THE VICTIM.
Good hath been born of Evil, many times,
As pearls and precious ambergris are grown,
Fruits of disease in pain and sickness sown,
So think not to unravel, in thy thought,
This mingled tissue, this mysterious plan,
The Alchemy of Good through Evil wrought.
--_Tupper_.
"But one more day, Hannah! but one more day!" gayly exclaimed Nora
Worth, as she busied herself in setting the room in order on Friday
morning.
"Yes, but one more day in any event! For even if the weather should
change in this uncertain season of the year, and a heavy fall of snow
should stop Mrs. Brudenell's journey, that shall not prevent Mr.
Brudenell from acknowledging you as his wife on Sunday! for it is quite
time this were done, in order to save your good name, which I will not
have longer endangered!" said the elder sister, with grim determination.
And she spoke with good reason; it was time the secret marriage was made
public, for the young wife was destined soon to become a mother.
"Now, do not use any of these threats to Herman, when he comes this
morning, Hannah! Leave him alone; it will all be right," said Nora, as
she seated herself at her spinning-wheel.
Hannah was already seated at her loom; and there was but little more
conversation between the sisters, for the whir of the wheel and the
clatter of the loom would have drowned their voices, so that to begin
talking, they must have stopped working.
Nora's caution to Hannah was needless; for the hours of the forenoon
passed away, and Herman did not appear.
"I wonder why he does not come?" inquired Nora, straining her eyes down
the path for the thousandth time that day.
"Perhaps, Nora, the old lady has been blowing him up, also," suggested
the elder sister.
"No, no, no--that is not it! Because if she said a word to him about his
acquaintance with me, and particularly if she were to speak to him of me
as she spoke to me of myself, he would acknowledge me that moment, and
come and fetch me home, sooner than have me wrongly accused for an
instant. No, Hannah, I will tell you what it is: it is his mother's last
day at home, and he is assisting her with her last preparations," said
Nora.
"It may be so," replied her sister; and once more whir and clatter put a
stop to conversation.
The afternoon drew on.
"It is strange he does not come!" sighed Nora, as she put aside her
wheel, and went to mend the fire and hang on the kettle for their
evening meal.
Hannah made no comment, but worked on; for she was in a hurry to finish
the piece of cloth then in the loom; and so she diligently drove her
shuttle until Nora had baked the biscuits, fried the fish, made the
tea, set the table, and called her to supper.
"I suppose he has had a great deal to do, Hannah; but perhaps he may get
over here later in the evening," sighed Nora, as they took their seats
at the table.
"I don't know, dear; but it is my opinion that the old lady, even if she
is too artful to blow him up about you, will contrive to keep him busy
as long as possible to prevent his coming."
"Now, Hannah, I wish you wouldn't speak so disrespectfully of Herman's
mother. If she tries to prevent him from coming to see me, it is because
she thinks it her duty to do so, believing of me as badly as she does."
"Yes! I do not know how you can breathe under such a suspicion! It would
smother me!"
"I can bear it because I know it to be false, Hannah; and soon to be
proved so! Only one day more, Hannah! only one day!" exclaimed Nora,
gleefully clapping her hands.
They finished their supper, set the room in order, lighted the candle,
and sat down to the knitting that was their usual evening occupation.
Their needles were clicking merrily, when suddenly, in the midst of
their work, footsteps were heard outside.
"There he is now!" exclaimed Nora gayly, starting up to open the door.
But she was mistaken; there he was not, but an old woman, covered with
snow. .
"Law, Mrs. Jones, is this you?" exclaimed Nora, in a tone of
disappointment and vexation.
"Yes, child--don't ye see it's me? Le'me come in out'n the snow,"
replied the dame, shaking herself and bustling in.
"Why, law, Mrs. Jones, you don't mean it's snowing!" said Hannah,
mending the fire, and setting a chair for her visitor.
"Why, child, can't you see it's a-snowing--fast as ever it can? been
snowing ever since dark--soft and fine and thick too, which is a sure
sign it is agoing to be a deep fall; I shouldn't wonder if the snow was
three or four feet deep to-morrow morning!" said Mrs. Jones, as she
seated herself in the warmest corner of the chimney and drew up the
front of her skirt to toast her shins.
"Nora, dear, pour out a glass of wine for Mrs. Jones; it may warm her
up, and keep her from taking cold," said Hannah hospitably.
Wine glass there was none in the hut, but Nora generously poured out a
large tea-cup full of fine old port that had been given her by Herman,
and handed it to the visitor.
Mrs. Jones' palate was accustomed to no better stimulant than weak toddy
made of cheap whisky and water, and sweetened with brown sugar.
Therefore to her this strong, sweet, rich wine was nectar.
"Now, this ere is prime! Now, where upon the face of the yeth did you
get this?" she inquired, as she sniffed and sipped the beverage, that
was equally grateful to smell and taste.
"A friend gave it to Nora, who has been poorly, you know; but Nora does
not like wine herself, and I would advise you not to drink all that, for
it would certainly get in your head," said Hannah.
"Law, child, I wish it would; if it would do my head half as much good
as it is a-doing of my insides this blessed minute! after being out in
the snow, too! Why, it makes me feel as good as preaching all over!"
smiled the old woman, slowly sniffing and sipping the elixir of life,
while her bleared eyes shone over the rim of the cup like phosphorus.
"But how came you out in the snow, Mrs. Jones?" inquired Hannah.
"Why, my dear, good child, when did ever I stop for weather? I've been
a-monthly nussing up to Colonel Mervin's for the last four weeks, and my
time was up to-day, and so I sat out to come home; and first I stopped
on my way and got my tea along of Mrs. Spicer, at Brudenell, and now I
s'pose I shall have to stop all night along of you. Can you 'commodate
me?"
"Of course we can," said Hannah. "You can sleep with me and Nora; you
will be rather crowded, but that won't matter on a cold night; anyway,
it will be better than for you to try to get home in this snow-storm."
"Thank y', children; and now, to pay you for that, I have got sich a
story to tell you! I've been saving of it up till I got dry and warm,
'cause I knew if I did but give you a hint of it, you'd be for wanting
to know all the particulars afore I was ready to tell 'em! But now I can
sit myself down for a good comfortable chat! And it is one, too, I tell
you! good as a novel!" said the old woman, nodded her head knowingly.
"Oh, what is it about, Mrs. Jones?" inquired Hannah and Nora in a
breath, as they stopped knitting and drew their chairs nearer together.
"Well, then," said the dame, hitching her chair between the sisters,
placing a hand upon each of their laps, and looking from one to the
other--"what would ye give to know, now?"
"Nonsense! a night's lodging and your breakfast!" laughed Nora.
"And ye'll get your story cheap enough at that! And now listen and open
your eyes as wide as ever you can!" said the dame, repeating her
emphatic gestures of laying her hands heavily upon the knees of the
visitors and looking intently from one eager face to the other.
"Mr.--Herman--Brudenell--have--got--a--wife! There, now! What d'ye
think o' that! aint you struck all of a heap?"
No, they were not; Hannah's face was perfectly calm; Nora's indeed was
radiant, not with wonder, but with joy!
"There, Hannah! What did I tell you!" she exclaimed. "Mrs. Brudenell has
spoken to him and he has owned his marriage! But dear Mrs. Jones, tell
me--was his mother very, very angry with him about it?" she inquired,
turning to the visitor.
"Angry? Dear heart, no! pleased as Punch! 'peared's if a great weight
was lifted offen her mind," replied the latter.
"There again, Hannah! What else did I tell you! Herman's mother is a
Christian lady! She ill-used me only when she thought I was bad; now
Herman has owned his marriage, and she is pleased to find that it is all
right! Now isn't that good? Oh, I know I shall love her, and make her
love me, too, more than any high-bred, wealthy daughter-in-law ever
could! And I shall serve her more than any of her own children ever
would! And she will find out the true worth of a faithful, affectionate,
devoted heart, that would die to save her or her son, or live to serve
both! And she will love me dearly yet!" exclaimed Nora, with a glow of
enthusiasm suffusing her beautiful face.
"Now, what upon the face of the yeth be that gal a-talking about? I want
to tell my story!" exclaimed Mrs. Jones, who had been listening
indignantly, without comprehending entirely Nora's interruption.
"Oh, I beg your pardon, Mrs. Jones," laughed the latter, "I should not
have jumped to the conclusion of your story. I should have let you tell
it in your own manner; though I doubt if you know all about it either,
from the way you talk."
"Don't I, though! I should like to know who knows more."
"Well, now, tell us all about it!"
"You've gone and put me out now, and I don't know where to begin."
"Well, then, I'll help you out--what time was it that Mr. Brudenell
acknowledged his private marriage?"
"There now; how did you know it was a private marriage? I never said
nothing about it being private yet! Hows'ever, I s'pose you so clever
you guessed it, and anyway you guessed right; it were a private
marriage. And when did he own up to it, you ask? Why, not as long as he
could help it, you may depend! Not until his lawful wife actilly arove
up at Brudenell Hall, and that was last night about one o'clock!"
"Oh, there you are very much mistaken; it was but seven in the evening,"
said Nora.
"There now, again! how do you know anything about it? Somebody's been
here afore me and been a-telling of you, I suppose; and a-telling of you
wrong, too!" petulantly exclaimed the old woman.
"No, indeed, there has not been a soul here to-day; neither have we
heard a word from Brudenell Hall! Still, I think you must be mistaken as
to the hour of the wife's arrival, and perhaps as to other particulars,
too; but excuse me, dear Mrs. Jones, and go on and tell the story."
"Well, but what made you say it was seven o'clock when his wife arrove?"
inquired the gossip.
"Because that was really the hour that I went up to Brudenell. Hannah
was with me and knows it."
"Law, honey, were you up to Brudenell yesterday evening?"
"To be sure I was! I thought you knew it! Haven't you just said that the
marriage was not acknowledged until his wife arrived?"
"Why, yes, honey; but what's that to do with it? with you being there, I
mean? Seems to me there's a puzzlement here between us? Did you stay
there till one o'clock, honey?"
"Why, no, of course not! We came away at eight."
"Then I'm blessed if I know what you're a-driving at! For, in course, if
you come away at eight o'clock you couldn't a-seen her."
"Seen whom?" questioned Nora.
"Why, laws, his wife, child, as never arrove till one o'clock."
Nora burst out laughing; and in the midst of her mirthfulness
exclaimed:
"There, now, Mrs. Jones, I thought you didn't know half the rights of
the story you promised to tell us, and now I'm sure of it! Seems like
you've heard Mr. Brudenell has acknowledged his marriage; but you
haven't even found out who the lady is! Well, I could tell you; but I
won't yet, without his leave."
"So you know all about it, after all? How did you find out?"
"Never mind how; you'll find out how I knew it when you hear the bride's
name," laughed Nora.
"But I have hearn the bride's name; and a rum un it is, too! Lady, Lady
Hoist? no! Hurl? no! Hurt? yes, that is it! Lady Hurt-me-so, that's the
name of the lady he's done married!" said the old woman confidently.
"Ha, ha, ha! I tell you what, Hannah, she has had too much wine, and it
has got into her poor old head!" laughed Nora, laying her hand
caressingly upon the red-cotton handkerchief that covered the gray hair
of the gossip.
"No, it aint, nuther! I never drunk the half of what you gin me! I put
it up there on the mantel, and kivered it over with the brass
candlestick, to keep till I go to bed. No, indeed! my head-piece is as
clear as a bell!" said the old woman, nodding.
"But what put it in there, then, that Mr. Herman Brudenell has married a
lady with a ridiculous name?" laughed Nora.
"Acause he have, honey! which I would a-told you all about it ef you
hadn't a-kept on, and kept on, and kept on interrupting of me!"
"Nora," said Hannah, speaking for the first time in many minutes, and
looking very grave, "she has something to tell, and we had better let
her tell it."
"Very well, then! I'm agreed! Go on, Mrs. Jones!"
"Hem-m-m!" began Mrs. Jones, loudly clearing her throat. "Now I'll tell
you, jest as I got it, this arternoon, first from Uncle Jovial, and then
from Mrs. Spicer, and then from Madam Brudenell herself, and last of all
from my own precious eyesight! 'Pears like Mr. Herman Brudenell fell in
long o' this Lady Hurl-my-soul--Hurt-me-so, I mean,--while he was out
yonder in forring parts. And 'pears she was a very great lady indeed,
and a beautiful young widder besides. So she and Mr. Brudenell, they
fell in love long of each other. But law, you see her kinfolks was
bitter agin her a-marrying of him--which they called him a commoner, as
isn't true, you know, 'cause he is not one of the common sort at
all--though I s'pose they being so high, looked down upon him as sich.
Well, anyways, they was as bitter against her marrying of him, as his
kinsfolks would be agin him a-marrying of you. And, to be sure, being of
a widder, she a-done as she pleased, only she didn't want to give no
offense to her old father, who was very rich and very proud of her, who
was his onliest child he ever had in the world; so to make a long
rigamarole short, they runned away, so they did, Mr. Brudenell and her,
and they got married private, and never let the old man know it long as
ever he lived--"
"Hannah! what is she talking about?" gasped Nora, who heard the words,
but could not take in the sense of this story.
"Hush! I do not know yet, myself; there is some mistake! listen,"
whispered Hannah, putting her arms over her young sister's shoulders,
for Nora was then seated on the floor beside Hannah's chair, with her
head upon Hannah's lap. Mrs. Jones went straight on.
"And so that was easy enough, too; as soon arter they was married, Mr.
Herman Brudenell, you know, he was a-coming of age, and so he had to be
home to do business long of his guardeens, and take possession of his
'states and so on; and so he come, and kept his birthday last April!
And--"
"Hannah! Hannah! what does this all mean? It cannot be true! I know it
is not true! And yet, oh, Heaven! every word she speaks goes through my
heart like a red hot spear! Woman! do you mean to say that Mr.--Mr.
Herman Brudenell left a wife in Europe when he came back here?" cried
Nora, clasping her hands in vague, incredulous anguish.
"Hush, hush, Nora, be quiet, my dear. The very question you ask does
wrong to your--to Herman Brudenell, who with all his faults is still the
soul of honor," murmured Hannah soothingly.
"Yes, I know he is; and yet--but there is some stupid mistake," sighed
Nora, dropping her head upon her sister's lap.
Straight through this low, loving talk went the words of Mrs. Jones:
"Well, now, I can't take upon myself to say whether it was Europe or
London, or which of them outlandish places; but, anyways, in some on 'em
he did leave his wife a-living along of her 'pa. But you see 'bout a
month ago, her 'pa he died, a-leaving of all his property to his
onliest darter, Lady Hoist, Hurl, Hurt, Hurt-my-toe. No! Hurt-me-so,
Lady Hurt-me-so! I never can get the hang of her outlandish name. Well,
then you know there wa'n't no call to keep the marriage secret no more.
So what does my lady do but want to put a joyful surprise on the top of
her husband; so without writing of him a word of what she was a-gwine to
do, soon as ever the old man was buried and the will read, off she sets
and comes over the sea to New York, and took a boat there for Baymouth,
and hired of a carriage and rid over to Brudenell Hall, and arrove there
at one o'clock last night, as I telled you afore!"
"Are you certain that all this is true?" murmured Hannah, in a husky
undertone.
"Hi, Miss Hannah, didn't Jovial, and Mrs. Spicer, and Madam Brudenell
herself tell me? And besides I seen the young cre'tur' myself, with my
own eyes, dressed in deep mourning, which it was a fine black crape
dress out and out, and a sweet pretty cre'tur' she was too, only so
pale!"
"Hannah!" screamed Nora, starting up, "it is false! I know it is false!
but I shall go raving mad if I do not prove it so!" And she rushed to
the door, tore it open, and ran out into the night and storm.
"What in the name of the law ails her?" inquired Mrs. Jones.
"Nora! Nora! Nora!" cried Hannah, running after her. "Come back! come
in! you will get your death! Are you crazy? Where are you going in the
snowstorm this time of night, without your bonnet and shawl, too?"
"To Brudenell Hall, to find out the rights of this story" were the words
that came from a great distance wafted by the wind.
"Come back! come back!" shrieked Hannah. But there was no answer.
Hannah rushed into the hut, seized her own bonnet and shawl and Nora's,
and ran out again.
"Where are you going? What's the matter? What ails that girl?" cried old
Mrs. Jones.
Hannah never even thought of answering her, but sped down the narrow
path leading into the valley, and through it up towards Brudenell as
fast as the dark night, the falling snow, and the slippery ground would
permit; but it was too late; the fleet-footed Nora was far in advance.