His
friend was delighted to see him, for they had not met since Gerald
passed through Seville on his way to join the Armada at Cadiz, and
the young priest had not heard whether he had escaped the perils
of the voyage.
"It is lucky you have come, Gerald," he said when the first greetings
were over, "for I am going to return to Ireland in a fortnight's
time. I am already appointed to a charge near Cork, and am to sail
in a Bristol ship which is expected in Cadiz about that time. Is
there any chance of my meeting you there?"
"An excellent chance, Denis, though my route is not as clearly
marked out as yours is. I wish to heaven that I could go by the
same ship. And that leads to what I have come to see you about,"
and he then told his friend the service he wished him to render.
"It is rather a serious business, Gerald; and a nice scrape I should
get in if it were found out that I had solemnized the marriage of
a young lady under age without the consent of her father, and that
father a powerful nobleman. However, I am not the man to fail you
at a pinch, and if matters are well managed there is not much risk
of its being found out that I had a hand in it until I am well
away, and once in Ireland no one is likely to make any great fuss
over my having united a runaway pair in Spain. Besides, if you and
the young lady have made up your minds to run away, it is evidently
necessary that you should be married at once; so my conscience is
perfectly clear in the business.
Pages:
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280