"You, and all others who willingly invade the
peace of these realms, must abide the issue!"
"Then God protect the innocent and defend the right!"
"Amen."
"Give way, villains!" cried Griffith, facing the party that held the
outer door; "give way, or you shall be riddled with our pikes!"
"Show them your muzzles, men!" shouted Borroughcliffe, "but pull no
trigger till they advance."
There was an instant of bustle and preparation, in which the rattling of
firearms blended with the suppressed execrations and threats of the
intended combatants; and Cecilia and Katherine had both covered their
faces to veil the horrid sight that was momentarily expected, when Alice
Dunscombe advanced, boldly, between the points of the threatening
weapons, and spoke in a voice that stayed the hands that were already
uplifted.
"Hear me, men! if men ye be, and not demons, thirsting for each other's
blood; though ye walk abroad in the semblance of Him who died that ye
might be elevated to the rank of angels! Call ye this war? Is this the
glory that is made to warm the hearts of even silly and confiding women?
Is the peace of families to be destroyed to gratify your wicked lust for
conquest, and is life to be taken in vain, in order that ye may boast of
the foul deed in your wicked revels? Fall back, then, ye British
soldiers! if ye be worthy of that name, and give passage to a woman; and
remember that the first shot that is fired will be buried in her bosom!"
The men, thus enjoined, shrank before her commanding mien, and a way was
made for her exit through that very door which Griffith had, in vain,
solicited might be cleared for himself and party.
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