Part 4 (1/2)

I shook my head and said, ”Ah, it is very well to say so. Yes, he must be wounded first, you know.” And I walked round the room fast. ”Yes, yes, you say so, but I cannot believe what you say now.”

She was terrified, for I could not shed a tear. She declared upon her word of honour that when General Alava left the field he was alive, but was not expected to live.

This I felt sounded like truth, and I stood before her and said, ”Well, Lady Hamilton, if it is so, and you really wish to serve me, help me to go to him instantly. I am sure Mr James will be so good as to hurry the servant. Oh, how much time has been lost already! If Captain Mitch.e.l.l had but known, I should have gone at nine. Every moment may make me too late to see him alive.”

She was glad to try to do anything for me, and was going. I stopped her at the door, and said, ”Now, if you are deceiving me, you may perhaps have my senses to answer for.”

She repeated her a.s.surances, and I said I would send my servant for the carriage, which was at the Town Major's, if she would see anybody to get horses, and I was ready. She said she would offer to go with me, but she knew it would oppress me.

I said, ”Oh no, let me be alone,” and I ran upstairs.

No power can describe my sufferings for two hours before I could set out. Captain Mitch.e.l.l requested a friend of his to ride forward to Brussels, and to gallop back with information of where Sir William was, and whether it was still of any avail for me to proceed: he was expected to meet us at Malines, half-way. We at last left Antwerp; but bribing the driver was in vain. It was not in his power to proceed; for the moment we pa.s.sed the gates, we were entangled in a crowd of waggons, carts, horses, wounded men, deserters or runaways, and all the rabble and confusion, the consequence of several battles.(24) Every now and then we went several miles at a walk; and the temper of the people was so irritable that we feared to speak to them; and I had to caution my servant to be very guarded, because they were ready to draw their swords in a moment. Two men got on the back of the carriage, and we dared not desire them to get off; and this was no imaginary terror, as I afterwards experienced.

When we were within a mile or two of Malines, the carriage stopped, and the servant said, ”It is the Captain.” I had drawn the blinds to avoid seeing the wretched objects we were pa.s.sing. I hastily looked out, and saw Mr Hay.(25) When he saw me he turned his head away.

I called out, ”Mr Hay, do you know anything?”

He hesitated, and then said, ”I fear I have very bad news for you.”

I said, ”Tell me at once. Is he dead?”

”It is all over.”

I sank into the carriage again, and they took me back to Antwerp. When I had been a short time there, Mr Hay sent to know if I had any commands to Brussels, as he was going to return, and would do anything for me there. At first I said I had none, and then I sent for him, and asked repeatedly if he were sure of what he said; if he had seen him fall. He had not been in the action,(26) and of course was not near Sir William, ”who was surrounded by Lord Wellington's Staff; but in the middle of the action he was struck in the breast by a cannon ball, and instantly fell. The Duke went and leant over him, and he died like a soldier.”

I then begged Mr Hay to make a point of seeing someone who had been near him; and if possible to learn if he had spoken, and if he had named me. Mr Hay promised this, and then asked if I would choose to go to England. I said: ”Instantly.” He then said if he had twelve hours to search the field once more--for his brother was missing--he would be ready to take a pa.s.sage for me, and to accompany me if I chose. He said Lady Hamilton and Mrs B. were below, anxious to be of use.

I said I greatly preferred being alone, and was always much better alone. About half an hour after, Mrs B. contrived to get into the room. I was terrified, and called out, ”Go away, go away, leave me to myself.” She prayed and entreated me to hear her, and then said if I was ill would I send for her. I said, ”Oh, yes, yes; but the only thing anybody can do for me is to leave me alone.” She was alarmed at my violent agitation and went away. I locked the outer door, and shut the inner one, so that no one could again intrude. They sent Emma to entreat I would be bled; but I was not reasonable enough for that, and would not comply. I wandered about the room incessantly, beseeching for mercy, though I felt that now, even Heaven could not be merciful.

One is apt to fix on a situation just a little less wretched than one's own, and to dwell upon the idea that one could bear that better.

I repeated over and over that if I had seen him alive for five minutes, I would not repine. At night Emma brought her bed into my room, as she feared I should be ill. Towards morning I fancied I heard a sound of someone trying to get into the room. I heard it a long while, but thinking it was somebody coming to visit me, I made no answer.

About two hours after, the attempt was repeated. I said to Emma, ”There is a noise at the door. Don't let Mrs B. in, or Lady Hamilton.”

She went, and returning in a few minutes said, ”I am desired to tell you cautiously”--

I said, ”O Emma! go away. Don't tell me anything, any more.”

”Nay, but I must tell you. I have good news for you.”

”How can you be so inhuman! What is good news for me now?”

”But--Sir William is not dead.”

I started up, and asked what she was saying, for she would make me mad. She told me that General M'Kenzie(27) was below, and had a message from Brussels, requesting him to inform me that Sir William was alive, and that there were even hopes of his recovery.

I ran down to General M'Kenzie, and began earnestly to persuade him it must be impossible. I had suffered so much the day before, I durst not hope for anything now. His voice faltered, and his eyes filled with tears.

He said, ”Can you believe any man would bring such intelligence unless it were well-founded?” He then gave me a letter from Sir G. Scovell, who had seen an officer of the Staff Corps who had seen Sir William alive that morning, who was anxious to see me. He was attended by a skilful surgeon, and had been twice bled. This was dated Monday, seven o'clock, evening.

I regretted the deal of time that had been lost, and said that yesterday morning was a long time ago; and was no argument for his being alive now; for it was often repeated in the letter not to raise my hopes. I then asked General M'Kenzie to a.s.sist me to get away.