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16 - In the Reign of Terror: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy by G A Henty · In the Reign of Terror: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy

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Speaker 1: And The Reign of Terror by George Alfred Hinty, Chapter fifteen, England.
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Speaker 1: Go below Mademoiselle's, the captain of the lugger said, as
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Speaker 1: soon as they had put foot on the deck, if
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Speaker 1: anyone on the shore were to see us as we
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Speaker 1: ran down and notice a woman on deck, he would
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Speaker 1: think it strange. At any rate, it is best to
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Speaker 1: be on the safe side, so saying, he led the
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Speaker 1: way to his cabin below. It is a rough place, Mademoiselle's,
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Speaker 1: he said, removing his cap, but it is better than
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Speaker 1: the prison and Nante's. And I am sorry to say
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Speaker 1: that when we get down near the forts, I shall
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Speaker 1: have to ask you to hide down below the casks.
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Speaker 1: I heard last night that in future every boat is
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Speaker 1: going out of the river, even if it is only
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Speaker 1: a fishing boat, is to be searched. But you needn't
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Speaker 1: be afraid. We have constructed a hiding place where they
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Speaker 1: will never find you unless they unloaded the whole lugger,
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Speaker 1: and that there is no chance that they're doing. We
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Speaker 1: do not mind where we hide, Captain Jenny said, we
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Speaker 1: have been hiding for the last six months, and we
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Speaker 1: are indeed grateful to you for having consented to take
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Speaker 1: us with you. I hope that you will not be
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Speaker 1: the last that the Troy Ferree will carry across. The
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Speaker 1: captain said, whatever be the risk, in the future, I
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Speaker 1: will take any fugitives who wish to escape to England.
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Speaker 1: At first I was against the government, for I thought
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Speaker 1: that people were taxed too heavily, and that if we
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Speaker 1: did away with the nobles, things would be better for
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Speaker 1: those who work for their living. But I'd never bargained
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Speaker 1: for bloodshed and murder, and that affair I saw yesterday
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Speaker 1: has sickened me all together. And fond as I am
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Speaker 1: of the Troy Fairie, I would myself bore holes in
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Speaker 1: her and sink her if I had a carrier. And
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Speaker 1: the whole of this murderous gang securely fastened below hatches.
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Speaker 1: This cabin is at your disposal, Mademoiselle's during the voyage,
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Speaker 1: and I trust you will make yourselves as comfortable as
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Speaker 1: you can. Ah, here's the boy with coffee. Now, if
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Speaker 1: you will permit me, I will go on deck and
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Speaker 1: look after the course. In the meantime, Harry was chatting
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Speaker 1: with Adolph, who introduced him to the crew, whom he
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Speaker 1: had already told of the service Jenny had rendered, and
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Speaker 1: as several of them lived in the same street, they
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Speaker 1: two heard from their wives of the young woman who
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Speaker 1: lodged with Mary Lefaux and had done so much for
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Speaker 1: those who are suffering. He was therefore cordially received by
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Speaker 1: the sailors, to each of whom the captain had already
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Speaker 1: promised double pay for the voyage if they got through safely.
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Speaker 1: And you will remember Adolf said that you are Andrea
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Speaker 1: le Boeuf. Andrea had to make a cold swim of
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Speaker 1: it this morning. But there was the commissary on the
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Speaker 1: wharf when he started, and he had the captain's list
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Speaker 1: of the crew, and saw that each man was on board,
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Speaker 1: and searched high and low to see that there was
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Speaker 1: no one else. So Andrea, instead of slipping off home again,
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Speaker 1: had to go with us. When we were out of
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Speaker 1: sight of the town, the captain steered as near the
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Speaker 1: bank as he could, and Andrea jumped over and swam ashore.
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Speaker 1: It is all the better, as it is turned out,
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Speaker 1: because the commissary signed the list of the crew and
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Speaker 1: put a seal to its. The Troy Ferree was approaching
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Speaker 1: the forts of the mouth of the river and the
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Speaker 1: captain came down to the cabin in which Harry was
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Speaker 1: chatting with the two girls, now Mademoiselle's, He said, it
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Speaker 1: is time for you to go to your hiding place,
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Speaker 1: for it will take us nearly half an hour to
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Speaker 1: close it up again. As soon as the reds have
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Speaker 1: left us, we will let you out. The hatch was
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Speaker 1: lifted and they descended into the hold of the vessel,
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Speaker 1: which was full of kegs, to within three feet of
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Speaker 1: the deck. The captain carried a lantern. Please follow me, Mademoiselle's,
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Speaker 1: you must crawl along here. The girls followed him until
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Speaker 1: they were close to the bulkhead dividing the hold from
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Speaker 1: the forecastle. Two feet from this there was a vacant space,
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Speaker 1: now Mademoiselle's, If you will give me your hands, I
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Speaker 1: will lower you down here. Do not be afraid your
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Speaker 1: feet will touch the bottom, and I have had some
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Speaker 1: hay put in there for you to sit upon. Eight off.
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Speaker 1: You had better go down first with that lantern of
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Speaker 1: yours to receive them. The girls were lowered down and
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Speaker 1: found themselves in a space of five feet long and
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Speaker 1: two feet wide, once said, was formed by the bulkhead.
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Speaker 1: On the other there were kegs four feet from the bottom.
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Speaker 1: A beam of wood had been nailed against the bulkhead.
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Speaker 1: The captain now handed down to aid off some short beams.
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Speaker 1: This he fixed, with one end resting on the beam,
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Speaker 1: the other in a space between the kegs. This is
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Speaker 1: to form the roof Mademoiselle's, he said, I am going
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Speaker 1: up now, and then we shall place three tiers of
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Speaker 1: kegs on the beams, which will fill it up level,
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Speaker 1: but the rest above, and if you have plenty of
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Speaker 1: air for it, can get down beneath the casks, and
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Speaker 1: the Captain will leave the hatchway open. Are you comfortable quite,
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Speaker 1: Genni said firmly, But if Jennie did not answer, the
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Speaker 1: thought of being shut up down there in the dark
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Speaker 1: was terrible to her. However, the warm, steady pressure of
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Speaker 1: Jennie's hand reassured her, and she kept her fears to herself.
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Speaker 1: The kegs were lowered into their places, and all was
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Speaker 1: made smooth. Just as one of the men called down
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Speaker 1: the hatchway to the captain, there is a gunboat coming
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Speaker 1: out of the port. Captain. After a last look round,
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Speaker 1: the captain sprang onto the deck and ordered the sails
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Speaker 1: to be lowered and in a few minutes the gunboat
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Speaker 1: ran alongside. Show me your papers, an officer said, as
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Speaker 1: he leaped on board, followed by half a dozen sailors.
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Speaker 1: The captain went down into his cabin and brought up
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Speaker 1: the papers. That is all right, the officer said, glancing
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Speaker 1: at them. Now, where's the list of your crew? This
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Speaker 1: is it, the captain said, taking it from his pocket.
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Speaker 1: A commissary at Nante's went through them on starting and
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Speaker 1: placed his seal to it. As you see, Form the
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Speaker 1: men up and let them answer to their names, the
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Speaker 1: officer said. The men formed in line, and the officer
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Speaker 1: bent out their names, Harry answering for Andrea, and Les Boeuf.
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Speaker 1: That is all right so far, the officer said. Now, sir,
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Speaker 1: I must, according to my orders, search your vessel to
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Speaker 1: see that no one is concealed. There By all means,
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Speaker 1: the captain said, you will find the Troy I Ferrie
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Speaker 1: carries nothing contraband except her cargo. I have already taken
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Speaker 1: off the hatch as you see, in order to save time.
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Speaker 1: The forecastles in cabin were first searched closely. Several of
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Speaker 1: the sailors then descended into the hold. Two lanterns were
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Speaker 1: handed down to them. It looks all clear, sir, one
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Speaker 1: of the sailors said to the officer. The latter leaped
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Speaker 1: down out of the kegs and looked round. Yes, it
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Speaker 1: looks all right, but you had better shift some of
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Speaker 1: the kegs and see that all is solid. Some of
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Speaker 1: the kegs removed from their position, and in a few
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Speaker 1: places some of the second tier were also lifted. The
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Speaker 1: officer himself superintended the search. I think I can let
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Speaker 1: you go on now, Captain Greenald, He said, your men
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Speaker 1: can stow the cargo again. A good voyage to you,
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Speaker 1: and made you meet with no English cruisers by the way.
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Speaker 1: The captain at once gave orders for the sales to
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Speaker 1: be run up again, and by the time the officer
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Speaker 1: and his men had climbed over the bulwarks into the
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Speaker 1: gunboat of the Troy Ferrie had already weigh upon her.
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Speaker 1: The captain then gave the order for the men to
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Speaker 1: go below and stow the casks again. Adolph and Harry
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Speaker 1: were the first to leap down, and before the vessels
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Speaker 1: were two hundred yards apart, they had removed the two
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Speaker 1: uppermost tiers of kegs next to bulkhead and were able
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Speaker 1: to speak to the girls. Are you quite all right
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Speaker 1: down there, Jenny? Harry asked, yes, quite right, Harry, though
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Speaker 1: the air is rather close. Virginny has fainted. She was
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Speaker 1: frightened when she heard them moving the kegs just over
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Speaker 1: our heads. But she will come round as soon as
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Speaker 1: you get her on deck. Last year was removed and
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Speaker 1: Harry lowered himself into the hold. He and Jennie raised
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Speaker 1: the Jenny until Adolf and one of the other sailors
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Speaker 1: could reach her. Jenny was lifted onto the cross beams
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Speaker 1: and was soon beside her sister and Harry quickly clambered up.
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Speaker 1: They must not come on deck yet, the captain said,
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Speaker 1: speaking down the hatchway. We are too close to the gunboat,
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Speaker 1: and from the forts with their glasses they can see
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Speaker 1: what is passing on our deck. Don't replace the kegs
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Speaker 1: over the hole again, adof we may be overhauled again
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Speaker 1: and had better leave it open in case of emergencies.
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Speaker 1: Virginnie was carried under the open hatchway. Some water was
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Speaker 1: handed down to Jenny, who sprinkled it on her face,
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Speaker 1: and this with fresh air, speedily brought her round. When
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Speaker 1: the lugger was a mile of low the forts. The
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Speaker 1: captain said that they could now safely come up, and
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Speaker 1: they were soon in possession of the cabin again. Before evening,
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Speaker 1: the lugger was out of sight of land. The wind
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Speaker 1: was blowing freshly, and she raced along, leaving a broad
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Speaker 1: track of foam behind her. The captain and Krue were
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Speaker 1: in high spirits at having succeeded in carrying off the
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Speaker 1: fugitives from under the noses of their enemies, and at
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Speaker 1: the progress the lugger was making. We shall not be
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Speaker 1: far from the coast of England by tomorrow night. The
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Speaker 1: captain said to Harry, that is, if we have the
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Speaker 1: luck to avoid meeting of any English cruisers. We don't
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Speaker 1: care much for the revenue cutters, but there is not
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Speaker 1: one of them that can overhaul the Troy Ferree in
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Speaker 1: wind like this. They have all had more than one try.
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Speaker 1: But we can laugh at them. But it would be
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Speaker 1: a different thing if we fell into one of the
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Speaker 1: Channel cruisers and a light wind, we could keep away
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Speaker 1: from them too, But with the brisk wind like this
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Speaker 1: we should have no chance with them. They carried too
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Speaker 1: much sail for us. There is a boy carrying in
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Speaker 1: the supper to your sisters. With their permission, you and
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Speaker 1: I will sup with them. The captain sent in a
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Speaker 1: polite message to the girls, and, on receipt of the
9:18
Speaker 1: answer that they would be very pleased to have the
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Speaker 1: captain's company, he and Harry went down. The meal was
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Speaker 1: an excellent one, but the girls ate but little, for
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Speaker 1: they were both beginning to feel the effects of the
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Speaker 1: motion of the vessel, for they had, when once fairly
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Speaker 1: at sea, kept on deck. The captain, perceiving that they
9:35
Speaker 1: ate but little, proposed to Harry that coffee should be
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Speaker 1: served on deck, so that the ladies might at once
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Speaker 1: lie down for the night. Now, Captain Harry said, as
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Speaker 1: the skipper lit his pipe, I dare say you would
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Speaker 1: like to hear how we came to be fugitives on
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Speaker 1: board your ship. If you have no obligation to tell me,
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Speaker 1: I should. Indeed, the captain replied, I have been wondering
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Speaker 1: all day how you young people escaped the search for
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Speaker 1: suspects so long, and how you came to be at Nantes,
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Speaker 1: where as Adolph tells me, your sister was an angel
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Speaker 1: among the poor, and that you yourself were a member
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Speaker 1: of the revolutionary committee that seemed to me the most
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Speaker 1: extraordinary of all. But I wouldn't ask any questions until
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Speaker 1: you yourself volunteer to enlighten me. Harry thereupon related the
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Speaker 1: whole story of their adventures, concealing only the fact that
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Speaker 1: the girls were not his sisters, as it was less
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Speaker 1: awkward for Jenny that the relationship should be supposed to exist. Saprize,
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Speaker 1: your adventures have been barblous, Moss. You and I congratulate
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Speaker 1: you heartily. You have a rare head and courage, and
10:35
Speaker 1: yet you cannot be above twenty. I am just nineteen,
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Speaker 1: Harry replied, just nineteen. And you succeeded in getting your
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Speaker 1: friends safely out of that mob of scoundrels in the
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Speaker 1: Abbe eight, that your elder sister out of La Force.
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Speaker 1: You fooled Ross Pierre and the revolutionists in named Tese,
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Speaker 1: and you carried those girls safely through France, rescued them
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Speaker 1: from the white lugger, and got them on board Detroit Ferry.
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Speaker 1: It sounds like a miracle. They're getting them on or
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Speaker 1: Detroit Fraie. You must remember my sister's work. I had
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Speaker 1: failed and was in despair. Suspicions were already aroused. And
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Speaker 1: we should assuredly have been arrested if I had not
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Speaker 1: been that she had won the heart of Adolph's wife
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Speaker 1: by nursing her child in its illness. That is so
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Speaker 1: the captain agreed. And they must have good courage too
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Speaker 1: that they didn't betray themselves all that time. And now
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Speaker 1: I tell you what I will do, Mosieu. If you
11:25
Speaker 1: will write a letter to your sister in Paris saying
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Speaker 1: that you and the other two have reached England safely,
11:31
Speaker 1: I will, when I return, send it by surehand to Paris.
11:35
Speaker 1: To make all safe, you had better send it to
11:36
Speaker 1: the people she is staying with, and word it so
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Speaker 1: that no one will understand it if they were to
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Speaker 1: read it. Say, for example, my dear sister, you'll be
11:45
Speaker 1: glad to hear that the consignment of lace has been
11:47
Speaker 1: safely landed at England. Then you can go on saying
11:50
Speaker 1: that your mother is better, and that you expect to
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Speaker 1: be married soon as you have made a good prophet
11:55
Speaker 1: out of lace, and so on, and just sign your
11:58
Speaker 1: name your brother Henry. I can trust the man who
12:02
Speaker 1: will deliver it in Paris, but it is just as
12:05
Speaker 1: well always to be on the safe side. If your
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Speaker 1: letter is opened and read, anyone will suppose that it
12:10
Speaker 1: is written by a sailor belonging to one of the
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Speaker 1: Nante's luggers. Harry thanked the captain warmly for the offer,
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Speaker 1: and said that the letter would indeed be an immense
12:18
Speaker 1: comfort to his sister and friend. I will tell the
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Speaker 1: man that he is to ask if there is any answer,
12:24
Speaker 1: the captain said, And if your sister isn't as sharp
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Speaker 1: as you are, she will write the same sort of letter,
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Speaker 1: and I will bring it across with me to England
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Speaker 1: the first voyage I make after I get it. Harry
12:35
Speaker 1: slept down on the forecastle with the crew, the captain
12:39
Speaker 1: keeping on deck all night. He was evoked by an
12:42
Speaker 1: order shouted down the forecastle for all hands to come
12:44
Speaker 1: on deck, and, hurrying up with the rest, found that
12:47
Speaker 1: the sun had just risen. The day was beautifully fine,
12:51
Speaker 1: and to Harry's surprise, he found that those on deck
12:53
Speaker 1: had already lowered the great lug sails. What is it, Captain,
12:57
Speaker 1: he asked, There is a sail there I don't like.
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Speaker 1: The captain said, if I am not mistaken, that is
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Speaker 1: an English frigate. There were several sails inside, but the
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Speaker 1: one to which the captain pointed, was crossing ahead of
13:09
Speaker 1: the lugger. Her whole could not be seen, and indeed
13:12
Speaker 1: from the deck only her top sails and royals were
13:14
Speaker 1: visible above the water. I hope she will not see us,
13:17
Speaker 1: the captain said. We are low in the water, and
13:20
Speaker 1: these stump masts could hardly be seen at that distance,
13:23
Speaker 1: even by a lookout at the masthead. We already somewhat
13:27
Speaker 1: astern of her, and every minute will take her further away.
13:30
Speaker 1: If she does not see us in a quarter of
13:32
Speaker 1: an hour, we shall be safe. If she does, there
13:35
Speaker 1: is nothing for it but to run back towards the
13:37
Speaker 1: French coast. We should have such a long start that
13:40
Speaker 1: with this wind she would never catch us. But she
13:43
Speaker 1: may fire her guns and bring another cruiser down upon
13:45
Speaker 1: us and cast us off. There are a dozen of
13:48
Speaker 1: them waiting on different parts of the coast. Harry kept
13:52
Speaker 1: his eye anxiously upon the ship. So she sailed steadily on,
13:56
Speaker 1: and in a half an hour the sails were again
13:59
Speaker 1: hoisted and the Troye Ferrie proceeded on her way. She
14:03
Speaker 1: passed comparatively near several merchantmen, but these paid no attention
14:07
Speaker 1: to her. She was too small for a privateer, and
14:10
Speaker 1: her object and destination were easily guessed at. The girls
14:14
Speaker 1: soon came on deck, and the captain had some cushions
14:16
Speaker 1: placed for them under shelter of the bulwark, for although
14:20
Speaker 1: the sun was shining brightly, the wind was keen and piercing.
14:24
Speaker 1: Are we beyond danger? Was Virginie's first question, as Harry
14:27
Speaker 1: took his seat by her. Beyond all danger of being overtaken,
14:30
Speaker 1: that is to say, beyond all danger of beating a
14:33
Speaker 1: French vessel of war. The rfelaers seldom venture to show
14:37
Speaker 1: themselves many miles from port, except of course, as a
14:40
Speaker 1: fleet for single vessels would soon get picked up by
14:44
Speaker 1: our cruisers. Yes, I think we are quite out of danger.
14:48
Speaker 1: There's only one chance against us, And what is that, Harry,
14:51
Speaker 1: Jennie asked. It is not a serious one, Harry replied.
14:55
Speaker 1: It is the only that we may be chased by
14:58
Speaker 1: English revenue cutters and force to run off from the
15:00
Speaker 1: English coast again. But even then we should soon return. Besides,
15:05
Speaker 1: I have no doubt the captain would let us have
15:07
Speaker 1: a boat so that we could be picked up by
15:09
Speaker 1: the cutter in pursuit of us. I don't think that
15:12
Speaker 1: would be a good plan, Jenny said, because they might
15:14
Speaker 1: not stop to pick us up, and then we might
15:16
Speaker 1: have a long way to reach the shore. No, I
15:19
Speaker 1: don't think it would be better to stay on board, Harry,
15:22
Speaker 1: for you, as you say, if she does have to
15:24
Speaker 1: run away for a time, she is sure to come
15:27
Speaker 1: back again to unload her cargo. But of course, do
15:30
Speaker 1: whatever you think best. I think your view is the best, Jenny. However,
15:35
Speaker 1: I hope the opportunity will not occur and that the
15:38
Speaker 1: Troy Ferrie will run her cargo without interference. The captain
15:42
Speaker 1: tells me he is making for a port on the
15:44
Speaker 1: Dortshire coast and that he is expected. Of course, he
15:47
Speaker 1: could not say the exact day he would be here,
15:50
Speaker 1: but he told them the day on which, if he
15:53
Speaker 1: could get his cargo on board, he should sail and
15:56
Speaker 1: they will be looking out for him. Before sunset, the
15:59
Speaker 1: English was visible. We could not have time get better,
16:02
Speaker 1: the captain said, it will be getting dark before they
16:05
Speaker 1: could make us out. Even from the cliffs, every sale
16:08
Speaker 1: was now scrutinized by the captain through his glass, but
16:10
Speaker 1: he saw nothing that looked suspicious. At nine o'clock in
16:14
Speaker 1: the evening, the lugger was within three miles of the coast.
16:17
Speaker 1: Get ready to the signal lanterns, the captain ordered, and
16:20
Speaker 1: a few minutes later three lanterns were hoisted, one above
16:23
Speaker 1: the other. Almost immediately two lights were shown in a
16:26
Speaker 1: lane atop the cliff. There is our answer, the captain said,
16:30
Speaker 1: There is nothing to be done tonight. That means the
16:32
Speaker 1: revenue men are on the lookout. Come back tomorrow night.
16:36
Speaker 1: But they are always on the lookout, are they not,
16:38
Speaker 1: Harry asked, yes, the captain said, But when our friends
16:41
Speaker 1: on shore no we are coming, they try to throw
16:45
Speaker 1: them off the scent. It will be whispered about tomorrow
16:48
Speaker 1: that our run is likely to be made ten miles
16:50
Speaker 1: along the coast, and they will take care that this
16:53
Speaker 1: comes to the ears of the revenue officer. Then tomorrow evening,
16:57
Speaker 1: after dusk, a fishing boat will go out and show
16:59
Speaker 1: some lights two miles off the shore at a point
17:02
Speaker 1: named and a rocket will be sent up from the cliff.
17:05
Speaker 1: That will convince them that the news is true, and
17:08
Speaker 1: the revenue officers will hurry away in that direction with
17:10
Speaker 1: every man they can get together. Then we shall run
17:14
Speaker 1: here and land our cargo. There will be plenty of
17:17
Speaker 1: carts waiting for us, and before the revenue manner back,
17:19
Speaker 1: the kegs will be stowed safely away miles inland. Of course,
17:24
Speaker 1: things go wrong sometimes, and the revenue officers are not
17:28
Speaker 1: to be fooled. But in nine cases out of ten
17:30
Speaker 1: we managed to run our cargoes without a shot being fired.
17:34
Speaker 1: Now I must get off shore again. The orders were
17:37
Speaker 1: given and the troy Ferrie was soon running out to sea.
17:41
Speaker 1: They stood far out and lowered the sails and drifted
17:45
Speaker 1: until late in the afternoon, when they again made sail
17:47
Speaker 1: for the land. At ten o'clock. The signal lights were
17:50
Speaker 1: again exhibited, and this time the answer was made by
17:54
Speaker 1: one light low down by the water's edge. The coast
17:57
Speaker 1: is clear, the captain said, rubbing his hands. We'll take
18:00
Speaker 1: her in as close as she will go. The less
18:02
Speaker 1: distance there is to row, the better. The troy Feriree
18:07
Speaker 1: was run until within a hundred yards of the shore.
18:09
Speaker 1: Then a light anchor was dropped. The two boats had
18:12
Speaker 1: already been lowered and were towed alongside, and the work
18:15
Speaker 1: of transferring the cargo at once began. Do you go
18:20
Speaker 1: in the first boat, monsieur, with the ladies. The captain said,
18:23
Speaker 1: The sooner you are sure, the better. There is no
18:25
Speaker 1: saying whence we may not be disturbed and obliged to
18:29
Speaker 1: run out to sea again at a moment's notice. Thank god,
18:32
Speaker 1: he exclaimed, as after wading through the shallow water, he
18:35
Speaker 1: stood on the shore while the two of the sailors
18:38
Speaker 1: carried the girls and put them beside him. Thank god,
18:41
Speaker 1: I have got you safe to English soil at last.
18:44
Speaker 1: I began to despair at one time, Thank god, indeed,
18:47
Speaker 1: Jennie said reverently. But I have never quite despaired, Harry.
18:51
Speaker 1: It seemed to me he had protected us through so
18:54
Speaker 1: many dangers that he must mean that we should go
18:57
Speaker 1: safely through the mall, And yet it did seem hopeless
19:00
Speaker 1: at one time. We had better stand on one side, girls,
19:05
Speaker 1: or rather we had better push off from the cliff.
19:07
Speaker 1: These people are all too busy to notice us, and
19:10
Speaker 1: you might get knocked down. Besides, the coastguard might arrive
19:13
Speaker 1: at any moment, and then there would be a fight.
19:16
Speaker 1: So let us get well away from them. But they
19:18
Speaker 1: had difficulty in making their way up the cliff, for
19:21
Speaker 1: the path was filled with men carrying up tubs coming
19:24
Speaker 1: down for more after placing them into carts which were
19:26
Speaker 1: waiting to convey them inland. At last they got on top.
19:30
Speaker 1: One of the carts was already laden and was on
19:34
Speaker 1: the point of driving off, when Harry asked the man
19:36
Speaker 1: if he could tell him any farmhouse near where the
19:39
Speaker 1: two ladies who had landed with him could pass. The
19:41
Speaker 1: night master's place is two miles away, the men said,
19:46
Speaker 1: but if you like to walk as far, he will
19:48
Speaker 1: take you in. I doubt not. The girls at once
19:51
Speaker 1: agreed to the proposal, and in three quarters of an
19:54
Speaker 1: hour the car drew up at a farmhouse. Is it
19:56
Speaker 1: all right, bill, a man asked, opening the door as
19:58
Speaker 1: the cart stopped. Yes, it will be all right. None
20:03
Speaker 1: of the revenue chaps neither place. Here be the load
20:06
Speaker 1: of tubs. They was the first that came ashore. Who
20:09
Speaker 1: have you got here? The farmer askedes. Harry came forward
20:12
Speaker 1: with the girls. These are the young ladies we have
20:15
Speaker 1: crossed in the lugger. Harry replied. They have narrowly escaped
20:18
Speaker 1: being murdered in France by the revolutionists, and have gone
20:22
Speaker 1: through a terrible time. As they have nothing to go
20:25
Speaker 1: to tonight, I thought perhaps you would kindly let them
20:28
Speaker 1: sit by your fire till morning. Surely I will, the
20:31
Speaker 1: farmer said, get ye in, Get ye in, mistress, here
20:34
Speaker 1: are two young French ladies who have escaped from those
20:37
Speaker 1: bloody minded scoundrels in Paris. I needn't tell you to
20:41
Speaker 1: do what you can for them. The farmer's wife at
20:43
Speaker 1: once came forward and received the girls most kindly. They
20:46
Speaker 1: had both picked up a little English during Harry's residence
20:49
Speaker 1: at the chateau, and feeling they were in good hands,
20:51
Speaker 1: Harry again went out and led his assistance to the farmer,
20:54
Speaker 1: and carrying the tubs down to a place of concealment
20:57
Speaker 1: made under the flooring at one of the barns. The
21:00
Speaker 1: next day, the farmer drove into his gig to a
21:03
Speaker 1: town some miles inland. Here they procured dresses in which
21:06
Speaker 1: they could travel without exciting attention, and took their places
21:10
Speaker 1: in the coach which passed through the town for London
21:12
Speaker 1: next day. That evening, Harry gently broke to the girls
21:17
Speaker 1: the news of their brother's death, for he thought that
21:19
Speaker 1: it would otherwise come as a terrible shock to them
21:22
Speaker 1: on the arrival at his home. But Jennie was terribly upset,
21:25
Speaker 1: and Jenny cried for some time. Then, she said, your
21:29
Speaker 1: news does not surprise me, Harry. I have had a
21:31
Speaker 1: feeling all along that you knew something but were keeping
21:35
Speaker 1: it from me. You spoke so very seldom of them,
21:38
Speaker 1: and when you did, it seemed to me that what
21:40
Speaker 1: you said was not spoken in your natural voice. I
21:43
Speaker 1: felt sure that you had known nothing. You would have
21:46
Speaker 1: often talked to us of meeting them in London, and
21:49
Speaker 1: of the happiness it would be. I would not ask,
21:53
Speaker 1: because I was sure you had a good reason for
21:54
Speaker 1: not telling us. But I was quite sure that there
21:57
Speaker 1: was something. I thought it better to keep it from you, Jenny,
22:01
Speaker 1: until the danger was all over. In the first place,
22:04
Speaker 1: you had need of all your courage and strength. In
22:06
Speaker 1: the next place, it was possible that you might never
22:09
Speaker 1: reach England, and in that case you would never have
22:12
Speaker 1: suffered the pain of knowing anything about it. How thoughtful
22:15
Speaker 1: you are, Harry. Jennie murmured, Oh how much we owe you.
22:20
Speaker 1: But oh how again strange and lowly. We seem everywhere
22:23
Speaker 1: gone except Marie, and we may never see her again.
22:27
Speaker 1: You will see her again, never fear, Harry said confidently.
22:31
Speaker 1: And you will not feel lonely long for I can
22:33
Speaker 1: promise you that before you have been long in my
22:36
Speaker 1: mother's place, you will feel like one of the family. Yes,
22:40
Speaker 1: but I shall not be one of the family, Jenny said,
22:42
Speaker 1: not yet, Jenny. But mother will look upon you as
22:45
Speaker 1: her daughter. Directly, I tell her that you have promised
22:48
Speaker 1: to become so in reality someday. Harry's reception, when with
22:52
Speaker 1: the two girls he drove up in a Hackney coach
22:55
Speaker 1: to the house at Shane Walk, was overwhelming, and the
22:59
Speaker 1: two French girls were at first bewildered by the rush
23:01
Speaker 1: of boys and girls who tore down the steps and
23:04
Speaker 1: threw themselves upon Harry's neck. You will stifle me between
23:08
Speaker 1: you all, Harry said, as he responded to the embraces.
23:11
Speaker 1: Where are father and mother? Father is out and mother
23:14
Speaker 1: is in the garden. No, there she is as Missus
23:17
Speaker 1: Sandwith pale and agitated, appeared at the door, having hurried
23:21
Speaker 1: in when one or the young ones had shouted out
23:24
Speaker 1: from a back window. Harry has come. Oh my boy,
23:27
Speaker 1: we had given you up. She sobbed as Harry rushed
23:29
Speaker 1: into her arms. I am worth a great many dead
23:33
Speaker 1: men yet, mother. But now let me introduce you to
23:36
Speaker 1: Mademoiselle Jennie and Vigennie de Saint Caw, of whom I
23:40
Speaker 1: have written to you so often. They are orphans. Mother
23:43
Speaker 1: and I have promised them that you and father will
23:46
Speaker 1: fill the place of their parents. That will we willingly,
23:50
Speaker 1: said Miss Sandworth said, turning to the girls and kissing
23:54
Speaker 1: them with motherly kindness. Come in, my DearS, and welcome home.
23:58
Speaker 1: For the sake of my dear boy and for that
24:00
Speaker 1: of your parents who are so kind to him. Never
24:02
Speaker 1: mind all these wild young people, she added, as the
24:05
Speaker 1: boys and girls pressed round to shake hands with the newcomers.
24:09
Speaker 1: You will get accustomed to their way presently. Do you
24:11
Speaker 1: speak in English enough to understand, Jenny said, but not
24:16
Speaker 1: enough to speak much. Thank you, madame, for receiving us
24:19
Speaker 1: so kindly, for we all alone in the world. Missus
24:22
Speaker 1: Sandwith saw the girl's lip quiver, and, putting aside her
24:25
Speaker 1: longing to talk to her son, said, Harry, do take
24:29
Speaker 1: them all about the garden for a short time. They
24:31
Speaker 1: are all talking at once, and this is a perfect babble.
24:34
Speaker 1: And thus, having cleared the room, she sat down the
24:37
Speaker 1: talk to the two girls, and soon made them feel
24:39
Speaker 1: at home with her by her unaffected kindness. Doctor sandwiths
24:44
Speaker 1: soon appeared, ran out to the excited chattering group in
24:46
Speaker 1: the garden, and after a few minutes happy talk with him,
24:50
Speaker 1: Harry spoke to him of the visitors who were closeted
24:53
Speaker 1: with his mother. I want you to make them feel
24:57
Speaker 1: it is their home. Father. They will be no burden peculiarly,
25:00
Speaker 1: for there are money and jewels worth a large sum
25:03
Speaker 1: over here. Of course, I know that, doctor Samuth said,
25:06
Speaker 1: seeing that, as you know, they were consigned to me,
25:09
Speaker 1: and the Marquis wrote to ask me to act as
25:12
Speaker 1: his agent. The money is invested in stock, and the
25:14
Speaker 1: jewels are in the hands of my bankers. I had
25:17
Speaker 1: begun to wonder what would become of it all, for
25:19
Speaker 1: I was by no means sure that the whole family
25:21
Speaker 1: had not perished. As well as yourself. There are only
25:25
Speaker 1: the three girls left, Harry said. In that case they
25:28
Speaker 1: will be well off, for the Marquis enclosed me a will,
25:31
Speaker 1: saying that if anything should happen to him and the
25:34
Speaker 1: estates should be altogether lost, the money and proceeds of
25:37
Speaker 1: the jewels would be divided equally among the children. You
25:40
Speaker 1: must have gone through a great deal, old boy. You
25:43
Speaker 1: are scarcely nineteen and you look two or three and twenty.
25:48
Speaker 1: I shall soon look young again. Father. Now I have
25:51
Speaker 1: got my mind clear of anxiety, but I will have
25:54
Speaker 1: had a trying time of it. I can tell you,
25:56
Speaker 1: but it's too long a story to go into. Now
25:59
Speaker 1: I will tell you all the whole yarn this evening.
26:02
Speaker 1: I want you to go in with me now to
26:05
Speaker 1: the girls and make them at home. All this must
26:07
Speaker 1: be just as trying for them at present as the
26:10
Speaker 1: dangers they have gone through. The young ones were all
26:13
Speaker 1: forbidden to follow. After an hour spent with his parents
26:16
Speaker 1: and the girls in the dining room, Harry was pleased
26:19
Speaker 1: to see that the latter were beginning to feel at
26:21
Speaker 1: their ease and the strangeness was wearing off. That evening,
26:25
Speaker 1: before the whole circle of his family, Harry related the
26:28
Speaker 1: avengers that they had gone through, subject however, to great
26:32
Speaker 1: many interruptions from Jenny. But I am telling the story,
26:35
Speaker 1: not you, Jenny, he said. At last, some day, when
26:38
Speaker 1: you begin to talk English, quite well, you shall give
26:40
Speaker 1: your version of it. But he is not telling it right,
26:42
Speaker 1: Madame Jenny protested. He gives all the best part back.
26:47
Speaker 1: He says about the dangers, but he says nothing about
26:50
Speaker 1: what he do himself. Then she broke into French. No, madame,
26:54
Speaker 1: it is not just, it is not right. I will
26:56
Speaker 1: not suffer the tale to be told. So how can
26:59
Speaker 1: it be the true story? When he says no word
27:01
Speaker 1: of his courage, of his devotion, of the way he
27:04
Speaker 1: washed over us and cheered us, no word of his
27:06
Speaker 1: grand heart, of the noble way he risked his life
27:09
Speaker 1: for us, for our sister, for our parents, for all, Ah, Madame,
27:13
Speaker 1: I cannot tell you what we all owe to him.
27:15
Speaker 1: And Jennie, who had risen to her feet and her earnestness,
27:19
Speaker 1: burst into passionate tears. This put an end to the
27:22
Speaker 1: story for the evening, for Miss Sandworth saw that Jenie
27:25
Speaker 1: required rest and quiet, and took the two girls up
27:28
Speaker 1: at once to the bedroom prepared for them. From this,
27:32
Speaker 1: Jennie did not descend for some days. As long as
27:34
Speaker 1: the strain was upon her, she had borne herself bravely,
27:38
Speaker 1: but now that it was over, she collapsed completely. After
27:41
Speaker 1: the young ones had all gone off to bed, Harry
27:44
Speaker 1: said to his father and mother, I have another piece
27:46
Speaker 1: of news to tell you now. I am afraid you
27:49
Speaker 1: will think it rather absurd At my age, without a
27:51
Speaker 1: profession or anything else. But I am engaged to Jennie,
27:55
Speaker 1: you see, he went on, as his parents both uttered
27:58
Speaker 1: an exclamation of surprise. We have gone through a tremendous
28:01
Speaker 1: lot together. And when people have to look death in
28:03
Speaker 1: the face every day, it makes them older than they are,
28:06
Speaker 1: And when, as in this case, they have to depend
28:10
Speaker 1: entirely upon themselves, it brings them very closely together. I
28:14
Speaker 1: think it might have been so these troubles never come
28:17
Speaker 1: on for somehow we had taken very much to each other,
28:21
Speaker 1: though it might have been years before anything came of it.
28:24
Speaker 1: Her poor father and mother saw it before I knew
28:27
Speaker 1: it myself, And upon the night before they were separated,
28:30
Speaker 1: told her elder sister and brother that should I ever
28:33
Speaker 1: ask for Jenny's hand, they approved her marrying me. But
28:37
Speaker 1: although afterwards I came to love her with all my heart,
28:39
Speaker 1: I should have never spoken had it not been that
28:42
Speaker 1: I did so when it seemed that in five minutes
28:45
Speaker 1: we should neither of us be alive. If it hadn't
28:47
Speaker 1: been for that, I should have brought her home and
28:50
Speaker 1: waited till I was making my own way in life.
28:53
Speaker 1: I do not blame you, Harry, my boy, his father
28:56
Speaker 1: said heartily. Of course you are very young, and under
28:59
Speaker 1: ordinary sies circumstances would not have been thinking about a
29:03
Speaker 1: wife for years to come yet. But I can see
29:05
Speaker 1: that your Jenie is a girl of no ordinary character,
29:08
Speaker 1: and it is certainly for her happiness that being here
29:11
Speaker 1: with her sister among strangers, she should feel that she
29:15
Speaker 1: is at home. Personally, she is charming, and even in
29:19
Speaker 1: point of fortune, you will be considered a lucky fellow.
29:22
Speaker 1: What do you say, mother, I say, God bless them both,
29:25
Speaker 1: Missus Samworth said earnestly. After the way in which Providence
29:28
Speaker 1: has brought them together, there could be no doubt that
29:31
Speaker 1: they were meant for each other. Do you know? I
29:33
Speaker 1: half guessed there was something more than mere gratitude in
29:37
Speaker 1: Janie's heart when she flamed out just now, did not you, mother?
29:41
Speaker 1: Missus Sandwith nodded and smiled. I was sure there was,
29:45
Speaker 1: she said. I did not say anything about it when
29:48
Speaker 1: we came in, Harry said, because I thought it better
29:51
Speaker 1: for Jennie to have one quiet day. And you know
29:53
Speaker 1: the young ones will laugh awfully at the idea of
29:56
Speaker 1: me being engaged. Never you mind, Harry, his father said,
30:00
Speaker 1: let those laugh that win. But you are not thinking
30:03
Speaker 1: of getting married yet, I hope no. No, father, you
30:07
Speaker 1: cannot think I would live on Jennie's money and you
30:10
Speaker 1: still intend to go into the army, Harry, No, father,
30:13
Speaker 1: I've had enough of bloodshed for the rest of my life,
30:16
Speaker 1: and I've been thinking it over a good deal, and
30:18
Speaker 1: i have determined to follow your example and become a doctor.
30:21
Speaker 1: That's right, my boy, doctor Samon said heartily. I've always
30:24
Speaker 1: regretted you had a fancy for the army, for I
30:26
Speaker 1: used to look forward to you becoming my right hand.
30:29
Speaker 1: Your brothers, too, do not take to the profession, so
30:32
Speaker 1: I begin to think I was going to be alone
30:34
Speaker 1: in my old age. You have maybe very happy Harry,
30:37
Speaker 1: and your mother too. I am sure it will be
30:41
Speaker 1: delightful for us having you and your pretty French wife
30:44
Speaker 1: settled by us, will it not, mother? It will indeed, missus,
30:48
Speaker 1: Sandwyd said in a tone of deep happiness. You are
30:50
Speaker 1: certainly overworked and need a partner terribly, and who could
30:54
Speaker 1: be like Harry. Yes, I've been thinking of taking a
30:58
Speaker 1: partner for some time, but now now I will hold
31:00
Speaker 1: on alone for another three years. By that time Harry
31:04
Speaker 1: will have passed. The next morning, the young ones were
31:08
Speaker 1: told the news. The elder girls were delighted at the
31:10
Speaker 1: thought of Genie becoming their sister, but the boys been
31:13
Speaker 1: into fits of laughter and shaped Harry so unmercifully for
31:17
Speaker 1: the next day or two that it was just as
31:18
Speaker 1: well that Jennie was up in her room. By the
31:21
Speaker 1: time she came down, they had recovered their gravity Missus
31:25
Speaker 1: sandwith and the girls had already given their warmest welcome
31:28
Speaker 1: as Harry's future wife, and the boys received her so
31:30
Speaker 1: warmly when she appeared that Jennie soon felt she was
31:33
Speaker 1: indeed one of the family. Three years later, on the
31:37
Speaker 1: day after Harry passed his final examination, Jennie and he
31:41
Speaker 1: were married and set up a pretty establishment close to
31:44
Speaker 1: Shane Walk with Virgennie to live with them, and Harry,
31:48
Speaker 1: at first as his father's assistant, and very soon as
31:51
Speaker 1: his partner, had the satisfaction of feeling that he was
31:54
Speaker 1: not wholly dependent on Jennie's fortune. They had received occasional
31:59
Speaker 1: news from Marie Victor had steadily recovered his strength and memory,
32:03
Speaker 1: and as soon as the reign of terror had come
32:04
Speaker 1: to an end and the priests were able to show
32:07
Speaker 1: themselves from their hiding places in Many, an out of
32:10
Speaker 1: the way village in the country. Marie and Victor were
32:13
Speaker 1: quietly married, but France was at war with all Europe now,
32:17
Speaker 1: and Victor, though he hated the Revolution, was a thorough Frenchman,
32:21
Speaker 1: and though some of his old friends who had escaped
32:24
Speaker 1: the wave of destruction, he had obtained a commission and
32:27
Speaker 1: joined Bonaparte when he went to take the command of
32:31
Speaker 1: the Army of Italy. He had tracted his general's attention
32:36
Speaker 1: early in the campaign by a deed of desperate valor,
32:38
Speaker 1: and was already in command of a regiment when soon
32:41
Speaker 1: after Jennie's marriage, Marie came over to England by way
32:44
Speaker 1: of Holland to stay for a time with her sisters.
32:47
Speaker 1: She was delighted at finding Jennie so happy, and saw
32:50
Speaker 1: enough before she returned to France to feel assured that
32:53
Speaker 1: before very long for Genie would follow Jennie's example and
32:57
Speaker 1: would also become an englishwoman, for she had Harry's next brother, Tom,
33:01
Speaker 1: had evidently some sort of understanding between them. It was
33:05
Speaker 1: not until many years later that the three sisters met again, when,
33:09
Speaker 1: after the fall of Napoleon, Jennie and Vagenni went out
33:13
Speaker 1: with their husbands, and stayed for some weeks with General
33:16
Speaker 1: di Quessant and his wife of the old chateau name
33:20
Speaker 1: near Dejon. This the General had purchased back from the
33:24
Speaker 1: persons into whose hands it had fallen at the Revolution,
33:27
Speaker 1: with the money which he had received as his wife's dowry.
33:33
Speaker 1: End of Chapter fifteen recording by Ryan Cherock. End of
33:39
Speaker 1: in the Reign of Terror by George Alfred Henty