Hansford: A Tale of Bacon's Rebellion Part 22

"I believe not," returned our hero, "the presence of an armed force would be an insuperable barrier to a reconciliation. I will only take my subaltern, Berkenhead, yonder, and that poor old negro, in whose liberation I sincerely rejoice. The first will be a companion, and in case of danger some protection; and the last, if you choose," he added smiling, "will be a make-peace between the political papist and the rebel heretic."

"Well, G.o.d bless you, Hansford," said Bacon, with much warmth, "and above all, forget my haste and unkindness just now. We must learn to forgive like old Romans, if we would be valiant like them, and so

'When I am over-earnest with you, Hansford, You'll think old Berkeley chides, and leave me so.'"

"With all my heart, my n.o.ble General," returned Hansford, laughing, "and now for my mission-what shall I say on behalf of treason to his royal highness?"

"Tell him," said Bacon, gravely, "that Nathaniel Bacon, by the grace of G.o.d, and the special trust and confidence of Sir William Berkeley, general-in-chief of the armies of Virginia, desires to know for what act of his, since such trust was reposed in him, he and his followers have been proclaimed as traitors to their king. Ask him for what reason it is that while pursuing the common enemies of the country-while attacking in their lairs the wolves and lions of the forest, I, myself, am mercilessly a.s.saulted like a savage wild beast, by those whom it is my object to defend. Tell him that I require him to retract the proclamation he has issued without loss of time, and in the event of his refusal, I am ready to a.s.sert and defend the rights of freemen by the last arbiter between man and man. Lastly, say to him, that I will await his answer until two days from this time, and should it still prove unfavourable to my demands, then woe betide him."

Charged with the purport of his mission, Hansford shook Bacon cordially by the hand, and proceeded to prepare for his journey. As he was going to inform his comrade, old Lawrence gently tapped him on the shoulder, and whispered, "Look ye, Tom, I like not the appearance of that fellow Berkenhead."

"He is faithful, I believe," said Hansford, in the same tone; "a little rough and free spoken, perhaps, but I do not doubt his fidelity."

"I would I were of the same mind," returned his companion; "but if ever the devil set his mark upon a man's face that he might know him on the resurrection morning, he did so on that crop-eared Puritan. Tell me, aint he the same fellow that got his freedom and two hundred pounds for revealing the insurrection of sixty-two?"

"The same, I believe," said Hansford, carelessly; "but what of that?"

"Why simply this," said the honest old cavalier, "that faith is like a walking-cane. Break it once and you may glue it so that the fracture can scarcely be seen by the naked eye; but it will break in the same place if there be a strain upon it."

"I hope you are mistaken," said Hansford; "but I thank you for your warning, and will not disregard it. I will be on my guard."

"Here, Lawrence," cried Bacon, "what private message are you sending to the Governor, that you must needs be delaying our amba.s.sador? We have a sad duty to perform. These brave men, who have fallen in our cause, must not be suffered to lie a prey to vultures. Let them be buried as becomes brave soldiers, who have died right bravely with their harness on. I would there were some one here who could perform the rites of burial-but their requiem shall be sung with our song of triumph. Peace to their souls! Comrades, prepare their grave, and pay due honour to their memory by discharging a volley of musketry over them. I wot they well loved the sound while living-nor will they sleep less sweetly for it now."

By such language, and such real or affected interest in the fate of those who followed his career, Nathaniel Bacon won the affection of his soldiery. Never was there a leader, even in the larger theatres of action, more sincerely beloved and wors.h.i.+pped-and to this may be attributed in a great degree the wonderful power which he possessed over the minds of his followers-moulding their opinions in strict conformity with his own; breathing into them something of the ardent heroism which inspired his own soul, and making them thus the willing and subservient instruments of his own ambitious designs.

With sad countenances the soldiers proceeded to obey the order of their general. Scooping with their swords and bayonets a shallow grave in the soft virgin soil of the forest, they committed the bodies of their comrades to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust-and as they screened their ashes forever from the light of day, the "aisles of the dim woods" echoed back the loud roar of the unheard, unheeded honour which they paid to the memory of the dead.

FOOTNOTES:

[38] He was in truth a rope-dancer in his early life.

CHAPTER XXVI

"But the poor dog, in life the dearest friend, The first to welcome, foremost to defend, Whose honest heart is still his master's own; Who labours, fights, lives, breathes for him alone, Unhonoured falls, unnoticed all his worth, Denied in heaven the soul he had on earth."

_Byron._

When the last sad rites of burial had been performed over the grave of those who had fallen, Hansford, accompanied by Berkenhead and old Giles, proceeded to the discharge of the trust which had been reposed in him.

It was indeed a mission fraught with the most important consequences to the cause of the insurgents, to the family at Windsor Hall, and to himself personally. It required both a cool head and a brave heart to succeed in its execution. Hansford well knew that the first burst of rage from the old Governor, on hearing the bold proposition of the rebels, would be dangerous, if not fatal to himself; and with all the native boldness of his character, it would be unnatural if he failed to feel the greatest anxiety for the result. But even if _he_ escaped the vengeance of Berkeley, he feared the impulsive nature of Bacon, in the event of the refusal of Sir William to comply with his demands, would drive him into excesses ruinous to his cause, and dangerous alike to the innocent and the guilty. If Temple's obstinacy and chivalry persisted in giving refuge to the Governor, what, he thought, might be the consequences to her, whose interest and whose safety he held so deeply at heart! Thus the statesman, the lover, and the individual, each had a peculiar interest in the result, and Hansford felt like a wise man the heavy responsibility he had incurred, although he resolved to encounter and discharge it like a bold one.

It was thus, with a heavy heart that he proceeded on his way, and buried in these reflections he maintained a moody silence, little regarding the presence of his two companions. Old Giles, too, had his own food for reflection, and vouchsafed only monosyllables in reply to the questions and observations of the loquacious Berkenhead. But the soldier was not to be repulsed by the indifference of the one, or the laconic answers of the other of his companions. Finding it impossible to engage in conversation, he contented himself with soliloquy, and in a low, muttering voice, as if to himself, but intended as well for the ears of his commander, he began an elaborate comparison of the army of Cromwell, in which he had served, and the army of the Virginia insurgents.

"To be sure, they both fought for liberty, but after that there is monstrous little likeness between 'em. Old Noll was always acting himself, and laying it all to Providence when he was done; while General Bacon, cavorting round, first after the Indians and then after the Governor, seems hardly to know what he is about, and yet, I believe, trusts in Providence at last more than Noll, with all his religion; and, faith, it seems to me it took more religion to do him than most any man I ever see. First psalm singing, and then fighting, and then psalm singing agen, and then more fighting-for all the world like a brick house with mortar stuck between. But I trow that it was the fighting that made the house stand, after all. And yet I believe, for all the saints used to nickname me a sinner, and call me one of the sp.a.w.n of the beast, because I would get tired of the Word sometimes-and, by the same token, old brother Purge-the-temple Whithead had a whole dictionary of words, much less the one-yet, for all come and gone, I believe I would rather hear a long psalm, than to be doomed to solitary confinement to my own thoughts, as I am here."

"And so you have served in old Noll's army, as you call it," said Hansford, smiling in spite of himself, and willing to indulge the old Oliverian with some little notice.

"Oh, yes, Major," replied Berkenhead, delighted to have gained an auditor at last; "and a rare service it was too. A little too much of what they called the church militant, and the like, for me; but for all that the fellows fought like devils, if they did live like saints-and, what was rare to me, they did not deal the less lightly with their swords for the fervour of their prayers, nor pray the less fervently for their enemies after they had raked them with their fire, or hacked them to pieces with their swords. 'Faith, an if there had been many more battles like Dunbar and Worcester, they had as well have blotted that text from their Bible, for precious few enemies did they have to pray for after that."

"You did not agree with these zealots in religion, then," said Hansford.

"Prythee, friend, of what sect of Christians are you a member?"

"Well, Major, to speak the truth and shame the devil, as they say, my religion has pretty much gone with my sword. As a soldier must change his coat whenever he changes his service, so I have thought he should make his faith-the robe of his righteousness, as they call it-adapt itself to that of his employer."

"The cloak of his hypocrisy, you mean," said Hansford, indignantly. "I like not this scoffing profanity, and must hear no more of it. He who is not true to his G.o.d is of a bad material for a patriot. But tell me," he added, seeing that the man seemed sufficiently rebuked, "how came you to this colony?"

"Simply because I could not stay in England," replied Berkenhead. "Mine has been a hard lot, Major; for I never got what I wanted in this life.

If I was predestined for anything, as old Purge-the-temple used to say we all were, it seems to me it was to be always on the losing side. When I fought for freedom in England, I gained bondage in Virginia for my pains; and when I refused to seek my freedom, and betrayed my comrades in the insurrection of sixty-two, lo, and behold! I was released from bondage for my reward. What I will gain or lose by this present movement, I don't know; but I have been an unlucky adventurer thus far."

"I have heard of your behaviour in sixty-two," said Hansford, "but whether such conduct be laudable or censurable, depends very much upon the motive that prompted you to it. You came to this country then as an indented servant?"

"Yes, sold, your honour, for the thirty pieces of silver, like Joseph was sold into Egypt by his brethren."

"I suspect that the resemblance between yourself and that eminent patriarch ceased with the sale."

"It is not for me to say, your honour. But in the present unsettled state of affairs, who knows who may be made second only to Pharaoh over all Egypt? I wot well who will be our Pharaoh, if we gain our point; and I have done the state some service, and may yet do her more."

"By treachery to your comrades, I suppose," said Hansford, disgusted with the conceit and self-complacency of the man.

"Now, look ye here, Major, if I was disposed to be touchy, I might take exception at that remark. But I have seen too much of life to fly off at the first word. The axe that flies from the helve at the first stroke, may be sharp as a grindstone can make it, but it will never cut a tree down for all that."

"And if you were to fly off, as you call it, at the first or the last word," said Hansford, haughtily, "you would only get a sound beating for your pains. How dare you speak thus to your superior, you insolent knave!"

"No insolence, Major," said Berkenhead, sulkily; "but for the matter of speaking against your honour, I have seen my betters silenced in their turn, by their superiors."

"Silence, slave!" cried Hansford, his face flus.h.i.+ng with indignation at this allusion to his interview with Bacon, which he had hoped, till now, had been unheard by the soldiers. "But come," he added, reflecting on the imprudence of losing his only friend and ally in this perilous adventure, "you are a saucy knave, but I suppose I must e'en bear with you for the present. We cannot be far from Windsor Hall, I should think."

"About two miles, as I take it, Major," said Berkenhead, in a more respectful manner. "I used to live in Gloucester, not far from the hall, and many is the time I have followed my master through these old woods in a deer chase. Yes, there is Manteo's clearing, just two miles from the hall."

Scarcely were the words out of the speaker's mouth, when, to the surprise of the little party, a large dog of the St. Bernard's breed leaped from a thicket near them, and bounded towards Hansford.

"Brest ef it a'ant old Nestor," said Giles, whose tongue had at length been loosened by the sight of the family favourite, and he stooped down as he spoke to pat the dog upon the head. But Nestor's object was clearly not to be caressed. Frisking about in a most extraordinary manner, now wagging his tail, now holding it between his legs, now bounding a few steps in front of Hansford's horse, and anon crouching by his side and whining most piteously, he at length completed his eccentric movements by standing erect upon his hind legs and placing his fore feet against the breast of his old master. Struck with this singular conduct, Hansford, reining in his horse, cried out, "The poor dog must be mad. Down, Nestor, down I tell you!"

Well was it for our hero that the faithful animal refused to obey, for just at that moment an arrow was heard whizzing through the air, and the n.o.ble dog fell transfixed through the neck with the poisoned missile, which else had pierced Hansford's heart.[39] The alarm caused by so sudden and unexpected an attack had not pa.s.sed off, before another arrow was buried deep in our hero's shoulder. But quick as were the movements of the attacking party, the trained eye of Berkenhead caught a glimpse of the tall form of an Indian as it vanished behind a large oak tree, about twenty yards from where they stood. The soldier levelled his carbine, and as Manteo (for the reader has probably already conjectured that it was he) again emerged from his hiding place to renew the attack, he discharged his piece with deadly aim and effect. With a wild yell of horror, the young warrior sprang high in the air, and fell lifeless to the ground.

Berkenhead was about to rush forward towards his victim, when Hansford, who still retained his seat on the horse, though faint from pain and loss of blood, cried out, "Caution, caution, for G.o.d's sake, there are more of the b.l.o.o.d.y villains about." But after a few moments' pause, the apprehension of a further attack pa.s.sed away, and the soldier and Giles repaired to the spot. And there in the cold embrace of death, lay the brave young Indian, his painted visage reddened yet more by the life-blood which still flowed from his wound. His right hand still grasped the bow-string, as in his last effort to discharge the fatal arrow. A haughty smile curled his lip even in the moment in which the soul had fled, as if in that last struggle his brave young heart despised the pang of death itself.

Gazing at him for a moment, yet long enough for old Giles to recognize the features of Manteo in the b.l.o.o.d.y corpse, they returned to Hansford, whose condition indeed required their immediate a.s.sistance. Drawing out the arrow, and staunching the blood as well as they could with his scarf, Berkenhead bandaged it tightly, and although still in great pain, the wounded man was enabled slowly to continue his journey. A ride of about half an hour brought the little party to the door of Windsor Hall.

FOOTNOTES:

[39] An incident somewhat similar to this is on record as having actually occurred.