"And how long do you stay here?" said I.
"Only till I can obtain a hearing of the Princess Caroline. That is
arranged by Mr Raymond, through some friends of his. He and Mr
Hebblethwaite have been very, very good to us."
"I do not know what we should have done without them," said Flora,
wiping her eyes.
"And is the day fixed for you to see the Princess?"
"Not quite, but I expect it will be Thursday next. Pray for us, Cary,
for that seems the last hope."
"And you have heard nothing, I suppose, from the Colonel?"
"Yes, I have." Annas put her hand into her bosom, and drew forth a
scrap of paper. "You may read it, Cary. It will very likely be the
last."
My own eyes were dim as I carried the paper to the window. I could have
read it where I was, but I wanted an excuse to turn my back on every
one.
"My own dear Sister,--If it make you feel happier, do what you will
for my release: but beyond that do nothing. I have ceased even to
wish it. I am so near the gates of pearl, that I do not want to turn
back unless I hear my Master call me. And I think He is calling from
the other side.
"That does not mean that I love you less: rather, if it be possible,
the more. Tell our father and mother that we shall soon meet again,
and in the meantime they know how safe their boy must be. Say to
Angus, if you have the opportunity, that so far as in him lies, I
charge him to be to God and man all that I hoped to have been. Thank
Miss C. Courtenay and Mr Hebblethwaite for their brave help: they
both played their part well. And tell Flora that I kept my vow, and
that she shall hear the rest when we meet again.
"God bless you, every one. Farewell, darling Annas.
"Your loving brother, not till, but beyond, death, Duncan Keith."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note 1. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cumberland. The former
distinguished himself by little beyond opposition to his father, and an
extremely profligate life. The Jacobite epitaph written on his death,
five years later, will show the light in which he and his relatives were
regarded by that half of the nation:
"Here lies Fred,
Who was alive and is dead.
Had it been his father,
I had much rather;
Had it been his sister,
No one would have missed her;
Had it been his brother,
Still better than another:
But since 'tis only Fred,
Who was alive and is dead,
Why, there's no more to be said."
Note 2. Ephraim does the Princess Caroline an injustice. She was a
lily among the thorns.
Note 3. How far such a personation is consistent with truth and
righteousness may be reasonably questioned. But very few persons would
have thought of raising the question in 1745.