Page:The Children of the New Forest - 1847 - Marryat.djvu/295

 speaking to her, Edward passed on to the Intendant's room, and knocked.

"Who is there?" said the Intendant.

"Edward Armitage," was the reply, and the door was opened. The Intendant started back at the sight of Edward in the trooper's costume.

"My dear Edward, I am glad to see you in any dress, but this requires explanation. Sit down and tell me all."

"All is soon told, Sir," replied Edward, taking off his iron skull-cap, and allowing his hair to fall down on his shoulders.

He then, in few words, stated what had happened, and by what means he had escaped, and the reason why he had kept on the trooper's accoutrements, and made his appearance in them.

"You have done very prudently," replied the Intendant, "and you have probably saved me; at all events, you have warded off all suspicion, and those who are spies upon me will now have nothing to report, except to my favour. Your absence has been commented upon, and made known at high quarters, and suspicion has arisen in consequence. Your return as one of the Parliamentary forces will now put an end to all ill-natured remarks. My dear Edward, you have done me a service. As my secretary, and having been known to have been a follower of the Beverleys, your absence was considered strange, and it was intimated at high quarters that you had gone to join the King's forces, and that with my knowledge and consent. This I have from Langton; and it has in consequence injured me not a little: but now your appearance will make all right again. Now we will first to prayers, and then to breakfast; and after that we will have a more detailed account of what has taken place since your departure. Patience and Clara will not be sorry to recover their companion; but how they will like you in that dress I cannot pretend to say. However, I thank God that you have returned