They were proceeding at a rapid pace, and apparently with fewerattendants than before, though it was so dark (the torches beingextinguished) that this was mere conjecture. They shrunk from histouch, each into the farthest corner of the carriage; but shrink asDolly would, his arm encircled her waist, and held her fast. Sheneither cried nor spoke, for terror and disgust deprived her of thepower; but she plucked at his hand as though she would die in theeffort to disengage herself; and crouching on the ground, with her head averted and held down, repelled him with a strength shewondered at as much as he. The carriage stopped again.
"Lift this one out," said Hugh to the man who opened the door, ashe took Miss Haredale"s hand, and felt how heavily it fell. "She"sfainted."
"So much the better," growled Dennis--it was that amiablegentleman. "She"s quiet. I always like "em to faint, unlessthey"re very tender and composed."
"Can you take her by yourself?" asked Hugh.
"I don"t know till I try. I ought to be able to; I"ve lifted up agood many in my time," said the hangman. "Up then! She"s no smallweight, brother; none of these here fine gals are. Up again! Nowwe have her."
Having by this time hoisted the young lady into his arms, hestaggered off with his burden.
"Look ye, pretty bird," said Hugh, drawing Dolly towards him.
"Remember what I told you--a kiss for every cry. Scream, if you love me, darling. Scream once, mistress. Pretty mistress, onlyonce, if you love me."
Thrusting his face away with all her force, and holding down herhead, Dolly submitted to be carried out of the chaise, and borneafter Miss Haredale into a miserable cottage, where Hugh, afterhugging her to his breast, set her gently down upon the floor.
Poor Dolly! Do what she would, she only looked the better for it,and tempted them the more. When her eyes flashed angrily, and herripe lips slightly parted, to give her rapid breathing vent, whocould resist it? When she wept and sobbed as though her heartwould break, and bemoaned her miseries in the sweetest voice thatever fell upon a listener"s ear, who could be insensible to thelittle winning pettishness which now and then displayed itself,even in the sincerity and earnestness of her grief? When,forgetful for a moment of herself, as she was now, she fell on herknees beside her friend, and bent over her, and laid her cheek tohers, and put her arms about her, what mortal eyes could haveavoided wandering to the delicate bodice, the streaming hair, theneglected dress, the perfect abandonment and unconsciousness of theblooming little beauty? Who could look on and see her lavishcaresses and endearments, and not desire to be in Emma Haredale"s place; to be either her or Dolly; either the hugging or the hugged?
Not Hugh. Not Dennis.
"I tell you what it is, young women," said Mr Dennis, "I an"t muchof a lady"s man myself, nor am I a party in the present businessfurther than lending a willing hand to my friends: but if I seemuch more of this here sort of thing, I shall become a principalinstead of a accessory. I tell you candid."
"Why have you brought us here?" said Emma. "Are we to bemurdered?"
"Murdered!" cried Dennis, sitting down upon a stool, and regardingher with great favour. "Why, my dear, who"d murder sichchickabiddies as you? If you was to ask me, now, whether you wasbrought here to be married, there might be something in it."
And here he exchanged a grin with Hugh, who removed his eyes fromDolly for the purpose.
"No, no," said Dennis, "there"ll be no murdering, my pets. Nothingof that sort. Quite the contrairy."
"You are an older man than your companion, sir," said Emma,trembling. "Have you no pity for us? Do you not consider that weare women?"
"I do indeed, my dear," retorted Dennis. "It would be very hardnot to, with two such specimens afore my eyes. Ha ha! Oh yes , Iconsider that. We all consider that, miss."
He shook his head waggishly, leered at Hugh again, and laughed verymuch, as if he had said a noble thing, and rather thought he wascoming out.
"There"ll be no murdering, my dear. Not a bit on it. I tell youwhat though, brother," said Dennis, cocking his hat for theconvenience of scratching his head, and looking gravely at Hugh,"it"s worthy of notice, as a proof of the amazing equalness anddignity of our law, that it don"t make no distinction between menand women. I"ve heerd the judge say, sometimes, to a highwayman orhousebreaker as had tied the ladies neck and heels--you"ll excuseme making mention of it, my darlings--and put "em in a cellar, thathe showed no consideration to women. Now, I say that there judgedidn"t know his business, brother; and that if I had been thatthere highwayman or housebreaker, I should have made answer: "What are you a talking of, my lord? I showed the women as muchconsideration as the law does, and what more would you have me do?"If you was to count up in the newspapers the number of females ashave been worked off in this here city alone, in the last tenyear," said Mr Dennis thoughtfully, "you"d be surprised at thetotal--quite amazed, you would. There"s a dignified and equalthing; a beautiful thing! But we"ve no security for its lasting.
Now that they"ve begun to favour these here Papists, I shouldn"twonder if they went and altered even THAT, one of these days. Uponmy soul, I shouldn"t."
The subject, perhaps from being of too exclusive and professional anature, failed to interest Hugh as much as his friend hadanticipated. But he had no time to pursue it, for at this crisisMr Tappertit entered precipitately; at sight of whom Dolly uttereda scream of joy, and fairly threw herself into his arms.