The Child of the Moat
down on the window seat. "It is three days since we have been able to get out and no one has seen the top of Mickle Fell for a week. The gal
of the withdrawing r
own great trees and broken fences and even, now and then, some unfo
tor
though," she continued, "the two falls m
l about it and I always rather like the sound of the wind; it has a nice eerie suggestion
but I cannot,10 and it only makes me feel creepy and the rain annoys me because I cannot go ou
if they did happen. These things are b
told me that a distant cousin of my own age was coming from Scotland to live with us; and I made all sorts of pictures of you in my mind. I thought tha
very disapp
ht that you would be so pretty:
"but her portrait that Master Lindsay painted is very beautiful, and father always said that it did n
ld was
some talk about it. Her name was Margaret and she was named after her grandmother or her great grandmother, who was lady in wait
Audry, "and how has it anyt
to think it was your queen, Margaret of Anjou, who married Henry IV; but she seems to b
; but they were almost the same, your queen was fourteen years and one month when she married and ours was thirteen years and nine mon
n anyway," said Audry; "how sad
r Lady Jane Grey who was barely sixteen when she and her husband were e
e seen
he time of the Lady Jane's death and your Queen Mary's accession:
you seen the Queen? She is
rteen and is extraordinarily beautiful. They say her wedding to the Dauphin
er good lookin
be the handsomest m
and horses and running and a good romp and were not so fond of old books. Fancy a girl of your age being able to read t
line objected, "an
but you do not love it as I do;" and Audry stood up to display her sturd
g books, it gives one something to do in wet weather. Let us go down
e from that funny old book by Ma
tainly is exciting and I am so fond of it. I often wish that there were knights going about now to fight
not trouble their heads about yo
with a half sigh, as she tho
nown her such a little time that she cannot care much. I don't suppose there are many little girls who can be as lonely as I am.
uses when Audry had some dainty or extra pleasure as to why Aline should not have her share. Aline thought of her father, Captain Angus Gillespie of Logan, and remembered his infinite care for her when she had been the apple of his eye. It had been a sad little life;-first she h
see what we can find." So they left the solar and went down14 through the hall and out into the upper court. They raced across the court, because
back the heavy oak with its finely carved pane
lcoves, each lit by its own window and most of the books were chained to their places, being attached to a long rod that ran along the top of each shelf. At the end of each alcove was a lock with beautifully wrought iron tracery work that held the rod so that it could n
xcited her curiosity and she pushed it to and fro to see if it was for any special purpose, till suddenly she discovered that, when the figure was pushed as high15 as it would go, the whole lock could be pulled forward like a little door on a hinge, revealing a small cavity behind. Both children started and peered eagerly into
n. "Now you see the use of knowing Latin," said Alin
her it is interest
wick Hall; but what is the use of this curious pi
be of some importance or they would not have taken all that trouble to hide the book
try and kitchen and afterwards the beautiful solar. Audry found her interest flag; although, when it came to the building of her room and the cost of th
nslated thus: "To my heirs trusting that this may serve them as it has served me." But in what way it was to serve them did not appear, and the evening w
ke the others. We can hide it in the armoire and read with the little l
the place, ran to their room and hid the bo
d the water ran down in long streams across the floor. "Gramercy," he exclaimed, "it is not a fit day for
aken about
ucceeded in tugging off the first one. "Ah, well, never mind," he added, when he saw her wince at his words, and stooped and kissed her and called to one of
ave got," he continued; "in all this rain i
"that would save us further trouble, but it is a pity th
ranger early this morning, playing with a child, but he tur
an and William Nettleship have both taken over a score of men and there must easily be two score of others on
get over Middleton Bridge after the watch was set, and I do not see how any one could get over the river to-day, i
ted for?" Audry
, "a heretic blaspheming Mother Church, whom t
how does he blaspheme Mothe
do not want to know,"
l that it is wrong? You must know what he
s brought from Scotland, that has been putting these notions into your head, with her book learning and nonsense. I assure you that I won't have any more of it, you little skelpie,[4] you are not too old for a good beat
enough to be wh
was eaten in silence and ever
ne, and that they would be able to find the heretic on the hills. "That man has done more mischief than any of the others," he muttered;
, and her wonderful19 charm of figure! Her colouring was as remarkable as her form. The hair was of a deep dark red, somewhat of the colour beloved by Titian, but with more gloss and glow although a little lower in tone; that colour which one meets perhaps once in a lifetime, a full rich undoubted
?" Audry asked; "I
ot satisfied with the way that things were going in the church and that in particular they denied that it was only through the priests o
laim to be better than oth
of God that that fact itself would make them better. So, many of them say that God can and does speak directly to all of us himself, and they all th
ese many years,' father said, 'but, little maid, do not trouble y
very wicked people then
"I do not know what to think about it," she said. "I suppos
s," said Audry in
oung and do not know anything about it; but it sounds as though the priests were afraid that the truth can not take care of itself; but surely it cannot be the truth if it is afraid to hear the other side. I
d what your motto mea
ruth is great and will prevail. If it is the truth it must win; and it can do it no h
subject; "no one is likely to come up here now, they
or a moment and then gave a little cry,-"I have foun
ed. "I do not see a
see one or two letters showing th
es
are
i. s. n. e. v. e. r. c. a. r. r. i. e. d. i. n. f. r. o. n. t. o. f. t
s that spell?
t a light is never carried in front of the sl
as I shut the book I naturally made it all even. So, when I opened it in this room, it
I did not even notice at once that the let
and then," said Aline, "we shal
containeth22 a full account of the building of Holwick Hall; so that it will be easily possible to follow that which I now set down. Below the Library on the west side of the house just above the level of the moat, there is a secret chamber, which communicateth with a passage below the moat that hath an exit in t
m that we are in now!" Audry excla
probably tell us all about it,
store-chamber or closet on the ground floor in
he silver and the other plate
e is a great oaken coffer that is fastened to the floor, in the which are t
lations. A house could not be f
y; "how really exciting things have become at last, but I wa
D SWOR
st rosette below the central hinge be drawn forth. After so doing, the outer edge of the plank next the wall in the bottom of the chest can be pushed down slightly, which wil
erstand it all,
Yes, I think it is quite clear; it's very like
ry and, even if we could," said A
und that the shelf will pull forward an inch and a finger can be inserted behind it on the left hand side, and a small lever can be pushed backward. This enables the third plank near the newel-stair[7] wall to be lifted by pressing down the western
d made in the thi
taircase circling round the newel
the steps, to any one going up the staircase, was really a secon
time, as they were eager at once to see if
ed the door. The single shelf came forward without dif
"but I cannot move i
s are25 stronger than yours," she said. "Ah, that is it!" she exclaimed, as she felt the le
and the Way to
aimed, "Oh, it must be all right as we have got so far; let us feel the panels and try and force them down. This is the one above the bolt," and she put her fingers on it to try and make it slide down. She had no sooner spoken than the panel moved an inch and, slipping her hand inside, she pressed it down to the bottom. The panel tended to rise again when she let go,26 as the bottom rested on the arm of a weighted lever. It looked very gloomy inside but the children were determined to go on. They
have got to?" Aud
e know, is just at the bottom of the newel-stair and the book said th
our way altogether, Aline, and nev
Aline that made them still more nervous. There were occasional slits along the wall for ventilation and she remembered the words that she had read by chance when she firs
a door. It was of very stout oak and plated with iron. They opened it and found that it had eight great iron bolts that could be shut on that side. Within was a second door equally strong and, on opening that, they found themselves in the secret
d show," said Aline; "how careful the
ne corner but some of the bedding was moth-eaten and destroyed. There were also many little conveniences in the room, amongst other things a small book-case containing several books. On the whole it was a distinctly pleasant apartment despite the absence of any visible windows. There were
her a dull part to play, though there was something naturally queenly in her nature, and she would therefore prefer something more active. She would take the old Scots romance of Burd Helen, or Burd Aline, as her own inspiration, and follow her knight in the disguise of a page over mountain and torrent and through every hardship. This better suited the romantic self-sacrifice of her usual m
ype="