the pigeon pie-第14部分

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

the　righteous　are　escaped。〃



〃You　are　not　wrong　there；　sir；〃　said　Walter。



〃I　tell　thee；〃　said　the　captain；　sternly；　〃thy　joy　shall　be　turned　to

mourning。　　Thou　shalt　see　thy　mother　thrown　into　a　dungeon；　and　thou

and　thy　sisters　shall　beg　your　bread；　unless〃



Walter　could　not　endure　these　empty　threats；　and　exclaimed；　〃You　know

you　have　no　power　to　do　this。　　Is　this　what　you　call　manliness　to　use

such　threats　to　a　poor　girl　in　your　power？　　Out　upon　you！〃



〃Ha！〃　said　the　rebel；　considerably　surprised　at　the　young　lady's

manner　of　replying。　　〃Is　it　thus　the　malignants　breed　up　their

daughters；　in　insolence　as　well　as　deceit？〃



The　last　word　made　Walter　entirely　forget　his　assumed　character；　and

striking　at　the　captain　with　all　his　force；　he　exclaimed；　〃Take　that；

for　giving　the　lie　to　a　gentleman。〃



〃How　now？〃　cried　the　rebel；　seizing　his　arm。　　Walter　struggled；　the

hood　fell　back。　　〃'Tis　the　boy！　　Ha！　deceived　again！　　Here！　search

the　house　instantly；　every　corner。　　I　will　not　be　balked　a　second

time。〃



He　rushed　out　of　the　room；　while　Walter；　rending　off　the　hood；　threw

himself　into　his　mother's　arms；　exclaiming；　〃O　mother　dear；　I　bore　it

as　long　as　I　could。〃



〃My　dear　rash　boy！〃　said　she。　　〃But　is　he　safe？　　No；　do　not　say

where。　　Thanks；　thanks　to　heaven。　　Now　I　am　ready　for　anything！〃　and

so　indeed　her　face　proved。



〃All　owing　to　Rose；　mother；　she　will　soon　be　back　again；　shebut

I'll　say　no　more；　for　fear。　　He　left　lovedutyRose　left　all　sorts

of　greetings；　that　I　will　tell　you　by　and　by。　　Ha！　do　you　hear　them

lumbering　about　the　house？　　They　fancy　he　is　hid　there！　　Yes；　you　are

welcome〃



〃Hush！　hush；　Walter！　the　longer　they　look　the　more　time　he　will

gain；〃　whispered　his　mother。　　〃Oh　this　is　joy　indeed！〃



〃Mamma；　I　found　out　Walter；　and　said　not　one　word；〃　interposed　Lucy；

but　there　was　no　more　opportunity　for　converse　permitted；　for　the

captain　returned；　and　ordered　the　whole　party　into　the　custody　of　a

soldier；　who　was　not　to　lose　sight　of　any　of　them　till　the　search　was

completed。



After　putting　the　whole　house　in　disorder；　and　seeking　in　vain

through　the　grounds；　the　captain　himself；　and　one　of　his　men；　went

off　to　scour　the　neighbouring　country；　and　examine　every　village　on

the　coast。



Lady　Woodley　and　her　three　younger　children　were　in　the　meantime

locked　into　her　room；　while　the　soldier　left　in　charge　was　ordered

not　to　let　Walter　for　a　moment　out　of　his　sight；　and　both　she　and

Walter　were　warned　that　they　were　to　be　carried　the　next　morning　to

Chichester；　to　answer　for　having　aided　and　abetted　the　escape　of　the

notorious　traitor；　Edmund　Woodley。



It　was　plain　that　he　really　meant　it；　but　hope　for　Edmund　made　Lady

Woodley　cheerful　about　all　she　might　have　to　undergo；　and　even　trust

that　the　poor　little　ones　she　was　obliged　to　leave　behind；　might　be

safe　with　Rose　and　Deborah。　　Her　great　fear　was　lest　the　rebels

should　search　the　villages　before　Edmund　had　time　to　escape。







CHAPTER　IX。







Cautiously　stealing　down　stairs；　Rose　first；　to　spy　where　the　rebels

might　be；　the　brother　and　sister　reached　the　kitchen；　where　Rose

provided　Edmund　with　a　grey　cloak；　once　belonging　to　a　former

serving…man；　and　after　a　short　search　in　an　old　press；　brought　out

various　equipments；　saddle；　belt；　and　skirt；　with　which　her　mother

had　once　been　wont　to　ride　pillion…fashion。　　These　they　carried　to

the　outhouse　where　Edmund's　horse　had　been　hidden；　and　when　all　was

set　in　order　by　the　light　of　the　lantern；　Rose　thought　that　her

brother　looked　more　like　a　groom　and　less　like　a　cavalier　than　she

had　once　dared　to　hope。　　They　mounted；　and　on　they　rode；　across　the

downs；　through　narrow　lanes；　past　farm　houses；　dreading　that　each

yelping　dog　might　rouse　his　master　to　report　which　way　they　were

gone。　　It　was　not　till　day　had　dawned；　and　the　eastern　sky　was　red

with　the　approaching　sun；　that　they　came　down　the　narrow　lane　that

led　to　the　little　town　of　Bosham；　a　low　flat　place；　sloping　very

gradually　to　the　water。　　Here　Rose　left　her　brother；　advising　him　to

keep　close　under　the　hedge；　while　she　softly　opened　a　little　gate；

and　entered　a　garden；　long　and　narrow；　with　carefully　cultivated

flowers　and　vegetables。　　At　the　end　was　a　low　cottage；　and　going　up

to　the　door；　Rose　knocked　gently。　　The　door　was　presently　cautiously

opened　by　a　girl　a　few　years　older；　very　plainly　dressed；　as　if　busy

in　household　work。　　She　started　with　surprise；　then　held　out　her

hand；　which　Rose　pressed　affectionately；　as　she　said；　〃Dear　Anne；

will　you　tell　your　father　that　I　should　be　very　glad　to　speak　to

him？〃



〃I　will　call　him；〃　said　Anne；　〃he　is　just　rising。　　What　isBut　I

will　not　delay。〃



〃Oh　no；　do　not；　thank　you；　I　cannot　tell　you　now。〃　　Rose　was　left　by

Anne　Bathurst　standing　in　a　small　cleanly…sanded　kitchen；　with　a　few

wooden　chairs　neatly　ranged；　some　trenchers　and　pewter　dishes　against

the　wall；　and　nothing　like　decoration　except　a　beau…pot；　as　Anne

would　have　called　it；　filled　with　flowers。　　Here　the　good　doctor　and

his　daughter　lived；　and　tried　to　eke　out　a　scanty　maintenance　by

teaching　a　little　school。



After　what　was　really　a　very　short　interval；　but　which　seemed　to　Rose

a　very　long　one；　Dr。　Bathurst；　a　thin；　spare；　middle…aged　man；　with　a

small　black　velvet　cap　over　his　grey　hair；　came　down　the　creaking

rough　wooden　stairs。　　〃My　dear　child；〃　he　asked；　〃in　what　can　I　help

you？　　Your　mother　is　well；　I　trust。〃



〃Oh　yes；　sir！〃　said　Rose；　and　with　reliance　and　hope；　as　if　she　had

been　speaking　to　a　father；　she　explained　their　distress　and

perplexity；　then　stood　in　silence　while　the　good　doctor；　a　slow

thinker；　considered。



〃First；　to　hide　him；〃　he　said；　〃he　may　not　be　here；　for　thisthe　old

parson's　housewill　be　the　very　first　spot　they　will　search。　　But　we

will　try。　　You　rode；　you　say；　Mistress　Rose；　where　is　your　horse？〃



〃Ah！　there　is　one　difficulty；〃　said　Rose；　〃Edmund　is　holding　him　now；

but　where　shall　we　leave　him？〃



〃Let　us　come　first　to　see　the　young　gentleman；〃　said　Dr。　Bathurst；

and　they　walked　together　to　the　lane　where　Edmund　was　waiting；　the

doctor　explaining　by　the　way　that　he　placed　his　chief　dependence　on

Harry　Fletcher；　a　fisherman；　thoroughly　brave；　trustworthy；　and

loyal；　who　had　at　one　time　been　a　sailor；　and　had　seen；　and　been

spoken　to　by　King　Charles　himself。　　He　lived　in　a　little　lonely　hut

about　half　a　mile　distant；　he　was　unmarried；　and　would　have　been

quite　alone；　but　that　he　had　taken　a　young　nephew；　whose　father　had

been　killed　on　the　Royalist　side；　to　live　with　him；　and　to　be　brought

up　to　his　fishing　business。



Edmund　and　Rose　both　agreed　that　there　could　be　no　better　hope　of

escape　than　in　trusting　to　this　good　man；　and　as　no　time　was　to　be

lost；　they　parted　for　the　present；　Rose　returning　to　the　cottage　to

spend　the　day　with　Anne　Bathurst；　and　the　clergyman　walking　with　the

young　cavalier　to　the　place　where　the　fisherman　lived。　　They　led　the

horse　with　them　for　some　distance；　then　tied　him　to　a　gate；　a　little

out　of　sight；　and　went　on　to　the　hut；　which　stood；　built　of　the

shingle　of　the　beach；　just　beyond　the　highest　reach　of　the　tide；　with

the　boat　beside　it；　and　the　nets　spread　out　to　dry。



Before　there　was　time　to　knock；　the　door　was　opened　by　Harry　Fletcher

himself；　his　open　sunburnt　face　showing　honesty　and　good　faith　in

every　feature。　　He　put　his　hand　respectfully　to　his　woollen　cap；　and

said；　with　a　sort　of　smile；　as　he　looked　at　Edmund；　〃I　see　what　work

you　have　for　me；　your　reverence。〃



〃You　are　right；　Harry；〃　said　Dr。　Bathurst；　〃this　is　one　of　the

gentlemen　that　fought　for　his　Majesty　at　Worcester；　and　if　we　cannot

get　him　safe　out　of　the　country；　with　heaven's　blessing；　he　is　as

good　as　a　dead　man。〃



〃Come　in；　sir；〃　said　Fletcher；　〃you　had　best　not　be　seen。　　There's　no

one　here　but　little　Dick；　and　I'll　answer　for　him。〃



They　came　in；　and　Dr。　Bathurst　explained　Edmund's　circumstances。　　The

honest　fellow　looked　a　little　perplexed；　but　after　a　moment　said；

〃Well；　I'll　do　what　in　me　lies；　sir；　but　'tis　a　long　way　across。〃



〃I　should　tell　you；　my　good　man；〃　said　Edmund；　〃that　I　have　nothing

to　repay　you　with　for　all　the　trouble　and　danger　to　which　you　may　be

exposing　yourself　on　my　behalf。　　Nothing　but　my　horse；　which　would

only　be　bringing　suspicion　on　you。〃



〃As　to　that；　your　honour；〃　replied　Harry；　〃I'd　never　think　of　waiting

for　pay　in　a　matter　of　life　and　death。　　I　am　glad　if　I　can　help　off　a

gentleman　that　has　been　on　the　King's　side。〃



So　the　plan　was　arranged。　　Edmund　was　to　be　disguised　in　the

fisherman's　clothes；　spend　the　day　at　his　hut；　and　at　night；　if　the

weather　served；　Fletcher　would　row　him　out　to　sea；　assisted　by　the

little　boy；　in　hopes　of　falling　in　with　a　French　vessel；　or；　if　not；

they　must　pull　across　to　Havre　or　Dieppe。　　The　doctor　promised　to

bring　Rose　at　ten　o'clock　to　meet　him　on　the　beach　and　bid　him

farewell。　　As　to　the　horse；　Fletcher　sent　the　little　boy　to　turn　it

out　on　the　neighbouring　down；　and　hide　the　saddle。



All　this　arranged；　Dr。　Bathurst　returned　to　his　school；　and　Rose；

dressed　in　Anne's　plainest　clothes；　rested　on　her　bed　as　long　as　her

anxiety　would　allow　her；　then　came　down　and　helped　in　her　household

work。　　It　was　well　that　Rose　was　thus　employed；　for　in　the　afternoon

they　had　a　great　fright。　　Two　soldiers　came　knocking　violently　at　the

door；　exhibiting　an　order　to　search　for　the　escaped　prisoner。　　Rose

recognised　two　of　the　party　who　had　been　at　Forest　Lea；　but　happily

they　had　not　seen　enough　of　her　to　know　her　in　the　coarse　blue　stuff

petticoat　that　she　now　wore。　　One　of　them　asked　who　she　was；　and　Anne

readily　replied；　〃Oh；　a　friend　who　is　helping　me；〃　after　which　they

paid　her　no　further　attention。



Her　anxiety　for　Edmund　was　of　co