“And now good-night, my lord,” said the constable, rising. “To-morrow I will be with you at the appointed hour.”
“You will find me ready,” answered Seymour.
On this, Gage took his departure.
As soon as he was left alone, Seymour fell upon his knees, and for the first time since his imprisonment, prayed long and fervently. Much comforted, he then threw himself on his pallet, and slept tranquilly till the gaoler entered his cell next morning.
“What time is it?” he demanded.
“‘Tis seven o’clock,” replied Tombs. “Your lordship has but three hours left. At ten the procession sets forth.”
“Is the day fair?” inquired the admiral.
“Somewhat cloudy, but I do not think there will be rain,” rejoined the gaoler. “On a melancholy occasion like the present, ’tis meet the weather should correspond. I like not to see the sun shine on an execution.”
“To me the weather is indifferent,” replied Seymour. “Yet I shall less regret to quit the world if the skies frown on me. Thou must help to attire me presently. ‘Tis the last time I shall trouble thee.”
“Ay, your lordship will do well to put on your bravest apparel. You will not die unobserved. There is a great crowd on Tower-hill already.”
“Already!” exclaimed Seymour, scarcely able to repress a shudder. “They are eager for the spectacle.”
“Ay, many of them came over-night, so Mauger tells me,” rejoined Tombs. “He is without, if your lordship desires to see him.”
“Bring him in,” said Seymour. And as he rose from his couch, and hastily enveloped himself in a black velvet robe, the headsman entered the cell. With him also came Xit, but as the dwarf kept in the background, Seymour did not at first notice him.
“So thou hast brought the weapon of death with thee, I perceive, fellow?” cried the admiral, glancing sternly at Mauger, who was clad in a jerkin of blood-red serge, and carried the axe on his shoulder.
“I thought your lordship might like to examine it,” replied Mauger, offering him the weapon. “If you will try the edge with your thumb, you will find it keen.”
“I shall try its edge soon enough,” rejoined Seymour. “Meantime, I will take thy word for its sharpness. What concerns me most is, that thou shouldst not do thy devoir clumsily.”
“Your lordship shall have no cause to complain of me,” said Mauger. “If I take not off your head at one blow, never trust me more.”
“I shall not require to trust thee more, good fellow,” replied the admiral, with a half-smile. “I have not much to give thee,” he added, detaching some gold ornaments from his apparel. “But thou art welcome to these.”
“I thank your lordship,” replied Mauger, as he took them. “I told you you would die by my hands, and my prediction, you see, has come to pass.”
“But you predicted also that two others would perish in the same manner?”
“And so they will.”
“I could almost forgive thee the blow thou art about to deal me, were I certain of this.”
“Then your lordship may rest as easy as if you saw it done,” replied Mauger, with a grim smile. “Both their heads will fall by this axe.”
And with an uncouth reverence he drew back, and, while doing so, discovered Xit.
“Ha! thou art come, my little knave?” cried Seymour, on perceiving him. “I am glad to see thee.”
“I am come to take leave of your lordship,” replied Xit, “and to crave some slight relic in remembrance of you.”
“Here is a brooch,” replied Seymour, detaching it from his cap.
“I would fain have something that your lordship may wear on the scaffold,” said Xit, with a certain significance.
“All his lordship’s apparel will belong to me,” observed Mauger.
“True,” replied Seymour, “but thou wilt not begrudge him my velvet slippers?”
“Marry, I do begrudge them; but, since your lordship desires it, he shall have them,” rejoined Mauger, gruffly.
“Prithee, let him also have the handkerchief with which I bind mine eyes?” said the admiral.
Mauger returned a gruff assent.
As the dwarf approached to take leave, the admiral whispered to him:
“Within the sole of one of these slippers thou wilt find a letter to the Princess Elizabeth. See it conveyed to her highness. Give her also the handkerchief.”