Delphi Complete Works of the Brontes

by Bronte Sisters

  Bobadil came forward & began to poke out his neck strain & wink his eyes, look through his fingers &c. but finally declared he could perceive nothing, the Marquis of Charlesworth & General Leaf the owner of the pink wig were equally unsuccessful.

  “You are a set of moles” said the Duke “I see them most distinctly they have rounded the hill & their arms are glittering brightly in the sunshine . come hither Percy can’t you see that flashing hedge of spears with a banner displayed in the rear?”, “Certainly my lord” replied Percy whose younger eyes could easily discern what was quite lost to the dimmed optics of the old Generals “they are now turned from the rebels & seem advancing towards us.” A silence of a quater of an hour here ensued during which the Duke continued to gaze intently at the approaching army, for such it was now distinctly seen to be. they slowly wound away from the Ashantee camp & entering a deep valley were for the present lost to sight. But ere long a burst of wild music heralded their reappearance, gradually they emerged from the sinuous winding of the Glen which had concealed them & in martial array advanced to the sound of shrill pipes & deep-toned kettle drums along the right bank of the Senegal.

  “These are not foes but friends” exclaimed the Duke starting up. “Upon my word St Clair has kept his promise well, I did not think his northern hills could send forth such a fine body of troops.f”

  “Who are they my lord?” exclaimed all the officers at once, with the exception of Percy, whose brow had suddenly grown dark at the mention of St Clair.

  “The men of Elimbos, the lads of the mist” replied his Grace. “Here Percy order my horse & your own & attend me whilst I go to meet them.”

  Percy left the hut & in a few minutes the Duke & himself were galloping down towards the valley. As they drew near that Highland host my father frequently expressed his admiration at the perfect order in which the ranks moved, the athletic appearance & uncommon stature of the men who formed them & the clean well burnished appearance of their arms & equipments, just as they reached the ad

  vanced guard a general halt was called, both rode through the unfolding columns till on gaining the centre of the little army, they perceived the Earl surrounded by his choicest vassals all dressed in the green tartan of their clan & bearing spears, bows quivers & small triangular shields. Near him stood a gigantic warrior whose snow white hair & beard proclaimed advanced age while from his erect bearing herculean frame & sinewy limbs it was easy to perceive that he retained unimpaired all the vigourous powers of youth, he bore in one hand a huge spear proportionate to his own Titanic size from which floated the broad folds of a green banner bearing as a device a golden Eagle with expanded wings & the motto “I dwell on the rock”. This person was the celebrated Donald of the Standard called in common parlance the ape of the Hills. he is now one hundred & ten years of age & consequently was at that period ninety.” After a cordial greeting on each side the Duke proceeded to direct St Clair how to encamp his men & to give him other instructions which it is unnecessary here to recapitulate, their conference being ended he took leave for the night & returned with Colonel Percy to his own quaters.

  It may now be as well to connect the broken thread of my rambling narrative before I proceed further.

  When St Clair reached Verdopolis after his interview with lady Emily Charlesworth at Clydesdale Castle he ordered his page to go to the nearest place where carriages were let out to hire & order one to be in readiness by eleven o’clock that night, from some unexplained cause of delay it was not prepared till past twelve & consequently the bird was flown before he arrived at the appointed place of rendezvous. In a state of impatience amounting almost to madness he continued to pace the chestnut avenue watching the setting of the moon, the slow vanishing of the stars & the gradual approach of day-light, listening to every breath of wind & transforming the rustle of each falling leaf in t the step of his expected fair one. Morning broke however, the sun r°se, the Deer awoke from their light slumbers & still lady Emily came not. Stung to the heart with her apparent infidelity, he determined to learn the cause of it from her own mouth & if a satisfactory excuse were not assigned to bid her an eternal farewell, with this resolution he hastened to the castle .

  on his arrival he found it all in confusion, the servants hurrying to & fro with countenances of doubt & dismay. on inquiring the reason of this unusual movement, he was informed that lady Emily had disappeared that night & that no one knew where she was gone. Terror struck at this intelligence he immediately returned to Verdopolis where he remained for some days during which time the most diligent research was made after the unfortunate lady by her atflicted Uncle but all to no purpose. Finding this to be the case St Clair who had now- lost all motive for desiring a continuance of life & whose bitter & heart-gnawing anguish rendered a quiescent state of existence the most terrible of all others determined immediately to offer his own services & those of the clan whose cheiftain he was to the Duke of Wellington in his intended expedition against the Ashantees. this proposal of course was gratefully accepted & St Clair soon after departed to gather his warriors & lead them from their native mountains. With his opportune arrival the reader is already acquainted & now having cleared scores I may trot on unincumbered.

  On the evening of the day which followed that event as The Earl sat in his tent with no other companion than the little Page Andrew who squatting like a Turk in one corner was employed in burnishing his master’s spear & silver quiver. Colonel Percy rode up on his gallant war- horse & informed St Clair that the Duke was about to hold a council of war in which his presence would be required. It was with difficulty that our hero managed to return a civil answer to the unwelcome envoy, with a haughtiness of gesture & a sterness of tone that ill-suited the courteous nature of the words he replyed “that he felt highly flattered by the Duke’s request & would attend him without delay” Whether Percy experienced any reciprocation of animosity I know not but his countenance expressed none as with a bland smile & low inclination of the head he touched his horse’s sides & caracoled’ gaily away.

  The council was held in a large tent covered with scarlet cloth richly ornamented with gold embroidery & from the summit waved a crimson flag bearing the arms of England. When St Clair entered this superb pavillion, he found the Duke surrounded by about twenty officersf. at his left hand sat the Marquis of Charlesworth whose pale countenance & abstracted air told a melancholy tale of recent afflic

  tion. the Earl was invited by his Grace to take the seat at his right hand which was vacant. at this flattering mark of distinction Colonel Percy who sat near the entrance of the tent amongst the junior officers was observed to smile with a peculiar expression.

  “Now Gentlemen” said the Duke when all were assembled “I do not intend to detain you long, my motive for assembling you together was merely to obtain your approbation of a proposal for settling our black friends on the other side of the river in a few hours without I trust incurring much risk to our own army”

  His Grace then proceeded to unfold a scheme for attacking the enemy’s camp at night when they would be wholly unable to make any adequate defence it having been ascertained by means of spies that their watch was not one of the most vigilant in the world, the advantages of this plan being obvious the council gave a unanimous opinion in its favour & the next night was assigned as the period for putting it into execution. Business being thus summarily disposed of the Duke proceeded to say “Since Gentlemen I have called you to-gether for an affair of such brevity some reparation is due. I hope therefore you will not refuse to partake with me of a soldier’s supper, it is prepared & now only waits your approach”

  As he spoke the curtain at the upper end of the tent was withdrawn & revealed an inner pavillion brilliantly lighted in which was a long table covered with the material for an excellent & substantial though not perhaps a luxurious supper. All willingly accepted the invitation except the Marquis of Charlesworth who pleaded an inability to enjoy festivity as an excuse for declining it.

 
“I will not press you my lord” said the Duke kindly taking his hand but remember that solitude nourishes grief” the old man’s only reply was a mournful shake of the head. “That poor fellow has had a heavy stroke in his old age” observed Colonel Percy who happened to be seated next to St Clair at supper he has lost a very pretty & accomplished neice in a most unaccount- able manner”

  Has he?” said the Earl eyeing his neighbour with a glance that m’ght have struck terror to the heart of a lion.

  “Yes” pursued the Colonel in a tone of the most provoking calmness “Ah she was a sweet girl rather capricious though as most women are, one of her fancies was particularly absurd” “What might that be?” asked St Clair.

  “Why you’ll hardly believe it when I tell you, she took it into her head to fall in love with a poor, silly, sneaking puppy of a painter & for some time declared she would marry him in preference to the nephew & heir of a duke but at length the latter lover prevailed & then the little witch confessed she had only been playing the coquette to try her suitors fidelity & that in reality she despised the man of canvass as much as she did the meanest of his sign-post daubs”

  The flush which crimsoned St Clair’s cheek & brow & the light which sparkled in his fierce eyes would have quelled the insolence of any ordinary man but they only increased that of the demi fiend who sat by rejoicing in his agony.

  “You are not subject to apoplectic fits are you sir?” said he gazing on him with affected wonder.

  “No replied the Earl suppressing his wrath by a strong effort “but Sir how will the successful lover bear the loss of his intended bride?”

  “Oh, they say he displays a laudable degree of resignation under the affliction”

  “Then his affection for her was a pretence?” “No I don’t say that but you know my lord he is perhaps better acquainted with her whereabouts than other people. Hum, don’t you understand me?” “Indeed I do not”

  “Why then to speak more plainly, some folks don’t hesitate to say that she has eloped”

  “Sir” said the Earl in a low deep voice “Let me tell you I am in some degree acquainted with the parties we have been conversing about & let me tell you further that if I were her uncle & entertained the least suspicion of the kind you hint at I would cause the infernal scoundrel her lover to be torn limb from limb by wild horses or force him to tell me where the unhappy creature is concealed”‘

  “Ha! Would you” said the colonel while a cloud at once fell on his brow & he instinctively grasped the weapon at his side but almost directly after he muttered “the hour is not yet arrived” & his countenance resumed its former state of deceitful composure.

  The dishes were now removed & wine was introduced. after the first few rounds the Duke of Wellington rising from his seat at the head of the table “begged to be excused from a longer stay at the festive boardf’. he then drank to the health of all his guests & bidding them good night withdrew. St Clair who was in no mood for joining in the riotous mirth that now became the principal characteristic of the military mess took the first opportunity of following his example.

  the night was still & calm, its dewy coolness & the mild moonlight which was poured down upon him at intervals as he wandered among the silent tents & through the dark groves which waved with scarce visible motion along the river’s shelving banks served in a great measure to soothe his roused & exaggerated passions. But not all the deep tranquility which fell like balm from the blue starry sky Not all the images of rest & serenity which a sweet summer’s night ever creates could bring corresponding peace to his love tortured heart, or expel the worm of jealousy that now gnawed his very vitals. To be despised by her for whom he could have given his life’s blood, to be the object of her derision & scorn, to have all his suspicions of her good faith so fearfully verified, was worse than death to his proud haughty spirit. As he stood on the river’s brink & looked down on the deep clear waters which flowed so gently & wooingly at his feet he longed to cool the delirium of his brain by a spring into their liquid freshness, putting aside however this suggestion of the tempter & half- despising himself for being so moved by the false-heartedness of a fickle woman he turned from the stream & proceeded towards his own tent. just as he was about to enter it a voice whispered in his ear, Beware of Percy, it is a friend who warns you.” The Earl looked hastily round ; he saw a dark figure gliding away which was soon lost >n the shadow of a lofty cluster of palm trees.

  For a long time after he had laid himself on his deer skin couch that night, Slumber refused to visit his aching eyelids, the warning of his unknown friend, joined to the other subjects of deep & intense thought which filled his distracted mind for some hours effectually nished sleep from his pillow. But at last wearied nature being quite worn out was compelled to seek refuge in temporary repose. Scarcely had kindly oblivion fallen over the sorrows which oppressed him when a long & peculiarly shrill whistle sounded without the tent. Andrew who till this moment had been apparently fast asleep in a corner now softly & cautiously left his couch & taking up a small lamp stept on tip-toe to his master’s bed-side, having ascertained that he was really slumbering by holding the light to his closed eyes &c. the page wrapped himself in a green plaid & without noise left the tent, at the outside a man was standing whose blue coat & livried hat showed him to be the same person that had abducted Andrew about a month since. Without a word spoken both walked or rather stole away towards a neighbouring grove the footman leading the way & beckoning Andrew to follow, here they were joined by another figure in a cloak. All three then proceeded down the river & in a few minutes the intervening trees entirely concealed them from view.

  CHAPTER THE SEVENTH

  “Well my lord the day is ours at last, but we’ve had a hard tug for the victory - upon my word those black rascals fought like devils”

  “They did indeed & I think their overthrow considering all the circumstances of the case may be accounted almost a miracle.”

  “Truly it may. by the bye St Clair I shall hold a second council of war this Evening, those circumstances you allude to require explanation, they must be carefully looked into, you will attend of course?”

  “Certainly my lord”

  such was the brief dialogue between St Clair & the Duke of Wellington as the latter rode by with his staff. A bloody but decisive victory had just been gained over the Ashantee though in a manner different from what had been at first intended. At eleven o’clock of the night appointed for the secret attack, the Duke of Wellington crossed the Senegal at the head of his whole army. As they drew near the hostile camp not a voice whispered, not a light glimmered among the long silent rows of snow white tents, unopposed they held on their course to Quashie’s own pavillion. they entered, it was empty, a short

  space of time sufficed to ascertain that not a living thing save themselves remained in all the deserted camp. Those who were near the Duke when this discovery was made said that for a few moments his countenance expressed a depth of disappointment akin to despair, he recovered himself however almost directly & ordered scouts to disperse instantly in every direction & find out which way the enemy was gone. Ere long some of them returned with the information that they had marched northward & were now halting about ten miles off. The army immediately received orders to take the route indicated which led up the valley.

  About day break they arrived at a wild mountain pass, through which might be seen a vast plain where the allied forces of the Moors Ashantees & Abyssinians, were all drawn up in battle array. It was a gorgeous but terrific spectacle as the first sunbeams flashed on that dusky host & lighted up to fiercer radiance their bright weapons & all the barbarous magnificence of gold & gems in which most of the warriors were attired, as the Duke’s Army with himself at their head filed slowly forward through the narrow gorge, a young horseman sped suddenly to the front of the African array & waving his long lance in the air exclaimed “Freedom would this night have received her death stab from the hand of the White Tyrant had not a t
raitor arisen in the Camp of Oppression” with these words he plunged again into the ranks & disappeared but not before the golden diadem glittering on his forehead had revealed the arch-rebel Quashie.

  The contest which then ensued & which dyed the plains of Camalia with blood I need not describef: it is a matter of History. Suffice it to say that of the twenty-five thousand gallant rebels whom the sun’s nsing rays had that morning lighted to the contest high in hope & strong in valour the bodies of seventeen thousand eight hundred ere evening lay cold & still on a lost field of battle waiting till the vultures of Gibbel Kumri should scent the banquet from afar & grant them a living sepulchre in their devouring maws.

  Our hero St Clair had played one of the mostconspicuous parts in the days tragedy. Reckless of Life which was now hateful to him he ought glory at the head of his brave Highlanders wherever the fight raged thickest & almost wished that the renown his dauntless courage was certain to earn might ring through the world whilst he himself lay in the voiceless tomb shrouded in his last garments & hushed to repose in the slumber from which none can awake. Fate however had decreed otherwise, the scymitar of the turbaned moor, the war spear of the savage Ashantee & even the renowned arrow of the quivered Abyssinian seemed all to have lost their powers of destruction when turned against him & when the battle was past & he with his little army slowly retraced their steps over the gory plain, it was with feelings approaching to envy that he viewed the ghastly corpses which pale & mangled lay scattered around.

  On arriving at his own tent he called Andrew to assist him in changing his soiled & bloody dress, the page however did not obey this summons & after waiting sometime in expectation of his appearance he was obliged to manage as well as he could without any aid. having completed his toilette & partaken of some refreshment, he hastened as it was now late to attend the council. A profound silence pervaded the pavillion as he entered broken only by an occasional whisper. The Duke was sitting at the head of the table in an unusually pensive & meditative posture, his head resting on his hand, his brows contracted & an expression of deep solemnity diffused over his whole countenance. When St Clair was seated he looked up & glanced quickly round as if to ascertain that all the members were assembled then rising he proceed to address them briefly thus.