The adventurer, following the directions of old Edie, flung him down the end of the rope, which he secured around Miss Wardour, wrapping her previously in his own blue gown, to preserve her as much as possible from injury.Then, availing himself of the rope, which was made fast at the other end, he began to ascend the face of the crag--a most precarious and dizzy undertaking, which, however, after one or two perilous escapes, placed him safe on the broad flat stone beside our friend Lovel.Their joint strength was able to raise Isabella to the place of safety which they had attained.Lovel then descended in order to assist Sir Arthur, around whom he adjusted the rope; and again mounting to their place of refuge, with the assistance of old Ochiltree, and such aid as Sir Arthur himself could afford, he raised himself beyond the reach of the billows.
The sense of reprieve from approaching and apparently inevitable death, had its usual effect.The father and daughter threw themselves into each other's arms, kissed and wept for joy, although their escape was connected with the prospect of passing a tempestuous night upon a precipitous ledge of rock, which scarce afforded footing for the four shivering beings, who now, like the sea-fowl around them, clung there in hopes of some shelter from the devouring element which raged beneath.
The spray of the billows, which attained in fearful succession the foot of the precipice, overflowing the beach on which they so lately stood, flew as high as their place of temporary refuge;and the stunning sound with which they dashed against the rocks beneath, seemed as if they still demanded the fugitives in accents of thunder as their destined prey.It was a summer night, doubtless; yet the probability was slender, that a frame so delicate as that of Miss Wardour should survive till morning the drenching of the spray; and the dashing of the rain, which now burst in full violence, accompanied with deep and heavy gusts of wind, added to the constrained and perilous circumstances of their situation.
``The lassie!--the puir sweet, lassie!'' said the old man:
``mony such a night have I weathered at hame and abroad, but, God guide us, how can she ever win through it!''
His apprehension was communicated in smothered accents to Lovel; for with the sort of freemasonry by which bold and ready spirits correspond in moments of danger, and become almost instinctively known to each other, they had established a mutual confidence.--``I'll climb up the cliff again,'' said Lovel --there's daylight enough left to see my footing; I'll climb up, and call for more assistance.''
``Do so, do so, for Heaven's sake!'' said Sir Arthur eagerly.
``Are ye mad?'' said the mendicant: ``Francie o' Fowlsheugh, and he was the best craigsman that ever speel'd heugh (mair by token, he brake his neck upon the Dunbuy of Slaines), wodna hae ventured upon the Halket-head craigs after sun-down --It's God's grace, and a great wonder besides, that ye are not in the middle o' that roaring sea wi' what ye hae done already --I didna think there was the man left alive would hae come down the craigs as ye did.I question an I could hae done it mysell, at this hoar and in this weather, in the youngest and yaldest of my strength--But to venture up again--it's a mere and a clear tempting o' Providence,''
``I have no fear,'' answered Lovel; ``I marked all the stations perfectly as I came down, and there is still light enough left to see them quite well--I am sure I can do it with perfect safety.
Stay here, my good friend, by Sir Arthur and the young lady.''
``Dell be in my feet then,'' answered the bedesman sturdily;``if ye gang, I'll gang too; for between the twa o' us, we'll hae mair than wark eneugh to get to the tap o' the heugh.''
``No, no--stay you here and attend to Miss Wardour--you see Sir Arthur is quite exhausted.''
``Stay yoursell then, and I'll gae,'' said the old man;--``let death spare the green corn and take the ripe.''
``Stay both of you, I charge you,'' said Isabella, faintly; ``Iam well, and can spend the night very well here--I feel quite refreshed.'' So saying, her voice failed her--she sunk down, and would have fallen from the crag, had she not been supported by Lovel and Ochiltree, who placed her in a posture half sitting, half reclining, beside her father, who, exhausted by fatigue of body and mind so extreme and unusual, had already sat down on a stone in a sort of stupor.
``It is impossible to leave them,'' said Lovel--``What is to be done?--Hark! hark!--did I not hear a halloo?''
``The skreigh of a Tammie Norie,'' answered Ochiltree--``Iken the skirl weel.''
``No, by Heaven!'' replied Lovel, ``it was a human voice.''
A distant hail was repeated, the sound plainly distinguishable among the various elemental noises, and the clang of the sea-mews by which they were surrounded.The mendicant and Lovel exerted their voices in a loud halloo, the former waving Miss Wardour's handkerchief on the end of his staff to make them conspicuous from above.Though the shouts were repeated, it was some time before they were in exact response to their own, leaving the unfortunate sufferers uncertain whether, in the darkening twilight and increasing storm, they had made the persons who apparently were traversing the verge of the precipice to bring them assistance, sensible of the place in which they had found refuge.At length their halloo was regularly and distinctly answered, and their courage confirmed, by the assurance that they were within hearing, if not within reach, of friendly assistance.
