ISHMAEL AT TANGLEWOOD.
There was an ancient mansion, and before
Its walls there was a steed caparisoned.
Within an antique oratory lay
The boy of whom I spake; he was alone,
And pale and tossing to and fro....
--_Byron_.
Meanwhile the carriage traveling slowly reached Tanglewood. Slowly
pacing up and down the long piazza in front of the house was Judge
Merlin. He was a rather singular-looking man of about forty-five years
of age. He was very tall, thin, and bony, with high aquiline features,
dark complexion, and iron-gray hair, which he wore long and parted in
the middle. He was habited in a loose jacket, vest, and trousers of
brown linen, and wore a broad-brimmed straw hat on his head, and large
slippers, down at the heel, on his feet. He carried in his hand a
lighted pipe of common clay, and he walked with a slow, swinging gait,
and an air of careless indifference to all around him. Altogether, he
presented the idea of a civilized Indian chief, rather than that of a
Christian gentleman. Tradition said that the blood of King Powhatan
flowed in Randolph Merlin's veins, and certainly his personal
appearance, character, tastes, habits, and manners favored the legend.
On seeing the carriage approach he had taken the clay pipe from his
mouth and sauntered forward. On seeing the strange burden that his
daughter supported in her arms, he came down to the side of the
carriage, exclaiming:
"Who have you got there, Claudia?"
"Oh, papa, it is Ishmael Worth! He has killed himself, I fear, in saving
me! My horses ran away, ran directly towards the steeps above the river,
and would have plunged over if he had not started forward and turned
their heads in time; but the horses, as they turned, knocked him down
and ran over him!" cried Claudia, in almost breathless vehemence.
"What was Sam doing all this time?" inquired the judge, as he stood
contemplating the insensible boy.
"Oh, papa, he sprang from the carriage as soon as the horses became
unmanageable and ran away! But don't stop here asking useless questions!
Lift him out and take him into the house! Gently, papa! gently," said
Claudia, as Judge Merlin slipped his long arms under the youth's body
and lifted him from the carriage.
"Now, then, what do you expect me to do with him?" inquired Judge
Merlin, looking around as if for a convenient place to lay him on the
grass.
"Oh, papa, take him right into the spare bedroom on the lower floor! and
lay him on the bed. I have sent for a doctor to attend him here,"
answered Claudia, as she sprang from the carriage and led the way into
the very room she had indicated.
"He is rather badly hurt," said the judge, as he laid Ishmael upon the
bed and arranged his broken limbs as easily as he could.
"'Rather badly!' he is crushed nearly to death! I told you the whole
carriage passed over him!" cried Claudia, with a hysterical sob, as she
bent over the boy.
"Worse than I thought," continued the judge, as he proceeded to unbutton
Ishmael's coat and loosen his clothes. "Did you say you sent for a
doctor?"
"Yes! as soon as it happened! He ought to be here in an hour from this!"
replied Claudia, wringing her hands.
"His clothes must be cut away from him; it might do his fractured limbs
irreparable injury to try to draw off his coat and trousers in the usual
manner. Leave him to me, Claudia, and go and tell old Katie to come
here and bring a pair of sharp shears with her," ordered the judge.
Claudia stooped down quickly, gave one wistful, longing, compassionate
gaze at the still, cold white face of the sufferer, and then hurried out
to obey her father's directions. She sent old Katie in, and then threw
off her hat and mantle and sat down on the step of the door to watch for
the doctor's approach, and also to be at hand to hear any tidings that
might come from the room of the wounded boy.
More than an hour Claudia remained on the watch without seeing anyone.
Then, when suspense grew intolerable, she impulsively sprang up and
silently hastened to the door of the sick-room and softly rapped.
The judge came and opened it.
"Oh, papa, how is he?"
"Breathing, Claudia, that is all! I wish to Heaven the doctor would
come! Are you sure the messenger went after him!"
"Oh, yes, papa, I am sure! Do let me come in and see him!"
"It is no place for you, Claudia; he is partially undressed; I will take
care of him."
And with these words the judge gently closed the door in his daughter's
face.
Claudia went back to her post.
"Why don't the doctor come! And oh! why don't Reuben Gray or Hannah
come? It is dreadful to sit here and wait!" she exclaimed, as with a
sudden resolution she sprang up again, seized her hat and ran out of the
house with the intention of proceeding directly to the Gray's cottage.
But a few paces from the house she met the doctor's gig.
"Oh, Doctor Jarvis, I am so glad you have come at last!" she cried.
"Who is it that is hurt?" inquired the doctor.
"Ishmael Worth, our overseer's nephew!"
"How did it happen?"
"Didn't they tell you?"
"No."
"Oh, poor boy! He threw himself before my horses to stop them as they
were running down the steeps over the river; and he turned them aside,
but they knocked him down and ran over him!"
"Bad! very bad! poor fellow!" said the doctor, jumping from his gig as
he drew up before the house.
Claudia ran in before him, leading the way to the sick chamber, at the
door of which she rapped to announce the arrival. This time old Katie
opened the door, and admitted the doctor.
Claudia, excluded from entrance, walked up and down the hall in a fever
of anxiety.
Once old Katie came out and Claudia arrested her.
"What does the doctor say, Katie?"
"He don't say nothing satisfactory, Miss Claudia. Don't stop me, please!
I'm sent for bandages and things!"
And Katie hurried on her errand, and presently reappeared with her arms
full of linen and other articles, which she carried into the sick-room.
Later, the doctor came out attended by the judge.
Claudia waylaid them with the questions:
"What is the nature of his injuries? are they fatal?"
"Not fatal; but very serious. One leg and arm are broken; and he is very
badly bruised; but worst of all is the great shock to his very sensitive
nervous system," was the reply of Doctor Jarvis.
"When will you see him again, sir?" anxiously inquired Claudia.
"In the course of the evening. I am not going back home for some hours,
perhaps not for the night; I have a case at Gray's."
"Indeed! that is the reason, then, I suppose, why no one has answered my
message to come up and see Ishmael. But who is sick there?" inquired
Claudia.
"Mrs. Gray. Good-afternoon, Miss Merlin," said the doctor shortly, as he
walked out of the house attended by the judge.
Claudia went to the door of Ishmael's room and rapped softly.
Old Katie answered the summons.
"Can I come in now, Katie?" asked Miss Merlin, a little impatiently.
"Oh, yes, I s'pose so; I s'pose you'd die if you didn't!" answered this
privileged old servant, holding open the door for Claudia's admittance.
She passed softly into the darkened room, and approached the bedside.
Ishmael lay there swathed in linen bandages and extended at full length,
more like a shrouded corpse than a living boy. His eyes were closed and
his face was livid.
"Is he asleep?" inquired Claudia, in a tone scarcely above her breath.
"Sort o' sleep. You see, arter de doctor done set his arm an' leg, an'
splintered of 'em up, an' boun' up his wounds an' bruises, he gib him
some'at to 'pose his nerves and make him sleep, an' it done hev him into
dis state; which you see yourse'f is nyder sleep nor wake nor dead nor
libe."
Claudia saw indeed that he was under the effects of morphia. And with a
deep sigh of strangely blended relief and apprehension, Claudia sank
into a chair beside his bed.
And old Katie took that opportunity to slip out and eat her "bit of
dinner," leaving Claudia watching.
At the expiration of an hour Katie returned to her post. But Claudia did
not therefore quit hers. She remained seated beside the wounded boy. All
that day he lay quietly, under the influence of morphia. Once the judge
looked in to inquire the state of the patient, and on being told that
the boy still slept, he went off again. Late in the afternoon the doctor
came again, saw that his patient was at ease, left directions for his
treatment, and then prepared to depart.
"How is the sick woman at Gray's?" inquired Claudia.
"Extremely ill. I am going immediately back there to remain until it is
over; if I should be particularly wanted here, send there for me," said
the doctor.
"Yes; but I am very sorry Mrs. Gray is so ill! She is Ishmael's aunt.
What is the matter with her?"
"Humph!" answered the doctor. "Good-night, Miss Claudia. You will know
where to send for me, if I am wanted here."
"Yes; but I am so sorry about Gray's wife! Is she in danger?" persisted
Claudia.
"Yes."
"I am very sorry; but what ails her?" persevered Claudia.
"Good-evening, Miss Merlin," replied the doctor, lifting his hat and
departing.
"The man is half asleep; he has not answered my question," grumbled
Claudia, as she returned to her seat by the sick-bed.
Just then the bell rung for the late dinner, and Claudia went out and
crossed the hall to the dining room, where she joined her father. And
while at dinner she gave him a more detailed account of her late danger,
and the manner in which she was saved.
Once more in the course of that evening Claudia looked in upon the
wounded boy, to ascertain his condition before retiring to her room. He
was still sleeping.
"If he should wake up, you must call me, no matter what time of night it
is, Katie," said Miss Merlin, as she left the sick-chamber.
"Yes, miss," answered Katie, who nevertheless made up her mind to use
her own discretion in the matter of obedience to this order.
Claudia Merlin was not, as Ishmael was, of a religious disposition, yet
nevertheless before she retired to bed she did kneel and pray for his
restoration to life and health; for, somehow, the well-being of the
peasant youth was very precious to the heiress. Claudia could not sleep;
she lay tumbling and tossing upon a restless and feverish couch. The
image of that mangled and bleeding youth as she first saw him on the
river bank was ever before her. The gaze of his intensely earnest eyes
as he raised them to hers, when he inquired, "Are you safe?"--and the
deep smile of joy with which they closed again when she answered, "I am
safe"--haunted her memory and troubled her spirit. Those looks, those
tones, had made a revelation to Claudia!--That the peasant boy presumed
to love her!--her! Claudia Merlin, the heiress, angel-born, who scarcely
deemed there was in all democratic America a fitting match for her!
During the excitement and terror of the day, while the extent of
Ishmael's injuries was still unknown and his life seemed in extreme
danger, Claudia had not had leisure to receive the fact of Ishmael's
love, much less to reflect upon its consequences. But now that all was
known and suspense was over, now in the silence and solitude of her
bed-chamber, the images and impressions of the day returned to her with
all their revelations and tendencies, and filled the mind of Claudia
with astonishment and consternation! That Ishmael Worth should be
capable of loving her, seemed to Miss Merlin as miraculous as it would
be for Fido to be capable of talking to her! And in the wonder of the
affair she almost lost sight of its presumption!
But how should she deal with this presuming peasant boy, who had dared
to love her, to risk his life to save hers, and to let the secret of his
love escape him?
For a long time Claudia could not satisfactorily answer this question,
and this was what kept her awake all night. To neglect him, or to treat
him with marked coldness, would be a cruel return for the sacrifice he
had rendered her; it would be besides making the affair of too much
importance; and finally, it would be "against the grain" of Claudia's
own heart; for in a queenly way she loved this Ishmael very dearly
indeed; much more dearly than she loved Fido, or any four-footed pet she
possessed; and if he had happened to have been killed in her service,
Claudia would have abandoned herself to grief for weeks afterwards, and
she would have had a headstone recording his heroism placed over his
grave.
After wearying herself out with conjectures as to what would be the
becoming line of conduct in a young princess who should discover that a
brave peasant had fallen in love with her, Claudia at length determined
to ignore the fact that had come to her knowledge and act just as if she
had never discovered or even suspected its existence.
"My dignity cannot suffer from his presumptuous folly, so long as I do
not permit him to see that I know it; and as for the rest, this love may
do his character good; may elevate it!" And having laid this balm to her
wounded pride, Claudia closed her eyes.
So near sunrise was it when Miss Merlin dropped off that, once asleep,
she continued to sleep on until late in the day.
Meanwhile all the rest of the family were up and astir. The doctor came
early and went in to see his patient. The judge breakfasted alone, and
then joined the doctor in the sick-room. Ishmael was awake, but pale,
languid, and suffering. The doctor was seated beside him. He had just
finished dressing his wounds, and had ordered some light nourishment,
which old Katie had left the room to bring.
"How is your patient getting along, doctor?" inquired the judge.
"Oh, he is doing very well--very well indeed," replied the doctor,
putting the best face on a bad affair, after the manner of his class.
"How do you feel, my lad?" inquired the judge, bending over the patient.
"In some pain; but no more than I can very well bear, thank you, sir,"
said Ishmael courteously. But his white and quivering lip betrayed the
extremity of his suffering, and the difficulty he experienced in
speaking at all.
"I must beg, sir, that you will not talk to him; he must be left in
perfect quietness," whispered the doctor.
At this moment old Katie returned with a little light jelly on a plate.
The doctor slowly administered a few teaspoonfuls to his patient, and
then returned the plate to the nurse.
"Miss Claudia ordered me to call her as soon as the young man woke; and
now as his wounds is dressed, and he has had somethin' to eat, I might's
well go call her," suggested Katie.
At the hearing of Claudia's name Ishmael's eyes flew open, and a hectic
spot blazed upon his pale cheek. The doctor, who had his eye upon his
patient, noticed this, as he replied:
"Upon no account! Neither Miss Merlin nor anyone else must be permitted
to enter his room for days to come--not until I give leave. You will see
this obeyed, judge?" he inquired, turning to his host.
"Assuredly," replied the latter.
At these words the color faded from Ishmael's face and the light from
his eyes.
The doctor arose and took leave.
The judge attended him to the door, saw him depart, and was in the act
of turning into his own house when he perceived Reuben Gray approaching.
Judge Merlin paused to wait for his overseer. Reuben Gray came up, took
off his hat, and stood before his employer with the most comical
blending of emotions on his weather-beaten countenance, where joy,
grief, satisfaction, and anxiety seemed to strive for the mastery.
"Well, Gray, what is it?" inquired the judge.
"Please, sir, how is Ishmael?" entreated Reuben, anxiety getting the
upper hand for the moment.
"He is badly hurt, Gray; but doing very well, the doctor says."
"Please, sir, can I see him?"
"Not upon any account for the present; he must be left in perfect quiet.
But why haven't you been up to inquire after him before this?"
"Ah, sir, the state of my wife."
"Oh, yes, I heard she was ill; but did not know that she was so ill as
to prevent your coming to see after your poor boy. I hope she is better
now?"
"Yes, sir, thank Heaven, she is well over it!" said Reuben, satisfaction
now expressed in every lineament of his honest face.
"What was the matter with her? Was it the cholera morbus, that is so
prevalent at this season?"
Reuben grinned from ear to ear; but did not immediately reply.
The judge looked as if he still expected an answer. Reuben scratched his
gray head, and looked up from the corner of his eye, as he at length
replied:
"It was a boy and a gal, sir!"
"A what?" questioned the judge--perplexity.
"A boy and a gal, sir; twins, sir, they is," replied Reuben Gray, joy
getting the mastery over every other expression in his beaming
countenance.
"Why--you don't mean to tell me that your wife has presented you with
twins?" exclaimed the judge, both surprised and amused at the
announcement.
"Well, yes, sir," said Reuben proudly.
"But you are such an elderly couple!" laughed the judge.
"Well, yes, sir, so we is! And that, I take it, is the very reason on't.
You see, I think, sir, because we married very late in life--poor Hannah
and me--natur' took a consideration on to it, and, as we hadn't much
time before us, she sent us two at once! at least, if that aint the
reason, I can't account for them both in any other way!" said Reuben,
looking up.
"That's it! You've hit it, Reuben!" said the judge, laughing. "And mind,
if they live, I'll stand godfather to the babies at the christening. Are
they fine healthy children?"
"As bouncing babies, sir, as ever you set eyes on!" answered Reuben
triumphantly.
"Count on me, then, Gray."
"Thank you, sir! And, your honor--"
"Well, Gray?"
"Soon as ever Ishmael is able to hear the news, tell him, will you,
please? I think it will set him up, and help him on towards his
recovery."
"I think so, too," said the judge.
Reuben touched his hat and withdrew. And the judge returned to the
house.
Claudia had come down and breakfasted, but was in a state of great
annoyance because she was denied admittance to the bedside of her
suffering favorite.
The judge, to divert her thoughts, told her of the bountiful present
nature had made to Hannah and Reuben Gray. At which Miss Claudia was so
pleased that she got up and went to hunt through all her finery for
presents for the children.