“Pray do not be frightened, young ladies,” said Higson, bowing first to one and then to the other; “we had no intention of intruding on you so suddenly, and I beg you ten thousand pardons.”
As neither of the ladies replied, Tom thought that they probably did not understand English, and began repeating in French, as far as his knowledge of the language enabled him, what his lieutenant had said. The young lady who had just appeared at the window, and who was evidently the elder of the two, smiled as she listened to Tom’s bad French. “You have not alarmed us, I assure you,” she answered at length, in very good English. “Gentlemen, I know, would not act uncourteously. I am surprised, however, at seeing you, as our two nations are unhappily at war; but may I inquire whence you have come, and what it is you want?”
Higson, of course, did not think it necessary to say that they had been up the river burning the Russian granaries and vessels, and he merely therefore explained that they had landed from some men-of-war’s boats, and, having come away without provisions, would be very much obliged if they could be informed where they could obtain food for themselves and their men.
“This seems very strange,” said the young lady; “I thought that none of the enemy’s boats could come up the river past the fort at its entrance, of which our papa is the commandant. We heard a great deal of firing yesterday evening, and were very anxious to know what it was about; but were assured by Herr Groben, our brothers’ tutor, that some English vessels, which were attacking it, had been beaten off, and that no harm could have happened to the defenders; indeed, three of our war-steamers went out from the river, and we of course supposed assisted to put the English to flight. You have, I hope, therefore, come up with a flag of truce? Surely Herr Groben could not have been mistaken. Can you give us any tidings of our papa?”
“I am very glad to be able to assure you, young lady, that when I had the pleasure of seeing him he was perfectly well, though somewhat vexed at the loss of his fort, which we were under the painful necessity of capturing, as also the man-of-war steamers which came out of the harbour to assist him,” answered Higson.
The young ladies spoke to each other for several minutes in Russian, so that Higson and Tom could not understand what they said.
“Though we have no enmity against the English, you bring news which is painful to us, as we know that our papa will grieve for the misfortune which has happened to him,” said the elder of the young ladies. “We are, however, obliged to you for informing us of his safety, and should be glad to do our best to supply your wants.”
Higson and Tom had been all this time standing with their caps in their hands, in front of the window. While the lieutenant was addressing the eldest of the two ladies, Tom was turning an admiring glance at the youngest, who still held the little boy in her arms, while he had thrown his round her neck, and was every now and then taking an alarmed look at the strangers.
“I am afraid that he is frightened at us,” said Tom. “I must really apologise for our intrusion; I can assure you that it was not intentional, and we should have retired at once had we not stopped to listen to some delightful singing. Was it you or your sister we heard?”
“It was my sister; but we both sing,” answered the young lady, “and we shall be very happy to sing to you by and by if you wish it.”