"Stop thy base, unmannered tongue!" said the lady; "to no question that
derogates from my honour do I deign an answer."
"You have said enough in refusing to reply," answered Tressilian;
"and mark me, unhappy as thou art, I am armed with thy father's full
authority to command thy obedience, and I will save thee from the
slavery of sin and of sorrow, even despite of thyself, Amy."
"Menace no violence here!" exclaimed the lady, drawing back from him,
and alarmed at the determination expressed in his look and manner;
"threaten me not, Tressilian, for I have means to repel force."
"But not, I trust, the wish to use them in so evil a cause?" said
Tressilian. "With thy will--thine uninfluenced, free, and natural will,
Amy, thou canst not choose this state of slavery and dishonour. Thou
hast been bound by some spell--entrapped by some deceit--art now
detained by some compelled vow. But thus I break the charm--Amy, in the
name of thine excellent, thy broken-hearted father, I command thee to
follow me!"
As he spoke he advanced and extended his arm, as with the purpose of
laying hold upon her. But she shrunk back from his grasp, and uttered
the scream which, as we before noticed, brought into the apartment
Lambourne and Foster.
The latter exclaimed, as soon as he entered, "Fire and fagot! what
have we here?" Then addressing the lady, in a tone betwixt entreaty
and command, he added, "Uds precious! madam, what make you here out of
bounds? Retire--retire--there is life and death in this matter.--And
you, friend, whoever you may be, leave this house--out with you, before
my dagger's hilt and your costard become acquainted.--Draw, Mike, and
rid us of the knave!"
"Not I, on my soul," replied Lambourne; "he came hither in my
company, and he is safe from me by cutter's law, at least till we meet
again.--But hark ye, my Cornish comrade, you have brought a Cornish flaw
of wind with you hither, a hurricanoe as they call it in the Indies.
Make yourself scarce--depart--vanish--or we'll have you summoned before
the Mayor of Halgaver, and that before Dudman and Ramhead meet." [Two
headlands on the Cornish coast. The expressions are proverbial.] "Away, base groom!" said Tressilian.--"And you, madam, fare you
well--what life lingers in your father's bosom will leave him at the
news I have to tell."
He departed, the lady saying faintly as he left the room, "Tressilian,
be not rash--say no scandal of me."