“What will you do with him?”
“Leave that to me. The question is, what has he done with you?”
How could I not answer him? To win my brother from this vileness--was
it not worth the sacrifice of myself? With many tears and falterings,
I told him the story of my sojourn in the verderer’s cottage; of the
secret chambers, and our life therein; finally, with bitter
reluctance, of the shadow that had risen to estrange us, and the
bloody confirmation of my fears that was to witness even now on my
gown.
He grinned horribly over the revelation.
“That Portlock!” he rejoiced to himself; “that Portlock! A good throat
for the hangman! But, for your murderings--I warrant ’tis a fatter
bone I’ve to pick with our gentleman.”
He fell into a little musing, scowling fit; then, suddenly
dismounting, bade me get into his saddle.
“Where are you going to take me?” I said.
“Where,” he answered, “but to your cottage?”
“O no!” I cried; “not back there!”
“What!” he said, grinning; “is Madam Judas yet short of her price?”
“What price have I taken? It is not to be Judas to betray brother to
brother for virtue’s sake.”
He bent, in a sawing laugh.
“How apt the jade is! Let me tell you, madam, that virtue is an inner
commodity, and spoils when too much on the lips.”
He forced me to mount, signed to his fellows to follow, and, taking
the bridle, led me down the hill.
“Now, for your price,” said he, as he walked. “Well, I would have bid
more for sound goods; but--what say ye?--you are happy on
relations--would you like to be my daughter?”
I hung my head, without replying. It was true he was old enough to be
my father. This misery must cast me once more on the world, a prey to
all unimaginable evils. What chance else remained to me to protect
myself and make my fortune serve my honour?
While I was still quietly weeping, we reached the cottage from the
front, and halted. The earl motioned, and his suite gathered round and
knocked on the door. In the silence that ensued we could hear the
sound as of an unwieldy beast within shuffling to and fro. The
verderer had seen us through the window, and knew himself for lost.
Presently one put his knee to the panels, whispering for orders.
“Curse it, no,” hissed his master; “he may hear us.”
“If he does, he cannot escape,” I murmured. “I pulled the ladder after
me.”
With that he raised his hand, and the door crashed in. I caught one
glimpse of Portlock’s face--it was a mere white slab of terror--and
turned away.
“Now,” said the earl in my ear; but I shuddered from him.
“I won’t--don’t ask me--it is not in the price!”
He uttered an impatient oath, bade one of his men hastily to my side,
and himself, with the other three, strode into the cottage.
I don’t know how long passed; it may have been minutes, and seemed an
hour. All the time a low snuffling reached me from the interior. The
bitter wind had loosened my hair, and I caught its strands to my ears,
to my eyes, and rocked in my saddle, trying to shut out everything.
Presently a man came forth, to join the other by my side.
“Garamighty, Job!” muttered he; “his honour be cap’en of the gang, and
no mistake. You should see his larder.”
“Ah! what’s in it?” asked the first.
“Ten fat bucks, as I’m a saint,” answered the other. “We know now
where the pick o’ the herd’s gone to, eh?”