Mary C. Rowsell

“ For the first time Charles ventured to stir, creeping out from among the sacks as quickly as his cramped limbs permitted, into the body of the punt. He was chilled to the bone, and very hungry, and thought longingly of that roast beef he had despised so much some hours before, and he almost wished he had not left his doublet behind him. Fortunately, however, in groping along, he tumbled right down over something soft. It turned out to be the crimson frieze cloak, which in the darkness and in the hurry must have dropped out of the basket. ”

“ Away beyond the garden, far as eye could reach, stretched wood and dale and fair green meadows, where the sheep cropped at the sweet turf and the cows{6} grazed, whisking away the tiresome flies with their great tails as they moved slowly along. Here and there among the leafy hedgerows and coppices, the little boy, whose Christian name was Charles, could see from his lofty watch-place the gleaming of a stream which wound like a silver ribbon on and on, nearer and nearer, till it reached the little wood covering the wide, sloping banks which shut in the road leading past the house. ”

“ THE RED CLOAK AND THE BLUE ROSETTE
Meanwhile there was dire dismay at the Manor House when Lady Chauncy entered the Cedar Room and found it empty. She could not for a long time bring herself to believe her own eyes, and when at last she was compelled to do so, she wrung her hands and behaved almost like a frenzied creature. Both she and her husband had believed the room to be the securest place in the house, since the walls were of stone all round. ”

“ Being such sultry weather all he wore under the doublet was the little shirt of fine cambric; then—but hark! voices! Why, bless your heart, yes, the merle’s voice, and the harvesters all rejoicing in the soft cool air which the waning day had brought. Quite a little breeze, in fact, as it came rustling and ruffling up from below to where Charles stood in the queer dark nook outside the panel; but his eyes were growing accustomed to the darkness now, and he could see that he was standing on the top of a staircase which wound down and down out of sight. ”

“ Then he saw that the links of the chain were equally useless, and as he gave the grating a push they all rattled and fell helplessly to the ground.
For a moment more the gate stuck hard, but with another tremendous push of Charles’s shoulder, it yielded with a screech, and swung back as far as a heap of mud and rotten leaves allowed it to go, and this was far enough to allow of Charles’s slender little body squeezing through.
When he got outside, he found himself—where? Ah! that was the puzzle of it. That he was beyond the moat of course he knew, but was he beyond the garden walls? ”

“ If Wynkin had only known what he was carrying away from the Manor House along with his sacks and what-nots, as my lady called them, he might have whistled other sort of tunes than the jolly ones he indulged in as he punted on, on, till twilight darkened into night, and Charles, cooped up between the sacks, could no longer discern hedges from banks through the peephole he could keep open for himself only with difficulty. ”

“ He stopped short and clapped his hand upon his mouth.
“Then you may as well save yourself the journey, youngster,” said a deep, manly voice behind him, with a laugh of amusement. “The King is hundreds of miles away from London. He started northward three days ago. And what, forsooth, can you be wanting of the King?”
Charles turned dumb with confusion to see before him a man white as a ghost from top to toe with flour. It was the miller, and taking up in his arms the little girl, who ran to him delightedly, he went on, “What can a gipsy boy like you be wanting of the King?” ”

“ The boy’s face did not, however, grow much brighter, and Lady Chauncy began to knit her stern brow again. “Come, come, your Highness is hard to please to-day,” she went on; “what is amiss with you to be so naughty and discontented? Pray what can you lack? Where are your draughts, and your beautiful new horn-book, and your brave new troop-horse which his Majesty brought all the way from Cheapside in his own coach for you? You ought to be happy as the day is long, with everything dainty and to your taste to eat, and a soft bed, and the blue sky and the fair scene to look at from this casement. ”

“ How he longed to be with them and watch the loading of those last sheaves into the big carts, and how stiflingly hot the Cedar Room was, and how particularly forbidding and disagreeable goddess Minerva there looked, and how uncomfortable and heavy must be that scale armor of hers, and that shield, and the helmet, not to speak of such a nose. Ah! And, stretching out his hand over the arm of the chair, Charles picked up his toy bow, which lay with his own gilt pasteboard cuirass and tin helmet and wooden broadsword and other weapons on the floor, and setting the bow with a bolt, he sat waiting. ”

“ It is hardly necessary to say that Charles kept his word. The favor he desired was granted him after he had been summoned next day to the presence of the King and of Sir William and Lady Chauncy in the dining-hall. Each of them in turn pointed out to him not only the terrible danger he had exposed himself to by running away out into the wide world, but also the misery and strife that had nearly come of it for everybody—not by any means{48} least or last for good Master and Mistress Speedwell and the sweet little maid Molly, who had been so kind and pitying of his plight. ”

“ That that one square of stone had been cut out behind the panel with goddess Minerva on it, nobody, in fact, had known for more than a hundred years, when the Lord of the Manor House of that time perished fighting for the White Rose, and the secret of the moving panel had perished with him. That the young Prince could have got out by the window was too terrible to think of. It seemed impossible, moreover, for the lattice was barred, leaving but quite narrow spaces between. Nevertheless, Lady Chauncy caused the moat to be dragged, but happily, of course, to no purpose. ”

“ When Wynkin was admitted next morning to Lady Chauncy’s little sitting-room, he at once informed her of the past night’s adventures. She was very much astonished at his discovery in the Cedar Room. “’Tis certain,” she said, with almost a smile on her troubled face, “that, as my husband so often hath said, ‘A fortress is not stronger than its weakest part,’ which in this case appears, from what you tell me, Wynkin, to be Minerva’s nose. ”

“ The boy did not reply. He only looked hard at the captive bird, and still the tears seemed swelling in his throat. “It is a brave bird,” he said softly at last.
“Well, I am glad you are pleased with it,” said Lady Chauncy, “but I must be going now—and hark,” for at this moment there came a loud tap at the door, “there is Wynkin come with your dinner,” and she turned and unlocked the door for a serving-man who entered with a silver tray laden with plates and dishes, and, entrusting him with the key of the door, she went out, closing it carefully behind her. ”

“ There were good and just Roundheads, as those discontented persons were called, who would not have lent their aid or approval to such miserable and mean ways of settling matters,{42} and among the many of them was the miller of Oakside. He was a strict Roundhead, and if the quarrel came to a fight, he was quite determined that he would, if it was necessary, lay down his life for what he considered the right and good cause, against the King. Still he prayed and trusted that there would not be war in the kingdom, and the sorry sight of Englishmen fighting with Englishmen. ”

“ Ordinarily speaking, there is of course rarely much difficulty in tracking little truant boys or even girls. Prince Charles was not, however, a mere ordinary little boy. He was the King’s son, and the people, who were beginning to think of fighting against King Charles on account of displeasure with some of his ways of governing, would have been very glad to get the child into their power. They thought they would be able to make a better bargain with the King, who would agree sooner to what they demanded out of fear that, if he did not do so, they might harm the little boy. ”

“ The panels were of Flemish carving, and they represented the gods and goddesses of heathen mythology. There was Jupiter hurling lightning from his throne, Juno with her peacocks, Vulcan hammering away on his anvil, and Minerva sitting up very majestically in her helmet and coat of mail, holding her shield. The faces, however, of these far-famed personages were far from being like what Charles had always imagined of them when his father had related tales about them to him, as often he had done. ”

“ It doesn’t hurt much, does it—though it is going all red and black?”
“Nothing to talk about,” said Wynkin, “but you can cut and thrust with the best of ’em. Feeling’s believing.”
“Yes,” said Charles proudly.
“A regular don at it you are,” went on Wynkin, as he began to pile the dinner things together for taking away, “but I must be going now.”
“Oh, don’t go,” pleaded the lonely boy.
“Needs must. I’ve got to be going up-stream with some corn sacks, and the last harvest load’s being carried to-day, and all hands are turned on.” ”

“ And Charles crept off, daring no longer to disobey.
“Ah, now,” said Mistress Speedwell, when he returned with his brown cheeks shining like a warming-pan with the rubbing she had bidden him not to be sparing of, and a deep flush from brow to chin, “now we can look truth in the face,” and she was satisfied, and settled quietly to her wheel; and Molly, who had been sorely{44} disheartened to hear her playmate scolded, smiled delightedly. She thought it was the nicest boy’s face she had ever seen; but the miller looked graver than ever, and only said “Umph!” ”

“ You must tell them that when his Highness hath been delivered safe back to his Majesty out of our charge, you will tarry with them a longer time. But now I shall look for you at midday to-morrow. Meantime I shall wait upon the Prince entirely myself, since my husband desires it. And so a good journey to you, and make my remembrances to your parents, and I trust they will have good enjoyment of the gallimaufries and the what-nots I beg their acceptance of, and that your mother will find the red cloak warm and a good fit. ”

“ His sword. He would not encumber himself with his armor or other weapons, but as a soldier and a{22} gentleman his short sword he must have; and he went back again and, picking it up from the floor, he stuck it into his belt, for he needed both hands free. Then slipping out once more upon the shelf of a landing, for it was no more, he drew the panel to. Had he been able to see then on its other side, he would have seen Minerva’s helmeted head pop up and settle itself all right and tight on her shoulders, as if nothing had happened, but by that time he was at the bottom of the staircase. ”

“ What, tears again?” for at these last words of Lady Chauncy’s the boy’s breath quivered very much as if the sobs were going to burst out afresh. “Nay,”{8} she went on, “I’ll warrant they will dry up fast enough when you see what I have here for you,” and, pulling off the cover of the gilt cage, she placed it on the table. “William the gardener caught this pretty bird to-day, and I have put it in this fine cage and bring it you for a present. What do you say?” ”

“ If ’tis true, ’tis because they don’t know him.”
“That may be so, your Highness. And ’tis just the business{11} of many of those who call themselves his Majesty’s friends to hinder him from being known as—as you know him. And you see, there are bad men about of all sorts and sizes and parties, who want to get you away from him.”
“I’d be torn in pieces first,” said the child, his dark face flushing.
“Yes,” said Wynkin, “that’s about what it would be. I’m not certain but I think now there’s a price set upon your head.”
“What’s the good of it to anybody?” laughed Charles. ”

“ They are all gone upon another scent.”
{46}
“Come with me,” said the miller, and he led the way above stairs. “Have you a horse?”
“Nay,” smiled Wynkin, “I have the punt; which is safer, since it is less suspected, and it is freighted with half a dozen stout men-at-arms under the canvas.”
“Take your treasure,” said the miller, as he unlocked a door, and motioned Wynkin to approach the bed where the miller’s boy lay sleeping soundly after his day’s fetching and carrying, “if indeed, as I believe, it belong to your master.” ”

“ Every idiot knows that, and it isn’t likely his son can, particularly his eldest son, the Prince of Wales, like you are.”
“I never thought of that,” said Charles, with a meditative air, as he lifted all the whipped cream with his spoon from his tart and swallowed it at a gulp. “I may do whatever I please and it won’t be wrong. But there, that’s just it—I can’t do what I please. How can I? ”

“ And then more clearly than ever Wynkin began to see daylight, but all the same his face was very grave and anxious, for he was vexed with himself that he had not first given chase to Master Jack o’ Lantern, as he called him. “For what could he be wanting skulking round the place like that for? Ill news flies apace, and I doubt not the malcontents are aware already of the child’s escape. ”

“ The only fault Mistress Speedwell had to find with him was that, though he kept himself very neat and spruce in the linen jacket and breeches she made for him, he never could be persuaded to wash the flour off his face. ”