'We were returning home by a footpath which led through a plantation of
firs. Lucy had quitted Hazlewood's arm; it is only the plea of absolute
necessity which reconciles her to accept his assistance. I still leaned
upon his other arm. Lucy followed us close, and the servant was two or
three paces behind us. Such was our position, when at once, and as if
he had started out of the earth, Brown stood before us at a short turn
of the road! He was very plainly, I might say coarsely, dressed, and
his whole appearance had in it something wild and agitated. I screamed
between surprise and terror. Hazlewood mistook the nature of my alarm,
and, when Brown advanced towards me as if to speak, commanded him
haughtily to stand back, and not to alarm the lady. Brown replied, with
equal asperity, he had no occasion to take lessons from him how to
behave to that or any other lady. I rather believe that Hazlewood,
impressed with the idea that he belonged to the band of smugglers, and
had some bad purpose in view, heard and understood him imperfectly. He
snatched the gun from the servant, who had come up on a line with us,
and, pointing the muzzle at Brown, commanded him to stand off at his
peril. My screams, for my terror prevented my rinding articulate
language, only hastened the catastrophe. Brown, thus menaced, sprung
upon Hazlewood, grappled with him, and had nearly succeeded in
wrenching the fowling-piece from his grasp, when the gun went off in
the struggle, and the contents were lodged in Hazlewood's shoulder, who
instantly fell. I saw no more, for the whole scene reeled before my
eyes, and I fainted away; but, by Lucy's report, the unhappy
perpetrator of this action gazed a moment on the scene before him,
until her screams began to alarm the people upon the lake, several of
whom now came in sight. He then bounded over a hedge which divided the
footpath from the plantation, and has not since been heard of. The
servant made no attempt to stop or secure him, and the report he made
of the matter to those who came up to us induced them rather to
exercise their humanity in recalling me to life, than show their
courage by pursuing a desperado, described by the groom as a man of
tremendous personal strength, and completely armed.
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