The journey was a great deal longer to fetch around the southern hills,
and enter by the Doone gate, than to cross the lower land and steal in
by the water-slide. However, I durst not take a horse (for fear of the
Doones, who might be abroad upon their usual business), but started
betimes in the evening, so as not to hurry, or waste any strength upon
the way. And thus I came to the robbers' highway, walking circumspectly,
scanning the sky-line of every hill, and searching the folds of every
valley, for any moving figure.
Although it was now well on toward dark, and the sun was down an hour or
so, I could see the robbers' road before me, in a trough of the winding
hills, where the brook plowed down from the higher barrows, and the
coving banks were roofed with furze. At present there was no one
passing, neither post nor sentinel, so far as I could descry; but I
thought it safer to wait a little, as twilight melted into night; and
then I crept down a seam of the highland, and stood upon the
Doone track.
As the road approached the entrance, it became more straight and strong,
like a channel cut from rock, with the water brawling darkly along the
naked side of it. Not a tree or bush was left, to shelter a man from
bullets; all was stern, and stiff, and rugged, as I could not help
perceiving, even through the darkness: and a smell as of churchyard
mold, a sense of being boxed in and cooped, made me long to be
out again.
And here I was, or seemed to be, particularly unlucky; for as I drew
near the very entrance, lightly of foot, and warily, the moon (which had
often been my friend) like an enemy broke upon me, topping the eastward
ridge of rock, and filling all the open spaces with the play of wavering
light. I shrank back into the shadowy quarter on the right side of the
road, and gloomily employed myself to watch the triple entrance, on
which the moonlight fell askew.
All across and before the three rude and beetling archways hung a felled
oak overhead, black and thick and threatening. This, as I heard before,
could be let fall in a moment, so as to crush a score of men, and bar
the approach of horses. Behind this tree the rocky mouth was spanned, as
by a gallery, with brushwood and piled timber, all upon a ledge or
stone, where thirty men might lurk unseen, and fire at any invader. From
that rampart it would be impossible to dislodge them, because the rock
fell sheer below them twenty feet, or it may be more; while overhead it
towered three hundred, and so jutted over that nothing could be cast
upon them, even if a man could climb the height. And the access to this
portcullis place--if I may so call it, being no portcullis there--was
through certain rocky chambers known to the tenants only.
But the cleverest of their devices, and the most puzzling to an enemy,
was that, instead of one mouth only, there were three to choose from,
with nothing to betoken which was the proper access, all being pretty
much alike, and all unfenced and yawning. And the common rumor was that
in times of any danger, when any force was known to be on muster in
their neighborhood, they changed their entrance every day, and diverted
the other two, by means of sliding-doors, to the chasm and dark abysses.
Now I could see those three rough arches, jagged, black, and terrible,
and I knew that only one of them could lead me to the valley; neither
gave the river now any further guidance, but dived underground with a
sullen roar, where it met the cross-bar of the mountain. Having no means
at all of judging which was the right way of the three, and knowing that
the other two would lead to almost certain death, in the ruggedness and
darkness--for how could a man, among precipices and bottomless depths of
water, without a ray of light, have any chance to save his life?--I do
declare that I was half inclined to go away, and have done with it.
However, I knew one thing for certain, to wit, that the longer I stayed
debating, the more would the enterprise pall upon me, and the less my
relish be. And it struck me that, in times of peace, the middle way was
the likeliest; and the others diverging right and left in their further
parts might be made to slide into it (not far from the entrance) at the
pleasure of the warders. Also I took it for good omen that I remembered
(as rarely happened) a very fine line in the Latin grammar, whose
emphasis and meaning is, "Middle road is fastest."
Therefore, without more hesitation, I plunged into the middle way,
holding a long ash-staff before me, shodden at the end with iron.
Presently I was in black darkness, groping along the wall, and feeling
a deal more fear than I wished to feel; especially when, upon looking
back, I could no longer see the light, which I had forsaken. Then I
stumbled over something hard, and sharp, and very cold; moreover, so
grievous to my legs that it needed my very best doctrine and humor to
forbear from swearing in the manner they use in London. But when I
arose, and felt it, and knew it to be a culverin, I was somewhat
reassured thereby, inasmuch as it was not likely that they would plant
this engine except in the real and true entrance.
Therefore I went on again, more painfully and wearily, and presently
found it to be good that I had received that knock, and borne it with
such patience; for otherwise I might have blundered full upon the
sentries, and been shot without more ado. As it was, I had barely time
to draw back, as I turned a corner upon them; and if their lantern had
been in its place, they could scarce have failed to descry me, unless
indeed I had seen the gleam before I turned the corner.
There seemed to be only two of them, of size indeed and stature as all
the Doones must be; but I need not have feared to encounter them both,
had they been unarmed, as I was. It was plain, however, that each had a
long and heavy carbine, not in his hands (as it should have been), but
standing close beside him. Therefore it behooved me now to be exceeding
careful; and even that might scarce avail, without luck in proportion.
So I kept well back at the corner, and laid one cheek to the rock face,
and kept my outer eye round the jut in the wariest mode I could compass,
watching my opportunity; and this is what I saw:
The two villains looked very happy--which villains have no right to be,
but often are, meseemeth; they were sitting in a niche of rock, with the
lantern in the corner, quaffing something from glass measures, and
playing at pushpin, or shepherd's chess, or basset, or some trivial game
of that sort. Each was smoking a long clay pipe, quite of new London
shape, I could see, for the shadow was thrown out clearly; and each
would laugh from time to time as he fancied he got the better of it. One
was sitting with his knees up, and left hand on his thigh; and this one
had his back to me, and seemed to be the stouter. The other leaned more
against the rock, half sitting and half astraddle, and wearing leathern
overalls, as if newly come from riding. I could see his face quite
clearly by the light of the open lantern, and a handsomer or a bolder
face I had seldom if ever set eyes upon; insomuch that it made me very
unhappy to think of his being so near my Lorna.
"How long am I to stay crouching here?" I asked of myself at last, being
tired of hearing them cry, "Score one," "Score two," "No, by ----,
Charlie!" "By ----, I say it is, Phelps."
And yet my only chance of slipping by them unperceived was to wait till
they quarreled more, and came to blows about it. Presently, as I made up
my mind to steal along towards them (for the cavern was pretty wide just
there), Charlie, or Charleworth Doone, the younger and taller man,
reached forth his hand to seize the money, which he swore he had won
that time. Upon this the other jerked his arm, vowing that he had no
right to do it; whereupon Charlie flung at his face the contents of the
glass he was sipping, but missed him and hit the candle, which sputtered
with a flare of blue flame (from the strength, perhaps, of the spirit),
and then went out completely. At this one swore and the other laughed;
and before they had settled what to do, I was past them and round
the corner.
And then, like a giddy fool as I was, I needs must give them a
startler--the whoop of an owl, done so exactly, as John Fry had taught
me, and echoed by the roof so fearfully, that one of them dropped the
tinder-box, and the other caught up his gun and cocked it--at least as I
judged by the sounds they made. And then, too late, I knew my madness:
for if either of them had fired, no doubt but what all the village would
have risen and rushed upon me. However, as the luck of the matter went,
it proved for my advantage; for I heard one say to the other:--
"Curse it, Charlie, what was that? It scared me so, I have dropped my
box; my flint is gone, and everything. Will the brimstone catch from
your pipe, my lad?"
"My pipe is out, Phelps, ever so long. D--n it, I am not afraid of an
owl, man. Give me the lantern, and stay here. I'm not half done with you
yet, my friend."
"Well said, my boy, well said! Go straight to Carver's, mind you. The
other sleepy-heads be snoring, as there is nothing up to-night. No
dallying now under captain's window: Queen will have naught to say to
you, and Carver will punch your head into a new wick for your lantern."
"Will he, though? Two can play at that."
And so, after some rude jests and laughter, and a few more oaths, I
heard Charlie (or at any rate somebody) coming toward me, with a loose
and not too sober footfall. As he reeled a little in his gait, and I
would not move from his way one inch, after his talk of Lorna, but only
longed to grasp him (if common sense permitted it), his braided coat
came against my thumb, and his leathern gaiters brushed my knee. If he
had turned or noticed it, he would have been a dead man in a moment; but
his drunkenness saved him.
So I let him reel on unharmed; and thereupon it occurred to me that I
could have no better guide, passing as he would exactly where I wished
to be--that is to say, under Lorna's window. Therefore I followed him,
without any special caution; and soon I had the pleasure of seeing his
form against the moonlit sky.
Down a steep and winding path, with a hand-rail at the corners (such as
they have at Ilfracombe), Master Charlie tripped along--and indeed there
was much tripping, and he must have been an active fellow to recover as
he did--and after him walked I, much hoping (for his own poor sake) that
he might not turn and espy me.
But Bacchus (of whom I read at school, with great wonder about his
meaning--and the same I may say of Venus), that great deity, preserved
Charlie, his pious worshiper, from regarding consequences. So he led me
very kindly to the top of the meadow-land where the stream from
underground broke forth, seething quietly with a little hiss of bubbles.
Hence I had fair view and outline of the robbers' township, spread with
bushes here and there, but not heavily overshadowed. The moon,
approaching now the full, brought the forms in manner forth, clothing
each with character, as the moon (more than the sun) does to an eye
accustomed.
I knew that the captain's house was first, both from what Lorna had said
of it, and from my mother's description, and now again from seeing
Charlie halt there for a certain time, and whistle on his fingers, and
hurry on, fearing consequence. The tune that he whistled was strange to
me, and lingered in my ears, as having something very new and striking
and fantastic in it. And I repeated it softly to myself, while I marked
the position of the houses and the beauty of the village. For the
stream, in lieu of the street, passing between the houses, and affording
perpetual change and twinkling and reflections--moreover, by its sleepy
murmur, soothing all the dwellers there--this, and the snugness of the
position, walled with rock and spread with herbage, made it look in the
quiet moonlight like a little paradise. And to think of all the inmates
there sleeping with good consciences, having plied their useful trade of
making others work for them, enjoying life without much labor, yet with
great renown!
Master Charlie went down the village, and I followed him carefully,
keeping as much as possible in the shadowy places, and watching the
windows of every house, lest any light should be burning. As I passed
Sir Ensor's house, my heart leaped up, for I spied a window, higher than
the rest above the ground, and with a faint light moving. This could
hardly fail to be the room wherein my darling lay; for here that
impudent young fellow had gazed while he was whistling. And here my
courage grew tenfold, and my spirit feared no evil; for lo! if Lorna had
been surrendered to that scoundrel Carver, she would not have been at
her grandfather's house, but in Carver's accursed dwelling.
Warm with this idea, I hurried after Charleworth Doone, being resolved
not to harm him now, unless my own life required it. And while I watched
from behind a tree, the door of the furthest house was opened; and, sure
enough, it was Carver's self, who stood bareheaded, and half undressed,
in the doorway. I could see his great black chest and arms, by the light
of the lamp he bore.
"Who wants me this time of night?" he grumbled, in a deep, gruff voice;
"any young scamp prowling after the maids shall have sore bones for
his trouble."
"All the fair maids are for thee, are they, Master Carver?" Charlie
answered, laughing; "we young scamps must be well content with coarser
stuff than thou wouldst have."
"Would have? Ay, and will have," the great beast muttered, angrily. "I
bide my time; but not very long. Only one word for thy good, Charlie. I
will fling thee senseless into the river if ever I catch thy girl-face
here again."
"Mayhap, Master Carver, it is more than thou couldst do. But I will not
keep thee; thou art not pleasant company to-night. All I want is a light
for my lantern, and a glass of schnapps, if thou hast it."
"What is become of thy light, then? Good for thee I am not on duty."
"A great owl flew between me and Phelps as we watched beside the
culverin, and so scared was he at our fierce bright eyes that he fell
and knocked the light out."
"Likely tale, or likely lie, Charles! We will have the truth to-morrow.
Here, take thy light, and be gone with thee. All virtuous men are in
bed now."
"Then so will I be; and why art thou not? Ha! have I earned my schnapps
now?"
"If thou hast, thou hast paid a bad debt! there is too much in thee
already. Be off! my patience is done with."
Then he slammed the door in the young man's face, having kindled his
lantern by this time; and Charlie went up the watch-place again,
muttering, as he passed me, "Bad lookout for all of us when that surly
old beast is captain. No gentle blood in him, no hospitality, not even
pleasant language, nor a good new oath in his frowzy pate! I've a mind
to cut the whole of it; and but for the girls I would do so."
My heart was in my mouth, as they say, when I stood in the shade by
Lorna's window, and whispered her name gently. The house was of one
story only, as the others were, with pine-ends standing forth the stone,
and only two rough windows upon that western side of it, and perhaps
those two were Lorna's. The Doones had been their own builders, for no
one should know their ins and outs; and of course their work was clumsy.
As for their windows, they stole them mostly from the houses round
about. But though the window was not very close, I might have whispered
long enough before she would have answered me, frightened as she was, no
doubt, by many a rude overture. And I durst not speak aloud, because I
saw another watchman posted on the western cliff, and commanding all the
valley. And now this man (having no companion for drinking or for
gambling) espied me against the wall of the house, and advanced to the
brink, and challenged me.
"Who are you there? Answer. One, two, three and I fire at thee."
The nozzle of his gun was pointed full upon me, as I could see, with the
moonlight striking on the barrel; he was not more than fifty yards off,
and now he began to reckon. Being almost desperate about it, I began to
whistle, wondering how far I should get before I lost my windpipe; and
as luck would have it, my lips fell into that strange tune I had
practiced last; the one I had heard from Charlie. My mouth would hardly
frame the notes, being parched with terror; but to my surprise, the man
fell back, dropped his gun, and saluted. Oh, sweetest of all
sweet melodies!
That tune was Carver Doone's passport (as I heard long afterward), which
Charleworth Doone had imitated, for decoy of Lorna. The sentinel took me
for that vile Carver, who was like enough to be prowling there for
private talk with Lorna, but not very likely to shout forth his name, if
it might be avoided. The watchman, perceiving the danger, perhaps, of
intruding on Carver's privacy, not only retired along the cliff, but
withdrew himself to good distance.
Meanwhile he had done me the kindest service; for Lorna came to the
window at once to see what the cause of the shout was, and drew back the
curtain timidly. Then she opened the rough lattice, and then she watched
the cliff and trees, and then she sighed very sadly.
"O Lorna, don't you know me?" I whispered from the side, being afraid of
startling her by appearing over-suddenly.
Quick though she always was of thought, she knew me not from my whisper,
and was shutting the window hastily, when I caught it back and
showed myself.
"John!" she cried, yet with sense enough not to speak aloud; "oh, you
must be mad, John!"
"As mad as a March hare," said I, "without any news of my darling. You
knew I would come--of course you did."
* * * * *