The Knight of the Golden Melice / A Historical Romance

ve me l

en Paradise

long to leap th

yd

ose, and esteeming the gratification of his evil wishes the highest happiness, it was yet necessary to the achievement of his objects that a specious outside at least should be preserved, and this he had succeeded in doing up to the present time. In pursuance of his cunning policy, he was unwilling that even Joy should suspect him of unfriendliness, and for that reason had, in the course of the examination, ex

of Prudence for her lover to make her betray herself, has been told; but thus far her simplicity and good fortune had been quite a match for his craft. In the hope to obtain some advantage for Philip, she had granted the Assistant the interview which we have just witnessed, and wherein he disclosed his character in a manner he had never done to her before. She now understood his designs tho

disagreeable. It would interfere with, and perhaps defeat plans, which in blind passion he hugged to his heart. But engrossed by his unworthy madness, he could not then mature any scheme not connected with its immediate gratification

ose days a very strong jail was not so important as at present. If one had committed a crime so heinous that he was unfit to live, he was forthwith put beyond the power of doing mischief; but if the offence were of a less atrocious character, modes of punishment were usually resorted to which did not involve the necessity of supporting him at public charge-such, for instance, as whipping, cutting off the

pause. The weather being warm, the window was open, and he was able to hear distinctly what was said within. Motives of delicacy or ho

the bracelets, without saying anything to me?" inquired a voic

ed her husband; "but," added he, laughing, "I had no fea

was poor Philip rubbing his ankles to get the swelling

warrant me now if it had been a grizzled old wolf like

how they used to howl every night when we first came to this wilderness; but the Lord p

er of one I am bound to obey; nor durst I take

were giving me riddles to gue

's a good soul, amiss only in her tongue at whiles; howbeit, saith not Paul, it is an unruly member? Well, Margery, an thou must know

aid the worshipful Governor was the sweetest; and vi

" he added, looking round in alarm. "I hope no one hears me,) but, according to my thinking, it is only because Mast

so sweet-tempered and liberal

ader of the Lord's host, which he is, like Moses and Joshua; and some of the deputies pretend

on the other side of the water. It was always a pleasure to see his Majesty in the streets of London, with the grand lords and ladies all in their s

le. Speak lower, an you will talk about things you know nothing about. Yo

im, God bless him! Marry, come up, a fine time of day truly, if a woman may not speak her mind! I should like to see the man or woman either, forsooth, to stop me. My tongue and ten commandments (stretching out her fingers) know how to take care of one another, I can tel

ence, until the good woman, after a variety of ejaculations and expletives, finding that she made no more impression

n him-how he found it out, the Lord only knows, unless"-here Bars sunk his voice, so that the words were inaudible to the listener, and he lost a sentence or t

y in this outlandish hot weather as the children of Israel at Rephidim, when they did chide Moses because

ay with it, and you know his gullet is like a London sewer. Love your bright eyes, Margery, a quart of sack stands no more chance

d going to Governor's houses to swill sack; never"-but here the voice of the discontented woman, who, in her excitement, had risen from her seat and walked away, was lost in the pantry, or rather subdued into an in

's release arrived from the Gov

e is to be dismissed in the

about it to Joy, as

ning it than the logs of

ys, and means to

ed himself in a few moments with the articles required. He placed an unlig

prisoner, I belie

er," answ

he door. I would spe

and opened the door, and gave another to Spikema

try or passage-way, some four feet wide, running along the four sides of the prison, and enclosing the cells in the middle, The security of the prisoners was greatly

f the irons which had prevented his lying down, and kept him consequently in a constrained posture, he was enjoying a luxury hard to be realized except by one in a condition as wretched as his own. Spikeman threw the light full upon his face, but it failed to awaken him. He only smiled, and muttering something indistinctly, turned upon his pallet, the irons on his wrists clanking as he moved. The Assi

he Assistant. "It is not the jailer,

g up and rubbing his eyes, "but I wish you had no

ee that liberty whereof

his feet as quickly as his swollen ankles

, "all the world ha

when the fierce Dudley would have silenced thee, demanded that thou shouldst

d this weary prison must have weakened my brain. But

that cannot be. Yet will I so order things that tho

rever. But wherefore," inquired Joy, as if some sudden suspicion spru

erest in a brave man unjustly condemned by the artful Winthrop? Have no suspicio

ed the soldier, and his frank face abundantly confirmed

of execution. Yet I fear me much thy courage will fail, even when thou hast but

d in a place like this, when the chance of freeing himsel

ve I seen them who talked as boldly, a

patiently. "Methinks it is so long since I struck a blow worthy of

ne from his pocket-"will I unfasten thy manacles, and under pretext of unwittingly leaving open the door of thy cell, direct the jailer to enter and lock it, when thou, b

sweet," he said, "yet would I b

evil entreated thee, and loaded thee with unnecessary and

am has been kind to me, and he did almost weep when he placed the iron bands a

or the darkness and damp seem to have sucked all manhood out of thee; or shouldst tho

ed Joy, "that shall never be. Unlock m

unlocking the gyves, removed th

thoughts. It is time to depart. When thou art free, Philip, as, if possessing coura

had proposed, proceeded to the outer entrance, Here he found the jailer waiting, wh

dvised are hatching against our Commonwealth, whereunto he is privy, and which, indeed, he doth partly confess. Have thou him in strict charge, Bars. May the Lord forgive me," he cried, s

d his steps. As for the Assistant himself, deeming his presence no longer nec

the help of his lantern, seeing Joy extended on his straw, was about to close

re did you at first load me with i

s by o

not of thi

d not of my own will lay a

soldier, rising and approaching his keeper. "And being a f

nd that you w

o the ground, letting fall at the same time the manacles which he had loosely put on to deceive. "Make no noise,"

stance, nor attempted to cry out,

Hast lost thy wits with fright? I tell thee I

ether it were better to allow thee to reap the f

y, "I have no time to spend

of my doublet, and which, if my arms were loose, I would

the soldier proceeded to investigate the other's pockets, but he found n

, "but thine arms and a

thy release on the morrow.

his attention on the jailer, read the writing

e not this befo

for another reason. And now, Philip, will y

I be sworn friends. There is some mystery behind this matter which it behooves us bo

He inquired of m

what is that other reason why thou dids

will scratch thee. I will answer t

ason in thee

r Spikeman com

hy he wanted to s

nted, and which you had partly confessed. And now it is my turn

keman unfas

s much before," said Ba

ke so great delight in digging with thy fingers, would have been a bl

e jailer, did he co

to my thinking, there was no

me smitten under the fifth rib. Profane Korah, Dathan and Abiram, whom the earth swallowed up

I was weakly in the spring," said Philip, laughing. At any other time this speech would have drawn down a serious remonstrance f

d, shall not have another chance to set on honest men to murder one another. Hearken, and thou shalt have another secret.

ondition to the knight, by whom directions had been left to have him come to the Mount of Promise as soon as he should be liberated. Prudence, too, he was told, had been at the prison to i

rudence and the friendship of the knight; but for the jailer there was no such solace. He dwelt resentfully on the exposure of his

gain on the straw, and in spite of the prospect of liberty