esign is to carry her off, probably to the coast
of France. I intend to demand her in a peaceable and tranquil manner,
and in case they refuse to give her up, must act according to
circumstances. I expect your support on all the legal points of the
case, such as the due notice of our authority, et cetera; and, in case
it should become necessary or prudent either to menace or to use
force, I will tell you at the time."
The Messenger made no reply, but sunk again into sullen silence; and
Wilton clearly saw that little help, and indeed little advantage, was
to be derived from the presence of his self-sufficient attendant,
except in as much as the appearance of such a person in his company
was likely to produce a moral effect upon those to whom he might be
opposed. Messengers of state were in those days very awful people,
and employed in general in the arrest of such criminals as were very
unlikely to escape the axe if taken. Yet it seldom if ever happened
that any resistance was offered to them; and we are told that at the
appearance of a single individual of this redoubted species, it often
happened three or four traitors, murderers, spies, or pirates, whose
fate if taken was perfectly certain, would seem to give up all hope,
and surrendering without resistance, would suffer themselves to be
led quietly to the shambles.
Thus if Arden did but his mere duty, Wilton knew that the effect of
his presence would be great; but as he walked on, he began to
entertain new apprehensions. For nearly two miles, no one appeared to
guide them to the place of their destination; at length a church,
with some cottages gathered round it, announced that they had reached
the little hamlet of Cowley, where, as several roads and paths
branched off in different directions, he found it advisable to follow
the counsel of the landlord, and not go any farther.
He consequently turned back again; but a thin white fog was now
beginning to come on--a visitation to which that part of the country
near the junction of the Thames and the Medway is very often subject.
The cloud rolled forward, and Wilton and the Messenger advanced
directly into it; so that at length the hedge could only be
distinguished on one side of the road, and beyond it, on either side,
nothing could be seen farther than the distance of five or six yards.
The Messenger lingered somewhat behind, muttering, "This is
pleasant;" but ere long, as they were approaching the top of a narrow
lane which Wilton had before remarked