The Buccaneer - A Tale

"I heard him repeat the name of Burrell, and that of my dear lady, two

or three times; but what he meant I cannot fathom. Oh, but he had a wild

and terrible look! Why should he seek to harm me?"

"Why, indeed!" echoed Robin; "it must be seen into, and that

immediately. I'll speak anon of it to Dalton."

"To Dalton!" in her turn echoed the girl--"Oh! that fearful man----"

"There is no one under the sun who has more love for you than he

has--than Hugh Dalton."

"I am sure he knew my father."

"He did, indeed: but question me no farther now, sweet Barbara; make

your mind quite easy, the outrage shall not be repeated. Perhaps the boy

is crazed. Let's think no more of it, my gentle girl. I must bid you

farewell."

"Farewell, Robin! Why--wherefore? Tell me, where are you going? When do

you return? How long do you stay?"

"Now, if I were a king, and one that woman could look upon and love, I

would give the half, the whole of my kingdom, to be sure she feels as

earnestly as she speaks," thought Robin. She perceived the coldness of

his look, and continued, though with a changed expression,-"What ails you? Have I angered you? Will you be thus wayward with your

poor Barbara?"

"My Barbara!" he repeated bitterly, and he touched the Frenchified hood

that hung over her shoulders: "my Barbara! would these trappings become

any one that belonged to such a thing as me? Rare contrasts we should

be! Methinks such bravery does ill adorn a simple Puritan; one

professing such principles should don a plainer robe. Gems, too, upon

your sleeves!--is not a bright, but modest eye, a far more precious

jewel? If it can be outshone by any other ornament, it is worth

nothing."

He turned from her as he spoke, and tears again gathered in her eyes.

"Robin," she said in a broken voice, "it was Mistress Alice put them

on, to show me the proper tiring for a bower-maiden at a great

festival--such as my lady's ought to be.--But I will take them off--all

off, if you like them not."

"Nor sigh for them again?"

"Sigh for such as these!" she repeated, looking on her finery with

disdain. "No, Robin, young as I am, I have learned better things. The

linnet would look ill tricked out in parrot's feathers. Not but I think

the bravery becoming, though, perhaps, not to me;--surely no, if you

like it not! But whither are you going? only tell me that. Alas! that

dark and black-browed boy has so confounded me, that I know not what I

say. The last night's fray has sore distressed me too:--you know it

all."