"The window is,
I see, too high from the ground, and there is no escape."
Walter stood regarding him with blank dismay.
"For one thing I am thankful to them," continued Edmund; "I thought
they might have shot me down before my mother's door, and so filled
the place with horror for her ever after. Now they have given me
time for preparation, and she will grow accustomed to the thought of
losing me."
"Then you think there is no hope? O Edmund!"
"I see none. Sydney is unlikely to spare a friend of Prince
Rupert's."
Walter squeezed his hands fast together. "And how--how can you?
Don't think me cowardly, Edmund, for that I will never be; never--"
"Never, I am sure," repeated Edmund.
"But when that base Puritan threatened me just now--perhaps it was
foolish to believe him--I could answer him freely enough; but when I
thought of dying, then--"
"You have not stood face to face with death so often as I have,
Walter," said Edmund; "nor have you led so wandering and weary a
life."
"I thought I could lead any sort of life rather than die," said
Walter.
"Yes, our flesh will shrink and tremble at the thought of the Judge
we must meet," said Edmund; "but He is a gracious Judge, and He knows
that it is rather than turn from our duty that we are exposed to
death. We may have a good hope, sinners as we are in His sight, that
He will grant us His mercy, and be with us when the time comes.
Pages:
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95