The Cloister and the Hearth: A Tale of the Middle Ages by Charles Reade

  CHAPTER XII

  GHYSBRECHT VAN SWIETEN kept the key of Gerard's prison in his pouch. Hewaited till ten of the clock ere he visited him; for he said to himself,"A little hunger sometimes does well; it breaks 'em." At ten he crept upthe stairs with a loaf and pitcher, followed by his trusty servant wellarmed. Ghysbrecht listened at the door. There was no sound inside. Agrim smile stole over his features. "By this time he will be asdown-hearted as Albert Koestein was," thought he. He opened the door.

  No Gerard.

  Ghysbrecht stood stupefied.

  Although his face was not visible, his body seemed to lose all motion inso peculiar a way, and then after a little he fell a trembling so, thatthe servant behind him saw there was something amiss, and crept close tohim and peeped over his shoulder. At sight of the empty cell and therope, and iron bar, he uttered a loud exclamation of wonder: but hissurprise doubled when his master, disregarding all else suddenly flunghimself on his knees before the empty chest, and felt wildly all over itwith quivering hands, as if unwilling to trust his eyes in a matter soimportant.

  The servant gazed at him in utter bewilderment.

  "Why, master, what is the matter?"

  Ghysbrecht's pale lips worked as if he was going to answer; but theyuttered no sound: his hands fell by his side, and he stared into thechest.

  "Why, master, what avails glaring into that empty box? The lad is notthere. See here! Note the cunning of the young rogue; he hath taken outthe bar, and--"

  "GONE! GONE! GONE!"

  "Gone? What is gone? Holy saints! he is planet struck."

  "STOP THIEF!" shrieked Ghysbrecht, and suddenly turned on his servantand collared him, and shook him with rage. "D'ye stand there, knave, andsee your master robbed? Run! fly! A hundred crowns to him that finds itme again. No, no! 'tis in vain. Oh fool! fool! to leave that in the sameroom with him. But none ever found the secret spring before. None everwould but he. It was to be. It is to be. Lost! lost!" and his years andinfirmity now gained the better of his short-lived frenzy, and he sankon the chest muttering "lost! lost!"

  "What is lost, master?" asked the servant kindly.

  "House and lands and good name," groaned Ghysbrecht, and wrung his handsfeebly.

  "WHAT?" cried the servant.

  This emphatic word, and the tone of eager curiosity, struck onGhysbrecht's ear, and revived his natural cunning.

  "I have lost the town records," stammered he, and he looked askant atthe man like a fox caught near a hen-roost.

  "Oh, is that all?"

  "Is't not enough? What will the burghers say to me? What will the burghdo?" Then he suddenly burst out again, "A hundred crowns to him whoshall recover them; all, mind, all that were in this box. If one bemissing, I give nothing."

  "'Tis a bargain, master: the hundred crowns are in my pouch. See you notthat where Gerard Eliassoen is, there are the pieces of sheepskin yourate so high?"

  "That is true; that is true; good Dierich: good faithful Dierich. All,mind, all, that were in the chest."

  "Master, I will take the constables to Gerard's house and seize him forthe theft."

  "The theft? ay! good; very good. It is theft. I forgot that. So, as heis a thief now, we will put him in the dungeons below: where the toadsare and the rats. Dierich, that man must never see daylight again. 'Tishis own fault; he must be prying. Quick, quick! ere he has time to talk,you know, time to talk."

  In less than half an hour Dierich Brower and four constables entered thehosier's house, and demanded young Gerard of the panic-strickenCatherine.

  "Alas! what has he done now?" cried she: "that boy will break my heart."

  "Nay, dame, but a trick of youth," said Dierich. "He hath but made offwith certain skins of parchment, in a frolic doubtless; but theburgomaster is answerable to the burgh for their safe keeping, so he isin care about them: as for the youth, he will doubtless be quit for areprimand."

  This smooth speech completely imposed on Catherine: but her daughter wasmore suspicious, and that suspicion was strengthened by thedisproportionate anger and disappointment Dierich showed the moment helearned Gerard was not at home, had not been at home that night.

  "Come away then," said he roughly. "We are wasting time." He added,vehemently, "I'll find him if he is above ground."

  Affection sharpens the wits, and often it has made an innocent personmore than a match for the wily. As Dierich was going out, Kate made hima signal she would speak with him privately. He bade his men go on, andwaited outside the door. She joined him.

  "Hush!" said she, "my mother knows not. Gerard has left Tergou."

  "How?"

  "I saw him last night."

  "Ay? Where?" cried Dierich, eagerly.

  "At the foot of the haunted tower."

  "How did he get the rope?"

  "I know not; but this I know; my brother Gerard bade me there farewell,and he is many leagues from Tergou ere this. The town you know, wasalways unworthy of him, and, when it imprisoned him, he vowed never toset foot in it again. Let the burgomaster be content, then. He hasimprisoned him, and he has driven him from his birthplace and from hisnative land. What need now to rob him and us of our good name?"

  This might at another moment have struck Dierich as good sense; but hewas too mortified at this escape of Gerard and the loss of a hundredcrowns.

  "What need had he to steal?" retorted he, bitterly.

  "Gerard stole not the trash; he but _took_ it to spite the burgomasterwho stole his liberty; but he shall answer to the duke for it, he shall.As for these skins of parchment you keep such a coil about, look in thenearest brook, or stye, and 'tis odds but you find them."

  "Think ye so, mistress?--think ye so?" And Dierich's eyes flashed."Mayhap you know 'tis so."

  "This I know, that Gerard is too good to steal, and too wise to loadhimself with rubbish, going a journey."

  "Give you good day, then," said Dierich, sharply. "The sheepskin youscorn, I value more than the skin of any be in Tergou."

  And he went off hastily on a false scent.

  Kate returned into the house and drew Giles aside.

  "Giles, my heart misgives me; breathe not to a soul what I say to you. Ihave told Dirk Brower that Gerard is out of Holland: but much I doubt heis not a league from Tergou."

  "Why, where is he, then?"

  "Where should he be, but with her he loves? But if so, he must notloiter. These be deep and dark and wicked men that seek him. Giles, Isee that in Dirk Brower's eye makes me tremble. Oh! why cannot I fly toSevenbergen, and bid him away? Why am I not lusty and active like othergirls? God forgive me for fretting at His will: but I never felt tillnow what it is to be lame and weak and useless. But you are strong, dearGiles," added she coaxingly, "you are very strong."

  "Yes, I am strong;" thundered Perpusillus: then, catching sight of hermeaning, "but I hate to go on foot," he added, sulkily.

  "Alas! alas! who will help me if you will not? Dear Giles, do you notlove Gerard?"

  "Yes I like him best of the lot. I'll go to Sevenbergen on PeterBuyskens his mule. Ask you him, for he won't lend her me."

  Kate remonstrated. The whole town would follow him. It would be knownwhither he was gone, and Gerard be in worse danger than before.

  Giles parried this by promising to ride out of the town the oppositeway, and not turn the mule's head toward Sevenbergen till he had got ridof the curious.

  Kate then assented, and borrowed the mule. She charged Giles with ashort but meaning message, and made him repeat it after her, over andover, till he could say it word for word.

  Giles started on the mule, and little Kate retired, and did the lastthing now in her power for her beloved brother; prayed on her knees longand earnestly for his safety.