At length they reached the tower and clambered in. The moment they found themselves inside they were startled by those noises which had already terrified the others, and which had now drawn much nearer.
Katie gave a low cry of terror, and stood trembling in every limb.
Harry was quite bewildered at this sudden and unexpected shock. For a moment he thought of flight; but that was impossible, for Katie, in her terror, was almost fainting, and he had to support her while she clung breathlessly to him. And so they stood, unable to move.
The noises were now just outside--voices, cries, songs, and wild laughter--all the indications of a lawless crowd.
Suddenly some one burst inside.
"Ha!" he cried, in Spanish, "here it is, but it"s all dark. Bring lights, some one. We must wait here till the others come round to the front; but there"s no reason why we shouldn"t have lights. We can"t be seen from the castle: the walls here are too thick to be transparent. It"s just the place for a little supper."
A number of others now came forward and entered. The fugitives stood clinging to one another as before, expecting the worst, and awaiting with intense anxiety the moment when lights would be introduced.
There was now the flash of sudden flames--some of them were striking matches. The flames leaped forth, and soon half a dozen torches were kindled, and then, blazing and smoking, they were held aloft, throwing a bright light upon the whole interior; while those who held them looked around without any other purpose, just then, than to find some convenient place where they might place them, so as to save themselves the trouble of holding them.
In that one instant the whole scene stood revealed.
There stood Brooke, with Talbot clinging to him; there Harry, with his arms round Katie; and there Ashby, supporting Dolores. And as Ashby and Harry stared at these noisy new-comers, they saw the familiar face of no less a person than "His Majesty."
At this sight they were filled with amazement and consternation. Yet their amazement, great though it may have been, was not greater than that of "His Majesty." For an instant he stood like one transfixed, and then exclaimed, in that peculiar English which he spoke,
"Howly Moses! but this bates the worruld!" and then stood staring at each of them.
At this exclamation Katie started. She recognized the voice at once; and, strange to say, all her terror fled. From that man she felt as if there was nothing to fear. She looked up, and showed her sweet face all smiles, with all its anxiety and all its terror vanished. Dolores also heard the English words, and looked up in surprise, recognizing at the first glance that familiar face. Harry and Ashby made the same discovery.
But there were other discoveries to be made. Their eyes, as the lights shone around, took in the whole scene; and it was with the deepest dismay and confusion that, on looking around, each one caught sight of his, or her, old lover; and, what was more, the feeling of each one was, that the other had come in pursuit, to claim that vow which each was breaking.
Harry saw Talbot, and felt sure that she had come after him to demand a new explanation, and to reproach him for this new perfidy. She had suffered, he felt, wrongs that were intolerable at his hands, and his heart sank within him at this new meeting. He seemed to himself base beyond all expression, and no words could be found with which he might excuse himself.
Brooke saw Dolores, and his only thought was that she had suspected him, had watched him, had tracked him, and had now come to overwhelm him with dishonor; and he felt that he must be dumb before her.
Ashby saw Katie, and thought that she had surely come in pursuit of him; that perhaps his suspicions had been unfounded; that she loved him; that she had only been trifling with Harry, and had come to tear him from Dolores.
Talbot saw Harry with guilty terror. She had fled from him, and intentionally. He had pursued; he had come to claim her hand--her promised hand!
Dolores saw Brooke with the same feelings. She knew him as the chivalrous American who had saved her life, and that of her mother, in their direst need; who had won her heart and the promise of her hand. She had broken her word--she had fled. What now? With what eyes could she look at him?
With what words could she speak to him?
Katie"s face had lightened up with joy at the sight of "His Majesty," but the moment afterward it clouded over with fear and apprehension at the sight of Ashby. ""Tis conscience doth make cowards of us all," and conscience told her that she had treated Ashby very, very badly, and that he had followed her to make her keep her plighted word. And so she only clung to Harry more closely than ever.
And so, in fact, did the other couples. They all clung to one another more closely than ever. There was a moment of embarra.s.sment--intense, awful, tremendous.
The deep silence was broken by the voice of "His Majesty."
"Hersilf!" he cried, with his eyes fixed on Katie--"hersilf! begorra, it"s hersilf! Shure an" it is! an" oh, but it"s mesilf that"s the lucky man this day! An" shure, an" may I dhrop dead if I iver saw sich a mayting as this! Shure, ye"ve forgotten all about my offer av the crown av Spain, an"
the sceptre, an" the throne. Begorra, ye"ve given up all that same for that bit av a boy that"s a howldin" av ye. An" shure, we"re all together again, so we are. Here"s welcome to yez all--Messrs. Rivers, an" Ashby, an" the ladies, one an" all! Niver fear, I"ll take good care av yez this toime! Only, what"s become av Lord Russell? Begorra, it"s mesilf that "ud loike to have another look at that same!"
Talking in this way, with frequent pauses, "His Majesty" succeeded in expressing his feelings, which had at first seemed quite too strong for utterance.
Meanwhile, the soldiers who had been inspecting the interior had found convenient places for fixing the torches, which now flared up, throwing a bright light around, and filling the tower with smoke.
During all this time the prisoners had been agitated by various feelings.
Harry and Ashby saw in "His Majesty" a remorseless brigand, whose only idea was plunder, and who would now hold them to ransom as before. They despaired of escape. This new capture seemed far worse than the former one, yet each one thought less of himself than of that dear one whom he had tried to save. Thus Harry clung to Katie, and Ashby clung to Dolores, more closely than ever. Brooke and Talbot, on the contrary, had less fear, yet they had anxiety. Brooke recognized in "His Majesty" the unscrupulous Carlist whom he had visited, and was somewhat uneasy about a recognition; while Talbot, seeing his uneasiness, felt something like fear herself.
Yet, in the midst of all this, they all alike made one discovery. It was this: each one saw that his or her old love had become strangely indifferent.
Harry saw that Talbot was clinging to that strange man whom he had never seen before, but who now, as he thought, seemed uncommonly sweet on her.
Brooke saw that Dolores was clinging for support to another strange man.
She had evidently no thought for him.
Ashby saw at once that Katie thought of no one but Harry Rivers.
Talbot saw that Harry was devoted to that lady whom he was so a.s.siduously supporting and consoling. She was utterly amazed at the discovery, yet inexpressibly glad.
Dolores, in her delight, saw that Brooke took no notice of herself, but devoted himself to the lady with him, and in such a fervent manner that she understood it all without being told.
Katie also saw that Ashby had forgotten all about her, and thought of nothing but Dolores.
And at this discovery, which flashed almost simultaneously upon them, each one felt the most inexpressible joy. At the same time the whole truth came upon them. Each one, instead of pursuing the other, had been trying to fly. Each lover had found a new and more congenial friend, and with this dear friend had left the castle. Each one felt equally guilty, yet equally glad; but then as to guilt, there was Brooke, who didn"t feel guilty at all--oh, bless you, no!--he had only come with Talbot _as far as the tower_!
In the midst of all this, Harry and Ashby and Brooke were amazed at the Irish brogue of the Carlist chief, who had formerly spoken to them in Spanish.
And now, while they were thus wondering, who should come in but a certain female in a very peculiar dress; for this female wore what looked like a military cloak, and she wore, also, an officer"s "kepi," which was perched upon the top of her chignon; which female took a glance around, and then exclaimed,
"Well, goodness gracious me! I never! Did I ever! No, never!"
"Auntie!" screamed Katie, and with this she rushed toward the aforesaid female, who was no other than Mrs. Russell. She flung her arms around that lady, and almost smothered her with kisses.
"Dear child," said Mrs. Russell, "how impetuous you are! but it"s natural--it"s touching--it"s grateful--we deserve it, dear. We came to seek and to save. Bless you, my child, and may you be happy! "His Majesty"
has a tender heart, and often talks of you. We also cherish for you a fond affection, child; but in future try to be a little less boisterous, and respect the majesty of Spain."
At this reception Katie was quite bewildered. It was only by a strong effort that she could comprehend it. She then recalled that old nonsense with which she had amused herself when she had suggested that Mrs. Russell should marry "His Majesty;" but now a great terror seized her: was it possible that Mrs. Russell had done such a thing?
"Oh, Auntie!" she said; "oh, Auntie! you haven"t--you haven"t--done--done it?"
"Done it!" said Mrs. Russell, who seemed at once to understand her; "no, child--not yet; but as soon as the affairs of State will allow, "His Majesty" says that the ceremony shall be performed; after which comes the coronation, you know, and then, dear, I shall be Queen, and you may be princess, and may marry the proudest of all the Spanish chivalry."
At this Katie was so terrified that she did not know what to say. The only thought she had was that "Auntie" had gone raving mad. She knew that Mr.
Russell was alive and well, for she had seen him only a short time before.
The old joke about marrying "His Majesty" had been almost forgotten by her; and to find "Auntie" now as full as ever of that nonsensical piece of ambition was inexpressibly shocking to her. Yet she did not know what to say. To disabuse her seemed impossible. She did not dare to tell her that Mr. Russell was alive; it might be dangerous. "Auntie" had so set her mind upon this insane project that any attempt to thwart her would certainly draw down vengeance upon the head of the one who should dare to attempt it. That one certainly was not Katie. She liked, as far as possible, to have things move on smoothly around her; and so the only thought she now had was to chime in with "Auntie"s" fancy; to humor her, as one would humor an insane person, and to hope that something might turn up in time to prevent anything "dreadful."
In this state of mind Katie went on talking with "Auntie." But "Auntie"
was hard to humor; she was altogether too grand and lofty for little Katie. In fancy she already wore a crown, and talked of the throne, the sceptre, and the majesty of Spain as though they had always been her private property.
"I"ve been two or three days," said she, "with "His Majesty." He has been most kind. His royal will is that I should wear this hat. Do you think it is becoming? Under other circ.u.mstances I should be talked about, I know; but where the welfare of Spain is concerned, I don"t care for public opinion. When I am seated on the throne all will be explained."
At such a torrent as this poor Katie could only take refuge in silence.