Produced by Marlo Dianne
The LADY OF THE ICE
A NOVEL.
by JAMES DE MILLE,
AUTHOR OF
"THE DODGE CLUB ABROAD," "CORD AND CREESE," ETC
NEW YORK:
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
90, 92, & 94 GRAND STREET
1870
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER
I. Consisting merely of Introductory Matter.
II. My Quarters, where you will become acquainted with Old Jack Randolph,
my most Intimate Friend, and one who divides with me the Honor of being
the Hero of my Story.
III. "Macrorie--old Chap--I'm--going--to--be--married!!!"
IV. "It's--the--the Widow! It's Mrs.--Finnimore!!!"
V. "Fact, my Boy--it is as I say.--There's another Lady in the Case, and
this last is the Worst Scrape of all!"
VI. "I implored her to run away with me, and have a Private Marriage,
leaving the rest to Fate. And I Solemnly assured her that, if she
refused, I would blow my Brains out on her Door-steps.--There, now!
what do you think of that?"
VII. Crossing the St. Lawrence.--The Storm and the Break-up.--A Wonderful
Adventure.--A Struggle for Life.--Who is she?--The Ice-ridge.--Fly for
your Life!
VIII. I fly back, and send the Doctor to the Rescue.--Return to the Spot.
--Flight of the Bird.--Perplexity, Astonishment, Wonder, and Despair.
--"Pas un Mot, Monsieur!"
IX. By one's own Fireside.--The Comforts of a Bachelor.--Chewing the Cud
of Sweet and Bitter Fancy.--A Discovery full of Mortification and
Embarrassment.--Jack Randolph again.--News from the Seat of War.
X. "Berton's?--Best Place in the Town.--Girls always glad to see a
Fellow.--Plenty of Chat, and Lots of Fun.--No End of Larks, you know,
and all that Sort of Thing."
XI. "Macrorie, my Boy, have you been to Anderson's yet?"--"No."--"Well,
then, I want you to attend to that Business of the Stone to-morrow. Don't
forget the Size--Four Feet by Eighteen Inches; and nothing but the Name
and Date. The Time's come at last. There's no Place for me but the Cold
Grave, where the Pensive Passer-by may drop a Tear over the Mournful
Fate of Jack Randolph. Amen. R. I. P."
XII. My Adventures Rehearsed to Jack Randolph.--"My dear Fellow, you don't
say so!"--"'Pon my Life, yes."--"By Jove! Old Chap, how close you've
been! You just have no End of Secrets. And what's become of the Lady?
Who is She?"
XIII. "Advertising!!!"
XIV. A Concert.--A Singular Character.--"God Save the Queen."--A Fenian.--A
General Row.--Macrorie to the Rescue!--Macrorie's Maiden Speech, and
its effectiveness.--O'Halloran.--A Strange Companion.--Invited to
partake of Hospitality.
XV. The O'Halloran Ladies.--Their Appearance.--Their Ages.--Their Dress.--
Their Demeanor.--Their Culture, Polish, Education, Rank, Style,
Attainments, and all about them.
XVI. The Daily Paper.
XVII. "Somethin' Warrum."
XVIII. The Following Morning.--Appearance of Jack Randolph.--A New
Complication.--The Three Oranges.--Desperate Efforts of the Juggler.
--How to make full, ample, complete, and most satisfactory
Explanations.--Miss Phillips!--The Widow!!--Number Three!!!--Louie
rapidly rising into greater prominence on the Mental and Sentimental
horizon of Jack Randolph.
XIX. O'Halloran's again.--A Startling Revelation.--The Lady of the Ice.
--Found at Last.--Confusion, Embarrassment, Reticence, and Shyness,
succeeded by Wit, Fascination, Laughter, and Witching Smiles.
XX. "Our Symposium," as O'Halloran called it.--High and mighty Discourse.
--General inspection of Antiquity by a Learned Eye.--A Discourse upon
the "Oioneesoizin" of the English language.--Homeric Translations.
--O'Halloran And Burns.--A new Epoch for the Brogue.--The Dinner of
Achilles and the Palace of Antinous.
XXI. Jack once more.--The Woes of a Lover.--Not Wisely but too Many.--While
Jack is telling his Little Story, the ones whom he thus entertains have
a Separate Meeting.--The Bursting of the Storm.--The Letter of "Number
Three."--The Widow and Miss Phillips.--Jack has to avail himself of the
aid of a Chaplain of Her Majesty's Forces.--Jack an Injured Man.
XXII. I Reveal my Secret.--Tremendous effects of the Revelation.--Mutual
Explanations, which are by no means Satisfactory. Jack Stands Up for
what he calls His Rights.--Remonstrances and Reasonings, ending in a
General Row.--Jack makes a Declaration of War, and takes his Departure
in a state of Unparalleled Huffiness.
XXIII. A Friend becomes an Enemy.--Meditations on the Ancient and Venerable
Fable of the Dog in the Manger.--The Corruption of the Human Heart.
--Consideration of the Whole Situation.--Attempts to Countermine Jack,
and Final Resolve.
XXIV. Tremendous Excitement.--The Hour Approaches, and with it the Man.
--The Lady of the Ice.--A Tumultuous Meeting.--Outpouring of Tender
Emotions.--Agitation of the Lady.--A Sudden Interruption.--An Injured
Man, an Awful, Fearful, Direful, and Utterly-crushing Revelation.--Who
is the Lady of the Ice?
XXV. Recovery from the last Great Shock.--Geniality of mine Host.--Off
again among Antiquities.--The Fenians.--A Startling Revelation by one of
the Inner Circle.--Politics, Poetry, and Pathos.--Far-reaching Plans and
Deep-seated Purposes.
XXVI. A few Parting Words with O'Halloran.--His touching Parental
Tenderness, High Chivalric Sentiment, and lofty sense of Honor.--Pistols
for Two.--Pleasant and Harmonious Arrangement.--"Me Boy, Ye're and Honor
to Yer Sex!"
XXVII. Sensational!--Terrific!--Tremendous!--I leave the house in Strange
Whirl.--A Storm.--The Driving Sleet.--I Wander About.--The voices of
the Storm, and of the River.--The clangor of the Bells.--The Shadow in
the Doorway.--The Mysterious Companion.--A Terrible Walk.--Familiar
Voices.--Sinking into Senselessness.--The Lady of the Ice is Revealed
At Last amid the Storm!
XXVIII. My Lady of the Ice.--Snow and Sleet.--Reawakening.--A Desperate
Situation.--Saved a Second Time.--Snatched from a Worse Fate.--Borne in
My Arms Once More.--The Open Door.
XXIX. Puzzling Questions which cannot be Answered as yet.--A Step toward
Reconcilation.--Reunion of a Broken Friendship.--Pieces all Collected
and Joined.--Joy of Jack.--Solemn Debates over the Great Puzzle of the
period.--Friendly Conferences and Confidences.--An Important
Communication.
XXX. A Letter!--Strange Hesitation.--Gloomy Forebodings.--Jack down deep in
the Dumps.--Fresh Confessions.--Why he Missed the Tryst.--Remorse and
Revenge.--Jack's Vows of Vengeance.--A very Singular and Unaccountable
Character.--Jack's Gloomy Menaces.
XXXI. A Friendly Call.--Preliminaries of the Duel Neatly Arranged.--A Damp
Journey, and Depressed Spirits.--A Secluded Spot.--Difficulties
which attend a Duel in a Canadian Spring.--A Masterly Decision.
--Debates about the niceties of the Code of Honor.--Who shall have the
First Shot, Struggle for Precedence.--A very Singular and Obstinate
Dispute.--I save O'Halloran from Death by Rheumatism.
XXXII. Home again.--The Growls of a Confirmed Growler.--Hospitality.--The
well-known Room.--Vision of a Lady.--Alone with Marion.--Interchange of
Thought and Sentiment.--Two Beautiful Women.--An Evening to be
Remembered.--The Conviviality of O'Halloran.--The Humors of
O'Halloran, and his Bacchic Joy.
XXXIII. From April to June.--Tempora Mutantur, et nos Mutamur in Illis.
--Startling Change in Marion!--And Why?--Jack and his Woes.--The
Vengeance of Miss Phillips.--Ladies who refuse to allow their Hearts to
be Broken.--Noble Attitude of the Widow.--Consolations of Louie.
XXXIV. Jack's Tribulations.--They Rise Up in the very face of the Most
Astonishing Good Fortunes.--For, what is like a Legacy?--And this comes
to Jack!--Seven Thousand Pounds Sterling per Annum!--But what's the use
of it all?--Jack comes to Grief!--Woe! Sorrow! Despair! All the Widow!
--Infatuation.--A mad proposal.--A Madman, a Lunatic, an Idiot, a March
Hare, and a Hatter, all rolled into one, an that one the Lucky yet
Unfortunate Jack.
XXXV. "Louis!"--Platonic Friendship.--Its results.--Advice may be given too
Freely, and Consolation may be sought for too Eagerly.--Two Inflammable
Hearts should not be allowed to Come Together.--The Old, Old Story.--A
Breakdown, and the results all around.--The Condemned Criminal.--The
slow yet sure approach of the Hour of Execution.
XXXVI. A Friend's Apology for a Friend.--Jack down at the bottom of Deep
Abyss of Woe.--His Despair.--The Hour and the Man!--Where is the Woman!--A
Sacred Spot.--Old Fletcher.--The Toll of the Bell.--Meditations on each
Successive Stroke.--A wild search.--The Pretty Servant-maid, and her
Pretty Story.--Throwing Gold About.
XXXVII. My own affairs.--A Drive and how it came off.--Varying Moods.--The
Excited, the Gloomy, and the Gentlemanly.--Straying about
Montmorency.--Revisiting a memorable Scene.--Effect of said Scene.--A
Mute Appeal and an Appeal in Words.--Result of the Appeals.--"Will You
Turn Away?"--Grand Result.--Climax.--Finale.--A General Understanding
all round, and a Universal Explanation of Numerous Puzzles.
XXXVIII. Grand Conclusion.--Wedding-rings and Ball-rings.--St. Malachi's.
--Old Fletcher in his glory.--No Humbug this time.--Messages sent
everywhere.--All the town Agog.--Quebec on the Rampage.--St. Malachi's
Crammed.--Galleries Crowded.--White Favors Everywhere.--The Widow happy
with the Chaplain.--The Double Wedding.--First couple--JACK AND LOUIE!
--Second ditto--MACRORIE AND MARION!--Colonel Berton and O'Halloran
giving away the brides.--Strange Association of the British Officer and
the Fenian.--Jack and Macrorie, Louie and Marion.--Brides and
Bridegrooms.--Epithalamicm.--Wedding in high life.--Six Officiating
Clergymen.--All the elite of Quebec take part.--All the Clergy, all the
Military, and Everybody who amounts to any thing.--The Band of the
Bobtails Discourse Sweet Music, and all that sort of thing, You Know.
THE LADY OF THE ICE.
CHAPTER I.
CONSISTING MERELY OF INTRODUCTORY MATTER.
This is a story of Quebec. Quebec is a wonderful city.
I am given to understand that the ridge on which the city is built is
Laurentian; and the river that flows past it is the same. On this (not
the river, you know) are strata of schist, shale, old red sand-stone,
trap, granite, clay, and mud. The upper stratum is ligneous, and is
found to be very convenient for pavements.
It must not be supposed from this introduction that I am a geologist. I
am not. I am a lieutenant in her Majesty's 129th Bobtails. The Bobtails
are a gay and gallant set, and I have reason to know that we are well
remembered in every place we have been quartered.
Into the vortex of Quebeccian society I threw myself with all the
generous ardor of youth, and was keenly alive to those charms which the
Canadian ladies possess and use so fatally. It is a singular fact, for
which I will not attempt to account, that in Quebeccian society one
comes in contact with ladies only. Where the male element is I never
could imagine. I never saw a civilian. There are no young men in
Quebec; if there are any, we officers are not aware of it. I've often
been anxious to see one, but never could make it out. Now, of these
Canadian ladies I cannot trust myself to speak with calmness. An
allusion to them will of itself be eloquent to every brother officer. I
will simply remark that, at a time when the tendencies of the Canadians
generally are a subject of interest both in England and America, and
when it is a matter of doubt whether they lean to annexation or British
connection, their fair young daughters show an unmistakable tendency
not to one, but to both, and make two apparently incompatible
principles really inseparable.
You must understand that this is my roundabout way of hinting that the
unmarried British officer who goes to Canada generally finds his
destiny tenderly folding itself around a Canadian bride. It is the
common lot. Some of these take their wives with them around the world,
but many more retire from the service, buy farms, and practise love in
a cottage. Thus the fair and loyal Canadiennes are responsible for the
loss of many and many a gallant officer to her majesty's service.
Throughout these colonial stations there has been, and there will be, a
fearful depletion, among the numbers of these brave but too impressible
men. I make this statement solemnly, as a mournful fact. I have nothing
to say against it; and it is not for one who has had an experience like
mine to hint at a remedy. But to my story:
Every one who was in Quebec during the winter of 18--, if he went into
society at all, must have been struck by the appearance of a young
Bobtail officer, who was a joyous and a welcome guest at every house
where it was desirable to be. Tall, straight as an arrow, and
singularly well-proportioned, the picturesque costume of the 129th
Bobtails could add but little to the effect already produced by so
martial a figure. His face was whiskerless; his eyes gray; his
cheek-bones a little higher than the average; his hair auburn; his nose
not Grecian--or Roman--but still impressive: his air one of quiet dignity,
mingled with youthful joyance and mirthfulness. Try--O reader!--to
bring before you such a figure. Well--that's me.
Such was my exterior; what was my character? A few words will suffice
to explain:--bold, yet cautious; brave, yet tender; constant, yet
highly impressible; tenacious of affection, yet quick to kindle into
admiration at every new form of beauty; many times smitten, yet
surviving the wound; vanquished, yet rescued by that very
impressibility of temper--such was the man over whose singular
adventures you will shortly be called to smile or to weep.
Here is my card:
Lieut. Alexander Macrorie
129th Bobtails.
And now, my friend, having introduced you to myself, having shown you
my photograph, having explained my character, and handed you my card,
allow me to lead you to