diff options
Diffstat (limited to '4675.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 4675.txt | 6812 |
1 files changed, 6812 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/4675.txt b/4675.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1c19407 --- /dev/null +++ b/4675.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6812 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Sea-Witch, by Maturin Murray + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Sea-Witch + or, The African Quadroon A Story of the Slave Coast + +Author: Maturin Murray + +Posting Date: August 31, 2009 [EBook #4675] +Release Date: November, 2003 +First Posted: February 26, 2002 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SEA-WITCH *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Aldarondo. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + +THE SEA-WITCH: + +OR, THE AFRICAN QUADROON A STORY OF THE SLAVE COAST. + + +BY LIEUTENANT MURRAY. + + +NEW YORK: + + + + +CONTENTS + + I. OUTWARD BOUND. + II. CAPTAIN WILL RATLIN. + III. THE GALE. + IV. BRAMBLE PARK. + V. THE NAVAL OFFICER. + VI. THE WRECK. + VII. THE SEA WITCH. + VIII. THE QUADROON. + IX. THE ATTACK. + X. THE DUEL. + XI. THE HUES OF LOVE. + XII. THE CONFLICT. + XIII. THE TRIAL. + XIV. THE BROTHERS. + XV. THE ESCAPE. + XVI. THE CANNIBALS. + XVII. THE POISONED BARB. + XVIII. THE DENOUEMENT. + + LA TARANTULA. BY GIDDINGS H. BALLOU. + THE GOLDSMITH OF PARIS. BY H. W. LORING. + MISS HENDERSON'S THANKSGIVING DAY. BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. + THE FIREMAN. BY MISS M. C. MONTAIGNE. + + + + + +PREFACE. + + +LET the reader peruse the following story with the same spirit in which +it was written, and not conceive that it is either a pro-slavery or +anti-slavery tale. The "peculiar institution" which is herein +introduced, is brought forward simply as an auxiliary, and not as a +feature of the story. It is only referred to where the plot and locality +upon the slave coast have rendered this necessary, and the careful +reader will observe that the subject is treated with entire +impartiality. These few remarks are introduced, because we desire to +appear consistent. Our paper shall neither directly nor indirectly +further any sectional policy or doctrine, and in its conduct shall be +neutral, free and independent.--Editor of The Flag of our Union. + + + + +THE SEA-WITCH. + + +CHAPTER I. + +OUTWARD BOUND. + + +OUR story opens in that broad, far-reaching expanse of water which lies +deep and blue between the two hemispheres, some fifteen degrees north of +the equator, in the latitude of Cuba and the Cape Verd Islands. The +delightful trade winds had not fanned the sea on a finer summer's day +for a twelvemonth, and the waves were daintily swelling upon the heaving +bosom of the deep, as though indicating the respiration of the ocean. It +was scarcely a day's sail beyond the flow of the Caribbean Sea, that one +of those noblest results of man's handiwork, a fine ship, might have +been seen gracefully ploughing her course through the sky-blue waters of +the Atlantic. She was close-hauled on the larboard tack, steering +east-southeast, and to a sailor's eye presented a certain indescribable +something that gave her taut rig and saucy air a dash of mystery, which +would have set him to speculating at once as to her character and the +trade she followed. + +Few things can be named that more potently challenge our admiration than +a full-sized ship under way; her myriad of ropes, sails and +appointments, all so complete and well-controlled, the power of her +volition, the promptness with which she obeys the slightest movement of +the helm, the majestic grace of her inclination to the power of the +winds, and the foaming prow and long glistening wake, all go to make up +the charm and peculiarity of a nautical picture. There is true poetry in +such a scene as this, beauty fit to move the heart of an anchorite. No +wonder the sailor loves his ship like a mistress; no wonder he +discourses of her charms with the eloquence of true love and confiding +trust; no landsman can be more enamored of his promised bride. + +But the craft to which we especially refer at the present writing, was a +coquette of the first class, beautiful in the extreme, and richly +meriting the name that her owners had placed in golden letters on her +stern--the "Sea Witch." She was one of that class of vessels known as +flat upon the floor, a model that caused her to draw but little water, +and enabled her to run free over a sandbar or into an inlet, where an +ordinary ship's long boat would have grounded. She was very long and +sharp, with graceful concave lines, and might have measured some five +hundred tons. Speed had evidently been the main object aimed at in her +construction, the flatness of her floor giving her great buoyancy, and +her length ensuring fleetness. These were points that would at once have +struck a sailor's eye, as he beheld the ship bowling gracefully on her +course by the power of the trade winds that so constantly befriend the +mariners in these latitudes. + +We have said that the "Sea Witch" was of peculiar model, and so indeed +she was. Contrary to the usual rig of what are called clipper ships, her +masts, instead of raking, were perfectly upright, for the purpose of +enabling her to carry more press of sail when need be, and to hold on +longer when speed should be of vital importance--that the straighter +construction of the masts furthers this object, is a fact long since +proven in naval architecture. She was very low, too, in her rigging, +having tremendous square yards; enabling the canvass to act more +immediately upon the hull, instead of operating as a lever aloft, and +keeping the ship constantly off an even keel. Though low in the waist, +yet her ends rose gracefully in a curve towards the terminations fore +and aft, making her very dry on either the quarter-deck or forecastle. +She might have numbered fifty men for her crew, and if you had looked in +board over her bulwarks you would have seen that her complement was made +up of men. There were none there but real able-bodied seamen--sea dogs, +who had roughed it in all weather, and on all sorts of allowance. + +There was a quiet and orderly mien about the deck and among the watch, +that spoke of the silent yet potent arm of authority. The men spoke to +each other now and then, but it was in an under tone, and there was no +open levity. A few men were lounging about the heel of the bowsprit on +the forecastle, one or two were busy in the waist coiling cable; an +officer of second or third caste a quiet, but decided character, to +judge from his features, stood with folded arms just abaft the +mizzen-mast, and a youthful figure, almost too young seemingly for so +responsible a post, leaned idly against the monkey-rail, near the sage +old tar who was at the helm. At first you might have supposed him a +supercargo, an owner's son as passenger, or something of that sort, from +the quite-at-home air he exhibited; but now and then he cast one of +those searching and understanding glances aloft and fore and aft, taking +in the whole range of the ship's trim, and the way she did her duty, +that you realized at once the fact of his position; and you could not +mistake the fact that he was her commander. + +He wore a glazed tarpaulin hat of coarse texture, and his dress was of +little better material than that of the crew he commanded, but it set it +somehow quite jauntily upon his fine, well-developed form, and there +was an unmistakable air of conscious authority about him that showed him +to be no stranger to control, or the position which he filled. The hair, +escaping in glossy curls from beneath his hat, added to a set of very +regular features a fine effect, while a clear, full blue eye, and an +open, ingenuous expression of countenance, told of manliness of heart +and chivalric hardihood of character. Exposure to the elements had +bronzed his skin, but there were no wrinkles there, and Captain Will +Ratlin could not have seen more than two and twenty years, though most +of them had doubtless been passed upon the ocean, for his well-knit form +showed him to be one thoroughly inured to service. + +"She does her work daintily, Captain Ratlin," said he who was evidently +an officer, and who had been standing by the mainmast, but now walked +aft. + +"Yes, Mr. Faulkner, 'daintily' is the word. I wish our beauty could be a +little more spunky, time is money in our business, sir," was the prompt +reply. + +"But the willing craft does all she can, sir." + +"I don't know, Mr. Faulkner, we can make her do almost anything." + +"But talk," added the mate. + +"Ay, she will do that in her own way, and eloquently, too," continued +his superior. + +"In coming out of Matanzas, when you made her back and fill like a +saddle horse, I thought she was little less than a human being," said +the mate, honestly. + +"She minds her helm like a beauty, and feels the slightest pull upon her +sheets." + +"I never saw a vessel lie closer to the wind," said the mate; "she eats +right into it, and yet has not shaken a foot of canvass this half hour." + +"That is well." + +"It's uncommon, sir," continued the other. + +"She must and can do better, though," said the young commander, with an +air of slight impatience. "Call the watch below, Mr. Faulkner, we will +treat our mistress to a new dress this bright day, and flatter her pride +a little; she is of the coquette school, and will bear a little +dalliance." + +"Ay, ay, sir," responded the officer, without further parley, walking +forward to the fore hatch, and with a few quick blows with a handspike, +and a clear call, he summoned that portion of the crew whose hours of +release from duty permitted them below. The signal rang sharply through +the ship, and caused an instant response. + +A score of dark forms issued forth from the forecastle, embracing +representatives from nearly half the nations of the globe; but they were +sturdy sailors, and used to obey the word of command, men to be relied +upon in an emergency, rough in exterior, but within either soft as women +or hard as steel, according to the occasion. + +Now it was that an observer not conversant with the "Sea Witch," and +looking at her from a distance, would have naturally concluded that she +was most appropriately named, for how else could her singular manouvres +and the result that followed be explained? Suddenly the mizzen royal +disappeared, followed by the top-gallant sail, topsail, and cross-jack +courses, seeming to melt away under the eye like a misty veil, while, +almost in a moment of time, there appeared a spanker, gaff topsail and +gaff top-gallantsail in their place, while the vessel still held on her +course. + +A moment later, and the royal top-gallantsail, topsail and mainsail +disappear from the main mast, upon which appears a regular fore and aft +suit of canvass, consisting of mainsail, gaff topsail, and gaff +top-gallantsail, reducing the vessel to a square rig forward, and a +plain fore and aft rig aft. A few minutes more, and the foremast passed +through the same metamorphose, leaving the "Sea Witch" a three-masted +schooner, with fore and aft sails on every mast and every stay. All this +had been accomplished with a celerity that showed the crew to be no +strangers to the manouvres through which they had just passed, each man +requiring to work with marked intelligence. Fifty well drilled men, +thorough sea dogs, can turn a five hundred ton ship "inside out," if the +controlling mind understands his position on the quarter-deck. + +"She wears that dress as though it suited her taste exactly, Mr. +Faulkner," said the captain, running his eye over the vessel, and +glancing over the side to mark her headway. + +"Any rig becomes the 'Sea Witch,'" answered the officer, with evident +pride. + +"That is true," returned the captain. "Luff, sir, luff a bit, so, well," +he continued to the man at the helm; "we will have all of her weatherly +points that site will give." + +"The wind is rather more unsteady than it was an hour past," said Mr. +Faulkner. + +"Rather puffy, and twice I thought it would haul right about, but here +we have it still from the north'rd and east'rd," replied the captain. + +"Here it is again," added the mate, as the wind hauled once more. + +The immediate object of the change in the vessel's rig, which we have +described, was at once apparent, enabling the vessel to lie nearer the +wind in her course, as well its giving her increased velocity by +bringing more canvass to draw than a square rig could do when close +hauled. But a shrewd observer would have been led to ask, what other +reason, save that of disguise, could have been the actuating motive in +thus giving to the "Sea Witch" a double character in her rig? For though +temporary and somewhat important advantage could at times be thus +gained, as we have seen, yet such an object alone would not have +warranted the increased outlay that was necessarily incurred, to say +nothing of the imperative necessity of a vessel's being very strongly +manned in order to enable her to thus change her entire aspect with any +ordinary degree of celerity, and as had just been accomplished. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +CAPTAIN WILL RATLIN. + + +THE watch below, after completing the work which had summoned them for +the time being on deck, tumbled helter-skelter down the fore hatch once +more, and left on the deck of the "Sea Witch" about a dozen able seamen +who formed the watch upon deck. A number of these were now gathered in a +knot on the forecastle, and while they were sitting cross-legged, +picking old rope, and preparing it in suitable form for caulking the +ship's seams, one of their number was spinning a yarn, the hero of which +was evidently him who now filled the post of commander on board their +vessel. The object of their remarks, meanwhile, stood once more quietly +leaning over the monkey-rail on the weather side of the quarter-deck, +quite unconscious that he was supplying a theme of entertainment to the +forecastle. + +There was an absent expression in his handsome face, a look as though +his heart was far distant from the scene about him, and yet a habit of +watchful caution seemed ever and anon to recall his senses, and his +quick, keen glance would run over the craft from stem to stern with a +searching and comprehensive power that showed him master of his +profession, and worthy his trust. Trust?--what was the trust he held? +Surely, no legitimate commerce could warrant the outfit of such a vessel +as he controlled. A man-of-war could hardly have been more fully +equipped with means of offence and defence. Amidship, beneath that long +boat, was a long, heavy metalled gun that worked on a traverse, and +which could command nearly every point of the compass, while the ship +kept her course. Just inside the rise of the low quarter-deck--the cabin +being entered from the deck by the descent of a couple of steps--there +were ranged boarding pikes, muskets, cutlasses and pistols, ready for +instant use. In shape they formed stars, hearts and diamonds, dangerous +but fantastic ornaments. + +The brightness of these arms, and the handy way in which they were +arranged in the sockets made to receive them, showed at once that they +were designed for use, while the various other fixtures of the cabin and +docks plainly bespoke preparation for conflict. A strong and lofty +boarding-netting being stowed, also, told of the readiness of the "Sea +Witch" to repel boarders. That all these preparations had been made +merely as ordinary precautions in a peaceful trade was by no means +probable; and yet there they were, and there stood the bright-eyed, +handsome and youthful commander upon the quarter-deck, but he did not +look the desperado--such a term would have poorly accorded with his +open and manly countenance, hie quiet and gentlemanly mien. A pirate +would hardly have dared to lay the course he steered in these latitudes, +where an English or French cruiser was very likely to cross his track. + +"He handles a ship as prettily as ever a true blue did yet," said one of +the forecastle group, in replying to some remark of a comrade concerning +the commander. + +"That's true," answered another; "he seems to have a sort of natural way +with him, as though he'd been born aboard and never seed the land at +all; and as to that matter, there may be them on board who say as much +of him." + +"That isn't far from the truth," answered Bill Marline, "seein' he +started so arly on the sea he can't tell when he wasn't there himself." + +"How was that matter, Bill?" asked one of his messmates. "They say you +have kept the captain's reckoning, man and boy, these fifteen years." + +"That have I, and never a truer heart floated than the man you see +yonder leaning over the rail on the quarterdeck, where he belongs," +answered Bill Marline. + +"How did you first fall in with him, Bill?--Tell us that," said one of +the crew. + +"Well, do ye see, messmates, it must have been the matter of thirteen +years ago, there or thereabouts, but I can't exactly say, seeing's I +never have kept a log and can't write; but must have been about that +length of time, when I was a foremast hand on board the 'Sea Lion,' as +fine an Indiaman as you would wish to see. We were lying in the +Liverpool docks, with sails bent and cargo stowed, under sailing orders, +when one afternoon there strolled alongside a boy rather ragged and +dirty, but with such eyes and such a countenance as would make him a +passport anywhere. Well, do ye see, we were lazing away time on board, +and waiting the captain's coming before we hauled out into the stream, +and so we coaxed the lad aboard. He either didn't know where he came +from or wouldn't tell, and when we proposed to take him to sea with us, +he readily agreed, and sure enough he sailed in the 'Sea Lion.'" + +"Well, heave ahead, Bill," said one of the group, as the narrator +stopped to stove a fresh instalment of the Virginia weed in his larboard +cheek. + +"Heave ahead." + +"We hadn't got fairly clear of the channel," continued Bill Marline, +"before the boy had become a general favorite all over the ship. We +washed him up and bent on a new suit of toggery on him, with a reg'lar +tarpaulin, and there was almost a fight whether the forecastle or the +cabin should have him. At last it was left to the boy himself, and he +chose to remain with us in the forecastle. The boy wasn't sick an hour +on the passage until after we left the Cape of Good Hope, when the flag +halliards getting fouled, he was sent up to the peak to loosen it, and +by some lurch of the ship was throw upon deck. Why it didn't kill him +was the wonder of all, but the boy was crazy for near a month from the +blow on his head, which he got in falling, but he gradually got cured +under our captain's care. + +"Well, do ye see, our captain was a regular whole-souled fellow, though +he did sometimes work up a hand's old iron pretty close for him, and so +he took the boy into the cabin and gave him a berth alongside his own, +and as he grew better took to teaching him the use of his instruments, +and mathematics, and the like. The boy they said was wonderful ready, +and learned like a book, and could take the sun and work up the ship's +course as well as the captain; but what was the funniest of all was +that, after he got well, he didn't know one of us, he had forgotten or +even how he came on board the ship, the injury had put such a stopper on +his brain that he had forgotten all that ever occurred before it. To my +mind, howdsomever, it wasn't much to forget, seeing he was little better +than a baby, and hadn't been to sea at all, and you know there aint +anything worth knowing on shore, more'n one can overhaul in a day's +leave, more or less, within hail of the sea." + +"That's true," growled one or two of his messmates. + +"Our ship was a first class freighter and passage vessel, and on the +home voyage we had plenty of ladies. 'Twas surprisin' to see how natural +like the boy took to 'em, and how they all liked him. He was constantly +learning something, and soon got so he could parley vou like a real +frog-eating Frenchman. And then, as I said before, he took the sun and +worked up the the ship's reckoning like a commodore. Well, do ye se, +messmates, we made a second and third voyage together in that ship, and +when master Will Ratlin--for that was a name we give him when he first +came on board, and he's kept it ever since--was a matter of fourteen +years, he was nearly as big as he is now, and acted as mate, and through +I say it, who ought to know somewhat about those things, I never seed a +better seaman of twice his years, always savin' present company, +messmates." + +"In course, Bill," growled three or four of his messmates, heartily. + +"Well, do ye see, messmates, we continued together in the same ship for +the matter of five years, and then master Will and I shipped in another +Indiaman, and we were in the 'Birmingham' for three years or more. One +day we lay off the Cape on the home passage, and a half dozen of us got +shore leave for a few hours, and I among the rest, and somehow I got +rather more grog aboard than I could stow, and when I came off, the +captain swore at me like a pirate, and after I got sober triced me up to +the main rigging for a round dozen. When all hands were called to +witness punishment, shiver my timbers, if master Will Ratlin, who was +the first mate, didn't walk boldly up to the captain, and say, blunt and +honest: + +"'Captain Brace, Marline is an old and favorite seaman, and if you will +let this offence pass without further punishment, I will answer for his +future good behaviour, at all times. I ask it, sir, as a personal +favor.' + +"'But discipline, discipline must be observed, Mr. Ratlin.' + +"'I acknowledge he's in fault, sir,' said our mate. + +"'And deserves the punishment,' said the captain. + +"'I fear he does, sir; but yet I can't bear to see a good seaman +flogged, said the mate, apologetically. + +"'Nor I either,' said the captain; 'but Bill Marline deserves the cat, +though as you make it a personal matter, why I'll let him off this time, +Mr. Ratlin.' + +"The captain didn't wish to let me go, but he said he wished to gratify +his mate, and so I was cast loose, and after a broadside of advice, and +a hurricane of oaths, was turned over to duty again. I didn't forget +that favor, messmates, and sink me if I wouldn't go to the bottom to +serve him any time. He commanded a brig in the South American trade +after that, and would have made a mate of me, but somehow I've got a +weakness for grog that isn't very safe, and so he knows 'twont do. You +see him there now, messmates, as calm as a lady; but he's awake when +there's need of it. The man don't live that can handle a ship better +than he; and as for fighting, do ye see, messmates, we were running on +this here same tack, just off the--but avast upon that, I haven't any +more to say, messmates," said the speaker, demurely. + +Bill Marline evidently found himself treading upon dangerous ground, and +wisely cut short his yarn, thereby creating a vast amount of curiosity +among his messmates, but he sternly refused to speak further upon the +subject. Either his commander had prohibited him, or he found that by +speaking he should in some way compromise the credit or honor of one +upon whom he evidently looked as being little less than one of a +superior order of beings to himself. + +"But what do you bring up so sudden for? Pay out, old fellow, there's +plenty of sea-room, and no land-sharks to fear," said one of the group, +encouragingly. + +"Never you mind, messmates, there's nothing like keeping a civil tongue +in your head, especially being quiet about other people's business," +added Bill. + +"What think you, Bill, of this present vocation, eh?" asked another +companion. + +"I shipped for six months, that's all I know, and no questions asked. I +understand very well that Captain Ratlin wouldn't ship me where he +wouldn't go himself." + +"Well, do you see, Bill, most of us are new on board here, though we +have knocked about long enough to get the number of our mess and to work +ship together, and don't perhaps feel so well satisfied as you do." + +"Why, look ye, messmates, arnt you satisfied so long as the articles you +signed are kept by captain and crew?" asked Bill Marline, somewhat +tartly. + +"Why, yes, as to that matter; but where are we bound, Bill?" asked the +other. + +"Any boy in the ship can make out the 'Sea Witch's' course," said the +old tar, evasively. "We're in these here Northern Trades, close-hauled, +and heading, according to my reckoning, due east, and any man who has +stood his trick at the wheel of a ship, knows that such a course steered +from the West Indies will, if well followed, run down the Cape Verds; +that's all I know." + +"Port Praya and a port; that was in the articles sure enough," answered +he who had questioned Bill Marline; "but the 'Sea Witch' will scarce +anchor there before she is off again, according to my reckoning." + +That the old tar knew more than he chose to divulge, however, was +apparent to his comrades, but they knew him to be fixed when he chose, +and so did not endeavor by importunity to gather anything further from +him; so the conversation gradually changed into some other channel. + +In the meantime, while the crew gathered about Bill Marline were thus +speculating, the vessel bowled along gracefully, with a speed that was +in itself exhilarating to her young commander, who still gazed idly at +the passing current. Once or twice a slight frown clouded his features, +and his lips moved as though he was striving within himself either +against real or imaginary evil, and then the same calm, placid manliness +of countenance radiated his handsome features, and his lips were +composed. + +Now he turned to issue some necessary order, which was uttered in that +calm, manly distinctness that challenges obedience, and then he resumed +his idle gaze over the vessel's side, once more losing himself in his +day dream. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE GALE. + + +"THE Wind seems to be hauling," said the mate, walking aft, and +addressing his superior. + +"Keep her a good full," said the captain, to the man at the helm. + +"Ay, ay, sir," said the old tar, as he tried to make the sails draw by +altering the vessel's course a point or two more free. + +"Here it is, sure enough," said the captain, "from the southwest. Up +with the men forward once more, Mr. Faulkner!--we must humor our +beauty." + +"All hands oil deck!" shouted the mate at the hatch--an order which as +before was perfectly obeyed. + +Almost as quickly as the foremast had been stripped of the square rig it +had at first borne, it was once more clothed again with its topsail and +mainsail, and in less than fifteen minutes the "Sea Witch" was under a +cloud of canvass, with studd'nsails out on both sides, while the fore +and aft sails on the main and mizzen were boomed out wing and wing dead +before the wind. The staysails and jibs were hauled down now as useless, +and the vessel flew like a courser. The change of wind had brought the +sea up, and the vessel had a gradual roll, causing the waves now and +then to come gracefully in over the waist, while the extreme fore and +aft parts of the handsome craft were perfectly dry. + +"It has set her to waltzing, Mr. Faulkner," said his superior; "but she +improves her speed upon to it, and I think the breeze freshens from this +new quarter." + +"Yes, sir. Do you see the long bank of white hereaway to the +south-southwest; it looks like a fog bank, but may be a squall," said +the mate. + +"There are few squalls in these latitudes, Mr. Faulkner, and yet I don't +like the looks of the weather in the southern board," said the captain, +as he gazed to windward, with a quick, searching glance. + +While he spoke, the wind came fresher and fresher, and now and then a +damp puff and lull, that were too significant tokens for a seaman to +disregard. Captain Ratlin jumped upon the inner braces of the taffrail, +and shading his eyes with his hands for a moment, looked steadily to +windward, then glanced at his well-filled sails as though he was loth to +lose even a minute of such a fair wind. He delayed, however, but a +second, when jumping down to the deck again, he issued his orders in +those brief but significant tones of voice, which at the same time +imparts promptness and confidence in a waiting crew on shipboard. + +"In studd'nsails, gaff-topsails, fore royal and top-gallantsails, with a +will, men, cheerily, cheerily O!" + +These were tones that the crew of the "Sea Witch" were no strangers to, +and sounds they loved, for they betokened a thorough and complete +feeling of confidence between commander and men, and they worked with +spirit. + +"Lay aft here, and brail the spanker up!" continued the captain, +promptly. + +"Ay, ay, sir!" was the response of a half dozen ready hands, as they +sprang to do his bidding. + +The vessel was thus, by the consummation of these orders, quickly +reduced to her mainsail, foresail, and foretopsail, while she flew +before the on-coming gale at the rate of seventeen or eighteen knots an +hour, being actually much faster than the sea. It was now evident to +every one on board that a severe gale of wind was gathering, and its +force was momentarily more powerfully exercised upon the vessel. + +"She staggers under it, Mr. Faulkner," said his superior, with a +calmness that evinced perfect self-reliance and coolness, while he +regarded the increasing gale. + +"Ay, sir, you can drive her at almost any speed," answered the mate. +"She's like a mettled courser, sir, and loves the fleet track." + +"Scud while you can, Mr. Faulkner, it's a true nautical rule. Some men +will always heave a ship to if there is a cap fill of--" + +"Double-reef the mainsail!" shouted the captain, interrupting himself, +to give an order that he saw was imperative. + +"--Wind, but I believe in scudding, if you can," he added. + +"Double-reef foretopsail! and look ye, Mr. Faulkner, have presenter +sheets bent on the foresail, this wind is in earnest," said his +superior, more seriously, as he jumped into the mizzen shrouds and +scanned the sea to windward again. + +The gale still increased, and everything being now made snug on board +the "Sea Witch," she was run before it with almost incredible speed. It +would have been a study to have regarded the calm self-possession and +complete coolness of the young commander during this startling gale; he +never once left his post, every inch of the vessel seemed under his eye, +and not the least trifle of duty was for a moment forgotten. If +possible, he was more particular than usual that his orders in the +smallest item were strictly observed, and thus with his iron will and +strong intelligence he mastered every contingency of the hour, imparting +that indispensable confidence among his people so requisite to perfect +control. There was a firmness now expressed in the compressed lips, and +a sternness in the eye, that had not before been manifested, while there +was a breathing of authority in his smallest order. + +In an instant more the scene was changed! With terrific violence the +vessel flew up in the wind with the rapidity of thought, and a report +like that of a score of cannons fired at the same moment, was heard +above the roar of the winds. + +"What lubberly trick is this?" shouted the captain, fiercely, to the old +tar who held his station at the wheel, and on whose faithfulness +everything depended. + +"The wheel rope has parted on the larboard side, your honor," was the +reply. + +"That is no man's fault," said his commander. "Bear a hand here, Mr. +Faulkner, and bend on a fresh wheel rope. Be lively; sir, be lively!" + +The sails had been blown from the bolt-ropes, in an instant of time, and +the vessel now lay wallowing in the sea. Now once more was seen the +power of discipline and the coolness of the young commander, whose word +was law in that floating community. Fifty voices were raised in shouts +above the storm, suggesting this expedient and that, but that agile +figure, which we have already described, sprang lightly into the mizzen +shrouds, and with a voice that was heard by every soul on board the "Sea +Witch," shouted sternly: + +"Silence in the ship!" + +Not a voice was heard, and every man quietly awaited his order, looking +abashed that there had been a tongue heard save his who had the right +alone to speak. + +"Cast the gasket off the foot of the fore and aft foresail." + +"Ay, ay, sir!" responded the mate, who having secured the rudder, now +hastened by his commander, followed by a dozen hands, to execute the +order. + +"Haul the sheet to port!" + +"Ay, ay, sir!" + +"Belay that!" + +As the vessel felt the power of the canvass thus opportunely loosed and +brought to bear, she gradually paid off before the wind, and once more +had steerage way. Another foresail was now bent, and this time +double-reefed, the foretopsail, too, was bent, close-reefed and furled, +while the fore and aft foresail was once more stowed, leaving the "Sea +Witch" to scud under double-reefed foresail. + +Five days of steady blow continued before the vessel could again show +more than a small portion of her canvass. Then the wind once more hauled +to the northwest, and the "Sea Witch" donned heir fore and aft rig on +all her masts steering close-hauled again due cast, until the lofty +headlands of the Cape de Verds hove gradually in sight, and the fleet +clipper craft made her anchorage in the harbor of Port Praya. + +The "Sea Witch," whatever her business in this harbor, seemed able to +transact it without venturing inside the forts, or taking stronger +moorings than a single anchor could afford her. At this she rode with +mysterious quiet. Not a soul of the full complement of men on board were +visible from the shore; now and then perhaps the head of some taller +hand than his fellows might loom up above the bulwarks at the waist, or +a solitary seaman creep quietly aloft to reave a sheet through some +block, or secure some portion of the rigging. The captain scarcely +waited for his land-tackle to hold the vessel before a quarter-boat was +lowered away, and with a half-dozen sturdy fellows as its crew pulled +boldly towards the main landing, where he stepped ashore and +disappeared. + +A suspicious eye would have marked the manner in which the sails upon +the "Sea Witch" had been secured, and the way in which she was moored. +If need be, three minutes would have covered her with canvass, and +slipping her cable she could in that space of time, had the order been +issued from her quarter deck, have been under way and looking once more +seaward. Whatever her business, it was very clear that promptness, +secrecy, and large precaution were elements of its success. + +Nor had these characteristics, which we have named, escaped entire +observation of the people on shore, for at the nearest point of land a +group of idlers were visible, who stood gazing at and discussing the +character of the vessel, while at the same moment her young commander +was seen with his boat's crew pulling back from the landing to his +craft. His business was brief enough, for even now the anchor is once +more away. The gallant ship spreads her broad wings one by one, and +gracefully bending to the power of the breeze, glides, like a fleet +courser, over the fathomless depths of the sea, while the mind that +controls her motions again assumes his reverie on the quarter-deck. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +BRAMBLE PARK. + + +CHANGING the field of our story from the blue waves to that of land, we +must ask the reader to go back with us for a period of years from that +wherein our story has opened, to the fertile country and +highly-cultivated lands in the neighborhood of Manchester, England. Sir +Robert Bramble's estate was some eight miles from the large +manufacturing town just named, and embraced within its grounds some of +the most delightfully situated spots within a day's ride in any +direction. Parks, gardens, ponds, groves, stables and fine animals; in +short, every accompaniment to a fine English estate. Sir Robert was a +man of not much force of character, had inherited his estates, and had +partly exhausted his income so far as to render a degree of economy +imperatively necessary, a fact which was not calculated to render any +more amiable a naturally irritable disposition. + +The family at Bramble Park, as the estate was called, consisted of Sir +Robert and his lady, a weak-minded, but once beautiful woman, and two +sons, Robert and Charles, the eldest at this period some twelve years of +age, the youngest about nine; the usual number of servants, in doors and +out; made up the household. Sir Robert's could hardly be said to be a +very happy household, notwithstanding there seemed to be every element +and requisite to be found there for peaceful domestic happiness; and +perhaps it would have puzzled a casual observer to have ascertained +wherein laid the root of that evil, which, like a poisonous upas, seemed +to spread its branches through the household. + +There was a cloud apparently shadowing each face there; there was +constantly some trouble of a domestic character. Sir Robert and Lady +Bramble seemed to be not on the best of terms with each other, and the +servants wore a hang-dog look, as though they expected at any moment to +be called to account for some piece of rascality. There was, however, +one pleasant face in that household, though even that seemed tempered by +sadness; this was the youngest brother, Charles. He was, or rather would +have been, a cheerful, happy boy, but for the malign influence of his +brother Robert, who seemed his opposite in almost everything. Robert was +jealous, irritable and revengeful; Charles was open-hearted, mild and +forgiving. Robert was cruel to both servants and animals; Charles was +kind to all, and a favorite with all; even the dumb animals avoided one +and adhered to the other, instinctively knowing a friend. + +Robert was the first born and the favorite with his mother, whom he +ruled literally in all things, while Sir Robert, looking upon him as the +legal heir and representative of his name, of course considered him in a +somewhat different light from that in which he regarded Charles. At +times it seemed as though an evil spirit had taken possession of +Robert's heart, and he delighted in oppressing, domineering over and +abusing his brother, who, though he did not lack for spirit, yet could +never bring it to bear against Robert. He meekly bore his reproaches and +abuse, and even at times had suffered personal chastisement at his hands +without complaint to his parents, rather than irritate both them and +himself by referring to so disagreeable a matter. With a naturally +patient disposition, he suffered much without complaint. + +Sir Robert and Lady Bramble seemed blind to the fact that the unbounded +indulgence which they yielded to their eldest child was rendering still +worse a disposition and habit which were already an affliction in +themselves. But Robert was persevering, and would always carry his +point, let it be what it might, teasing and cajoling the mother until +she granted his wishes however absurd they might be. He domineered over +every one, mother, father, servant maids and servant men; he was the +terror of all. + +Charles added to his light-heartedness and cheerfulness of spirit, great +agility, and for a boy of his age, remarkable strength, in which matters +Robert was deficient, and here his jealousy found ample scope. Charles, +too, was remarkably apt with his studies, whereas Robert generally ended +his lessons by quarrelling with his tutor, and setting both father and +mother against him, by which reason the worthy who filled that post at +Bramble Park was usually changed at least once in six or eight weeks, +and thus were matters at the period to which we refer. It seemed as +though Robert was never happy unless he was doing some one harm, or +distressing some of the many pet animals about the spacious grounds; in +this latter occupation he passed much of his leisure time, and was a +great adept at the business. + +A fine St. Charles spaniel, belonging to Lady Bramble, had one day, +after being teased beyond forbearance by Robert, at last in +self-defence, snapped at and lightly bit him, in revenge for which the +violent tempered boy vowed to kill him, and the very next opportunity he +had, he seized upon the little pet, and tying a string and stone about +its neck, bore the dog to the large pond in the centre of the part, +where he threw him into the deepest part. Charles at that moment came in +sight, and at once saw the act. Without pausing to take off his clothes +or any part of them, he sprang at once into the pond and dove down for +the dog; but he found the stone about its neck too heavy for him to +bring to the surface, though he struggled long and stoutly to do so +before he yielded. + +Swimming to the shore, Charles took his knife from his pocket, and once +more dashed in; and this time diving down he cut the cord, and releasing +the dog from the bottom swam with him to the opposite shore from where +Robert stood, all the while threatening him. Here his younger brother +smoothed the water from the dog's coat, and instinctively rubbing its +benumbed limbs until it became quite resuscitated, and after a short +time, following close to Charles for protection, it returned to his +mother's side in her boudoir. But Robert had been there before him, and +had already manufactured a story redounding to Charles's discredit, and +provoking both his mother's and father's anger, the latter of whom at +Robert's instance, even struck the gallant-hearted boy a severe blow +with the flat of his hand as a punishment for what he denominated an +interference with his brother's sport. + +Charles said nothing; he knew the prejudice which Robert's constant +misrepresentations had created against him in his parents' breasts; he +realized too, young as he was, that it was useless for him to attempt to +explain, though he felt the injustice of this treatment; and so with a +quivering lip he turned away from the scene and went in his wet clothes +to the servants' hall where he might dry them. He said nothing, but +looked much sadder than usual as he stood there before the fire. A +coarse but honest servant, Leonard Hust, who had been born on the +estate, and whose father before him had been a servant in Sir Robert's +household, came stealthily to Charles's side and busied himself in +helping him to arrange his clothes and dry them, while he smoothed the +boy's hair and wiped his face. + +"Never mind, master Charles," said the honest fellow, noticing the +trembling lips of the handsome boy; "never mind, it's a gallant act in +you, and though I say it, who shouldn't, perhaps, master Robert never +would have dared to do it; he hasn't got half your courage and strength, +though he's bigger and older." + +A tear was all the answer that the boy vouchsafed to his honest effort +at consolation. He too proud to make a confidant of the servant, or to +confide to him of his father's conduct, or even that of Robert. Leonard +Hust watched the boy carefully, and entered keenly into his feelings, +until at last he said: + +"I wasn't the only one who saw you save her ladyship's pet, master +Charles." + +"It wasn't father or mother that saw it?" asked Charles, quickly, as he +recalled the injustice he had just experienced at their hands, under +Robert's prompting. + +"No, master Charles." + +"Was it cousin Helen?" continued the boy. + +"Yes, master Charles," answered Leonard Hust, with a knowing smile. + +"O," said the boy, as a glow of pleasure lit up his features for a +moment. + +It was evident that the knowledge of the said cousin Helen's having seen +his exertions to save the little favorite spaniel, gave Charles not a +little satisfaction. Now cousin Helen--as a little blue-eyed child of +eight years, the daughter of the family whose estate joined that of +Bramble Park, was called--was no cousin at all, but the children had +thus nicknamed each other, and they were most happy playmates together. +Robert, who was three years his brother's senior, was more fond of +little Helen than of anybody else; indeed, in spite of his ill temper, +he was wont to try and please her at any cost. But the child, who was as +beautiful as a little fairy, did not respond at all to his advances of +friendship, while to Charles she was all tenderness and confiding in +everything, kissing him with childish fervor and truth whenever they +parted, a familiarity she never permitted to his brother. + +The truth was, Robert to his great discomfiture, was aware that +Charles's manly and courageous act of saving the dog had been witnessed +by Helen, though his brother knew it not until told by Leonard Hust. +This had aggravated Robert so much that he had hastened home, and +fabricating a story of Charles having thrown the dog into the pond, and +wet himself completely, preparing his parents for a rough reception of +his brother when he should return, and hence the treatment he received. +Leonard made his young master change his clothes, and after making him +comfortable, left him to amuse himself in the open park with his ball, +where the light-hearted Charles was soon thoughtlessly happy, and +forgetful of the unkindness of Robert and the injustice of his parents. +So light are the cares and mishaps of youth, so easily forgotten are its +hardships, either seeming or real. Happy childhood! + +Whether little cousin Helen had been on the watch for Charley, or +whether she was there by accident, it matters not, suffice it to say +that the two soon met in their headlong career of fun and frolic, and +two more joyous or merry spirits never met on the soft green sward than +these. Now they tire of the play at ball and sit down together close by +the brink of the clear, deep pond, next the rich flower beds that shed +their grateful fragrance around the spot. Cousin Helen, still panting +from the exertion of the play, looked thoughtfully into the almost +transparent water, and involuntarily heaved a sigh that did not escape +her companion's notice. + +"Art sick, cousin Helen?" asked Charles, quickly. + +"Nay, not I," said the pleasant-voiced child, "not I, Charley." + +"But you sighed as though you were very tired or in pain," he continued. + +"Did I?" said the child, thoughtfully; "well, I believe I did." + +"And what for, cousin Helen?" said Charles, tenderly, parting her +natural ringlets back from her beautiful and radiant face--doubly +radiant now as she looked up into his, so confidingly and so +affectionately. + +"I was thinking," she said, ingenuously, "how cruel Robert was to your +mother's pet. I don't see how he could do such a thing, do you, +Charley?" + +"Robert is quick-tempered," said his brother, "and perhaps regrets it +now. I guess the dog bit him, or something of that sort." + +He was too generous, too manly, to complain of Robert's cruel treatment +of him, or to mention the unkindness he had experienced from his +parents. But he had not forgotten these occurrences, and his lip once +more quivered with emotion, and his clear, handsome eyes were suffused +with tears. Quick as thought his little companion divined with womanly +instinct the cause, for she was not ignorant of the state of affairs, +young as she was, that existed at Bramble Park. Drawing nearer to his +side, she threw one arm tenderly and with childish abandon over his +neck, and with the other brushed away the gathering tears, until Charles +smiled again and leaned over and kissed her sweet little lips as a +brother might have done! And then together they plucked a beautiful +bouquet, and busied themselves in arranging it and classifying the +various plants by their botanical names, for both children were well +versed in this delightful study, young as they were. + +While they were thus engaged, Robert came up and angrily discovered the +two children thus happy together. Saying some rude things to Charles, he +pushed him away from his playmate's side with rude and brutal force, +throwing Charles to the ground. This was too much, even for his +forbearing spirit, and the injured and outraged boy, smarting under the +previous injury he had endured, rose quickly to his feet, and with one +blow knocked Robert heavily upon the ground. The blow had been a severe +one, and the boy was faint and unable to stand for a moment. Charles +looked at him for an instant, then helped to raise him up, and waited +until he was again sufficiently conscious to walk. Then he saw him walk +angrily toward the house, where he knew very well what would follow on +his return there. All the while his little companion had stood regarding +first one and then the other. Now Charles stepped to her side, and said: + +"I am sorry, Helen; but it is very, very hard to bear." + +She shook her little head as he spoke, but held up her lips for the kiss +he offered, and saw him turn away from home towards the distant town. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE NAVAL OFFICER. + + +THE reader will think that seven league boots--the storyteller's +prerogative--are in special demand as it regards our story, for once +more we must return through a period of years to the date, or +thereabouts, on which our story opens. It was on one of those close, +sultry afternoons that characterize the climate of summer in India, that +two of our characters were seated together in a graceful and rather +elegant villa in the environs of Calcutta. The air of the lady--for the +couple were of either sex, was one of beauty in repose. She was +evidently listening to the gallant speech of her companion with respect, +but without interest, while on his part the most casual observer might +have read in his voice, his features, and his words, the accent, the +bearing, the language of love. + +The lady was a gentle being of surpassing beauty, with black eyes, jetty +hair and brilliant complexion; there was little of the characteristics +of the East in her appearance, though she seemed to be quite at home +beneath the Indian Sun. She was of the middle height, perhaps a little +too slender and delicate in form to meet a painter's idea of perfection, +but yet just such an idol as a poet would have worshipped. She was +strikingly handsome, and there was a brilliancy and spirit in the glance +of her dark eyes that told of much character, and much depth of feeling; +and while you gazed at her now, sitting beneath the broad piazza, you +would have detected a shadow ever and anon cross her brow, as though the +words of him by her side aroused some unpleasant memory, and diverted +her thoughts rather to past scenes than to the consideration of his +immediate remarks. + +The gentleman who seemed to be pleading an unsuccessful suit, wore the +undress uniform of the English navy, and in the outer harbor, in view of +the very spot where they sat, there rode a sloop-of-war with St. +George's cross floating at her peak. The officer was young, but bore the +insignia of his rank upon his person, which showed him to be the captain +of yonder proud vessel. He might have been five or six and twenty, but +scarcely more, and bore about him those unmistakable tokens of gentle +birth which will shine through the coarsest as well as the finest +attire. The lady was not regarding him now; her eyes were bent on the +distant sea, but still he pleaded, still urged in gentle tones the suit +he brought. + +"I see, Miss Huntington has some more favored swain on whom to bestow +her favors; but I am sure that she has no truer friend, or more ardent +admirer." + +"You are altogether mistaken in your premises," she said, coolly, as she +tossed her fragrant fan of sandal wood, perfuming the soft atmosphere +about them. + +"A subject who sues for a favor at court, Miss Huntington, if he is +unsuccessful, thinks himself at least entitled to know the reason why he +is denied." + +"But suppose the Court declines to give him a reason," said the lady, +still coolly. + +"Its decision admits of no appeal, I must acknowledge," replied her +suitor. + +"Then reason I have none, captain; and so pray let that suffice." + +"But, Miss Huntington, surely--" + +"Nay, captain," she said, at last, weary of his importunity, "you know +well my feelings. Far be it from me to play for one moment the +coquette's part. I thank you for the compliment you pay me by these +assurances, but you are fully aware that I can never encourage a suit +that finds no response in my heart. I trust that no word or act of mine +has ever deceived you for one moment." + +"No, Miss Huntington, you have ever been thus cold and impassive towards +me, ever turning a deaf ear to my prayer. Why, why can you not love me?" + +"Nay, captain, we will not enter into particulars; it is needless, it is +worse than needless, and a matter that is exceedingly unpleasant to me. +I must earnestly beg, sir, that you will not again refer to this subject +under any circumstance." + +"Your commands are law to me, Miss Huntington," answered the discomfited +lover, as he rose from the seat he had occupied by her side, and turned +partially away. + +It was well he did so, for had she seen the demoniac expression of his +countenance as he struggled to control the vehemence of his feelings, +she would have feared that he might do either her or himself violence. + +"May I not hope that years of fond attachment, years of continued +assiduity, may yet outweigh your indifference, Miss Huntington?" he said +earnestly. + +"Indeed, indeed no. You do but pain me by this continuance of a subject +that--Ah, mother!" she said, interrupting herself, "I have been looking +at the captain's ship, yonder; is she not a noble craft? And how +daintily she floats upon the waters?" + +"A ship is always a beautiful sight, my child; and especially so when +she bears the flag that we see flaunting gracefully from that vessel." + +"When do you sail, captain?" asked Mrs. Huntington, who had just joined +her daughter on the piazza, and did not observe the officer's confusion. + +"The ship rides by a single anchor, madam, and only waits her +commander," he replied, rather mechanically than otherwise, as he turned +his glance seaward. + +"So soon? I had hoped you were to favor us with a longer stay," said she +mother. + +The officer looked towards the daughter, as though he wished it had been +her that had expressed such a desire. But she still gazed at the distant +ship, and he saw no change in her handsome features. + +"We officers are not masters of our own time, madam, and can rarely +consult our own wishes as to a cruising ground; but I frankly own that +it was something more than mere accident which brought me this time to +Calcutta." + +As he said this, his eyes again wandered towards her daughter's face, +but it was still cold, impassive and beautiful as before, while she +gazed on that distant sea. He paused for a moment more, almost trembling +with suppressed emotions of disappointment, chagrin and anger, and +seemed at a loss what to say further; he felt constrained, and wished +that he might have seen the daughter for a moment more alone. + +"Farewell is an unpleasant word to say, ladies," he said, at last, still +controlling his feelings with a masterly effort. Then offerings a hand +to the mother, he bowed respectfully and said "Good-by;" and to her, who +now turned with evident feeling evinced in her lovely face at the idea +of a long parting, he offered his hand, which was frankly pressed, while +he said: "I carry away a heavy heart to sea with me, Miss Huntington; +could it be weighed, it would overballast yonder ship." + +"Farewell, captain; a happy and safe voyage to you," she answered, with +assumed gaiety of tone; but there was no reply. He bowed low and +hastened away, with a spirit of disappointment clouding his sun-burned +features. + +The view which might be had from the window commanded a continuous sight +of the road that the young officer must traverse to reach the ship, and +though she had treated him thus coldly, and had so decidedly declined +his suit, yet here lingered some strange interest about him in her mind, +as was evinced by her now repairing to the window, and sitting behind +the broad shadow of its painted screen, where she watched his approach +to she landing, near the city gates, and saw the sturdy boatmen dip +their oars in regular time, propelling the boat with arrow-like speed to +the ship's side, where its master hastened upon deck and disappeared, +while the boat was hoisted to the quarter-davits. + +Anon she saw the sheets fall from the ponderous yards, and sheeted home, +the anchor gradually raised to her bow, the yards squared to bring her +with her head to the sea, and then a clear white cloud of smoke burst +from her bows as she gathered steerage-way, and a dull heavy report of +distant ordinance boomed upon the ear of the listening girl, unanswered +by a deep sigh from her own bosom--a sigh not for him who had just left +her, but for some kindred association that his presence aroused. + +The villa where we have introduced the reader was that of the late +Edward Huntington, a successful English merchant, who had resided many +years in India and had realized a fortune, which he had proposed to +return to his native land to enjoy with his wife and only child. But +death had stepped in to put an abrupt end to his hopes, and to render +abortive all his well-arranged plans, some twelve months previous to +the period of which we have spoken. Mrs. Huntington, the widow, had +remained in Calcutta to settle up her husband's affairs, and this done, +she determined to embark at once with her daughter for England, where +her relatives, friends and early associations were all located. + +Miss Huntington, as the reader may have gathered, was no coquette; her +great beauty and real loveliness of character had challenged the +admiration of many a rich grandee and many an eminent character among +her own countrymen in this distant land. But no one had seemed to mate +the least impression upon her heart; the gayest and wittiest found in +her one quite their equal; the thoughtful and pathetic were equally at +home by her side; but her heart, to them, seemed encased in iron, so +cold and immovable it continued to all the assaults that gallantry made +against its fastness, and yet no one who knew her really doubted the +tenderness of her feelings and the sensibility of her heart. + +Her beauty was quite matured--that is she must have numbered at least +twenty years; but there was still a girlish loveliness, a childlike +parity and sincerity in all she said and did, that showed the real +freshness of her heart and innocence of her mind. Far too pure and good +and gentle was she for him who had so earnestly sued for her hand, as we +have seen. Beneath a gentlemanly exterior, that other, whom we have seen +depart from her side under such peculiar circumstances, hid a spirit of +petty meanness and violence of temper, a soul that hardly merited the +name, and which made him enemies everywhere, friends nowhere. + +Robert Bramble--for this was he, the same whom the reader has seen as a +boy at home in Bramble Park--had not improved in spirit or manliness by +advance in years. The declining pecuniary fortune of his father's house, +to which we have before alluded, had led him early to seek employment in +the navy, and by dint of influence and attention to his profession, he +had gradually risen to the position in which we have found him, as a +commander in her majesty's service on the India station. That he loved +the widow's daughter was true--that is to say, as sincerely as he was +capable of loving any one; but his soul was too selfish to entertain +true love for another. + +The same spirit that had led him to the petty oppressions and the +ceaseless annoyances which he had exercised towards his younger brother +in childhood, still actuated him, and there was not a gleam of that +chivalric spirit which his profession usually inspires in those who +adopt it as a calling, shining within the recesses of his breast. +Entirely unlike Miss Huntington in every particular, we have yet seen +that he exercised some singular power over her--that is, so far as to +really interest her beyond even a degree that she was willing to exhibit +before him. What and why this was so must more clearly appear in the +course of the story as it progresses. + +Mrs. Huntington was a lady of polished manner and cultivated intellect, +belonging to what might be termed the old school of English gentlewomen. +She had reared her only child with jealous care and assiduous attention, +so that her mind had been richly stored in classic lore, and her hands +duly instructed in domestic duties. There was no mock-modesty about the +mother, she was straightforward and literal in all she said or did; +evidently of excellent family, she was sufficiently assured of her +position not to be sensitive about its recognition by others, and +preferred to instil into her daughter's mind sound wholesome principles +to useless and giddy accomplishments. And yet the daughter was +accomplished, an excellent musician upon the piano and harp, and a +vocalist of rare sweetness and perfection of execution, as well as +mistress of other usual studies of her sex. + +But the idea we would convey is, that the mother had rather endeavored +to fill her child's mind with real information and knowledge, than to +teach her that the chief end and aim of life were to learn how to +captivate a husband; she preferred to make her daughter a true and +noble-hearted woman, possessed of intrinsic excellence, rather than to +make her marketable for matrimonial sale; to give her something that +would prove to her under any and all circumstances, a reliance viz., +sound principles and an excellent education. + +"Mother, how long before we shall turn our face towards England?" said +the daughter, soon after the scene which we have described of the +sailing ship and her commander. + +"Within the month I hope, my child. I have already directed the +solicitor to close up all his business relative to your father's estate, +and the next homeward-bound ship may bear us in it." + +"I shall feel sad to leave our peaceful home here, mother, for, save my +dear father's death, has been very pleasant, very happy to be here." + +"There are many dear associations that must ever hang about its memory, +my dear; but after all, we shall be returning to our native land, and +that is a sweet thought. It is some twelve years since we lost sight of +English soil." + +"I remember it most vividly," said the child, recalling the past; "ay, +as though it were but yesterday!" + +That night, as she lay sleeping in her daintily-furnished apartment, +into which the soft night-air was admitted through sweet geranium and +mignonette, which bloomed and shed their perfume with rare sweetness, +she dreamed of her native land, of him who had that day left her so +disappointed, of her childhood, and all its happy memories, and of much +that we will not refer to lest we anticipate our story. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE WRECK. + + +ABOUT a fortnight subsequent to the period of the last chapter, Mrs. +Huntington and her daughter, with a single attendant found themselves +embarked on board the Bengal, a large, well-found Indiaman, bound for +Liverpool. The ship belonged to the East India Company, was a good +carrier, but calculated more for freight than speed. She was a new ship +and strong as iron and wood could be put together, and the widow and her +child found their quarters on board of an exceedingly comfortable +nature. They were the only passengers on board, but the vessel had a +heavy freight list, and as she moved out from her anchorage to lay her +course to sea, her draft of water was very deep. + +The Bengal fortunately encountered none but the most favorable winds and +tides for many a long and to those on board somewhat monotonous days, +and the sun rose out of the sea clear and bright, and sunk again beneath +its surface in gorgeous splendor with every diurnal rotation, until at +length the ship touched at the Cape of Good Hope, where, having taken +fresh water and provisions on board, she cleared direct for Liverpool. +Every hour now seemed more especially to draw the ship nearer her port +of destination, and a fresh spirit was infused among passengers and +crew, in cabin and forecastle; but it was a long distance yet, and the +widow and her daughter found time for much study and reading, for which +they were amply supplied, and thus the time was lightened in its +progress and also well improved. + +But the ocean is a treacherous element, and the fair weather which had +so long characterized their voyage, was to be varied now by fierce and +angry gales. It was the season of the year when they might expect this, +and the captain had kept a sharp lookout. It was the middle of a fine +afternoon that there was observed a singular phenomenon in the wind +which appeared to come from half a dozen points at the same moment. The +ship of course lost her steerage way, and the sea began most singularly +to get up from all points in heavy cross waves. It was evident that they +were either in the course of a whirlwind or close to its track, and +every now and then gusts came first larboard then starboard, and again +bows on and stern on, with a force that snapped the rigging like pipe +stems, and tore the canvass from the bolt ropes, notwithstanding the +prompt orders and nimble efforts of the seamen, before it could be +secured. Half an hour of this strange weather nearly stripped the ship +of her standing rigging, leaving her comparatively a helpless wreck upon +the waters, a mere log at the mercy of the wind and waves. + +The worst had not yet come, however, for the ship was sound still in her +hull, and save that she was now wallowing in the trough of the sea, she +was comparatively safe; she had sprung no leak, but her heavy freight +tested her powers fearfully, and the captain was fain to acknowledge +that there was nought to be done but abide the raging of the storm until +it was over. His attempt to rig a jury mast, on which to bend sail +enough to give the ship steerage way, was perfectly fruitless; she +rolled and pitched so fearfully that no effort of the kind could +succeed, but the crew were kept busy throwing over the heavier at tiles +of freight to case the ship. + +As right came on with its intense darkness relieved only by now and then +a terrible flash of liquid fire, all on board expected each moment might +be their last. Prayers were said, and all tried to compose their minds +as far as possible to meet that death which seemed to be fast +approaching them, when suddenly the cry ran, fore and aft that the +captain was lost overboard! This added to the general gloom; and now a +cry was heard "there goes the Flying Dutchman," as was seen by several +on board the Indiaman, during the interval of the vivid lightning, a +large ship dash by them almost within cable's length, with a single +topsail close reefed running before the gale with the speed of the wind. +It did indeed look like a phantom craft. All was snug on board, not a +soul was in sight, everything battened down, save one dark form +apparently lashed to the wheel stanchions and steadily bent upon keeping +the ship before the storm; it was a sight that added to the terror of +those on board the Indiaman, and its effect was at once visible. + +The ignorant and superstitious seamen, ever ready to argue evil from any +strange occurrence, now felt assured of their destruction, declaring +that the strange appearance of the phantom-ship was but a warning to +foretell the fate that was preparing for them. Thus actuated, all +discipline was gone, and no connected efforts were further made to +protect the ship or render her in any degree safer from the power of the +storm. To add still more to the critical condition on board, the ship +after straining and laboring so long, now began to leak and rapidly to +fill. In this desperate state of affairs several of the crew, whose +numbers were already thinned by being washed overboard, got into the +spirit room and in a condition of wild desperation became beastly +intoxicated, resolving to die insensible to danger! and at intervals +their crazy oaths and incoherent songs were heard above the gale. + +At this crisis, as is generally the case, two or three sterling spirits +among the crew (and there is never a ship's company without some such +among its members), one, the second mate, and a couple of foremast +hands, came into the cabin and assured the widow and her daughter that +they would protect them to the last, and that they were even now +preparing the long boat with compass, water and food, so that should the +storm abate and the sea become less agitated before the ship should fill +and go down, they might launch it, and with the ladies and such of them +as desired, attempt to save themselves in this frail bark. With +heartfelt gratitude the mother and child accepted their protection and +awaited the crisis; but not without solemnly kneeling together upon the +cabin floor and committing themselves to the care of Divine Providence. + +The second mate of the Bengal was the only officer left, but he was a +good sailor, a man of cool nerve and great personal strength. He now +went calmly to work, sounded the well and found four feet of water in +the ship, made his calculations how long it would require for the ship +to fill at the rate she then made water, and then set to work with his +two companions to rig a triangle with spars above the long boat, so as +to lift and launch it just when the proper moment should arrive, but +this he found to be impracticable. As the morning broke in the cast the +gale subsided, but the sea still kept up its angry commotion, though +that too, gradually subsided, the waves growing less and less, and the +ship becoming more and more quiet, enabling those on board to keep at +least upon their feet. + +In the meantime, the ship had gradually settled so that the water was +already on the cabin floor. In vain were the entreaties of the mate and +his companions for the four or five hands who had possessed themselves +of the key of the spirit room to come on deck and save themselves; they +could neither be persuaded nor forced to move, but lay in a state of +beastly intoxication. Everything had been done that was possible, to +prepare for launching the long boat, and the widow and her daughter had +already by the mate's sanction taken their seats within it, while one of +the seamen secured and carefully stored the few articles of necessity +which had been selected. + +The two masts of the boat were stepped and carefully secured, the gripes +that secured the boat in its place were cut, leaving it standing upright +in its wooden bed, but entirely free from the deck of the ship. Already +had the ship sunk so low that all communication with the cabin was cut +off, and the poor inebriated wretches who had there sought oblivion in +intoxication also found their tomb. Food, water and compass were +properly disposed, so that any sudden movement of the boat should not +dislodge them, oars and sails in readiness, and a careful examination +had, lest some straggling rope might in some way connect the boat with +the wreck, so as to draw them under when the floundering mass should at +last go down. The crisis which they now expected seemed strangely +protracted, and their fearful suspense was almost unbearable. The mate +had placed one of his hands at the bows, another amidships, while +himself and the two passengers occupied the stern; the precaution having +also been taken to secure the ladies by ropes to the boat. + +The weather had now entirely moderated, and the sea was comparatively +calm, except that now and then a heavy swell would lift the waterlogged +craft and surge about the hull, causing it to groan as though conscious +of its approaching fate. Moments assumed the length of hours now, and +the countenance of each was a picture of agonized suspense and momentary +expectation, no one spoke above their breath. Again the heavy swell +caused the hull to lurch and pitch until her bows were almost buried, +and the water was even with the scuppers--the moment was approaching. + +"Steady, all," said the mate, calmly, as he saw another approaching +swell, which he knew must cause the vessel to lift and settle again, and +probably this time prove the signal for her final plunge altogether. +"Steady, I say, and hold on to the boat stoutly now. Don't let go, +ladies, for an instant!" + +The seaman was right, the heavy hull was ful this surge came on, burying +her for an instant, and actually sweeping the boat clear of her bulwarks +out upon the sea, a most fortunate circumstance, which was instantly +taken advantage of, by pulling with the oars for a single instant, and +still further clearing the wreck, which now rose high at the bows for a +moment as the stern settled and gradually sunk, causing a vortex which +would certainly have engulfed the boat, had it not been able thus to +pull a short distance away, and which even now drew it rapidly back to +the spot where the ship had laid, and causing it to toss fearfully for a +while, but in a few moments more all was quiet. + +"Thank God, that is over," said the mate, earnestly; "it was little +short of a miracle that we did not all of us go down with the ship." + +The widow covered her face with her hands and breathed a silent prayer +of thankfulness. It was already night again, and steering by the stars +the mate laid his course, after affording a spare sail to cover the +mother and her daughter, who having partaken of some needed refreshment, +the first for many hours, were soon lost in sleep, induced by the great +bodily fatigue and physical exertion they had so lately encountered in +this emergency. + +The men stood watch and watch, relieving each other at intervals +throughout the night, while the boat with its two lugger sails crept on +steadily upon its course. + +It was remarkable to observe the delicacy observed by those three seamen +towards the widow and her daughter, to mark their assiduity towards them +as to their necessities and their wants; while they, on their part, were +patient, uncomplaining and grateful. The second and third day passed on, +when the mate calculated they were steering direct for the nearest point +of land which they could not fail to reach in another day, it being the +coast of Africa. His calculations were made under disadvantages, but he +felt confident of their correctness. The weather, fortunately, had been +very calm and pleasant thus far, since the gale had subsided, and the +frail craft thus exposed upon the ocean had really proved quite +comfortable and weatherly for the time being. A snug little apology for +a cabin had been constructed over the forward part of the boat, into +which the ladies could retire at nightfall, and become secure from the +weather and be entirely by themselves; and under the circumstances they +were really quite comfortable, that is to say, they experienced little +exposure to the elements at night, and slept securely in their narrow +quarters. + +In leaving the ship, the mother had been more thoughtful than many +persons would have been, and had taken the box which contained her +valuables and such papers as comprised her heavy bills of credit on +England, in which way she was transporting the bulk of her husband's +late valuable estate to her native land. At first she had taken especial +pains not to have the fact known to the men that she had any great +amount of valuables with her, lest it should prove a temptation to them, +and lead to some tragical result as it regarded the safety of herself +and child. But she need not have feared, those hearty sons of the ocean +were true as steel; and it was only the second day that having laid the +casket down carelessly in the boat, she had retired to the little +forecastle forgetting it, when it was brought to her again by one of +them who remarked, that he presumed it was something of particular value +by its appearance. + +According to the mate's reckoning, the time had already arrived when the +land should heave in sight, and the three seamen were constantly on the +lookout for it in the supposed direction where it should appear; but all +their search for it proved in vain, there was the same endless expanse +of ocean before them day after day, bounded only by the dim horizon, and +unrelieved by any object, while the same hope reigned in their hearts. +The exposure they endured, though not very severe, yet began to tell +upon them all, and especially the mate and two seamen, and the cheeks of +the seamen already looked sunken, their eyes less spirited. This was the +combined result of their feelings of disappointment with physical labor, +for they worked several hours at the oars every day, aiding the sailing +power of the boat, in the hopes of reaching the land before another gale +or storm should occur. Now, however, they began to discard the oars, and +to feel less and less courage to labor in propelling the boat. + +The widow who was not a little of a philosopher and a woman of good +sound mind, determined to do something to amuse the men, and cheer them +up in their emergency; she saw how sadly they needed some such +influence, and telling her daughter of her purpose, when night again +came on she induced her to sing some of her sweetest airs with all her +power of execution, and to repeat them to the real joy and delight of +these hardy men, who at once gathered an agency from this music, and +declared it was the harbinger of good. Whether it was so in the way they +supposed or not, it certainly was a harbinger of good as it regarded its +cheering effects upon them, and their hearts were again filled with +hope, and their sinews bent once more to toil at the oars. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE SEA WITCH. + + +WHILE those sweet notes were being uttered under these peculiar +circumstances, and the soft thrilling voice of, the English girl floated +over the sea, and the stars looked down coldly upon those wrecked +adventurers, the mate who sat at the helm was observed to be peering in +the boat's wake, as though looking for some coming object that would +soon overtake them. Leaning over the boat's stern, he placed his cars as +near the surface of the water as possible and listened. This he repeated +several times, with increased earnestness, then partially shading his +eyes with his hands, he gazed back into the dim night air with intense +interest, while the rest in the boat regarded him silently, wondering +what could be the import of his movements. + +"Either there is a big fish in our wake, or I hear the ripple of a +ship's cut-water. But I cannot see hull or canvass in this darkness," +said the mate, after a brief but searching gaze in the direction from +whence they had come. + +"It cannot be that you could hear the movement of a ship upon the water, +farther than you could see her even in this light," said the mother. + +"It may have been the hauling of a ship's yards, or some rickety block, +but sound I did hear that came from on ship board," said the mate, with +assurance. + +"See, see," said the daughter, at that moment, "what is that?" pointing +off nearly in the wake of the boat into the darkness. + +"A ship!" said the mate, quickly; "a ship, as true as heaven!" adding, +"shout, shout together now, or she will run us down." + +As he spoke, all eyes were bent on the dim object that was now fast +approaching them, and steering as nearly on the same course with +themselves as possible. Only a cloud of canvass was visible now, but +soon the dark hull of a vessel appeared, and the mate hastened to light +a lantern and hoist it to attract their attention. The signal was +seemingly observed in an instant on board the stranger, and the hoarse +deep order to heave the ship to, rolled over the waters and rang a +welcome sound in the cars of those in the boat. + +"I know not what sort of craft she is," said the mate; "and this is a +latitude where pirates intercept the homeward bound ships sometimes, +though according to ny reckoning, we are too well in for the land to be +in that track." + +"I trust there is no danger in accepting the assistance that the ship +appears willing to give?" said the mother anxiously, to the mate. + +"It is not more dangerous than to pass another night in this open boat, +madam, at all events," replied the mate, frankly. + +"Stand by, to take this tow-line," shouted a voice from the bulwarks of +the ship, as the vessel drifted with a side impetus towards the tiny +craft, while the figure of a man was observed in the mizzen shrouds with +a coil of line ready to heave, at the word of command. + +"Ay, ay," answered the mate, steering his boat so as to bring her side +on to the ship, and opening his arms to catch the line, which he saw was +about to be thrown. + +"Heave, heave clear of all," shouted a stern, manly voice from the +quarter-deck of the ship at this moment; "heave with a will." + +And a stout tow-line rattled through the air with a whizzing sound and +lay between the mate's extended arms. This was instantly seized upon, +and while one of the men took a turn about the stanchion in the bow of +the boat, those on board the ship gathered in the line until the boat +was safely moored under her quarter. No words were exchanged, until the +ladies, first, and the seamen next, were taken on board: the fact of +their being wrecked and in distress being too apparent to require +questioning. The valuables in the boat were quickly transferred to the +ship, and the little craft which had proved an ark of safety to the +adventurers, was then cut adrift, and soon lay a mere speck upon the +waters, unguided and alone. + +As the boat drifted for a moment astern of the vessel before the party +were taken on board, the mate rend her name on the stern in golden +letters, "The Sea Witch." The foremast hands who had been saved from +the wreck soon mingled with the crew on the forecastle of the "Sea +Witch," and told their story there, while the mate and the ladies were +received in the most hospitable manner in the cabin, where the captain +endeavored to offer them every comfort the ship afforded, and to place +every resource entirely at their command. + +Mrs. Huntington and her daughter were at first too tearful and full of +gratitude for their preservation to converse, and soon took advantage of +the kind offer which placed the captain's private apartments entirely at +their service, while the mate explained their adventures in detail, not +forgetting the phantom ship which passed them in the gale, and which had +caused such consternation on board the wrecked Indiaman. But his story +in this particular was unfortunately spoiled, when Captain Ratlin told +him positively that he was at that moment on board the very craft which +he had designated as the Flying Dutchman. A remark that for a moment +puzzled the honest seaman and led him to look suspiciously about him; +but a few corroborating remarks soon placed the subject at rest in even +the mate's credulous mind. + +The fact was, that the same gale which had made a wreck of the Indiaman, +had driven the "Sea Witch" two days' sail or more out of her course, and +had thus brought her in sight of the Bengal at that critical moment when +it would have been impossible to have rendered her the least assistance. +The continuance of the gale had carried the ship far to the southward, +from whence she was now returning. + +It was early morning upon the day succeeding that auspicious night for +the party in the boat, that Miss Huntington and her mother made their +appearance upon the quarter-deck, and tendered their thanks for the +service rendered. Captain Ratlin received them there with a frank, manly +air, assured them of full protection, and that he would land them at +some port from whence they could take ship for England. A very few hours +placed him on the best of terms with his passengers, for there was that +frank, and open discourse of manner with him, which his countenance +promised, while he felt irresistibly drawn towards the gentle and +beautiful girl whose protector he had thus strangely and suddenly +become. Not one point of her sweet beauty was lost upon the young +commander, and her every word and movement he seemed to dwell upon, and +to consider with a tenacious degree of interest. + +On her part, Miss Huntington looked upon him as her preserver, and did +not hesitate to accord him that confidence which the circumstances of +her situation would so naturally lead to, being delighted and +entertained by the sketches he gave her of sea life and wild adventure +upon the ocean, elicited by her suggestion. The mother, too, was +well-pleased with the profound respect and polite attention which +herself and daughter received from him, and accorded him that cordial +countenance in his intercourse with her child which placed him quite at +ease. + +"We have not even asked you, Captain Ratlin, what trade you are in," +said the mother, as they sat together, her daughter and the young +commander, upon the quarter-deck beneath an awning which had been rigged +for their comfort. + +"Ahem! madam!" hesitated the young officer, "we are, that is, yes, we +are on a trading voyage to the coast--just at the present time." + +Whether the mother saw that the subject was not one which was of an +agreeable nature to him, or otherwise, she at once changed the subject, +and congenial themes were discussed, to the delight of the daughter, who +dwelt with evident pleasure upon the manly tones of the captain's voice, +which seemed to have some secret charm upon her. Even her mother noticed +this, and seemed to regard her with sensitive watchfulness while the +captain was near, though there was no well defined suspicion or fear in +her mind. + +"Is it customary for traders upon these seas to go so thoroughly armed, +Captain Ratlin?" asked the daughter, one day, after she had been shown +about the decks, at her own request, where she had marked the heavy +calibre of the gun amidship, its well as the neat and serviceable array +of small arms within the entrance to the cabin. + +"It is a treacherous latitude, lady, and the strong arm often makes the +right," he answered again, evasively, as he called her attention to some +distant object in the horizon, while at the same moment there was +shouted from aloft: + +"Land O!" + +"Land, land!" repeated the gentle being by his side, "what land?" + +"Africa," quietly responded the captain, without a token of +satisfaction. + +"Africa? that is indeed an inhospitable shore; can we land there?" + +"Yes, I shall make sure that you land safely, and can despatch you to +Sierra Leone, from whence you can take ship for England, but--" + +"Sail O!" shouted the lookout. + +"Whereaway?" asked the captain promptly, seizing a deck trumpet and +abruptly turning from her to whom he had been speaking, while his whole +manner changed at once. + +"A couple of points on the larboard beam, sir," answered the seaman. + +"All hands, Mr. Faulkner, and 'bout ship; that square rig and the heavy +lift of those topsails tell what there must be below to sustain them. +Lively, sir, the 'Sea Witch' must show her qualities." + +Miss Huntington had watched with some amazement these orders, and the +result of the same, and as she saw the beautiful craft in which she was +put at once on the opposite tack and steer boldly away from the shore +which had just been made, she could not help for a moment remembering +the words of the mate in the boat, that pirates sometimes were found in +these latitudes! + +After a moment's thought she felt that she did Captain Ratlin injustice, +for whatever might cause him to flee from the sight of what she presumed +by his remarks to be a man-of-war, yet she felt that he could not be a +pirate. True, the vessel even to her inexperienced eye was very strongly +manned, and there was a severity of discipline observed on board that +was very different from what she had seen while they were in the +Indiaman, but that man could not be a pirate, she felt that he could +not--she would not do him the injustice to think it possible. + +Let the stranger be whom he might, the "Sea Witch" seemed to have no +intention of making his acquaintance, and as easily dropped the topsails +of the vessel again as she had made them, while from the manner in which +the stranger steered, it was doubtful whether his lookout had made out +the "Sea Witch" at all--and so Captain Ratlin remarked to his first +officer, while he ordered the ship to be kept on her present course for +an hour, then to haul up on the wind and run in shore again. + +"Is it usual, Captain Ratlin," asked the young and beautiful girl, "for +vessels on the coast to so dread meeting each other as to deliberately +alter their course when this seems likely to be the case?" + +"Trade is peculiar on this coast, and men-of-warsmen take extraordinary +liberties on board such vessels as they happen to overhaul," was the +reply. "I always avoid their company when I can do so conveniently." + +As Captain Ratlin said this, his eyes met those of his companion for a +moment, which were bent anxiously upon his face, as though she would +read his inmost thoughts. He noted the expression, and replied at once: + +"Whatever suspicion or fear may have entered Miss Huntington's mind, I +beg of her to dispel, as it regards her own and her mother's safety and +comfort. Both shall be my sole care until you are safely landed upon +shore, where I shall at the earliest moment place you in a situation to +reach your homes in England." + +"I know you will do this," she replied, "and if my looks betrayed any +anxiety, it was not for our safety, but for your own, Captain Ratlin." + +"My safety, lady? do you then consider that worth your anxiety?" he +asked, with unmistakable earnestness in his voice. + +"You have been more than kind to us, sir," she continued, "you have been +preserver, protector, and friend, and it were strange if I did not feel +an interest for your welfare." + +This she uttered so ingenuously, so frankly, that it seemed not in the +least indelicate or forward, while it thrilled the young commander's +heart. + +"Lady, since the moment you came on board, and I heard the tones of your +voice, a strange interest sprang up in my heart, an indescribable one, +and now that you express an interest in a poor wanderer's fate, you +attach to it a value that he himself has never regarded it as +possessing. But I read your suspicions, you have feared the worst--your +looks have betrayed it, and you were ready to believe that I am a--" + +"Pirate!" almost groaned his companion, "You are not, pray say you are +not." + +"Not so bad as that, lady." + +"But you are then--" + +"A slaver!" said the young commander, turning from her and moodily +walking the deck; with a contracted brow and uneven step. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE QUADROON. + + +FOR several days succeeding that upon which Captain Ratlin had avowed +himself to his fair young companion to be engaged in the slave trade +upon the coast of Africa, the "Sea Witch" was occupied in running in +towards the land and exchanging signals with friends on shore, and then +standing off and on to watch a favorable moment for running to an +anchorage, without encountering one of the English or American cruisers +stationed on the coast. During this time the young commander and his +fair passenger found much time for conversation, and she strove with all +that power of persuasion and delicacy of tact peculiar to her sex, to +point out to the adventurous and generous-hearted commander the fearful +responsibility of the course he was pursuing. + +Perhaps no other agent would have accomplished so much as she +did--indeed, no other could for a moment have gained his ear, and the +result even to herself was very apparent, very satisfactory. He, all +unconsciously yielded every argument to her, was only too ready and +willing to grant her the fullest accordance in what she asked or argued, +for though he dared not to say so, yet he felt that already he loved the +mild yet eloquent and lovely girl with a devotion that caused all other +interests to fade in importance. It was a novel idea to him to realize +that so fair and gentle a creature could entertain such sufficient +interest in him, a rough sailor, to strive and mould his conduct for +good. + +On her part, it would be difficult for us to define the exact state of +feelings which actuated the beautiful girl whom we first introduced to +the reader in India. She felt an interest in the commander of the slaver +that she was afraid to acknowledge not only to her mother, but indeed to +herself. The tones of his voice came over her heart like the memory of +music that we have heard at some distant time, and in some forgotten +place; his eyes betrayed to her the love he dared not speak, and when +she did pause to consider their relation towards each other, she half +shuddered, and said to herself, "Would to heaved this man was a poor +mechanic, anything but a slaver! How can I give my confidence to him, +and yet how can I withhold it, for he wins from me my very thoughts!" + +One evening just after sunset, Miss Huntington and her mother had been +tarrying on the quarter deck for a long while, watching the conversation +going on between the ship and the shore by means of flags, and observing +that the "Sea Witch" had run in closer than usual, the mother asked: + +"Shall we not land before long, Captain Ratlin? We have been in the +vicinity of the shore so long, that I begin to feel quite impatient." + +"To-night, madam, we shall be on shore. I cannot offer you very good +quarters at first, but you shall find conveyance to Sierra Leone +shortly, from whence you can sail for England." + +"We have to thank you for much kindness, sir," she continued, +gratefully. + +"Nay, madam, necessity and duty to my owners has rendered it imperative +for me to approach the coast cautiously, and hence a delay I could not +avoid." + +"You are too honest and manly a spirit, sir," said the mother, frankly, +"to be engaged in such a trade. Ah, sir, why not turn your talents to a +more fitting purpose? The field of commerce is extensive, and such as +you need not look for command." + +"Madam, your daughter has already caused me to behold my position in a +very different light from what I did when I cleared my ship from the +last port." + +"I rejoice, Captain Ratlin, to hear you say so," was the frank rejoinder +of the mother, as she extended her hand to him, and which he pressed +respectfully. + +"She is thus frank and open with me," reasoned the young commander to +himself, "because she has no reason for restraint; but were I to tell +her that I loved her child, that she was already so dear to me that I +would relinquish all things for her, that face, so friendly in its +expression now, would be suffused with disdain and scorn. No, no! such a +fate is not in store for me; a sailor should know but one mistress, and +she should be his ship. But the heart is a stubborn thing. I would not +have believed that ouch a change could come over me." + +"Stand by to let go the starboard bow anchor," he shouted, as the vessel +gradually crept shoreward with the oncoming of night, and, assumed the +position in which he desired to place her. + +Her sails were gradually furled, and as she drew to her anchorage +ground, a quarter-boat a was lowered from the davits, while the chain +cable rang its loud report as it ran out at the hawser hole, and the +ship swung gradually with the set of the current, leaving her stern +towards the shore. But a few moments elapsed before Capt. Ratlin and his +two passengers, with such articles as they had brought on board, were +skimming over the short space between the ship and the shore, propelled +by a half-dozen stout rowers. It had already been explained to them that +at first it would be necessary to land them and offer them shelter at +Don Leonardo's slave factory, until a mode of conveyance could be +procured for them to reach Sierra Leone, so they were not surprised, but +placing full confidence in Captain Ratlin, were satisfied. + +At the house of Don Leonardo, they were hospitably received, and found +the proprietor to be a rough Spaniard, with a dark quadroon daughter, +whose mulatto mother was dead. The household, though primitive, in many +particulars, was yet profusely supplied with every necessity, and even +many luxuries. In the rear of the house was a spacious barracoon, where +the slaves were collected and kept for shipment, and where they were +plentifully supplied with rice and vegetables, with salt meats, and the +means of doing their own cooking. All these things the new corners noted +at once, and indeed were very curious in fully understanding. There +seemed to be little restraint exercised about the place; the slaves were +looked at in the light of prisoners of war, and did not attempt escape. +They seemed to be quite indifferent themselves as to their fate, and +were very happy, with good food to eat, and a plenty of it. + +One thing that both Mrs. Huntington and her daughter marked well was the +fact that Don Leonardo greeted Capt. Ratlin as one whom he had met +before, and that Maud, his daughter, also sprang forward to meet him +with unmistakable tokens of delight. On his part, both were cordially +greeted, and they spoke together like people whose time was precious and +whose business required despatch. Mrs. Huntington gathered enough from +their open and undisguised talk to learn, that as there was not a +sufficient number of negroes at the present moment on hand, that the +"Sea Witch," with her light draft of water, must be run up a neighboring +river and be there moored away from the prying eyes of the cruisers on +the coast, until the proper hour should arrive for shipping her freight. +Therefore when Captain Ratlin left them, it was with a promise to return +and join them again within a few hours. He resolved to moor his vessel +under the shelter of the present favoring darkness, to which end he at +once repaired on board. + +The two English ladies, both mother and daughter, found much to interest +them in Maud Leonardo. She seemed to be a strange girl, a rough diamond, +with all the tact and ready invention of her mulatto mother, and all +the fire of her Spanish father. They soon learned that this was not +Captain Ratlin's first visit to the coast, and that her father, as well +as herself, considered him the finest seaman and gentleman in the coast +trade. It was impossible not to see with what feeling Maud the Quadroon +dwelt upon the good qualities of him she referred to, declaring that he +was a father to all the people he took away in his ship, and how kind he +was to them; that he always knocked off their shackles at once and made +friends of them by real kindness. + +Mrs. Huntington, to say nothing of her daughter, saw something more than +mere honest admiration in the enthusiastic girl's remarks about the +young commander, and the mother shrewdly determined to question her upon +the theme, and to weigh well her answers. + +"Captain Ratlin is very friendly to you, I suppose, Maud?" said Mrs. +Huntington. + +"He is friendly to father, and that is the same thing," she replied, +simply. + +"Has he not brought you presents across the ocean?" continued the +mother. + +"One," said Maud, with evident pleasure, rolling back a long sleeve, and +discovering to her new-made friends a rich golden bracelet, set with +pearls, a rare and beautiful ornament. + +"This is indeed beautiful," said the mother. + +Mrs. Huntington examined the jewel, while her daughter turned +thoughtfully away! She could not be mistaken; she saw at once that this +rude, uncultivated girl loved the commander of the "Sea Witch," nor did +she wonder at such a fact; but yet she found herself musing and asking +within her own mind whether such a being could make him happy as a wife. +She felt that he was worthy of better companionship, and that, +notwithstanding Maud evidently loved him, he could hardly entertain any +peculiar regard for her. Could he have deceived the girl? she thought. +No, deceit was no part of his nature; that she felt sure of, and thus +she mused alone to herself, placing the relationship of the two in all +manner of lights, until she saw him again. + +Having moored the "Sea Witch" safely amid the jungle of one of the many +winding rivers that indent the coast of Africa, and sent down her upper +spars to prevent her from being discovered by any exhibition of the +top-hamper above the trees and jungle growth, Captain Ratlin left his +crew under charge of the first officer, Mr. Faulkner, and returned once +more to the seaboard and the establishment of Don Leonardo. Here it +would be necessary for him to remain for a week or more, while the +Spaniard sent his runners inland to the chiefs of the various coast +tribes to forward the prisoners of war to his barracoons. This period of +time was passed in various domestic amusements, in observing the sports +and games of the natives, their habits, and studying their +nationalities--for the slaves in Don Leonardo's barracoons represented a +score of different tribes, each characteristic of its origin. + +Mrs. Huntington regarded Captain Ratlin's intercourse with Maud with +much interest, which she did not attempt to disguise, while her daughter +did so under the disguise of indifference, but with the most intense +interest. Not a word, look, or sign between them betrayed the least +token of any understanding or peculiar confidence as existing between +the commander and the Quadroon. + +Maud, on her part, began to change somewhat since the first day of the +arrival of the strangers. Then she was as free and unconstrained as +innocence itself--now she seemed to regard the new-comers with a jealous +eye, for she saw the deep feeling evinced by the young commander towards +the fairest of the two; she heard a strange charm in the tone of his +voice when he addressed the daughter, and at such moments Mrs. +Huntington more than once saw her bosom heave quickly, and her eye flash +with a wild and startling fire that made her tremble. This was jealousy, +plain and unmistakable, a fact that no woman would have been at a loss +to understand. + +It was not possible that the mother should be blind to the feeling +evinced by Captain Ratlin towards her daughter, and she thought, so long +as this sentiment maintained the respectful and solicitous character +which it now bore, that it would redound to their security and future +safety, as they were in one sense completely in his power. But as it +regarded the idea of her daughter's entertaining any affection for him, +or seriously considering his advances, the idea could not for a moment +enter her head. She did not at ill consider that there was any danger of +her daughter's losing her heart--no, no! Had not she been accustomed to +attention from earliest girlhood, and from the most polished men? She +did not even think it necessary to speak to her upon the subject; she +might be as friendly as she pleased with him under the circumstances. + +But the daughter herself, who to her mother's eye was so indifferent, +was at heart deeply and strangely impressed by the frank, chivalrous and +devoted attention of the commander of the slaver. His attention was +characterized by the most unquestioned delicacy and consideration; he +had never uttered the first syllable to her that he might not properly +have used before her mother--indeed, he had not the boldness or +effrontery to urge a suit that he knew was out of the question, and yet +he felt irresistibly drawn towards the English girl, and could not +disguise from her the true sentiments that so plainly filled his inmost +heart; she must have been less than woman not to have read his very +soul, so bared to her scrutiny. + +It was the first time that she had ever deceived her mother, because it +was the first time that she had loved. Yes, loved, for though she would +as soon have sacrificed her life as to have acknowledged it, yet she did +love him, and the poor untutored Quadroon girl read the fact that the +mother could not, with all her cultivation and knowledge of the world, +detect. But jealousy is an apt teacher, and the spirit of Maud Leonardo +was now thoroughly aroused; she sighed for revenge, and puzzled her +brain how she might gain the longed-for end. + +Captain Ratlin had eyes for only one object, and that was the young and +beautiful English girl. He never gave a thought to Maud; he had never +done so for one moment. As a friend of her father, or rather as a dealer +intimately connected in a business point of view with him, he had given +a present to his daughter, and had endeavored to make himself agreeable +to her at all times, but never for one moment with a serious thought of +any degree of intimacy, save of the most public and ordinary character. +Probably Maud herself would have never thought seriously about the +matter had she not felt how much the English girl surpassed her in +beauty, in accomplishment, and in all that might attract the interest of +one like Captain Ratlin. + +Jealousy is a subtle poison, and the Quadroon was feeding upon it +greedily, while its baleful effect was daily becoming more and more +manifest in her behaviour. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +THE ATTACK. + + +DON LEONARDO was no favorite among the tribes and chiefs of the region +which was his immediate neighborhood, and he lived within the walls of +his well-arranged residence, more like one in a fort than in his own +domestic dwelling, maintaining himself, in fact, by a regular armament +of his servants and a few countrymen whom he retained in his service. +With the negroes he was, therefore, no friend, save so far as he +purchased their prisoners of them, whom they secured in their marauding +inroads upon the interior tribes. They feared Don Leonardo because he +was a bold, bad man, and cared not for the spilling of blood at any +time, for the furtherance of his immediate gain in the trade he pursued. +It was for his interest to make them fear him, and this he contrived to +do most effectually. + +As Don Leonardo always paid for the slaves he purchased of the coast +tribes in hard Spanish dollars, they believed him to possess an +inexhaustible supply of specie, and the idea of robbing him had more +than once been broached among them in their counsels; but feat and want +of tact as to proper management in conducting an assault, they felt +would insure the defeat of such a purpose, and thus the Spaniard had +remained unmolested for years in his present position, but in no way +relaxing the necessary degree of vigilance which should render safe his +household, for he knew full well the treacherous character of the +negroes, and that they were not for a moment to be trusted. + +Maud, his daughter, was in no way ignorant of this state of affairs. She +fully understood the entire matter. Perhaps the fact that some portion +of the blood of that despised race ran in her own veins, led her to +conceive a plan for revenge which should embrace not only the party who +was the grave object of her hate, but even every person of white blood +in her father's household, not even excepting her father! No one, save a +North American Indian, can hold and nourish a spirit of revenge like a +Quadroon. It seems to be an innate trait of their nature, and ever ready +to burst forth in a blaze at any moment. + +It was impossible to understand exactly by what course of reasoning Maud +had arrived at the purpose of attempting the destruction of the +household as she did. One would have supposed that she would have been +apt to adopt the easiest mode of arriving at the desired result, and +that with even her simple knowledge of poison, she might, with a little +adroitness, have taken the lives of all who were gathered under her +father's roof at a single meal; but the revengeful girl evidently had +some secret feeling to gratify, in the employment of the agents whom she +engaged for her purpose, and the blow she resolved should be struck, and +decisively, too, by the negro enemies of her father, who were his near +neighbors. + +For this fell purpose, Maud held secret meetings with the chiefs, +represented that her father's strong-boxes were full of gold and silver +coin, and that the negroes had only to effect an entrance at night, +means for which she was herself prepared to furnish them, and at the +same time representing to them that they would have it in their power to +revenge themselves for all their past wrongs at her father's hands, +fancied or real. The negroes and their chiefs were only too intent upon +the treasures their fancy depicted, to think or care for Maud herself, +or to question the reason of her unnatural treachery. So they promised +to enter the stockade under her direction, rob the house, and then +screen the deed they had committed by burning the dwelling and all +within its precincts. + +While this diabolical plan had been thoroughly concocted, Captain Ratlin +and the two English ladies had passed many pleasant hours together, all +unconscious of there being any danger at hand, and even Maud, with +subtle treachery, seemed more open and free than she had been in her +intercourse with them at first. But when she thought herself unobserved, +she would at times permit a reflex of her soul to steal over her dark, +handsome features, and the fire of passion to flash from her eye. At +such moments, the Quadroon became completely unsexed, and could herself +scarcely contain her own anger and passion so far as not to spring, +tiger-like, upon the object of her hatred. But the hour for the attempt +upon the dwelling, and the destruction of its inhabitants, drew near. +The negroes had sworn to stand by each other, and had sacrificed an +infant to their deity, to propitiate him and insure success. + +It was long past midnight that the blacks might have been seen pouring +out of the adjacent jungle nearest to the house. They had selected the +hour for their attack when they supposed the dwellers in the +stockade-house would be soundest wrapped in sleep, and they had indeed +chosen well, and all their plans had been carefully arranged. But just +as Maud opened the secret entrance for them to pass in, and she herself +passed out, to flee for the time being from the scene, Don Leonardo came +out from his sleeping-apartment, followed by a trusty slave, and +promptly shot down the two first figures that entered by the door, +causing them to fall dead. This unexpected repulse caused those behind +to retreat for a while to the jungle, where they might consult under +cover as to what this unexpected opposition to their plans indicated. + +The reader may as well be here informed that a faithful slave, who had +been long with the Spanish trader, and who had been confided in by the +robbers, at last could not keep the secret, but just at the opportune +moment aroused her master, while he, by his promptness, for the moment +stayed the attack, until the door could once more be fastened, and the +people awakened and armed to repel the congregated mass of the enemy. +The father did not for one moment suspect his child's treachery, and was +amazed and alarmed by her absence; but there was little time for +speculations upon that or any other matter, since the large numbers of +the negroes had rendered them bold, and they seemed determined, now they +were partially foiled in their purpose as to entering the place by +stratagem, to carry the house, at all hazards, by actual storm, while +they rendered the air heavy with their yells. + +Don Leonardo was not at all alarmed--he had fought too many battles with +the negroes to fear them. He quietly prepared his fire-arms, and loaded +to the muzzle a heavy swivel-gun he kept mounted at one of the main +windows, while he gave arms to such of his slaves as he felt confidence +in, and to his immediate retainers. The negroes had never seen nor heard +the swivel fired, as it was a late importation. They had become somewhat +accustomed to small arms, and though they had a dread of them, yet it +was not sufficient to deter them from making the attack after having +congregated in such numbers, and having become so wrought up by each +other. But as they made a rush bodily towards the stockade, Don Leonardo +fired the swivel, which had been loaded with shot, slugs, and bullets, +into their very midst, every missile telling on the limb or body of one +or more! The effect was electrical and the slaughter large. + +The astonished savages rapidly gathered up their wounded companions and +returned to the jungle once more. At first this terrible slaughter among +them seemed to deter them from the idea of a second attack, but the loud +report of the gun rapidly augmented the numbers of the blacks, until +they made a second onslaught, with almost precisely the same effect. +They could scale the stockade only on this side, while on the other, or +opposite side, Captain Ratlin kept up such a deadly and accurate fire of +musketry, that every one who approached the buildings was sure to +forfeit his life. It was fortunate that this arrangement had been made, +for the negroes twice attempted to set the dwellings on fire from the +rear, but were instantly repulsed by Captain Ratlin's double-barrelled +gun, which was ready loaded by his side, and which he used with fearful +accuracy of aim on every approaching object. + +The negroes seemed to be wrought up to such a state of excitement that +they would not give over their purpose, though it involved such immense +risk and sacrifice of life, and the attack was continued, at intervals, +far into the morning, and long after the regular course of duty, until +at last the negroes divided their mutilated numbers into four parties, +and it was evidently their last and most determined attempt. They did +not hurry this, but seemed to pause and take refreshments and rest for a +couple of hours, when once more the onslaught commenced, and the +inhabitants of the stockade found it a desperate fight, and one even of +doubtful result, if long continued as it began. + +"Keep the black imps clear, don, for a short half-hour longer, and it +will be all up with them," shouted Captain Ratlin, from the rear. "I see +a heavy square-rig rounding the point and standing in for an anchorage; +we shall find civilized help." + +"That is lucky," growled the Spaniard, as he coolly shot down a negro; +"our powder is fast giving out." + +The inhabitants of the stockade sadly needed assistance at this critical +juncture, for the infuriated savages had become desperate and reckless +in their attack, and must soon have carried the building by storm. But +there soon pulled to the beach a half-dozen boats, with a detachment of +marines and seamen, led on at full speed by an officer, before whose +approach the angry negroes retired exhausted, leaving many dead upon the +ground, and many too severely wounded to effect their retreat to the +jungle. The fight had been a very sanguinary one to the half witted +creatures outside the stockade. + +The new comers were an officer and part of the crew of a man-of-war that +was cruising upon the coast, and which had been attracted to the harbor +by the firing of the heavy swivel. They were admitted within the +stockade. That they were English was at once observable, by the flag +that floated from the graceful craft that had now rounded to and come to +an anchor within blank cartridge shot of the factory or barracoons. The +officer felt authorized to interfere, as we have seen, but his power of +search and of interference in the peculiar trade of the coast ceased the +moment he touched the land. His jurisdiction did not extend over any +residents on their property, unless it was afloat; over the coast and +rivers he claimed jurisdiction only. + +The new comers were hospitably entertained by Don Leonardo, white the +officer who had led them, and whose insignia of rank betrayed his +station as captain, was introduced into the more private apartments of +the place, where were the ladies and Captain Ratlin, the latter trying +to re-assure them, and to quiet their fears on account of the late +fearful business of the fight. He was thus engaged when the English +captain entered, and was not a little astonished to hear the mutual +expressions of surprise that were uttered by both the ladies and the +officer himself, while a moment sufficed to show them to be old +acquaintances! The reader would here recognize, in the new comer, +Captain Robert Bramble, whom we saw paying suit to Miss Huntington, not +long previous, on the shady verandah of her mother's house, in the +environs of Calcutta. + +Notwithstanding the excitement of the moment, and the joy felt on all +sides at the timely arrival of the English officer and his +people,--notwithstanding the surprise of the moment, that filled all +present at the singular melting of old friends under such extraordinary +circumstances, yet a close observer might have noticed an ill-suppressed +expression of dissatisfaction upon Captain Ratlin's face, as he saw the +English captain in friendly and even familiar intercourse with mother +and daughter. + +"Who could have possibly foreseen this strange, this opportune meeting?" +said the mother. + +"It is as strange as agreeable, I assure you," replied the new comer. +"And you were wrecked and picked up at sea, you say, and brought here +by--" + +"Captain Ratlin," interrupted the daughter, fearing that her mother +would have introduced a word that would have betrayed their protector. + +"Yes, by Captain Ratlin," continued the mother, "permit me to introduce +you, gentlemen. Captain Bramble, this is Captain Ratlin; you are both +seamen, and there is no need of compliments, though I am seriously +indebted to you both." + +"Of the merchant service, I presume?" said the English officer, +regarding the young and handsome commander of the "Sea Witch" with a +somewhat suspicious eye. + +"From childhood," was the cool reply, while, as though by a feeling of +common content, both turned away from each other, to other objects. + +Captain Bramble saw that she whom he had so profitlessly saved,--she +whose smile would have been invaluable to him, now spoke low and gently +to the merchant captain; and even smiled kindly upon his remarks to her, +of whatever nature they might be. Doubtless, from the moment of their +introduction, a vague suspicion of his true character crossed the +English officer's thoughts, but now he needed no other incentive, than +the fact that Miss Huntington received and entertained his addresses so +agreeably, and with such evident pleasure, to make him more than +watchful, and resolved to find out the truth. + +"You are not long arrived, Captain Ratlin?" asked the other. + +"Within these two weeks," was the calm reply. + +"Not seeing your vessel, I presume she has gone to the windward, for +ivory." + +"Or perhaps to leeward for other cargo," answered the other, somewhat +haughtily. + +The hint was sufficient, and the English officer saw that, let his trade +be what it might, he had one to deal with who was master of his own +business, and who feared no one. + +It was nearly night when Maud Leonardo reappeared, expressing profound +surprise at what had occurred, and feigning well-assumed grief and +regret, so honestly, too, as to deceive all parties who observed her. +But her secret chagrin could hardly be expressed. Indeed, her father, +who knew her better than any one else, saw that there was something +wrong in his daughter's spirit, that some event had seriously annoyed +and moved her. He knew the child possessed of much of her mother's wild, +revengeful disposition, and though even he never for a moment suspected +her unnatural treachery, yet he resolved to watch her. + +The negroes she had joined in the attack were completely routed and +disheartened, and fearing the power and cunning of Don Leonardo, +retreated far inland and incorporated themselves with the tribes that +gather their wild and precarious living in the depths of the jungle. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE DUEL. + + +AFFAIRS in the immediate vicinity of Don Leonardo's residence began to +assume a singular and very peculiar aspect. In the first place, there +was within doors, and under his immediate roof, four new comers, nearly +each of which was actuated by some contrary purpose or design. Mrs. +Huntington was exceedingly desirous to obtain passage up the coast to +Sierra Leone, and thence home to England; her daughter secretly dreaded +the approach of the hour that was to separate her from one whom in her +unrevealed heart she devotedly loved. Captain Ratlin was, of course, all +impatience to have the English cruiser up anchor and leave the harbor, +her proximity to his own fleet clipper ship being altogether too close, +while, Captain Bramble felt in no haste to leave port for several +reasons. First, he had a suspicion that he should soon be able to trip +up the heels of his rival, as it regarded this business on the coast; +and secondly, he was very content to have Miss Huntington remain here, +because he knew if she was once landed at Sierra Leone, she would +directly sail for England. + +Don Leonardo heartily wished them all at the bottom of the sea, or any +other place except his house, with the exception, of course, of Captain +Ratlin, whose business with him was seriously impeded by the presence of +these parties. Maud, too, was not a disinterested party, as the reader +may well imagine, after the audacious treachery which she had already +evinced; but she was comparatively passive now, and seemed quietly to +bide her time for accomplishing her second resolve touching him she once +loved but now hated, as well as satisfying her revengeful spirit by the +misery or destruction of her rival. We say affairs in Don Leonardo's +residence had assumed a singular and peculiar aspect, and the dull +routine of everyday life that had characterized the last year was +totally changed. + +The singular coincidence of the meeting between Miss Huntington and her +rejected lover, Captain Bramble, under such singular circumstances, led +him once more to press this suit, and now, as she regarded him largely +in the light of a protector, the widow quite approved of his intimacy, +and indeed, as far as propriety would permit, seconded his suit with her +daughter. When in India, she had looked most favorably upon Captain +Bramble's intimacy with her child, where there were accessory +circumstances to further her claims; but now she soon told her daughter +in private, that Captain Bramble was a match fit and proper in all +respects for such as she was. + +"But, mother--" + +"Well, my child?" + +"Suppose, for instance, that I do not like Captain Bramble, then is he a +fitting match for me?" + +"Not like him, my child?" + +"Yes, mother, not like him." + +"Why, is he not gentlemanly?" + +"Yes." + +"And of good family?" + +"Undoubtedly." + +"And handsome, and--" + +"Hold, mother, you need not extend the catalogue. Captain Bramble can +never be my husband," she said, in a mild but determined tone that her +mother understood very well. + +But Captain Bramble himself could not seem to understand this, +notwithstanding she was perfectly frank and open with him. He seemed to +be running away with the idea that if he could but get rid of Captain +Ratlin, in some way, he should then have a clear field, and be able to +win her hand under the peculiar circumstances surrounding her. Thus +moved, he redoubled his watchfulness touching the captain's movements, +satisfied that he should be able ere long to detect him in some +intrigue, as to running a cargo of slaves, and doubtless under such +circumstances that he could arrest and detain him, if not, by some lucky +chance, even have him tried and adjudged upon by the English commission +upon the coast. + +To suppose that Captain Ratlin did not understand entirely the motives +and conduct of his enemy and would-be rival, would be to give him less +credit for discernment than he deserved. He understood the matter very +well, and, indeed, bore with assumed patience, for Miss Huntington's +sake, many impertinences that he would otherwise have instantly +asserted. But he marked out for himself a course, and he resolved to +adhere to it. Captain Bramble was not only a suitor of Miss +Huntington's, but an old and intimate friend, as he learned from her +family, and therefore he should avoid all quarrel whatever with him, and +so he did on his own part; but the English officer, enraged by his +apparent success, took every occasion to disparage the character of +Captain Ratlin, and even before Miss Huntington's own face, declared him +no gentleman. + +"You are very severe, Captain Bramble," said the lady, "upon a person +whom you acknowledge you have not yet known a single calendar month." + +"It is long enough, quite long enough, Miss Huntington, to read the +character of such an unprincipled fellow as this nondescript captain." + +"I have known him about twice as long as you, Captain Bramble," replied +Miss Huntington, calmly, "and I have not only formed a very different +opinion of him, but have good reasons to feel satisfied of the +correctness of my judgment." + +"I perceive that Miss Huntington has taken him under her protection," +replied the discomfited officer, sarcastically, as he seized his hat and +left her. + +While in this spirit, the two rivals met in the open space before the +hose of Don Leonardo, when the English officer vented some coarse and +scurrillous remarks upon Captain Ratlin, whose eyes flashed fire, and +who seized his traducer by the throat and bent him nearly double to the +earth, with an ease that showed his superior physical strength to be +immense, but as though impressed with some returning sense, Captain +Ratlin released his grasp and said: + +"Rise, sir, you are safe from my hand; but fortunate it is for you that +you can call this lady whose name you have just referred to, friend; the +man whom she honors by her countenance is safe from any injury I can +inflict." + +"A very chivalric speech," replied the enraged and brow-beaten officer. +"But you shall answer for this, sir, and at once. This is not the +spot--you must give me satisfaction for this base insult, or by the +heaven above us I will shoot you like a dog!" + +"As you will, sir. I have spoken openly, and I shall abide by my word. I +am no boaster, nor do I expect any especial favor at the hands of the +lady whom you have named; but I repeat, sir, that my respect for her +renders her friend safe from any injury that I might otherwise, in just +indignation, inflict." + +Little did either know that the object of their remarks had been a +silent but trembling witness of the entire scene, from the first +taunting word Captain Bramble had spoken. + +Early the subsequent morning, even before the sun had risen, a boat +might have been seen pulling from the side of the English sloop-of-war, +propelled by the stout arms of a couple of seamen, while two persons sat +in the stern, a closer examination of whom would have revealed them to +be the captain of the ship and surgeon. At the same moment there shot +out from a little nook or bay in the rear of the barracoons, a light +skiff propelled by a single oarsman, who rowed his bark in true seamen +style, cross-handed, while a second party sat in the stern. The rower +was Captain Ratlin, and his companion was the swarthy and fierce-looking +Don Leonardo. That the same purpose guided the course of either boat was +apparent from the fact that both were headed for the same jutting point +of land that formed a sort of cape on the harbor's southern side. + +"That is the fellow, he who pulls the oars," said Captain Bramble to his +surgeon. + +"He must be a vulgar chap, and pulls those instruments as though bred to +the business." + +"Not so very vulgar, either," said the other; "the fellow has seen the +world and has his notions of honor, and knows how to behave, that is +plain enough." + +"Egad, he shoots that skiff ahead like an arrow; the fellow could make +his fortune as a ferryman," continued the surgeon, facetiously. + +"Give way, lads, give way," said the English captain, impatiently, to +his men, as he saw that the skiff would reach the point long before he +got there himself. + +A short half-hour found the two rivals standing opposite to each other +at some twelve paces distance, each with a pistol in his hand. The +preliminaries had been duly arranged between the surgeon and Don +Leonardo, the latter of whom had not ceased up to the last moment to +strive and effect a reconciliation. Not that he dreaded bloodshed, it +was a pastime to him, but because it jarred so manifestly with his +interests to have his friend run the risk of his life. Both of the +principals were silent. Captain Bramble was exceedingly red in the face, +and evidently felt the bitterness of anger still keenly upon him; while +the open, manly features of his opponent wore the same placid aspect as +had characterized them while he leaned over the side of his own ship, or +gazed idly into the rippling waters that laved the dark hull. + +It had been arranged that both parties should aim and fire between the +commencement and end of pronouncing the words, "one, two, three," by the +surgeon; and that individual, having placed his box of instrument with +professional coolness upon the ground, took his position to give the +signal agreed upon, when he said, in a preparatory tone: + +"Gentlemen, are you ready?" + +To which both answered by an inclination of the head, and then +immediately followed: + +"One, two, three!" + +Almost before the first word was fairly articulated, the sharp quick +report of Captain Bramble's pistol was heard, and the next moment he was +observed gazing intently upon his adversary, to see whether he had +wounded him, and observing that he had not, he dashed his weapon to the +ground, uttering a fierce oath at his luck. + +In the meantime Captain Ratlin had not moved an inch, not even a muscle; +his hand containing the pistol had hung quietly at his side, and his +face still remained undisturbed. He had kept his word, and would not +fire upon the friend of the woman whom he truly respected, and +earnestly, devotedly, though hopelessly loved. + +Captain Bramble paced back and forth like a caged lion, until at last, +coming opposite and near to his adversary, he coarsely remarked: + +"It is much easier for a trembling hand to retain a perpendicular +position than to assume a horizontal one!" + +Captain Ratlin understood the taunt, and stepping to where the English +officer had thrown his discharged weapon, he threw it high in the air, +and at the exact moment when the power of gravitation turned the piece +towards the earth, he quickly raised his arm and fired, sending the +bullet in his own pistol completely through the wooden stock of the +other. Then turning coolly to Captain Bramble, he said: + +"A trembling hand, sir, is hardly so sure of its aim as that." + +"This fellow is the evil one himself," whispered the surgeon to his +principal. "Come, let us on board, if he should insist upon at second +shot, we should be obliged to give him the chance, since he did not fire +at you, and he would drop you spite of fate." + +"Curse his luck; I am sure I had him full in the breast--such a miss, +and I, who am so sure at a dozen paces;" and the English officer +continued to chafe and growl until he had got into his boat, and was out +of hearing from the shore. + +Captain Ratlin and Don Leonardo quietly pulled back towards the +barracoons, and as they neared the shore they saw the form of a female, +which both at once recognized to be that of Miss Huntington, who stood +there pale as death, and who gazed intently at the young commander as he +drew nearer and nearer, and as he jumped upon the shore, said, hastily: + +"You have been on a fearful errand. Have either of you been hurt?" + +"Nay, lady, it was but a bit of morning sport," said Captain Ratlin, +pleasantly. + +"Answer me, was he injured, for I see you are not?" + +"There has been no harm done to flesh and blood, lady." + +"Heaven be praised!" said the half-fainting girl, as she leaned upon the +young commander's proffered arm, and they together approached the house +of Don Leonardo. + +There had been another witness of the affair, one who was secreted on +the very spot where the meeting took place, one who had overheard the +arrangements for the same, and one who had secretly repaired thither +with hopes to have seen the blood of one, if not both, flow, even unto +death. And this was Maud, poor deluded, revengeful girl, who had +permitted one passion to fill her every thought, and who now lived and +dreamed only for revenge upon one who was as innocent of any intended +slight or wrong to her as he was to the being he really loved. + +Maud, with the fleetness of an antelope, had ran by the land-path from +the spot of the contest, and reached home nearly as quick as the boat +containing her father and Captain Ratlin had done, and now, as she saw +her hated white rival leaning upon his arm, so pale, so confiding, and +he addressing her with such tender assurance, a fresh wound to her +already rankled and goaded feelings was imparted, and once more she +swore a fearful and quick revenge. + +Captain Bramble, too much chagrined to make his appearance, at least for +a few days, did not soon land from his vessel, but mused alone in the +solitude of his cabin upon the obduracy of Miss Huntington's heart, and +the good luck which had saved his rival's life. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE HUES OF LOVE. + + +CAPTAIN BRAMBLE did not long remain contented on board his ship. This he +could not do while he realized that Miss Huntington was so near upon the +shore; for, so far as such a being could really love, he did love the +lady; and yet his sentiment of regard was so mixed up with selfishness +and bitterness of spirit, and pride at being refused, that the small +germ of real affection which had found birth in his bosom was too much +corroded with alloy to be identified. He felt that he had been +overreached by Captain Ratlin, and also that he had good grounds of +suspecting his successful rival of being either directly or indirectly +engaged in the illegal trade of the coast, and, determined, if possible, +to discover his secret, he again became a frequent visitor of Don +Leonardo's house, where he was sure to meet him constantly. + +There were two spirits whom we have introduced to the reader in this +connection, who were fitting companions for each other; but they had not +as yet been brought together by any chance so as to understand one +another. We refer to Captain Bramble and Maud the Quadroon. Both now +hated Captain Ratlin, and would gladly have been revenged in any way for +the gratification of their feelings upon her whom he so fondly loved. +With this similarity of sentiment it was not singular that they should +ere long discover themselves and feelings to each other. Indeed Maud, +who had been a secret witness of the deed, already realized that Captain +Bramble was the enemy of him whom she had once loved, and whom she now +so bitterly despised. + +Untutored in the ways of the world and fashionable intrigue, yet the +Quadroon saw very clearly that through Captain Bramble she might +consummate that revenge which she had so signally failed in doing by the +agency of the hostile negro tribes she had treacherously brought to her +father's doors. He had not been long at the factory, therefore, on +landing after the duel, before Maud sought a private interview with him, +on pretext of communicating to him some information that should be of +value to him in connection with his official duty. To this, of course, +the English officer responded at once, shrewdly suspecting at least a +portion of the truth, and he therefore met Maud at an appointed spot in +the jungle hard by her father's house. + +"You will speak truly in what you tell me, my good girl?" he said +sagaciously, as he looked into her dark spirited eyes with admiration he +could not avoid. + +"Have I anything to gain by a lie?" responded Maud, with a curling lip. + +"No, I presume not," he answered. "I merely ask from ordinary +precaution. But what do you propose to reveal to me? Something touching +this Captain Ratlin?" + +"Ay," said the girl quickly. "It is of him I would speak. You are an +English officer, agent of your government, and sent here to suppress +this vile traffic?" + +"True." + +"And have you suspected nothing since your vessel has been here?" + +"I suspect that this Captain Ratlin is in some way connected with the +trade." + +"He is, and but now awaits the gathering of a cargo in my father's +barracoons, to sail with them to the West Indies. It is not his first +voyage, either." + +"But where is his vessel? he cannot go to sea without one," said the +Englishman. + +"That is what I would reveal to you. I will discover to you his ship if +you swear to arrest him, seize the vessel, and if possible hang him!" + +"You are bitter indeed," said the officer, almost startled at the +fiendish expression of the Quadroon's countenance as she emphasized +those two expressive words. + +"I have reason to be," answered Maud, calming her feelings by an effort. + +"Has he wronged you?" + +"Yes, he loves the white woman whom he brought to my father's house." + +"Thus far, at all events, my good girl, we have mutual cause for hate, +and we will work heartily together. You know where his vessel lies?" + +"I do." + +"Is it far from here?" + +"Less than a league." + +"Indeed! These fellows are cunning," mused the officer. "When will you +guide me and a party of my people thither?" + +"To-night." + +"It is well. I will be prepared. Where shall we meet?" + +"At the end of the cape, where you and he met a few days since." + +"Where we met?" asked the other, in surprise. "How knew you of that?" + +"I saw it." + +"The duel?" + +"Yes." + +"It is strange. I thought none but ourselves were to be there." + +"He has moved in no direction since this woman has been here that I have +not followed. There I hoped to see him fall; but he was strangely +preserved." + +"You are a singular girl, Maud," replied the officer. "Take this and +wear it for my sake," he added, unloosing a fine gold chain from his +watch and tossing it around her neck, "and be punctual at that spot +to-night after the last ray of twilight." + +"I will," answered the Quadroon, as she regarded the fine workmanship of +the chain for a moment with idle and childlike pleasure, then turning +from the spot, they both returned, though by different paths, from the +jungle towards the dwelling of her father. + +Captain Bramble dined with Don Leonardo that day, and his good spirits +and pleasant converse were afterwards the subject of comment, exhibiting +him in a fair more favorable light than he had appeared in since his +arrival at the factory. Maud, too, either for sake of disguise, or +because the knowledge of her plan imparted exhilaration of spirits to +her, was more agreeable, seemingly frank and friendly than she had been +for many a long day, if we except the day before the late attack of the +negroes upon the house, when the same treacherous assumption of +cheerfulness and satisfaction with all parties was similarly assumed. + +Captain Ratlin, on his part, was ever the same; he found that he must +wait some weeks even yet before he could prosecute the purpose of his +voyage, and indeed he seemed to have lost all interest in it. His +thoughts were full of too pure an object to permit him to participate to +any extent in so questionable a business. Gladly would he at any moment +have thrown up his charge of the "Sea Witch;" and he had indeed promised +Miss Huntington that for her sake, and in honor of her friendship (for +he had never aspired to any more intimate relationship), he would ignore +the trade altogether, and that he would despatch Mr. Faulkner, his first +officer, to the owners in Cuba with the ship he had himself taken in +charge. + +Having been brought up from childhood upon the sea, he had never studied +the morality of the trade in which he was now engaged. But the nice +sense of honor which was so strong a characteristic of his nature, only +required the gentle influence of a sweet and refined nature like her +with whom providence had so opportunely thrown him, to reform him +altogether of those rougher ideas which he had naturally imbibed in the +course of his perilous and daring profession. In the presence of that +fair and pure-minded girl he was as a child, impressible, and ready to +follow her simplest instructions. All this betokened a native refinement +of soul, else he could never have evinced the pliability which had +rendered him so pleasant and agreeable a companion to her he secretly +loved. + +"Lady," he said to her as they sat together that afternoon, "Heaven has +sent you for a guardian angel to me; your refining influence has come to +my heart at its most lonely, its most necessary moment. I have done with +this trade, never more to engage in it." + +"That is honorable, noble in you, Captain Ratlin, so promptly to +relinquish all connection with a calling, which though it affords +fortune and command, can never permit you self-respect." + +"The ship will probably be despatched within these two weeks, and then I +will take any birth in legitimate commerce, where I may win an honorable +name and reputation." + +"There is my hand on so honorable a resolution," said Miss huntington, +frankly, while a single tear of pleasure trembled in her clear, lustrous +eyes. + +The young commander took the hand respectfully that waits extended to +him, but when he raised his eyes to her face and detected that tear, a +thought for a moment ran through his brain, a faint shadow of hope that +perhaps she loved him, or might at some future time do so, and bending +over the fair hand he held he pressed it gently to his lips. He was not +repulsed, nor chided, but she delicately rose and turned to her mother's +apartment. + +How small a things will affect the whole tenor of a life time; trifles +lighter than straws are levers in the building up of destiny. Captain +Ratlin turned from that brief interview with a feeling he had never +before experienced. The idea that Miss Huntington really cared for him +beyond the ordinary interest, that the circumstances of their +acquaintances had caused, had not thus far been entertained by him; had +this been otherwise he would doubtless have differently interpreted many +agreeable tokens which she had granted him, and to which his mind now +went back eagerly to recall and consider under the new phase of feeling +which actuated him. + +How else could he interpret that tear but as springing from a heart that +was full of kindly feeling towards him. It was a tell-tale drop of +crystal that glistened but one moment there. Could it have been fancy? +was it possible he could have been mistaken? The matter assumed an +aspect of intense importance it his estimation, and he paced the +apartment where she had left him alone, half in doubt, half hoping. In +one instant how different an aspect all things wore; life, its aims, the +persons he met at the door as he now passed out. Even the foliage seemed +to partake of the freshness of his spirit, and the world to become +rejuvenated and beautified in every aspect in which he could view it. + +This was the bright tide of the picture which his imagination, aided by +that gaudy painter and fancy colorer, Hope, had conjured up before his +mind's eye, but the reverse side of the picture was at hand, and now he +paused to ask himself seriously: "Can this be? Who am I? a poor unknown +sailor, fortuneless, friendless, nameless. Who is she? a lady of refined +cultivation, high family, wealth, and beauty. Is it likely that two such +persons as I have considered should be joined by intimate friendship? +can such barriers as these be broken down by love? Alas, I am not so +blind, so foolish, so unreasonable, as to believe it for a moment." So +once more the heart of the young commander was heavy within his breast. + +In the mean time Captain Bramble had found an opportunity that afternoon +to see Maud, and to learn from her that Captain Ratlin almost always +slept on board his ship, departing soon after dark for the spot through +the jungle. Satisfied of this, Capt. Bramble once more proceeded to make +his arrangements, for to have seized the vessel without her commander on +board would have been to perform but half the business he had laid out +for the night's engagement. But all seemed now propitious, and he +awaited the darkness with impatience, when he might disembark a couple +of boat loads of sailors and marines, and with the Quadroon for guide +follow the path through the jungle to where the "Sea Witch" lay. + +"Why do you muse so long and lonely, my child?" asked Mr. Huntington of +her daughter that afternoon, as she came in and surprised her gazing out +at a window vacantly. + +"O, I hardly know, dear mother. I was thinking over our strange fortune +since we left Calcutta, the wreck, the nights in the boat, and our +fortunate rescue." + +"Fortunate, my dear? I don't exactly know about that. Here we have been +confined at this slave factory, little better than the slaves +themselves, these four weeks." + +"Well, mother, Captain Bramble says he shall sail soon, and then we can +go round to Sierra Leone, and from thence take passage direct for +England." + +"For my part I can't understand why Capt. Bramble insists upon staying +here so long. He don't seem to be doing anything, and he came into the +harbor by chance." + +"He says that business and duty, which he cannot explain, detain him +here, but that he will soon leave, of which he will give us due notice." + +"Heaven hasten the period!" said the mother, impatiently; "for I am most +heartily tired and worn out with the strange life we lead here." + +This conversation will explain to the reader in part, the reason why +Mrs. Huntington and her daughter, English subjects and in distress upon +the coast, had not at once gone on board the vessel of their sovereign +which lay in the harbor, and been carried upon their destination. From +the outset Captain Bramble had resolved not to let his rival slip +through his fingers by leaving port himself, and thus he had still +remained to the present time, though without any definite plan of +operation formed until he availed himself of Maud's proposal. + +"Why, bless me, my child, you look as though you had been crying," said +the mother, now, catching a glance at her daughter's face. + +"Do I, mother?" she answered, vacantly. + +This was just after she had returned from the meeting with Captain +Ratlin as already described, and whether, she had been crying or not, +the reader will probably know what feelings moved her heart. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE CONFLICT. + + +CAPTAIN BRAMBLE knew very well that he had desperate men to deal with in +the taking of a slaver on the coast, but he had gathered his evidence +and witnesses in such a strong array that he felt warranted in going to +any length in securing possession of a clipper craft which had been so +fully described to him. He was not wanting in personal courage, and +therefore, with a well-selected body of sailors and marines, and one or +two officers, he quietly pulled away from the ship's side, under cover +of the night, and landed at the proposed spot. Here he found Maud +patiently awaiting his coming, and ready to lead him to the hiding-place +of the "Sea Witch" and her crew. The men were all well armed, and +instructed how to act in any possible emergency that was to be met with +in the business which brought them on shore. + +On the whole body pressed in silence, through a tangled and narrow path, +being more than once startled by the growl of some wild animal, whose +haunts they disturbed. It was weary struggling by this path through the +wood, but it was the only way to approach the desired point by land. +Maud hesitated not, but stole or glided through the tangled undergrowth, +as though she had passed her whole life-time in the deep, tangled ways +of the jungle. As they went on, the moon gradually rose and lifted up +the dark path by little gleamings which stole in through the thick +leaves and close-turning branches of the lofty vegetation. + +On, on they press; and now they pause at a sign from Maud, and listen to +the sound of voices, which have a strange and echo-like sound in that +wild and tangled spot. Hark! those voices are not from the tongues of +natives; that is English which they speak. + +"Hist! hist!" whispered the Quadroon, "we are almost upon them!" + +"In which direction?" asked the English officer. + +"Here, see you not those bright, silver-like scales through the leaves?" + +"Yes." + +"That is the river's bed, and they lie on board their craft, moored +close to us." + +"How many do they number?" + +"I know not." + +"It is not important," continued the Englishman, turning to his +followers, and in a low voice bidding them look to their weapons, for +the game was near at hand. + +A few more steps brought the party to the skirts of the thicket, where +it bordered on a small clearing, opening upon the river, and looking +across which--while they were themselves screened by the jungle--they +discovered the dark hull of the "Sea Witch," with her lower masts and +their standing rigging. The vessel was moored close to the shore, with +which a portable gangway connected it. Shallow as the water was, yet so +light was her draft that she evidently floated upon its sluggish +current. Voices were heard issuing from the fore hatch, and two or three +petty officers were seated about the entrance to the cabin, smoking +cigars and pipes, all unconscious of any danger. + +"There is your prey! Spring upon it, and be quick, for they will fight +like mad, and he will lay a dozen of you by the heels before you take +the 'Sea Witch!'" said Maud. + +Captain Bramble rushed forward to the attack, followed by his men, and +was soon on the deck of the vessel; but though he took Mr. Faulkner and +his crew by surprise, he did not find them entirely unprepared, and +after dropping eight of his people upon the slaver's deck, and being +himself, severely wounded in the arm, Captain Bramble thought it best to +beat a retreat, at least for a few moments, and so sought again the +shelter of the jungle. + +The conflict, which was very brief, was also a very sanguinary, and five +of the slaver's people had been either mortally wounded or killed +outright; but from the habit of constantly wearing their arms, even to +pistols, when on the coast, they had been found in a very good situation +at even the shortest notice for defending themselves. Captain Bramble +now saw evident tokens of a purpose to unmoor the vessel, and let her +drift out into the river, which would at once place her beyond his +reach, as he had no boats within a league of the spot; and therefore he +resolved upon a second onslaught, and this time divided his men into +three parts--one to board at the bows, one at the stern, and himself +leading a dozen picked men at the waist. + +This division of his forces was the best manouvre he could possibly +make, and succeeded admirably, since his own people outnumbered the +slavers, and by dividing them he strengthened his own power and weakened +theirs. Once more upon their deck, the hand-to-hand battle was short, +bloody and decisive, until towards its close, Captain Bramble found +himself driven into the forecastle with a number of his followers, and +at the same moment saw the mate of the "Sea Witch," with those of his +people that were left alive hastening to embark in a quarterboat, and +pull away from the vessel's side with great speed. + +A sort of instinct explained to him the meaning of this, and hurrying +his people on shore with the wounded, they sought the shelter of the +jungle once more. Scarcely had they gained the shade of the thick +undergrowth, when a report like that of a score of cannons rang upon the +night air, and high in the air soared a body of flame and wreck in +terrific confusion. The slavers had placed a slow match in connection +with the magazine, and had blown in one instant of time that entire and +beautiful fabric into ten thousand atoms! + +Even Maud, with all her hatred and passion, quailed at the shock, and +trembled as she crouched to the ground with averted face. She realized +the result of her treachery, but looked in vain for the object on whom +she had hoped to reck the strength of her indignation and her hate. +Where was he? This was a question that Captain Bramble had several times +asked; but in vain, until now, when suddenly there appeared before their +eves, hastening towards the scene, Captain Will Ratlin. + +"Seize him, my men! seize him, and bind his arms!--he is our prisoner," +said the English officer. + +"By what authority do you give such an order as that, Captain Bramble?" +asked the young commander. + +"In the queen's name, sir; in the name of the English people, who abhor +pirates and slavers!" was the taunting reply of the Englishman. + +"Stand back!" said Captain Ratlin, felling two seamen to the earth who +approached him to lay hands upon his person, and at the same time +drawing a revolver from his pocket. "Stand back, I say! I carry the +lives of six of you in this weapon, and I am not one to miss my aim, as +your valiant leader yonder well knows.--Now, Captain Bramble, I will +surrender to you, provided you accede to my terms, otherwise you cannot +take me alive!" + +"Well, sir, what have you to offer?" said the English officer, +positively quailing before the stern and manly front of the young +commander. + +"That you accept my word of honor to obey your directions as a prisoner, +but that you shall not bind my arms or confine me otherwise." + +"Have your own way," replied the Englishman, doggedly; "but give up your +weapons." + +"Do you promise me this, Captain Bramble?" + +"I do." + +"It is well, sir; there goes my weapon;" saying which he hurled it far +into the river's bed. + +As soon as Maud saw him, she sprang to her feet, and with all the +bitterness of expression which her countenance was capable of, she +scowled upon his upright figure and handsome features. It was evident +she felt a bitter disappointment at his absence from the late affray, +and would only have rejoiced had she believed he was blown to atoms with +his vessel by the wild explosion which had so lately shaken the very +earth upon which she now stood. It was plain that up to this very +moment, however, that the young commander had never suspected her of +treachery, or even jealousy, towards himself; but now, he would have +been worse than blind not to have seen and realized, also, the deep +malignant feeling which was written on her dark, but handsome face. + +"Maud," he said, in a low, but reproachful tone, "is it you who have +betrayed us?" + +"Ay," said the girl, quickly, and with a shrill cadence of voice, "a +double heart should be dealt doubly with. It was I who led these people +hither, and I hoped the fate of so many of your ship's company might +have been yours!--but you are a prisoner now, and there's hope yet!" + +"Maud, Maud! have I ever wronged you or your father?" asked Captain +Ratlin, reproachfully. + +"Do you not love that white-faced girl you brought hither?" + +"And if I did, Maud, what wrong is that to thee? Did I promise thee +love?" + +"Nay; I asked it not of you," said the angry girl. + +"But you have done me a great wrong, Maud; one that you do not yourself +understand. I forgive you though, poor girl; you are hardly to blame." + +These kindly-intended words only aggravated the object to whom they were +addressed, and she turned away hastily to the shade of the thick +vegetable growth, where he lost sight of her figure among the branches +and leaves, while he walked on with the English officer and his people +over the ground they had just passed, towards Don Leonardo's. There +being now no further cause for secrecy, they marched openly, and +enlivened the way with many a rude jest, which grated harshly upon the +ears of the wounded, who were borne upon litters made from branches of +the hard, dry leaves of the palm. + +As they came upon the open spot where stand the barracoons and Don +Leonardo's dwelling, they found the entire family aroused and on the +watch, the heavy explosion of the "Sea Witch's" magazine having seemed +to them like an earthquake. Don Leonardo, who shrewdly suspected the +truth, seemed satisfied at a single glance as to the state of affairs, +and walking up to the young commander, and watching for a favorable +opportunity, when not overheard, he asked, significantly: "Treachery?" + +"Yes." + +"Whom?" + +"It matters not," was the magnanimous reply; for Captain Ratlin was too +generous to betray the Quadroon to her father, though she had proved +thus treacherous to him. + +As he now recognized himself to be a prisoner, and had been told by +Captain Bramble that he must go forthwith on board his ship as such, he +desired to say a few words to Mrs. Huntington and her daughter, a +request which his rival could hardly find grounds for refusing, and so +he took occasion to explain to them the state of affairs, and to advise +them to the best of his ability, touching their own best course in order +to safely reach England. They felt that his advice was good, as truly +disinterested, and both agreed to abide strictly by it; but doubted not +that as Captain Ratlin had not been engaged in any slave commerce, and +indeed had not been in the late action at all, that he would be very +soon liberated, and free to choose his own calling. + +Captain Ratlin was conveyed on board the ship in the harbor, and Mrs. +Huntington and her daughter also, with Maud and some other witnesses +that Captain Bramble desired; and the vessel shaped her course along the +coast towards Sierra Leone, where there was sitting an English court of +admiralty, with extraordinary authority relative to such cases Captain +Bramble was now about to lay before them, and who would be only too much +gratified at the bringing before them of an offender to make an example +of him. + +Captain Bramble of course offered to Mrs. Huntington and her daughter +his own cabin for their greater comfort, and strove to make their +position as comfortable as possible for them while they were on board; +but he had not the nice sense of honor, that true delicacy of spirit, +which should have led him to remember they were his guests from +necessity, and that to push a suit under such circumstances was not only +indelicate but positively insulting. And yet he did so; true, he did not +actually importune Miss Huntington, but his attentions and services were +all rendered under that guise and aspect which rendered them to her most +repulsive. + +Captain Bramble took good care that his prisoner and rival should have +no degree of intercourse with her whom he knew very well Captain Ratlin +loved. Under pretence that he feared his prisoner would attempt to +escape, he kept him under close guard, and did not permit him once upon +deck during the entire trip from the factory of Don Leonardo to the +harbor of Sierra Leone. This chafed the young commander's spirit +somewhat, but yet he was of too true a spirit to sink under oppression; +he was brave and cheerful always. Of course, Miss Huntington saw and +understood all this, and the more heartily despised the English officer +for the part he played in the unmanly business. + +Maud kept by herself. She felt miserable, and as is often the case, +realized that the success of her treachery, thus far, which, in her +anticipation, had promised so much, had but still more deeply shadowed +her heart. The English officer looked upon her with mingled feelings of +admiration for her strange beauty, with contempt for her treachery, and +with a thought that she might be made perhaps the subject of his +pleasure by a little management by-and-by. It was natural for a heart so +vile as his to couple every circumstance and connection in some such +selfish spirit with himself; it was like him. + +"Maud," he said to her, one day. + +"Well," she answered, lifting her handsome face from her hands, where +she often hid it. + +"You have lost one lover?" + +The girl only answered by a flashing glance of contempt. + +"How would you like another?" + +"Who?" she said, sternly. + +"Me!" answered Captain Bramble. + +"You!" she said, contemptuously, and with so much expression as to end +the conversation. + +No, he had not rightly understood the Quadroon; it was not wounded +pride, that sentiment so easily healed when once bruised in the heart of +a woman; it was not that which moved the laughter of the Spanish +slaver--it was either love, or something very like it, turned to actual +hate, and the native power of her bosom for revenge seemed to be now the +food upon which she sustained life itself. Taking her lonely place in +the cabin, after the conversation just referred to, she again hid her +face in her hands, and remained with her head bowed in her lap for a +long, long while, half dreaming, half waking. Poor, untutored, +uncivilized child of nature! she was very, very unhappy now. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE TRIAL. + + +AT the immediate time of which we now write, there had been some very +aggravated instances of open resistance to the English and American +cruisers on the African station by the slavers who thronged the coast, +and the home government had sent out orders embracing extraordinary +powers, in order that the first cases that might thenceforth come under +the cognizance of the court might lead to such summary treatment of the +offenders, as to act as an example for the rest, and thus have a most +salutary effect upon the people thus engaged. It was under these +circumstances that Captain Will Ratlin found himself arraigned before +the maritime commission at Sierra Leone, with a pretty hard case made +out against him at the outset of affairs. + +The truth was, he had not been taken resisting the attack of Captain +Bramble and his men, but his accusers did not hesitate to represent that +he was thus guilty, and several were prepared, Maud among the rest, to +swear to this charge. Indeed, Captain Bramble found that he had people +about him who would swear to anything, and he had little doubt in +proving so strong a case as to jeopardize even the life of his prisoner, +since many of his crew had died outright in the attack upon the "Sea +Witch," to say nothing of the seriously wounded. All that could +prejudice the court against the prisoner was duly paraded before the +eyes and ears of the individual members ere yet the case was brought +legally before them, and at last when Captain Ratlin was formally +brought into court, he was little less than condemned already in the +minds of nine-tenths of the marine court. + +He was rather amazed to see and to hear the free way in which evidence +was given against him, corroborating statements which amounted to the +most unmitigated falsehoods, but above all to find Maud unblushingly +declare that she saw him in the fight, and that he shot with a pistol +one of the men whose name had been returned as among the dead, and that +he had wounded another. The girl avoided his eyes while she uttered her +well-fabricated story, but had she met the eyes of the young commander, +she would have seen more of pity there than of anger, more of surprise +than of reproach, even. But in the meantime, while these feelings were +moving him, the case was steadily progressing, and began to wear a most +serious aspect as it regarded the fate of Captain Will Ratlin. + +There still remained one other witness to examine, whose illness had +kept him on board ship up to the last moment, and who it was said could +identify the prisoner as one of the party engaged in defending the deck +of the slaver. He was a servant of Captain Bramble's, had attended his +master in the attack, but having received a blow from a handspike upon +the head, was rendered insensible at the first of the action, and had +been carried on board his ship in that condition, from which state he +had gradually recovered until it was thought he would be able to testify +before the court at the present time. After a few moments of delay, the +man made his appearance, evidently not yet recovered from the fearful +blow he had received, but yet able to take his place at the witness's +post, and to perform the part expected of him. + +No sooner had the court, through its head, addressed the witness, than +he answered promptly the preliminary queries put to him, while the +effect upon Captain Ratlin seemed to be like magic. Was it guilt that +made him start so, rub his eyes, look about him so vaguely, and then +sitting down, to cover his face with his hands, only to go through the +same pantomime again? We ask, was it guilt that made him act thus? The +judges noted it, and even made memorandums of the same upon their record +of evidence. It was observed as significant also by every one present. +Captain Bramble himself looked at the prisoner with surprise to see him +thus effected by the presence of his servant. + +"For the love of Heaven!" exclaimed the prisoner aloud, as though he +could bear this intensity of feeling no longer, "who is this man?" + +"It is my servant--an honest, faithful man, may it please the court. +Leonard Hust, by name, born in my father's service," said Captain +Bramble. + +"Leonard Hust," mused the young commander, thoughtfully; "Leonard Hust!" + +"Ay, sir," added Captain Bramble, somewhat pertly, "do you find any +objection to that name? If so, sir, I pray you will declare it to the +court." + +"Leonard Hust!" still mused the prisoner, without noticing this +interruption. "There is a strange ring upon my ears in repeating that +name!" + +"Prisoner," said the judge, "do you recollect having done this man a +severe and almost fatal harm in the late conflict?" + +"I--I," said the young commander, somewhat confused in his mind from an +evident effort to recall some long-forgotten association. + +"You will be so good as to answer the question put by the court," +repeated the judge. + +"The court will please remember that I hurt no one, and that I was not +even engaged in the action referred to. These good people are mistaken." + +Now it was that the attention of all were drawn towards Leonard Hust, +who in turn seemed as much surprised and as much moved by some secret +cause as the prisoner had been. He hastily crossed the court room to +where the prisoner sat, and looking full into his eyes, seemed to be for +a moment entranced, while the court remained silent, observing these +singular manifestations, which they could not understand. + +"Leonard--Leonard, I say!" repeated Captain Bramble, "what trick is +this?" + +"Trick!" whispered the man; "trick, Captain Bramble! Tell me, sir, who +is that man?" + +"Why, they call him Captain Will Ratlin, and we know him to be a +slaver." + +The servant still hesitated, looking from the prisoner to his principal +accuser, the English officer, then at the court, and finally drawing his +master a little on one side, the man again went through the pantomime +described, and placing his mouth to his master's ear whispered something +which startled him as though a gun had been fired at his very ear. The +shock was like electricity, and made him stagger for support. Two or +three times he repeated "Impossible! impossible!" and finally begged the +court to stay the proceedings, as he was taken suddenly ill, and should +not be able to attend until to-morrow. Being the principal prosecutor +and witness, of course his presence was requisite to the progress of the +trial, and therefore as he made this request it was at once formally +granted, and the court adjourned for the time, while the prisoner was +remanded on ship-board for safe keeping until the next day. + +That the reader may understand the singular conduct of both the young +commander and Leonard Hust, he must follow the latter worthy into his +master's private room in the government house, where they proceeded at +once after the occurrences described. + +"In Heaven's name, Leonard, what do you mean by such an assertion?" +asked Captain Bramble, throwing himself into a chair, and wiping the +cold perspiration from his face. + +"I mean, sir, that the man on trial to-day is no more nor less than your +brother!" + +"Charles Bramble?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"How strange is all this. How know you beyond all cavil, Leonard?" + +"By the scar over the right eye. You gave it to him yourself. Don't you +remember, sir, just previous to the dog affair, for which he ran away +from home!" + +"By Heaven! I believe you speak truly; and yet how strange, how more +than strange it all is, that we should meet again in this way!" + +"It quite nonplussed me, sir. I thought he was a ghost at first." + +"Strange, strange!" mused the elder brother. "In those days, long ago in +our childhood, he crossed my path constantly, and here he is again +athwart my hawse. By Heaven! but it is strange--wonderful, that fate +should have thrown him and Helen Huntington together again, and that +neither should know the other; and yet not so very strange, for she was +but eight years old when Charles ran away. Yes, he thwarted me then, for +even in childhood the girl fancied him above me, and now she affects him +even in his fallen fortunes." + +"What shall we do, sir, now that master Charles has turned up again?" +asked Leonard Hust, in his simplicity. "We cannot testify against him +now, sir." + +"No, no, no!" said the elder brother, hastily, "he must not be further +examined." + +"How he has altered, sir, only to think," continued the servant; "why, +when he went away from Bramble Park, sir, he wasn't much more than nine +years old." + +"Yes. I remember, I remember, Leonard," replied his master, hurriedly, +while he walked the apartment with quick, irregular steps. "I remember +only too well." + +This was indeed that elder brother who had, when a boy, so oppressed, so +worried, and rendered miserable his brother Charles, as to cause him in +a fit of desperation to stray away from home, whither he knew not. His +parents saw now--alas! too late--their fatal error; but the boy was +gone, no tidings could be had of him, and they believed him dead. The +honest tar, whose yarn the attentive reader will remember, as given on +the deck of the "Sea Witch," spoke truly of his commander. He had, years +before, strayed alongside a vessel, as has been related, from whence he +hardly knew himself, or was afraid to say. Hunger and neglect even then +had greatly changed him, and he shipped, as has been related. The fall +he got at sea threw a cloud over his brain as to past recollections up +to that time, and here if the wish ever possessed him as to returning to +his early home, he knew naught of it. + +When he heard the voice of Leonard Hust in the court, it seemed to +strike upon some string in memory's harp, which vibrated to old familiar +recollections, and the more he heard him speak the more the sensation +came over him which led to the demonstrations which we have already +witnessed. And yet he could not recall aught that would serve him as a +clue--the early injury to his brain seemed to have obliterated the +connecting links that memory could not supply. The reason, probably, why +the servant's voice and not the brother's thus recalled him was, that +the former had been kind, and his voice had ever sounded like music in +the neglected boy's ears, but the brother's voice had never had that +charm or happy association connected with it. As to little cousin +Helen,--as she was then called,--it was not strange that Miss +Huntington, after years of estrangement in India, meeting him under such +circumstances, himself so changed, should not have recalled enough of +the past to recognize him; and yet we have seen that at times she dwelt +upon the tender accents of his voice like sleeping memories, herself +quite ignorant of the cause of this peculiar influence. + +She was now with her mother on shore at the mission house, in an agony +of suspense as to the result of the trial which was taking place. She +feared the worst, for Captain Bramble had taken measures to instruct +those about her to their effect that the prisoner would be found guilty, +and either strung cup by the neck at once, or be sent home to England +for the same purpose. Mrs. Huntington felt sad and borne down by the +position of affairs--for although she did not understand her daughter's +sentiments towards Captain Ratlin, yet she recognized the fact of her +and her child's indebtedness to him, and that he had evinced the +characteristics of a gentleman. + +"Mother, if they find Captain Ratlin guilty, what can they, what will +they do with him?" asked Helen Huntington anxiously of her mother, on +the day of the trial. + +"Why, my dear, it is terrible to think of, but the penalty of such a +crime as is charged to him, is death; but we must hope for the best, +and--why Helen, how pale you look!" + +"It was only a passing spasm, mother. I am--I believe I am already +better," said the daughter, in an agony of suffering that she dared not +evince. + +"Come, Helen, lean on me and go to your bed for a while; these sudden +changes and so much exposure has rendered you weak. Come, my dear, +come." + +And the poor girl, all trembling and pale, suffered her mother to lead +her to her chamber, where a gentle anodyne soothed her nerves, and she +soon fell to sleep. Had her mother not been little better than blind, +she would have easily read her daughter's heart, and have seen that she +loved with all her woman's soul the man who was that day on trial for +his life. What mattered it to her that he was nameless, a wanderer, a +slaver? She loved him, and that covered each and all faults, however +heinous in the sight of the law. She felt that it was not the outward +associations which made a man. She had looked beneath the surface of his +soul, and had seen the pure crystal depth of his manly heart--frank, +open, and as truthful as day itself. To her he was noble, chivalric and +true, and if all the world had blamed him, if all had called him guilty, +her bosom would have been open to receive him! + +Could he have realized this as he lay in chains on board his elder +brother's ship--could he have known that he was really loved by that +fair, sweet and gentle creature, how it would have lightened the weight +of the iron bands he bore--how cheered his drooping spirits. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE BROTHERS. + + +Now commenced a struggle in the bosom of Robert Bramble. It was some +hours before he could recover from the first blush of amazement at the +strange discovery he had made. Not to have had something of a brother's +feelings come over him at such a time, he must have been less than +human; and it was between the promptings of blood, of early +recollections of childhood, before he grew to that age when his +disposition, ruined by indulgence, had led him so bitterly to oppress +and injure his brother as to drive him from the home of their youth, and +the recollection of those little more matured years, when jealousy at +his superior aptness, strength, and success with "cousin Helen," had +made him hate him. + +It was impossible for the man to forget the bitterness of the child; +besides, had not the same spirit of rivalry ripened, until he found his +brother in manhood still his successful rival with Helen Huntington? The +reader will remember that they had all three been children together, and +that the last time Charles had looked back at his home, as he started +away from it, his eye detected the little form of Helen, where she stood +gazing after him. + +If there had been any better promptings in the heart of Robert Bramble, +they would have turned the balance in favor of his brother, and he would +have befriended him; but this he did not do. He walked his room, +bitterly musing upon the singular position of affairs, while he knew +very well that Charles lay in chains on board his ship in the harbor. +Then he recalled the memory of his parents, as connected with this state +of affairs. The father was dead, the mother, a weak-minded woman, was +also bowed by ill-health; indeed, their early lives had few happy +associations. Robert himself had embittered all its relations. + +It was nearly midnight, and the moon had sunk behind the hill that +sheltered the harbor on the north, leaving the dark water of the bay in +deep shadow. At long gunshot from the shore lay the ship in which +Charles Bramble was confined. All was still as death, save the pace of +the sentinel in the ship's waist, and a ripple now and then of tide-way +against the ship's cable. An observant eye, from the leeward side of the +ship, might have seen a dark form creep out from one of the quarter +ports, and gradually make its way along the moulding of the water-lines +toward the larboard bow ports, one of which it stealthily entered. + +Entering with this figure, we shall soon find it to be Leonard Hust, who +now, watching an opportunity, slipped into the apartment where the young +commander had been confined since he left the factory of Don Leonardo. +No sooner was the door closed quietly, so as to avoid the observation of +the watch between decks, than the new comer opened a secret lantern and +discovered himself to the prisoner, at the same time cautioning him to +silence. + +"Who are you?" coolly asked Charles Bramble, for thus we must know him +in future. + +"Leonard Hust," was the reply; "your friend, as I will soon prove." + +"But it is only a few hours since you were giving witness against me." + +"That is true; but bless you, sir, there has been a great change in +matters since that." + +"So I thought, by the movements I observed, though I did not understand +them." + +"Hist! speak low, sir," said the other, "and while I am talking to you, +just let me, at the same time, be filing off these steel ornaments upon +your wrists!" + +"File them off? Well, then, you must, indeed, be a friend," said the +prisoner. + +"Leave me to prove that. Sit here, so the light will fall on them, with +your back this way, that will keep the light from showing between decks. +So, that is it." + +"But what was it made your voice and the sound of your name affect me so +this morning? I could not divest myself of the feeling that, I had heard +it somewhere before." + +"Heard it? bless you, sir, I rather think you have heard it before," +said the fellow, as he worked industriously with his file upon the +handcuffs. + +"Well, where, and when; and under what circumstances?" asked the +prisoner, curiously. + +"That is just what I am going to tell you, sir; and you see, master +Charles--" + +"Master Charles,--Charles,--why do you call me that name?" + +"Why, you see, that is your name, to be sure. Charles Bramble, and you +are Captain Robert Bramble's brother, and--take care, hold still, or the +file will cut you." + +"How,--do not trifle with me,--what is this which you are telling me?" + +"Indeed, sir,--indeed, it is all true," said the other, half frightened +at the effect his words had produced upon the prisoner, who now stepped +away from him and stood aloof, withdrawing his wrists from the operation +which Leonard Hust was performing. + +"Come hither, Leonard Hust, if that be your name," he said; "sit here +and tell me what this business is that you refer to. No blind hints, +sir, but speak out plainly, and like a man." + +Thus interrogated, the man did as he was directed, and went on to tell +the commander of the "Sea Witch" his story, up to the time when he was +lost to his parents and friends. How he had never been kindly treated by +his elder brother, who, indeed, drove him from home by his incessant +oppression. He referred to that last gallant act he had performed, by +saving his mother's favorite dog, and how little cousin Helen (she is +the same as Miss Huntington) had seen it all, and had thanked him over +and over again for it, and a thousand other reminiscences, thread by +thread, and link by link, filling up the space from earliest childhood +to the hour when he had left his home at Bramble Park. + +As he went on relating these things, in the same old natural voice that +he had poured into the same ears from their infancy, until nearly ten +years had passed, a long-closed vein of memory seemed gradually to open +in the prisoner's brain; he covered his face with his hands, and for a +few moments seemed lost in connecting the various threads of the past, +until gradually it all came plainly and clearly back to him. His memory +had again by these hints become completely restored, he was himself +again! + +"Leonard, Leonard, I see all, remember all," he said, while a tear, a +man's tear, wet for a single moment his bronzed cheek. + +"I am rejoiced, sir, to hear it, I am sure," said the other. + +"But, Leonard, where is my brother, and why is it necessary to remove +these badges of shame by stealth? Tell me, where is Robert?" + +"Alas, sir, you must remember that he never held a brother's regard for +you; it was that very thing which drove you from us when you were a wee +bit of a boy." + +"True, true; but he must see the hand of Providence in all this, and I +know he will give me his hand, and we will forgive each other and forget +the past." + +"Alas! sir, I always befriended you at home, when master Robert had set +both the old folk against you, and I would do so now; but as to him, +sir, I am sorry to say it, but he's a bad man, and he makes all those +who are with him bad men, and I have many a sad thing at heart that I +have been guilty of by following his orders, sir. No, no, master +Charles, take my advice, don't trust Robert,--make your escape, or you +will be hanged at the yard-arm of this very ship ere another twenty-four +hours have passed!" + +"Is he capable of this?" asked the younger brother, in tones of +amazement. + +"Nobody should know better than I, sir, and I tell you yes." + +"My blood, then, shall not be upon his hands," said Charles, musing, "I +will escape. Come, good Leonard, relieve me of these shackles, and +quickly." + +"Slowly, slowly, master Charles, we must be cautious, there are watchful +eyes on board the ship, and sentries who know their duty, so be wary." + +The young commander seemed now to stand more erect, there was a freer +glance to his eye, his lips were more compressed and firm, he felt that +what had been to him heretofore an indelible stain, a stigma upon his +character, was now effaced; he was not only respectably born, but even +gently and highly so. His father was knighted by his king, his blood was +as pure and ancient as any in England. He could now take Helen +Huntington to his heart without shame; he could boldly plead a cause +that he had not before dared to utter; he could refer her to the dear +hours of their childhood, to the tender kiss she gave him when he left +that distant home to become a wanderer over half the globe! + +He no longer felt the irons that Leonard Hust was filing away. He seemed +to feel a strength that would have snapped them like pack threap. He was +a man now, a free man, and not a thing of accident; a thing for the +world to point at in scorn, not an abandoned child of shame. No, he felt +nerved at once by this singular, this almost miraculous discovery, and +could hardly restrain his impatience. Yet a shadow for a moment crossed +over his brow, as he thought of that brother, who could coldly look on +and see him sacrificed, knowing what he must and surely did know. Could +he have permitted such a result, had he been in Robert's place? Indeed, +he felt he could not. + +"Does not my brother know that you are here on this errand, Leonard?" + +"If he did it would cost me my life," said the honest fellow. + +Charles would have placed some favorable construction upon the case, +but, alas, he could not; there was no possible way of disguising the +matter. Robert was the same bitter, jealous-spirited soul that had +rendered his childhood miserable. Time had not improved him,--it was his +nature and could not be eradicated. Charles now realized this, and +within a few further inquiries of Leonard, touching matters of vital +interest to him, he resolved not to seek Robert, as he had at the outset +intended, neither would he avoid him. He knew no other person save him +could bring a continuance of the suit against him, but he hardly feared +that even he would do that. + +"Of course Helen Huntington knows nothing of this development yet, +Leonard?" + +"No, sir, and master Robert bid me be careful not to let her find it +out, or to say one word about the matter to any one whatever. I wonder +the lady didn't know you, sir." + +"You forget that even Robert did not recognize me." + +"And that, too, seemed funny to me. Why, sir, I seemed to know you the +instant I set eyes on you in the court, and when I got close I soon +settled the doubt in my mind." + +"Well, my good fellow, it seems that but for you I might have been +hanged, and that, too, by my own bother; but I trust all is set right +now." + +"I hope so, sir, only you must not let master Robert know that I +liberated you from these ruffles, sir, will you, master Charles?" + +"Never fear me, Leonard, I shall not do as you were about to do towards +me, give testimony that will in any way criminate you." + +"But I wasn't, sir, of my own free will, only master Robert had told me +what I must say, and stick to it, and swear to it through thick and +thin, and I'm afraid not to obey him." + +"Poor fellow, I see you are, indeed, his tool; but if I find myself in +any sort of a position ere long, I will take care to make your situation +more comfortable." + +"Thank ye, sir," said Leonard Hust, just as the last shackle dropped +from the prisoner's wrists. + +In the mean time, let us turn for a moment to the bedside of Captain +Robert Bramble, for it is long past midnight, and, weary in mind and +body, he had retired to that rest which he most certainly needed. But +sleep is hardly repose to the guilty, and he was trebly so. Phantoms of +all imaginable shapes flitted across his brain, pictures of suffering, +of misery and of danger, to all of which he seemed to be exposed, and +from which he had no power to flee. Alas, how fearful the shadows that +haunt a bad man's pillow. He writhed like one in physical pain, tossed +from side to side, while the cold perspiration stood in big drops upon +his brow and temples. + +Now his dreams carry him back, far back a score of years, to his +childhood at Bramble Park, when all was innocence, and then, with +leaping strides, he finds himself, years after, even as to-day, bearing +deadly witness against his brother. His dead father seems standing by +his bedside, pointing at him a warning finger, and sadly chiding his +fearful want of feeling. He tosses and turns and writhes again, then +leaping from the uneasy bed, looks bewildered around, and half grows +alarmed. Quickly he wraps a dressing-gown about him, and hastily walks +back and forth to still the agony of feeling and the bitter phantoms of +his dreams. How haggard and wild he looks by that dim candle-light. + +Once more he throws himself upon his bed, and, after a while, is again +asleep, if such unconsciousness can be called sleep. Again he tosses, +and turns, and sighs like one in a nightmare until at last, towards the +breaking of day, the quick, startling breathing ceases, and subsides +into a regular and equal respiration, and he lies still. Nature +overcomes all else, and he now sleeps, indeed, but not until he has +passed through a fearful purgatory of dreams, all too real, too +trying.--His brother, with soon the prospect of a disgraceful death on +the gallows, had not suffered thus. No, he was repentant for the wrong +he had done, and had already resolved to completely reform if the +opportunity were offered to him; but Robert Bramble was outraging the +laws of nature and of God. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE ESCAPE. + + +CHARLES BRAMBLE found himself playing a dangerous part. It was true that +Leonard Hust had freed his hands from those shackles that had confined +them so long, and had pointed out to him the way to retreat and escape; +but he must run the gauntlet of dangers in order to do so. This, +however, he was prepared to do; as to fear, it was a sensation he knew +not; but prudence was much more requisite in this instance than any +especial degree of courage. As is always the case on board a man-of-war, +especially when lying in port, where the escape to the shore is easy, +sentinels were placed at stem, stern and waist of the English ship, at +all hours, pacing their allotted round of the deck, and keeping watchful +guard over every avenue of exit from the vessel. + +The only possible plan of escape that suggested itself to Charles +Bramble, under the circumstances, was to place a few necessary articles +of clothing in a small package, and confine it to the back of his neck, +while he should divest himself of all garments, slip quietly into the +water on the seaward side of the ship, where none of the sentries were +immediately placed, the object being to guard the access to the shore +more especially. Once in the water he had only to strike out quietly for +the shore, trusting the dullness of the sentries and the favoring +darkness of the night to enable him to reach the land unobserved. + +He had the most to fear from the sentry placed on the top-gallant +forecastle of the ship, as that post was so near to his line of passage. +He would have to swim around the bows far enough out to clear the land +tackle, and when he got on an even line with the ship's bows, this +sentry, if he happened to be on the lookout at the moment, could hardly +fail to see him on the surface of the water. To obviate this difficulty, +Leonard Hust, who was a sort of privileged person on board, being the +captain's confidential servant and man of all work, undertook to engage +the sentry's attention by sonic device, for a few moments, just at the +opportune period, while the prisoner should get fairly clear of the +ship. + +"See here, Bill," said Leonard Hust, carelessly, as he emerged from the +fore hatch; "look ye, old boy, I have had such a dream, hang me if I can +sleep a wink." + +"What's that to me?" growled the sentry, morosely, and not much more +than half awake. + +"Why, if you knew what it was I dreamed, you would think it was +something to you," continued the other, with assumed mystery and +seriousness. + +"Look ye, Leonard Hust," said the marine, "do you know you arc talking +to a sentry on duty, and that it's clearly against the rules of the ship +to do so?" + +"Why, as to the matter of that, I don't see hut that you are as much to +blame as I am," continued the other; "but who is there to peach on +either of us?" + +"That's true," added the marine, bringing the butt of his musket lightly +to the deck; "but for all that, Leonard, it's dangerous business, for +you see if--hallo! what's that?" + +"Nothing; nothing but me drawing this cork," said the other, quickly +producing a small bottle of brandy from his pocket, and urging the +marine to drink. + +The temptation was too great, and the sleepy and tired sentinel drank a +heavy draught of the liquor, smacking his lips, and forgetting the sound +he had just heard, and which Leonard Hust very well knew was caused by +the prisoner's descent a little too quickly into the water, alongside +the ship. + +"Now, Bill, what do you think I did dream?" continued the captain's man. + +"Bother it, how can I tell?" answered the marine. "Let it out if it's +worth telling." + +"Why, do you see, Bill, I kept tossing and turning uncomfortable-like +for an hour or so, until finally I thought I saw you, with your face as +black as the ace of spades, and your body dangling by the neck from the +main yard-arm of the ship, a dead man!" + +"Well, that's comfortable at any rate," said the marine, "and you +needn't trouble yourself in future, Leonard Hust, to repeat your dreams +to me, especially if they are personal." + +"Never mind, man, it was all a dream, no truth in it, you know. Come, +old boy, take another drink for companionship, and then good night to +you, and I'll turn in." + +The marine greedily drained the rest of the bottle, and with swimming +eyes thanked Leonard for his kindness, bade him good night, and with an +unsteady step resumed his musket and his walk upon the forecastle. In +the meantime, Charles Bramble, who was an expert swimmer, had got out of +gunshot and even sight of the ship, or rather where his head could not +be discovered from the ship's deck, and was nearing the shore very fast. +He had secured, as he proposed, sufficient clothing upon the back of his +neck, and in an oil cloth covering, so as to keep it dry, to equip +himself quite comfortably on landing, and in these garments he was soon +dressed again, and making his way through the town to the mission house, +where he knew Helen Huntington and her mother to be, and where he knew, +also, that he could find at last temporary lodgings. + +He had no longer any fear that his brother would resume the charge +concerning him before the court--bad as he knew him to be, he did not +believe that he would do this, though he doubted not that he would have +managed to have kept him in confinement, and perhaps to have carried him +thus to England, partly from revengeful feelings towards him, and partly +to keep him out of the presence of her whom he so tenderly loved. But, +lest his brother should be betrayed by his feelings into any extremity +of action concerning him, he resolved at once to write him a note, +declaring that their relationship was known, and that should any further +persecution be offered, the same should at once be made public to the +oppressor's disgrace. + +With this purpose, he hardly awaited the breaking of day before he +possessed himself of writing materials, and wrote and despatched the +following to his brother: + + +"CAPTAIN ROBERT BRAMBLE,--About the same time you receive this note, you +will also be made aware, doubtless, of my escape from durance vile in +your ship. The purpose of my sending yon this is not to ask any favors +at the hand of one who was never actuated towards me even in childhood +by a brother's regard, but whose sole desire and purpose have been to +oppress and injure one related to him by the nearest ties of +relationship. My object is rather to let you know that any further +attempt to arraign me before the court will lead at once to a public +declaration of the fact that your are my brother, a relationship which +necessity alone will compel me to publish to the people of Sierra Leone. + + CHARLES BRAMBLE, + "Alias CAPTAIN WILL RATLIN." + + +Charles Bramble felt that he was safe from further immediate oppression +on his brother's part, and that it was only necessary for him to keep +quietly within doors until some chance for shipping from the port should +occur, to enable him to disentangle himself from the singular web of +circumstances which chance had woven so net-like about him. In spite of +the sad accomplishments of the realization of his condition as it +regarded his brother, and the partial danger of his present position, +yet there was a lightness to his heart, a buoyancy in his breast, which +he had not known for nearly a score of years, for he now felt that all +shame of birth was removed from him, that he was respectably and even +highly born, and that in point of blood was even the equal, full equal +of that fair and lovely girl he regarded so devotedly. + +Of course there was no disguise between Charles Bramble and Helen, and +her mother, as to the charge brought against him. They knew very well +that he had been engaged in the evil trade of the coast, but they knew +also that he had conducted his part of the business upon the most humane +principles which the traffic would admit, and that he was not a +principal, but an agent in the business, sailing his ship as rich owners +had directed, and also that besides the fact of his having utterly +renounced the trade altogether since he became acquainted with Helen +Huntington, his heart and feelings had never been engaged in its +necessary requirements. Realizing these facts, we say, neither Helen nor +her mother regarded Captain Ratlin (the only character in which they yet +knew him) to be actually and seriously culpable as to at charge of +inhumanity. + +The gratification which Helen evinced on meeting him the next morning +after his escape from the ship, was too honest, too unmistakable in its +import not to raise up fresh hopes in his heart, that, in spite of his +seeming disgrace, his confinement as a prisoner, his trial as an outlaw, +and his fallen fortunes generally, still there was one heart that beat +purely and tenderly with at least a sister's affection for him, and even +Mrs. Huntington, who had not for one moment suspected the true state of +her daughter's sentiments towards the young commander, did not hesitate +to salute him tenderly, and assure him of her gratification at his +release from bondage. She was a generous hearted woman, frank and +honorable in her sentiments, and she secretly rejoiced that they had, +herself and daughter unitedly, been able to exert a refining influence +over so chivalric and noble a character, as she fully realized Captain +Ratlin to be at heart, and in all his inward promptings. + +Charles Bramble still hesitated as to revealing his relationship to +Captain Robert Bramble, from real feelings of delicacy, even to Mrs. +Huntington, whom he felt he could trust, partly because he had reason to +know that the mother had favored the suit of his brother whom Helen had +rejected in India, and partly because at present of his own equivocal +situation. But to Helen herself he felt that he might, indeed that he +must reveal the important truth, and that very evening as they sat +together in one of the spacious apartments of the mission house, he took +her hand within his own, and asked her if he might confide in her as he +would have done with a dear sister. + +"You know, Captain Ratlin, that I feel so much indebted to you, in so +many ways, that any little service I am capable of doing for you would +be but a grateful pleasure," was the instant and frank reply of the +beautiful girl, while a heightened glow mantled her cheek. + +"Then, Helen, listen to me, and if I am too excited in speaking of a +subject so immensely important to me, I trust you will forgive me. +Already I have given you a rough outline of my story, rough and uncouth +indeed, since I could give it no commencement. You will remember that +previous to the fall I got on ship-board, while a boy in the 'Sea Lion,' +I could recall no event. It was all a blank to me, and my parentage and +my childhood were to me a sealed book. Strange as it may seem that book +has been opened, and the story is now complete. I know all!" + +"Indeed! indeed I am rejoiced to hear you say so," was the earnest +reply, while the countenance of the fair creature by his side was +lighted up by tenderness and hope. + +"You look pleased, Helen," he continued; "but supposing the gap in my +story, which is now filled up, had better for my own credit have +remained blank!" + +"That cannot be--I feel that it cannot be," she said, almost eagerly. + +"Supposing that it is now ascertained that the parents of the sailor +boy, whose story you have heard, deserted him because of necessity; +supposing they were poor, very humble, but not dishonest, would such +facts rob me of your continued kind feelings?" + +"You know, Captain Ratlin, that you need not ask such a question," she +replied, as she looked into his face with her whole gentle soul open +through her eyes. + +"You are too kind, too trusting in your confidence in me, Helen," he +said. + +The only reply was from her downcast eyes, and a still warmer blush +which covered the delicate surface of her temples even, and glowed in +silent beauty upon her cheek. + +"Helen," continued he by her side in tones of tenderness that were +momentarily becoming more and more gentle, more and more expressive of +the deepest feeling; "Helen, do you remember the days of your childhood, +at home, in far-off England, at home near Bramble Park?" + +"Yes, yes," she answered, eagerly. "But why do you speak of those days?" + +She looked into his face as she asked, almost as though she could read +his meaning. + +"Do you remember Robert Bramble then?" + +"Well, well." + +"And do you remember his brother, Helen?" + +"Gracious heavens, yes!" she quickly answered, almost anticipating his +words. + +"Well, Helen, Charles Bramble is before you!" + +She did not faint nor utter a shriek at the effect of the powerfully +condensed feelings which crowded upon her heart and senses; but she +stood for one moment gazing at him as though a veil had been removed +from her eyes, recalling in one instant of time the sweet memories of +their childish days together, recalling even the kiss, that last kiss he +had given her years, years before, when he saw her for the last time, +until they met in the broad ocean; she recalled these things and a +thousand more in a moment of time. She remembered how strangely the +tones of his voice had affected her from the outset, how they had seemed +to awaken dreams of the past nearly every time she listened to him. +These things she thought like a flash of mind in one instant, and then, +covering her face with her hands, sobbed aloud! + +One moment Charles Bramble stood and looked upon that long-loved, +beautiful form; one moment, like herself, recalled the past, the +sunshine of his childish hours--ay, even the last kiss which she, too, +remembered, now that so much had been recalled; and then he tenderly +drew the weeping, loving girl to his heart, and whispered to her how +dearly he loved her still! + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE CANNIBALS. + + +THE first intimation of his brother's escape from confinement reached +Captain Bramble through the letter which we have already given to the +reader. His rage knew no bounds; he saw at once that he was foiled +completely, that he could do nothing towards his arrest, even, without +casting such dishonor upon his own name as would publicly disgrace him +for all time to come. In vain were all his efforts to discover the +guilty assistants or assistant of the prisoner, as it was not known at +what hour he escaped. Even the three sentinels on duty at the time could +not be identified, though Leonard Hust's friend, Bill, did more than +suspect that some trick had been played upon him during his watch; but +he could say nothing about the matter without making such a case of +self-crimination as to ensure punishment, and that, too, of the most +sanguinary character. Leonard Hust knew this, and feared him not. + +There was another party sadly disappointed in this state of affairs, one +who only assumed sufficient importance to be noticed when her services +were needed, but she nevertheless felt and suffered, probably, as much +as any one of our characters. We refer to Maud Leonardo. She had found +lodgings in an obscure residence in the town during the course of the +trial, and had resolved to remain until the sentence was given (of the +result of which no one doubted), and even until the detail of that +sentence should be executed, which she had already, learned would +doubtless be death by hanging at the yard-arm of the ship in which he +was confined. Poor girl! it was sad to think that she could gloat over +this anticipated result--such was the power of her revenge. + +But in the same ratio to the intensity of her secret satisfaction at the +hoped-for execution of Captain Will Ratlin, whom she had once loved, but +now so bitterly hated, was her disappointment, vexation, and +uncontrollable anger, at the idea of his escape, of which she was one of +the first to learn. + +Captain Robert Bramble, though he did not attempt to find his brother, +would hardly have believed that he would remain openly in town, and at +the mission-house; but Maud reasoned more truly. It was the first +thought that entered her head that he had probably gone thither to be +near and with Helen Huntington, and thither she stealthily crept, and +watched until she saw him, and thus satisfied herself. Knowing nothing +of the discovery that had been made, she hastened to give information to +Captain Bramble, supposing that he would take steps for his immediate +arrest; but in this she was disappointed. + +She could not understand the apathy which seemed to have come over the +English officer who so lately had thirsted for the young commander's +blood, and she went away from him amazed and dejected. In vain, thus +far, had her attempts resulted as to sacrificing him whom she so +bitterly despised. She had trusted to others thus far--this she said to +herself, as she mused at the fruitless attempts she had been engaged +in--now she would trust to herself. But how to do it she hardly knew. +When he was under her father's roof, and she unsuspected of hostility to +him, it would have been an easy matter, with her knowledge of poisons, +to have sacrificed his life; but now it was not so very easy for her to +find an opportunity for any sort of approach to him. But this seemed her +last and only resource of vengeance, and she cared to live only to +consummate it. + +Actually afraid to bring his brother again to trial, for fear of a +personal exposure, Captain Robert Bramble was now in a quandary; he was +looked to by the court for a conclusion of the suit he had brought, and +was now so situated that he found it necessary to screen that brother +whom he so bitterly disliked, from the cognizance of the authorities. +Indeed, he became nervous lest the exposure should become public in +spite of his efforts at concealing the singular facts. All this, of +course, tended to the safety of his brother Charles, who had rightly +anticipated this state of affairs in relation to the part that Robert +must needs enact; he therefore felt perfectly safe in awaiting an +opportunity for shipment to England in the first vessel bound thither, +and it was at once agreed between Mrs. Huntington, Helen and himself, +that they would go together. The period of the return of Captain +Bramble's ship to England was fast approaching, and passage had been +offered to Helen and her mother therein; but Helen had promptly declined +it, and induced her mother to do so also, though it required some +persuasion to bring this result about. + +Charles Bramble, of course, kept within doors at Sierra Leone, and did +not, by exposing his person, provoke arrest. He was reading aloud to +Helen a few days subsequent to his escape from his brother's ship, when +the door of the room was stealthily opened, and a person stepped in. + +"Well, Leonard Hust," said Charles Bramble, "what has brought yon here +so clothed in mystery? Art well, my good fellow?" + +"Yes, very well, master Charles; but I come to tell you that you must +get away from this place, for a few days at least. It is not safe for +you." + +"What is in the wind, Leonard, now? Have the court scented me out?" + +"Yes, mister Charles, and your brother Robert has agreed to deliver you +up!" + +"Has he?" added Charles Bramble, musing. "I did not expect that." + +"Yes, sir; and I thought I would just slip over here and advise you to +get off as quick as possible, for the officers will be over here in an +hour or so." + +"Thank you, Leonard. What is that protruding from your pocket?" + +"Pistols, sir." + +"Very good, Leonard, I will borrow them." + +"They are yours, sir, with all my heart." + +"Are they loaded, Leonard?" + +"With two slugs each, sir, and as true as a compass." + +These formidable preparations startled Helen, who looked beseechingly +towards him whom she loved better than her own life. She came and placed +a hand timidly upon his shoulder, and looked into his face with all the +wealth of her heart expressed in her eyes, as she said: + +"Pray, pray, Charles, be cautious, be prudent for my sake, will you +not?" + +"I will, dearest," he whispered, as he leaned forward and pressed his +lips to her pure white forehead. "We shall not long be separated--I feel +that we shall not." + +Leonard Hust, who had befriended the younger brother while the two were +under the parental roof, still clung to the interest of Charles Bramble. +He had already procured for him a guide--a negro runner--who knew the +coast perfectly, and with him for a companion, and a small pack of +provisions, and well armed, Charles Bramble determined to make his way +by land back to Don Leonardo's factory on the southern coast. In so +doing, he would be able not only to elude all pursuit, but would also be +able to further his own pecuniary interest by settling up his affairs +with Don Leonardo, and arranging matters as to the property that had +been entrusted to him by the owners of the "Sea Witch." + +Charles Bramble awaited impatiently the coming of the guide, until +indeed he was afraid that longer delay would expose him to the arrest +which he so much desired to avoid, and then telling Leonard that he +would hasten forward to the outskirts of the town, where he would await +the guide. Leonard Hust promised to bring him directly, and thus they +parted; the younger brother, hastening towards the jungle at the +environs of Sierra Leone, at length reached the designated spot, where +he quietly awaited the arrival of his guide. It was quite dark before +the expected individual came; but at length he did arrive, and thrusting +a note into the hands of the impatient refugee, waited for orders. +Charles opened the paper and read in a rough school-boy hand, that he, +Leonard Hast, had intended to come to see him off, but that he could +not, and that the bearer was a faithful guide, somewhat eccentric, but +reliable. + +Charles Bramble looked carefully for a few moments at the companion of +his long and dangerous journey. He saw before him the person of a negro, +slender, agile, rather below the usual height, and clothed after the +style of the settlers, in pants and jacket, but with a red handkerchief +bound upon the head. In a coarse, leathern belt, the negro wore a short +double-edged knife and a pistol, while in his hand he held a short, +sharp spear, which served for staff and weapon both, and was designed +more particularly for defence against the wild animals that infested the +jungle in all directions. + +The guide was painted in the face after fantastic style often adopted by +the shore tribes in Africa, in alternate lines of red and yellow and +white, so as to give a most strange and inhuman expression to the +countenance. But Charles Bramble was familiar with these tricks of the +race, and saluting the guide kindly told him his plans, and asked if he +could guide him on the route. Being assured in the affirmative, he felt +satisfied, and the two, by the light of the moon, which was now creeping +up in the heavens, commenced their journey, intending, after passing a +few leagues, to make up their camp, light their fires to keep off the +wild animals, and sleep. + +The resting-place was at last found, and after the usual arrangements +had been completed, and a circle of fire built around them, the two lay +down to sleep. Fatigue soon closed the eyes of our young adventurer, and +he slept soundly, how long he knew not; but after a while he was +awakened by the breaking of some decayed branches near him, and +partially opened his eyes, half asleep, half conscious, when to his +utter amazement he beheld, or fancied he beheld, a dozen pairs of +glistening eyes peering at him from out the jungle. He did not stir, but +feigning to be still asleep, he cautiously watched to see what all this +meant. They surely did not belong to wild animals--those eyes! + +He partially turned without moving his body to ascertain if the guide +was still by him, but found that he was gone. There was treachery +somewhere--there was danger about him--this he seemed to feel +instinctively, but still, feigning sleep, he almost held his breath to +listen. He soon learned by his sense of clearing that there were some +half dozen or more of negroes near to him, and that he was the subject +of their conversation. He could even detect his guide's voice among the +rest, though the conversation was carried on scarcely above a whisper. +He had on a previous voyage taken much pains to familiarize himself with +the language spoken by the shore tribes in the south, and he now had +little difficulty in understanding a considerable portion of the remarks +which were making by the gang who were secreted in the jungle so near to +where he was lying, while he pretended sleep. + +He soon learned that his guide was followed by a half dozen or more of +negroes, who had lately visited Sierra Leone on some business of their +own, and who, in common with the guide, belonged to a fierce and warlike +tribe, whose chief village was but a few leagues from Don Leonardo's +factory. At first it was difficult to make out the actual purport of +their scheme, though Charles Bramble could guess what he did not hear, +and was satisfied that the cannibals intended to lead him, apparently in +good faith, to the neighborhood of their village, where he was to be +seized, sacrificed to some deity of these poor ignorant creatures' +manufacture, and afterwards be eaten in council with great ceremony. All +this he could distinctly make out, and certainly it was anything but +agreeable to him. But Charles Bramble knew the race he had to deal with; +he fully understood the fact that one after white man with his wits +about him was equal to cope with a dozen of them at any time, and he +felt prepared. + +He gathered at once that it was their intention to guide him safely +until near their own village, where they would seize upon him, and from +that moment make him a prisoner. Meanwhile none but his guide was to be +seen by the traveller, so it was agreed, and he was to receive care and +kind attention until the time appointed. Knowing all this, of course he +was prepared for it, and now saw that for the present and the few coming +days, he need have no alarm, and beyond that he must trust to his ready +wit, personal prowess, and the indomitable courage which was natural to +him. It may seem strange, but reasoning thus, he soon fell to sleep +again in good earnest. + +The next morning, he met his guide with frankness, and the best of +feeling seemed to prevail day after day, until suddenly one evening +before night had fairly set in, and the day before he had anticipated +any such attempt, the negroes suddenly fell upon him, and pinned his +arms, and otherwise disabled him, so that he was completely at their +mercy. Already they had arrived at the environs of their village, and +into it they bore him in great triumph. Council was at once held, and it +was resolved that on the morrow the prisoner should be sacrificed, and +cooked, and eaten! This was anything but agreeable to our adventurer, +but he did not despair. Thrusting his hand into his pack, he discovered +an almanac that he had brought with him from Cuba. + +Turning over the hieroglyphics and singular figures, to the wonder and +amusement of the negroes, he saw that on the morrow an eclipse of the +sun would take place, and he immediately resolved to turn the fact to +good account. He summoned the chief of the tribe and told him to his no +small amazement, in his own tongue, that to-morrow, the Great Spirit +that ruled the sun would put a veil over it in displeasure at the +detention of his white child by them, but that as soon as they should +loose his feet and arms, and set him free, the veil would be removed. + +Amazed at such an assertion, the chief consulted among his brethren, and +it was agreed that if the white man's story proved true, then he should +be released. + +At the hour appointed on the following day, the negroes were surprised +and terrified to see the gradual and almost total eclipse of the sun, +and attributed it to the Great Spirit's displeasure because of their +detention of the white prisoner, as he had foretold. They hastened to +loose his arms and to set him on his way rejoicing. They even bore him +on their shoulders for leagues in a sort of triumphal march, and did not +permit him to walk until they had brought him safely and deposited him +with his arms and pack before the doors of Don Leonardo! + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE POISONED BARB. + + +OF course, Don Leonardo was amazed to see his friend, deeming him by +this time either in an English prison or dead. He learned with amazement +the part that Maud had performed, for Charles Bramble was forced to +reveal to the father, who was eager to inquire after his daughter. +Though Charles felt not the least compunctions of conscience as to the +matter, yet he now fully realized the cause of all her enmity, though of +this he said not a word to her father. Don Leonardo cheerfully joined +the new-comer in completing his business arrangements, and Charles +Bramble found himself the rightful owner of some eight thousand dollars +in gold, the product of the goods which he had landed as his private +venture, and he also took good care to forward true bills of credit to +his owners in Cuba, for the specie which had been sent out by him to +purchase slaves. + +These business arrangements consummated, he now began to think seriously +of once more revisiting the scenes of his childhood, Bramble Park. He +doubted not that Helen and her mother would arrive at their own early +home, which adjoined that of Bramble Park, and which, by the way, had +been leased during their settlement in India, as early as he could +himself procure conveyance which would enable him to reach the spot. +With this idea, he eagerly scanned the horizon daily, hoping for the +arrival of some craft, even a slaver, that might bear him away, either +towards America or Europe, so that he might get into the course of +travel. + +One morning, when he had as usual gone up to the lookout and scanned the +sea view far and near, he at last came down to the breakfast-room with +his face quite speaking with inward satisfaction. He had seen a sail, +evidently a large merchantman, and begged Don Leonardo to go up and see +if together they could not make the stranger out more fully. Charles, +himself, thought that she was heavy and evidently steering for the small +bay on which the factory stood. But their curiosity was soon to be +satisfied, for spar after spar gradually became more and more clearly +defined, until at last the deck itself could be seen, and St. George's +cross observed flying saucily in the breeze. The ship was a British +sloop-of-war, and so it proved. + +In an hour more, Captain Robert Bramble came on shore, accompanied by +Helen and her mother, with Maud Leonardo. As it afterwards appeared, +Maud desired to be brought back to her father, and the English ship was +but performing its appointed duty in cruising on the coast; while Helen +knowing that Charles had come hither, persuaded her mother that it was +best to sail with Captain Bramble, rather than stop in Sierra Leone +among utter strangers. For on ship-board they were under his care, and +besides, as she admitted to her mother, she had good reason for +supposing that Captain Will Ratlin, for thus the mother knew him still, +was at Bay Salo, as Don Leonardo's factory was called on the coast. Thus +it was that they were once more on this spot. + +The brothers met before the collected members of the returning party and +those on the shore, and regarded each other with a stern glance. It was +the only token of recognition which passed between them; but Charles +hastened to Helen's side, and pressing her hand tenderly, looked the +words that he could not speak before others. Mrs. Huntington seemed +overjoyed, too, at joining one whom she felt was a true friend to +herself and daughter, and unhesitatingly evinced this feeling, while +Maud and Captain Robert Bramble walked by themselves filled with bitter +thoughts. Robert had at once presumed as to whither his brother had +escaped, well knowing that he must here have left unsettled business +accounts of great value and importance. He therefore was prepared for +the meeting which took place as we have seen. The Quadroon saw Helen and +Charles thus together, she saw the delight that this meeting caused to +both, she was witness to the eloquent language of the eyes that beamed +into each other, and then she hastened from the spot, crazed with +bitterness of feeling, and fall of direful purpose. Had she been +observed at that moment, it would have been seen that there was danger +in her. To her father's kind salute, she turned a deaf ear, and hastened +into the dwelling with headlong speed. + +Charles and Helen had much to say to each other. Now that he had told +his love, now that the dark veil had been removed from the past that had +obscured his origin, he felt confidence, and spoke with manly cheer and +a light heart. The most indifferent observer would have noticed this, +and it waits not without its effect upon Helen, who looked brighter and +happier than ever before, and the two succeeded at once in infusing a +degree of cheerfulness all around them, reflected by Helen's mother and +even Don Leonardo, with his heavy eyebrows and shaggy beard. Captain +Robert Bramble and Maud alone seemed unhappy, and they were moody +indeed. + +It was towards the twilight hour on the very day of the arrival which we +have referred to, that Charles and Helen arm in arm started away from +the house to the adjacent jungle, where was a pleasant trysting-place, +with a seat prepared for resort from the house. Breathing into each +other's ears the glad and trusting accents of true love, they sauntered +slowly hither and sat down there, Helen upon the rude, but comfortable +seat, and Charles at her feet upon the ground. About them grew the rank, +luxuriant foliage of Africa; fragrant flowers bloomed within reach of +their hands, and luscious fruit greeted the eye in whichever direction +it sought. The soft air of the afterpart of the day was ladened with +sweetness, and they seemed to gather fresh incentive for tenderness and +love in the peculiar surroundings of the spot. + +"So, you have broken off all connection with this business, and have +settled your accounts with Don Leonardo, have you not?" asked Helen, of +him at her feet. + +"Yes, dearest, all has been done, and I shall have no more to do with +the trade of this inhospitable coast, you may be assured. My only hope +and desire is once more to see you and your mother safe in England, +where I can make you by sacred ties my own." + +Helen looked the tender response that beat in her heart, but which her +lips refused to pronounce. She was very, very happy, and they talked +over olden times, childish recollections, and the memories of their +early home. + +While Charles and Helen were thus engaged, two other individuals closely +connected with the plot of our story were not idle. Captain Robert +Bramble was now satisfied that without physical force he could not +intervene between his rival brother and Helen Huntington; he would +gladly have done this, but policy prevented, for he saw that in doing +so, he would but gratify his revenge without approaching a single step +nearer the consummation of his wishes. It was nearly the appointed date +for the sailing of his ship from the station for England, and he had +made up his mind to return at once to Sierra Leone, and prepare to sail +homeward. + +He had already taken leave of Mrs. Huntington, and was seeking her +daughter to say to her farewell; the wind was fair, he would sail within +the hour, and on inquiring for Helen he was told by some one that she +had been seen a few moments before walking towards the jungle. The +informant did not say in the company of him she so evidently loved, and +Robert Bramble hastened forward in hopes that he might meet her there +alone; perhaps, even once more press that oft rejected suit; he even +thought as he went what he could say to her, and wondered how she would +receive him. It was difficult to say what it was in his bosom which +caused him so tenaciously to pursue this vain desire; his was not the +heart to die for love, it amounted almost to obstinacy. He was +self-willed, and was accustomed to have his own way in all things; here +he had been thwarted from the very outset. + +Maud Leonardo, since her arrival home, was scarcely herself, she avoided +all intercourse, spoke to no one, and locked herself in her chamber. But +now she started forth intent on some purpose, as was evident from the +direct and prompt step she pursued. Yes, from her window she had seen +Charles, and Helen wander leisurely and affectionately together towards +the jungle, and to the same point she now directed her steps, though by +a circuitous path. She muttered to herself as she went, and walked with +unwonted speed, as though she feared to lose one moment of time. At this +quick pace, she was soon hidden in the paths of the thick undergrowth +and forest land. + +"Hark! what sound is that?" said Helen, suddenly turning and peering +into the thick foliage which surrounded the spot. + +"I hear nothing," replied Charles Bramble. "It was some bird perhaps, +among these branches. But why do you look so pale, Helen?" + +"It is so terrible. I thought the sound was like that of one of those +terrible serpents that frequent these parts, the anaconda, creeping +towards us." + +"Nay, dearest, it was but your imagination; these reptiles avoid the +near approach to human habitations, and would not be likely to be here." + +"There! there it is again," she said convulsively, drawing closely to +his side, while both looked towards the spot from whence at that moment +a sound proceeded. + +In a moment more there broke forth from the clustering vines and trees +the figure of a man, with a drawn sword, who hastened with lowering brow +towards them! It was Robert Bramble, incensed beyond endurance at the +sight which met his vision through the vista of the foliage on his +approaching the spot; he paused but for one single moment, then yielding +to the power of his almost ungovernable temper, he drew his sword and +rushed forward, determined to sacrifice his brother's life. Helen seeing +plainly and instantly the state of affairs, threw herself with a scream +of terror before Charles to protect him, unarmed as he was, from the +keen weapon that gleamed in his brother's hand. + +But strange are the ways of Providence, and past finding out. At that +instant he staggered, reeled forward, and placing one hand to his +forehead fell nearly at their feet! + +Amazed at this, Charles and Helen both hastened to his side, but he was +speechless, and ere he could be removed from the position in which he +fell, life was wholly extinct. What was it that had so strangely, so +suddenly sacrificed him in the midst of his fell intent? Hark! Charles +starts as a shrill, low whizzing sound was heard close to his ear! The +mystery is explained, a poisoned barb had killed his brother, entering +the eye and piercing the brain, while this second one that had just +whistled past his car, had been intended for him. He turned hastily to +the direction from whence the missile had come, and there stood or +rather staggered Maud Leonardo. He hastened now to her side as she +gradually half knelt, half fell to the ground. Her eyes rolled madly in +their pockets, her hands grasped vainly at the air, and she muttered +incoherently. + +"Maud, Maud, what have you done?" asked Charles, leaning over her. + +"The barb was poisoned, it--it--was meant for you!" she half shrieked. +"I--I--am dying, dying unrevenged--O, this scorching, burning pain!" + +"What ails you, Maud--what can we do for you?" asked Charles, kindly. + +"I--I am poisoned," groaned the Quadroon, holding up her lacerated hand +which she had carelessly wounded with one of the barbs intended to have +killed him. + +The barb she had wounded and killed Robert with, was blown through a +long, hollow reed, a weapon much used in Africa, and the barb had been +dipped in poison so subtle, rapid and sure in its effect, that the wound +the girl had received accidentally in her hand, was fast proving fatal +to her. In Robert Bramble's case, it had reached a vital part at once, +and had been almost instantly fatal in its effect. But Maud was dying! + +"Poor, poor girl, what shall we say to your father?" asked Charles, for +he knew full well the fatal poisons in which the negroes dip their tiny +barbs; and he realized that the Quadroon, who was a victim to her own +scheme of destruction, could not live but a few moments. + +She seemed too far gone to speak now, and turned and writhed in an agony +of pain upon the ground, while Helen strove to raise her head and to +comfort her. The poison seemed to act upon her by spasms, and she would +have a moment now and then, when she was comparatively at ease. The +lowering darkness of her face was gone now, a serenity seemed to be +gathering there, and leaning forward between the paroxysms, she held +forth the hand which was not wounded towards Charles Bramble who stood +tenderly over her, and said in a low, gentle voice: + +"Forgive--forgive me! will you--will you not forgive me?" + +"With all my heart, poor girl, I do sincerely forgive you," said +Charles, earnestly. + +All was not black in that human heart, the half effaced image of its +Maker was there still; and Maud looked tenderly and penitently upon +Helen and Charles. The former knelt by her side, and drawing the poor +girl's hands together across her breast as she lay upon the ground, +lifted her own hands heavenward, moving her lips in prayer as she bent +over the sufferer. What little Maud knew of religious instruction, had +been taught her in the form of the Episcopal church, and she now +listened to the formal prayer from the litany appropriate to her +situation. A sweet smile gathered over her face as Helen proceeded, and +prayed for forgiveness for all sins committed; and as she paused at the +close, three voices repeated the word Amen. + +Charles and Helen rose to their feet, but the spirit of the Quadroon had +fled! + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE DENOUEMENT. + + +THE events of the past few weeks seemed to Charles Bramble more like +dream than reality; he could hardly compose his mind sufficiently to +realize the serious bearings of his present situation. Of course, it was +now useless longer to disguise his relationship to Robert, who had lost +his life by means of the poisoned barb which Maud had intended for his +brother. Charles took possession of his body, and informed all those +necessary duties that his own feelings suggested, and form required. The +second officer of the ship assumed the command vacated by Captain +Robert's death, and as the time had now arrived for the return of the +vessel to England, he sailed at once for Liverpool. + +Though Charles was loth to be separated from Helen, yet he urged upon +herself and mother to join the English man-of-war, in which they could +secure the most comfortable and safest passage to Liverpool; while for +himself, there was still left business matters which it was imperative +for him to consummate before he left the region where he was. It was at +last decided that the mother and daughter should improve this mode of +conveyance home, and Helen reluctantly bade him she so tenderly loved a +tearful farewell, and in secret they pledged to each other their hearts +for life. + +Charles Bramble watched the receding ship which contained her so dear to +him, until it was a mere speck upon the waters, and then felt that it +was possibly the last token he might ever see of her. The path before +him was not one strewn with roses, he had serious dangers to encounter, +a long voyage to make, and an unhealthy climate to endure; for he must +cross the ocean, he found, in order to settle honorably with those men +who had placed such unlimited faith in his integrity. But he had no ship +or craft of any sort at his command, and must wait an opportunity for +reaching the West Indies, doubtless, on board some vessel in the trade +which he had just abandoned. + +Don Leonardo seemed to little heed the death of his daughter. In fact, +he did not trouble himself to inquire into its particulars, further than +to understand the immediate cause. He was a sensual and intemperate man, +half of whose life was passed under the effects of unnatural stimulus, +and provided his appetite was not interfered with, cared little what +befell others. Since the English man-of-war had sailed, his barracoons +began to fill once more with negroes from the interior, and he was now +prepared to ship a cargo by the first adventurer's vessel which should +arrive. The funds which Charles Bramble had brought out from Cuba to +Africa, were consigned to Don Leonardo, and he of course would do with +the money as he pleased; he therefore proposed to charter the first +vessel that came, and ship a cargo the same as he would have done in the +"Sea Witch." + +It was not long before one of those flat, low, dark clipper schooners +hove in sight and ran into the bay. She was small, sat deep in the +water, was scarcely three hundred tons burthen, but managed to stow +three hundred and forty negroes with ease, and would have taken more had +not intelligence from the lookouts been brought in, that a square rig +was coming down the coast. Charles Bramble hesitated whether he should +embark in this craft. It was consigned to his former owners, the very +men he wished to meet. He might have to wait for months in order to +obtain another chance, it was hardly a matter of choice with him, but +became one of necessity, and he embarked accordingly. + +Charles Bramble was no sooner fairly at sea than he was filled with +amazement at the condition of matters on board the slaver. Himself +accustomed to enforce the most rigid discipline, he here saw a perfect +bedlam; a crew of some thirty people, composed of the vilest of the +vile, who must have been shipped only with an eye to numbers, and no +regard for character or stability. Added to this, the captain, though a +man of some experience as a seaman, had no control of the crew, and was +quite at a loss how to manage them. Twice was Charles Bramble obliged to +interfere between the crew and the captain before they were three days +at sea; and by his stern, calm will he succeeded in preventing open +mutiny by the crew. The fact was, the most desperate part of the +foremast hands knew very well that the money sent out to purchase +slaves, was still on board in good golden doubloons, and they were +secretly scheming to take the schooner, kill the officers and +appropriate the gold. + +Charles Bramble was accustomed to deal with such spirits; he was +well-armed at all hours, and prepared for the very trouble which was to +come, inasmuch as he had anticipated it. There were two mates and the +captain, beside himself, who might be relied upon to stand by the vessel +and the owners' rights, but they had fearful odds against them. There +was also a lad who had gone out in the "Sea Witch" as cabin boy, whom +Charles Bramble was now bringing back with him to his family in Cuba, +the boy having escaped the massacre which occurred when the "Sea Witch" +was burned, and who had been living at Leonardo's factory. On him also +he felt he could rely. The boy soon discovered the mutiny that was +hatching, and told the captain secretly that it would occur at the +moment land was announced from the mast-head on making the islands of +the West Indies. + +This was all the information necessary for Charles Bramble, to whom the +captain of the schooner gave up all control, to prepare for the +emergency. He completely armed the four parties on whom he could rely, +and bade them wait for orders from him, but when he gave those orders to +act instantly and without pausing for further consideration. The crew +were somewhat puzzled to see their chief officer give up even the +sailing of the vessel to him who had come on board as a passenger, but +they could not but also perceive that he who acted as the captain now, +was a very different man to deal with, and one who knew his business. +They saw that the schooner was made to sail better than ever before, +that the crew were kept in their places and busy, an important thing at +sea, and though they were still resolved to make the attempt, they did +not like the appearance of matters. + +Scarcely had the lookout after a short passage descried the first land, +and hailed the deck with "land ho!" when a change was instantly observed +among the crew. Captain Bramble, however, was on the watch, and so were +his backers; and seeing this, he instantly called one of the ringleaders +aft, and bade him sternly to lay his hand to a rope and pull it taut. +The man instinctively obeyed at first, subdued by the calm, stern front +of the man who addressed him, but in a moment more he ceased and turned +towards the officer flatly declining duty, at the same time beckoning +the hands forward to come to the quarter-deck. Captain Bramble paused +one second of time and repeated his order. It was not obeyed, and in the +next instant the man lay a corpse with a bullet through his brains at +the feet of his officer! + +This prompt punishment for a moment checked the action of the rest, but +it was only for a moment when they moved aft in a body. + +"Hold, where you are!" shouted the young but determined commander. "The +man who advances another step dies!" + +All paused, save two of the most daring of the rascals who continued to +press on. Captain Ratlin now bade the mates to shoot the first man who +came aft unbidden, while he marched a few paces forward, and once more +bid them stand. They heeded him not, and the foremost one fell with a +bullet though his heart! Captain Ratlin instantly drew a fresh weapon +from his bosom and presented it at the other foremost man, "fall back, +fall back, you imps of darkness, fall back, I say, or you die!" + +The crew had not counted on this summary treatment, they were beaten and +mastered; the culprit addressed sneaked back among the crew trembling +with fear. + +Captain Ratlin returned to the quarter-deck, received fresh arms from +one of the mates, and then calmly began to issue orders for the sailing +of the vessel, as though nothing had occurred to interfere with the +business routine of the day. Those orders were promptly obeyed. The +master spirit there had asserted its control, and established it, too; +and a more orderly crew never moored a slave ship on the south side of +Cuba, than were soon busily engaged in that duty after the set of sun on +the day when this bold attempt at mutiny had occurred. + +This little affair, which came very near to costing Charles Bramble his +life, was in one sense a fortunate one, since it put him on the best of +terms with the owners, who had entrusted him with the "Sea Witch," and +who now pressed a gratuity of $2000 upon him for his part of the present +voyage, and forwarded him safely without expense on his return voyage to +England. This additional amount of funds to his already handsome sum of +personal property, gave him some $10,000 dollars of ready money, which +he took with him to his homestead at Bramble Park. The money enabled him +not only to clear the estate of all encumbrances, but also to make his +mother, now aged and bed-ridden, comfortable. + +But he was soon married, and with Helen Huntington, whose estates joined +those of Bramble Park, he obtained a large fortune; but best of all, he +took to his arms a sweet, intelligent and loving wife. She with whom he +had played in childhood amid these very scenes, she whom he had rescued +upon the waters of the ocean, she who had loved and reformed him. + + + + +THE END. + + + + + +LA TARANTULA. + +BY GIDDINGS H. BALLOU. + + +IT was scarce past the meridian of a warm summer's day, when from the inn +of old Gaspar Varni, underneath the heights of Sorento, might have been +heard the sound of viols, and the deep notes of the bassoon ringing +clear from amidst the clash of merry voices. Music and careless mirth, +the never failing concomitants of an Italian holiday, were here in full +ascendency; for the birthday of the portly host happening to fall on the +anniversary of St. Geronimo, the yearly festival which served to +celebrate the two in one, was a matter of no small interest to the +villagers. The dining room was filled almost to suffocation, and it were +a matter admitting of doubt, whether the chagrined few who chanced by +lateness of arrival, or other causes, to be excluded from seats at +table, were not to be envied rather than pitied in the endurance of +their deprivation. + +Such a doubt, perhaps, was entertained by an individual dressed in a +peasant's frock and a slouched hat, who, pausing in the open doorway, +regarded the mixed assembly with a half smile, not wanting a certain +superciliousness which in other circumstances would have provoked +instant observation. Now, however, the full swing of common enjoyment +rendered every one blind to what the looker-on took no trouble to +conceal. Nor did he at all lower his disdainful regard, when a veteran +clad in a sort of military undress, arose from the opposite side of the +tables, and waving a wine-cup in his hand, drew on himself the general +attention. + +"Comrades," he said, "I give to you, Napoleon! my noble master, who, six +years ago, delivered me with his own hand the shoulder-knot of a +sergeant of the guard. Napoleon!--the soldier's true friend, and the +greatest man on earth. Green be his memory forever!" + +The words were scarce out of his mouth, when a youth, some twenty years +of age, sprang up and hastily replied: + +"What right hast thou, Jean Maret, thus to celebrate in our midst, the +praises of our tyrant? Dost thou deem our spirits dead to all generous +emotion? A curse on the usurper who burned our country with fire, and +poured out the blood of its children like water! May just Heaven pour +down indignation on his head!" + +This speech produced an instant commotion. Angry words were bandied back +and forth, and bright steel already flashed in the light, when the +sturdy voice of old Gaspar surmounted the din. + +"What means this tumult?" he cried. "Shall a few wine-warmed words thus +set you all agog, my merry men? Come, you forget yourselves in giving +way to such causeless rage. And thou, Gulielmo, leave thy saucy quips. +How darest thou thus spoil good cheer?" + +The youth, with a grieved countenance, turned to go. + +"'Tis not," he said, "that I fear for threats, especially from Master +Jean. Yet since thou commandest, I needs must yield." + +So saying, he passed out of the door, while the tumult having ceased, a +whisper went round the room: + +"Gaspar has a fine daughter; 'tis she who commands through him." + +The mirth, for a moment rudely stayed, again proceeded. Goblets clinked +and wine flowed merrily, till the host, striking his hand on the table, +again addressed the company: + +"Good people and neighbors all," he said, "I pledge you here my future +son-in-law. Drink deep then; the wine is good, I trust, and at all +events the toast merits our good will." + +The wine was forthwith lifted to lip, and at the word, the generous +liquid, blushing with deeper hue than even did the landlord's jolly +nose, was drained to the uttermost drop, and the cups, turned bottom up, +were replaced on the board. As the ring of the metal ceased, Master +Jean, grizzle-haired and scarred with the marks of war, rose up and +grimly smiled around. + +"Mates," he said, "I am not apt at making fine speeches, though I can +feel as many thanks as another. I'll give you then, our jolly host and +his sweet daughter. Than he, no better rules the roast between here and +the salt sea. And what maiden can compare with her in loveliness?" + +This speech was received with the most decided applause by the rest of +the company, who seemed eager to evince their approbation of all things +at present said and done, by steadfast application to the festivities of +the occasion. + +Meantime, far removed from their boisterous cheer, sat within her little +chamber the maiden, weeping at thought of the dreaded marriage-day, +towards which the hours were rapidly hastening. + +"O, Gulielmo!" such were the thoughts which she murmured, "shall I be +able to support life forever removed from thee? Alas! the fate which so +ruthlessly severs our mutual loves!" + +Meanwhile, Gulielmo roamed the hills, his heart swelling with sadness. +What use in longer adherence to home and the lowly shepherd's lot? No, +he would no longer tamely submit to poverty and the contempt which it +entailed on its victim. The moment was now arrived when he must bid +adieu to Rosa, loved in vain, and to Sorento, spot hitherto so loved and +lonely. Thus musing, he began to trace on the sandy soil a rude outline, +which certainly bore a striking resemblance to Rosa's pretty features. + +"Well done, Master Gulielmo!" suddenly exclaimed a strange voice. + +The startled youth looked up, and in so doing cast his eye on a face +which seemed not altogether unknown to his remembrance. The stranger +possessed a visage bold and finely formed, a piercing eye, and a +strongly-marked mouth set beneath a classic nose; while his tawny color +told a life exposed to daily wind, and sun, and rain. + +"Art thou a student of the art which is our country's pride?" continued +the latter, "or does love inspire the skill which thou hast here +displayed?" + +"I am no student," Gulielmo replied; "and yet I daily try, in my +unknowing way, to counterfeit the forms which I see." + +"It were pity then," rejoined the other, "that such as thou should idly +waste those talents which when duly trained would surely bring their +owner fame and wealth. Suppose for instance that some great lord, or +other noble patron of the arts, should send thee a couple of years to +Rome;--but I forget. Perchance the maid whom thou hast pictured here, +might interpose her pretty face to spoil so fair a plan?" + +"Alas!" said Gulielmo, quickly, "she is not for me. And though I see +that you are jesting, I tell you truly that I would go where any chance +might lead me, so that I might never see her or Sorento again." + +"I do not jest," answered the stranger. "Indeed, I know your story +already. I was present just now at the inn, when you and Jean Maret fell +at variance. And, friend Gulielmo, I know of a certain lord who I am +confident will do you the office which your talents require. He is a +Russian prince, of generous hand, although of a somewhat rough exterior. +Take courage; perchance affairs may have a better turn. And if the +Russian, as no doubt he will, shall take thee under his wing, mayhap old +Gaspar's purpose may yield some grace to thy ill-prospered love. Hie +home then, and wait a little for the flood of fortune. I've faith that +thy ill-luck will shortly change to good." + +The stranger turned away. Gulielmo, in mute surprise, watched his steps +a while, and then hastened along the winding path which led him back to +his own cottage door. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +PAS SEUL BY MOONLIGHT. + + +The moon hung high in silver light above the village and the quiet +fields which lay beyond, when a gallant train came in order down the +unfrequented street. Appareled gaily, each cavalier wore roquelaure and +belt, and in their midst they bore a prisoner--the veteran Jean. +Reaching at length the grassy market-place, they halted and formed a +ring, in the midst of which they placed their captive. Some of the +number drew from underneath their short cloaks instruments of music, +while others cleared their throats as if about to sing. Presently there +stepped apart a masked form, who thus gave command in a rude sort of +rhyme: + + "Hola, my merry mountaineers, + Prepare a festive lay; + Our gallant friend will measure trip + While we a song essay." + +Each other masker thereupon drew a rapier, and turned its point to centre. + + "Unbind the captive, give him room; + Now, friend, pray mind your play. + Strike up, my lads, and heed your time, + And merrily troll away." + +At the word, the others commenced in deep, hoarse voices: + + "An old graybeard a wooing came, + "Ha! ha! ha! + With plenty of brass, but little brain, + Tira la la! + + Merrily round we go, + Merrily. + All in a circle O, + + Cheerily! + Right joyful was the gaffer gray, + La la la! + And who so blithe as he I pray? + Tira la la! + + Merrily round we go. + Alas! the change of time and tide, + Ah! ha! ha! + That gaffer's joy to grief should glide, + Tira la la! + + Merrily round we go." + +"Trip on, friend Jean," the leader said; "thou laggest wretchedly. Let +me spirit thee with this good steel rod; 'twill move thee most +famously." + +Jean Maret, in spite of himself, discovered great agility on this +occasion. He could hardly have moved with more readiness in the rustic +cotillon among the village lads and lasses. Nevertheless, not a few +oaths escaped him, doubly provoked as he was by the composure of his +tormentors, and the laughter of the surrounding spectators. But swifter +still flew the brisk burden, "Tira la la." + +"Good people all," the chief now said, "we have piped this man to play, +and now that we the pipes have tuned, 'tis fair his purse should pay." + +"Villain!" replied the veteran, testily, "ye shall not have a doit!" + +"Good luck, our friend's not satisfied," returned the mask. "And yet +we've done our best. Well then, Jean Maret, we will offer you a change. +Doubtless you have seen the dance which is inspired by the bite of our +famous black spider. Let us see if our good steel may not be able to +supply the place of the spider. Come then, my lads, strike up 'La +Tarantula.'" + +Again Jean was forced to display his powers of agility, as flew the +music and the accompanying voices, onward and still on, with +ever-increasing rapidity. At length his obstinacy was overcome, as much +by the absurdity of the affair as its personal inconvenience. + +"Cease, cease," he cried; "have done with this, and the money you demand +shall be forthcoming. A pack of fiends were better companions, I trow, +than your blackamoor troop. Let me on, then, and I will lead you to my +cash-box, and after you have there satisfied yourselves, I pray you to +go your ways like honest thieves, as you are." + +"Take heed what you say, Jean," replied the chief masker. "We are +honest, that is true enough, and we only want a fair payment for our +services. Our band never performs for a less price than a thousand +crowns, nor will we ask more than this of a worthy soldier like +yourself. So lead the way, my friend, we follow close on your steps." + +With jingling steel and shrilly pipe, the troop retraced its course, +till on arriving at the lodging-place of Jean Maret, the latter paid +down the needful scot, indulging himself while counting out the coin in +various hearty objurgations which seemed to add no little to the +amusement of his hearers. Meanwhile, from mouth to mouth, among the +villagers, who gathered round the scene, passed the whispered murmur: + +"Sartello, the bandit chief, and his followers!" + +The person thus indicated turned to the shrinking crowd, and lifting the +mask from his face, he addressed them thus: + +"Good friends, our play is finished. The players through me, desire to +make you their most respectful bow, thanking you for your good company. +We rejoice to see that you are pleased with our endeavors for your +amusement, and will hope that when next we chance to meet, we may +therein be as fortunate as now." + +At the word, each of the troop made a low obeisance, and with their +leader, quickly retreated from the village. By slow degrees, the streets +were cleared, though here and there a few lingered along to talk over +the occurrences of the night. It was not till near the dawn of morn that +the village again became quiet, when in the early dew, a carriage drove +swiftly up to the inn, the door of which the coachman, having leaped +from his seat, banged with might and main. At length old Gaspar thrust +his night-capped head from an upper window. + +"What means this cursed din?" he angrily exclaimed. + +"Come down--come down!" the coachman replied, in a gruff voice. "Here is +Prince Reklovstt waiting at your door." + +"Good Heaven!" exclaimed the landlord, withdrawing his head in a +fluster. "It can be no common prince, this, with such a jaw-breaking +name. Here Francesco, Rosa, wife, all of you! hurry, haste down stairs +as quickly as you can!" + +The household were quickly astir, the doors were unbarred, and Gaspar +presented himself before the prince, who had just descended from the +carriage. The Russian lord--for any one would have known him as such by +his appearance--possessed a long beard, thick eyebrows, and eyes, whose +look was chiefly a chilly and impenetrable stare. + +"He must be monstrous rich," thought Gaspar; "he has such a bearish way +with him." + +The coachman, who seemed also to serve as interpreter, now addressed the +host in tolerable Italian, easy enough to be understood, though +interspersed now and then with some queer sounding words. + +"The prince wishes to breakfast. Quick then! bring a turkey, a quart of +brandy, a cup of fat, a good cheese pie, and a reindeer's tongue." + +The landlord was filled with astonishment and respect. + +"O, servant of a mighty lord!" he said, "our larder is to-day somewhat +scant, for crowds of guests have scoured our house of all its choicest +fare. But we will give you the very best we have, if you will deign to +accept it." + +The coachman seemed disturbed, but consulted the prince, who answered +him with a frown and a growl of foreign words. + +"Mine host!" rejoined the interpreter, "the prince doth condescend to +accept. But be sure, whatever else fails, that the brandy is good." + +The coachman and his master now engaged themselves in a harsh-sounding +conversation, wherein one would have judged that the vowels were far +less plentiful than the consonants. Near half an hour thus passed, +when--wondrous speed!--a half cooked fowl was placed on the table, +together with olives, grapes, and sour brown bread. The Russian lord +upon seeing this rare repast spread before him, gave vent to what +sounded very like a Sclavonic invective, but nevertheless plunged his +knife into the midst of the fowl, and carved and growled, and growled +and eat, apparently bent on the most murderous havoc. Meantime, his +servant turned to Gaspar. + +"The prince hath heard one of your village youths, by name, Gulielmo +Massani, commended much for his high talent and great pictorial skill." + +"Ah!" murmured Gaspar, to himself, "heard one ever such elegant +discourse?" + +"The prince last evening met upon the road an old acquaintance, who told +him much concerning this lad; recounted his whole history, and told how +he drew wonderful resemblances of birds, and beasts, and men." + +"'Tis true," replied Gaspar. "Strange that I should never have thought +of it before." + +"So, therefore, the prince offers to patronize the gifted youth, and +send him a couple of years or more to Rome, where he will be able to +make himself a perfect artist, and get fortune at such a rate that he +can soon roll in gold." + +"San Dominic!" said the host; "surely Gulielmo's luck has turned. They +say that Jean, last night, was robbed of more than half his store, and +so, I do not know--but Rosa--" + +"You're right," interrupted the other speaker. "Two hundred crowns are +yours, provided Rosa waits two years against Gulielmo's safe return." + +"Ahem!" exclaimed the somewhat surprised landlord. "How comes it that +you know of this? And yet the girl grieves sorely. I will take you at +your word." + +The courier nodded and spake to his master, who, with a pompous air, +told in his open hand the glittering gold, which was seen transferred to +Gaspar's eager grasp. + +"And now where is this same Gulielmo?" inquired the courier. "Bring him +hither as quickly as possible. I doubt not, when he hears of his +advancement, that he will leap for joy." + +The youth presently arrived. The courier informed him of the matter in +hand, while the prince nodded his head most graciously, and smiled so +grim a smile that all the servants looked on dismayed. + +"Haste," said the courier to Gulielmo, "pack up your knapsack as quickly +as may be, and bid Rosa adieu, for it is time that we were on the road +for Rome. There thou shalt undertake the painter's art, and work for +fame and bread. And, if all works prosperously, you shall soon be able +to wed the fairest maid of all the land." + +An hour passed; the carriage drew up before the inn door, the host +delivered his most obsequious bow, fair Rosa bade farewell to her lover, +the prince and Gulielmo entered the stately vehicle, and, with a loud +crack of the coachman's whip, the travellers set out for Rome. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE STUDENT'S RETURN. + + +THE two years had elapsed, when on a bright June afternoon, a weary +pilgrim halted within a grove which overlooked the village of Sorento. +He gazed around for a moment, as if in expectation of some one, and then +sat down upon a mossy stone. + +"It was here," said he, "that he bade me wait on my return. And yet--" + +"He is with you," said Sartello, leaving the scraggy laurel behind which +he had concealed himself. "What cheer brings thou from Rome, my gallant +lad'? Certes, thy look is loftier and manlier now, whatever fortune thou +hast had." + +"Kind friend," replied the youth, "I may say that I have had both good +and ill fortune; though mostly good, if thou dost agree with my opinion. +I bring, through intercession of the pope, a pardon from our king. And +thou and thine, if henceforth ye are pleased to remain at peace, will be +accepted by the law which now holds your lives forfeit." + +Sartello grasped with a vice-like pressure the hand which the youth held +out. + +"I am well repaid, Gulielmo, for what little I have done in thy behalf, +since thou hast thus brought me my heart's desire. No more will we roam +the land, outlaws from honest men. We will till and toil, and freely +live, scathless and void of care. But of thyself, what speed? say +quickly." + +The youth frankly smiled. + +"My pocket is rather low," he said, "although my hopes are not. I have +gained some honor, whatever its worth may be. And now, how fares the +gentle maid whom I so long to see?" + +"Ah," replied Sartello, shaking his head sadly, "these women are indeed +a puzzle. I fear much that Rosa's mind has changed since your departure. +Absence, as the poets say, is love's worst bane. But let her go, +Gulielmo; fairer charms than hers will soon ease your pain." + +Gulielmo stood for a moment as colorless as marble. + +"Is this the reward," he said, at length, "of all my weary toil?" + +"Pray comfort yourself," replied his friend. "I may as well tell you the +worst at once. They say that her wedding-dress is prepared. Jean Maret's +gold, and the importunities of old Gaspar, have been too much, fancy, +for her fickle resolution." + +A single tear fell from Gulielmo, notwithstanding the proud compressure +of his lips. + +"Let it be so," said he. "I will make no words about it. Neither will I +shun her sight. I will face it out, and shame them who think to flout me +thus." + +"Bravo, my lad!" exclaimed Sartello. "I find that you are of the true +stuff. So come along; the hour is already near, when she is to change +her name. I feared at first to tell you the tale, but am glad to learn +that my fears were needless." + +Gulielmo's burning cheek might have sown the pain which raged within his +breast: but, nevertheless, he accompanied Sartello with a firm and +confident stop till they reached the inn where the guests had already +begun to assemble. In the porch, by the side of Jean Maret, sat Rosa, +with a few flowers in her hair, her countenance as sweet to view as the +first blush of a May morn. But when she met the fiery glance which +Gulielmo cast upon her, she seemed abashed, and half turned toward her +companion, with a silent appeal of the eyes. The priest now arrived, and +all was made ready, Gulielmo looking on with a heated brain, and a +feverish sickness gnawing at his heart. He was only able to see a single +lovely face, in which a sudden sadness seemed to dim its former smiling +grace. + +"Why wait we?" bluffly exclaimed Jean Maret. "The priest awaits, the +bride is ready. Gulielmo Massani, come forward; Rosa has chosen you as +bridesman." + +"Scoundrel!" replied Gulielmo, "dare no jests with me, else your life +may fail you before your wedding is over." + +"My wedding may be near at hand," returned Jean; "but I fear much that +Rosa will hardly be my bride. Go, fair maid, and lead this stubborn +youth hither. If all else fail, I think that thou wilt be able to hold +him captive." + +Rosa sprang from the porch to meet Gulielmo. Flinging her lily arms +about his neck, her head reclining on his breast: + +"Thou art mine," she said; "whether poor or rich, it is the same to me. +Pardon this deceit; it was not my will to give thee needless pain." + +"How is this?" Gulielmo was with difficulty able to say. "Your bridal--" + +"Come, your place!" interrupted Jean. "There, take her hand. How dull +you are! It seems to me that after all I should make the readiest groom +of the two." + +"Not so!" exclaimed Gulielmo. "But I must not allow you to be deceived, +however little my tale may profit me." + +"Hold then a moment," Sartello cried. "Your hand, friend Jean; I think +you bear no ill-will. Or if you do, the settlement we'll postpone, till +this present affair shall be concluded. Here, then, in this bag which I +deliver you, you will find a thousand crowns, a forced loan to aid +Gulielmo's studious years; and with the sum, five hundred crowns by way +of interest. I enacted the Russian on a certain occasion,--a counterfeit +lord,--and yet not altogether so, as you will own when you have heard my +story. Four years ago, I held the title of Prince of Cornaro, where I, +in the midst of a beautiful country, upheld the privileges of a lord. +But one luckless day I joined a secret band, which sought to change the +rule by which Italy was swayed. We failed, and I was forced to fly my +native towers, to roam the mountain depths as the chief of lawless men. +My wide estates were confiscated to the service of the crown. But this +noble youth has now obtained for me a full pardon from the king for all +past misdeeds. The sovereign also freely restores me to my former rank +and possessions." + +He ceased, and every voice was raised in applause. + +"Hail, Prince of Cornaro!" was the general exclamation. + +"Prince," cried Jean Maret, "I give you thanks for the thousand crowns. +The odd five hundred I will give towards Rosa's dowry." + +"Nay," rejoined the prince; "the half thou mayst; it is all that thou +canst be permitted, for I desire to find some room to add to Rosa's +store." + +"Ha!" said old Gaspar, with a laugh. "Although not rich, her suitor is +yet certain he brings her riches." + +"Good sir," replied Gulielmo, "I can show you but little coin, it is +true; yet you may perceive some gain will be mine if you but choose to +read this obligation." + +Thereupon he delivered a slip of parchment into the hand of the host, +who turning it once or twice round in the vain attempt to decipher its +intention, passed it to the prince, saying: + +"I pray your excellency to read it. My eyes are somewhat weak, and +indeed my scholarship is not so good as it once was." + +"Know all (read the prince, after naming the date), that I will pay to +order of Gulielmo Massani, or his lawful heirs, four thousand crowns, +with interest, as soon hereafter as demand may be made. BENVOGLIO." + +"The Cardinal Benvoglio," said the prince. "Indeed, the lad hath +prospered well. But come, the wedding lags. First, let us tie this +youthful pair, and after that we'll join the revel on the green, where +Jean and I will teach you all how to dance 'LA TARANTULA.'" + + + + +THE GOLDSMITH OF PARIS. + +BY H. W. LORING. + + +IN the good old days of France the fair, when no one dared question the +divine right of the sovereign, or the purity of the church,--when the +rights of the feudal seigneurs were unchallenged, and they could head or +hang, mutilate or quarter their vassals at their pleasure,--when +freedom was a word as unmeaning as it is now tinder his sacred majesty, +Napoleon the Third, there came to the capital, from Touraine, an +artizan, named Anseau, who was as cunning in his trade of goldsmith as +Benvenuto Cellini, the half-mad artificer of Florence. He became a +burgess of Paris, and a subject of the king, whose high protection he +purchased by many presents, both of works of art and good red gold. He +inhabited a house built by himself, near the church of St. Leu, in the +Rue St. Denys, where his forge was well known to half the amateurs of +fine jewelry. He was a man of pure morals and persevering industry; +always laboring, always improving, constantly learning new secrets and +new receipts, and seeking everywhere for new fashions and devices to +attract and gratify his customers. When the night was far advanced, the +soldiers of the guard and the revellers returning from their carousals, +always saw a lighted lamp at the casement of the goldsmith's workshop, +where he was hammering, carving, chiseling and filing,--in a word, +laboring at those marvels of ingenuity and toil which made the delight +of the ladies and the minions of the court. He was a man who lived in +the fear of God, and in a wholesome dread of robbers, nobles, and noise. +He was gentle and moderate of speech, courteous to noble, monk and +burgess, so that he might be said to have no enemy. + +Claude Anseau was strongly built. His arms were rounded and muscular, +and his hand had the grip of an iron vice. His broad shoulders reminded +the learned of the giant Atlas; his white teeth seemed as if they were +formed for masticating iron. His countenance, though placid, was full of +resolution, and his glance was so keen that it might have melted gold, +though the limpid lustre of his eyes tempered their burning ardor. In a +word, though a peaceable man, the goldsmith was not one to be insulted +with impunity, and perhaps it was a knowledge of his physical qualities +that secured him from attack in those stormy days of ruffianly violence. + +Yet sometimes, in spite of his accumulating wealth and tranquil life, +the loneliness of the goldsmith made him restless. He was not insensible +to beauty, and often, as he wrought a wedding ring for the finger of +some fair damsel, he thought with what delight he could forge one for +some gentle creature who would love him for himself and not for the +riches that called him lord. Then he would sally forth and hie to the +river-side, and pass long hours in the dreamy reveries of an artist. + +One day as he was strolling, in this tender frame of mind, along the +left bank of the Seine, he came to the meadow afterwards called the Pre +aux Clercs, which was then in the domain of the Abbey of St. Germain, +and not in that of the University. There, finding himself in the open +fields, he encountered a poor girl, who addressed him with the simple +salutation:--"God save you, my lord!" + +The musical intonation of her voice, chiming in with the melodious +images that then filled the goldsmith's busy brain, impressed him so +pleasantly that he turned, and saw that the damsel was holding a cow by +a tether, while it was browsing the rank grass that grew upon the +borders of a ditch. + +"My child," said he, "how is it that you are pasturing your cow on the +Sabbath? Know you not that it is forbidden, and that you are in danger +of imprisonment?" + +"My lord," replied the girl, casting down her eyes, "I have nothing to +fear, because I belong to the abbey. My lord abbot has given us license +to feed our cow here after sunset." + +"Then you love your cow better than the safety of your soul," said the +goldsmith. + +"Of a truth, my lord, the animal furnishes half our subsistence." + +"I marvel," said the good goldsmith, "to see you thus poorly clad and +barefoot on the Sabbath. Thou art fair to look upon, and thou must needs +have suitors from the city." + +"Nay, my lord," replied the girl, showing a bracelet that clasped her +rounded left arm; "I belong to the abbey." And she cast so sad a look on +the good burgess that his heart sank within him. + +"How is this?" he resumed,--and he touched the bracelet, whereon were +engraven the arms of the Abbey of St. Germain. + +"My lord, I am the daughter of a serf. Thus, whoever should unite +himself to me in marriage would become a serf himself, were he a burgess +of Paris, and would belong, body and goods, to the abbey. For this +reason I am shunned by every one. But it is not this that saddens me--it +is the dread of being married to a serf by command of my lord abbot, to +perpetuate a race of slaves. Were I the fairest in the land, lovers +would avoid me like the plague." + +"And how old are you, my dear?" asked the goldsmith. + +"I know not, my lord," replied the girl; "but my lord abbot has it +written down." + +This great misery touched the heart of the good man, who for a long time +had himself eaten the bread of misfortune. He conformed his pace to that +of the girl, and they moved in this way towards the river in perfect +silence. The burgess looked on her fair brow, her regal form, her dusty +but delicately-formed feet, and the sweet countenance which seemed the +true portrait of St. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris. + +"You have a fine cow," said the goldsmith. + +"Would you like a little milk?" replied she. "These early days of May +are so warm, and you are so far from the city." + +In fact, the shy was cloudless and burned like a forge. This simple +offer, made without the hope of a return, the only gift in the power of +the poor girl, touched the heart of the goldsmith, and he wished that he +cold see her on a throne and all Paris at her feet. + +"No, ma mie," replied he; "I am not thirsty--but I would that I could +free you." + +"It cannot be; and I shall die the property of the abbey. For a long +time we have lived here, from father to son, from mother to daughter. +Like my poor ancestors, I shall pass my days upon this land, for the +abbot does not loose his prey." + +"What!" cried the goldsmith, "has no gallant been tempted by your bright +eyes to buy your liberty, as I bought mine of the king?" + +"Truly, it would cost too much. Therefore those I pleased at first sight +went at they came." + +"And you never thought of fleeing to another country with a lover, on a +fleet courser?" + +"O, yes. But, my lord, if I were taken I should lose my life, and my +lover, if he were a lord, his land. I am not worth such sacrifice. Then +the arms of the abbey are longer than my feet are swift. Besides, I live +here, in obedience to Heaven that has placed me here." + +"And what does your father, maiden?" + +"He is a vine-dresser, in the gardens of the abbey." + +"And your mother?" + +"She is a laundress." + +"And what is your name?" + +"I have no name, my lord. My father was baptized Etienne, my dear mother +is la Etienne, and I am Tiennette, at your service." + +"Tiennette," said the goldsmith, "never has maiden pleased me as thou +dost. Hence, as I saw thee at the moment when I was firmly resolved to +take a helpmate, I think I see a special providence in our meeting, and +if I am not unpleasing in thine eyes, I pray thee to accept me a lover." + +The girl cast down her eyes. These words were uttered in such a sort, +with tone so grave and manner so penetrating, that Tiennette wept. + +"No, my lord," replied she, "I should bring you a thousand troubles and +an evil fortune. For a poor serf, it is enough that I have heard your +generous proffer." + +"Ah!" cried Claude, "you know not with whom you have to deal." He +crossed himself, clasped his hands, and said:--"I here vow to Saint +Eloi, under whose protection is my noble craft, to make two inches of +enamelled silver, adorned with the utmost labor I can bestow. One shall +be for the statue of my lady the virgin, and the other for my patron +saint, if I succeed, to the end that I may give thanks for the +emancipation of Tiennette, here present, and for whom I pray their high +assistance. Moreover, I vow, by my eternal salvation, to prosecute this +enterprise with courage, to expend therein all that I possess, and to +abandon it only with my life. Heaven hath heard me, and thou, fair one," +he added, turning to the girl. + +"Ah, my lord! My cow is running across the field," cried she weeping, at +the knees of the good man. "I will love you all my life--but recall your +vow." + +"Let us seek the cow," said the goldsmith, raising her, without daring +to imprint a kiss upon her lips. + +"Yes," said she, "for I shall be beaten." + +The goldsmith ran after the cow, which recked little of their loves. But +she was seized by the horns, and held in the grasp of Claude as in an +iron vice. For a trifle he would have hurled her into the air. + +"Farewell, dearest. If you go into the city, come to my house, near St. +Leu. I am called Master Anseau, and am the goldsmith of our seigneur, +the king of France, at the sign of St. Eloi. Promise me to be in this +field the next Sabbath, and I will not fail to come, though it were +raining halberts." + +"I will, my lord. And, in the meanwhile, my prayers shall ascend to +heaven for your welfare." + +There she remained standing, like a saint carved in stone, stirring not, +until she could no longer see the burgess, who retired with slow steps, +turning every now and then to look upon her. And even when he was long +lost to sight, she remained there until nightfall, lost in reverie, and +not certain whether what had happened was a dream or bright reality. It +was late when she returned home, where she was beaten for her +tardiness,--but she did not feel the blows. + +The good burgess, on his part, lost his appetite, closed his shop, and +wandered about, thinking only of the maiden of St. Germain, seeing her +image everywhere. On the morrow, he took his way towards the abbey, in +great apprehension, but still determined to speak to my lord abbot. But +as he bethought him that it would be most prudent to put himself under +the protection of some powerful courtier, he retraced his steps, and +sought out the royal chamberlain, whose favor he had gained by various +courtesies, and especially by the gift of a rare chain to the lady whom +he loved. The chamberlain readily promised his assistance, had his horse +saddled and a hackney made ready for the goldsmith, with whom he came +presently to the abbey, and demanded to see the abbot, who was then +Monseigneur Hugo de Senecterre, and was ninety-three years old. Being +come into the hall, with the goldsmith, who was trembling in expectation +of his doom, the chamberlain prayed the Abbot Hugo to grant him a favor +in advance, which could be easily done, and would do him pleasure. +Whereat, the wily abbot shook his head, and replied that it was +expressly forbidden by the canons to plight one's faith in this manner. + +"The matter is this, then, my dear father," said the chamberlain. "The +goldsmith of the court, here, has conceived a great love for a girl +belonging to the abbey, and I charge you, as you would have me grant the +favors you may seek hereafter, to liberate this girl." + +"Who is she?" asked the abbot of the burgess. + +"She is named Tiennette," replied the goldsmith, timidly. + +"Oh! ho!" said the good old Hugo, smiling. "Then the bait has brought us +a good fish. This in a grave case, and I cannot decide it alone." + +"I know, father, what these words are worth," said the chamberlain, +frowning. + +"Beau sire," replied the abbot, "do you know what the girl is worth?" + +The abbot sent for Tiennette, telling his clerk to dress her in her best +clothes, and make her as brave as possible. + +"Your love is in danger," said the chamberlain to the goldsmith, drawing +him one side. "Abandon this fancy; you will find everywhere, even at +court, young and pretty women who will willingly accept your hand, and +the king will help you to acquire an estate and title--you have gold +enough." + +The goldsmith shook his head. "I have made my choice, and embarked on my +adventure," said he. + +"Then you must purchase the manumission of this girl. I know the monks. +With them, money can accomplish everything." + +"My lord," said the goldsmith to the abbot, turning towards him, "you +have it in charge and trust to represent here on earth the bounty of +Providence, which is always kind to us, and has infinite treasures of +mercy for our miseries. Now I will enshrine you, for the rest of my +days, each night and morning in my prayers, if you will aid me to obtain +this girl in marriage. And I will fashion you a box to enclose the holy +Eucharist, so cunningly wrought, and so enriched with gold and precious +stones, and figures of winged angels, that another such shall never be +in Christendom,--it shall remain unique, shall rejoice your eyes, and so +glorify your altar that the people of the city, foreign lords--all, +shall hasten to see it, so wondrous shall it be." + +"My son," replied the abbot, "you have lost your senses. If you are +resolved to have this girl in wedlock, your property and person will +escheat to the chapter of the abbey." + +"Yes, my lord, I am devoted to this poor girl, and more touched by her +misery and truly Christian heart, than by her personal perfections. But +I am," said he, with tears in his eyes, "yet more astonished at your +hardness, and I say it, though I know my fate is in your hands. Yes, my +lord, I know the law. Thus, if my goods must fall into your possession, +if I become a serf, if I lose my home and my citizenship, I shall yet +keep the skill developed by my culture and my studies, and which lies +here," he added, touching his forehead, "in a place where God alone, +besides myself, is master. And your whole abbey cannot purchase the +creation of my brain. You will have my body and my wife, but nothing can +give you my genius, not even tortures, for I am stronger than iron is +hard, and more patient than suffering is great." + +Having said this, the goldsmith, enraged at the calmness of the abbot, +who seemed resolved to secure the good man's doubloons to the abbey, +dealt such a blow with his fist on an oaken chair, it flew in pieces as +if struck by a sledge-hammer. + +"See, my lord, what a serf you will have, and how of an artificer of +divine things you will make a draught-horse." + +"My son," replied the abbot, calmly, "you have wrongfully broken mine +oaken chair and lightly judged my heart. This girl belongs to the abbey, +and not to me. I am the faithful administrator of the rights and usages +of this glorious monastery. Although I may, indeed, liberate this girl +and her heirs, I owe an account to God and to the abbey. Now, since +there has been here an altar, serfs and monks, id est, from time +immemorial, never has there been an instance of a burgess becoming the +property of the abbey by marriage with a serf. Hence, need there is of +exercising this right, that it may not be lost, effete and obsolete, and +fall into desuetude, the which would occasion troubles manifold. And +this is of greater advantage for the state and for the abbey than your +boxes, however beautiful they may be, seeing that we have a fund which +will enable us to purchase jewels and bravery, and that no money can +establish customs and laws. I appeal to my lord, the king's chamberlain, +who is witness of the pains infinite our sovereign taketh each day to do +battle for the establishment of his ordinances." + +"This is to shut my mouth," said the chamberlain. + +The goldsmith, who was no great clerk, remained silent and pensive. +Hereupon came Tiennette, clad in glorious apparel, wearing a robe of +white wool, with her hair tastefully dressed, and, withal, so royally +beautiful, that the goldsmith was petrified with ecstasy, and the +chamberlain confessed that he had never seen so perfect a creature. +Then, thinking that there was too great danger to the goldsmith in this +spectacle, he carried him off to the city, and begged him to think no +more of the affair, since the abbey would never yield so beautiful a +prize. + +In fact, the chapter signified to the poor lover that, if he married +this girl, he must resolve to abandon his property and house to the +abbey, and to acknowledge himself a serf; and that then, by special +grace, the abbey would allow him to remain in his house, on condition of +his furnishing an inventory of his goods, of his paying a tribute every +year, and coming annually, for a fortnight, to lodge in a burg +appertaining to the domain, in order to make act of serfdom. The +goldsmith, to whom every one spoke of the obstinacy of the monks, saw +plainly that the abbey would adhere inflexibly to this sentence, and was +driven to the verge of despair. At one time he thought of setting fire +to the four corners of the monastery,--at another, he proposed to +inveigle the abbot into some place where he might torment him till he +signed the manumission papers of Tiennette,--in fine, he projected a +thousand schemes, which all evaporated into air. But, after many +lamentations, he thought he would carry off the girl to some secure +place, whence nothing could draw him, and made his preparations in +consequence, thinking that, once out of the kingdom, his friends or the +sovereign could manage the monks and bring them to reason. The good man +reckoned without his host, for, on going to the meadow, he missed +Tiennette, and learned that she was kept in the abbey so rigorously, +that, to gain possession of her, he would have to besiege the monastery. +Then master Anseau rent the air with complaints and lamentations, and, +throughout Paris, the citizens and housewives spoke of nothing but this +adventure, the noise of which was such, that the king, meeting the old +abbot at court, asked him why, in this juncture, he did not yield to the +great love of his goldsmith, and practise a little Christian charity. + +"Because, my lord," replied the priest, "all rights are linked together, +like the part of a suit of armor, and if one fail, the whole falls to +pieces. If this girl were taken from us, against our will, and the usage +were not observed, soon your subjects would deprive you of your crown, +and great seditions would arise in all parts, to the end of abolishing +the tithes and taxes which press so heavily upon the people." + +The king was silenced. Every one was anxious to learn the end of this +adventure. So great was the curiosity, that several lords wagered that +the goldsmith would abandon his suit, while the ladies took the opposite +side. The goldsmith having complained with tears to the queen that the +monks had deprived him of the sight of his beloved, she thought it +detestable and oppressive. Whereupon, pursuant to her command, the +goldsmith was allowed to go daily to the parlor of the abbey, where he +saw Tiennette; but always in the company of an aged monk, and attired in +true magnificence, like a lady. It was with great difficulty that he +persuaded her to accept the sacrifice he was compelled to make of his +liberty, but she finally consented. + +When the city was made acquainted with the submission of the goldsmith, +who, for the love of his lady, abandoned his fortune and his liberty, +every one was anxious to see him. The ladies of the court encumbered +themselves with jewels they did not need, to make a pretext for talking +with him. But if some of them approached Tiennette in beauty, none +possessed her heart. At last, at the approach of the hour of servitude +and love, Anseau melted all his gold into a royal crown, which he inlaid +with all his pearls and diamonds; then coming secretly to the queen, he +gave it into her hands, saying: + +"My lady, I know not in whose hands to trust my faith and fortune but +yours. To-morrow everything found in my house will become the property +of those accursed monks, who have no pity on me. Deign, then, to take +care of this. It is a poor return for the pleasure I enjoyed by your +means, of seeing her I love, since no treasure is worth one of her +glances. I know not what will become of me--but if, one day, my children +become free, I have a faith in your generosity as a woman and a queen." + +"Well said, good man," replied the queen. "The abbey may one day have +need of my assistance, and then I will remember this." + +There was an immense crowd in the abbey church at the espousals of +Tiennette, to whom the queen presented a wedding dress, and whom the +king authorized to wear earrings and jewels. When the handsome couple +came from the abbey to the lodgings of Anseau, who had become a serf, +near St. Leu, there were torches at the windows to sec them pass, and in +the street two lines of people, as at a royal progress. The poor husband +had wrought a silver bracelet, which he wore upon his left arm, in token +of his belonging to the abbey of St. Germain. Then, notwithstanding his +servitude, they cried, "Noel, Noel!" as to a new king. And the good man +saluted courteously, happy as a lover, and pleased with the homage each +one paid to the grace and modesty of Tiennette. Then the good goldsmith +found green branches, and a crown of bluettes on his doorposts, and the +principal persons of the quarter were all there, who, to do him honor, +saluted him with music, and cried out, "You will always be a noble man, +in spite of the abbey!" + +Tiennette was delighted with her handsome lodgings, and the crowd of +customers who came and went, delighted with her charms. The honey-moon +passed, there came one day, in great pomp, old abbot Hugo, their lord +and master, who entered the house, which belonged no more to the +goldsmith, but to the chapter, and, being there, said to the newly +married pair: + +"My children, you are free, and quit of all claims on the part of the +abbey. And I must tell you that, from the first, I was greatly moved +with the love which linked you to each other. Thus, the rights of the +abbey having been recognized, I determined to complete your joy, after +having proved your loyalty. And this manumission shall cost you +nothing." + +Having said this, he touched them lightly on the cheeks, and they +kneeled at his feet and wept for joy. The goldsmith apprised the people +who had collected in the street of the bounty and blessing of the good +abbot Hugo. Then, in great honor, Anseau held the bridle of his mare, as +far as the gate of Bussy. On the way, having taken a sack of money with +him, he threw the pieces to the poor and suffering, crying: + +"Largesse! largesse to God! God save and guard the abbey! Long live the +good Lord Hugo!" + +The abbot, of course, was severely reproached by his chapter, who had +opened their jaws to devour the rich booty. Thus, a year afterwards, the +good man Hugo falling sick, his prior told him that it was a punishment +of Heaven, because he had neglected their sacred interests. + +"If I judge this man aright," replied the abbot, "he will remember what +he owes us." + +In fact, this day happening to be the anniversary of the marriage, a +monk came to announce that the goldsmith begged his benefactor to +receive him. When he appeared in the hall where the abbot was, he +displayed two marvellous caskets, which, from that time, no workman has +surpassed in any place of the Christian world, and which were called +"the vow of perseverance in love." These two treasures are, as every one +knows, placed on the high altar of the church; and are judged to be of +inestimable workmanship, since the goldsmith had expended all he had on +them. + +Nevertheless, this gift, instead of emptying his treasury, filled it to +overflowing, because it so increased his fame and profits that he was +able to purchase broad lands and letters of nobility, and founded the +house of Anseau, which has since been in high honor in Touraine. + + + + +MISS HENDERSON'S THANKSGIVING DAY. + +BY HORATIO ALGER, JR. + + +THANKSGIVING day dawned clearly and frostily upon the little village of +Castleton Hollow. The stage, which connected daily with the nearest +railroad station--for as yet Castleton Hollow had not arrived at the +dignity of one of its own--came fully freighted both inside and out. +There were children and children's children, who, in the pursuit of +fortune, had strayed away from the homes where they first saw the light, +but who were now returning to revive around the old familiar hearth the +associations and recollections of their early days. + +Great were the preparations among the housewives of Castleton Hollow. +That must indeed be a poor household which, on this occasion, could not +boast its turkey and plum pudding, those well-established dishes, not to +mention its long rows of pies--apple, mince and pumpkin--wherewith the +Thanksgiving board is wont to be garnished. + +But it is not of the households generally that I propose to speak. Let +the reader accompany me in imagination to a rather prim-looking brick +mansion, situated on the principal street, but at some distance back, +being separated from it by a front yard. Between this yard and the +fence, ran a prim-looking hedge of very formal cut, being cropped in the +most careful manner, lest one twig should by chance have the presumption +to grow higher than its kindred. It was a two story house, containing in +each story one room on either side of the front door, making, of course, +four in all. + +If we go in, we shall find the outward primness well supported by the +appearance of things within. In the front parlor--we may peep through +the door, but it would be high treason in the present moistened state of +our boots, to step within its sacred precincts--there are six high +backed chairs standing in state, two at each window. One can easily see +from the general arrangement of the furniture, that from romping +children, unceremonious kittens, and unhallowed intruders generally, +this room is most sacredly guarded. + +Without speaking particularly of the other rooms, which, though not +furnished in so stately a manner, bear a family resemblance to "the best +room," we will usher the reader into the opposite room, where he will +find the owner and occupant of this prim-looking residence. + +Courteous reader, Miss Hetty Henderson. Miss Hetty Henderson, let me +make you acquainted with this lady (or gentleman), who is desirous of +knowing you better. + +Miss Hetty Henderson, with whom the reader has just passed through the +ceremony of introduction, is a maiden of some thirty-five summers, +attired in a sober-looking dress, of irreproachable neatness, but most +formal cut. She is the only occupant of the house, of which likewise she +is proprietor. Her father, who was the village physician, died some ten +years since, leaving to Hetty, or perhaps I should give her full name, +Henrietta, his only child, the house in which he lived, and some four +thousand dollars in bank stock, on the income of which she lived very +comfortably. + +Somehow, Miss Hetty had never married, though, such is the mercenary +nature of man, the rumor of her inheritance brought to her feet several +suitors. But Miss Hetty had resolved never to marry--at least, this was +her invariable answer to matrimonial offers, and so after a time it came +to be understood that she was fixed for life--an old maid. What reasons +impelled her to this course were not known, but possibly the reader will +be furnished with a clue before he finishes this narrative. + +Meanwhile, the invariable effect of a single and solitary life combined, +attended Hetty. She grow precise, prim and methodical to a painful +degree. It would have been quite a relish if one could have detected a +stray thread even upon her well swept carpet, but such was never the +case. + +On this particular day--this Thanksgiving day of which we are +speaking--Miss Hetty had completed her culinary preparations, that is, +she had stuffed her turkey, and put it in the oven, and kneaded her +pudding, for, though but one would be present at the dinner, and that +herself, her conscience would not have acquitted her, if she had not +made all the preparations to which she had been accustomed on such +occasions. + +This done, she sat down to her knitting, casting a glance every now and +then at the oven to make sure that all was going on well. It was a quiet +morning, and Miss Hetty began to think to the clicking of her knitting +needles. + +"After all," thought she, "it's rather solitary taking dinner alone, and +that on Thanksgiving day. I remember a long time ago, when my father was +living, and my brothers and sisters, what a merry time we used to have +round eth table. But they are all dead, and I--I alone am left!" + +Miss Hetty sighed, but after a while the recollections of those old +times returned. She tried to shake them off, but they had a fascination +about them after all, and would not go at her bidding. + +"There used to be another there," thought she, "Nick Anderson. He, too, +I fear, is dead." + +Hetty heaved a thoughtful sigh, and a faint color came into her cheeks. +She had reason. This Nicholas Anderson had been a medical student, +apprenticed to her father, or rather placed with him to be prepared for +his profession. He was, perhaps, a year older than Hetty, and had +regarded her with more than ordinary warmth of affection. He had, in +fact, proposed to her, and had been conditionally accepted, on a year's +probation. The trouble was, he was a little disposed to be wild, and +being naturally of a lively and careless temperament, did not exercise +sufficient discrimination in the choice of his associates. Hetty had +loved him as warmly as one of her nature could love. She was not one who +would be drawn away beyond the dictates of reason and judgment by the +force of affection. Still it was not without a feeling of deep +sorrow--deeper than her calm manner led him to suspect--that at the end +of the year's probation, she informed Anderson that the result of his +trial was not favorable to his suit, and that henceforth he must give +up all thoughts of her. + +To his vehement asseverations, promises and protestations, she returned +the same steady and inflexible answer, and, at the close of the +interview, he left her, quite as full of indignation against her as of +grief for his rejection. + +That night his clothing was packed up, and lowered from the window, and +when the next morning dawned it was found that he had left the house, +and as was intimated in a slight note pencilled and left on the table in +his room, never to return again. + +While Miss Henderson's mind was far back in the past, she had not +observed the approach of a man, shabbily attired, accompanied by a +little girl, apparently some eight years of age. The man's face bore the +impress of many cares and hardships. The little girl was of delicate +appearance, and an occasional shiver showed that her garments were too +thin to protect her sufficiently from the inclemency of the weather. + +"This is the place, Henrietta," said the traveller at length, pausing at +the head of the gravelled walk which led up to the front door of the +prim-looking brick house. + +Together they entered, and a moment afterwards, just as Miss Hetty was +preparing to lay the cloth for dinner, a knock sounded through the +house. + +"Goodness!" said Miss Hetty, fluttered, "who can it be that wants to see +me at this hour?" + +Smoothing down her apron, and giving a look at the glass to make sure +that her hair was in order, she hastened to the door. + +"Will it be asking too much, madam, to request a seat by your fire for +myself and little girl for a few moments? It is very cold." + +Miss Hetty could feel that it was cold. Somehow, too, the appealing +expression of the little girl's face touched her, so she threw the door +wide open, and bade them enter. + +Miss Hetty went on preparing the table for dinner. A most delightful +odor issued from the oven, one door of which was open, lest the turkey +should overdo. Miss Hetty could not help observing the wistful glance +cast by that little girl towards the tempting dish as she placed it on +the table. + +"Poor little creature," thought she, "I suppose it is a long time since +she has had a good dinner." + +Then the thought struck her: "Here I am alone to eat all this. There is +plenty enough for half a dozen. How much these poor people would relish +it." + +By this time the table was arranged. + +"Sir," said she, turning to the traveller, "you look as if you were +hungry as well as cold. If you and your little daughter would like to +sit up, I should be happy to have you." + +"Thank you, madam," was the grateful reply. "We are hungry, and shall be +much indebted to your kindness." + +It was rather a novel situation for Miss Hetty, sitting at the head of +the table, dispensing food to others beside herself. There was something +rather agreeable about it. + +"Will you have some of the dressing, little girl--I have to call you +that, for I don't know your name," she added, in an inquiring tone. + +"Her name is Henrietta, but I generally call her Hetty," said the +traveller. + +"What!" said Miss Hetty, dropping the spoon in surprise. + +"She was named after a very dear friend of mine," said he, sighing. + +"May I ask," said Miss Hetty, with excusable curiosity, "what was the +name of this friend. I begin to feel quite an interest in your little +girl," she added, half apologetically. + +"Her name was Henrietta Henderson," said the stranger. + +"Why, that is my name," ejaculated Miss Hetty. + +"And she was named after you," said the stranger, composedly. + +"Why, who in the world are you?" she asked, her heart beginning to beat +unwontedly fast. + +"Then you don't remember me?" said he, rising, and looking steadily at +Miss Hetty. "Yet you knew me well in bygone days--none better. At one +time it was thought you would have joined your destiny to mine--" + +"Nick Anderson!" said Miss Hetty, rising in confusion. + +"You are right. You rejected me, because you did not feel secure of my +principles. The next day, in despair at your refusal, I left the house, +and, ere forty-eight hours had passed, was on my way to India. I had not +formed the design of going to India in particular, but in my then state +of mind I cared not whither I went. One resolution I formed, that I +would prove by my conduct that your apprehensions were ill-founded. I +got into a profitable business. In time I married--not that I had +forgotten you, but that I was solitary and needed companionship. I had +ceased to hope for yours. By-and-by a daughter was born. True to my old +love, I named her Hetty, and pleased myself with the thought that she +bore some resemblance to you. Since then, my wife has died, misfortunes +have come upon me, and I found myself deprived of all my property. Then +came yearnings for my native soil. I have returned, as you see, not as I +departed, but poor and careworn." + +While Nicholas was speaking, Miss Hetty's mind was filled with +conflicting emotions. At length, extending her hand frankly, she said: + +"I feel that I was too hasty, Nicholas. I should have tried you longer. +But at least I may repair my injustice. I have enough for us all. You +shall come and live with me." + +"I can only accept your generous offer on one condition," said Nicholas. + +"And what is that?" + +"That you will be my wife!" + +A vivid blush came over Miss Hetty's countenance. She couldn't think of +such a thing, she said. Nevertheless, an hour afterwards the two united +lovers had fixed upon the marriage day. + +The house does not look so prim as it used to do. The yard is redolent +with many fragrant flowers; the front door is half open, revealing a +little girl playing with a kitten. + +"Hetty," says a matronly lady, "you have got the ball of yarn all over +the floor. What would your father say if he should see it?" + +"Never mind, mother, it was only kitty that did it." + +Marriage has filled up a void in the heart of Miss Hetty. Though not so +prim, or perhaps careful, as she used to be, she is a good deal happier. +Three hearts are filled with thankfulness at every return of MISS +HENDERSON'S THANKSGIVING DAY. + + + + +THE FIREMAN. + +BY MISS M. C. MONTAIGNE. + + +IN one of the old-fashioned mansions which stand, or stood, on Broadway, +lived Alderman Edgerton. Nothing could have induced Miss May Edgerton to +reside six months in the old brick house had it not been inhabited by +her grandmother before her, and been built by her great-grandfather. As +it was, she had a real affection for the antiquated place, with its +curiously-carved door-knocker, its oaken staircase, and broad chimneys +with their heavy franklins. She was a sweet, wild, restless little +butterfly, with beauty enough to make her the heroine of the most +extravagant romance, and good as she was beautiful. + +Little May had never known a sorrow, and in fact existence had but one +bugbear for her--that was, the fates in the shape of her parents, had +decreed that she should not marry, nor engage herself positively, until +she had met a certain young gentleman, upon whom like commands had been +imposed by his equally solicitous parents. The name, it must be +confessed, impressed May favorably--Walter Cunningham; there was +something manly about it, and she spent more time than she would like to +acknowledge, in speculations regarding its owner, for to May, +notwithstanding what Will Shakspeare has said to the contrary, there was +a very great deal in a name. By some chance she had never met him. She +had passed most of her life, for what crimes she could not tell, in a +sort of prison, ycleped a fashionable boarding-school, and the greater +part of the vacations had been spent with a rich maiden aunt and an old +bachelor uncle in the city of Brotherly Love. A few days previous to her +liberation from this "durance vile," Walter Cunningham had set out for +Paris, where he was to remain as long as suited his convenience. + +May had just returned home, and having learned this little piece of +news, which she very properly deemed not at all complimentary to +herself, was in as vexable a mood as her amiability ever allowed. Her +cousin Hal suddenly entered the room in a rather boisterous manner, with +the exclamation: + +"Hurrah! May, I am going to be a fireman!" + +"So I should suspect," returned May, a little pettishly. + +"Suspect?" said Hal, sobering down in a moment. + +May laughed. + +"Why will you join such a set of rowdies, Hal? I should think it quite +beneath me!" + +"Rowdies! Those loafers who hang about the companies, attracted by the +excitement and the noise, do not belong to the department." + +"You know the old adage, Hal,--'People are known by the company they +keep,' that is, 'birds of a feather flock together.'" + +"Why, May, this is too bad! They are the noblest fellows in the world." + +"Noble! I have lived too long in Philadelphia not to know something +about firemen. They used to frighten me almost out of my senses. Once we +thought they would set fire to the whole city, murder the people and +drink their blood! O, such a savage set you never saw!" + +Hal laughed outright. + +"Shoot the men, strangle the women, and swallow the children alive!" he +echoed, mockingly. + +"It is no subject for jesting, Mr. Hal Delancey. Philadelphia is not the +only place. Take up the papers any morning, and what will you find under +the Williamsburgh head? Accounts of riots, street-battles, and +plunderings, in all of which the firemen have had a conspicuous part, +and New York is not much better." + +"Well, May, you do make out the firemen to be a miserable set, most +assuredly. Now, if I had not already committed myself," continued Hal, +jestingly, "almost you would persuade me to denounce this gang of +rowdies, murderers and robbers; but the Rubicon is passed!" + +"I do detest a fireman above all men!" ejaculated May, emphatically, as +Hal left the house to go down town and procure his equipment. Little did +either of them dream what was to be the scene of his first fire. + +May's too sound slumbers were disturbed about twelve o'clock that night +by a confused rush of sounds, cries, shrieks, crackling beams and +falling timbers. She wrapped her dressing-gown around her, and rushed to +the door. Unclasping the bolts, she threw it open, but hastily closed it +again, for smoke and flame rushed in, almost suffocating her. + +"O, God, save me!" she murmured, huskily, flying to the window, only to +gaze upon a scene which sent dismay to her heart. Clouds of flame and +smoke enveloped everything. For a moment the bursting mass of fire was +stayed by a huge stream of water, and she caught a glimpse of the crowd +below. + +There were men, boys, engines, ladders, furniture, all heaped together +in confusion; but the smoke and flame rolled forth with renewed anger +after their momentary check, and all was blank again. She cried for +help, but her voice was lost in the universal din. The heat became +intense, the flame knocked at her very door to demand admittance; she +heard its fiery tongue flap against the panels, a few moments more and +its scorching arms would clasp her in their embrace of death. She knelt +one moment, her soul was in that prayer; she rushed again with almost +hopeless agony to the window. O, joy! and yet how terrible! That moment +when the flame relaxed to gain new energy, a fireman had discovered her +frail form in the glare of the light. He did not hesitate an instant; +his soul was made of such stern stuff as common minds cannot appreciate. +He raised the first ladder within his reach against the wall--a +miserable thing, already half-burned,--and springing on it, ascended +amid the flames. + +He had scarcely reached the top of the third story, when he felt it bend +beneath him; he heard the shriek above, the cries below, and turning, +sprang to the ground unharmed, as his treacherous support fell crackling +in the blaze. A shout of joy arose at his wonderful escape, and now they +poured a constant, steady stream beneath the window at which May's face +was discovered by all. A moment, and another ladder, much stouter than +the first, was raised. The undismayed fireman ran up its trembling +rounds, amid the stifling smoke, the eager flames wrapping themselves +around him as he passed; a moment more, and he had reached the terrified +May, caught her hand and lifted her to his side. She gazed a second on +his speaking face--there was a world of meaning in it; she asked no +question--he uttered not a word, but by his eye and hand guided her down +that fiery, dizzy path, so full of danger and of death. A fresh burst of +flame defied the stream of water; it flashed around them while all below +was as silent as the grave, naught heard but the hissing of the blaze +and the crackling of the timbers. May would have fallen, shrinking from +the embrace of the relentless flame; but the fireman caught her in his +arms and leaped to the ground just as the second ladder fell. O, then +there were cries of wild delight, and with renewed vigor the dauntless +men worked against the fire. May's friends came crowding around her; her +father clasped her in his trembling arms, with a whispered "O, May! May! +you are safe!--the old house may burn now!" and the mother shied such +tears as only thankful mothers weep. + +But the noble fireman was gone; in vain Hal endeavored to gain some +particulars concerning him, from the members of the company to which he +belonged. They told him that not a single black ball had been cost +against him, although he was a stranger to them all, save the foreman +for he carried his claim to confidence in his honest face. He always +pays his dues, never shrank from duty, was kind and gentlemanly--what +more could they desire. The foreman himself was obstinately silent +concerning the history of his friend, muttering his name in such an +undertone that Hal could not understand it. On the morrow, all New York +was echoing with his praises. So brave, so rashly brave a thing had not +been done in years, though every week the noble firemen hazarded their +lives for the safety of the city. + +Hal met May with a pale, a haggard face. He had thought her safe until +he saw the stranger fireman on the ladder and learned his errand. He +loved his cousin, and had suffered almost the agonies of death. May +burst into tears. + +"O, Hal, what do I not owe to a fireman!" + +Hal then recalled for the first time her words of the previous day. + +"Do you despise the firemen now, May?" + +"Despise them? God forbid! How devoted!--how self sacrificing!--how +humane!--how noble to risk one's life for an entire stranger! O, Harry, +I wish we could learn his name, that we might at least thank him. I +shall never forget the first moment when he grasped my hand; it was the +first that I had hoped to live. It seemed to me there was something of a +divinity in his eyes as I met their gaze, and I did not fear to descend +into the very flames. But I know now what it was--the noble, +self-forgetting, heaven-trusting soul shining through those eyes, which +spoke to mine and bade me fear not, but trust in God." + +Hal was silent for a moment; then he said, slowly and sorrowfully: + +"Every fireman could not have acted thus. O, May, will you forgive me? I +felt that I could not. He impressed me with a kind of awe when after the +first ladder had fallen he raised a second, as determined as before. He +would have died rather than have given you up!" + +It was a long while before the thought of Walter Cunningham crossed the +mind of May Edgerton, and then she dwelt upon it but for a moment. A +fireman had become an object of intense interest to her. Blue coats, +brass buttons and epaulets sank into shameful insignificance beside the +negligent costume of a fireman, and let Hal call, "Here, May, comes a +glazed cap and a red shirt!" and she was at the window in an instant. +One day Hal returned home with a face glowing with excitement. + +"I have seen him, uncle! May, I have seen the stranger fireman!" + +"Where? where?" was the quick response. + +"There was a tremendous fire down town to-day, burning through from +street to street. --'s book establishment, which has so long +enlightened all the country, now illumined a good part of the city in +quite another manner. The paper flew in every direction. All New York +was there, and the stranger among the rest. Every one saw him, the +firemen recognized him, and he worked like a brave fellow. There was +more than one noble deed done to-day, for many a life was in peril." +Hal's eyes glistened now, for he had saved a life himself. "The poor +girls who stitched the books had to be taken down by ladders from the +upper stories; no one can tell how many were rescued by our hero! The +flames leaped from story to story, resistless, swallowing up everything; +the giant work of years, the productions of great minds, all fading, as +man must himself, into ashes, ashes!" + +"But, Hal, our fireman--did you not follow him?" + +"Indeed I did!--up through Fulton into Broadway; up, up, up, until he +hurried down Waverley Street, I after him, and suddenly disappeared +among the old gray walls of the university. I went in, walked all +through the halls, made a dozen inquiries, but in vain. I reckon he is a +will-o'the-wisp." + +Scarce a week, had flown by before another terrific fire excited all the +city. People began to think that every important building on the island +was destined to the flames. The hall where Jenny Lind had sung, where +little Jullien with his magic bow had won laurels, and the larger +Jullien enchanted the multitude; the hall which had echoed to the voice +of Daniel Webster, which was redolent with memories of greatness, +goodness and delight, was wrapped in the devouring element. Hal Delancey +was quickly on the ground, but the strange fireman already had the pipe +of his company. He walked amid the flames with a fearless, yet far from +defiant air, reminding Hal only of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the +fiery furnace. He was everywhere, where work was to be done, gliding +over sinking beams, the example for all, giving prompt orders, as +promptly obeyed, every fireman rallying around him with hearty good +will, all jealousy cast aside, their watchword "Duty." + +Towards morning, when the danger to other buildings was past, Harry +closely watched the stranger, who seemed to mark him too, and with two +members of his company determined to follow him and find out who he was, +not only that his cousin and her father might have the poor felicity of +thanking him, but because he was himself entranced by the manner of the +man, and like May, saw something mysteriously beautiful shining through +his eyes. The three--a young lawyer, a Wall Street merchant, and +Hal--now tracked the fireman's steps with a "zeal worthy of a better +cause." Hal did not think he was showing any very good manners in thus +pursuing a person who quite evidently did not wish to be known; still he +had once accosted the stranger in a gentlemanly manner, and received no +satisfactory reply, so now he had decided, cost what it might, to make +what discoveries he was able to, with or without leave. + +This time it was down, down Broadway, through Fulton to Peck Slip. The +stranger's light, almost boyish form moved swiftly, but evenly onward, +while behind him fell the measured tread of Hal and his companions. +Arrived at the pier, instead of crossing over by the ferry, the stranger +unloosed a small boat, and springing into it, seized the oars, turning +back a half scornful, half merry glance at his pursuers. Hal was not to +be outwitted thus. He quickly procured a boat, and the three soon +overtook the stranger. They rowed silently along, not a word spoken from +either boat, the oars falling musically upon the waves, darkness still +brooding over the waters. The stranger made no attempt to land, but held +on his course up the East River until they approached Hurl Gate. + +"I do believe we are following the devil!" exclaimed the lawyer, +suddenly, recalling some of his questionable deeds, as he heard the roar +of the whirlpools, and saw the foam glistening in the dim light. + +"He never came in such a shape as that!" laughed Hal, whose admiration +of the stranger momentarily increased as he watched his skilful +pilotage. + +"Indeed, Delancey, I am not at all ready to make an intimate +acquaintance with the 'Pot,' or 'Frying Pan,'" again exclaimed the +lawyer fireman. + +Still, Hal insisted upon following, in hopes the stranger would tack +about. + +"You have no fears?" said Hal, to his brother fireman, the merchant. + +"Why no," he returned, calculatingly; "that is, if the risk is not too +great." + +Now the waters became wilder, lashing against the rocks, leaping and +foaming; it was a dangerous thing to venture much farther, they must +turn back now or not at all; a few strokes more and they must keep on +steadily through the gate--one false movement would be their +destruction. The stranger's bark gradually distanced them--they saw it +enter among the whirling eddies--he missed the sound of their measured +strokes, glanced back, lost the balance of his oars, his boat upset, and +Hal saw neither no more. There, on that moonless, starless night, when +the darkness was blackest, just before the dawn, the brave fireman had +gone down in that whistling, groaning, shrieking, moaning, Tartarean +whirlpool! Mute horror stood on every face. Hal's grasp slackened; the +lawyer quickly seized the oars, and turned the boat's prow towards the +city. + +"Do you not think we could save him?" gasped Hal, his face like the face +of the dead. + +"Save him!" ejaculated the lawyer; "that's worse than mad! Malafert +alone can raise his bones along with 'Pot Rock.'" + +Hal groaned aloud. Perhaps the stranger had no intention of going up the +river, until driven by them. It was a miserable thought, and hung with a +leaden weight upon Hal's spirit. He remained at home all the next day, +worn out and dejected. May rallied him. + +"How I pity you, poor firemen! You get up at all times of the night, +work like soldiers on a campaign, and sometimes do not even get a 'thank +you' for your pay. You know I told you never to be a fireman!" + +"I wish I had followed your advice," answered Hal, with something very +like a groan. + +May started. She noticed how very pale he was, and bade him lie down on +the sofa. She brought a cushion, and sat down by his side. + +"Now, Hal, you must tell me what troubles you. Has any one been +slandering the firemen? I will not permit that now, since I have so kind +a cousin in their ranks," said May, with a wicked little smile. + +In vain she racked her brain for something to amuse him; Hal would not +be amused. She bade him come to the window and watch the fountain in +Union Park, but he strolled back immediately to the luxurious sofa, and +buried his face in his hands. At last he could endure his horrid secret +no longer; it scorched his brain and withered his very heart. + +"May, you have not asked me if I saw the mysterious fireman last night?" + +May could not trust her voice to reply. + +"He was at the fire." + +"Was he?" + +"I tell you he was," returned Hal, pettishly. "When I say he was, I do +not mean that he was not. I followed him after the fire." + +"Did you?" + +"Good heavens, you will drive me mad!" Hal sprang to his feet. "I +followed him I say--ay, to the death!" + +Then ensued a rapid recital of all that had passed, Hal was excited +beyond endurance, every nerve was stretched to its utmost, and the +purple veins stood out boldly on his white forehead. He did not wait for +May to say a word, but abruptly ended his narrative with: + +"Was not this a pretty way to reward him for saving the life of my +cousin--my sister. O, God, must the roar of that terrible whirlpool ring +in my ears forever?" He gazed a moment on May's countenance of +speechless sorrow, and rushed from the room. + +For a long time Hal and May scarcely spoke to each other. He felt as +though he had wronged her, and was always restless in her society. He +would not bear to receive the thousand cousinly attentions which May had +always lavished on him, and which she now performed mechanically; he +hated to see the suppers by the corner of the grate, and after a few +evenings would not notice them; but above all he could not endure that +very, very sad expression in May's eyes--for worlds he would have wished +not to be able to translate it. The time for his wedding was fast +drawing nigh, and he knew he should be miserable if May did not smile +upon his bridal. + +Weeks passed, and Delancey did not go to a fire; he paid his fines and +remained at home. But he could not sleep while the bells were +ringing--somehow they reminded him of that still night at Hurl Gate. By +degrees the coldness wore off between May and himself, and she consented +to be Emily's, his Emily's bridesmaid. + +One night, however, the bell had a solemn summons in it, which Hal could +not resist. It tolled as though for a funeral, and spoke to his very +heart. He threw on his fire-clothes and hastened down town. Delancey +soon reached the scene of destruction. The flames were carousing in all +their mad mirth, as though they were to be the cause of no sorrow, no +pain, no death. Hal's courage was soon excited; he leaped upon the +burning rafters, rescuing goods from destruction, telling where a stream +was needed; but suddenly he became paralyzed--he heard a voice which had +often rung in his ear amid like scenes, a greater genius than his own +was at work. He learned that he was innocent, even indirectly, of the +stranger's death. Joy thrilled through every vein, he could have faced +any peril, however great. Regardless of the angry blaze, he made his way +through fire and smoke to the stranger's side. The fireman paused in his +labor a moment, grasped Hal's hand, and with a smile, in which mingled a +dash of triumph, said: + +"You see I am safe." + +"Do you forgive my rudeness?" asked Hal. + +"Entirely!" was the ready response, and they went to work again. + +In a few minutes Hal was separated from his friend--for he felt that he +was his friend, and could have worked at his side until his last +strength was expended. Retiring from the burning building to gather new +vigor for the conflict, a sight glared before his eyes as he gazed +backward for a moment, which froze his blood and made him groan with +horror. The rear wall of the building, at a moment when no one expected +it, with a crash, an eloquent yell of terror, fell, How many brave men +were buried beneath the ruins, none could say. Hal saw the stranger +falling with the timbers and the mass of brick he strained his gaze to +mark where he should rest, but lost sight of him beneath the piled-up +beams and stones. + +"A brave heart has perished!" cried Hal, thinking of but one of the many +who had fallen sacrifices to their noble heroism. All night long the +saddened, horrified firemen worked in subduing the flames and +extricating the bruised bodies of the victims. Some still breathed, +others were but slightly injured, but many more were drawn forth whose +lips were still in death, their brave arms nerveless, and their hearts +pulseless forever. O, it was a night of agony, of terror and dismay! The +fireman's risk of life is not poetry, nor a romance of zeal, or picture +wrought by the imagination. It is an earnest, solemn, terrible thing, as +they could witness who stood around those blackened corses on that +midnight of woe. + +Hal searched with undiminished care for the noble stranger, until his +worn energies required repose. In vain did he gaze upon the recovered +bodies to find that of the fireman it was not there, Towards morning +they found his cap; they knew it by the strange device--the anchor and +the cross emblazoned on its front, above the number of his company. + +"A fitting death for him to die!" said clergymen, as they recalled his +bravery, the majesty of his mien, the benevolence of every action. + +The news of the disaster spread through the city with the speed of +lightning. Friends hastened to the spot, and O, what joy for some to +find the loved one safe!--what worse than agony for others to gaze upon +the features of their search all locked in ghastly death! With +conflicting emotions, Delancey told May Edgerton of his last meeting +with the strange fireman. A gush of thankfulness shot through her heart +that he had not perished that dark night in Hurl Gate, that he had met +an honorable doom. Hal preserved his cap as an incentive to goodness and +greatness, and longed to be worthy to place on his own the mysterious +device of the stranger. + +The funeral obsequies of the deceased firemen were celebrated by all the +pomp esteem could propose, or grief bestow. Mary Edgerton stood by the +window as the long ranks of firemen filed round the park, all wearing +the badge of mourning, the trumpets wreathed in crape, the banners +lowered, the muffled drums beating the sad march to the grave. All the +flags of the city were at half-mast, the fire bells tolled mournfully, +and when, wearied with their sorrowful duty, their cadences for a while +died away in gloomy silence, the bells of Trinity took up the wail in +chiming the requiem to the dead. Everywhere reigned breathless silence, +broken only by these sounds of woe. + +As May gazed on the slow procession, her eye was attracted by the emblem +on a fireman's cap--it was the same--an anchor and a cross! That form, +it could be no other, the face was turned towards her, it was the +stranger fireman! His very step bespoke the man, as with folded arms and +solemn tread he followed in the funeral cortege. + +That evening Hal Delancey returned home, his countenance beaming with +joy, in strange contrast with the gloom of the day. "May, he is safe +again!" was his first exclamation, "He is a perfect Neptune, Vulcan, +master of fire and flood. Neither the surging eddies of Hurl Gate, nor +ghastly flames and crashing beams have been able to overcome him. How he +escaped he scarcely knows, and yet he does not bear a scar. So skilful, +so agile, so brave, so dominant over all dangers, we easily might fancy +him one of the old heathen deities!" + +The next day there was to be some public literary exercise at the +university, to which the alderman's family had been invited. May +remembered Hal's once saying that he saw the fireman disappear somewhere +around that venerable building, so an early hour found her seated at her +father's side in the solemn-looking chapel, watching the arrival of the +spectators, but more particularly the entrance of the students. The +exercises commenced, still May had discovered no face resembling the +fireman of her dreams. Several essays were pronounced with ease and +grace, and the alderman took a fitting occasion to make a complimentary +remark to one of the officers of the institution who was seated near +him. "Exactly, exactly," echoed the professor, "but wait until young +Sherwood speaks!" + +Marion Sherwood was called, and there arose from among the heavy folds +of the curtain that had almost entirely concealed him, a student who +advanced with the dignity of a Jupiter and the grace of an Apollo. Duty +was his theme. The words flowed in a resistless torrent from his lips. +Every thought breathed beauty and sublimity, every gesture was the +"poetry of motion." More than once did the entranced May Edgerton catch +the dark eyes of the orator fixed with an almost scrutinizing gaze upon +her face. The walls rang with applause as he resumed his seat; bouquets +were showered at his feet by beauty's hand, the excited students called +out "Sherwood, Sherwood!" he had surpassed himself. May scarcely heard a +word that followed. She was delighted to find that she had not deceived +herself, that in intellectual strength he equalled the promise of his +daring. + +At the close of the exercises Marion Sherwood would have hastened away, +but the chancellor detained him. "Alderman Edgerton desires an +introduction to you, sir," deliberately remarked the chancellor. Marion +bowed. The alderman, after the first greeting, caught his hand. "I +cannot be deceived, sir; you are the gallant youth who so nobly rescued +my daughter from a terrible death." Again Marion bowed, hesitatingly, +striving to withdraw his hand from the alderman's grasp. "Will you not +permit me at least to thank you?" said Mr. Edgerton, in a wounded tone. +Young Sherwood had not the slightest intention of offending him, and +wished to hasten away only to escape observation. Now, however, with his +usual generosity, he forgot his own inclinations, and permitted himself +to be overwhelmed with expressions of heartfelt gratitude. He suddenly +checked the alderman's torrent of eloquence by requesting an +introduction to his daughter, who stood in the shadow of a pillar +awaiting her father. May Edgerton's one little sentence of earnest +thanks, speaking through every feature, was more grateful to the young +student than all her father's words. One mutual glance made them friends +in more than name. Now many an evening found Marion Sherwood whiling +away a student's idle hours in the luxuriant drawing-room of Mr. +Edgerton. May and he together read their favorite poets and the old +classic writers, his daring mind stored with philosophy, guiding her +wild imagination, her gentle goodness beguiling his holder thoughts into +the paths of virtue. O, it was blissful thus to mingle their day-dreams, +encircling themselves in rainbows of hope and stars lit by each other's +eyes, all breathing upon them beauty and blessings. May had already +wreathed the unknown fireman in all the attributes of virtue and of +manliness; happy was she to find them realized in Marion. And he, when +sitting in the shadows of the old marble pile, gazing up at the +brilliant sky, had pictured a being beautiful and good, whose soul could +comprehend the yearnings of his own, and this he found in May. Thus +their two souls grew together, until their thoughts, their hopes, their +very lives seemed one. + +When Marion Sherwood requested of Mr. Edgerton the hand of his daughter, +and learned that she was not free, at least until she had met a certain +gentleman who was every day expected, his soul recoiled with a sudden +sting; he had so leaned upon this staff of happiness, and now it bent +like a fragile reed. May laughed in scorn that she should prefer any one +to Marion, but he learned that the stranger was talented, handsome, +wealthy, everything that a lady would desire in her favored suitor. If +he did not release her, she was not free, and could he be adamant to the +captivating charms of guileless, spiritual, beautiful May! + +Scarcely had a day passed after Marion--whom May and her father knew +only as one of Nature's noblemen--had learned this wretched news which +sank into his heart like a poisoned dagger, when the vessel arrived +which bore Walter Cunningham, his mother and step-father from France. A +few miserable days passed--miserable they were to May and Marion, and +the evening was appointed when Cunningham and his parents should call at +the alderman's and May's fate, in part, at least, be decided. Marion +also was to be there. He arrived early, unknowing even the name of his +rival. He concealed himself among the flowers in the conservatory, +pacing up and down the fragrant, embowered walks with hasty step and +anxious heart. How fondly memory roved back over the jewelled past, +glistening with departed joys; how fearfully imagination strove to +penetrate the gloomy future; how tremblingly did he await the bursting +storm of the blackened present. + +The guests had arrived, and Marion was summoned to the drawing-room. +With jealous care he had dressed himself in a fireman's costume made of +rich materials, which wonderfully became him, that it might remind May +what he had dared for her, and what had rendered them so dear unto each +other. He stood with folded arms, his eyes fixed upon May Edgerton, +scarcely daring to glance at the stranger. Suddenly he lifted his eves +to the pale face of his rival, which was bowed towards the floor. + +"Walter!" he cried. + +"Marion!" was the startled response. + +"Choose, May! choose between us!" exclaimed Marion, with glistening eyes +and extended hand. + +"With your leave, Mr. Cunningham," she said joyfully, speaking to +Walter, but placing her hand in that of Sherwood. + +"Man proposes, God disposes." A weight was lifted from Cunningham's +heart. While abroad, negligent of his promise to his parents, he had +woed and won a lovely girl to whom he had been privately married a few +weeks before setting sail for home, with the promise of a speedy return. +So desirous did he find his parents that May Edgerton should be his +wife, that he did not dare confess his recreancy, but relied upon the +hope that May's affections were already engaged, and thus she would save +him in part from the anger of his parents. Why did not Mr. and Mrs. +Sherwood frown and scold at May's poor taste! Why! Because they loved +their son Marion quite as well his half-brother, Walter Cunningham, and +were easily reconciled to the change of suitors, especially when they +learned Walter had already secured a most estimable wife. + +Marion had heard that his brother was engaged conditionally to some +"proud, beauty heiress" of New York, and was not at all displeased to +have him renounce all claim to his promised bride, when he found to his +astonishment that it was his own May Edgerton, whom Cunningham confessed +it would have been no difficult thing to love. + +"Only to think of May Edgerton marrying a fireman!" exclaimed Hal +Delancey, in great glee, as the wedding, which passed off as all +weddings should, without a cloud upon heart, face, or sky. + +May blushed and whispered to Marion that if ever there was a benevolent, +noble, trustworthy man upon the earth, it was a true-hearted fireman. + +If my recital has enlarged one contracted soul, has persuaded one mind +to throw aside false prejudices, has taught one child of luxury to look +with sympathetic admiration on those who devote themselves so nobly to +the public good, has encouraged one bold heart to labor with more +exalted zeal in the cause of humanity, this "ower true tale" has not +been written in vain. + + + + +THE END + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Sea-Witch, by Maturin Murray + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SEA-WITCH *** + +***** This file should be named 4675.txt or 4675.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/4/6/7/4675/ + +Produced by Charles Aldarondo. HTML version by Al Haines. + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |