The King's Guerdon

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1906 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III THE BATTLE OF LEYSTOFFE But once did my mother speak to me of the vision which had appeared to us both. Thy father bids thee go, said she. Thou saw'st him. Ah! what a gallant man he looked. What have I done that God should take him from me? What have I done? And she burst into tears, and thereafter never opposed my going as I purposed, and never spoke of aught that had happed at the gloomy house in the row near Fuller's Hill. She seemed to have forgot the message which Master Jacob sent to Nell, for her mind was taken up in thinking of my father as he appeared. I knew well enough that though she would not speak of his wraith, yet that she took an extraordinary comfort from having witnessed its presence. And, though I was as yet but young, I was wise enough to leave a woman to her dreams when such dreams are happy. But I did not forget the message, for Nell's words previous to our visit to Master Jacob remained before me, and caused me no little anxiety. 'Twas two days after our return from Yarmouth that I succeeded in catching her alone. She was sitting on the cliff, in the keen south-east wind, looking out with those great eyes of hers across the tumble and fret of the grey North Sea. She looked up at me as I approached, and I have observed that however dreamy and absent be her expression, it is impossible for anyone to get nigh her without her being aware. Master Jacob bade me tell thee, Nell, said I, to keep thy secret. Ah! she cried. Then I succeeded! Now I knew no more than Adam what she meant. But I had long learnt to be content to take Nell's sayings as they came, without concerning myself overmuch as to the meaning of them. So I waggled my head sagely, and said naught. Mother learnt naught of the woman, then? asked Nell, la...