The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 5 of 5) — John Shaqi
The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 5 of 5)Burney, Fanny
History
The Wanderer; or, Female Difficulties (Volume 5 of 5)
Burney, Fanny
France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799 -- Refugees -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Refugees -- Fiction; War stories
She had reason, however, to fear that her uncontrollable first emotion
had caught his notice, for she heard footsteps following. Hopeless of
saving herself, if watched or suspected, by flight; as she knew that
there was no turning for at least half a mile; she darted precipitately
into the inn; which seemed alone to offer her even a shadow of any
chance of concealment. She rushed past ostlers, helpers, postilions, and
waiters; seized the hand of the first female that she met; and hastily
begged to be shewn to a room.
The chambermaid, astonished at such a request from a person no better
equipped, pertly asked what she meant.
Juliet, whose apprehensive eyes roved everywhere, now saw the pilot at
the door.
She held the maid by the arm, and, in a voice scarcely audible,
entreated to be taken any where that she might be alone; and had the
presence of mind to hint at a recompence.
This instantly prevailed. The maid said, 'Well, come along!' and led her
to a small apartment up stairs.
Juliet put a shilling into her hand, and was then left to herself.
In an agony of suffering that disordered her whole frame, What a life,
she cried, is this that I lead! How tremendous, and how degrading! Is it
possible that even what I fly can be more dreadful?
This question restored her fortitude. Ah yes! ah yes! she cried, all
passing evil is preferable to such a termination!
She now composed her spirits, and, while deliberating how she might make
a friend of the maid, to aid her escape, perceived, from the window, the
pilot, in a stable-yard, examining a horse, for which he seemed to be
bartering.
This determined her to attempt to regain the cottage which she had last
quitted, and thence to try some opposite route.
Swiftly she descended the stairs; a general bustle from some new arrival
enabled her to pass unnoticed; but a chaise was at the door, and she was
forced to make way for a gentleman, who had just quitted it, to enter
the house. Unavoidably, by this movement, she saw the gentleman also;
the colour instantly forsook her cheeks and lips; her feet tottered, and
she fell.
She was immediately surrounded by waiters; but the gentleman, who,
observing only her dress, concluded her to belong to the house, walked
on into the kitchen, and asked, in broken English, for the landlord or
landlady.
Juliet, whose fall had been the effect of a sudden deprivation of
strength, from an abrupt sensation of horrour, had not fainted. She
heard, therefore, what passed, and was easily helped to rise; and,
shaded by her packet, which, even in her first terrour, she had
instinctively held to her face, she made a motion to walk into the air.
One of the men, good naturedly, placed her a chair without doors; she
sat upon it thankfully, and almost as quickly recovered as she had lost
her force, by a reviving idea, that, even yet, thus situated, she might
make her escape.
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