The Path of the King

nor in the Chilterns, and still wore his heavy horseman's cloak and the long boots splashed with the mud of the Colne fords. He had been busy all day with legal matters-conveyances on which his o

nbar, and, though no Commons man, had more weight than any ten in Parliament. Mr. Lovel could not but be conscious of the tension among his acquaintances, and had he missed to note it there he would have found it in the streets. Pride's troopers were everywhere, riding in grim posses or off duty and sombrely puffing tobacco

met him on

ted for him in the Bell Yard

atch the door like a dragon, Matthew," he told him. "For an hour w

sprawled in a winged leather chair, his stretched-out legs in the firelight, but his head and shoulders in shadow. A man enterin

ck, as always when my m

but his face was so reddened by weather that it was hard to judge. The thick straight black locks had little silver in them, but the hair that sprouted from a mole on the chin was grey. His cheeks were full and the heavy mouth was pursed like that of a man in constant painful meditation. He loo

eliberately and sat himself in th

when we last spoke on the matter. I hoped I had

r a moment he had the look of a great bu

the words had such passion behind

matters is not for us mortals," he said. "You are walking dark corridors which the lamp of the law does not light. You are no

licy is two-faced, and I

since, and I thought I had convinced you. The case has not changed. Let me recapitulate. I

, as I told young Sidney, that we are beyond courts and lawyer's quibbles, and t

court nor valid law. If you judge the King, 'tis on grounds of policy. Can you defend that policy, Oliver? You yourself have no

ly those in it who are mos

h to judge him, so your canon will be your view of the public weal, against which he has most grievously offended. It is conceded your verdict must be guilty and your sentence d

ween his hands. "In the name of the Commons of

be done in your own name and that of the hoteads of the Army. 'Twill be an act of war. Think you that by making an end of the King you will end the Kings party? Nay, you will give it a martyr. You will cr

k of his death. What if t

the end. A deposed king will be like a keg of gunpowder set by your hearth. Yo

ent to him he shut the door in their face. I will have no more of ruining hypocritical agreements. If God's poor people a

h will most utterly defeat your honest purpose. The knots

long face had for the moment a

ithout clearness. I assent to your wisdom, but I cannot think it concludes the matter. In truth, we have come in this dark hour to the end of fleshly reasonings. It can

I lie o' nights at Whitehall in one of the King's rich beds, but my eyes do not close. From you I have got the ripeness of human wisdom, but my heart i

mself after the habit he had. "The danger is not over," he said, "but I think policy will prevail. If only Vane will cease his juridical chatter.... Oliver is still at the cross-roads, but he inclines to

got, resumed the riding cloak he had undone and, after giving his servant some instructions, went forth t

adened his hearing, and his mind also was busy with its own thoughts, so that he did not observe that soft steps dogged him. At the corner of an alley he was tripped up, and a heavy garment flung over his head. He struggled to regain his feet, but an old lameness, got at Naseby, impeded him. The cobbles, too, were like glass, and he fell again, this tim

did not hurt, though a few experiments convinced him that they were sufficiently secure. His chief grievance was a sharp recollection that he had not supped; but, being a philosopher, he reflected that, though hungry, he was warm. He was in a glass coach driven rapidly on a rough road,

ress of Goring's, his son was certainly capable of any evil, but he reminded himself that Jasper was not a fool and would scarcely see his profit in such an escapade. Besides, he had not the funds to compass an enterprise which must have cost money. He thought of the King's party

emicircle of wavering lamp light he observed a tall young lady in a riding coat white with snowflakes. She had dismounted from he

nded out of his calm. "Wh

o a servant and climbed into the coach

ious. When you fell I begged Tony to give up the plan, but he as

relief in his laugh, for he had been mor

He nodded to his bonds. "I do n

m." The girl was very grave as she drew from a retic

"I promise to bide where I

e cords and he stretched arms

have not

' time you will have supper. We s

ey end? Am I to have n

will tell you. Tony and I ar

l. The wind blows bitter on Cotswold in De

urces. There is a King's faction in the Army and already it is in league with the Scots and our own party to compass the fall of Cromwell. He says it will be rough work and the innocent will die with

be right, I have a duty to do. I am of Cromwell's party, as you a

"You do not run, you are carri

en under duress is

are a lawyer. Besides, there are six

ter of his should have been a man. Would that

we are on Denham hill. Permit me to doze, my dear. 'Tis the best antidote to hung

Oliver's case the belief came from an ever-present sense of a directing God, in him it was more of a pagan philosophy. Mr. Lovel was devout after his fashion, but he had a critical mind and stood a little apart from enthusiasm. He saw man's

was not averse to it. He was not Cromwell with Cromwell's heavy burden; he was not even a Parliment man; only a private citizen who wished greatly for peace. He had lab

kes who were arrogant without pride and volcanic without courage.... Not all, perhaps. The good Tony was a welcome enough son-in-law, though Cecily would always be the better man. The young Oxfordshire squire was true to his own royalties, and

. The man was no Englishman, but an Italian priest who loved dark ways. A little good sense, a little honesty,

xities. No brain was keener to grasp an argument, for the general was as quick at a legal point as any lawyer. When, therefore, he still hesitated before what seemed a final case, it was well to search for hidden flaws. Above all when he gave no reason it was wise to hasten to him, for of

growing sterner. He reviewed is argument against the King's trial. Its gravamen lay in the certainty that trial meant death. The plea against death was that it would antagonise

de him intolerant of trivial claims of prerogative and blood. Kingship for him had no sanctity save in so far as it was truly kingly. Were honest folk to be harried because of the whims of a man whose remote ancestor had been a fortunate bandit? Charles had t

itic road? If the King lost his head, there would beyond doubt be a sullen struggle ahead. Sooner or later the regicides would fall-of that he had no doubt. But what of the ultimate fate of England?

weeks," he told himself. "I am coming round

ously on the curb of caution, for a conclusion reached meant deeds to follow. But, with the possibility of deeds removed, his mind had been freed. What had been cloudy before now showed very bright, and the little lamp of reason he had once used was put out by a

kings in deed. The world could not do without its leaders. Oliver was such a one, and others would rise up. Why reverence a brocaded puppet larded by a priest with oil, when

d to his

rk, Cis, has been a fortun

was opened, and Sir Anthony Colledge stood revealed in the driving snow. In the Chilterns it must have been falling for hours, for the road wa

tten a colic. Will you treat him? Then I purpose to leave him with a

ound permitted. It was true that the doctoring of hors

ks heaved and spasms shook its hindquarters. Mr. Lovel set to work and mixed a dose of spiced oil and spirits which he coaxed down its throat. Then he very gently massaged certain corded sinews in

ps, when out of the darkness a knot of mounted men rode into the lamplight. There were at l

nto these wilds in such weather? Can I be

chief is now righted. I go on a journey into Oxfords

f Fairfax, to Cecily and Tony, the latter of whom eye

s smothered four feet deep. See, I will show you a woodland road which the wind ha

Sir Anthony Colledge confessed it wryly. One of Flowerdue's men mounted to the postilion's place, a

her's hand. "You have

o-morrow, if the weather clears,

een no halt. But for his skill in horse doctoring the sick beast would have been cut loose, and Colonel Flowerdue's party would have met only a coach laboring through the snow and would not have halted to discover its occupants.... He was a prisoner bound by a

amined himself and found his new convictions unshaken. It was what the hot-gospellers would call a "Holy Ghost conversion." Well, let it rest

ce, and of that providence it was clear that fate had made him the channel. In the coach he had surrendered himself willingly to an unseen direction, and now he dared not refuse the

e stirred to a blaze, and food and

r. Lovel told his daughter. "I will pray fro

him inquiringly

e chance when it offers. I assure you I look forward happily to a mon

ow Oliver," he told himself, "I have given him the sign he seeks. I am clear it is God's will,

d he found a brisk and smilin

s with this missive to town? It is

t once lest the storm worse

and I think the last I

gold ring carved with a much-worn cognisan

letter touches the affairs of his Majesty, I th