The Midnight Queen [51]
that month hag seemed
longer than a year elsewhere. Do you know, I imagine when the
world was created, this island of yours must have been made late
on Saturday night, and then merely thrown in from the refuse to
fill up a dent in the ocean.
Sir Norman paused in his walk, and contemplated the speaker a
moment in severest silence. But Master Hubert only lifted up his
saucy face and laughing black eyes, in dauntless sang froid.
"Master Hubert," began Master Hubert's companion, in his deepest
and sternest base, "I don't know your other name, and it would be
of no consequence if I did - just listen to me a moment. If you
don't want to get run through (you perceive I carry a sword), and
have an untimely end put to your career, just keep a civil tongue
in your head, and don't slander England. Now come on!"
Hubert laughed and shrugged his shoulders:
"Thought is free, however, so I can have my own opinion in spite
of everything. Will you tell me, monsieur, where I can find the
lady?"
"You will have it, will you?" exclaimed Sir Norman, half drawing
his sword. "Don't ask questions, but answer them. Are you
French?"
"Monsieur has guessed it."
"How long have you been with your present master?"
"Monsieur, I object to that term," said Hubert, with calm
dignity. "Master is a vulgarism that I dislike; so, in alluding
to his lordship, take the trouble to say, patron."
Sir Norman laughed.
"With all my heart! How long, then, have you been with your
present patron?"
"Not quite two weeks."
"I do not like to be impertinently inquisitive in addressing so
dignified a gentleman, but perhaps you would not consider it too
great a liberty, if I inquired how you became his page?"
"Monsieur shall ask as many questions as he pleases, and it shall
not be considered the slightest liberty," said the young
gentleman, politely. "I had been roaming at large about the city
and the palace of his majesty - whom may Heaven preserve, and
grant a little more wisdom! - in search of a situation; and among
that of all nobles of the court, the Earl of Rochester's livery
struck me as being the moat becoming, and so I concluded to
patronize him."
"What an honor for his lordship! Since you dislike England so
much, however, you will probably soon throw up the situation and,
patronize the first foreign ambassador - "
"Perhaps! I rather like Whitehall, however. Old Rowlie has
taken rather a fancy to me," said the boy speaking with the same
easy familiarity of his majesty as he would of a lap-dog. " And
what is better, so has Mistress Stewart - so much so, that Heaven
forefend the king should become jealous. This, however, is
strictly entra nous, and not to be spoken of on any terms."
"Your secret shall be preserved at the risk of my life," said Sir
Norman, laying his hand on the left side of his doublet; "and in
return, may I ask if you have any relatives living - any sisters
for instance?"
"I see I you have a suspicion that the lady in white may be a
sister of mine. Well, you may set your mind at rest on that
point - for if she is, it is news to me, as I never saw her in my
life before tonight. Is she a particular friend of yours, Sir
Norman?"
"Never you mind that, my dear boy; but take my advice, and don't
trouble yourself looking for her; for, most assuredly, if you
find her, I shall break your head!"
"Much obliged," said Hubert, touching his cap, "but nevertheless,
I shall risk it. She had the plague, though, when she jumped
into the river, and perhaps the beat place to find her world be
the pest-house. I shall try."
"Go, and Heaven speed you! Yonder is the way to it, and my road
lies here. Good night, master Hubert."
"Good night, Sir Norman," responded the page, bowing airily; "and
if I do not find the lady to-night, most assuredly I shall do so
to-morrow."
longer than a year elsewhere. Do you know, I imagine when the
world was created, this island of yours must have been made late
on Saturday night, and then merely thrown in from the refuse to
fill up a dent in the ocean.
Sir Norman paused in his walk, and contemplated the speaker a
moment in severest silence. But Master Hubert only lifted up his
saucy face and laughing black eyes, in dauntless sang froid.
"Master Hubert," began Master Hubert's companion, in his deepest
and sternest base, "I don't know your other name, and it would be
of no consequence if I did - just listen to me a moment. If you
don't want to get run through (you perceive I carry a sword), and
have an untimely end put to your career, just keep a civil tongue
in your head, and don't slander England. Now come on!"
Hubert laughed and shrugged his shoulders:
"Thought is free, however, so I can have my own opinion in spite
of everything. Will you tell me, monsieur, where I can find the
lady?"
"You will have it, will you?" exclaimed Sir Norman, half drawing
his sword. "Don't ask questions, but answer them. Are you
French?"
"Monsieur has guessed it."
"How long have you been with your present master?"
"Monsieur, I object to that term," said Hubert, with calm
dignity. "Master is a vulgarism that I dislike; so, in alluding
to his lordship, take the trouble to say, patron."
Sir Norman laughed.
"With all my heart! How long, then, have you been with your
present patron?"
"Not quite two weeks."
"I do not like to be impertinently inquisitive in addressing so
dignified a gentleman, but perhaps you would not consider it too
great a liberty, if I inquired how you became his page?"
"Monsieur shall ask as many questions as he pleases, and it shall
not be considered the slightest liberty," said the young
gentleman, politely. "I had been roaming at large about the city
and the palace of his majesty - whom may Heaven preserve, and
grant a little more wisdom! - in search of a situation; and among
that of all nobles of the court, the Earl of Rochester's livery
struck me as being the moat becoming, and so I concluded to
patronize him."
"What an honor for his lordship! Since you dislike England so
much, however, you will probably soon throw up the situation and,
patronize the first foreign ambassador - "
"Perhaps! I rather like Whitehall, however. Old Rowlie has
taken rather a fancy to me," said the boy speaking with the same
easy familiarity of his majesty as he would of a lap-dog. " And
what is better, so has Mistress Stewart - so much so, that Heaven
forefend the king should become jealous. This, however, is
strictly entra nous, and not to be spoken of on any terms."
"Your secret shall be preserved at the risk of my life," said Sir
Norman, laying his hand on the left side of his doublet; "and in
return, may I ask if you have any relatives living - any sisters
for instance?"
"I see I you have a suspicion that the lady in white may be a
sister of mine. Well, you may set your mind at rest on that
point - for if she is, it is news to me, as I never saw her in my
life before tonight. Is she a particular friend of yours, Sir
Norman?"
"Never you mind that, my dear boy; but take my advice, and don't
trouble yourself looking for her; for, most assuredly, if you
find her, I shall break your head!"
"Much obliged," said Hubert, touching his cap, "but nevertheless,
I shall risk it. She had the plague, though, when she jumped
into the river, and perhaps the beat place to find her world be
the pest-house. I shall try."
"Go, and Heaven speed you! Yonder is the way to it, and my road
lies here. Good night, master Hubert."
"Good night, Sir Norman," responded the page, bowing airily; "and
if I do not find the lady to-night, most assuredly I shall do so
to-morrow."