The Buccaneer - A Tale

Farther communication was interrupted by the entrance of Constantia's

maid, who came to ascertain if the widow Hays were really dying.

"My lady has trouble enough of her own, the Lord knows; but she will

leave watching by the bed-side of my poor distraught master, if she can

render any aid."

"Robin, raise me up," exclaimed the dying woman, with a gesture of great

impatience; "raise me up, Robin, and push the hair from my ears, that I

may hear distinctly. Did you mean, young woman[,] that Sir Robert was

distraught--mad?"

"Alack! yes," replied the girl; "mad, poor gentleman!"

"It is enough--enough--enough! I knew it would come in some shape; yet

madness must be mercy to him!" Having so said, she sank back, while the

serving wench stood in astonishment: and at length inquired, "What she

meant?"

"She raves," was Robin's reply, drawing the girl out of the chamber:

"give my humble duty to your lady, and tell her that the son of Mother

Hays is with her, and that she lacks nothing the world can give her

now." As the girl departed, Springall came to the door.

"Robin Hays! you must leave even your dying mother--something must be

determined on. He is come! Listen to the guns at Sheerness, telling the

island who has touched the soil on this side of the ferry."

Robin stood for a moment at the porch, and heard the booming of cannon

heavily passing through the air, traversing the low downs, and roaring

from crag to crag, as if rejoicing in liberty; the ships that lay out at

sea sent forth a reply, and in a moment their flags were waving in the

wind.

Robin returned for a moment to his mother's room.

"Mother," he said, "for one hour I must leave you, but I will send some

one to watch by your bed-side. Pray to God, a God of mercy, who has but

lately opened my heart: pray to Him, and He will answer. I will be with

you soon--a hundred lives may rest upon that hour!"

His mother appeared scarcely conscious of what he said, but with her

finger pointed to the chest.

A new, but a most unwelcome light had broken in upon the mind of the

unhappy Ranger. The father of his beloved Barbara he had long known to

be a reckless and a daring man, with the stains of many crimes upon his

soul; but he had now the terrible knowledge that the Buccaneer was a

cold-blooded and hired assassin, who for gold, for there could have been

no other temptation---- The thought was perfect agony, yet the Ranger

resolved to face the man he at once loved and dreaded, and boldly charge

him with the act his parent in her dying moments had communicated.