페이지 이미지
PDF
ePub

resources, the courage, and ferocity of the pirate Cap, that the provost was blamed by the collector, and ny other sage citizens of Kirkwall, for permitting him be at large upon any conditions.

It may be well believed, that, under such circumstanCleveland had no desire to seek any place of public ort, conscious that he was the object of a mixed feelof curiosity and terror. His favourite place of exere, therefore, was the external aisles of the Cathedral Saint Magnus, of which the eastern end alone is fitted for public worship. This solemn old edifice, having aped the ravage which attended the first convulsions he Reformation, still retains some appearance of epispal dignity. This place of worship is separated by a een from the nave and western limb of the cross, and e whole is preserved in a state of cleanliness and dency, which might be well proposed as an example to e proud piles of Westminster and Saint Paul's. It was in this exterior part of the Cathedral that Cleved was permitted to walk, the rather that his guards, by atching the single open entrance, had the means, with ry little inconvenience to themselves, of preventing any ssible attempt at escape. The place itself was well ited to his melancholy circumstances. The lofty and ulted roof rises upon ranges of Saxon pillars, of maswe size, four of which, still larger than the rest, once pported the lofty spire, which, long since destroyed by cident, has been rebuilt upon a disproportioned and uncated plan. The light is admitted at the eastern end rough a lofty, well-proportioned, and richly-ornamented othic window, and the pavement is covered with inseripOns, in different languages, distinguishing the graves of ble Orcadians, who have at different times been desited within the sacred precincts.

Here walked Cleveland, musing over the events of a is-spent life, which, it seemed probable, might be brought a violent and shameful close, while he was yet in the rime of youth. With these dead," he said, looking 18* VOL. II..

66

[ocr errors]

he is now to bid farewell. I have determined to put you and the two girls ashore, with Fletcher for your protection; and so call up the young women, and let them be gone before the devil get aboard of me, or of some one else. You will carry my letter to the magistrates, and second it with your own eloquence, and assure them, that if they hurt but one hair of Cleveland's head, there will be the devil to pay, and no pitch hot."

Relieved at heart by this unexpected termination of Bunce's harangue, Halcro descended the companion ladder two steps at a time, and knocking at the cabin door could scarce find intelligible language enough to say hi errand. The sisters hearing with unexpected joy, tha they were to be set ashore, muffled themselves in thei cloaks, and, when they learned that the boat was hoiste out, came hastily on deck, where they were apprized fo the first time, to their great horror, that their father wa still to remain on board of the pirate.

“We will remain with him at every risk,” said Minn -"we may be of some assistance to him, were it but fo an instant-we will live and die with him!"

"We shall aid him more surely," said Brenda, wh comprehended the nature of their situation better tha Minna, "by interesting the people of Kirkwall to gra these gentlemen's demands."

66

Spoken like an angel of sense and beauty," sa Bunce; " and now away with you; for, d―n me, if th

is not like having a lighted linstock in the powder-roo -if you speak another word more, confound me if I kno how I shall bring myself to part with you!"

"Go, in God's name, my daughters," said Magnu "I am in God's hand; and when you are gone I sh care little for myself-and I shall think and say, as lo as I live, that this good gentleman deserves a better trad -Go-go-away with you"-for they yet lingered reluctance to leave him.

"Stay not to kiss," said Bunce, "for fear I be tempt to ask my share. Into the boat with you-yet stop instant." He drew the three captives apart-"Fletcher

aid he, "will answer for the rest of the fellows, and will ee you safe off the sea-beach. But how to answer for Fletcher, I know not, except by trusting Mr. Halcro with his little guarantee."

He offered the minstrel a small double-barrelled pistol, hich, he said, was loaded with a brace of balls. Minna bserved Halcro's hand tremble as he stretched it out to "Give it to me, sir," she said, taking from the outlaw; " and trust to me for defending my ister and myself."

ake the weapon.

"Bravo, bravo!" shouted Bunce. "there spoke a wench worthy of Cleveland, the King of Rovers." "Cleveland!" repeated Minna, "do you then know hat Cleveland, whom you have twice named ?"

"Know him! Is there a man alive," said Bunce," that knows better than I do the best and stoutest fellow ever stepped betwixt stem and stern? When he is out of the bilboes, as please Heaven he shall soon be, I reckon to see you come on board of us, and reign the queen of every sea we sail over.-You have got the little guardian; I suppose you know how to use it? If Fletcher behaves ill o you, you need only draw up this piece of iron with your humb, so—and if he persists, it is but crooking your pretty fore-finger thus, and I shall lose the most dutiful nessmate that ever man had-though, d—n the dog, he will deserve his death if he disobeys my orders. And now, into the boat-but stay, one kiss for Cleveland's sake."

Brenda, in deadly terror, endured his courtesy, but Minna, stepping back with disdain, offered her hand. Bunce laughed, but kissed, with a theatrical air, the fair and which she extended as a ransom for her lips, and at length the sisters and Halcro were placed in the boat, which rowed off under Fletcher's command.

Bunce stood on the quarter-deck, soliloquizing after the manner of his original profession. "Were this told at Port-Royal now, or at the Isle of Providence, or in the Petits Guaves, I wonder what they would say of ine! Why, that I was a good-natured milksop—a Jack-a-lent

-an ass.-Wel., let them. I have done enough of bad to think about it; it is worth while doing one good action if it were but for the rarity of the thing, and to put on in good humour with one's self." Then turning to Mag nus Troil, he proceeded-" By, these are bon robas, these daughters of yours! The eldest would mak her fortune on the London boards. What a dashing a titude the wench had with her, as she seized the pistol!d―n me, that touch would have brought the house dow What a Roxalana the jade would have made!" (for, in b oratory, Bunce, like Sancho's gossip, Thomas Cecia was apt to use the most energetic word which came hand, without accurately considering its propriety.) would give my share of the next prize but to hear h spout

'Away, be gone, and give a whirlwind room,
Or I will blow you up like dust.-Avaunt!
Madness but meanly represents my rage.'

And then, again, that little, soft, shy, tearful trembl for Statira, to hear her recite

'He speaks the kindest words, and looks such things,
Vows with such passion, swears with so much grace,
That 'tis a kind of heaven to be deluded by him.'

What a play we might have run up!-I was a beast to think of it before I sent them off-1 to be Alexand -Claud Halcro, Lysimachus-this old gentleman mi have made a Clytus for a pinch. I was an idiot not think of it!"

There was much in this effusion which might have pleased the Udaller; but, to speak truth, he paid no tention to it. His eye, and, finally, his spy-glass, w employed in watching the return of his daughters to shore. He saw them land on the beach, and, accom nied by Halcro, and another man, (Fletcher, doubtle he saw them ascend the acclivity, and proceed upon road to Kirkwall, and he could even distinguish Minna, as if considering herself as the guardian of

arty, walked a little aloof from the rest, on the watch, s it seemed, against surprise, and ready to act as occaion should require. At length, as the Udaller was just bout to lose sight of them, he had the exquisite satisfacon to see the party halt, and the pirate leave them, after space just long enough for a civil farewell, and proceed lowly back, on his return to the beach. Blessing the Great Being who had thus relieved him from the most gonizing fears which a father can feel, the worthy Udaler, from that instant, stood resigned to his own fate, hatever that might be.

CHAPTER XVII.

Over the mountains and under the waves,
Over the fountains and under the graves,
Over floods that are deepest,

Which Neptune obey,

Over rocks that are steepest,

Love will find out the way.

Old Song.

THE parting of Fletcher from Claud Halcro and the sisters of Burgh-Westra, on the spot where it took place, was partly occasioned by a small party of armed men beng seen at a distance in the act of advancing from Kirkwall, an apparition hidden from the Udaller's spy-glass by the swell of the ground, but quite visible to the pirate, whom it determined to consult his own safety by a speedy return to his boat. He was just turning away, when Minna occasioned the short delay which her father had observed.

"Stop," she said; "I command you!-Tell your leader from me, that whatever the answer may be from Kirkwall, he shall carry his vessel, nevertheless, round to Stromness; and, being anchored there, let him send a

« 이전계속 »