Sylvia's Lovers — Complete by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell
page 40 of 687 (05%)
page 40 of 687 (05%)
|
The stormy multitude swelled into the market-place and formed a
solid crowd there, while the press-gang steadily forced their way on into High Street, and on to the rendezvous. A low, deep growl went up from the dense mass, as some had to wait for space to follow the others--now and then going up, as a lion's growl goes up, into a shriek of rage. A woman forced her way up from the bridge. She lived some little way in the country, and had been late in hearing of the return of the whaler after her six months' absence; and on rushing down to the quay-side, she had been told by a score of busy, sympathizing voices, that her husband was kidnapped for the service of the Government. She had need pause in the market-place, the outlet of which was crammed up. Then she gave tongue for the first time in such a fearful shriek, you could hardly catch the words she said. 'Jamie! Jamie! will they not let you to me?' Those were the last words Sylvia heard before her own hysterical burst of tears called every one's attention to her. She had been very busy about household work in the morning, and much agitated by all she had seen and heard since coming into Monkshaven; and so it ended in this. Molly and Hester took her through the shop into the parlour beyond--John Foster's parlour, for Jeremiah, the elder brother, lived in a house of his own on the other side of the water. It was a |
|