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12 - The House of Arden - E Nesbit · Daily Classic Sci Fi Books

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Speaker 1: Chapter nine, the Prisoners in the Tower. Imprisoned in the
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Speaker 1: Tower of London, accused of high treason and having confessed
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Speaker 1: to a too intimate knowledge of the gunpowder plot, Elfrida
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Speaker 1: could not help feeling that it would be nice to
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Speaker 1: be back again in her own time and deed Arden,
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Speaker 1: where if you left events alone and didn't interfere with
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Speaker 1: them by any sort of magic mouldiwarpiness, nothing dangerous, romantic
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Speaker 1: or thrilling would ever happen. And yet when she was there,
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Speaker 1: as you know, she never could let events alone. She
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Speaker 1: and Edred could not be content with that castle and
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Speaker 1: that house, which, even as they stood, would have made
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Speaker 1: you and me so perfectly happy. They wanted their treasure,
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Speaker 1: and they Elfrida especially wanted adventures. Well, now they had
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Speaker 1: got an adventure, both of them. There was no knowing
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Speaker 1: how it would turn out either, and that, after all,
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Speaker 1: is the essence of adventures. Edred was lodged with Lord
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Speaker 1: Arden and several other gentlemen in the White Tower, and
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Speaker 1: Elfrida and Lady Arden were in quite a different part
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Speaker 1: of the building, and the children were not allowed to meet. This,
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Speaker 1: of course, made it impossible for either of them to
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Speaker 1: try to get back to their own times. For though
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Speaker 1: they sometimes quarreled, as you know, they were really fond
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Speaker 1: of each other, and most of us would hesitate to
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Speaker 1: leave even a person we were not very fond of alone.
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Speaker 1: A prisoner and the Tower and the times of James
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Speaker 1: the First and the Gunpowder plot. Elfrida had to wait
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Speaker 1: on her mother and to sue at the sampler, which
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Speaker 1: had been thoughtfully brought by the old nurse with their
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Speaker 1: ladies clothes and the clothes Elfrida wore. But there were
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Speaker 1: no games, and the only out of doors Elfrida could
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Speaker 1: get was on a very narrow terrace where dead flowers
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Speaker 1: dogs stuck up out of a still narrower border, beside
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Speaker 1: a flagged pathway where there was just room for one
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Speaker 1: to walk and not for two. From this terrace he
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Speaker 1: could see the fat, queer looking ships in the river
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Speaker 1: and the spire of Saint Paul's. Edred was more fortunate.
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Speaker 1: He was allowed to play in the garden of the
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Speaker 1: Lieutenant of the Tower, but he did not feel much
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Speaker 1: like playing. He wanted to find a freedom and get
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Speaker 1: back to arden. Every One was very kind to him,
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Speaker 1: but he had to be very much quieter than he
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Speaker 1: was used to being, and to say, sir and madam,
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Speaker 1: and not to speak till you are spoken to. You've
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Speaker 1: no idea how tiresome it is not to speak till
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Speaker 1: you are spoken to. With the world full as it is,
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Speaker 1: of a thousand interesting things that you want to ask
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Speaker 1: questions about one day, for they were there quite a
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Speaker 1: number of days, Edred met some one who seemed to
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Speaker 1: like answering questions, and this made more difference than perhaps
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Speaker 1: you would think. Edred was walking when bright winter morning,
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Speaker 1: in the private garden of the Lieutenant of the Tower,
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Speaker 1: and he saw coming towards him a very handsome old
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Speaker 1: gentleman dressed in by handsome clothes, and what is more,
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Speaker 1: the clothes blazed with jewels. Now, most of the gentlemen
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Speaker 1: who were prisoners in the tower at that time thought
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Speaker 1: that their very oldest clothes were good enough to be
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Speaker 1: in prison in. So this splendor that was coming across
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Speaker 1: the garden was very unusual, as well as very dazzling.
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Speaker 1: And before Edred could remember the rules about not speaking
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Speaker 1: till you were spoken to, he found that he had
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Speaker 1: suddenly bowed and said, your servants, sir, adding you do
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Speaker 1: look ripping. I do not take your meaning, said the gentleman,
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Speaker 1: but he smiled kindly. I mean, how splendid ye look.
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Speaker 1: The old gentleman looked pleased. I am happy to command
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Speaker 1: your admiration, he said. I mean your clothes, said Edred,
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Speaker 1: and then, feeling with a shock that this was not
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Speaker 1: the way to behave, he added, your face is splendid too.
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Speaker 1: Only I've been taught manners, and I know you mustn't
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Speaker 1: have people they are handsome in their faces. Praise to
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Speaker 1: the face is open disgrace, missus Honeysett says. So praise
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Speaker 1: to my face isn't open disgrace, said the gentleman. It
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Speaker 1: is a pleasant novelty in these words. Is it your
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Speaker 1: birthday or anything? Edward asked. It is not my birthday,
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Speaker 1: said the gentleman, smiling. But why the question, Because you're
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Speaker 1: so grand, said Edward. I suppose you're a prince then, no,
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Speaker 1: not a prince. A prisoner. Oh, I see, said Edward,
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Speaker 1: as people so often do when they don't. And you're
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Speaker 1: going to be let out to day, and you've put
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Speaker 1: on your best things to go home, and I am
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Speaker 1: so glad at least I'm sorry you're going, but I
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Speaker 1: am glad on your account thout A fine boat boy,
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Speaker 1: said the gentleman. But no, I am a prisoner and
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Speaker 1: like to remain so. And for these guards he swelled
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Speaker 1: out his chest so that his diamond buttons and ruby
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Speaker 1: ear rings and Jim's said collar flashed in the winter sun.
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Speaker 1: For these guards, never shall it be said that Walter
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Speaker 1: Rowley led the shadow his prison taranishous pride in the
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Speaker 1: proper arraying of a body that has been honored to
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Speaker 1: near before the Virgin Queen. He took off his head
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Speaker 1: at the last words, and swept it with a flourish
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Speaker 1: nearly to the ground. Oh, cried Edred, Are you really,
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Speaker 1: sir Walter Raleigh, Oh how splendid? And now you tell
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Speaker 1: me all about the golden South Americas, and sea fights
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Speaker 1: and the Amada and the Spaniards, on what you used
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Speaker 1: to play at when you were a little boy, Ay,
5:29
Speaker 1: said Sir Walter, I tell thee tales now. They not
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Speaker 1: let me from speaking with thee. I won't, I would,
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Speaker 1: He said, looking round impatiently, that I could see the
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Speaker 1: river again from my late chamber. I saw it, and
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Speaker 1: the goodly ships coming in and out, the ships that
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Speaker 1: go down into the great waters. He sighed, was silent
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Speaker 1: a moment, then spoke, and so thou didst not know
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Speaker 1: thine old friend Raleigh. He was all forgot, all forgot.
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Speaker 1: And yet thou who has stirred astride by sword ear
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Speaker 1: now and I have played with thee in the courtyard
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Speaker 1: at Arden. When England forgets so soon, who can expect
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Speaker 1: more from a child? I'm sorry, said Eva humbly. Nay,
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Speaker 1: said Sir Walter, pinching his ear gently. Tis two years ago,
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Speaker 1: and short years have short memories. Thou shalt come with
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Speaker 1: me to my chamber, and I will show thee a
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Speaker 1: chart and a map of Windargocoa that her dear glorious
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Speaker 1: Majesty permitted me to rename Virginia after her great and
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Speaker 1: gracious self. Sir Edred Wade, glad and proud went hand
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Speaker 1: in hand with Sir Walter Walley to his apartments, and
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Speaker 1: so many strange things from overseas, dresses of feathers from Mexico,
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Speaker 1: and strange images in gold from strange islands, and the
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Speaker 1: tip of a narwhales horn from Greenland, and many other things.
6:51
Speaker 1: And Sir Walter told him of his voyages and his fights,
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Speaker 1: and of how he and Humphrey Gilbert and Adrian Gilbert
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Speaker 1: and little Jack Davis used to say that toyboot in
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Speaker 1: the long Stream, and how they used to row in
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Speaker 1: and out among the big ships down at the port,
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Speaker 1: and look at the great figureheads standing out high above
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Speaker 1: the water, and wonder about them and about the strange
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Speaker 1: lands they came from, and often said, water, we found
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Speaker 1: a sea captain that would tell us, lads, travelers, tales
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Speaker 1: like these I have told thee And we sailed our
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Speaker 1: little ships, and then we sailed our big ships. And
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Speaker 1: here I lie in dog and shall never sail again.
7:28
Speaker 1: But it's oh to see the Devon moors and the
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Speaker 1: clear reaches of the long Stream again, and that I
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Speaker 1: never shall. And with that he leaned his arm on
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Speaker 1: the window sill. And if he had not been the
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Speaker 1: great so Water Roy, who is in all the history books,
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Speaker 1: Edred would have thought he was crying. Oh, do cheer up, do,
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Speaker 1: said Edred awkwardly. I don't know whether they'll let you
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Speaker 1: go to Devonshire, but I know they'll let you go
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Speaker 1: back to America some day with twelve ships. I read
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Speaker 1: about it only yesterday, And your ship will be caught
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Speaker 1: the destiny, and you'll sail from the Thames, and Lord
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Speaker 1: Arden will see you off and kiss you for a farewell,
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Speaker 1: and give your medal for a keepsake. Your son will
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Speaker 1: go with you. I know it's true. It's all in
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Speaker 1: the book, the book, Sir Walter asked a prophecy. We
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Speaker 1: like you can call it that if you want to,
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Speaker 1: said Edred cautiously. But anyhow, it's true. He had read
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Speaker 1: it all in the history of Arden. If it should
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Speaker 1: be true, said Sir Walter, and the smile came back
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Speaker 1: to his merry eyes. And I ever say to the
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Speaker 1: golden West again, threw me. But I would sack a
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Speaker 1: Spanish town and bring thee a collar of gold and
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Speaker 1: pieces of eight a big backfall. Thank you very much,
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Speaker 1: said Edred. It is very kind of you, but I
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Speaker 1: shall not be there. And all Sir Walter's questions did
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Speaker 1: not make him say how he knew this or what
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Speaker 1: he meant by it. After this, he met Sir Walter
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Speaker 1: every day in the Little Tairs Garden, and the two
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Speaker 1: prisoners comforted each other. At least Edid was comforted. And
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Speaker 1: so what has seemed to be? But no one could
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Speaker 1: be sure if it was more than seeming. This was
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Speaker 1: one of the questions that always puzzled the children, and
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Speaker 1: they used to talk it over together till the heads
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Speaker 1: seemed to be spinning round. The question, of course, was
9:21
Speaker 1: did their being in past times make any difference to
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Speaker 1: the other people in pastimes? In other words, when you
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Speaker 1: were taking part in historical scenes, did it matter what
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Speaker 1: he said or did? Of course, it seemed to matter
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Speaker 1: extremely at the time. But then if this going into
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Speaker 1: the past was only a sort of dream, then of
9:41
Speaker 1: course the people in the past would know nothing about
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Speaker 1: it unless they had dreamed the same sort of dream, which,
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Speaker 1: as Elfrida often pointed out, was quite likely, especially if
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Speaker 1: time didn't count or could be cheated by red clocks.
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Speaker 1: On the other hand, if they really went into the
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Speaker 1: real past, well, then of course what they did must
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Speaker 1: count for real too, as Edred so often said. And
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Speaker 1: yet how could it? Since they took wisdom into the past,
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Speaker 1: or that they learned here, and with that knowledge they
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Speaker 1: could have revealed plots shown the issue of wars in
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Speaker 1: the Fate of Kings, and as Elfrida put it, made
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Speaker 1: history turn out quite different. You see the difficulties, don't you.
10:27
Speaker 1: And Betty Lovell's having said that they could leave no tray.
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Speaker 1: Sometimes past did not seem to make much difference somehow
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Speaker 1: one way or the other. However, just now I Freeda
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Speaker 1: and Edred were in the tower and not able to
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Speaker 1: see each other, so they could not discuss that or
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Speaker 1: any other question. And they always hoped that they would meet,
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Speaker 1: but they never did. But by and by the Queen
10:51
Speaker 1: thought of Lady Hadden and decided that she and her
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Speaker 1: son Edred ought to be let out of the tower.
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Speaker 1: And she told the King so, and he told Lord
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Speaker 1: somebody or other, who told the Lieutenant of the tower,
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Speaker 1: and to behold, Lady Arden and Vard were abruptly sent
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Speaker 1: home in their own coach, which had been suddenly sent
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Speaker 1: for from Arden House. But Elfrida was left in charge
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Speaker 1: of the wife of the Lieutenant of the tower, who
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Speaker 1: was a very kind lady. So now Elfrida was in
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Speaker 1: the tower and Edward was at Arden House in Soho,
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Speaker 1: and they had not been able to speak to each
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Speaker 1: other or arrange any plan for getting back to nineteen
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Speaker 1: o eight and Arden Castle by the sea. Of course,
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Speaker 1: Elfrida was kept in the tower because she had sung
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Speaker 1: the rhyme about pleased to remember the fifth of November,
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Speaker 1: the Gunpowder treason and plot, and this made people think,
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Speaker 1: or seem to think, that she knew all about the
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Speaker 1: gunpowder plot, and so of course she did, though it
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Speaker 1: would have been very difficult for her to show any
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Speaker 1: one at that time how she knew it without being
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Speaker 1: a traitor. She was now allowed to see Lord Arden
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Speaker 1: every day, and she grew very fond of him. He
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Speaker 1: was curiously like her own daddy, who had gone away
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Speaker 1: to South America with Uncle Jim and had never come
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Speaker 1: back to his little girl. Lord Arden also seemed to
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Speaker 1: grow fonder of her. Every day. Thou art a boat piece,
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Speaker 1: He'd tell her, and thou Werei's bowlder. With each day
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Speaker 1: hast thou no fear that they Daddy will have thee
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Speaker 1: whip for answering him supert no, Elfida would say, hugging
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Speaker 1: him as well as she could for his rough. I
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Speaker 1: know you wouldn't beat your girl. Don't die, Daddy, And
12:28
Speaker 1: as she hugged him, it felt almost like hugging her
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Speaker 1: own daddy, who would never come home from America, so
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Speaker 1: she was almost contented. She knew that Lord Arden was
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Speaker 1: not one of those to suffer for the gunpowder plot.
12:43
Speaker 1: She knew from the history of Farden, that he would
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Speaker 1: just be banished from the court and in his day
12:48
Speaker 1: sappily at Arden. And she was almost tempted just to
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Speaker 1: go on and let what would happen, and stay with
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Speaker 1: this new daddy who had lived three hundred years before,
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Speaker 1: and pat him and be petted by her. Only she
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Speaker 1: felt that she must do something because of Edred. The
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Speaker 1: worst of it was that she could not think of
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Speaker 1: anything to do. She did not know at all what
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Speaker 1: was happening to Edred, whether he was being happy or unhappy.
13:13
Speaker 1: As it happened, he was being, if not unhappy, at
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Speaker 1: least uncomfortable. Mister parods the tutor, who was as nasty
13:21
Speaker 1: a man as you will find in any seaside academy
13:24
Speaker 1: for young gentlemen, still remained at Darden House, and she
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Speaker 1: taught the boys Edred and his cousin Richard. Mister Parodis
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Speaker 1: was in high favor with the king because he had
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Speaker 1: listened to what was meant for him reported where it
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Speaker 1: would do most mischief, a thing always very pleasing to
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Speaker 1: King James the First, and Lady Arden dared not dismiss him. Besides,
13:48
Speaker 1: she was ill with trouble and anxiety, which Edred could
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Speaker 1: not at all sous by saying again and again, father
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Speaker 1: won't be found guilty of treason, he won't be executed.
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Speaker 1: He be sent to Arden and lived there quietly with you.
14:03
Speaker 1: I saw it all in a book, But Lady Arden
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Speaker 1: only cried and cried. Mister Powders was very severe and
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Speaker 1: wrapped Edred's snuckles almost continuously during lesson time, and out
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Speaker 1: of it, said cousin Richard. He is forever band on
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Speaker 1: spying and browbeating of us. He saw was messing about
14:26
Speaker 1: nasty sneak, said Edred, I should like to be even
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Speaker 1: with them before I go, and I will too before
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Speaker 1: you go go with her, Cousin Richard asked, Afrida and
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Speaker 1: I are going away? Edred began, and then felt how
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Speaker 1: useles it was to go on, since even when the
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Speaker 1: nineteen o eight Edred, who he was, had gone the
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Speaker 1: sixteen o five afreeda and Edred would of course to
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Speaker 1: be there, that is, if he checked the old questions,
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Speaker 1: which he had now no time to consider, and said
15:00
Speaker 1: a firm turn which was new to him, in which
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Speaker 1: Elfrida would have been astonished and delighted to you. Yes,
15:06
Speaker 1: I've got two things to do to be even without
15:09
Speaker 1: parrotness to be revenged on him. I mean, and to
15:12
Speaker 1: get Afrida out of the tower. And I'll do that first,
15:16
Speaker 1: because she liked to help with the other. The boys
15:19
Speaker 1: were on the leads, their backs stood chimney, and their
15:22
Speaker 1: faces towards the trap door, which was the only way
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Speaker 1: of getting on to the roof. It was very cold
15:28
Speaker 1: and the Norse wind was blowing, but they had come
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Speaker 1: there because it was one of the few places where
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Speaker 1: mister Parrotnurse could not possibly come creeping up behind them
15:37
Speaker 1: to listen to what they were saying. Get her out
15:40
Speaker 1: of the tower. Dick laughed, and then was sad. I
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Speaker 1: would we could? He said, we can, said Edred earnestly.
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Speaker 1: I've been thinking about it all the time, ever since
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Speaker 1: we came out of the tower, and I know the way.
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Speaker 1: I shall want you to help me. Dick, you and
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Speaker 1: one grown up He spoke in the same grim, self
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Speaker 1: reliant tone that was so new to him. When grown
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Speaker 1: up de gasped, Yes, I think Nurse would do it,
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Speaker 1: and I'm going to find out if he can trust her.
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Speaker 1: Trust her, said Dick. Why she'd die for any of
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Speaker 1: her sons? Aye, and die on the wreck before she
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Speaker 1: would betray the lightest word of any of us. Then
16:24
Speaker 1: that's all right, said Edred, What is thy plot? Dick asped,
16:29
Speaker 1: and he did not laugh, though he might well have
16:31
Speaker 1: wanted to. You see, Edred looked so very small and weak,
16:36
Speaker 1: and the tower was so very big and strong. I'm
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Speaker 1: going to get Elfrida out, said Edred, And I'm going
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Speaker 1: to do it like Lady Nestay got her husband out.
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Speaker 1: It will be quite easy. It all depends on knowing
16:49
Speaker 1: when the guard is changed. And I do know that.
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Speaker 1: But how did my lady Nestay get my Lord Nestelle out?
16:56
Speaker 1: And from what? Deck asked? Why out of the tower?
16:59
Speaker 1: You know? Edwid was beginning when he remembered that Dick
17:03
Speaker 1: did not know and couldn't know, because Lord Nesdale hadn't
17:07
Speaker 1: yet been taken out of the tower, hadn't even been
17:09
Speaker 1: put in, perhaps for anything ederd knew wasn't even born yet.
17:14
Speaker 1: So he said, never mind, I tell you all about
17:18
Speaker 1: Lady Nesdale, and proceeded to tell Dick vaguely, yet inspiringly,
17:23
Speaker 1: the story of that wise and brave lady. I haven't
17:27
Speaker 1: time to tell you the story, but any grown up
17:29
Speaker 1: Pouno's history will be only too pleased to tell it.
17:33
Speaker 1: Dick listened with most flattering interest, that was getting dusk
17:37
Speaker 1: and colder than ever. The lights were lighted in the house,
17:40
Speaker 1: and the trap door had become a yellow square. A
17:43
Speaker 1: shadow in this yellow square, warned Dick, and he pinched
17:46
Speaker 1: Edred's arm. Come, he said, and let us apply ourselves
17:50
Speaker 1: to our books. Virches's youths always act in their preceptor's absence,
17:54
Speaker 1: as they would if their perceptors were present. I feel
17:57
Speaker 1: as thou mine were present. Therefore I I am a
18:00
Speaker 1: virtuous youth, on which the shadow disappeared very suddenly, and
18:05
Speaker 1: the two boys, laughing in a choking inside short way,
18:08
Speaker 1: went down to learn the lessons by the light of
18:11
Speaker 1: two guttering tallow candles and solid silver candlesticks. The next day,
18:16
Speaker 1: Edot got the old nurse to take him to the court,
18:19
Speaker 1: and because the Queen was very fond of Lady Arden,
18:22
Speaker 1: he actually managed to see her Majesty, and what is more,
18:26
Speaker 1: to get permission to visit his father and sister in
18:29
Speaker 1: the tower. The permission was written by the Queen's own hand,
18:33
Speaker 1: and bade the Lieutenant of the tower to admit Master
18:36
Speaker 1: Edred Arden, and Master Richard Arden and an attendant. Then
18:40
Speaker 1: the nurse became very busy with suing, and two days
18:44
Speaker 1: went by, and mister Paradis rapped the boy's fingers and
18:47
Speaker 1: scolded them and scowleded them and one nut while they
18:50
Speaker 1: bore it all so patiently. Then came the day, and
18:55
Speaker 1: it was bitterly cold, and as the afternoon got older,
18:58
Speaker 1: snow began to fall. So much the better, said the
19:02
Speaker 1: old nurse, So much the better. It was at dusk
19:07
Speaker 1: that the guard was changed at the tower gate, and
19:09
Speaker 1: a quarter of an hour before dusk, Lord Arden's carriage
19:13
Speaker 1: stopped at the tower gate, and an old nurse and
19:15
Speaker 1: rough and cap and red cloak got out of it,
19:18
Speaker 1: and lifted out two little gentlemen, one in black with
19:22
Speaker 1: a cloak trimmed with squirrel fur, which was Edred, and
19:25
Speaker 1: another which was rigid in gray velvet and Martin's fur.
19:30
Speaker 1: And the lieutenant was called, and he read the queen's
19:33
Speaker 1: order and nodded kindly to Edred, and they all went in.
19:37
Speaker 1: And as they went across the yard to the white Tower,
19:40
Speaker 1: where Lord Arden's lodging was, the snow fell thick on
19:43
Speaker 1: their cloaks, and furs, and froze to the stuff, for
19:47
Speaker 1: it was bitter cold. And again, so much the better,
19:52
Speaker 1: the nurse said, so much the better. Elfrida was with
19:56
Speaker 1: Lord Arden, sitting on his knee. When the visitors came in.
20:00
Speaker 1: She jumped up and greeted Edred with a glad cry
20:03
Speaker 1: and a very close hug. Go with nurse, he whispered
20:07
Speaker 1: through the ark. Do exactly what she tells you. But
20:11
Speaker 1: I've made a piece of poetry, Elfrida whispered. And now
20:14
Speaker 1: you're here, do what you are told, whispered Edred in
20:19
Speaker 1: a turne. She had never heard from him before, and
20:21
Speaker 1: so fiercely that she said, no more about poetry. We
20:25
Speaker 1: must get you out of this. Edred went on, don't
20:28
Speaker 1: be a devil think of lady Nesdaya. Then Efrida understood.
20:34
Speaker 1: Her arms fell from round Edred's neck, and she ran
20:36
Speaker 1: back to Lord Arden and put her arms round his
20:39
Speaker 1: neck and kissed him over and over again. There there,
20:43
Speaker 1: my maid, there there, he said, putting her shoulder softly,
20:47
Speaker 1: for she was crying. Come with me to thy chamber,
20:51
Speaker 1: said the nurse. I would take their measure for a
20:53
Speaker 1: new gown and petticoat. But Elfrida clung closer. She does
20:58
Speaker 1: not want to leave her dad, said Lord Adden, dost
21:01
Speaker 1: thou my mate? No, No, said Elfrida quite wildly. I
21:06
Speaker 1: don't want to leave my daddy. Come, said Lord Adden, tis,
21:10
Speaker 1: but for a measuring time thou'lt come back, So clamp
21:14
Speaker 1: as thou art go now to return them more quickly.
21:18
Speaker 1: Good Bye, dear dear dear daddy, said Elfrida, suddenly standing up.
21:25
Speaker 1: Oh my dear daddy, good bye. Why what a piece
21:29
Speaker 1: of work about a new frock, said the nurse crossly.
21:33
Speaker 1: I've no patience with the child, and she caught Elfrida's
21:36
Speaker 1: hand and dragged her into the next room. Now she whispered,
21:41
Speaker 1: already on her knees, undoing Elfrida's gown. Not a moment
21:44
Speaker 1: to lose. Hold the handkerchief to their face, and seem
21:47
Speaker 1: to weep as we go out? Why thout weeping already
21:51
Speaker 1: so much the better? From under her white hoop and petticoat,
21:56
Speaker 1: the nurse drew out the clothes that were hidden there,
21:59
Speaker 1: a little suit of black exactly like Edred's cap, cloak, stocking,
22:03
Speaker 1: shoes all like Edred's, to her hair and Ephrida before
22:07
Speaker 1: she had finished crying, stood up the exact image of
22:10
Speaker 1: her brother, except her face, and that would be hidden
22:14
Speaker 1: by the handkerchief. Then very quickly the nurse went to
22:18
Speaker 1: the door of the apartment and spoke to the guard there.
22:21
Speaker 1: Good luck, good gentlemen, she said, but little master's ill.
22:25
Speaker 1: He's too fray to bear these sad meetings and sad
22:27
Speaker 1: at partings, conveyors. I pray you to the outer gate,
22:31
Speaker 1: that I may find our coach and take him home,
22:34
Speaker 1: and afterwards I will return for my other charge. Is
22:37
Speaker 1: no a cousin, is it? So said the guard kindly,
22:40
Speaker 1: poor child. Well, such is life, mistress, and we all
22:44
Speaker 1: have tears to weep. But he could not leave his
22:47
Speaker 1: post at Lord Aarn's door to conduct them to the gates.
22:51
Speaker 1: But he told them the way, and they crossed the
22:53
Speaker 1: courtyard alone, And as they went, the snow fell on
22:56
Speaker 1: their cloaks and froze there, so that the guard at
23:00
Speaker 1: the gate, who had seen an old nurse and two
23:02
Speaker 1: little boys go in through the snow, now saw an
23:04
Speaker 1: old nurse and one little boy go out, all snow covered.
23:08
Speaker 1: And the little boy appeared to be crying bitterly, and
23:11
Speaker 1: no wonder the nurse explained, seeing his dear father and sister.
23:15
Speaker 1: Thus I will convey him to our coach. Good masters,
23:19
Speaker 1: she said to the guard, and returned for my other charge,
23:22
Speaker 1: young Master Richard Arden. And on that she got Elfrida's
23:26
Speaker 1: and her boy's clothes out at the gate and into
23:28
Speaker 1: the waiting carriage. The coachman, by previous arrangement with the
23:33
Speaker 1: old nurse, was asleep on the box, and the footman,
23:36
Speaker 1: also by previous arrangement, was refreshing himself at a tavern
23:40
Speaker 1: near by under the seat, said the old nurse, and
23:45
Speaker 1: thrusting Elfrida in, shut the coach door and left her.
23:49
Speaker 1: And there was Elfrida, dressed like a boy, huddled up
23:53
Speaker 1: among the straw, at the bottom of the coach. So far,
23:57
Speaker 1: so good, but the most dangerous part of the adventure
24:00
Speaker 1: still remained. The nurse got in again easily enough. She
24:04
Speaker 1: was let in by the guard, who had seen her
24:06
Speaker 1: come out, And as she went slowly across the snowy courtyard,
24:10
Speaker 1: she had ring under the gateway the stamping feet of
24:13
Speaker 1: the men who had come to relieve guard and to
24:15
Speaker 1: be themselves the new gund. So far again, so good.
24:20
Speaker 1: The dainter lay with the guard at the door of
24:22
Speaker 1: Lord Arden's rooms, and in the chance that some of
24:25
Speaker 1: the old Guard might be lingering about the gateway when
24:28
Speaker 1: she came out, not with one little boy, as they
24:31
Speaker 1: would expect, but with two. But this had to be risked.
24:36
Speaker 1: The nurse waited as long as she dared, so as
24:38
Speaker 1: to lessen the chance of meeting any of the old Guard.
24:41
Speaker 1: As she went out with her charge, she waded quietly
24:44
Speaker 1: in a corner while Lord Arden talked with the boys,
24:48
Speaker 1: and when at last she said, the time is done,
24:51
Speaker 1: my Lord, she already knew that the guard at the
24:54
Speaker 1: room door had been changed, So now for it, said Edred,
24:58
Speaker 1: as he and Richard follow the nurse down the narrow
25:01
Speaker 1: steps and across the snowy courtyard. The new guard saw
25:05
Speaker 1: the woman and two boys, and the captain of the
25:08
Speaker 1: guard read the Queen's paper which the old nurse had
25:11
Speaker 1: taken care to get back from the Lieutenant, and as plainly,
25:14
Speaker 1: Master Edred Arden and Master Richard Arn with their attendant,
25:18
Speaker 1: had passed in. So now they were permitted to pass out.
25:22
Speaker 1: And two minutes later a great coat was lumbering along
25:25
Speaker 1: the snowy streets, and inside it four people were embracing
25:29
Speaker 1: in rapture at the success of their stratagem. But it
25:33
Speaker 1: was Edith thought of it, said Richard, as an unor bound,
25:36
Speaker 1: and he arranged everything and carried it out. How splendid
25:40
Speaker 1: of him, said Elfrida warmly. And I think it was
25:43
Speaker 1: for the splendid of fur, not as spoil, as pride
25:46
Speaker 1: and pleasure in this the first adventure he had ever
25:49
Speaker 1: planned and executed entirely on his own account. She could
25:53
Speaker 1: very easily have spoiled it, you know, by pointing out
25:56
Speaker 1: to him that the whole thing was quite unnecessary, and
25:59
Speaker 1: that they could have got away much more easily by
26:02
Speaker 1: going into a corner in the tower and saying poetry
26:04
Speaker 1: to the mouldiwarp. So they came to Arden House. The
26:09
Speaker 1: coachman was appently asleep again, and the footman went round
26:13
Speaker 1: and did something to the harness after he had got
26:15
Speaker 1: the front door opened, and it was quite easy for
26:18
Speaker 1: the nurse to send the footman who opened the door
26:21
Speaker 1: to order a meal to be served at once for
26:23
Speaker 1: mister Arden and mister Richard, so that no one saw that.
26:27
Speaker 1: Instead of the two little boys who had left Arden
26:30
Speaker 1: House in the afternoon, three came back to it in
26:33
Speaker 1: the evening. Then the nurse took them into the parlor
26:36
Speaker 1: and shut the door. Now, she said, Master Richard will
26:40
Speaker 1: go take off his fine suit, and miss Arden will
26:43
Speaker 1: go into the little room and change her raiment. And
26:46
Speaker 1: for you, master edid you were here with me when
26:50
Speaker 1: the others had obediently gone? The nurse stood looking at
26:53
Speaker 1: Edred with eyes that grew larger and different, and he
26:56
Speaker 1: stood looking at her with eyes that grew rounder and rounder. Why,
27:01
Speaker 1: he said, at last you're the witch, the witch. We
27:05
Speaker 1: took the tea, and thanks to and if I am,
27:09
Speaker 1: said she, do you think you're the only person who
27:12
Speaker 1: can come back into other times? You're not all the
27:15
Speaker 1: world yet, master Aden of Arden, But you've got the
27:18
Speaker 1: makings of a fine boy and a fine man. And
27:21
Speaker 1: I think you've learned something in these old ancient times
27:26
Speaker 1: he had. There's no doubt of it. Whether it was
27:29
Speaker 1: being thought important enough to be imprisoned in the tower,
27:32
Speaker 1: or whether it was the long talks he had had
27:34
Speaker 1: with Sir water Walley, that fine genius and great gentlemen,
27:39
Speaker 1: or whether it was mister Parredis's snuckle wrappings and scowlings.
27:43
Speaker 1: I do not know, but it is certain that this
27:46
Speaker 1: adventure was the beginning of the change in Edred, which
27:49
Speaker 1: ended in his being brave and kind and wise as
27:52
Speaker 1: the old rhyme had told him to be. And now,
27:56
Speaker 1: said the nurse, as if Frida appeared in her girl's clothes,
27:59
Speaker 1: there's not a moment to lose. Already at the tower,
28:02
Speaker 1: they have found out our trick. You must go back
28:04
Speaker 1: to your own times. She's the witch. Edred briefly answered,
28:10
Speaker 1: the open amazement in Elfrida's eyes. There's no time to lose,
28:14
Speaker 1: the nurse repeated, I must be even with old Powadie, first,
28:18
Speaker 1: said edd And so he was, and it took exactly
28:22
Speaker 1: twenty minutes. And I will tell you all about it afterwards,
28:26
Speaker 1: when you was even with old Paradis. The old nurse
28:28
Speaker 1: sent Richard to bed, and then a freedom made haste
28:31
Speaker 1: to say, I did make some poetry to call the mouldiwarp.
28:35
Speaker 1: But it's all about the tower, and we are not
28:37
Speaker 1: there now. It's no use saying a moldiwarp. You have
28:41
Speaker 1: the power to get us out of this beastly tower
28:45
Speaker 1: when we are not in the tower. And I can't
28:47
Speaker 1: think of anything else, but the nurse interrupted her. Never
28:52
Speaker 1: mind about poetry, she said, poetry is all where you
28:55
Speaker 1: well for children, But I know a trick worth two
28:58
Speaker 1: of that. Them into the dining room, where the sideboards
29:02
Speaker 1: stood covered with silver, sat down the candle, lifted down
29:06
Speaker 1: the great silver with the arms rod and engraved upon it,
29:09
Speaker 1: and put it on the table. She breathed on the
29:12
Speaker 1: silver and traced triangles and a circle on the drilled surface.
29:16
Speaker 1: And as the mistness of her breast faded and the
29:20
Speaker 1: silver shone out again and dimmed, there suddenly in the
29:24
Speaker 1: middle of the silver was the live white mouldi warp
29:27
Speaker 1: of arden, looking extremely cross. You've no manners, it said
29:33
Speaker 1: to the nurse, bringing me here in that off hand,
29:36
Speaker 1: rude way, without with your leave or by your leave.
29:40
Speaker 1: Ifrida could easily have made some poetry, you know well enough,
29:44
Speaker 1: it added angrily, that it's positively painful to me to
29:47
Speaker 1: be summoned by a trying it and things. Poetry is
29:50
Speaker 1: so easy and simple. Poetry's too slow for this night's work,
29:55
Speaker 1: said the nurse shortly. Come take the children away. I
29:58
Speaker 1: have done with it. You make everything so difficult, said
30:02
Speaker 1: the moudiwarp, more crossly than ever. That's the worst of
30:06
Speaker 1: people who think they know a lot, and really only
30:08
Speaker 1: know a little, and pretend they know everything. If I'd
30:12
Speaker 1: come the easy poetry way, I could have taken them
30:14
Speaker 1: back as easily, But now well it can't be helped.
30:19
Speaker 1: I'd take them back of horse, but it'll be a
30:21
Speaker 1: way they won't like. They'll have to go on to
30:24
Speaker 1: the top of the roof and jump off. I don't
30:27
Speaker 1: believe that is necessary, said the witch nurse. All right,
30:31
Speaker 1: said the mudi Warp. Get them away yourself, then, and
30:34
Speaker 1: it actually began to disappear. No, no, said Elfrida, We
30:39
Speaker 1: do anything you say. There's the foot of snow on
30:43
Speaker 1: the roof, said the witch nurse. So much the better,
30:47
Speaker 1: said the Mudiwarp. So much the better. You ought to
30:49
Speaker 1: know that. You think yourself very clever, said the nurse.
30:54
Speaker 1: Not half so clever as I am, said the Moudiwarp.
30:57
Speaker 1: Rather unreasonably, Elfrida thought, there, it added sharply, as a
31:02
Speaker 1: great hammering at the front door shattered the quiet of
31:05
Speaker 1: the night. There to the roof for your lives, And
31:08
Speaker 1: am not at all sure that it's not too late.
31:11
Speaker 1: The knocking was growing louder and louder. End of Section twelve.