the pigeon pie-第5部分

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

nimble　quiet　step；　doing　everything　in　so　short　a　time；　and　so　well；

without　the　least　bustle。



She　was　at　length　in　the　hall；　laying　the　white　home…spun；　home…

bleached　cloth；　and　setting　the　trenchers　（all　the　Mowbray　plate　had

long　ago　gone　in　the　King's　service）；　wondering　anxiously；　meantime；

what　could　have　become　of　Walter；　with　many　secret　and　painful

misgivings；　though　she　had　been　striving　to　persuade　her　mother　that

he　was　only　absent　on　some　freak　of　his　own。



Presently　the　door　which　led　to　the　garden　was　opened；　and　to　her

great　joy　Walter　put　his　head　into　the　room。



〃O　Walter；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃the　battle　is　lost！　but　Edmund　and　the

King　have　both　escaped。〃



〃Say　you　so？〃　said　Walter；　smiling。　　〃Here　is　a　gentleman　who　can

give　you　some　news　of　Edmund。〃



At　the　same　moment　Rose　saw　her　beloved　eldest　brother　enter　the

room。　　It　would　be　hard　to　say　which　was　her　first　thought；　joy　or

dismayshe　had　no　time　to　ask　herself。　　Quick　as　lightning　she

darted　to　the　door　leading　to　the　staircase；　bolted　it；　threw　the　bar

across　the　fastening　of　the　front　entrance；　and　then；　flying　to　her

brother；　clung　fast　round　his　neck；　kissed　him　on　each　cheek；　and

felt　his　ardent　kiss　on　her　brow；　as　she　exclaimed　in　a　frightened

whisper；　〃You　must　not　stay　here：　　there　are　troopers　in　the　house！〃



〃Troopers！quartered　on　us？〃　cried　Walter。



Rose　hastily　explained；　trembling　lest　anyone　should　attempt　to

enter。　　Walter　paced　up　and　down　in　despair；　vowing　that　it　was　a

trick　to　get　a　spy　into　the　house。　　Edmund　sat　down　in　the　large　arm…

chair　with　a　calm　resolute　look；　saying；　〃I　must　surrender；　then。

Neither　I　nor　my　horse　can　go　further　without　rest。　　I　will　yield　as

a　prisoner　of　war；　and　well　that　it　is　to　a　man　of　honour。〃



〃Oh　no；　no！〃　cried　Rose：　　〃he　says　Cromwell　treats　his　prisoners　as

rebels。　　It　would　be　certain　death！〃



〃What　news　of　the　King？〃　asked　Edmund；　anxiously。



〃Not　seen　since　the　flight？　but〃



〃And　Lord　Derby；　Wilmot〃



〃I　cannot　tell；　I　heard　no　names；〃　said　Rose；　〃only　that　the　enemy's

cruelties　are　worse　than　ever。〃



Walter　stood　with　his　back　against　the　table；　gazing　at　his　brother

and　sister　in　mute　consternation。



〃I　know！〃　cried　Rose；　suddenly：　　〃the　out…house　in　the　upper　field。

No　one　ever　goes　up　into　the　loft　but　ourselves。　　You　know；　Walter；

where　Eleanor　found　the　kittens。　　Go　thither；　I　will　bring　Edmund

food　at　night。　　Oh；　consent；　Edmund！〃



〃It　will　do！　it　will　do！〃　cried　Walter。



〃Very　well；　it　may　spare　my　mother；〃　said　Edmund；　and　as　footsteps

and　voices　were　heard　on　the　stairs；　the　two　brothers　hurried　off

without　another　word；　while　Rose；　trying　to　conceal　her　agitation；

undid　the　door；　and　admitted　her　two　little　sisters；　who　were　asking

if　they　had　not　heard　Walter's　voice。



She　scarcely　attended　to　them；　but；　bounding　upstairs　to　her　mother's

room；　flung　her　arms　round　her　neck；　and　poured　into　her　ear　her

precious　secret。　　The　tremour；　the　joy；　the　fears；　the　tears；　the

throbbings　of　the　heart；　and　earnest　prayers；　may　well　be　imagined；

crowded　by　the　mother　and　daughter　into　those　few　minutes。　　The　plan

was　quickly　arranged。　　They　feared　to　trust　even　Deborah；　so　that　the

only　way　that　they　could　provide　the　food　that　Edmund　so　much　needed

was　by　Rose　and　Walter　attempting　to　save　all　they　could　at　supper；

and　Rose　could　steal　out　when　everyone　was　gone　to　rest；　and　carry　it

to　him。　　Lady　Woodley　was　bent　on　herself　going　to　her　son　that

night；　but　Rose　prevailed　on　her　to　lay　aside　the　intention；　as　it

would　have　been　fatal；　in　her　weak　state　of　health；　for　her　to　expose

herself　to　the　chills　of　an　autumn　night；　and；　what　was　with　her　a

much　more　conclusive　reason；　Rose　was　much　more　likely　to　be　able　to

slip　out　unobserved。　　Rose　had　an　opportunity　of　explaining　all　this

to　Walter；　and　imploring　him　to　be　cautious；　before　the　colonel　and

his　son　came　down；　and　the　whole　party　assembled　round　the　supper…

table。



Lady　Woodley　had　the　eggs　and　bacon　before　her；　Walter　insisted　on

undertaking　the　carving　of　the　pigeon…pie；　and　looked　considerably

affronted　when　young　Sylvester　Enderby　offered　to　take　the　office；　as

a　more　experienced　carver。　　Poor　Rose；　how　her　heart　beat　at　every

word　and　look；　and　how　hard　she　strove　to　seem　perfectly　at　her　ease

and　unconscious！　　Walter　was　in　a　fume　of　anxiety　and　vexation；　and

could　hardly　control　himself　so　far　as　to　speak　civilly　to　either　of

the　guests；　so　that　he　was　no　less　a　cause　of　fear　to　his　mother　and

sister　than　the　children；　who　were　unconscious　how　much　depended　on

discretion。



Young　Sylvester　Enderby　was　a　fine　young　man　of　eighteen；　very　good…

natured；　and　not　at　all　like　a　Puritan　in　appearance　or　manner。　　He

had　hardly　yet　begun　to　think　for　himself；　and　was　merely　obeying　his

father　in　joining　the　army　with　him；　without　questioning　whether　it

was　the　right　cause　or　not。　　He　was　a　kind　elder　brother　at　home；　and

here　he　was　ready　to　be　pleased　with　the　children　of　the　house。



Lucy　was　a　high…spirited　talkative　child；　very　little　used　to　seeing

strangers；　and　perhaps　hardly　reined　in　enough；　for　her　poor　mother's

weak　health　had　interfered　with　strict　discipline；　and　as　this

evening　Walter　and　Rose　were　both　grave　and　serious　under　their

anxieties；　Lucy　was　less　restrained　even　than　usual。



She　was　a　pretty　creature；　with　bright　blue　eyes；　and　an　arch

expression；　all　the　droller　under　her　prim　round　cap；　and　Sylvester

was　a　good　deal　amused　with　her　pert　bold　little　nods　and　airs。　　He

paid　a　good　deal　of　attention　to　her；　and　she　in　return　grew　more

forward　and　chattering。　　It　is　what　little　girls　will　sometimes　do

under　the　pleasure　and　excitement　of　the　notice　of　gentlemen；　and　it

makes　their　friends　very　uneasy；　since　the　only　excuse　they　can　have

is　in　being　VERY　LITTLE；　and　it　shows　a　most　undesirable　want　of

self…command　and　love　of　attention。



In　addition　to　this　feeling；　Lady　Woodley　dreaded　every　word　that　was

spoken；　lest　it　should　lead　to　suspicion；　for　though　she　was　sure　Mr。

Enderby　would　not　willingly　apprehend　her　son；　yet　she　could　not　tell

what　he　might　consider　his　duty　to　his　employers；　besides；　there　were

the　two　soldiers　to　observe　and　report；　and　the　discovery　that　Edmund

was　at　hand　might　lead　to　frightful　consequences。　　She　tried　to

converse　composedly　with　him　on　his　family　and　the　old　neighbourhood

where　they　had　both　lived；　often　interrupting　herself　to　send　a　look

or　word　of　warning　to　the　lower　end　of　the　table；　but　Lucy　and

Charles　were　too　wild　to　see　or　heed　her；　and　grew　more　and　more

unrestrained；　till　at　last；　to　the　dismay　of　her　mother；　brother；　and

sister；　Charles'　voice　was　heard　so　loud　as　to　attract　everyone's

notice；　in　a　shout　of　wonder　and　complaint；　〃Mother；　mother；　look！

Rose　has　gobbled　up　a　whole　pigeon　to　her　own　share！〃



Rose　could　not　keep　herself　from　blushing　violently；　as　she　whispered

reprovingly　that　he　must　not　be　rude。　　Lucy　did　not　mend　the　matter

by　saying　with　an　impertinent　nod；　〃Rose　does　not　like　to　be　found

out。〃



〃Children；〃　said　Lady　Woodley；　gravely；　〃I　shall　send　you　away　if　you

do　not　behave　discreetly。〃



〃But；　mother；　Rose　is　greedy；〃　said　Lucy。



〃Hold　your　tongues；　little　mischief　makers！〃　burst　out　Walter；　who

had　been　boiling　over　with　anxiety　and　indignation　the　whole　time。



〃Walter　is　cross　now；〃　said　Lucy；　pleased　to　have　produced　a

sensation；　and　to　have　shocked　Eleanor；　who　sat　all　the　time　as　good；

demure；　and　grave；　as　if　she　had　been　forty　years　old。



〃Pray　excuse　these　children；〃　said　Lady　Woodley；　trying　to　hide　her

anxiety　under　cover　of　displeasure　at　them；　〃no　doubt　Mrs。　Enderby

keeps　much　better　order　at　home。　　Lucy；　Charles；　silence　at　once。

Walter；　is　there　no　wine？〃



〃If　there　is；　it　is　too　good　for　rebels；〃　muttered　Walter　to　himself；

as　he　rose。　　〃Light　me；　Deborah；　and　I'll　see。〃



〃La！　　Master　Walter；〃　whispered　Deborah；　〃you　know　there　is　nothing

but　the　dregs　of　the　old　cask　of　Malmsey；　that　was　drunk　up　at　the

old　squire's　burying。〃



〃Hush；　hush；　Deb；〃　returned　the　boy；　〃fill　it　up　with　water；　and　it

will　be　quite　good　enough　for　those　who　won't　drink　the　King's

health。〃



Deborah　gave　a　half…puzzled　smile。　　〃Ye're　a　madcap；　Master　Walter！

But　sure；　Sir；　the　spirit　of　a　wolf　must　have　possessed　Mistress

Roseshe　that　eats　no　supper　at　all；　in　general！　　D'ye　think　it　is

wearying　about　Master　Edmund　that　gives　her　a　craving？〃



It　might　be　dangerous；　but　Walter　was　so　much　diverted；　that　he　could

not　help　saying；　〃I　have　no　doubt　it　is　on　his　account。〃



〃I　know；〃　said　Deborah；　〃that　I　get　so　faint　at　heart　that　I　am

forced　to　be　taking　something　all　day　long　to　keep　about　at　all！〃



By　this　time　they　were　re…entering　the　hall；　when　there　was　a　sound

from　the　kitchen　as　of　someone　calling。　　Deborah　instantly　turned；

screaming　out　joyfully；　〃Bless　me！　is　it　you？〃　and　though　out　of

sight；　her　voice　was　still　heard　in　its　high　notes　of　joy。　　〃You

good…for…nothing　rogue！　are　you　turned　up　again　like　a　bad　tester；

staring　into　the　kitchen　like　a　great　oaf；　as　you　be？〃



There　was　a　general　laugh；　and　Eleanor　said；　〃That　must　be　Diggory。〃



〃A　poor　country　clown；〃　said　Lady　Woodley；　〃whom　we　sent　to　join　my

son's　troop。　　I　hope　he　is　in　no　danger。〃



〃Oh　no；〃　said　Mr。　Enderby；　〃he　has　only　to　return　to　his　plough。〃



〃Hollo　there！〃　shouted　Walter。　　〃Come　in；　Diggory；　and　show

yourself。〃



In　came　Diggory；　an　awkward　thick…set　fellow；　with　a　shock　head　of

hair；　high　leathern　gaiters；　and　a　buff　belt　over　his　rough　leathern

jerkin。　　There　he　stood；　pulling　his　forelock；　and　looking　sheepish。



〃Come　in；　Diggory；〃　said　his　mistress；　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you　safe。

You　need　not　be　afraid　of　these　gentlemen。　　Where　are　t