“What! are they taking thee to execution?” cried his father, the dreadful truth rushing suddenly upon him.
“Not to present execution, as I judge, sir,” Clavering answered. “I would it were so, for I am a-wearied of life. But you know what mercy is to be expected from these regicides. Give me your blessing ere I go forth,” he added, bending the knee to him.
“You have it, my son! exclaimed the old Cavalier, extending his arms over his head. May the Father of Heaven, who supported our blessed king in his last hour, support thee in thine!”
“Delay no longer, sergeant,” cried Stelfax, wishful to interrupt the scene. “Remove the prisoners, and wait my further orders in the hall of entrance.”
Upon this, Clavering arose, and tearing himself from his father’s embrace, moved on.
“Farewell, your honour,” said John Habergeon, halting a moment by his old master. “Give yourself no concern about me. I shall die a dog’s death at the hands of these cursed rebels—but what matters it? I have ever been a loyal subject to my king, and a faithful servant to the best of masters, and that will be my consolation at my last hour. May I take your hand at parting?”
“Farewell, my faithful servant,” the old Cavalier replied, warmly grasping John’s rugged hand; “we shall not be long separated.”
“It were but mockery to wish your honour long continuance in a world like this, where only roguery prospers—you were better out of it,” John said. “So, I hope we may soon meet in a place where rebels and regicides will never enter.”
“Amen!” the colonel responded; “farewell, John! And farewell to thee, too, my poor fellow!” he added to Ninian, as the latter came up. “‘Tis a pity thou shouldst be out off thus early. But they may spare thee on the score of thy youth.”
“I will not ask grace at their hands on that plea—or any other,” Ninian replied, resolutely. “Trust me, I will not discredit your honour’s house. My last cry shall be,’ Confusion to old Noll, and long life and a speedy Restoration to the lawful ruler of this realm, his most sacred Majesty King Charles the Second!”
“Gag him, if he dares give utterance to further treason,” roared Stelfax, furiously. “Away with them at once, sergeant! Wherefore dost thou suffer them to abuse my patience thus?”
Upon this, Delves put the men in motion, and conducted the prisoners down the principal staircase to the entrance-hall, where Stelfax soon afterwards joined him.
V
HOW THE CAPTAIN OF THE IRONSIDES INSPECTED THE VILLAGE CHURCH, AND MADE ANOTHER CAPTURE
GREAT was the consternation throughout the Grange when it became known that Clavering Maunsel and the two others were captured. All the serving-men flocked towards the entrance-hall to satisfy themselves of the truth of the report, and the sad spectacle they there beheld left them no doubt of its correctness.
In the midst of a circle of troopers, carabines in hand, stood the three prisoners; unbound, but deprived of all means of resistance. Clavering looked much depressed, but the other two cast defiant glances at the guard.
Near approach to the prisoners being interdicted, the passage leading to the kitchen and buttery, which opened upon the entrance-hall, was thronged with anxious spectators. Here old Martin Geere, Giles Moppett, Elias Crundy, and others, were stationed, conferring amongst themselves in whispers, and timorously looking on. They had been told by Besadaiah Eavestaff, who was posted at the upper end of the passage, that the prisoners would be taken to Lewes and lodged within the castle, but this was all they could learn.
The information, however, was not strictly correct. The captain of the Ironsides had no intention of departing immediately, having made up his mind to pass the night at the Grange. The capture of the fugitives did not occasion any change in his plans. A brief consultation with Delves as to the best means of disposing of the prisoners until the morrow, led the sergeant to suggest the village church as a temporary stronghold—churches, in those days, being not unfrequently used for such purposes, and even as stables. Stelfax thought the suggestion good, but in order to satisfy himself of its feasibility, he went forth with Delves to inspect the sacred structure.