Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

an entrance when they were asleep. The first attempt he made at the drawingroom, but quickly perceiving that he had been observed by Miss Morden he retired hastily. A council was held by the robbers, and it was fortunately determined to postpone the attack until the family had gone to rest.

Nothing could be bolder or more likely to succeed than Mitchell's desperate resolution. It was to leap feet foremost through the window, armed with a dagger, and open the back-door for his associates. He made the attempt, and providential circumstances alone prevented its being successful. That very morning a small iron bar had been placed across the window, it caught the robber in his leap, threw him back with violence, and the noise, attended with the outery of the idiot, alarmed the family instantly.

Circumstances, they say, will often make men courageous. In this case it had the same effect on two beings of a very different description-a lovely girl and an idiot boy. Miss Morden throughout the trying scene displayed the coolest courage, and the poor simpleton who commonly would avoid the appearance of a gun, armed with his spit, defended the breach like a hero.

We met at dinner. Julia, Miss Morden's cousin, would hardly venture to join us, for her brother rated her timi-, dity severely. When the alarm was heard the fearful girl buried her face beneath the bed coverings, and remained in pitiable agitation until the contest ended. Mr. Morden took her from his daughter's arm, kissed her, and congratulated her on their delivery from the last night's danger.

"You little coward," said the old man, jocularly, "you must give your deliverer one kiss for your preservation." The blushing girl received my salute. Miss Morden took my hand. "You, too, Emily, will you not reward your protector ?" Without coquetry she laid her lips to mine, and that kiss was a sufficient recompense for twice the peril I had encountered.

For me no praises seemed sufficient; the successful defence was attributed to my exertions; and the fortunate shot that killed the villain smith was never to be sufficiently recommended,

My visit ended-I was in love with Emily; but then I had little chance of succeeding to the property, which afterwards, by a chapter of accidents, fell to me; and a company of foot was all my

earthly riches. She was an heiress; would it be generous to take advantage of a casual service, and press a suit that would be as painful to refuse as unlikely to be granted? I mean (so says vanity) by Mr. Morden. No; I overcame the temptation of risking a trial, and returned to ford, possessing the esteem and good wishes of every inhabitant of "the Wilderness."

I was on parade some mornings after I rejoined the regiment, when a horse, splendidly accoutred, with a superb tiger-skin, holsters, saddle, and every housing fit for a field officer, was led into the barrack-yard by a groom. The animal was a perfect picture of symmetry and strength; a dark chesnut, sixteen hands high, and worth at least two hundred guineas. The groom presented me a letter-it was from Mr Morden; the horse was a present.

Emily and her cousin married most happily, and we have often met since. They treat me as sisters would a brother, and we frequently talk of the night attack upon 66 the Wilderness."

Three years passed away; the gang had been incessantly followed by Mr. Morden, and were extirpated, with the solitary exception of Captain Bulger. -Dreading the sleepless vengeance of that determined old man, this ruffian fled the country, and established himself in a disaffected district of the south.

In the interim I got a Majority in the Seventieth, then quartered in Cork. Soon after I joined I happened to be field officer of the day on which a notorious criminal was doomed to suffer. The regiment had given a guard, and curiosity induced me to attend the execution.

I entered the press-room. In a few minutes the malefactor appeared in white grave-clothes, attended by two priests. It was mine ancient enemy,' Bulger! Suddenly the Sheriff was called out, and after a short absence returned, accompanied by a plain, vigorous country gentleman, enveloped in a huge driving coat, and apparently like one who had travelled a considerable distance.

I looked at the criminal; he was the ruin of a powerful man, and the worstvisaged scoundrel imaginable. He was perfectly unmoved, and preserved a callous sort of hardiesse, and, as the priests hurried over their Latin prayers, made a careless response whenever they directed him. The door leading to the drop was open; the felon looked out

[ocr errors]

upon the crowd most earnestly. "He is not there," he murmured; "he caused my apprehension, but he will not see me die!" and added with a grim smile, "Morden, you neither kept your word nor proved your prophecy!" The muffled stranger stood suddenly forward"I am here, Bulger! I paid for your apprehension, and have come some hundred miles to witness your execution!"

"Morden," said the dying felon solemnly, "if a ghost can come back again, I'll visit you!"

The person addressed smiled coldly. "I found you unable to execute your threats while living, and, believe me, I apprehend nothing from you when dead."

The clock struck-the Sheriff gave the signal-Bulger advanced to the scaffold-the drop fell-and in two minutes he was a corpse.

SUNSET.

The panorama of the evening this!

The streaks of golden ether look as lakes

most as high as the ramparts, where the dim grey battlements could be discerned crowded with men. Albert stood upon the rock under the standard i before the tent, and watched the black columns pouring into the cloud, which swallowed them in its darkness. As the sun approached, the faint flash of the crescents and crowded arms could be seen glittering along the ramparts, and at quick intervals the fearful shock of the war wolves, sent up a cloud of dust from the wall; and as it swept off, a deep black gap appeared in the battlements and glittering line of arms. All at once the vast dark mighty column of the tower began to move, and rose slowly out of the smoke till it looked over the rampart; a thunder of shorts rolled up from the host, and suddenly the flash of arms and banners receded like a bright wave along the wall. In an instant a little bridge fell from the top of the turret upon the battlement, and a white knight, followed by a glittering stream of glaives and lances,

Beyond the hills, with clouds, like boats of rushed over to the rampart. A terrific

bliss

[blocks in formation]

Concluded from page 185.

THE clear day was bright upon the camp, and the long black lines of men at arms were pouring through the white tents like torrents towards the town, but all beneath the wall was lost in dust and smoke, through which the tall black giant tower of assault rose al

A wooden tower of a height equal to the wall of a besieged place, was one of the ancient engines of a siege. It was moveable upon block wheels, and provided with a "fallbridge," one similar to a draw-bridge, to drop from the summit upon the battlement. The historians mention with astonishment two of prodigious size used at the assault of Jerusalem under Godfroi de Boulogne, aud constructed by Count Raymond. The first when brought to the wall was found too low, and was afterwards burned in a sally of the Saracens ; but the second had a small internal turret capable of being elevated by ropes and pullies. When the Saracens saw it brought to the wall, they treated it with contempt incited by the failure of the first; but their consternation was great when they saw the summit begin to move, and rise slowly up to a height greater than that of the battlements of the town. A successful

cry came from the turret, and re-echoed from the moat-"Raymond of Toulouse! Raymond of Toulouse!" and Albert distinguished the glorious figure of his master and the white cross of France. One moment he gazed, one moment knelt upon the rock, one mo

lodgement was made by means of the "fallbridge," and the city taken soon afterwards.

+ Anciently in a camp, every leader, of the rank of a Baron, had a banner (i.e.) a square flag emblazoned with his amorial coat, pitched before his tent. This flag was much larger than the banner carried with the troops, and being only used for pitching in the ground, was thence called a "Stand-ard." The name is now confounded with common military ensigns; though it is properly regulated, by its use, and had an established stated dimension, according to the rank of its owner, from that of an Emperor to a Baron. None under this last rank could display his arms in a banner, properly so called, for that of a banner-et was only his guydon with the points cut off.

[ocr errors]

There were two kinds of engines called war-wolves." One was a sort of ponderous wooden grate used to break a battering-ram, &c.; the other, which is here meant, was a machine for casting vast stones. Edward I. at the siege of Stirling used one, which is said to have thrown pieces of rock weighing three cwt. -Mat. Par. Several kinds of engines were named from animals; as the War-wolf, for casting stones; the Ram, for battering; the Tortoise, for covering the working party under a wall; the Cat and the Sow, moveable coverings, or close sheds on wheels, under which the besiegers made their approaches to the ditch. From these names war engines were generally called in French Beasteaux, and in old English, Beastial, and Beastial of Tree. Old romances, Barbour's Bruce, the Blind Minstrel, &c, &c.

ment lifted up his cross, and rushed down into the stream of the assault.

The black terrible tide went on like a torrent into the moat, and the storm of the escalade thickened under the breach; but nothing was visible in the thick darkness. and the black dense press went on and disappeared into the cloud, man over man, till it almost filled up the deep black visionless gulf of the moat which roared round it like the bottomless pit. At intervals the heavy shot rebounded on the wall, and the rolling ruin and storm of the defence rained down fire, and thunder, and battle sleet, through the black cloud: but the slow dark iron tide went onand on-and on-over the falling heaps, till suddenly there was an explosion as if the heaven and the earth burst amidst the darkness. A moment of fearful stillness prevailed, the smoke rolled away, and the breach appeared to the sun, and all the thick glittering stream of helms and crosses going up over the ruined wall like a swarm of locusts. Again there was rescue -again the charge-and as the cloud opened and shut-now helmets, now turbans glistened in the breach; but suddenly a broad bright gleam broke on the towers, and the white figure of Earl Rayınond appeared on the top turret. A moment he stood amidst the smoke in the sight of all the hosts, and suddenly mounting the bartizan, pitched the white banner in the sun, and began to sing the battle hymn of Toulouse. The field-the breach-the crowded towers sent up a shout like the sea roar, and as the bright silk flew in the wind, the darts and shot clinked upon the knight's mail, and glanced through the fluttering banner like sharp sleet. Raymond stood still amidst the shower, waving his hand over the assault, and singing a battle chorus.

As the coming stream poured up towards him, a sudden crowding, a dark object appeared upon a turret, and the black bow of a scorpion moved on the wall, and levelled upon the knight. For an instant it lay upon the battlement, till suddenly the bright eye of the arrow looked at him over the stone; a universal cry and waving of hands and caps came from the assault, but Raymond stood still, waving his hand, and singing the song, till a wild cry, a flying

+ The stones and various missiles of Balistæ and other engines, were called shot,' as the engines and their materials were called “artillery" several centuries before the invention of gunS.

shadow came through the smoke, and at the moment that the dart parted from the cord, Albert threw himself upon the breast of his master, the hissing shaft struck short and sharp in his back, and he dropped from the bosom of the knight upon the rampart.

The dart snapped upon the stone, but the bright point stood stiff and red through the breast of his coat; Raymond dropped his banner, and gave a cry of grief, and drew out the broken wood; and as the clear blood gushed after, tore open the breast of the page to stanch the wound, when, as he undid the gorget, he discovered, not the dark neck of a sun-burnt boy, but the white snowy throat of a maiden bosom!

She turned her face to the stone"Thank God!" she said, "I die for you, as you died for me!"

Raymond raised her eagerly in his arms-"Who! Who are you?" he exclaimed, looking wildly upon her dark face and snow-white bosom.

"I was-Blanche Rose!" whispered the page.

Raymond fell upon her face, and for a moment held her to his mailed breast as still and silent as herself; but suddenly he started up, and rending his surcoat, bound the fillets round her bleeding breast; but still as he would fold over fold with wild eagerness, the red blood came through the silk.

"It is not painful," said Blanche, "it will soon be past!"

Raymond dropped the last bandage, and gazed upon her with the fixedness of despair, as she lay still in his arms, her white passive face reclined upon his breast, and her cold hand resting quiet in his mail glove. For awhile she lay like one composing into sleep, at last she lifted her heavy eyes

"I am happy! I die in peace!" she said; and turned her face to his bosom like an infant to its rest; and one long tremulous sigh, and her breast became still, her hand unclosed, the smile fixed on her white lip, and the tear in her eye, and she lay calm, and still, and placid, like a child on its parent lap.

They buried them together in the valley af Jehosaphat, and raised over them a grave of simple turf; for he said, "Let our pillow be the earth where He has trodden, and let His light shine upon us by day, and His dew come down upon our breast at night."

There is a palm-tree at the head of the heap, and a little well at the foot, and one white rose of Sharon that blos

soms very sweet over the brink, and sheds the incense of the earth over their breasts who sleep below. At evening the gazelle comes to feed upon the green turf, and the bulbul sings on the bough over his flower, and the palmer at noon takes his branch from the tree, and a blossom from the bush, and sits in the shade, and drinks out ofthe well. Tail's Edin. Mag.

TABLETS FOR THE ANNUALS.

FIT FIRST.

For the Olio.

1. COMIC OFFERING.

which their noble relatives moved with such distinction. Every thing was pro-> pitious in furtherance of the meditated scheme: the spring was approaching, London filling, the country emptying, and the children could all go to school. A few weeks in town, just to see what was going on,' would be fully worth the journey, especially as it would afford an opportunity for them to commence an acquaintance with their magnificent relations: and as the boys were growing up, it might be serviceable to their interests to tighten the bonds of connection a little, which had, from lapse of time, and want of inter

He that would break the chain of care and course, become somewhat loosened.

laugh;

He that would sbake his sides and relish it; Might, for the Winter, chuse a "better half," And wed the Comic Offering" for its wit.

[blocks in formation]

There is an old saying where there is a will, there is always a way.' In a short time Mr. and Mrs. Flybekin, being bent on the measure, argued themselves into a belief of the projected visit being nothing short of an imperative moral duty. When matters had gone thus far, a hint was dropped in the drawing-room, which immediately reached the domestic department,' and very soon spread through the village, -as the smallest stone falling into water creates successive circles around the spot where it fell, each increasing in circumference. Accordingly, the Flybekins were the centre of attraction on the following Sunday, after morning service. Hearty congratulations, and ardent wishes for a pleasant trip, with various commissions, pressed upon them. The newest fashions were promised to be brought down, and the village milliner looked forward to a glorious triumph over all her rivals in: the trade about the country. The happy pair were on the pinnacle of provincial glory; he was expected to return with the true state of foreign affairs and the nation, from the intercourse he would. enjoy with the peer; she was expected to import news of operas, plays, music, novels, writers, balls, routs, drawingrooms and dresses, from her intercourse with the peeress. In all the pleasures to which they looked forward there was but one drawback, viz. a most extraordinary dread of London fires at night! and this originated in the fre→ quent occurrence in their county paper of paragraphs headed Another alarming conflagration; many lives lost!'put in either to aid the insurance office or fill the paper. As our rustic pair had never visited the metropolis, they did not know but Leadenhall Street and Hyde Park, Lambeth and Portland Place, might all be close neighbours;

therefore, however distant the fires night be, they fancied they occurred nearly in the same place; and from the time Mr. and Mrs. Flybekins resolved to visit town, scarcely a night passed in which they did not start in terror from their dreams, screaming 'Fire, fire!' All was hurry and preparation at the lodge,' until the anticipated arrival of the Barnstable Sociable' one morning at the door, suminoned the ambitious pair; and on the fourth day of their departure from Devonshire, they were duly set down at the White Horse Cellar, for road making had not then received the magic touch of Macadam. The next day was occupied in searching for, and entering, suitable lodgings; and the following day, having hired a carriage, which their unpractised eyes considered most elegant in size and equipment, they sallied forth, armed with a card-case, and a long list of commissions, the practised horses going at the full rate of six miles an hour. A friendly and familiar visit over to some Devonshire friends in Devonshire Place, they essayed next to discharge the now almost dreaded call of state; for that which, contemplated at a distance, imparted joy and hope, when at hand possessed something of awe mingled with these feelings. Arrived in Grosvenor Square, after sliding along the gutter close by the foot pavement, the distance of two or three houses, and with a little preliminary tug of the reigns, the coachman drew up opposite the door of No. -. Two powdered lackeys in rich livery were peering through the long narrow windows on each side of the door, and anticipated the intention of the diminutive, bandy footman, of knocking, (that is, if he could have reached the knocker). To the question of Lord and Lady B. at home?' a negative answer was delivered; they were gone to the country, but were expected back to dinner. A card was then handed in, inscribed in the neatest spider-pattern hand-writing of Mrs. Flybekin; and they drove off to pursue the agreeable pastime of shopping and going through part of the list of commissions, vivenda and agenda, with which they were provided. As the Flybekins drove along the streets, the words 'Patent Fire-escapes,' in large letters, upon the front of a tall-house, attracted their attention, and roused all their latent fears of London fires, with accounts of which, the newspapers so frequently teemed. A fire-escape would

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

1

The

impart security to sleep, and might be taken down into the country. A ccordingly, the check-string was pulled, the manufactory entered, the machines inspected, an economical one selected by each; and in an hour after their arrival at home to dinner, the fire-escapes were duly mounted in one of the front bedroom windows. Their evening meal being finished at the barbarous hour of nine, the Flybekins began to yawn over the events of the past day, and the prospective engagements of the morrow. The excitements of the morning in the crowded London streets had completely tired the rustic couple, who being susceptible of no further excitement, sought repose at this early hour, and were both soon wrapt in deep sleep. Leaving them to enjoy their repose, we return to Grosvenor Square. noble pair returned to a family dinner, and on entering the house, read, with strained eyeballs, the card deposited that morning by the Flybekins, and with some such an expression of countenance as one may be supposed to assume in discovering something in at drawer more than was anticipated. Umph!' said the peer, the Flybekins in town! what could have brought them up so far from the country?' Something that will not detain them long, I hope,' dryly answered Lady B. 'Yet we must take some notice of these country cousins,' said the peer; let us invite them to a family dinner.' 'Well, if we must,' said the countess, shrugging her shoulders; and with that the subject dropped for the time. Now it is quite clear, that however brilliant might have been the prospects of the Flybekins, the peer and his lady wished them any where but in London; and, rather than invite them to Grosvenor-square to dinner, the former would have been glad to be let off with a writership for one of the sons in India. Their carriage was ordered at ten, to convey them to the Duchess of R.'s party, and Lord B. proposed to make a friendly call upon their relations before waiting on her grace. Accordingly thither they drove, accompanied by two footmen, bearing flaming flambeaux, the custom of the great in those days, when the town was not so well lighted as in the present age. The signs of this custom are indeed still to be seen in front of many houses, which served for the footmen to extinguish their lights. Meantime the Flybekins slept on, not dreaming of the honour intended them, and were as soon sound

6

« AnteriorContinua »