' I had nothing to say, for my heart
was too full with her sweet words and with the sorrow of parting, but
only drew her close to me and kissed her; and this time she did not step
back, but kissed me again.
Then I climbed up the fig-tree, thinking it safer so to get out over the
wall than to go back to the front of the house, and as I sat on the wall
ready to drop the other side, turned to her and said good-bye.
'Good-bye,' cried she; 'and have a care how you touch the treasure; it
was evilly come by, and will bring a curse with it.'
'Good-bye, good-bye,' I said, and dropped on to the soft leafy bottom
of the wood.
CHAPTER 14
THE WELL-HOUSE
For those thou mayest not look upon
Are gathering fast round the yawning stone--_Scott_
It wanted yet half an hour of midnight when I found myself at the shaft
of the marble quarry, and before I had well set foot on the steps to
descend, heard Elzevir's voice challenging out of the darkness below. I
gave back '_Prosper the Bonaventure',_ and so came home again to sleep
the last time in our cave.
The next night was well suited to flight. There was a spring-tide with
full moon, and a light breeze setting off the land which left the water
smooth under the cliff. We saw the _Bonaventure_ cruising in the Channel
before sundown, and after the darkness fell she lay close in and took us
off in her boat.
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