FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112  
113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   >>   >|  
as speaking almost apologetically, the other half vexed that the first half was not more angry. "Forgive me," said Evander, "but I do understand; I understand very well; I made it my business to understand. And, therefore, I resolved that so far as in me lay I would show those who scorned my people and my creed that a Puritan might compete with his enemies in all the arts and graces they held most dear, and not come off the worst in all encounters." "That was a brave resolve!" Brilliana's eyes and voice applauded him. He flushed a little as he went on. "It was a kind of oath of Hannibal. God was gracious in the gift of a strong will, and I stuck to my purpose. I mastered arts, acquired tongues, forced myself to dexterity in all manly exercises. I had a modest patrimony which allowed me to travel after I left Cambridge, and so gain that knowledge of the world which is so dear to English gentlemen. And always in my thoughts it was: some day I may meet some son of the house that cast us out and show him that a Puritan might fear God and yet ride a horse, fly a hawk, and use a sword with the best of his enemies." "Instead of which," said Brilliana, as he paused, "you meet a daughter of the house and play your well-practised part to her." Her voice was stern now and her eyes shone fiercely as she leaned forward and continued in a low voice, "Was this the cause of your coming to Harby?" "No," Evander answered. "I should never have come to Harby of my own accord. But news came to Cambridge of your flying the King's flag. The example was dangerous; Harby was a good house for either side to hold. Colonel Cromwell commanded me to march with the volunteers I had raised at Cambridge to secure Harby in the name of the Parliament." "And you were very glad to obey," Brilliana said, bitterly, and again Evander shook his head. "I was very sorry to obey. But I had no choice. Colonel Cromwell was my father's friend; he knew the story of my people; he set it upon me as a special seal for righteousness that I should do this thing. 'Kin shall be set against kin in this strife,' he said, 'father against son, and brother against brother. Go forth in the name of the Lord and pluck the banner of Baal from the wall of Harby.' And I went." Brilliana, lifting her head, looked over the green wall of yews to where, in the cool, gray-blue of the October sky, the royal standard fluttered its gaudy folds in the wind. She said nothing,
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112  
113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Brilliana
 

Cambridge

 

understand

 

Evander

 

Cromwell

 
Colonel
 
enemies
 

father

 
people
 

brother


Puritan

 

Parliament

 
secure
 

volunteers

 
raised
 

commanded

 
answered
 
coming
 

continued

 

apologetically


dangerous

 

bitterly

 

accord

 

flying

 

lifting

 

looked

 

October

 

standard

 

fluttered

 

banner


forward

 
special
 

friend

 

choice

 

righteousness

 
strife
 

speaking

 
daughter
 

applauded

 
flushed

Hannibal
 

gracious

 
acquired
 
tongues
 

forced

 

mastered

 
purpose
 

strong

 
Forgive
 

scorned