Jorian stood awe-struck, the candle shaking in his hand.
“Why, where was he, then, all the time?”
Margaret heeded3 him not. Jorian went to the empty chest and inspected it. He began to comprehend. The girl's dumb and frozen despair moved him.
“This is a sorry sight,” said he; “it is a black night's work: all for a few skins! Better have gone with us than so. She is past answering me, poor wench. Stop! let us try whether—”
He took down a little round mirror, no bigger than his hand, and put it to Gerard's mouth and nostrils4, and held it there. When he withdrew it, it was dull.
“THERE IS LIFE IN HIM!” said Jorian Ketel to himself.
Margaret caught the words instantly, though only muttered, and it was if a statue should start into life and passion. She rose and flung her arms round Jorian's neck.
“Oh, bless the tongue that tells me so!” and she clasped the great rough fellow again and again, eagerly, almost fiercely.
“There, there! let us lay him warm, said Jorian; and in a moment he raised Gerard and laid him on the bed-clothes. Then he took out a flask5 he carried, and filled his hand twice with Schiedamze, and flung it sharply each time in Gerard's face. The pungent6 liquor co-operated with his recovery—he gave a faint sigh. Oh, never was sound so joyful7 to human ear! She flew towards him, but then stopped, quivering for fear she should hurt him. She had lost all confidence in herself.
“That is right—let him alone,” said Jorian; “don't go cuddling him as you did me, or you'll drive his breath back again. Let him alone: he is sure to come to. 'Tisn't like as if he was an old man.”
Gerard sighed deeply, and a faint streak8 of colour stole to his lips. Jorian made for the door. He had hardly reached it, when he found his legs seized from behind.
It was Margaret! She curled round his knees like a serpent, and kissed his hand, and fawned9 on him. “You won't tell? You have saved his life; you have not the heart to thrust him back into his grave, to undo10 your own good work?”
“No, no! It is not the first time I have done you two a good turn; 'twas I told you in the church whither we had to take him. Besides, what is Dierich Brower to me? I'll see him hanged ere I'll tell him. But I wish you'd tell me where the parchments are! There are a hundred crowns offered for them. That would be a good windfall for my Joan and the children, you know.”
“Ah! they shall have those hundred crowns.
“What! are the things in the house?” asked Jorian eagerly.
“No; but I know where they are; and by God and St. Bavon I swear you shall have them to-morrow. Come to me for them when you will, but come alone.”
“I were made else. What! share the hundred crowns with Dirk Brower? And now may my bones rot in my skin if I let a soul know the poor boy is here.”
He then ran off, lest by staying longer he should excite suspicion, and have them all after him. And Margaret knelt, quivering from head to foot, and prayed beside Gerard and for Gerard.
“What is to do?” replied Jorian to Dierich Brower's query11; “why, we have scared the girl out of her wits. She was in a kind of fit.”
“We had better all go and doctor her, then.”
“Oh, yes! and frighten her into the churchyard. Her father is a doctor, and I have roused him, and set him to bring her round. Let us see the fire, will ye?”
His off-hand way disarmed12 all suspicion. And soon after the party agreed that the kitchen of the “Three Kings” was much warmer than Peter's house, and they departed, having first untied13 Martin.
“Take note, mate, that I was right, and the burgomaster wrong,” said Dierich Brower at the door; “I said we should be too late to catch him, and we were too late.”
Thus Gerard, in one terrible night, grazed the prison and the grave.
And how did he get clear at last? Not by his cunningly contrived14 hiding-place, nor by Margaret's ready wit; but by a good impulse in one of his captors, by the bit of humanity left in a somewhat reckless fellow's heart, aided by his desire of gain. So mixed and seemingly incongruous are human motives15, so shortsighted our shrewdest counsels.
They whose moderate natures or gentle fates keep them, in life's passage, from the fierce extremes of joy and anguish16 our nature is capable of, are perhaps the best, and certainly the happiest of mankind. But to such readers I should try in vain to convey what bliss17 unspeakable settled now upon these persecuted18 lovers, Even to those who have joyed greatly and greatly suffered, my feeble art can present but a pale reflection of Margaret's and Gerard's ecstasy19.
To sit and see a beloved face come back from the grave to the world, to health and beauty, by swift gradations; to see the roses return to the loved cheek, love's glance to the loved eye, and his words to the loved mouth—this was Margaret's—a joy to balance years of sorrow. It was Gerard's to awake from a trance, and find his head pillowed on Margaret's arm; to hear the woman he adored murmur20 new words of eloquent21 love, and shower tears and tender kisses and caresses22 on him. He never knew, till this sweet moment, how ardently23, how tenderly, she loved him. He thanked his enemies. They wreathed their arms sweetly round each other, and trouble and danger seemed a world, an age behind them. They called each other husband and wife. Were they not solemnly betrothed24? And had they not stood before the altar together? Was not the blessing25 of Holy Church upon their union?—her curse on all who would part them?
But as no woman's nerves can bear with impunity26 so terrible a strain. presently Margaret turned faint, and sank on Gerard's shoulder, smiling feebly, but quite, quite unstrung. Then Gerard was anxious, and would seek assistance. But she held him with a gentle grasp, and implored27 him not to leave her for a moment.
“While I can lay my hand on you, I feel you are safe, not else. Foolish Gerard! nothing ails28 me. I am weak, dearest, but happy, oh! so happy!”
Then it was Gerard's turn to support that dear head, with its great waves of hair flowing loose over him, and nurse her, and soothe29 her, quivering on his bosom30, with soft encouraging words and murmurs31 of love, and gentle caresses. Sweetest of all her charms is a woman's weakness to a manly32 heart.
Poor things! they were happy. To-morrow they must part. But that was nothing to them now. They had seen Death, and all other troubles seemed light as air. While there is life there is hope; while there is hope there is joy. Separation for a year or two, what was it to them, who were so young, and had caught a glimpse of the grave? The future was bright, the present was Heaven: so passed the blissful hours.
Alas33! their innocence34 ran other risks besides the prison and the grave. They were in most danger from their own hearts and their inexperience, now that visible danger there was none.
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1
dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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2
glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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3
heeded
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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5
flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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6
pungent
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| adj.（气味、味道）刺激性的，辛辣的；尖锐的 | |
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7
joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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8
streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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9
fawned
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| v.（尤指狗等）跳过来往人身上蹭以示亲热( fawn的过去式和过去分词 )；巴结；讨好 | |
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10
undo
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| vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销 | |
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11
query
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| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
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12
disarmed
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| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
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13
untied
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| 松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决 | |
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14
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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15
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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16
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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17
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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18
persecuted
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| （尤指宗教或政治信仰的）迫害(~sb. for sth.)( persecute的过去式和过去分词 )； 烦扰，困扰或骚扰某人 | |
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19
ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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20
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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21
eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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22
caresses
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| 爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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23
ardently
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| adv.热心地，热烈地 | |
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24
betrothed
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| n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词 | |
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25
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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26
impunity
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| n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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27
implored
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| 恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
ails
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| v.生病( ail的第三人称单数 )；感到不舒服；处境困难；境况不佳 | |
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29
soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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30
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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31
murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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32
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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33
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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34
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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