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
'The commissary, she informed me, immediately upon my disappearance, had
presented the promissory-note to the bankers; but they had declared it
not to be valid, till it were either signed by the heir of the late Earl
Melbury, or re-signed, with a fresh date, by Lord Denmeath. The
commissary, therefore, had sent over an agent to Lord Denmeath, to
claim, as my husband, the six thousand pounds, before my evasion should
be known. The Marchioness conjured me, nevertheless, to forbear applying
to my family; or avowing my name, or my return to my native land, till I
should be assured of the safety of the Bishop; whom the commissary had
now ordered to be pursued, and upon whom the most horrible vengeance
might be wreaked, should my escape to this happy land transpire, before
his own should be effected: though, while I was still supposed to be
within reach of our cruel persecutor, the Bishop, even if he were
seized, might merely be detained as an hostage for my future concession;
till happier days, or partial accident, might work his deliverance.
'Inviolably I have adhered to these injunctions. In a note which I left
for the Marchioness, with Ambroise, I solemnly assured her, that no
hardships of adversity, nor even any temptation to happiness, should
make me waver in my given faith; or tear from me the secret of my name
and story, till I again saw, or received tidings of the Bishop. And Oh
how light, how even blissful,--in remembrance, at least,--will prove
every sacrifice, should the result be the preservation of the most pious
and exemplary of men! But, alas! I have been discovered, while still in
the dark as to his destiny, by means which no self-denial could
preclude, no fortitude avert!
'The indefatigable Ambroise had learned that the pilot was to sail the
next evening for Dover. I now added patches and bandages to my stained
skin, and garb of poverty; and stole, with Ambroise, to the sea-side;
where we wandered till past midnight; when Ambroise descried a little
vessel, and the pilot; and, soon afterwards, sundry passengers, who, in
dead silence, followed each other into the boat. I then approached, and
called out to beg admission. I desired Ambroise to be gone; but he was
too anxious to leave me. Faithful, excellent creature! how he suffered
while I pleaded in vain! how he rejoiced when one of the passengers,
open to heavenly pity, humanely returned to the shore to assist me into
the boat! Ambroise took my last adieu to the Marchioness; and I set sail
for my loved, long lost, and fearfully recovered native land.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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