I was struck dumb by the manner in which these words were spoken. It was clear to me, that not only he suspected the disguise of the ballad-singer, but that by the discovery of the French note he connected his presence with its being in my possession. Rousing myself for the effort, I said,--
"You force me, sir, to speak of what nothing short of the circ.u.mstance could have induced me to allude to. It was I gave Captain Bubbleton that note. I gave it in mistake for this one."
"I guessed as much, sir," was the cool answer of Crofts, as he placed the note in his pocket-book and clasped it. "But I cannot permit your candid explanation to alter the determination I have already come to,--even had I not the stronger motive which as an officer in his Majesty"s pay I possess,--to inform the Government, on such infallible evidence, how deeply interested our French neighbors are in our welfare when they supply us with a commodity which report says is scarce enough among themselves."
"Do not suppose, sir, that your threat--for as such I understand it--has any terror for me. There is, it"s true, another whose safety might be compromised by any step you might take in this affair; but when I tell you that it is one who never did, never could have injured you, and, moreover, that nothing treasonous or disloyal lies beneath your discovery--"
"You are really taking a vast deal of trouble, Mr. Burke," said he, stopping me with a cold smile, "which I am forced to say is unnecessary.
Your explanation of how this _billet de banque_ came into your possession may be required elsewhere, and will, I am certain, meet with every respect and attention. As for me, an humble captain, with only one principle to sustain me, one clue to guide me, in what I am disposed to consider a question of some importance, I shall certainly ask advice of others better able to direct me."
"You refuse, then, sir, to restore me what I have a.s.sured you is mine?"
"And what I have no doubt whatever you are correct in calling so," added he, contemptuously.
"And you persist in the refusal?" said I, in a voice which unhappily betrayed more temper than I had yet shown.
"Even so, sir," said he, moving towards the door.
"In that case," said I, springing before him, and setting my back against it, you don"t leave this room until in the presence of a third party,--I care not who he be,--I have told you somewhat more of my opinion of you than it is necessary I should say now.
The insulting expression of Crofts" features changed suddenly as I spoke, the color left his cheek, and he became as pale as death; his eye wandered round the room with an uncertain look, and then was fixed steadfastly on the door, against which I stood firmly planted. At length his face recovered its wonted character, and he said, in a cool, distinct manner,--
"Your difficulties have made you bold, sir."
"Not more bold than you "ll find me whenever you think fit to call on me. But perhaps I am wrong for suggesting a test, which report, at least, says Captain Crofts has little predilection for."
"Insolent cub!" said he, half drawing his sword from the scabbard, and as hastily replacing it when he perceived that I never moved a muscle in my defence, but stood as if inviting his attack. "Let me pa.s.s, sir,"
cried he, impetuously; "stand by this instant."
I made no reply, but crossing my arms on my breast, stared at him firmly as before. He had now advanced within a foot of me, his face purple with pa.s.sion, and his hands trembling with rage.
"Let me pa.s.s, I say!" shouted he, in an accent that boded his pa.s.sion had completely got the ascendant. At the same instant he seized me by the collar, and fixing his grip firmly in my clothes, prepared to hurl me from the spot.
The moment had now come that for some minutes past I had been expecting, and with my open hand I struck him on the cheek, but so powerfully that he reeled back with the stroke. A yell of rage burst from him, and in an instant his sword leaped from the scabbard, and he darted fiercely at me. I sprang to one side, and the weapon pierced the door and broke off short; still, more than half the blade remained, and with this he flew towards me. One quick glance I gave to look for something which might serve to arm me; and the same moment the sharp steel pierced my side, and I fell backwards with the shock, carrying my antagonist along with me. The struggle was now a dreadful one; for while he endeavored to withdraw the weapon from the wound, my hands were on his throat, and in his strained eyeb.a.l.l.s and livid color might be seen that a few seconds more must decide the contest. A sharp pang shot through me. Just then a hot gush of warm blood ran down my side, and I saw above me the shining steel, which he was gradually shortening in his hand before he ventured to strike. A wild cry broke from me; while at the instant, with a crash, the door of the room fell forward, torn from its hinges. A heavy foot approached, and the blow of a strong arm felled Crofts to the earth, where he lay stunned and senseless. In a second I was on my feet. My senses were reeling and uncertain; but I could see that it was Darby who came to my rescue, and who was now binding a sash round my wound to stanch the blood.
"Now for it,--life or death "s on it now," said he, in a low but distinct whisper. "Wipe the blood from your face, and be calm as you can when you"re pa.s.sing the sentry."
"Is he--" I dared not speak the word as I looked on the still motionless body that lay before me.
Darby raised one arm, and as he let it go, it fell heavily on the ground. He stooped down, and placing his lips near the mouth, endeavored to ascertain if he breathed; and then, jumping to his feet, he seized my arm, and, in a tone I shall never forget, he said, "It "s over now!"
I tottered back as he spoke. The horrible thought of murder,--the frightful sense of crime, the heaviest, the blackest that can stain the heart of man,--stunned me. My senses reeled; and as I looked on that corpse stretched at my feet, I would have suffered my every bone to be broken on the rack, to see one quiver of life animate its rigid members.
Meanwhile Darby was kneeling down, and seemed to search for something beside the body. "Ah! right! Come now," said he; "we must be far from this before daybreak. And it "s lucky if we We the means to do it."
I moved onward like one walking ib a dream when horrible images surround him and dreadful thoughts are ever crowding fast; but where, amid all, some glimmering sense of hope sustains him, and he half feels that the terrors will pa.s.s away, and his soul be calm and tranquil once more.
What is it? what has happened? was the ever-rising question, as I heard Darby groping his way along the dark gallery and the darker stairs.
"Be steady, now," said he, in a whisper; "we "re at the gate."
"Who comes there?" cried the sentry.
"A friend!" said Darby, in a feigned voice, answering for me, while he dropped behind me.
The heavy bolts were withdrawn, and I felt the cold air of the streets on my cheek.
"Where to, now?" said I, with a dreamy oonsciousness that some place of safety must be sought, without well knowing why or wherefore.
"Lean on me, and don"t speak," said Darby. "If you can walk as far as the end of the quay, we "re all safe."
I walked on without further questioning, and almost without thought; and though, from time to time, Darby spoke to several persons as we pa.s.sed, I heard not what they said, nor took any notice of them.
CHAPTER XX. THE FLIGHT
"Are ye getting weak?" said Darby, as I staggered heavily against him, and gasped twice or thrice for breath. "Are ye bleeding still?" was his next question, while he pa.s.sed his hand gently within the sash, and felt my wound. I endeavored to mutter something in reply, to which he paid no attention; but stooping down, he threw me across his shoulder, and darting off at a more rapid pace than before, he left the more frequented thoroughfare, and entered a narrow and gloomy alley, unlighted by a single lamp. As he hurried onward, he stopped more than once, as if in quest of some particular spot, but which in the darkness he was unable to detect.
"Oh, Holy Mother!" he muttered, "the blood is soaking through me! Master Tom, dear! Master Tom, my darlin" speak to me,--speak to me, acushla!"
But though I heard each word distinctly, I could not utter one; a dreamy stupor was over me, and I only wished to be left quiet. "This must be it; ay, here it is," said Darby, as he laid me gently down on the stone sill of the door, and knocked loudly with his knuckles.
The summons, though repeated three or four times, was unheeded; and although he knocked loudly enough to have alarmed the neighborhood, and called out at the top of his voice, no one came; and the only sounds we could hear were the distant cadences of a drinking song, mingled with wild shouts of laughter, and still wilder cries of agony and woe.
"Here they are, at last!" said Darby, as he almost staved in the door with a heavy stone.
"Who"s there?" cried a harsh and feeble voice from within.
""Tis me, Molly; "tis Darby M"Keown, Open quick, for the love of Heaven!
here "s a young gentleman bleedin" to death on the steps."
"Ugh! there "s as good as ever he was, and going as fast, too, here within," said the crone. "Ye must take him away; he would n"t mind him now for a king"s ransom."
"I "ll break open the door this minit," said Darby, with a horrible oath, "av ye don"t open it."
"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the hag. "If ye wor Darby M"Keown, ye "d know well how easy that is. Try it,--try it, acushla! oak timber and nails is able to bear all you"ll do!"
"See now," said Darby, dropping his voice to a whisper; "see, Molly, here "s five goold guineas for ye, av ye "ll let us in. "T is a man"s life "s on it, and one I "d give my own for twice over."
"Av ye offered me forty," replied she, "I dar"n"t do it. Ye don"t know the sorrow that "s here this night; "t is Dan Fortescue is going. I "m coming, I "m coming!" muttered she to some call from within. And then, without waiting to hear more, she shuffled back along the pa.s.sage, and left us once more alone.
"There"s nothing for it but this now," said Darby, as, retiring a few paces, he dashed his shoulder against the door with all his force; but though a powerful man, and though every window rattled and trembled with the tremendous shock, the strong panels withstood the stroke, and never yielded in the least. ""T is no use firing through the lock," said he, in a tone of despair. "Blessed Joseph! what "s to be done?"
As he spoke, the light tread of a barefooted child was heard coming up the lane, and the same moment a little girl approached the door. She carried a cup in her hand, and held it carefully, as if fearful of spilling its contents. As she neared the door, she seemed uncertain how to proceed, and at last, as if gaining courage, tapped twice at it with her knuckles.
"Don"t ye know me, Nora?" said Darby; "don"t ye know Darby the Blast?"
"Ah, Mister M"Keown, is this you? Ah, I"m afeard it "s little use there is in coming here to-night; Mr. Fortescue"s dying within, and Doctor Kenagh can"t leave him, I "m bringing him this to take, but--"
"Nora, dear," said Darby, "I "ve a secret for Mr. Fortescue, and must see him before he dies. Here "s a crown, my darlin", and don"t tell any one I gave it to ye." Here he stooped down, and whispered rapidly some words in her ear.