Has hope like the bird in the story,
That flitted from tree to tree
With the talisman's glittering glory
Has hope been that bird to thee?
On branch after branch alighting,
The gem did she still display,
And when nearest and most inviting,
Then waft the fair gem away?
Among the papers of the late mistress of the manor house, were found two
letters which from their dates showed that they had been written during
her stay in Italy. One was addressed to Sir Thomas Richardson, Lord
Chief Justice of England, the other to her daughter. She appeared to
have had a foreshadowing of her death, and directed Anna, in case of
such an event, to have Sir Thomas' letter delivered to him immediately,
and to abide by whatever decision he might come to. Anna had never seen
Sir Thomas, but she knew that he was in some way related to her on her
mother's side of the family, and that he was an old gentleman, who lived
among his books, in an old-fashioned country house in one of the midland
counties of England, with no one but his servants about him. And when
the decision came, which informed Miss Vyvyan that she too was to live
there, as his ward, she was thankful, for the tie of kindred was strong
in her nature, and she thought to herself, there is still a link, that
connects with the memory of my loved mother. Besides he is old and
alone, perhaps I may be able to do something to make his life less
lonely. But what could she do, she asked herself, for to her all seemed
vague and undefined.
Arriving at the quiet old home of Sir Thomas, with its smooth green lawn
and flat meadows around and in front of the house, she was shown into
the presence of a tall, stately, white-haired, old gentleman to whom
nature had indeed been gracious, for he was extremely handsome, and of
courtly manners. He greeted her kindly but with much dignity, and
addressed her throughout the conversation as Miss Vyvyan. A shudder
swept through her frame each time she heard herself so called, by the
only one left who had the right to address her by her own familiar name
of Anna, which she had hoped he would do. But although desiring to be in
every way kind to his ward, his ideas of dignity and courtesy were
fixed, and to him she was always Miss Vyvyan. Thus without a thought of
causing her pain, he ever brought before her the deepest sense of her
bereavement and her isolation. Life in Sir Thomas' home was very
different from life at the manor house, both in doors and out. The old
gentleman passed most of his time in his library, and Anna rarely saw
him until evening, when he would sometimes instruct her in playing
chess. When she went outside of the house, all seemed strange and dull
and dreary, plain grass lawns all around, not a flower bed to be seen,
no long garden walk, no fountain, no hills to ramble over, no purple
mountains in the distance, but a flat level country on all sides. And
when she came in doors again, no loved mother, no Cecil to greet her.
Nearly three years had gone by since Anna's arrival as Sir Thomas' ward.
It was evening, and they had just finished their game of chess, when he
for the first time addressed her as my dear young lady, and after a
short pause proceeded.
"This is not a fit place for you; I am too old to be the companion of
youth; I am doing you injustice in allowing you to remain with me, and
have decided that you shall have a more suitable home."
"I do not wish to leave you, Sir Thomas," replied Anna, "besides I have
nowhere to go. I cannot live at the manor house all alone."
"Certainly you cannot," he answered. "I have arranged everything for you
to the best of my power. You do not really come into property until you
are twenty-five years of age. Your landed estates and other moneys are
secured to you in such a way that you need not feel the least
apprehension about your affairs, everything has been attended to. The
manor house will be in the charge of a steward for the present. You will
probably wish to live there again some day. As I have just said, I am
too old; I may not, I cannot have long to remain here. There is a cousin
of your mother living in the colony of Virginia, Fairfax by name. He has
a wife and family, two nephews, whom he has adopted, twins, I think,
also Fairfaxes. They stand in the degree of a third generation from
myself. I mean to say these twins are about the same age my grandson
would be now, had he been spared to my declining years. Therefore, they
must be a few years older than you are, and more adapted for being
companionable to you, than I am. I have been in correspondence with your
Cousin Fairfax, during many months, in regard to your making your home
with them in Virginia, until you are older, and have ceased so much to
need protection, or until you have settled in a home of your own. The
arrangement appears to be very agreeable to them, and I trust you will
be happy in their society. I cannot part with you without saying that
your presence in my house has given me much pleasure--the only one now
left to me, that of recollection. Although you are very quiet, for one
who has only reached your years, yet the sound of your footstep about
the house called sweet though sad memories of my only daughter, and I
thank you for them. If I thought only of myself, I should keep you here
till the end, but there are times when it is more noble to resign than
to fulfill the dearest wishes of our heart."
* * * * *
It was in the summer of 1607 that Miss Vyvyan, attended by her waiting
woman, sailed from England, for the colony of Virginia, in the ship
Queen Elizabeth, from which she had just been wrecked, when we took up
the narrative of her early life. To that period of time we will now
return.