"Ha ha ha! and did you scratch, and pinch, and struggle, prettymistress?" he cried, as he grasped a little hand that sought invain to free itself from his grip: "you, so bright-eyed, andcherry-lipped, and daintily made? But I love you better for it,mistress. Ay, I do. You should stab me and welcome, so that itpleased you, and you had to cure me afterwards. I love to see youproud and scornful. It makes you handsomer than ever; and who sohandsome as you at any time, my pretty one!"
"Come!" said Mr Tappertit, who had waited during this speech withconsiderable impatience. "There"s enough of that. Come down."
The little hand seconded this admonition by thrusting Hugh"s greathead away with all its force, and drawing up the blind, amidst hisnoisy laughter, and vows that he must have another look, for thelast glimpse of that sweet face had provoked him past all bearing.
However, as the suppressed impatience of the party now broke outinto open murmurs, he abandoned this design, and taking his seatupon the bar, contented himself with tapping at the front windowsof the carriage, and trying to steal a glance inside; Mr Tappertit,mounting the steps and hanging on by the door, issued hisdirections to the driver with a commanding voice and attitude; therest got up behind, or ran by the side of the carriage, as theycould; some, in imitation of Hugh, endeavoured to see the face hehad praised so highly, and were reminded of their impertinence byhints from the cudgel of Mr Tappertit. Thus they pursued theirjourney by circuitous and winding roads; preserving, except whenthey halted to take breath, or to quarrel about the best way ofreaching London, pretty good order and tolerable silence.
In the mean time, Dolly--beautiful, bewitching, captivating littleDolly--her hair dishevelled, her dress torn, her dark eyelashes wetwith tears, her bosom heaving--her face, now pale with fear, nowcrimsoned with indignation--her whole self a hundred times morebeautiful in this heightened aspect than ever she had been before-vainlystrove to comfort Emma Haredale, and to impart to her theconsolation of which she stood in so much need herself. Thesoldiers were sure to come; they must be rescued; it would beimpossible to convey them through the streets of London when theyset the threats of their guards at defiance, and shrieked to thepassengers for help. If they did this when they came into the morefrequented ways, she was certain--she was quite certain--they mustbe released. So poor Dolly said, and so poor Dolly tried to think;but the invariable conclusion of all such arguments was, that Dollyburst into tears; cried, as she wrung her hands, what would they door think, or who would comfort them, at home, at the Golden Key;and sobbed most piteously.
Miss Haredale, whose feelings were usually of a quieter kind thanDolly"s, and not so much upon the surface, was dreadfullyalarmed, and indeed had only just recovered from a swoon. She wasvery pale, and the hand which Dolly held was quite cold; but shebade her, nevertheless, remember that, under Providence, much mustdepend upon their own discretion; that if they remained quiet andlulled the vigilance of the ruffians into whose hands they hadfallen, the chances of their being able to procure assistance whenthey reached the town, were very much increased; that unlesssociety were quite unhinged, a hot pursuit must be immediatelycommenced; and that her uncle, she might be sure, would never restuntil he had found them out and rescued them. But as she saidthese latter words, the idea that he had fallen in a generalmassacre of the Catholics that night--no very wild or improbablesupposition after what they had seen and undergone--struck herdumb; and, lost in the horrors they had witnessed, and those theymight be yet reserved for, she sat incapable of thought, or speech,or outward show of grief: as rigid, and almost as white and cold,as marble.
Oh, how many, many times, in that long ride, did Dolly think of herold lover,--poor, fond, slighted Joe! How many, many times, didshe recall that night when she ran into his arms from the very mannow projecting his hateful gaze into the darkness where she sat,and leering through the glass in monstrous admiration! And whenshe thought of Joe, and what a brave fellow he was, and how hewould have rode boldly up, and dashed in among these villains now,yes, though they were double the number--and here she clenched herlittle hand, and pressed her foot upon the ground--the pride shefelt for a moment in having won his heart, faded in a burst oftears, and she sobbed more bitterly than ever.
As the night wore on, and they proceeded by ways which were quiteunknown to them--for they could recognise none of the objects ofwhich they sometimes caught a hurried glimpse--their fearsincreased; nor were they without good foundation; it was notdifficult for two beautiful young women to find, in their beingborne they knew not whither by a band of daring villains who eyedthem as some among these fellows did, reasons for the worst alarm.
When they at last entered London, by a suburb with which they werewholly unacquainted, it was past midnight, and the streets weredark and empty. Nor was this the worst, for the carriage stoppingin a lonely spot, Hugh suddenly opened the door, jumped in, andtook his seat between them.
It was in vain they cried for help. He put his arm about the neckof each, and swore to stifle them with kisses if they were not assilent as the grave.
"I come here to keep you quiet," he said, "and that"s the means Ishall take. So don"t be quiet, pretty mistresses--make a noise-do--and I shall like it all the better."