CHAPTER IX.
Towards noon of the day on which the council held their session, atroop of maidens was seen issuing from the chapel. Their number mighthave been eight or ten. The orderly step with which they departed fromthe door was exchanged for a playful haste in grouping together whenthey got beyond the immediate precincts of the place of worship. Theirbuoyant carriage and lively gesticulations betokened the elasticity ofhealth which was still more unequivocally shown in their ruddycomplexions and well rounded forms.
Their path lay across the grassy plain towards the town, and passedimmediately within the space embowered by an ancient, spreading poplar,scarce a hundred paces in front of the chapel. When the bevy reachedthis spot, they made a halt and gathered around one of their number,who seemed to be the object of a mirthful and rather tumultuaryimportunity. The individual thus beset was Blanche Warden. Togetherwith a few elderly dames, who were at this moment standing at the doorof the chapel in parley with father Pierre, this troop had constitutedthe whole congregation who had that morning attended the service of thefestival of St. Bridget.
"Holy mother, how I am set upon!" exclaimed Blanche, as, half smilingand half earnest, she turned her back against the trunk of the tree."Have I not said I could not? Why should my birth-day be so rememberedthat all the town must be talking about it?"
"You did promise," said one of the party, "or at least, Mistress Alicepromised for you, full six months ago, that when you came to eighteenwe should have a merry-making at the Rose Croft."
"It would not be seemly--I should be thought bold," replied the maiden,"to be turning my birth-day into a feast. Indeed, I must not andcannot, playmates."
"There is no must not nor cannot in our books, Blanche Warden,"exclaimed another, "but simply we will. There is troth plighted for it,and that's enough for us. So we hold to that, good Blanche."
"Yes, good Blanche! gentle Blanche! sweetheart, we hold to that!" criedthe whole party, in a clamorous onset.
"Truly, Grace Blackiston, you will have father Pierre checking us fornoisy behaviour," said the maiden. "You see that he is now lookingtowards us. It is a pretty matter to make such a coil about! I marvel,has no one ever been eighteen before!"
"This day se'nnight," replied the arch girl to whom this reprimand wasaddressed, "will be the first day, Blanche Warden, the Rose of St.Mary's has ever seen eighteen; and it will be the last I trow: and whatcomes and goes but once in the wide world should be accounted a rarething, and rarities should be noticed, sweetheart."
"If I was coming eighteen," said a damsel who scarce reached as high asBlanche's shoulder, "and had as pretty a house for a dance as the RoseCroft, there should be no lack of sport amongst the towns-people."
"It is easy to talk on a two year's venture, little Madge," repliedBlanche; "for that is far enough off to allow space for boasting. Butgently, dear playmates! do not clamour so loud. I would do your biddingwith good heart if I thought it would not be called something frowardin me to be noising my age abroad, as if it was my lady herself."
"We will advise with father Pierre and Lady Maria," responded GraceBlackiston; "they are coming this way."
At this moment the reverend priest, and the ladies with whom he hadbeen in conversation, approached. The sister of the Proprietary wasdistinguished as well by her short stature and neat attire, as by herlittle Indian attendant, who followed bearing the lady's missal. Thetall figure of father Pierre, arrayed in his black tunic and belt,towered above his female companions. He bore his square bonnet of blackcloth in his hand, disclosing a small silk cap closely fitted to hiscrown, fringed around with the silver locks which, separating on hisbrow, gave the grace of age to a countenance full of benignity.
The presence of the churchman subdued the eager gaiety of the crowd,and two or three of the maidens ran up to him with an affectionatefamiliarity to make him acquainted with the subject of theircontention.
"Father," said Grace Blackiston, "we have a complaint to lodge againstMistress Blanche for a promise-breaker. You must counsel her, father,to her duty."
"Ah, my child! pretty Blanche!" exclaimed the priest, with the alacrityof his native French temper, as he took the assailed damsel by thehand, "what have they to say against you? I will be your friend as wellas your judge."
"The maidens, father," replied Blanche, "have taken leave of theirwits, and have beset me like mad-caps to give them a dance at the RoseCroft on my birth-day. And I have stood on my refusal, father Pierre,as for a matter that would bring me into censure for pertness--as I amsure you will say it would--with worshipful people, that a damsel whoshould be modest in her behaviour, should so thrust herself forward tobe observed."
"And we do not heed that, father Pierre," interrupted Grace Blackiston,who assumed to be the spokeswoman of the party, "holding it a scruplemore nice than wise. Blanche has a trick of standing back more than amaiden needs. And, besides, we say that Mistress Alice is bound bypledge of word, and partly Blanche, too--for she stood by and saidnever a syllable against it--that we should have good cheer and dancingon that day at the Rose Croft. It is the feast of the blessed virgin,Terese, and we would fain persuade Blanche that the festival should bekept for the sake of her birth-day saint."
"My children," said the priest, who during this debate stood in themidst of the blooming troop, casting his glances from one to anotherwith the pleased expression of an interested partaker of their mirth,and at the same time endeavouring to assume a countenance of mockgravity, "we will consider this matter with impartial justice. And,first, we will hear all that Mistress Blanche has to say. It is aprofound subject. Do you admit the promise, my child?"
"I do not deny, father Pierre, that last Easter, when we met and dancedat Grace Blackiston's, my sister Alice did make some promise, and Isaid nothing against it. But it was an idle speech of sister Alice,which I thought no more of till now; and now should not have rememberedit if these wild mates of mine had not sung it in my ear with suchclamour as must have made you think we had all gone mad."
"It is honestly confessed," said father Pierre; "and though I heard theoutcry all the way to the church door, yet I did not deem the damselsabsolutely mad, as you supposed. I am an old man, my child, and I havebeen taught by my experience, in what key seven, eight, or nine younggirls will make known their desires when they are together: and, truly,it is their nature to speak all at the same time. They speak more thanthey listen--ha, ha! But we shall be mistaken if we conclude they aremad."
"Blanche, love," interposed the Lady Maria, "you have scarce given agood reason for gainsaying the wish of the damsels. Have a care, or youmay find me a mutineer on this question."
"That's a rare lady--a kind lady!" shouted several. "Now, Blanche, youhave no word of denial left."
"I am at mercy," said the maiden, "if my good mistress, the Lady Maria,is not content. Whatever my sister Alice and my father shall approve,and you, dear lady, shall say befits my state, that will I undertakeright cheerfully. I would pleasure the whole town in the way ofmerry-making, if I may do so without seeming to set too much accountupon so small a matter as my birth-day. I but feared it would not bewell taken in one so young as I am."
"I will answer it to the town," said the Lady Maria. "It shall be doneas upon my motion; and Mistress Alice shall take order in the matter asa thing wherein you had no part. Will that content you, Blanche?"
"I will be ruled in all things by my dear lady," replied the maiden."You will speak to my father?"
"It shall be my special duty to look after it forthwith," responded thelady.
"Luckily," said father Pierre, laughing, "this great business issettled without the aid of the church. Well, I have lost some of myconsequence in the winding up, and the Lady Maria is in the ascendant.I will have my revenge by being as merry as any of you at the feast.So, good day, mes enfants!"
With this sally, the priest left the company and retired to hisdwelling hard by the chapel. The Lady Maria and her elderly companionsmoved towards the town, whilst the
troop of damsels with increasedvolubility pursued their noisy triumph, and with rapid steps hastenedto their several homes.
Rob of the Bowl: A Legend of St. Inigoe's. Vol. 1 (of 2) Page 9
