They lowered their sails, and lay a
few miles off land until nightfall, and then ran in again. Two
lights on the shore, one above the other, told that the coast was
clear; and the boats were quickly lowered. The marquis, who had
come well provided with gold to meet all emergencies, handed over
to Maitre Nicolay fifty pounds over the sum agreed on, and in a few
minutes the travellers set foot on shore.
Six days later, a post chaise brought them to the door of
Windthorpe Chace, where Madame Holliday and the colonel stood on
the steps to welcome Rupert's future wife. The very day after their
return, Rupert mooted to the marquis the subject of an early
marriage, but the latter said at once:
"I must first take a place for Adele to be married from.
Mademoiselle Adele de Pignerolles must not be married like the
daughter of a little bourgeois. Moreover, Rupert, it is already
near the end of the year. In three months you will be setting out
to join your regiment again. It would be cruel to Adele for you to
marry her before the war is over, or until you at any rate have
done with soldiering. You tell me that you have gone through
enough, and that the next campaign shall be your last. At any rate
you can obtain a year's leave after nine years of campaigning. So
be it. When you return at the end of next year's campaign you shall
find all ready, and I will answer for it that Adele will not keep
you waiting.
Pages:
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378