ON THE VISCOUNTS TRACK.
Vengeance to God alone belongs;
But when I think of all my wrongs
My blood is liquid flame!
--_Marmion._
While Ishmael and Judge Merlin still conversed the carriage was
announced. A message was dispatched to Mr. Brudenell; but the
messenger returned with the news that the gentleman had gone out.
Therefore Ishmael and the judge, taking Katie with them, entered the
carriage and gave the order to be driven to the American consul's
office.
The way was long, the carriage slow, and the judge boiling over with
rage and impatience.
It was well for Judge Merlin that he had Ishmael Worth beside him to
restrain his passion and guide his actions.
During the ride the young lawyer said:
"In conducting this affair, Judge Merlin, Lady Vincent's welfare
must be our very first consideration."
"Oh, yes, yes!"
"To do her any good we must act with promptitude."
"Of course."
"But to act with promptitude, great sacrifices must be made."
"What sacrifices?"
"In the first place, you must lay aside your desire for vengeance
upon the villainous kidnapers who brought your old servants here and
sold them."
"Ah, but, Ishmael, I cannot bear to let them go unpunished."
"Believe me, no crime ever goes unpunished. These men, sooner or
later, will be brought to justice. But if you attempt to prosecute
them, you will be detained here for days, weeks, and perhaps even
months. For, once having laid so grave a charge against any man, or
set of men, you would be compelled to remain as a prosecuting
witness against them. And the delay would be almost fatal to Lady
Vincent, suffering as she must be the most extreme agony of
suspense."
"I see! I see! Poor Claudia! she must be my only thought! I must
leave the smuggler to the justice of Heaven. But it is a sacrifice,
Ishmael."
"A necessary one, sir; but there is still another that you must make
in order to hasten to the rescue of Lady Vincent."
"And that?"
"Is the sacrifice of a large sum of money. A large sum, even for a
man of fortune like yourself, judge."
"And that fortune is not nearly so considerable as it is supposed to
be, Ishmael. When I had paid over my daughter's dower, I left myself
but a moderate independence."
"Nevertheless, judge, if it should take the whole of your funded
property, you will gladly devote it to the vindication of your
daughter's honor. We must be in England with our witnesses in time
to arrest Lord Vincent and his accomplices before he has an
opportunity of bringing on the divorce suit."
"Certainly."
"To do this you will have to expend a large sum of money in the
repurchasing of the negroes; for you must be aware that their
present owners, having bought them in good faith, will not
relinquish them without a struggle, which would involve you in a
long lawsuit, the issue of which would be very doubtful; for you
must be aware that there are many knotty points in this case. Now, I
put the question to you, whether you can, with safety to Lady
Vincent, remain here for weeks or months, either as prosecutor in
the criminal trial of the smugglers or as plaintiff in a civil suit
with the purchasers of Lady Vincent's servants?"
"I cannot."
"Then do not attempt either to punish the kidnapers or wrest the
slaves from the hands of their present owners. Our plan will be
simply this: Take the consul with us to identify us, go to these
owners, explain the facts, and offer to repurchase the negroes at
once. They will, no doubt, gladly come to terms, rather than risk a
lawsuit in which they would probably lose their purchase-money."
"I see. Yes, Ishmael. You are wise and right, as you always are,"
said the judge, with an air of conviction.
"All this business may be arranged in time for us to take passage on
the 'Cadiz,' that sails on Saturday. Now, here we are at the
consul's office," said Ishmael, as the carriage stopped at the door
of the American consulate.
Leaving Katie in the carriage they alighted and entered. The consul
was engaged, so that they were detained in the anteroom nearly half
an hour; at the end of which four or five gentlemen were seen to
issue from the inner room, and then the doorkeeper, with a bow,
invited Judge Merlin's party to pass in.
Philip Tourneysee, the American consul for Havana at that time, was
the eldest son of that General Tourneysee whom the reader has
already met at the house of Judge Merlin in Washington. He had
sought his present appointment because a residence in the West
Indies had been recommended for his health. He was a slight,
elegant, refined-looking man, with a clear complexion, bright auburn
hair, and dark hazel eyes. The fine expression of his countenance
alone redeemed it from effeminacy.
On seeing Judge Merlin enter with his party he arose smilingly to
receive them.
"You are surprised to see me here again so soon, Philip," said the
judge, as he seated himself in the chair placed for him by the
consul.
"I cannot see you too often, judge," was the courteous answer.
"Hem! This is my friend, Mr. Worth, of the Washington bar. Mr.
Worth, Mr. Tourneysee, our consul for the port of Havana," said the
judge, with all his old-fashioned formality.
The gentlemen thus introduced bowed, and the consul offered a chair
to his second visitor and then seated himself and looked attentive.
"We have come about the most awkward business that ever was taken in
hand," said the judge; "the strangest and most infamous, also, that
ever came before a criminal tribunal. But let that pass. What would
you say, for instance, to the fact of an English nobleman turning
slave-trader--and not only slave-trader, but slave-stealer?"
The consul looked perplexed and incredulous.
"I will tell you all about it," said the judge, who immediately
commenced and related to the astonished consul the history of the
abduction and sale of the three negroes by Lord Vincent, and their
subsequent transportation to Cuba and second sale at Havana by the
smugglers.
"You will, of course, cause instant search to be made for the guilty
parties, and I will certainly give you every assistance in my power,
both in my public capacity and as your private friend. We will go to
work at once," said the consul warmly, placing his hand upon the
bell.
"No," said the judge, arresting his motion. "I have consulted with
my friend and counsel, Mr. Worth, and we have decided that the
smugglers, who are, after all, but the subordinates in this guilty
confederacy, must go unpursued and unpunished for the present."
"How?" inquired the consul, turning to Ishmael, as if he doubted his
own ears.
"Yes, sir," said Ishmael calmly, "circumstances into which it is not
necessary that we should now enter, render it absolutely necessary
that we should be in England as soon as possible. It is equally
necessary that we should take the negroes with us, not only as
witnesses against their first abductor as to the fact of the
abduction, but also as to other transactions of which they were
cognizant previous to that event. We must therefore avoid lawsuits
which would be likely to detain us here. We cannot delay our
departure either to prosecute the smugglers for kidnaping, or to sue
the purchasers for the recovery of the negroes. We must leave the
smugglers to the retribution of Providence, and we must pay the
purchasers for the negroes we wish to carry away with us. What,
therefore, we would ask of your kindness is this--that you will go
with us to the purchasers of these negroes and identify us, so as to
smooth the way for a negotiation of our difficulties."
"Certainly, certainly. Let me see. I have an appointment here at two
o'clock, but at three I will join you at any place you may name."
"Would our hotel be a convenient rendezvous for you?"
"Perfectly."
"Then we will detain you no longer," said Ishmael, rising.
The judge followed his example.
And both gentlemen shook hands with the consul and departed.
"I think," said Ishmael, as they took their seats in the carriage,
"that we should take Katie immediately back to her owner. I
understand from her that he is a man in the humbler walks of life,
and therefore I think that he might be willing to close with us for
a liberal advance upon the price paid the smuggler."
"Do so, if you please, Ishmael; I trust entirely to your
discretion," answered the judge.
"Katie," said Ishmael to the old woman, who had never left the
carriage, "can you direct us the way to find the man who bought
you?"
"Not to save my precious life, couldn't I, honey. Because you see, I
nebber can t'ink o' de barbareous names dey has to de streets in dis
outlan'ish place. But I knows where I is well 'nough. An' I knows
where it is--de shop, I mean. And so if you'll put me up alongside
ob de driver I can point him which way to go an' where to stop,"
said Katie.
This proposition was agreed to. The carriage was stopped and Katie
was let out and enthroned upon the seat beside the coachman, a
Spaniard, whom she proceeded to direct more by signs and gestures
than by words.
After a very circuitous route through the city they turned into a
narrow street and stopped before a house partly confectionery and
partly tobacco shop.
They alighted and went in, and found the proprietor doing duty
behind his counter.
The study of the Spanish language had been one of the few
recreations Ishmael had allowed himself in his self-denying youth.
He had afterwards improved his opportunities by speaking the
language with such Spaniards as he met in society in Washington. He
therefore now addressed the tobacconist in that tongue, and
proceeded to explain the business that brought himself and his
friend to the shop.
The tobacconist, who was the ordinary, small, lean, yellow specimen
of the middle class of Cubans, courteously invited the "senors" into
the back parlor, where they all seated themselves and entered more
fully into the subject, Ishmael acting as interpreter between the
judge and the tobacconist, whose name they discovered to be
Marinello.
Marinello expressed himself very much shocked to find that his
purchase of the woman was illegal, if not positively felonious; and
that an appeal to the law would probably deprive him of his bargain,
and possibly criminate him as the accomplice of the slave stealer.
He said that he had given eight hundred dollars for the woman Katie,
who had been extolled by the trader as a most extraordinary cook.
And a "most extraordinary" one, he declared, he found her to be, for
she did not appear to know beef from mutton or rice from coffee. And
in fact she was good for nothing; for even if he sent her on an
errand, as on this occasion, she would stay forever and one day
after, and charge her sloth upon her infirmities. She had been a
bitter bargain to him.
Judge Merlin smiled; he knew Katie to be one of the best cooks in
this world and to be in the enjoyment of perfect health, and so he
supposed that the cunning old woman had taken a lesson from the
sailor's monkey, who could talk, but wouldn't, for fear he should be
made to work. And that she had feigned her ignorance and ill health
to escape hard labor for one who she knew could have no just claim
to her services.
Ishmael, speaking for Judge Merlin, now explained to the tobacconist
that this woman Katie had been a great favorite with the mistress
from whom she was stolen; that they were on their way to see that
lady, that they wished to take the woman with them; that they would
rather repurchase her than lose time by suing to recover her; and
finally, that they were willing to give him back the money that he
had paid for Katie, provided that he would deliver her up to them at
once.
Marinello immediately came to terms and agreed to all they proposed.
He accompanied them back to the hotel, where he received eight
hundred dollars and left Katie.
"That is a 'feat accomplished,'" said Ishmael gayly, as he returned
to Judge Merlin's room, after seeing Marinello out; "and now we may
expect Mr. Tourneysee every moment."
And in fact while he spoke the door was opened and Mr. Tourneysee
was announced.
"I am up to time," he said, smiling, as he entered.
"With dramatic punctuality," said Ishmael, pointing to the clock on
the mantel-piece, which was upon the stroke of three.
"Yes," said the consul, smiling.
"We have done a good stroke of business since we left you. We have
bought Katie back from her new master at the same price he gave for
her, and he was very glad to get out of the affair so happily," said
Ishmael.
"Ah! that was prompt indeed. I wish you equal good speed with the
other purchasers of stolen slaves. By the way, where do we go
first?"
"I think we had best call on the lady who bought the girl Sally;
from her--Sally, I mean--we might learn the name and residence of
the gentleman who bought Jim, and of which we are at present in
ignorance."
"Who is the lady, and where does she live?"
"We do not know her name either; Katie could not tell us; but she
lives in the city, and Katie can direct the coachman where to drive.
And now as the carriage is at the door, I think we had better start
at once."
"I think so, too," said the judge.
And accordingly the whole party went downstairs and re-entered the
carriage, with the exception of Katie, who again mounted the box
beside the driver for the purpose of directing him.
Katie, who could not, if it were to save her life, remember the name
of any place or person in that "barbareous" land, as she called it,
yet possessed the canine memory of localities; so she directed the
coachman through the shortest cut of the city towards the beautiful
suburb Guadaloupe, and then to an elegant mansion of white granite,
standing within its own luxuriant grounds.
On seeing the carriage draw up and stop before the gate of this
aristocratic residence, the young consul suddenly changed color and
said:
"This is the palace of the Senora Donna Eleanora Pacheco, Countess
de la Santa Cruz."
"You know this lady?" inquired the judge.
Mr. Tourneysee bowed.
The porter threw open the great gate, and the carriage rolled along
a lovely shaded avenue, up before the white marble facade of the
palace, where it stopped.
"If you please, I will send your cards in with my own. As I am known
to the senora, it may insure you a speedier audience."
"We thank you very much," said Ishmael, placing his own and the
judge's cards in the hands of the consul, who alighted, went up the
marble steps to the front door, and rang.
A footman opened the door, took in the cards, and after a few
moments returned.
"The countess will see the senors," was the message that the consul
smilingly brought back to his friends in the carriage.
Then all alighted and went into the house.
The same footman, a jet black young negro, in gorgeous livery of
purple and gold, led them into a small, elegantly furnished
reception room, where, seated on a sofa, and toying with a fan, was
one of the loveliest little dark-eyed Creoles that ever was seen.
She did not rise, but extended her hand with a graceful gesture and
gracious smile to welcome her visitors.
Tourneysee advanced, with a deep and reverential bow, that would
have done honor to the gravest and most courteous hidalgo of that
grave and courteous people.
"Senora," he said, with great formality, "I have the honor to
present to your ladyship Chief Justice Merlin, of the United States
Supreme Court. Judge Merlin, the Countess de la Santa Cruz."
The judge made a profound bow, which the lady acknowledged by a
gracious bend of the head.
With the same serious and stately formality, which was certainly not
natural to the young Marylander, but which was assumed, in deference
to the grave character of Spanish etiquette, Mr. Tourneysee next
presented:
"Mr. Worth, of the Washington bar."
The low obeisance of this visitor was received with even a more
gracious smile than had been vouchsafed to that of the judge.
When they were seated, in accordance with the lady's invitation, the
conversation turned upon the ordinary topics of the day: the
weather; the opera; the last drawing room at the Government Palace;
the new Captain General and his beautiful bride, etc., etc., etc.
The judge fidgeted; Ishmael was impatient; the consul perplexed. It
was necessary to speak of the affair that brought them there. Yet
how was it possible without offense to introduce any topic of
business in that bower of beauty, to that indolent Venus, whose only
occupation was to toy with her fan; whose only conversation was of
sunshine, flowers, music, balls, and brides?
Clearly neither the judge nor the consul had the courage to obtrude
any serious subject upon her. The disagreeable task was at length
assumed by Ishmael, who never permitted himself to shrink from a
duty merely because it was an unpleasant one.
Taking advantage, therefore, of a break in the conversation, he
turned to the lady and, speaking with grave courtesy, said:
"Will the senora pardon me for beseeching her attention to an affair
of great moment which has brought us to her presence?"
The "senora" lifted her long, curled lashes until they touched her
brows, and opened wide her large, soft, dark eyes in childish
wonder. "An affair of great moment!" What could it be? A masked
ball? a parlor concert? private theatricals? a--what? She could not
imagine. Dropping her eyelids demurely, she answered softly:
"Proceed, senor."
Ishmael then briefly explained to her the business upon which they
had come.
The senora was as sensible as she was beautiful, and as benevolent
as she was sensible. She listened to the story of the negroes'
abduction with as much sympathy as curiosity, and at the end of the
narrative she exclaimed:
"What villains there are in this world!"
Ishmael then delicately referred to their wish to purchase the girl
Sally.
The senora promptly assented to the implied desire.
"It was my steward, Miguel Manello, who bought her for me. I did not
particularly want her. And I find her of very little use to me. She
cannot understand one word that is said to her. And she does nothing
from morning until night but weep, weep, weep tears enough to float
away the house."
"Poor girl!" muttered Ishmael.
"So if the senor wishes to recover her he can take her now, or at
any time."
Ishmael delicately hinted at the purchase money.
"Oh, I know nothing about such matters. I will send my steward to
wait on the senor at his hotel this evening. The senor can then
arrange the matter with him."
Ishmael expressed his thanks, arose, and bowed as if to take leave.
But the lady waved her hand, and said in a sweet but peremptory
manner:
"Be seated, senor."
With another inclination of the head, Ishmael resumed his seat. The
lady rang a silver bell that stood on a stand at his right hand and
brought to her presence the gorgeous, sable footman.
"Serve the senors with refreshments," was the order given and
promptly obeyed.
An elegant little repast was set before them, consisting of
delicious coffee, chocolate, fresh fruits, cakes, and sweetmeats.
And only when they had done full justice to these delicacies would
their hostess permit them to retire.
Again Ishmael bowed with profound deference, expressed his thanks on
the part of himself and his friends, and finally took leave.
On going from the room they noticed a person, who, from the extreme
quietness of her manner, had escaped their observation until this
moment. She was a woman of about sixty years of age, clad in the
habit of a lay-sister of the Benedictine Order, and seated within a
curtained recess, and engaged in reading her "office." She was
probably doing duty as duenna to the beautiful widow.