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But I ain't for taking no risks, and that I tell you fair." Dorothea was stunned. "You don't mean to say that Zeally suspects you?" "Why, of course he does!" said Polly. Prudence urged her to repeat that Zeally was three-parts of a fool; but, being nettled, she spoke the words uppermost: "Who d'ee think he'd suspect?"
"I suppose that class of person cannot be troubled to show respect to prisoners." That evening Dorothea rated the girl soundly for her pertness. "And I shall speak to Zeally," she threatened, "if anything of the kind happens again. If Mr. Endymion is to let you two have a house when you marry, and take in the Frenchmen as lodgers, he will want to know that you treat them respectfully."
Zeally thought it about time to assert herself. "Very good, Miss. And now, how about me? They'd ask me questions, too; and I'd have you consider, Miss Dorothea, that though not shaken down to it yet not, as you might say, in a state to expect callers or make them properly welcome I'm a respectable married woman. I don't mind confessing to you, Zeally isn't a comfortable man.
Now he challenged her on woman's own ground that of self-abnegation; he commanded her to his own hurt, he towered above her. She had never dreamed of a love like this. Beaten, despairing for him, yet proud as she had never been in her life, she held her breath. Corporal Zeally was merely bewildered.
Corporal Zeally found himself a sergeant within forty-eight hours, and within an hour of the announcement he and Polly were given an audience in the Bayfield library, with the result that Parson Milliton cried their banns in Axcester Church on the following Sunday, and the bride-elect received a month's wages and three weeks' notice of dismissal, with a hint that the reason for her short retention to instruct her successor in Miss Dorothea's ways was ostensible rather than real.
M. Raoul was reseating himself on his perch, when he happened to throw a look down into the road, and at once broke into immoderate laughter. "Talk of the wolf " Polly screamed and ran. Below, at a bend of the road, stood a stoutish figure in the uniform of the Axcester Volunteers scarlet, with white facings. It was Corporal Zeally, very slowly taking in the scene.
"But I don't understand," Dorothea stammered; with a sharp suspicion of treachery, she pushed the girl from her. "Was Zeally mounting guard tonight? If I thought don't tell me it was a trap! Oh, you wicked girl!" "No; it wasn't," answered Polly, sulkily. "I don't know nothing of Sam's movements.
"Another dose of brandy might set him up. I gave him some from my flask before bringing him in." "He is not going to faint," she answered. "Well, I won't bother him with questions until he comes round a bit. You, Zeally, had better step into my room though, and give me your version of the affair." But as the Corporal saluted and took a step forward, the prisoner opened his eyes.
A bell pealed in the servants' hall, stopped, and began ringing again in short and violent jerks. "Let me go," commanded Dorothea. "They will never find him, under the slope there. He may be bleeding to death. I must tell " But Polly clung to her. "They'll find him safe enough, Miss Dorothea. There's Sam, now hark! at the backdoor bell: he'll tell them." "Sam!" "Sam Zeally, Miss."
I'm sure he never ought to be out of bed, with his rheumatics. It's enough to give him his death. Sam Zeally says that General Rochambeau is looking after him, as tender as a mother with a babby." Polly mimicked Sam's pronunciation, and laughed. She was Somerset-born herself, but had seen service in Bath. "Where is Mr. Endymion?"
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