1832.] A Story of the Plague of Gibraltar. 285 



was insufficient to enforce obedience. A private, in the 8th regiment, 

 who had been accustomed to resort every night to a small public-house 

 near the north-western point, took advantage of low water soon after 

 dusk, to cross the long reach of sands, and wading as far as the depth 

 would allow, swam under the mole, and reached his favourite resort. 

 But he paid the penalty. He was seen from the signal-house crossing 

 the sands ; and being apprehended and sent to the encampment, he was 

 tried, condemned, and shot the same afternoon. Let me now return to 

 my story. 



The same evening, while sitting in my tent, just as dusk was fading 

 into darkness, the curtain was pushed aside, and Courtenay entered. 



4f Good evening," said I; "but how is it that you are here? They 

 have beaten the retreat, and you ought to be in your own tent, unless, 

 indeed, you are on guard." 



" I am," replied Courtenay ; " I am on the western piquet the most 

 fortunate station I could have had/' 



" How fortunate ?" said I. " Why more fortunate than any other ?" 



te Cannot you guess ?" said Courtenay. 



ee No, indeed I cannot, unless it be that it is the point nearest to 

 Caroline." 



" I see," said Courtenay, " you do not understand me ?" 



A suspicion of the truth flashed upon my mind. 4f You cannot mean, 

 Courtenay," said I, "to . Impossible !" 



" To disobey orders, you would say. Ah ! my friend, you never 

 loved as I do." 



" Courtenay," said I, in a graver tone, " sit down and listen to me. 

 This is madness not love. Have you already forgotten the example of 

 this afternoon ?" 



" I am sure," said he, interrupting me, " you do not believe me a 

 coward." 



" No, Courtenay," said I ; " but cowardice and prudence are not the 

 same. Your duty as a soldier commands you to stay your duty as a 

 man also ; for you are about to incur the very risk, to avoid which 

 Caroline sacrificed her inclination. Will you allow her to out-do you in 

 resolution ?" 



" Duties," replied he, " are of different obligation : although our vows 

 have not been exchanged at the altar, they have been registered else- 

 where ; and I know of no duty so sacred as that of cherishing her who 

 is all but my wife ! It is possible, oh, Seymour ! Oh, God ! it is pos- 

 sible that she is at this moment ill dying ; and shall I sacrifice the 

 duty of watching over her, to any obligations that human law may have 

 imposed ?" 



I tried to argue the matter with Courtenay ; I implored him by the 

 affection he felt for his mother and sisters in England by his friend- 

 ship for me by his love for Caroline, to desist from his project. 



" I am not afraid of discovery," said he ,- " the piquet are men of my 

 own company, and will not betray me. I have agreed with a Spanish 

 boat from Algesiras to be in readiness at ten ; it will carry me close to 

 the mole ; and I shall have returned long before daylight. I am utterly 

 miserable, Seymour ; if the risk were a thousand times greater than it 

 is, I could not live over such another day as this/' 



I saw that it was in vain to offer farther opposition. I held aside the 

 canvass, and shook hands with him as he walked out ; and his figure 



