least a bowshot away. + +The eastward flow of the Thames being at first checked, and finally +almost or quite stopped by the formation of these banks, the water +turned backwards as it were, and began to cover hitherto dry land. And +this, with the other lesser rivers and brooks that no longer had any +ultimate outlet, accounts for the Lake, so far as this side of the +country is concerned. + +At the western extremity the waters also contract between the steep +cliffs called the Red Rocks, near to which once existed the city of +Bristol. Now the Welsh say, and the tradition of those who dwell in that +part of the country bears them out, that in the time of the old world +the River Severn flowed past the same spot, but not between these +cliffs. The great river Severn coming down from the north, with England +on one bank and Wales upon the other, entered the sea, widening out as +it did so. Just before it reached the sea, another lesser river, called +the Avon, the upper part of which is still there, joined it passing +through this cleft in the rocks. + +But when the days of the old world ended in the twilight of the +ancients, as the salt ocean fell back and its level became lower, vast +sandbanks were disclosed, which presently extended across the most part +of the Severn river. Others, indeed, think that the salt ocean did not +sink, but that the land instead was lifted higher. Then they say that +the waves threw up an immense quantity of shingle and sand, and that +thus these banks were formed. All that we know with certainty, however, +is, that across the estuary of the Severn there rose a broad barrier of +beach, which grew wider with the years, and still increases westwards. +It is as if the ocean churned up its floor and cast it forth upon the +strand. + +Now when the Severn was thus stayed yet more effectually than the +Thames, in the first place it also flowed backwards as it were, till its +overflow mingled with the reflux of the Thames. Thus the inland sea of +fresh water was formed; though Silvester hints (what is most improbable) +that the level of the land sank and formed a basin. After a time, when +the waters had risen high enough, since all water must have an outlet +somewhere, the Lake, passing over the green country behind the Red +Rocks, came pouring through the channel of the Avon. + +Then, farther down, it rose over the banks which were lowest there, and +thus found its way over a dam into the sea. Now when the tide of the +ocean is at its ebb, the waters of the Lake rush over these banks with +so furious a current that no vessel can either go down or come up. If +they attempted to go down, they would be swamped by the meeting of the +waves; if they attempted to come up, the strongest gale that blows could +not force them against the stream. As the tide gradually returns, +however, the level of the ocean rises to the level of the Lake, the +outward flow of water ceases, and there is even a partial inward flow of +the tide which, at its highest, reaches to the Red Rocks. At this state +of the tide, which happens twice in a day and night, vessels can enter +or go forth. + +The Irish ships, of which I have spoken, thus come into the Lake, +waiting outside the bar till the tide lifts them over. The Irish ships, +being built to traverse the ocean from their country, are large and +stout and well manned, carrying from thirty to fifty men. The Welsh +ships, which come down from that inlet of the Lake which follows the +ancient course of the Severn, are much smaller and lighter, as not being +required to withstand the heavy seas. They carry but fifteen or twenty +men each, but then they are more numerous. The Irish ships, on account +of their size and draught, in sailing about the sweet waters, cannot +always haul on shore at night, nor follow the course of the ships of +burden between the fringe of islands and the strand. + +They have often to stay in the outer and deeper waters; but the Welsh +boats come in easily at all parts of the coast, so that no place is safe +against them. The Welsh have ever been most jealous of the Severn, and +will on no account permit so much as a canoe to enter it. So that +whether it be a narrow creek, or whether there be wide reaches, or what +the shores may be like, we are ignorant. And this is all that is with +certainty known concerning the origin of the inland sea of sweet water, +excluding all that superstition and speculation have advanced, and +setting down nothing but ascertained facts. + +A beautiful sea it is, clear as crystal, exquisite to drink, abounding +with fishes of every kind, and adorned with green islands. There is +nothing more lovely in the world than when, upon a calm evening, the sun +goes down across the level and gleaming water, where it is so wide that +the eye can but just distinguish a low and dark cloud, as it were, +resting upon the horizon, or perhaps, looking lengthways, cannot +distinguish any ending to the expanse. Sometimes it is blue, reflecting +the noonday sky; sometimes white from the clouds; again green and dark +as the wind rises and the waves roll. + +Storms, indeed, come up with extraordinary swiftness, for which reason +the ships, whenever possible, follow the trade route, as it is called, +behind the islands, which shelter them like a protecting reef. They drop +equally quickly, and thus it is not uncommon for the morning to be calm, +the midday raging in waves dashing resistlessly upon the beach, and the +evening still again. The Irish, who are accustomed to the salt ocean, +say, in the suddenness of its storms and the shifting winds, it is more +dangerous than the sea itself. But then there are almost always islands, +behind which a vessel can be sheltered. + +Beneath the surface of the Lake there must be concealed very many +ancient towns and cities, of which the names are lost. Sometimes the +anchors bring up even now fragments of rusty iron and old metal, or +black beams of timber. It is said, and with probability, that when the +remnant of the ancients found the water gradually encroaching (for it +rose very slowly), as they were driven back year by year, they +considered that in time they would be all swept away and drowned. But +after extending to its present limits the Lake rose no farther, not even +in the wettest seasons, but always remains the same. From the position +of certain quays we know that it has thus remained for the last hundred +years at least. + +Never, as I observed before, was there so beautiful an expanse of water. +How much must we sorrow that it has so often proved only the easiest +mode of bringing the miseries of war to the doors of the unoffending! +Yet men are never weary of sailing to and fro upon it, and most of the +cities of the present time are upon its shore. And in the evening we +walk by the beach, and from the rising grounds look over the waters, as +if to gaze upon their loveliness were reward to us for the labour of the +day. + + + + + +Part II + +WILD ENGLAND + + + +CHAPTER I + +SIR FELIX + + +On a bright May morning, the sunlight, at five o'clock, was pouring into +a room which face the east at the ancestral home of the Aquilas. In this +room Felix, the eldest of the three sons of the Baron, was sleeping. The +beams passed over his head, and lit up a square space on the opposite +whitewashed wall, where, in the midst of the brilliant light, hung an +ivory cross. There were only two panes of glass in the window, each no +more than two or three inches square, the rest of the window being +closed by strong oaken shutters, thick enough to withstand the stroke of +an arrow. + +In the daytime one of these at least would have been thrown open to +admit air and light. They did not quite meet, and a streak of sunshine, +in addition to that which came through the tiny panes, entered at the +chink. Only one window in the house contained more than two such panes +(it was in the Baroness's sitting-room), and most of them had none at +all. The glass left by the ancients in their dwellings had long since +been used up or broken, and the fragments that remained were too +precious to be put in ordinary rooms. When larger pieces were +discovered, they were taken for the palaces of the princes, and even +these were but sparingly supplied, so that the saying "he has glass in +his window" was equivalent to "he belongs to the upper ranks". + +On the recess of the window was an inkstand, which had been recently in +use, for a quill lay beside it, and a sheet of parchment partly covered +with writing. The ink was thick and very dark, made of powdered +charcoal, leaving a slightly raised writing, which could be perceived by +the finger on rubbing it lightly over. Beneath the window on the bare +floor was an open chest, in which were several similar parchments and +books, and from which the sheet on the recess had evidently been taken. +This chest, though small, was extremely heavy and strong, being dug out +with the chisel and gouge from a solid block of oak. Except a few +parallel grooves, there was no attempt at ornamentation upon it. The +lid, which had no hinges, but lifted completely off, was tilted against +the wall. It was, too, of oak some inches thick, and fitted upon the +chest by a kind of dovetailing at the edges. + +Instead of a lock, the chest was fastened by a lengthy thong of oxhide, +which now lay in a coil on the floor. Bound round and round, twisted and +intertangled, and finally tied with a special and secret knot (the ends +being concealed), the thong of leather secured the contents of the chest +from prying eyes or thievish hands. With axe or knife, of course, the +knot might easily have been severed, but no one could obtain access to +the room except the retainers of the house, and which of them, even if +unfaithful, would dare to employ such means in view of the certain +punishment that must follow? It would occupy hours to undo the knot, and +then it could not be tied again in exactly the same fashion, so that the +real use of the thong was to assure the owner that his treasures had not +been interfered with in his absence. Such locks as were made were of the +clumsiest construction. They were not so difficult to pick as the thong +to untie, and their expense, or rather the difficulty of getting a +workman who could manufacture them, confined their use to the heads of +great houses. The Baron's chest was locked, and his alone, in the +dwelling. + +Besides the parchments which were nearest the top, as most in use, there +were three books, much worn and decayed, which had been preserved, more +by accident than by care, from the libraries of the ancients. One was an +abridged history of Rome, the other a similar account of English +history, the third a primer of science or knowledge; all three, indeed, +being books which, among the ancients, were used for teaching children, +and which, by the men of those days, would have been cast aside with +contempt. + +Exposed for years in decaying houses, rain and mildew had spotted and +stained their pages; the covers had rotted away these hundred years, and +were now supplied by a broad sheet of limp leather with wide margins far +overlapping the edges; many of the pages were quite gone, and others +torn by careless handling. The abridgment of Roman history had been +scorched by a forest fire, and the charred edges of the leaves had +dropped away in semicircular holes. Yet, by pondering over these, Felix +had, as it were, reconstructed much of the knowledge which was the +common (and therefore unvalued) possession of all when they were +printed. + +The parchments contained his annotations, and the result of his thought; +they were also full of extracts from decaying volumes lying totally +neglected in the houses of other nobles. Most of these were of extreme +antiquity, for when the ancients departed, the modern books which they +had composed being left in the decaying houses at the mercy of the +weather, rotted, or were destroyed by the frequent grass fires. But +those that had been preserved by the ancients in museums escaped for a +while, and some of these yet remained in lumber-rooms and corners, +whence they were occasionally dragged forth by the servants for greater +convenience in lighting the fires. The young nobles, entirely devoted to +the chase, to love intrigues, and war, overwhelmed Felix Aquila with +ridicule when they found him poring over these relics, and being of a +proud and susceptible spirit, they so far succeeded that he abandoned +the open pursuit of such studies, and stole his knowledge by fitful +glances when there was no one near. As among the ancients learning was +esteemed above all things, so now, by a species of contrast, it was of +all things the most despised. + +Under the books, in one corner of the chest, was a leather bag +containing four golden sovereigns, such as were used by the ancients, +and eighteen pieces of modern silver money, the debased shillings of the +day, not much more than half of which was silver and the rest alloy. The +gold coins had been found while digging holes for the posts of a new +stockade, and by the law should have been delivered to the prince's +treasury. All the gold discovered, whether in the form of coin or +jewellery, was the property of the Prince, who was supposed to pay for +its value in currency. + +As the actual value of the currency was only half of its nominal value +(and sometimes less), the transaction was greatly in favour of the +treasury. Such was the scarcity of gold that the law was strictly +enforced, and had there been the least suspicion of the fact, the house +would have been ransacked from the cellars to the roof. Imprisonment and +fine would have been the inevitable fate of Felix, and the family would +very probably have suffered for the fault of one of its members. But +independent and determined to the last degree, Felix ran any risk rather +than surrender that which he had found, and which he deemed his own. +This unbending independence and pride of spirit, together with scarce +concealed contempt for others, had resulted in almost isolating him from +the youth of his own age, and had caused him to be regarded with dislike +by the elders. He was rarely, if ever, asked to join the chase, and +still more rarely invited to the festivities and amusements provided in +adjacent houses, or to the grander entertainments of the higher nobles. +Too quick to take offence where none was really intended, he fancied +that many bore him ill-will who had scarcely given him a passing +thought. He could not forgive the coarse jokes uttered upon his personal +appearance by men of heavier build, who despised so slender a stripling. + +He would rather be alone than join their company, and would not compete +with them in any of their sports, so that, when his absence from the +arena was noticed, it was attributed to weakness or cowardice. These +imputations stung him deeply, driving him to brood within himself. He +was never seen in the courtyards or ante-rooms at the palace, nor +following in the train of the Prince, as was the custom with the +youthful nobles. The servility of the court angered and disgusted him; +the eagerness of strong men to carry a cushion or fetch a dog annoyed +him. + +There were those who observed this absence from the crowd in the +ante-rooms. In the midst of so much intrigue and continual striving for +power, designing men, on the one hand, were ever on the alert for what +they imagined would prove willing instruments; and on the other, the +Prince's councillors kept a watchful eye on the dispositions of every +one of the least consequence; so that, although but twenty-five, Felix +was already down in two lists, the one, at the palace, of persons whose +views, if not treasonable, were doubtful, and the other, in the hands of +a possible pretender, as a discontented and therefore useful man. Felix +was entirely ignorant that he had attracted so much observation. He +supposed himself simply despised and ignored; he cherished no treason, +had not the slightest sympathy with any pretender, held totally aloof +from intrigue, and his reveries, if they were ambitious, concerned only +himself. + +But the most precious of the treasures in the chest were eight or ten +small sheets of parchment, each daintily rolled and fastened with a +ribbon, letters from Aurora Thyma, who had also given him the ivory +cross on the wall. It was of ancient workmanship, a relic of the old +world. A compass, a few small tools (valuable because preserved for so +many years, and not now to be obtained for any consideration), and a +magnifying glass, a relic also of the ancients, completed the contents +of the chest. + +Upon a low table by the bedstead were a flint and steel and tinder, and +an earthenware oil lamp, not intended to be carried about. There, too, +lay his knife, with a buckhorn hilt, worn by everyone in the belt, and +his forester's axe, a small tool, but extremely useful in the woods, +without which, indeed, progress was often impossible. These were in the +belt, which, as he undressed, he had cast upon the table, together with +his purse, in which were about a dozen copper coins, not very regular in +shape, and stamped on one side only. The table was formed of two short +hewn planks, scarcely smoothed, raised on similar planks (on edge) at +each end, in fact, a larger form. + +From a peg driven into the wall hung a disc of brass by a thin leathern +lace; this disc, polished to the last degree, answered as a mirror. The +only other piece of furniture, if so it could be called, was a block of +wood at the side of the table, used as a chair. In the corner, between +the table and the window, stood a long yew bow, and a quiver full of +arrows ready for immediate use, besides which three or four sheaves lay +on the floor. A crossbow hung on a wooden peg; the bow was of wood, and, +therefore, not very powerful; bolts and square-headed quarrels were +scattered carelessly on the floor under it. + +Six or seven slender darts used for casting with the hand, as javelins, +stood in another corner by the door, and two stouter boar spears. By the +wall a heap of nets lay in apparent confusion, some used for partridges, +some of coarse twine for bush-hens, another, lying a little apart, for +fishes. Near these the component parts of two turkey-traps were strewn +about, together with a small round shield or targe, such as are used by +swordsmen, snares of wire, and, in an open box, several chisels, gouges, +and other tools. + +A blowtube was fastened to three pegs, so that it might not warp, a +hunter's horn hung from another, and on the floor were a number of +arrows in various stages of manufacture, some tied to the straightening +rod, some with the feathers already attached, and some hardly shaped +from the elder or aspen log. A heap of skins filled the third corner, +and beside them were numerous stag's horns, and two of the white cow, +but none yet of the much dreaded and much desired white bull. A few +peacock's feathers were there also, rare and difficult to get, and +intended for Aurora. Round one footpost of the bed was a long coil of +thin hide, a lasso, and on another was suspended an iron cap, or +visorless helmet. + +There was no sword or lance. Indeed, of all these weapons and +implements, none seemed in use, to judge by the dust that had gathered +upon them, and the rusted edges, except the bow and crossbow and one of +the boar spears. The bed itself was very low, framed of wood, thick and +solid; the clothes were of the coarsest linen and wool; there were furs +for warmth in winter, but these were not required in May. There was no +carpet, nor any substitute for it; the walls were whitewashed, ceiling +there was none, the worm-eaten rafters were visible, and the roof tree. +But on the table was a large earthenware bowl, full of meadow orchids, +blue-bells, and a bunch of may in flower. + +His hat, wide in the brim, lay on the floor; his doublet was on the +wooden block or seat, with the long tight-fitting trousers, which showed +every muscle of the limb, and by them high shoes of tanned but unblacked +leather. His short cloak hung on a wooden peg against the door, which +was fastened with a broad bolt of oak. The parchment in the recess of +the window at which he had been working just before retiring was covered +with rough sketches, evidently sections of a design for a ship or galley +propelled by oars. + +The square spot of light upon the wall slowly moved as the sun rose +higher, till the ivory cross was left in shadow, but still the slumberer +slept on, heedless, too, of the twittering of the swallows under the +eaves, and the call of the cuckoo not far distant. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE HOUSE OF AQUILA + + +Presently there came the sound of a creaking axle, which grew louder and +louder as the waggon drew nearer, till it approached a shriek. The +sleeper moved uneasily, but recognising the noise even in his dreams, +did not wake. The horrible sounds stopped; there was the sound of +voices, as if two persons, one without and one within the wall, were +hailing each other; a gate swung open, and the waggon came past under +the very window of the bedroom. Even habit could not enable Felix to +entirely withstand so piercing a noise when almost in his ears. He sat +up a minute, and glanced at the square of light on the wall to guess the +time by its position. + +In another minute or two the squeaking of the axle ceased, as the waggon +reached the storehouses, and he immediately returned to the pillow. +Without, and just beneath the window, there ran a road or way, which in +part divided the enclosure into two portions; the dwelling-house and its +offices being on one side, the granaries and storehouses on the other. +But a few yards to the left of his room, a strong gate in the enclosing +wall gave entrance to this roadway. It was called the Maple Gate, +because a small maple tree grew near outside. The wall, which surrounded +the whole place at a distance of eight or ten yards from the buildings, +was of brick, and about nine feet high, with a ditch without. + +It was partly embattled, and partly loopholed, and a banquette of earth +rammed hard ran all round inside, so that the defenders might discharge +darts or arrows through the embrasures, and step down out of sight to +prepare a fresh supply. At each corner there was a large platform, where +a considerable number of men could stand and command the approaches; +there were, however, no bastions or flanking towers. On the roof of the +dwelling-house a similar platform had been prepared, protected by a +parapet; from which height the entire enclosure could be overlooked. + +Another platform, though at a less height, was on the roof of the +retainers' lodgings, so placed as especially to command the second gate. +Entering by the Maple Gate, the dwelling-house was on the right hand, +and the granaries and general storehouses on the left, the latter built +on three sides of a square. Farther on, on the same side, were the +stables, and near them the forge and workshops. Beyond these, again, +were the lodgings of the retainers and labourers, near which, in the +corner, was the South Gate, from which the South Road led to the +cattle-pens and farms, and out to the south. + +Upon the right hand, after the dwelling-house, and connected with it, +came the steward's stores, where the iron tools and similar valuable +articles of metal were kept. Then, after a covered passage-way, the +kitchen and general hall, under one roof with the house. The house +fronted in the opposite direction to the roadway; there was a narrow +green lawn between it and the enceinte, or wall, and before the general +hall and kitchens a gravelled court. This was parted from the lawn by +palings, so that the house folk enjoyed privacy, and yet were close to +their servitors. The place was called the Old House, for it dated back +to the time of the ancients, and the Aquilas were proud of the simple +designation of their fortified residence. + +Felix's window was almost exactly opposite the entrance to the +storehouse or granary yard, so that the waggon, after passing it, had to +go but a little distance, and then, turning to the left, was drawn up +before the doors of the warehouse. This waggon was low, built for the +carriage of goods only, of hewn plank scarcely smooth, and the wheels +were solid; cut, in fact, from the butt of an elm tree. Unless +continually greased the squeaking of such wheels is terrible, and the +carters frequently forgot their grease-horns. + +Much of the work of the farm, such as the carting of hay and corn in +harvest-time, was done upon sleds; the waggons (there were but few of +them) being reserved for longer journeys on the rough roads. This +waggon, laden with wool, some of the season's clip, had come in four or +five miles from an out-lying cot, or sheep-pen, at the foot of the +hills. In the buildings round the granary yard there were stored not +only the corn and flour required for the retainers (who might at any +moment become a besieged garrison), but the most valuable products of +the estate, the wool, hides, and tanned leather from the tan-pits, +besides a great quantity of bacon and salt beef; indeed, every possible +article that could be needed. + +These buildings were put together with wooden pins, on account of the +scarcity of iron, and were all (dwelling-houses included) roofed with +red tile. Lesser houses, cottages, and sheds at a distance were +thatched, but in an enclosure tiles were necessary, lest, in case of an +attack, fire should be thrown. + +Half an hour later, at six o'clock, the watchman blew his horn as loudly +as possible for some two or three minutes, the hollow sound echoing +through the place. He took the time by the sundial on the wall, it being +a summer morning; in winter he was guided by the position of the stars, +and often, when sun or stars were obscured, went by guess. The house +horn was blown thrice a day; at six in the morning, as a signal that the +day had begun, at noon as a signal for dinner, at six in the afternoon +as a signal that the day (except in harvest-time) was over. The watchmen +went their round about the enclosure all night long, relieved every +three hours, armed with spears, and attended by mastiffs. By day one +sufficed, and his station was then usually (though not always) on the +highest part of the roof. + +The horn re-awoke Felix; it was the note by which he had been accustomed +to rise for years. He threw open the oaken shutters, and the sunlight +and the fresh breeze of the May morning came freely into the room. There +was now the buzz of voices without, men unloading the wool, men at the +workshops and in the granaries, and others waiting at the door of the +steward's store for the tools, which he handed out to them. Iron being +so scarce, tools were a temptation, and were carefully locked up each +night, and given out again in the morning. + +Felix went to the ivory cross and kissed it in affectionate recollection +of Aurora, and then looked towards the open window, in the pride and joy +of youth turning to the East, the morning, and the light. Before he had +half dressed there came a knock and then an impatient kick at the door. +He unbarred it, and his brother Oliver entered. Oliver had been for his +swim in the river. He excelled in swimming, as, indeed, in every manly +exercise, being as active and energetic as Felix was outwardly languid. + +His room was only across the landing, his door just opposite. It also +was strewn with implements and weapons. But there was a far greater +number of tools; he was an expert and artistic workman, and his table +and his seat, unlike the rude blocks in Felix's room, were tastefully +carved. His seat, too, had a back, and he had even a couch of his own +construction. By his bedhead hung his sword, his most valued and most +valuable possession. It was one which had escaped the dispersion of the +ancients; it had been ancient even in their days, and of far better work +than they themselves produced. + +Broad, long, straight, and well-balanced, it appeared capable of cutting +through helmet and mail, when wielded by Oliver's sturdy arm. Such a +sword could not have been purchased for money; money, indeed, had often +been offered for it in vain; persuasion, and even covert threats from +those higher in authority who coveted it, were alike wasted. The sword +had been in the family for generations, and when the Baron grew too old, +or rather when he turned away from active life, the second son claimed +it as the fittest to use it. The claim was tacitly allowed; at all +events, he had it, and meant to keep it. + +In a corner stood his lance, long and sharp, for use on horse-back, and +by it his saddle and accoutrements. The helmet and the shirt of mail, +the iron greaves and spurs, the short iron mace to bang at the +saddle-bow, spoke of the knight, the man of horses and war. + +Oliver's whole delight was in exercise and sport. The boldest rider, the +best swimmer, the best at leaping, at hurling the dart or the heavy +hammer, ever ready for tilt or tournament, his whole life was spent with +horse, sword, and lance. A year younger than Felix, he was at least ten +years physically older. He measured several inches more round the chest; +his massive shoulders and immense arms, brown and hairy, his powerful +limbs, tower-like neck, and somewhat square jaw were the natural +concomitants of enormous physical strength. + +All the blood and bone and thew and sinew of the house seemed to have +fallen to his share; all the fiery, restless spirit and defiant temper; +all the utter recklessness and warrior's instinct. He stood every inch a +man, with dark, curling, short-cut hair, brown cheek and Roman chin, +trimmed moustache, brown eye, shaded by long eyelashes and well-marked +brows; every inch a natural king of men. That very physical +preponderance and animal beauty was perhaps his bane, for his comrades +were so many, and his love adventures so innumerable, that they left him +no time for serious ambition. + +Between the brothers there was the strangest mixture of affection and +repulsion. The elder smiled at the excitement and energy of the younger; +the younger openly despised the studious habits and solitary life of the +elder. In time of real trouble and difficulty they would have been drawn +together; as it was, there was little communion; the one went his way, +and the other his. There was perhaps rather an inclination to detract +from each other's achievements that to praise them, a species of +jealousy or envy without personal dislike, if that can be understood. +They were good friends, and yet kept apart. + +Oliver made friends of all, and thwacked and banged his enemies into +respectful silence. Felix made friends of none, and was equally despised +by nominal friends and actual enemies. Oliver was open and jovial; Felix +reserved and contemptuous, or sarcastic in manner. His slender frame, +too tall for his width, was against him; he could neither lift the +weights nor undergo the muscular strain readily borne by Oliver. It was +easy to see that Felix, although nominally the eldest, had not yet +reached his full development. A light complexion, fair hair and eyes, +were also against him; where Oliver made conquests, Felix was +unregarded. He laughed, but perhaps his secret pride was hurt. + +There was but one thing Felix could do in the way of exercise and sport. +He could shoot with the bow in a manner till then entirely unapproached. +His arrows fell unerringly in the centre of the target, the swift deer +and the hare were struck down with ease, and even the wood-pigeon in +full flight. Nothing was safe from those terrible arrows. For this, and +this only, his fame had gone forth; and even this was made a source of +bitterness to him. + +The nobles thought no arms worthy of men of descent but the sword and +lance; missile weapons, as the dart and arrow, were the arms of +retainers. His degradation was completed when, at a tournament, where he +had mingled with the crowd, the Prince sent for him to shoot at the +butt, and display his skill among the soldiery, instead of with the +knights in the tilting ring. Felix shot, indeed, but shut his eyes that +the arrow might go wide, and was jeered at as a failure even in that +ignoble competition. Only by an iron self-control did he refrain that +day from planting one of the despised shafts in the Prince's eye. + +But when Oliver joked him about his failure, Felix asked him to hang up +his breastplate at two hundred yards. He did so, and in an instant a +shaft was sent through it. After that Oliver held his peace, and in his +heart began to think that the bow was a dangerous weapon. + +"So you are late again this morning," said Oliver, leaning against the +recess of the window, and placing his arms on it. The sunshine fell on +his curly dark hair, still wet from the river. "Studying last night, I +suppose?" turning over the parchment. "Why didn't you ride into town +with me?" + +"The water must have been cold this morning?" said Felix, ignoring the +question. + +"Yes; there was a slight frost, or something like it, very early, and a +mist on the surface; but it was splendid in the pool. Why don't you get +up and come? You used to." + +"I can swim," said Felix laconically, implying that, having learnt the +art, it no more tempted him. "You were late last night. I heard you put +Night in." + +"We came home in style; it was rather dusky, but Night galloped the +Green Miles." + +"Mind she doesn't put her hoof in a rabbit's hole, some night." + +"Not that. She can see like a cat. I believe we got over the twelve +miles in less than an hour. Sharp work, considering the hills. You don't +inquire for the news." + +"What's the news to me?" + +"Well, there was a quarrel at the palace yesterday afternoon. The Prince +told Louis he was a double-faced traitor, and Louis told the Prince he +was a suspicious fool. It nearly came to blows, and Louis is banished." + +"For the fiftieth time." + +"This time it is more serious." + +"Don't believe it. He will be sent for again this morning; cannot you +see why?" + +"No." + +"If the Prince is really suspicious, he will never send his brother into +the country, where he might be resorted to by discontented people. He +will keep him close at hand." + +"I wish the quarrelling would cease; it spoils half the fun; one's +obliged to creep about the court and speak in whispers, and you can't +tell whom you are talking to; they may turn on you if you say too much. +There is no dancing either. I hate this moody state. I wish they would +either dance or fight." + +"Fight! who?" + +"Anybody. There's some more news, but you don't care." + +"No. I do not." + +"Why don't you go and live in the woods all by yourself?" said Oliver, +in some heat. + +Felix laughed. + +"Tell me your news. I am listening." + +"The Irish landed at Blacklands the day before yesterday, and burnt +Robert's place; they tried Letburn, but the people there had been +warned, and were ready. And there's an envoy from Sypolis arrived; some +think the Assembly has broken up; they were all at daggers drawn. So +much for the Holy League." + +"So much for the Holy League," repeated Felix. + +"What are you going to do to-day?" asked Oliver, after awhile. + +"I am going down to my canoe," said Felix. + +"I will go with you; the trout are rising. Have you got any hooks?" + +"There's some in the box there, I think; take the tools out." + +Oliver searched among the tools in the open box, all rusty and covered +with dust, while Felix finished dressing, put away his parchment, and +knotted the thong round his chest. He found some hooks at the bottom, +and after breakfast they walked out together, Oliver carrying his rod, +and a boar-spear, and Felix a boar-spear also, in addition to a small +flag basket with some chisels and gouges. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE STOCKADE + + +When Oliver and Felix started, they left Philip, the third and youngest +of the three brothers, still at breakfast. They turned to the left, on +getting out of doors, and again to the left, through the covered passage +between the steward's store and the kitchen. Then crossing the waggon +yard, they paused a moment to glance in at the forge, where two men were +repairing part of a plough. + +Oliver must also look for a moment at his mare, after which they +directed their steps to the South Gate. The massive oaken door was open, +the bolts having been drawn back at hornblow. There was a guard-room on +one side of the gate under the platform in the corner, where there was +always supposed to be a watch. + +But in times of peace, and when there were no apprehensions of attack, +the men whose turn it was to watch there were often called away for a +time to assist in some labour going forward, and at that moment were +helping to move the woolpacks farther into the warehouse. Still they +were close at hand, and had the day watchman or warder, who was now on +the roof, blown his horn, would have rushed direct to the gate. Felix +did not like this relaxation of discipline. His precise ideas were upset +at the absence of the guard; method, organization, and precision, were +the characteristics of his mind, and this kind of uncertainty irritated +him. + +"I wish Sir Constans would insist on the guard being kept," he remarked. +Children, in speaking of their parents, invariably gave them their +titles. Now their father's title was properly "my lord," as he was a +baron, and one of the most ancient. But he had so long abnegated the +exercise of his rights and privileges, sinking the noble in the +mechanician, that men had forgotten the proper style in which they +should address him. "Sir" was applied to all nobles, whether they +possessed estates or not. The brothers were invariably addressed as Sir +Felix or Sir Oliver. It marked, therefore, the low estimation in which +the Baron was held when even his own sons spoke of him by that title. + +Oliver, though a military man by profession, laughed at Felix's strict +view of the guards' duties. Familiarity with danger, and natural +carelessness, had rendered him contemptuous of it. + +"There's no risk," said he, "that I can see. Who could attack us? The +Bushmen would never dream of it; the Romany would be seen coming days +beforehand; we are too far from the Lake for the pirates; and as we are +not great people, as we might have been, we need dread no private +enmity. Besides which, any assailants must pass the stockades first." + +"Quite true. Still I don't like it; it is a loose way of doing things." + +Outside the gate they followed the waggon track, or South Road, for +about half a mile. It crossed meadows parted by low hedges, and they +remarked, as they went, on the shortness of the grass, which, for want +of rain, was not nearly fit for mowing. Last year there had been a bad +wheat crop; this year there was at present scarcely any grass. These +matters were of the highest importance; peace or war, famine or plenty, +might depend upon the weather of the next few months. + +The meadows, besides being divided by the hedges, kept purposely cropped +low, were surrounded, like all the cultivated lands, by high and strong +stockades. Half a mile down the South Road they left the track, and +following a footpath some few hundred yards, came to the pool where +Oliver had bathed that morning. The river, which ran through the +enclosed grounds, was very shallow, for they were near its source in the +hills, but just there it widened, and filled a depression fifty or sixty +yards across, which was deep enough for swimming. Beyond the pool the +stream curved and left the enclosure; the stockade, or at least an open +work of poles, was continued across it. This work permitted the stream +to flow freely, but was sufficiently close to exclude any one who might +attempt to enter by creeping up the bed of the river. + +They crossed the river just above the pool by some stepping-stones, +large blocks rolled in for the purpose, and approached the stockade. It +was formed of small but entire trees, young elms, firs, or very thick +ash-poles, driven in a double row into the earth, the first or inner row +side by side, the outer row filling the interstices, and the whole bound +together at the bottom by split willow woven in and out. This +interweaving extended only about three feet up, and was intended first +to bind the structure together, and secondly to exclude small animals +which might creep in between the stakes. The reason it was not carried +all up was that it should not afford a footing to human thieves desirous +of climbing over. + +The smooth poles by themselves afforded no notch or foothold for a +Bushman's naked foot. They rose nine or ten feet above the willow, so +that the total height of the palisade was about twelve feet, and the +tops of the stakes were sharpened. The construction of such palisades +required great labour, and could be carried out only by those who could +command the services of numbers of men, so that a small proprietor was +impossible, unless within the walls of a town. This particular stockade +was by no means an extensive one, in comparison with the estates of more +prominent nobles. + +The enclosure immediately surrounding the Old House was of an irregular +oval shape, perhaps a mile long, and not quite three-quarters of a mile +wide, the house being situated towards the northern and higher end of +the oval. The river crossed it, entering on the west and leaving on the +eastern side. The enclosure was for the greater part meadow and pasture, +for here the cattle were kept, which supplied the house with milk, +cheese, and butter, while others intended for slaughter were driven in +here for the last months of fattening. + +The horses in actual use for riding, or for the waggons, were also +turned out here temporarily. There were two pens and rickyards within +it, one beside the river, one farther down. The South Road ran almost +down the centre, passing both rickyards, and leaving the stockade at the +southern end by a gate, called the barrier. At the northern extremity of +the oval the palisade passed within three hundred yards of the house, +and there was another barrier, to which the road led from the Maple +Gate, which has been mentioned. From thence it went across the hills to +the town of Ponze. Thus, anyone approaching the Old House had first to +pass the barrier and get inside the palisade. + +At each barrier there was a cottage and a guard-room, though, as a +matter of fact, the watch was kept in peaceful times even more +carelessly than at the inner gates of the wall about the House itself. +Much the same plan, with local variations, was pursued on the other +estates of the province, though the stockade at the Old House was +remarkable for the care and skill with which it had been constructed. +Part of the duty of the watchman on the roof was to keep an eye on the +barriers, which he could see from his elevated position. + +In case of an incursion of gipsies, or any danger, the guard at the +barrier was supposed to at once close the gate, blow a horn, and exhibit +a flag. Upon hearing the horn or observing the flag, the warder on the +roof raised the alarm, and assistance was sent. Such was the system, but +as no attack had taken place for some years the discipline had grown +lax. + +After crossing on the stepping-stones Oliver and Felix were soon under +the stockade which ran high above them, and was apparently as difficult +to get out of as to get into. By the strict law of the estate, any +person who left the stockade except by the public barrier rendered +himself liable to the lash or imprisonment. Any person, even a retainer, +endeavouring to enter from without by pole, ladder, or rope, might be +killed with an arrow or dart, putting himself into the position of an +outlaw. In practice, of course, this law was frequently evaded. It did +not apply to the family of the owner. + +Under some bushes by the palisade was a ladder of rope, the rungs, +however, of wood. Putting his fishing-tackle and boar spear down, Oliver +took the ladder and threw the end over the stockade. He then picked up a +pole with a fork at the end from the bushes, left there, of course, for +the purpose, and with the fork pushed the rungs over till the ladder was +adjusted, half within and half without the palisade. It hung by the +wooden rungs which caught the tops of the stakes. He then went up, and +when at the top, leant over and drew up the outer part of the ladder one +rung, which he put the inner side of the palisade, so that on +transferring his weight to the outer side it might uphold him. Otherwise +the ladder, when he got over the points of the stakes, must have slipped +the distance between one rung and a second. + +Having adjusted this, he got over, and Felix carrying up the spears and +tackle handed them to him. Felix followed, and thus in three minutes +they were on the outer side of the stockade. Originally the ground for +twenty yards, all round outside the stockade, had been cleared of trees +and bushes that they might not harbour vermin, or thorn-hogs, or +facilitate the approach of human enemies. Part of the weekly work of the +bailiffs was to walk round the entire circumference of the stockade to +see that it was in order, and to have any bushes removed that began to +grow up. As with other matters, however, in the lapse of time the +bailiffs became remiss, and under the easy, and perhaps too merciful +rule of Sir Constans, were not recalled to their duties with sufficient +sharpness. + +Brambles and thorns and other underwood had begun to cover the space +that should have been open, and young sapling oaks had risen from +dropped acorns. Felix pointed this out to Oliver, who seldom accompanied +him; he was indeed rather glad of the opportunity to do so, as Oliver +had more interest with Sir Constans than himself. Oliver admitted it +showed great negligence, but added that after all it really did not +matter. "What I wish," said he, "is that Sir Constans would go to Court, +and take his proper position." + +Upon this they were well agreed; it was, in fact, almost the only point +upon which all three brothers did agree. They sometimes talked about it +till they separated in a furious temper, not with each other but with +him. There was a distinct track of footsteps through the narrow band of +low brambles and underwood between the stockade and the forest. This had +been made by Felix in his daily visits to his canoe. + +The forest there consisted principally of hawthorn-trees and thorn +thickets, with some scattered oaks and ashes; the timber was sparse, but +the fern was now fast rising up so thick, that in the height of summer +it would be difficult to walk through it. The tips of the fronds +unrolling were now not up to the knee; then the brake would reach to the +shoulder. The path wound round the thickets (the blackthorn being quite +impenetrable except with the axe) and came again to the river some four +or five hundred yards from the stockade. The stream, which ran from west +to east through the enclosure, here turned and went due south. + +On the bank Felix had found a fine black poplar, the largest and +straightest and best grown of that sort for some distance round, and +this he had selected for his canoe. Stones broke the current here into +eddies, below which there were deep holes and gullies where alders hung +over, and an ever-rustling aspen spread the shadow of its boughs across +the water. The light-coloured mud, formed of disintegrated chalk, on the +farther and shallower side was only partly hidden by flags and sedges, +which like a richer and more alluvial earth. Nor did the bushes grow +very densely on this soil over the chalk, so that there was more room +for casting the fly than is usually the case where a stream runs through +a forest. Oliver, after getting his tackle in order, at once began to +cast, while Felix, hanging his doublet on an oft-used branch, and +leaning his spear against a tree, took his chisels and gouge from the +flag basket. + +He had chosen the black poplar for the canoe because it was the lightest +wood, and would float best. To fell so large a tree had been a great +labour, for the axes were of poor quality, cut badly, and often required +sharpening. He could easily have ordered half-a-dozen men to throw the +tree, and they would have obeyed immediately; but then the individuality +and interest of the work would have been lost. Unless he did it himself +its importance and value to him would have been diminished. It had now +been down some weeks, had been hewn into outward shape, and the larger +part of the interior slowly dug away with chisel and gouge. + +He had commenced while the hawthorn was just putting forth its first +spray, when the thickets and the trees were yet bare. Now the May bloom +scented the air, the forest was green, and his work approached +completion. There remained, indeed, but some final shaping and rounding +off, and the construction, or rather cutting out, of a secret locker in +the stern. This locker was nothing more than a square aperture chiselled +out like a mortice, entering not from above but parallel with the +bottom, and was to be closed with a tight-fitting piece of wood driven +in by force of mallet. + +A little paint would then conceal the slight chinks, and the boat might +be examined in every possible way without any trace of this hiding-place +being observed. The canoe was some eleven feet long, and nearly three +feet in the beam; it tapered at either end, so that it might be +propelled backwards or forwards without turning, and stem and stern +(interchangeable definitions in this case) each rose a few inches higher +than the general gunwale. The sides were about two inches thick, the +bottom three, so that although dug out from light wood the canoe was +rather heavy. + +At first Felix constructed a light shed of fir poles roofed with +spruce-fir branches over the log, so that he might work sheltered from +the bitter winds of the early spring. As the warmth increased he had +taken the shed down, and now as the sun rose higher was glad of the +shade of an adjacent beech. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE CANOE + + +Felix had scarcely worked half an hour before Oliver returned and threw +himself on the ground at full length. He had wearied of fishing, the +delicate adjustment of the tackle and the care necessary to keep the +hook and line from catching in the branches had quickly proved too much +for his patience. He lay on the grass, his feet towards the stream which +ran and bubbled beneath, and watched Felix chipping out the block +intended to fit into the secret opening or locker. + +"Is it nearly finished, then?" he said presently. "What a time you have +been at it!" + +"Nearly three months." + +"Why did you make it so big? It is too big." + +"Is it really? Perhaps I want to put some things in it." + +"Oh, I see; cargo. But where are you going to launch it?" + +"Below the stones there." + +"Well, you won't be able to go far; there's an old fir across the river +down yonder, and a hollow willow has fallen in. Besides, the stream's +too shallow; you'll take ground before you get half a mile." + +"Shall I?" + +"Of course you will. That boat will float six inches deep by herself, +and I'm sure there's not six inches by the Thorns." + +"Very awkward." + +"Why didn't you have a hide boat made, with a willow framework and +leather cover? Then you might perhaps get down the river by hauling it +past the shallows and the fallen trees. In two days' time you would be +in the hands of the gipsies." + +"And you would be Sir Constans' heir!" + +"Now, come, I say; that's too bad. You know I didn't mean that. Besides, +I think I'm as much his heir as you now" (looking at his sinewy arm); +"at least, he doesn't listen as much to you. I mean, the river runs into +the gipsies' country as straight as it can go." + +"Just so." + +"Well, you seem very cool about it!" + +"I am not going down the river." + +"Then, where _are_ you going?" + +"On the Lake." + +"Whew!" (whistling) "Pooh! Why, the Lake's--let me see, to Heron Bay +it's quite fifteen miles. You can't paddle across the land." + +"But I can put the canoe on a cart." + +"Aha! why didn't you tell me before?" + +"Because I did not wish anyone to know. Don't say anything." + +"Not I. But what on earth, or rather, on water, are you driving at? +Where are you going? What's the canoe for?" + +"I am going a voyage. But I will tell you all when it is ready. +Meantime, I rely on you to keep silence. The rest think the boat is for +the river." + +"I will not say a word. But why did you not have a hide boat?" + +"They are not strong enough. They can't stand knocking about." + +"If you want to go a voyage (where to, I can't imagine), why not take a +passage on board a ship?" + +"I want to go my own way. They will only go theirs. Nor do I like the +company." + +"Well, certainly the sailors are the roughest lot I know. Still, that +would not have hurt you. You are rather dainty, Sir Felix!" + +"My daintiness does not hurt you." + +"Can't I speak?" (sharply) + +"Please yourself." + +A silence. A cuckoo sang in the forest, and was answered from a tree +within the distant palisade. Felix chopped away slowly and deliberately; +he was not a good workman. Oliver watched his progress with contempt; he +could have put it into shape in half the time. Felix could draw, and +design; he could invent, but he was not a practical workman, to give +speedy and accurate effect to his ideas. + +"My opinion is," said Oliver, "that that canoe will not float upright. +It's one-sided." + +Felix, usually so self-controlled, could not refrain from casting his +chisel down angrily. But he picked it up again, and said nothing. This +silence had more influence upon Oliver, whose nature was very generous, +than the bitterest retort. He sat up on the sward. + +"I will help launch it," he said. "We could manage it between us, if you +don't want a lot of the fellows down here." + +"Thank you. I should like that best." + +"And I will help you with the cart when you start." + +Oliver rolled over on his back, and looked up idly at the white flecks +of cloud sailing at a great height. + +"Old Mouse is a wretch not to give me a command," he said presently. + +Felix looked round involuntarily, lest any one should have heard; Mouse +was the nick-name for the Prince. Like all who rule with irresponsible +power, the Prince had spies everywhere. He was not a cruel man, nor a +benevolent, neither clever nor foolish, neither strong nor weak; simply +an ordinary, a very ordinary being, who chanced to sit upon a throne +because his ancestors did, and not from any personal superiority. + +He was at times much influenced by those around him; at others he took +his own course, right or wrong; at another he let matters drift. There +was never any telling in the morning what he might do towards night, for +there was no vein of will or bias running through his character. In +fact, he lacked character; he was all uncertainty, except in jealousy of +his supremacy. Possibly some faint perception of his own incapacity, of +the feeble grasp he had upon the State, that seemed outwardly so +completely his, occasionally crossed his mind. + +Hence the furious scenes with his brother; hence the sudden +imprisonments and equally sudden pardons; the spies and eavesdroppers, +the sequestration of estates for no apparent cause. And, following these +erratic severities to the suspected nobles, proclamations giving +privileges to the people, and removing taxes. But in a few days these +were imposed again, and men who dared to murmur were beaten by the +soldiers, or cast into the dungeons. Yet Prince Louis (the family were +all of the same name) was not an ill-meaning man; he often meant well, +but had no stability or firmness of purpose. + +This was why Felix dreaded lest some chance listener should hear Oliver +abuse him. Oliver had been in the army for some time; his excellence in +all arms, and especially with lance and sword, his acknowledged courage, +and his noble birth, entitled him to a command, however lowly it might +be. But he was still in the ranks, and not the slightest recognition had +ever been taken of his feats, except, indeed, if whispers were true, by +some sweet smiles from a certain lady of the palace, who admired +knightly prowess. + +Oliver chafed under this neglect. + +"I would not say that kind of thing," remarked Felix. "Certainly it is +annoying." + +"Annoying! that is a mild expression. Of course, everyone knows the +reason. If we had any money, or influence, it would be very different. +But Sir Constans has neither gold nor power, and he might have had +both." + +"There was a clerk from the notary's at the house yesterday evening," +said Felix. + +"About the debts, no doubt. Some day the cunning old scoundrel, when he +can squeeze no more interest out of us, will find a legal quibble and +take the lot." + +"Or put us in the Blue Chamber, the first time the Prince goes to war +and wants money. The Blue Chamber will say, 'Where can we get it? Who's +weakest?' 'Why, Sir Constans!' 'Then away with him.'" + +"Yes, that will be it. Yet I wish a war would happen; there would be +some chance for me. I would go with you in your canoe, but you are going +you don't know where. What's your object? Nothing. You don't know +yourself." + +"Indeed!" + +"No, you don't; you're a dreamer." + +"I am afraid it is true." + +"I hate dreams." After a pause, in a lower voice, "Have you any money?" + +Felix took out his purse and showed him the copper pieces. + +"The eldest son of Constans Aquila with ten copper pieces," growled +Oliver, rising, but taking them all the same. "Lend them to me. I'll try +them on the board to-night. Fancy me putting down _copper!_ It's +intolerable" (working himself into a rage). "I'll turn bandit, and rob +on the roads. I'll go to King Yeo and fight the Welsh. Confusion!" + +He rushed into the forest, leaving his spear on the sward. + +Felix quietly chipped away at the block he was shaping, but his temper, +too, was inwardly rising. The same talk, varied in detail, but the same +in point, took place every time the brothers were together, and always +with the same result of anger. In earlier days Sir Constans had been as +forward in all warlike exercises as Oliver was now, and being possessed +of extraordinary physical strength, took a leading part among men. +Wielding his battle-axe with irresistible force, he distinguished +himself in several battles and sieges. + +He had a singular talent for mechanical construction (the wheel by which +water was drawn from the well at the palace was designed by him), but +this very ingenuity was the beginning of his difficulties. During a long +siege, he invented a machine for casting large stones against the walls, +or rather put it together from the fragmentary descriptions he had seen +in authors, whose works had almost perished before the dispersion of the +ancients; for he, too, had been studious in youth. + +The old Prince was highly pleased with this engine, which promised him +speedy conquest over his enemies, and the destruction of their +strongholds. But the nobles who had the hereditary command of the siege +artillery, which consisted mainly of battering-rams, could not endure to +see their prestige vanishing. They caballed, traduced the Baron, and he +fell into disgrace. This disgrace, as he was assured by secret messages +from the Prince, was but policy; he would be recalled so soon as the +Prince felt himself able to withstand the pressure of the nobles. But it +happened that the old Prince died at that juncture, and the present +Prince succeeded. + +The enemies of the Baron, having access to him, obtained his confidence; +the Baron was arrested and amerced in a heavy fine, the payment of which +laid the foundation of those debts which had since been constantly +increasing. He was then released, but was not for some two years +permitted to approach the Court. Meantime, men of not half his descent, +but with an unblushing brow and unctuous tongue, had become the +favourites at the palace of the Prince, who, as said before, was not +bad, but the mere puppet of circumstances. + +Into competition with these vulgar flatterers Aquila could not enter. It +was indeed pride, and nothing but pride, that had kept him from the +palace. By slow degrees he had sunk out of sight, occupying himself more +and more with mechanical inventions, and with gardening, till at last he +had come to be regarded as no more than an agriculturist. Yet in this +obscure condition he had not escaped danger. + +The common people were notoriously attached to him. Whether this was due +to his natural kindliness, his real strength of intellect, and charm of +manner, or whether it was on account of the uprightness with which he +judged between them, or whether it was owing to all these things +combined, certain it is that there was not a man on the estate that +would not have died for him. Certain it is, too, that he was beloved by +the people of the entire district, and more especially by the shepherds +of the hills, who were freer and less under the control of the patrician +caste. Instead of carrying disputes to the town, to be adjudged by the +Prince's authority, many were privately brought to him. + +This, by degrees becoming known, excited the jealousy and anger of the +Prince, an anger cunningly inflamed by the notary Francis, and by other +nobles. But they hesitated to execute anything against him lest the +people should rise, and it was doubtful, indeed, if the very retainers +of the nobles would attack the Old House, if ordered. Thus the Baron's +weakness was his defence. The Prince, to do him justice, soon forgot the +matter, and laughed at his own folly, that he should be jealous of a man +who was no more than an agriculturist. + +The rest were not so appeased; they desired the Baron's destruction if +only from hatred of his popularity, and they lost no opportunity of +casting discredit upon him, or of endeavouring to alienate the +affections of the people by representing him as a magician, a thing +clearly proved by his machines and engines, which must have been +designed by some supernatural assistance. But the chief, as the most +immediate and pressing danger, was the debt to Francis the notary, which +might at any moment be brought before the Court. + +Thus it was that the three sons found themselves without money or +position, with nothing but a bare patent of nobility. The third and +youngest alone had made any progress, if such it could be called. By +dint of his own persistent efforts, and by enduring insults and rebuffs +with indifference, he had at last obtained an appointment in that +section of the Treasury which received the dues upon merchandise, and +regulated the imposts. He was but a messenger at every man's call; his +pay was not sufficient to obtain his food, still it was an advance, and +he was in a government office. He could but just exist in the town, +sleeping in a garret, where he stored the provisions he took in with him +every Monday morning from the Old House. He came home on the Saturday +and returned to his work on the Monday. Even his patience was almost +worn out. + +The whole place was thus falling to decay, while at the same time it +seemed to be flowing with milk and honey, for under the Baron's personal +attention the estate, though so carelessly guarded, had become a very +garden. The cattle had increased, and were of the best kind, the horses +were celebrated and sought for, the sheep valued, the crops the wonder +of the province. Yet there was no money; the product went to the notary. +This extraordinary fertility was the cause of the covetous longing of +the Court favourites to divide the spoil. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +BARON AQUILA + + +Felix's own position was bitter in the extreme. He felt he had talent. +He loved deeply, he knew that he was in turn as deeply beloved; but he +was utterly powerless. On the confines of the estate, indeed, the men +would run gladly to do his bidding. Beyond, and on his own account, he +was helpless. Manual labour (to plough, to sow, to work on shipboard) +could produce nothing in a time when almost all work was done by +bondsmen or family retainers. The life of a hunter in the woods was +free, but produced nothing. + +The furs he sold simply maintained him; it was barter for existence, not +profit. The shepherds on the hills roamed in comparative freedom, but +they had no wealth except of sheep. He could not start as a merchant +without money; he could not enclose an estate and build a house or +castle fit for the nuptials of a noble's daughter without money, or that +personal influence which answers the same purpose; he could not even +hope to succeed to the hereditary estate, so deeply was it encumbered; +they might, indeed, at any time be turned forth. + +Slowly the iron entered into his soul. This hopelessness, helplessness, +embittered every moment. His love increasing with the passage of time +rendered his position hateful in the extreme. The feeling within that he +had talent which only required opportunity stung him like a scorpion. +The days went by, and everything remained the same. Continual brooding +and bitterness of spirit went near to drive him mad. + +At last the resolution was taken, he would go forth into the world. That +involved separation from Aurora, long separation, and without +communication, since letters could be sent only by special messenger, +and how should he pay a messenger? It was this terrible thought of +separation which had so long kept him inactive. In the end the +bitterness of hopelessness forced him to face it. He began the canoe, +but kept his purpose secret, especially from her, lest tears should melt +his resolution. + +There were but two ways of travelling open to him: on foot, as the +hunters did, or by the merchant vessels. The latter, of course, required +payment, and their ways were notoriously coarse. If on foot he could not +cross the Lake, nor visit the countries on either shore, nor the +islands; therefore he cut down the poplar and commenced the canoe. +Whither he should go, and what he should do, was entirely at the mercy +of circumstances. He had no plan, no route. + +He had a dim idea of offering his services to some distant king or +prince, of unfolding to him the inventions he had made. He tried to +conceal from himself that he would probably be repulsed and laughed at. +Without money, without a retinue, how could he expect to be received or +listened to? Still, he must go; he could not help himself, go he must. + +As he chopped and chipped through the long weeks of early spring, while +the easterly winds bent the trees above him, till the buds unfolded and +the leaves expanded--while his hands were thus employed, the whole map, +as it were, of the known countries seemed to pass without volition +before his mind. He saw the cities along the shores of the great Lake; +he saw their internal condition, the weakness of the social fabric, the +misery of the bondsmen. The uncertain action of the League, the only +thread which bound the world together; the threatening aspect of the +Cymry and the Irish; the dread north, the vast northern forests, from +which at any time invading hosts might descend on the fertile south--it +all went before his eyes. + +What was there behind the immense and untraversed belt of forest which +extended to the south, to the east, and west? Where did the great Lake +end? Were the stories of the gold and silver mines of Devon and Cornwall +true? And where were the iron mines, from which the ancients drew their +stores of metal? + +Led by these thoughts he twice or thrice left his labour, and walking +some twenty miles through the forests, and over the hills, reached the +summit of White Horse. From thence, resting on the sward, he watched the +vessels making slow progress by oars, and some drawn with ropes by gangs +of men or horses on the shore, through the narrow straits. North and +South there nearly met. There was but a furlong of water between them. +If ever the North came down there the armies would cross. _There_ was +the key of the world. Excepting the few cottages where the owners of the +horses lived, there was neither castle nor town within twenty miles. + +Forced on by these thoughts, he broke the long silence which had existed +between him and his father. He spoke of the value and importance of this +spot; could not the Baron send forth his retainers and enclose a new +estate there? There was nothing to prevent him. The forest was free to +all, provided that they rendered due service to the Prince. Might not a +house or castle built there become the beginning of a city? The Baron +listened, and then said he must go and see that a new hatch was put in +the brook to irrigate the water-meadow. That was all. + +Felix next wrote an anonymous letter to the Prince pointing out the +value of the place. The Prince should seize it, and add to his power. He +knew that the letter was delivered, but there was no sign. It had +indeed, been read and laughed at. Why make further efforts when they +already had what they desired? One only, the deep and designing +Valentine, gave it serious thought in secret. It seemed to him that +something might come of it, another day, when he was himself in +power--if that should happen. But he, too, forgot it in a week. Some +secret effort was made to discover the writer, for the council were very +jealous of political opinion, but it soon ended. The idea, not being +supported by money or influence, fell into oblivion. + +Felix worked on, chipping out the canoe. The days passed, and the boat +was nearly finished. In a day or two now it would be launched, and soon +afterwards he should commence his voyage. He should see Aurora once more +only. He should see her, but he should not say farewell; she would not +know that he was going till he had actually departed. As he thought thus +a dimness came before his eyes; his hand trembled, and he could not +work. He put down the chisel, and paused to steady himself. + +Upon the other side of the stream, somewhat lower down, a yellow +wood-dog had been lapping the water to quench its thirst, watching the +man the while. So long as Felix was intent upon his work, the wild +animal had no fear; the moment he looked up, the creature sprang back +into the underwood. A dove was cooing in the forest not far distant, but +as he was about to resume work the cooing ceased. Then a wood-pigeon +rose from the ashes with a loud clapping of wings. Felix listened. His +hunter instinct told him that something was moving there. A rustling of +the bushes followed, and he took his spear which had been leant against +the adjacent tree. But, peering into the wood, in a moment he recognised +Oliver, who, having walked off his rage, was returning. + +"I though it might have been a Bushman," said Felix, replacing his +spear; "only they are noiseless." + +"Any of them might have cut me down," said Oliver; "for I forgot my +weapon. It is nearly noon; are you coming home to dinner?" + +"Yes; I must bring my tools." + +He put them in the basket, and together they returned to the rope +ladder. As they passed the Pen by the river they caught sight of the +Baron in the adjacent gardens, which were irrigated by his contrivances +from the stream, and went towards him. A retainer held two horses, one +gaily caparisoned, outside the garden; his master was talking with Sir +Constans. + +"It is Lord John," said Oliver. They approached slowly under the +fruit-trees, not to intrude. Sir Constans was showing the courtier an +early cherry-tree, whose fruit was already set. The dry hot weather had +caused it to set even earlier than usual. A suit of black velvet, an +extremely expensive and almost unprocurable material, brought the +courtier's pale features into relief. It was only by the very oldest +families that any velvet or satin or similar materials were still +preserved; if these were in pecuniary difficulties they might sell some +part of their store, but such things were not to be got for money in the +ordinary way. + +Two small silver bars across his left shoulder showed that he was a +lord-in-waiting. He was a handsome man, with clear-cut features, +somewhat rakish from late hours and dissipation, but not the less +interesting on that account. But his natural advantages were so over-run +with the affectation of the Court that you did not see the man at all, +being absorbed by the studied gesture to display the jewelled ring, and +the peculiarly low tone of voice in which it was the fashion to speak. + +Beside the old warrior he looked a mere stripling. The Baron's arm was +bare, his sleeve rolled up; and as he pointed to the tree above, the +muscles, as the limb moved, displayed themselves in knots, at which the +courtier himself could not refrain from glancing. Those mighty arms, had +they clasped him about the waist, could have crushed his bending ribs. +The heaviest blow that he could have struck upon that broad chest would +have produced no more effect than a hollow sound; it would not even have +shaken that powerful frame. + +He felt the steel blue eye, bright as the sky of midsummer, glance into +his very mind. The high forehead bare, for the Baron had his hat in his +hand, mocked at him in its humility. The Baron bared his head in honour +of the courtier's office and the Prince who had sent him. The beard, +though streaked with white, spoke little of age; it rather indicated an +abundant, a luxuriant vitality. + +Lord John was not at ease. He shifted from foot to foot, and +occasionally puffed a large cigar of Devon tobacco. His errand was +simple enough. Some of the ladies at the Court had a fancy for fruit, +especially strawberries, but there were none in the market, nor to be +obtained from the gardens about the town. It was recollected that Sir +Constans was famous for his gardens, and the Prince despatched Lord John +to Old House with a gracious message and request for a basket of +strawberries. Sir Constans was much pleased; but he regretted that the +hot, dry weather had not permitted the fruit to come to any size or +perfection. Still there were some. + +The courtier accompanied him to the gardens, and saw the water-wheel +which, turned by a horse, forced water from the stream into a small pond +or elevated reservoir, from which it irrigated the ground. This supply +of water had brought on the fruit, and Sir Constans was able to gather a +small basket. He then looked round to see what other early product he +could send to the palace. There was no other fruit; the cherries, though +set, were not ripe; but there was some asparagus, which had not yet been +served, said Lord John, at the Prince's table. + +Sir Constans set men to hastily collect all that was ready, and while +this was done took the courtier over the gardens. Lord John felt no +interest whatever in such matters, but he could not choose but admire +the extraordinary fertility of the enclosure, and the variety of the +products. There was everything; fruit of all kinds, herbs of every +species, plots specially devoted to those possessing medicinal virtue. +This was only one part of the gardens; the orchards proper were farther +down, and the flowers nearer the house. Sir Constans had sent a man to +the flower-garden, who now returned with two fine bouquets, which were +presented to Lord John: the one for the Princess, the Prince's sister; +the other for any lady to whom he might choose to present it. + +The fruit had already been handed to the retainer who had charge of the +horses. Though interested, in spite of himself, Lord John, acknowledging +the flowers, turned to go with a sense of relief. This simplicity of +manners seemed discordant to him. He felt out of place, and in some way +lowered in his own esteem, and yet he despised the rural retirement and +beauty about him. + +Felix and Oliver, a few yards distant, were waiting with rising tempers. +The spectacle of the Baron in his native might of physique, humbly +standing, hat in hand, before this Court messenger, discoursing on +cherries, and offering flowers and fruit, filled them with anger and +disgust. The affected gesture and subdued voice of the courtier, on the +other hand, roused an equal contempt. + +As Lord John turned, he saw them. He did not quite guess their +relationship, but supposed they were cadets of the house, it being +customary for those in any way connected to serve the head of the +family. He noted the flag basket in Felix's hand, and naturally imagined +that he had been at work. + +"You have been to-to plough, eh?" he said, intending to be very gracious +and condescending. "Very healthy employment. The land requires some +rain, does it not? Still I trust it will not rain till I am home, for my +plume's sake," tossing his head. "Allow me," and as he passed he offered +Oliver a couple of cigars. "One each," he added; "the best Devon." + +Oliver took the cigars mechanically, holding them as if they had been +vipers, at arm's length, till the courtier had left the garden, and the +hedge interposed. Then he threw them into the water-carrier. The best +tobacco, indeed the only real tobacco, came from the warm Devon land, +but little of it reached so far, on account of the distance, the +difficulties of intercourse, the rare occasions on which the merchant +succeeded in escaping the vexatious interference, the downright robbery +of the way. Intercourse was often entirely closed by war. + +These cigars, therefore, were worth their weight in silver, and such +tobacco could be obtained only by those about the Court, as a matter of +favour, too, rather than by purchase. Lord John would, indeed, have +stared aghast had he seen the rustic to whom he had given so valuable a +present cast them into a ditch. He rode towards the Maple Gate, excusing +his haste volubly to Sir Constans, who was on foot, and walked beside +him a little way, pressing him to take some refreshment. + +His sons overtook the Baron as he walked towards home, and walked by his +side in silence. Sir Constans was full of his fruit. + +"The wall cherry," said he, "will soon have a few ripe." + +Oliver swore a deep but soundless oath in his chest. Sir Constans +continued talking about his fruit and flowers, entirely oblivious of the +silent anger of the pair beside him. As they approached the house, the +warder blew his horn thrice for noon. It was also the signal for dinner. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE FOREST TRACK + + +When the canoe was finished, Oliver came to help Felix launch it, and +they rolled it on logs down to the place where the stream formed a pool. +But when it was afloat, as Oliver had foretold, it did not swim upright +in the water. It had not been shaped accurately, and one side was higher +out of the water than the other. + +Felix was so disgusted at this failure that he would not listen to +anything Oliver could suggest. He walked back to the spot where he had +worked so many weeks, and sat down with his face turned from the pool. +It was not so much the actual circumstance which depressed him, as the +long train of untoward incidents which had preceded it for years past. +These seemed to have accumulated, till now this comparatively little +annoyance was like the last straw. + +Oliver followed him, and said that the defect could be remedied by +placing ballast on the more buoyant side of the canoe to bring it down +to the level of the other; or, perhaps, if some more wood were cut away +on the heavier side, that it would cause it to rise. He offered to do +the work himself, but Felix, in his gloomy mood, would not answer him. +Oliver returned to the pool, and getting into the canoe, poled it up and +down the stream. It answered perfectly, and could be easily managed; the +defect was more apparent than real, for when a person sat in the canoe, +his weight seemed to bring it nearly level. + +It was only when empty that it canted to one side. He came back again to +Felix, and pointed this out to him. The attempt was useless; the boat +might answer the purpose perfectly well, but it was not the boat Felix +had intended it to be. It did not come up to his ideal. + +Oliver was now somewhat annoyed at Felix's sullen silence, so he drew +the canoe partly on shore, to prevent it from floating away, and then +left him to himself. + +Nothing more was said about it for a day or two. Felix did not go near +the spot where he had worked so hard and so long, but on the Saturday +Philip came home as usual, and, as there was now no secret about the +canoe, went down to look at it with Oliver. They pushed it off, and +floated two or three miles down the stream, hauling it on the shore past +the fallen fir tree, and then, with a cord, towed it back again. The +canoe, with the exception of the trifling deficiency alluded to, was a +good one, and thoroughly serviceable. + +They endeavoured again to restore Felix's opinion of it, and an idea +occurring to Philip, he said a capital plan would be to add an +outrigger, and so balance it perfectly. But though usually quick to +adopt ideas when they were good, in this case Felix was too much out of +conceit with himself. He would listen to nothing. Still, he could not +banish it from his mind, though now ashamed to return to it after so +obstinately refusing all suggestions. He wandered aimlessly about in the +woods, till one day he found himself in the path that led to Heron Bay. + +Strolling to the shore of the great Lake, he sat down and watched a +vessel sailing afar off slowly before the east wind. The thought +presently occurred to him, that the addition of an outrigger in the +manner Philip had mentioned would enable him to carry a sail. The canoe +could not otherwise support a sail (unless a very small one merely for +going before the breeze), but with such a sail as the outrigger would +bear, he could venture much farther away from land, his voyage might be +much more extended, and his labour with the paddle lessened. + +This filled him with fresh energy; he returned, and at once recommenced +work. Oliver, finding that he was again busy at it, came and insisted +upon assisting. With his help, the work progressed rapidly. He used the +tools so deftly as to accomplish more in an hour than Felix could in a +day. The outrigger consisted of a beam of poplar, sharpened at both +ends, and held at some six or seven feet from the canoe by two strong +cross-pieces. + +A mast, about the same height as the canoe was long, was then set up; it +was made from a young fir-tree. Another smaller fir supplied the yard, +which extended fore and aft, nearly the length of the boat. The sail, of +coarse canvas, was not very high, but long, and rather broader at each +end where the rope attached it to the prow and stern, or, rather, the +two prows. Thus arranged, it was not so well suited for running straight +before the wind, as for working into it, a feat never attempted by the +ships of the time. + +Oliver was delighted with the appearance of the boat, so much so that +now and then he announced his intention of accompanying Felix on his +voyage. But after a visit to the town, and a glance at the Princess +Lucia, his resolution changed. Yet he wavered, one time openly +reproaching himself for enduring such a life of inaction and ignominy, +and at another deriding Felix and his visionary schemes. The canoe was +now completed; it was tried on the pool and found to float exactly as it +should. It had now to be conveyed to Heron Bay. + +The original intention was to put it on a cart, but the rude carts used +on the estate could not very well carry it, and a sledge was +substituted. Several times, during the journey through the forest, the +sledge had to be halted while the underwood was cut away to permit of +its passing; and once a slough had to be filled up with branches hewn +from fir trees, and bundles of fern. These delays made it evening before +the shore of the creek was reached. + +It was but a little inlet, scarce a bowshot wide at the entrance and +coming to a point inland. Here the canoe was left in charge of three +serfs, who were ordered to build a hut and stay beside it. Some +provisions were sent next day on the backs of other serfs, and in the +afternoon (it was Saturday) all three brothers arrived; the canoe was +launched, and they started for a trial sail. With a south wind they ran +to the eastward at a rapid pace, keeping close to the shore till within +a mile of White Horse. + +There they brought to by steering the canoe dead against the wind; then +transferring the steering-paddle (a rather large one, made for the +purpose) to the other end, and readjusting the sail, the outrigger being +still to leeward, they ran back at an equal speed. The canoe answered +perfectly, and Felix was satisfied. He now despatched his tools and +various weapons to the hut to be put on board. His own peculiar yew bow +he kept to the last at home; it and his chest bound with hide would go +with him on the last day. + +Although, in his original purpose, Felix had designed to go forth +without anyone being aware of his intention, the circumstances which had +arisen, and the necessary employment of so many men, had let out the +secret to some degree. The removal of the tools and weapons, the +crossbow, darts, and spear, still more attracted attention. But little +or nothing was said about it, though the Baron and Baroness could not +help but observe these preparations. The Baron deliberately shut his +eyes and went about his gardening; he was now, too, busy with the first +mowing. In his heart, perhaps, he felt that he had not done altogether +right in so entirely retiring from the world. + +By doing so he had condemned his children to loneliness, and to be +regarded with contempt. Too late now, he could only obstinately persist +in his course. The Baroness, inured for so many, many years to +disappointment, had contracted her view of life till it scarcely +extended beyond mere physical comfort. Nor could she realize the idea of +Felix's approaching departure; when he was actually gone, it would, +perhaps, come home to her. + +All was now ready, and Felix was only waiting for the Feast of St. James +to pay a last visit to Aurora at Thyma Castle. The morning before the +day of the Feast, Felix and Oliver set out together. They had not lived +altogether in harmony, but now, at this approaching change, Oliver felt +that he must bear Felix company. Oliver rode his beautiful Night, he +wore his plumed hat and precious sword, and carried his horseman's +lance. Felix rode a smaller horse, useful, but far from handsome. He +carried his yew bow and hunting knife. + +Thyma Castle was situated fifteen miles to the south; it was the last +outpost of civilization; beyond it there was nothing but forest, and the +wild open plains, the home of the gipsies. This circumstance of position +had given Baron Thyma, in times past, a certain importance more than was +due to the size of his estate or the number of his retainers. During an +invasion of the gipsies, his castle bore the brunt of the war, and its +gallant defence, indeed, broke their onward progress. So many fell in +endeavouring to take it, that the rest were disheartened, and only +scattered bands penetrated beyond. + +For this service the Baron received the grant of various privileges; he +was looked on as a pillar of the State, and was welcome at the court. +But it proved an injury to him in the end. His honours, and the high +society they led him into, were too great for the comparative smallness +of his income. Rich in flocks and herds, he had but little coin. +High-spirited, and rather fond of display, he could not hold back; he +launched forth, with the usual result of impoverishment, mortgage, and +debt. + +He had hoped to obtain the command of an army in the wars that broke out +from time to time; it was, indeed, universally admitted that he was in +every respect qualified for such a post. The courtiers and others, +however, jealous, as is ever the case, of ability and real talent, +debarred him by their intrigues from attaining his object. Pride +prevented him from acquiescing in this defeat; he strove by display and +extravagance to keep himself well to the front, flaunting himself before +the eyes of all. This course could not last long; he was obliged to +retire to his estate, which narrowly escaped forfeiture to his +creditors. + +So ignominious an end after such worthy service was, however, prevented +by the personal interference of the old Prince, who, from his private +resources, paid off the most pressing creditors. To the last, the old +Prince received him as a friend, and listened to his counsel. Thyma was +ever in hopes that some change in the balance of parties would give him +his opportunity. When the young Prince succeeded, he was clever enough +to see that the presence of such men about his Court gave it a +stability, and he, too, invited Thyma to tender his advice. The Baron's +hopes now rose higher than ever, but again he was disappointed. + +The new Prince, himself incapable, disliked and distrusted talent. The +years passed, and the Baron obtained no appointment. Still he strained +his resources to the utmost to visit the Court as often as possible; +still he believed that sooner or later a turn of the wheel would elevate +him. + +There had existed between the houses of Thyma and Aquila the bond of +hearth-friendship; the gauntlets, hoofs, and rings were preserved by +both, and the usual presents passed thrice a year, at midsummer, +Christmas, and Lady-day. Not much personal intercourse had taken place, +however, for some years, until Felix was attracted by the beauty of the +Lady Aurora. Proud, showy, and pushing, Thyma could not understand the +feelings which led his hearth-friend to retire from the arena and busy +himself with cherries and water-wheels. On the other hand, Constans +rather looked with quiet derision on the ostentation of the other. Thus +there was a certain distance, as it were, between them. + +Baron Thyma could not, of course, be ignorant of the attachment between +his daughter and Felix; yet as much as possible he ignored it. He never +referred to Felix; if his name was incidentally mentioned, he remained +silent. The truth was, he looked higher for Lady Aurora. He could not in +courtesy discourage even in the faintest manner the visits of his +friend's son; the knightly laws of honour would have forbidden so mean a +course. Nor would his conscience permit him to do so, remembering the +old days when he and the Baron were glad companions together, and how +the Baron Aquila was the first to lead troops to his assistance in the +gipsy war. Still, he tacitly disapproved; he did not encourage. + +Felix felt that he was not altogether welcome; he recognised the sense +of restraint that prevailed when he was present. It deeply hurt his +pride, and nothing but his love for Aurora could have enabled him to +bear up against it. The galling part of it was that he could not in his +secret heart condemn the father for evidently desiring a better alliance +for his child. This was the strongest of the motives that had determined +him to seek the unknown. + +If anything, the Baron would have preferred Oliver as a suitor for his +daughter; he sympathized with Oliver's fiery spirit, and admired his +feats of strength and dexterity with sword and spear. He had always +welcomed Oliver heartily, and paid him every attention. This, to do +Oliver justice, was one reason why he determined to accompany his +brother, thinking that if he was there he could occupy attention, and +thus enable Felix to have more opportunity to speak with Aurora. + +The two rode forth from the courtyard early in the morning, and passing +through the whole length of the enclosure within the stockade, issued at +the South Barrier and almost immediately entered the forest. They rather +checked their horses' haste, fresh as the animals were from the stable, +but could not quite control their spirits, for the walk of a horse is +even half as fast again while he is full of vigour. The turn of the +track soon shut out the stockade; they were alone in the woods. + +Long since, early as they were, the sun had dried the dew, for his beams +warm the atmosphere quickly as the spring advances towards summer. But +it was still fresh and sweet among the trees, and even Felix, though +bound on so gloomy an errand, could not choose but feel the joyous +influence of the morning. Oliver sang aloud in his rich deep voice, and +the thud, thud of the horses' hoofs kept time to the ballad. + +The thrushes flew but a little way back from the path as they passed, +and began to sing again directly they were by. The whistling of +blackbirds came from afar where there were open glades or a running +stream; the notes of the cuckoo became fainter and fainter as they +advanced farther from the stockade, for the cuckoo likes the woodlands +that immediately border on cultivation. For some miles the track was +broad, passing through thickets of thorn and low hawthorn-trees with +immense masses of tangled underwood between, brambles and woodbine +twisted and matted together, impervious above but hollow beneath; under +these they could hear the bush-hens running to and fro and scratching at +the dead leaves which strewed the ground. Sounds of clucking deeper in +betrayed the situation of their nests. + +Rushes, and the dead sedges of last year, up through which the green +fresh leaves were thrusting themselves, in some places stood beside the +way, fringing the thorns where the hollow ground often held the water +from rainstorms. Out from these bushes a rabbit occasionally started and +bounded across to the other side. Here, where there were so few trees, +and the forest chiefly consisted of bush, they could see some distance +on either hand, and also a wide breadth of the sky. After a time the +thorn bushes were succeeded by ash wood, where the trees stood closer to +the path, contracting the view; it was moister here, the hoofs cut into +the grass, which was coarse and rank. The trees growing so close +together destroyed themselves, their lower branches rubbed together and +were killed, so that in many spots the riders could see a long way +between the trunks. + +Every time the wind blew they could hear a distant cracking of branches +as the dead boughs, broken by the swaying of the trees, fell off and +came down. Had any one attempted to walk into the forest there they +would have sunk above the ankle in soft decaying wood, hidden from sight +by thick vegetation. Wood-pigeons rose every minute from these ash-trees +with a loud clatter of wings; their calls resounded continually, now +deep in the forest, and now close at hand. It was evident that a large +flock of them had their nesting-place here, and indeed their nests of +twigs could be frequently seen from the path. There seemed no other +birds. + +Again the forest changed, and the track, passing on higher ground, +entered among firs. These, too, had killed each other by growing so +thickly; the lower branches of many were dead, and there was nothing but +a little green at the tops, while in many places there was an open space +where they had decayed away altogether. Brambles covered the ground in +these open places, brambles and furze now bright with golden blossom. +The jays screeched loudly, startled as the riders passed under them, and +fluttered away; rabbits, which they saw again here, dived into their +burrows. Between the first the track was very narrow, and they could not +conveniently ride side by side; Oliver took the lead, and Felix +followed. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE FOREST TRACK CONTINUED + + +Once as they trotted by a pheasant rose screaming from the furze and +flew before them down the track. Just afterwards Felix, who had been +previously looking very carefully into the firs upon his right hand, +suddenly stopped, and Oliver, finding this, pulled up as quickly as he +could, thinking that Felix wished to tighten his girth. + +"What is it?" he asked, turning round in his saddle. + +"Hush!" said Felix, dismounting; his horse, trained to hunting, stood +perfectly still, and would have remained within a few yards of the spot +by the hour together. Oliver reined back, seeing Felix about to bend and +string his bow. + +"Bushmen," whispered Felix, as he, having fitted the loop to the horn +notch, drew forth an arrow from his girdle, where he carried two or +three more ready to hand than in the quiver on his shoulder. "I thought +I saw signs of them some time since, and now I am nearly sure. Stay here +a moment." + +He stepped aside from the track in among the firs, which just there were +far apart, and went to a willow bush standing by some furze. He had +noticed that one small branch on the outer part of the bush was snapped +off, though green, and only hung by the bark. The wood cattle, had they +browsed upon it, would have nibbled the tenderest leaves at the end of +the bough; nor did they usually touch willow, for the shoots are bitter +and astringent. Nor would the deer touch it in the spring, when they had +so wide a choice of food. + +Nothing could have broken the branch in that manner unless it was the +hand of a man, or a blow with a heavy stick wielded by a human hand. On +coming to the bush he saw that the fracture was very recent, for the +bough was perfectly green; it had not turned brown, and the bark was +still soft with sap. It had not been cut with a knife or any sharp +instrument; it had been broken by rude violence, and not divided. The +next thing to catch his eye was the appearance of a larger branch +farther inside the bush. + +This was not broken, but a part of the bark was abraded, and even torn +up from the wood as if by the impact of some hard substance, as a stone +thrown with great force. He examined the ground, but there was no stone +visible, and on again looking at the bark he concluded that it had not +been done with a stone at all, because the abraded portion was not cut. +The blow had been delivered by something without edges or projections. +He had now no longer any doubt that the lesser branch outside had been +broken, and the large inside branch bruised, by the passage of a +Bushman's throw-club. + +These, their only missile weapons, are usually made of crab-tree, and +consist of a very thin short handle, with a large, heavy, and smooth +knob. With these they can bring down small game, as rabbits or hares, or +a fawn (even breaking the legs of deer), or the large birds, as the +wood-turkeys. Stealing up noiselessly within ten yards, the Bushman +throws his club with great force, and rarely misses his aim. If not +killed at once, the game is certain to be stunned, and is much more +easily secured than if wounded with an arrow, for with an arrow in its +wing a large bird will flutter along the ground, and perhaps creep into +sedges or under impenetrable bushes. + +Deprived of motion by the blow of the club, it can, on the other hand, +be picked up without trouble and without the aid of a dog, and if not +dead is despatched by a twist of the Bushman's fingers or a thrust from +his spud. The spud is at once his dagger, his knife and fork, his +chisel, his grub-axe, and his gouge. It is a piece of iron (rarely or +never of steel, for he does not know how to harden it) about ten inches +long, an inch and a half wide at the top or broadest end, where it is +shaped and sharpened like a chisel, only with the edge not straight but +sloping, and from thence tapering to a point at the other, the pointed +part being four-sided, like a nail. + +It has, indeed, been supposed that the original spud was formed from a +large wrought-iron nail, such as the ancients used, sharpened on a stone +at one end, and beaten out flat at the other. This instrument has a +handle in the middle, half-way between the chisel end and the point. The +handle is of horn or bone (the spud being put through the hollow of the +bone), smoothed to fit the hand. With the chisel end he cuts up his game +and his food; the edge, being sloping, is drawn across the meat and +divides it. With this end, too, he fashions his club and his traps, and +digs up the roots he uses. The other end he runs into his meat as a +fork, or thrusts it into the neck of his game to kill it and let out the +blood, or with it stabs a sleeping enemy. + +The stab delivered by the Bushman can always be distinguished, because +the wound is invariably square, and thus a clue only too certain has +often been afforded to the assassin of many an unfortunate hunter. +Whatever the Bushman in this case had hurled his club at, the club had +gone into the willow bush, snapping the light branch and leaving its +mark upon the bark of the larger. A moment's reflection convinced Felix +that the Bushman had been in chase of a pheasant. Only a few moments +previously a pheasant had flown before them down the track, and where +there was one pheasant there were generally several more in the +immediate neighbourhood. + +The Bushmen were known to be peculiarly fond of the pheasant, pursuing +them all the year round without reference to the breeding season, and so +continuously, that it was believed they caused these birds to be much +less numerous, notwithstanding the vast extent of the forests, than they +would otherwise have been. From the fresh appearance of the snapped +bough, the Bushman must have passed but a few hours previously, probably +at the dawn, and was very likely concealed at that moment near at hand +in the forest, perhaps within a hundred yards. + +Felix looked carefully round, but could see nothing; there were the +trees, not one of them large enough to hide a man behind it, the furze +branches were small and scattered, and there was not sufficient fern to +conceal anything. The keenest glance could discern nothing more. There +were no footmarks on the ground, indeed, the dry, dead leaves and fir +needles could hardly have received any impression, and up in the firs +the branches were thin, and the sky could be seen through them. Whether +the Bushman was lying in some slight depression of the ground, or +whether he had covered himself with dead leaves and fir needles, or +whether he had gone on and was miles away, there was nothing to show. +But of the fact that he had been there Felix was perfectly certain. + +He returned towards Oliver, thoughtful and not without some anxiety, for +he did not like the idea (though there was really little or no danger) +of these human wild beasts being so near Aurora, while he should so soon +be far away. Thus occupied he did not heed his steps, and suddenly felt +something soft under his feet, which struggled. Instantaneously he +sprang as far as he could, shuddering, for he had crushed an adder, and +but just escaped, by his involuntary and mechanical leap, from its +venom. + +In the warm sunshine the viper, in its gravid state, had not cared to +move as usual on hearing his approach; he had stepped full upon it. He +hastened from the spot, and rejoined Oliver in a somewhat shaken state +of mind. Common as such an incident was in the woods, where sandy soil +warned the hunter to be careful, it seemed ominous that particular +morning, and, joined with the discovery of Bushman traces, quite +destroyed his sense of the beauty of the day. + +On hearing the condition of the willow boughs Oliver agreed as to the +cause, and said that they must remember to warn the Baron's shepherds +that the Bushmen, who had not been seen for some time, were about. Soon +afterwards they emerged from the sombre firs and crossed a wide and +sloping ground, almost bare of trees, where a forest fire last year had +swept away the underwood. A verdant growth of grass was now springing +up. Here they could canter side by side. The sunshine poured down, and +birds were singing joyously. But they soon passed it, and checked their +speed on entering the trees again. + +Tall beeches, with round smooth trunks, stood thick and close upon the +dry and rising ground; their boughs met overhead, forming a green +continuous arch for miles. The space between was filled with brake fern, +now fast growing up, and the track itself was green with moss. As they +came into this beautiful place a red stag, startled from his browsing, +bounded down the track, his swift leaps carried him away like the wind; +in another moment he left the path and sprang among the fern, and was +seen only in glimpses as he passed between the beeches. Squirrels ran up +the trunks as they approached; they could see many on the ground in +among the trees, and passed under others on the branches high above +them. Woodpeckers flashed across the avenue. + +Once Oliver pointed out the long, lean flank of a grey pig, or fern-hog, +as the animal rushed away among the brake. There were several glades, +from one of which they startled a few deer, whose tails only were seen +as they bounded into the underwood, but after the glades came the +beeches again. Beeches always form the most beautiful forest, beeches +and oak; and though nearing the end of their journey, they regretted +when they emerged from these trees and saw the castle before them. + +The ground suddenly sloped down into a valley, beyond which rose the +Downs; the castle stood on a green isolated low hill, about half-way +across the vale. To the left a river wound past; to the right the beech +forest extended as far as the eye could see. The slope at their feet had +been cleared of all but a few hawthorn bushes. It was not enclosed, but +a neatherd was there with his cattle half a mile away, sitting himself +at the foot of a beech, while the cattle grazed below him. + +Down in the valley the stockade began; it was not wide but long. The +enclosure extended on the left to the bank of the river, and two fields +on the other side of it. On the right it reached a mile and a half or +nearly, the whole of which was overlooked from the spot where they had +passed. Within the enclosures the corn crops were green and flourishing; +horses and cattle, ricks and various buildings, were scattered about it. +The town or cottages of the serfs were on the bank of the river +immediately beyond the castle. On the Downs, which rose a mile or more +on the other side of the castle, sheep were feeding; part of the ridge +was wooded and part open. Thus the cultivated and enclosed valley was +everywhere shut in with woods and hills. + +The isolated round hill on which the castle stood was itself enclosed +with a second stockade; the edge of the brow above that again was +defended by a stout high wall of flints and mortar, crenellated at the +top. There were no towers or bastions. An old and ivy-grown building +stood inside the wall; it dated from the time of the ancients; it had +several gables, and was roofed with tiles. This was the dwelling-house. +The gardens were situated on the slope between the wall and the inner +stockade. Peaceful as the scene appeared, it had been the site of +furious fighting not many years ago. The Downs trended to the south, +where the Romany and the Zingari resided, and a keen watch was kept both +from the wall and from the hills beyond. + +They now rode slowly down the slope, and in a few minutes reached the +barrier or gateway in the outer stockade. They had been observed, and +the guard called by the warden, but as they approached were recognised, +and the gate swang open before them. Walking their horses they crossed +to the hill, and were as easily admitted to the second enclosure. At the +gate of the wall they dismounted, and waited while the warden carried +the intelligence of their arrival to the family. A moment later, and the +Baron's son advanced from the porch, and from the open window the +Baroness and Aurora beckoned to them. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THYMA CASTLE + + +Soon afterwards the hollow sound of the warden's horn, from the watch +over the gate of the wall, proclaimed the hour of noon, and they all +assembled for dinner in the banqueting chamber. The apartment was on the +ground floor, and separated from the larger hall only by an internal +wall. The house, erected in the time of the ancients, was not designed +for our present style of life; it possessed, indeed, many comforts and +conveniences which are scarcely now to be found in the finest palaces, +but it lacked the breadth of construction which our architects have now +in view. + +In the front there were originally only two rooms, extensive for those +old days, but not sufficiently so for ours. One of these had therefore +been enlarged, by throwing into it a back room and part of the entrance, +and even then it was not long enough for the Baron's retainers, and at +feast-time a wooden shed was built opposite, and up to the window, to +continue, as it were, the apartment out of doors. Workmen were busy +putting up this shed when they arrived. + +The second apartment retained its ancient form, and was used as the +dining-room on ordinary days. It was lighted by a large window, now +thrown wide open that the sweet spring air might enter, which window was +the pride of the Baroness, for it contained more true glass than any +window in the palace of the Prince. The glass made now is not +transparent, but merely translucent; it indeed admits light after a +fashion, but it is thick and cannot be seen through. These panes were +almost all (the central casement wholly) of ancient glass, preserved +with the greatest care through the long years past. + +Three tables were arranged in an open square; the Baron and Baroness's +chairs of oak faced the window, the guests sat at the other tables +sideways to them, the servants moved on the outer side, and thus placed +the food before them without pushing against or incommoding them. A +fourth table was placed in a corner between the fireplace and the +window. At it sat the old nurse, the housekeeper (frequently arising to +order the servants), and the Baron's henchman, who had taught him to +ride, but now, grey and aged, could not mount himself without +assistance, and had long ceased from active service. + +Already eight or nine guests had arrived besides Felix and Oliver. Some +had ridden a great distance to be present at the House Day. They were +all nobles, richly dressed; one or two of the eldest were wealthy and +powerful men, and the youngest was the son and heir of the Earl of +Essiton, who was then the favourite at Court. Each had come with his +personal attendants; the young Lord Durand brought with him twenty-five +retainers, and six gentlemen friends, all of whom were lodged in the +town, the gentlemen taking their meals at the castle at the same time as +the Baron, but, owing to lack of room, in another apartment by +themselves. Durand was placed, or rather, quietly helped himself to a +seat, next to the Lady Aurora, and of all the men there present, +certainly there was none more gallant and noble than he. + +His dark eyes, his curling hair short but brought in a thick curl over +his forehead, his lips well shaped, his chin round and somewhat +prominent, the slight moustache (no other hair on the face), formed the +very ideal of what many women look for in a man. But it was his bright, +lively conversation, the way in which his slightly swarthy complexion +flushed with animation, the impudent assurance and yet generous warmth +of his manner, and, indeed, of his feelings, which had given him the +merited reputation of being the very flower of the nobles. + +With such a reputation, backed with the great wealth and power of his +father, gentlemen competed with each other to swell his train; he could +not, indeed, entertain all that came, and was often besieged with almost +as large a crowd as the Prince himself. He took as his right the chair +next to Aurora, to whom, indeed, he had been paying unremitting +attention all the morning. She was laughing heartily as she sat down, at +some sally of his upon a beauty at the Court. + +The elder men were placed highest up the tables, and nearest the host, +but to the astonishment of all, and not the least of himself, Oliver was +invited by the Baron to sit by his side. Oliver could not understand +this special mark of favour; the others, though far too proud for a +moment to resent what they might have deemed a slight upon them, at once +began to search their minds for a reason. They knew the Baron as an old +intriguer; they attached a meaning, whether intended or not, to his +smallest action. + +Felix, crowded out, as it were, and unnoticed, was forced to take his +seat at the end of the table nearest that set apart in the corner for +the aged and honoured servitors of the family. Only a few feet +intervened between him and ancient henchmen; and he could not but +overhear their talk among themselves, whispered as it was. He had merely +shaken hands with Aurora; the crowd in the drawing-room and the marked +attentions of Durand had prevented the exchange of a single word between +them. As usual, the sense of neglect and injury over which he had so +long brooded with little or no real cause (considering, of course, his +position, and that the world can only see our coats and not our hearts), +under these entirely accidental circumstances rose up again within him, +and blinded him to the actual state of things. + +His seat, the lowest, and the nearest to the servitors, was in itself a +mark of the low estimation in which he was held. The Lord Durand had +been placed next to Aurora, as a direct encouragement to him, and a +direct hint to himself not to presume. Doubtless, Durand had been at the +castle many times, not improbably already been accepted by the Baron, +and not altogether refused by Aurora. As a fact, though delighted with +her beauty and conversation, Durand's presence was entirely due to the +will of his father, the Earl, who wished to maintain friendly relations +with Baron Thyma, and even then he would not have come had not the +lovely weather invited him to ride into the forest. + +It was, however, so far true, that though his presence was accidental, +yet he was fast becoming fascinated by one who, girl though she was, was +stronger in mind than he. Now Aurora, knowing that he father's eye was +on her, dared not look towards Felix, lest by an open and pronounced +conduct she should be the cause of his being informed that his presence +was not desirable. She knew that the Baron only needed a pretext to +interfere, and was anxious to avoid offering him a chance. + +Felix, seeing her glance bent downwards or towards her companion, and +never all the time turned to him, not unnaturally, but too hastily, +concluded that she had been dazzled by Durand and the possibility of an +alliance with his powerful family. He was discarded, worthless, and of +no account; he had nothing but his sword; nay, he had not a sword, he +was only an archer, a footman. Angry, jealous, and burning with inward +annoyance, despising himself since all others despised him, scarce able +to remain at the table, Felix was almost beside himself, and did not +answer nor heed the remarks of the gentlemen sitting by him, who put him +down as an ill-bred churl. + +For the form's sake, indeed, he put his lips to the double-handled cup +of fine ale, which continually circulated round the table, and was never +allowed to be put down; one servant had nothing else to do but to see +that its progress never stopped. But he drank nothing, and ate nothing; +he could not swallow. How visionary, how weak and feeble now seemed the +wild scheme of the canoe and his proposed voyage! Even should it +succeed, years must elapse before he could accomplish anything +substantial; while here were men who really had what he could only think +of or imagine. + +The silver chain or sword-belt of Durand (the sword and the dagger were +not worn at the banquet, nor in the house, they were received by the +marshal, and deposited in his care, a precaution against quarrelling), +solid silver links passing over his shoulder, were real actual things. +All the magnificence that he could call up by the exercise of his +imagination, was but imagination; a dream no more to be seen by others +than the air itself. + +The dinner went on, and the talk became more noisy. The trout, the +chicken, the thyme lamb (trapped on the hills by the shepherds), the +plover eggs, the sirloin, the pastry (the Baroness superintended the +making of it herself), all the profusion of the table, rather set him +against food than tempted him. Nor could he drink the tiny drop, as it +were, of ancient brandy, sent round to each guest at the conclusion, +precious as liquid gold, for it had been handed down from the ancients, +and when once the cask was empty it could not be re-filled. + +The dessert, the strawberries, the nuts and walnuts, carefully preserved +with a little salt, and shaken in the basket from time to time that they +might not become mouldy, the apples, the honey in the comb with slices +of white bread, nothing pleased him. Nor did he drink, otherwise than +the sip demanded by courtesy, of the thin wine of Gloucester, costly as +it was, grown in the vineyard there, and shipped across the Lake, and +rendered still more expensive by risk of pirates. This was poured into +flagons of maple wood, which, like the earthenware cup of ale, were +never allowed to touch the board till the dinner was over. + +Wearily the time went on; Felix glanced more and more often at the sky +seen through the casement, eagerly desiring to escape, and at least to +be alone. At last (how long it seemed!) the Baron rose, and immediately +the rest did the same, and they drank the health of the Prince. Then a +servitor brought in a pile of cigars upon a carved wooden tray, like a +large platter, but with a rim. "These," said the Baron, again rising +(the signal to all to cease conversing and to listen), "are a present +from my gracious and noble friend the Earl of Essiton" (he looked +towards Durand), "not less kindly carried by Lord Durand. I could have +provided only our own coarse tobacco; but these are the best Devon." + +The ladies now left the table, Aurora escorted by Durand, the Baroness +by Oliver. Oliver, indeed, was in the highest spirits; he had eaten +heartily of all; especially the sweet thyme lamb, and drunk as freely. +He was in his element, his laugh the loudest, his talk the liveliest. +Directly Durand returned (he had gone even a part of the way upstairs +towards the drawing-room with Aurora, a thing a little against +etiquette) he took his chair, formality being now at an end, and placed +it by Oliver. They seemed to become friends at once by sympathy of mind +and taste. + +Round them the rest gradually grouped themselves, so that presently +Felix, who did not move, found himself sitting alone at the extreme end +of the table; quite apart, for the old retainers, who dined at the +separate table, had quitted the apartment when the wine was brought in. +Freed from the restraint of the ladies, the talk now became extremely +noisy, the blue smoke from the long cigars filled the great apartment; +one only remained untouched, that placed before Felix. Suddenly it +struck him that thus sitting alone and apart, he should attract +attention; he, therefore, drew his chair to the verge of the group, but +remained silent, and as far off as ever. Presently the arrival of five +more guests caused a stir and confusion, in the midst of which he +escaped into the open air. + +He wandered towards the gate of the wall, passing the wooden shed where +the clink of hammers resounded, glanced at the sundial, which showed the +hour of three (three weary hours had they feasted), and went out into +the gardens. Still going on, he descended the slope, and not much +heeding whither he was going, took the road that led into town. It +consisted of some hundred or more houses, built of wood and thatched, +placed without plan or arrangement on the bank of the stream. Only one +long street ran through it, the rest were mere by-ways. + +All these were inhabited by the Baron's retainers, but the number and +apparently small extent of the houses did not afford correct data for +the actual amount of the population. In these days the people (as is +well known) find much difficulty in marrying; it seems only possible for +a certain proportion to marry, and hence there are always a great number +of young or single men out of all ratio to the houses. At the sound of +the bugle the Baron could reckon on at least three hundred men flocking +without a minute's delay to man the wall; in an hour more would arrive +from the outer places, and by nightfall, if the summons went forth in +the morning, his shepherds and swineherds would arrive, and these +together would add some hundred and fifty to the garrison. + +Next must be reckoned the armed servants of the house, the Baron's +personal attendants, the gentlemen who formed his train, his sons and +the male relations of the family; these certainly were not less than +fifty. Altogether over five hundred men, well armed and accustomed to +the use of their weapons, would range themselves beneath his banner. Two +of the buildings in he town were of brick (the material carried hither, +for there was no clay or stone thereabouts); they were not far apart. +The one was the Toll House, where all merchants or traders paid the +charges in corn or kind due to the Baron; the other was the Court House, +where he sat to administer justice and decide causes, or to send the +criminal to the gibbet. + +These alone of the buildings were of any age, for the wooden houses were +extremely subject to destruction by fire, and twice in the Baron's time +half the town had been laid in ashes, only to rise again in a few weeks. +Timber was so abundant and so ready of access, it seemed a loss of +labour to fetch stone or brick, or to use the flints of the hills. About +the doors of the two inns there were gathered groups of people; among +them the liveries of the nobles visiting the castle were conspicuous; +the place was full of them, the stables were filled, and their horses +were picketed under the trees and even in the street. + +Every minute the numbers increased as others arrived; men, too (who had +obtained permission of their lords), came in on foot, ten or twelve +travelling together for mutual protection, for the feuds of their +masters exposed them to frequent attack. All (except the nobles) were +disarmed at the barrier by the warden and guard, that peace might be +preserved in the enclosure. The folk at the moment he passed were +watching the descent of three covered waggons from the forest track, in +which were travelling the ladies of as many noble families. + +Some, indeed, of the youngest and boldest ride on horseback, but the +ladies chiefly move in these waggons, which are fitted up with +considerable comfort, and are necessary to sleep in when the camp is +formed by the wayside at night. None noticed him as he went by, except a +group of three cottage girls, and a serving-woman, an attendant of a +lady visitor at the castle. He heard them allude to him; he quickened +his pace, but heard one say, "He's nobody; he hasn't even got a horse." + +"Yes he is," replied the serving-woman; "he's Oliver's brother; and I +can tell you my lord Oliver is somebody; the Princess Lucia--" and she +made the motion of kissing with her lips. Felix, ashamed and annoyed to +the last degree, stepped rapidly from the spot. The serving-woman, +however, was right in a measure; the real or supposed favour shown +Oliver by the Prince's sister, the Duchess of Deverell, had begun to be +bruited abroad, and this was the secret reason why the Baron had shown +Oliver so much and so marked an attention, even more than he had paid to +Lord Durand. + +Full well he knew the extraordinary influence possessed by ladies of +rank and position. From what we can learn out of the scanty records of +the past, it was so even in the days of the ancients; it is a +hundredfold more so in these times, when, although every noble must of +necessity be taught to read and write, as a matter of fact the men do +neither, but all the correspondence of kings and princes, and the +diplomatic documents, and notices, and so forth, are one and all, almost +without a single exception, drawn up by women. They know the secret and +hidden motives of courts, and have this great advantage, that they can +use their knowledge without personal fear, since women are never +seriously interfered with, but are protected by all. + +The one terrible and utterly shameful instance to the contrary had not +occurred at the time of which we are now speaking, and it was and is +still repudiated by every man, from the knight to the boys who gather +acorns for the swine. Oliver himself had no idea whatever that he was +regarded as a favourite lover of the Duchess; he took the welcome that +was held out to him as perfectly honest. Plain, straightforward, and +honest, Oliver, had he been openly singled out by a queen, would have +scorned to give himself an air for such a reason. But the Baron, deep in +intrigue this many a year, looked more profoundly into the possibilities +of the future when he kept the young knight at his side. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +SUPERSTITIONS + + +Felix was now outside the town and alone in the meadow which bordered +the stream; he knelt, and drank from it with the hollow of his hand. He +was going to ascend the hill beyond, and had already reached the barrier +upon that side, when he recollected that etiquette demanded the presence +of the guests at meal-times, and it was now the hour for tea. He +hastened back, and found the courtyard of the castle crowded. Within, +the staircase leading to the Baroness's chamber (where tea was served) +could scarcely be ascended, what with the ladies and their courtiers, +the long trains of the serving-women, the pages winding their way in and +out, the servants endeavouring to pass, the slender pet greyhounds, the +inseparable companions of their mistresses. + +By degrees, and exercising patience, he gained the upper floor and +entered the drawing-room. The Baroness alone sat at the table, the +guests wheresoever they chose, or chance carried them; for the most part +they stood, or leaned against the recess of the open window. Of tea +itself there was none; there had been no tea to be had for love or money +these fifty years past, and, indeed, its use would have been forgotten, +and the name only survived, had not some small quantities been yet +preserved and brought out on rare occasions at the palaces. Instead, +there was chicory prepared from the root of the plant, grown for the +purpose; fresh milk; fine ale and mead; and wine from Gloucester. +Butter, honey, and cake were also on the table. + +The guests helped themselves, or waited till the servants came to them +with wooden carved trays. The particular characteristic of tea is the +freedom from restraint; it is not considered necessary to sit as at +dinner or supper, nor to do as others do; each pleases himself, and +there is no ceremony. Yet, although so near Aurora, Felix did not +succeed in speaking to her; Durand still engaged her attention whenever +other ladies were not talking with her. Felix found himself, exactly as +at dinner-time, quite outside the circle. There was a buzz of +conversation around, but not a word of it was addressed to him. Dresses +brushed against him, but the fair owners were not concerned even to +acknowledge his existence. + +Pushed by the jostling crowd aside from the centre of the floor, Felix +presently sat down, glad to rest at last, behind the open door. +Forgotten, he forgot; and, looking as it were out of the present in a +bitter reverie, scarcely knew where he was, except at moments when he +heard the well-known and loved voice of Aurora. A servant after a while +came to him with a tray; he took some honey and bread. Almost +immediately afterwards another servant came and presented him with a +plate, on which was a cup of wine, saying, "With my lady's loving +wishes." + +As in duty bound, he rose and bowed to the Baroness; she smiled and +nodded; the circle which had looked to see who was thus honoured, turned +aside again, not recognising him. To send a guest a plate with wine or +food is the highest mark of esteem, and this plate in especial was of +almost priceless value, as Felix saw when his confusion had abated. It +was of the ancient china, now not to be found in even the houses of the +great. + +In all that kingdom but five perfect plates were known to exist, and two +of these were at the palace. They are treasured as heirlooms, and, if +ever broken, can never be replaced. The very fragments are rare; they +are often set in panels, and highly prized. The Baroness, glancing round +her court, had noticed at last the young man sitting in the obscure +corner behind the door; she remembered, not without some twinge of +conscience, that his house was their ancient ally and sworn +hearth-friend. + +She knew, far better than the Baron, how deeply her daughter loved him; +better, perhaps, even than Aurora herself. She, too, naturally hoped a +higher alliance for Aurora; yet she was a true woman, and her heart was +stronger than her ambition. The trifle of the wine was, of course, +nothing; but it was open and marked recognition. She expected that Felix +(after his wont in former times, before love or marriage was thought of +for Aurora) would have come upon this distinct invitation, and taken his +stand behind her, after the custom. But as he did not come, fresh guests +and the duties of hospitality distracted her attention, and she again +forgot him. + +He was, indeed, more hurt than pleased with the favour that had been +shown him; it seemed to him (though really prompted by the kindest +feeling) like a bone cast at a dog. He desired to be so regarded that no +special mark of favour should be needed. It simply increased his +discontent. The evening wore on, the supper began; how weary it seemed +to him, that long and jovial supper, with the ale that ran in a +continual stream, the wine that ceaselessly circled round, the jokes, +and bustle, and laughter, the welcome to guests arriving; the cards, and +chess, and games that succeeded it, the drinking, and drinking, and +drinking, till the ladies again left; then drinking yet more freely. + +He slipped away at the first opportunity, and having first strolled to +and fro on the bowling green, wet with dew, at the rear of the castle, +asked for his bedroom. It was some time before he could get attended to; +he stood alone at the foot of the staircase while others went first +(their small coins bought them attention), till at last a lamp was +brought to him, and his chamber named. This chamber, such as it was, was +the only pleasure, and that a melancholy one, he had had that day. + +Though overflowing with guests, so that the most honoured visitors could +not be accommodated within the castle, and only the ladies could find +sleeping room there, yet the sacred law of honour, the pledge of the +hearth-friend passed three generations ago, secured him this privilege. +The hearth-friend must sleep within, if a king were sent without. +Oliver, of course, would occupy the same room, but he was drinking and +shouting a song below, so that for a while Felix had the chamber to +himself. + +It pleased him, because it was the room in which he had always slept +when he visited the place from a boy, when, half afraid and yet +determined to venture, he had first come through the lonely forest +alone. How well he remembered that first time! the autumn sunshine on +the stubble at Old House, and the red and brown leaves of the forest as +he entered; how he entered on foot, and twice turned back, and twice +adventured again, till he got so deep into the forest that it seemed as +far to return as to advance. How he started at the sudden bellow of two +stags, and the clatter of their horns as they fought in the brake close +by, and how beautiful the castle looked when presently he emerged from +the bushes and looked down upon it! + +This was the very room he slept in; the Baroness, mother-like, came to +see that he was comfortable. Here he had slept every time since; here he +had listened in the early morning for Aurora's footfall as she passed +his door, for the ladies rose earlier than did the men. He now sat down +by the open window; it was a brilliant moonlight night, warm and +delicious, and the long-drawn note of the nightingale came across the +gardens from the hawthorn bushes without the inner stockade. To the left +he could see the line of the hills, to the right the forest; all was +quiet there, but every now and then the sound of a ballad came round the +castle, a sound without recognizable words, inarticulate merriment. + +If he started upon the hazardous voyage he contemplated, and for which +he had been so long preparing, should he ever sleep there again, so near +the one he loved? Was it not better to be poor and despised, but near +her, than to attempt such an expedition, especially as the chances (as +his common sense told him) were all against him? Yet he could not stay; +he _must_ do it, and he tried to stifle the doubt which insisted upon +arising in his mind. Then he recurred to Durand; he remembered that not +once on that day had he exchanged one single word, beyond the first and +ordinary salutation, with Aurora. + +Might she not, had she chosen, have arranged a moment's interview? Might +she not easily have given him an opportunity? Was it not clear that she +was ashamed of her girlish fancy for a portionless and despised youth? +If so, was it worth while to go upon so strange an enterprise for her +sake? But if so, also, was life worth living, and might he not as well +go and seek destruction? + +While this conflict of feeling was proceeding, he chanced to look +towards the table upon which he had carelessly placed his lamp, and +observed, what in his agitated state of mind he had previously +overlooked, a small roll of manuscript tied round with silk. Curious in +books, he undid the fastening, and opened the volume. There was not much +writing, but many singular diagrams, and signs arranged in circles. It +was, in fact, a book of magic, written at the dictation, as the preface +stated, of one who had been for seven years a slave among the Romany. + +He had been captured, and forced to work for the tent to which his +owners belonged. He had witnessed their worship and their sorceries; he +had seen the sacrifice to the full moon, their chief goddess, and the +wild extravagances with which it was accompanied. He had learnt some few +of their signs, and, upon escaping, had reproduced them from memory. +Some were engraved on the stones set in their rings; some were carved on +wooden tablets, some drawn with ink on parchment; but, with all, their +procedure seemed to be the repetition of certain verses, and then a +steady gaze upon the picture. Presently they became filled with rapture, +uttered what sounded as the wildest ravings, and (their women +especially) prophesied of the future. + +A few of the signs he understood the meaning of, but the others he owned +were unknown to him. At the end of the book were several pages of +commentary, describing the demons believed in and worshipped by the +Romany, demons which haunted the woods and hills, and against which it +was best to be provided with amulets blessed by the holy fathers of St. +Augustine. Such demons stole on the hunter at noonday, and, alarmed at +the sudden appearance, upon turning his head (for demons invariably +approach from behind, and their presence is indicated by a shudder in +the back), he toppled into pits hidden by fern, and was killed. + +Or, in the shape of a dog, they ran between the traveller's legs; or as +woman, with tempting caresses, lured him from the way at nightfall into +the leafy recesses, and then instantaneously changing into vast bat-like +forms, fastened on his throat and sucked his blood. The terrible screams +of such victims had often been heard by the warders at the outposts. +Some were invisible, and yet slew the unwary by descending unseen upon +him, and choking him with a pressure as if the air had suddenly become +heavy. + +But none of these were, perhaps, so much to be dreaded as the +sweetly-formed and graceful ladies of the fern. These were creatures, +not of flesh and blood, and yet not incorporeal like the demons, nor +were they dangerous to the physical man, doing no bodily injury. The +harm they did was by fascinating the soul so that it revolted from all +religion and all the rites of the Church. Once resigned to the caress of +the fern-woman, the unfortunate was lured farther and farther from the +haunts of men, until at last he wandered into the unknown forest, and +was never seen again. These creatures were usually found among the brake +fern, nude, but the lower limbs and body hidden by the green fronds, +their white arms and shoulders alone visible, and their golden hair +aglow with the summer sunshine. + +Demons there were, too, of the streams, and demons dwelling in the midst +of the hills; demons that could travel only in the moonbeams, and others +that floated before the stormy winds and hurled the wretched wanderer to +destruction, or crushed him with the overthrown trees. In proof of this +the monk asked the reader if he had not heard of huge boughs falling +from trees without visible cause, suddenly and without warning, and even +of trees themselves in full foliage, in calm weather, toppling with a +crash, to the imminent danger or the death of those who happened to be +passing. Let all these purchase the amulets of St. Augustine, concluded +the writer, who it appeared was a monk in whose monastery the escaped +prisoner had taken refuge, and who had written down his relation and +copied his rude sketches. + +Felix pored over the strange diagrams, striving to understand the hidden +meaning; some of them he thought were alchemical signs, and related to +the making of gold, especially as the prisoner stated the Romany +possessed much more of that metal in the tents than he had seen in the +palaces of our kings. Whether they had a gold mine from whence they drew +it, or whether they had the art of transmutation, he knew not, but he +had heard allusions to the wealth in the mountain of the apple trees, +which he supposed to be a mystical phrase. + +When Felix at last looked up, the lamp was low, the moonbeams had +entered and fell upon the polished floor, and from the window he could +see a long white ghostly line of mist where a streamlet ran at the base +of the slope by the forest. The songs were silent; there was no sound +save the distant neigh of a horse and the heavy tramp of a guest coming +along the gallery. Half bewildered by poring over the magic scroll, full +of the signs and the demons, and still with a sense of injury and +jealousy cankering his heart, Felix retired to his couch, and, weary +beyond measure, instantly fell asleep. + +In his unsettled state of mind it did not once occur to him to ask +himself how the manuscript came to be upon his table. Rare as they were, +books were not usually put upon the tables of guests, and at an ordinary +time he would certainly have thought it peculiar. The fact was, that +Aurora, whom all day he had inwardly accused of forgetting him, had +placed it there for him with her own hands. She, too, was curious in +books and fond of study. She had very recently bought the volume from a +merchant who had come thus far, and who valued it the least of all his +wares. + +She knew that Felix had read and re-read every other scrap of writing +there was in the castle, and thought that this strange book might +interest him, giving, as it did, details of those powers of the air in +which almost all fully believed. Unconscious of this attention, Felix +fell asleep, angry and bitter against her. When, half an hour +afterwards, Oliver blundered into the room, a little unsteady on his +legs, notwithstanding his mighty strength, he picked up the roll, +glanced at it, flung it down with contempt, and without a minute's delay +sought and obtained slumber. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE FEAST + + +At ten in the morning next day the feast began with a drama from +Sophocles, which was performed in the open air. The theatre was in the +gardens between the wall and the inner stockade; the spectators sat on +the slope, tier above tier; the actors appeared upon a green terrace +below, issuing from an arbour and passing off behind a thick box-hedge +on the other side of the terrace. There was no scenery whatever. + +Aurora had selected the Antigone. There were not many dramatists from +whom to choose, for so many English writers, once famous, had dropped +out of knowledge and disappeared. Yet some of the far more ancient Greek +and Roman classics remained because they contained depth and originality +of ideas in small compass. They had been copied in manuscripts by +thoughtful men from the old printed books before they mouldered away, +and their manuscripts being copied again, these works were handed down. +The books which came into existence with printing had never been copied +by the pen, and had consequently nearly disappeared. Extremely long and +diffuse, it was found, too, that so many of them were but enlargements +of ideas or sentiments which had been expressed in a few words by the +classics. It is so much easier to copy an epigram of two lines than a +printed book of hundreds of pages, and hence it was that Sophocles had +survived while much more recent writers had been lost. + +From a translation Aurora had arranged several of his dramas. Antigone +was her favourite, and she wished Felix to see it. In some indefinable +manner the spirit of the ancient Greeks seemed to her in accord with the +times, for men had or appeared to have so little control over their own +lives that they might well imagine themselves overruled by destiny. +Communication between one place and another was difficult, the division +of society into castes, and the iron tyranny of arms, prevented the +individual from making any progress in lifting himself out of the groove +in which he was born, except by the rarest opportunity, unless specially +favoured by fortune. As men were born so they lived; they could not +advance, and when this is the case the idea of Fate is always +predominant. The workings of destiny, the Irresistible overpowering both +the good and the evil-disposed, such as were traced in the Greek drama, +were paralleled in the lives of many a miserable slave at that day. They +were forced to endure, for there was no possibility of effort. + +Aurora saw this and felt it deeply; ever anxious as she was for the good +of all, she saw the sadness that reigned even in the midst of the fresh +foliage of spring and among the flowers. It was Fate; it was Sophocles. + +She took the part of the heroine herself, clad in Greek costume; Felix +listened and watched, absorbed in his love. Never had that ancient drama +appeared so beautiful as then, in the sunlight; the actors stepped upon +the daisied sward, and the song of birds was all their music. + +While the play was still proceeding, those who were to form the usual +procession had already been assembling in the court before the castle, +and just after noon, to the sound of the trumpet, the Baron, with his +youngest son beside him (the eldest was at Court), left the porch, +wearing his fur-lined short mantle, his collar, and golden spurs, and +the decoration won so many years before; all the insignia of his rank. +He walked; his war-horse, fully caparisoned, with axe at the saddle-bow, +was led at his right side, and upon the other came a knight carrying the +banneret of the house. + +The gentlemen of the house followed closely, duly marshalled in ranks, +and wearing the gayest dress; the leading retainers fully armed, brought +up the rear. Immediately upon issuing from the gate of the wall, the +procession was met and surrounded by the crowd, carrying large branches +of may in bloom, flowers, and green willow boughs. The flowers they +flung before him on the ground; the branches they bore with them, +chanting old verses in honour of the family. The route was through the +town, where the Baron stopped at the door of the Court House, and +proclaimed a free pardon to all serfs (who were released within a few +minutes) not guilty of the heavier crimes. + +Thence he went to the pasture just beyond, carefully mown close and +swept for the purpose, where the May-pole stood, wreathed with flowers +and green branches. Beneath it he deposited a bag of money for +distribution upon a carved butt placed there, the signal that the games +were open. Instantly the fiddles began to play, and the feast really +commenced. At the inns ale was served out freely (at the Baron's +charge), carts, too, came down from the castle laden with ale and cooked +provisions. Wishing them joy, the Baron returned by the same road to the +castle, where dinner was already served in the hall and the sheds that +had been erected to enlarge the accommodation. + +In the afternoon there were foot-races, horse-races, and leaping +competitions, and the dances about the May-pole were prolonged far into +the night. The second day, early in the morning, the barriers were +opened, and trials of skill with the blunt sword, jousting with the +blunt lance at the quintain, and wrestling began, and continued almost +till sunset. Tournament with sharpened lance or sword, when the +combatants fight with risk of serious wounds, can take place only in the +presence of the Prince or his deputy. But in these conflicts +sufficiently severe blows were given to disable the competitors. + +On the third day there was a set battle in the morning between fifteen +men on each side, armed with the usual buckler or small shield, and +stout single-sticks instead of swords. This combat excited more interest +than all the duels that had preceded it; the crowd almost broke down the +barriers, and the cheering and cries of encouragement could be heard +upon the hills. Thrice the combatants rested from the engagement, and +thrice at the trumpet call started again to meet each other, at least +those who had sustained the first onslaught. + +Blood, indeed, was not shed (for the iron morions saved their skulls), +but nearly half of the number required assistance to reach the tents +pitched for their use. Then came more feasting, the final dinner +prolonged till six in the evening, when the company, constantly rising +from their seats, cheered the Baron, and drank to the prosperity of the +house. After the horn blew at six, the guests who had come from a +distance rapidly dispersed (their horses were already waiting), for they +were anxious to pass the fifteen miles of forest before nightfall. Those +on foot, and those ladies who had come in covered waggons, stayed till +next morning, as they could not travel so speedily. By seven or eight +the castle courtyard was comparatively empty, and the Baron, weary from +the mere bodily efforts of saying farewell to so many, had flung himself +at full length on a couch in the drawing-room. + +During the whole of this time Felix had not obtained a single moment +with Aurora; her time, when not occupied in attending to the guests, was +always claimed by Lord Durand. Felix, after the short-lived but pure +pleasure he had enjoyed in watching her upon the grass-grown stage, had +endured three days of misery. He was among the crowd, he was in the +castle itself, he sat at table with the most honoured visitors, yet he +was distinct from all. There was no sympathy between them and him. The +games, the dancing, the feasting and laughter, the ceaseless singing and +shouting, and jovial jostling, jarred upon him. + +The boundless interest the people took in the combats, and especially +that of the thirty, seemed to him a strange and inexplicable phenomenon. +It did not excite him in the least; he could turn his back upon it +without hesitation. He would, indeed, have left the crowd, and spent the +day in the forest, or on the hills, but he could not leave Aurora. He +must be near her; he must see her, though he was miserable. Now he +feared that the last moment would come, and that he should not exchange +a word with her. + +He could not, with any show of pretext, prolong his stay beyond the +sunset; all were already gone, with the exceptions mentioned. It would +be against etiquette to remain longer, unless specially invited, and he +was not specially invited. Yet he lingered, and lingered. His horse was +ready below; the groom, weary of holding the bridle, had thrown it over +an iron hook in the yard, and gone about other business. The sun +perceptibly declined, and the shadow of the beeches of the forest began +to descend the grassy slope. Still he stayed, restlessly moving, now in +the dining chamber, now in the hall, now at the foot of the staircase, +with an unpleasant feeling that the servants looked at him curiously, +and were watching him. + +Oliver had gone long since, riding with his new friend Lord Durand; they +must by now be half-way through the forest. Forced by the inexorable +flight of time, he put his foot upon the staircase to go up to the +drawing-room and bid farewell to the Baroness. He ascended it, step by +step, as a condemned person goes to his doom. He stayed to look out of +the open windows as he went by; anything to excuse delay to himself. He +reached the landing at last, and had taken two steps towards the door, +when Aurora's maid, who had been waiting there an hour or more for the +opportunity, brushed past him, and whispered, "The Rose arbour." + +Without a word he turned, hastened down the stairs, ran through the +castle yard, out at the gate, and, entering the gardens between the wall +and the inner stockade, made for the arbour on the terrace where the +drama had been enacted. Aurora was not there; but as he looked round, +disappointed, she came from the Filbert walk, and, taking his arm, led +him to the arbour. They sat down without a word. In a moment she placed +her head upon his shoulder; he did not respond. She put her arm (how +warm it felt!) about his neck; he yielded stiffly and ungraciously to +the pressure; she drew down his head, and kissed him. His lips touched +but did not press hers; they met, but did not join. In his sullen and +angry silence he would not look. She drew still nearer, and whispered +his name. + +Then he broke out: he pushed her away; his petty jealousy and injured +self-esteem poured out upon her. + +"I am not the heir to an earldom," he said; "I do not ride with a score +of gentlemen at my back. They have some wonderful diamonds, have they +not--_Countess?_" + +"Felix!" + +"It is no use. Yes, your voice is sweet, I know. But you, all of you, +despise me. I am nothing, no one!" + +"You are all, _everything_, to me." + +"You were with--with Durand the whole time." + +"I could not help myself." + +"Not help yourself! Do you think I believe that?" + +"Felix, dear. I tell you I could not help myself; I could not, indeed. +You do not know all--" + +"No, probably not. I do not know the terms of the marriage contract." + +"Felix, there is no such thing. Why, what has come to you? How pale you +look! Sit down!" for he had risen. + +"I cannot, Aurora, dear; I cannot! Oh, what shall I do? I love you so!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +AURORA + + +Felix fell on the seat beside her, burying his face in the folds of her +dress; he sobbed, not with tears, but choking passion. She held him to +her heart as if he had been a child, stroking his hair and kissing it, +whispering to him, assuring him that her love was his, that she was +unchanged. She told him that it was not her fault. A little while before +the feast the Baron had suddenly broken out into a fit of temper, such +as she had never seen him indulge in previously; the cause was pressure +put upon him by his creditors. Unpleasant truths had escaped him; +amongst the rest, his dislike, his positive disapproval of the tacit +engagement they had entered into. + +He declared that if the least outward sign of it appeared before the +guests that were expected, he would order Felix to leave the place, and +cancel the hearth-friendship, no matter what the consequence. It was +clear that he was set upon a wealthy and powerful alliance for her; that +the Earl was either coming, or would send his son, he knew; and he knew +that nothing so repels a possible suitor as the rumour that the lady has +a previous engagement. In short, he made it a condition of Felix's +presence being tolerated at all, that Aurora should carefully abstain +from showing the slightest attention to him; that she should ignore his +existence. + +Nor could she prevent Durand following her without a marked refusal to +listen to his conversation, a refusal which would most certainly at once +have brought about the dreaded explosion. She thought it better, under +the circumstances, to preserve peace, lest intercourse between her and +Felix should be entirely broken off for ever. This was the secret +history of the apparent indifference and neglect which had so deeply +hurt him. The explanation, accompanied as it was with so many tender +expressions and caresses, soothed him; he returned her kisses and became +calmer. He could not doubt her, for in his heart he had suspected +something of the kind long since. + +Yet it was not so much the explanation itself, nor even the love she +poured upon him, as the mere fact of her presence so near that brought +him to himself. The influence of her steadfast nature, of her clear, +broad, straightforward view of things, the decision of her character, +the high, unselfish motives which animated her, all together supplied +that which was wanting in himself. His indecision, his too +impressionable disposition, which checked and stayed the force of his +talent, and counteracted the determination of a naturally iron will; +these, as it were, were relieved; in a word, with her he became himself. + +How many times he had told her as much! How many times she had replied +that it was not herself, but that in which she believed, that was the +real cause of this feeling! It was that ancient and true religion; the +religion of the primitive church, as she found it in the fragments of +the Scriptures that had come down from the ancients. + +Aurora had learnt this faith from childhood; it was, indeed, a tradition +of the house preserved unbroken these hundred years in the midst of the +jarring creeds, whose disciples threatened and destroyed each other. On +the one hand, the gorgeous rite of the Vice-Pope, with the priests and +the monks, claimed dominion, and really held a large share, both over +the body and the soul; on the other, the Leaguers, with their bold, +harsh, and flowerless creed, were equally over-bearing and equally +bigoted. Around them the Bushmen wandered without a god; the Romany +called upon the full moon. Within courts and cities the gay and the +learned alike mocked at all faith, and believed in gold alone. + +Cruelty reigned everywhere; mercy, except in the name of honour, there +was none; humanity was unknown. A few, a very few only, had knowledge of +or held to the leading tenets, which, in the time of the ancients, were +assented to by everyone, such as the duty of humanity to all, the duty +of saving and protecting life, of kindness and gentleness. These few, +with their pastors, simple and unassuming, had no power or influence; +yet they existed here and there, a living protest against the +lawlessness and brutality of the time. + +Among these the house of Thyma had in former days been conspicuous, but +of late years the barons of Thyma had, more from policy than from aught +else, rather ignored their ancestral faith, leaning towards the League, +which was then powerful in that kingdom. To have acted otherwise would +have been to exclude himself from all appointments. But Aurora, learning +the old faith at her mother's knee, had become too deeply imbued with +its moral beauty to consent to this course. By degrees, as she grew up, +it became in her a passion; more than a faith, a passion; the object of +her life. + +A girl, indeed, can do but little in our iron days, but that little she +did. The chapel beside the castle, long since fallen to decay, was, at +her earnest request, repaired; a pastor came and remained as chaplain, +and services, of the simplest kind, but serious and full of meaning, +took place twice a week. To these she drew as many as possible of the +inhabitants of the enclosure; some even came from afar once now and then +to attend them. Correspondence was carried on with the remnant of the +faith. + +That no one might plead ignorance (for there was up to the date no +written record) Aurora set herself the task of reducing the traditions +which had been handed down to writing. When the manuscript was at last +completed it occupied her months to transcribe copies of it for +circulation; and she still continued to make copies, which were sent by +messengers and by the travelling merchants to the markets, and even +across the sea. Apart from its intrinsically elevating character, the +mere mental labour expended on this work had undoubtedly strengthened a +naturally fine intellect. As she said, it was the faith, the hope that +that faith would one day be recognised, which gave her so much influence +over others. + +Upon this one thing only they differed; Felix did not oppose, did not +even argue, he was simply untouched. It was not that he believed in +anything else, nor that he doubted; he was merely indifferent. He had +too great a natural aptitude for the physical sciences, and too clear a +mind, to accept that which was taught by the one or the other of the two +chief opposing parties. Nor could he join in the ridicule and derision +of the gay courtiers, for the mystery of existence had impressed him +deeply while wandering alone in the forest. But he stood aloof; he +smiled and listened, unconvinced; like the wild creatures of the forest, +he had no ears for these matters. He loved Aurora, that was all. + +But he felt the influence just the same; with all his powers of mind and +contempt of superstitions in others, he could not at times shake off the +apprehensions aroused by untoward omens, as when he stepped upon the +adder in the woods. Aurora knew nothing of such things; her faith was +clear and bright like a star; nothing could alarm her, or bring +uneasiness of mind. This beautiful calm, not cold, but glowing with hope +and love, soothed him. + +That evening, with her hope and love, with her message of trust, she +almost persuaded him. He almost turned to what she had so long taught. +He almost repented of that hardness of heart, that unutterable distance, +as it were, between him and other men, which lay at the bottom of his +proposed expedition. He opened his lips to confess to her his purpose, +and had he done so assuredly she would have persuaded him from it. But +in the very act of speaking, he hesitated. It was characteristic of him +to do so. Whether she instinctively felt that there was something +concealed from her, or guessed that the discontent she knew he had so +long endured was coming to a point, or feared lest what she had told him +might drive him to some ill-considered act, she begged him with all the +power of her love to do nothing hasty, or in despair, nothing that would +separate them. He threw his arms around her, he pressed her closely to +him, he trembled with the passion and the struggle within him. + +"My lady calls for you, Mademoiselle," said a voice; it was Aurora's +maid who had kept watch. "She has asked for you some time since. Someone +is coming into the garden!" + +There was no help for it; Aurora kissed him, and was gone before he +could come to himself. How long the interview had lasted (time flies +swiftly in such sweet intercourse), or how long he sat there after she +left, he could not tell; but when he went out already the dusk was +gathering, the sun had gone down, and in the east the as yet pale orb of +the moon was rising over the hills. As if in a dream he walked with +unsteady steps to the castle stable; his horse had been put back, and +the grooms suggested to him that it was better not to attempt the forest +at night. But he was determined; he gave them all the coin he had about +him, it was not much, but more than they had expected. + +They ran beside him to the barrier; advising him as they ran, as he +would go, to string his bow and loosen an arrow in the girdle, and above +all, not to loiter, or let his horse walk, but to keep him at as sharp a +trot as he could. The fact that so many wealthy persons had assembled at +the castle for the feast would be sure to be known to the banditti (the +outlaws of the cities and the escaped serfs). They were certain to be on +the look out for travellers; let him beware. + +His ears tingled and his head felt hot, as if the blood had rushed into +it (it was the violence of the emotion that he had felt), as he rode +from the barrier, hearing, and yet without conscious knowledge of what +they said. They watched him up the slope, and saw him disappear from +sight under the dark beeches of the forest. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +NIGHT IN THE FOREST + + +At first Felix rode quickly, but his horse stumbling, though accustomed +to the woods, warned him to be more careful. The passage of so many +horsemen in the last few days had cut up and destroyed the track, which +was nothing but a green path, and the covered waggons had of course +assisted in rendering it rough and broken. He therefore rode slowly, and +giving his horse his head, he picked his way of his own accord at the +side of the road, often brushing against the underwood. + +Still, indeed, absorbed by the feelings which had almost mastered him in +the arbour, and thinking of Aurora, he forgot where he was, till the +dismal howling of wood-dogs deep in the forest woke him. It was almost +pitch dark under the tall beeches, the highest of the trees preventing +the beams of the moon from illuminating the path till later in the +night. Like a curtain the thick foliage above shut out the sky, so that +no star was visible. When the wood-dogs ceased there was no sound beyond +the light fall of the horse's hoofs as he walked upon the grass. +Darkness and silence prevailed; he could see nothing. He spoke to his +horse and patted his neck; he stepped a little faster and lifted his +head, which he had held low as if making his way by scent. + +The gloom weighed upon him, unhappy as he was. Often as he had +voluntarily sought the loneliness of the woods, now in this state of +mind, it oppressed him; he remembered that beyond the beeches the ground +was open and cleared by a forest fire, and began to be anxious to reach +it. It seemed an hour, but it really was only a few minutes, when the +beeches became thinner and wider apart, the foliage above ceased, and +the stars shone. Before him was the open space he had desired, sloping +to the right hand, the tall grass grey-green in the moonlight, and near +at hand sparkling with dew. + +Amongst it stood the crooked and charred stems of furze with which it +had been covered before the fire passed. A white owl floated rather than +flew by, following the edge of the forest; from far down the slope came +the chattering notes of a brook-sparrow, showing that there was water in +the hollow. Some large animal moved into the white mist that hung there +and immediately concealed it, like a cloud upon the ground. He was not +certain in the dim light, and with so momentary and distant a view, but +supposed from its size that it must have been a white or dun wood-cow. + +Ahead, across the open, rose the dark top of the fir trees through which +the route ran. Instead of the relief which he had anticipated as he rode +towards them, the space clear of trees around seemed to expose him to +the full view of all that might be lurking in the forest. As he +approached the firs and saw how dark it was beneath them, the shadowy +depths suggested uncertain shapes hiding therein, and his memory +immediately reverted to the book of magic he had read at the castle. + +There could not be such things, and yet no one in his heart doubted +their existence; deny it as they might with their tongues as they sat at +the supper-table and handed round the ale, out of doors in the night, +the haste to pass the haunted spot, the bated breath, and the fearful +glances cast around, told another tale. He endeavoured to call +philosophy to his aid; he remembered, too, how many nights he had spent +in the deepest forest without seeing anything, and without even thinking +of such matters. He reproved himself for his folly, and asked himself if +ever he could hope to be a successful leader of men who started at a +shadow. In vain: the tone of his mind had been weakened by the strain it +had undergone. + +Instead of strengthening him, the teachings of philosophy now seemed +cold and feeble, and it occurred to him that possibly the belief of the +common people (fully shared by their religious instructors) was just as +much entitled to credence as these mere suppositions and theories. The +details of the volume recurred to his mind; the accurate description of +the demons of the forest and the hill, and especially the horrible +vampires enfolding the victim with outstretched wings. In spite of +himself, incredulous, yet excited, he pressed his horse to greater +speed, though the track was narrow and very much broken under the firs. +He obeyed, and trotted, but reluctantly, and needed continual urging. + +The yellow spark of a glowworm shining by a bush made him set his teeth; +trifling and well known as it was, the light suddenly seen thrilled him +with the terror of the unexpected. Strange rushings sounded among the +fern, as if the wings of a demon brushed it as he travelled. Felix knew +that they were caused by rabbits hastening off, or a boar bounding away, +yet they increased the feverish excitement with which he was burdened. +Though dark beneath the firs, it was not like the darkness of the +beeches; these trees did not form a perfect canopy overhead everywhere. +In places he could see where a streak of moonlight came aslant through +an opening and reached the ground. One such streak fell upon the track +ahead; the trees there had decayed and fallen, and a broad band of light +lit up the way. + +As he approached it and had almost entered, suddenly something shot +towards him in the air; a flash, as it were, as if some object had +crossed the streak, and was rendered visible for the tenth of a second, +like a mote in the sunbeams. At the same instant of time, the horse, +which he had pressed to go faster, put his foot into a rut or hole, and +stumbled, and Felix was flung so far forward that he only saved himself +from being thrown by clinging to his neck. A slight whizzing sound +passed over his head, followed immediately by a sharp tap against a tree +in his rear. + +The thing happened in the twinkling of an eye, but he recognised the +sound; it was the whiz of a crossbow bolt, which had missed his head, +and buried its point in a fir. The stumble saved him; the bolt would +have struck his head or chest had not the horse gone nearly on his knee. +The robber had so planned his ambush that his prey should be well seen, +distinct in the moonlight, so that his aim might be sure. Recovering +himself, the horse, without needing the spur, as if he recognised the +danger to his rider, started forward at full speed, and raced, +regardless of ruts, along the track. Felix, who had hardly got into his +seat again, could for awhile but barely restrain it, so wildly he fled. +He must have been carried within a few yards of the bandit, but saw +nothing, neither did a second bolt follow him; the crossbow takes time +to bend, and if the robber had companions they were differently armed. + +He was a furlong or more from the spot before he quite realized the +danger he had escaped. His bow was unstrung in his hand, his arrows were +all in the quiver; thus, had the bolt struck him, even if the wound had +not been mortal (as it most likely would have been) he could have made +no resistance. How foolish to disregard the warnings of the grooms at +the castle! It was now too late; all he could do was to ride. Dreading +every moment to be thrown, he pushed on as fast as the horse would go. +There was no pursuit, and after a mile or so, as he left the firs and +entered the ash woods, he slackened somewhat. It was, indeed, necessary, +for here the hoofs of preceding horsemen had poached the turf (always +damp under ash) into mud. It was less dark, for the boughs of the ashes +did not meet above. + +As he passed, wood-pigeons rose with loud clatterings from their +roosting-places, and once or twice he saw in the gloom the fiery +phosphoric eye-balls of the grey wood-cats. How gladly he recognised +presently the change from trees to bushes, when he rode out from the +thick ashes among the low hawthorns, and knew that he was within a mile +or so of the South Barrier at home! Already he heard the song of the +nightingale, the long note which at night penetrates so far; the +nightingale, which loves the hawthorn and the neighbourhood of man. +Imperceptibly he increased the speed again; the horse, too, knew that he +was nearing home, and responded willingly. + +The track was much broader and fairly good, but he knew that at one spot +where it was marshy it must be cut up. There he went at the side, almost +brushing a projecting maple bush. Something struck the horse, he fancied +the rebound of a bough; he jumped, literally jumped, like a buck, and +tore along the road. With one foot out of the stirrup, it was with the +utmost difficulty he stuck to his seat; he was not riding, but holding +on for a moment or two. Presently recovering from the jolt, he +endeavoured to check him, but the bit was of no avail; the animal was +beside himself with terror, and raced headlong till they reached the +barrier. It was, of course, closed, and the warder was asleep; so that, +until he dismounted, and kicked and shouted, no one challenged him. + +Then the warder, spear in hand, appeared with his lantern, but +recognising the voice, ran to the gate. Within the gate a few yards +there were the embers of a fire, and round it a bivouac of footmen who +had been to the feast, and had returned thus far before nightfall. +Hearing the noise, some of them arose, and came round him, when one +immediately exclaimed and asked if he was wounded. Felix replied that he +was not, but looking at his foot where the man pointed, saw that it was +covered with blood. But, upon close examination, there was no cut or +incision; he was not hurt. The warder now called to them, and showed a +long deep scratch on the near flank of the horse, from which the blood +was dripping. + +It was such a scratch as might have been made with an iron nail, and, +without hesitation, they all put it down to a Bushman's spud. Without +doubt, the Bushman, hearing Felix approach, had hidden in the maple +bush, and, as he passed, struck with his nail-like dagger; but, +miscalculating the speed at which the horse was going, instead of +piercing the thigh of the rider, the blow fell on the horse, and the +sharp point was dragged along the side. The horse trembled as they +touched him. + +"Sir," said one of the retainers, their headman, "if you will pardon me, +you had best string your bow and send a shaft through his heart, for he +will die in misery before morning." + +The Bushman's spud, the one he uses for assassination or to despatch his +prey, is poisoned. It is a lingering poison, and takes several hours to +produce its effect; but no remedy is known, and many who have escaped +from the cowardly blow have crawled to the path only to expire in +torture. There was no denying that what the retainer proposed was the +only thing that could be done. The warder had meantime brought a bucket +of water, of which the poor creature drank eagerly. Felix could not do +it; he could not slay the creature which had carried him so long, and +which twice that night had saved him, and was now to die, as it were, in +his place. He could not consent to it; he led the horse towards home, +but he was weak or weary, and could not be got beyond the Pen. + +There the group assembled around him. Felix ordered the scratch to be +cleansed, while he ran over in his mind every possible remedy. He gave +strict orders that he should not be despatched, and then hastened to the +house. He undid with trembling hands the thongs that bound his chest, +and took out his manuscripts, hoping against hope that among the many +notes he had made there might be something. But there was nothing, or in +his excitement he overlooked it. Remembering that Oliver was a great +authority upon horses, he went into his room and tried to wake him. +Oliver, weary with his ride, and not as yet having slept off the effects +of the feast, could not be roused. + +Felix left him and hurried back to the Pen. Weary as he was, he watched +by the horse till the larks began to sing and the dawn was at hand. As +yet he had not shown any severe symptoms except twitching of the limbs, +and a constant thirst, which water could not quench. But suddenly he +fell, and the old retainer warned them all to stand away, for he would +bite anything that was near. His words were instantly fulfilled; he +rolled, and kicked, and bit at everything within reach. Seeing this +agony, Felix could no longer delay. He strung his bow, but he could not +fit the arrow to the string, he missed the notch, so much did his hands +shake. He motioned to the retainers who had gathered around, and one of +them thrust his spear into the horse behind his shoulder. + +When Felix at last returned to his chamber he could not but reflect, as +the sun rose and the beams entered, that every omen had been against +him; the adder under foot, the bandit's bolt, the Bushman's poisoned +point. He slept till noon, and, upon going out, unrefreshed and still +weary, he found that they had already buried the horse, and ordered a +mound to be raised above his grave. The day passed slowly; he wandered +about the castle and the enclosed grounds, seeking comfort and finding +none. His mind vacillated; he recalled all that Aurora had said, +persuading him not to do anything in haste or despair. Yet he could not +continue in his present condition. Another day went by, and still +undecided and doubting, he remained at home. + +Oliver began to jest at him; had he abandoned the expedition? Oliver +could not understand indecision; perhaps he did not see so many sides to +the question, his mind was always quickly made up. Action was his forte, +not thought. The night came, and still Felix lingered, hesitating. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +SAILING AWAY + + +But the next morning Felix arose straight from his sleep resolved to +carry out his plan. Without staying to think a moment, without further +examination of the various sides of the problem, he started up the +instant his eyes unclosed, fully determined upon his voyage. The breath +of the bright June morn as he threw open the window-shutter filled him +with hope; his heart responded to its joyous influence. The excitement +which had disturbed his mind had had time to subside. In the still +slumber of the night the strong undercurrent of his thought resumed its +course, and he awoke with his will still firmly bent in one direction. + +When he had dressed, he took his bow and the chest bound with the +leathern thongs, and went down. It was early, but the Baron had already +finished breakfast and gone out to his gardens; the Baroness had not yet +appeared. While he was making a hurried breakfast (for having now made +up his mind he was eager to put his resolve into execution), Oliver came +in, and seeing the chest and the bow, understood that the hour had +arrived. He immediately said he should accompany him to Heron Bay, and +assist him to start, and went out to order their horses. There were +always plenty of riding horses at Old House (as at every fortified +mansion), and there was not the least difficulty in getting another for +Felix in place of his old favourite. + +Oliver insisted upon taking the wooden chest, which was rather heavy, +before him on the saddle, so that Felix had nothing to carry but his +favourite bow. Oliver was surprised that Felix did not first go to the +gardens and say good-bye to the Baron, or at least knock at the +Baroness's door and bid her farewell. But he made no remark, knowing +Felix's proud and occasionally hard temper. Without a word Felix left +the old place. + +He rode forth from the North Barrier, and did not even so much as look +behind him. Neither he nor Oliver thought of the events that might +happen before they should again meet in the old familiar house! When the +circle is once broken up it is often years before it is reformed. Often, +indeed, the members of it never meet again, at least, not in the same +manner, which, perhaps, they detested then, and ever afterwards +regretted. Without one word of farewell, without a glance, Felix rode +out into the forest. + +There was not much conversation on the trail to Heron Bay. The serfs +were still there in charge of the canoe, and were glad enough to see +their approach, and thus to be relieved from their lonely watch. They +launched the canoe with ease, the provisions were put on board, the +chest lashed to the mast that it might not be lost, the favourite bow +was also fastened upright to the mast for safety, and simply shaking +hands with Oliver, Felix pushed out into the creek. He paddled the canoe +to the entrance and out into the Lake till he arrived where the +south-west breeze, coming over the forest, touched and rippled the +water, which by the shore was perfectly calm. + +Then, hoisting the sail, he put out the larger paddle which answered as +a rudder, took his seat, and, waving his hand to Oliver, began his +voyage. The wind was but light, and almost too favourable, for he had +determined to sail to the eastward; not for any specific reason, but +because there the sun rose, and that was the quarter of light and hope. +His canoe, with a long fore-and-aft sail, and so well adapted for +working into the wind, was not well rigged for drifting before a breeze, +which was what he was now doing. He had merely to keep the canoe before +the wind, steering so as to clear the bold headland of White Horse which +rose blue from the water's edge far in front of him. Though the wind was +light, the canoe being so taper and sharp at the prow, and the sail so +large in comparison, slipped from the shore faster than he at first +imagined. + +As he steered aslant from the little bay outwards into the great Lake, +the ripples rolling before the wind gradually enlarged into wavelets, +these again increased, and in half an hour, as the wind now played upon +them over a mile of surface, they seemed in his canoe, with its low +freeboard, to be considerable waves. He had purposely refrained from +looking back till now, lest they should think he regretted leaving, and +in his heart desired to return. But now, feeling that he had really +started, he glanced behind. He could see no one. + +He had forgotten that the spot where they had launched the canoe was at +the end of an inlet, and as he sailed away the creek was shut off from +view by the shore of the Lake. Unable to get to the mouth of the bay +because of the underwood and the swampy soil, Oliver had remained gazing +in the direction the canoe had taken for a minute or two, absorbed in +thought (almost the longest period he had ever wasted in such an +occupation), and then with a whistle turned to go. The serfs, +understanding that they were no longer required, gathered their things +together, and were shortly on their way home. Oliver, holding Felix's +horse by the bridle, had already ridden that way, but he presently +halted, and waited till the three men overtook him. He then gave the +horse into their charge, and turning to the right, along a forest path +which branched off there, went to Ponze. Felix could therefore see no +one when he looked back, and they were indeed already on their way from +the place. + +He now felt that he was alone. He had parted from the shore, and from +all the old associations; he was fast passing not only out upon the +water, but out into the unknown future. But his spirit no longer +vacillated; now that he was really in the beginning of his long +contemplated enterprise his natural strength of mind returned. The +weakness and irresolution, the hesitation, left him. He became full of +his adventure, and thought of nothing else. + +The south-west breeze, blowing as a man breathes, with alternate rise +and fall, now driving him along rapidly till the water bubbled under the +prow, now sinking, came over his right shoulder and cooled his cheek, +for it was now noon, and the June sun was unchecked by clouds. He could +no longer distinguish the shape of the trees on shore; all the boughs +were blended together in one great wood, stretching as far as he could +see. On his left there was a chain of islands, some covered with firs, +and others only with brushwood, while others again were so low and flat +that the waves in stormy weather broke almost over them. + +As he drew near White Horse, five white terns, or sea-swallows, flew +over; he did not welcome their appearance, as they usually preceded +rough gales. The headland, wooded to its ridge, now rose high against +the sky; ash and nut-tree and hawthorn had concealed the ancient graven +figure of the horse upon its side, but the tradition was not forgotten, +and the site retained its name. He had been steering so as just to clear +the promontory, but he now remembered that when he had visited the +summit of the hill, he had observed that banks and shoals extended far +out from the shore, and were nearly on a level with the surface of the +Lake. In a calm they were visible, but waves concealed them, and unless +the helmsman recognised the swirl sufficiently early to change his +course, they were extremely dangerous. + +Felix bore more out from the land, and passing fully a mile to the +north, left the shoals on his right. On his other hand there was a sandy +and barren island barely a quarter of a mile distant, upon which he +thought he saw the timbers of a wreck. It was quite probable, for the +island lay in the track of vessels coasting along the shore. Beyond +White Horse, the land fell away in a series of indentations, curving +inwards to the south; an inhospitable coast, for the hills came down to +the strand, ending abruptly in low, but steep, chalk cliffs. Many +islands of large size stood out on the left, but Felix, not knowing the +shape of the Lake beyond White Horse, thought it best to follow the +trend of the land. He thus found, after about three hours, that he had +gone far out of his course, for the gulf-like curve of the coast now +began to return to the northward, and looking in that direction he saw a +merchant vessel under her one square sail of great size, standing across +the bay. + +She was about five miles distant, and was evidently steering so as to +keep just inside the line of the islands. Felix, with some difficulty, +steered in a direction to interrupt her. The south-west wind being then +immediately aft, his sail did not answer well; presently he lowered it, +and paddled till he had turned the course so that the outrigger was now +on the eastern side. Then hoisting the sail again, he sat at what had +before been the prow, and steered a point or so nearer the wind. This +improved her sailing, but as the merchant ship had at least five miles +start, it would take some hours to overtake her. Nor on reflection was +he at all anxious to come up with her, for mariners were dreaded for +their lawless conduct, being, when on a voyage, beyond all jurisdiction. + +On the one hand, if they saw an opportunity, they did not hesitate to +land and pillage a house, or even a hamlet. On the other, those who +dwelt anywhere near the shore considered it good sport to light a fire +and lure a vessel to her destruction, or if she was becalmed to sally +out in boats, attack, and perhaps destroy both ship and crew. Hence the +many wrecks, and losses, and the risks of navigation, not so much from +natural obstacles, since the innumerable islands, and the creeks and +inlets of the mainland almost always offered shelter, no matter which +way the storm blew, but from the animosity of the coast people. If there +was an important harbour and a town where provisions could be obtained, +or repairs effected, the right of entrance was jealously guarded, and no +ship, however pressed by the gale, was permitted to leave, if she had +anchored, without payment of a fine. So that vessels as much as possible +avoided the harbours and towns, and the mainland altogether, sailing +along beside the islands, which were, for the most part, uninhabited, +and anchoring under their lee at night. + +Felix, remembering the character of the mariners, resolved to keep well +away from them, but to watch their course as a guide to himself. The +mainland now ran abruptly to the north, and the canoe, as he brought her +more into the wind, sprang forward at a rapid pace. The outrigger +prevented her from making any leeway, or heeling over, and the large +spread of sail forced her swiftly through the water. He had lost sight +of the ship behind some islands, and as he approached these, began to +ask himself if he had not better haul down his sail there, as he must +now be getting near her, when to his surprise, on coming close, he saw +her great square sail in the middle, as it seemed, of the land. The +shore there was flat, the hills which had hitherto bounded it suddenly +ceasing; it was overgrown with reeds and flags, and about two miles away +the dark sail of the merchantman drifted over these, the hull being +hidden. He at once knew that he had reached the western mouth of the +straits which divide the southern and northern mainland. When he went to +see the channel on foot through the forest, he must have struck it a +mile or two more to the east, where it wound under the hills. + +In another half hour he arrived at the opening of the strait; it was +about a mile wide, and either shore was quite flat, that on the right +for a short distance, the range of downs approaching within two miles; +that on the left, or north, was level as far as he could see. He had now +again to lower his sail, to get the outrigger on his lee as he turned to +the right and steered due east into the channel. So long as the shore +was level, he had no difficulty, for the wind drew over it, but when the +hills gradually came near and almost overhung the channel, they shut off +much of the breeze, and his progress was slow. When it turned and ran +narrowing every moment to the south, the wind failed him altogether. + +On the right shore, wooded hills rose from the water like a wall; on the +left, it was a perfect plain. He could see nothing of the merchantman, +although he knew that she could not sail here, but must be working +through with her sweeps. Her heavy hull and bluff bow must make the +rowing a slow and laborious process; therefore she could not be far +ahead, but was concealed by the winding of the strait. He lowered the +sail, as it was now useless, and began to paddle; in a very short time +he found the heat under the hills oppressive when thus working. He had +now been afloat between six and seven hours, and must have come fully +thirty miles, perhaps rather more than twenty in a straight line, and he +felt somewhat weary and cramped from sitting so long in the canoe. + +Though he paddled hard he did not seem to make much progress, and at +length he recognised that there was a distinct current, which opposed +his advance, flowing through the channel from east to west. If he ceased +paddling, he found he drifted slowly back; the long aquatic weeds, too, +which he passed, all extended their floating streamers westward. We did +not know of this current till Felix Aquila observed and recorded it. + +Tired and hungry (for, full of his voyage, he had taken no refreshments +since he started), he resolved to land, rest a little while, and then +ascend the hill, and see what he could of the channel. He soon reached +the shore, the strait having narrowed to less than a mile in width, and +ran the canoe on the ground by a bush, to which, on getting out, he +attached the painter. The relief of stretching his limbs was so great +that it seemed to endow him with fresh strength, and without waiting to +eat, he at once climbed the hill. From the top, the remainder of the +strait could be easily distinguished. But a short distance from where he +stood, it bent again, and proceeded due east. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE STRAITS + + +The passage contracted there to little over half a mile, but these +narrows did not continue far; the shores, having approached thus near +each other, quickly receded, till presently they were at least two miles +apart. The merchant vessel had passed the narrows with the aid of her +sweeps, but she moved slowly, and, as it seemed to him, with difficulty. +She was about a mile and a half distant, and near the eastern mouth of +the strait. As Felix watched he saw her square sail again raised, +showing that she had reached a spot where the hills ceased to shut off +the wind. Entering the open Lake she altered her course and sailed away +to the north-north-east, following the course of the northern mainland. + +Looking now eastwards, across the Lake, he saw a vast and beautiful +expanse of water, without island or break of any kind, reaching to the +horizon. Northwards and southwards the land fell rapidly away, skirted +as usual with islets and shoals, between which and the shore vessels +usually voyaged. He had heard of this open water, and it was his +intention to sail out into and explore it, but as the sun now began to +decline towards the west, he considered that he had better wait till +morning, and so have a whole day before him. Meantime, he would paddle +through the channel, beach the canoe on the islet that stood farthest +out, and so start clear on the morrow. + +Turning now to look back the other way, westward, he was surprised to +see a second channel, which came almost to the foot of the hill on which +he stood, but there ended and did not connect with the first. The +entrance to it was concealed, as he now saw, by an island, past which he +must have sailed that afternoon. This second or blind channel seemed +more familiar to him than the flat and reedy shore at the mouth of the +true strait, and he now recognised it as the one to which he had +journeyed on foot through the forest. He had not then struck the true +strait at all; he had sat down and pondered beside this deceptive inlet +thinking that it divided the mainlands. From this discovery he saw how +easy it was to be misled in such matters. + +But it even more fully convinced him of the importance of this +uninhabited and neglected place. It seemed like a canal cut on purpose +to supply a fort from the Lake in the rear with provisions and material, +supposing access in front prevented by hostile fleets and armies. A +castle, if built near where he stood, would command the channel; arrows, +indeed, could not be shot across, but vessels under the protection of +the castle could dispute the passage, obstructed as it could be with +floating booms. An invader coming from the north must cross here; for +many years past there had been a general feeling that some day such an +attempt would be made. Fortifications would be of incalculable value in +repelling the hostile hordes and preventing their landing. + +Who held this strait would possess the key of the Lake, and would be +master of, or would at least hold the balance between, the kings and +republics dotted along the coasts on either hand. No vessel could pass +without his permission. It was the most patent illustration of the +extremely local horizon, the contracted mental view of the petty kings +and their statesmen, who were so concerned about the frontiers of their +provinces, and frequently interfered and fought for a single palisaded +estate or barony, yet were quite oblivious of the opportunity of empire +open here to any who could seize it. + +If the governor of such a castle as he imagined built upon the strait, +had also vessels of war, they could lie in this second channel sheltered +from all winds, and ready to sally forth and take an attacking force +upon the flank. While he pondered upon these advantages he could not +conceal from himself that he had once sat down and dreamed beside this +second inlet, thinking it to be the channel. The doubt arose whether, if +he was so easily misled in such a large, tangible, and purely physical +matter, he might not be deceived also in his ideas; whether, if tested, +they might not fail; whether the world was not right and he wrong. + +The very clearness and many-sided character of his mind often hindered +and even checked altogether the best founded of his impressions, the +more especially when he, as it were, stood still and thought. In +reverie, the subtlety of his mind entangled him; in action, he was +almost always right. Action prompted his decision. Descending from the +hill he now took some refreshment, and then pushed out again in the +canoe. So powerful was the current in the narrowest part of the strait +that it occupied him two hours in paddling as many miles. + +When he was free of the channel, he hoisted sail and directed his course +straight out for an island which stood almost opposite the entrance. But +as he approached, driven along at a good pace, suddenly the canoe seemed +to be seized from beneath. He knew in a moment that he had grounded on +soft mud, and sprang up to lower the sail, but before he could do so the +canoe came to a standstill on the mud-bank, and the waves following +behind, directly she stopped, broke over the stern. Fortunately they +were but small, having only a mile or so to roll from the shore, but +they flung enough water on board in a few minutes to spoil part of his +provisions, and to set everything afloat that was loose on the bottom of +the vessel. + +He was apprehensive lest she should fill, for he now perceived that he +had forgotten to provide anything with which to bale her out. Something +is always forgotten. Having got the sail down (lest the wind should snap +the mast), he tried hard to force the canoe back with his longer paddle, +used as a movable rudder. His weight and the resistance of the adhesive +mud, on which she had driven with much force was too great; he could not +shove her off. When he pushed, the paddle sank into the soft bottom, and +gave him nothing to press against. After struggling for some time, he +paused, beginning to fear that his voyage had already reached an end. + +A minute's thought, more potent than the strength of ten men, showed him +that the canoe required lightening. There was no cargo to throw +overboard, nor ballast. He was the only weight. He immediately +undressed, and let himself overboard at the prow, retaining hold of the +stem. His feet sank deep into the ooze; he felt as if, had he let go, he +should have gradually gone down into this quicksand of fine mud. By +rapidly moving his feet he managed, however, to push the canoe; she rose +considerably so soon as he was out of her, and, although he had hold of +the prow, still his body was lighter in the water. Pushing, struggling, +and pressing forward, he, by sheer impact, as it were, for his feet +found no hold in the mud, forced her back by slow degrees. + +The blows of the waves drove her forward almost as much as he pushed her +back. Still, in time, and when his strength was fast decreasing, she did +move, and he had the satisfaction of feeling the water deeper beneath +him. But when he endeavoured to pull himself into the canoe over the +prow, directly his motive power ceased, the waves undid the advance he +had achieved, and he had to resume his labour. This time, thinking +again, before he attempted to get into the canoe he turned her sideways +to the wind, with the outrigger to leeward. When her sharp prow and +rounded keel struck the mud-bank end on she ran easily along it. But, +turned sideways, her length found more resistance, and though the waves +sent her some way upon it, she soon came to a standstill. He clambered +in as quickly as he could (it is not easy to get into a boat out of the +water, the body feels so heavy), and, taking the paddle, without waiting +to dress, worked away from the spot. + +Not till he had got some quarter of a mile back towards the mainland did +he pause to dry himself and resume part of his clothing; the canoe being +still partly full of water, it was no use to put on all. Resting awhile +after his severe exertions, he looked back, and now supposed, from the +colour of the water and the general indications, that these shallows +extended a long distance, surrounding the islands at the mouth of the +channel, so that no vessel could enter or pass out in a direct line, but +must steer to the north or south until the obstacle was rounded. Afraid +to attempt to land on another island, his only course, as the sun was +now going down, was to return to the mainland, which he reached without +much trouble, as the current favoured him. + +He drew the canoe upon the ground as far as he could. It was not a good +place to land, as the bottom was chalk, washed into holes by the waves, +and studded with angular flints. As the wind was off the shore it did +not matter; if it had blown from the east, his canoe might very likely +have been much damaged. The shore was overgrown with hazel to within +twenty yards of the water, then the ground rose and was clothed with low +ash-trees, whose boughs seemed much stunted by tempest, showing how +exposed the spot was to the easterly gales of spring. The south-west +wind was shut off by the hills beyond. Felix was so weary that for some +time he did nothing save rest upon the ground, which was but scantily +covered with grass. An hour's rest, however, restored him to himself. + +He gathered some dry sticks (there were plenty under the ashes), struck +his flint against the steel, ignited the tinder, and soon had a fire. It +was not necessary for warmth, the June evening was soft and warm, but it +was the hunter's instinct. Upon camping for the night the hunter, unless +Bushmen are suspected to be in the neighbourhood, invariably lights a +fire, first to cook his supper, and secondly, and often principally, to +make the spot his home. The hearth is home, whether there be walls round +it or not. Directly there are glowing embers the place is no longer +wild, it becomes human. Felix had nothing that needed cooking. He took +his cowhide from the canoe and spread it on the ground. + +A well-seasoned cowhide is the first possession of every hunter; it +keeps him from the damp; and with a second, supported on three short +poles stuck in the earth (two crossed at the top in front, forming a +fork, and fastened with a thong, the third resting on these), he +protects himself from the heaviest rain. This little tent is always +built with the back to windward. Felix did not erect a second hide, the +evening was so warm and beautiful he did not need it, his cloak would be +ample for covering. The fire crackled and blazed at intervals, just far +enough from him that he might feel no inconvenience from its heat. + +Thrushes sang in the ash wood all around him, the cuckoo called, and the +chiff-chaff never ceased for a moment. Before him stretched the expanse +of waters; he could even here see over the low islands. In the sky a +streak of cloud was tinted by the sunset, slowly becoming paler as the +light departed. He reclined in that idle, thoughtless state which +succeeds unusual effort, till the deepening shadow and the sinking fire, +and the appearance of a star, warned him that the night was really here. +Then he arose, threw on more fuel, and fetched his cloak, his chest, and +his boar spear from the canoe. The chest he covered with a corner of the +hide, wrapped himself in the cloak, bringing it well over his face on +account of the dew; then, drawing the lower corners of the hide over his +feet and limbs, he stretched himself at full length and fell asleep, +with the spear beside him. + +There was the possibility of Bushmen, but not much probability. There +would be far more danger near the forest path, where they might expect a +traveller and watch to waylay him, but they could not tell beforehand +where he would rest that night. If any had seen the movements of his +canoe, if any lighted upon his bivouac by chance, his fate was certain. +He knew this, but trusted to the extreme improbability of Bushmen +frequenting a place where there was nothing to plunder. Besides, he had +no choice, as he could not reach the islands. If there was risk, it was +forgotten in the extremity of his weariness. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +SAILING ONWARDS + + +When Felix awoke, he knew at once by the height of the sun that the +morning was far advanced. Throwing off his cloak, he stood up, but +immediately crouched down again, for a vessel was passing but a short +distance from the shore, and nearly opposite his encampment. She had two +masts, and from the flags flying, the numerous bannerets, and the +movements of so many men on board, he knew her to be a ship of war. He +was anxious that he should not be seen, and regretted that his canoe was +so much exposed, for the bush by which he had landed hid it only from +one side. As the shore was so bare and open, if they looked that way the +men on board would hardly fail to see it, and might even distinguish +him. But whether they were too much engaged with their own affairs, or +kept a careless look-out, no notice appeared to be taken, no boat was +lowered. + +He watched the war-ship for nearly an hour before he ventured to move. +Her course was to the eastward, inside the fringe of islands. That she +was neither Irish nor Welsh he was certain from her build and from her +flags; they were too distant for the exact designs upon them to be seen, +but near enough for him to know that they were not those displayed by +the foreigners. She sailed fast, having the wind nearly aft, which +suited her two square sails. + +The wind had risen high during the night, and now blew almost a gale, so +that he saw he must abandon for the present his project of sailing out +upon the open water. The waves there would be too high for his canoe, +which floated low in the water, and had but about six inches freeboard. +They would wash over and possibly swamp her. Only two courses were open +to him: either to sail inside the islands under shelter of the land, or +to remain where he was till the breeze moderated. If he sailed inside +the islands, following the northward course of the merchant vessel he +had observed the previous evening, that would carry him past Eaststock, +the eastern port of Sypolis, which city, itself inland, had two +harbours, with the western of which (Weststock) it had communication by +water. + +Should he continue to sail on, he would soon reach that part of the +northern continent which was occupied by the Irish outposts. On the +other hand, to follow the war-ship, east by south, would, he knew, bring +him by the great city of Aisi, famous for its commerce, its riches, and +the warlike disposition of its king, Isembard. He was the acknowledged +head of the forces of the League; but yet, with the inconsistency of the +age, sometimes attacked other members of it. His furious energy was +always disturbing the world, and Felix had no doubt he was now at war +with some one or other, and that the war-ship he had seen was on its way +to assist him or his enemies. One of the possibilities which had +impelled him to this voyage was that of taking service with some king or +commander, and so perhaps gradually rising himself to command. + +Such adventures were very common, knights often setting forth upon such +expeditions when dissatisfied with their own rulers, and they were +usually much welcomed as an addition to the strength of the camp they +sought. But there was this difference: that such knights carried with +them some substantial recommendation, either numerous retainers well +armed and accustomed to battle, considerable treasure, or at least a +reputation for prowess in the field. Felix had nothing to offer, and for +nothing nothing is given. + +The world does not recognise intrinsic worth, or potential genius. +Genius must accomplish some solid result before it is applauded and +received. The unknown architect may say: "I have a design in my mind for +an impregnable castle." But the world cannot see or appreciate the mere +design. If by any personal sacrifice of time, dignity, or self-respect +the architect, after long years, can persuade someone to permit him to +build the castle, to put his design into solid stone which squadrons may +knock their heads against in vain, then he is acknowledged. There is +then a tangible result. + +Felix was in the position of the architect. He believed he had ideas, +but he had nothing substantial, no result, to point to. He had therefore +but little hope of success, and his natural hauteur and pride revolted +against making application for enrolment which must be accompanied with +much personal humiliation, since at best he could but begin in the +common ranks. The very idea of asking was repugnant to him. The thought +of Aurora, however, drew him on. + +The pride was false, he said to himself, and arose from too high an +estimate of his abilities; or it was the consequence of living so long +entirely secluded from the world. He acknowledged to himself that he had +not been beaten down to his level. Full of devotion to Aurora, he +resolved to humble himself, to seek the humblest service in King +Isembard's camp, to bow his spirit to the orders of men above him in +rank but below him in birth and ability, to submit to the numberless +indignities of a common soldier's life. + +He proceeded to launch the canoe, and had already placed the chest on +board when it occurred to him that the difficulties he had encountered +the previous evening, when his canoe was so nearly lost, arose from his +ignorance of the channels. It would be advisable to ascend the hill, and +carefully survey the coast as far as possible before setting forth. He +did so. The war-ship was still visible from the summit, but while he +looked she was hidden by the intervening islands. The white foam and +angry appearance of the distant open water direct to the eastward, +showed how wise he had been not to attempt its exploration. Under the +land the wind was steady; yonder, where the gale struck the surface with +all its force, the waves were large and powerful. + +From this spot he could see nearly the whole length of the strait, and, +gazing up it in the direction he had come, he saw some boats crossing in +the distance. As they moved so slowly, and appeared so broad, he +conjectured that they were flat-bottomed punts, and, straining his eyes, +he fancied he detected horses on board. He watched four cross, and +presently the first punt returned, as if for another freight. He now +noticed that there was a land route by which travellers or waggons came +down from the northward, and crossed the strait by a ferry. It appeared +that the ferry was not in the narrowest part of the strait, but nearer +its western mouth, where the shores were flat, and covered with reeds +and flags. He wondered that he had not seen anything of the +landing-places, or of the ferry-boats, or some sign of this traffic when +he passed, but concluded that the track was hidden among the dense +growth of reed and flag, and that the punts, not being in use that day, +had been drawn up, and perhaps covered with green boughs to shelter them +from the heat of the summer sun. + +The fact of this route existing, however, gave additional importance to +the establishment of a fort on the shore of the strait, as he had so +long contemplated. By now, the first punt had obtained another load, and +was re-crossing the channel. It was evident that a caravan of travellers +or merchants had arrived, such persons usually travelling in large +bodies for safety, so that the routes were often deserted for weeks +together, and then suddenly covered with people. Routes, indeed, they +were, and not roads; mere tracks worn through the forest and over the +hills, often impassable from floods. + +Still further satisfied that his original idea of a castle here was +founded on a correct estimate of the value of the spot, Felix resolved +to keep the conception to himself, and not again to hazard it to others, +who might despise him, but adopt his design. With one long last glance +at the narrow streak of water which formed the central part, as it were, +of his many plans, he descended the hill, and pushed off in the canoe. + +His course this time gave him much less trouble than the day before, +when he had frequently to change his tack. The steady, strong breeze +came off the land, to which he was too close for any waves to arise, and +hour after hour passed without any necessity to shift the sail, further +than to ease or tighten the sheets as the course of the land varied. By +degrees the wind came more and more across his course, at right angles +to it, and then began to fall aft as he described an arc, and the land +projected northwards. + +He saw several small villages on the shore, and passed one narrow bay, +which seemed, indeed, to penetrate into the land deeper than he could +actually see. Suddenly, after four or five hours, sailing, he saw the +tower of a church over the wooded hills. This he knew must indicate the +position of Aisi. The question now came, whether he should sail into the +harbour, when he would, of course, at once be seen, and have to undergo +the examination of the officers; or should he land, and go on foot to +the city? A minute's reflection assured him the latter was the better +plan, for his canoe was of so unusual a construction, that it would be +more than carefully examined, and not unlikely his little treasures +would be discovered and appropriated. Without hesitation, therefore, and +congratulating himself that there were no vessels in sight, he ran the +canoe on shore among the flags and reeds which bordered it. + +He drew her up as far as his strength permitted, and not only took down +the sail, but unshipped the mast; then cutting a quantity of dead reeds, +he scattered them over her, so that, unless a boat passed very close to +the land, she would not be seen. While he had a meal he considered how +he had better proceed. The only arms with which he excelled were the bow +and arrow; clearly, therefore, if he wished an engagement, he should +take these with him, and exhibit his skill. But well he knew the utter +absence of law and justice except for the powerful. His bow, which he so +greatly valued, and which was so well seasoned, and could be relied +upon, might be taken from him. + +His arrows, so carefully prepared from chosen wood, and pointed with +steel, might be seized. Both bow and arrows were far superior to those +used by the hunters and soldiery, and he dreaded losing them. There was +his crossbow, but it was weak, and intended for killing only small game, +as birds, and at short range. He could make no display with that. Sword +he had none for defence; there remained only his boar spear, and with +this he resolved to be content, trusting to obtain the loan of a bow +when the time came to display his skill, and that fortune would enable +him to triumph with an inferior weapon. + +After resting awhile and stretching his limbs, cramped in the canoe, he +set out (carrying his boar-spear only) along the shore, for the thick +growth of the firs would not let him penetrate in the direction he had +seen the tower. He had to force his way through the reeds and flags and +brushwood, which flourished between the firs and the water's edge. It +was hard work walking, or rather pushing through these obstacles, and he +rejoiced when he emerged upon the slope of a down where there was an +open sward, and but a few scattered groups of firs. The fact of it being +open, and the shortness of the sward, showed at once that it was used +for grazing purposes for cattle and sheep. Here he could walk freely, +and soon reached the top. Thence the city was visible almost underneath +him. + +It stood at the base of a low narrow promontory, which ran a long way +into the Lake. The narrow bank, near where it joined the mainland, was +penetrated by a channel or creek, about a hundred yards wide, or less, +which channel appeared to enter the land and was lost from sight of +among the trees. Beyond this channel a river ran into the lake, and in +the Y, between the creek and the river, the city had been built. + +It was surrounded with a brick wall, and there were two large round +brick towers on the land side, which indicated the position of the +castle and palace. The space enclosed by the walls was not more than +half a mile square, and the houses did not occupy nearly all of it. +There were open places, gardens, and even small paddocks among them. +None of the houses were more than two storeys high, but what at once +struck a stranger was the fact that they were all roofed with red tiles, +most of the houses of that day being thatched or covered with shingles +of wood. As Felix afterwards learnt, this had been effected during the +reign of the present king, whose object was to protect his city from +being set on fire by burning arrows. The encircling wall had become a +dull red hue from the long exposure to the weather, but the roofs were a +brighter red. There was no ensign flying on either of the towers, from +which he concluded that the king at that moment was absent. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +THE CITY + + +Slowly descending towards the city, Felix looked in vain for any means +of crossing the channel or creek, which extended upon the side of it, +and in which he counted twenty-two merchant vessels at anchor, or moored +to the bank, besides a number of smaller craft and boats. The ship of +war, which had arrived before him, was beached close up by a gate of the +city, which opened on the creek or port, and her crew were busily +engaged discharging her stores. As he walked beside the creek trying to +call the attention of some boatman to take him across, he was impressed +by the silence, for though the city wall was not much more than a +stone's throw distant, there was none of the usual hum which arises from +the movements of people. On looking closer he noticed, too, that there +were few persons on the merchant vessels, and not one gang at work +loading or unloading. Except the warder stalking to and fro on the wall, +and the crew of the war-ship, there was no one visible. As the warder +paced to and fro the blade of his partisan gleamed in the sunshine. He +must have seen Felix, but with military indifference did not pay the +slightest heed to the latter's efforts to attract his attention. + +He now passed the war-ship, and shouted to the men at work, who were, he +could see, carrying sheaves of arrows and bundles of javelins from the +vessel and placing them on carts; but they did not trouble to reply. His +common dress and ordinary appearance did not inspire them with any hope +of payment from him if they obliged him with a boat. The utter +indifference with which his approach was seen showed him the contempt in +which he was held. + +Looking round to see if there were no bridge or ferry, he caught sight +of the grey church tower which he had observed from afar while sailing. +It was quite a mile from the city, and isolated outside the walls. It +stood on the slope of the hill, over whose summit the tower was visible. +He wandered up towards it, as there were usually people in or about the +churches, which were always open day and night. If no one else, the +porter in the lodge at the church door would be there, for he or his +representative never left it, being always on the watch lest some thief +should attempt to enter the treasury, or steal the sacred vessels. + +But as he ascended the hill he met a shepherd, whose dogs prepared to +fly at him, recognising a stranger. For a moment the man seemed inclined +to let them wreak their will, if they could, for he also felt inclined +to challenge a stranger, but, seeing Felix lower his spear, it probably +occurred to him that some of his dogs would be killed. He therefore +ordered them down, and stayed to listen. Felix learnt that there was no +bridge across the creek, and only one over the river; but there was a +ferry for anybody who was known. No strangers were allowed to cross the +ferry; they must enter by the main road over the bridge. + +"But how am I to get into the place then?" said Felix. The shepherd +shook his head, and said he could not tell him, and walked away about +his business. + +Discouraged at these trifling vexations, which seemed to cross his path +at every step, Felix found his way to the ferry, but, as the shepherd +had said, the boatman refused to carry him, being a stranger. No +persuasion could move him; nor the offer of a small silver coin, worth +about ten times his fare. + +"I must then swim across," said Felix, preparing to take off his +clothes. + +"Swim, if you like," said the boatman, with a grim smile; "but you will +never land." + +"Why not?" + +"Because the warder will let drive at you with an arrow." + +Felix looked, and saw that he was opposite the extreme angle of the city +wall, a point usually guarded with care. There was a warder stalking to +and fro; he carried a partisan, but, of course, might have his bow +within reach, or could probably call to the soldiers of the guard. + +"This _is_ annoying," said Felix, ready to give up his enterprise. "How +ever can I get into the city?" + +The old boatman grinned, but said nothing, and returned to a net which +he was mending. He made no answer to the further questions Felix put to +him. Felix then shouted to the warder; the soldier looked once, but paid +no more heed. Felix walked a little way and sat down on the grass. He +was deeply discouraged. These repulses, trifles in themselves, assumed +an importance, because his mind had long been strung up to a high pitch +of tension. A stolid man would have thought nothing of them. After a +while he arose, again asking himself how should he become a leader, who +had not the perseverance to enter a city in peaceful guise? + +Not knowing what else to do, he followed the creek round the foot of the +hill, and so onwards for a mile or more. This bank was steep, on account +of the down; the other cultivated, the corn being already high. The +cuckoo sang (she loves the near neighbourhood of man) and flew over the +channel towards a little copse. Almost suddenly the creek wound round +under a low chalk cliff, and in a moment Felix found himself confronted +by another city. This had no wall; it was merely defended by a ditch and +earthwork, without tower or bastion. + +The houses were placed thickly together; there were, he thought, six or +seven times as many as he had previously seen, and they were thatched or +shingled, like those in his own country. It stood in the midst of the +fields, and the corn came up to the fosse; there were many people at +work, but, as he noticed, most of them were old men, bowed and feeble. A +little way farther he saw a second boathouse; he hastened thither, and +the ferrywoman, for the boat was poled across by a stout dame, made not +the least difficulty about ferrying him over. So delighted was Felix at +this unexpected fortune, that he gave her the small silver coin, at +sight of which he instantly rose high in her estimation. + +She explained to him, in answer to his inquiries, that this was also +called Aisi; this was the city of the common folk. Those who were rich +or powerful had houses in the walled city, the precinct of the Court. +Many of the houses there, too, were the inns of great families who dwelt +in the country in their castles, but when they came to the Court +required a house. Their shields, or coats of arms, were painted over the +doors. The walled city was guarded with such care, because so many +attempts had been made to surprise it, and to assassinate the king, +whose fiery disposition and constant wars had raised him up so many +enemies. As much care was taken to prevent a single stranger entering as +if he were the vanguard of a hostile army, and if he now went back (as +he could do) to the bridge over the river, he would be stopped and +questioned, and possibly confined in prison till the king returned. + +"Where is the king?" asked Felix; "I came to try and take service with +him." + +"Then you will be welcome," said the woman. "He is in the field, and has +just sat down before Iwis." + +"That was why the walled city seemed so empty, then." said Felix. + +"Yes; all the people are with him; there will be a great battle this +time." + +"How far is it to Iwis?" said Felix. + +"Twenty-seven miles," replied the dame; "and if you take my advice, you +had better walk twenty-seven miles there, than two miles back to the +bridge over the river." + +Someone now called from the opposite bank, and she started with the boat +to fetch another passenger. + +"Thank you, very much," said Felix, as he wished her good day; "but why +did not the man at the other ferry tell me I could cross here?" + +The woman laughed outright. "Do you suppose he was going to put a penny +in my way when he could not get it himself?" + +So mean and petty is the world! Felix entered the second city and walked +some distance through it, when he recollected that he had not eaten for +some time. He looked in vain for an inn, but upon speaking to a man who +was leaning on his crutch at a doorway, he was at once asked to enter, +and all that the house afforded was put before him. The man with the +crutch sat down opposite, and remarked that most of the folk were gone +to the camp, but he could not because his foot had been injured. He then +went on to tell how it had happened, with the usual garrulity of the +wounded. He was assisting to place the beam of a battering-ram upon a +truck (it took ten horses to draw it) when a lever snapped, and the beam +fell. Had the beam itself touched him he would have been killed on the +spot; as it was, only a part of the broken lever or pole hit him. Thrown +with such force, the weight of the ram driving it, the fragment of the +pole grazed his leg, and either broke one of the small bones that form +the arch of the instep, or so bruised it that it was worse than broken. +All the bone-setters and surgeons had gone to the camp, and he was left +without attendance other than the women, who fomented the foot daily, +but he had little hope of present recovery, knowing that such things +were often months about. + +He thought it lucky that it was no worse, for very few, he had noticed, +ever recovered from serious wounds of spear or arrow. The wounded +generally died; only the fortunate escaped. Thus he ran on, talking as +much for his own amusement as that of his guest. He fretted because he +could not join the camp and help work the artillery; he supposed the ram +would be in position by now and shaking the wall with its blow. He +wondered if Baron Ingulph would miss his face. + +"Who's he?" asked Felix. + +"He is captain of the artillery," replied his host. + +"Are you his retainer?" + +"No; I am a servant." + +Felix started slightly, and did but just check himself from rising from +the table. A "servant" was a slave; it was the euphemism used instead of +the hateful word, which not even the most degraded can endure to bear. +The class of the nobles to which he belonged deemed it a disgrace to sit +down with a slave, to eat with him, even to accidently touch him. With +the retainers, or free men, they were on familiar terms, though despotic +to the last degree; the slave was less than the dog. Then, stealing a +glance at the man's face, Felix saw that he had no moustache; he had not +noticed this before. No slaves were allowed to wear the moustache. + +This man having been at home ill some days had neglected to shave, and +there was some mark upon his upper lip. As he caught his guest's glance, +the slave hung his head, and asked his guest in a low and humble voice +not to mention this fault. With his face slightly flushed, Felix +finished his meal; he was confused to the last degree. His long training +and the tone of the society in which he had moved (though so despised a +member of it) prejudiced him strongly against the man whose hospitality +was so welcome. On the other hand, the ideas which had for so long +worked in his mind in his solitary intercommunings in the forest were +entirely opposed to servitude. In abstract principle he had long since +condemned it, and desired to abolish it. But here was the fact. + +He had eaten at a slave's table, and sat with him face to face. Theory +and practice are often strangely at variance. He felt it an important +moment; he felt that he was himself, as it were, on the balance; should +he adhere to the ancient prejudice, the ancient exclusiveness of his +class, or should he boldly follow the dictate of his mind? He chose the +latter, and extended his hand to the servant as he rose to say good-bye. +The act was significant; it recognised man as distinct from caste. The +servant did not know the conflict that had taken place; but to be shaken +hands with at all, even by a retainer as he supposed Felix to be, was +indeed a surprise. He could not understand it; it was the first time his +hand had been taken by any one of superior position since he had been +born. He was dumb with amazement, and could scarcely point out the road +when asked; nor did he take the small coin Felix offered, one of the few +he possessed. Felix therefore left it on the table and again started. + +Passing through the town, Felix followed the track which led in the +direction indicated. In about half a mile it led him to a wider track, +which he immediately recognised as the main way and road to the camp by +the ruts and dust, for the sward had been trampled down for fifty yards +wide, and even the corn was cut up by wheels and horses' hoofs. The army +had passed, and he had but to follow its unmistakable trail. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE CAMP + + +Felix walked steadily on for nearly three hours, when the rough track, +the dust, and heat began to tell upon him, and he sat down beside the +way. The sun was now declining, and the long June day tending to its +end. A horseman passed, coming from the camp, and as he wore only a +sword, and had a leathern bag slung from his shoulder, he appeared to be +a courtier. The dust raised by the hoofs, as it rose and floated above +the brushwood, rendered his course visible. Some time afterwards, while +he still rested, being very weary with walking through the heat of the +afternoon, he heard the sound of wheels, and two carts drawn by horses +came along the track from the city. + +The carts were laden with bundles of arrows, perhaps the same he had +seen unloading that morning from the war-ship, and were accompanied only +by carters. As they approached he rose, feeling that it was time to +continue his journey. His tired feet were now stiff, and he limped as he +stepped out into the road. The men spoke, and he walked as well as he +could beside them, using his boar-spear as a staff. There were two +carters with each cart; and presently, noting how he lagged, and could +scarce keep pace with them, one of them took a wooden bottle from the +load on his cart, and offered him a draught of ale. + +Thus somewhat refreshed, Felix began to talk, and learnt that the arrows +were from the vessel in whose track he had sailed; that it had been sent +loaded with stores for the king's use, by his friend the Prince of +Quinton; that very great efforts had been made to get together a large +army in this campaign; first, because the city besieged was so near +home, and failure might be disastrous, and, secondly, because it was one +of three which were all republics, and the other two would be certain to +send it assistance. These cities stood in a plain, but a few miles +apart, and in a straight line on the banks of the river. The king had +just sat down before the first, vowing that he would knock them down, +one after the other, like a row of ninepins. + +The carters asked him, in return, whose retainer he was, and he said +that he was on his way to take service, and was under no banner yet. + +"Then," said the man who had given him a drink, "if you are free like +that, you had better join the king's levy, and be careful to avoid the +barons' war. For if you join either of the barons' war, they will know +you to be a stranger, and very likely, if they see that you are quick +and active, they will not let you free again, and if you attempt to +escape after the campaign, you will find yourself mightily mistaken. The +baron's captain would only have to say you had always been his man; and, +as for your word, it would be no more than a dog's bark. Besides which, +if you rebelled, it would be only to shave off that moustache of yours, +and declare you a slave, and as you have no friends in camp, a slave you +would be." + +"That would be very unjust," said Felix. "Surely the king would not +allow it?" + +"How is he to know?" said another of the carters. "My brother's boy was +served just like that. He was born free, the same as all our family, but +he was fond of roving, and when he reached Quinton, he was seen by Baron +Robert, who was in want of men, and being a likely young fellow, they +shaved his lip, and forced him to labour under the thong. When his +spirit was cowed, and he seemed reconciled, they let him grow his +moustache again, and there he is now, a retainer, and well treated. But +still, it was against his will. Jack is right; you had better join the +king's levy." + +The king's levy is composed of his own retainers from his estates, of +townsmen, who are not retainers of the barons, of any knights and +volunteers who like to offer their services; and a king always desires +as large a levy as possible, because it enables him to overawe his +barons. These, when their "war", or forces, are collected together in +camp, are often troublesome, and inclined to usurp authority. A +volunteer is, therefore, always welcome in the king's levy. + +Felix thanked them for the information they had given him, and said he +should certainly follow their advice. He could now hardly keep up with +the carts, having walked for so many hours, and undergone so much +previous exertion. Finding this to be the case, he wished them +good-night, and looked round for some cover. It was now dusk, and he +knew he could go no farther. When they understood his intention, they +consulted among themselves, and finally made him get up into one of the +carts, and sit down on the bundles of arrows, which filled it like +faggots. Thus he was jolted along, the rude wheels fitting but badly on +the axle, and often sinking deep into a rut. + +They were now in thick forest, and the track was much narrower, so that +it had become worn into a hollow, as if it were the dry bed of a +torrent. The horses and the carters were weary, yet they were obliged to +plod on, as the arms had to be delivered before the morrow. They spoke +little, except to urge the animals. Felix soon dropped into a reclining +posture (uneasy as it was, it was a relief), and looking up, saw the +white summer stars above. After a time he lost consciousness, and slept +soundly, quite worn out, despite the jolting and creaking of the wheels. + +The sound of a trumpet woke him with a start. His heavy and dreamless +sleep for a moment had taken away his memory, and he did not know where +he was. As he sat up two sacks fell from him; the carters had thrown +them over him as a protection against the night's dew. The summer +morning was already as bright as noonday, and the camp about him was +astir. In half a minute he came to himself, and getting out of the cart +looked round. All his old interest had returned, the spirit of war +entered into him, the trumpet sounded again, and the morning breeze +extended the many-coloured banners. + +The spot where he stood was in the rear of the main camp, and but a +short distance from the unbroken forest. Upon either hand there was an +intermingled mass of stores, carts, and waggons crowded together, sacks +and huge heaps of forage, on and about which scores of slaves, drivers +and others, were sleeping in every possible attitude, many of them +evidently still under the influence of the ale they had drunk the night +before. What struck him at once was the absence of any guard here in the +rear. The enemy might steal out from the forest behind and help himself +to what he chose, or murder the sleeping men, or, passing through the +stores, fall on the camp itself. To Felix this neglect appeared +inexplicable; it indicated a mental state which he could not comprehend, +a state only to be described by negatives. There was no completeness, no +system, no organization; it was a kind of haphazardness, altogether +opposite to his own clear and well-ordered ideas. + +The ground sloped gently downwards from the edge of the forest, and the +place where he was had probably been ploughed, but was now trodden flat +and hard. Next in front of the stores he observed a long, low hut built +of poles, and roofed with fir branches; the walls were formed of ferns, +straw, bundles of hay, anything that had come to hand. On a standard +beside it, a pale blue banner, with the device of a double hammer worked +in gold upon it, fluttered in the wind. Twenty or thirty, perhaps more, +spears leant against one end of this rude shed, their bright points +projecting yards above the roof. To the right of the booth as many +horses were picketed, and not far from them some soldiers were cooking +at an open fire of logs. As Felix came slowly towards the booth, winding +in and out among the carts and heaps of sacks, he saw that similar +erections extended down the slope for a long distance. + +There were hundreds of them, some large, some small, not placed in any +order, but pitched where chance or fancy led, the first-comers taking +the sites that pleased them, and the rest crowding round. Beside each +hut stood the banner of the owner, and Felix knew from this that they +were occupied by the barons, knights, and captains of the army. The +retainers of each baron bivouacked as they might in the open air; some +of them had hunter's hides, and others used bundles of straw to sleep +on. Their fire was as close to their lord's hut as convenient, and thus +there were always plenty within call. + +The servants, or slaves, also slept in the open air, but in the rear of +their owner's booth, and apart from the free retainers. Felix noticed, +that although the huts were pitched anyhow and anywhere, those on the +lowest ground seemed built along a line, and, looking closer, he found +that a small stream ran there. He learnt afterwards that there was +usually an emulation among the commanders to set up their standards as +near the water as possible, on account of convenience, those in the rear +having often to lead their horses a long distance to water. Beyond the +stream the ground rose again as gradually as it had declined. It was +open and cultivated up to the walls of the besieged city, which was not +three-quarters of a mile distant. Felix could not for the moment +distinguish the king's head-quarters. The confused manner in which the +booths were built prevented him from seeing far, though from the higher +ground it was easy to look over their low roofs. + +He now wandered into the centre of the camp, and saw with astonishment +groups of retainers everywhere eating, drinking, talking, and even +playing cards or dice, but not a single officer of any rank. At last, +stopping by the embers of a fire, he asked timidly if he might have +breakfast. The soldiers laughed and pointed to a cart behind them, +telling him to help himself. The cart was turned with the tail towards +the fire, and laden with bread and sides of bacon, slices of which the +retainers had been toasting at the embers. + +He did as he was bid, and the next minute a soldier, not quite steady on +his legs even at that hour, offered him the can, "for," said he, "you +had best drink whilst you may, youngster. There is always plenty of +drink and good living at the beginning of a war, and very often not a +drop or a bite to be got in the middle of it." Listening to their talk +as he ate his breakfast, Felix found the reason there were no officers +about was because most of them had drunk too freely the night before. +The king himself, they said, was put to bed as tight as a drum, and it +took no small quantity to fill so huge a vessel, for he was a remarkably +big man. + +After the fatigue of the recent march, they had, in fact, refreshed +themselves, and washed down the dust of the track. They thought that +this siege was likely to be a very tough business, and congratulated +themselves that it was not thirty miles to Aisi, so that so long as they +stayed there they might, perhaps, get supplies of provisions with +tolerable regularity. "But if you're over the water, my lad," said the +old fellow with the can, picking his teeth with a twig, "and have got to +get your victuals by ship; by George, you may have to eat grass, or gnaw +boughs like a horse." + +None of these men wore any arms, except the inevitable knife; their arms +were piled against the adjacent booth, bows and quivers, spears, swords, +bills and darts, thrown together just as they had cast them aside, and +more or less rusty from the dew. Felix thought that had the enemy come +suddenly down in force they might have made a clean sweep of the camp, +for there were no defences, neither breastwork, nor fosse, nor any set +guard. But he forgot that the enemy were quite as ill-organized as the +besiegers; probably they were in still greater confusion, for King +Isembard was considered one of the greatest military commanders of his +age, if not the very greatest. + +The only sign of discipline he saw was the careful grooming of some +horses, which he rightly guessed to be those ridden by the knights, and +the equally careful polishing of pieces of armour before the doors of +the huts. He wished now to inquire his way to the king's levy, but as +the question rose to his lips he checked himself, remembering the +caution the friendly carters had given him. He therefore determined to +walk about the camp till he found some evidence that he was in the +immediate neighbourhood of the king. + +He rose, stood about a little while to allay any possible suspicion +(quite needless precautions, for the soldiers were far too agreeably +engaged to take the least notice of him), and then sauntered off with as +careless an air as he could assume. Looking about him, first at a forge +where the blacksmith was shoeing a horse, then at a grindstone, where a +knight's sword was being sharpened, he was nearly knocked down by a +horse, urged at some speed through the crowds. By a rope from the +collar, three dead bodies were drawn along the ground, dusty and +disfigured by bumping against stone and clod. They were those of slaves, +hanged the preceding day, perhaps for pilfering, perhaps for a mere +whim, since every baron had power of the gallows. + +They were dragged through the camp, and out a few hundred yards beyond, +and there left to the crows. This horrible sight, to which the rest were +so accustomed and so indifferent that they did not even turn to look at +it, deeply shocked him; the drawn and distorted features, the tongues +protruding and literally licking the dust, haunted him for long after. +Though his father, as a baron, possessed the same power, it had never +been exercised during his tenure of the estate, so that Felix had not +been hardened to the sight of executions, common enough elsewhere. Upon +the Old House estate a species of negative humanity reigned; if the +slaves were not emancipated, they were not hanged or cruelly beaten for +trifles. + +Hastening from the spot, Felix came across the artillery, which +consisted of battering rams and immense crossbows; the bows were made +from entire trees, or, more properly, poles. He inspected these clumsy +contrivances with interest, and entered into a conversation with some +men who were fitting up the framework on which a battering ram was to +swing. Being extremely conceited with themselves and the knowledge they +had acquired from experience only (as the repeated blows of the block +drive home the pile), they scarcely answered him. But, presently, as he +lent a hand to assist, and bore with their churlishness without reply, +they softened, and, as usual, asked him to drink, for here, and +throughout the camp, the ale was plentiful, too plentiful for much +progress. + +Felix took the opportunity and suggested a new form of trigger for the +unwieldy crossbows. He saw that as at present discharged it must require +some strength, perhaps the united effort of several men, to pull away +the bolt or catch. Such an effort must disconcert the aim; these +crossbows were worked upon a carriage, and it was difficult to keep the +carriage steady even when stakes were inserted by the low wheels. It +occurred to him at once that the catch could be depressed by a lever, so +that one man could discharge the bow by a mere pressure of the hand, and +without interfering with the aim. The men soon understood him, and +acknowledged that it would be a great improvement. One, who was the +leader of the gang, thought it so valuable an idea that he went off at +once to communicate with the lieutenant, who would in his turn carry the +matter to Baron Ingulph, Master of the Artillery. + +The others congratulated him, and asked to share in the reward that +would be given to him for this invention. To whose "war" did he belong? +Felix answered, after a little hesitation, to the king's levy. At this +they whispered among themselves, and Felix, again remembering the +carters' caution, said that he must attend the muster (this was a pure +guess), but that he would return directly afterwards. Never for a moment +suspecting that he would avoid the reward they looked upon as certain, +they made no opposition, and he hurried away. Pushing through the +groups, and not in the least knowing where he was going, Felix stumbled +at last upon the king's quarters. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +THE KING'S LEVY + + +The king's booth stood apart from the rest; it was not much larger, but +properly thatched with straw, and the wide doorway hung with purple +curtains. Two standards stood beside it; one much higher than the other. +The tallest bore the ensign of the kingdom; the lesser, the king's own +private banner as a knight. A breastwork encircled the booth, enclosing +a space about seventy yards in diameter, with a fosse, and stakes so +planted as to repel assailants. There was but one gateway, opposite the +general camp, and this was guarded by soldiers fully armed. A knight on +horseback in armour, except his helmet, rode slowly up and down before +the gate; he was the officer of the guard. His retainers, some thirty or +forty men, were drawn up close by. + +A distance of fifty yards intervened between this entrenchment and the +camp, and was kept clear. Within the entrenchment Felix could see a +number of gentlemen, and several horses caparisoned, but from the +absence of noise and the fact that every one appeared to walk daintily +and on tiptoe, he concluded that the king was still sleeping. The stream +ran beside the entrenchment, and between it and the city; the king's +quarters were at that corner of the camp highest up the brook, so that +the water might not be fouled before it reached him. + +The king's levy, however, did not seem to be hereabouts, for the booths +nearest the head-quarters were evidently occupied by great barons, as +Felix easily knew from their banners. There was here some little +appearance of formality; the soldiery were not so noisy, and there were +several officers moving among them. He afterwards discovered that the +greater barons claimed the right to camp nearest the king, and that the +king's levy was just behind their booths. But unable to discover the +place, and afraid of losing his liberty if he delayed longer, Felix, +after hesitating some time, determined to apply direct to the guard at +the gate of the circular entrenchment. + +As he crossed the open ground towards it, he noticed that the king's +quarters were the closest to the enemy. Across the little stream were +some corn-fields, and beyond these the walls of the city, scarcely half +a mile distant. There was no outpost, the stream was but a brook, and +could be crossed with ease. He marvelled at the lack of precaution; but +he had yet to learn that the enemy, and all the armies of the age, were +equally ignorant and equally careless. + +With as humble a demeanour as he could assume, Felix doffed his cap and +began to speak to the guard at the gateway of the entrenchment. The +nearest man-at-arms immediately raised his spear and struck him with the +butt. The unexpected blow fell on his left shoulder, and with such force +as to render it powerless. Before he could utter a remonstrance, a +second had seized his boar-spear, snapped the handle across his knee, +and hurled the fragments from him. Others then took him by the shoulders +and thrust him back across the open space to the camp, where they kicked +him and left him, bruised, and almost stupefied with indignation. His +offence was approaching the king's ground with arms in his hands. + +Later in the afternoon he found himself sitting on the bank of the +stream far below the camp. He had wandered thither without knowing where +he was going or what he was doing. His spirit for the time had been +crushed, not so much by the physical brutality as by the repulse to his +aspirations. Full of high hopes, and conscious of great ideas, he had +been beaten like a felon hound. + +From this spot beside the brook the distant camp appeared very +beautiful. The fluttering banners, the green roofs of the booths (of +ferns and reeds and boughs), the movement and life, for bodies of troops +were now marching to and fro, and knights in gay attire riding on +horseback, made a pleasant scene on the sloping ground with the forest +at the back. Over the stream the sunshine lit up the walls of the +threatened city, where, too, many flags were waving. Felix came somewhat +to himself as he gazed, and presently acknowledged that he had only had +himself to blame. He had evidently transgressed a rule, and his +ignorance of the rule was no excuse, since those who had any right to be +in the camp at all were supposed to understand it. + +He got up, and returning slowly towards the camp, passed on his way the +drinking-place, where a groom was watering some horses. The man called +to him to help hold a spirited charger, and Felix mechanically did as he +was asked. The fellow's mates had left him to do their work, and there +were too many horses for him to manage. Felix led the charger for him +back to the camp, and in return was asked to drink. He preferred food, +and a plentiful supply was put before him. The groom, gossiping as he +attended to his duties, said that he always welcomed the beginning of a +war, for they were often half starved, and had to gnaw the bones, like +the dogs, in peace. But when war was declared, vast quantities of +provisions were got together, and everybody gorged at their will. The +very dogs battened; he pointed to half a dozen who were tearing a raw +shoulder of mutton to pieces. Before the campaign was over, those very +dogs might starve. To what "war" did Felix belong? He replied to the +king's levy. + + +The groom said that this was the king's levy where they were; but under +whose command was he? This puzzled Felix, who did not know what to say, +and ended by telling the truth, and begging the fellow to advise him, as +he feared to lose his liberty. The man said he had better stay where he +was, and serve with him under Master Lacy, who was mean enough in the +city, but liked to appear liberal when thus consorting with knights and +gentlemen. + +Master Lacy was a merchant of Aisi, an owner of vessels. Like most of +his fellows, when war came so close home, he was almost obliged to join +the king's levy. Had he not done so it would have been recorded against +him as a lack of loyalty. His privileges would have been taken from him, +possibly the wealth he had accumulated seized, and himself reduced to +slavery. Lacy, therefore, put on armour, and accompanied the king to the +camp. Thus Felix, after all his aspirations, found himself serving as +the knave of a mere citizen. + +He had to take the horses down to water, to scour arms, to fetch wood +from the forest for the fire. He was at the beck and call of all the +other men, who never scrupled to use his services, and, observing that +he never refused, put upon him all the more. On the other hand, when +there was nothing doing, they were very kind and even thoughtful. They +shared the best with him, brought wine occasionally (wine was scarce, +though ale plentiful) as a delicacy, and one, who had dexterously taken +a purse, presented him with half a dozen copper coins as his share of +the plunder. Felix, grown wiser by experience, did not dare refuse the +stolen money, it would have been considered as the greatest insult; he +watched his opportunity and threw it away. + +The men, of course, quickly discovered his superior education, but that +did not in the least surprise them, it being extremely common for +unfortunate people to descend by degrees to menial offices, if once they +left the estate and homestead to which they naturally belonged. There as +cadets, however humble, they were certain of outward respect: once +outside the influence of the head of the house, and they were worse off +than the lowest retainer. His fellows would have resented any show of +pride, and would speedily have made his life intolerable. As he showed +none, they almost petted him, but at the same time expected him to do +more than his share of the work. + +Felix listened with amazement to the revelations (revelations to him) of +the inner life of the camp and court. The king's weaknesses, his +inordinate gluttony and continual intoxication, his fits of temper, his +follies and foibles, seemed as familiar to these grooms as if they had +dwelt with him. As for the courtiers and barons, there was not one whose +vices and secret crimes were not perfectly well known to them. Vice and +crime must have their instruments; instruments are invariably +indiscreet, and thus secrets escape. The palace intrigues, the intrigues +with other states, the influence of certain women, there was nothing +which they did not know. + +Seen thus from below, the whole society appeared rotten and corrupted, +coarse to the last degree, and animated only by the lowest motives. This +very gossip seemed in itself criminal to Felix, but he did not at the +moment reflect that it was but the tale of servants. Had such language +been used by gentlemen, then it would have been treason. As himself of +noble birth, Felix had hitherto seen things only from the point of view +of his own class. Now he associated with grooms, he began to see society +from _their_ point of view, and recognised how feebly it was held +together by brute force, intrigue, cord and axe, and woman's flattery. +But a push seemed needed to overthrow it. Yet it was quite secure, +nevertheless, as there was none to give that push, and if any such plot +had been formed, those very slaves who suffered the most would have been +the very men to give information, and to torture the plotters. + +Felix had never dreamed that common and illiterate men, such as these +grooms and retainers, could have any conception of reasons of State, or +the crafty designs of courts. He now found that, though they could +neither writer nor read, they had learned the art of reading man (the +worst and lowest side of character) to such perfection that they at once +detected the motive. They read the face; the very gait and gesture gave +them a clue. They read man, in fact, as an animal. They understood men +just as they understood the horses and hounds under their charge. Every +mood and vicious indication in those animals was known to them, and so, +too, with their masters. + +Felix thought that he was himself a hunter, and understood woodcraft; he +now found how mistaken he had been. He had acquired woodcraft as a +gentleman; he now learned the knave's woodcraft. They taught him a +hundred tricks of which he had had no idea. They stripped man of his +dignity, and nature of her refinement. Everything had a blackguard side +to them. He began to understand that high principles and abstract +theories were only words with the mass of men. + +One day he saw a knight coolly trip up a citizen (one of the king's +levy) in the midst of the camp and in broad daylight, and quietly cut +away his purse, at least a score of persons looking on. But they were +only retainers and slaves; there was no one whose word would for a +moment have been received against the knight's, who had observed this, +and plundered the citizen with impunity. He flung the lesser coins to +the crowd, keeping the gold and silver for himself, and walked off +amidst their plaudits. + +Felix saw a slave nailed to a tree, his arms put round it so as to clasp +it, and then nails driven through them. There he was left in his agony +to perish. No one knew what his fault had been; his master had simply +taken a dislike to him. A guard was set that no one should relieve the +miserable being. Felix's horror and indignation could not have been +expressed, but he was totally helpless. + +His own condition of mind during this time was such as could not be well +analysed. He did not himself understand whether his spirit had been +broken, whether he was really degraded with the men with whom he lived, +or why he remained with them, though there were moments when it dawned +upon him that this education, rude as it was, was not without its value +to him. He need not practise these evils, but it was well to know of +their existence. Thus he remained, as it were, quiescent, and the days +passed on. He really had not much to do, although the rest put their +burdens upon him, for discipline was so lax, that the loosest attendance +answered equally well with the most conscientious. The one thing all the +men about him seemed to think of was the satisfying of their appetites; +the one thing they rejoiced at was the fine dry weather, for, as his +mates told him, the misery of camp life in rain was almost unendurable. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +FIGHTING + + +Twice Felix saw the king. Once there was a review of the horse outside +the camp, and Felix, having to attend with his master's third charger (a +mere show and affectation, for there was not the least chance of his +needing it), was now and then very near the monarch. For that day at +least he looked every whit what fame had reported him to be. A man of +unusual size, his bulk rendered him conspicuous in the front of the +throng. His massive head seemed to accord well with the possession of +despotic power. + +The brow was a little bare, for he was no longer young, but the back of +his head was covered with thick ringlets of brown hair, so thick as to +partly conceal the coronet of gold which he wore. A short purple cloak, +scarcely reaching to the waist, was thrown back off his shoulders, so +that his steel corselet glistened in the sun. It was the only armour he +had on; a long sword hung at his side. He rode a powerful black horse, +full eighteen hands high, by far the finest animal on the ground; he +required it, for his weight must have been great. Felix passed near +enough to note that his eyes were brown, and the expression of his face +open, frank, and pleasing. The impression left upon the observer was +that of a strong intellect, but a still stronger physique, which latter +too often ran away with and controlled the former. No one could look +upon him without admiration, and it was difficult to think that he could +so demean himself as to wallow in the grossest indulgence. + +As for the review, though it was a brilliant scene, Felix could not +conceal from himself that these gallant knights were extremely irregular +in their movements, and not one single evolution was performed +correctly, because they were constantly quarrelling about precedence, +and one would not consent to follow the other. He soon understood, +however, that discipline was not the object, nor regularity considered; +personal courage and personal dexterity were everything. This review was +the prelude to active operations, and Felix now hoped to have some +practical lessons in warfare. + +He was mistaken. Instead of a grand assault, or a regular approach, the +fighting was merely a series of combats between small detachments and +bodies of the enemy. Two or three knights with their retainers and +slaves would start forth, cross the stream, and riding right past the +besieged city endeavour to sack some small hamlet, or the homestead of a +noble. From the city a sortie would ensue; sometimes the two bodies only +threatened each other at a distance, the first retiring as the second +advanced. Sometimes only a few arrows were discharged; occasionally they +came to blows, but the casualties were rarely heavy. + +One such party, while returning, was followed by a squadron of horsemen +from the town towards the stream to within three hundred yards of the +king's quarters. Incensed at this assurance, several knights mounted +their horses and rode out to reinforce the returning detachment, which +was loaded with booty. Finding themselves about to be supported, they +threw down their spoils, faced about, and Felix saw for the first time a +real and desperate _melée_. It was over in five minutes. The king's +knights, far better horsed, and filled with desire to exhibit their +valour to the camp, charged with such fury that they overthrew the enemy +and rode over him. + +Felix saw the troops meet; there was a crash and cracking as the lances +broke, four or five rolled from the saddle on the trodden corn, and the +next moment the entangled mass of men and horses unwound itself as the +enemy hastened back to the walls. Felix was eager to join in such an +affray, but he had no horse nor weapon. Upon another occasion early one +bright morning four knights and their followers, about forty in all, +deliberately set out from the camp, and advanced up the sloping ground +towards the city. The camp was soon astir watching their proceedings; +and the king, being made acquainted with what was going on, came out +from his booth. Felix, who now entered the circular entrenchment without +any difficulty, got up on the mound with scores of others, where, +holding to the stakes, they had a good view. + +The king stood on a bench and watched the troops advance, shading his +eyes with his hand. As it was but half a mile to the walls they could +see all that took place. When the knights had got within two hundred +yards and arrows began to drop amongst them, they dismounted from their +horses and left them in charge of the grooms, who walked them up and +down, none remaining still a minute, so as to escape the aim of the +enemy's archers. Then drawing their swords, the knights, who were in +full armour, put themselves at the head of the band, and advanced at a +steady pace to the wall. In their mail with their shields before them +they cared not for such feeble archery, nor even for the darts that +poured upon them when they came within reach. There was no fosse to the +wall, so that, pushing forward, they were soon at the foot. So easily +had they reached it that Felix almost thought the city already won. Now +he saw blocks of stone, darts, and beams of wood cast at them from the +parapet, which was not more than twelve feet above the ground. + +Quite undismayed, the knights set up their ladders, of which they had +but four, one each. The men-at-arms held these by main force against the +wall, the besiegers trying to throw them away, and chopping at the rungs +with their axes. But the ladders were well shod with iron to resist such +blows, and in a moment Felix saw, with intense delight and admiration, +the four knights slowly mount to the parapet and cut at the defenders +with their swords. The gleam of steel was distinctly visible as the +blades rose and fell. The enemy thrust at them with pikes, but seemed to +shrink from closer combat, and a moment afterwards the gallant four +stood on the top of the wall. Their figures, clad in mail and shield in +hand, were distinctly seen against the sky. Up swarmed the men-at-arms +behind them, and some seemed to descend on the other side. A shout rose +from the camp and echoed over the woods. Felix shouted with the rest, +wild with excitement. + +The next minute, while yet the knights stood on the wall, and scarcely +seemed to know what to do next, there appeared at least a dozen men in +armour running along the wall towards them. Felix afterwards understood +that the ease with which the four won the wall at first was owing to +there being no men of knightly rank among the defenders at that early +hour. Those who had collected to repulse the assault were citizens, +retainers, slaves, any, in fact who had been near. But now the news had +reached the enemy's leaders, and some of them hastened to the wall. As +these were seen approaching, the camp was hushed, and every eye strained +on the combatants. + +The noble four could not all meet their assailants, the wall was but +wide enough for two to fight; but the other two had work enough the next +minute, as eight or ten more men in mail advanced the other way. So they +fought back to back, two facing one way, and two the other. The swords +rose and fell. Felix saw a flash of light fly up into the air, it was +the point of a sword broken off short. At the foot of the wall the men +who had not had time to mount endeavoured to assist their masters by +stabbing upwards with their spears. + +All at once two of the knights were hurled from the wall; one seemed to +be caught by his men, the other came heavily to the ground. While they +were fighting their immediate antagonists, others within the wall had +come with lances; and literally thrust them from the parapet. The other +two still fought back to back for a moment; then, finding themselves +overwhelmed, they sprang down among their friends. + +The minute the two first fell, the grooms with the horses ran towards +the wall, and despite the rain of arrows, darts, and stones from the +parapet, Felix saw with relief three of the four knights placed on their +chargers. One only could sit upright unassisted, two were supported in +their saddles, and the fourth was carried by his retainers. Thus they +retreated, and apparently without further hurt, for the enemy on the +wall crowded so much together as to interfere with the aim of their +darts, which, too, soon fell short. But there was a dark heap beneath +the wall, where ten or twelve retainers and slaves, who wore no armour, +had been slain or disabled. Upon these the loss invariably fell. + +None attempted to follow the retreating party, who slowly returned +towards the camp, and were soon apparently in safety. But suddenly a +fresh party of the enemy appeared upon the wall, and the instant +afterwards three retainers dropped, as if struck by lightning. They had +been hit by sling stones, whirled with great force by practised +slingers. These rounded pebbles come with such impetus as to stun a man +at two hundred yards. The aim, it is true, is uncertain, but where there +is a body of troops they are sure to strike some one. Hastening on, +leaving the three fallen men where they lay, the rest in two minutes +were out of range, and came safely into camp. Everyone, as they crossed +the stream, ran to meet them, the king included, and as he passed in the +throng, Felix heard him remark that they had had a capital main of cocks +that morning. + +Of the knights only one was much injured; he had fallen upon a stone, +and two ribs were broken; the rest suffered from severe bruises, but had +no wound. Six men-at-arms were missing, probably prisoners, for, as +courageous as their masters, they had leapt down from the wall into the +town. Eleven other retainers or slaves were slain, or had deserted, or +were prisoners, and no trouble was taken about them. As for the three +who were knocked over by the sling stones, there they lay until they +recovered their senses, when they crawled into camp. This incident +cooled Felix's ardour for the fray, for he reflected that, if injured +thus, he too, as a mere groom, would be left. The devotion of the +retainers to save and succour their masters was almost heroic. The +mailed knights thought no more of their men, unless it was some +particular favourite, than of a hound slashed by a boar's tusk in the +chase. + +When the first flush of his excitement had passed, Felix, thinking over +the scene of the morning as he took his horses down to water at the +stream, became filled at first with contempt, and then with indignation. +That the first commander of the age should thus look on while the wall +was won before his eyes, and yet never send a strong detachment, or move +himself with his whole army to follow up the advantage, seemed past +understanding. If he did not intend to follow it up, why permit such +desperate ventures, which must be overwhelmed by mere numbers, and could +result only in the loss of brave men? And if he did permit it, why did +he not, when he saw they were overthrown, send a squadron to cover their +retreat? To call such an exhibition of courage "a main of cocks", to +look on it as a mere display for his amusement, was barbarous and cruel +in the extreme. He worked himself up into a state of anger which +rendered him less cautious than usual in expressing his opinions. + +The king was not nearly so much at fault as Felix, arguing on abstract +principles, imagined. He had long experience of war, and he knew its +extreme uncertainty. The issue of the greatest battle often hung on the +conduct of a single leader, or even a single man-at-arms. He had seen +walls won and lost before. To follow up such a venture with a strong +detachment must result in one of two things, either the detachment in +its turn must be supported by the entire army, or it must eventually +retreat. If it retreated, the loss of prestige would be serious, and +might encourage the enemy to attack the camp, for it was only his +prestige which prevented them. If supported by the entire army, then the +fate of the whole expedition depended upon that single day. + +The enemy had the advantage of the wall, of the narrow streets and +enclosures within, of the houses, each of which would become a fortress, +and thus in the winding streets a repulse might easily happen. To risk +such an event would be folly in the last degree, before the town had +been dispirited and discouraged by the continuance of the siege, the +failure of their provisions, or the fall of their chief leaders in the +daily combats that took place. + +The army had no discipline whatever, beyond that of the attachment of +the retainer to his lord, and the dread of punishment on the part of the +slave. There were no distinct ranks, no organized corps. The knights +followed the greater barons, the retainers the knights; the greater +barons followed the king. Such an army could not be risked in an assault +of this kind. The venture was not ordered, nor was it discouraged; to +discourage, indeed, all attempts would have been bad policy; it was upon +the courage and bravery of his knights that the king depended, and upon +that alone rested his hopes of victory. + +The great baron whose standard they followed would have sent them +assistance if he had deemed it necessary. The king, unless on the day of +battle, would not trouble about such a detail. As for the remark, that +they had had "a good main of cocks that morning," he simply expressed +the feeling of the whole camp. The spectacle Felix had seen was, in +fact, merely an instance of the strength and of the weakness of the army +and the monarch himself. + +Felix afterwards acknowledged these things to himself, but at the +moment, full of admiration for the bravery of the four knights and their +followers, he was full of indignation, and uttered his views too freely. +His fellow-grooms cautioned him; but his spirit was up, and he gave way +to his feelings without restraint. Now, to laugh at the king's +weaknesses, his gluttony or follies, was one thing; to criticise his +military conduct was another. The one was merely badinage, and the king +himself might have laughed had he heard it; the other was treason, and, +moreover, likely to touch the monarch on the delicate matter of military +reputation. + +Of this Felix quickly became aware. His mates, indeed, tried to shield +him; but possibly the citizen, his master, had enemies in the camp, +barons, perhaps, to whom he had lent money, and who watched for a chance +of securing his downfall. At all events, early the next day Felix was +rudely arrested by the provost in person, bound with cords, and placed +in the provost's booth. At the same time, his master was ordered to +remain within, and a guard was put over him. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +IN DANGER + + +Hope died within Felix when he thus suddenly found himself so near the +executioner. He had known so many butchered without cause, that he had, +indeed, reason to despair. Towards the sunset he felt sure he should be +dragged forth and hanged on the oak used for the purpose, and which +stood near where the track from Aisi joined the camp. Such would most +probably have been his fate, had he been alone concerned in this affair, +but by good fortune he was able to escape so miserable an end. Still, he +suffered as much as if the rope had finished him, for he had no means of +knowing what would be the result. + +His heart swelled with bitterness; he was filled with inexpressible +indignation, his whole being rebelled against the blundering, as it +were, of events which had thus thrown him into the jaws of death. In an +hour or two, however, he sufficiently recovered from the shock to +reflect that most probably they would give him some chance to speak for +himself. There would not be any trial; who would waste time in trying so +insignificant a wretch? But there might be some opportunity of speaking, +and he resolved to use it to the utmost possible extent. + +He would arraign the unskilful generalship of the king; he would not +only point out his errors, but how the enemy could be defeated. He would +prove that he had ideas and plans worthy of attention. He would, as it +were, vindicate himself before he was executed, and he tried to collect +his thoughts and to put them into form. Every moment the face of Aurora +seemed to look upon him, lovingly and mournfully; but beside it he saw +the dusty and distorted features of the copse he had seen drawn by the +horse through the camp. Thus, too, his tongue would protrude and lick +the dust. He endured, in a word, those treble agonies which the +highly-wrought and imaginative inflict upon themselves. + +The hours passed, and still no one came near him; he called, and the +guard appeared at the door, but only to see what was the matter, and +finding his prisoner safe, at once resumed his walk to and fro. The +soldier did not, for his own sake, dare to enter into conversation with +a prisoner under arrest for such an offence; he might be involved, or +suspected. Had it been merely theft or any ordinary crime, he would have +talked freely enough, and sympathized with the prisoner. As time went +on, Felix grew thirsty, but his request for water was disregarded, and +there he remained till four in the afternoon. They then marched him out; +he begged to be allowed to speak, but the soldiery did not reply, simply +hurrying him forward. He now feared that he should be executed without +the chance being afforded him to say a word; but, to his surprise, he +found in a few minutes that they were taking him in the direction of the +king's quarters. New fears now seized him, for he had heard of men being +turned loose, made to run for their lives, and hunted down with hounds +for the amusement of the Court. + +If the citizen's wealth had made him many enemies (men whom he had +befriended, and who hoped, if they could be see him executed, to escape +the payment of their debts), on the other hand, it had made him as many +friends, that is, interested friends, who trusted by doing him service +to obtain advances. These latter had lost no time, for greed is quite as +eager as hate, and carried the matter at once to the king. What they +desired was that the case should be decided by the monarch himself, and +not by his chancellor, or a judge appointed for the purpose. The judge +would be nearly certain to condemn the citizen, and to confiscate +whatever he could lay hands on. The king might pardon, and would be +content with a part only, where his ministers would grasp all. + +These friends succeeded in their object; the king, who hated all +judicial affairs because they involved the trouble of investigation, +shrugged his shoulders at the request, and would not have granted it had +it not come out that the citizen's servant had declared him to be an +incapable commander. At this the king started. "We are, indeed, fallen +low," said he, "when a miserable trader's knave calls us incapable. We +will see this impudent rascal." He accordingly ordered that the prisoner +should be brought before him after dinner. + +Felix was led inside the entrenchment, unbound, and commanded to stand +upright. There was a considerable assembly of the greater barons anxious +to see the trial of the money-lender, who, though present, was kept +apart from Felix lest the two should arrange their defence. The king was +sleeping on a couch outside the booth in the shade; he was lying on his +back breathing loudly with open mouth. How different his appearance to +the time when he sat on his splendid charger and reviewed his knights! A +heavy meal had been succeeded by as heavy a slumber. No one dared to +disturb him; the assembly moved on tiptoe and conversed in whispers. The +experienced divined that the prisoners were certain to be condemned, for +the king would wake with indigestion, and vent his uneasy sensations +upon them. Full an hour elapsed before the king awoke with a snort and +called for a draught of water. How Felix envied that draught! He had +neither eaten nor drunk since the night previous; it was a hot day, and +his tongue was dry and parched. + +The citizen was first accused; he denied any treasonable designs or +expressions whatever; as for the other prisoner, till the time he was +arrested he did not even know he had been in his service. He was some +stroller whom his grooms had incautiously engaged, the lazy scoundrels, +to assist them. He had never even spoken to him; it the knave told the +truth he must acknowledge this. + +"How now," said the king, turning to Felix; "what do you say?" + +"It is true," replied Felix, "he has never spoken to me nor I to him. He +knew nothing of what I said. I said it on my own account, and I say it +again!" + +"And pray, sir knave," said the king, sitting up on his couch, for he +was surprised to hear one so meanly dressed speak so correctly, and so +boldly face him. "What was it you did say?" + +"If your majesty will order me a single drop of water," said the +prisoner, "I will repeat it word for word, but I have had nothing the +whole day, and I can hardly move my tongue." + +Without a word the king handed him the cup from which he had himself +drunk. Never, surely, was water so delicious. Felix drained it to the +bottom, handed it back (an officer took it), and with one brief thought +of Aurora, he said: "Your majesty, you are an incapable commander." + +"Go on," said the king sarcastically; "why am I incapable?" + +"You have attacked the wrong city; these three are all your enemies, and +you have attacked the first. They stand in a row." + +"They stand in a row," repeated the king; "and we will knock them over +like three nine-pins." + +"But you have begun with the end one," said Felix, "and that is the +mistake. For after you have taken the first you must take the second, +and still after that the third. But you might have saved much trouble +and time if----" + +"If what?" + +"If you had assaulted the middle one first. For then, while the siege +went on, you would have been able to prevent either of the other two +towns from sending assistance, and when you had taken the first and put +your garrison in it, neither of the others could have stirred, or reaped +their corn, nor could they even communicate with each other, since you +would be between them; and in fact you would have cut your enemies in +twain." + +"By St. John!" swore the king, "it is a good idea. I begin to think--but +go on, you have more to say." + +"I think, too, your majesty, that by staying here as you have done this +fortnight past without action, you have encouraged the other two cities +to make more desperate resistance; and it seems to me that you are in a +dangerous position, and may at any moment be overwhelmed with disaster, +for there is nothing whatever to prevent either of the other two from +sending troops to burn the open city of Aisi in your absence. And that +danger must increase every day as they take courage by your idleness." + +"Idleness! There shall be idleness no longer. The man speaks the truth; +we will consider further of this, we will move on Adelinton," turning to +his barons. + +"If it please your majesty," said Baron Ingulph, "this man invented a +new trigger for our carriage crossbows, but he was lost in the crowd, +and we have sought for him in vain; my serjeant here has this moment +recognised him." + +"Why did you not come to us before, fellow?" said the king. "Let him be +released; let him be entertained at our expense; give him clothes and a +sword. We will see you further." + +Overjoyed at this sudden turn of fortune, Felix forgot to let well +alone. He had his audience with him for a moment; he could not resist as +it were following up his victory. He thanked the king, and added that he +could make a machine which would knock the walls yonder to pieces +without it being necessary to approach nearer than half a bow-shot. + +"What is this?" said the king. "Ingulph, have you ever heard of such a +machine?" + +"There is no such thing," said the Baron, beginning to feel that his +professional reputation as the master of the artillery was assailed. +"There is nothing of the kind known." + +"It will shoot stones as big, as heavy as a man can lift," said Felix +eagerly, "and easily knock towers to fragments." + +The king looked from one to another; he was incredulous. The Baron +smiled scornfully. "Ask him, your majesty, how these stones are to be +thrown; no bow could do it." + +"How are the stones to be thrown?" said the king sharply. "Beware how +you play with us." + +"By the force of twisted ropes, your majesty." + +They all laughed. The Baron said: "You see, your majesty, there is +nothing of the kind. This is some jester." + +"The twisted rope should be a halter," said another courtier, one of +those who hoped for the rich man's downfall. + +"It can be done, your majesty," cried Felix, alarmed. "I assure you, a +stone of two hundredweight might be thrown a quarter of a mile." + +The assembly did not repress its contempt. + +"The man is a fool," said the king, who now thought that Felix was a +jester who had put a trick upon him. "But your joke is out of joint; I +will teach such fellows to try tricks on us! Beat him out of camp." + +The provost's men seized him, and in a moment he was dragged off his +feet, and bodily carried outside the entrenchment. Thence they pushed +him along, beating him with the butts of their spears to make him run +the faster; the groups they passed laughed and jeered; the dogs barked +and snapped at his ankles. They hurried him outside the camp, and +thrusting him savagely with their spear butts sent him headlong. There +they left him, with the caution which he did not hear, being insensible, +that if he ventured inside the lines he would be at once hanged. Like a +dead dog they left him on the ground. + +Some hours later, in the dusk of the evening, Felix stole from the spot, +skirting the forest like a wild animal afraid to venture from its cover, +till he reached the track which led to Aisi. His one idea was to reach +his canoe. He would have gone through the woods, but that was not +possible. Without axe or wood-knife to hew a way, the tangled brushwood +he knew to be impassable, having observed how thick it was when coming. +Aching and trembling in every limb, not so much with physical suffering +as that kind of inward fever which follows unmerited injury, the revolt +of the mind against it, he followed the track as fast as his weary frame +would let him. He had tasted nothing that day but the draught from the +king's cup, and a second draught when he recovered consciousness, from +the stream that flowed past the camp. Yet he walked steadily on without +pause; his head hung forward, and his arms were listless, but his feet +mechanically plodded on. He walked, indeed, by his will, and not with +his sinews. Thus, like a ghost, for there was no life in him, he +traversed the shadowy forest. + +The dawn came, and still he kept onwards. As the sun rose higher, having +now travelled fully twenty miles, he saw houses on the right of the +trail. They were evidently those of retainers or workmen employed on the +manor, for a castle stood at some distance. + +An hour later he approached the second or open city of Aisi, where the +ferry was across the channel. In his present condition he could not pass +through the town. No one there knew of his disgrace, but it was the same +to him as if they had. Avoiding the town itself, he crossed the +cultivated fields, and upon arriving at the channel he at once stepped +in, and swam across to the opposite shore. It was not more than sixty +yards, but, weary as he was, it was an exhausting effort. He sat down, +but immediately got up and struggled on. + +The church tower on the slope of the hill was a landmark by which he +easily discovered the direction of the spot where he had hidden the +canoe. But he felt unable to push through the belt of brushwood, reeds, +and flags beside the shore, and therefore struck through the firs, +following a cattle track, which doubtless led to another grazing ground. +This ran parallel with the shore, and when he judged himself about level +with the canoe he left it, and entered the wood itself. For a little way +he could walk, but the thick fir branches soon blocked his progress, and +he could progress only on hands and knees, creeping beneath them. There +was a hollow space under the lower branches free from brushwood. + +Thus he painfully approached the Lake, and descending the hill, after an +hour's weary work emerged among the rushes and reeds. He was within two +hundred yards of the canoe, for he recognised the island opposite it. In +ten minutes he found it undisturbed and exactly as he had left it, +except that the breeze had strewn the dry reeds with which it was +covered with willow leaves, yellow and dead (they fall while all the +rest are green), which had been whirled from the branches. Throwing +himself upon the reeds beside the canoe, he dropped asleep as if he had +been dead. + +He awoke as the sun was sinking and sat up, hungry in the extreme, but +much refreshed. There were still some stores in the canoe, of which he +ate ravenously. But he felt better now; he felt at home beside his boat. +He could hardly believe in the reality of the hideous dream through +which he had passed. But when he tried to stand, his feet, cut and +blistered, only too painfully assured him of its reality. He took out +his hunter's hide and cloak and spread himself a comfortable bed. Though +he had slept so long he was still weary. He reclined in a +semi-unconscious state, his frame slowly recovering from the strain it +had endured, till by degrees he fell asleep again. Sleep, nothing but +sleep, restores the overtaxed mind and body. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +A VOYAGE + + +The sun was up when Felix awoke, and as he raised himself the beauty of +the Lake before him filled him with pleasure. By the shore it was so +calm that the trees were perfectly reflected, and the few willow leaves +that had fallen floated without drifting one way or the other. Farther +out the islands were lit up with the sunlight, and the swallows skimmed +the water, following the outline of their shores. In the Lake beyond +them, glimpses of which he could see through the channel or passage +between, there was a ripple where the faint south-western breeze touched +the surface. His mind went out to the beauty of it. He did not question +or analyse his feelings; he launched his vessel, and left that hard and +tyrannical land for the loveliness of the water. + +Paddling out to the islands he passed through between them, and reached +the open Lake. There he hoisted the sail, the gentle breeze filled it, +the sharp cutwater began to divide the ripples, a bubbling sound arose, +and steering due north, straight out to the open and boundless expanse, +he was carried swiftly away. + +The mallards, who saw the canoe coming, at first scarcely moved, never +thinking that a boat would venture outside the islands, within whose +line they were accustomed to see vessels, but when the canoe continued +to bear down upon them, they flew up and descended far away to one side. +When he had sailed past the spot where these birds had floated, the Lake +was his own. By the shores of the islands the crows came down for +mussels. Moorhens swam in and out among the rushes, water-rats nibbled +at the flags, pikes basked at the edge of the weeds, summer-snipes ran +along the sand, and doubtless an otter here and there was in +concealment. Without the line of the shoals and islets, now that the +mallards had flown, there was a solitude of water. It was far too deep +for the longest weeds, nothing seemed to exist here. The very +water-snails seek the shore, or are drifted by the currents into shallow +corners. Neither great nor little care for the broad expanse. + +The canoe moved more rapidly as the wind came now with its full force +over the distant woods and hills, and though it was but a light +southerly breeze, the broad sail impelled the taper vessel swiftly. +Reclining in the stern, Felix lost all consciousness of aught but that +he was pleasantly borne along. His eyes were not closed, and he was +aware of the canoe, the Lake, the sunshine, and the sky, and yet he was +asleep. Physically awake, he mentally slumbered. It was rest. After the +misery, exertion, and excitement of the last fortnight it was rest, +intense rest for body and mind. The pressure of the water against the +handle of the rudder-paddle, the slight vibration of the wood, as the +bubbles rushed by beneath, alone perhaps kept him from really falling +asleep. This was something which could not be left to itself; it must be +firmly grasped, and that effort restrained his drowsiness. + +Three hours passed. The shore was twelve or fifteen miles behind, and +looked like a blue cloud, for the summer haze hid the hills, more than +would have been the case in clearer weather. + +Another hour, and at last Felix, awakening from his slumberous +condition, looked round and saw nothing but the waves. The shore he had +left had entirely disappeared, gone down; if there were land more lofty +on either hand, the haze concealed it. He looked again; he could +scarcely comprehend it. He knew the Lake was very wide, but it had never +occurred to him that he might possibly sail out of sight of land. This, +then was why the mariners would not quit the islands; they feared the +open water. He stood up and swept the horizon carefully, shading his +eyes with his hand; there was nothing but a mist at the horizon. He was +alone with the sun, the sky, and the Lake. He could not surely have +sailed into the ocean without knowing it? He sat down, dipped his hand +overboard and tasted the drops that adhered; the water was pure and +sweet, warm from the summer sunshine. + +There was not so much as a swift in the upper sky; nothing but slender +filaments of white cloud. No swallows glided over the surface of the +water. If there were fishes he could not see them through the waves, +which were here much larger; sufficiently large, though the wind was +light, to make his canoe rise and fall with their regular rolling. To +see fishes a calm surface is necessary, and, like other creatures, they +haunt the shallows and the shore. Never had he felt alone like this in +the depths of the farthest forest he had penetrated. Had he contemplated +beforehand the possibility of passing out of sight of land, when he +found that the canoe had arrived he would probably have been alarmed and +anxious for his safety. But thus stumbling drowsily into the solitude of +the vast Lake, he was so astounded with his own discovery, so absorbed +in thinking of the immense expanse, that the idea of danger did not +occur to him. + +Another hour passed, and he now began to gaze about him more eagerly for +some sight of land, for he had very little provision with him, and he +did not wish to spend the night upon the Lake. Presently, however, the +mist on the horizon ahead appeared to thicken, and then became blue, and +in a shorter time than he expected land came in sight. This arose from +the fact of its being low, so that he had approached nearer than he knew +before recognising it. At the time when he was really out of sight of +the coast, he was much further from the hilly land left behind than from +the low country in front, and not in the mathematical centre, as he had +supposed, of the Lake. As it rose and came more into sight, he already +began to wonder what reception he should meet with from the inhabitants, +and whether he should find them as hard of heart as the people he had +just escaped from. Should he, indeed, venture among them at all? Or +should he remain in the woods till he had observed more of their ways +and manners? These questions were being debated in his mind, when he +perceived that the wind was falling. + +As the sun went past the meridian the breeze fell, till, in the hottest +part of the afternoon, and when he judged that he was not more than +eight miles from shore, it sank to the merest zephyr, and the waves by +degrees diminished. So faint became the breeze in half-an-hour's time, +and so intermittent, that he found it patience wasted even to hold the +rudder-paddle. The sail hung and was no longer bellied out; as the idle +waves rolled under, it flapped against the mast. The heat was now so +intolerable, the light reflected from the water increasing the +sensation, that he was obliged to make himself some shelter by partly +lowering the sail, and hauling the yard athwart the vessel, so that the +canvas acted as an awning. Gradually the waves declined in volume, and +the gentle breathing of the wind ebbed away, till at last the surface +was almost still, and he could feel no perceptible air stirring. + +Weary of sitting in the narrow boat, he stood up, but he could not +stretch himself sufficiently for the change to be of much use. The long +summer day, previously so pleasant, now appeared scarcely endurable. +Upon the silent water the time lingered, for there was nothing to mark +its advance, not so much as a shadow beyond that of his own boat. The +waves having now no crest, went under the canoe without chafing against +it, or rebounding, so that they were noiseless. No fishes rose to the +surface. There was nothing living near, except a blue butterfly, which +settled on the mast, having ventured thus far from land. The vastness of +the sky, over-arching the broad water, the sun, and the motionless +filaments of cloud, gave no repose for his gaze, for they were seemingly +still. To the weary gaze motion is repose; the waving boughs, the +foam-tipped waves, afford positive rest to look at. Such intense +stillness as this of the summer sky was oppressive; it was like living +in space itself, in the ether above. He welcomed at last the gradual +downward direction of the sun, for, as the heat decreased, he could work +with the paddle. + +Presently he furled the sail, took his paddle, and set his face for the +land. He laboured steadily, but made no apparent progress. The canoe was +heavy, and the outrigger or beam, which was of material use in sailing, +was a drawback to paddling. He worked till his arms grew weary, and +still the blue land seemed as far off as ever. + +But by the time the sun began to approach the horizon, his efforts had +produced some effect, the shore was visible, and the woods beyond. They +were still five miles distant, and he was tired; there was little chance +of his reaching it before night. He put his paddle down for refreshment +and rest, and while he was thus engaged, a change took place. A faint +puff of air came; a second, and a third; a tiny ripple ran along the +surface. Now he recollected that he had heard that the mariners depended +a great deal on the morning and the evening--the land and the +Lake--breeze as they worked along the shore. This was the first breath +of the Land breeze. It freshened after a while, and he re-set his sail. + +An hour or so afterwards he came near the shore; he heard the thrushes +singing, and the cuckoo calling, long before he landed. He did not stay +to search about for a creek, but ran the canoe on the strand, which was +free of reeds or flags, a sign that the waves often beat furiously +there, rolling as they must for so many miles. He hauled the canoe up as +high as he could, but presently when he looked about him he found that +he was on a small and narrow island, with a channel in the rear. Tired +as he was, yet anxious for the safety of his canoe, he pushed off again, +and paddled round and again beached her with the island between her and +the open Lake. Else he feared if a south wind should blow she might be +broken to pieces on the strand before his eyes. It was prudent to take +the precaution, but, as it happened, the next day the Lake was still. + +He could see no traces of human occupation upon the island, which was of +small extent and nearly bare, and therefore, in the morning, paddled +across the channel to the mainland, as he thought. But upon exploring +the opposite shore, it proved not to be the mainland, but merely another +island. Paddling round it, he tried again, but with the same result; he +found nothing but island after island, all narrow, and bearing nothing +except bushes. Observing a channel which seemed to go straight in among +these islets, he resolved to follow it, and did so (resting at +noon-time) the whole morning. As he paddled slowly in, he found the +water shallower, and weeds, bulrushes, and reeds became thick, except +quite in the centre. + +After the heat of midday had gone over, he resumed his voyage, and still +found the same; islets and banks, more or less covered with hawthorn +bushes, willow, elder, and alder, succeeded to islets, fringed round +their edges with reeds and reed canary-grass. When he grew weary of +paddling, he landed and stayed the night; the next day he went on again, +and still for hour after hour rowed in and out among these banks and +islets, till he began to think he should never find his way out. + +The farther he penetrated the more numerous became the waterfowl. Ducks +swam among the flags, or rose with a rush and splashing. Coots and +moorhens dived and hid in the reeds. The lesser grebe sank at the sound +of the paddle like a stone. A strong northern diver raised a wave as he +hurried away under the water, his course marked by the undulation above +him. Sedge-birds chirped in the willows; black-headed buntings sat on +the trees, and watched him without fear. Bearded titmice were there, +clinging to the stalks of the sedges, and long-necked herons rose from +the reedy places where they love to wade. Blue dragon-flies darted to +and fro, or sat on water-plants as if they were flowers. Snakes swam +across the channels, vibrating their heads from side to side. Swallows +swept over his head. Pike "struck" from the verge of the thick weeds as +he came near. Perch rose for insects as they fell helpless into the +water. + +He noticed that the water, though so thick with reeds, was as clear as +that in the open Lake; there was no scum such as accumulates in stagnant +places. From this he concluded that there must be a current, however +slight, perhaps from rivers flowing into this part of the Lake. He felt +the strongest desire to explore farther till he reached the mainland, +but he reflected that mere exploration was not his object; it would +never obtain Aurora for him. There were no signs whatever of human +habitation, and from reeds and bulrushes, however interesting, nothing +could be gained. Reluctantly, therefore, on the third morning, having +passed the night on one of the islets, he turned his canoe, and paddled +southwards towards the Lake. + +He did not for a moment attempt to retrace the channel by which he had +entered; it would have been an impossibility; he took advantage of any +clear space to push through. It took him as long to get out as it had to +get in; it was the afternoon of the fourth day when he at last regained +the coast. He rested the remainder of the afternoon, wishing to start +fresh in the morning, having determined to follow the line of the shore +eastwards, and so gradually to circumnavigate the Lake. If he succeeded +in nothing else, that at least would be something to relate to Aurora. + +The morning rose fair and bright, with a south-westerly air rather than +a breeze. He sailed before it; it was so light that his progress could +not have exceeded more than three miles an hour. Hour after hour passed +away, and still he followed the line of the shore, now going a short way +out to skirt an island, and now nearer it to pass between sandbanks. By +noon he was so weary of sitting in the canoe that he ran her ashore, and +rested awhile. + +It was the very height of the heat of the day when he set forth again, +and the wind lighter than in the morning. It had, however, changed a +little, and blew now from the west, almost too exactly abaft to suit his +craft. He could not make a map while sailing, or observe his position +accurately, but it appeared to him that the shore trended towards the +south-east, so that he was gradually turning an arc. He supposed from +this that he must be approaching the eastern end of the Lake. The water +seemed shallower, to judge from the quantity of weeds. Now and then he +caught glimpses between the numerous islands of the open Lake, and +there, too, the weeds covered the surface in many places. + +In an hour or two the breeze increased considerably, and travelling so +much quicker, he found it required all his dexterity to steer past the +islands and clear the banks upon which he was drifting. Once or twice he +grazed the willows that overhung the water, and heard the keel of the +canoe drag on the bottom. As much as possible he bore away from the +mainland, steering south-east, thinking to find deeper water, and to be +free of the islets. He succeeded in the first, but the islets were now +so numerous that he could not tell where the open Lake was. The farther +the afternoon advanced, the more the breeze freshened, till +occasionally, as it blew between the islands, it struck his mast almost +with the force of a gale. Felix welcomed the wind, which would enable +him to make great progress before evening. If such favouring breezes +would continue, he could circumnavigate the waters in a comparatively +short time, and might return to Aurora, so far, at least, successful. +Hope filled his heart, and he sang to the wind. + +The waves could not rise among these islands, which intercepted them +before they could roll far enough to gather force, so that he had all +the advantage of the gale without its risks. Except a light haze all +round the horizon, the sky was perfectly clear, and it was pleasant now +the strong current of air cooled the sun's heat. As he came round the +islands he constantly met and disturbed parties of waterfowl, mallards, +and coots. Sometimes they merely hid in the weeds, sometimes they rose, +and when they did so passed to his rear. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +DISCOVERIES + + +This little circumstance of the mallards always flying over him and away +behind, when flushed, presently made Felix speculate on the cause, and +he kept a closer watch. He now saw (what had, indeed, been going on for +some time) that there was a ceaseless stream of waterfowl, mallards, +ducks, coots, moorhens, and lesser grebes coming towards him, swimming +to the westward. As they met him they parted and let him through, or +rose and went over. Next he noticed that the small birds on the islands +were also travelling in the same direction, that is against the wind. +They did not seem in any haste, but flitted from islet to islet, bush to +tree, feeding and gossiping as they went; still the movement was +distinct. + +Finches, linnets, blackbirds, thrushes, wrens, and whitethroats, and +many others, all passed him, and he could see the same thing going on to +his right and left. Felix became much interested in this migration, all +the more singular as it was the nesting-time, and hundreds of these +birds must have left their nests with eggs or young behind them. Nothing +that he could think of offered an adequate explanation. He imagined he +saw shoals of fishes going the same way, but the surface of the water +being ruffled, and the canoe sailing rapidly, he could not be certain. +About an hour after he first observed the migration the stream of birds +ceased suddenly. + +There were no waterfowls in the water, and no finches in the bushes. +They had evidently all passed. Those in the van of the migratory army +were no doubt scattered and thinly distributed, so that he had been +meeting the flocks a long while before he suspected it. The nearer he +approached their centre the thicker they became, and on getting through +that he found a solitude. The weeds were thicker than ever, so that he +had constantly to edge away from where he supposed the mainland to lie. +But there were no waterfowls and no birds on the islets. Suddenly as he +rounded a large island he saw what for the moment he imagined to be a +line of white surf, but the next instant he recognised a solid mass, as +it were, of swallows and martins flying just over the surface of the +water straight towards him. He had no time to notice how far they +extended before they had gone by him with a rushing sound. Turning to +look back, he saw them continue directly west in the teeth of the wind. + +Like the water and the islands, the sky was now cleared of birds, and +not a swallow remained. Felix asked himself if he were running into some +unknown danger, but he could not conceive any. The only thing that +occurred to him was the possibility of the wind rising to a hurricane; +that gave him no alarm, because the numerous islands would afford +shelter. So complete was the shelter in some places, that as he passed +along his sail drew above, while the surface of the water, almost +surrounded with bushes and willows, was smooth. No matter to how many +quarters of the compass the wind might veer, he should still be able to +get under the lee of one or other of the banks. + +The sky remained without clouds; there was nothing but a slight haze, +which he sometimes fancied looked thicker in front or to the eastward. +There was nothing whatever to cause the least uneasiness; on the +contrary, his curiosity was aroused, and he was desirous of discovering +what it was that had startled the birds. After a while the water became +rather more open, with sandbanks instead of islands, so that he could +see around him for a considerable distance. By a large bank, behind +which the ripple was stilled, he saw a low wave advancing towards him, +and moving against the wind. It was followed by two others at short +intervals, and though he could not see them, he had no doubt shoals of +fishes were passing and had raised the undulations. + +The sedges on the sandbanks appeared brown and withered, as if it had +been autumn instead of early summer. The flags were brown at the tip, +and the aquatic grasses had dwindled. They looked as if they could not +grow, and had reached but half their natural height. From the low +willows the leaves were dropping, faded and yellow, and the thorn bushes +were shrivelled and covered with the white cocoons of caterpillars. The +farther he sailed the more desolate the banks seemed, and trees ceased +altogether. Even the willows were fewer and stunted, and the highest +thorn bush was not above his chest. His vessel was now more exposed to +the wind, so that he drove past the banks and scattered islands rapidly, +and he noticed that there was not so much as a crow on them. Upturned +mussel-shells, glittering in the sunshine, showed where crows had been +at work, but there was not one now visible. + +Felix thought that the water had lost its clearness and had become +thick, which he put down to the action of the wavelets disturbing the +sand in the shallows. Ahead the haze, or mist, was now much thicker, and +was apparently not over a mile distant. It hid the islands and concealed +everything. He expected to enter it immediately, but it receded as he +approached. Along the strand of an island he passed there was a dark +line like a stain, and in still water under the lee the surface was +covered with a floating scum. Felix, on seeing this, at once concluded +that he had unknowingly entered a gulf, and had left the main Lake, for +the only place he had ever seen scum before was at the extremity of a +creek near home, where the water was partly stagnant on a marshy level. +The water of the Lake was proverbial for its purity and clearness. + +He kept, therefore, a sharp look-out, expecting every moment to sight +the end of the gulf or creek in which he supposed himself sailing, so +that he might be ready to lower his sail. By degrees the wind had risen +till it now blew with fury, but the numerous sandflats so broke up the +waves that he found no inconvenience from them. One solitary gull passed +over at a great height, flying steadily westwards against the wind. The +canoe now began to overtake fragments of scum drifting before the wind, +and rising up and down on the ripples. Once he saw a broad piece rise to +the surface together with a quantity of bubbles. None of the sandbanks +now rose more than a foot or so above the surface, and were entirely +bare, mere sand and gravel. + +The mist ahead was sensibly nearer, and yet it eluded him; it was of a +faint yellow, and though so thin, obscured everything where it hovered. +From out of the mist there presently appeared a vast stretch of weeds. +They floated on the surface and undulated to the wavelets, a pale +yellowish green expanse. Felix was hesitating whether to lower his sail +or attempt to drive over them, when, as he advanced and the mist +retreated, he saw open water beyond. The weeds extended on either hand +as far as he could see, but they were only a narrow band, and he +hesitated no longer. He felt the canoe graze the bottom once as he +sailed over the weeds. The water was free of sandbanks beyond them, but +he could see large islands looming in several directions. + +Glancing behind him he perceived that the faint yellow mist had closed +in and now encircled him. It came with two or three hundred yards, and +was not affected by the wind, rough as it was. Quite suddenly he noticed +that the water on which the canoe floated was black. The wavelets which +rolled alongside were black, and the slight spray that occasionally flew +on board was black, and stained the side of the vessel. This greatly +astonished and almost shocked him; it was so opposite and contrary to +all his ideas about the Lake, the very mirror of purity. He leant over, +and dipped up a little in the palm of his hand; it did not appear black +in such a small quantity, it seemed a rusty brown, but he became aware +of an offensive odour. The odour clung to his hand, and he could not +remove it, to his great disgust. It was like nothing he had ever smelt +before, and not in the least like the vapour of marshes. + +By now being some distance from any island, the wavelets increased in +size, and spray flew on board, wetting everything with this black +liquid. Instead of level marshes and the end of the gulf, it appeared as +if the water were deep, and also as if it widened. Exposed to the full +press of the gale, Felix began to fear that he should not be able to +return very easily against it. He did not know what to do. The horrid +blackness of the water disposed him to turn about and tack out; on the +other hand, having set out on a voyage of discovery, and having now +found something different to the other parts of the Lake, he did not +like to retreat. He sailed on, thinking to presently pass these +loathsome waters. + +He was now hungry, and indeed thirsty, but was unable to drink because +he had no water-barrel. No vessel sailing on the Lake ever carried a +water-barrel, since such pure water was always under their bows. He was +cramped, too, with long sitting in the canoe, and the sun was +perceptibly sloping in the west. He determined to land and rest, and +with this purpose steered to the right under the lee of a large island, +so large, indeed, that he was not certain it was not part of the +mainland or one side of the gulf. The water was very deep close up to +the shore, but, to his annoyance, the strand appeared black, as if +soaked with the dark water. He skirted along somewhat farther, and found +a ledge of low rocks stretching out into the Lake, so that he was +obliged to run ashore before coming to these. + +On landing, the black strand, to his relief, was fairly firm, for he had +dreaded sinking to the knees in it; but its appearance was so unpleasant +that he could not bring himself to sit down. He walked on towards the +ledge of rocks, thinking to find a pleasanter place there. They were +stratified, and he stepped on them to climb up, when his foot went deep +into the apparently hard rock. He kicked it, and his shoe penetrated it +as if it had been soft sand. It was impossible to climb up the reef. The +ground rose inland, and curious to see around him as far as possible, he +ascended the slope. + +From the summit, however, he could not see farther than on the shore, +for the pale yellow mist rose up round him, and hid the canoe on the +strand. The extreme desolation of the dark and barren ground repelled +him; there was not a tree, bush, or living creature, not so much as a +buzzing fly. He turned to go down, and then for the first time noticed +that the disk of the sun was surrounded with a faint blue rim, +apparently caused by the yellow vapour. So much were the rays shorn of +their glare, that he could look at the sun without any distress, but its +heat seemed to have increased, though it was now late in the afternoon. + +Descending towards the canoe, he fancied the wind had veered +considerably. He sat down in the boat, and took some food; it was +without relish, as he had nothing to drink, and the great heat had tired +him. Wearily, and without thinking, he pushed off the canoe; she slowly +floated out, when, as he was about to hoist up the sail, a tremendous +gust of wind struck him down on the thwarts, and nearly carried him +overboard. He caught the mast as he fell, or over he must have gone into +the black waves. Before he could recover himself, she drifted against +the ledge of rocks, which broke down and sank before the bow, so that +she passed over uninjured. + +Felix got out a paddle, and directed the canoe as well as he could; the +fury of the wind was irresistible, and he could only drive before it. In +a few minutes, as he was swept along the shore, he was carried between +it and another immense reef. Here, the waves being broken and less +powerful, he contrived to get the heavy canoe ashore again, and, jumping +out, dragged her up as far as he could on the land. When he had done +this, he found to his surprise that the gale had ceased. The tremendous +burst of wind had been succeeded by a perfect calm, and the waves had +already lost their violent impetus. + +This was a relief, for he had feared that the canoe would be utterly +broken to pieces; but soon he began to doubt if it were an unmixed +benefit, as without a wind he could not move from this dismal place that +evening. He was too weary to paddle far. He sat on the canoe to rest +himself, and, whether from fatigue or other causes, fell asleep. His +head heavily dropping on his chest partly woke him several times, but +his lassitude overcame the discomfort, and he slept on. When he got up +he felt dazed and unrefreshed, as if sleeping had been hard work. He was +extremely thirsty, and oppressed with the increasing heat. The sun had +sunk, or rather was so low that the high ground hid it from sight. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +STRANGE THINGS + + +The thought struck Felix that perhaps he might find a spring somewhere +in the island, and he started at once up over the hill. At the top he +paused. The sun had not sunk, but had disappeared as a disk. In its +place was a billow of blood, for so it looked, a vast up-heaved billow +of glowing blood surging on the horizon. Over it flickered a tint of +palest blue, like that seen in fire. The black waters reflected the +glow, and the yellow vapour around was suffused with it. Though +momentarily startled, Felix did not much heed these appearances; he was +still dazed and heavy from his sleep. + +He went on, looking for a spring, sometimes walking on firm ground, +sometimes sinking to the ankle in a friable soil like black sand. The +ground looked, indeed, as if it had been burnt, but there were no +charred stumps of timber such as he had seen on the sites of forest +fires. The extreme dreariness seemed to oppress his spirits, and he went +on and on in a heavy waking dream. Descending into a plain, he lost +sight of the flaming sunset and the black waters. In the level plain the +desolation was yet more marked; there was not a grass-blade or plant; +the surface was hard, black, and burned, resembling iron, and indeed in +places it resounded to his feet, though he supposed that was the echo +from hollow passages beneath. + +Several times he shook himself, straightened himself up, and endeavoured +to throw off the sense of drowsy weight which increased upon him. He +could not do so; he walked with bent back, and crept, as it were, over +the iron land which radiated heat. A shimmer like that of water appeared +in front; he quickened his pace, but could not get to it, and realized +presently that it was a mirage which receded as he advanced. There was +no pleasant summer twilight; the sunset was succeeded by an indefinite +gloom, and while this shadow hung overhead the yellow vapour around was +faintly radiant. Felix suddenly stopped, having stepped, as he thought, +on a skeleton. + +Another glance, however, showed that it was merely the impression of +one, the actual bones had long since disappeared. The ribs, the skull, +and limbs were drawn on the black ground in white lines as if it had +been done with a broad piece of chalk. Close by he found three or four +more, intertangled and superimposed as if the unhappy beings had fallen +partly across each other, and in that position had mouldered away +leaving nothing but their outline. From among a variety of objects that +were scattered about Felix picked up something that shone; it was a +diamond bracelet of one large stone, and a small square of blue china +tile with a curious heraldic animal drawn on it. Evidently these had +belonged to one or other of the party who had perished. + +Though startled at the first sight, it was curious that Felix felt so +little horror; the idea did not occur to him that he was in danger as +these had been. Inhaling the gaseous emanations from the soil and +contained in the yellow vapour, he had become narcotized, and moved as +if under the influence of opium, while wide awake, and capable of +rational conduct. His senses were deadened, and did not carry the usual +vivid impression to the mind; he saw things as if they were afar off. +Accidentally looking back, he found that his footmarks, as far as he +could see, shone with a phosphoric light like that of "touchwood" in the +dark. Near at hand they did not shine; the appearance did not come till +some few minutes had elapsed. His track was visible behind till the +vapour hid it. As the evening drew on the vapour became more luminous, +and somewhat resembled an aurora. + +Still anxious for water, he proceeded as straight ahead as he could, and +shortly became conscious of an indefinite cloud which kept pace with him +on either side. When he turned to look at either of the clouds, the one +looked at disappeared. It was not condensed enough to be visible to +direct vision, yet he was aware of it from the corner of his eye. +Shapeless and threatening, the gloomy thickness of the air floated +beside him like the vague monster of a dream. Sometimes he fancied that +he saw an arm or a limb among the folds of the cloud, or an approach to +a face; the instant he looked it vanished. Marching at each hand these +vapours bore him horrible company. + +His brain became unsteady, and flickering things moved about him; yet, +though alarmed, he was not afraid; his senses were not acute enough for +fear. The heat increased; his hands were intolerably hot as if he had +been in a fever, he panted; but did not perspire. A dry heat like an +oven burned his blood in his veins. His head felt enlarged, and his eyes +seemed alight; he could see these two globes of phosphoric light under +his brows. They seemed to stand out so that he could see them. He +thought his path straight, it was really curved; nor did he know that he +staggered as he walked. + +Presently a white object appeared ahead; and on coming to it, he found +it was a wall, white as snow, with some kind of crystal. He touched it, +when the wall fell immediately, with a crushing sound as if pulverised, +and disappeared in a vast cavern at his feet. Beyond this chasm he came +to more walls like those of houses, such as would be left if the roofs +fell in. He carefully avoided touching them, for they seemed as brittle +as glass, and merely a white powder having no consistency at all. As he +advanced these remnants of buildings increased in number, so that he had +to wind in and out round them. In some places the crystallized wall had +fallen of itself, and he could see down into the cavern; for the house +had either been built partly underground, or, which was more probable, +the ground had risen. Whether the walls had been of bricks or stone or +other material he could not tell; they were now like salt. + +Soon wearying of winding round these walls, Felix returned and retraced +his steps till he was outside the place, and then went on towards the +left. Not long after, as he still walked in a dream and without feeling +his feet, he descended a slight slope and found the ground change in +colour from black to a dull red. In his dazed state he had taken several +steps into this red before he noticed that it was liquid, unctuous and +slimy, like a thick oil. It deepened rapidly and was already over his +shoes; he returned to the black shore and stood looking out over the +water, if such it could be called. + +The luminous yellow vapour had now risen a height of ten or fifteen +feet, and formed a roof both over the land and over the red water, under +which it was possible to see for a great distance. The surface of the +red oil or viscid liquid was perfectly smooth, and, indeed, it did not +seem as if any wind could rouse a wave on it, much less that a swell +should be left after the gale had gone down. Disappointed in his search +for water to drink, Felix mechanically turned to go back. + +He followed his luminous footmarks, which he could see a long way before +him. His trail curved so much that he made many short cuts across the +winding line he had left. His weariness was now so intense that all +feeling had departed. His feet, his limbs, his arms, and hands were +numbed. The subtle poison of the emanations from the earth had begun to +deaden his nerves. It seemed a full hour or more to him till he reached +the spot where the skeletons were drawn in white upon the ground. + +He passed a few yards to one side of them, and stumbled over a heap of +something which he did not observe, as it was black like the level +ground. It emitted a metallic sound, and looking he saw that he had +kicked his foot against a great heap of money. The coins were black as +ink; he picked up a handful and went on. Hitherto Felix had accepted all +that he saw as something so strange as to be unaccountable. During his +advance into this region in the canoe he had in fact become slowly +stupefied by the poisonous vapour he had inhaled. His mind was partly in +abeyance; it acted, but only after some time had elapsed. He now at last +began to realize his position; the finding of the heap of blackened +money touched a chord of memory. These skeletons were the miserable +relics of men who had ventured, in search of ancient treasures, into the +deadly marshes over the site of the mightiest city of former days. The +deserted and utterly extinct city of London was under his feet. + +He had penetrated into the midst of that dreadful place, of which he had +heard many a tradition: how the earth was poison, the water poison, the +air poison, the very light of heaven, falling through such an +atmosphere, poison. There were said to be places where the earth was on +fire and belched forth sulphurous fumes, supposed to be from the +combustion of the enormous stores of strange and unknown chemicals +collected by the wonderful people of those times. Upon the surface of +the water there was a greenish-yellow oil, to touch which was death to +any creature; it was the very essence of corruption. Sometimes it +floated before the wind, and fragments became attached to reeds or flags +far from the place itself. If a moorhen or duck chanced to rub the reed, +and but one drop stuck to its feathers, it forthwith died. Of the red +water he had not heard, nor of the black, into which he had unwittingly +sailed. + +Ghastly beings haunted the site of so many crimes, shapeless monsters, +hovering by night, and weaving a fearful dance. Frequently they caught +fire, as it seemed, and burned as they flew or floated in the air. +Remembering these stories, which in part, at least, now seemed to be +true, Felix glanced aside, where the cloud still kept pace with him, and +involuntarily put his hands to his ears lest the darkness of the air +should whisper some horror of old times. The earth on which he walked, +the black earth, leaving phosphoric footmarks behind him, was composed +of the mouldered bodies of millions of men who had passed away in the +centuries during which the city existed. He shuddered as he moved; he +hastened, yet could not go fast, his numbed limbs would not permit him. + +He dreaded lest he should fall and sleep, and wake no more, like the +searchers after treasure; treasure which they had found only to lose for +ever. He looked around, supposing that he might see the gleaming head +and shoulders of the half-buried giant, of which he recollected he had +been told. The giant was punished for some crime by being buried to the +chest in the earth; fire incessantly consumed his head and played about +it, yet it was not destroyed. The learned thought, if such a thing +really existed, that it must be the upper part of an ancient brazen +statue, kept bright by the action of acid in the atmosphere, and shining +with reflected light. Felix did not see it, and shortly afterwards +surmounted the hill, and looked down upon his canoe. It was on fire! + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +FIERY VAPOURS + + +Felix tried to run, but his feet would not rise from the ground; his +limbs were numb as in a nightmare; he could not get there. His body +would not obey his will. In reality he did move, but more slowly than +when he walked. By degrees approaching the canoe his alarm subsided, for +although it burned it was not injured; the canvas of the sail was not +even scorched. When he got to it the flames had disappeared; like +Jack-o'-the-lantern, the phosphoric fire receded from him. With all his +strength he strove to launch her, yet paused, for over the surface of +the black water, now smooth and waveless, played immense curling flames, +stretching out like endless serpents, weaving, winding, rolling over +each other. Suddenly they contracted into a ball, which shone with a +steady light, and was as large as the full moon. The ball swept along, +rose a little, and from it flew out long streamers till it was unwound +in fiery threads. + +But remembering that the flames had not even scorched the canvas, he +pushed the canoe afloat, determined at any risk to leave this dreadful +place. To his joy he felt a faint air rising; it cooled his forehead, +but was not enough to fill the sail. He paddled with all the strength he +had left. The air seemed to come from exactly the opposite direction to +what it had previously blown, some point of east he supposed. Labour as +hard as he would, the canoe moved slowly, being so heavy. It seemed as +if the black water was thick and clung to her, retarding motion. Still, +he did move, and in time (it seemed, indeed, a time) he left the island, +which disappeared in the luminous vapours. Uncertain as to the +direction, he got his compass, but it would not act; the needle had no +life, it swung and came to rest, pointing any way as it chanced. It was +demagnetized. Felix resolved to trust to the wind, which he was certain +blew from the opposite quarter, and would therefore carry him out. The +stars he could not see for the vapour, which formed a roof above him. + +The wind was rising, but in uncertain gusts; however, he hoisted the +sail, and floated slowly before it. Nothing but excitement could have +kept him awake. Reclining in the canoe, he watched the serpent-like +flames playing over the surface, and forced himself by sheer power of +will not to sleep. The two dark clouds which had accompanied him to the +shore now faded away, and the cooling wind enabled him to bear up better +against his parching thirst. His hope was to reach the clear and +beautiful Lake; his dread that in the uncertain light he might strike a +concealed sandbank and become firmly fixed. + +Twice he passed islands, distinguishable as masses of visible darkness. +While the twisted flames played up to the shore, and the luminous vapour +overhung the ground, the island itself appeared as a black mass. The +wind became by degrees steadier, and the canoe shot swiftly over the +water. His hopes rose; he sat up and kept a keener look-out ahead. All +at once the canoe shook as if she had struck a rock. She vibrated from +one end to the other, and stopped for a moment in her course. Felix +sprang up alarmed. At the same instant a bellowing noise reached him, +succeeded by a frightful belching and roaring, as if a volcano had burst +forth under the surface of the water; he looked back but could see +nothing. The canoe had not touched ground; she sailed as rapidly as +before. + +Again the shock, and again the hideous roaring, as if some force beneath +the water were forcing itself up, vast bubbles rising and turning. +Fortunately it was at a great distance. Hardly was it silent before it +was reiterated for the third time. Next Felix felt the canoe heave up, +and he was aware that a large roller had passed under him. A second and +a third followed. They were without crests, and were not raised by the +wind; they obviously started from the scene of the disturbance. Soon +afterwards the canoe moved quicker, and he detected a strong current +setting in the direction he was sailing. + +The noise did not recur, nor did any more rollers pass under. Felix felt +better and less dazed, but his weariness and sleepiness increased every +moment. He fancied that the serpent flames were less brilliant and +farther apart, and that the luminous vapour was thinner. How long he sat +at the rudder he could not tell; he noticed that it seemed to grow +darker, the serpent flames faded away, and the luminous vapour was +succeeded by something like the natural gloom of night. At last he saw a +star overhead, and hailed it with joy. He thought of Aurora; the next +instant he fell back in the canoe firm asleep. + +His arm, however, still retained the rudder-paddle in position, so that +the canoe sped on with equal swiftness. She would have struck more than +one of the sandbanks and islets had it not been for the strong current +that was running. Instead of carrying her against the banks this warded +her off, for it drew her between the islets in the channels where it ran +fastest, and the undertow, where it struck the shore, bore her back from +the land. Driving before the wind, the canoe swept onward steadily to +the west. In an hour it had passed the line of the black water, and +entered the sweet Lake. Another hour and all trace of the marshes had +utterly disappeared, the last faint glow of the vapour had vanished. The +dawn of the coming summer's day appeared, and the sky became a lovely +azure. The canoe sailed on, but Felix remained immovable in slumber. + +Long since the strong current had ceased, it scarcely extended into the +sweet waters, and the wind only impelled the canoe. As the sun rose the +breeze gradually fell away, and in an hour or so there was only a light +air. The canoe had left most of the islets and was approaching the open +Lake when, as she passed almost the last, the yard caught the +overhanging branch of a willow, the canoe swung round and grounded +gently under the shadow of the tree. For some time the little wavelets +beat against the side of the boat; gradually they ceased, and the clear +and beautiful water became still. Felix slept till nearly noon, when he +awoke and sat up. At the sudden movement a pike struck, and two moorhens +scuttled out of the water into the grass on the shore. A thrush was +singing sweetly, whitethroats were busy in the bushes, and swallows +swept by overhead. + +Felix drew a long deep breath of intense relief; it was like awakening +in Paradise. He snatched up a cup, dipped, and satisfied his craving +thirst, then washed his hands over the side, and threw the water over +his face. But when he came to stand up and move, he found that his limbs +were almost powerless. Like a child he tottered, his joints had no +strength, his legs tingled as if they had been benumbed. He was so weak +he crawled on all fours along to the mast, furled the sail kneeling, and +dragged himself rather than stepped ashore with the painter. The instant +he had fastened the rope to a branch, he threw himself at full length on +the grass, and grasped a handful of it. Merely to touch the grass after +such an experience was intense delight. + +The song of the thrush, the chatter of the whitethroats, the sight of a +hedge-sparrow, gave him inexpressible pleasure. Lying on the sward he +watched the curves traced by the swallows in the sky. From the sedges +came the curious cry of the moorhen; a bright kingfisher went by. He +rested as he had never rested before. His whole body, his whole being +was resigned to rest. It was fully two hours before he rose and crept on +all fours into the canoe for food. There was only sufficient left for +one meal, but that gave him no concern now he was out of the marshes; he +could fish and use his crossbow. + +He now observed what had escaped him during the night, the canoe was +black from end to end. Stem, stern, gunwale, thwart, outrigger, mast and +sail were black. The stain did not come off on being touched, it seemed +burnt in. As he leaned over the side to dip water, and saw his +reflection, he started; his face was black, his clothes were black, his +hair black. In his eagerness to drink, the first time, he had noticed +nothing. His hands were less dark; contact with the paddle and ropes had +partly rubbed it off, he supposed. He washed, but the water did not +materially diminish the discoloration. + +After eating, he returned to the grass and rested again; and it was not +till the sun was sinking that he felt any return of vigour. Still weak, +but able now to walk, leaning on a stick, he began to make a camp for +the coming night. But a few scraps, the remnant of his former meal, were +left; on these he supped after a fashion, and long before the white owl +began his rounds Felix was fast asleep on his hunter's hide from the +canoe. He found next morning that the island was small, only a few +acres; it was well-wooded, dry, and sandy in places. He had little +inclination or strength to resume his expedition; he erected a booth of +branches, and resolved to stay a few days till his strength returned. + +By shooting wildfowl, and fishing, he fared very well, and soon +recovered. In two days the discoloration of the skin had faded to an +olive tint, which, too, grew fainter. The canoe lost its blackness, and +became a rusty colour. By rubbing the coins he had carried away he found +they were gold; part of the inscription remained, but he could not read +it. The blue china-tile was less injured than the metal; after washing +it, it was bright. But the diamond pleased him most; it would be a +splendid present for Aurora. Never had he seen anything like it in the +palaces; he believe it was twice the size of the largest possessed by +any king or prince. + +It was as big as his finger-nail, and shone and gleamed in the sunlight, +sparkling and reflecting the beams. Its value must be very great. But +well he knew how dangerous it would be to exhibit it; on some pretext or +other he would be thrown into prison, and the gem seized. It must be +hidden with the greatest care till he could produce it in Thyma Castle, +when the Baron would protect it. Felix regretted now that he had not +searched further; perhaps he might have found other treasures for +Aurora; the next instant he repudiated his greed, and was only thankful +that he had escaped with his life. He wondered and marvelled that he had +done so, it was so well known that almost all who had ventured in had +perished. + +Reflecting on the circumstances which had accompanied his entrance to +the marshes, the migration of the birds seemed almost the most singular. +They were evidently flying from some apprehended danger, and that most +probably would be in the air. The gale at that time, however, was +blowing in a direction which would appear to ensure safety to them; +into, and not out of, the poisonous marshes. Did they, then, foresee +that it would change? Did they expect it to veer like a cyclone and +presently blow east with the same vigour as it then blew west? That +would carry the vapour from the inky waters out over the sweet Lake, and +might even cause the foul water itself to temporarily encroach on the +sweet. The more he thought of it, the more he felt convinced that this +was the explanation; and, as a fact, the wind, after dropping, did arise +again and blow from the east, though, as it happened, not with nearly +the same strength. It fell, too, before long, fortunately for him. +Clearly the birds had anticipated a cyclone, and that the wind turning +would carry the gases out upon them to their destruction. They had +therefore hurried away, and the fishes had done the same. + +The velocity of the gale which had carried him into the black waters had +proved his safety, by driving before it the thicker and most poisonous +portion of the vapour, compressing it towards the east, so that he had +entered the dreaded precincts under favourable conditions. When it +dropped, while he was on the black island, he soon began to feel the +effect of the gases rising imperceptibly from the soil, and had he not +had the good fortune to escape so soon, no doubt he would have fallen a +victim. He could not congratulate himself sufficiently upon his good +fortune. The other circumstances appeared to be due to the decay of the +ancient city, to the decomposition of accumulated matter, to +phosphorescence and gaseous exhalations. The black rocks that crumbled +at a touch were doubtless the remains of ancient buildings saturated +with the dark water and vapours. Inland similar remains were white, and +resembled salt. + +But the great explosions which occurred as he was leaving, and which +sent heavy rollers after him, were not easily understood, till he +remembered that in Sylvester's "Book of Natural Things" it was related +that "the ancient city had been undermined with vast conduits, sewers, +and tunnels, and that these communicated with the sea". It had been much +disputed whether the sea did or did not still send its tides up to the +site of the old quays. Felix now thought that the explosions were due to +compressed air, or more probably to gases met with by the ascending +tide. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +THE SHEPHERDS + + +For four days Felix remained on the island recovering his strength. By +degrees the memory of the scenes he had witnessed grew less vivid, and +his nerves regained their tone. The fifth morning he sailed again, +making due south with a gentle breeze from the west, which suited the +canoe very well. He considered that he was now at the eastern extremity +of the Lake, and that by sailing south he should presently reach the +place where the shore turned to the east again. The sharp prow of the +canoe cut swiftly through the waves, a light spray flew occasionally in +his face, and the wind blew pleasantly. In the cloudless sky swallows +and swifts were wheeling, and on the water half a dozen mallards moved +aside to let him pass. + +About two hours after he started he encountered a mist, which came +softly over the surface of the water with the wind, and in an instant +shut out all view. Even the sun was scarcely visible. It was very warm, +and left no moisture. In five minutes he passed through and emerged +again in the bright sunlight. These dry, warm mists are frequently seen +on the Lake in summer, and are believed to portend a continuance of fine +weather. + +Felix kept a good distance from the mainland, which was hilly and +wooded, and with few islands. Presently he observed in the extreme +distance, on his right hand, a line of mountainous hills, which he +supposed to be the southern shore of the Lake, and that he was sailing +into a gulf or bay. He debated with himself whether he should alter his +course and work across to the mountains, or to continue to trace the +shore. Unless he did trace the shore, he could scarcely say that he had +circumnavigated the Lake, as he would leave this great bay unexplored. +He continued, therefore, to sail directly south. + +The wind freshened towards noon, and the canoe flew at a great pace. +Twice he passed through similar mists. There were now no islands at all, +but a line of low chalk cliffs marked the shore. Considering that it +must be deep, and safe to do so, Felix bore in closer to look at the +land. Woods ran along the hills right to the verge of the cliff, but he +saw no signs of inhabitants, no smoke, boat, or house. The sound of the +surf beating on the beach was audible, though the waves were not large. +High over the cliff he noted a kite soaring, with forked tail, at a +great height. + +Immediately afterwards he ran into another mist or vapour, thicker, if +anything, and which quite obscured his view. It seemed like a great +cloud on the surface of the water, and broader than those he had +previously entered. Suddenly the canoe stopped with a tremendous jerk, +which pitched him forward on his knees, the mast cracked, and there was +a noise of splitting wood. As soon as he could get up, Felix saw, to his +bitter sorrow, that the canoe had split longitudinally; the water came +up through the split, and the boat was held together only by the beams +of the outrigger. He had run aground on a large sharp flint embedded in +a chalk floor, which had split the poplar wood of the canoe like an axe. +The voyage was over, for the least strain would cause the canoe to part +in two, and if she were washed off the ground she would be water-logged. +In half a minute the mist passed, leaving him in the bright day, +shipwrecked. + +Felix now saw that the waters were white with suspended chalk, and +sounding with the paddle, found that the depth was but a few inches. He +had driven at full speed on a reef. There was no danger, for the +distance to the shore was hardly two hundred yards, and judging by the +appearance of the water, it was shallow all the way. But his canoe, the +product of so much labour, and in which he had voyaged so far, his canoe +was destroyed. He could not repair her; he doubted whether it could have +been done successfully even at home with Oliver to help him. He could +sail no farther; there was nothing for it but to get ashore and travel +on foot. If the wind rose higher, the waves would soon break clean over +her, and she would go to pieces. + +With a heavy heart, Felix took his paddle and stepped overboard. Feeling +with the paddle, he plumbed the depth in front of him, and, as he +expected, walked all the way to the shore, no deeper than his knees. +This was fortunate, as it enabled him to convey his things to land +without loss. He wrapped up the tools and manuscripts in one of his +hunter's hides. When the whole cargo was landed, he sat down sorrowfully +at the foot of the cliff, and looked out at the broken mast and sail, +still flapping uselessly in the breeze. + +It was a long time before he recovered himself, and set to work +mechanically to bury the crossbow, hunter's hides, tools, and +manuscripts, under a heap of pebbles. As the cliff, though low, was +perpendicular, he could not scale it, else he would have preferred to +conceal them in the woods above. To pile pebbles over them was the best +he could do for the present; he intended to return for them when he +discovered a path up the cliff. He then started, taking only his bow and +arrows. + +But no such path was to be found; he walked on and on till weary, and +still the cliff ran like a wall on his left hand. After an hour's rest, +he started again; and, as the sun was declining, came suddenly to a gap +in the cliff, where a grassy sward came down to the shore. It was now +too late, and he was too weary, to think of returning for his things +that evening. He made a scanty meal, and endeavoured to rest. But the +excitement of losing the canoe, the long march since, the lack of good +food, all tended to render him restless. Weary, he could not rest, nor +move farther. The time passed slowly, the sun sank, the wind ceased; +after an interminable time the stars appeared, and still he could not +sleep. He had chosen a spot under an oak on the green slope. The night +was warm, and even sultry, so that he did not miss his covering, but +there was no rest in him. Towards the dawn, which comes very early at +that season, he at last slept, with his back to the tree. He awoke with +a start in broad daylight, to see a man standing in front of him armed +with a long spear. + +Felix sprang to his feet, instinctively feeling for his hunting-knife; +but he saw in an instant that no injury was meant, for the man was +leaning on the shaft of his weapon, and, of course, could, if so he had +wished, have run him through while sleeping. They looked at each other +for a moment. The stranger was clad in a tunic, and wore a hat of +plaited straw. He was very tall and strongly built; his single weapon, a +spear of twice his own length. His beard came down on his chest. He +spoke to Felix in a dialect the latter did not understand. Felix held +out his hand as a token of amity, which the other took. He spoke again. +Felix, on his part, tried to explain his shipwreck, when a word the +stranger uttered recalled to Felix's memory the peculiar dialect used by +the shepherd race on the hills in the neighbourhood of his home. + +He spoke in this dialect, which the stranger in part at least +understood, and the sound of which at once rendered him more friendly. +By degrees they comprehended each other's meaning the easier, as the +shepherd had come the same way and had seen the wreck of the canoe. +Felix learned that the shepherd was a scout sent on ahead to see that +the road was clear of enemies. His tribe were on the march with their +flocks, and to avoid the steep woods and hills which there blocked their +course, they had followed the level and open beach at the foot of the +cliff, aware, of course, of the gap which Felix had found. While they +were talking, Felix saw the cloud of dust raised by the sheep as the +flocks wound round a jutting buttress of cliff. + +His friend explained that they marched in the night and early morning to +avoid the heat of the day. Their proposed halting-place was close at +hand; he must go on and see that all was clear. Felix accompanied him, +and found within the wood at the summit a grassy coombe, where a spring +rose. The shepherd threw down his spear, and began to dam up the channel +of the spring with stones, flints, and sods of earth, in order to form a +pool at which the sheep might drink. Felix assisted him, and the water +speedily began to rise. + +The flocks were not allowed to rush tumultuously to the water; they came +in about fifty at a time, each division with its shepherds and their +dogs, so that confusion was avoided and all had their share. There were +about twenty of these divisions, besides eighty cows and a few goats. +They had no horses; their baggage came on the backs of asses. + +After the whole of the flocks and herds had been watered several fires +were lit by the women, who in stature and hardihood scarcely differed +from the men. Not till this work was over did the others gather about +Felix to hear his story. Finding that he was hungry they ran to the +baggage for food, and pressed on him a little dark bread, plentiful +cheese and butter, dried tongue, and horns of mead. He could not devour +a fiftieth part of what these hospitable people brought him. Having +nothing else to give them, he took from his pocket one of the gold coins +he had brought from the site of the ancient city, and offered it. + +They laughed, and made him understand that it was of no value to them; +but they passed it from hand to hand, and he noticed that they began to +look at him curiously. From its blackened appearance they conjectured +whence he had obtained it; one, too, pointed to his shoes, which were +still blackened, and appeared to have been scorched. The whole camp now +pressed on him, their wonder and interest rising to a great height. With +some trouble Felix described his journey over the site of the ancient +city, interrupted with constant exclamations, questions, and excited +conversation. He told them everything, except about the diamond. + +Their manner towards him perceptibly altered. From the first they had +been hospitable; they now became respectful, and even reverent. The +elders and their chief, not to be distinguished by dress or ornament +from the rest, treated him with ceremony and marked deference. The +children were brought to see and even to touch him. So great was their +amazement that any one should have escaped from these pestilential +vapours, that they attributed it to divine interposition, and looked +upon him with some of the awe of superstition. He was asked to stay with +them altogether, and to take command of the tribe. + +The latter Felix declined; to stay with them for awhile, at least, he +was, of course, willing enough. He mentioned his hidden possessions, and +got up to return for them, but they would not permit him. Two men +started at once. He gave them the bearings of the spot, and they had not +the least doubt but that they should find it, especially as, the wind +being still, the canoe would not yet have broken up, and would guide +them. The tribe remained in the green coombe the whole day, resting from +their long journey. They wearied Felix with questions, still he answered +them as copiously as he could; he felt too grateful for their kindness +not to satisfy them. His bow was handled, his arrows carried about so +that the quiver for the time was empty, and the arrows scattered in +twenty hands. He astonished them by exhibiting his skill with the +weapon, striking a tree with an arrow at nearly three hundred yards. + +Though familiar, of course, with the bow, they had never seen shooting +like that, nor, indeed, any archery except at short quarters. They had +no other arms themselves but spears and knives. Seeing one of the women +cutting the boughs from a fallen tree, dead and dry, and, therefore, +preferable for fuel, Felix naturally went to help her, and, taking the +axe, soon made a bundle, which he carried for her. It was his duty as a +noble to see than no woman, not a slave, laboured; he had been bred in +that idea, and would have felt disgraced had he permitted it. The women +looked on with astonishment, for in these rude tribes the labour of the +women was considered valuable and appraised like that of a horse. + +Without any conscious design, Felix thus in one day conciliated and won +the regard of the two most powerful parties in the camp, the chief and +the women. By his refusing the command the chief was flattered, and his +possible hostility prevented. The act of cutting the wood and carrying +the bundle gave him the hearts of the women. They did not, indeed, think +their labour in any degree oppressive; still, to be relieved of it was +pleasing. + +The two men who had gone for Felix's buried treasure did not return till +breakfast next morning. They stepped into the camp, each with his spear +reddened and dripping with fresh blood. Felix no sooner saw the blood +than he fainted. He quickly recovered, but he could not endure the sight +of the spears, which were removed and hidden from his view. He had seen +blood enough spilt at the siege of Iwis, but this came upon him in all +its horror unrelieved by the excitement of war. + +The two shepherds had been dogged by gipsies, and had been obliged to +make a round to escape. They took their revenge by climbing into trees, +and as their pursuers passed under thrust them through with their long +spears. The shepherds, like all their related tribes, had been at feud +with the gipsies for many generations. The gipsies followed them to and +from their pastures, cut off stragglers, destroyed or stole their sheep +and cattle, and now and then overwhelmed a whole tribe. Of late the +contest had become more sanguinary and almost ceaseless. + +Mounted on swift, though small, horses, the gipsies had the advantage of +the shepherds. On the other hand, the shepherds, being men of great +stature and strength, could not be carried away by a rush if they had +time to form a circle, as was their custom of battle. They lost many men +by the javelins thrown by the gipsies, who rode up to the edge of the +circle, cast their darts, and retreated. If the shepherds left their +circle they were easily ridden over; while they maintained formation +they lost individuals, but saved the mass. Battles were of rare +occurrence; the gipsies watched for opportunities and executed raids, +the shepherds retaliated, and thus the endless war continued. The +shepherds invariably posted sentinels, and sent forward scouts to +ascertain if the way were clear. Accustomed to the horrid scenes of war +from childhood, they could not understand Felix's sensitiveness. + +They laughed, and then petted him like a spoilt child. This galled him +exceedingly; he felt humiliated, and eager to reassert his manhood. He +was willing to stay with them there for awhile, nothing would have +induced him to leave them now till he had vindicated himself in their +sight. The incident happened soon after sunrise, which is very early at +the end of June. The camp had only waited for the return of these men, +and on their appearance began to move. The march that morning was not a +long one, as the sky was clear and the heat soon wearied the flocks. +Felix accompanied the scout in advance, armed with his bow, eager to +encounter the gipsies. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +BOW AND ARROW + + +Three mornings the shepherds marched in the same manner, when they came +in view of a range of hills so high that to Felix they appeared +mountains. The home of the tribe was in these hills, and once there they +were comparatively safe from attack. In early spring when the herbage on +the downs was scarce, the flocks moved to the meadowlike lands far in +the valleys; in summer they returned to the hills; in autumn they went +to the vales again. Soon after noon on the third day the scouts reported +that a large body of gipsies were moving in a direction which would cut +off their course to the hills on the morrow. + +The chief held a council, and it was determined that a forced march +should be made at once by another route, more to the left, and it was +thought that in this way they might reach the base of the slopes by +evening. The distance was not great, and could easily have been +traversed by the men; the flocks and herds, however, could not be +hurried much. A messenger was despatched to the hills for assistance, +and the march began. It was a tedious movement. Felix was wearied, and +walked in a drowsy state. Towards six o'clock, as he guessed, the trees +began to thin, and the column reached the first slopes of the hills. +Here about thirty shepherds joined them, a contingent from the nearest +camp. It was considered that the danger was now past, and that the +gipsies would not attack them on the hill; but it was a mistake. + +A large body almost immediately appeared, coming along the slope on the +right, not less than two hundred; and from their open movements and +numbers it was evident that they intended battle. The flocks and herds +were driven hastily into a coombe, or narrow valley, and there left to +their fate. All the armed men formed in a circle; the women occupied the +centre. Felix took his stand outside the circle by a gnarled and decayed +oak. There was just there a slight rise in the ground, which he knew +would give him some advantage in discharging his arrows, and would also +allow him a clear view. His friends earnestly entreated him to enter the +circle, and even sought to bring him within it by force, till he +explained to them that he could not shoot if so surrounded, and promised +if the gipsies charged to rush inside. + +Felix unslung his quiver, and placed it on the ground before him; a +second quiver he put beside it; four or five arrows he stuck upright in +the sward, so that he could catch hold of them quickly; two arrows he +held in his left hand, another he fitted to the string. Thus prepared, +he watched the gipsies advance. They came walking their short wiry +horses to within half a mile, when they began to trot down the slope; +they could not surround the shepherds because of the steep-sided coombe +and some brushwood, and could advance only on two fronts. Felix rapidly +became so excited that his sight was affected, and his head whirled. His +heart beat with such speed that his breath seemed going. His limbs +tottered, and he dreaded lest he should faint. + +His intensely nervous organization, strung up to its highest pitch, +shook him in its grasp, and his will was powerless to control it. He +felt that he should disgrace himself once more before these rugged but +brave shepherds, who betrayed not the slightest symptom of agitation. +For one hour of Oliver's calm courage and utter absence of nervousness +he would have given years of his life. His friends in the circle +observed his agitation, and renewed their entreaties to him to come +inside it. This only was needed to complete his discomfiture. He lost +his head altogether; he saw nothing but a confused mass of yellow and +red rushing towards him, for each of the gipsies wore a yellow or red +scarf, some about the body, some over the shoulder, others round the +head. They were now within three hundred yards. + +A murmur from the shepherd spearmen. Felix had discharged an arrow. It +stuck in the ground about twenty paces from him. He shot again; it flew +wild and quivering, and dropped harmlessly. Another murmur; they +expressed to each other their contempt for the bow. This immediately +restored Felix; he forgot the enemy as an enemy, he forgot himself; he +thought only of his skill as an archer, now in question. Pride upheld +him. The third arrow he fitted properly to the string, he planted his +left foot slightly in advance, and looked steadfastly at the horsemen +before he drew his bow. + +At a distance of one hundred and fifty yards they had paused, and were +widening out so as to advance in loose open rank and allow each man to +throw his javelin. They shouted; the spearmen in the circle replied, and +levelled their spears. Felix fixed his eye on one of the gipsies who was +ordering and marshalling the rest, a chief. He drew the arrow swiftly +but quietly, the string hummed, the pliant yew obeyed, and the long +arrow shot forward in a steady swift flight like a line of gossamer +drawn through the air. It missed the chief, but pierced the horse he +rode just in front of the rider's thigh. The maddened horse reared and +fell backwards on his rider. + +The spearmen shouted. Before the sound could leave their lips another +arrow had sped; a gipsy threw up his arms with a shriek; the arrow had +gone through his body. A third, a fourth, a fifth--six gipsies rolled on +the sward. Shout upon shout rent the air from the spearmen. Utterly +unused to this mode of fighting, the gipsies fell back. Still the fatal +arrows pursued them, and ere they were out of range three others fell. +Now the rage of battle burned in Felix; his eyes gleamed, his lips were +open, his nostrils wide like a horse running a race. He shouted to the +spearmen to follow him, and snatching up his quiver ran forward. +Gathered together in a group, the gipsy band consulted. + +Felix ran at full speed; swift of foot, he left the heavy spearmen +behind. Alone he approached the horsemen; all the Aquila courage was up +within him. He kept the higher ground as he ran, and stopped suddenly on +a little knoll or tumulus. His arrow flew, a gipsy fell. Again, and a +third. Their anger gave them fresh courage; to be repulsed by one only! +Twenty of them started to charge and run him down. The keen arrows flew +faster than their horses' feet. Now the horse and now the man met those +sharp points. Six fell; the rest returned. The shepherds came running; +Felix ordered them to charge the gipsies. His success gave him +authority; they obeyed; and as they charged, he shot nine more arrows; +nine more deadly wounds. Suddenly the gipsy band turned and fled into +the brushwood on the lower slopes. + +Breathless, Felix sat down on the knoll, and the spearmen swarmed around +him. Hardly had they begun to speak to him than there was a shout, and +they saw a body of shepherds descending the hill. There were three +hundred of them; warned by the messenger, the whole country had risen to +repel the gipsies. Too late to join in the fight, they had seen the last +of it. They examined the field. There were ten dead and six wounded, who +were taken prisoners; the rest escaped, though hurt. In many cases the +arrow had gone clean through the body. Then, for the first time, they +understood the immense power of the yew bow in strong and skilful hands. + +Felix was overwhelmed; they almost crushed him with their attentions; +the women fell at his feet and kissed them. But the archer could +scarcely reply; his intense nervous excitement had left him weak and +almost faint; his one idea was to rest. As he walked back to the camp +between the chiefs of the shepherd spearmen, his eyes closed, his limbs +tottered, and they had to support him. At the camp he threw himself on +the sward, under the gnarled oak, and was instantly fast asleep. +Immediately the camp was stilled, not to disturb him. + +His adventures in the marshes of the buried city, his canoe, his +archery, were talked of the livelong night. Next morning the camp set +out for their home in the mountains, and he was escorted by nearly four +hundred spearmen. They had saved for him the ornaments of the gipsies +who had fallen, golden earrings and nose-rings. He gave them to the +women, except one, a finger-ring, set with turquoise, and evidently of +ancient make, which he kept for Aurora. Two marches brought them to the +home of the tribe, where the rest of the spearmen left them. The place +was called Wolfstead. + +Felix saw at once how easily this spot might be fortified. There was a +deep and narrow valley like a groove or green trench opening to the +south. At the upper end of the valley rose a hill, not very high, but +steep, narrow at the ridge, and steep again on the other side. Over it +was a broad, wooded, and beautiful vale; beyond that again the higher +mountains. Towards the foot of the narrow ridge here, there was a +succession of chalk cliffs, so that to climb up on that side in the face +of opposition would be extremely difficult. In the gorge of the enclosed +narrow valley a spring rose. The shepherds had formed eight pools, one +after the other, water being of great importance to them; and farther +down, where the valley opened, there were forty or fifty acres of +irrigated meadow. The spring then ran into a considerable brook, across +which was the forest. + +Felix's idea was to run a palisade along the margin of the brook, and up +both sides of the valley to the ridge. There he would build a fort. The +edges of the chalk cliffs he would connect with a palisade or a wall, +and so form a complete enclosure. He mentioned his scheme to the +shepherds; they did not greatly care for it, as they had always been +secure without it, the rugged nature of the country not permitting +horsemen to penetrate. But they were so completely under his influence +that to please him they set about the work. He had to show them how to +make a palisade; they had never seen one, and he made the first part of +it himself. At building a wall with loose stones, without mortar, the +shepherds were skilful; the wall along the verge of the cliffs was soon +up, and so was the fort on the top of the ridge. The fort consisted +merely of a circular wall, breast high, with embrasures or +crenellations. + +When this was finished, Felix had a sense of mastership, for in this +fort he felt as if he could rule the whole country. From day to day +shepherds came from the more distant parts to see the famous archer, and +to admire the enclosure. Though the idea of it had never occurred to +them, now they saw it they fully understood its advantages, and two +other chiefs began to erect similar forts and palisades. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +SURPRISED + + +Felix was now anxious to continue his journey, yet he did not like to +leave the shepherds, with whom his life was so pleasant. As usual, when +deliberating, he wandered about the hills, and then into the forest. The +shepherds at first insisted on at least two of their number accompanying +him; they were fearful lest the gipsies should seize him, or a Bushman +assassinate him. This company was irksome to Felix. In time he convinced +them that he was a much better hunter than any of the tribe, and they +permitted him to roam alone. During one of these excursions into the +forest he discovered a beautiful lake. He looked down on the water from +the summit of one of the green mountains. + +It was, he thought, half a mile across, and the opposite shore was open +woodland, grassy and meadow-like, and dotted with fine old oaks. By +degrees these closed together, and the forest succeeded; beyond it +again, at a distance of two miles, were green hills. A little clearing +only was wanted to make the place fit for a castle and enclosure. +Through the grass-land opposite he traced the course of a large brook +down to the lake; another entered it on the right, and the lake +gradually narrowed to a river on his left. Could he erect a tower there, +and bring Aurora to it, how happy he would be! A more beautiful spot he +had never seen, nor one more suited for every purpose in life. + +He followed the course of the stream which left the lake, every now and +then disturbing wild goats from the cliffs, and twice he saw deer under +the oaks across it. On rounding a spur of down he saw that the river +debouched into a much wider lake, which he conjectured must be the Sweet +Waters. He went on till he reached the mouth of the river, and had then +no doubt that he was standing once more on the shore of the Sweet Water +sea. On this, the southern side, the banks were low; on the other, a +steep chalky cliff almost overhung the river, and jutted out into the +lake, curving somewhat towards him. A fort on that cliff would command +the entrance to the river; the cliff was a natural breakwater, so that +there was a haven at its base. The river appeared broad and deep enough +for navigation, so that vessels could pass from the great Lake to the +inland water; about six or seven miles, he supposed. + +Felix was much taken with this spot; the beauty of the inland lake, the +evident richness of the soil, the river communicating with the great +Lake, the cliff commanding its entrance; never, in all his wanderings, +had he seen a district so well suited for a settlement and the founding +of a city. If he had but a thousand men! How soon he would bring Aurora +there, and build a tower, and erect a palisade! So occupied was he with +the thought that he returned the whole distance to the spot where he had +made the discovery. There he remained a long time, designing it all in +his mind. + +The tower he would build yonder, three-quarters of a mile, perhaps a +mile, inland from the opposite shore, on a green knoll, at the base of +which the brook flowed. It would be even more pleasant there than on the +shore of the lake. The forest he would clear back a little, and put up a +stout palisade, enclosing at least three miles of grassy land. By the +shore of the lake he would build his town, so that his vessels might be +able to go forth into the great Sweet Water sea. So strongly did +imagination hold him that he did not observe how near it was to sunset, +nor did he remark the threatening aspect of the sky. Thunder awoke him +from his dream; he looked, and saw a storm rapidly coming from the +north-east. + +He descended the hill, and sheltered himself as well as possible among +some thick fir-trees. After the lightning, the rain poured so heavily +that it penetrated the branches, and he unstrung his bow and placed the +string in his pocket, that it might not become wet. Instantly there was +a whoop on either side, and two gipsies darted from the undergrowth +towards him. While the terrible bow was bent they had followed him, +tracking his footsteps; the moment he unstrung the bow, they rushed out. +Felix crushed through between the firs, by main force getting through, +but only opening a passage for them to follow. They could easily have +thrust their darts through him, but their object was to take him alive, +and gratify the revenge of the tribes with torture. + +Felix doubled from the firs, and made towards the far-distant camp; but +he was faced by three more gipsies. He turned again and made for the +steep hill he had descended. With all his strength he raced up it; his +lightness of foot carried him in advance, and he reached the summit a +hundred yards ahead; but he knew he must be overtaken presently, unless +he could hit upon some stratagem. In the instant that he paused to +breathe on the summit a thought struck him. Like the wind he raced along +the ridge, making for the great Sweet Water, the same path he had +followed in the morning. Once on the ridge the five pursuers shouted; +they knew they should have him now there were no more hills to breast. +It was not so easy as they imagined. + +Felix was in splendid training; he kept his lead, and even drew a little +on them. Still he knew in time he must succumb, just as the stag, though +swifter of foot, ultimately succumbs to the hounds. They would track him +till they had him. If only he could gain enough to have time to string +and bend his bow! But with all his efforts he could not get away more +than the hundred yards, and that was not far enough. It could be +traversed in ten seconds, they would have him before he could string it +and fit an arrow. If only he had been fresh as in the morning! But he +had had a long walk during the day and not much food. He knew that his +burst of speed must soon slacken, but he had a stratagem yet. + +Keeping along the ridge till he reached the place where the lake +narrowed to the river, suddenly he rushed down the hill towards the +water. The edge was encumbered with brushwood and fallen trees; he +scrambled over and through anyhow; he tore a path through the bushes and +plunged in. But his jacket caught in a branch; he had his knife out and +cut off the shred of cloth. Then with the bow and knife in one hand he +struck out for the opposite shore. His hope was that the gipsies, being +horsemen, and passing all their lives on their horses, might not know +how to swim. His conjecture was right; they stopped on the brink, and +yelled their loudest. When he had passed the middle of the slow stream +their rage rose to a shriek, startling a heron far down the water. + +Felix reached the opposite shore in safety, but the bow-string was now +wet and useless. He struck off at once straight across the grass-lands, +past the oaks he had admired, past the green knoll where in imagination +he had built his castle and brought Aurora, through the brook, which he +found was larger than it appeared at a distance, and required two or +three strokes to cross. A few more paces and the forest sheltered him. +Under the trees he rested, and considered what course to pursue. The +gipsies would expect him to endeavour to regain his friends, and would +watch to cut off his return. Felix determined to make, instead, for +another camp farther east, and to get even there by a detour. + +Bitterly he reproached himself for his folly in leaving the camp, +knowing that gipsies were about, with no other weapon than the bow. The +knife at his belt was practically no weapon at all, useful only in the +last extremity. Had he a short sword, or javelin, he would have faced +the two gipsies who first sprang towards him. Worse than this was the +folly of wandering without the least precaution into a territory at that +time full of gipsies, who had every reason to desire his capture. If he +had used the ordinary precautions of woodcraft, he would have noticed +their traces, and he would not have exposed himself in full view on the +ridges of the hills, where a man was visible for miles. If he perished +through his carelessness, how bitter it would be! To lose Aurora by the +merest folly would, indeed, be humiliating. + +He braced himself to the journey before him, and set off at a good +swinging hunter's pace, as it is called, that is, a pace rather more +than a walk and less than a run, with the limbs somewhat bent, and long +springy steps. The forest was in the worst possible condition for +movement; the rain had damped the fern and undergrowth, and every branch +showered raindrops upon him. It was now past sunset and the dusk was +increasing; this he welcomed as hiding him. He travelled on till nearly +dawn, and then, turning to the right, swept round, and regained the line +of the mountainous hills after sunrise. There he rested, and reached a +camp about nine in the morning, having walked altogether since the +preceding morning fully fifty miles. This camp was about fifteen miles +distant from that of his friends; the shepherds knew him, and one of +them started with the news of his safety. In the afternoon ten of his +friends came over to see him, and to reproach him. + +His weariness was so great that for three days he scarcely moved from +the hut, during which time the weather was wet and stormy, as is often +the case in summer after a thunderstorm. On the fourth morning it was +fine, and Felix, now quite restored to his usual strength, went out with +the shepherds. He found some of them engaged in throwing up a heap of +stones, flint, and chalk lumps near an oak-tree in a plain at the foot +of the hill. They told him that during the thunderstorm two cows and ten +sheep had been killed there by lightning, which had scarcely injured the +oak. + +It was their custom to pile up a heap of stones wherever such an event +occurred, to warn others from staying themselves, or allowing their +sheep or cattle to stay, near the spot in thunder, as it was observed +that where lightning struck once it was sure to strike again, sooner or +later. "Then," said Felix, "you may be sure there is water there!" He +knew from his study of the knowledge of the ancients that lightning +frequently leaped from trees or buildings to concealed water, but he had +no intention of indicating water in that particular spot. He meant the +remark in a general sense. + +But the shepherds, ever desirous of water, and looking on Felix as a +being of a different order to themselves, took his casual observation in +its literal sense. They brought their tools and dug, and, as it chanced, +found a copious spring. The water gushed forth and formed a streamlet. +Upon this the whole tribe gathered, and they saluted Felix as one almost +divine. It was in vain that he endeavoured to repel this homage, and to +explain the reason of his remark, and that it was only in a general way +that he intended it. Facts were too strong for him. They had heard his +words, which they considered an inspiration, and _there_ was the water. +It was no use; _there_ was the spring, the very thing they most wanted. +Perforce Felix was invested with attributes beyond nature. + +The report spread; his own old friends came in a crowd to see the new +spring, others journeyed from afar. In a week, Felix having meanwhile +returned to Wolfstead, his fame had for the second time spread all over +the district. Some came a hundred miles to see him. Nothing he could say +was listened to; these simple, straightforward people understood nothing +but facts, and the defeat of the gipsies and the discovery of the spring +seemed to them little less than supernatural. Besides which, in +innumerable little ways Felix's superior knowledge had told upon them. +His very manners spoke of high training. His persuasive voice won them. +His constructive skill and power of planning, as shown in the palisades +and enclosure, showed a grasp of circumstances new to them. This was a +man such as they had never before seen. + +They began to bring him disputes to settle; he shrank from this position +of judge, but it was useless to struggle; they would wait as long as he +liked, but his decision they would have, and no other. Next came the +sick begging to be cured. Here Felix was firm; he would not attempt to +be a physician, and they went away. But, unfortunately, it happened that +he let out his knowledge of plants, and back they came. Felix did not +know what course to pursue; if by chance he did any one good, crowds +would beset him; if injury resulted, perhaps he would be assassinated. +This fear was quite unfounded; he really had not the smallest idea of +how high he stood in their estimation. + +After much consideration, Felix hit upon a method which would save him +from many inconveniences. He announced his intention of forming a +herb-garden in which to grow the best kind of herbs, and at the same +time said he would not administer any medicine himself, but would tell +their own native physicians and nurses all he knew, so that they could +use his knowledge. The herb-garden was at once begun in the valley; it +could not contain much till next year, and meantime if any diseased +persons came Felix saw them, expressed his opinion to the old shepherd +who was the doctor of the tribe, and the latter carried out his +instructions. Felix did succeed in relieving some small ailments, and +thereby added to his reputation. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +FOR AURORA + + +Felix now began to find out for himself the ancient truth, that +difficulties always confront man. Success only changes them, and +increases their number. Difficulties faced him in every direction; at +home it had seemed impossible for him to do anything. Now that success +seemed to smile on him and he had become a power, instead of everything +being smooth and easy, new difficulties sprang up for solution at every +point. He wished to continue his journey, but he feared that he would +not be permitted to depart. He would have to start away in the night, in +which case he could hardly return to them again, and yet he wished to +return to these, the first friends he had had, and amongst whom he hoped +to found a city. + +Another week slipped away, and Felix was meditating his escape, when one +afternoon a deputation of ten spearmen arrived from a distant tribe, who +had nominated him their king, and sent their principal men to convey the +intelligence. Fame is always greatest at a distance, and this tribe in +the mountains of the east had actually chosen him as king, and declared +that they would obey him whether he took up his residence with them or +not. Felix was naturally greatly pleased; how delighted Aurora would be! +but he was in perplexity what to do, for he could not tell whether the +Wolfstead people would be favourably inclined or would resent his +selection. + +He had not long to consider. There was an assembly of the tribe, and +they, too, chose him by common consent as their king. Secretly they were +annoyed that another tribe had been more forward than themselves, and +were anxious that Felix should not leave them. Felix declined the +honour; in spite of his refusal, he was treated as if he were the most +despotic monarch. Four days afterwards two other tribes joined the +movement, and sent their acceptance of him as their monarch. Others +followed, and so quickly now that a day never passed without another +tribe sending a deputation. + +Felix thought deeply on the matter. He was, of course, flattered, and +ready to accept the dignity, but he was alive to considerations of +policy. He resolved that he would not use the title, nor exercise the +functions of a king as usually understood. He explained his plan to the +chiefs; it was that he should be called simply "Leader", the Leader of +the War; that he should only assume royal authority in time of war; that +the present chiefs should retain their authority, and each govern as +before, in accordance with ancient custom. He proposed to be king only +during war-time. He would, if they liked, write out their laws for them +in a book, and so give their customs cohesion and shape. To this plan +the tribes readily agreed; it retained all the former customs, it left +the chiefs their simple patriarchal authority, and it gave all of them +the advantage of combination in war. As the Leader, Felix was henceforth +known. + +In the course of a fortnight, upwards of six thousand men had joined the +Confederacy, and Felix wrote down the names of twenty tribes on a sheet +of parchment which he took from his chest. A hut had long since been +built for him; but he received all the deputations, and held the +assemblies which were necessary, in the circular fort. He was so pressed +to visit the tribes that he could not refuse to go to the nearest, and +thus his journey was again postponed. During this progress from tribal +camp to tribal camp, Felix gained the adhesion of twelve more, making a +total of thirty-two names of camps, representing about eight thousand +spearmen. With pride Felix reflected that he commanded a far larger army +than the Prince of Ponze. But he was not happy. + +Months had now elapsed since he had parted from Aurora. There were no +means of communicating with her. A letter could be conveyed only by a +special messenger; he could not get a messenger, and even if one had +been forthcoming, he could not instruct him how to reach Thyma Castle. +He did not know himself; the country was entirely unexplored. Except +that the direction was west, he had no knowledge whatever. He had often +inquired of the shepherds, but they were perfectly ignorant. Anker's +Gate was the most westerly of all their settlements, which chiefly +extended eastwards. Beyond Anker's Gate was the trackless forest, of +which none but the Bushmen knew anything. They did not understand what +he meant by a map; all they could tell him was that the range of +mountainous hills continued westerly and southerly for an unascertained +distance, and that the country was uninhabited except by wandering gipsy +tribes. + +South was the sea, the salt water; but they never went down to it, or +near it, because there was no sustenance for their flocks and herds. +Till now, Felix did not know that he was near the sea; he resolved at +once to visit it. As nearly as he could discover, the great fresh water +Lake did not reach any farther south; Wolfstead was not far from its +southern margin. He concluded, therefore, that the shore of the Lake +must run continually westward, and that if he followed it he should +ultimately reach the very creek from which he had started in his canoe. +How far it was he could not reckon. + +There were none of the shepherds who could be sent with a letter; they +were not hunters, and were unused to woodcraft; there was not one +capable of the journey. Unless he went himself he could not communicate +with Aurora. Two routes were open to him; one straight through the +forest on foot, the other by water, which latter entailed the +construction of another canoe. Journey by water, too, he had found was +subject to unforeseen risks. Till he could train some of the younger men +to row a galley, he decided not to attempt the voyage. There was but the +forest route left, and that he resolved to attempt; but when? And how, +without offending his friends? + +Meantime, while he revolved the subject in his mind, he visited the +river and the shore of the great Lake, this time accompanied by ten +spears. The second visit only increased his admiration of the place and +his desire to take possession of it. He ascended a tall larch, from +whose boughs he had a view out over the Lake; the shore seemed to go +almost directly west. There were no islands, and no land in sight; the +water was open and clear. Next day he started for the sea; he wished to +see it for its own sake, and, secondly, because if he could trace the +trend of the shore, he would perhaps be able to put together a mental +map of the country, and so assure himself of the right route to pursue +when he started for Thyma Castle. + +His guides took him directly south, and in three marches (three days) +brought him to the strand. This journey was not in a straight line; they +considered it was about five-and-thirty or forty miles to the sea, but +the country was covered with almost impenetrable forests, which +compelled a circuitous path. They had also to avoid a great ridge of +hills, and to slip through a pass or river valley, because these hills +were frequently traversed by the gipsies who were said, indeed, to +travel along them for hundreds of miles. Through the river valley, +therefore, which wound between the hills, they approached the sea, so +much on a level with it that Felix did not catch a distant glimpse. + +In the afternoon of the third day they heard a low murmur, and soon +afterwards came out from the forest itself upon a wide bed of shingle, +thinly bordered with scattered bushes on the inland side. Climbing over +this, Felix saw the green line of the sea rise and extend itself on +either hand; in the glory of the scene he forgot his anxieties and his +hopes, they fell from him together, leaving the mind alone with itself +and love. For the memory of Aurora rendered the beauty before him still +more beautiful; love, like the sunshine, threw a glamour over the waves. +His old and highest thoughts returned to him in all their strength. He +must follow them, he could not help himself. Standing where the foam +came nearly to his feet, the resolution to pursue his aspirations took +possession of him as strong as the sea. When he turned from it, he said +to himself, "This is the first step homewards to her; this is the first +step of my renewed labour." To fulfil his love and his ambition was one +and the same thing. He must see her, and then again endeavour with all +his abilities to make himself a position which she could share. + +Towards the evening, leaving his escort, he partly ascended the nearest +slope of the hills to ascertain more perfectly than was possible at a +lower level the direction in which the shore trended. It was nearly east +and west, and as the shore of the inland lake ran west, it appeared that +between them there was a broad belt of forest. Through this he must +pass, and he thought if he continued due west he should cross an +imaginary line drawn south from his own home through Thyma Castle; then +by turning to the north he should presently reach that settlement. But +when he should cross this line, how many days' travelling it would need +to reach it, was a matter of conjecture, and he must be guided by +circumstances, the appearance of the country, and his hunter's instinct. + +On the way back to Wolfstead Felix was occupied in considering how he +could leave his friends, and yet be able to return to them and resume +his position. His general idea was to build a fortified house or castle +at the spot which had so pleased him, and to bring Aurora to it. He +could then devote himself to increasing and consolidating his rule over +these people, and perhaps in time organize a kingdom. But without Aurora +the time it would require would be unendurable; by some means he must +bring her. The whole day long as he walked he thought and thought, +trying to discover some means by which he could accomplish these things; +yet the more he considered the more difficult they appeared to him. +There seemed no plan that promised success; all he could do would be to +risk the attempt. + +But two days after returning from the sea it chanced towards the +afternoon he fell asleep, and on awakening found his mind full of ideas +which he felt sure would succeed if anything would. The question had +solved itself during sleep; the mind, like a wearied limb, strained by +too much effort, had recovered its elasticity and freshness, and he saw +clearly what he ought to do. + +He convened an assembly of the chief men of the nearest tribes, and +addressed them in the circular fort. He asked them if they could place +sufficient confidence in him to assist him in carrying out certain +plans, although he should not be able to altogether disclose the object +he had in view. + +They replied as one man that they had perfect confidence in him, and +would implicitly obey. + +He then said that the first thing he wished was the clearing of the land +by the river in order that he might erect a fortified dwelling suitable +to his position as their Leader in war. Next he desired their permission +to leave them for two months, at the end of which he would return. He +could not at that time explain the reasons, but until his journey had +been made he could not finally settle among them. + +To this announcement they listened in profound silence. It was evident +that they disliked him leaving them, yet did not wish to seem +distrustful by expressing the feeling. + +Thirdly, he continued, he wanted them to clear a path through the +forest, commencing at Anker's Gate and proceeding exactly west. The +track to be thirty yards wide in order that the undergrowth might not +encroach upon it, and to be carried on straight to the westward until +his return. The distance to which this path was cleared he should take +as the measure of their loyalty to him. + +They immediately promised to fulfil this desire, but added that there +was no necessity to wait till he left them, it should be commenced the +very next morning. To his reiterated request for leave of absence they +preserved an ominous silence, and as he had no more to say, the assembly +then broke up. + +It was afternoon, and Felix, as he watched the departing chiefs, +reflected that these men would certainly set a watch upon him to prevent +his escape. Without another moment's delay he entered his hut, and took +from their hiding-place the diamond bracelet, the turquoise ring, and +other presents for Aurora. He also secured some provisions, and put two +spare bowstrings in his pocket. His bow of course he carried. + +Telling the people about that he was going to the next settlement, +Bedeston, and was anxious to overtake the chief from that place who had +attended the assembly, he started. So soon as he knew he could not be +seen from the settlement he quitted the trail, and made a wide circuit +till he faced westwards. Anker's Gate was a small outlying post, the +most westerly from Wolfstead; he went near it to get a true direction, +but not sufficiently near to be observed. This was on the fourth of +September. The sun was declining as he finally left the country of his +friends, and entered the immense forest which lay between him and +Aurora. Not only was there no track, but no one had ever traversed it, +unless, indeed, it were Bushmen, who to all intents might be confused +with the wild animals which it contained. + +Yet his heart rose as he walked rapidly among the oaks; already he saw +her, he felt the welcoming touch of her hand; the danger of Bushman or +gipsy was nothing. The forest at the commencement consisted chiefly of +oaks, trees which do not grow close together, and so permitted of quick +walking. Felix pushed on, absorbed in thought. 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