J832.] A Story of Ike Plague of Gibraltar. 283 



me when the order was communicated ; and as I expected, he immedi- 

 ately proposed to go to the cottage. 



" This is, indeed, a blow," said he, as we crossed the Alameda. 



" From which," said I, " I trust we shall all recover : there is every 

 reason for hope ; Caroline lives in one of the healthiest spots in Gibral- 

 tar ; and it is thought that on the neutral ground, the military, and 

 therefore you, will be safe." 



te Ah !" said he, "you have never known what it is to love; absence 

 is of itself a sufficient evil/* 



Caroline met us at the entrance of the garden ; and in place of leading 

 the way as usual into the cottage, she conducted us to the summer-house. 

 She already knew of the order that had been issued ; " I trust, Edward," 

 said she, " I may live to see it recalled." 



<( May live !" said Courtenay ; " Caroline, do not speak doubtingly 

 to me." 



" How else should I speak, dear Edward ?'' returned she, " are not 

 our lives, yours and mine, and all our lives, in the hands of God ; and 

 how can I say better, than that I trust in him ?" 



But the tone in which Caroline spoke, and the strange, though 

 strangely-sweet smile with which she turned to Courtenay, raised some 

 indistinct suspicion in his mind ; and suddenly taking both her hands, 

 and looking in her face, " Caroline," he said, " you never deceived 

 me ; something is amiss, tell me, for God's sake tell me," and before she 

 could reply, he had relinquished her hands and rushed towards the 

 house. 



" He will know all, he will know all," said she, " 'twas for his sake 

 I would have concealed from him " 



" What is it that you conceal, Caroline? May I follow him? Is it 

 any evil that I can prevent or alleviate ?" 



" You cannot cure THE PLAGUE," said she. 



This was, indeed, a thunderbolt ; this was the evil she would have 

 concealed. Courtenay returned; for with woman's apprehension, and 

 the instinct that told her she could conceal nothing from her betrothed, 

 she had locked the doors. But concealment any longer was impossible. 

 The symptoms of disease had manifested themselves in a servant of the 

 family. 



When the disclosure had been made, we remained for many moments 

 silent. Courtenay hid his face in his hands; but his agitation was 

 extreme. 



" Caroline," said he, at length, in a composed earnest manner ; " there 

 is one remedy for this evil, the evil the danger, I mean, that threatens 

 you ; you have consented, within one little month, to be my wife ; 

 anticipate the time, accompany me now to the altar ; your father, I 

 know, will consent, and in three hours we may both be safe from pes- 

 tilence." 



" Edward, my dear Edward," said Caroline, " I will be ingenuous, 

 even at the risk of being thought bold. It is true that I have consented 

 to be your wife, and I not only do not recal that consent, but I even 

 avow that I wish it had been already ratified at the altar : but I would 

 be unworthy of you if I could timidly, meanly prefer the chance of my 

 own safety, to that of thousands. No, Edward, my heart pleads for 

 what you desire, because it is misery to be separated from you ; but I 

 dare not sport -with the lives of others ; I dare not risk the remorse that 



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