Colville of the Guards, Volume 3 (of 3)Grant, James
General
Colville of the Guards, Volume 3 (of 3)
Grant, James
British -- Afghanistan -- Fiction; Soldiers -- Fiction
Escaping--but how? The avenues to the street were too closely
secured, and the window of her room was too high above the water of
the Fleethen to afford the least chance of escape there; while the
only boats that passed were those of the Vierlander people, laden
with vegetables, pulled swiftly along at rare and distant intervals.
To appeal to the Wyburgs she knew would be vain. Her pure, pale face
with its dreamy eyes, into which there now came a hunted expression,
failed to win either their pity or commiseration; but escape she
must, or die!
Ellinor knew now that in Sleath the animal nature predominated, and
that she might have to suffer from his cruelty and violence if she
remained in his power.
But how was she to escape without money, without a knowledge of the
language, of the very locality in which he had placed her, without
bodily strength, and with only intense horror and aversion to nerve
and inspire her?
On whom could she cast herself?
Certainly not the repulsive Frau Wyburg, with her wicked black eyes
and square, resolute jaws, or her equally repellent husband, with the
leering eyes and ragged red moustache? What had she done that Fate
should have cast her into such unscrupulous, and to her altogether
inconceivable, hands?
'She grows paler, if possible, every day,' said Wyburg to Sleath.
'If this sort of thing goes on, it will be an affair for the
Krankenhaus,' he added, in a growling voice, referring to the great
public hospital in the suburb of St. George.
Dewsnap's yacht was getting ready for sea, and was now anchored by
the dolphins, outside the Binnenhafen, and Sleath was resolved to end
his affair with Ellinor in some fashion or other, for the hints of
Wyburg alarmed him.
So he recommended to Ellinor a drive in an open droski, attended, not
by himself--he was too wary for that--but by the Frau Wyburg and
Gaiters, who was to have a seat on the dickey. He thought there was
little to fear in this, as Ellinor knew not a word of German, and
Gaiters was a careful fellow.
Indeed, Mr. John Gaiters--though to all appearance a thoroughly
well-bred English serving-man, automaton-like in movements, reserved,
and when it suited him most civil in speech, and without an atom of
scruple--had one redeeming bull-dog feature in his character, and
that was intense fidelity to his dissolute, yet liberal, master.
The afternoon was beautiful and sunny. The drive along the
Jungfernsteig and Alster Damm was charming enough to rouse even
Ellinor from her lethargy, but not to still her resolution to escape,
if she could.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account