Roanoke by Margaret Lawrence

Author:Margaret Lawrence [Lawrence, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-440-33836-9
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2009-10-14T16:00:00+00:00

KINDNESS, NOBLER THAN REVENGE

INE OF THE FOURTEEN HOUSES WERE BLOWN DOWN AND MOST OF the buildings in the fort were spoiled. The waves washed the cannon into the sea and four men died trying to save it. Alis's Johnny was one of them, smashed by the heavy black nose of the gun.

The palisade was a pile of splinters. The sea made a breach in the barrier islands and flooded almost everything. They climbed trees and lived in the broken branches like squirrels, or clung onto the rafters of what houses were left, till at last the water began to go down. Mistress Colman was drowned. Reverend Wildye's house was lightning- struck and he died in the fire, along with the others sheltered there. Ananias Dare. Mad Joan. Jack, the serving boy. The thatcher and his wife. John Hemmington, who had left seven children behind him in England. Winnie Powell's husband, Ned. Jack Spendlove, the wastrel who'd failed to marry money.

Many were missing. George Martyn, the wool factor. Christopher Cooper, the recusant Catholic. Thomas Stevens, who owned a shipyard in Saltaish. Some were found buried in the ruined cottages and the single men's barracks. Some were crushed by falling trees. Some were simply blown away and never heard of again. Henry R ufoote, a shepherd from Devon. The two actors who had played The Judgement of Paris. Morris Allyn, the Colmans’ old cowman. Jacky Cotsmur, the dowser. White's drunken son Cuthbert. Lizzie Glane.

It knocked the sense out of many of the living. They sat dull-eyed, unwilling to rouse themselves to work or to planning. They huddled together, talking in undertones, and when you passed them one word buzzed in the air. It was all they had left now. The sweet miracle. The drunkard's dream. Gold.

The rest said their prayers, began to pick over the ruins, and went on.

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