the pigeon pie-第10部分

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Woodley；　ordered　a　soldier　to　bring　the　boy　before　him；　and　spoke

thus：…　〃Hear　me；　son　of　an　ungodly　seed。　　So　merciful　are　the　lessons

of　the　light　that　thou　contemnest；　that　I　will　even　yet　overlook　and

forgive　the　violence　wherewith　thou　didst　threaten　my　life；　so　thou

wilt　turn　again；　and　confess　where　thou　hast　hidden　the　bloody…minded

traitor。〃



〃This　house　harbours　no　traitor；〃　answered　Walter；　undauntedly。



〃If　thou　art　too　hardened　to　confess；〃　continued　the　officer；

frowning；　and　speaking　slowly　and　sternly；　as　he　kept　his　eyes

steadily　fixed　on　Walter；　〃if　thou　wilt　not　reveal　his　hiding…place；

I　lead　thee　hence　to　abide　the　penalty　of　attempted　murder。〃



〃I　am　quite　ready；〃　answered　Walter；　returning　frown　for　frown；　and

not　betraying　how　his　heart　throbbed。



The　officer　signed　to　the　soldier；　who　roughly　dragged　him　aside　by

the　cord　that　tied　his　hands；　cutting　them　severely；　though　he

disdained　to　show　any　sign　of　pain。



〃Young　maiden；〃　continued　the　rebel；　turning　to　Rose；　〃what　sayest

thou？　　Wilt　thou　see　thy　brother　led　away　to　death；　when　the　breath

of　thy　mouth　might　save　him？〃



Poor　Rose　turned　as　pale　as　death；　but　her　answer　was　steady：　　〃I

will　say　nothing。〃



〃Little　ones；　then；〃　said　the　officer；　fiercely；　〃speak；　or　you　shall

taste　the　rod。　　Do　you　know　where　your　brother　is？〃



〃Nono；〃　sobbed　Lucy；　and　her　mother　added；　〃They　know　nothing；

sir。〃



〃It　is　loss　of　time　to　stand　parleying　with　women　and　children；〃　said

the　officer；　rising。　　〃Here；〃　to　one　of　his　men；　〃keep　the　door。　　Let

none　quit　the　chamber；　and　mark　the　children's　talk。　　The　rest　with

me。　　Where　is　the　fellow　that　brought　the　tidings？〃



Diggory；　who　had　slunk　out　of　sight；　was　pushed　forward　by　two　of　the

soldiers；　and　at　the　same　time　there　was　a　loud　scream　from　Deborah。

〃Oh！　　Diggory；　is　it　you？　　Oh！　my　Lady；　my　Lady；　forgive　me！　　I　meant

no　harm！　　Oh！　who　would　have　thought　it？〃　　And　in　an　agony　of

distress；　she　threw　her　apron　over　her　face；　and；　sinking　on　the

bench；　rocked　herself　to　and　fro；　sobbing　violently。



In　the　meantime；　the　officer　and　his　men；　all　but　the　sentinel；　had

left　the　room　to　search　for　the　fugitive；　leaving　Lady　Woodley

sitting　exhausted　and　terrified　in　her　chair；　the　little　ones

clinging　around　her；　Walter　standing　opposite；　with　his　hands　bound；

Rose　stood　by　him；　her　arm　round　his　neck；　proud　of　his　firmness；　but

in　dreadful　terror　for　him；　and　in　such　suspense　for　Edmund；　that　her

whole　being　seemed　absorbed　in　agonised　prayer。　　Deborah's　sobs；　and

the　children's　frightened　weeping；　were　all　the　sounds　that　could　be

heard；　Rose　was　obliged　to　attempt　to　soothe　them；　but　her　first　kind

word　to　Deborah　produced　a　fresh　burst　of　violent　weeping；　and　then　a

loud　lamentation：　　〃Oh！　the　roguethe　rogue。　　If　I　could　have　dreamt

it！〃



〃What　has　she　done？〃　exclaimed　Walter；　impatiently。　　〃Come；　stop　your

crying。　　What　have　you　done；　Deb？〃



〃I　thoughtOh！　if　I　had　known　what　was　in　the　villain！〃　continued

Deborah；　〃I'd　sooner　have　bit　out　my　tongue　than　have　said　one　word

to　him　about　the　pigeon　pie。〃



〃Pigeon　pie！〃　repeated　Rose。



Lucy　now　gave　a　cry；　for　she　was；　with　all　her　faults；　a　truth…

telling　child。　　〃Mother！　mother！　　I　told　Deb　about　the　pigeon　pie！

Oh；　what　have　I　done？　　Was　it　for　Edmund？　　Is　Edmund　here？〃



And　to　increase　the　danger　and　perplexity；　the　other　two　children

exclaimed　together；　〃Is　Edmund　here？〃



〃Hush；　hush；　my　dears；　be　quiet；　I　cannot　answer　you　now；〃　whispered

Lady　Woodley；　trying　to　silence　them　by　caresses；　and　looking　with

terror　at　the　rigid；　stern　guard；　who；　instead　of　remaining　at　the

door　where　he　had　been　posted；　had　come　close　up　to　them；　and　sat

himself　down　at　the　end　of　the　table；　as　if　to　catch　every　word　they

uttered。



Eleanor　and　Charles　obeyed　their　mother's　command　that　they　should　be

silent；　Rose　took　Lucy　on　her　lap；　let　her　rest　her　head　on　her

shoulder；　and　whispered　to　her　that　she　should　hear　and　tell　all

another　time；　but　she　must　be　quiet　now；　and　listen。　　Deborah　kept

her　apron　over　her　face；　and　Walter；　leaning　his　shoulder　against　the

wall；　stood　gazing　at　them　all；　and　while　he　was　intently　watching

for　every　sound　that　could　enable　him　to　judge　whether　the　search　was

successful　or　not；　at　the　same　time　his　heart　was　beating　and　his

head　swimming　at　the　threat　of　the　rebel。　　Was　he　to　die？　　To　be

taken　away　from　that　bright　world；　from　sunshine；　youth；　and　health；

from　his　mother；　and　all　of　them；　and　be　laid；　a　stiff　mangled

corpse；　in　some　cold；　dark；　unregarded　grave；　his　pulses；　that　beat

so　fast；　all　still　and　silentsenseless；　motionless；　like　the　birds

he　had　killed？　　And　that　was　not　all：　　that　other　world！　　To　enter　on

what　would　last　for　ever　and　ever　and　ever；　on　a　state　which　he　had

never　dwelt　on　or　realised　to　himself；　filled　him　with　a　blank；

shuddering　awe；　and　next　came　a　worse；　a　sickening　thought：　　if　his

feeling　for　the　bliss　of　heaven　was　almost　distaste；　could　he　be　fit

for　it？　could　he　dare　to　hope　for　it？　　It　was　his　Judge　Whom　he　was

about　to　meet；　and　he　had　been　impatient　and　weary　of　Bible　and

Catechism；　and　Dr。　Bathurst's　teaching；　he　had　been　inattentive　and

careless　at　his　prayers；　he　had　been　disobedient　and　unruly；　violent；

and　unkind！　　Such　a　horror　and　agony　came　over　the　poor　boy；　so

exceeding　a　dread　of　death；　that　he　was　ready　at　that　moment　to

struggle　to　do　anything　to　save　himself；　but　there　came　the

recollection　that　the　price　of　his　rescue　must　be　the　betrayal　of

Edmund。　　He　would　almost　have　spoken　at　that　instant；　the　next　he

sickened　at　the　thought。　　Never；　neverhe　could　not；　would　not；

better　not　live　at　all　than　be　a　traitor！　　He　was　too　confused　and

anxious　to　pray；　for　he　had　not　taught　himself　to　fix　his　attention

in　quiet　moments。　　He　would　not　speak　before　the　rebel　soldier；　but

only　looked　with　an　earnest　gaze　at　his　sister；　who；　as　their　eyes

met；　understood　all　it　conveyed。



His　mother；　after　the　first　moment's　fright；　had　reassured　herself

somewhat　on　his　account；　he　was　so　mere　a　boy　that　it　was　not　likely

that　Algernon　Sydney；　who　then　commanded　at　Chichester；　would　put　him

to　death；　a　short　imprisonment　was　the　worst　that　was　likely　to

befall　him；　and　though　that　was　enough　to　fill　her　with　terror　and

anxiety；　it　could　at　that　moment　be　scarcely　regarded　in　comparison

with　her　fears　for　her　eldest　son。



A　long　time　passed　away；　so　long；　that　they　began　to　hope　that　the

enemies　might　be　baffled　in　their　search；　in　spite　of　Diggory's

intimate　knowledge　of　every　nook　and　corner。　　They　had　been　once　to

the　shrubbery；　and　had　been　heard　tramping　back　to　the　stable；　where

they　were　welcome　to　search　as　long　as　they　chose；　then　to　the　barn…

yard；　all　over　the　house　from　garret　to　cellar。　　Was　it　over？　　Joy！

joy！　　But　the　feet　were　heard　turning　back　to　the　pleasance；　as

though　to　recommence　the　search；　and　ten　minutes　after　the　steps　came

nearer。　　The　rebel　officer　entered　the　hall　first；　but；　alas！　behind

him　came；　guarded　by　two　soldiers；　Edmund　Woodley　himself；　his　step

firm；　his　head　erect；　and　his　hands　unbound。　　His　mother　sank　back　in

her　chair；　and　he；　going　straight　up　to　her；　knelt　on　one　knee　before

her；　saying；　〃Mother；　dear　mother；　your　blessing。　　Let　me　see　your

face　again。〃



She　threw　her　arms　round　his　neck；　〃My　son！　and　is　it　thus　we　meet？〃



〃We　only　meet　as　we　parted；〃　he　answered　firmly　and　cheerfully。

〃Still　sufferers　in　the　same　good　cause；　still；　I　trust；　with　the

same　willing　hearts。〃



〃Come；　sir；〃　said　the　officer；　〃I　must　see　you　safely　bestowed　for

the　night。〃



〃One　moment；　gentlemen；〃　entreated　Lady　Woodley。　　〃It　is　six　years

since　I　saw　my　son；　and　this　may　be　our　last　meeting。〃　　She　led　him

to　the　light；　and　looked　earnestly　up　into　his　face；　saying；　with　a

smile；　which　had　in　it　much　of　pride　and　pleasure；　as　well　as

sadness；　〃How　you　are　altered；　Edmund！　　See；　Rose；　how　brown　he　is；

and　how　much　darker　his　hair　has　grown；　and　does　not　his　moustache

make　him　just　like　your　father？〃



〃And　my　little　sisters；〃　said　Edmund。　　〃Ha！　　Lucy；　I　know　your　little

round　face。〃



〃Oh；〃　sobbed　Lucy；　〃is　it　my　fault？　　Can　you　pardon　me？　　The　pigeon

pie！〃



〃What　does　she　mean？〃　asked　Edmund；　turning　to　Rose。



〃I　saw　you　take　it　out　at　night；　Rose；〃　said　poor　Lucy。　　〃I　told

Deb！〃



〃And　poor　Deborah；〃　added　Rose；　〃from　the　same　thoughtlessness

repeated　her　chatter　to　Diggory；　who　has　betrayed　us。〃



〃The　cowardly　villain；〃　cried　Walter；　who　had　come　forward　to　the

group　round　his　brother。



〃Hush；　Walter；〃　said　Edmund。　　〃But　what　do　I　see？　　Your　hands　bound？

You　a　prisoner？〃



〃Poor　Walter　was　rash　enough　to　attempt　resistance；〃　said　his　mother。



〃So；　sir；〃　said　Edmund；　turning　to　the　rebel　captain；　〃you　attach

great　importance　to　the　struggles　of　a　boy　of　thirteen！〃



〃A　blow　with　the　butt…end　of　a　fishing…rod　is　no　joke　from　boy　or

man；〃　answered　the　officer。



〃When　last　I　served　in　England；〃　continued　the　cavalier；　〃Cromwell's

Ironsides　did　not　take　notice　of　children　with　fishing…rods。　　You　can

have　no　warrant；　no　order；　or　whatever　you　pretend　to　act　by；　against

him。〃



〃Whyno；　sir；　buthowever；　the　young　gentleman　has　had　a　lesson；

and　I　do　not　care　if　I　do　loose　his　hands。　　Here；　unfasten　him。　　But

I　cannot　permit　him　to　be　at　large　while　you　are　in　the　house。〃



〃Very　well；　then；　perhaps　you　will　allow　him　to　share　my　chamber。　　We

have　been　separated　for　so　many　years；　and　it　may　be　our　last

meeting。〃



〃So　let　it　be。　　Since　you　are　pleased　to　be　conformable；　sir；　I　am

willing　to　oblige　you；〃　answered　the　rebel；　whose　whole　demeanour　had

curiously　changed　in　the　presence　of　one　of　such　soldierly　and

gentleman…like　bearing　as　Edmund；　prisoner　though　he　was。　　〃Now；

madam；　to　your　own　chamber。　　You　will　all　meet　to…morr