“The winds came rustling from their hills.”
In the gunroom, meantime, some of the officers were eating their
breakfast with as much composure as if there was nothing the matter.
Others there were, it must be confessed, who sipped their coffee slowly
and gloomily enough; while others again, with a strange mixture of
caution and carelessness, were packing up their valuables, and calling
aloud the while to the steward, to keep their breakfast hot. A cold one
would scarcely have been remembered on such an occasion, by a landsman.
One of the most affecting features of the hour was presented by
the helpless prisoners at the hatchways, who, in profound silence,
manifested their anxious feeling, by crowding to the bars which fastened
them down, to gain, if possible, some intelligence of what was going on;
while, at every roll of the ship, they expected to go to the bottom. On
the coast, on the Tantallon side, the friendly Scots had collected to the
number of thousands; bringing down boats, rafts, ropes, &c. to the part
of the beach on which it was generally expected the ship must be wrecked.
On the quarter-deck Fitz-Ullin walked alone, occasionally going forward
to look at the cable, which, being strained to the utmost, was every
moment in danger of parting; an accident which, should it occur, must be
followed by instant destruction.
From the cable he raised his eyes from time to time to the vane, and
withdrew them again in bitter disappointment, for the wind was still
right ahead.
All things remained in this state of fearful suspense, till nearly
twelve at noon; when our hero, whose eyes were, at the moment, anxiously
raised to the vane, saw it veer round one point in his favour. Even this
slight advantage was not to be neglected for a moment: it warranted an
attempt to quit a situation of so much peril.
A spring was instantly placed on the cable, which brought the ship’s
broadside more to the wind; the three topsails, double reefed, were
set, and the carpenter, having been previously placed ready with an
uplifted axe, a single blow (such was now the tension) parted the cable,
and the courses being at the same moment added, the vessel, which had
been straining for way, flew through the water almost on her beam ends.
While she thus rushed towards the dangerous barrier, perfect silence was
observed by every one. It was generally apprehended that she must split
her canvas, or carry away her masts; yet it was necessary to put her
under this heavy press of sail, to overbalance, if possible, the great
lee-way she had, and so get her clear of the rocks. She now approached
them with incredible velocity, passed them at but a few yards distance,
and, shipping two or three heavy seas, weathered the reef in safety. A
general shout of joy burst at the moment from the hitherto breathless
crowd on the deck, and was as instantly answered by an echoing shout from
the prisoners throughout the hold.
Some minutes, at least, must elapse, ere Fitz-Ullin could be justified in
leaving the deck; he dispatched Arthur therefore to his aunt and Julia,
with the joyful tidings, and, as soon as possible, followed him.
On entering the cabin, where both ladies now were, our hero’s countenance
was covered with the glow of successful exertion. It was animated, it was
even joyful! He pressed Lady Oswald’s eagerly offered hands in silence,
and passed to Julia. He raised one of hers and paused, as if to take
breath, which he had not yet given himself time to do.
He looked in silence at her changing colour and downcast eyes, and during
the moments so employed, his own expression became entirely altered.
Speaking with effort, and, for the occasion, with unnatural coldness, he
said, “Arthur has of course informed you that the danger is over: it is
only left for me, therefore, to apologize for the rashness of which I was
guilty, in giving you unnecessary alarm. And,” he added, in a lowered and
somewhat faltering tone, at the same time glancing at Lady Oswald, and
seeing that she was engaged by her son, “and for the expression of—in
short, feelings which—which had been better unexpressed! The certainty,
almost, of approaching death to both, and the brotherly affection I have
from childhood been permitted to cherish, are all I can plead in my
excuse.” Without waiting for reply, he turned to Lady Oswald, and again
hastily taking her hand, murmured something about his duties on deck,
and left the cabin. Arthur followed him; and Lady Oswald’s spirits being
quite exhausted, she retired to the inner cabin to lie down.
Julia was left alone. The terror and the joy also seemed over. It was all
like a dream: she felt bewildered; she was unhappy too! more unhappy than
she had been when each moment she expected the ship would go to pieces!
She could not conceal this feeling from herself, nor that it had its
source in the unaccountable alternations of Fitz-Ullin’s manner. Yet she
was indignant at her own weakness! She sat for a long time motionless: a
blush at length appeared on her cheek, for now fancy was pourtraying, and
memory acknowledging, the scene which had taken place during the moment
of extreme danger! How had she permitted, passively permitted, conduct so
unwarrantable—so incredible!