Cornish Characters and Strange EventsBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Cornish Characters and Strange Events
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Cornwall (England : County) -- Biography; Cornwall (England : County) -- History; Legends -- England -- Cornwall (County)
Nine o'clock struck, and still no signs of her for whom they were
watching. They began to think that they must have been misinformed and
ordered the coachman to drive to Howard Street, where Mrs. Bracegirdle
lodged, in the house of a Mrs. Browne. Howard Street is a cross-way
leading from Arundel Street, through Norfolk Street, to Surrey Street,
in the former of which lived Mountford, so that it was not possible for
the actor on his return from the theatre to fail coming upon them. Here,
however, they did not remain long, their suspicions having been excited
by the appearance of several individuals pacing up and down in front of
the lady's lodgings, and these they thought must be spies set to watch
their proceedings. They accordingly returned to their former station by
the house of Mr. Page. At ten o'clock the door opened and that gentleman
issued forth along with Mrs. Bracegirdle, her mother and brother, and
volunteered to accompany them home, an offer they declined, as they said
that they needed no further protection; however, he attended them part
of the way. On coming up Drury Lane they were surprised to see a crowd
about a coach drawn up before the house of Lord Craven, with the steps
down. In this Lord Mohun was seated, with several cases of pistols near
him. Before they had time to inquire into the meaning of this, two of
the soldiers rushed forward, forced Mrs. Bracegirdle away from Page, and
would have dragged her to the coach but that her mother clung about her
neck, in spite of some rough handling by the ruffians. Thereupon up ran
Hill, and he struck at both Page and the old lady with his drawn sword;
but some of the crowd looking on interfered so effectually that he found
himself obliged to withdraw. However, he rallied, and pretending that
there was a disturbance and that the lady was in danger and that she
required safe conduct, he so persuaded Mrs. Bracegirdle that he had no
part in the matter that she allowed him to escort her and her mother to
their home, and Lord Mohun and the soldiers followed as though in
pursuit, Hill occasionally facing round as though to dare them to
approach.
Upon reaching Howard Street the soldiers were dismissed, as being no
longer required, as it was now deemed impossible to carry out the
original plan of a forcible abduction.
Just as Hill was about to withdraw, he plucked Page by the sleeve, and
intimated to him that he had a desire to speak with him in private;
but that gentleman, who was eager to be back at his own house, replied
hastily that "another time would do; to-morrow would serve."
However, no sooner was Mrs. Bracegirdle safe within the house, than
the others, fearing that evil might befall Page, laid hold of him and
drew him within, and closed the door in the face of Captain Hill.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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