The justice dismissed the party to keep guard for the night in the old
castle with a large allowance of food and liquor, with the full hope and
belief that they would spend the night neither in watching nor prayer.
Next morning great was the alarm when the escape of the prisoner was
discovered. When the officers had been sent off in all directions
(except the right one), Glossin went to Hatteraick in the cave. A light
soon broke upon his confusion of ideas. This missing heir was Vanbeest
Brown who had wounded young Hazlewood. He hastily explained to Dick
Hatteraick that his goods which had been seized were lying in the
Custom-house at Portanferry, and there to the Bridewell beside it be
would send this younker, when he had caught him; would take care that
the soldiers were dispersed, and he, Dick Hatteraick, could land with
his crew, receive his own goods, and carry the younker Brown back to
Flushing.
"Ay, carry him to Flushing," said the captain, "or to America, or--to
Jericho?"
"Psha! Wherever you have a mind."
"Ay, or pitch him overboard?"
"Nay, I advise no violence."
"Nein, nein! You leave that to me Sturm-wetter; I know you of old. But,
hark ye, what am I, Dirk Hatteraick, to be the better for this?"
Glossin made him understand it would not be safe for either of them if
young Ellangowan settled in the country, and their plans were soon
arranged. None of the old crew were alive but the gipsy who had sent the
news of Brown's whereabouts and identity.
Brown, or, as we may now call him, Harry Bertram, had retreated into
England, but now, hearing that Hazlewood's wound was trifling, returned
and landed at Ellangowan Bay; he approached the castle, unconscious as
the most absolute stranger, where his ancestors had exercised all but
regal dominion.
Confused memories thronged his mind, and he paused by a curious
coincidence on nearly the same spot on which his father had died, just
as Glossin came up the bank with an architect, to whom he was talking of
alterations; Bertram turned short round upon him, and said:
"Would you destroy this fine old castle, sir?"
He was so exactly like his father in his best days that Glossin thought
the grave had given up its dead. He staggered back, but instantly
recovered, and whispered a few words in the ear of his companion, who
immediately went towards the house, while Glossin talked civilly to
Bertram. By the next evening he was safely locked up in the Bridewell at
Portanferry, until Sir Charles Hazlewood, the injured youth's father, to
whom Glossin had conducted him, could make inquiries as to the truth of
his story.
_IV.--Bertram's Restoration_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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