Part 28 (1/2)
”His trust? Have you forgotten, madam, what passed last week, and why he sailed yesterday?”
The only ansas a burst of tears Eustace stood watching her with a terrible eye; but they could see his face writhing in the ht
”Oh!” sobbed she at last ”And if I have been imprudent, was it not natural to wish to look once lish as well as I? Have you no longing recollections of the dear old land at home?”
Eustace was silent; but his face worked more fiercely than ever
”How can he ever know it?”
”Why should he not know it?”
”Ah!” she burst out passionately, ”why not, indeed, while you are here? You, sir, the te hearts! You, serpent, who found our home a paradise, and see it now a hell!”
”Do you dare to accuse me thus, mada, for I know all! I have watched you, sir, and I have borne with you too long”
”Me, madam, whose only sin towards you, as you should know by now, is to have loved you too well? Rose! Rose! have you not blighted my life for me--brokenht complete your conversion to the boso forth soft arhter, and cries to you all day long, 'Coive you rest!' And this is in Mother, sir, and tempt me no more! You have asked round, and in arden, I, Donna Rosa de Soto, to bid you leave this place now and forever, after having insulted ive up that faith which my husband promised me he would respect and protect Go, sir!”
The brothers listened breathless with surprise as e Love and conscience, and perhaps, too, the pride of her lofty alliance, had converted the once gentle and dreamy Rose into a very Roxana; but it was only the impulse of a moment The words had hardly passed her lips, when, terrified at what she had said, she burst into a fresh flood of tears; while Eustace answered calo, madam: but ho you that I e speech, my conscience may compel me to obey those orders, to take you with me?”
”Me? with you?”
”My heart has bled for you, s now that it had bled itself to death, and never known the last worst agony of telling you--”
And drawing close to her he whispered in her ear--what, the brothers heard not--but her ansas a shriek which rang through the woods, and sent the night-birds fluttering up froh above their heads
”By Heaven!” said Aer Cut that devil's throat I must--”
”She is lost if his dead body is found by her”
”We are lost if we stay here, then,” said Aroes will hurry down at her cry, and then found we must be”
”Are you roes will he here in a ive you one last chance for life, then:” and Eustace shouted in Spanish at the top of his voice, ”Help, help, servants! Yourcarried off by bandits!”
”What do you mean, sir?”
”Let your woet not hirace”
Whether the brothers heard the last words or not, I know not; but taking for granted that Eustace had discovered the to their feet at once, determined to make one last appeal, and then to sell their lives as dearly as they could
Eustace started back at the unexpected apparition; but a second glance showed hihty bulk; and he spoke calood cousins My charity, as you perceive, has found means to outstrip your craft; while the fair lady, as was but natural, has been true to her assignation!”
”Liar!” cried Frank ”She never knew of our being--”
”Credat Judaeus!” answered Eustace; but, as he spoke, Ah the bushes at hiiant could disentangle hihs and shrubs, Eustace had slipped off his long cloak, thrown it over A for help
Mad with rage, Aave chase: but in two roes, who ca down the path
He rushed back Frank was just ending soion!--”
”No, never! I can face the chance of death, but not the loss of him Go! for God's sake, leave me!”
”You are lost, then,--and I have ruined you!”
”Co hi hiive ive you?” and she burst into tears again
Frank burst into tears also
”Let o back, and die with her--Aled to turn back
A cal Eustace and the servants; and he half turned to go back also Both sa fearfully appearances had put her into Eustace's power Had he not a right to suspect that they were there by her appoint to escape with theht of the Inquisition crossed their minds ”Was that the threat which Eustace had whispered?” asked he of Frank
”It was,” groaned Frank, in answer
For the first and last tih stood irresolute
”Back, and stab her to the heart first!” said Frank, struggling to escape from him
Oh, if Ae the whole ain to the shi+p, or die,--what matter? as he must die some day,--sword in hand! But Frank!--and then flashed before his eyes hisin his ears his mother's last bequest to him of that frail treasure Let Rose, let honor, let the whole world perish, he roes were up with her now--past her--away for life! and once h the wicket, only just in tiroes ithin ten yards of them in full pursuit
”Frank,” said he, sharply, ”if you ever hope to see your ht!” And, without waiting for an answer, he turned, and charged up-hill upon his pursuers, who saw the long bright blade, and fled instantly
Again he hurried Frank down the hill; the path wound in zigzags, and he feared that the negroes would coht over the cliff, and so cut off his retreat: but the prickly cactuses were too much for them, and they were forced to follow by the path, while the brothers (Frank having soained his senses) turned every now and then to an to fly fast; sht--but when they reached the pebble-beach? Both were too proud to run; but, if ever Amyas prayed in his life, he prayed for the last twenty yards before he reached the water-mark
”Now, Frank! down to the boat as hard as you can run, while I keep the curs back”
”Aht you hither: your devotion shall not bring ether, then!”
And putting Frank's ar to their men