For more than a week Frank Beverly lay in the most precarious state, and
more than once during that period his friends were summoned to his
bed-side, expecting every moment to be his last. Bacon, torn and racked
with suspense, moved about the house of his late patron like one
distracted. He had already made his peace with Virginia, by explaining
to her the unequivocal and unconditional demand for satisfaction made
upon him by Beverly, as well as the unjustifiable taunt upon the field,
by which he had been driven from his defensive attitude. But even her
society failed in its usual attractions, while Beverly remained in
danger. Doctor Roland, with all his technical formality, was as
indefatigable in his attentions as he was oracular and mysterious in his
announcements from hour to hour, and day to day, concerning the state of
his patient. These, reported to his master from the lips of Brien
O'Reily, would form no unamusing subject for the reader, were not our
attention called to the more important personages and graver incidents
of our narrative.
As Bacon had surmised, Sir William Berkley was not long in understanding
the real cause of the quarrel; he had himself heard partial reports of
the affront and its cause on the night of its occurrence. As Bacon had
also expected, he seemed to await the fate of his young kinsman, before
he took any farther steps towards promoting the alliance between him and
Virginia. This however did not prevent him from giving way to the most
ungovernable rage at Frank's condescension in meeting an adventurer,
"the son of no one knew whom."
At length the invalid was unequivocally pronounced to be out of danger,
by Dr. Roland himself. The Governor had no sooner received the
information, than he despatched a footman with his most respectful
compliments to Mrs. Fairfax, and requested the pleasure of an hour's
conversation with her, on the most important business; in answer to
which, a message was returned to the Governor, that she would be pleased
to see him, at any moment which might suit his convenience. That time
soon arrived, and the formal old gentleman, after many apologies for the
untimely intrusion upon the privacy of her sorrows, and condolence for
their cause, thus introduced the subject to which he solicited her
attention.
"It was perhaps not known to you, Madam, that your late lamented husband
and myself had long since formed a prospective arrangement, by which we
hoped to dispose of our fortunes in such a manner as to add honour and
dignity to our families, at the same time that we should preserve them
united, and confer happiness upon our nearest relatives and presumptive
heirs. His will, as I understand, has not yet been authenticated, but
doubtless when it is so you will find that he has provided for the
fulfilment of this design."
"I do not fully comprehend your Excellency."
"I mean, madam, that we contemplated uniting in marriage, your fair
daughter and my young kinsman, Beverly; by this means I will be enabled
to entail my fortune on their male descendants, which will meet all my
desires concerning my niece, at the same time that it will be doing no
injustice to my young relative."
"The plan seems ingeniously contrived, Sir William, to prevent future
heart-burnings concerning the disposal of your estate; but were the
young people to know nothing of the arrangement?"
"The knowledge of it was kept from them, at the suggestion of your late
lamented husband, in order that they might imbibe no prejudices against
the scheme as they grew up, but rather be thrown into each other's way,
as the time for its consummation approached, and thus perhaps discover
its propriety themselves. This has in part proved true, for on the very
day of the unfortunate accident which deprived your house of its
inestimable head, I had the honour to lay Frank's proposals before him."
"Sir William--I do not know my daughter's sentiments on the
subject,--the fulfilment of the scheme will depend entirely on her
feelings."
"With due deference, madam, would it not be more politic to treat the
matter as already, and long since settled, between her father and
myself, and sacredly sealed by his death?"
"I must be plain and candid with your Excellency--I have no desire to
use policy in the affair; if my daughter gives her free and hearty
consent, you have mine; but if the match is repugnant to her feelings we
will drop the subject, with many thanks to your Excellency for your kind
purposes, and to Mr. Beverly for the intended honour."
Virginia was now called in; but while the servant performed that duty,
Sir William replied, "I am exceedingly mortified, madam, that you seem
to place the fulfilment of this long-treasured scheme upon a contingency
so light."
"Do you then consider a young lady's being permitted to have a voice in
choosing her partner for life, a light contingency, Sir William?"
"I think, madam, that her parents are more capable of making a selection
which will confer honour upon them and her, than she can possibly be.
Our best families would soon arrive at a very plebeian level, were every
female descendant to be permitted to indulge her love-sick fancies,
instead of consulting the interest and honour of her house. But it may
be that this discussion is useless in the present instance. Here, madam,
comes your daughter, who will decide."
Virginia entered, pale and trembling with alarm and vague presentiments
of evil; her hands were crossed upon her breast, and her eyes downcast.
After making a reverential courtesy to the Governor, she instinctively
stood before him, awaiting his commands as one upon trial. However harsh
the Governor's opinions to the mother, policy dictated a very different
course toward the daughter; he accordingly led her to a seat beside
himself, and with the most bland and courteous manner, thus addressed
her,
"I come, my niece, as an ambassador from poor Frank, with full powers to
ask of your mother this fair hand in marriage; and I must take the same
opportunity to declare the happiness it would give Lady Berkley and
myself, to receive you into our mansion as the wife of our kinsman, and
the daughter of our affections."
The mildness and the unusual condescension of her formal uncle
completely threw Virginia from the stately and unequivocal answer which
she had meditated when first summoned; for it will be recollected that
she had already had an intimation of his intentions. She could do no
less than feel grateful for his own undoubted affection, and she felt it
extremely difficult properly to express this feeling, connected as it
must be with the overthrow of his dearest hopes. After the most painful
embarrassment, she was enabled to answer: "To you, my dear uncle, I have
always felt grateful for the more than paternal affection which you have
shown to me, and I must feel not less so for the motives which prompted
you to undertake the present mission; but with all my affection for
yourself and desire to please you, and all my gratitude to Mr. Beverly
for the honour which he intended me, I must beg leave to decline his
offer."
"Wherefore must you decline it, Virginia?" asked Sir William, with the
most evident chagrin and surprise.
"Simply because I cannot reciprocate the affection which I am informed
Mr. Beverly entertains for me."
"You have never made the trial, niece; you have not taken five minutes
to consider the importance of the proposition which I have had the
honour to lay before you. Reconsider your hasty answer; take time to
form a mature opinion of the many advantages which the connexion holds
out. See Frank himself when he recovers, and my word for it, he will
make as many love-sick speeches as would woo a lady from Charles'
court."
"It is not necessary, my dear uncle; I have long meditated upon the
subject, having by accident heard of the proposed union before you were
pleased to communicate it in person."
"What is your objection to Frank? It is certainly no satisfactory
answer, to say you cannot reciprocate his affection, when you have never
yet given him an opportunity to plead his cause in person. He is
unquestionably as well favoured a youth in regard to personal
attributes, as any in the Colony, and I flatter myself as well born and
of as bright expectations?"
"I have no objections to urge, Sir William; Mr. Beverly is undoubtedly
all that you say he is, but he never can be more to me than he is at
present; for this determination I have many reasons satisfactory to my
own sense of propriety, but which it is neither necessary nor proper for
me to urge. One I will however give you, with the hope of for ever
setting the question at rest. My affections are already engaged!"
Had a thunderbolt hurled the old Cavalier from his seat, he could not
have been more astounded. Mrs. Fairfax was scarcely less so. Sir William
glanced from her countenance to that of her daughter, as if he expected
the former to overwhelm her daughter with reproaches, his own anger all
the while displaying itself in the contortions of his inflamed and
glowing countenance. But seeing her astonishment subsiding into
complacency instead of anger, his own broke forth--
"What! bestow your affections unasked? and upon whom pray!"
"I have not bestowed them unasked, Sir."
"Has any gentleman asked and obtained permission of you, to address your
daughter?" he inquired, turning to Mrs. Fairfax.
"None, Sir."
"Who then is the favoured swain? Who has dared to interfere in this
matter unauthorized by the consent of your only surviving parent or
myself?"
"For him I have neither the right nor the will to speak. At the proper
time he will doubtless do it for himself," said Virginia, as she arose
with offended dignity to leave the room.
"Hear me yet a moment," cried Sir William, with the most ill disguised
efforts to appear calm. "If the person, who has thus intruded into your
family, is of proper birth, connexions, and expectations, and his suit
should meet with your mother's approbation, I of course have no right to
interfere. But remember, should you attempt to form an alliance with an
individual who would disgrace my family, to which you are nearly
connected, I will, if there be none other to perform the office, with
mine own hands tear him from the very foot of the altar, and mete to him
such a reward as his temerity demands."
At this moment the door opened, and Nathaniel Bacon entered, with an
expression of unalloyed delight upon his countenance. He had just heard
the joyful tidings from the medical attendant of his rival. He met
Virginia face to face, just within the sweep of the door, and perceiving
no other object at the moment, attempted gayly to seize her hand, but no
corresponding movement being perceptible, he paused to examine her
countenance, at the same time glancing at the offended visiter, whose
scowling eyes were fixed upon him. Virginia's countenance was like a
mirror to reflect her feelings, and had there been no intelligible
expression upon the face of the Governor, Bacon would readily have
comprehended the attitude of the various parties. These observations,
however, were the work of an instant, for Sir William no sooner
perceived his presence, than he sprung to his feet, his brow growing
darker every moment. He had entirely misinterpreted Bacon's appearance
at that critical juncture. His suspicions had all along pointed to him,
and he now imagined that his presence was the result of preconcerted
design. "To what motive, Sir," he cried, "am I indebted for this
intrusion? Have you come to congratulate me upon the recovery of my
young kinsman, of whom your murderous hand had well nigh deprived me?"
Bacon wheeled partly upon his heel, as if endeavouring to force himself
out of the room, without answering the choleric old Cavalier, but seeing
Virginia turn her head and cast an indignant glance at the offender, his
own hard schooled feelings broke forth also. "To no particular motive,
Sir, are you indebted for this visit: it was the result of the purest
accident. I knew not that your Excellency was in the house, and came
into this room in the ordinary free and unchallenged mode of
intercourse, to which the inmates of this most hospitable and generous
family are accustomed."
"Ay, Sir Stripling, and unless I am grossly deceived, your intercourse
has not gone unchallenged for nothing."
"To what is your Excellency pleased to allude."
"Have you not studiously endeavoured to undermine the most important
family arrangements of those who cherished and protected your infancy?
Have you not stung the bosom that warmed you into existence? Have you
not been callous to the claims of gratitude, due alike to the living and
the dead? Have you not attempted to beguile the only daughter of your
patron into a disgraceful alliance?"
Bacon resisted the mild and persuasive endeavours of Mrs. Fairfax to
lead him from the room, whence Virginia had already departed, while he
replied, drawing himself up to an erect and perfectly composed and
dignified attitude,
"If your Excellency chooses so far to forget, what is alike due to your
station--to yourself, to the present company, and to me, as to permit
yourself to ask such questions, you cannot expect me so far to forget
myself as to answer them!" and with this reply he left the room.
The Governor, after indulging in the most vehement bursts of passion,
and threats of vengeance against Bacon, should he dare to connect
himself with his family, and in vain endeavours to extort a promise from
Mrs. Fairfax, never to give her consent, left the house in the most
towering and ungovernable rage.
He had scarcely crossed the threshold, before Bacon returned to the same
room, leading Virginia by the hand, having held a very interesting
conversation with her in another apartment. Mrs. Fairfax was sitting
apparently absorbed in the most painful reflections. As the youthful
pair entered, a slight clearing away of the clouds which had gathered
upon her countenance might be perceived. They walked deliberately up to
where she sat, and seated themselves one on each side of her: when Bacon
thus spoke--
"It was not my intention, dear madam, thus to intrude upon your sorrows,
but I may be pardoned for presenting myself as a petitioner at your
feet, when another, high in station and dignity, has thought proper to
forget those claims. Had he confined himself to the legitimate object of
his mission, I had perhaps still forborne, but when he has stepped out
of his way rudely to thrust me before you as the disorganizer of your
family arrangements, and as the serpent who has stolen into your house
in order to poison your brightest hopes and fondest anticipations, I
have thought it became me at once to state to you how far I have
offended.
"It is true, dear madam, that I have not been insensible to the many
charms of your daughter's person and disposition. You have witnessed, I
would fain hope, not unobservantly, the dear delights of our first
childish intercourse, when our minds and hearts were drawn together by
an affection and a congeniality of taste and sentiment which we
supposed, if we thought of it at all, was purely fraternal; and then
when our minds began to expand, and our affections to assume and to
display their real character, and finally when we came thoroughly to
understand each other and ourselves, you were not a heedless spectator
of these progressive changes and developments; and having seen, I cannot
believe that you would have permitted this mutual affection to grow to
its present maturity and strength, intending to deny its sanction at the
last, when the cure might so easily have been made by nipping the tender
flower in the bud. Speak, I pray you madam! Our fate hangs upon your
words!"
"I will not pretend to you, my children, that I have not observed the
mutual affection which has grown up between you from its earliest dawn.
Nor will I disguise from you that it gave me pleasure mingled with much
pain. Many long and dreary nights have I lain upon my pillow,
anticipating what I then supposed would be the fierce struggles of this
moment. I calculated with the usual short sightedness of mortals, that
he who will ne'er partake in our councils more, would have been here to
decide upon your wishes.
"I supposed that his own family pride would first have been to conquer,
then I thought of the fierce resistance which the greater pride of his
kinsman, Sir William, would offer--the interview of this morning shows
how truly. After all these painful misgivings, however, and the maturest
judgment that I could bestow upon the subject, I came to the resolution
to suffer what seemed the predestined current of events to run its
course. Providence has by a most painful process removed the only
obstacle you had to fear, my children, and he, had he been alive, would
doubtless have finally given his consent rather than attempt to tear up
forcibly by its roots a passion like yours, the growth of years and
intimate knowledge of each other. I therefore give you my consent, my
children, that you be united in marriage, and the sooner the better, as
the first storm upon its announcement once over, all these contending
passions which drive you into broils and strife will cease."
As she concluded speaking, Virginia, down whose cheeks the tears had
been rapidly coursing each other, sunk upon her knees, in which position
she was instantly joined by her now acknowledged and betrothed lover.
Mrs. Fairfax placed her hands upon their heads, tears bedimming her own
eyes, and blessed them, and then kissed her daughter as she was about to
leave the room. When she was gone, Bacon resumed the subject of their
discourse. "O say, dear Madam, how soon will you consent to the
completion of our happiness? I address myself to you in the first
instance, in order that I may use your name in my appeal to your
daughter for an early day."
"As soon as you can persuade Virginia to consent. I would seriously and
earnestly recommend two things with regard to your nuptials, the rest I
leave to yourselves, namely, that they take place as privately as
possible, for fear of Sir William's violence; and secondly, as soon as
possible, in order that you may anticipate the complete recovery of
young Mr. Beverly."
"Oh, madam, may Heaven bless your wisdom and benevolence. I am now
doubly armed, and will seek your daughter, and I hope soon return with a
favourable answer."
Accordingly he flew out of the room, and in a few moments she heard him
loudly calling her daughter's name through all the portals of the house,
and rapping at every door, but no Virginia was to be found. At length,
however, he sallied forth into the garden, when he found her in her
summer-house, apparently in profound study of some favourite Author's
new publication, perhaps Milton's "Paradise Regained." His arguments
fell apparently upon a deaf ear. She continued to read, regardless of
his passionate gesticulations and burning words. Her cheeks glowed
vividly enough, but she gave no other evidence that she was conscious of
his presence. At length he seized her hand, and forcibly but gently led
her before her mother, like a culprit, as she doubtless felt herself,
for her eyes were downcast, and a crimson blush suffused her neck and
temples. Mrs. Fairfax attempted in vain to assume a grave and judicial
expression. She succeeded, however, in convincing the young pair that
the safety and the peace of many of their family circle depended upon
their speedy nuptials. It was doubtless for these reasons alone, that
they soon agreed amicably upon an early day, until which time we will
leave the imagination of the reader to follow the young pair through
flowery beds of roses and tulips, and the more flowery anticipations of
"Love's young dream."