It was very tempting. The country looked so bright and beautiful from
his prison window; the voice of his old companion brought up such a host
of pleasant recollections, and it would have been delightful to renew
the old intimacy. Then, upon the other hand, what would he give up? A
dull monotonous life under a tyrannical superior, with but little chance
of promotion, to receive honour, advancement, and no doubt to enjoy no
little adventure.
It was very tempting, and enough to make one with a stronger mind than
Hilary Leigh waver in his allegiance.
As he stood there thinking the song went on, and Hilary felt that did he
but say yes, and swear fealty to one who believed himself to be the
rightful king of England, he would be at liberty to join Adela at once.
There would be an end to his imprisonment, and no more wretched anxiety.
He had done his duty so far, he argued, and he was doing his duty when
fortune went against him, and he was made a prisoner, so to a certain
extent his changing sides might be considered excusable. He had had
little else but rough usage and discomfort since he went to sea, and the
offers now made to him by Sir Henry were full of promise, which he knew
the baronet was too true to hold out without perfect honesty.
Taken altogether--that is in connection with his position, and the
probability that he might be kept here a prisoner for any length of
time, and that most likely he had already been reported by Mr Lipscombe
as a deserter--there was such a bright prospect held out that Hilary
felt for the time extremely weak and ready to give up.
Meanwhile the song went on outside, for all these thoughts ran very
quickly through the young man's brain. Then Adela's voice died away,
and Hilary opened his eyes to see Sir Henry standing there, with a smile
upon his handsome face, and his hand extended.
"Well, Captain Leigh," he said, laughing, "I am to clasp hands with my
young brother in the good cause?"
"You will shake hands with me, Sir Henry," said Hilary, "for we are very
old friends, and I shall never forget my happy days at the old hall,"
and he laid his hand in that of the baronet.
"Forget them! No, my dear boy," cried Sir Henry enthusiastically. "But
there will be brighter days yet. Come along and join Adela; she will be
delighted to have you with her again. Come along! Why do you hang
back? Why, Hil, my boy, you have not grown bashful?"
"You love the young Pre--I mean Charles Stuart," said Hilary quietly, as
he still held his old friend's hand.
"Love, my boy? Yes, Heaven bless him! And so will you when you meet
him. He will take to you with your frank young sailor face, Hilary."
"No, Sir Henry," Hilary replied sadly. "I have heard that he is
generally frank, and an honourable gentleman."
"All that, Hilary," cried Sir Henry enthusiastically. "He is royal in
his ways, and I am sure he will like you."
"If he is what you say, Sir Henry," replied the young man, "he would
look with coldness and contempt upon a scoundrel and a traitor."
"To be sure he would," said Sir Henry, who in his elation and belief
that he had won Hilary over to the Pretender's cause was thrown off his
guard.
"Then why do you talk of his liking me, if, after signing my adhesion to
him whom I look upon as my rightful king, I deserted him at the first
touch of difficulty? No, Sir Henry, I could not accept your offer
without looking upon myself afterwards as a traitor and a villain, and I
am sure that you would be one of the first men to think of me with
contempt."
Sir Henry dropped the hand he held in astonishment, completely taken
aback, and a heavy frown came upon his brow.
"Are you mad, Hilary?" he exclaimed. "Do you know what you are
refusing?"
"Yes, Sir Henry, I know what I am refusing; but I hope I am not mad."
"Honour, advancement, liberty, in place of what you are enduring now."
"Yes, Sir Henry, I can see it all."
"Adela's friendship--my friendship. Oh, my dear boy, you have not
considered all this."
"Yes, Sir Henry, I have considered it all," said Hilary firmly; "and
though you are angry now, I am sure that the time will come when you
will respect me for being faithful to my king, just as you would have
learned to despise me if I had broken my word."
Sir Henry did not reply, but turned short upon his heel and walked to
the door, rapped loudly till the key was turned, and then without
glancing at Hilary again he left the place.