He obeyed; but observed, that “it was not his fault now if there was puttings-off; for his share, every thing was ready, and he was willing and ready to follow me, at a moment’s warning, to the world’s end, as he had a good right to do, let alone inclination; for, parting me, he could never be right in himself: and though loth to part his country, he had rather part that nor[84] me.”
Then, without dwelling upon these expressions of attachment, he changed to a merry mood, and by his drolleries diverted me all the time I was going to bed, and at last fairly talked me asleep.
CHAPTER XV.
When the first grey light of morning began to make objects indistinctly visible, I thought I saw the door of my apartment open very softly. I was broad awake, and kept my eyes fixed upon it—it opened by very slow degrees; my head was so full of visions, that I expected a ghost to enter—but it was only Ellinor.
“Ellinor!” cried I; “is it you at this time in the morning?”
“Hush! hush!” said she, shutting the door with great precaution, and then coming on tiptoe close to my bedside; “for the love of God, speak softly, and make no stir to awake them that’s asleep near and too near you. It’s unknown to all that I come up; for may be, when them people are awake and about, I might not get the opportunity to speak, or they might guess I knew something by my looks.”
Her looks were full of terror—I was all amazement and expectation. Before she would say a word more, she searched the closets carefully, and looked behind the tapestry, as if she apprehended that she might be overheard: satisfied that we were alone, she went on speaking, but still in a voice that, with my utmost strained attention, I could but just hear.
“As you hope to live and breathe,” said she, “never go again after night-fall any time walking in that lone place by the sea-shore. It’s a mercy you escaped as you did; but if you go again you’ll never come back alive—for never would they get you to do what they want, and to be as wicked as themselves the wicked villains!”