“How very fortunate and providential,” said Mabel, coming close to her mother’s side, and taking her hand in hers with fond affection, “that our dear Julian got away before these horrid men came to look for him.”
There were tears in the mother’s eyes as she bent down and kissed the pale cheek of her loving child.
“I could wish, my beloved girl,” said madame, “that you had remained in happy England, great as has been my delight in pressing you to my heart after years of separation. Yet I would that you were there, and not exposed to the chances of detection.”
“Dear, dear mother,” interrupted Mabel, earnestly and fondly, “why regret that which has given so much happiness to me? My life would have been miserable when once I knew the possibility of rejoining you. I fear neither captivity nor privation; I have but one wish—to live and die with you.”
“And where is poor William to look for consolation?” said the mother, parting the hair from her daughter’s fair brow as it rested on her shoulder; “is there not a little nook in that fond heart that beats in unison with his? Does no thought of his agony, if he thought you were torn from him for ever, touch your heart?”
“Ah! dear William,” said the fair girl, her cheeks glowing and her heart throbbing with the excitement of her feelings, “dear William knows all the love that woman can give to the object of her heart’s choice is given to him; but there is no selfish feeling in his noble soul. He is quite as capable of sacrificing all the fondest wishes of his heart, if thereby he could secure your safety and happiness.”
“I know it, Mabel; a strong conviction of confidence and affection stole over me the very first time I looked into his fine youthful features. I confided you to his care with a feeling of trust and security, that, though young as he was, he would risk life to fulfil the confidence reposed in him; and nobly and faithfully he followed up his word.”
“I cannot retire to rest to-night,” said Mabel; “I feel such a painful anxiety respecting the attempt that may be made to destroy that detestable Vengeance. If there was any firing in Palos Creek, we should hear it here distinctly, should we not?”
“Yes, on a fine night like this,” said Madame Coulancourt.
Just then Julia entered.