CHAPTER XIV.
Every white will have its black, And every sweet its sour.
OLD BALLAD.
The birth-day festival at the Rose Croft might be said appropriately tobelong to the eminent dominion of the Lady Maria. It therefore lackednothing of her zealous supervision. With the aid of father Pierre andsome female auxiliaries she had persuaded the Collector--a task of nogreat difficulty--to sanction the proceeding, and she was now intentupon the due ordering and setting out of the preparations. The day wasstill a week off when, early after breakfast, on a pleasant morning thebusiness-fraught lady was seen in the hall, arrayed in riding hood andmantle, ready to mount a quiet black-and-white pony that, in the chargeof a groom, awaited her pleasure at the door. Natta, the little Indiangirl, stood by entrusted with the care of a work-bag or walletapparently well stuffed with the materials for future occupation,--theparcel-fragments which thrifty housewives and idleness-hating dames,down to this day, are accustomed to carry with them, for the sake ofthe appearance, at least, of industry. Just at this moment theProprietary came into the hall, and seeing that his worthy sister wasbound on some enterprise of more than usual earnestness, he added tohis customary morning salutation a playful inquiry into the purport ofher excursion.
"Ah, Charles," she replied, "there are doings in the province which areabove the rule of your burgesses and councils. I hold a convocation atthe Rose Croft to-day, touching matters more earnest than your stateaffairs. We have a merry-making in the wind, and I am looked to bothfor countenance and advice. It is my prerogative, brother, to bemistress of all revels."
"God bless thine age, Maria!" was the affectionate reply of theProprietary--"it wears a pleasant verdure and betokens a life ofinnocent thoughts and kind actions. May the saints bear thee gentlyonward to thy rest! Come, I will serve as your cavalier, and help youto your horse, sister.--See now, my arm has pith in it. Hither,Natta--there is the wench on the pillion--who could serve thee with abetter grace than that?"
"Thanks--thanks, good brother!" ejaculated the lady as the Proprietarylifted her to her seat, and then swung the Indian girl upon the pillionbehind her. "Your arm is a valiant arm, and is blessed by more than onein this province. It has ever been stretched forth in acts of charityand protection."
"Nay, Maria, you are too old to flatter. Fie! I have no advancement tooffer thee. In truth thou art sovereign here--though you go throughyour realm with but scant attendance for one so magnified. Why is notAlbert in your train? I may well spare him--as he has a liking for suchservice."
"Brother, I would not tax the Secretary. He hath a free foot for hisown pleasure; and, methinks, he finds his way to the Rose Croft easilyenough without my teaching. It is an ancient caution of mine, in suchaffairs, neither to mar nor make."
"Heaven help thee for a considerate spinster!" said the Proprietarywith a benignant smile as he raised his hands and shook them sportivelytowards his sister. "Go thy ways, with thy whimsies and thyscruples;--and a blessing on them! I wish yours were our onlycares:--but go thy ways, girl!" he added, as the lady set forth on herjourney, and he withdrew from the door.
At the Rose Croft, the approaching merry-making had superseded allother family topics, both in parlour and kitchen. The larder wasalready beginning to exhibit the plentiful accumulations which, in aplace of strength, might portend a siege: the stable boys were ever onthe alert, with their cavalry, to do rapid errands to the town, andMichael Mossbank, the gardener, was seen in frequent and earnestconsultation with John Pouch, a river-side cotter, touching supplies offish and wild fowl.
Whilst the elder sister Alice despatched the graver duties of thehousekeeping, she had consigned to Blanche the not less important careof summoning the guests, and the maiden was now seated at the tablewith pen in hand registering the names of those who had been, or wereto be invited to the feast,--or in other words making a census ofpretty nearly the whole tithable population of St. Mary's and itsdependencies.
"A plague upon it for a weary labour!" she exclaimed as she threw downthe pen and rested her chin upon the palm of her hand. "I know I shallforget somebody I ought not to forget--and shall be well rated for it.And then again I shall be chid for being too free with myfellowship.--What a world of names is here! I did not think the wholeprovince had so many. There is Winnefred Hay, the Viewer'ssister,--they have tales about her which, if they be true, it is notfit she should be a crony of mine--and yet I don't believe them, thoughmany do.--Truly the Viewer will be in a grand passion if I slight her!Sister Alice, give me your advice."
"Bid her to the feast, Blanche. We should be slow to believe theserumours to the injury of a neighbour. Winnefred Hay, is not overdiscreet--and gives more semblance to an evil opinion than, in truth,her faults deserve: but the townspeople are scarce better in thisquickness to censure--especially such as look to the tobacco viewing.Lawrence Hay's place has something to do with that scandal."
"I am glad, sister Alice, you give me an argument to indulge my ownsecret wish," replied Blanche; "for I like not to believe harsh reportsagainst any of our province. And so, that is at an end. Alack!--here isanother matter for counsel: Grace Blackiston says Helen Clements is tooyoung to be at my gathering:--she has two years before her yet atschool, and has only begun embroidering. Oh, but I would as soon do abarefoot penance for a month as disappoint her!--she is the wildest ofall for a dance, and looks for it, I know,--though she says never aword, and has her eyes on the ground when we talk about it.--Ha, letGrace Blackiston prate as she will, Helen shall be here! Fairly, mygossip,--I will be mistress in my own house, I promise you!"
"There is room for all thy friends, young and old," said Alice; "andyou should not stint to ask them for the difference of a span or so inheight. You are not quite a woman yourself, Blanche,--no, nor Graceneither--although you perk yourselves up so daintily."
"Would you have the gauger's wife, sister?" inquired Blanche, with aface of renewed perplexity. "I think my dear Lady Maria would bepleased if I bid the dame--for the gauger is a good friend of hisLordship--hot-headed, they say, but that does not make him theworse--and his dame takes it kindly to be noticed."
"Even as you will, Blanche,--it is a mark of gentle nurture not to betoo scrupulous with thy questions of quality--a kind neighbour willnever disgrace your courtesy. But one thing, child, your father willlook to:--see that you avoid these Coodes and Fendalls and even theChiseldines. There is a feud between them and the Proprietary,--and myLord's friends are warm in the matter,--your father amongst the rest."
"I warrant you they get no bid from me," said Blanche, as the colourmantled in her cheek. "I hate them stock and branch--yes, as my goodlady hates them."
Blanche had scarcely uttered these words before the good lady herselfrode past the window. The maiden bounded forth to receive her, andAlice with less precipitation followed.
"I come with pony and pillion," said the visiter as she was assisted tothe ground, and bustled into the parlour. "I could not rest until I sawBlanche, to know if all her biddings were abroad. My pretty bird, praylook you to your task--you have no time to lose: there are the familiesbeyond Patuxent--and our friends across the bay,--besides many at homethat I know have not heard from you yet. And here, sweet, I havebrought you some trinketry which you shall wear at the feast: a part isfor Grace Blackiston, and a part for you. Thou shalt have the choice,Blanche:--but whisht!--not a word of it to Grace, because I think shehath a conceit to be jealous of thy favour."
Whilst the two sisters welcomed the lady and responded to her volublecommunications in a tone of affectionate intimacy, the contents of thework-bag were thrown open to view, and successively gave rise to sundrydiscussions relating not only to the objects presented, but alsocollaterally to the thousand matters of detail connected with thefestival, thus engrossing the first hour of their interview, until thesubject was changed by an exclamation from Blanche, as she lookedthrough the window upon the river--
"Oh, but here is a gallant sight!--see yonder hawk followi
ng a heron.He will strike presently--the heron cannot get away. Poor bird! how hedoubles and drops in his flight to escape the swift hawk;--but it is ofno avail. I should almost say it was sinful,--if it was not approvedand followed by those I love best--I should hold it sinful to frightenand torture a harmless heron by such pursuit. There, the hawk hasstruck, and down comes hawk and quarry to the water."
"It is his Lordship's hawk," said the Lady Maria, as she looked outupon the river. "Derrick the falconer must be abroad to-day with hisbirds:--and now whilst I speak, there he is walking along the beach.And he is not alone neither:--by that short mantle and that feather,Blanche, you may know a friend."
The colour rose on the maiden's cheek as she said, "it is Albert, hisLordship's secretary."
"His eyes are turned this way," said the sister of the Proprietary. "Awager he comes to the house in the next ten minutes!--He would fainfind some business with the Collector--I know Master Albert'soccasions: nay, do not flurry thyself, my sweet Blanche."
"I wish the Secretary _would_ come," returned the maiden; "we haveneed of him; he promised to show me how I were best to arrange myflower vases."
"Then thou shouldst do well to despatch a messenger to him,"interrupted the Lady Maria, playfully; "dost thou not think he mightforget?"
"Oh no, my dear lady," replied Blanche, "Master Albert never forgets apromise to me."
"Indeed! Well, I should have thought that having occasion to make youso many promises--for he is here at the Rose Croft thrice a week atleast--and every visit has its promise, or I mistake--he would forgetfull one half."
"I deal but scantily in promises with the Secretary," replied Blanche."Master Albert's errands here are for pastime mostly."
"Ah, he doth not forget," exclaimed the Lady Maria; "for there I seethe feather of his bonnet as he climbs up the bank,--and now we havehis head and shoulders; we shall get the whole man anon,--and MasterBenedict Leonard in the bargain, for I see _him_ trudging in theSecretary's footsteps, as he is wont to do; his young Lordship hathbecome the Secretary's shadow. And there is Derrick behind. They areall bound for this haven."
As the lady spoke, the Secretary was seen from the window with the heirapparent and the falconer on the verge of the bank which they had justascended. Benedict Leonard had a hooded hawk upon his fist; andDerrick, waving a light rod to which a small streamer or flag wasattached, was busy in luring down the bird that had just flown at theheron. Whilst the falconer continued his occupation the Secretary andhis young companion entered the mansion.
Albert Verheyden's accost to the ladies was characterized by afamiliarity not unmixed with diffidence, and a momentary flush passed,across his cheek as, after saluting Mistress Alice, and turning toBlanche, his eye fell upon the sister of the Proprietary. "I did notexpect to find my honoured lady so early at the Rose Croft," he saidwith a profound reverence. "It should have been my duty, madam, toattend you, but I knew not of your purpose; and the falconer being bentto fly the cast of lanerets which Colonel Talbot lately sent to myLord, would have me witness the trial, and so I came with MasterBenedict to see this sport."
"Nay, Albert," replied the lady, "you should not have been of mycompany even if you had sought permission. I come to-day on no idleerrand which might allow your loitering paces and customary delays togaze on headlands and meadows, whereby you are wont to interrupt thecourse of your journey. The matter of our present meeting has need ofstirring feet, which go direct to their work,--yours are not such.Still, Master Albert, you shall not be useless to-day:--here isoccupation to thy hand; Blanche is in much want of a penman, and as youare of the writing craft, she would gladly enlist thee in herservice--that is, if thou hast not been already marshaled and swornunder her colours."
"Master Albert, our dear lady does but jest," said Blanche. "She knowsI had at first no need of better penman than myself, and now have needof none,--for, in truth, my work was finished ere she came. But yourservice I may command in a better task. You did promise to bring mesome device for my flower-stands."
"The joiner will have them here to-day," replied the Secretary. "I havenot failed to spur his industry as well as my own poor invention tothat endeavour."
"Then all is done but the rendering of thanks," said Blanche, "whichyet I am not in the humour to do, having matter of quarrel with you forthat following of the poor heron which, but now, we saw the hawk strikedown, whilst you were a looker-on, and, as we suspect, an encourager ofthe trespass. It was a cruel thing to assail the innocent fowl, which,being native here, has ever found friends in our house;--yes, and hasdaily fed upon the flat below the garden. These herons scarce fly whenI walk by them on the beach. I wish the falconer had sought his quarryelsewhere than amongst my harmless birds. You should have controlledhim."
"I am deeply grieved," replied the Secretary. "Indeed, I knew not ofthe bird nor whence he came: nor thought of it, in truth. A feather ofhis wing should not have come to harm had I been aware that he had everpleased your eye. I am all unskilled in these out-door sports, and havescarce worn out the complexion of my school at Antwerp, where worldlypastimes were a forbidden thought. A poor scholar of the cloister mightgo free of blame if, in this sunny and gallant world, the transport ofa noble game should rob him of his circumspection. I thought of naughtbut the glorious circling of the hawk and his swift and imperiousassault. I crave your pardon for my inconsiderate error."
"You speak more like a practised cavalier than a scholar of thecloister," said the sister of the Proprietary; "thou hast a cavalier'slove of the sport, Albert."
"It doth not beseem me, madam," was the Secretary's reply, "to affect apastime which belongs neither to my rank nor humble means; but, insadness, dear lady, I do love hawk, and hound, and steed. And when inmy sequestered study--where, being, as I thought, destined to theservice of the altar, I read mostly of holy men and holy things, littledreaming that I should ever see the world--it sometimes chanced, in mystray reading, I fell upon a lay wherein deeds of chivalry were told;and then I was conscious of a wish, I am now almost ashamed to confess,that fortune might some day bring me better acquainted with that worldto which such deeds belonged. Oh, blessed chance! it hath befallennow:----that is,--I mean to say," continued the Secretary, checkinghimself, as his flashing eye fell to the floor, and a blush flittedacross his brow--"it hath pleased Heaven to give me a kind master in mygood Lord, who doth not deny me to look on when these sports areafield."
"And if we did strike down the heron, Blanche Warden," said BenedictLeonard, saucily accosting the maiden, and showing the hawk that wasbound to his wrist--"what is a heron good for, but to be brought down?Herons were made for hawks--yes, and for the hawks of the Proprietaryabove all others; for I have heard say that every heron on theChesapeake, within my father's boundary, is his own bird: so Derrickhas said a hundred times. And there's my uncle Talbot, who flies a hawkbetter than any other in the province--I don't care if Derrick hearsme--and has the best mews,--he says that these fire-arms have broken uphawking in the old country; and he told me I must not let it fallthrough when I come to the province; for my father, he thinks, doesn'tcare much for it. I promise you in my time we shall have hawkingenough--chide as you like, Mistress Blanche. It was partly for me thatmy uncle Talbot sent us this cast of birds. Look at that laneret,Blanche,--look at her! Isn't that a bird? Talk to me of a goshawk afterthat!"
"Benedict--nephew," interposed the Lady Maria, "why dost thou fling thybird so rudely? She brushes Blanche's cheek with her wing. Pray, not sobold: Blanche will not like thee for it."
"Blanche will never quarrel with me for loving my hawk, aunt," repliedthe boy playfully. "Will you, mistress? A laneret's wing and BlancheWarden's cheek are both accounted beautiful in this province, and willnot grow angry with each other upon acquaintance."
"I know not that, Benedict," replied the maiden; "my cheek may growjealous of your praise of the wing, and mischief might follow. She isbut a savage bird, and hath a vicious appetite."
"I will away to the falconer,"
said the boy. "It is but wasting goodthings to talk with women about hawks. You will find me, Master Albert,along the bank with Derrick, if you have need of me."
"That boy hath more of the Talbot in him than the Calvert," said theLady Maria, after he had left the room. "His father was ever grave fromyouth upwards, and cared but little for these exercises. BenedictLeonard lives in the open air, and has a light heart.--Thou hast a bookunder thy mantle, Master Albert," continued the lady. "Is your breviaryneedful when you go forth to practise a laneret?"
"It is a volume I have brought for Mistress Blanche," replied theSecretary, as, with some evident confusion, he produced a gilded quartowith clasps, from beneath his dress. "It is a delightful history of abrave cavalier, that I thought would please her."
"Ah!" exclaimed the sister of the Proprietary, taking the book andreading the title-page--"'_La tres joyeuse et plaisante Histoire,composec par le Loyal Serviteur, des faits, gestes et prouesses du bonChevalier sans peur et sans reproche._' Ay, and a right pleasanthistory it is, this of the good Knight Bayard, without fear and withoutreproach. But, Albert, thou knowest Blanche doth not read French."
"I designed to render it myself to Mistress Blanche, in her nativetongue," replied the Secretary.
"Blanche," said the lady, shaking her head, "this comes of not takingmy counsel to learn this language of chivalry long ago. See what perilyou will suffer now in journeying through this huge book alone withMaster Albert."
"I see no peril," replied the maiden, unconscious of the raillery."Master Albert will teach me, ere he be done, to read French formyself."
"When thou hast such a master, and the Secretary such a pupil," saidthe lady, smiling, "Heaven speed us! I will eat all the French thoulearnest in a month. But, Master Albert, if Blanche cannot understandyour legend, in the tongue in which it is writ, she can fullycomprehend your music--and so can we. It is parcel of your duty at theRose Croft to do minstrel's service. You have so many songs--and I sawthee stealing a glance at yon lute, as if thou wouldst greet an oldacquaintance."
"If it were not for Master Albert," said Alice, "Blanche's lute wouldbe unstrung. She scarce keeps it, one would think, but for theSecretary's occupation."
"Ah, sister Alice, and my dear lady," said Blanche, "the Secretary hathsuch a touch of the lute, that I but shame my own ears to play upon it,after hearing his ditties. Sing, Master Albert, I pray you," she added,as she presented him the instrument.
"I will sing to the best of my skill," replied Albert, "which has beenmagnified beyond my deservings. With your leave, I will try a canzonetI learned in London. It was much liked by the gallants there, and Iconfess a favour for it because it hath a stirring relish. It runs thus:
'Tell me not, sweet, I am unkind, That from the nunnery Of thy chaste breast and quiet mind To war and arms I fly.
'True, a new mistress, now I chase, The first foe in the field; And with a stronger faith embrace A sword, a horse, a shield.
'Yet this inconstancy is such As you too shall adore: I could not love thee, dear, so much, Lov'd I not honour more.'"
"Well done! Well touched lute--well trolled ditty! Brave song for abird of thy feather, Master Verheyden!" exclaimed the Collector, who,when the song was finished, entered the room with Cocklescraft. "That'sas good a song, Master Cocklescraft----the Skipper, ladies--my friendof the Olive Branch, who has been with me this hour past docketing hiscargo: I may call him especially your friend--he is no enemy to thevanities of this world. Ha, Master Cocklescraft, thou hast wherewith towin a world of grace with the petticoats!--thou hast an eye for thetrickery of the sex! Sit down, sir--I pray you, without furtherreverence, sit down."
The Skipper, during this introduction, stood near the door, bowing tothe company, and then advanced into the room with a careless andsomewhat over-bold step, such as denotes a man who, in the endeavour toappear at his ease in society, carries his acting to the point offamiliarity. Still his freedom was not without grace, and hisdemeanour, very soon after the slight perturbation of his first accost,became natural and appropriate to his character.
"Save you, madam," he said, addressing the sister of the Proprietary,and bowing low, "and you, Mistress Alice, and you, my young lady of theRose Croft. It is a twelvemonth since I left the Port, and I am rightglad to meet the worshipful ladies of the province once again, and tosee that good friends thrive. The salt water whets a sailor's eye forfriendly faces. Mistress Blanche, I would take upon me to say, withoutbeing thought too free, that you have grown some trifle taller thanbefore I sailed. I did not then think you could be bettered in figure."
The maiden bowed without answering the Skipper's compliment.
"Richard Cocklescraft," said the Collector, "I know not if you ever sawAlbert Verheyden. Had he come hither before you sailed? His Lordship'ssecretary."
"I was not so lucky as to fall into his company," replied Cocklescraft,turning towards the Secretary, and eyeing him from head to foot. "Ithink I heard that his Lordship brought new comers with him. We shallnot lack acquaintance. Your hand, Master Verdun--I think so you said?"he added, as he looked inquiringly at the Collector.
The Collector again pronounced the name of the Secretary with moreprecision.
"Nearly the same thing," continued the Skipper. "Master Verheyden, yourhand: mine is something rougher, but it shall be the hand of a comrade,if thine be in the service of worshipful Master Anthony Warden, thegood Collector of St. Mary's. I know how to value a friend, MasterSecretary, and a friend's friend. You have a rare voice for a ballad--Ipretend to have an opinion in such matters--an excellent voice and afree finger for the lute."
"I am flattered by your liking sir," returned Albert Verheyden coldly,as he retired towards a window, somewhat repelled by the too freelyproffered acquaintance of the Skipper, and the rather loud voice andobtrusive manner with which he addressed those around him.
"Oh, this craft of singing is the touchstone of gentility now-a-days,"said Cocklescraft, twirling his velvet bonnet by the gold tasselappended to the crown. "A man is accounted unfurnished who has no skillin that joyous art. Sea-bred as I am, Collector--worshipful MasterWarden--you would scarce believe me, but I have touched lute and guitarmyself, and passably well. I learned this trick in Milan, whither Ihave twice gone in my voyages, and dwelt there with these Italians,some good summer months. That is your climate for dark eyes and brightnights--balconies, and damsels behind the lattice, listening tothrummers and singers upon the pavements below. And upon occasion, wewear the short cloak and dagger. I have worn cloak and stiletto in mytravels, Master Collector, and trolled a catch in the true tongue ofTuscany, when tuck and rapier rung in the burden. The hot blood thereis a commodity which the breeze from the Alps hath no virtue to cool,as it doth in Switzerland."
"We will try your singing craft ere it be long," replied the Collector."We will put you to catch and glee, with a jig to the heel of it,Richard Cocklescraft. You must know, Blanche is eighteen on thefestival of St. Therese, and we have a junketing forward which has setthe whole province astir. You shall take part in the sport with thetown's-people, Master Skipper; and I warrant you find no rest of limbuntil you show us some new antics of the fashion which you have pickedup abroad. You shall dance and sing with witnesses--or a good leg and atopping voice shall have no virtue! I pray you do not forget to makeone of our company on the festival of St. Therese. Your gewgaws,Richard, and woman's gear, could not be more in season: every wench inthe port is like to be your debtor."
"Thanks, Master Collector, I have a foot and voice, ay, and hand, everat the service of your good company. I will be first to come and lastto depart.--I have been mindful of the Rose of St. Mary's in myvoyaging," he said in a respectful and lowered tone, as he approachedthe maiden. "Mistress Blanche is never so far out of my thoughts that Imight come back to the Port without some token for her. I would craveyour acceptance of a pretty mantle of crimson silk lined with minever.I found it in Dort, and being taken with its beaut
y, and thinking howwell it would become the gay figure of my pretty mistress of the RoseCroft, I brought it away, and now make bold to ask--that is, if it beagreeable to Mistress Blanche, and if I do not venture too far--that Imay be allowed to bring it hither."
"You may find a worthier hand for such a favour," said Blanche, with atone and look that somewhat eagerly repelled the proffered gift, andmanifested dislike of the liberty which the Skipper had taken--aliberty which was in no degree lessened to her apprehension by theunaccustomed gentleness of his voice, and the humble and falteringmanner in which he had asked her consent to the present. "I am unusedto such gaudy trappings, and should not be content to wear the cloak;"then perceiving some reproof, as she fancied, in the countenance of hersister Alice and the Lady Maria, she added, in a kindlier voice, "Idare not accept it at your hand, Master Skipper."
"Nay," replied Cocklescraft, presuming upon the mildness of themaiden's last speech, and pressing the matter with that obtrusivenesswhich marked his character and nurture, "I shall not take it kindly ifthou dost not;" and as a flush overspread his cheek, he added, "Icounted to a certainty that you would do me this courtesy."
"Men sometimes count rashly, Master Cocklescraft," interposed the LadyMaria, "who presume upon a maiden's willingness to incur such debts."
"Save you, madam," replied the Skipper; "I should be sorry MistressBlanche should deem it to be incurring a debt."
"I have not been trained," said Blanche, with perfect self-possessionand firmness of manner, which she intended should put an end to theSkipper's importunity, "to receive such favours from the hand of astranger; when I have need of a mantle, the mercer shall be my friend."
"You will, perchance, think better of it when you see the mantle," saidthe Skipper, carelessly, and then added with a saucy smile, "women arechangeful, Master Collector; I will bring the gewgaw for MistressBlanche's inspection--a chapman may have that privilege."
"You may spare yourself the trouble," said the maiden.
"Nay, mistress, think it not a trouble, I beseech you; I count nothinga trouble which shall allow me to please thy fancy." As the Skipperuttered this he came still nearer to the chair on which Blanche wasseated, and, almost in a whisper, said, "I pray you, mistress, thinknot so lightly of my wish to serve you. I have set my heart upon yourtaking the mantle."
"Master Skipper, a word with you," interrupted the Secretary, who hadwatched the whole scene; and aware of the annoyance whichCocklescraft's rudeness inflicted upon the maiden, had quietlyapproached him and now beckoned him to a recess of the window, wherethey might converse without being heard by the company. "It is notcivil to importune the lady in this fashion. You must be satisfied withher answer as she has given it to you. It vexes the daughter of MasterWarden to be thus besought. I pray you, sir, no more of it."
Cocklescraft eyed the Secretary for a moment with a glance of scornfulresentment, and then replied in a voice inaudible to all but the personto whom it was addressed. "Right! perhaps you are right, sir; but whenI would be tutored for my behaviour, he shall be a man, by my troth,who takes that duty on him, and shall wear a beard and sword both. Ineeded not thy schooling, master crotchet-monger!" Then leaving theSecretary, he strode towards the maiden, and assuming a laughing face,which but awkwardly concealed his vexation, he said, "well, MistressBlanche, since you are resolved that you will not take my poor baubleoff my hands, I must give it over as a venture lost, and so an end ofit. I were a fool to be vexed because I could not read the riddle of amaiden's fancy: how should such fish of the sea be learned in so gentlea study? So, viaggio, it shall break no leg of mine! I will dance nonethe less merrily for it at the feast: and as for the mantle, why it mayfind other shoulders in the Port, though it shall never find them sofit to wear it withal, as the pretty shoulders of Mistress Blanche.Master Warden I must fain take my leave; my people wait me at the quay.Fair weather for the feast, and a merry time of it, ladies! A Dios,Master Collector!"
The gaiety of this leaving-taking was dashed with a sternness of mannerwhich all the Skipper's acting could not conceal, and as he walkedtowards the door, he paused a moment to touch Albert Verheyden's cloakand whispered in his ear, "We shall be better acquainted, sir;" thenleaving the house he rapidly shaped his course towards the town.
He had scarcely got out of sight before Blanche sprang from her chairand ran towards her father, pouring out upon him a volley of reprooffor his unadvised and especially unauthorized invitation of the Skipperto the festival. The maiden was joined in this assault by herauxiliaries, the Proprietary's sister and Mistress Alice, who concurredin reading the simple-minded and unconsciously offending old gentlemana lecture upon his improvident interference in this delicate matter.They insisted that Cocklescraft's associations in the port gave him noclaim to such a favour, and that, at all events, it was Blanche'sprerogative to be consulted in regard to the admission of the youngerand gayer portions of her company.
"Have you not had your will, my dear father," was the summing up ofBlanche's playful attack, "to your full content, in summoning all theold humdrum folks of the province, even to the Dominie and his wife,who have never been known to go to a merry-making any where, and whoare both so deaf that they have not heard each other speak this many aday? and now you must needs be bringing the Skipper hither."
"Lackaday, wench! what have I done to redden thy brow?" interrupted Mr.Warden, with a face of perplexed good humour, unable longer to bear thestorm of rebuke, or to parry the arguments which were so eagerly thrustat him; "I warrant now I have made mischief without knowing how! TheSkipper is a free blade, of good metal, and of a figure, too, which,methinks, might please a damsel in a dance, and spare us all this coil;his leg has not its fellow in the province. You take me to taskroundly, when all the while I was so foolish as to believe I was doingyou regardful service."
"He hath a wicked look, father," was Blanche's reply; "and a saucyfreedom which I like not. He is ever too bold in his greeting, andlacks gentle breeding. He must come to me, forsooth, with his mantle,as an especial token, and set upon me with so much constancy to takeit! Take a mantle from him! I have never even seen him but twicebefore, and then it was in church, where he must needs claim to speakto me as if he were an old acquaintance! I will none of him nor hismantle, if he were fifty times a properer man than he is!"
"Be it so, my daughter," replied the Collector. "But we must bear thismishap cheerily. I will not offend again. You women," he said, as hewalked to and fro through the parlour, with his hands behind his back,and a good natured smile playing over his features, "you women are moreshrewd to read the qualities of men, especially in matters touchingbehaviour, than such old pock-puddings as I am. I will be bettercounselled before I trespass in this sort again. But remember, Blanche,the Skipper has his summons, and our hospitality must not sufferreproach; so we will e'en make the best we can of this blunderingmisadventure of mine. For our own honour, we must be courteous,Blanche, to the Skipper; and, therefore, do thou take heed that he haveno cause to say we slight him. As I get old I shall grow wise."
Blanche threw her arms around her father's neck and imprinting a kissupon his brow, said in a tone of affectionate playfulness, "for yoursake, dear father, I will not chide: the Skipper shall not want dueobservance from me. I did but speak to give you a caution, by which youshall learn that the maidens of this province are so foolish as tostand to it, and I amongst the rest, that they are better able tochoose their gallants than their fathers,--though their fathers beamongst his Lordship's most trusty advisers."
"Now a thousand benisons upon thy head, my child!" said the Collector,as he laid his hand upon Blanche's glossy locks, and then left theapartment.
Rob of the Bowl: A Legend of St. Inigoe's. Vol. 1 (of 2) Page 14
