the pigeon pie-第13部分

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Edmund　pronounced　that　Walter　made　a　very　pretty　girl；　so　like　Rose

that　he　should　hardly　have　known　them　apart；　which　seemed　to　vex　the

boy　more　than　all。



There　had　been　a　sort　of　merriment　while　this　was　doing；　but　when　it

was　over；　and　the　moment　came　when　the　brother　and　sister　must　set

off；　there　was　lingering；　sorrow；　and　reluctance。　　Edmund　felt

severely　the　leaving　his　mother　in　the　midst　of　peril；　brought　upon

her　for　his　sake；　and　his　one　brief　sight　of　his　home　had　made　him

cling　the　closer　to　it；　and　stirred　up　in　double　force　the　affections

for　mother；　brothers；　and　sisters；　which；　though　never　extinct；　had

been　comparatively　dormant　while　he　was　engaged　in　stirring　scenes

abroad。　　Now　that　he　had　once　more　seen　the　gentle　loving　countenance

of　his　mother；　and　felt　her　tender；　tearful　caress；　known　that　noble…

minded　Rose；　and　had　a　glimpse　of　those　pretty　little　sisters；　there

was　such　a　yearning　for　them　through　his　whole　being；　that　it　seemed

to　him　as　if　he　might　as　well　die　as　continue　to　be　cast　up　and　down

the　world　far　from　them。



Rose　felt　as　if　she　was　abandoning　her　mother　by　going　from　home　at

such　a　time；　when　perhaps　she　should　find　on　her　return　that　she　had

been　carried　away　to　prison。　　She　could　not　bear　to　think　of　being

missed　on　such　a　morning　that　was　likely　to　ensue；　but　she　well　knew

that　the　greatest　good　she　could　do　would　be　to　effect　the　rescue　of

her　brother；　and　she　could　not　hesitate　a　moment。　　She　crowded　charge

after　charge　upon　Walter；　with　many　a　message　for　her　mother；　promise

to　return　as　soon　as　possible；　and　entreaty　for　pardon　for　leaving

her　in　such　a　strait；　and　Edmund　added　numerous　like　parting

greetings；　with　counsel　and　entreaties　that　she　would　ask　for　Colonel

Enderby's　interference；　which　might　probably　avail　to　save　her　from

further　imprisonment　and　sequestration。



〃Good…bye；　Walter。　　In　three　or　four　years；　if　matters　are　not

righted　before　that；　perhaps；　if　you　can　come　to　me；　I　may　find

employment　for　you　in　Prince　Rupert's　fleet；　or　the　Duke　of　York's

troop。〃



〃O　Edmund；　thanks！　that　would　be〃



Walter　had　not　time　to　finish；　for　Rose　kissed　him；　left　her　love　and

duty　to　her　mother　with　him；　bade　him　remember　he　was　a　lady；　and

then　holding　Edmund　by　the　hand；　both　with　their　shoes　off；　stole

softly　down　the　stairs　in　the　dark。







CHAPTER　VIII。







After　pacing　up　and　down　Rose's　room　till　he　was　tired；　Walter　sat

down　to　rest；　for　Rose　had　especially　forbidden　him　to　lie　down；　lest

he　should　derange　his　hair。　　He　grew　very　sleepy；　and　at　last；　with

his　arms　crossed　on　the　table；　and　his　forehead　resting　on　them；　fell

sound　asleep；　and　did　not　awaken　till　it　was　broad　daylight；　and

calls　of　〃Rose！　　Rose！〃　were　heard　outside　the　locked　door。



He　was　just　going　to　call　out　that　Rose　was　not　here；　when　he　luckily

recollected　that　he　was　Rose；　pulled　his　hood　forward；　and　opened　the

door。



He　was　instantly　surrounded　by　the　three　children；　who；　poor　little

things；　feeling　extremely　forlorn　and　desolate　without　their　mother；

all　gathered　round　him；　Lucy　and　Eleanor　seizing　each　a　hand；　and

Charles　clinging　to　the　skirts　of　his　dress。　　He　by　no　means

understood　this；　and　Rose　was　so　used　to　it；　as　to　have　forgotten　he

would　not　like　it。　　〃How　you　crowd？〃　he　exclaimed。



〃Mistress　Rose；〃　began　Deborah；　coming　half　way　up　stairsLucy　let

go　his　hand；　but　Charles　instantly　grasped　it；　and　he　felt　as　if　he

could　not　move。　　〃Don't　be　troublesome；　children；〃　said　he；　trying　to

shake　them　off；　〃can't　you　come　near　one　without　pulling　off　one's

hands？〃



〃Mistress！〃　continued　Deborah；　but　as　he　forgot　he　was　addressed；　and

did　not　immediately　attend；　she　exclaimed；　〃Oh；　she　won't　even　look

at　me！　　I　thought　she　had　forgiven　me。〃



〃Forgiven　you！〃　said　he；　starting。　　〃Stuff　and　nonsense；　what's　all

this　about？　　You　were　a　fool；　that's　all。〃



Deborah　stared　at　this　most　unwonted　address　on　the　part　of　her　young

lady；　and　Lucy；　a　sudden　light　breaking　on　her；　smiled　at　Eleanor；

and　held　up　her　finger。　　Deborah　proceeded　with　her　inquiry：

〃Mistress　Rose；　shall　I　take　some　breakfast　to　my　lady；　and　the　young

gentlemen；　poor　souls？〃



〃Yes；　of　course；〃　he　answered。　　〃No；　wait　a　bit。　　Only　to　my　mother；

I　mean；　just　at　present。〃



〃And　the　soldiers；〃　continued　Deborah〃they're　roaring　for

breakfast；　what　shall　I　give　them？〃



〃A　halter；〃　he　had　almost　said；　but　he　caught　himself　up　in　time；　and

answered；　〃What　you　canbread；　beef；　beer〃



〃Bread！　beef！　beer！〃　almost　shrieked　Deborah；　〃when　she　knows　the

colonel　man　had　the　last　of　our　beer；　beef　we　have　not　seen　for　two

Christmases；　and　bread；　there's　barely　enough　for　my　lady　and　the

children；　till　we　bake。〃



〃Well；　whatever　there　is；　then；〃　said　Walter；　anxious　to　get　rid　of

her。



〃I　could　fry　some　bacon；〃　pursued　Deborah；　〃only　I　don't　know　whether

to　cut　the　new　flitch　so　soon；　and　there　be　some　cabbages　in　the

garden。　　Should　I　fry　or　boil　them；　Mistress　Rose？　　The　bottom　is　out

of　the　frying…pan；　and　the　tinker　is　not　come　this　way。〃



The　tinker　was　too　much　for　poor　Walter's　patience；　and　flinging　away

from　her；　he　exclaimed；　〃Mercy　on　me；　woman；　you'll　plague　the　life

out　of　me！〃



Poor　Deborah　stood　aghast。　　〃Mistress　Rose！　what　is　it？　you　look

wildly；　I　declare；　and　your　hood　is　all　I　don't　know　how。　　Shall　I

set　it　right？〃



〃Mind　your　own　business；　and　I'll　mind　mine！〃　cried　Walter。



〃Alack！　alack！〃　lamented　Deborah；　as　she　hastily　retreated　down

stairs；　Charlie　running　after　her。　　〃Mistress　Rose　is　gone　clean

demented　with　trouble；　and　that　is　the　worst　that　has　befallen　this

poor　house　yet。〃



〃There！〃　said　Lucy；　as　soon　as　she　was　gone；　〃I　have　held　my　tongue

this　time。　　O　Walter；　you　don't　do　it　a　bit　like　Rose！〃



〃Where　is　Rose！〃　said　Eleanor。　　〃How　did　you　get　out？〃



〃Well！〃　said　Walter；　〃it　is　hard　that；　whatever　we　do；　women　and

babies　are　mixed　up　with　it。　　I　must　trust　you　since　you　have　found

me　out；　but　mind；　Lucy；　not　one　word　or　look　that　can　lead　anyone　to

guess　what　I　am　telling　you。　　Edmund　is　safe　out　of　this　house；　Rose

is　gone　with　him'tis　safest　not　to　say　where。〃



〃But　is　not　she　coming　back？〃　asked　Eleanor。



〃Oh　yes；　very　soonto…day；　or　to…morrow　perhaps。　　So　I　am　Rose　till

she　comes　back；　and　little　did　I　guess　what　I　was　undertaking！　　I

never　was　properly　thankful　till　now　that　I　was　not　born　a　woman！〃



〃Oh　don't　stride　along　so；　or　they　will　find　you　out；〃　exclaimed

Eleanor。



〃And　don't　mince　and　amble；　that　is　worse！〃　added　Lucy。　　〃Oh　you　will

make　me　laugh　in　spite　of　everything。〃



〃Pshaw！　　I　shall　shut　myself　into　myher　room；　and　see　nobody！〃　said

Walter；　〃you　must　keep　Charlie　off；　Lucy；　and　don't　let　Deb　drive　me

distracted。　　I　dare　say；　if　necessary；　I　can　fool　it　enough　for　the

rebels；　who　never　spoke　to　a　gentlewoman　in　their　lives。〃



〃But　only　tell　me；　how　did　you　get　out？〃　said　Lucy。



〃Little　Miss　Curiosity　must　rest　without　knowing；〃　said　Walter；

shutting　the　door　in　her　face。



〃Now；　don't　be　curious；　dear　Lucy；〃　said　Eleanor；　taking　her　hand。

〃We　shall　know　in　time。〃



〃I　will　not；　I　am　not；〃　said　Lucy；　magnanimously。　　〃We　will　not　say

one　single　word；　Eleanor；　and　I　will　not　look　as　if　I　knew　anything。

Come　down；　and　we　will　see　if　we　can　do　any　of　Rose's　work；　for　we

must　be　very　useful；　you　know；　I　wish　I　might　tell　poor　Deb　that

Edmund　is　safe。〃



Walter　was　wise　in　secluding　himself　in　his　disguise。　　He　remained

undisturbed　for　some　time；　while　Deborah's　unassisted　genius　was

exerted　to　provide　the　rebels　with　breakfast。　　The　first　interruption

was　from　Eleanor；　who　knocked　at　the　door；　beginning　to　call

〃Walter；〃　and　then　hastily　turning　it　into　〃Rose！〃　　He　opened；　and

she　said；　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　〃O　Walter；　Walter；　the　wicked　men

are　really　going　to　take　dear　mother　away　to　prison。　　She　is　come

down　with　her　cloak　and　hood　on；　and　is　asking　for　youRose　I　mean

to　wish　good…bye。　　Will　you　come？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Walter；　〃and　Edmund〃



〃They　were　just　sending　up　to　call　him；〃　said　Eleanor；　〃they　will

find　it　out　in〃



Eleanor's　speech　was　cut　short　by　a　tremendous　uproar　in　the　next

room。　　〃Ha！　　How？　　Where　are　they？　　How　now？　　Escaped！〃　with　many

confused　exclamations；　and　much　trampling　of　heavy　boots。　　Eleanor

stood　frightened；　Walter　clapped　his　hands；　cut　a　very　unfeminine

caper；　clenched　his　fist；　and　shook　it　at　the　wall；　and　exclaimed　in

an　exulting　whisper；　〃Ha！　ha！　my　fine　fellows！　　You　may　look　long

enough　for　him！〃　then　ran　downstairs　at　full　speed；　and　entered　the

hall。　　His　mother；　dressed　for　a　journey；　stood　by　the　table；　a

glance　of　hope　and　joy　lighting　on　her　pale　features；　but　her　swollen

eyelids　telling　of　a　night　of　tears　and　sleeplessness。　　Lucy　and

Charles　were　by　her　side；　the　front　door　open；　and　the　horses　were

being　led　up　and　down　before　it。　　Walter　and　Eleanor　hurried　up　to

her；　but　before　they　had　time　to　speak；　the　rebel　captain　dashed　into

the　room；　exclaiming；　〃Thou　treacherous　woman；　thou　shalt　abye　this！

Here！　mount；　pursue；　the　nearest　road　to　the　coast。　　Smite　them

rather　than　let　them　escape。　　The　malignant　nursling　of　the　blood…

thirsty　Palatine　at　large　again！　　Follow；　and　overtake；　I　say！〃



〃Which　way；　sir？〃　demanded　the　corporal。



〃The　nearest　to　the　coast。　　Two　ride　to　Chichester；　two　to　Gosport。

Or　here！　　Where　is　that　maiden；　young　in　years；　but　old　in　wiles？

Ah；　there！　come　hither；　maiden。　　Wilt　thou　purchase　grace　for　thy

mother　by　telling　which　way　the　prisoners　are　fled？　　I　know　thy

wiles；　and　will　visit　them　on　thee　and　on　thy　father's　house；　unless

thou　dost　somewhat　to　merit　forgiveness。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　demanded　Walter；　swelling　with　passion。



〃Do　not　feign；　maiden。　　Thy　heart　is　rejoicing　that　the　enemies　of

the　righteous　are　esca