University of Virginia Library

9. CHAPTER IX
The Bride.

Tudor, satisfied with being able, unsuspected, to restore the letter so soon
to the Duke, who, after questioning him closely was convinced that the young
Jew had taken it by accident and had not had time to read it, now resolved to
leave before he should be detected. But, first to preserve his assumed character,
he asked for the half crown.

`Oh, ah! Merton, give the man a crown piece!'

`Come with me, Yorkshire, and I'll give it to you,' said the page, flippantly,
opening the door for him to pass out.

`Good day, yer lordship's honor,' said Dauling making a bow; and then
turning he followed the page into the ante-room, where, after receiving the
money he was about passing out when a lovely child of nine or ten years of
age, came bounding along the hall from a distant drawing-room, her hair fluttering
about her shoulders like a cloud of golden wings with which she seemed
to fly—so light and graceful was her motion. On seeing the supposed
countryman she stopped, and stared upon him with a look of amused surprise;
for the contrast between his coarse dress and the elegance that surrounded him
was ludicrously striking; and it was seldom she had seen so strange a looking
person in the palace.

`Merton, who is that?' she said, whispering in the page's ear and shrinking
a little behind him while she fixed her large azure eyes upon her disguised
brother; for this lovely child was the lady Mary, the Duke's only daughter,
the heiress of his name and vast domains.

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When Tudor beheld her he also stopped. The sight of her gave him both
pleasure and pain! He loved her tenderly as a child and sister, but he could
not reconcile himself to regard with equanimity the high position she enjoyed
and which he felt should be his own! Of late, dark thoughts had been mingling
with his better feelings towards her as the usurper of his rights; and
only that day he had internally formed a resolution that if he failed to get the
forged draft into his possession, he would, by some stratagem get the child into
his power and hold her as a counterbalance.

The knowledge he had but a few moments before obtained from the contents
of the Dake's letter to the King had stung him to the soul, and roused in
his heart the most indomitable revenge against his father for thus treacherously
conspiring against him. The letter had given him a sufficient insight into
the conspirrcy to let him perceive that he was to be taken in a trap; and under
the pretence of conveying a prisoner of state, he was to receive on board his
father, masked as such, and a posse of officers, who in some way were to compel
him from the realm or arrest him for his forgeries. This information
vaguely seen as its chief features were, was sufficient to place him at once in
an antagonistic position to the Duke; and he had quitted his presence, hiding,
under the assumed awkwardness of his manner, a heart of resolute revenge.

He looked upon his sister now, therefore, with eyes far from affectionate:
for the sight of her renewed all his bitterness against that destiny which had
made him an outcast from the name and house of his father. While he gazed
upon her he had formed a purpose in his mind which he resolved to execute.
Observing that his steady gaze alarmed the child and offended the page, he
turned away and left the Palace.

The Duke, in the meanwhile, remained for some minutes holding the re-covered
letter in his hand and in deep thought.

`There is no question but that it was taken by accident, or why returned?
The probability is that it was not opened and read. At any rate Tudor has
not seen it, and this person could not have understood anything from it—at
least sufficient to gave Tudor any idea of the truth. There was a fairness and
honesty in returning it that leads me to believe it was not read! I will proceed,
therefore, as already decided on; and if it should turn out that Tudor
has intimation of our purpose he will not be on board. If he is there I shall
know he is ignorant of the conspiracy against him.'

On leaving the palace the captain of the yacht after exchanging his disguise
at the Inn for his own uniform, took his way to Moloch's. On his arrival there
he was shown into the Jew's private chamber where he found Rachel, who
had resumed her female attire, and was looking more beautiful than he had
ever seen her; for her success had given color to her cheek and brilliancy to
her eyes.

`Well, my lort, you see ve haf te draft,' said Moloch, with a quiet smile of
inward satisfaction gleaming upon his dark features. And he exhibited it to
Tudor as he spoke. Rachel obtained it, the plan you suggested, my lort!'

`Then I have not so much obligation upon me,' said Tudor, wishing to avoid
the marriage.

`My lort must fulfil his opligation,' answered Moloch, coldly and firmly.

`And marry your neice?'

`Yes, my lort!'

`I will give her —.'

`What haf you to gif, my lort?' said the Jew, dryly.

`True. I am a beggar! And this is what surprises me! Will you cast her
way upon an adventurer!'

`Such was the compact between us, my lort!'

`And will you consent to sacrifice yourself to such an one as I am, fair
Rachel? Your beauty and fortune will command a match more worthy of
you!'

`I am ready, my lord to fulfil my part of the compact,' said the Jewess, smiling
and speaking in a way that fascinated Tudor.

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`Be it so, then! for while Moloch holds that draft I am in his power! But
you know it is a part of the compact that I leave you with your uncle!'

`I obey, my lord,' answered the noble looking Jewess maiden, casting her
eyes to the floor.

`Nay, I do believe,' said Dauling to himself, I shall take a fancy to be proud
of her and display her to the world! You were to give her a dowry, Moloch?'

`Yes, my lort. I will gif her ten tousant pound now, and py and py, if your
lortship treats her kind, I shall gif her very mootch more monies!'

`Very well, I am content, Moloch. When is it you desire the ceremony
should take place?'

`Now?'

`In the Jewish form?'

`Both in the Jewish and christian form,' answered Moloch, firmly.

`You mean to bind me closely, I see! Well, I am ready!'

`Your lortship will please sign dis paper?' said Moloch, placing a formidable
looking parchment before him.

`What is this?'

`Let my lort read it!'

`Why this is folly! I, promise and bind myself to settle the yearly annuity
of twenty thousand pounds upon my wife Rachel during the length of her
natural life! I am not worth a groat.'

`Will you sign it?'

`You jest!'

`My lort will please sign it, and I will then transfer to you this check for
ten thousand pounds her dowry!'

`But I can never pay it.'

`That is no matters, my lort.'

`But what can be your motive?'

`To let my Jewish friends believe I have married my neice well. I care
not whether your lordship pays a groat of it, nor do I expect it.'

`Well, I'll do it,' said Dauling with a light laugh; and taking the pen he
was about to sign it when Moloch arrested his hand and said,

`Wait, the witnesses, my lort.' He rung a little bell and an inner door
opened and two Jews entered, followed by two citizens of London. `There
are the witnesses my lort.'

`I care not if there were a score of them, Moloch. The instrument would
be of no higher worth!' As he spoke he affixed, in a bold hand, his signature
to the settlement.

`Vill your lortship please add pelow te name. son of the Duke of —'

`With pleasure, Moloch: and cousin to the king, if you like it.'

`No, the first part is enough, my lort.'

`There it is! I congratulate you, Moloch, on your alliance with so distinguished
a person.'

This was spoken in a light, ironical manner. Moloch made no reply but
again touched the bell and a Jewish Priest entered in his robes and the ceremony
of marriage was performed by him, Tudor wearing a reckless smile upon
his face, the Jewess grave and yet with a quiet look of pride and triumph that
he was at a loss to explain under the circumstances. After the priest had retired
the bell was again rung and a magistrate entered and performed the
ceremony after the form of the Established Church. The two Jews and two
citizens affixed their names to the certificates as witnesses of both.

`Now, venerable uncle mine,' said the bridegroom after the three were once
more left alone, this matter being arranged, I trust to your satisfaction and
that of my beautiful bride, I will, with your permission take my draft and destroy
it!'

Moloch placed it in his hand, when Tudor tearing it in pieces deliberately
consumed the fragments in the flame of the lamp, saying,

`Thus perish the last evidence of my crime.'

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`You forget the draft which Rachel took to the bank!' said Moloch with a
smile.

`True! But that I am not interested in. This is the Duke's affair; who
will be at no loss on whom to fix the act after what has occurred. But he can
bring no proof against me in this case! But I have something to say to you,
Moloch touching the Duke; for the letter you gave me fair bride, was full of
information that was needful to me.'

Tudor then related the discovery he had made and signified his intention of
receiving the Duke and his party as if nothing had occurred; and keeping
clear of the frigate hold them in his own power! But you look thoughtful
Moloch! Do you oppose this scheme?'

`I do, my lort,' answered the Jew with a dignity of decision in his manner,
that struck Dauling.

`Name your objections, Moloch! You know I am now my father's deadly
foe. I have detected him in a treacherous plot against, perhaps, my life! and
I mean to take him and his accomplices in the snare he is setting for me!'

`My lort—'

`Have done with your eternal, my lort! I am no lord, Jew, and I always
think you call me so in mockery. Mister me, man, mister me!'

The Jew and his neice interchanged a secret look, and a quiet smile passed
over the face of the latter. Dauling did not observe it.

`I have one request to make of you, then, Mister Dauling,' said the Jew impressively.

`Name it quickly; for I must at once be on board. It is already dark. I am
impatient to get into my lord Duke's trap! A states' prisoner hey! Prisoner
he shall be at any rate.'

`Will my lort hear me?'

`Mister Dauling will hear thee! go on!' said the Captain of the Yacht impatiently;
for he had already risen and without seeming to think of his new
bride, had advanced toward the door to open it and depart.

`Before you go on this affair, I must see the Duke!'

`You!' exclaimed Dauling with astonishment.

`Yes, my lort! I wish to see him in person and have a few words of conversation
with him.'

`To what end? He is by this time at the Tower waiting for me to put my
feet into the snare, both he and the King have set for me.'

Moloch was silent a few moments and seemed to be closely meditating upon
some course of action. Suddenly his face lighted up with that expression of
satisfaction which comes upon the countenance when a happy idea has been
struck upon. Turning to his neice he addressed her a few words in Hebrew.
She made no reply save by an answering look of intelligence and then crossing
over to her husband she laid her hand upon his arm and looking up into his
face with an eloquent gaze of tenderness, said,

`Tudor, my noble lord, let me, your wife, ask a first favor of you, and I beg
you will not refuse it.'

`Speak, Rachel,' he said, looking down upon her beautiful face and into her
deep, dark eyes which charmed his own, `speak and I will grant it; for I begin
to feel that I have a wife whom yet, perhaps, I may both love and feel
proud of! What have thy pretty lips to utter?'

`Promise me that you will stay here with my uncle until my return!'

`Whither do you go?'

`But a short hour's absence.'

`Do you not know I can controul your movements now, fair wife? Thou
hast not asked thy leige lord; for faith I am thy lord if no body's else,' he
said laughing. `But thou shalt not go unless I know where and for what!'

`Thou shalt know on my return.'

`Truly, I dare say. It is a ruse to keep me from my yacht. You would save
the duke from the punishment I have in store for him!' His countenance darkened
with displeasure as he uttered this suspicion.

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`You are right, my lord,' said she firmly. `I wish to convev a message to
the duke to meet you here!'

`To meet me here?'

`Yes, Tudor.'

`For what purpose?'

`That my uncle will tell you during my absence.'

Dauling looked inquiringly at the Jew, who was busily writing a note, and
said,

`Explain this matter, Moloch?'

`It is af the greatest importance, my lort, to your happiness and interests,'
said the Jew, `that you do not go to your yacht before seeing the duke. If I
knew he was at his palace I would at once go to him there; but, as it is, I must
try and get him here. Go, Rachel, with this note and be diligent and wise in
the execution of this mission, as it is the last you will do by my command.'

Ere Dauling could arrest her progress she was out of the room. He would have
followed her, but the hand of the money-lender was laid firmly upon his wrist.
`She must go, my lort. Sit down and hear what I have to tell! It concerns
both thee and thy sister!' Moloch then locked the door and removed the key.

`Ha! what have you strange about her or me that you take this course to
compel me to listen?'

`Be seated, my lort, and you shall hear!'

`Moloch, if you detain me so that thereby I lose my revenge on the Duke
for his treachery, your life shall answer for it!'

`Your lortship shall take my life freely, if I do not show you goot reasons
for all dis,' answered the Jew smiling.

`Then say what thou hast to say,' cried Tudor throwing himself into a chair;
`I have given my word to thy neice, now my wife, that I will wait her return.
I believe you are my friend, Moloch, and I will hear what you have to reveal.'

Leaving the Jew to make known to Dauling the extraordinary facts, which
will soon be given to the reader, we shall proceed to the Tower, in a room in
which, over-looking the Dock, sat the Duke, Sir John Trenly the keeper, and
others. The window commanded a view of the yacht, which was seen through
the dim twilight, at anchor off the stairs, and in perfect order for sea. The
Duke was in his ordinary attire, but near him upon a table lay a cloak and a
mask, under which, in the character of a State's Prisoner, he intended to go
passenger in the yacht.

`It is getting late, your grace,' said Sir John, who had been sworn in as a
party to this conspiracy. `Will Tudor be here think ye?'

`Unless he has got intimation of our purpose. The King believes that the
letter was taken intentionally, was read and that the facts in it were verbally
conveyed by the person to him. This is very probable. Ah, here comes a
soldier from the gate, Sir John, bea ing a note.

`It is addressed to your grace, said the Knight receiving it at the door and
handing it to the Duke.

The Duke tore the seal, and read as follows:

`My lord,

The writer has positive evidence that the plot you have arranged
for the purpose of banishing your son from England, is known to him through
means of a letter taken from your table to-day. In a word, the person who
returned the letter to you was no other than your son, lord Tudor, disguised
as a peasant. He returned the letter to lull all suspicions of his having learned
the contents. His object in being in disguise near your palace was to get
early intelligence respecting the fate of the forged draft your grace held!

From what I have written above, your grace will perceive I am acquainted
with the circumstances that interest you, and that I am also your friend. Will
your grace, therefore grant the writer an interview, as the writer has a subject
of great importance to make known, deeply affecting the interests of both
of the children of your grace. If your grace will return with the bearer who

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is provided with a coach, to the abode of the writer, he will be able to give
information to your grace of the deepest moment to his happiness. If your-grace
declines (under the seeming mystery of the circumstances) to trust your
self with the bearer, to be conveyed to the writer's abode, the writer will wait
on his grace at his own palace at eight o'clock, this evening.'

The note bore neither date nor signature. Yet, after a moment's reflection,
the Duke resolved to comply with the request contained in it; and being a
bold man, fears of personal violence by entrusting himself with strangers he
knew not where, did not occur to him to cause him to waver in his determination.
Informing, sir John, briefly, that the plot had been discovered and dismissing
his accomplices, the Duke left the tower alone, passed out of the gate
and found a hackney-coach in waiting.

`Do you go with me, my lord?' said a voice he instantly recognised as that
of the handsome Jewish youth, as he approached a muffled figure standing by it.

`Then this letter came then, from you!' said his grace, firmly.

`No, my lord, I am but its bearer! My father, the Jew, wrote it.'

`I am glad to meet you again! I hope these mysteries will be now solved
by you or by the Jew, thy father! Enter, I go with thee!'