man, bolder than the rest. “It needed a man to kill him and that the
man is a parson gives me a better opinion of the Church.”
At this the crowd cheered the more widely.
“Come, Tony,” whispered Syn, taking his friend’s arm and hurrying him
along. “Would I were free of this and of the whole damne d business.”
But the crowd were not to be robbed of their triumph against a man
they hated. They had most of them witnessed the behaviour of the Iffley
Squire in St. Giles’ the day before, and to them Doctor Syn was a hero
who deserved the fullest acclaim. And so they followed him and cheered
him to the gates of Queen’s, where their wild enthusiasm roused the
porter before Doctor Syn was able to unlock the gates himself.
“You are a hero, Christopher,” said Tony, as they passed the gates.
“And you well deserve it for your courage of last night. And remember
this. The more popular you are in the public opinion, the more sympathy
you will get from the coroner’s court, and from the University itself.
You may be sure of the students as of the crowds in St. Giles’ fair.
Yes, I think you will come out of this with honour.”
“The whole thing is such a damnable lie,” grumbled the Doctor.
“But you have saved Sommers,” comforted Tony. “And though you did not
actually kill the scoundrel, you might have done twenty times last
night. By gad, old friend, I begin to think that your cloth is a
mistake. You fight too well to waste such talent. Let us pray that they
do unfrock you, and then you can lead a regiment in the wars. Come
along; a little breakfast will m ake you take a more cheerful view of it.
I wonder how many innocent lives you have saved from ruin by dealing
with this bully. Let that thought comfort you.”
As they anticipated, the news of Bully Tappitt’s death spread like a
raging fire through Oxfo rd. That he had fallen in a duel which he had
instigated appealed also to everyone’s sense of justice. Long before
Nicholas Tappitt arrived in his coach to take Cobtree with him to the
Mayor, congratulations were pouring in to the young Doctor of Queen’s.
That the Bully had fallen at
- 48 -
the hands of a parson was choice news indeed, and Doctor Syn was
accordingly lionized. When at last the Iffley coach approached the
College, the way was blocked with carriages and chairs of every
description, while the great courtyard and the stairs leading to the
Doctor’s chambers were filled with the best rank and fashion of the
town, all eager and determined to shake the parson’s hand and hear the
delightful details from his own lips. The unfortunate young Doctor,
suffering as he was from lack of sleep and exhaustion, never knew that
he had so many friends and admirers. That the parson won the hand of a
rich and beautiful Spanish girl who was visiting the town gave him an
additional luster, since the news leaked out that this same beauty had
been the cause of the duel. The College servants, unable to cope with
such a fashionable crowd or deny them entrance, were swept aside, while
the fine folk invaded the parson’s chamber and fawned upon him through
their quizzing-glasses.
The only comfort Doctor Syn derived from all this was the security of
public opinion, so that should the Authorities take too stern a view
they would be risking their own popularity.
While Tony was wondering how best to effect his meeting with Nicholas
Tappitt, since the way was so blocked, he heard that gentleman’s voice
upon the stairs, boldly announcing himself as “Captain Nicholas Tappitt,
nephew and heir to the deceased,” and that he had come on urgent
business concerning the affair on the authority of the Mayor of Oxford.
Knowing the reputation of the Tappitt family, and noting his swaggering
demeanor, the dandies of the town made way for him. He pushed his way
into Syn’s study and bowed low.
“I am come to escort Mr. Cobtree, who acted as your second, sir, in
the affair with my unfortunate uncle, to the Town Hall. I have also the
honour to bring you a message from the Senorita Almago, who would be
glad to see you at your earliest convenience at White Friars.” He then
turned to the ladies and gentlemen who had invaded the room. “As friends
and admirers of Doctor Syn, ladies and gentlemen, I should like to state
most emphatically that although naturally deploring the sudden death of
my uncle, for whom I acted in the duel, the behavior of Doctor Syn has
been exemplary throughout. My uncle put such an affront upon him that,
in spite of his peaceful cloth, he could not brook. I am about to
inform the Mayor that no blame can possibly be attached to Doctor Syn,
who fought like a gentleman.”
The generosity of this speech did much to put him in the good graces
of the assembly, so that when he requested them to leave Doctor Syn to
his business, they readily withdrew.
When the door had closed upon them, Syn smiled for the first time
that morning.
“Oh, you’ll find me well enough yet, I dare swear,” he answered
easily.
“Come, let us go. We two to the Mayor, and you to the lovely
Imogene. By gad, Doctor, you’re a lucky man, and I wish you joy. No
doubt the little minx has told you that I have been in love with her
myself.”
“A man of taste could hardly help it, sir,” replied the Doctor, as he
led them out by a back staircase to avoid the crowds.
This ruse, however, led Doctor Syn into a worse embarrassment, for, a
number of his own students spying him, he was lifted on their shoulders
and carried to St. Giles’ in triumph.
“My little plan has made your friend a hero,” said Nicholas as he led
Cobtree away.
“I would we were at liberty to praise his swordsmanship, rather t han
imaginary marksmanship. I shall never see a fight like that again. It
was magnificent.”
- 49 -
“I can imagine it sir,” replied Nicholas. “With all his faults, my
uncle was a fighter, and I would have given much to have come earlier on
the scene to see him matched.”
The young men were relieved to find the Mayor was entirely on the
Doctor’s side. Indeed, he did not attempt to hide his profound relief
that such a menace to the town’s peace had died.
Then they proceeded to the Chancellor’s, who, although applauding his
young colleague’s courage, took a graver view of the situation.
“Doctor Syn has violated one of the strictest rules of the
University,” he said.
“But, sir,” protested Cobtree, “he went to rescue his betrothed and a
man is a man before he is a parson.”
“Oh, I know, I know,” grumbled the old man. “He was tried beyond
bearing, I admit, and a young man of spirit could do little else. But
what will our pompous Bishop have to say about the duties of a
clergyman?”
“If h e unfrocks him,” cried Tony, “his Lordship will see his own
effigy burned in every quadrangle in Oxford. He had best abide by
public opinion.”
“Aye, sir,” cried Nicholas, backing up the lawyer. “If friend Syn is
unfrocked for this, for once you’ll see the town boys behind the Gowns,
and they’ll be unfrocking every parson in Oxford, the Bishop included.”
And while his friends were thus arguing in his defense, Doctor Syn,
having closed the doors against the boisterous crowds, found peace in
his lover’s arms.
“I think I am almost afraid of you,” she whispered. “I never thought