the pigeon pie-第15部分

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paid　her　no　further　attention。



Her　anxiety　for　Edmund　was　of　course　at　its　height　during　this

search；　and　it　was　not　till　the　evening　that　she　could　gain　any

intelligence。　　Edmund's　danger　had　indeed　been　great。　　Harry　Fletcher

saw　the　rebels　coming　in　time　to　prepare。　　He　advised　his　guest　not

to　remain　in　the　house；　as　if　he　wished　to　avoid　observation；　but　to

come　out；　as　if　afraid　of　nothing。　　His　cavalier　dress　had　been

carefully　destroyed　or　concealed；　he　wore　the　fisherman's　rough

clothes；　and　had　even　sacrificed　his　long　dark　hair；　covering　his

head　with　one　of　Harry's　red　woollen　caps。　　He　was　altogether　so

different　in　appearance　from　what　he　had　been　yesterday；　that　he

ventured　forward；　and　leant　whistling　against　the　side　of　the　boat；

while　Harry　parleyed　with　the　soldiers。　　Perhaps　they　suspected　Harry

a　little；　for　they　insisted　on　searching　his　hut；　and　as　they　were

coming　out；　one　of　them　began　to　tell　him　of　the　penalties　that

fishermen　would　incur　by　favouring　the　escape　of　the　Royalists。

Harry　did　not　lose　countenance；　but　went　on　hammering　at　his　boat　as

if　he　cared　not　at　all；　till　observing　that　one　of　the　soldiers　was

looking　hard　at　Edmund；　he　called　out；　〃I　say；　Ned；　what's　the　use　of

loitering　there；　listening　to　what's　no　concern　of　yours？　　Fetch　the

oar　out　of　yon　shed。　　I　never　lit　on　such　a　lazy　comrade　in　my　life。〃



This　seemed　to　turn　away　all　suspicion；　the　soldiers　left　them；　and

no　further　mischance　occurred。　　At　night；　just　as　the　young　moon　was

setting；　the　boat　was　brought　out；　and　Harry；　with　little　Dick　and　a

comrade　whom　he　engaged　could　be　trusted；　prepared　their　oars。　　At

the　same　time；　Dr。　Bathurst　and　Rose　came　silently　to　meet　them　along

the　shingly　beach。　　Rose　hardly　knew　her　brother　in　his　fisherman's

garb。　　The　time　was　short；　and　their　hearts　were　too　full　for　many

words；　as　that　little　party　stood　together　in　the　light　of　the

crescent　moon；　the　sea　sounding　with　a　low　constant　ripple；　spread

out　in　the　grey　hazy　blue　distance；　and　here　and　there　the　crests　of

the　nearer　waves　swelling　up　and　catching　the　moonlight。



Edmund　and　his　sister　held　their　hands　tightly　clasped；　loving　each

other；　if　possible；　better　than　ever。　　He　now　and　then　repeated　some

loving　greeting　which　she　was　to　bear　home；　and　she　tried　to　restrain

her　tears；　at　the　separation　she　was　forced　to　rejoice　in；　a　parting

which　gave　no　augury　of　meeting　again；　the　renewal　of　an　exile　from

which　there　was　no　present　hope　of　return。　　Harry　looked　at　Dr。

Bathurst　to　intimate　it　was　time　to　be　gone。　　The　clergyman　came

close　to　the　brother　and　sister；　and　instead　of　speaking　his　own

words；　used　these：…



〃Turn　our　captivity；　O　LORD；　as　the　rivers　in　the　south。〃



〃They　that　sow　in　tears　shall　reap　in　joy。〃



〃He　that　now　goeth　on　his　way　weeping；　and　beareth　forth　good　seed；

shall　doubtless　come　again　with　joy；　and　bring　his　sheaves　with　him。〃



〃Amen；〃　answered　Edmund　and　Rose；　and　they　loosened　their　hold　of

each　other　with　hearts　less　sore。　　Then　Edmund　bared　his　head；　and

knelt　down；　and　the　good　clergyman　called　down　a　blessing　from　heaven

on　him；　Harry；　the　faithful　man　who　was　going　to　risk　himself　for

him；　did　the　same；　and　received　the　same　blessing。　　There　were　no

more　words；　the　boat　pushed　off；　and　the　splash　of　the　oars　resounded

regularly。



Rose's　tears　came　thick；　fast；　blinding；　and　she　sat　down　on　a　block

of　wood　and　wept　long　and　bitterly；　then　she　rose　up；　and　in　answer

to　Dr。　Bathurst's　cheering　words；　she　said；　〃Yes；　I　do　thank　GOD　with

all　my　heart！〃



That　night　Rose　slept　at　Dr。　Bathurst's；　and　early　in　the　morning　was

rejoiced　by　the　tidings　which　Harry　Fletcher　sent　little　Dick　to

carry　to　the　cottage。　　The　voyage　had　been　prosperous；　they　had

fallen　in　with　a　French　vessel；　and　Mr。　Edmund　Woodley　had　been

safely　received　on　board。



She　was　very　anxious　to　return　home；　and　as　it　was　Saturday；　and

therefore　a　holiday　at　the　school；　Dr。　Bathurst　undertook　to　go　with

her　and　spend　the　Sunday　at　Forest　Lea。　　One　of　the　farmers　of　Bosham

helped　them　some　little　way　with　his　harvest　cart；　but　the　rest　of

the　journey　had　to　be　performed　on　foot。　　It　was　not　till　noon　that

they　came　out　upon　the　high　road　between　Chichester　and　Forest　Lea；

and　they　had　not　been　upon　it　more　than　ten　minutes；　before　the　sound

of　horses'　tread　was　heard；　as　if　coming　from　Chichester。　　Looking

round；　they　saw　a　gentleman　riding　fast；　followed　by　a　soldier　also

on　horseback。　　There　was　something　in　his　air　that　Rose　recognised；

and　as　he　came　nearer　she　perceived　it　was　Sylvester　Enderby。　　He　was

much　amazed；　when；　at　the　same　moment；　he　perceived　it　was　Mistress

Rose　Woodley；　and　stopping　his　horse；　and　taking　off　his　hat；　with

great　respect　both　towards　her　and　the　clergyman；　he　hoped　all　the

family　were　well　in　health。



〃Yes；　yes；　I　believe　so；　thank　you；〃　replied　Rose；　looking　anxiously

at　him。



〃I　am　on　my　way　to　Forest　Lea；〃　he　said。　　〃I　bring　the　order　my

father　hoped　to　obtain　from　General　Cromwell。〃



〃The　Protection！　　Oh；　thanks！　ten　thousand　thanks！〃　cried　Rose。　　〃Oh！

it　may　saveBut　hasten　on；　pray　hasten　on；　sir。　　The　soldiers　are

already　at　home；　I　feared　she　might　be　already　a　prisoner　at

Chichester。　　Pray　go　on　and　restrain　them　by　your　authority。　　Don't

ask　me　to　explainyou　will　understand　all　when　you　are　there。〃



She　prevailed　on　him　to　go　on；　while　she；　with　Dr。　Bathurst；　more

slowly　proceeded　up　the　chalky　road　which　led　to　the　summit　of　the

green　hill　or　down；　covered　with　short　grass；　which　commanded　a　view

of　all　the　country　round；　and　whence　they　would　turn　off　upon　the

down　leading　to　Forest　Lea。　　Just　as　they　came　to　the　top；　Rose　cast

an　anxious　glance　in　the　direction　of　her　home；　and　gave　a　little

cry。　　Sylvester　Enderby　and　his　attendant　could　be　seen　speeding　down

the　green　slope　of　the　hill；　but　at　some　distance　further　on；　was　a

little　troop　of　horsemen；　coming　from　the　direction　of　Forest　Lea；

the　sun　now　and　then　flashing　on　a　steel　cap　or　on　the　point　of　a

pike。　　Fast　rode　on　Sylvester；　nearer　and　nearer　came　the　troop；　Rose

almost　fancied　she　could　discern　on　one　of　the　horses　something

muffled　in　black　that　could　be　no　other　than　her　mother。　　How　she

longed　for　wings　to　fly　to　meet　her　and　cheer　her　heart　with　the

assurance　of　Edmund's　safety！　　How　she　longed　to　be　on　Sylvester's

horse；　as　she　saw　the　distance　between　him　and　the　party　fast

diminishing！　　At　length　he　was　close　to　it；　he　had　mingled　with　it；

and　at　the　same　time　Dr。　Bathurst　and　Rose　had　to　mount　a　slightly

rising　ground；　which　for　a　time　entirely　obscured　their　view。　　When

at　length　they　had　reached　the　summit　of　this　eminence；　the　party

were　standing　still；　as　if　in　parley；　there　was　presently　a　movement；

a　parting；　Rose　clasped　her　hands　in　earnestness。　　The　main　body

continued　their　course　to　Chichester；　a　few　remained　stationary。　　How

many？　　One；　two；　threeyes；　four；　or　was　it　five？　and　among　them　the

black　figure　she　had　watched　so　anxiously！　　〃She　is　safe；　she　is

safe！〃　cried　Rose。　　〃Oh；　GOD　has　been　so　very　good　to　us；　I　wish　I

could　thank　Him　enough！〃



Leaving　the　smoother　slope　to　avoid　encountering　the　baffled　rebels；

Dr。　Bathurst　and　Rose　descended　the　steep；　the　good　man　exerting

himself　that　her　eagerness　might　not　be　disappointed。　　Down　they

went；　sliding　on　the　slippery　green　banks；　helping　themselves　with

the　doctor's　trusty　staff；　taking　a　short　run　at　the　lowest　and

steepest　part　of　each；　creeping　down　the　rude　steps；　or　rather　foot…

holes；　cut　out　by　the　shepherd…boys　in　the　more　perpendicular

descents；　and　fairly　sliding　or　running　down　the　shorter　ones。　　They

saw　their　friends　waiting　for　them；　and　a　lesser　figure　than　the　rest

hastened　towards　them；　scaling　the　steep　slopes　with　a　good　will；

precipitancy；　and　wild　hurrahs　of　exultation；　that　would　not　let　them

doubt　it　was　Walter；　before　they　could　see　his　form　distinctly；　or

hear　his　words。　　Rose　ran　headlong　down　the　last　green　slope；　and　was

saved　from　falling　by　fairly　rushing　into　his　arms。



〃Is　he　safe？　　I　need　not　ask！〃　exclaimed　Walter。



〃Safe！　in　a　French　vessel。　　And　mother？〃



〃Safe！　well！　happy！　　You　saw；　you　heard！　　Hurrah！　　The　crop…ears　are

sent　to　the　right　about；　the　captain　has　done　mother　and　me　the

favour　to　forgive　us；　as　a　Christian；　all　that　has　passed；　he　says。

We　are　all　going　home　again　as　fast　as　we　can；　young　Enderby　and　all；

to　chase　out　the　two　rogues　that　are　quartered　on　us　to　afflict　poor

Deb　and　the　little　ones。〃



By　this　time　Dr。　Bathurst　had　descended；　more　cautiously；　and　Walter

went　to　greet　him；　and　repeat　his　news。　　Together　they　proceeded　to

meet　the　rest；　and　who　can　tell　the　tearful　happiness　when　Rose　and

her　mother　were　once　more　pressed　in　each　other's　arms！



〃My　noble　girl！　under　Providence　you　have　saved　him！〃　whispered　Lady

Woodley。



The　next　evening；　in　secrecy；　with　the　shutters　shut；　and　the　light

screened；　the　true　pastor　of　Forest　Lea　gathered　the　faithful　ones　of

his　flock　for　a　service　in　the　old　hall。　　There　knelt　many　a　humble；

loyal；　trustful　peasant；　there　was　the　widowed　Dame　Ewins；　trying　to

be　comforted；　as　they　told　her　she　ought；　there　was　the　lady　herself；

at　once　sorrowful　and　yet　earnestly　thankful；　there　was　Sylvester

Enderby；　hearing　and　following　the　prayers　he　had　been　used　to　in　his

early　childhood；　with　a　growing　feeling　that　here　lay　the　right　and

the　truth；　there　was　Deborah；　weeping；　grieving　over　her　own　fault；

and　almost　heart…broken　at　the　failure　of　him　on　whom　she　had　set　her

warm　affections；　yet　perhaps　in　a　way　made　wiser；　and　taught　to　trust

no　longer　to　a　broken　reed；　but　to　look　for　better　things；　there　were

Walter　and　Lucy；　both　humbled　and　subdued；　repenting　in　earnest　of

the　misbehaviour　each　of　them　had　been　guilty　of。　　Walter　did　not

show　his　contrition　muc