"She SHAN'T be deserted.There is a seat for her in my carriage, and one for you, dear Mrs.Crawley, if you will come; and if we can get horses--" sighed he--"I have two to sell," the lady said.Jos could have flung himself into her arms at the news."Get the carriage, Isidor," he cried; "we've found them--we have found them."My horses never were in harness," added the lady.
"Bullfinch would kick the carriage to pieces, if you put him in the traces.""But he is quiet to ride?" asked the civilian.
"As quiet as a lamb, and as fast as a hare," answered Rebecca.
"Do you think he is up to my weight?" Jos said.He was already on his back, in imagination, without ever so much as a thought for poor Amelia.What person who loved a horse-speculation could resist such a temptation?
In reply, Rebecca asked him to come into her room, whither he followed her quite breathless to conclude the bargain.Jos seldom spent a half-hour in his life which cost him so much money.Rebecca, measuring the value of the goods which she had for sale by Jos's eagerness to purchase, as well as by the scarcity of the article, put upon her horses a price so prodigious as to make even the civilian draw back."She would sell both or neither,"she said, resolutely.Rawdon had ordered her not to part with them for a price less than that which she specified.
Lord Bareacres below would give her the same money--and with all her love and regard for the Sedley family, her dear Mr.Joseph must conceive that poor people must live--nobody, in a word, could be more affectionate, but more firm about the matter of business.
Jos ended by agreeing, as might be supposed of him.
The sum he had to give her was so large that he was obliged to ask for time; so large as to be a little fortune to Rebecca, who rapidly calculated that with this sum, and the sale of the residue of Rawdon's effects, and her pension as a widow should he fall, she would now be absolutely independent of the world, and might look her weeds steadily in the face.
Once or twice in the day she certainly had herself thought about flying.But her reason gave her better counsel."Suppose the French do come," thought Becky, "what can they do to a poor officer's widow? Bah! the times of sacks and sieges are over.We shall be let to go home quietly, or I may live pleasantly abroad with a snug little income."Meanwhile Jos and Isidor went off to the stables to inspect the newly purchased cattle.Jos bade his man saddle the horses at once.He would ride away that very night, that very hour.And he left the valet busy in getting the horses ready, and went homewards himself to prepare for his departure.It must be secret.He would go to his chamber by the back entrance.He did not care to face Mrs.O'Dowd and Amelia, and own to them that he was about to run.
By the time Jos's bargain with Rebecca was completed, and his horses had been visited and examined, it was almost morning once more.But though midnight was long passed, there was no rest for the city; the people were up, the lights in the houses flamed, crowds were still about the doors, and the streets were busy.Rumours of various natures went still from mouth to mouth: one report averred that the Prussians had been utterly defeated; another that it was the English who had been attacked and conquered: a third that the latter had held their ground.This last rumour gradually got strength.No Frenchmen had made their appearance.Stragglers had come in from the army bringing reports more and more favourable: at last an aide-de-camp actually reached Brussels with despatches for the Commandant of the place, who placarded presently through the town an official announcement of the success of the allies at Quatre Bras, and the entire repulse of the French under Ney after a six hours' battle.The aide-de-camp must have arrived sometime while Jos and Rebecca were making their bargain together, or the latter was inspecting his purchase.When he reached his own hotel, he found a score of its numerous inhabitants on the threshold discoursing of the news; there was no doubt as to its truth.And he went up to communicate it to the ladies under his charge.
He did not think it was necessary to tell them how he had intended to take leave of them, how he had bought horses, and what a price he had paid for them.
But success or defeat was a minor matter to them, who had only thought for the safety of those they loved.
Amelia, at the news of the victory, became still more agitated even than before.She was for going that moment to the army.She besought her brother with tears to conduct her thither.Her doubts and terrors reached their paroxysm; and the poor girl, who for many hours had been plunged into stupor, raved and ran hither and thither in hysteric insanity--a piteous sight.No man writhing in pain on the hard-fought field fifteen miles off, where lay, after their struggles, so many of the brave --no man suffered more keenly than this poor harmless victim of the war.Jos could not bear the sight of her pain.He left his sister in the charge of her stouter female companion, and descended once more to the threshold of the hotel, where everybody still lingered, and talked, and waited for more news.
It grew to be broad daylight as they stood here, and fresh news began to arrive from the war, brought by men who had been actors in the scene.Wagons and long country carts laden with wounded came rolling into the town; ghastly groans came from within them, and haggard faces looked up sadly from out of the straw.Jos Sedley was looking at one of these carriages with a painful curiosity--the moans of the people within were frightful--the wearied horses could hardly pull the cart.
"Stop! stop!" a feeble voice cried from the straw, and the carriage stopped opposite Mr.Sedley's hotel.
"It is George, I know it is!" cried Amelia, rushing in a moment to the balcony, with a pallid face and loose flowing hair.It was not George, however, but it was the next best thing: it was news of him.