Chapter XIV Harry Rides for a Life
The Hour before Dawn—A Trivial Interruption—Recollections—Another Memorandum—The Road to Breda—The Town Clock—Seven Minutes—Against Time—Orange Wins
Years afterwards, when Harry was a father and a grandfather, and the children came about his knees clamouring for a story, nothing held them more entranced, nothing caused them such delicious creepiness, as his account of the hours that followed his escape from the French.
“There was I,” he would say, “in the dead of night, a white mist rising from the fields, growing thicker moment by moment—and I knew not where I was, knew not but an unlucky step might bring me again among the enemy. My knees were trembling under me; my mouth was parched; my breast like to burst with the striving of my breath; I was ready to drop and sleep as I fell. But the thought of my faithful servant in that prison; of his being led out and blindfolded, and standing up helpless to be the mark of bullets; of his poor old father that doted on him—ah! my boys, those thoughts were like a goad to me; ’twas as if I was urged on by some unseen power.
“I could not now see the stars, so thick was the mist. I could not choose my way. I could but go forward at a venture, praying that my steps might be directed aright. I staggered into slimy ditches; forced my way through quickset hedges, waded weedy streams; once I came full upon a river that I must needs swim. There was never a cottage light to guide me, for though I crossed many a field of corn and flax, many a broad space of pasture land, I came nowhere near a house or farm, and durst not turn aside, feeling as if some strange power bade me go on and on. I know not for how many hours I struggled on thus, taking no count of time; nor did I feel conscious of my great fatigue, but moved on as though I was a soul without body.
“It grew darker and darker. The night seemed to press upon me, the mist was like cold clammy hands seizing me to hold me back. Then all at once, going blindly as I did, I well-nigh struck my head against a low wall, and was immediately conscious of the smell of tobacco. ’Twas like a breath of heaven to me, boys. I cried aloud, and the echo of my voice seemed that of a startled ghost. A rough voice answered me; I stood still, my heart thumping against my ribs. Footsteps drew near, and I saw the blessed light of a lantern, and in a moment a man had me by the sleeve, and drew back his hand with a cry, for my garments were cold and wet, and the light was flashed in my face, and I saw a big Dutch farmer, who took his pipe from his mouth and bade me tell whence I had come and what was my business.
“What I said I know not now, boys, but soon I was wrapped in a cloak, lying upon hay in the bottom of a jolting wain, and my new-found friend driving through the dawn towards Thielen. I fell asleep, and when the farmer’s heavy hand stirred me, I was in Thielen, and all around me were soldiers and horses and wagons; ’twas the great duke’s camp. The village clock was striking four; the sky was already bright; the camp was astir, for the duke purposed that day to bridge the Nette.
“What figure I cut you may imagine. Wet, cold, dishevelled, my face and hands and clothes all bemired, I crawled as best I might from the cart, and staggered to the house where the duke was quartered. There was a sentry at the door: when I said I wished to see the duke he flouted me, laughed in my face, and was for turning me away. But I was in no mood to be delayed. I took from my tunic the sodden letter of General van Santen, and showed it to the fellow, bidding him on peril of his life to stay me. ’Twas enough: he called to a servant; they talked together, eyeing me as though I were some sorry cur: then the man roughly bade me follow him, and within a little I stood in a small chamber, looking with dazed eyes at the man seated at a table there: ’twas my lord Marlborough himself.”
“A letter from General van Santen, my lord.”
Marlborough looked up as the servant spoke, but did not straighten himself from his bent position at the table, nor remove his hands from the pair of compasses that were stretched on the map there outspread. Several officers were grouped about him; at a smaller table sat a gentleman dealing with a mass of correspondence.
“Mr. Cardonnel,” said the duke briefly; then resumed his discussion with the officers.
The secretary turned sideways and took the letter. He broke the seal, ran his eye hurriedly over the paper, then laid it on the table.
“It shall be looked to,” he said, and bent again to his writing.
Harry stood for a moment; all his blood seemed to run cold. Then, his whole body a-tingle, he stepped forward.
“Pardon me, sir, the matter is most urgent; ’tis a case of life or death. If you would be so good as to lay the letter at once before my lord——”
Mr. Cardonnel turned and stared with a sort of scornful wonder at the dishevelled, bedraggled object who addressed him in an English and a cultivated accent.
“’Tis too late. My lord’s despatch left last night; the man will be shot in a few hours; the matter must e’en take its course.”
“Sir, may I beg of you——” Harry’s voice, unknown to himself, was raised to a tone of passionate entreaty. “My lord——”
“What is it, Mr. Cardonnel?” asked Marlborough.
“General van Santen, my lord, asks the pardon of the deserter Minshull, sentenced by court-martial to be shot. ’Tis too late.”
“Write and tell the general so, and be done with it.”
“My lord,” broke in Harry, “do but read the general’s letter. I have rid and run all night to deliver it; the execution will not yet have taken place, and I know well——”
“Who are you, sir?”
The duke looked puzzled at the discrepancy between the tone of voice and the disreputable appearance of the youth before him.
“My name is Rochester, my lord, the letter—I entreat your lordship to read it—will tell the rest.”
Marlborough signed to the secretary, received the letter from his hand, and read it quickly. It was not long, and the last paragraph read as follows:—
“Perchance, my lord, you may feel that the man’s gallantry in the affair at the Comtesse de Vaudrey’s may be set against his offence, which though heinous was not unprovoked and is now some years old. If your lordship can reconcile it with the demands of discipline to pardon this unfortunate man, you will I trust find that your clemency is not ill-bestowed.”
Marlborough fixed his eyes upon Harry. “I understand from this letter that the man is your servant?”
He spoke in the low pleasant tone that never varied, whether he addressed peer or peasant.
“Yes, my lord, a very true and faithful servant.”
“And your name is Rochester? Have I not met you before?”
“Yes, my lord, well-nigh a year ago.”
“Where?”
“At my lord Godolphin’s.”
“At my lord Godolphin’s?” A slight ruffle marked his broad white brow. He looked keenly at Harry. All at once his expression changed. “I remember. I had clean forgotten it. You are the young fellow who intervened in my lord’s roadside adventure? Ah! and now I bethink me, ’twas your man that did the shouting. The same man?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“That is enough.—Mr. Cardonnel, make out at once an order pardoning the man—what is his name?—and discharging him from the army.—The man whose lungs saved the Lord Treasurer has decidedly a claim to indulgence. But I fear, Mr. Rochester, you are late. These little matters are usually determined by eight o’clock in the morning. It is near five: ’twill be some little time before I can despatch an orderly, and there are fifty odd miles to ride.”
“With your leave, my lord, I will go myself.”
“So be it. Mr. Cardonnel will give you the pardon and discharge. It rests with you. I hope you will be in time. Don’t spare your horses.”
“I thank you, my lord, from the bottom of my heart.”
“There, no more: get to horse. Yet one moment: did I not—I seem to remember it—did I not promise to do something for you?”
“’Twas not a promise, my lord.”
Marlborough smiled, and looked at the boy with approval.
“But I intended it as such. I wrote your name, I recollect; papers have a trick of losing themselves: I should have done something for you but for sheer forgetfulness.—Mr. Cardonnel, will you please make a note? Mr.—your full name, sir!”
“Henry Winterborne Rochester.”
“Mr. Henry Winterborne Rochester for an ensigncy.—I had heard of the ruse at the Comtesse de Vaudrey’s: naturally I did not connect it with you. You are with Grootz the contractor, I believe?”
“I was, my lord, but I have just been commissioned cornet in the Anspach dragoons.”
Marlborough and the group of officers laughed outright.
“Begad, my lord, you’re behind the fair,” cried Colonel Cadogan, a big burly Irishman of twenty-eight, Marlborough’s quartermaster-general.
“Ay, indeed, an angel has stirred the pool. But I am delaying you, Mr. Rochester; you must ride hard. Good-bye!”
Harry had been itching to get away. Every moment was of importance. Bowing himself out, he hurried to the inn where Fanshawe had promised to stable a horse. It was there ready saddled, in charge of a trooper of Fanshawe’s regiment, who said that Harry’s own charger Orange was awaiting him half-way to Breda. Harry leapt to the saddle, flung a coin to the man, and in less than two minutes was making his way at a sharp trot among the press of villagers and soldiers thronging the street. Clear of the village he went at a canter through the camp, where all was bustle in preparation for the day’s march: then, gaining the free highroad, he set his steed to the gallop. Some minutes later he heard a village clock strike five.
Two hours after Harry started on his ride, Godfrey Fanshawe left his tent in company with Lieutenant Tettefall, and mounted his horse to ride into Breda. He had passed a sleepless and anxious night, his mind haunted by the impending fate of Sherebiah, with whom he had spent many a pleasant day on the banks of the Avon, or in the coverts of his father’s estate. The execution had been fixed for eight by the clock of the Hervormde Kerk near the market-place, Marlborough’s despatch confirming the sentence having arrived late on the previous evening. Fanshawe had seen the major in command, explaining that Harry had gone to see the duke with a view to a remission of the sentence. The major had laughed at the idea, swearing that he would not delay the execution a moment.
Galloping into Breda, Fanshawe’s first care was to enquire whether Harry had arrived, or whether any message had come from Marlborough countermanding the execution. But nothing had been heard of the one or the other. Fanshawe made a last appeal to the major, but Robins had that officer’s ear, and had convinced him that the condemned prisoner was a rascal of whom the army would be well rid.
At a quarter after seven the regiment was paraded and marched to the castle park, where the execution was to take place. Fanshawe meanwhile paced moodily up and down, watching the inexorable clock. Suddenly, as he looked at its face for the tenth time, he remembered a legend of the Civil War, which his father had told him: the story of a Royalist trooper who, condemned to die at the ringing of the curfew, had been saved by the heroism of his sweetheart, who climbed the belfry tower, caught the clapper of the bell, and with her delicate hands had prevented the fatal sound. His recollection suggested an idea. There was still forty minutes to spare.
At the park gate a knot of idlers had gathered to see the condemned man pass to his doom. Singling out from among these a likely youth, Fanshawe held with him a rapid conversation in whispers; and the two hurried away.
They went straight to the sacristan of the Hervormde Kerk, whose cottage was known to the Dutch youth. By the aid of this interpreter Fanshawe explained to the old man that, being much interested in church clocks, he would like to climb the tower and see the mechanism, at the same time slipping a coin into the man’s hand. The sacristan was a feeble, tottering old fellow, and was persuaded without difficulty to hand over the key of the tower, on the promise of the English officer to return it within an hour. Armed with the key, Fanshawe then hurried under the boy’s guidance to the chief clock-maker’s in the town. His shop was not yet open for business, but when he learnt that a clock was in urgent need of attention he agreed to send a young apprentice to oblige the Englishman. At twenty minutes to eight Fanshawe with the young clock-maker ascended the church tower. The boy remained at the door.
The clock chimed the three-quarters.
“Pray God Harry arrive in time!” was Fanshawe’s thought as he returned to the park gate.
The clock was too far off for any movement of the hands to be noted. Had it been nearer, a close observer comparing with his own watch might have seen that from this time the long hand of the clock advanced one minute for every two.
It still marked ten minutes to eight when Sherebiah, with bound wrists, came up under guard. He smiled serenely when, entering the park, he saw Fanshawe, whose pale anxious looks betrayed his suffering.
“Don’t ’ee take on, now, Master Godfrey,” he said. “Let ’em aim well and ha’ done wi’t. Bless ’ee, I bean’t afeard. But, Master Godfrey, where be Master Harry? To say good-bye, I mean.”
“He—he couldn’t come, Sherry.”
“Ah! Well, ’tis no sight for a man o’ peace, and he ha’n’t donned the breastplate yet. Gi’ un my love and respect, an ’ee please, sir; and axe un to remember the old gaffer.” Fanshawe gripped his hand, and he passed into the park. “Nay, I won’t ha’ my eyes tied up,” he said to one of the firing squad who approached to bandage him. “Must, must I? Well, I’m not one to go agen the law at the last. Got a clean firelock, mate? Ah! there’s the bell a-dingen. Tell Robins—nay, I was gwine to forgive un, but I won’t; I’ll leave that for Them above.”
By this time he was standing, with eyes bandaged, against the wall. He ceased to speak; the last stroke of eight had already sounded from several steeples; but the clock of the Hervormde Kerk still wanted seven minutes of the hour. Fanshawe’s eyes were riveted on the hands; the soldiers stood at ease, waiting.
Meanwhile, what of Harry?
The road through Turnhout to Breda passes through a wide moorland region and crosses the river Merk. It was a somewhat heavy road at the best, and the recent passage of troops and baggage wagons had made it rutty and uneven. Harry had started at a stiff gallop; his horse was fresh, and seemed to catch the infection of his eagerness. On he went, scarcely varying his pace, his head low, his ears bent back for his rider’s encouraging words. At that hour the road was free; Harry met with no obstruction. He dashed through Turnhout, crossed the river to Hoogstraaten, and there found his own black charger awaiting him. He was not quite half-way to Breda.
“Orange, my beauty, you must go as you never went before,” he cried, as he set the animal at a gallop. The horse pricked his ears in response. He galloped on for mile after mile, scattering dust around him, getting many a stare of wonderment from the peasants at work in the fields. As the miles slipped by, Harry anxiously watched his gallant steed. Great flakes of foam fell from the animal’s quivering lips; his nostrils were distended wide; his white eye-sockets were rimmed with red; and still he galloped, panting, striving nobly to respond to the caressing pats and cheering words of his master.
“Twenty minutes more, old fellow!” whispered Harry in the beast’s ear. “Twenty minutes; if you can only hold out!”
He was nearing the end of his ride, but the poor horse was in distress. Spots of blood crimsoned the white foam; Harry fancied that he saw despair in the animal’s starting eyes; and when, still a mile on the wrong side of Ginneken, he heard the little church clock strike eight, his heart sank within him. He dared not press the horse further; he might urge it to a short spurt, but the effort would probably be its last; and he had still three miles to go!
“Well done, Orange, my beauty!” he cried, patting its ear. “Good horse! Near home now; a few minutes more, old fellow, and then——”
Thus he rode on, inspiriting words on his lips, black despair at his elbow. He knew what military punctuality meant; his ears were strained to catch the sharp rattle of musketry. How far could a volley be heard? He could not pause to speculate on the question; all he could hear was the ringing of his flagging steed’s hoofs.
He was a mile from Breda. He saw the whole of the little town before him, smoke rising from the chimneys; he overtook a few carts slowly wending towards the market, and heard the wondering exclamations of the wagoners as his blood-flecked steed flashed by. His eyes were straining towards the church tower; pray God the Ginneken clock was fast! But he was too far away to see the hands. On he rode; he came to the open gate; the sentry challenged him, but he was gone before the man had finished the phrase. Now he dug his spurs into the horse’s heaving flanks for a last spurt; he clattered through the ill-paved street, shouting to the pedestrians to make way; into the busy little market-place, cumbered with the stalls of apple-women, poulterers, and other purveyors. Boys scurried like rabbits out of his path; women raised shrill cries as stalls were thrown down and apples rolled wide; dogs barked and girls shrieked; but he was past; the church clock said one minute to eight! Out of the market-square, round the corner,—and there was Tettefall, hastening to meet him.
“To the park!” cried the lieutenant.
Harry shouted in the horse’s ear. In half a minute he was in at the park gate, and saw as in a mist the red uniforms of the firing-party, the solitary figure of the condemned man, and the officer in advance of the line with his eyes on the clock.
“Saved!” he cried, flinging the duke’s order into the air. In a moment he was off the horse, which sank a trembling, heaving heap upon the ground.
“Just in time—thank God!” gasped Harry, as he sat with the horse’s head between his knees.
And upon his dazed ear there fell the first chimes of the beneficent clock, mingled with the loud curt tones of the officer in command as he gave his squad the order to march.