redgauntlet-第111节

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General　Campbell　turned　away　to　the　window；　as　if　to　avoid　hearing　what　they　said。　　Their　consultation　was　but　momentary；　for　the　door　of　escape　which　thus　opened　was　as　unexpected　as　the　exigence　was　threatening。

'We　have　your　word　of　honour　for　our　protection；'　said　Sir　Richard　Glendale；　'if　we　dissolve　our　meeting　in　obedience　to　your　summons？'

'You　have；　Sir　Richard；'　answered　the　general。

'And　I　also　have　your　promise；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'that　I　may　go　on　board　yonder　vessel；　with　any　friend　whom　I　may　choose　to　accompany　me？'

Not　only　that；　Mr。　Ingoldsbyor　I　WILL　call　you　Mr。　Redgauntlet　once　moreyou　may　stay　in　the　offing　for　a　tide；　until　you　are　joined　by　any　person　who　may　remain　at　Fairladies。　　After　that；　there　will　be　a　sloop　of　war　on　the　station；　and　I　need　not　say　your　condition　will　then　become　perilous。'

'Perilous　it　should　not　be；　General　Campbell；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'or　more　perilous　to　others　than　to　us；　if　others　thought　as　I　do　even　in　this　extremity。'

'You　forget　yourself；　my　friend；'　said　the　unhappy　Adventurer；　you　forget　that　the　arrival　of　this　gentleman　only　puts　the　cope…　stone　on　our　already　adopted　resolution　to　abandon　our　bull…fight　or　by　whatever　other　wild　name　this　headlong　enterprise　may　be　termed。　　I　bid　you　farewell；　unfriendly　friendsI　bid　you　farewell；'　（bowing　to　the　general）　'my　friendly　foeI　leave　this　strand　as　I　landed　upon　it；　alone　and　to　return　no　more！'

'Not　alone；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'while　there　is　blood　in　the　veins　of　my　father's　son。'

'Not　alone；'　said　the　other　gentlemen　present；　stung　with　feelings　which　almost　overpowered　the　better　reasons　under　which　they　had　acted。　　'We　will　not　disown　our　principles；　or　see　your　person　endangered。'

'If　it　be　only　your　purpose　to　see　the　gentleman　to　the　beach；'　said　General　Campbell；　'I　will　myself　go　with　you。　　My　presence　among　you；　unarmed；　and　in　your　power；　will　be　a　pledge　of　my　friendly　intentions；　and　will　overawe；　should　such　be　offered；　any　interruption　on　the　part　of　officious　persons。'

'Be　it　so；'　said　the　Adventurer；　with　the　air　of　a　prince　to　a　subject；　not　of　one　who　complied　with　the　request　of　an　enemy　too　powerful　to　be　resisted。

They　left　the　apartmentthey　left　the　housean　unauthenticated　and　dubious；　but　appalling；　sensation　of　terror　had　already　spread　itself　among　the　inferior　retainers；　who　had　so　short　time　before　strutted；　and　bustled；　and　thronged　the　doorway　and　the　passages。　　A　report　had　arisen；　of　which　the　origin　could　not　be　traced；　of　troops　advancing　towards　the　spot　in　considerable　numbers；　and　men　who；　for　one　reason　or　other；　were　most　of　them　amenable　to　the　arm　of　power；　had　either　shrunk　into　stables　or　corners；　or　fled　the　place　entirely。　　There　was　solitude　on　the　landscape　excepting　the　small　party　which　now　moved　towards　the　rude　pier；　where　a　boat　lay　manned；　agreeably　to　Redgauntlet's　orders　previously　given。

The　last　heir　of　the　Stuarts　leant　on　Redgauntlet's　arm　as　they　walked　towards　the　beach；　for　the　ground　was　rough；　and　he　no　longer　possessed　the　elasticity　of　limb　and　of　spirit　which　had；　twenty　years　before；　carried　him　over　many　a　Highland　hill　as　light　as　one　of　their　native　deer。　　His　adherents　followed；　looking　on　the　ground；　their　feelings　struggling　against　the　dictates　of　their　reason。

General　Campbell　accompanied　them　with　an　air　of　apparent　ease　and　indifference；　but　watching；　at　the　same　time；　and　no　doubt　with　some　anxiety；　the　changing　features　of　those　who　acted　in　this　extraordinary　scene。

Darsie　and　his　sister　naturally　followed　their　uncle；　whose　violence　they　no　longer　feared；　while　his　character　attracted　their　respect；　and　Alan　Fairford　attended　them　from　interest　in　their　fate；　unnoticed　in　a　party　where　all　were　too　much　occupied　with　their　own　thoughts　and　feelings；　as　well　as　with　the　impending　crisis；　to　attend　to　his　presence。

Half…way　betwixt　the　house　and　the　beach；　they　saw　the　bodies　of　Nanty　Ewart　and　Cristal　Nixon　blackening　in　the　sun。

'That　was　your　informer？'　　said　Redgauntlet；　looking　back　to　General　Campbell；　who　only　nodded　his　assent。

'Caitiff　wretch！'　　exclaimed　Redgauntlet；'and　yet　the　name　were　better　bestowed　on　the　fool　who　could　be　misled　by　thee。'

'That　sound　broadsword　cut；'　said　the　general；　'has　saved　us　the　shame　of　rewarding　a　traitor。'

They　arrived　at　the　place　of　embarkation。　　The　prince　stood　a　moment　with　folded　arms；　and　looked　around　him　in　deep　silence。　A　paper　was　then　slipped　into　his　handshe　looked　at　it；　and　said；　'I　find　the　two　friends　I　have　left　at　Fairladies　are　apprised　of　my　destination；　and　propose　to　embark　from　Bowness。　I　presume　this　will　not　be　an　infringement　of　the　conditions　under　which　you　have　acted？'

'Certainly　not；'　answered　General　Campbell；　'they　shall　have　all　facility　to　join　you。'

'I　wish；　then；'　said　Charles；　'only　another　companion。　Redgauntlet；　the　air　of　this　country　is　as　hostile　to　you　as　it　is　to　me。　　These　gentlemen　have　made　their　peace；　or　rather　they　have　done　nothing　to　break　it。　　But　youcome　you　and　share　my　home　where　chance　shall　cast　it。　　We　shall　never　see　these　shores　again；　but　we　will　talk　of　them；　and　of　our　disconcerted　bull…　fight。'

'I　follow　you；　sire；　through　life；'　said　Redgauntlet；　'as　I　would　have　followed　you　to　death。　　Permit　me　one　moment。'

The　prince　then　looked　round；　and　seeing　the　abashed　countenances　of　his　other　adherents　bent　upon　the　ground；　he　hastened　to　say；　'Do　not　think　that　you；　gentlemen；　have　obliged　me　less　because　your　zeal　was　mingled　with　prudence；　entertained；　I　am　sure；　more　on　my　own　account　and　on　that　of　your　country；　than　from　selfish　apprehensions。'

He　stepped　from　one　to　another；　and；　amid　sobs　and　bursting　tears；　received　the　adieus　of　the　last　remnant　which　had　hitherto　supported　his　lofty　pretensions；　and　addressed　them　individually　with　accents　of　tenderness　and　affection。

The　general　drew　a　little　aloof；　and　signed　to　Redgauntlet　to　speak　with　him　while　this　scene　proceeded。　　'It　is　now　all　over；'　he　said；　'and　Jacobite　will　be　henceforward　no　longer　a　party　name。　　When　you　tire　of　foreign　parts；　and　wish　to　make　your　peace；　let　me　know。　　Your　restless　zeal　alone　has　impeded　your　pardon　hitherto。'

'And　now　I　shall　not　need　it；'　said　Redgauntlet。　　'I　leave　England　for　ever；　but　I　am　not　displeased　that　you　should　hear　my　family　adieus。Nephew；　come　hither。　　In　presence　of　General　Campbell；　I　tell　you；　that　though　to　breed　you　up　in　my　own　political　opinions　has　been　for　many　years　my　anxious　wish；　I　am　now　glad　that　it　could　not　be　accomplished。　　You　pass　under　the　service　of　the　reigning　monarch　without　the　necessity　of　changing　your　allegiancea　change；　however；'　be　added；　looking　around　him；　which　sits　more　easy　on　honourable　men　than　I　could　have　anticipated；　but　some　wear　the　badge　of　their　loyalty　on　their　sleeve；　and　others　in　the　heart。　　You　will；　from　henceforth；　be　uncontrolled　master　of　all　the　property　of　which　forfeiture　could　not　deprive　your　fatherof　all　that　belonged　to　himexcepting　this；　his　good　sword'　（laying　his　hand　on　the　weapon　he　wore）；　'which　shall　never　fight　for　the　House　of　Hanover；　and　as　my　hand　will　never　draw　weapon　more；　I　shall　sink　it　forty　fathoms　deep　in　the　wide　ocean。　　Bless　you；　young　man！　　If　I　have　dealt　harshly　with　you；　forgive　me。　　I　had　set　my　whole　desires　on　one　point；God　knows；　with　no　selfish　purpose；　and　I　am　justly　punished　by　this　final　termination　of　my　views；　for　having　been　too　little　scrupulous　in　the　means　by　which　I　pursued　them。　Niece；　farewell；　and　may　God　bless　you　also！'

'No；　sir；'　said　Lilias；　seizing　his　hand　eagerly。　　'You　have　been　hitherto　my　protector；you　are　now　in　sorrow；　let　me　be　your　attendant　and　your　comforter　in　exile。'

'I　thank　you；　my　girl；　for　your　unmerited　affection；　but　it　cannot　and　must　not　be。　　The　curtain　here　falls　between　us。　　I　go　to　the　house　of　another。　　If　I　leave　it　before　I　quit　the　earth；　it　shall　be　only　for　the　House　of　God。　　Once　more；　farewell　both！　The　fatal　doom；'　he　said；　with　a　melancholy　smile；　'will；　I　trust；　now　depart　from　the　House　of　Redgauntlet；　since　its　present　representative　has　adhered　to　the　winning　side。　　I　am　convinced　he　will　not　change　it；　should　it　in　turn　become　the　losing　one。'

The　unfortunate　Charles　Edward　had　now　given　his　last　adieus　to　his　downcast　adherents。　　He　made　a　sign　with　his　hand　to　Redgauntlet；　who　came　to　assist　him　into　the　skiff。　　General　Campbell　also　offered　his　assistance；　the　rest　appearing　too　much　affected　by　the　scene　which　had　taken　place　to　prevent　him。

'You　are　not　sorry；　general；　to　do　me　this　last　act　of　courtesy；'　said　the　Chevalier；　'and；　on　my　part；　I　thank　you　for　it。　　You　have　taught　me　the　principle　on　which　men　on　the　scaffold　feel　forgiveness　and　kindness　even　for　their　executioner。　　Farewell！'

They　were　seated　in　the　boat；　which　presently　pulled　off　from　the　land。　　The　Oxford　divine　broke　out　into　a　loud　benediction；　in　terms　which　General　Campbell　was　too　generous　to　criticize　at　the　time；　or　to　remember　afterwards；nay；　it　is　said；　that；　Whig　and　Campbell　as　he　was；　he　could　not　help　joining　in　the　universal　Amen！　　which　resounded　from　the　shore。




CONCLUSION；　BY　DR。　DRYASDUST

IN　A　L