CHAPTER XXIV.[H]
"Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania." _Midsummer Night's Dream._
"My strength thou mayest indeed overcome, for God made women weak, and trusted their defence to man's generosity."--_Ivanhoe._
"Ha! my fair damsel," said Captain de Vere, as he entered the room withStacy and L'Estrange, for to them we must again return; "you see we arecome to drill you in true love-making, and teach changeable girls theirduty to return to their first love."
"How dare you enter a lady's room?" replied Ellen, in a haughty voice."You, an officer in the King's army! Do you not blush to own it? You, aman, and insult an unprotected maiden!"
"Ho! that does not go down with me," said the Captain. "Hear her, Bill.Egad! one would think she was queen, and we her humble prisoners!" andhe gave a brutal laugh at his jest. "You are proud, my fine girl; wewill bring you down a bit; were you proud as Lucifer you should bend. Ihave never been bearded by man in my life, and, by G--! a girl in herteens does not do so!"
As he said these words he walked forward to where Ellen stood.
It would be untrue to say Ellen was not dismayed by the bold soldier'sattitude; her words belied her heart.
"Fear not, my pretty one; you are as pert as a finch--and I like you forit. Egad! I envy Ned his sweetheart. But we will leave you together totalk it out, or fight it out."
It was a dreadful moment for Ellen; close to her stood the Captain withan unrelenting and cruel eye on her; a short distance behind was oldBill, whose face betrayed no emotions whatever; lingering on thethreshold was L'Estrange; he looked as if ashamed of the part he wasplaying, and Ellen, with her quick discernment, read hope only in hiscountenance, and thanked God inwardly it was with him and not theCaptain she had to deal.
For a few moments the Captain only glared on his innocent victim.
Then he said, "Come along, Bill, let's leave the lovers."
"Get up your courage, Ned," he continued; "why, Lord bless me, you lookas pale and frightened as if you were to be hung, instead of going towoo a fair lady."
"Let's away now," said old Bill.
So saying he turned to leave the room, whither the Captain followed him,saying to L'Estrange, as he left, "Egad! she is a fine creature; and, byJove! I envy your luck. If you can't come round her, remember you haveonly to stamp your foot--we are below; and were she St. Agnes herself Iwill see if she escapes me."
He then disappeared behind the wainscoting by the secret door; the arrasflapped behind him, shaken by the wind of the door shutting. He slowlydescended the stairs, and entered a lower room, or rather, vault, whereold Bill kennelled. An oil-lamp burned on the table, and shed a fitfullight on the rough features of the old tar, and the soldierly butfierce-looking Captain, as they drank, and talked, and swore.
"Where the deuce has Antonia earthed herself?"
"The deevil kens best," was the reply.
"Then you should know, Bill; for I often think you are his SatanicMajesty incarnate."
"I scarce think I'm worse than you, Jack; at yer years I wur a heapbetter."
"Stow your abuse. But what, in the fiend's name, has that to do withJuana? I tell you, Bill, I do mistrust that wench. Where hides she now?Heaven forfend she may not have betrayed us!"
The old man laughed.
"That wur a fool's trick. It wur to ruin herself. Nae fears, trust Tony;she ain't the idiot you take her for."
"I will trust no woman! I' faith, I know the sex. If Ned plies his gamewell he will bring Ellen round to love him yet. G--'s name! she is afine girl! I am smitten, by Jove! I'll allow it."
"You are a fool, then, not to board her yourself. D--n me if I wouldhave thought, and plotted, and worked for another man's wench."
"There is truth in it; but where the h-- is Tony? I have a misgiving weare betrayed."
"Your misgiving be d--d. Tony's as true as steel, and sharp as aslasher."
The two then conversed on different matters; their conversation beingwell interlarded with oaths and curses. And in this way the best part ofhalf an hour slipped away, when a stamp was heard on the floor above.The Captain started up with, "The faint-hearted fool; I see he has nostomach for the siege. I'll up and show him how to storm thebreastworks; and if I win her love, by G-- I'll have it, too. I begin torepent my folly in not making up to the girl myself. Now he has given methe chance, see if I don't improve on it!"
He rose, and ere he strode for the door, glanced through the window onto the green. "Death and furies! I knew it! we are betrayed!" he cried,through his clenched teeth when he saw the Earl and several othersappear. "Earth, Stacy--there is treason, and Juana is traitor! Off, Isay. The siege has been raised!"
It needed no words; like a startled rat the old man dived into a recess,and the Captain fled by a back passage to his horse, which he mounted,leaving L'Estrange to his fate. Trusting that Juana had not dared toimplicate him in her confession, he rode round and appeared as we haveseen, determined to terrify Ellen into silence; he felt sure L'Estrangeknew him too well to be puzzled at his apparent desertion. He was mostfearful of Juana; but this fear was dispelled by his short interviewwith her at the door.
We must now return to Ellen and L'Estrange. When the Captain and Stacywere gone, Ellen felt able to breathe; she had some hope in the milderdisposition of L'Estrange; and she determined to try him both by prouddefiance and a woman's last resource--supplication and tears. As theCaptain thought, it was evident he had little heart for it; and as hestood silent and undetermined at the door, Ellen despised him for hislack of courage in pressing the very suit she most dreaded. For a longtime neither moved nor spoke; it was a scene worthy an artist's pencil,if, indeed, he could have caught the different expressions on these twoyoung persons' faces, which made the conqueror stand like a captivebondman, and the captive like a victorious queen! Ellen's face neverblanched, nor did her lip quiver, nor did her voice tremble, as sheaddressed him:
"It falls again to my lot to open conversation; and I ask, withunaffected surprise, the meaning of this scene--of my captivity--andyour presence where all high feelings, manly sentiment, and soldierlyhonour forbid your intrusion?"
"I thank you for your words; they give me nerve and steel my breast. Weare now in altered positions, Miss Ravensworth; it was I who wassuppliant last time, and now I am in a position to demand."
"Methinks it sits ill upon you," said Ellen; "a third person would, Ithink, see in you the suppliant still."
"You jest with your head in the lion's mouth."
"You wrong the noble animal; rather compare yourself to the jackall thatbattens on the quarry the lion hunts down."
"Lady, you are severe; but it becomes not your present position to bandywords with your--"
"Oppressor," supplied Ellen, finishing his sentence. "And are you sunkso low, Edward L'Estrange, as to be the oppressor of her you once saidyou loved? Have I lived to see one I ever thought worthy of the name ofBriton stoop to be a woman's oppressor? You are under a cloud; you arenot yourself; you have been led away by wicked men! Show yourself whatonce you were,--too high, too proud to crush one whom those bolder inguilt and vice have hunted down; in your very sins be a man, and not abase tool!"
"Oh! do not speak thus! you will kill me! Hear me, Ellen! Love me oncemore. It is my passion for you led me to do all this. Only say you willlove me, and remember all this as a dream--as a horrid dream."
"Whatever I might once have done, your conduct has totally broken thelast bond even of friendship. Love you, Edward L'Estrange? You cannotknow what love is. It is a passion, in pureness and height as far aboveyour base ideas as the frame you bear, but disgrace by your deeds, isabove the meaner brutes, whose passions you seem to emulate. I mayforgive you if you will restore me to my home and those I love; I mayhold you guiltless of this abduction and insult; but love you--oh,_never!_ how could you even dream of it?"
"You forget, proud maiden, where, and in whose hands you are; last timeit was in your power to crush
me, and you used it; this time you are mycaptive, and I will make my own terms. Terms, said I? I will not evenmake terms. You are mine. You are in my power. You shall--you must--bemy wife."
"Edward L'Estrange, by all the memory of better days, I beseech youpause ere you do this dastard action! I will not think so darkly of youas to suppose you are capable of doing what you threaten. I throw myselfon your honour. If there is one spark remaining in your breast,--if allthat is good, all that is brave, all that is virtuous has not whollydied away,--if there is only a glimmer lingering after all that, likethe sun, has set,--wrong me not! There is no glory in overpowering aweak woman; there is nothing brave, nothing soldierly in it; it is but amean action to overcome those who are weaker. Man was formed to protectwoman, not to injure her. Oh! be yourself again. I appeal to yourhonour! Oh! hear me!"
"My honour is gone; I am void of all that is good; in one only thing Iam still human,--in love to thee!"
"Degenerate man! and can you speak your shame? Have you nothing left?Oh! your words belie your heart; it is not so black as you have paintedit. Throw down the idol that has usurped its throne; root out the weedsthat rankle there,--burn out the plague spot!"
"Ellen," replied the wretched man, in a hollow tone, "I am sold to theEvil One; all that is good is departed from me; all that is evil livesand dwells in me. But why do I delay? You must, you _shall_ be my wife!refuse me no longer; I have sworn it; you are my prisoner; appeal notto my mercy,--it is gone! Appeal not to my honour,--I have none! I haveno pity. I glory in my shame. I will force you to be my wife; there is apriest below, he will join our hands; refuse me no more! I am settled,fixed, steeled for the worst."
"A mock priest, like your officers! Oh! degraded, wretched young man, ifnothing holy, nothing divine moves you, see if earthly threats willavail. I tell you, L'Estrange, you stand on a mine,--you totter on avolcano; it will burst, and hurl your soul and body to the hell to whichyou have sold yourself! You do not dare touch me; you dread the Earl'spower too much. You speak proudly,--you are not able to perform!"
"Am I not? You are alone; you are far from all, save those who aredarker than _me_, and more wicked. I will have the ceremony read, andthen you are mine! Nothing can sever us. Ha!--how like you that?"
"Listen, unhappy young man,--you are not able to perform your threats.Wedded to me you shall never be while I live! I have in my hand themeans of my own death,--see this dagger! Before your defiling touch canreach me, it shall be sheathed in my heart; you will see EllenRavensworth has the power and has the determination to end this scene,though her death only does so! And yet it is hard to die with friends sonear; but if death only places a gulf between us, I can die, and atleast die preserving my lord's honour! But dread him; from my earlytomb, dread his vengeance! I may die, depending on God's mercy; but woeto thee!--death first, and after death eternity. Punishment may flaghere,--it will not there."
"Ellen, let me undeceive you; you think that the Earl strives to rescueyou,--it is not so! Your own mind might have told you that. The Earl hasbeen told you are fled with me; he believes it, and, deeming youunworthy of his love, he has disowned you,--he ceases to care for you!"
"Oh! it is impossible! Lost, wretched as you are, you could not,--youcould not have told him so."
"I said not that I did; but know it is nevertheless true. Think you hewould have left you so long unrescued had it not been so? Bewise,--accept this hand, and I will live to make you happy."
"God be merciful to me, when all forsake me!" said Ellen, in a voicethat went to L'Estrange's heart.
"Come, Ellen, do not be obstinate; be my wife; say one word to tell meso."
"Never! You may torture me,--I am in your power,--you may kill me:nothing will make me give but one answer,--'No!'"
"Then your blood be on your own head."
L'Estrange advanced as though to seize her; but at the same moment shedrew forth the blade, and placing its point on her breast, said--
"The instant that you touch me I drive this into my heart! Glory over mycold remains,--your hand shall never touch me living!"
Involuntarily L'Estrange stepped back; he knew Ellen's character toowell to suppose it was only a threat; he knew that the moment he touchedher she would fall a lifeless corpse; he loved her; however base hispassion had grown he still loved that girl too much to tempt such acatastrophe; for a moment he stood in suspense, and then said--
"I must, then, call others who have less mercy in them than I have. Iown I am yet too young in crime; once more,--will you yield to fairmeasures?"
"Never!"
"Then, by G--!--for you would drive the veriest Job out of patience--youshall to foul!"
With these words he struck the ground with his foot heavily. The stampseemed as if it struck Ellen's heart; she saw all her hopes fade in thatsound; she had rightly judged L'Estrange would not proceed to violence;and the longer she could temporize with him, the better chance of herlife being saved, and succour coming; but she knew the Captain would atonce compel her to proceed to her last bitter resource,--death! She wasfully determined she would die, if matters came to extremity; and now,in a few more minutes, those desperate men would drive her to it. Oh! itwas cruel! Perhaps, even now, her lover was nigh, and friends and rescuenear! And then she thought, perhaps he had told her true, and she was nolonger an object of solicitude. She prayed in an agony; she listenedevery moment to hear his footsteps approach. L'Estrange, too, listenedin suspense. What! had they played him false? He stamped again.
"You escape not thus, maiden; if no one will come, thank God, I canovercome you without their aid!"
Like a tiger he sprung on the despairing girl; she struck wildly for herheart, uttering a shriek as she did so,--the first that was wrung fromher bosom by her awful situation. The blow never reached: caught by thequick arm of L'Estrange, he had seized the dagger, and flung it to theother end of the room; at the same moment a loud shock almost shatteredthe door. He sprang back as if a viper had bitten him.
"They are come, thank God! Oh, He never failed me yet!"
"Who?" asked L'Estrange, in a hollow voice.
Again the crash came; once more the door stood the shock! An interval ofawful silence reigned; he heard confused sounds, among which hedistinguished the Earl's voice, and then he heard the Captain cry--
"I will help!"
"He has betrayed me," thought L'Estrange. "I care not,--they must beardthe lion in his den!"
He drew forth a pistol and cocked it; Ellen heard the sound, but shealmost heeded it not,--she was buried in prayer. L'Estrange had time toescape ten times over; there was the secret door, known to none buthimself and his colleagues, and from this he might have escaped, andhidden with old Stacy in the dungeons to which it led; but he was eitherpetrified, or the hopes of avenging himself on the Earl and Ellen atonce, in his lordship's death, induced him to remain.
Once more the tremendous crash thundered on the door, and this time themighty gate gave way before the strength that stormed it, and over theruins he saw the assaulters. Their howl of vengeance moved him not. Hesaw the Earl, the Marquis, and many others. Could he believe hiseyes,--behind them stood the Captain!
"He has, then, betrayed me, and he dies for it!"
He was about to fire, when a masonic sign from the Captain stayed hishand, just in time, and he reserved the shot for the Earl!
The Weird of the Wentworths: A Tale of George IV's Time, Vol. 1 Page 24