she expected the company of some ladies that afternoon. "Thenthey must be disappointed, child," said her aunt.--Melissa knew it wasin vain to remonstrate; she supposed her aunt was bent on visiting someof her acquaintance, and she remained silent.
They arrived at another village, and alighted at an inn, where Melissaand her aunt tarried, while the servant was ordered out by the latter onsome business unknown to Melissa. When they again got into the carriageshe perceived several large packages and bundles, which had beendeposited there since they left it. She enquired of her aunt what theycontained. "Articles for family use, child," she replied, and orderedthe driver to proceed.
They passed along winding and solitary paths, into a bye road which ledthrough an unfrequented wood, that opened into a rocky part of thecountry bordering on the Sound. Here they stopped at the only house inview. It was a miserable hut, built of logs, and boarded with slabs.They alighted from the carriage, and Melissa's aunt, handing the drivera large bunch of keys, "remember to do as I have told you," said she,and he drove rapidly away. It was with some difficulty they got into thehut, as a meagre cow, with a long yoke on her neck, a board before hereyes, and a cross piece on her horns, stood with her head in the door.On one side of her were four or five half starved squeaking pigs, on theother a flock of gaggling geese.
As they entered the door, a woman who sat carding wool jumped up, "Lame! she cried, here is Miss D----, welcome here again. How does madamdo?" dropping a low curtsey. She was dressed in a linsey woolsey shortgown, a petticoat of the same, her hair hanging about her ears, andbarefoot. Three dirty, ragged children were playing about the floor, andthe furniture was of a piece with the building. "Is my room in order?"enquired Melissa's aunt. "It hasn't been touched since madam was here,"answered the woman, and immediately stalked away to a little backapartment, which Melissa and her aunt entered. It was small, but neatlyfurnished, and contained a single bed. This appendage had been concealedfrom Melissa's view, as it was the opposite side of the house fromwhence she alighted. "Where is John?" asked Melissa's aunt. "My husbandis in the garden, replied the woman; I will call him," and out shescampered. John soon appeared, and exhibited an exact counter part ofhis wife. "What does madam please to want?" said he, bowing three orfour times. "I want you John," she answered, and immediately steppedinto the other room, and gave some directions, in a low voice, to himand his wife. "La me! said the woman, madam a'nt a going to live in thatdoleful place?" Melissa could not understand her aunt's reply, but heardher give directions to "first hang on the teakettle." This done, whileJohn and his wife went out, Melissa's aunt prepared tea in her own room.In about an hour John and his wife returned, and gave the same bunch ofkeys to Melissa's aunt, which she had given to the servant who drove thecarriage.
Melissa was involved in inscrutable mystery respecting theseextraordinary proceedings. She conjectured that they boded her no good,but she could not penetrate into her aunt's designs. She frequentlylooked out, hoping to see the carriage return, but was disappointed.When tea was made ready, she could neither eat nor drink. After her aunthad disposed of a dozen cups of tea, and an adequate proportion ofbiscuit, butter and dried beef, she directed Melissa to prepare to takea walk. The sun was low; they proceeded through fields, in a foot path,over rough and uneven ways, directly towards the Sound. They walkedabout a mile, when they came to a large, old fashioned, castle-likebuilding, surrounded by a high, thick wall, and almost totally concealedon all sides from the sight, by irregular rows of large locusts and elmtrees, dry prim[A] hedges, and green shrubbery. The gate which openedinto the yard, was made of strong hard wood, thickly crossed on theoutside with iron bars, and filled with old iron spikes. Melissa's auntunlocked the gate, and they entered the yard, which was overgrown withrank grass and rushes: the avenue which led to the house was almost inthe same condition. The house was of real Gothic architecture, built ofrude stone, with battlements.
[Footnote A: The botanical name of this shrub is not recollected. There were formerly a great number of prim hedges in New-England, and other parts of America. What is most remarkable is, that they all died the year previous to the commencement of the American war.]
The doors were constructed in the same manner as the gate at which theyentered the yard. They unlocked the door, which creaked heavily on itshinges, and went in. They ascended a flight of stairs, wound throughseveral dark and empty rooms, till they came to one which was handsomelyfurnished, with a fire burning on the hearth. Two beds were in the room,with tables and chairs, and other conveniences for house keeping. "Herewe are safe, said Melissa's aunt, as I have taken care to lock all thedoors and gates after me; and here, Melissa, you are in the mansion ofyour ancestors. Your great grand father, who came over from England,built this house in the earliest settlements of the country, and here heresided until his death. The reason why so high and thick a wall wasbuilt round it, and the doors and gates so strongly fortified, was tosecure it against the Indians, who frequently committed depredations onthe early settlers. Your grandfather came in possession of this estateafter his father's death: it fell to me by will, with the landssurrounding it. The house has sometimes been tenanted, at others not. Ithas now been vacant for a few years. The lands are rented yearly. John,the person from whose house we last came, is my overseer and tenant.I had a small room built, adjoining that hut, where I generally residefor a week when I come to receive my rents. I have thought frequently offitting up this place for my future residence, but circumstances havehitherto hindered my carrying the scheme into effect, and now, perhaps,it will never take place.
"Your perverseness, Melissa, in refusing to comply with the wishes ofyour friends, has induced us to adopt the method of bringing you here,where you are to remain until Alonzo leaves your neighbourhood, atleast. Notwithstanding your father's injunctions and my vigilance, youhad a clandestine interview with him last night. So we were told byBeauman this morning, before he set off for New-London, who discoveredhim at your window. It therefore became necessary to remove youimmediately. You will want for nothing. John is to supply us withwhatever is needful.--You will not be long here; Alonzo will soon begone. You will think differently; return home, marry Beauman, andbecome a lady."
"My God! exclaimed Melissa, is it possible my father can be so cruel!Is he so unfeeling as to banish me from his house, and confine me withinthe walls of a prison, like a common malefactor?" She flung herself onthe bed in a state little inferior to distraction. Her aunt told her itwas all owing to her own obstinacy, and because she refused to be madehappy--and went to preparing supper.
Melissa heard none of her aunt's observations; she lay in a stupifyingagony, insensible to all that passed. When supper was ready, her auntendeavoured to arouse her. She started up, stared around her with a wildagonizing countenance, but spoke not a word. Her aunt became alarmed.She applied stimulants to her temples and forehead, and persuaded her totake some cordials. She remained seemingly insensible through the night:just at morning, she fell into a slumber, interrupted by incoherentmoanings, convulsive startings, long drawn sighs, intermitting sobs, andby frequent, sudden and restless turnings from side to side. At lengthshe appeared to be in a calm and quiet sleep for about an hour. Aboutsunrise she awoke--her aunt sat by her bed side. She gazed languidlyabout the room, and burst into tears. She wept a long time; her auntstrove to console her, for she truly began to tremble, lest Melissa'sdistress should produce her immediate dissolution. Towards night,however, she became more calm and resigned; but a slight feversucceeded, which kept her confined for several days, after which sheslowly recovered.
* * * * *
John came frequently to the house to receive the commands of Melissa'saunt, and brought such things as they wanted. Her aunt also sometimeswent home with him, leaving the keys of the house with Melissa, butlocking the gate and taking the key of that with her. She generallyreturned before sunset. When Melissa was so far recovered as to walkout, she found that the house was situated on an eminence, abo
ut onehundred yards from the Sound. The yard was large and extensive. Withinthe enclosure was a spacious garden, now overrun with brambles andweeds. A few medinical and odoriferous herbs were scattered here andthere, and a few solitary flowers overtopped the tangling briars below;but there was plenty of fruit on the shrubbery and trees. The outbuildings were generally in a ruinous situation. The cemetery was themost perfect, as it was built of hewn stone and marble, and had bestwithstood the ravages of time. The rooms in the house were mostly emptyand decaying: the main building was firm and strong, as was also theextended wall which enclosed the whole. She found that although heraunt, when they first arrived, had led her through several upper roomsto the chamber they inhabited, yet there was from thence a directpassage to
Alonzo and Melissa; Or, The Unfeeling Father: An American Tale Page 11
