Clara, who had listened to this little Napoleon in petticoats with
breathless interest, now clasped her hands in a wild ecstasy of joy and
exclaimed: "I will try it! Oh, Capitola, I will try it! Heaven bless you for the
counsel!"
"Be quick, then; change your dress! provide yourself with a purse of
money, and I will give you particular directions how to make a short
cut for Tip Top. Ha, ha, ha! when they come for the bride she will be
already rolling on the turnpike between Tip Top and Staunton!"
"But you! Oh, you, my generous deliverer?"
"I shall dress myself in your clothes and stay here in your place to
keep you from being missed, so as to give you full time to make your
escape."
"But--you will place yourself in the enraged lion's jaws! You will
remain in the power of two men who know neither justice nor mercy! Who,
in their love or their hate, fear neither God nor man! Oh, Capitola!
how can I take an advantage of your generosity, and leave you here in
such extreme peril? Capitola, I cannot do it!"
"Well, then, I believe, you must be anxious to marry Craven Le Noir!"
"Oh, Capitola!"
"Well, if you are not, hurry and get ready; there is no time to be
lost!"
"But you! but you, my generous friend!"
"Never mind me. I shall be safe enough! I am not afraid of the Le
Noirs. Bless their wigs; I should like to see them make me blanch. On
the contrary, I desire above all things to be pitted against these two!
How I shall enjoy their disappointment and rage! Oh, it will be a rare
frolic!"
While Capitola was speaking she was also busily engaged doing. She went
softly to the door and turned the key in the lock, to prevent any one
from looking through the keyhole, murmuring as she did it: "I wasn't brought up among the detective policemen for nothing!"
Then she began to take off her riding-habit. Quickly she dressed Clara,
superintending all the details of her disguise as carefully as though
she were the costumer of a new debutante. When Clara was dressed she
was so nearly of the same size and shape of Capitola that from behind
no one would have suspected her identity.
"There, Clara! tuck your light hair out of the way; pull your cap over
your eyes; gather your veil down close; draw up your figure; throw back
your head; walk with a little springy sway and swagger, as if you
didn't care a damson for anybody, and--there! I declare no one could
tell you from me!" exclaimed Capitola in delight, as she completed the
disguise and the instructions of Clara.