The Cloister and the Hearth

by Charles Reade

  CHAPTER XIII

  Gerard and Margaret went gaily to Sevenbergen in the first flush ofrecovered liberty and successful adventure. But these soon yieldedto sadder thoughts. Gerard was an escaped prisoner, and liable to beretaken and perhaps punished; and therefore he and Margaret would haveto part for a time. Moreover, he had conceived a hatred to his nativeplace. Margaret wished him to leave the country for a while, but atthe thought of his going to Italy her heart fainted. Gerard, on thecontrary, was reconciled to leaving Margaret only by his desire to visitItaly, and his strong conviction that there he should earn money andreputation, and remove every obstacle to their marriage. He had alreadytold her all that the demoiselle Van Eyck had said to him. He repeatedit, and reminded Margaret that the gold pieces were only given him to goto Italy with. The journey was clearly for Gerard's interest. He was acraftsman and an artist, lost in this boorish place. In Italy they wouldknow how to value him. On this ground above all the unselfish girl gaveher consent; but many tender tears came with it, and at that Gerard,young and loving as herself, cried bitterly with her, and often theyasked one another what they had done, that so many different personsshould be their enemies, and combine, as it seemed, to part them.

  They sat hand in hand till midnight, now deploring their hard fate, nowdrawing bright and hopeful pictures of the future, in the midst of whichMargaret's tears would suddenly flow, and then poor Gerard's eloquencewould die away in a sigh.

  The morning found them resigned to part, but neither had the courage tosay when; and much I doubt whether the hour of parting ever would havestruck.

  But about three in the afternoon, Giles, who had made a circuit of manymiles to avoid suspicion, rode up to the door. They both ran out to him,eager with curiosity.

  "Brother Gerard," cried he, in his tremendous tones, "Kate bids you runfor your life. They charge you with theft; you have given them a handle.Think not to explain. Hope not for justice in Tergou. The parchments youtook, they are but a blind. She hath seen your death in the men's eyes;a price is on your head. Fly! For Margaret's sake and all who love you,loiter not life away, but fly!"

  It was a thunder-clap, and left two white faces looking at one another,and at the terrible messenger.

  Then Giles, who had hitherto but uttered by rote what Catherine badehim, put in a word of his own.

  "All the constables were at our house after you, and so was Dirk Brower.Kate is wise, Gerard. Best give ear to her rede, and fly!"

  "Oh, yes, Gerard," cried Margaret wildly. "Fly on the instant. Ah! thoseparchments; my mind misgave me: why did I let you take them?"

  "Margaret, they are but a blind: Giles says so. No matter: the oldcaitiff shall never see them again; I will not go till I have hiddenhis treasure where he shall never find it." Gerard then, after thankingGiles warmly, bade him farewell, and told him to go back and tell Katehe was gone. "For I shall be gone ere you reach home," said he. He thenshouted for Martin; and told him what had happened, and begged him to goa little way towards Tergou, and watch the road.

  "Ay!" said Martin, "and if I see Dirk Brower or any of his men, I willshoot an arrow into the oak-tree that is in our garden; and on thatyou must run into the forest hard by, and meet me at the weird hunter'sspring. Then I will guide you through the wood."

  Surprise thus provided against, Gerard breathed again. He went withMargaret, and while she watched the oak-tree tremblingly, fearing everymoment to see an arrow strike among the branches, Gerard dug a deep holeto bury the parchments in.

  He threw them in, one by one. They were nearly all charters and recordsof the burgh; but one appeared to be a private deed between FlorisBrandt, father of Peter, and Ghysbrecht.

  "Why, this is as much yours as his," said Gerard. "I will read this."

  "Oh, not now, Gerard, not now," cried Margaret. "Every moment you losefills me with fear; and see, large drops of rain are beginning to fall,and the clouds lower."

  Gerard yielded to this remonstrance; but he put the deed into his bosom,and threw the earth in over the others, and stamped it down. While thusemployed there came a flash of lightning followed by a peal of distantthunder, and the rain came down heavily. Margaret and Gerard ran intothe house, whither they were speedily followed by Martin.

  "The road is clear," said he, "and a heavy storm coming on."

  His words proved true. The thunder came nearer and nearer till itcrashed overhead: the flashes followed one another close, like thestrokes of a whip, and the rain fell in torrents. Margaret hid her facenot to see the lightning. On this, Gerard put up the rough shutter andlighted a candle. The lovers consulted together, and Gerard blessedthe storm that gave him a few hours more with Margaret. The sun setunperceived, and still the thunder pealed, and the lightning flashed,and the rain poured. Supper was set; but Gerard and Margaret could noteat: the thought that this was the last time they should sup togetherchoked them. The storm lulled a little. Peter retired to rest. ButGerard was to go at peep of day, and neither he nor Margaret couldafford to lose an hour in sleep. Martin sat a while, too; for he wasfitting a new string to his bow, a matter in which he was very nice.

  The lovers murmured their sorrows and their love beside him.

  Suddenly the old man held up his hand to them to be silent.

  They were quiet and listened, and heard nothing. But the next moment afootstep crackled faintly upon the autumn leaves that lay strewn in thegarden at the back door of the house. To those who had nothing to fearsuch a step would have said nothing; but to those who had enemies it wasterrible. For it was a foot trying to be noiseless.

  Martin fitted an arrow to his string and hastily blew out the candle. Atthis moment, to their horror, they heard more than one footstep approachthe other door of the cottage, not quite so noiselessly as the other,but very stealthily--and then a dead pause.

  Their blood froze in their veins.

  "Oh, Kate, oh, Kate! You said fly on the instant." And Margaret moanedand wrung her hands in anguish and terror and wild remorse for havingkept Gerard.

  "Hush, girl!" said Martin, in a stern whisper.

  A heavy knock fell on the door.

  And on the hearts within.