CHAPTER VI.
"O, sic a geek she gave her head, And sic a toss she gave her feather; Man, saw ye ne'er a bonnier lass Before, among the blooming heather?"
ALLAN CUNNINGHAM.
"Ah! here are some charming French _vignettes_!" cried Opportunity,running up to a table where lay some inferior coloured engravings, thatwere intended to represent the cardinal virtues, under the forms oftawdry female beauties. The workmanship was French, as were theinscriptions. Now, Opportunity knew just enough French to translatethese inscriptions, simple and school-girl as they were, as wrong asthey could possibly be translated, under the circumstances.
"_La Vertue_," cried Opportunity, in a high, decided way, as if to makesure of an audience "_The_ Virtue; _La Solitude_," pronouncing the lastword in a desperately English accent, "_The_ Solitude; La Charite, _The_Charity. It is really delightful, Mary, as 'Sarah Soothings' would say,to meet with these glimmerings of taste in this wilderness of theworld."
I wondered who the deuce "Sarah Soothings" could be, but afterwardslearned this was the nom-de-guerre of a female contributor to themagazines, who, I dare say, silly as she might be, was never sillyenough to record the sentiments Opportunity had just professed torepeat. As for _The la Charite_, and _The la Vertue_, they did not inthe least surprise me; for Martha, the hussy, often made herself merryby recording that young lady's _tours de force_ in French. On oneoccasion I remember she wrote me, that when Opportunity wished to say_On est venu me chercher_, instead of saying "I am come for," in homelyEnglish, which would have been the best of all, she had flown off in thehigh flight of "Je suis venue pour."
Mary smiled, for she comprehended perfectly the difference between _laSolitude_ and _the_ Solitude; but she said nothing. I must acknowledgethat I was so indiscreet as to smile also, though, Opportunity's backbeing turned towards us, these mutual signs of intelligence that escapedus both through the eyes, opened a species of communication that, to meat least, was infinitely agreeable.
Opportunity, having shown the owner of the strange figure at which shehad just glanced on entering the room, that she had studied French, nowturned to take a better look at him. I have reason to think myappearance did not make a very happy impression on her; for she tossedher head, drew a chair, seated herself in the manner most opposed to thedescent of down, and opened her budget of news, without the least regardto my presence, and apparently with as little attention to the wishesand tastes of her companions. Her accent, and jumping, hitching mode ofspeaking, with the high key in which she uttered her sentiments, too,all grated on my ears, which had become a little accustomed to differenthabits, in young ladies in particular, in the other hemisphere. Iconfess myself to be one of those who regard an even, quiet, gracefulmode of utterance, as even a greater charm in a woman than beauty. Itseffect is more lasting, and seems to be directly connected with thecharacter. Mary Warren not only pronounced like one accustomed to goodsociety; but the modulations of her voice, which was singularly sweet bynature, were even and agreeable, as is usual with well-bred women, andas far as possible from the jerking, fluttering, now rapid, now drawlingmanner of Opportunity. Perhaps, in this age of "loose attire," loosehabits, and free and easy deportment, the speech denotes the gentleman,or the lady, more accurately than any other off-hand test.
"Sen is enough to wear out anybody's patience!" exclaimed Opportunity."We must quit Troy in half an hour; and I have visits that I ought topay to Miss Jones, and Miss White, and Miss Black, and Miss Green, andMiss Brown, and three or four others; and I can't get him to come nearme."
"Why not go alone?" asked Mary, quietly. "It is but a step to two orthree of the houses, and you cannot possibly lose your way. I will gowith you, if you desire it."
"Oh! lose my way? no, indeed! I know it too well for that. I wasn'teducated in Troy, not to know something of the streets. But it looks so,to see a young lady walking in the streets without a beau! I never wishto cross a room in company without a beau; much less to cross a street.No; if Sen don't come in soon, I shall miss seeing every one of myfriends, and that will be a desperate disappointment to us all; but itcan't be helped: walk without a beau I _will not_, if I never see one ofthem again."
"Will you accept of me, Miss Opportunity?" asked Mr. Warren. "It willafford me pleasure to be of service to you."
"Lord! Mr. Warren, you don't think of setting up for a beau at your timeof life, do you? Everybody would see that you're a clergyman, and Imight just as well go alone. No, if Sen don't come in at once, I mustlose my visits; and the young ladies will be so put out about it, Iknow! Araminta Maria wrote me, in the most particular manner, never togo through Troy without stopping to see _her_, if I didn't see anothermortal; and Kathe_rine_ Clotilda has as much as said she would neverforgive me if I passed her door. But Seneca cares no more for thefriendships of young ladies, than he does"--Miss Newcome pronounced thisword "doos," notwithstanding her education, as she did "been," "ben,"and fifty others just as much out of the common way--"But Seneca caresno more for the friendships of young ladies, than he does for the youngpatroon. I declare, Mr. Warren, I believe Sen will go crazy unless theanti-renters soon get the best of it; he does nothing but think and talkof 'rents,' and 'aristocracy,' and 'poodle usages,' from morning tillnight."
We all smiled at the little mistake of Miss Opportunity, but it was ofno great consequence; and I dare say she knew what she meant as well asmost others who use the same term, though they spell it more accurately."Poodle usages" are quite as applicable to anything now existing inAmerica, as "feudal usages."
"Your brother is then occupied with a matter of the last importance tothe community of which he is a member," answered the clergyman, gravely."On the termination of this anti-rent question hangs, in my judgment, avast amount of the future character, and much of the future destiny, ofYew York."
"I wonder, now! I'm surprised to hear you say this, Mr. Warren, forgenerally you're thought to be unfriendly to the movement. Sen says,however, that everything looks well, and that _he_ believes the tenantswill get their lands throughout the State before they've done with it.He tells me we shall have Injins enough this summer at Ravensnest. Thevisit of old Mrs. Littlepage has raised a spirit that will not easily beput down, he says."
"And why should the visit of Mrs. Littlepage to the house of hergrandson, and to the house built by her own husband, and in which shepassed the happiest days of her life, 'raise a spirit,' as you call it,in any one in that part of the country?"
"Oh! you're episcopal, Mr. Warren; and we all know how the Episcopalsfeel about such matters. But, for my part, I don't think the Littlepagesare a bit better than the Newcomes, though I won't liken them to some Icould name at Ravensnest; but I don't think they are any better thanyou, yourself; and why should they ask so much more of the law thanother folks?"
"I am not aware that they do ask more of the law than others; and, ifthey do, I'm sure they obtain less. The law in this country is virtuallyadministered by jurors, who take good care to graduate justice, so faras they can, by a scale suited to their own opinions, and, quite often,to their prejudices. As the last are so universally opposed to personsin Mrs. Littlepage's class in life, if there be a chance to make hersuffer, it is pretty certain it will be improved."
"Sen says he can't see why he should pay rent to a Littlepage, any morethan a Littlepage should pay rent to him."
"I am sorry to hear it, since there is a very sufficient reason for theformer, and no reason at all for the latter. Your brother uses the landof Mr. Littlepage, and that is a reason why he should pay him rent. Ifthe case were reversed, then, indeed, Mr. Littlepage should pay rent toyour brother."
"But what reason is there that these Littlepages should go on fromfather to son, from generation to generation, as our landlords, whenwe're just as good as they. It's time there was some change. Besides,only think, we've been at the mills, now, hard upon eighty years,grandpa having first settled there; and we have had them very mills,now, for three generations among us
."
"High time, therefore, Opportunity, that there should be some change,"put in Mary, with a demure smile.
"Oh! you're so intimate with Marthy Littlepage, I'm not surprised atanything _you_ think or say. But reason is reason, for all that. Ihaven't the least grudge in the world against young Hugh Littlepage; ifforeign lands haven't spoilt him, as they say they're desperate apt todo, he's an agreeable young gentleman, and I can't say that _he_ used tothink himself any better than other folks."
"I should say none of the family are justly liable to the charge of sodoing," returned Mary.
"Well, I'm amazed to hear you say _that_, Mary Warren. To my taste,Marthy Littlepage is as disagreeable as she can be. If the anti-rentcause had nobody better than she is to oppose it, it would soontriumph."
"May I ask, Miss Newcome, what particular reason you have for sothinking?" asked Mr. Warren, who had kept his eye on the young lady thewhole time she had been thus running on, with an interest that struck meas somewhat exaggerated, when one remembered the character of thespeaker, and the value of her remarks.
"I think so, Mr. Warren, because everybody says so," was the answer. "IfMarthy Littlepage don't think herself better than other folks, why don'tshe _act_ like other folks. Nothing is good enough for her in her ownconceit."
Poor little Patt, who was the very _beau ideal_ of nature andsimplicity, as nature and simplicity manifest themselves under theinfluence of refinement and good-breeding, was here accused of fancyingherself better than this ambitious young lady, for no other reason thanthe fact of the little distinctive peculiarities of her air anddeportment, which Opportunity had found utterly unattainable, after oneor two efforts to compass them. In this very fact is the secret of athousand of the absurdities and vices that are going up and down theland at this moment, like raging lions, seeking whom they may devour.Men often turn to their statutebooks and constitution to find thesources of obvious evils, that, in truth, have their origin in some ofthe lowest passions of human nature. The entrance of Seneca at thatmoment, however, gave a new turn to the discourse, though it continuedsubstantially the same. I remarked that Seneca entered with his hat on,and that he kept his head covered during most of the interview thatsucceeded, notwithstanding the presence of the two young ladies and thedivine. As for myself, I had been so free as to remove my cap, thoughmany might suppose it was giving myself airs, while others would haveimagined it was manifesting a degree of respect to human beings that wasaltogether unworthy of freemen. It is getting to be a thing soparticular and aristocratic to take off the hat on entering a house,that few of the humbler democrats of America now ever think of it!
As a matter of course, Opportunity upbraided her delinquent brother fornot appearing sooner to act as her beau; after which, she permitted himto say a word for himself. That Seneca was in high good-humour, waseasily enough to be seen; he even rubbed his hands together in theexcess of his delight.
"Something has happened to please Sen," cried the sister, her own mouthon a broad grin, in her expectation of coming in for a share of thegratification. "I wish you would get him to tell us what it is, Mary;he'll tell _you_ anything."
I cannot describe how harshly this remark grated on my nerves. Thethought that Mary Warren could consent to exercise even the most distantinfluence over such a man as Seneca Newcome, was to the last degreeunpleasant to me; and I could have wished that she would openly andindignantly repel the notion. But Mary Warren treated the whole mattervery much as a person who was accustomed to such remarks would be apt todo. I cannot say that she manifested either pleasure or displeasure; buta cold indifference was, if anything, uppermost in her manner. Possibly,I should have been content with this; but I found it very difficult tobe so. Seneca, however, did not wait for Miss Warren to exert herinfluence to induce him to talk, but appeared well enough disposed to doit of his own accord.
"Something _has_ happened to please me, I must own," he answered; "and Iwould as lief Mr. Warren should know what it is, as not. Things go aheadfinely among us anti-renters, and we shall carry all our p'ints beforelong!"
"I wish I were certain no points would be carried but those that oughtto be carried, Mr. Newcome," was the answer. "But what has happened,lately, to give a new aspect to the affair?"
"We're gaining strength among the politicians. Both sides are beginningto court us, and the 'spirit of the institutions' will shortly makethemselves respected."
"I am delighted to hear that! It is in the intention of the institutionsto repress covetousness, and uncharitableness, and all frauds, and to donothing but what is right," observed Mr. Warren.
"Ah! here comes my friend the travelling jeweller," said Seneca,interrupting the clergyman, in order to salute my uncle, who at thatinstant showed himself in the door of the room, cap in hand. "Walk in,Mr. Dafidson, since that is your name: Rev. Mr. Warren--Miss MaryWarren--Miss Opportunity Newcome, my sister, who will be glad to look atyour wares. The cars will be detained on some special business, and wehave plenty of time before us."
All this was done with a coolness and indifference of manner which wentto show that Seneca had no scruples whatever on the subject of whom heintroduced to any one. As for my uncle, accustomed to these free andeasy manners, and probably not absolutely conscious of the figure he cutin his disguise, he bowed rather too much like a gentleman for one ofhis present calling, though my previous explanation of our own connexionand fallen fortunes had luckily prepared the way for this deportment.
"Come in, Mr. Dafidson, and open your box--my sister may fancy some ofyour trinkets; I never knew a girl that didn't."
The imaginary pedlar entered, and placed his box on a table near which Iwas standing, the whole party immediately gathering around it. Mypresence had attracted no particular attention from either Seneca or hissister, the room being public, and my connexion with the vender oftrinkets known. In the mean time, Seneca was too full of his good newsto let the subject drop; while the watches, rings, chains, brooches,bracelets, &c. &c., were passed under examination.
"Yes, Mr. Warren, I trust we are about to have a complete development ofthe spirit of our institutions, and that in futur' there will be noprivileged classes in New York, at least."
"The last will certainly be a great gain, sir," the divine coldlyanswered. "Hitherto, those who have most suppressed the truth, and whohave most contributed to the circulation of flattering falsehoods, havehad undue advantages in America."
Seneca, obviously enough, did not like this sentiment; but I thought, byhis manner, that he was somewhat accustomed to meeting with such rebuffsfrom Mr. Warren.
"I suppose you will admit there _are_ privileged classes now among us,Mr. Warren?"
"I am ready enough to allow that, sir; it is too plain to be denied."
"Wa-all, I should like to hear _you_ p'int 'em out; that I might see ifwe agree in our sentiments."
"Demagogues are a highly privileged class. The editors of newspapers areanother highly privileged class; doing things, daily and hourly, whichset all law and justice at defiance, and invading, with perfectimpunity, the most precious rights of their fellow-citizens. The powerof both is enormous; and, as in all cases of great and irresponsiblepower, both enormously abuse it."
"Wa-all, that's not my way of thinking at all. In my judgment, theprivileged classes in this country are your patroons and your landlords;men that's not satisfied with a reasonable quantity of land, but whowish to hold more than the rest of their fellow-creatur's."
"I am not aware of a single privilege that any patroon--of whom, by theway, there no longer exists one, except in name--or any landlord,possesses over any one of his fellow-citizens."
"Do you call it no privilege for a man to hold all the land there mayhappen to be in a township? I call that a great privilege; and such asno man should have in a free country. Other people want land as well asyour Van Renssalaers and Littlepages; and other people mean to have it,too."
"On that principle, every man who owns more of any one thing than hisneighbo
ur is privileged. Even I, poor as I am, and am believed to be, amprivileged over you, Mr. Newcome. I own a cassock, and have two gowns,one old and one new, and various other things of the sort, of which youhave not one. What is more, I am privileged in another sense; since Ican _wear_ my cassock and gown, and bands, and _do_ wear them often;whereas you cannot wear one of them all without making yourself laughedat."
"Oh! but them are not privileges I care anything about; if I did I wouldput on the things, as the law does not prohibit it."
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Newcome; the law does prohibit you from wearing_my_ cassock and gown contrary to my wishes."
"Wa-all, wa-all, Mr. Warren; we never shall quarrel about that; I don'tdesire to wear your cassack and gown."
"I understand you, then; it is only the things that you _desire_ to usethat you deem it a privilege for the law to leave me."
"I am afraid we shall never agree, Mr. Warren, about this anti-rentbusiness; and I'm very sorry for it, as I wish particularly to think asyou do," glancing his eye most profanely towards Mary as he spoke. "I amfor the movement-principle, while you are too much for the stand-stilldoctrine."
"I am certainly for remaining stationary, Mr. Newcome, if progress meantaking away the property of old and long established families in thecountry, to give it to those whose names are not to be found in ourhistory; or, indeed, to give it to any but those to whom it rightfullybelongs."
"We shall never agree, my dear sir, we shall never agree;" then, turningtowards my uncle with the air of superiority that the vulgar so easilyassume--"What do _you_ say to all this, friend Dafidson--are you up-rentor down-rent?"
"Ja, mynheer," was the quiet answer; "I always downs mit der rent vensI leave a house or a garten. It is goot to pay de debts; ja, it istherr goot."
This answer caused the clergyman and his daughter to smile, whileOpportunity laughed outright.
"You won't make much of your Dutch friend, Sen," cried this buoyantyoung lady; "he says you ought to keep on paying rent!"
"I apprehend Mr. Dafidson does not exactly understand the case,"answered Seneca, who was a good deal disconcerted, but was bent onmaintaining his point. "I have understood you to say that you are a manof liberal principles, Mr. Dafidson, and that you've come to America toenjoy the light of intelligence and the benefits of a free government."
"Ja; ven I might coome to America, I say, vell, dat 'tis a goot coontry,vhere an honest man might haf vhat he 'arns, ant keep it, too. Ja, ja!dat ist vhat I say, ant vhat I dinks."
"I understand you, sir; you come from a part of the world where thenobles eat up the fat of the land, taking the poor man's share as wellas his own, to live in a country where the law is, or soon will be, soequal that no citizen will dare to talk about his _estates_, and hurtthe feelin's of such as haven't got any."
My uncle so well affected an innocent perplexity at the drift of thisremark as to make me smile, in spite of an effort to conceal it. MaryWarren saw that smile, and another glance of intelligence was exchangedbetween us; though the young lady immediately withdrew her look, alittle consciously and with a slight blush.
"I say that you like equal laws and equal privileges, friend Dafidson,"continued Seneca, with emphasis; "and that you have seen too much of theevils of nobility and of feudal oppression in the old world, to wish tofall in with them in the new."
"Der nobles ant der feudal privileges ist no goot," answered thetrinket-pedlar, shaking his head with an appearance of great distaste.
"Ay, I knew it would be so; you see, Mr. Warren, no man who has everlived under a feudal system can ever feel otherwise."
"But what have we to do with feudal systems, Mr. Newcome? and what isthere in common between the landlords of New York and the nobles ofEurope, and between their leases and feudal tenures?"
"What is there? A vast deal too much, sir, take my word for it. Do notour very governors, even while ruthlessly calling on one citizen tomurder another----"
"Nay, nay, Mr. Newcome," interrupted Mary Warren, laughing, "thegovernors call on the citizens _not_ to murder each other."
"I understand you, Miss Mary; but we shall make anti-renters of you bothbefore we are done. Surely, sir, there is a great deal too muchresemblance between the nobles of Europe and our landlords, when thehonest and free-born tenants of the last are obliged to pay tribute forpermission to live on the very land that they till, and which they causeto bring forth its increase."
"But men who are not noble let their lands in Europe; nay, the veryserfs, as they become free and obtain riches, buy lands and let them, insome parts of the old world, as I, have heard and read."
"All feudal, sir. The whole system is pernicious and feudal, serf or noserf."
"But, Mr. Newcome," said Mary Warren, quietly, though with a sort ofdemure irony in her manner that said she was not without humour, andunderstood herself very well, "even you let your land--land that youlease, too, and which you do not own, except as you hire it from Mr.Littlepage."
Seneca gave a hem, and was evidently disconcerted; but he had too muchof the game of the true progressive movement--which merely means to_lead_ in changes, though they may lead to the devil--to give the matterup. Repeating the hem, more to clear his brain than to clear his throat,he hit upon his answer, and brought it out with something very liketriumph.
"That is one of the evils of the present system, Miss Mary. Did I ownthe two or three fields you mean, and to attend to which I have noleisure, I might _sell_ them; but now, it is impossible, since I cangive no deed. The instant my poor uncle dies--and he can't survive aweek, being, as you must know, nearly gone--the whole property, mills,tavern, farms, timber-lot and all, fall in to young Hugh Littlepage,who is off frolicking in Europe, doing no good to himself or others,I'll venture to say, if the truth were known. That is another of thehardships of the feudal system; it enables one man to travel inidleness, wasting his substance in foreign lands, while it keeps anotherat home, at the plough-handles and the cart-tail."
"And why do you suppose Mr. Hugh Littlepage wastes his substance, and isdoing himself and country no good in foreign lands, Mr. Newcome? That isnot at all the character I hear of him, nor is it the result that Iexpect to see from his travels."
"The money he spends in Europe might do a vast deal of good atRavensnest, sir."
"For my part, my dear sir," put in Mary again, in her quiet but pungentway, "I think it remarkable that neither of our late governors has seenfit to enumerate the facts just mentioned by Mr. Newcome among thosethat are opposed to the spirit of the institutions. It is, indeed, agreat hardship that Mr. Seneca Newcome cannot sell Mr. Hugh Littlepage'sland."
"I complain less of that," cried Seneca, a little hastily, "than of thecircumstance that all my rights in the property must go with the deathof my uncle. _That_, at least, even you, Miss Mary, must admit is agreat hardship."
"If your uncle were unexpectedly to revive, and live twenty years, Mr.Newcome----"
"No, no, Miss Mary," answered Seneca, shaking his head in a melancholymanner; "_that_ is absolutely impossible. It would not surprise me tofind him dead and buried on our return."
"But, admit that you may be mistaken, and that your lease shouldcontinue--you would still have a rent to pay?"
"Of that I wouldn't complain in the least. If Mr. Dunning, Littlepage'sagent, will just promise, in as much as half a sentence, that we can geta new lease on the old terms, I'd not say a syllable about it."
"Well, here is one proof that the system has its advantages!" exclaimedMr. Warren, cheerfully. "I'm delighted to hear you say this; for it issomething to have a class of men among us whose simple promises, in amatter of money, have so much value! It is to be hoped that theirexample will not be lost."
"Mr. Newcome has made an admission I am also glad to hear," added Mary,as soon as her father had done speaking. "His willingness to accept anew lease on the old terms is a proof that he has been living under agood bargain for himself hitherto, and that down to the present momenthe has been the obli
ged party."
This was very simply said, but it bothered Seneca amazingly. As formyself, I was delighted with it, and could have kissed the pretty, archcreature who had just uttered the remark; though I will own that as muchmight have been done without any great reluctance, had she even held hertongue. As for Seneca, he did what most men are apt to do when they havethe consciousness of not appearing particularly well in a given point ofview he endeavoured to present himself to the eyes of his companions inanother.
"There is one thing, Mr. Warren, that I think you will admit ought notto be," he cried, exultingly, "whatever Miss Mary thinks about it; andthat is, that the Littlepage pew in your church ought to come down."
"I will not say that much, Mr. Newcome, though I rather think mydaughter will. I believe, my dear, you are of Mr. Newcome's way ofthinking in respect to this canopied pew, and also in respect to the oldhatchments?"
"I wish neither was in the church," answered Mary, in a low voice.
From that moment I was fully resolved neither should be, as soon as Igot into a situation to control the matter.
"In that I agree with you entirely, my child," resumed the clergyman;"and were it not for this movement connected with the rents, and thefalse principles that have been so boldly announced of late years, Imight have taken on myself the authority, as rector, to remove thehatchments. Even according to the laws connected with the use of suchthings, they should have been taken away a generation or two back. As tothe pew, it is a different matter. It is private property; wasconstructed with the church, which was built itself by the jointliberality of the Littlepages and mother Trinity; and it would be a mostungracious act to undertake to destroy it under such circumstances, andmore especially in the absence of its owner."
"You agree, however, that it ought not to be there?" asked Seneca, withexultation.
"I wish with all my heart it were not. I dislike every thing likeworldly distinction in the house of God; and heraldic emblems, inparticular, seem to me very much out of place where the cross is seen tobe in its proper place."
"Wa-all, now, Mr. Warren, I can't say I much fancy crosses aboutchurches either. What's the use in raising vain distinctions of anysort. A church is but a house, after all, and ought so to be regarded."
"True," said Mary, firmly; "but the house of God."
"Yes, yes, we all know, Miss Mary, that you Episcopalians look more atoutward things, and more respect outward things, than most of the otherdenominations of the country."
"Do you call leases 'outward things,' Mr. Newcome?" asked Mary, archly;"and contracts, and bargains, and promises, and the rights of property,and the obligation to 'do as you would be done by?'"
"Law! good folks," cried Opportunity, who had been all this timetumbling over the trinkets, "I wish it was 'down with the rent' forever, with all my heart; and that not another word might ever be said onthe subject. Here is one of the prettiest pencils, Mary, I ever did see;and its price is only four dollars. I wish, Sen, you'd let the rentalone, and make me a present of this very pencil."
As this was an act of which Seneca had not the least intention of beingguilty, he merely shifted his hat from one side of his head to theother, began to whistle, and then he coolly left the room. My uncle Roprofited by the occasion to beg Miss Opportunity would do him the honourto accept the pencil as an offering from himself.
"You an't surely in earnest!" exclaimed Opportunity, flushing up withsurprise and pleasure. "Why, you told me the price was four dollars; andeven that seems to me desperate little!"
"Dat ist de price to anudder," said the gallant trinket-dealer; "but datist not de price to you, Miss Opportunity. Ve shall trafel togedder; antvhen ve gets to your coontry, you vill dell me de best houses vhere Imight go mit my vatches ant drinkets."
"That I will; and get you in at the Nest House, in the bargain," criedOpportunity, pocketing the pencil without further parley.
In the mean time my uncle selected a very neat seal, the handsomest hehad, being of pure metal, and having a real topaz in it, and offered itto Mary Warren, with his best bow. I watched the clergyman's daughterwith anxiety, as I witnessed the progress of this _galanterie_, doubtingand hoping at each change of the ingenuous and beautiful countenance ofher to whom the offering was made. Mary coloured, smiled, seemedembarrassed, and, as I feared, for a single moment doubting; but I musthave been mistaken, as she drew back, and, in the sweetest mannerpossible, declined to accept the present. I saw that Opportunity'shaving just adopted a different course added very much to herembarrassment, as otherwise she might have said something to lessen theseeming ungraciousness of the refusal. Luckily for herself, however, shehad a gentleman to deal with, instead of one in the station that myuncle Ro had voluntarily assumed. When this offering was made, thepretended pedlar was ignorant altogether of the true characters of theclergyman and his daughter, not even knowing that he saw the rector ofSt. Andrew's, Ravensnest. But the manner of Mary at once disabused himof an error into which he had fallen through her association withOpportunity, and he now drew back himself with perfect tact, bowing andapologizing in a way that I thought must certainly betray his disguise.It did not, however; for Mr. Warren, with a smile that denoted equallysatisfaction at his daughter's conduct, and a grateful sense of theother's intended liberality, but with a simplicity that was of proof,turned to me and begged a tune on the flute which I had drawn from mypocket and was holding in my hand, as expecting some such invitation.
If I have any accomplishment, it is connected with music; andparticularly with the management of the flute. On this occasion I wasnot at all backward about showing off, and I executed two or three airs,from the best masters, with as much care as if I had been playing to asalon in one of the best quarters of Paris. I could see that Mary andher father were both surprised at the execution, and that the first wasdelighted. We had a most agreeable quarter of an hour together; andmight have had two, had not Opportunity--who was certainly well named,being apropos of everything--began of her own accord to sing, though notwithout inviting Mary to join her. As the latter declined this publicexhibition, as well as my uncle Ro's offering, Seneca's sister had itall to herself; and she sang no less than three songs, in quicksuccession, and altogether unasked. I shall not stop to characterize themusic or the words of these songs, any further than to say they wereall, more or less, of the Jim Crow school, and executed in a way thatdid them ample justice.
As it was understood that we were all to travel in the same train, theinterview lasted until we were ready to proceed; nor did it absolutelyterminate then. As Mary and Opportunity sat together, Mr. Warren askedme to share his seat, regardless of the hurdy-gurdy; though my attire,in addition to its being perfectly new and neat, was by no means of themean character that it is usual to see adorning street-music in general.On the whole, so long as the instrument was not _en evidence_, I mightnot have seemed very much out of place seated at Mr. Warren's side. Inthis manner we proceeded to Saratoga, my uncle keeping up a privatediscourse the whole way with Seneca, on matters connected with the rentmovement.
As for the divine and myself, we had also much interesting talktogether. I was questioned about Europe in general and Germany inparticular; and had reason to think my answers gave surprise as well assatisfaction. It was not an easy matter to preserve the Doric of myassumed dialect, though practice and fear contributed their share torender me content to resort to it. I made many mistakes, of course, butmy listeners were not the persons to discover them. I say my listeners,for I soon ascertained that Mary Warren, who sat on the seat directlybefore us, was a profoundly attentive listener to all that passed. Thiscircumstance did not render me the less communicative, though it didincrease the desire I felt to render what I said worthy of such alistener. As for Opportunity, she read a newspaper a little while,munched an apple a very little while, and slept the rest of the way. Butthe journey between modern Troy and Saratoga is not a long one, and wassoon accomplished.
The Redskins; or, Indian and Injin, Volume 1. Page 7
