Lord Evandale

“ He had been since the muster in close attendance on Lady Margaret and Miss Bellenden, and had left them with an air of indifference, when Lady Margaret had asked whether there was no young man of family and loyal principles who would dispute the prize with those two lads who had been successful. In half a minute, young Lord Evandale threw himself from his horse, borrowed a gun from a servant, and, as we have already noticed, hit the mark. ”

“ Inglis, whom Evandale destined for punishment, remained in custody. Halliday was praised for his conduct, and assured of succeeding to the rank of the culprit. These arrangements being hastily made, Lord Evandale accosted the Major, before whose eyes the scene had seemed to pass like the change of a dream.
"My dear Major, we must give up the place."
"Is it even so?" said Major Bellenden. "I was in hopes you had brought reinforcements and supplies."
"Not a man—not a pound of meal," answered Lord Evandale. ”

“ Although borne down by the misfortunes and imminent danger of the man she loved, Edith was touched by the hopeless and reverential passion of the gallant youth, who now took leave of her to rush into dangers of no ordinary description.
“I hope—I sincerely trust,” she said, “there is no danger. I hope there is no occasion for this solemn ceremonial—that these hasty insurgents will be dispersed rather by fear than force, and that Lord Evandale will speedily return to be what he must always be, the dear and valued friend of all in this castle.” ”

“ Yet I am blithe to see you," returned the honest Major; "we were informed yesterday that these psalm-singing rascals had a plot on your life, and I had mustered the scoundrelly dragoons ten minutes ago in order to beat up Burley's quarters and get you out of limbo, when the dog Inglis, instead of obeying me, broke out into open mutiny.—But what is to be done now?"
"I have myself no choice," said Lord Evandale, "I am a prisoner, released on parole, and bound for Edinburgh. You and the ladies must take the same route. ”

“ They will be over the ditch presently, for I see their whole line in motion, and preparing to cross; therefore lose no time."
"Where is Bothwell with his party?" said Lord Evandale, astonished at the coolness of his commander.
"Fairly disposed of," said Claverhouse, in his ear—" the king has lost a servant, and the devil has got one. But away to business, Evandale—ply your spurs and get the men together. Allan and you must keep them steady. This retreating is new work for us all; but our turn will come round again another day."
Evandale and Allan betook themselves to their task ”

“ Pike will take off the dressings and examine the state of the wounds."
"These are melancholy preparations, madam," said Lord Evandale, as he returned thanks to Lady Margaret, and was about to leave the hall,—"but I must submit to your ladyship's directions; and I your skill will soon make me a more able defender of your castle than I am at present. You must render my body serviceable as soon as you can, for you have no use for my head while you have Major Bellenden."
With these words he left the apartment.
"An excellent young man, and a modest," said the Major. ”

“ This arose from no ill will to Henry Morton, who, both on her mistress's account and his own handsome form and countenance, stood high in her esteem. But then Lord Evandale was also handsome; he was liberal far beyond what Morton's means could afford, and he was a lord, moreover; and, if Miss Edith Bellenden should accept his hand, she would become a baron's lady, and what was more, little Jenny Dennison, whom the awful housekeeper at Tillietudlem huffed about at her pleasure, would be then Mrs Dennison, Lady Evandale's own woman, or perhaps her ladyship's lady-in waiting. ”

“ So the ladies were left without fortune, as well as without a protector?”
“They will neither want the tane nor the tother while Lord Evandale lives,” said Jenny; “he has been a true friend in their griefs. E’en to the house they live in is his lordship’s; and never man, as my auld gudemother used to say, since the days of the Patriarch Jacob, served sae lang and sae sair for a wife as gude Lord Evandale has dune.”
“And why,” said the stranger, with a voice that quivered with emotion, “why was he not sooner rewarded by the object of his attachment?” ”

“ Or what if she had appealed to the generosity which Lord Evandale was supposed to possess, and had engaged his honour to protect the person of a favoured rival?"
Still, however, the words which he had overheard recurred ever and anon to his remembrance, with a pang which resembled the sting of an adder.
"Nothing that she could refuse him!—was it possible to make a more unlimited declaration of predilection? The language of affection has not, within the limits of maidenly delicacy, a stronger expression. She is lost to me wholly, and for ever ”

“ Were Saint Paul on earth again, and a presbyterian, he would be a rebel in three months—it is in the very blood of them."
"Well," said Lord Evandale, "I will be the last to recommend surrender; but, if our provisions fail, and we receive no relief from Edinburgh or Glasgow, I think we ought to avail ourselves of this opening, to get the ladies, at least, safe out of the Castle."
"They will endure all, ere they would accept the protection of such a smooth-tongued hypocrite," answered the Major indignantly ”

“ Rumbold—good people as they were in their own fashion—had been content to leave these darker places to themselves; the decent religious poor of [Pg 98] the parish gave them enough to do. But under the new Rector's rule a new system had begun. The Reverend Maurice Evandale thought that his duty lay amongst the lost sheep as well as amongst those already in the fold. If he had been at Beechfield in the days before Sydney Vane's death, he would never have let poor Andrew Westwood and his child remain outcasts from the interests of religious life. ”

“ Evandale made some polite but slightly incoherent rejoinder, to which nobody listened, for the General's attention was at that moment completely monopolised by Enid, who on feeling his arm around her, suddenly hid her white face on his shoulder and burst into tears.
"Oh, uncle," she sobbed, "you are so kind—so good! Forgive me!"
"Forgive you, my dear? There is nothing to forgive!" said the astonished General, in a slightly reproving tone. "Of course I do not like your staying out so late on a winter afternoon, but you need not make such a fuss about it, my child. ”

“ Our family have always been loyal; he served long in the Guards; the Viscount of Dundee was his commander and his friend for years; he is looked on with an evil eye by many of his own relations, who set down his inactivity to the score of want of spirit. You must be aware, my dear Edith, how often family connections and early predilections influence our actions more than abstract arguments. But I trust Evandale will continue quiet,—though, to tell you truth, I believe you are the only one who can keep him so."
"And how is it in my power?" said Miss Bellenden. ”

“ You are at liberty to resent as a man, a conduct, which not even a father can expect, or ask you to forgive.” Lord Avondale turned abruptly from the duke: “Are my horses put to the carriage?” he said impatiently to a servant. “All is in readiness.” “You will not go?” “I must: my uncle waits for me at the inn at Belfont: he would scarcely permit me....”
The shrieks of women from an adjoining apartment interrupted Lord Avondale. The duke hastened to the spot. Lord Avondale reluctantly followed. “Lady Avondale is dead,” said one: “the barbarian has murdered her.”—Lord 137 Avondale flew forward. ”

“ Evander answered her passionately.
[Pg 240]
“Here in England love is a more glorious god yet, for he can fling a Puritan soldier at the feet of a Cavalier lady.”
Brilliana still stared straight before her.
“We have drifted from the land of shadows.”
Evander spoke from his heart.
“We have drifted into reality. I love you. I cannot change my faith for that, I cannot change my flag. But believe this, remember this, that in the Parliament’s army one Puritan is as true your lover as all the Cavaliers who worship you.” ”

“ I am skilled in the uses of falcon-gentle, gerfalcon, saker, lanner, merlin, hobby, goshawk, sparrow-hawk, and musket—”
Brilliana interrupted him with an impetuous gesture of command, and Evander made an end of his display.
“Enough, enough!” she cried. “I feel like Balkis when she came to sip wisdom from Solomon’s goblet. If I question you further I may find that, like my Lord Verulam, you have taken all knowledge for your province. This is something uncanny in a Puritan.”
Evander protested.
“Why should a man deny the arts of life because he finds strength in the faith of the Puritans?” ”

“ There was a touch of human emotion in the last words which [Pg 267] seemed to bring him closer to Enid than the earlier sentence could have done. "But I know you have no need of me," the Rector added sorrowfully; "you have so many friends."
"I have not a friend in the world!" the girl broke out; and then she half hid her face with her transparently thin fingers, and tried to conceal the fact that she was weeping.
"Not a friend, Miss Vane?" Mr. Evandale's tone betrayed complete bewilderment.
"Whom would you call my friend?" said Enid, almost passionately. ”

“ His son seems his very model; you cannot conceive the mischief he may do. I know mankind, Evandale—were he an insignificant, fanatical, country booby, do you think I would have refused such a trifle as his life to Lady Margaret and this family? But this is a lad of fire, zeal, and education—and these knaves want but such a leader to direct their blind enthusiastic hardiness. ”

“ I dare not hope my absence will create pain.” “Farewell,” said Lady Avondale, with assumed coldness. “There are false hearts in this world, and crimes are enacted, Henry, at home ofttimes, as well as abroad. Confide in no one. Believe not what your own eyes perceive. Life is but as the shadow of a dream. All here is illusion. We know not whom we love.”
How happy some may imagine—how happy Calantha must have felt now that 248 Lord Avondale was gone. Far from it. She for the first time felt remorse. His departure filled her with gloom:—it was as if her last hope of safety were cut off ”

“ But these are the opinions of the aged, whose pulse beats low—whose reasoning powers can pause, and weigh and measure out the affections of others. In youth these losses affect the very seat of life and reason, chill the warm blood in its rapid current, unnerve every fibre 172 of the frame, and cause the phrenzy of despair.
The duke was calm; but Lord Avondale felt with bitterness his injury and his loss. The sovereign who has set his seal to the sentence of death passed upon the traitor who had betrayed him, ofttimes in after-life has turned to regret the friend, the companion he has lost. ”

“ He rushed towards her apartment. Sir Richard was with him. “By G—d, Avondale, if you forgive her, I will never see you more. Whilst I live, she shall never dwell in my house.” “Then mine shall shelter her,” said Lord Avondale, breaking from Sir Richard’s grasp: “this is too much;” and with an air of kindness, with a manner gentle and affectionate, Lord Avondale now entered, and approached his wife. “Calantha,” 160 he said, “do not thus give way to the violence of your feelings. I wish not to appear stern.—My God! what is the matter?” “Your poor lady is dying,” said the nurse. ”

“ But again she shrank from him. "Oh, what shall I do if she—if Flossy tells me that I must?"
Mr. Evandale frowned.
"Are you so much afraid of Mrs. Vane?"
"Yes," she said timorously—"I am. She—she frightens me! Oh, don't be angry! I know I am very weak; but indeed I cannot help it!"—and she burst into despairing tears.
"My darling, my poor little Enid, I am not angry at all! We will brave her together, you and I. You shall not be afraid of her any longer; you will know that I am always near you to protect you—to strengthen you. ”

“ I will pass without asking or receiving your permission.”
“It is Avondale, the lord’s son,” cried one: “I know him by his spirit. 184 Long life to you! and glory, and pleasure attend you”—“Long life to your honour!” exclaimed one and all; and in a moment the enthusiasm in his favour was as great, as general, as had been at first the execration and violence against him. The attachment they bore to their lord was still strong. “Fickle, senseless beings!” he said, with bitter contempt, as he heard their loyal cry. ”

“ Sir Ewaine said, "Who is that lady?" And the maiden replied: "She is the widow of a very powerful lord, and she hath saved thy life this day. For she sent me with an ointment with which I bathed thee, and which gave thee strength to arise again. And she sent thee that horse and those clothes which thou hast put on." Sir Ewaine said: "Certes, she is most kind and charitable in her heart. Perhaps some time I may do her a service that will be equal to this service which she hath rendered to me." ”

“ Vane, in your own way. You're too high and mighty, and pretend to be too ill to have to go to church; but, if you was me, and heard what folks say of them that stop away, you'd go yourself."
"Possibly," said Flossy; "we are in different circumstances. Now tell me—why has Mr. Evandale questioned you?" ”

“ But the blessing of God was not with Lady Avondale; she had renounced his favour and protection in the hour of prosperity; and she durst not even implore his mercy or his pardon in her present affliction. Thoughts of bitterness crowded together: she could no longer weep—the pressure upon her heart and brain would not permit it.
“Eh! dear heart, how the carriage rowls!” was the first exclamation which awoke her to a remembrance of her situation. “We are ascending the mountain. 150 Fear not, good nurse. Your kindness in accompanying me shall never be forgotten.” ”