the pigeon pie-第4部分

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hands　and　face　in　the　clear　cool　fountain；　till　his　long　black　hair

hung　straight；　saturated　with　wet。



〃Now；　Bayard；　it　is　your　turn；〃　and　he　patted　the　good　steed　as　it

sucked　up　the　refreshing　water；　and　Walter　proceeded　to　release　it

from　saddle　and　bridle。　　Edmund；　meanwhile；　stretched　himself　out　on

the　mossy　bank；　asked　a　few　questions　about　his　mother；　Rose；　and　the

other　children；　but　was　too　tired　to　say　much；　and　presently　fell

sound　asleep；　while　Walter　sat　by　watching　him；　grieving　for　the

battle　lost；　but　proud　and　important　in　being　the　guardian　of　his

brother's　safety；　and　delighting　himself　with　the　thought　of　bringing

him　home　at　night。



More　was　happening　at　home　than　Walter　guessed。　　The　time　of　his

absence　seemed　very　long；　more　especially　when　the　twilight　began　to

close　in；　and　Lady　Woodley　began　to　fear　that　he　might；　with　his

rashness；　have　involved　himself　in　some　quarrel　with　the　troopers　in

the　village。　　Lady　Woodley　and　her　children　had　closed　around　the

wood　fire　which　had　been　lighted　on　the　hearth　at　the　approach　of

evening；　and　Rose　was　trying　by　the　bad　light　to　continue　her　darning

of　stockings；　when　a　loud　hasty　knocking　was　heard　at　the　door；　and

all；　in　a　general　vague　impression　of　dread；　started　and　drew

together。



〃Oh　my　lady！〃　cried　Deborah；　〃don't　bid　me　go　to　the　door；　I　could

not　if　you　offered　me　fifty　gold　caroluses！　　I　had　rather　stand　up　to

be　a　mark〃



〃Then　I　will；〃　said　Rose；　advancing。



〃No；　no；　Mistress　Rose；〃　said　Deborah；　running　forward。　　〃Don't　I

know　what　is　fit　for　the　like　of　you？　　You　go　opening　the　door　to

rogues　and　vagabonds；　indeed！〃　and　with　these　words　she　undrew　the

bolts　and　opened　the　door。



〃Is　this　the　way　you　keep　us　waiting？〃　said　an　impatient　voice；　and　a

tall　youth；　handsomely　accoutred；　advanced　authoritatively　into　the

room。　　〃Prepare　to〃　but　as　he　saw　himself　alone　with　women　and

children；　and　his　eyes　fell　on　the　pale　face；　mourning　dress；　and

graceful　air　of　the　lady　of　the　house；　he　changed　his　tone；　removed

his　hat；　and　said；　〃Your　pardon；　madam；　I　came　to　ask　a　night's

lodging　for　my　father；　who　has　been　thrown　from　his　horse；　and　badly

bruised。〃



〃I　cannot　refuse　you；　sir；〃　said　Lady　Woodley；　who　instantly

perceived　that　this　was　an　officer　of　the　Parliamentary　force；　and

was　only　thankful　to　see　that　he　was　a　gentleman；　and　enforced　with

courtesy　a　request　which　was　in　effect　a　command。



The　youth　turned　and　went　out；　while　Lady　Woodley　hastily　directed

her　daughters　and　servant。　　〃Deborah；　set　the　blue　chamber　in　order；

Rose；　take　the　key　of　the　oak　press；　Eleanor　will　help　you　to　take

out　the　holland　sheets。　　Lucy；　run　down　to　old　Margery；　and　bid　her

kill　a　couple　of　fowls　for　supper。〃



As　the　girls　obeyed　there　entered　at　the　front　door　the　young　officer

and　a　soldier；　supporting　between　them　an　elderly　man　in　the　dress　of

an　officer　of　rank。　　Lady　Woodley；　ready　of　course　to　give　her　help

to　any　person　who　had　suffered　an　injury；　came　forward　to　set　a

chair；　and　at　the　same　moment　she　exclaimed；　in　a　tone　of

recognition；　〃Mr。　Enderby！　　I　am　grieved　to　see　you　so　much　hurt。〃



〃My　Lady　Woodley；〃　he　returned；　recognising　her　at　the　same　time；　as

he　seated　himself　in　the　chair；　〃I　am　sorry　thus　to　have　broken　in　on

your　ladyship；　but　my　son；　Sylvester；　would　have　me　halt　here。〃



〃This　gentleman　is　your　son；　then？〃　and　a　courteous　greeting　passed

between　Lady　Woodley　and　young　Sylvester　Enderby；　after　which　she

again　enquired　after　his　father's　accident。



〃No　great　matter；〃　was　the　reply；　〃a　blow　on　the　head；　and　a　twist　of

the　knee；　that　is　all。　　Thanks　to　a　stumbling　horse；　wearied　out　with

work；　I　have　little　mind　tothe　pursuit　of　this　poor　young　man。〃



〃Not　the　King？〃　exclaimed　Lady　Woodley；　breathless　with　alarm。



It　was　with　no　apparent　satisfaction　that　the　rebel　colonel　replied；

〃Even　so；　madam。　　Cromwell's　fortune　has　not　forsaken　him；　he　has

driven　the　Scots　and　their　allies　out　of　Worcester。〃



Lady　Woodley　was　too　much　accustomed　to　evil　tidings　to　be　as　much

overcome　by　them　as　her　young　son　had　been；　she　only　turned　somewhat

paler；　and　asked；　〃The　King　lives？〃



〃He　was　last　seen　on　Worcester　bridge。　　Troops　are　sent　to　every　port

whence　he　might　attempt　an　escape。〃



〃May　the　GOD　of　his　father　protect　him；〃　said　the　lady；　fervently。

〃And　my　son？〃　she　added；　faintly；　scarcely　daring　to　ask　the

question。



〃Safe；　I　hope；〃　replied　the　colonel。　　〃I　saw　him；　and　I　could　have

thought　him　my　dear　old　friend　himself；　as　he　joined　Charles　in　his

last　desperate　attempt　to　rally　his　forces；　and　then　charged　down

Sidbury　Street　with　a　few　bold　spirits　who　were　resolved　to　cover

their　master's　retreat。　　He　is　not　among　the　slain；　he　was　not　a

prisoner　when　I　left　the　headquarters。　　I　trust　he　may　have　escaped；

for　Cromwell　is　fearfully　incensed　against　your　party。〃



Colonel　Enderby　was　interrupted　by　Lucy's　running　in　calling　out；

〃Mother；　mother！　there　are　no　fowls　but　Partlet　and　the　sitting　hen；

and　the　old　cock；　and　I　won't　have　my　dear　old　Partlet　killed　to　be

eaten　by　wicked　Roundheads。〃



〃Come　here；　my　little　lady；〃　said　the　colonel；　holding　out　his　hand；

amused　by　her　vehemence。



〃I　won't　speak　to　a　Roundhead；〃　returned　Lucy；　with　a　droll　air　of

petulance；　pleased　at　being　courted。



Her　mother　spoke　gravely。　　〃You　forget　yourself；　Lucy。　　This　is　Mr。

Enderby；　a　friend　of　your　dear　father。〃



Lucy's　cheeks　glowed；　and　she　looked　down　as　she　gave　her　hand　to　the

colonel；　but　as　he　spoke　kindly　to　her；　her　forward　spirit　revived；

and　she　returned　to　the　charge。



〃You　won't　have　Partlet　killed？〃



Her　mother　would　have　silenced　her；　but　the　colonel　smiled　and　said；

〃No；　no；　little　lady；　I　would　rather　go　without　supper　than　let　one

feather　of　Dame　Partlet　be　touched。〃



〃Nay；　you　need　not　do　that　either；　sir；〃　said　the　little　chatter…box；

confidentially；　〃for　we　are　to　have　a　pie　made　of　little　Jenny's

pigeons；　and　I'll　tell　you　what；　sir；　no　one　makes　raised　crust　half

so　well　as　sister　Rose。〃



Lady　Woodley　was　not　sorry　to　stop　the　current　of　her　little　girl's

communications　by　despatching　her　on　another　message；　and　asking

Colonel　Enderby　whether　he　would　not　prefer　taking　a　little　rest　in

his　room　before　supper…time；　offering；　at　the　same　time　all　the

remedies　for　bruises　and　wounds　that　every　good　housekeeper　of　the

time　was　sure　to　possess。



She　had　a　real　regard　for　Mr。　Enderby；　who　had　been　a　great　friend　of

her　husband　before　the　unhappy　divisions　of　the　period　arrayed　them

on　opposite　sides；　and　even　then；　though　true　friendship　could　not

last；　a　kindly　feeling　had　always　existed。



Mr。　Enderby　was　a　conscientious　man；　but　those　were　difficult　times；

and　he　had　regarded　loyalty　to　the　King　less　than　what　he　considered

the　rights　of　the　people。　　He　had　been　an　admirer　of　Hampden　and　his

principles；　and　had　taken　up　arms　on　the　same　side；　becoming　a　rebel

on　political；　not　on　religious；　grounds。　　When；　as　time　went　on；　the

evils　of　the　rebellion　developed　themselves　more　fully；　he　was

already　high　in　command；　and　so　involved　with　his　own　party　that　he

had　not　the　resolution　requisite　for　a　change　of　course　and

renunciation　of　his　associates。　　He　would　willingly　have　come　to

terms　with　the　King；　and　was　earnest　in　the　attempt　at　the　time　of

the　conferences　at　Hampden　Court。　　He　strongly　disapproved　of　the

usurpation　of　power　by　the　army；　and　was　struck　with　horror；　grief；

and　dismay；　at　the　execution　of　King　Charles；　but　still　he　would　not；

or　fancied　that　he　could　not；　separate　himself　from　the　cause　of　the

Parliament；　and　continued　in　their　service；　following　Cromwell　to

Scotland；　and　fighting　at　Worcester　on　the　rebel　side；　disliking

Cromwell　all　the　time；　and　with　a　certain　inclination　to　the　young

King；　and　desire　to　see　the　old　constitution　restored。



He　was　just　one　of　those　men　who　cause　such　great　evil　by　giving　a

sort　of　respectability　to　the　wrong　cause；　〃following　a　multitude　to

do　evil；〃　and　doubtless　bringing　a　fearful　responsibility　on　their

own　heads；　yet　with　many　good　qualities　and　excellent　principles；

that　make　those　on　the　right　side　have　a　certain　esteem　for　them；　and

grieve　to　see　them　thus　perverted。



Lady　Woodley；　who　knew　him　well；　though　sorry　to　have　a　rebel　in　her

house　at　such　a　time；　was　sure　that　in　him　she　had　a　kind　and

considerate　guest；　who　would　do　his　utmost　to　protect　her　and　her

children。



On　his　side；　Colonel　Enderby　was　much　grieved　and　shocked　at　the

pale；　altered　looks　of　the　fair　young　bride　he　remembered；　as　well　as

the　evidences　of　poverty　throughout　her　house；　and　perhaps　he　had　a

secret　wish　that　he　was　as　well　assured　as　his　friend；　Sir　Walter；

that　his　blood　had　been　shed　for　the　maintenance　of　the　right。







CHAPTER　III。







Rose　Woodley　ran　up　and　down　indefatigably；　preparing　everything　for

the　accommodation　of　the　guests；　smoothing　down　Deborah's　petulance；

and　keeping　her　mother　from　over…exertion　or　anxiety。　　Much

contrivance　was　indeed　required；　for　besides　the　colonel　and　his　son；

two　soldiers　had　to　be　lodged；　and　four　horses；　which；　to　the

consternation　of　old　Margery；　seemed　likely　to　devour　the　cow's

winter　store　of　hay；　while　the　troopers　grumbled　at　the　desolate；

half…ruined；　empty　stables；　and　at　the　want　of　corn。



Rose　had　to　look　to　everything；　to　provide　blankets　from　the　bed　of

the　two　little　girls；　send　Eleanor　to　sleep　with　her　mother；　and　take

Lucy　to　her　own　room；　despatch　them　on　messages　to　the　nearest

cottage　to　borrow　some　eggs；　and　to　gather　vegetables　in　the　garden；

whilst　she　herself　made　the　pigeon　pie　with　the　standing　crust；　much

wishing　that　the　soldiers　were　out　of　the　way。　　It　was　a　pretty　thing

to　see　her　in　her　white　apron；　with　her　neat　dexterous　fingers；　and

nimble　quiet　step；　do