Fallen Fortunes Read online

  *CHAPTER XVIII.*

  *"GOOD QUEEN ANNE."*

  Sir Grey Dumaresq bent the knee before the little upright figure in thegreat carved chair, and the courtiers and ladies pressed one upon theother, as far as etiquette permitted, to get a sight of a personage who,for the moment, was all the talk of the town.

  In her gentle, rather thin and high-pitched voice the Queen spoke, and adeep hush fell upon the great room.

  "Rise, Sir Grey. I have sent for you here, inasmuch as I have heardmuch of your story from both the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, myvery good friends; and I have desired to see you, and to hear somewhatof many matters from your own lips."

  "Your Majesty has but to speak, and I will answer."

  "I hear that you did first encounter his Grace of Marlborough upon thefield of Ramillies, and that you did there render him no small succourin a moment of personal peril."

  "It was my good fortune, madam, to possess a horse of great courage, andstrength, and mettle; and when the Duke was for the moment surrounded bya party of the enemy, and had to force his own horse to a perilous leap,which caused him to fall and become useless, I was able, being close athand, to mount him upon my good steed, which carried him through thatday, which his own genius and courage has rendered for ever glorious."

  "How came it that you did adventure yourself into the heart of thedanger, not being a soldier, or having any call to risk your life in thecause?"

  "Madam, I am an Englishman, and every true-born Englishman is called toadventure himself wherever he may by happy chance be able to serve hiscountry. That is my excuse for being where perchance I had no right tobe, save the right of which I have spoken, and of which I pray that yourMajesty will not rob me. To serve his Queen and his country must needsbe the desire of every man worthy the name, be he soldier or be henone."

  A smile played over the pleasant countenance of the Queen. The pale,handsome face, the graceful bearing, the courtly address of the youngman, pleased her well. Simply attired, without any of the extravagancesof frippery which distinguished so many courtiers, and with his owncurly brown locks floating round his head, his appearance was strikingand prepossessing enough. To be sure, the Queen could resent any toogreat easiness in dress amongst her courtiers; and when one of herministers, coming in haste, had appeared before her in a small wig, suchas gentlemen used at their toilets, rather than in full dress, she hadremarked to her ladies that she supposed his lordship would presenthimself in his night-cap next! But there was nothing slovenly in therich plainness of Grey's attire; and he looked so much the poet and thedreamer, with the pallor of illness still upon him, and that slimness offigure partly due to privations now past, and partly to his active andtemperate life, that the Queen regarded him with increasing favour, anda smile of decided approval was his reward.

  "Well and bravely spoken, my young knight. And let me in my own personthank you for the service rendered that day to one who has been, andstill will be, I doubt not, his country's most able defender. Had aughtbefallen the Duke on the field of Ramillies, a glorious victory wouldhave become, I cannot doubt, a fearful defeat. France would have sweptthe Netherlands with her victorious armies, and there would have beennone with genius and power to roll back the tide of battle. WhereforeEngland herself owes you a debt of gratitude, Sir Grey, which must notbe forgotten."

  "Madam, I have been richly repaid already for any poor service ofmine--first by the gracious favour of the Duke, and now in still fullermeasure by these words from your Majesty. Had fortune not so farfavoured me that I was close at hand at the moment, I cannot doubt butthat a score of others would have done what I was favoured by doing. Toserve the man who serves his country so well is its own reward."

  "Ah, my young friend, it is easy to see you were never bred up incourts," spoke the Queen, with a smile for Grey, and a quick searchingglance round at the knots of courtiers and gentlemen filling the room.At this most of them shrank back, a little abashed at her look and herwords. Shameless place-hunting was all the fashion of the day; and forany man to make light of service rendered, and to desire no reward, wasa thing almost unheard of.

  But after having just launched this shaft, the Queen said no more onthat subject. She was by nature timid and gentle, and though notlacking in wit or in a quiet penetration, which was not alwaysappreciated by those about her, was for the most part an indulgentmistress, not disposed to overmuch blame even where she saw weakness.

  "And I hear more of you than this, Sir Grey. You are not only a man ofprompt action, but you are also a dreamer and a poet. I have read withpleasure your romance of pure chivalry, and I would that we could findin these degenerate days more knights and gentlemen, more spotlessmaidens and virtuous women, such as those of whom your pen delights totell, and my ears delight to hear."

  The young man bowed low, the crimson flush, which praise of his couragehad not evoked, dyeing his cheek now that the child of his brain andhand was praised. The Queen continued graciously,--

  "I have heard the whole romance, and its beauty touches my heart, andpleases also those amongst my ladies and gentlemen as are best able toappraise the merits of such poetic work. I desire, Sir Grey, that youwill dedicate the tale to me, as one who has read and approved it, andwould desire it to be widely known and read in the land. To be a patronof all true and beautiful art is the privilege of rulers, and thereforedo I give this charge to you. I desire that such a story as you haveconceived and penned should be circulated amongst my faithful subjects.They will learn from it loyalty, love, purity, and singleness of heart,and surely no nation can thrive or excel in which these virtues beabsent."

  A little buzz of amaze and gratulation went round the room as the Queenspoke thus. The young man's fortune as a writer was assuredly made. Asecond Philip Sidney had suddenly come to light. All the world woulddelight to honour the man approved of royalty.

  Grey himself was speechless. Such a eulogy was altogether unexpectedand bewildering. If Dame Fortune had, in the past, showed an unkindface towards him, surely she was atoning for her frowns by the mostgracious of smiles now.

  Perhaps the young author's confused and blissful silence pleased theQueen more than any florid words of gratitude such as she was used tohear. She spoke again, still in her most gracious and kindly way.

  "Moreover, Sir Grey, I have heard somewhat of your history from hisGrace of Marlborough, and it doth appear to me that you have beenscurvily treated with respect to your rightful inheritance, the manor ofHartsbourne, which, though your property, you are debarred fromenjoying. I have made strict inquiry into this matter, and have sentdown special commissioners to seek speech with your kinsman now inpossession, and to make some settlement with him for the restitution toyou of the estate. It is not fitting that one to whom the country andits Queen owe a debt of gratitude should be ousted from his inheritanceeither by the cunning craft of a greedy miser, or for lack of means tosatisfy a creditor and release his lands from debt. From what hath beentold me, I misdoubt that unscrupulous means have been employed to oustyou from possession and enjoyment of your house and lands. But whetheror not this be so, it is not fitting that things should longer continueas now. Sir Grey Dumaresq of Hartsbourne Manor must live upon hishereditary acres in becoming style. That fiat hath already gone forth.England's Queen and people will have it so. It were shame to both if thepreserver of her great General should go unrewarded."

  Grey, overwhelmed by the magnitude of the grace bestowed upon him, couldonly sink upon his knees before the Queen, murmuring some confused butheartfelt words of gratitude and loyalty. The royal lady gave him herhand to kiss, and looked smilingly upon him.

  "Sir Grey," she said gently, "had you come hither to the Court at onceon your return, boasting of what you had done, displaying the Duke'stoken, and seeking fame and fortune for yourself, belike I should havethought but little of the matter. I am for ever hearing the petitionsof those seeking great things for
themselves--seeking place, preferment,emoluments, with or without desert. Had you come thus, you had beenlost in a crowd. I perchance should scarce have heard your name. Butyou have asked nothing for yourself. You endured hardship, privation,misery; you thought not scorn to win your bread--and the bread ofanother who had befriended you--by following a humble vocation. Withthat in your possession which would have at least placed you above want,you faced want itself rather than stultify your noble act by seeking totrade upon it. You rather sought to win the fame you merit by usingthose great gifts of poetry and art which it hath pleased God to bestowupon you. Therefore are you different from others; therefore hath yourstory touched the heart of your Queen; therefore is her favour won, inthat she can value a man who seeks and asks nothing for himself, butrather desires that the glory of a noble deed shall be its own reward."

  Again she tendered her hand, which Grey kissed in deepest reverence andgratitude. Then at a sign from the Duchess, who had all this time beenstanding behind the Queen's chair, he rose and made a deep inclination.

  "I thank your Majesty a thousand times," he said in a very low voice."I have no words in which to tell my gratitude, but I pray Heaven thatin the future I may have the opportunity to show how deep and true thatgratitude is."

  "Deeds, and not words, will be your motto through life, I take it, SirGrey; and in such fashion shall you best please your Queen and serveyour country."

  Then Grey found himself, he scarce knew how, in the outer room, throngedby courtiers and nobles and gentlemen, all eager to make hisacquaintance, all agog to hear such parts of his story as were yetunknown to them, and above all eager to read the book of which it hadpleased the Queen to speak in such high praise. To these worthies Greywas already a rising star, and they longed to bask in the light of hisrays.

  Quietly and courteously Grey replied to direct questions and to theadvances showered upon him by the Court; but he disengaged himself asquickly as he could, and was glad to find himself in the coach which hadbrought him, and on his way to Marlborough House, where he was still aguest. For although he had quickly mended from his hurts, his hostswould not hear of his returning to his old quarters; and the Old Lionhad been equally insistent on this point when Grey visited him, which hedid on the first opportunity, to tell in person his marvellous tale.

  "Nay, nay, my boy; you are now Sir Grey Dumaresq, and your life will runin different grooves. I did guess from the first that you were not whatyou seemed, and ever have I hoped that you would be restored to yourrightful position in the world. As for me, I am well content. I haveno lack of tendance--thanks to the liberality of the Duke, and to thatwonderful personal visit he did pay me, which has raised me to apinnacle of glory in the eyes of all men here. It contents me well toknow that I am not forgotten, that you still have kindly thought tospare for the Old Lion. But for us to dwell beneath the same roof wouldnot now be fitting or seemly. So think of that no more."

  "When I have a roof of mine own I shall think of it much," spoke Greywith quick decision; "but for the nonce I am naught but a guest beneaththat of the hospitable Duke. Well, let it remain so in the present; butfor the future I make no pledge."

  It was more than a week now since those words had been spoken, but theyrecurred to Grey's mind as he was driven homewards through the sunnystreets. Hartsbourne! The name seemed to thrill in his ears like aclarion note of joy. Hartsbourne--his own old home--so well-beloved, sofair! Could it be possible that he would be master there again? Thethought filled him with a sense akin to intoxication. The blood mountedto his head; he almost laughed aloud in his joy. Hartsbourne and itsrevenues his own! His romance published, and bringing him gold as wellas fame! What might he not accomplish? How often had he dreamed inbygone years of what he would do for the restoration and adornment ofthe beautiful old house, and how he and his mother would live there inpeace and happiness! True, that last part of the dream could not berealized now. His mother lay sleeping beneath the churchyard sod. Hereyes beheld, he doubted not, fairer sights than these. But yet, musthis dream be altogether without fulfilment? Was there noneother--nearer, dearer, if possible, than a mother--who might be thesharer of his joys? Had he not read something dazzling, wonderful,well-nigh unbelievable, in one pair of sweet eyes whose light seemedshining on him now? His lips had not dared to frame as yet eitherquestion or protestation; but did they not understand each other? Hisheart beat high with rapture. Perfect love had cast out fear. He knewthat they belonged to each other for time and for eternity. And nowwhat hindered him from taking her to his heart, and telling her that hehad loved her from the first moment of their meeting?

  The Duke sat in his private closet, where he transacted his moreimportant business, and Grey stood before him, having been summonedthither from his own apartments. He was received with a pleasant smile,and bidden to be seated.

  "Well, my young friend," questioned the Duke, who, having been absentfrom home for a few days, had not seen his guest in private justrecently, "and how has the world been serving you? And how goes thematter of the book?"

  "Ah, I must tell you of that. I had, as your Grace did warn me, quite alevee of publishers desiring to issue it, each with some tempting offeras to payment. But I did as you bade me, and referred the matter to Mr.Poysner, by whose advice, I told them, I should be guided. And, insooth, methinks he hath advised well; for not only have I received ahandsome sum in gold already for the work, but I shall receive moreaccording to the sale; and it is even now being printed as fast as thepresses can work. Her Majesty is to have the first copy, bound with thechoicest skill that can be brought to bear upon such work. Otherchoicely-bound volumes are to be reserved for my friends, after which itwill be sold to the public; and already they say that the book is beingeagerly asked for. Truly the word of a Queen and the patronage of thegreat are mighty factors in the world of letters!"

  "As men of letters are fast learning, my young friend," replied the Dukewith a smile. "Genius without a patron is like (as some wag remarkednot long since) 'Paradise Lost' without the devil! It falls flat andunfruitful on unheeding ears. But now for another matter of import toyourself. Have you had news from Hartsbourne since her Majesty didspeak to you anent that matter?"

  "No, my lord; I have heard nothing. My servant Dick was sent thither byrequest to answer certain questions made by her Majesty's messengers,but he hath not yet returned, and I know nothing of what has transpiredthere."

  His face expressed a keen desire for information, and the Duke at oncesatisfied this wish.

  "Something strange has happened there which simplifies matters not alittle. Your kinsman, Mr. Dumaresq, when questioned by the Queen'sCommissioners as to his rights and position there, showed a number ofpapers which seemed on the face of them fair and right; but hisuneasiness was manifest, and awoke suspicion. Also it was not clearthat he possessed all the rights he claimed over the estate, or that SirHugh had signed all the papers; for upon some the writing of the namelooked to practised eyes little like his. The more Mr. Dumaresq wasquestioned, the more uneasy did he become. So they left him that day,saying that they would come again on the morrow and finish the inquiry.By that time your man Dick had arrived, and he with an old man upon theplace had long talk with the messengers that night in the old man'sroom. It seems as though Mr. Dumaresq or his servant must have had someway of listening to what passed. A terrible suspicion was broached thatyour father's end was hastened by foul means. This was a point whichthe Commissioners declared must be thoroughly investigated later. Theywent away, but on the morrow returned--to find Mr. Dumaresq dead in hisbed. His servant said he had been subject to seizures of late, and thatagitation had probably caused the attack. Old Jock Jarvis and your manDick are, however, strongly of opinion that he precipitated his own endby the use of perhaps the very same drug which he is suspected of havingemployed in your father's case. Be that as it may, the man is dead, andhe has died without a will, so that whether or not he was ever legallyentitled to what
he so long held, you are now absolute master ofHartsbourne and all its revenues, without the need of any action orinterference upon the part of the lawyers of the Queen."

  Grey stood like one in a dream. He could scarce take in the meaning ofit all. He had known that Hartsbourne was to be restored to him--he hadhad the Queen's word for that--but he had expected vexatious delays,complications, and difficulties. He had not dared to let himself hopeto escape these. And now the Gordian knot had been cut--cut in a ratherterrible fashion, perhaps, but still effectually cut. He was absolutemaster of his own again. He could ride to Hartsbourne and takepossession so soon as his kinsman was laid to rest in the grave, whereall enmity and all unhallowed secrets are buried. He had not found histongue to express his feelings before the door opened and a secretaryglided in and whispered something into the Duke's ear.

  "He comes in good time," spoke Marlborough; "let him enter at once.Probably he brings news of the matter in hand."

  Grey looked up, and behold there was Dick, travel-stained andbespattered with mud, but with a glowing, eager face, evidently full ofnews.

  "Well, sirrah," spoke the Duke, smiling, "so you have come post hastewith news. What wonderful tidings do you bring?"

  The man made his semi-military salute, first to the Duke and then to hismaster. He needed no further encouragement in order to unburden himselfof his tale.

  "May it please your Grace, and you, my master, I have news of awonderful discovery made by Jock and myself at Hartsbourne at dawnto-day. We have had our eye sharp upon old Judas, as we call Mr.Barty's wall-eyed Peter; and we have known right well that he has beenup to some trick of his own ever since his master died. He has beenprowling like a wild beast all about the house. We have heard himknocking and even sawing, when he thought himself alone there. It wasold Jock to whom the thought first came. 'The old man has some secrethoard; and Judas knows of it, but not the place. He is looking for it,trying to find it ere he is turned out. Well, that is a game that twocan play at. You and I will look too, Dicon.' That is what old Jocksaid. Whilst Mr. Dumaresq was buried, and his man must for decency'ssake go and stand beside the grave, we searched the house from basementto garret; but we had no more luck than Judas had."

  "But you have had luck ere this, honest fellow; I see it in your eyes,"spoke Marlborough with a laugh. "Come, let us know what you found, andwhat is the value of the treasure."

  "It was to me the thought came," spoke Dick, with honest pride. "I waslying awake at night puzzling and pondering, when suddenly I rememberedthat first and only night you spent there, master, and how that you sawthe old man suddenly appear behind your bed with a shining knife in hishand, and that he vanished ere you could grapple with him, and it seemedmore like a vision than a reality. But I sprang from my bed, and Iroused old Jock, and I yelled in his ear, 'Man, man, I know where thetreasure is hid! Behind the wall of the tapestried guest-chamber, wheremy master slept, and where the wall did move from behind the bed head,and let his foe steal upon him unawares!'"

  "Good thought!" ejaculated Grey excitedly; "and was it so?"

  "We rose and dressed, and made our way into the house and up to thebed-chamber, and a tough job we had. And, my master, you must pardon usfor the havoc we have made of woodwork and panelling; for the trick ofthe opening we could not find till all had been hewn away. But when itwas at last laid bare, we saw the spring, and then the wall swunginwards with a noiseless, ghostlike motion, and within was a secretchamber well-nigh filled with coffers, some containing jewels--Dumaresqjewels, I doubt not--some gold pieces, some silver vessels. We did notopen all. We had found enough. Master, there are the savings ofyears--the revenues of the broad lands which were paid to him--stowedaway in yonder chamber. Oh, I can almost forgive him his villainies,now that all hath come to you! It is all there: it is all safe. We didpack Judas off with his wages and his belongings, and his master'sclothes, which, I trow, none will grudge him; and we did get in a fewtrusty fellows from the place who hate Barty and long to see Sir Greyreigning at Hartsbourne again. And having made all safe, and the housein charge, under Jock, of these trusty lads, I did take horse forthwithto bring the news to my master, and here am I."

  "And you shall not lose your reward, my trusty Dicon," spoke Grey withfervour; "for the love and trust of a loyal heart is worth more thantreasure and gold."