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diff --git a/old/rtnhm10.txt b/old/rtnhm10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ded60cc --- /dev/null +++ b/old/rtnhm10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1258 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Returning Home, by Anthony Trollope +#26 in our series by Anthony Trollope + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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It is, I think, to those who live farthest away from home, to +those who find the greatest difficulty in visiting home, that the +word conveys the sweetest idea. In some distant parts of the world +it may be that an Englishman acknowledges his permanent resting +place; but there are many others in which he will not call his daily +house, his home. He would, in his own idea, desecrate the word by +doing so. His home is across the blue waters, in the little +northern island, which perhaps he may visit no more; which he has +left, at any rate, for half his life; from which circumstances, and +the necessity of living, have banished him. His home is still in +England, and when he speaks of home his thoughts are there. + +No one can understand the intensity of this feeling who has not seen +or felt the absence of interest in life which falls to the lot of +many who have to eat their bread on distant soils. We are all apt +to think that a life in strange countries will be a life of +excitement, of stirring enterprise, and varied scenes;--that in +abandoning the comforts of home, we shall receive in exchange more +of movement and of adventure than would come in our way in our own +tame country; and this feeling has, I am sure, sent many a young man +roaming. Take any spirited fellow of twenty, and ask him whether he +would like to go to Mexico for the next ten years! Prudence and his +father may ultimately save him from such banishment, but he will not +refuse without a pang of regret. + +Alas! it is a mistake. Bread may be earned, and fortunes, perhaps, +made in such countries; and as it is the destiny of our race to +spread itself over the wide face of the globe, it is well that there +should be something to gild and paint the outward face of that lot +which so many are called upon to choose. But for a life of daily +excitement, there is no life like life in England; and the farther +that one goes from England the more stagnant, I think, do the waters +of existence become. + +But if it be so for men, it is ten times more so for women. An +Englishman, if he be at Guatemala or Belize, must work for his +bread, and that work will find him in thought and excitement. But +what of his wife? Where will she find excitement? By what pursuit +will she repay herself for all that she has left behind her at her +mother's fireside? She will love her husband. Yes; that at least! +If there be not that, there will be a hell, indeed. Then she will +nurse her children, and talk of her--home. When the time shall come +that her promised return thither is within a year or two of its +accomplishment, her thoughts will all be fixed on that coming +pleasure, as are the thoughts of a young girl on her first ball for +the fortnight before that event comes off. + +On the central plain of that portion of Central America which is +called Costa Rica stands the city of San Jose. It is the capital of +the Republic,--for Costa Rica is a Republic,--and, for Central +America, is a town of some importance. It is in the middle of the +coffee district, surrounded by rich soil on which the sugar-cane is +produced, is blessed with a climate only moderately hot, and the +native inhabitants are neither cut-throats nor cannibals. It may be +said, therefore, that by comparison with some other spots to which +Englishmen and others are congregated for the gathering together of +money, San Jose may be considered as a happy region; but, +nevertheless, a life there is not in every way desirable. It is a +dull place, with little to interest either the eye or the ear. +Although the heat of the tropics is but little felt there on account +of its altitude, men and women become too lifeless for much +enterprise. There is no society. There are a few Germans and a few +Englishmen in the place, who see each other on matters of business +during the day; but, sombre as life generally is, they seem to care +little for each other's company on any other footing. I know not to +what point the aspirations of the Germans may stretch themselves, +but to the English the one idea that gives salt to life is the idea +of home. On some day, however distant it may be, they will once +more turn their faces towards the little northern island, and then +all will be well with them. + +To a certain Englishman there, and to his dear little wife, this +prospect came some few years since somewhat suddenly. Events and +tidings, it matters not which or what, brought it about that they +resolved between themselves that they would start immediately;-- +almost immediately. They would pack up and leave San Jose within +four months of the day on which their purpose was first formed. At +San Jose a period of only four months for such a purpose was +immediately. It creates a feeling of instant excitement, a +necessity for instant doing, a consciousness that there was in those +few weeks ample work both for the hands and thoughts,--work almost +more than ample. The dear little wife, who for the last two years +had been so listless, felt herself flurried. + +"Harry," she said to her husband, "how shall we ever be ready?" And +her pretty face was lighted up with unusual brightness at the happy +thought of so much haste with such an object. "And baby's things +too," she said, as she thought of all the various little articles of +dress that would be needed. A journey from San Jose to Southampton +cannot in truth be made as easily as one from London to Liverpool. +Let us think of a month to be passed without any aid from the +washerwoman, and the greatest part of that month amidst the +sweltering heats of the West Indian tropics! + +In the first month of her hurry and flurry Mrs. Arkwright was a +happy woman. She would see her mother again and her sisters. It +was now four years since she had left them on the quay at +Southampton, while all their hearts were broken at the parting. She +was a young bride then, going forth with her new lord to meet the +stern world. He had then been home to look for a wife, and he had +found what he looked for in the younger sister of his partner. For +he, Henry Arkwright, and his wife's brother, Abel Ring, had +established themselves together in San Jose. And now, she thought, +how there would be another meeting on those quays at which there +should be no broken hearts; at which there should be love without +sorrow, and kisses, sweet with the sweetness of welcome, not bitter +with the bitterness of parting. And people told her,--the few +neighbours around her,--how happy, how fortunate she was to get home +thus early in her life. They had been out some ten,--some twenty +years, and still the day of their return was distant. And then she +pressed her living baby to her breast, and wiped away a tear as she +thought of the other darling whom she would leave beneath that +distant sod. + +And then came the question as to the route home. San Jose stands in +the middle of the high plain of Costa Rica, half way between the +Pacific and the Atlantic. The journey thence down to the Pacific +is, by comparison, easy. There is a road, and the mules on which +the travellers must ride go steadily and easily down to Punta +Arenas, the port on that ocean. There are inns, too, on the way,-- +places of public entertainment at which refreshment may be obtained, +and beds, or fair substitutes for beds. But then by this route the +traveller must take a long additional sea voyage. He must convey +himself and his weary baggage down to that wretched place on the +Pacific, there wait for a steamer to take him to Panama, cross the +isthmus, and reship himself in the other waters for his long journey +home. That terrible unshipping and reshipping is a sore burden to +the unaccustomed traveller. When it is absolutely necessary,--then +indeed it is done without much thought; but in the case of the +Arkwrights it was not absolutely necessary. And there was another +reason which turned Mrs. Arkwright's heart against that journey by +Punt' Arenas. The place is unhealthy, having at certain seasons a +very bad name;--and here on their outward journey her husband had +been taken ill. She had never ceased to think of the fortnight she +had spent there among uncouth strangers, during a portion of which +his life had trembled in the balance. Early, therefore, in those +four months she begged that she might not be taken round by Punt' +Arenas. There was another route. "Harry, if you love me, let me go +by the Serapiqui." As to Harry's loving her, there was no doubt +about that, as she well knew. + +There was this other route by the Serapiqui river, and by Greytown. +Greytown, it is true, is quite as unhealthy as Punt' Arenas, and by +that route one's baggage must be shipped and unshipped into small +boats. There are all manner of difficulties attached to it. +Perhaps no direct road to and from any city on the world's surface +is subject to sharper fatigue while it lasts. Journeying by this +route also, the traveller leaves San Jose mounted on his mule, and +so mounted he makes his way through the vast primeval forests down +to the banks of the Serapiqui river. That there is a track for him +is of course true; but it is simply a track, and during nine months +of the twelve is so deep in mud that the mules sink in it to their +bellies. Then, when the river has been reached, the traveller seats +him in his canoe, and for two days is paddled down,--down along the +Serapiqui, into the San Juan River, and down along the San Juan till +he reaches Greytown, passing one night at some hut on the river +side. At Greytown he waits for the steamer which will carry him his +first stage on his road towards Southampton. He must be a +connoisseur in disagreeables of every kind who can say with any +precision whether Greytown or Punt' Arenas is the better place for a +week's sojourn. + +For a full month Mr. Arkwright would not give way to his wife. At +first he all but conquered her by declaring that the Serapiqui +journey would be dangerous for the baby; but she heard from some one +that it could be made less fatiguing for the baby than the other +route. A baby had been carried down in a litter strapped on to a +mule's back. A guide at the mule's head would be necessary, and +that was all. When once in her boat the baby would be as well as in +her cradle. What purpose cannot a woman gain by perseverance? Her +purpose in this instance Mrs. Arkwright did at last gain by +persevering. + +And then their preparations for the journey went on with much +flurrying and hot haste. To us at home, who live and feel our life +every day, the manufacture of endless baby-linen and the packing of +mountains of clothes does not give an idea of much pleasurable +excitement; but at San Jose, where there was scarcely motion enough +in existence to prevent its waters from becoming foul with +stagnation, this packing of baby-linen was delightful, and for a +month or so the days went by with happy wings. + +But by degrees reports began to reach both Arkwright and his wife as +to this new route, which made them uneasy. The wet season had been +prolonged, and even though they might not be deluged by rain +themselves, the path would be in such a state of mud as to render +the labour incessant. One or two people declared that the road was +unfit at any time for a woman,--and then the river would be much +swollen. These tidings did not reach Arkwright and his wife +together, or at any rate not till late amidst their preparations, or +a change might still have been made. As it was, after all her +entreaties, Mrs. Arkwright did not like to ask him again to alter +his plans; and he, having altered them once, was averse to change +them again. So things went on till the mules and the boats had been +hired, and things had gone so far that no change could then be made +without much cost and trouble. + +During the last ten days of their sojourn at San Jose, Mrs. +Arkwright had lost all that appearance of joy which had cheered up +her sweet face during the last few months. Terror at that terrible +journey obliterated in her mind all the happiness which had arisen +from the hope of being soon at home. She was thoroughly cowed by +the danger to be encountered, and would gladly have gone down to +Punt' Arenas, had it been now possible that she could so arrange it. +It rained, and rained, and still rained, when there was now only a +week from the time they started. Oh! if they could only wait for +another month! But this she said to no one. After what had passed +between her and her husband, she had not the heart to say such words +to him. Arkwright himself was a man not given to much talking, a +silent thoughtful man, stern withal in his outward bearing, but +tender-hearted and loving in his nature. The sweet young wife who +had left all, and come with him out to that dull distant place, was +very dear to him,--dearer than she herself was aware, and in these +days he was thinking much of her coming troubles. Why had he given +way to her foolish prayers? Ah, why indeed? And thus the last few +days of their sojourn in San Jose passed away from them. Once or +twice during these days she did speak out, expressing her fears. +Her feelings were too much for her, and she could not restrain +herself. "Poor mamma," she said, "I shall never see her!" And then +again, "Harry, I know I shall never reach home alive." + +"Fanny, my darling, that is nonsense." But in order that his spoken +word might not sound stern to her, he took her in his arms and +kissed her. + +"You must behave well, Fanny," he said to her the day before they +started. Though her heart was then very low within her, she +promised him that she would do her best, and then she made a great +resolution. Though she should be dying on the road, she would not +complain beyond the absolute necessity of her nature. She fully +recognised his thoughtful tender kindness, for though he thus +cautioned her, he never told her that the dangers which she feared +were the result of her own choice. He never threw in her teeth +those prayers which she had made, in yielding to which he knew that +he had been weak. + +Then came the morning of their departure. The party of travellers +consisted of four besides the baby. There was Mr. Arkwright, his +wife, and an English nurse, who was going to England with them, and +her brother, Abel Ring, who was to accompany them as far as the +Serapiqui River. When they had reached that, the real labour of the +journey would be over. + +They had eight mules; four for the four travellers, one for the +baby, a spare mule laden simply with blankets, so that Mrs. +Arkwright might change in order that she should not be fatigued by +the fatigue of her beast, and two for their luggage. The portion of +their baggage had already been sent off by Punt' Arenas, and would +meet them at the other side of the Isthmus of Panama. + +For the last four days the rain had ceased,--had ceased at any rate +at San Jose. Those who knew the country well, would know that it +might still be raining over those vast forests; but now as the +matter was settled, they would hope for the best. On that morning +on which they started the sun shone fairly, and they accepted this +as an omen of good. Baby seemed to lay comfortably on her pile of +blankets on the mule's back, and the face of the tall Indian guide +who took his place at that mule's head pleased the anxious mother. + +"Not leave him ever," he said in Spanish, laying his hand on the +cord which was fastened to the beast's head; and not for one moment +did he leave his charge, though the labour of sticking close to him +was very great. + +They had four attendants or guides, all of whom made the journey on +foot. That they were all men of mixed race was probable; but three +of them would have been called Spaniards, Spaniards, that is, of +Costa Rica, and the other would be called an Indian. One of the +Spaniards was the leader, or chief man of the party, but the others +seemed to stand on an equal footing with each other; and indeed the +place of greatest care had been given to the Indian. + +For the first four or five miles their route lay along the high road +which leads from San Jose to Punt' Arenas, and so far a group of +acquaintances followed them, all mounted on mules. Here, where the +ways forked, their road leading through the great forests to the +Atlantic, they separated, and many tears were shed on each side. +What might be the future life of the Arkwrights had not been +absolutely fixed, but there was a strong hope on their part that +they might never be forced to return to Costa Rica. Those from whom +they now parted had not seemed to be dear to them in any especial +degree while they all lived together in the same small town, seeing +each other day by day; but now,--now that they might never meet +again, a certain love sprang up for the old familiar faces, and +women kissed each other who hitherto had hardly cared to enter each +other's houses. + +And then the party of the Arkwrights again started, and its steady +work began. In the whole of the first day the way beneath their +feet was tolerably good, and the weather continued fine. It was one +long gradual ascent from the plain where the roads parted, but there +was no real labour in travelling. Mrs. Arkwright rode beside her +baby's mule, at the head of which the Indian always walked, and the +two men went together in front. The husband had found that his wife +would prefer this, as long as the road allowed of such an +arrangement. Her heart was too full to admit of much speaking, and +so they went on in silence. + +The first night was passed in a hut by the roadside, which seemed to +be deserted,--a hut or rancho as it is called in that country. +Their food they had, of course, brought with them; and here, by +common consent, they endeavoured in some sort to make themselves +merry. + +"Fanny," Arkwright said to her, "it is not so bad after all; eh, my +darling?" + +"No," she answered; "only that the mule tires one so. Will all the +days be as long as that?" + +He had not the heart to tell her that as regarded hours of work, +that first day must of necessity be the shortest. They had risen to +a considerable altitude, and the night was very cold; but baby was +enveloped among a pile of coloured blankets, and things did not go +very badly with them; only this, that when Fanny Arkwright rose from +her hard bed, her limbs were more weary and much more stiff than +they had been when Arkwright had lifted her from her mule. + +On the second morning they mounted before the day had quite broken, +in order that they might breakfast on the summit of the ridge which +separates the two oceans. At this spot the good road comes to an +end, and the forest track begins; and here also, they would, in +truth, enter the forest, though their path had for some time been +among straggling trees and bushes. And now, again, they rode two +and two, up to this place of halting, Arkwright and Ring well +knowing that from hence their labours would in truth commence. + +Poor Mrs. Arkwright, when she reached this resting-place, would fain +have remained there for the rest of the day. One word, in her low, +plaintive voice, she said, asking whether they might not sleep in +the large shed which stands there. But this was manifestly +impossible. At such a pace they would never reach Greytown; and she +spoke no further word when he told her that they must go on. + +At about noon that day the file of travellers formed itself into the +line which it afterwards kept during the whole of the journey, and +then started by the narrow path into the forest. First walked the +leader of the guides, then another man following him; Abel Ring came +next, and behind him the maid-servant; then the baby's mule, with +the Indian ever at its head; close at his heels followed Mrs. +Arkwright, so that the mother's eye might be always on her child; +and after her her husband; then another guide on foot completed the +number of the travellers. In this way they went on and on, day +after day, till they reached the banks of the Serapiqui, never once +varying their places in the procession. As they started in the +morning, so they went on till their noon-day's rest, and so again +they made their evening march. In that journey there was no idea of +variety, no searching after the pleasures of scenery, no attempts at +conversation with any object of interest or amusement. What words +were spoken were those simply needful, or produced by sympathy for +suffering. So they journeyed, always in the same places, with one +exception. They began their work with two guides leading them, but +before the first day was over one of them had fallen back to the +side of Mrs. Arkwright, for she was unable to sit on her mule +without support. + +Their daily work was divided into two stages, so as to give some +hours for rest in the middle of the day. It had been arranged that +the distance for each day should not be long,--should be very short +as was thought by them all when they talked it over at San Jose; but +now the hours which they passed in the saddle seemed to be endless. +Their descent began from that ridge of which I have spoken, and they +had no sooner turned their faces down upon the mountain slopes +looking towards the Atlantic, than that passage of mud began to +which there was no cessation till they found themselves on the banks +of the Serapiqui river. I doubt whether it be possible to convey in +words an adequate idea of the labour of riding over such a path. It +is not that any active exertion is necessary,--that there is +anything which requires doing. The traveller has before him the +simple task of sitting on his mule from hour to hour, and of seeing +that his knees do not get themselves jammed against the trees; but +at every step the beast he rides has to drag his legs out from the +deep clinging mud, and the body of the rider never knows one moment +of ease. Why the mules do not die on the road, I cannot say. They +live through it, and do not appear to suffer. They have their own +way in everything, for no exertion on the rider's part will make +them walk either faster or slower than is their wont. + +On the day on which they entered the forest,--that being the second +of their journey,--Mrs. Arkwright had asked for mercy, for +permission to escape that second stage. On the next she allowed +herself to be lifted into her saddle after her mid-day rest without +a word. She had tried to sleep, but in vain; and had sat within a +little hut, looking out upon the desolate scene before her, with her +baby in her lap. She had this one comfort, that of all the +travellers, she, the baby, suffered the least. They had now left +the high grounds, and the heat was becoming great, though not as yet +intense. And then, the Indian guide, looking out slowly over the +forest, saw that the rain was not yet over. He spoke a word or two +to one of his companions in a low voice and in a patois which Mrs. +Arkwright did not understand, and then going after the husband, told +him that the heavens were threatening. + +"We have only two leagues," said Arkwright, "and it may perhaps hold +up." + +"It will begin in an hour," said the Indian, "and the two leagues +are four hours." + +"And to-morrow," asked Arkwright. + +"To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow it will still rain," said +the guide, looking as he spoke up over the huge primeval forest. + +"Then we had better start at once," said Arkwright, "before the +first falling drops frighten the women." So the mules were brought +out, and he lifted his uncomplaining wife on to the blankets which +formed her pillion. The file again formed itself, and slowly they +wound their way out from the small enclosure by which the hut was +surrounded;--out from the enclosure on to a rough scrap of undrained +pasture ground from which the trees had been cleared. In a few +minutes they were once more struggling through the mud. + +The name of the spot which our travellers had just left is +Carablanco. There they found a woman living all alone. Her husband +was away, she told them, at San Jose, but would be back to her when +the dry weather came, to look up the young cattle which were +straying in the forest. What a life for a woman! Nevertheless, in +talking with Mrs. Arkwright she made no complaint of her own lot, +but had done what little she could to comfort the poor lady who was +so little able to bear the fatigues of her journey. + +"Is the road very bad?" Mrs. Arkwright asked her in a whisper. + +"Ah, yes; it is a bad road." + +"And when shall we be at the river?" + +"It took me four days," said the woman. + +"Then I shall never see my mother again," and as she spoke Mrs. +Arkwright pressed her baby to her bosom. Immediately after that her +husband came in, and they started. + +Their path now led away across the slope of a mountain which seemed +to fall from the very top of that central ridge in an unbroken +descent down to the valley at its foot. Hitherto, since they had +entered the forest, they had had nothing before their eyes but the +trees and bushes which grew close around them. But now a prospect +of unrivalled grandeur was opened before them, if only had they been +able to enjoy it. At the bottom of the valley ran a river, which, +so great was the depth, looked like a moving silver cord; and on the +other side of this there arose another mountain, steep but unbroken +like that which they were passing,--unbroken, so that the eye could +stretch from the river up to the very summit. Not a spot on that +mountain side or on their side either was left uncovered by thick +forest, which had stood there untouched by man since nature first +produced it. + +But all this was nothing to our travellers, nor was the clang of the +macaws anything, or the roaring of the little congo ape. Nothing +was gained by them from beautiful scenery, nor was there any fear +from the beasts of prey. The immediate pain of each step of the +journey drove all other feelings from them, and their thoughts were +bounded by an intense desire for the evening halt. + +And then, as the guide had prophesied, the rain began. At first it +came in such small soft drops that it was found to be refreshing, +but the clouds soon gathered and poured forth their collected waters +as though it had not rained for months among those mountains. Not +that it came in big drops, or with the violence which wind can give +it, beating hither and thither, breaking branches from the trees, +and rising up again as it pattered against the ground. There was no +violence in the rain. It fell softly in a long, continuous, +noiseless stream, sinking into everything that it touched, +converting the deep rich earth on all sides into mud. + +Not a word was said by any of them as it came on. The Indian +covered the baby with her blanket, closer than she was covered +before, and the guide who walked by Mrs. Arkwright's side drew her +cloak around her knees. But such efforts were in vain. There is a +rain that will penetrate everything, and such was the rain which +fell upon them now. Nevertheless, as I have said, hardly a word was +spoken. The poor woman, finding that the heat of her cloak +increased her sufferings, threw it open again. + +"Fanny," said her husband, "you had better let him protect you as +well as he can." + +She answered him merely by an impatient wave of her hand, intending +to signify that she could not speak, but that in this matter she +must have her way. + +After that her husband made no further attempt to control her. He +could see, however, that ever and again she would have slipped +forward from her mule and fallen, had not the man by her side +steadied her with his hand. At every tree he protected her knees +and feet, though there was hardly room for him to move between the +beast and the bank against which he was thrust. + +And then, at last, that day's work was also over, and Fanny +Arkwright slipped from her pillion down into her husband's arms at +the door of another rancho in the forest. Here there lived a large +family adding from year to year to the patch of ground which they +had rescued from the wood, and valiantly doing their part in the +extension of civilisation. Our party was but a few steps from the +door when they left their mules, but Mrs. Arkwright did not now as +heretofore hasten to receive her baby in her arms. When placed upon +the ground, she still leaned against the mule, and her husband saw +that he must carry her into the hut. This he did, and then, wet, +mud-laden, dishevelled as she was, she laid herself down upon the +planks that were to form her bed, and there stretched out her arms +for her infant. On that evening they undressed and tended her like +a child; and then when she was alone with her husband, she repeated +to him her sad foreboding. + +"Harry," she said, "I shall never see my mother again." + +"Oh, yes, Fanny, you will see her and talk over all these troubles +with pleasure. It is very bad, I know; but we shall live through it +yet." + +"You will, of course; and you will take baby home to her." + +"And face her without you! No, my darling. Three more days' +riding, or rather two and a half, will bring us to the river, and +then your trouble will be over. All will be easy after that." + +"Ah, Harry, you do not know." + +"I do know that it is very bad, my girl, but you must cheer up. We +shall be laughing at all this in a month's time." + +On the following morning she allowed herself to be lifted up, +speaking no word of remonstrance. Indeed she was like a child in +their hands, having dropped all the dignity and authority of a +woman's demeanour. It rained again during the whole of this day, +and the heat was becoming oppressive as every hour they were +descending nearer and nearer to the sea level. During this first +stage hardly a word was spoken by any one; but when she was again +taken from her mule she was in tears. The poor servant-girl, too, +was almost prostrate with fatigue, and absolutely unable to wait +upon her mistress, or even to do anything for herself. Nevertheless +they did make the second stage, seeing that their mid-day resting +place had been under the trees of the forest. Had there been any +hut there, they would have remained for the night. + +On the following day they rested altogether, though the place at +which they remained had but few attractions. It was another forest +hut inhabited by an old Spanish couple who were by no means willing +to give them room, although they paid for their accommodation at +exorbitant rates. It is one singularity of places strange and out +of the way like such forest tracks as these, that money in small +sums is hardly valued. Dollars there were not appreciated as +sixpences are in this rich country. But there they stayed for a +day, and the guides employed themselves in making a litter with long +poles so that they might carry Mrs. Arkwright over a portion of the +ground. Poor fellows! When once she had thus changed her mode of +conveyance, she never again was lifted on to the mule. + +There was strong reason against this day's delay. They were to go +down the Serapiqui along with the post, which would overtake them on +its banks. But if the post should pass them before they got there, +it could not wait; and then they would be deprived of the best canoe +on the water. Then also it was possible, if they encountered +further delay, that the steamer might sail from Greytown without +them, and a month's residence at that frightful place be thus made +necessary. + +The day's rest apparently did little to relieve Mrs. Arkwright's +sufferings. On the following day she allowed herself to be put upon +the mule, but after the first hour the beasts were stopped and she +was taken off it. During that hour they had travelled hardly over +half a league. At that time she so sobbed and moaned that Arkwright +absolutely feared that she would perish in the forest, and he +implored the guides to use the poles which they had prepared. She +had declared to him over and over again that she felt sure that she +should die, and, half-delirious with weariness and suffering, had +begged him to leave her at the last hut. They had not yet come to +the flat ground over which a litter might be carried with +comparative ease; but nevertheless the men yielded, and she was +placed in a recumbent position upon blankets, supported by boughs of +trees. In this way she went through that day with somewhat less of +suffering than before, and without that necessity for self-exertion +which had been worse to her than any suffering. + +There were places between that and the river at which one would have +said that it was impossible that a litter should be carried, or even +impossible that a mule should walk with a load on his back. But +still they went on, and the men carried their burden without +complaining. Not a word was said about money, or extra pay;--not a +word, at least by them; and when Arkwright was profuse in his offer, +their leader told him that they would not have done it for money. +But for the poor suffering Senora they would make exertions which no +money would have bought from them. + +On the next day about noon the post did pass them, consisting of +three strong men carrying great weights on their backs, suspended by +bands from their foreheads. They travelled much quicker than our +friends, and would reach the banks of the river that evening. In +their ordinary course they would start down the river close upon +daybreak on the following day; but, after some consultation with the +guides, they agreed to wait till noon. Poor Mrs. Arkwright knew +nothing of hours or of any such arrangements now, but her husband +greatly doubted their power of catching this mail despatch. +However, it did not much depend on their exertions that afternoon. +Their resting-place was marked out for them, and they could not go +beyond it, unless indeed they could make the whole journey, which +was impossible. + +But towards evening matters seemed to improve with them. They had +now got on to ground which was more open, and the men who carried +the litter could walk with greater ease. Mrs. Arkwright also +complained less, and when they reached their resting-place on that +night, said nothing of a wish to be left there to her fate. This +was a place called Padregal, a cacao plantation, which had been +cleared in the forest with much labour. There was a house here +containing three rooms, and some forty or fifty acres round it had +been stripped of the forest trees. But nevertheless the adventure +had not been a prosperous one, for the place was at that time +deserted. There were the cacao plants, but there was no one to pick +the cacao. There was a certain melancholy beauty about the place. +A few grand trees had been left standing near the house, and the +grass around was rich and park-like. But it was deserted, and +nothing was heard but the roaring of the congos. Ah me! Indeed it +was a melancholy place as it was seen by some of that party +afterwards. + +On the following morning they were astir very early, and Mrs. +Arkwright was so much better that she offered to sit again upon her +mule. The men, however, declared that they would finish their task, +and she was placed again upon the litter. And then with slow and +weary step they did make their way to the river bank. It was not +yet noon when they saw the mud fort which stands there, and as they +drew into the enclosure round a small house which stands close by +the river side, they saw the three postmen still busy about their +packages. + +"Thank God!" said Arkwright. + +"Thank God, indeed!" said his brother. "All will be right with you +now." + +"Well, Fanny," said her husband, as he took her very gently from the +litter and seated her on a bench which stood outside the door. "It +is all over now,--is it not?" + +She answered him by a shower of tears, but they were tears which +brought her relief. He was aware of this, and therefore stood by +her, still holding her by both her hands while her head rested +against his side. "You will find the motion of the boat very +gentle," he said; "indeed there will be no motion, and you and baby +will sleep all the way down to Greytown." She did not answer him in +words, but she looked up into his face, and he could see that her +spirit was recovering itself. + +There was almost a crowd of people collected on the spot, +preparatory to the departure of the canoes. In the first place +there was the commandant of the fort, to whom the small house +belonged. He was looking to the passports of our friends, and with +due diligence endeavouring to make something of the occasion, by +discovering fatal legal impediments to the further prosecution of +their voyage, which impediments would disappear on the payment of +certain dollars. And then there were half a dozen Costa Rican +soldiers, men with coloured caps and old muskets, ready to support +the dignity and authority of the commandant. There were the guides +taking payment from Abel Ring for their past work, and the postmen +preparing their boats for the further journey. And then there was a +certain German there, with a German servant, to whom the boats +belonged. He also was very busy preparing for the river voyage. He +was not going down with them, but it was his business to see them +well started. A singular looking man was he, with a huge shaggy +beard, and shaggy uncombed hair, but with bright blue eyes, which +gave to his face a remarkable look of sweetness. He was an uncouth +man to the eye, and yet a child would have trusted herself with him +in a forest. + +At this place they remained some two hours. Coffee was prepared +here, and Mrs. Arkwright refreshed herself and her child. They +washed and arranged their clothes, and when she stepped down the +steep bank, clinging to her husband's arm as she made her way +towards the boat, she smiled upon him as he looked at her. + +"It is all over now,--is it not, my girl?"--he said, encouraging +her. + +"Oh, Harry, do not talk about it," she answered, shuddering. + +"But I want you to say a word to me to let me know that you are +better." + +"I am better,--much better." + +"And you will see your mother again; will you not; and give baby to +her yourself?" + +To this she made no immediate answer, for she was on a level with +the river, and the canoe was close at her feet. And then she had to +bid farewell to her brother. He was now the unfortunate one of the +party, for his destiny required that he should go back to San Jose +alone,--go back and remain there perhaps some ten years longer +before he might look for the happiness of home. + +"God bless you, dearest Abel," she said, kissing him and sobbing as +she spoke. + +"Good-bye, Fanny," he said, "and do not let them forget me in +England. It is a great comfort to think that the worst of your +troubles are over." + +"Oh,--she's all right now," said Arkwright. "Good-bye, old boy,"-- +and the two brothers-in-law grasped each other's hands heartily. +"Keep up your spirits, and we'll have you home before long." + +"Oh, I'm all right," said the other. But from the tone of the +voices, it was clear that poor Ring was despondent at the thoughts +of his coming solitude, and that Arkwright was already triumphing in +his emancipation. + +And then, with much care, Fanny Arkwright was stowed away in the +boat. There was a great contest about the baby, but at last it was +arranged, that at any rate for the first few hours she should be +placed in the boat with the servant. The mother was told that by +this plan she would feel herself at liberty to sleep during the heat +of the day, and then she might hope to have strength to look to the +child when they should be on shore during the night. In this way +therefore they prepared to start, while Abel Ring stood on the bank +looking at them with wishful eyes. In the first boat were two +Indians paddling, and a third man steering with another paddle. In +the middle there was much luggage, and near the luggage so as to be +under shade, was the baby's soft bed. If nothing evil happened to +the boat, the child could not be more safe in the best cradle that +was ever rocked. With her was the maid-servant and some stranger +who was also going down to Greytown. + +In the second boat were the same number of men to paddle, the Indian +guide being one of them, and there were the mails placed. Then +there was a seat arranged with blankets, cloaks, and cushions, for +Mrs. Arkwright, so that she might lean back and sleep without +fatigue, and immediately opposite to her her husband placed himself. +"You all look very comfortable," said poor Abel from the bank. + +"We shall do very well now," said Arkwright. + +"And I do think I shall see mamma again," said his wife. + +"That's right, old girl;--of course you will see her. Now then,--we +are all ready." And with some little assistance from the German on +the bank, the first boat was pushed off into the stream. + +The river in this place is rapid, because the full course of the +water is somewhat impeded by a bank of earth jutting out from the +opposite side of the river into the stream; but it is not so rapid +as to make any recognised danger in the embarkation. Below this +bank, which is opposite to the spot at which the boats were entered, +there were four or five broken trees in the water, some of the +shattered boughs of which showed themselves above the surface. +These are called snags, and are very dangerous if they are met with +in the course of the stream; but in this instance no danger was +apprehended from them, as they lay considerably to the left of the +passage which the boats would take. The first canoe was pushed off +by the German, and went rapidly away. The waters were strong with +rain, and it was pretty to see with what velocity the boat was +carried on some hundred of yards in advance of the other by the +force of the first effort of the paddle. The German, however, from +the bank holloaed to the first men in Spanish, bidding them relax +their efforts for awhile; and then he said a word or two of caution +to those who were now on the point of starting. + +The boat then was pushed steadily forward, the man at the stern +keeping it with his paddle a little farther away from the bank at +which they had embarked. It was close under the land that the +stream ran the fastest, and in obedience to the directions given to +him he made his course somewhat nearer to the sunken trees. It was +but one turn of his hand that gave the light boat its direction, but +that turn of the hand was too strong. Had the anxious master of the +canoes been but a thought less anxious, all might have been well; +but, as it was, the prow of the boat was caught by some slight +hidden branch which impeded its course and turned it round in the +rapid river. The whole lengths of the canoe was thus brought +against the sunken tree, and in half a minute the five occupants of +the boat were struggling in the stream. + +Abel Ring and the German were both standing on the bank close to the +water when this happened, and each for a moment looked into the +other's face. "Stand where you are," shouted the German, "so that +you may assist them from the shore. I will go in." And then, +throwing from him his boots and coat, he plunged into the river. + +The canoe had been swept round so as to be brought by the force of +the waters absolutely in among the upturned roots and broken stumps +of the trees which impeded the river, and thus, when the party was +upset, they were at first to be seen scrambling among the branches. +But unfortunately there was much more wood below the water than +above it, and the force of the stream was so great, that those who +caught hold of the timber were not able to support themselves by it +above the surface. Arkwright was soon to be seen some forty yards +down, having been carried clear of the trees, and here he got out of +the river on the farther bank. The distance to him was not above +forty yards, but from the nature of the ground he could not get up +towards his wife, unless he could have forced his way against the +stream. + +The Indian who had had charge of the baby rose quickly to the +surface, was carried once round in the eddy, with his head high +above the water, and then was seen to throw himself among the broken +wood. He had seen the dress of the poor woman, and made his effort +to save her. The other two men were so caught by the fragments of +the boughs, that they could not extricate themselves so as to make +any exertions; ultimately, however, they also got out on the further +bank. + +Mrs. Arkwright had sunk at once on being precipitated into the +water, but the buoyancy of her clothes had brought her for a moment +again to the surface. She had risen for a moment, and then had +again gone down, immediately below the forked trunk of a huge tree;- +-had gone down, alas, alas! never to rise again with life within her +bosom. The poor Indian made two attempts to save her, and then came +up himself, incapable of further effort. + +It was then that the German, the owner of the canoes, who had fought +his way with great efforts across the violence of the waters, and +indeed up against the stream for some few yards, made his effort to +save the life of that poor frail creature. He had watched the spot +at which she had gone down, and even while struggling across the +river, had seen how the Indian had followed her and had failed. It +was now his turn. His life was in his hand, and he was prepared to +throw it away in that attempt. Having succeeded in placing himself +a little above the large tree, he turned his face towards the bottom +of the river, and dived down among the branches. And he also, after +that, was never again seen with the life-blood flowing round his +heart. + +When the sun set that night, the two swollen corpses were lying in +the Commandant's hut, and Abel Ring and Arkwright were sitting +beside them. Arkwright had his baby sleeping in his arms, but he +sat there for hours,--into the middle of the long night,--without +speaking a word to any one. + +"Harry," said his brother at last, "come away and lay down. It will +be good for you to sleep." + +"Nothing ever will be good again for me," said he. + +"You must bear up against your sorrow as other men do," said Ring. + +"Why am I not sleeping with her as the poor German sleeps? Why did +I let another man take my place in dying for her?" And then he +walked away that the other might not see the tears on his face. + +It was a sad night,--that at the Commandant's hut, and a sad morning +followed upon it. It must be remembered that they had there none of +those appurtenances which are so necessary to make woe decent and +misfortune comfortable. They sat through the night in the small +hut, and in the morning they came forth with their clothes still wet +and dirty, with their haggard faces, and weary stiff limbs, +encumbered with the horrid task of burying that loved body among the +forest trees. And then, to keep life in them till it was done, the +brandy flask passed from hand to hand; and after that, with slow but +resolute efforts, they reformed the litter on which the living woman +had been carried thither, and took her body back to the wild +plantation at Padregal. There they dug for her her grave, and +repeating over her some portion of the service for the dead, left +her to sleep the sleep of death. But before they left her, they +erected a pallisade of timber round the grave, so that the beasts of +the forest should not tear the body from its resting-place. + +When that was done Arkwright and his brother made their slow journey +back to San Jose. The widowed husband could not face his darling's +mother with such a tale upon his tongue as that. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Returning Home, by Anthony Trollope + |