"Edmund! Can you get through here?" she exclaimed in a low eager
whisper.
Edmund was immediately by her side, kissing the flushed anxious
forehead: "My gallant Rose!" he said.
"Oh, thank heaven! thank heaven! now you may be safe!" continued
Rose, still in the same whisper. "I never knew this was a door till
this moment. Heaven sent the discovery on purpose for your safety!
Hush, Walter! Oh remember the soldier outside!" as Walter was about
to break out into tumultuous tokens of gladness. "But can you get
through, Edmund? Or perhaps we might move out some of the shelves."
"That is easily done," said Edmund; "but I know not. Even if I
should escape, it would be only to fall into the hands of some fresh
troop of enemies, and I cannot go and leave my mother to their
mercy."
"You could do nothing to save her," said Rose, "and all that they may
do to her would scarcely hurt her if she thought you were safe. O
Edmund! think of her joy in finding you were escaped! the misery of
her anxiety now!"
"Yet to leave her thus! You had not told me half the change in her!
I know not how to go!" said Edmund.
"You must, you must!" said Rose and Walter, both at once. And Rose
added, "Your death would kill her, I do believe!"
"Well, then; but I do not see my way even when I have squeezed
between your shelves, my little sister.
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