Bücher online kostenlos Kostenlos Online Lesen

Shirley

Titel: Shirley Kostenlos Bücher Online Lesen
Autoren: Charlotte Bronte
Vom Netzwerk:
present errand, a strong and foaming channel would have been a barrier to neither. At the moment they were above the control either of fire or water: all Stilbro' Moor, alight and alow with bonfires, would not have stopped them, nor would Calder or Aire thundering in flood. Yet one sound made them pause. Scarce had they set foot on the solid opposite bank, when a shot split the air from the north. One second lapsed. Further off, burst a like note in the south. Within the space of three minutes, similar signals boomed in the east and west.
    »I thought we were dead at the first explosion,« observed Shirley, drawing a long breath. »I felt myself hit in the temples, and I concluded your heart was pierced; but the reiterated voice was an explanation: those are signals – it is their way – the attack must be near. We should have had wings: our feet have not borne us swiftly enough.«
    A portion of the copse was now to clear: when they emerged from it, the mill lay just below them: they could look down upon the buildings, the yard; they could see the road beyond. And the first glance in that direction told Shirley she was right in her conjecture: they were already too late to give warning: it had taken more time than they calculated on to overcome the various obstacles which embarrassed the short cut across the fields.
    The road, which should have been white, was dark with a moving mass: the rioters were assembled in front of the closed yard gates, and a single figure stood within, apparently addressing them: the mill itself was perfectly black and still; there was neither life, light, nor motion around it.
    »Surely he is prepared: surely that is not Moore meeting them alone!« whispered Shirley.
    »It is – we must go to him! I
will
go to him.«
    »
That
you will not.«
    »Why did I come, then? I came only for him. I shall join him.«
    »Fortunately, it is out of your power: there is no entrance to the yard.«
    »There
is
a small entrance at the back, besides the gates in front: it opens by a secret method which I know – I will try it.«
    »Not with my leave.«
    Miss Keeldar clasped her round the waist with both arms and held her back. »Not one step shall you stir,« she went on authoritatively. »At this moment, Moore would be both shocked and embarrassed, if he saw either you or me. Men never want women near them in time of real danger.«
    »I would not trouble – I would help him,« was the reply.
    »How? By inspiring him with heroism? Pooh! These are not the days of chivalry: it is not a tilt at a tournament we are going to behold, but a struggle about money, and food, and life.«
    »It is natural that I should be at his side.«
    »As queen of his heart? His mill is his lady-love, Cary! Backed by his factory and his frames, he has all the encouragement he wants or can know. It is not for love or beauty, but for ledger and broad-cloth, he is going to break a spear. Don't be sentimental; Robert is not so.«
    »I
could
help him – I
will
seek him.«
    »Off then – I let you go – seek Moore: you'll not find him.«
    She loosened her hold. Caroline sped like levelled shaft from bent bow; after her rang a jesting, gibing laugh. »Look well there is no mistake!« was the warning given.
    But there
was
a mistake. Miss Helstone paused, hesitated, gazed. The figure had suddenly retreated from the gate, and was running back hastily to the mill.
    »Make haste, Lina!« cried Shirley: »meet him before he enters.«
    Caroline slowly returned. »It is not Robert,« she said: »it has neither his height, form, nor bearing.«
    »I saw it was not Robert when I let you go. How could you imagine it? It is a shabby little figure of a private soldier: they had posted him as sentinel. He is safe in the mill now: I saw the door open and admit him. My mind grows easier; Robert is prepared: our warning would have been superfluous, and now I am thankful we came too late to give it: it has saved us the trouble of a scene. How fine to have entered the counting-house ›toute éperdue,‹ and to have found oneself in presence of Messrs Armitage and Ramsden smoking, Malone swaggering, your uncle sneering, Mr. Sykes sipping a cordial, and Moore himself in his cold man-of-business vein: I am glad we missed it all.«
    »I wonder if there are many in the mill, Shirley?«
    »Plenty to defend it. The soldiers we have twice seen to-day were going there, no doubt, and the group we noticed surrounding your cousin in the fields will be with

Weitere Kostenlose Bücher