Page 182 - A Jacobite Exile
P. 182
The thought of escape at once occurred to Charlie. Could he reach the
window, which was without glass and a mere opening in the wall, without
awakening his guard, he could drop out and make for Allan Ramsay's. As
soon as he tried to move, however, he found that this idea was for the
present impracticable. He felt too weak to lift his head, and, at the slight
rustle of straw caused by the attempt, the man opposite roused himself with
a start.
He gave another slight movement, and then again lay quiet with his eyes
closed. The man came across and spoke, but he made no sign. Some more
wine was poured between his lips, then the man returned to his former
position, and all was quiet.
As he lay thinking his position over, Charlie thought that those who had set
his assailants to their work must have had two objects--the one to put a stop
to his efforts to organize an agitation against the king, the second to find
out, by questioning him, who were those with whom he had been in
communication, in order that they might be arrested, and their property
confiscated. He could see no other reason why his life should be spared by
his assailants, for it would have been easier, and far less troublesome, to
run him through as he lay senseless on the ground, than to carry him off
and keep him a prisoner.
This idea confirmed the suspicion he had first entertained, that the assault
had been organized by Ben Soloman. He could have no real interest in the
king, for he was ready to join in the organization against him, could he
have obtained his own terms. He might intend to gain credit with the royal
party, by claiming to have stopped a dangerous plot, and at the same time
to benefit himself, by bringing about the expulsion or death of many of his
foreign trade rivals. For this end, the Jew would desire that he should be
taken alive, in order to serve as a witness against the others.
"He will not get any names from me," he said. "Besides, none of them have
promised to take any active measures against Augustus. I did not ask them
to do so. There is no high treason in trying to influence public opinion.
Still, it is likely enough that the Jew wants to get me to acknowledge that