Now God be good to me in this wild pilgrimage!
All hope in human aid I cast behind me.
Oh,who would be a woman?--who that fool,A weeping,pining,faithful,loving woman?
She hath hard measure still where she hopes kindest,And all her bounties only make ingrates.LOVE'S PILGRIMAGE.
The summer evening was closed,and Janet,just when her longer stay might have occasioned suspicion and inquiry in that zealous household,returned to Cumnor Place,and hastened to the apartment in which she had left her lady.She found her with her head resting on her arms,and these crossed upon a table which stood before her.As Janet came in,she neither looked up nor stirred.
Her faithful attendant ran to her mistress with the speed of lightning,and rousing her at the same time with her hand,conjured the Countess,in the most earnest manner,to look up and say what thus affected her.The unhappy lady raised her head accordingly,and looking on her attendant with a ghastly eye,and cheek as pale as clay--Janet,she said,I have drunk it.God be praised!said Janet hastily--I mean,God be praised that it is no worse;the potion will not harm you.Rise,shake this lethargy from your limbs,and this despair from your mind.Janet,repeated the Countess again,disturb me not--leave me at peace--let life pass quietly.I am poisoned.You are not,my dearest lady,answered the maiden eagerly.
What you have swallowed cannot injure you,for the antidote has been taken before it,and I hastened hither to tell you that the means of escape are open to you.Escape!exclaimed the lady,as she raised herself hastily in her chair,while light returned to her eye and life to her cheek;but ah!Janet,it comes too late.
Not so,dearest lady.Rise,take mine arm,walk through the apartment;let not fancy do the work of poison!So;feel you not now that you are possessed of the full use of your limbs?The torpor seems to diminish,said the Countess,as,supported by Janet,she walked to and fro in the apartment;but is it then so,and have I not swallowed a deadly draught?Varney was here since thou wert gone,and commanded me,with eyes in which I read my fate,to swallow yon horrible drug.O Janet!it must be fatal;never was harmless draught served by such a cup-bearer!He did not deem it harmless,I fear,replied the maiden;but God confounds the devices of the wicked.Believe me,as I swear by the dear Gospel in which we trust,your life is safe from his practice.Did you not debate with him?The house was silent,answered the lady--thou gone--no other but he in the chamber--and he capable of every crime.I did but stipulate he would remove his hateful presence,and I drank whatever he offered.--But you spoke of escape,Janet;can I be so happy?Are you strong enough to bear the tidings,and make the effort?said the maiden.
Strong!answered the Countess.Ask the hind,when the fangs of the deerhound are stretched to gripe her,if she is strong enough to spring over a chasm.I am equal to every effort that may relieve me from this place.Hear me,then,said Janet.One whom I deem an assured friend of yours has shown himself to me in various disguises,and sought speech of me,which--for my mind was not clear on the matter until this evening--I have ever declined.He was the pedlar who brought you goods--the itinerant hawker who sold me books;whenever I stirred abroad I was sure to see him.The event of this night determined me to speak with him.He awaits even now at the postern gate of the park with means for your flight.--But have you strength of body?--have you courage of mind?--can you undertake the enterprise?She that flies from death,said the lady,finds strength of body--she that would escape from shame lacks no strength of mind.
The thoughts of leaving behind me the villain who menaces both my life and honour would give me strength to rise from my deathbed.In God's name,then,lady,said Janet,I must bid you adieu,and to God's charge I must commit you!Will you not fly with me,then,Janet?said the Countess,anxiously.Am I to lose thee?Is this thy faithful service?Lady,I would fly with you as willingly as bird ever fled from cage,but my doing so would occasion instant discovery and pursuit.I must remain,and use means to disguise the truth for some time.May Heaven pardon the falsehood,because of the necessity!And am I then to travel alone with this stranger?said the lady.Bethink thee,Janet,may not this prove some deeper and darker scheme to separate me perhaps from you,who are my only friend?No,madam,do not suppose it,answered Janet readily;the youth is an honest youth in his purpose to you,and a friend to Master Tressilian,under whose direction he is come hither.If he be a friend of Tressilian,said the Countess,I will commit myself to his charge as to that of an angel sent from heaven;for than Tressilian never breathed mortal man more free of whatever was base,false,or selfish.He forgot himself whenever he could be of use to others.Alas!and how was he requited?With eager haste they collected the few necessaries which it was thought proper the Countess should take with her,and which Janet,with speed and dexterity,formed into a small bundle,not forgetting to add such ornaments of intrinsic value as came most readily in her way,and particularly a casket of jewels,which she wisely judged might prove of service in some future emergency.The Countess of Leicester next changed her dress for one which Janet usually wore upon any brief journey,for they judged it necessary to avoid every external distinction which might attract attention.Ere these preparations were fully made,the moon had arisen in the summer heaven,and all in the mansion had betaken themselves to rest,or at least to the silence and retirement of their chambers.
There was no difficulty anticipated in escaping,whether from the house or garden,provided only they could elude observation.
