The Midnight Queen [39]
heard
at the plague-pit, as she turned to the stylish individual next
the archbishop, "come forward and read us the roll of mortality
since our last meeting.?
His grace, the duke, instantly stepped forward, bowing so low
that nothing was seen of him for a brief space, but the small of
his back, and when he reared himself up, after this convulsion of
nature, Sir Norman beheld a face not entirely new to him. At
first, he could not imagine where he had seen it, but speedily
she recollected it was the identical face of the highwayman who
had beaten an inglorious retreat from him and Count L'Estrange,
that very night. This ducat robber drew forth a roll of
parchment, and began reading, in lachrymose tones, a select
litany of defunct gentlemen, with hifalutin titles who had
departed this life during the present week. Most of them had
gone with the plague, but a few had died from natural causes, and
among these were the Earls of Craven and Ashley.
"My lords Craven and Ashley dead!" exclaimed the queen, in tones
of some surprise, but very little anguish; "that is singular, for
we saw them not two hours ago, in excellent health and spirits."
"True, poor majesty," said the duke, dolefully, "and it is not an
hour since they quitted this vale of tears. They and myself rode
forth at nightfall, according to Custom, to lay your majesty's
tax on all travelers, and soon chanced to encounter one who gave
vigorous battle; still, it would have done him little service,
had not another person come suddenly to his aid, and between them
they clove the skulls of Ashley and Craven; and I," said the
duke, modestly, "I left."
"Were either of the travelers young, and tall, and of courtly
bearing?" exclaimed the dwarf with sharp rudeness.
"Both were, your highness," replied the duke, bowing to the small
speaker, "and uncommonly handy with their weapons."
"I saw one of them down at the Golden Crown, not long ago," said
the dwarf; "a forward young popinjay, and mighty inquisitive
about this, our royal palace. I promised him, if he came here, a
warm reception - a promise I will have the greatest pleasure in
fulfilling"
"You may stand aside, my lord duke," said the queen, with a
graceful wave of her hand, "and if any new subjects have been
added to our court since our last weekly meeting, let them come
forward, and be sworn."
A dozen or mare courtiers immediately stepped forward, and
kneeling before the queen, announced their name and rank, which
were both ambitiously high. A few silvery-toned questions were
put by that royal lady and satisfactorily answered, and then the
archbishop, armed with a huge tome, administered a severe and
searching oath, which the candidates took with a great deal of
sang frond, and were then permitted to kiss the hand of the queen
- a privilege worth any amount of swearing - and retire.
"Let any one who has any reports to make, make them immediately,"
again commanded her majesty.
A number of gentlemen of high rank, presented themselves at this
summons, and began relating, as a certain sect of Christians do
in church, their experience! Many of these consisted, to the
deep disapproval of Sir Norman, of accounts of daring highway
robberies, one of them perpetrated on the king himself, which
distinguished personage the duplicate of Leoline styled "our
brother Charles," and of the sums thereby attained. The
treasurer of state was then ordered to show himself, and give an
account of the said moneys, which he promptly did; and after him
came a number of petitioners, praying for one thing and another,
some of which the queen promised to grant, and some she didn't.
These little affairs of state being over, Miranda turned to the
little gentleman beside her, with the observation
"I believe, your highness, it a on this night the Earl of
Gloucester is to be tried on a charge of high treason, in it
at the plague-pit, as she turned to the stylish individual next
the archbishop, "come forward and read us the roll of mortality
since our last meeting.?
His grace, the duke, instantly stepped forward, bowing so low
that nothing was seen of him for a brief space, but the small of
his back, and when he reared himself up, after this convulsion of
nature, Sir Norman beheld a face not entirely new to him. At
first, he could not imagine where he had seen it, but speedily
she recollected it was the identical face of the highwayman who
had beaten an inglorious retreat from him and Count L'Estrange,
that very night. This ducat robber drew forth a roll of
parchment, and began reading, in lachrymose tones, a select
litany of defunct gentlemen, with hifalutin titles who had
departed this life during the present week. Most of them had
gone with the plague, but a few had died from natural causes, and
among these were the Earls of Craven and Ashley.
"My lords Craven and Ashley dead!" exclaimed the queen, in tones
of some surprise, but very little anguish; "that is singular, for
we saw them not two hours ago, in excellent health and spirits."
"True, poor majesty," said the duke, dolefully, "and it is not an
hour since they quitted this vale of tears. They and myself rode
forth at nightfall, according to Custom, to lay your majesty's
tax on all travelers, and soon chanced to encounter one who gave
vigorous battle; still, it would have done him little service,
had not another person come suddenly to his aid, and between them
they clove the skulls of Ashley and Craven; and I," said the
duke, modestly, "I left."
"Were either of the travelers young, and tall, and of courtly
bearing?" exclaimed the dwarf with sharp rudeness.
"Both were, your highness," replied the duke, bowing to the small
speaker, "and uncommonly handy with their weapons."
"I saw one of them down at the Golden Crown, not long ago," said
the dwarf; "a forward young popinjay, and mighty inquisitive
about this, our royal palace. I promised him, if he came here, a
warm reception - a promise I will have the greatest pleasure in
fulfilling"
"You may stand aside, my lord duke," said the queen, with a
graceful wave of her hand, "and if any new subjects have been
added to our court since our last weekly meeting, let them come
forward, and be sworn."
A dozen or mare courtiers immediately stepped forward, and
kneeling before the queen, announced their name and rank, which
were both ambitiously high. A few silvery-toned questions were
put by that royal lady and satisfactorily answered, and then the
archbishop, armed with a huge tome, administered a severe and
searching oath, which the candidates took with a great deal of
sang frond, and were then permitted to kiss the hand of the queen
- a privilege worth any amount of swearing - and retire.
"Let any one who has any reports to make, make them immediately,"
again commanded her majesty.
A number of gentlemen of high rank, presented themselves at this
summons, and began relating, as a certain sect of Christians do
in church, their experience! Many of these consisted, to the
deep disapproval of Sir Norman, of accounts of daring highway
robberies, one of them perpetrated on the king himself, which
distinguished personage the duplicate of Leoline styled "our
brother Charles," and of the sums thereby attained. The
treasurer of state was then ordered to show himself, and give an
account of the said moneys, which he promptly did; and after him
came a number of petitioners, praying for one thing and another,
some of which the queen promised to grant, and some she didn't.
These little affairs of state being over, Miranda turned to the
little gentleman beside her, with the observation
"I believe, your highness, it a on this night the Earl of
Gloucester is to be tried on a charge of high treason, in it