Before she arrived at the suburbs of Ferth, her tender feet became so
blistered, she found the necessity of stopping at the first cottage.
But her perturbed spirits rendered it impossible for her to take rest,
and she answered the hospitable offer of its humble owner, with a
request that he would go into the town and immediately purchase a
horse, to carry her that night to Dundee. She put her purse into the
man's hand, who without further discussion obeyed. When the animal was
brought and the honest Scot returned her the purse with its remaining
contents, she divided them with him, and turning from his thanks,
mounted the horse, and rode away.
About an hour before dawn, she arrived within view of the ships lying
in the harbor at Dundee. At this sight she threw herself off the
panting animal, and leaving it to rest and liberty, hastened to the
beach. A gentle breeze blew freshly from the northwest, and several
vessels were heaving their anchors to get under weigh.
"Are any," demanded she, "bound for the Tower of London?"
"None," were the replies. Despair was now in her heart and gesture.
But suddenly recollecting that in dressing herself for flight she had
not taken off the jewels she usually wore, she exclaimed with renovated
hope, "Will not gold tempt some one to carry me thither?" A rough
Norwegian sailor jumped from the side of the nearest vessel, and
readily answered in the affirmative.
Pages:
1152
1153
1154
1155
1156
1157
1158
1159
1160
1161
1162
1163
1164
1165
1166
1167
1168
1169
1170
1171
1172
1173
1174
1175
1176