The Black Douglas Read online

  CHAPTER IV

  THE ROSE-RED PAVILION

  As the young Earl paused a moment without to tether Black Darnaway toa fallen trunk of a pine, a chill and melancholy wind seemed to risesuddenly and toss the branches dark against the sky. Then it flew offmoaning like a lost spirit, till he could hear the sound of itspassage far down the valley. An owl hooted and a swart ravendisengaged himself from the coppice about the door of the pavilion,and fluttered away with a croak of disdainful anger. Black Darnawayturned his head and whinnied anxiously after his master.

  But William Douglas, though little more than a boy if men's ages areto be counted by years, was yet a true child of Archibald the Grim,and he passed through the mysterious encampment to the door of thelighted pavilion with a carriage at once firm and assured. He couldfaintly discern other tents and pavilions set further off, withpennons and bannerets, which the passing gust had blown flapping fromthe poles, but which now hung slackly about their staves.

  "I would give a hundred golden St. Andrews," he muttered, "if I couldmake out the scutcheon. It looks most like a black dragon couchant ona red field, which is not a Scottish bearing. The lady is French,doubtless, and passes through from Ireland to visit the Chancellor'sCourt at Edinburgh."

  The Black Douglas paused a moment at the tent-flap, which, being ofsilken fabric lined with heavier material, hung straight and heavy tothe ground.

  "Come in, my lord," cried the low and thrilling voice of his companionfrom within. "With both hands I bid you welcome to my poor abode. Atraveller must not be particular, and I have only those condimentswith me which my men have brought from shipboard, knowing how poor wasthe provision of your land. See, do you not already repent yourpromise to sup with me?"

  She pointed to the table on which sparkled cut glass of Venice andrich wreathed ware of goldsmiths' work. On these were set out orangesand rare fruits of the Orient, such as the young man had never seen inhis own bleak and barren land.

  But the Douglas did no more than glance at the luxury of theproviding. A vision fairer and more beautiful claimed his eyes. Foreven as he paused in amazement, the lady herself stood before him,transformed and, as it seemed, glorified. In the interval she hadtaken off the cloak which, while on horseback, she had worn fallingfrom her shoulders. A thin robe of white silk broidered with gold atonce clothed and revealed her graceful and gracious figure, even as aglove covers but does not conceal the hand upon which it is drawn.Whether by intent or accident, the collar had been permitted to fallaside at the neck and showed the dazzling whiteness of the skinbeneath, but at the bosom it was secured by a button set with blackpearls which constituted the lady's only ornament.

  Her arms also were bare, and showed in the lamplight whiter than milk.She had removed the silver belt, and was tying a red silken scarfabout her waist in a manner which revealed a swift grace and lithesinuosity of movement, making her beauty appear yet more wonderful andmore desirable to the young man's eyes.

  On either side the pavilion were placed folding couches of rosy silk,and in the corner, draped with rich blue hangings, glimmered thelady's bed, its fair white linen half revealed. Two embroideredpillows were at the foot, and on a little table beside it a crystalball on a black platter.

  No crucifix or _prie-dieu_, such as in those days was in every lady'sbower, could be discerned anywhere about the pavilion.

  So soon as the tent-flap had fallen with a soft rustle behind him, theEarl William abandoned himself to the strange enchantment of hissurroundings. He did not stop to ask himself how it was possible thatsuch dainty providings had been brought into the midst of his wide,wild realm of Galloway. Nor yet why this errant damsel should in thedarksome night-time find herself alone on this hilltop with the tentsof her retinue standing empty and silent about. The present sufficedhim. The soft radiance of dark eyes fell upon him, and all thequick-running, inconsiderate Douglas blood rushed and sang in hisveins, responsive to that subtle shining.

  He was with a fair woman, and she not unwilling to be kind. That wasever enough for all the race of the Black Douglas. What the RedDouglas loved is another matter. Their ambitions were more reputable,but greatly less generous.

  "My lord," said the lady, giving him her hand, "will you lead me tothe table? I cannot offer you the refreshment of any elaboratetoilet, but here, at least, is wheaten bread to eat and wine of a goodvintage to drink."

  "You yourself scarce need such earthly sustenance," he answeredgallantly, "for your eyes have stolen the radiance of the stars, and'tis evident that the night dews visit your cheek only as they do theroses--to render them more fresh and fair."

  "My lord flatters well for one so young;" she smiled as she seatedherself and motioned him to sit close beside her. "How comes it thatin this wild place you have learned to speak so chivalrously?"

  "When one answers beauty the words are somehow given," he said, "and,moreover, I have not dwelt in grey Galloway all my days."

  "You speak French?" she queried in that tongue.

  "Ah," she said when he answered, "the divine language. I knew you wereperfect." And so for a long while the young man sat spellbound,watching the smiles coming and going upon her red and flower-likelips, and listening to the fast-running ripple of her foreign talk. Itwas pleasure enough to hearken without reply.

  It seemed no common food of mortal men that was set before WilliamDouglas, served with the sweep of white arms and the bend of delicatefingers upon the chalice stem. He did not care to eat, but again andagain he set the wine cup down empty, for the vintage was new to him,and brought with it a haunting aroma, instinct with strange hopes andvivid with unknown joys.

  The pavilion, with its cords of sendal and its silver hanging lamps,spun round about him. The fair woman herself seemed to dissolve andreunite before his eyes. She had let down the full-fed river of herhair, and it flowed in the Venetian fashion over her white shoulders,sparkling with an inner fire--each fine silken thread, as it glitteredseparate from its fellows, twining like a golden snake.

  And the ripple of her laughter played upon the young man's heartcarelessly as a lute is touched by the hands of its mistress.Something of the primitive glamour of the night and the stars clung tothis woman. It seemed a thing impossible that she should be less purethan the air and the waters, than the dewy grass beneath and the skycool overhead. He knew not that the devil sat from the first day ofcreation on Eden wall, that human sin is all but as eternal as humangood, and that passion rises out of its own ashes like the phoenixbird of fable and stands again all beautiful before us, a creature offire and dew.

  Presently the lady rose to her feet, and gave the Earl her hand tolead her to a couch.

  "Set a footstool by me," she bade him, "I desire to talk to you."

  "You know not my name," she said, after a pause that was like acaress, "though I know yours. But then the sun in mid-heaven cannot behidden, though nameless bide the thousand stars. Shall I tell youmine? It is a secret; nevertheless, I will tell you if such be yourdesire."

  "I care not whether you tell me or no," he answered, looking up intoher face from the low seat at her feet. "Birth cannot add to yourbeauty, nor sparse quarterings detract from your charm. I have enoughof both, good lack! And little good they are like to do me."

  "Shall I tell you now," she went on, "or will you wait till you convoyme to Edinburgh?"

  "To Edinburgh!" cried the young man, greatly astonished. "I have nopurpose of journeying to that town of mine enemies. I have beencounselled oft by those who love me to remain in mine own country. Myhoroscope bids me refrain. Not for a thousand commands of King orChancellor will I go to that dark and bloody town, wherein they saylies waiting the curse of my house."

  "But you will go to please a woman?" she said, and leaned nearer tohim, looking deep into his eyes.

  For a moment William Douglas wavered. For a moment he resisted. Butthe dark, steadfast orbs thrilled him to the soul, and his own heartrose insurgent against his reason.

  "I will come if you ask me,"
he said. "You are more beautiful than Ihad dreamed any woman could be."

  "I do ask you!" she continued, without removing her eyes from hisface.

  "Then I will surely come!" he replied.

  She set her hand beneath his chin and bent smilingly and lightly tokiss him, but with an imprisoned passionate cry the young man suddenlyclasped her in his arms. Yet even as he did so, his eyes fell upon twofigures, which, silent and motionless, stood by the open door of thepavilion.