HOW THE CONSPIRATORS WENT IN AT TRAITORS’ GATE
BUT CAME NOT OUT AGAIN.
Night, anxiously expected both by plotters and counter-plotters, arrived at last. Within the lower chamber of Saint Thomas’s Tower were Magog and Xit, but the two other gigantic warders, with Rodomont Bittern and his comrades, kept out of sight, lest Lovel’s suspicions should be awakened.
Croyland, the keeper of the Tower, had been made a party to the plan, and consented to act as Xit directed. The night was dark, and the mist hanging over the river, and almost shrouding Saint Thomas’s Tower from view, was favourable to the project of the conspirators.
Some quarter of an hour before the time fixed for the arrival of the barge, Lovel, accompanied by Osbert, who was well armed, and wrapped in his cloak, quitted the Jewel House, and proceeded to Saint Thomas’s Tower. The door was opened by Croyland, who had a lamp in his hand, which he raised for a moment to survey Osbert, and then, apparently satisfied with his scrutiny, ushered them into the guard-chamber, which done, he returned to fasten the door.
Within the guard-chamber were Xit and Magog. The giant appeared to be fast asleep, with his huge head resting on a table, and did not move on their entrance; but Xit immediately arose, and alter a word with Lovel, was informed by the latter that the gentleman with him was an 390officer sent by his Majesty to take charge of the treasure. With this information the dwarf seemed perfectly content, and bowed ceremoniously to Osbert, who slightly returned the salutation. In another moment Croyland returned with a lamp, and taking it from him, Lovel beckoned to Osbert to follow him, and led the way to the platform on which the chests were laid.
No sooner were they gone than Magog raised his head, and said in a whisper to Xit, “Is it Osbert Clinton?”
The dwarf replied in the affirmative, but added, “Don’t ask any more questions, or you will be overheard. Here they are coming back. Down with your head!”
On this, Magog resumed his previous posture. Next moment Lovel reappeared with the lamp, but Osbert remained in the passage, so as not to expose himself to observation.
“The coffers are all right, I perceive,” remarked Lovel, as he set down the lamp upon the table. “I sha’n’t be sorry when they are gone,” he added, with a laugh. “They have been a great source of anxiety to me.”
“I daresay they have,” replied Xit. “Your office wouldn’t suit me at all, Master Lovel.”
“Wherefore not?” demanded the other.
“Because my honesty would never be proof against the temptation I should be exposed to. The sight of so much treasure would exercise a baneful influence over me, and I should long to appropriate it to my own use. Whereas, you, worthy Lovel, are of an incorruptible nature, and can see gold without coveting it. You would never dream of making free with the contents of those coffers.”
“Certainly not,” replied Lovel.
“Therein we differ,” pursued Xit. “Had those coffers been confided to me, I should have fallen. The Arch Enemy could not find a more certain means of destroying me than they would afford him. Knowing my own frailty, I respect your honesty the more, worthy Lovel. You can touch gold without being defiled by it. Unluckily, such is not my case.”
Ere Lovel could reply, Osbert called out from the passage:—
“The barge is at hand. I hear a noise outside in the river.”
391And, as he spoke, the bell hanging above the outer arch of Traitors’ Gate was rung.
“Here they are!” cried Xit, shaking Magog. “Rouse thyself, thou great sluggard.”
“Who are here?” cried the giant, pretending to waken from a sound sleep.
“Why, the officers sent by the King to take away the treasure,” rejoined Xit.
“Oh, indeed!” ejaculated Magog, with a prodigious yawn.
Meanwhile, Lovel, followed by Croyland, had mounted a spiral stone staircase, which quickly brought them to the summit of the round projecting tower at the western angle of the fortification. On reaching the battlements, they could discern through the gloom a large barque lying in the river immediately beneath them. The barge was rowed by four stalwart oarsmen, and its head was brought close up to Traitors’ Gate.
At the prow stood a tall man, apparently in command of the party, and who was no other than Sir Henry Dudley. The barge had already been challenged by the sentinel, and a short parley had taken place, but when Lovel and Croyland appeared, Dudley called out in a loud, authoritative voice:—
“Open the gate quickly. We are officers sent by the King to bring away the treasure.”
“Have you a warrant for its removal?” inquired Lovel.
“Ay,” returned Dudley, “a warrant you will not care to dispute.”
“Enough,” answered Lovel. “The gate shall be opened immediately.”
With this he disappeared from the battlements, while Dudley, turning to his companion in the barge, said in a low, exulting tone, “The prize will soon be ours. We shall get in without difficulty.”
“Heaven grant we may get out as easily!” rejoined Sir Anthony Kingston, who was standing near him. “More people go in at Traitors’ Gate than come out from it.”
As he spoke, the ponderous wooden valves, worked by some machinery in the upper part of the tower, began slowly to revolve upon their hinges, disclosing the interior 392of the passage, which was now illumined by torches held by Magog and Croyland, who, with Lovel and Xit, were stationed near the head of the steps. In the background, partly concealed by the coffers, stood Osbert Clinton.
As soon as the valves had opened wide enough to admit the barge, Dudley, who was all impatience to secure the prize, called to the oarsmen to push in, and the order being promptly obeyed, the barge entered the channel, and was propelled to the foot of the steps. Sir Henry Dudley then leaped ashore, and was followed by Sir Anthony Kingston and some four or five others.
“Here is the order for the delivery of the treasure, Sir,” said Dudley, presenting a paper to Lovel, who advanced to meet him.
Lovel glanced at it for a moment, and then, apparently satisfied by the inspection, observed,—
“We have been expecting you, Sir. The chests are all ready, as you see.”
“That is well,” said Dudley, scarcely able to conceal his satisfaction. “Let them be embarked at once.”
While this brief dialogue occurred, Traitor’s Gate was noiselessly returning to its place, and in another minute was closed. The conspirators, however, were too much occupied with what they had in hand to notice this suspicious circumstance. The oarsmen now got out of the barge, and were preparing to place the uppermost chest on board, when Osbert Clinton suddenly stepped forward, and said, in a low voice, to Sir Henry Dudley,—
“We are betrayed. See you not that the gate is shut?”
“Ha! so it is!” cried Dudley. “Why is this, Sir?” he added, fiercely, to Lovel. “How comes it that yon gate is closed?”
“I did not know it was so,” replied the other. “There must be some mistake. But I will cause it to be reopened instantly.”
“There is no mistake,” cried Xit, in his loudest and most important voice; “it is by my orders that Traitors’ Gate has been shut, and it will not be opened again. Traitors, ye are caught in a trap. Ye have come here, with wicked and felonious intent, to carry off the King’s treasure, but instead 393of departing with your plunder to stir up rebellion, you will be lodged in the dungeons of the Tower, and ere long expiate your manifold and dire offences on the scaffold.”
At this address the conspirators stared aghast, and laid their hands upon their swords.
Osbert Clinton, however, signed to them to keep quiet, and said to Lovel, “What means this, Sir? Is it some ill-timed jest?”
“I will tell you what it means, Master Osbert Clinton,” interposed Xit. “It means, that you, and all those with you, are my prisoners. I arrest you all for high treason. You yourself, Master Osbert Clinton—you Sir Henry Dudley—you, Sir Anthony Kingston—you, Master Udal, and all the rest of you. Deliver up your swords.”
“This is droll,” cried Osbert Clinton, forcing a laugh; “but the jest may prove no laughing matter for thee. Get the gate opened,” he added to Lovel. “We w............