three men in a boat-第20章

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troops；　and　eat　and　drink　deep；　and　bellow　forth　roystering　drinking　

songs；　and　gamble　and　quarrel　as　the　evening　grows　and　deepens　into　

night。　　The　firelight　sheds　quaint　shadows　on　their　piled…up　arms　and　on　

their　uncouth　forms。　　The　children　of　the　town　steal　round　to　watch　them；　

wondering；　and　brawny　country　wenches；　laughing；　draw　near　to　bandy　ale…

house　jest　and　jibe　with　the　swaggering　troopers；　so　unlike　the　village　

swains；　who；　now　despised；　stand　apart　behind；　with　vacant　grins　upon　

their　broad；　peering　faces。　　And　out　from　the　fields　around；　glitter　the　

faint　lights　of　more　distant　camps；　as　here　some　great　lord's　followers　

lie　mustered；　and　there　false　John's　French　mercenaries　hover　like　

crouching　wolves　without　the　town。



And　so；　with　sentinel　in　each　dark　street；　and　twinkling　watch…fires　on　

each　height　around；　the　night　has　worn　away；　and　over　this　fair　valley　of　

old　Thame　has　broken　the　morning　of　the　great　day　that　is　to　close　so　big　

with　the　fate　of　ages　yet　unborn。



Ever　since　grey　dawn；　in　the　lower　of　the　two　islands；　just　above　where　

we　are　standing；　there　has　been　great　clamour；　and　the　sound　of　many　

workmen。　　The　great　pavilion　brought　there　yester　eve　is　being　raised；　

and　carpenters　are　busy　nailing　tiers　of　seats；　while　‘prentices　from　

London　town　are　there　with　many…coloured　stuffs　and　silks　and　cloth　of　

gold　and　silver。



And　now；　lo！　down　upon　the　road　that　winds　along　the　river's　bank　from　

Staines　there　come　towards　us；　laughing　and　talking　together　in　deep　

guttural　bass；　a　half…a…score　of　stalwart　halbert…men　…　Barons'　men；　

these　…　and　halt　at　a　hundred　yards　or　so　above　us；　on　the　other　bank；　

and　lean　upon　their　arms；　and　wait。



And　so；　from　hour　to　hour；　march　up　along　the　road　ever　fresh　groups　and　

bands　of　armed　men；　their　casques　and　breastplates　flashing　back　the　long　

low　lines　of　morning　sunlight；　until；　as　far　as　eye　can　reach；　the　way　

seems　thick　with　glittering　steel　and　prancing　steeds。　　And　shouting　

horsemen　are　galloping　from　group　to　group；　and　little　banners　are　

fluttering　lazily　in　the　warm　breeze；　and　every　now　and　then　there　is　a　

deeper　stir　as　the　ranks　make　way　on　either　side；　and　some　great　Baron　on　

his　war…horse；　with　his　guard　of　squires　around　him；　passes　along　to　take　

his　station　at　the　head　of　his　serfs　and　vassals。



And　up　the　slope　of　Cooper's　Hill；　just　opposite；　are　gathered　the　

wondering　rustics　and　curious　townsfolk；　who　have　run　from　Staines；　and　

none　are　quite　sure　what　the　bustle　is　about；　but　each　one　has　a　

different　version　of　the　great　event　that　they　have　come　to　see；　and　some　

say　that　much　good　to　all　the　people　will　come　from　this　day's　work；　but　

the　old　men　shake　their　heads；　for　they　have　heard　such　tales　before。



And　all　the　river　down　to　Staines　is　dotted　with　small　craft　and　boats　

and　tiny　coracles　…　which　last　are　growing　out　of　favour　now；　and　are　

used　only　by　the　poorer　folk。　　Over　the　rapids；　where　in　after　years　trim　

Bell　Weir　lock　will　stand；　they　have　been　forced　or　dragged　by　their　

sturdy　rowers；　and　now　are　crowding　up　as　near　as　they　dare　come　to　the　

great　covered　barges；　which　lie　in　readiness　to　bear　King　John　to　where　

the　fateful　Charter　waits　his　signing。



It　is　noon；　and　we　and　all　the　people　have　been　waiting　patient　for　many　

an　hour；　and　the　rumour　has　run　round　that　slippery　John　has　again　

escaped　from　the　Barons'　grasp；　and　has　stolen　away　from　Duncroft　Hall　

with　his　mercenaries　at　his　heels；　and　will　soon　be　doing　other　work　than　

signing　charters　for　his　people's　liberty。



Not　so！　　This　time　the　grip　upon　him　has　been　one　of　iron；　and　he　has　

slid　and　wriggled　in　vain。　　Far　down　the　road　a　little　cloud　of　dust　has　

risen；　and　draws　nearer　and　grows　larger；　and　the　pattering　of　many　hoofs　

grows　louder；　and　in　and　out　between　the　scattered　groups　of　drawn…up　

men；　there　pushes　on　its　way　a　brilliant　cavalcade　of　gay…dressed　lords　

and　knights。　　And　front　and　rear；　and　either　flank；　there　ride　the　yeomen　

of　the　Barons；　and　in　the　midst　King　John。



He　rides　to　where　the　barges　lie　in　readiness；　and　the　great　Barons　step　

forth　from　their　ranks　to　meet　him。　　He　greets　them　with　a　smile　and　

laugh；　and　pleasant　honeyed　words；　as　though　it　were　some　feast　in　his　

honour　to　which　he　had　been　invited。　　But　as　he　rises　to　dismount；　he　

casts　one　hurried　glance　from　his　own　French　mercenaries　drawn　up　in　the　

rear　to　the　grim　ranks　of　the　Barons'　men　that　hem　him　in。



Is　it　too　late？　　One　fierce　blow　at　the　unsuspecting　horseman　at　his　

side；　one　cry　to　his　French　troops；　one　desperate　charge　upon　the　unready　

lines　before　him；　and　these　rebellious　Barons　might　rue　the　day　they　

dared　to　thwart　his　plans！　　A　bolder　hand　might　have　turned　the　game　even　

at　that　point。　　Had　it　been　a　Richard　there！　the　cup　of　liberty　might　

have　been　dashed　from　England's　lips；　and　the　taste　of　freedom　held　back　

for　a　hundred　years。



But　the　heart　of　King　John　sinks　before　the　stern　faces　of　the　English　

fighting　men；　and　the　arm　of　King　John　drops　back　on　to　his　rein；　and　he　

dismounts　and　takes　his　seat　in　the　foremost　barge。　　And　the　Barons　

follow　in；　with　each　mailed　hand　upon　the　sword…hilt；　and　the　word　is　

given　to　let　go。



Slowly　the　heavy；　bright…decked　barges　leave　the　shore　of　Runningmede。　　

Slowly　against　the　swift　current　they　work　their　ponderous　way；　till；　

with　a　low　grumble；　they　grate　against　the　bank　of　the　little　island　that　

from　this　day　will　bear　the　name　of　Magna　Charta　Island。　　And　King　John　

has　stepped　upon　the　shore；　and　we　wait　in　breathless　silence　till　a　

great　shout　cleaves　the　air；　and　the　great　cornerstone　in　England's　

temple　of　liberty　has；　now　we　know；　been　firmly　laid。









CHAPTER　XII。





HENRY　VIII。　AND　ANNE　BOLEYN。　…　DISADVANTAGES　OF　LIVING　IN　SAME　HOUSE　WITH　

PAIR　OF　LOVERS。　…　A　TRYING　TIME　FOR　THE　ENGLISH　NATION。　…　A　NIGHT　SEARCH　

FOR　THE　PICTURESQUE。　…　HOMELESS　AND　HOUSELESS。　…　HARRIS　PREPARES　TO　DIE。　

…　AN　ANGEL　COMES　ALONG。　…　EFFECT　OF　SUDDEN　JOY　ON　HARRIS。　…　A　LITTLE　

SUPPER。　…　LUNCH。　…　HIGH　PRICE　FOR　MUSTARD。　…　A　FEARFUL　BATTLE。　…　

MAIDENHEAD。　…　SAILING。　…　THREE　FISHERS。　…　WE　ARE　CURSED。



I　WAS　sitting　on　the　bank；　conjuring　up　this　scene　to　myself；　when　George　

remarked　that　when　I　was　quite　rested；　perhaps　I　would　not　mind　helping　

to　wash　up；　and；　thus　recalled　from　the　days　of　the　glorious　past　to　the　

prosaic　present；　with　all　its　misery　and　sin；　I　slid　down　into　the　boat　

and　cleaned　out　the　frying…pan　with　a　stick　of　wood　and　a　tuft　of　grass；　

polishing　it　up　finally　with　George's　wet　shirt。



We　went　over　to　Magna　Charta　Island；　and　had　a　look　at　the　stone　which　

stands　in　the　cottage　there　and　on　which　the　great　Charter　is　said　to　

have　been　signed；　though；　as　to　whether　it　really　was　signed　there；　or；　

as　some　say；　on　the　other　bank　at　〃Runningmede；〃　I　decline　to　commit　

myself。　　As　far　as　my　own　personal　opinion　goes；　however；　I　am　inclined　

to　give　weight　to　the　popular　island　theory。　　Certainly；　had　I　been　one　

of　the　Barons；　at　the　time；　I　should　have　strongly　urged　upon　my　comrades　

the　advisability　of　our　getting　such　a　slippery　customer　as　King　John　on　

to　the　island；　where　there　was　less　chance　of　surprises　and　tricks。



There　are　the　ruins　of　an　old　priory　in　the　grounds　of　Ankerwyke　House；　

which　is　close　to　Picnic　Point；　and　it　was　round　about　the　grounds　of　

this　old　priory　that　Henry　VIII。　is　said　to　have　waited　for　and　met　Anne　

Boleyn。　　He　also　used　to　meet　her　at　Hever　Castle　in　Kent；　and　also　

somewhere　near　St。　Albans。　　It　must　have　been　difficult　for　the　people　of　

England　in　those　days　to　have　found　a　spot　where　these　thoughtless　young　

folk　were　NOT　spooning。



Have　you　ever　been　in　a　house　where　there　are　a　couple　courting？　　It　is　

most　trying。　　You　think　you　will　go　and　sit　in　the　drawing…room；　and　you　

march　off　there。　　As　you　open　the　door；　you　hear　a　noise　as　if　somebody　

had　suddenly　recollected　something；　and；　when　you　get　in；　Emily　is　over　

by　the　window；　full　of　interest　in　the　opposite　side　of　the　road；　and　

your　friend；　John　Edward；　is　at　the　other　end　of　the　room　with　his　whole　

soul　held　in　thrall　by　photographs　of　other　people's　relatives。



〃Oh！〃　you　say；　pausing　at　the　door；　〃I　didn't　know　anybody　was　here。〃



〃Oh！　didn't　you？〃　says　Emily；　coldly；　in　a　tone　which　implies　that　she　

does　not　believe　you。



You　hang　about　for　a　bit；　then　you　say：



〃It's　very　dark。　　Why　don't　you　light　the　gas？〃



John　Edward　says；　〃Oh！〃　he　hadn't　noticed　it；　and　Emily　says　that　papa　

does　not　like　the　gas　lit　in　the　afternoon。



You　tell　them　one　or　two　items　of　news；　and　give　them　your　views　and　

opinions　on　the　Irish　question；　but　this　does　not　appear　to　interest　

them。　　All　they　remark　on　any　subject　is；　〃Oh！〃　　〃Is　it？〃　　〃Did　he？〃　　

〃Yes；〃　and　〃You　don't　say　so！〃　　And；　after　ten　minutes　of　such　style　of　

conversation；　you　edge　up　to　the　door；　and　slip　out；　and　are　surprised　to　

find　that　the　door　immediately　closes　behind　you；　and　shuts　itself；　

without　your　having　touched　it。



Half　an　hour　later；　you　think　you　will　try　a　pipe　in　the　conservatory。　　

The　only　chair　in　the　place　is　occupied　by　Emily；　and　John　Edward；　if　the　

language　of　clothes　can　be　relied　upon；　has　evidently　been　sitting　on　the　

floor。　　They　do　not　speak；　but　they　give　you　a　look　that　says　all　that　

can　be　said　in　a　civilised　community；　and　you　back　out　promptly　and　shut　

the　door　behind　you。



You　are　afraid　to　poke　your　nose　into　any　room　in　the　house　now；　so；　

after　walking　up　and　down　the　stairs　for　a　while；　you　go　and　sit　in　your　

own　bedroom。　　This　becomes　uninteresting；　however；　after　a　time；　and　so　

you　put　on　your　hat　and　stroll　out　into　the　garden。　　You　walk　down　the　

path；　and　as　you　pass　the　summer…house　you　glance　in；　and　there　are　those　

two　young　idiots；　huddled　up　into　one　corner　of　it；　and　they　see　you；　and　

are　evidently　under　the　idea　that；　for　some　wicked　purpose　of　your　own；　

you　are　following　them　about。



〃Why　don't　they　have　a　special　room　for　this　sort　of　thing；　and　make　

people　keep　to　it？〃　you　mutter；　and　you　rush　back　to　the　hall　and　get　

your　umbrella　and　go　out。



It　must　have　been　much　like　this　when　that　foolish　boy　Henry　VIII。　was　

courting　his　little　Anne。　　People　in　Buckinghamshire　would　have　come　upon　

them　unexpectedly　when　they　were　mooning　round　Windsor　and　Wraysbury；　and　

have　exclaimed；　〃Oh！　you　here！〃　and　Henry　would　have　blushed　and　said；　

〃Yes；　he'd　just　come　over　to　see　a　man；〃　and　Anne　would　have　said；　〃Oh；　

I'm　so　glad　to　see　you！　　Isn't　it　funny？　　I've　just　met　Mr。　Henry　VIII。　

in　the　lane；　and　he's　going　the　same　way　I　am。〃



Then　those　people　would　have　gone　away　and　said　to　themselves：　〃Oh！　we'd　

better　get　out　of　here　while　this　billing　and　cooing　is　on。　　We'll　go　

down　to　Kent。