For though this was quite true, Susan feeling that it was not the whole truth, made but faint response. However, the Countess went on, expecting to overpower her with gratitude. 'The gentleman I mean is willing to take her in her smock, and moreover his wardship and marriage were granted to my Lord by her Majesty. Thou knowest whom I mean.'
She wanted to hear a guess, and Susan actually foreboded the truth, but was too full of dismay and perplexity to do anything but shake her head as one puzzled.
'What think'st thou of Mr. Babington?' triumphantly exclaimed the Countess.
'Mr. Babington!' returned Susan. 'But he is no longer a ward!'
'No. We had granted his marriage to a little niece of my Lord Treasurer's, but she died ere coming to age. Then Tom Ratcliffe's wife would have him for her daughter, a mere babe. But for that thou and thine husband have done good service while evil tongues kept me absent, and because the wench comes of our own blood, we are willing to bestow her upon him, he showing himself willing and content, as bents a lad bred in our own household.'
'Madam, we are much beholden to you and my Lord, but sure Mr. Babington is more inclined to the old faith.'
'Tush, woman, what of that? Thou mayst say the same of half our Northern youth! They think it grand to dabble with seminary priests in hiding, and talk big about their conscience and the like, but when they've seen a neighbour or two pay down a heavy fine for recusancy, they think better of it, and a good wife settles their brains to jog to church to hear the parson with the rest of them.'
'I fear me Cis is over young to settle any one's mind,' said Susan.
'She is seventeen if she is a day,' said my Lady, 'and I was a wedded wife ere I saw my teens. Moreover, I will say for thee, Susan, that thou hast bred the girl as becomes one trained in my household, and unless she have been spoiled by resort to the Scottish woman, she is like to make the lad a moderately good wife, having seen nought of the unthrifty modes of the fine court dames, who queen it with standing ruffs a foot high, and coloured with turmeric, so please you, but who know no more how to bake a marchpane, or roll puff paste, than yonder messan dog!'
'She is a good girl,' said Susan, 'but-'
'What has the foolish wife to object now?' said the Countess. 'I tell you I marked them both last eve, and though I seldom turn my mind to such follies, I saw the plain tokens of love in every look and gesture of the young springald. Nay, 'twas his countenance that put it into my mind, for I am even too good-natured-over good- natured, Susan Talbot. How now,' at some sound below, springing to the little window and flinging it back, 'you lazy idle wenches-what are you doing there? Is my work to stand still while you are toying with yon vile whelp? He is tangling the yarn, don't you see, thou purblind Jane Dacre, with no eyes but for ogling. There! there! Round the leg of the chair, don't you see!' and down flew a shoe, which made the poor dog howl, and his mistress catch him up. 'Put him down! put him down this instant! Thomas! Davy! Here, hang him up, I say,' cried this over good-natured lady, interspersing her commands with a volley of sixteenth century Billingsgate, and ending by declaring that nothing fared well without her, and hurrying off to pounce down on the luckless damsels who had let their dog play with the embroidery yarn destined to emblazon the tapestry of Chatsworth with the achievements of Juno. The good nature was so far veritable that when she found little harm done, and had vented her wrath in strong language and boxes on the ear, she would forget her sentence upon the poor little greyhound, which Mrs. Jane Dacre had hastily conveyed out of sight during her transit downstairs. Susan was thus, to her great relief, released for the present, for guests came in before my Lady had fully completed her objurgations on her ladies, the hour of noon was nigh at hand, sounds in the court betokened the return of the huntsmen, and Susan effected her escape to her own sober old palfrey-glad that she would at least be able to take counsel with her husband on this most inconvenient proposition.
He came out to meet her at the court door, having just dismounted, and she knew by his face that she had not to give him the first intelligence of the difficulty in which they stood.
My Lord had himself spoken to him, like my Lady expecting him to be enchanted at the prospect of so good a match for his slenderly- portioned daughter, for Dethick was a fair estate, and the Babington family, though not ennobled, fully equal to a younger branch of the Talbots. However, Richard had had a less uncomfortable task than his wife, since the Earl was many degrees more reasonable than the Countess. He had shown himself somewhat offended at not meeting more alacrity in the acceptance of his proposal, when Richard had objected on account of the young gentleman's Popish proclivities; but boldly declared that he was quite certain that the stripling had been entirely cured.
This point of the narrative had just been reached when it was interrupted by a scream, and Cicely came flying into the hall, crying, 'O father, father, stop them! Humfrey and Mr. Babington! They are killing one another.'
'Where?' exclaimed Richard, catching up his sword.
'In the Pleasance, father! Oh, stop them! They will slay one another! They had their swords!' and as the father was already gone, she threw herself into the mother's arms, hid her face and sobbed with fright as scarce became a princess for whom swords were for the first time crossed. 'Fear not! Father will stop them,' said the mother, with confidence she could only keep up outwardly by the inward cry, 'God protect my boy. Father will come ere they can hurt one another.'
'But how came it about?' she added, as with an arm round the trembling girl, she moved anxiously forward to know the issue.
'Oh! I know not. 'Twas Humfrey fell on him. Hark!'
''Tis father's voice,' said Susan. 'Thank God! I know by the sound no harm is done! But how was it, child?'
Cis told with more coherence now, but the tears in her eyes and colour deepening: 'I was taking in Humfrey's kerchiefs from the bleaching on the grass, when Master Babington-he had brought me a plume of pheasant's feathers from the hunting, and he began. O mother, is it sooth? He said my Lord had sent him.'
'That is true, my child, but you know we have no choice but to refuse thee.'
'Ay, mother, and Antony knows.'
'Not thy true birth, child?'
'Not that, but the other story. So he began to say that if I were favourable-Mother, do men always do like that?' Hiding her face against the trusty breast, 'And when I drew back, and said I could not and would not hearken to such folly-'
'That was well, dear child.'
'He would have it that I should have to hear him, and he went down on his knee, and snatched at my hand. And therewith came a great howl of rage like an angry lion, and Humfrey bounded right over the sweetbrier fence, and cried out, 'Off, fellow! No Papist traitor knave shall meddle with her.' And then Antony gave him back the lie for calling him traitor, and they drew their swords, and I ran away to call father, but oh! mother, I heard them clash!' and she shuddered again.
'See,' said Susan, as they had reached the corner of a thick screen of yew-trees, 'all is safe. There they stand, and father between them speaking to them. No, we will not go nearer, since we know that it is well with them. Men deal with each other better out of women's earshot. Ah, see, there they are giving one another their hands. All is over now.'
'Humfrey stands tall, grave, and stiff! He is only doing it because father bids him,' said Cicely. 'Antony is much more willing.'
'Poor Humfrey! he knows better than Antony how vain any hope must be of my silly little princess,' said Susan, with a sigh for her boy. 'Come in, child, and set these locks in order. The hour of noon hath long been over, and father hath not yet dined.'
So they flitted out of sight as Richard and his son turned from the place of encounter, the former saying, 'Son Humfrey, I had deemed thee a wiser man.'
'Sir, how could a man brook seeing that fellow on his knee to her? Is it not enough to be debarred from my sweet princess myself, but I must see her beset by a Papist and traitor, fostered and encouraged too?'
'And thou couldst not rest secure in the utter impossibility of her being given to him? He is as much out of reach of her as thou art.'
'He has secured my Lord and my Lady on his side!' growled Humfrey.
'My Lord is not an Amurath, nor my Lady either,' said Richard, shortly. 'As long as I pass for her father I have power to dispose of her, and I am not going to give another woman's daughter away without her consent.'
