Life and liberty, while safe, are little thought of: for why? they are matters of course. Endangered, they are rated at their real value. In this, too, they are like sunshine, whose beauty men notice not at noon when it is greatest, but towards evening, when it lies in flakes1 of topaz under shady elms. Yet it is feebler then; but gloom lies beside it, and contrast reveals its fire. Thus Gerard and Margaret, though they started at every leaf that rustled2 louder than its fellows, glowed all over with joy and thankfulness as they glided3 among the friendly trees in safety and deep tranquil4 silence, baying dogs and brutal5 voices yet ringing in their mind's ears.
But presently Gerard found stains of blood on Margaret's ankles.
“Martin! Martin! help! they have wounded her: the crossbow!”
“No, no!” said Margaret, smiling to reassure6 him; “I am not wounded, nor hurt at all.”
“But what is it, then, in Heaven's name?” cried Gerard, in great agitation7.
“Scold me not, then!” and Margaret blushed.
“Did I ever scold you?”
“No, dear Gerard. Well, then, Martin said it was blood those cruel dogs followed; so I thought if I could but have a little blood on my shoon, the dogs would follow me instead, and let my Gerard wend free. So I scratched my arm with Martin's knife—forgive me! Whose else could I take? Yours, Gerard? Ah, no. You forgive me?” said she beseechingly8, and lovingly and fawningly9, all in one.
“Let me see this scratch first,” said Gerard, choking with emotion. “There, I thought so. A scratch? I call it a cut—a deep, terrible, cruel cut.”
Gerard shuddered11 at sight of it.
“She might have done it with her bodkin,” said the soldier. “Milksop! that sickens at sight of a scratch and a little blood.”
“No, no. I could look on a sea of blood, but not on hers. Oh, Margaret! how could you be so cruel?”
Margaret smiled with love ineffable12. “Foolish Gerard,” murmured she, “to make so much of nothing.” And she flung the guilty arm round his neck. “As if I would not give all the blood in my heart for you, let alone a few drops from my arm.” And with this, under the sense of his recent danger, she wept on his neck for pity and love; and he wept with her.
“And I must part from her,” he sobbed14; “we two that love so dear—one must be in Holland, one in Italy. Ah me! ah me! ah me!”
At this Margaret wept afresh, but patiently and silently. Instinct is never off its guard, and with her unselfishness was an instinct. To utter her present thoughts would be to add to Gerard's misery15 at parting, so she wept in silence.
Suddenly they emerged upon a beaten path, and Martin stopped.
“This is the bridle-road I spoke16 of,” said he hanging his head; “and there away lies the hostelry.”
Margaret and Gerard cast a scared look at one another.
“Come a step with me, Martin,” whispered Gerard. When he had drawn17 him aside, he said to him in a broken voice, “Good Martin, watch over her for me! She is my wife; yet I leave her. See Martin! here is gold—it was for my journey; it is no use my asking her to take it—she would not; but you will for her, will you not? Oh, Heaven! and is this all I can do for her? Money? But poverty is a curse. You will not let her want for anything, dear Martin? The burgomaster's silver is enough for me.”
“Thou art a good lad, Gerard. Neither want nor harm shall come to her. I care more for her little finger than for all the world; and were she nought18 to me, even for thy sake would I be a father to her. Go with a stout19 heart, and God be with thee going and coming.” And the rough soldier wrung20 Gerard's hand, and turned his head away, with unwonted feeling.
After a moment's silence he was for going back to Margaret, but Gerard stopped him. “No, good Martin; prithee, stay here behind this thicket21, and turn your head away from us, while I-oh, Martin! Martin!”
By this means Gerard escaped a witness of his anguish22 at leaving her he loved, and Martin escaped a piteous sight. He did not see the poor young things kneel and renew before Heaven those holy vows23 cruel men had interrupted. He did not see them cling together like one, and then try to part, and fail, and retu............