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diff --git a/13227-h/13227-h.htm b/13227-h/13227-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..981bd66 --- /dev/null +++ b/13227-h/13227-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5330 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="CONTENT-TYPE" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> +<title>THE LORD OF DYNEVOR</title> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13227 ***</div> + +<h1>THE LORD OF DYNEVOR:</h1> +<p>A Tale of the Times of Edward the First</p> +<p>by Evelyn Everett-Green.</p> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I</a>. DYNEVOR CASTLE.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II</a>. THE BROTHERS</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III</a>. THE EAGLE'S CRAG.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV</a>. WENDOT'S REWARD.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V</a>. THE KING'S CHILDREN.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI</a>. WELSH WOLVES.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII</a>. THE KING'S JUDGMENT.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII</a>. TURBULENT SPIRITS.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX</a>. THE RED FLAME OF WAR.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X</a>. CARNARVON CASTLE.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI</a>. THE KING'S CLEMENCY.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII</a>. A STRANGE BRIDAL.</h3> +<h3><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII</a>. THE NEW LORD OF DYNEVOR.</h3> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I</a>. DYNEVOR CASTLE.</h2> +<p>"La-ha-hoo! la-ha-hoo!"</p> +<p>Far down the widening valley, and up the wild, picturesque +ravine, rang the strange but not unmusical call. It awoke the +slumbering echoes of the still place, and a hundred voices seemed +to take up the cry, and pass it on as from mouth to mouth. But the +boy's quick ears were not to be deceived by the mocking voices of +the spirits of solitude, and presently the call rang out again with +greater clearness than before:</p> +<p>"La-ha-hoo!"</p> +<p>The boy stood with his head thrown back, his fair curls floating +in the mountain breeze, his blue eyes, clear and bright and keen as +those of a wild eaglet, fixed upon a craggy ridge on the opposite +side of the gorge, whilst his left hand was placed upon the collar +of a huge wolfhound who stood beside him, sniffing the wind and +showing by every tremulous movement his longing to be off and away, +were it not for the detaining hand of his young master.</p> +<p>The lad was very simply dressed in a tunic of soft, well-dressed +leather, upon the breast of which was stamped some device which +might have been the badge of his house. His active limbs were +encased in the same strong, yielding material, and the only thing +about him which seemed to indicate rank or birth was a belt with a +richly-chased gold clasp and a poniard with a jewelled hilt.</p> +<p>Perhaps the noble bearing of the boy was his best proof of right +to the noble name he bore. One of the last of the royal house of +Dynevor, he looked every inch a prince, as he stood bare-headed in +the sunlight amidst the everlasting hills of his well-loved home, +too young to see the clouds which were settling so darkly and so +surely upon the bright horizon of his life -- his dreams still of +glory and triumph, culminating in the complete emancipation of his +well-loved country from the hated English yoke.</p> +<p>The dog strained and whined against the detaining clasp upon his +neck, but the boy held him fast.</p> +<p>"Nay, Gelert, we are not going a-hunting," he said. "Hark! is +not that the sound of a horn? Are they not even now returning? Over +yon fell they come. Let me but hear their hail, and thou and I will +be off to meet them. I would they heard the news first from my +lips. My mother bid me warn them. I wot she fears what Llewelyn and +Howel might say or do were they to find English guests in our hall +and they all unwarned."</p> +<p>Once more the boy raised his voice in the wild call which had +awakened the echoes before, and this time his practised ear +distinguished amongst the multitudinous replies an answering shout +from human lips. Releasing Gelert, who dashed forward with a bay of +delight, the lad commenced springing from rock to rock up the +narrowing gorge, until he reached a spot where the dwindling stream +could be crossed by a bound; from which spot a wild path, more like +a goat track than one intended for the foot of man, led upwards +towards the higher portions of the wild fell.</p> +<p>The boy sped onwards with the fleetness and agility of a born +mountaineer. The hound bounded at his side; and before either had +traversed the path far, voices ahead of them became distinctly +audible, and a little group might be seen approaching, laden with +the spoils of the chase.</p> +<p>In the van of the little party were three lads, one of whom bore +so striking a resemblance to the youth who now hastened to meet +them, that the relationship could not be for a moment doubted. As a +matter of fact the four were brothers; but they followed two +distinct types -- Wendot and Griffeth being fair and bright haired, +whilst Llewelyn and Howel (who were twins) were dark as night, with +black hair and brows, swarthy skins, and something of the wildness +of aspect which often accompanies such traits.</p> +<p>Wendot, the eldest of the four, a well-grown youth of fifteen, +who was walking slightly in advance of his brothers, greeted +Griffeth's approach with a bright smile.</p> +<p>"Ha, lad, thou shouldst have been with us! We have had rare +sport today. The good fellows behind can scarce carry the booty +home. Thou must see the noble stag that my bolt brought down. We +will have his head to adorn the hall -- his antlers are worth +looking at, I warrant thee. But what brings thee out so far from +home? and why didst thou hail us as if we were wanted?"</p> +<p>"You are wanted," answered Griffeth, speaking so that all the +brothers might hear his words. "The mother herself bid me go in +search of you, and it is well you come home laden with meat, for we +shall need to make merry tonight. There are guests come to the +castle today. Wenwynwyn was stringing his harp even as I came away, +to let them hear his skill in music. They are to be lodged for so +long as they will stay; but the manner of their errand I know +not."</p> +<p>"Guests!" echoed all three brothers in a breath, and very +eagerly; "why, that is good hearing, for perchance we may now learn +some news. Come these strangers from the north? Perchance we shall +hear somewhat of our noble Prince Llewelyn, who is standing out so +boldly for the rights of our nation. Say they not that the English +tyrant is on our borders now, summoning him to pay the homage he +repudiates with scorn? Oh, I would that this were a message +summoning all true Welshmen to take up arms in his quarrel! Would +not I fly to his standard, boy though I be! And would I not shed +the last drop of my blood in the glorious cause of liberty!"</p> +<p>Llewelyn was the speaker, and his black eyes were glowing +fiercely under their straight bushy brows. His face was the least +boyish of any of the four, and his supple, sinewy frame had much of +the strength of manhood in it. The free, open-air life that all +these lads had lived, and the training they had received in all +martial and hardy exercises, had given them strength and height +beyond their years. It was no idle boast on the part of Llewelyn to +speak of his readiness to fight. He would have marched against the +foe with the stoutest of his father's men-at-arms, and doubtless +have acquitted himself as well as any; for what the lads lacked in +strength they made up in their marvellous quickness and +agility.</p> +<p>The love of fighting seemed born in all these hardy sons of +Wales, and something of warfare was known to them even now, from +the never-ending struggles between themselves, and their resistance +of the authority, real or assumed, of the Lords of the Marches. But +petty forays and private feuds with hostile kinsmen was not the +kind of fighting these brothers longed to see and share. They had +their own ideas and aspirations, and eager glances were turned upon +Griffeth, lest he might be the bearer of some glorious piece of +news that would mean open warfare with England.</p> +<p>But the boy's face was unresponsive and even a little downcast. +He gave a quick glance into the fierce, glowing face of Llewelyn, +and then his eyes turned upon Wendot.</p> +<p>"There is no news like that," he said slowly. "The guests who +have come to Dynevor are English themselves."</p> +<p>"English!" echoed Llewelyn fiercely, and he turned away with a +smothered word which sounded like an imprecation upon all the race +of foreigners; whilst Howel asked with quick indignation:</p> +<p>"What right have English guests at Dynevor? Why were they +received? Why did not our good fellows fall upon them with the +sword or drive them back the way they came? Oh, if we had but been +there --"</p> +<p>"Tush, brother!" said young Griffeth quickly; "is not our father +lord of Dynevor? Dost think that thou canst usurp his authority? +And when did ever bold Welshmen fall upon unarmed strangers to +smite with the sword? Do we make war upon harmless travellers -- +women and children? Fie upon thee! it were a base thought. Let not +our parents hear thee speak such words."</p> +<p>Howel looked a little discomfited by his younger brother's +rebuke, though he read nothing but sympathy and mute approbation in +Llewelyn's sullen face and gloomy eyes. He dropped a pace or so +behind and joined his twin, whilst Wendot and Griffeth led the way +in front.</p> +<p>"Who are these folks?" asked Wendot; "and whence come they? And +why have they thus presented themselves unarmed at Dynevor? Is it +an errand of peace? And why speakest thou of women and +children?"</p> +<p>"Why, brother, because the traveller has his little daughter +with him, and her woman is in their train of servants. I know not +what has brought them hither, but I gather they have lost their +road, and lighted by chance on Dynevor. Methinks they are on a +visit to the Abbey of Strata Florida; but at least they come as +simple, unarmed strangers, and it is the boast of Wales that even +unarmed foes may travel through the breadth and length of the land +and meet no harm from its sons. For my part I would have it always +so. I would not wage war on all alike. Doubtless there are those, +even amongst the English, who are men of bravery and honour."</p> +<p>"I doubt it not," answered Wendot, with a gravity rather beyond +his years. "If all our mother teaches us be true, we Welshmen have +been worse enemies to one another than ever the English have been. +I would not let Llewelyn or Howel hear me say so, and I would fain +believe it not. But when we see how this fair land has been torn +and rent by the struggles after land and power, and how our own +kinsman, Meredith ap Res, is toying with Edward, and striving to +take from us the lands we hold yet -- so greatly diminished from +the old portion claimed by the lords of Dynevor -- we cannot call +the English our only or even our greatest foes. Ah, if Wales would +but throw aside all her petty feuds, and join as brothers fighting +shoulder to shoulder for her independence, then might there be some +hope! But now --"</p> +<p>Griffeth was looking with wide-open, wondering eyes into his +brother's face. He loved and reverenced Wendot in a fashion that +was remarkable, seeing that the elder brother was but two years and +a half his senior. But Wendot had always been grave and thoughtful +beyond his years, and had been taken much into the counsels of his +parents, so that questions which were almost new to the younger lad +had been thought much of by the eldest, the heir of the house of +Dynevor.</p> +<p>"Why, brother, thou talkest like a veritable monk for learning," +he said. "I knew not thou hadst the gift of such eloquent speech. +Methought it was the duty of every free-born son of Wales to hate +the English tyrant."</p> +<p>"Ay, and so I do when I think of his monstrous claims," cried +Wendot with flashing eyes. "Who is the King of England that he +should lay claim to our lands, our homage, our submission? My blood +boils in my veins when I think of things thus. And yet there are +moments when it seems the lesser ill to yield such homage to one +whom the world praises as statesman and soldier, than to see our +land torn and distracted by petty feuds, and split up into a +hundred hostile factions. But let us not talk further of this; it +cuts me to the heart to think of it. Tell me more of these same +travellers. How did our parents receive them? And how long purpose +they to stay?"</p> +<p>"Nay, that I have not heard. I was away over yon fell with +Gelert when I saw the company approach the castle, and ere I could +find entrance the strangers had been received and welcomed. The +father of the maiden is an English earl, Lord Montacute they call +him. He is tall and soldier-like, with an air of command like unto +our father's. The damsel is a fair-faced maiden, who scarce opens +her lips; but she keeps close to our mother's side, and seems loath +to leave her for a moment. I heard her father say that she had no +mother of her own. Her name, they say, is Lady Gertrude."</p> +<p>"A damsel at Dynevor," said Wendot, with a smile; "methinks that +will please the mother well."</p> +<p>"Come and see," cried Griffeth eagerly. "Let us hasten down to +the castle together."</p> +<p>It was easy work for the brothers to traverse the rocky pathway. +Dangerous as the descent looked to others, they were as surefooted +as young chamois, and sprang from rock to rock with the utmost +confidence. The long summer sunlight came streaming up the valley +in level rays of shimmering gold, bathing the loftier crags in +lambent fire, and filling the lower lands with layers of soft +shadow flecked here and there with gold. A sudden turn in the +narrow gorge, through which ran a brawling tributary of the wider +Towy, brought the brothers full in sight of their ancestral home, +and for a few seconds they paused breathless, gazing with an +unspeakable and ardent love upon the fair scene before them.</p> +<p>The castle of Dynevor (or Dinas Vawr = Great Palace) stood in a +commanding position upon a rocky plateau overlooking the river +Towy. From its size and splendour -- as splendour went in those +days -- it had long been a favourite residence with the princes of +South Wales; and in a recent readjustment of disputed lands, +consequent upon the perpetual petty strife that was ruining the +land, Res Vychan, the present Lord of Dynevor, had made some +considerable sacrifice in order to keep in his own hands the fair +palace of his fathers.</p> +<p>The majestic pile stood out boldly from the mountain side, and +was approached by a winding road from the valley. A mere glance +showed how strong was the position it occupied, and how difficult +such a place would be to capture. On two sides the rock fell away +almost sheer from the castle walls, whilst on the other two a deep +moat had been dug, which was fed by small mountain rivulets that +never ran dry; and the entrance was commanded by a drawbridge, +whose frowning portcullis was kept by a grim warder looking fully +equal to the office allotted to him.</p> +<p>Lovely views were commanded from the narrow windows of the +castle, and from the battlements and the terraced walk that ran +along two sides of the building. And rough and rude as were the +manners and customs of the period, and partially uncivilized as the +country was in those far-off days, there was a strong vein of +poetry lying latent in its sons and daughters, and an ardent love +for the beautiful in nature and for the country they called their +own, which went far to redeem their natures from mere savagery and +brute ferocity.</p> +<p>This passionate love for their home was strong in all the +brothers of the house of Dynevor, and was deepened and intensified +by the sense of uncertainty now pervading the whole country with +regard to foreign aggression and the ever-increasing claims upon +Welsh lands by the English invaders. A sense as of coming doom hung +over the fair landscape, and Wendot's eyes grew dreamy as he stood +gazing on the familiar scene, and Griffeth had to touch his arm and +hurry him down to the castle.</p> +<p>"Mother will be wanting us," he said. "What is the matter, +Wendot? Methinks I see the tears in thine eyes."</p> +<p>"Nay, nay; tears are for women," answered Wendot with glowing +cheeks, as he dashed his hand across his eyes. "It is for us men to +fight for our rightful inheritance, that the women may not have to +weep for their desolated homes."</p> +<p>Griffeth gave him a quick look, and then his eyes travelled +lovingly over the wide, fair scene, to the purple shadows and +curling mists of the valley, the dark mysterious woods in front, +the clear, vivid sunlight on the mountain tops, and the serried +battlements of the castle, now rising into larger proportions as +the boys dropped down the hillside towards the postern door, which +led out upon the wild fell. There was something of mute wistfulness +in his own gaze as he did so.</p> +<p>"Brother," he said thoughtfully, "I think I know what those +feelings are which bring tears to the eyes of men -- tears of which +they need feel no shame. Fear not to share with me all thy inmost +thoughts. Have we not ever been brothers in all things?"</p> +<p>"Ay, truly have we; and I would keep nothing back, only I scarce +know how to frame my lips to give utterance to the thoughts which +come crowding into my brain. But see, we have no time for communing +now. Go on up the path to the postern; it is too narrow for +company."</p> +<p>Indeed, so narrow was the track, so steep the uncertain steps +worn in the face of the rock, so deep the fall if one false step +were made, that few save the brothers and wilder mountaineers ever +sought admission by the postern door. But Wendot and Griffeth had +no fears, and quickly scaled the steps and reached the entrance, +passing through which they found themselves in a narrow vaulted +passage, very dark, which led, with many twists and turns, and +several ascending stairs, to the great hall of the castle, where +the members of the household were accustomed for the most part to +assemble.</p> +<p>A door deeply set in an embrasure gave access to this place, and +the moment it was opened the sound of a harp became audible, and +the brothers paused in the deep shadow to observe what was going on +in the hall before they advanced further.</p> +<p>A scene that would be strange and picturesque to our eyes, but +was in the main familiar to theirs, greeted them as they stood +thus. The castle hall was a huge place, large enough to contain a +muster of armed men. A great stone staircase wound upwards from it +to a gallery above. There was little furniture to be seen, and that +was of a rude kind, though not lacking in a certain massiveness and +richness in the matter of carving, which gave something baronial to +the air of the place. The walls were adorned with trophies of all +sorts, some composed of arms, others of the spoil of fell and +forest. The skins of many savage beasts lay upon the cold stone +flooring of the place, imparting warmth and harmony by the rich +tints of the furs. Light was admitted through a row of narrow +windows both above and below; but the vast place would have been +dim and dark at this hour had it not been that the huge double +doors with their rude massive bolts stood wide open to the summer +air, and the last beams of the westering sun came shining in, lying +level and warm upon the group at the upper end of the hall, which +had gathered around the white-haired, white-bearded bard, who, with +head thrown backwards, and eyes alight with strange passions and +feelings, was singing in a deep and musical voice to the sound of +his instrument.</p> +<p>Old Wenwynwyn was a study in himself; his flowing hair, his +fiery eyes, his picturesque garb and free, untrammelled gestures +giving him a weird individuality of his own. But it was not upon +him that the eyes of the brothers dwelt, nor even upon the +soldier-like figure of their stalwart father leaning against the +wall with folded arms, and eyes shining with the patriotic fervour +of his race. The attention of the lads was enchained by another and +more sumptuous figure --that of a fine-looking man, approaching to +middle life, who was seated at a little distance from the minstrel, +and was smiling with pleasure and appreciation at the wild +sweetness of the stream of melody poured forth.</p> +<p>One glance at the dress of the stranger would have been enough +to tell the brothers his nationality. His under tunic, which +reached almost to the feet, was of the finest cloth, and was +embroidered along the lower border with gold thread. The sur-tunic +was also richly embroidered; and the heavy mantle clasped upon the +shoulder with a rare jewel was of some rich texture almost unknown +to the boys. The make and set of his garments, and the jewelled and +plumed cap which he held upon his knee, alike proclaimed him to be +English; yet as he gazed upon the noble face, and looked into the +clear depths of the calm and fearless eyes, Wendot felt no +hostility towards the representative of the hostile race, but +rather a sort of reluctant admiration.</p> +<p>"In faith he looks born to command," he whispered to Griffeth. +"If all were like unto him --"</p> +<p>But the lad did not complete the sentence, for he had suddenly +caught sight of another figure, another face, and he stopped short +in a sort of bewildered amaze.</p> +<p>In Dynevor Castle there had never been a girl child to share the +honours with her brothers. No sister had played in its halls, or +tyrannized over the lads or their parents. And now when Wendot's +glance fell for the first time upon this little fairy-like +creature, this lovely little golden-haired, blue-eyed maiden, he +felt a new sensation enter his life, and gazed as wonderingly at +the apparition as if the child had been a ghost.</p> +<p>And the soft shy eyes, with their fringe of dark lashes, were +looking straight at him. As he gazed the child suddenly rose, and +darted towards the brothers as if she had wings on her feet.</p> +<p>"Oh, you have come back!" she said, looking from one to the +other, and for a moment seeming puzzled by the likeness; "and -- +why, there are two of you," and the child broke into the merriest +and silveriest of laughs. "Oh, I am so glad! I do like boys so +much, and I never have any to play with at home. I am so tired of +this old man and his harp. Please let me go somewhere with you," +and she thrust her soft little hand confidingly into Wendot's, +looking up saucily into his face as she added, "You are the +biggest; I like you the best."</p> +<p>Wendot's face glowed; but on the whole he was flattered by the +attention and the preference of the little maiden. He understood +her soft English speech perfectly, for all the Dynevor brothers had +been instructed in the English tongue by an English monk who had +long lived at the castle. Res Vychan, the present Lord of Dynevor, +foresaw, and had foreseen many years, the gradual usurpation of the +English, and had considered that a knowledge of that tongue would +in all probability be an advantage to those who were likely to be +involved in the coming struggle. The boys all possessed the quick +musical ear of their race, and found no difficulty in mastering the +language; but neither Llewelyn nor Howel would ever speak a single +word of the hated tongue if they could help it, though Wendot and +Griffeth conversed often with the old monk right willingly.</p> +<p>So as Wendot looked down into the bright little upturned face, +he was able to reply readily and smilingly:</p> +<p>"Where would you like to go, little lady, and what would you +like me to show you?"</p> +<p>"Oh, everything -- all out there," said the little girl, with a +wave of her hand towards the front door. "I want to go and see the +sun. I am tired of it in here."</p> +<p>Wendot led the child through the hall, and out upon the great +terrace which overlooked the steep descent to the valley and away +to the glowing west. Griffeth followed, glad that his elder brother +had been preferred before himself by the little maiden, yet half +fascinated by her nameless charm. Wendot lifted her up in his +strong arms to see over the wide stone balustrade, and she made him +set her down there and perch himself by her side; for she seemed +loath to go back to the hall again, and the boys were as willing as +she to remain out in the open air.</p> +<p>"It is pretty here," said the child graciously; "I think I +should like to live here sometimes, if it was always summer. Tell +me your name, big boy. I hope it is not very hard. Some people here +have names I cannot speak right."</p> +<p>"They call me Res Wendot," answered the lad; "generally Wendot +at home here. This is Griffeth, my youngest brother. Those are not +hard names, are they?"</p> +<p>"No, not very. And how old are you, Wendot?"</p> +<p>"I am fifteen."</p> +<p>"Oh, how big you are!" said the little lady, opening her eyes +wide; "I thought you must be much older than that. I am twelve, and +you can lift me up in your arms. But then I always was so little -- +they all say so."</p> +<p>"Yet you travel about with your father," said Wendot.</p> +<p>"I never did before; but this time I begged, and he took me. +Sometimes he says he shall have to put me in a nunnery, because he +has nobody to take care of me when he has to travel about. But I +don't think I should like that; I would rather stay here."</p> +<p>Wendot and Griffeth laughed; but the child was not at all +disconcerted. She was remarkably self possessed for her years, even +if she was small of stature and infantile in appearance.</p> +<p>"What is your name?" asked Wendot; and the little maid answered, +with becoming gravity and importance:</p> +<p>"I am called Lady Gertrude Cherleton; but you may call me +Gertrude if you like, because you are kind and I like you. Are +there any more of you? Have you any sisters?"</p> +<p>"No; only two brothers."</p> +<p>"More brothers! and what are their names?"</p> +<p>"Llewelyn and Howel."</p> +<p>"Llewelyn? Why, that is the name of the Prince of North Wales +that the king is going to fight against and conquer. Do you think +when he has done so that he will come here and conquer you, +too?"</p> +<p>Wendot's cheek burned a sudden red; but he made no reply, for at +that moment a head suddenly appeared round an angle of the wall, +and a heavy grip was laid upon the shoulder of the child. A wild +face and a pair of flashing black eyes were brought into close +proximity with hers, and a smothered voice spoke in fierce, low +accents.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II</a>. THE BROTHERS</h2> +<p>"What is that you dare to say?"</p> +<p>The voice was harsh, the words were spoken with a rough accent, +unlike the gentler tones of Wendot and Griffeth. The child uttered +a little cry and shrank back away from the grip of the strong hand, +and might have been in some danger of losing her balance and of +falling over the balustrade, had not Wendot thrown a protecting arm +round her, whilst pushing back with the other hand that of the rude +interloper.</p> +<p>"Llewelyn! for shame!" he said in his own tongue. "Art thou a +man, and claimest the blood of princes, and yet canst stoop to +frighten an inoffensive child?"</p> +<p>"She spoke of conquest -- the conquest of our country," cried +Llewelyn fiercely, in the hated English tongue, scowling darkly at +the little girl as he spoke. "Thinkest thou that I will stand +patiently by and hear such words? What right hath she or any one +besides to speak of that tyrant and usurper in such tones?"</p> +<p>"He is not a tyrant, he is not a usurper!" cried the little Lady +Gertrude, recovering herself quickly, and, whilst still holding +Wendot by the hand, turning fearlessly upon the dark-faced lad who +had startled and terrified her at the first. "I know of whom you +are speaking -- it is of our great and noble King Edward. You do +not know him -- you cannot know how great and good he is. I will +not hear you speak against him. I love him next best to my own +father. He is kind and good to everybody. If you would all give +your homage to him you would be happy and safe, and he would +protect you, and --"</p> +<p>But Llewelyn's patience was exhausted; he would listen no more. +With a fierce gesture of hatred that made the child shrink back +again he turned upon her, and it seemed for a moment almost as +though he would have struck her, despite Wendot's sturdy protecting +arm, had not his own shoulder been suddenly grasped by an iron +hand, and he himself confronted by the stern countenance of his +father.</p> +<p>"What means this, boy?" asked Res Vychan severely. "Art thou +daring to raise thine arm against a child, a lady, and thy father's +guest? For shame! I blush for thee. Ask pardon instantly of the +lady and of her father. I will have no such dealings in mine house. +Thou shouldst be well assured of that."</p> +<p>The black-browed boy was crimson with rage and shame, but there +was no yielding in the haughty face. He confronted his father with +flashing eyes, and as he did so he met the keen, grave glance of +the stranger's fixed upon him with a calm scrutiny which aroused +his fiercest rage.</p> +<p>"I will not ask pardon," he shouted. "I will not degrade my +tongue by uttering such words. I will not --"</p> +<p>The father's hand descended heavily upon his son's head, in a +blow which would have stunned a lad less hardy and hard-headed. Res +Vychan was not one to be defied with impunity by his own sons, and +he had had hard encounters of will before now with Llewelyn.</p> +<p>"Choose, boy," he said with brief sternness. "Either do my will +and obey me, or thou wilt remain a close prisoner till thou hast +come to thy senses. My guests shall not be insulted by thy forward +tongue. Barbarous and wild as the English love to call us, they +shall find that Res Vychan is not ignorant of those laws which +govern the world in which they live and move. Ask pardon of the +lady, or to the dungeon thou goest."</p> +<p>Llewelyn glanced up into his father's face, and saw no yielding +there. Howel was making vehement signs to him which he and he alone +could interpret. His other brothers were eagerly gazing at him, and +Griffeth even went so for as to murmur into his ear some words of +entreaty.</p> +<p>It seemed as though the silence which followed Res Vychan's +words would never be broken, but at last the culprit spoke, and +spoke in a low, sullen tone.</p> +<p>"I meant no harm. I would not have hurt her."</p> +<p>"Ask her pardon then, boy, and tell her so."</p> +<p>"Nay, force him no more," said the little lady, who was +regarding this curious scene with lively interest, and who began to +feel sorry for the dark wild boy who had frightened her by his +vehemence before; "I was to blame myself. I should not have spoken +as I did.</p> +<p>"Father, tell them how my tongue is always running away with me. +Hast not thou told me a hundred times that it would get me into +trouble one of these days? It is right that he should love his +country. Do not think ill of him for that."</p> +<p>"Ay, let the lad go now, good friend," quoth Lord Montacute. "No +doubt this little witch of mine was at the bottom of the mischief. +Her tongue, as she truly says, is a restless and mischievous +possession. She has found a stanch protector at least, and will +come to no harm amongst thy stalwart lads. I could envy thee such a +double brace of boys. I would it had pleased Providence to send me +a son."</p> +<p>"Nay, father, say not so," cried little Lady Gertrude coaxingly. +"I would not have a brother for all the world. Thou wouldst love +him so well, if thou hadst him, that thou wouldst have none to +spare for thy maid. I have seen how it ever is. I love to have all +thy heart for mine own."</p> +<p>The father smiled, but Res Vychan's face was still severe, and +he had not loosed his clasp upon Llewelyn's arm.</p> +<p>"Say that thou art sorry ere I let thee go," he said, in low but +very stern tones; and after a moment's hesitation, Llewelyn spoke +in audible tones.</p> +<p>"I am sorry," he said slowly; "I am sorry."</p> +<p>And then as his father's clasp upon his arm relaxed he darted +away like an arrow from the bow, and plunged with Howel through a +dark and gloomy doorway which led up a winding turret stair to a +narrow circular chamber, which the brothers shared together.</p> +<p>"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" he panted fiercely; "ay, that indeed I +am. Sorry that I did not wring her neck as the fowler wrings the +neck of the bird his shaft hath brought down; sorry I did not cast +her headlong down the steep precipice, that there might be one less +of the hated race contaminating the air of our pure Wales with +their poisonous breath. Sorry! ay, that I am! I would my hand had +done a deed which should have set proud Edward's forces in battle +array against us. I would that this tampering with traitors were at +an end, and that we warriors of South Wales might stand shoulder to +shoulder, firmly banded against the foreign foe. I would plunge a +dagger in the false heart of yon proud Englishman as he lies +sleeping in his bed tonight, if by doing so I could set light to +the smouldering flame of national hatred.</p> +<p>"What sayest thou? Can we do nought to bring upon us an open +war, which is a thousand times better than this treacherous, hollow +peace? Our father and mother are half won over to the cause of +slavery. They --"</p> +<p>Llewelyn paused, choking back the fierce tide of passion which +went far to unman him. He had not forgotten the humiliation placed +upon him so recently, when his father had compelled him to sue for +pardon to an English maiden. His heart was burning, his soul was +stirred to its depths. He had to stop short lest his passion should +carry him away.</p> +<p>Howel seemed to understand him without the medium of words. The +links which bound the twin brothers together were very subtle and +very strong. If Llewelyn were the more violent and headstrong, +Howel was more than his equal in diplomacy. He shared every feeling +of his brother's heart, but he was less outspoken and less +rash.</p> +<p>"I know what thou wouldst do," he said thoughtfully: "thou +wouldst force upon our father a step which shall make a rupture +with the English inevitable. Thou wouldst do a thing which should +bring upon us the wrath of the mighty Edward, and force both +ourselves and our neighbours to take arms against him. Is not that +so?"</p> +<p>"Ay, truly; and could such a thing be, gladly would I lay down +my life in the cause of liberty and freedom."</p> +<p>Howel was pondering deeply.</p> +<p>"Perchance it might be done," he said.</p> +<p>Llewelyn eagerly raised his head.</p> +<p>"Thinkest thou so? How?"</p> +<p>"I know not yet, but we shall have time for thought. Knowest +thou that the maid will remain here beneath our mother's charge for +a while, whilst our father goes forward as far as the Abbey of +Strata Florida with yon stranger, to guide him on his way? The maid +will remain here until her father's return."</p> +<p>"How knowest thou that?"</p> +<p>"I had it from Wenwynwyn's lips. He heard the discussion in the +hall, and it seems that this Lord Montacute would be glad to be +free of the care of the child for a while. Our mother delights in +the charge of a little maid, and thus it will be as I have +said."</p> +<p>A strange fire gleamed in Llewelyn's eyes. The brothers looked +at each other a good while in silence.</p> +<p>"And thou thinkest --" said Llewelyn at last.</p> +<p>Howel was some time in replying, and his answer was a little +indeterminate, although sufficiently significant.</p> +<p>"Why, the maid will be left here; but when her father returns to +claim her, perchance she will not be found. If that were so, +thinkest thou not that nought but open war would lie before +us?"</p> +<p>Llewelyn's eyes glowed. He said not a word, and the darkness +gathered round the boys in the narrow chamber. They thought not of +descending or of asking for food, even after their day's hunting in +the hills. They were hardy, and seasoned to abstemious ways, and +had no room for thoughts of such a kind. Silence was settling down +upon the castle, and they had no intention of leaving their room +again that night. Dark thoughts were their companions as they +undressed and made ready for bed; and hardly were they settled +there before the door opened, and the old bard Wenwynwyn +entered.</p> +<p>This old man was almost like a father to these boys, and +Llewelyn and Howel were particularly attached to him and he to +them. He shared to the full their ardent love for their country and +their untempered hatred of the English race. He saw, as they did, +nothing but ill in the temporizing attitude now to be found amongst +the smaller Welsh chieftains with regard to the claims made by the +English monarch; and much of the fierce hostility to be found in +the boys had been the result of the lessons instilled into their +mind by the wild-eyed, passionate old bard, one of the last of a +doomed race.</p> +<p>"Wenwynwyn, is it thou?"</p> +<p>"Ay, boys, it is I. You did well to abstain from sitting at meat +with the stranger tonight. The meat went nigh to choke me that was +swallowed in his presence."</p> +<p>"How long stays he, contaminating our pure air?"</p> +<p>"He himself is off by sunrise tomorrow, and Res Vychan goes with +him. He leaves behind the little maid in the care of thy +mother."</p> +<p>A strange smile crossed the face of the old man, invisible in +the darkness.</p> +<p>"Strange for the parent bird to leave the dove in the nest of +the hawk -- the eyry of the eagle."</p> +<p>"Ha!" quoth Llewelyn quickly, "that thought hath likewise come +to thee, good Wenwynwyn."</p> +<p>The old man made no direct response, but went on speaking in low +even tones.</p> +<p>"The maid has dwelt in the household of the great king. She has +played with his children, been the companion of the young +princesses. She is beloved of them and of the monarch and his wife. +Let them but hear that she is lost in the fastness of Dynevor, and +the royal Edward will march in person to her rescue. All the +country will rise in arms to defend itself. The north will join +with the south, and Wales will shake off the hated foreign yoke +banded as one man against the foreign foe."</p> +<p>The boys listened spellbound. They had often talked together of +some step which might kindle the conflagration, but had never yet +seen the occasion. Hot-headed, rash, reckless as were the youths; +wild, tameless, and fearless as was the ancient bard; they had +still been unable to hit upon any device which might set a light to +the train. Discontent and resentment were rife all over the +country, but it was the fashion rather to temporize with the +invader than to defy him. There was a strong party gathering in the +country whose policy was that of paying homage to Edward and +retaining their lands under his protection and countenance, as +being more truly patriotic and farsighted than continuing the old +struggle for supremacy among themselves. This was a policy utterly +incomprehensible both to the boys and the old man, and stirred the +blood of the lads to boiling pitch.</p> +<p>"What can we do?" asked Llewelyn hoarsely.</p> +<p>"I will tell you," whispered the old man, approaching close to +the bed whereon the brothers lay wide-eyed and broad awake. "This +very night I leave the castle by the postern door, and in the +moonlight I make my way to the commot of Llanymddyvri, where dwells +that bold patriot Maelgon ap Caradoc. To him I tell all, and he +will risk everything in the cause. It will be very simply done. You +boys must feign a while -- must feign friendship for the maid thus +left behind. Your brothers have won her heart already; you must not +be behind them. The dove must have no fear of the young eaglets. +She has a high courage of her own; she loves adventure and frolic; +she will long to stretch her wings, and wander amid the mountain +heights, under the stanch protection of her comrades of +Dynevor.</p> +<p>"Then listen, boys. The day will come when the thing is to be +done. In some of the wild fastnesses of the upper Towy will be +lurking the bold bands of Maelgon ap Caradoc. Thither you must lead +the unsuspicious maid, first by some device getting rid of your +brothers, who might try to thwart the scheme. These bold fellows +will carry off the maid to the safe keeping of Maelgon, and once +let her be his prisoner, there is no fear of her escaping from his +hands. Edward himself and all his forces at his back will scarce +wrest away the prize, and the whole country will be united and in +arms ere it suffer the tyrant to march through our fair vales."</p> +<p>Whilst within this upper turret chamber this plot was being +concocted against the innocent child by two passionate, hot-headed +boys and one of the ancient race of bards, the little maiden was +herself sleeping soundly and peacefully within a small inner +closet, close to the room where Gladys, the lady of the castle, +reposed; and with the earliest streak of dawn, when the child +opened her eyes upon the strange bare walls of the Welsh +stronghold, the first thing that met her eyes was the sweet and +gentle face of the chatelaine bending tenderly over her.</p> +<p>Although the present lady of Dynevor was the sister of the bold +and fierce Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, who gave more trouble +to the King of England than did anybody else, she was herself of a +gentle and thoughtful disposition, more inclined to advocate peace +than war, and more far-seeing, temperate, and well-informed than +most persons of her time, and especially than the women, who for +the most part had but very vague ideas as to what was going on in +the country.</p> +<p>She had had many thoughts herself during the still hours of this +summer night, and when she bent over the sleeping child and wakened +her by a kiss, she felt a strange tenderness towards her, which +seemed to be reciprocated by the little one, who suddenly flung her +arms about her neck and kissed her passionately.</p> +<p>"Is my father gone?" she asked, recollection coming back.</p> +<p>"Not gone, but going soon," answered the Lady of Dynevor, +smiling; "that is why I have come to waken thee early, little +Gertrude, that thou mayest receive his farewell kiss and see him +ride away. Thou wilt not be grieved to be left with us for a while, +little one? Thou wilt not pine in his absence?"</p> +<p>"Not if I have you to take care of me," answered the child +confidingly -- "you and Wendot and Griffeth. I am weary of always +travelling on rough roads. I will gladly stay here a while with +you."</p> +<p>There was the bustle of preparation going on in the hall when +the lady descended with the child hanging on to her hand. Gertrude +broke away and ran to her father, who was sitting at the board, +with Wendot standing beside him listening eagerly to his talk. The +boy's handsome face was alight, and he seemed full of eager +interest in what was being said. Lord Montacute frequently raised +his head and gave the lad a look of keen scrutiny. Even whilst +caressing his little daughter his interest seemed to be centred in +Wendot, and when at parting the lad held his stirrup for him, and +gently restrained little Gertrude, who was in danger of being +trampled on by the pawing charger, Lord Montacute looked for a +moment very intently at the pair, and then let his glance wander +for a moment over the grand fortress of Dynevor and the beautiful +valley it commanded.</p> +<p>Then he turned once more to Wendot with a kindly though +penetrating smile.</p> +<p>"In the absence of your father, Wendot, you are the master and +guardian of this castle, its occupants and its treasures. I render +my little daughter into your safe keeping. Of your hands I shall +ask her back when I return in a week's time."</p> +<p>Wendot flushed with pleasure and gratification. What boy does +not like the thought of being looked upon as his father's +substitute? He raised his head with a gesture of pride, and clasped +the little soft hand of Gertrude more closely in his.</p> +<p>"I will take the trust, Lord Montacute," he said. "I will hold +myself responsible for the safety of Lady Gertrude. At my hands +demand her when you return. If she is not safe and well, take my +life as the forfeit."</p> +<p>Lord Montacute smiled slightly at the manly words and bearing of +the lad, but he did not like him the less for either. As for little +Gertrude, she gazed up into the bold bright face of Wendot, and +clasping his hand in hers, she said:</p> +<p>"Am I to belong to you now? I think I shall like that, you are +so brave and so kind to me."</p> +<p>The father gave the pair another of his keen looks, and rode off +in the bright morning sunshine, promising not to be very long +away.</p> +<p>"I shan't fret, now that I have you and the Lady of Dynevor," +said the child confidingly to Wendot. "I've often been left for a +long time at the palace with the ladies Eleanor and Joanna, and +with Alphonso and Britton, but I shall like this much better. There +is no governess here, and we can do as we like. I want to know +everything you do, and go everywhere with you."</p> +<p>Wendot promised to show the little lady everything she wanted, +and led her in to breakfast, which was a very important meal in +those days. All the four brothers were gathered at the board, and +the child looked rather shyly at the dark-browed twins, whom she +hardly knew one from the other, and whom she regarded with a +certain amount of awe. But there was nothing hostile in the manner +of any of the party. Llewelyn was silent, but when he did speak it +was in very different tones from those of last night; and Howel was +almost brilliant in his sallies, and evoked many a peal of laughter +from the lighthearted little maiden. Partings with her father were +of too common occurrence to cause her much distress, and she was +too well used to strange places to feel lost in these new +surroundings, and she had her own nurse and attendant left with +her.</p> +<p>Full of natural curiosity, the child was eager to see everything +of interest near her temporary home, and the brothers were her very +devoted servants, taking her everywhere she wished to go, helping +her over every difficult place, and teaching her to have such +confidence in them, and such trust in their guidance, that she soon +ceased to feel fear however wild was the ascent or descent, however +lonely the region in which she found herself.</p> +<p>Although Wendot continued her favourite, and Griffeth stood +next, owing to his likeness to his eldest brother, the twins soon +won her favour also. They were in some respects more interesting, +as they were less easily understood, wilder and stranger in their +ways, and always full of stories of adventure and warfare, which +fascinated her imagination even when she knew that they spoke of +the strife between England and Wales. She had a high spirit and a +love of adventure, which association with these stalwart boys +rapidly developed.</p> +<p>One thing about Llewelyn and Howel gratified her childlike +vanity, and gave her considerable pleasure. They would praise her +agility and courage, and urge her on to make trial of her strength +and nerve, when the more careful Wendot would beg her to be careful +and not risk herself by too great recklessness. A few days spent in +this pure, free air seemed to infuse new life into her frame, and +the colour in her cheeks and the light in her eyes deepened day by +day, to the motherly satisfaction of the Lady of Dynevor and the +pride of Wendot, who regarded the child as his especial charge.</p> +<p>But in his father's absence many duties fell upon Wendot, and +there came a bright evening when he and Griffeth were occupied +about the castle, and only Llewelyn and Howel had leisure to wander +with the little guest to her favourite spot to see the red sun +set.</p> +<p>Llewelyn was full of talk that evening, and spoke with a rude +eloquence and fire that always riveted the attention of the child. +He told of the wild, lonely beauty of a certain mountain peak which +he pointed out up the valley, of the weird charm of the road +thither, and above all of the eagle's nest which was to be found +there, and the young eaglets being now reared therein, which he and +Howel meant to capture and keep as their own, and which they +purposed to visit the very next day to see if they were fit yet to +leave the nest.</p> +<p>Gertrude sat entranced as the boy talked, and when she heard of +the eagle's nest she gave a little cry of delight.</p> +<p>"O Llewelyn, take me with you. Let me see the eagle's nest and +the little eaglets."</p> +<p>But the boy shook his head doubtfully.</p> +<p>"You could not get as far. It is a long way, and a very rough +walk."</p> +<p>The child shook back her curling hair defiantly.</p> +<p>"I could do it! I know I could. I could go half the way on my +palfrey, and walk the rest. You would help me. You know how well I +can climb. Oh, do take me -- do take me! I should so love to see an +eagle's nest."</p> +<p>But still Llewelyn shook his head.</p> +<p>"Wendot would not let you go; he would say it was too +dangerous."</p> +<p>Again came the little defiant toss.</p> +<p>"I am not Wendot's slave; I can do as I choose."</p> +<p>"If he finds out he will stop you."</p> +<p>"But we need not tell him, need we?"</p> +<p>"I thought you always told him everything."</p> +<p>The child stamped her little foot.</p> +<p>"I tell him things generally, but I can keep a secret. If he +would stop us from going, we will not tell him, nor Griffeth +either. We will get up very early and go by ourselves. We could do +that, could we not, and come back with the young eaglets in our +hands? O let us go! let us do it soon, and take me with you, kind +Llewelyn! Indeed I shall not be in your way. I will be very good. +And you know you have taught me to climb so well. I know I can go +where you can go. You said so yourself once."</p> +<p>Llewelyn turned his head away to conceal a smile half of +triumph, half of contempt. A strange flash was in his eyes as he +looked up the valley towards the crag upon which he had told the +child the eyry of the eagles hung. She thought he was hesitating +still, and laid a soft little hand upon his arm.</p> +<p>"Please say that I may go."</p> +<p>He turned quickly and looked at her. For a moment she shrank +back from the strange glow in his eyes; but her spirit rose again, +and she said rather haughtily: "You need not be angry with me. If +you don't wish me to come I will stay at home with Wendot. I do not +choose to ask favours of anybody if they will not give them +readily."</p> +<p>"I should like to take you if it would be safe," answered +Llewelyn, speaking as if ashamed of his petulance or +reluctance.</p> +<p>"Howel, could she climb to the crag where we can look down upon +the eyry if we helped her up the worst places?"</p> +<p>"I think she could."</p> +<p>The child's face flushed; she clasped her hands together and +listened eagerly whilst the brothers discussed the plan which in +the end was agreed to -- a very early start secretly from the +castle before the day dawned, the chief point to be observed +beforehand being absolute secrecy, so that the projected expedition +should not reach the ears either of Wendot, his mother, or +Griffeth. It was to be carried out entirely by the twins +themselves, with Gertrude as their companion.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III</a>. THE EAGLE'S CRAG.</h2> +<p>"Where is the maid, mother?"</p> +<p>"Nay, I know not, my son. I thought she was with thee."</p> +<p>"I have not seen her anywhere. I have been busy with the +men."</p> +<p>"Where are the other boys?"</p> +<p>"That I know not either. I have seen none since I rose this +morning. I have been busy."</p> +<p>"The maid had risen and dressed herself, and had slipped out +betimes," said the Lady of Dynevor, as she took her place at the +board. "Methought she would be with thee. She is a veritable sprite +for flitting hither and thither after thee. Doubtless she is with +some of the others. Who knows where the boys have gone this +morning? They are not wont to be absent at the breakfast hour."</p> +<p>This last question was addressed to the servants who were at the +lower end of the board, and one of them spoke up in reply. By what +he said it appeared that Griffeth had started off early to fly a +new falcon of his, and it seemed probable that his brothers and +little Lady Gertrude had accompanied him; for whilst he had been +discussing with the falconer the best place for making the proposed +trial, Llewelyn had been to the stables and had saddled and led out +the palfrey upon which their little guest habitually rode, and +there seemed no reason to doubt that all the party had gone +somewhere up upon the highlands to watch the maiden essay of the +bird.</p> +<p>"She would be sure to long to see the trial," said Wendot, +attacking the viands before him with a hearty appetite. "She always +loves to go with us when there is anything to see or hear. I marvel +that she spoke not of it to me, but perchance it slipped her +memory."</p> +<p>The early risers were late at the meal, but no one was anxious +about them. When anything so engrossing as the flying of a young +falcon was in the wind, it was natural that so sublunary a matter +as breakfast should be forgotten. The servants had finished their +meal, and had left the table before there was any sign of the +return of the wanderers, and then it was only Griffeth who came +bounding in, his face flushed and his eyes shining as he caressed +the hooded bird upon his wrist.</p> +<p>"He is a beauty, Wendot. I would thou hadst been there to see. I +took him up to --"</p> +<p>"Ay, tell us all that when thou hast had something to eat," said +Wendot. "And where is Gertrude? she must be well-nigh famished by +this time."</p> +<p>"Gertrude? Nay, I know not. I have not seen her. I would not +have wearied her with such a tramp through the heavy dews."</p> +<p>"But she had her palfrey; Llewelyn led it away ere it was well +light. Were you not all together?"</p> +<p>"Nay, I was all alone. Llewelyn and Howel were off and away +before I was ready; for when I sought them to ask if they would +come, they were nowhere to be found. As for the maid, I never +thought of her. Where can they have taken her so early?"</p> +<p>A sudden look of anxiety crossed Wendot's face; but he repressed +any exclamation of dismay, and glanced at his mother to see if by +any chance she shared his feeling. But her face was calm and +placid, and she said composedly:</p> +<p>"If she is with Llewelyn and Howel she will be safe. They have +taken her on some expedition in secret, but none will harm her with +two such stout protectors as they."</p> +<p>And then the lady moved away to commence her round of household +duties, which in those days was no sinecure; whilst Wendot stood in +the midst of the great hall with a strange shadow upon his face. +Griffeth, who was eagerly discussing his breakfast, looked +wonderingly at him.</p> +<p>"Brother, what ails thee?" he said at length; "thou seemest ill +at ease."</p> +<p>"I am ill at ease," answered Wendot, and with a quick glance +round him to assure himself that there was no one by to hear, he +approached Griffeth with hasty steps and sat down beside him, +speaking in a low, rapid way and in English, "Griffeth, tell me, +didst thou hear aught last night ere thou fell asleep?"</p> +<p>"Ay, I heard Wenwynwyn singing to his harp in his own chamber, +but nought beside."</p> +<p>"I heard that too," said Wendot, "and for his singing I could +not sleep; so when it ceased not, I rose and stole to his room to +ask him to forbear, yet so wild and strange was the song he sang +that at the door I paused to listen; and what thinkest thou was the +burden that he sang?"</p> +<p>"Nay, I know not; tell me."</p> +<p>"He sang a strange song that I have never heard before, of how a +dove was borne from safe shelter -- a young dove in the absence of +the father bird; not the mother bird, but the father -- and carried +away to the eagle's nest by two fierce young eaglets untamed and +untamable, there to be left till the kites come down to carry off +the prize.</p> +<p>"Ha! thou startest and changest colour! What is it thou fearest? +Where are Llewelyn and Howell and what have they done with the +maid? What kuowest thou, Griffeth?"</p> +<p>"I know nought," answered Griffeth, "save that Wenwynwyn has +been up to the commot of Llanymddyvri, and thou knowest what all +they of that place feel towards the English. Then Llewelyn and +Howel have been talking of late of the eagle's nest on the crag +halfway thither, and if they had named it to Gertrude she would +have been wild to go and see it. We know when Wenwynwyn sings his +songs how he ever calls Maelgon ap Caradoc the kite, and the lords +of Dynevor the eagles. But, Wendot, it could not be -- a child -- a +maid -- and our father's guest. I cannot believe it of our own +brothers."</p> +<p>"I know not what to think, but my heart misgives me. Thou +knowest what Llewelyn ever was, and Howel is but his shadow. I have +mistrusted this strange friendship before now, remembering what +chanced that first day, and that Llewelyn never forgives or +forgets; but I would not have dreamed of such a thing as this. Yet, +Griffeth, if the thing is so, there is no time to lose. I am off +for the crag this very minute. Thou must quietly collect and arm a +few of our stanchest men, together with the English servants left +here with their young mistress. Let all be done secretly and +quietly, and come after me with all speed. It may be that we are on +a fool's errand, and that our fears are groundless. But truly it +may be that our brothers are about to betray our guest into the +hands of one of England's most bitter foes.</p> +<p>"Oh, methinks were her father to return, and I had her not safe +to deliver back to him, I would not for very shame live to see the +day when I must avow to him what had befallen his child at the +hands of my brethren!"</p> +<p>Griffeth was fully alive to the possible peril menacing the +child, and eagerly took his orders from his elder brother. It would +not be difficult to summon some dozen of the armed men on the place +to accompany him quietly and secretly. They would follow upon +Wendot's fleet steps with as little delay as might be, and would at +least track the fugitive and her guides, whether they succeeded in +effecting a rescue that day or not.</p> +<p>Wendot waited for nothing but to give a few directions to his +brother. Scarce ten minutes had elapsed from the moment when the +first illumination of mind had come to him respecting some plot +against the life of an innocent child, before he had armed himself, +and unleashed two of the fleetest, strongest, fiercest of the +hounds, and was speeding up across the moor and fell towards the +lonely crag of the eagle's nest, which lay halfway between the +castle of Dynevor and the abode of Maelgon ap Caradoc.</p> +<p>There was one advantage Wendot possessed over his brothers, and +that was that he could take the wild-deer tracks which led straight +onward and upward, whilst they with their charge would have to keep +to the winding mule track, which trebled the distance. The maiden's +palfrey was none too clever or surefooted upon these rough +hillsides, and their progress would be but slow.</p> +<p>Wendot moved as if he had wings to his feet, and although the +hot summer sun began to beat down upon his head, and his breath +came in deep, laboured gasps, he felt neither heat nor fatigue, but +pressed as eagerly onwards and upwards as the strong, fleet hounds +at his side.</p> +<p>He knew he was on the right track; for ever and anon his path +would cross that which had been trodden by the feet of the boys and +the horse earlier in the day, and his own quick eyes and the deep +baying of the hounds told him at once whenever this was the case. +Upwards and onwards, onwards and upwards, sprang the brave lad with +the untiring energy of a strong and righteous purpose. He might be +going to danger, he might be going to his death; for if he came +into open collision with the wild and savage retainers of Maelgon, +intent upon obtaining their prey, he knew that they would think +little of stabbing him to the heart rather than be balked. There +was no feud so far between Llanymddyvri and Dynevor, but Wendot +knew that his father was suspected of leaning towards the English +cause, and that it would take little to provoke some hostile +demonstration on the part of his wild and reckless neighbour. The +whole country was torn and rent by internecine strife, and there +was a chronic state of semi-warfare kept up between half the nobles +of the country against the other half.</p> +<p>But of personal danger Wendot thought nothing. His own honour +and that of his father were at stake. If the little child left in +their care were treacherously given up to the foes of the English, +the boy felt that he should never lift up his head again. He must +save her -- he would. Far rather would he die in her defence than +face her father with the story of the base treachery of his +brothers.</p> +<p>The path grew wilder and steeper; the vegetation became more +scant. The heat of the sun was tempered by the cold of the upper +air. It was easier to climb, and the boy felt that his muscles were +made of steel.</p> +<p>Suddenly a new sound struck upon his ear. It was like the whinny +of a horse, only that there was in it a note of distress. Glancing +sharply about him, Wendot saw Lady Gertrude's small white palfrey +standing precariously on a ledge of rock, and looking pitifully +about him, unable to move either up or down. The creature had +plainly been turned loose and abandoned, and in trying to find his +way home had stranded upon this ledge, and was frightened to move a +step. Wendot was fond of all animals, and could not leave the +pretty creature in such a predicament.</p> +<p>"Besides, Gertrude may want him again for the descent," he said; +and although every moment was precious, he contrived to get the +horse up the steep bank and on to better ground, and then tethered +him on a small grassy plateau, where he could feed and take his +ease in safety for an hour or two to come.</p> +<p>That matter accomplished, the lad was up and off again. He had +now to trust to the hounds to direct him, for he did not know what +track his brothers would have taken, and the hard rocks gave no +indications which he could follow. But the dogs were well used to +their work, and with their noses to the ground followed the trail +unceasingly, indicating from time to time by a deep bay that they +were absolutely certain of their direction.</p> +<p>High overhead loomed the apex of the great crag. Wendot knew +that he had not much farther to go. He was able to distinguish the +cairn of stones which he and his brothers had once erected on the +top in honour of their having made the ascent in a marvellously +short space of time. Wendot had beaten that record today, he knew; +but his eyes were full of anxiety instead of triumph. He was +scanning every track and every inch of distance for traces of the +foe he felt certain were somewhere at hand. Had they been here +already, and had they carried off the prey? Or were they only on +their way, and had he come in time to thwart their purpose yet?</p> +<p>Ha! what was that?</p> +<p>Wendot had reached the shoulder of the mountain; he could see +across the valley -- could see the narrow winding track which led +to the stronghold of Maelgon. The Eagle's Crag, as it was called, +fell away precipitously on the other side. No one could scale it on +that face. The path from the upper valley wound round circuitously +towards it; and along this path, in the brilliant sunshine, Wendot +saw distinctly the approach of a small band of armed men. Yes: they +were approaching, they were not retreating. Then they had not +already taken their prey; they were coming to claim it. The boy +could have shouted aloud in his triumph and joy; but he held his +peace, for who could tell what peril might not lie in the way?</p> +<p>The next moment he had scaled the steep, slippery rock which led +to the precipitous edge of the crag. Not a sign could he see of his +brothers or the child, but the hounds led right on to the very +verge of the precipice, and for a moment the boy's heart stood +still. What if they had grown afraid of the consequences of their +own act, and had resolved to get rid of the child in a sure and +safe fashion!</p> +<p>For a moment Wendot's blood ran cold. He recalled the traits of +fierce cruelty which had sometimes shown themselves in Llewelyn +from childhood, his well-known hatred of the English, his outburst +of passion with Gertrude, so quickly followed by a strange +appearance of friendship. Wendot knew his countrymen and his +nation's characteristics, and knew that fierce acts of treachery +were often truly charged upon them. What if -- But the thought was +too repellent to be seriously pursued, and shaking it off by an +effort, he raised his voice and called his brothers by name.</p> +<p>And then, almost as it seemed from beneath his very feet, there +came an answering call; but the voice was not that of his brothers, +but the cry of a terrified child.</p> +<p>"Oh, who are you? Do, please, come to me. I am so frightened. I +know I shall fall. I know I shall be killed. Do come to me quickly. +I don't know where Llewelyn and Howel have gone."</p> +<p>"I am coming -- I am Wendot," cried the boy, his heart giving a +sudden bound. "You are not hurt, you are safe?"</p> +<p>"Yes; only so giddy and frightened, and the sun is so hot and +burning, and yet it is cold, too. It is such a narrow place, and I +cannot get up or down. I can't see the eagle's nest, and they have +been such a long time going after it. They said they would bring +the nest and the young eagles up to me, but they have never come +back. I'm afraid they are killed or hurt. Oh, if you would only +help me up, then we would go and look for them together! Oh, I am +so glad that you have come!"</p> +<p>Wendot could not see the child, though every word she spoke was +distinctly audible. He certainly could not reach her from the place +where he now stood; but the hounds had been following the tracks of +the quarry they had been scenting all this way, and stood baying at +a certain spot some fifty yards away, and a little lower down than +the apex of the crag. It was long since Wendot had visited this +spot, his brothers knew it better than he; but when he got to the +place indicated by the dogs, he saw that there was a little +precipitous path along the face of the cliff, which, although very +narrow and not a little dangerous, did give foothold to an +experienced mountaineer. How the child had ever had the nerve to +tread it he could not imagine, but undoubtedly she was there, and +he must get her back, if possible, and down the mountainside, +before those armed men from the upper valley could reach them.</p> +<p>But could he do this? He cast an apprehensive glance over his +shoulder, and saw to his dismay how quickly they were approaching. +From their quickened pace he fancied that his own movements had +been observed. Certainly there was not a moment to lose, and +leaving the dogs to keep guard at the entrance, he set his foot +upon the perilous path and carefully pursued his way.</p> +<p>The face of the cliff jutted outwards for some yards, and then +made a sharp turn round an angle. At the spot where this turn +occurred, a sort of natural arch had formed itself over the narrow +ledge which formed the path, and immediately behind the arch there +was a small plateau which gave space to stand and move with some +freedom, although a step over the edge would plunge the unwary +victim into the deep gulf beneath. The cliff then fell away once +again, but the ledge wound round it still, until it ended in a +shallow alcove some eight feet deep, which lay just beneath the +highest part of the crag, which overhung it by many yards.</p> +<p>And it was crouched up against the cliff in this little alcove +that Wendot found Gertrude; cowering, white-faced, against the hard +rock, faint from want of food, terrified at the loneliness and at +her own fears for the safety of her companions, and so overwrought +by the tension of nerve she had undergone, that when Wendot did +stand beside her she could only cling to him sobbing passionately, +and it was long before he could even induce her to let him go, or +to attempt to eat the contents of a small package he had had the +forethought to bring in his wallet.</p> +<p>He heard her tale as she sobbed in his arms. They had come here +after the eagle's nest. Llewelyn and Howel had been so kind! They +had not minded her being so slow, but had brought her all the way; +and when she wanted to follow them along the ledge to get a better +view of the nest, they had blindfolded her that she might not get +giddy, and had put a rope round her and brought her safely along +the narrow ledge till she had got to this place. But the nest could +not be seen even from there, and they had left her to see where it +really was. They said they would soon be back, but they had not +come, and she had got first anxious and then terrified about them, +and then fearful for her own safety. At last when faintness and +giddiness had come upon her, and she could get no answer to her +repeated shouts, her spirit had altogether given way; and unless +Wendot had really come to her rescue, she was certain she should +have fallen down the precipice. She did not know now how she should +ever get back along the narrow ridge, she was so frightened and +giddy. But if Llewelyn and Howel would come, perhaps she might.</p> +<p>Did Wendot know where they were? Would he take care of her now, +and bring her safe home?</p> +<p>"I will if I can," answered the boy, with a strange light in his +blue eyes. "Griffeth is on his way with plenty of help. He will be +here soon. Do you think you could walk along the ridge now, if I +were to hold you up and help you? We should get home sooner if you +could."</p> +<p>But the child shrank back and put her hand before her eyes.</p> +<p>"Oh, let us wait till Griffeth comes. I am so giddy still, and I +am so afraid I should fall. Hark! I'm sure I hear voices. They are +coming already. Oh, I am so glad! I do want to get home. Wendot, +why do you look like that? Why do you get out that thing? You are +not going to fight?"</p> +<p>"Lady Gertrude," said Wendot, speaking in a grave, manly way +that at once riveted the child's attention, "I am afraid that those +voices do not belong to our friends, but to a band of men who are +coming to try and take you prisoner to a castle up the valley +there. No: do not be frightened; I will save you from them if I +can. There is help coming for us, and I think I can hold this path +against them for some time to come. You must try and keep up heart +and not be frightened. You may see some hard blows struck, but you +can shut your eyes and not think about it. If they do kill me and +carry you off, do not give up hope, for Griffeth and our own men +will be after you to rescue you. Now let me go, and try not to be +afraid. I think we can hold them at bay till we are more equally +matched."</p> +<p>The child's eyes dilated with horror. She caught Wendot by the +hand.</p> +<p>"Give me up," she said firmly. "I will not have you killed for +me. I would rather go with them. Give me up, I say!"</p> +<p>"No, Gertrude; I will not give you up," answered Wendot very +quietly, but with an inflexibility of tone which made his voice +seem like that of another person. "Your father placed you in my +hands; to him I must answer for your safety. What is life to a man +without honour? Would you have me stain my name for the sake of +saving my life? I think not that that is the English code of +honour."</p> +<p>Child as she was, little Gertrude understood well what was +implied in those words, and a new light flashed into her eyes. +Something of the soldier spirit awoke within her, and she snatched +at a small dagger Wendot carried in his belt, and drawing her small +figure to its full height, she said:</p> +<p>"We will both fight, Wendot; we will both fight, and both die +rather than let them take us."</p> +<p>He smiled, and just for a moment laid his hand upon her head; +then he drew on his mailed gloves and looked well to the buckles of +the stout leathern jerkin, almost as impervious to the stabs of his +foes as a suit of mail itself. The temper of his weapon he well +knew; he had no fear that it would play him false. He had not the +headpiece of mail; he had started in too great a hurry to arm +himself completely, and speed was too much an object for him to +willingly encumber himself needlessly. But as he skirted the narrow +ledge, and placed himself beneath the protecting arch, he smiled +grimly to himself, and thought that the stone would be as good a +guard, and that here was a place where a man could sell his life +dear, and send many a foe to his account before striking his own +colours.</p> +<p>Scarcely had he well established himself in the commanding +position he had resolved upon, when the sound of voices became more +distinct. The party had plainly arrived at the appointed place, and +Wendot could hear them discussing who was best fitted for the task +of traversing the dangerous ledge to bring back the captive who was +to be found there. The wild Welsh was unintelligible to Gertrude, +or she would have known at once what dark treachery had been +planned and carried out by her trusted companions; but Wendot's +cheek glowed with shame, and he set his teeth hard, resolved to +redeem the honour of his father's name to the last drop of his +blood if he should be called upon to shed it in the cause.</p> +<p>He heard the slow and cautious steps approaching along the path, +and he gripped his weapon more tightly in his hand. The red light +of battle was in his eyes, and the moment he caught sight of the +form of the stalwart soldier threading his perilous way along the +path he sprang upon him with a cry of fury, and hurled him into the +gulf beneath.</p> +<p>Down fell the man, utterly unprepared for such an attack, and +his sharp cry of terror was echoed from above by a dozen loud +voices.</p> +<p>Cries and shouts and questions assailed Wendot, but he answered +never a word. Those above knew not if it had been an accident, or +if an ambushed foe had hurled their comrade to destruction. Again +came a long pause for consideration -- and every moment wasted was +all in favour of the pair upon the ledge -- and then it became +plain that some course of action had been determined upon, and +Wendot heard the cautious approach of another foe. This man crept +on his way much more cautiously, and the youth held himself ready +for a yet more determined spring. Luckily for him, he could remain +hidden until his opponent was close to him; and so soon as he was +certain from the sound that the man was reaching the angle of the +rock, he made another dash, and brought down his sword with all the +strength of his arm upon the head of the assailant.</p> +<p>Once again into the heart of the abyss crashed the body of the +unfortunate soldier; but a sharp thrill of pain ran through +Wendot's frame, and a barbed arrow, well aimed at the joint of his +leather jerkin, plunged into his neck and stuck fast.</p> +<p>The first assailant whom he had disposed of was but one of a +close line, following each other in rapid succession. As his face +became visible to the man now foremost a shout of surprise and +anger rose up.</p> +<p>"It is Res Wendot! It is one of the sons of the house of +Dynevor!</p> +<p>"Wendot, thou art mad! We are the friends of thy house. We are +here at the instigation of thine own kindred. Give us the maid, and +thou shalt go free. We would not harm thee."</p> +<p>"Stir but one step nearer, and I slay thee as I have slain thy +two comrades," cried Wendot, in a voice which all might hear. "I +deal not in treachery towards those that trust us. I will answer +for the safety of the maid with mine own life. Of my hand her +father will demand her when he comes again. Shall we men of Wales +give right cause to the English to call us murderers, traitors, +cowards? Take my life if you will, take it a thousand times over if +you will, it is only over my dead body that you will reach that +child."</p> +<p>"Down with him -- traitor to the cause! He is sold to the +English! He is no countryman of ours! Spare him not! He is worthy +of death! Down with every Welshman who bands not with those who +would uphold his country's cause!"</p> +<p>Such were the shouts which rent the air as the meaning of +Wendot's words made itself understood. As for the brave lad +himself, he had plucked the arrow from his neck, and now stood +boldly on guard, resolved to husband his strength and keep on the +defensive only, hoping thus to gain time until Griffeth and the +armed men should arrive.</p> +<p>He had all the advantage of the position; but his foes were +strong men, and came on thick and fast one after another, till it +seemed as if the lad might be forced backwards by sheer weight and +pressure. But Wendot was no novice at the use of arms: as his third +foe fell upon him with heavy blows of his weighted axe, he stepped +backwards a pace, and let the blows descend harmlessly upon the +solid rock of the arch; until the man, disgusted at the non-success +of his endeavours to tempt his adversary out of his defended +position, threw away his blunted axe, and was about to draw his +sword for a thrust, when the boy sprang like lightning upon him, +and buried his poniard in his heart.</p> +<p>Over went the man like a log, almost dragging Wendot with him as +he fell, and before the youth had had time to recover himself, he +had received a deep gash in his sword arm from the foe who pressed +on next, and who made a quick dash to try to get possession of the +vantage ground of the arch.</p> +<p>But Wendot staggered back as if with weakness, let his adversary +dash through the arch after him; and then, hurling himself upon him +as he passed through, pushed him sheer off the ledge on the other +side into the yawning gulf beneath.</p> +<p>The comrades of this last victim, who had just sent up a shout +of triumph, now changed their note, and it became a yell of rage. +Wendot was back in his old vantage ground, wounded by several +arrows, spent by blows, and growing faint from loss of blood, but +dauntless and resolute as ever, determined to sell his life dearly, +and hold out as long as he had breath left in him, sooner than let +the helpless child fall into the clutches of these fierce men, +goaded now to madness by the opposition they had met with.</p> +<p>Hark! what was that? It was a shout, a hail, and then the +familiar call of the Dynevor brothers rang through the still +air.</p> +<p>"La-ha-boo!"</p> +<p>It was Griffeth's voice. He had come at last. It was plain that +the foe had heard, and had paused; for if they were menaced from +another quarter, it was time to think of their own safety.</p> +<p>Summoning up all his strength, Wendot sent back an answering +hail, and the next moment there was the sound of fierce voices and +the clashing of weapons overhead on the summit of the cliff; and in +quick, urgent accents Wendot's foes were ordered to retreat, as +there was treachery somewhere, and they had been betrayed.</p> +<p>Wendot saw his antagonists lower their weapons, and return the +way they had come, with fearful backward glances, lest their boy +foe should be following them. But he had no wish to do that. He was +spent and exhausted and maimed. He turned backwards towards the +safer shelter of the little alcove, and sank down beside the +trembling child, panting, bleeding, and almost unconscious.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV</a>. WENDOT'S REWARD.</h2> +<p>"Father, father, father!"</p> +<p>The shrill, glad cry broke from the lips of little Gertrude +almost at the same moment as Wendot sank at her feet, spent and +fainting; and the lad, making a great effort, opened his dim eyes +to see the tall form of the English noble stooping over his little +daughter, gathering her in his arms with a gesture of passionate +endearment.</p> +<p>Wendot fancied he must be dreaming; perhaps it was all a +strange, terrible dream: everything was swimming before his eyes in +a sort of blood-coloured mist. He gave up the effort to try to +disentangle the maze in which he seemed to be moving, and was +sinking into unconsciousness again when a sharp cry from his +brother aroused him.</p> +<p>"Wendot, Wendot! -- O father, see --they have killed him!"</p> +<p>"Nay, lad, not that. Here, let me get to him.</p> +<p>"Griffeth, run thou and tell the fellows to let down ropes from +above to draw him up. He cannot return along that narrow ledge. He +and the child had best be drawn up by those above. Tell them to +lose no time. The boy must be taken home to his mother's care. This +narrow ledge is growing like an oven. Bid one of the men run to the +brook for a draught of water."</p> +<p>Wendot's lips framed themselves to the word "water" as he heard +it spoken. If he had but a draught of water, perhaps he could speak +again and understand what was passing. As it was, he only heard the +sound of a confusion of voices, the clear tones of little Gertrude +being the most continuous and the most distinct. She seemed to be +pouring some tale into the ears of her listeners, and Wendot was +certain, from the quick, sudden movements of his father, who was +supporting him as he lay, that the story heard was exciting in him +feelings of indignation and amazement, although the boy's brain was +too much confused to tell him the reason for this displeasure.</p> +<p>But the sense of rest and safety inspired by his father's +presence was very comforting; and when the wounded lad had been +drawn to the summit of the cliff by the strong, willing arms of the +retainers, and his hurts rudely dressed by kindly hands, and his +parched throat refreshed by deep draughts of cold water, he began +to shake off the sense of unreality which had made him feel like +one in a dream, and to marvel at the unexpected appearance on the +lonely fell of his father and Lord Montacute.</p> +<p>A sure-footed mountain pony was bearing him gently down the +steep slope, and his questioning look called Griffeth to his +side.</p> +<p>"What means all this, Griffeth?" he whispered. "Whence came +they? and what do they know? And Llewelyn and Howel, where are +they? Can it be that they --"</p> +<p>He could not frame his lips to speak the words, but Griffeth +understood him without, and his cheek flushed.</p> +<p>"I fear me it is indeed as we thought. She went with them, and +they left her alone on the ledge, where once the eagle's eyry used +to be. Maelgon's men came to carry her off thence. Had it not been +for thee, Wendot, she would have been in their hands ere now. I +would I had stood beside thee, brother. I would I had shared thy +perils and thy hurts."</p> +<p>"Thou didst better than that," answered Wendot, faintly smiling, +"for thou broughtest aid in the very nick of time. And how came it +that our father and our guest were with thee? Methought it must +surely be a dream when I saw them."</p> +<p>"Ay, we met them journeying towards the castle when we had but +made a short mile from it. They would have reached last night but +for an accident to one of the beasts, which detained them on the +road; but they had started ere the sun rose, and were hard by when +we encountered them. Hearing our errand, some went forward as +before, but others joined our party. It was well we were thus +reinforced, for Maelgon's men fight like veritable wolves."</p> +<p>"What knoweth our father of the matter? Spakest thou to him of +Llewelyn and Howel?"</p> +<p>"I had perforce to do so, they questioned me so closely. I know +not what they thought. Our guest's face is not one that may be read +like a book, and our father only set his lips in his stern fashion, +as though he would never open them again. I trow he is sore +displeased that sons of his should thus act; but perchance it may +not be so bad as we think."</p> +<p>Wendot made no reply. He was growing too spent and weary to have +words or thoughts to spare. It seemed as if the long and weary +descent would never be accomplished; and the beat of the sun +beating down upon them mercilessly as they reached the lower ground +turned him sick and faint. Little Gertrude, mounted now upon her +palfrey, was chattering ceaselessly to her father, as he strode on +beside her down the hillside; but Lord Montacute was grave and +silent; and as for the face of Res Vychan, it looked as if carved +out of marble, as he planted himself by the side of the sturdy pony +who carried his son, and placed his arm round the lad to support +him during that long and weary ride.</p> +<p>It was plain that the thoughts of both men were of a very +serious complexion, and gave them food for much reflection and +consideration.</p> +<p>Griffeth bounded on a little ahead of the cavalcade, excited by +the events of the day, anxious for his brother, yet intensely proud +of him, envying him the chance of thus displaying his heroic +qualities, yet only wishing to have shared them -- not that +anything should be detracted from the halo which encircled Wendot. +He had reached a turn in the path, and for a moment was alone and +out of sight of the company that followed, when the hounds who had +accompanied Wendot, and were now returning with them, uttered a +deep bay as of welcome, and the next moment two dark and swarthy +heads appeared from behind the shelter of some great boulders, and +the faces of Llewelyn and Howel looked cautiously forth.</p> +<p>In a moment Griffeth was by their side, various emotions +struggling in his face for mastery; but the tie of brotherhood was +a strong one, and his first words were those of warning.</p> +<p>"It is all known -- our father knows, and hers. I know not what +your punishment will be. I have never seen our father look so +stern. Do as you will about returning home, but I wot not how you +will be received."</p> +<p>Llewelyn and Howel exchanged glances; and the former asked +eagerly, "And the maid?"</p> +<p>"Is safe with her father and ours. Wendot risked his life to +save her from Maelgon's men. Nay, linger not to hear the tale, if +you would fly from the anger of those who know that you sought to +betray her. It will be no easy thing to make peace with our father. +You know his thoughts upon the sacredness of hospitality."</p> +<p>But even as he spoke Griffeth saw the change that came over his +brothers' faces as they looked past him to something behind; then +as he himself turned quickly to see what it was, he beheld their +father and two of the servants approaching; and Res Vychan pointed +sternly to the two dark-leaded boys, now involuntarily quailing +beneath the fiery indignation in his eyes, and said:</p> +<p>"Bind them hand and foot and carry them to the castle. They +shall be dealt with there as their offence shall warrant."</p> +<p>Then turning on his heel, he rejoined the company; whilst +Llewelyn and Howel were brought captive to the paternal halls of +Dynevor.</p> +<p>Wendot knew very little of the occurrences of the next few days. +He was carried to the chamber that he shared with Griffeth, and +there he lay for several days and nights in a dreamy, +semi-conscious state, tended by his mother with all the skill and +tenderness she possessed, and, save when the pain of his wounds +made him restless and feverish, sleeping much, and troubling his +head little about what went on within or without the castle. He was +dimly aware that little Gertrude came in and out of his room +sometimes, holding to his mother's hands, and that her gentle +prattle and little caressing gestures were very soothing and +pleasant. But he did not trouble his head to wonder how it was he +was lying there, nor what event had crippled him so; and only in +the fevered visions of the night did he see himself once again +standing upon the narrow ledge of the Eagle's Crag, with a host of +foes bearing down upon him to overpower and slay both him and his +charge.</p> +<p>But after a few days of feverish lassitude and drowsiness the +lad's magnificent constitution triumphed -- the fever left him; and +though he now lay weak and white upon his narrow bed, his mind was +perfectly clear, and he was eager and anxious to know what had +happened whilst he had been shut out from the life of the +castle.</p> +<p>His mother was naturally the one to whom he turned for +information. He saw that she was unwontedly pale and grave and +thoughtful. As she sat beside his bed with some needlework in her +hands one bright afternoon, when the sunlight was streaming into +the chamber, and the air floating in through the narrow casement +was full of scent and song, his eyes fixed themselves upon her face +with more of purpose and reflection, and he begged her to tell him +all that had passed.</p> +<p>"For I know that our guests are still here. Gertrude comes daily +to see me. But where are Llewelyn and Howel? I have not seen them +once. Is my father angry with them still? or have they been +punished and forgiven?"</p> +<p>"Your brothers are still close prisoners," answered the mother +with a sigh. "They have been chastised with more severity than any +son of ours has needed to be chastised before; but they still +remain sullen and obdurate and revengeful, and thy father will not +permit them to come out from their retirement so long as our guests +remain. Perchance it is best so, for it would but cause trouble in +the house for them to meet. I would that they could see matters +differently; and yet there are many amongst our people who would +say that the true patriotism was theirs."</p> +<p>"And our guests, mother -- why linger they still? Methought they +Would leave so soon as Lord Montacute returned."</p> +<p>"So they purposed once; but he has wished to remain till thou +art sound once more, my son. He hath a very warm feeling towards +thee, and would speak to thee of something that is in his heart ere +he quits Dynevor. He has spoken of it to thy father and to me, but +he wishes thee to hear it from his own lips."</p> +<p>Wendot's interest was aroused. Something in his mother's +expression told him that the thing of which she spoke was a matter +of some importance. As an eldest son and forward for his years, and +of a reflective and thoughtful turn, he had often been consulted by +his parents, and particularly by his mother, in matters rather +beyond his comprehension, and had shared in discussions which many +youths of his age would have shunned and despised. Now, therefore, +he looked eagerly at his mother and said:</p> +<p>"What is it he wishes to say Canst thou not tell me +thyself?"</p> +<p>The Lady of Dynevor paused awhile in thought; and when she +spoke, it did not appear to be in direct reply to her son's +question.</p> +<p>"Wendot," she said gravely, "thou hast heard much talk of the +troubled state of these times and of the nation's affairs. Thou +hast lived long enough to see how hopeless some amongst us feel it +ever to hope for unity amongst ourselves. We are torn and +distracted by faction and feud. Families are banded together +against families, and brothers strive with brothers for the +inheritance each claims as his own. Each lord of some small +territory tries to wrest from his weaker neighbour that which +belongs to him; and if for a moment at some great crisis petty +feuds are forgotten, and a blow is struck for national liberty, +scarce has peace been proclaimed again before the old strife breaks +out once more, and our fair land is desolated by a more grievous +war than ever the English wage."</p> +<p>Wendot bent his head in voiceless assent. He knew something of +his country's history, and that his mother spoke only the sad +truth.</p> +<p>"My son," continued she after a pause, "it chances sometimes in +this troubled life of ours that we are called upon to make choice, +not between good and evil, but between two courses, both of which +are beset with difficulties and obstacles, both of which mingle +together evil and good, for which and against which much may be +argued on both sides, and many things that are true be said for and +against both. To some such choice as this has our poor country now +come. Experience has taught us that she is incapable of uniting all +her forces and of making of herself one compact, united kingdom. +That course, and that alone, would be her true salvation; but that +course she will not take, and failing that, she has to choose +between being torn and rent by faction till she is an easy prey to +the English king, who will then divide her territories amongst his +own hungry and rapacious barons, or for the princes to submit to +pay him the homage for their lands which he (possibly with +injustice) demands, but which if paid will make of him their friend +and protector, and will enable the country to live in peace and +prosperity, assured that the king will support those who +acknowledge him, and that he will not deprive of their ancestral +rights any who will bring their homage to him, and hold their +territory as it were from him. Understandest thou thus much?"</p> +<p>"Ay, mother, I understand it well; and though there is something +in the thought that stirs my blood and sets it coursing through my +veins in indignation -- for I see not by what right the English +king lays claim to our fair lands -- still I know that conquest +gives to the conqueror a right, and that if he chose to march +against us with his armies, he might well find us too much weakened +by our petty feuds to resist his strong veterans. And the English +are not all bad. I have learned that these many days whilst our +guests have been with us. I have thought at times that they would +be true friends and allies, and that we might do well to copy them +in many ways. In truth, if the choice lies betwixt being rent in +pieces by each other and giving homage to the great Edward, who can +be merciful and just, I would rather choose the latter. For there +must be something grand and noble about him by what our little maid +says; and to pay homage is no such hard thing. Why, does not he +himself pay homage to the King of France for the lands he holds in +his kingdom?"</p> +<p>A look of relief crossed the face of the mother as she heard +these words from her first-born son. She took his hand in hers and +said earnestly:</p> +<p>"Wendot, I am glad to hear thee speak thus, for thou art the +heir of Dynevor, and upon thee much may fall some day. Thou knowest +what thy brothers are -- I speak of Llewelyn and Howel. I cannot +but fear for them -- unless, indeed, the rapacious greed I +sometimes see in Llewelyn proves stronger than his fierce hatred to +the English, and he prefers to do homage for his lands rather than +lose them. But thou art the head of the family, and the chief power +will rest with thee when thy father is gone. I counsel thee, if the +time comes when thou must make thy choice, be not led away by blind +hatred of the English. They may prove less cruel foes than thine +own countrymen are to one another. If Wales may not be united under +one native king, let her think well ere she rejects the grace held +out to all who will yield fealty to the English monarch. That is +what I wished to say to thee. Remember that the English are not +always cruel, always rapacious. There are generous, noble, +honourable men amongst them, of whom I am sure our guest is +one."</p> +<p>"Ay, he has a grand face," said Wendot. "A face one can both +love and trust. And all that the little one tells me of the king +and his family inclines my heart towards him and his. I will +remember what you have said, mother, and will ponder your words. +Methinks it is no lovely thing to hate as Llewelyn and Howel hate; +it makes men act rather as fiends than as honourable soldiers +should."</p> +<p>The conversation ended there, and was not renewed; but the very +next day Lord Montacute sought Wendot's room, when the lad was +lying alone, wearying somewhat of his own company, and the light +sprang into his eyes as he saw the guest approach, for in his own +boyish way he had a great admiration for this man.</p> +<p>"Well, lad, I am glad to see thee looking something more +substantial and like thine own self," said Lord Montacute, seating +himself upon the edge of the bed and taking Wendot's hand in his. +"This hand has done good service to me and mine -- good service, +indeed, to the King of England, who would have been forced to +chastise with some severity the outrage planned upon a subject of +his, and one dear to him from association with his children. Tell +me, boy, what can I do for thee when I tell this tale to my lord of +England? What boon hast thou to ask of him or of me? For thou +needest not fear; whatever it be it shall be granted."</p> +<p>"Nay, I have no boon," answered Wendot, his cheek flushing. "I +did but do my duty by any guest beneath my father's roof. I was +responsible for the safety of the maid. I had taken that duty on +myself. I want nothing; she is safe, and that is enough. Only if +you would speak to my father for my brothers Llewelyn and Howel. I +know they have merited deep displeasure; yet they are but lads, and +doubtless they were led away by evil counsels. He would hear +pleading better from you than from me."</p> +<p>"It shall be done," said Lord Montacute, still regarding Wendot +steadily; "and now, boy, I would speak to thee seriously and +gravely as man to man, for thou hast proved thyself to be a man in +action, in courage, and in foresight. And thy parents tell me that +thou art acquainted with the burning questions of the day, and that +thy brothers' headstrong hatreds and prejudices do not blind +thee."</p> +<p>Wendot made no reply, but fixed his bright eyes steadily on Lord +Montacute's face. He on his side, after a brief silence, began +again in clear, terse phrases:</p> +<p>"Lad, if thou livest thou wilt some day be Lord of Dynevor -- +master of this fair heritage, the fairest, perhaps, in all South +Wales. Thou hast noble blood in thy veins -- the blood of princes +and kings; thou hast much that men covet to call their own; but +thou art surrounded by foes who are jealous of thee, and by kinsmen +who have already cast covetous eyes on thy possessions."</p> +<p>"Ay, that traitorous Meredith ap Res, whose mother is English, +and who would -- But pardon me. I would not willingly speak against +your nation. Indeed, I feel not bitter as others do; only --"</p> +<p>"Boy, thou art right to be loyal and true. I like thee none the +less for the patriotic fervour which breaks out in thee. But I am +glad that thou shouldest see both sides of this matter, that thou +shouldest see the peril menacing thy brothers from thine own +kinsman, who has strengthened himself by an English alliance. It is +useless to blind thine eyes to what is coming. They tell me thou +art not blind; and I come to thee, lad, because I think well of +thee, to ask if it would please thee to strengthen thy position in +thine own land and in Edward's sight by an alliance with an English +maiden of noble birth. Hast thou ever thought of such a thing?"</p> +<p>Wendot's wide-open eyes gave answer enough. Lord Montacute +smiled slightly as he said:</p> +<p>"Ah, thou art full young for such thoughts; and thou livest not +in the atmosphere of courts, where babes are given in marriage +almost from their cradles. But listen, Res Wendot; I speak not in +jest, I am a man of my word. Thou hast risked thy life to save my +little maid. Thou art a noble youth, and I honour both thee and thy +parents. The maid has told me that she loves thee well, and would +be well pleased to wed thee when she is of the age to do so. These +are but childish words, yet they may prove themselves true in days +to come. It is in the interests of all those who have the peace and +prosperity of this land at heart to strengthen themselves in every +way they can. My little daughter will have an ample dower to bring +her husband; and I will keep her for thee if thou wilt be willing +to claim her in days to come. I should like well to see her ruling +in these fair halls; and thou hast proved already that thou art a +knightly youth, whose hand she may well take with confidence and +pride.</p> +<p>"Thy parents are willing; it waits only for thee to say. What +thinkest thou of a troth plight with the little maid?"</p> +<p>Wendot's face glowed with a sort of boyish shame, not unmingled +with pride; but the idea was altogether too strange and new to him +to be readily grasped.</p> +<p>"I have never thought of such things," he said shyly, "and I am +too young to wed. Perchance I may grow into some rough, uncouth +fellow, who may please not the maiden when she reaches years of +discretion. Methinks it would scarce be fair to plight her now, at +least not with such a plight as might not be broken. If our nations +meet in fierce conflict, as they yet may, it would be a cruel thing +to have linked her hand with that of a rebel, for such we are +called by the English monarch, they say, when we rise to fight for +our liberties bequeathed by our ancestors.</p> +<p>"Nay, noble lord, frown not on me. There be moments when +methinks two spirits strive within me, and I am fearful of trusting +even myself. I would not that grief or sorrow should touch her +through me. Let me come and claim her anon, when I have grown to +man's estate, and can bring her lands and revenues. But bind her +not to one whose fate may be beset with perils and shadows. There +be those amongst our bards who see into the future; and they tell +us that a dark fate hangs over the house of Dynevor, and that we +four shall be the last to bear the name."</p> +<p>Lord Montacute was looking grave and earnest. There was +something in his face which indicated disappointment, but also +something that spoke of relief. Possibly he himself had offered +this troth plight with something of hesitation, offered it out of +gratitude to the noble lad, and out of respect to his parents, who, +as he saw, would prove valuable allies to the English cause, could +they but be induced to give their allegiance to it. Yet there was +another side to the picture, too; and Wendot was too young for any +one to predict with certainty what would be his course in the +future. The hot blood of his race ran in his veins; and though his +judgment was cool, and he saw things in a reasonable and manly +light, it would be rash to predict what the future might have in +store for him.</p> +<p>"Well, lad, thou hast spoken bravely and well," said the +Englishman, after a pause for thought. "Perchance thy words are +right; perchance it will be well to let matters rest as they are +for the present. We will have no solemn troth plight betwixt ye +twain; but the maid shall be promised to none other these next four +years, so that if thou carest to claim her ere she reaches woman's +estate, thou shalt find her waiting for thee. And now I must say +thee farewell, for tomorrow we ride away the way we came. I trust +to see thee at the king's court one of these days, and to make +known to his royal majesty the noble youth of Dynevor."</p> +<p>Wendot was left alone then for some time, pondering the strange +offer made to him, and wondering whether he had been foolish to +refuse the promised reward. He had never seriously thought of +marriage, although in those days wedlock was entered upon very +young if there were any advantage to be gained from it. A lad of +fifteen is seldom sentimental; but Wendot was conscious of a very +warm spot in his heart for little Gertrude, and he knew that he +should miss her sorely when she went, and think of her much. Would +it have been a sweet or a bitter thing to have felt himself pledged +to a daughter of England? He felt that he could not tell; but at +least the decision was made now, and his words could not be +recalled.</p> +<p>Just ere the sun set that summer's day there came down the stone +corridor which led to his room the patter of little feet, and he +leaned up on his elbow with brightening eyes as the door opened and +little Gertrude came dancing in.</p> +<p>"I thought I was to have been married to you, Wendot, before we +went away," she said, looking into his face with the most trusting +expression in her soft dark eyes; "but father says you will come to +marry me some day at the king's court. Perhaps that will be better, +for I should like Eleanor and Joanna to see you. They would like +you so, and you would like them. But do come soon, Wendot. I do so +like you; and I shall want to show you to them all. And I have +broken my gold coin in two -- the one the king gave me once. I got +the armourer to do it, and to make a hole in each half. You must +wear one half round your neck, and I will wear the other. And that +will be almost the same as being married, will it not? And you will +never forget me, will you?"</p> +<p>Wendot let her hang the half of the coin round his neck by a +silken thread, strange new thoughts crowding into his mind as he +felt her soft little hands about him. Suddenly he clasped them in +both of his and pressed warm kisses upon them. Gertrude threw her +arms about his neck in a childish paroxysm of affection, saying as +she did so between her kisses:</p> +<p>"Now, it's just like being husband and wife; and we shall never +forget one another -- never."</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V</a>. THE KING'S CHILDREN.</h2> +<p>"Dynevor --did you say Dynevor? O Eleanor, it must be he!"</p> +<p>A tall, slim, fair-faced maiden, with a very regal mien, looked +up quickly from an embroidery frame over which she was bending, and +glanced from the eager, flushed face of the younger girl who stood +beside her to that of a tall and stalwart English youth, who +appeared to be the bearer of a piece of news, and asked in her +unconsciously queenly way:</p> +<p>"What is it, Sir Godfrey, that you have told this impetuous +child, to have set her in such a quiver of excitement?"</p> +<p>"Only this, gracious lady, that certain youthful chieftains from +the south have come hither to Rhuddlan to pay their homage to your +royal father. In his absence at Chester they have been lodged +within the castle walls, as becomes their station. It has been told +me that amongst them are four sons of one Res Vychan, lately dead, +and that he was Lord of Dynevor, which honour has descended to his +eldest son. I was telling what I knew to Lady Gertrude when she +broke away to speak to you."</p> +<p>"Eleanor, it must be he -- it must be they!" cried Gertrude, +with flushing cheek and kindling eye -- "Res Vychan, Lord of +Dynevor, and his four sons. It could be none else than they. O +Eleanor, sweet Eleanor, bid them be brought hither to see us! Thou +hast heard the story of how we went thither, my father and I, two +years agone now, and of what befell me there. I have never heard a +word of Wendot since, and I have thought of him so oft. Thou art +mistress here now; they all heed thy lightest word. Bid that the +brothers be brought hither to us. I do so long to see them +again!"</p> +<p>Gertrude was fairly trembling with excitement; but that was no +unusual thing for her, as she was an ardent, excitable little +mortal, and ever in a fever of some kind or another. The young +knight who had brought the news looked at her with unmistakable +admiration and pleasure, and seemed as though he would gladly have +obeyed any behest of hers; but he was fain to wait for the decision +of the stately Eleanor, the king's eldest and much-beloved child, +who in the temporary absence of her parents occupied a position of +no little importance in the household, and whose will, in the royal +apartments at any rate, was law.</p> +<p>But there were other listeners to Gertrude's eager words. At the +far end of the long gallery, which was occupied by the royal +children as their private apartment, a group of three young things +had been at play, but the urgency of Gertrude's tones had arrested +their attention, and they had drawn near to hear her last words. +One of these younger children was a black-eyed girl, with a very +handsome face and an imperious manner, which gave to onlookers the +idea that she was older than her years. Quick tempered, generous, +hasty, and self willed was the Lady Joanna, the second daughter of +the king; but her warm affections caused all who knew her to love +her; and her romantic temperament was always stirred to its depths +by any story that savoured of chivalry or heroism.</p> +<p>"What!" she cried; "is Wendot here -- Wendot of Dynevor, who +held the Eagle's Crag against half a hundred foemen to save thee, +sweetest Gertrude, from captivity or death? -- Eleanor, thou +knowest the story; thou must bid him hither at once! Why, I would +thank him with my own lips for his heroism. For is not Gertrude as +our own sister in love?"</p> +<p>"Ay, Eleanor, bid him come," pleaded Alphonso, a fragile-looking +boy a year younger than Joanna, whose violet-blue eyes and fair +skin were in marked contrast to her gipsy-like darkness of +complexion; and this request was echoed eagerly by another boy, a +fine, bold-looking lad, somewhat older than Alphonso, by name +Britten, who was brought up with the king's children, and treated +in every way like them, as the wardrobe rolls of the period show, +though what his rank and parentage were cannot now be established, +as no mention of him occurs in any other documents of that +time.</p> +<p>The Princess Eleanor, as she would now be called, although in +those far-back days the title of Lady was generally all that was +bestowed upon the children of the king, did not attempt to resist +the combined entreaties of her younger playfellows. Indeed, +although somewhat mature both in mind and appearance for her years, +she was by no means devoid of childish or feminine curiosity, and +was as willing to see the hero of Gertrude's oft-told tale as her +more youthful companions could be. Moreover, it was her father's +policy and pleasure to be generous and gracious towards all those +who submitted themselves to his feudal sovereignty; and to the +young he ever showed himself friendly and even paternal. The stern +soldier-king was a particularly tender and loving father, and his +wife the best of mothers, so that the family tie in their household +was a very strong and beautiful thing. When the monarch was called +away from his own royal residences to quell sedition or rebellion +in this turbulent country of Wales, his wife and children +accompanied him thither; and so it happened that in this rather +gloomy fastness in North Wales, when the rebellion of the warlike +Llewelyn had but just been crushed, the king's children were to be +found assembled within its walls, by their bright presence and +laughter-loving ways making the place gay and bright, and bringing +even into political matters something of the leniency and good +fellowship which seems to be the prerogative of childhood.</p> +<p>Thus it was that one powerful and turbulent noble, Einon ap +Cadwalader, had left as hostage of his good faith his only child, +the Lady Arthyn, to be the companion of the king's daughters. She +had been received with open arms by the warm-hearted Joanna, and +the two were fast friends already, although the Welsh girl was +several years the elder of the pair. But Joanna, who had been +educated in Spain by her grandmother and namesake, and who had only +recently come to be with her own parents, had enjoyed abroad a +liberty and importance which had developed her rapidly, and her +mind was as quick and forward as her body was active and +energetic.</p> +<p>Intercourse with Arthyn, too, had given to the younger princess +a great sympathy with the vanquished Welsh, and she was generously +eager that those who came to pay homage to her father should not +feel themselves in a position that was humiliating or galling. The +gentle Eleanor shared this feeling to the full, and was glad to +give to the young knight Sir Godfrey Challoner, who was one of her +own gentlemen-in-waiting, a gracious message for the young Lord of +Dynevor to the effect that she would be glad to receive him and his +brothers in her father's absence, and to give them places at the +royal table for the evening meal shortly to be served.</p> +<p>Great was the delight of Gertrude when the message was +despatched. Her companions crowded round her to hear again the +story of her adventure on the Eagle's Crag. Gertrude never knew how +she had been betrayed by Wendot's brothers. She believed that they +had been accidentally hindered from coming to her rescue by the +difficulties of the climb after the eagle's nest. There was a +faint, uncomfortable misgiving in her mind with regard to the +black-browed twins, but it did not amount to actual suspicion, far +less to any certainty of their enmity; and although Eleanor had +heard the whole story from her parents, she had not explained the +matter more fully to Gertrude.</p> +<p>An invitation from royalty was equal to a command, and the eager +children were not kept waiting long. The double doors at the end of +the long gallery, which had closed behind the retiring form of +Godfrey, opened once again to admit him, and closely in his wake +there followed two manly youths -- two, not four -- upon whose +faces every eye was instantly fixed in frank and kindly +scrutiny.</p> +<p>Wendot had developed rapidly during these two last years, +although he retained all his old marked characteristics. The waving +hair was still bright and sunny, the open face, with its rather +square features, was resolute, alert, manly, and strong. The +fearless blue eyes had not lost their far-away dreaminess, as +though the possessor were looking onward and outward beyond the +surroundings visible to others; and beneath the calm determination +of the expression was an underlying sweetness, which shone out from +time to time in the sunny smile which always won the heart of the +beholder. The figure was rather that of a man than a lad -- tall, +strongly knit, full of grace and power; and a faint yellow +moustache upon the upper lip showed the dawn of manhood in the +youth. There was something in his look which seemed to tell that he +had known sorrow, trial, and anxiety; but this in no way detracted +from the power or attractiveness of the countenance, but rather +gave it an added charm.</p> +<p>Griffeth retained his marked likeness to his brother, and was +almost his equal in height; but his cheek was pale and hollow, +while Wendot's was brown and healthy, his hands were slim and +white, and there was an air of languor and ill-health about him +which could not fail to make itself observed. He looked much +younger than his brother, despite his tall stature, and he blushed +like a boy as he saw the eyes of the ladies fixed upon them as they +came forward, bowing with no ungraceful deference.</p> +<p>"Wendot, Wendot. don't you know me?"</p> +<p>The young man started and raised his eyes towards the speaker. +So far, he had only been aware that there were a number of persons +collected at the upper end of the long gallery. Now he found +himself confronted by a pair of eager, dancing eyes, as soft and +dark as those of a forest deer, whilst two slim hands were held out +to him, and a silvery voice cried softly and playfully:</p> +<p>"O Wendot, Wendot, to think you have forgotten!"</p> +<p>"Lady Gertrude!"</p> +<p>"Ah, I am glad you have not forgotten, though methinks I have +changed more than you these past years. I should have known you +anywhere. But come, Wendot; I would present you to my friends and +companions, who would fain be acquainted with you. They know how +you saved my life that day, I have told the tale so oft.</p> +<p>"Let me present you first to our sweetest Lady Eleanor, our +great king's eldest daughter. You will love her, I know -- none can +help it. And she lets me call myself her sister."</p> +<p>Young things have a wonderful faculty of growing intimate in a +very brief space, and the formalities of those simpler times were +not excessive, especially away from the trammels of the court. In +ten minutes' time Wendot and his brother had grasped the names and +rank of all those to whom they had been presented, and were joining +in the eager talk with ease and with enjoyment. Joanna stood beside +Wendot, listening, with unfeigned interest, to his answers +respecting himself and those near and dear to him; whilst Alphonso +had drawn Griffeth to the embrasure of a window, and was looking up +into his face as they compared notes and exchanged ideas. It seemed +from the first as though a strong link formed itself between those +two.</p> +<p>"Your brothers would not come. Was that fear or shame or pride?" +asked Joanna, with a laughing look into Wendot's flushed face. +"Nay, think not that we would compel any to visit us who do it not +willingly. Gertrude has prepared us to find your brothers different +from you. Methinks she marvelled somewhat that they had come hither +at all with their submission."</p> +<p>Wendot hesitated, and the flush deepened on his face; but he was +too young to have learned the lesson of reticence, and there was +something in the free atmosphere of this place which prompted him +to frankness.</p> +<p>"I myself was surprised at it," he said. "Llewelyn and Howel +have not been friendly in their dealings with the English so far, +and we knew they aided Llewelyn of North Wales in the revolt which +has been lately quelled. But since our parents died we have seen +but little of them. They became joint owners of the commot of +Iscennen, and removed from Dynevor to the castle of Carregcennen in +their own territory, and until we met them some days since in +company with our kinsman Meredith ap Hes, coming to tender their +homage, as we ourselves are about to do, we knew not what to think +of them or what action they would take."</p> +<p>"Are both your parents dead, then?" asked Gertrude, with +sympathy in her eyes. "I heard that Res Vychan was no longer +living, but I knew not that the gentle Lady of Dynevor had passed +away also."</p> +<p>Wendot's face changed slightly as he answered:</p> +<p>"They both died within a few days of each other the winter after +you had been with us, Lady Gertrude. We were visited by a terrible +sickness that year, and our people sickened and died in great +numbers. Our parents did all they could for them, and first my +father fell ill and died, and scarce had the grave closed over him +before our mother was stricken, and followed him ere a week had +passed. Griffeth was also lying at the point of death, and we +despaired of his life also; but he battled through, and came back +to us from the very gates of the grave, and yet methinks sometimes +that he has never been the same since. He shoots up in height, but +he cannot do the things he did when he was two years younger.</p> +<p>"What think you of him, sweet Lady Gertrude? Is he changed from +what he was when last you saw him, ere the sickness had fastened +upon him?"</p> +<p>Several eyes were turned towards the slim, tall figure of the +Welsh lad leaning against the embrasure of the window. The sunlight +fell full upon his face, showing the sharpness of its outlines, the +delicate hectic colouring, the tracery of the blue veins beneath +the transparent skin. And just the same transparent look was +visible in the countenance of the young Prince Alphonso, who was +talking with the stranger youth, and more hearts than that of +Wendot felt a pang as their owners' eyes were turned upon the pair +beside the sunny window. But Wendot pressed for no answer to his +question, nor did Gertrude volunteer it; she only asked +quickly:</p> +<p>"Then Griffeth and you live yet at Dynevor, beautiful Dynevor, +and Llewelyn and Howel elsewhere?"</p> +<p>"Ay, at Carregcennen. We have our respective lands, though we +are minors yet; and our kinsman Meredith ap Res is our guardian, +though it is little we see of him."</p> +<p>"Meredith ap Res! I know him well," cried a girlish voice, in +accents which betrayed her Welsh origin. "He has ever been a +traitor to his country, a traitor to all who trust him; a covetous, +grasping man, who will clutch at what he can get, and never cease +scheming after lands and titles so long as the breath remains in +him."</p> +<p>They all turned to see who had spoken, and Arthyn -- the +headstrong, passionate, patriotic Arthyn, who, despite her love for +her present companions, bitterly resented being left a hostage in +the hands of the English king -- stood out before them, and spoke +in the fearless fashion which nobody present resented.</p> +<p>"Wendot of Dynevor, if you are he, beware of that man, and bid +your brothers beware of him, too. I know him; I have heard much of +him. Be sure he has an eye on your fair lands, and he will embroil +you yet with the English king if he can, that he may lay claim to +your patrimony. He brings you here to the court to make your peace, +to pay your homage. If I mistake not the man, you will not all of +you return whence you came. He will poison the king's mind. Some +traitorous practices will be alleged against you. Your lands will +be withheld. You will be fed with promises which will never be +fulfilled. And the kinsman who has sold himself body and soul to +the English alliance will rule your lands, in your names firstly +perchance, until his power is secure, and he can claim them boldly +as his own. See if it be not so."</p> +<p>"It shall not be so," cried Alphonso, suddenly advancing a step +forward and planting himself in the midst of the group.</p> +<p>His cheek was crimson now, there was fire in his eyes. He had +all the regal look of his royal father as he glanced up into +Wendot's face and spoke with an authority beyond his years.</p> +<p>"I, the king's son, give you my word of honour that this thing +shall not be. You are rightful Lord of Dynevor. You took not up +arms against my father in the late rebellion; you come at his +command to pay your homage to him. Therefore, whatever may be his +dealings with your brothers who have assisted the rebels, I pledge +my princely word that you shall return in peace to your own +possessions. My father is a just and righteous king, and I will be +his surety that he will do all that is right and just by you, +Wendot of Dynevor."</p> +<p>"Well spoken, Alphonso!" cried Joanna and Britton in a breath, +whilst Wendot took the hand extended to him, and bent over it with +a feeling of loyal gratitude and respect.</p> +<p>There was something very lovable in the fragile young prince, +and he seemed to win the hearts of all who came within the charm of +his personal presence. He combined his father's fearless nobility +with his mother's sweetness of disposition. Had he lived to ascend +the throne of England, one of the darkest pages of its annals might +never have been written.</p> +<p>But this hot discussion was brought to an end by the appearance +of the servants, who carried in the supper, laying it upon a long +table at the far end of the gallery. No great state was observed +even in the royal household, when the family was far away from the +atmosphere of the court as it was held at Westminster or +Windsor.</p> +<p>A certain number of servants were in attendance. There were a +few formalities gone through in the matter of tasting of dishes +served to the royal children, but they sat round the table without +ceremony; and when the chaplain had pronounced a blessing, which +was listened to reverently by the young people, who were all very +devout and responsive to religious influences, the unconstrained +chatter began again almost at once, and the Welsh lads lost all +sense of strangeness as they sat at the table of the king's +children.</p> +<p>"Our father and mother will not return for several days yet," +said Joanna to Wendot, whom she had placed between herself and +Gertrude; "but we have liberty to do what we wish and to go where +we like.</p> +<p>"Say, Gertrude, shall we tell Wendot on what we have set our +hearts? It may be he would help us to our end."</p> +<p>"I would do anything you bid me, gracious lady," answered Wendot +with boyish chivalry.</p> +<p>The girls were eying each other with flushed faces, their voices +were lowered so that they should not reach the ears of the Lady +Edeline, Joanna's governess, who was seated at the board, although +she seldom spoke unless directly addressed by Eleanor, who seemed +to be on friendly terms with her.</p> +<p>"Wendot," whispered Joanna cautiously, "have you ever hunted a +wolf in your mountains?"</p> +<p>"Ay, many a time, though they be more seldom seen now. But we +never rid ourselves altogether of them, do as we will."</p> +<p>"And have you killed one yourself?"</p> +<p>"Yes, I have done that, too."</p> +<p>"And is it very dangerous?"</p> +<p>"I scarce know; I never thought about it. I think not, if one is +well armed and has dogs trained to their duties."</p> +<p>Joanna's eyes were alight with excitement; her hands were locked +together tightly. Her animated face was set in lines of the +greatest determination and happiest anticipation.</p> +<p>"Wendot," she said, "there is a wolf up yonder in that wild +valley we can see from yon window, as you look towards the heights +of Snowdon. Some of our people have seen and tracked it, but they +say it is an old and wily one, and no one has got near it yet. +Wendot, we have set our hearts on having a wolf hunt of our very +own. We do not want all the men and dogs and the stir and fuss +which they would make if we were known to be going. I know what +that means. We are kept far away behind everybody, and only see the +dead animal after it has been killed miles away from us. We want to +be in the hunt ourselves -- Britten, Alphonso, Arthyn, Gertrude, +and I. Godfrey would perhaps be won over if Gertrude begged him, +and I know Raoul Latimer would -- he is always ready for what turns +up -- but that would not be enough. O Wendot, if you and your +brothers would but come, we should be safe without anybody else. +Raoul has dogs, and we could all be armed, and we would promise to +be very careful. We could get away early, as Gertrude did that day +she slipped off to the Eagle's Crag.</p> +<p>"Wendot, do answer -- do say you will come. You understand all +about hunting, even hunting wolves. You are not afraid?"</p> +<p>Wendot smiled at the notion. He did not entirely understand that +he was requested to take part in a bit of defiant frolic which the +young princes and princesses were well aware would not have been +permitted by their parents. All he grasped was that the Lady Joanna +requested his assistance in a hunt which she had planned, and with +the details of which he was perfectly familiar, and he agreed +willingly to her request, not sorry, either for his own sake or for +that of his more discontented brothers, that the monotony of the +days spent in waiting the return of the king should be beguiled by +anything so attractive and exciting as a wolf hunt.</p> +<p>The Dynevor brothers had often hunted wolves before, and saw no +special peril in the sport; and Joanna and Gertrude felt that not +even the most nervous guardian could hesitate to let them go with +such a stout protector.</p> +<p>"I do like him, Gertrude," said Joanna, when Wendot and his +brother had retired. "I hope if I ever have to marry, as people +generally do, especially if they are king's daughters, that I shall +find somebody as brave and handsome and knightly as your Wendot of +Dynevor."</p> +<p>For Gertrude and Joanna both took the view that the breaking of +the king's gold coin between them was equivalent to the most solemn +of troth plights.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI</a>. WELSH WOLVES.</h2> +<p>The Princess Joanna was accustomed to a great deal of her own +way. She had been born at Acre, whilst her parents had been absent +upon Edward's Crusade, and for many years she had remained in +Castile with her grandmother-godmother, who had treated her with +unwise distinction, and had taught her to regard herself almost as +a little queen. The high-spirited and self-willed girl had thus +acquired habits of independence and commanding ways which were +perhaps hardly suited to her tender years; but nevertheless there +was something in her bright vivacity and generous impetuosity which +always won the hearts of those about her, and there were few who +willingly thwarted her when her heart was set upon any particular +thing.</p> +<p>There were in attendance upon the king and his children a number +of gallant youths, sons of his nobles, who were admitted to +pleasant and easy intercourse with the royal family; so that when +Joanna and Alphonso set their hearts upon a private escapade of +their own, in the shape of a wolf hunt, it was not difficult to +enlist many brave champions in the cause quite as eager for the +danger and the sport as the royal children themselves. Joanna was +admitted to be a privileged person, and Alphonso, as the only son +of the king, had a certain authority of his own.</p> +<p>The graver and more responsible guardians of the young prince +and princesses might have hesitated before letting them have their +way in this matter; but Joanna took counsel of the younger and more +ardent spirits by whom she was surrounded, and a secret expedition +to a neighbouring rocky fastness was soon planned, which +expedition, by a little diplomacy and management, could be carried +out without exciting much remark.</p> +<p>The king and queen encouraged their family in hardy exercises +and early hours. If the royal children planned an early ride +through the fresh morning air, none would hinder their departure, +and they could easily shake off their slower attendants when the +time came, and join the bolder comrades who would be waiting for +them with all the needful accoutrements for the hunt on which their +minds were bent.</p> +<p>One or two of the more youthful and adventurous attendants might +come with them, but the soberer custodians might either be +dismissed or outridden. They were accustomed to the vagaries of the +Lady Joanna, and would not be greatly astonished at any freak on +her part.</p> +<p>And thus it came about that one clear, cold, exhilarating +morning in May, when the world was just waking from its dewy sleep +of night, that Joanna and Alphonso, together with Gertrude and +Arthyn, and young Sir Godfrey and another gentleman in attendance, +drew rein laughingly, after a breathless ride across a piece of +wild moorland, at the appointed spot, where a small but +well-equipped company was awaiting them with the spears, the dogs, +and the long, murderous-looking hunting knives needed by those who +follow the tracks of the wild creatures of the mountains.</p> +<p>This little band numbered in its ranks the four Dynevor +brothers; a tall, rather haughty-looking youth, by name Raoul +Latimer; and one or two more with whose names we have no concern. +Britten, who accompanied the royal party, sprang forward with a cry +of delight at seeing the muster, and began eagerly questioning +Raoul as to the capabilities of the dogs he had brought, and the +possible dangers to be encountered in the day's sport.</p> +<p>Gertrude and Joanna rode up to Wendot and greeted him warmly. +They had seen him only once since the first evening after his +arrival, and both girls stole curious glances at the dark faces of +the two brothers unknown as yet to them. They were almost surprised +that the twins had come at all, as they were not disposed to be +friendly towards the English amongst whom they were now mingling; +but here they were, and Gertrude greeted both with her pretty +grace, and they answered her words of welcome with more courtesy +than she had expected to find in them.</p> +<p>Llewelyn and Howel were submitting themselves to the inevitable +with what grace they could, but with very indignant and hostile +feelings hidden deep in their hearts. Their old hatred towards the +English remained unaltered. They would have fought the foe tooth +and nail to the last had they been able to find allies ready to +stand by them. But when their uncle of North Wales had submitted, +and all the smaller chieftains were crowding to the court to pay +homage, and when they knew that nothing but their own nominal +subjection would save them from being deprived of their lands, +which would go to enrich the rapacious Meredith ap Res, then indeed +did resistance at that time seem hopeless; and sooner than see +themselves thus despoiled by one who was no better than a vassal of +England, they had resolved to take the hated step, and do homage to +Edward for their lands. Indeed, these brothers had to do even more; +for, having been concerned in the late rebellion, they had +forfeited their claim upon their property, only that it was +Edward's policy to restore all lands the owners of which submitted +themselves to his authority. The brothers felt no doubt as to the +result of their submission, but the humiliation involved was great, +and it was hard work to keep their hatred of the English in check. +Those wild spirits had not been used to exercising self-control, +and the lesson came hard now that they were springing up towards +man's estate, with all the untempered recklessness and heat of +youth still in their veins.</p> +<p>Perhaps there was something in the expression of those two dark +faces that told its tale to one silent spectator of the meeting +between the Welsh and English; for as the party united forces and +pushed onwards and upwards towards the wild ravine where the haunt +of the wolf lay, the twin brothers heard themselves addressed in +their own language, and though the tones were sweet and silvery, +the words had a ring of passionate earnestness in them which went +straight to their hearts.</p> +<p>"Methinks I am not mistaken in you, sons of Dynevor. You have +not willingly left your mountain eyry for these halls where the +proud foeman holds his court and sits in judgment upon those who by +rights are free as air. I have heard of you before, Llewelyn and +Howel ap Res Vychan. You are not here, like your brethren, half won +over to the cause of the foe; you would fight with the last drop of +your blood for the liberty of our country."</p> +<p>Turning with a start, the brothers beheld the form of a slight +and graceful maiden, who was pushing her palfrey up beside them. +She appeared to be about their own age, and was very beautiful to +look upon, with a clear, dark skin, large, bright eyes, now glowing +with the enthusiasm so soon kindled in the breast of the children +of an oppressed people -- a people thrilling with the strange, deep +poetry of their race, which made much amends for their lack of +culture in other points.</p> +<p>Llewelyn and Howel, learning caution by experience, scarce knew +how to respond to this appeal; but the girl met their inquiring +glances by a vivid smile, and said:</p> +<p>"Nay, fear me not. I am one of yourselves -- one of our +country's own children. Think not that I am here of my own free +will. I deny not that I have learned to love some amongst our +conqueror's children and subjects, but that does not make me forget +who I am nor whence I have come. Let us talk together of our +country and of the slender hopes which yet remain that she may gird +herself up and make common cause against the foe. Oh, would that I +might live to see the day, even though my life might pay the +forfeit of my father's patriotism. Let Edward slay me -- ay, and +every hostage he holds in his hand -- so that our country shakes +off the foreign yoke, and unites under one head as one nation once +again."</p> +<p>These words kindled in the breast of the twin brothers such a +glow of joy and fervour as they had not known for many a weary day. +They made room for Arthyn to ride between them, and eager were the +confidences exchanged between the youthful patriots as they pursued +their way upwards. Little they heeded the black looks cast upon +them by Raoul Latimer, as he saw Arthyn's eager animation, and +understood how close was the bond which had thus quickly been +established between them and the proud, silent girl whose favours +he had been sedulously trying to win this many a day.</p> +<p>Raoul Latimer was a youth with a decided eye to the main chance. +He knew that Arthyn was her father's heiress, and that she would +succeed at his death to some of the richest lands in Wales. +Possibly her father might be deprived of these lands in his +lifetime, as he was a turbulent chieftain, by no means submissive +to Edward's rule. If that were the case, and if his daughter had +wedded a loyal Englishman of unquestionable fidelity, there would +be an excellent chance for that husband of succeeding to the broad +lands of Einon ap Cadwalader before many years had passed. +Therefore young Raoul paid open court to the proud Welsh maiden, +and was somewhat discomfited at the small progress he had made.</p> +<p>But he was a hot-headed youth, and had no intention of being +thrown into the shade by any beggarly Welshmen, be they sons of +Dynevor or no, so that when the party were forced by the character +of the ground to dismount from their horses and take to their own +feet, he pressed up to Arthyn and said banteringly:</p> +<p>"Sweet lady, why burden yourself with the entertainment of these +wild, uncivilized loons? Surely those who can but speak the +language of beasts deserve the treatment of beasts. It is not for +you to be thus --"</p> +<p>But the sentence was never finished. Perhaps the flash from +Arthyn's eye warned him he had gone too far in thus designating the +youths, who were, after all, her countrymen; but there was a better +reason still for this sudden pause, for Llewelyn's strong right +hand had flown out straight from the shoulder, and Raoul had +received on the mouth a stinging blow which had brought the red +blood upon his lips and the crimson tide of fury into his +cheeks.</p> +<p>With an inarticulate cry of rage he drew his dagger and sprang +upon the young Welshman. Swords were drawn in those days only too +readily, and in this case there had been provocation enough on both +sides to warrant bloodshed. The youths were locked at once in +fierce conflict, striking madly at each other with their shining +blades, before those who stood by well knew what had occurred.</p> +<p>It was only too common at such times that there should be +collision between the sons of England and Wales; and the suffering +and the penalty almost invariably fell upon the latter. This fact +was well known to the children of the king, and possibly prompted +the young Alphonso to his next act.</p> +<p>Drawing the small sword he always carried at his side, he threw +himself between the combatants, and striking up their blades he +cried in tones of such authority as only those can assume who feel +the right is theirs:</p> +<p>"Put up your weapons, gentlemen; I command you in the king's +name.</p> +<p>"Raoul, this is your doing, I warrant. Shame on you for thus +falling upon my father's guest in his absence, and he a stranger +and an alien! Shame on you, I say!"</p> +<p>But scarce had these words been uttered before a shrill cry +broke from several of the girls, who were watching the strange +scene with tremulous excitement. For young Llewelyn, maddened and +blinded by the heat of his passion, and not knowing either who +Alphonso was or by what right he interposed betwixt him and his +foe, turned furiously upon him, and before any one could interpose, +a deep red gash in the boy's wrist showed what the Welsh lad's +blade had done.</p> +<p>Wendot, Griffeth, and Godfrey flung themselves upon the mad +youth, and held him back by main force. In Raoul's eyes there was +an evil light of triumph and exultation.</p> +<p>"Llewelyn, Llewelyn, art mad? It is the king's son," cried +Wendot in their native tongue; whilst Joanna sprang towards her +brother and commenced binding up the gash, the lad never for a +moment losing his presence of mind, or forgetting in the smart of +the hurt the dignity of his position.</p> +<p>Llewelyn's fierce burst of passion had spent itself, and the +sense of Wendot's words had come home to him. He stood shamefaced +and sullen, but secretly somewhat afraid; whilst Arthyn trembled in +every limb, and if looks would have annihilated, Raoul would not +have existed as a corporate being a moment longer.</p> +<p>"Gentlemen," said Alphonso, turning to those about him, and +holding up his bandaged hand, "this is the result of accident -- +pure accident. Remember that, if it ever comes to the ears of my +father. This youth knew not what he did. The fault was mine for +exposing myself thus hastily. As you value the goodwill in which I +hold you all, keep this matter to yourselves. We are not prince or +subject today, but comrades bent on sport together. Remember and +obey my behest. It is not often I lay my commands upon you."</p> +<p>These words were listened to with gratitude and relief by all +the party save one, and his brow gloomed darker than before. Arthyn +saw it, and sprang towards Alphonso, who was smiling at his sister +in response to her quick words of praise.</p> +<p>"It was his fault -- his," she cried, pointing to the scowling +Raoul, who looked ill-pleased at having his lips thus sealed. "He +insulted him -- he insulted me. No man worthy the name would stand +still and listen. It is the way with these fine gallants of +England. They are ever stirring up strife, and my countrymen bear +the blame, the punishment, the odium --"</p> +<p>But Alphonso took her hand with a gesture of boyish +chivalry.</p> +<p>"None shall injure thee or thine whilst I am by, sweet Arthyn. +The nation is dear to me for thy sake, and thy countrymen shall be +as our honoured guests and brothers. Have we not learned to love +them for thy sake and their own? Trouble not thy head more over +this mischance, and let it not cloud our day's sport.</p> +<p>"Raoul," he added, with some sternness, "thou art a turbulent +spirit, and thou lackest the gentle courtesy of a true knight +towards those whose position is trying and difficult. Thou wilt not +win thy spurs if thou mendest not thy ways. Give thy hand now, +before my eyes, to the youth thou didst provoke. If thou marrest +the day's pleasure again, I shall have more to say to thee +yet."</p> +<p>It was not often that the gentle Alphonso spoke in such tones, +and therefore his words were the more heeded. Raoul, inwardly +consumed with rage at being thus singled out for rebuke, dared not +withstand the order given him, and grudgingly held out his hand. It +was not with much greater alacrity that Llewelyn took it, for there +was much stubborn sullenness in his disposition, and his passion, +though quickly aroused, did not quickly abate; but there was a +compulsion in the glance of the royal boy which enforced obedience; +and harmony being thus nominally restored, the party once more +breathed freely.</p> +<p>"And now upwards and onwards for the lair of the wolf," cried +Alphonso; "we have lost time enough already. Who knows the way to +his favourite haunts? Methinks they cannot be very far away +now."</p> +<p>"I should have thought we had had enough of Welsh wolves for one +day," muttered Raoul sullenly to Godfrey; but the latter gave him a +warning glance, and he forbore to speak more on the subject.</p> +<p>Gertrude had watched the whole scene with dilated eyes, and a +feeling of sympathy and repulsion she was perfectly unable to +analyze. When the party moved on again she stole up to Wendot's +side, and said as she glanced into his troubled face:</p> +<p>"He did not mean it? he will not do it again?"</p> +<p>Wendot glanced down at her with a start, and shook his head.</p> +<p>"He knew not that it was the king's son -- that I verily +believe; but I know not what Llewelyn may say or do at any time. He +never speaks to me of what is in his head. Lady Gertrude, you know +the king and his ways. Will he visit this rash deed upon my +brother's head? Will Llewelyn suffer for what he did in an impulse +of mad rage, provoked to it by yon haughty youth, whose words and +bearing are hard for any of us to brook?"</p> +<p>"Not if Alphonso can but get his ear; not if this thing is kept +secret, as he desires, as he has commanded. But I fear what Raoul +may say and do. He is treacherous, selfish, designing. The king +thinks well of him, but we love him not. I trust all will yet be +well."</p> +<p>"But you fear it may not," added Wendot, completing the sentence +as she had not the heart to do. "I fear the same thing myself. But +tell me again, Lady Gertrude, what would be the penalty of such an +act? Will they --"</p> +<p>"Alphonso has great influence with his father," answered +Gertrude quickly. "He will stand your brother's friend through all; +perchance he may be detained in some sort of captivity; perchance +he may not have his lands restored if this thing comes to the +king's ears. But his person will be safe. Fear not for that. +Methinks Alphonso would sooner lay down his own life than that harm +should befall from what chanced upon a day of sport planned by him +and Joanna."</p> +<p>And Gertrude, seeing that a load lay upon the heart of the young +Lord of Dynevor, set herself to chase the cloud from his brow, and +had so far succeeded that he looked himself again by the time a +warning shout from those in advance showed that some tracks of the +wild creature of whom they were in pursuit had been discovered in +the path.</p> +<p>"Do not run into danger," pleaded Gertrude, laying a hand on +Wendot's arm as he moved quickly forward to the front. "You are so +brave you never think of yourself; but do not let us have more +bloodshed today, save the blood of the ravenous beast if it must +be. I could find it in my heart to wish that we had not come forth +on this errand. The brightness of the day has been clouded +over."</p> +<p>Wendot answered by a responsive glance. There was something +soothing to him in the unsolicited sympathy of Gertrude. He had +thought little since they parted two years before of that childish +pledge given and received, although he always wore her talisman +about his neck, and sometimes looked at it with a smile. He had no +serious thoughts of trying to mate with an English noble's +daughter. He had had no leisure to spare for thoughts of wedlock at +all. But something in the trustful glance of those dark eyes +looking confidingly up to him sent a quick thrill through his +pulses, which was perhaps the first dawning life of the love of a +brave heart.</p> +<p>But there was an impatient call from the front, and Wendot +sprang forward, the huntsman awakening within him at the sight of +the slot of the quarry. He looked intently at the tracks in the +soft earth, and then pointed downwards in the direction of a deep +gully or cavernous opening in the hillside, which looked very dark +and gloomy to the party who stood in the sunshine of the open.</p> +<p>"The beast has gone that way," he said; "and by his tracks and +these bloodstains, he has prey in his mouth. Likely his mate may +have her lair in yon dark spot, and they may be rearing their young +in that safe retreat. See how the dogs strain and pant! They smell +the prey, and are eager to be off. We must be alert and wary, for +wolves with young ones to guard are fierce beyond their wont."</p> +<p>He looked doubtfully at the girls, whose faces were full of +mingled terror and excitement. Godfrey read his meaning, and +suggested that the ladies should remain in this vantage ground +whilst some of the rest went forward to reconnoitre.</p> +<p>But Joanna, ever bold and impetuous, would have none of +that.</p> +<p>"We will go on together," she said. "We shall be safest so. No +wolf, however fierce, will attack a number like ourselves. They +will fly if they can, and if they are brought to bay we need not go +near them. But why have we come so far to give up all the peril and +the sport at the last moment?"</p> +<p>"She speaks truth," said Wendot, to whom she seemed to look. "At +this season of the year wolves have meat in plenty, and will not +attack man save in self defence. If we track them silently to their +lair, we may surprise and kill the brood; but we are many, and can +leave force enough to defend the ladies whilst the rest fight the +battle with the creatures at bay."</p> +<p>Nobody really wished to be left behind, and there was a pleasant +feeling of safety in numbers. Slowly and cautiously they all +followed the track of the wolf downwards into the gloomy ravine, +which seemed to shut out all light of the sun between walls of +solid rock.</p> +<p>It was a curious freak in which nature had indulged in the +formation of this miniature crevasse between the hillsides. At the +base ran a dark turbid stream, which had hollowed out for itself a +sort of cavernous opening, and the walls of rock rose almost +precipitately on three sides, only leaving one track by which the +ravine could be entered. The stream came bubbling out from the +rock, passing through some underground passage; and within the +gloomy cavern thus produced the savage beasts had plainly made +their lair, for there were traces of blood and bones upon the +little rocky platform, and the trained ear of Wendot, who was +foremost, detected the sound of subdued and angry growling +proceeding from the natural cave they were approaching.</p> +<p>"The beasts are in there," he said, pausing, and the next moment +Raoul had loosed the dogs, who darted like arrows from bows along +the narrow track; and immediately a great he wolf had sprung out +with a cry of almost human rage, and had fastened upon one of the +assailants, whose piercing yell made the girls shrink back and +almost wish they had not come.</p> +<p>But Wendot was not far behind. He was not one of the huntsmen +who give all the peril to the dogs and keep out of the fray +themselves. Drawing his long hunting knife, and shouting to his +brothers to follow him, he sprang down upon the rocky platform +himself, and Llewelyn and Howel were at his side in a moment. +Godfrey would fain have followed, but his duty obliged him to +remain by the side of the princess; and he kept a firm though +respectful grasp upon Alphonso's arm, feeling that he must not by +any means permit the heir of England to adventure himself into the +fray. And indeed the boy's gashed hand hindered him from the use of +his weapon, and he could only look on with the most intense +interest whilst the conflict between the two fierce beasts and +their angry cubs was waged by the fearless lads, who had been +through many such encounters before, and showed such skill, such +address, such intrepidity in their attack, that the young prince +shouted aloud in admiration, and even the girls lost their first +sense of terror in the certainty of victory on the side of the +Welsh youths.</p> +<p>As for Raoul Latimer, he stood at a safe distance cheering on +his dogs, but not adventuring himself within reach of the murderous +fangs of the wolves. He occupied a position halfway between the +spot upon which the fray was taking place and the vantage ground +occupied by the royal party in full sight of the strife.</p> +<p>Arthyn had passed several scornful comments upon the care the +young gallant was taking of himself, when suddenly there was a cry +from the spectators; for one of the cubs, escaping from the melee, +ran full tilt towards Raoul, blind as it seemed with terror; and as +it came within reach of his weapon, the sharp blade gleamed in the +air, and the little creature gave one yell and rolled over in its +death agony. But that cry seemed to pierce the heart of the mother +wolf, and suddenly, with almost preternatural strength and +activity, she bounded clean over the forms of men and dogs, and +dashed straight at Raoul with all the ferocity of an animal at bay, +and of a mother robbed of her young.</p> +<p>The young man saw the attack; but his weapon was buried in the +body of the cub, and he had no time to disengage it. Turning with a +sharp cry of terror, he attempted to fly up the rocky path; but the +beast was upon him. She made a wild dash and fastened upon his +back, her fangs crushing one shoulder and her hot breath seeming to +scorch his cheek. With a wild yell of agony and terror Raoul threw +himself face downwards upon the ground, whilst his cry was shrilly +echoed by the girls -- all but Arthyn, who stood rigidly as if +turned to stone, a strange, fierce light blazing in her eyes.</p> +<p>But help was close at hand. Wendot had seen the spring, and had +followed close upon the charge of the maddened brute. Flinging +himself fearlessly upon the struggling pair, he plunged his knife +into the neck of the wolf, causing her to relax her hold of her +first foe and turn upon him. Had he stabbed her to the heart she +might have inflicted worse injury upon Raoul in her mortal +struggle; as it was, there was fierce fight left in her still. But +Wendot was kneeling upon the wildly struggling body with all his +strength, and had locked his hands fast round her throat.</p> +<p>"Quick, Llewelyn -- the knife!" he cried, and his brother was +beside him in an instant.</p> +<p>The merciful death stroke was given, and the three youths rose +from their crouching posture and looked each other in the eyes, +whilst the wolf lay still and dead by the side of her cub.</p> +<p>"Methinks we have had something too much of Welsh wolves," was +the only comment of Raoul, as he joined the royal party without a +word to the brothers who had saved his life.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII</a>. THE KING'S +JUDGMENT.</h2> +<p>The great King Edward had been sitting enthroned in the state +apartment of the castle, receiving the homage of those amongst the +Welsh lords and chieftains who had been summoned to pay their +homage to him and had obeyed this summons.</p> +<p>It was an imposing sight, and one not likely to be forgotten by +any who witnessed it for the first time. The courageous but gentle +Queen Eleanor, who was seldom absent from her lord's side be the +times peaceful or warlike, was seated beside him for the ceremony, +with her two elder daughters beside her. The young Alphonso stood +at the right hand of the king, his face bright with interest and +sympathy; and if ever the act of homage seemed to be paid with +effort by some rugged chieftain, or he saw a look of gloom or pain +upon the face of such a one, he was ever ready with some graceful +speech or small act of courtesy, which generally acted like a +charm. And the father regarded his son with a fond pride, and let +him take his own way with these haughty, untamable spirits, feeling +perhaps that the tact of the royal boy would do more to conciliate +and win hearts than any word or deed of his own.</p> +<p>Edward has been often harshly condemned for his cruelty and +treachery towards the vanquished Welsh; but it must be remembered +with regard to the first charge that the days were rude and cruel, +that the spirit of the age was fierce and headstrong, and that the +barons and nobles who were scheming for the fair lands of Wales +were guilty of many of the unjust and oppressive acts for which +Edward has since been held responsible. The Welsh were themselves a +very wild race, in some parts of the country barely civilized; and +there can be no denying that a vein of fierce treachery ran through +their composition, and that they often provoked their adversaries +to cruel retaliation. As for the king himself, his policy was on +the whole a merciful and just one, if the one point of his feudal +supremacy were conceded. To those who came to him with their act of +homage he confirmed their possession of ancestral estates, and +treated them with kindness and consideration. He was too keen a +statesman and too just a man to desire anything but a conciliatory +policy so far as it was possible. Only when really roused to anger +and resolved upon war did the fiercer side of his nature show +itself, and then, indeed, he could show himself terrible and +lion-like in his wrath.</p> +<p>The brothers of Dynevor were the last of those who came to pay +their act of homage. The day had waned, and the last light of +sunset was streaming into that long room as the fair-haired Wendot +bent his knee in response to the summons of the herald. The king's +eyes seemed to rest upon him with interest, and he spoke kindly to +the youth; but it was noted by some in the company that his brow +darkened when Llewelyn followed his brother's example, Howel +attending him as Griffeth had supported Wendot; and there was none +of the gracious urbanity in the royal countenance now that had +characterized it during the past hour.</p> +<p>Several faces amongst those in immediate attendance upon the +king and his family watched this closing scene with unwonted +interest. Gertrude stood with Joanna's hand clasped in hers, +quivering with excitement, and ever and anon casting quick looks +towards her brother, who stood behind the chair of state observant +and watchful, but without betraying his feelings either by word or +look. Raoul Latimer was there, a sneer upon his lips, a malevolent +light in his eyes, which deepened as they rested upon Llewelyn, +whilst Arthyn watched the twin brothers with a strange look in her +glowing eyes, her lips parted, her white teeth just showing +between, her whole expression one of tense expectancy and sympathy. +Once Llewelyn glanced up and met the look she bent on him. A dusky +flush overspread his cheek, and his fingers clenched themselves in +an unconscious movement understood only by himself.</p> +<p>The homage paid, there was a little stir at the lower end of the +hall as the doors were flung open for the royal party to take their +departure. Edward bent a searching look upon the four brothers, who +had fallen back somewhat, and were clustered together not far from +the royal group, and the next minute an attendant whispered to them +that it was the king's pleasure they should follow in his personal +retinue, as he had somewhat to say to them in private.</p> +<p>Wendot's heart beat rather faster than its wont. He had had some +foreboding of evil ever since that unlucky expedition, some days +back now, on which Llewelyn's sword had been drawn upon an English +subject, and had injured the king's son likewise. Raoul had for +very shame affected a sort of condescending friendliness towards +the brothers after they had been instrumental in saving him from +the fangs of the she wolf; but it was pretty evident to them that +his friendship was but skin deep; whilst every word that passed +between Arthyn and Llewelyn or his brother -- and these were many +-- was ranked as a dire offence.</p> +<p>Had Wendot been more conversant with the intrigues of courts, he +would have seen plainly that Raoul was paying his addresses to the +Welsh heiress, who plainly detested and abhorred him. The ambitious +and clever young man, who was well thought of by the king, and had +many friends amongst the nobles and barons, had a plan of his own +for securing to himself some of the richest territory in the +country, and was leaving no stone unturned in order to achieve that +object. A marriage with Arthyn would give him the hold he wanted +upon a very large estate. But indifferent as he was to the feelings +of the lady, he was wise enough to see that whilst she remained in +her present mood, and was the confidante and friend of the +princesses, he should not gain the king's consent to prosecuting +his nuptials by force, as he would gladly have done. Whereupon a +new scheme had entered his busy brain, as a second string to his +bow, and with the help of a kinsman high in favour with the king, +he had great hopes of gaining his point, which would at once +gratify his ambition and inflict vengeance upon a hated rival.</p> +<p>Raoul had hated the Dynevor brothers ever since he had detected +in Arthyn an interest in and sympathy for them, ever since he had +found her in close talk in their own tongue with the dark-browed +twins, whose antagonism to the English was scarcely disguised. He +had done all he knew to stir the hot blood in Llewelyn and Howel, +and that with some success. The lads were looked upon as dangerous +and treacherous by many of those in the castle; and from the +sneering look of coming triumph upon the face of young Latimer as +the party moved off towards the private apartments of the royal +family, it was plain that he anticipated a victory for himself and +a profound humiliation for his foes.</p> +<p>Supper was the first business of the hour, and the Dynevor +brothers sat at the lower table with the attendants of the king. +The meal was well-served and plentiful, but they bad small appetite +for it. Wendot felt as though a shadow hung upon them; and the +chief comfort he received was in stealing glances at the sweet, +sensitive face of Gertrude, who generally responded to his glance +by one of her flashing smiles.</p> +<p>Wendot wondered how it was that Lord Montacute had never sought +him out to speak to him. Little as the lad had thought of their +parting interview at Dynevor during the past two years, it all came +back with the greatest vividness as he looked upon the fine calm +face of the English noble. Was it possible he had forgotten the +half-pledge once given him? Or did he regret it, now that his +daughter was shooting up from a child into a sweet and gracious +maiden whom he felt disposed to worship with reverential awe? +Wendot did not think he was in love -- he would scarce have known +the meaning of the phrase and he as little understood the feelings +which had lately awakened within him; but he did feel conscious +that a new element had entered into his life, and with it a far +less bitter sense of antagonism to the English than he had +experienced in previous years.</p> +<p>After the supper was ended the royal family withdrew into an +inner room, and presently the four brothers were bidden to enter, +as the king had somewhat to say to them. The greater number of the +courtiers and attendants remained in the outer room, but Sir +Godfrey Challoner, Raoul Latimer, and one or two other gentlemen +were present in the smaller apartment. The queen and royal children +were also there, and their playfellows and companions, Gertrude +holding her father by the hand, and watching with intense interest +the approach of the brothers and the faces of the king and his +son.</p> +<p>Edward was seated before a table on which certain parchments +lay. Alphonso stood beside him, and Wendot fancied that he had only +just ended some earnest appeal, his parted lips and flushed cheeks +seeming to tell of recent eager speech. The king looked keenly at +the brothers as they made their obeisance to him, and singling out +Wendot, bid him by a gesture to approach nearer.</p> +<p>There was a kindliness in the royal countenance which encouraged +the youth, and few could approach the great soldier king without +experiencing something of the fascination which his powerful +individuality exercised over all his subjects.</p> +<p>"Come hither, boy," he said; "we have heard nought but good of +thee. Thou hast an eloquent advocate in yon maiden of Lord +Montacute's, and mine own son and daughters praise thy gallantry in +no measured terms. We have made careful examination into these +parchments here, containing reports of the late rebellion, and +cannot find that thou hast had part or lot in it. Thou hast paid +thy homage without dallying or delay; wherefore it is our pleasure +to confirm to thee thy possession of thy castle of Dynevor and its +territory. We only caution thee to remain loyal to him thou hast +owned as king, and we will establish thee in thy rights if in time +to come they be disputed by others, or thou stirrest up foes by thy +loyalty to us."</p> +<p>Wendot bowed low. If there was something bitter in having his +father's rightful inheritance granted to him as something of a +boon, at least there was much to sweeten the draught in the kindly +and gracious bearing of the king, and in Alphonso's friendly words +and looks. He had no father to look to in time of need, and felt a +great distrust of the kinsman who exercised some guardianship over +him; so that there was considerable relief for the youth in feeling +that the great King of England was his friend, and that he would +keep him from the aggression of foes.</p> +<p>He stood aside as Edward's glance passed on to Llewelyn and +Howel, and it was plain that the monarch's face changed and +hardened as he fixed his eye upon the twins.</p> +<p>"Llewelyn -- Howel," he said, "joint lords of Iscennen, we wish +that we had received the same good report of you that we have done +of your brethren. But it is not so. There be dark records in your +past which give little hope for the future. Nevertheless you are +yet young. Wisdom may come with the advance of years. But the hot +blood in you requires taming and curbing. You have proved +yourselves unfit for the place hitherto occupied as lords of the +broad lands bequeathed you by Res Vychan, your father. For the +present those lands are forfeit. You must win the right to call +them yours again by loyalty in the cause which every true Welshman +should have at heart, because it is the cause which alone can bring +peace and safety to your harassed country. It is not willingly that +we wrest from any man the lands that are his birthright. Less +willingly do we do this when homage, however unwilling and +reluctant, has been paid. But we have our duties to ourselves and +to our submitted subjects to consider, and it is not meet to send +firebrands alight into the world, when a spark may raise so fierce +a conflagration, and when hundreds of lives have to pay the penalty +of one mad act of headstrong youth. It is your youth that shall be +your excuse from the charge of graver offence, but those who are +too young to govern themselves are not fit to govern others."</p> +<p>Whilst the king had been speaking he had been closely studying +the faces of the twin brothers, who stood before him with their +eyes on the ground. These two lads, although by their stature and +appearance almost men, had not attained more than their sixteenth +year, and had by no means learned that control of feature which is +one of nature's hardest lessons. As the king's words made +themselves understood, their brows had darkened and their faces had +contracted with a fierce anger and rage, which betrayed itself also +in their clenched hands and heaving chests; and although they +remained speechless -- for the awe inspired by Edward's presence +could not but make itself felt even by them -- it was plain that +only the strongest efforts put upon themselves hindered them from +some outbreak of great violence.</p> +<p>Edward's eye rested sternly upon them for a moment, and then he +addressed himself once again to Wendot.</p> +<p>"To thee, Res Wendot," he said, "we give the charge of these two +turbulent brothers of thine. Had not the Prince Alphonso spoken for +them, we had kept them under our own care here in our fortress of +Rhuddlan. But he has pleaded for them that they have their liberty, +therefore into thy charge do we give them. Take them back with thee +to Dynevor, and strive to make them like unto thyself and thy +shadow there, who is, they tell me, thy youngest brother, and as +well disposed as thyself.</p> +<p>"Say, young man, wilt thou accept this charge, and be surety for +these haughty youths? If their own next-of-kin will not take this +office, we must look elsewhere for a sterner guardian."</p> +<p>For a moment Wendot hesitated, He knew well the untamable spirit +of his brothers, and the small influence he was likely to have upon +them, and for a moment his heart shrank from the task. But again he +bethought what his refusal must mean to them -- captivity of a more +or less irksome kind, harsh treatment perhaps, resulting in actual +imprisonment, and a sure loss of favour with any guardian who had +the least love for the English cause. At Dynevor they would at +least be free.</p> +<p>Surely, knowing all, they would not make his task too hard. The +tie of kindred was very close. Wendot remembered words spoken by +the dying bed of his parents, and his mind was quickly made up.</p> +<p>"I will be surety for them," he said briefly. "If they offend +again, let my life, my lands, be the forfeit."</p> +<p>The monarch gave him a searching glance. Perhaps some of the +effort with which he had spoken made itself audible in his tones. +He looked full at Wendot for a brief minute, and then turned to the +black-browed twins.</p> +<p>"You hear your brother's pledge," he said in low, stern tones. +"If you have the feelings of men of honour, you will respect the +motive which prompts him to give it, and add no difficulties to the +task he has imposed upon himself. Be loyal to him, and loyal to the +cause he has embraced, and perchance a day may come when you may so +have redeemed your past youthful follies as to claim and receive at +our hands the lands we now withhold. In the meantime they will be +administered by Raoul Latimer, who will draw the revenues and +maintain order there. He has proved his loyalty in many ways ere +this, and he is to be trusted, as one day I hope you twain may +be."</p> +<p>Llewelyn started as if he had been stung as these words crossed +the king's lips. His black eyes flashed fire, and as he lifted his +head and met the mocking glance of Raoul, it seemed for a moment as +if actually in the presence of the king he would have flown at his +antagonist's throat; but Wendot's hand was on his arm, and even +Howel had the self-command to whisper a word of caution. Alphonso +sprang gaily between the angry youth and his father's keen glance, +and began talking eagerly of Dynevor, asking how the brothers would +spend their time, now that they were all to live there once more; +whilst Arthyn, coming forward, drew Llewelyn gently backward, +casting at Raoul a look of such bitter scorn and hatred that he +involuntarily shrank before it.</p> +<p>"Thou hast taken a heavy burden upon thy young shoulders, lad," +said a well-remembered voice in Wendot's ear, and looking up, he +met the calm gaze of Lord Montacute bent upon him; whilst Gertrude, +flushing and sparkling, stood close beside her father. "Thinkest +thou that such tempers as those will be easily controlled?"</p> +<p>Wendot's face was grave, and looked manly in its noble +thoughtfulness.</p> +<p>"I know not what to say; but, in truth, I could have given no +other answer. Could I leave my own brethren to languish in +captivity, however honourable, when a word from me would free them? +Methinks, sir, thou scarce knowest what freedom is to us wild sons +of Wales, or how the very thought of any hindrance to perfect +liberty chafes our spirit and frets us past the limit of endurance. +Sooner than be fettered by bonds, however slack, I would spring +from yonder casement and dash myself to pieces upon the stones +below. To give my brothers up into unfriendly hands would be giving +them up to certain death. If my spirit could not brook such +control, how much less could theirs?"</p> +<p>Gertrude's soft eyes gave eloquent and sympathetic response. +Wendot had unconsciously addressed his justification to her rather +than to her father. Her quick sympathy gave him heart and hope. She +laid her hand upon his arm and said:</p> +<p>"I think thou art very noble, Wendot; it was like thee to do it. +I was almost grieved when I heard thee take the charge upon +thyself, for I fear it may be one of peril to thee. But I love thee +the more for thy generosity. Thou wilt be a true and brave knight +ere thou winnest thy spurs in battle."</p> +<p>Wendot's face flushed with shy happiness at hearing such frank +and unqualified praise from one he was beginning to hold so dear. +Lord Montacute laid his hand smilingly on his daughter's mouth, as +if to check her ready speech, and then bidding her join the Lady +Joanna, who was making signals to her from the other side of the +room, he drew Wendot a little away into an embrasure, and spoke to +him in tones of considerable gravity.</p> +<p>"Young man," he said, "I know not if thou hast any memory left +of the words I spake to thee when last we met at Dynevor?"</p> +<p>Wendot's colour again rose, but his glance did not waver.</p> +<p>"I remember right well," he answered simply. "I spoke words then +of which I have often thought since -- words that I have not +repented till today, nor indeed till I heard thee pass that pledge +which makes thee surety for thy turbulent brothers."</p> +<p>A quick, troubled look crossed Wendot's face, but he did not +speak, and Lord Montacute continued -- "I greatly fear that thou +hast undertaken more than thou canst accomplish; and that, instead +of drawing thy brothers from the paths of peril, thou wilt rather +be led by them into treacherous waters, which may at last overwhelm +thee. You are all young together, and many dangers beset the steps +of youth. Thou art true and loyal hearted, that I know well; but +thou art a Welshman, and --"</p> +<p>He paused and stopped short, and Wendot answered, not without +pride:</p> +<p>"I truly am a Welshman -- it is my boast to call myself that. If +you fear to give your daughter to one of that despised race, so be +it. I would not drag her down to degradation; I love her too well +for that. Keep her to thyself. I give thee back thy pledge."</p> +<p>Lord Montacute smiled as he laid his hand upon the young man's +shoulder.</p> +<p>"So hot and hasty, Wendot, as hasty as those black-haired twins. +Yet, boy, I like thee for thy outspoken candour, and I would not +have thee change it for the smooth treachery of courtly intrigue. +If I had nought else to think of, I would plight my daughter's hand +to thee, an ye both were willing, more gladly than to any man I +know. But, Wendot, she is mine only child, and very dear to me. +There are others who would fain win her smiles, others who would be +proud to do her lightest behest. She is yet but a child. Perchance +she has not seriously considered these matters. Still there will +come a time when she will do so, and --"</p> +<p>"Then let her choose where she will," cried Wendot, proudly and +hotly. "Think you I would wed one whose heart was given elsewhere? +Take back your pledge -- think of it no more. If the day comes when +I may come to her free and unfettered, and see if she has any +regard for me, good. I will come. But so long as you hold that +peril menaces my path, I will not ask her even to think of me. Let +her forget. I will not bind her by a word. It shall be as if those +words had never passed betwixt us."</p> +<p>Lord Montacute scarce knew if regret, relief, or admiration were +the feeling uppermost in his mind, as the youth he believed so +worthy of his fair daughter, and perhaps not entirely indifferent +to her dawning charms, thus frankly withdrew his claim upon her +hand. It seems strange to us that any one should be talking and +thinking so seriously of matrimony when the girl was but fourteen +and the youth three years her senior; but in those days marriages +were not only planned but consummated at an absurdly early age +according to our modern notions, and brides of fifteen and sixteen +were considered almost mature. Many young men of Wendot's age would +be seriously seeking a wife, and although no such thought had +entered his head until he had seen Gertrude again, it cannot be +denied that the idea had taken some hold upon him now, or that he +did not feel a qualm of pain and sorrow at thus yielding up one +bright hope just when the task he had taken upon himself seemed to +be clouding his life with anxiety and peril.</p> +<p>"Boy," said Lord Montacute, "I cannot forget what thou hast done +nor what she owes to thee. I love thee well, and would fain welcome +thee as a son; but my love for her bids me wait till we see what is +the result of this office thou hast taken on thyself. Thou hast +acted rightly and nobly, but in this world trouble often seems to +follow the steps of those who strive most after the right. If thine +own life, thine own possessions, are to pay the forfeit if thy +brethren fall away into rebellion -- and Edward, though a just man +and kind, can be stern to exact the uttermost penalty when he is +angered or defied -- then standest thou in sore peril, peril from +which I would shield my maid. Wherefore --"</p> +<p>"Nay, say no more -- say no more. I comprehend it all too well," +replied Wendot, not without a natural though only momentary feeling +of bitterness at the thought of what this pledge was already +costing him, but his native generosity and sweetness of temper soon +triumphed over all besides, and he said with his peculiarly bright +and steadfast smile, "You have judged rightly and well for us both, +my lord. Did I but drag her down to sorrow and shame, it would be +the bitterest drop in a bitter cup. A man placed as I am is better +without ties."</p> +<p>"Also the days will soon pass by, and the time will come when +this charge ceases. Then if the Lady Gertrude be still mistress of +her hand and heart, and if the Lord of Dynevor comes to try his +fate, methinks, by what I have seen and heard, that he may chance +to get no unkindly answer to his wooing."</p> +<p>Wendot made no reply, but only blushed deeply as he moved away. +He scarce knew whether he were glad or sorry that Gertrude came out +to meet him, and drew him towards the little group which had +gathered in a deep embrasure of the window. Joanna, Alphonso, and +Griffeth were there. They had been eagerly questioning the younger +lad about life at Dynevor, and what they would do when they were at +home all together. Joanna was longing to travel that way and lodge +a night there; and Gertrude was eloquent in praise of the castle, +and looked almost wistfully at Wendot to induce him to add his +voice to the general testimony. But he was unwontedly grave and +silent, and her soft eyes filled with tears. She knew that he was +heavy hearted, and it cut her to the quick; but he did not speak of +his trouble, and only Alphonso ventured to allude to it, and that +was by one quick sentence as he was taking his departure at +bedtime.</p> +<p>"Wendot," he said earnestly, "I will ever be thy friend. Fear +not. My father denies me nothing. Thy trial may be a hard one, but +thou wilt come nobly forth from it. I will see that harm to thee +comes not from thy generosity. Only be true to us, and thou shalt +not suffer."</p> +<p>Wendot made no reply, but the words were like a gleam of +sunshine breaking through the clouds; and one more such gleam was +in store for him on the morrow, when he bid a final adieu to +Gertrude before the general departure for Dynevor.</p> +<p>"I have my half gold coin, Wendot. I shall look at it every day +and think of thee. I am so happy that we have seen each other once +again. Thou wilt not forget me, Wendot?"</p> +<p>"Never so long as I live," he answered with sudden fervour, +raising the small hand he held to his lips. "And some day, +perchance, Lady Gertrude, I will come to thee again."</p> +<p>"I shall be waiting for thee," she answered, with a mixture of +arch sweetness and playfulness that he scarce knew whether to call +childlike confidence or maiden trust. But the look in her eyes went +to his heart, and was treasured there, like the memory of a +sunbeam, for many long days to come.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII</a>. TURBULENT +SPIRITS.</h2> +<p>The four sons of Res Vychan went back to Dynevor together, there +to settle down, outwardly at least, to a quiet and uneventful life, +chiefly diversified by hunting and fishing, and such adventures as +are inseparable from those pastimes in which eager lads are +engrossed.</p> +<p>Wendot both looked and felt older for his experiences in the +castle of Rhuddlan. His face had lost much of its boyishness, and +had taken a thoughtfulness beyond his years. Sometimes he appeared +considerably oppressed by the weight of the responsibility with +which he had charged himself, and would watch the movements and +listen to the talk of the twins with but slightly concealed +uneasiness.</p> +<p>Yet as days merged into weeks, and weeks lengthened into months, +and still there had been nothing to alarm him unduly, he began, as +the inclement winter drew on, to breathe more freely; for in the +winter months all hostilities of necessity ceased, for the mountain +passes were always blocked with snow, and both travelling and +fighting were practically out of the question for a considerable +time.</p> +<p>Wendot, too, had matters enough to occupy his mind quite apart +from the charge of his two haughty brothers. He had his own estates +to administer -- no light task for a youth not yet eighteen -- and +his large household to order; and though Griffeth gave him every +help, Llewelyn and Howel stood sullenly aloof, and would not appear +to take the least interest in anything that appertained to Dynevor, +although they gave no reason for their conduct, and were not in +other ways unfriendly to their brothers.</p> +<p>The country was for the time being quiet and at peace. Exhausted +by its own internal struggles and by the late disastrous campaign +against the English, the land was, as it were, resting and +recruiting itself, in preparation, perhaps, for another outbreak +later on. In the meantime, sanguine spirits like those of Wendot +and Griffeth began to cherish hopes that the long and weary +struggle was over at last, and that the nation, as a nation, would +begin to realize the wisdom and the advantage of making a friend +and ally of the powerful monarch of England, instead of provoking +him to acts of tyranny and retaliation by perpetual and fruitless +rebellions against a will far too strong to be successfully +resisted.</p> +<p>But Llewelyn and Howel never spoke of the English without words +and looks indicative of the deepest hatred; and the smouldering +fire in their breasts was kept glowing and burning by the wild +words and the wilder songs of the old bard Wenwynwyn, who spent the +best part of his time shut up in his own bare room, with his harp +for his companion, in which room Llewelyn and Howel spent much of +their time during the dark winter days, when they could be less and +less out of doors.</p> +<p>Since that adventure of the Eagle's Crag, Wendot had distrusted +the old minstrel, and was uneasy at the influence he exercised upon +the twins; but the idea of sending him from Dynevor was one which +never for a moment entered his head. Had not Wenwynwyn grown old in +his father's service? Had he not been born and bred at Dynevor? The +young lord himself seemed to have a scarce more assured right to +his place there than the ancient bard. Be he friend or be he foe, +at Dynevor he must remain so long as the breath remained in his +body.</p> +<p>The bard was, by hereditary instinct, attached to all the boys, +but of late there had been but little community of thought between +him and his young chieftain. Wendot well knew the reason. The old +man hated the English with the bitter, unreasoning, deadly hatred +of his wild, untutored nature. Had he not sprung from a race whose +lives had been spent in rousing in the breasts of all who heard +them the most fervent and unbounded patriotic enthusiasm? And was +it to be marvelled at that he could not see or understand the +changes of the times or the hopelessness of the long struggle, now +that half the Welsh nobles were growing cool in the national cause, +and the civilization and wealth of the sister country were +beginning to show them that their own condition left much to be +desired, and that there was something better and higher to be +achieved than a so-called liberty, only maintained at the cost of +perpetual bloodshed? or a series of petty feuds for supremacy, +which went far to keep the land in a state of semi-barbarism?</p> +<p>So the old bard sang his wild songs, and Llewelyn and Howel sat +by the glowing fire of logs that blazed in the long winter evenings +upon his hearth, listening to his fierce words, and hardening their +hearts and bracing their wills against any kind of submission to a +foreign yoke. A burning hatred against the English king also +consumed them. Had they not, at the cost of most bitter +humiliation, gone to him as vassals, trusting to his promise that +all who did homage for their lands should be confirmed in peaceful +possession of the same? And how had he treated this act of painful +submission? Was it greatly to be wondered at that their hearts +burned with an unquenchable hatred? To them Edward stood as the +type of all that was cruel and treacherous and grasping. They +brooded over their wrongs by day and by night; they carried their +dark looks with them when they stirred abroad or when they rested +at home. Wenwynwyn sympathized as none besides seemed to do, and he +became their great solace and chief counsellor.</p> +<p>Wendot might uneasily wonder what passed in that quiet room of +the old man's, but he never knew or guessed. He would better have +liked to hear Llewelyn burst forth into the old passionate +invective. He was uneasy at this chronic state of gloom and sullen +silence on the vexed question of English supremacy. But seldom a +word passed the lips of either twin. They kept their secret -- if +secret they had -- locked away in their own breasts. And days and +weeks and months passed by, and Wendot and Griffeth seemed almost +as much alone at Dynevor as they had been after their father's +death, when Llewelyn and Howel had betaken themselves to their +castle of Carregcennen.</p> +<p>But at least, if silent and sullen, they did not appear to +entertain any plan likely to raise anxiety in Wendot's mind as to +the pledge he had given to the king. They kept at home, and never +spoke of Iscennen, and as the winter passed away and the spring +began to awaken the world from her long white sleep, they betook +themselves with zest to their pastime of hunting, and went long +expeditions that sometimes lasted many days, returning laden with +spoil, and apparently in better spirits from the bracing nature of +their pursuits.</p> +<p>Griffeth, who had felt the cold somewhat keenly, and had been +drooping and languid all the winter, picked up strength and spirit +as the days grew longer and warmer, and began to enjoy open-air +life once more.</p> +<p>Wendot was much wrapped up in this young brother of his, who had +always been dearer to him than any being in the world besides.</p> +<p>Since he had been at death's door with the fever, Griffeth had +never recovered the robustness of health which had hitherto been +the characteristic of the Dynevor brothers all their lives. He was +active and energetic when the fit was on him, but he wearied soon +of any active sport. He could no longer bound up the mountain paths +with the fleetness and elasticity of a mountain deer, and in the +keen air of the higher peaks it was difficult for him to +breathe.</p> +<p>Still in the summer days he was almost his former self again, or +so Wendot hoped; and although Griffeth's lack of rude health +hindered both from joining the long expeditions planned and carried +out by the twins, it never occurred to Wendot to suspect that there +was an ulterior motive for these, or to realize how unwelcome his +presence would have been had he volunteered it, in lieu of staying +behind with Griffeth, and contenting himself with less adventurous +sports.</p> +<p>Spring turned to summer, and summer to autumn, and life at +Dynevor seemed to move quietly enough. Griffeth took a fancy to +book learning -- a rare enough accomplishment in those days -- and +a monk from the Abbey of Strata Florida was procured to give him +instruction in the obscure science of reading and writing. Wendot, +who had a natural love of study, and who had been taught something +of these mysteries by his mother -- she being for the age she lived +in a very cultivated woman -- shared his brother's studies, and +delighted in the acquirement of learning.</p> +<p>But this new development on the part of the Lord of Dynevor and +his brother seemed to divide them still more from the two remaining +sons of Res Vychan; and the old bard would solemnly shake his head +and predict certain ruin to the house when its master laid aside +sword for pen, and looked for counsel to the monk and missal +instead of to his good right hand and his faithful band of armed +retainers.</p> +<p>Wendot and Griffeth would smile at these dark sayings, and loved +their studies none the less because they opened out before them +some better understanding of the blessings of peace and culture +upon a world harried and exhausted with perpetual, aimless strife; +but their more enlightened opinions seemed but to widen the breach +between them and their brothers, and soon they began to be almost +strangers to each other.</p> +<p>Wendot and Griffeth regretted this without seeing how to mend +matters. They felt sorry for Llewelyn and Howel, deprived of the +employments and authority they had enjoyed of late, and would have +gladly given them a share of authority in Dynevor; but this they +would not accept, drawing more and more away into themselves, and +sharing their confidences with no one except Wenwynwyn.</p> +<p>The summer was now on the wane, and the blustering winds of the +equinox had begun to moan about the castle walls. The men were busy +getting in the last of the fruits of the earth and storing them up +against the winter need, whilst the huntsmen brought in day by day +stores of venison and game, which the women salted down for +consumption during the long dreary days when snow should shut them +within their own walls, and no fresh meat would be obtainable.</p> +<p>It was a busy season, and Wendot had time and mind alike full. +He heeded little the movements of his brothers, whom he thought +engrossed in the pleasures of the chase. He was not even aware that +old Wenwynwyn was absent for several days from the castle, for +since the estrangement between him and the old man he was often +days at a time without encountering him.</p> +<p>Llewelyn and Howel were visibly restless just now. They did not +go far from the castle, nor did they seem interested in the spoil +the hunters brought home. But they spent many long hours in the +great gallery where the arms of the retainers were laid up, and +their heads were often to be seen close together in deep +discussion, although if any person came near to disturb them they +would spring asunder, or begin loudly discussing some indifferent +theme.</p> +<p>They were in this vast, gloomy place, sitting together in the +deep embrasure of one of the narrow windows as the daylight began +to fail, when suddenly they beheld Wenwynwyn stalking through the +long gallery as if in search of them, and they sprang forward to +greet him with unconcealed eagerness.</p> +<p>"Thou hast returned."</p> +<p>"Ay, my sons, I have returned, and am the bearer of good news. +But this is not the place to speak. Stones have ears, and traitors +abound even in these hoary walls which have echoed to the songs of +the bard for more years than man can count. Ah, woe the day; ah, +woe the falling off! That I should live to see the sons of Dynevor +thus fall away -- the young eaglets leaving their high estate to +grovel with the carrion vulture and the coward crow! Ah! in old +days it was not so. But there are yet those of the degenerate race +in whom the spirit of their fathers burns. Come, my sons -- come +hither with me. I bring you a message from Iscennen that will +gladden your hearts to hear."</p> +<p>The boys pressed after him up the narrow, winding stair that led +to the room the bard called his own. It was remote from the rest of +the castle, and words spoken within its walls could be heard by +none outside. It was a place that had heard much plotting and +planning ere now, and what was to be spoken tonight was but the +sequel of what had gone before.</p> +<p>"Speak, Wenwynwyn, speak!" cried the twins in a breath. "Has he +returned thither?"</p> +<p>"Ay, my sons; he has come back in person to receive his 'dues,' +and to look into all that has passed in his absence. These eyes +have seen the false, smiling face of the usurper, who sits in the +halls which have rung to the sound of yon harp in days when the +accursed foot of the stranger would have been driven with blows +from the door. He is there, and --"</p> +<p>"And they hate and despise and contemn him," cried Llewelyn in +wild excitement. "Every man of Iscennen is his foe. Do not I know +it? Have we not proved it? There is no one but will rise at the +sound of my trumpet, to follow me to victory or death.</p> +<p>"Wenwynwyn, speak! thou hast bid us wait till the hour has come +till all things be ripe for action. Tell us, has not that hour +come? Hast thou not come to bid us draw the sword, and wrest our +rightful inheritance from the hand of the spoiler and alien?"</p> +<p>"Ay, verily, that hour has come," cried the old bard, with a +wild gesture. "The spoiler is there, lurking in his den. His eyes +are roving round in hungry greed to spoil the poor man of his +goods, to wrest the weapon from the strong. He is fearful in the +midst of his state -- fearful of those he calls his vassals -- +those he would crush with his iron glove, and wring dry even as a +sponge is wrung. Ay, the hour is come. The loyal patriots have +looked upon your faces, my sons, and see in you their liberators. +Go now, when the traitor whose life you saved is gloating over his +spoil in his castle walls. Go and show him what it is to rob the +young lions of their prey; show him what it is to strive with +eagles, when only the blood of the painted jay runs in his craven +veins. Saw I not fear, distrust, and hatred in every line of that +smooth face? Think you that he is happy in the possession of what +he sold his soul to gain? Go, and the victory will be yours. Go; +all Iscennen will be with you. Wenwynwyn has not sung his songs in +vain amongst those hardy people! He has prepared the way. Go! +victory lies before you."</p> +<p>The boys' hearts swelled within them at these words. It was not +for nothing that they, with their own faithful followers, sworn to +secrecy, had absented themselves again and again from Dynevor +Castle on the pretence of long hunting expeditions. It was true +that they had hunted game, that they had brought home abundance of +spoil with them; but little had Llewelyn or Howel to do with the +taking of that prey. They had been at Iscennen; they had travelled +the familiar tracks once again, and had found nothing but the most +enthusiastic welcome from their own people, the greatest hatred for +the foreign lordling, who had been foisted upon them by edict of +the king.</p> +<p>Truly Raoul Latimer had won but a barren triumph in gaining for +himself the lands of Iscennen. A very short residence there had +proved enough for him, and he had withdrawn, in fear that if he did +not do so some fatal mischance would befall him. He had reigned +there as an absentee ever since, not less cursed and hated for the +oppressive measures taken in his name than when he had been the +active agent.</p> +<p>Matters were ripe for revolt. There only wanted the time and the +occasion. The leader was already to hand -- the old lord, young in +years, Llewelyn ap Res Vychan, and Howel his brother. With the +twins at their head, Iscennen would rise to a man; and then let +Raoul Latimer look to himself! For the Welsh, when once aroused to +strike, struck hard; and it cannot be denied that they ofttimes +struck treacherously beside.</p> +<p>Small wonder if, as Wenwynwyn declared, young Raoul had found +but small satisfaction in his visit to his new estate, and lived +upon it in terror of his very life, though surrounded by the solid +walls of his own castle.</p> +<p>The hour had come. Llewelyn and Howel were about to taste the +keen joy of revenging themselves upon a foe they hated and +abhorred, about to take at least one step towards reinstating +themselves in their ancestral halls. But the second object was +really less dear to them than the first. If the hated Raoul could +be slain, or made to fly in ignominy and disgrace, they cared +little who reigned in his place. Their own tenure at Carregcennen +under existing circumstances they knew to be most insecure, and +although they had organized and were to lead the attack, they were +to do so disguised, and those who knew the share they were to take +were pledged not to betray it.</p> +<p>Loose as had grown the bond between the brothers of late, the +twins were not devoid of a certain rude code of honour of their +own, and had no wish to involve Wendot in ruin and disgrace. He was +surety for their good behaviour, and if it became known to Edward +that they had led the attack on one of his English subjects, +Dynevor itself might pay the forfeit of his displeasure, and Wendot +might have to answer with his life, as he had offered to do, for +his brothers. Thus, though this consideration was not strong enough +to keep the twins from indulging their ungovernable hatred to their +foe, it made them cautious about openly appearing in the matter +themselves; and when, upon a wild, blustering night not many days +later, a little band of hardy Welshmen, all armed to the teeth, +crept with the silent caution of wild beasts along a rocky pathway +which led by a subterranean way, known only to Llewelyn and Howel, +into the keep of the castle itself; none would have recognized in +the blackened faces of the two leaders, covered, as they appeared +to be, with a tangled growth of hair and beard, the countenances of +the sons of Res Vychan; whilst the stalwart, muscular figures +seemed rather to belong to men than lads, and assisted the disguise +not a little.</p> +<p>The hot-headed but by no means intrepid young Englishman, who +had not had the courage to remain long in the possessions he had +coveted, and who was fervently wishing that this second visit was +safely over, was aroused from his slumbers by the clash of arms, +and by the terrified cries of the guard he always placed about +him.</p> +<p>"The Welsh wolves are upon us!" he heard a voice cry out in the +darkness. "We are undone -- betrayed! Every man for himself! They +are murdering every soul they meet."</p> +<p>In a passion of rage and terror Raoul sprang from his bed, and +commenced hurrying into his clothes as fast as his trembling hands +would allow him. In vain he called to his servants; they had every +man of them fled. Below he heard the clash of arms, and the +terrible guttural cries with which the Welsh always rushed into +battle, and which echoed through the halls of Carregcennen like the +trump of doom.</p> +<p>It was a terrible moment for the young Englishman, alone, +half-armed, and at the mercy of a merciless foe. He looked wildly +round for some means of escape. The tread of many feet was on the +stairs. To attempt resistance was hopeless. Flight was the only +resource left him, and in a mad impulse of terror he flung himself +on the floor, and crept beneath the bed, the arras of which +concealed him from sight. There he lay panting and trembling, +whilst the door was burst open and armed men came flocking in.</p> +<p>"Ha, flown already!" cried a voice which did not seem entirely +unfamiliar to the shivering youth, though he could not have said +exactly to whom it belonged, and was in no mood to cudgel his +brains on the subject.</p> +<p>He understood too little of the Welsh tongue to follow what was +said, but with unspeakable relief he heard steps pass from the +room; for even his foes did not credit him with the cowardice which +would drive a man to perish like a rat in a hole rather than sword +in hand like a knight and a soldier.</p> +<p>The men had dashed out, hot in pursuit, believing him to be +attempting escape through some of the many outlets of the castle; +and Raoul, still shivering and craven, was just creeping out from +his hiding place, resolved to try to find his way to the outer +world, when he uttered a gasp and stood or rather crouched +spellbound where he was; for, standing beside a table on which the +dim light of a night candle burned, binding up a gash in his arm +with a scarf belonging to the Englishman, was a tall, stalwart, +soldierly figure, that turned quickly at the sound made by the +wretched Raoul.</p> +<p>"Spare me, spare me!" cried the miserable youth, as the man with +a quick movement grasped his weapon and advanced towards him.</p> +<p>He did not know if his English would be understood, but it +appeared to be, for the reply was spoken in the same tongue, though +the words had strong Welsh accent.</p> +<p>"And wherefore should I spare you? What have you done that we of +Iscennen should look upon you as other than a bitter foe? By what +right are you here wringing our life blood from us? Why should I +not stamp the miserable life out of you as you lie grovelling at my +feet? Wales were well quit of such craven hounds as you."</p> +<p>"Spare me, and I renounce my claim. I swear by all that is holy +that if you will but grant me my life I will repair to the king's +court without delay, and I will yield up to him every claim which I +have on these lands. I swear it by all that is holy in heaven and +earth."</p> +<p>"And what good shall we reap from that? We shall but have +another English tyrant set over us. Better kill thee outright, as a +warning to all who may come after."</p> +<p>But Raoul clasped the knees of his foe, and lifted his voice +again in passionate appeal.</p> +<p>"Kill me not; what good would that do you or your cause? I tell +you it would but raise Edward's ire, and he would come with fire +and sword to devastate these lands as I have never done. Listen, +and I will tell you what I will do. Spare but my life, and I will +entreat the king to restore these lands to your feudal lords, +Llewelyn and Howel ap Res Vychan. It was by my doing that they were +wrested from them. I confess it freely now. Grant me but my life, +and I will undo the work I have done. I will restore to you your +youthful chiefs. Again I swear it; and I have the ear of his Grace. +If thou hast thy country's cause at heart thou wilt hear me in this +thing. I will give you back the lords you all love. I will trouble +you no more myself. I would I had never seen this evil place. It +has been nought but a curse to me from the day it was +bestowed."</p> +<p>The man uttered a harsh laugh, and stood as if considering. +Raoul, whose eyes never left the shining blade his foe held +suspended in his hand, pleaded yet more and more eloquently, and, +as it seemed, with some effect, for the soldier presently sheathed +his weapon, and bid the wretched youth rise and follow him. Raoul +obeying, soon found himself in the presence of a wild crew of Welsh +kerns, who were holding high revelry in the banqueting hall, whilst +his own English servants -- those, at least, who had not effected +their escape -- lay dead upon the ground, the presence of bleeding +corpses at their very feet doing nothing to check the savage mirth +and revelry of the victors, who had been joined by the whole of the +Welsh garrison, only too glad of an excuse for rising against the +usurper.</p> +<p>A silence fell upon the company as the dark-bearded soldier +marched his captive into the hall, the yell of triumph being hushed +by commanding gesture from the captor. A long and unintelligible +debate followed, Raoul only gathering from the faces of those +present what were their feelings towards him. He stood cowering and +quaking before that fierce assembly -- a pitiful object for all +eyes. But at length his captor briefly informed him that his terms +were accepted: that if he would write his request to the king and +obtain its fulfilment, he should go free with a whole skin; but +that, pending the negotiation, which could be carried on by the +fathers of the Abbey of Strata Florida, he would remain a close +prisoner, and his ransom would be the king's consent.</p> +<p>These were the best terms the unhappy Raoul could obtain for +himself, and he was forced to abide by them. The fathers of the +abbey were honest and trustworthy, and carried his letters to the +king as soon as they had penned them for him. Raoul was clever in +diplomatic matters, and was so anxious for his own safety that he +took good care not to drop a hint as to the evil conduct of the +people of Iscennen, which might draw upon them the royal wrath and +upon him instant death. He simply represented that he was weary of +his charge of this barren estate, that he preferred life in England +and at the court, and found the revenues very barren and +unprofitable. As the former owners had redeemed their character by +quiet conduct during the past year and a half, his gracious +Majesty, he hinted, might be willing to gratify them and their +people by reinstating them.</p> +<p>And when Edward read this report, and heard the opinion of the +father who had brought it -- a wily and a patriotic Welshman, who +knew how to plead his cause well -- he made no trouble about +restoring to Llewelyn and Howel their lands, only desiring that +Wendot should renew his pledge for their loyalty and good conduct, +and still hold himself responsible for his brothers to the +king.</p> +<p>And so Llewelyn and Howel went back to Carregcennen, and Wendot +and Griffeth remained at Dynevor, hoping with a fond hope that this +act of clemency and justice on the part of Edward would overcome in +the mind of the twins the deeply-seated hatred they had cherished +so long.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX</a>. THE RED FLAME OF WAR.</h2> +<p>"Wendot, Wendot, it is our country's call! Thou canst not hang +back. United we stand; divided we fall. Will the Prince of Dynevor +be the man to bring ruin upon a noble cause, by banding with the +alien oppressor against his own brethren? I will not believe it of +thee. Wendot, speak -- say that thou wilt go with us!"</p> +<p>Wendot was standing in his own hall at Dynevor. In the +background was a crowd of retainers and soldiers, so eagerly +discussing some matter of vital interest that the brothers stepped +outside upon the battlemented terrace to be out of hearing of the +noise of their eager voices.</p> +<p>There was a deep gravity on Wendot's face, which was no longer +the face of a boy, but of a youth of two-and-twenty summers, and +one upon whom the cares and responsibilities of life had sat +somewhat heavily. The tall, well-knit frame had taken upon it the +stature and developed grace of manhood; the sun-browned face was +lined with traces of thought and care, though the blue eyes +sparkled with their old bright and ready smile, and the stern lines +of the lips were shaded and hidden by the drooping moustache of +golden brown. There were majesty, power, and intellect stamped upon +the face of the young Lord of Dynevor, and it was very plain to all +who observed his relations with those about him that he was master +of his own possession, and that though he was greatly beloved by +all who came in contact with him, he was respected and obeyed, and +in some things feared.</p> +<p>By his side stood Griffeth, almost as much his shadow as of +yore. To a casual observer the likeness between the brothers was +very remarkable, but a closer survey showed many points of +dissimilarity. Griffeth's figure was slight to spareness, and save +in moments of excitement there was something of languor in his +movements. The colour in his cheeks was not the healthy brown of +exposure to sun and wind, but the fleeting hectic flush of +long-standing insidious disease, and his eyes had a far-away look +-- dreamy and absorbed; whilst those of his brother expressed +rather watchful observation of what went on around him, and +resolution to mould those about him to his will.</p> +<p>Facing this fair-haired pair were the twin Lords of Iscennen, +considerably changed from the sullen-looking lads of old days, but +still with many of their characteristics unchanged. They were +taller and more stoutly built than Wendot and Griffeth, and their +dark skins and coal-black hair gave something of ferocity and +wildness to their appearance, which look was borne out by the style +of dress adopted, whilst the young Lords of Dynevor affected +something of the refinement and richness of apparel introduced by +the English.</p> +<p>For the past years a friendly intercourse had been kept up +between Dynevor and Carregcennen. The country had been at peace -- +such peace as internal dissensions would allow it -- and no one had +disturbed the sons of Res Vychan in the possession of their +ancestral rights. The tie between the brothers had therefore been +more closely drawn, and Wendot's responsibility for the submissive +behaviour of the turbulent twins had made him keep a constant eye +upon them, and had withheld them on their side from attempting to +foment the small and fruitless struggles against English authority +which were from time to time arising between the border-land chief +and the Lords of the Marches.</p> +<p>But now something very different was in the wind. After almost +five years of peace with England, revolt had broken out in North +Wales. David, the brother of Llewelyn, had commenced it, and the +prince had followed the example thus set him. He had broken out +into open rebellion, and had summoned the whole nation to stand by +him in one united and gallant effort to free the country from the +foreign foe, and unite it once again as an undivided province +beneath the rule of one sovereign.</p> +<p>The call was enthusiastically responded to. North Wales rose as +one man, and flocked to the banners of the prince and his brother. +South Wales was feeling the contagion of coming strife, and the +pulse of the nation beat wildly at the thought that they might win +liberty by the overthrow of the foe. One after another the petty +chiefs, who had sworn fealty to Edward, renounced their allegiance, +and mustered their forces to join those of Llewelyn and David. The +whole country was in a wild ferment of patriotic excitement. The +hour seemed to them to have arrived when all could once again band +together in triumphant vindication of their national rights.</p> +<p>Llewelyn and Howel ap Res Vychan were amongst the first to +tender their allegiance to the cause, and, having sent on a compact +band of armed men to announce their coming in person, had +themselves hurried to Dynevor to persuade their brothers there to +join the national cause.</p> +<p>And they found Wendot less indisposed than they had feared. The +five years which had passed over his head since he had fallen under +the spell of the English king's regal sway had a good deal weakened +the impression then made upon him. Edward had not visited the +country in person since that day, and the conduct of the English +Lords of the Marches, and of those who held lands in the subjected +country, was not such as to endear their cause to the hearts of the +sons of Wales. Heart-burnings and jealousies were frequent, and +Wendot had often had his spirit stirred within him at some tale of +outrage and wrong. The upright justice of the king was not observed +by his subjects, and the hatred to any kind of foreign yoke was +inherently strong in these sons of the mountains. In the studies +the Dynevor brothers had prosecuted together they had imbibed many +noble thoughts and many lofty aspirations, and these, mingling with +the patriotic instinct so strongly bound up in the hearts of +Cambria's sons, had taught them a distrust of princes and an +intense love for freedom's cause, as well as a strong conviction +that right must ever triumph over might.</p> +<p>So when the news arrived that the north was in open revolt, it +struck a chord in the hearts of both brothers; and when the +dark-browed twins came with the news that they had openly joined +the standard of Llewelyn, they did not encounter the opposition +they had expected, and it was with an eager hopefulness that they +urged upon the Lord of Dynevor to lend the strength of his arm to +the national cause.</p> +<p>"Wendot, bethink thee. When was not Dynevor in the van when her +country called on her? If thou wilt go with us, we shall carry all +the south with us; but hang thou back, and the cause may be lost. +Brother, why dost thou hesitate? why dost thou falter? It is the +voice of thy country calling thee. Wilt thou not heed that call? O +Wendot, thou knowest that when our parents lived -- when they bid +us not look upon the foe with too great bitterness -- it was only +because a divided Wales could not stand, and that submission to +England was better than the rending of the kingdom by internal +strife. But if she would have stood united against the foreign foe, +thinkest thou they would ever have held back? Nay; Res Vychan, our +father, would have been foremost in the strife. Are we not near in +blood to Llewelyn of Wales, prince of the north? Doth not the tie +of blood as well as the call of loyalty urge us to his side? Why +dost thou ponder still? Why dost thou hesitate? Throw to the wind +all idle scruples, and come. Think what a glorious future may lie +before our country if we will but stand together now!"</p> +<p>Wendot's cheek flushed, his eye kindled. He did indeed believe +that were his father living he would be one of the first to hasten +to his kinsman's side. If indeed the united country could be strong +enough to throw off the yoke, what a victory it would be! Was not +every son of Wales bound to his country's cause at such a time?</p> +<p>There was but one thing that made him hesitate. Was his word of +honour in any wise pledged to Edward? He had paid him homage for +his lands: did that act bind him to obedience at all costs?</p> +<p>But such refinements of honour were in advance of the thought of +the time, incomprehensible to the wilder spirits by whom he was +surrounded. Llewelyn answered the brief objection by a flood of +rude eloquence, and Howel struck in with another argument not +without its weight.</p> +<p>"Wendot, whatever course thou takest thou art damned in Edward's +eyes. Thou hast held thyself surety for us, and nought but death +will hold us back from the cry of our country in her need. Envious +eyes are cast already by the rapacious English upon these fair +lands of thine, which these years of peace have given thee +opportunity to enrich and beautify. Let the king once hear that we +have rebelled, and his nobles will claim thy lands, thy life, thy +liberty, and thou must either yield all in ignominious flight or +take up arms to defend thyself and thine own. I trow that no son of +Res Vychan will stand calmly by to see himself thus despoiled; and +if thou must fight, fight now, forestall the foe, and come out +sword in hand at thy country's call, and let us fight shoulder to +shoulder and hand to hand, as our forefathers have done before us. +Thou knowest somewhat of English rule, now that thou hast lived +beneath it these past years. Say, wilt thou still keep thy neck +beneath the yoke, or wilt thou do battle like a warrior for liberty +and independence? By our act thou art lost -- yet not even that +thought can hold us back -- then why not stand or fall as a +soldier, sword in hand, than be trapped like a rat in a hole in +inglorious inaction? For methinks whatever else betided thou +wouldst not raise thy hand against thy countrymen, even if thy +feudal lord should demand it of thee."</p> +<p>"Never!" cried Wendot fiercely, and his quick mind revolved the +situation thus thrust upon him whilst Howel was yet speaking.</p> +<p>He saw at once that a course of neutrality would be impossible +to him. Fight he must, either as Edward's vassal or his foe. The +first was impossible; the second was fraught with a keen joy and +secret sense of exultation. It was true what Howel said: he would +be held responsible for his brothers' revolt. The English harpies +would make every endeavour to poison the king's mind, so that they +might wrest from him his inheritance. He would be required to take +up arms against his brothers, and his refusal to do so would be his +death warrant. Disgrace and ruin lay before him should he abide by +such a course. The other promised at least glory and renown, and +perhaps a soldier's death, or, better still, the independence of +his country -- the final throwing off of the tyrant's yoke.</p> +<p>His heart swelled within him; his eyes shone with a strange +fire. Only one thought checked the immediate utterance of his +decision, and that was the vision of a pair of dark soft eyes, and +a child's face in which something of dawning womanhood was visible, +smiling upon him in complete and loving trust.</p> +<p>Yes, Wendot had not forgotten Gertrude; but time had done its +work, and the image of the fair face was somewhat dim and hazy. He +yet wore about his neck the half of the gold coin she had given +him; but if he sometimes sighed as he looked upon it, it was a sigh +without much real bitterness or regret. He had a tender spot in his +memory for the little maid he had saved at the risk of his own +life, but it amounted to little more than a pleasant memory. He had +no doubt that she had long ago been wedded to some English noble, +whose estates outshone those of Dynevor in her father's eyes.</p> +<p>During the first years after his return home he had wondered +somewhat whether the earl and his daughter would find their way +again to the rich valley of the Towy; but the years passed by and +they came not, and the brief dream of Wendot's dawning youth soon +ceased to have any real hold upon him. If her father had had any +thoughts of mating her with the Lord of Dynevor, he would have +taken steps for bringing the young people together.</p> +<p>The last doubt fled as Wendot thought this over; and whilst his +brothers yet spoke, pointing to the rich stretch of country that +lay before their eyes in all the glory of its autumn dress, and +asking if that were not an inheritance worthy to be fought for, +Wendot suddenly held out his hand, and said in clear, ringing +tones:</p> +<p>"Brothers, I go with you. I too will give my life and my all for +the liberty of our land. The Lord of Dynevor shall not be slack to +respond to his country's call. Methinks indeed the hour has come. I +will follow our kinsman whithersoever he shall bid."</p> +<p>Llewelyn and Howel grasped the outstretched hand, and from +within the castle walls there burst forth the strains of wild +melody from the harp of old Wenwynwyn. It seemed almost as though +he must have heard the words that bound Wendot to the national +cause, so exultant and triumphant were the strains which awoke +beneath his hands.</p> +<p>It was but a few days later that the four brothers rode forth +from beneath the arched gateway of Dynevor, all armed to the teeth, +and with a goodly following of armed attendants. Wendot and +Griffeth paused at a short distance from the castle to look back, +whilst a rush of strange and unwonted emotion brought the tears to +Griffeth's eyes which he trusted none saw beside.</p> +<p>There stood the grand old castle, his home from childhood -- the +place around which all the associations of a lifetime gathered. It +was to him the ideal of all that was beautiful and strong and even +holy -- the massive walls of the fortress rising grandly from the +rocky platform, with the dark background of trees now burning with +the rich hues of autumn. The fair valley stretched before their +eyes, every winding of which was familiar to them, as was also +every individual tree or crag or stretch of moorland fell as far as +eye could see. The very heart strings of Wendot and Griffeth seemed +bound round these homelike and familiar things; and there was +something strangely wistful in the glances thrown around him by the +young Lord of Dynevor as he reined in his horse, and motioning to +the armed followers to pass him, stood with Griffeth for a few +brief moments alone and silent, whilst the cavalcade was lost to +sight in the windings of the road.</p> +<p>"Is it a last farewell?" murmured the younger of the brothers +beneath his breath. "Shall I ever see this fair scene again?"</p> +<p>And Wendot answered not, for he had no words in which to do so. +He had been fully occupied all these last days -- too much occupied +to have had time for regretful thought; but Griffeth had been +visiting every haunt of his boyhood with strange feelings of +impending trouble, and his cheek was pale with the stress of his +emotion, and his voice was husky with the intensity of the strain +he was putting upon himself.</p> +<p>"Griffeth, Griffeth!" cried Wendot suddenly, "have I done wrong +in this thing? I asked not thy gentle counsel, yet thou didst not +bid me hold back. But tell me, have I been wrong? Could I have done +other than I have?"</p> +<p>"I think not that thou couldst. This seems like a call from our +country, to which no son of hers may be deaf. And it is true that +our brothers have undone thee, and that even wert thou not willing +to take up arms against them and thy countrymen, the rupture with +Edward is inevitable. No, I am with thee in what thou hast done. +The Lord of Dynevor must show himself strong in defence of his +country's rights.</p> +<p>"Yet my heart is heavy as I look around me. For we are going +forth to danger and death, and who knows what may betide ere we see +these fair lands again, or whether we may ever return to see them +more?"</p> +<p>Wendot would fain have replied with cheerful assurance, but a +strange rush of emotion came over him as he gazed at his +childhood's home, together with a sudden strong presentiment that +there was something prophetic in his brother's words. He gazed upon +the gray battlements and the brawling river with a passionate +ardour in his glance, and then turning quickly upon Griffeth, he +said:</p> +<p>"Brother, why shouldst thou leave it? thou art more fit for the +safe shelter of home than for the strife of a winter war. Why +shouldst thou come forth with us? Let us leave thee here in safety +--"</p> +<p>"Wendot!"</p> +<p>It was but one word, but the volume of reproach compressed into +it brought Wendot to a sudden stop. They looked into each other's +eyes a moment, and then Griffeth said, with his sweet, meaning +smile:</p> +<p>"We have never been separated yet, my Wendot; in sorrow and joy +we have ever been together. It is too late to change all that now. +I will be by thy side to the end. Be it for life or for death we +will ride forth together."</p> +<p>And so with one hard hand clasp that spoke volumes, and with one +more long, lingering look at the familiar towers of the old home, +Wendot and Griffeth, the Lords of Dynevor, rode forth to meet their +fate at the hands of the mighty English king.</p> +<p>Of that sudden, fierce, and partially successful revolt the +history books of the age give account. Llewelyn and his brother +David, joined by the whole strength of the North, and by much able +assistance from the South, drove back the English across the +border; and when Edward, hurrying to the spot, marched against +them, his army was utterly routed near the Menai Straits, and the +triumphant Welsh believed for a few brief months that they were +victors indeed, and that the power of the foe was hopelessly +broken.</p> +<p>Llewelyn with his army retired to the fastnesses of Snowdon, +where the English durst not pursue them, and these less hardy +soldiers suffered so terribly in the winter cold that the mortality +in their ranks caused the triumphant mountaineers to prophesy that +their work would be done for them without any more exertion on +their part.</p> +<p>But the lion-hearted King of England was not of the stuff that +easily submits to defeat. He knew well that Wales was in his power, +and that he had but to exercise patience and resolution, and the +final victory would be his.</p> +<p>Permitting no relaxation of his efforts in the North, even when +the winter's bitter cold was causing untold sufferings amongst his +soldiers, he commenced a muster of troops in the South, from which +country most of the disaffected nobles had drawn away to join the +insurgents under the Prince of Wales, as Llewelyn was called. It +was a shock of no small magnitude to that prince to hear that his +foe was thus employing himself; and leaving the fastnesses of +Snowdon with a picked band of his hardiest men, amongst whom he +numbered Llewelyn and Howel, he marched southward himself, hoping +to overthrow this new force before it had gathered power sufficient +to be dangerous.</p> +<p>Wendot would gladly have been of the number, for inaction, and +the rude barbarism he saw around him, were inexpressibly galling to +him; and the more he saw of the savage spirits by whom he was +surrounded the less he was able to hope for any permanent advantage +as the result of this rising. The jealousies of the respective +chiefs were hardly held in check even in the face of a common +peril. It was impossible not to foresee that the termination of a +war with England would only be the signal for an outbreak of +innumerable petty animosities and hostile feuds.</p> +<p>So Wendot would have been thankful to escape from this irksome +inactivity, and to join the band going south; but the condition of +Griffeth withheld him, for the youth was very ill, and he often +felt that this winter of hardship up in the mountain air was +killing him by inches, although he never complained.</p> +<p>It was out of the question for Griffeth to march or to fight. He +lay most of the day beside a little fire of peat, in a cabin that +Wendot and his men had constructed with their own hands, beneath +the shelter of a rock which broke the force of the north wind, and +formed some protection against the deep snow. Griffeth had borne +his share gallantly in the earlier part of the campaign, but a +slight wound had laid him aside; and since the intense cold had +come, he had only grown more white and wasted and feeble day by +day. Now that the sun was gaining a little more power, and that the +melting of the snow bespoke that spring was at hand, Wendot began +to hope the worst was over; but to leave his brother in such a +state was out of the question, and he saw Llewelyn and Howel depart +without attempting to join them.</p> +<p>Days and weeks had passed, and no news had been received by +those up in the mountains of the result of Llewelyn's expedition. +It was reported by scouts that Edward was at Carnarvon Castle in +person, making hostile demonstrations of a determined kind, which, +in the absence of their chief, the wild Welsh kerns knew not how to +repel. They were safe where they were, and awaited the return of +their leader; but a terrible stroke had yet to fall upon them, +which proved the final blow to all their hopes and ambitions.</p> +<p>It was a wild, windy night. Wendot had piled the fire high, and +was sitting with Griffeth talking of past days, and gazing with an +unconscious wistfulness into the glowing embers, which seemed to +him to take the semblance of those familiar towers and rocks which +he sometimes felt as though he should never see again. Griffeth +paused in the midst of something he was saying, and looked round +with a start. It seemed to both brothers as though a hand was +fumbling at the latch. Wendot rose and opened the door, and a tall, +gaunt figure staggered rather than walked into the room, and sank +down as if perfectly exhausted beside the glowing fire.</p> +<p>Griffeth uttered a startled exclamation.</p> +<p>"Llewelyn!" he cried sharply; and Wendot, barring the door, and +coming forward like one in a dream, asked with the calmness of one +who reads dire disaster:</p> +<p>"Where is Howel?"</p> +<p>"Dead," came the answer in a hollow voice, as though the speaker +was exhausted past words -- "dead by the side of Llewelyn our +prince. Would that I too lay beside them!"</p> +<p>Wendot, too stunned to say another word at that moment, busied +himself in getting his brother food and wine, of which he plainly +stood sorely in need. He ate ravenously and in perfect silence; and +his brothers watched him without having the heart to put another +question. Indeed they knew the worst: their prince dead; the flower +of their army slain -- their own brother among the number -- the +rest dispersed; the remaining forces without a leader, without a +rallying point, without a hope. What need of farther words?</p> +<p>Presently Llewelyn spoke again, this time with more strength, +but still with the sullenness of despair:</p> +<p>"It was a mere skirmish on the banks of the Wye. We were in +advance of the main body, and a party of English fell upon us. We +did our best to sell our lives dearly. I thought I had sold mine +when my time came, but I awoke and found myself beside the stream. +Howel was lying upon me, stark and dead, and our prince a few yards +away, with his own men round him. I do not think the foe knew whom +they had slain, or they would have taken at least his head away as +a trophy. I know not who took the news to our comrades, but they +learned it, and dispersed to the four winds. I was forced to remain +for some days in a shepherd's hut till my wounds were somewhat +healed, and since then I have been struggling back here, not +knowing what had befallen our camp in these mountains. Am I the +first to bear the, news, or has it been known before?"</p> +<p>"You are the first," answered Wendot in a strange, blank voice. +"We have heard nothing; we have been living in hopes of some +triumph, some victory. We will let our fellows rest in peace one +night longer. Tomorrow we must tell all, and decide what our action +must be."</p> +<p>"There is nothing more to hope for," said Llewelyn darkly. "Our +hope is dead, our last prince lies in a nameless grave. There is +but one choice open to us now. Let those who will submit themselves +to the proud usurper, and let us, who cannot so demean the name we +bear, go forth sword in hand, and die fighting to the last for the +country we may not live to deliver."</p> +<p>It seemed, indeed, as if Llewelyn's words were to prove +themselves true; for no sooner did the news of the disaster on the +banks of the Wye become known than the army began to melt away, +like the snow in the increasing power of the sun. The chiefs, +without a head, without a cause or a champion, either retired to +their own wild solitudes or hastened to make their peace with their +offended king; and only those who put honour before safety or life +itself stood forth sword in hand to die, if it might be, with face +to foe in defence of a cause which they knew was hopelessly +lost.</p> +<p>And amongst this gallant but reckless little band were the three +brothers of Dynevor, who, having once taken up the sword against +Edward, were determined not to lay it down until the hand of death +was cold upon each heart.</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X</a>. CARNARVON CASTLE.</h2> +<p>"There has been a battle -- desperate fighting. They are +bringing the prisoners into the guardroom," cried Britton, bursting +into the royal apartments with small ceremony in his excitement. +"Come, Alphonso; come, Joanna -- let us go and see them. Our +fellows say they made a gallant stand, and fought like veritable +tigers. In sooth, I would I had been there. Methinks it is the last +of the fighting these parts will see for many a long year."</p> +<p>Alphonso sprang up at the word of his comrade, eager to go and +see the prisoners, his humane and kindly nature prompting him to +ascertain that no undue harshness was displayed towards them by the +rude soldiers. But Joanna, although her face was full of interest +and eagerness, shook her head with a little grimace and a glance in +the direction of her governess, Lady Edeline; for during the years +that had elapsed between the visit of the royal children to +Rhuddlan and this present visit to Carnarvon, Joanna had grown from +a child to a woman, and was no longer able to run about with her +brothers at will, though she still retained her old fearless, +independent spirit and impulsive generosity of temperament, and was +a universal favourite, despite the fact that she gave more trouble +than any of her younger sisters.</p> +<p>The royal family had been for some time in Wales. They had +wintered at Rhuddlan, where the little Princess Elizabeth had been +born the previous year, just prior to the outbreak of the +rebellion. Now they were at Carnarvon for greater security, the +king considering that fortress the stronger of the two. The +rebellion was practically at an end, but there was much to look +into and arrange with regard to the rebels and their affairs, and +there was the prospect of a considerable sojourn at the castle.</p> +<p>At this moment Edward was himself absent, though not far away. +It had been rumoured that there had been sharp, irregular fighting +all about the region of Snowdon, where the rebels had had their +headquarters. Considerable excitement had prevailed for some time +in the English ranks, and there was still complete uncertainty as +to the fate of Llewelyn, Prince of Wales; for although a rumour was +rife that he had fallen in fight, it had never been corroborated by +trustworthy testimony, and so long as that turbulent prince +remained alive there was no security for the peace or submission of +the country.</p> +<p>Thus it was that the news of a victory and the capture of +prisoners was exceedingly exciting to those within the castle. +Alphonso, who was looking somewhat stronger for his sojourn in the +bracing air of Wales, sprang up to go with Britton to make +inspection, and again Joanna secretly bewailed her fate at being a +girl, unable to take an equal share with her brother in such +matters.</p> +<p>The guardroom at the castle was a vast and really fine +apartment, with a vaulted roof and majestic pillars, that gave the +idea of much rude strength of construction. Just at this moment it +was the scene of an animated picture, and the boys paused at the +door by which they had entered to look about them with eager +curiosity.</p> +<p>The hall was full of soldiers, most of whom wore the English +king's badge, and were known by sight to them as being attached to +the castle; but mingled with these were other men, some in the +English dress, but many others wearing the wild garb of the sons of +the mountains, and these last had, for the most part, fetters on +their wrists, or were bound two and two together and guarded by the +English, whilst many of them were drooping under the effect of +ghastly wounds, and several forms lay stretched along the ground +indifferent to, or insensible of, their surroundings.</p> +<p>Desperate fighting there had been, indeed, to judge from +appearances, and Alphonso's gentle spirit was stirred within him as +he caught the sound of deep groans mingling with the loud voices of +the soldiers. He had inherited the gentle spirit of his mother, and +the generosity which always takes the part of the weak and +oppressed. It mattered not that these men had been taken with +swords drawn against his royal father; they were prisoners now, +they had lost their all; and if rebels from the English standpoint, +had been striving to free their country from what appeared to them +as the unjust inroads of a foreign foe.</p> +<p>Alphonso, himself sinking into an early grave, and fully aware +of his own state, saw life somewhat differently from his soldier +sire, and felt little sympathy for that lust of conquest which was +to the great Edward as the elixir of life. The lad's thoughts were +more of that eternal crown laid up in the bright land where the +sword comes not, and where the trump of war may never be heard. The +glory of an earthly diadem was as nothing to him, and he had all +that deep love for his fellow men which often characterizes those +who know that their time on earth is short.</p> +<p>Stepping forward, therefore, with the air of quiet authority +which he knew so well how to assume, he enforced silence by a +gesture; and as the soldiers respectfully fell back before him, he +walked through the groups of prisoners, speaking friendly words to +them in their own tongue, and finally gave strict command to the +captain of the guardroom to remove the fetters from those who were +wounded, and see that they had all due tendance and care, whilst +the rest were to be guarded with as little rigour as possible, and +shut up together, where they would have at least the consolation of +companionship in their misfortune.</p> +<p>The captain gave respectful heed to these words, and was by no +means loath to carry out his instructions. He was a humane man +himself, though inured to the horrors of war, and he, in common +with all who came into contact with the young prince, felt towards +him a great love and reverence; for there was something unearthly +at times in the radiant beauty of the young Alphonso's face, and +the growing conviction that he was not long for this world +increased the loving loyalty shown to him by all.</p> +<p>"Your Grace's behests shall be obeyed," answered the man +readily; "I myself will see that the wounded receive due and +fitting care. They are brave fellows, be they rebels or no, and +verily I believe there is not a man of them but would have laid +down his life a hundred times to save that of the two young leaders +who led them on to the last desperate sally. Such gallant feats of +arms I have seldom beheld, and it was sore trouble to capture +without killing them, so fiercely did they fight. But I bid the men +take them alive, if possible, as they seemed too gallant and noble +to fall in that vain struggle. Methinks, could they be tamed to +serve the king as valiantly as they fought for that forlorn hope, +they might be well worth the saving. I am always loath to see a +brave life flung away, be it of friend or foe."</p> +<p>"Right, good Poleyn; thy words do thee credit. And where are +these gallant leaders? Show me them, for I would fain speak a +kindly word to them. I would not that they feared my father's wrath +too much. Stern he may be, but cruel never, and it would please me +well to bid them submit themselves to him, that he might the more +readily forgive them. Tell me which they be."</p> +<p>"They are not here," answered the captain; "I had them removed +for greater comfort and security to mine own lodging. One of them +is so sore wounded that I feared he would not live to make +submission to the king unless he had prompt and skilful tendance; +whilst the other, although his hurts be fewer and less severe, +looks as if some mortal sickness were upon him. It may be nought +but the feebleness that follows loss of blood and hard fighting; +but I left them both to the care of my wife, who is the best tender +of the sick that I have ever known. They came under her hands last +night, brought on by our mounted fellows in advance of the rest. +Today they are somewhat recovered; but I have had scarce time to +think of them. I have been occupied since dawn with these other +prisoners."</p> +<p>"I would fain see these youths; said you not they were but +youths, Poleyn?" said Alphonso, whose interest was aroused by the +tale he had heard. "I will go to your lodging and request +admittance. Your worthy wife will not refuse me, I trow?"</p> +<p>The man smiled, and said that his wife would be proud indeed to +be so visited. Alphonso, to whom the intricacies of the castle were +well known, lost no time in finding the lodging of the captain of +the guard, and quickly obtained admittance to the presence of the +wounded youths, who occupied a comfortable chamber over the +gateway, and had plainly been well looked to by the capable and +kindly woman who called Poleyn her lord and master.</p> +<p>The bright light of day was excluded from the sickroom, and as +the prince stood in the doorway his eyes only took in the general +appearance of two recumbent figures, one lying upon a couch beside +a glowing fire of wood, and the other extended motionless upon a +bed in an attitude that bespoke slumber, his face bandaged in such +a way that in no case would it have been recognizable.</p> +<p>But as Alphonso's eyes grew used to the darkness, and fixed +themselves upon the face of the other youth, who was dressed and +lying on the couch, he suddenly gave a great start, and advanced +with quick steps to his side.</p> +<p>"Griffeth!" he cried suddenly.</p> +<p>The figure on the couch gave a start, a pair of hollow eyes +flashed open, there was a quick attempt to rise, checked by the +prince himself, and Griffeth exclaimed in the utmost +astonishment:</p> +<p>"Prince Alphonso!"</p> +<p>"Yes, Griffeth, it is I indeed;" and then the prince sat down on +the edge of the couch and gazed intently at the wasted features of +the youth, towards whom in days gone by he had felt such a strong +attachment.</p> +<p>There was something of sorrow and reproach in his glance as he +said gently:</p> +<p>"Griffeth, can it really be thou? I had not thought to have seen +thee in the ranks of our foes, fighting desperately against my +father's soldiers. Whence has come this bitter change in thy +feelings? and what is Wendot doing, who was to act as guardian +toward his younger brethren? Hast thou broken away from his +controlling hand? O Griffeth, I grieve to see thee here and in such +plight."</p> +<p>But Griffeth's sad glance met that of the young prince +unfalteringly and without shame, although there was something in it +of deep and settled sorrow. He made a gesture as though he would +have put out his hand, and Alphonso, who saw it, grasped it warmly, +generous even when he felt that he and his father had been somewhat +wronged.</p> +<p>"Think not that we took up arms willingly, Wendot and I," he +said faintly, yet with clearness and decision. "Ay, it is Wendot +who lies there, sore wounded, and sleeping soundly after a night of +fever and pain. We shall not disturb him, he is fast in dreamland; +and if you would listen to my tale, gentle prince, I trow you would +think something less hardly of us, who have lost our all, and have +failed to win the soldier's death that we went forth to seek, +knowing that it alone could make atonement for what must seem to +your royal father an act of treachery and breach of faith."</p> +<p>And then Griffeth told all his tale -- told of the wrongs +inflicted on hapless Wales in Edward's absence by the rapacious +nobles he had left behind him to preserve order, of the +ever-increasing discontent amongst the people, the wild hope, +infused by David's sudden rising, of uniting once and for all to +throw off the foreign yoke and become an independent nation again. +He told of the action taken by their twin brothers, of the pressure +brought to bear upon Wendot, of the vigilant hostility of their +rapacious kinsman Res ap Meredith, son of the old foe Meredith ap +Res, now an English knight, and eager to lay his hands upon the +broad lands of Dynevor. It was made plain to the prince how +desperate would have been Wendot's condition, thus beset with foes +and held responsible for his brothers' acts. Almost against his +will had he been persuaded, and at least he had played the man in +his country's hour of need, instead of trying to steer his way by a +cold neutrality, which would have ruined him with friend and foe +alike.</p> +<p>Griffeth told of the hardships of that campaign amongst the +mountains; of the death of Llewelyn the prince, and of his brother +Howel; and of the resolve of the gallant little band, thus bereft +of their hope, to go out and die sword in hand, and so end the +miserable struggle that had ceased to be aught but a mockery of +war. It was plainly a bitter thought even to the gentle Griffeth +that they had not met the death they craved, but had fallen alive +into the hands of the foe.</p> +<p>Alphonso gently chid him, and comforted him with brave and +kindly words; and then he asked what had befallen his brother +Llewelyn, and if he had likewise fallen in the fight.</p> +<p>"Nay; he was not with us when we made that last rally. He +commenced the march with us, but his wound broke out again, and we +were forced to leave him behind. He and a handful of faithful +servants from Iscennen and Dynevor were to try and push on to the +stronghold of Einon ap Cadwalader, and ask counsel and assistance +from him. In old days he and our father were friends. Although he +was one of the few who did not join Llewelyn in this rising, he has +ever been well-disposed towards his countrymen. So we hoped our +brother would find shelter and help there. If he had tried to march +with us, he must assuredly have died."</p> +<p>"Ha!" said Alphonso smilingly, "methinks Llewelyn will have no +trouble in gaining entrance there. Rememberest thou the Lady +Arthyn, who was with us at Rhuddlan when thou wast there before? +She hath left us of late to return to her father, whose loyalty has +been proved, and whose request for his child was listened to +graciously. But we shall be seeing them soon again, for my father +betrothed Arthyn's hand to Raoul Latimer, whom doubtless thou +rememberest as a somewhat haughty and quarrelsome lad. Time has +softened down some of his rude tempers, and he has ever been eager +for the match. My father has promised her hand in troth plight to +him, and we await the coming of her and her father for the ceremony +of betrothal.</p> +<p>"If I remember rightly, she was always a friend to thy brother. +If so, he will find a ready welcome at her father's house, for my +Lady Arthyn always had a soft spot in her heart for those we called +rebels. She was a true daughter of Wales, albeit she loved us well, +and she will like thy brother none the less that his sword has been +unsheathed against the English usurper."</p> +<p>And then the prince and the rebel subject both laughed, and that +laugh did more to bring them back to their old familiar relations +than all that had gone before.</p> +<p>Griffeth was easily led on to tell the story of the life at +Dynevor these past years; and Alphonso better understood from his +unconscious self-betrayal than from his previous explanation how +the fire of patriotic love burned in the hearts of these brothers. +He thought that had he been one of them he would have acted even as +they had done, and there was no anger but only a pitying affection +in his heart towards one whose life was overshadowed by a cloud so +like the one which hung upon the horizon of his own sky.</p> +<p>For it was plain to him that Griffeth's hold on life was very +slight; that he was suffering from the same insidious disease which +was sapping away his own health and strength. He had suspected it +years before, and this supposition had made a link between them +then; now he was certain of it, and certain, too, that the end +could not be very far off. The fine constitution of the young +Welshman had been undermined by the rigours of the past winter, and +there was little hope that the coming summer would restore to him +any of the fictitious strength which had long buoyed up Wendot with +the hope that his brother would yet live to grow to man's +estate.</p> +<p>"For myself I do not think I wish it," said Griffeth, with one +of his luminous glances at Alphonso; "life is very hard, and there +seems nothing left to live for. I know not how I could live away +from the woods and rocks of Dynevor. But there is Wendot -- my +dear, kind, most loving brother. It cuts me to the heart to think +of leaving him alone. Prince Alphonso, you are the king's son; will +you pardon Wendot his trespass, and stand his friend with your +royal father? I have no right to ask it. We have grievously +offended, but he is my brother --"</p> +<p>A violent fit of coughing came on, and the sentence was never +completed. Alphonso raised the wasted form in his arms, and soothed +the painful paroxysm as one who knows just what will best relieve +the sufferer. The sound roused Wendot, who had been sleeping for +many hours, and although he had been brought in last night in an +apparently almost dying state, his vigorous constitution was such +that even these few hours' quiet rest, and the nourishment +administered to him by the good woman who waited on him, had +infused new life into his frame, so that he had strength to sit up +in bed, and to push aside the bandage which had fallen over his +eyes, as he anxiously asked his brother what was amiss.</p> +<p>Then Alphonso came towards him, and, holding his hand in a +friendly clasp, told him that he had heard all the story, and that +he was still their friend, and would plead for them with his +father. Wendot, bewildered and astonished and ashamed, could scarce +believe his senses, and asked, with a proud independence which +raised a smile in Alphonso's eyes, that he might be led out to +speedy death -- the death by the headsman's axe, which was all he +had now to hope for. Life had no longer any charms for him, he +said; if only his young brother might be pardoned, he himself would +gladly pay the forfeit for both.</p> +<p>But Alphonso, upon whose generous spirit bravery and self +devotion, even in a foe, were never thrown away, replied kindly +that he would see if peace could not be made with his offended +sire, and that meantime Wendot must get well fast, and regain his +health and strength, so as to be fit to appear before the king in +person if he should be presently summoned.</p> +<p>But though the young prince left lighter hearts behind him in +the room where the two eagles of Dynevor were imprisoned, he found +that the task he had set himself with his father was a more +difficult one than he had anticipated. Edward was very greatly +incensed by this fierce and futile rebellion that had cost him so +many hundreds of brave lives, and had inflicted such sufferings on +his loyal troops. The disaster at Menai still rankled in his +breast, and it was with a very stern brow and a face of resolute +determination that he returned to Carnarvon to look into matters, +and to settle upon the fate of the many prisoners and vassals who +had once mere placed themselves or their lands in his sole power +through the act which had rendered them forfeit.</p> +<p>Nor was Alphonso's task rendered less difficult from the fact +that Sir Res ap Meredith had been before him, poisoning the king's +mind against many of the Welsh nobles, and particularly against the +sons of Res Vychan, in whose possession were the province and +castle of Dynevor. Upon that fair territory he had long cast +covetous eyes. He cared little in comparison for the more barren +and turbulent region of Iscennen, and it was upon Wendot and +Griffeth, but particularly upon Wendot, that the full bitterness of +his invective was poured. He had so imbued the king with the idea +that the youth was dangerous, turbulent, and treacherous (charges +that his conduct certainly seemed to bear out), that it was small +wonder if Edward, remembering his own former goodwill towards the +youth, should feel greatly incensed against him. And although he +listened to Alphonso's pleadings, and the lad told his story with +much simple eloquence and fervour, the stern lines of his brow did +not relax, and his lips set themselves into an ominous curve which +the prince liked little to see.</p> +<p>"Boy," he said, with an impatience that boded ill for the +success of the cause, "I verily believe wert thou in the place of +king, thou wouldst give to every rebel chief his lands again, and +be not contented until thine own throne came tottering about thine +ears. Mercy must temper justice, but if it take the place of +justice it becomes mere weakness. I trusted Wendot ap Res Vychan +once, and laid no hand upon his lands. Thou hast seen how this +trust has been rewarded. To reinstate him now would be madness. No. +I have in Sir Res ap Meredith a loyal and true servant, and his +claims upon his traitorous kinsman's lands may not be disregarded. +Dynevor will pass away from Wendot. It is throwing words away to +plead with me. My mind is made up. I trust not a traitor +twice."</p> +<p>There was something in his father's tone that warned Alphonso to +press the matter no more. He knew that when Edward thus spoke his +word was final and irrevocable; and all he ventured now to ask was, +"What will become of Wendot and his brother? You will not take +their lives, sweet sire?"</p> +<p>"Their lives I give to thee, my son," answered Edward, with a +gesture towards his boy which betrayed a deep love, and showed that +although he had denied him sternly he did not do so willingly. "As +thou hast pleaded for them, I will not sentence them to death; but +they remain my prisoners, and regain not their liberty. I know the +turbulent race from which they spring. Sir Res will have small +peace in his new possessions if any of the former princes of +Dynevor are at large in the country. Wendot and Griffeth remain my +prisoners."</p> +<p>"Nay, father; let them be my prisoners, I pray," cried Alphonso, +with unwonted energy and animation. "Thou hast granted me their +lives; grant me the keeping of their persons too. Nay, think not +that I will connive at their escape. Give whatsoever charge thou +wilt concerning the safety of their persons to those who guard us +in our daily life, but let me have them as gentlemen of mine own. +Call them prisoners an you will, but let their imprisonment be +light -- let me enjoy their company. Thou knowest that Britton is +fretting for a freer life, and that I see little of him now. I have +often longed for a companion to share my solitary hours. Give me +Griffeth and Wendot. They have the royal blood of Wales flowing in +their veins, and methinks they love me even as I love them. And, +father, Griffeth has not many months, methinks, to live; and I know +so well all he suffers that my heart goes out to him. He has the +love of books that I have, and we have so many thoughts which none +seem to understand save our two selves. And he and Wendot are as +one. It would be cruelty such as thou wouldst not inflict to +separate them whilst one has so short a time to live. Give me them +for mine own attendants, and bid the servants guard them as best +pleaseth thee. Sweet father, I have not asked many boons of thee. +Grant me this one, I pray thee, for my heart is verily set on +it."</p> +<p>There was something in this appeal, something in the look upon +Alphonso's face, something in the very words he had used, that made +it impossible to his father to refuse him. Blind his eyes as he +would to the truth, he was haunted by a terrible fear that the life +of his only son was surely slipping away. Alphonso did not often +speak of his health, and the hint just dropped struck chill upon +the father's heart. Passing his hand across his face to conceal the +sudden spasm of pain that contracted it, he rose hastily from his +chair, and said:</p> +<p>"Give thine own orders concerning these youths. I leave them in +thy hands. Make of them what it pleaseth thee. Only let them +understand that charge will be given to the custodians of the +castle, and of whatever place they visit in the future, that they +are prisoners at the king's pleasure, and that any attempt at +escape will be punished with instant and rigorous captivity."</p> +<p>"So be it," answered Alphonso, with brightening eyes. "I thank +thee, father, for the boon. Thou shalt never have cause to repent +it."</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI</a>. THE KING'S CLEMENCY.</h2> +<p>"Unhand me, sir. How dare you thus insult me? Let go my hand, or +I summon help instantly. I am come to seek the king. Will you raise +a tumult within hearing of his private apartments? Unhand me, I +say," and Arthyn's cheeks flamed dangerously, whilst her eyes +flashed fire.</p> +<p>But Raoul Latimer, though a craven before the face of an armed +foe, could be resolute enough when he had only an unprotected woman +to deal with, and was quite disposed to show his valour by pressing +his unwelcome salutations upon the cheek of the girl he regarded as +his future wife. His surprise at encountering Arthyn, whom he +believed far away in her father's castle, hastening alone down one +of the long corridors of Carnarvon Castle, had been very great. He +could not imagine what had thus brought her, and was eager to claim +from her the greeting he felt was his due.</p> +<p>But Arthyn had never lacked for spirit, and had always +confessedly abhorred Raoul, nor had absence seemed to make the +heart grow fonder, at least in her case. She repulsed him with such +hearty goodwill that his cowardly fury was aroused, and had not the +girl cried aloud in her anger and fear, he might have done her some +mischief. But even as she lifted her voice a door in the corridor +was flung open, and the king himself strode forth, not, as it +chanced, in response to the call, which had not reached his ears, +but upon an errand of his own. Now when he saw that at the doors of +his own private apartments one of his own gentlemen had dared to +lay rude hands upon a woman, his kingly wrath was stirred, and one +blow from his strong arm sent Raoul reeling across the corridor +till the wall stopped his farther progress.</p> +<p>"How now, malapert boy?" cried Edward in deep displeasure. "Is +it thus you disgrace your manhood by falling upon the defenceless, +and by brawling even within hearing of your sovereign? You are not +so wondrous valiant in battle, Raoul Latimer, that you can afford +to blast the small reputation you have.</p> +<p>"Sweet lady, be not afraid; thy king will protect thee from +farther insult.</p> +<p>"Ha, Arthyn, is it thou, my child? Nay, kneel not in such humbly +suppliant fashion; rise and kiss me, little one, for thou art only +less dear to me than mine own children. Come hither, maiden, and +speak to me. What has brought thee here alone and unannounced? And +what has raised this storm betwixt ye twain?"</p> +<p>"Sire -- my king -- hear me," cried Arthyn in a choked voice; +"and bid that wicked youth, whom I have ever hated, leave us. Let +me speak to you alone and in private. It is to you, gracious lord, +that I have come. Grant me, I pray you, the boon of but a few words +alone and in private. I have somewhat to tell your grace -- your +royal pardon to ask."</p> +<p>"Pardon? tush, maiden! thou canst not have offended greatly. But +come hither; what thou hast to say thou shalt say before the queen +and Eleanor. They have ever been as mother and sister to thee. Thou +hast no secrets for me which they may not hear?"</p> +<p>"Ah no; I would gladly speak all before them," answered Arthyn +eagerly, knowing that in the gentle Eleanor of Castile and her +daughter she would find the most sympathizing of friends.</p> +<p>Intensely patriotic as the girl had ever been, loving her +country above all else, and throwing heart and soul into that +country's cause, she had yet learned a deep love and reverence for +the family of the English king, amongst whom so many years of her +young life had been spent. She was able to do full justice to the +kindly and domestic side of the soldier king's nature, and, whilst +she regarded him as a foe to Wales, looked upon him personally as a +friend and protector.</p> +<p>Edward's gentleness and affection in his private life equalled +his stern, unbending policy in matters of state. It was very +tenderly and kindly that he led the girl to the private apartments +of the queen; and when once Arthyn found herself face to face with +one who had given to her more of mother love than any other being +in the world, she flung herself into the arms opened to receive +her, and out came the whole story which had brought her on this +secret mission to Carnarvon.</p> +<p>"Sweet lady, O most gracious madam, listen and plead for me with +the king. He is kind and good, and he knows what true love is. +Lady, it is as a wedded wife I come to you, craving pardon for what +I have done. But I ever hated that wicked Raoul Latimer, my +country's foe, and would have died rather than plight my troth to +him. And when he came to us -- he, my love, my life, he whom I +loved long years ago when we met as boy and girl, and whom I have +never forgotten -- what could I do? How could I resist?</p> +<p>"And my father approved. He gave my hand in wedlock. And now I +am come to pray your pardon for myself and for him whom I love. Oh, +do not turn a deaf ear to me! As you have loved when you were +young, pardon those who have done likewise."</p> +<p>King and queen exchanged glances, half of amusement, half of +astonishment, but there was no anger in either face. Raoul was no +favourite in the royal circle, and his visible cowardice in the +recent campaign had brought him into open disfavour with the +lion-hearted Edward. He loved Arthyn dearly, and this proof of her +independence of spirit, together with her artless confidence in his +kindliness of heart, pleased him not a little. He had been forced +during these past days to act a stern part towards many of the +Welsh nobles who had been brought before him. He was glad enough, +this thankless task accomplished, to allow the softer and more +kindly side of his nature to assert itself. And perhaps the +sympathetic glances of his son Alphonso, who had just entered the +room, helped to settle his resolve that Arthyn at least should +receive full and free forgiveness.</p> +<p>Eleanor had drawn her former playmate towards her, and was +eagerly questioning her as to the name of him to whom her heart and +hand were now given, and the answer sent a thrill of surprise +through the whole company.</p> +<p>"It is one whom you all know, sweet Eleanor -- Llewelyn, the son +of Res Vychan, Lord of Dynevor. Thou knowest, Eleanor, how he came +amongst us at Rhuddlan years agone now, and perchance thou sawest +even then how we loved one another, albeit it was but the love of +children. But we never have forgotten, and when he came to my +father's castle, wounded and weary and despairing after the +disaster which robbed Wales of her last native prince, what could +we do but receive and tend him? It was thus it came about, and love +did the rest."</p> +<p>"And so thou hast wed a rebel, maiden?" quoth Edward, in tones +that seemed to be stern by effort rather than by the will of the +speaker, whilst the kindly light in the eyes belied his assumed +harshness; "and having done so thou hast the hardihood to come and +tell us of it thine own self. Fie upon thee for a saucy wench! What +better dost thou expect for thyself and thy lord than a lodging in +the lowest dungeon of the keep?"</p> +<p>"I know that we ought to expect nothing better," answered +Arthyn, with her brightest smile, as she turned fearlessly upon the +king. "But do as you will with us, noble king, and we will not +rebel or complain, so that we may be together. And my dear lord bid +me give you this. He took it with his own hands from the dead hand +of Llewelyn, Prince of Wales, and he charged me to place it in your +hands as a pledge and token that your enemy ceased to live. Report +has told him that men say Llewelyn escaped that day, and that he +yet lives to rise against you again. By this signet you may know +that he lies dead and cold, and that with him has perished the last +hope of Wales ever to be ruled by a prince of her own."</p> +<p>Edward put forth his hand eagerly, and examined the signet ring, +which was one he himself had given to Llewelyn on the occasion of +his last submission. And as he looked upon it a great weight seemed +to be rolled from off him, for it was the first decided intimation +he had had that his foe was actually slain. Rumour had been rife +with reports of his escape, and although there had not been lacking +testimony to the effect that the prince had fallen in battle, the +fact had never been adequately established. A few quick questions +to Arthyn appeared to establish this beyond all doubt, and in the +expansion of the moment Edward was ready not only to forgive the +bearer of such welcome tidings, but to forget that he had ever been +an offender. One of the sons of Res Vychan had paid the price of +his breach of faith with his life; two more were prisoners at his +royal pleasure. Surely the family had suffered enough without +harsher vengeance being taken. Surely he might give to Arthyn the +liberty and possibly even the lands of her lord in return for the +welcome intelligence she had brought.</p> +<p>Alphonso, ever on the side of mercy, joined with the queen and +Eleanor in persuading the king to forgive and forget, and Arthyn +was sent home the day following laden with presents and good +wishes, bearing a full pardon to her lord from the English king, as +well as a half promise that when the country became somewhat more +settled he might make request for his commot of Iscennen with +reasonable chance of being heard.</p> +<p>Wendot and Griffeth both saw their new sister before her return, +and charged her with all sorts of friendly messages for Llewelyn. +If Wendot thought it hard that the brother who had always been +England's bitterest foe should be pardoned and rewarded, whilst he +himself should be left to pine in captivity, at least he made no +sign, and never let a word of bitterness pass his lips. Indeed he +was too ill greatly to trouble himself over his own condition or +the future that lay before him. Fever and ague had supervened upon +the wounds he had received, and whilst Griffeth was rapidly +recovering such measure of health and strength as he ever could +boast, Wendot lay helpless and feeble, scarce able to lift his head +from the pillow, and only just equal to the task of speaking to +Arthyn and comprehending the good news with which she came +charged.</p> +<p>The brothers had now been removed to better apartments, near to +those occupied by the prince, whose servants they nominally were. +Griffeth had begun to enter upon some of his duties towards his +royal patron, and the friendship begun in boyhood was rapidly +ripening to an intimacy which surprised them both. Such perfect +mutual understanding and sympathy was rare and precious; and +Griffeth did not even look back with longing to the old life, so +entirely had his heart gone out to the youthful prince, whose days +on earth, like his own, were plainly numbered.</p> +<p>Lady Gertrude Cherleton was still an inmate of the royal +household. She was now a ward of Edward's, her father having died a +year or two previously. She was not considered a minor any longer, +having attained the age of eighteen some time before, and the +management of her estates was left partially to her. But she +remained by choice the companion of Eleanor and Joanna, and would +probably continue to do so until she married. It was a source of +wonder to the court why she did not make choice of a husband +amongst the many suitors for her hand; but she had hitherto turned +a deaf ear to the pleadings of all. Sir Godfrey Challoner had long +been sighing at her feet, but she would have none of him, and +appeared to be proof against all the shafts of the blind god of +love.</p> +<p>But her intense excitement when she heard of the arrival at +Carnarvon of the two brothers from Dynevor told its own tale to the +Princess Joanna, who had ever been the girl's confidante in this +matter, and who had known from childhood how Gertrude had always +believed herself pledged. It was a charming secret for them to +cherish between them; and now that Wendot was once more beneath the +castle roof, the impulsive Joanna would launch out into extravagant +pictures of future happiness and prosperity. Her ardent +temperament, having no personal romance to feed upon -- for though +her hand had once been plighted, her future lord had been drowned +the previous year in a boating accident, and she was again free -- +delighted to throw itself into the concerns of her friend, and the +sense of power which had been so early implanted within her made +her confident of being able to overcome obstacles and attain the +object of her wishes, be the difficulties and dangers in their path +never so great.</p> +<p>"You shall be united, Gertrude, an he loves thee," cried the +generous Joanna, flinging her arms round the neck of her companion, +and kissing her again and again. "His life, his liberty, shall be +obtained, and thou and he shall be happy together. I have said it, +and I will do it."</p> +<p>Whatever was known to Joanna was known to Alphonso, who shared +all her feelings, and was most tenderly beloved by her. He was as +ardent in the cause as his sister could be; but he saw more of the +difficulties that beset their path, and knew better his father's +iron temperament, and how deeply Wendot had offended. Doubtless +much was due to the misrepresentations of Sir Res ap Meredith, who +had now secured for himself the coveted lands of Dynevor; but +whatever the cause, the eldest son of the house of Dynevor was the +object of the king's severe displeasure, and it was not likely he +would relax his vigilance or depart from his word, not even for the +prayers of his children or the tears of his favourite Gertrude. He +had pardoned Llewelyn at the instance of Arthyn; if the same game +were to be played over again by another of his daughters' +companions, he would not unnaturally believe that he was being +cajoled and trifled with.</p> +<p>"If it were only Griffeth it would be easy," said Alphonso +thoughtfully. "But Wendot --"</p> +<p>And there he stopped and shook his head.</p> +<p>It was some days before the king saw the new attendant of his +sons; but coming into Alphonso's private apartment one day +suddenly, he found several of the royal children gathered there, +and with them a fair-haired youth, who was reading to the prince +out of an illuminated missal. Alphonso was lying on a couch, and +his look of fragile weakness struck cold to the father's heart. Of +late the lad's strength had been failing rapidly, but Edward had +tried to blind his eyes to the truth. Now he took a hasty step +towards the couch, and Griffeth rose quickly from his seat and bent +the knee before the king.</p> +<p>"Ha, Wendot," said Edward, with a grave but not unkindly glance, +"I have not seen you at these new duties before. So you are a +student as well as a soldier? Well, the arts of peace will better +become you for the future. I remember your face well, young man. I +would it had not been my duty to place you under restraint; but you +have broken faith with me, and that grievously. How then can it be +possible to trust you in the future? You, as the head of the house, +should have set your brothers an example of honour and fealty. As +it is, it has been far otherwise, and now you will have to bear the +burden of that breach of trust and honour."</p> +<p>Twice Griffeth had opened his lips as if to speak, but Alphonso +laid his hand upon his arm with a warning touch, which said as +plainly as words could do, "Be silent."</p> +<p>So the youth held his peace, and only bent his head in +submission; and Edward, after a moment's pause, added more +kindly:</p> +<p>"And how fares it with your brother, Wendot? I hear that his +state is something precarious. I hope he has the best tendance the +castle can afford, for I would not that any member of my son's +household should suffer from lack of care."</p> +<p>"He has all that he needs, I thank you, sire," answered +Griffeth. "He lies sorely sick at this present time, but I trust he +will amend ere long."</p> +<p>And then the king turned to his son, and spoke with him on some +message of the state, and departed without heeding the excited +glances of Joanna or the restless way in which she kept looking +first at Alphonso and then at Gertrude.</p> +<p>But scarcely had the door closed behind the retiring form of the +king before the excitable girl had bounded to her brother's +side.</p> +<p>"O Alphonso," she cried, "did you do it on purpose? Tell me what +you have in your head."</p> +<p>Alphonso sat up and pushed the hair out of his eyes. Griffeth +was simply looking on in surprise and bewilderment. The prince laid +a hand upon his arm and spoke very earnestly.</p> +<p>"Griffeth," he said, "it seems to me that through this error of +my father's we may yet find means to compass the deliverance of +Wendot. There are none of those save ourselves who know which of +you twain is the first-born and which the youngest. In your faces +there is little to mark you one from the other. Griffeth, if thou +wilt be willing to be called Wendot-- if Wendot will consent to be +Griffeth -- then we may perchance make his way plain to depart and +live in liberty once more; for it is Wendot, and not Griffeth, who +has so roused my father's anger. Griffeth he might easily consent +to pardon; but Wendot he will keep as a hostage in his own hands +possibly for life itself."</p> +<p>Griffeth listened, and a strange look crept into his face. His +cheek flushed, and his breath came thick and fast. He knew +Alphonso's motive in suggesting this change of identity. The lads, +so closely drawn together in bonds of more than brotherly love, had +not opened to each other their innermost souls for nought. Alphonso +knew that no freedom, no liberty, would give to the true Griffeth +any extension of his brief span of life. His days were as assuredly +numbered as those of the royal lad himself, and life had ceased to +have attractions for the pair, whose spirits were almost on the +wing, who had set their hopes and aspirations higher than anything +which earth could give, and whose chiefest wish now was to remain +together until death should call them home.</p> +<p>Griffeth's only trouble had been the thought of leaving his +brother, and it was when he had realized from Alphonso's words that +the king was deeply offended with Wendot, and that it was almost +hopeless to think of his obtaining his liberty again, that the +heart of the lad sank in despondency and sorrow.</p> +<p>For one of the young eagles of Dynevor thus to be caged -- to be +left to pine away in hopeless captivity, his brother gone from him +as well as the prince who would stand his friend; possibly +incarcerated at last in some dreary fortress, there to linger out +his days in hopeless misery and inaction -- the thought had been so +terrible to Griffeth that there had been moments when he had almost +longed to hear that the leeches gave up hope of saving his +brother's life.</p> +<p>But Wendot was mending now; there was no doubt of ultimate +recovery. He would rise from his sickbed to find -- what? Griffeth +had not dared to ask himself this question before; but now a great +hope possessed him suddenly. He looked into Alphonso's eyes, and +the two instantly understood one another; as did also Gertrude and +Joanna, who stood by flushed and quivering.</p> +<p>"Let it be so," said Griffeth, in a voice which trembled a +little, although the words were firm and emphatic. "I take the name +the king has given me. I am Wendot, whom he believes the traitor +and the foe. Griffeth lies yonder, sick and helpless, a victim to +the influence of the first-born son of Res Vychan. It may be, when +the king hears more of him, he will in his clemency release and +pardon him.</p> +<p>"Ah, if I could but be the means of saving my brother -- the +brother dearer to me than life -- from the fate which others have +brought upon him, that I could lay down my life without a wish +ungratified! It has been the only thought of bitterness in my cup +that I must leave him alone -- and a prisoner."</p> +<p>Gertrude's face had flushed a deep red; she put out her hand and +clasped that of Griffeth hard; there was a little sob in her voice +as she said:</p> +<p>"Oh, if you will but save him -- if you will but save him!"</p> +<p>Griffeth looked into her sweet face, with its sensitive features +and soft eyes shining through a mist of tears, and he understood +something which had hitherto been a puzzle to him.</p> +<p>There had been days when the intermittent fever from which +Wendot suffered left him entirely for hours together, sometimes for +a whole day; and Griffeth had been sure that on some of these days, +in the hours of his own attendance on the prince, his brother had +received visits from others in the castle: for flowers had appeared +to brighten the sick room, and there had been a wonderful new look +of happiness in the patient's eyes, although he had said nothing to +his brother as to what had befallen him.</p> +<p>And in truth Wendot was half disposed to believe himself the +victim of some sweet hallucination, and was almost afraid to speak +of the fancies that floated from time to time before his eyes, lest +he should be told that his mind was wandering, and that he was the +victim of delusion.</p> +<p>Not once alone, but many times, during the hours of his tardy +convalescence, when he had been lying alone, crushed by the sense +of weariness and oppression which illness brings to one so little +accustomed to it, he had been roused by the sound of light +footfalls in his room; he had seen a graceful form flitting about, +bringing lightness and beauty in her wake, and leaving it behind +when she left. The vision of a sweet, small face, and the lustrous +dark eyes which had haunted him at intervals through the long years +of his young manhood, appeared again before him, and sometimes his +name was spoken in the gentle tones which had never been forgotten, +although the memory was growing dim.</p> +<p>Weak and dazed and feeble, both in body and mind, from the +exhausting and wasting illness that had followed the severe +winter's campaign, Wendot knew not if this vision was but the +figment of his own brain, or whether the passionate love he felt +rising up in his heart was lavished upon a mere phantom. But so +long as she flitted about him he was content to lie and watch her, +with the light of a great happiness in his eyes; and once when he +had called her name -- the never forgotten name of Gertrude -- he +had thought that she had come and taken his hand and had bent over +him with a wonderful light in her eyes, but the very effort he made +to rise up and grasp her hands, and learn if indeed it were a +creature of flesh and blood, had resulted in a lapse back into +unconsciousness, and he was silent as to the vision even to +Griffeth, lest perchance he should have to learn that it was but a +fevered dream, and that there was no Gertrude within the castle +walls at all.</p> +<p>But Gertrude knew all; it was no dream to her. She saw the love +light in the eyes dearest to her in the world. She had heard her +name called; she had seen that the love she had cherished for the +hero of her childhood had not been cherished in vain. Perhaps +Wendot had betrayed more in his sickness and weakness than he would +have allowed himself to do in his strength, knowing himself a +helpless, landless prisoner in the hands of the stern monarch who +occupied England's throne. But be that as it may, Gertrude had read +his secret and was happy, though with such a chastened happiness as +alone was possible to one who knew the peril in which her lover +lay, and how hopeless even Alphonso thought it to obtain for him +the king's pardon.</p> +<p>"My father would have betrothed us as children," said Gertrude, +her face glowing, but her voice steady and soft, for why should she +be ashamed of the faithful love of a lifetime?</p> +<p>"When we saw each other again he would have plighted us, but for +the fear of what Llewelyn and Howel would do. But think you I love +him less for his love to his country? Think you that I have aught +to reproach him with, when I know how he was forced into rebellion +by others? I care not what he has done. I love him, and I know that +he loves me. Sooner would I share a prison with him than a palace +with any man beside; yet I fear that in prison walls he will pine +and die, even as a caged eagle, and it is that fear which breaks my +heart.</p> +<p>"O Griffeth, Griffeth, if you can save him, how we will bless +you from, our hearts! Give him to me, and I will guard and cherish +him. I have wealth and lands for us both. Only his liberty is +lacking --"</p> +<p>"And that we will strive to compass yet," said Alphonso gently. +"Fear not, sweet Gertrude, and betray not thyself. Only remember +from this time forward that Wendot is my friend and companion here, +and that thy lover Griffeth lieth in yon chamber, sick and +stricken."</p> +<p>"I will remember," she answered resolutely; and so the change of +identity was accomplished, with the result that the old chroniclers +aver that Wendot, eldest son of Res Vychan, died in the king's +prison in England, whilst all that is known of the fate of Griffeth +is that he was with his brother in captivity in England in the year +1283, after which his name completely disappears, and no more is +known of him, good or bad.</p> +<p>That night there were commotion and distress in Carnarvon +Castle, for the young Alphonso broke a blood vessel in a violent +fit of coughing, and for some hours his life was in the utmost +danger.</p> +<p>The skill of the leeches, however, combined with the tender care +of his mother and sisters, averted for a time fatal consequences, +and in a few days the prince was reported to be out of immediate +danger. But the doctors all agreed that it would not be wise for +him to remain longer in the colder air of north Wales, and advised +an immediate removal to Windsor, where more comforts could be +obtained, and where the climate was milder and more genial.</p> +<p>Edward's work in Wales was done. The country was quiet, and he +had no longer any fear of serious rebellion. The first thought in +his mind was the precarious condition of his son, and immediate +steps were taken to convey the invalid southward by slow and gentle +stages.</p> +<p>A horse litter was prepared for him, and by his own special +request this easy conveyance was shared by him with the two Welsh +youths, to whom, as his father and mother thought, he had taken one +of those strange sick fancies not uncommon to those in his state of +health.</p> +<p>Wendot, as he called the younger brother, had been his most +devoted nurse during the days of peril, and his quick understanding +of the unspoken wishes of the prince had evoked a real and true +gratitude from the royal parents.</p> +<p>The real Wendot was by this time so far recovered as to be able +to bear the journey, and illness had so wasted him that he looked +no older than Griffeth; and though still perplexed at being called +Griffeth, and by no means understanding his brother's earnest +request that he would continue to answer to the name, he was too +weak to trouble his head much about the matter; and the two Welsh +brothers were regarded by the English attendants as too +insignificant to be worthy of much notice. The prince's freak to +have them as travelling-companions was humoured by his parents' +wish; but they little knew how much he was wrapped up in the +brothers, nor how completely his heart was set upon seeing the +accomplishment of his plan before he died.</p> +<p>Alphonso had all his senses about him, and the wistful look on +Griffeth's face, as the mountains of his beloved Wales grew dim in +the distance, was not lost upon him. Wendot was sleeping restlessly +in the litter, and Alphonso stretched out his hand, and laid it +gently upon Griffeth's.</p> +<p>"Art regretting that thou leavest all for me?" he asked gently; +and the answer was such a look of love as went to his very +heart.</p> +<p>"Nay; I would leave far more than that for thee, sweet prince, +but it is my last look at home. I shall see these grand, wild hills +no more."</p> +<p>"No, nor yet I," answered the prince, his own eyes growing +somewhat dim; "and I, too, have loved them well, though not as thou +lovest, my friend. But be content; there are fairer things, sweeter +scenes than even these, in store for us somewhere. Shall we repine +at leaving the beauties of earth, when the pearly gates of Paradise +are opening before our very eyes?</p> +<p>"O Griffeth, it is a wondrous thought how soon we may be soaring +above the very stars! And methinks it may well be given to thee to +wing thy way to thine own home for one last look ere thou departest +for the holy land whence we can never wish to return."</p> +<p>Griffeth gave him a bright, eager look.</p> +<p>"I will think that myself -- I will believe it. This is not my +last farewell."</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII</a>. A STRANGE BRIDAL.</h2> +<p>"My prince, tempt me not. It is hard to refuse; but there are +some things no man may do with honour, and, believe me, honour is +dearer to me than life, dearer even than liberty; though Heaven +alone knows how dear that is to every free-born son of Cambria. I +to leave my brother to wear away his days in captivity whilst I +escape under his name! Prince Alphonso, I know not what you think +my heart is made of. Am I to live in freedom, whilst he whom I love +best in the world bears the burden of my fault, and lingers out his +young life within the walls of the king's prison?"</p> +<p>Alphonso looked searchingly in Wendot's face, and realized for +the first time the youth's absolute ignorance of his brother's +state. No wonder he refused with scorn the proffered boon! Yet it +would be a hard task to break the sad tidings to one who so deeply +loved his gentle younger brother, from childhood his chosen +comrade.</p> +<p>Alphonso was lying on a couch in one of the smaller state +apartments of Windsor Castle, and the window, close to which he had +bidden his attendants wheel him, overlooked the beautiful valley of +the Thames. The first of the autumn tints were gilding the rich +stretches of woodland, whilst a faint blue haze hung over the +distance, and the river ran like a silver thread, glinting here and +there into golden brightness as some brighter ray of sunlight fell +upon it.</p> +<p>Alphonso loved the view commanded by this window. He and +Griffeth spent many long happy hours here, looking out on the fair +prospect, and exchanging whispered thoughts and bright aspirations +with regard to some land even fairer than the one they now +beheld.</p> +<p>But Wendot never looked at the beautiful valley without +experiencing a strange oppression of spirit. It reminded him of +that wilder valley of the Towy, and his eyes would grow dim and his +heart sick with the fruitless longing after home, which grew harder +and harder to hear with every week of captivity, now that his +bodily health was restored. Captivity was telling upon him, and he +was pining as an eagle pines when caught and shut up by man even in +a gilded cage. He looked pale and wan and wistful. Often he felt +stifled by the warm, close air of the valley, and felt that he must +die did he not escape to the freer air of the mountains.</p> +<p>But he seldom spoke of these feelings even to Griffeth, and +strangely enough his illness and these homesick longings produced +upon his outer man an effect which was wonderfully favourable to +the plan fermenting in the brains of the royal children and their +immediate companions.</p> +<p>Wendot had lost the sturdiness of figure, the brown colouring, +and the strength of limb which had distinguished him in old days +from Griffeth. A striking likeness had always existed between the +brothers, whose features were almost identical, and whose height +and contours were the same. Now that illness had sharpened the +outlines of Wendot's face, had reduced his fine proportions, and +had given to him something of the hollow-eyed wistfulness of +expression which Griffeth had so long worn, this likeness became so +remarkable that few in the castle knew one brother from the other. +Knowing this, they both answered indifferently to the name of +either, and any change of personality would be managed without +exciting the smallest fear of remark.</p> +<p>Wendot had been perplexed at times by the persistence with which +he had been addressed as Griffeth, even when he was certain that +the speaker was one of the few who knew him and his brother apart; +but he had not troubled his head much over the matter until this +day, when Alphonso had openly spoken to him of the plan that was in +their minds, and had bidden him prepare for a secret flight from +the castle, promising that there should be no ardent search after +him, as Wendot, and not Griffeth, was the culprit who had fallen +under the royal displeasure, and the king would care little for the +escape of the younger brother so long as he held the ex-Lord of +Dynevor in his own safe keeping.</p> +<p>Wendot's indignant refusal to leave his brother and make good +his own escape showed Alphonso how little he realized Griffeth's +condition, and with gentle sympathy, but with candour and +frankness, he explained to the elder brother how short would be the +period of Griffeth's captivity -- how soon and how complete the +release for which he was patiently and happily waiting.</p> +<p>Wendot gave a great start as the meaning of Alphonso's words +first broke upon him, and then he buried his face in his hands, and +sat motionless, neither answering nor moving. Alphonso looked at +him, and by-and-by put out his own wasted hand and laid it upon +Wendot's knee.</p> +<p>"Does it seem a sad thing to thee, Wendot? Believe me, there is +no sadness for Griffeth in the thought. Nay, is it not a blessed +thing to know that soon, very soon, we shall be free of this weary +burden of pain and sickness and weakness, and laying all aside will +pass away to the land of which the seer of old foretold that 'the +wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest.' Thou +knowest not, perhaps, the sweetness of those words, but I know it +well, and Griffeth likewise.</p> +<p>"Nay, Wendot, thou must learn not to grudge him the rest and the +bliss of yon bright land. In this world he could look for nothing +save wearing weakness and lingering pain. Thou shouldst be glad +that the fiat has gone forth, and that the end may not be far off +-- the end of trouble and sorrow; for of the glory that shall +follow there shall be no end."</p> +<p>But Wendot broke in hoarsely and impetuously.</p> +<p>"If he must die, let him at least die in freedom, with the old +hills around him; let him be laid to rest beneath their shadow. You +say that he might well escape; that no cry would be made after him +so long as I were in the king's safe keeping. Let him then fly. Let +him fly to Llewelyn and Arthyn. They will give him tendance and a +home. He shall not die in prison, away from all that he holds dear. +I cannot brook the thought!"</p> +<p>"Nay, Wendot," answered Alphonso with a kindling smile, "thou +needest not grieve for thy brother because that he is here. Ask him +-- take it not from my lips; but I will tell thee this, that where +thou art and where I am is the place where Griffeth would fain end +his days. Ah! thou canst not understand, good youth, how when the +great and wonderful call comes for the human soul, how lightly +press the fetters of the flesh; how small these things of time and +place appear that erst have been of such moment. Griffeth and I are +treading the same path at the same time, and I think not even the +offer of a free pardon and unfettered liberty would draw him from +my side.</p> +<p>"Moreover, Wendot, he could not take the journey of which thou +speakest. The keen autumn air, which will give thee strength and +vigour, would but lay him low on the bed from which he would never +rise. His heart is here with me. Think not that thou art wronging +him in taking his name. The one load lying now upon his heart is +the thought that he is leaving thee in captivity. Let him but know +that thou art free -- that he has been thy helper in thy flight -- +and he will have nought left to wish for in this world. His soul +will be at peace."</p> +<p>Wendot rose and paced through the chamber, and then returned to +the side of the prince. His face betrayed many conflicting +emotions. He spoke with bitterness and impetuosity.</p> +<p>"And what good is life to me if I take you at your word and fly +this spot? Have I not lost all that makes life worth living? My +lands given to my traitorous kinsman; the brother who has been more +to me than life lying in a foreign grave. What use is life to one +so lonely and bereft? Where should I fly? what should I do? I have +never lived alone. I have always had another to live for and to +love. Methinks death would be the better thing than such a loveless +life."</p> +<p>"And why should thy life be loveless, Wendot?" asked Alphonso, +with kindling eyes and a brightening smile. "Dost not thou know? -- +does not thine own heart tell thee that one faithful heart beats +for thee and thee alone? Have I not seen thee with her times and +again? Have not your eyes told eloquent secrets -- though I know +not what your lips have said --"</p> +<p>Wendot's face was all in a glow, but he broke in hastily:</p> +<p>"Prince, prince, speak not of her. If I have been beguiled, if I +have betrayed the feelings which I cannot help, but which I must +hold sternly in check -- be not thou the one to taunt me with my +weakness. There is none like her in the world. I have known it for +long. But even because I know it so well I may not even dream of +her. It is not with me as of old, when her father spoke to me of +troth plight. I am a beggar, an outcast, a prisoner. She is rich, +honoured, courted. She is the brightest star of the court --"</p> +<p>"And she loveth thee, Wendot," interposed Alphonso firmly. "She +has loved thee from childhood with a faithful and true love which +merits better things than to be cast aside as if it were but dross. +What are lands and gold to a woman if her lover share them not? Is +it meet that she should suffer so cruelly simply because her father +has left her well endowed? Wendot, on Lord Montacute's dying bed +this daughter of his avowed her love for thee, and he gave her his +blessing and bade her act as she would. Art thou, then, to be the +one to break her heart, ay, and thine own, too, because thou art +too proud to take more than thou canst give?</p> +<p>"Fie, man! the world is wide and thou art young. Thou hast time +to win thy spurs and bring home noble spoil to lay at thy lady's +feet. Only let not pride stand in the way of her happiness and +thine own. Thou hast said that life is dark and drear unless it be +shared with some loved one. Then how canst thou hold back, when +thou hast confessed thine own love and learned that hers is thine? +Take it, and be grateful for the treasure thou hast won, and fear +not but that thou wilt bring as much as thou wilt receive. There +are strange chances in the fate of each one of us. Who knows but +that thou and she will not yet reign again in the halls of +Dynevor?"</p> +<p>Wendot started and flushed, and again paced down the whole +length of the room. When he returned to the window Alphonso had +gone, and in his place stood Gertrude herself, her sweet face dyed +rosy red with blushes, her hands half stretched out towards him, +her lips quivering with the intensity of her emotion.</p> +<p>He paused just one moment looking at her, and then holding out +his arms, he said:</p> +<p>"Gertrude!"</p> +<p>Next moment she was clasped in his close embrace, and was +shedding happy tears upon his shoulder.</p> +<p>"Oh!" said Gertrude at last, in a soft whisper, "it was worth +waiting for this. I never thought I could have been so happy."</p> +<p>"Joanna -- Alphonso, it is all settled. He will leave the castle +with me. He will help me now in the care of my lands. But he will +not move whilst Griffeth lives. And I think he is right. They have +so loved each other, and he will not leave his brother to die +amongst strangers in captivity."</p> +<p>"It is like him," said Joanna eagerly. "Gertrude, thou hast +found a very proper knight, as we told thee from the first, when he +was but a lad, and held the Eagle's Crag against a score of men. +But ye must be wedded soon, that there be no delay when once the +poor boy be gone. Every day he looks more shadowy and frail. +Methinks that our softer air ill suits him, for he hath dwindled to +a mere shadow since he came. You will not have to wait long."</p> +<p>"Joanna speaks the truth," said Alphonso, half sadly, half +smilingly. "He will not be with us long. But it is very true that +this marriage must be privately celebrated, and that without delay, +that when the day comes when 'Griffeth' flies from the castle, he +and his wife may go together."</p> +<p>"Ay, and my chaplain will make them man and wife, and breathe +not a word to any man," cried Joanna, who, now that she was older, +had her own retinue of servants, equal in number to those of her +sister, by whom she was dearly loved for her generosity and +frankness, so that she could always command ready and willing +obedience to any expressed wish of hers.</p> +<p>"You think he will? O Joanna, when shall it be?"</p> +<p>"It shall be at midnight in the chapel," said the girl, with the +prompt decision which characterized her. "Not tonight, but three +nights from this. Leave all things in my hands, sweet Gertrude; I +will see that nought is lacking to bind thee lawfully to thy lord. +My chaplain is a good and holy man from the west country. He loveth +those poor Welsh who are prisoners here, and spends much of his +time in ministering to them. He loves thy future lord and his dying +brother, and he knows somewhat of our plan, for I have revealed it +in the confessional, and he has not chided me for it.</p> +<p>"Oh, I can answer for him. He will be glad that thou shouldst +find so proper a knight; and he is kind of heart, and stanch to my +service. Fear not, sweet Gertrude: ere three days have gone by thou +shalt be a wedded wife; and when the time comes thou mayest steal +away with him thy plighted lord, and trust thy sister Joanna to +make thy peace with the king, if he be in any way angered or +grieved."</p> +<p>Gertrude threw herself into Joanna's arms and kissed her a +hundred times; and Joanna laughed, and said she deserved much +credit for plotting to rid herself of her dearest friend, but was +none the less loyal to the cause because Gertrude's gain would be +her loss.</p> +<p>So there came a strange night, never to be forgotten by those +who witnessed the proceedings, when Wendot ap Res Vychan and the +Lady Gertrude Cherleton stood at midnight before the altar in the +small private chapel of the castle, whilst the chaplain of the +Princess Joanna's private suite made them man and wife according to +the law of the Church. And of the few spectators who witnessed the +ceremony two were of royal blood -- Alphonso and Joanna -- and +beside them were only one or two attendants, sworn to secrecy, and +in full sympathy with the youthful lovers thus plighting their +troth and being united in wedlock at one and the same time.</p> +<p>Griffeth was not of the number who was present to witness this +ceremony. He was unable to rise from his bed, a sudden access of +illness having overtaken him, possibly as the result of the +excitement of hearing what was about to take place.</p> +<p>When the solemn words had been spoken, and the bride was led +away by her proud and happy spouse -- happy even in the midst of so +much peril and sorrow in the thought of the treasure he had won -- +she paused at the door of her apartments, whither he would have +left her (for so long as they remained within the walls of the +castle they would observe the same manner of life as before), and +glancing into his face said softly:</p> +<p>"May I not go with thee to tell the news to Griffeth?"</p> +<p>"Ay, well bethought," said Alphonso, who was leaning on Wendot's +other arm, the distance through the long passages being somewhat +fatiguing to him. "Let us go and show to him thy wife. None will +rejoice more than he to know that she is thine in very truth, and +that none can take her from thee."</p> +<p>Griffeth's room was nigh at hand, and thither Wendot led his +bride. A taper was burning beside the bed, and the sick youth lay +propped up with pillows, his breath coming in laboured gasps, +though his eyes were bright and full of comprehension as Wendot led +the slim, white-robed figure to his side.</p> +<p>But the elder brother was startled at the change he saw in his +patient since he had left him last. There was something in his look +that struck chill upon his heart. He came forward and took the +feeble hand in his. It was deadly cold, and the unearthly radiance +upon the lad's face was as significant in its own way. Had not +their mother looked at them with just such a smile when she had +slipped away into another world, whilst they were trying to +persuade themselves that she was better?</p> +<p>"My sister Gertrude," whispered Griffeth. "Oh, I am so happy! +You will be good to him -- you will comfort him.</p> +<p>"Wendot -- Gertrude --" he made a faint effort, and joined their +hands together; and then, as if his last earthly task was +accomplished, he seemed to look right on beyond them, whilst a +strange expression of awe and wonder shone from his closing +eyes.</p> +<p>"Howel," he whispered -- "father -- mother -- oh, I am coming! +Take me with you."</p> +<p>Then the head fell backwards, the light vanished from the eyes, +the cold hand fell nervelessly from Wendot's grasp, and they knew +that Griffeth was the king's prisoner no longer.</p> +<p>Three days later the Lady Gertrude Cherleton said farewell to +her royal companions, and started forth for her own estates in +Derbyshire, which she had purposed for some time to visit. Perhaps +had the minds of those in the castle been free to wonder at +anything so trivial as the movements of the young heiress, they +would have felt surprise at her selecting this time to betake +herself to a solitary and independent existence, away from all her +friends and playmates; but the mortal illness of the Prince +Alphonso occupied the whole attention of the castle. The remains of +the so-called Wendot, late of Dynevor, had been laid to rest with +little ceremony and no pomp, and the very existence of the other +brother was almost forgotten in the general dismay and grief which +permeated through all ranks of people both within and without the +castle walls.</p> +<p>The lady had a small but sufficient retinue; but it was +considered rather strange that she should not start until the dusk +had begun to gather round the castle, so that the confusion of the +start was a good deal increased from the darkness which was +stealing upon the place. Had there been much time or attention +free, it might have been noted by a keen observer that Lady +Gertrude had added to her personal attendants one who looked like a +tall and stout woman, though her hood was so closely drawn that her +face was seen by none of the warders, who, however, let her pass +unchallenged: for she rode beside her mistress, and was evidently +in the position of a trusted companion; for the lady was speaking +to her as they passed out through the gate, and there could +certainly be no reason for offering any obstruction to any servant +of hers.</p> +<p>If there were any fear or excitement in Gertrude's breast as she +and her husband passed out of the gate and rode quickly along the +path which led through the town, she did not betray it by look or +gesture. Her eagerness was mainly showed by a desire to push on +northward as fast as possible, and the light of a full harvest moon +made travelling almost as easy as by day. On they rode, by sleeping +hamlets and dreaming pastures, until the lights of Windsor lay +twinkling in the dim, hazy distance miles away.</p> +<p>Then Gertrude suddenly threw back her hood, and leaning towards +her companion -- they two had outridden their followers some time +before -- cried in a strange, tense voice:</p> +<p>"O Wendot husband, thou art free! Tomorrow will see us safe +within those halls of which thou art rightful lord. Captivity, +trouble, peril is at an end. Nothing can greatly hurt us now, for +are we not one in bonds that no man may dissever?"</p> +<p>"My noble, true-hearted wife," said Wendot, in accents of +intense feeling; and then he leaned forward and kissed her in the +whispering wood, and they rode forward through the glades of +silvery moonlight towards the new life that was awaiting them +beyond.</p> +<p>"Hills, wild rocks, woods, and water!" cried Wendot, with a +sudden kindling gleam in his eyes. "O Gertrude, thou didst not tell +me the half! I never guessed that England had aught so like home as +this. Truly it might be Dynevor itself -- that brawling torrent, +those craggy fells, and these gray stone walls. And to be free -- +free to breathe the fresh wind, to go where the fancy prompts, to +be loosed from all control save the sweet bonds that thou boldest +me in, dearest! Ah, my wife, thou knowest not what thou hast done +for me. How shall I thank thee for the boon?"</p> +<p>"Why, by being thine old self again, Vychan," said Gertrude, who +was standing by her husband's side on a natural terrace of rock +above the Hall which was to be their home. She had brought him out +early in the morning to see the sun rise upon their home, and the +rapture of his face, the passionate joy she saw written there, was +more than she had hoped for.</p> +<p>"Thou hast grown old and worn of late, too saddened, too grave +for thy years. Thou must grow young again, and be the bright-faced +youth to whom I gave my heart. Thy youth is not left so far behind +but what thou canst recall it ere it be too late."</p> +<p>"In sooth I shall grow young again here, sweetheart," quoth +Wendot, or Vychan, as we must call him now. He had an equal right +to that name with his father, though for convenience he had always +been addressed by the other; and now that Lady Gertrude had brought +her husband home, he was to be known as Res Vychan, one of the +descendants of the last princes of South Wales, who had taken his +wife's name also, as he was now the ruler of her land; so, +according to the fashion of the English people, he would henceforth +be known as Vychan Cherleton. His brother's name he could not bear +to hear applied to himself, and it was left to Joanna to explain +matters to the king and queen when the chance should arrive. None +else need ever know that the husband of the Lady Gertrude had ever +been a captive of Edward's; and the name of Griffeth ap Res Vychan +disappears from the ken of the chroniclers as if it had never been +known that he was once a prisoner in England.</p> +<p>There was no pursuit made after the missing Welshman. The king +and queen had other matters to think of, and the fondness of their +son for the youth would have been protection enough even if he had +not begged with his dying breath that his father would forgive and +forget. Lady Gertrude and her husband did not come to court for +very many years; and by the time they did so, Vychan Cherleton's +loyalty and service to the English cause were too well established +for any one to raise a question as to his birth or race.</p> +<p>If the king and queen ever knew they had been outwitted by their +children, they did not resent that this had been so, nor that an +act of mercy had been contrived greater than they might have felt +justified in ratifying.</p> +<p>But all this was yet in the future. As Vychan and his wife stood +on that high plateau overlooking the fair valley of the Derwent, it +seemed to Gertrude as though during the past three days her husband +had undergone some subtle change. There was a new light in his +eyes; his frame had lost its drooping air of languor; he had stood +the long days of rough riding without the smallest fatigue. It +really seemed as if the old Wendot had come back again, and she +smilingly asked him how it was that he had gained such strength in +so short a time.</p> +<p>"Ah, that question is soon answered, sweet wife. It is freedom +that is the elixir of life to us sons of Cambria. I know not if +your English-born men can brook the sense of fetter and constraint, +but it is death to us.</p> +<p>"Let us not think of it more. That page has closed for ever; and +never shall it reopen, for sooner will I die than fall alive into +the hands of a foe. Nay, sweetest Gertrude, look not so +reproachfully at me. Thou shalt soon see that I mean not to die, +but to live for thee. Here in this fair, free spot we begin our new +life together. It may be even yet -- for see, is not that bright +sky, illumined by those quivering shafts of light athwart our path, +an omen of good? -- that as thou showest me this fair spot with +which thou hast endowed me, I may one day show thee again and endow +thee with the broad lands of Dynevor."</p> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII</a>. THE NEW LORD OF +DYNEVOR.</h2> +<p>"Vychan, Vychan, the hour has come! That false traitor Sir Res +has risen in revolt against England's king. Loyal men are called +upon to put down the rebellion, and such as do so will be rewarded +with the lands reft from the traitor. Vychan, Vychan, lose not a +moment; arm and take the men, and fly to Dynevor! Now is the time +to strike the blow! And I will to Edward's court, to plead with him +for the lands and castle of Dynevor as my husband's guerdon for his +services. O Vychan, Vychan, have not I always said that thou +shouldest live to call thyself Lord of Dynevor again?"</p> +<p>Gertrude came flying to her husband with these words, looking +scarce less young and certainly none less bright and happy than she +had done four years back, when she and her husband had first stood +within the walls of her ancestral home. A beautiful, sturdy boy +hung upon her hand, keeping pace gallantly even with her flying +steps, and the joy of motherhood had given something of added +lustre to the soft beauty of her dark eyes; otherwise she was +scarce changed from the Gertrude of past days. As for Vychan, he +still retained the eagle glance, the almost boyish freshness of +colouring, and the soldier-like bearing which distinguished his +race, and the gold of his hair had not tarnished or faded, though +he had developed from the youth to the man, and was a noble +specimen of manhood in the zenith of its strength and beauty.</p> +<p>Rising hastily at his wife's approach, he gazed at her with +parted lips and glowing eyes, whilst she once more told him the +news, brought by a special messenger from the Princess Joanna, +brought thus, as both knew, with a special meaning which they well +understood. Four years of peaceful prosperity in England had in no +whit weakened Vychan's love for his own land or blunted the +soldier-like instincts of his race. There was something of the +light of battle and of conquest in his eye as he gazed at his wife, +and his voice rang out clear and trumpet-like as he gathered the +sense of the message she brought.</p> +<p>"Take up arms against that false traitor-kinsman of mine? ay, +verily, that I will. False first to his kindred and his country, +then false to the king who has trusted and rewarded him so nobly. +Res ap Meredith, methinks thine hour is come! Thou didst plot and +contrive to wrest from me the fair lands my father bequeathed me; +but I trow the day has dawned when the false lord shall be cast +forth, even as he has cast forth others, and when there shall be a +lord of the old race ruling at Dynevor, albeit he rule beneath a +new name."</p> +<p>"Heaven grant it may be so!" cried Gertrude, the tears of +excitement sparkling in her eyes; whilst little Griffeth, catching +some of the sense of his father's words, and understanding with the +quick instinct of childhood that there was something unwonted going +on, shook his little fist in the air, and cried:</p> +<p>"Dynevor, Dynevor! me fight for Dynevor, too."</p> +<p>The father picked up his son and held him in a close +embrace.</p> +<p>"Ay, Griffeth, my man, thou shalt reign at Dynevor one of these +days, please God to give us victory over false friends and +traitorous allies."</p> +<p>And even as the parents stood looking smilingly at the brave +child, the blast from the warder's trumpet gave notice that +strangers were approaching the Hall; and hurrying to the entrance +gate to be ready to receive the guests, Vychan and his wife beheld +a little troop of horsemen winding their way up the valley, headed +by a pair who appeared to be man and wife, and to hold some exalted +position, for the trappings of their steeds and the richness of +their own dress marked them as of no humble rank.</p> +<p>Visitors were sufficiently rare at this lonely place for this +sight to cause some stir in the Hall; and Gertrude, shading her +eyes with her hand, gazed eagerly at the two figures in advance. +Suddenly she gave a little cry of rapture, and bounded forward +through the gateway.</p> +<p>"It is Arthyn -- Arthyn and Llewelyn! Vychan, thy brother and +his wife are here. Oh, they have come to bid thee to the fray! They +bring tidings, and are come to summon thee to the fight.</p> +<p>"Arthyn, sweetest sister, ten thousand welcomes to our home! +Nay, I can scarce believe this is not a dream. How I have longed to +see thee here!"</p> +<p>Vychan was at his brother's side, as Arthyn, flinging herself +from her saddle, flew into Gertrude's arms. For some moments +nothing could be distinguished but the glad clamour of welcome, and +scarce had that subsided before it recommenced in the eager +salutations of the Welsh retainers, who saw in Vychan another of +the sons of their well-loved Lord, Res Vychan, the former Lord of +Dynevor and Iscennen, whose wise and merciful rule had never been +forgotten.</p> +<p>Vychan was touched, indeed, to see how well he was remembered, +and the sound of the familiar tongue sent thrills of strange +emotion through him. It was some time before he could free himself +from the throng of servants who pressed round him; and when he +could do so he followed his wife and guests into the banqueting +hall, where the noonday repast was spread, giving charge to his +seneschal for the hospitable entertainment of the retinue his +brother had brought and their lodgment within the walls of the +Hall.</p> +<p>When he reached the inner hall he found the servants spreading +the best viands of the house upon the table; whilst Gertrude, +Arthyn, and Llewelyn were gathered together in the embrasure of a +window in eager discussion. Gertrude broke away and came quickly +towards him, her face deeply flushed and her eyes very bright.</p> +<p>"Vychan, it is even as we have heard. That false traitor is in +open revolt, and he has been even more false than we knew. What +think you of this? -- he professed to be sorry for his revolt, and +sent a letter of urgent pleading to Llewelyn and Arthyn begging +them to use their influence with the king to obtain his pardon. +Believing him to be sincere, Llewelyn set out for England not more +than two short weeks back, taking with him, on account of the +unsettled state of the country, the pick of the men from +Carregcennen. And when this double-dyed traitor knows that Arthyn +is alone and unprotected in the castle, what does he do but send a +strong band of his soldiers, himself at their head, who obtain +entrance by the subterranean passage, slay the guard, and take +possession of the fortress. Arthyn has but bare time to escape with +a handful of men, and by hard riding to join her husband on the +road to England.</p> +<p>"So now have they turned aside to tell the tale to us, and to +summon thee to come with thy men and fight in the king's quarrel +against this wicked man. And whilst ye lead your soldiers into +Wales, Arthyn and I will to the court, to lay the story before the +royal Edward, and to gain from him the full and free grants of the +castles of Dynevor and Carregcennen for our husbands, who have +responded to his call, and have flown to wrest from the traitor the +possession he has so unrighteously grasped."</p> +<p>"Thy wife speaketh wise words, Vychan," said Llewelyn, whose +dark brows wore a threatening look, and who had the appearance of a +man deeply stirred to wrath, as indeed he well might be; "and it +were well that we lost no time in dallying here. How many men canst +thou summon to thy banner, and when can we be on the march for the +south? The Earl of Cornwall has been called upon to quell this +revolt, and he has summoned to his aid all loyal subjects of the +king who hold dear the peace and prosperity of their land.</p> +<p>"The days are gone by in which I should despise that call and +join the standard of revolt. The experience of the past has taught +me that in the English alliance is Wales's only hope of +tranquillity and true independence and civilization. When such men +as this Res ap Meredith break into revolt against Edward, it is +time for us to rally round his standard. What would our lives, our +lands, our liberties be worth were such a double-distilled traitor +as he transformed into a prince, as is his fond ambition?"</p> +<p>"True, Llewelyn, true. The race of kings has vanished from +Wales, and methinks there is no humiliation in owning as sovereign +lord the lion-hearted King of England. Moreover, has he not given +us a prince of our own, born upon Welsh soil, sprung of a kingly +race? We will rally round the standard of father and son, and trust +that in the future a brighter day will dawn for our long-distracted +country."</p> +<p>So forthwith there sped messengers through the wild valleys and +wilder fells of Derbyshire, and many a sturdy son of the mountains +came gladly and willingly at the call of the feudal lord whose wise +and kindly rule had made him greatly beloved. The fighting instinct +of the age and of the race was speedily aroused by this call to +arms, and the surrounding gentlemen and yeomen of the county +likewise pressed their services upon Vychan, glad to be able to +strike a blow to uphold the authority of a king whose wise and +brave rule had already made him the idol of the nation.</p> +<p>It was a goodly sight to see the brothers of Dynevor (as their +wives could not but call them once again) ride forth at the head of +this well-equipped following. Llewelyn marvelled at the discipline +displayed by the recruits -- a discipline decidedly in advance of +anything his own ruder followers could boast. But Welsh and English +for once were in brotherly accord, and rode shoulder to shoulder in +all good fellowship; and the English knew that their ruder comrades +from Cambria, if less well trained and drilled, would be able to +show them a lesson in fierce and desperate fighting, to which they +were far more inured than their more peaceable neighbours from the +sister country.</p> +<p>And fighting there was for all; but the struggle, if fierce, was +brief. Sir Res was a coward at heart, as it is the wont of a +traitor to be, and finding himself opposed by foes as relentless +and energetic as Vychan and Llewelyn, he was speedily driven from +fortress to fortress, till at length he was forced to surrender +himself a prisoner to the Earl of Gloucester; who, out of kindness +to his wife, Auda de Hastings, connived at his escape to +Ireland.</p> +<p>There he lived in seclusion for some time; but the spirit of +rebellion was still alive within him, and two years later he +returned to Wales, and succeeded in collecting an army of four +thousand turbulent spirits about him, at the head of which force he +fought a pitched battle with the king's justiciary, Robert de +Tibetot. His army was cut to pieces. He was taken prisoner himself, +and met a cruel death at York as the reward of his many acts of +treasonable rebellion.</p> +<p>But the halls of Dynevor saw him no more from the moment when +Res Vychan, with a swelling heart, first drove him forth, and +planted his own foot once again upon the soil dearer to him than +any other spot on earth. As he stood upon the familiar terrace, +looking over the wide, fair valley of the Towy, his heart swelled +with thankfulness and joy; and if a slow, unwonted tear found its +way to his eye, it was scarce a tear of sorrow, for he felt assured +that his brother Griffeth was sharing in the joy of this +restoration to the old home, and that his loving and gentle spirit +was not very far from him at this supreme hour of his life.</p> +<p>"Father, father, father!"</p> +<p>Vychan turned with a start at the sound of the joyous call, and +the next moment was clasping wife and son to his breast.</p> +<p>"Sweetheart! come so quickly? How couldst thou?"</p> +<p>"Ay, Vychan, love hath ever wings, and neither I nor Arthyn +could keep away, our business at the court once accomplished. +Vychan, husband, thou standest here Lord of Dynevor in thine own +right. Thou hast won back thine ancestral home, the boy's +inheritance.</p> +<p>"Seest thou this deed? Knowest thou the king's seal? Take it, +for it secureth all to thee under thy name of Vychan Cherleton. And +if in times to come those who come after know not that it was the +son of Res Vychan who thus reclaimed his patrimony, and if our +worthy chroniclers set down that Dynevor and its lands passed to +the keeping of the English, what matters it? We know the truth, and +those who have loved thee and thy father know who thou art and +whence thou hast come. Let that be sufficient for thee and for +me.</p> +<p>"Griffeth, little son, kiss thy father, and bid him welcome to +his own halls again -- the halls of Dynevor."</p> +<p>Vychan could not speak. He pressed one passionate kiss upon the +lips of his wife, and another upon the brow of his noble boy, who +looked every inch a Dynevor, with the true Dynevor features, and +the bold, fearless mien so like his father's.</p> +<p>Then commanding himself by an effort, he opened the king's +parchment and quickly mastered its contents, after which he took +his wife's hand and held out the other to his son.</p> +<p>"My faithful fellows are mustering in the hall to bid me welcome +once more to Dynevor. Come, sweet wife; I must show to them their +lady and their future lord.</p> +<p>"Arthyn -- where is she? Has she gone on to Iscennen to meet +Llewelyn there?"</p> +<p>"Ay, verily: she was as hungry for him as I for thee; and she +hath a similar mandate for him regarding his rights to +Carregcennen.</p> +<p>"O Vychan, dearest husband, I can scarce believe it is not all a +dream."</p> +<p>Indeed, to Vychan it seemed almost as though he dreamed, as in +the old familiar hall he stood, a little raised from the crowd of +armed retainers upon the steps of the wide oak staircase, as he +addressed to them a speech eloquent with that thrilling eloquence +which is the gift of all who speak from the heart, and speak to +hearts beating in deep and true response. Vychan thanked all those +who had so bravely fought for him, explained to all assembled there +his new position and his new name, bid them not think him less a +Welshman and a Dynevor because he bore his wife's arms and called +himself the servant of the English king, and held up before their +eyes the mandate of that English king confirming to him the lands +and halls of Dynevor.</p> +<p>A wild, ringing cheer broke from all who heard him as he thus +proved to their own satisfaction that the royal Edward was their +best friend, and as the new Lord of Dynevor held up his child for +them to see, and to own as future lord in the time-honoured +fashion, such a shout went up from the throats of all as made the +vaulted roof ring again. Blades were unsheathed and waved in wild +enthusiasm, and Gertrude's dark eyes glistened through a mist of +proud and happy tears.</p> +<p>Suddenly from some dim recess in the old ball there issued a +strain of wild music -- the sound of a harp played by no unskilled +hand; whilst mingling with the twang of the strings was the voice +of the ancient bard, cracked through age, yet still retaining the +old power and some of the old sweetness. And harp and voice were +raised alike in one of those triumph songs that have ever been as +the elixir of life to the strong, rude, sensitive sons of wild +Cambria.</p> +<p>"It is Wenwynwyn," quoth Vychan. "He is yet alive. I little +thought to see him more.</p> +<p>"Griffeth, boy, run to yon old man and bid him give thee his +blessing, and tell him that there is a son of Dynevor come back to +rule as Lord of Dynevor once again."</p> +<p>POSTSCRIPT.</p> +<p>The story of the sons of Res Vychan is very intricate and +difficult to follow, owing to the lack of contemporaneous +documents; but the main facts of their story as related in the +foregoing pages are true, though a certain license has been taken +for purposes of fiction.</p> +<p>They have been represented as somewhat younger than they were at +the time of these events, whilst the children of Edward the First +have been made some few years older than their true ages.</p> +<p>There is no actual historical warrant for the change of identity +between Wendot and Griffeth, and for the escape and reinstatement +of the former in the halls of Dynevor; but there are traditions +which point to a possibility that he did escape from prison, in +spite of the affirmation of the chroniclers, as there have been +those who claim descent from him, which they would hardly have done +if such had not been the case, for there is no record that he was +married before he was taken prisoner to England.</p> +<p>The children of the English king were not really at Rhuddlan +Castle in 1277, as represented here, as they were at that time too +young to accompany their father on his expeditions. If, however, +they had been as old as represented in these pages, there is little +doubt they would have accompanied him, as the monarch was a most +affectionate father, and loved to have wife and children about +him.</p> +<p>Arthyn is a fictitious character; as is also Gertrude. There is +no record that any of the sons of Res Vychan married or left +descendants, except the tradition alluded to above.</p> +<p>THE END.</p> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13227 ***</div> +</body> +</html> |