Volume V Part 2 (1/2)
Harleigh, to whom her dress, as he had not caught a view of her face, proved a complete disguise of her person, concluded her to be some light nymph of the inn, and suffered her to search for the key, without even repeating his question: but when, upon her finding it, he observed that her shaking hand could not, for some time, fix it in the lock, he was struck with something in her general form that urged him to rise, and offer his a.s.sistance.
Still more her hand shook, but she opened the door, and, without answering, and with a head carefully averted, eagerly quitted the room; shutting herself out, with trembling precipitation.
Harleigh hesitated whether to follow; but it was only for a moment: the next, a shriek of agony reached his ears, and, hastily rus.h.i.+ng forth, he saw the female who had just quitted him, standing in an att.i.tude of despair; her face bowed down upon her hands; while an ill-looking man, whom he presently recollected for the pilot, grinning in triumph, and with arms wide extended, to prevent her pa.s.sing, loudly called out, '_Citoyen! Citoyen! venez voir! c'est Elle! Je la tien!_'[2]
[Footnote 2: 'Tis she, citizen! come and see! I have her safe!']
Harleigh would have remonstrated against this rude detention; but he had no sooner begun speaking, than Juliet, finding that she could not advance, retreated; and had just put her hand upon the lock of a door, higher up in the gallery; when another man, dressed with disgusting negligence, and of a hideous countenance, yet wearing an air of ferocious authority; advancing by large strides, roughly seized her arm, with one hand, while, with the other, he rudely lifted up her bonnet, to examine her face.
'_C'est bien!_' he cried, with a look of exultation, that gave to his horrible features an air of infernal joy; '_viens, citoyenne, viens; suis moi_.'[3]
[Footnote 3: ''Tis well! come, citizen, come along! follow me.']
Harleigh, who, when the bonnet was raised, saw, what as yet he had feared to surmize,--that it was Juliet; sprang forward, exclaiming, 'Daring ruffian! quit your hold!'
'_Ose tu nier mes droits?_' cried the man, addressing Juliet; whose arm he still griped;--_'Dis!--parles!--l'ose tu?_'[4]
[Footnote 4: 'Darest thou deny my rights?--say!--speak! darest thou?']
Juliet was mute; but Harleigh saw that she was sinking, and bent towards her to save her fall; what, then, was his astonishment, to perceive that it was voluntary! and that she cast herself at the feet of her a.s.sailant!
Thunderstruck, he held back.
The man, with an expression of diabolical delight at this posture, cast his eyes now upon her, now upon her appalled defendant; and then, in French, gave orders to the pilot, to see four fresh horses put to the chaise: and, in a tone of somewhat abated rage, bid Juliet arise, and accompany him down stairs.
'Ah, no!--ah, spare--ah, leave me yet!--' in broken accents, and in French, cried the still prostrate Juliet.
The man, who was large made, tall, and strong, seized, then, both her arms, with a motion that indicated his intention to drag her along.
A piercing shriek forced its way from her at his touch: but she arose, and made no appeal, no remonstrance.
'_Si tu peus le conduire toute seule,_' said the man, sneeringly, '_soit! Mais vas en avant! Je ne le perdrai plus de vu._'[5]
[Footnote 5: 'If you can walk alone, well and good; but go on first. I shall lose sight of you no more.']
Juliet again hid her face, but stood still.
The man roughly gave her a push; seeming to enjoy, with a coa.r.s.e laugh, the pleasure of driving her on before him.
Harleigh, who saw that her face was convulsed with horrour, fiercely planted himself in the midst of the pa.s.sage, vehemently exclaiming, 'Infernal monster! by what right do you act?'
'_De quel droit me le demandez vous?_'[6] cried the man; who appeared perfectly to understand English.
[Footnote 6: 'By what right do you enquire?']
'By the rights of humanity!' replied Harleigh; 'and you shall answer me by the rights of justice! One claim alone can annul my interference. Are you her father?'
_'Non!_' he answered, with a laugh of scorn; '_mais il y a d'autres droits!_'[7]
[Footnote 7: 'No; but there are other rights!']