"Dunmore's raiders have been here."
"And Katharine?"
"A prisoner, with your father, Philip, but I trust both are uninjured."
"Mr. Seymour, sir, where is he?" said the deep voice of the boatswain, as he advanced farther into the room. The light fell full upon him. He was a splendid specimen4 of athletic5 manhood; tall, powerful, long-armed, slightly bent6 in the shoulders; decision and courage were seen in his bearing, and were written on his face, burned a dull mahogany color by years of exposure to the weather. He was clothed in the open shirt and loose trousers of a seafaring man, and he stood with his feet slightly apart, as if balancing himself to the uneasy roll of a ship. Honesty and fidelity7 and intelligence spoke out from his eyes, and affection and anxiety were heard in his voice.
"Lieutenant8 Seymour," he repeated, "where is he, sir?"
"There," said Talbot, stepping aside and pointing to the floor.
"Not dead, sir, is he?"
"Not yet, Bentley," Seymour, with regaining9 strength, replied; "I am not done for this time."
"Oh, Mr. John, Mr. John," said the old man, tenderly, bending over him, "I thank God to see you alive again. But, as I live, they shall pay dear for this—whoever has done it,—the bloody10, marauding, ruffians!"
"Yes, Bentley, I join you in that vow," said Talbot.
"And I too," added Philip, bravely.
"And I," whispered the wounded man.
"It's one more score that has got to be paid off by King George's men, one more outrage11 on this country, one more debt we owe the English," Bentley continued fiercely.
"No; these were Americans, Virginians,—more's the shame,—led by that blackguard Johnson. He has long hated the colonel," replied Talbot.
"Curses on the renegades!" said the old man. "Who is it that loves freedom and sees not that the blow must be struck to-day? How can any man born in this land hesitate to—" He stopped suddenly, as his eyes fell upon Talbot, whose previous irresolution12 and refusal had been no secret to him.
"Don't stop for me, Bentley," said that young man, gently; "I am with you now. I came over this evening to tell our friends here that I start north tomorrow as a volunteer to offer my services to General Washington."
"Oh, Hilary," exclaimed Philip, joyfully13, "I am so glad. Would that
Katharine and father could hear you now!"
Seymour lifted his unwounded arm, and beckoned14 to Talbot. "God bless you, Talbot," he said; "to hear you say that is worth a dozen cracks like this, and I feel stronger every minute. If it were not for the old wound, I would n't mind this thing a bit. But there is something you must do. There is an armed cutter stationed up the river at Alexandria; send some one to notify the commander of the Virginia naval15 militia16 there. They will pursue and perhaps recapture the party. But the word must be carried quickly; I fear it will be too late as it is."
"I will go, Hilary, if you think best."
"Very well, Philip; take your best horse and do not delay a moment. Katharine's liberty, your father's life perhaps, depend upon your promptness. Better see Mr. West as you go through the town,—your father's agent, you know,—and ask him to call upon me to-morrow. Stop at the Hall as you come back."
"All right, Hilary, I will be in Alexandria in four hours," said
Philip, running out.
"Bentley, I am going to take Lieutenant Seymour over to my plantation17. Will you stay here and look after the house until I can notify Colonel Wilton's agent at Alexandria to come and take charge, or until we hear from the colonel what is to be done? You can come over in the morning, you know, and hear about our protégé. I am afraid the slaves would never stay here alone; they are so disorganized and terrorized now over these unfortunate occurrences as to be almost useless."
"Ay, ay, sir; if Lieutenant Seymour can spare me, I will stay."
"Yes, Bentley, do; I shall be in good hands at Fairview Hall."
"This is arranged, then," said Talbot. "It is nine o'clock. I think we would better start at once. I will go out and see that the arrangements about the carriage are made properly, myself," he said, stepping through the door.
Seymour's hand had closed tightly over something which had happened to fall near where it lay. "Bentley," he called, "what is this in my hand?"
"It is a handkerchief, Mr. John,—a woman's handkerchief too, sir, and covered with blood."
"Has it any marks on it?" said Seymour, eagerly.
"Yes, sir; here are the letters K. W. embroidered18 in this corner."
"I thought so," he smiled triumphantly19. "Will you put it inside my waistcoat, there, over my heart? Yes," he added, as if in answer to the old man's anxious look, "it is true; I love her, and she has confessed that she loves me. Oh, who will protect her now?"
"God, sir," said Bentley, solemnly, but with a strange pang20 of almost womanly jealousy21 in his faithful old heart.
"Ay, old friend, He will watch over her. He knows best. Now help me up."
"No, sir. Beg pardon for disobeying orders, but you are to lie still. We will carry you to the carriage. Nay22, sir, you must. You are too weak from loss of blood with two wounds on you to stand it. A few days will bring you about all right, though, I hope, sir."
"All ready, Bentley?" said Talbot, coming into the room. "The negro boys have rigged up a stretcher out of a shutter23, and with a mattress24 and blankets in the carriage, I think we can manage, driving carefully, to take him over without any great discomfort25. I have sent Dick on ahead to ride over to Dr. Craik's and bid him come to the Hall at once; so Mr. Seymour will be well looked after. By the way, Blodgett is dead. I had almost forgotten him. He evidently met and fought those fellows at the landing. We found him at the foot of the steps by the boat-landing with two bodies. That reminds me, one of them was alive when we came by. I told the men to bring all three of the bodies up. Here they are now. Are any of them alive yet, Caesar?"
"No, suh, dey 'se all ob 'em daid."
"Take the two redcoats into the dining-room with the other one. Lay Blodgett here in the hall. He must have been killed instantly. Well; good-by, I shall be over in the morning," he exclaimed, extending his hand.
"Good-by, sir," said the seaman26, taking it in his own huge palm. "Take care of Lieutenant Seymour."
"Oh, never fear; we will."
"And may God give the men who did this into our hands!" added Bentley, raising his arms solemnly.
"Amen," said Talbot, with equal gravity.
Seymour was tenderly lifted into the carriage, and attended by Talbot, who sat by his side. Followed by two servants who had orders to get the horses, which they found tied where they had been left, the carriage drove off to the Hall. With what different thoughts was the mind of the young man busy! Scarcely an hour had elapsed since he galloped27 over the road, a light-hearted boy, flushed with hope, filled with confidence, delighted in his decision, anticipating a reception, meditating28 words of love. In that one hour the boy had changed from youth to man. The love which he had hardly dreamed was in his heart had risen like a wave and overwhelmed him; the capture and abduction of his sweetheart, the whole brutal29 and outrageous30 proceeding31, had filled him with burning wrath32. He could not wait to strike a blow for liberty against such tyranny now, and his soul was full of resentment33 to the mother he had loved and honored, because she had held him back; all of the devoted34 past was forgotten in one impetuous desire of the present. To-morrow should see him on the way to the army, he swore. He wrung35 his hands in impotent passion.
"Katharine, Katharine, where are you?" he murmured. Seymour stirred.
"Are you in pain, my friend?"
"No," said the sailor quietly, his heart beating against the blood-stained handkerchief, as he echoed in his soul the words he had heard: "Katharine, Katharine, where are you? where are you?"
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1
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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2
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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3
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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6
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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7
fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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8
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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regaining
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| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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10
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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11
outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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12
irresolution
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| n.不决断，优柔寡断，犹豫不定 | |
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13
joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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14
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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militia
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| n.民兵，民兵组织 | |
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plantation
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| n.种植园，大农场 | |
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18
embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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shutter
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| n.百叶窗；(照相机)快门；关闭装置 | |
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24
mattress
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| n.床垫，床褥 | |
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25
discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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27
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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28
meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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30
outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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31
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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32
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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33
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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34
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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35
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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