Great Britain -- History -- Commonwealth and Protectorate, 1649-1660 -- Fiction; Historical fiction
distant savage lands, nor ruffians, the refuse and offscourings of our
own people. They were in calm blood reasonable, nay, religious men,
maintaining a fair repute both heavenward and earthward. Oh, Master
Everard, your trade of war should be feared and avoided, since it
converts such men into wolves towards their fellow creatures.”
“It is a stern necessity,” said Everard, looking down, “and as such
alone is justifiable. But proceed, reverend sir; I see not how this
storm, an incident but e’en too frequent on both sides during the late
war, connects with the affair of last night.”
“You shall hear anon,” said Mr. Holdenough; then paused as one who
makes an effort to compose himself before continuing a relation, the
tenor of which agitated him with much violence. “In this infernal
tumult,” he resumed,—“for surely nothing on earth could so much
resemble hell, as when men go thus loose in mortal malice on their
fellow-creatures,—I saw the same priest whom I had distinguished on the
causeway, with one or two other malignants, pressed into a corner by
the assailants, and defending themselves to the last, as those who had
no hope.—I saw him—I knew him—Oh, Colonel Everard!”
He grasped Everard’s hand with his own left hand, and pressed the palm
of his right to his face and forehead, sobbing aloud.
“It was your college companion?” said Everard, anticipating the
catastrophe.
“Mine ancient—mine only friend—with whom I had spent the happy days of
youth!—I rushed forward—I struggled—I entreated.—But my eagerness left
me neither voice nor language—all was drowned in the wretched cry which
I had myself raised—Down with the priest of Baal! Slay Mattan— slay him
were he between the altars!—Forced over the battlements, but struggling
for life, I could see him cling to one of those projections which were
formed to carry the water from the leads, but they hacked at his arms
and hands. I heard the heavy fall into the bottomless abyss below.
Excuse me—I cannot go on.”
“He may have escaped.”
“Oh! no, no, no—the tower was four stories in height. Even those who
threw themselves into the lake from the lower windows, to escape by
swimming, had no safety; for mounted troopers on the shore caught the
same bloodthirsty humour which had seized the storming party, galloped
around the margin of the lake, and shot those who were struggling for
life in the water, or cut them down as they strove to get to land. They
were all cut off and destroyed.—Oh! may the blood shed on that day
remain silent!—Oh! that the earth may receive it in her recesses!—Oh!
that it may be mingled for ever with the dark waters of that lake, so
that it may never cry for vengeance against those whose anger was
fierce, and who slaughtered in their wrath!—And, oh! may the erring man
be forgiven who came into their assembly, and lent his voice to
encourage their, cruelty!—Oh! Albany, my brother, my brother, I have
lamented for thee even as David for Jonathan!”[1]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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