English
Havingthrownthisside-lightuponmynarrative,Icannowresumethestatementofmyownpersonalexperiences.
TheseIhadbroughtdown,asthereaderwilldoubtlessremember,tothedateofthearrivalofthesavage-lookingwandererwhocalledhimselfCorporalRufusSmith.
ThisincidentoccurredaboutthebeginningofthemonthofOctober,andIfinduponacomparisonofdatesthatDr.Easterling’svisittoCloomberprecededitbythreeweeksormore.
DuringallthistimeIwasinsoredistressofmind,forIhadneverseenanythingeitherofGabrielorofherbrothersincetheinterviewinwhichthegeneralhaddiscoveredthecommunicationwhichwaskeptupbetweenus.
Ihadnodoubtthatsomesortofrestrainthadbeenplaceduponthem;andthethoughtthatwehadbroughttroubleontheirheadswasabitteronebothtomysisterandmyself.
portraitofSirArthurConanDoyle
Ouranxiety,however,wasconsiderablymitigatedbythereceipt,acoupleofdaysaftermylasttalkwiththegeneral,ofanotefromMordauntHeatherstone.
Thiswasbroughtusbyalittle,raggedurchin,thesonofoneofthefishermen,whoinformedusthatithadbeenhandedtohimattheavenuegatebyanoldwoman—who,Iexpect,musthavebeentheCloombercook.
“MYDEARESTFRIENDS,”itran,“GabrielandIhavegrievedtothinkhowconcernedyoumustbeathavingneitherheardfromnorseenus.
Thefactisthatwearecompelledtoremaininthehouse.
Andthiscompulsionisnotphysicalbutmoral.
“Ourpoorfather,whogetsmoreandmorenervouseveryday,hasentreatedustopromisehimthatwewillnotgooutuntilafterthefifthofOctober,andtoallayhisfearswehavegivenhimthedesiredpledge.
Ontheotherhand,hehaspromisedusthatafterthefifth—thatis,inlessthanaweek—weshallbeasfreeasairtocomeorgoasweplease,sowehavesomethingtolookforwardto.
“Gabrielsaysthatshehasexplainedtoyouthatthegovernorisalwaysachangedmanafterthisparticulardate,onwhichhisfearsreachacrisis.
Heapparentlyhasmorereasonthanusualthisyeartoanticipatethattroubleisbrewingforthisunfortunatefamily,forIhaveneverknownhimtotakesomanyelaborateprecautionsorappearsothoroughlyunnerved.
Whowouldeverthink,toseehisbentformandhisshakinghands,thatheisthesamemanwhousedsomefewshortyearsagotoshoottigersonfootamongthejunglesoftheTerai,andwouldlaughatthemoretimidsportsmenwhosoughttheprotectionoftheirelephant’showdah?
“YouknowthathehastheVictoriaCross,whichhewoninthestreetsofDelhi,andyethereheisshiveringwithterrorandstartingateverynoise,inthemostpeacefulcorneroftheworld.Oh,thepityofit.West!
RememberwhatIhavealreadytoldyou—thatitisnofancifulorimaginaryperil,butonewhichwehaveeveryreasontosupposetobemostreal.
Itis,however,ofsuchanaturethatitcanneitherbeavertednorcanitprofitablybeexpressedinwords.
Ifallgoeswell,youwillseeusatBranksomeonthesixth.
“Withourfondestlovetobothofyou,Iamever,mydearfriends,yourattached
“MORDAUNT.”
Thisletterwasagreatrelieftousaslettingusknowthatthebrotherandsisterwereundernophysicalrestraint,butourpowerlessnessandinabilityeventocomprehendwhatthedangerwaswhichthreatenedthosewhomwehadcometolovebetterthanourselveswaslittleshortofmaddening.
Fiftytimesadayweaskedourselvesandaskedeachotherfromwhatpossiblequarterthisperilwastobeexpected,butthemorewethoughtofitthemorehopelessdidanysolutionappear.
InvainwecombinedourexperiencesandpiecedtogethereverywordwhichhadfallenfromthelipsofanyinmateofCloomberwhichmightbesupposedtobeardirectlyorindirectlyuponthesubject.
Atlast,wearywithfruitlessspeculation,wewerefaintotrytodrivethematterfromourthoughts,consolingourselveswiththereflectionthatinafewmoredaysallrestrictionswouldberemoved,andweshouldbeabletolearnfromourfriends’ownlips.
Thosefewinterveningdays,however,would,wefeared,bedreary,longones.
Andsotheywouldhavebeen,haditnotbeenforanewandmostunexpectedincident,whichdivertedourmindsfromourowntroublesandgavethemsomethingfreshwithwhichtooccupythemselves.
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