The Wanderers | Page 6

Don Antonio had sent by his black servant. It
contained merely the words, "Follow the advice I gave. It should on no
account be put off till to-morrow."
The negro having been sent back with a verbal message to the effect
that the prescription should be strictly followed, my father sat down,
with Uncle Paul and Arthur, to consider what was to be done.
"For myself," he said, "I have resolved to remain. I cannot throw away
the advantages I have gained; and circumstances, not my fault, will
compel me to conform to the religion of the country. But you and
Arthur may do as you think fit; and if you resolve to make your escape
from the island, I will send Guy and Marian with you--and Tim also, if
he wishes to go."
Uncle Paul expressed his sorrow at having to leave our father; but as he
had determined not to change his faith, he said he was ready to set off

with us immediately, and to try to carry out the plan Don Antonio had
proposed.
Poor Tim, when he heard of our resolution, was sorely troubled what to
do.
"If you remain, you must become a Roman Catholic with me," said my
father.
"Then, your honour, with all respect to you, I'll be after going wherever
Master Guy and Miss Marian go; though it will be a sad day that we
have to leave you."
"It must be done, however," said my father. "Now go and get the horses
ready. We will have such things as may be required packed up
forthwith."
We had horses enough to mount the whole party, so arrangements were
speedily made; and within half an hour after we had received Don
Antonio's warning we were in the saddle, and, under the guidance of
natives well acquainted with the country, were making our way along a
narrow path up the side of the mountains which rose between our house
and the sea.
Uncle Paul and the guides went first. Marian rode next, mounted on a
small pony, and attended by Arthur. I followed them; and Tim brought
up the rear. Our great object was to get to the seaside, where we might
remain concealed, in case the officials of the Inquisition should pursue
us.
The narrow and steep path on which we were travelling wound its way
up the side of the hill till the summit was reached, when we began to
descend towards the sea. It was generally too rugged to allow us to
move out of a walk, for our horses might have fallen and sent us down
a precipice either on one side or the other; still, whenever the ground
allowed it, we pushed on as fast as we could venture.
At length, after descending some distance, we found ourselves

travelling along with the ocean on our left and the rugged sides of the
hill rising on our right. The pathway seldom allowed two to ride abreast.
Now it ran along scarcely eight or ten feet above the level of the water;
now it ascended to the height of eighty or a hundred feet, with a steep
precipice below us.
Daylight had just broken, when, glancing over the ocean, I caught sight
of a couple of vessels, which appeared to be standing in for the coast. I
could not help crying out to Uncle Paul, in case he might not have
observed them. My voice, unfortunately, startled Arthur's horse, which
began to sidle and prance; when what was my horror to see its hinder
feet slipping over the precipice! Marian shrieked out with alarm, and I
expected the next moment that Arthur would be dashed to pieces on the
rocks below. Such would have been his fate, had he not sprung from
his saddle just as the animal went over the precipice. In vain the
creature instinctively attempted to spring up again, desperately clinging
to the rock with its feet. Arthur tried to seize its bridle to help it; but in
another instant we saw it fall on the rocks below with a force which
must have broken every bone in its body.
So thankful did we feel that Arthur had been preserved, that we
scarcely thought about the poor horse.
"Go forward! go forward!" cried out Arthur. "I'll run on by Marian's
side. You must not be delayed on my account."
We accordingly pushed on, and at length came to a part of the coast
where the road ceased, and it was impossible to proceed further with
our horses. Our chief guide--who, knowing that we had strong reasons
for wishing to escape, was anxious to assist us--advised that we should
send the horses back over the mountains by a different road from that
by which we had come, while we continued