The Romance of the Forest | Page 2

was only to plunge into new
error, and to attempt schemes for the reparation of his fortune, which
served to sink him deeper in destruction. The consequence of a
transaction, in which he thus engaged, now drove him, with the small
wreck of his property, into dangerous and ignominious exile.
It was his design to pass into one of the Southern Provinces, and there

seek, near the borders of the kingdom, an asylum in some obscure
village. His family consisted of his wife, and two faithful domestics, a
man and woman, who followed the fortunes of their master.
The night was dark and tempestuous, and, at about the distance of three
leagues from Paris, Peter, who now acted as postillion, having drove
for some time over a wild heath where many ways crossed, stopped,
and acquainted De la Motte with his perplexity. The sudden stopping of
the carriage roused the latter from his reverie, and filled the whole party
with the terror of pursuit; he was unable to supply the necessary
direction, and the extreme darkness made it dangerous to proceed
without one. During this period of distress, a light was perceived at
some distance, and after much doubt and hesitation, La Motte, in the
hope of obtaining assistance, alighted and advanced towards it; he
proceeded slowly, from the fear of unknown pits. The light issued from
the window of a small and ancient house, which stood alone on the
heath, at the distance of half a mile.
Having reached the door, he stopped for some moments, listening in
apprehensive anxiety Ñ no sound was heard but that of the wind, which
swept in hollow gusts over the waste. At length he ventured to knock,
and, having waited sometime, during which he indistinctly heard
several voices in conversation, some one within inquired what he
wanted? La Motte answered, that he was a traveller who had lost his
way, and desired to be directed to the nearest town.
"That," said the person, "is seven miles off, and the road bad enough,
even if you could see it: if you only want a bed, you may have it here,
and had better stay."
"The "pitiless pelting" of the storm, which, at this time, beat with
increasing fury upon La Motte, inclined him to give up the attempt of
proceeding farther till day-light; but, desirous of seeing the person with
whom he conversed, before he ventured to expose his family by calling
up the carriage, he asked to be admitted. The door was now opened by
a tall figure with a light, who invited La Motte to enter. He followed
the man through a passage into a room almost unfurnished, in one
corner of which a bed was spread upon the floor. The forlorn and

desolate aspect of this apartment made La Motte shrink involuntarily,
and he was turning to go out when the man suddenly pushed him back,
and he heard the door locked upon him: his heart failed, yet he made a
desperate, though vain, effort to force the door, and called loudly for
release. No answer was returned; but he distinguished the voices of
men in the room above, and, not doubting but their intention was to rob
and murder him, his agitation, at first, overcame his reason. By the light
of some almost-expiring embers, he perceived a window, but the hope,
which this discovery revived, was quickly lost, when he found the
aperture guarded by strong iron bars. Such preparation for security
surprized him, and confirmed his worst apprehensions. Ñ Alone,
unarmed Ñ beyond the chance of assistance, he saw himself in the
power of people, whose trade was apparently rapine! Ñ murder their
means! Ñ After revolving every possibility of escape, he endeavoured
to await the event with fortitude; but La Motte could boast of no such
virtue.
The voices had ceased, and all remained still for a quarter of an hour,
when, between the pauses of the wind, he thought he distinguished the
sobs and moaning of a female; he listened attentively and became
confirmed in his conjecture; it was too evidently the accent of distress.
At this conviction, the remains of his courage forsook him, and a
terrible surmise darted, with the rapidity of lightning, cross his brain. It
was probable that his carriage had been discovered by the people of the
house, who, with a design of plunder, had secured his servant, and
brought hither Madame de la Motte. he was the more inclined to
believe this, by the stillness which had, for sometime, reigned in the
house, previous to the sounds he now heard. Or it was possible that the
inhabitants were not robbers, but persons to whom he had been
betrayed by his friend or servant, and who were appointed to deliver
him into the