The Billow and the Rock Part 22

Annie bowed her head, and then said--

"You would not have me conceal her state from herself, I think, sir."

"I would not. I believe she is aware that I think her very ill-- decisively ill."

"I hope she is. I have seen in her of late that which makes me desire for her the happy knowledge that she is going home to a place where she may find more peace than near her enemies in a city of the earth."

Fancying that the President shook his head, Annie went on--

"I would not be presumptuous, sir, for another any more than for myself: but when a better life is permitted to begin, ever so feebly, here, surely G.o.d sends death, not to put it out, but to remove it to a safer place."

The President smiled kindly, and walked away.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

FREE AT LAST!

Sir Alexander and his guests remained on the island only a few days; but during that time the President gave Lady Ca.r.s.e many hours of his society. Full as his mind was of public and private affairs--charged as he was with the defence of Scotland against the treason of the Pretender and his followers--grieved as he was by the heart-sorrows which attend civil war--and now a fugitive, dest.i.tute of means, and in peril of his life--he still had cheerfulness and patience to minister to Lady Ca.r.s.e.

From his deliberate and courteous entrance, his air of leisure, his quiet humour in conversation, and his clear remembrance of small incidents relating to the lady's family and acquaintance, anyone would have supposed that he had not a care in the world. For the hour, Lady Ca.r.s.e almost felt as if she had none. She declared herself getting quite well; and she did strive, by a self-command and prudence such as astonished even Annie, to gain such ground as should enable her to leave the island when the President did--that is, as she and others supposed, when the spring should favour the sending an English army to contest the empire once more with the still successful Pretender.

But, in four days, there was a sudden break up. A faithful boatman of Sir Alexander's came over from Skye to give warning of danger. There were no three men in Scotland so hated by the rebels as the three gentlemen now on the island; and no expense or pains were to be spared in capturing them. They must not remain, from any mere hope of secrecy, in a place which contained only women and children. They must go where they could not only hide, but be guarded by fighting men. It was decided to be off that very moment. The President desired one half-hour, that he might see Lady Ca.r.s.e, and a.s.sure her of his care and protection, and of relief, as soon as he could command the means. He entered as deliberately as usual, and merely looked at his watch and said that he had ten minutes, and no more.

"You must not go," said she. "We cannot spare you. Oh, you need not fear any danger! We have admirable hiding-places in our rock, where, to my knowledge, you can have good fires, and a soft bed of warm sand. You are better here. You must not go."

Of course the President said he must, and civilly stopped the remonstrance. Then she declared, with a forced quietness, "If you will go, I must go with you. Do not say a word against it. I have your promise, and I will hold you to it. Oh, yes, I am fit to go--fitter than to stay. If I stay, I shall die this night. If I go, I shall live to keep a certain promise of mine--to go and see my Lord Lovat's head fall. I will not detain you; we have five minutes of your ten yet I will be across the threshold before your ten minutes are up. Helsa!

Helsa, come with me."

"What is to be done?" asked the President of Annie. "You know her best.

What if I compel her to stay? Would there be danger?"

"I think she would probably die to-night, as she says. If she could convince herself of her weakness, that would be best. She cannot walk to the sh.o.r.e. She cannot sit in an open boat in winter weather."

"You are right. I will let her try. She may endure conviction by such means."

"I will go with you to help her home."

"That is well; but you are feeble yourself."

"I am, sir; but I must try what I can do." Lady Ca.r.s.e was over the threshold within the ten minutes, followed by Helsa with a bundle of clothes. She cast a glance of fiery triumph back at the dwelling, and round the whole desolate scene. For a few steps she walked firmly, then she silently accepted the President's arm. Further on, she was glad to have Helsa's on the other side.

"Let me advise you to return," said the President, pausing when the descent became steeper. "By recruiting here till the spring, you--"

"I will recruit elsewhere, thank you. When I once get into the boat I shall do very well. It is only this steep descent, and the treacherous footing."

She could not speak further. All her strength was required to keep herself from falling between her two supporters. "You will not do better in the boat. You mistake your condition," said the President.

"Plainly, my conviction is, that if you proceed you will die."

"I shall not. I will not. If I stay, I shall not see another day. If I go, I may live to seventy. You do not know me, my lord. You are not ent.i.tled to speak of the power of my will."

The President and the widow exchanged glances, and no further opposition was offered.

"We may as well spare your strength, however," said the President. "The boatmen shall carry you. I will call them. Oh! I see. You are afraid I should give you the slip. But you may release my skirts. Your servants will do us the favour to go forward and send us help."

The boatmen looked gloomy about conveying two women--one of them evidently very ill; and Sir Alexander would have refused in any other case whatever. But he had vowed to interfere no more in Lady Ca.r.s.e's affairs, but to consider her wholly the President's charge.

"I see your opinion in your face," said the President to him, "and I entirely agree with you. But she is just about to die, at all events; and if it is an indulgence to her to die in the exercise of a freedom from which she has been debarred so long, I am not disposed to deny it to her. I a.s.sume the responsibility."

"My doubt is about the men," observed Sir Alexander; "but I will do what I can."

He did what he could by showing an interest in the embarkation of the lady. He laid the cloaks and plaids for her in the bottom of the boat, and spoke cheerfully to her--almost jokingly--of the uncertainty of their destination. He lifted her in himself, and placed Helsa beside her; and then his men dared not show further unwillingness but by silence.

Lady Ca.r.s.e raised herself and beckoned to Annie. Annie leaned over to her, and said, "Dear Lady Ca.r.s.e, you look very pale. It is not too late to say you will come home with me."

Lady Ca.r.s.e tried to laugh; but it was no laugh, but a convulsion. She struggled to say, "I shall do very well presently, when I feel I am free. It is only the last prison airs that poison me. If we never meet again--"

"We shall not meet in life, Lady Ca.r.s.e. I shall pray for you."

"I know you will. And I--I wished to say--but I cannot--"

"I know what you would say. Lie down and rest. G.o.d be with you!"

All appeared calm and right on board the boat, as long as Annie could watch its course in the harbour. When it disappeared behind a headland, she returned home to look for it again. She saw it soon, and for some time, for it coasted the island to the northernmost point for the chance of being unseen to the last possible moment. It was evidently proceeding steadily on its course, and Annie hoped that the sense of freedom might be acting as a restorative for the hour to the dying woman. Those on board hoped the same; for the lady, when she had covered her face with a handkerchief, lay very still.

"She looks comfortable," whispered the President to Sir Alexander. "Can you suggest anything more that we can do?"

"Better let her sleep while she can, my lord. She appears comfortable at present."

Three more hours pa.s.sed without anything being observable in Lady Ca.r.s.e, but such slight movements now and then as showed that she was not asleep. She then drew the handkerchief from her face and looked up at Helsa, who exclaimed at the change in the countenance. The President bent over her, and caught her words--

"It is not your fault--but I am dying. But I am sure I should have died on land, and before this. And I have escaped! Tell my husband so."

"I will. Shall I raise you?"

"No; take no notice. I cannot bear to be pitied. I will not be pitied; as this was my own act. But it is hard--"

"It _is_ hard: but you have only to pa.s.s one other threshold courageously, and then you are free indeed. Man cannot harm you there."

"But, to-day, of all seasons--"

"It _is_ hard: but you have done with captivity. No more captivity! My dear Lady Ca.r.s.e, what remains! What is it you would have? You would not wish for vengeance! No! it is pain!--you are in pain. Shall I raise you?"

"No, no: never mind the pain! But I did hope to see my husband again."

"To forgive him. You mean, to forgive him?"

"No: I meant--"