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12 - The House of Arden - E Nesbit · Classic Science Fiction Books

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Chapter nine, the Prisoners in the Tower. Imprisoned in the Tower of London,
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accused of high treason and having confessed to a too intimate knowledge of the
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gunpowder plot, Elfrida could not help feeling that it would be nice to be
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back again in her own time and deed Arden, where if you left events
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alone and didn't interfere with them by any sort of magic mouldiwarpiness, nothing dangerous,
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romantic or thrilling would ever happen. And yet when she was there,
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as you know, she never could let events alone. She and Edred could
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not be content with that castle and that house, which, even as they
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stood, would have made you and me so perfectly happy. They wanted their
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treasure, and they Elfrida especially wanted adventures. Well, now they had got
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an adventure, both of them. There was no knowing how it would turn
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out either, and that, after all, is the essence of adventures.
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Edred was lodged with Lord Arden and several other gentlemen in the White Tower,
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and Elfrida and Lady Arden were in quite a different part of the building,
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and the children were not allowed to meet. This, of course, made
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it impossible for either of them to try to get back to their own times.
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For though they sometimes quarreled, as you know, they were really fond
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of each other, and most of us would hesitate to leave even a person
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we were not very fond of alone. A prisoner and the Tower and the
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times of James the First and the Gunpowder plot. Elfrida had to wait on
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her mother and to sue at the sampler, which had been thoughtfully brought by
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the old nurse with their ladies clothes and the clothes Elfrida wore. But there
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were no games, and the only out of doors Elfrida could get was on
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a very narrow terrace where dead flowers dogs stuck up out of a still narrower
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border, beside a flagged pathway where there was just room for one to walk
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and not for two. From this terrace he could see the fat, queer
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looking ships in the river and the spire of Saint Paul's. Edred was more
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fortunate. He was allowed to play in the garden of the Lieutenant of the
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Tower, but he did not feel much like playing. He wanted to find
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a freedom and get back to arden. Every One was very kind to him,
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but he had to be very much quieter than he was used to being,
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and to say, sir and madam, and not to speak till you
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are spoken to. You've no idea how tiresome it is not to speak till
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you are spoken to. With the world full as it is, of a
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thousand interesting things that you want to ask questions about one day, for they
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were there quite a number of days, Edred met some one who seemed to
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like answering questions, and this made more difference than perhaps you would think.
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Edred was walking when bright winter morning, in the private garden of the Lieutenant
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of the Tower, and he saw coming towards him a very handsome old gentleman
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dressed in by handsome clothes, and what is more, the clothes blazed with
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jewels. Now, most of the gentlemen who were prisoners in the tower at
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that time thought that their very oldest clothes were good enough to be in prison
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in. So this splendor that was coming across the garden was very unusual,
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as well as very dazzling. And before Edred could remember the rules about not
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speaking till you were spoken to, he found that he had suddenly bowed and
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said, your servants, sir, adding you do look ripping. I do
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not take your meaning, said the gentleman, but he smiled kindly. I
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mean, how splendid ye look. The old gentleman looked pleased. I am
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happy to command your admiration, he said. I mean your clothes, said
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Edred, and then, feeling with a shock that this was not the way
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to behave, he added, your face is splendid too. Only I've been
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taught manners, and I know you mustn't have people they are handsome in their
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faces. Praise to the face is open disgrace, missus Honeysett says. So
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praise to my face isn't open disgrace, said the gentleman. It is a
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pleasant novelty in these words. Is it your birthday or anything? Edward asked.
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It is not my birthday, said the gentleman, smiling. But why
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the question, Because you're so grand, said Edward. I suppose you're a
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prince then, no, not a prince. A prisoner. Oh, I
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see, said Edward, as people so often do when they don't. And
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you're going to be let out to day, and you've put on your best
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things to go home, and I am so glad at least I'm sorry you're
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going, but I am glad on your account thout A fine boat boy,
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said the gentleman. But no, I am a prisoner and like to remain
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so. And for these guards he swelled out his chest so that his diamond
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buttons and ruby ear rings and Jim's said collar flashed in the winter sun.
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For these guards, never shall it be said that Walter Rowley led the shadow
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his prison taranishous pride in the proper arraying of a body that has been honored
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to near before the Virgin Queen. He took off his head at the last
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words, and swept it with a flourish nearly to the ground. Oh,
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cried Edred, Are you really, sir Walter Raleigh, Oh how splendid?
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And now you tell me all about the golden South Americas, and sea fights
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and the Amada and the Spaniards, on what you used to play at when
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you were a little boy, Ay, said Sir Walter, I tell thee
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tales now. They not let me from speaking with thee. I won't,
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I would, He said, looking round impatiently, that I could see the
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river again from my late chamber. I saw it, and the goodly ships
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coming in and out, the ships that go down into the great waters.
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He sighed, was silent a moment, then spoke, and so thou didst
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not know thine old friend Raleigh. He was all forgot, all forgot.
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And yet thou who has stirred astride by sword ear now and I have played
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with thee in the courtyard at Arden. When England forgets so soon, who
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can expect more from a child? I'm sorry, said Eva humbly. Nay,
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said Sir Walter, pinching his ear gently. Tis two years ago,
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and short years have short memories. Thou shalt come with me to my chamber,
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and I will show thee a chart and a map of Windargocoa that her
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dear glorious Majesty permitted me to rename Virginia after her great and gracious self.
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Sir Edred Wade, glad and proud went hand in hand with Sir Walter Walley
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to his apartments, and so many strange things from overseas, dresses of feathers
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from Mexico, and strange images in gold from strange islands, and the tip
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of a narwhales horn from Greenland, and many other things. And Sir Walter
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told him of his voyages and his fights, and of how he and Humphrey
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Gilbert and Adrian Gilbert and little Jack Davis used to say that toyboot in the
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long Stream, and how they used to row in and out among the big
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ships down at the port, and look at the great figureheads standing out high
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above the water, and wonder about them and about the strange lands they came
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from, and often said, water, we found a sea captain that would
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tell us, lads, travelers, tales like these I have told thee And
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we sailed our little ships, and then we sailed our big ships. And
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here I lie in dog and shall never sail again. But it's oh to
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see the Devon moors and the clear reaches of the long Stream again, and
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that I never shall. And with that he leaned his arm on the window
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sill. And if he had not been the great so Water Roy, who
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is in all the history books, Edred would have thought he was crying.
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Oh, do cheer up, do, said Edred awkwardly. I don't know
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whether they'll let you go to Devonshire, but I know they'll let you go
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back to America some day with twelve ships. I read about it only yesterday,
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And your ship will be caught the destiny, and you'll sail from the
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Thames, and Lord Arden will see you off and kiss you for a farewell,
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and give your medal for a keepsake. Your son will go with you.
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I know it's true. It's all in the book, the book,
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Sir Walter asked a prophecy. We like you can call it that if you
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want to, said Edred cautiously. But anyhow, it's true. He had
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read it all in the history of Arden. If it should be true,
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said Sir Walter, and the smile came back to his merry eyes. And
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I ever say to the golden West again, threw me. But I would
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sack a Spanish town and bring thee a collar of gold and pieces of eight
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a big backfall. Thank you very much, said Edred. It is very
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kind of you, but I shall not be there. And all Sir Walter's
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questions did not make him say how he knew this or what he meant by
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it. After this, he met Sir Walter every day in the Little Tairs
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Garden, and the two prisoners comforted each other. At least Edid was comforted.
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And so what has seemed to be? But no one could be sure
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if it was more than seeming. This was one of the questions that always
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puzzled the children, and they used to talk it over together till the heads
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seemed to be spinning round. The question, of course, was did their
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being in past times make any difference to the other people in pastimes? In
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other words, when you were taking part in historical scenes, did it matter
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what he said or did? Of course, it seemed to matter extremely at
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the time. But then if this going into the past was only a sort
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of dream, then of course the people in the past would know nothing about
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it unless they had dreamed the same sort of dream, which, as Elfrida
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often pointed out, was quite likely, especially if time didn't count or could
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be cheated by red clocks. On the other hand, if they really went
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into the real past, well, then of course what they did must count
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for real too, as Edred so often said. And yet how could it?
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Since they took wisdom into the past, or that they learned here,
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and with that knowledge they could have revealed plots shown the issue of wars in
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the Fate of Kings, and as Elfrida put it, made history turn out
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quite different. You see the difficulties, don't you. And Betty Lovell's having
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said that they could leave no tray. Sometimes past did not seem to make
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much difference somehow one way or the other. However, just now I Freeda
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and Edred were in the tower and not able to see each other, so
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they could not discuss that or any other question. And they always hoped that
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they would meet, but they never did. But by and by the Queen
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thought of Lady Hadden and decided that she and her son Edred ought to be
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let out of the tower. And she told the King so, and he
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told Lord somebody or other, who told the Lieutenant of the tower, and
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to behold, Lady Arden and Vard were abruptly sent home in their own coach,
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which had been suddenly sent for from Arden House. But Elfrida was left
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in charge of the wife of the Lieutenant of the tower, who was a
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very kind lady. So now Elfrida was in the tower and Edward was at
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Arden House in Soho, and they had not been able to speak to each
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other or arrange any plan for getting back to nineteen o eight and Arden Castle
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by the sea. Of course, Elfrida was kept in the tower because she
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had sung the rhyme about pleased to remember the fifth of November, the Gunpowder
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treason and plot, and this made people think, or seem to think,
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that she knew all about the gunpowder plot, and so of course she did,
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though it would have been very difficult for her to show any one at
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that time how she knew it without being a traitor. She was now allowed
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to see Lord Arden every day, and she grew very fond of him.
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He was curiously like her own daddy, who had gone away to South America
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with Uncle Jim and had never come back to his little girl. Lord Arden
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also seemed to grow fonder of her. Every day. Thou art a boat
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piece, He'd tell her, and thou Werei's bowlder. With each day hast
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thou no fear that they Daddy will have thee whip for answering him supert no,
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Elfida would say, hugging him as well as she could for his rough.
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I know you wouldn't beat your girl. Don't die, Daddy, And
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as she hugged him, it felt almost like hugging her own daddy, who
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would never come home from America, so she was almost contented. She knew
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that Lord Arden was not one of those to suffer for the gunpowder plot.
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She knew from the history of Farden, that he would just be banished from
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the court and in his day sappily at Arden. And she was almost tempted
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just to go on and let what would happen, and stay with this new
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daddy who had lived three hundred years before, and pat him and be petted
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by her. Only she felt that she must do something because of Edred.
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The worst of it was that she could not think of anything to do.
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She did not know at all what was happening to Edred, whether he was
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being happy or unhappy. As it happened, he was being, if not
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unhappy, at least uncomfortable. Mister parods the tutor, who was as nasty
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a man as you will find in any seaside academy for young gentlemen, still
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remained at Darden House, and she taught the boys Edred and his cousin Richard.
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Mister Parodis was in high favor with the king because he had listened to
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what was meant for him reported where it would do most mischief, a thing
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always very pleasing to King James the First, and Lady Arden dared not dismiss
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him. Besides, she was ill with trouble and anxiety, which Edred could
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not at all sous by saying again and again, father won't be found guilty
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of treason, he won't be executed. He be sent to Arden and lived
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there quietly with you. I saw it all in a book, But Lady
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Arden only cried and cried. Mister Powders was very severe and wrapped Edred's snuckles
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almost continuously during lesson time, and out of it, said cousin Richard.
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He is forever band on spying and browbeating of us. He saw was messing
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about nasty sneak, said Edred, I should like to be even with them
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before I go, and I will too before you go go with her,
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Cousin Richard asked, Afrida and I are going away? Edred began, and
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then felt how useles it was to go on, since even when the nineteen
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o eight Edred, who he was, had gone the sixteen o five afreeda
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and Edred would of course to be there, that is, if he checked
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the old questions, which he had now no time to consider, and said
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a firm turn which was new to him, in which Elfrida would have been
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astonished and delighted to you. Yes, I've got two things to do to
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be even without parrotness to be revenged on him. I mean, and to
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get Afrida out of the tower. And I'll do that first, because she
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liked to help with the other. The boys were on the leads, their
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backs stood chimney, and their faces towards the trap door, which was the
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only way of getting on to the roof. It was very cold and the
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Norse wind was blowing, but they had come there because it was one of
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the few places where mister Parrotnurse could not possibly come creeping up behind them to
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listen to what they were saying. Get her out of the tower. Dick
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laughed, and then was sad. I would we could? He said,
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we can, said Edred earnestly. I've been thinking about it all the time,
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ever since we came out of the tower, and I know the way.
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I shall want you to help me. Dick, you and one grown
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up He spoke in the same grim, self reliant tone that was so new
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to him. When grown up de gasped, Yes, I think Nurse would
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do it, and I'm going to find out if he can trust her.
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Trust her, said Dick. Why she'd die for any of her sons?
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Aye, and die on the wreck before she would betray the lightest word of
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any of us. Then that's all right, said Edred, What is thy
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plot? Dick asped, and he did not laugh, though he might well
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have wanted to. You see, Edred looked so very small and weak,
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and the tower was so very big and strong. I'm going to get Elfrida
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out, said Edred, And I'm going to do it like Lady Nestay got
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her husband out. It will be quite easy. It all depends on knowing
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when the guard is changed. And I do know that. But how did
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my lady Nestay get my Lord Nestelle out? And from what? Deck asked?
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Why out of the tower? You know? Edwid was beginning when he
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remembered that Dick did not know and couldn't know, because Lord Nesdale hadn't yet
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been taken out of the tower, hadn't even been put in, perhaps for
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anything ederd knew wasn't even born yet. So he said, never mind,
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I tell you all about Lady Nesdale, and proceeded to tell Dick vaguely,
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yet inspiringly, the story of that wise and brave lady. I haven't time
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to tell you the story, but any grown up Pouno's history will be only
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too pleased to tell it. Dick listened with most flattering interest, that was
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getting dusk and colder than ever. The lights were lighted in the house,
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and the trap door had become a yellow square. A shadow in this yellow
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square, warned Dick, and he pinched Edred's arm. Come, he said,
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and let us apply ourselves to our books. Virches's youths always act in
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their preceptor's absence, as they would if their perceptors were present. I feel
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as thou mine were present. Therefore I I am a virtuous youth, on
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which the shadow disappeared very suddenly, and the two boys, laughing in a
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choking inside short way, went down to learn the lessons by the light of
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two guttering tallow candles and solid silver candlesticks. The next day, Edot got
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the old nurse to take him to the court, and because the Queen was
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very fond of Lady Arden, he actually managed to see her Majesty, and
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what is more, to get permission to visit his father and sister in the
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tower. The permission was written by the Queen's own hand, and bade the
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Lieutenant of the tower to admit Master Edred Arden, and Master Richard Arden and
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an attendant. Then the nurse became very busy with suing, and two days
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went by, and mister Paradis rapped the boy's fingers and scolded them and scowleded
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them and one nut while they bore it all so patiently. Then came the
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day, and it was bitterly cold, and as the afternoon got older,
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snow began to fall. So much the better, said the old nurse,
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So much the better. It was at dusk that the guard was changed at
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the tower gate, and a quarter of an hour before dusk, Lord Arden's
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carriage stopped at the tower gate, and an old nurse and rough and cap
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and red cloak got out of it, and lifted out two little gentlemen,
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one in black with a cloak trimmed with squirrel fur, which was Edred,
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and another which was rigid in gray velvet and Martin's fur. And the lieutenant
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was called, and he read the queen's order and nodded kindly to Edred,
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and they all went in. And as they went across the yard to the
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white Tower, where Lord Arden's lodging was, the snow fell thick on their
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cloaks, and furs, and froze to the stuff, for it was bitter
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cold. And again, so much the better, the nurse said, so
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much the better. Elfrida was with Lord Arden, sitting on his knee.
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When the visitors came in. She jumped up and greeted Edred with a glad
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cry and a very close hug. Go with nurse, he whispered through the
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ark. Do exactly what she tells you. But I've made a piece of
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poetry, Elfrida whispered. And now you're here, do what you are told,
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whispered Edred in a turne. She had never heard from him before,
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and so fiercely that she said, no more about poetry. We must get
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you out of this. Edred went on, don't be a devil think of
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lady Nesdaya. Then Efrida understood. Her arms fell from round Edred's neck,
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and she ran back to Lord Arden and put her arms round his neck and
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kissed him over and over again. There there, my maid, there there,
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he said, putting her shoulder softly, for she was crying. Come
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with me to thy chamber, said the nurse. I would take their measure
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for a new gown and petticoat. But Elfrida clung closer. She does not
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want to leave her dad, said Lord Adden, dost thou my mate?
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No, No, said Elfrida quite wildly. I don't want to leave my
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daddy. Come, said Lord Adden, tis, but for a measuring time
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thou'lt come back, So clamp as thou art go now to return them more
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quickly. Good Bye, dear dear dear daddy, said Elfrida, suddenly standing
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up. Oh my dear daddy, good bye. Why what a piece of
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work about a new frock, said the nurse crossly. I've no patience with
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the child, and she caught Elfrida's hand and dragged her into the next room.
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Now she whispered, already on her knees, undoing Elfrida's gown. Not
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a moment to lose. Hold the handkerchief to their face, and seem to
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weep as we go out? Why thout weeping already so much the better?
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From under her white hoop and petticoat, the nurse drew out the clothes that
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were hidden there, a little suit of black exactly like Edred's cap, cloak,
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stocking, shoes all like Edred's, to her hair and Ephrida before she
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had finished crying, stood up the exact image of her brother, except her
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face, and that would be hidden by the handkerchief. Then very quickly the
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nurse went to the door of the apartment and spoke to the guard there.
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Good luck, good gentlemen, she said, but little master's ill. He's
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too fray to bear these sad meetings and sad at partings, conveyors. I
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pray you to the outer gate, that I may find our coach and take
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him home, and afterwards I will return for my other charge. Is no
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a cousin, is it? So said the guard kindly, poor child.
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Well, such is life, mistress, and we all have tears to weep.
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But he could not leave his post at Lord Aarn's door to conduct them
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to the gates. But he told them the way, and they crossed the
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courtyard alone, And as they went, the snow fell on their cloaks and
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froze there, so that the guard at the gate, who had seen an
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old nurse and two little boys go in through the snow, now saw an
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old nurse and one little boy go out, all snow covered. And the
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little boy appeared to be crying bitterly, and no wonder the nurse explained,
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seeing his dear father and sister. Thus I will convey him to our coach.
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Good masters, she said to the guard, and returned for my other
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charge, young Master Richard Arden. And on that she got Elfrida's and her
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boy's clothes out at the gate and into the waiting carriage. The coachman,
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by previous arrangement with the old nurse, was asleep on the box, and
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the footman, also by previous arrangement, was refreshing himself at a tavern near
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by under the seat, said the old nurse, and thrusting Elfrida in,
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shut the coach door and left her. And there was Elfrida, dressed like
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a boy, huddled up among the straw, at the bottom of the coach.
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So far, so good, but the most dangerous part of the adventure
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still remained. The nurse got in again easily enough. She was let in
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by the guard, who had seen her come out, And as she went
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slowly across the snowy courtyard, she had ring under the gateway the stamping feet
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of the men who had come to relieve guard and to be themselves the new
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gund. So far again, so good. The dainter lay with the guard
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at the door of Lord Arden's rooms, and in the chance that some of
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the old Guard might be lingering about the gateway when she came out, not
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with one little boy, as they would expect, but with two. But
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this had to be risked. The nurse waited as long as she dared,
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so as to lessen the chance of meeting any of the old Guard. As
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she went out with her charge, she waded quietly in a corner while Lord
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Arden talked with the boys, and when at last she said, the time
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is done, my Lord, she already knew that the guard at the room
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door had been changed, So now for it, said Edred, as he
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and Richard follow the nurse down the narrow steps and across the snowy courtyard.
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The new guard saw the woman and two boys, and the captain of the
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guard read the Queen's paper which the old nurse had taken care to get back
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from the Lieutenant, and as plainly, Master Edred Arden and Master Richard Arn
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with their attendant, had passed in. So now they were permitted to pass
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out. And two minutes later a great coat was lumbering along the snowy streets,
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and inside it four people were embracing in rapture at the success of their
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stratagem. But it was Edith thought of it, said Richard, as an
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unor bound, and he arranged everything and carried it out. How splendid of
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him, said Elfrida warmly. And I think it was for the splendid of
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fur, not as spoil, as pride and pleasure in this the first adventure
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he had ever planned and executed entirely on his own account. She could very
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easily have spoiled it, you know, by pointing out to him that the
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whole thing was quite unnecessary, and that they could have got away much more
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easily by going into a corner in the tower and saying poetry to the mouldiwarp.
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So they came to Arden House. The coachman was appently asleep again,
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and the footman went round and did something to the harness after he had got
26:15
the front door opened, and it was quite easy for the nurse to send
26:18
the footman who opened the door to order a meal to be served at once
26:22
for mister Arden and mister Richard, so that no one saw that. Instead
26:26
of the two little boys who had left Arden House in the afternoon, three
26:32
came back to it in the evening. Then the nurse took them into the
26:36
parlor and shut the door. Now, she said, Master Richard will go
26:41
take off his fine suit, and miss Arden will go into the little room
26:44
and change her raiment. And for you, master edid you were here with
26:48
me when the others had obediently gone? The nurse stood looking at Edred with
26:52
eyes that grew larger and different, and he stood looking at her with eyes
26:56
that grew rounder and rounder. Why, he said, at last you're the
27:03
witch, the witch. We took the tea, and thanks to and if
27:07
I am, said she, do you think you're the only person who can
27:11
come back into other times? You're not all the world yet, master Aden
27:17
of Arden, But you've got the makings of a fine boy and a fine
27:19
man. And I think you've learned something in these old ancient times he had.
27:26
There's no doubt of it. Whether it was being thought important enough to
27:30
be imprisoned in the tower, or whether it was the long talks he had
27:33
had with Sir water Walley, that fine genius and great gentlemen, or whether
27:40
it was mister Parredis's snuckle wrappings and scowlings. I do not know, but
27:44
it is certain that this adventure was the beginning of the change in Edred,
27:48
which ended in his being brave and kind and wise as the old rhyme had
27:52
told him to be. And now, said the nurse, as if Frida
27:56
appeared in her girl's clothes, there's not a moment to lose. Already at
28:02
the tower, they have found out our trick. You must go back to
28:04
your own times. She's the witch. Edred briefly answered, the open amazement
28:11
in Elfrida's eyes. There's no time to lose, the nurse repeated, I
28:15
must be even with old Powadie, first, said edd And so he was,
28:21
and it took exactly twenty minutes. And I will tell you all about
28:23
it afterwards, when you was even with old Paradis. The old nurse sent
28:29
Richard to bed, and then a freedom made haste to say, I did
28:33
make some poetry to call the mouldiwarp. But it's all about the tower,
28:36
and we are not there now. It's no use saying a moldiwarp. You
28:41
have the power to get us out of this beastly tower when we are not
28:45
in the tower. And I can't think of anything else, but the nurse
28:49
interrupted her. Never mind about poetry, she said, poetry is all where
28:55
you well for children, But I know a trick worth two of that.
29:00
Them into the dining room, where the sideboards stood covered with silver, sat
29:03
down the candle, lifted down the great silver with the arms rod and engraved
29:07
upon it, and put it on the table. She breathed on the silver
29:12
and traced triangles and a circle on the drilled surface. And as the mistness
29:18
of her breast faded and the silver shone out again and dimmed, there suddenly
29:23
in the middle of the silver was the live white mouldi warp of arden,
29:27
looking extremely cross. You've no manners, it said to the nurse, bringing
29:33
me here in that off hand, rude way, without with your leave or
29:37
by your leave. Ifrida could easily have made some poetry, you know well
29:42
enough, it added angrily, that it's positively painful to me to be summoned
29:48
by a trying it and things. Poetry is so easy and simple. Poetry's
29:52
too slow for this night's work, said the nurse shortly. Come take the
29:56
children away. I have done with it. You make everything so difficult,
30:02
said the moudiwarp, more crossly than ever. That's the worst of people who
30:06
think they know a lot, and really only know a little, and pretend
30:10
they know everything. If I'd come the easy poetry way, I could have
30:14
taken them back as easily, But now well it can't be helped. I'd
30:18
take them back of horse, but it'll be a way they won't like.
30:22
They'll have to go on to the top of the roof and jump off.
30:26
I don't believe that is necessary, said the witch nurse. All right,
30:30
said the mudi Warp. Get them away yourself, then, and it actually
30:33
began to disappear. No, no, said Elfrida, We do anything you
30:40
say. There's the foot of snow on the roof, said the witch nurse.
30:45
So much the better, said the Mudiwarp. So much the better.
30:48
You ought to know that. You think yourself very clever, said the nurse.
30:53
Not half so clever as I am, said the Moudiwarp. Rather unreasonably,
30:57
Elfrida thought, there, it added sharply, as a great hammering at
31:03
the front door shattered the quiet of the night. There to the roof for
31:07
your lives, And am not at all sure that it's not too late.
31:11
The knocking was growing louder and louder. End of Section twelve.