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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/3780.txt b/3780.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7c726e7 --- /dev/null +++ b/3780.txt @@ -0,0 +1,18501 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The King's Highway, by G.P.R. James + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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About four or five miles from the shore, looking like a +spectre upon the misty background of clouds, appeared a small brig with +her canvas closely reefed, though there was little wind stirring, and +nothing announced the approach of a gale, unless it were a long, heavy +swell that heaved up the bosom of the ocean as if with a suppressed sob. +The three persons we have mentioned were standing together close at the +foot of the rocks; and, though there was nothing in their demeanour +which would imply that they were seeking concealment by the points and +angles of the cliff,--for they spoke loud, and one of them laughed more +than once with the short but jocund laugh of a heart whose careless +gaiety no circumstances can repress,--yet the spot was well calculated +to hide them from any eye, unless it were one gazing down from the +cliffs above, or one looking towards the shore from the sea. + +The party of which we speak comprised two men not quite reached the +middle age, and a fine, noble-looking boy of perhaps eight years old or +a little more; but all the conversation was between the two elder, who +bore a slight family likeness to each other. The one had a cloak thrown +over his arm, and a blue handkerchief bound round his left hand. His +dress in other respects was that of a military man of the period; a +long-waisted, broad-tailed coat, with a good deal of gold lace and many +large buttons upon it, enormous riding boots, and a heavy sword. He had +no defensive armour on, indeed, though those were days when the +soldierly cuirass was not yet done away with; and on his head he only +wore an ordinary hat trimmed round with feathers. + +He seemed, however, to be a personage perfectly well able to defend his +own, being not much short of six feet in height; and though somewhat +thin, extremely muscular, with long, bony arms, and a wide deep chest. +His forehead was high and open, and his eye frank and clear, having +withal some shrewdness in its quick twinkle. The countenance was a good +one; the features handsome, though a little coarse; and if it was not +altogether prepossessing, the abatement was made on account of a certain +indescribable look of dissipation--not absolutely to say debauchery, +but approaching it--which mingled with the expression of finer things, +like nightshade filling up the broken masses of some ruined temple. His +hair was somewhat prematurely grizzled; for he yet lacked several years +of forty, and strong lines, not of thought, were marked upon his brow. + +He was, upon the whole, a man whom many people would have called a +handsome, fine-looking man; and there was certainly in his countenance +that indescribable something, which can only be designated by the term +engaging. + +While conversing with his companion, which he did frankly and even +gaily, laughing, as we have said, from time to time, there was still a +peculiarity which might be supposed to show that for some reason he was +not perfectly at his ease, or perfectly sure of the man to whom he +spoke. In general, he did not look at him, though he gazed straight +forward; but, as is very frequently the case with us all, when we are +talking to a person whom we doubt or dislike, he looked beyond him, from +time to time, however, turning his eyes full upon the countenance of his +comrade, and keeping them fixed upon him for several moments. + +The second personage of the party was a man somewhat less in height than +the other, but still tall. He was two or three years younger; handsome +in features; graceful in person; and withal possessing an air of +distinction which the other might have possessed also, had it not been +considerably diminished by the certain gay and swaggering look which we +have already noticed. His dress was not so completely military as that +of the first, though there was scarf and sword-knot, and gold-fringed +belt and leathern gloves, with wide cuffs, which swallowed up the arms +almost to the elbows. + +He laughed not at all, and his tone was grave, but smooth and courtly, +except when, ever and anon, there mingled with what he was saying in +sweet and placid words, some bitter and sarcastic tirade, which made his +companion smile, though it moved not a muscle of his own countenance. + +We have said that there was a third in the group, and that third was a +boy of about eight years of age. It is scarcely possible to conceive +anything more beautiful than his countenance, or to fancy a form more +replete with living grace than his. His hair swept round his clear and +open countenance in dark wavy curls; and while he held the taller of the +two gentlemen by the hand, he gazed forward over the wide melancholy +sea, which came rolling up towards their feet, with a look full of +thought, and perhaps of anxiety. There was certainly grief in that gaze; +for the black eyelashes which surrounded those large blue eyes became, +after a moment or two, moistened with something bright like a tear; and +apparently utterly inattentive to the conversation between his two +companions, he still turned away, fully occupied with the matter of his +own thoughts. + +It is time, however, for us to take notice of that to which he did not +attend. + +"Not a whit, Harry, not a whit," said the taller of the two: "there are +certain portions of good and evil scattered through the world, and every +man must take his share of both. I have taken care, as you well know, to +secure a certain portion of the pleasures of this life. It was not +natural that the thing should last for ever, so I have quite made up my +mind to drinking the bitters since I have sipped the sweets. On this +last business I have staked my all, and lost my all; and if my poor +brother had not done the same, and lost his life into the bargain, I +should not much care for my part. On my honour and soul, it does seem to +me a strange thing, that here poor Morton, who would have done service +to everybody on earth, who was as good as he was brave, and as clever as +he was good, should fall at the very first shot, and I go through the +whole business with nothing but this scratch of the hand. I did my best +to get myself killed, too; for I will swear that I was the last man upon +our part that left the bank of the Boyne. But just as half a dozen of +the fellows had got me down, and were going to cut my throat because I +would not surrender, there came by the fellow they call Bentinck, I +think, who called to them not to kill me now that the battle was over. I +started up, saying, 'There is one honest Dutchman at least,' and made a +dart through them. They would have caught me, I dare say, but he laughed +aloud; and I heard him call to them not to follow me, saying, 'That one +on either side made no great difference.' I may chance to do that fellow +a good turn yet in my day." + +"That may well be," replied the other; "for since your brother's death, +if you are sure he is killed, you are the direct heir to an earldom, and +to estates that would buy a score of German princes." + +While he thus spoke, the person he addressed suddenly turned his eyes +full upon his face, and looked at him intently for a minute. He then +answered, "Sure he is dead, Harry? Did I not tell you that he died in my +arms? Would it not have been a nice thing now, if I had been killed too? +There would have been none between you and the earldom then. Upon my +life, I think you ought to have it: it would just suit you; you would +make such a smooth-tongued, easy courtier to this Dutch vagabond, whom +you are going over to, I can see, notwithstanding all your +asseverations;" and he laughed aloud as he spoke. + +"Nonsense, Lennard, nonsense!" replied his companion: "I neither wish +you killed, my good cousin, nor care for the earldom, nor am going over +to the usurper, though, Heaven knows, you'll do no good to any one, the +earldom will do no good to you, and the usurper, perhaps, may do much +good to the country. But had either of the three been true, I should +certainly have given you up to the Prince of Orange, instead of sharing +my last fifty guineas with you, to help you off to France." + +His companion gazed down upon the ground with a grim smile, and remained +for a moment without answering; he then looked up, gave a short laugh, +and replied, "I must not be ungrateful, cousin mine; I thank you for the +money with all my heart and soul; but I cannot think that you have run +yourself so hard as that either; you must have made mighty great +preparations which have not appeared, to spend your snug little +patrimony upon a king who did not deserve it, and for whom you did not +fight, after all." + +"I should have fought if I could have come up in time," replied the +other, with his brows darkening. "I suppose you do not suspect me of +being unwilling to fight, Lennard?" + +"Oh, no, man! no!" replied his cousin: "it does not run in our blood; we +have all fighting drops in our veins; and I know you can fight well +enough when it suits your purpose. As for that matter, I might think +myself a fool for fighting in behalf of a man who won't fight in his own +behalf; but it is his cause, not himself, Harry, I fought for." + +"Bubbles, bubbles, Lennard," replied the other, "'tis but a mere name!" + +"And what do we all fight for, from the cradle to the grave?" demanded +his cousin--"bubbles, bubbles, Harry. Through England and Ireland, not +to say Scotland, there will be to-morrow morning, which I take it is +Sunday, full five thousand priests busily engaged in telling their +hearers, that love, glory, avarice, and ambition are nothing +but--bubbles! So I am but playing the same game as the rest. I wish to +Heaven the boat would come round though, for I am beginning to think it +is as great a bubble as the rest.--Run down, Wilton, my boy," he said, +speaking to the youth that held him by the hand--"run down to that +point, and see if you can discover the boat creeping round under the +cliffs." + +The boy instantly darted off without speaking, and the two gentlemen +watched him in silence. After a moment, however, the shorter of the two +spoke, with his eyes still fixed on the child, and the slight sneer +curling his lip--"A fine boy that, Lennard!" he said. "A child of love, +of course!" + +"Doubtless," answered the other; "but you will understand he is not +mine.--It is a friend's child that I have promised to do the best for." + +"He is wondrous like your brother Morton," rejoined his companion: "it +needs no marriage certificate to tell us whose son he is." + +"No; God speed the poor boy!" replied the other gentleman, "he is like +his father enough. I must do what I can for him, though Heaven knows +what I am to do either for him or myself. It is long ere he can be a +soldier, and I am not much accustomed to taking heed of children." + +"Where is his mother?" demanded the cousin: "whatever be her rank, she +is most likely as rich as you are, and certainly better able to take +care of him." + +"Pshaw!" replied the other--"I might look long enough before I found +her. The boy has never known anything about her either, so that would +not do. But here he comes, here he comes, so say no more about it." + +As he spoke, the boy bounded up, exclaiming, "I see the boat, I see the +boat coming round the rock!" and the moment after, a tolerable-sized +fishing boat was seen rounding the little point that we have mentioned; +and the two cousins, with the boy, descended to the water's edge. During +the few minutes that elapsed before the boat came up to the little +landing-place where they stood, the cousins shook hands together, and +bade each other adieu. + +"Well, God speed you, Harry!" said the one; "you have not failed me at +this pinch, though you have at many another." + +"Where shall I write to you, Lennard," demanded the other, "in case that +anything should happen to turn up to your advantage?" + +"Oh! to the Crown, to the Crown, at St. Germains," replied the elder; +"and if it be for anything to my advantage, write as quickly as +possible, good cousin.--Come, Wilton, my boy; come, here's the boat! +Thank God we have not much baggage to embark.--Now, my man," he +continued, speaking to one of the fishermen who had leaped out into the +water, "lift the boy in, and the portmanteau, and then off to yonder +brig, with all the sail you can put on." + +Thus saying, he sprang into the boat, received the boy in his arms, and +waved his hand to his cousin, while the fishermen pushed off from the +shore. + +The one who was left behind folded his arms upon his chest, and gazed +after the boat as she bounded over the water. His brow was slightly +clouded, and a peculiar sort of smile hung upon his lip; but after thus +pausing for a minute or two, he turned upon his heel, walked up a narrow +path to the top of the cliff, and mounting a horse which was held for +him by a servant, at a distance of about a hundred yards from the edge, +he rode away, whistling as he went, not like Cimon, for want of thought, +but from the very intensity of thought. + + + +CHAPTER II + +The horseman of whom we have spoken in the last chapter rode slowly on +about two hundred yards farther, and there the servant advanced and +opened a gate, by means of which the path they were then upon +communicated with a small road between two high banks leading down to +the sea-side. The moment that the gentleman rode forward through the +gate, his eyes fell upon a figure coming up apparently from the +sea-shore. It was that of a woman, seemingly well advanced in life, and +dressed in the garb of the lower orders: there was nothing particular in +her appearance, except that in her gait and figure she was more decrepit +than from her countenance might have been expected. The tears were +streaming rapidly down her face, however; and though she suddenly paused +on perceiving the stranger, she could not command those tears from +flowing on, though she turned away her head to conceal them. + +The stranger slightly pulled in his horse's rein, looked at her again, +and then gazed thoughtfully down the road towards the sea, as if +calculating what the woman could have been doing there, and whether she +could have seen the departure of his two late companions. + +The servant who was behind him seemed to read his master's thoughts; for +being close to him shutting the gate, he said in a low tone, "That's the +old woman with whom the young gentleman lodged; for I saw her when the +Colonel went there this morning to fetch him away." + +The moment the man had spoken, his master pushed forward his horse +again, and riding up to the woman, accosted her at once. + +"Ah, my good woman," he said, "you are grieving after your poor little +boy; but do not be cast down, he will be taken good care of." + +"God bless your honour," replied the woman, "and thank you, too, for +comforting me: he's a dear good boy, that's true; but the Colonel has +taken him to France, so I shall never see him more." + +"Oh yes, you may, my good lady," replied the stranger: "you know I am +his cousin--his father's first cousin; so if you want to hear of him +from time to time, perhaps I could put you in the way of it. If I knew +where you lived, I would come and call upon you to-night, and talk to +you about it before I go on to Dublin." + +"Your honour's going to Dublin, are you?" said the woman, suddenly and +sharply, while the blood mounted into the cheek of her companion, as if +from some feeling of embarrassment. She continued, however, before he +could reply, saying, "With a thousand thanks to your honour, I shall be +glad to see you; and if I could but hear that the poor boy got well to +France, and was comfortable, I think I should be happy all my life." + +"But where do you live, my good woman?" demanded the horseman: "we have +not much time to lose, for the sun is going down, and the night is +coming on." + +"And a stormy night it will be," said the woman, who, though she had +very little of the Irish accent, seemed to have not a little of that +peculiar obliquity of mind, which so often leads the Irishman to follow +the last idea started, however loosely it may be connected with the main +subject of discourse. "As to where I live," she continued, "it's at the +small neat cottage at the end of the lane; the best house in the place +to my mind, except the priest's and the tavern; and for that matter, +it's my own property, too." + +"Well, I will come there in about an hour," said her companion, "and we +will talk it all over, my good lady, for I must leave this place early +to-morrow." + +Away went the stranger as he spoke, at a rapid pace, towards an Irish +village or small town of that day, which lay at the distance of about a +mile and a half from the sea-shore. It was altogether a very different +place, and bore a very different aspect, from any other collection of +houses, of the same number and extent, within the shores of the Sister +Island. It was situated upon the rise of a steep hill, at the foot of +which ran a clear shallow stream, from whose margin, up to the top of +the acclivity, ran two irregular rows of houses, wide apart, and +scattered at unequal distances, on the two sides of the high road. They +were principally hovels, of a single story in height; a great proportion +of them formed of nothing but turf, with no other window but a hole +covered with a board, and sometimes not that. Others, few and far +between, again, were equally of one story, but were neatly plastered +with clay, and ornamented with a wash of lime; and besides these, were +three or four houses which really deserved the name--the parish +priest's, the tavern, and what was called the shop. + +These rows of dwellings were raised on two high but sloping banks, which +were covered with green turf, and extended perhaps fifty yards in width +between the houses and the road: this long strip of turf affording the +inhabitants plenty of space for dunghills and dust-heaps, with +occasional stacks of turf, and a detached sort of summer-house now and +then for a pig, in those cases where his company was not preferred in +the parlour. + +Here, too, the chickens used to meet in daily convocation; and here the +priest's bull would occasionally take a morning walk, to the detriment +of the dunghills and the frailer edifices, to the danger of the +children, and the indignation of the other animals, who might seem to +think that they had a right prescriptive to exclusive possession. + +Between these two tracts of debatable land was interposed a paved high +road, twice as broad as it needed to have been, and furnished with a +stone gutter down the centre, into which flowed, from every side, +streams not Castalian; while five or six ducks, belonging to the master +of the shop, acted as the only town scavengers; and a large black sow, +with a sturdy farrow of eleven young pigs, rolled about in the full +enjoyment of the filth and dirt, seeming to represent the mayor and town +council of this rural municipality. + +At the top of the hill two or three lanes turned off, and in one of +these was situated the cottage which the old lady had indicated as her +dwelling. The stranger, however, rode not thither at once, but, in the +first place, stopped at the tavern, as it was called (being neither more +nor less than a small public-house), and throwing his rein to the +servant, he dismounted, and paused to order some refreshment. When this +was done, he took his way at once to the house of the priest, which was +a neat white building, showing considerable taste in all its external +arrangements. The stranger was immediately admitted, and remained for +about half an hour; at the end of which time he came out, accompanied as +far as the little wicket gate by a very benign and thoughtful-looking +man, past the middle age, whose last words, as he took leave of the +stranger, were, "Alas, my son! she was so beautiful, and so charitable, +that it is much to be lamented that she was in all respects a +cast-away." + +The stranger then returned to the tavern, and sat down to a somewhat +black and angular roasted fowl, which, however, proved better to the +palate than the eye; and to this he added somewhat more than a pint of +claret, which--however strange it may seem to find such a thing in an +Irish pot-house--might, for taste and fragrance, have competed with the +best that ever was found at the table of prince or peer: nor was such a +thing uncommon in that day. This done, and when five or six minutes of +meditation--that kind of pleasant meditation which ensues when the inner +man is made quite comfortable--had been added to his moderate food and +moderate potation, the stranger rose, and with a slow and thoughtful +step walked forth from the inn, and took his way towards the cottage to +which the old woman had directed him. + +The sun was by this time sinking below the horizon, and a bright red +glow from his declining rays spread through the atmosphere, tinging the +edges of the long, liny, lurid clouds which were gathering thickly over +the sky. The wind, too, had risen considerably, and was blowing with +sharp quick gusts increasing towards a gale, so that the stranger was +obliged to put his hand to his large feathered hat to keep it firm upon +his head. + +In the meantime, the old woman had returned home, and her first +occupation was to indulge her grief; for, sitting down at the little +table in her parlour, she covered her eyes with her hands, and wept till +the tears ran through her fingers. After a time, however, she calmed +herself, and rising, looked for a moment into a small looking-glass, +which showed her face entirely disfigured with tears. She then went into +a little adjacent room, which, as well as the parlour, was the image of +neatness and cleanness. She there took a towel, dipped it in cold water, +and seemed about to bathe away the traces from her cheeks. The next +moment, however, she threw the towel down, saying, "No, no! why should +I?" She then returned to the parlour, and called down the passage, +"Betty, Betty!" + +An Irishwoman, of about fifty years of age, clothed much in the same +style, and not much worse than her mistress, appeared in answer to her +summons; and, according to the directions she now received, lighted a +single candle, put up a large heavy shutter against the parlour window, +and retired. The mistress of the house remained for some time sitting at +the table, and apparently listening for every step without; though from +time to time, when a heavier and heavier blast of wind shook the cottage +where she sat, she gazed up towards the sky, and her lips moved as if +offering a prayer. + +At length, some one knocked loudly at the door, and starting up, she +hurried to open it and give entrance to the stranger whom we have +mentioned before. She put a chair for him, and stood till he asked her +to sit down. + +"So, my good lady," he said, "you lived a long time with Colonel and +Mrs. Sherbrooke." + +"Oh! bless you, yes, sir," replied the woman, "ever since the Colonel +and the young lady came here, till she died, poor thing, and then I +remained to take care of the boy, dear, beautiful fellow." + +"You seem very sorry to lose him," rejoined the stranger, "and, +doubtless, were sadly grieved when Mrs. Sherbrooke died." + +"You may well say that," replied the woman; "had I not known her quite a +little girl? and to see her die, in the prime of her youth and beauty, +not four-and-twenty years of age. You may well say I was sorry. If her +poor father could have seen it, it would have broke his heart; but he +died long before that, or many another thing would have broken his heart +as well as that." + +"Was her father living," demanded the stranger, "when she married +Colonel Sherbrooke?" + +The woman, without replying, gazed inquiringly and steadfastly on the +stranger's countenance for a moment or two; who continued, after a short +pause--"Poo, poo, I know all about it; I mean, when she came away with +him." + +"No, sir," replied the woman; "he had been dead then more than a year." + +"Doubtless," replied the stranger, "it was, as you implied, a happy +thing for him that he did not live to see his daughter's fate; but how +was it, I wonder, as she was so sweet a creature, and the Colonel so +fond of her, that he never married her?" + +The woman looked down for a moment; but then gazed up in his face with a +somewhat rueful expression of countenance, and a shake of the head, +answering, "She was a Protestant, you know." + +The stranger looked surprised, and asked, "Did she always continue a +Protestant, my good woman? I should have thought love could have worked +more wonderful conversions than that." + +"Ah! she died as she lived, poor thing," replied the woman, "and with +nobody with her either, but I and one other; for the Colonel was away, +poor man, levying troops for the king--that is, for King James, sir; for +your honour looks as if you were on the other side." + +The stranger was silent and looked abstracted; but at length he +answered, somewhat listlessly, "Really, my good woman, one does not know +what side to be of. It is raining very hard to-night, unless those are +the boughs of the trees tapping against your window." + +"Those are the large drops of rain," replied the woman, "dashed against +the glass by the south-west wind. It will be an awful night; and I think +of the ship." + +"I will let you hear of the boy," rejoined the stranger in an +indifferent tone, "as soon as I hear of him myself;" and taking up his +hat from the table, he seemed about to depart, when a peculiar +expression upon the woman's countenance made him pause, and, at the same +time, brought to his mind that he had not even asked her name. + +"I thought your honour had forgotten," she replied, when he asked her +the question at length. "They call me Betty Harper; but Mrs. Harper will +find me in this place, if you put that upon your letter: and now that we +are asking such sort of questions, your honour wouldn't be offended, +surely, if I were to ask you your name too?" + +"Certainly not, my good lady," he replied; "I am called Harry +Sherbrooke, Esquire, very much at your service.--Heavens, how it blows +and rains!" + +"Perhaps it is nothing but a wind-shower" replied the woman; "if your +honour would like to wait until it has ridden by." + +"Why, I shall get drenched most assuredly if I go," he answered, "and +that before I reach the inn; but I will look out and see, my good lady." + +He accordingly proceeded into the little passage, and opened the door, +followed by his companion. They were instantly saluted, however, by a +blast of wind that almost knocked the strong man himself down, and made +the woman reel against the wall of the passage. + +Everything beyond--though the cottage, situated upon a height, looked +down the slope of the hill, over the cliffs, to the open sea--was as +dark as the cloud which fell upon Egypt: a darkness that could be felt! +and not the slightest vestige of star or moon, or lingering ray of +sunshine, marked to the eye the distinction between heaven, earth, and +sea. + +Sherbrooke drew back, as the wind cut him, and the rain dashed in his +face; but at that very moment something like a faint flash was seen, +apparently at a great distance, and gleaming through the heavy rain. The +woman instantly caught her companion's wrist tight in her grasp, +exclaiming, "Hark!"--and in a few seconds after, in a momentary lull of +the wind, was heard the low booming roar of a distant cannon. + +"It is a signal of distress!" cried the woman. "Oh! the ship, the ship! +The wind is dead upon the shore, and the long reef, out by the Battery +Point, has seen many a vessel wrecked between night and morning." + +While she spoke, the signal of distress was seen and heard again. + +"I will go down and send people out to see what can be done," said the +stranger, and walked away without waiting for reply. He turned his steps +towards the inn, muttering as he went, "There's one, at least, on board +the ship that won't be drowned, if there's truth in an old proverb! so +if the vessel be wrecked to-night, I had better order breakfast for my +cousin to-morrow morning--for he is sure to swim ashore." It was a +night, however, on which no hope of reaching land could cheer the +wrecked seamen. The tide was approaching the full; the wind was blowing +a perfect hurricane; the surf upon a high rocky beach, no boat could +have lived in for a minute; and the strongest swimmer--even if it had +been within the scope of human power and skill to struggle on for any +time with those tremendous waves--must infallibly have been dashed to +pieces on the rocks that lined the shore. The minute guns were +distinctly heard from that town, and several other villages in the +neighbourhood. Many people went to the tops of the cliffs, and some down +to the sea-shore, where the waves did not reach the bases of the rocks. +One gentleman, living in the neighbourhood, sent out servants and +tenantry with links and torches, but no one ever could clearly +distinguish the ship; and could only perceive that she must be in the +direction of a dangerous rocky shoal called the Long Reef, at about two +miles' distance from the shore. + +The next morning, however, her fate was more clearly ascertained; not +that a vestige of her was to be seen out at sea, but the whole shore for +two or three miles was covered with pieces of wreck. The stern-post of a +small, French-built vessel, and also a boat considerably damaged in the +bow, and turned keel upwards, came on shore as Harry Sherbrooke and his +servant were themselves examining the scene. The boat bore, painted in +white letters, "La Coureuse de Dunkerque." + +"That is enough for our purpose, I should suppose," said the master, +pointing to the letters with a cane he had in his hand, and addressing +his servant--"I must be gone, Harrison, but you remain behind, and do as +I bade you." + +"Wait a moment, yet, sir," replied the man: "you see they are bringing +up a body from between those two rocks,--it seems about his size and +make, too;" and approaching the spot to which he pointed, they found +some of the country people carrying up the body of a French officer, +which afterwards proved to be that of the commander of the brig, which +had been seen during the preceding day. After examining the papers which +were taken from the pockets of the dead man, one of which seemed to be a +list of all the persons on board his vessel, Sherbrooke turned away, +merely saying to his servant, "Take care and secure that paper, and +bring it after me to Dublin as fast as possible." + +The man bowed his head, and his master walked slowly +and quietly away. + + + +CHAPTER III + +Now whatever might be the effect of all that passed, as recorded in the +last chapter, upon the mind of Harry Sherbrooke, it is not in the +slightest degree our intention to induce the reader to believe that the +two personages, the officer and the little boy, whom we saw embark for +the brig which was wrecked, were amongst the persons who perished upon +that occasion. True it is that every person the ship contained found a +watery grave, between sunset and sunrise on the night in question. But +to explain how the whole took place, we must follow the track of the +voyagers in the boat. + +As soon as they were seated, Lennard Sherbrooke threw his arms +affectionately round the boy, drew him a little closer to his bosom, and +kissed his broad fair forehead; while the boy, on his part, with his +hand leaning on the officer's knee, and his shoulder resting confiding +on his bosom, looked up in his face with eyes of earnest and deep +affection. In such mute conference they remained for some five or ten +minutes; while the hardy sailors pulled away at the oars, their course +towards the vessel lying right in the wind's eye. After a minute or two +more, Lennard Sherbrooke turned round, and gazed back towards the shore, +where he could now plainly perceive his cousin beginning to climb the +little path up the cliff. After watching him for a moment with a look of +calculating thought, he turned towards the boy again, and saw that there +were tears in his eyes, which sight caused him to bend down, saying, in +a low voice, "You are not frightened, my dear boy?" + +"Oh no, no!" replied the boy--"I am only sorry to go away to a strange +place." + +Lennard Sherbrooke turned his eyes once more towards the shore, but the +form of his cousin had now totally disappeared. He then remained musing +for a minute or two, while the fishermen laboured away, making no very +great progress against the wind. At the distance of about a mile or a +mile and a half from the shore, Lennard Sherbrooke turned round towards +the man who was steering, and made some remarks upon the excellence of +the boat. The man, proud of his little vessel, boasted her capabilities, +and declared that she was as sea-worthy as any frigate in the navy. + +"I should like to see her tried," said Sherbrooke. "I should not wonder +if she were well tried to-night," replied the man. + +For a moment or two the officer made no rejoinder; but then approaching +the steersman nearer still, he said, in a low voice, "Come, my man, I +have something to tell you. We must alter our course very soon; I am not +going to yon Frenchman at all." + +"Why, then, where the devil are you going to?" demanded the fisherman; +and he proceeded, in tones and in language which none but an Irishman +must presume to deal with, to express his astonishment, that after +having been hired by the other gentleman to carry the person who spoke +to him and the boy to the French brig of war, where berths had been +secured for them, he should be told that they were not going there at +all. + +The stranger suffered him to expend all his astonishment without moving +a muscle, and then replied, with perfect calmness, "My good friend, you +are a Catholic, I have been told, and a good subject to King James--" + +"God bless him!" interrupted the man, heartily; but Sherbrooke +proceeded, saying, "In these days one may well be doubtful of one's own +relations; and I have a fancy, my man, that unless I prevent any one +from knowing my course, and where I am, I may be betrayed where I go, +and betrayed if I stay. Now what I want you to do is this, to take me +over to the coast of England, instead of to yonder French brig." + +The man's astonishment was very great; but he seemed to enter into the +motives of his companion with all the quick perception of an Irishman. +There were innumerable difficulties, however, which he did not fail to +start; and he asserted manfully, that it was utterly impossible for them +to proceed upon such a voyage at once. In the first place, they had no +provisions; in the next place, there was the wife and children, who +would not know what was become of them; in the third place, it was +coming on to blow hard right upon the coast. So that he proved there +was, in fact, not only danger and difficulty, but absolute +impossibility, opposed to the plan which the gentleman wished to follow. + +In the meanwhile, the four seamen, who were at the oars, laboured away +incessantly, but with very slow and difficult efforts. Every moment the +wind rose higher and higher, and the sun's lower limb touched the +waters, while they were yet two miles from the French brig. + +A part of the large red disk of the descending orb was seen between the +sea and the edge of the clouds that hung upon the verge of the sky, +pouring forth from the horizon to the very shore a long line of +blood-red light, which, resting upon the boiling waters of the ocean, +seemed as if the setting star could indeed "the multitudinous sea +incarnadine, making the green one red." + +That red light, however, showed far more clearly than before how the +waters were already agitated; for the waves might be seen distinctly, +even to the spot in the horizon where they seemed to struggle with the +sun, heaving up their gigantic heads till they appeared to overwhelm him +before he naturally set. + +The arguments of the fisherman apparently effected that thing which is +so seldom effected in this world; namely, to convince the person to whom +they were addressed. I say SELDOM, for there have been instances known, +in remote times, of people being convinced. They puzzled him, however, +and embarrassed him very much, and he remained for full five minutes in +deep and anxious thought. + +His reverie, however, was brought to an end suddenly, by a few words +which the fisherman whispered to him. His countenance brightened; a +rapid and brief conversation followed in a low tone, which ended in his +abruptly holding out his hand to the good man at the helm, saying, "I +trust to your honour." + +"Upon my soul and honour," replied the fisherman, grasping his proffered +hand. + +The matter now seemed settled,--no farther words passed between the +master of the boat and his passenger; but the seaman gave a rapid glance +to the sky, to the long spit of land called the Battery Point, and to +the southward, whence the wind was blowing so sharply. + +"We can do it," he muttered to himself, "we can do it;" and he then gave +immediate orders for changing the boat's course, and putting out all +sail. His companions seemed as much surprised by his change of purpose, +as he had been with the alteration of his passenger's determination. His +orders were nevertheless obeyed promptly, the head of the boat was +turned away from the wind, the canvas caught the gale, and away she went +like lightning, heeling till the little yard almost touched the water. +Her course, however, was not bent back exactly to the same spot from +which she started, and it now became evident that it was the fisherman's +intention to round the Battery Point. + +Lennard Sherbrooke was not at all aware of the dangerous reef that lay +so near their course; but it soon became evident to him that there was +some great peril, which required much skill and care to avoid; and, as +night fell, the anxiety of the seamen evidently became greater. The wind +by this time was blowing quite a hurricane, and the rushing roaring +sound of the gale and the ocean was quite deafening. But about half an +hour after sunset that peculiar angry roar, which is only heard in the +neighbourhood of breakers, was distinguished to leeward; and looking in +that direction, Sherbrooke perceived one long white line of foam and +surf, rising like an island in the midst of dark and struggling waters. + +Not a word was said: it seemed as if scarcely a breath was drawn. In a +few minutes the sound of the breakers became less distinct; a slight +motion was perceivable in the arm of the man who held the tiller, and in +about ten minutes the effect of the neighbouring headlands was found in +smoother water and a lighter gale, as the boat glided calmly and +steadily on, into a small bay, not many hundred miles from Baltimore. +The rest of their voyage, till they reached the shore again, was safe +and easy: the master of the boat and his men seemed to know every creek, +cove, and inlet, as well as their own dwelling places; and, directing +their coarse to a little but deep stream, they ran in between two other +boats, and were soon safely moored. + +The boy, by Sherbrooke's direction, had lain himself down in the bottom +of the boat, wrapped up in a large cloak; and there, with the happy +privilege of childhood, he had fallen sound asleep, nor woke till danger +and anxiety were passed, and the little vessel safe at the shore. +Accommodation was easily found in a neighbouring village, and, on the +following day, one, and only one, of the boat's crew went over to the +spot from which they had set out on the preceding evening. He returned +with another man, both loaded with provisions. There was much coming and +going between the village and the boat during the day. By eventide the +storm had sobbed itself away; the sea was calm again, the sky soft and +clear; and beneath the bright eyes of the watchful stars, the boat once +more took its way across the broad bosom of the ocean, with its course +laid directly towards the English shore. + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Those were days of pack-saddles and pillions--days certainly not without +their state and display; but yet days in which persons were not valued +according to the precise mode of their dress or equipage, when hearts +were not appraised by the hat or gloves, nor the mind estimated by the +carriages or horses. + +Man was considered far more abstractedly then than at present; and +although illustrious ancestors, great possessions, and hereditary claims +upon consideration, were allowed more weight than they now possess, yet +the minor circumstances of each individual,--the things that filled his +pocket, the dishes upon his table, the name of his tailor, or the club +that he belonged to,--were seldom, if ever, allowed to affect the +appreciation of his general character. + +However that might be, it was an age, as we have said, of pack-saddles +and pillions; and no one, at any distance from the capital itself, would +have been the least ashamed to be seen with a lady or child mounted +behind him on the same horse, while he jogged easily onward on his +destined way. + +It was thus that, about a quarter of an hour before nightfall, a, tall +powerful man was seen riding along through one of the north-western +counties of England, with a boy of about eight years of age mounted on a +pillion behind him, and steadying himself on the horse by an +affectionate embrace cast round the waist of his elder companion. + +Lennard Sherbrooke--for the reader has already divined that this was no +other than the personage introduced to him in our first chapter--Lennard +Sherbrooke, then, was still heavily armed, but in other respects had +undergone a considerable change. The richly laced coat had given place +to a plain dark one of greenish brown; the large riding boots remained; +and the hat, though it kept its border of feathers, was divested of +every other ornament. There were pistols at the saddle-bow, which indeed +were very necessary in those days to every one who performed the +perilous and laborious duty of wandering along the King's Highway; and +in every other respect the appearance of Lennard Sherbrooke was well +calculated neither to attract cupidity nor invite attack. + +About ten minutes after the period at which we have again introduced him +to our readers, the traveller and his young companion stopped at the +door of an old-fashioned inn, or rather at the porch thereof; for the +door itself, with a retiring modesty, stood at some distance back, while +an impudent little portico with carved oak pillars, of quaint but not +inelegant design, stood forth into the road, with steps leading down +from it to the sill of the sunk doorway. An ostler ran out to take the +horse, and helped the boy down tenderly and carefully. Sherbrooke +himself then dismounted, looked at his beast from head to foot, and then +ordering the ostler to give him some hay and water, he took the boy by +the hand and entered the house. + +The ostler looked at the beast, which was tired, and then at the sky, +over which the first shades of evening were beginning to creep, thinking +as he did so that the stranger might quite as well put up his beast for +the night. In the meantime, however, Sherbrooke had given the boy into +the charge of the hostess, had bidden her prepare some supper for him, +and had intimated that he himself was going a little farther, but would +soon return to sleep at her hospitable dwelling. He ordered to be +brought in and given into her charge also a small portmanteau,--smaller +than that which he had taken with him into the boat,--and when all this +was done, he kissed the boy's forehead tenderly, and left him, mounting +once more his weary beast, and plodding slowly along upon his way. + +It was a very sweet evening: the sun, half way down behind one of the +distant hills, seemed, like man's curiosity, to overlook unheeded all +the bright and beautiful things close to him, and to gaze with his eyes +of light full upon the objects further from him, through which the +wayfarer was bending his way. The line of undulating hills, the masses +of a long line of woodland, some deep valleys and dells, a small village +with its church and tower on an eminence, were all in deep blue shadow; +while, in the foreground, every bank and slope was glittering in yellow +sunshine, and a small river, that wound along through the flatter part +of the ground, seemed turned into gold by the great and glorious +alchymist, as he sunk to his rest. + +The heart of the traveller who wandered there alone was ill, very ill at +ease. Happily for himself, as he was now circumstanced, the character of +Sherbrooke was a gay and buoyant one, not easily depressed, bearing the +load lightly; but still he could not but feel the difficulties, the +dangers, and the distresses of a situation, which, though shared in by +very many at that moment, was rather aggravated by such being the case, +and had but small alleviation even from hope. + +In the first place, he had seen the cause to which he had attached +himself utterly ruined by the base irresolution of a weak monarch, who +had lost his crown by his tyranny, and who had failed to regain it by +his courage. In the next place, for his devotion to that cause, he was a +banished and an outlawed man, with his life at the mercy of any one who +chose to take it. In the next he was well nigh penniless, with the life +of another, dear, most dear to his heart, depending entirely upon his +exertions. + +The heart of the traveller, then, was ill, very ill at ease, but yet the +calm of that evening's sunshine had a sweet and tranquillizing effect. +There is a mirror--there is certainly a moral mirror in our hearts, +which reflects the images of the things around us; and every change that +comes over nature's face is mingled sweetly, though too often unnoticed, +with the thoughts and feelings called forth by other things. The effect +of that calm evening upon Lennard Sherbrooke was not to produce the +wild, bright, visionary dreams and expectations which seem the peculiar +offspring of the glowing morning, or of the bright and risen day; but it +was the counterpart, the image, the reflection of that evening scene +itself to which it gave rise in his heart. He felt tranquillized, he +felt more resolute, more capable of enduring. Grief and anxiety subsided +into melancholy and resolution, and the sweet influence of the hour had +also an effect beyond: it made him pause upon the memories of his past +life, upon many a scene of idle profligacy, revel, and riot,--of talents +cast away and opportunity neglected,--of fortune spent and bright hopes +blasted,--and of all the great advantages which he had once possessed +utterly lost and gone, with the exception of a kind and generous heart: +a jewel, indeed, but one which in this world, alas! can but too seldom +be turned to the advantage of the possessor. + +On these things he pondered, and a sweet and ennobling regret came upon +him that it should be so--a regret which might have gone on to sincere +repentance, to firm amendment, to the retrieval of fortunes, to an utter +change of destiny, had the circumstances of the times, or any friendly +voice and helping hand, led his mind on upon that path wherein it had +already taken the first step, and had opened out before him a way of +retrieval, instead of forcing him onward down the hill of destruction. +But, alas! those were not times when the opportunity of doing better was +likely to be allowed to him; nor were circumstances destined to change +his course. His destiny, like that of many Jacobites of the day, was but +to be from ruin to ruin; and let it be remembered, that the character +and history of Lennard Sherbrooke are not ideal, but are copied +faithfully from a true but sad history of a life in those times. + +All natural affections sweeten and purify the human heart. Like +everything else given us immediately from God, their natural tendency is +to wage war against all that is evil within us; and every single thought +of amendment and improvement, every regret for the past, every better +hope for the future, was connected with the thought of the beautiful boy +he had left behind at the inn; and elevated by his love for a being in +the bright purity of youth, he thought of him and his situation again +and again; and often as he did so, the intensity of his own feelings +made him murmur forth half audible words all relating to the boy, or to +the person he was then about to seek, for the purpose of interesting him +in the poor youth's fate. + +"I will tell him all and everything," he said, thus murmuring to himself +as he went on: "he may drive me forth if he will; but surely, surely, he +will protect and do something for the boy. What, though there have been +faults committed and wrong done, he cannot be so hard-hearted as to let +the poor child starve, or be brought up as I can alone bring him up." + +Such was still the conclusion to which he seemed to come; and at length +when the sun had completely gone down, and at the distance of about +three miles from the inn, he paused before a large pair of wooden gates, +consisting of two rows of square bars of painted wood placed close +together, with a thick heavy rail at the top and bottom, while two +wooden obelisks, with their steeple-shaped summits, formed the gate +posts. Opening the gates, as one well familiar with the lock, he now +entered the smaller road which led from them through the fields towards +a wood upon the top of the hill. At first the way was uninteresting +enough, and the faint remains of twilight only served to show some +square fields within their hedge-rows cut in the most prim and +undeviating lines around. The wayfarer rode on, through that part of the +scene, with his eyes bent down in deep thought; but when he came to the +wood; and, following the path--which, now kept with high neatness and +propriety, wound in and out amongst the trees, and then sweeping gently +round the shoulder of the hill, exposed a beautiful deer park--he had +before his eyes a fine Elizabethan house, rising grey upon a little +eminence at the distance of some four or five hundred yards,--it seemed +that some old remembrance, some agitating vision of the days gone by, +came over the horseman's mind. He pulled in his rein, clasped his hands +together, and gazed around with a look of sad and painful recognition. +At the end of a minute or two, however, he recovered himself, rode on to +the front of the house we have mentioned, and dismounting from his +horse, pulled the bell-rope which action was instantly followed by a +long peal heard from within. + +"It sounds cold and empty," said the wayfarer to himself, "like my +reception, and perhaps my hopes." + +No answer was made for some time; and though the sounds had been loud +enough, as the traveller's ears bore witness, yet they required to be +repeated before any one came to ask his pleasure. + +"This is very strange!" he said, as he applied his hand to the bell-rope +again. "He must have grown miserly, as they say, indeed. Why I remember +a dozen servants crowding into this porch at the first sound of a +horse's feet." + +A short time after, some steps were heard within; bolts and bars were +carefully withdrawn, and an old man in a white jacket, with a lantern in +his hand, opened the heavy oaken door, and gazed upon the stranger. + +"Where is the Earl of Byerdale?" demanded the horseman, in apparent +surprise. "Is he not at home?" + +The old man gazed at him for a moment from head to foot, without +replying, and then answered slowly and somewhat bitterly, "Yes, he is at +home--at his long home, from which he'll never move again! Why, he has +been dead and buried this fortnight." + +"Indeed!" cried the traveller, putting his hand to his head, with an air +of surprise, and what we may call dismay; "indeed! and who has +discharged the servants and shut up the house?" + +"Those who have a right to do it," replied the old man, sharply; "for my +lord was not such a fool as to leave his property to be spent, and his +place mismanaged, by two scape-graces whom he knew well enough." + +As he spoke, without farther ceremony he shut the door in the stranger's +face, and then returned to his own abode in the back part of the house, +chuckling as he went, and murmuring to himself, "I think I have paid him +now for throwing me into the horsepond, for just telling a little bit of +a lie about Ellen, the laundry maid. He thought I had forgotten him! Ha! +ha! ha!" + +The traveller stood confounded; but he made no observation, he uttered +no word, he seemed too much accustomed to meet the announcement of fresh +misfortune to suffer it to drive him from the strong-hold of silence. +Sweeter or gentler feelings might have done it: he might have been +tempted to speak aloud in calm meditation and thought, either gloomy or +joyful; but his heart, when wrung and broken by the last hard grasp of +fate, like the wolf at his death, was dumb. + +He remained for full two minutes, however, beneath the porch, motionless +and silent; then springing on his horse's back, he urged him somewhat +rapidly up the slope. Ere he had reached the top, either from +remembering that the beast was weary, or from some change in his own +feelings, he slackened his pace, and gave himself up to meditation +again. The first agony of the blow that he had received was now over, +and once again he not only reasoned with himself calmly, but expressed +some of his conclusions in a murmur. + +"What!" he said, "a peer without a penny! the name attainted, too, and +all lands and property declared forfeit! No, no! it will never do! Years +may bring better times!--Who knows? the attainder may be reversed; new +fortunes may be gained or made! The right dies not, though it may +slumber; exists, though it be not enforced. A peer without a penny! no, +no!--far better a beggar with half a crown!" + +Thus saying he rode on, passed through the wood we have mentioned,--the +dull meadows, and the wooden gates; and entering the high road, was +proceeding towards the inn, when an event occurred which effected a +considerable change in his plans and purposes. + +It was by this time one of those dark nights, the most propitious that +can be imagined for such little adventures as rendered at one time the +place called Gad's Hill famous alike in story and in song. It wasn't +that the night was cloudy, for, to say sooth, it was a fine night, and +manifold small stars were twinkling in the sky; but the moon, the sweet +moon, was at that time in her infancy, a babe of not two days old, so +that the light she afforded to her wandering companions through the +fields of space was of course not likely to be much. The stars twinkled, +as we have said, but they gave no light to the road; and on either side +there were sundry brakes, and lanes, and hedges, and groups of trees +which were sufficiently shady and latitant in the mid-day, and which +certainly were impervious to any ray of light then above the horizon. + +The mind of Lennard Sherbrooke, however, was far too busy about other +things to think of dangers on the King's Highway. His purse was +certainly well armoured against robbery; and the defence was on the +inside and not on the out; so that--had he thought on the matter at all, +which he did not do--he might very probably have thought, in his light +recklessness, he wished he might meet with a highwayman, in order to try +whether he could not rob better than be robbed. + +However, as I have said, he thought not of the subject at all. His own +situation, and that of the boy Wilton, occupied him entirely; and it was +not till the noise of a horse's feet coming rapidly behind him sounded +close at his shoulder, that he turned to see by whom he had been +overtaken. + +All that Sherbrooke could perceive was, that it was a man mounted on a +remarkably fine horse, riding with ease and grace, and bearing +altogether the appearance of a gentleman. + +"Pray, sir," said the stranger, "can you tell me how far I am from the +inn called the Buck's Horns, and whether this is the direct road +thither?" + +"The inn is about two miles on," replied Sherbrooke, "on the left-hand +side of the way, and you cannot miss it, for there is no other house for +five miles." + +"Only two miles!" said the stranger; "then there is no use of my riding +so fast, risking to break my neck, and my horse's knees." + +Sherbrooke said nothing, but rode on quietly, while the stranger, still +reining in his horse, pursued the high road by the traveller's side. + +"It is a very dark night," said the stranger, after a minute or two's +silence. + +"A very dark night, indeed!" replied Sherbrooke, and the conversation +again ended there. + +"Well," said the stranger, after two or three minutes more had passed, +"as my conversation seems disagreeable to you, sir, I shall ride on." + +"Goodnight, sir," replied Sherbrooke, and the other appeared to put +spurs to his horse. At the first step, however, he seized the +traveller's rein, uttering a whistle: two more horsemen instantly darted +out from one side of the road, and in an instant the well-known words, +"Stand and deliver!" were audibly pronounced in the ears of the +traveller. + +Now it is a very different thing, and a much more difficult thing, to +deal in such a sort with three gentlemen of the road, than with one; but +nevertheless, as we have before shown, Lennard Sherbrooke was a stout +man, nor was he at all a faint-hearted one. A pistol was instantly out +of one of the holsters, pointed, and fired, and one of his assailants +rolled over upon the ground, horse and man together. His heavy sword was +free from the sheath the moment after; and exclaiming, "Now there's but +two of you, I can manage you," he pushed on his horse against the man +who had seized his bridle, aiming a very unpleasant sort of oblique cut +at the worthy personage's head, which, had it taken effect, would +probably have left him with a considerable portion less of skull than +that with which he entered into the conflict. + +Three things, however, happened almost simultaneously, which gave a new +aspect altogether to affairs. The man upon Sherbrooke's left hand fired +a pistol at his head, but missed him in the darkness of night. At the +same moment the other man at whom he was aiming the blow, and who being +nearer to him of course saw better, parried it successfully, but +abstained from returning it, exclaiming, "By Heavens! I believe it is +Leonard Sherbrooke!" + +"If you had asked me," replied Sherbrooke, "I would have told you that +long ago: pray who are you?" + +"I am Frank Bryerly," replied the man: "hold your hands, hold your hands +every one, and let us see what mischief's done! Dick Harrison, I +believe, is down. Devilish unfortunate, Sherbrooke, that you did not +speak." + +"Speak!" returned Sherbrooke, "what should I speak for? these are not +times for speaking over much." + +"I am not hurt, I am not hurt!" cried the man called Harrison; "but hang +him, I believe he has killed my horse, and the horse had well nigh +killed me, for he reared and went over with me at the shot:--get up, +brute, get up!" and he kicked the horse in the side to make him rise. Up +started the beast upon his feet in a moment, trembling in every limb, +but still apparently not much hurt; and upon examination it proved that +the ball had struck him in the fleshy part of the shoulder, producing a +long, but not a deep wound, and probably causing the animal to rear by +the pain it had occasioned. + +As soon as this was explained satisfactorily, a somewhat curious scene +was presented, by Leonard Sherbrooke standing in the midst of his +assailants, and shaking hands with two of them as old friends, while the +third was presented to him with all the form and ceremony of a new +introduction. But such things, alas! were not uncommon in those days; +and gentlemen of high birth and education have been known to take to the +King's Highway--not like Prince Hal, for sport, but for a mouthful of +bread. + +"Why, Frank," said Sherbrooke, addressing the one who had seized his +horse's rein, "how is this, my good fellow?" + +"Why, just like everything else in the world," replied the other in a +gay tone. "I'm at the down end of the great see-saw, Sherbrooke, that's +all. When last you knew me, I was a gay Templer, in not bad practice, +bamboozling the juries, deafening the judges, making love to every woman +I met, ruining the tavern-keepers, and astounding the watch and the +chairman. In short, Sherbrooke, very much like yourself." + +"Exactly, Frank," replied Sherbrooke, "my own history within a letter or +so: we were always called the counterparts, you know; but what became of +you after I left you, a year and a half ago, when this Dutch skipper +first came over to usurp his father-in-law's throne?" + +"Why, I did not take it quite so hotly as you did," replied the other; +"but I remained for some time after the King was gone, till I heard he +had come back to Ireland; then, of course, I went to join him, fared +with the rest, lost everything, and here I am--after having been a +Templer, and then a captain in the king's guards--doing the honours of +the King's Highway." + +"Stupidly enough," replied Lennard Sherbrooke; "for here the first thing +that you do is to attack a man who is just as likely to take as to give, +and ask for a man's money who has but a guinea and a shilling in all the +world." + +"I am but raw at the trade, I confess," replied the other, "and we are +none of us much more learned. The truth is, we were only practising upon +you, Sherbrooke, we expect a much better prize to-morrow; but what say +you, if your condition be such, why not come and take a turn upon the +road with us? It is the most honourable trade going now-a-days. Treason +and treachery, indeed, carry off the honours at court; but there are so +many traitors of one gang or another, that betraying one's friend is +become a vulgar calling. Take a turn with us on the road, man! take a +turn with us on the road!" + +"Upon my soul," replied Sherbrooke, "I think the plan not a bad one; I +believe if I had met you alone, Frank, I should have tried to rob you." + +"Don't call it rob," replied Frank Bryerly, "call it soliciting from, or +relieving. But it is a bargain, Sherbrooke, isn't it?" + +Lennard Sherbrooke paused and thought for a moment, with the scattered +remains of better feelings, like some gallant party of a defeated army +trying still to rally and resist against the overpowering force of +adverse circumstances. He thought, in that short moment, of what other +course he could follow; he turned his eyes to the east and the west, to +the north and the south, for the chance of one gleam of hope, for the +prospect of any opening to escape. It was in vain, his last hope had +been trampled out that night. He had not even money to fly, and seek, on +some other shore, the means of support and existence. He had but +sufficient to support himself and his horse, and the poor boy, for three +or four more days. Imagination pictured that poor boy's bright +countenance, looking up to him for food and help, and finding none, and +grasping Bryerly's hand, he said, in a low voice, "It is a bargain. +Where and how shall I join you?" + +"Oh!" replied the other, "we three are up at Mudicot's inn, about four +miles there: you had better turn your horse and go back with us." + +"No," replied Sherbrooke, "I have some matters to settle at the little +inn down there: all that I have in the world is there, and that, Heaven +knows, is little enough; I will join you to-morrow." + +"Sherbrooke," said Bryerly, drawing him a little on one side and +speaking low, "I am a rich man, you know: I have got ten guineas in my +pocket: you must share them with me." + +Pride had already said "No!" but Bryerly insisted, saying, "You can pay +me in a day or two." + +Sherbrooke thought of the boy again, and accepted the money; and then +bidding his companions adieu for the time, he left them and returned to +the inn. + +The poor boy, wearied out, had once more fallen asleep where he sat, and +Sherbrooke, causing him to be put to bed, remained busily writing till a +late hour at night. He then folded up and sealed carefully that which he +had written, together with a number of little articles which he drew +forth from the portmanteau; he then wrote some long directions on the +back of the packet, and placing the whole once more in the portmanteau, +in a place where it was sure to be seen, if any inquisitive eye examined +the contents of the receptacle, he turned the key and retired to rest. +The whole of the following day he passed in playing with and amusing +little Wilton; and so much childish gaiety was there in his demeanour, +that the man seemed as young as the child. Towards evening, however, he +again ordered his horse to be brought out; and, having paid the landlady +for their accommodation up to that time, he again left the boy in her +charge and put his foot in the stirrup. He had kissed him several times +before he did so; but a sort of yearning of the heart seemed to come +over him, and turning back again to the door of the inn, he once more +pressed him to his heart, ere he departed. + + + +CHAPTER V. + +Journeys were in those days at least treble the length they are at +present. It may be said that the distance from London to York, or from +Carlisle to Berwick, could never be above a certain length. Measured by +a string probably such would have been the case; but if the reader +considers how much more sand, gravel, mud, and clay, the wheels of a +carriage had to go through in those days, he will easily see how it was +the distances were so protracted. + +At all events, fifty or sixty miles was a long, laborious journey; and +at whatever hour the traveller might set out upon his way, he was not +likely to reach the end of it, without becoming a "borrower from the +night of a dark hour or two." + +Such was the case with the tenant of a large cumbrous carriage, which, +drawn heavily on by four stout horses wended slowly on the King's +Highway, not very far from the spot where the wooden gates that we have +described raised their white faces by the side of the road. + +The panels of that carriage, as well as the ornaments of the top +thereof, bore the arms of a British earl; and there was a heavy and +dignified swagger about the vehicle itself, which seemed to imply a +consciousness even in the wood and leather of the dignity of the person +within. He, for his own part, though a graceful and very courtly +personage, full of high talent, policy, and wit, had nothing about him +at all of the pomposity of his vehicle; and at the moment which we refer +to, namely, about two hours after nightfall, tired with his long +journey, and seated with solitary thought, he had drawn a fur-cap +lightly over his head, and, leaning back in the carriage, enjoyed not +unpleasant repose. + +To be woke out of one's slumbers suddenly at any time, or by any means, +is a very unpleasant sensation; but there are few occasions that we can +conceive, on which such an event is more disagreeable than when we are +thus woke, to find a pistol at our breast, and some one demanding our +money. + +The Earl of Sunbury was sleeping quietly in his carriage with the most +perfect feeling of security, though those indeed were not very secure +times; when suddenly the carriage stopped, and he started up. Scarcely, +however, was he awake to what was passing round, than the door of the +carriage was opened, and a man of gentlemanly appearance, with a pistol +in his right hand, and his horse's bridle over the left arm, presented +himself to the eyes of the peer. At the same time, through the opposite +window of the carriage, was seen another man on horseback; while the +Earl judged, and judged rightly, that there must be others of the same +fraternity at the heads of the horses, and the ears of the postilions. + +The Earl was usually cool and calm in his demeanour under most of the +circumstances of life; and he therefore asked the pistol-bearing +gentleman, much in the same tone that one would ask one's way across the +country, or receive a visitor whom we do not know, "Pray, sir, what may +be your pleasure with me?" + +"I am very sorry to delay your lordship even for a moment," replied the +stranger, very much in the same tone as that with which the Earl had +spoken; "but I do it for the purpose of requesting, that you would +disburden yourself of a part of your baggage, which you can very well +spare, and which we cannot. I mean, my lord, shortly and civilly, to +say, that we must have your money, and also any little articles of gold +and jewellery that may be about your person." + +"Sir," replied the Earl, "you ask so courteously, that I should be +almost ashamed to refuse you, even were your request not backed by the +soft solicitation of a pistol. There, sir, is my purse, which probably +is not quite so full as you might desire, but is still worth something. +Then as to jewellery, my watch, seals, and these trinkets are at your +disposal. Farther than these I have but this ring, for which I have a +very great regard; and I wish that some way could be pointed out by +which I might be able to redeem it at a future time it may be worth some +half dozen guineas, but certainly not more, to any other than myself. In +my eyes, however, it only appears as a precious gage of old affection, +given to me in my youth by one I loved, and which has remained still +upon my finger, till age has wintered my hair." + +"I beg that you will keep the ring," replied the highwayman; "you have +given enough already, my lord, and we thank you." + +He was now retiring with a bow, and closing the door, but the Earl +stopped him, saying, in a tone of some feeling, "I beg your pardon; but +your manner, language, and behaviour, are so different from all that +might be expected under such circumstances, that I cannot but think +necessity more than inclination has driven you to a dangerous pursuit." + +"Your lordship thinks right," replied the highwayman "I am a poor +gentleman, of a house as noble as your own, but have felt the hardships +of these times more severely than most." + +He was again about to retire; but the Earl once more spoke, saying, +"Your behaviour to me, sir, especially about this ring, has been such +that, without asking impertinent questions, I would fain serve you.--Can +I do it ?" + +"I fear not, my lord; I fear not," replied the stranger. Then seeming to +recollect himself, with a sudden start, he approached nearer to the +carriage, saying, "I had forgot--you can, my lord!--you can." + +"In what manner?" demanded the peer. + +"That I cannot tell your lordship here and now," replied the highwayman: +"time is wanting, and, doubtless, my companions' patience is worn away +already." + +"Well," replied the Earl, "if you will venture to call upon me at my own +house, some ten miles hence, which, as you know me, you probably know +also, I will hear all you have to say, serve you if I can, and will take +care that you come and go with safety." + +"I offer you a thousand thanks, my lord," replied the other, "and will +venture as fearlessly as I would to my own chamber." [Footnote: It may +be interesting to the reader to know that the whole of this scene, even +to a great part of the dialogue, actually took place in the beginning of +the reign of William III.] + +Thus saying, he drew back and closed the door; and then making a signal +to his companions to withdraw from the heads of the horses, he bade the +postilions drive on, and sprang upon his own beast. + +"What have you got, Lennard? what have you got?" demanded the man who +was at the other door of the carriage: "what have you got--you have had +a long talk about it?" + +"A heavy purse," replied Sherbrooke; "what the contents are, I know +not--a watch, a chain, and three gold seals.--I'm almost sorry that I +did this thing." + +"Sorry!" cried the other; "why you insisted upon doing it yourself, and +would let no other take the first adventure out of your hands." + +"I did not mean that," replied Sherbrooke "I did not mean that at all! +If the thing were to be done, and I standing by, I might as well do it +as see you do it. What I mean is, that I am sorry for having taken the +man's money at all!" + +"Pshaw!" replied the other: "You forget that he is one of the enemy, or +rather, I should say, a traitor to his king, to his native-born prince, +and therefore is fair game for every true subject of King James." + +"He stood by him a long time," replied Sherbrooke, "for all that--as +long, and longer than the King stood by himself." + +"Never mind, never mind, Colonel," said one of the others, who had come +up by this time; "you won't need absolution for what's been done +to-night; and I would bet a guinea to a shilling, that if you ask any +priest in all the land, he will tell you, that you have done a good deed +instead of a bad; but let us get back to the inn as quick as we can, and +see what the purse contains." + +The road which the Earl of Sunbury was pursuing passed the very inn to +which the men who had lightened him of his gold were going; but there +was a back bridle-path through some thick woods to the right of the +road, which cut off a full mile of the way, and along this the four +keepers of the King's Highway urged their horses at full speed, +endeavouring, as was natural under such circumstances, to gallop away +reflection, which, in spite of all that they assumed, was not a pleasant +companion to any of the four. It very often happens that the +exhilaration of success occupies so entirely the portion of time during +which remorse for doing a bad action is most ready to strike us, that we +are ready to commit the same error again, before the last murmurs of +conscience have time to make themselves heard. Those who wish to drown +her first loud remonstrances give full way and eager encouragement to +that exhilaration; and now, each of the men whom we have mentioned, +except Sherbrooke, went on encouraging their wild gaiety, leaping the +gates that here and there obstructed their passage, instead of opening +them; and in the end arriving at the inn a full quarter of an hour +before the carriage of the Earl passed the house on its onward way. + +The vehicle stopped there for a minute or two, to give the horses hay +and water; and much was the clamour amongst the servants, the +postilions, and the ostlers, concerning the daring robbery that had been +committed; but the postilions of those days, and eke the keepers of +inns, were wise people in their generation, and discreet withal. They +talked loudly of the horror, the infamy, and the shamefulness, of making +the King's Highway a place of general toll and contribution; but still +they abstained most scrupulously from taking any notice of gentlemen who +were out late upon the road, especially if they went on horseback. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +It was about two days after the period of which we have spoken, when the +Earl of Sunbury, caring very little for the loss he had met with on the +road, and thinking of it merely as one of those unpleasant circumstances +which occur to every man now and then, sat in his library with every +sort of comfort and splendour about him, enjoying in dignified ease the +society of mighty spirits from the past, in those works which have given +and received an earthly immortality. His hand was upon Sallust; and +having just been reading the awful lines which present in Catiline the +type of almost every great conspirator, he raised his eyes and gazed on +vacancy, calling up with little labour, as it were, a substantial image +to his mind's eye of him whom the great historian had displayed. + +The hour was about nine o'clock at night, and the windows were closed, +when suddenly a loud ringing of the bell made itself heard, even in the +Earl's library. As the person who came, by applying at the front +entrance, evidently considered himself a visitor of the Earl, that +nobleman placed his hand upon the open page of the book and waited for a +farther announcement with a look of vexation, muttering to himself, +"This is very tiresome: I thought, at all events, I should have had a +few days of tranquillity and repose." + +"A gentleman, my lord," said one of the servants, entering, "is at the +gate, and wishes to speak with your lordship." + +"Have you asked what is his business?" demanded the Earl. + +"He will not mention it, my lord," replied the servant, "nor give his +name either; but he says your lordship told him to call upon you." + +"Oh! admit him, admit him," said the peer; "put a chair there, and bring +some chocolate." + +After putting the chair, the man retired, and a moment after returned, +saying, "The gentleman, my lord." + +The door opened wide, and the tall fine form of Lennard Sherbrooke +entered, leading by the hand the beautiful boy whom we have before +described, who now gazed about him with a look of awe and surprise. + +Little less astonishment was visible on the countenance of the Earl +himself; and until the door was closed by the servant, he continued to +gaze alternately upon Sherbrooke and the boy, seeming to find in the +appearance of each much matter for wonder. + +"Do me the favour of sitting down," he said at length "I think I have +had the advantage of seeing you before." + +"Once, my lord," replied Sherbrooke, "and then it must have been but +dimly." + +"Not more than once?" demanded the Earl: "your face is somewhat familiar +to me, and I think I could connect it with a name." + +"Connect it with none, my lord," said Sherbrooke: "that name is at an +end, at least for a time: the person for whom you take me is no more. I +should have thought that you knew such to be the case." + +"I did, indeed, hear," said the Earl, "that he was killed at the Boyne; +but still the likeness is so great, and my acquaintance with him was so +slight, that--" + +"He died at the Boyne, my lord," said Sherbrooke, looking down, "in a +cause which was just, though the head and object of that cause was +unworthy of connexion with it." The Earl's cheek grew a little red; but +Sherbrooke continued, with a slight laugh, "I did not, however, come +here, my lord, to offend you with my view of politics. We have only once +met, my lord, that I know of in life, but I have heard you kindly spoken +of by those I loved and honoured. You, yourself, told me, that if you +could serve me you would; and I come to claim fulfilment of that offer, +though what I request may seem both extraordinary and extravagant to +demand." + +The Earl bent down his eyes upon the table, and drew his lips in +somewhat close, for he in no degree divined what request was coming; and +he was much too old a politician to encourage applications, the very +proposers of which announced them as extravagant. "May I ask," he said, +at length, "what it is you have to propose? I am quite ready to do any +reasonable thing for your service, as I promised upon an occasion to +which I need not farther refer." + +Three servants at that moment entered the room, with chocolate, long cut +slices of toast, and cold water; and the conversation being thus +interrupted, the Earl invited his two guests to partake; and calling the +boy to him, fondled him for some moments at his knee, playing with the +clustering curls of his bright hair, and asking him many little kindly +questions about his sports and pastimes. + +The boy looked up in his face well pleased, and answered with so much +intelligence, and such winning grace, that the Earl, employing exactly +the same caress that Sherbrooke had often done before, parted the fair +hair on his forehead, and kissed his lofty brow. + +When the servants were gone, Sherbrooke instantly resumed the +conversation. "My request, my lord," he said, "is to be a very strange +one; a request that will put you to some expense, though not a very +great one; and will give you some trouble, though, would to God both the +trouble and expense could be undertaken by myself." + +"Perhaps," said the Earl, turning his eyes to the boy, "it may be +better, sir, that we speak alone for a minute or two. I am now sure that +I cannot be mistaken in the person to whom I speak, although I took you +at first for one that is no more. We will leave your son here, and he +can amuse himself with this book of pictures." + +Thus saying he rose, patted the boy's head, and pointed out the book he +referred to. He then threw open a door between that room and the next, +which was a large saloon, well lighted, and having led the way thither +with Sherbrooke, he held with him a low, but earnest conversation for +some minutes. + +"Well, sir," he said at length, "well, sir, I will not, and must not +refuse, though it places me in a strange and somewhat difficult +situation; but indeed, indeed, I wish you would listen to my +remonstrances. Abandon a hopeless, and what, depend upon it, is an +unjust cause,--a cause which the only person who could gain by it has +abandoned and betrayed. Yield to the universal voice of the people; or +if you cannot co-operate with the government that the popular voice has +called to power, at all events submit; and, I doubt not in the least, +that if, coupled with promises and engagements to be a peaceful subject, +you claim the titles and estates--" + +"My lord, it cannot be," replied Sherbrooke, interrupting him: "you +forget that I belong to the Catholic church. However, you will remember +our agreement respecting the papers, and other things which I shall +deposit with you this night: they are not to be given to him till he is +of age, under any circumstances, except that of the King's restoration, +when you may immediately make them public." + +As he spoke, he was turning away to return to the library; but the Earl +stopped him, saying, "Stay yet one moment: would it not be better to +give me some farther explanations? and have you nothing to say with +regard to the boy's education? for you must remember how I, too, am +situated." + +"I have no farther explanations to give, my lord," replied Sherbrooke; +"and as to the boy's education, I must leave it entirely with yourself. +Neither on his religious nor his political education will I say a word. +In regard to the latter, indeed, I may beg you to let him hear the +truth, and, reading what is written on both sides, to judge for himself. +Farther I have nothing to say." + +"But you will understand," replied the other, with marked emphasis, +"that I cannot and do not undertake to educate him as I would a son of +my own. He shall have as good an education as possible; he shall be +fitted, as far as my judgment can go, for any station in the state, to +enter any gentlemanly profession, and to win his way for himself by his +own exertions. But you cannot and must not expect that I should accustom +him to indulgence or expense in any way that the unfortunate +circumstances in which he is placed may render beyond his power to +attain, when you and I are no longer in being to support or aid him." + +"You judge wisely, my lord," replied Sherbrooke, "and in those respects +I trust him entirely to you, feeling too deeply grateful for the relief +you have given me from this overpowering anxiety, to cavil at any +condition that you may propose." + +"I have only one word more to say," replied the Earl, "which is, if you +please, I would prefer putting down on paper the conditions and +circumstances under which I take the boy: we will both sign the paper, +which may be for the security of us both." + +Sherbrooke agreed without hesitation; and on their return to the +library, the Earl wrote for some time, while his companion talked with +and caressed the boy. When the Earl had done, he handed one of the +papers he had written to Sherbrooke, who read it attentively, and then +signing it returned it to the Earl. That nobleman in the mean time, had +signed a counterpart of the paper which he now gave to Sherbrooke; and +the latter, taking from his pocket the small packet of various articles +which we have seen him make up at the inn before he went out on the very +expedition which produced his present visit to the Earl, gave it into +the peer's hands, who put his seal upon it also. + +This done, a momentary pause ensued, and Lennard Sherbrooke gazed +wistfully at the boy. A feeling of tenderness, which he could not +repress, gained upon his heart as he gazed, and seemed to overpower him; +for tears came up, and dimmed his sight. At length, he dashed them away; +and taking the boy up in his arms, he pressed him fondly to his bosom; +kissed him twice; set him down again; and then, turning to the Earl, +with a brow on which strong resolution was seen struggling with deep +emotion, he said, "Thank you, my lord, thank you!" + +It was all he could say, and turning away hastily he quitted the room. +The Earl rang the bell, and ordered the servant to see that the +gentleman's horse was brought round. He then turned and gazed upon the +boy with a look of interest; but little Wilton seemed perfectly happy, +and was still looking over the book of paintings which the Earl had +given to him to examine. + +"What can this be?" thought the Earl, as he looked at him; "can there be +perfect insensibility under that fair exterior?" And taking the boy by +the hand he drew him nearer. + +"Are you not sorry he is gone?" the nobleman asked. + +"Oh! he will not be long away," replied the boy: "he will come back in +an hour or two as he always does, and will look at me as I lie in bed, +and kiss me, and tell me to sleep soundly." + +"Poor boy!" said the Earl, in a tone that made the large expressive eyes +rise towards his face with a look of inquiry: "You must not expect him +to be back to-night, my boy. Now tell me what is your name?" + +"Wilton," replied the boy; but remembering that that was not sufficient +to satisfy a stranger, he added, "Wilton Brown. But how long will it be +before he comes back?" + +"I do not know," replied the Earl, evading his question. "How old are +you, Wilton?" + +"I am past eight," replied the boy. + +"Happily, an age of quick forgetfulness!" said the Earl, in a low tone +to himself; and then applying his thoughts to make the boy comfortable +for the night, he rang for his housekeeper, and gave her such +explanations and directions as he thought fit. + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +There is a strange and terrible difference in this world between the +look forward and the look back. Like the cloud that went before the +hosts of the children of Israel, when they fled from the land of Egypt, +an inscrutable fate lies before us, hiding with a dark and shadowy veil +the course of every future day: while behind us the wide-spread past is +open to the view; and as we mark the steps that we have taken, we can +assign to each its due portion of pain, anxiety, regret, remorse, +repose, or joy. Yet how short seems the past to the recollection of each +mortal man! how long, and wide, and interminable, is the cloudy future +to the gaze of imagination! + +Many years had passed since the eventful night recorded in our last +chapter; and to the boy, Wilton Brown, all that memory comprised seemed +but one brief short hour out of life's long day. + +The Earl of Sunbury had fulfilled what he had undertaken towards him, +exactly and conscientiously. He was a man, as we have shown, of kindly +feelings, and of a generous heart: although he was a politician, a +courtier, and a man of the world. He might, too--had not some severe +checks and disappointments crushed many of the gentler feelings of his +heart--he might, too, have been a man of warm and enthusiastic +affections. As it was, however, he guarded himself in general very +carefully against such feelings; acted liberally and kindly; but never +promised more, or did more, than prudence consented to, were the +temptation ever so strong. + +He had promised Lennard Sherbrooke that he would take the boy, and give +him a good education, would befriend him in life, and do all that he +could to serve him. He kept his word, as we have said, to the letter. +During the first six weeks, after he had engaged in this task, he saw +the boy often in the course of every day; grew extremely fond of him; +took him to London, when his own days of repose in the country were +past; and solaced many an hour, when he returned home fatigued with +business, by listening to the boy's prattle, and by playing with, as it +were, the fresh and intelligent mind of the young being now dependent +upon him for all things. + +It is a false and a mistaken notion altogether, that men of great mind +and intense thought are easily wearied or annoyed by the presence of +children. The man who is wearied with children must always be childish +himself in mind; but, alas! not young in heart. He must be light, +superficial, though perhaps inquiring and intelligent; but neither +gentle in spirit nor fresh in feeling. Such men must always soon become +wearied with children; for very great similarity of thought and of +mind--the paradox is but seeming--is naturally wearisome in another; +while, on the contrary, similarity of feeling and of heart is that bond +which binds our affections together. Where both similarities are +combined, we may be most happy in the society of our counterpart; but +where the link between the hearts is wanting there will always be great +tediousness in great similarity. + +Thus the Earl of Sunbury, though, Heaven knows, no man on earth could be +less childish in his keen and calculating thoughts, or in all his +ordinary habits and occupations, yet found a relief, and an enjoyment, +in talking with the boy, in eliciting all his fresh and picturesque +ideas, and in marking the train and course which thought naturally takes +before it is tutored to follow the direction of art. His own heart--for +a man of the world--was very fresh; but still the worldly mind ruled it +when it would; and the moment that he began to find that the boy might +become too much endeared, and too necessary to him, he determined to +deprive himself of the present pleasure, rather than risk the future +inconvenience. + +He accordingly determined to send the boy to school, and little Wilton +heard the announcement with pleasure; for though by this time he had +become greatly attached to the Earl, he longed for the society of beings +of the same age and habits as himself. When he was with the Earl he saw +that nobleman was interested with him, but he saw that he was amused +with him too; and in this respect children are very like that noblest of +animals, the dog. Any one who has remarked a dog when people jest with +him, and speak to him mockingly, must have seen that the creature is not +wholly pleased, that he seems as if made to feel a degree of +inferiority. Such also is the case with children; and little Wilton felt +that the Earl was making a sort of playful investigation of his mind, +even while he was jesting with him. I have said felt, because it was +feeling, not thought, that discovered it; and, therefore, though he +loved the Earl notwithstanding all this, he was glad to go where he +heard there were many such young beings as himself. + +The Earl did not think him ungrateful on account of the open expression +of his delight. He saw it all, and understood it all; for he had very +few of the smaller selfishnesses, which so frequently blind our eyes to +the most obvious facts which impinge against our own vanities. His was a +high and noble mind, chained and thralled by manifold circumstances and +accidents to the dull pursuits of worldly ambitions. One trait, however, +may display his character: he had practised in regard to the boy a piece +of that high delicacy of feeling of which none but great men are +capable. He had learned and divined, from the short conversation which +had taken place between himself and Lennard Sherbrooke, sufficient in +regard to the boy's unfortunate situation to guide his conduct in +respect to him; and now, even when alone with him in his own +drawing-room or library, he asked no farther questions; he pryed not at +all into what had gone before; and though the youth occasionally +prattled of the wild Irish shores, and the cottage where he had been +brought up, the Earl merely smiled, but gave him no encouragement to say +more. + +At length, Wilton Brown went to school; and as the Earl gradually lost a +part of that interest in him which had given prudence the alarm, time +had its effect on Wilton also, drawing one thin airy film after another +over the events of the past, not obliterating them; but, like the effect +of distance upon substantial objects, gathering them together in less +distinct masses, and diminishing them both in size and clearness. When +the time approached for his holidays, which were few and far between, he +was called to the Earl's house, and treated with every degree of +kindness; though with mere boyhood went by boyhood's graces, and the lad +could not be fondled and played with as the child. The Earl never did +anything to make him feel that he was a dependant--no, not for a single +moment; but as the boy's mind expanded, and as a certain degree of the +knowledge of the world was gained from the habits of a public school, he +explained to him, clearly and straight-forwardly, that upon his own +exertions he must rely for wealth, fame, and honour. He told him, that +in the country where he lived, the road to fortune, dignity, and power, +was open to every man; but that road was filled with eager and +unscrupulous competitors, and obstructed in many parts by obstacles +difficult to be surmounted. + +"They can be surmounted, Wilton, however," he added; "and with energy, +activity, and determination, that road can be trod, from one end to the +other, within the space of a single life, and leave room for repose at +the end.--You have often seen," he continued, "a gentleman who visits me +here, who rose from a station certainly not higher, or more fortunate +than your own,--who is called, even now, the Great Lord Somers, and +doubtless the same name will remain with him hereafter. He is an example +for all men to follow; and his life offers an encouragement for every +sort of exertion. He rose even from a very humble station of life, +outstripped all competitors, and is now, as you see, in the post of Lord +Keeper, owing no man anything, but all to his own talents and +perseverance. The same may be the case with you, Wilton. All that I can +do, to place you in the way of winning fortune and station for yourself, +I will do most willingly; but in every other respect you must keep in +mind, that you are to be the artisan of your own fortune, and shape your +course accordingly." + +Such was the language held towards Wilton Brown by the Earl, upon more +than one occasion; and the boy took what he said to heart, remembered, +pondered it, and after much thought and reflection formed the great and +glorious resolution of winning honour and renown, by every exertion of +his mind and body. It is a resolution that may, perhaps, have often been +taken by those who ultimately have never succeeded in the attempt. It is +a resolution from which some may have been wiled away by pleasure, or +driven by accident. But it is a resolution which no man who afterwards +proved great ever failed to take, ay, and to take early. On the head of +mediocrity: on the petty statesmen who figure throughout two thirds of +the world's history; on the tolerable generals who conduct the ordinary +wars of the world; on the small poets and the small philosophers who +fill up the ages that intervene between great men, fortune and accident +may shower down the highest honours, the greatest power, the most +abundant wealth; but the man who in any pursuit has reached the height +of real greatness, has set out on his career with the resolution of +winning fame in despite of circumstances. + +Such was the resolution which was taken, as we have said, by Wilton +Brown, and the effect of that very resolution upon him, as a mere lad, +was to make him thoughtful, studious, and different from any of the +other youths of the school, in habits and manners. + +The change was beneficial in many respects, even then. It made him +strive to acquire knowledge of every sort and kind that came within his +reach, and he always succeeded in some degree. It made him cultivate +every talent which he felt that he possessed, and an accurate eye and a +musical ear were not neglected as far as he could obtain instruction. He +not only acquired much knowledge, but also much facility in acquiring; +and his eager and anxious zeal did not pass unnoticed by those who +taught him, so that others contributed to his first success, as well as +his own efforts. + +That first success was, perhaps, unexpected by any one else. The period +came, at which he was barely qualified by age to strive in competition +with his schoolfellows, for one of those many excellent opportunities +afforded by the kindness and wisdom of past ages, for obtaining a high +education at one of the universities. He had never himself proposed to +be one of the competitors on this occasion, as there was a year open +before him to pursue his studies, and there were many boys at the school +far older than himself. + +The Earl had not an idea that such a thing would take place, as Wilton +himself had always expressed the utmost anxiety to pursue a military +career. He had never, indeed, even pressed him to adopt another pursuit, +although he had pointed out to his protege, that his own influence lay +almost entirely in the political world; and his surprise, therefore, was +very great, when he heard that Wilton, at the suggestion of the head +master, had presented himself for examination on this very first +occasion, and had carried off the highest place from all his +competitors. + +On his arrival in London he received him with delight, showered upon him +praises, and fitted him out liberally for his first appearance at the +University. + +Here, however, Wilton's first fortune seemed to abandon him. About six +months after his matriculation, he had the grief to hear that the Earl +had been thrown from his horse in hunting, and received various severe +injuries. He hastened to one of his country seats, where that nobleman +had been sojourning for the time, but found him a very different man +from that which he had appeared before. He was not ill enough to need or +to desire nursing and tendance, but he was quite ill enough to be +irritable, impatient, and selfish; for it is a strange fact, that the +very condition which renders us the most dependent on our +fellow-creatures too often renders us likewise indifferent to their +comfort, in our absorbing consideration of our own. Although he could +sit up and walk about, and go forth into his gardens, yet he suffered +great pain, which did not seem to diminish; and a frequent spitting of +blood rendered him impatient and querulous, whenever his lowest words +were not instantly heard and comprehended. + +It was a painful lesson to the youth he had brought up; and when the +time for Wilton's return to Oxford arrived, and the Earl, with seeming +satisfaction, put him in mind that it was time to go, the young +gentleman, in truth, felt it a relief from a situation in which he +neither well knew how to satisfy himself, or to satisfy the invalid, +towards whom he was so anxious to show his gratitude. + +He returned, then, to the university, where the allowance made him by +the Earl, of two hundred per annum, together with the little income +which a successful competition at school had placed at his disposal, +enabled him to maintain the society of that class with which he had +always associated in life, and to do so with ease to himself; though not +without economy. [Footnote: I think that the same was the college +allowance of the well-known Evelyn.] The Earl had asked him twice, if he +had found the sum enough, and seemed much pleased when Wilton had +replied that it was perfectly so. But from that expression he easily +divined, that had it been otherwise, the Earl might have said nothing +reproachful, but would not have been well satisfied. + +Wilton did not mistake the motives of the Earl: he knew him to be +anything but a penurious man; and he had long seen and been aware of the +motives on which that nobleman acted towards him. He knew that it was +with a wish to give him everything that was necessary and appropriate to +the situation in which he was placed, but by no means to encourage +expensive habits, or desires which might unfit him for the first +laborious steps which he was destined to tread in the path of life. He +felt, indeed, that there was an ambitious spirit in his own heart, and +it cost him many a struggle in thought, to regulate its action: to guide +it in the course of all that was good and right, but resolutely to +restrain it from following any other path. "Ambition," he thought, "is +like a falcon, and must be trained to fly only at what game I will. Its +proud spirit must be broken, to bend to this, and to submit to that; to +yield even to imaginary indignities, provided they imply no sacrifice of +real honour, and to strive for no false show, while I am striving for a +greater object." + +Thus passed a year, but during that time the Earl's health had been in +no degree improved; and a number of painful events had taken place in +his political course which had left his mind more irritable than before, +while continual suffering had brought upon him a sort of desponding +recklessness, which made him cast behind him altogether those things +which he had previously considered the great objects of existence, and +desire nothing but to quit for ever the scene of political strife, and +pass the rest of his days in peace, if not in comfort. + +Such had been the state of his mind when Wilton had last seen him in +London, towards the beginning of the year 1695; but the young gentleman +was somewhat surprised, about a month afterwards, to receive a sudden +summons to visit the Earl in town, coupled with information, that it was +his friend's design immediately to proceed to Italy, on account of his +health. The summons was very unexpected, as we have implied; but the +Earl informed him in his letter that he was going without loss of time; +and as the shortest way of reaching him, Wilton determined to mount his +horse at once, and ride part of the way to London that night. Of his +journey, however, and its results, we will speak in another chapter. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +That there are epochs in the life of every man, when all the concurrent +circumstances of fortune seem to form, as it were, a dam against the +current of his fate, and turn it completely into another direction, when +the trifling accident and the great event work together to produce an +entirely new combination around him, no one who examines his own +history, or marks attentively the history of others, can doubt for a +moment. It is very natural, too, to believe that there are at those +moments indications in our own hearts--from the deep latent sympathies +which exist between every part of nature and the rest--that the changes +which reason and observation do not point out are about to take place in +our destiny: for is it to be supposed, that when the fiat has gone forth +which alters a being's whole course of existence--when the electric +touch has been communicated to one end of the long chain of cause and +effect which forms the fate of every individual being--is it to be +supposed that it will not tremble to its most remote link, especially +towards that point where the greatest action is to take place? + +There come upon us, it seems to me, in those times, fits of musing far +deeper and more intense, excitability of feeling--perhaps of imagination +too--more acute than at any other time. Perhaps, also, a determination, +an energy of will is added, necessary to carry us through, with power +and firmness, the struggle, or the change, or the temptation that awaits +us. + +When Nelson stood upon the quarter-deck of his ship, but a few minutes +before the last great victory that closed a career of glory, he felt and +expressed a sense that his last hour was come, that the great and final +change of fate was near, and that but a few moments remained for the +accomplishment of his destiny. But the indication was given to a mind +that could employ it nobly; and he to whom the foreshadowing of his fate +had been afforded, even as a boy--when he determined that he would, and +felt that he could, be a hero--in that last moment, when he knew that +the hero's life was done, determined to die as he had lived, and used +the prescience of his coming death but to promote the objects for which +he had existed. + +There may be some men who would say these things are not natural; but if +we could see all the fine relationships of one being to another, if the +mortal eye refined could view the unsubstantial as well as the +substantial world, could mark the keen sympathies and near associations, +and all the essences which fill up the apparent gaps between being and +being, we should see, undoubtedly, that these things are most natural, +and wonder at the blindness with which we have walked in darkling +ignorance through the thronged and multitudinous universe. + +It was somewhat late in the afternoon when Wilton Brown put his foot in +the stirrup, and set off to ride towards London. He did not hope to +reach the metropolis that night, but he intended to go as far as he +could, so as to insure his arrival before the hour of the Earl's +breakfast on the following morning. He had ridden his horse somewhat +hard during the morning before he had received the summons to town, and +he consequently now set out at a slow pace. Not to weary the noble beast +was, in truth, and in reality, his motive; but there was, at the same +time, in his mind, a temporary inclination to deep and intense thought, +which he could by no means shake off, and which naturally disposed him +to a slow and equable pace. + +The sudden announcement of the Earl's determination to go abroad, +without any intimation that the young man whom he had fostered from +youth to manhood was to accompany him, or to follow him to the +continent, might very well set Wilton musing on his circumstances and +his prospects; but that was not the cause of his meditative mood on the +present occasion, though it was the immediate cause of his giving way to +it. In truth, the inclination which he felt to low, desponding, though +deep and clear thought, had pursued him for the last four-and-twenty +hours, and it was to cast it off that he had in fact ridden so hard that +very morning. Now, however, he found it necessary to yield to it; and as +he rode along, he gave up his mind entirely to the consideration of the +past, of the present, and the future. + +The Earl had announced to him at once in his letter, that he was about +to leave England, but he had made no reference whatsoever to the future +fate of him whom he had hitherto protected and supported. Was that +protection and support still to continue? Wilton asked himself. His +friend had told him that he was to win his way in the world, and was the +struggle now to begin? The next question that came was, naturally, Who +and what am I, then? and his thoughts plunged at once into a gulf where +they had often lost themselves before. + +His boyhood had passed away unheeding, and he had attached no importance +to his previous fate, nor made any effort to impress upon his own +recollection the circumstances which preceded the period of his +reception into the Earl's house. Indeed, he had never thought much upon +the matter, till at length, when he had reached the age of fifteen, the +Earl had kindly and judiciously spoken with him upon his future +prospects; and in order to stimulate him to exertion, had pointed out to +him that his fortunes depended on himself. He had then, for the first +time, asked himself, "Who and what am I?" and had striven to recollect +as much as possible of the past, in order to gather thence some +knowledge of the present. His efforts had not been very successful. + +Time, the great destroyer, envies even memory the power of preserving +images of the things that he has done away or altered; and he is sure, +if possible, to deface the pictures altogether, or to leave the lines +less clear. With Wilton he had done much to blot out and to confuse. At +first, memory seemed all a blank beyond the period of his schoolboy +days; but gradually one image after another rose out of the void, and +one called up another as they came. Still they were clouded and +indistinct, like the vague phantoms of a dream. It was with great +difficulty that he recollected any names, and could not at all tell in +what land it was, that some of the brightest of his memories lay. It was +all unconnected, too, with the present, and from it Wilton could derive +no clue in regard to the great change that was coming. Between him and +the future there appeared to hang a dark pall, which his eye could not +penetrate, but behind which was Fate. He tried to combat such feelings: +he tried long, as he rode, to conquer them; to put them down by the +power of a vigorous mind; to overthrow sensation by thought. + +When, however, he found that he could not succeed, when, after many +efforts, the oppression--for I will not call it despondency--remained +still as powerful as ever, he mentally turned, as if to face an enemy +that pursued him, and to gaze full upon the inevitable power itself; all +the more awful as it was, in the misty grandeur which shrouded the +frowning features from his view. He nerved his heart, too, and resolved, +whatever it might be that was in store for him, whatever might be the +change, the loss, the adversity, which all his sensations seemed to +prophesy, that he would bear it with unshrinking courage, with resolute +determination; nay, with what was still more with one of his +disposition, with unmurmuring patience. + +In the meanwhile, however, he strove, as he went along, to persuade +himself that the presentiment was but the work of fancy; that there was +nothing real in it; that he had excited himself to fears and +apprehensions that were groundless; that the expedition of the Earl to +Italy was but a temporary undertaking, and that it would most probably +make no change in his situation, no alteration in his fortunes. + +Thus thought he, as he rode slowly onward, when, at the distance of +about a quarter of a mile, he perceived another horseman, proceeding at +a pace perhaps still slower than his own. The aspect of the country +between Oxford and London was as different in that day from that which +it is at present as it is possible to conceive. There is nothing in all +England--with all the changes which have taken place, in manners, +morals, feelings, arts, sciences, produce, manufactures, and +government--which has undergone so great a change, as the high roads of +the empire during the last hundred and fifty years. No one can now tell, +where the roads which lay between this place and that then ran. They +have been dug into, ploughed up, turned hither and thither, changed into +canals, or swallowed up in railroads. The face of the country, too, has +been altered, by many a village built, and many an old mansion pulled +down, long tracts of country brought into cultivation, and deep +plantations of old trees shadowing that ground which in those days was +unwholesome marsh, or barren moor. Even Hounslow Heath, beloved by many +of the frequenters of the King's Highway, has disappeared under the +spirit of cultivation, and left no trace of places where many a daring +deed was clone. + +However that may be, the road which the young traveller was following, +lay not at all in the direction taken by either of the present roads to +Oxford; but at a short distance from High Wycombe turned off to the +right--that is, supposing the traveller to be going towards London--and +approached the banks of the Thames not far from Marlow. In so doing, it +passed over a long range of high hills, and a wide extent of flat, +common ground upon the top, which was precisely the point whereat Wilton +Brown had arrived, at the very moment we began this digression upon the +state of the King's Highways in those times. + +This common ground of which we speak was as bleak as well might be, for +the winds of heaven had certainly room to visit it as roughly as they +chose; it was also uncultivated, and yet it cannot be said to have been +unproductive; for, probably, there never was a space of ground of equal +size, unless it were Maidenhead Thicket, which could show so rich and +luxuriant a crop of gorse, heath, and fern. For a shelter to the latter, +appeared scattered at unequal distances over the ground a few stunted +trees--hawthorns, beeches, and oaks. The beech, however, predominated, +in honour of the county in which the common was situated; for though, +probably, if we knew the origin of the name bestowed on each county in +England, we should find them all significant, yet none, I believe, would +be found more picturesque or appropriate than that given by our good +Saxon ancestors to the county in question--being Buchen-heim, or +Buckingham: the home or land of the beeches. + +The gorse, fern, and heath, besides a small quantity of not very rich +grass, and a few wild flowers, were the only produce of the ground, +except the trees that I have mentioned; and the only tenants of the +place were a few sheep, by far too lean to need any one to look after +them. On the edges of the common, indeed, might be found an occasional +goose or two, but they were like the white settlers on the coast of +Africa: venturing rarely and timidly into the interior. A high road went +across this track, as I have shown; but it being necessary, from time to +time, that farmers' carts, and other conveyances, horses, waggons, +tinkers' asses, and flocks of sheep, should cross it in different +directions, and as each of these travelling bodies, in common with the +world in general, liked to have a way of its own, the furze and fern had +been cut down in many long straight lines; and paths for horse and foot, +as well as long tracks of wheels, and deep ruts, crossed and recrossed +each other all over the common. To have seen it--nay, to see it now, for +it exists very nearly in its primeval state--one would suppose, from all +the various tracks, that it was a place of great thoroughfare, when, to +say truth, though I have crossed it some twenty times or more, I never +saw any travelling thing upon it but a solitary tax-cart and a gipsy's +van. + +It was just about the middle of this common, then, that Wilton Brown, as +I have said, perceived another horseman riding along at the same slow +pace as himself. Their faces were both turned one way, with a few +hundred yards between them; and it appeared to the young gentleman, that +the other personage whom we have mentioned was coming in an oblique line +towards the high road to which he himself was journeying. This +supposition proved to be correct, as the stranger, riding along the path +that he was following, came abreast of Wilton Brown upon the high road, +just at the spot where a comfortable direction-post pointed with the +forefinger of a rude hand carved in the wood, along a path to the left, +bearing inscribed, in large letters, "To Woburn." + +The young traveller examined the other with a hasty but marking glance, +and perceived thereby, that he was a stout man of the middle age, +between the unpleasant ages of forty and fifty, but without any loss of +power or activity. He was mounted on a strong black horse, had a quick +and eager eye, and altogether possessed a fine countenance, but there +was some degree of shy suspicion in his look, which did not seem to +indicate any very great energy or force of determination. + +It now wanted not more than a quarter of an hour to sunset, and there +was a bright rich yellow light in the western sky, which gave each +traveller a fair excuse for staring into the face of the other, as if +their eyes were dazzled by the beams of the declining sun. + +When he had satisfied himself, Wilton Brown turned away his eyes, and +rode on, gazing quietly over the wide extent of bleak common, which, to +say sooth, offered a picturesque scene enough, with its scrubby trees, +and its large masses of tall gorse, lying in the calm evening air; while +deep blue shadows, and clear lights resting here and there in the +hollows and upon the swells, marked them out distinctly to the view. + +In a moment after, however, Wilton's ears were saluted by the stranger's +voice, saying, "Give you good evening, young gentleman--it has been a +fine afternoon." + +Now this might appear somewhat singular in the present day--when human +beings have adopted a particular sort of mysterious ordinance, by which +alone they can become thoroughly known and acquainted with each +other--and when no man, upon any pretence or consideration whatsoever, +dare speak to a fellow-creature, until some one known to both of them +has whispered some cabalistic words between them, which, in general, +neither of them hear distinctly. At the time I speak of, however, +acquaintance was much more easily made, so far, at least, as common +civility and the ordinary charities of life went. A man might speak to +another at that time, if any accidental circumstances threw them close +together, without any risk of being taken for a fool, a swindler, or a +brute; and there was, in short, a good-humoured frankness and simplicity +in those days, which formed, to say the truth, the best part about them; +for the good old times, as they are called, were certainly desperately +coarse, and a trifle more vicious than the present. + +Such being the case then, Wilton Brown was not in the least surprised at +the address of the stranger, but turned, and replied civilly; and being, +indeed, somewhat dissatisfied with the companionship of his own +thoughts, he suffered his horse to jog on side by side with the beast of +the stranger, and entered into conversation with him willingly enough. +He found him an intelligent and clever man, with a tone and manner +superior, in many points, to his dress and equipage. He seemed to speak +with authority, and was conversant with the great world of London, with +the court, and the camp. He knew something also of France, and its +self-called great monarch. He spoke with a shrug of the shoulder and an +Alas! of the court of Saint Germain, and the exiled royal family of +England; but he said nothing that could commit him to either one party +or the other; and though he certainly left room for Wilton to express +his own sentiments, if he chose to do so, he did not absolutely strive +to lead him to any political subject, which formed in those days a more +dangerous ground than at present. + +Wilton, however, had not the slightest inclination to discuss politics +with a stranger. Brought up by a Whig minister, educated in the +Protestant religion, and fond of liberty upon principle, it may easily +be imagined, that he not only looked upon those who now swayed, and were +destined to sway, the British sceptre as the lawful and rightful +possessors of power in the country, but he regarded the actual sovereign +himself--though he might not love him in his private character, or +admire him in those acts, where the man and the monarch were too +inseparably blended to be considered apart--as a great deliverer of this +country, from a tyranny which had been twice tried and twice repudiated. +At the same time, however, he felt for the exiled monarch. But he felt +still more for his noble wife, and for his unhappy son. His own heart +told him that those two had been unjustly dealt with, the one +calumniated, the other punished without a fault. Nor did he blame the +true and faithful servants whom adversity could not shake, and who were +only loyal to a crime, who still adhered to their old allegiance, loved +still the sovereign, who had never ill-treated them, and were ready +again to shed their blood for the house in whose service so much noble +blood had already flowed. He did not--he did not in his own heart--blame +them, and he loved not to consider what necessity there might be for +putting down with the strong and unsparing hand of law the frequent +renewal of those claims which had been decided upon by the awful +sentence of a mighty nation. + +But upon none of these subjects spoke he with the stranger. He refrained +from all such topics, though they were with some skill thrown in his +way; and thus the journey passed pleasantly enough for about half an +hour. By that time the sun had gone down; but it was a clear, bright +evening with a long twilight; and the evening rays, like gay children +unwilling to go to sleep, lingered long in rosy sport with the light +clouds before they would sink to rest beneath the western sky. The +twilight was becoming grey, however, and the light falling short, when, +at about the distance of half a mile before they reached the spot where +the common terminated, the two travellers approached a rise and fall in +the ground, beyond which ran a little stream with a small old bridge of +one arch, not in the best repair, carrying the highway over the water +with a sharp and sudden turn. Scattered about in the neighbourhood of +the bridge, and on the slope that led down to it, perched upon sundry +knolls and banks, and pieces of broken ground, were a number of old +beeches, mostly hollowed out by time, but still flourishing green in +their decay. These trees, together with the twilight, prevented the +bridge itself from being seen by the travellers; but as they came near, +they heard a sudden cry, as if called forth by either terror or +surprise, and Wilton instantly checked his horse to listen. + +"Did you not hear a scream?" he said, addressing his companion in a low +voice. + +"Yes," answered the other, "I thought I did: let us ride on and see." + +Wilton's spurs instantly touched his horse's side, and he rode quickly +down the slope towards the bridge, which he well remembered, when a +scene was suddenly presented to his view, which for a moment puzzled and +confounded him. + +Just at the turn of the bridge lay overturned upon the road one of the +large, heavy, wide-topped vehicles, called a coach in those days, while +round about it appeared a group of persons whose situation, for a +moment, seemed to him dubious, but which soon became more plain. A +gentleman, somewhat advanced in life--perhaps about fifty-eight or +fifty-nine, if not more--stood by the door of the carriage, from which +he had recently emerged, and with him two women, one of whom was a young +lady, apparently of about seventeen years of age, and the other her +maid. Three men--servants stood about their master; but they had not the +slightest appearance of any intention of giving aid to any one; for, +though sundry were the situations and attitudes in which they stood, +each of those attitudes betokened, in a greater or a less degree, the +uncomfortable sensation of fear. One of them, indeed, had a brace of +pistols in his two hands, but those hands dropped, as it were, powerless +by his side, and his knees were bent into a crooked line, which +certainly indicated no great firmness of heart. + +To account for the trepidation displayed by several of the persons +present, it may be necessary to state that round the overthrown vehicle +stood five personages, each of whom held a cocked pistol in his hand, +and, in two instances, the hands that held those pistols were raised in +an attitude of menace not to be mistaken. In one instance, the weapon of +offence was pointed towards the gentleman who appeared to be the owner +of the carriage; in the other, it was directed towards the head of the +poor girl, his daughter, who seemed to have not the slightest intention +of resisting. + +This formidable gesture was accompanied by words, which were spoken loud +enough for Wilton to hear, as he pushed his horse down the hill; and +those words were, "Come, madam! your ear-rings, quick: do not keep us +all night with your hands shaking. By the Lord, I will get them out in a +quicker fashion, if you do not mind." + +Before we can proceed to describe what occurred next, it may be +necessary to state one feature in the case, which was very +peculiar--this was, that at about forty yards from the spot where the +robbery was taking place, upon the top of a small bank, with his horse +grazing near, and his arms crossed upon his chest, stood a man of +gentlemanly appearance and powerful frame, taking no part whatsoever in +the affray; not opposing the proceedings of the plunderers, indeed, but +gnawing his nether lip, as if anything rather than well contented. He +fixed a keen, even a fierce eye upon Wilton as he rode down; but neither +the young gentleman himself, nor the other traveller, who followed him +at full speed, took any notice of him, but coming on with their pistols +drawn from their holsters, they were soon in the midst of the group +round the carriage. + +Wilton, unaccustomed to such encounters, was not very willing to shed +blood, and therefore--the chivalrous spirit in his heart leading him at +once towards one particular spot in the circle--he struck the man who +was brutally pointing his pistol at the girl, a blow of his clenched +fist, which hitting him just under the ear, as he turned at the sound of +the horse's feet, laid him in a moment motionless and stunned upon the +ground. + +The young gentleman, by the same impulse, and almost at the same +instant, sprang from his horse, and cast himself between the lady and +the assailants; but at that moment the voice of his travelling companion +met his ear, exclaiming, in a thundering tone, "That is right! that is +right! Now stand upon the defensive till my men come up!" + +Wilton did not at all understand what this might mean; but turning to +the servants already on the spot, he exclaimed, in a sharp tone, "Stand +forward like men, you scoundrels!" and they, seeing some help at hand, +advanced a little with a show of courage. + +The gentlemen of the King's Highway, however, had heard the words which +Wilton's companion had shouted to him; and seeing themselves somewhat +overmatched in point of numbers already, they did not appear to approve +of more men coming up on the other side, before they had taken their +departure. There was, consequently, much hurrying to horse. The man who +had been knocked down by Wilton was dragged away by the heels, from the +spot where he lay somewhat too near to the other party; and the sharp +application of the gravel to his face, as one of his companions pulled +him along by the legs, proved sufficiently reviving to make him start +up, and nearly knock his rescuer down. + +Wilton--not moved by the spirit of an ancient Greek--felt no +inclination to fight for the dead or the living body of his foe; and the +whole party of plunderers were speedily in the saddle and on the +retreat, with the exception of the more sedate personage on the bank. +He, indeed, was more slow to mount, calling the man who had been knocked +down "The Knight of the Bloody Nose" as he passed him; and then with a +light laugh springing into the saddle, he followed the rest at an easy +canter. + +"Ha! ha! ha!" exclaimed Wilton's companion of the road, laughing, "let +me be called the master of stratagems for the rest of my life! Those +five fools have suffered themselves to be terrified from their booty, +simply by three words from my mouth and their own imaginations." + +"Then you have no men coming up?" said Wilton. + +"Not a man," replied the other: "all my men are busy in my own house at +this minute; most likely saying grace over roast pork and humming ale." + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +The events that happen to us in life gather themselves together in +particular groups, each group separated in some degree from that which +follows and that which goes before, but yet each united, in its own +several parts, by some strong bond of connexion, and each by a finer and +less apparent ligament attached to the other groups that surround it. In +short, if, as the great poet moralist has said, "All the world is a +stage, and all the men and women in it only players," the life of each +man is a drama, with the events thereof divided into separate scenes, +the scenes gathered into grand acts, and the acts all tending to the +great tragic conclusion of the whole. Happy were it for man if he, like +a great dramatist, would keep the ultimate conclusion still in view. + +In the life of Wilton Brown, the scene of the robbers ended with the +words which we have just said were spoken by his travelling companion, +and a new scene was about to begin. + +The elderly gentleman to whom the carriage apparently belonged, took a +step forward as the stranger spoke the last sentence, exclaiming, +"Surely I am not mistaken--Sir John Fenwick, I believe." The stranger +pulled off his hat and bowed low. "The same, your grace," he replied: +"it is long since we have met, and I am happy that our meeting now has +proved, in some degree, serviceable to you." + +"Most serviceable, indeed, Sir John," replied the Duke, shaking him +warmly by the hand; "and how is your fair wife, my Lady Mary? and my +good Lord of Carlisle, and all the Howards?" + +"Well, thank your grace," replied Sir John Fenwick, "all well. This, I +presume, is your fair daughter, my Lady." + +"She is, sir, she is," interrupted the Duke: "you have seen her as a +child, Sir John. But pray, Sir John, introduce us to your gallant young +friend, to whom we are also indebted for so much." + +"He must do that for himself," replied Sir John Fenwick: "we are but the +companions of the last half hour, and comrades in this little +adventure." + +Although accustomed to mingle with the best society; and, in all +ordinary cases, free and unrestrained in his own manners, Wilton Brown +felt some slight awkwardness in introducing himself upon the present +occasion. He accordingly merely gave his name, expressing how much +happiness he felt at the opportunity he had had of serving the Duke; but +referred not at all to his own station or connexion with the Earl of +Sunbury. + +"Wilton Brown!" said the Duke, with a meaning smile, and gazing at him +from head to foot, while he mentally contrasted his fine and lofty +appearance, handsome dress, and distinguished manners, with the somewhat +ordinary name which he had given. "Wilton Brown! a NOM DE GUERRE, I +rather suspect, my young friend?" + +"No, indeed, my lord," replied Wilton: "were it worth anybody's while to +search, it would be found so written in the books of Christchurch." + +"Oh! an Oxonian," cried the Duke, "and doubtless now upon your way to +London. But how is this, my young friend, you are in midst of term +time!" + +Wilton smiled at the somewhat authoritative and parental tone assumed by +the old gentleman. "The fact is, my Lord Duke," he said, "that I am +obliged to absent myself, but not without permission. The illness of my +best friend, the Earl of Sunbury, and his approaching departure for +Italy, oblige me to go to London now to see him before he departs." + +"Oh, the Earl of Sunbury, the Earl of Sunbury," replied the Duke: "a +most excellent man, and a great statesman, one on whom all parties rely.* +That alters the case, my young friend; and indeed, whatever might be the +cause of your absence from Alma Mater, we have much to thank that cause +for your gallant assistance--especially my poor girl here. Let me shake +hands with you--and now we must think of what is to be done next, for +it is well nigh dark: the carriage is broken by those large stones which +they must have put in the way, doubtless, to stop us; and it is hopeless +to think of getting on farther to-night." + +[*Footnote: Let it be remarked that this was not the Earl of Sunderland, +of whom the exact reverse might have been said.] + +"Hopeless, indeed, my lord," replied Sir John Fenwick; "but your grace +must have passed on the way hither a little inn, about half a mile +distant, or somewhat more. There I intended to sleep to-night, and most +probably my young friend, too, for his horse seems as tired as mine. If +your grace will follow my advice, you would walk back to the inn, make +your servants take everything out of the carriage, and send some people +down afterwards to drag it to the inn-yard till to-morrow morning." + +"It is most unfortunate!" said the Duke, who was fond of retrospects. +"We sent forward the other carriage about three hours before us, in +order that the house in London might be prepared when we came." + +The proposal of Sir John Fenwick, however, was adopted; and after giving +careful and manifold orders to his servants, the Duke took his way back +on foot towards the inn, conversing as he went with the Knight. His +daughter followed with Wilton Brown by her side; and for a moment or two +they went on in silence; but at length seeing her steps not very steady +over the rough road upon which they were, Wilton offered his left arm to +support her, having the bridle of his horse over the right. + +She took it at once, and he felt her hand tremble as it rested on his +arm, which was explained almost at the same moment. "It is very foolish, +I believe," she said, in a low, sweet voice, "and you will think me a +terrible coward, I am afraid; but I know not how it is, I feel more +terrified and agitated, now that this is all over, than I did at the +time." + +The communication being thus begun, Wilton soon found means to soothe +and quiet her. His conversation had all that ease and grace which, +combined with carefulness of proprieties, is only to be gained by long +and early association with persons of high minds and manners. There was +no restraint, no stiffness--for to avoid all that could give pain or +offence to any one was habitual to him--and yet, at the same time, there +was joined to the high tone of demeanour a sort of freshness of ideas, a +picturesqueness of language and of thought, which were very captivating, +even when employed upon ordinary subjects. It is an art--perhaps I might +almost call it a faculty--of minds like his, insensibly and naturally to +lead others from the most common topics, to matters of deeper interest, +and thoughts of a less every-day character. It is as if two persons were +riding along the high road together, and one of them, without his +companion remarking it, were to guide their horses into some bridle-path +displaying in its course new views and beautiful points in the scenery +around. + +Thus ere they reached the inn, the fair girl, who leaned upon the arm of +an acquaintance of half an hour, seemed to her own feelings as well +acquainted with him as if she had known him for years, and was talking +with him on a thousand subjects on which she had never conversed with +any one before. + +The Duke, who, although good-humoured and kindly, was somewhat stately, +and perhaps a very little ostentatious withal, on the arrival of the +party at the inn, insisted upon the two gentlemen doing him the honour +of supping with him that night, "as well," he said, "as the poorness of +the place would permit;" and a room apart having been assigned to him, +he retired thither, with the humbly bowing host, to issue his own orders +regarding their provision. The larder of the inn, however, proved to be +miraculously well stocked; the landlord declared that no town in +Burgundy, no, nor Bordeaux itself, could excel the wine that he would +produce; and while the servants with messengers from the inn brought in +packages, which seemed innumerable, from the carriage, the cook toiled +in her vocation, the host and hostess bustled about to put all the rooms +in order, Sir John Fenwick and Wilton Brown talked at the door of the +inn, and Lady Laura retired to alter her dress, which had been somewhat +deranged by the overthrow of the carriage. + +At length, however, it was announced that supper was ready, and Wilton +with his companion entered the room, where the Duke and his daughter +awaited them. On going in, Wilton was struck and surprised; and, indeed, +he almost paused in his advance, at the sight of the young lady, as she +stood by her father. In the grey of the twilight, he had only remarked +that she was a very pretty girl; and as they had walked along to the +inn, she had shown so little of the manner and consciousness of a +professed beauty, that he had not even suspected she might be more than +he had first imagined. When he saw her now, however, in the full light, +he was, as we have said, struck with surprise by the vision of radiant +loveliness which her face and form presented. Wilton was too wise, +however, and knew his own situation too well, even to dream of falling +in love with a duke's daughter; and though he might, when her eyes were +turned a different way, gaze upon her and admire, it was but as a man +who looks at a jewel in a king's crown, which he knows he can never +possess. + +Well pleased to please, and having nothing in his thoughts to embarrass +or trouble him on that particular occasion, he gave way to his natural +feelings, and won no small favour and approbation in the eyes of the +Duke and his fair daughter. The evening, which had begun with two of the +party so inauspiciously, passed over lightly and gaily; and after +supper, Wilton rose to retire to rest, with a sigh, perhaps, from some +ill-defined emotions, but with a recollection of two or three happy +hours to be added to the treasury of such sweet things which memory +stores for us in our way through life. + +As the inn was very full, the young gentleman had to pass through the +kitchen to reach the staircase of his appointed room. Standing before +the kitchen fire, and talking over his shoulder to the landlord, who +stood a step behind him, was a tall, broad-shouldered, powerful man, +dressed in a good suit of green broad cloth, laced with gold. His face +was to the fire, and his back to Wilton, and he did not turn or look +round while the young gentleman was there. The landlord hastened to give +his guest a light, and show him his room; and Wilton passed a night, +which, if not dreamless, was visited by no other visions but sweet ones. + +On the following morning he was up early, and approached the window of +his room to throw it open, and to let in the sweet early air to visit +him, while he dressed himself; but the moment he went near the window, +he saw that it looked into a pretty garden laid out in the old English +style. That garden, however, was already tenanted by two persons +apparently deep in earnest conversation. One of those two persons was +evidently Sir John Fenwick, and the other was the stranger in green and +gold, whom Wilton had remarked the night before at the kitchen fire. + +Seeing how earnestly they were speaking, he refrained from opening his +window, and proceeded to dress himself; but he could not avoid having, +every now and then, a full view of the faces of the two, as they turned +backwards and forwards at the end of the garden. Something that he there +saw puzzled and surprised him: the appearance of the stranger in green +seemed more familiar to him than it could have become by the casual +glance he had obtained of it in the inn kitchen; and he became more and +more convinced, at every turn they took before him, that this personage +was no other than the man he had beheld standing on the bank, taking no +part with the gentlemen of the road, indeed, but evidently belonging to +their company. + +This puzzled him, as we have said, not a little. Sir John Fenwick was a +gentleman of good repute, whom he had heard of before now. He had +married the Lady Mary Howard, daughter of the Earl of Carlisle, and, +though a stanch Jacobite, it was supposed, he was nevertheless looked +upon as a man of undoubted probity and honour. What could have been his +business, then, with thieves, or at best with the companions of thieves? +This was a question which Wilton could no ways solve; and after having +teased himself for some time therewith, he at length descended to the +little parlour of the inn, and ordered his horse to be brought round as +speedily as possible. He felt in his own bosom, indeed, some inclination +to wait for an hour or two, in order to take leave of the Duke and his +fair daughter; but remembering his own situation with the Earl, as well +as feeling some of his gloomy sensations of the day before returning +upon him, he determined to set out without loss of time. He mounted +accordingly, and took his way towards London at a quick pace, in order +to arrive before the Earl's breakfast hour. + +There are, however, in that part of the country, manifold hills, over +which none but a very inhumane man, unless he were pursued by enemies, +or pursuing a fox, would urge his horse at a rapid rate; and as Wilton +Brown was slowly climbing one of the first of these, he was overtaken by +another horseman, who turned out to be none other than the worthy +gentleman in the green coat. + +"Good morrow to you, Master Wilton Brown," said the stranger, pulling up +his horse as soon as he had reached him: "we are riding along the same +road, I find, and may as well keep companionship as we go. These are sad +times, and the roads are dangerous." + +"They are, indeed, my good sir," replied Wilton, who was, in general, +not without that capability of putting down intrusion at a word, which, +strangely enough, is sometimes a talent of the lowest and meanest order +of frivolous intellects, but is almost always found in the firm and +decided--"they are, indeed, if I may judge by what you and I saw last +night." + +The stranger did not move a muscle, but answered, quite coolly, "Ay, sad +doings though, sad doings: you knocked that fellow down smartly--a neat +blow, as I should wish to see: I thought you would have shot one of +them, for my part." + +"It is a pity you had not been beforehand with me," answered Wilton: +"you seemed to have been some time enjoying the sport when we came up." + +The stranger now laughed aloud. "No, no," he said, "that would not do; I +could not interfere; I am not conservator of the King's Highway; and, +for my part, it should always be open for gentlemen to act as they +liked, though I would not take any share in the matter for the world." + +"There is such a thing," replied Wilton, not liking his companion at +all--"there is such a thing as taking no share in the risk, and a share +in the profit." + +A quick flush passed over the horseman's cheek, but remained not a +moment. "That is not my case," he replied, in a graver tone than he had +hitherto used; "not a stiver would I have taken that came out of the +good Duke's pocket, had it been to save me from starving. I take no +money from any but an enemy; and when we cannot carry on the war with +them in the open field, I do not see why we should not carry it on with +them in any way we can. But to attack a friend, or an indifferent +person, is not at all in my way." + +"Oh! I begin to understand you somewhat more clearly," replied Wilton; +"but allow me to say, my good sir, that it were much better not to talk +to me any more upon such subjects. By so doing, you run a needless risk +yourself, and can do neither of us any good. Of course," he added, +willing to change the conversation, "it was Sir John Fenwick who told +you my name." + +"Yes," replied the other; "but it was needless, for I knew it before." + +"And yet," said Wilton, "I do not remember that we ever met." + +"There you are mistaken," answered the traveller; "we met no longer ago +than last Monday week. You were going down the High-street in your cap +and gown, and you saw some boys looking into a tart shop, and gave them +some pence to buy what they longed for." + +The ingenuous colour came up into Wilton Brown's cheek, as he remembered +the little circumstance to which the man alluded. "I did not see you," +he said. + +"But I saw you," answered the man, "and was pleased with what I saw; for +I am one of those whom the hard lessons of life have taught to judge +more by the small acts done in private, than by the great acts that all +mankind must see. Man's closet acts are for his own heart and God's eye; +man's public deeds are paintings for the world. However, I was pleased, +as I have said, and I have seen more things of you also that have +pleased me well. You saw me, passed me by, and would not know me again +in the same shape to-morrow; but I take many forms, when it may suit my +purposes; and having been well pleased with you once or twice, I take +heed of what you are about when I do see you." + +Wilton Brown mused over what he said for a moment or two, and then +replied, "I should much like to know what it was first induced you to +take any notice of my actions at all--there must have been some motive, +of course." + +"Oh, no," replied the other--"there is no MUST! It might have been +common curiosity. Every likely youth, with a pair of broad shoulders and +a soldier-like air, is worth looking after in these times of war and +trouble. But the truth is, I know those who know something of you, and, +if I liked, I could introduce you to one whom you have not seen for many +a year." + +"What is his name?" demanded Wilton Brown, turning sharply upon the +stranger, and gazing full in his face. + +"Oh! I name no names," replied the stranger; "I know not whether it +would be liked or not. However, some day I will do what I have said, if +I can get leave; and now I think I will wish you good morning, for here +lies my road, and there lies yours." + +"But stay, stay, yet a moment," said Wilton, checking his horse; "how am +I to hear of you, or to see you again?" + +"Oh!" replied the stranger, in a gay tone, "I will contrive that, fear +not!--Nevertheless, in case you should need it, you can ask for me at +the tavern at the back of Beaufort House: the Green Dragon, it is +called." + +"And your name, your name?" said Wilton, seeing the other about to ride +away. + +"My name! ay, I had forgot--why, your name is Brown--call me Green, if +you like. One colour's just as good as another, and I may as well keep +the complexion of my good friend, the Dragon, in countenance. So you +wont forget, it is Mister Green, at the Green Dragon, in the Green Lane +at the back of Beaufort House; and now, Mister Brown, I leave you a +brown study, to carry you on your way." + +So saying, he turned his horse's head, and cantered easily over the +upland which skirted the road to the left. After he had gone about a +couple of hundred yards, Wilton saw him stop and pause, as if +thoughtfully, for a minute. But without turning back to the road, he +again put spurs to his horse, and was out of sight in a few moments. + +Wilton then rode on to London, without farther pause or adventure of any +kind; but it were vain to say that, in this instance, "care did not sit +behind the horseman;" for many an anxious thought, and unresolved +question, and intense meditation, were his companions on his onward way. +Fortunately, however, his horse was not troubled in the same manner; and +about five minutes before the hour he had proposed to himself, Wilton +was standing before the house of the Earl in St. James's-square. The +servants were all rejoiced to see him, for, unlike persons in his +situation in general, he was very popular amongst them; but the Earl, he +was informed, had not yet risen, and the account the young gentleman +received of his health made him sad and apprehensive. + + + +CHAPTER X. + +IN about an hour's time, the Earl of Sunbury descended to breakfast; and +he expressed no small pleasure at the unexpected appearance of his young +protege. + +"You were always a kind and an affectionate boy, Wilton," he said; "and +you have kept your good feelings unchanged, I am happy to find. Depend +upon it, when one can do so, amongst all the troubles, and cares, and +corrupting things of this world, we find in the feelings of the heart +that consolation, when sorrows and disappointments assail us, which no +gift or favour of man can impart. I believe, indeed, that within the +last six months, with all the bodily pains and mental anxieties I have +had to suffer, I should either have died or gone mad, had not my mind +obtained relief, from time to time, in the enjoyment of the beauties of +nature, the works of art, and the productions of genius. Nor have my +thoughts been altogether unoccupied with you," he added, after a +moment's pause, "and that occupation would have been most pleasant to my +mind, Wilton, inasmuch as through your whole course you have given me +undivided satisfaction. But, alas! I cannot do for you all that I should +wish to do. You know that my own estates are all entailed upon distant +relatives, whom I do not even know. I am not a man, as you are well +aware, to accumulate wealth; and all I can possibly assure to you is the +enjoyment of the same income I have hitherto allowed you, and which, in +case of my death, I will take care shall be yours." + +Wilton listened, as may be supposed, with affection and gratitude; but +he tried, after expressing all he felt, and assuring the Earl that he +possessed as much as he desired, to put an end to a conversation which +was rendered the more painful to him by the marked alteration which he +perceived in the person of his friend since he had last seen him. + +The Earl, however, would not suffer the subject to drop, replying, "I +know well that you are no way extravagant, Wilton, and maintain the +appearance of a gentleman upon smaller means than many could or would; +but yet, my good youth, you are naturally ambitious; and there are a +thousand wants, necessities, and desires still to be gratified, which at +present you neither perceive nor provide for. You are not destined, +Wilton, to go on all your life, content in the seclusion of a college, +with less than three hundred a year. Every man should strive to fulfil +to the utmost his destiny--I mean, should endeavour to reach the highest +point in any way which God has given him the capability of attaining. +You must become more than you are, greater, higher, richer, by your own +exertions. Had my health suffered me to remain here, I could have easily +facilitated your progress in political life. Now I must trust your +advancement to another; and you will perhaps think it strange, that the +person I do trust it to should not be any of my old and intimate +political friends. But I have my reasons for what I do, which you will +some day know; and before I go, I must exact one promise of you, which +is to put yourself under the guidance of the person whom I have +mentioned, and to accept whatever post he may think the best calculated +to promote your future views. As he now holds one of the highest +stations in the ministry, I could have wished him to name you his +private secretary, but that office is at present filled, and he has +promised me most solemnly to find you some occupation within the next +half-year. Your allowance shall be regularly transmitted to you till my +return; and, until you receive some appointment, you had better remain +at Oxford, which may give you perhaps the means of taking your first +degree. And now, my dear boy, that I have explained all this, what were +you about to say regarding the adventures you met with in your journey?" + +"First let me ask, sir," replied Wilton, "who is the gentleman you have +so kindly interested for me?" + +"Oh! I thought you had divined: it is the Earl of Byerdale, now all +potent in the counsels of the King--at least, so men suppose and say. +However, I look upon it that you have given me the promise that I ask." + +"Undoubtedly, my lord," replied Wilton: "in such a case, I must ever +look upon your wishes as a command." + +The conversation then turned to other and lighter matters, and Wilton +amused his friend with the detail of the adventures of the preceding +night. + +"Sir John Fenwick!" exclaimed the Earl, as soon as Wilton came to the +events that succeeded the robbery--"he is a dangerous companion, Sir +John Fenwick! We know him to be disaffected, a nonjuror, and a plotter +of a dark and intriguing character. Who was the Duke he met with? Duke +of what?" + +"On my word, I cannot tell you, sir," replied Wilton; "I did not hear +his name: they called his daughter Lady Laura." + +"You are a strange young man, Wilton," replied the Earl; "there are +probably not two men in Europe who would have failed to inquire, if it +were no more than the name of this pretty girl you mention." + +"If there had been the slightest probability of my ever meeting her +again," replied Wilton, "I most likely should have inquired. But my +story is not ended yet;" and he went on to detail what had occurred +during his ride that morning. + +This seemed to strike and interest the Earl more than the rest; and he +immediately asked his young companion a vast number of questions, all +relating to the personal appearance of the gentleman in green, who had +been the comrade of his early ride. + +After all these interrogatories had been answered, he mused for a minute +or two, and then observed, "No, no, it could not be. This personage in +green, Wilton, depend upon it, is some agent of Sir John Fenwick, and +the Jacobite party. He has got some intimation of your name and +situation, and has most likely seen you once or twice in Oxford, where, +I am sorry to say, there are too many such as himself. They have fixed +their eyes upon you, and, depend upon it, there will be many attempts to +gain your adherence to an unsuccessful and a desperate party. Be wise, +my dear Wilton, and shun all communication with such people. No one who +has not filled such a station as I have, can be aware of their manifold +arts." + +Wilton promised to be upon his guard, and the conversation dropped +there. It had suggested, however, a new train of ideas to the mind of +the young gentleman--new, I mean, solely in point of combination, for +the ideas themselves referred to subjects long known and often thought +of. It appeared evident to him, that the question which the Earl had put +to himself in secret, when he heard of his conversation with the man in +green, was, "Can this be any one, who really knows the early history of +Wilton Brown?" and the question which Wilton in turn asked himself was, +"How is the Earl connected with that early history?" + +Many painful doubts had often suggested themselves to the mind of Wilton +Brown in regard to that very subject; and those doubts themselves had +prevented him from pressing on the Earl questions which might have +brought forth the facts, but which, at the same time, he thought, might +pain that nobleman most bitterly, if his suspicions should prove +accurate. + +The Earl himself had always carefully avoided the subject, and when any +accidental words led towards it, had taken evident pains to change the +conversation. What had occurred that morning, however, weighed upon +Wilton's mind, and he more than once asked himself the question--"Who +and what am I?" + +There was a painful solution always ready at hand; but then again he +replied to his own suspicions--"The Earl certainly treats me like a +noble and generous friend, but not like a father." The conclusion of all +these thoughts was,-- + +"Even though I may give the Earl a moment's pain, I must ask him the +question before he goes to Italy;" and he watched his opportunity for +several days, without finding any means of introducing such a topic. + +At length, one morning, when the Earl happened to be saying something +farther regarding the young man's future fate, Wilton seized the +opportunity, and replied, "With me, my dear lord, the future and the +past are alike equally dark and doubtful. I wish, indeed, that I might +be permitted to know a little of the latter, at least." "Do not let us +talk upon that subject at present, Wilton," said the Earl, somewhat +impatiently; "you will know it all soon enough. At one-and-twenty you +shall have all the information that can be given to you." + +But few words more passed on that matter, and they only conveyed a +reiteration of the Earl's promise more distinctly. On the afternoon of +that day another person was added to the dinner table of the Earl of +Sunbury. Wilton knew not that anybody was coming, till he perceived that +the Earl waited for some guest; but at length the Earl of Byerdale was +announced, and a tall good-looking man, of some fifty years of age, or +perhaps less, entered the room, with that calm, slow, noiseless sort of +footstep, which generally accompanies a disposition either naturally or +habitually cautious. It is somewhat like the footstep of a cat over a +dewy lawn. + +Between the statesman's brows was a deep-set wrinkle, which gave his +countenance a sullen and determined character, and the left-hand corner +of his mouth, as well as the marking line between the lips and the +cheek, were drawn sharply down, as if he were constantly in the presence +of somebody he disliked and rather scorned. Yet he strove frequently to +smile, made gay and very courteous speeches too, and said small pleasant +things with a peculiar grace. He was, indeed, a very gentlemanly and +courtly personage, and those who liked him were wont to declare, that it +was not his fault if his countenance was somewhat forbidding. By some +persons, indeed--as is frequently the case with people of weak and +subservient characters--the very sneer upon his lip, and the +authoritative frown upon his brow, were received as marks of dignity, +and signs of a high and powerful mind. + +Such things, however, did not at all impose upon a man so thoroughly +acquainted with courts and cabinets as the Earl of Sunbury, and the +consequence was, that Lord Byerdale, with all his coolness, +self-confidence, and talent, felt himself second in the company of the +greater mind, and though he liked not the feeling, yet stretched his +courtesy and politeness farther than usual. + +When he entered, he advanced towards the Earl with one of his most +bright and placid smiles, apologized for being a little later than his +time, was delighted to see the Earl looking rather better, and then +turned to see who was the other person in the room, in order to +apportion his civility accordingly. When he beheld Wilton Brown, the +young gentleman's fine person, his high and lofty look, and a certain +air of distinction and self-possession about him, though so young, +appeared to strike and puzzle him; but the Earl instantly introduced his +protege to the statesman, saying, "The young friend, my lord, of whom I +spoke to you, Mr. Wilton Brown." + +Lord Byerdale was now as polite as he could be, assured the young +gentleman that all his small interest could command should be at his +service; and while he did so, he looked from his countenance to that of +the Earl, and from the Earl's to his, as if he were comparing them with +one another. Then, again, he glanced his eyes to a beautiful picture by +Kneller, of a lady dressed in a fanciful costume, which hung on one side +of the drawing-room. + +Wilton remarked the expression of his face as he did so; and his own +thoughts, connecting that expression with foregone suspicions, rendered +it painful. Quitting the room for a moment before dinner was announced, +he retired to his own chamber, and looked for an instant in the glass. +He was instantly struck by an extraordinary resemblance, between himself +and the picture, which had never occurred to him before. + +In the meanwhile, as soon as he had quitted the room, the Earl said, in +a calm, grave tone to his companion, pointing at the same time to the +picture which the other had been remarking, "The likeness is indeed very +striking, and might, perhaps, lead one to a suspicion which is not +correct." + +"Oh, my dear lord," replied the courtier, "you must not think I meant +anything of the kind. I did remark a slight likeness, perhaps; but I was +admiring the beauty of the portrait. That is a Kneller, of course; none +could paint that but Kneller." + +The Earl bowed his head and turned to the window. "It is the portrait," +he said, "of one of my mother's family, a third or fourth cousin of my +own. Her father, Sir Harry Oswald, was obliged to fly, you know, for one +of those sad affairs in the reign of Charles the Second, and his estates +and effects were sold. I bought that picture at the time, with several +other things, as memorials of them, poor people." + +"She must have been very handsome," said Lord Byerdale. + +"The painter did her less than justice," replied the Earl, in the same +quiet tone: "she and her father died in France, within a short time of +each other; and there is certainly a strong likeness between that +portrait and Wilton.--There is no relationship, however." + +Notwithstanding the quiet tone in which the Earl spoke, Lord Byerdale +kept his own opinion upon the subject, but dropped it as a matter of +conversation. The evening passed over as pleasantly as the illness of +the Earl would permit; and certainly, if Wilton Brown was not well +pleased with the Earl of Byerdale, it was not from any lack of +politeness on the part of that gentleman. That he felt no particular +inclination towards him is not to be denied; but nevertheless he was +grateful for his kindness, even of demeanour, and doubted not--such was +his inexperience of the world--that the Earl of Byerdale would always +treat him in the same manner. + +After this day, which proved, in reality, an eventful one in the life of +Wilton Brown, about a week elapsed before the Earl set out for the +Continent. Wilton saw him on board, and dropped down the river with him; +and after his noble friend had quitted the shores of England, he turned +his steps again towards Oxford, without lingering at all in the capital. +It must be confessed, that he felt a much greater degree of loneliness, +than he had expected to experience on the departure of the Earl. He knew +now, for the first time, how much he had depended upon, and loved and +trusted, the only real friend that he ever remembered to have had. It is +true, that while the Earl was resident in London, and he principally in +Oxford, they saw but little of each other; but still it made a great +change, when several countries, some at peace and some at war with +England, lay between them, and when the cold melancholy sea stretched +its wide barrier to keep them asunder. He felt that he had none to +appeal to for advice or aid, when advice or aid should be wanting; that +the director of his youth was gone, and that he was left to win for +himself that dark experience of the world's ways, which never can be +learned, without paying the sad price of sorrow and disappointment. + +Such were naturally his first feelings; and though the acuteness of them +wore away, the impression still remained whenever thought was turned in +that direction. He was soon cheered, however, by a letter from the Earl, +informing him of his having arrived safely in Piedmont; and shortly +after, the first quarter of his usual allowance was transmitted to him, +with a brief polite note from the Earl of Byerdale, in whose hands Lord +Sunbury seemed entirely to have placed him. Wilton acknowledged the note +immediately, and then applied himself to his studies again; but shortly +after, he was shocked by a rumour reaching him, that his kind friend had +been taken prisoner by the French. While he was making inquiries, as +diligently as was possible in that place, and was hesitating, as to +whether, in order to learn more, he should go to London or not, he +received a second epistle froth the Earl of Byerdale, couched in much +colder terms than his former communication, putting the question of the +Earl's capture beyond doubt, and at the same time stating, that as he +understood this circumstance was likely to stop the allowance which had +usually been made to Mr. Brown, he, the Earl of Byerdale, was anxious to +give him some employment as speedily as possible, although that +employment might not be such as he could wish to bestow. He begged him, +therefore, to come to London with all speed, to speak with him on the +subject, and ended, by assuring him that he was--what Wilton knew him +not to be--his very humble and most obedient servant. + +On first reading the note, Wilton had almost formed a rash +resolution--had almost determined neither to go to London at all, nor to +repose upon the friendship and assistance of the Earl of Byerdale. But +recollecting his promise to his noble friend before his departure, he +resolved to endure anything rather than violate such an engagement; and +consequently wrote to say he would wait upon the Earl as soon as the +term was over, to the close of which there wanted but a week or two at +that time. + +In that week or two, however, Wilton was destined to feel some of the +first inconveniences attending a sudden change in his finances. +Remembering, that, for the time at least, more than two-thirds of his +income was gone, he instantly began to contract all his expenses, and +suffered, before the end of the term, not a few of the painful followers +of comparative poverty. + +He now felt, and felt bitterly, that the small sum which he received +from his college would not be sufficient to maintain him at the +University, even with the greatest economy; so that, besides his promise +to the Earl, to accept whatever Lord Byerdale should offer him, absolute +necessity seemed to force him as a dependent upon that nobleman, at +least till he could hear some news of his more generous friend. + +It is an undoubted fact, that small annoyances are often more difficult +to bear than evils of greater magnitude; and Wilton felt all those +attendant upon his present situation most acutely. To appear differently +amongst his noble comrades at the University; to have no longer a horse, +to join them in their rides; to be obliged to sell the fine books he had +collected, and one or two small pictures by great masters which he had +bought; to be questioned and commiserated by the acquaintances who cared +the least for him;--all these were separate sources of great and acute +pain to a feeling and sensitive heart, not yet accustomed to adversity. +Wilton, however, had not been schooling his own mind in vain for the +last two years; and though he felt as much as any one, every privation, +yet he succeeded in bearing them all with calmness and fortitude, and +perhaps even curtailed every indulgence more sternly than was absolutely +necessary at the time, from a fear that the reluctance which he felt +might in any degree blind his eyes to that which was just and right. + +A few instruments of music, a few books not absolutely required in his +studies, his implements for drawing, and all the little trinkets or +gifts of any kind which he had received from the Earl of Sunbury, were +the only things that he still preserved, which merited in any degree the +name of superfluities. With the sum obtained from the sale of the rest, +he discharged to the uttermost farthing all the expenses of the +preceding term, took his first degree with honour, and then set out upon +his journey to London. + +No adventure attended him upon the way; and on the morning after his +arrival, he presented himself at an early hour at the house of the Earl +of Byerdale. After waiting for some time, he was received by that +nobleman with a cold and stately air; and having given him a hint, that +it would have been more respectful if he had come up immediately to +London, instead of waiting at Oxford till the end of the term, the Earl +proceeded to inform him of his views. + +"Our noble and excellent friend, the Earl of Sunbury," said the +statesman, "was very anxious, Mr. Brown, that I should receive you as my +private secretary. Now, as I informed him, the gentleman whom I have +always employed cannot of course be removed from that situation without +cause; but, at the same time, what between my public and my private +business, I have need of greater assistance than he can render me. I +have need, in fact, of two private secretaries, and one will naturally +succeed the other, when, as will probably be the case, in about six +months the first is removed by appointment to a higher office. I will +give you till to-morrow to consider, whether the post I now offer you is +worth your acceptance. The salary we must make the same as the allowance +which has lately unfortunately ceased; and I am only sorry that I can +give you no further time for reflection, as I have already delayed three +weeks without deciding between various applicants, in order to give you +time to arrive in London." + +Wilton replied not at the moment; for there was certainly not one word +said by the Earl which could give him any assignable cause of offence, +and yet he was grieved and offended. It was the tone, the manner, the +cold haughtiness of every look and gesture that pained him. He was not +moved by any boyish conceit; he was always willing, even in his own +mind, to offer deep respect to high rank, or high station, or high +talents. He would have been ready to own at once, that the Earl was far +superior to himself in all these particulars; but that which did annoy +him, as it might annoy any one, was to be made to feel the superiority, +at every word, by the language and demeanour of the Earl himself. + +He retired, then, to the inn, where, for the first time during all his +many visits to London, he had taken up his residence; and there, pacing +up and down the room, he thought bitterly over Lord Byerdale's proposal. +The situation offered to him was far inferior to what he had been led to +expect; and he evidently saw, that the demeanour of the Earl himself +would render every circumstance connected with it painful, or at least +unpleasant. Yet, what was he to do? There were, indeed, a thousand other +ways of gaining his livelihood, at least till the Earl of Sunbury were +set free; but then, his promise that he would not refuse anything which +was offered by Lord Byerdale again came into his mind, and he +determined, with that resolute firmness which characterized him even at +an early age, to bear all, and to endure all; to keep his word with the +Earl to the letter, and to accept an office in the execution of which he +anticipated nothing but pain, mortification, and discomfort. + +Such being the case, he thought it much better to write his resolutions +to the Earl, than to expose himself to more humiliation by speaking with +him on the subject again. He had suffered sufficiently in their last +conversation on that matter, and he felt that he should have enough to +endure in the execution of his duties. He wrote, indeed, as coldly as +the Earl had spoken; but he made no allusion to his disappointment, or +to any hopes of more elevated employment. + +He expressed himself ready to commence his labours as soon as the Earl +thought right; and in the course of three days was fully established as +the second private secretary of the Earl. + +The next three or four months of his life we shall pass over as briefly +as possible, for they were chequered by no incident of very great +interest. The Earl employed him daily, but how did he employ him?--As a +mere clerk. No public paper, no document of any importance, passed +through his hands. Letters on private business, the details of some +estates in Shropshire, copies of long and to him meaningless accounts, +and notes and memorandums, referring to affairs of very little interest, +were the occupations given to a man of active, energetic, and cultivated +mind, of eager aspirations, and a glowing fancy. It may be asked, how +did the Earl treat him, too?--As a clerk! and not as most men of +gentlemanly feeling would treat a clerk. Seldom any salutation marked +his entrance into the room, and cold, formal orders were all that he +received. + +Wilton bore it all with admirable patience; he murmured not, otherwise +than in secret; but often when he returned to his own solitary room, in +the small lodging he had taken for himself in London, the heart within +his bosom felt like a newly-imprisoned bird, as if it would beat itself +to death against the bars that confined it. + +Amidst all this, there was some consolation came. A letter arrived one +morning, after this had continued about two months, bearing one postmark +from Oxford, and another from Italy. It was from the Earl of Sunbury, +who was better, and wrote in high spirits. He had been arrested by the +French, and having been taken for a general officer of distinction, bad +been detained for several weeks. But he had been well treated, and set +at liberty, as soon as his real name and character were ascertained. +Only one of Wilton's letters, and that of an early date, had reached +him, so that he knew none of the occurrences which placed his young +friend in so painful a situation, but conceived him to be still at +Oxford, and still possessing the allowance which he had made him. + +The moment he received these tidings, Wilton replied to it with a +feeling of joy and a hope of deliverance, which showed itself in every +line of the details he gave. This letter was more fortunate than the +others, and the Earl's answer was received within a month. That answer, +however, in some degree disappointed his young friend. Lord Sunbury +praised his conduct much for accepting the situation which had been +offered; but he tried to soothe him under the conduct of the Earl of +Byerdale, while he both blamed that conduct and censured the Earl in +severe terms, for having suffered the allowance which he had authorized +him to pay to drop in so sudden and unexpected a manner. To guard +against the recurrence of such a thing for the future, the Earl enclosed +an order on his steward for the sum, with directions that it should be +paid in preference to anything else whatsoever. At the same time, +however, he urged Wilton earnestly not to quit the Earl of Byerdale, but +to remain in the employment which he had accepted, at least till the +return of a more sincere friend from the Continent should afford the +prospect of some better and more agreeable occupation. + +Wilton resolved to submit; and as he saw that the Earl was anxious upon +the subject, wrote to him immediately, to announce that such was the +case. Hope gave him patience; and the increased means at his command +afforded him the opportunity of resuming the habits of that station in +which he had always hitherto moved. In these respects, he was now +perfectly at his ease, for his habits were not expensive; and he could +indulge in all, to which his wishes led him, without those careful +thoughts which had been forced upon him by the sudden straitening of his +means. Such, then, was his situation when, towards the end of about +three months, a new change came over his fate, a new era began in the +history of his life. + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +How often is it that a new acquaintance, begun under accidental +circumstances, forms an epoch in life? How often does it change in every +respect the current of our days on earth--ay! and affect eternity +itself? The point of time at which we form such an acquaintance is, in +fact, the spot at which two streams meet. There, the waters of both are +insensibly blended together--the clear and the turbid, the rough and the +smooth, the rapid and the slow. Each not only modifies the manner, and +the direction, and the progress of the other with which it mingles, but +even if any material object separates the united stream again into two, +the individuality of both those that originally formed it is lost, and +each is affected for ever by the progress they have had together. + +Wilton Brown was now once more moving at ease. He had his horses and his +servant, and his small convenient apartments at no great distance from +the Earl of Byerdale's. He could enjoy the various objects which the +metropolis presented from time to time to satisfy the taste or the +curiosity of the public, and he could mingle in his leisure hours with +the few amongst the acquaintances he had made in passing through a +public school, or residing at the University, whom he had learned to +love or to esteem. He sought them not, indeed, and he courted no great +society; for there was not, perhaps, one amongst those he knew whose +taste, and thoughts, and feelings, were altogether congenial with his +own. Indeed, when any one has found such, in one or two instances, +throughout the course of life, he may sit himself down, saying, "Oh! +happy that I am, in the wide universe of matter and of spirit I am not +alone! There are beings of kindred sympathies linked to myself by ties +of love which it never can be the will of Almighty Beneficence that +death itself should break!" + +If Wilton felt thus towards any one, it was towards the Earl of Sunbury; +but yet there was a difference between his sensations towards that kind +friend and those of which we have spoken, on which we need not pause in +this place. Except in his society, however, Wilton's thoughts were +nearly alone. There were one or two young noblemen and others, for whom +he felt a great regard, a high esteem, a certain degree of habitual +affection, but that was all, and thus his time in general passed +solitarily enough. + +With the Earl of Byerdale he did not perhaps interchange ten words in +three months, although when he was writing in the same room with him he +had more than once remarked the eyes of the Earl fixed stern and intent +upon him from beneath their overhanging brows, as if he would have asked +him some dark and important question, or proposed to him some dangerous +and terrible act which he dared hardly name. + +"Were he some Italian minister," thought Wilton, sometimes, "and I, as +at present, his poor secretary, I should expect him every moment to +commend the assassination of some enemy to my convenient skill in such +affairs." + +At length one morning when he arrived at the house of the Earl to pursue +his daily task, he saw a travelling carriage at the door with two +servants, English and foreign, disencumbering it from the trunks which +were thereunto attached in somewhat less convenient guise than in the +present day. He took no note, however, and entered as usual, proceeding +at once to the cabinet, where he usually found the Earl at that hour. He +was there and alone, nor did the entrance of Wilton create any farther +change in his proceedings than merely to point to another table, saying, +"Three letters to answer there, Mr. Brown--the corners are turned down, +with directions." + +Wilton sat down and proceeded as usual; but he had scarcely ended the +first letter and begun a second, when the door of the apartment was +thrown unceremoniously open, and a young gentleman entered the room, +slightly, but very gracefully made, extremely handsome in features, but +pale in complexion, and with a quick, wandering, and yet marking eye, +which seemed to bespeak much of intelligence, but no great steadiness of +character. He was dressed strangely enough, in a silk dressing-gown of +the richest-flowered embroidery, slippers of crimson velvet +embroidered with gold upon his feet, and a crimson velvet nightcap with +gold tassels on his head. + +"Why, my dear sir, this is really cruel," cried he, advancing towards +the Earl, and speaking in a tone of light reproach, "to go away and +leave me, when I come back from twelve or fourteen hundred miles' +distance, without even waiting to see my most beautiful dressing-gown. +Really you fathers are becoming excessively undutiful towards your +children! You have wanted some one so long to keep you in order, my +lord, that I see evidently, I shall be obliged to hold a tight hand over +you. But tell me, in pity tell me, did you ever see anything so +exquisite as this dressing-gown? Its beauty would be nothing without its +superbness, and its splendour nothing without its delicacy. The richness +of the silk would be lost without the radiant colours of the flowers, +and the miraculous taste of the embroidery would be entirely thrown away +upon any other stuff than that. In short, one might write a catechism +upon it, my lord. There is nothing on all the earth equal to it. No man +has, or has had, or will have, anything that can compete with it. Gold +could not buy it. I was obliged to seduce the girl that worked it; and +then, like Ulysses with Circe, I bound her to perform what task I liked. +'Produce me,' I exclaimed, 'a dressing-gown!' and, lo! it stands before +you." + +Wilton Brown turned his eyes for an instant to the countenance of the +Earl of Byerdale, when, to his surprise, he beheld there, for the first +time, something that might be called a good-humoured smile. The change +of Wilton's position, slight as it was, seemed to call the attention of +the young gentleman, who instantly approached the table where he sat, +exclaiming, "Who is this? I don't know him. What do you mean, sir," he +continued, in the same light tone--"what do you mean, by suffering my +father to run riot in this way, while I am gone? Why, sir, I find he has +addicted himself to courtierism, and to cringing, and to sitting in +cabinets, and to making long speeches in the House of Lords; and to all +sorts of vices of the same kind, so as nearly to have fallen into prime +ministerism. All this is very bad--very bad, indeed--" + +"My dear boy," said the Earl, "you will gain the character of a madman +without deserving it." + +"Pray, papa, let me alone," replied the young man, affecting a boyish +tone; "you only interrupt me: may I ask, sir, what is your name?" he +continued, still addressing Wilton. + +"My name, sir," replied the other, slightly colouring at such an abrupt +demand, "is Wilton Brown." + +"Then, Wilton, I am very glad to see you," replied the other, holding +out his hand--"you are the very person I wanted to see; for it so +happens, that my wise, prudent, and statesmanlike friend, the Earl of +Sunbury, having far greater confidence in the security of my noddle than +has my worthy parent here, has entrusted to me for your behoof one long +letter, and innumerable long messages, together with a strong +recommendation to you, to take me to your bosom, and cherish me as any +old man would do his grandson; namely, with the most doting, +short-sighted, and depraving affection, which can be shown towards a +wayward, whimsical, tiresome, capricious boy; and now, if you don't like +my own account of myself, or the specimen you have had this morning, you +had better lay down your pen, and come and take a walk with me, in order +to shake off your dislike; for it must be shaken off, and the sooner it +is done the better." + +The Earl's brow had by this time gathered into a very ominous sort of +frown, and he informed his son in a stern tone, that his clerk, Mr. +Brown, was engaged in business of importance, and would not be free from +it, he feared, till three o'clock. + +"Well, my lord, I will even go and sleep till three," replied the young +man. "At that hour, Mr. Brown, I will come and seek you. I have an +immensity to say to you, all about nothing in the world, and therefore +it is absolutely necessary that I should disgorge myself as soon as +possible." + +Thus saying, he turned gaily on his heel, and left the Earl's cabinet. + +"You must excuse him, Mr. Brown," said the Earl, as soon as he was gone; +"he is wild with spirits and youth, but he will soon, I trust, demean +himself more properly." Wilton made no reply, but thought that if the +demeanour of the son was not altogether pleasant, the demeanour of the +father was ten times worse. When the three letters were written, Lord +Byerdale immediately informed Wilton that he should have no farther +occupation for him that day, although the clock had not much passed the +first hour after noon; and as it was evident that he had no inclination +to encourage any intimacy between him and his son, the young gentleman +retired to his own lodgings, and ordering his horse to be brought round +quickly, prepared to take a lengthened ride into the country. + +Before the horse could be saddled, however, a servant announced Lord +Sherbrooke, and the next moment the son of the Earl of Byerdale entered +the room. There was something in the name that sounded familiar in the +ears of Wilton Brown, he could not tell why. He almost expected to see +a familiar face present itself at the open door; for so little had been +the communication between himself and the Earl of Byerdale, that he had +never known till that morning that the Earl had a son, nor ever heard +the second title of the family before. He received his visitor, however, +with pleasure, not exactly for the young nobleman's own sake, but rather +on account of the letters and messages which he had promised from the +Earl of Sunbury. + +Lord Sherbrooke was now dressed as might well become a man of rank in +his day; with a certain spice of foppery in his apparel, indeed, and +with a slight difference in the fashion and materials of his clothes +from those ordinarily worn in England, which might just mark, to an +observing eye, that they had been made in a foreign country. + +His demeanour was much more calm and sedate than it had been in the +morning; and sitting down, he began by a reproach to Wilton, for having +gone away without waiting to see him again. + +"The fact is, my lord," replied Wilton, "that the Earl, though he did +not absolutely send me away, gave me such an intimation to depart, that +I could not well avoid it." + +"It strikes me, Wilton," said Lord Sherbrooke, familiarly, "that my +father is treating you extremely ill; Lord Sunbury gave me a hint of the +kind, when I saw him in Rome; and I see that he said even less than the +truth." + +"I have no right to complain, my lord," answered Wilton, after pausing +for a moment to master some very painful emotions--"I have no reason to +complain, my lord, of conduct that I voluntarily endure." + +"Very well answered, Wilton!" replied the young lord, "but not +logically, my good friend. Every gentleman has a right to expect +gentlemanly treatment. He has a right to complain if he does not meet +with that which he has a right to expect; and he does not bar himself of +that right of complaint, because any circumstances render it expedient +or right for him not to resist the ill-treatment at which he murmurs. +However, it is more to your honour that you do not complain; but I know +my father well, and, of course, amongst a great many high qualities, +there are some not quite so pleasant. We must mend this matter for you, +however, and what I wish to say to you now, is, that you must not spoil +all I do, by any pride of that kind which will make you hold back when I +pull forward." + +"Indeed, my lord," replied Wilton, "you would particularly oblige me by +making no effort to change the position in which I am placed. All the +communication which takes place between your lordship's father and +myself is quite sufficient for the transaction of business, and we can +never stand in any other relation towards each other than that of +minister and private secretary." + +"Or CLERK, as he called you to me to-day," said Lord Sherbrooke, drily. + +"The name matters very little, my lord," replied Wilton; "he calls me +SECRETARY to myself, and such he stated me to be in the little +memorandum of my appointment, which he gave me, but if it please him +better to call me clerk, why, let him do it." + +"Oh! I shall not remonstrate," replied Lord Sherbrooke; "I never argue +with my father. In the first place, it would be undutiful and +disrespectful, and I am the most dutiful of all sons; and in the next +place, he generally somehow gets the better of me in argument--the more +completely the more wrong he is. But, nevertheless, I can find means to +drive him, if not to persuade him; to lead him, if not to convince him; +and having had my own way from childhood up to the present hour--alas! +that I should say it, after having taken the way that I have taken--I do +not intend to give it up just now, so I will soon drive him to a +different way with you, while you have no share in the matter, but that +of merely suffering me to assume, at once, the character of an old +friend, and not an insincere one. On the latter point, indeed, you must +believe me to be just as sincere as my father is insincere, for you very +well know, Wilton, that, in this world of ours, it is much more by +avoiding the faults than by following the virtues of our parents, that +we get on in life. Every fool can see where his father is a fool, and +can take care not to be foolish in the same way; but it is a much more +difficult thing to appreciate a father's wisdom, and learn to be wise +like him." + +"The latter, my lord, I should think, would be the nobler endeavour," +replied Wilton; "though I cannot say what would have been my own case, +if I had ever had the happiness of knowing a father's care." + +Lord Sherbrooke for a moment or two made no reply, but looked down upon +the ground, apparently struck by the tone in which Wilton spoke. He +answered at length, however, raising his eyes with one of his gay looks, +"After all, we are but mortals, my dear Wilton, and we must have our +little follies and vices. I would not be an angel for the world, for my +part; and besides--for so staid and sober a young man as you are--you +forget that I have a duty to perform towards my father, to check him +when I see him going wrong, and to put him in the right way; to afford +him, now and then, a little filial correction, and take care of his +morals and his education. Why, if he had not me to look after him, I do +not know what would become of him. However, I see," he added in a graver +tone, "that I must not jest with you, until you know me and understand +me better. What I mean is, that we are to be friends, remember. It is +all arranged between the Earl of Sunbury and myself. We are to be +friends, then; and such being the case, I will take care that my lord of +Byerdale does not call my friend his clerk, nor treat him in any other +manner than as my friend. And now, Wilton, set about the matter as fast +as ever you can. There is my letter of recommendation from the Earl of +Sunbury, which I hope will break down some barriers, the rest I must do +for myself. You will find me full of faults, full of follies, and full +of vices; for though it may be a difficult thing to be full of three +things at once, yet the faults, follies, and vices within me seem to +fill me altogether, each in turn, and yet altogether. In fact, they put +me in mind of two liquids with which I once saw an Italian conjurer +perform a curious trick. He filled a glass with a certain liquid, which +looked like water, up to the very brim, and then poured in a +considerable quantity of another liquid without increasing the liquid in +the glass by a drop. Now sometimes my folly seems to fill me so +completely, that I should think there was no room for vices, but those +vices find some means to slip in, without incommoding me in the least. +However, I will leave you now to read your letters, and to wonder at +your sage and prudent friend, the Earl of Sunbury, having introduced to +your acquaintance, and recommended to your friendship, one who has made +half the capitals of Europe ring with his pranks. The secret is, Wilton, +that the Earl knows both me and you. He pays you the high compliment of +thinking you can be the companion of a very faulty man, without +acquiring his faults; and he knows that, though I cannot cure myself of +my own errors, I hate them too much to wish any one to imitate them. +When you have done reading," he added, "come and join me at Monsieur +Faubert's Riding School, in the lane going up to the Oxford Road: I see +your horse at the door--I will get one there, and we will have a ride +in the country. By heavens, what a beautiful picture! It is quite a +little gem. That child's head must be a Correggio." + +"I believe it is," replied Wilton: "I saw it accidentally at an auction, +and bought it for a mere trifle." + +"You have the eye of a judge," replied his companion. + +"Do not be long ere you join me;" and looking at every little object of +ornament or luxury that the room contained, standing a minute or two +before another picture, taking up, and examining all over, a small +bronze urn, that stood on one of the tables, and criticising the hilts +of two or three of Wilton's swords, that stood in the corner of the +room, he made his way out, like Hamlet, "without his eyes," and left his +new acquaintance to read his letter in peace. + +In that letter, which was in every respect most kind, Wilton found that +the Earl gave a detailed account of the character of the young nobleman +who had just left him. He represented him, very much as he had +represented himself, full of follies, and, unfortunately, but too much +addicted to let those follies run into vices. "Though he neither gambled +nor drank for pleasure," the Earl said, "yet, as if for variety, he +would sometimes do both to excess. In other respects, he had lived a +life of great profligacy, seeming utterly careless of the reproaches of +any one, and rather taking means to make any fresh act of licence +generally known, than to conceal it. Nor is this," continued the Earl, +"from that worst of all vanities, which attaches fame to what is +infamous, and confounds notoriety with renown, but rather from a sort of +daringness of disposition, which prompts him to avow openly any act to +which there may be risk attached. With all these bad qualities," the +Earl proceeded, "there are many good ones. To be bold as a lion is but a +corporeal endowment, but he adds to that the most perfect sincerity and +frankness. + +"He would neither falsify his word nor deny an act that he has committed +for the world. His mind is sufficiently acute, and his heart +sufficiently good, to see distinctly the evils of unbridled licence, and +to condemn it in his own case; and he is the last man in the world who +would lead or encourage any one in that course which he has pursued +himself. In short, his own passions are as the bonds cast around the +Hebrew giant when he slept, to give him over into the hands of any one +who chooses to lead him into wrong. The consecrated locks of the +Nazarite--I mean, purity and innocence of heart--have been shorn away +completely in the lap of one Delilah or another; and though he hates +those who hold him captive, he is constrained to follow where they lead. +I think you may do him good, Wilton; I am certain he can do you no harm: +I believe that he is capable, and I am certain that he is willing, to +make your abode in London more pleasant to you, and to open that path +for your advancement, which his father would have put you in, if he had +fulfilled the promises that he made to me." + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +A few weeks made a considerable change in the progress of the life of +Wilton Brown. He found the young Lord Sherbrooke all that he had been +represented to be in every good point of character, and less in every +evil point. He did not, it is true, studiously veil from his new friend +his libertine habits, or his light and reckless character; but it so +happened, that when in society with Wilton, his mind seemed to find food +and occupation of a higher sort, and, on almost all occasions, when +conversing with him, he showed himself, as he might always have +appeared, a high-bred and well-informed gentleman, who, though somewhat +wild and rash, possessed a cultivated mind, a rich and playful fancy, +and a kind and honourable heart. + +Wilton soon discovered that he could become attached to him, and ere +long he found a new point of interest in the character of his young +companion, which was a sort of dark and solemn gloom that fell upon him +from time to time, and would seize him in the midst of his gayest +moments, leaving him, for the time, plunged in deep and sombre +meditations. This strange fit was very often succeeded by bursts of +gaiety and merriment, to the full as wild and joyous as those that went +before; and Wilton's curiosity and sympathy were both excited by a state +of mind which he marked attentively, and which, though he did not +comprehend it entirely, showed him that there was some grief hidden but +not vanquished in the heart. + +Lord Sherbrooke did not see the inquiring eyes of his friend fixed upon +him without notice; and one day he said, + +"Do not look at me in these fits, Wilton; and ask me no questions. +It is the evil spirit upon me, and he must have his hour." + +As the time passed on, Wilton and the young lord became daily +companions, and the Earl could not avoid showing, at all events, some +civility to the constant associate of his son. He gradually began to +converse with him more frequently. He even ventured, every now and then, +upon a smile. He talked for an instant, sometimes, upon the passing +events of the day; and, once or twice, asked him to dine, when he and +his son would otherwise have been tete-a-tete. All this was pleasant to +Wilton; for Lord Sherbrooke managed it so well, by merely marking a +particular preference for his society, that there was no restraint or +force in the matter, and the change worked itself gradually without any +words or remonstrance. In the midst of all this, however, one little +event occurred, which, though twenty other things might have been of +much more importance and much more disagreeable in their consequences, +pained Wilton in a greater degree than anything he had endured. + +One day, when the Earl was confined to his drawing-room by a slight fit +of gout, Wilton had visited him for a moment, to obtain more particular +directions in regard to something which he had been directed to write. +Just as he had received those directions, and was about to retire, the +Duke of Gaveston was announced; and in passing through a second room +beyond, into which the Earl could see, Wilton came suddenly upon the +Duke, and in him at once recognised the nobleman whom he had aided in +delivering from the clutches of some gentlemen practitioners on the +King's Highway. Their meeting was so sudden, that the Duke, though he +evidently recollected instantly the face of Wilton Brown, could not +connect it with the circumstances in which he had seen it. Wilton, on +his part, merely bowed and passed on; and the Duke, advancing to Lord +Byerdale, asked at once, "Who is that young gentleman?--his face is +quite familiar to me." + +"It is only my clerk," replied the Earl, in a careless tone. "I hope +your grace received my letter." + +Wilton had not yet quitted the room, and heard it all; but he went out +without pause. When the door was closed behind him, however, he stood +for a moment gazing sternly upon the ground, and summoning every good +and firm feeling to his aid. Nor was he unsuccessful: he once more +conquered the strong temptation to throw up his employment instantly; +and, asking himself, "What have I to do with pride?" he proceeded with +his daily task as if nothing had occurred. + +No consequences followed at the moment; but before we proceed to the +more active business of our story, we must pause upon one other +incident, of no great apparent importance, but which the reader will +connect aright with the other events of the tale. + +Two mornings after that of which we have spoken, the Earl came suddenly +into the room where Wilton was writing, and interrupted him in what he +was abort, by saying, "I wish, Mr. Brown, you would have the goodness to +write, under my dictation, a letter, which is of some importance." + +Brown bowed his head, and taking fresh paper, proceeded to write down +the Earl's words, as follows:-- + + "Sir,--Immediately upon the receipt of this, you will be + pleased to proceed to the village of ------, in the county + of ------, and make immediate inquiries, once more, in + regard to the personages concerning whom you instituted an + investigation some ten or twelve years ago. Any additional + documents you may procure, concerning Colonel Sherbrooke, + Colonel Lennard Sherbrooke, or any of the other parties + concerned in the transactions which you know of as taking + place at that time, you will be pleased to send to me forthwith." + +Wilton perceiving that the Earl did not proceed, looked up, as if to see +whether he had concluded or not. The Earl's eyes were fixed upon him +with a stern, intense gaze, as if he would have read his very soul. +Wilton's looks, on the contrary, were so perfectly unconscious, so +innocent of all knowledge that he was doing anything more than writing +an ordinary letter of business, that--if the Earl's gaze was intended to +interpret his feelings by any of those external marks, which betray the +secrets of the heart, by slight and transitory characters written on +nature's record book, the face--he was convinced at once that there was +nothing concealed below. His brow relaxed, and he went on dictating, +while the young gentleman proceeded calmly to write. + +"You will be particular," the letter went on, "to inquire what became of +the boy, as his name was not down in the list found upon the captain's +person; and you will endeavour to discover what became of the boat that +carried Lennard Sherbrooke and the boy to the ship, and whether all on +board it perished in the storm, or not." + +The Earl still watched Wilton's countenance with some degree of +earnestness; and, to say the truth, if his young companion had not been +put upon his guard, by detecting the first stern, dark glance the +minister had given him, some emotion might have been visible in his +countenance, some degree of thoughtful inquiry in his manner, as he +asked, "To whom am I to address it, my lord?" + +The words of the Earl, in directing an inquiry about the fisherman, +the boy, the boat, and the wreck, seemed to connect themselves with +strange figures in the past--figures which appeared before his mind's +eye vague and misty, such as we are told the shadows always appear at +first which are conjured up by the cabalistic words of a necromancer. +He felt that there was some connecting link between himself and the +subject of the Earl's investigation; what, he could not tell: but +whatever it was, his curiosity was stimulated to tax his memory to +the utmost, and to try by any means to lead her to a right +conclusion, through the intricate ways of the past. + +That first gaze of the Earl, however, had excited in his bosom not +exactly suspicion, but that inclination to conceal his feelings, +which we all experience when we see that some one whom we neither +love nor trust is endeavouring to unveil them. He therefore would not +suffer his mind to rest upon any inquiry in regard to the past, till +the emotions which it might produce could be indulged unwatched; and, +applying to the mechanical business of the pen, he wrote on to the +conclusion, and then demanded, simply, "To whom am I to address it?" + +"To Mr. Shea," replied the Earl, "my agent in Waterford, to whom you +have written before;" and there the conversation dropped. + +The Earl took the letter to sign it; but now that it was done, he +seemed indifferent about its going, and put it into a portfolio, +where it remained several days before it was sent. + +As soon as he could escape, Wilton Brown retired to his own dwelling, +and there gave himself up to thought; but the facts, which seemed +floating about in the dark gulf of the past, still eluded the grasp +of memory, as she strove to catch them. There was something, indeed, +which he recollected of a boat, and a storm at sea, and a fisherman's +cabin, and still the name of Sherbrooke rang in his ears, as +something known in other days. But it came not upon him with the same +freshness which it had done when first he heard the title of the Earl +of Byerdale's soil; and he could recall no more than the particulars +we have mentioned, though the name of Lennard seemed familiar to him +also. + +While he was in this meditative mood, pondering thoughtfully over the +past, and extracting little to satisfy him from a record which time, +unfortunately, had effaced, he was interrupted by the coming of the +young Lord Sherbrooke, who now was accustomed to enter familiarly +without any announcement. On the present occasion his step was more +rapid than usual, his manner more than commonly excited, and the +moment he had cast himself into a chair he burst into a long loud +peal of laughter. "In the name of Heaven," he exclaimed, "what piece +of foolery do you think my worthy father has concocted now? On my +honour, I believe that he is mad, and only fear that he has +transmitted a part of his madness to me. Think of everything that is +ridiculous, Wilton, that you can conceive; let your mind run free +over every absurd combination that it is possible to fancy; think of +all that is stupid or mad-like in times present or past, and then +tell me what it is that my father intends to do." + +"I really do not know, Sherbrooke," replied his friend "but nothing, +I dare say, half so bad as you would have me believe. Your father is +much too prudent and careful a man to do anything that is absurd." + +"You don't know him--Wilton, you don't know him," replied Lord +Sherbrooke; "for the sake of power or of wealth he has the courage to +do anything on earth that is absurd, and for revenge he has the +courage to do a great deal more. In regard to revenge, indeed, I +don't mind: he is quite right there; for surely if we are bound to be +grateful to a man that does good to us, we are bound to revenge +ourselves upon him who does us wrong. Besides, revenge is a +gentlemanlike passion; but avarice and ambition are certainly the two +most ungentlemanlike propensities in human nature." + +"Not ambition, surely," exclaimed Wilton. + +"The worst of all!" cried his friend--"the worst of all! Avarice is +a gentleman to ambition! Avarice is merely a tinker, a dealer in old +metal; but ambition is a chimney-sweep of a passion: a mere +climbing-boy, who will go through any dirty hole in all Christendom +only to get out at the top of the chimney. But you have not guessed, +Wilton--you have not guessed. To it; and tell me, what is the absurd +thing my father proposes to do?" + +Wilton shook his head, and said that he could in no way divine. + +"To marry me, Wilton--to marry me to a lady rich and fair," replied +the young lord: "what think you of that, Wilton?--you who know me, +what think you of that?" + +"Why, if I must really say the truth," replied Wilton, "I think the +Earl has very naturally considered your happiness before that of the +lady." + +"As well gilded a sarcasm that," replied Lord Sherbrooke, "as if it +had come from my father's own lips. However, what you say is very +true: the poor unfortunate girl little knows what the slave merchants +are devising for her. My father has dealt with hers, and her father +has dealt with mine, and settled all affairs between them, it seems, +without our knowledge or participation in any shape. I was the first +of the two parties concerned who received the word of command to march +and be married, and as yet the unfortunate victim is unacquainted +with the designs against her peace and happiness for life." + +"Nay, nay," replied Wilton, almost sorrowfully, "speak not so lightly +of it. What have you done, Sherbrooke? for Heaven's sake, what have +you done? If you have consented to marry, let me hope and trust that +you have determined firmly to change your conduct, and not indeed, as +you say, to ruin the poor girl's peace and happiness for life." + +"Oh! I have consented," replied Lord Sherbrooke, in the same gay +laughing tone; "you do not suppose that I would refuse beauty, and +sweetness, and twenty thousand a year. I am not as mad as my father. +Oh! I consented directly. I understand, she is the great beauty of +the day. She will see very little of me, and I shall see very little +of her, so we shall not weary of one another. Oh! I am a very wise +man, indeed. I only wanted what our friend Launcelot calls 'a trifle +of wives' to be King Solomon himself. Why you know that for the other +cattle which distinguished that great monarch I am pretty well +provided." + +Wilton looked down upon the ground with a look of very great pain, +while imagination pictured what the future life of some young and +innocent girl might be, bound to one so wild, so heedless, and +dissolute as Lord Sherbrooke. He remained silent, however, for he did +not dare to trust himself with any farther observations; and when he +looked up again, he found his friend gazing at him with an expression +on his countenance in some degree sorrowful, in some degree +reproachful, but with a look of playful meaning flickering through the +whole. + +"Now does your solemnity, and your gravity," said Lord Sherbrooke, +"and your not yet understanding me, almost tempt me, Wilton, to play +some wild and inconceivable trick, just for the purpose of opening +your eyes, and letting you see, that your friend is not such an +unfeeling rascal as the world gives out." + +"I know you are not, my dear Sherbrooke--I am sure you are not," +replied Wilton, grasping warmly the hand which Lord Sherbrooke held +out to him; "I was wrong for not seeing that you were in jest, and +for not discovering at once that you had not consented. But how does +the Earl bear your refusal?" + +"You are as wrong as ever, my dear Wilton," replied his friend, in a +more serious tone--"I have consented; for if I had not, it must have +made an irreparable breach between my father and myself, which you +well know I should not consider desirable--I must obey him sometimes, +you know, Wilton--He had pledged himself, too, that I should consent. +However, to set your mind at rest, I will tell you the loophole at +which I creep out. Her father, it seems, is not near so sanguine as +my father, in regard to his child's obedience, and he is, moreover, +an odd old gentleman, who has got into his head a strange antiquated +notion, that the inclinations of the people to be married have +something to do with such transactions. He therefore bargained, that +his consent should be dependent upon the young lady's approbation of +me when she sees me. In fact, I am bound to court, and she to be +courted. My father is bound that I shall marry her if she likes me, +her father is bound to give her to me if she likes to be given. Now +what I intend, Wilton, is, that she should not like me. So this very +evening you must come with me to the theatre, and there we shall see +her together, for I know where she is to be. To-morrow, I shall be +presented to her in form, and if she likes to have me, after all I +have to say to her, why it is her fault, for I will take care she +shall not have ignorance to plead in regard to my worshipful +character." + +Wilton would fain have declined going to the theatre that night, +for, to say the truth, his heart was somewhat heavy; but Lord +Sherbrooke would take no denial, jokingly saying that he required +some support under the emotions and agitating circumstances which he +was about to endure. As soon as this was settled, Lord Sherbrooke +left him, agreeing to call for him in his carriage at the early hour +of a quarter before five o'clock; for such, however, were the more +rational times and seasons of our ancestors, that one could enjoy the +high intellectual treat of seeing a good play performed from +beginning to end, without either changing one's dinner hour, or going +with the certainty of indigestion and headache. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +Far more punctual than was usual with him. Lord Sherbrooke was at the +door of Wilton Brown exactly at the hour he had appointed; and, +getting into his carriage, they speedily rolled on from the +neighbourhood of St. James's-street, then one of the most fashionable +parts of the metropolis, to Russell-street, he however, though +evidently anxious to be early at the theatre, could not resist his +inclination to take a look into the Rose, and, finding several +persons whom he knew there, he lingered for a considerable time, +introducing Wilton to a number of the wits and celebrated men of the +day. + +The play had thus begun before they entered the theatre, and the +house was filled so completely that it was scarcely possible to +obtain a seat. + +As if with a knowledge that his young companion was anxious to see +the ill-fated lady destined by her friends to be the bride of a wild +and reckless libertine, Lord Sherbrooke affected to pay no attention +whatsoever to anything but what was passing on the stage. During the +first act Wilton was indeed as much occupied as himself with the +magic of the scene: but when the brief pause between the acts took +place, his eyes wandered round those boxes in which the high nobility +of the land usually were found, to see if he could discover the +victim of the Earl of Byerdale's ambition. + +There were two boxes on the opposite side of the house, towards one +or the other of which almost all eyes were turned, and to the +occupants of which all the distinguished young men in the house +seemed anxious to pay their homage. In one of those boxes was a very +lovely woman of about seven or eight and twenty, sitting with a +queenly air to receive the humble adoration of the gay and fluttering +admirers who crowded round her. Her brow was high and broad, but +slightly contracted, so that a certain haughtiness of air in her +whole figure and person was fully kept in tone by the expression of +her face. For a moment or two, Wilton looked at her with a slight +smile, as he said in his own heart, "if that be the lady destined for +Sherbrooke, I pity her less than I expected, for she seems the very +person either to rule him or care little about him." + +The next moment, however, a more perfect recollection of all that +Lord Sherbrooke had said, led him to conclude that she could not be +the person to whom he alluded. He had spoken of her as a girl, as of +one younger than himself; whereas the lady who was reigning in the +stage-box was evidently older, and had more the appearance of a +married than a single woman. + +Wilton then turned his eyes to the other box of which we have spoken; +and in it there was also to be seen a female figure seated near the +front with another lady; while somewhat further back, appeared the form +of an elderly gentleman with a star upon the left breast. Towards that +box, as we have before said, many eyes were turned; and from the space* +below, as well as from other parts of the house, the beaux of the +day were gazing in evident expectation of a bow, or a smile, or a mark +of recognition. Nevertheless, in neither of the ladies which that box +contained was there, as far as Wilton could see, any of those little +arts but too often used for the purpose of attracting attention, and +which, to say the truth, were displayed in a remarkable manner by the +lady in the other box we have mentioned. There was no fair hand +stretched out over the cushions; no fringed glove cast negligently down; +no fan waved gracefully to give emphasis to that was said; but, on the +contrary, the whole figure of the lady in front remained tranquil and +calm, with much grace and beauty in the attitude, but none even of that +flutter of consciousness which often betrays the secrets of vanity. The +expression of the face, indeed, Wilton could not see, for the head was +turned towards the stage; and though the lady looked round more than +once during the interval between the acts to speak to those behind her +in the box, the effect was only to turn her face still farther from his +gaze. + +[*Footnote: I have not said "the pit," because the intruders of fashion +had not then been driven from the STAGE itself, especially between the +acts.] + +At length, the play went on, and at the end of the second act a +slight movement enabled Lord Sherbrooke and Wilton to advance further +towards the stage, so that the latter was now nearly opposite to the +box in which one of the beauties of the day was seated. He +immediately turned in that direction, as did Lord Sherbrooke at the +same moment; and Wilton, with a feeling of pain that can scarcely be +described, beheld in the fair girl who seemed to be the unwilling +object of so much admiration, no other than the young lady whom he +had aided in rescuing when attacked, as we have before described, by +the gentry who in those days frequented so commonly the King's +Highway. + +Though now dressed with splendour, as became her rank and station, +there was in her whole countenance the same simple unaffected look of +tranquil modesty which Wilton had remarked there before, and in which +he had fancied he read the story of a noble mind and a fine heart, +rather undervaluing than otherwise the external advantages of beauty +and station, but dignified and raised by the consciousness of purity, +cultivation, and high thoughts. The same look was there, modest yet +dignified, diffident yet self-possessed; and while he became +convinced that there sat the bride selected by the Earl of Byerdale +for his son, he was equally convinced that she was the person of all +others whose fate would be the most miserable in such an union. + +At the same moment, too, his heart was moved by sensations that may be +very difficult accurately to describe. To talk of his being in love +with the fair girl before him would, in those days as in the present, +have been absurd; to say that he had remembered her with anything +like hope, would not be true, for he had not hoped in the slightest +degree, nor even dreamed of hope. But what he had done was this--he +had thought of her often and long; he had recollected the few hours +spent in her society with greater pleasure than any he had known in +life; he had remembered her as the most beautiful person he had ever +seen--and indeed to him she was so; for not only were her features, +and her form, and her complexion, all beautiful according to the +rules of art, but they were beautiful also according to that +modification of beauty which best suited his own taste. The +expression, too, of her countenance--and she had much expression of +countenance when conversing with any one she liked--was beautiful and +varying; and the grace of her movements and the calm quietness of her +carriage were of the kind which is always most pleasing to a high and +cultivated mind. + +He had recollected her, then, as the most beautiful creature he had +ever seen; but there was also a good deal of imaginative interest +attached to the circumstances in which they had first met; and he +often thought over them with pleasure, as forming a little bright +spot in the midst of a somewhat dull and monotonous existence. In +short, all these memories made it impossible for him to feel towards +her as he did towards other women. There was admiration, and +interest, and high esteem.--It wanted, surely, but a little of being +love. One thing is very certain: Wilton would have heard that she +was about to be married to any one with no inconsiderable degree of +pain. It would have cost him a sigh; it would have made him feel a +deep regret. He would not have been in the slightest degree +disappointed, for hope being out of the question he expected nothing; +but still he might regret. + +Now, however, when he thought that she was about to be importuned to +marry one for whom he might himself feel very deep and sincere +regard, on account of some high and noble qualities of the heart, but +whose wild and reckless libertinism could but make her miserable for +ever, the pain that he experienced caused him to turn very pale. The +next moment the blood rushed up again into his cheek, seeing Lord +Sherbrooke glance his eyes rapidly from the box in which she sat to +his countenance, and then to the box again. + +At that very same moment, the Duke, who was the gentleman sitting on +the opposite side of the box, bent forward and whispered a few words +to his daughter: the blood suddenly rushed up into her cheek; and with +a look rather of anxiety and apprehension than anything else, she +turned her eyes instantly towards the spot where Wilton stood. Her +look was changed in a moment; for though she became quite pale, a +bright smile beamed forth from her lip; and though she put her hand +to her heart, she bowed markedly and graciously towards her young +acquaintance, directing instantly towards that spot the looks of all +the admirers who surrounded the box. + +The words which the Duke spoke to her were very simple, but led to an +extraordinary mistake. He had in the morning communicated to her the +proposal which had been made for her marriage with Lord Sherbrooke, +and she, who had heard something of his character, had shrunk with +alarm from the very idea. When her father, however, now said to her, +"There is Lord Sherbrooke just opposite," and directed her attention +to the precise spot, her eyes instantly fell upon Wilton. + +She recollected her father's observation in regard to the name he had +given at the inn being an assumed one: his fine commanding person, +his noble countenance, his lordly look, and the taste and fashion of +his dress, all made her for the moment believe that in him she beheld +the person proposed for her future husband. At the same time she +could not forget that he had rendered her an essential service. He +had displayed before her several of those qualities which peculiarly +draw forth the admiration of women--courage, promptitude, daring, and +skill; his conversation had delighted and surprised her; and to say +truth, he had created in her bosom during the short interview, such +prepossessions in his favour, that to her he was the person who now +solicited her hand, instead of the creature which her imagination had +portrayed as Lord Sherbrooke, was no small relief to her heart. It +seemed as if a load was taken off her bosom; and such was the cause +of those emotions, the expression of which upon her countenance we +have already told. + +It was not, indeed, that she believed herself the least in love with +Wilton Brown, but she felt that she COULD love him, and that feeling +was quite enough. It was enough, while she fancied that he was Lord +Sherbrooke, to agitate her with joy and hope; and, though the mistake +lasted but a short time, the feelings that it produced were +sufficient to effect a change in all her sensations towards him +through life. During the brief space that the mistake lasted, she +looked upon him, she thought of him, as the man who was to be her +husband. Had it not been for that misunderstanding, the idea of such +an union between herself and him would most likely never have entered +her mind; but once having looked upon him in that light, even for +five minutes, she never could see him or speak to him without a +recollection of the fact, without a reference, however vague, +ill-defined, and repressed in her own mind, to the feelings and +thoughts which she had then entertained. + +Lord Sherbrooke remarked the changing colour, the look of recognition +on both parts, the glad smile, and the inclination of the head. + +"Why, Wilton," he said in a low voice--"Wilton! it seems you are +already a great deal better acquainted with my future wife than I am +myself; and glad to see you does she seem! and most gracious is her +notice of you! Why, there are half of those gilded fools on the other +side of the house ready to cut your throat at this moment, when it is +mine they would seek to cut if they knew all; but pray come and +introduce me to my lovely bride, I had no idea she was so pretty. +I'm sure I am delighted to have some other introduction than that of +my father, and so unexpected a one." + +All this was said in a bantering tone, but not without a shrewd +examination of Wilton's countenance while it was spoken. What were +the feelings of the young nobleman it was impossible for Wilton to +divine; but he answered quite calmly, the first emotion being by this +time passed--"My acquaintance with her is so slight, that I certainly +could not venture to introduce any one, far less one who has so much +better an introduction ready prepared." + +"By heavens, Wilton," replied his friend, "by the look she gave you +and the look you returned, one would not have judged the acquaintance +to be slight; but as you will not introduce me, I will introduce you; +for, I suppose, in common civility, I must go and speak to her father, +as the old gentleman's eye is upon me. There! He secures his point by +a bow. Dearly beloved, I come, I come!" + +Thus saying, he turned to proceed to the box, making a sign to Wilton +to follow, which he did, though at the time he did it, he censured +his own weakness for yielding to the temptation. + +"I am but going," he thought, "to augment feelings of regret at a +destiny I cannot change--I only go to increase my own pain, and in no +degree to avert from that sweet girl a fate but too dark and +sorrowful." + +As he thus thought, he felt disposed, even then, to make some excuse +for not going to the Duke's box; but by the time they were half way +thither, they were met by several persons coming the other way, +amongst whom was a gentleman richly but not gaudily dressed, who +immediately addressed Lord Sherbrooke, saying, that the Duke of +Gaveston requested the honour of his company in his box, and Wilton +immediately recognised his old companion of the road, Sir John +Fenwick. Sir John bowed to him but distantly; and Wilton was more than +ever hesitating whether he should go on or not, when some one touched +him on the arm, and turning round he beheld his somewhat doubtful +acquaintance, who had given himself the name of Green. + +Sir John Fenwick and the stranger looked in each other's faces +without the slightest sign of recognition: but to Wilton himself +Green smiled pleasantly, saying, "I very much wish to speak a word +with you, Mr. Wilton Brown. Will you just step aside with me to the +lobby for a moment?" + +The recollection of what had passed when last they met, together with +the wish of avoiding an interview with the Duke and his daughter, +from which he augured nought but pain, overcame Wilton's repugnance +to hold any private communication with one whom he had certainly seen +in a situation at the least very equivocal; and merely saying to Lord +Sherbrooke, "I must speak with this gentleman for a moment, and +therefore cannot come with you," he left the young lord to follow Sir +John Fenwick, and turned with the stranger into the lobby. There was +no one there at the moment, for at that time the licensed +abomination, of which it has since been the scene, would not have +been tolerated in any country calling itself Christian. Wilton was +indeed rather glad that it was vacant, for he was not anxious to be +observed by many people in conversation with his present companion. +Not that anything in his appearance or manner was calculated to call +up the blush of idle pride. The stranger's dress was as rich and +tasteful as any in the house, his manner was easy and free, his look, +though not particularly striking, distinguished and gentlemanly. + +The stranger was the first to speak. "Do not alarm yourself, Mr. +Brown," he said: "Mr. Green is a safe companion here, whatever he +might be in Maidenhead Thicket. But I wanted to speak a word to you +yourself, and to give you a hint that may be beneficial to others. As +to yourself, I told you when last we met that I could bring you into +company with some of your old friends. I thought your curiosity would +have carried you to the Green Dragon long ago. As, however, you do +not seem to wish to see your old friends, I have now to tell you that +they wish to see you, and therefore I have to beg you to meet me +there to-morrow at six o'clock." + +"You are mistaken entirely," replied Wilton, "in regard to my not +wishing to see my old friends. I very much wish it. I wish to hear +more of my early history, about which there seems to me to be some +mystery." + +"Is there?" said the stranger, in a careless tone. "Whether anything +will be explained to you or not, I cannot say. At all events, you +must meet me there; and, in the meantime tell me, have you seen Sir +John Fenwick since last we met?" + +"No, I have not," replied Wilton. "Why do you ask?" + +"Because," replied the other, "Sir John Fenwick is a dangerous +companion, and it were better that you did not consort with him." + +"That I certainly shall not do," replied Wilton, "knowing his +character sufficiently already." + +"Indeed!" replied the other. "You have grown learned in people's +characters of late, Master Brown: perhaps you know mine also; and if +you do, of course you will give me the meeting to-morrow at the Green +Dragon." + +He spoke with a smile; and Wilton replied, "I am by no means sure +that I shall do so, unless I have a better cause assigned, and a +clearer knowledge of what I am going there for." + +"Prudent! Prudent!" said the stranger. "Quite right to be prudent, +Master Wilton. Nevertheless, you must come, for the matter is now one +of some moment. Therefore, without asking you to answer at present, I +shall expect you. At six of the clock, remember--precisely." + +"I by no means promise to come," replied Wilton, "though I do not say +that I will not. But you said that you wished to tell me something +which might be useful to others. Pray what may that be?" + +"Why," answered the stranger, "I wish you to give a little warning to +your acquaintance, the Duke of Gaveston, regarding this very Sir John +Fenwick and his character." + +"Nay," said Wilton, "nay--that I can hardly do. My acquaintance with +the Duke himself is extremely small. The Duke is a man of the world +sufficiently old to judge for himself, and with sufficient experience +to know the character of Sir John Fenwick without my explaining it to +him." + +"The Duke," replied the other, "is a grown baby, with right wishes +and good intentions, as well as kind feelings; but a coral and bells +would lure him almost anywhere, and he has got into the hands of one +who will not fail to lead him into mischief. I thought you knew him +well; but nevertheless, well or ill, you must give him the warning." + +"I beg your pardon," replied Wilton, drawing himself up coldly: "but +in one or two points you have been mistaken. My knowledge of the +Duke is confined to one interview. I shall most probably never +exchange another word with him in my life; and even if I were to do +so, I should not think of assailing, to a mere common acquaintance, +the character of a gentleman whom I may not like or trust myself, but +who seems to be the intimate friend of the very person in whose good +opinion you wish me to ruin him." + +"Pshaw!" replied the stranger--"you will see the Duke again this very +night, or I am much mistaken. As to Sir John Fenwick, I am a great +deal more intimately his friend than the Duke is, and I may wish to +keep him from rash acts, which he has neither courage nor skill to +carry through, and will not dare to undertake, if he be not supported +by others. I am, in fact, doing Sir John himself a friendly act, for +I know his purposes, which are both rash and wrong; and if I cannot +stop them by fair means, I must stop them by others." + +"In that," replied Wilton, "you must act as you think fit. I know +nothing of Sir John Fenwick from my own personal observation; and +therefore will not be made a tool of, to injure his reputation with +others." + +"Well, well," replied his companion--"in those circumstances you are +right; and, as they say in that beggarly assemblage of pettifogging +rogues and traitors called the House of Commons, I must shape my +motion in another way. The manner in which I will beg you to deal +with the Duke, is this. Find an opportunity, before this night be +over, of entreating him earnestly not to go to-morrow to the meeting +at the Old King's Head, in Leadenhall-street. This is clear and +specific, and at the same time you assail the character of no one." + +Wilton thought for a moment or two, and then replied, "I cannot even +promise you absolutely to do this; but, if I can, I will. If I see +the Duke, and have the means of giving him the message, I will tell +him that I received it from a stranger, who seemed anxious for his +welfare." + +"That will do," answered the other--"that will do. But you must tell +him without Sir John Fenwick's hearing you. As to your seeing him +again, you will, I suppose, take care of that; for surely the bow, +and the smile, and the blush, that came across the house to you, were +too marked an invitation to the box, for such a gallant and a +courteous youth not to take advantage of at once." + +Wilton felt himself inclined to be a little angry at the familiarity +with which his companion treated him, and which was certainly more +than their acquaintance warranted. Curiosity, however, is powerful to +repress all feelings, that contend with it; and if ever curiosity was +fully justifiable, it surely was that of Wilton to know his own early +history. Thus, although he might have felt inclined to quarrel with +any other person who treated him so lightly, on the present occasion +he smothered his anger, and merely replied that the stranger was +mistaken in supposing that there was any such acquaintance between +him and Lady Laura as to justify him in visiting her box. + +Even while he was in the act of speaking, however, Lord Sherbrooke +entered the lobby in haste, and advanced immediately towards him, +saying, "Why, Wilton, I have been seeking you all over the house. +Where, in Fortune's name, have you been? The Duke and Lady Laura have +both been inquiring after you most tenderly, and wondering that you +have not been to see them in their box." + +The stranger, whom we shall in future call Green, turned away with a +smile, saying merely, "Good evening, Mr. Brown; I won't detain you +longer." + +"Why, who the devil have you got there, Wilton?" exclaimed Lord +Sherbrooke: "I think I have seen his face before." + +"His name is Green," replied Wilton, not choosing to enter into +particulars; "but I am ready now to go with you at once, and make my +apologies for not accompanying you before." + +"Come then, come," replied Lord Sherbrooke; and, leading the way +towards the Duke's box, he added, laughingly, "If there had been any +doubt before, my good Wilton, as to my future fate, this night has +been enough to settle it." + +"In what way?" said Wilton; but ere the young nobleman could answer, +otherwise than by a smile, they had reached the box, and the door was +thrown open. + +Wilton's heart beat, it must be confessed; but he had sufficient +command over himself to guard against the slightest emotion being +perceptible upon his countenance; and he bowed to the Duke and to +Lady Laura, with that ceremonious politeness which he judged that his +situation required. Lady Laura at once, however, held out her hand +to him, and expressed briefly, how glad she was of another +opportunity to thank him for the great service which he had rendered +her some time before. The Duke also spoke of it kindly and politely; +and the other persons in the box, who were several in number, began +to inquire into the circumstances thus publicly mentioned, so that +the conversation took a more general turn, till the curtain again +arose. + +A certain degree of restraint, which had at first affected both +Wilton and the lady, soon wore off, and the evening went by most +pleasantly. It was not strange--it was not surely at all +strange--that a young heart should forget itself in such +circumstances. Wilton gave himself up, not indeed to visions of joy, +but to actual enjoyment. Perhaps Lady Laura did the same. At all +events, she looked far happier than she had done before; and when at +length the curtain fell, and the time for parting came, they both +woke as from a dream, and the waking was certainly followed by a sigh +on either part. It was then that Wilton first recollected the warning +that he had promised to give, and he was considering how he should +find the means of speaking with the Duke alone, when that nobleman +paused for a moment, as the rest of the party went out of the box, +and drawing Wilton aside, said in a hasty but kindly manner, "Lord +Sherbrooke informs me that you are his most intimate friend, Mr. +Brown; and as it is very likely that we shall see him frequently, I +hope you will sometimes do us the favour of accompanying him." + +Wilton replied by one of those unmeaning speeches which commit a man +to nothing; for though his own heart told him that he would really be +but too happy, as he said to take advantage of the invitation, yet it +told him, at the same time, that to do so would be dangerous to his +peace. The Duke was then about to follow his party; but Wilton now in +turn detained him, saying, "I have a message to deliver to you, my +lord duke, from a stranger who stopped me as I was coming to your +box." + +"Ha!" said the Duke, with a somewhat important air, "this is strange; +but still I have so many communications of different kinds--what may +it be, Mr. Brown?" + +"It was, my lord," replied Wilton, in a low voice, "a warning which I +think it best to deliver, as, not knowing the gentleman's name who +gave it to me, I cannot tell whether it may be a mere piece of +impertinence from somebody who is perhaps a stranger to your grace, +or an intimation from a sincere friend--" + +"But the warning, the warning!" said the Duke, "pray, what was this +warning?" + +"It was," replied Wilton, "a warning not to go to a meeting which you +proposed to attend in the course of to-morrow." + +"Ha!" said the Duke, with a look of some surprise--"did he say what +meeting?" + +"Yes, my lord," replied Wilton--"he said it was a meeting at the old +King's Head in Leadenhall Street, and he added that it would be +dangerous for you to do so." + +"I will never shrink from personal danger, Mr. Brown," said the Duke, +holding up his head, and putting on a courageous look. But the moment +after, something seemed to strike him, and he added with a certain +degree of hesitation, "But let me ask you, Mr. Brown, does my lord of +Byerdale know this?--You have not told Lord Sherbrooke?" + +"Neither the one nor the other, my lord," replied Wilton--"I have +mentioned the fact to nobody but yourself." + +"Pray, then, do not," replied the Duke; "you will oblige me very +much, Mr. Brown, by keeping this business secret. I must certainly +attend the meeting at four to-morrow, because I have pledged my word +to it; but I shall enter into nothing that is dangerous or criminal, +depend upon it--" + +The nobleman was going on; and it is impossible to say how much he +might have told in regard to the meeting in question, if Wilton had +not stopped him. + +"I beg your pardon, my lord," he said; "but allow me to remind you +that I have no knowledge whatsoever of the views and intentions with +which this meeting is to be held. I shall certainly not mention the +message I have brought your grace to any one, and having delivered +it, must leave the rest to yourself, whose judgment in such matters +must be far superior to mine." + +The Duke looked gratified, but moved on without reply, as the rest of +his party were waiting at a little distance. Wilton followed; and +seeing the Duke and Lady Laura with Sir John and Lady Mary Fenwick +into their carriages, he proceeded homeward with Lord Sherbrooke, +neither of them interchanging a word till they had well nigh reached +Wilton's lodgings. There, however, Lord Sherbrooke burst into a loud +laugh, exclaiming-- + +"Lack-a-day, Wilton, lack-a-day! Here are you and I as silent and as +meditative as two owls in a belfry: you looking as wise as if you +were a minister of state, and I as sorrowful as an unhappy lover, +when, to say the truth, I am thinking of some deep stroke of policy, +and you are meditating upon a fair maid's bright eyes. Get you gone, +Wilton; get you gone, for a sentimental, lack-a-daisical shepherd! +Now could we but get poor old King James to come back, the way to a +dukedom would be open before you in a fortnight." + +"How so?" demanded Wilton, "how so? You do not suppose, Sherbrooke, +that I would ever join in overturning the religion, and the laws, and +the liberties of my country--how so, then?" + +"As thus," replied Lord Sherbrooke--"I will answer you as if I had +been born the grave-digger in Hamlet. King James comes over--well, +marry go to, now--a certain duke that you wot of, who is a rank +Jacobite, by the by, instantly joins the invader; then comes King +William, drives me his fellow-king and father-in-law out of the +kingdom in five days, takes me the duke prisoner, and chops me his +head off in no time. This headless father leaves a sorrowful +daughter, who at the time of his death is deeply and desperately in +love, without daring to say it, her father's head being the only +obstacle in the way of the daughter's heart. Then comes the lover to +console the lady, and finding her without protection, offers to +undertake that very needful duty. Now see you, Wilton? Now see +you?--But there's the door of your dwelling. Get you in, man, get you +in, and try if in your dreams you can get some means of bringing it +about. By my faith, Wilton, you are in a perilous situation; but +there's one thing for your comfort,--if I can get out of all the +scrapes that at this moment surround me on every side, like the lines +of a besieging enemy, you can surely make your escape out of your +difficulties, when you have love, and youth, and hope, to befriend +you." + +"Hope?" said Wilton, in bitter sadness; but at the moment he spoke, +the door of the house was opened, and, bidding Lord Sherbrooke "Good +night," he went in. + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +During the greater part of the next day Wilton did not set eyes upon +Lord Sherbrooke. The Earl of Byerdale, however, was peculiarly +courteous and polite to his young secretary. There was much business, +Earl was obliged to be very rapid in all his movements; but the terms +in which he gave his directions were gentle and placable, and some +letters received in the course of the day from Ireland seemed to +please him well. He hinted even in a mysterious tone to Wilton that +he had something of importance to say to him, but that he had not time +to say it at the moment, and he ended by asking his secretary to dine +at his house on the following day, when he said the Duke of Gaveston +and Lady Laura were to be present, with a large party. + +He went out about three o'clock: and Wilton had not long returned to +his lodgings when Lord Sherbrooke joined him, and insisted on his +accompanying him on horseback for a ride into the country. + +Wilton was at that moment hesitating as to whether he should or +should not go to the rendezvous given him by his strange +acquaintance, Green. He had certainly left the theatre on the +preceding night determined so to do; for the various feelings which +at this time agitated his heart had changed the anxiety which he had +always felt to know the circumstances of his birth and family into a +burning thirst, which would have led him almost anywhere for +satisfaction. + +A night's thought, however--for we cannot say that he slept--had +again revived all the doubts which had before prevented him from +seeking the stranger, and had once more displayed before his eyes all +the many reasons which in those days existed for holding no +communication with persons whose characters were not known; or were +in the least degree suspicious. Thus before Lord Sherbrooke joined +him, he had fully convinced himself that the thing which he had so +great an inclination to do was foolish, imprudent, and wrong. He had +seen the man in a situation which left scarcely a doubt of his +pursuits; he had seen him in close communication with a gentleman +principally known as a virulent and unscrupulous enemy of the +reigning dynasty; and he had not one cause for thinking well of him, +except a certain off-hand frankness of manner which might easily be +assumed. + +All this he had repeated to himself twenty times, but yet he felt a +strong inclination to go, when Lord Sherbrooke's sudden appearance, +and invitation to ride out with him, cast an additional weight into +the opposite scale, and determined his conduct at once. It is +wonderful, indeed, how often those important acts, in regard to which +we have hesitated and weighed every point with anxious deliberation, +are ultimately determined by the most minute and trifling +circumstance, totally unconnected with the thing itself. The truth +is, under such circumstances we are like a man weighing fine gold +dust, who does it to such a nicety that a hair falling into the scale +turns it one way or the other. + +In the present instance, our friend Wilton was not unwilling that +something should come in aid of his better judgment; and ordering his +horse he was soon beyond the precincts of London, and riding through +the beautiful fields which at that time extended over ground where +courtiers and ministers have now established their town dwellings. + +From the whole demeanour of his companion, from the wild and excited +spirits which he displayed, from the bursts of merriment to which he +gave way, apparently without a sufficient cause, Wilton evidently saw +that there was either some wild scheme working in Lord Sherbrooke's +brain, or the knowledge of some happy event gladdening his heart. +What it was, however, he could not divine, and the young nobleman was +evidently determined on no account to explain. He laughed and jested +with Wilton in regard to the gravity which he could not conquer, +declared that he was the dullest companion that ever had been seen, +and vowed that there could be no more stupid and tiresome companion +for a long ride than a man in love, unless, indeed, it were a lame +horse. + +"Indeed, my dear Sherbrooke," replied Wilton, "you should prove, in +the first place, that I am in love, which I can assure you is not the +case, before you attempt to attribute my being grave to that reason. +My very situation in life, and a thousand things connected therewith, +are surely enough to make me sad at times." + +"Why, what is there sad in your situation, my dear Wilton?" demanded +Lord Sherbrooke, in the same tone of raillery: "here are you a +wealthy young man--ay, wealthy, Wilton. Have you not yourself told me +that your income exceeds your expenses; while I, on the other hand, +have no income at all, and expenses in abundance? Well, I say you are +here a wealthy young man, with the best prospects in the world, +destined some day to be prime minister for aught I know." + +"And who, at this present moment," interrupted Wilton, "has not a +relation upon earth that he knows of; who has never enjoyed a +father's care or a mother's tenderness; who can only guess that his +birth was disgraceful to her whom man's heart is naturally bound to +reverence, without knowing who or what was his father, or who even +was the mother by whose shame he was brought into being." + +Lord Sherbrooke was immediately grave, for he saw that Wilton was +hurt; and he replied frankly and kindly, "I beg your pardon, my dear +Wilton--I did not intend to pain you, and had not the slightest idea +of how you were circumstanced. To tell the truth, I took it for +granted that you were the son of good Lord Sunbury; and thought that +you were, of course, well aware of all the particulars." + +"Of none, Sherbrooke, of none," replied Wilton. "Suspicions may have +crossed my mind that it is as you supposed, but then many other things +tend to make me believe that such is not the case. At all events, one +thing is clear--I have no family, no kindred; or if I have +relations, they are ashamed of the tie that binds me to them, and +voluntarily disown it." + +"Pshaw! Wilton," exclaimed Lord Sherbrooke--"family! What matters a +family? Make yourself one, Wilton. The best of us can but trace his +lineage back to some black-bearded Northman, or yellow-haired Saxon, +no better than a savage of some cannibal island of the South Sea--a +fellow who tore his roast meat with unwashed fingers, and never knew +the luxury of a clean shirt. Make a family for yourself, I say; and +let the hundredth generation down, if the world last so long, boast +that the head of the house was a gentleman, and wore gold lace on his +coat." + +Wilton smiled, saying, "I fear the prospect of progeny, Sherbrooke, +will never be held as an equivalent for the retrospect of ancestors." + +"An axiom worthy of Aristotle!" exclaimed Lord Sherbrooke; "but here +we are, my dear Wilton," he continued, pulling up his horse at the +gates of a house enclosed within walls, situated about a quarter of a +mile beyond Chelsea, and somewhat more from the house and grounds +belonging at that time to the celebrated Earl of Peterborough. + +"But what do you intend to do here?" exclaimed Wilton, at this pause. + +"Oh! nothing but make a call," replied his companion. + +"Shall I ride on, or wait till you come back?" demanded Wilton. + +"Oh, no!--come in, come in," said Lord Sherbrooke--"I shall not be +long, and I'll introduce you, if you are not acquainted." + +While he was speaking he had rung the bell, and his own two servants +with Wilton's rode up to take the horses. Almost at the same moment +a porter threw open the gates, and to his companion's surprise, Lord +Sherbrooke asked for the Duke of Gaveston. The servant answered that +the Duke was out, but that his young lady was at home; and thus the +hero of our tale found himself suddenly, and even most unwillingly, +brought to the dwelling of one whose society he certainly liked +better than that of any one else on earth. + +Lord Sherbrooke looked in his face with a glance of malicious +pleasure; and then, as nothing on earth ever stopped him in anything +that he chose to do or say, he burst forth into a gay peal of +laughter at the surprise which he saw depicted on the countenance of +his friend. + +"Take the horses," he continued, turning to his own servants--"take +the horses round to the Green Dragon, in the lane behind the house, +wet their noses, and give them a book to read till we come to them. +Come, Wilton, come! It is quite fitting," he said, in a lower tone, +"that in execution of my plan I should establish a character for +insanity in the house. Now that fat porter with the mulberry nose +will go and report to the kitchen-maid that I order my horses a book +to read, and they will decide that I am mad in a minute. The news +will fly from kitchen-maid to cook, and from cook to housekeeper, and +from housekeeper to lady's maid, and from lady's maid to lady. There +will be nothing else talked of in the house but my madness; and when +they come to add madness to badness they will surely give me up, if +they haven't a mind to add sadness to madness likewise." + +While he spoke, they were following a sort of groom of the chambers, +who, after looking into one of the rooms on the ground-floor, turned +to Lord Sherbrooke, saying, in a sweet tone, + +"Lady Laura is walking in the gardens I see, my lord. I will show +your lordship the way." + +"So you have the honour of knowing who my lordship is, Mr. Montgomery +Styles?" said Lord Sherbrooke, looking him full in the face. + +"I beg your lordship's pardon," said the man, in the same mincing +manner--"my name is not Montgomery Styles--my name is Josiah +Perkins." + +"Well, Jos. Perkins," said the young nobleman, "I PRAE SEQUOR, which +means, get on as fast as you can, Mr. Perkins, and I'll come after; +though you may tell me as you go, how it was you discovered my +lordliness." + +"Oh! by your look, my lord: I should have discovered it at once," +replied the groom of the chambers; "but his grace told me that your +lordship was likely to call." + +"Oh, ho!" cried Lord Sherbrooke, with a laughing look to Wilton. But +the next moment the servant threw open a glass door, and they issued +forth into the gardens, which were very beautiful, and extended down +to the river, filled with fine old trees, and spread out in soft +green terraces and gravel walks. Lord Sherbrooke gazed round at +first, with a look of criticising inquiry, upon the gardens; but the +eyes of Wilton had fixed immediately upon the figure of a lady who +was walking slowly along on the terrace, some way beneath them, at +the very edge of the river. She did not remark the opening of the +glass door in the centre of the house, which was at the distance of +about two hundred yards from the spot where she was at the time; but +continued her walk with her eyes bent upon the ground, and one hand +playing negligently with the bracelet which encircled the wrist of +the other arm. Her thoughts were evidently deeply busied with matters +of importance, at least to herself. She was walking slowly, as we +have said--a thing that none but a high-bred woman can do with +grace--and though the great beauty of her figure was, in some degree, +hidden by the costume of the day, yet nothing could render its easy, +gliding motion aught but exquisitely graceful, and (if I may use a +far-fetched term, but, perhaps, the only one that will express my +meaning clearly,) musical to the eye. It must not be understood that, +though she was walking slowly, the grace with which she did so had +anything of the cold and stately air which those who assume it call +dignity. Oh no! it was all easy: quiet, but full of youth, and +health, and life it was the mere movement of a form, perfect in the +symmetry of every limb, under the will of a spirit harmonizing +entirely with the fair frame that contained it. She walked slowly +because she was full of deep thought; but no one who beheld her could +doubt that bounding joy might in its turn call forth as much grace in +that young form as the calmer mood now displayed. + +Wilton turned his eyes from the lady to his young companion, and he +saw that he was now gazing at her too, and that not a little +admiration was painted in his countenance. Wilton was painfully +situated, and felt all the awkwardness of the position in which Lord +Sherbrooke had placed him fully. Yet how could he act? he asked +himself--what means of escape did there exist? What was the motive, +too? what the intentions of Lord Sherbrooke? for what purposes had he +brought him there? in what situation might he place him next? + +All these, and many another question, he asked his own heart as they +advanced across the green slopes and little terraces towards that in +which the young lady "walked in beauty." There was no means for him +to escape, however; and though he never knew from one moment to +another what would be the conduct of Lord Sherbrooke, he was obliged +to go on, and take his chance of what that conduct might be. + +When they were about fifty yards from Lady Laura, she turned at the +end of the walk, and then, for the first time, saw them as they +approached; but if the expression of her countenance might be +believed, she saw them with no great pleasure. An expression of +anxiety, nay, of pain, came into her beautiful eyes; and as they were +turned both upon Lord Sherbrooke and Wilton, the latter came in for +his share also of that vexed look. + +"You see, Wilton," said Lord Sherbrooke in a low voice, "how angry +she is to behold you here. It was for that I brought you. I want to +tease her in all possible ways," and without waiting for any reply, +he hurried his pace, and advanced towards the lady. + +She received him with marked coldness and distance of manner; but now +the difference in her demeanour towards him and towards Wilton was +strongly marked--not that the smile with which she greeted the latter +when he came up was anything but very faint, yet her lip did relax +into a smile. + +The colour, too, came up a little into her cheek; and her manner was +a little agitated. In short--though without openly expressing any +very great pleasure at seeing him--it was evident that she was not +displeased; and the secret of the slight degree of embarrassment +which she displayed was, that for the first moment or so after she +saw him, she thought of her mistake of the night before, and of her +feelings while she had imagined that the Duke had pointed him out to +her as one who, if she thought fit, might be her future husband. + +The lady soon conquered the momentary agitation, however; and the +conversation went on, principally maintained, of course, between +herself and Lord Sherbrooke. Wilton would have given worlds indeed to +have escaped, but there was no possibility of so doing, Lady Laura +signified no intention of returning to the house; and they continued +walking up and down the broad gravelled terrace, which of all things +on earth affords the least opportunity for lingering behind, or +escaping the embarrassment of being the one too many. + +Wilton had too much good taste to suffer his annoyance to appear; and +though he strove to avoid taking any greater part in the conversation +than he could help, still when he joined in, what he did say was said +with ease and grace. Lord Sherbrooke forced him, indeed, to speak +more than he was inclined, and, to Lady Laura, there seemed a strange +contrast between the thoughts and language of the two. The young +nobleman's conversation was light, witty, poignant, and irregular. It +was like the flowing of a shallow stream amongst bright pebbles which +it causes to sparkle, and from which it receives in return a thousand +various shades and tints, but without depth or vigour; while that of +Wilton was stronger, more profound, more vigorous both in thought and +expression, and was like a deeper river flowing on without so much +sunshine and light, but clear, deep, and powerful, and not unmusical +either, between its banks. + +It was towards the latter that Lady Laura turned and listened, though +she could not but smile at many of the gay sallies of him who walked +on the other side: but it seemed as if the conversation of Lord +Sherbrooke rested in the ear, while that of Wilton sunk into the +heart. + +It would not be very interesting, even if we had times to detail all +that took place upon that occasion; but it must be confessed that, +though once or twice Lord Sherbrooke felt inclined to put forth all +his powers of pleasing, out of pique at the marked preference which +Lady Laura showed for Wilton, he in no degree concealed the worst +points of his character. He said nothing, indeed, which could offend +in mere expression: but every now and then he suffered some few words +to escape him, which clearly announced that the ties of morality and +religion were in no degree recognised by him amongst the principles +by which he intended to guide his actions. He even forced the +conversation into channels which afforded an opportunity of +expressing opinions of worse than a dangerous character. Constancy, +he said, was all very well for a turtledove, or an old man of seventy +with a young wife; and as for religion, there were certain people +paid for having it, and he should not trouble himself to have any +unless he were paid likewise. This was not, indeed, all said at once, +nor in such distinct terms as we have here used, but still the +meaning was the same; and whether expressed in a jesting or more +serious manner, that meaning could not be misunderstood. + +Wilton looked grave and sad when he heard such things said to a pure +and high-minded girl; and Lady Laura herself turned a little pale, and +cast her eyes down upon the ground without reply. + +At length, after this had gone on for some time, Lord Sherbrooke +inquired for Lady Mary Fenwick, saying that he had hoped to see her +there, and to inquire after her health. + +"Oh, she is here still," replied Lady Laura; "but she complained of +headache this morning, and is sitting in the little library. I do not +know whether she would be inclined to see any one or not." + +"Oh, she will see me, beyond all doubt," exclaimed Lord +Sherbrooke--"no lady ever refuses to see me. Besides, her +great-grandmother, on old Lady Carlisle's side, was my great- +grandfather's forty-fifth cousin; so that we are relations. I will go +and find her out. Stay you, Wilton, and console Lady Laura, till I +come back again. I shall not be five minutes." + +Thus saying, away he darted, leaving Lady Laura and Wilton alone in +the middle of the walk. The lady seemed to hesitate for a moment what +she should do, whether she should follow to the house or not, and she +paused for an instant in the walk; but inclination, if the truth must +be said, got the better of what she might consider strictly decorous, +and after that momentary pause, she walked on with Wilton by her +side. In saying that it was inclination determined her conduct, I did +not mean to say that it was solely the inclination to walk and +converse with Wilton Brown, though that had some share in the +business, but there was besides, an inclination to be freed from the +presence of Lord Sherbrooke, who had succeeded to a miracle in making +her thoroughly disgusted with him. + +As they walked on, there was a certain degree of embarrassment hung +over both Wilton and Laura; both felt, perhaps, that they could be +very happy in each other's society, but both felt afraid of being too +happy. With Wilton, there were a thousand causes to produce that +slight embarrassment, and with Lady Laura several also. But one, and +a very principal cause was, that there was something which she longed +exceedingly to say, and yet doubted whether she ought to say it. + +It does not unfrequently happen that a person of the highest rank and +station, possessing every quality to secure friendship, with wealth +and every gift of fortune at command, surrounded by numerous +acquaintances, and mingling with a wide society, is nevertheless +totally alone--alone in spirit and in heart--alone in thought and +mind. Such was the case with Lady Laura. It is true she had yet but +very little experience of the world, and her search for a congenial +spirit had not been carried far or prosecuted long; but she was one +of those who had learned to think and to feel early. Her mother, who +had died three years before, had taught her to do so, not alone for +her own sake, but also for that of her father; for the Duchess had +early felt the conviction that her own life would be brief, and knew +that the mind and character of her daughter must have a great effect +upon the Duke, whom she loved much, though she could not venerate +very highly. + +With a heart, then, full of deep and pure feelings, with a mind not +only originally bright and strong, not only highly cultivated and +stored with fine tastes, but highly directed and fortified with +strong principles, with an enthusiastic love of everything that was +beautiful and graceful, generous, noble, and dignified--it is not to +be wondered at that, in the wide society of the capital, or amongst +all the acquaintances who thronged her father's house, Lady Laura had +seen no spirit congenial to her own, no heart with the same feelings, +no mind with the same objects. In every one she had met with, there +had still been some apparent weakness, some worldliness, some +selfishness; there had been coldness, or apathy, or want of +principle, or want of feeling; and the bright enthusiasms of her +young nature had been confined to the tabernacle of her own heart. + +She had seen Wilton Brown but seldom, it is true, but nevertheless +she felt differently towards him and other people. There were +several causes which had produced this; and perhaps, as Lady Laura +was not absolutely an angel, his personal appearance might have +something to do with it, though less than might be supposed. His fine +person, his noble carriage, his bright and intelligent countenance, +the rapid variety of its expressions, the dignified character of the +predominant one to which it always returned, after those more +transient had passed away--all gave the idea of there being a high +heart and mind beneath. In the next place, Wilton had, as we have +told, commenced his acquaintance with her by an act of personal +service, performed with gallantry, skill, and decision, at the risk +of his own life. In the third place, in all his conversation, as far +as she had ever known or remarked, there were those small casual +traits of good feelings, fine tastes, and strong principles, +expressed sometimes by a single word, sometimes by a look or gesture, +which are a thousand-fold more convincing, in regard to the real +character of the person, than the most laboured harangue, or essay, +or declaration. + +Thus it was that Laura hoped, and fancied, and believed, she had now +seen one person upon earth whose feelings, thoughts, and character +might assimilate with her own. Pray let the reader understand, that I +do not mean to say Laura was in love with Wilton; but she did believe +that he was one of those for whose eyes she might draw away a part of +that customary veil with which all people hide the shrine of their +deeper feelings from the sight of the coarse multitude. + +There was something, then, as we have seen, that she wished to +say--there was something that she believed she might say, without +risk or wrong. But yet she hesitated; and she and Wilton went on +nearly to the end of the walk in perfect silence. At length she cast +a timid glance, first towards the house where Lord Sherbrooke was +seen just entering one of the rooms from the upper terrace, and then +to the face of Wilton Brown, whose eye chanced at that moment to be +upon her with a look of inquiry. The look gave her courage, and she +said-- + +"I am going to say a very odd thing, Mr. Brown, I believe; but your +great intimacy with Lord Sherbrooke puzzles me. He told my father +last night that you were his dearest and most intimate friend. I +always thought that friendship must proceed from a similarity of +feelings and pursuits, and I am sure, from what I have heard you say, +at least I think I may be sure, that you entertain ideas the most +opposite to those with which he has just pained us." + +Wilton smiled somewhat sadly; but he did not dare deny that such +opinions were Lord Sherbrooke's real ones; for his well-known conduct +was too much in accordance with them. + +"Would to Heaven, dear lady," he said, "that Sherbrooke would permit +me to be as much his friend as I might be! I must not deny that he +has many faults--faults, I am sure, of education and habit alone, for +his heart is noble, honourable, and high" + +"Nay," cried Lady Laura--"could a noble or an honourable heart +entertain such sentiments as he has just expressed?" + +"You do not know him, nor understand him yet, Lady Laura," replied +Wilton. "Most men strive to make themselves appear better than they +really are: Sherbrooke labours to make himself appear worse--not +alone, Lady Laura, in his language--not alone in his account of +himself, but even by his very actions. I am confident that he has +committed more than one folly, for the sole purpose, if his motives +were thoroughly sifted and investigated, of establishing a bad +reputation." + +"What a sad vanity!" exclaimed Lady Laura. "On such a man no reliance +can be placed. But his plain declaration, a few minutes ago, is quite +sufficient to mark his character, I mean his declaration, that he +considers no vows taken to a woman at all binding on a man. Is that +the principle of an honourable heart, Mr. Brown?" + +Wilton was silent for a moment, but Lady Laura evidently looked for a +reply; and he answered at length, "No, it is not, Lady Laura; but I +fully believe, ere taking any such vows, Sherbrooke would openly +acknowledge his view of them, and, having done so, would look upon +them as mere empty air." + +Lady Laura laughed, evidently applying her companion's words to her +own situation with Lord Sherbrooke; and Wilton, unwilling that one +word from his lips should have a tendency to thwart the purposes of +the Earl of Byerdale, in a matter where he had no right to interfere, +hastened to add, "Let me assure you, Lady Laura, however, at the same +time that I make this acknowledgment with regard to Sherbrooke, that +I am fully convinced, if he were to pledge his word of honour to keep +those vows, he would die rather than violate that pledge." + +"That is to say," replied Lady Laura, somewhat bitterly, "that he has +erected an idol whose oracles he can interpret as he will, and calls +it honour, denying that there is any other God. But let us speak of +it no more, Mr. Brown; these things make one sad." + +Wilton was glad to speak of something else; for he felt himself bound +by every tie to say all that he could in favour of Lord Sherbrooke; +and yet he could not find in his heart to aid, in the slightest +degree, in forwarding a scheme which could end in nothing but misery +to the sweet and innocent girl beside him. He changed the topic at +once, then, and exerted himself to draw her mind away from the matter +on which they had just been speaking. + +Nevertheless, that subject, while they went on, remained in the mind +of each; and Lady Laura might have discovered--if she had been at +all apprehensive of her own feelings--that it is a dangerous thing to +do as she had done, and raise, for any eye, even a corner of that +veil which bides the heart, unless we are inclined to raise it +altogether. Her subsequent conversation with Wilton took its tone +throughout, entirely from what had gone before. Without knowing it, +or rather, we should say, without perceiving it, they suffered it to +be mingled with deep feelings; shadowed forth, perhaps, more than +actually expressed. A softness, too, came over it--we insist not, +though, perhaps, we might, call it a tenderness the ceremonious terms +were soon dropped; and because the speakers would have been obliged +to use those ceremonious terms, if they had spoken each other's +names, they seemed by mutual consent to forget each other's names, +and never spoke them at all. Lady Laura did not address him as Mr. +Brown, and Wilton uttered not the words, "Lady Laura." From time to +time, too, she gazed up in his face, to see if he understood what she +meant but could not fully express; and he, while he poured forth any +of the deep thoughts long treasured in his own bosom, looked often +earnestly into her countenance, to discover by the expression the +effect produced on her mind. + +Lord Sherbrooke was absent for more than half an hour; and, during +that half hour, Wilton and the lady had gone farther on the journey +they were taking than ever they had gone yet.--What journey? + +Cannot you divine, reader? When Wilton entered those gardens, we +might boldly say, as we did say, that he was not in love. When he +left them, we should have hesitated. He would have hesitated +himself! Was not that going far upon a journey? + +However, Lord Sherbrooke at length joined them; and after a moment +more of cold and ceremonious leave-taking with Lady Laura, he turned, +and, accompanied by Wilton, left the house. + +Lady Laura remained upon the terrace, walking more rapidly than +before, and with her eyes bent upon the ground. Two minutes brought +Wilton to the gates of the court-yard; but oh, in those two minutes, +how his heart smote him, and how his brain reeled! + +"Shall I run for the horses, my lord?" cried the groom of the +chambers--"Shall I go for the horses, my lord?" exclaimed one of the +running footmen who was loitering in the hall. + +"No," said Lord Sherbrooke--"we will walk and fetch them," and taking +Wilton's arm, he sauntered quietly on from the house. + +"Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, this is all very wrong," said Wilton, the +moment they were out of hearing. + +"Very wrong, Solon!" exclaimed Lord Sherbrooke--"what do you mean? +Heavens and earth, what a perverse generation it is! When I expected +to be thanked over and over again for the kindest possible act, to be +told that it is all very wrong! You ungrateful villain! I declare I +have a great mind to turn round and draw my sword upon you, and cut +your throat out of pure friendship. Very wrong, say you?" + +"Ay, very wrong, Sherbrooke," replied Wilton. "You have placed me in +an unpleasant and dangerous situation, and without giving me notice +or a choice, have made me co-operate in doing what I do not think +right." + +"Pshaw!" cried Lord Sherbrooke--"Pshaw! At your heart, my dear +Wilton, you are very much obliged to me; and if you are not the most +ungrateful and the most foolish of all men upon earth, you will take +the goods the gods provide you, and make the best use of time and +opportunity." + +"All I can say, Sherbrooke," replied Wilton, "is, that I shall never +return to that house again, except for a formal visit to the Duke." + +"Fine resolutions speedily broken!" exclaimed Lord Sherbrooke: and he +was right. + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +Had Wilton Brown wanted an immediate illustration of the fragile +nature of man's purposes, of how completely and thoroughly our +firmest resolutions are the sport of fate and accident, it could have +been furnished to him within five minutes after he left the gates of +the house where he had paid an unintended visit. + +Lord Sherbrooke seemed perfectly well acquainted with the house and +its neighbourhood, and led the way round through a green lane at the +back, which presently, in one of its most sequestered spots, offered +to the eyes a somewhat large old-fashioned public-house, standing +back in a small paved court: while planted before it, on the edge of +the road, was a sign-post, bearing on its top the effigy of a huge +green dragon. + +Now, whether it be from some unperceived association in the minds of +the English people between the chimerical gentleman we have lately +mentioned and the patron saint of this island, who, it seems, if all +tales were told, was not a bit better than the dragon that he slew; +or for what other reason I know not, yet there is no doubt of the +fact, that in all ages English vintners have had a particular +predilection for green dragons; and that name was so commonly +attached to a public-house, in those days, that it had not at all +struck Wilton Brown that the Green Dragon to which Lord Sherbrooke +ordered the horses to be led, was that very identical Green Dragon +where his acquaintance Mr. Green had given him the rendezvous. + +He might not, indeed, have heard Lord Sherbrooke's order at all; but +it is still more probable, that he only did not attend to it, as all +his thoughts were taken up at the moment by the discovery of what +place Lord Sherbrooke had brought him to. It now, however, struck +him--when he saw the Green Dragon standing in the Green Lane, +precisely as it had been described by Green--that it might very +likely be the identical house to which he had been directed; and on +asking Lord Sherbrooke what was the name of the mansion they had just +visited, the matter was placed beyond doubt by his replying, +"Beaufort House. The Duke only hires it for a time." + +Brown hesitated now for an instant, as to how he should act. His +watch told him that it was close upon the hour to the appointment: +curiosity raised her voice: the natural longing after kindred had +also its influence; and if the society of Lord Sherbrooke was any +impediment, that was instantly removed by the young nobleman saying, +"Come, Wilton, as you are an unsociable devil, and seem out of +temper, I shall leave you to ride home by yourself--The truth is," he +added, after a moment's pause, "I am going upon an expedition, that +the character I have given myself to my fair Lady Laura may be fully +and completely established on the day that it is given.". + +"Nay, Sherbrooke, nay!" cried Wilton--"I hope and trust such is not +the case." + +The other only laughed, and called loudly for his servants and +horses. + +Well disciplined to his prompt and fiery disposition, his grooms led +the horses out in a moment, and the young nobleman sprang into the +saddle. Before his right foot was in the stirrup, he had touched the +horse with the spur, and away he went like lightning, waving his hand +to Wilton with a light laugh. + +Wilton's horses and groom had appeared also, but he paused before the +door without mounting; and the next moment, a fat, well-looking host, +as round, as well fed, and as rosy, as beef, beer, and good spirits, +ever made the old English innkeeper, appeared at the door in his +white night-cap and apron, and approaching the young gentleman, +invited him in with what seemed a meaning look. + +"Perhaps I may come in," replied Wilton, "and taste your good ale, +landlord." + +"Sir, the ale is both honoured and honourable," replied the host. "I +can assure you many a high gentleman tastes it at the Green Dragon." + +Bidding his servant lead the horse up and down before the door, +Wilton slowly entered the well-sanded passage, and passed through the +doorway of a room to which the landlord pointed. The moment he +entered, he heard voices speaking very loud, there being nothing +apparently between that and the adjoining chamber but a very thin +partition of wood-work. The landlord hemmed and coughed aloud, and +Wilton made his footfalls sound as heavily as possible, but all in +vain: the person who was speaking went on in the same tone; and +before the landlord could get out of the room again and down the +passage to the door of the next chamber, which was some way farther +on, Wilton distinctly heard the words, "Nonsense, Sir George! don't +attempt to cajole me! I tell you, I will have nothing to do with it. +To bring in foreigners is bad enough, when we are quite strong enough +to do it without: but I will take no man's blood but in fair fight." + +"Well!" exclaimed the other, in the same loud and vehement +manner--"you know, sir, I could hang you if I liked!" + +At that moment the door was evidently opened, and the landlord's +voice, exclaiming, "Hush! hush!" was heard; but he could not stop the +reply, which was,-- + +"I know that! But I could hang you, too; so that we are each pretty +safe. This is that villain Charnock's doing. Tell him I will blow +his brains out the first time I meet him, for spoiling, by his +bloody-minded villany, one of the most hopeful plans--" + +But the landlord's "Hush! hush!" was again repeated, and the voices +were thenceforth moderated, though the discussion seemed still to +endure some time. + +Wilton's curiosity was now more excited than ever; and when the +landlord brought him a foaming jug of ale, together with a long +Venice glass having a wavy pearl-coloured line up the stalk, he asked +the simple question, "Is Mr. Green here?" + +On this the landlord put down his head, saying, in a low voice, "The +Colonel will be with you directly: he expects you, sir." + +"The Colonel!" thought Brown--"this is a new dignity. However, with +his state and station I have little to do, if I could but discover my +own." + +At the end of about five minutes the conversation in the other room +ceased, and in a moment or two more the door was opened, and Green +made his appearance. We have so accurately described him before that +we should not pause upon his appearance now, had there not been a +great change in his dress, which had such an effect as to render it +scarcely possible to recognise him. + +Now, instead of a military-looking suit of green, he had on a +long-waisted broad-cut coat of black, with jet buttons; a +light-coloured periwig filled full of powder; black breeches and silk +stockings, and a light black-hilted sword. In fact, he bore much more +the appearance of a French lawyer of that day than anything else. The +features, indeed, were there; but it was wonderful what the +highly-powdered wig had done to soften the strong-marked lines of his +face, and to blanch the weather-beaten appearance of his complexion. + +The suit of black, too, made him look thinner and even taller than he +really was; and on his first entrance into the room, Wilton certainly +did not know him. + +"You have come before your time," he said, "though perhaps it is as +well, for I must go out as soon as it is dusk;" and as he spoke he +cast himself into a chair, fixed his eyes upon some scanty embers +which were smouldering in the grate, and fell into a deep and +apparently painful fit of thought. His broad but heavy brow was +knitted with a wrinkled frown; the muscles of his face worked from +time to time; and Wilton could see the sinews of his large powerful +hand, as it lay upon his knee, standing out like cords, though he +uttered not a word. + +After pausing for a moment or two, his companion thought it time to +recall this strange acquaintance to the subject of his coming, and +said, "You told me I might see some of my old friends here, Mr. +Green. Let me remind you it grows late." + +"Don't be impatient, my good boy," replied the other, abstractedly, at +the same time rising and drinking a deep draught of the ale--"you +SHALL see some of your old friends! Don't you see me?" + +"Yes," replied Wilton, "you are an acquaintance, certainly, of some +months, but nothing more that I know of." + +"Well, well, do not be impatient, I say," answered Green "you shall +see some one else, if I don't satisfy you. But you are before your +time, as I said." + +He had scarcely spoken, when the door of the little room opened once +more, and a woman apparently of no very high class, and considerably +advanced in years, so as to be somewhat decrepit, came in. She was +dressed in a large grey cloak of common serge, with a stick in her +hand, and mittens on her hands, while over her head was a large black +wimple or hood, which covered a great part of her face. + +The moment Green saw her, he crossed over, and said in a low but not +inaudible voice, "Not a word, till all this business is over! They +will ruin the cause and themselves, and all that are engaged with +them, by committing all sorts of crimes. It will plunge him into the +greatest dangers, if you say a word." + +Much of what he said was heard by Brown; and in the meantime Green +aided the woman to disembarrass herself of her hood and cloak, taking +the staff out of her hand, and at the same time turning the key of +the door. The moment that he did so, his female companion drew +herself up; the appearance of bowed decrepitude vanished; and she +stood before Brown a tall graceful woman, apparently scarcely forty +years of age, with a countenance still beautiful, and a demeanour +which left no doubt of the society with which at one time she must +have mingled. + +Of Wilton himself the lady had as yet had but one glance, as she +first entered the room; for, ever since, Green had stood between them +so that she could not see. When she did behold him fully, however, +she gazed upon him earnestly, clasping her hands, and exclaiming, "Is +it--is it possible?" + +The next moment her feelings seemed to overpower her--"Oh yes, yes," +she cried, advancing "it is he himself--the same dear, blessed +likeness of the dead!" and casting her arms round the young +gentleman's neck, she wept long and profusely on his bosom. + +Wilton was surprised and agitated, as may well be conceived. He was +not sufficiently ignorant of the world not to know that there are a +thousand tricks and artifices daily practised, which assume such +appearances as the scene now performing before him displayed. He +might, indeed, have entertained suspicions of all sorts of +transformations and disguises; but there was an earnestness, a truth, +in the lady's manner that was in itself convincing, and there was +something more, also--there was a most extraordinary resemblance in +her whole face and person to the picture which we have before +mentioned in the house of the Earl of Sunbury. The features were the +same, the height, the figure: the eyes were the same colour, there was +the same peculiar expression about the mouth, and the only difference +seemed to be the difference of age. The picture represented a girl of +eighteen or nineteen: the person who stood beside him must have seen +well nigh forty summers. + +Though the likeness was complete, there was a certain difference. +Have we not all beheld a beautiful scene spread out in the morning +light, full of radiance, and sparkling, and glorious sunshine? and +have we not seen a grey cloud creep over the sky, leaving the +landscape the same, but taking from it the resplendent beams in +which it shone at first? So did it seem with her. All appeared the +same as in the bright being whom the painter had depicted in her gay +day of youth; but that Time had since brought, as it were, a grey +shadow over the loveliness which it could not take away. + +All these things took from Wilton every doubt; and after he had +suffered the lady for a moment to give way to her feelings without a +word: even throwing his arm slightly round her, and pressing her +towards him, he said, "Are you--are you my mother?" + +"Alas! no, my dear boy," she replied, raising her head and wiping +away the tears, while the colour rose slightly in her cheek. "I am +not your mother, but one who has loved you scarcely less than ever +mother loved her son; one who nursed and fondled you in infancy; one +who has now come from another land but for the sake of seeing you, +and of holding once more to her heart the nursling of other years, +even more sad and terrible than these." + +"From another land!" said Wilton, thoughtfully, while through the dim +and misty vista of the past, strange figures seemed to move before +his eyes, as if suddenly called up out of the darkness of oblivion by +some enchanter's voice. "Another land!" he said, thoughtfully--"Your +face and your voice seem to wake strange memories. I think, I +remember having been with you in another land, and I +recollect--surely I recollect, a pretty cottage with a rose-tree at +the door--a rose-tree in full bloom; and tying the knot of an +officer's scarf, and his holding me long to his heart, and blessing +me again and again--" + +"Before he went to battle!" said the lady, "before he went to death!" +Her voice became choked in suffocating sobs, and she wept again long +and bitterly. + +"Nay, but tell me more," said Wilton--"in pity, tell me more. Do I +not surely recollect his face, too?" and he pointed to Green, "and +the sparkling sea-shore? and sailing long upon the ocean? Tell me +more, oh, tell me more!" + +"I must not yet, Wilton," she replied--"I must not yet. They tell me +it is dangerous, and I believe it is. Struggles must soon take place, +changes must inevitably ensue, and I would not--no, not for all the +world, I would not that your young life should be plunged into those +terrible contentions, which have swallowed up, as a dark whirlpool, +the existence of so many of your race. If our hopes be true, the way +to fortune and rank will be open to you at once: or there is no such +a thing as gratitude in the world. If not, you will have the means of +living in quiet and tranquillity, and if you will, of struggling for +higher things; for within six months the whole shall be told to you. +Ask me not! ask me not!" she added, seeing him about to speak--"I +have promised in this matter to be guided by others, and I must say +no more." + +"But who is he?" continued Wilton, pointing to Green. The lady +looked first at him, and then at their companion, with a faint, even +a melancholy, smile. + +"He is one," she replied, "whom you must trust, for he has ever +guided others better and more successfully than he has guided +himself. He is one who has every title to direct you." + +"This is all very strange," said Wilton, "and it is painful, too. You +do not know--you cannot tell, how painful it is to live, as it were, +in a dark cloud, knowing nothing either of the future or the past." + +The lady looked down sadly upon the ground. + +"There are, sometimes," she said, "certainties which are far more +terrible than doubts. Be contented, Wilton, till you hear more: when +you do hear more, you will hear much painful matter; you will have +much to undergo, and you will need courage, determination, and +strength of mind. In the meanwhile, as from your earliest years, +careful, anxious, zealous, eyes have watched over you, marked your +every movement, traced your every step, even while you thought +yourself abandoned, forgotten, and neglected: so shall it be till the +whole is explained to you. Thenceforth you will rule your own +conduct, judge, determine, and act for yourself. We know, we are +sure, that you will act nobly, uprightly, and well in the meanwhile, +and that you will do no deed which at a future period may not befit +any station and any race to acknowledge." + +Wilton mused deeply for several moments, and then raising his eyes to +the lady's face, he demanded, in a low tone-- + +"Answer me only one question more. Am I the son of Lord Sunbury?" + +The blood rushed violently up into the lady's countenance. + +"Lord Sunbury was never married," she exclaimed--"was he?" + +"I know not," replied Wilton--"all I ask is, am I his son? I ask it, +because he has shown me generous kindness, care, and consideration; +and at times I have seen him gazing in my face, when he thought I did +not remark it, as if there were some deeper feelings in his bosom +than mere friendship. Yet I cannot say that he has ever taught me to +look upon myself as his son." + +"Your imagination is only leading you into a labyrinth, Wilton," +replied the personage calling himself Green, "from which you will +find it difficult to extricate yourself. Be contented with what you +know, and ask no more." + +"I much wish, and I do entreat," replied Wilton, "that you would give +me an answer to the question I have asked. There might be +circumstances--indeed, I may say, that circumstances are very likely +to occur, in which it would be absolutely necessary for me to know +what claim I have upon the Earl of Sunbury. I have never yet asked +him for anything of importance; but I foresee that the time may soon +come when I may have to demand of him what I would not venture to +demand, did I consider myself but the claimless child of his bounty." + +The lady looked at Green, and Green at her, and they paused for +several minutes. At length she answered, "I will give you a claim +upon Lord Sunbury;" and she took from her finger a large ring, such +as were commonly worn in those days, presenting on one side a shield +of black enamel surrounded with brilliants, and in the centre a +cipher, formed also of small diamonds. "Keep this," said the lady, +"till all is explained to you, Wilton, and then return it to me. +Should the Earl's assistance be required in anything of vital +importance, show him that ring, if he be in England, or if he be +abroad, tell him that you possess it, and beseech him by all the +thoughts which that may call up in his mind, to aid you to the utmost +of his power.--I think he will not fail you." + +Wilton was about to answer; and though it was now growing dusk, he +might have lingered on much longer, striving to gain more +information, but at that moment there came a sound of many feet at +the passage, and the voice of some one speaking apparently to the +landlord, and demanding,--"Who the devil's horses are those walking +up and down there?" + +Almost at the same time, a hand was laid upon the latch of the door, +and it would have been thrown open, had not Green previously taken +the precaution of locking it. He now partially opened it, however, +and spoke a few words to those without. + +"Go into the next room," he said; "go into the next room--I will be +with you directly." He then closed the door again, and turning to +Wilton, took him by the arm, saying, "Now mount your horse, and be +gone instantly: your time for staying here is over; make the best of +your way home, without delay; and only remember, that whenever we +meet in future, you do not appear to know me, unless I speak to you. +Should you want advice, direction, and assistance--and remember, that +though poor and powerless as I seem, I may know more, and be able to +do far more, than you imagine--ask for me here; or the first time +you see me, lay your finger upon that ring which she has given you, +and I will find means to learn your wishes, and to promote them +instantly--Now you must go at once." + +Wilton saw that the attempt to learn more, at that moment, would be +vain: but before he departed, he took the lady by the hand, bidding +her adieu, and saying, "At all events, I have one consolation. Since +I came here, I feel less lonely in the world; I feel that there are +some to whom I am dear; and yet I would fain ask you one thing more. +It is, how, when I think of you, I shall name you in my thoughts. +Your image will be frequently before me; the affection which you have +shown me, the words you have spoken, will never be forgotten. But +there is a pleasure in connecting all those remembrances with a name. +It seems to render them definite; to give them a habitation in the +heart for ever." + +"Call me Helen," replied the lady, quickly. "Where I now dwell they +call me the Lady Helen. I must not add any more; and now adieu, for +it is time that both you and I should leave this place." + +Green once more urged him to depart; and Brown, with his curiosity +not satisfied, but even more excited than ever, quitted the house, +mounted his horse, and rode away slowly towards his own dwelling, +meditating as he went. + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +"Onward! onward!" cries the voice of youth; whether it may be that +the days are bright, passing in joy and tranquillity, and we can say +with the greatest French poet of the present day--ay, the greatest, +however it may seem--Beranger, + + "Sur une onde tranquille, + Voguant soir et matin, + Ma nacelle est docile + Au souffle du destin. + La voile s'enfie-t-elle, + J'abandonne le bord. + (O doux zephir, sois-moi fidele!) + Eh! vogue, ma nacelle; + Nous trouverons un port"-- + +or whether the morning is overcast with clouds and storms, still +"Onward! onward!" is the cry, either in the hope of gaining new joys, +or to escape the sorrows that surround us. It is for age to stretch +back the longing arms towards the Past: the fate of youth is to bound +forward to meet the Future. + +Wilton reached his home, and bending down his head upon his hands, +passed more than an hour in troublous meditation. All was confused and +turbid. The stream of thought was like a mountain torrent, suddenly +swelled by rains, overflowing its banks, knowing no restraint, no +longer clear and bright, but dark and foaming and whirling in rapid +and uncertain eddies round every object that it touched upon. The +scene at Beaufort House, the thought of Laura, and all that had been +said there, mingled strangely and wildly with everything that had +taken place afterwards, and nothing seemed certain, but all confused, +and indistinct, and vague. But still there came a cry from the +bottom of his heart: the cry of "Onward! onward! onward! towards the +fated future!" + +Nor was that cry the less vehement or less importunate because he +had no power whatsoever to advance or retard the coming events by a +single hour: nor had it less influence because--unlike most men, who +generally have some lamp, however dim, to give them light into the +dark caverns of the future--he had not even one faint ray of +probability to show him what was before his footsteps. + +On the contrary, the yearning to reach that future, to pass on through +that darkness to some brighter place beyond, was all the more strong and +urgent. In short, excited imagination had produced some hope, without +the slightest probability to foster it. He had even been told that he +was to expect information of a painful kind. Not one word had been said +to give him the expectation of a bright destiny: and yet there was +something so sweet, so happy, in having found any one whose tenderness +had been bestowed upon his infant years, and whose affection had +remained unchanged by time and absence, that hope--as hope always +is--was born of happiness; and though that hope was wild, uncertain, and +unfounded, it made the natural eagerness of youth all the more eager. + +When he lay down to rest he slept not, but still many a vision +floated before his waking eyes, and thought made the night seem +short. On the following morning he was early up and dressed; but by +seven o'clock a note was put into his hand, in a writing which he did +not know. On opening it, however, he found it to contain a request, +couched in the most courteous terms, from the Duke of Gaveston, that +he would call upon him immediately, and before he went to the house +of Lord Byerdale. There was scarcely time to do so; but he instantly +ordered his horse, and galloped to Beaufort House as fast as +possible. He was ushered immediately into a small saloon, and thence +into the dressing-room of the Duke, whom he found in a state of +considerable agitation, and evidently embarrassed even in explaining +to him what he wanted. + +"I have sent for you, Mr. Brown," he said,--"I have sent for you to +speak on a matter that may be of great consequence:--not that I know +that it will be--not that I have heard anything--for I would not +hear, after I found out what was the great object; but--but--" + +Wilton was inclined to imagine that some unexpected obstacles had +occurred in regard to the proposed alliance between the families of +the Duke and of the Earl of Byerdale, and he certainly felt no +inclination to aid in removing those obstacles. He replied, +therefore, coldly enough, "If there is anything in which I can serve +your grace, I am sure it will give me much pleasure to do so." + +His coldness, however, only seemed to increase the Duke's eagerness +and also his agitation. + +"You can, indeed, Mr. Brown," he said, "render me the very greatest +service, and I'm sure you are an honourable and an upright man, and +will not refuse me. If you had explained yourself more clearly the +night before last, I am sure I would have taken your advice at once, +and would not have gone at all; but, as it is, I stayed not a moment +longer than I could help, and have now broken with Fenwick and +Barklay for ever. They vow that I am pledged to their cause, and must +take a part, but they will find themselves mistaken." + +Wilton now found that the good nobleman's fancy had misled him, and +that his agitation arose from something that had taken place at the +meeting at the Old King's Head, in regard to which he certainly knew +nothing, nor indeed wished to know anything. He replied, however, +somewhat more warmly,-- + +"In regard to these transactions, my lord duke, I know nothing, as I +before informed you: but if you will tell me how I can serve you, I +will do it with pleasure." + +"I was sure you would, Mr. Brown, I was sure you would," said the +Duke. "You can do me the greatest service, my dear young friend, by +promising me positively upon your word of honour never to mention to +any one that I went to this meeting at the Old King's Head, or, in +fact, that I knew anything about it. I especially could wish that it +be not mentioned to the Earl of Byerdale; for I know that he is a +very fierce and vindictive man, and I do not wish to put myself in +his power, just at present, above all times. Nobody on earth knows it +but you and the people engaged in the affair, whose mouths are +stopped, of course. We left the carriage on this side of Paul's, and +I sent the two running footmen different ways, so that, if you give me +your honour, I am quite safe." + +"I give you my honour, most assuredly, my lord duke," replied Wilton, +"that I will never, under any circumstances, or at any time, mention +one word of that which has taken place between us on the subject. +Rest perfectly sure of that. Indeed, I know nothing; I therefore +have nothing to tell. But, at all events, I will utter not one +word." + +"Thank you, thank you!" cried the Duke, grasping his hand with joy +and enthusiasm--"thank you, thank you a thousand times, my dear young +friend!" and in the excitement of the moment, in his dressing-gown and +slippers as he was, he led Wilton out to the room where his daughter +was seated, and without any explanation informed her that he, Wilton, +was one of his best and dearest friends. He then rushed back again to +conclude the little that wanted to the labours of his toilet, leaving +Wilton alone with her at the breakfast-table. + +"Oh, Mr. Brown," exclaimed Laura, with her face glowing with +eagerness, "I hope and trust that you have settled this business, for +I have been most anxious ever since last night. Sir John Fenwick +behaved so ill, and quitted the house in such fury, and that +dark-looking man who accompanied him back, used such threatening +language towards my father, that indeed--indeed, I feared for the +consequences this morning." + +Wilton evidently saw that her fears pointed in any direction but the +right one, and that she apprehended some hostile rencontre between +her father and the two rash Jacobites with whom he had suffered +himself to be entangled. Knowing, however, that it could be anything +but the desire of such men to call public attention to their +proceedings, he did not scruple to give her every assurance that no +duel, or angry collision of any kind, was likely, to take place: at +which news her face glowed with pleasure, and her lips flowed with +many an expression of gratitude, although he assured her again and +again that he had done nothing on earth to merit her thanks. + +The smiles were very beautiful, however, and very grateful to his +heart; but he found that every moment was adding to feelings which it +was madness to indulge; and, therefore, as soon as the Duke had +returned, he took his leave, and turned his steps homeward. He knew, +indeed, that he should have to encounter the same pleasant danger +again that very afternoon; that he should have to see her, to be in +the same room, to sit at the same table with her, to speak to her, +even though it were but for a moment; but then it would be all under +restraint; the eyes of the many would be upon them; there would be no +open communication, no speaking the real feelings of the heart, no +freedom from the dull routine of society. + +He was perhaps five minutes behind his time, but the Earl was all +complaisance: the arrangements that he had made for his son; the +unexpected facility with which Lord Sherbrooke had apparently entered +into those arrangements; the political importance of the alliance +with the Duke; the immense accession of wealth to his family; the +aspect of public affairs, were all sufficient to mellow down a +demeanour which, to his inferiors at least, was generally harsh and +proud. But yet Wilton could not help believing that there was a +peculiar expression in the Earl's countenance when that nobleman's +eyes turned upon him; that there was a smile which was not a smile of +benignity, that there was a courtesy which was not of the heart. Why +or wherefore Wilton could hardly tell, but he fancied that the Earl's +conduct was what it might be towards a person who had suddenly fallen +completely into his power, and whom he intended to use as a tool in +any way that he might think fit. He pictured to his own imagination +the Earl bidding his victim perform some action the most revolting to +his feelings in the sweetest tone possible; the victim beginning to +resist; the cold blooded politician calmly showing his power, and +exercising it with bitter civility. + +However, the courtesy lasted all day: there was nothing said to +confirm Wilton in this fancy; and when he took leave, the Earl +reminded him of the dinner hour, adding, "Be punctual, be punctual, +Mr. Brown. We shall dine exactly at the hour; and my cook is a virago, +you know." + +Wilton did not fail to be to the moment, and he, the Earl, and Lord +Sherbrooke, were some time in the great saloon before the guests began +to arrive. At length the large heavy coaches of those days began to +roll into the court-yard, and one after another many a distinguished +man and many a celebrated beauty of the age appeared. Still, however, +the Earl evidently looked upon the Duke and his daughter as the +principal guests, and waited in anxious expectation for their coming. + +They arrived later than any one, Laura herself looking grave, if not +sad, the Duke evidently embarrassed and not at ease. Nor did the +particular attentions paid by the Earl to both remove in any degree +the sadness of the one or the embarrassment of the other. This was so +marked that the Earl soon felt it; and though the sort of determined +calmness of his manner, and habitual self-command, prevented him from +showing the least uneasiness, yet, from a particular glance of his +eye and momentary quiver of his lip, Wilton divined that he was angry +and irritable. + +It must be admitted, also, that Lord Sherbrooke did not take the +means to put his father more at ease. To Lady Laura he paid no +attention whatsoever, devoted himself during the greater part of the +evening to a beautiful woman of not the most pure and unsullied +character in the world, and showed himself disposed to flirt with +everybody, except the very person to whom his father wished him to +pay court. The dinner party was followed by an entertainment in the +evening; and still the same scene went on; till at length the Earl +came round to Wilton, and said, in a low voice, "I wish, my dear +young gentleman, you would try your influence upon Sherbrooke." + +The Earl was going on, but Wilton rose immediately, saying, "I +understand you, my lord," and approaching the place where Lord +Sherbrooke was seated, he waited till the laughter which was going on +around him was over, and then said in a low voice, "For pity's sake, +Sherbrooke, and for decency's sake, do pay some attention to the Duke +and his daughter; remember, they are new guests of your father's, and +merit, at all events, some respect." + +The young Lord looked up in his friend's countenance with a malicious +smile, replying, "They do, my dear Wilton, they do! and you see I keep +at a respectful distance. But I will do anything to please." + +He accordingly rose from his seat, and Wilton saw him first approach +the Duke, speak a few words to him, and then take a seat beside Lady +Laura. Her air was evidently cold and reserved, but what passed more, +Wilton, of course, did not know. The young lord, however, seemed +suddenly struck by something that she said, turned quickly towards +her, and made a rejoinder; she answered, apparently, with perfect +calmness. But the instant after, Lord Sherbrooke rose from his chair, +made her a low bow, and was crossing the room. His father, however, +met him half-way, and they spoke for a moment or two. The Earl's +cheek became very red, and his brow contracted; but Lord Sherbrooke +passed quietly on, and came up to where Wilton stood. + +"She has just told me what she thinks of my character, Wilton," said +the young nobleman, "and I have transmitted the same to my father, +who must settle the matter with the Duke as he likes." + +"The Earl's plans are certainly in a prosperous condition," thought +Wilton; and though he could not, of course, approve of the +unceremonious means which Lord Sherbrooke took to defeat his father's +intentions, and to cast the burden of refusal on Lady Laura, yet he +could not grieve, it must be admitted, that she should determine +for herself. + +During the whole evening her conduct towards Wilton Brown had been +exactly what he had expected--kind, gentle, and courteous. She +evidently treated him more as a friend than any one else in the room; +and though he purposely spoke to her but seldom, and then merely with +the terms of formal respect, yet whenever he did approach her, she +greeted him with a smile, which showed that his society was not at +all unpleasant to her. + +To the eyes of Wilton it was very evident that Lord Byerdale was +extremely irritated by what he had heard. No one else perceived it, +however, for, as was usual with him, the irritation of the moment, +though likely to produce very serious effects at an after period, +clothed itself for the time in additional smiles and stately +courtesies, only appearing now and then in an additional drop of +sarcastic bitterness mingling with all the civil things that he said. +As usual, also, he was peculiarly soft and reverential in his manner +towards those with whom he was most angry, and the Duke and Lady +Laura were more the objects of his particular attention than ever. +He sat beside her; he talked to her; he paid her that marked +attention which his son had neglected to offer; and at length, when +the Duke proposed to retire, he himself handed her to the carriage, +paying her some well turned compliment at every step, and relieving +his heart of its bitterness by some stinging sneer at the rest of +womankind. + +Thus passed over the evening; and Wilton, it must be acknowledged +with a mind more at ease on account of the decided part that Lady +Laura seemed to have taken, slept soundly and dreamt happily, though +he still resolved, sooner or later, to crush feelings which could +only end in misery. + +On the following morning he went to the house of Lord Byerdale at the +usual hour, and proceeded at once to the cabinet of the Earl. It was +already occupied by that nobleman and his son, however; and though +there were no loud words spoken, no angry tones audible, yet there +were sufficient indications of angry feeling, at least on the part of +the Earl, to make Wilton immediately pause and draw back a step. + +"Come in, come in," said the Earl--"you know all this affair, and I +believe have done what you could to make this young man reasonable." + +Wilton accordingly entered the room, and Lord Byerdale again turned +to his son, laying his finger upon the letter before him. "I repeat, +Sherbrooke," he said, "that you yourself have done all this. I did +not ask you, sir, to be virtuous, I did not ask you to be temperate, +I did not bid you cast away the dice or abandon drunkenness and +revelling, or turn off three or four of your mistresses, or to give +over going to the resort of every sort of vice in the metropolis. I +asked you none of these things, because it would be hard and +ungenerous to require a man to do what his nature and habits render +perfectly impossible. Return to his vomit again, or the sow to +refrain from wallowing in the mire." + +"Savoury similes, my lord," said Lord Sherbrooke--"most worthy of +Solomon and your lordship. May I ask what it is you did demand then?" + +"That you should assume a virtue if you had it not," replied Lord +Byerdale; "that you should put a certain cloak of decency over your +vices, and that you should at least be commonly courteous to the +person selected for your future wife: especially when I pointed out +to you the immense, the inconceivable advantages of such an alliance +not only to you but to me." + +"Well, but, my dear father," said Lord Sherbrooke, "I will grant all +that you say. It is altogether my fault; I have behaved very +stupidly, very wildly, very rudely, very viciously. But there is no +reason that you should be so angry with the young lady, or with my +good lord duke." + +"Ay, sir! think you so?" said the Earl--"you are mighty wise in your +own conceit. You have had your share, certainly; but I do not avenge +myself on my own son. They have had their share, however, too. Their +pride, their would-be importance, their insufferable arrogance, +which makes them think that kings or princes are not too good for +her--these have all had no light share; and if I live for six months +I will bring that pride down to the very lowest pitch. I will degrade +her till she thinks herself a servant wench." + +Wilton certainly did feel his blood boil, but he knew that he had +neither any right nor any power to interfere; and he turned to some +papers that were upon the tables, and hid the expression which his +thoughts might communicate to his countenance, by apparent attention +to something else. + +Some more words passed between the father and son, but they were few. +Lord Sherbrooke, upon the whole, behaved better than Wilton could +have expected. He neither treated the subject lightly and jocularly +as he was accustomed to do in most cases, nor bitterly and +sarcastically, which his father's evident want of principle in the +whole business gave him but too fair an opportunity of doing. He +acknowledged fairly and straight-forwardly his errors and his vices; +and all that he said in regard to the offence he had given his father +was, that he imagined he could not in honour suffer Lady Laura to +decide without letting her know the character at least of the man who +was proposed for her husband. + +"Well, sir," replied his father, sharply, "you have convinced her of +your character very soon. Mine, she may be longer in finding out; but +she shall not fail to be made equally well aware of it in the end." + +Thus saying, he turned and quitted the room, giving some casual +directions to Wilton as he passed. + +"Well, that business is so far done and over," exclaimed Lord +Sherbrooke, as soon as his father was gone; "and, as it is pleasant, +my dear Wilton, to do a good action now and then, by way of a change, +you and I must enter into a conspiracy together, to prevent my worthy, +subtle, and revengeful father from executing this poor girl, who +has only done her duty to herself, and to me, and to her father." + +"I trust," replied Wilton, "that the Earl's threat was but one of +those bursts of disappointment which will pass away with time. I +cannot imagine that, after a little consideration, he will have any +inclination really to injure either the Duke or his daughter; nor, +indeed, do I see that he could have the means either." + +Lord Sherbrooke shook his head with a gloomy air, and answered, "He +will make them, Wilton--he will make the means; and as to +inclination, you do not know him as well as I do. He will not forget +what has occurred this day, as long as he remembers how to write his +own name. This same goodly desire of revenge is henceforth a part of +his nature, and nothing will ever remove it, unless self-interest or +ambition be brought into action against it." + +"But what sort of revenge think you he will seek?" demanded +Wilton--"situated as the Duke is, I see no opportunity that your +father can have of injuring him." + +"Heaven only knows," replied Lord Sherbrooke. "The fire will go on +smouldering for months, perhaps for years, but it will not go out. He +said, just before you came in, that because she had refused to marry +me, he would make her marry a footman; and, as I really believe his +lordship is occasionally endowed with superhuman powers of executing +what he thinks fit, it would not surprise me at all to see my Lady +Laura led to the altar by John Noakes, our porter's son, dressed up +for the occasion as a foreign prince." + +"I do not fear that," replied Wilton with a smile; "I should rather +apprehend that he may entangle the good Duke, who does not seem +overburdened with sense, in some of these sad plots which are daily +taking place. Should we find out that such is the case, we may indeed +aid in preventing it." + +Lord Sherbrooke shook his head. "It is the poor girl he will aim at +first, depend upon it," the young nobleman answered. "I wish to +Heaven she had told me her intention of refusing me in such a formal +manner; I would have shown her how to manage the matter without +calling down this storm. But, instead of that, she sits down and +deliberately writes him a letter, which, just in the proportion that +it is honest, true, and straightforward, is the thing best calculated +to excite his wrath. Yet, as if she had some idea of his character, +and wished to shield her father, she takes the whole responsibility +of the thing upon herself, telling him that the Duke had pressed her +much upon the subject, but that she felt it would be utterly +impossible to give her hand to your very humble servant. All this +has, of course, brought the storm more directly upon herself, though +her father will be screened thereby in no degree. I doubt not he has +gone there now." + +"Do you think there is any chance of an actual and open quarrel +between them?" demanded Wilton. + +"Not in the least," answered Lord Sherbrooke with a scoff: "my dear +Wilton, you must be as blind as a mole, if you do not see that my +father, though as brave as a lion, is not a man to quarrel with any +one. He is a great deal too good a politician for that; he knows that +in quarrelling with any one he hates, he must suffer something +himself, and may suffer a good deal. No, no, he takes a better plan, +and contrives to make his enemies suffer while he suffers not at all. +In general, if you see him particularly civil to anybody, you may +suppose that he looks upon them as an enemy, and is busy in getting +them quietly into his power. Quarrel with the Duke? Oh no, a thousand +to one, ere half an hour be over, he will be shaking him cordially by +the hand, putting him quite at his ease, begging him to let the +matter be forgotten altogether, saying that it was natural he should +seek so illustrious an alliance, which, indeed, he had scarcely a +right to hope for. Then he will see the lady herself, and say that he +perfectly enters into her feelings, that a person so richly gifted as +herself, and having already all that wealth and rank can give, has a +right to consult, before all other things, the feelings of her own +heart. It would not surprise me at all if he were to offer to send me +abroad again, lest my presence in London, after the pretensions which +have been formed, should prove, in any degree, annoying to her." + +The conversation continued for some time longer in the same strain: +and Wilton could not but feel that Lord Sherbrooke gave an accurate +though a terrible picture of his father's character. + +At length, the young nobleman rose as if to depart; but standing ere +he did so before the table at which his young friend was seated, he +gazed upon his face earnestly and silently for a minute or two, and +then said,-- + +"I don't know why, Wilton, but I have a great and a strong regard for +you, and I have been dreaming dreams for you, that I see you are +unwilling to dream for yourself: However, you must have the same +regard for me; and--even if you are not inclined, in any degree, to +take advantage of what I must say is evident regard on the part of +this young lady towards you--yet, for my sake, you must let me know, +aid me, and assist me, if you should see any scheme forming against +her happiness or peace. I am not so bad, Wilton, even as I seem to +you. I am sorry for this girl--really sorry for her. I ought to have +taken the burden upon my own shoulders, instead of casting it upon +hers; for I could have removed all these difficulties by speaking one +single word. But that word would have cost me much to speak, and I +shrunk from saying it. If, however, I find that through my fault she +is likely to suffer, I will speak that word, Wilton, at all risks, so +you must give me help and support, at least in doing what is right." + +"That I will, Sherbrooke," replied Wilton, grasping his hand, "that I +will most zealously. But in regard to what you say of Lady Laura's +kind feeling towards me, depend upon it you are wholly mistaken. The +only reason, be you sure, why she makes any difference in her manner +towards me, and towards men of higher rank than myself; is, that she +knows the difference of our station and fortunes must ever prevent my +entertaining any of those hopes which others might justly feel." + +Before Wilton concluded, Lord Sherbrooke had cast himself into a +chair; his eyes were fixed on the ground, his brow had become +contracted. It was one of those moments when, as he said, his evil +spirit was upon him; and seeing that such was the case, Wilton left +him to his own meditations and proceeded to write the letters which +the Earl had directed him to despatch. + +In about half an hour, the young nobleman roused himself from his +reverie, with a light laugh, apparently causeless; and without +speaking another word to Wilton, quitted the room. + +Wilton only saw the Earl for a few minutes during the rest of the +day, and with him the statesman was so captious, irritable, and +sneering, that, reading his feelings by the key his son had given, +Wilton had every reason to believe himself to be in high favour. +Various matters of business, however, occurred to keep him late at +the Earl's house, and night had fallen when he returned to his own +lodgings. + +In about an hour after, however, one of the Earl's servants brought +him a note in Lord Sherbrooke's handwriting, and marked "In haste." +Wilton tore it open immediately, and read,-- + + "MY DEAR WILTON, + + "My father directs me to request your immediate return. + The Duke is now here. Lady Laura has been carried off, + or, at all events, has disappeared; and we want your wise + head to counsel, perhaps your strong hand to execute. Come + directly, for we are all in agitation. + + "Yours, SHERBROOKE." + +Written below, in smaller characters, and marked "Private," two lines +to the following effect:-- + + "This business is not my father's doing. It is too coarse for his + handiwork. He may, perhaps, take advantage of it, however, if he + finds an opportunity. Burn this instantly." + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +Having now run on for some time, following almost entirely the course +and history of one individual, painting none but the characters with +whom he was brought into immediate contact, and making him, as it +were, a lantern in the midst of our dark story, all the characters +appearing in bright light as long as they were near him, and sinking +back into darkness as soon as they were removed from him, we must +follow our old wayward and wandering habits; and just at the moment +when we have contrived to create the first little gleam of interest +in the reader's breast, must leave our hero entirely to his fate, +open out new scenes, introduce new personages, and devote a +considerable space to matters which have APPARENTLY not the slightest +connexion whatsoever with that which went before. + +About thirty miles from London, towards the sea-coast, there then +stood a small ancient house, built strongly of brick. It was not +exactly castellated in its appearance, but yet in the days of +Cromwell it had endured a short siege by a small body of the +parliamentary troops, and had afforded time, by the resistance which +it offered, for a small body of noblemen and gentlemen attached to +the cause of King Charles to make their escape from a superior party +of pursuers. It was built upon the edge of a very steep slope, so +that on one side it was very much taller than the other. It was +surrounded by thick trees also; and though by no means large, it had +contrived to get into a small space as many odd corners as a Chinese +puzzle. The walls were very thick, the windows few and small, the +chimneys numerous, and the angles innumerable. + +Into one of the small rooms of this house, at about eleven o'clock at +night, I must now introduce the reader. + +In that chamber, with her head resting on her hand, her eyes fixed +upon a wood-fire that was burning before her, one small and beautiful +foot stretched out towards it, while the other was concealed by the +drapery of her long robe; and with the whole graceful line of her +figure thrown back in the large arm-chair which she occupied--except, +indeed, the head, which was bent slightly forward--sat a very lovely +young woman, perhaps of two or three and twenty years of age, in +meditations evidently of a somewhat melancholy cast. The hand on +which her head leaned, and which was very soft, round, and fair, was +covered with rings, while the other was quite free from such +ornaments, with the exception of one small ring of gold upon the +slender third finger. In that hand she had been holding an open +letter; but, buried in meditation, she had suffered the paper to drop +from her hold, and it had fallen upon the ground beside her. + +We had said that she was very beautiful, but her beauty was of a +different sort and character altogether from that of the lady whom we +have described under the name of Lady Laura Gaveston. Her hair was of +the richest, brightest, glossy black, as fine as silk, yet bending, +wherever it escaped, into rich and massy curls. There was one of +these which fell upon the back of her fair neck, and another upon +either temple. Upon the forehead, as was then customary, the hair was +divided into smaller curls, and cut much shorter, which fashion was a +great disfigurement to beauty, and certainly left her less handsome +than she otherwise would have appeared. Still, however, she was very, +very lovely; and the fine lines of her features, the clear rich brown +of her complexion, the glorious light of her large dark eyes, +softened by the long thick lashes that overshadowed them, the full +and rounded beauty of every limb, left it impossible even for human +heart to do away what nature's cunning hand had done. + +There are certainly moments in which, as every one must have +remarked, a beautiful human countenance is more beautiful than at any +other period, when it acquires, from some accidental circumstance, a +temporary and extraordinary degree of loveliness. Sometimes it is the +mere disposition of light and shade that produces this effect--the +background behind it, the objects that surround it. Sometimes it is +that the tone of the mind at the moment gives the peculiar expression +which harmonizes best with the lines of the features and the +colouring of the complexion, and which is in perfect accord with all +those expectations which fine, indistinct, but sweet associations +produce in our mind from every particular style of beauty that we +see. Associations are, in fact, the bees of the imagination, and, +wandering through all nature, may be said to distil honey from every +fair object on which they light. Why does a rich and warm complexion, +and a glowing cheek, call up instantly in our mind the idea of joyous +health and pleasant-heartedness? Less because we have been +accustomed to see that complexion attended by such qualities than +because it connects itself with the idea of summer, gay summer and +all its fruits and flowers, and merry sports and light amusements, +and a thousand memories of happy days, and thousands upon thousands +still of other things of which we have no consciousness, but which are +present to sensation though not to thought, all the while that we are +gazing upon a ruddy cheek, and thinking that the pleasure is derived +from the white and red alone. + +When the expression is perfectly suited to the style of beauty, it is +natural to suppose that it will add to the charm; but there is a case +where the cause of the increase is not so easily discovered--I mean +when the mind gives to the countenance a temporary-expression totally +opposed to the style of beauty itself. Yet this is sometimes the +case: for how often do we see high and majestic features soften into +playful smiles, and seem to gain another grace. In the lady we have +mentioned, the whole style of the countenance and of the form gave +the idea of joyous gaiety, of happy, nay, exuberant life and +cheerfulness; but the expression was now all sad; and from the +contrast--which produced deeper associations than perfect harmony +would have called forth--her beauty itself was heightened. It was +like some gay and splendid scene by moonlight. + +She had remained in this meditating attitude for some time, when the +door quietly opened, and a personage entered the room, of whom we +must say a few words, though he is not destined to play any very +prominent part in our tale. Monsieur Plessis was a Frenchman, a +soi-disant Protestant. One thing, at all events, is certain, that +his father had been so, and had been expelled from France many years +before by persecution. The gentleman before us exercised many trades, +by which, perhaps, he had not acquired so much wealth as his father +had by one. His father's calling had been that of cook and major domo +to a fat, rich, gluttonous, careless English peer; and as he employed +his leisure time in distilling various simples, he had classed his +noble patron under that head, and distilled from him what he himself +would jocosely have called "Golden Water." + +Amongst the various trades which, as we have said, were carried on by +the son, was smuggling, under which were included the conveyance of +contraband men, women, and children, as well as other sorts of +merchandise; swindling a little, when occasion presented itself; +clipping the golden coin of the kingdom, which at that time was a +great resource to unfortunate gentlemen; not exactly forging +exchequer tallies, and other securities of the same kind, but aiding +by a certain dexterity of engraving in the forging, which he did not +choose actually to commit; and over and above all these several +occupations, callings, and employments, he was one of the best +reputed spies which the French court had in England, as well as the +most industrious agent which England had in obtaining intelligence +from France. In fact, he sold each country to the other with the +greatest possible complaisance. The great staple of the intelligence +that he gave to both was false; but he took care to mingle a +sufficient portion of truth with what he told, to acquire a +considerable degree of reputation. He was, indeed, much too well +versed in the practices of coiners, not to know that a bad piece of +money is best passed off between two good ones; and though he was a +sort of bonding warehouse, where an immense quantity of manufactured +intelligence lay till it was wanted, yet he had means of obtaining +better information, which he did not fail to make use of when he +judged it needful. + +Strange, however, are the perversities of human character: this +practical betrayer of trust was not without certain good points in +his character. The cheating a king or a statesman had a touch of +grandeur in it, which suited his magnificent ideas; a little robbery +on the King's Highway seemed to him somewhat chivalrous; and he could +admire those who did it, though he did not meddle with the business +himself: but there was a certain class of persons whom he would as +soon have cheated, betrayed, or deceived, even to keep himself in +practice, which he considered one of the most legitimate excuses for +anything he liked to do, as he would have cut his hand off. These +were the poor French emigrants in England, and the unfortunate +adherents of the House of Stuart in France. + +As is now well known, though it was only suspected at the time, +thousands of these men were daily coming and going between France and +Britain, in the very midst of the war; and they were always sure to +find at the house of Plessis kind and civil treatment, perfect +security, and the most accurate intelligence which could be procured +of all that was taking place. + +In cases of danger he had a thousand ways of secreting them or +favouring their escape. If ever, as was frequently the case, they +wished to communicate with some kind friend, who was willing to +relieve them, or to frighten some timid enemy upon whom they had some +hold, Plessis could generally find them the means; and in cases where +some one in danger required to be brought off speedily and secretly, +Plessis had often been known to spend very large sums, and risk even +life itself, rather than suffer an enterprise to fail in which he had +taken a part. + +The Duke of Shrewsbury and Trumbull, while they were secretaries of +state, employed Plessis actively, and overlooked not a few little +peccadilloes for the sake of the intelligence they obtained; and +Torcy, though he had been known to vow more than once that he would +hang him if he set his foot in France, held two or three long +conferences with him at Versailles, and dismissed him with a present +of several thousand livres. + +His apparel was very peculiar, as he generally wore above his +ordinary dress a large long waisted red coat, hooked round his neck +at the collar, somewhat in the manner of a cloak, without his arms +being thrust into the sleeves; his shoes were very high in the +instep, and buckled with a small buckle over the front; but as he was +a little man, and of a somewhat aspiring disposition, the heels of +those shoes were enormously high, sufficient to raise him nearly two +inches from the ground, and make his foot in external appearance very +like that of a calf or a Chinese lady. Indeed, in body and in mind +likewise, he was upon tiptoes the whole day long. + +His entrance into the room where the lady was, roused her at once +from the reverie into which she had fallen; and taking up the letter +from the ground, she turned to see who it was that came in. + +"Madam," he said, speaking in French, which, be it remarked, was the +language used between them during the whole conversation, "were it +not better for you to retire to rest? You spoil your complexion, you +impair your beauty, by these long vigils." + +"Beauty!" she said, with something of a scoff. "But why should I +retire, as you call it, to rest, Plessis? You mean to say, retire to +think more deeply still, in darkness as well as in solitude." + +"Madam," replied Plessis, "you take these things too heavily. But the +truth is, I have a fair company coming here, by whom you might not +well like to be seen. Far be it from me, if you think otherwise, to +disturb you in possession of the apartments. But they come here at +midnight to consult, it would seem, upon business of importance; +whereof I know nothing, indeed, but which I know requires secrecy and +care." + +"Business of importance!" said the lady, somewhat scornfully--"to seat +a bigoted dotard on the throne of England! That is what they come to +consult about. Are they not some of those whom I saw yesterday +morning from the window? that dark Sir George Barkley, who used to +walk through the halls of St. Germain's, in gloomy silence, till the +profane courtiers called him the shadow of the cloud? and that +sanguinary Charnock, whom I once heard conferring with the banished +queen, and vowing that there was no way but one of dealing with +usurpers, and that was by the dagger? If these are your guests, +Plessis, I know the business that they come for full well." + +"I neither know, beautiful lady," replied Plessis, "nor do I seek to +know. So pray tell me nothing thereof. Many a grown man in his day +has been hanged for knowing too much, and nobody but a schoolboy was +ever punished for knowing too little. These gentlemen come about +their own business. I meddle not with it; and I must not shame my +hospitality so much as to say, 'Good gentlemen, you shall not meet at +my house!'" + +"You are a wise and prudent man, Plessis," replied the lady: "bid the +girl take a light to my chamber; I will go there and muse--not that I +fear their seeing me; but the Lady Helen, perhaps, might wish it +otherwise." + +With a bow down to the very ground, Plessis retired, and the lady +paused for a minute or two longer, leaning upon a small table in the +middle of the room, and apparently thinking over what had passed. + +"It is a strange thing," she said to herself, after a moment, "a most +strange thing, that the customs of the world, and what we call +honour, so often requires us to do those things that every principle +of right and justice, truth and religion, commands us not to do. +God's word tells us not to murder, yet men daily do it, and women +think them all the nobler for trading in blood. If we violate the +law, and do what is really wicked, we risk punishment on earth, and +incur punishment hereafter; yet if we do strictly what honesty and +justice tells us, in all cases, how many instances would be found, +where men would shun us, and where our own hearts would condemn us +also. Here I have it in my power to stop the effusion of much blood, +to prevent the commission of many crimes, to strangle, perhaps, a +civil war in its birth, merely by discovering the presence of these +men in a land from which they are exiled--I have it in my power +thereby to spare even themselves from evil acts and certain +punishment: and yet my lips must be sealed, lest men should say I +dealt treacherously with them. 'Tis a hard-dealing world, and I have +suffered too much already by despising it, to despise it any more." + +As she thus came to the conclusion, which every woman, perhaps, will +come to sooner or later, she turned and left the room; and while her +foot was still upon the staircase, there came a sound of many horses' +feet from the small paved esplanade in front of the house. + +"Ay, there they are," murmured the lady in a low voice--"the men who +would use any treacherous art whatever to accomplish their own +purpose, and who would yet call any one traitor who divulged their +schemes. Would to God that Helen would come back! I am weary of all +this, and sick at heart, as well I may be." + +A sound in the hall below made her quicken her footsteps; and in two +or three minutes more the room she had just quitted was occupied by +five or six tenants of a very different character and appearance from +herself. + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +The first person that entered the room after the lady quitted it was +Monsieur Plessis himself, who, with a light in his hand, came quickly +on before the rest, and gave a rapid glance round, as if to insure +that no little articles belonging to its last tenant remained +scattered about, to betray the fact of her dwelling in his house. + +He was followed soon after by a tall, thin, gloomy-looking personage, +dressed in dark clothing, and somewhat heavily armed, for a period of +internal peace. His complexion was saturnine, his features sharp and +angular, his eyes keen and sunk deep under the overhanging brows; and +across one cheek, not far below the eye, was a deep gash, which drew +down the inner corners of the eyelid, and gave a still more sinister +expression to the countenance than it originally possessed. He was +followed by two others, both of whom were much younger men than +himself. One was gaily dressed, and had a fat and somewhat heavy +countenance, which indeed seemed unmeaning, till suddenly a quick +fierce glance of the eye and a movement of the large massy lower jaw, +like that which is seen in the jaws of a dog eager to bite, showed +that under that dull exterior there were passions strong and quick, +and a spirit not so slow and heavy as a casual observer might +imagine. + +Besides these, there were one or two other persons whose dress +denoted them of some rank and station in society, though those who +had seen them in other circumstances might now have remarked that +various devices had been employed to disguise their persons in some +degree. + +One of these, however, has been before introduced to the reader, +being no other than that Sir John Fenwick whom we have more than once +had occasion to mention. He was now no longer dressed with the +somewhat affected neatness and coxcombry which had marked his +appearance in London, but, on the contrary, was clad in garments +comparatively coarse, and bore the aspect of a military man no longer +in active service, and enduring some reverses. He also was heavily +armed, though many of the others there present bore apparently +nothing but the ordinary sword which was carried by every gentleman +in that day. + +The first of the personages we have mentioned approached with a slow +step towards the fire, saying to Plessis as he advanced, "So the +Colonel has not come, I see?" + +"No, Sir George," replied Plessis with a lowly inclination of the +head, "he has not arrived yet; but I had a messenger from him at noon +to-day, saying that he would be here to-night." + +"Ha!" exclaimed Sir George Barkley, "that is more than I +expected--But he will not come, he will not come! Make us a bowl of +punch, good Plessis--make us a bowl of punch--the night is very +cold.--But he will not come, I feel very sure he will not come." + +"I think I hear his horse's feet even now," replied Plessis--"at all +events, there is some one arrived." + +"Keep him some minutes down below, good Plessis," exclaimed Sir +George Barkley hastily. "Run down and meet him. Make up some story, +and delay him as long as possible; for I have got something to +consult with these gentlemen upon before we see him." + +Plessis hastened away; and as soon as the door was closed, Barkley +turned to the gaily dressed man we have mentioned, saying, "Charnock, +tell Sir John Friend and Captain Rookwood what we were saying as we +came along; and all that has happened in London." + +The dull countenance of Charnock was lighted up in a moment by one of +those quick looks we have mentioned. "Listen, Parkyns, too," he +said, "for you have not heard the whole." + +"Be quick, be quick, Charnock," said Sir George Barkley. + +"Well, thus it is then, gentlemen," said Charnock--"matters do not +go so favourably as we could have wished. Sir John Fenwick, here, +the most active of us all, had got the Duke of Gaveston to join us +heartily, to concur in the rising, or, at all events, to hear all +that we propose, with a promise of perfect secrecy; but most +unfortunately, at the meeting at the Old King's Head, some one +unwisely suffered it to slip out that we were to have thirty thousand +French troops, forgetting that what is good to tell the lower classes +and those who are timid and fearful of not having means enough, does +not do to be told to the bold and high-minded, who are apt to be +foolishly confident. The Duke cried out at that, and vowed that if +his opinion were to have any weight, or if his co-operation was of +any import, not a foreign soldier should come into the land. This was +bad enough; but we might have smoothed that down, had not Lowick +chanced to hint the plan for getting rid of this Prince of Orange as +the first step. Thereupon both the Duke and the Earl of Aylesbury, +who were present, flew out like fire; and the Duke, vowing he would +hear no more, took up his hat and sword and walked away, in spite of +all that could be said. The Earl, for his part, stayed the business +out, saying, that he would have nothing to do with the affair, but +that he remained to show us that he would not betray anything." + +"That is to say," exclaimed one of the others, "that the Duke will +betray all." + +"Not exactly," said Sir John Fenwick, with a grim smile. "We have +taken care of that, and perhaps may compel the Duke to join us +whether he likes it or not, when once the matter's done. However, Sir +George and I have determined that it is absolutely necessary and +needful for us all to understand, that we, who take the deeper part +in the matter, must keep our own counsel better for the future. Of +course, we must still endeavour to enrol as many names as possible; +but to all ordinary supporters we must tell nothing more, than that +the general rising is to take place, and that we have the most +perfect certainty of success by means which we cannot divulge." + +"You will remark, gentlemen," said Sir George Barkley, "that the +assistance of the French troops is to be mentioned to no one at all, +without the general consent of the persons here present." + +"And the execution, or putting to death, or call it what you will, of +the Prince of Orange," added Charnock, "is to be told to nobody on +any account whatever. We have quite sufficient hands to do it +ourselves without any more help; and if you and your men will take +care of the guards, I will undertake the pistoling work with my own +hand." + +"But the Colonel," said one of the others, "you forgot to mention +about the Colonel, Charnock." + +"Why, that is the worst spot in the whole business," said Sir George +Barkley. "No one expected his stomach to be queasy; but by heavens +he's worse than either the Duke or the Earl. He did not so much seem +to dislike the idea of foreign troops--though that did not please +him--but one would have thought him a madman to hear how he talked +about that very necessary first step, the getting rid of the usurper. +He said, not only that he would have nothing to do with it, but that +it should not be done; and he used very high and threatening language +even towards me--at present his Majesty's representative. He used +words most injurious to us all, and which I would have resented to +the death if it had not been for consideration of the high cause in +which we are all here engaged." + +"What did he say? What did he say?" demanded two or three voices. + +"In the first instance," answered Sir George Barkley, "he would not +come to the last meeting at the King's Head; and his first question, +when I went to seek him, was, whether the King knew of what we were +about to do? I said, certainly not; that I had a general commission, +which was quite enough, and that we had not told the King of an act +which was very necessary, but might not be pleasant for him to hear. +With that he tossed up his head and laughed, in his way, saying that +he thought so; and that the King did not know what bloody-minded +villains he had got in his service.--Bloody minded villains was the +word.--It is rather impudent, too, and somewhat strange, that he, of +all men, should talk thus--he who, for many a year now, has lived by +taking toll upon the King's Highway." + +"Ay; but I insist say, Sir George," replied one of the others, "he +has always been very particular. I, who have been with him now these +many years, can answer for it, that in all that time he has never +taken a gold piece from any one but the King's enemies, nor I either: +and he vows that the King's commission which he still has, justifies +him in stripping them." + +"Ay, so it does," replied Sir George Barkley, "and the King's +commission, too, justifies us in killing them. This gentleman only +makes nice distinctions when it suits him. However, we are taking +means to get all his people away from him. Byerly won't be such a +stickler, no doubt, and five or six of the others we can bribe." + +"Ay, but will he not betray us," said Sir William Parkyns. + +"I think not," said Sir George Barkley; and unwittingly he paid the +person he spoke of the highest compliment in his power, saying, "I +rather fancy the same sort of humour that prevents him from going on +in the business with us will keep him from betraying what he knows. +But we shall soon see that; and now having said all we have to say, +you had better go down, Fenwick, and see if he be come or not." + +During the time that this conversation had been going on, there had +been various sounds of different descriptions in the house; and when +Sir John Fenwick rose and opened the door to seek the person last +spoken of, he was met face to face by Monsieur Plessis, and a +maid-servant, carrying an immense bowl of punch, at that time the +favourite beverage of a great part of the English nation. + +"Was that the Colonel?" demanded Fenwick, as soon as he beheld +Plessis. + +"Yes," replied the Frenchman; "but he is busy about his horses and +things, and said he would be up immediately." + +"Has he got anybody with him?" demanded Sir John Fenwick in a low +voice, for Plessis had left the door partly open behind him. + +"Only two," rejoined the other. + +"Put down the punch, Plessis," said Sir George Barkley--"run down +and see if you cannot stop the others from coming up with him." + +Before Plessis could do as he was bid, however, the door was flung +farther open, and our old acquaintance Green entered the room alone. +He was dressed as upon the first occasion of his meeting with Wilton +Brown, except that he had a sort of cloak cast over his other +garments, and a much heavier sword by his side. Plessis, who did not +seem very much to like the aspect of affairs, made his exit with all +speed, and closed the door; and Green, with a firm step and a +somewhat frowning brow, advanced to the table, saying, "I give you +good evening, gentlemen." + +Sir John Fenwick, who was nearest to him, held out his hand as to an +old friend; but Green thrust his hands behind his back, and made him +a low bow, saying, "I must do nothing, Sir John, that may make you +believe me your comrade when I am not." + +"Nay, nay, Colonel," said Sir John Fenwick, still holding out his +hand to him, "at least as your friend of twenty years' standing." + +"That as you please, sir," replied Green, giving him his hand coldly. + +"We have requested your presence here, Colonel," said Charnock, "to +speak over various matters--" + +"Mr. Charnock," interrupted Green, "I have nothing to do with you. It +is with this gentleman I wish to have a word or two more than we +could have the other afternoon," and he walked directly up to Sir +George Barkley. + +"Well, sir, what is it that you want with me?" said Sir George. "I +hope you have thought better of what you said that night." + +"Thought, sir," answered Green, "has only served to confirm +everything that I then felt. In the first place, Sir George Barkley, +you have dealt with me in this business uncandidly; and if I had not +had better information than that which you gave me, pretending to be +a friend, I should have been smuggled into a transaction which I +abhor and detest." + +"How mean you, sir? How mean you? I was perfectly candid with you," +said Sir George Barkley. + +"Ha, ha, ha!" exclaimed Green, laughing scornfully. "Perfectly +candid! Yes, when you could not be otherwise. You told me, sir, that +you wanted my assistance with ten men well armed for a service of +great honour and danger; but until I put the question straightforward +to you--having already obtained a knowledge of your proceedings--you +did not tell me that the service you required was the cold-blooded +murder of William, wrongly called King of England." + +"That, sir, was to be explained to you afterwards," said Sir George +Barkley. + +"Afterwards!" exclaimed Green: "ay, sir, how soon afterwards? After +the deed was done, ha? or after I was so far committed that I could +not retract? And let me ask you, why it was that I was not to be +informed till afterwards, when every other person here present knew +it long before--I, who remained by the bloody waters of the Boyne +when you acted as the King's running footman, and heralded him back +to France? Nay, nay, you shall hear me out, sir, now. I believe not +that you would ever have told me, had it not been that this +intercepted letter fell into my hands, and informed me of all your +proceedings, when you thought I knew them not." + +And as he spoke he held the letter out before him, and struck his +hand fiercely upon the paper. + +The others looked round, each in his neighbour's face, with a +doubtful, and disconcerted look, and Green went on before any one +could answer. + +"Why was all this, Sir George Barkley?" he said. "Why was this +concealment? I will tell you why: because you dared not for your life +propose such a thing to me, till you thought I was so far committed +that I could not escape you; and if I had not asked you myself the +question, I should never have heard the truth till this day." + +Dark and darker shades of passion had come over the countenance of +Sir George Barkley while Green had been speaking; and he, Charnock, +and one of the others, during the latter part of their new +companion's somewhat vituperative address, had been exchanging looks +very significant and menacing. At length, however, Sir George Barkley +exclaimed, "Come, come, Colonel--this language is too much. You have +been asking questions and answering them yourself. We have now one +or two to ask you, and we hope you will answer them as much to our +satisfaction as you have answered the others to your own." + +"What are your questions, sir?" demanded Green, fixing his eye upon +him sternly. "Let me hear them, and if it suits me I will reply; if +not, you must do without an answer." + +"To one question, at least," replied Sir George Barkley, "to one +question, at least, we must compel an answer!" + +"Compel!" exclaimed Green, "compel!" and he took a step back towards +the door. + +"Look to the door, Fenwick!" exclaimed Sir George Barkley. "Parkyns, +help Sir John! I should be sorry to take severe measures with you, +Colonel; but before you stir a step from this room you must pledge +yourself by all you hold sacred that you will not betray us." + +Green heard him to an end without any further movement than the step +back which he had taken, and which placed him in such a position that +he could front either Barkley and the rest on the one side, or those +who were at the door upon the other, without the possibility of any +one coming upon him from behind without being seen. The moment the +other had done, however, he shook back the cloak from his shoulders, +and took from the broad horseman's girdle which girt him round the +middle, a pistol, the barrel of which was fully eighteen inches long, +while its counterpart appeared on the other side of the belt, in +which also were two more weapons of the same kind, but of less +dimensions. He leaned the muzzle calmly upon his hand for a moment, +and looking tranquilly in the face of Sir John Fenwick he said, in a +quiet tone, "Sir John Fenwick, you are in my way. You will do wisely +to retire from the door, and take your friend with you." + +"Rush upon him!" cried a man named Cranburne; and as he spoke he +sprang forward himself, while Sir George Barkley and the rest came +somewhat more slowly after. The pistol was in a moment transferred +to Green's left hand, and with a back-handed blow of the right, which +seemed in fact but a mere touch, Cranburne was laid prostrate on the +ground, with his whole face and neck swimming in blood from his mouth +and nose. In his fall he nearly knocked down Sir George Barkley, who +took it as a signal for retreat towards the fire-place, and at the +same moment Green, who had not moved a step from the spot where he +stood, repeated in a louder voice, "You are in my way, Sir John +Fenwick! Move from the door!" and at the same instant, in the +silence which had followed the overthrow of Cranburne, the ringing +sound occasioned by a pistol being suddenly cocked made itself +distinctly heard. + +"Move, move, Sir John Fenwick!" cried one of the others, a Captain +Porter--"this is all very silly: we risk a great deal more by making +a fracas here, than in trusting to the honour of a gentleman, such as +the Colonel." + +Sir John Fenwick did not require two recommendations to follow this +suggestion, but he and Parkyns drew back simultaneously, leaving the +way free for Green to go out. He advanced, in consequence, as if to +take advantage of this movement; but before he quitted the room, he +turned and fronted the party assembled. + +"Sir George Barkley," he said, looking at him with a scornful smile, +"you are, all of you, afraid of my telling what I know; but now that +the way is clear, I will so far relieve you as to say, that nothing +which any of you have told me shall ever pass my lips again. The +knowledge that I have gained or may gain by other means is my own +property, with which I shall do as I like; but there are one or two +pieces of information which I carry under my doublet, and which you +may not be sorry to hear. As for you. Sir George Barkley, the secret +I have to reveal to you is, that you are a white-livered coward. This +I shall tell to nobody but yourself--Ha, ha, ha!--because your +friends know it already, and to your enemies you will never do any +harm. Fenwick, you are just sufficient of a fool to get yourself into +a scrape, and sufficient of a knave to drag your friends in too, in +the hopes of getting out yourself. Sir William Parkyns and Sir John +Friend, knights and gentlemen of good repute, with full purses and +with empty heads, you are paving a golden road to the gallows. +Charnock, you are a butcher; but depend upon it, you were not made to +slaughter any better beast than a bullock. The rest of you, +gentlemen, good night. As for you, Porter, I wish you were out of +this business. You are too honest a man to be in it; but take care +that you do not make a knave of yourself in trying to shake yourself +free from a cloak that you should never have put on." + +It may easily be conceived that this speech was not particularly +palatable to any of the parties present. But Sir George Barkley was +the only one who answered, and he only did it by a sneer. + +"Oh! we know very well," he said, "my good Colonel, that you can turn +your coat as well as any man. We have heard of certain visits to +Kensington, and interviews with the usurper; and, doubtless, we shall +soon see a long list of our names furnished by you, and stuck up +against Whitehall." + +"He who insinuates a falsehood, sir," replied Green, turning sharply +upon him, "is worse than he who tells a lie, for a lie is a bolder +sort of cowardice than a covered falsehood. I have never been but +once to Kensington in my life, and that was to see Bentinck, Lord +Portland--whom I did not see. William of Nassau I have never spoken +to in my life, and never seen, that I know of, except once through a +pocket-glass, upon the banks of the Boyne. All that you have said, +sir, you know to be false; and as to my giving a list of your names, +that you know to be false also. What I may do to prevent evil actions +I do not know, and shall hold it over your heads. But of one thing +you may be quite sure, that no man's name would ever be compromised +by me, however much he may deserve it." + +Thus saying, he turned upon his heel and quitted the room, still +holding the pistol in his hand. After closing the door, he paused for +an instant and meditated, then thrust the pistol back into his belt, +and walked along one of the many passages of the house, with the +intricacies of which he seemed perfectly well acquainted. + +The scene of dismay and confusion, however, which he left behind is +almost indescribable. Every person talked at once, some addressing +the general number, not one of whom was attending; some speaking +vehemently to another individual, who in turn was speaking as +vehemently to some one else. The great majority of those present, +however, seemed perfectly convinced that their late companion would +betray them, or, at all events, take such measures for frustrating +their schemes, as to render it perilous in the extreme to proceed in +them. Sir John Friend was for giving it all up at once, and Parkyns +seemed much of the same opinion. Rookwood, Fenwick, and others +hesitated, but evidently leaned to the safer course. + +Sir George Barkley and Charnock were the only persons who, on the +contrary, maintained the necessity and the propriety of abandoning +none of their intentions. To this, indeed, after great efforts, they +brought back the judgment of the rest; but it required all their +skill and art to accomplish that object. In regard to the general +question of proceeding, they urged, at first, that they might as well +go on, though cautiously, inasmuch as they were all committed to such +a degree, that they could not be more so, let them do what they +would. They were already amenable to the law of high treason, which +was sure not to be mitigated towards them, and therefore they had +nothing farther to fear but discovery. This having been conceded, +and fear beginning to wear away, after a little consideration, it was +easily shown to some of those present who proposed to abandon the +idea of calling in foreign troops, in the hope of bringing back the +Duke and the Earl of Aylesbury, with others, to their party, that +their great hope of security lay in the actual presence of those +foreign troops, who would, at all events, enable them to effect their +escape, even if they did not insure them success in their design. The +assassination was the next thing touched upon: but here Sir George +Barkley argued, that what had occurred should only be considered as a +motive for urging on their proceedings with the utmost rapidity. + +"Let us leave it to be understood," he said, "by the great multitude +of King James's loyal subjects, that the matter of aid from France is +a thing yet to be considered of. In regard to the death of the +usurper, whatever it may be necessary to say to others, none of us +here present can doubt that it is absolutely necessary to our +success. The whole of the information possessed by the man who has +just left us is evidently gained from a letter which I wrote to Sir +John Hubbard in the north, which has somehow unfortunately fallen +into his hands. In that letter, however, I stated that the usurper's +life would come to an end in April next, as we at first proposed. If +the man have any design of betraying us--" + +"No, no, he will not betray us," said several voices; "he has +pledged himself not to disclose our names; and when his word is once +given, it is sure." + +"But," said Sir John Fenwick, "he straight-forwardly said that he +would frustrate our scheme, and in so doing, it is a thousand chances +to one that he causes the whole to be discovered." + +"Then the way," exclaimed Sir George Barkley, "the only way is to +proceed in the business at once. This letter to Hubbard is what he +goes upon; he has no suspicion of our being ready to accomplish the +thing at once. Let us then take him by surprise; and while he is +waiting to see what April will produce, let us, I say, within this +very week, execute boldly that which we have boldly undertaken. We +can easily have sharp spies kept constantly watching this good friend +of ours in the green doublet, who seems to fancy himself a +second-hand sort of Robin Hood. Half of his people are mine already, +and the other half will be so soon. Let the thing be done before the +year be a week older; and let us to-morrow night meet at Mrs. +Mountjoy's in St. James's-street, and send over to hurry the +preparations in France. Gentlemen, it is time for action. Here +several months have slipped by, and nothing is done. It is high time +to do something, lest men should say we promised much and performed +little." + +Gradually all those who were present came round to the opinion of Sir +George Barkley, and everything was arranged as he had proposed it. +Some farther time was then spent in desultory conversation; and it +seemed as if every one lingered, under the idea that they were all to +go away together. Sir George Barkley, however, and Fenwick, seemed +somewhat uneasy, and whispered together for a moment or two; and at +length the latter said, "It may be better, gentlemen, for us to go +away by two or three at a time. You, Parkyns, with Sir John Friend, +had better take along the upper road; three others can take the low +road by the waterside; and Sir George with Charnock and myself will +wait here till you are safely on your way." + +This proposal was instantly agreed to; but still some of the +gentlemen lingered, evidently to the discomposure of Sir George +Barkley, who at length gave them another hint that it was time to +depart. + +"By Heaven!" he exclaimed, as soon as they were all gone, "I thought +they would have hung drivelling on here till the boat came down. The +tide served at ten o'clock, and before one they must be off the end +of the garden. How far is it from Erith?" + +"Oh, certainly not four hours' sail," answered Charnock. "But had I +not better now write the letter we talked of to the Duke? I can +conceal my own hand well enough, and then if Fenwick is asked +anything about it, he can swear most positively that it is not his +writing." + +"Oh! I care nothing about it," replied Fenwick. "The foolish old man +cannot betray me without betraying himself; and you will see he will +soon come round. In the meantime, however, I will go down and talk to +old Plessis about the ship. I should think it could be got ready two +days sooner easily; and as this that we have in view is a great +object, we must not mind paying a few pounds for speed." + +Thus saying, he left the room; and Charnock, taking paper out of a +drawer, proceeded to write a letter according to the suggestions of +Sir George Barkley. Presently after, there was a sound of several +voices speaking, which apparently proceeded from some persons +approaching the front of the house. Both Sir George Barkley and +Charnock started up, the first exclaiming, "Hark! there they are!" + +"Yes," exclaimed Charnock, "there's a woman's voice, sure enough! Why +the devil don't they stop her talking so loud?" + +"You write out the letter, Charnock," said Sir George. "I must go +down and see that all is right." + +Charnock nodded his head, and the other left the room. + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +When Wilton Brown reached the house of the Earl of Byerdale, he found +that nobleman, the Duke of Gaveston, and Lord Sherbrooke, sitting +together in the most amicable manner that it is possible to conceive. +The countenance of the Duke was certainly very much distressed and +agitated; but making allowance for the different characters of the +two men, Lord Byerdale himself did not seem to be less distressed. +Lord Sherbrooke, too, was looking very grave, and was thoughtfully +scribbling unmeaning lines with a pen and ink on some quires of paper +before him. + +"Oh, Mr. Brown, I am very glad to see you," exclaimed the Duke. + +"My dear Wilton," said the Earl, addressing him by a title which he +had never given him in his life before, "we are particularly in need +of your advice and assistance. I know not whether Sherbrooke, in his +note, told you the event that has occurred." + +"He did so, to my great grief and surprise, my lord," replied Wilton. +"How I can be of any assistance I do not know; but I need not say +that I will do anything on earth that I can to aid my lord duke and +your lordship." + +"The truth is," replied Lord Byerdale, "that I am as greatly +concerned as his grace: it having happened most unfortunately, this +very morning--I am sorry, through Sherbrooke's own fault--that Lady +Laura found herself compelled to break off the proposed alliance +between our two families, which was one of my brightest day-dreams. +The Duke knows well, indeed, that however high I may consider the +honour which I had at one time in prospect, I am perfectly incapable +of taking any unjustifiable means, especially of such a rash and +desperate nature, to secure even an alliance such as his. But other +people--the slanderous world at large--may insinuate that I have had +some share in this business; and therefore it is absolutely necessary +for me to use every exertion for the purpose of discovering whither +the young lady has been carried. At the same time, the circumstances +in which we are placed must, in a great degree, prevent Sherbrooke +from taking that active part in the business which I know he could +wish to do, and I therefore must cast the burden upon you, of aiding +the Duke, on my part, with every exertion to trace out the whole of +this mysterious business, and, if possible, to restore the young lady +to her father." + +The Earl spoke rapidly and eagerly, as if he feared to be +interrupted, and wished, in the first instance, to give the matter +that turn which seemed best to him. + +"I am very anxious, too, Mr. Brown," said the Duke, "to have your +assistance in this matter, for I am sure, you well know I place great +confidence in you." + +Wilton bowed his head, not exactly perceiving the cause of this great +confidence at the moment, but still well pleased that it should be +so. + +"May I ask," he said, in as calm a voice as he could command, for his +own heart was too much interested in the subject to suffer him to +speak altogether tranquilly--"may I ask what are the particulars of +this terrible affair, for Lord Sherbrooke's note was very brief? He +merely told me the Lady Laura had disappeared; but he told me not +where she had last been seen." + +"She was last seen walking on the terrace in the garden," said the +Duke, "just as it was becoming dusk. The afternoon was cold, and I +thought of sending for her; but she had been a good deal agitated and +anxious during the day, and I did not much like to disturb her +thoughts." + +"On which terrace?" demanded Wilton, eagerly. + +"On the low terrace near the water," replied the Duke. + +"Good God!" exclaimed Wilton, clasping his hands, "can she have +fallen into the river?" and the horrible image presented to his mind +made his cheek turn as pale as ashes. In a moment after, however, it +became red again, for he marked the eye of the Earl upon him, while +the slightest possible smile crept round the corners of that +nobleman's mouth. + +"My apprehensions, at first, were the same as yours, my young +friend," replied the Duke. "I was busy with other things, when one of +the servants came to tell me that they thought they had heard a +scream, and that their young lady was not upon the terrace, though +she had not returned to the house. We went down instantly with +lights, for it was now dark; and my apprehensions of one terrible +kind were instantly changed into others, by finding the large +footmarks of men in the gravel, part of which was beaten up, as if +there had been a struggle. The footsteps, also, could be traced down +the stone steps of the landing-place, where my own barge lies, and +there was evidently the mark of a foot, loaded with gravel, on the +gunwale of the boat itself, showing that somebody had stepped upon it +to get into another boat." + +This intelligence greatly relieved the mind of Wilton; and at the +same time, Lord Sherbrooke, who had not yet spoken a word, looked up, +saying, "The Duke thinks, Wilton, that it will be better for you to +go home with him, and endeavour to trace this business out from the +spot itself. One of the messengers will be sent to you immediately +with a warrant, under my father's hand, [Footnote: It may be as well +to remark here, that much of the business which is now entirely +entrusted to police magistrates was then carried on by the +secretaries of state and high official persons; and a "secretary's +warrant" was an instrument of very dangerous and extensive power.] to +assist you in apprehending any of the participators in this business. +Do you think anything can be done to-night?" + +Wilton was accustomed to read his friend's countenance with some +attention, and, from his whole tone and manner, he gathered that Lord +Sherbrooke was somewhat anxious to bring the conference to an end. + +"Perhaps something may be done to-night," he replied, "especially if +no inquiry has yet been made amongst the watermen upon the river." + +"None," replied the Duke, "none! To say the truth, I was so +confounded and confused, that I came away here instantly--for advice +and assistance," he added; but there was a pause between the words, +which left his real views somewhat doubtful. The rest of the business +was speedily arranged. The Duke's coach was at the door, and Wilton +proceeded into the Earl's library to write a note to his own servant, +containing various directions. He was followed in a minute or two by +Lord Sherbrooke, who seemed looking for something in haste. + +"Where are the blank warrants, Wilton?" he said: "my father will sign +one at once." + +As he spoke, however, he bent down his head over Wilton's shoulder, +and then added, "Get away as fast as you can, or you will betray +yourself to the keen eyes that are upon you. Go with the Duke, +rescue the girl, and the game is before you. I, too, will exert +myself to find her, but with different views, and you shall have the +benefit of it." + +"Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke," said Wilton, "what madness is it that you +would put into my head?" + +"It is in your heart already, Wilton," replied Lord Sherbrooke. "But +after all, it is no madness, Wilton; for I have this very night heard +my father acknowledge to the Duke that he knows who you really are; +that the blood in your veins is as good as that of any one in the +kingdom; and that your family is more ancient than that of the Duke +himself, only that on account of some of the late troubles and +changes it has been judged necessary to keep you, for a time, in the +shade. Thus, you see, it is no madness--Nay, nay, collect your +thoughts, Wilton.--Where are these cursed warrants? I say the game +is before you.--There is my father's voice calling. He has an +intuitive perception that I am spoiling his plans. Look to Sir John +Fenwick, Wilton--look to Sir John Fenwick. I suspect him strongly. +Hark how that patient and dignified father of mine is making the bell +of the saloon knock its head against the wall! By heavens, there's +his step! Fold up your note quickly! Where can these cursed warrants +be?--My lord," he continued, turning to his father, who entered at +that moment, "before you sent me for the warrants, you should have +given me a warrant to discover and take them up, for I can neither do +one nor the other." + +The warrants were soon found, however; the Earl signed one and filled +up the blanks; one of the ordinary Messengers of State was sent for, +in order to follow Wilton and the Duke as soon as possible; and the +young gentleman, taking his place in the carriage, was soon upon the +way to Beaufort House, conversing over the events that had occurred. + +What between agitation, grief, and apprehension, the Duke was all +kindness and condescension towards his young companion. He seemed, +indeed, to cast himself entirely upon Wilton for support and +assistance; and it speedily became apparent that his suspicions also +pointed in the direction of Sir John Fenwick, and the rash and +violent men with whom he was engaged. + +"I could explain myself on this subject," said the Duke, "to no one but +you, my dear young friend, as you are the only person acquainted with +the fact of my having been at that unfortunate meeting, except, indeed, +the people themselves. Of course I could not say a word upon the subject +to Lord Byerdale or Lord Sherbrooke; but in you I can confide, and on +your judgment and activity I rely entirely for the recovery of my poor +girl." + +"I will do my best, my lord," replied Wilton, "and trust I shall be +successful. Perhaps I may have more cause for anticipating a fortunate +result than even your grace, as I have means of instantly ascertaining +whether the persons to whom you have alluded have any share in this +matter or not; means which I must beg leave to keep secret, but which I +shall not fail to employ at once." + +"Oh, I was sure," replied the Duke, "that if there was a man in England +could do it, you would be the person. I know your activity and your +courage too well, not to have every confidence in you." + +The coachman had received orders to drive quick; and the hour of nine +was just striking on the bell of an old clock at Chelsea when the +carriage drove into the court-yard. Wilton sprang out after the Duke; +but he did not enter the house. + +"I will but go to make some inquiries," he said, "and join your grace in +half an hour. I may learn something to-night, and under these +circumstances it is right to lose no time. I should be well pleased, +however, to have a cloak, if one of your grace's servants could bring me +either a common riding cloak or a roquelaure." + +One was immediately procured; and, somewhat to the surprise and +admiration of the Duke, who was, as the reader may have perceived, one +of those people that are expressively denominated SLOW MEN, he set off +instantly to pursue his search, animated by feelings which had now +acquired even a deeper interest than ever, and by hopes of the +extraordinary circumstances in which he was placed proving the means of +attaining an object well worth the exertion of every energy and every +thought. + +It was a fine frosty night, with the stars twinkling over head, but no +moon, so that his way amongst the narrow lanes which surrounded Beaufort +House at that time, was not very easily found. As he walked on, he heard +a sharp whistle before him, but it produced nothing, though he proposed +to himself to stand upon the defensive, judging from one or two little +signs and symptoms which he had seen, that the Green Dragon might +protect under the shadow of its wings many persons of a far more fierce +and dangerous description than it had itself proved, either as an +adversary of St. George, or as an inhabitant of the marshes near +Wantley. + +He walked on fast, and a glimmering light in the direction from which he +had heard the sound proceed at length led him to the hospitable door of +the Green Dragon. One sign of hospitality, indeed, it wanted. It stood +not open for the entrance of every one who sought admission; and a +precautionary minute or two was suffered to pass before Wilton obtained +one glance of the interior. + +At length, however, a small iron bolt, which prevented any impertinent +intrusion into the penetralia of the Green Dragon, was drawn back, and +the lusty form of the landlord made its appearance in the passage. He +instantly recognised Wilton, whose person, indeed, was not very easily +forgotten; and laying his finger on the side of his nose, with a look of +much sagacity, he led Wilton into a little room which seemed to be his +own peculiar abode. + +"The Colonel is out, sir," he said, as soon as the door was closed; +"and there are things going on I do not much like." + +Wilton's mind, full of the thought of Lady Laura, instantly connected +the landlord's words with the fact of her disappearance, but refrained +from asking any direct question regarding the lady. "Indeed, landlord," +he said, "I am sorry to hear that. What has happened?" + +"Why, sir," answered the landlord, "nothing particular; but only I wish +the Colonel was here--that is all. I do not like to see tampering with a +gentleman's friends. You understand, sir--I wish the Colonel was here." + +"But, landlord," said Wilton, "can he not be found? I wish he were here, +too, and if you know where he is, I might seek him. I have something +important to say to him." + +"Bless you, sir," replied the landlord, "he's half-way to Rochester by +this time. He went well nigh two hours ago, and he is not a man to lose +time by the way. You'll not see him before to-morrow night, and then, +may be, it will be too late. I'd tell you, sir, upon my life," he +continued, "if you could find him, for he bade me always do so; but you +will not meet with him on this side of Gravesend till to-morrow night, +when he will most likely be at the Nag's Head in St. James's Street +about the present blessed hour. I've known him a long time now, sir, and +I will say I never saw such another gentleman ON THE WAY, though there +is Mr. Byerly and many others that are all very gentlemanlike--but bless +you, sir, they do it nothing like the Colonel, so I do not wish him to +be wronged." + +"Of course not," answered Wilton; "but tell me, landlord, had he heard +of this unfortunate business of the lady being carried off, before he +went?" + +"Lord bless you, no, sir," replied the man--"I only heard of it myself +an hour ago. But one of our people was talking with a waterman just +above there, and he said that there was a covered barge--like a +gentleman's barge--came down at a great rate, about six o'clock; and he +vowed that he heard somebody moaning and crying in it; but likely that +is not true, for he never said a word till after he heard of the Duke's +young lady having been whipped up." + +Wilton obtained easily the name and address of the waterman, and finding +that there was no chance whatever of gaining any further intelligence of +Green, or any means of communicating with him at an earlier period than +the following night, he took his leave of the good host, and rose to +depart. The landlord, however, stopped him for a moment. + +"Stay a bit, Master Brown," he said. "You see, I rather think there are +one or two gentlemen in the lane waiting just to talk a word with my +good Lord Peterborough, who is likely to pass by; and as the Colonel +told me that you were not just in that way of business yourself, you had +better take the boy with you." + +"No, indeed," replied Wilton, somewhat bitterly, "I am not exactly, as +you say, in that way of business myself. I am being taught to rob on a +larger scale." + +"Oh, sir!" exclaimed the landlord, not at all understanding Wilton's +allusion to his political pursuits, "all these gentlemen keep the +highway a horseback too. This foot-padding is only done just for a +bit of amusement, and because the Colonel is out of the way. He would +be very angry if he knew it.--But I did not know you were upon the +road at all, sir." + +"No, no," replied Wilton, smiling, "I was only joking, my good friend. +The sort of robbery I meant was aiding kings and ministers to rob and +cheat each other." + +"Ay, ay, sir!" said the landlord, now entering into his meaning, and +taking as a good joke what Wilton had really spoken in sadness--"you +should have called it miching, sir--miching on a great scale. Well, +that's worse than t'other. Give me the King's Highway, I say! only +I'm too fat and pursy now." + +This said, he went and called a little boy well trained in bearing +foaming pots from place to place, who soon conducted Wilton back in +safety to the house of the Duke, and then undertook to send up the +waterman with all speed. By this time the Messenger from the Earl of +Byerdale had arrived; but although the good gentlemen called +Messengers, in those days, exercised many of the functions of a +Bow-street officer, and possessed all the keen and cunning sagacity of +that two-legged race of ferrets, neither he nor Wilton could elicit +any farther information from the waterman than that which had been +already obtained. + +"I think, sir, I think, your grace," said the Messenger, bowing low +to the statesman's secretary, and still lower to the Duke, "I think +that we must give the business up for to-night, for we shall make no +more of it. To-morrow morning, as early as you please, Mr. Brown, I +shall be ready to go down the river with you, and I think we had +better have this young man's boat, as he saw the barge which he +thinks took the young lady away. Hark ye, my man," he continued, +addressing the waterman, "you've seen fifty guineas, haven't you?" + +"Why, never in my own hand, your honour," replied the man, with a +grin. + +"Well, then, you'll see them in your hand, and your own money too, if +by your information we find out this young lady; so go away now, and +try to discover any one of your comrades who knows something of the +matter, and come with a wherry to the Duke's stairs to-morrow morning +as soon as it is daylight." + +"Ay, ay, we'll find her, sir, I'll bet something," said the man; and +with this speech, the only consolatory one which had yet been made by +any of the party, he left them. The Messenger having now done all +that he thought sufficient, retired comfortably to repose, shaking +from his mind at once all recollection of a business in which his +heart took no part. Nothing on earth marks more distinctly that the +Spirit or the Soul, with all its fine sensibilities and qualities, +both of suffering and acting, is of distinct being from the mere +Intellect, which is, in fact, but the soul's prime minister, than the +manner in which two people of equal powers of mind will act in +circumstances where the welfare of a third person, dear to the one, +and not dear to the other, is concerned. A sense of what is right, +some accidental duty, or mere common philanthropy, may often cause +the one to exert all his powers with the utmost activity to obtain +the object in view; but the moment that he has done all that seems +possible, the soul tells the mind to throw off the burden for the +time; and, casting away all thought of the matter, he lays himself +down comfortably to sleep and forgetfulness. The other, however, in +whose bosom some more deep interest exists, pursues the object also +by every means that can be suggested; but when all is done, and the +mind is wearied, the soul does not suffer the intellect to repose, +but, still engaged in the pursuit, calls the mind to labour with +anxious thought, even though that thought may be employed in vain. + +For some hours after the Messenger was sound asleep, and had +forgotten the whole transaction in the arms of slumber, Wilton sat +conversing with the Duke, and endeavouring to draw from him even the +smallest particulars of all that had taken place during the last few +days, with the hope of discovering some probable cause for the event. +The Duke, however, though disposed to be communicative towards Wilton +on most subjects, showed a shyness of approaching anything connected +with the meeting in Leadenhall-street. + +It was evident, indeed, that all his suspicions turned upon Sir John +Fenwick, and he admitted that a violent quarrel had occurred after +the meeting; but he showed so evident an inclination to avoid +entering into the subject farther, that Wilton in common delicacy +could not press him. Finding it in vain to seek any more information +in that quarter, Wilton at length retired to rest, but sleep came not +near his eyelids. He now lay revolving all that had occurred, +endeavouring to extract from the little that was really known some +light, however faint, to lead to farther discovery. In the darkness +of the night, imagination, too, came in, and pictured a thousand +vague but horrible probabilities regarding the fate of the beautiful +girl with whom he had so lately walked in sweet companionship on the +very terrace from which it appeared that she had been violently taken +away. Fancy had wide range to roam, both in regard to the objects of +those who had carried her off, to the place whither they had borne +her, and to the probability of ever recovering her or not. But Fancy +stopped not there--she suggested doubts to Wilton's mind as to the +fact of her having been carried off at all. The terrible apprehension +that she might, by some accident, have fallen into the river returned +upon him. The feet-marks upon the gravel, he thought, might very +naturally have been produced by the servants in their first search; +and it was not at all improbable that some one of them, thinking that +his young mistress had fallen into the water, might have placed his +foot upon the gunwale of the barge to lean forward for a clearer view +of the river under the terrace. + +As he thought of all these things, and tortured his heart with +apprehensions, the conviction came upon the mind of Wilton, that, +notwithstanding every difference of station, and the utter +hopelessness of love in his case, Laura had become far, far dearer to +him than any other being upon earth; had produced in his bosom +sensations such as he had never known before; sensations which were +first discovered fully in that hour of pain and anxiety, and which, +alas! promised but anguish and disappointment for the years to come. + +There was, nevertheless, something fascinating in the conviction, +which, once admitted, he would not willingly have parted with; and it +gradually led his thoughts to what Lord Sherbrooke had told him +concerning his own fate and family. That information, indeed, brought +him but little hope in the present case, though we should speak +falsely were we to assert that it brought him no hope. The gleam was +faint, and doubting that it would last, he tried voluntarily to +extinguish it in his own heart. He called to mind how many there +were, whose families, engaged in the late troubles during the reigns +of Charles and James, had never been able to raise themselves again, +but had sunk into obscurity, and died in poverty and exile. He +recollected how many of them and of their children had been driven to +betake themselves to the lowest, and even the most criminal courses; +and he bethought him, that if he were the child of any of these, he +might think himself but too fortunate in having obtained an inferior +station which gave him competence at least. The cloud might never be +cleared away from his fate; and he recollected, that even if it were +so, there was but little if any chance of his obtaining, with every +advantage, that which he had learned to desire even without hope. He +knew that the Duke was a proud man, proud of his family, proud of his +wealth, proud of his daughter, proud of his rank, and that he had +judged it even a very great condescension to consent to a marriage +between his daughter and the son of the Earl of Byerdale, a nobleman +of immense wealth, vast influence, most ancient family, and one who, +from his power in the counsels of his sovereign, might, in fact, be +considered the prime minister of the day. He knew, I say, that the +Duke had considered his consent as a very great condescension; and he +had remarked that very night, that Laura's father, even in the midst +of his grief and anxiety, had made the Earl feel, by his whole tone +and manner, that in the opinion of the Duke of Gaveston there was a +vast distinction between himself and the Earl of Byerdale. What +chance was there, then, he asked himself, for one without any +advantages, even were the happiest explanation to be given to the +mystery of his own early history? + +Thus passed the night, but before daylight on the following morning +he was up and dressed; and, accompanied by the Messenger, he went +down the river with two watermen; both of whom declared that they had +seen the covered barge pass down at the very hour of Lady Laura's +disappearance, and had heard sounds as if from the voice of a person +in distress. + +We shall not follow Wilton minutely on his search, as not a little of +our tale remains to be told. Suffice it to say, that from Chelsea to +Woolwich he made inquiries at every wharf and stairs, examined every +boat in the least like that which had been seen, and spoke with every +waterman whom he judged likely to give information; but all in vain. +At that time almost every nobleman and gentleman in London, as well +as all merchants, who possessed any ready means of access to the +Thames, had each a private stairs down to the river, with his barge, +which was neither more nor less than a large covered boat, somewhat +resembling a Venetian gondola, but much more roomy and comfortable. + +Thus the inquiries of Wilton and the Messenger occupied a +considerable space of time, and the day was far spent when they +turned again at Woolwich, and began to row up the stream. Wilton, on +his part, felt inclined to land, and, hiring a horse, to proceed to +the Duke's house with greater rapidity--but the Messenger shook his +head, saying, "No, no, sir: that wont do. We must go through the same +work all over again up the river. There's quite a different set of +people at the water-side in the morning and in the evening. We are +much more likely to hear tidings this afternoon than we were in the +early part of the day." + +Wilton saw the justice of the man's remark, and acquiesced readily. +But he did so only to procure for himself, as it turned out, a bitter +and painful addition to the apprehensions which already tormented +him. In passing London bridge, one of the heavy barges used in the +conveyance of merchandise was seen moored at a little distance below +the bridge, and in the neighbourhood of the fall. A great number of +men were in her, rolling up various ropes and grappling irons, while +a personage dressed as one of the city officers appeared at their +head. Ile was directing them at the moment to unmoor the barge, and +bring her to one of the wharfs again; but the boatmen of Wilton's +boat, without any orders, immediately rowed up to the barge, and the +Messenger inquired what the officer and his comrades were about. + +The officer, who seemed to know him, replied at once, "Why, Mr. +Arden, we are dragging here to see if we can get hold of the boat or +any of the bodies that went down last night." + +"Ay, Smith," replied the Messenger, "what boat was that? I haven't +heard of it." + +"Why, some stupid fools," replied the officer, "dropping down the +river in a barge about half-past eight last night, tried to shoot the +arch at half tide, struck the pier, got broadside on at the fall, and +of course capsized and went down. If it had been a wherry, the boat +would have floated, but being a covered barge, and all the windows +shut, she went down in a minute, and there she sticks; but we can't +well tell where, though I saw the whole thing happen with my own +eyes." + +"Did you see who was in the barge?" demanded the Messenger. + +"I saw there were three men in her," the officer replied, "but I +couldn't see their faces or the colour of their clothes, for it was +very dark; and if it had not been for the two great lamps at the +jeweller's on the bridge, I should not have seen so much as I did. We +are going home now, for we have not light to see; but we got up one +of the bodies, drifted down nearly half a mile on the Southwark side +there." + +"Was it a man or a woman?" demanded Wilton, eagerly. + +"A man, sir," replied the officer. "It turns out to be Jones, the +waterman by Fulham." + +Wilton did not speak for a moment, and the Messenger was struck, and +silent likewise. When they recovered a little, however, they +explained to the officer briefly the object of their search upon the +river, and he was easily induced to continue dragging at the spot +where he thought the boat had disappeared. He was unsuccessful, +however; and, after labouring for about half an hour, the total +failure of light compelled them to desist without any farther +discovery. Wilton then landed with the Messenger; and with his brain +feeling as if on fire, and a heart wrung with grief, he rode back, as +soon as horses could be procured, to carry the sad tidings which he +had obtained to Laura's father. + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +A spirit--though rather of a better kind than that which drags too +many of our unfortunate countrymen into the abodes of wickedness and +corruption, now called Gin Pal--es, so liberally provided for them in +the metropolis--abodes licensed and patronised by the government for +the temptation of the lower orders of the populace to commit and +harden themselves in the great besetting vice of this country--a +spirit, I say, of a better kind than this, drags me into a house of +public entertainment, called the Nag's Head, in St. James's Street. + +The Nag's Head, in St. James's Street!!! + +Now, though nobody would be in the least surprised to have read or +heard of the Nag's Head in the Borough, yet there is probably not a +single reader who will see this collocation of the "Nag's Head" with +"St. James's Street" without an exclamation, or at least a feeling of +surprise, at it being possible there should ever have been such a +thing in St. James's Street at all--that is to say, not a nag's head, +either horsically or hobbyhorsically speaking, but tavernistically; +for be it known to all men, that the Nag's Head here mentioned was an +inn or tavern actually in the very middle of the royal and +fashionable street called St. James's. One might write a whole +chapter upon the variations and mutations of the names of inns, and +inquire curiously whether their modification in various places and at +various times depends merely upon fashion, or whether it is produced +by some really existing but latent sympathy between peculiar names, +as applied to inns, and particular circumstances, affecting +localities, times, seasons, and national character. + +Having already touched upon this subject, however, though with but a +slight and allusive sentence or two, in reference to our friend the +Green Dragon, and being at this moment pressed for time and room, we +shall say no more upon the subject here, but enter at once into the +Nag's Head, and lead the reader by the hand to the door of a certain +large apartment, which, at about half-past nine o'clock, on the night +we have just been speaking of, was well nigh as full as it could +hold. + +The people whom it contained were of various descriptions, but most +of them were gentlemanly men enough in their appearance, and these +were ranged round little tables in parties of five or six, or +sometimes more. It cannot, indeed, be said that their occupations +were particularly edifying. Dice, backgammon-boards, and cards were +spread on many of the tables; punch smoked around with a very +fragrant odour; and whatever might have been the nature of the +conversation in general, the oaths and expletives, with which it was +interlarded from time to time, spoke not very well for either the +morality or the eloquence of our ancestors: for such, indeed, I must +call these gentlemen, forming as they did part of the great ancestral +body of a hundred and fifty years ago; though I devoutly hope and +pray that none of my own immediate progenitors happened to be amongst +the number there assembled. The smell of punch and other strong drink +was, to the atmosphere of the place, exactly what the dissolute and +swaggering air of a great number of the persons assembled there was +to the natural expression of the human countenance. The noise, too, +was very great; so that the ear of a new comer required to become +accustomed to it before he could hear anything that was taking place. + +Gradually, however, as habit reconciled the visitor to the din, the +oaths and objurgations, together with the words "cheat, liar, knave," +&c. &c., separated themselves from the rest of the conversation, and +swam like a sort of scum upon the top of the buzz. Though all were +met there for enjoyment, too, it is worthy of remark, that many of +the countenances around bore strong marks of fierce and angry +passions, disappointment, hatred, revenge; and many a flushed cheek +and flashing eye told the often-told tale, that in the amusements +which man devises for himself he is almost always sure to mingle a +sufficient quantity of vice to bring forth a plentiful return of +sorrow. + +While all this was proceeding in full current, the door, which opened +with a weight and pulley, rattled and squeaked as it was cast back, +and our often-mentioned friend Green--or the Colonel, as he was +called--entered the room. Giving a casual glance around him, he +proceeded to the other end of the saloon, where there was a small +table vacant, and called in a loud but slow voice for a pint of +claret. Whether this was his habit, or whether it was merely an +accidental compliance with the tavern etiquette of taking something +in the house which we visit, the claret was brought to him instantly, +as if it had been ready prepared, together with a large glass of the +kind now called a tumbler, and a single biscuit. + +Green took no notice of any one in the room, for some minutes, but +ate the biscuit and drank the claret in two drafts of half a pint at +a time. When this was done, he gazed round him gravely and +thoughtfully; after which he walked up to one of the tables where +some people were playing at hazard, and spoke a word or two across it +to the man who was holding the dice-box. The man looked up with a +frank smile, and for his only reply nodded his head, saying, "In five +minutes, Colonel." + +Green then went on to the next table, and spoke in the same low voice +to a person on the left-hand side, but the man looked down doggedly, +shrugged his shoulders, and said, "I can't leave my game now, +Colonel. If you had told me half an hour ago, it might have been +different." + +"Oh! you are very busy in your game, are you?" said Green. "And so I +suppose are you," he added, turning to another who was sitting at the +same table. + +That man answered also in the same tone; and Green, muttering to +himself "Very well!" went on to two more tables at little distances +from each other, from one of which only, he received a nod in answer +to what he said, with the words, "Directly, Colonel--directly." + +He was just going on to another, when the door again opened, and a +tall, graceful young man, APPARENTLY of one or two and twenty years +of age, entered the room, and advanced towards the table which Green +had left vacant. His whole manner and appearance was totally +different from that of the persons by whom the room had been +previously tenanted, and a number of inquiring eyes were naturally +turned towards him. Green looked him full in the face without taking +the slightest notice; nor did the stranger show any sign of remarking +him, except by brushing against him as he passed, and then turning +round and begging his pardon, while at the same time he laid the +finger of his right hand upon a diamond ring which he wore upon the +little finger of the left. He then advanced straight to the vacant +table, as we have said, and sat down, looking towards a drawer who +stood at the other end of the room, and saying-- + +"Bring me some claret." + +At the same moment, Green advanced to the table, and bowing his head +with the air and grace of a distinguished gentleman, said-- + +"I beg your pardon, sir, for saying that this is my table; but there +is perfectly room at it for us both, and if you will permit me the +honour, I will join you in your wine. Shall we say a bottle of good +Burgundy, which will be better than cold claret on this chilly +night?" + +"With all my heart," replied Wilton Brown, for we need hardly tell +the reader that it was he who had last entered the room at the Nag's +Head; and Green, turning to the drawer, said, "This gentleman and I +will take a bottle of Burgundy. Let it be that which the landlord +knows of." + +"I understand, sir--I understand," replied the drawer, "last Monday +night's;" and Wilton and his companion were soon busily discussing +their wine, and talking together, upon various indifferent things, in +a voice which could be heard at the neighbouring tables. Green spoke +with ease and grace, and had altogether so much the tone of a +well-bred man of the world, that he might have passed for such in the +highest society in the realm. Wilton found the task a more difficult +one, for his mind was eagerly bent upon other subjects. He laboured +to play his part to the best, however; and Green, laughing, showed +him how to drink his wine out of goblets, as he called it; so that +the matter was brought to a conclusion sooner than he had ventured to +hope. + +As the bottle drew to its close, Green took an opportunity of saying, +in a low voice, "Come with me when I go out." + +Wilton answered in the same tone, "Must you not make some excuse?" + +"Oh, I will show you one--I will show you one!" exclaimed Green, +aloud--"if you have never seen one, I will show you one within five +minutes from this time. I have but to speak a word to some of my +friends at these different tables, and then you shall come with me." + +This was heard all through the room; and Wilton seeing that the +excuse was already made, said no more, but, "Very well, I am ready +when you like." + +Green then rose, and went round those to whom he had before spoken, +addressing each of them again in the same order. + +"I will meet you, Harry," he said to the first, who had so readily +made an affirmative answer, "in three quarters of an hour. Don't be +longer, my good fellow, if you can help it. Master Williamson," he +added, when he came up to the other, speaking in as low a tone as +possible, "I think you would have given up your game at cards, if you +had known what I had to tell you and Davis there, opposite." + +There was something dark and meaning in Green's look as he spoke, a +knitting of the brows, a drawing together of the eyelids, and a tight +shutting of the mouth between every three or four words, which made +the man turn a little white. + +"Why, what is the matter, Colonel?" he said, in a much civiler tone +than before. "Cannot you tell me now?" + +"Oh, yes," replied Green, in the same low tone, "I can tell you now, +if you like. It is no great matter: only that there are warrants out +against you and Davis; and against Ingram there at the other table, +for robbing the Earl of Peterborough last night in the Green Lane, +behind Beaufort House. They have got hold of Jimmy Law, poor fellow, +already, and he will be hanged to a certainty. It was discovered who +you all were by Harry Brown, who was one of your party when you went, +without my knowledge, to do business between Gravesend and Rochester. +He's one of my Lord Peterborough's led captains now, and was in the +carriage with him, though you didn't see him to know him. He gave all +your names, and they have sent down to the Green Dragon after you, +and have also people on the Rochester road. Tell Davis, and I will +tell Ingram; for it is better you should all get out of the way for +awhile." + +This was said in so low a tone, that none of those around could hear +distinctly; but the worthy gentleman to whom the words were addressed +did not seem near so cautious as the Colonel; for, after having +suffered his eyes and his mouth to expand gradually with a look of +increasing horror at every word, he started up from the table as +Green concluded, exclaiming, "By--!" and dashed the cards down upon +the board before him, scattering one half of them over the floor. +Green gave him one momentary look of sovereign contempt, and then +proceeded to the opposite table, where he told the same story to the +personage named Ingram, whose attention had been called by the +vehement excitement of his comrade. The effect now produced seemed +fully as deep, though not quite so demonstrative; for Master Ingram +sat in profound silence at the table for at least five minutes, with +his face assuming various hues of purple and green, as he revolved +the matter in his own mind. + +It is probable, that very seldom any three men, except three sailors, +have ever thought so much of a rope at the same moment; and before +Green could finish his tour round the room and rejoin Wilton, those +to whom he had spoken were all hastening up St. James's Street as +fast as they could go. Green returned to the table where he had been +seated, called the drawer to receive the money for the Burgundy, and +then bowing his head to Wilton, with somewhat of a stiff' air, he +said, "Now, sir, if you please, I am ready to show you the way; and +as I have not much time-" + +"I am quite ready," replied Wilton; and turning to the door, he and +Green left the house together, while those who remained behind, +immediately they were gone, gathered into two or three little knots, +discussing the scene which had just taken place. + +In the meantime, Green led Wilton into St. James's Square, the centre +of which was not at that time enclosed, as now, by iron railings; and +walking to and fro there, he demanded eagerly what was the matter, +and heard with surprise all that his young companion had to tell him +of the sudden disappearance of the Duke's daughter, of which he had +previously received no intelligence. + +We need not recapitulate the whole of Wilton's account to the reader; +but will only add, to that which is already known, one fact of some +importance with which the young gentleman concluded the detail of his +inquiries during that very day. + +"When I arrived at Beaufort House," he said, "fully and painfully +impressed with the notion that this poor young lady was drowned, I +was met by the Duke at the very door of his library with a letter in +his hand. His eyes were full of tears of joy, for the news of a boat +having been lost had, by this time, reached him; and the letter, +which was dated from a distant part of the country, informed him of +his daughter's safety, in these words:-'Lady Laura Gaveston will be +restored to Beaufort House as soon as her father can make up his mind +to behave with spirit and patriotism, and follow out the only plans +which can save his country. This must be done by actions, not by +words; but a positive engagement under his hand will be considered +sufficient. In the meantime, she remains a hostage for his good +faith.' At the bottom was written, in a hand which he says is that of +Lady Laura herself--'My dear father, I am well; but this is all +they will let me write.'" + +"Whence was it dated?" demanded Green sharply. + +"Newbury," replied Wilton; "and the letter was brought by a person +who spoke with a foreign accent." + +"This is strange," said Green: "I should think it was some of that +troop of--I know not well whether to call them villains or madmen. I +should think some of them had done this, were it not that I had seen +them all--I may say all the principal ones--last night, and they +certainly had not a woman with them then." + +"The Duke's suspicions turn principally upon Sir John Fenwick," said +Wilton. + +"It could not well be him," replied Green: "he was there, and none +but men with him. It is very strange! I wish I could see that letter. +Perhaps I might recognise the hand." + +"That is evidently feigned," answered Wilton; "but I should think the +date of Newbury must be false, too." + +"To be sure, to be sure," replied Green--"the exact reverse most +likely. They must have taken her towards the sea, not +inland--Newbury!--More likely towards Rochester or Sheerness; yet I +can't think there was any woman there. Yet stay a minute, Wilton," +he continued, "stay a minute. I expect tidings to-night, from the +very house at which I met them last night. There is a chance, a bare +chance, of there being something on this matter in the letters; it is +worth while to see, however. Where can I find you in ten minutes from +this time ?-I saw the boy waiting near the palace when we came out." + +"I will go into the Earl of Sunbury's, on that side of the square," +replied Wilton, "where you see the two lights. There is nobody in it +but the old housekeeper, but she knows me and will admit me." + +"She knows me, too," replied Green, drily; "and I will join you there +in ten minutes with any intelligence I may gain." + +Green left him at once, with that peculiar sharpness and rapidity of +movement which Wilton had always remarked in him from their first +meeting. The young gentleman, on his part, went over to the house of +the Earl of Sunbury, and telling the old housekeeper, and the girl +who opened the door to him, that a gentleman would soon be there to +speak with him on business, he went up to the saloon, and as soon as +he was alone, raised the light that was left with him, to gaze upon +the picture which we have mentioned more than once, and to compare it +by the aid of memory with the lady whom he had seen but a few days +before. The likeness was very strong, the height was the same, the +features, examined strictly one by one, presented exactly the same +lines. The complexion, indeed, in the picture, was more brilliant; +and it was that, perhaps, as well as a certain roundness, which +marked a difference of age; but then the expression was precisely the +same--a depth, a tenderness even approaching to melancholy--in the +picture, as in her whom he had seen; and though he gazed, and +wondered, and wearied imagination for probabilities, he found none, +but could only end by believing that, in the facts connected with +that picture, lay the mystery of his fate, and of the link between +him and the Earl of Sunbury. + +He was still gazing, when Green was ushered into the room, and +setting down the light, Wilton turned to meet him. There was a dark +and heavy frown upon the countenance of him whom we have so often +heard called the Colonel, as he entered: an expression of bitterness +mingled with sadness; but, nevertheless, he took up the light, and +walking up to the picture, gazed upon it for a minute or two, as +Wilton had done. + +"It is wonderfully like," he said, after pausing for a moment or +two--"how beautiful she was! However, I have no time to think of +such things now. I have here tidings for you, Wilton. I know not yet +rightly what they are, for I caught but a glance of them; and had +other things to think of bitter enough, and requiring instant +attention. Here, let us look what this epistle says." + +Setting down the lamp upon the table, he opened the letter and held +it to the light, reading it attentively, while Wilton, who stood +beside him did the same. It was written in fine small hand, and in +French; but the page at which Green had opened the sheet, after a few +words connected with a sentence that had gone before, went on as +follows:--"I should not have sent this till we were safe across, but +that circumstances have induced us to delay our departure; and you +would scarcely think that it is I who have urged Caroline to remain +for yet a little while: I, who some days ago was so fearful of +remaining, so anxious to depart. Nor is it solely an inclination to +linger near that dear boy, although I own the sight of him has been +to me like the foretaste of a new existence. Bless him for me, my +friend--bless him for me! But I found that the dear wild girl who is +with me had neither ceased to love, nor ceased entirely to hope. In +the last letter she received, mingled with reproaches for coming +hither, there was every now and then a burst of tenderness and +affection which made her trust, and me almost believe, that all good +and honourable feeling is not extinct. She thinks that if she could +see him, the better angel might gain the dominion, and I have not +only counselled her to remain yet a little while, but also even to go +to London should it be required. While we were talking over all these +things," the letter proceeded, "just after you were gone, we heard a +fresh arrival at this house, and, as I thought, a woman's voice +speaking in tones of remonstrance and complaint. I have this morning +learned who it is, and now write in great haste to ask you if these +things are right in any cause, or if you can have anything to do with +it. I will not believe it, Lennard--I will not believe it. Rash as +you have been in choosing your own fate--hasty as you have been in +all things connected with yourself--you would not, I am sure, +countenance a thing that is cruel as well as criminal." + +Green laughed bitterly. "I am forced," he said, "to bear much that I +would not countenance. But look here--she goes on to say that it is +the daughter of the Duke. 'Young, and beautiful, and gentle,' she +says--that matches well, does it not, Wilton, ha?--I who has been +torn from her father, the Duke of Gaveston, in this daring and +shameful manner, and brought hither by water with the intention, as I +believe, of sending her over to France in the ship that we have +hired. I have seen her twice, and spoken with her for some time, and +I beseech you, if it be possible, find means of setting her +free.'--Ay, but how may that be?" continued Green. "If they have got +her, and risk their necks to have her, they will take care to keep +her sure. They have men enough for that purpose, and they have taken +care to render me nearly powerless." + +"I should have thought," replied Wilton, whose joy at the discovery +of where Laura really was had instantly blown up the flame of hope so +brightly, that objects distant and difficult to be reached seemed by +that light to be close at hand--"I should have thought, from what I +have seen and what I suspect, that you could have commanded a +sufficient force at any moment to set all opposition at defiance, +especially when you were engaged in a lawful and generous cause." + +"I should have thought so, too," replied Green, "two days ago. But +times have changed, Wilton, times have changed, and, like the wind of +a tropical climate, turned round in a single moment. On my soul," he +continued, vehemently, "one would think that men were absolutely +insane. Here a set of people, whose lives are all in my own hand, +dare to tamper with my friends and comrades, to bribe them, to hire +them away from me, ay, and to do it so openly that I cannot fail to +see it, and that too, at the very moment when they know that I hate +and abhor their proceedings, and when they have just reason to +suppose that I will take means to frustrate their base and cowardly +designs, and only waver between the propriety of doing so, and the +wish not to give them over to the death they well deserve." + +"If they have so acted," replied Wilton--"if they have shown such +base ingratitude towards you, as well as designs dangerous to the +country--for I will not affect to doubt or misunderstand you--why not +boldly, and at once, give them up to justice? Understand me, I wish +to hear nothing more of these men. I wish to be perfectly ignorant of +their whole proceedings. I wish to have no information whatsoever, +except my own suspicions, for if I had, I should feel myself bound +immediately to cause their arrest. But from what you have said in +regard to Sir John Fenwick; from what the Duke has said on various +occasions; and from what I myself have remarked, I am strongly +inclined to believe that there are matters going on which can but end +in ruin to those engaged in them, if not in all the horrors of a +civil war." + +"That I should not mind--that I should not mind!" cried Green--"let +us have a civil war; let every man lay his hand upon his sword and +betake him to his standard. That is the true, the right, the only +right way to get rid of an usurper. It has been with the very view of +that civil war you talk of that I have banished myself from the +station in which I was born, that I have walked by night instead of +by day, and that I have kept in constant preparation, throughout the +whole of the south of England, the seeds, as it were, of a future +army. And now what have they done? Not only trusted the command of +all things to others, but given that command to men who would do, by +the basest and most dastardly means, that which I would do by open +force and bold exertion: men who have mixed up crimes of the blackest +die with the noblest aspirations that ever led on men of honour to +the greatest deeds; who have soiled and sullied, disgraced and +degraded, the cause for which I have shed my blood, ruined my +fortune, and seen all the fair things of life pass away like a dream. +By heavens, I could cry as if I were a girl or a baby," and he dashed +away a tear from his eye which he could not restrain; "and now," he +continued, "and now if I do not prevent them they will put a damning +seal to all their follies and crimes, which will render that holy and +noble cause horrible in the eyes of all men, which will brand it for +ever with infamy and shame, and leave it blighted and loathsome, so +that men will shrink from the very thought thereof." + +"But why not prevent them?" cried Wilton, "why not give up such +traitors and villains to justice at once?" "Why not?" replied Green; +"because there are men amongst them who have fought side by side with +me in the day of battle; because there are some foolish when others +are wicked; because that there are many who abhor their acts as much +as I do, but who would be implicated in the consequences of their +crimes. These are all strong reasons, Wilton, powerful, mighty +reasons, and I find now, alas I--I find now, most bitterly--that he who +seeks even the best ends, in dark and tortuous ways, is sure, sooner +or later, to involve himself in circumstances where he can neither +act nor refuse to act, neither speak nor be silent, without a crime, +a danger and a punishment. In that situation I have placed myself; +and I tell you that even now, since I have entered this room, I have +determined to call upon my own head those dangers, if not that fate, +which the mistake I have committed well deserves. I will frustrate +these men's designs. They shall not commit the act they purpose. But +yet I will betray no man; I will give no man up to death. They shall +not wring it from me; but they shall be sufficiently warned. Now, +however, let us leave all this, and only inquire how this girl can be +saved from their hands. You, Wilton, must be the person to rescue +her, for I feel sure that your fate and hers are bound up together. I +feel sure, too," he added with a faint smile, "that she would +rather it were your hand saved her than that of any one else. I have +seen you together more than once, remember. But how it is to be done +is the question. My time must be given to other things, for from +tidings I have received not a moment is to be lost. They have taken +such means that I find there are only two whom I can trust out of +very many who were with me near London. I have no time to send +either into Dorsetshire or Sussex, and the people there may have been +tampered with also. Besides, as we cannot call in the power of the +law upon our side, it would need a number to effect our purpose." + +"But I will call in the power of the law," replied Wilton. "I have a +Messenger with the Secretary of State's warrant at my command; and +wherever this place may be, I can in a moment raise such a force in +the neighbourhood as will enable me to rescue her, and capture those +who have committed so daring an outrage. + +"Ay, but that is what must not be, Wilton," replied Green. "There is +not one of those men whom you would capture whose head would be worth +ten days' purchase, were he within the walls of Newgate or the Tower. +No, no! to that I cannot consent. Her freedom must be effected +somehow, but their liberty not lost. I must think over it this night. +Where can I find you to-morrow morning early?" + +"At my own lodgings," replied Wilton, "not four streets off." + +"No, no!" answered Green; "I never enter London in the day. I might +risk much by doing so, and must not do it except in case of great +need." + +"Then let it be at Beaufort House," replied Wilton: "I sleep there +to-night. But why should we not settle and determine the whole at +once? Tell me but where is this place to which they have taken Lady +Laura, and I will undertake to rescue her." + +"You alone, Wilton?" said Green. + +"Aided by none but the Messenger," replied Wilton: "armed with the +force of the law, I fear not whom I encounter." + +"Armed with the force of love!" answered Green, after looking at him +for a moment with eyes in which affection and admiration were equally +evident. "You want not the spirit of your race; and it will carry you +through. If you will promise me to take none but the Messenger with +you, you shall have some one to guide you to the house, and to aid +you on my part. I need not tell you what you have to do. Demand the +young lady's liberty simply and straightforwardly; say to all those +who oppose you, that the task of investigating what have been the +causes, and who the perpetrators of the outrage committed, must fall +upon the Duke; that you have no authority to meddle with that part of +the business. Say this, I repeat, and I doubt not that you will be +fully successful. They dare not--I am sure they dare not--resist you, +if you do not attempt to arrest any of their own number." + +"I promise you most faithfully," replied Wilton, "to act as you have +said. I will go with the Messenger and the person you send only. But +where am I to meet this person? When, and how, and where, am I to +find the house?" + +"You would find it with difficulty," replied Green; "for it lies far +off from the high road, not many miles from Rochester; and the lanes +and woods about it are not arranged for the purpose of making it +easily discovered. You must not, therefore, attempt to find your way +alone. However, set out early to-morrow with strong fresh horses, and +ride on till you come to the village of High Halstow. Should you +reach that place before nightfall, remain there till it turns dusk. +As it begins to become grey, ride out again, taking the way towards +Cowley Castle. As you go along that road, you will find some one to +show you the way. He will ask you what colour you are of. Answer him +'Brown,' but that 'Green' will do as well. I would be there myself if +I could; but that, I fear, cannot be. Let me hear of you and of your +success, however--though I will not doubt your success; and now, are +you going back to Beaufort House? If so, I will bear you company on +the way." + +Wilton replied in the affirmative, and they accordingly left the +house of the Earl of Sunbury. Wilton, however, had to procure his +horse; and Green also was delayed, for a moment, by the same piece of +business. When all was prepared, he seemed to hesitate and pause +before he mounted; and while he yet remained speaking, with his foot +in the stirrup, a boy ran up, saying, "I have just been down, sir, +and seen him go in." + +Green gave him a note which he had held in his hand during the whole +conversation at Lord Sunbury's, saying, "Take him that note! Tell the +servant to deliver it immediately. If Lord Sherbrooke asks who sent +it, tell him it was the gentleman who wrote it, and who hopes to meet +him at the appointed place." The boy ran off with the note as fast as +he could go, and Wilton and his companion turned their horses' heads +towards Chelsea. + +What he had heard certainly did surprise Wilton a good deal; and he +did not scruple to say, "You seem acquainted with every one, I think, +and to have an acquaintance with many of whom I did not know you had +the slightest knowledge." + +"It is so," answered Green, in a grave and thoughtful tone, "and yet +nothing wonderful. It is with a man like me as with nature," he added +with a smile, "we both work secretly. Things seem extraordinary, +strange, almost miraculous, when beheld only in their results, but +when looked at near, they are found to be brought about by the +simplest of all possible means. You, having lived but little in the +world, and not being one half my age, yet know thousands of people in +the highest ranks of life that I do not know, though I have mingled +with that rank ten times as much as you have done: and I know many +whom you would think the last to hold acquaintance with me in these +changed times. You could go into any thronged assembly, a theatre, a +ball-room, a house of parliament, and point me out, by hundreds, +people with whose persons I am utterly unacquainted, and these would +be the greatest men of the day. + +"But I could lay my finger upon this wily statesman, or that great +warrior, or the other stern philosopher, and could tell you secrets +of those men's bosoms which would astonish you to hear, and make them +shrink into the ground;--and yet there would be no magic in all +this." + +Wilton did not answer him in the same moralizing strain, but strove +to obtain some farther information in regard to his proceedings +proposed for the following day. But neither upon that, nor upon the +subject of the note to Lord Sherbrooke, would Green speak another +word, till, on arriving at the gates of Beaufort House, he said-- + +"Remember High Halstow." + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +It was night, and the large assembly of persons who had thronged the +palace at Kensington during the day had taken their departure. +Silence had returned after the noise and bustle of the sunshine had +subsided; scarcely a sound was heard throughout the whole building, +except the porter snoring in the hall. The King himself had taken his +frugal supper, and was sitting alone in his cabinet with merely a +page at the door; his courtiers were scattered in their different +apartments; and his immediate attendants were waiting in the distant +chambers where he slept, for the hour of his retiring to rest. + +Such had been the state of things for some little time, when the +great bell rang, and the porter started up to open the door. A +gentleman on horseback appeared without, accompanied by two others, +apparently servants; and the principal personage demanded, in a tone +of authority, "Is the Earl of Portland in the palace?" + +The porter, though not well pleased to be roused, replied, with every +sort of deference to the air and manner of the visitor, saying that +the Earl was in the palace, but he believed was unwell. + +"I am afraid I must disturb him," said the stranger. "My business is +of too much importance to his lordship to wait till to-morrow +morning." + +The porter then gave the speaker another look: the dress, the +demeanour, the horses, the attendants, were all such as commanded +respect, although he did not recollect the stranger's face. "Well, +sir," he said, "if you will come in, I will have his lordship +informed." + +The stranger nodded his head, and turning to his followers, bade them +take away the horses. "I will walk back," he said, and then following +the porter, entered the palace. The janitor led him onward through +some large folding doors to a room where two or three servants were +sitting, into whose hands he delivered him, bidding one of them +conduct him to the page in waiting. This was speedily done; and the +page, on being informed of the stranger's desire, again examined him +somewhat curiously, and asked his name. + +"That matters not," replied the stranger. "Tell him merely that it is +a gentleman to whom he rendered great service many years ago, and who +has now important intelligence to give him." + +"I fear, sir," replied the page, "that my Lord Portland would not +like to be disturbed without some clearer information than that." + +"Do as you are ordered, sir," replied the gentleman, in a tone of +stern authority, which seemed not a little to surprise his hearer. +"Tell Lord Portland it is a gentleman whose life he saved at the +battle of the Boyne." + +The page retired with the air of one who would fain have been sullen +if he had dared; and the stranger remained standing with his hand +upon the table in the middle of the room, the doors closed round him +on all sides, and no one apparently near. + +His first thought was one not often indulged in that place, though by +no means an unnatural one. It was a thought, for merely expressing +which, not less than twelve people were once committed to a severe +and lengthened imprisonment by a king of France. "How easy would it +now be," the stranger said mentally, "to kill a king, were one so +minded! Now, God forbid," he added, "that even the attempt of such +an act should ever stain our loyalty to our legitimate sovereign! +Those Romans, those splendid but most barbarous of barbarians, were +certainly the greatest cheats of their own understandings that ever +lived. There was scarcely a crime, a vice, or a folly upon earth, +that they did not hug to their hearts, when they had once gilded it +with a glorious name." + +As he thus paused, moralizing, he laid down his hat upon the table, +and brushing back his grey hair from his brow, pressed his hand upon +his forehead as if his head ached, and then dropping it again, mused +for several minutes with his eyes fixed upon the floor. He was only +roused from this deep fit of thought by the door opening suddenly. A +gentleman rather below the middle height, with strong marked +features, and a keen but steadfast eye, entered the room with a paper +in his hand. His eyes were fixed upon the ground as he came in, and +he walked with a firm but somewhat heavy step, as if his limbs did +not move very easily, though he was by no means a man far advanced in +life. + +The stranger gazed at him for a moment with a look of inquiry, and +then advanced immediately towards him, bowing with a stately air, and +saying, "My Lord of Portland, since I last saw you, you are somewhat +changed, but perhaps not so much as I am, and therefore I may have to +recall myself to your remembrance; especially as those who confer a +benefit in a moment of haste and tumult, are more likely to forget +the person they obliged, than that person to forget his benefactor." + +He spoke in French, as it was generally known that Lord Portland was +unwilling to speak English, though he understood it. + +The other heard him out in perfect silence, and without the slightest +change of countenance; but looked him in the face attentively, as if +endeavouring to recollect his features. + +"I have seen you somewhere before," he said at length, "but where I +really do not know. It must have been a long time ago. Pray what do +you want?" + +"It is a long time ago, my lord," replied the visitor, "and the place +where we met is far distant. It was upon the banks of the Boyne, just +when the battle was over." + +"Oh, I think I remember now," replied the other: "did I not come up +just as one of our people had got his knee upon your throat, and was +going to fire his pistol into your head, because you would ask no +quarter, while another was wrenching your broken sword out of your +hand?" + +"You did," answered the stranger, "you did: you saved my life; and +when I jumped up and got to a horse, you would not let them fire +after me. It was not to be forgotten, my lord; but--" + +At that moment the door was again thrown open, and the page +re-entered the room, speaking in a somewhat harsh and authoritative +tone as he came in, so as to cut across what the stranger was about +to say, with "My Lord of Portland--;" but the gentleman who had +entered just before waved his hand, saying, in a stern voice, "Leave +the room! and wait without." + +The man obeyed immediately, and the other turning to the visitor, +added, "I am at this moment not very well, and extremely busy--even +pressed for a moment, so that I must leave you just now. If you will +sit down and write what you wish, it shall have favourable attention, +or if you would rather say it, and explain it more fully by word of +mouth, I will send an intimate friend of mine to you to whom you can +tell what you think proper. I will hear what it is, and give every +attention to it; but at this moment it is impossible for me to +remain. These papers in my hand require instant reply, and I was +seeking for some one to answer them when I came here." + +"What I have to say," answered the stranger, "requires also instant +attention; that is to say, it must be told to your lordship before +to-morrow morning, and I will therefore, if you will permit me, +remain here till you are ready to hear. When once told to you, the +burden of it will be off my shoulders." + +"I could have wished to have gone to bed," replied the other, with a +faint smile, "without any farther burden upon mine. But if it so +please you to wait, do it; but I fear I shall be long." + +The visitor, however, signified his acquiescence by bowing his head; +and the other left him without saying anything more. + +"Somewhat of the insolence of office!" he said to himself, as his +acquaintance quitted the room: "however, I must not forget the +obligation;" and seating himself, he fell into deep thought, which +seemed of a painful kind; for the muscles of his face moved with the +emotions of his mind, and one or two half-uttered words escaped him. +At length, he seemed weary of his own thoughts, and turning round as +if to look for some occupation for his thoughts, he said, "It matters +not!" + +There were no books in the room, nor any pictures; there was nothing +that could attract the eye or amuse the mind, except the beautiful +forms of some of the gilded panel-frames, and the spots of the carpet +beneath his feet. The visitor began to grow weary, and to think that +Lord Portland was very long in returning. + +At length, however, when he had been there about half an hour, a +somewhat younger man entered, splendidly dressed according to the +costume of the day, and advancing directly towards the stranger, he +said in very good English-- + +"My name is Keppel, sir, and I am directed to say that Lord Portland +will really be hardly able to see you to-night, as he is anything but +well; but as it would appear that what you have to say is important, +I wish to know whether it is important to the King or to the Earl +himself. If to the latter, the Earl will see you at two o'clock +to-morrow; if to the King, I am directed to request that you would +communicate it to me, by whom it shall be most faithfully reported, +both to Lord Portland and to the King himself." + +"Sir," replied the stranger, "the motive of my coming is on no +private business. It is on business of importance to the state +generally--of the very utmost importance. I had wished to communicate +it to Lord Portland, because that gentleman once performed an act of +great kindness and generosity towards me, and I wished to give him +the means of rendering a great service to his master." + +"The King and Lord Portland are both indebted to you, sir," replied +Keppel, better known as the Earl of Albemarle, with a grave smile; +"but in those circumstances, as the greatest favour to all parties, +you will be pleased to communicate anything you have to say to me. +From your whole tone and demeanour, I am perfectly sure that what you +have to say is none of the unimportant things with which we are too +often troubled here; and I may therefore confidently add, that, after +you have given me a knowledge of the business, either the King or +Lord Portland, as you may think fit, will see you to-morrow." + +"Well, sir," replied the visitor, "I have no right to stand on +ceremony, especially at such a moment as this. What I have to say +would have been much more easily said to Lord Portland himself, as he +knows under what circumstances we met, knows probably who I am, and +would make allowances for my peculiar views. YOU may think it next to +high treason for me to call that Personage, who was not long ago +William Prince of Orange, by any other name than King of England" + +"Oh no! oh no!" said Keppel with a smile--"names are but names, my +good sir; and in this boisterous land of England we are accustomed to +see things stripped of all ornaments. The difficulty you mention is +easily obviated, by calling him of whom you just have spoken, 'The +High Personage.'" + +"Names, indeed, are nothing," said the other with a smile. "What I +have got to say, sir, is this, that I have undoubted reason to know +that the life of the High Personage we refer to is in hourly danger; +that there are persons in this realm who have not only designed to +kill him, but have laid with skill and accuracy their schemes for +effecting that purpose. I have heard that he is very apt--for I have +never seen the royal hunt--to go out to the chase nearly alone, or +rather, I should say, very slightly attended; and I came to tell Lord +Portland that if this were continued, that High Personage's life +could not be counted upon from day to day. Let him be well guarded; +let there be always some one near him as he rides; and, as far as +possible, let some of his guards be ready to escort him home on his +return." + +"Your information," said Keppel, "is certainly very important, and the +precaution you recommend wise and judicious; but yet I fear you must +give us some more information to render it at all efficient--I say +this, not at all from doubting you, but because we have had, +especially of late, so many false reports of plots which never +existed, that the King has become careless and somewhat rash. Nor +would it be possible for either Lord Portland or myself to persuade +him to take any precautions unless we had some more definite +information. If you know that such a plot really exists, you must +also know the names of those who laid it." + +"But those names I will never give up," replied the other: "it is +quite sufficient for me, sir, to satisfy my own heart and my own +conscience, that I have given a full and timely warning of what is +likely to ensue. It matters not to me whether that warning be taken +or not; I have done what is right; I will tell no more. Lord Portland +knows that I am neither a, coward, nor a low born man. I expect +not--I ask not for favour, immunity, reward, or even thanks. All I do +ask is, in the words of the poet, 'that Caesar would be a friend to +Caesar.'" + +"But you are doubtless aware," answered Keppel, after a pause, "that +by concealing the names, and in any degree the purposes of persons +guilty of high treason, you bring yourself under the same +condemnation." + +"I both know the fact, sir," replied the other, "and I knew before I +came that it might be urged against me here; but I did not think that +Lord Portland would urge it. However that may be, I came fully +prepared to do what I think right, and as nothing, not even the cause +to which I am most attached, would induce me to become an assassin or +to wink at cold-blooded murder, so, sir, nothing on earth will induce +me to betray others to the death which I do not fear myself. At all +events, the truth of what I have told may be positively relied upon; +and that I ask no reward or recompence of any kind, may well be +received to show that the warning I have given is not vain." + +Keppel again mused for a moment or two, and then said, "Well, sir, I +must not urge you by any harsh menace, nor was such my intention in +what I said. But there are other considerations which should induce +you to tell me more than you have told. One is, the safety of the +Great Personage we have mentioned himself. It is scarcely possible +for him to guard against the evil you apprehend in the manner you +propose. He is by far too fearless a man, as you well know, to shut +himself up within the walls of his palace, or even to conceal himself +in his carriage. If he rides out, he cannot always be surrounded by +guards, nor can he have a troop galloping after him through the +hunting field." + +"Sir," replied the stranger, "to you and to his other friends and +attendants I must leave the guardianship of his person--I neither know +him nor his habits. I have done what I conceive to be my duty; I have +done it to the extreme limit of what I judge right; and neither fear +nor favour will make me go one step farther." + +"These scruples are very extraordinary," replied Keppel--"indeed, I +cannot understand them: but at all events I must beg you to remain a +little, while I go and speak to Lord Portland upon the subject. +Perhaps, if the King himself were to hear you, you might say more." + +"I should say no more to the Personage you mention," replied the +other, "than I should to Lord Portland--for to the one I am obliged, +to the other, not." + +"Well, wait a few minutes," replied Keppel, and quitted the room. + +The other remained standing where the courtier had left him, though +the thought crossed his mind, "My errand is now done. Why should I +remain any longer? I should risk less by going now than by +lingering." + +But still he stayed; and in two minutes, or perhaps less, the door +again opened, giving admission, not to Keppel, but to the elder +personage with whom he had spoken before. Advancing into the middle +of the room, he leaned upon the table, near which the other was +standing, and said-- + +"Monsieur Keppel has told me all that you have said, and, moreover, +what you have refused to say. First, let me tell you that I am much +obliged to you for the intelligence you have brought; and next, let +me exhort you to make it more full and complete to render it +effectual." + +"I have made it as complete, my lord," replied his visitor, "as it is +possible for me to do without betraying men who were once my friends, +and who have only lost my friendship by such schemes as these. I must +not say any more even at your request; for I must not take from you +the power of saying, that you saved the life of a man of honour. You +must contrive means to secure the Great Personage we speak of, and I +doubt not you will be able to do so. I had but one object in coming +here, my lord, and that object was not a personal one; it was to tell +you of the danger, and thereby enable you to guard against it; it was +to tell you, that a body of rash and criminal men have conspired +together, to assassinate a Personage who stands in the way of their +schemes." + +"Are there many of them?" demanded his companion. + +"A great many," he replied--"enough to render their object perfectly +secure, if means be not taken to frustrate it." + +"But," said the other, "the men must be mad, for many of them must be +taken and executed very soon." + +"True," answered his visitor, "if we were to suppose the country +would remain quiet all the while. But assassination might only be the +prelude to insurrection and to civil war, and to the restoration of +our old monarchs to the throne." + +"Such was the purpose, was it?" replied his companion. + +"Assassination is a pitiful help, and has never yet been called in to +aid a great or good cause." + +"Ay, my lord," replied his informant; "but in this instance it is a +base adjunct affixed to the general scheme of insurrection by a few +bloody-minded men, without the knowledge of thousands who would have +joined the rising, and without the knowledge, I am sure, of King +James himself." + +"I really do not see," said the other, "what should have caused such +hatred against the person they aim at--the post of King of England is +no bed of roses; and a thousand, a thousand-fold happier was he, as +Stadtholder of Holland, governing a willing people and fighting the +battles of freedom throughout the world, than monarch of this great +kingdom, left without a moment's peace, by divisions and factions in +the mass of the nation, which called him to the throne, and seeing +union nowhere but in that small minority of the people who oppose his +authority, and even attempt his life. His is no happy fate." + +"Sir, there are some men," replied the other, "in whom certain +humours and desires are so strong, that the gratification thereof is +worth the whole of the rest of a life's happiness, and gratified +ambition may be sufficient in this case to compensate for the +sacrifice of peace. I mean not to speak one word against the master +that you serve. He has, as you say, fought the battles of liberty for +many years: he is a brave and gallant soldier, too, as ever lived: I +doubt not he is a kind friend and a good master" + +"Stay, stay," replied the other, holding up his hand "before you go +farther, let me tell you that you are under a mistake. I am the +personage of whom you speak--I am the King. When I prevented the +soldiers from killing you, Bentinek was near me. He is taller than I +am: the Dutch guards saw him before me, and shouted his name, which +led to your error." + +The effect of these words upon the other can hardly be imagined. He +turned pale--he turned red; but he yielded to the first impulse both +of gratitude and respect, and without taking time to think or +hesitate, he bent his knee and kissed the King's hand. + +"Rise, rise!" said William--"I ask nothing of you, sir, but to speak +to me as you would have done if I had really been Lord Portland. I +could not let you go on without explanation, for you had said all +that could be pleasant to a king's ears to hear; and you seemed about +to say those things which you might not have been well pleased to +remember, when you discovered my real situation." + +"I thank you, sir, most deeply," replied the other, "for that act of +kindness, as well as for that which went before. I have hitherto, as +I need scarcely say, been a strenuous and eager supporter of King +James. I have served him with all my ability, and had he at any time +returned to this country, would have served him with my sword. That +sword, sir, however, can never now be drawn against the man who has +saved my life; and, indeed, though I have known many changes and +chances, yet I remember no one moment of joy and satisfaction greater +than this, when I think that, spontaneously, I have refused to take a +share in criminal designs against my benefactor, though I knew him +not to be so, and have revealed the schemes against his life, who +generously spared my own." + +"I intended," said the King, "in the character of Lord Portland, to +press you to farther explanations; but now that you know who I am, I +may feel a greater difficulty in so doing. I must leave it to +yourself, then, to tell me all that you may think necessary for my +safety." + +The other put his hand to his head, and for a few minutes seemed +embarrassed and pained. "The discovery, sir," he said, at length, +"alters my situation also; and yet I pray and beseech you, do not +press me to perform an act that is base and dishonourable; grant me +but one or two conditions, and I will go to the very verge of what I +ought to do, towards you." + +"I will press you to nothing, sir," replied William; "what are the +conditions?" + +"First," replied the other, "that I may not be asked to name any +names; secondly, that I may never be called upon to give any evidence +upon this subject in a court of justice." + +"The names, of course, are important," said William, "as by having +them we are placed most upon our guard. However, you have come +voluntarily to render me a service, and I will not press hard upon +you. The conditions you ask shall be granted. The names shall not be +required of you, and you shall not be called upon to give evidence. +Call in Keppel! Arnold!" he added, raising his voice; and immediately +the door was opened, and Keppel entered, bowing low as he did so. + +"I have promised this gentleman two things, Keppel," said the King. +"First, that he shall not be pressed to give up the names of the +conspirators; and, secondly, that he shall not be called upon to give +evidence against them." + +"Your majesty is very gracious," replied Keppel: "without the +names of the persons, I scarcely think--" + +William made a sign with his hand, saying, "That is decided. Now, +sir, what more have you to add?" + +"Merely this, sir," replied the other: "it is not much, indeed, but +it will enable you to take greater measures for your safety. The +design to assassinate you has existed some time, but the period for +putting it in execution was formerly fixed for the month of April. My +opposition to the bloody design, and to the purpose of bringing +French troops into Great Britain, has deranged all the plans of these +base men. I had fancied that such opposition, and the falling away +of many others on whom the assassins counted, would have induced them +to abandon the whole design. Last night, however, I received +intelligence that, instead of so doing, their purpose was but +strengthened, and their design only hastened; that instead of April, +the assassination was to take place whenever it could be +accomplished; that even to-morrow, when it is believed you dine with +the Lord Romney, if it were found possible absolutely to surround the +house so as to prevent escape, the deed was to be attempted there; or +as you went; or as you came back. If none of these occasions suited, +you were to be assailed the first time that you went out to hunt; and +dresses such as those worn by many of your attendants in the chase +are already ordered for the purpose of facilitating the execution of +the murder, and the escape of the assassins. It has been calculated, +I find, that on the night of next Saturday you are likely to pass +across Turnham Green towards ten o'clock, and that is one of the +occasions which is to be made use of, if others fail." + +William looked at Lord Albemarle, and Albemarle at the King; but the +latter remained silent for a minute or two, as if to give his +informant time to go on. The other, however, added nothing more; and +the King, after this long pause, said, "I must not conceal from you, +sir, that we have heard something of this matter, and may probably +soon have farther tidings." + +"It is high time, sir," replied the other, "that you should have +farther tidings, for the first attempt will certainly be to-morrow +night." + +"Perhaps we have acted somewhat rashly," said Keppel; "but to say +truth, there have been so many reports of plots, that we thought it +but right to discourage the matter; his Majesty justly observing, +that if he were to give attention to everything of the kind, he would +have nothing to do but to examine into the truth of stories composed +for the purpose of obtaining rewards. We therefore gave this matter +not so much attention as it would seem to require." + +"It requires every attention, sir," replied their visitor; "and from +whomsoever you may have obtained the information, if possible, obtain +more from him immediately. If he tell you what I have told, he tells +you truth; and if so, it is probable that any farther information he +may give will be true likewise. Did I know his name, perhaps I could +say more." + +"Suppose his name were Johnstone?" said the King. + +"I know of none such," replied the other, "who could give you much +information. There are many persons, whom men call Jacobites, of that +name, and many very gallant gentlemen who would sooner die than +become assassins. But none that I know of, in this business." + +"What would you say, then," the King continued, "to the name of +Williamson, or Carter, or Porter?" + +"Porter!" replied the other, gazing in the King's face--"Porter!--I +believe, sir," he added, "you are too generous to attempt to wring +from me the names of persons connected with this business in any +underhand manner; and therefore I reply to you straightforwardly, +that if Captain Porter should give you any information upon this +matter consistent with the tidings that I have given, or in +explanation thereof, you may believe him. He is not a gentleman I +either very much respect or esteem; but I do not believe that he is +one who would willingly take a part in assassination, or who would +falsify the truth knowingly." + +"Sir, you confirm my good opinion of you," replied the King: "we have +intimation of some of these proceedings from Porter, and have had +intimation from other quarters also, but none such as could be relied +upon till the information that you have given us to-night. Porter's, +indeed, might have proved more satisfactory; but he does not bear a +good reputation, and it was judged better to discourage the thing +altogether. He shall now be heard, and very likely the whole will be +explained. On the complete discovery of the plot, I need hardly say +that any reward within reason which you may require shall be given +you." + +The stranger waved his hand somewhat indignantly. "There was a man +found, sir," he said, "to sell the blood of Christ himself for thirty +pieces of silver; and therefore it can scarcely be considered as +insulting to any of the sons of men to suppose that they would follow +that example. I, however, do not trade in such things, and I require +no reward whatsoever for that which I have done. I trust and see now +that it will prove effectual, and I am perfectly satisfied. If these +men fall into your hands by other means than mine, and incur the +punishment they have justly deserved, I have not a word to say for +them, but I have only to beseech you, sir, to separate the innocent +from the guilty; to be careful--oh! most careful, in a moment of +excitement and just indignation--not to confound the two, and to make +a just distinction between fair and open enemies of your government, +and base and treacherous assassins." + +"I shall strive to do so, sir," answered the King, "and would always +rather lean towards mercy than cruelty. And now, as it grows late, I +would fain know your name, and would gladly see you again." + +"My name, sir," replied the other, "must either be kept secret, or +revealed to your Majesty alone. I have long been a nameless man, +having lost all, and spent all, in behalf of that family opposed to +your dynasty." + +"Who have, doubtless, shown you no gratitude," said William. + +"They have had no means, sir," replied the Jacobite, "and I have made +no demand upon them." + +"It is but right, however," said the King, changing the subject, +"that I should know your name. When I inquired who you were when we +last met--the only time, indeed, we have met, till now--they gave me +a name which I now see must have been a mistaken one. Do you object +to give it before this gentleman?" + +"To give my real name, sir," replied the other, "I do. But I have no +objection to give it to you yourself in private." + +"Leave us, Arnold," said the King; and Lord Albemarle immediately +quitted the presence. + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +The day which we have just seen terminate at Kensington we must now +conduct to a close in another quarter, where events very nearly as +much affecting the peace and safety of this realm, and far more +affecting the peace of various personages mentioned in this history +than the events which took place at the palace, were going on at the +same time. It was a bright, clear, frosty day, with everything +sparkling in the sunshine, the last dry leaves of the preceding year +still lingering in many places on the branches of the trees, and +clothing the form of nature in the russet livery of decay. + +Wilton Brown was up long before daylight, and ready to set out by the +first streak of dawn in the east. Not having seen the Duke on the +preceding night--as that nobleman, worn with anxiety and grief, had +fallen ill and retired to seek repose--he sat down and wrote him a +note, while waiting for the Messenger, informing him that he had +obtained information concerning Lady Laura's situation, and doubted +not to be enabled to set her free in the course of the following day. +The Messenger was somewhat later up than himself, and Wilton sent +twice to hasten his movements. When he did appear, he had to be +informed of the young gentleman's purposes, and of the information he +had obtained the night before; and this information Wilton could of +course communicate only in part. When told in this mysterious manner, +however, and warned that there might be some danger in the enterprise +which they were about to undertake, he seemed to hesitate, as if he +did not at all approve of the affair. As soon as Wilton remarked +this, he said, in a stern tone, "Now, Mr. Arden, are you or are you +not willing to go through this business with me? If you are not, let +me know at once, that I may send for another messenger who has more +determination and spirit." + +"That you wont easily find," replied the Messenger, a good deal hurt. +"It was not at any danger that I hesitated at all, for I never have +in my life, and I wont begin now, when I dare say there is not half +so much danger as in things that I do every day.--Did not I apprehend +Tom Lambton, who fired two pistols at my head? No, no, it is not +danger; but what I thought was, that the Earl very likely might not +like any of these bargains about not taking up the folks that we find +there, and all that. However, as he told me to obey your orders in +everything, I suppose that must be sufficient." + +"It must, indeed," answered Wilton; "for I have no time to stop for +explanations or anything else; and if you hesitate, I must instantly +send for another messenger." + +"Oh, I shall not hesitate, sir," replied the Messenger; "but you must +take all the burden of the business on yourself. I shall do exactly +as you order me, neither more nor less; so that if there comes blame +anywhere, it must rest at your door." + +"Come, come, Arden," said Wilton, seeing that he was likely to have a +lukewarm companion where a very ardent and energetic one was much +wanted, "you must exert yourself now as usual, and I am sure you will +do so. Let us get to our horses as fast as possible." + +Wilton tried to soothe the Messenger out of his ill-humour as they +rode along, but he did not succeed in any great degree. The man +remained sullen; being one of those who like, when clothed with a +little brief authority, to rule all around them rather than be +directed by any. So long as he had conducted the search himself, it +had been pleasant enough to him to have one of the minister's +secretaries with him, following his suggestions, listening to his +advice, and showing deference to his experience; but when the young +gentleman took the business into his own hands, conducted the whole +proceedings, and did not make him acquainted even with all the +particulars, his vanity was mortified, and he resolved to assist as +little as possible, though he could not refuse to act according to +the directions which he received. This determination was so evident, +that, before they had reached Gravesend, Wilton felt cause to regret +that he had not put his threat in execution, and sent for another +messenger. His companion's horse must needs be spared, though he was +strong, quick, and needed nothing but the spur; he must be fed here, +he must be watered there; and the young gentleman began to fear that +delays which were evidently made on purpose, might cause them to be +late ere they arrived at the place of their destination. He had +remarked, however, that the Messenger was somewhat proud of the beast +that carried him, and he thought it in no degree wrong to make use of +a stratagem in order to hurry his follower's pace. + +After looking at the horse for some time with a marking and critical +eye, he said, "That is a fine, powerful horse of yours, Mr. Arden. It +is a pity he's so heavy in the shoulder." + +"Heavy in the shoulder, Mr. Brown!" said Arden--"I don't think he +can be called that, sir, any how; for a really strong, serviceable +horse, he's as free in the shoulder as any horse in England." + +"I did not exactly mean," replied Wilton, "to say that he was heavy; +I only meant that he could not be a speedy horse with that shoulder." + +"I don't know that, sir; I can't say that," replied the Messenger, +evidently much piqued: "you reckon your horse a swift horse, I should +think, Mr. Brown, and yet I'll bet you money, that at any pace you +like, for a couple of miles, mine wont be a yard behind." + +"Oh, trotting will do, trotting will do," replied Wilton--"there's +no such made horse as mine in England. Let him once get to his full +pace, and he will out-trot any horse I ever saw." + +"Well, sir," replied his companion, "let us put to our spurs and +see." + +"With all my heart," answered Wilton, and away they accordingly went, +trotting as hard as they could go for the next four or five miles. +Nevertheless, although the scheme was so far successful, Wilton and +the Messenger did not reach the village of High Halstow above an hour +before sunset. The horses were by this time tired, and the riders +somewhat hungry. Provisions were procured in haste to satisfy the +appetite of the travellers, and the horses, too, were fed. It was +some time, however, before the tired animals would take their food, +and Wilton and his companion at length determined to proceed on foot. +Before they did so, as both were perfectly ignorant of the way, +application was made to the host for directions, and the reply, "Why, +there are three roads you can take!" somewhat puzzled the inquirers, +especially when it was followed by a demand of where they were going +exactly. + +"When I know that," said the landlord, "I shall be able to tell you +which is the best road." + +"Why, I asked the way to Cowley Castle," said Wilton, both +embarrassed and annoyed; for the Messenger stood coolly by, without +any attempt to aid him, and, in truth, enjoying a little difficulty. + +"But you are not going to Cowley Castle at this time of night," said +the man: "why, the only house there is the great house, and that is +empty." + +"My good friend," said Wilton, "I suppose the next question you will +ask me is, what is my business there? I ask you the way to Cowley +Castle, and pray, if you can, give me a straightforward answer." + +"I beg your pardon, sir," replied the man, with a determined air--"I +have given you a straightforward answer. There are three roads, all +of them very good ones, and there is, besides, a footpath." + +As he spoke, he stared into Wilton's face with a look half dogged, +half jocular; but in the end, he added,-- + +"Come, come, sir--you might as well tell me the matter at once. If +you are going to Master Plessis's--the mountseer, as we call him +here--I'll put you upon your road in a minute: I mean the gentleman +that, folks think, has some dealings with France." + +It struck Wilton, instantly, that this gentleman, who was supposed to +have dealings with France, must have something to do with the +detention of Laura, and he therefore replied, "Perhaps it may be as +you suppose, my good friend. At all events, put me upon the principal +horse-road towards Cowley Castle." + +"Well, sir, well," replied the host, "you have nothing to do but to +turn to the right when you go out of the door, and then you will find +a road to the left; then take the first road to the right, which will +lead you straight down to Cowley Church. Now, if you're going to +Master Plessis's, you had better not go farther than that." + +"That way will not be difficult to find," replied Wilton; and +followed by the Messenger, he quitted the little inn, or rather +public-house, for it was no better, and traced accurately the road the +landlord had pointed out. + +"He had better go no farther than Cowley Church, indeed," said a man +who was sitting in the bar, as soon as he was gone; "for if he be +going to Master Plessis's, he'll be half a mile beyond the turning by +that time." + +"Jenkin, Jenkin!" cried the landlord, not minding what his guest +said, but addressing a boy who was cleaning some pewter stoups in a +kitchen at the end of the passage--"come here, my man. Run down by +the lanes as fast as you can go, and tell Master Plessis that there +are two gentlemen coming to his house, whose looks I don't like at +all. One is a state messenger, if I'm not much mistaken. I've seen +his face before, I'm sure enough, and I think it was when Evans the +coiner was taken up at Stroud. You can get there half an hour before +them, if you run away straight by the lanes." + +The boy lost not a moment, very sure that any one who brought +Monsieur Plessis intelligence of importance would get something at +least for his pains. + +In the meantime, Wilton and his companion walked on. The sky was +clear above, but it had already become very dark, and a doubt +occurred, both at the first and second turning, as to whether they +were right. Wilton and the Messenger had furnished themselves with +pistols, besides their swords; and the young gentleman paused for a +moment to ascertain that the priming had not fallen out; but nothing +would induce the Messenger to do so likewise; for his sullen mood had +seized upon him again more strongly than ever, and he merely replied +that his pistols would do very well, and that it would be lucky if +Mr. Brown were as sure of his way as he was of his pistols. + +"I should like you to give me my orders, Mr. Brown," he added, in the +same dogged tone, "for I am always glad to know beforehand what it is +I am to do, that I may be ready to do it." + +"I shall of course give orders," replied Wilton, somewhat sharply, +"when they are required, Mr. Arden. At the present moment, however, I +have only to tell you that I expect every minute to meet a person who +will lead us to the house where Lady Laura is detained. At that +house, we shall have to encounter, I understand, a number of persons +whose interest and design is to carry her off, probably to the coast +of France. I intend to demand her in a peaceable and tranquil manner, +and in case they refuse to give her up, must act according to +circumstances. I expect your support on all the legal points of the +case, such as the due notice of our authority, et cetera; and, in case +it should become necessary or prudent either to menace or to use +force, I will tell you at the time." + +The Messenger made no reply, but sunk again into sullen silence; and +Wilton clearly saw that little help, and indeed little advantage, was +to be derived from the presence of his self-sufficient attendant, +except in as much as the appearance of such a person in his company +was likely to produce a moral effect upon those to whom he might be +opposed. Messengers of state were in those days very awful people, +and employed in general in the arrest of such criminals as were very +unlikely to escape the axe if taken. Yet it seldom if ever happened +that any resistance was offered to them; and we are told that at the +appearance of a single individual of this redoubted species, it often +happened three or four traitors, murderers, spies, or pirates, whose +fate if taken was perfectly certain, would seem to give up all hope, +and surrendering without resistance, would suffer themselves to be +led quietly to the shambles. + +Thus if Arden did but his mere duty, Wilton knew that the effect of +his presence would be great; but as he walked on, he began to +entertain new apprehensions. For nearly two miles, no one appeared to +guide them to the place of their destination; at length a church, +with some cottages gathered round it, announced that they had reached +the little hamlet of Cowley, where, as several roads and paths +branched off in different directions, he found it advisable to follow +the counsel of the landlord, and not go any farther. + +He consequently turned back again; but a thin white fog was now +beginning to come on--a visitation to which that part of the country +near the junction of the Thames and the Medway is very often subject. +The cloud rolled forward, and Wilton and the Messenger advanced +directly into it; so that at length the hedge could only be +distinguished on one side of the road, and beyond it, on either side, +nothing could be seen farther than the distance of five or six yards. + +The Messenger lingered somewhat behind, muttering, "This is +pleasant;" but ere long, as they were approaching the top of a narrow +lane which Wilton had before remarked, as they passed, he thought he +heard people speaking at a distance, and stopped to listen. The tones +were those of a male and a female voice conversing evidently with +eagerness, though with slow and measured words and long pauses. +Wilton thought that the sound of one voice was familiar to him, +though the speaker was at such a distance that he could not catch any +of the words. + +Not doubting at all, however, that one of the interlocutors was the +person who was to guide him on his way, Wilton paused, determined to +wait till they came up. + +A loud "So be it then!" was at length uttered; and the next moment +steps were heard advancing rapidly towards him, and the figure of a +man made its appearance through the mist, first like one of the +fabled shades upon the dim shores of the gloomy river, but growing +into solidity as it came near. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +For the right understanding of all that is to follow--strange as it +may appear to the reader, we are only just at the beginning of the +story--it may be necessary to go back to the house of Monsieur +Plessis, and to trace the events of the past day, till we have +brought them exactly down to that precise time Wilton was walking, as +we have described, with a mist around him both moral and physical, +upon the road between High Halstow and Cowley. We must even go beyond +that, and introduce the reader into a lady's bedchamber, on the +morning of that day, as she was dressing herself after the night's +repose; though, indeed, repose it could scarcely be called, for those +bright eyes had closed but for a short period during the darkness, +and anxiety and grief had been the companions of her pillow. Yet it is +not Lady Laura of whom we speak, but of that gentle-looking and +beautiful lady whom we have described as sitting in the saloon of +Plessis's house, shortly before the conspirators assembled there. + +Without any of the aids of dress or ornament, she was certainly a very +beautiful being, and as, sitting before the glass, she drew out with +her taper fingers the glossy curls of her rich dark hair, nothing +could be more graceful than the attitudes into which the whole form +was cast. Often as she did so, she would pause and meditate, leaning +her head upon her hand for a moment or two. Sometimes she would raise +her eyes imploringly towards Heaven, and once those eyes became full +of tears. She wiped them away hastily, however, as if angry with +herself for giving way, and then proceeded eagerly with the task of +the toilet. + +While she was thus engaged, some one knocked at the door, which she +unlocked, and the next instant, another lady, to whom the reader has +been already introduced, entered the chamber. It was the same person +whom we have called the Lady Helen, in her interview with Wilton +Brown; and there was still in the expression of her countenance that +same look of tender melancholy which is generally left upon the face +by long grief acting upon an amiable heart. It was, indeed, less the +expression of a settled gloom on her own part, than of sympathy with +the sorrows of others, rendered more active by sorrows endured +herself. On the present occasion she had a note in her hand, which +she held out towards the fair girl whom she had interrupted at her +toilet, saying, with a faint smile, "There, Caroline--I hope it may +bring you good news, dear girl." The other took it eagerly, and broke +the seal, with hands that trembled so much that they almost let the +paper drop. + +"Oh, Lady Helen," cried the younger lady, while the colour came and +went in her cheek, and her eyes sparkled, and then again nearly +overflowed, "we must, indeed, we must stay over to-day. He says he +will come down to see me this afternoon. Indeed we must stay; for it +is my last chance, Helen dear, my last chance of happiness in life." + +"We will stay, of course, Caroline," replied the other; "but I trust, +my poor girl, that if you see him, you will act both wisely and +firmly. Let him not move you to yield any farther than you have done; +left him not move you, my sweet Caroline, to remain in a degrading +and painful state of doubt. Act firmly, and as you proposed but +yesterday, in order, at least, if you do no more, not to be, as it +were, an accomplice in his ill-treatment of yourself." + +"Oh no!" replied the other--"oh no! Fear not, dear lady, that I will +deal with him otherwise than firmly. But yet you know he is my +husband, Helen, and I cannot refuse to obey his will, except where he +requires of me a breach of higher duties." + +"Ay," replied the Lady Helen. "When he claims you openly as his wife, +Caroline, then he has a right to command, and no one can blame you +for obeying; but he must not take the whole advantage of his +situation as your husband, without giving you the name and station, +or suffering you to assume the character of his wife. Let him now do +you justice in these respects, or else, dear Caroline, leave him! +fly from him! strive to forget him! Look upon yourself as widowed, +and try to bear your sorrow as an infliction from the hand of Heaven, +for having committed this action without your father's knowledge and +consent." + +"Oh, Helen!" replied the other, mournfully, "you know my father was +upon the bed of death; you know that Henry was obliged to depart in +three weeks; you know that I loved him, and that if I had parted with +him then, without giving him the hand I had promised, it might have +been years before I saw him again; for then I should have had no +title to seek him as his wife, and the ports of France were not +likely to be opened to him again. Would you have had me agitate my +father at that moment? Could I refuse to be his, under such +circumstances, when I believed every word that he said, when I +thought that if he departed without being my husband, I might not +behold him for many years to come?" + +"Forgive me for glancing at the past, poor child," replied her +friend--"I meant not to imply a reproach, Caroline; but all I wish is +to counsel you to firmness. Let not love get the better of your +judgment. But tell him your determination at once, and abide by it +when it is told. If you would ever obtain justice for yourself, +Caroline, now is the moment. He himself will love and respect you +more for it hereafter. He assigns no reason for farther delay; and +his letters, hitherto, have certainly suggested no motives which +could lead either your judgment or your affection to consent to that +which is degrading to yourself. I have seen enough of these things, +Caroline, and I know that they always end in misery." + +"Misery!" replied the younger lady, "alas! Helen, what have I to +expect but misery? Oh, Helen, it is not that he does not openly +acknowledge our marriage, and forbids me to proclaim it--it is not +that which makes me unhappy. Heaven knows, were that all, I could +willingly go on without the acknowledgment. I could shut myself from +the day, devote myself to him alone, forswear rank, and station, and +the pleasures of affluence, for nothing but his love; so long that, +knowing I myself was virtuous, I also knew that he continued to love +me well. It is not that, Helen, it is not that; but all which I have +heard assures me, that notwithstanding every vow of amendment, of +changed life, of constant affection towards me, he is faithless to me +in a thousand instances; that his wish of longer concealment +proceeds, not from necessity, but from a libertine spirit; in short, +Helen, that I have been for a week the creature of his pleasure, but +that he never really loved me; that his heart rested with me for an +hour, and has now gone on to others." + +As she spoke, she sank again into her chair, and clasping her hands +together as they rested on her knee, fixed her eyes upon the ground +during a moment or two of bitter thought. + +The other lady advanced toward her, and after gazing at her for a +minute, she kissed her beautiful brow affectionately, saying, +"Nevertheless, Caroline, he does love you. He is a libertine by +habit, Caroline, I trust not a libertine in heart; and I see in every +line that he writes to you that he loves you still, and always will +love you. It is my belief, dear Caroline, that if you behave well to +him now, firmly, though kindly, gently, though decidedly; if you +yield nothing, either to love, or importunity, or remonstrance, but +tell him that you now bid him farewell for ever if he so chooses it, +and that you will never either see him, or hear from him, or write to +him, till he comes openly as your husband, and gives you the same +vows and assurance of future affection and good conduct that he did +at first--it is my firm conviction, I say, that the love for you +which I see is still strong within him, the only good thing perhaps +in his heart, will bring him back to you at last. Passion may lead +him astray, folly may get the better of reason, evil habits may rule +him for a time; but the memory of your sweetness, and your beauty, +and your firmness, and your gentleness, will come back upon his mind, +even in the society of the gay, the light, and the profligate, and +will seem like a diamond beside false stones." + +"Hush, hush, hush!" said the younger lady, blushing deeply--"I must +not hear such praises, Helen: praises that I do not deserve." + +"Nay, my dear child, I speak but what I mean," replied the Lady +Helen--"I say that the recollection of you and your young fresh +beauty, and your generous mind, will return to his remembrance, my +Caroline, at all times and in all circumstances, even the most +opposite: in the midst of various enjoyments, in the heated revel, +and in the idle pageant; when lonely in his chamber, when suffering +distress, or pain, or illness; amidst the reverses and the strife, as +well as in the prosperity and the vanities, of the world, he will +remember you and love you still. That memory will be to him as a +sweet tune that we have loved in our youth, the recollection of which +brings with it always visions of the only joys that we have known +without alloy. But still, remember, Caroline, that the condition on +which this is to be obtained, the condition on which his recollection +of you is to be, as it were, a precious antidote to the evils of his +heart, is, that you now act towards him with firmness and with +dignity." + +"But suppose, dear lady," said the other, "that he were to ask me to +remain with him, still concealing our marriage. Nay, look not +terrified--I am not going to do it. I have told you how I am going to +act, and, on my honour, I will keep to my determination. I only ask +you what you think would then be the consequences?" + +"Destruction both to you and to him," replied the Lady Helen: "he +would never look upon you entirely as his wife, he would never treat +you entirely as such. You would dwell with him almost as a +concubine.--Forgive me, but it must be spoken.--He would grow tired +of your beauty, weary of your society; your virtues would be lost +upon him, because he would see that firmness was not amongst them, +and he would not respect you because you had not respected yourself. +There is something, Caroline, in the state and dignity, if I may so +call it, which surrounds a virtuous married woman, that has a great +effect upon her husband, ay, and a great effect upon herself. There +is not one man, Caroline, out of a million, who has genuine nobility +of heart enough to stand the test of a long concealed private +marriage. I never saw but one, Caroline, and I have mingled with +almost every scene of human life, and seen the world with almost all +its faces. However, here, there can be no cause which should justly +induce you to consent to live with him under such circumstances, and +there are a thousand causes to prevent you from so doing. If you were +to do it, you would lose your respect for yourself, and how then +could you expect that he would retain any for you?" + +The conversation was some time protracted in the same tone, and +nearly a whole hour was thus passed ere the younger lady was dressed +and ready to accompany her friend to breakfast. + +Monsieur Plessis was there to do the honours of his table, treating +his fair guests not exactly as his equals, but yet behaving not at +all as an Englishman, under such circumstances, could have demeaned +himself He was polite, attentive, deferential; but he was still +Monsieur Plessis in his own house. There can be no doubt that all he +furnished them with was amply paid for; but yet he had an air of +conferring a favour, and indeed felt that he did so when he received +them into his dwelling at all. There was thus an air of gallantry +mingled with his respectfulness, a sweet smile that bent his lips +when he pressed either of them to their food, a courteous and affable +look when he greeted them for the first time that clay, all of which +spoke that Monsieur Plessis felt that he was laying them under an +obligation, and wished to do it in the most graceful manner possible. +The breakfast table was beautifully laid out, with damask linen of +the finest quality, and more silver than was usually displayed at +that day even in families of distinction. Both the ladies seated +themselves; and Plessis was proceeding to recommend some of the most +exquisite chocolate which had ever been brought from Portugal--at +least so he assured them--when the elder lady interrupted its praises +by saying, "Had we not better wait a little, Monsieur Plessis, for +the young lady whom we saw yesterday?" + +Plessis, however, put his finger on his large nose, saying, "Her +breakfast will be taken to her in her chamber, Miladi. There are +mysteries in all things, as you well know. Now here you are; and +there are nine or ten gentlemen meet at my house every night, from +whom I am obliged to hide that you are in the place at all. Here is +this young lady, whom, it seems, I should have concealed from you in +the same way: only I could not refuse to let you see her and speak +to her yesterday, in order that you might be kind to her on board the +ship; for she is to go in the ship with you, you know, and she seems +quite helpless, and not accustomed to all these things. When the +worthy gentlemen found that the ship was not to sail last night, they +were in great embarrassment, and charged me strictly not to let her +see any one till the ship sailed; and I find they have put a man to +watch on both sides of the house, so that no one can go out or come +in without being seen. They told me nothing about it; and that was +uncivil; but, however, I must keep her to her own room; for the man +that they left in the house, with my consent, to keep guard over her, +watches sharply also." + +The elder lady said nothing, but the colour of the younger heightened +a good deal at this detail, and she started up indignantly as soon as +Plessis had finished, exclaiming, "Nonsense, sir. I never heard of +such a thing!--You, a man of honour and gallantry," she continued, +with a gay smile, such as had once been common to her countenance, +passing over it for a moment--"you, a man of honour and gallantry, +Monsieur Plessis, consenting to see a lady discourteously used and +maltreated in your house, and a stranger put as a spy upon you in +your own dwelling. Fie! For shame! I never heard of such a thing! I +shall go immediately to her, with your compliments, and ask her to +come to breakfast. And let me see if this spy upon you will dare to +stop me." + +"Oh no, Miladi," replied Plessis, "he is not a spy upon me; but I +said myself I would have nothing to do with the young lady being +detained; that it was no part of my business, and should not be done +by my people; that they might have the rooms at the west corner of +the house if they liked, but that I would have nothing to do with it. +I beseech you, dear lady," he continued, seeing Caroline moving +towards the door--"I beseech you, do not meddle; for this is a very +dangerous and bad business, and I fear it will end ill, Nay, nay!" +and springing towards the door, he placed himself between it and the +lady, bowing lowly, with his hand upon his heart, and exclaiming, +"Humbly on my knees I kiss your beautiful feet, and beseech you not +to meddle with this bad business." + +"A very bad business, indeed," said Caroline; "and it is for that +very reason that I am going to meddle, Monsieur Plessis. Do me the +favour of getting out of my way. I thought you were a man of +gallantry and spirit, Monsieur Plessis.--I am determined; so there is +no use in opposing me." + +Plessis shrugged up his shoulders, bowed his head low, and with a +look which said as plainly as any look could say, "I see there is +never any use of opposing a woman," he suffered the fair lady to pass +out, while her friend remained sitting thoughtfully at the table. + +The lady whom we have called Caroline walked quietly along one of the +corridors of the house till she came to a spot where a man in the +garb of a sailor was sitting on a large chest, with his elbows on his +two knees, and his chin on his two hands, looking very much wearied +with his watch, and swinging one of his feet backwards and forwards +disconsolately. There was a door farther on, and towards it the lady +walked, but found that it was locked, though the key was on the +outside. The sailor personage had started up as she passed, and then +gazed at her proceedings with no small surprise; but as she laid her +hand upon the lock, he came forward, saying, "Ma'am, what do you want +there?". + +"I want," replied the lady, turning round, and looking at him from +head to foot, "I merely to call this young lady to breakfast. Be so +good as to open the door: the lock is rather stiff." + +She spoke so completely with the tone of calm authority, that the man +did not even hesitate, but opened the door wide, taking it for +granted that she had some right to enter. The lady was about to go +in; but suddenly a feeling of apprehension seized her, lest the man +should shut the door and lock it upon her also; and pausing in the +doorway, she addressed Lady Laura, who we need scarcely tell the +reader was within,--"I have come to ask you," she said, "if you will +go with me to breakfast." + +"Oh gladly, gladly!" cried the poor girl, darting forward, and +holding out her hands to her; and Caroline, drawing one fair arm +through her own, led her onward to the room where she had left the +Lady Helen. + +The man paused and hesitated, and then followed the two ladies along +the passage; but before he was near enough to hear what was said, +Caroline had whispered to her companion, "It is already done: I have +had an answer to my note, which went in the same packet, so that the +place of your detention is now certainly known to those who will not +fail to send you aid." + +The bright joy that came up in the eyes of Laura might very well have +betrayed to the man who guarded her, had he seen her face, that she +has received more intelligence than his employers could have wished. +He followed, however, at some distance, without taking any notice; +and seeming to think it enough to watch her movements, and prevent +her egress from the house, he seated himself again near the door of +the chamber where breakfast had been prepared, while Laura and her +fair companion entered the room. + +They found the Lady Helen and Monsieur Plessis in eager conversation, +the lady having just announced to him her intention of delaying their +departure till another day; and he, who was in fact part proprietor +of the vessel which was to bear them to France, and was actuated by +very different views, urging her eagerly to follow her first +intention of sailing that night. He made representations of all sorts +of dangers and difficulties which were to arise from the delay; the +two ladies were likely to be arrested; he was likely to be ruined; +the master of the ship would sail without them; and in short, +everything was represented as about to happen which could induce them +to take their departure with all speed. + +The Lady Helen, however, was resolute. She replied that, from what +she had heard in London, she was convinced there was not the least +chance whatsoever of their even being inquired after, and much less +of their being arrested; that his ruin was only likely to be a +consequence of the arrest, and therefore that was disposed of. Then +again, in regard to the captain of the vessel sailing without them, +she said that was improbable, inasmuch as he would thereby lose the +large sum he was to receive, both for bringing them thither and +taking them back. + +Now, though Monsieur Plessis was, in his way, a very courageous and +determined person, who in dealing with his fellow men could take his +own part very vigorously, and, as we have shown, successfully, yet he +was much feebler in the presence of a lady, and on the present +occasion, with three to one, they certainly made him do anything they +liked. The consequence was, that Laura was permitted to spend a great +part of that day with the two accidental tenants of Monsieur +Plessis's house; and not a little comfort, indeed, was that +permission to her. + +It was a moment when any society would have been a great consolation +and relief. But there was in the two ladies with whom she was now +associated for the time much more to interest and to please. The +manners of each were of the highest tone; the person of each was +highly pleasing; and when Laura turned to the Lady Helen, and marked +the gentle pensiveness of her beautiful countenance, listened to the +high, pure, noble words that hung upon her lips, and marked the deep +feelings which existed beneath an exterior that people sometimes +thought cold, the remembrance of her own mother rose up before her, +and she felt a sort of clinging yearning towards a being who +resembled her in so many respects. + +With the younger lady, too, she had many a thought and many a feeling +in common. Caroline was a few years older than herself, and evidently +more acquainted with the world; but there were deep strong feelings +apparent in every word she uttered--a thoughtfulness (if we may so +express ourselves) which blended with an air of carelessness--a depth +to be seen even through occasional lightness, which was only like a +profound river rippled by a rapid breeze. Each had subjects for +thought; each had more or less matter for grief or apprehension; but +each found relief in the society of the other; and the day passed +over more happily than Laura could have imagined it would have done +in such circumstances. + +Towards evening, indeed, she became anxious and apprehensive, for no +attempt to deliver her had, apparently, been made, and she had been +warned that she was to embark for France that night. From this +apprehension, however, the Lady Helen speedily relieved her, by +assuring her that there was no other ship to convey her but that +which was hired to take herself and her young friend to France, and +that they had determined upon putting off their departure till the +succeeding night. + +About the same hour, however, Caroline became uneasy and agitated. +She rose often; she looked often at her watch; she gazed out froth +the window; she turned her eyes to the sky; and in the end she +retired for a time to her own chamber, and returned shortly after, +dressed for going out, with a short black cloak, richly trimmed, cast +over her shoulders, and a silk hood, stiffened with whalebone and +deeply fringed with lace, covering her head and the greatest part of +her face. + +"Who are you going to take with you, my dear child, to show you the +way?" said the Lady Helen. + +"No one, sweet lady," replied the other. "While you were away from me +in London I had plenty of opportunity to explore every path round +this house, and the place is so distinctly marked, that neither he +nor I can mistake it." + +Lady Helen looked in her face for a moment with an expression +somewhat sad as well as inquiring; and her beautiful companion, as if +comprehending at once what she meant, advanced quietly towards her, +knelt on the footstool at her feet, and putting her two hands in +hers, she said, "I promise you most solemnly, dearest lady--most +solemnly and firmly do I promise, not to suffer myself to be shaken +in any one of the resolutions which I have taken with your advice." + +"Thank you, my child, thank you," cried the elder lady, "thank you +for giving me the prospect, Caroline, of seeing you ultimately happy. +But oh, do not be late, my sweet child. Return to us soon. The +country is in a distracted state--the hour is very late. You see it +is already growing dusk." + +"I will return as soon as I can," replied Caroline, and left the +room. + +The man who was still on watch in the passage looked at her +attentively, but said nothing; and Plessis, who was at the door +speaking to two ship-boys, said merely, "It is very cold and very +late, madame. I wonder you don't get cold with such late walks." + +She made no reply, but went on: and taking one or two turns through +the tortuous lanes in the neighbourhood, arrived at a spot where a +small obelisk, of no very graceful form or great dimensions, planted +in the middle of the road, marked the boundary of four distinct +parishes. She paused there for a moment, and leaned upon the +landmark, as if from fatigue, weakness, or agitation. The light was +now dim, but it was not yet dark; and in a moment or two she saw a +figure appear suddenly in the lane before her. + +It advanced rapidly towards her, and she pressed her hand tight upon +her heart. One might have heard it throbbing. The gentleman came on +with a pace like lightning, and held out his hand towards her. She +gave him her hand, but turned away her head; and after gazing on her +for a moment, he drew her gently to his bosom, saying, "One kiss at +least, my Caroline." + +She did not refuse it, and he pressed her warmly to his heart. There +was a moment's silence, and then his arms relaxed their hold, and he +exclaimed, "Oh Heaven!" + +He then drew her arm within his, and walked on with her. + +"Oh, Caroline," he said at length, "would that you did know how I +love you!" + +"If I did know, Sherbrooke," she replied, "that you really did love +me, it would make me far, far happier than I am. But how can I +believe it, Sherbrooke? how can I believe it?" + +"Is it," he demanded, "is it because I have asked you to conceal our +marriage a little longer? Is it for that reason that you doubt my +love? Is it for that reason that you have come over to England, +risking all and everything, affecting my fate in ways that you have +no idea of? Is it for this, Caroline?" + +There was a pause for several minutes, and at length she answered,-- + +"Not entirely. There may have been many reasons, Sherbrooke, joined +therewith. There were many that I stated in my letters to you. There +were others that you might have imagined. Was it unnatural that I +should wish to see my husband? Was it unnatural I should believe that +he would be glad to see me? As I told you, the circumstances were +changed; my father was dead; I had none to protect me in France; the +Lady Helen was coming to England. When she was gone, I was left quite +alone. But oh, Sherbrooke, tell me, tell me, what cause have I had to +believe that you love me? Have you not neglected me? Have you not +forgotten me? Have you not----" + +"Never, never, Caroline!" he cried, vehemently--"in my wildest +follies, in my rashest acts, I have thought of you and loved you. I +have remembered you with affection, and with grief, and with +tenderness. Memory, sad memory, has come upon me in the midst of the +maddest efforts for gaiety, and cast me into a fit of deep, anxious, +sorrowful, repentant, remorseful thought, which I could not shake +off: it seemed as if some vengeful spirit seized upon me for its +prey, and dinned in my ears the name of love and Caroline, till my +heart was nearly broken." + +"And the moment after," she said, "what was it, Sherbrooke, that you +did? Did you sit down and write to Caroline, to her who was giving +every thought to you? or did you fly to the side of some gay +coquette, to dissipate such painful thoughts in her society? or did +you fly to worse, Sherbrooke?" + +He was silent. "Sherbrooke," she added, after a time, "I wish not to +reproach you. All I wish is to justify myself, and the firm +unchangeable resolution which I have been obliged to take. I have +always tried to close my ears against everything that might make me +think less highly of him I love. But tales would reach me--tales most +painful to hear; and at length I was told that you were absolutely on +the eve of wedding another." + +"They told you false!" exclaimed Lord Sherbrooke, wildly and +vehemently--"whoever said so, lied. I have been culpable, and am +culpable, Caroline; but not to that extent. I never dreamed of +wedding her. Did I not know it could not be? But you speak of your +resolutions. Let me know what they are at once! To declare all, I +suppose! Publicly to produce the proofs of our marriage! To announce +to my father, already exasperated against me, that in this, too, I +have offended him! To call down, even upon your own head, the revenge +of a man who has never yet, in life, gone without it! To tell +all--all, in short?" + +"No, no, no, Sherbrooke!" she said--"I am going to do none of all +these things. Angry and thwarted, you do not do that justice to your +wife which you ought. You speak, Sherbrooke, as if you did not know +me. I will do none of these things. You do not choose to acknowledge +me as your wife. You are angry at my having come to England. I will +not announce our marriage till the last moment. I will not publish it +till my dying hour, unless I be driven to it by some terrible +circumstance. I will return to France. I will live as the widow of a +man that I have loved. But I will never see you more, Sherbrooke; I +will never hear from you more; I will never write to you more; till +you come openly and straightforwardly to claim me as your wife in the +face of all the world. Whenever you declare me to be your wife, I +will do all the duties of a wife: I will be obedient to your will, +not alone from duty but from love; but till you do acknowledge me as +your wife, you can plead no title to such submission." + +"Ah, Caroline," replied Lord Sherbrooke, "you speak well and wisely, +but coldly too. You can easily resign the man that you once loved. It +costs you but little to give him over to his own course; to afford +him no solace, no consolation, no advice; to deprive him of that +communication, which, distant as it was, might have saved him from +many an error. It costs you nothing to pronounce such words as you +have spoken, and to sever our fate for ever." + +"It is you that sever it," she replied, in a sad and reproachful +tone. "Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, you do me wrong--you know you do me +wrong--Oh, how great wrong! Do you think I have shed no tears? Do you +think my heart has not been wrung? Do you think my hours have not +passed in anguish, my days in sadness, and my nights in weeping? Oh, +Sherbrooke, since you left me, what has been my fate? To watch for +some weeks the death-bed of a father, from whose mind the light had +already departed; to sorrow over his tomb; to watch the long days for +the coming of my husband--of the husband whom all had doubted, all +had condemned, but my own weak heart, whose vows of amendment I had +believed, to whose entreaties I had yielded, even to that rashest of +all acts, a secret marriage; to find him delay his coming from day to +day, and to see the sun that rose upon me in solitary sadness go down +in grief; to lose the hope that cheered me; to look for his letters +as the next boon; to read them and to weep over them; to remain in +exile, not only from my native land, but also from him to whom I had +given every feeling of my heart, to whom I had yielded all that a +virtuous woman can yield; to remain in a strange court, to which I +had no longer any tie, in which I had no longer any protector; and +every time I heard his name mentioned, to hear it connected with some +tale of scandal, or stigmatized for some new act of vice; and worse, +worse than all, Sherbrooke, to be sought, idly sought, by men that I +despised, or hated, or was indifferent to, and forbade to say the +words which would have ended their pursuit at once, 'I am already a +wife.' Sherbrooke, you have given me months and months of misery +already. I weep not now, even with the thought of parting from you +for ever; but it is, I believe, that the fountain of my tears is +dried up and exhausted. Oh, Sherbrooke, when first I knew you, who +was so blithe and joyous as myself? and now, what have you made me?" + +He was much moved, and was about to speak; but she held up her hand +beseechingly, and said, "Let me go on--let me go on. You said it +costs me little to act as I proposed to act. Think, Sherbrooke, think +what it does really cost me. Even were I all selfishness, how bitter +is the part that I have assigned myself to play! To pass my time in +solitude, without the pleasures of youth and gaiety; debarring myself +from all the advantages of an unmarried woman, yet without the name, +the blessings, the station, the dignity, of a wife; voluntarily +depriving myself of every sort of consolation, relinquishing even +hope. But if I am not altogether selfish, Sherbrooke--and you have no +cause to say I am so--if, as you know too well, there is deep, and +permanent, and pure and true affection for you at the bottom of my +heart, judge what the after-hours of life will be, judge what a long +dreary lapse lies before me, between the present instant and the +grave." + +Sherbrooke was moved, and again and again he assured her that he +loved her more than any other being upon earth; and the conversation +continued for nearly half an hour longer. He begged her to stay with +him in England, still concealing their marriage; he pressed her in +every way to break her resolution; he urged her, if it were but for +one week, to remain with him, in order to see whether he could not +make arrangements to render their marriage public. But she remembered +her resolution, and held to it firmly, and even rejected that last +proposal, fearing consequences equally dangerous to herself and to +him. Opposition began to make him angry; he entered not into her +reasons; he saw not the strength of her motives; he spoke some harsh +and unkind words, which caused her to weep, and then again he was +grieved at having pained her, and kissed the tears away, and urged +and argued again. Still she remained firm, however, and again he +became irritated. + +At the end of half an hour, both Caroline and her husband heard the +sound of feet approaching them on both sides; and though it seemed +that the people who were coming from the direction of Plessis's house +walked lightly and with caution, yet there were evidently many of +them, and Caroline became alarmed for her husband. + +"The people are coming from the house, Sherbrooke," she cried--"they +must not, oh, they must not find you here!" + +"Why not?" he demanded, sharply. + +"Oh, because they are a dangerous and a desperate set," she +said--"bent, I am sure, from what I have heard, upon bloody and +terrible schemes. Me they will let pass, but I fear for you--the very +name of your father would be sufficient to destroy you, with them. We +must part, indeed we must part!" + +"And can you, Caroline," he demanded, still lingering, but speaking +in a bitter and irritated tone, angry alike with himself, and her, and +with the interruption--"can you hold to your cold and cruel +resolution, now?" + +"I can, I must, Sherbrooke," she replied,--"nothing shall shake me." + +"Well, then, be it so!" he answered sharply; and turning away, walked +rapidly up the lane. + +Caroline stood, for a single instant, on the spot where he left her; +but then all the feelings with which she had struggled during the +whole of that painful conversation with her husband, seemed to break +loose upon her at once, and over-power her. Her head grew giddy, a +weary faintness seemed to come over her heart, and she sank, +unconscious, on the ground. + +The next moment six or seven men came quickly up. + +"Here's a woman murdered!" cried one--"and the fellow that did it is +off up the lane." + +A few hasty exclamations of surprise and pity followed, and then +another man exclaimed, in a hasty and impatient tone, "Take her up in +your arms, Jim, and bring her along. Perhaps we may find this +Messenger the boy talked of, and the murderer together; but let us +make haste, or we shall lose both." + +"Mind," said another, speaking almost at the same time, "don't knock +the Messenger's brains out. We will just take and plant him in the +marsh, tie his arms, and put him up to the arm-pits. The boys will +find him there, when they come to drive back the cattle.--The lady +don't seem quite dead, I think." + +"Bring her along! bring her along!" cried another voice--"we shall +miss all, if you are so slow;" and thus speaking, the leader of the +party quickened his pace, while the others, having raised the lady +from the ground, bore her onward towards the end of the lane. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +We have said that Wilton Brown paused and gazed through the mist at +the figure of a man advancing towards him, and to the reader it need +not be told who the person was that thus came forward. To Wilton, +however, the conviction was brought more slowly; for though he had +heard the sound of a familiar voice, yet it seemed so improbable that +voice should be the voice of Lord Sherbrooke, that the idea never +struck him, till the figure became so distinct as not to leave a +doubt. + +"Good God, Sherbrooke!" he exclaimed, advancing towards him at +length--"can it be you?" + +"And I may well ask, Wilton, if it be you," said Lord Sherbrooke, in +a tone so sharp and angry, so unlike his usual voice and manner of +speaking, that Wilton drew back astonished, imagining that he had +given his friend some unknown offence. But Lord Sherbrooke grasped his +arm, exclaiming, "Hark! There they are! They are close upon us, +Wilton! I have fallen in with a nest of Jacobites, I fancy, ready for +an outbreak, and they are after me. Have you any arms?" + +"Here are plenty of pistols, my lord," said the Messenger, who knew +him. + +"Ah, Arden, is that you?" he exclaimed. "Give me a pistol!" and he +took one from the Messenger's hand. "Here are three of us now, +Wilton," he exclaimed, with a laugh, "and one of us a Messenger: +enough surely for any dozen Jacobites in England." + +There was something wild, hasty, and strange in Lord Sherbrooke's +manner, which startled and alarmed Wilton a good deal. + +"For Heaven's sake, Sherbrooke," he said, "do nothing rashly. Let us +see who they are before you act." + +"Oh, I will do nothing rash," replied Sherbrooke. "But here they +come! just like Jacobites, gabbling at every step. Who goes there, +my masters?" he exclaimed, at the same moment. "Don't advance, don't +advance! We are armed! The first man that advances, I shoot upon the +spot!" + +"Those are the men! those are the men!" cried a loud voice from the +other party, who were now seen coming up in a mass. "Rush upon them! +Rush upon them, and tie the Messenger!" + +"Oh, oh!" cried Arden. "They have found me out, have they! Stand by +me, my lord! Stand by me, Mr. Brown! They are rushing on!" + +"Then here's for the midst of them!" cried Lord Sherbrooke; and +instantly levelling his pistol, he fired, though Wilton was in the +very act of holding forth his hand to stop him. + +The moment the fatal flash had taken place, there was a reel back +amongst the advancing party, though they were at several yards' +distance when the pistol was fired. A confusion, a gathering together, +a murmur, succeeded; and while Lord Sherbrooke was in the very act of +exclaiming, "Give me another pistol, Arden!" there was heard, from +amongst the party who had been approaching, a loud voice, exclaiming, +"By, he has shot the lady!--and she was only fainting, after all. See +how the blood flows!" + +The words were perfectly distinct. Lord Sherbrooke's hand, which had +just seized the other pistol that the Messenger had held out to him, +suddenly let it drop upon the ground. It was not possible to see the +expression of his face fully, for his head was turned away; but +Wilton felt him grasp his arm, as if for support, trembling in every +limb. + +"Good God! What have you done, Sherbrooke?" exclaimed his friend. + +"I have killed her! I have killed her!" cried Lord Sherbrooke, +gasping for breath--"I have killed the dear unfortunate girl!" and +letting go Wilton's arm, he rushed forward at once into the midst of +the other party, exclaiming, "Stand back! Let me forward! She is my +wife! Stand out of my way! How, in the name of Heaven, did she--" + +He left off, without concluding; and nobody answered. But the tone of +bitter grief and agony in which Lord Sherbrooke spoke was not to be +mistaken: there was in it the overpowering energy of passionate +grief; and everybody made way for him. In a moment he bad snatched +the form of the unhappy lady from the man who held her in his arms, +and supporting her himself, partly on his knee, partly on his bosom, +he kissed her again and again vehemently, eagerly, we may almost say +frantically, exclaiming, "And I have killed thee, my Caroline! I +have killed thee, my beloved, my wife, my own dear wife! I have +killed thee, noble, and true, and kind! Oh, open your eyes, dear +one, open your eyes and gaze upon me for a minute! She is living, she +is living!" he added wildly--"she does open her eyes!--Quick, some +one call a surgeon!--A hundred guineas to the first who brings me a +surgeon!--God of Heaven! how has this happened?--Oh yes, she is +living, she is reviving!--Wilton, for pity's sake, for mercy's sake, +help me!" + +Wilton Brown had followed Lord Sherbrooke rapidly; for a sudden +apprehension had crossed his mind immediately the words were +pronounced, "He has shot the lady," lest by some accident Lady Laura +had fallen into the hands of the people who were approaching, and +that she it was who had been wounded or killed by the rash act of his +friend. The moment he came up, however, he perceived that the lady's +face was unknown to him, and he saw also that the men who stood +round, deprived of all power and activity by a horrible event, which +they only vaguely comprehended, were anything but the persons he had +expected to see. They seemed to be almost all common sailors; and +though they were in general evidently Englishmen, they were habited +more in the fashion of the Dutch seamen of that day. They were well +armed, it is true, but still they bore not the slightest appearance +of being connected with Sir John Fenwick and the party to which lie +was attached; and the horror and consternation which seemed to have +taken possession of them all, at the injury which had been inflicted +on the unhappy lady, showed that they were anything but feelingless +or hardened. + +One rapid glance over the scene before his eyes had shown Wilton +this; and he now stood beside Lord Sherbrooke, gazing with painful +interest on a picture, the full horror of which he divined better +than the others who surrounded them. + +Almost as Lord Sherbrooke spoke, however, and before Wilton could +reply, the lady made a slight movement of her hand, and raised her +head. Her eyes were open, and she turned to Lord Sherbrooke, gazing +on his face for a moment, as if to be certain who he was. + +"Oh, Sherbrooke," she said at length, in a faint voice, "fly, fly!--I +was very foolish to faint.--I am better now. The men will be upon +you in a minute--Oh Heaven, they are all round us! Oh how weak it was +to faint and keep you here till they have taken you.--I am better +now," she said, in answer to a whispered inquiry of Lord Sherbrooke, +as he pressed her to his heart. "But I must have hurt my shoulder in +falling, for it pains me very much." And putting her hand towards it, +she drew it suddenly away, exclaiming, "Good Heaven, it is blood!" + +"Yes, dearest--yes, beloved," replied Lord Sherbrooke--"it is +blood--blood shed by your husband's hand; but oh, inadvertently, +clear girl. I rashly fired amongst the men that were pursuing me, and +have killed the only woman that I ever loved!" And he struck his hand +vehemently against his forehead, with a gesture of despair that could +not be mistaken. + +"Come, come, young gentleman," said a man who seemed the leader of +the bluff sailors around him, "don't take on so. Some one has gone +for a surgeon. There's a clever one at Halstow, I know, and mayhap +the young lady is not so much hurt. At all events, you did not do it +to hurt her, that's clear enough; and I rather fancy we've all been +in a mistake together. For if you were flying from people looking out +to take you, you were not the goods we were after--for we were +looking for people that were coming to take us. + +"They came down and said that a gentleman had come down with a +Messenger to look after our little traffic, and have some of us up +for it. Now we intended to plant the Messenger in the bog till we had +got all things ready and the ship off, and it was him and his people +we were after. But come along--bring down the lady to Master +Plessis's. She will be taken good care of there, I warrant you. Here, +Jack Vanoorst!--you're a bit of a surgeon yourself, for you doctored +my head when the Frenchman broke my crown one day. See if you can't +stop the blood, at least till we get the lady to old Plessis's, and +the surgeon comes." + +A broad-built elderly man advanced, and, with whatever materials +could be obtained upon the spot, made a sort of bandage and compress +by the dim light, and applied it dexterously enough, while Caroline +lay with her head upon her husband's bosom, and her hand clasped in +his. + +Sherbrooke looked down in her face while this was done with agony +depicted in his countenance; nor was that agony rendered the less by +seeing a faint look of happiness come over her face as she thus +rested, and by feeling her hand press gently upon his. It all seemed +to say, "I could willingly die thus." + +When the bandage had been applied, Lord Sherbrooke, though he shook +in every limb with agitation and anxiety, took her in his arms and +raised her, saying to the men, "Now show me the way." + +But that way was long. The young nobleman put forth his strength too +much at first in the effort to carry her quickly, and after bearing +her on for about a mile, he paused and faltered. + +"Let one of our people carry her," said the captain of the vessel, +which was lying in the river at no great distance from Plessis's +house--"there is near a mile to go yet." + +Lord Sherbrooke turned and looked round. Wilton was close by his +side. + +"Wilton," he said, "Wilton, you take her. With the exception of +herself, you are my best friend. Gently, oh gently! She is my wife, +Wilton, and I know you will not mind the burden." + +"Pardon me, lady," said Wilton, as he took her gently out of Lord +Sherbrooke's arms, and she raised her head with a faint look of +inquiry; "it is your husband's sincere friend, and I will bear you as +carefully as if I were your brother." + +She made no opposition; but no answer, only stretching forth her left +arm, which was the unwounded one, to Lord Sherbrooke: she let her +hand rest in his, as if she wished him to retain it; and Wilton +remarked, but not displeased, that she suffered not her head to rest +upon his bosom, as it had done upon that of his friend. + +Considerably taller, and altogether of a more powerful frame than +Lord Sherbrooke, he bore her with greater ease; but still anxiety +made it seem an age till a glimmering light was seen through the +trees at no great distance. + +Lord Sherbrooke was then in the act of proposing to carry her again; +but the good sailor who had spoken before interfered, saying, "No, no, +let him carry her. It will only hurt her to change so. There's the +house close by, and he's stronger than you are; and not knocked down +with fright, you see, either, as you are, naturally enough.--Run on, +boy, run on," he continued, somewhat sharply, to a lad who was with +them--"run on, and tell old Plessis to get down a mattress to carry +the lady up in." + +The boy sped away to execute this kind and prudent order; and in a +few minutes more, the whole party stood upon the little stone +esplanade before the dwelling of Monsieur Plessis. That worthy +personage himself was down, and already in a state of great anxiety +and tribulation, being one of those who have an excessive dislike to +anything which may bring upon them too much notice of any kind. + +The mattress, too, had been brought down, but when Wilton gazed +through the door, he turned quickly to his friend, saying, "I had +better carry her up at once, Sherhrooke. I can do it easily, and it +will save her the pain of changing her position more than once." + +Without waiting for any one's consent, he accordingly began to mount +the staircase, and had just reached the balustrade of the little sort +of square vestibule at top, when the door of an opposite room opened, +and the Lady Helen stood before him. + +To Wilton, who knew nothing of all the secrets of Plessis's house, +which the reader is already informed of, the sight was like that of +an apparition; and to the Lady Helen herself, the sight of Wilton +bearing Caroline in his arms, while the light of the lamp that +Plessis carried before them shone upon the pale but still beautiful +countenance of the poor girl, and showed her dress and that of Wilton +both thickly stained and spotted with blood, was not less astounding. + +"Oh, Wilton, Wilton," she cried--"what is this?--Caroline, my sweet +Caroline, for Heaven's sake speak!--for Heaven's sake look at me!" + +The next moment, however, her eyes fell upon Lord Sherbrooke; his +countenance also as pale as death, his coat, and collar, and face +also bloody. + +"Oh young man, young man," she cried, "is it you that have done +this?" + +"Yes, Lady Helen," he answered, rather bitterly--"yes, after nearly +killing her in another way, it is I who have shed her blood. But the +first was the criminal act, not the last. The shot was +unintentional: the wounds given by my words were the guilty ones." + +"No, no, Sherbrooke!" said Caroline, raising her head faintly, and +again stretching out her hand towards him--"No, no, dear Henry. You +love me; that is enough!" + +She could speak no more; and Plessis, whose senses were in a state of +greater precision than those of any other person, exclaimed, eagerly, +"Don't stand here talking about it, but carry the lady to her +bedchamber.--This way, young gentleman; this way, this way!" + +And passing by, he led onward to the room in which the unfortunate +lady had received her husband's note that very morning. Wilton laid +her gently on the bed; and closing her eyes for a moment, she gave a +slight shudder, either with chilliness or pain. But a movement in +the apartment caused her to look round again, and she said, eagerly, +"Do not leave me, Sherbrooke! Do not leave me, my husband. You must +stay with me NOW." + +"Leave you, my Caroline!" he said, "oh no! I will never leave you +more! I must atone for what I have done. Only promise me, promise +me, Caroline, to live, to forgive, and to bless me." + +"I do forgive you, I do bless you, Sherbrooke," she answered. + +Before he could reply, a gentleman habited in a riding dress, and a +large red roquelaure, entered the room hastily, threw off his hat and +cloak, and advanced at once with a somewhat rough air to the bedside. + +"What is this?" he said, quickly, but not in an ungentle tone. "Where +is the lady hurt?--Bring me linen and water.--You may give her a +little wine too.--She is faint from loss of blood;" and advancing to +the bedside, he took Caroline's hand kindly in his own, saying, "Do +not be alarmed, my dear. These things happen every day in battle; +and women get well better than soldiers, for they are more patient +and resigned. I see where the wound is. Do not be afraid;" and he +put his hand upon her shoulder, running it round on both sides. The +moment he had done so, he looked about him with a bright and beaming +smile upon his lip, and the colour coming somewhat up into his cheek. + +"She will do well," he said--"let no one alarm themselves: the ball +has passed upon the right of the artery, and I feel it just above the +scapula. She will do well!" + +An audible "Thank God!" burst from every lip around; and Caroline +herself, at the sudden change, from the apprehension of death to the +hope of life, burst into silent tears. + +"What are all these men doing here?" demanded the good surgeon, +turning bluffly round. "Leave none but the women with me, and not +too many of them." + +The sailors began to move away at this command, and Wilton followed; +but Lord Sherbrooke kept his place, saying, "I must remain!" + +"And why should you remain, sir?" demanded the surgeon. "Who are +you?" + +"I am her husband, sir," replied Lord Sherbrooke, firmly and +distinctly. + +"Oh, sir, that makes a very great difference," replied the surgeon. +"I make you a very low bow, and have nothing to say; only I hope you +will behave quietly and rationally, and talk as little as possible." + +"I will do everything, sir," replied Lord Sherbrooke, with a somewhat +stately look--"I will do everything that may tend to promote the +recovery of one I love so well." + +At this moment, Wilton was in the doorway: but the Lady Helen laid +her hand upon his arm, saying, "Wait for me in the neighbouring room, +Wilton. I must speak with you before you go." + +Wilton promised to remain, and quitted the chamber. He found at the +top of the stairs the greater part of the sailors whom he had seen +before, and with them Plessis himself and another man. + +The sailors were talking with Plessis vehemently; and Wilton soon +found that the worthy Frenchman was using all his powers of +vituperation in various tongues--French and English, with a word or +two of Dutch every now and then, and some quaint specimens of +Portuguese--to express his indignation at the sailors for the unlucky +business in which they had engaged. + +The master of the vessel was defending himself stoutly, saying, "Why, +didn't I meet the boy from the Blackamoor's Head at the very door of +the place here? and didn't he tell me that there was a man coming +down with a Messenger of State to seize the ship and the cargo, and +you, and I, and every one else?" + +"Poo! nonsense, nonsense!" cried Plessis: "all stuff and +exaggeration. No Messenger, I dare say, at all. So be off, all of +you, as fast as you can go; and get out of the way, for fear of any +inquiries being made." + +"Why here's the young gentleman himself!" cried the master: "he don't +look like a Messenger, sure enough. But there was another man that +ran away, he may have been the Messenger." + +The man looked to Wilton as he spoke, who instantly replied, "You are +right, sir. He was a Messenger; but neither he nor I came hither +about anything referring to you. Indeed, neither of us even knew of +your existence before we saw you." + +At that moment, the stranger who was standing beside Plessis, and who +was very different from the sailors in appearance, stepped forward to +Wilton, and said in a low tone, "May I, sir, ask your name?" + +The countersign that Green had given him immediately returned to +Wilton's memory, and he replied, "My name is Brown, sir, but it might +as well have been Green." + +"Oh no, sir," replied the stranger, in the same tone, "every man +should keep his right name, and be in his right place, which is the +case with yourself in both respects at present;" and turning to +Plessis, he said, "This is a friend of the Colonel's, Plessis. He +sent me down to meet him and bring him here, because he could not +come himself." + +"Oh, oh!" said Plessis, looking wise, "that's all right, then. I saw +that he spoke to the Lady Helen. Take him into the saloon, Captain, +and I'll come to you in a minute, as soon as I've got the house +clear, and everything quiet again. I expect some gentlemen to meet +here to-night, to take their bowl of punch, you know." + +"This way, sir," said the person whom the Frenchman had called +Captain, turning to Wilton, and leading him on into the large room, +which was now quite vacant. The moment that he was there, and the +door closed, the stranger came close up to him, saying, "Where is the +Messenger? Had you not a Messenger with you? I waited on the road +for you three-quarters of an hour." + +"I rather think," replied Wilton, "that I was misdirected by the +landlord of the inn, and a series of unhappy mistakes has been the +consequence." + +"Which are not over yet," exclaimed the other; "for here are we, only +two men, with very likely a dozen or two against us, with no power or +authority to take the lady from out of their hands, and with nothing +but our swords and pistols." + +"Oh no!" answered Wilton--"you mistake. I have sufficient authority +both from her father and from the Secretary of State." + +"Ay, but not like the face of a Messenger!" replied the other--"that +is the best authority in the world with people like these. By +Heaven, the only way that we can act is to make a bold push for it at +once, to get hold of the young lady, and carry her off before these +men arrive. Plessis is sending away all the sailors: he'll not try +much to oppose us himself. There is one man, I see, at the end of +the other corridor, but we can surely manage him; and very likely we +may get the start of the others by an hour or so." + +"Let us lose not a moment," answered Wilton. "I will send for the +Lady Helen, who may give us more information." + +"Let me go and get it from Plessis himself," replied the man "I will +be back in a minute. I know how to deal with the rogue of a +Frenchman better than you do. If he comes back with me, take a high +tone with him; determination is everything." + +Thus saying, he quitted the room, and for about five minutes Wilton +remained alone meditating over what had passed, if that could be +called meditating, which was nothing but a confused series of +indistinct images, all out of their proper form and order. + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +THE first person that entered the room was the Lady Helen, who came +forward towards her young friend with her eyes sparkling and a smile +upon her lips. + +"Oh, my dear boy," she cried, "this has been a terrible night, but +she is better: there is every hope of her doing well. The ball has +been extracted in a moment, the bleeding has ceased, and the comfort +of her husband's love will be more to her--far more to her, than the +best balm physician or surgeon could give. But now tell me, Wilton, +what brings you here? Did you come with this gay gallant, or have +you--though I trust and believe that you have not--have you taken any +part in the wild schemes of these rash, intemperate, and vicious +men?" + +"I am taking part in no schemes, dear lady," replied Wilton. "I only +come here to frustrate evil purposes. I came furnished with +authority, and accompanied by a Messenger of State, to deliver Lady +Laura Gaveston, who, I understand, is at this very moment in this +house." + +"That is most strange," said the Lady Helen--"I wrote to--to him +who--who--whom you saw me with; in short, to tell him that they had +brought the poor girl here, never thinking that you, my boy--" + +"It was the person you speak of," interrupted Wilton, "who told me of +her being here. One of his people is in the house with me at this +present moment; but the Messenger has fled in the late affray. I +understand that a number of the men who brought her hither are to be +here to-night: we shall be then but two against many, if we delay; +and it is absolutely necessary that we should find out where the lady +is, and carry her off at once." + +"Oh! I will find her in a moment," replied the Lady Helen. "But I +know not whether they will suffer her to pass out of her chamber." + +At that moment, however, Plessis, and the personage whom he called +Captain, entered the room in eager conversation. + +"It will be ruin and destruction to me," cried Plessis--"I cannot +permit it! I cannot hear of it! nor can you manage it. There are +three men here, one in the house, and one at each gate. You are only +two." + +"But we are two men together, and two strong men, too," replied the +Captain, "and they are all separate. So I tell you we will do it." + +"Oh, if you choose to use force, you may," replied Plessis; "but the +consequence be upon your own head." + +"Come, come, Plessis," replied the other--"you know you don't like a +noise and a piece of work more than any one else. Do the matter +cunningly, man, as you are accustomed to do. Get the fellow in the +hall, there, down quietly out of the passage into the brandy +cellar--I will follow him and lock him in. When that's done, all the +rest is easy." + +Plessis smiled at a trick exactly suited to his taste; but he +hesitated, nevertheless, at putting it in execution, lest the fact of +his having taken any part therein should come to the knowledge of +men, from whom, at different times, he derived considerable +advantage. Present evils, however, are always more formidable than +distant ones, and Wilton bethought him of trying what a little +intimidation would do with the good Frenchman. + +"Listen to me, sir," he said, in a stern tone. "Instantly do what +you are told, or take the consequences. Here is my authority from +the Secretary of State, to demand the person of this young lady from +the hands of any one with whom I may find her. A Messenger came down +with me to High Halstow, with a warrant for the arrest of any person +who may be found detaining her. It is, however, my wish to do all +things quietly, if you will allow me. The Duke, her father, does not +desire the business to be conducted with harshness--" + +"A duke!" exclaimed Plessis, opening his eyes with astonishment. "A +duke and peer! Why, they only told me that she was the daughter of +some turncoat, who would betray them, they feared, if they had not +his daughter in pawn." + +"They deceived you!" replied Wilton--"she is the daughter of the Duke +of Gaveston. But I have no time to discuss such points with you. +Instantly do what you are told. Get the man out of the way quietly; +give the lady up into my hands, as you are hereby formally required +to do, or I immediately quit the house, raise the hue and cry, and in +less than an hour this place shall be surrounded by a hundred men." + +Plessis hesitated no longer. "Force majeure!" he cried. "Force +majeure! No one can resist that. What am I to do? I will act +exactly according to your bidding. You are witness, madam, that I +yield to compulsion." + +"Yes, Monsieur Plessis," replied the Lady Helen, "lawful compulsion." + +"Well, Plessis, do as I bid you, at once," replied the Captain. "Get +the man down into the brandy cellar, quickly!--I saw the door open as +I passed--and either lock him in or let me do it." + +"You are a tall man, and I am a small man," replied Plessis--"I have +not the gift of turning keys, Captain. I'll send him down, however;" +and taking a Venice glass from the mantelpiece, he went to the little +vestibule at the top of the stairs, and called to the man who was +sitting in the corridor beyond. + +"Here, Harrison," he said--"I wish you'd go down and get the gentleman +a glass of brandy out of the cellar. The door's open. Make haste, and +don't drink any--there's a good fellow." + +The tone in which Master Plassis spoke showed that he was no bad +actor when well prompted. The man, who was completely deceived, came +forward without the slightest hesitation, took the glass out of his +hand, and went down stairs. + +The moment he had passed, Plessis put in his head, and beckoned with +his finger to the Captain, who ran down after the other in a moment, +leaving the door open, and Plessis listening beyond, with some slight +apprehension. That apprehension was increased, by hearing a word or +two spoken sharply, a struggle, and the sound of glass falling and +being broken. Wilton sprang out of the room to aid his companion; but +at that moment there was the sound of a door banged sharply to, a key +turned, and he met the Captain coming up the stairs laughing aloud. + +"By Heaven, the fellow had nearly bolted," he said. "But there he is +now, safe enough, and I dare say will find means to console himself +with Master Plessis's brandy casks. He might have made himself quite +comfortable if he hadn't dropped the glass, like a fool.--Now, +Plessis," he continued, entering the room, "go for the lady as quick +as lightning. Let us lose no time, but make sure of the business +while we can; and I dare say, if you get yourself into any little +scrape soon--as indubitably you will, for you never can expect to die +unhanged--this gentleman will speak a good word for you to those who +can get your neck out of the noose before it is drawn too tight. +Come, make haste, man! or we may all get into trouble." + +"I will go," said the Lady Helen, "I had better go. It will alarm her +less, and she has been terrified and agitated too much already, poor +thing." + +Thus saying, she left them; but the lady returned alone in a moment +after, saying, with some consternation, that the man had got the key +of the door with him. + +"Oh, that is nothing!" exclaimed Plessis, laughing; "I am never +without my passe-partout;" and producing a key attached to a large +ring, from his pocket, he gave it into the hands of the Lady Helen, +who returned to her kind task once more. + +Scarcely had she left the room when there came the sound of a man's +step from the passage, and Plessis darted out. The footfall which he +heard was that of Lord Sherbrooke, who was seeking Wilton; and as +soon as the young nobleman saw him, he advanced towards him with both +his hands extended, saying,-- + +"Oh, Wilton, dear friend, this has been a terrible night. But it is +in the fiery furnace of such nights as this that hard hearts are +melted and cast in a new mould. I feel that it is so with mine. But +to the business that makes me seek you," he continued, in a low tone, +seeing that there was another person in the room, and drawing Wilton +on one side. "Listen to me! Quit this house as fast as possible. I +find you are in a nest of furious Jacobites, and there may be great +danger to you if found here. I remain with my poor Caroline; and far +away from all the rest, have nothing to fear, although the warning +that she gave was intended for me. You speed away to London as fast +as possible. But remember, Wilton! remember: mention no word of this +night's event to my father. He does not expect me in town for +several days, and I must choose my own time and manner to give him +the history of all this affair. He holds me by a chain you know not +of--the chain of my heavy debts. I am at liberty but upon his +sufferance, and one cold look from him to Jew or usurer would plunge +me in a debtor's prison in an hour. The man who has debts he cannot +pay, Wilton, is worse than any ordinary slave, for he is a slave to +many masters. But I must away," he continued, in his rapid manner, +"for I have left her with no one but the servant girl, and I must +watch her till all danger be past." + +"I trust she is better," said Wilton; "I trust there is no danger." + +"They tell me not, they tell me not, Wilton," replied Lord +Sherbrooke; "but now that I have been upon the very eve of losing a +jewel, of which I was but too careless before, I feel all its value, +and would fain hide it trembling in my heart, lest fate should snatch +it from me. Say nothing of these things--remember, say nothing of +them." + +"But Arden, but Arden," said Wilton, as Lord Sherbrooke was turning +away--"but the Messenger, Sherbrooke. May he not tell something?" + +"The cowardly villain ran away so soon," replied Lord Sherbrooke, "he +could hear nothing, and understand less. He is a cautious scoundrel, +too, and will hold his tongue. Yet you may give him a warning, if you +see him, Wilton." + +"Here is the lady, sir," said Plessis, entering, and addressing +Wilton. "I will go down stairs and see that all is safe below." + +"He will not let the man out of the cellar?" demanded Wilton, as +Plessis departed. + +"I have taken care of that," replied the Captain, holding up a key; +"but let us not lose time." + +While these few words were passing, Lady Helen and Laura entered, the +latter, pale, agitated, and trembling, less with actual apprehension +than from all she had lately undergone. At that moment, she knew not +with whom she was going, or what was the manner of escape proposed. +All that the Lady Helen had told her was, that somebody had come to +set her free, and that she must instantly prepare to depart. She had +paused but for an instant, while the lady who brought her these glad +tidings wrapped round her some of the garments which had been +procured for her journey to France, by those who had carried her off; +and all the agitation consequent upon a sudden revival of hopes that +had been well nigh extinguished was still busy in her bosom, when, as +we have said, she entered the room. + +The first object, however, which her eye fell upon was the fine +commanding form of Wilton Brown. It were scarcely fair to ask +whether, in the long and weary hours of captivity, she had thought +much of him. But one thing at least may be told, that with him, and +with a hurried and timid examination of the feelings of her own bosom +regarding him, her thoughts had been busied at the very moment when +she had been dragged away from her own home. The sight of him, +however, now, was both joyful and overpowering to her; the very idea +of deliverance had been sufficient to agitate her, so that she shook +in every limb as she entered the room; but when she saw in her +deliverer the man whom, of all others, she would have chosen to +protect her, manifold emotions, of a still more agitating kind, were +added to all the rest. But joy--joy and increased hope--overcame all +other feelings, and stretching out her hands towards him, she ran +forward as he advanced to meet her, and clung with a look of deep +confidence and gladness to his arm. + +"Do not be frightened, do not be agitated," he said--"all will go +quite well. Are you prepared to quit this place immediately?" + +"Oh yes, yes, instantly!" she cried; but then her eyes turned upon +Lord Sherbrooke, and the sight of him in company with Wilton seemed +to cloud her happiness; for though she still looked up to Wilton's +countenance with the same affectionate and confiding glance, yet +there was evidently a degree of apprehension in her countenance, +when, for a moment, she turned her eyes to Lord Sherbrooke. She bowed +her head gracefully to him, however, and uttered some broken thanks to +him and to Wilton, for coming to her deliverance. + +"Pardon me, dear Lady Laura," replied Lord Sherbrooke. "I must accept +no part of your thanks, for my being here is entirely accidental, and +I cannot even offer to escort you on your departure. It is Wilton who +has sought you bravely and perseveringly, and I doubt not you will go +with him with perfect confidence." + +"Anywhere, anywhere," said Lady Laura, with a tone and a look which +at another moment might have called up a smile upon Lord Sherbrooke's +countenance; but his own heart was also so full of deep feelings at +that time, that he could not look upon them lightly enough even for a +smile, when he detected them in another. + +"I will go down and make sure that there is no trickery below," said +the man called the Captain; "and when I call--Now! come down with the +lady, Mr. Brown." + +Lord Sherbrooke at the same moment took leave of them, and left the +room; and Lady Laura, without quitting her position by Wilton's side, +which she seemed to consider a place of sure refuge and support, held +out her hand to the Lady Helen, saying, "Oh, how can I thank you, +lady, for all your kindness? Had it not been for you, I should never +have obtained this deliverance." + +"I need no thanks, my sweet friend," replied the lady "the only +things that give sunshine to the memories of a sad life are some few +acts of kindness and sympathy which I have been able to perform +towards others. But if you want to thank me," she added, looking +with a smile upon Wilton, "thank him, Lady Laura, for he is the being +dearest to me upon earth." + +Lady Laura looked somewhat surprised; but Wilton held up his finger, +thinking he heard their companion's call. It was not so, however, but +only a quick step upon the stairs; and the next moment the Captain +entered, with some marks of agitation on his countenance. + +"By ---!" he said, "there seems to me to be a whole troop of horse +before the house--such a clatter of iron-shod feet. I fear we have +the enemy upon us, and Plessis has run to hide himself; frightened +out of his wits. What can we do?" + +"Come all into the lady's chamber, or into mine," said Lady +Helen--"perhaps they may not think of searching for her. At all +events, it gives us a chance, if we can but get across the vestibule +before they come up. Quick, Wilton! come, quick!" and she was +leading the way. + +Before she got to the door, however, which the Captain had closed +behind him, the tramp of heavy boots was heard upon the stairs, and a +voice calling, "Plessis! Plessis! Where the devil are you? The +whole house seems to be deserted! Why, what in Satan's name is +here? Here's blood all the way down the stairs! By Heaven, it +wouldn't surprise me if the Orangemen had got into the house. We +must take care that there isn't a trap. Give me that lamp, +Cranburne. You had better have your pistols ready, gentlemen. How +can we manage now?--Two of you stay and guard each corridor, while we +go in here." + +There seemed now to take place a low-toned conversation amongst them, +and the Lady Helen, with a pale countenance, drew back towards Wilton +and Laura. The Captain, on his part, unbuttoned his coat, and drew +out a pistol from the belt that he wore underneath: but Wilton said, +"Put it up, my good friend, put it up. Do not let us set any example +of violence. Where there are nine or ten against two, it is somewhat +dangerous to begin the affray. We can always have recourse to +resistance at last." + +"Oh, not for my sake! not for my sake!" said Lady Laura, in a low +voice. "For Heaven's sake, risk not your life for me!" + +"Let us keep this deep window behind us," said Wilton, speaking to +his companion, "for that will give us some advantage, at all events. +Draw a little behind us, dear Lady Laura. We will manage all things +as gently as we can." + +"Let me speak to them, Wilton," said the Lady Helen--"from one +circumstance or another, I must know them almost all." + +As she spoke, the large heavy latch was lifted, and the door slowly +and cautiously opened. + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +A PAUSE of expectation, even if it be but for a minute, is sometimes +the most painful thing in the world; and the heart of poor Laura at +that moment, while the door was being slowly opened, and all their +eyes were fixed eagerly upon it, felt as if the blood were stayed in +it till it was nearly bursting. Wilton, who saw all that took place +more calmly, judged by the careful opening of the door, that there +was a good deal of timidity in the persons whom it hid from their +view. But when it was at length opened, the sight that it presented +was not well calculated to soothe any one's alarm. + +In the doorway itself were three well-armed men, with each his sword +drawn in his hand, while behind these again were seen the faces of +several more. The countenance of the first, Sir George Barkley, which +we have already described, was certainly not very prepossessing, and +to the eyes of Laura, there was not one who had not the countenance +of an assassin. It was evident that Sir George Barkley expected to +see a much more formidable array than that presented to him and his +companions, in the persons of two ladies and two armed gentlemen, for +his eyes turned quickly from the right to the left round the room, to +assure himself that it contained no one else. There was a momentary +pause at the door; but when it was clear that very little was to be +apprehended, the troop poured in with much more hasty and confident +steps than those with which they had first approached. + +Two or three of Sir George Barkley's party were advancing quickly to +the spot where Wilton and the lady stood; but the young gentleman +held up his right hand suddenly, putting his left upon one of the +pistols which he carried, and saying, "Stand back, gentlemen! I do +not permit men with swords drawn to come too close to me, till I know +their purpose--Stand back, I say!" and he drew the pistol from his +belt. + +"We mean you no harm, sir," said Sir George Barkley, pausing with the +rest. "But we must know who you are, and what you are doing here, and +that immediately." + +"Who I am, can be of no more consequence to you, sir," replied +Wilton, "than who you are is to me--which, by your good leave, I +would a great deal rather not know, if you will suffer me to be +ignorant thereof;--and as to what I am doing here, I do not see that +I am bound to explain that to anybody but the master of the house, or +to some person authorized by law to inquire into such particulars." + +"Mighty fine, sir," said the voice of Sir John Fenwick, as he +advanced from behind--"Mighty fine! But this is a mere waste of time. +In the first place, what are you doing with that lady, who, as her +father's friend, I intend immediately to take under my protection." + +"Her father, sir," replied Wilton, with a contemptuous smile, "judges +that the lady has been somewhat too long under your careful but +somewhat forcible protection already. I beg leave to give you notice, +Sir John Fenwick, that I am fully authorized by the Duke of Gaveston, +Lady Laura's father, by a writing under his own hand, to seek for and +deliver her from those who have taken her away. I know you have been +too wise and prudent to suffer yourself to be seen in this business +hitherto, and if you will take my advice, you will not meddle with it +now.--Stand back, sir; for as I live, I will shoot you through the +head if you take one single step forward; and you know I will keep my +word!" + +"But there is more to be inquired into, sir," exclaimed Sir George +Barkley--"there is blood--blood upon the stairs, blood--" + +"Hear me, Sir George," said Lady Helen, advancing. "You know me well, +and must believe what I say." + +"I have the pleasure of recollecting your ladyship very well," +replied Sir George; "but I thought that you and Miss Villars had +sailed back for France by this time." + +"Alas! Sir George," replied the lady--"poor Caroline, I fear, will +not be able to be moved. She has met with a severe accident to-night, +and it is her blood, poor child, that you saw upon the stairs. This +gentleman has had nothing farther to do with the matter, except +inasmuch as he was accidentally present, and kindly carried her +upstairs to the room where she now lies." + +"That alters the case," said Sir George Barkley: "but who is he? We +have heard reports by the way which give us alarm. Will he pledge his +honour, as a gentleman, never to mention anything he has seen this +night--or, at least, not for six months?" + +"On that condition," demanded Wilton, "will you give me perfect +freedom of egress with this lady and the gentleman who is with me?" + +"Not with the lady!" exclaimed Sir George Barkley, sharply; and at +the same moment Sir John Fenwick, Rookwood, and Parkyns all +surrounded the Jacobite leader, speaking eagerly, but in a low tone, +and evidently remonstrating against his permitting the departure of +any of the party. He seemed puzzled how to act. + +"Come out here again," he said--"come out here, where we can speak +more at ease. They cannot get out of this room, if we keep the +door." + +"Not without breaking their neck from the window," replied Rookwood. + +"What is that small door there at the side?" said Sir George +Barkley. "Let some one see!" + +"'Tis nothing but a cupboard," said Sir John Fenwick--"I examined it +the other night, for fear of eavesdroppers. There is no way out." + +"I shall consider your proposal, sir," said Sir George Barkley, +turning to Wilton: "stay here quietly. We wish to offer no violence +to any man; we are very harmless people in our way." + +A grim smile hung upon his thin lip as he spoke; and looking from +time to time behind him, as if he feared the use which Wilton might +make of the pistol in his hand, he left the room with his +companions. The moment after, the lock of the door was heard to +turn, and a heavy bar that hung beside it clattered as it was drawn +across. + +"A few minutes gained is a great thing," cried Wilton. "I have heard +of people defending themselves long, by forming a sort of temporary +barricade. A single cavalier in the time of Cromwell kept at bay a +large force for several hours. In this deep window we are defended +on all sides but one. Let us do what we can to guard ourselves on +that also." + +The furniture was scanty; but still the large table in the middle of +the room, and a sideboard which stood in one corner, together with +chairs and various smaller articles, were speedily formed into a +little fortress, as it were, which enclosed the opening of the window +in such a manner as to leave a space open towards the enemy of not +more than two feet in width. Wilton exerted himself to move all +these without noise, and the Captain aided him zealously; while Laura +clung to Lady Helen, and hid her eyes upon her new friend's bosom, +anticipating every moment the return of the other party, and the +commencement of a scene of strife and bloodshed. + +It is to the proceedings of those without the room, however, that we +must more particularly direct our attention. + +"In the name of Heaven, Sir George," exclaimed both Rookwood and +Fenwick, as soon as they were on the outside of the door--"do not let +them go, on any account. Our whole plan is blasted, and ourselves +ruined for ever, if such a thing is to take place!" + +"Why," continued Fenwick, "this youth, this Wilton Brown, is +secretary to the Earl of Byerdale, a natural son of Lord Sunbury, it +is supposed, brought up from his infancy in the most violent Orange +principles; and he will think himself justified in breaking his word +with us the moment he is out of the house, and bringing upon us the +troops from Hoo. He knows me well by sight, too; and if he be let +loose, I shall not consider my life worth a moment's purchase." + +"Even if you could trust him," said Rookwood, "there is the other, +Captain Byerly as they call him, Green's great friend, who threw the +money, which Lowick offered him to quit Green, in his face. If the +tidings we just now heard, that the matter has taken some wind, be +true, this fellow Byerly will bring down the soldiers upon us, and +swear to us anywhere." + +"But what am I to do?" demanded Sir George Barkley, hesitating. "We +shall have bloodshed and much noise, depend upon it." + +"Leave them all, locked in, where they are," said Sir William +Parkyns--"they can do no harm there. Let us ourselves, like brave +and determined men, carry into execution at once the resolution we +have formed. Let us turn our horses' heads towards London; meet at +Turnham Green, as was proposed; and while people are seeking for us +here in vain, the usurper's life will be brought to an end, and his +unsteady government overthrown for ever. Everything in the country +will be in confusion; our friends will be rising in all +quarters;--the Duke of Berwick, I know, was at Calais yesterday;--the +army can land in two days; and the advantages of our situation will +all be secured by one prompt and decided blow. I say, leave them +where they are. Before they can make their escape, the whole thing +will be over, and we shall be safe." + +"Nonsense, Sir William," cried Fenwick, "nonsense, I say. Here is +Plessis, has evidently played into their hands; the man we put to +guard the girl has been bribed off his post; the window itself is not +so high but that an active man might easily drop from it, if he could +see clearly where to light below; ere noon, to-morrow, the tidings of +our assemblies would reach Kensington. William of Orange would not +stir out, and the whole plan would be frustrated. We should be +hunted down through the country like wild beasts, and you would be +one of the first to repent the advice you have given." + +"But my good friend, Fenwick," said Sir George Barkley, "all this is +very well. But still you do not say what is to be done. Every one +objects to the plan which is proposed by another, and yet no one +proposes anything that is not full of dangers." + +"For my part," said Charnock, who had hitherto scarcely spoken at +all--"for my part, if you were to ask my opinion, I should say, Let +us walk in--we are here eleven or twelve in all; twelve, I think--and +just quietly make a circle round, and give them a pistol-shot or +two. If people WILL come prying into other persons' affairs, and +meddling with things they have no business to concern themselves +about, they must take the consequences." + +"Not in cold blood! not in cold blood!" exclaimed Rookwood. + +"And the women!" said Sir John Fenwick, "Remember the women!" + +"I hope William of Orange won't have a woman with him to-morrow," +said Charnock, coolly, "or if he has, that she'll not be upon my side +of the carriage; I would never let a woman stand in the way when a +great deed was to be done." + +"Well, for my part," said Fenwick, "I agree with Sir William Parkyns, +that no time is to be lost in the execution of this business; but I +agree also with Captain Rookwood, that it would be horrible to cut +these men's throats in cold blood. What I propose is this, that we at +once demand that they lay down their arms, and that, pledging our +word of honour no evil shall happen to them, we march them down one +by one to the boat, and ship them off for France. It will be an +affair of three hours to get them embarked; but that will be time +well bestowed. We can then proceed to the execution of our scheme at +once, and in far greater safety. If they make any resistance, the +consequence be upon their own head." + +"But," said Sir George Barkley, "depend upon it they will not go. +There is a determination in that young fellow's look which is not to +be mistaken. He will submit to no power but that of the law." + +"Well, then," said Sir John Fenwick, "frighten him with the law! +Declare that you will take them all before a magistrate, to give an +account of the blood that has been shed here. There is blood on his +collar, and his face too, for I saw it; and the whole stairs is +spotted with blood. Tell them that both the men must surrender and +go before a magistrate. The ladies, you can say, may go where they +like, and do what they like, but the men must surrender. Let half of +us go down with the men, and lead or force them to the ship, while +the rest bring down the two women a few minutes after." + +"That is not a bad plan at all, Fenwick," said Sir George Barkley. +"Let us see what can be done by it. We can but come to blows at +last." + +While the latter part of this conversation had been going on between +Fenwick and Barkley, the Jacobite called Charnock and a dull-looking +man not unlike himself, but only shorter and more broadly made, had +been speaking together in a low voice behind. At first their +conversation was carried on in a whisper; but at length the man said +somewhat louder, "Oh, I'll do it! That's the only way to settle +it. You take the one, and I'll take the other. We don't readily +miss our mark either of us." + +"Let Sir George begin his story," replied Charnock. "There must be +some talk at first, you know. Then get quietly up behind our timid +friends here, and when I give a nod, we will both fire at once." + +"I understand," answered the other. "You had better see that your +pistols are primed, Charnock, and that the balls are not out, for you +rode at a rate down that hill which would shake almost any ball into +the holster." + +"I looked just now," said Charnock--"it's all right. Let us keep +pretty near Sir George;" and turning round, he came nearer to Sir +George Barkley, who was just finishing his conversation with Fenwick, +as we have described. + +While holding this long consultation, the insurgents had not been +many paces from the door, and they now turned and re-entered the +room. The state of defence in which Wilton and his companion had +placed themselves showed a degree of determination that seemed to +surprise and puzzle them a good deal; for Sir George Barkley again +paused, and spoke to Sir John Fenwick, who was close behind him. + +"The more reason for doing as we propose," replied Sir John to his +friend's observation. "They will not resist going before a +magistrate--at least, Wilton Brown will not, and we can easily manage +the other." + +Sir George Barkley then advanced another step, saying to Wilton, who, +notwithstanding the barrier he had raised, was still quite visible as +far as the waist, "We have consulted, sir, on what it is necessary to +do with you, and if your own account of yourselves be true, you will +readily acquiesce in our determination. If you resist it, you show +that you know yourselves to be guilty of some crime, and we must deal +with you accordingly." + +"Pray, sir, what is your determination?" asked Wilton. "For my part, +I require free permission to quit this place with this gentleman and +Lady Laura Gaveston; and nothing shall prevent me from so doing at +the risk of my life." + +"You shall do so, sir," replied Sir George Barkley, "but you shall go +before a magistrate in the first instance. Here are evident marks of +violence having been committed upon the person of some one; the +staircase, the vestibule, the corridors, are covered with blood; your +coat, your collar, your face, are also bloody; and we feel ourselves +bound, before we let you depart, to have this matter strictly +inquired into." + +"Oh, go before a magistrate at once," said Laura, in a low voice: "we +have nothing to fear from that, and they have everything." + +"Showing clearly that it is a pretence, dear lady," replied Wilton, +in the same low tone. "Keep behind the barricade. I see one of those +men creeping up from the door with a pistol in his hand.--Sir," he +continued, addressing Sir George Barkley, "in those circumstances, +the best plan for you to pursue will be to bring a magistrate here. I +neither know who you are, nor what are your views; but I find this +young lady, who has been carried off from her father's house, +illegally brought hither, and detained. I know the house to be a +suspected one; and although, as I have before said, I neither know +who you are, nor what are your views, and do not by any means wish to +know, yet the circumstances in which I find you are sufficiently +doubtful to justify me in refusing to quit this spot, and place +myself in your hands, unless every man present gives me his word of +honour as a gentleman that I shall go free whithersoever I will. If, +therefore, you think a magistrate requisite to inquire into this +business, send for one. I think, however, that you would do much +better to plight me your word at once, and let me go. I know no one +but Sir John Fenwick here: therefore I can betray no one but him; +and to Sir John Fenwick I pledge my word that I will not mention +him." + +It was evident that Sir John Fenwick put no trust in such assurances, +and he was seen speaking vehemently with Sir George Barkley. At the +same moment, however, a low conversation was carried on in a slow and +careless sort of manner by Charnock and the other, who were just +behind. + +"I can't get a shot at the Captain," said Charnock, calmly. "His +head is covered by that table they've set on end.--Stop a bit, stop +a bit!" + +"Better let me settle this young fellow first," said the other, "and +then the stupid fools will be obliged to make a rush upon the +Captain. When once blood is drawn, they must go on, you know." + +"Very well," replied Charnock, "I don't care"--and there was the +sudden click of a pistol-lock heard behind. "His eye is upon you," +said Charnock. "Make haste! He is cocking his pistol!" + +The man instantly raised the weapon that was in his hand, and was in +the very act of firing over the shoulder of Sir George Barkley, when +his arm was suddenly knocked up by a blow from behind, and the ball +passed through the window, a yard and a half above Wilton's head. + +Wilton instantly dropped the muzzle of his pistol, without returning +the shot. But there was a cause for his so doing, which none of the +conspirators themselves, who were all eagerly looking towards the +spot where he stood, had yet perceived. + +While Charnock and the other had been speaking, a young gentleman had +suddenly entered the room, and pushing rapidly forward through the +group in the doorway, he had advanced to the front and knocked up the +hand of the assassin just as he was in the very act of firing. The +new comer was dressed in dark-coloured clothes, and more in the +French than in the English costume of that day, with a curious sort +of cravat of red silk tied in a bow beneath the chin. He wore his +hat, which was trimmed with feathers, and a large red bow of ribands, +and in his hand he bore nothing but a small cane with an amber head, +while his person displayed no arms whatever, except a small riding +sword, which every gentleman wore in that day. + +His figure was tall and commanding; his countenance open, noble, but +somewhat stern; and there was to be remarked therein the peculiar +expression which the pictures of Vandyke have handed down to us in +the portraits of Charles I. It was a melancholy expression; but in +Charles that melancholy seemed somewhat mingled with weakness; while +on the stern brow and tightly-compressed lips of the young stranger, +might be read, by the physiognomist, vigour and determination almost +approaching to obstinacy. + +The same, perhaps, might have been said of him which was said by the +Roman sculptor when he beheld the picture of Charles, "That man will +not die a natural death;" and in this instance, also, the prophecy +would have been correct. But there was something that might have +spoken, too, of death upon the battle-field, or in the deadly breach, +or in some enterprise where daring courage needed to be supported by +unshrinking pertinacity and resolution. + +The sound of the pistol-shot fixed all eyes, for an instant, upon +that particular point in the room towards which it had been fired; +but the moment that the conspirators beheld the person who now stood +amongst them, they instantly drew back in a circle. Every sword was +thrust into its sheath, every hat was taken off, while, with a +flashing eye and frowning brow, the young stranger turned to Sir +George Barkley, exclaiming, "What is all this, sir? What is this, +gentlemen? Are ye madmen? or fools? or villains?" + +"Those are hard words, your grace," replied Sir George Barkley, "and +hard to stomach." + +"Not more than those persons deserve, sir," replied the stranger, +"who betray the confidence of their King, when they know that he is +powerless to punish them." + +"We are serving our King, my lord duke," replied Sir John Fenwick, +"and not betraying his confidence. Are we not here in arms, my Lord +of Berwick, perilling our lives, prepared for any enterprise, and all +on the King's behalf?" + +"I say again, sir," replied the Duke of Berwick, "that those who +abuse the trust reposed in them, so as to ruin their monarch's +honour, his character, and his reputation, are tenfold greater +traitors than those who have stripped him of his crown. There is but +one excuse for your conduct, that you have acted with mistaken zeal +rather than criminal intent. But you have aggravated the guilt of +your plans by concealing them till the last moment, not only from +your King, but from your Commander-in-chief. All here who hold +commissions, or at least all but one or two, hold them under my hand +as generalissimo of my father's forces. Those commissions authorize +you to raise men for the service of your lawful sovereign, and to +kill or take prisoner his enemies arrayed in arms against you, but to +assassinate no man; and I feel heartily ashamed that any person +leagued in this great cause with me, should not be able to +distinguish between war and murder. However, on these subjects let us +speak no more at present, for there are matters even more important +to be thought of I heard of this but yesterday morning, and at the +imminent peril of my life have come to England to stop such deeds. I +sought you in London, Sir George Barkley, and have followed you +hither; and from what I have heard, I have to tell you that your +coming to England has been discovered, and that for the last four or +five days a warrant has been out against you, without your knowing +it. This I learned, beyond all doubt, from my Lady Middleton. There +is reason, also, to believe that your whole designs are known, sirs, +though it would seem all your names have not yet been obtained. My +advice, therefore, is, that you instantly disperse to different parts +of the country, or effect your escape to France. For you, Sir George, +there is no chance but to retire to France at once, as the warrant is +out." + +"It most fortunately happens," said Sir George Barkley, "that a ship +is on the point of sailing, and lies in the river here, under Dutch +colours. Your grace will, of course, go back in her?" + +"No, sir," replied the Duke--"I shall go as I came, in an open boat. +But you have no time to lose, for I know that suspicion is attached +to this spot. In the first place, however, tell me, what you have +here. What new outrage is this that I have just seen attempted? If I +had not entered at the very moment, cold and cowardly bloodshed would +have taken place five minutes ago." + +The Duke's eyes were fixed upon Wilton as he spoke; and that +gentleman, now seeing and understanding whom he had to deal with, put +back the pistol into his belt, and advanced, saying,-- + +"My lord, it is probable I owe my life to your inter-position; and +to you the circumstances in which I am placed will be explained in a +moment. In your honour and integrity, I have confidence; but the +murderous purpose which you have just disappointed shows how well I +was justified in doubting the intentions of the men by whom I was but +now surrounded." + +"Had you given them no offence, sir?" demanded the Duke of Berwick. +"I can scarcely suppose that so dark and sanguinary an act would have +been attempted had you not given some cause. I saw the pistol +levelled over Sir George Barkley's shoulder, while he seemed speaking +to you. That I considered a most unfair act, and stopped it. But you +must surely have done something to provoke such deeds.--Good +heavens! the Lady Helen Oswald!" he continued, as the elder lady +advanced, with Laura clinging to her. "Madam, I fully thought you +were at St. Germain.--Can you tell us anything of this strange +affair?" + +"But too much, my lord," replied the lady, speaking eagerly, "but too +much for the honour of these men, who have thought fit to violate +every principle of justice and humanity. This young lady beside me +has been dragged from her father's house by the orders of some of +these gentlemen here present, beyond all doubt. This young gentleman +has traced her hither, legally authorized to carry her back to her +father; and although he plighted his honour, and I pledged my word +for him, that he would do nothing and say nothing to compromise any +of the persons here present, they not only refused to let him depart, +but have, as you saw yourself, most treacherously attempted to take +his life while they were affecting to parley with him." + +"Madam," said the Duke of Berwick, in a sorrowful tone, "I am deeply +grieved and pained by all that has occurred. I confess I never felt +despondency till I discovered that persons, pretending to be my +father's friends, have made his cause the pretext for committing +crimes and acts like these. I have already heard this young lady's +story. All London is ringing with it; and the Earl of Aylesbury gave +me this morning, what is probably the real explanation of the whole +business. We will not enter upon it now, for there is no time to be +spared. I feel and know--and I say it with bitter regret--that the +deeds which these gentlemen have done, and the schemes which they +have formed, will do more to injure the cause of their legitimate +sovereign than the loss of twenty pitched battles. Sir George +Barkley, I beg you would make no reply. Provide for your safety, sir. +Your long services and sufferings are sufficient to make some +atonement; and I will take care to conceal from the ears of the King, +as far as possible, how you have misused his authority. Sir John +Fenwick and the rest of you gentlemen must act as you think fit in +regard to remaining in England, or going to the Continent. But I am +inclined to recommend to you the latter, as the safest expedient. You +will leave me to deal with this gentleman and his friends; for I need +not tell you that I shall suffer no farther injury or insult to be +offered to them. As to the personage who actually fired the pistol, I +have merely to tell him, that should I ever meet with him in +circumstances where I have the power to act, I will undoubtedly +punish him for his conduct this night." + +The conspirators whispered for a moment amongst themselves; and at +length Sir William Parkyns took a step forward, saying, "Are we to +understand your grace that you will give us no assistance from the +French forces under your command?" + +"You are so to understand me," replied the Duke of Berwick, sternly: +"I will not, sir, allude distinctly to the schemes that you have +formed. But you are all well aware of them; and I tell you that I +will give no aid, support, or countenance whatsoever, either to such +schemes or to the men who have formed them. At the same time, let me +say, that had there been--instead of such schemes--a general rising +against the usurper--ay, or even a partial rising--nay, had I found +twenty gentlemen in arms who needed my help in the straightforward, +honest, upright intent of re-seating their sovereign on his lawful +throne, I would not have hesitated for a moment to land the troops +under my command, and to have made a last determined stand for honour +and my father's rights. As it is, gentlemen, I have nothing farther +to say, but take care of yourselves. I shall remain here for a couple +of hours, and then return with all speed to France." + +"But does not your grace run a great risk," said Sir George Barkley, +"in remaining so long?" + +"I fear no risk, sir," said the Duke of Berwick, "in a righteous +cause; and I do not wish that any man should say I was amongst the +first to fly after I had warned others. You have all time, gentlemen, +if you make use of it wisely. Some, I see, are taking advantage of my +caution already. Sir George, you had better not be left behind in the +race. You say there is a ship in the river--get to her, and be gone +with all speed." + +"But the captain will not sail without the Lady Helen," said the +conspirator, with some hesitation: "she, it seems, has hired the +vessel, and he refused this morning to go without her." + +"That shall be no impediment," said the lady. "You may tell the +captain that I set him free from his engagement, and I will give an +order to his grace that the money may be paid which is the man's due. +I told you before, Miss Villars had met with a severe accident, and I +can neither quit her in such circumstances, nor go till she has +recovered." + +"Will you be kind enough, madam," replied Sir George, who always had +thoughts for his own safety, "to write what you have said in these +tablets? Here is a pencil." + +The lady took the tablets and wrote; and while she did so, two or +three, more of the conspirators dropped quietly out of the room. The +Duke of Berwick at the same time advanced, and said a few kindly +words to Lady Laura, and spoke for a moment to Wilton, with a +familiar smile, in regard to the risk he had run. + +"To tell the truth," he said, "I was almost afraid that I should +myself meet with a shot between you; for I saw you had your pistol +cocked in your hand, and expected that the next fire would have been +upon your side." + +"I saw you knock his arm up, sir," replied Wilton; "and though I was +not aware of the name of the person who entered, I was not a little +rejoiced to see, at least, one man of honour amongst them." + +"Alas! sir," replied the Duke, in a lower tone, "they are all, more +or less, men of honour; but you must remember that there is a +fanaticism in politics as well as in religion, and men will think +that a great end will justify any intermediate means. An oak, planted +in the sand, sir, is as soon blown down as any other tree; and it is +not every heart that is firm and strong enough constantly to support +the honour that is originally implanted in it against the furious +blasts of passion, interest, or ambition. You must remember, too, +that those who are called Jacobites in this country have been hunted +somewhat like wolves and wild beasts; and nothing drives zeal into +fanaticism so soon as persecution." + +"My lord, I am now ready to depart," said Sir George Barkley, +approaching, "and doubt not to be able to make my views and motives +good to my royal master." + +"There is none, sir, who will abhor your views so much," replied the +Duke of Berwick, proudly, "though he may applaud your motives. But +you linger, Sir George. Can I do anything for you, or for those other +gentlemen by the door?" + +"Nothing, your grace," replied Sir George Barkley; "but we would fain +see you provide for your own safety." + +"Oh, no fear, no fear," replied the Duke. "Gentlemen, good night. I +trust to hear, when in another land, that this bad affair has ended +without evil consequences to yourselves. To the cause of your +sovereign it may be a great detriment; but I pray God that no whisper +of the matter may get abroad so as to affect his honour or bring +suspicion on his name. Once more, good night!" + +Sir George Barkley bowed his head, and followed by three others, who +had still lingered, quitted the room. + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + + +There came a pause after the conspirators were gone, and the Duke of +Berwick gazed down upon the floor for a moment or two, as if thinking +of what was next to be done. + +"I shall be obliged to stop," he said at length, "for an hour or so, +till my horses can feed, for they want refreshment sadly. To say the +truth, I want some myself, if I can obtain it. I must go down to the +stable, and see; for though that is not exactly the place to procure +food for a man, yet, in all probability, I shall get it nowhere else. +I found the good master of the house, indeed, who is an old +acquaintance of mine, hid in the farthest nook of his own stable, +terrified out of his life, and assuring me that there would certainly +be bloodshed up stairs." + +"I will go down and look for him, your grace," replied Captain +Byerly, coming more forward than he had hitherto done. "You will find +no lack of provisions, depend upon it, in Monsieur Plessis's house." + +"One moment, sir," said the Duke, stopping him as he was going: "have +I not seen your face before?" + +"Long ago, sir, long ago," replied the Captain. "I had the honour of +commanding a troop, sir, in your regiment, during all that sad +business in Ireland--Byerly is my name." + +"I remember you well, sir," said the Duke, "and your good services. +Should we meet in France, I may be able to repay them--especially if +your views are still of a military kind." + +Byerly bowed his head, without reply, but looked much gratified; and +while he proceeded to look for Plessis, the Duke once more turned to +the Lady Helen. + +"I am sorry," he said, "to hear, from your account, madam, that an +accident has happened to Miss Villars. I have been so long absent +from St. Germain myself, that it is not very long since I heard of +her father's death. May I inquire if she is seriously hurt? for I +should apprehend that, after what has occurred, persons holding our +opinions would run considerable risks in this country, and be +subjected to a persecution even more severe than heretofore." + +The Lady Helen replied simply that her young friend was seriously +hurt, and could not be removed; but she avoided carefully all +reference to the nature of the injury she had received. The Duke then +turned the conversation to indifferent subjects, spoke cheerfully and +gaily with Lady Laura and Wilton, and showed that calm sort of +equanimity in circumstances of danger and difficulty which is partly a +gift of nature, and partly an acquisition wrung from many perils and +evils endured. Ere long, Byerly returned with Plessis, and food and +wine were speedily procured. The tables were set in order, and the +Duke remained for about a quarter of an hour refreshing himself; +while Wilton and the two ladies continued to converse with him, +delaying their departure at his request, lest any of the more +unscrupulous conspirators should still be lingering in the +neighbourhood. + +Plessis, however, was evidently uneasy; and he did not scruple at +length to express his fear, that amongst all the events of that +night, something might have happened to call the attention of the +world at large upon what was going on in his dwelling. + +Wilton's apprehensions, in regard to the Duke, were somewhat of the +same nature; for he remembered that Arden, the Messenger, whom he now +knew to be a thorough coward, had fled at the beginning of the whole +business, and would most likely return accompanied by as large a +force as he could raise in the neighbourhood. + +These fears he failed not to communicate to the Duke of Berwick; but +that nobleman looked up with a gay smile, replying, "My good sir, +my horse can go no farther. I rode one to death yesterday, and this +one, which I bought in London, is already knocked up: if I must be +caught like a rat in a rat-trap, as well here as anywhere." + +"But will it not be better," said Wilton, "to accompany me and the +Lady Laura to High Halstow, where you can instantly procure a horse? +We must proceed thither on foot. I suppose you are not likely to be +known in this part of the country, and my being with you may shield +you from some danger." + +"By no means a bad plan," said the Duke, starting up--"let us go at +once! When anything feasible is proposed, we should lose no time in +executing it." + +Wilton was ready to depart, and Lady Laura was eager to do so. Every +moment, indeed, of their stay made her feel fresh apprehensions lest +that night should not be destined to close without some more painful +event still, than those which she had already witnessed. + +She turned, however, to the Lady Helen before she went, and with the +peculiar sort of quiet grace which distinguished her, approached her +gently and kissed her cheek, saying, "I can never thank you +sufficiently, dear lady, for the kindness you have shown me, or the +deliverance which I owe, in the first place, to you; and I thank you +for the kindness you have shown me here, as much as for my +deliverance: for if it had not been for the comfort it gave me, I do +believe I should have sunk under the sorrow, and agitation, and +terror, which I felt when I was first brought hither. I hope and +believe, however, that I do not leave you here never to see you +again." + +Lady Helen smiled, and laid her hand gently upon Wilton's arm. + +"There is a link between him and me, lady," she said, "which can +never be broken; and I shall often, I hope, hear of your welfare from +him, for I trust that you will see him not infrequently." + +Lady Laura blushed slightly, but she was not one to suffer any fine +or noble feeling of the heart to be checked by such a thing as false +shame. + +"I trust I shall," she answered, raising her eyes to Wilton's face--" +I trust I shall see him often, very often; and I shall never see him, +certainly, without feelings of pleasure and gratitude. You do not +know that this is the second time he has delivered me from great +danger." + +The Duke of Berwick smiled, not, indeed, at Lady Laura's words, but +at the blush that came deeper and deeper into her cheek as she spoke. +He made no observation, however, but changed the conversation by +addressing Wilton, "Wherever I am to procure a horse under your good +guidance, my dear sir," he said, "I must, I believe, take another +name than my own; for though Berwick and London are very distant +places, yet there might be compulsory means found of bringing them +unpleasantly together. You must call me, therefore, Captain +Churchill, if you please;--a name," he added, with a sigh, "which, +very likely, the gentleman who now fills the throne of England might +be very well inclined to bestow upon me himself. Lady Helen, I wish +you good night, and take my leave. Master Plessis, I leave the horse +with you: he never was worth ten pounds, and now he's not worth five; +so you may sell him to pay for my entertainment." + +Bowing to the very ground from various feelings of respect, French, +English, and Jacobite, Plessis took a candle and lighted the Duke +down stairs, while Wilton followed, accompanied by Laura and Captain +Byerly. The outer door was then opened, and the whole party issued +forth into the field which surrounded the house, finding themselves +suddenly in the utter darkness of a moonless, starless, somewhat +foggy night. + +From the little stone esplanade, which we have mentioned, lay a +winding road up to the gate in the walls, and along that Wilton and +his companion turned their steps, keeping silence as they went, with +the listening ear bent eagerly to catch a sound. It was not, indeed, +a sense of general apprehension only which made Wilton listen so +attentively, for, in truth, he had fancied at the very moment when +they were issuing forth from the house, that he had heard a low +murmur as if of people talking at some distance. + +The same sound had met the ears of the Duke of Berwick, and had +produced the same effect; but nothing farther was heard till they +reached the gate, and Wilton's hand was stretched out to open it; +when suddenly a loud "Who goes there?" was pronounced on the opposite +side of the gate, and half-a-dozen men, who had been lying in the +inside of the wall, surrounded the party on all sides. + +Several persons now spoke at once. "Who goes there?" cried one voice +again; but at the same time another exclaimed, "Call up the +Messenger, call up the Messenger from the other gate." + +These last words gave Wilton some satisfaction, though they were by +no means pleasant to the ears of the Duke of Berwick. + +The former, however, replied to the challenge, "A friend!" and +instantly added, "God save King William!" + +"God save King William!" cried one of the voices: "you cry that on +compulsion, I've a notion. Pray, who are you that cry `God save King +William'?" + +"My name, sir, is Wilton Brown," replied the young gentleman, +"private secretary to the Earl of Byerdale. Where is the Messenger +who came down with me? Be so good as to call him up immediately." + +"Oh! you are the young gentleman who came down with the Messenger, +are you?" said one of the others: "he was in a great taking lest you +should be murdered." + +"It was not his fault," replied Brown, somewhat bitterly, "that I was +not murdered; and if it had not been for Captain Churchill and this +other gentleman, who came to my assistance at the risk of their +lives, I certainly should have been assassinated by the troop of +Jacobites and smugglers amongst whom I fell." + +The Duke of Berwick could not refrain from a low laugh at the +description given of the persons whom they had just seen; but Wilton +spoke loud again, in order to cover the somewhat ill-timed merriment +of his companion, asking of the person who had replied, "Pray, who +are you, sir?" + +"I am head constable of High Halstow," replied the man, "and I +remained here with our party, while Master Arden and the rest, with +the soldiers from Hoo, went round to the other gate." + +"Why did not the cowardly rascal go in by this gate himself," +demanded Wilton, "instead of putting you, my friend, at the post of +danger?" + +"Ay, it was shabby enough of him," replied the man; "but I don't fear +anything; not I." + +"I'm afraid, my good fellows, it is too late," replied Wilton. "All +the gang have got off near an hour ago. If that stupid Messenger had +known what he was about, this affair would have had a different +result; but he ran away at the first shot that was fired--Have you +sent for him?" he continued, after a moment's pause. + +"Oh yes, sir, we've sent for him," said the man, "though it's not +much use, if they are all gone, sir." + +"Oh yes," replied Wilton, "you may as well make a good search amongst +the grounds and in the hedges. It will say something for your +activity, at all events. I shall go on to Halstow, but I wish one or +two of you would just show us the way, and when Arden comes up, tell +him to come after me immediately. I have a great mind to put him +under arrest, and send him up to the Earl, for his bad conduct." + +The tone in which Wilton spoke, and the very idea of his arresting +the arrestor of all men, and sending up the Messenger of State as a +common prisoner to London, proved so impressive with the personages +he addressed, that they made not the slightest opposition to his +purpose of proceeding, but sent one of their number to show him the +way. + +Accompanied, therefore, by Lady Laura, the Duke of Berwick, and +Captain Byerly, Wilton proceeded as fast as possible up the lane. +When they had gone about a hundred yards, however, he said, "Captain +Churchill, will you have the kindness to give the lady your arm? I +will follow you somewhat more slowly, for I want to speak a few words +to this fellow Arden.--He must not see you, if it can be avoided," +he added, in a low tone; "and I think I hear him coming." + +It was indeed as Wilton imagined. Arden had come round with all +speed, and joined the head constable of High Halstow, demanding +eagerly, "Where is Mr. Brown?" + +"He is gone on," replied the constable, "with the other gentlemen; +and a mighty passion he is in, too, at you, Mr. Arden. He vows that +you left him to be murdered, and that he would have been murdered +too, if it had not been for that Captain Churchill that is with him." + +"Captain Churchill!" cried the Messenger--"Captain Churchill! Why, +Captain Churchill was sick in bed yesterday morning, to my certain +knowledge!" + +After a moment's thought, however, he concluded that the person who +chose to assume that name might be Lord Sherbrooke, and he asked, +"What sort of a man was he? Was he a slight young gentleman, about my +height?" + +"Oh bless you, no," replied the constable. "There wasn't one of them +that was not three or four inches taller than you." + +"Captain Churchill!" said the Messenger--"Captain Churchill!" and he +added, in a lower voice, "I'll bet my life this is some d---d +Jacobite, who has imposed himself upon this foolish boy for Captain +Churchill. I'll be after them, and see." + +Thus saying, he set off at full speed after Wilton and his party, and +reached them within a minute after that gentleman had dropped behind. + +"Is that you, Mr. Arden?" demanded Wilton, as he came up. "Stop a +moment, I wish to speak to you." + +"And I wish to go on, and see who you've got there, sir," said Arden, +in a somewhat saucy tone, at the same time endeavouring to pass +Wilton. + +"Stop, sir!" cried the young gentleman, catching him by the collar. +"Do you mean to say, that you will now disobey my orders, after +having left me to provide for my own security, with the dastardly +cowardice that you have displayed? Did not the Earl direct you to +obey me in everything?" + +"I will answer it all to the Earl," replied the man, in an insolent +tone. "If he chooses to put me under a boy, I do not choose to be +collared by one. Let me go, Mr. Brown, I say." + +"I order you, sir," said Brown, without loosing his hold, "to go +instantly back, and aid the people in searching the grounds of that +house!--now, let me see if you will disobey!" + +"I will search here first, though," said the man. "By, I believe +that's Sir George Barkley, on before there. He's known to be in +England. Let me go, Mr. Brown, I say, or worse will come of it!" and +he put his hand to his belt, as if seeking for a pistol. + +Without another word, Wilton instantly knocked him down with one blow +of his clenched fist, and at the same moment he called out aloud, +"Captain Byerly! and you constable, who are showing the way--come back +here, and take this man into custody, and bear witness that he +refuses to search for the Jacobites in the way I order him. +Constable, I shall want you to take him to town in custody this +night. I will show you my warrant for what I do when we get to the +inn." + +The two persons whom he addressed came back instantly at his call; +and when the Messenger rose--considerably crest-fallen from Wilton's +sudden application to measures which he had not expected--he found +himself collared by two strong men, and led along unwillingly upon +the road he had before been treading. + +"Do not let him chatter, Captain," Wilton whispered to Captain +Byerly, as he passed on; and then immediately walking forward, he +joined the Duke and the Lady Laura. Byerly, who understood what he +was about, kept the Messenger at some distance behind; but, +nevertheless, some sharp words passing between them reached Wilton's +ear during the first quarter of an hour of their journey; then came a +dogged silence; but at length the voice of Byerly was again heard, +exclaiming, "Mr. Brown, Mr. Arden says, that, if you will overlook +what has passed, he will go back, and do as you order." + +"I shall certainly not look over the business," replied Brown, aloud, +"unless he promises not only to obey my orders at present, but also +to make a full apology to me to-morrow." + +"He says he will do what you please, sir," replied Byerly; and Wilton +turning back, heard the sullen apologies of the Messenger. + +"Mr. Arden," he said, "you have behaved extremely ill, well knowing, +as you do know, that you were placed entirely under my orders. +However, I shall pardon your conduct both upon the first occasion, +and in regard to the present business, if you now do exactly as you +are told. By your running away at the time you ought to have come +forward to assist me, you have lost an opportunity of serving the +state, in a manner which does not occur every day. In regard to the +gentleman who has gone on, and whom you were foolish enough to think +Sir George Barkley, I pledge you my honour that such is not the case. +Sir George Barkley cannot be less than twenty years older than he is, +and may be thirty." + +"He's not Captain Churchill, though," replied the man, doggedly. + +"Do not begin to speak impertinently again, sir!" said Wilton, in a +sharp tone. "But go back, as I before ordered, with the constable: +you know nothing of who that gentleman is, and my word ought to be +sufficient for you, when I tell you that he has this very night not +only aided me in setting free the Lady Laura, but absolutely saved my +life at the risk of his own from the very gang of Jacobites in whose +hands you most negligently left me. To drop this subject, however, I +have one more caution to give you," he added, in a lower voice. "It +is Lord Sherbrooke's wish that you should say not one syllable in +regard to his share in the events of this night." + +"Ay, sir, but I ought to ascertain whether he be safe or not. I know +he has his wild pranks as well as most young men; but still one ought +to know that he's safe." + +"If my word for you is not sufficient on that score," replied +Wilton, "you will find him at the house to which I directed you to +go. It is now clear of all its obnoxious tenants, and I doubt not, +Lord Sherbrooke will speak to you for a moment, if you wish it." + +Thus saying, Wilton turned upon his heel, and walking quickly onward, +soon overtook the Duke of Berwick and Lady Laura. They were now not +far from High Halstow, and the rest of the way was soon accomplished. +But as they passed into the door of the public-house, Captain Byerly, +who came last, touched Wilton on the arm, and whispered, "Do you know +that fellow is following you?" + +"No, indeed," answered Wilton: "what can be done?" + +"Go and speak to the master of the house," said Byerly, quickly. "I +will wait here in the door, and take care he does not come in. The +landlord will find means to get the Duke away by the back." + +"I dare not trust him," replied Wilton, in the same low tone. "I feel +sure he has betrayed me once to-night already." + +"If he did," answered Byerly, hastily, "it was because he thought you +on the wrong side of the question. He's a well-known man hereabouts, +and you may trust him with any secrets on that side." + +Wilton followed the Duke of Berwick and Laura as fast as possible, +and found the landlord showing them into a small sanded parlour on +the left hand, after passing a door which swung to and fro with a +pulley. + +"Come in here, landlord," he said, as he passed; "come in, and shut +the door. Have you a horse saddled?" he continued. + +"I have one that can be saddled in a minute," said the landlord, +looking first at Berwick and then at Wilton. + +"Have you any back way," continued Wilton, "by which this gentleman +can get out of the town without going through the street?" + +"Ay have I," answered the man; "through our stable, through the +garden, lead the horse down the steps, and then away to Stroud. +There's no missing the way." + +"Well then, sir," said Wilton, grasping the Duke's hand, "this is +your only chance for safety. That rascally Messenger has followed us +to the door, and doubtless if there be any magistrates in the +neighbourhood, or constables left in the place, we shall have them +down upon us in ten minutes." + +"Come with me, my lord, come with me!" cried the landlord, bursting +into energy in a moment. "I know who you are well enough. But they +shan't catch you here, I warrant you. Come into the stable: there's +not a minute to be lost; for there's old Sir John Bulrush, and Parson +Jeffreys, who's a magistrate too, drinking away up at the rectory +till the people come back from Plessis's house." Berwick lingered +not; but taking a quick leave of Lady Laura, and shaking Wilton's +hand, he followed the landlord from the room. Laura and Wilton stood +silent for a minute or two, listening to every sound, and calculating +how long it might be before the horse was saddled and the Duke upon +his way. Before they imagined it possible, however, the landlord +returned, saying, in a low voice, but with an air of joyful triumph, +"He is gone; and if they were after him this minute, the way through +my garden gives him the start by half a mile." + +"And now, landlord," said Wilton, "send off some one on horseback to +get us a conveyance from Stroud to carry this young lady on the way +to London. I suppose such a thing is not to be procured here." + +"That there is not," replied the landlord; "and unless I send your +horse, sir, or the Messenger's, or the Captain's, I have none to go." + +"Send mine, then, send mine!" replied Wilton. "But here comes Captain +Byerly himself, bringing us news, doubtless." + +"No news," answered Byerly, "except that the rascal went up the +street, and I followed him to the door of the parsonage. Your +parson's a magistrate--isn't he, Wicks?" + +The landlord gave a nod; and Byerly continued, "By Jove, I'll be off +then, for I'm not fond of magistrates, and he'll be down here soon." + +"You had better bid them bring down a chaise for the gentleman and +lady from Stroud," said the landlord. "That will save me from sending +some one on the gentleman's horse." + +"No, no, landlord, no, no!" answered Byerly, "you are not up to a +stratagem. Send your ostler with me on Mr. Brown's horse. We'll go +clattering along the street like the devil, if we can but get off +before the justices come down, and they'll take it into their wise +noddles that one of us is the gentleman who has just gone. Come, +Wicks, there's no time to spare. We shall meet again, Mr. Brown; good +night, good night. I shall tell the Colonel that we've done the +business much more tidily than I could have expected." And without +further ceremony he quitted the room. + +Another pause ensued, during which but a few words passed between +Wilton and Lady Laura, who sat gazing thoughtfully into the fire. +Wilton stood by the window and listened, thinking he heard some +distant sounds as of persons speaking, and loud tongues at the +further end of the street. A minute after, however, there came the +clatter of horses' feet upon the pavement of the yard; and in +another instant Byerly's voice was heard, saying, "Come, put to your +spurs," and two horses galloped away from the inn as hard as they +could go. + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +IT is wonderful how scenes of danger and difficulty--it is wonderful +how scenes of great excitement of any kind, indeed--draw heart to +heart, and bind together, in bonds indissoluble, the beings that have +passed through them side by side. They are never to be broken, those +bonds; for between us and the persons with whom we have trod such +paths there is established a partnership in powerful memories, out of +which we can never withdraw our interest. But it is not alone that +they are permanent which renders them different from all lighter +ties; it is that they bring us closer, more entirely to each other; +that instead of sharing the mere thoughts of what we may call the +outward heart, we enter into the deepest recesses, we see all the +hidden treasures, we know the feelings and the ideas that are +concealed from the general eye of day, we are no longer kept in the +porch, but admitted into the temple itself. + +Wilton was left alone in the small parlour of the inn with Lady +Laura; and as soon as he heard the horses' feet gallop away, he +turned towards her with a glad smile. But when he did so, he found +that her beautiful eyes were now fixed upon him with a gaze deep and +intense--a gaze which showed that the whole thoughts and feelings of +her heart were abstracted from everything else on earth to meditate +on all that she owed to him, and on the things alone that were +connected therewith. + +She dropped her eyes as soon as they met his; but that one look was +overpowering to the man who now certainly loved her as deeply as it +is possible for man to love woman. Many a difficulty and doubt had +been removed from his mind by the words which Lord Sherbrooke had +spoken while affecting to seek for the warrant; and there were vague +hopes of high destinies in his heart. But it must be acknowledged, +that if there had been none, he would have given way, even as he did. + +He advanced towards her, he took her hand in his, he pressed it +between both his own, he kissed it tenderly, passionately, and more +than once. Lady Laura lifted up her eyes to his face, not blushing, +but very pale. + +"Oh, Wilton," she said, "what do I not owe you!" and she burst into +tears. The words, the look, the very tears themselves, were all more +than sufficient encouragement. + +"You owe me nothing, Laura," Wilton said. "Would to God that I had +such an opportunity of serving you as to make me forgive in myself +the rash, the wild, the foolish feelings that, in spite of every +struggle and every effort, have grown up in my heart towards you, and +have taken possession of me altogether. But, oh, Laura, I cannot hope +that you will forgive them, I cannot forgive them myself. They can--I +know they can, only produce anguish and sorrow to myself, and excite +anger, perhaps indignation, in you." + +"Oh no, no, no, Wilton!" she cried, eagerly, "not that, not that! +neither anger, nor indignation, nor anything like it, but grief--and +yet not grief either--oh no, not grief!--Some apprehension, perhaps, +some anxiety both for your happiness and my own. But if you do feel +all you say, as I believe and am sure you do, such feelings, so far +as depends upon me, should produce you no anguish and no pain; but I +must not conceal from you that I very much fear, my father would +never--" + +An increasing noise at the door of the house broke in upon what Laura +was saying. There were cries, and loud tongues, and vociferations of +many kinds; among which, one voice was heard, exclaiming, "Go round +to the back door!" + +Another person, apparently just under the window, shouted, "I am very +sure that was not the man!" and then added, "Bring out my horse, +however, bring out my horse! I'll catch them, and raise the hue and +cry as I go!" + +At the same time there were other voices speaking in the passage, and +one loud sonorous tongue exclaiming, "Ali, Master Wicks, Master +Wicks! I thought you would get yourself into a scrape one of these +days, Master Wicks;" to which the low deep voice of the landlord was +heard, replying-- + +"I have got myself into no scrape, your reverence. I don't know what +you mean or what you wait.--Search? You may search any part of the +house you like. I don't care! If there were twenty people here, I +have nothing to do with it. I can't refuse gentlemen to put up their +horses, or to give them a bowl of punch, or a mug of ale. There, sir, +there's a gentleman and lady in that parlour. Pray, sir, walk in, and +see whether they are Jacobites or smugglers or what riots." + +As these words sounded close to them, Lady Laura sunk down again into +her chair; and Wilton, drawing a little back, hesitated, for a +moment, whether he should go out himself and notice what was taking +place, or not. The question, however, was decided for him by the door +of the room being thrown suddenly open, and the rotund person of the +clergyman of the parish, bearing, in the "fair round belly with fat +capon lined," the sign and symbol affixed by Shakspeare to the +"Justice of Peace," entered the apartment. He gazed with some +surprise upon two persons, who, notwithstanding some slight disarray +in their apparel from all the events which had lately taken place, +still bore the appearance of belonging to the highest class of +society. + +The reverend justice had entered the room with a look of pompous +importance, which was diminished, but not entirely done away, by +evident surprise at the appearance of Laura and Wilton. The young +gentleman, however, was not particularly well pleased with the +interruption, and still less with this domineering air, which he +hastened to extinguish as fast as possible. + +"Pray, sir, what do you want?" he demanded, addressing the +magistrate, "and who are you?" + +"Nay, sir," answered the reverend gentleman, "what I want is, to know +who you are. I have here information that there is in this house a +notorious Jacobite malefactor, returned from beyond seas, contrary to +law, named Sir George Barkley. I am a magistrate for the county, sir, +and I have information, I say." + +"Upon oath, sir?" demanded Wilton. + +"No, sir, not upon oath, not upon oath," replied the clergyman, "but +what is quite as good, upon the word of a Messenger of State, sir--of +Mr. Arden, the Council Messenger, sir." + +"Landlord!" exclaimed Wilton, seeing the face of Wicks amongst +several others at the door, "be so good as to bring Mr. Arden, the +Messenger, here. Bring him by the collar, if he does not come +willingly. I will be answerable for the consequences." + +The magistrate looked astounded; but the landlord came forward with a +grin and a low bow, saying, "The gentleman has mounted his horse, +sir, and ridden after those other two gentlemen who went away a +quarter of an hour ago; but, Lord bless you, sir," he added, with a +sly look, "he'll never catch them. Why, his horse is quite lame." + +"The fact is," replied Wilton, "this man Arden did not choose to come +in here, as he well knew I should certainly send him to London in +custody, to answer for his bad conduct this night.--Sir, I beg to +inform you, that I am private secretary to the Earl of Byerdale; and +that this young lady, the daughter of the Duke of Gaveston, having +been carried off from the terrace near his house by agents, it is +supposed, of the late King James II., for the purpose of drawing over +her father to support that faction, the Duke, who is pleased to +repose some trust in me, authorized me, by this paper under his hand, +to search for and deliver the lady, while at the same time the Earl +of Byerdale intrusted me with this warrant for the purposes herein +mentioned, and put this man Arden, the Messenger, under my direction +and control. At the very first sight of danger the Messenger ran +away, and by so doing left me with every chance of my being murdered +by a gang of evil-disposed persons in this neighbourhood. On his +return with a large body of constables and some military to the house +of a person who is named Plessis, I understand, he refused to obey +the orders I gave him, and followed me hither, alleging that one of +two gentlemen who had come to my assistance, and to whom I owe my own +life and the liberation of this lady, was the well-known personage +called Sir George Barkley. Those gentlemen both departed, as soon as +they saw us in safety, and I am ready to swear that neither of them +was Sir George Barkley; the person this Messenger mistook for him +being a young gentleman of four or five and twenty years of age." + +"Phoo!" cried the magistrate, with a long sort of whistling +sound--"Sir George Barkley is a man of fifty, with a great gash on +his cheek. I remember him very well, when--" + +But then seeming to recollect himself, he paused abruptly, adding, +"But pray, who was this young gentleman who so came to your +assistance, sir?" + +"I never saw him in my life before," replied Wilton, "and the name he +gave himself was Captain Churchill." + +"To be sure, to be sure!" cried the clergyman; "a younger brother of +my Lord of Marlborough's." + +"Some relation of the Marlborough family, I believe," replied Wilton, +dryly. "However, I do not know the Earl's brother myself, nor am I +aware whether there is any other Captain Churchill or not; but this +was a young gentleman, evidently under thirty, and consequently he +could not be Sir George Barkley." + +"I have searched the house high and low," said the voice of another +stout gentleman, who now pushed his way into the room; "and I can +find nothing but a sick cat up in the garret." + +"Ay, ay, Brother Bulrush, ay, ay!" replied the clergyman; "ay, ay, it +is all explained. It is all that Messenger's fault, and he has now +run away again. This worshipful young gentleman is secretary to the +Earl of Byerdale, the great minister; and I'm sure we are both very +sorry to have given him any trouble." + +"You have given me no trouble at all, gentlemen," replied Wilton, +"and I have only to beg that if the Messenger return after I am gone, +you will send him up to town to-morrow morning in the custody of a +constable. I shall not fail to report to Lord Byerdale your activity +and zeal upon the present occasion; which, indeed, may be of some +service, as I am sorry to say, that serious remonstrances have been +made regarding this part of the country, it being intimated, that +smuggling, coining, and even treasonable meetings and assemblies, are +more common here than in any other part of Kent." + +"Indeed, sir," replied one of the justices, somewhat alarmed, +"indeed, it is not our fault. They are an unruly set, they are a most +unruly set. We do the best we may, but cannot manage them.--But, sir, +the young lady looks fatigued and tired. Had she not better come up +to the parsonage, and rest there this night. She shall have a good +warm bed, and Mrs. Jeffreys, who is a motherly sort of woman, will be +quite delighted to take care of her ladyship." + +"Or Lady Bulrush either, I am sure," said the other magistrate. "The +manor-house is but half a mile." + +Wilton turned to Laura, to inquire what she thought fit to do; but +the young lady, not very much prepossessed in favour either of the +motherly sort of clergyman's wife, or the more elevated Lady Bulrush, +by the appearance and manners of their marital representatives, +leaned both her hands upon Wilton's arm, feeling implicit confidence +in him alone, and security with him only; and, raising her eyes +imploringly to his face, she said in a low voice, "Indeed, indeed, +Wilton, I would rather not--I would rather go home to Beaufort House +at once, to relieve my poor father's anxiety." + +"In truth," he replied, in the same tone, "I cannot but think it +would be better for you to obtain a night's rest, if you can, rather +than to take a long journey after such terrible agitation as you have +undergone." + +"Do not ask me--nay, do not ask me," she said; and then turning to +the magistrates, who were conferring together, and settling in their +own mind that a match was undoubtedly to take place between the Lady +Laura and the Earl of Byerdale's secretary, she added, "I am very +anxious to return to my father, gentlemen, and as a carriage has been +already sent for from Stroud, I would certainly prefer going on +to-night. I will very gratefully," she added--her apprehensions of +some new dangers occurring at the little public-house coming back +upon her mind--"I will very gratefully accept the shelter of the +parsonage, till the carriage arrives from Stroud, if by so doing I +shall not keep the lady up beyond her usual hour." + +"Oh, not at all, madam, not at all," replied the clergyman: "Mrs. +Jeffreys will be delighted to see you.--Let us lose no time.--Wicks, +when the carriage comes, send it up to my house.--Ma'am, I will show +your ladyship the way." + +Laura, however, still clung to Wilton's arm, as her best support; and +following the clergyman together, they proceeded to the parsonage, +escorted by a number of footmen, farming servants, and people +collected in haste, who had come to the examination of Wicks's house. +On their arrival, they were ushered into a tall dining-room with +carved panels, the atmosphere of which was strongly imbued with the +mingled odour of punch and tobacco, an unsavoury but at that time +very ordinary perfume in the dining-room of almost every country +gentleman. The mistress of the mansion, however, proved, in point of +manners and appearance, considerably superior to her lord and master, +and did all that she could in a very kind and delicate manner to +render the beautiful girl, cast for the time on her hospitality, as +comfortable as the circumstances would admit. + +It is not to be denied, indeed, that both Wilton and Laura could at +that time have very well spared the presence of any other persons, +for there were feelings in the hearts of both which eagerly longed +for voice. There was much to be told; there was much to be explained; +there was much to be determined between them. There was, indeed, the +consciousness of mutual love, which is no slight blessing and +comfort, under any circumstances; but that very consciousness +produced the longing thirst for farther communion which nothing but +love can give. + +When all has been said, indeed--when the whole heart has been poured +forth--when the first intense feelings of a new passion have worn +away, or, having grown familiar to our bosoms, surprise us no longer, +we can better bear the presence of others; for a look, an occasional +word, even a tone, will convey to the mind of those we love, all that +we could wish to say. But when love is fresh, and every feeling +produced thereby is new and wonderful to our hearts; when we make +hourly discoveries of new sensations in our own bosoms, and neither +know how to express them, nor how to conceal them, the presence of +others--cold, indifferent, strange--is no slight punishment and +privation. + +Laura endeavoured, as far as possible, to keep down such feelings, +but yet she could not drive them from her bosom. The minutes seemed +long, tedious, and heavy: from time to time she would fall into a fit +of musing; from time to time she would answer wide from the question; +but it fortunately so happened, that the events which had lately +occurred, and her anxiety to rejoin her father, were causes +sufficient to account for greater inequalities of conduct than these. + +In the meantime, Wilton was subjected to the same, or even greater +pain, from the impossibility of saying all that he could have wished +to say; and he had, moreover, to contend both against the civility of +his landlord, individually, and the curiosity of the two magistrates, +conjointly, who did not fail, during the time that he remained, both +to press him to eat and drink, in spite of all denials and +remonstrances, and to torment him with questions, many of them +frivolous in the extreme, not only concerning the events in which he +had been lately engaged, but also in regard to everything that was +taking place in London. + +Nearly two hours passed in this unpleasant manner; but at length the +joyful sound of carriage-wheels announced that the man who had been +sent to Stroud had returned. Laura was eager to set out; but the +motherly care of good Mrs. Jeffreys detained her for some time +longer, by insisting upon wrapping her warmly up in cloaks, and +mantles, and hoods, to guard against the cold of the wintry night. + +At length all was ready; and Wilton led her down to the carriage, +which it seems had been procured with difficulty; the machines called +post-chaises being not so common in those days as they became within +fifty years afterwards. The two magistrates stood bowing low to the +young lady as she entered the tall, long-backed, but really not +uncomfortable vehicle. The landlord of the inn, too, and his ostler, +were there; and Wilton failed not to pay them liberally for the +services they had rendered. He then briefly gave his own address, and +that of the Duke to his reverend entertainer, and entered the +carriage beside the Lady Laura, with a heart beating high with the +hope and expectation of saying all and hearing all that the voice of +love could speak. + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + + +For once--perhaps the only time that ever such a thing happened in +this world--hope and expectation were not disappointed. Wilton seated +himself by the side of Laura, the postilion cracked his whip, which +was then as common in England as it is now in France, the horses went +forward, and the wheels rolling through the little street of High +Halstow, were soon upon the road to Stroud. + +There was a silent pause between Wilton and Laura for some minutes, +neither of them could very well tell why; for both of them had been +most anxious for the opportunity, and both of them had been not a +little grieved that their former conversation had been interrupted. +The truth is, however, that very interruption had rendered the +conversation difficult to renew; for love--sometimes the most +impudent of all powers--is at other times the most shy and bashful. +Wilton, however, found that he must not let the silence go on much +longer, and he gently took Laura's hand in his, saying, perhaps +somewhat abruptly-- + +"Dear Laura, everything that we have to say to each other, must be +said now." + +"Oh, Wilton!--" was her only reply; but she left her hand in his, and +he went on. + +"You had just spoken, when we were interrupted," he said, "words that +made me very, very happy, though they were coupled with expressions +of fear and apprehension. I have nothing to tell you, dear Laura, +that can altogether remove those fears and apprehensions, but I can +say something, perhaps, that may mitigate them. You are not aware of +the circumstances in which I have had the happiness of seeking you +and finding you this night; but you doubtless heard me mention, that +it was your father who intrusted me with the search; and surely, dear +Laura, that must show no slight trust and confidence on his part--may +I add, no slight regard." + +"Oh, I am sure he feels that for you," replied Laura, "quite sure! +but yet such a trust shows, indeed, far more regard than I knew he +entertained, and that gives me some degree of hope. Still, I cannot +judge, Wilton, unless I had seen the manner in which my father did +it. You must tell me all that has been done and said in this +unfortunate business: you must tell me everything that has occurred. +Will you?--and I will tell you, upon my word, exactly what the +impression is that it all makes upon my mind." + +Wilton had not spoken of their love; Laura had not mentioned the +subject either; but they had done fully as much, they had referred to +it as a thing known and acknowledged. Wilton had recalled words that +had made him very happy, and Laura had spoken of hopes which could +only apply to her union with himself. + +He now, however, told her all that had occurred, briefly though +clearly. He dwelt not, indeed, on his own feelings during the painful +events lately past; but the few words that he did speak on that +subject were of such a kind as to show Laura instantly the distress +and anxiety which her disappearance had caused him, the agony that he +had suffered when he thought that she was lost to him for ever. The +whole of her father's conduct, as displayed by Wilton, seemed to her +strange and unaccountable; and well it might do so! for her lover +told her the terrible state of mind in which the Duke had been at +first, and yet he did not think fit to explain, in any degree, the +causes which he felt sure had prevented her father from joining in +the search himself. Notwithstanding all that had taken place in the +presence of Laura, he judged it far better to avoid any mention of +the unfortunate hold which Sir John Fenwick had obtained over the +Duke, by drawing him in to take a share, however small, in the great +Jacobite conspiracy of the day. + +Laura, then, was greatly surprised at all she heard; and that Wilton +should be employed in the affair seemed to her not the least strange +part of the whole business. An expression of this surprise, however, +induced Wilton to add, what he still in some degree feared, and had +long hesitated to say. + +"I do not, indeed, believe, dear Laura," he said, "that your father +would have trusted me so entirely in this business, if it had not +been for some words concerning myself which were spoken to him by +Lord Byerdale when I was not present. They were repeated to me +afterwards by Sherbrooke, and were to the effect, that although, in +consequence of some of the late unfortunate disturbances in the +country--the rebellions, the revolutions, the changes of dynasties +that have happened within the last twenty years--it was necessary to +conceal my birth and station, yet my blood was as pure and ancient as +that of your father himself. This, I think, made a change in all his +feelings towards me." + +Wilton felt the small rounded fingers of Laura's hand rest, for a +single instant, more heavily in his own, while she drew a deep long +breath, as if a weight had been taken from her bosom. + +"Oh, Wilton!" she said, "it makes all the difference in his views. It +will make all the difference in our fate. You know that it would make +none to me; that the man I loved would be loved under any +circumstances of fortune or station, but with him it is the first, +the greatest consideration. There may be difficulties still; there +may be opposition; for, as you know, I am an only child, and my +father thinks that nothing can equal what I have a right to expect; +but still that opposition will vanish when he sees that my happiness +is concerned, if the great and predominant prejudice of his education +is not arrayed against us. Oh! Wilton, Wilton, your words have made +me very happy." + +Her words certainly made Wilton happy in return;--indeed, most +happy. His fate had suddenly brightened from all that was dark and +cheerless, from a situation in which the sweet, early dream of love +itself but rendered everything that was sombre, painful, and +distressing in his course, more gloomy, more bitter, more full of +despair, it had changed, to the possession and the hope of all that +the most sanguine imagination could have pictured of glad, and +joyful, and happy, to the prospect of wealth and station, to the hope +of obtaining the being that he loved best on earth, and to the +certainty of possessing her early, her first, her warm, her full +affection. + +Had Wilton given way to what he felt at that moment, he would have +clasped her to his heart and sealed the covenant of their love on the +sweet lips that gave him such assurance of happiness. But he +remembered that she was there alone with him, in full confidence, +under the safeguard of all his best feelings, and he would not for +the world have done one thing that in open day could have called the +colour into her cheek. He loved her deeply, fully, and nobly, and +though, under other circumstances, he might scarcely have hesitated, +he now forebore. But again and again he pressed his lips upon her +hand, and thanked her again and again for all that she had said, and +for all the hopes and glad tidings that her words implied. + +Their conversation then turned to love, and to their feelings towards +each other. How could it be helped? And Wilton told her all; how the +passion had grown upon him, how he had struggled hard against it, how +not even despair itself had been able to crush it; how it had gone on +and increased in spite of himself; how intense, how ardent it had +become. He could not tell her exactly, at least he would not, what he +had felt on her account, when he believed that she was likely to +become the bride of Lord Sherbrooke; but he told her fully, ay, and +eloquently, what agony of mind he had endured when he thought of +seeing her give her hand to any other man, without affording him an +apparent chance of even making an effort for himself. In short, he +gave her the whole picture of his personal feelings; and there is no +woman that is not gratified at seeing such a picture displayed, when +she is herself the object. But to a mind such as that of Lady +Laura, and to feelings such as were in her bosom, the tale offered +higher and nobler sources of delight. The love, the deep love, which +she felt, and which was now acknowledged to her own heart, required +every such assurance of full and ample return as his words afforded, +to render it confident and happy. But from the display of his +feelings which he now made, she felt, she saw, she knew that she was +loved as she could wish to be--loved as fully, as intensely, as +deeply, as she herself loved--loved with all those feelings, high, +and bright, and sweet, which assured her beyond all question that the +affection which she had inspired would be permanent as well as +ardent. + +Wilton won her, too, to speak upon the same subject as himself, +though, of course, he could not expect her to dwell upon what she +felt in the same manner. There was a great difference: on the one +hand, all the sensations of his heart towards her were boldly avowed +and minutely detailed; the history of his love was told in language +straightforward, eager, and powerful. The love of her bosom, on the +contrary, was shadowed forth rather than spoken, admitted rather than +told, her feelings were referred to, but not depicted. + +"You make me glad, Wilton," she said, "by telling me all this, for I +almost feared--and was teasing my own heart about it at the rectory, +lest I should have done the unwomanly thing of loving first--I will +not call it, being too easily won; for I should certainly despise the +woman who thought anything necessary to win her, when once she +really loved, further than the conviction of her lover's sincerity, +and honour, and nobility of spirit. But yet I thought, that even you +might somewhat despise me, if you found that I had loved you before +you loved me. And yet, Wilton," she added, after a momentary pause, +"I cannot help thinking that even if it had been so, I should have +been more pardonable than many people, on account of the very great +services you have rendered me at various times, and the perils you +have encountered in my behalf. How could I help loving a man who has +twice risked his life for me?" + +"Oh, dear Laura," replied Wilton, "those services have been very +small ones, and not worthy of your naming. I certainly did strive to +conceal my love," he continued; "but I believe that, let us struggle +against our feelings as we will, there are always some signs and +tokens which show to the eyes of those we love--if there be any +sympathy between their hearts and ours--that which is passing in +regard to themselves within the most secret places of our bosom. +There is a cabalistic language in love, Laura--unknown to any but +those who really do love, but learnt in a moment, when the mighty +secret is communicated to our hearts. We speak it to each other +without knowing it, dear Laura, and we are understood, without an +effort, if there be sympathy between us." + +In such conversation wore the night away, as the carriage wended +slowly onward. Two changes of horses were required to carry Laura and +her lover back to the metropolis, and bells had to be rung, ostlers +and postilions wakened, horses brought slowly forth, and many another +tedious process to be gone through, which had brought the night +nearly to a close, before the carriage crossed the wide extent of +Blackheath, and passed through a small part of the town of Greenwich, +which had then never dreamt of the ambitious project that it has +since achieved, of climbing up that long and heavy hill. + +Wilton and Laura had sufficient matter for conversation during the +whole way: for when they had said all that could be said of the +present and the past, there still remained the future to be +considered; and Laura entreated her lover by no precipitate eagerness +to call down upon them opposition, which, if it showed itself of a +vehement kind at first, might only strengthen, instead of diminishing +with time. She besought him to let everything proceed as it had +hitherto done, till his own fate was fully ascertained, and any doubt +of his birth and station in society was entirely removed. + +"Till that is the case," she said, "to make any display of our +feelings towards each other might only bring great pain upon us both. +My father might require me not to see you, might positively forbid +our thinking of each other; whereas, were all difficulties on that +one point removed, he might only express a regret that fortune had +not been more favourable to you, or require a delay, to make him +certain of our sincere and permanent attachment. After that point is +made clear, let us be open as the day with him. In the meanwhile, he +must receive you as a friend who has rendered him the greatest and +deepest of services; and I shall ever receive you, Wilton, I need not +tell you, as the only dear and valued friend that I possess." + +"But suppose, dear Laura," said Wilton, "suppose I were to see you +pressed to marry some one else; suppose I were to see some suitor in +every respect qualified to hope for and expect your hand--" + +"You do not doubt me, Wilton?" said Lady Laura. + +"Oh no!" he replied. "Not for a moment, Laura. But it would be very +painful." + +"It would be so to us both," she replied; "but I would take care that +the pain should soon be brought to an end. Depend upon it, Wilton, +it will be better as I say; let us not, in order to avoid uncertain +pains and dangers, run into certain ones." + +Wilton at once yielded to her views, and promised to be entirely +guided by her opinion. + +The day broke upon them just as they were passing through London, on +their way to Beaufort House; but the night which had just passed had +left them with changed feelings in many respects. It had been one of +those eventful periods which come in, from time to time, like +revolutions in states, to change entirely the very constitution of +our whole thoughts and feelings, to give a new character and entirely +new combinations to the strange microcosm within us. That great +change had been effected in Laura by that which is the great first +mover of a woman's destinies. She loved and had avowed her love: she +was married in spirit to the man beside her, and she felt that to a +heart like hers eternity itself could not dissolve the tie which had +that night been voluntarily established between them. She viewed not +such things as many, nay, most other women view them; she looked not +on such engagements, she looked not on such affections, as things to +be taken up and dropped, to be worn to-day, in the gloss of novelty, +and cast away to-morrow, like a fretted garment; she judged not that +it was the standing before the altar and receiving the ring upon her +finger, and promising to wear out earthly existence with another +human being, that constitutes the union which must join woman to the +man of her heart. But she regarded the avowal of mutual love, the +promise of unchanging affection, as a bond binding for ever; as, in +fact, what we have called it, the marriage of the spirit: as a thing +never to be done away, which no time could break, no circumstances +dissolve: it was the wedding of--forever. The other, the more +earthly union, might be dear in prospect to her heart, gladdening to +all her hopes, mingled with a thousand bright dreams of human joy, +and tenderness, and sweet domestic peace: but if circumstances had +separated her the next hour from Wilton for ever, she would have felt +that she was still his wife in heart, and ended life with the hope of +meeting him she had ever loved, in heaven. To take such ties upon +herself, then, was in her estimation no light thing; and, as we have +said, the period, the short period, of that night, was sufficient to +effect a great, a total change in all the thoughts and feelings of +her bosom. + +The change in Wilton was of a different kind, but it was also very +great. It was an epoch in man's destiny. His mind was naturally +manly, powerful, and decided; but he was very young. The events of +that night, however, swept away everything that was youthful or light +from his character for ever. He had acted with vigour, and power, and +determination, amongst men older, better tried, and more experienced +than himself. He had taken a decided and a prominent part in a scene +of strife, and danger, and difficulty, and he had (to make use of +that most significant though schoolboy phrase) "placed himself." His +character had gone through the ordeal: without any previous +preparation, the iron had been hardened into steel; and if any part +had remained up to that moment soft or weak, the softness was done +away, the weakness no longer existed. + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +If we were poets or fabulists, and could invest inanimate objects +with all the qualities and feelings of animate ones; if, with all the +magic of old AEsop, we could make pots and kettles talk, and endue +barn-door fowls with the spirit of philosophy, we should be tempted +to say that the great gates of Beaufort House, together with the +stone Cupids on the tops of the piers, ay, and the vases of carved +flowers which stood between those Cupids, turned up the nose as the +antiquated, ungilt, dusty, and somewhat tattered vehicle containing +the Lady Laura Gaveston and Wilton Brown rolled up. + +The postboy got off his horse; Wilton descended from the vehicle, and +applied his hand eagerly to the bell; and Laura, who had certainly +thought no part of the journey tedious, did now think the minutes +excessively long till the gates should be thrown open. In truth, the +hour was still an early one; the morning cold and chilly, with a grey +biting east wind, making the whole scene appear as if it were looked +at through ground glass; and neither the porter nor the porter's wife +had thought it expedient to venture forth from their snug bed at such +an unpropitious moment. A second time Wilton applied his hand to the +bell, and with more success than before, for in stays and petticoat, +unlaced and half tied, forth rushed the grumbling porter's wife, with +a murmured "Marry come up: people are in great haste: I wonder who is +in such a hurry!" + +The sight of Wilton, however, whom she had seen very lately with the +Duke, but still more the sight of her young lady, instantly altered +her tone and demeanour, and with a joyful swing she threw the gates +wide open. The chaise was drawn round to the great doors of the +house, and here a more ready entrance was gained. + +"Is the Duke up?" demanded Wilton, as the servant opened the door. + +"Oh yes, sir," replied the man: "he was up before day-break: but he +is not out of his dressing-room yet." + +Laura ran up the steps into the vestibule, to see her father, and to +relieve his mind at once from all that she knew he was suffering on +her account. She paused, however, for a moment at the top to see if +Wilton followed; but he merely advanced a few steps, saying, "I will +leave you to converse with your father; for, of course, I have very +much to do; and he will be glad to spend some time with you alone, +and hear all that you have to tell him." + +"But you will come back," said Lady Laura, holding out her hand to +him: "you will not be away long." + +"Until the evening, perhaps," said Wilton, pressing that fair hand in +his own: "I may have many things to do, and the Earl may also require +my presence." + +"Oh, but you must come to dinner--I insist," said Lady Laura. "You +know I have a right to command now," she added, in a lower tone, "and +therefore I will tell my father to expect you at dinner." + +"I will come if I can," replied Wilton, "but--" + +His sentence was interrupted, however, by the Duke's voice at the top +of the stairs, exclaiming, "Surely that is Laura's voice? Laura, +Laura! My child, my dear child!" + +And the next moment, Lady Laura, darting on, was in her father's +arms. + +Wilton Brown turned away; and without waiting to press a third person +upon a scene which should always be enacted between two alone, he got +into the post-chaise, and bade the postilion drive him back into +London, for it must be recollected that Beaufort House was out of the +town. This was easily accomplished, as the reader may imagine; and +having dressed himself, and removed the traces of blood and travel +from his face, he hastened to the house of Lord Byerdale, to give +him an account of the success of his expedition. + +The Earl had not been long up; but he had already gone to his cabinet +to write letters, and take his chocolate at the same time. On +entering, Wilton, without any surprise, found Arden, the Messenger, +in the presence of the Earl; for the man, knowing that the situation +in which he stood was a somewhat perilous one, was of course anxious +to make the best of his story before the young gentleman appeared. +What did very much surprise Wilton, however, was the gracious and +even affectionate manner in which the Earl received him. He rose +from his chair, advanced two or three steps to meet him, and shaking +him warmly by the hand, exclaimed, "Welcome back, my dear Wilton. So +you have been fully and gallantly successful, I find. But what is all +this that Arden is telling me? He is making a terrible accusation +against you here, of letting off Sir George Barkley, one of the most +notorious Jacobites in Europe--a very dangerous person, indeed." + +"My lord," replied Wilton, "Mr. Arden is repeating to you a falsehood +which he devised last night. It is quite true, indeed, that if he had +not been a most notorious coward, and run away at the first +appearance of danger, there might have been a chance, though a very +remote one, of our securing Sir George Barkley." + +"Indeed!" exclaimed the Earl: "then you did meet with him?" + +"Amongst the persons whom I had to encounter," replied Wilton, "there +was a gentleman whom they called Sir George, and who, from his +height, his age, and a deep scar upon his cheek, I have no earthly +doubt, is Sir George Barkley: but he had been gone for an hour before +this mighty brave gentleman, having collected forty or fifty people +to keep his own head from harm, thought fit to come back and seek for +me. The person who was with me when he did return was a tall +fine-looking young man of five or six and twenty." + +"Indeed!" said the Earl. "Who could that be?" + +"He called himself Captain Churchill," replied Wilton. "I do not +mean to say, my lord, that I believe such was his real name; for I do +not: but I never saw Captain Churchill at all; and I never saw this +gentleman till the moment when he came to my aid and rescued me, with +the assistance of another, from the hands of as desperate a set of +men as I ever met in my life, and who would certainly have murdered +me had it not been for his arrival. I have a report to make to your +lordship upon all Mr. Arden's proceedings, who, notwithstanding your +most positive commands to obey me in all things, has refused to obey +me in anything, and by the delays he has occasioned, and the +obstructions he has thrown in my way, very nearly prevented me from +effecting the liberation of Lady Laura at all." + +"Your lordship will believe what you choose," replied Arden, in a +saucy tone. "All I mean to say is, I am sure that gentleman was not +Captain Churchill; and so you will find, if you inquire. Whoever he +was, Mr. Brown aided his escape, and prevented me from doing my +duty." + +"Your duty, sir, was to obey Mr. Brown," replied the Earl, sternly; +"for that I shall take care that you are punished; and if it should +prove that this gentleman was really Captain Churchill, you shall be +dismissed from your office. You will attend here again at two +o'clock, by which time I shall have written to Captain Churchill, to +know whether he was the person present or not.--Now leave the room." + +Arden slunk doggedly away, seeing that Wilton's star happened to be +in the ascendant. Had he known how much it was so, however, having +often heard the Earl speak sharply and discourteously to the young +gentleman, he would have been more surprised even than he was at the +change which had taken place. The moment he was gone, and the door +closed, the Earl again shook Wilton by the hand. + +"You have accomplished your task most brilliantly, Wilton," he said, +"and I shall take care that you reap the reward of your diligence and +activity, by any effort that depends upon me; but from all that I +have seen, and heard, and know, you are likely to obtain, from the +very act itself, far higher recompences than any that I could bestow. +You are indeed a fortunate young man." + +"I am fortunate in your lordship's approbation," replied Wilton; "but +I see not why you should call me so in any other respect, except, +indeed, in being so fortunate as to effect this young lady's +liberation." + +"In that very respect," replied the Earl, with a look full of +meaning. "Good heavens! my dear Wilton, are you blind? If you are so, +I am not; and at your age, certainly I should not have been blind to +my own advantage. You think, perhaps, that because Lady Laura has +refused to marry Sherbrooke, and broken off the proposed alliance +between our families, it would make me angry to find she had placed +her affections anywhere else. But I tell you no, Wilton! Quite the +contrary is the case. The discovery that she has done so, at once +banished all the anger and indignation that I felt. If with a free +heart she had so decidedly refused my son, I should have considered +it as little less than an insult to my whole family, and, in fact, +did consider it so till Sherbrooke himself expressed his belief that +she was, and has been for some time, attached to you. His words +instantly recalled to my memory all that I had remarked before, how +the colour came up into her cheek whenever you approached her, how +her eye brightened at every word you said. That made the matter very +different. I could not expect the poor young lady to sacrifice her +first affection to please me: nor could I wish her, as you may well +imagine, to marry Sherbrooke, loving you. This is the reason that +makes me say that you are a most fortunate man; for the service that +you have rendered her, the immense and important service, gives you +such a claim upon her gratitude, as to make it easy for her at once +to avow her attachment. It gives you an enormous claim upon the Duke, +too; and I have one or two little holds upon that nobleman which he +knows not of--by which, indeed, he might be not a little injured, if +I were a revengeful man, but which I shall only use for your best +interests." + +"But, my lord," replied Wilton, "you seem totally to forget my humble +birth and station. How--situated as I am--could I dare to ask the +Duke for his daughter's hand, the only remaining child of such a +house, the heiress of such immense wealth?" + +"Fear not, fear not, Wilton," said the Earl, laying his hand upon his +arm. "Fear not: your blood is as good as the Duke's own; your family, +older and as noble." + +"I have sometimes thought, my lord," replied Wilton, wishing to gain +as much information as possible--"I have sometimes thought, in the +utter ignorance wherein I have been left of my own history, that I am +the son of one who has indeed been a father to me, Lord Sunbury,--the +natural son, I mean." + +"Oh no!" cried the Earl, with an air almost of indignation: "you are +no relation of his whatsoever. I knew not who you were when you first +came hither; but I have since discovered, and though at present I +must not reveal anything farther to you, I tell you, without +hesitation, to set your mind at ease, to pursue your suit towards +Lady Laura, if you have really any regard for her, and to aspire to +her hand. In a very few months more you shall know all." + +Wilton cast down his eyes, and mused. + +"This is not a little strange," he said; "but I know I may place +implicit reliance on your lordship's word, and proceed in a matter +where I own my heart is deeply engaged, without the risk of calling +upon myself a charge of gross presumption." + +"You may, you may," answered the Earl, eagerly; "and if the Duke +should discover your mutual affection, and make any objection, merely +refer him to me. But now let us hear more of your adventures of +yesterday and last night." + +Wilton would have been very well contented to muse for a few minutes +over what the Earl said. Although his experience of the world was not +great, yet he had a sufficient portion of good sense to supply +experience in a high degree. This good sense told him, that a sudden +and extraordinary change in the demeanour of any man, but more +especially in that of a man both subtle and determined, was more or +less to be suspected. He would fain, then, have obtained time to seek +for the real motives and views of the Earl of Byerdale, in the +extraordinary fit of kindness and condescension which had seized upon +him; for he could almost fancy that the Earl was contriving his ruin, +by engaging him in some rash endeavour to obtain the hand of Lady +Laura. + +Strong, however, in her love, he resolved to go on, to deal with her +and with her father in all honour, and, supposing even that the Earl +was endeavouring to play him false, to try whether straightforward +and upright honesty, guided by a clear head, a firm heart, and a well +prepared mind, might not win the game against subtilty and worldly +cunning. + +The Earl marked him as he mused for a minute, but saying nothing more +upon the subject of his hopes, still pressed him to speak of the +events of the preceding day. It was somewhat difficult for Wilton so +to shape his words as not to mention Lord Sherbrooke, and not to +involve himself in any such distinct account of the Jacobites and +their proceedings as might lead to their arrest, and force him at +some future period to become a witness against them. He succeeded +tolerably well, however. He could not, and indeed he did not, think +it right to conceal, that he was perfectly certain the men he met +with were engaged in the most dark and dangerous designs. But he +stated, at the same time, that such was merely the impression upon +his mind, for that no distinct avowal of their purposes had been made +in his presence, so as to justify him in charging them with treason. + +"Nevertheless, my lord," he added, "I think it highly and absolutely +necessary for you to take the same measures as if you knew that a +general insurrection was contemplated, for I feel perfectly certain +that something of the kind is in agitation." + +The Earl smiled. "Now tell me, Wilton," he said, "amongst these +worthy conspirators, did you see any one that was personally known to +you?" + +Wilton hesitated. + +"Come, come, my young friend," said the Earl--"you must speak out. We +will not make an evidence of you, I promise you; and, indeed, both +the King himself and all his ministers would be very glad that these +persons should get beyond sea, and relieve us of their troublesome +presence, provided--mark me--provided, there does not exist the +clearest and most distinct proof, not alone that they are conspiring +to overthrow the present dynasty--for such conspiracies have been +going on in every corner of the kingdom, and in the heart of every +family, for the last ten years, so that we should only make them +worse by meddling with them--but that these men are conspiring in a +darker, a more dangerous, a more treasonable, or a more dishonourable +manner, than has ever been clone before. I must explain this business +to you, Wilton, and my views upon it. Politicians have adopted as a +maxim that a plot discovered and frustrated always strengthens the +hands of the existing government; but this maxim is far too general, +and consequently often proves false and dangerous in application. +The conditions under which the discovery and frustration of a plot do +really strengthen the hands of government are peculiar. There must be +circumstances attending upon the whole transaction which, when the +plot is exposed, either destroy the means of future conspiracies +formed upon the same basis, remove for ever the objects of the +conspirators, or cause a great change in public feeling, in regard to +their views and motives. If the discovery be so general, the +frustration so complete, and the punishment so severe, as to raise +the power and authority of the government in the eyes of the people, +to awaken a wholesome fear in the disaffected, and to encourage and +elevate the well disposed and the friends of the state, a very great +object is certainly gained; and that which was intended to ruin a +government or overthrow a dynasty, serves but to root it more +firmly than before. There is another case, also, which is very +applicable at the present moment. If there be something in the nature +and designs of the conspiracy, so odious in its means, its character, +and its objects, as to enlist against the conspirators sensations of +horror, indignation, and contempt, one gains from public feeling very +much more by its discovery and exposure, than even by the power of +fear over the disaffected, and the elevation of triumph on the part +of the well disposed. But in other circumstances, either when partial +discoveries are made, when the success is not of the most absolute, +general, and distinct kind, when the objects of the conspirators +excite many sympathies, the errors they commit admit of easy +palliation, the means they employ are noble, generous, and +chivalrous, and the fate they undergo is likely to produce +commiseration, the detection and crushing of them only tends to +multiply and strengthen similar endeavours. With such conspiracies as +these, no wise minister will ever meddle, if he can help it; the more +quiet the means he can adopt to frustrate them, the better; the less +he exposes them and brings them into light, the greater will be his +success; for they are like the Lernwan serpent, whose heads +multiplied as they were smitten off; and it is far more easy to +smother them privately than to smite them in public. This is the view +I myself take of the matter; this is the view the King takes of it; +and you may have remarked that there has been no attempt made for +many years to investigate or punish plots here and there, although we +have had the proofs that hundreds existed every year. In this +instance, however, the matter is different. There is reason to +believe that the present conspiracy is one of such a dark and +horrible nature, as instantly to excite the indignation of the whole +people, to make all the better part of the Jacobites ashamed of the +deeds of their friends, and to rouse up universal feelings of loyalty +throughout the land. The fact is, the thing is already discovered. +Information has long been tendered to the government by various +persons implicated: but acting upon the plan which we have generally +pursued, such advances have been met coldly, till last night more +distinct, and definite information was given by some one, who, instead +of being actuated by motives of gain, or of fear, as we suspected in +all other cases, came forward, it seems, from personal feelings of +gratitude towards the King himself. His majesty promised this person +not to bring him forward in the business at all, and has refused to +give up his name, even to me. But his conviction of the truth of all +that was told was so strong, that the previous informer was sent for +last night at one o'clock to the palace at Kensington, to which place +I also had been summoned. The whole facts, the names, the designs of +everybody concerned, were then completely discovered, and I have been +busying myself ever since I rose, in adopting the proper measures for +arresting and punishing the persons directly implicated. Having +explained to you these views, I must now put my question again. Did +you see any one amongst these conspirators with whose person you were +acquainted? I only ask for my own satisfaction, and on every account +shall abstain from bringing your name forward, in the slightest +degree." + +"There was only one person, my lord," replied Wilton, who had +listened with deep interest to this long detail; "there was only one +person, my lord, that I had ever knowingly seen before, and that was +Sir John Fenwick." + +"I signed a warrant for his arrest half an hour ago," rejoined the +Earl, "and there are two Messengers seeking him at this moment. I +think you said you saw Sir George Barkley?" + +"I cannot absolutely say that, my lord," replied Wilton; "but I +certainly saw a gentleman whom I believed, and most firmly do still +believe, to be him: he was a tall, thin, sinister-looking man, of a +somewhat saturnine complexion, with a deep scar on his cheek." + +"The same, the same," said the Earl, "undoubtedly the same. Listen, +if you know any of these names;" and he read from a list--"Sir +William Parkyns, Captain Rookwood, Captain Lowick, Sir John Friend, +Charnock, Cranburne, the Earl of Aylesbury--" + +"The Earl certainly was not there, my lord," replied Wilton; "for I +know him well by sight, and I saw no one, I can assure you, whom I +knew, but Sir John Fenwick." + +"And this Plessis, at whose house you saw them," continued the +Earl--"did he seem to be taking a share in the business with them? He +is an old friend of mine, this Master Plessis; and obtains for me +some of the best information that I ever get from abroad. I do not +know what I should do without Plessis. He is the most useful man in +the world. We must let him off, at all events; but it will be no bad +thing to have a rope round his neck, either." + +"I cannot say, my lord," replied Wilton, "that he took any part +whatsoever in the business. In the matter of setting free Lady Laura, +he showed himself more afraid of these good gentry than fond of them, +and after their arrival, he ran away and hid himself." + +"And yet," said the Earl, "he's a rank Jacobite, too. But that does +not signify. He's an excellent creature, and the greatest rogue in +Christendom. All this chocolate comes from him; there's nothing like +it in Europe. Won't you take some, Wilton? I forgot to ask if you had +broken your fast."--Wilton replied that he had not, and the Earl made +him sit down and follow his example, of writing letters and taking +his chocolate at the same time. One of the notes, however, which the +Earl himself wrote, attracted his secretary's attention in some +degree; for as soon as Lord Byerdale had concluded it, he rang the +bell and gave it to a servant, saying, "Take that to Captain +Churchill's lodgings. You know where he lives, just in Duke Street. +Wait for an answer." + +The man went away, and business proceeded. At the end of about an +hour, however, the servant returned, saying, as an excuse for his +long absence, that Captain Churchill was in bed when he reached his +house, and that his valet had refused to wake him. + +"When he did wake, however, my lord," added the man, "he said he +would not detain me to write a note, as I had been kept so long +already; but would wait upon your lordship at the hour you named." + +Shortly after the return of the servant, the Earl took up his papers, +and prepared to proceed to Whitehall. Before he went, however, he +paused opposite to the table at which Wilton was writing, and looking +at him for a moment with a smile, he said,-- + +"You are surprised, Wilton, and have been puzzling yourself with the +reason why I take so much more interest in you than I used to do. I +will explain it all to you, Wilton, in one word. I did not at first +know who you were. I now do, as I have before hinted; and my conduct +to one whom I believed to be a natural son of the Earl of Sunbury, +and who was forced upon me somewhat against my own will, was of +course very different from that which I show towards a young +gentleman of a high and noble family, not very distantly related to +myself.--Now are you satisfied?" + +And with these words he left the room. Yet, strange to say, Wilton, +though not a little surprised at what he heard, knew the Earl of +Byerdale, and was NOT satisfied. But at all events, the words which +had passed set his mind at ease, in regard to Laura. He now felt that +he was committing no breach of confidence; that he was pursuing no +presumptuous suit, in seeking the object of his dearest and his +brightest hopes; that though fortune might still be adverse, and such +wealth might never be his, as to place him in a position equal, in +that respect, to herself, yet he had every right and title to strive +for her hand with the noblest of the land. + +Wilton did not, indeed, entertain the vain thought that he brought +with him a treasury of distinguished talents, high and noble +feelings, a generous spirit, and a gallant heart--qualities which +many a competitor, if not most, would want:--he did not, indeed, so +argue the matter with himself; but there was in his bosom the proud +consciousness of deserving well, and the still more strengthening and +emboldening confidence, of loving well, truly, nobly, as Laura +deserved to be loved. + +Still, however, he was not satisfied with the sudden change in the +Earl of Byerdale: there was something in it that roused suspicion; +and he resolved to watch all that noble man's proceedings steadily +and keenly, and if possible never to be off his guard for a moment. + +Before the time appointed for the return of Arden, the Messenger, the +Earl himself came home, bearing a smile of dark satisfaction on his +countenance. + +"Four or five of these gentry," he said, as he entered, "are already +in custody, and one or two have been brought before the council. A +man of the name of Cook, and another, seem well inclined to become +approvers. If so, the matter will be easily managed. I find the +rumour is spreading all over the town, with various additions and +improvements, of course. I even hear that there were reports of it +all yesterday, though neither the King, nor I, nor any one else, knew +aught of the matter then." + +"Are any of the principals caught, my lord?" demanded Wilton. "I +confess, I believe that man, Sir John Fenwick, to be as great a +villain as any upon earth; nor do I look upon him as a man of much +courage either." + +"He is not caught," replied the Earl; "but we have got one poor +foolish fellow, called Sir John Friend, who has shown himself a +friend to anybody but himself;" and he laughed at his own joke. "I +rather suspect," he continued, "that there are a good many people not +a little anxious for Fenwick's escape. With the exception of Sir +George Barkley, he is undoubtedly the man of most importance amongst +them. He is nearly connected, you know, with all the Howards, and was +very intimate with your good friend the Duke. He is well acquainted +with Lord Aylesbury, too; and I can tell you there are a good many +suspicions in that quarter. There is another noble lord, Lord +Montgomery, implicated; and all these good folks are suspected," and +he proceeded to read a list of some twenty or thirty names. "But +there is no intention of dealing harshly," he added; "and a +distinction will be made between the more culpable and the less. Pray +has Captain Churchill been here?" + +"Not yet that I have heard of, my lord," replied Wilton; "but I +fairly tell your lordship that I do not think he was the man I saw, +though that was the name given." + +The Earl rang the bell which stood upon the table, and when a servant +appeared, demanded if Captain Churchill had been there. + +The servant replied in the negative, but added that Mr. Arden was +waiting. The Earl ordered him to be sent in; and the Messenger +accordingly entered, bearing on his face an air of triumph and +insolence which provoked Wilton's anger a good deal. + +"Well, my lord," he said, not waiting for the Earl of Byerdale to +speak--"I have got proof positive now, for I have been at Captain +Churchill's lodgings, pumping his servants, and they tell me that he +was very ill all yesterday, as, indeed, I knew he was, and in bed the +greater part of the day." + +"Indeed!" said the Earl. "This is strange enough! But as you say, +Wilton, that you do not think it was really Captain Churchill, the +name might be given merely as a nom de guerre, and the person giving +it might be a very honest man, too." + +Before he could conclude, one of the servants announced that Captain +Churchill waited without; and in a moment after he was admitted, +presenting to Wilton's eyes a person not very unlike in size and form +the Duke of Berwick, and somewhat resembling him in countenance, but +several years older, and somewhat darker in complexion. + +He entered with a gay and smiling air, and with a grace of carriage +and demeanour which was common to himself and his brother, afterwards +the famous Duke of Marlborough. + +"Why, my lord," he said, advancing towards Lord Byerdale, and shaking +him by the hand, "I am almost alarmed at your unexpected summons, +especially after all the terrible doings which I hear have taken +place. Why, they tell me that the gates of Newgate have never ceased +turning upon their hinges all the morning, and that the Tower itself +is full." + +"Not quite so bad as that," replied the Earl: "but I am sure, my dear +Captain, you have nothing to fear in such a matter." + +"Not that I know of," answered Churchill, "and I would have come at +once when you wrote; but, to say the truth, I was up late last night, +and slept till nearly noon this morning.--But, bless my soul!" he +continued, turning towards Wilton--to that gentleman's utter +surprise and astonishment "is not this my good friend, Mr. Wilton +Brown, your lordship's secretary?" and advancing a step or two, he +shook Wilton heartily by the hand. + +"How is the young lady?" he continued. "I hope you got quite safe to +London with your fair charge?" + +The countenance of Arden, the Messenger, presented a ludicrous +picture of disappointment and consternation. Wilton was certainly +even more surprised than himself; but he did not suffer his face to +betray any expression of wonder, though, it must be owned, he felt a +strong inclination to laugh. He replied, however, calmly to +Churchill's question,-- + +"I thank you very much, sir: she got quite safe to London. At an +early hour this morning I left her with her father." + +"Then, Captain Churchill," said the Earl, "you are neither more nor +less than the person who rendered my young friend Wilton, here, such +very good assistance last night." + +Churchill made a low and complimentary bow, replying, "Oh, my lord, +you are too good! The assistance that I rendered him was little +enough, I can assure you. His own gallantry and good conduct did much +more than I could possibly do.--But I hope and trust my good friend, +Arden, the Messenger, there, is not waiting for me; for I can assure +your lordship that, though I was upon a little frolic last night, +which I might not very well like to have inquired into, it was +certainly nothing of a Jacobitical nature, as you may well suppose, +and as my good friend, Mr. Brown, here, can testify." + +"I do not in the slightest degree suspect you, Churchill," replied +the Earl. "The only point was to ascertain whether it was you or Sir +George Barkley who was with my friend Wilton, here, last night; +Arden, the Messenger, who has behaved very ill throughout the whole +business, positively swearing, this morning, that Wilton was +accompanied along part of the road by Sir George Barkley, the +well-known traitor, and that he, Wilton, my private secretary, +connived at and aided his escape." + +"I can assure your lordship," replied Churchill, in a perfectly grave +tone, "on my honour as a gentleman, I have the most perfect +certainty, and could prove, if necessary, that the charge is entirely +and totally false; that Sir George Barkley did not accompany your +young friend for a single step, and that he was only accompanied by a +fair lady with very bright eyes, by another gentleman whom I +understand to be a certain Captain Byerly--a very respectable man, +only that he rides a little hard upon the King's Highway--and by a +person, of perhaps less importance and repute, named Captain +Churchill." + +"That is quite satisfactory, my dear sir," replied the Earl. "You +hear, Mr. Arden. Be so good as to quit the room, and to remember, +that from this moment you are no longer a Messenger of State." + +Wilton could almost have found it in his heart to interpose, knowing +all that he did know; but when he recollected the whole course of the +man's bad conduct, he felt that the retribution which had fallen upon +him was but just, and he left the matter to take its course. +Churchill then conversed for a few minutes with the Earl, in an under +tone; and as the business of the day seemed over, Wilton prepared to +take his departure. + +"Wait one moment, Mr. Brown," said Churchill, "and if you are going +my way, I will accompany you." + +"You will not fail, my dear Wilton, I trust," said the Earl, "to +visit the young lady, and inquire after her health. Pray present my +most devoted homage to her, and assure her that I have been most +uneasy at her situation, and grieved for all that she must have +undergone. I shall certainly wait upon her to-morrow. In the +meantime," he added, in a lower tone, "do not entertain any +apprehensions in regard to your situation. Go boldly forward, make +sure of her heart, and all the rest will be rendered much more easy +than you imagine. Nothing that I can do for you shall be wanting; and +you have only to let me know when you have any engagement at Beaufort +House, and I will find means to do without your attendance here.--I +beg your pardon, Captain Churchill; I only wished to give this young +gentleman a word of good advice before he left me." + +"And I only waited till he was ready, my lord," replied Churchill, +"to take my leave of your lordship, wishing you full success in +dealing with the nest of vagabonds you have got hold of." + +Thus saying, he took his leave, and quitting the house together with +Wilton, put his arm through his, and walked on as familiarly as if +they had been old acquaintances. + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +It may be made a question of very great doubt, whether the +faculty--and it is indisputably a faculty of the mind in its first +freshness--the faculty of wondering at anything extraordinary, or out +of the common course of our knowledge, is or is not productive of +advantage as well as pleasure to us. But there can be no question +whatsoever, that very great advantages are attached to the power of +concealing our wonder. Nothing, indeed, should surprise us in life, +for we are surrounded by daily miracles; nothing should surprise, +because the combination of means in the hand of Almighty Power must +be infinite; and to permit our wonder to appear at anything, is but +to confess ourselves inexperienced, or unobserving, or thoughtless; +and yet with all that, it is a very pleasant sensation. + +Wilton Brown, from his commerce with the world, and especially from +the somewhat hard lessons which he had received in the house of the +Earl of Byerdale, had been taught, in communicating with persons +unknown and indifferent to him, to put a strong restraint upon the +expression of his feelings. On the present occasion, not having the +slightest knowledge or conception of Captain Churchill's character, +he walked on beside him, as their way seemed to lie together, without +the slightest inquiry or expression of surprise in regard to what had +taken place; and Captain Churchill was almost inclined to believe +that his young companion was dull, apathetic, and insensible, +although he had good reason to know the contrary. The silence, +however, did somewhat annoy him; for he was not without a certain +share of good-humoured vanity; and he thought, and thought justly, +that he had acted his part to admiration. He resolved, therefore, to +say nothing upon the subject either, as far as he could avoid it; and +thus, strange to say, after the extraordinary scene which had taken +place, the two people who had borne a part therein had got as far as +the door of Captain Churchill's house in Duke-street, without +interchanging a word upon the subject. There, however, Wilton was +about to take his leave; but Churchill stopped him, saying,-- + +"Do me the favour of coming in for a moment or two, Mr. Brown. I have +something which I wish to give you." + +Wilton followed him up stairs, with merely some reply in the common +course of civility; and Churchill, opening a cabinet in the +drawing-room, took out a handsome diamond ring, saying, "I have +received a commission this morning from a near relation of mine, who +considers that he owes his life to you, to beg your acceptance of +this little token, to remember him by when you look upon it. He sent +it to me by a messenger at the moment that he was embarking for +France, together with a letter of instructions as to how he wished me +to act in case of there being any question regarding the transactions +of last night." + +"I saw," replied Wilton, "that you must have got information some +way; but in whatever way you did get that information, you certainly +played your part as admirably as it was possible to conceive. I fear +I did not play mine quite so well, for I was taken by surprise." + +"Oh, quite well enough, quite well enough," replied Captain +Churchill. "To say the truth, my task was somewhat of a delicate one, +for in these days one might easily involve one's self in imputations +difficult to be got rid of again. My family have chosen our parts so +strongly and decidedly, that my young relation did not venture to see +me when he was in London; not, indeed, from any fear of my betraying +him, for that, of course, was out of the question,--but rather from +the apprehension of committing me. He trusted me with this other +matter, however, probably not knowing, first, that I was ill, and had +been in bed all yesterday, and, next, that this diabolical plot for +assassinating the King and admitting the enemy into the heart of the +land has been discovered. The letter came about an hour after Lord +Byerdale's, and just in time to save me from denying that I was out +of my own house all yesterday. But you do not take the ring, Mr. +Brown: pray accept it as a mere token of gratitude and esteem on the +part of the Duke. His esteem, I can assure you, is worth having." + +"I doubt it not in the least, my dear sir," replied Wilton; "but yet +I must beg to decline his gift: in the first place, because I am +entitled to no gratitude; and in the next, because the Duke must be +considered as an enemy of the government I serve. He certainly saved +my life; for I do not suppose the man who was in the act of firing at +me would have missed his mark, if his hand had not been knocked up. +After that I could not, of course, suffer the Duke to be arrested by +my side, if I could help it, and therefore I did what I could to +assist him, but that was little." + +Churchill endeavoured, by various arguments, to persuade his young +companion to receive the ring; but Wilton would not suffer himself to +be moved upon the subject; and had, at all events, the satisfaction +of hearing Churchill himself acknowledge, as he was taking his leave, +"Well, after all, I believe you are right." + +Their conference was not very long; for it may be easily imagined, +that one of the party, at least, was anxious to proceed on his way in +another direction; and leaving Captain Churchill as soon as he +decently could, Wilton returned to his house, changed his dress, and +entered one of those vehicles called hackney coaches, which, in the +days of King William III, were as rumbling and crazy, and even more +slow, than at present. + +Before he reached Beaufort House, Wilton's patience was well nigh +exhausted; but if we may tell the truth, there was one as impatient. +as himself. When they had arrived that morning at Beaufort House, +Laura's thoughts had been divided. Her anxiety to see her father, to +tell him she was safe, to give joy to the heart of one she loved with +the fullest feelings of filial affection, had a strong share in all +her sensations; but that was over, and her mind turned to Wilton +again. In telling her father all that had occurred, in recounting +everything that Wilton had done, in hearing from the Duke himself all +her lover's exertions and anxiety, till he obtained some clue to the +place where she was detained, vivid images were continually brought +up before her mind of things that were most sweet to contemplate. +When she retired to her own chamber, although she strove, at her +father's request, to obtain sleep, those sweet but agitating images +followed her still, and every word, and tone, and look of him she +loved, returned to her memory, and banished slumber altogether from +her pillow. + +On whatever part of his conduct memory rested, to the eyes of +affection it seemed all that could be desired. If she thought of him +standing boldly in the presence of superior numbers--calm, cool, +unintimidated, decided; or if she recalled his conduct to the Duke of +Berwick, generously risking all rather than not repay that nobleman's +gallant interposition in his favour by similar efforts in his behalf; +or if she recollected his behaviour to herself; when alone under his +care and guidance, the tenderness, the gentleness, the delicate +forbearance, the consideration for all her feelings, and for every +difficult point of her situation which he had displayed--each part of +his behaviour seemed to her partial eyes all that she could have +dreamed of excellent and good, and each part stood out in bright +apposition with the other; the gentle kindness contrasting strongly +with the firm and courageous determination; the generous and +unhesitating protection of an upright and gallant enemy, seeming but +the more bright from his calm and prudent bearing towards a body of +low-minded and ill-designing traitors. + +Thus, during the time that she remained alone, her thoughts were all +of him, and those thoughts were all sweet. Gratitude, it is true, +might derive a great portion of its brightness from love: but Laura +fancied that she had not said half enough in return for all that he +had done in her behalf: she fancied that she had scarcely spoken her +thanks sufficiently warmly, and she longed to see him again, to talk +over all that had taken place, to assure him of her deep, deep +gratitude, and, perhaps--though she did not acknowledge that purpose +to her own heart--to assure him also still more fully of her +unchanging affection. Laura had never felt, even in the least degree, +what love is before. She was not one of the many who trifle away +their heart's brightest affections piece by piece. She had given her +love all at once, and the sensation was the more overpowering. + +At length, then, as the hour approached when she supposed he might be +likely to return, she rose and dressed herself, and perhaps that day +she thought more of her beauty than she had ever done before in life; +but it was not with any vain pleasure; for she thought of it only +inasmuch as it might please another whom she loved. We can all surely +remember how, when in the days of our childhood we have had some +present to give to a dear friend, we have looked at it and considered +it, and fancied it even more valuable and delightful than it really +was, with the bright hope of its appearing so to the person for whom +it was destined. Thus with her toilet, Laura let her maid take as +much pains as she would; and when she saw in the glass as lovely a +face and form as that instrument of vanity ever reflected, and could +not help acknowledging that it was so, she smiled with a pleasure +that she had never felt before, to think that beauty also was a part +of the dowry of bright things which she was to bring to him she +loved. + +Though the maid was somewhat longer with her mistress's toilet than +usual, delaying it for a little, perhaps, with a view of obtaining +farther information than Lady Laura was inclined to give her, upon +all the events of the two or three days preceding, yet Laura was down +in the saloon some time before the dinner-hour, and she looked not a +little anxiously for the coming of Wilton. She was not inclined to +chide him for delay, for she knew that it would be no fault of his if +he were not there early. The Duke, not knowing that she had risen, +had gone out; but he, too, had left her heart happy in the morning +when they parted, by answering her, when she told him of the +invitation she had given, with such encomiums of her deliverer, of +his manner, of his character, of his person, and of his mind, that +Laura was almost tempted into hopes more bright than the reality. + +Notwithstanding all delays Wilton did at length arrive, and that, +too, before the Duke returned, so that Laura had time to tell him how +happy her father's praises of him had made her, and to insinuate +hopes, though she did not venture absolutely to express them. Her +words, and her manner, and her look, in consequence of all that had +been passing in her mind during the morning, were more warm, more +tender than they had even been before; and who could blame Wilton, or +say that he presumed, if he, too, gave way somewhat more to the warm +and passionate love of his own heart, than he had dared to venture +during their preceding intercourse? + +Laura did not blame him. She blushed, indeed, as he pressed her to +his heart, though he was the man whom she loved best on earth; but +yet, though she blushed, she felt no wrong: she felt, on the +contrary, the same pure and endearing affection towards him that he +felt for her, and knew that gentle pressure to be but an expression, +on his part, of the same high, holy, and noble love with which she +could have clung to his bosom in any moment of danger, difficulty or +distress. + +At length the Duke made his appearance; and eagerly grasped Wilton's +hand in both his own, thanking him a thousand and a thousand times +for restoring to him his beloved child, and telling him that no words +or deeds could ever express his gratitude. Indeed, so much more +eager, so much more demonstrative, was his whole demeanour, than that +of his daughter, that he blamed Laura for coldness in expressing what +she felt only too warmly for words; and until dinner was announced, +he continued talking over all that had occurred, and inquiring again +and again into each particular. + +As they went into the dining-room, however, he made a sign to his +daughter, whom he had cautioned before, and whispered to Wilton, "Of +course, we must not talk of these things before the servants." + +All that had passed placed Wilton now in a far different situation +with the Duke and his daughter from that in which he had ever stood +before. His mind was perfectly at ease with them, and the relief had +its natural effect on his conversation: all the treasures of his mind, +all the high feelings of his heart, he knew might be displayed +fearlessly. He did not, indeed, seek to bring those treasured +feelings forward; he did not strive to shine, as it is called, for +that striving must in itself always give a want of ease. But poor, +indeed, must be the mind, dull and slow the imagination, which, out +of the ordinary things of life--ay! even out of the every-day +conversation of beings inferior to itself--does not naturally and +easily derive immense, unfathomable currents of thought, combinations +of fancy, of feeling, and of reflection, which only want the licence +of the will to flow on and sparkle as they go. It is, that the Will +refuses that licence when we are with those that we despise or +dislike: it is, that we voluntarily shut the flood-gates, and will +not allow the streams to rush forth. But with Wilton it was very, +very different now: he was in the presence of one whose eye was +sunshine to him, whose mind was of an equal tone with his own; and +there was besides in his bosom that strong passion in its strongest +form which gives to everything it mingles with its own depth, and +intensity, and power--which, like a mountain torrent, suddenly poured +into the bed of some summer rivulet, changes it at once in force, in +speed, in depth--that passion which has made dumb men eloquent, and +cowards brave. + +Thus, though the conversation began with ordinary subjects, touched +but upon matters of taste and amusement, and approached deeper +feelings only as a deviation from its regular course, yet at every +turn it took, Wilton's mind displayed its richness and its power; +till the Duke, who had considerable taste and natural feeling, as +well as high cultivation of mind, looked with surprise and admiration +towards his daughter; and every now and then Laura herself, almost +breathless with mingled feelings of pleasure, pride, and affection, +turned her eyes upon her father, and marked his sensations with a +happy smile. + +And yet it was all so natural, so easy, so unaffected, that one felt +there was neither effort nor presumption. There was nothing of what +the vulgar mass of common society call eloquence about it; but there +was the true eloquence, which by a single touch wakes the sound that +we desire to produce in the heart of another: which by one bright +instantaneous flash lights up, to the perception of every one around, +each point that we wish them to behold. Eloquence consists not in +many words, but in few words: the thoughts, the associations, the +images, may be many, but the acme of eloquence is in the rapidity of +their expression. + +Wilton, then, did not in any degree presume. He discoursed upon +nothing; he did not even attempt to lead. The Duke led the +conversation, and he followed: but it was like that famous entry of +the Roman emperor, where an eagle was seen hovering round and round +his head: the royal bird followed, indeed, the monarch; but in his +flight took ten times a wider scope: the people hailed with loud +gratulations the approach of Caesar, but in the attendant bird +they recognised Jove. The Duke, however, who had taste, as we have +said, and feeling, and who, in regard to conversational powers, was +not a vain roan, was delighted with his guest, and laid himself out +to lead Wilton on towards subjects on which he thought he would +shine: but there was one very extraordinary thing in the history of +that afternoon. There was not a servant in the hall--no, neither the +laced and ribanded lackey lately hired in London, the old blue +bottles from the country mansion, the stately butler and his +understrapper of the cellaret, nor the Duke's own French gentleman, +who stood very close to his master's elbow during the whole of dinner +time--there was not one that did not clearly and perfectly perceive +that their young lady was in love with her handsome deliverer, and +did not comment upon it in their several spheres, when they quitted +the room. Every one felt positive that the matter was all arranged, +and the wedding was soon to take place; and, to say the truth, so +much had Wilton in general won upon their esteem by one means or +another, that the only objection urged against him, in the various +councils which were held upon the subject, was, that his name was +Brown, that he had not a vis-a-vis, and that he kept only two horses. + +The two or three last sentences, it must be owned, are lamentable +digressions; for we have not yet stated what the extraordinary thing +was. It was not in the least degree extraordinary that the servants +should all find out the secret of Laura's heart; for her eyes told it +every time that she looked at Wilton; but it is very extraordinary, +indeed, that her father should never find it out, when every one else +that was present did. Is it that there is a magic haze which +surrounds love, that can never be penetrated by the eyes of parents +or guardians, till some particular allotted moment is arrived? I +cannot tell; so, however, has it always proved, and so in all +probability it ever will. + +Such was the case with the Duke at the present moment. Although +there was every opportunity for his daughter and Wilton falling in +love with each other; although there was every reasonable cause +thereunto them moving--youth, and beauty, and warm hearts, and +gratitude, and interesting situations: although there was every +probability that time, place, and circumstance could afford; although +there was every indication, sign, symptom, and appearance, that it was +absolutely the case at that very moment, yet the Duke saw nothing of +it, did not believe it existed, did not imagine that it was likely +ever to exist, and was quite prepared to be astonished, surprised, and +mortified, at whatever period the fact, by the will of fate, should +be forced upon his understanding. + +Such was the state of all parties at the time when Laura rose from +the table, and left her father and Wilton alone. Now the bad custom +of men sitting together and drinking immense and detrimental +quantities of various kinds of wine, was at that time at its very +acme; so much so, indeed, that there is more than one recorded +instance, in the years 1695 and 1696, of gentlemen--yes, reader; +actually gentlemen, that is to say, persons who had had every +advantage of birth, for time, and education--killing themselves with +intoxication, exactly in the manner which a noble but most unhappy +bard of our own days has described, in-- + + --"the Irish peer + Who kill'd himself for love, with wine, last year." + +On this subject, however, we shall not dwell, as we may be fated, +perhaps, in the very beginning of the next chapter, to touch upon +some of the other peculiar habits of those days. + +Now neither Wilton nor the Duke were at all addicted to the vice we +have mentioned; and Wilton had certainly much stronger attractions in +another room of that house than any that the Duke's cellar could +afford him. The Duke, too, had small inclination usually to sit long +at table; but on the present occasion he had an object in detaining +his young friend in the dining-room after Lady Laura had departed. +Wilton's eyes saw him turn towards him several times, while the +servants were busy about the table, and had, indeed, even during +dinner, remarked a certain sort of restlessness, which he attributed, +and rightly, to an anxiety regarding the plots of the Jacobites, in +which the peer had so nearly involved himself. + +At length, when the room was cleared and the door closed, the Duke +drew round his chair towards the fire, begging his young friend to do +the same, and mingling the matter of alarm even with his invitation +to the first glass of wine, "My dear Wilton," he said--"you must +permit me to call you so, for I can now look upon you as little less +than a son--I wish you to give me a fuller account of all this +business than poor Laura can, for there is news current about the +town to-day which somewhat alarms me, though I do not think there is +any need of alarm either. But surely, Wilton, they could not bring me +in as at all accessory to a plot which I would have nothing to do +with." + +"Oh no, my lord, I should think not," replied Wilton, without much +consideration. "I know it is the wish of the government only to +punish the chief offenders." + +"Then you think it is really all discovered, as they say?" demanded +the Duke. + +"I know it is," replied Wilton. "Several of the conspirators are +already in custody, and warrants are issued, I understand, against +the rest. As far as I can judge, two or three will turn King's +evidence, and the rest will be executed." + +"Good God!" exclaimed the Duke. "I heard something of the business +when I was out, but scarcely gave it credit. It seemed so suddenly +discovered." + +"I believe the government have had the clue in their hands for some +time," replied Wilton, "but have only availed themselves of it +lately." + +"Have you heard any one named, Wilton?" demanded the Duke again; "any +of those who are taken, or any of those who are suspected?" + +"Sir John Friend has been arrested this morning," replied Wilton; "a +person named Cranburne, and another called Rookwood. I heard the +names of those who are suspected also read over." + +"Then I adjure you, my dear young friend," cried the Duke, starting +up, and grasping his hand in great agitation--"I adjure you, by all +the regard that exists between us, and all that you have done for me +and my poor child, to tell me if my name was amongst the rest." + +"No, it certainly was not," replied Wilton; and as he spoke, the Duke +suffered himself to sink back into his chair again, with a long and +relieved sigh. + +The moment Wilton had uttered his reply, however, he recollected that +there was one name in the list at which Lord Byerdale had hesitated; +and he then feared that he might be leading the Duke into error. +Knowing, however, that Laura's father had been but at one of the +meetings of the conspirators, and being perfectly sure, that, +startled and dismayed by what he had heard of their plans, he had +instantly withdrawn from all association with them, he did not doubt +that no serious danger could exist in his case, and therefore thought +it unnecessary to agitate his mind, by suggesting the doubt which had +suddenly come into his own. + +He knew, indeed, that any alarm which the Duke might feel, would but +make Laura's father lean more entirely day by day upon him, who, with +the exception of the conspirators themselves, was the only person who +possessed the dangerous secret which caused him so much agitation. +But Wilton was not a man to consider his own interests in any such +matter, and he determined, after a moment's consideration, to say +nothing of the doubts which had just arisen. A pause had ensued, +however, for the Duke, busied with his own feelings, had suffered his +thoughts to run back into the past; and, as is the case with every +human being whose mind dwells upon the acts that are irrevocable, he +found matter for sorrow and regret. After about five minutes' +silence, during which they both continued to gaze thoughtfully into +the fire, the Duke returned to the matter before them by saying-- + +"I wish to heavens, my dear young friend, I had taken your advice, +and not gone to this meeting at all; or that you had given me a +fuller intimation of what was intended." + +"I could not, indeed, my lord," replied Wilton, "for I had no fuller +knowledge myself; I only conveyed to you a message I had received." + +The Duke shook his head doubtingly. "Oh! Wilton, Wilton!" he said, +"you are training for a statesman! You have much better information +of all these things than you will suffer to appear. Did you not warn +me of this before any one else knew anything of it? Did you not in a +very short time find out where Laura was when nobody else could?" + +It was in vain that Wilton denied any superior knowledge. The Duke +had so completely made up his mind that his young friend had been in +possession of all the secret information obtained by the ministers, +and, indeed, of more and earlier information than they had possessed, +that nothing would remove the impression from his mind; and when he +at length rose, finding that Wilton would drink no more wine, he +said-- + +"Well, Wilton, remember, I depend entirely upon you, with the fullest +and most implicit confidence. No one possesses my secret but you, and +one or two of these men, who will have enough to do in thinking of +themselves without implicating others, I trust. Most of those who +were present--for the meeting was very large--did not know who I +was, and the rest who did know, must know also very well, that I +strenuously objected to their whole proceedings, and quitted them as +soon as I discovered what were their real objects. A word said upon +the subject, however, might ruin me; for rank and fortune in this +world, Wilton, though they bear their own inconveniences with them, +are always objects of envy to those who do not possess them; and +malice as surely treads upon the steps of envy as night follows day. +I trust to you, as I have said, entirely, and I trust to you even +with the more confidence, because I find that you have been wise and +prudent enough not even to communicate to Laura the fact of my having +attended any of these meetings at all. While all this is taking +place, however, my dear Wilton--as of course the matter will be a +very agitating one to me, when the trials come on (for fear any of +the traitors should name me)--let me see you frequently, constantly, +every day, if you can, and bring me what tidings you can gain of all +that passes." + +Wilton easily promised to do that which the Duke desired, in this +respect at least, and they then joined her he loved, with whom he +passed one of those calm, sweet evenings, the tranquil happiness of +which admits of no description. + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +Amongst all the curious changes that have taken place in the +world--by which expression I mean, upon the world, for the great +round ball on which we roll through space is the only part of the +whole that remains but little altered--amongst all the changes, then, +which have taken place in the world, moral, political, and social, +there has been none more extraordinary, perhaps, than the rise, +progress, extension, and dominion of that strong power called +Decorum. I have heard it asserted by a very clever man, that there +was nothing of the kind known in England before the commencement of +the reign of George III., and that decorum was, in fact, a mere +decent cloak to cover the nakedness of vice. I think he was mistaken: +the word was known long before; and there has been at all times a +feeling of decorum in the English nation, which has shown itself in +gradually rooting out from the ordinary commerce of society +everything that is coarse in expression, or doubtful in conduct. The +natural tendency of this is to mark more strongly the limits of the +realms of vice and virtue; and vice, as a matter of course, in order +to obviate the detrimental effect which such a clear definition of +her boundaries must produce, loses no opportunity of travelling over +into the marches or debateable land which is left under the warden +ship of decorum. + +The name was not, perhaps, applied as now it is, in former years, but +still the spirit existed, as may be seen by any one who takes up and +reads the works of one of our purest but coldest of writers, Addison, +who, about the time of the peace, which took place in the beginning +of the eighteenth century, laments the loss of much of the delicacy +(or, in other terns, decorum) of English society which was likely to +ensue from a free intercourse with France. It must, indeed, be +admitted that at that period the reign of decorum had not made nearly +so great a progress as it has at present. It was then a constitutional +monarchy, where it is now a despotism, but was probably not a bit +less powerful from being decidedly more free. People in those days +did certainly speak of things that we now speak not of at all. They +called things by their plain straightforward names, for which we have +since invented terms perhaps less definite and not more decent. But +people of refined minds and tastes were refined then as now, and +loved and cultivated all those amenities, graces, and proprieties, +which form not alone the greatest safeguards, but also the greatest +charms of human existence. Perhaps the difference was more in the +thoughts than in the expressions, and that the refined of those days +bound themselves to think more purely in the first place, so that +there was less need of guarding their words so strictly. + +We shall not pause to investigate whether it was that greater purity +of thought, or any other cause, which produced a far more extensive +liberty of action, especially in the female part of society, than +that which is admitted at present. It is certain, however, that it +was so, and that there was something in virtue and innocence which in +those days was a very strong safeguard against the attacks of +scandal, calumny, and malice. In the present day, even the servants +of virtue are found to be the absolute slaves of decorum; but in +those days, so long as they obeyed the high commands of their +rightful mistress, they had but little occasion to apprehend that the +scourge of calumny, or the fear thereof, would drive them continually +back into one narrow and beaten path. + +It is, indeed, the greatest satire upon human nature which the world +has ever produced, that acts perfectly innocent, high, and pure as +God's holy light, cannot be permitted to persons even of tried +virtue, simply because they would afford the opportunity of doing +ill. It is, in fact, to say, that no one is to be trusted; that there +is nothing which keeps man or woman virtuous but want of opportunity. +It is a terrible satire; it is more than a satire; it is a foul +libel, aimed by the vicious against those who are better than +themselves. + +Such things did not exist in the days whereof I write, or existed in +a very, very small degree. It is true, from time to time, a woman's +reputation might suffer falsely; but it was in general from her +having approached very near the confines of evil, and the punishment +that ensued, though perhaps even then disproportioned to the fault, +had no tendency whatever to diminish the innocent liberty of others. +We find from all the writers who painted the manners of those +days--Addison, Swift, Steele, and others--that a lady, especially an +unmarried lady, feared no risk to her reputation in going hither or +thither, either perfectly alone, or with any friend with whom she was +known to be intimate. She might venture upon an excursion into the +country, a party of pleasure, nay, a journey itself in many +instances, with any gentleman of honour and reputation, without +either friends or enemies casting an imputation upon her character, +or the world immediately giving her over to him in marriage. + +It was left indeed to her own judgment whom she would choose for her +companion, and the most innocent girl might have gone anywhere +unreproved with a man of known honour and virtue, who would have +ruined her own character had she placed herself in the power of a +Rochester or a Bucking ham. These were rational boundaries; but +perhaps the liberty of those days went somewhat beyond even that. In +the early part of the eighteenth century, many of the habits of the +Continent were introduced into England at a time that continental +society was so corrupt as to require licence instead of liberty, and +so far from attending to propriety, to give way to indecency itself. +It became common in the highest circles of society for ladies, +married and single alike, to dispense almost entirely with a female +attendant, and following that most indecent and beastly of all +continental habits, to permit all the offices of a waiting woman to +be performed for them by men. The visits of male acquaintances were +continually received in their bed-rooms, and that, also, before they +had risen in the morning. This, perhaps, was too much, though +certainly far less indecent than the other most revolting of all +immodest practices which I have just mentioned. Others, again, +admitted no visitors further than their dressing-room, and thought +themselves very scrupulous; but there were others, as there must be +at all times, who, with feelings of true modesty and perfect +delicacy, hesitated not to use all proper and rational liberty, yet +shrunk instinctively from the least coarseness of thought or +language, and never yielded to aught that was immodest in custom or +demeanour. + +Of these was Lady Laura Gaveston; and though she had no fear of +becoming the talk of the town, or losing the slightest particle of a +bright and pure reputation, by treating one who had rendered her +important services in all respects as she would a brother, by being +seen with him often and often alone, by showing herself with him in +public places, or by any other act of the kind that her heart +prompted her to, she in no way gave in to the evil practices which +the English had learned from their continental neighbours, and, +indeed, never thought or reasoned upon the subject, feeling that +decency as well as morality is a matter of sentiment and not of +custom. + +The peculiar situation in which the Duke and Wilton were placed +towards each other; the Duke's repeated entreaties that Wilton would +see him every day, if possible; the intimacy that had arisen from +services rendered and received, produced that constant and continual +intercourse which was necessary to the happiness of two people who +loved as Wilton and Laura did; not a day passed without their seeing +each other, scarcely a day passed without their being alone together, +sometimes even for hours; and every moment that they thus spent in +each other's society increased their feelings of love and tenderness +for each other, their hopes, their confidence, their esteem. + +Not a secret of Laura's bosom was now concealed from him she loved, +not a thought, not a feeling. She delighted to tell him all: with +whatever subject her mind was employed, with whatever bright thing +her fancy sported, Wilton was always made the sharer; and it was the +same with him. The course that their thoughts pursued was certainly +not always alike, but they generally arrived at the same conclusion, +she by a longer and a softer way, he by a more rapid, vigorous, and +direct one. It was like the passing of a hill by two different roads; +the one, for the bold climber, over the steepest brow; the other, for +gentler steps, more easy round the side. + +In the meantime, the Duke proceeded with his young friend even as he +had commenced. He treated him as his most intimate and dearest +confidant; he gradually went on to consult and trust him, not alone +with regard to the immediate subject of his situation, as affected by +the conspiracy, but upon a thousand other matters; and as Wilton's +advice, clear-sighted and vigorous, was always judicious, and +generally successful, the Duke, one of whose greatest weaknesses was +the habit of putting his own judgment under the guidance of others, +learned to lean upon his young companion, as he had at first done +upon his wife, and then upon his daughter. + +The various changes and events of the day, as they kept the Duke's +mind in a state of frequent suspense and anxiety, made him more often +recur to Wilton than otherwise would have been the case. London was +filled with rumours of every kind regarding the discovery of the +plot, and the persons implicated. The report of Lady Laura's having +been carried off by the Jacobites, for the purpose of inducing her +father to join in their schemes, spread far and wide, and filled +Beaufort House, during a great part of the morning, with a crowd of +visitors, all anxious to hear the facts, and to retail them with what +colouring they thought fit. + +Some argued, that though the Duke had always been thought somewhat of +a Jacobite, at least he had now proved his adherence to the existing +dynasty, beyond all manner of dispute, by what he and his daughter +had suffered from their resistance to the Jacobites. Others, again, +curled the malicious lip, and declared that the Duke must have given +the conspirators some encouragement, or they would never have +ventured upon such deeds. All, however, to the Duke himself, affected +to look upon him and his family as marked by the enmity of the other +faction; and he, on his part, perhaps, did feel his importance in a +little degree increased by the sort of notoriety which he had +acquired. + +If there was any pleasure in this--and when is not increased +importance pleasurable?--it was speedily brought to an end, as soon +as the trials of the conspirators began, and intelligence of more and +more traitors being arrested in different parts, and increased +rumours of the number suspected, or actually implicated, reaching the +ears of the Duke. Persons who one day appeared perfectly free and +stainless, were the next marked out as having a share in the +conspiracy. Fear fell upon all men: the times of Titus Oates and his +famous plot presented themselves to everybody's imagination, and the +Duke's head lay more and more uneasy on his pillow every night. + +Sir John Fenwick, however, was not yet taken: Sir William Parkyns and +Sir John Friend died with firmness and with honour, compromising no +man. Sir George Barkley had escaped; the Earl of Aylesbury, though +implicated by the testimony of several witnesses in the lesser +offences of the conspiracy, was not arrested; and not a word had yet +been spoken of the Duke's name. + +It was about this period, however, that Laura's father suddenly +received a note from Lord Aylesbury to the following effect:-- + + "Your grace and I being somewhat similarly situated in + several respects, I think fit to give you intimation of my + views at the present moment. While gentlemen, and men of + honour, were the only individuals made to suffer in + consequence of the late lamentable events, people, who knew + themselves to be innocent of any bloody or treasonable + designs, might feel themselves tolerably safe, even though + they were well acquainted with some of the persons accused. + I hear now, however, that there is a certain Rookwood, + together with men named Cranburne, Lowick, Knightly, and + others, some of them small gentry of no repute, and others + merely vulgar and inferior persons, who are about to be + brought to immediate trial; and I have it from a sure hand, + that some of these persons, for the purpose of saving their + own miserable lives, intend to charge men of much higher + rank than themselves with crimes of which they never had + any thought, simply because they were acquainted with + some of the unfortunate gentlemen by whom these evil and + foolish things were designed. Such being the case, and + knowing myself to be somewhat obnoxious to many persons + in power, I have determined to remove from London for the + time, that my presence may not excite attention, and perhaps + call upon my head an accusation which may be levelled at + any other if I should not be here. I by no means purpose + to quit the kingdom, and would rather, indeed, surrender + myself, and endeavour to prove my innocence, even against + the torrent of prejudice, and all the wild and raging outcry + which this business has produced, both in the parliament + and in the nation. At the same time, I think it best to + inform you of these facts, as an old friend, well knowing that + your grace has a house ready to receive you in Hampshire, + within thirty-five miles of the city of London, in case your + presence should be wanted, and about the same distance + from the sea-coast. I will beg your grace to read this, and + then instantly to burn it, believing that it comes with a very + good intent, from + "Your humble servant, + "AYLESBURY." + +This letter once more excited all the apprehensions of the Duke, who +well knew that Lord Aylesbury would never have written such an +epistle without intending to imply much more than he directly said. + +His recourse was immediately to Wilton, who was engaged to dine with +him on that day, together with a large party. As Wilton's +engagements, however, were always made with a proviso, that his +official duties under the Earl of Byerdale permitted his fulfilling +them, the Duke sent off a special messenger with a note beseeching +him not to fail. The dinner hour, however, arrived; the various +guests made their appearance; the cook began to fret, and to declare +to his understrappers that the Duke always spoilt the dinner; but +Wilton had not yet come, and the Duke was anxious, if but to obtain +five words with him. + +At length, however, the young gentleman arrived; and it was not a +little to the surprise of all the guests, and to the indignation of +some, that they saw who was the person for whom the meal had been +delayed. Wilton, though always well dressed, and in any circumstances +bearing the aspect of a gentleman, had evidently made his toilet +hastily and imperfectly; and notwithstanding the distance he had +come, bore about his person distinct traces of heat and excitement. + +"I have not failed to obey your summons, my lord," he said, following +the Duke into the opening of one of the windows, "though it was +scarcely possible for me to do so. But I have much that I wish to +say to you." + +"And I to you," replied the Duke; and he told him the contents of the +letter he had received from Lord Aylesbury that morning. + +"The Earl says true, my lord," replied Wilton. "But I have this very +day seen Cook myself--I mean Peter Cook, the person that it is +supposed will be permitted to turn king's evidence. He did certainly +slightly glance at your grace; but I believe that the orders of Lord +Byerdale will prevent him from implicating any persons but those who +were actually engaged in the worst designs of the conspirators." + +"Had I not better go into the country at once?" demanded the Duke, +eagerly. + +"Far from it, far from it, my lord," replied Wilton: "the way, of all +others, I should think, to cause yourself to be arrested. On the +contrary, if you would take my advice, you would immediately sit down +and write a note to Lord Byerdale, saying that I had told you--for he +did not forbid me to mention it--that Cook had made some allusion to +you. Tell him that it was, and is, your intention to go out of town +within a few days, but that knowing your own innocence of every +design against the government, you will put off your journey, or even +surrender yourself at the Tower, should he judge, from any +information that he possesses, that even a shade of suspicion is +likely to be cast upon you by any of the persons about to be tried. I +will answer for the success, if your grace follows my advice. A bold +step of this kind disarms suspicion. Lord Byerdale will, in all +probability, intimate to Cook, that nothing at all is to be said in +regard to you, feeling sure that you are innocent of any great +offence; whereas, if the charge were once brought forward, the set of +low-minded villains concerned in this business might think it +absolutely necessary to work it up into a serious affair, from which +your grace would find a difficulty in extricating yourself." + +"You are right, Wilton, you are right," replied the Duke: "I see you +are right, although I judged it hazardous at first. You shall see +what confidence I have in you. I will write the letter directly;" and +he turned away with him from the window. + +Laura had watched the conference with some anxiety, and the Duke's +guests with some surprise; but when the Duke ended by saying aloud, +"I fear I must beg your pardon, ladies, for two minutes, but I must +write a short note of immediate importance; Wilton, my dear young +friend, be kind enough to order dinner, and help Laura to entertain +my friends here till I return, which will be before they have covered +the table," every one looked in the face of the other; and they all +mentally said, "The matter is clearly settled, and the hand of this +rich and beautiful heiress is promised to an unknown man of no rank +whatever." + +Knowing the feelings that were in his own heart, being quite sure of +the interpretation that would be put upon the Duke's words, and yet +having some doubts still whether the Duke himself had the slightest +intention of giving them such a meaning, Wilton cast down his eyes +and coloured slightly. But Laura, to whom those words were anything +but painful--though she blushed a little too, which but confirmed +the opinion of those who remarked it--could not restrain altogether +the smile of pleasure that played upon her lips, as she turned her +happy eyes for a moment to the countenance of the man she loved. + +There was not an old lady or gentleman, of high rank, in the room, +possessed of a marriageable son, who would not at that moment have +willingly raised Wilton to the final elevation of Haman, by the same +process which that envious person underwent; and yet it is wonderful +how courteous and cordial, and even affectionate, they all were +towards the young gentleman whom, for the time, they mortally hated. +Wilton felt himself awkwardly situated for the next few minutes, not +choosing fully to assume the position in which the Duke's words had +placed him. He well knew that if he did enact to the full the part of +that nobleman's representative, every one would charge him with gross +and shameful presumption, and would most likely talk of it, each in +his separate circle, during the whole of the following day. + +He was soon relieved, however, by the return of the Duke, who had +sent the letter, but who continued evidently anxious and thoughtful +during the whole of dinner. Wilton was also a little disturbed, and +showed himself rather silent and retiring than otherwise. But before +dinner was over--for such meals were long protracted in those +days--one of the servants brought a note to the Duke, who, begging +pardon for so far violating all proprieties, opened, read it, and, +while the cloud vanished from his countenance, placed it on the +salver again, saying to the servant, "Take that to Mr. Brown." + +The note was in the hand of Lord Byerdale, and to the following +effect:-- + + "MY DEAR LORD DUKE, + "Your grace's attachment to the government is far too + well known to be affected by anything that such a person as + Peter Cook could say. I permitted our dear young friend + Wilton to tell you what the man had mentioned, more as a + mark of our full confidence than anything else. But I doubt + not that he will forbear to repeat the calumny in court; and + if he does, it will receive no attention. Go out of town, then, + whenever you think fit, and to whatsoever place you please, + feeling quite sure that in Wilton you have a strenuous + advocate, and a sincere friend in + "Your grace's most humble and + "most obedient servant, + "BYERDALE." + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII. + +For nearly ten days after the events which we have recorded in the +thirtieth chapter of this volume, and while the principal part of the +events were taking place of which we have just spoken, Lord +Sherbrooke remained absent from London. Knowing the circumstances in +which he was placed, Wilton felt anxious lest the delay of his return +might attract the attention of Lord Byerdale, and lead him to suspect +some evil. No suspicion, however, seemed to cross the mind of the +Earl, who was more accustomed than Wilton knew to find his son absent +without knowing where he was, or how employed. + +At length, however, one morning Lord Sherbrooke made his appearance +again; and Wilton saw that he was on perfect good terms with his +father, who never quarrelled with his vices, or interfered with his +pursuits, when there was any veil of decency thrown over the one, or +the Earl's own views were not openly opposed by the other. + +When Wilton entered the room where the father and son were seated at +breakfast, he found Lord Sherbrooke descanting learnedly upon the +fancy of damask table-cloths and napkins. He vowed that his father +was behind all the world, especially the world of France, and that it +was absolutely necessary, in order to make himself like other men of +station and fashion, that he should have his coronet and cipher +embroidered with gold in the corners, and his arms, in the same +manner, made conspicuous in the centre. + +"And pray, my good son," said Lord Byerdale to him, "as your intimacy +with washerwomen is doubtless as great as your intimacy with +embroiderers and sempstresses, pray tell me how these gilded napkins +are to be washed?" + +"Washed, my lord!" exclaimed Lord Sherbrooke in a tone of horror. "Do +you ever have your napkins washed? I did not know there was a +statesman in Europe whose fingers were so clean as to leave his +napkin in such a state that the stains could ever be taken out, after +he had once used it." + +"I am afraid, my dear boy," replied Lord Byerdale, "that, if you had +not--as many men of sharp wit do--confounded a figure with a reality, +for the purpose of playing with both, and if there were in truth such +a thing as a moral napkin, what you say would be very true. But as +far as I can judge, my dear Sherbrooke, yours would not bear washing +any better than mine." + +"It would be very presumptuous of me if it did, my dear father," +replied Lord Sherbrooke, "and would argue that precept and example +had done nothing for me. Come, Wilton," he added, "come in to my +help, for here are father and son flinging so hard at each other, +that I shall get my teeth dashed down my throat before I've done. Now +tell me, did you ever see such a napkin as that in the house of a +nobleman, a gentleman, or a man of taste, three states, by the way, +seldom united in the same person?" + +"Oh yes," replied Wilton, "often; and, to tell the truth, I think +them in much better taste than if they were all covered with gold." + +"Surely not for the fingers of a statesman?" said Lord Sherbrooke. +"However, I abominate them; and I will instantly sit down and write +to a good friend of mine in France, to smuggle me over a few dozens +as a present to my respectable parent." + +"A present which he will have to pay for," replied the Earl, somewhat +bitterly. "My dear Sherbrooke, your presents to other people cost +your father so much one way, that I beg you will make none to him, +and get him into the scrape the other way also." + +"Do not be alarmed, my dear and most amiable parent," replied Lord +Sherbrooke: "the sweet discussion which we had some time ago, in +regard to debts and expenses, has had its effect: though it is a very +stupid plan of a son ever to let his father see that what he says has +any effect upon him at all; but I intend to contract my expenses." + +"Intentions are very excellent things, my dear Sherbrooke," replied +his father. "But I am afraid we generally treat them as gardeners do +celery,--cut them down as soon as they sprout above ground." + +"I have let mine grow, my lord, already," replied Sherbrooke. "I +last night gave an order for selling five of my horses, and now keep +only two." + +"And how many mistresses, Sherbrooke?" demanded his father. + +"None, my lord," replied Sherbrooke. + +Not a change came over Lord Byerdale's countenance; but ringing the +bell which stood before him on the table, he said to the servant, +"Bring me the book marked 'Ephemeris' from my dressing-room, with a +pen and ink.--We will put that down," continued he; and when the +servant brought the book he wrote for a moment, reading aloud as he +did so, "Great annular eclipse of the sun--slight shock of an +earthquake felt in Cardigan--Sherbrooke talks of contracting his +expenses." + +Wilton could not help smiling; but he believed and trusted, from all +that he knew of Lord Sherbrooke's situation, that new motives and +nobler ones than those which had ever influenced him before, produced +his present resolution, and would support him in it. + +The business which he had to transact with the Earl proved very +brief; and after it was over, he sought Lord Sherbrooke again, with +feelings of real and deep interest in all that concerned him. He +found the young nobleman seated with his feet on the fire-place, and +a light book in his hand, sometimes letting it drop upon his knee, +and falling into a fit of thought, sometimes reading a few lines +attentively, sometimes gazing upon the page, evidently without +attending to its contents. + +He suffered Wilton to be in the room several minutes without speaking +to him; and his friend, knowing the eccentricities that occasionally +took possession of him, was about to quit the room and leave him, +when he started up, threw the book into the midst of the fire, and +said, "Where are you going, Wilton? I will walk with you." + +They issued forth together into the streets, and entering St. James's +Park, took their way round by the head of the decoy towards the side +of the river. While in the streets they both kept silence; but as +soon as they had passed the ever-moving crowds that swarm in the +thoroughfares of the great metropolis, Wilton began the conversation, +by inquiring eagerly after his friend's wife. + +"She is nearly well," replied Lord Sherbrooke, coldly--"out of all +danger, at least. It is I that am sick, Wilton--sick at heart." + +"I hope not cold at heart, Sherbrooke," replied Wilton, somewhat +pained by the tone in which the other spoke. "I should think such a +being as I saw with you might well warm you to constancy as well as +love. I hope, Sherbrooke, those feelings I beheld excited in you have +not, in this instance, evaporated as soon as in others." + +Lord Sherbrooke turned and gazed in his friend's face for a moment +intently, even sternly, and then replied, "Love her, Wilton? I love +her better than anything in earth or in heaven! It is for her sake I +am sad; and yet she is so noble, that why should I fear to bear what +she will never shrink from." + +"Nay, my dear Sherbrooke," replied Wilton. "The very resolution which +I see you have taken to shake yourself free of the trammels of your +debts ought to give you joy and confidence." + +"Debts!" said Lord Sherbrooke--"debts! Do you think that it was debts +I had in view when I ordered my horses to be sold, and my carriages +to follow them, and kicked my Italian valet down stairs, and +dismissed my mistresses, and got rid of half-a-dozen other +blood-suckers?--My debts had nothing to do with it. By Heaven, +Wilton, if it had been for nothing but that, I would have spent +twenty thousand pounds more before the year was over; for when one +has a mind to enrage one's father, or go to gaol, or anything of that +kind, one had better do it for a large sum at once, in a gentleman- +like way. Oh no, I have other things in my head, Wilton, that you +know nothing about." + +"I will not try to press into your confidence, Sherbrooke," replied +Wilton, "though I think in some things I have shown myself deserving +of it. But I need hardly tell you, that if I can serve you, I am +always most willing to do so, and you need but command me." + +"Alas! my dear Wilton," replied Lord Sherbrooke--"this is a matter +in which you can do nothing. It is like one man trying to lift Paul's +church upon his back, and another coming up and offering to help +him. If I did what was right, and according to the best prescribed +practice, I should repay your kind wishes and offers by turning round +and cutting your throat." + +"Nay, nay, my dear Sherbrooke," replied Wilton, "you are in one of +your misanthropical fits, and carry it even further than ordinary. +The world is bad enough, but not so bad as to present us with many +instances of people cutting each other's throats as a reward for +offers of service." + +"You are very wise, Wilton," replied Lord Sherbrooke, "but +nevertheless you will find out that at present I am right and you are +wrong. However, let us talk of something else;" and he dashed off at +once into a wild gay strain of merriment, as unaccountable as the +grave and gloomy tone with which he had entered into the +conversation. + +This morning's interview formed the type of Lord Sherbrooke's conduct +during the whole time of his stay in town. Continual fluctuations, +not only in his own spirits, but in his demeanour towards Wilton +himself; evidently showed his friend that he was agitated internally +by some great grief or terrible anxiety. Indeed, from time to time, +his words suffered it to appear, though not, perhaps, in the same +manner that the words of other men would have done in similar +circumstances. The only thing in which he seemed to take pleasure was +in attending the trials of the various conspirators; and when any of +them displayed any fear or want of firmness, he found therein a vast +source of merriment, and would come home laughing to Wilton, and +telling him how the beggarly wretch had showed his pale fright at the +block and axe. + +"That villain Knightly," he said, one day, "who was as deep or deeper +in the plot than any of the others, and surveyed the ground for the +King's assassination, came into court the colour of an old woman's +green calamanco petticoat, gaping and trembling in every limb like a +boar's head in aspic jelly; and Heaven knows that I, who stood +looking and laughing at him, would have taken his place for a +dollar." + +The perfect conviction that some very serious cause existed for this +despondency induced Wilton to deviate from the line of conduct he had +laid down for himself, and to urge Lord Sherbrooke at various times +to make him acquainted with the particulars of his situation, and to +give him the opportunity of assisting him if possible. Lord +Sherbrooke resisted pertinaciously. He sometimes answered his friend +kindly and feelingly, sometimes sullenly, sometimes angrily. But he +never yielded; and on one occasion he expressed himself so harshly +and ungratefully, that Wilton turned round and left him in the park. +They were on horseback at the time; and Lord Sherbrooke rode on a +little way, without taking the slightest notice of his companion's +departure. He then suddenly turned his horse, however, and galloping +after him at full speed, he held out his hand to him, saying, +"Wilton, you must either fight me or forgive me, for this state +must not last five minutes." + +Wilton took his hand, replying, "I forgive you with all my heart, +Sherbrooke, and let me once more explain that my only view, my only +wish, is to be of assistance to you. I see, Sherbrooke, that you are +melancholy, wretched, anxious. I wish much to do anything that I can +to relieve that state of mind; and though I have no power, and very +little interest, yet there do occasionally occur opportunities to me, +which, as you have seen in the case of Lady Laura, afford me means of +doing things which might not be expected from my situation." + +"You can neither help me, nor relieve me, nor assist me in the least, +Wilton," replied Lord Sherbrooke, "unless, indeed, you could entirely +change beings with me; unless you become me, and I become you. But it +cannot be, and I cannot even explain to you any part of my situation. +Therefore ask me nothing more upon the subject, and only be contented +that it is from no want of confidence in you that I hold my tongue." + +"I hope and trust that it is not," replied Wilton; "but now that we +are speaking upon the subject, let me still say one word more. I can +conceive, from various reasons, that you may not think fit to confide +in me. I am a man of your own age, with less wit, less experience, +less knowledge of the world than you have--" + +"You have more wit in your little finger, more knowledge of the +world, and experience--Heaven knows how you got it--more common +sense, ay, and uncommon sense too, than ever I shall have in my +life," replied Lord Sherbrooke, hastily. + +"But hear me, Sherbrooke, hear me," said Wilton--"whatever may be the +cause, it does not suit you to take my advice and assistance. Now +there is one person in whom you may fully rely, who will never betray +your confidence, who will give you the very best advice, and I am +sure will, if it be in his power, render you still more important +assistance--I mean Lord Sunbury. He is now at Geneva, on his way +home, waiting for passports from France. In his last letter, he +mentioned you with much interest, and desired me--" + +"Good God!" cried Lord Sherbrooke, "that I should ever create any +interest in anybody! However, Wilton, your suggestion is not a bad +one. Perhaps you have pointed out the only man in Europe in whom I +could confide with propriety, strange as that may seem. But in the +first place, I must consult with others.--Have you seen your friend +Green lately?" + +"Not since the night before all that business in Kent," replied +Wilton. "I have sought to see him, but have never been able; and I +begin to apprehend that he must have taken a part in this conspiracy, +different from that I imagined, and has absented himself on that +account." + +"Not he, not he!" replied Lord Sherbrooke; "I saw him but two days +ago. But who have we here, coming up on foot? One of the King's +servants, it would seem, and with him that cowardly rascal Arden. +They are snaking towards us, Wilton, doubtless not recognising us. +Suppose we take Master Arden, and horsewhip him out of the park." + +"No, no," replied Wilton, "no such violent counsels for me, my dear +Sherbrooke. The man is punished more than I wished already." + +The two men directed their course at once towards Lord Sherbrooke and +his companion; and as they approached, the King's servant advanced +before the other, and with a respectful bow addressed Wilton, saying, +"I have the King's commands, sir, to require your presence at +Kensington immediately. I was even now about to seek you in St. +James's Square, and then at Whitehall. But I presume Mr. Arden has +informed me rightly, that you are that Mr. Brown who is private +secretary to Lord Byerdale." + +"The same, sir," replied Wilton. "Am I to present myself to his +majesty in my riding dress?" + +"His majesty's commands were for your immediate attendance, sir," +replied the servant: "the council must be over by this time, and then +he expects you." + +"Then I will lose no time," replied Wilton, "but ride to the palace +at once." + +"What can be the meaning of this, Wilton?" said Lord Sherbrooke, as +he put his horse into a quick pace, to keep up with that of his +friend. + +"On my word, I cannot tell," replied Wilton. "I trust for no evil, +though I know not that any good can be in store." + +"Well, I will leave you at the palace gates," replied Lord +Sherbrooke, "and ride about in the neighbourhood till I see you come +out. I hope it will not be in custody." + +"I trust not, indeed," replied Wilton. "I know of no good reason why +it should be so: but in these days of suspicion, and I must say of +guilt and treason also, no one can tell who may be the next person +destined for abode in Newgate." + +In such speculations the two young gentlemen continued till they +reached the palace, where Lord Sherbrooke turned and left his friend; +and Wilton, if the truth must be confessed, with an anxious and +beating heart, applied to the porter for admittance. + +The moment that his name was given, he was led by a page to a small +waiting room on the ground floor. The carriages which had surrounded +the entrance seemed to indicate that the council was not yet over; +but in a few minutes after, the sound of many feet and of various +people talking was heard in the neighbouring passage; and then came +the roll of carriages followed by a dead silence. To the mind of +Wilton the silence continued for an exceedingly long time; but at +length a voice was heard, apparently at some distance, pronouncing a +name indistinctly; but Wilton imagined that it sounded like his own +name. + +The next instant, another voice took it up, and it was now +distinctly, "Mr. Brown to the King." The door then opened, and a page +appeared, saying, "Mr. Brown, the King commands your presence." + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV. + +William III. was seated in a small cabinet, with a table to his right +hand on which his elbow rested; an inkstand and paper were beside +him; and on the other hand, a step behind, stood a gentleman of good +mien, with his hand upon the back of the King's chair, in an attitude +familiar, but not disrespectful. The harsh and somewhat coarse +features of the monarch, which abstractedly seemed calculated to +display strong passions, were in their habitual state of cold +immobility; and Wilton, though he knew his person well, and had seen +him often, could not derive from the King's face the slightest +intimation of what was passing in his mind. There was no trace of +anger, it is true; the brow was sufficiently contracted to appear +thoughtful, but no more; and, at the same time, there was not one +touch even of courteous affability to be seen in those rigid lines to +tell that the young gentleman had been sent for upon some pleasurable +occasion. Dignity, to a certain extent, there must have been in his +demeanour, that sort of dignity which is communicated to the body by +great powers of mind, and great decision of character--in fact, +dignity divested of grace. Nobody could have taken him for a vulgar +man, although his person, as far as mere lines and colouring go, +might have been that of the lowest artizan; but what is more, no one +could see him, however simple might be his dress, without feeling +that there sat a distinguished man of some kind. + +Wilton had been accustomed too much and too long to mingle with the +first people in the first country of the world, to suffer himself to +be much affected by any of the external pomp and circumstance of +courts, or even by the vague sensations of respect with which fancy +invests royalty; but he could not help feeling, as he entered the +presence of William, that he was approaching a man of vast mind as +well as vast power. + +William looked at him quietly for several minutes, letting him +approach within two steps, and gazing at him still, even after he had +stopped, without uttering a single word. Wilton bowed, and then stood +erect before the King, feeling a little embarrassed, it is true, but +determined not to suffer his embarrassment to appear. + +At length, the King addressed him in a harsh tone of voice, saying, +"Well, sir, what have you to say?" + +"May it please your majesty," replied Wilton, "I do not know on what +subject your majesty wishes me to speak. I met one of the royal +servants in the Park who commanded me to present myself here +immediately, and I came hither accordingly, without waiting to +inquire for what purpose." + +"Oh! then you do not know?" said the King. "I thought you did know, +and most likely were prepared. But it is as well as it is. I doubt +not you will answer me truly. Where were you on Friday, the 22d of +February last?" + +"I cannot exactly say where I was, Sire," replied Wilton; "for during +the greater part of that day I was continually changing my place. +Having set out for a small town or village called High Halstow, in +Kent, at an early hour in the day, I arrived there just before +nightfall, and remained in that place or in the neighbourhood for +several hours, indeed, till nearly or past midnight." + +"Pray what was your business there?" demanded the King. + +"I fear," replied Wilton, "I must trouble your majesty with some long +details to enable you to understand the object of my going." + +"Go on," was William's laconic reply; and the young gentleman +proceeded to tell him, that having been employed in recovering Lady +Laura from those who had carried her off, he had learned in the +course of his inquiries in London that she was likely to be heard of +in that neighbourhood. + +"I judged it likely to be so myself, sire," continued Wilton, +"because I believed her to have been carried off by some persons +belonging to a party of Jacobites who were known to be caballing +against the government, though to what extent was not then +ascertained." + +"And what made you judge," demanded the King, "that she had been +carried off by these men?" + +"Because, sire," replied Wilton, "the lady's father had been an +acquaintance of Sir John Fenwick, one of the most notorious of the +persons now implicated in the present foul plot against your +majesty's life and crown. With him the Duke of Gaveston, I found, had +quarrelled some time previously, and I suspected, though I had no +proof thereof, that this quarrel had been occasioned by the Duke +strongly differing from Sir John Fenwick in his political views, and +refusing to take any part in any designs against the government." + +"I am glad to hear this of the Duke, sir," replied the King. "Then it +was out of revenge, you believe, they carried away the young lady?" + +"Rather out of a desire to have a hold upon the Duke," replied +Wilton. "I found afterwards, your majesty, that their intention was +to send the young lady to France, and I judged throughout that their +design was to force the Duke into an intrigue which they found he +would not meddle with willingly." + +William III., though he was himself of a very taciturn character, and +not fond of loquacity in others, was yet fond of full explanations, +always sitting in judgment, as it were, upon what was said to him, +and passing sentence in his own breast. He now made Wilton go over +again the particulars of Lady Laura's being taken away, though it was +evident that he had heard all the facts before, and obliged him to +enter into every minute detail which in any way affected the +question. + +When this was done, without any other comment than a look to the +gentleman on his left hand, he fixed his eyes again upon Wilton, and +asked,--"Now, where did you learn that these conspirators were likely +to be found in Kent?" + +"I heard it from a gentleman named Green," replied Wilton, "whom I +met with at a tavern in St. James's-street." + +"Green is a very common name," said the King. + +"I do not believe that it is his real name," replied Wilton; "but +what his real name is I do not know. I had not seen him often before; +but he informed me of these facts, and I followed his advice and +directions." + +"That was rash," said the King. "You are sure you do not know his +real name?" + +"I cannot even guess it, sire," replied Wilton; and the King, after +exchanging a mute glance with his attendant, went on,--"Well, when +you had discovered the place of meeting of these conspirators, and +reached it, what happened then?" + +"I did not go, may it please your majesty, to discover their place of +meeting, but to discover the place where Lady Laura was detained, +which, when I had done, aided by a person I had got to assist +me--after Arden, formerly Messenger of State, had fled from me in a +most dastardly manner, in a casual rencounter with some +people--smugglers, I believe--I made the master of the house and some +other persons whom we found there, set the Lady Laura at liberty. I +informed her of the authority that her father had given me, and she +was but too glad to accept the assistance of any friend with whom she +was acquainted." + +"So, so; stop!" said the King. "So, then, Arden was not with you at +this time?" + +"No, sire," replied Wilton--"he had run away an hour before." + +"That was not like a brave man," said William. + +"No, indeed, sire," replied Wilton, "nor like one of your majesty's +friends, for it is your enemies that generally run away." + +A faint smile came upon William's countenance, and he said, "Go on. +What happened next?" + +"Before we could make our escape from the house," replied Wilton, "we +were stopped by a large party of men, who entered; and, principally +instigated by Sir John Fenwick, who was one of them, they opposed, in +a violent manner, our departure." + +Hitherto Wilton had been very careful of his speech, unwilling to +compromise any one, and especially unwilling to mention the name of +Lord Sherbrooke, the Lady Helen Oswald, or anybody else except the +conspirators who had taken a part in the events of that night. Now, +however, when he had to dwell principally upon the conduct of the +conspirators and himself; he did so more boldly, and gave a full +account of all that had been said and done till the entrance of the +Duke of Berwick. He knew, or rather divined, from what had already +passed, that this was in reality the point to which the examination +he underwent principally tended. But yet he spoke with more ease, +for, notwithstanding the danger which existed at that moment in +acknowledging any communication whatsoever with Jacobites, he well +knew that the conduct of the Duke of Berwick himself only required to +be truly reported, to be admired by every noble and generous mind; +and he felt conscious that in his own behaviour he had only acted as +became an upright and an honourable heart. He detailed then, +particularly, the fact of his having seen one of his opponents in the +act of pointing a pistol at him over the shoulder of their principal +spokesman: he mentioned his having cocked his own pistol to fire in +return, and he stated that at the time he felt perfectly sure his +life was about to be made a sacrifice to apprehensions of discovery +on the part of the conspirators; and he then related to the King how +he had seen a stranger enter and strike up the muzzle of the pistol +pointed at him, at the very moment the other was in the act of +firing. + +"The ball," he said, "passed through the window above my head, and +seeing that new assistance had come to my aid, I did not fire." + +"Stay, stay!" said the King. "Let me ask you a question or two first. +Did you see, in the course of all this time, the person called Sir +George Barkley amongst these conspirators?" + +"I saw a person, sire," replied Wilton, "whom I believed at the time +to be Sir George Barkley, and have every reason to believe so still." + +"And this person who came to your assistance so opportunely was not +the same?" demanded the King. + +"Not the least like him, sire," replied Wilton. "He was a young +gentleman, of six or seven and twenty, I imagine, but certainly no +more than thirty." + +"What was his name?" demanded the King. + +"The name he gave," replied Wilton, "was Captain Churchill." + +"Go on," said William, and Wilton proceeded. + +Avoiding all names as far as possible, he told briefly, but +accurately, the severe and striking reprehension that the Duke of +Berwick had bestowed upon Sir George Barkley and the rest of the +conspirators: he dwelt upon the hatred he had displayed of the crime +they were about to commit, and of the noble and upright tendency of +every word that he had spoken. William's eyes glistened slightly, and +a glow came up in his pale cheek, but he made no comment till Wilton +seemed inclined to stop. He then bade him again go on, and made him +tell all that had happened till he and Lady Laura had quitted the +house, to make the best of their way to Halstow. He then said-- + +"Three questions. Why did you not give instant information of this +conspiracy when you came to town?" + +"May it please your majesty," replied Wilton, "I found immediately on +my arrival that the conspiracy was discovered, and warrants issued +against the conspirators. Nothing, therefore, remained for me to do, +but to explain to Lord Byerdale the facts, which I did." + +"If your majesty remembers," said the gentleman on the King's left, +mingling in the conversation for the first time, "Lord Byerdale said +so." + +"Secondly," said the King, "Is it true that this gentleman who came +to your assistance went with you, and under your protection, to the +inn at Halstow, and thence, by your connivance, effected his escape?" + +The King's brow was somewhat dark and ominous, and his tone stern, as +he pronounced these words: but Wilton could not evade the question so +put without telling a lie, and he consequently replied at once, +"Sire, he did." + +"Now for the third question," said the King,--"What was his real +name?" + +Wilton hesitated. He believed he had done right in every respect; +that he had done what he was bound to do in honour; that he had done +what was in reality the best for the King's own service; but yet he +knew not by any means how this act might be looked upon. The minds of +all men were excited, at that moment, to a pitch of indignation +against the whole Jacobite faction, which made the slightest +connivance with any of their practices, the slightest favour shown to +any of their number, a high crime in the eyes of every one. But +Wilton knew that he was, moreover, actually and absolutely punishable +by law as a traitor for what he had done: what he was called upon to +confess was, in the strict letter of the law, quite sufficient to +send him to the Tower, and to bring his neck under the axe; for in +treason all are principals, and he had aided and abetted one marked +as a traitor. But, nevertheless, though he hesitated for a moment +whether he should speak at all, yet he had resolved to do so, and of +course to do so truly, when the King, seeing him pause, and mistaking +the motives, added,-- + +"You had better tell the truth, sir. Captain Churchill has confessed, +that though out of consideration for you he had admitted that he was +present on this occasion, yet that in reality he had never quitted +his house during the whole of the day in question." + +"Sire," replied Wilton, looking him full in the face, with a calm, +but not disrespectful air, "your majesty may have seen by my answers +hitherto that whatever I do say will be the truth, plain and +undisguised. I only hesitated whether I should not beg your majesty +to excuse my answering at all, as you know by the laws of England no +man can be forced to criminate himself; but as I acted in a manner +that became a man of honour, and also in a manner which I believed at +the time to be fitted to promote your majesty's interests, and to be +in every respect such as you yourself could wish, I will answer the +question, though, perhaps, my answer might in some circumstances be +used against myself." + +The slightest possible shade of displeasure had come over the King's +countenance, when Wilton expressed a doubt as to answering the +question at all; but whether it was from his natural command over his +features, the coldness of a phlegmatic constitution, or that he +really was not seriously angry, the cloud upon his brow was certainly +not a hundredth part so heavy as it would probably have been with any +other sovereign in Europe. He contented himself, then, when Wilton +had come to the end of the sentence, by merely saying, with evident +marks of impatience and curiosity, "Go on. What was his real name?" + +"The name, sire, by which he is generally known," replied Wilton, "is +the Duke of Berwick." + +For once the King was moved. He started in his chair, and turning +round, looked at the gentleman by his side, exclaiming, "It was not +Drummond, then!" + +"No, sire," replied Wilton; "although he never expressly stated his +name to me, yet from all that was said by every one around, I must +admit that I knew perfectly it was the Duke of Berwick. But, sire, +whoever it was, he had saved my life: he had said not one word +disrespectful to your Majesty's person: he had reprobated in the most +severe and cutting terms those conspirators, some of whom have +already bowed the head to the sword of justice; and he had +stigmatized the acts they proposed to commit with scorn, contempt, +and horror. All this he had done in my presence to ten or twelve +armed men, whose conduct to myself, and schemes against you, showed +them capable of any daring villany. These, sire, may be called my +excuses for aiding a person, known to be an enemy of your crown, to +escape from your dominions; but, if I may so far presume to say--it, +there was a reason as well as an excuse which suggested itself to my +mind at the time, and in which your majesty's interests were +concerned." + +The King had listened attentively: the frown had gone from his brow; +and he had so far given a sign of approbation, as, when Wilton +mentioned the conduct of the Duke of Berwick, to make a slight +inclination of the head. When the young gentleman concluded, however, +he paused in order to let him go on, always more willing that others +should proceed, than say a single word to bid them do so. + +"What is your reason?" he said at last, finding that nothing was +added. + +"It was this, sire," replied Wilton; "that I knew the Duke of Berwick +was connected with your majesty's own family; that he was one person +of high character and reputation amongst a vast number of low and +infamous conspirators; that he was perfectly innocent of the dark and +horrible crimes of which they were guilty; and yet, that he must be +considered by the law of the land as a traitor even for setting his +foot upon these shores, and must be concluded by the law and its +ministers under the same punishment and condemnation as all those +assassins and traitors who are now expiating their evil purposes on +the scaffold. In these circumstances, sire, I judged that it would be +much more agreeable to your majesty that he should escape, than that +he should be taken; that you would be very much embarrassed, indeed, +what to do with him, if any indiscreet person were to stop him in his +flight; and that you would not disapprove of that conduct, the first +motive of which, I openly confess, was gratitude towards the man who +had saved my life." + +"Sir, you did very right," said William, with scarcely a change of +countenance. "You did very right, and I am much obliged to you." + +At the same time, he held out his hand. Wilton bent his knee, and +kissed it; and as he rose, William added, "I don't know what I can do +for you; but if at any time you want anything, let me know, for I +think you have done well--and judged well. My Lord of Portland here, +on application to him, will procure you audience of me." + +With those few words, which, however, from William III., conveyed a +great deal of meaning, the King bowed his head to signify that +Wilton's audience was over; and the young gentleman withdrew from his +presence, very well satisfied with the termination of an affair, +which certainly, in some hands, might have ended in evil instead of +good. + + + +CHAPTER XXXV. + +Wilton Brown, on quitting the King, did not find Lord Sherbrooke +where he expected; but little doubting that he should have to +encounter a full torrent of wrath from the Earl of Byerdale, on +account of his having concealed the fact of the Duke of Berwick's +visit to England, he set spurs to his horse to meet the storm at +once, and proceeded as rapidly as possible to the Earl's office at +Whitehall. His expectations were destined to be disappointed, +however. Lord Byerdale was all smiles, although as yet he knew +nothing more than the simple fact that Captain Churchill had +acknowledged his presence at a scene in which he had certainly played +no part. His whole wrath seemed to turn upon Arden, the Messenger, +against whom he vowed and afterwards executed, signal vengeance, +prosecuting him for various acts of neglect in points of duty, and +for some small peculations which the man had committed, till he +reduced him to beggary and a miserable death. + +He received Wilton, however, without a word of censure; listened to +all that passed between him and the King, appeared delighted with the +result; and although, to tell the truth, Wilton had no excuse to +offer for not having communicated the facts to him before, which he +had abstained from doing simply from utter want of confidence in the +Earl, yet his lordship found an excuse himself, saying,-- + +"I'm sure, Wilton, I am more obliged to you even than the King must +be, for not implicating me in your secret at all. I should not have +known how to have acted in the least. It would have placed me in the +most embarrassing situation that it is possible to conceive, and by +taking the responsibility on yourself you have spared me, and, as you +see, done your self no harm." + +Wilton was puzzled; and though he certainly was not a suspicious man, +he could not help doubting the perfect sincerity of the noble lord. +All his civility, all his kindness, which was so unlike his character +in general, but made his secretary doubt the more, and the more +firmly resolve to watch his conduct accurately. + +A few days after the events which we have just related, the Duke of +Gaveston and Lady Laura left Beaufort House for the Earl's seat in +Hampshire, which Lord Aylesbury had pointed out as the best suited to +the occasion. It was painful for Wilton to part from Laura; but yet +he could not divest his mind of the idea that Lord Byerdale did not +mean altogether so kindly by the Duke as he professed to do, and he +was not sorry the latter nobleman, now that he could do so without +giving the slightest handle to suspicion, should follow the advice of +Lord Aylesbury. + +By this time Wilton had become really attached to the Duke; the +kindness that nobleman had shown to him; the confidence he had placed +in him; the leaning to his opinions which he had always displayed, +would naturally have excited kindly and affectionate feelings in such +a heart as Wilton's, even had the Duke not been the father of her he +loved best on earth. But in the relative situation in which they now +stood, he had gradually grown more and more attached to the old +nobleman, and perhaps even the very weaknesses of his character made +Wilton feel more like a son towards him. + +To insure, therefore, his absence from scenes of political strife, to +guard against his meddling with transactions which he was unfitted to +guide, was a great satisfaction to Wilton, and a compensation for the +loss of Laura's daily society. Another compensation, also, was found +in a general invitation to come down whenever it was possible to +Somersbury Court, and a pressing request, that at all events he would +spend the Sunday of every week at that place. In regard to all his +affairs in London, and more especially to everything that concerned +Sir John Fenwick and the conspiracy, the Duke trusted implicitly to +Wilton; and the constant correspondence which was thus likely to take +place afforded him also the means of hearing continually of Laura. + +He was not long without seeing her again, however; for it was evident +that Lord Byerdale had determined to give his secretary every sort of +opportunity of pursuing his suit with the daughter of the Duke. + +"Did you not tell me, Wilton," he said one day, "that your good +friend the Duke of Gaveston had invited you to come down and stay +with him at Somersbury?" + +"He has invited me repeatedly, my lord," replied Wilton, "and in a +letter I received yesterday, pressed his request again; but seeing +you so overwhelmed with business, I did not like to be absent for any +length of time. I should have gone down, indeed, as I had promised, +on Saturday last, to have come up on Monday morning again; but if you +remember, on Saturday you were occupied till nearly twelve at night +with all this business of Cook." + +"Who, by the way, you see, Wilton, has said nothing against your +friend," said the Earl. + +"So I see, indeed, my lord," replied Wilton. "What will be done with +the man?" + +"Oh, we shall keep the matter over his head," said the Earl, "and +make use of him as an evidence. But to return to your visit to the +Duke--I can very well spare you for the next week, if you like to go +down on Monday; and now that I know your arrangements, will contrive +that you shall always have your Saturday evenings and Monday +mornings, so as to be able to go down and return on those days, till +you become his grace's son-in-law, though I am afraid fair Lady Laura +will think you but a cold lover." + +Wilton smiled, well knowing that there was no such danger. The +Earl's offer, however, was too tempting to be resisted, and +accordingly he lost no time in bearing down, in person, to Somersbury +Court the happy intelligence that Cook, who was to be the conspirator +most feared, it seemed, had said nothing at his trial to inculpate +the Duke. + +His journey, as was not uncommon in those days, was performed on +horseback with a servant charged with his valise behind him, and it +was late in the day before he reached Somersbury; but it was a bright +evening in May; the world was all clad in young green; the calm rich +purple of the sunset spread over the whole scene; and as Wilton rode +down a winding yellow road, amidst rich woods and gentle slopes of +land, into the fine old park that surrounded the mansion, he could +see enough to show him that all the picturesque beauty, which was far +more congenial to his heart and his feelings than even the finest +works of art, was there in store for him on the morrow. + +On his arrival, he found the Duke delighted to receive him, though +somewhat suffering from a slight attack of gout. He was more +delighted still, however, when he heard the news his young friend +brought; and when, after a few moments, Laura joined him and the +Duke, her eyes sparkled with double brightness, both from the +feelings of her own heart at meeting again the man she loved best on +earth, and from the pleasure that she saw on her father's +countenance, which told her in a moment that all the news Wilton had +brought was favourable. + +The result to the Duke, however, was not so satisfactory as it might +have been. In the joy of his heart he gave way somewhat more to his +appetite at supper than was prudent, ate all those things that Sir +George Millington, his good physician, forbade him to eat, and drank +two or three glasses of wine more than his usual portion. At the +time, all this seemed to do him no harm, and he spoke somewhat +crossly to his own servant who reminded him of the physician's +regulations. He even shook his finger playfully at Laura for her +grave looks upon the occasion, and during the rest of the evening was +as gay as gay could be. The consequence, however, was, that about a +quarter of an hour after Wilton had descended to the breakfast-room +on the following morning, Laura came down alone. + +"I am sorry to say, Wilton," she said, with a slight smile, "that my +dear father has greatly increased his pain by exceeding a little last +night. He has scarcely slept at all, I find, and begs you will excuse +him till dinner-time. He leaves me to entertain you, Wilton. Do you +think I can do it?" + +Wilton's answer was easily found; and Laura passed the whole morning +with him alone. + +Certainly neither of the two would have purchased the pleasure at the +expense of the Duke's suffering; but yet that pleasure of being alone +together was, indeed, intense and bright. They were both very young, +both fitted for high enjoyment, both loving as ardently and deeply as +it is possible for human beings to love. Through the rich and +beautiful woods of the park, over the sunny lawns and grassy +savannas--where the wild deer, nested in the tall fern, raising its +dark eyes and antlered head to gaze above the feathery green at the +passers by--Wilton and Laura wandered on, pouring forth the tale of +affection into each other's hearts, gazing in each other's eyes, and +seeming, through that clear window lighted up with life, to see into +the deepest chambers of each other's bosom, and there behold a +treasury of joy and mutual tenderness for years to come. + +In the midst of that beautiful scene their love seemed in its proper +place--everything appeared to harmonize with it--whereas, in the +crowded city, all had jarred. Here the voices of the birds poured +forth the sweetest harmony upon their ear as they went by; everything +that the eye rested upon spoke softness, and peace, and beauty, and +happy days; everything refreshed the sight and made the bosom expand; +everything breathed of joy or imaged tranquillity. + +The words, too, the words of affection, seemed more easily to find +utterance; all the objects around suggested that imagery which +passion, and tenderness, and imagination, can revel in at ease; the +fanciful clouds, as they flitted over the sky, the waving branches of +the woods, the gay sparkling of the bright stream, the wide-extending +prospect here and there, with the hills, only appearing warmer and +more glowing still, as the eye traced them into the distance--all +furnished to fancy some new means of shadowing forth bright hopes, +and wishes, and purposes. Each was an enthusiastic admirer of nature; +each had often and often stood, and pondered and gazed, and admired +scenes of similar loveliness; each, too, had felt deep and ardent +affection for the other in other places; and each had believed that +nothing could exceed the joy that they experienced in their +occasional solitary interviews; but neither had ever before known the +same sensations of delight in the beautiful aspect of unrivalled +nature, neither had tasted the joy which two hearts that love each +other can feel in pouring forth their thoughts together in scenes +that both are worthy to admire. + +Nature had acquired tenfold charms to their eyes; and the secret of +it was, that the spirit of love within their hearts pervaded and +brightened it all. Love itself seemed to have gained an intensity and +brightness in those scenes that it had never known before, because +the great spirit of nature, the inspiring, the expanding genius of +the scene, answered the spirit within their hearts, and seemed to +witness and applaud their affection. + +Oh, how happily the hours went by in those sweet words and caresses, +innocent but dear! oh, how glad, how unlike the world's joys in +general, were the feelings in each of those young hearts, while they +wandered on alone, with none but love and nature for their companions +on the way! On that first day, at least to Laura, the feeling was +altogether overpowering: she might have had a faint and misty dream +that such things could exist, but nothing more; but now that she felt +them, they seemed to absorb every other sensation for the time, to +make her heart beat as it had never beat before, to cast her thoughts +into strange but bright confusion, so that when she returned with +Wilton, and found that her father had come down, she ran to her own +room, to pause for a few moments, and to collect her ideas into some +sort of order once more. + +Day after day, during Wilton's stay, the same bright round of happy +hours succeeded. During the whole of the first part of his sojourn, +the Duke was unable to go out, and Wilton and Lady Laura were left +very much alone. Wilton felt no hesitation in regard to his conduct. +He could not believe, he scarcely even feared, that the Duke was +blind to the mutual love which existed between Laura and himself; and +he only waited till his own fate was cleared up, to speak to her +father upon the subject openly. + +Thus passed his visit; and we could pause upon it long, could paint +many a scene of sweet and sunshiny happiness, warm, and soft, and +beautiful, like the pictures of Claude de Lorraine: but we have other +things to do, and scenes far less joyous to dwell upon. The time of +his stay at length expired, and of course seemed all the more brief +for being happy. + +If the sojourn of Wilton at Somersbury Court had given pleasure to +Laura, it gave scarcely less to the Duke himself, though in a +different way; and when his young visitor was gone, he felt a want +and a vacancy which made the days seem tedious. Thus, shortly after +Wilton's arrival in town, he received a letter from the Duke, begging +him not to forget his promise of another speedy visit of longer +duration, nor neglect the opportunity of each week's close to spend +at least one day with him and Laura. The origin of these feelings +towards his young friend was certainly to be traced to the somewhat +forced confidence which he had been obliged to place in him, in +regard to Sir John Fenwick; but the feelings survived the cause; and +during six weeks which followed, although Sir John Fenwick was +universally supposed to have made his escape from England, and the +Duke felt himself quite safe, Wilton experienced no change of manner, +but was greeted with gladness and smiles whenever he presented +himself. + +On every occasion, too, the Earl of Byerdale showed himself as kind +as it was possible for him to be; and in one instance, in the middle +of the year, spoke to him more seriously than usual, in regard to his +marriage with Lady Laura. The tone he took was considerate and +thoughtful, and Wilton found that he could no longer give a vague +reply upon the subject. + +"I need not say to your lordship," he said, "how grateful I feel to +you in this business; but I really can tell you no more than you see. +I am received by the Duke and Lady Laura, upon all occasions, with +the greatest kindness and every testimony of regard. I am received, +indeed, when no one else is received, and I have every reason to +believe that the Duke regards me almost as a son; but of course I +cannot presume, so long as I can give no information of who I am, +what is my family, what are the circumstances and history of my +birth, to seek the Duke's approbation to my marriage with his +daughter. Fortuneless and portionless as I must be, the proposal may +seem presumptuous enough at any time; and though the legend told us, +my lord, to 'be bold, and bold, and everywhere be bold,' it told us +also to 'be not too bold.'" + +"You are right, you are right, Wilton," replied the Earl. "But leave +it to me: I myself will write to the Duke upon the subject, and doubt +not shall find means to satisfy him, though I cannot flatter you, +Wilton--and I tell you so at once--I cannot flatter you with the +idea of any unexpected wealth. Your blood is your only possession; +but that is enough. I will write myself in a few days." + +"I trust, my lord, you will not do so immediately," replied Wilton. +"You were kind enough to promise me explanations regarding my birth. +Others have done so, too." (The Earl started.) "Lord Sunbury," +continued Wilton, "promised me the same explanation, and to give me +the papers which he possesses regarding me, even before the present +period; but he returns in September or October, and then they will of +course be mine." + +"Ha!" said the Earl, musing. "Ha! does he? But why does he not send +you over the papers? he is no farther off than Paris now; for I know +he obtained a passport the other day, and promised to look into the +negotiations which are going on for peace." + +"I fancy, my lord," replied Wilton, "that in the distracted state of +both countries he fears to send over the papers by any ordinary +messenger." + +"Oh, but from time to time there are council messengers," replied the +Earl. "There is not a petit maitre in the whole land who does not +contrive, notwithstanding the war, to get over his embroidery from +France, nor any old lady to furnish herself with bon-bons." + +"I suppose he thinks, too," replied Wilton, "that, as he is coming so +soon, it is scarcely worth while, and, perhaps, the papers may need +explanations from his own mouth." + +"Ah! but the papers, the papers, are the most important," replied the +Earl, thoughtfully. "In September or October does he come? Well, I +will tell you all before that myself, Wilton. I thought I should +have been able to do it ere now; but there is one link in the chain +incomplete, and before I say anything, it must be rendered perfect. +However, things are happening every day which no one anticipates; and +though I do not expect the paper that I mentioned for a fortnight, it +may come to-morrow, perhaps." + +About ten days after this period, Wilton, as he went to the house of +the Earl of Byerdale, remarked all those external signs and symptoms +of agitation amongst the people, which may always be seen more or +less by an observing eye, when any event of importance takes place in +a great city. They were, perhaps, more apparent than usual on the +present occasion; for in the short distance he had to go he saw two +hawkers of halfpenny sheets bawling down unintelligible tidings to +maids in the areas, and two or three groups gathered together in the +sunshiny morning at the corners of the streets. + +When he reached the Earl's house, he found him more excited than he +usually suffered himself to be, and holding up a letter, he +exclaimed,-- + +"Here's an account of this great event of the day, which of course +you heard as you came here. This is a proof how things are brought +about unexpectedly. Not a man in England, statesman or mechanic, +could have imagined, for the last six weeks, that this dark, +cold-blooded plotter, Sir John Fenwick, had failed to effect his +escape." + +"And has he not?" exclaimed Wilton, eagerly. "Is he in England? Has +he been found?" + +"He has not escaped," replied the Earl, dryly. "He is in England; and +he is at the present moment safe in Newgate. Some spies or other +officers of the Duke of Shrewsbury discovered him lingering about in +Kent and Sussex, and he has since been apprehended, in attempting to +escape into France." + +"This is indeed great intelligence," replied Wilton. "I suppose there +is no chance whatever of his being acquitted." + +"None," answered the Earl; "none whatever, if they manage the matter +rightly, though he is more subtle than all the rest of the men put +together. It seems likely that the whole business will fall upon me, +and I shall see him in a few days; for he already talks of giving +information against great persons, on condition that his life be +spared." + +Wilton concealed any curiosity he might feel as well as he could, and +went on with the usual occupations of the day, not remarking as +anything particular, that the Earl wrote a long and seemingly tedious +letter, and gave it to one of the porters, with orders to send it off +by a special messenger. + +On going out afterwards, he found that the tidings of Sir John +Fenwick's arrest had spread over the whole town; and the rumour, +agitation, and anxiety which had been caused by the plot, and had +since subsided, was, for the time, revived with more activity than +ever. As no one, however, was mentioned in any of the rumours but Sir +John Fenwick himself, Wilton did not think it worth while to make the +mind of the Duke anxious upon the subject till he could obtain +farther information; and he therefore refrained from writing, as it +was now the middle of the week, and his visit was to be renewed on +the Saturday following. A day passed by without the matter being any +farther cleared up; but on the Friday, when Wilton visited the Earl +at his own house, he found him reading his letters with a very cloudy +brow, which however, grew brighter soon after he appeared. + +Wilton found that some painful conversation must have taken place +between the Earl and his son; for Lord Sherbrooke was seated in the +opposite chair, with one of those listless and indifferent looks upon +his countenance which he often assumed during grave discussions, to +cover, perhaps, deeper matter within his own breast. The Earl, though +a little irritable, seemed not angry; and after he had concluded the +reading of his letters, he said, "I must answer all these tiresome +epistles myself, Wilton: for the good people who wrote them have so +contrived it, in order, I suppose, to spare you, and make me work +myself. I shall not need your aid to-day, then; and, indeed, I do not +see why you should not go down to Somersbury at once, if you like it; +only be up at an early hour on Monday morning.--Sherbrooke, I wish +you would take yourself away: it makes me angry to see you twisting +that paper up into a thousand forms like a mountebank at a fair." + +"Dear papa," replied Lord Sherbrooke, in a childish tone, "you ought +to have given me something better to do, then. If you had taught me +an honest trade, I should not have been so given to making penny +whistles and cutting cockades out of foolscap paper. Nay, don't look +so black, and mutter, 'Fool's cap paper, indeed!' between your teeth. +I'll go, I'll go," and he accordingly quitted the room. + +"Wilton," said the Earl, as soon as his son was gone, "I have one +word more to say to you. When you are down at Somersbury, lose not +your opportunity--confer with the Duke about your marriage at once. +The political sky is darkening. No one can tell what another hour may +bring. Now leave me." + +Wilton obeyed, and passed through the ante-room into the hall. The +moment he appeared there, however, Lord Sherbrooke darted out of the +opposite room and caught him by the arm, almost overturning the fat +porter in the way. + +"Come hither, Wilton," he said, "come hither. I want to speak to you +a moment. I want to show you a present that I've got for you." + +Wilton followed him, and to his surprise found lying upon the table a +pair of handsome spurs, which Lord Sherbrooke instantly put in his +hand, saying, "There, Wilton! there. Use them to-night as you go to +Somersbury; and, amongst other pretty things that you may have to say +to the Duke, you may tell him that Sir John Fenwick has accused him +of high treason. My father is going to write to him this very night, +to ask him civilly to come up to town to confer with him on business +of importance. You yourself may be the bait to the trap, Wilton, for +aught I know. So to your horse's back and away, and have all your +plans settled with the Duke before the post arrives to-morrow +morning." + +The earnestness of Sherbrooke's manner convinced his friend that what +he said was serious and true, and thanking him eagerly, he left him, +and again passed through the hall. Lord Byerdale was speaking at +that moment to the porter; but he did not appear to notice Wilton, +who passed on without pausing, sought his own lodgings with all +speed, mounted his horse, and set out for Somersbury. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI. + +The world was in all its summer beauty, nature smiling with her +brightest smiles, the glorious sunshine just departing from the sky, +and glowing with double brightness in its dying hour, the woods still +green and fresh, the blackbird tuning his evening song, and +everything speaking peace and promising joy, as Wilton rode through +the gates of Somersbury park. + +When he dismounted from his horse and rang the bell, his own servant +took the tired beast and led it round towards the stable with the air +of one who felt himself quite at home in the Duke's house. But the +attendant who opened the doors to him, and who was not the ordinary +porter, bore a certain degree of sadness and gravity in his +demeanour, which caused Wilton instantly to ask after the health of +the Duke and Lady Laura. + +"My young lady is quite well, sir," replied the servant; "but the +Duke has had another bad fit of the gout in the beginning of the +week--which has made him wonderfully cross," he added, lowering his +voice and giving a marked look in Wilton's face, which made the young +gentleman feel that he intended his words as a sort of warning. + +"I am afraid," thought Wilton, "what I have to tell him will not +diminish his crossness." + +But he said nothing aloud, and followed the servant to wards the +Duke's own particular sitting room. He found that nobleman alone, +with his foot upon a stool. He had calculated as he went thither how +he might best soften the tidings he had to bring; but the Duke began +the conversation himself, and in a manner which instantly put all +other thoughts to flight, and, to say the truth, banished Sir John +Fenwick and his whole concerns from his young companion's mind in a +moment. + +"So, sir, so," he began, using none of the friendly and familiar +terms that he generally applied to Wilton, "so you have really had +the goodness to come down here again." + +"My lord duke," replied Wilton, "your invitation to me was not only +so general but so pressing, that always having found you a man of +sincerity and truth, I took it for granted that you wished to see me, +or you would not have asked me." + +"So I am, sir, so I am," replied the Duke; "I am a man of sincerity +and truth, and you shall find I am one, too. But from your manner, I +suppose my Lord of Byerdale has not told you the contents of my +letter to him this morning." + +"He never told me," replied Wilton, "that your grace had written to +him at all; but so far from even hinting that my visit could be +disagreeable to you, he told me that as he did not require my +assistance I had better come down here." + +"He did, he did?" said the Duke. "He is marvellous kind to send +guests to my house, whom he knows that I do not wish to see." + +Wilton now began to divine the cause of the Duke's present behaviour. +It was evident that Lord Byerdale, without letting him know anything +about it, had interfered to demand for him the hand of Lady Laura. +How or in what terms he had done so, Wilton was somewhat anxious to +ascertain, but he was so completely thunderstruck and surprised by +his pre sent reception, that he could scarcely play the difficult +game in which he was engaged with anything like calmness or +forethought. + +"My lord," he replied, "it is probable that the Earl of Byerdale was +more moved by kindness towards me than consideration for your grace. +As you do not tell me what was the nature of your correspondence, I +can but guess at Lord Byerdale's motives--" + +"Which were, sir," interrupted the Duke, "to give you a farther +opportunity of engaging my daughter's affections against her father's +wishes and consent. I suppose this was his object, at least." + +"I should think not, my lord," replied Wilton, resolved not to yield +his point so easily. "I should rather imagine that Lord Byerdale's +view was to give me an opportunity, on the contrary, of pleading my +own cause with the Duke of Gaveston--to give me an opportunity of +recalling all those feelings of kindness, friendship, and generosity +which the Duke has constantly displayed towards me, and of urging him +by all those high feelings, which I know he possesses, not to crush +an attachment which has grown up under his eyes, and been fostered by +his kindness." + +The Duke was a little moved by Wilton's words and his manner; but he +had taken his resolution to make the present discussion between +himself and Wilton final, and he seized instantly upon the latter +words of his reply. + +"Grown up under my eye, and fostered by my kindness!" he exclaimed. +"You do not mean to say, sir, I trust, that I gave you any +encouragement in this mad pursuit. You do not mean to say that I saw +and connived at your attachment to my daughter?" + +Wilton might very well have said that he certainly did give such +encouragement and opportunity that the result could scarcely have +been by any possibility otherwise than that which it actually was. +But he knew that to show him in fault would only irritate the Duke +more, and he was silent. + +"Good God!" continued the peer, "such a thing never entered into my +head. It was so preposterous, so insane, so out of all reasonable +calculation, that I might just as well have been afraid of building +my house under a hill for fear the hill should walk out of its place +and crush it. I could never have dreamed of or fancied such a thing, +sir, as that you should forget the difference between my daughter, +Lady Laura Gaveston, and yourself, and presume to seek the hand of +one so much above you. It shows how kindness and condescension may +be mistaken. Lord Byerdale, indeed, talks some vague nonsense about +your having good blood in your veins; but what are your titles, sir? +what is your rank? where are your estates? Show me your rent-rolls. +I have never known anything of Mr. Wilton Brown but as the private +secretary of the Earl of Byerdale--HIS CLERK he called him to me one +day--who has nothing but a good person, a good coat, and two or three +hundred a year. Mr. Wilton Brown to be the suitor for the only child +of one of the first peers in the land, the heiress of a hundred +thousand per annum! My dear sir, the thing was too ridiculous to be +thought of. If people had told me I should have my eyes picked out by +a sparrow I should have believed them as much;" and he laughed aloud +at his own joke, not with the laugh of merriment, but of anger and +scorn. + +Wilton felt cut to the heart, but still he recollected that it was +Laura's father who spoke; and he was resolved that no provocation +whatsoever should induce him to say one word which he himself might +repent at an after period, or with which she might justly reproach +him. He felt that from the Duke he must bear what he would have borne +from no other man on earth; that to the Duke he must use a tone +different from that which he would have employed to any other man. He +paused a moment, both to let the Duke's laugh subside, and the first +angry feelings of his own heart wear off: but he then answered,-- + +"Perhaps, my lord, you attribute to me other feelings and greater +presumption than I have in reality been actuated by. Will you allow +me, before you utterly condemn me--will you allow me, I say, not to +point out any cause why you should have seen, or known, or +countenanced my attachment to your daughter, but merely to recall to +your remembrance the circumstances in which I have been placed, and in +which it was scarcely possible for me to resist those feelings of +love and attachment which I will not attempt to disown, which I never +will cast off, and which I will retain and cherish to the last hour +of my life, whatever may be your grace's ultimate decision, whatever +may be my fate, fortune, happiness, or misery, in other respects?" + +The Duke was better pleased with Wilton's tone, and, to say the +truth, though his resolution was in no degree shaken, yet the anger +which he had called up, in order to drown every word of opposition, +had by this time nearly exhausted itself. + +"My ultimate decision!" said the Duke; "sir, there is no decision to +be made: the matter is decided.--But go on, sir, go on--I am +perfectly willing to hear. I am not so unreasonable as not to hear +anything that you may wish to say, without giving you the slightest +hope that I may be shaken by words: which cannot be. What is it you +wish to say?" + +"Merely this, your grace," replied Wilton. "The first time I had the +honour of meeting your grace, I rendered yourself, and more +particularly the Lady Laura, a slight service, a very slight one, it +is true, but yet sufficient to make you think, yourself, that I was +entitled to claim your after-acquaintance, and to justify your +reproach for not coming to your box at the theatre. You must admit +then, certainly, that I did not press myself into the society of the +Lady Laura." + +"Oh, certainly not, certainly not," replied the Duke--"I never +accused you of that, sir. Your conduct, your external demeanour, has +always been most correct. It is not of any presumption of manners +that I accuse you." + +"Well, my lord," continued Wilton, "it so happened that an accidental +circumstance, not worth noticing now, induced your lordship to place +much confidence in me, and to render me a familiar visitor at your +house. You on one occasion called me to your daughter your best +friend, and I was more than once left in Lady Laura's society for a +considerable period alone. Now, my lord, none can know better than +yourself the charms of that society, or how much it is calculated to +win and engage the heart of any one whose bosom was totally free, and +had never beheld before a woman equal in the slightest degree to his +ideas of perfection. I will confess, my lord, that I struggled very +hard against the feelings which I found growing up in my own bosom. +At that time I struggled the more and with the firmer determination, +because I had always entertained an erroneous impression with regard +to my own birth, an impression which, had it continued, would have +prevented my dreaming it possible that Lady Laura could ever be +mine--" + +"It is a pity that it did not continue," said the Duke, dryly; but +Wilton took no notice, and went on. + +"At that time, however," he said, "I learned, through the Earl of +Byerdale, that I had been in error in regard to my own +situation--though the distance between your grace and myself might +still be great, it was diminished; and you may easily imagine that +such joyful tidings naturally carried hope and expectation to a +higher pitch than perhaps was reasonable." + +"To a very unreasonable pitch, it would seem, indeed, sir," answered +the Duke. + +"It may be so, my lord," replied Wilton, "but the punishment upon +myself is very severe. However, not even then--although I had the +fairest prospects from the interest and promises of the Earl of +Byerdale, and from the whole interest of the Earl of Sunbury, who has +ever treated me as a son--although I might believe that a bright +political career was open before me, and that I might perhaps raise +myself to the highest stations in the state--not even then did I +presume to think of Lady Laura with anything like immediate hopes. +Just at this same period, however, the daring attempt to mix your +grace with the plans of the conspirators by carrying off your daughter +took place, and you were pleased to intrust to me the delicate and +somewhat dangerous task of discovering the place to which she had +been carried, and setting her free from the hands of the bold and in +famous men who had obtained possession of her person. Now, my +lord--feeling every inclination to love her, I may indeed say loving +her before--you can easily feel how much such an attachment must have +been increased; how much every feeling of tenderness and affection +must have been augmented by the interest, the powerful interest of +that pursuit; how everything must have combined to confirm my love +for her for ever, while all my thoughts were bent upon saving her and +restoring her to your arms; while the whole feelings of my heart and +energies of my mind were busy with her, and her fate alone. Then, my +lord, when I came to defend her, at the hazard of my life; when I +came to contend for her with those who withheld her from you; when we +had to pass together several hours of danger and apprehension, with +her clinging to my arm, and with my arm only for her support and +protection, and when, at length, all my efforts proved successful, +and she was set free, was it wonderful, was it at all extraordinary, +that I loved her, or that she felt some slight interest and regard +for me? Since then, my lord, reflect on all that has taken place; how +constantly we have been together; how she has been accustomed to +treat me as the most intimate and dearest of her friends; how you +your self have said you looked upon me as your son--" + +"But never in that sense, sir, never in that sense!" exclaimed the +Duke, glad to catch at any word to cut short a detail which was +telling somewhat strongly against him. "A son, sir, I said, a son, +not a son-in-law. But, however, to end the whole matter at once, Mr. +Wilton Brown, I am very willing to acknowledge the various services +you have rendered me, and which you have recapitulated somewhat at +length, and to acknowledge that there might be a great many motives +for falling in love with my daughter, without my attributing to you +any mercenary or ambitious motives. It is not that I blame you at all +for falling in love with her; that was but a folly for which you must +suffer your own punishment: but I do blame you very much, sir, for +trying to make her fall in love with you, when you must have known +perfectly well that her so doing would meet with the most decided +disapprobation from her father, and that your marriage was altogether +out of the question. I think that this very grave error might well +cancel all obligations between us; but, nevertheless, I am very +willing to recompense those services--" Wilton waved his hand +indignantly--"to recompense those services," continued the Duke; "to +testify my sense of them, in short, in any way that you will point +out." + +"My lord, my lord," replied Wilton, "you surely must wish to give me +more pain than that which I feel already. The services which I have +rendered were freely rendered. They have been repaid already, not by +your grace, but by my own heart and feelings. The only recompence I +ever proposed to myself was to know that they were really serviceable +and beneficial to those for whom they were done. I ask nothing of +your grace but that which you will not grant. But the time will +come, my lord,--" + +"Do not flatter yourself, to your own disappointment!" interrupted +the Duke: "the time will never come when I shall change in this +respect. I grant my daughter a veto, as I promised her dear mother I +would, and she shall never marry a man she does not love; but I claim +a veto, too, Mr. Wilton Brown, and will not see her cast herself +away, even though she should wish it. The matter, sir, is altogether +at an end: it is out of the question, impossible, and it shall never +be." + +The Duke rose from his chair as he spoke; and then went on, in a cold +tone:--"I certainly expected that you might come to-morrow, sir, but +not to-night, and I should have made in the morning such preparations +as would have prevented any unpleasant meeting between my daughter +and yourself in these circumstances. I must now give orders for her +to keep her room, as I cannot consent to your meeting, and of course +must not treat you inhospitably; but you will understand that the +circumstances prevent me from requesting you to protract your visit +beyond an early hour to-morrow morning." + +"Your grace, I believe, mistakes my character a good deal," replied +Wilton: "I remain not an hour in a house where I am not welcome, and +I shall beg instantly to take my leave, as Somersbury must not be my +abode to-night." + +His utterance was difficult, for his heart was too full to admit of +his speaking freely, and it required a great effort to prevent his +own feelings from bursting forth. + +"But your horse must be tired," said the Duke, feeling somewhat +ashamed of the part he was acting. + +"Not too tired, my lord," replied Wilton, "to bear his master from a +house where he is unwillingly received. Were it necessary, my lord, I +would walk, rather than force your grace to make any change in your +domestic arrangements. You will permit me to tell the porter to call +round my groom;" and going out for a moment, he bade the porter in a +loud clear voice order his horses to be saddled again, and his groom +to come round. He then returned to the chamber where the Duke +remained, and both continued silent and embarrassed. It was some +time, indeed, before Wilton's orders could be obeyed, for his valise +had been carried up to his usual apartments. At length, however, the +horse was announced, and Wilton went towards the door,-- + +"I now take my leave of you, my lord," he said, "and in doing so, +shall endeavour to bear with me all the bright memories of much +kindness experienced at your hands, and forgetfulness of one night's +unkindness, which I trust and believe I have deserved even less than +I did your former goodness towards me. For yourself I shall ever +retain feelings of the deepest regard and esteem; for your daughter, +undying love and attachment." + +The Duke was somewhat moved, and very much embarrassed; and whether +from habit, embarrassment, or real feelings of regard, he held out +his hand to Wilton as they parted. Wilton took it, and pressed it in +his own. A single bright drop rose in his eye, and feeling that if he +remained another moment his self-command would give way, he left the +Duke, and sprang upon his horse's back. + +Two or three of the old servants were in the hall as he passed, +witnessing, with evident marks of consternation and grief, his sudden +departure from Somersbury. The Duke's head groom kept his stirrup, +and to his surprise he saw the old butler himself holding the rein. + +As Wilton thanked him and took it, however, the man slipped a note +into his hand, saying in a low voice, "From my young lady." Wilton +clasped his fingers tight upon it, and with one consolation, at +least, rode away from the house where he had known so much happiness. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII. + +The light was fading away as Wilton took his path through the thick +trees of the park up towards the lodge at the gates; but at the first +opening where the last rays of the evening streamed through, he +opened Laura's note, and found light enough to read it, though +perhaps no other eyes than those of love could have accomplished half +so much; and oh, what a joy and what a satisfaction it was to him +when he did read it! though he found afterwards, that note had been +written while the eyes were dropping fast with tears. + + "Fear not, dear Wilton," it said: "I have only time to + bid you not to fear. I am yours, ever yours; and whatever + you may be told, never believe that I give even one thought + to any other man. + "LAURA GAVESTON." + +She signed her name at full, as if she felt that it was a solemn +act--not exactly a pledge, that would bind her in the least, more +than her own resolutions had already bound her--but a pledge to +Wilton's heart--a pledge to which in after years she could always +refer, if at any time the hand of another man should be proposed to +her. + +She had wept while she had written it, but it had given her deep +satisfaction to do that act; for she figured to her self the balm, +the consolation, the support which it would be to him that she loved +best on earth--yes, best on earth; for though she loved her father +deeply, she loved Wilton more. + +When the high command went forth, "Thou shalt leave all on earth and +cleave unto thy husband or thy wife," the God that made the ordinance +fashioned the human heart for its accomplishment. It would seem +treating a high subject somewhat lightly, perhaps, to say that it may +even be by the will of God that parents so very frequently behave ill +or unkindly to their children in the matter of their marriage, in +order to lessen the breaking of that great tie--in order that the +scion may be stripped from the stem more easily. But it were well if +parents thought of the effect that they produce in their children's +affection towards them by such conduct; for youth is tenacious of the +memories of unkindness, and often retains the unpleasant impression +that it makes, when the prejudices that produced it have passed away. + +However that might be, Laura loved Wilton, as we have said, best on +earth; she had a duty to perform to him, and she had a duty to +perform to her father, and she determined to perform them both; for +she believed--and she was right--that no two duties are ever +incompatible: the greater must swallow up the less; and to let it do +so, is a duty in itself; but in the present instance there were two +duties which were perfectly compatible. She would never marry Wilton +while her father opposed; but she would never marry any one else; for +she felt that in heart she was already wedded unto him. + +The words that she wrote gave Wilton that assurance, and it was a +bright and happy assurance to him: for so long as there is nothing +irrevocable in the future, the space which it affords gives room for +Hope to spread her wings; and though he might feel bitterly and +deeply depressed by the conduct of the Duke, and the stern +determination which he had displayed, yet with love--with mutual +love, and firmness of heart on both sides, he thought that happiness +might be indeed delayed, but was not permanently lost. + +Meditating on these things, he rode on for about a couple of miles; +but then suddenly recollected that in all the agitation of the +moment, and the painful discussion he had under gone, he had totally +forgotten to tell the Duke either the arrest of Sir John Fenwick, or +the tidings which he had heard more immediately affecting himself. He +again checked his weary horse, and asked himself, "Shall I ride +back?" But then he thought, "No, I will not. I will stop at the first +farm-house or inn that I may find, where I can get shelter for myself +and food for my horses during the night, and thence I will write him +the intelligence, take it how he will. I will not expose myself to +fresh contumely by going back this night." + +He accordingly rode on upon his way, full of sad and melancholy +thoughts, and with the bright but unsubstantial hopes which Laura's +letter had given him fading away again rapidly under causes of +despondency that were but too real. It was an hour in which gloom was +triumphant over all other feelings; one of those hours when even the +heart of youth seems to lose its elastic bound; when hope itself, +like some faint light upon a dark night, makes the sombre colours of +our fate look even blacker than before, and when we feel like +mariners who see the day close upon them in the midst of a storm, as +if the sun of happiness had sunk from view for ever. Such feelings +and such thoughts absorbed him entirely as he rode along, and he +marked not at all how far he went, though, from the natural impulse +of humanity, he spared the tired horse which carried him, and +proceeded at a slow pace. + +About three miles from the Duke's gates, his servant rode up, saying, +"I see a light there, sir. I should not wonder if that were the +little inn of the village which one passes on the right." + +"We had better keep our straight-forward way," replied Wilton. "We +cannot be very far from the Three Cups, which, though a poor place +enough, may serve me for a night's lodging." + +The man fell back again, and Wilton was proceeding slowly when he +perceived three men riding towards him at an easy pace. The night was +clear and fine, and the hour was so early, that he anticipated no +evil, though he had come unarmed, expecting to reach Somersbury, as +he did, before dark. + +He rode on quietly, then, till he met them, when he was forced +suddenly to stop, one of the three presenting a pistol at his breast, +and exclaiming, "Stand! Who are you?" + +"Is it my money you want, gentlemen?" demanded Wil ton; "for if it +be, there is but little of it: but as much as I have is at your +service." + +"I ask, who are you?" replied the other. "I did not ask you for your +money. Are you a King's officer? And which King's?" + +"I am no King's officer," replied Wilton, "but a true subject of King +William." + +"Pass on," replied the other man, dropping his pistol "you are not +the person we want." + +Wilton rode forward, very well contented to have escaped so easily; +but he remarked that his servant was likewise stopped, and that the +same questions were put to him also. He, too, was allowed to pass, +however, without any molestation, and for the next half mile they went +on without any further interruption. Then, however, they were met by +a single horseman, riding at the same leisurely pace as the others; +but he suffered Wilton to pass without speaking, and merely stopped +the servant to ask, "Who is that gentleman?" + +No sooner had the man given his name than the horseman turned round +and rode after him, exclaiming, "Mr. Brown! Mr. Brown!" + +Wilton checked his horse, and in a moment after, to his surprise, he +found no other but the worthy Captain Byerly by his side. + +"How do you do, Mr. Brown?" said the Captain, as he came up. "I have +but a moment to speak to you, for I have business on before; but I +wanted to tell you, that if you keep straight on for half a mile +farther, and taking the road to the right, where you will see a +finger-post, go into a cottage--that cottage there, where you can +just see a light twinkling in the window over the moor--you will find +some old friends of yours, whom you and I saw together the last time +we met, and another one, too, who will be glad enough to see you." + +"Who do you mean?" demanded Wilton, somewhat anxiously. + +"I mean the Colonel," replied Captain Byerly. + +"Indeed!" said Wilton. "I wish to see him very much." + +"You will find him there, then," replied the other. "But he is sadly +changed, poor fellow, sadly changed, indeed!" + +"How so?" said Wilton. "Do you mean that he has been ill?" + +"No, not exactly ill," answered Byerly, "and I don't well know what +it is makes him so.--At all events, I can't stop to talk about it at +present; but if you go on you will see him, and hear more about it +from himself. Good night, Mr. Brown, good night: those fellows will +get too far ahead of me, if I don't mind." And thus saying, he rode +on. + +Wilton, for his part, proceeded on his way, musing over what had +occurred. It seemed to him, indeed, not a little strange, that a +party of men, whose general business was hardly doubtful, should +suffer him, without any knowledge of his person or any private +motives for so doing, to pass them thus quietly on his way, and he +was led to imagine that they must have in view some very peculiar +object to account for such conduct. That object, however, was +evidently considered by themselves of very great importance, and to +require extraordinary precautions; for before Wilton reached the +direction-post to which Byerly had referred, he passed two more +horsemen, one of whom was singing as he came up, but stopped +immediately on perceiving the wayfarer, and demanded in a civil +tone-- + +"Pray, sir, did you meet some gentlemen on before?" + +"Yes," replied Wilton, "I did: three, and then one." + +"Did they speak to you?" demanded the other. + +"Yes," replied Wilton, "they asked me some questions." + +"Oh, was that all?" said the man. "Good night, sir;" and on the two +rode. + +At the finger-post, Wilton turned from the highway; but for some time +he was inclined to fancy, either that he had mistaken the direction, +or that the light had been put out in the cottage window, for not the +least glimmering ray could he now see. At length, on suddenly turning +a belt of young planting, he found himself in front of a low but +extensive and very pretty cottage, or rather perhaps it might be +called two cottages joined together by a centre somewhat lower than +themselves. It was more like a building of the present day than one +of that epoch; and though the beautiful China rose, the sweetest +ornament of our cottage doors at present, was not then known in this +country, a rich spreading vine covered every part of the front with +its luxuriant foliage. The light was still in the window, having +only been hidden by the trees; and throwing his rein to the groom, +Wilton said,-- + +"Perhaps we may find shelter here for the night; but I must first go +in, and see." + +Thus saying, he advanced and rang a bell, the handle of which he +found hanging down by the door-post, and after having waited a minute +or two, he heard the sound of steps coming along the passage. The +door was opened by a pretty, neat, servant girl, with a candle in her +hand; but behind her stood a woman considerably advanced in life, +bowed in the back, and with a stick in her hand, presenting so much +altogether the same appearance which the Lady Helen Oswald had +thought fit to assume in her first interview with him, that for an +instant Wilton doubted whether it was or was not herself. A second +glance, however, at the old woman's face, showed the withering hand +of time too strongly for him to doubt any farther. + +The momentary suspense had made him gaze at the old woman intently, +and she had certainly done the same with regard to him. There was an +expression of wonder, of doubt, and yet of joy, in her countenance, +which he did not at all understand; and his surprise was still more +increased, when, upon his asking whether he could there obtain +shelter during the night, the woman exclaimed with a strong Irish +accent, "Oh, that you shall, and welcome a thousand times!" + +"But I have two horses and my groom here," replied Wilton. + +"Oh, for the horses and the groom," replied the woman, "I fear me, +boy, we can't take them in for ye; but he can go away up to the high +road, and in half a mile he'll come to the Three Cups, where he will +find good warm stabling enough." + +"That will be the best way, I believe," replied Wilton; and turning +back to speak with the man for a moment, he gave him directions to go +to the little public house, to put up the horses, to get some repose, +and to be ready to return to London at four o'clock on the following +morning. + +As soon as he had so done, he turned back again, and found the old +lady with her head thrust into the doorway of a room on the +right-hand side, saying in a loud tone--"It's himself, sure enough, +though!" + +The moment she had spoken, he heard an exclamation, apparently in the +voice of Lord Sherbrooke; and, following a sign from the girl who had +opened the door, he went in, and found the room tenanted by four +persons, who had been brought together in intimate association, by +one of the strangest of those strange combinations in which fate some +times indulges. + +Seated in a large arm-chair, with her cheek much paler than it had +been before, but still extremely beautiful, was the lady whom we must +now call Lady Sherbrooke. Her large dark eyes, full of light and +lustre, though somewhat shaded by a languid fall of the upper eyelid, +were turned towards the door as Wilton entered, and her fair +beautiful hand lay in that of her husband as he sat beside her. + +On the opposite side of the room, with her fine face bearing but very +few traces of time's withering power, and her beautiful figure +falling into a line of exquisitely easy grace, sat the Lady Helen, +gazing on the other two, with her arm resting on a small work-table, +and her cheek supported by her hand. + +Cast with apparent listlessness into a chair, somewhat behind the +Lady Helen Oswald, and shaded by her figure from the light upon the +table, was the powerful form of our old acquaintance Green. But there +was in the whole attitude which he had assumed an apathy, a weary +sort of thoughtfulness, which struck Wilton very much the moment he +beheld him. Green's eyes, indeed, were raised to mark the opening +door, but still there was a gloomy want of interest in their glance +which was utterly unlike the quick and sparkling vivacity which had +characterized them in former times. + +The first who spoke was Lord Sherbrooke, who, still holding +Caroline's hand in his, held out the other to his friend, saying, in +a tone of some feeling, but at the same time of feeling decidedly +melancholy, "This is a sight that will give you pleasure, Wilton." + +"It is, indeed, my dear Sherbrooke," replied Wilton; "only I do wish +that it had been rendered more pleasant still, by seeing no remaining +trace of illness in this lady's face." + +"I am better, sir, much better," she said; "for my recovery has been +certain and uninterrupted, though somewhat long. If I could but teach +your friend to bear a little adversity as unrepining as I have borne +sickness, we might be very happy. I am very glad, indeed, to see you, +sir," she continued; "for you must know, that this is my house that +you are in," and she smiled gaily as she spoke: "but though I should +always have been happy to welcome you as Sherbrooke's friend, yet I +do so more gladly now, as it gives me the opportunity of thanking you +for all the care and kindness that you showed me upon a late +occasion." + +Though Wilton had his heart too full of painful memories to speak +cheerfully upon any subject, yet he said all that was courteous, and +all that was kind; and, as it were to force himself to show an +interest, which he would more really have experienced at another +moment, he added, "I often wished to know how the sad adventures of +that night ended." + +The lady coloured; but he instantly continued, "I mean what was the +result, when the constables, and other people, visited the house. I +knew that Sherbrooke's very name was sufficient to protect him, and +all in whom he had an interest, and therefore I took no steps in the +matter; but I much wished to hear what followed after I had left the +place, though, as Sherbrooke said nothing, I did not like to question +him." + +"You have questioned me on deeper subjects than that, Wilton," +replied Lord Sherbrooke.--"But the matter that you speak of was +easily settled. The constables found no one in the house but Plessis, +myself, these two ladies, and some humbler women. It so happened, +however, that I was known to one of the men, who had been a coachman +in my father's service, and had thriven, till he had grown--into a +baker, of all earthly things. As to Plessis, no inquiries were made, +as there was not a constable amongst them who had not an occasional +advantage, by his 'little commerce,' as he calls it; and the ladies +of course passed unscathed, though the searching of the house, which +at the time we could not rightly account for, till Plessis afterwards +explained the whole, alarmed my poor Caroline, and, I think, did her +no small harm. But look you, Wilton, there is your good friend, and +mine, on the other side of the room, rousing himself from his +reverie, to speak with you. Ay! and one who must have a share in your +greetings, also, though, with the unrivalled patience which has +marked her life, she waits till all have done." + +Wilton crossed over the room, and spoke a few words to the Lady Helen +Oswald; and then turning to Green, he held out his hand to him; but +the greeting of the latter was still somewhat abstracted and gloomy. + +"Ha! Wilton," he said. "What brought you hither this night, my good +boy? You are on your way to Somersbury, I suppose." + +"No," replied Wilton; "I have just come thence." + +"Indeed!" said Green. "Indeed! How happens that, I wonder? Did you +meet any of my men? Indeed you must have met them, if you come from +Somersbury." + +"I met several men on horseback," replied Wilton; "one party of whom, +three in number, stopped me, and asked me several questions." + +"They offered no violence? They offered no violence?" repeated Green, +eagerly. + +"None," answered Wilton; "though I suppose, if I had not answered +their questions satisfactorily, they would have done so, as they +seemed very fit persons for such proceedings. But I was in hopes," +he continued, "that all this had gone by with you, and that such +dangerous adventures were no more thought of." + +"I wish I had never thought of any still more dangerous," replied +Green; "I should not have the faces looking at me that now disturb my +sleep. But this is not my adventure," he continued, "but his--his +sitting opposite there. I have nothing to do with it, but assisting +him." + +"Yes, indeed, my dear Wilton," replied Lord Sherbrooke, "the +adventure is mine. All other trades failing, and having exhausted +every other mad prank but that, I am taking a turn upon the King's +Highway, which has become far more fashionable now-a-days than the +Park, the puppet-show, or even Constitution Hill." + +"Nay, nay, Henry!" exclaimed his wife, interrupting him, "I will not +hear you malign yourself in that way. He is not taking a turn upon +the King's Highway, sir, for here he sits, bodily, I trust, beside +his wife; and if the spirit have anything to do with the adventure +that he talks of, the motive is a noble one--the object is not what +he says." + +"Hush, hush, Caroline," replied Lord Sherbrooke; "you will make +Wilton believe, first, that I am sane; next, that I am virtuous; and, +lastly, that I love any woman sufficiently to submit to her +contradicting me; things which I have been labouring hard for months +to make him think impossible." + +"He knows, sir," said Green, interrupting him, "that you are +generous, and that you are kind, though he does not yet know to what +extent." + +"I believe he knows me better than any man now living," replied Lord +Sherbrooke; "but it happens somewhat inopportunely that he should be +here to-night.--Hark, Colonel! There is even now the galloping of a +horse round to the back of the house. Let you and I go into the other +room, and see what booty our comrade has brought back." + +He spoke with one of his gay but uncertain smiles, while Green's eyes +sparkled with some of the brightness of former times, as he listened +eagerly, to make sure that Lord Sherbrooke's ear had not deceived +him. + +"You are right, you are right, sir," he said; "and then, I hear +Byerly's voice speaking to the old woman." + +But before he could proceed to put Lord Sherbrooke's suggestion in +execution, Byerly was in the room, holding up a large leathern bag, +and exclaiming, "Here it is! here it is!" + +"Alas!" said Caroline--"I fear dangerously obtained." + +"Not in the least, madam," replied Byerly: "if the man dies, let it +be remarked, he dies of fright, and nothing else; not a finger has +been laid, in the way of violence, upon his person; but he would have +given up anything to any one who asked him. We made him promise and +vow that he would ride back to the town he came from; and tying his +feet under his horse's belly, we sent him off as hard as he could go. +I, indeed, kept at a distance watching all, but the others gave me +the bag as soon as it was obtained, and then scattered over the moor, +every man his own way. I am back to London with all speed, and not a +point of this will be ever known." + +"Come hither, then, come hither, Byerly," said Green, leading him +away; "we must see the contents of the bag, take what we want, and +dispose of the rest. You had better come with me too, sir," he added, +addressing Lord Sherbrooke; "for as good Don Quixote would have said, +'The adventure is yours, and it is now happily achieved.'" + +Thus saying, the three left the room together, and were absent for +nearly half an hour. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII. + +It was evident to Wilton, that whatever was the enterprise in which +Lord Sherbrooke and Green were engaged, it was one which, without +absolutely wanting confidence in him, they were anxious to conceal +from his knowledge; and, to say truth, he was by no means sorry that +such should be the case. + +He knew Lord Sherbrooke too well to hope that any remonstrance would +affect him, and he was therefore glad not to be made a partaker of +any secret regarding transactions which he believed to be dangerous, +and yet could not prevent. In regard to Green too, there were +particular feelings in his bosom which made him anxious to avoid any +further knowledge of that most hazardous course of life in which he +was evidently engaged; for he could not shut his eyes to what that +course of life really was. Although, as we have already said, at that +period the resource of the King's Highway had been adopted by very +different people from those who even ten or twenty years afterwards +trafficked thereon: though many a man of high education, gallant +courage, and polished manners, ay, even of high birth, cast from his +station by the changes and misfortunes of the day--like parts of a +fine building thrown down by an earthquake, and turned to viler +purposes--sought the midnight road as their only means of support: +nay, though there were even some names afterwards restored to the +peerage, which are supposed to have been well known amongst the +august body of traffickers in powder and lead: yet Wilton could not +but feel grieved that any one in whom he felt an interest should be +tempted or driven to such an expedient, and at all events, he thought +that the less he knew upon the subject the better. + +That, however, which struck him as the most strange, was to find two +beings such as those who were now left alone with him, graceful, +beautiful, gentle, high-toned in manners, distinguished in +appearance, fitted to mingle with the highest society, and adorn the +highest rank, cognizant of, if not taking part in, things so +dangerous and reprehensible. + +A momentary silence ensued when he was left alone with the two +ladies, and the first words that he spoke evidently showed to the +Lady Helen what was passing in Wilton's mind. She looked at him for a +moment with a grave smile, and after she had herself alluded more +directly to the subject, he expressed plainly the regret that he felt +at what he witnessed. + +"I regret likewise, my dear boy," she said, "much that has gone +before, nay, almost everything that has taken place in the conduct of +him you speak of for many years past. I regret it all deeply, and +regret it far more than I do the present transaction. You will think +it strange, but I see not well how this was to be avoided. Not that I +believe," she added, thoughtfully, "that we ought to frustrate bad +men by bad means; but nevertheless, Wilton, here was a very great and +high object to be attained: utter destruction to all our hopes would +have been the consequence of missing that object; and there was but +one way of securing it. This is to be the last enterprise of the kind +ever undertaken; and it was that very fact which made me so fearful, +for I know how treacherously fate deals with us in regard to any rash +or evil acts. How very often do we see that the last time--the very +last time--men who have long gone on with impunity, are to commit +anything that is wrong, punishment and discovery overtake them, and +vengeance steps in before reformation." + +Wilton did not, of course, press the subject, as it was one, in +regard to which he would have been forced to converse on abstract +principles, while the others spoke from particular knowledge. Nor was +his mind attuned at that moment to much conversation of any kind, nor +to any thoughts but those of his own grief. + +The conversation lingered then till Green and Lord Sherbrooke +returned. Captain Byerly was now no longer with them, and not another +word was said of the transactions of that night. Green relapsed into +gloomy silence, and very shortly after, the two ladies retired to +rest. + +The moment they were gone, Lord Sherbrooke grasped Wilton's hand, +saying, "What is the matter, Wilton? You are evidently ill at ease." + +Wilton smiled. + +"You give me none of your confidence, Sherbrooke," he said, "and yet +you demand mine. However, I will tell you in one word what I might +well have expected has occurred. An explanation has taken place +between the Duke and myself, and that bright vision has faded away." + +"Indeed!" said Lord Sherbrooke, thoughtfully. "Have you, too, met +with a reverse, Wilton? I thought that you were one of the exempt, +that everything was to smile upon you, that prosperity was to attend +your footsteps even to the close of life. But fear not, fear not, +Wilton--this is only a momentary frown of the capricious goddess. She +will smile again, and all be bright. It is not in your fate to be +unfortunate!" + +"Nay, nay, Sherbrooke, this is cruel jesting," said Wilton. "Surely +my lot is no very enviable one." + +"It is one of those that mend, Wilton," replied Sherbrooke, sadly. "I +live but to lose." + +He spoke with a tone of deep and bitter melancholy; and Green, who +had hitherto scarcely uttered a word, chimed in with feelings of as +sad a kind; adding, as an observation upon what Lord Sherbrooke had +said, "Who is there that lives past twenty that may not say the same? +Who is there that does not live to lose?--First goes by youth, down +into that deep, deep sea, which gives us back none of all the +treasures that it swallows up. Youth goes down and innocence goes with +it, and peace is then drowned too. Some sweet and happy feelings that +belonged to youth, like the strong swimmers from some shipwrecked +bark, struggle a while upon the surface, but are engulfed at last. +Strength, vigour, power of enjoyment, disappear one by one. Hope, +buoyant hope, snatching at straws to keep herself afloat, sinks also +in the end. Then life itself goes down, and the broad sea of events, +which has just swallowed up another argosy, flows on, as if no such +thing had been; and myriads cross and re-cross on the same voyage the +spot where others perished scarce a day before. It is all loss, +nothing but loss," and he again fell into a fit of bitter musing. + +"Come, Wilton," said Lord Sherbrooke, after a moment's thought, "I +will show you a room where you can sleep. These are but melancholy +subjects, and your fancies are grave enough already. They will be +brighter soon--fear not, Wilton, they will be brighter soon." + +"I know not what should brighten them," replied Wilton. "But I will +willingly go and seek sleep for an hour or two, as I must depart by +daylight to-morrow. In the meanwhile, Sherbrooke, I will ask you to +let me write a brief note to the Duke, and trust to you to send it as +early as may be; for to say the truth, in the bitter disappointment I +have met with, and the harsh language which he used towards me, I +forgot altogether to mention what you told me this morning." + +The materials for writing were soon furnished, although Lord +Sherbrooke declared, that were he in Wilton's situation, he would let +the proud peer take his own course, as he had shown himself so +ungrateful for previous services. + +Wilton, however, only replied, "He is Laura's father, Sherbrooke," +and the note was accordingly written. + +"It shall be delivered early," said Lord Sherbrooke, as soon as it +was ready. "Give it to me, Wilton; and now let us go." + +Ere he quitted the room, however, Wilton turned to Green, and held +out his hand, saying, "I am grieved to see you so sad. Can I by no +means aid you or give you comfort?" + +Green grasped his hand eagerly and tightly in his own, and replied, +"No, my boy, no; nothing can give me comfort. I have done that which +calmly and deliberately I would do again to-morrow, were I so called +upon, and which yet, in the doing it, has deprived my mind of peace. +There may be yet one ray of comfort reach me, and it will reach me +from you, Wilton; but it may be that you may wish to speak with me +from time to time; if so, you will hear of me here, for I go no more +to London. I have seen bloody heads and human quarters enow. Seek me +here; and if you want anything, ask me: for though powerless to cure +the bitterness of my own heart, I have more power to serve others +than ever I had." + +"I have tried more than once in vain to see you," replied Wilton; +"not that I wanted anything, but that I was anxious to hear tidings +of you, and to thank you for what you had already done. I will now, +however, bid you good night, and trust that time, at least, may prove +an alleviation of your burdens as well as those of others." + +Green shook his head with a look of utter despondency, and Wilton +quitted him, seeing that further words were vain. Lord Sherbrooke +then conducted him to a small neat room, and left him to lie down to +rest, saying-- + +"I know not, Wilton, whether I can conquer my bad habits so much as +to be up before you go. If not, I may not see you for many days, for +I have leave of absence," he added, with one of his light laughs, +"from my most honoured and respected parent. Should you need me, you +will find me here; and I would fain have you tell me if anything of +import befals you. I shall hear, however--I shall hear." + +Thus saying, he left him, and at an early hour on the following day +Wilton was on his way homeward. He reached London before the time at +which it was usual for him to present himself at the house of Lord +Byerdale; but when, after pulling off his riding dress, he went +thither, he found that the Earl had already gone to Whitehall, and +consequently he followed him to that place. + +The statesman seemed not a little surprised to see him, and instantly +questioned him in regard to his interview with the Duke. That +interview was soon told by Wilton, who loved not to dwell upon the +particulars, and consequently related the whole as briefly as +possible. + +He told enough, however, to move the Earl a good deal, but in a +different manner from what might have been expected. Once or twice he +coloured and frowned heavily, and then laughed loud and bitterly. + +"His pride is almost more absurd than I had fancied, Wilton," he +said, at length; "but to tell you the truth, I have in some degree +foreseen all this, though not quite to this extent. If he had +willingly consented to your marriage with his daughter, he might have +saved himself, perhaps, some pain, for he must consent in the end, +and it would not surprise me some day to see him suing you to the +alliance that he now refuses you. His grace is certainly a very great +and haughty peer, but nevertheless he may some day find you quite a +fitting match for his daughter." + +"I trust it may be so, my lord," replied Wilton; "but yet I see not +very well how it can be so." + +"You will see, you will see, Wilton," replied Lord Byerdale: "it +matters not at present to talk of it. But now sit down and write me a +letter to the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, telling him that I must +beg he and the Sheriff would take prompt measures for restoring peace +and security in the county. Let him know that one of the government +couriers was stopped and plundered on the road last night. Luckily +the bag of despatches has been found upon the highway unopened, but +still the act was a most daring one. The same sort of thing has been +of frequent occurrence in that county: it is evident that a large +troop of these gentry of the road make that part of the world their +field, and we must put a stop to it." + +Wilton sat down and did as he was bid, feeling, it is true, that he +could give a good deal more information upon the subject than the +Earl possessed, if he thought fit to do so. This, of course, he did +not choose to do; and after the letter to the Lord Lieutenant was +written, the Earl allowed him to depart, saying--"Our business is +somewhat light to-day, Wilton; but do not be the least afraid on +account of this fair lady. The Duke's foolish pride will come down +when he hears more." + +Wilton departed, in a meditative mood; for notwithstanding every +assurance given him, he could not but feel apprehensive, sad, and +despondent. He might ask himself, in deed--for the Earl's words +naturally led to such a mistaken question--"Who, then, am I? Who is +it they would have me believe myself, that so proud a man should seek +the alliance which he now scorns, as soon as he knows who I am?" But +there seemed to him a sort of mockery in the very idea, which made +him cast it from him as a vain delusion. + +Though freed from ordinary business, and at liberty to go where he +liked, with a thousand refined tastes which he was accustomed to +gratify in his own dwelling, yet Wilton felt not the slightest +inclination to turn his steps homeward on the present occasion. +Music, he knew full well, was by no means calculated to soothe his +mind under the first effects of bitter disappointment. Had it been +but the disappointment of seeing Laura at the time he expected to do +so--had circumstances compelled him to be absent from her for a week +or a month longer than he had expected--had the bright dreams which +he always conjured up of pleasant hours and happy days, and warm +smiles and sweet words, when he proposed to go down to Somersbury, +been left unrealized by the interposition of some unexpected +event--the disappointment would certainly have been great; but +nevertheless he might have then found a pleasure, a consolation in +music, in singing the songs, in playing the airs, of which Laura was +fond; in calling up from memory the joys that were denied to hope, +which can never so well be done, so powerfully, as by the magic voice +of song. + +But now all was uncertain: his heart was too full of despondency and +grief to find relief by re-awakening even the brightest memories of +the past: he could not gaze upon the days gone by, like the painter +or the poet looking upon some beautiful landscape, for his situation +he felt to be that rather of some unhappy exile looking back upon a +bright land that he loved, when quitting it, perhaps never to return. +Neither could books afford him relief; for his own sorrowful feelings +were now too actively present to suffer him to rove with the gay +imagination of others, or to meditate on abstracted subjects with the +thoughtful and the grave. + +To fly from the crowds that at that time thronged the streets--to +seek solitary thought--to wander on, changing his place +continually--to suffer and give way to all the many strange and +confused ideas and feelings of grief, and disappointment, and +bitterness of heart, and burning indignation, at ill-merited scorn, +and surprise and curiosity in regard to the hopes that were held out +to him, and despairing rejection of those hopes, even while the voice +of the never-dying prophetess of blessings was whispering in his heart +that those very hopes might be true--was all that Wilton could do at +that moment. + +The country, however, was sooner reached in those days than it is at +present; and after leaving Whitehall, he was in a few minutes in the +sweet fields, with their shady rows of tall elms, which lay to the +westward of St. James's-street. Here he wandered on, musing, as we +have said, for several hours, with his arms crossed upon his chest, +and his eyes scanning the ground. At length he turned his steps +homeward, thinking that it was a weakness thus to give way; but still as +he went, the same feelings and the same thoughts pursued him; and +that black care, which in the days of the Latin poet sat behind the +horseman, was his companion, also, by the way. + +On reaching his lodgings, the door was opened by the servant of the +house, and he was passing on, but the girl stopped him, +saying--"There is a lady, sir, up stairs, who has been waiting for +you near an hour." + +"A lady!" exclaimed Wilton, with no slight surprise; for though such +a visit in those days might have passed without scandal, he knew no +one who was likely to call upon him, unless, indeed, it were the Lady +Helen Oswald, whose interest in him seemed to be of such a kind as +might well produce a visit upon any extraordinary occasion. + +He mounted the stairs with a rapid step, however, for he knew that it +must be something out of the common course of events which had +brought her, and opening the door quickly, entered his small +sitting-room. But what was his surprise to behold, seated on the +opposite side of the room, and watching eagerly the door, none other +but Lady Laura Gaveston herself. + +Astonishment certainly was the first sensation, but joy was the +second; and advancing quickly to her, he took her in his arms and +held her to his heart, and kissed her cheek again and again. For +several moments he asked no question. It was sufficient that she was +there, pressed to his bosom, returning his affection, and whatever +might be the consequences, for the tine at least he was happy. The joy +that was in his countenance--the tenderness--the deep devoted love of +his whole manner--gave as much happiness to Laura herself as she was +capable of receiving from anything at that moment. + +Her thoughts, also, for a minute or two, were all given up to love +and happiness; but it was evident from the tears on her cheeks that +she had been weeping bitterly ever since she had been there; and the +moment that he had recovered himself a little, Wilton led her back +to her seat, and placing himself beside her, still holding her hand, +he said--"Dear, dear Laura! I fear that something very painful, I may +say very terrible, has driven you to this step; but indeed, dear +girl, you have not placed your confidence wrongly; and I shall value +this dear hand only the more, should your love for me have deprived +you of that wealth which you have been taught to expect. I will +labour for you, dear Laura, with redoubled energy, and I fear not to +obtain such a competence as may make you happy, though I can never +give you that affluence which you have a right to claim." + +The tears had again run over Laura's cheek; but as she returned the +pressure of his hand, she replied--"Thank you, dear Wilton--thank +you: I know you would willingly do all for me, but you mistake, and I +think cannot have heard what has happened." + +Those words instantly guided Wilton's mind back to the right point, +though for a moment thought hovered round it vaguely. He recollected +all that Lord Sherbrooke had said with regard to Sir John Fenwick, +and the charge against the Duke, and he replied, "I had mistaken, +Laura--I had mistaken. But what has happened? I have been out wandering +long in the fields, thinking of but one subject, and melancholy +enough, dear girl." + +"I know it, dear Wilton--oh, I know it!" she replied, leaning her +head upon his shoulder; "and I, too, have passed a wretched night, +thinking of you. Not that I ever feared all would not in the end go +right, but I knew how miserable what had occurred would make you; and +I knew how angrily my father sometimes speaks, how much more he says +than he really means, and what pain he gives with out intending it. +The night was miserable enough, dear Wilton; but I knew not indeed +how much more miserable the morning was to be.--You have not heard, +then, what has taken place?" + +"I have heard nothing, dearest Laura," replied Wilton; "I have heard +nothing of any consequence since I came to town: but I fear for your +father, Laura; for I heard yesterday that some accusation had been +brought against him by Sir John Fenwick; and though last night, in +the agitation and pain of the moment, I forgot to tell him, I wrote a +note, and sent it early this morning." + +"He got it before eight this morning," replied Laura, "and sent to +call me down in haste. I found him partly angry, partly frightened, +partly suspicious, and hesitating what to do. I besought him, Wilton, +to fly with all speed. I pledged my word that Wilton, however +ill-treated he might have been, and however he might feel that the +services which he had rendered had been undervalued, would say +nothing but that which was actually true, and absolutely necessary +for the safety of those he loved." + +"Surely," said Wilton, "he did not suspect me of falsifying the truth +to give myself greater importance in his eyes?" + +"Whatever were his suspicions, dear Wilton," replied Lady Laura, +"they were too soon painfully removed; for he had scarcely given +orders to have breakfast immediately, and the carriage prepared +without loss of time, when two Messengers arrived with a warrant for +his committal to the Tower. They treated us with all kindness," +continued Lady Laura, "waited till our preparations were made, +permitted me to accompany him, and have promised that to-morrow or +the day after--as soon, in short, as a proper order can be made for +it--I shall be permitted to be with him, and have a room near his. +But oh, Wilton, you cannot imagine how my father's mind is +overthrown. It seems, though I never knew it before, that he has +really had some dealings with this Sir John Fenwick, and his whole +reliance now appears to be upon you, Wilton." + +"Oh, I trust, dearest Laura, that this charge will prove nothing," +replied Wilton. "As far as I know, though he acted imprudently, there +was not anything in the slightest degree criminal in his conduct. The +days, I trust, are gone by when fictitious plots might be got up, and +the blood of the innocent be sold for its weight of gold. It may have +been judged necessary to secure his person, and yet there may not be +the slightest probability of his being condemned or even tried." + +"I do not know, Wilton," replied Lady Laura, sadly--"I do not know. +He seems in very great terror and agitation. Are you sure he has +told you all, Wilton?" + +"On that subject, of course, I cannot be sure," replied Wilton. "But +I do not feel at all sure, Laura, that this charge and this +imprisonment may not have its origin in personal revenge. If so, +perhaps we may frustrate the plotter, though we be weak and he is +strong. Who was the warrant against your father signed by?--Was +it--?" + +"Not by Lord Byerdale," replied Laura, laying her hand upon his and +gazing into his face, and thus showing Wilton that she instantly +divined his suspicions.--"It was by the Duke of Shrewsbury." + +"That looks ill, dearest Laura," replied Wilton, thoughtfully. "The +Duke of Shrewsbury is one above all suspicion, high, noble, +independent, serving the state only for the love of his country, +abhorring office and the task of governing, but wise and prudent, +neither to be led by any art or trickery to do what is not just, nor +even to entertain base suspicions of another, without some very +specious cause to give them credibility. This is strange, Laura, and +I do not understand it. Did your father express a wish that you +should see me, so that I may act openly in the business without +offending him?" + +"He not only told me to consult with you," replied Laura, "but he +sent me direct from the Tower in the chair which you saw standing at +the door, desiring me not to go to Beaufort House till I had seen +you; to beseech you to come to him immediately, in order that he +might advise with and consult you upon his situation. Indeed, he +seems to have no hope in any one but in you." + +Wilton mused for a minute or two. + +"I do not think, my dear Laura," he said, "that the Earl of Byerdale +knew anything of your father's arrest this morning when I saw him. I +believe I must have done him wrong in my first suspicions. I will +now, however, go to him at once, and endeavour to ascertain the +precise nature of Sir John Fenwick's charge." + +"Might it not be better," said Laura, anxiously, "to see my father +first?" + +"I must obtain an order of admission, dear Laura," replied Wilton. +"What are the orders respecting your father's confinement I cannot +tell, but I know that Sir John Fenwick is permitted to see no one but +the ministers of the crown or somebody appointed by them. At all +events, I think it will be better to converse with the Earl, and get +the order at the same time. I will then hasten to your father with +all speed, give him what comfort and consolation I can, and +afterwards come for a few minutes to Beaufort House to see my Laura, +and tell her the result--that is to say, if I may." + +"If you may! dear Wilton," said Lady Laura, casting herself upon his +bosom, "if you could see my poor father now with all his pride +subdued, you would not ask if you may." + +"But we must lose no time, dear Laura," replied Wilton. "You shall +go on to Beaufort House with all speed. But where are your servants? +I saw none in the hall." + +"Oh, I have none with me," replied Lady Laura; "there was but one +with the carriage: the others were left with orders to follow quickly +to town; and I am sure in the agitation of the moment neither my +father nor I thought of servants at all." + +"Nay, dear Laura," replied Wilton, "my own servant shall go with you +then; for after having once lost my treasure and found it again, I +will not trust you with two strange chairmen such a distance, and +alone." + +This arrangement was soon made; and with a mind comforted and +relieved, even from this short interview with him she loved, Lady +Laura left him, and took her way to her solitary home. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX. + +Wilton was sincerely pained and grieved for the Duke; and the moment +that he had seen Laura safely on her way towards Beaufort House, he +hastened to seek the Earl of Byerdale, supposing that he had returned +to his own dwelling, which was near at hand. He was still at +Whitehall, however, and thither Wilton accordingly went. He was +admitted immediately to the Earl's presence, and found him with a +number of written letters before him, folded up and ready for the +departure of the courier. Not knowing that there was anything in the +mere addresses of the letters that was not intended for him to see, +Wilton suffered his eye to rest upon them for a moment. The Earl +hastily gathered them together, but not before Wilton had remarked +that one of them was addressed to the Earl of Sunbury; and the very +haste with which the statesman removed them from his sight naturally +gave rise to a suspicion of something being wrong, though Wilton +could form no definite idea of what was the motive for this +concealment. + +"Have you heard that the Duke is arrested, Wilton?" was the Earl's +first question, before Wilton himself could speak. + +"Yes, my lord," replied Wilton. "I have heard, and was somewhat +surprised, as your lordship did not speak to me on the subject in the +morning." + +"I knew nothing about it," replied the Earl, "except that I thought +it likely. It was his grace of Shrewsbury's doing, and I do not doubt +that he was very right, for one cannot punish mean offenders and let +high ones pass." + +"Certainly not, my lord," replied Wilton; "but from what I know of +the Duke, I should think that he was the last man on earth to do any +treasonable act. I have come to ask your lordship's permission to +visit him in the Tower, and to obtain an order to that effect, +hoping, too, that you may tell me the particulars of the charge +against him, for he is now very anxious to see me." + +"Oh ho!" exclaimed the Duke. "What! is his pride come down so soon? +What! in one single day does he send for the man that he maltreated +the night before? Such is human pride and human weakness. Well, well, +Wilton, we will not mar your young fortunes. You shall have every +opportunity, and perhaps may serve the Duke; although, I very much +fear," he added, in a graver tone, "from the Duke of Shrewsbury +having signed the warrant, that your good friend has been led much +farther into these matters than you are aware of. Make out an order +to see him, and I will sign it." + +"But cannot I, my lord, obtain any information," said Wilton, as he +wrote the order, "concerning the real charges against the Duke?" + +"I really am not aware of them," replied Lord Byerdale. "The +business has not been done through this office. I have seen Fenwick, +indeed, but he only spoke generally, and seemed inclined to accuse +everybody indiscriminately. However, I will send to Lord Shrewsbury, +and ask all the particulars; but, by the way, Shrewsbury went out of +town to-day. I must write to Vernon, his secretary, instead;" and +sitting down, he wrote and despatched a note to a neighbouring +ministerial office. An answer was almost immediately returned in the +following terms:-- + + "MY LORD,-I have been honoured with your lordship's + note, and beg to inform you that the charge against the Duke + of Gaveston is for high treason, in having heard and connived + at the projected assassination of the King in the beginning + of this year, together with various other counts, such as + that of levying war, holding treasonable correspondence with + the enemy, and concealing the designs of traitors, &c. Your + lordship's order will admit Mr. Brown immediately to the + Tower, as no particular directions have been given in regard + to keeping the Duke a close prisoner. His grace of Shrewsbury + went out of town to Eyford at eleven this morning.-- + I have the honour to be, your lordship's obedient servant," + &c. + +"There, Wilton," said the Earl, putting over the note to his +secretary, "there is all the information that I can obtain on the +subject; and here, take the order, and go and see your friend the +Duke. Tell him I will come and see him to-morrow, and give him what +consolation you can; but yet do not act like a silly boy, and make +too light of the business, for two reasons: first, because the matter +is really serious--the good folks of London have an appetite for +blood upon them just now, and will not be satisfied unless they see a +head struck off every now and then; and next, because, if his +lordship do escape the abbreviating process of Tower Hill, we shall +have to bring down his pride still farther than it is, to make him +give ready consent to your marriage with his daughter." + +"I would rather win his consent by good services, my lord," replied +Wilton, "than drive him to give it by any harsh means." + +"Pshaw! you are a silly boy," replied the Earl: "there is nothing so +tiresome to a man of experience as the false generosity with which +young men set out in the world. Here, when you have the opportunity +in your power of inducing the Duke easily to give his consent to that +which is most for his own interests, for yours, and for everybody's, +you would let it slip, remain miserable yourself, and see Laura made +miserable too, from the mere idle fancy of not taking advantage of +misfortunes which the Duke has brought upon himself; but I will +consent to no such idle folly, Wilton. I am determined to take care +of your interests, if you do not take care of them for yourself, and +I have a right to do so, as I believe I am your nearest living +relation. And now, my good youth, mark my words, and remember that I +am one who will keep them to the letter. The Duke, I know, has so far +committed himself as to be really criminal. How far his crime may be +aggravated I do not know. If he have brought his own head to the +block I cannot help it, and then all matters will be clear, for Lady +Laura will be free to do as she pleases; but as his pardon for the +offences he has really committed must pass through my hands, if it +should be found that his errors are not of a very deep dye, I give +you fair warning, that he shall not set his foot beyond the doors of +the Tower till Lady Laura is your bride. Say not a word, for my +determination is taken, and he shall find me somewhat firmer in my +purpose than he has shown himself towards you." + +"I suppose your lordship means," replied Wilton, "till he has given +his consent to the marriage. The Duke is too honourable a man to +revoke it when once it is granted." + +"No, by Heaven!" answered Lord Byerdale: "she shall be yours, fully, +irrevocably your wife, ere he sets his foot forth. There are such +things, I tell you, Wilton, as quarrels about marriage-settlements. I +will have none of that. I will be a better friend to you than you +would be to yourself. However, on second thoughts, say nothing about +it to the Duke. I will take it all upon myself, which will spare you +pain. You shall see that the proposal will come from the Duke +himself." + +Wilton smiled; and we cannot think that he was much to blame if there +was some pleasure mingled in his feelings at the thought of soon and +easily obtaining her he loved, even though he experienced repugnance +to the means which the Earl proposed to employ. He resolved, +therefore, to let the matter take its course, feeling very sure that +the result of the Duke's present situation would be much affected, +and his liberation greatly facilitated, by suffering the Earl to +manage the matter in his own way. + +He took the order, then, and proceeded at once to the Tower, where, +through walls, and palisades, and courts, he was led to that part of +the building reserved for the confinement of state prisoners. There +was nothing very formidable or very gloomy in the appearance of the +rooms and corridors through which he passed; but the sentry at the +gates, the locked doors, the turning of keys, announced that he was +in a place from which ever-smiling liberty was excluded; and the very +first aspect of the Duke, when his young friend was admitted to the +apartments assigned to that nobleman, showed how deeply he felt the +loss of freedom. In the few hours that had passed since Wilton last +saw him, he had turned very pale; and though still slightly lame, he +was walking up and down the room with hasty and irregular steps. The +sound of the opening door made him start and turn round with a look +of nervous apprehension; and when he beheld the countenance that +presented itself, his face, indeed, lighted up with a smile, but that +smile was so mingled with an expression of melancholy and agitation, +that it seemed as if he were about to burst into tears. + +"This is very kind of you, indeed, Wilton!" he exclaimed, stretching +out his hand towards him: "pray let us forget all that took place +last night. Indeed, your kindness in coming now must make a very +great difference in my feelings towards you: not only that, indeed, +but your note, which reached me early this morning, and which had +already made such a difference, that I should certainly have sent for +you to talk over all matters more calmly, if this terrible misfortune +had not happened to me." + +Was the Duke endeavouring to deceive Wilton?--No, indeed, he was not! +Though there can be scarcely a doubt that, had he not been very much +brought down by fear and anxiety, he would not have sent for Wilton +at all. The truth was, he had first deceived himself, and at that +moment he firmly believed that he would have done everything that was +kind and considerate towards Wilton and his daughter, even had he not +been arrested. + +"We will not think of any of these things, your grace," replied +Wilton. "I need not tell you that I was both overjoyed to see Lady +Laura, and terribly grieved to hear the cause of her coming. As soon +as I had heard from her your grace's situation and wishes, I sent my +servant to accompany her to Beaufort House." + +"Ay," said the Duke, interrupting him, "in the agitation of the +moment, poor girl, I forgot to send any one with her I kept my man +here. But what then, Wilton, what then?-You are always kind and +considerate.--What did you do then?" + +"I went immediately to Lord Byerdale," replied Wilton, "who seemed +just to have heard of your arrest. From him I obtained an order to +see you; and he was kind enough also to write to his grace of +Shrewsbury's secretary to know upon what charge you had been +arrested." + +"Ay, that is the point! that is the point!" exclaimed the Duke, +eagerly. "When we hear what is the charge, we can better judge what +danger there is; in short, how one is situated altogether." + +"Why, I grieve to say, my lord," replied Wilton, "that the charge is +heavy." + +"Good God!" exclaimed the Duke, "what is it, Wilton, what is it? Do +not keep me in suspense, but tell me quickly. What does the villain +charge me with? He first spoke upon the subject to me, and he knows +that I am as innocent as the child unborn." + +"It would seem, your grace," replied Wilton, "that he levels charges +at many persons most likely as innocent as you are; and that he +wishes to save his own life by endangering the lives of other people. +He charges you with neither more nor less than high treason, for +having been cognisant of, if not consenting to, the plan for +assassinating the King--" + +"I never consented to such a thing!" exclaimed the Duke, interrupting +him. "I abhorred the very idea. I never heard of it--I--I--I never +heard it distinctly proposed. Some one, indeed, said it would be +better; but there was no distinct proposal of the kind; and I went +away directly, saying, that I would have no farther part in their +counsels." + +Wilton's countenance fell at hearing this admission; for he now for +the first time saw fully how terrible was the situation in which the +Duke had placed himself. That nobleman, then, had, in fact, heard and +had concealed the design against the King's life. The simple law of +high treason, therefore, held him completely within its grasp. That +law declared a person concealing treason to be as guilty as the +actual deviser or perpetrator thereof, and doomed them to the same +penalty. There was no hope, there was no resource, but in the +clemency of the government; and the words used by Lord Byerdale rang +in Wilton's ears, in regard to the bloody appetite of the times for +executions. He turned very pale, then, and remained silent for a +moment or two, while the Duke clasped his hands, and gazed in his +face. + +"For Heaven's sake, my lord," he said, at length, "withhold such +admission from anybody else, for I fear very much a bad use might be +made of it." + +"I see that you think that the case goes ill with me," said the Duke. +"But I give you my word of honour, my dear Wilton, that the moment I +heard of the designs of these men I left the place in indignation." + +"It is necessary, my lord," replied Wilton, "that your grace should +know how you stand; and I fear very much that if this business can be +proved at all, the best view of the case that can be taken will be, +that you have committed misprision of treason, which may subject you +to long imprisonment and forfeiture. If the government deals +leniently with you, such may be the case; but if the strict law be +urged, I fear that your having gone to this meeting at all, and +consented to designs against the government of the King, and +afterwards concealing the plans for introducing foreign forces, and +for compassing the death of the King, must be considered by the peers +as nothing short of paramount treason itself. Let me beseech you, +therefore, my lord, to be most careful and guarded in your speech; to +content yourself with simply denying all treasonable intentions, and +to leave me, and any other friends whom you may think fit to employ, +to endeavour, by using all extraordinary means, to save you even from +the pain and risk of trial. Our greatest hope and the greatest +security for you, is the fact--which is so generally reported that I +fancy it must be true--that Sir John Fenwick has charged a number of +persons in the highest stations, and some even near to the King's +person and counsels. It will be for every one's interest, therefore, +to cast discredit upon all his accusations, and amongst the rest, +perhaps, this also may fall to the ground." + +"Could you not see him, Wilton, could you not see him?" demanded the +Duke, eagerly. "Perhaps he might be persuaded to mitigate his charge; +to withdraw it; or to add some account of the abhorrence I expressed +at the plans and purposes I heard." + +"I see no way by which I could gain admittance, my lord," replied +Wilton. "He is a close prisoner in Newgate. I know no one who even +is acquainted with him; and I believe none but his wife and various +members of the government are admitted to see him alone. However, I +will do my best, my lord, and if I can gain admission, I will." + +The Duke cast himself in deep despondency into a chair, and mused for +several minutes without reply, seeing evidently, from Wilton's words +and manner, that he thought his case a desperate one. After a moment, +however, a momentary ray of hope crossed his countenance again. + +"Cannot you see the Lady Mary Fenwick?" he said. "She could surely +gain you admission to her husband. She is a distant relation of my +own, too, for my grandfather married Lady Carlisle's aunt. Beseech +her, Wilton, to gain you admittance; and try also--try, by all +means--to make her use her influence with her husband in my behalf. +Perhaps at her entreaty he would modify the charge, or retract a part +of it. It can do him no good--it may ruin me." + +"I will do my best, my lord," replied Wilton, "and in the meantime my +Lord of Byerdale desired me to tell your grace that he would visit +you to-morrow. He comes, indeed, merely as a friend; but I would beg +your grace to remember that he is also a minister of the crown, bound +by his office to give intimation of everything affecting the welfare +of the state." + +"Oh, I will be careful, I will be careful!" replied the Duke. "But +can you think of nothing else, Wilton? can we fall upon no means? +Would to Heaven I had always taken your advice! I should not now be +here. Should I ever escape, you will find me a different being, +Wilton. I will not forget your kindness, nor be ungrateful for it;" +and he fell into a somewhat sad and feeble commentary upon his own +conduct, briefly expressing regret for what he had done, partly +alleging excuses for it, but still evidently speaking under the +overpowering influence of fear; while pride, that weakest and most +enfeebling of all evil passions, gave him no support under +affliction, no strength and vigour in the moment of danger. In his +heart Wilton could not respect him; but still he had nourished in his +bosom feelings of affectionate regard towards him: he knew that +Laura's happiness was not to be separated from her father's safety, +and he resolved once more to exert every energy of mind and body in +the service of the Duke. + +For about half an hour more their conversation was protracted in the +same strain, and then Wilton took his leave, telling the prisoner +that he feared he should not be able to visit him on the following +day. The Duke pressed him much to do so; but when he heard that every +spare moment of Wilton's time was to be devoted to his service, he +readily agreed, for that object, to lose the consolation of seeing +him. + +According to his promise, Wilton sped as fast as possible to Beaufort +House; and though the brief conversation which ensued between him and +Laura was mingled with much that was sad, yet the very fact of being +together--of pouring out every thought of the heart to each other--of +consulting with each other upon the welfare of one who was now an +object of the deepest interest to both--was in itself a happiness, to +Wilton powerful and intense; to Laura, sweet, soothing, and +supporting. During the short time that Wilton stayed, the +conversation turned entirely upon the Duke. At that moment, and with +but little cheering hope to give, Wilton could not mingle the subject +of his own feelings with the sadder ones which brought him thither. +Love, indeed, pervaded every word he spoke; love, indeed, gave its +colouring to all his feelings and to all his thoughts; but that very +love was of a kind which prevented him from making it the subject of +discourse at such an hour as that. Nor was his visit long, for it was +now dark; and after one whole day, which he knew had been spent in +anxiety, care, and fatigue, and after a night which he likewise knew +had gone by in sorrow and anguish, he felt that Laura would require +repose, and hoped, though but faintly, that she would obtain it. + +He left her, then, in less than an hour, and took his way homeward, +meditating over what might be done for the Duke, but seeing no hope, +no chance, but in the exertions of the Earl of Byerdale, or the +merciful interposition of the Duke of Shrewsbury. He was not without +hope that the Earl would exert himself; though when he asked his own +mind the question, "Upon what motives, and to what effect, will the +Earl exert himself?" he was obliged to pause in doubt--ay, and in +suspicion. He could not divest his own heart of a conviction that the +Earl was acting insincerely; that there was some object in view which +it was impossible for him to divine; some purpose more than mere +kindness to a relation whom he had never known or acknowledged for so +many years of their mutual life. + + + +CHAPTER XL. + +It was the ninth hour of the evening on the following day when a +carriage stopped at the gates of Newgate, and a lady got out and +entered the prison. It was by this time dark, for the year was +already beginning to show a slight diminution in the length of the +days; and there were few people just at that moment in the streets to +remark that she left a male companion behind her in the vehicle, who, +with his arms crossed upon his chest, and his eyes bent thoughtfully +upon the other side of the carriage, remained buried in deep and +seemingly gloomy meditation. + +After the lapse of about ten minutes the lady returned, and said, +"You may come; but the governor says your visit must not be long, and +on no account must be mentioned." [Footnote: It is an undoubted +historical fact, that more persons visited and conversed long with +Fenwick in prison than the court was at all aware of.] + +Wilton instantly stepped out of the carriage as Lady Mary Fenwick +spoke, and followed her into the prison. A turnkey was in waiting +with a light, and led them round the outer court and through one or +two dark and narrow passages to the cell in which Sir John Fenwick +was confined. There was another turnkey waiting without; and Wilton, +being admitted, found the wretched man whose crimes had brought him +thither, and whose cowardly treachery was even then preparing to make +his end disgraceful, sitting pale, haggard, and worn, with his elbow +resting on the small table in the middle of the cell, and his anxious +eye fixed upon that door from which he was never more to go forth but +to trial, to shame, and to death. + +Lady Mary Fenwick, his unfortunate wife, whose eager and strenuous +exertions in her husband's behalf were sufficient to atone in some +degree for the error of countenancing those calumnies by which he +hoped to escape his well-deserved fate, accompanied or rather +followed Wilton into the cell; and as she did so, remarking the +haggard glance with which Sir John regarded the visitor, she held up +her finger with a meaning look, as if to entreat him to assume more +calmness, at least in his demeanour. + +Sir John Fenwick made an effort to do so; and, with one of those +painful smiles wherewith wretchedness often attempts to cover its own +misery, he said, "Good evening, Mr. Brown. This is a poor place for +me to receive you in. I could have done better, if you had honoured +me by a visit in Northumberland." + +"I grieve much, Sir John, to see you in it," replied Wilton, "and +trust that you may be enabled to free yourself speedily." + +A look of anguish came over Sir John Fenwick's countenance; but +Wilton went on, saying, "When last we met, Sir John, it was not, +perhaps, on the best of terms, and I certainly thought that you +treated me ill; but let all that be forgotten in the present +circumstances." + +"Do you mean," asked Sir John Fenwick, with a cynical look, "that we +are both to forget it, or that I am to forget the whole business, and +you to recollect it at my trial for the benefit of my accusers?" + +"I meant for us both, of course, to forget it," replied Wilton; "or, +rather, I should say, I meant merely that we should forget all +feelings of enmity; for to see you here deprives me of all such +sensations towards you." + +"Ay, sir," said Sir John Fenwick, eagerly. "But let us keep to the +other point, if you please. Do you intend to forget our former +meeting, or to give evidence in regard to it?" + +Wilton paused, and thought for a moment; and then a sudden idea +struck him that that very interview to which Fenwick alluded might, +perhaps, prove the means of making him modify his charge against the +Duke. + +"I cannot, of course," he said, "promise you, Sir John Fenwick, not +to give evidence against you, if I am called upon, for you know that +I can be compelled to do so; but I do not see that my evidence could +do you the slightest harm in regard to your trial for treason, as I +heard you utter no treasonable sentiments, and saw you perform no +treasonable act." + +"True, true!" cried Sir John Fenwick, gladly. "True, you can have +nothing to say." + +"So shall I tell any one who asks me," said Wilton. "I can give no +pertinent evidence whatsoever, and therefore can easily keep out of +court--unless, indeed," he added, with particular emphasis, "the +charges which you have brought against the Duke of Gaveston should +compel me to come forward as one of his witnesses, especially as his +trial is likely to take place before your own." + +"But how can that affect me?" demanded Sir John Fenwick, looking +sharply in his face. "How can the Duke's trial have any effect upon +mine?" + +"Merely by bringing forward my evidence," replied Wilton. + +"But how, why, wherefore?" said Sir John Fenwick, eagerly. "You have +yourself admitted that you saw nothing, heard nothing at all +treasonable--you cannot dally with a man whose life is in jeopardy. +What evidence can you give with regard to the Duke that can at all +affect me?" + +"Only in this way," answered Wilton. "The Duke must be tried upon +your accusation. He will call me to prove that you and he were at +enmity together, and that therefore your charge is likely to be a +calumny. He will also call me to prove that it was both my opinion +and his, expressed to each other at the very time, that you carried +off his daughter for the purpose of forcing him into a plot against +the state, or at all events to prevent his revealing what he knew of +your proceedings, from the fear of some injury happening to his +child. I shall then have to prove that I found her absolutely in your +power: that you refused to give her up at my request; that you were +at that time in company with and acting in concert with various +persons, five or six of whom have since been executed; that from +amongst you a shot was fired at me, showing that the Duke's +apprehensions regarding his daughter were well founded; and I shall +also have to declare, that before the Duke could have any assurance +of his daughter's safety, the conspiracy was itself discovered, so +that he had no time or opportunity to reveal the plot, unless at a +period when his so doing might have endangered, perhaps, the life of +Lady Laura. All this, my good sir, I shall have to prove, if the +Duke's trial is forced on. To sum the matter up, it must be shown +upon that trial that you and the Duke were at bitter enmity, and that +therefore your charge is likely to be malicious; that you carried off +his daughter as a sort of hostage; and that he was under reasonable +apprehensions on her account, in case he should tell what he knew of +the conspiracy; that I found you associating intimately with all the +condemned traitors the very day before the arrest of some of them, +and that the Duke did not recover his daughter by my means, till the +plot itself was discovered. Now you will judge, Sir John, how this +may affect your own trial. I warn you of the matter, because I have a +promise, a positive promise, that I shall not be brought forward to +give evidence in this business without my own consent; but once +having proffered my testimony in favour of the Duke, I cannot refuse +it, should any link in the chain of evidence be wanting against you +which I can supply." + +Sir John Fenwick had listened to every word that Wilton said in +bitter silence; and when he had done, he gnashed his teeth one +against the other, saying, with a look of hatred, "You should have +been a lawyer, young sir, you should have been a lawyer. You have +missed your vocation." + +"Lawyers, Sir John Fenwick," replied Wilton, "are often, even against +their will, obliged to support falsehood; but I merely tell you the +truth. You have brought a charge against the Duke, as far as I can +understand, of which he is virtually innocent, to all intents and +purposes--" + +"Who told you I had brought a charge against him at all?" demanded +Sir John Fenwick. "Who told you what that charge was? It must be all +guess-work, upon your part. Depend upon it, if I have brought a +charge at all, it is one that I can prove." + +"I may have been mistaken," replied Wilton, "and I hope I am, Sir +John. I hope that you have brought no charge, and that if you have, +it is not of the nature that I supposed; for as I have shown you, it +would be most unwise and imprudent of you so to do. You would not +injure the Duke in any other way than by a long imprisonment, and you +would, in all probability, insure your own condemnation, while you +were uselessly attempting to do evil to another. At all events, Sir +John, you must not take it ill of me that I point this out to you, +and if you will take the warning I have given, it may be of great +benefit to you." + +"How should I take it?" demanded Sir John Fenwick, still frowning +upon him from under his bent brows. "What I have said I have said, +and I shall not go back from it. There may be other witnesses, too, +against the Duke, that you know not of. What think you of Smith? What +think you of Cook?" + +"I know not, really," replied Wilton. "In fact, I know nothing upon +the subject, except that the Duke is virtually innocent of the crime +with which you would charge him. You made him listen to designs +which he abhorred; and because he did not betray you, you charge him +with participating in them. As for the witnesses Cook and Smith, I +have heard from the Earl of Byerdale that neither the one nor the +other have anything to say against the Duke." + +Sir John Fenwick had listened with a bitter smile to what Wilton +said; but he replied almost fiercely, "You know nothing of what you +are talking. Are you blind enough or foolish enough to fancy that the +Earl of Byerdale is a friend of the Duke?" + +"I really do not know," replied Wilton, calmly. "I suppose he is +neither very much his friend nor his enemy." + +"And there, too, you are mistaken," answered Sir John Fenwick: "for +an envoy, you know marvellous little of the sender's situation." + +"I only know," replied Wilton, "thus much, which you yourself cannot +deny, that to accuse the Duke, so as to bring him to trial for this +unfortunate affair, will be to produce your certain condemnation; to +cut you off from all chance of hope." + +Lady Mary Fenwick had hitherto stood silent a step or two behind +Wilton; but now advancing a little, she said, "Indeed, Sir John, you +had better think of it. It seems to me that what Mr. Brown says is +reasonable, and that it would be much better so to state or modify +your charge against the Duke as not to hazard his life." + +"Nonsense, Lady Mary!" exclaimed Fenwick; "neither you nor he know +anything of what my charges are, or in what my hopes consist. My +charge against the Duke shall stand as I have given it; and you may +tell him, that it is not on my evidence alone he will be condemned; +so that yours, young man, will not tend much to save him." + +Wilton saw that it would be useless to urge the matter any farther at +that moment, though, notwithstanding the perverse determination shown +by the prisoner, he was not without hope that their conversation +might ultimately produce some effect upon his mind. + +"Well, Sir John," he said, "I will keep you no longer from +conversation with your lady. I grieve for you on every account. I +grieve to see you here, I grieve for the situation in which you have +placed yourself, and I still more grieve to see you struggling to +deliver yourself from that situation by means which MAY PRODUCE the +destruction of others, and will certainly PRODUCE your own." + +"I neither want your grief, nor care for it, sir," replied the +prisoner. "Good night, good night." + +Wilton then turned and left him; but Lady Mary Fenwick accompanied +the young gentleman into the passage, saying in a low voice, "The +Earl of Byerdale has seen him twice. You will do well to be upon +your guard there." + +"Thank you, lady, thank you," replied Wilton. "I am upon my guard, +and am most grateful for what you have done." + +Thus saying, he left her: and as it was too late, at that hour, to +visit the prisoner in the Tower, he turned towards his own home; but +ere he reached it, he bethought him of seeking some farther +information from the public reports of the day, which were only to be +met with in their highest perfection in the several different resorts +of wits and politicians which have become familiar to our minds in +the writings of Steele and Addison. Will's and the Chocolate-house, +and other places of the same kind, supplied in a very great degree +the places of the Times, the Herald, the Globe, or the Courier; and +though the Postman and several other papers gave a scanty share of +information, yet the inner room of the St. James's Coffee-house might +be considered as representing the leading article to the newspaper of +the day. + +To one or two of these houses, then, Wilton repaired, and found the +whole town still busy with the arrest of Sir John Fenwick, and with +the names of persons he was said to have accused. If the rumours were +to be believed, he had brought charges of one kind or another against +half the high nobility and statesmen of the land. The King's servants +and most familiar friends, many who were still actually employed by +him, and many who had aided to seat him on the throne, were all said +to be accused of treasonable communications with the court of St. +Germain; and Wilton had the satisfaction of thinking, that if there +were, indeed, any safety in numbers, the Duke had that security at +least. + +When he had satisfied himself on this point, he returned to his own +house, to meditate upon the best defence which could be set up for +the noble prisoner. None, however, suggested itself better than that +which he had sketched out in his conversation with Sir John Fenwick; +and without loss of time he put it down in writing, in order to take +the Duke's opinion upon it. There was one flaw, indeed, in the chain +which he could not but see, and which he feared might be used by an +enemy to the Duke's disadvantage. He could prove, that after Lady +Laura had been carried away the Duke had no opportunity whatever of +disclosing the plot until it was already discovered; but +unfortunately, between the time of the meeting in Leadenhall-street +and the period at which the conspirators so daringly bore off the +lady from the terrace there had been a lapse of some time, during +which her father might have made any communication to the government +that he liked. There was a hope, however, that this might pass +unremarked; and at all events what he proposed was the only defence +that could be set up. + +On the following morning, when he saw the Earl of Byerdale, he +inquired if he had seen the Duke; but found that such was not the +case, business being the excuse for having failed in his promise. +Wilton, however, proceeded to the Tower as soon as he was free, and +found Laura now sharing the apartments assigned to her father, and +striving to support and comfort him, but apparently in vain. The +Duke's mind was still in a terrible state of depression; and the want +of all certain intelligence, the failure of the Earl of Byerdale's +promise, and the absence of Wilton, had caused his anxiety apparently +to increase rather than to diminish, since the first day of his +imprisonment. + +We must not pause upon the various interviews which succeeded, and +were painful enough. Wilton had little to tell that could give the +Duke any comfort. The determined adherence of Sir John Fenwick to his +charge, the sort of indifference which the Earl of Byerdale displayed +in regard to the prisoner's situation, neglecting to see him, though +repeatedly promising to do so, all served to depress his spirits day +by day, and to render him altogether insensible to the voice of +comfort. Towards Wilton himself the Earl resumed a portion of his +reserve and gravity; and though he still called him, "My dear +Wilton," and "My dear boy," when he addressed him, he spoke to him +very little upon any subject, except mere matters of business, and +checked every approach to the topic on which Wilton would most +willingly have entered. + +On the seventh or eighth day of the Duke's imprisonment, however, +Lord Sherbrooke again appeared in town; but the Earl employed Wilton +constantly, during the whole of that day; so much so, indeed, that +his secretary could not help believing that there was effort apparent +in it, in order to prevent his holding any private communication with +his friend. At length, however, he suffered him to return home, but +not till nearly ten at night, by which time Lord Sherbrooke had left +the house, to go to some great entertainment. + +Scarcely had Wilton passed the door, when he found some one take hold +of his arm, and to his surprise found the young nobleman by his side. + +"I have been watching for you eagerly, Wilton," he said, "for it +seems to me, that the game is going against you, and I see the faces +of the cards." + +"I am very anxious indeed about the Duke, if such be your meaning, +Sherbrooke," replied Wilton. + +"And I am so also," answered Lord Sherbrooke. "What my father +intends, I do not well see; but I should think, that to make the poor +man lose his head on Tower-hill would be somewhat too severe a +punishment, too bitter a revenge, for Lady Laura refusing to wed so +worshipful a person as I am." + +"I hope and trust," replied Wilton, "that there is no chance of such +a consummation." + +"On my word, I do not know," replied Lord Sherbrooke. "My father, +when he is hungry for anything, has a great appetite; I don't think +the Duke's head would much more than dine him. However, take my +advice; depend not upon him in the least; go to the Duke of +Shrewsbury at once, if he be in town, and if not, to Vernon. Try to +interest them in favour of the Duke; see what you can allege in his +favour. The King has just returned from Holland, you know, and any +application made to him now may perhaps be received graciously. Have +you anything that you can state in the Duke's favour?" + +Wilton recapitulated all that could be said to palliate the error +which Laura's father had committed, and Lord Sherbrooke answered +eagerly, "That is enough, surely that is enough. At least," he added, +"it ought to be enough, and would be enough, if there were no +under-influence going on. At all events, Wilton, I would go +decidedly to his grace of Shrewsbury, or to Vernon, for I believe the +Duke is absent. Represent all these facts, and induce him to lay +them before the King. This is the best and most straightforward +course, and you will speedily learn more upon the subject. But there +is another thing which I have to tell you--though I put no great +reliance upon the result being as effectual as we could wish--I was +speaking a few nights ago with our friend the Colonel, upon the +situation of the Duke, and upon your anxiety regarding him, all of +which I have heard from my good rascally valet, who--considering that +he is one of the greatest scoundrels that ever was unhung--is a very +honest fellow in his way, and finds out everything for me, Heaven +knows how, and lets me know it truly. The Colonel seemed to laugh at +the idea of anything being done to the Duke, saying, 'No, no; he is +safe enough.' But after a while he added, 'If Wilton have any +difficulty about the business, he had better speak to me:' and then +he fell into one of his long sullen fits of thought; after which he +said, 'Tell him to ride out hitherward on Saturday night next, just +as it is turning dark--I should like to speak with him about it.'" + +"I will not fail," replied Wilton; "for there is something about that +man that interests, nay, attaches me, in spite of all I know and all +I guess concerning his desperate habits. It is evident that he has +had a high education, and possesses a noble heart; in fact, that he +was fitted for better things than the criminal and disgraceful course +he has pursued." + +"Hush, hush!" cried Lord Sherbrooke, laughing; "speak more +respectfully of the worthy Colonel, I beg. You are not aware that he +is a near relation of mine." + +Wilton started, and turned round as if he would have gazed in his +companion's face, but the darkness of the night prevented him from +well seeing what was passing there. As he recalled, however, his +first interview with Green, his look, his manner, and the jesting +tone in which he sometimes spoke, he could not but acknowledge that +there was something in the whole resembling Lord Sherbrooke not a +little, although Green was a much taller and more powerful man. + +"This is strange enough, Sherbrooke," he replied, "if you are not +joking; and, indeed, I think you are not, for there is a certain +likeness between you and him, though more in the manner than in the +person." + +"It is quite true," replied Lord Sherbrooke; "he is a near relation. +But, however, in regard to the Duke, I see not how he can help you, +though he certainly does very wonderful things sometimes, which +nobody expects or can account for. I would hear all he has to say, +then; but at the same time, Wilton, I would not neglect the other +business with Vernon, for, you see, the Colonel names Saturday. This +is Monday, and before that time the Duke's head may be upon a pole, +for aught we know. They make short work with trials and executions in +these days." + +"I will not fail," answered Wilton, "I will not fail. In such a case +as this it is scarcely possible to do too much, and very possible to +do too little. I trust your father will not detain me the whole day +to-morrow." + +"Oh no!" replied Lord Sherbrooke: "I am going to remove the cause, +Wilton. As soon as ever I arrived last night, I perceived that the +Earl was delicately working at some grand scheme regarding the Duke, +and I very soon perceived, too, that he was determined you and I +should not have an opportunity of talking the matter over, for fear +we should spoil proceedings. I was obliged to watch my opportunity +to-night with great nicety, but to-morrow I go back, that is to say, +if my sweet Caroline is ready to go with me, for I am the most +obedient and loving of husbands, as all reformed rakes are, you know, +Wilton." + +"But is the lady in town, and at your father's?" demanded Wilton, +with surprise. + +"She is in town, dearly beloved," replied Lord Sherbrooke, "but +certainly not at my father's; and now, Wilton, ask me no more upon +the subject, for, between you and me, I know little or nothing more +myself. I know not what brings her into London; who she comes to see +here, or who the note was from that called her so suddenly up to this +great den of iniquity. It is a very horrible thing, Wilton, a very +horrible thing, indeed," he continued, in the same jesting tone, +"that any woman should have secrets from her husband. I have heard +many matrons say so, and I believe them from my whole heart; but I've +heard the same matrons say that there should be perfect reciprocity, +which, perhaps, might mean that the wife and the husband were to have +no secrets from each other, which, I am afraid, in my case, would +never do, so I am fain to let her have this secret of her own, +especially as she promises to tell me what it is in a few days. +Reciprocity is a fine thing, Wilton; but it is wonderful what a +number of different sorts of reciprocity there are in this world. +Look there. Do you know there is something that puzzles me about that +house." + +"Why, that is Lord Sunbury's," replied Wilton; "but there are lights +up in the drawing-room apparently." + +"Ay, that's one part of the story that puzzles me," said Lord +Sherbrooke. "I think the old housekeeper must be giving a drum. My +valet tells me that on Saturday morning last there was a hackney +coach stopped at that house, and two men went into it: one seemed a +gentleman wrapped in a long cloak, the other looked like a valet, and +stayed to get a number of packages out of the coach. Now I cannot +suspect that same old housekeeper, who, as far as I recollect, is +much like one of the daughters of Erebus and Nox, of carrying on an +amorous correspondence with any gentleman; and it is somewhat strange +that she should have lent the use of her master's house, either for +love or money. I should not wonder if the Earl himself had come to +London before his baggage." + +"I should think not," replied Wilton; "I should certainly think not. +I had a letter from him not long ago, dated from Paris, and I think +he certainly would have written to inform me if he had been coming." + +"I am not so sure of that, by any means, Wilton," replied his friend. +"I can tell you, that two or three things have happened to his good +lordship lately, which, with all his kindness and benevolence, might +make him wish to see two or three other people before he saw you. +There is a report even now busy about town that he is corresponding +from Paris privately and directly with the King, and that his arrival +in England will be followed by a change of ministry, if he will +consent to take office again, which seems to be very doubtful." + +These tidings interested Wilton not a little; and perhaps he felt a +curiosity to ascertain whether Lord Sherbrooke's suspicion was or was +not correct. His mind, however, was too high and delicate to admit of +his taking any steps for that purpose, and after some more +conversation on the same subject, he and his friend parted. + +On the following morning Wilton had an opportunity of visiting the +Duke of Shrewsbury's office, and found Mr. Vernon disengaged. To him +he communicated all that he had to say in defence of the Duke, and +found Vernon mild in his manners and expressions, but naturally +cautious in either promising anything or in giving any information. +He heard all that Wilton had to say, however, and assured him that he +would lay the statement he made before the King on the ensuing +morning, adding, that if he would call upon him in the course of the +next day he would tell him the result. He smiled when Wilton +requested him to keep his visit and its object secret, and nodded his +head, merely replying, "I understand." + +On the following day Wilton did not fail to visit him again, and +waited for nearly an hour till he was ready to receive him. + +"I am sorry," said Vernon, when he did admit him, "that I cannot give +you greater satisfaction, Mr. Brown; but the King's reply, upon my +application, was, that he had already spoken with the Earl of +Byerdale on the subject. However, it may be some comfort to you to +know that his grace of Shrewsbury takes an interest in the situation +of the Duke, and has himself written to the King upon the subject." + + + +CHAPTER XLI. + +It was about the hour of noon, and the day was dull and oppressive. +Though the apartments assigned to the Duke were high up, and in +themselves anything but gloomy, yet no cheering ray of sunshine had +visited them, and the air, which was extremely warm, seemed loaded +with vapour. The spirits of the prisoner were depressed in +proportion, and since the first hour of his imprisonment he had +never, perhaps, felt so much as at that moment, all the leaden weight +of dull captivity, the anguish of uncertainty, and the delay of hope, +which, ever from the time of the prophet king down to the present +day, has made the heart sick and the soul weary. It was in vain that +his daughter, with the tenderest, the kindest, the most assiduous +care, strove to raise his expectations or support his resolution; it +was in vain that she strove to wean his thoughts away from his own +painful situation by music, or by reading, or by conversation. Grief, +like the dull adder, stops its ear that it may not hear the song of +the charmer; and while she sang to him or played to him upon the +lute, at that time an instrument still extremely common in England, +or read to him from the books which she thought best calculated to +attract his attention, she could see by the vacant eye that sometimes +filled with tears, and the lips that from time to time murmured a +word or two of impatience and complaint, that his thoughts were all +still bent either upon the sad subject of his captivity, or upon the +apprehension of what the future might bring. + +At the hour of noon, then, the servant whom the Duke had chosen to +wait upon him, and who was freely admitted to the prison, as well as +a maid to attend upon the Lady Laura, entered the apartment in which +the Duke sat, and announced that the Earl of Byerdale was in the +antechamber. The Duke started up with an expression of joy, ordering +him to be admitted instantly; and the Earl entered, assuming even an +unusual parade of dignity in his step, and contriving to make his +countenance look more than commonly severe and sneering, even though +there was a marked smile upon it, as if he would imply that no slight +pleasure attended his visit to the Duke. + +"My dear lord," he said, "I really have to apologize for not having +waited upon you before, but it has been quite impossible. Since the +King's return I have been called upon daily to attend his majesty, +besides having all the usual routine of my office to go through; +otherwise I can assure your grace that I should have been with you +long ago, as both duty and inclination would have prompted me to wait +upon you. I am happy to see you so comfortably lodged here. I was +afraid that, considering the circumstances, they might have judged it +right to debar you of some indulgences; but my lord the governor is a +good-hearted, kindly man.--Lady Laura, how are you? I hope you are +quite well. I grieve, indeed, to see you and your father in this +place; but alas! I had no power to prevent it, and indeed, I fear, I +have very little power to serve you now." + +"From your lordship's words," said the Duke, after having habitually +performed the civilities of the apartment--"from your lordship's +words, I fear that you take a bad view of the case, and do not +anticipate my speedy deliverance." + +"Oh, you know," answered the Earl, "that the trial must take place +before we can at all judge what the King's mercy may incline him to +do; but I fear, my lord, I fear that a strong prejudice prevails +against your grace. The King, as well may be, is terribly indignant +at all persons concerned with this plot." + +"He may well be, indeed," said the Duke; "for nothing ever made me +more indignant than when I first heard of the purposed assassination +and invasion myself. With that I had nothing on earth to do. I should +have hoped that his majesty's indignation on other points would have +subsided by this time, and that clemency would have resumed her sway +towards those who may have acted imprudently but not criminally." + +"Not yet, not yet, I fear, my lord," replied the Earl; "six months, +or a year longer, indeed, would have made all the difference. If your +grace had but taken the advice and warning given you by my wise and +virtuous young friend, Wilton, and made your escape at once to +Flanders, or any neutral ground. I am sure I gave you opportunity +enough." + +"But, my lord," replied the Duke, "Wilton never gave me any warning +till the very morning that I was arrested. It is true, indeed," he +added, recollecting the circumstances, "poor Wilton and I +unfortunately had a little quarrel on the preceding night, and he +left me very much offended, I believe, and hurt, as I dare say he +told you, my lord." + +"Oh, he told me nothing, your grace," replied Lord Byerdale. +"Wilton, knowing my feeling on the subject, very wisely acted as he +knew I should like, or, at least, INTENDED TO ACT as he knew I should +like, without saying anything to me upon the subject. I might very +well remain somewhat wilfully ignorant of what was going on, but I +must not openly connive, you know.--Then it was not really," he +continued, "that your grace refused to go?" + +"Oh, not in the least, not in the least!" replied the Duke. "I +received his note early on the next morning, after he left me, and +was consulting with my dear child here as to the necessary +arrangements for going, when the Messengers arrived." + +"Most unfortunate, indeed," said the Earl. "I had concluded, judging +from your letter to me on the preceding day, that your grace that +afternoon, notwithstanding all I had said regarding the young +gentleman's family, refused him the honour to which he aspired, and +would not follow the advice he gave." + +Lady Laura rose, and moved towards one of the windows; and her +father, with his colour a little heightened, and his manner somewhat +agitated, replied, but in a low tone, "I did indeed refuse him +Laura's hand, and, I am afraid, somewhat harshly and angrily; but I +never refused to take his advice or warning." + +"Ay, but the two subjects are so mingled up together," said the Earl, +"that the one may be considered to imply the other." + +"I see not how, my lord, I see not how they are so mingled," said the +Duke. + +"Ay, it may be difficult to explain," answered the Earl, "and I +cannot do it myself; but so it is. It might not indeed be too late +now, if it were not for this unfortunate prejudice of yourself or +Lady Laura against my young friend, who, I must say, has served you +both well." + +"How not too late, my lord?" demanded the Duke, eagerly: "all +prejudices may be removed, you know; and if there were any prejudice, +it was mine." + +"Still it would be an obstacle," answered the Earl; "and the whole +matter would of course be rendered much more difficult now. There +might be still more prejudices to be overcome at present.--May I +ask," he added, abruptly, "if you have still got the note which +Wilton sent you?" + +"No," answered the Duke, "no. I destroyed it immediately, out of +regard for his safety." + +"It was a wise precaution," answered the Earl, "but unnecessary in +his case. He has friends who will manage to justify whatever he does +of that kind. Humble as he is in all his deportment, he can do many +things that I could not venture to do. I have heard the King himself +say, in presence of one half of his council, that he is under great +personal obligations to Wilton Brown." + +"Indeed!" exclaimed the Duke; "but may I request your lordship to +inform me what it was you meant just now? You said it might not be +yet too late." + +"I fear, my lord, I must not talk to your grace on the subject," said +the Earl; "there might be conditions you would not comply with. You +might not like even the idea of flying from prison at all." + +"I do not see why, my lord," exclaimed the Duke, "I really do not see +why. But pray, may I ask what are the conditions?" + +"Nay, I make neither any suggestions nor conditions," replied the +Earl, who saw that the Duke was fully worked up to the pitch he +wished, "I only spoke of such a thing as escape being very possible, +if Wilton chose to arrange it; and then of course the conditions he +might require for his services struck my mind." + +"Why as yet, my lord," answered the Duke, "our noble young friend has +not even named any condition as the price of his services." + +"Perhaps, your grace," replied the Earl, "he may have become wiser by +experience. If I have understood you both right, his hopes were +disappointed, and hopes which he imagined he entertained with great +reason." + +"No, my lord, no!" cried the Duke. "He had no reason for entertaining +such hopes. I cannot admit for a moment that I gave him any cause for +such expectations." + +"Nay, then, my lord duke," replied the Earl, with an offended look, +"if such be your view of a case which everybody in London sees +differently, the more reason why Wilton should make sure of what +grounds he stands upon before he acts further in this business. +However, I have nothing to do with the affair farther than as his +sincere friend, and as having the honour of being his distant +relation, which of course makes me resolute in saying that I will not +see his feelings sported with and his happiness destroyed. Therefore, +your grace, as we shan't agree, I see, upon these matters, I will +humbly take my leave of you." And he rose, as if to depart. + +"Nay, nay, my lord--you are too hasty," replied the Duke. "I beseech +you, do not leave me in this way. I may in former instances have +given Wilton hopes without intending it; but the matter is very much +altered now, when he has done so much more for me in every way. I do +not scruple at all to say that those objections are removed." + +"Perhaps, my lord," said the Earl, sitting down again, and speaking +in a low voice, "we had better discuss the matter in private. Could I +not speak to you apart for a moment or two? Suppose we go into the +anteroom." + +"Nay, nay," said the Duke, "Laura will leave us.--Go to your room, my +love," he added, raising his voice. "I would fain have a few minutes +conversation with my noble friend alone." + +"Very wrong of you, Lord Byerdale," she said, with a smile, as she +walked towards the door, "to turn me out of the room in this way." + +Lord Byerdale smiled, and bowed, and apologized, all with an air of +courtier-like mockery. The moment she was gone, however, he turned to +the Duke, saying, "Now, my lord duke, we are alone, and I will beg +your grace to give me your honour that no part of our present +conversation transpires in any circumstances. I can then hold much +more free communication with you. I can lay before you what is +possible, and what is probable, and you can choose whatever path you +like." + +"Most solemnly I pledge my honour," replied the Duke, "and I can +assure your lordship that I fully appreciate Mr. Brown's merits and +his services to me. He has not only talents and genius, but a +princely person and most distinguished manners, and I could not have +the slightest objection, as soon as his birth is clearly ascertained +and acknowledged--" + +"My lord duke," replied the Earl, interrupting him, "I fear your +lordship is somewhat deceiving yourself as to your own situation and +his. Wilton, I tell you, can easily find the means of effecting your +escape from this prison, and can insure your safe arrival in any +continental port you may think fit to name. I do not mean to say that +I must not shut my eyes; but for his sake and for yours I am very +willing to do so, if I see his happiness made sure thereby." + +The Duke's eyes sparkled with joy and hope, and the Earl went on. + +"Your situation, my lord, at the present moment, you see, is a very +unfortunate one, or such a step would in no degree be advisable. But +at this period, when the passions of the people and the indignation +of the King are both excited to the highest pitch; when there is, as +I may call it, an appetite for blood afloat; when the three +witnesses, Sir John Fenwick, Smith, and Cook, to say nothing of the +corroborative evidence of Goodman, establish beyond doubt that you +were accessorily, though perhaps not actively, guilty of high +treason--at this period, I say, there can be little doubt that if you +were brought to trial--that is, in the course of next week, as I have +heard it rumoured--the result would be fatal, such, in short, as we +should all deplore." + +The Duke listened, with a face as white as a sheet, but only replied, +in a tremulous tone, "But the escape, my lord! the escape!" + +"Is quite possible and quite sure," replied the Earl. "I must shut my +eyes, as I have said, and Wilton must act energetically; but I cannot +either shut my eyes or suffer him to do so, except upon the following +precise condition, which is indeed absolutely necessary to success. +It is, that the Lady Laura, your daughter, be his wife before you set +your foot from without these walls." + +"But, good heavens, my lord!" exclaimed the Duke--"how is that +possible? I believe that Laura would do anything to save her father's +life; but she is not prepared for such a thing. Then the marriage +must be celebrated with unbecoming haste. No, my lord, oh no! This is +quite impossible. I am very willing to promise that I will give my +consent to their marriage afterwards; but for their marriage to take +place before we go is quite impossible--especially while I am a +prisoner in the Tower of London--quite impossible!" + +"I am sorry your grace thinks so," replied the Earl, drily; "for +under those circumstances I fear that your escape from the Tower will +be found impossible also." + +A momentary spirit of resistance was raised in the Duke's breast by +feelings of indignation, and he tried for an instant to persuade +himself that his case might not be so desperate as the Earl depicted +it; that in some points of view it might be better to remain and +stand his trial, and that the King's mercy would very likely be +obtained even if he were condemned. But that spirit died away in a +moment, and the more rapidly, because the Earl of Byerdale employed +not the slightest argument to induce him to follow the plan proposed. + +"My lord, this is a very painful case," he said, "a very painful +case, indeed." + +"It is, Duke," replied the Earl, "it is a painful case; a choice of +difficulties, which none can decide but yourself. Pray do not let +anything that I can say affect you. I thought it right, as an old +friend, to lay before you a means of saving yourself; and no one can +judge whether that means be too painful to you to be adopted, as +nobody can tell at what rate you value life. But you will remember, +also, that forfeiture accompanies the sentence of death in matters of +high treason, and that Lady Laura will therefore be left in a painful +situation." + +"Nay, my lord, nay," said the Duke, "if it must come to that, of +course I must consent to any terms, rather than sacrifice everything. +But I did not think Wilton would have proposed such conditions to +me." + +"Nor does he, my lord," replied the Earl: "he is totally ignorant of +the whole matter. He has never, even, that I know of, contemplated +your escape as possible. One word from me, however, whispered in his +ear, will open his eyes in a minute. But, my lord, it must be upon +the condition that I mention. Wilton's father-in-law may go forth +from this prison before twelve to-morrow night, but no other prisoner +within it shall, or indeed can." + +"Well, my lord, well," replied the Duke, somewhat impatiently, "I +will throw no obstacle in the way. Laura and Wilton must settle it +between them. But I do not see how the matter can be managed here in +a prison." + +"Oh, that is easily arranged," replied the Earl--"nothing can be more +easy. There is a chaplain to the Tower, you know. The place has its +own privileges likewise, and all the rest shall be done by me. Am I +to understand your grace, that you consider yourself pledged upon +this subject?" + +The Duke thought for a moment, and the images of the trial by his +peers, the block and the axe, came up before his sight, making the +private marriage of his daughter with Wilton, and the escape to +France or Flanders, appear bright in the comparison. + +"Well, my lord, well," he said, "I not only pledge myself, but pledge +myself willingly. I always liked Wilton, I always esteemed him +highly; and I suppose he would have had Laura at last, if he did not +have her now." + +"I congratulate you on your approaching freedom, Duke," said the +Earl, "and as to the rest, I have told you perfectly true, in saying +that it is not Wilton who makes any conditions with you. He knows +nothing of the matter, and is as eager to set you at liberty without +any terms at all, as you could be yourself to obtain it. You had +better, therefore, let me speak with him on the subject altogether. +Should he come here before he sees me, only tell him that the +marriage is to take place to-morrow evening, that it is all settled +between you and me, and that as to the means of setting you free, he +must talk with me upon the subject. You must then furnish him with +your consent to the immediate marriage under your own hand. After +that is done, he and I will arrange all the rest." + +The Duke acquiesced in all that was proposed to him, having once +given his consent to the only step which was repugnant to him to +take. Nay more, that point being overcome, and his mind elevated by +the hope of escape, he even went before Lord Byerdale in suggesting +arrangements which would facilitate the whole business. + +"I will tell Laura after you are gone, my lord," he said, "and her +consent will be easily obtained, I am sure, both because I know she +would do anything to save my life, and because I shrewdly +believe--indeed she has not scrupled to admit--that she loves this +young man already. I will manage all that with her, and then I will +leave her and Wilton, and Wilton and your lordship, to make all the +rest of the arrangements." + +"Do so, do so," said the Earl, rising, "and I will not fail, my lord, +as soon as you are safe, to use every influence in my power for the +purpose of obtaining your pardon, which will be much more easily +gained when you are beyond the power of the English law, than while +you are actually within its gripe." + +The Earl was now about to take his departure, and some more +ceremonious words passed between him and the Duke, in regard to their +leave-taking. Just as the Earl had reached the door, however, a +sudden apprehension seemed to seize the prisoner, who exclaimed, +"Stay, my good lord, stay, one moment more! Of course your lordship +is upon honour with me, as I am with you? There is no possibility, no +probability, of my escape being prevented after my daughter's hand is +given?" + +Nothing more mortified the Earl of Byerdale than to find, that, +notwithstanding all his skill, there was still a something of +insincerity penetrated through the veil he cast over his conduct, and +made many persons, even the most easily deceived, doubtful of his +professions and advances. + +"I trust your grace does not suspect me of treachery," he said, in a +sharp and offended tone. + +"Not in the least, not in the least, my lord," replied the Duke; "but +I understood your lordship to say, that my escape by the means +proposed would be rendered quite certain, and I wish to ascertain +whether I had not mistaken you." + +"Not in the slightest degree, my lord duke," replied the Earl. "I +pledge you my honour, that under the proposed arrangements you shall +be beyond the doors of this prison, and at perfect liberty, before +the dawn of day on Monday morning. I pledge myself to you in every +respect, and if it be not so, I will be ready to take your place. +Does this satisfy you?" + +"Quite, quite," answered the Duke. "I could desire nothing more." And +the Earl, with a formal bow, opened the door and left him. + + + +CHAPTER XLII. + +As soon as the Earl of Byerdale was gone, the Duke called Laura from +her room, and told her what had been proposed. "Laura," he said, as +he concluded, "you do not answer me: but I took upon me to reply at +once, that you would be well pleased to lay aside pride and every +other feeling of the kind, to save your father from this torturing +suspense--to save perhaps his life itself." + +Laura's cheeks had not regained their natural colour since the first +words respecting such a sudden marriage were spoken to her. That her +father had consented to her union with Wilton was of course most +joyful; but the early period fixed for such an important, such an +overwhelming change in her condition, was startling; and to think +that Wilton could have made it the condition of his using all his +exertions in her father's cause would have been painful--terrible, if +she could have believed it. We must not, indeed, say, that even if it +had been really so, she would have hesitated to give him her hand, +not only for her father's sake, but because she loved him, because, +as we have said before, she already looked upon herself as plighted +to him beyond all recall. She would have tried to fancy that he had +good motives which she did not know; she would have tried, in short, +to find any palliation for such conduct; but still it would have been +very painful to her--still it might, in a degree, have shaken her +confidence in high and upright generosity of feeling, it might have +made her doubt whether, in all respects, she had found a heart +perfectly responsive to her own. + +"My dear father," she replied, gazing tenderly upon him, and laying +her two hands on his, with a faint smile, "what is there that I would +not do for such objects as you mention, were it ten thousand times +more than marrying the man I love best, even with such terrible +suddenness.--It is very sudden, indeed, I must say; and I do wonder +that Wilton required it." + +"Why, my dear Laura," replied the Duke, "it was not exactly Wilton +himself. It was Lord Byerdale took it all on his own shoulders: but +of course Wilton prompted it; and in such circumstances as these I +could not hesitate to consent." + +Lady Laura looked down while her father spoke; and when her first +agitation was over, she could not but think, that perhaps, +considering her father's character, Wilton was right; and that the +means he had taken, though apparently ungenerous, were the only ones +to secure her own happiness and his, and her father's safety also. +The next instant, however, as she recollected a thousand different +traits in her lover's conduct, and combined those recollections with +what her father said concerning Lord Byerdale, she became convinced +that Wilton had not made such conditions, and that rather than have +made them he would have risked everything, even if the Duke were +certain to deny him her hand the moment after his liberation. + +"I do not think, my dear father," she replied, as this conviction +came strong upon her--"I do not think that Wilton did prompt the Earl +of Byerdale. I do not think he would make such conditions, on any +account." + +"Well, it does not matter, my dear Laura," replied her father, whose +mind was totally taken up with his own escape. "It comes to the same +thing. The Earl has made them, if Wilton has not, and I have pledged +my word for your consent. But hark, Laura, I hear Wilton's step in +the outer room. I will leave you two together to make all your +arrangements, and to enter into every explanation," and he turned +hurriedly towards the door which led to his bedroom. + +Ere he reached it, however, he paused for a moment, with a sudden +fear coming over him that Laura might by some means put an end to all +the plans on which he founded his hopes of liberty. + +"Laura," he said, "Laura--for heaven's sake show no repugnance, my +dear child. Remember, your father's safety depends upon it." And +turning away, he entered his bedroom just as Wilton opened the +opposite door. + +Laura gazed upon her lover, as he came in; and asked herself, while +she marked that noble and open countenance, "Is it possible he could +make any unworthy condition?" + +Wilton's face was grave, and even sad, for he had again applied to +Vernon, and received a still less satisfactory reply than before; but +he was glad to find Laura alone, for this was the first time that he +had obtained any opportunity of seeing her in private, since she had +been permitted to join her father in the Tower. His greeting, then, +was as tender and as affectionate as the circumstances in which they +stood towards each other might warrant; but he did not forget, even +then, that subject which he knew was of the deepest interest to her +--her father's situation. + +"Oh, dearest Laura," he said, "I have longed to speak with you for a +few minutes alone, and yet, now that I have the opportunity, I have +nothing but sad subjects to entertain you with." + +His words confirmed Laura's confidence in his generosity. She saw +clearly that he knew not what had been proposed by the Earl; the very +conviction gave her joy, and she replied, looking up playfully and +affectionately in his face,-- + +"I thought, Wilton, that you had come to measure my finger for the +ring," and she held out her small fair hand towards him. + +"Oh, would to Heaven, dear Laura," he answered, pressing the hand +that she had given to his lips--"would to Heaven, that we had arrived +at that point!--But, Laura, you are smiling still. You have heard +some good news: your father is pardoned: is it not so?" + +"No, Wilton, no," she said, "not quite such good news as that. But +still the news I have heard is good news; but it is odd enough, +Wilton, that I should have to tell it to you; and yet I am glad that +it is so." + +She then detailed to him all that had occurred, as far as she had +learned it from her father. Wilton listened with surprise and +astonishment; but, though at the joyful tidings of the Duke's +consent, and at the prospect of her so soon becoming his irrevocably, +he could not restrain his joy, but clasped her in rapture to his +heart, yet there was a feeling of indignation, ay, and of doubt and +suspicion also, in regard to Lord Byerdale's conduct, and his +purposes, which mingled strangely with his satisfaction. + +"Although, dear Laura," he said, "although this is a blessed hope for +ourselves, and also a blessed hope for your father, I cannot help +saying that Lord Byerdale has acted very strangely in this business, +and very ill. It may be out of regard for me; but it is a sort of +regard I do not understand; and, were it not that I am sure my dear +Laura has never for a moment doubted me, I should say that he in some +degree compromised my honour, by making that consent a condition of +your father's safety, which should only be granted to affection and +esteem." + +Laura coloured slightly, to think that she had even doubted for an +instant: but Wilton went on, relaxing the graver look that had come +over his countenance, and saying, "We must not, however, my dear +Laura, refuse to take the happiness that is offered to us, unless, +indeed, you should think it very, very terrible to give me this dear +hand so soon; and even then I think my Laura would overcome such +feelings, when they are to benefit her father." + +"I do not feel it so terrible, Wilton," replied Lady Laura, "as I did +ten minutes ago. If I thought that you had made the condition, it +would seem so much more as if you were a stranger to me, that it +might be terrible. But when I hear you speak as you do now, Wilton, I +feel that I could trust myself with you anywhere, that I could go +away with you at any moment, perfectly secure of my future happiness; +and so I reply, Wilton, that I am not only willing, but very +willing." + +"We must lose no time, then, dear Laura," replied Wilton, "in making +all our arrangements. I must now, indeed, have the measure of that +small finger, and I must speed away to Lord Byerdale with all haste, +in order to learn the means that are to be employed for your father's +escape. I must inquire a little, too, into his motives, Laura, and +add some reproaches for his having so compromised me." + +"For Heaven's sake, do not--for Heaven's sake, do not!" cried Laura. +"My father would never forgive me, if, in consequence of anything I +had said, you and Lord Byerdale were to have any dispute upon the +matter, and the business were to fail." + +"Oh, fear not, fear not, Laura," replied Wilton, smiling at her +eagerness: "there is no fear of any dispute." + +"Nay, but promise me," she said--"promise me, Wilton." + +"I do promise you, dear Laura," he replied, "that nothing on earth +which depends upon me, for your father's liberation or escape, shall +be wanting, and I promise you more, my beloved Laura, that I will not +quarrel with the means, because my Laura's hand is to be mine at +once." + +"Well, Wilton," continued Laura, still fearful that something might +make the scheme go wrong, "I trust to you, and only beg you to +remember, that if this does not succeed, my father will never forgive +either you or me." + +Some farther conversation upon these subjects ensued, and all the +arrangements of Laura and Wilton were made as far as it was possible. +There were feelings in the mind of Wilton--that doubt of ultimate +success, in fact, which we all feel when a prospect of bright and +extraordinary happiness is suddenly presented to us, after many +struggles with difficulties and dangers--which led him to linger and +enjoy the present hour. But after a time, as he heard the clock chime +two, and knew that every moment was now of importance, he hastened +away to seek the Earl of Byerdale, and hear farther what was to be +done for the escape of the Duke. + +The Earl was not at home, however, nor at his office, and Wilton +occupied himself for another hour in various preparations for the +events that were likely to ensue. At the end of that time he returned +to the Earl of Byerdale's house, and was immediately admitted. + +"Well, Wilton!" exclaimed the Earl, as soon as he saw him, with a +cheerful smile, in which there was, nevertheless, something +sarcastic--"have I not done well for you? I think this proud Duke's +stomach is brought down sufficiently." + +"I am only grieved, my lord," replied Wilton, "that either the Duke +or Lady Laura should have cause to think that I made it a condition +she should give me her hand before I aided in her father's escape. +There seemed to me something degrading in such a course." + +The Earl's brow, for a moment, grew as dark as a thunder-cloud, but +it passed away in a sneer, and he contented himself with saying, "Are +you so proud, also, my young sir?--It matters not, however. What did +the Duke say to you? He showed no reluctance, I trust. We will bring +his pride down farther, if he did." + +"I did not see the Duke, my lord," replied Wilton, a good deal +mortified at the tone the Earl assumed--"I only saw Lady Laura." + +"And what said she?" demanded the Earl. "Is she as proud as her +father?" + +"She showed no repugnance, my lord," replied Wilton, "to do what was +necessary for her father's safety; and when she saw how much pained I +was it should be thought that I would make such a condition with her, +she only seemed apprehensive that such feelings might lead to any +derangement of your lordship's plan." + +"What?" said the Earl. "You were very indignant, indeed, I suppose, +and abused me heartily for doing the very thing that is to secure you +happiness, rank, station, and independence. But she conquered, no +doubt. You promised to concur in my terrible scheme? Is it not so, +Wilton?" + +"Yes, my lord, I did," replied Wilton. + +"Upon my word, you are a pretty gentleman, to make ladies sue you +thus," continued the Earl, in a jeering tone. "I dare say she made +you vow all sorts of things?" + +"I pledged myself solemnly, my lord," replied Wilton, "to do all that +depended upon me to forward your lordship's plan for the Duke's +escape, and she knows me too well to entertain a doubt of my keeping +that promise to the letter." + +"Not my plan, not my plan, Wilton," said the Earl, in a more pleasant +tone. "It must be your plan, my young friend; for I might put my head +in danger, remember. It is a different thing with you, who are not +yet sworn of the privy council. I will take care, also, that no harm +shall happen to you. The Duke was talking of some valet that he has, +whom he wishes to send out of the prison to-morrow night. Now, what I +propose, in order to facilitate all your arrangements with regard to +Lady Laura, is to give you an order upon the governor of the Tower to +suffer you and Lady Laura, and one man-servant and one maid, to pass +out any time to-morrow before twelve o'clock at night. I write a +little note to the Governor at the same time, telling him that, with +the consent of all parties, you and Lady Laura are to be married +privately in the Tower, to-morrow evening, by the chaplain, and I +have provided you with all the necessary authorizations for the +chaplain. You will find them there in that paper.--My note will not +at all surprise the Governor, because it has been the common talk of +the town for the last two months that you were going to be married to +Lady Laura, and most likely the good Governor has not heard of the +Duke's whims at Somersbury. The note will therefore only serve as a +reason for your wishing to go out late at night, which is contrary to +rules, you know. The Governor will give orders about it to his +subordinates, as he is going down to spend a day or two at Hampton +Court, and testify his duty to the King. If, therefore, you go away +with your attendants towards midnight, you will find nobody up who +knows the Duke, and a livery jacket and badge may cover whomsoever +you like. A carriage can be waiting for you on Tower Hill, and a +small brig called the Skimmer is lying with papers sealed and +everything prepared a little below Greenwich.--Now, Wilton," he +added, "if this does not succeed in your hands, it is your fault. Do +you agree to every part of this as I have laid it before you?" + +"Most assuredly, my lord," replied Wilton, with eager gladness; "and +I can easily show Laura now, that there is a sufficient motive for +our marriage taking place so rapidly and so secretly." + +"I did not think of that," said the Earl, much to Wilton's surprise. +"However, I shall leave to you entirely the execution of this scheme, +Wilton. You understand that my name is never to be mentioned, +however, and I take it as a matter of honour, that whatever be the +result, you say not one word whatsoever to inculpate me." + +"None, my lord--none, upon my honour!" replied Wilton. + +"Is there anything else I can do for you, Wilton?" demanded the Earl. +"If not, just be good enough to copy out that letter for me against +my return, for the carriage is at the door, and I must go in haste to +Kensington, to see the King depart for Hampton Court. The papers are +all there in that packet I have given you--the order, the note, the +special licence, and everything. Is there anything more?" + +"Nothing, my lord. I thank you most sincerely," replied Wilton, +sitting down to copy the letter, while the Earl took up his hat and +cane, and walked a step or two towards the door. The Earl paused, +however, before he reached it, and then turned again towards Wilton, +gazing upon him with a cold, unpleasant sort of smile. + +"By the way, Wilton," he said, "I promised to tell you part of your +own history, but did not intend to do it for some little time. As we +are likely however to be separated for a month or two by this +marriage trip of yours, there is one thing that I may as well tell +you. But you must, in the first place, promise me, upon your honour +as a gentleman, and by all you hold most sacred, not to reveal one +word thereof to any one, till the safety of the Duke is quite +secured--do you promise me in that solemn manner?" + +"I do, indeed, my lord," replied Wilton, "and feel most sincerely +grateful to your lordship for relieving my mind on the subject at +once." + +"Well, then, Wilton," continued the Earl, "you may recollect I said +to the Duke that there was as ancient and good blood in your veins as +in his own or in mine. Now, Wilton, my uncle, the last Earl of +Byerdale, had two other nephews besides myself, and you are the son +of one of them, who, espousing the cause of the late King James, was +killed at the battle of the Boyne, and all he had confiscated. Little +enough it was. You are his son, I say, Wilton. Do you hear?--His +natural son, by a very pretty lady called Miss Harriet Oswald!--But +upon my honour I must go, or I shall miss the King." + +And turning round with an air of perfect coolness and composure, the +Earl quitted the room, leaving Wilton thunderstruck and overwhelmed +with grief. + + + +CHAPTER XLIII. + +The whole of the Earl's dark scheme was cleared up to Wilton's eyes +in a moment; and the secret of his own fate was only given to him in +conjunction with an insight into that black and base transaction, of +which he had been made an unwitting tool. + +Horrible, most horrible to himself was the disappointment of all his +hopes. The bright dreams that he had entertained, the visions of gay +things which he had suffered the enchanter Imagination to call forth +from the former obscurity of his fate, were all dispelled by the +words that he had just heard spoken; and everything dark, and painful +and agonising, was spread out around him in its stead. He was as one +who, having fallen asleep in a desert, has dreamt sweet dreams, and +then suddenly wakes with the rising sun, to find nothing but arid +desolation around him. + +Thus, painful indeed would have been his feelings if he had only had +to contemplate his situation in reference to himself alone; but when +he recollected how his position bore upon the Duke and Laura, the +thought thereof almost drove him mad. The deceit which had been +practised upon him had taught him to entertain hopes, and to pursue +objects which he never would have dreamed of, had it not been for +that deceit. It had made him throw open his heart to the strongest of +all affections, it had made him give himself up entirely to ardent +and passionate love, from which he would have fled as from his bane, +had he known what was now told to him. He had been made also the +instrument of basely deceiving others. He knew that the Duke would +never have heard of such a thing as his marriage with Lady Laura; he, +knew that in all probability he would never have admitted him into +any extraordinary intimacy with his family, if he had not firmly +believed that he was anything but that which he was now proved to be. +He did not know, but he doubted much whether Laura, knowing her +father's feelings upon such a subject, would ever have thought of him +otherwise than as an ordinary acquaintance. He knew not, he could not +tell, whether she herself might not upon that subject entertain the +same feelings as the Duke. But what would be their sensations, what +their astonishment, what their indignation, when they found that they +had been so basely deceived, when they found that he had been +apparently a sharer in such deceit! Would they ever believe that he +had acted unwittingly, when the whole transaction was evidently to +the advantage of none but himself; when he was to reap the whole of +the solid benefit, and the Earl of Byerdale had only to indulge a +revengeful caprice? Would anybody believe it? he asked himself: and, +clasping his hands together, he stood overpowered by the feeling of +having lost all hope in his own fate, of having lost her he loved for +ever, and, perhaps, of having lost also her love and esteem, and the +honourable name which he had hitherto borne. + +For a few minutes he thus remained, as it were, utterly confounded, +with no thought but the mere consciousness of so many evils, and with +the cold sneering tone of the Earl of Byerdale still ringing in his +ears, announcing to him plainly, that the treacherous statesman +enjoyed the wound which he had inflicted upon him, almost as much as +the humiliation to which he had doomed the Duke. + +Wilton's mind, however, as we have endeavoured to show throughout +this book, was not of a character to succumb under a sense of any +evils that affected him. All the painful feelings that assailed him +might, it is true, remain indelibly impressed upon his mind for long +years. It was not that the effect wore out, it was only that the mind +gained strength, and bore the burden that was cast upon it; and thus, +in the present instance, he shook off, in a very short space of time, +the thought of his sorrows themselves, to consider more clearly how +he should act under them. + +But new difficulties presented themselves with this consideration. +He had solemnly pledged himself not to reveal what the Earl had told +him till the Duke was placed in safety. He had pledged himself to +Laura to throw no obstacle whatever in the way of her father's escape +by the means which the Earl had proposed. Neither was there a way of +evading any part of the plan as the Earl had arranged it. Otherwise +he would undoubtedly have attempted to postpone the marriage till +after the Duke was free, and then, having placed his own honour +beyond all question, to tell Laura and her father the whole truth. +But as the Earl had taken care to inform the governor of the Tower +that he was to go out with Lady Laura and the attendants after his +private marriage to her, there could be no pretence for his staying +in the Tower after the usual hour, and making use of the Earl's +order, if the marriage did not take place. + +He saw that the wily politician had entangled him on all sides. He +saw that he had left him scarcely a possibility of escape. He had +either to commit an action which he felt would be dishonourable in +the highest degree towards Laura, or to break the solemn pledge that +he had made, and at the same time leave himself still under the +imputation of dishonour; for he had nothing else to propose to Laura +or her father but her instant marriage with himself, notwithstanding +the circumstances of his birth, or the imminent risk of her father's +total ruin. + +"She may think," he said to himself, "and the Duke certainly will +think, that I have never told this fact till the very last moment, +when I have so entangled her that there was no receding. Thus I shall +violate my word to the Earl, which his baseness, perhaps, would +justify me in doing, but shall yet derive scarcely any benefit either +to the Duke, or Laura, or myself." + +It was all agony, and clasping his hands together once more, he +remained gazing upon the ground in absolute despair. Which way, he +asked himself, could he turn for help or advice? His mind rested for +a moment on Lord Sunbury. There were many strong reasons to believe +that he was in London, but incognito; but as Wilton thus thought, he +recollected his pledge not to mention either the plans the Earl had +laid out, or the facts concerning his own birth which had been told +him. And again he was at sea, but the next moment came the thought of +Lord Sherbrooke and his strange acquaintance Green: he recollected +that on that very night he was to meet the Colonel; he recollected +that the very object of that meeting was to be the Duke; he +remembered that Green's words had been, "to apply to him in any +difficulty, for that he had more power to do him a service than +ever;" he recollected that the very person he was to see possessed +some knowledge of his own history; and hope, out of these materials, +however incoherent, strange, and unpromising they might be, contrived +to elicit at least one ray of light. + +"I will meet him," he thought; "I will meet him, and will do the best +that I can when I do see him. I must not allude to what I have heard; +but he may have power that I do not know of, he may even aid me in +some other plan for the Duke's escape. I will set out as soon as it +is dusk." + +As he thus thought, he turned towards the door, nearly forgetting the +letter which the Earl had given him to copy; but his eye chanced to +fall upon it as he passed, and saying aloud, "This man shall not see +how he has shaken me," he sat down, and copied it clearly and +accurately. He then left the house, went home, ordered his horse, and +made preparations for his journey. The sun was just touching the +horizon as he put his foot in the stirrup, and he rode forward at a +quick pace on the road towards Somersbury. + +It was a beautiful clear evening, and many people were abroad; but +for the first six miles he saw nobody but strangers, all hurrying to +their several destinations for the night, travellers wending their +way into the great metropolis, and carts carrying to its devouring +maw the food for the next day. Between the sixth and seventh +milestone, however, where the moon was just seen raising her yellow +horn beside the village spire, he beheld a man mounted upon a +powerful horse, riding towards him, who by his military aspect, broad +shoulders, powerful frame, and erect seat upon his horse, he +recognised, while still at some distance, as Green. + +"Ah Wilton, my boy," cried the Colonel, as he rode up, "I am glad to +see you.--You are not behind your time, but there is an impatience +upon me now that made me set off early. I am glad I did, for I have +not been on my horse's back for a fortnight; and there is something +in poor Barbary's motion that gives me back a part of my former +lightness of heart." + +"I wish to Heaven that you could get it all back," replied Wilton. +"But I fear when it is lost it is not to be regained--I feel that it +is so, but too bitterly, at this moment." + +"What you!" exclaimed the Colonel. "What is the matter, Wilton? What +have you done? for a man never loses his lightness of heart for ever, +but by his own act?" + +"I think," said Wilton, "from what I have heard you say, that you can +feel for my situation, when I tell you, that, by the entanglements of +one I do not scruple to call a most accursed villain, I can neither go +on with honour in the course that is before me, nor retreat without +dishonour; and even if I could do either, there would still be +absolute and perpetual misery for me in life." + +"Who is the villain?" demanded Green, abruptly. + +"The Earl of Byerdale," replied Wilton. + +"Ha, ha, ha!" shouted Green aloud. "He is a cursed villain; he always +was, and ever will be. But we will frustrate the Earl of Byerdale, +Wilton. I tell you, that, with my right hand on his collar, the Earl +of Byerdale is no more than a lackey." + +"But you cannot frustrate him," replied Wilton, "so as to relieve me, +unless you can find means to set the Duke of Gaveston at liberty; and +even then--but it matters not. I can bear unhappiness, but not +dishonour." + +"Set the Duke at liberty!" said Green, thoughtfully. "He ought to +have been at liberty already. He has committed no crime, but only +folly. He has been stupid, not wicked; and besides, I had heard--but +that may be a mistake. Let us ride on, Wilton," he continued, turning +his horse; "and as we go, tell me all that has happened." + +"Alas!" replied Wilton, riding on beside him, "that is of all things +what I cannot and must not do. If I could speak, if I could open my +mouth to any one on the subject, one half of my difficulties, one +half of my grief; would be relieved at once. But that I am pledged +and bound not to do, in a manner which leaves me no relief, which +affords me no means of escape." + +"Well, then, Wilton," said his companion, "I know there are +situations in which, to aid a friend at all, we must aid him upon his +own showing, and without inquiry. We must do what he asks us to do +without explanation, or sacrifice his service to our pride. Such +shall not be the case with me. I will do what I can to serve you, +even to the last, altogether without explanation. Let me ask you, +however, one or two questions." + +"I will answer them, if I can," replied Wilton. "But remember always, +there is much that I am pledged not to reveal at present." + +"They will be very easily answered, my boy," replied Green. "Have you +seen the Earl of Sunbury?" + +"I have not," replied Wilton, "though I believe he is in England. To +him I should have applied, certainly, if I had been able to explain +to him, in any degree, my situation." + +"He is in England," replied Green: "I saw him two days ago; but I +leave him to smart for a time under the consequences of an imprudence +he has committed. In the next place, I have but the one general +question to put,--What can I do for you?" + +"I know not, indeed," replied Wilton, "though I sought you with a +vague hope, that you might be able to do something. But the only +thing that could in any degree relieve me would be, either to effect +the escape of the Duke from the Tower--" + +"That is impossible!" said Green, "utterly impossible! What was the +alternative?" + +"To obtain from the King a warrant for his liberation," said Wilton, +in a despairing tone, "which is impossible also; for how can I expect +you to do what neither Vernon nor the Duke of Shrewsbury has been +able to accomplish? The King's only answer to all applications is, +that he has spoken to the Earl of Byerdale; and in the Earl of +Byerdale we have no hope. So that is out of the question." + +"Not so much as you imagine, Wilton," replied Green. "I will do it if +it is to be done, though I would fain have avoided the act which I +must now perform. Come to me on Monday, Wilton, here upon this road +where we now ride, and I think I will put the order in your hand." + +"Alas!" replied Wilton, "Monday will not do. The liberation must be +for to-morrow night to answer the intended purpose. I have lately +thought to do the bold, and perhaps the rash, act of going to the +King myself--telling him all I know--and beseeching him to set the +Duke at liberty. He even told me once, that I had done him good +service, and that he would favour me. But, alas! kings forget such +words as soon as spoken." + +"He has a long memory, this William," replied Green; "but you shall +go with me, Wilton. If it must be to-morrow, to-morrow it shall be. +Meet me then at twelve o'clock exactly, at the little inn by the +water, called the Swan, near Kingston Bridge. I will be there waiting +for you. It is a likely hour to find the King after he comes from +chapel; but I will apply beforehand both in your name and in mine; +for I heard some time ago, from Harry Sherbrooke, that you had won +such praises from William as he seldom bestows on any one." + +"At twelve to-morrow!" said Wilton, thoughtfully. "I was to have been +at the Tower at twelve to-morrow. But it matters not. That engagement +I at least may break without losing my honour, or wounding her heart. +But tell me, tell me, Green, is there any hope, is there any chance +of our being successful?" + +"There is great hope, there is great chance," replied Green. "I will +not, indeed, say that it is by any means sure; for what is there we +can rely upon on earth? Have I not seen everything break down beneath +me like mere reeds, and shall I now put my faith in any man? But +still, Wilton, I will ask this thing. I will see William of Orange--I +will call him King at once--for King he is in fact; and far more +kingly in his courage and his nature than the weak man who never will +wear the crown of these realms again. We will both urge our petition +to the throne; and even if he have forgotten the last words that he +said to me, those which you have to speak perhaps may prove +sufficient. He is not a cruel or a bloody-minded man; and I do +believe he forgets his enmities more easily than he does his +friendships. If we could have said the same of the race of Stuart, +the crown of England would never have rested on the brow of the +Prince of Orange. I thought to have led you to other scenes and other +conferences to-night," he added, "but this matter changes all, and we +will now part. I will to my task, and prepare the way for to-morrow. +You to yours; but fail not, Wilton, fail not. Be rather before than +after the hour." + +"I will not fail," replied Wilton; and after this short conference, +he turned his rein and rode back to London. + +As he went, he meditated on the hopes which his conference with Green +had raised up again; but the brightness of those hopes faded away +beneath the light of thought. Yet, though such was the case, the +determination remained, and grew firmer and stronger, perhaps from +the want of any very great expectation. He determined to appeal to +the King, as the last act in his power; to do so firmly and +resolutely; and if the King refused his petition, and gave him no +reason to hope, to apply, as the next greatest favour, for a +memorandum in writing of his having so appealed, in order that he +might prove to Laura and her father that he had done all in his power +to give the Duke an opportunity of rejecting that means of escape, +which could only be obtained by uniting his daughter to one, from +whom, in any other circumstances, he would have withheld her. + +"It is strange," he said to himself, "it is strange and sad, that I +can scarcely move a step in any way without the risk of dishonour; +and that the only means to avoid it requires every exertion to +deprive myself of peace, and happiness, and love for ever." + +Thus he thought as he went along; and imagination pictured his next +parting from her he loved, and all that was to follow it--the grief +that she would suffer as well as himself--the long dreary lapse of +sad and cheerless hours that was to fill up the remainder of +existence for him, with all happy hopes at an end, and fortune, +station, love, gone away like visions of the night. + +Early on the ensuing morning, he despatched a note to the Tower, +telling Laura that business, affecting her father's safety, would +keep him away from her at the hour he had promised to visit her. He +would be with her, he said, at all events before nightfall; and he +added every term of love and affection that his heart suggested; but +at the same time he could not prevent a tone of sadness spreading +through his letter, which communicated to Laura a fear lest her +father's hopes of escape should be frustrated. + +By eleven o'clock Wilton was at the door of the small inn named for +the meeting; and two handsome horses which were standing there, held +by a servant, announced that Green had arrived before him. On going +in, he found his strange friend far more splendidly dressed than he +had ever seen him, apparently waiting for his coming. His fine person +told to much advantage, his upright carriage and somewhat proud and +stern demeanour, the grave and thoughtful look of his eye, all gave +him the appearance of one of high mind and high station, accustomed +to action and command. A certain sort of gay and dissipated look, +which he had previously borne, was altogether gone: within the last +few months he had become paler and thinner, and his countenance had +assumed an air of gloom which did not even leave it when he laughed. + +As Wilton now advanced towards him, he could not but feel that there +was something dignified and imposing in his aspect; and yet it caused +him a strange sensation, to think that he was going into the King's +presence in company with a man whom he had actually first met upon +the King's Highway. + +"I am glad you have come early, Wilton," said Green. "The King +returns from the chapel at a quarter past twelve, and expects us to +be in waiting at that hour, when he will see us. This is no slight +favour, I find, Wilton," he added, "for the palace is full of +courtiers, all eager and pressing for royal attention. Let us go +immediately, then, and ride slowly up to the palace." + +They mounted their horses accordingly, and rode on, speaking a few +words from time to time, but not, indeed, absolutely conversing, for +both were far too thoughtful, and too much impressed with the +importance of the act they were about to perform, to leave the tongue +free and unfettered. + +On their arrival at the palace, they found that the King had not yet +returned from the chapel; but on being asked whether they came by +appointment or not, and giving their names, they were admitted into a +waiting-room where two or three other people were already assembled. +The moments passed slowly, and it seemed as if the King would never +return. + +At length, however, a distant flourish of drums and trumpets was +heard, together with the sounds of many people passing to and fro in +the courts and passages. Buzzing conversation, manifold footfalls, +gay laughter, announced that the morning service was over, and the +congregation of the royal chapel dispersed. + + + +CHAPTER XLIV. + +In the royal closet, at the palace of Hampton Court, stood King +William III. leaning against a gilt railing, placed round some +ornamental objects, near one of the windows. The famous Lord Keeper +Somers stood beside him, while, at a little distance behind appeared +Keppel, Lord Albemarle, and before him, a tall, fine-looking man, +somewhat past the middle age, slight, but dignified in his person, +and with an air of ease and grace in his whole position and +demeanour, which bespoke long familiarity with courts. William gazed +at him with a smile, and heard him speak evidently with pleasure. + +"Well, my lord," he said, "I am very glad of the news you give me. +With the assistance of yourself, and my Lord Keeper here, together +with that of our good friend the Duke of Shrewsbury, I doubt not now +my affairs will go well. I am happy to see your health so well +restored, my lord; for you know my friendship for you well enough, to +be aware, that I was seriously afflicted at your illness, for your +own sake, as well as because it deprived me of the counsel and +assistance of one, who, as I thought he would, has proved himself the +only person sufficiently loved by all men, to reconcile the breaches +between some of my best friends." + +"Most grateful I am, sir," replied the Earl of Sunbury, to this +unusually long speech, "that Heaven has made me an instrument for +that purpose, and I can never sufficiently express my gratitude, for +your not being angry at my long absence from your majesty's service. +The arrangements thus being made, sire, I will humbly take my leave, +begging your majesty not to forget the interests of my young friend, +according to your gracious promise." + +"I will not forget, I will not forget," replied the King. "When do you +publicly announce your return, my lord?" + +"I think it would be better not, sire," replied the Earl, "till after +we have notified the arrangements to the three gentlemen who retire." + +The King smiled. "That can be done to-morrow, my lord," he said; "and +I cannot but say, that the sooner it is done the better, for my +service has already suffered." + +"That disagreeable task will of course fall on my Lord Keeper," said +Lord Sunbury, looking to Somers with a smile. + +"I shall do it without ceremony, my lord," replied Lord Somers. "It +will be a mere matter of form; and if we could have found a position +suitable to my Lord Wharton, I should say that we have constructed +the most harmonious administration that I have seen since the +glorious Revolution." + +The King's brow grew somewhat dark at the name of Lord Wharton; and +the Earl of Sunbury making a sign to the Lord Keeper to avoid that +topic, took his leave of the King, saying, "I think I have your +majesty's permission to retire through your private apartments." + +As he was opening a door, a little to the King's right hand, however, +he was met by the Earl of Portland, who greeted him with a +well-pleased smile, and then passed on towards the King, of whom Lord +Somers was taking leave at the same moment. + +"May it please your majesty," said the Earl of Portland, as soon as +the Lords Sunbury and Somers had departed, "the young gentleman whom +you were once pleased to see concerning the Duke of Berwick's coming +to England, is now here, together with another gentleman calling +himself Green, whom your majesty also, I understand--" + +"Yes, yes," said the King, "I will see him. I promised to see him." + +"You told me also, sire," replied Lord Portland, "if ever this other +gentleman applied, you would also see him. Mr. Wilton Brown, I +mean." + +"I will see him too," said the King. "I will see them together. Let +them be called, Bentinck." + +Lord Portland went to the door, and gave the necessary orders, and in +a moment or two after, Wilton and his companion stood in the presence +of the King. + +As they entered, Lord Albemarle said a few words to William, in a low +tone, to which William replied, "No, no, I will tell you if it be +necessary.--Now, gentlemen," he said, "I understood, from the note +received this morning by my Lord of Albemarle, that you requested an +audience together, which as I had promised to each separately, I have +given. Is your business the same or different?" + +"It is the same, sire," replied Green at once. "But I will beg this +young gentleman to urge what he has to say in the first place." + +The King nodded his head to Wilton to proceed; adding, "I have little +time this morning, and you may be brief; for if your business be what +I think, it has been opened to me by a friend of yours, and you will +hear more from me or him on Tuesday." + +"If your majesty refers to the Duke of Shrewsbury," said Wilton, "I +have not the honour of his acquaintance; but he promised, I know, to +urge upon your majesty's clemency the case of the Duke of Gaveston, +in regard to which I have now ventured to approach you." + +"We are mistaking each other," said the King. "I thought you meant +something else. What about the Duke?" + +"When your majesty was last pleased to receive me," replied Wilton, +"I had the honour of recounting to you how I had been employed by his +grace to set free his daughter who had been carried away by Sir John +Fenwick and other Jacobites. I explained to your majesty at that time +that this daring act had been committed by those Jacobites in +consequence of a quarrel between the Duke and Sir John Fenwick, which +quarrel was occasioned by the Duke indignantly refusing to take part +in the infamous conspiracy against your majesty. Since then, Sir John +Fenwick has been arrested, and has charged the Duke with being a +party to that conspiracy. He has done this entirely and evidently out +of revenge, and as far as my testimony goes, I can distinctly show +your majesty, that after his daughter was carried away, the Duke had +no opportunity whatsoever of revealing what he knew of the conspiracy +without endangering her safety till after the whole was discovered, +for on the morning of her return to town, after being set free, the +warrants against the conspirators were already issued." + +"You told me all this before, I think," said the King, with somewhat +of a heavy brow and impatient air. "Where is the Duke now?" + +"He is in the Tower, sire," replied Wilton, "a prisoner of state, +upon this charge of Sir John Fenwick's, and I am bold to approach +your majesty to beseech you to take his case into consideration." + +The King's brow had by this time grown very dark, and turning to Lord +Portland, he said, "This is another, you see, Bentinck." + +"I beseech your majesty," continued Wilton, as soon as the King +paused, "I beseech you to hear my petition, and to grant it. It is a +case in which I am deeply interested. You were pleased to say that I +had conducted myself well, you were pleased to promise me your +gracious favour, and I beseech you now to extend it to me so far, as +at my petition to show clemency to a nobleman who, perhaps, may have +acted foolishly in suffering his ears to be guilty of hearing some +evil designs against you, but who testified throughout the most +indignant horror at the purposes of these conspirators, who has been +punished severely already by the temporary loss of his child, by the +most terrible anxiety about her, and by long imprisonment in the +Tower, where he now lies, withering under a sense of your majesty's +displeasure. Let me entreat your majesty to grant me this petition," +and advancing a step, Wilton knelt at the King's feet. + +"Why, I thought, young gentleman," replied William, "that before this +time you were married to the pretty heiress." + +"Oh no, sire," replied Wilton, with a sad smile, "that is entirely +out of the question. Such a report got abroad in the world, but I +have neither station, fortune, rank, nor any other advantage to +entitle me to such a hope." + +"And you, Colonel," said the King, turning towards Green, "is this +the object of your coming also?" + +"It is, sire," answered Green, advancing. "But first of all permit me +to do an act that I have never done before, and kissing your +majesty's hand, to acknowledge that I feel you are and will be King +of England. May I add more, that you are worthy of being so." + +The King was evidently pleased and struck. "I am glad to see," he +answered, holding out his hand to Green, "that we have reclaimed one +Jacobite." + +"Sire," answered Green, kissing the King's hand, but without rising, +"my affections are not easily changed, and may remain with another +house; but it were folly to deny any longer your sovereignty, and," +he added, the moment after, "it would be treachery henceforth to do +anything against it.--And now, sire," he continued, "let me urge most +earnestly this young gentleman's petition, and let it be at my suit +that the Duke's liberation is granted. Wilton here may have many +petitions yet to present to your majesty on his own account. I shall +never have any; and as your majesty told me to claim a boon at your +hands, and promised to grant me anything that was not unreasonable, I +beseech you to grant me, as not an unreasonable request, the full +pardon and liberation of a man who this young gentleman, and I, and +Sir John Fenwick, and I think your majesty too, well know would as +soon have attempted anything against your majesty's life as he would +have sacrificed his own. This is the boon I crave, this is the +petition I have to present, and I hope and trust that you will grant +my request." + +"And have you nothing else, Colonel, to demand on your own account?" +said the King, gravely. + +"Nothing, sire," replied Green: "I make this my only request." + +"What!" said the King, after giving a glance as playful, perhaps, as +any glance could be upon the countenance of William III. "Is this the +only request? I have seen in English history, since it became my duty +to study it, a number of precedents of general pardons, granted under +the great seal, by monarchs my predecessors, to certain of their +subjects who have done some good service, for all crimes, +misdemeanours, felonies, et cetera, committed in times previous. Now, +sir, from a few things I have heard, it has struck me that such a +patent would be not at all inexpedient in your own case, and I +expected you to ask it." + +"I have not, and I do not ask it, sire," replied Green, in the same +grave tone with which he had previously spoken. "I may have done +many things that are wrong, sire, but I have neither injured, +insulted, nor offended any one whom I knew to be a true subject of +the Prince I considered my lawful King. Possessing still his +commission, I believed myself at liberty to levy upon those who were +avowedly his enemies, the rents of that property whereof they had +deprived me fighting in his cause.--Sire, I may have been wrong in my +view, and I believe I have been so. I speak not in my own +justification, therefore. My head is at your feet if you choose to +take it: death has no terrors for me; life has no charms. I stay as +long as God wills it: when he calls me hence, it matters little what +way I take my departure. My request, sire, is for the liberation of +the Duke, who, believe me, is perfectly innocent; and I earnestly +entreat your majesty not to keep him longer within the walls of a +prison, which to the heart of an Englishman is worse than death +itself." + +"I am sufficiently an Englishman to feel that," replied the King.-- +"Your own free pardon for all offences up to this time we give, or +rather promise you, should it be needed, without your asking it. Mark +the King's words, gentlemen. In regard to the liberation of the +Duke, demanded of us, as you have demanded it; that is, as the only +request of a person who has rendered us most important service, and +to whom we have pledged our word to concede some boon, we would grant +it also, but--" + +"Oh, sire!" exclaimed Green, "let your clemency blot out that but." + +"Hear me, hear me," said the King, relapsing into his usual tone; "I +would willingly grant you the Duke's liberation as the boon which you +require, and which I promised; but that I granted the order for his +liberation some four days ago, not even demanding bail for his +appearance, but perfectly satisfied of his innocence. I ordered also +such steps to be taken, that a _nolle prosequi_ might be entered, so +as to put his mind fully at rest. I told the Earl of Byerdale the day +before yesterday, that I had done this at the request of the Duke of +Shrewsbury, and I bade him take the warrant, which, signed by myself, +and countersigned by Mr. Secretary Trumbull, was then lying in the +hands of the clerk. It is either in the clerk's hands still, or in +those of Lord Byerdale. But that lord has committed a most grievous +offence in suffering any of my subjects to remain in a prison when +the order was signed for their liberation." + +"May it please your majesty," said Keppel, stepping forward, "I +questioned the clerk this morning, as I passed, knowing what your +majesty had done, and hearing, to my surprise, from my Lord Pembroke, +that the Duke was still in prison. The clerk tells me that he had +still the warrant, Lord Byerdale seeming to have forgotten it +entirely." + +"He has forgotten too many things," said the King, "and yet his +memory is good when he pleases. Fetch me the warrant, Arnold. +Colonel, I grant this warrant, you see, not to you. You must think of +some other boon at another time. Young gentleman, I have been +requested; by a true friend of yours and mine, to hear your petition +upon various points, and to do something for you. I can hear no more +petitions to-day, however, but perhaps you may find a kinder ear to +listen to you; and as to doing anything for you," he continued, as he +saw Keppel return with a paper in his hand--"as to doing anything +for you, the best thing I can do is to send you to the Tower. There, +take the warrant, and either get into a boat or on your horse', back, +and bear the good tidings to the Duke yourself." + +As he spoke, the King gave the paper into Wilton's hand, and turned +partly round to the Earl of Portland with a smile; then looked round +again calmly, and, by a grave inclination of the head, signified to +Wilton and his companion that their audience was at an end. + +As soon as they were in the lobby, Green grasped his young friend's +hand eagerly in his own, demanding, "Now, Wilton, are you happy?" + +"Most miserable!" replied Wilton. "This paper is indeed the greatest +relief to me, because it puts me beyond all chance of dishonour. No +one can impute to me now that I have done wrong, or violated my word, +even by a breath; but still I am most unhappy, and the very act that +I am going to do seals my unhappiness." + +"Such things may well be," replied Green, "I know it from bitter +experience. But how it can be so, Wilton, in your case, I cannot +tell." + +Wilton shook his head sorrowfully. "I cannot stay to explain all +now," he said, "for I must hasten to the Duke, and not leave his mind +in doubt and fear for a moment. But in going thither, I go to see her +I love for the last time. The metropolis will henceforth be hateful +to me, and I shall fly from it as speedily as possible. I feel that I +cannot live in it after that hope is at an end. I shall apply for a +commission in the army, and seek what fate may send me in some more +active life; but before I go, probably this very night, if you will +give me shelter, I will seek you and the Lady Helen, to both of whom +I have much, very much to say. I shall find you at Lord Sherbrooke's +cottage, where I last saw you? There I will explain everything. And +now farewell." + +Thus saying, he shook Green's hand, mounted his horse, and at a very +rapid pace spurred on towards London by all the shortest roads that +he could discover. + + + +CHAPTER XLV. + +The Duke's dinner in the Tower was over. He had been much agitated +all day, and Laura had been agitated also, but she had concealed her +emotions, in order not to increase those of her father. It was, as we +have said, Sunday, and the service of the church had occupied some +part of that long day's passing; but the rest had gone by very +slowly, especially as the only two events which occurred to break or +diversify the time told that there were other persons busy without, +in matters regarding which neither Laura nor her father could take +the slightest part, but which affected the future fate of both in the +highest degree. Those two incidents were the arrival of Wilton's note, +which we have already mentioned, and a visit from the chaplain of the +Tower, to tell the Duke and Lady Laura that he had received directions +and the proper authorization (few of those things were needed, +indeed, in those days) to perform the ceremony of marriage between +her and Wilton at any hour that she chose to name. A considerable +time passed after this visit, and yet Wilton did not appear. The Duke +began to look towards Laura with anxious eyes, and once he said, "I +hope, Laura, you neither did nor said anything yesterday to make +Wilton act coldly or unwillingly in this business?" + +"Indeed, my dear father, I did not," replied Lady Laura, "and he +promised me firmly to do everything in his power. Something has +detained him; but depend upon it there is no cause either to fear or +to doubt." + +Such assurances, for a time, seemed to soothe the Duke, and put his +mind more at ease; but as time passed, and still Wilton did not +appear, his anxiety returned again; he would walk up and down the +room; he would gaze out of the window; he would east himself into a +chair with a deep sigh; and though he said nothing more, Laura, was +bitterly grieved on his account, and began to share his anxiety for +the result. At length a distant door was heard to open, then came +the sound of the well-known step in the ante-room, making Laura's +heart beat, and the Duke smile; but there was nothing joyful in the +tread of that step: it was slow and thoughtful; and after the hand +was placed upon the lock of the door, there was still a pause, which, +though in reality very brief, seemed long to the prisoner and his +daughter. At length, however, the door opened, and Wilton himself +entered the room. There came a smile, too, upon his lip, but Laura +could not but see that smile was a very sad one. + +"We have been waiting for you most anxiously, my dear Wilton," said +the Duke: "we have fancied all manner of things, all sorts of +difficulties and obstacles; for I well knew that nothing but matters +of absolute necessity would keep you from the side of your dear bride +at this moment." + +"But you still look sad, Wilton," said Lady Laura, holding out her +hand to him. "Let us hear, Wilton, let us hear all at once, dear +Wilton. Has anything happened to derange our plans, or prevent my +father's escape?" + +Wilton kissed her hand affectionately, replying, "Fear not on that +account, dear Laura; fear not on that account. Your father is no +longer a prisoner.--My lord duke, there is the warrant for your +liberation, signed by the King's own hand, and properly +countersigned." + +The Duke clasped his hands together, and looked up to heaven with +eyes full of thankfulness, and Laura's joy also burst forth in tears. +But she saw that Wilton remained sad and cold; and mistaking the +cause, she turned quickly to her father, saying, "Oh, my dear father, +in this moment of joy, make him who has given us so much happiness +happy also. Tell him, tell him, my dear father, that you will not, +that you cannot think of refusing him your child after all that he +has done for us." + +"No, no, Laura," cried the Duke: "you shall be his--" + +But Wilton interrupted him; and throwing his arms round Lady Laura, +pressed her for a moment to his heart, took one long ardent kiss, and +then turning to the Duke, said, "Pardon me, my lord duke!--It is the +last! Nay, do not interrupt me, for I have a task to perform which +requires all the firmness I can find to accomplish it. On seeing Lord +Byerdale yesterday, he told me of the whole arrangements which he had +made with you, and of the plan for your escape he showed me that, +according to the note which he had written to the governor of the +Tower, concerning the marriage between your daughter and myself, your +escape could not be effected till the ceremony had taken place, as it +was assigned as the cause for our leaving the Tower so late at night. +He made me pledge myself not to disclose his part in the scheme to +any one; and he then said that he would tell me the secret of my +birth, if I would plight my honour not to reveal it till after your +safety was secure. I pledged myself, and he told me all. I now found, +my lord, that you and I had both been most shamefully deceived--deceived +for the purpose, I do believe, of revenging on you and Lady Laura her +former rejection of Lord Sherbrooke by driving her to marry a person +altogether inferior to herself in station. You will see that he had +placed me in the most difficult of all positions. If I carried out his +plan of escape, I knowingly made use of his deceit to gain for myself +the greatest earthly happiness. If I revealed to you what he told me, I +broke my pledged word, and at the same time gave you no choice, but +either unwillingly to give me your daughter's hand, or to remain, and +risk the chance of longer imprisonment and trial. If I held off and +disappointed you in your escape, I again broke my word to Lady Laura. +You may conceive the agony of my mind during last night. There was but +one hope of my being able to escape dishonour, though it was a very +slight one. I determined to go to the King himself. I engaged a +gentleman to go with me, who has some influence; and this morning we +presented ourselves at Hampton Court, His Majesty was graciously pleased +to receive us: he treated me with all kindness, and gave me the warrant +for your liberation to bring hither. That warrant was already signed; +for the Duke of Shrewsbury had kept his word with me, and applied for it +earnestly and successfully. The Earl of Byerdale knew that it was +prepared, so that he was quite safe in permitting your escape. I have +now nothing further to do, my lord, than to wish you joy of your +liberation, and to bid you adieu for ever." + +"Stay, stay!" said the Duke, much moved. "Let me hear more, Wilton." + +But Wilton had already turned to Lady Laura and taken her hand. + +"Oh, Laura," he said, "if I have been deceived into making you unhappy +as well as myself, forgive me. You know, you well know, that I would +give every earthly good to obtain this dear hand; that I would +sacrifice anything on earth for that object, but honour, truth, and +integrity. Laura, I feel you can never be mine; try to forget what +has been; while I seek in distant lands, not forgetfulness, if it +come not accompanied by death, but the occupation of the battlefield, +and the hope of a speedy and not inglorious termination to suffering. +Farewell--once more, farewell!" + +"Stay, stay!" said the Duke--"stay, Wilton! What was it the Earl told +you? He said that you had as good blood in your veins as his own. He +said you were even related to himself. What did he tell you?" + +The blood mounted into Wilton's cheek. "He told me, my lord," he said, +"that I was the natural son of his cousin." + +And feeling that he could bear no more, he turned abruptly and quitted +the apartment. + +As he did so, Lady Laura sank at her father's feet, and clasped his +knees. "Oh, my father," she said, "do not, do not make me miserable +for ever. Think of your child's happiness before any considerations +of pride; think of the noble conduct of him who has just left us; and +ask yourself if I can cease to love him while I have life." + +"Never, Laura, never!" said the Duke, sternly. "Had it been anything +else but that, I might have yielded; but it cannot be! Never, my +child, never!--So urge me not!--I would rather see you in your +grave!" + +Those rash and shameful words, which the basest and most unholy pride +has too often in this world wrung from a parent's lips towards a +child, had been scarcely uttered by the Duke, when he felt his +daughter's arms relax their hold of his knees, her weight press +heavily upon him, and the next instant she lay senseless on the +ground. + +For an instant, the consciousness of the unchristian words he had +uttered smote his heart with fear; fear lest the retributive hand of +Heaven should have punished his pride, even in the moment of offence, +by taking away the child whose happiness he was preparing to +sacrifice, and of whose death he had made light. + +He called loudly for help, and his servant and Lady Laura's maid were +soon in the room. They raised her head with cushions; they brought +water; they called for farther assistance; and though it soon became +evident that Laura had only fainted, it was long before the slightest +symptom of returning consciousness appeared. The Duke, the servants, +and some attendants of the governor of the Tower, were still gathered +round her, and her eyes were just opening and looking faintly up, when +another person was suddenly added to the group, and a mild, +fine-toned voice said, in the ear of the Duke,-- + +"Good God! my lord duke, what has happened? Had you not better send +for Millington or Garth?" + +"She is better, she is better," said the Duke, rising; "she is coming +to herself again.--Good Heaven! my Lord of Sunbury, is it you? This +is an unexpected pleasure." + +"I cannot say," replied Lord Sunbury, "that it is an unexpected +pleasure to me, my lord; for though I would rather see your grace in +any other place, and heard this morning at Hampton Court that the +order for your liberation was signed, yet I heard just now that you +were still in the Tower; and, to say the truth, I expected to find my +young friend Wilton with you. Let us attend to the lady, however," he +added, seeing that his allusion to Wilton made the Duke turn a little +red, and divining, perhaps, that Lady Laura's illness was in some way +connected with the absence of his young friend, "she is growing +better." + +And kindly kneeling down beside her, he took her hand in his, saying +in a tender and paternal tone, "I hope you are better, my dear young +lady. Nay, nay," he added, in a lower voice, "be comforted; all will +go well, depend upon it:--you are better now; you are better, I see." +And then perceiving that only having seen him once before, Lady Laura +did not recollect him, he added his own name, saying, "Lord Sunbury, +my dear, the father, by love and by adoption, of a dear friend of +yours." + +The allusion to Wilton immediately produced its effect upon Lady +Laura, and she burst into tears; but seeing Lord Sunbury about to +rise, she clung to his hand, saying, "Do not leave me--do not leave +me. I shall be better in a minute. I will send him a message by +you." + +"I will not, indeed, leave you," replied Lord Sunbury; "but I think +we do not need all these people present just now. Your father and I +and your woman will be enough." + +According to his suggestion, the room was cleared, the windows were +all thrown open, and in about half an hour Lady Laura had +sufficiently recovered herself to sit up and speak with ease. Lord +Sunbury had avoided returning to the subject of Wilton, till he +fancied that she could bear it, knowing that it might be more painful +to her, even to hear him conversing with her father upon such a +topic, than to take part in the discussion herself. At length, +however, he said,-- + +"Now this fair lady is tolerably well again, let me ask your grace +where I can find my young friend, Wilton Brown. I was told at his +lodgings that he had come on with all speed to the Tower, merely +getting a fresh horse as he passed." + +"He was here not long ago, my lord," replied the Duke, coldly. "He +was kind enough to bring me from Hampton Court the warrant for my +enlargement. He went away in some haste and in some sorrow, not from +anything I said, my lord, but from what his own good sense showed him +must be the consequence of some discoveries which he had made +regarding his own birth. I must say he has in the business behaved +most honourably, and, at the same time, most sensibly; and anything +on earth that I can reasonably do to testify my gratitude to him for +all the services he has rendered me and mine, I will willingly do it, +should it cost me one half of my estates." + +Lady Laura had covered her eyes with her hands, but the tears +trickled through her fingers in spite of all she could do to restrain +them. Lord Sunbury, too, was a good deal agitated, and showed it more +than might have been expected in a man so calm and deliberate as +himself. He even rose from his chair, and walked twice across the +room, before he replied. + +"My lord duke," he said, at length, "from what you say, I fear that +both Wilton and your grace have acted hastily; and I am pained at it +the more, because I believe that I myself am in some degree the cause +of all the misery that he now feels, and of all the grief which I can +clearly see is in the breast of this dear young lady. I have done +Wilton wrong, my lord, by a want of proper precaution and care--most +unintentionally and unknowingly; but still I have done him wrong, +which I fear may be irreparable. I must see, and endeavour, as far as +it is in my power, to remedy what has gone amiss; but whether I can, +or whether I cannot do so, I have determined to atone for my fault in +the only way that it is possible. The last heir in my family entail +is lately dead: my estates are at my own disposal. I have notified to +the King this day, that I have adopted Wilton Brown as my son and +heir; and his Majesty has been graciously pleased to promise that a +patent shall pass under the great seal, conveying to him my titles +and honours at my death. This is all that I know with certainty can +be done at present; but there may be more done hereafter, in regard +to which I will not enter at present; and oh! my lord," he continued, +seeing the Duke cast down his eyes in cold silence, "for my sake, for +Wilton's sake, for this young lady's sake, at all events suspend your +decision till we can see farther in this matter." + +The Duke raised his eyes to his daughter's face, and yielded, though +but in a faint degree, to her imploring look. + +"I will suspend my decision, my lord, at your request," he replied, +"if it will give you any pleasure. But Laura knows my opinion, and--" + +"Nay, nay," said the Earl, "we will say no more upon the subject +then, at present, my lord: But as your grace has the order for your +liberation, and there can be no great pleasure in staying in this +place, perhaps your grace and Lady Laura will get into my carriage, +which is now in the court; and while your servants clear your +apartments, and proceed to make preparations at Beaufort House, I +trust you will take your supper at my poor dwelling. There I may have +an opportunity, my lord," he added, turning with a graceful bow to +the Duke, "of telling you, who are a politician, some great political +changes that are taking place, though I fear, that as I expect no +guests of any kind, and have hitherto preserved a strict incognito, I +shall have no way of entertaining this fair lady for the evening." + +Laura shook her head with a melancholy air, but made no reply. The +Duke, however, was taken with the bait of political news, and +accepted the invitation, merely saying, "I take it for granted, my +lord, that Mr. Brown is not at your house." + +"As far as I know," replied Lord Sunbury, "he is not aware of my +being in England. I came to seek him here, wishing to tell him +various matters; but up to this time, I have neither written to him, +nor heard from him, since I have been in this country. And now, my +lord," he continued, taking up the warrant from the table, "you had +better let me go and speak with the Governor's deputy here, +concerning this paper, and in five minutes I will be back, to conduct +you, at liberty, to my house." + +Thus saying, he left them; and Lady Laura, certainly calmed and +comforted by his kindly manner, and the hopeful tone in which he +spoke, prepared with pleasure to go with him. Her father mentioned +Wilton's name no more; but gave some orders to his servant and, by +the time that they were ready to go, Lord Sunbury had returned with +the Lieutenant of the Governor, announcing that the gates of the +Tower were open to the Duke. The Earl then offered his hand to the +fair girl, and led her down to his carriage, saying in a low tone as +they went, "Fear not, my dear young lady; we shall find means to +soften your father in time." + +After a long and tedious drive through the dull streets of London, +the carriage of the Earl of Sunbury stopped at the door of his house +in St. James's Square. None of his servants appeared yet in livery, +and the man who opened the door was his own valet. He seemed not a +little astonished at the sight of a lady and gentleman with his +master; and the Earl was as much surprised to hear loud voices from +the large dining-room on his left hand. + +The Duke and Lady Laura, however, entered, and were passing on; but +the valet, as soon as he had closed the door, advanced and whispered +a few words to the Earl. + +The Earl questioned him again in the same tone, put his hand for a +moment to his forehead, and then said, addressing the Duke, "There +are some persons up stairs, my lord duke, that we would rather you +did not see at this moment. I will speak to them for an instant, and +be down with you directly, if you will go into the dining-room. You +will there, I understand, find Lord Byerdale and his son, the latter +of whom, it seems, has come hither for my support and advice, and has +been followed by his father." + +"But, my lord, my lord," said the Duke, "after Lord Byerdale's +conduct to myself--" + +"Enter into no dispute with him till I come, my dear duke," said the +Earl--"I will be with you in one minute; and his lordship of Byerdale +will have quite sufficient to settle with me, to give occupation to +his thoughts for the rest of the evening. You may chance to see +triumphant villany rebuked--I wanted to have escaped the matter; but +since he has presumed to come into my house, I must take the task +upon myself." + +The tone in which he spoke, and the expectation of what was to +follow, fixed the Duke's determination at once; and drawing the arm +of Lady Laura within his own, he followed the servant, who now threw +open the door to which Lord Sunbury pointed, and entered the +dining-room, while the Earl himself ascended the stairs. + + + +CHAPTER XLVI. + +A scene curious but yet painful presented itself to the eyes of Lady +Laura and her father on entering the dining-room of Lord Sunbury's +house. On the side of the room opposite to the door stood Lord +Sherbrooke, with his arms folded on his chest, his brow contracted, +his teeth firmly shut, his lips drawn close, and every feature but +the bright and flashing eye betokening a strong and vigorous struggle +to command the passions which were busy in his bosom. Seated at the +table, on which the young nobleman had laid down his sword, was his +beautiful wife, with her eyes buried in her hands, and no part of her +face to be seen but a portion of the cheek as pale as ashes, and the +small delicate ear glowing like fire. The sun was far to the westward, +and streaming in across the open space of the square, poured through +the window upon her beautiful form, which, even under the pressure of +deep grief, fell naturally into lines of the most perfect grace. + +But the same evening light poured across also, and streamed full upon +the face and form of the Earl of Byerdale, who seemed to have totally +forgotten, in excess of rage, the calm command over himself which he +usually exercised even in moments of the greatest excitement. His lip +was quivering, his brow was contracted, his eye was rolling with +strong passion, his hand was clenched; and at the moment that Laura +and the Duke went round the table from the door towards the side of +the room on which were Lord Sherbrooke and his wife, the Earl was +shaking his clenched hand at his son, accompanying by that gesture of +wrath the most terrible denunciations upon his head. + +"Yes, sir, yes!" he exclaimed. "I tell you my curse is upon you! I +divorce myself from your mother's memory! I cast you off, and +abandon you for ever! Think not that I will have pity upon you, when +I see your open-mouthed creditors swallowing you up living, and +dooming you to a prison for life. May an eternal curse fall upon me, +if ever I relieve you with a shilling even to buy you bread! See if +the man in whose house you have sought shelter--see if this Earl of +Sunbury, with whom, doubtless, you have been plotting your father's +destruction--see if this undermining politician, this diplomatic +mole, will give you means to pay your debts, or furnish you with +bread to feed yourself and your pretty companion there! No, sir, no! +Lead forth, to the beggary to which you have brought her, the +beggarly offspring of that runagate Jacobite! Lead her forth, and +with a train of babies at your heels, sing French ballads in the +streets to gain yourself subsistence.--You thought that I had no clue +to your proceedings. I fancied she was your mistress, and that +mattered little, for it is the only thing fitted for the beggarly +exile's daughter. But since she is your wife, look to it to provide +for her yourself!" + +He must have heard somebody enter the room, but he turned not the +least in that direction, carried away by the awful whirlwind of his +fury. He was even still going on, without looking round; but it was a +woman's voice, the voice of a gentle, but noble-hearted woman that +stopped him. Lady Laura, the moment she entered the room, recognised +in the bending form of her who sat weeping and trembling at the +table, one who had been kind to her in danger and in terror, and the +first impulse was to go to her support. But when she heard the +insulting and gross words of the Earl of Byerdale, her spirit rose, +her heart swelled with indignation, and with courage, which she might +not have possessed in her own case, she turned full upon him, +exclaiming,-- + +"For shame, Earl of Byerdale!--for shame! This to a woman in a woman's +presence! If you have forgotten that you are a gentleman, have you +forgotten that you are a man?" And going quickly forward, she threw her +arm round the neck of the weeping girl, exclaiming, "Look up, dear +Caroline: look up, sweet lady! You are not without support! A friend is +near you!" + +Lady Sherbrooke looked up, saw who it was, and instantly cast herself +upon her bosom. + +The Earl of Byerdale turned his eyes from Laura to the Duke, evidently +confounded and surprised, and put his hand upon his brow, as if to +collect his thoughts. The next minute, however, he said, with a sneering +air, "Ha, pretty lady, is that you? Ha, my lord duke, have you escaped +from the Tower? You are somewhat early in your proceedings! Why, it +wants half an hour of night! But doubtless the impatient bridegroom was +eager to have all complete, and I have now to congratulate my Lady Laura +Brown upon her father's sudden enfranchisement, and her marriage with my +dear cousin's natural child. Ma'am, I am your most obedient, humble +servant. Duke, I congratulate you upon the noble alliance you have +formed. You come well, you come happily, to witness me curse that base +and degenerate boy. But it is a pity you did not bring the happy +bridegroom, Mr. Brown, that we might have two fine specimens of noble +alliances in one room." + +"You are mistaken, sir," said the Duke furiously; "you are mistaken, +sir. Your villany is discovered; your base treachery has been told by a +man who was too honourable to take advantage of it, even for his own +happiness." + +"Then, my lord duke," replied the Earl of Byerdale, "he is as great a +liar in this instance as you have proved yourself a fool in every one; +for he plighted me his word not to reveal anything till your safety was +secure." + +"It is you, sir, are the liar!" replied the Duke, forgetting everything +in his anger, which was now raised to the highest pitch. "It is you, +sir, who are the liar, as you have been the knave throughout, and may +now prove to be the fool too!" + +"Hush, hush!" exclaimed the voice of Lord Sherbrooke, raised to a loud +tone. "Remember, my lord duke, that he is still my father!" + +"Sir!" exclaimed the Earl, turning first upon his son, "I am your father +no longer! For you, duke, I see how the matter has gone with this vile +and treacherous knave whom I have fostered! But as sure as I am Earl of +Byerdale--" + +"You are so no longer!" said a voice beside him, and at the same moment +a strong muscular hand was laid upon his shoulder, with a grasp that he +could not shake off: + +The Earl turned fiercely round, and laid his hand upon his sword; but +his eyes lighted instantly on the fine stern countenance of Colonel +Green, who keeping his grasp firmly upon the shoulder of the other, bent +his dark eyes full upon his face. + +The whole countenance and appearance of him whom we have called the Earl +of Byerdale became like a withered flower. The colour forsook his cheeks +and his lips; he grew pale, he grew livid; his proud head sunk, his +knees bent, he trembled in every limb; and when Green, at length, pushed +him from him, saying in a loud tone and with a stern brow, "Get thee +from me, Harry Sherbrooke!" he sank into a chair, unable to speak, or +move, or support himself. + +In the meantime, his son had cast his eyes upon the ground, and remained +looking downwards with a look of pain, but not surprise; while treading +close upon the steps of Colonel Green appeared Wilton Brown with the +Lady Helen Oswald clinging to rather than leaning on his arm, and the +Earl of Sunbury on her right hand. + +Those who were most surprised in the room were certainly the Duke and +Lady Laura, for they had been suddenly made witnesses to a strange scene +without having any key to the feelings, the motives, or the actions of +the performers therein; and the Duke gazed with quite sufficient wonder +upon all he saw, to drown and overcome all feelings of anger at +beholding Wilton so unexpectedly in the house of the Earl of Sunbury. + +For a moment or two after the stern gesture of Green, there was silence, +as if every one else were too much afraid or too much surprised to +speak; and he also continued for a short space gazing sternly upon the +man before him, as if his mind laboured with all that he had to say. It +was not, however, to the person whom his presence seemed entirely to +have blasted, that he next addressed himself. + +"My Lord of Sunbury," he said, "you see this man before me, and you also +mark how terrible to him is this sudden meeting with one whom he has +deemed long dead. When last we met, I left him on the shores of Ireland +after the battle of the Boyne, in which I took part and he did not. The +ship in which I was supposed to have sailed was wrecked at sea, and +every soul therein perished. But I had marked this man's eagerness to +make me quit my native land, in which I had great duties to perform, and +I never went to the vessel, in which if I had gone, I should have met a +watery grave. During the time that has since passed, he has enjoyed +wealth that belonged not to him, a title to which he had no claim. He +has raised himself to power and to station, and he has abused his power +and disgraced his station, till his King is weary of him, and his +country can endure him no longer. In the meanwhile, I have waited my +time; I have watched all his movements; I have heard of all the +inquiries he has set on foot to prove my death, and all the +investigations he instituted, when he found that the boy who was with me +had been set on shore again. I have given him full scope and licence to +act as he chose; but I have come at length, to wrest from him that which +is not his, and to strip him of a rank to which he has no claim.--Have +you anything to say, Harry Sherbrooke?" he continued, fixing his eye +upon him. "Have you anything to say against that which I advance?" + +While he had been speaking, the other had evidently been making a +struggle to resume his composure and command over himself, and he now +gazed upon him with a fierce and vindictive look, but without attempting +to rise. + +"I will not deny, Lennard Sherbrooke," he replied, "that I know you; I +will not even deny that I know you to be Earl of Byerdale. But I know +you also to be a proclaimed traitor and outlaw, having borne arms +against the lawful sovereign of these realms, subjected by just decree +to forfeiture and attainder; and I call upon every one here present to +aid me in arresting you, and you to surrender yourself, to take your +trial according to law!" "Weak man, give over!" replied the Colonel. +"All your schemes are frustrated, all your base designs are vain. You +writhe under my heel, like a crushed adder, but, serpent, I tell you, +you bite upon a file. First, for myself, I am not a proclaimed traitor; +but, pleading the King's full pardon for everything in which I may have +offended, I claim all that is mine own, my rights, my privileges, my +long forgotten name, even to the small pittance of inheritance, which, +in your vast accessions of property, you did not even scruple to grasp +at, and which has certainly mightily recovered itself under your careful +and parsimonious hand. But, nevertheless, though I claim all that is my +own, I claim neither the title nor the estates of Byerdale. Wilton, my +boy, stand forward, and let any one who ever saw or knew your gallant +and noble father, and your mother, who is now a saint in heaven, say if +they do not see in you a blended image of the two." + +"He was his natural child! he was his natural child!" cried Henry +Sherbrooke, starting up from his seat. "I ascertained it beyond a doubt! +I have proof! I have proof!" + +"Again, false man?--Again?" said Lennard Sherbrooke. + +"Cannot shame keep you silent? You have no proof! You can have no +proof!--You found no proof of the marriage--granted; because care was +taken that you should not. But I have proof sufficient, sir. This lady, +whom I must call in this land Mistress Helen Oswald, though the late +King bestowed upon her father and herself a rank higher than that to +which she now lays claim, was present at the private marriage of her +sister to my brother, by a Protestant clergyman, before Sir Harry Oswald +ever quitted England. There is also the woman servant, who was present +likewise, still living and ready to be produced; and if more be wanting, +here is the certificate of the clergyman himself, signed in due form, +together with my brother's solemn attestation of his marriage, given +before he went to the fatal battle in which he fell. To possess yourself +of these papers, of the existence of which you yourself must have +entertained some suspicions, you used unjustifiable arts towards this +noble Earl of Sunbury, which were specious enough even to deceive his +wisdom; but I obtained information of the facts, and frustrated your +devices." + +"Ay," said Harry Sherbrooke, "through my worthy son, doubtless, through +my worthy son, who, beyond all question, used his leisure hours in +reading, privately, his father's letters and despatches, for the great +purpose of making that father a beggar!" + +"I call Heaven to witness!" exclaimed the young gentleman, clasping his +hands together eagerly. But Lord Sunbury interposed. + +"No, sir," he said, "your son needed no such arts to learn that fact, at +least; for even before I sent over the papers to you which you demanded, +I wrote to your son, telling him the facts, in order to guard against +their misapplication. Unfortunate circumstances prevented his receiving +my letter in time to answer me, which would have stopped me from sending +them. He communicated the fact, however, to Colonel Sherbrooke, and the +result has been their preservation." + +The unfortunate man was about to speak again; but Lord Sunbury waved his +hand mildly, saying, "Indeed, my good sir, it would be better to utter +no more of such words as we have already heard from you. Should you be +inclined to contest rights and claims which do not admit of a doubt, it +must be in another place and not here. You will remember, however, that +were you even to succeed in shaking the legitimacy of my young friend, +the Earl of Byerdale here present, which cannot by any possibility be +done, you would but convey the title and estates to his uncle, Colonel +Sherbrooke, to whose consummate prudence, in favour of his nephew, it is +now owing that these estates, having been suffered to rest for so many +years in your hands, no forfeiture has taken place, which must have been +the case if he had claimed them for his nephew before this period. +Whatever be the result, you lose them altogether. But I am happy that it +is in my power," he added, advancing towards him whom we have hitherto +called Lord Sherbrooke, "to say that this reverse will not sink your +family in point of fortune so much as might, be imagined. That, sir, is +spared to you, by your son's marriage with this young lady." + +Caroline started up eagerly from the table, gazing with wild and joyful +eyes in the face of Lord Sunbury, and exclaiming, "Have you, have you +accomplished it?" + +"Yes, my dear young lady, I have," replied Lord Sunbury. + +"The King, in consideration of the old friendship which subsisted +between your father and himself, in youthful days, before political +strifes divided them, has granted that the estate yet unappropriated +shall be restored to you, on two conditions, one of which is already +fulfilled--your marriage with an English Protestant gentleman, and the +other, which doubtless you will fulfil, residence in this country, and +obedience to the laws. He told me to inform you that he was not a man to +strip the orphan. You will thus have competence, happy, liberal +competence." + +Her husband pressed Caroline to his bosom for a moment. But he then +walked round the table, approached his father, and kissed his hand, +saying, in a low voice, "My lord, let a repentant son be at least happy +in sharing all with his father." + +For once in his life his father was overcome, and bending down his head +upon son's neck, he wept. + +Lord Sunbury gazed around him for a moment; but then turning to Lady +Helen Oswald, he said, "I have much to say to you, but it must be in +private. Nevertheless, even now, let me say that your motives have been +explained to me; that I understand them; that she who could sacrifice +her heart's best affections to a parent in exile, in poverty, in +sickness, and in sorrow, has a greater claim than ever upon the heart of +every noble man. You have, of old, deeper claims on mine, and by the +ring upon this finger, by the state of solitude in which my life has +been passed, you may judge that those claims have not been +forgotten--Helen?" he added, taking her hand in his. + +The Lady Helen turned her head away, with a cheek that was glowing +deeply; but her hand was not withdrawn, and the fingers clasped upon +those of Lord Sunbury. + +The Earl smiled brightly. "And now, my lord duke," he said, "I besought +your lordship about an hour ago to suspend your decision upon a point of +great importance. Did I do right?" + +"My lord," answered the Duke, gaily, "I hope I am not too quick this +time; but my decision is already made. Wilton, my dear boy, take +her--take her--I give her to you with my whole heart!" + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg Etext of The King's Highway, by G.P.R. 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