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Page 16
"God bless your Majesty!"
"Eh?"
"God bless your noble Majesty?"
"Come--come--come," smiled the king in delight, "I thought I could
conquer ye--conquer ye."
"Not the king, but the king's kindness, your Majesty."
"Join my army--army."
Sadly looking down, Israel silently shook his head.
"You won't? Well, gravel the walk then--gravel away. Very stubborn
race--very stubborn race, indeed--very--very--very."
And still growling, the magnanimous lion departed. How the monarch came
by his knowledge of so humble an exile, whether through that swift
insight into individual character said to form one of the miraculous
qualities transmitted with a crown, or whether some of the rumors
prevailing outside of the garden had come to his ear, Israel could never
determine. Very probably, though, the latter was the case, inasmuch as
some vague shadowy report of Israel not being an Englishman, had, a
little previous to his interview with the king, been communicated to
several of the inferior gardeners. Without any impeachment of Israel's
fealty to his country, it must still be narrated, that from this his
familiar audience with George the Third, he went away with very
favorable views of that monarch. Israel now thought that it could not be
the warm heart of the king, but the cold heads of his lords in council,
that persuaded him so tyrannically to persecute America. Yet hitherto
the precise contrary of this had been Israel's opinion, agreeably to the
popular prejudice throughout New England.
Thus we see what strange and powerful magic resides in a crown, and how
subtly that cheap and easy magnanimity, which in private belongs to most
kings, may operate on good-natured and unfortunate souls. Indeed, had it
not been for the peculiar disinterested fidelity of our adventurer's
patriotism, he would have soon sported the red coat; and perhaps under
the immediate patronage of his royal friend, been advanced in time to no
mean rank in the army of Britain. Nor in that case would we have had to
follow him, as at last we shall, through long, long years of obscure and
penurious wandering.
Continuing in the service of the king's gardeners at Kew, until a
season came when the work of the garden required a less number of
laborers, Israel, with several others, was discharged; and the day
after, engaged himself for a few months to a farmer in the neighborhood
where he had been last employed. But hardly a week had gone by, when the
old story of his being a rebel, or a runaway prisoner, or a Yankee, or a
spy, began to be revived with added malignity. Like bloodhounds, the
soldiers were once more on the track. The houses where he harbored were
many times searched; but thanks to the fidelity of a few earnest
well-wishers, and to his own unsleeping vigilance and activity, the
hunted fox still continued to elude apprehension. To such extremities of
harassment, however, did this incessant pursuit subject him, that in a
fit of despair he was about to surrender himself, and submit to his
fate, when Providence seasonably interposed in his favor.
CHAPTER VI.
ISRAEL MAKES THE ACQUAINTANCE OF CERTAIN SECRET FRIENDS OF AMERICA, ONE
OF THEM BEING THE FAMOUS AUTHOR OF THE "DIVERSIONS OF PURLEY," THESE
DESPATCH HIM ON A SLY ERRAND ACROSS THE CHANNEL.
At this period, though made the victims indeed of British oppression,
yet the colonies were not totally without friends in Britain. It was but
natural that when Parliament itself held patriotic and gifted men, who
not only recommended conciliatory measures, but likewise denounced the
war as monstrous; it was but natural that throughout the nation at large
there should be many private individuals cherishing similar sentiments,
and some who made no scruple clandestinely to act upon them.
Late one night while hiding in a farmer's granary, Israel saw a man with
a lantern approaching. He was about to flee, when the man hailed him in
a well-known voice, bidding him have no fear. It was the farmer himself.
He carried a message to Israel from a gentleman of Brentford, to the
effect, that the refugee was earnestly requested to repair on the
following evening to that gentleman's mansion.
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