Anxiety on Aunt Rossiter's account rendered my sleep that night even more
light and broken than on the preceding one. I feared that she might be
very ill and require help, and be unable to make me hear her call, and it
was with the full impression on my mind that her voice was still sounding
in my ears that, for the fourth or fifth time, I awoke and listened.
Rathfelder kept two or three little dogs, which rambled about the outside
premises and were continually barking, but as nobody seemed at any hour to
pay the least attention to them, their trouble was, I thought, quite
thrown away. To my annoyance, one began barking now on the balcony. I knew
it would disturb poor aunt, and felt sure it was that which had awakened
me. Under cover of the noise it was making, I jumped out of bed and softly
unlocked my door, to hear whether all was quiet in her room.
With a keen thrill of distress I perceived by the light inside that her
room door stood partly open, and I was on the point of running across to
ascertain the reason, when, to my amazement and terror, I heard aunt's
voice, as if in conversation with some one. Who could it be? Had uncle
returned after I came to my room? If so, what had brought him? Or was
Charlotte ill? These thoughts flashed through my mind as I stood there
hesitating what to do. But then came a sudden dread into my heart keen as
steel. Was aunt more ill than she would let me know? and had she sent for
either Uncle Rossiter or Dr. Manfred? Scarce conscious of my actions, I
stole across the floor noiselessly, for my feet were bare, to the open
door of aunt's room.
For the last two nights, being alone, she had shut this door, but when
uncle was with her they left it open, and, to prevent draught, a large
screen was placed across it inside. Peeping through a chink in this
screen, a sight met my eyes which while mind and memory are spared to me
will cling to my recollection like a hideous nightmare. Instinctively my
eyes sought my aunt's beloved form. She was sitting up in bed, very white
and still. Standing beside a table, his back toward me, engaged in
unlocking uncle's desk, was the unmistakable figure of Blurdon.
"You may take all you like, and take it without fear; I will never appear
against you if you harm us no further," aunt was saying in a tremulous
voice. "May that great God who is now looking down upon you, reading the
thoughts and intents of your heart, mercifully turn you in time from the
error of your ways!"
I could not move, but I heard Blurdon demand whether there was any more
money. Then to her expostulation he replied, "You and the other have got
jewels worth a deal more than this shabby bit of money. I saw a gold chain
on her, I should say, and of course a watch to it; and you've the likes,
I'll be bound."
I understood then why he had followed me on the Flats.
"There are my watch and chain on the dressing-table," replied aunt,
quietly; and as she spoke she made a movement as if about to rise.
Blurdon, with fierce threats, bade her lie still, and tauntingly assured
her that he would "go and look up the little girl himself."
The impulse of my feelings when first I came to the door was to rush in
and implore Blurdon on my knees not to harm my aunt, yet while I stood
trembling I instinctively saw that I should but provoke him to violence.
Now a sudden desperate courage seized me. Blurdon had turned to the
drawers, and was tossing out the contents of the bag to find another
purse. This movement still kept him with his back toward me, and I could
not resist at this instant making a step to the left which revealed my
white-robed figure to aunt, but not to him. Holding up my finger to enjoin
silence, fearing that in the excitement of the moment she might betray me
by some exclamation, I made a sign that I was going for help, and, turning
round, fled back to my room and shut and locked the door. The ceaseless
barking of the little dog, which must have seen the robber through the
Venetian blind, providentially rendered every lesser sound indistinct, and
slipping my feet into my shoes, I caught up my dressing-gown, and
struggling into it on my way, I gently unfastened each door until I
reached the balcony.
At the instant of leaving aunt's room I saw her raise her clasped hands
and eyes to heaven, and I knew that with them went a prayer to God that he
would be my support and safeguard, and so it was.
[Illustration: THE ROBBER.]
Noiselessly and rapidly I sped on through the rooms, round the balcony, to
the back of the hotel, and down the flight of steps there, which brought
me to the door of the suite of apartments occupied by Rathfelder and his
household. But now how could I waken them without making too much noise,
and thereby perhaps bringing that awful Blurdon down upon me? I began to
rap and call gently, and used every means I could think of to arouse the
sleepers, but in vain. Nothing I could do seemed to make the least
impression on their heavy German ears. I became almost wild with fear how
the ruffian might treat my aunt in revenge when he found I was gone, for,
with his strength, he would soon force an entrance into my room. In utter
desperation I knocked louder and louder against the door and windows, yet
with a want of success that perfectly amazed me. For a long time I
continued my endeavours, and was on the point of giving it up and trying
to find my way in the dark round to the front of the house, and so on to
some one of the native cottages, when, to my unutterable joy, one of the
servants answered from within to my last vehement appeal, asking who was
there.
Never before had human voice sounded so delightful to my ear! And now the
whole family were soon astir, and Rathfelder in a few minutes came out. It
needed but little to be said on my part; the very name of Blurdon, as
connected with my terror, was sufficient; and calling his two men from the
loft over a stable where they were sleeping and accompanied by Mrs.
Rathfelder and one of her maidens, who kindly came with me, we all
ascended to aunt's room.
I could not speak my dread, it was too overpowering; but oh, when I found
that she was uninjured, words cannot express the feeling of
thankfulness—of positive ecstasy—that filled my heart. She was hastily
putting on some clothes to come and seek for me. Flying into her arms, I
kissed and hugged and cried over her.
"Where is he? where is he?" Rathfelder had cried out the instant he saw
her.
She pointed to the ante-room. "Gone a few minutes back." Whereupon the
three men dashed after him.
That terrible night I shall never forget. Even while I write the whole
scene comes back as vividly as if it occurred but yesterday, but with it a
deep thankfulness that we were mercifully spared from further horror. I
did not know then what changes it was to work.