Arthur Mervyn; Or, Memoirs of the Year 1793

by Charles Brockden Brown

  CHAPTER IV.

  We arrived at a brick wall, through which we passed by a gate into anextensive court or yard. The darkness would allow me to see nothing butoutlines. Compared with the pigmy dimensions of my father's woodenhovel, the buildings before me were of gigantic loftiness. The horseswere here far more magnificently accommodated than I had been. By alarge door we entered an elevated hall. "Stay here," said he, "justwhile I fetch a light."

  He returned, bearing a candle, before I had time to ponder on my presentsituation.

  We now ascended a staircase, covered with painted canvas. No one whoseinexperience is less than mine can imagine to himself the impressionsmade upon me by surrounding objects. The height to which this stairascended, its dimensions, and its ornaments, appeared to me acombination of all that was pompous and superb.

  We stopped not till we had reached the third story. Here my companionunlocked and led the way into a chamber. "This," said he, "is my room;permit me to welcome you into it."

  I had no time to examine this room before, by some accident, the candlewas extinguished. "Curse upon my carelessness!" said he. "I must go downagain and light the candle. I will return in a twinkling. Meanwhile youmay undress yourself and go to bed." He went out, and, as I afterwardsrecollected, locked the door behind him.

  I was not indisposed to follow his advice, but my curiosity would firstbe gratified by a survey of the room. Its height and spaciousness wereimperfectly discernible by starlight, and by gleams from a street-lamp.The floor was covered with a carpet, the walls with brilliant hangings;the bed and windows were shrouded by curtains of a rich texture andglossy hues. Hitherto I had merely read of these things. I knew them tobe the decorations of opulence; and yet, as I viewed them, andremembered where and what I was on the same hour the preceding day, Icould scarcely believe myself awake, or that my senses were not beguiledby some spell.

  "Where," said I, "will this adventure terminate? I rise on the morrowwith the dawn and speed into the country. When this night is remembered,how like a vision will it appear! If I tell the tale by a kitchen-fire,my veracity will be disputed. I shall be ranked with the story-tellersof Shiraz and Bagdad."

  Though busied in these reflections, I was not inattentive to theprogress of time. Methought my companion was remarkably dilatory. Hewent merely to relight his candle, but certainly he might, during thistime, have performed the operation ten times over. Some unforeseenaccident might occasion his delay.

  Another interval passed, and no tokens of his coming. I began now togrow uneasy. I was unable to account for his detention. Was not sometreachery designed? I went to the door, and found that it was locked.This heightened my suspicions. I was alone, a stranger, in an upper roomof the house. Should my conductor have disappeared, by design or byaccident, and some one of the family should find me here, what would bethe consequence? Should I not be arrested as a thief, and conveyed toprison? My transition from the street to this chamber would not be morerapid than my passage hence to a jail.

  These ideas struck me with panic. I revolved them anew, but they onlyacquired greater plausibility. No doubt I had been the victim ofmalicious artifice. Inclination, however, conjured up oppositesentiments, and my fears began to subside. What motive, I asked, couldinduce a human being to inflict wanton injury? I could not account forhis delay; but how numberless were the contingencies that might occasionit!

  I was somewhat comforted by these reflections, but the consolation theyafforded was short-lived. I was listening with the utmost eagerness tocatch the sound of a foot, when a noise was indeed heard, but totallyunlike a step. It was human breath struggling, as it were, for passage.On the first effort of attention, it appeared like a groan. Whence itarose I could not tell. He that uttered it was near; perhaps in theroom.

  Presently the same noise was again heard, and now I perceived that itcame from the bed. It was accompanied with a motion like some onechanging his posture. What I at first conceived to be a groan appearednow to be nothing more than the expiration of a sleeping man. Whatshould I infer from this incident? My companion did not apprize me thatthe apartment was inhabited. Was his imposture a jestful or a wickedone?

  There was no need to deliberate. There were no means of concealment orescape. The person would some time awaken and detect me. The intervalwould only be fraught with agony, and it was wise to shorten it. ShouldI not withdraw the curtain, awake the person, and encounter at once allthe consequences of my situation? I glided softly to the bed, when thethought occurred, May not the sleeper be a female?

  I cannot describe the mixture of dread and of shame which glowed in myveins. The light in which such a visitant would be probably regarded bya woman's fears, the precipitate alarms that might be given, the injurywhich I might unknowingly inflict or undeservedly suffer, threw mythoughts into painful confusion. My presence might pollute a spotlessreputation, or furnish fuel to jealousy.

  Still, though it were a female, would not less injury be done by gentlyinterrupting her slumber? But the question of sex still remained to bedecided. For this end I once more approached the bed, and drew aside thesilk. The sleeper was a babe. This I discovered by the glimmer of astreet-lamp.

  Part of my solicitudes were now removed. It was plain that this chamberbelonged to a nurse or a mother. She had not yet come to bed. Perhaps itwas a married pair, and their approach might be momently expected. Ipictured to myself their entrance and my own detection. I could imagineno consequence that was not disastrous and horrible, and from which Iwould not at any price escape. I again examined the door, and found thatexit by this avenue was impossible. There were other doors in this room.Any practicable expedient in this extremity was to be pursued. One ofthese was bolted. I unfastened it and found a considerable space within.Should I immure myself in this closet? I saw no benefit that wouldfinally result from it. I discovered that there was a bolt on theinside, which would somewhat contribute to security. This being drawn,no one could enter without breaking the door.

  I had scarcely paused, when the long-expected sound of footsteps washeard in the entry. Was it my companion, or a stranger? If it were thelatter, I had not yet mustered courage sufficient to meet him. I cannotapplaud the magnanimity of my proceeding; but no one can expect intrepidor judicious measures from one in my circumstances. I stepped into thecloset, and closed the door. Some one immediately after unlocked thechamber door. He was unattended with a light. The footsteps, as theymoved along the carpet, could scarcely be heard.

  I waited impatiently for some token by which I might be governed. I putmy ear to the keyhole, and at length heard a voice, but not that of mycompanion, exclaim, somewhat above a whisper, "Smiling cherub! safe andsound, I see. Would to God my experiment may succeed, and that thoumayest find a mother where I have found a wife!" There he stopped. Heappeared to kiss the babe, and, presently retiring, locked the doorafter him.

  These words were capable of no consistent meaning. They served, atleast, to assure me that I had been treacherously dealt with. Thischamber, it was manifest, did not belong to my companion. I put upprayers to my Deity that he would deliver me from these toils. What acondition was mine! Immersed in palpable darkness! shut up in thisunknown recess! lurking like a robber!

  My meditations were disturbed by new sounds. The door was unlocked,more than one person entered the apartment, and light streamed throughthe keyhole. I looked; but the aperture was too small and the figurespassed too quickly to permit me the sight of them. I bent my ear, andthis imparted some more authentic information.

  The man, as I judged by the voice, was the same who had just departed.Rustling of silk denoted his companion to be female. Some words beinguttered by the man, in too low a key to be overheard, the lady burstinto a passion of tears. He strove to comfort her by soothing tones andtender appellations. "How can it be helped?" said he. "It is time toresume your courage. Your duty to yourself and to me requires you tosubdue this unreasonable grief."

  He spoke frequently in this strain, but all he said seemed to
havelittle influence in pacifying the lady. At length, however, her sobsbegan to lessen in vehemence and frequency. He exhorted her to seek forsome repose. Apparently she prepared to comply, and conversation was,for a few minutes, intermitted.

  I could not but advert to the possibility that some occasion to examinethe closet, in which I was immured, might occur. I knew not in whatmanner to demean myself if this should take place. I had no option atpresent. By withdrawing myself from view I had lost the privilege of anupright deportment. Yet the thought of spending the night in this spotwas not to be endured.

  Gradually I began to view the project of bursting from the closet, andtrusting to the energy of truth and of an artless tale, with morecomplacency. More than once my hand was placed upon the bolt, butwithdrawn by a sudden faltering of resolution. When one attempt failed,I recurred once more to such reflections as were adapted to renew mypurpose.

  I preconcerted the address which I should use. I resolved to beperfectly explicit; to withhold no particular of my adventures from themoment of my arrival. My description must necessarily suit some personwithin their knowledge. All I should want was liberty to depart; but, ifthis were not allowed, I might at least hope to escape any illtreatment, and to be confronted with my betrayer. In that case I did notfear to make him the attester of my innocence.

  Influenced by these considerations, I once more touched the lock. Atthat moment the lady shrieked, and exclaimed, "Good God! What is here?"An interesting conversation ensued. The object that excited herastonishment was the child. I collected from what passed that thediscovery was wholly unexpected by her. Her husband acted as if equallyunaware of this event. He joined in all her exclamations of wonder andall her wild conjectures. When these were somewhat exhausted, heartfully insinuated the propriety of bestowing care upon the littlefoundling. I now found that her grief had been occasioned by the recentloss of her own offspring. She was, for some time, averse to herhusband's proposal, but at length was persuaded to take the babe to herbosom and give it nourishment.

  This incident had diverted my mind from its favourite project, andfilled me with speculations on the nature of the scene. One explicationwas obvious, that the husband was the parent of this child, and had usedthis singular expedient to procure for it the maternal protection of hiswife. It would soon claim from her all the fondness which sheentertained for her own progeny. No suspicion probably had yet, or wouldhereafter, occur with regard to its true parent. If her character bedistinguished by the usual attributes of women, the knowledge of thistruth may convert her love into hatred. I reflected with amazement onthe slightness of that thread by which human passions are led from theirtrue direction. With no less amazement did I remark the complexity ofincidents by which I had been empowered to communicate to her thistruth. How baseless are the structures of falsehood, which we build inopposition to the system of eternal nature! If I should escapeundetected from this recess, it will be true that I never saw the faceof either of these persons, and yet I am acquainted with the most secrettransaction of their lives.

  My own situation was now more critical than before. The lights wereextinguished, and the parties had sought repose. To issue from thecloset now would be imminently dangerous. My councils were again at astand and my designs frustrated. Meanwhile the persons did not droptheir discourse, and I thought myself justified in listening. Many factsof the most secret and momentous nature were alluded to. Some allusionswere unintelligible. To others I was able to affix a plausible meaning,and some were palpable enough. Every word that was uttered on thatoccasion is indelibly imprinted on my memory. Perhaps the singularity ofmy circumstances, and my previous ignorance of what was passing in theworld, contributed to render me a greedy listener. Most that was said Ishall overlook; but one part of the conversation it will be necessary torepeat.

  A large company had assembled that evening at their house. Theycriticized the character and manners of several. At last the husbandsaid, "What think you of the nabob? Especially when he talked aboutriches? How artfully he encourages the notion of his poverty! Yet not asoul believes him. I cannot for my part account for that scheme of his.I half suspect that his wealth flows from a bad source, since he is sostudious of concealing it."

  "Perhaps, after all," said the lady, "you are mistaken as to hiswealth."

  "Impossible," exclaimed the other. "Mark how he lives. Have I not seenhis bank-account? His deposits, since he has been here, amount to noless than half a million."

  "Heaven grant that it be so!" said the lady, with a sigh. "I shall thinkwith less aversion of your scheme. If poor Tom's fortune be made, and henot the worse, or but little the worse on that account, I shall think iton the whole best."

  "That," replied he, "is what reconciles me to the scheme. To him thirtythousand are nothing."

  "But will he not suspect you of some hand in it?"

  "How can he? Will I not appear to lose as well as himself? Tom is mybrother, but who can be supposed to answer for a brother's integrity?but he cannot suspect either of us. Nothing less than a miracle canbring our plot to light. Besides, this man is not what he ought to be.He will, some time or other, come out to be a grand impostor. He makesmoney by other arts than bargain and sale. He has found his way, by somemeans, to the Portuguese treasury."

  Here the conversation took a new direction, and, after some time, thesilence of sleep ensued.

  Who, thought I, is this nabob who counts his dollars by half-millions,and on whom it seems as if some fraud was intended to be practised?Amidst their wariness and subtlety, how little are they aware that theirconversation has been overheard! By means as inscrutable as those whichconducted me hither, I may hereafter be enabled to profit by thisdetection of a plot. But, meanwhile, what was I to do? How was I toeffect my escape from this perilous asylum?

  After much reflection, it occurred to me that to gain the street withoutexciting their notice was not utterly impossible. Sleep does notcommonly end of itself, unless at a certain period. What impedimentswere there between me and liberty which I could not remove, and removewith so much caution as to escape notice? Motion and sound inevitably gotogether; but every sound is not attended to. The doors of the closetand the chamber did not creak upon their hinges. The latter might belocked. This I was able to ascertain only by experiment. If it were so,yet the key was probably in the lock, and might be used without muchnoise.

  I waited till their slow and hoarser inspirations showed them to be bothasleep. Just then, on changing my position, my head struck against somethings which depended from the ceiling of the closet. They wereimplements of some kind which rattled against each other in consequenceof this unlucky blow. I was fearful lest this noise should alarm, as thecloset was little distant from the bed. The breathing of one instantlyceased, and a motion was made as if the head were lifted from thepillow. This motion, which was made by the husband, awaked hiscompanion, who exclaimed, "What is the matter?"

  "Something, I believe," replied he, "in the closet. If I was notdreaming, I heard the pistols strike against each other as if some onewas taking them down."

  This intimation was well suited to alarm the lady. She besought him toascertain the matter. This, to my utter dismay, he at first consented todo, but presently observed that probably his ears had misinformed him.It was hardly possible that the sound proceeded from them. It might be arat, or his own fancy might have fashioned it. It is not easy todescribe my trepidations while this conference was holding. I saw howeasily their slumber was disturbed. The obstacles to my escape were lesssurmountable than I had imagined.

  In a little time all was again still. I waited till the usual tokens ofsleep were distinguishable. I once more resumed my attempt. The bolt waswithdrawn with all possible slowness; but I could by no means preventall sound. My state was full of inquietude and suspense; my attentionbeing painfully divided between the bolt and the condition of thesleepers. The difficulty lay in giving that degree of force which wasbarely sufficient. Perhaps not less than fifteen minutes were consumedin this
operation. At last it was happily effected, and the door wascautiously opened.

  Emerging as I did from utter darkness, the light admitted into threewindows produced, to my eyes, a considerable illumination. Objectswhich, on my first entrance into this apartment, were invisible, werenow clearly discerned. The bed was shrouded by curtains, yet I shrunkback into my covert, fearful of being seen. To facilitate my escape, Iput off my shoes. My mind was so full of objects of more urgent moment,that the propriety of taking them along with me never occurred. I leftthem in the closet.

  I now glided across the apartment to the door. I was not a littlediscouraged by observing that the key was wanting. My whole hopedepended on the omission to lock it. In my haste to ascertain thispoint, I made some noise which again roused one of the sleepers. Hestarted, and cried, "Who is there?"

  I now regarded my case as desperate, and detection as inevitable. Myapprehensions, rather than my caution, kept me mute. I shrunk to thewall, and waited in a kind of agony for the moment that should decide myfate.

  The lady was again roused. In answer to her inquiries, her husband saidthat some one, he believed, was at the door, but there was no danger oftheir entering, for he had locked it, and the key was in his pocket.

  My courage was completely annihilated by this piece of intelligence. Myresources were now at an end. I could only remain in this spot till themorning light, which could be at no great distance, should discover me.My inexperience disabled me from estimating all the perils of mysituation. Perhaps I had no more than temporary inconveniences to dread.My intention was innocent, and I had been betrayed into my presentsituation, not by my own wickedness, but the wickedness of others.

  I was deeply impressed with the ambiguousness which would necessarilyrest upon my motives, and the scrutiny to which they would be subjected.I shuddered at the bare possibility of being ranked with thieves. Thesereflections again gave edge to my ingenuity in search of the means ofescape. I had carefully attended to the circumstances of their entrance.Possibly the act of locking had been unnoticed; but was it not likewisepossible that this person had been mistaken? The key was gone. Wouldthis have been the case if the door were unlocked?

  My fears, rather than my hopes, impelled me to make the experiment. Idrew back the latch, and, to my unspeakable joy, the door opened.

  I passed through and explored my way to the staircase. I descended tillI reached the bottom. I could not recollect with accuracy the positionof the door leading into the court, but, by carefully feeling along thewall with my hands, I at length discovered it. It was fastened byseveral bolts and a lock. The bolts were easily withdrawn, but the keywas removed. I knew not where it was deposited. I thought I had reachedthe threshold of liberty, but here was an impediment that threatened tobe insurmountable.

  But, if doors could not be passed, windows might be unbarred. Iremembered that my companion had gone into a door on the left hand, insearch of a light. I searched for this door. Fortunately it was fastenedonly by a bolt. It admitted me into a room which I carefully exploredtill I reached a window. I will not dwell on my efforts to unbar thisentrance. Suffice it to say that, after much exertion and frequentmistakes, I at length found my way into the yard, and thence passed intothe court.