CHAPTER XXIX.
"Wherever sorrow is, relief would be; If you do sorrow at my grief in love, By giving love, your sorrow and my grief Were both extermin'd." _As You Like It._
I saw but little of Grace, during the early part of the succeeding day.She had uniformly breakfasted in her own room, of late, and, in theshort visit I paid her there, I found her composed, with an appearanceof renewed strength that encouraged me greatly, as to the future. Mr.Hardinge insisted on rendering an account of his stewardship, thatmorning, and I let the good divine have his own way; though, had heasked me for a receipt in full, I would cheerfully have given it to him,without examining a single item. There was a singular peculiarity aboutMr. Hardinge. No one could live less for the world generally; no one wasless qualified to superintend extensive worldly interests, that requiredcare, or thought; and no one would have been a more unsafe executor inmatters that were intricate or involved: still, in the mere business ofaccounts, he was as methodical and exact, as the most faithful banker.Rigidly honest, and with a strict regard for the rights of others,living moreover on a mere pittance, for the greater part of his life,this conscientious divine never contracted a debt he could not pay. Whatrendered this caution more worthy of remark, was the fact that he had aspendthrift son; but, even Rupert could never lure him into any weaknessof this sort. I question if his actual cash receipts, independently ofthe profits of his little glebe, exceeded $300 in any one year; yet,he and his children were ever well-dressed, and I knew from observationthat his table was always sufficiently supplied. He got a few presentsoccasionally, from his parishioners, it is true; but they did notamount to any sum of moment. It was method, and a determination not toanticipate his income, that placed him so much above the world, while hehad a family to support; whereas, now that Mrs. Bradfort's fortune wasin the possession of his children, he assured me he felt himself quiterich, though he scrupulously refused to appropriate one dollar of thehandsome income that passed through his hands as executor, to his ownuses. It was all Lucy's, who was entitled to receive this income evenin her minority, and to her he paid every cent, quarterly; the sisterproviding for Rupert's ample wants.
Of course, I found everything exact to a farthing; the necessary paperswere signed, the power of attorney was cancelled, and I entered fullyinto the possession of my own. An unexpected rise in the value of flourhad raised my shore receipts that year to the handsome sum of ninethousand dollars. This was not properly income, however, but profits,principally obtained through the labour of the mill. By putting all myloose cash together, I found I could command fully $30,000, in additionto the price of the ship. This sum was making me a man quite at my ease,and, properly managed, it opened a way to wealth. How gladly would Ihave given every cent of it, to see Grace as healthy and happy as shewas when I left her at Mrs. Bradfort's, to sail in the Crisis!
After settling the figures, Mr. Hardinge and I mounted our horses, androde over the property to take a look at the state of the farm. Ourroad took us near the little rectory and the glebe; and, here, thesimple-minded divine broke out into ecstasies on the subject of thebeauties of his own residence, and the delight with which he should nowreturn to his ancient abode. He loved Clawbonny no less than formerly,but he loved the rectory more.
"I was born in that humble, snug, quiet old stone cottage, Miles," hesaid, "and there I lived for years a happy husband and father, and Ihope I may say a faithful shepherd of my little flock. St. Michael's,Clawbonny, is not Trinity, New York, but it may prove, on a small scaleas to numbers, as fitting a nursery of saints. What humble and devoutChristians have I known to kneel at its little altar, Miles, among whomyour mother, and your venerable old grandmother, were two of the best.I hope the day is not distant when I shall meet there another Mrs. MilesWallingford. Marry young, my boy; early marriages prove happier thanlate, where there are the means of subsistence."
"You would not have me marry, until I can find a woman whom I shalltruly love, dear sir?"
"Heaven forbid! I would rather see you a bachelor to my dying day. ButAmerica has enough females that a youth, like you, could, and indeedought to love. I could direct you to fifty, myself."
"Well, sir, _your_ recommendations would have great weight with me. Iwish you would begin."
"That I will, that I will, if you wish it, my dear boy. Well, there isa Miss Hervey, Miss Kate Hervey, in town; a girl of excellent qualities,and who would just suit you, could you agree."
"I recollect the young lady; the greatest objection I should raiseto her, is a want of personal attractions. Of all Mrs. Bradfort'sacquaintances, I think she was among the very plainest."
"What is beauty, Miles? In marriage, very different recommendations areto be looked for by the husband."
"Yet, I have understood you practised on another theory; Mrs. Hardinge,even as I recollect her, was very handsome."
"Yes, that is true," answered the good divine, simply; "she was so; butbeauty is not to be considered as an _objection_. If you do not relishthe idea of Kate Hervey, what do you say to Jane Harwood--there is apretty girl for you."
"A pretty girl, sir, but not for me. But, in naming so many youngladies, why do you overlook your own daughter?"
I said this with a sort of desperate resolution, tempted by theopportunity, and the direction the discourse had taken. When it wasuttered, I repented of my temerity, and almost trembled to hear theanswer.
"Lucy!" exclaimed Mr. Hardinge, turning suddenly to towards me, andlooking so intently and earnestly in my face, that I saw the possibilityof such a thing then struck him, for the first time. "Sure enough,why should you not marry Lucy? There is not a particle of relationshipbetween you, after all, though I have so long considered you as brotherand sister. I wish we had thought of this earlier, Miles; it would bea most capital connection--though I should insist on your quitting thesea. Lucy has too affectionate a heart, to be always in distress for anabsent husband. I wonder the possibility of this thing did not strikeme, before it was too late; in a man so much accustomed to see what isgoing on around me, to overlook this!"
The words "too late," sounded to me like the doom of fate; and had mysimple-minded companion but the tithe of the observation which he somuch vaunted, he must have seen my agitation. I had advanced so far,however, that I determined to learn the worst, whatever pain it mightcost me.
"I suppose, sir the very circumstance that we were brought up togetherhas prevented us all from regarding the thing as possible. But, why 'toolate,' my excellent guardian, if we who are the most interested in thething should happen to think otherwise?"
"Certainly not too late, if you include Lucy, herself, in yourconditions; but I am afraid, Miles, it is 'too late' for Lucy."
"Am I to understand, then, that Miss Hardinge is engaged to Mr. Drewett?Are her affections enlisted in his behalf?"
"You may be certain of one thing, boy, and that is, if Lucy be engaged,her affections are enlisted--so conscientious a young woman would nevermarry without giving her heart with her hand. As for the fact, however,I know nothing, except by inference. I do suppose a mutual attachment toexist between her and Andrew Drewett."
"Of course with good reason, sir. Lucy is not a coquette, or a girl toencourage when she does not mean to accept."
"That's all I know of the matter. Drewett continues to visit; isas attentive as a young man well can be, where a young woman isas scrupulous as is Lucy about the proper forms, and I infer theyunderstand each other. I have thought of speaking to Lucy on thesubject, but I do not wish to influence her judgment, in a case wherethere exists no objection. Drewett is every way a suitable match, and Iwish things to take their own course. There is one little circumstance,however, that I can mention to you as a sort of son, Miles, and which Iconsider conclusive as to the girl's inclinations--I have remarked thatshe refuses all expedients to get her to be alone with Drewett--refusesto make excursions in which she must be driven in his curricle, or to goanywhere with him, even to the next door. So particular is she, thats
he contrives never to be alone with him, even in his many visits to thehouse."
"And do you consider that as a proof of attachment?--of her beingengaged? Does your own experience, sir, confirm such a notion?"
"What else can it be, if it be not a consciousness of a passion--of anattachment that she is afraid every one will see? You do not understandthe sex, I perceive, Miles, or the finesse of their natures would bemore apparent to you. As for my experience, no conclusion can be drawnfrom that, as I and my dear wife were thrown together very young, allalone, in her mother's country house; and the old lady being bed-ridden,there was no opportunity for the bashful maiden to betray thisconsciousness. But, if I understand human nature, such is the secret ofLucy's feelings towards Andrew Drewett. It is of no great moment to you,Miles, notwithstanding, as there are plenty more young women to be hadin the world."
"True, sir; but there is only one Lucy Hardinge!" I rejoined with afervour and strength of utterance that betrayed more than I intended.
My late guardian actually stopped his horse this time, to look at me,and I could perceive deep concern gathering around his usually sereneand placid brow. He began to penetrate my feelings, and I believe theycaused him real grief.
"I never could have dreamed of this!" Mr. Hardinge at length exclaimed:"Do you really love Lucy, my dear Miles?"
"Better than I do my own life, sir--I almost worship the earth shetreads on--Love her with my whole heart, and have loved, I believe, ifthe truth were known, ever since I was sixteen--perhaps I had bettersay, twelve years old!"
The truth escaped me, as the torrent of the Mississippi breaks throughthe levee, and a passage once open for its exit, it cleared a way foritself, until the current of my feelings left no doubt of its direction.I believe I was a little ashamed of my own weakness, for I caused myhorse to walk forward, Mr. Hardinge accompanying the movement, fora considerable distance, in a profound, and, I doubt not, a painfulsilence.
"This has taken me altogether by surprise, Miles," my late guardianresumed; "altogether by surprise. What would I not give could this havebeen known a year or two since! My dear boy, I feel for you, from thebottom of my heart, for I can understand what it must be to love a girllike Lucy, without hope. Why did you not let this be known sooner--or,why did you insist on going to sea, having so strong a motive forremaining at home?"
"I was too young, at that time, sir, to act on, or even to understandmy own feelings. On my return, in the Crisis, I found Lucy in a setsuperior to, that in which I was born and educated, and it would havebeen a poor proof of my attachment to wish to bring her down nearer tomy own level."
"I understand you, Miles, and can appreciate the generosity of yourconduct; though I am afraid it would have been too late on your returnin the Crisis. That was only a twelvemonth since, and, then, I ratherthink, Andrew Drewett had offered. There is good sense in your feelingon the subject of marriages in unequal conditions in life, for theycertainly lead to many heart-burnings, and greatly lessen the chancesof happiness. One thing is certain; in all such cases, if the inferiorcannot rise to the height of the superior, the superior must sink to thelevel of the inferior. Man and wife cannot continue to occupy differentsocial positions; and, as for the nonsense that is uttered on suchsubjects, by visionaries, under the claim of its being common sense, itis only fit for pretending theories, and can have nothing to do withthe great rules of practice. You were right in principle, then, Miles,though you have greatly exaggerated the facts of your own particularcase."
"I have always known, sir, and have ever been ready to admit, thatthe Hardinges have belonged to a different class of society, from thatfilled by the Wallingfords."
"This is true, but in part only; and by no means true to a degree thatneed have drawn any impassable line between you and Lucy. You forget howpoor we then were, and bow substantial a benefit the care of Clawbonnymight have been to my dear girl. Besides, you are of reputable descentand position, if not precisely of the gentry; and this is not a country,or an age, to carry notions of such a nature beyond the strict boundsof reason. You and Lucy were educated on the same level; and, after all,that is the great essential for the marriage connection."
There was great good sense in what Mr. Hardinge said; and I began to seethat pride, and not humility, might have interfered with my happiness.As I firmly believed it was now too late, however, I began to wishthe subject changed; for I felt it grating on some of my most sacredfeelings. With a view to divert the conversation to another channel,therefore, I remarked with some emphasis, affecting an indifference Idid not feel--
"What cannot be cured, must be endured, sir; and I shall endeavour tofind a sailor's happiness hereafter, in loving my ship. Besides, wereAndrew Drewett entirely out of the question, it is now 'too late,' inanother sense, since it would never do for the man who, himself at hisease in the way of money, hesitated about offering when his mistress waspoor, to prove his love, by proposing to Mrs. Bradfort's heiress.Still, I own to so much weakness as to wish to know, before we closethe subject for ever, why Mr. Drewett and your daughter do not marry, ifthey are engaged? Perhaps it is owing only to Lucy's mourning?"
"I have myself imputed it to another cause. Rupert is entirely dependenton his sister, and I know Lucy so well as to feel certain--someextraordinary cause not interposing--that she wishes to bestow half hercousin's fortune on her brother. This cannot be done until she is ofage, and she wants near two years of attaining her majority."
I made no answer; for I felt how likely this was to be true. Lucywas not a girl of professions, and she would be very apt to keep aresolution of this nature, a secret in her own breast, until ready tocarry it into execution. No more passed between Mr. Hardinge and myself,on the subject of our recent conversation; though I could see myavowal had made him sad, and that it induced him to treat me with moreaffection, even, than had been his practice. Once or twice, in thecourse of the next day or two, I overheard him soliloquizing--a habit towhich he was a good deal addicted--during which he would murmur, "What apity!"--"How much to be regretted!"'--"I would rather have him for a sonthan any man on earth!" and other similar expressions. Of course, theseinvoluntary disclosures did not weaken my regard for my late guardian.
About noon, the Grace & Lucy came in, and Neb reported that Dr. Bard wasnot at home. He had left my letter, however, and it would be deliveredas soon as possible. He told me also that the wind had been favourableon the river, and that the Wallingford must reach town that day.
Nothing further occurred, worthy of notice. I passed the afternoon withGrace, in the little room; and we conversed much of the past, of ourparents in particular, without adverting, however, to her situation, anyfurther than to apprise her of what I had done. I thought she was notsorry to learn I had sent for Lucy, now that I was with her, and itwas no longer possible her illness could be concealed. As for thephysicians, when they were mentioned, I could see a look of tenderconcern in Grace's eyes, as if she regretted that I still clung to thedelusion of hoping to see her health restored. Notwithstanding theselittle drawbacks, we passed a sweet eventide together. For more than anhour, Grace lay on my bosom, occasionally patting her hand on my cheeks,as the child caresses its mother. This was an old habit of hers, and itwas one I was equally delighted and pained to have her resume, now wewere of the age and stature of man and woman.
The next day was Sunday, and Grace insisted on my driving her to church.This was done, accordingly, in a very old-fashioned, but very easyBoston chaise, that had belonged to my mother, and with very carefuldriving. The congregation, like the church-edifice of St. Michael's, wasvery small, being confined, with some twenty or thirty exceptions, tothe family and dependants of Clawbonny. Mr. Hardinge's little flock washedged in by other denominations on every side, and it was not an easymatter to break through the barriers that surrounded it. Then he was notpossessed with the spirit of proselytism, contenting himself with aidingin the spiritual advancement of those whom Providence had consignedto his care. On the present occasion, howe
ver, the little building wasfull, and that was as much as could have happened had it been as largeas St. Peter's itself. The prayers were devoutly and fervently read, andthe sermon was plain and filled with piety.
My sister professed herself in no manner wearied with the exertion.We dined with Mr. Hardinge, at the Rectory, which was quite near thechurch; and the irreverent, business-like, make-weight sort of look, ofgoing in to one service almost as soon as the other was ended, as ifto score off so much preaching and praying as available at the leasttrouble, being avoided, by having the evening service commence late, shewas enabled to remain until the close of the day. Mr. Hardinge rarelypreached but once of a Sunday. He considered the worship of God, and theoffices of the church, as the proper duties of the day, and regarded hisown wisdom as a matter of secondary importance. But one sermon cost himas much labour, and study, and anxiety, as most clergymen's two. Hispreaching, also, had the high qualification of being addressed tothe affections of his flock, and not to its fears and interests. Heconstantly reminded us of God's _love_, and of the _beauty_ of holiness;while I do not remember to have heard him allude half a dozen times inhis life to the terrors of judgment and punishment, except as they wereconnected with that disappointed love. I suppose there are spirits thatrequire these allusions, and the temptations of future happiness,to incite their feelings; but I like the preacher who is a Christianbecause he feels himself _drawn_ to holiness, by a power that is ofitself holy; and not those who appeal to their people, as if heaven andhell were a mere matter of preference and avoidance, on the ground ofexpediency. I cannot better characterize Mr. Hardinge's preaching, thanby saying, that I do not remember ever to have left his church with asense of fear towards the Creator; though I have often been impressedwith a love that was as profound as the adoration that had beenawakened.
Another calm and comparatively happy evening was passed, during which Iconversed freely with Grace of my own intentions, endeavouring to revivein her an interest in life, by renewing old impressions, and making herparticipate in my feelings. Had I been with her from the hour springopened, with its renewal of vegetation, and all the joys it conferson the innocent and happy, I have often thought since, I might havesucceeded. As it was, she listened with attention, and apparently withpleasure, for she saw it served to relieve my mind. We did not separateuntil I insisted Grace should retire, and Chloe had made more than oneremonstrance about her young mistress's exceeding the usual time. Onleaving my sister's chamber, the negress followed me with a light, lestI should fall, among the intricate turnings, and the ups and downs ofthe old building.
"Well, Chloe," I said, as we proceeded together, "how do you find Neb?Does he improve by this running about on the ocean--especially do youthink he is tanned?"
"De _fel_-ler!"
"Yes, he is a fellow, sure enough, and let me tell you, Chloe, a verycapital fellow, too. If it can be of any advantage to him in your favourto know the truth, I will just say a more useful seaman does not sailthe ocean than Neb, and that I consider him as of much importance as themain-mast?"
"What be _dat_, Masser Mile?"
"I see nothing, Chloe--there are no spooks at Clawbonny, you know."
"No, sah! What b'e t'ing Neb like, _fel_-ler?"
"Oh! I ask your pardon--the main-mast, you mean. It is the mostimportant spar in the ship, and I meant that Neb was as useful as thatmast. In battle, too, Neb is as brave as a lion."
Here Chloe could stand it no longer; she fairly laughed outright,in pure, natural admiration of her suitor's qualities. When this wasperformed, she ejaculated once more "De _feller_!"--dropped a curtsey,said "Good night, Masser Mile," and left me at my own door. Alas!alas!--Among the improvements of this age, we have entirely lostthe breed of the careless, good-natured, affectionate, faithful,hard-working, and yet happy blacks, of whom more or less were to befound in every respectable and long-established family of the State,forty years ago.
The next day was one of great anxiety to me. I rose early, and the firstthing was to ascertain the direction of the wind. In midsummer this wasapt to be southerly, and so it proved on that occasion. Neb was sent tothe point, as a look-out; he returned about ten, and reported a fleetof sloops, in sight. These vessels were still a long distance downthe river, but they were advancing at a tolerable rate. Whether theWallingford were among them, or not, was more than could yet be told.I sent him back to his station, as soon as he had eaten; and unable toremain quiet in the house, myself, I mounted my horse, and rode out intothe fields. Here, as usual, I experienced the happiness of looking atobjects my ancestors loved to regard, and which always have had a strongand near interest with me.
Perhaps no country that ever yet existed has been so little understood,or so much misrepresented, as this America of ours. It is as littleunderstood, I was on the point of saying, at home as it is abroad, andalmost as much misrepresented. Certainly its possessors are a gooddeal addicted to valuing themselves on distinctive advantages that, inreality, they do not enjoy, while their enemies declaim about vices andevils from which they are comparatively free. Facts are made to suittheories, and thus it is that we see well-intentioned, and otherwiserespectable writers, constantly running into extravagances, in order toadapt the circumstances to the supposed logical or moral inference.This reasoning backwards, has caused Alison, with all his knowledgeand fair-mindedness, to fall into several egregious errors, as I havediscovered while recently reading his great work on Europe. He says weare a migratory race, and that we do not love the sticks and stones thatsurround us, but quit the paternal roof without regret, and considerthe play-grounds of infancy as only so much land for the market. Healso hazards the assertion, that there is not such a thing as a literalfarmer,--that is a tenant, who _farms_ his land from a landlord--in allAmerica. Now, as a rule, and comparing the habits of America with thoseof older countries, in which land is not so abundant, this may betrue; but as literal fact, nothing can be less so. Four-fifths of theinhabited portion of the American territory, has a civilized existenceof half a century's duration; and there has not been time to create thelong-lived attachments named, more especially in the regions thatare undergoing the moral fusion that is always an attendant of a newsettlement. That thousands of heartless speculators exist among us, whodo regard everything, even to the graves of their fathers, as only somuch improvable property, is as undeniable as the fact that they areodious to all men of any moral feeling; but thousands and tens ofthousands are to be found in the country, who _do_ reverence theirfamily possessions from a sentiment that is creditable to human nature.I will not mention Clawbonny, and its history, lest I might be suspectedof being partial; but it would be easy for me to point out a hundredfamilies, embracing all classes, from the great proprietor to the plainyeoman, who own and reside on the estates of those who first receivedthem from the hand of nature, and this after one or two centuries ofpossession. What will Mr. Alison say, for instance, of the Manor ofRensselear? A manor, in the legal sense it is no longer, certainly,the new institutions destroying all the feudal tenures; but, as mereproperty, the late Patroon transmitted it as regularly to his posterity,as any estate was ever transmitted in Europe. This extensive manor liesin the heart of New York, a state about as large and about as populousas Scotland, and it embraces no less than three cities in its bosom,though their sites are not included in its ownership, having beenexempted by earlier grants. It is of more than two centuries' existence,and it extends eight-and-forty miles east and west, and half thatdistance, north and south. Nearly all this vast property is held, atthis hour, of the Van Rensselears, as landlords, and is farmed by theirtenants, there being several thousands of the latter. The same is true,on a smaller scale, of the Livingston, the Van Cortlandt, the Philipse,the Nicoll, and various other old New York estates, though several werelost by attainder in the revolution. I explain these things, lest anyEuropean who may happen to read this book, should regard it as fiction;for, allowing for trifling differences, a hundred Clawbonnys are to befound on the two banks of the Hu
dson, at this very hour.{*]
{Footnote *: Even the American may learn the following facts with somesurprise. It is now about five-and-twenty years since the writer, astenant by the courtesy, came into possession of two farms, lying withintwenty-three miles of New York, in each of which there had been threegenerations of tenants, and as many of landlords, _without a scrap of apen having passed between the parties_, so far as the writer could everdiscover, receipts for rent excepted! He also stands in nearly thesame relation to another farm, in the same county, on which a lease forninety years is at this moment running, one of the covenants of whichprescribes that the tenant shall "frequent divine service _according tothe Church of England_, when opportunity offers." What an evidenceof the nature of the tyranny from which our ancestors escaped, moreespecially when it is seen that the tenant was obliged to submit to thissevere exaction, in consideration of a rent that is merely nominal!]
But, to return to the narrative.
My curiosity increased so much, as the day advanced, that I rode towardsthe point to look for the sloop. There she was, sure enough; and therewas Neb, too, galloping a young horse, bare-back, to the house, with thenews. I met him with an order to proceed to the wharf with the chaise,while I dashed on, in the same direction myself, almost devoured with animpatience to learn the success of my different mission's as I gallopedalong. I could see the upper part of the Wallingford's sails, glidingthrough the leaves that fringed the bank, and it was apparent that sheand I would reach the wharf almost at the same instant. Notwithstandingall my anxiety, it was impossible to get a glimpse of the vessel's deck.
I did not quit the saddle until the planks of the wharf were under thehorse's hoofs. Then I got a view of the sloop's decks, for the firsttime. A respectable-looking, tall, slender, middle-aged man, with abright dark eye, was on the quarter-deck, and I bowed to him, inferringat once that he was one of the medical gentlemen to whom I had sent themessage. In effect, it was Post, the second named on my list, the firstnot being able to come. He returned my bow, but, before I could alightand go on board to receive him, Marble's head rose from the cabin, andmy mate sprang ashore, and shook me cordially by the hand.
"Here I am, Miles, my boy," cried Marble, whom, off duty, I hadearnestly begged to treat me with his old freedom, and who took me at myword--"Here I am, Miles, my boy, and farther from salt-water than I havebeen in five-and-twenty years. So this is the famous Clawbonny! I cannotsay much for the port, which is somewhat crowded while it contains butone craft; though the river outside is pretty well, as rivers go. D'yeknow, lad, that I've been in a fever, all the way up, lest we should getashore, on one side or the other? your having land on both tacks at onceis too much of a good thing. This coming up to Clawbonny has put me inmind of running them straits, though we _have_ had rather better weatherthis passage, and a clearer horizon. What d'ye call that affair upagainst the hill-side, yonder, with the jig-a-merree, that is turning inthe water?"
"That's a mill, my friend, and the jig-a-merree is the very wheel onwhich you have heard me say my father was crushed."
Marble looked sorrowfully at the wheel, squeezed my hand, as if toexpress sorrow for having reminded me of so painful an event, and thenI heard him murmuring to himself--"Well, _I_ never had a father to lose.No bloody mill _could_ do me _that_ injury."
"That gentleman on the quarter-deck," I remarked, "is a physician forwhom I sent to town, I suppose."
"Ay, ay--he's some such matter, I do suppose; though I've beengeneralizing so much about this here river, and the manner of sailinga craft of that rig, I've had little to say to him. I'm always a betterfriend to the cook than to the surgeon. But, Miles, my lad, there's arare 'un, in the ship's after-cabin, I can tell you!"
"That must be Lucy!"--and I did not stop to pay my compliments to thestrange gentleman, but almost leaped into the vessel's cabin.
There was Lucy, sure enough, attended by a respectable-looking elderlyblack female, one of the half-dozen slaves that had become her's bythe death of Mrs. Bradfort. Neither spoke, but we shook hands withfrankness; and I understood by the anxious expression of my companion'seye, all she wished to know.
"I really think she seems better, and certainly she is far morecheerful, within his last day or two," I answered to the appeal."Yesterday she was twice at church, and this morning, for a novelty, shebreakfasted with me."
"God be praised!" Lucy exclaimed, with fervour. Then she sat down andrelieved her feelings in tears. I told her to expect me again, in a fewminutes, and joined the physician, who, by this time, was apprised of mypresence. The calm, considerate manner of Post, gave me a confidence Ihad not felt for some days; and I really began to hope it might still bewithin the power of his art to save the sister I so dearly loved.
Our dispositions for quitting the sloop were soon made, and we ascendedthe hill together, Lucy leaning on my arm. On its summit was thechaise, into which the Doctor and Marble were persuaded to enter, Lucypreferring to walk. The negress was to proceed in the vehicle that hadbeen sent for the luggage, and Lucy and I set out, arm and arm, to walkrather more than a mile in company, and that too without the presence ofa third person. Such an occurrence, under any other circumstancesthan those in which we were both placed, would have made me one of thehappiest men on earth; but, in the actual situation in which I foundmyself, it rendered me silent and uncomfortable. Not so with Lucy; evernatural, and keeping truth incessantly before her eyes, the dear girltook my arm without the least embarrassment, and showed no sign ofimpatience, or of doubt. She was sad, but full of a gentle confidence inher own sincerity and motives.
"This is dear Clawbonny, again!" she exclaimed, after we had walked insilence a short distance. "How beautiful are the fields, how fresh thewoods, how sweet the flowers! Oh! Miles, a day in such a spot as this,is worth a year in town!"
"Why, then, do you, who have now so much at your command, pass more thanhalf your time between the heated bricks of Wall Street, when you knowhow happy we should all be to see you, here, among us, again?"
"I have not been certain of this; that has been the sole reason, of myabsence. Had I known I should be welcome, nothing would have induced meto suffer Grace to pass the last six sad, sad, months by herself."
"Known that you should be welcome! Surely you have not supposed, Lucy,that _I_ can ever regard you as anything but welcome, here?"
"I had no allusion to _you_--thought not of you, Miles, atall"--answered Lucy, with the quiet manner of one who felt shewas thinking, acting, and speaking no more than what was perfectlyright--"My mind was dwelling altogether on Grace."
"Is it possible you could doubt of Grace's willingness to see you, atall times and in all places, Lucy!"
"I have doubted it--have thought I was acting prudently and well, instaying away, just at this time, though I now begin to fear the decisionhas been hasty and unwise."
"May I ask _why_ Lucy Hardinge has come to so singular and violent anopinion, as connected with her bosom friend, and almost sister, GraceWallingford?"
"That _almost sister_! Oh! Miles, what is there I possess which I wouldnot give, that there might be perfect confidence, again, between youand me, on this subject; such confidence as existed when we were boy andgirl-children, I might say."
"And what prevents it? Certain I am the alienation does not, cannot comefrom me. You have only to speak, Lucy, to have an attentive listener;to ask, to receive the truest answers. What can, then, prevent theconfidence you wish?"
"There is _one_ obstacle--surely, Miles, you can readily imagine what Imean?"
'Can it be possible Lucy is alluding to Andrew Drewett!'--I thought tomyself. 'Has she discovered my attachment, and does she, will she, canshe regret her own engagement?' A lover who thought thus, would not beapt to leave the question long in doubt.
"Deal plainly with me, I implore of you, Lucy," I said solemnly. "Oneword uttered with your old sincerity and frankness may close a chasmthat has now been widening between us for the last year or two. What isthe obstacle you mea
n?"
"I have seen and felt the alienation to which you allude quite assensibly as you can have done so yourself, Miles," the dear girlanswered in her natural, simple manner, "and I will trust all to yourgenerosity. Need I say more, to explain what I mean, than mention thename of Rupert?"
"What of him, Lucy!--be explicit; vague allusions may be worse thannothing."
Lucy's little hand was on my arm, and she had drawn its glove on accountof the heat. I felt it press me, almost convulsively, as she added--"Ido, I _must_ think you have too much affection and gratitude for my dearfather, too much regard for me, ever to forget that you and Rupert oncelived together as brothers?"
"Grace has my promise already, on that subject. I shall never take theworld's course with Rupert, in this affair."
I heard Lucy's involuntary sob, as if she gasped for breath; and,turning, I saw her sweet eyes bent on my face with an expression ofthankfulness that could not be mistaken.
"I would have given the same pledge to you, Lucy, and purely on yourown account. It would be too much to cause you to mourn for yourbrother's--"
I did not name the offence, lest my feelings should tempt me to use toostrong a term.
"This is all I ask--all I desire, Miles; bless you--bless you! forhaving so freely given me this assurance. Now my heart is relieved fromthis burthen, I am ready to speak frankly to you; still, had I seenGrace--"
"Have no scruples on account of your regard for womanly feeling--I knoweverything, and shall not attempt to conceal from you, that disappointedlove for Rupert has brought my sister to the state she is in. This mightnot have happened, had either of us been with her; but, buried as shehas been alone in this place, her wounded sensibilities have proved toostrong for a frame that is so delicate."
There was a pause of a minute, after I ended.
"I have long feared that some such calamity would befall us," Lucyanswered, in a low, measured tone. "I think you do not understand Graceas well as I do, Miles. Her mind and feelings have a stronger influencethan common over her body; and I fear no society of ours, or of others,could have saved her this trial. Still, we must not despair, It isa trial--that is just the word; and by means of tenderness, the mostsedulous care, good advice, and all that we two can do to aid, theremust yet be hope. Now there is a skilful physician here, he must bedealt fairly by, and should know the whole."
"I intended to consult you on this subject--one has such a reluctance toexpose Grace's most sacred feelings!"
"Surely it need not go quite as far as that," returned Lucy, withsensitive quickness, "something--_much_--must be left to conjecture; butDr. Post must know that the mind is at the bottom of the evil; thoughI fear that young ladies can seldom admit the existence of such acomplaint, without having it attributed to a weakness of this nature."
"That proceeds from the certainty that your sex has so much heart, Lucy;your very existence being bound up in others."
"Grace is one of peculiar strength of affections--but, Miles, we willtalk no further of this at present. I scarce know how to speak of mybrother's affairs, and you must give me time to reflect. Now we are atClawbonny again, we cannot long continue strangers to each other."
This was said so sweetly, I could have knelt and kissed her shoe-ties;and yet so simply, as not to induce misinterpretation. It served tochange the discourse, however, and the remainder of the way we talkedof the past. Lucy spoke of her cousin's death, relating various littleincidents to show how much Mrs. Bradfort was attached to her, and howgood a woman she was; but not a syllable was said of the will. I wasrequired, in my turn, to finish the narrative of my last voyage, whichhad not been completed at the theatre. When Lucy learned that therough seaman who had come in the sloop was Marble, she manifested greatinterest in him, declaring, had she known it during the passage, thatshe would have introduced herself. All this time, Rupert's name was notmentioned between us; and I reached the house, feeling that somethinglike the interest I had formerly possessed there, had been awakened inthe bosom of my companion. She was, at least, firmly and confidingly myfriend.
Chloe met Lucy at the door with a message--Miss Grace wanted to seeMiss Lucy, alone. I dreaded this interview, and looked forward to beingpresent at it; but Lucy begged me to confide in her, and I felt bound tocomply. While the dear girl was gone to my sister's room, I sought thephysician, with whom I had a brief but explicit conference. I told thisgentleman how much Grace had been alone, permitting sorrow to wearupon her frame, and gave him to understand that the seat of my sister'smalady was mental suffering. Post was a cool, discriminating man, andhe ventured no remark until he had seen his patient; though I couldperceive, by the keen manner in which his piercing eye was fixed onmine, that all I said was fully noted.
It was more than an hour before Lucy reappeared. It was obvious at aglance that she had been dreadfully agitated, and cruelly surprised atthe condition in which she had found Grace. It was not that disease,in any of its known forms, was so very apparent; but that my sisterresembled already a being of another world, in the beaming of hercountenance--in the bright, unearthly expression of her eyes--and in theslightness and delicacy of the hold she seemed, generally, to have onlife. Grace had always something of this about her--_much_, I mightbetter have said; but it now appeared to be left nearly alone, as herthoughts and strength gradually receded from the means of existence.
The physician returned with Lucy to my sister's room, where he passedmore than an hour; as long a time, indeed, he afterwards told mehimself, as he thought could be done without fatiguing his patient.The advice he gave me was cautious and discreet. Certain tonics wereprescribed; we were told to endeavour to divert the mind of our preciouscharge from her sources of uneasiness, by gentle means and prudentexpedients. Change of scene was advised also, could it be done withoutproducing too much fatigue. I suggested the Wallingford, as soon as thisproject was mentioned. She was a small sloop, it is true, but had twovery comfortable cabins; my father having had one of them constructedespecially in reference to my mother's occasional visits to town. Thevessel did little, at that season of the year, besides transportingflour to market, and bringing back wheat. In the autumn, she carriedwood, and the products of the neighbourhood. A holiday might be grantedher, and no harm come of it. Dr. Post approved the idea, saying franklythere was no objection but the expense; if I could bear that, a betterplan could not possibly be adopted.
That night we discussed the matter in the family circle, Mr. Hardingehaving come from the Rectory to join us. Everybody approved of thescheme, it was so much better than leaving: Grace to pine away byherself in the solitude of Clawbonny.
"I have a patient at the Springs," said Dr. Post, "who is very anxiousto see me; and, to own the truth, I am a little desirous of drinking thewaters myself, for a week. Carry me to Albany, and land me; after whichyou can descend the river, and continue your voyage to as many places,and for as long a time, as the strength of Miss Wallingford, and yourown inclinations, shall dictate."
This project seemed excellent in all our eyes; even Grace heard it witha smile, placing herself entirely in our hands. It was decided to put itin practice.
CHAPTER XXX.
"And she sits and gazes at me, With those deep and tender eyes,... Like the stars, so still and saint-like, Looking downward from the skies." --LONGFELLOW
The next morning I set about the measures necessary for carrying out ourplan. Marble was invited to be of the party, the arrangements concerningthe ship, allowing of his absence for a few days; Once engaged, he wasof infinite service, entering into the plan as my mate. The regularskipper was glad to have a furlough; and I retained on board no one ofthe proper crew but the river-pilot; a man who could not be dispensedwith; By this arrangement, we cleared the cabin from company that wasnot desirable for the circumstances. Neb, and three of the Clawbonnyblacks, were delighted to go on such an excursion, and all were moreor less familiar with the little duty that would be required of them.Indeed, Marble, Neb and myself, were every way able to ta
ke care of thevessel. But we chose to have plenty of physical force; and a cook wasindispensable. Clawbonny supplied the latter, in the person of old Didoof that ilk.
By noon, the whole party were ready to embark. Grace was driven to thewharf, and she walked on board the sloop, supported by Lucy and myself;more, however, from solicitude than from absolute necessity. Everyprecaution, however, was taken by order of the physician to preventanything like excitement; the blacks, in particular, who would havefollowed "Miss Grace" to the water's edge, being ordered to remain athome. Chloe, to her manifest satisfaction, was permitted to accompanyher "young mistress," and great was her delight. How often that day,did the exclamation of "de feller," escape her, as she witnessed Neb'sexploits in different parts of the sloop. It was some little time beforeI could account for the black's superfluous activity, imputing it tozeal in my sister's service; but, in the end, I discovered Grace had toshare the glory with Chloe.
No sooner was everybody on board than we cast off. The jib was soonup; and under this short sail, we moved slowly out of the creek, with apleasant southerly breeze. As we passed the point, there stood thewhole household arrayed in a line, from the tottering grey-headedand muddy-looking negro of seventy, down to the glistening, jet-blacktoddling things of two and three. The distance was so small, it waseasy to trace even the expressions of the different countenances, whichvaried according to the experience, forebodings, and characters ofthe different individuals. Notwithstanding the sort of reverentialattachment all felt for "Miss Grace," and the uncertainty some amongthese unsophisticated creatures must have experienced on the subjectof her health, it was not in nature for such a cluster of "niggers"to exhibit unhappiness, at a moment when there were so many grounds ofexcitement. The people of this race know nothing of the _word,_ perhaps;but they delight in the _thing_, quite as much as if they did nothingbut electioneer all their lives. Most pliant instruments would theiruntutored feelings make in the hands of your demagogue; and, possibly,it may have some little influence on the white American to understand,how strong is his resemblance to the "nigger," when he gives himself upto the mastery of this much approved mental power. The day was glorious;a brighter sun never shining in Italy, or on the Grecian islands; theair balmy; the vessel was gay to the eye, having been painted abouta month before, and every one seemed bent on a holiday; circumstancessufficient in themselves, to make this light-hearted race smiling andhappy. As the sloop went slowly past, the whole line doffed their hats,or curtsied, showing at the same time a row of ivory that shone likeso many gay windows in their sable faces. I could see that Grace wastouched by this manifestation of interest; such a field-day in theClawbonny corps not having occurred since the first time my mother wentto town, after the death of my father. Fortunately, everything else wassoothing to my sister's spirits; and, so long as she could sit on thedeck, holding Lucy's hand, and enjoy the changing landscape, withher brother within call, it was not possible she should be altogetherwithout happiness.
Rounding the point, as we entered the river, the Wallingford eased-offsheet, set a studding-sail and flying-top-sail, and began to breast theHudson, on her way towards its sources.
In 1803, the celebrated river we were navigating, though it had all thenatural features it possesses to-day, was by no means the same pictureof moving life. The steam-boat did not appear on its surface until fouryears later; and the journeys up and down its waters, were frequently aweek in length. In that day, the passenger did not hurry on board, justas a bell was disturbing the neighbourhood, hustling his way through arude throng of porters, cart-men, orange-women, and news-boys, to savehis distance by just a minute and a half, but his luggage was often sentto the vessel the day before; he passed his morning in saying adieu,and when he repaired to the vessel, it was with gentleman-like leisure,often to pass hours on board previously to sailing, and not unfrequentlyto hear the unwelcome tidings that this event was deferred until thenext day. How different, too, was the passage, from one in a steam-boat!There was no jostling of each other, no scrambling for places at table,no bolting of food, no impertinence manifested, no swearing aboutmissing the eastern or southern boats, or Schenectady, or Saratoga,or Boston trains, on account of a screw being loose, nor--any otherunseemly manifestation that anybody was in a hurry. On the contrary,wine and fruit were provided, as if the travellers intended to enjoythemselves; and a journey in that day was a _festa_. No more embarkedthan could be accommodated; and the company being selected, the cabinwas taken to the exclusion of all unwelcome intruders. Now, the man whoshould order a bottle of wine to be placed at the side of his plate,would be stared at as a fool; and not without reason altogether, for,did it escape the claws of his _convives_ and the waiters, he wouldprobably reach the end of his journey before he could drink it. In1803, not only did the dinner pass in peace, and with gentleman-likedeliberation; not only were the cooler and the fruit taken on deck,and the one sipped and the other eaten at leisure, in the course of anafternoon, but in the course of many afternoons. Passages were certainlymade in twenty-four hours in the sloops; but these were the exceptions,a week being much more likely to be the time passed in the enjoyment ofthe beautiful scenery of the river. The vessel usually got aground, onceat least, and frequently several times in a trip; and often a day, ortwo, were thus delightfully lost, giving the stranger an opportunityof visiting the surrounding country. The necessity of anchoring, with afoul wind, on every opposing tide, too, increased these occasions, thuslending to the excursion something of the character of an exploringexpedition. No--no--a man would learn more in one passage, up or downthe Hudson, forty years since, than can be obtained by a dozen at thepresent time. I have a true seaman's dislike for a steam-boat, andsometimes wish they were struck out of existence; though I know it iscontrary to all the principles of political economy, and opposed to whatis called the march of improvement. Of one thing, however, I feel quitecertain; that these inventions, coupled with the gregarious mannerof living that has sprung up in the large taverns, is, as one of ourwriters expresses it, "doing _wonders_ for the manners of the people;"though, in my view of the matter, the wonder is, that they have anyleft.
There might have been thirty sail in sight, when the Wallingford gotfairly into the river, some turning down on a young ebb, making theirfifteen or twenty miles in six hours, and others like ourselves,stealing along against it, at about the same rate. Half a dozen of thesecraft were quite near us, and the decks of most of those which weresteering north, had parties including ladies, evidently proceeding tothe "Springs." I desired Marble to sheer as close to these differentvessels as was convenient, having no other object in view thanamusement, and fancying it might aid in diverting the thoughts of mysister from her own sorrows, to the faces and concerns of others. Thereader will have no difficulty in understanding, that the Wallingford,constructed under the orders of an old sailor, and for his own uses, wasa fast vessel. In this particular she had but one or two competitors onthe river; packets belonging to Hudson, Poughkeepsie and Sing-Sing. Shewas now only in fair ballast-trim, and being admirably providedwith sails, in the light wind we had, she actually went four feet tomost-of-the-other-vessels-in-sight's three. My request to Marble--or,order, as he chose to call it--was easily enough complied with, and wewere soon coming up close on the quarter of a sloop that had its deckscrowded with passengers who evidently belonged to the better class;while, on its forecastle were several horses, and a carriage; customaryaccompaniments to such a scene in that day.
I had not been so happy in a long time, as I felt at that moment. Gracewas better, as I fancied at least, and it was certain she was morecomposed and less nervous than I had seen her since my return; and thisof itself was removing the weight of a mountain from my heart. There wasLucy, too, her rounded cheek rosy with the pleasure of the moment, fullof health, and with eyes that never turned on me that they did notbeam with confidence and kindness--the sincerest friendship, if notlove--while every look, movement, syllable or gesture that was directedtowards Grace, betrayed how s
trongly the hearts of these two preciouscreatures were still knit together in sisterly affection. My guardiantoo seemed happier than he had been since our conversation on the stateof my own feelings towards his daughter. He had made a condition, thatwe should all--the doctor excepted--return to Clawbonny in time forservice on the ensuing Sunday, and he was then actually engaged inlooking over an old sermon for the occasion, though not a minute passedin which he did not drop the manuscript to gaze about him, in deepenjoyment of the landscape. The scene, moreover, was so full of repose,that even the movements of the different vessels scarce changed itsSabbath-like character. I repeat, that I had not felt so perfectly happysince I held my last conversation with the Salem Witches, in The Duomoof Firenze.
Marble was excessively delighted with the behaviour of the Wallingford.The latter was a sloop somewhat smaller than common, though heraccommodations were particularly commodious, while she was sparred onthe scale of a flyer. Her greatest advantage in the way of sailing,however, would have been no great recommendation to her on a wind; forshe was nearly start light, and might not have been able to carry fullsail in hard November weather, even on the Hudson--a river on whichserious accidents have been known to occur. There was little danger inmid-summer, however; and we went gliding up on the quarter of the Gullof Troy, without feeling concern of any sort.
"What sloop is that?" demanded the skipper of the Gull, as our boom-endcame within a fathom of his rail, our name being out of his view.
"The Wallingford of Clawbonny, just out of port, bound up on a party ofpleasure."
Now, Clawbonny was not then, nor is it now, what might be called a legalterm. There was no such place known in law, beyond the right which usagegives; and I heard a low laugh among the passengers of the Gull, as theyheard the homely appellation. This came from the equivocal position myfamily occupied, midway between the gentry and yeomanry of the State,as they both existed in 1803. Had I said the sloop came from nearColdenham, it would have been all right; for everybody who was thenanybody in New York, knew who the Coldens were; or Morrisania, theMorrises being people of mark; or twenty other places on the river: butthe Wallingfords were as little known as Clawbonny, when you got fifteenor twenty miles from the spot where they had so long lived. This is justthe difference between obscurity and notoriety. When the latter extendsto an entire nation, it gives an individual, or a family, the note thatfrees them entirely from the imputation of existing under the firstcondition; and this note, favourably diffused through Christendom, formsa reputation--transmitted to posterity, it becomes fame. Unfortunately,neither we nor our place had even reached the first simple step inthis scale of renown; and poor Clawbonny was laughed at, on account ofsomething Dutch that was probably supposed to exist in the sound--theAnglo-Saxon race having a singular aptitude to turn up their nose's ateverything but their own possessions, and everybody but themselves. Ilooked at Lucy, with sensitive quickness, to see how she received thissneer on my birth-place; but, with her, it was so much a matter ofcourse to think well of everything connected with the spot, its name aswell as its more essential things, that I do not believe she perceivedthis little sign of derision.
While the passengers of the Gull felt this disposition to smile, itwas very different with her skipper; his Dutch pilot, whose name wasAbrahamus Van Valtenberg, but who was more familiarly known as 'BromFolleck, for so the children of New Netherlands twisted their cognomensin converting them into English;{*] the black cook, the mulattosteward, and the "all hands," who were one man and a boy. There had beengenerations of sloops which bore the name of Watlingford, as Well asgenerations of men, at Clawbonny; and this every river-man knew. Inpoint of fact, we counted four generations of men, and six of sloops.Now, none of these vessels was worthy of being mentioned, but this whichmy father had caused to be built; but she had a reputation that extendedto everybody on the river. The effect of all this was to induce theskipper of the Gull to raise his hat, and to say--
"That, then, I suppose is Mr. Wallingford himself--you are welcome backon the river; I remember the time well, when your respected father wouldmake that boat do anything but talk. Nothing but the new paint, whichis different from the last, prevented me from knowing the sloop. Had Itaken a look at her bows, this couldn't have happened."
{Footnote *: A story is told of a Scotchman of the name ofFarquharson,--who settled among the High Dutch on the Mohawk, sometimepreviously to the Revolution; where, unable to pronounce his name, theworthy formers called him Feuerstein (pronounced Firestyne). The sonlived and died under this appellation; but the grandson, removing to apart of the country where English alone was spoken, chose to anglisisehis name; and, by giving it a free translation, became Mr. Flint!]
This speech evidently gave me and my vessel an estimation with thepassengers of the Gull that neither had enjoyed the moment before. Therewas some private conversation on the quarter-deck of the other vessel,and, then, a highly respectable and gentleman-like looking old man, cameto the rail, bowed, and commenced a discourse.
"I have the pleasure of seeing Captain Wallingford, I believe," heremarked, "with whom my friends, the Mertons, came passengers fromChina. They have often expressed their sense of your civilities," hecontinued, as I bowed in acquiescence, "and declare they should everwish to sail with you, were they again compelled to go to sea."
Now, this was viewing my relation to the Mertons in any point of viewbut that in which I wished it to be viewed, or indeed was just. Stillit was natural; and the gentleman who spoke, a man of standing andcharacter, no doubt fancied he was, saying that which must proveparticularly acceptable to me; another proof how dangerous it is toattempt to decide on other men's feelings or affairs. I could notdecline the discourse; and, while the Wallingford went slowly pastthe Gull, I was compelled to endure the torment of hearing the Mertonsmentioned, again and again, in the hearing of Lucy and Grace; on thenerves of the latter of whom I knew it must be a severe trial. At lengthwe got rid of this troublesome neighbour, though not until Lucy and herfather were recognised and spoken to by several of the ladies in theother party. While my late guardian and his daughter were thus engaged,I stole a glance at my sister. She was pale as death, and seemed anxiousto go below, whither I led her, most happily, I have every reason tothink, as things turned out.
When the Wallingford had left the Gull some little distance astern,I returned to the deck, and Lucy went to take my place by the side ofGrace's berth. She reappeared, however; in a very few minutes, sayingthat my sister felt an inclination to rest herself, and might fallasleep. Feeble, almost, as an infant, these frequent slumbers had becomenecessary, in a measure, to the patient's powers. Chloe coming up soonafter with a report that her young mistress seemed to be in a doze, weall remained on deck, in order not to disturb her. In this manner, halfan hour passed, and we had drawn quite near to another sloop that wasgoing in the same direction with ourselves. At this moment, Mr. Hardingewas deeply immersed in his sermon, and I perceived that Lucy looked athim, from time to time, as if she expected to catch his eye. I fanciedsomething distressed her, and yet it was not easy to imagine exactlywhat it could be.
"Do you not intend to go nearer the other sloop?" Lucy at lengthinquired, alluding to the vessel that was almost in a line with us; butto which I had ordered Neb to give a respectable berth.
"I thought the gossip of the last quite sufficient; but, if you likethese interviews, certainly."
Lucy seemed embarrassed; she coloured to her temples, paused a moment,and then added, affecting to laugh--and it was so seldom Lucy affectedanything, but this time she _did_ affect to laugh--as she said--
"I _do_ wish to go near that sloop; though it is not exactly for thereason you suppose."
I could see she was distressed, though it was not yet easy to imaginethe cause. Lucy's requests were laws to me, and Neb was ordered to sheerdown on the quarter of this second sloop, as we had done on that ofthe first. As we drew near, her stern told us that she was called the"Orpheus of Sing-Sing," a combination of names tha
t proved some wag hadbeen connected with the christening. Her decks had also a party of bothsexes on them, though neither carriage nor horses. All this time,Lucy stood quite near me, as if reluctant to move, and when we weresufficiently near the sloop, she pressed still nearer to my side, in theway in which her sex are apt to appeal to those of the other who possesstheir confidence, when most feeling the necessity of support.
"Now, Miles," she said, in an under tone, "_you_ must 'speak thatsloop,' as you call it; I can never hold a loud conversation of thissort, in the presence of so many strangers."
"Very willingly, Lucy; though you will have the goodness to let me knowexactly what I am to say."
"Certainly--begin then, in your sailor fashion, and when that is done, Iwill tell you what to add."
"Enough--Orpheus, there?" I called out, just raising my voicesufficiently to be heard.
"Ay, ay,--what's wanted?" answered the skipper, taking a pipe from hismouth, as he leaned with his back against his own tiller, in a way thatwas just in accordance with the sleepy character of the scene.
I looked at Lucy, as much as to say, "what next?"
"Ask him if Mrs. Drewett is on board his sloop--_Mrs._ Andrew Drewett,not _Mr._--The old lady, I mean," added the dear girl, blushing to theeyes.
I was so confounded--I might almost add appalled, that it was with greatdifficulty I suppressed an exclamation. Command myself, I did, however,and observing that the skipper was curiously awaiting my next question,I put it.
"Is _Mrs_. Andrew Drewett among your passengers, sir?" I inquired with acold distinctness.
My neighbour nodded his head, and spoke to some of his passengers, mostof whom were on the main-deck, seated on chairs, and concealed from us,as yet, by the Wallingford's main-sail, her boom being guyed out on theside next the Orpheus, with its end just clear of her quarter.
"She is, and wishes to know who makes the inquiry?" returned theSing-Sing skipper, in the singsong manner in which ordinary folk repeatwhat is dictated.
"Say that Miss Hardinge has a message to Mrs. Drewett from Mrs. Ogilvie,who is on board that other sloop," added Lucy, in a low, and, as Ithought, tremulous tone.
I was nearly choked; but made out to communicate the fact, as directed.In an instant I heard the foot of one who leaped on the Orpheus'squarter-deck, and then Andrew Drewett appeared, hat in hand, a faceall smiles, eyes that told his tale as plain as any tongue could haveuttered it, and such salutations as denoted the most perfect intimacy.Lucy took my arm involuntarily, and I could feel that she trembled. Thetwo vessels were now so near, and everything around us was so tranquil,that by Lucy's advancing to the Wallingford's quarter-deck, andDrewett's coming to the taffrail of the Orpheus, it was easy to conversewithout any unseemly raising of the voice. All that had been saidbetween me and the skipper, indeed, had been said on a key but littlehigher than common. By the change in Lucy's position, I could no longersee her face; but I knew it was suffused, and that she was far frombeing as composed and collected as was usual with her demeanour. Allthis was death to my recent happiness, though I could not abstain fromwatching what now passed, with the vigilance of jealousy.
"Good-morning," Lucy commenced, and the words were uttered in a tonethat I thought bespoke great familiarity, if not confidence; "will youhave the goodness to tell your mother that Mrs. Ogilvie begs she willnot leave Albany until after her arrival. The other sloop, Mrs. Ogilviethinks, cannot be more than an hour or two after you, and she is verydesirous of making a common party to--ah! there comes Mrs. Drewett,"said Lucy, hastily interrupting herself, "and I can deliver my message,myself."
Mrs. Drewett coming aft at this instant, Lucy certainly did turn toher, and communicated a message, which it seems the lady in the Gull hadearnestly requested her to deliver in passing.
"And now," returned Mrs. Drewett, when Lucy had ceased, first civillysaluting me, "and now, my dear Lucy, we have something for you. Sosudden was your departure, on the receipt of that naughty letter,"my letter, summoning the dear girl to the bed-side of her friend,was meant, "that you left your work-box behind you, and, as I knew itcontained many notes besides bank-notes, I would not allow it to beseparated from me, until we met. Here it is; in what manner shall wecontrive to get it into your hands?"
Lucy started, and I could see that she both felt and looked anxious.As I afterwards learned, she had been passing a day at Mrs. Drewett'svilla, which joined her own, both standing on the rocks quite near tothat spot which a mawkish set among us is trying to twist from plainhomely, up-and-down, old fashioned Hell Gate, into the exquisite andlackadaisical corruption of _Hurl_ Gate--Heaven save the mark! What punypiece of folly and affectation will they attempt next?--but Lucy waspaying this visit when she received my letter, and it appears suchwas her haste to get to Grace, that she quitted the house immediately,leaving behind her a small work-box, _unlocked_, and in it variouspapers that she did not wish read. Of course, one of Lucy's sentimentsand tone, could hardly suspect a lady, and Mrs. Drewett was strictlythat, of rummaging her box or of reading her notes and letters; butone is never easy when such things can be supposed to be in the way ofimpertinent eyes. There are maids as well as mistresses, and Icould see, in a moment, that she wished the box was again in her ownpossession. Under the circumstances, therefore, I felt it was time tointerfere.
"If your sloop will round-to, Mr. Drewett," I remarked, receiving a coldsalutation from the gentleman, in return for my own bow, the first signof recognition that had passed between us, "I will round-to, myself, andsend a boat for the box."
This proposal drew all eyes towards the skipper, who was still leaningagainst his tiller, smoking for life or death. I was not favourablyreceived, extorting a grunt in reply, that any one could understanddenoted dissent. The pipe was slowly removed, and the private opinion ofthis personage was pretty openly expressed, in his Dutchified dialect.
"If a body coult get a wint for der askin', dis might do very well," hesaid; "but nobody rounts-to mit a fair wind."
I have always remarked that they who have used a dialect differentfrom the common forms of speech in their youth, and come afterwards tocorrect it, by intercourse with the world, usually fall back into theirearly infirmities in moments of trial, perplexity, or anger. This iseasily explained. Habit has become a sort of nature, in their childhood,and it is when most tried that we are the most natural. Then, thisskipper, an Albany--or Al_bon_ny man, as he would probably have styledhimself, had got down the river as far as Sing-Sing, and had acquireda tolerable English; but, being now disturbed, he fell back upon hisoriginal mode of speaking, the certain proof that he would never givein. I saw at once the hopelessness of attempting to persuade one of hisschool, and had begun to devise some other scheme for getting the box onboard, when to my surprise, and not a little to my concern, I saw AndrewDrewett, first taking the box from his mother, step upon the end of ourmain-boom, and move along the spar with the evident intention to walkas far as our deck and deliver Lucy her property with his own hands.The whole thing occurred so suddenly, that there was no time forremonstrance. Young gentlemen who are thoroughly in love, are not oftendiscreet in matters connected with their devotion to their mistresses.I presume Drewett saw the boom placed so favourably as to tempt him, andhe fancied it would be a thing to mention to carry a lady her work-boxacross a bridge that was of so precarious a footing. Had the spar lainon the ground, it would certainly have been no exploit at all to for anyyoung man to walk its length, carrying his arms full of work-boxes; butit was a very different matter when the same feat had to be performedon a sloop's boom in its place, suspended over the water, with thesail set, and the vessel in motion. This Drewett soon discovered, for,advancing a step or two, he grasped the topping-lift, which luckily forhim happened to be taut, for a support. All this occurred before therewas time for remonstrance, or even for thought. At the same instant Neb,in obedience to a sign previously given by me, had put the helm down alittle, and the boom-end was already twenty feet from the quarter-deckof the Orpheus.
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br /> Of course, all the women screamed, or exclaimed, on some key or other.Poor Mrs. Drewett hid her face, and began to moan her son as lost. I didnot dare look at Lucy, who remained quiet as to voice, after the firstinvoluntary exclamation, and as immovable as a statue. Luckily her facewas from me. As Drewett was evidently discomposed, I thought it best,however, to devise something not only for his relief, but for thatof Lucy's box, which was in quite as much jeopardy as the young man,himself; more so, indeed, if the latter could swim. I was on the pointof calling out to Drewett to hold on, and I would cause the boom-endto reach over the Orpheus's main-deck, after which he might easily dropdown among his friends, when Neb, finding some one to take the helm,suddenly stood at my side.
"He drop dat box, sartain, Masser Mile," half-whispered the negro; "heleg begin to shake already, and he won'erful skear'd!"
"I would not have that happen for a good deal--can you save it, Neb?"
"Sartain, sir. Only hab to run out on 'e boom and bring it in, and gibit Miss Lucy; she mighty partic'lar about dat werry box, Masser Mile, asI see a hundrer time, and more too."
"Well, lay out, boy, and bring it in,--and look to your footing, Neb."
This was all Neb wanted. The fellow had feet shaped a good deal likeany other aquatic bird, with the essential difference, however, that nosmall part of his foundation had been laid abaft the perpendicular ofthe tendon Achilles, and, being without shoes, he could nearly encirclea small spar in his grasp. Often and often had I seen Neb run out on atop-sail-yard, the ship pitching heavily, catching at the lift; andit was a mere trifle after that, to run out on a spar as large as theWallingford's main-boom. A tolerably distinctive scream from Chloe,first apprised me that the negro was in motion. Looking in thatdirection, I saw him walking steadily along the boom, notwithstandingDrewett's loud remonstrances, and declarations that he wanted noassistance, until he reached the spot where the young gentleman stoodgrasping the lift, with his legs submitting to more tremour than wasconvenient. Neb now grinned, looked as amiable as possible, held out hishand, and revealed the object of his visit.
"Masser Mile t'ink 'e gentleum better gib _me_ Miss Lucy box"--said Neb,as politely as he knew how.
I believe in my soul that Drewett could have kissed Neb, so glad was heto obtain this little relief. The box was yielded without the slightestobjection, Neb receiving it with a bow; after which the negro turnedround as coolly as if he were on the deck, and walked deliberately andsteadily in to the mast. He stopped an instant just at the small of thespar, to look back at Drewett, who was saying something to pacify hismother; and I observed that, as he stood with his heels in a line, thetoes nearly met underneath the boom, which his feet grasped something inthe manner of talons. A deep sigh reached my ear, as Neb bounded lightlyon deck, and I knew whence it came by the exclamation of--
"De _fel_-ler!"
As for Neb, he advanced with his prize, which he offered to Lucy withone of his best bows, but in a way to show he was not conscious ofhaving performed any unusual exploit. Lucy handed the box to Chloe,without averting her eyes from Drewett, in whose situation shemanifested a good deal more concern than I liked, or fancied hedeserved.
"Thank you, Mr. Drewett," she said, affecting to think the box had beenrecovered altogether by his address; "it is now safe, and there is nolonger any necessity for your coming here. Let Mr. Wallingford do whathe says"--I had mentioned in a low voice, the practicability of my ownscheme--"and return to your own sloop."
But, two things now interposed to the execution of this very simpleexpedient. The first was Drewett's pride, blended with a littleobstinacy, and the other was the "Al_bon_ny" skipper's pride, blendedwith a good deal of obstinacy. The first did not like to retreat, afterNeb had so clearly demonstrated it was no great matter to walk on theboom; and the latter, soured by the manner in which we had outsailedhim, and fancying Andrew had deserted to get on board a faster vessel,resented the whole by sheering away from us to the distance of a hundredyards. I saw that there remained but a single expedient, and set aboutadopting it without further delay.
"Take good hold of the lift, Mr. Drewett, and steady yourself with bothhands; ease away the peak halyards to tauten that lift a little more,forward. Now, one of you stand by to ease off the guy handsomely, andthe rest come aft to the main-sheet. Look out for yourself, Mr. Drewett;we are about to haul in the boom, when it will be a small matter to getyou in, upon the taffrail. Stand by to luff handsomely, so as to keepthe boom as steady as possible."
But Drewett clamorously protested against our doing anything of thesort. He was getting used to his situation, and intended to come inNeb-fashion, in a minute more. All he asked was not to be hurried.
"No--no--no--touch nothing I entreat of you, _Captain_ Wallingford"--hesaid, earnestly. "If that black can do it, surely I ought to do it,too."
"But the black has claws, and you have none, sir; then he is a sailor,and used to such things, and you are none, sir. Moreover, he wasbarefooted, while you have got on stiff, and I dare say slippery boots."
"Yes, the boots _are_ an encumbrance. If I could only throw them off, Ishould do well enough. As it is, however, I hope to have the honour ofshaking you by the hand, Miss Hardinge, without the disgrace of beinghelped."
Mr. Hardinge here expostulated, but all in vain; for I saw plainlyenough Drewett was highly excited, and that he was preparing for astart. These signs were now so apparent that all of us united our voicesin remonstrances; and Lucy said imploringly to me--"_Do_ not let himmove, Miles--I have heard him say he cannot swim."
It was too late. Pride, mortified vanity, obstinacy, love, or what youwill, rendered the young man deaf, and away he went, abandoning thelift, his sole protection. I saw, the moment he quitted his grasp, thathe would never reach the mast, and made my arrangements accordingly. Icalled to Marble to stand by to luff; and, just as the words passed mylips, a souse into the water told the whole story. The first glance atpoor Drewett's frantic manner of struggling told me that Lucy was reallyaware of his habits, and that he could not swim. I was in light duck,jacket and trowsers, with seaman's pumps; and placing a foot on therail, I alighted alongside of the drowning young man, just as he wentunder. Well assured he would reappear, I waited for that, and presentlyI got a view of his hair, within reach of my arm, and I grasped it, ina way to turn him on his back, and bring his face uppermost. At thismoment the sloop was gliding away from us, Marble having instantly putthe helm hard down, in order to round-to. As I afterwards learned, thestate of the case was no sooner understood in the other sloop, than theAl_bon_-ny men gave in, and imitated the Wallingford.
There was no time for reflection. As soon as Drewett's hair was in mygrasp, I raised his head from the water, by an effort that forced meunder it, to let him catch his breath; and then relaxed the power bywhich it had been done, to come up myself. I had done this to give him amoment to recover his recollection, in the hope he would act reasonably;and I now desired him to lay his two hands on my shoulders, permit hisbody to sink as low as possible and breathe, and trust the rest tome. If the person in danger can be made to do this, an ordinarilygood swimmer could tow him a mile, without any unusual effort. But thebreathing spell afforded to Drewett had the effect just to give himstrength to struggle madly for existence, without aiding his reason. Onthe land, he would have been nothing in my hands; but, in the water, themerest boy may become formidable. God forgive me, if I do him injustice!but I have sometimes thought, since, that Drewett was perfectlyconscious who I was, and that he gave some vent to his jealous distrustof Lucy's feelings towards me. This may be all imagination; but Icertainly heard the words "Lucy" "Wallingford," "Clawbonny," "hateful,"muttered by the man, even as he struggled there for life. The advantagegiven him, by turning to allow him to put his hands on my shoulders,liked to have cost me dear. Instead of doing as I directed, he graspedmy neck with both arms, and seemed to wish to mount on my head, forcinghis own shoulders quite out of water, and mine, by that much weight,beneath it. It was while we were
thus placed, his mouth within an inchor two of my very ear, that I heard the words muttered which have beenmentioned. It is possible, however, that he was unconscious of thatwhich terror and despair extorted from him.
I saw no time was to be lost, and my efforts became desperate. I firstendeavoured to swim with this great encumbrance; but it was useless.The strength of Hercules could not long have buoyed up the under bodyof such a load, sufficiently to raise the nostrils for breath; and theconvulsive twitches of Drewett's arms were near strangling me. I mustthrow him off, or drown. Abandoning the attempt to swim, I seized hishands with mine, and endeavoured to loosen his grasp of my neck. Ofcourse we both sank while I was thus engaged; for it was impossible tokeep my head above water, by means of my feet alone, with a man of somesize riding, from his shoulders up, above the level of my chin.
I can scarcely describe what followed. I confess I thought ho longer ofsaving Drewett's life, but only of saving my own. We struggled there inthe water like the fiercest enemies, each aiming for the mastery, as, ifone were to live, the other must die. We sank, and rose to the surfacefor air, solely by my efforts, no less than three times; Drewett gettingthe largest benefits by the latter, thus renewing his strength; whilemine, great as it was by nature, began gradually to fail. A struggle soterrific could not last long. We sank a fourth time, and I felt it wasnot to rise again, when relief came from an unexpected quarter. Fromboyhood, my father had taught me the important lesson of keeping myeyes open under water. By means of this practice, I not only _felt_, but_saw_ the nature of the tremendous struggle that was going on. Italso gave me a slight advantage over Drewett, who closed his eyes, byenabling me to see how to direct my own exertions. While sinking, as Ibelieved, for the last time, I saw a large object approaching me in thewater, which, in the confusion of the moment, I took for a shark, thoughsharks never ascended the Hudson so high, and were even rare at NewYork. There it was, however, swimming towards us, and even descendinglower as if to pass beneath, in readiness for the fatal snap. Beneath itdid pass, and I felt it pressing upward, raising Drewett and myself tothe surface. As I got a glimpse of the light, and a delicious draught ofair, Drewett was drawn from my neck by Marble, whose encouraging voicesounded like music in my ears. At the next instant my shark emerged,puffing like a porpoise; and then I heard--
"Hole on, Masser Mile--here he nigger close by!"
I was dragged into the boat, I scarce knew how, and lay down completelyexhausted; while my late companion seemed to me to be a lifeless corpse.In a moment, Neb, dripping like a black river god, and glistening like awet bottle, placed himself in the bottom of the boat, took my head intohis lap, and began to squeeze the water from my hair, and to dry my facewith some one's handkerchief--I trust it was not his own.
"Pull away, lads, for the sloop," said Marble, as soon as everybody wasout of the river. "This gentleman seems to have put on the hatches forthe last time--as for Miles, _he_'ll never drown in fresh water."
Afloat and Ashore: A Sea Tale Page 30
