The Lady Arabella [pp. 601-608]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MIESSENGER.
companion the vessel, hired by Seymour, lying in sight,
and at anchor. He drew her attention to a little signal
floating from the mast.
" Your Ladyship's danger is nearly over now," he
said. "In yonder craft, as I well hope, Master Seymour
awaits us."
The Lady clasped her hands, and raised her eyes to
heaven. Some inaudible words trembled on her white
lips. Evans turned away, and made a signal to ano ther wherry, which was passing, without occupants
other than its watermen. Entering this boat, they were
rowed to the vessel. But here, as everywhere else,
Fate was in close attendance upon the Lady Arabella.
They were received on board with great respect-but
Seymour was not there.
The blood forsook the cheek of the unfortunate wife;
but Evans still spoke with hope, and prophesied the
speedy arrival of Seymour.
"If hle be retaken, Evans, as well might I have proceeded to Durham; for without his presence, liberty
is an evil greater than my late restraint. A prisoner
in England, I might still have heard of his welfareAbroad! "
" Yet despair not, madam," began Evans.
But at this instant his attention was aroused to the
noise of the seamen, as they trod the deck, shouting and
talking-some busy with the anchor-some with the
ropes.
"Now, God forbid that they should put to sea without him!" cried the Lady Arabella, reading aright the
consternation which glassed itself in Arthur's countenance-" Hasten, hasten, Evans! Bid them lie at anchor till he arrives!"
Evans left her side, but returned not. The preparations continued. Arabella Stuart then herself left the
cabin, to wvhich upon her first arrival on board she had
been conducted. She hastened to the captain as rapidly
as the motion of the vessel would allow her. Evans
stood with the commander. His eager gestures marked
the energy of his expostulations; but they were vain.
The craft was already under way. Prayers and tears,
poured forth from the torn heart of the Lady, were alike
fruitless. The captain spoke to her with the reverence
due to her station and misfortunes, but judged in this
urgent and unhappy case for her as well as for himself.
The vessel's course was already shaped for France;
and the Lady Arabella was carried to the cabin in a
state of insensibility.
In a few months after this unprosperous enterprise,
Maud Gurton, still unsuspected to have been the agent
of her Lady's escape, was again her attendant in strict
and hopeless confinement, and long, long days of misery
were the portion of damsel as well as Lady-for Evans
had neve-: been seen, since when "overtaken by a pink
in the king's service" in Calais Roads, and aware that
his presence would in nothing avail the Lady, he had
boldly leaped overboard, and after swimming to a distance from their vessel, had been picked up by a fishingboat, and landed upon the French coast. Maud was
indeed a very wretched woman, for she had other distresses, over and above her painful incertitude as to the
fate of her lover. She now often perceived in the
manner and words of her mistless a wildness and incoherence, to which even affectioli could give but one
name. Hope seemed to have taken leave of Mauid
Gurton. As little was known to her of Master Sey mour as of Evans, and could she even have discovered
his retreat abroad-for, more fortunate than his Lady,
he had effected his escape-she felt that the Princess
was in no state to receive consolation even from intelli gence concerning him. Musing upon all this accumu lation of sorrow, one night, when sleep had, as she
hoped, lent for a time its Lethe to the harassed heart
of the Lady, she sat at the window of her own small
chamber, alone and in darkness. Tears stole silently
down the maiden's cheek, and she wept the more, be cause there was no one to brush them kindly away.
Was there indeed no one to brush away tlhy tears,
Maud Gurton? Ah! how often, when the shadows
of misfortune are gathered around us most gloomily in
this world, doth Heaven suddenly set a light in their
midst, to give our hearts that illumination and comfort
which only from God, the powerful and beneficent,
could they derive. How often when despair veileth
her eyes from hope, and saith, " It is impossible!" is
the miracle achieved, ari- the wvearied spirit permitted
to bask securely in sunshine. So wvas it with thee,
faithful Maud Gurton. A sound of light footsteps be neath the window caught thy ear. It was followed by
a voice which softly pronounced thy name. Was it
imagination? Was it a spirit from the land of shadows
that so aroused the beating of thy heart? Ah! joyful
Maud Gurton-this time fortune had relented, and it
was Arthur Evans himself who greeted thee.
" Arthur! Arthur!" was all that Maud could say.
"It is indeed I," whispered Arthur. " No noise, or
thy life, Maud! Come forth silently. I have tidings
for the Lady Arabella."
Maud, withl a step as silent as that of a cat, let lher self out of the house-for she was lodged apart from
her Lady, and was allowed the means of egress at will.
Glad was ie meeting of the lovers, and the agitation
of Maud almost threatened discovery.
"Command thyself, dearest Maud," said Arthur; "I
am here, remember, at mine own peril, for my share in
the adventure, you wot of, is known. And I have
much to tell thee, and but little time. I must be far
away ere dawn; so dry thy tears, dearest, and listen to
me. And first tell me of thy Lady? Be brief, Maud,
for I have but one poor hour to spend with thee. One
more kiss —and now of thy Lady."
"Ill, Arthur-pining to death, and her reason utterly
gone," said Maud sorrowfully.
"Cold news for Master Seymour!" said Evans; "but
God's will be done!"
"Master Seymour? What of him? Know you aught
of him? Ah! tell me-tell me-that I may cheer my
poor lady, if failing reason may indeed find cleer."
"He is in Flanders, Maud, safe and well, but as
thou mayest well judge, most anxious. When he ar rived at Lee and found not our vessel, he hired a craft
from Newcastle, and escaped. And now, could thy Lady
again attempt escape?"
"Name it not, Arthur-it is impossible! Her mind
wanders, and her health could not endure it. Never
in this world can she again achieve escape. Tell Mas ter Seymour of her case, and add that while reason remained, my Lady loved him fervently."
"I will," answered Evans; "but it is melancholy
. news to bear abroad. And now, Maud, when I have
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