little novels-第80章

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nt　he　remembered　the　insurmountable　obstacle　of　the　passports。　The　Consul　would　certainly　not　grant　those　essentially　necessary　documents　at　two　in　the　morning！

The　only　alternative　was　to　wait　for　the　regular　packet；　which　sailed　some　hours　laterbetween　eight　and　nine　o'clock　in　the　forenoon。　In　this　case；　they　might　apply　for　their　passports　before　the　regular　office　hours；　if　they　explained　the　circumstances；　backed　by　the　authority　of　the　magistrate's　letter。

Mr。　Bowmore　followed　Percy　to　the　nearest　inn　that　was　open；　sublimely　indifferent　to　the　delays　and　difficulties　of　the　journey。　He　ordered　refreshments　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　was　performing　a　melancholy　duty　to　himself；　in　the　name　of　humanity。

〃When　I　think　of　my　speech；〃　he　said；　at　supper；　〃my　heart　bleeds　for　the　people。　In　a　few　hours　more；　they　will　assemble　in　their　thousands；　eager　to　hear　me。　And　what　will　they　see？　Joskin　in　my　place！　Joskin　with　a　manuscript　in　his　hand！　Joskin；　who　drops　his　voice　at　the　ends　of　his　sentences！　I　will　never　forgive　Charlotte。　Waiter；　another　glass　of　brandy　and　water。　〃

After　an　unusually　quick　passage　across　the　Channel；　the　travelers　landed　on　the　French　coast；　before　the　defeated　spy　had　returned　from　London　to　Dartford　by　stage…coach。　Continuing　their　journey　by　post　as　far　as　Amiens；　they　reached　that　city　in　time　to　take　their　places　by　the　diligence　to　Paris。

Arrived　in　Paris；　they　encountered　another　incomprehensible　proceeding　on　the　part　of　Captain　Bervie。

Among　the　persons　assembled　in　the　yard　to　see　the　arrival　of　the　diligence　was　a　man　with　a　morsel　of　paper　in　his　hand；　evidently　on　the　lookout　for　some　person　whom　he　expected　to　discover　among　the　travelers。　After　consulting　his　bit　of　paper；　he　looked　with　steady　attention　at　Percy　and　Mr。　Bowmore；　and　suddenly　approached　them。　〃If　you　wish　to　see　the　Captain；〃　he　said；　in　broken　English；　〃you　will　find　him　at　that　hotel。〃　He　handed　a　printed　card　to　Percy；　and　disappeared　among　the　crowd　before　it　was　possible　to　question　him。

Even　Mr。　Bowmore　gave　way　to　human　weakness；　and　condescended　to　feel　astonished　in　the　face　of　such　an　event　as　this。　〃What　next？〃　he　exclaimed。

〃Wait　till　we　get　to　the　hotel；〃　said　Percy。

In　half　an　hour　more　the　landlord　had　received　them；　and　the　waiter　had　led　them　to　the　right　door。　Percy　pushed　the　man　aside；　and　burst　into　the　room。

Captain　Bervie　was　alone；　reading　a　newspaper。　Before　the　first　furious　words　had　escaped　Percy's　lips；　Bervie　silenced　him　by　pointing　to　a　closed　door　on　the　right　of　the　fireplace。

〃She　is　in　that　room；〃　he　said；　〃speak　quietly；　or　you　may　frighten　her。　I　know　what　you　are　going　to　say；〃　he　added；　as　Percy　stepped　nearer　to　him。　〃Will　you　hear　me　in　my　own　defense；　and　then　decide　whether　I　am　the　greatest　scoundrel　living；　or　the　best　friend　you　ever　had？〃

He　put　the　question　kindly；　with　something　that　was　at　once　grave　and　tender　in　his　look　and　manner。　The　extraordinary　composure　with　which　he　acted　and　spoke　had　its　tranquilizing　influence　over　Percy。　He　felt　himself　surprised　into　giving　Bervie　a　hearing。

〃I　will　tell　you　first　what　I　have　done；〃　the　Captain　proceeded；　〃and　next　why　I　did　it。　I　have　taken　it　on　myself；　Mr。　Linwood；　to　make　an　alteration　in　your　wedding　arrangements。　Instead　of　being　married　at　Dartford　church；　you　will　be　married　（if　you　see　no　objection）　at　the　chapel　of　the　embassy　in　Paris；　by　my　old　college　friend　the　chaplain。〃

This　was　too　much　for　Percy's　self…control。　〃Your　audacity　is　beyond　belief；〃　he　broke　out。

〃And　beyond　endurance；〃　Mr。　Bowmore　added。　〃Understand　this；　sir！　Whatever　your　defense　may　be；　I　ob　ject；　under　any　circumstances；　to　be　made　the　victim　of　a　trick。〃

〃You　are　the　victim　of　your　own　obstinate　refusal　to　profit　by　a　plain　warning；〃　Bervie　rejoined。　〃At　the　eleventh　hour；　I　entreated　you；　and　I　entreated　Mr。　Linwood；　to　provide　for　your　own　safety；　and　I　spoke　in　vain。〃

Percy's　patience　gave　way　once　more。

〃To　use　your　own　language；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　still　to　decide　whether　you　have　behaved　toward　me　like　a　scoundrel　or　a　friend。　You　have　said　nothing　to　justify　yourself　yet。〃

〃Very　well　put！〃　Mr。　Bowmore　chimed　in。　〃Come　to　the　point；　sir！　My　daughter's　reputation　is　in　question。〃

〃Miss　Bowmore's　reputation　is　not　in　question　for　a　single　instant；〃　Bervie　answered。　〃My　sister　has　been　the　companion　of　her　journey　from　first　to　last。〃

〃Journey？〃　Mr。　Bowmore　repeated；　indignantly。　〃I　want　to　know；　sir；　what　the　journey　means。　As　an　outraged　father；　I　ask　one　plain　question。　Why　did　you　run　away　with　my　daughter？〃

Bervie　took　a　slip　of　paper　from　his　pocket；　and　handed　it　to　Percy　with　a　smile。

It　was　a　copy　of　the　warrant　which　Justice　Bervie's　duty　had　compelled　him　to　issue　for　the　〃arrest　of　Orlando　Bowmore　and　Percy　Linwood。〃　There　was　no　danger　in　divulging　the　secret　now。　British　warrants　were　waste…paper　in　France；　in　those　days。

〃I　ran　away　with　the　bride；〃　Bervie　said　coolly；　〃in　the　certain　knowledge　that　you　and　Mr。　Bowmore　would　run　after　me。　If　I　had　not　forced　you　both　to　follow　me　out　of　England　on　the　first　of　April；　you　would　have　been　made　State　prisoners　on　the　second。　What　do　you　say　to　my　conduct　now？〃

〃Wait；　Percy；　before　you　answer　him；〃　Mr。　Bowmore　interposed。　〃He　is　ready　enough　at　excusing　himself。　But；　observehe　hasn't　a　word　to　say　in　justification　of　my　daughter's　readiness　to　run　away　with　him。〃

〃Have　you　quite　done？〃　Bervie　asked；　as　quietly　as　ever。〃

Mr。　Bowmore　reserved　the　right　of　all　others　which　he　most　prized；　the　right　of　using　his　tongue。　〃For　the　present；〃　he　answered　in　his　loftiest　manner；　〃I　have　done。〃

Bervie　proceeded：　〃Your　daughter　consented　to　run　away　with　me；　because　I　took　her　to　my　father's　house；　and　prevailed　upon　him　to　trust　her　with　the　secret　of　the　coming　arrests。　She　had　no　choice　left　but　to　let　her　obstinate　father　and　her　misguided　lover　go　to　prisonor　to　take　her　place　with　my　sister　and　me　in　the　traveling…carriage。〃　He　appealed　once　more　to　Percy。　〃My　friend；　you　remember　the　day　when　you　spared　my　life。　Have　I　remembered　it；　too？〃

For　once；　there　was　an　Englishman　who　was　not　contented　to　express　the　noblest　emotions　that　humanity　can　feel　by　the　commonplace　ceremony　of　shaking　hands。　Percy's　heart　overflowed。　In　an　outburst　of　unutterable　gratitude　he　threw　himself　on　Bervie's　breast。　As　brothers　the　two　men　embraced。　As　brothers　they　loved　and　trusted　one　another；　from　that　day　forth。

The　door　on　the　right　was　softly　opened　from　within。　A　charming　facethe　dark　eyes　bright　with　happy　tears；　the　rosy　lips　just　opening　into　a　smilepeeped　into　the　room。　A　low　sweet　voice；　with　an　under…note　of　trembling　in　it；　made　this　modest　protest；　in　the　form　of　an　inquiry：

〃When　you　have　quite　done；　Percy；　with　our　good　friend；　perhaps　you　will　have　something　to　say　to　ME？〃

LAST　WORDS。

THE　persons　immediately　interested　in　the　marriage　of　Percy　and　Charlotte　were　the　only　persons　present　at　the　ceremony。

At　the　little　breakfast　afterward；　in　the　French　hotel；　Mr。　Bowmore　insisted　on　making　a　speech　to　a　select　audience　of　six；　namely；　the　bride　and　bridegroom；　the　bridesmaid；　the　Chaplain；　the　Captain；　and　Mrs。　Bowmore。　But　what　does　a　small　audience　matter？　The　English　frenzy　for　making　speeches　is　not　to　be　cooled　by　such　a　trifle　as　that。　At　the　end　of　the　world；　the　expiring　forces　of　Nature　will　hear　a　dreadful　voicethe　voice　of　the　last　Englishman　delivering　the　last　speech。

Percy　wisely　made　his　honeymoon　a　long　one；　he　determined　to　be　quite　sure　of　his　superior　influence　over　his　wife　before　he　trusted　her　within　reach　of　her　father　again。

Mr。　and　Mrs。　Bowmore　accompanied　Captain　Bervie　and　Miss　Bervie　on　their　way　back　to　England；　as　far　as　Boulogne。　In　that　pleasant　town　the　banished　patriot　set　up　his　tent。　It　was　a　cheaper　place　to　live　in　than　Paris；　and　it　was　conveniently　close　to　England；　when　he　had　quite　made　up　his　mind　whether　to　be　an　exile　on　the　Continent；　or　to　go　back　to　his　own　country　and　be　a　martyr　in　prison。　In　the　end；　the　course　of　events　settled　that　question　for　him。　Mr。　Bowmore　returned　to　England；　with　the　return　of　the　Habeas　Corpus　Act。