Micah Clarke<br />His Statement as made to his three grandchildren Joseph, Gervas and Reuben During by Arthur Conan Doyle (read e books online free txt) ๐
Read free book ยซMicah Clarke<br />His Statement as made to his three grandchildren Joseph, Gervas and Reuben During by Arthur Conan Doyle (read e books online free txt) ๐ยป - read online or download for free at americanlibrarybooks.com
- Author: Arthur Conan Doyle
Read book online ยซMicah Clarke<br />His Statement as made to his three grandchildren Joseph, Gervas and Reuben During by Arthur Conan Doyle (read e books online free txt) ๐ยป. Author - Arthur Conan Doyle
This strange scene held us spell-bound for a few seconds, but there was no time for delay, for a slip or trip would prove fatal to the gallant stranger. Rushing into the chamber, sword in hand, we fell upon the dragoons, who, outnumbered as they were, backed into a corner and struck out fiercely, knowing that they need expect no mercy after the devilโs work in which they had been engaged. Holloway, our sergeant of horse, springing furiously in, laid himself open to a thrust which stretched him dead upon the ground. Before the dragoon could disengage his weapon, Sir Gervas cut him down, while at the same moment the stranger got past the guard of his antagonist, and wounded him mortally in the throat. Of the four red-coats not one escaped alive, while the bodies of our sergeant and of the old couple who had been the first victims increased the horror of the scene.
โPoor Holloway is gone,โ said I, placing my hand over his heart. โWho ever saw such a shambles? I feel sick and ill.โ
โHere is eau-de-vie, if I mistake not,โ cried the stranger, clambering up on a chair and reaching a bottle from the shelf. โGood, too, by the smell. Take a sup, for you are as white as a new-bleached sheet.โ
โHonest warfare I can abide, but scenes like this make my blood run cold,โ I answered, taking a gulp from the flask. I was a very young soldier then, my dears, but I confess that to the end of my campaigns any form of cruelty had the same effect upon me. I give you my word that when I went to London last fall the sight of an overworked, raw-backed cart-horse straining with its load, and flogged for not doing that which it could not do, gave me greater qualms than did the field of Sedgemoor, or that greater day when ten thousand of the flower of France lay stretched before the earthworks of Landen.
โThe woman is dead,โ said Sir Gervas, โand the man is also, I fear, past recovery. He is not burned, but suffers, I should judge, poor devil! from the rush of blood to the head.โ
โIf that be all it may well be cured, โremarked the stranger; and taking a small knife from his pocket, he rolled up the old manโs sleeve and opened one of his veins. At first only a few sluggish black drops oozed from the wound, but presently the blood began to flow more freely, and the injured man showed signs of returning sense.
โHe will live,โ said the little swordsman, putting his lancet back in his pocket. โAnd now, who may you be to whom I owe this interference which shortened the affair, though mayhap the result would have been the same had you left us to settle it amongst ourselves?โ
โWe are from Monmouthโs army,โ I answered. โHe lies at Bridgewater, and we are scouting and seeking supplies.โ
โAnd who are you?โ asked Sir Gervas. โAnd how came you into this ruffle? Sโbud, you are a game little rooster to fight four such great cockerels!โ
โMy name is Hector Marot,โ the man answered, cleaning out his empty pistols and very carefully reloading them. โAs to who I am, it is a matter of small moment. Suffice it that I have helped to lessen Kirkโs horse by four of his rogues. Mark their faces, so dusky and sun-dried even in death. These men have learned warfare fighting against the heathen in Africa, and now they practise on poor harmless English folk the devilโs tricks which they have picked up amongst the savages. The Lord help Monmouthโs men should they be beaten! These vermin are more to be feared than hangmanโs cord or headsmanโs axe.โ
โBut how did you chance upon the spot at the very nick of time?โ I asked.
โWhy, marry, I was jogging down the road on my mare when I heard the clatter of hoofs behind me, and concealing myself in a field, as a prudent man would while the country is in its present state, I saw these four rogues gallop past. They made their way up to the farmhouse here, and presently from cries and other tokens I knew what manner of hell-fire business they had on hand. On that I left my mare in the field and ran up, when I saw them through the casement, tricing the good man up in front of his fire to make him confess where his wealth lay hidden, though indeed it is my own belief that neither he nor any other farmer in these parts hath any wealth left to hide, after two armies have been quartered in turn upon them. Finding that his mouth remained closed, they ran him up, as you saw, and would assuredly have toasted him like a snipe, had I not stepped in and winged two of them with my barkers. The others set upon me, but I pinked one through the forearm, and should doubtless have given a good account of both of them but for your incoming.โ
โRight gallantly done!โ I exclaimed. โBut where have I heard your name before, Mr. Hector Marot?โ
โNay,โ he answered, with a sharp, sidelong look, โI cannot tell that.โ
โIt is familiar to mine ear,โ said I.
He shrugged his broad shoulders, and continued to look to the priming of his pistols, with a half-defiant and half-uneasy expression. He was a very sturdy, deep-chested man, with a stern, square-jawed face, and a white seam across his bronzed forehead as from a slash with a knife. He wore a gold-edged riding-cap, a jacket of brown sad-coloured stuff much stained by the weather, a pair of high rusty jack-boots, and a small bob-wig.
Sir Gervas, who had been staring very hard at the man, suddenly gave a start, and slapped his hand against his leg.
โOf course!โ he cried. โSink me, if I could remember where I had seen your face, but now it comes back to me very clearly.โ
The man glanced doggedly from under his bent brows at each of us in turn. โIt seems that I have fallen among acquaintances,โ he said gruffly; โyet I have no memory of ye. Methinks, young sirs, that your fancy doth play ye false.โ
โNot a whit,โ the Baronet answered quietly, and, bending forward, he whispered a few words into the manโs ear, which caused him to spring from his seat and take a couple of quick strides forward, as though to escape from the house.
โNay, nay!โ cried Sir Gervas, springing between him and the door, โyou shall not run away from us. Pshaw, man! never lay your hand upon your sword. We have had bloody work enough for one night. Besides, we would not harm you.โ
โWhat mean ye, then? What would ye have?โ he asked, glancing about like some fierce wild beast in a trap.
โI have a most kindly feeling to you, man, after this nightโs work,โ cried Sir Gervas. โWhat is it to me how ye pick up a living, as long
Comments (0)