'IF he
desires it! But you do not know the danger of remaining in England,
the difficulty of escape, or the price hundreds would pay to secure the
means, when you make that inquiry. Pardon me. I had forgotten that you
could not, being prisoner here.'
'I gather, sir,' said Emma, after a moment's pause, 'from what you hint
at, but fear to tell me, that I have witnessed but the beginning, and
the least, of the violence to which we are exposed, and that it has not
yet slackened in its fury?'
He shrugged his shoulders, shook his head, lifted up his hands; and with
the same smooth smile, which was not a pleasant one to see, cast his
eyes upon the ground, and remained silent.
'You may venture, sir, to speak plain,' said Emma, 'and to tell me the
worst. We have undergone some preparation for it.'
But here Dolly interposed, and entreated her not to hear the worst, but
the best; and besought the gentleman to tell them the best, and to
keep the remainder of his news until they were safe among their friends
again.
'It is told in three words,' he said, glancing at the locksmith's
daughter with a look of some displeasure. 'The people have risen, to a
man, against us; the streets are filled with soldiers, who support
them and do their bidding.
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