little novels-第63部分

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correctly　reported；　the　cook's　conclusion　for　once　was　not　to　be　despised。

Under　this　last　trial　of　her　fortitude；　Mrs。　Bowmore's　feeble　reserves　of　endurance　completely　gave　way。　The　poor　lady　turned　faint　and　giddy。　Amelia　placed　her　on　a　chair　in　the　hall；　and　told　the　cook　to　open　the　front　door；　and　let　in　the　fresh　air。

The　cook　obeyed；　and　instantly　broke　out　with　a　second　terrific　scream；　announcing　nothing　less；　this　time；　than　the　appearance　of　Mr。　Bowmore　himself；　alive　and　hearty；　returning　with　Percy　from　the　meeting　at　the　Club！

The　inevitable　inquiries　and　explanations　followed。

Fully　assured；　as　he　had　declared　himself　to　be；　of　the　sanctity　of　his　person　（politically　speaking）；　Mr。　Bowmore　turned　pale；　nevertheless；　when　he　looked　at　the　unoccupied　peg　on　his　clothes　stand。　Had　some　man　unknown　personated　him？　And　had　a　post…chaise　been　hired　to　lead　an　impending　pursuit　of　him　in　the　wrong　direction？　What　did　it　mean？　Who　was　the　friend　to　whose　services　he　was　indebted？　As　for　the　proceedings　of　the　man…servant；　but　one　interpretation　could　now　be　placed　on　them。　They　distinctly　justified　what　Captain　Bervie　had　said　of　him。　Mr。　Bowmore　thought　of　the　Captain's　other　assertion；　relating　to　the　urgent　necessity　for　making　his　escape；　and　looked　at　Percy　in　silent　dismay；　and　turned　paler　than　ever。

Percy's　thoughts；　diverted　for　the　moment　only　from　the　lady　of　his　love；　returned　to　her　with　renewed　fidelity。　〃Let　us　hear　what　Charlotte　thinks　of　it；〃　he　said。　〃Where　is　she？〃

It　was　impossible　to　answer　this　question　plainly　and　in　few　words。

Terrified　at　the　effect　which　her　attempt　at　explanation　produced　on　Percy；　helplessly　ignorant　when　she　was　called　upon　to　account　for　her　daughter's　absence；　Mrs。　Bowmore　could　only　shed　tears　and　express　a　devout　trust　in　Providence。　Her　husband　looked　at　the　new　misfortune　from　a　political　point　of　view。　He　sat　down　and　slapped　his　forehead　theatrically　with　the　palm　of　his　hand。　〃Thus　far；〃　said　the　patriot；　〃my　political　assailants　have　only　struck　at　me　through　the　newspapers。　_Now_　they　strike　at　me　through　my　child！〃

Percy　made　no　speeches。　There　was　a　look　in　his　eyes　which　boded　ill　for　Captain　Bervie　if　the　two　met。　〃I　am　going　to　fetch　her；〃　was　all　he　said；　〃as　fast　as　a　horse　can　carry　me。〃

He　hired　his　horse　at　an　inn　in　the　town；　and　set　forth　for　Justice　Bervie's　house　at　a　gallop。

During　Percy's　absence；　Mr。　Bowmore　secured　the　front　and　back　entrances　to　the　cottage　with　his　own　hands。

These　first　precautions　taken；　he　ascended　to　his　room　and　packed　his　traveling…bag。　〃Necessaries　for　my　use　in　prison；〃　he　remarked。　〃The　bloodhounds　of　Government　are　after　me。〃　〃Are　they　after　Percy；　too？〃　his　wife　ventured　to　ask。　Mr。　Bowmore　looked　up　impatiently；　and　cried　〃Pooh！〃as　if　Percy　was　of　no　consequence。　Mrs。　Bowmore　thought　otherwise：　the　good　woman　privately　packed　a　bag　for　Percy；　in　the　sanctuary　of　her　own　room。

For　an　hour；　and　more　than　an　hour；　no　event　of　any　sort　occurred。

Mr。　Bowmore　stalked　up　and　down　the　parlor；　meditating。　At　intervals；　ideas　of　flight　presented　themselves　attractively　to　his　mind。　At　intervals；　ideas　of　the　speech　that　he　had　prepared　for　the　public　meeting　on　the　next　day　took　their　place。　〃If　I　fly　to…night；〃　he　wisely　observed；　〃what　will　become　of　my　speech？　I　will　_not_　fly　to…night！　The　people　shall　hear　me。〃

He　sat　down　and　crossed　his　arms　fiercely。　As　he　looked　at　his　wife　to　see　what　effect　he　had　produced　on　her；　the　sound　of　heavy　carriage…wheels　and　the　trampling　of　horses　penetrated　to　the　parlor　from　the　garden…gate。

Mr。　Bowmore　started　to　his　feet；　with　every　appearance　of　having　suddenly　altered　his　mind　on　the　question　of　flight。　Just　as　he　reached　the　hall；　Percy's　voice　was　heard　at　the　front　door。　〃Let　me　in。　Instantly！　Instantly！〃

Mrs。　Bowmore　drew　back　the　bolts　before　the　servants　could　help　her。　〃Where　is　Charlotte？〃　she　cried；　seeing　Percy　alone　on　the　doorstep。

〃Gone！〃　Percy　answered　furiously。　〃Eloped　to　Paris　with　Captain　Bervie！　Read　her　own　confession。　They　were　just　sending　the　messenger　with　it；　when　I　reached　the　house。〃

He　handed　a　note　to　Mrs。　Bowmore；　and　turned　aside　to　speak　to　her　husband　while　she　read　it。　Charlotte　wrote　to　her　mother　very　briefly；　promising　to　explain　everything　on　her　return。　In　the　meantime；　she　had　left　home　under　careful　protectionshe　had　a　lady　for　her　companion　on　the　journeyand　she　would　write　again　from　Paris。　So　the　letter；　evidently　written　in　great　haste；　began　and　ended。

Percy　took　Mr。　Bowmore　to　the　window；　and　pointed　to　a　carriage　and　four　horses　waiting　at　the　garden…gate。

〃Do　you　come　with　me；　and　back　me　with　your　authority　as　her　father？〃　he　asked；　sternly。　〃Or　do　you　leave　me　to　go　alone？〃

Mr。　Bowmore　was　famous　among　his　admirers　for　his　〃happy　replies。〃　He　made　one　now。

〃I　am　not　Brutus；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　only　Bowmore。　My　daughter　before　everything。　Fetch　my　traveling…bag。〃

While　the　travelers'　bags　were　being　placed　in　the　chaise；　Mr。　Bowmore　was　struck　by　an　idea。

He　produced　from　his　coat…pocket　a　roll　of　many　papers　thickly　covered　with　writing。　On　the　blank　leaf　in　which　they　were　tied　up；　he　wrote　in　the　largest　letters：　〃Frightful　domestic　calamity！　Vice…President　Bowmore　obliged　to　leave　England！　Welfare　of　a　beloved　daughter！　His　speech　will　be　read　at　the　meeting　by　Secretary　Joskin；　of　the　Club。　（Private　to　Joskin。　Have　these　lines　printed　and　posted　everywhere。　And；　when　you　read　my　speech；　for　God's　sake　don't　drop　your　voice　at　the　ends　of　the　sentences。）〃

He　threw　down　the　pen；　and　embraced　Mrs。　Bowmore　in　the　most　summary　manner。　The　poor　woman　was　ordered　to　send　the　roll　of　paper　to　the　Club；　without　a　word　to　comfort　and　sustain　her　from　her　husband's　lips。　Percy　spoke　to　her　hopefully　and　kindly；　as　he　kissed　her　cheek　at　parting。

On　the　next　morning；　a　letter；　addressed　to　Mrs。　Bowmore；　was　delivered　at　the　cottage　by　private　messenger。

Opening　the　letter；　she　recognized　the　handwriting　of　her　husband's　old　friend；　and　her　old　friendMajor　Mulvany。　In　breathless　amazement；　she　read　these　lines：

〃DEAR　MRS。　BOWMOREIn　matters　of　importance；　the　golden　rule　is　never　to　waste　words。　I　have　performed　one　of　the　great　actions　of　my　lifeI　have　saved　your　husband。

〃How　I　discovered　that　my　friend　was　in　danger；　I　must　not　tell　you　at　present。　Let　it　be　enough　if　I　say　that　I　have　been　a　guest　under　Justice　Bervie's　hospitable　roof；　and　that　I　know　of　a　Home　Office　spy　who　has　taken　you　unawares；　under　pretense　of　being　your　footman。　If　I　had　not　circumvented　him；　the　scoundrel　would　have　imprisoned　your　husband；　and　another　dear　friend　of　mine。　This　is　how　I　did　it。

〃I　must　begin　by　appealing　to　your　memory。

〃Do　you　happen　to　remember　that　your　husband　and　I　are　as　near　as　may　be　of　about　the　same　height？　Very　good；　so　far。　Did　you；　in　the　next　place；　miss　Bowmore's　traveling　coat　and　cap　from　their　customary　peg？　I　am　the　thief；　dearest　lady；　I　put　them　on　my　own　humble　self。　Did　you　hear　a　sudden　noise　in　the　hall？　Oh；　forgive　meI　made　the　noise！　And　it　did　just　what　I　wanted　of　it。　It　brought　the　spy　up　from　the　kitchen；　suspecting　that　something　might　be　wrong。

〃What　did　the　wretch　see　when　he　got　into　the　hall？　His　master；　in　traveling　costume；　running　out。　What　did　he　find　when　he　reached　the　garden？　His　master　escaping；　in　a　post…chaise；　on　the　road　to　London。　What　did　he　do；　the　born　blackguard　that　he　was？　Jumped　up　behind　the　chaise　to　make　sure　of　his　prisoner。　It　was　dark　when　we　got　to　London。　In　a　hop；　skip；　and　jump；　I　was　out　of　the　carriage；　and　in　at　my　own　door；　before　he　could　l　ook　me　in　the　face。

〃The　date　of　the　warrant；　you　must　know；　obliged　him　to　wait　till　the　morning。　All　that　night；　he　and　the　Bow　Street　runners　kept　watch　They　came　in　with　the　sunriseand　who　did　they　find？　Major　Mulvany　snug　in　his　bed；　and　as　innocent　as　the　babe　unborn。　Oh；　they　did　their　duty！　Searched　the　place　from　the　kitchen　to　the　garretsand　gave　it　up。　There's　but　one　thing　I　regretI　let　the　spy　off　without　a　good　thrashing。　No　matter。　I'll　do　it　yet；　one　of　these　days。

〃Let　me　know　the　first　good　news　of　our　darling　fugitives；　and　I　shall　be　more　than　rewarded　for　what　little　I　have　done。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Your　always　devoted；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃TERENCE　MULVANY。〃


CHAPTER　XI。

PURSUIT　AND　DISCOVERY。

FEELING　himself　hurried　away　on　the　road　to　Dover；　as　fast　as　four　horses　could　carry　him；　Mr。　Bowmore　had　leisure　to　criticise　Percy's　conduct；　from　his　own　purely　selfish　point　of　view。

〃If　you　had　listened　to　my　advice；〃　he　said；　〃you　would　have　treated　that　man　Bervie　like　the　hypocrite　and　villain　that　he　is。　But　no！　you　trusted　to　your　own　crude　impressions。　Having　given　him　your　hand　after　the　duel　（I　would　have　given　him　the　contents　of　my　pistol！）　you　hesitated　to　withdraw　it　again；　when　that　slanderer　appealed　to　your　friendship　not　to　cast　him　off。　Now　you　see　the　consequence！〃

〃Wait　till　we　get　to　Paris！〃　All　the　ingenuity　of　Percy's　traveling　companion　failed　to　extract　from　him　any　other　answer　than　that。

Foiled　so　far；　Mr。　Bowmore　began　to　start　difficulties　next。　Had　they　money　enough　for　the　journey？　Percy　touched　his　pocket；　and　answered　shortly；　〃Plenty。〃　Had　they　passports？　Percy　sullenly　showed　a　letter。　〃There　is　the　necessary　voucher　from　a　magistrate；〃　he　said。　〃The　consul　at　Dover　will　give　us　our　passports。　Mind　this！〃　he　added；　in　warning　tones；　〃I　have　pledged　my　word　of　honor　to　Justice　Bervie　that　we　have　no　political　object　in　view　in　traveling　to　France。　Keep　your　politics　to　yourself；　on　the　other　side　of　the　Channel。〃

Mr。　Bowmore　listened　in　blank　amazement。　Charlotte's　lover　was　appearing　in　a　new　characterthe　character　of　a　man　who　had　lost　his　respect　for　Charlotte's　father！

It　was　useless　to　talk　to　him。　He　deliberately　checked　any　further　attempts　at　conversation　by　leaning　back　in　the　carriage；　and　closing　his　eyes。　The　truth　is；　Mr。　Bowmore's　own　language　and　conduct　were　insensibly　producing　the　salutary　impression　on　Percy's　mind　which　Bervie　had　vainly　tried　to　convey；　under　the　disadvantage　of　having　Charlotte's　influence　against　h