Part 8 (1/2)
”I went to Pendle Hill, as directed,” pursued the monk, ”and saw the Dark Shape there as I beheld it on the dormitory roof. All things were then told me, and I learnt how the late rebellion should rise, and how it should be crushed. I learnt also how my vengeance should be satisfied.”
Paslew groaned aloud. A brief pause ensued, and deep emotion marked the accents of the wizard as he proceeded.
”When I came back, all this part of Lancas.h.i.+re resounded with praises of the beauty of Bess Blackburn, a rustic la.s.s who dwelt in Barrowford. She was called the Flower of Pendle, and inflamed all the youths with love, and all the maidens with jealousy. But she favoured none except Cuthbert Ashbead, forester to the Abbot of Whalley. Her mother would fain have given her to the forester in marriage, but Bess would not be disposed of so easily. I saw her, and became at once enamoured. I thought my heart was seared; but it was not so. The savage beauty of Bess pleased me more than the most refined charms could have done, and her fierce character harmonised with my own. How I won her matters not, but she cast off all thoughts of Ashbead, and clung to me. My wild life suited her; and she roamed the wastes with me, scaled the hills in my company, and shrank not from the weird meetings I attended. Ill repute quickly attended her, and she became branded as a witch. Her aged mother closed her doors upon her, and those who would have gone miles to meet her, now avoided her. Bess heeded this little. She was of a nature to repay the world's contumely with like scorn, but when her child was born the case became different. She wished to save it. Then it was,” pursued Demdike, vehemently, and regarding the abbot with flas.h.i.+ng eyes-”then it was that I was again mortally injured by you. Then your ruthless decree to the clergy went forth. My child was denied baptism, and became subject to the fiend.”
”Alas! alas!” exclaimed Paslew.
”And as if this were not injury enough,” thundered Demdike, ”you have called down a withering and lasting curse upon its innocent head, and through it transfixed its mother's heart. If you had complied with that poor girl's request, I would have forgiven you your wrong to me, and have saved you.”
There was a long, fearful silence. At last Demdike advanced to the abbot, and, seizing his arm, fixed his eyes upon him, as if to search into his soul.
”Answer me, John Paslew!” he cried; ”answer me, as you shall speedily answer your Maker. Can that malediction be recalled? Dare not to trifle with me, or I will tear forth your black heart, and cast it in your face. Can that curse be recalled? Speak!”
”It cannot,” replied the abbot, half dead with terror.
”Away, then!” thundered Demdike, casting him from him. ”To the gallows!-to the gallows!” And he rushed out of the room.
CHAPTER VII.-THE ABBEY MILL.
For a while the abbot remained shattered and stupefied by this terrible interview. At length he arose, and made his way, he scarce knew how, to the oratory. But it was long before the tumult of his thoughts could be at all allayed, and he had only just regained something like composure when he was disturbed by hearing a slight sound in the adjoining chamber. A mortal chill came over him, for he thought it might be Demdike returned. Presently, he distinguished a footstep stealthily approaching him, and almost hoped that the wizard would consummate his vengeance by taking his life. But he was quickly undeceived, for a hand was placed on his shoulder, and a friendly voice whispered in his ears, ”c.u.m along wi' meh, lort abbut. Get up, quick-quick!”
Thus addressed, the abbot raised his eyes, and beheld a rustic figure standing beside him, divested of his clouted shoes, and armed with a long bare wood-knife.
”Dunna yo knoa me, lort abbut?” cried the person. ”Ey'm a freent-Hal o' Nabs, o' Wiswall. Yo'n moind Wiswall, yeawr own birthplace, abbut? Dunna be feert, ey sey. Ey'n getten a steigh clapt to yon windaw, an' you con be down it i' a trice-an' along t' covert way be t' river soide to t' mill.”
But the abbot stirred not.
”Quick! quick!” implored Hal o' Nabs, venturing to pluck the abbot's sleeve. ”Every minute's precious. Dunna be feert. Ebil Croft, t' miller, is below. Poor Cuthbert Ashbead would ha' been here i'stead o' meh if he couldn; boh that accursed wizard, Nick Demdike, turned my hont agen him, an' drove t' poike head intended for himself into poor Cuthbert's side. They clapt meh i' a dungeon, boh Ebil monaged to get me out, an' ey then swore to do whot poor Cuthbert would ha' done, if he'd been livin'-so here ey am, lort abbut, c.u.m to set yo free. An' neaw yo knoan aw abowt it, yo con ha nah more hesitation. c.u.m, time presses, an ey'm feert o' t' guard owerhearing us.”
”I thank you, my good friend, from the bottom of my heart,” replied the abbot, rising; ”but, however strong may be the temptation of life and liberty which you hold out to me, I cannot yield to it. I have pledged my word to the Earl of Derby to make no attempt to escape. Were the doors thrown open, and the guard removed, I should remain where I am.”
”Whot!” exclaimed Hal o' Nabs, in a tone of bitter disappointment; ”yo winnaw go, neaw aw's prepared. By th' Mess, boh yo shan. Ey'st nah go back to Ebil empty-handed. If yo'n sworn to stay here, ey'n sworn to set yo free, and ey'st keep meh oath. w.i.l.l.y nilly, yo shan go wi' meh, lort abbut!”
”Forbear to urge me further, my good Hal,” rejoined Paslew. ”I fully appreciate your devotion; and I only regret that you and Abel Croft have exposed yourselves to so much peril on my account. Poor Cuthbert Ashbead! when I beheld his body on the bier, I had a sad feeling that he had died in my behalf.”
”Cuthbert meant to rescue yo, lort abbut,” replied Hal, ”and deed resisting Nick Demdike's attempt to arrest him. Boh, be aw t' devils!” he added, brandis.h.i.+ng his knife fiercely, ”t' warlock shall ha' three inches o' cowd steel betwixt his ribs, t' furst time ey c.u.m across him.”
”Peace, my son,” rejoined the abbot, ”and forego your b.l.o.o.d.y design. Leave the wretched man to the chastis.e.m.e.nt of Heaven. And now, farewell! All your kindly efforts to induce me to fly are vain.”
”Yo winnaw go?” cried Hal o'Nabs, scratching his head.
”I cannot,” replied the abbot.
”c.u.m wi' meh to t' windaw, then,” pursued Hal, ”and tell Ebil so. He'll think ey'n failed else.”
”Willingly,” replied the abbot.
And with noiseless footsteps he followed the other across the chamber. The window was open, and outside it was reared a ladder.