An Adventure of Hardress Fitzgerald, a Royalist Captain Page #5

"An Adventure of Hardress Fitzgerald, a Royalist Captain" is a historical novel by Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu, set during the tumultuous times of the English Civil War. The story follows Hardress Fitzgerald, a valiant Royalist captain, as he navigates a world filled with intrigue, loyalty, and betrayal. The novel explores themes of honor and duty while depicting the struggles between royalists and parliamentarians. Le Fanu weaves a tale rich in atmospheric detail and character development, highlighting the personal and political conflicts of an era defined by its fervent loyalty and passionate disputes.

• Fiction

								

to regale myself with a brimming measure of strong waters, when my
attention was arrested by the sound of horses' hoofs in brisk motion
upon the broken road, and evidently approaching the hovel in which I was
at that moment seated.

The ominous clank of sword scabbards and the jingle of brass
accoutrements announced, unequivocally, that the horsemen were of the
military profession.

'The red-coats will stop here undoubtedly,' said the old woman,
observing, I suppose, the anxiety of my countenance; 'they never pass us
without coming in for half an hour to drink or smoke. If you desire to
avoid them, I can hide you safely; but don't lose a moment. They will be
here before you can count a hundred.'

I thanked the good woman for her hospitable zeal; but I felt a
repugnance to concealing myself as she suggested, which was enhanced by
the consciousness that if by any accident I were detected while lurking
in the room, my situation would of itself inevitably lead to suspicions,
and probably to discovery.

I therefore declined her offer, and awaited in suspense the entrance of
the soldiers.

I had time before they made their appearance to move my seat hurriedly
from the table to the hearth, where, under the shade of the large
chimney, I might observe the coming visitors with less chance of being
myself remarked upon.

As my hostess had anticipated, the horsemen drew up at the door of the
hut, and five dragoons entered the dark chamber where I awaited them.

Leaving their horses at the entrance, with much noise and clatter they
proceeded to seat themselves and call for liquor.

Three of these fellows were Dutchmen, and, indeed, all belonged, as I
afterwards found, to a Dutch regiment, which had been recruited with
Irish and English, as also partly officered from the same nations.

Being supplied with pipes and drink they soon became merry; and not
suffering their smoking to interfere with their conversation, they
talked loud and quickly, for the most part in a sort of barbarous
language, neither Dutch nor English, but compounded of both.

They were so occupied with their own jocularity that I had very great
hopes of escaping observation altogether, and remained quietly seated in
a corner of the chimney, leaning back upon my seat as if asleep.

My taciturnity and quiescence, however, did not avail me, for one of
these fellows coming over to the hearth to light his pipe, perceived me,
and looking me very hard in the face, he said:

'What countryman are you, brother, that you sit with a covered head in
the room with the prince's soldiers?'

At the same time he tossed my hat off my head into the fire. I was not
fool enough, though somewhat hot-blooded, to suffer the insolence of
this fellow to involve me in a broil so dangerous to my person and
ruinous to my schemes as a riot with these soldiers must prove. I
therefore, quietly taking up my hat and shaking the ashes out of it,
observed:

'Sir, I crave your pardon if I have offended you. I am a stranger in
these quarters, and a poor, ignorant, humble man, desiring only to drive
my little trade in peace, so far as that may be done in these troublous
times.'

'And what may your trade be?' said the same fellow.

'I am a travelling merchant,' I replied; 'and sell my wares as cheap as
any trader in the country.'

'Let us see them forthwith,' said he; 'mayhap I or my comrades may want
something which you can supply. Where is thy chest, friend? Thou shalt
have ready money' (winking at his companions), 'ready money, and good
weight, and sound metal; none of your rascally pinchbeck. Eh, my lads?
Bring forth the goods, and let us see.'

Thus urged, I should have betrayed myself had I hesitated to do as
required; and anxious, upon any terms, to quiet these turbulent men
of war, I unbuckled my pack and exhibited its contents upon the table
before them.

'A pair of lace ruffles, by the Lord!' said one, unceremoniously seizing
upon the articles he named.

'A phial of perfume,' continued another, tumbling over the farrago which
I had submitted to them, 'wash-balls, combs, stationery, slippers, small
knives, tobacco; by ----, this merchant is a prize! Mark me, honest
fellow, the man who wrongs thee shall suffer--'fore Gad he shall; thou
shalt be fairly dealt with' (this he said while in the act of pocketing
a small silver tobacco-box, the most valuable article in the lot). 'You
shall come with me to head-quarters; the captain will deal with you,
and never haggle about the price. I promise thee his good will, and thou
wilt consider me accordingly. You'll find him a profitable customer--he
has money without end, and throws it about like a gentleman. If so be as
I tell thee, I shall expect, and my comrades here, a piece or two in the
way of a compliment--but of this anon. Come, then, with us; buckle on
thy pack quickly, friend.'

There was no use in my declaring my willingness to deal with themselves
in preference to their master; it was clear that they had resolved that
I should, in the most expeditious and advantageous way, turn my goods
into money, that they might excise upon me to the amount of their
wishes.

The worthy who had taken a lead in these arrangements, and who by his
stripes I perceived to be a corporal, having insisted on my taking a
dram with him to cement our newly-formed friendship, for which, however,
he requested me to pay, made me mount behind one of his comrades; and
the party, of which I thus formed an unwilling member, moved at a slow
trot towards the quarters of the troop.

They reined up their horses at the head of the long bridge, which
at this village spans the broad waters of the Shannon connecting the
opposite counties of Tipperary and Clare.

A small tower, built originally, no doubt, to protect and to defend this
pass, occupied the near extremity of the bridge, and in its rear,
but connected with it, stood several straggling buildings rather
dilapidated.

A dismounted trooper kept guard at the door, and my conductor having,
dismounted, as also the corporal, the latter inquired:

'Is the captain in his quarters?'

'He is,' replied the sentinel.

And without more ado my companion shoved me into the entrance of the
small dark tower, and opening a door at the extremity of the narrow
chamber into which we had passed from the street, we entered a second
room in which were seated some half-dozen officers of various ranks and
ages, engaged in drinking, and smoking, and play.

I glanced rapidly from man to man, and was nearly satisfied by my
inspection, when one of the gentlemen whose back had been turned towards
the place where I stood, suddenly changed his position and looked
towards me.

As soon as I saw his face my heart sank within me, and I knew that my
life or death was balanced, as it were, upon a razor's edge.

The name of this man whose unexpected appearance thus affected me was
Hugh Oliver, and good and strong reason had I to dread him, for so
bitterly did he hate me, that to this moment I do verily believe he
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