I was not long about this business. I soon perceived that the back of
the empty space was closed in by a large box, and a similar one blocked
up the right side. The left was the diagonal edge of the case itself,
about twenty inches or two feet in width.
But I troubled myself very little either about back, left, or right. It
was the ceiling of the little chamber that had the greatest interest for
me; for it was in that direction I intended, _if possible_, to continue
my tunnel.
I knew that I was now far enough in the horizontal direction; for the
chief advantage I had gained by the discovery of the empty space was,
that it carried me the thickness of the piano-case--about two feet, as I
have said--in this course, besides the distance that was open, upwards.
Neither forward, then, nor to the right or left, did I wish to go,
unless forced to do so by an obstacle. Upward was the echo of my
thoughts. _Excelsior_! _excelsior_! Two or three stages more--perhaps
less, if no obstacle intervened--and I might be free. My heart beat
joyfully as the prospect passed before my mind.
It was not without a keen anxiety that I raised my hand to the ceiling
of the empty chamber. My fingers trembled as they touched what I well
knew to be canvas, and involuntarily they recoiled from it. O, mercy!--
once more that hated fabric--a bale of linen!
I was not so sure of this however. I remembered the mistake I had
already made in this regard. I must examine farther.
I closed my fist, and gave the bottom of the package a smart rap with my
knuckles. Ha! it was a pleasant sound that answered to the blow. It
was not a bale of linen, then, but a box, covered, like many others,
with several folds of coarse cheap canvas. It could not be cloth,
either; for instead of the dull report which the cloth-boxes give out
when struck, the one in question returned a hollow sound, precisely that
of one that was empty!
This appeared strange enough. It could not be empty, else why was it
there? and yet if not empty, what did it contain?
I hammered upon it with the haft of my knife--still the same hollow
sound!
"Good!" thought I. "If empty, all the better; but if not, surely there
is something in it of a light nature--something that may be easily got
rid of. Good!"
After making this reflection, I resolved to waste no more time in
conjectures, but to satisfy myself of the contents of this new box, by
making my way into it; and in a trice I had ripped off the canvas that
protected its bottom.
I found the position in which I stood inconvenient. The triangular
space, narrowing acutely towards the bottom, hindered me from standing
fairly on my feet; but I soon remedied this defect, by filling the angle
with some pieces of cloth and velvet that were near at hand. I then
proceeded more comfortably with my work.
I need not detail the mode in which I burrowed through the bottom of the
box. It was just as with the others, and succeeded as well. I had to
make one cross-cut, and in this my newly-hafted blade behaved admirably;
after which, I pulled out the divided pieces.
I was not a little surprised when I arrived at the inside, and
ascertained the contents of the box. It was some time before I could
make them out by the "feel," but when I had succeeded in getting one
separated from its fellows, and ran my fingers over its outline, I at
length recognised what they were. They were _bonnets_!
Yes, ladies' bonnets, and nothing but that--all apparently full
"trimmed," and garnished with their feathers, flowers, and ribbons.
Had I at that time possessed a more intimate knowledge of the costumes
of the Peruvians, I should have been more surprised, perhaps, to find
such an odd "item" in the list of their imports. I should have known
that such a thing as a bonnet is never seen upon the beautiful head of a
Peruvian lady. But I knew nothing of this then, and I was only
surprised by the oddity of such an article occurring in the cargo of a
great ship.
The explanation was given me afterwards, thus:--that there were English
and French ladies living in many of the South American cities--the wives
and sisters of English and French merchants resident there, as well as
of various representative officials--and that these, although so very
far distant from their homes, still obstinately persisted in following
the fashions of London and Paris, notwithstanding (it was added) the
ridicule with which such an absurd headdress was regarded by their fair
sisters of Spanish America.
For these sojourners, then, the box of bonnets had been intended.
I am sorry to add that for that season their expectations must have been
disappointed. The bonnets could never have reached them, or, if they
did, it must have been in such a state as to render them unfit for any
purpose of adornment. Mine was an unmerciful hand; for, once inside
that box, it never ceased from wreck and ruin till the whole of those
beautiful "ducks" were crumpled up and stowed away in less than a tenth
part of the valuable space they had hitherto occupied.
No doubt many an imprecation was afterwards heaped on my devoted head;
and the only apology I can make is to speak the simple truth--that with
me it was a matter of life or death, and the bonnets had to go. It was
not likely that this would be satisfactory in the quarter where the
bonnets were expected. I never heard whether or no. I only know that I
was enabled afterwards--but long afterwards--to satisfy my own
conscience about the matter, by _paying the damage_ claimed by the
Transatlantic milliner.