COLONEL CARTER BEFRIENDS THE RAVENELS.
Captain Colburne indulged in a natural expectation that the kiss which
he had laid on Miss Ravenel's hand would draw him nearer to her and
render their relations more sentimentally sympathetic. He did not base
his hopes, however, on the impression produced by the mere physical
contact of the salute; he had such an exalted opinion of the young
lady's spiritual purity that he never thought of believing that she
could be influenced by any simply carnal impulses, however innocent; and
furthermore he was himself in a too exalted and seraphic state of
feeling to attach much importance to the mere motion of the blood and
thrillings of the spinal marrow. But he did think, in an unreasoning,
blindly longing way, that the fact of his having kissed her once was
good reason for hoping that he might some day kiss her again, and be
permitted to love her without exciting her anger, and possibly even gain
the wondrous boon of being loved by her. Notwithstanding his practical
New England education, and his individual sensitiveness at the idea of
doing or so much as meditating any thing ridiculous, he drifted into
certain reveries of conceivable interviews with the young lady, wherein
she and he gradually and sweetly approxinated until matrimony seemed to
be the only natural conclusion. But the next time he called at the
Ravenel house, he found Mrs. Larue there, and, what was worse, Colonel
Carter. Lillie remembered the kiss, to be sure, and blushed at the sight
of the giver; but she preserved her self-possession in all other
respects, and was evidently not a charmed victim. I think I am able to
assure the reader that in her head the osculation had given birth to no
reveries. It is true that for a moment it had startled her greatly, and
seemed to awaken in her some mighty and mysterious influence. But it is
also true that she was half angry at him for troubling her spiritual
nature so potently, and that on the whole he had not advanced himself a
single step in her affections by his audacity. If any thing, she treated
him with more reserve and kept him at a greater distance than before.
Mrs. Larue did her best to make up for the indifference of Lillie, and
to reward Colburne, not so much for his friendly offices of the evening
previous, as for his other and in her eyes much greater merits of being
young and handsome. The best that the widow could offer, however, was
little to the Captain; indeed had she laid her heart, hand and fortune
at his feet he would only have been embarrassed by the unacceptable
benificence; and he was even somewhat alarmed at the dangerous glitter
of her eyes and freedom of her conversation. It must be understood here
that Madame's devotion to him, fervent as it seemed, was not
whole-hearted. She would have preferred to harness the Colonel into her
triumphal chariot, and had only given up that idea after a series of
ineffectual efforts. Some men can be driven by a cunning hand through
flirtations which they do not enjoy, just as a spiritless horse can be
held down and touched up, to a creditable trot; but Carter was not a nag
to be managed in this way, being too experienced and selfish, too
willful by nature and too much accustomed to domineer, to allow himself
to be guided by a jockey whom he did not fancy. Could she have got at
him alone and often enough she might perhaps have broken him in; for she
knew of certain secret methods of rareyizing gentlemen which hardly
ever fail upon persons of Carter's physical and moral nature; but thus
far she had found neither the time nor the juxtaposition necessary to a
trial of her system. Accordingly she had been obliged to admit, and make
the best of, the fact that he was resolved to do the most of his talking
with Miss Ravenel. Leave the two alone she could not, according to New
Orleans ideas of propriety, and so was compelled for a time to play what
might be called a footman's part in conversation, standing behind and
listening. It was a pleasant relief from this experience to take the
ribbons in her own hands and drive the tractable though reluctant
Colburne. While the Colonel and Lillie talked in the parlor, the Captain
and Mrs. Larue held long dialogues in the balcony. He let her have the
major part of these conversations because she liked it, because he felt
no particular spirit for it, and because as a listener he could glance
oftener at Miss Ravenel. Although a younger man than Carter and a
handsomer one, he never thought to outshine him, or, in common parlance,
to cut him out; holding him in too high respect as a superior officer,
and looking up to him also with that deference which most homebred,
unvitiated youth accord to mature worldlings. The innocent country lad
bows to the courtly roué because he perceives his polish and does not
suspect his corruption. Captain Colburne and Miss Ravenel were similarly
innocent and juvenile in their worshipful appreciation of Colonel
Carter. The only difference was that the former, being a man, made no
secret of his admiration, while the latter, being a marriageable young
lady, covered hers under a mask of playful raillery.
"Are you not ashamed," she said, "to let me catch you tyrannizing over
my native city?"
"Don't mention it. Havn't the heart to go on much longer. I'll resign
the mayoralty to-day if you will accept it."
"Offer it to my father, and see if I don't accept for him."
This was a more audacious thrust than the young lady was aware of. The
idea of a civilian mayor was one that High Authority considered
feasible, provided a citizen could be found who was loyal enough to
deserve the post, and influential enough to pay for it by building up
that so much-desired Union party.
"A good suggestion," said the Colonel. "I shall respectfully refer it to
the distinguished consideration of the commanding general."
He entertained no such intention, the extras of his mayoralty being
exceedingly important to him in view of the extent and costly nature of
his present domestic establishment.
"Oh, don't!" answered Miss Ravenel.
"Why not? if you please."
"Because that would be bribing me to turn Yankee outright."
This brief passage in a long conversation suggested to Carter that it
might be well for himself to procure some position or profitable
employment for the out-of-work Doctor. If a man seems likely to
appropriate your peaches, one of the best things that you can do is to
offer him somebody else's apples. Moreover he actually felt a sincere
and even strong interest in the worldly welfare of the Ravenels. By a
little dexterous questioning he found that, not only was the Doctor's
college bare of students, but that his railroad stock paid nothing, and
that, in short, he had lost all his property except his house and some
small bank deposits. Ravenel smilingly admitted that he had been justly
punished for investing in anything which bore even a geographical
relation to the crime of slavery. He received with bewildered though
courteously calm astonishment a proposition that he should try his hand
at a sugar speculation.
"I beg pardon. I really don't understand," said he. "I am so
unaccustomed to business transactions."
"Why, you buy the sugar for six cents a pound and sell it for twenty."
"Bless me, what a profit! Why don't business men take advantage of the
opportunity?"
"Because they havn't the opportunity. Because it requires a permit from
the powers that be to get the sugar."
"Oh! confiscated sugar. I comprehend. But I supposed that the
Government--"
"You don't comprehend at all, my dear Doctor. Not confiscated sugar, but
sugar that we can't confiscate--sugar beyond our reach--beyond the
lines. You must understand that the rebels want quinine, salt, shoes,
gold and lots of things. We want sugar and cotton. A barter is effected,
and each party is benefited. I should call it a stupid arrangement and
contrary to the laws of war, only that it is permitted by--by very high
authority. At all events, it is very profitable and perfectly safe."
"You really astonish me," confessed the Doctor, whose looks expressed
even more amazement than his language. "I should have considered such a
trade nothing less than treasonable."
"I don't mean to say that it isn't. But I am willing to make allowances
for the parties who engage in it, considering whose auspices they act
under. As I was saying, the trade is contrary to the articles of war. It
is giving aid and comfort to the enemy. But the powers that be, for
unknown reasons which I am of course bound to respect, grant permits to
certain persons to bring about these exchanges. I don't doubt that such
a permit could be obtained for you. Will you accept it?"
"Would you accept it for yourself?" asked the Doctor.
"I am a United States officer," replied the Colonel, squaring his
shoulders. "And a born Virginian gentleman," he was about to add, but
checked himself.
By the way, it is remarkable how rarely this man spoke of his native
State. It is likely enough that he had some remorse of conscience, or
rather some qualms of sentiment, as to the choice which he had made in
fighting against, instead of for, the Old Dominion. If he ever
mentioned her name, it was simply to express his pleasure that he was
not warring within her borders. In other respects it would have been
difficult to infer from his conversation that he was a southerner, or
that he was conscious of being any thing but a graduate of West Point
and an officer of the United States army. But it was only in political
matters that he was false to his birth-place. In his strong passions,
his capacity for domestic sympathies, his strange conscience (as
sensitive on some points as callous on others), his spendthrift habits,
his inclination to swearing and drinking, his mixture in short of
gentility and barbarism, he was a true child of his class and State. He
was a Virginian in his vacillation previous to a decision, and in the
vigor which he could exhibit after having once decided. A Virginian
gentleman is popularly supposed to be a combination of laziness and
dignity. But this is an error; the type would be considered a marvel of
energy in some countries; and, as we have seen in this war, it is
capable of amazing activity, audacity and perseverance. Of all the
States which have fought against the Union Virginia has displayed the
most formidable military qualities.
"And I am a United States citizen," said the Doctor, as firmly as the
Colonel, though without squaring his shoulders or making any other
physical assertion of lofty character.
"Very well.--You mean it, I suppose.--Of course you do.--You are quite
right. It isn't the correct thing, this trade, as a matter of course.
Still, knowing that it was allowed, and not knowing how you might feel
about it, I thought I would offer you the chance. It pays like piracy. I
have known a single smuggle to net forty thousand dollars, after paying
hush money and every thing."
"Shocking!" said the Doctor. "But you mustn't think that I am not
obliged to you. I really am grateful for your interest in my well-being.
Only I can't accept. Some men have virtue strong enough to survive such
things; but I fear that my character is of too low and feeble a
standard."
"You are not offended, I hope," observed the Colonel after a thoughtful
pause, during which he debated whether he should offer the Doctor the
mayoralty, and decided in the negative.
"Not at all. I beg you to believe, not at all. But how is it possible
that such transactions are not checked!" he exclaimed, recurring to his
amazement. "The government ought to be informed of them."
"Who is to inform? Not the barterers nor their abettors, I suppose. You
don't expect that of these business fellows. You think perhaps that I
ought to expose the thing. But in the army we obey orders without
criticising our superiors publicly. Suppose I should inform, and find
myself unable to prove any thing, and be dismissed the service."
The Doctor hung his head in virtuous discouragement, admitting to
himself that this world is indeed an unsatisfactory planet.
"You may rely upon my secrecy concerning all this, Colonel," he said.
"I do so; at least so far as regards your authority. As for the trade
itself, I don't care how soon it is blown upon."
If the Colonel had been a quoter of poetry, which he was not, he would
probably have repeated as he walked homeward "An honest man's the
noblest work of God." What he did say to himself was, "By Jove! I must
get the Doctor a good thing of some sort."
Ten days later he called at the house with a second proposition which
astonished Ravenel almost as much as the first.
"Miss Ravenel," he said, "you are a very influential person. Every body
who knows you admits it. Mr. Colburne admits it. I admit it."
Lillie blushed with unusual heartiness and tried in vain to think of
some saucy answer. The Colonel's quizzical smile, his free and easy
compliments and confident address, sometimes touched the pride of the
young lady, and made her desire to rebel against him.
"I want you," he continued, "to persuade Doctor Ravenel to be a
colonel."
"A colonel!" exclaimed father and daughter.
"Yes, and a better colonel than half those in the service."
"On which side, Colonel Carter?" asked Miss Ravenel, who saw a small
chance for vengeance.
"Good heavens! Do you suppose I am recruiting for rebel regiments?"
"I didn't know but Mrs. Larue might have brought you over."
The Colonel laughed obstreperously at the insinuation, not in the least
dashed by its pertness.
"No, it's a loyal regiment; black in the face with loyalty. General
Butler has decided on organizing a force out of the free colored
population of the city."
"It isn't possible. Oh, what a shame!" exclaimed Lillie.
The Doctor said nothing, but leaned forward with marked interest.
"There is no secret about it," continued Carter. "The thing is decided
on, and will be made public immediately. But it is a disagreeable affair
to handle. It will make an awful outcry, here and every where. It
wouldn't be wise to identify the Government too closely with it until it
is sure to be a success. Consequently the darkies will be enrolled as
militia--State troops, you see--just as your rebel friend Lovell, Miss
Ravenel, enrolled them. Moreover, to give the arrangement a further
local character it is thought best to have at least one of the regiments
commanded by some well known citizen of New Orleans. I proposed this
idea to the General, and he doesn't think badly of it. Now who will
sacrifice himself for his country? Who will make the niggers in uniform
respectable? Doctor, will you do it?"
"Papa, you shall do no such thing," cried Lillie, thoroughly provoked.
Then, reproachfully, "Oh, Colonel Carter!" The Colonel laughed with
immovable good humor, and surveyed her pretty wrath with calm
admiration.
"Be quiet, my child," pronounced the Doctor with an unusual tone of
authority. "Colonel, I am interested, exceedingly interested in what you
tell me. The idea is admirable. It will be a lasting honor to the man
who conceived it."
"Oh, papa!" protested Lillie. She was slightly unionized, but not in the
least abolitionized.
"I am delighted that General Butler has resolved to take the
responsibility of it," continued the Doctor. "Our free negroes are
really a respectable class. Many of them are wealthy and well educated.
In the whole south General Butler could not have found another so
favorable a place to try this experiment as New Orleans."
"I am glad you think so," answered the Colonel; but he said it with an
air of no great enthusiasm. In fact how could an old army officer, a
West Point military Brahmin and a Virginian gentleman look with favor at
first sight on the plan of raising nigger regiments?
"But as for the colonelcy," continued the Doctor. "Are you positively
serious in making me that proposition?"
"Positively."
"Why, I am no more fit to be a Colonel than I am to be a professor of
Sanscrit and Chinese literature."
"That needn't stand in the way at all. That is of no consequence."
Ravenel laughed outright, and waited for an explanation.
"Your Lieutenant-Colonel and Major will be experienced officers--that
is, for volunteers," said Carter. "They will know the drill, at any
rate. Your part will be simply to give the thing a local coloring, as
if the New Orleans people had got it up among themselves."
Here he burst into a horse-laugh at the idea of saddling Louisianians
with the imputation of desiring and raising nigger soldiers for putting
down the rebellion and slavery.
"You will have nothing to do with the regiment," he went on. "As soon as
it is organized, or under way, you will be detached. You will be
superintendent of negro education, or superintendent of negro labor, or
something of that sort. You will have the rank and pay of Colonel, you
see; but your work will be civil instead of military; it will be for the
benefit of the niggers."
"Oh, indeed!" answered the Doctor, his face for the first time showing
that the proposition had for him a pole of attraction. "So officers can
be detached for such purposes? It is perfectly honorable, is it?"
"Quite so. Army custom. About the same thing as making an officer a
provost-marshal, or military governor, or mayor."
"Really, I am vastly tempted. I am vastly flattered and very grateful. I
must think of it. I will consider it seriously."
In his philanthropic excitement he rose and walked the room for some
minutes. The windows were open and admitted what little noise of
population there was in the street, so that Miss Ravenel and the
Colonel, sitting near each other, could exchange a few words without
being overheard by the abstracted Doctor. I suspect that the young lady
was more angry at this moment than on any previous occasion recorded in
the present history. Colburne would have quailed before her evident
excitement, but Colonel Carter, the widower, faced her with a smile of
good-natured amusement. Seeing that there was no prospect of striking a
panic into the foe, she made a flanking movement instead of a direct
attack.
"What do you suppose the old army will think of the negro regiment
plan?"
"_Vin ordinaire_, I suppose."
"Then how can you advise my father to go into a thing which you call
_vin ordinaire_?" she demanded, her lips trembling with an agitation
which was partly anger, and partly alarm at her own audacity.
As this was a question which Carter could not answer satisfactorily
without telling her that he knew how poor her father was, and also knew
what a bad thing poverty was, he made no reply, but rose and sauntered
about the room with his thumbs in his vest pockets. And Lillie was so
curiously in awe of this mature man, who said what he pleased and was
silent when he pleased, that she made no further assault on him.
"I must confess," said the Doctor, resuming his seat, "that this is a
most attractive and flattering proposition. I am vain enough to believe
that I could be of use to this poor, ignorant, brutish, down-trodden,
insulted, plundered race of pariahs and helots. If I could organize
negro labor in Louisiana on a basis just and profitable to all parties,
I should consider myself more honored than by being made President of
the United States in ordinary times. If I could be the means of
educating their darkened minds and consciences to a decent degree of
Christian intelligence and virtue, I would not exchange my good name for
that of a Paul or an Apollos. My only objection to this present plan is
the colonelcy. I should be in a false position. I should feel myself to
be ridiculous. Not that it is ridiculous to be a colonel," he explained,
smiling, "but to wear the uniform and receive the pay of a colonel
without being one--there is the satire. Now could not that point be
evaded? Could I not be made superintendent of negro labor without being
burdened with the military dignity? I really feel some conscientious
scruples on the matter, quite aside from my desire not to appear absurd.
I should be willing to do the work for less pay, provided I could escape
the livery. I am sorry to give you any trouble when I am already under
such obligations. But would you have the kindness to inquire whether
this superintendency could not be established without attaching to it
the military position?"
"Certainly. But I foresee a difficulty. Will the General dare to found
such an office, and set aside public money for its salary? I suppose he
has no legal right to do it. Detach an officer for the purpose--that is
all very simple and allowable; it's army fashion. But when it comes to
founding new civil offices, you trench upon State or Federal authority.
Besides, this superintendency of negro labor is going to be a heavy
thing, and the General may want to keep it directly under his own thumb,
as he can do if the superintendent is an army officer. However, I will
ask your question. And, if the civil office can be founded, you will
accept it; is it not so?"
"I do accept. Most gratefully, most proudly."
"But how if the superintendency can't be had without the colonelcy?"
"Why, then I--I fear I shall be forced to decline. I really don't feel
that I can place myself in a false position. Only don't suppose that I
am unconscious of my profound obligations to you."
"What an old trump of a Don Quixote!" mused the Colonel as he lit his
segar in the street for the walk homeward. "It's devilish handsome
conduct in him; but, by Jove! I don't believe the old fellow can afford
it. I'm afraid it will be up-hill work for him to get a decent living in
this wicked world, however he may succeed in the next."
A few minutes later a cold chill of worldly wisdom struck through his
enthusiasm.
"He hasn't starved long enough to bring him to his milk," he thought.
"When he gets down to his last dollar, and a thousand or two below it,
he won't be so particular as to how he lines his pockets."
The Colonel almost felt that a civilian had no right to such a delicate
and costly sense of honor. He would have been rather glad to have the
Doctor enter into some of these schemes for getting money, inasmuch as
this same filthy lucre was all that Miss Ravenel needed to make her a
very attractive _partie_. The next day he repaired at the earliest
office hours to head-quarters, and plead earnestly to have the proposed
superintendency founded on the basis of a civil office, the salary to be
furnished by the State, or by the city, or by a per-centage levied on
the wages of the negroes. But the Proconsul did not like to assume such
a responsibility, and moreover would not sympathise with the Doctor's
fastidiousness on the subject of the uniform. The Colonel hurried back
to Ravenel and urged him to accept the military appointment. He repeated
to him, "Remember, this is a matter of twenty-six hundred a year," with
a pertinacity which was the same as to say, "You know that you cannot
afford to refuse such a salary." The Doctor did not dispute the
correctness of the insinuation, but persisted with smiling obstinacy in
declining the eagles. I am inclined to think that he was somewhat
unreasonable on the subject, and that the Colonel was not far from right
in being secretly a little angry with him. The latter did not care a
straw for the niggers, but he desired very earnestly to put the Ravenels
on the road to fortune, and he foresaw that a superintendent of colored
labor would infallibly be tempted by very considerable side earnings and
perquisites. Even Miss Lillie was rather disappointed at the failure of
the project. To arm negroes, to command a colored regiment, was
abolitionistic and abominable; but to set the same negroes to work on a
hundred plantations, would be playing the southerner, the planter, the
sugar aristocrat, on a magnificent scale; and she thought also that in
this business her father might do ever so much good, and make for
himself a noble name in Louisiana, by restoring thousands of runaway
field-hands to their lawful owners. Let us not be too severe upon the
barbarian beliefs of this civilized young lady. She had not the same
geographical reasons for loving human liberty in the abstract that we
have who were nurtured in the truly free and democratic North. Moreover,
for some reason which I shall not trouble myself to discover, all women
love aristocracies.
The Ravenel funds were getting low, and the Doctor, despairing of
finding profitable occupation in depopulated New Orleans, was thinking
seriously of returning to New Boston, when High Authority sent him an
appointment as superintendent of a city hospital, with a salary of
fifteen hundred dollars.
"I can do that," he said jubilantly as he showed the appointment to
Carter, unaware that the latter had been the means of obtaining it. "My
medical education will come in play there, and I shall feel that I am
acting in my own character. It will not be so grand a field of
usefulness as that which you so kindly offered me, but it will perhaps
approximate more nearly to my abilities."
"It is a captain's pay instead of a colonel's," laughed Carter. "I don't
know any body who would make such a choice except you and young
Colburne, who supposes that he isn't fit to be a field officer. Some day
head-quarters will perhaps be able to do better by you. When the Western
Railroad is recovered--the railroad in which you hold property--there
will be the superintendency of that, probably a matter of some three or
four thousand dollars a year."
"But I couldn't do it," objected the Doctor, thereby drawing another
laugh from his interlocutor.
He was perfectly satisfied with his fifteen hundred, although it was so
miserably inferior to the annual six thousand which he used to draw from
his scientific labors in and out of the defunct college. As long as he
could live and retain his self-respect, he was not much disposed to
grumble at Providence. Things in general were going well; the rebellion
would be put down; slavery would perish in the struggle; truth and
justice would prevail. The certainty of these results formed in his
estimation a part of his personal estate--a wealth which was invisible,
it is true, but none the less real, inexhaustible and consolatory--a
wealth which was sufficient to enrich and ennoble every true-hearted
American citizen.
When it was known throughout the city that he had accepted a position
from the Federal authorities, the name of Ravenel became entirely
hateful to those who only a few years before accorded it their
friendship and respect. The hostile gulf between Lillie and her old
friends yawned into such a vast abyss, that few words were ever
exchanged across it; and even those that did occasionally reach her
anxious ears had a tone of anger which excited, sometimes her grief, and
sometimes her resentment. The young lady's character was such that the
resentment steadily gained on the grief, and she became from day to day
less of a Secessionist and more of a Unionist. Her father laughed in his
good-natured way to see how spited she was by this social ostracism.
"You should never quarrel with a pig because he is a pig," said he. "The
only wise way is not to suppose that you can make a lap-dog of him, and
not to invite him into your parlor. These poor people have been brought
up to hate and maltreat every body who does not agree with their
opinions. If the Apostle Paul should come here, they would knock him on
the head for making a brother of Onesimus."
"But I can't bear to be treated so," answered the vexed young lady. "I
don't want to be knocked on the head, nor to have you knocked on the
head. I don't even want them to think what they do about me. I wish I
had the supreme power for a day or two."
"What progress!" observed the Doctor. "She wants to be General Butler."
"No I don't," snapped Lillie, whose nerves were indeed much worried by
her internal struggles and outward trials. "But I would like to be
emperor. I would actually enjoy forcing some of these horrid people to
change their style of talking."
"I don't think you would enjoy it, my dear. I did once entertain the
design of making myself autocrat, and deciding what should be believed
by my fellow citizens, and bringing to deserved punishment such as
differed from me. It would be such a fine thing, I thought, to manage in
my own way, and manage right, all the religion, politics, business,
education, and conscience of the country. But I dropped the plan, after
mature consideration, because I foresaw that it would give me more to do
than I could attend to."
Lillie, working at her embroidery, made no reply, not apparently
appreciating her father's wit. Presently she gave token that the current
of her thoughts had changed, by breaking out with her usual routine of
questions. "Who did you see in the streets? Didn't you see any body?
Didn't you hear any thing?" etc. etc.
By what has been related in this chapter it will be perceived that
Colonel Carter has established a claim to be received with at least
courtesy in the house of the Ravenels. The Doctor could not decently
turn a cold shoulder to a man who had been so zealous a friend, although
he still admired him very little, and never willingly permitted him a
moment's unwatched intercourse with Lillie. He occasionally thought with
disgust of Van Zandt's leering insinuations concerning the little French
boudoir; but he charitably concluded that he ought not to attach much
importance to the prattle of a man so clearly under the influence of
liquor as was that person at Colburne's quarters; and finally he
reflected with a sigh that the boudoir business was awfully common in
the world as then constituted, and that men who were engaged in it could
not well be ostracised from society. So outwardly he was civil to the
Colonel, and inwardly sought to control his almost instinctive
repugnance. As for Lillie, she positively liked the widower, and thought
him the finest gentleman of the very few who now called on her. Captain
Colburne was very pleasant, lively and good; but--and here she ceased to
reason--she felt that he was not magnetic.