the examination.
after consulting the prince by a look, osbert caused the litter to be set down in the middle of the chamber. as the curtains were drawn aside by rodomont, and the livid features of derrick carver were fully revealed to view, philip narrowly watched the effect of the ghastly spectacle on de noailles; but he stood the ordeal firmly.
“raise thyself, carver,” cried rodomont to the prisoner.
“where am i?” groaned the wretched man.
“in the presence of the prince of spain,” rejoined rodomont. “art thou prepared to answer his interrogations?”
“i am too feeble to talk,” replied derrick carver, sinking backwards.
“i have a potent elixir with me which will restore his natural forces,” said malwood.
“give me the phial. i will administer the dose,” cried rodomont, pouring a few drops down the prisoner’s throat.
“enough!—enough!” exclaimed malwood, staying his hand.
“by the girdle of saint francis! it acts like magic,” cried rodomont. “the colour is coming to his cheeks, and his eyes look brighter.”
“his pulse begins to beat firmly,” said malwood. “he is now able to answer any question your highness may desire to put to him,” he added to the prince.
106at a sign from philip, father de castro here approached the litter.
“who art thou?” demanded derrick carver, slightly raising himself, and regarding the priest sternly.
“i am the confessor of the prince of spain,” replied the other; “and lost as thou now art, steeped in sin, it will gladden me to reconcile thee to heaven. dire as is thine offence, and justly as it calls for condign punishment, i will strive to intercede for thee with his highness, provided thou wilt make clean thy breast and recant thine errors.”
“think not to move me,” replied derrick carver. “i have the stuff in me of which martyrs are made, as you will find. if i be doomed to a death of torture, heaven will give me constancy to bear it. i grieve not for myself, but for my fellow countrymen, who have much bitter persecution to endure.”
“pity is wasted on him, father,” said rodomont.
“no, my son,” rejoined de castro. “our church is never without commiseration for the most hardened sinner, who may be received into its bosom even at the last hour.”
“you prate of pity, yet would enforce obedience to your doctrines by torture and burnings,” said derrick carver. “if i mistake not, you are the ruthless father de castro, who hath written and preached on the punishment of heretics, and hath been the means of consigning many true believers in the gospel to the flames.”
“i am he you suppose, unhappy man,” replied de castro. “i am a physician to those who are sick of soul. if the only remedy for their disease be fire, ought i to hesitate to prescribe it?”
“then treat me as thou hast treated others, merciless priest,” rejoined derrick carver. “thou wilt see what will ensue. cast abroad my ashes to the winds, and they will cause a tempest which will crush thee and the prince thy master.”
“hold thy peace, thou crazy fellow! thou ravest,” cried rodomont.
“not at thy bidding, base hireling of spain,” rejoined derrick carver. “i hold thee in utter contempt. i am an englishman, and will bend to no foreign yoke—a protestant, and will never abandon my faith. i give my life for my 107country and my religion. wilt thou give thy dog’s life for either?”
“my patriotism and religious zeal do not lead me to turn assassin, carver,” rejoined rodomont. “neither doth it become thee, who hath sold thyself for french gold, to talk of subserviency. i am a loyal subject to the queen, and a foe to traitors, of whom thou, derrick, art the vilest.”
“thou accusest me falsely,” rejoined carver. “no french gold has ever touched my hand.”
“answer the question i am about to put,” said the prince, approaching; “and beware! for thy life depends upon thy truthfulness. it is useless to deny that thou wert hired for this deed. name thy employer, and i will obtain thy pardon from the queen. i promise it on my royal word.”
“you will not credit what i say,” rejoined carver. “why, therefore, should i speak?”
“look round this assembly,” pursued philip, “and say whether anyone within it is known to thee.”
“i see none but spanish nobles and priests,” rejoined carver, in accents of contempt.
“look again, derrick,” said rodomont “they are not all spaniards. there is a frenchman among them.”
“it may be,” replied the wounded man. “what is that to me?”
“much,” replied rodomont.
“i pray your excellency to approach the litter,” said philip to the french ambassador.
“readily,” replied de noailles, advancing. “have you ever beheld me before?” he said to the prisoner.
“equivocate not, but answer plainly, derrick,” said rodomont. “have you ever beheld his excellency before?”
“i have,” replied the prisoner. “i saw him last night, in a house near the west-gate.”
“you are mistaken, sirrah; you cannot have seen me!” cried de noailles.
“truth only will avail you,” said the prince to the prisoner. “what passed between you and his excellency?”
“not a word—not a look. i do not think he even noticed me,” rejoined carver.
108“but there were others with you whom he did notice?” said the prince. “trifle not with me. it imports me to know who they were, and what occurred.”
“the villain’s statement respecting me is utterly false,” cried de noailles. “i did not stir from my lodgings last night.”
“your excellency must needs be in error there,” remarked rodomont, “since you were seen and recognised in the high street, about half an hour before this murtherous attack took place, thus allowing ample time for its concoction. moreover, this letter found on the body of the ruffian slain by the prince, may serve to prove your share in the dark transaction.”
“i deny the charge altogether,” cried de noailles. “’tis a device of my enemies. when the matter is regularly investigated, and before a competent tribunal, i can easily clear myself.”
“justice shall be done you, sir, of that you need not doubt,” said philip, sternly. “as to you, fellow,” he added to the prisoner, “little as you deserve it, you shall have a pardon. but understand. you owe life and freedom to mistress constance tyrrell—not to me.”
“are no conditions annexed to the pardon?” inquired derrick carver.
“none; it is unconditional,” replied the prince. “here is her majesty’s order,” he added, giving rodomont the paper, signed by the abbess. “are you content?” he added to constance, who had approached at the moment.
“i am,” she replied, with a look of unutterable gratitude.
“with your highness’s permission,” said rodomont, “the prisoner shall be taken to the hospital of the domus dei, where he can remain till his wounds be healed, and if there be a spark of gratitude in his breast, the residue of his life will be devoted to extolling your highness’s clemency.”
“i trust he may become a good catholic through your instrumentality,” said the prince to constance. “take him away,” he added to rodomont.
upon this rodomont directed the bearers to remove the litter, and making a profound obeisance to the prince, he followed it out of the room.
109“my part in this strange performance is now over, i presume,” observed de noailles to the prince.
“your excellency is at liberty to depart,” rejoined philip, coldly. “attend him,” he added, glancing at alva and d’egmont.
the look was so significant that it did not escape the ambassador, and caused him to pause.
“no treachery, i trust, is intended?” he said. “your highness will bear in mind that my person is sacred.”
“so is mine,” rejoined philip, sternly. “yet that circumstance did not save me from attack.”
“your highness would not insinuate——”
“i insinuate nothing,” said philip. “go, sir, heaven go with you!”
seriously alarmed, the ambassador did not dare to stir a step. the terrible looks of the duke of alva froze the blood in his veins. while he stood irresolute, the lady abbess went up to him, and said, “i will go with you.”
“it seems, then, that i am really in danger,” stammered de noailles.
“without me you will never quit this place alive,” replied the abbess.
and signing to constance to follow her, she left the room with the ambassador, the duke of alva and the count d’egmont having gone out before them.
as de noailles and the two ladies entered the ante-chamber, they found it full of armed men, while both the duke and d’egmont had drawn their swords.
“pass on, holy mother, and take your charge with you,” said alva to the abbess and constance. “we must have a word with his excellency.”
“i will not affect to misunderstand your purpose, my lord duke,” said the abbess, “but it must not be. i forbid it.”
“you, holy mother!”
“yes, i, the queen!” she rejoined.
“the queen!” exclaimed alva, sheathing his sword. “nay, then, we must needs obey. your excellency will excuse this momentary interruption. pray pass on.”
as may be supposed, the ambassador was not slow to avail himself of the permission.
