France -- History -- Louis XV, 1715-1774 -- Fiction; Jacobite Rebellion, 1745-1746 -- Fiction
And now the _mêlée_ became more general, and gradually the partisans
of both sides were borne asunder, two only keeping together, Bertie
and Douglas.
"Where is Fane?" whispered the former.
"With Kate. I saw him in the bower with her. Heaven grant----"
He was interrupted by a man who at this moment ranged himself
alongside them both, and who muttered, "Follow me, through the copse
here. There is an exit by which you can escape from the gardens. Back
yourselves to the copse as easily as you can, then watch my
movements."
"To leave her thus is impossible!" exclaimed Elphinston. "I cannot."
"Tush, nonsense!" replied Sholto, "her father is with her and our
dandy friends by now. Come, come, we can do better for her and all of
us by escaping than by being taken."
"But Fane; they will arrest him."
"If they do he has his answer. He was protecting his daughter. And her
position will assure his. Come, Bertie, come. Once outside, we can
seek new lodgings in another part of the town; put on new disguises.
Come."
All the time this colloquy had taken place they had still been
struggling with others, though by now the affray had lost the
sanguinary character it once threatened to possess. The soldiers and
the agents were separated from them by a mass of people, among whom
were many of their sympathisers; but none were using deadly weapons,
rather preferring buffeting and hustling than aught else. So that, as
the tall man entered another summer house and, dragging Sholto and
Elphinston after him, shut a door which guarded its entrance, the
thing was done so quickly that the two originals of the disturbance
had disappeared in the darkness ere they were missed.
"This," said the man, "is a private entrance and exit, reserved for
some very high and mighty personages whom I need not mention. They are
good patrons of ours--I am the proprietor's, Mr. Jonathan Tyers, chief
subordinate. Also a Scotchman like yourselves, or by now you would
probably have been taken. Hark to them!"
The people were howling outside, "Down with the rebels!" "Find the
Culloden dogs and cut them to pieces!" etc., the soldiers' voices
being heard the loudest of all, while in response many shouted,
"Charlie Stuart for aye!" and some bolder spirits shrieked a then
well-known song, "The Restoration," which had been originally composed
in honour of the return of Charles II.
"Come," said the tall man, "come, your safety is here." Wherewith he
opened another door in the back of the arbour and showed them a quiet
leafy lane which was entirely deserted. "There," he continued, "is your
way. Follow the grove in this direction, and 'twill bring you to
Kennington," and he pointed south; "the other leads to the river. Fare
ye well, and if you are both wise, quit London as soon as you have
changed your garments. For myself I must go round to the front
entrance; if I go back through the gardens I may be called to account
by the mob for your escape."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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