We hastened on. A minute later and we heard behind us a sound
like the winding of a small horn, clear, shrill, and sweet. Sparrow
and I wheeled - and saw nothing. The trees ran down to the very
edge of the wharf, upon whose rotten, loosened, and noisy boards
we now trod. Suddenly the clouds above us broke, and the moon
shone forth, whitening the mountainous clouds, the ridged and
angry river, and the low, tree-fringed shore. Below us, fastened to
the piles and rocking with the waves, was the open boat in which
we were to embark. A few broken steps led from the boards above
to the water below. Descending these I sprang into the boat and
held out my arms for Mistress Percy. Sparrow gave her to me, and
I lifted her down beside me; then turned to give what aid I might to
the minister, who was halfway down the steps - and faced my Lord
Carnal.
What devil had led him forth on such a night; why he, whom with
my own eyes, three hours agone, I had seen drunken, should have
chosen, after his carouse, cold air and his own company rather
than sleep; when and where he first spied us, how long he had
followed us, I have never known. Perhaps he could not sleep for
triumph, had heard of my impending arrest, had come forth to add
to the bitterness of my cup by his presence, and so had happened
upon us. He could only have guessed at those he followed, until he
reached the edge of the wharf and looked down upon us in the
moonlight.
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