Redgauntlet [246]
occasioned, as it afterwards proved, by some stragglers having at length discovered the dead bodies of Nanty Ewart and of Nixon.
Amid the confusion occasioned by this alarming incident, the sentinel ceased to attend, to his duty; and accepting Alan Fairford's arm, Lilias found no opposition in penetrating even to the inner apartment, where the principal persons in the enterprise, whose conclave had been disturbed by this alarming incident, were now assembled in great confusion, and had been joined by the Chevalier himself.
'Only a mutiny among these smuggling scoundrels,' said Redgauntlet.
ONLY a mutiny, do you say?' said Sir Richard Glendale; 'and the lugger, the last hope of escape for,'--he looked towards Charles,--'stands out to sea under a press of sail!'
'Do not concern yourself about me,' said the unfortunate prince; 'this is not the worst emergency in which it has been my lot to stand; and if it were, I fear it not. Shift for yourselves, my lords and gentlemen.'
'No, never!' said the young Lord --. 'Our only hope now is in an honourable resistance.'
'Most true,' said Redgauntlet; 'let despair renew the union amongst us which accident disturbed. I give my voice for displaying the royal banner instantly, and--How now!' he concluded, sternly, as Lilias, first soliciting his attention by pulling his cloak, put into his hand the scroll, and added, it was designed for that of Nixon.
Redgauntlet read--and, dropping it on the ground, continued to stare upon the spot where it fell, with raised hands and fixed eyes. Sir Richard Glendale lifted the fatal paper, read it, and saying, 'Now all is indeed over,' handed it to Maxwell, who said aloud, 'Black Colin Campbell, by G--d! I heard he had come post from London last night.'
As if in echo to his thoughts, the violin of the blind man was heard, playing with spirit, The Campbells are coming,' a celebrated clan-march.
'The Campbells are coming in earnest,' said MacKellar; they are upon us with the whole battalion from Carlisle.'
There was a silence of dismay, and two or three of the company began to drop out of the room.
Lord -- spoke with the generous spirit of a young English nobleman. 'If we have been fools, do not let us be cowards. We have one here more precious than us all, and come hither on our warranty--let us save him at least,'
'True, most true,' answered Sir Richard Glendale. 'Let the king be first cared for.'
'That shall be my business,' said Redgauntlet 'if we have but time to bring back the brig, all will be well--I will instantly dispatch a party in a fishing skiff to bring her to.' He gave his commands to two or three of the most active among his followers. 'Let him be once on board,' he said, 'and there are enough of us to stand to arms and cover his retreat.'
'Right, right,' said Sir Richard, 'and I will look to points which can be made defensible; and the old powder-plot boys could not have made a more desperate resistance than we shall. Redgauntlet,' continued he, 'I see some of our friends are looking pale; but methinks your nephew has more mettle in his eye now than when we were in cold deliberation, with danger at a distance.'
'It is the way of our house,' said Redgauntlet; 'our courage ever kindles highest on the losing side. I, too, feel that the catastrophe I have brought on must not be survived by its author. Let me first,' he said, addressing Charles, 'see your Majesty's sacred person in such safety as can now be provided for it, and then'--
'You may spare all considerations concerning me, gentlemen,' again repeated Charles; 'yon mountain of Criffel shall fly as soon as I will.'
Most threw themselves at his feet with weeping and entreaty; some one or two slunk in confusion from the apartment, and were heard riding off. Unnoticed in such a scene, Darsie, his sister, and Fairford, drew together, and held each other by the hands, as those who, when a vessel is about to founder in the storm, determine to take their chance of life and death together.
Amid this scene of confusion, a gentleman,
Amid the confusion occasioned by this alarming incident, the sentinel ceased to attend, to his duty; and accepting Alan Fairford's arm, Lilias found no opposition in penetrating even to the inner apartment, where the principal persons in the enterprise, whose conclave had been disturbed by this alarming incident, were now assembled in great confusion, and had been joined by the Chevalier himself.
'Only a mutiny among these smuggling scoundrels,' said Redgauntlet.
ONLY a mutiny, do you say?' said Sir Richard Glendale; 'and the lugger, the last hope of escape for,'--he looked towards Charles,--'stands out to sea under a press of sail!'
'Do not concern yourself about me,' said the unfortunate prince; 'this is not the worst emergency in which it has been my lot to stand; and if it were, I fear it not. Shift for yourselves, my lords and gentlemen.'
'No, never!' said the young Lord --. 'Our only hope now is in an honourable resistance.'
'Most true,' said Redgauntlet; 'let despair renew the union amongst us which accident disturbed. I give my voice for displaying the royal banner instantly, and--How now!' he concluded, sternly, as Lilias, first soliciting his attention by pulling his cloak, put into his hand the scroll, and added, it was designed for that of Nixon.
Redgauntlet read--and, dropping it on the ground, continued to stare upon the spot where it fell, with raised hands and fixed eyes. Sir Richard Glendale lifted the fatal paper, read it, and saying, 'Now all is indeed over,' handed it to Maxwell, who said aloud, 'Black Colin Campbell, by G--d! I heard he had come post from London last night.'
As if in echo to his thoughts, the violin of the blind man was heard, playing with spirit, The Campbells are coming,' a celebrated clan-march.
'The Campbells are coming in earnest,' said MacKellar; they are upon us with the whole battalion from Carlisle.'
There was a silence of dismay, and two or three of the company began to drop out of the room.
Lord -- spoke with the generous spirit of a young English nobleman. 'If we have been fools, do not let us be cowards. We have one here more precious than us all, and come hither on our warranty--let us save him at least,'
'True, most true,' answered Sir Richard Glendale. 'Let the king be first cared for.'
'That shall be my business,' said Redgauntlet 'if we have but time to bring back the brig, all will be well--I will instantly dispatch a party in a fishing skiff to bring her to.' He gave his commands to two or three of the most active among his followers. 'Let him be once on board,' he said, 'and there are enough of us to stand to arms and cover his retreat.'
'Right, right,' said Sir Richard, 'and I will look to points which can be made defensible; and the old powder-plot boys could not have made a more desperate resistance than we shall. Redgauntlet,' continued he, 'I see some of our friends are looking pale; but methinks your nephew has more mettle in his eye now than when we were in cold deliberation, with danger at a distance.'
'It is the way of our house,' said Redgauntlet; 'our courage ever kindles highest on the losing side. I, too, feel that the catastrophe I have brought on must not be survived by its author. Let me first,' he said, addressing Charles, 'see your Majesty's sacred person in such safety as can now be provided for it, and then'--
'You may spare all considerations concerning me, gentlemen,' again repeated Charles; 'yon mountain of Criffel shall fly as soon as I will.'
Most threw themselves at his feet with weeping and entreaty; some one or two slunk in confusion from the apartment, and were heard riding off. Unnoticed in such a scene, Darsie, his sister, and Fairford, drew together, and held each other by the hands, as those who, when a vessel is about to founder in the storm, determine to take their chance of life and death together.
Amid this scene of confusion, a gentleman,