As soon as she found how much weight this had upon him, she proposed
to go forward with Dr. Wilton to Emberton, and there hear all that had
been done in her own business: after which, she said, she would return
at six o'clock for Sir Sidney and his daughter, who must have received
tidings from the three county towns to which officers had been
dispatched.
Some slight difficulties having been discussed and overcome, this plan
was agreed to. Mrs. Darlington and Dr. Wilton departed; and the fact
that Mrs. Darlington had visited the ruined family at Emberton having
been ascertained by the appearance of her carriage rolling down the
avenue from the house, threw the town into a state of agitation which
might have afforded matter of envy to the arch-agitator himself.
In the mean while, the various messengers charged with the warrants
against Captain William Delaware, proceeded toward their destinations.
It may be only necessary to follow one of them, however; as all the
rest, being sent in various wrong directions, might have gone onward
in a direct line till they met at the antipodes, without setting eyes
upon William Delaware. The one, then, who was directed to ride with
all speed to the seaport town of ----, and having got his warrant
backed by the proper authorities, to search for and take the person of
the accused, arrived in that place at about two o'clock of the
afternoon; and, finding that no less than five foreign vessels had
sailed that day at high water, which took place at eight of the clock,
he proceeded as he had been directed, to inquire at the offices of all
the foreign vice-consuls what passports had been granted during the
morning.
The consuls and their clerks were as civil as possible, and the names
and descriptions were read over to him; but the poor man might as well
have been in Babel, such a confused multitude of unchristianlike
Christian names were pronounced in his ears. His next attempt was at
the descriptions; but he found that, during that one morning, people
of all colors and complexions, of all ages and sizes, of all features
and professions, had sailed for foreign parts, or obtained their
passports, which was quite as good; and therefore, bewildered and in
despair, he gave up the search; and, having committed his charge to
the constables of the place, once more mounted and returned to
Emberton.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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