The Heart

"Faith, and I believe he would fall off at the first motion of the

horse," agreed Parson Downs with a great scowl. I looked at, and

listened to them both, with a curious feeling that they were talking

about some one else, such was my weakness and giddiness from that

last blood-letting.

Then Parson Downs, with an exclamation which might have sounded

oddly enough if heard from the pulpit, but which may, after all,

have done honour to his heart, fetched out a flask of brandy from

his pocket, and bade Will Wickett find a mug somewhere, which he did

speedily, and he gave me a drink which put new life into me, though

it was still out of the question for me to ride that fiery horse

which stood pawing outside the prison. And just here I would like to

say that I never forgot, nor ceased to be grateful for the kindly

interest in me, and the risk which the parson was disposed to take

for my sake that day. A great risk indeed it would have been, and

would doubtless have cost him his living, had I ridden across

country on that famous horse of his; but he seemed not to think of

that, but shook his head sadly after I had swallowed the brandy, and

then my brother John came in and he turned to him.

"A fine plan for escape I had with the jailer drunk and the sentries

blinded by my last winnings at cards, but Harry is too weak to

ride," he said.

Then I, being somewhat restored by the brandy, mustered up strength

enough to have a mind and speak it, and declared that I would not in

any case avail myself of his aid to escape, since I should only

bring trouble upon him who aided me, and should in the end be

caught. And just as I spoke came a company of soldiers to escort me

to the stocks, and the chance, for what it was worth, was over.

This much however had my brother gained for me, since I was

manifestly unable to walk or ride: one of the Cavendish chairs which

they had brought from England, was at the prison door, and some of

our black men for bearers, half blubbering at the errand upon which

they were bound.

Somebody had rigged a curtain of thin silk for the chair, so that I,

when I was set therein, had great privacy, though I knew by the

sounds that I was attended by the motley crowd which usually is in

following at such affairs, beside the little troop of horse which

was my escort, and my brother and Parson Downs riding on either

side. Parson Downs, though some might reckon him as being somewhat

contumelious in his manner of leaving the tobacco-cutting, yet was

not so when there was anything to be gained by his service. He was

moreover quit of any blame by his office of spiritual adviser,

though it was not customary for a criminal to be attended to the

stocks by a clergyman, but only to the scaffold. But, as I began

to gather some strength through that fiery draught which I had

swallowed, and the fresh air, it verily seemed to me, though I had

done with any vain complaints and was of a mind to bear my ignominy

with as much bravery as though it were death, that it was as much of

an occasion for spiritual consolation. I could not believe--when

we were arrived at the New Field, and I was assisted from my chair

in the midst of that hooting and jeering throng, which even the

soldiers and the threatening gestures of the parson and my brother

served but little to restrain--that I was myself, and still more

so, when I was at last seated in that shameful instrument, the

stocks.