The Midnight Queen Page 12

  CHAPTER XII. DOOM.

  "Let us go," said the queen, glancing at the revolting sight, andturning away with a shudder of repulsion. "Faugh! The sight of blood hasmade me sick."

  "And taken away my appetite for supper," added a youthful and elegantbeauty beside her. "My Lord Gloucester was hideous enough when living,but, mon Dieu! he is ten times more so when dead!"

  "Your ladyship will not have the same story to tell of yonder stranger,when he shares the same fate in an hour or two!" said the dwarf, with amalicious grin; "for I heard you remarking upon his extreme beauty whenhe first appeared."

  The lady laughed and bowed, and turned her bright eyes upon Sir Norman.

  "True! It is almost a pity to cut such a handsome head off--is it not? Iwish I had a voice in your highness's council, and I know what I shoulddo."

  "What, Lady Mountjoy?"

  "Entreat him to swear fealty, and become one of us; and--"

  "And a bridegroom for your ladyship?" suggested the queen, with acurling lip. "I think if Sir Norman Kingsley knew Lady Mountjoy as wellas I do, he would even prefer the block to such a fate!"

  Lady Mountjoy's brilliant eyes shone like two angry meteors; but shemerely bowed and laughed; and the laugh was echoed by the dwarf in hisshrillest falsetto.

  "Does your highness intend remaining here all night?" demanded thequeen, rather fiercely. "If not, the sooner we leave this ghastly placethe better. The play is over, and supper is waiting."

  With which the royal virago made an imperious motion for her attendantsprites in gossamer white to precede her, and turned with her accustomedstately step to follow. The music immediately changed from its dolefuldirge to a spirited measure, and the whole company flocked after her,back to the great room of state. There they all paused, hovering inuncertainty around the room, while the queen, holding her purple trainup lightly in one hand, stood at the foot of the throne, glancing atthem with her cold, haughty and beautiful eyes. In their wandering,those same darkly-splendid eyes glanced and lighted on Sir Norman,who, in a state of seeming stupor at the horrible scene he had justwitnessed, stood near the green table, and they sent a thrill throughhim with their wonderful resemblance to Leoline's. So vividly alike werethey, that he half doubted for a moment whether she and Leoline were notreally one; but no--Leoline never could have had the cold, cruel heartto stand and witness such a horrible sight. Miranda's dark, piercingglance fell as haughtily and disdainfully on him as it had on the rest;and his heart sank as he thought that whatever sympathy she had felt forhim was entirely gone. It might have been a whim, a woman's caprice, aspirit of contradiction, that had induced her to defend him at first.Whatever it was, and it mattered not now, it had completely vanished. Noface of marble could have been colder, or stonier, or harder, than hers,as she looked at him out of the depths of her great dark eyes; and withthat look, his last lingering hope of life vanished.

  "And now for the next trial!" exclaimed the dwarf, briskly breaking inupon his drab-colored meditations, and bustling past. "We will get itover at once, and have done with it!"

  "You will do no such thing!" said the imperious voice of the queenlyshrew. "We will have neither trials nor anything else until aftersupper, which has already been delayed four full minutes. My lordchamberlain, have the goodness to step in and see that all is in order."

  One of the gilded and decorated gentlemen whom sir Norman had mistakenfor ambassadors stepped off, in obedience, through another opening inthe tapestry--which seemed to be as extensively undermined with suchapertures as a cabman's coat with capes--and, while he was gone, thequeen stood drawn up to her full height, with her scornful face lookingdown on the dwarf. That small man knit up his very plain face into abristle of the sourest kinks, and frowned sulky disapproval at an orderwhich he either would not, or dared not, countermand. Probably thelatter had most to do with it, as everybody looked hungry and mutinous,and a great deal more eager for their supper than the life of Sir NormanKingsley.

  "Your majesty, the royal banquet is waiting," insinuated the lord highchamberlain, returning, and bending over until his face and his shoebuckles almost touched.

  "And what is to be done with this prisoner, while we are eating it?"growled the dwarf, looking drawn swords at his liege lady.

  "He can remain here under care of the guards, can he not?" she retortedsharply. "Or, if you are afraid they are not equal to taking care ofhim, you had better stay and watch him yourself."

  With which answer, her majesty sailed majestically away, leaving thegentleman addressed to follow or not, as he pleased. It pleased him todo so, on the whole; and he went after her, growling anathemas betweenhis royal teeth, and evidently in the same state of mind that inducesgentlemen in private life to take sticks to their aggravating spouses,under similar circumstances. However, it might not be just the thing,perhaps, for kings and queens to take broom-sticks to settle theirlittle differences of opinion, like common Christians; and so the princepeaceably followed her, and entered the salle a manger with the rest,and Sir Norman and his keepers were left in the hall of state, monarchsof all they surveyed. Notwithstanding he knew his hours were numbered,the young knight could not avoid feeling curious, and the tapestryhaving been drawn aside, he looked through the arch with a good deal ofinterest.

  The apartment was smaller than the one in which he stood--though stillvery large, and instead of being all crimson and gold, was glancing andglittering with blue and silver. These azure hangings were of satin,instead of velvet, and looked quite light and cool, compared to the hot,glowing place where he was. The ceiling was spangled over with silverstars, with the royal arms quartered in the middle, and the chairs wereof white, polished wood, gleaming like ivory, and cushioned with bluesatin. The table was of immense length, as it had need to be, andflashed and sparkled in the wax lights with heaps of gold and silverplate, cut-glass, and precious porcelain. Golden and crimson winesshone in the carved decanters; great silver baskets of fruit were strewnabout, with piles of cakes and confectionery--not to speak of more solidsubstantials, wherein the heart of every true Englishman delighteth.The queen sat in a great, raised chair at the head, and helped herselfwithout paying much attention to anybody, and the remainder were rangeddown its length, according to their rank--which, as they were all prettymuch dukes and duchesses, was about equal.

  The spirits of the company--depressed for a moment by the unpleasantlittle circumstance of seeing one of their number beheaded--seemed torevive under the spirituous influence of sherry, sack, and burgundy; andsoon they were laughing, and chatting, and hobnobbing, as animatedly asany dinner-party Sir Norman had ever seen. The musicians, too, appearedto be in high feather, and the merriest music of the day assisted thenoble banqueters' digestion.

  Under ordinary circumstances, it was rather a tantalizing scene tostand aloof and contemplate; and so the guards very likely felt; but SirNorman's thoughts were of that room in black, the headsman's axe, andLeoline. He felt he would never see her again--never see the sun risethat was to shine on their bridal; and he wondered what she would thinkof him, and if she was destined to fall into the hands of Lord Rochesteror Count L'Estrange. As a general thing, our young friend was not givento melancholy moralizing, but in the present case, with the headsman'saxe poised like the sword of Damocles above him by a single hair, he maybe pardoned for reflecting that this world is all a fleeting show, andthat he had got himself into a scrape, to which the plague was a trifle.And yet, with nervous impatience, he wished the dinner and his trialwere over, his fate sealed, and his life ended at once, since it was tobe ended soon. For the fulfillment of the first wish, he had not longto wait; the feast, though gay and grand, was of the briefest, and theycould have scarcely been half an hour gone when they were all back.

  Everybody seemed in better humor, too, after the refection, but thequeen and the dwarf--the former looked colder, and harder, and morelike a Labrador iceberg tricked out in purple velvet, than ever, and hishighness was grinning from ear to ear--which was the very worst
possiblesign. Not even her majesty could make the slightest excuse for delayingthe trial now; and, indeed, that eccentric lady seemed to have no wishto do so, had she the power, but seated herself in silent disdain ofthem all, and dropping her long lashes over her dark eyes, seemed toforget there was anybody in existence but herself.

  His highness and his nobles took their stations of authority behindthe green table, and summoned the guards to lead the prisoner up beforethem, which was done; while the rest of the company were fluttering downinto their seats, and evidently about to pay the greatest attention.The cases in this midnight court seemed to be conducted on a decidedlyoriginal plan, and with an easy rapidity that would have electrified anyother court, ancient or modern. Sir Norman took his stand, and eyed hisjudges with a look half contemptuous, half defiant; and the proceedingscommenced by the dwarf a leaning forward and breaking into a roar oflaughter, right in his face.

  "My little friend I warned you before not to be so facetious," saidSir Norman, regarding him quietly; "a rush of mirth to the brain willcertainly be the death of you one of these day."

  "No levity, young man!" interposed the lord chancellor, rebukingly;"remember, you are addressing His Royal Highness Prince Caliban, Spouse,and Consort of Her Most Gracious Majesty, Miranda!"

  "Indeed! Then all I have to say, is, that her majesty has very bad tastein the selection of a husband, unless, indeed, her wish was to marrythe ugliest man in the world, as she herself is the most beautiful ofwomen!"

  Her majesty took not the slightest notice of this compliment, not somuch as a flatter of her drooping eye-lashes betrayed that she evenheard it, but his highness laughed until he was perfectly hoarse.

  "Silence!" shouted the duke, shocked and indignant at this glaringdisrespect, "and answer truthfully the questions put to you. Your name,you say, is Sir Norman Kingsley?"

  "Yes. Has your grace any objection to it?"

  His grace waved down the interruption with a dignified wave of the hand,and went on with severe judicial dignity.

  "You are the same who shot Lord Ashley between this and the city, somehours ago?"

  "I had the pleasure of shooting a highwayman there, and my only regretis, I did not perform the same good office by his companion, in theperson of your noble self, before you turned and fled."

  A slight titter ran round the room, and the duke turned crimson.

  "These remarks are impertinent, and not to the purpose. You are themurderer of Lord Ashley, let that suffice. Probably you were on your wayhither when you did the deed?"

  "He was," said the dwarf, vindictively. "I met him at the Golden Crownbut a short time after."

  "Very well, that is another point settled, and either of them is strongenough to seal his death warrant. You came here as a spy, to see andhear and report--probably you were sent by King Charles?"

  "Probably--just think as you please about it!" said Sir Norman, who knewhis case was as desperate as it could be, and was quite reckless what heanswered.

  "You admit that you are a spy, then?"

  "No such thing. I have owned nothing. As I told you before, you arewelcome to put what construction you please on my actions."

  "Sir Norman Kingsley, this is nonsensical equivocation! You own you cameto hear and see?"

  "Well!"

  "Well, hearing and seeing constitute spying, do they not? Therefore, youare a spy."

  "I confess it looks like it. What next?"

  "Need you ask What is the fate of all spies?"

  "No matter what they are in other places, I am pretty certain what theyare here!"

  "And that is?"

  "A room in black, and a chop with an axe--the Earl of Gloucester's fate,in a word!"

  "You have said it! Have you any reason why such a sentence should not bepronounced on you?"

  "None; pronounce it as soon as you like."

  "With the greatest pleasure!" said the duke, who had been scrawling onanother ominous roll of vellum, and now passed it to the dwarf. "I neverknew anyone it gave me more delight to condemn. Will your highness passthat to her majesty for signature, and pronounce his sentence."

  His highness, with a grin of most exquisite delight, did as directed;and Sir Norman looked steadfastly at the queen as she received it. Oneof the gauzy nymphs presented it to her, kneeling, and she took it witha look half bored, half impatient, and lightly scrawled her autograph.The long, dark lashes did not lift; no change passed over the calm, coldface, as icily placid as a frozen lake in the moonlight--evidently thelife or death of the stranger was less than nothing to her. To him she,too, was as nothing, or nearly so; but yet there was a sharp jarringpain at his heart, as he saw that fair hand, that had saved him once, socoolly sign his death warrant now. But there was little time left for towatch her; for, as she pushed it impatiently away, and relapsed into herformer proud listlessness, the dwarf got up with one of his death's-headgrins, and began:

  "Sir Norman Kingsley, you have been tried and convicted as a spy, andthe paid-hireling of the vindictive and narrow-minded Charles; and thesentence of this court, over which I have the honor to preside, is, thatyou be taken hence immediately to the place of execution, and there loseyour head by the axe!"

  "And a mighty small loss it will be!" remarked the duke to himself, in asort of parenthesis, as the dwarf concluded his pleasant observationby thrusting himself forward across the table, after his ratherdiscomposing fashion, and breaking out into one of his diabolicallaughter-claps.

  The queen, who had been sitting passive, and looking as if she were inspirit a thousand miles away, now started up with sharp suddenness, andfavored his highness with one of her fieriest fiery glances.

  "Will your highness just permit somebody else to have a voice in thatmatter? How many more trials are to come on tonight?"

  "Only one," replied the duke, glancing over a little roll which he held;"Lady Castlemaine's, for poisoning the Duchess of Sutherland."

  "And what is my Lady Castlemaine's fate to be?"

  "The same as our friend's here, in all probability," nodding easily, notto say playfully, at Sir Norman.

  "And how long will her trial last?"

  "Half an hour, or thereabouts. There are some secrets in the matter thathave to be investigated, and which will require some time."

  "Then let all the trials be over first, and all the beheadings takeplace together. We don't choose to take the trouble of traveling to theBlack Chamber just to see his head chopped off, and then have the samejourney to undergo half an hour after, for a similar purpose. Call LadyCastlemaine, and let this prisoner be taken to one of the dungeons, andthere remain until the time for execution. Guards, do you hear? Take himaway!"

  The dwarf's face grew black as a thunder-cloud, and he jumped to hisfeet and confronted the queen with a look so intensely ugly that noother earthly face could have assumed it. But that lady merely met itwith one of cold disdain and aversion, and, keeping her dark bright eyesfixed chillingly upon him, waved her white hand, in her imperious way,to the guards. Those warlike gentlemen knew better than to disobey hermost gracious majesty when she happened to be, like Mrs. Joe Gargary, onthe "rampage," which, if her flashing eye and a certain expression abouther handsome mouth spoke the truth, must have been twenty hours out ofthe twenty-four. As the soldiers approached to lead him away, Sir Normantried to catch her eye; but in vain, for she kept those brilliant opticsmost unwinkingly fixed on the dwarf's face.

  "Call Lady Castlemaine," commanded the duke, as Sir Norman with hisguards passed through the doorway leading to the Black Chamber. "Yourhighness, I presume, is ready to attend to her case."

  "Before I attend to hers or any one else's case," said the dwarf,hopping over the table like an overgrown toad, "I will first see thatthis guest of ours is properly taken care, of, and does not leave uswithout the ceremony of saying good-bye."

  With which, he seized one of the wax candles, and trotted, with ratherunprincely haste, after Sir Norman and his conductors. The young knighthad been led down the s
ame long passage he had walked through before;but instead of entering the chamber of horrors, they passed through thecentre arch, and found themselves in another long, vaulted corridor,dimly lit by the glow of the outer one. It was as cold and dismal aplace, Sir Norman thought, as he had ever seen; and it had an odor dampand earthy, and of the grave. It had two or three great, ponderous doorson either side, fastened with huge iron bolts; and before one of thesehis conductors paused. Just as they did so, the glimmer of the dwarf'staper pierced the gloom, and the next moment, smiling from ear to ear,he was by their side.

  "Down with the bars!" he cried. "This is the one for him--the strongestand safest of them all. Now, my dashing courtier, you will see howtenderly your little friend provides for his favorites!"

  If Sir Norman made any reply, it was drowned in the rattle and clankof the massive bars, and is hopelessly lost to posterity. The huge doorswung back; but nothing was visible but a sort of black velvet pall, andeffluvia much stronger than sweet. Involuntarily he recoiled as one ofthe guards made a motion for him to enter.

  "I Shove him in! shove him in!" shrieked the dwarf, who was getting soexcited with glee that he was dancing about in a sort of jig of delight."In with him--in with him! If he won't go peaceably, kick him inhead-foremost!"

  "I would strongly advise them not to try it," said Sir Norman, as hestepped into the blackness, "if they have any regard for their health!It does not make much difference after all, my little friend, whetherI spend the next half-hour in the inky blackness of this place or theblood-red grandeur of your royal court. My little friend, until we meetagain, permit me to say, au revoir."

  The dwarf laughed in his pleasant way, and pushed the candle cautiouslyinside the door.

  "Good-by for a little while, my dear young sir, and while the headsmenis sharpening his axe, I'll leave you to think about your little friend.Lest you should lack amusement, I'll leave you a light to contemplateyour apartment; and for fear you may get lonesome, these two gentlemenwill stand outside your door, with their swords drawn, till I come back.Good-by, my dear young sir--good-bye!"

  The dungeon-door swung to with a tremendous bang Sir Norman was barredin his prison to await his doom and the dwarf was skipping along thepassage with sprightliness, laughing as he went.