It was late when Mrs. Costello fell asleep, and very early when she
woke, startled out of her dreams by a long wailing sound. She listened,
and in the dark winter morning could hear the wind sweeping through the
pines and round the house with loud intermittent gusts, like moans and
outcries of pain. The moments of silence between these gusts had
something weird and awful, and she could not resist the desire to get up
and look out at the weather. But just as she drew aside the blind, a
cloud of frozen snow was dashed against the glass, rattling sharply,
while the wind again passed on with its ominous wail. Nothing whatever
could be seen; the pale dim dawn was veiled by mist and snow, and each
time the icy particles were driven against the window, they left behind
them a thicker curtain of frost. Mrs. Costello went shivering back to
bed, but she did not sleep again. She began to consider anxiously how
far the boat that was carrying her dead could have come before the storm
commenced. At midnight it had been quite calm, probably indeed till four
or five o'clock; and if the sailors had foreseen the change, they would
most likely have made all possible speed. If they did so, the wind and
current both being in their favour, they ought to be here now; but if,
as was quite equally likely, they had stopped last night at some port,
would they venture out in this storm?
She began to regret that she had not caused the body to be sent by land,
so as to have only to cross the narrow current which divided the island
from the Canadian shore. She had decided against this plan on account of
the greater distance and the difficulty of transport, but now these
seemed less formidable than the uncertainty and possible danger of the
route she had chosen.
She was glad when Lucia awoke, and she could speak of her uneasiness. By
this time the wind had grown more violent, and blew continuously, and
the rattling of snow like frozen dust against the window seemed never
to cease. A dim daylight had begun to creep into the room, but it was
even colder and more cheerless than the darkness. Presently a young
Indian girl, whom Mrs. Hall had trained for service, came softly into
the room and began to coax the still burning embers of the fire into a
blaze. She went about her work with a silent deftness which would have
done credit to the best of housemaids, and yet in all her motions there
was something of that free natural grace which belongs to her people.
When she had done, and was standing for a moment to see if the fire
'drew' properly, Mrs. Costello spoke to her. She understood no English,
however, or at least she understood none addressed to her by a strange
voice, and said so in her own soft musical language. When the question
was repeated in Ojibway, however, her face brightened, and she was
perfectly ready to answer all Mrs. Costello chose to ask.
She said the weather had only changed towards six o'clock. No boat,
however, had arrived, but it might be on the other side of the island,
where the passage was broader and safer than on this, the Canadian
side.
As soon as she was gone the two women, anxious and uneasy, rose and
dressed that they might be ready. Ready for what they scarcely knew; but
they had the feeling common enough when nothing can possibly be done,
that it would be a comfort to be prepared to do something.
They found Mrs. Hall superintending the laying of the breakfast-table,
and Mr. Strafford hearing their voices came out of his study and joined
them. He had not the least inclination to sympathise with the fears in
which Mrs. Costello was a little disposed to indulge, with regard to the
safety of the boat; but he confessed a doubt as to its arrival before
the hour named, or indeed that day at all. This uncertainty threw a
shadow over the whole party. It was impossible to avoid making pauses in
their conversation whenever the wind seemed either to rise more
fiercely, or to be lulled into a momentary calm; and after breakfast was
over, and Mrs. Hall in cloak and hood had started for her school, they
began to make frequent journeys to the windows, and interrupt their talk
to say to each other,
"There is less drift, I think."
"Yes; certainly it is clearer. I can see the water." Or,
"The wind is surely higher than ever, and it will be against them."
"On the contrary, it is almost directly favourable, but the question is
whether they would venture out at all in such a storm."
At last, however, towards twelve o'clock the wind did unmistakably begin
to abate. Mr. Strafford had been out, and on his return affirmed that
the storm was almost over. It might return again towards night, but if
the boatmen knew their business, they should be able to take advantage
of the next few hours and reach the island while the calm lasted.
"There is no sign of their arrival at present then?" Mrs. Costello asked
anxiously.
"I have not been round the island," Mr. Strafford answered. "No one
seems to have seen anything of a boat at all. However, they would need
to be close in shore to be distinguishable through the drift."
"But it seems that there is very little chance of their being here by
three o'clock. Would not it be better to decide that in any case the
funeral will not be till to-morrow?"
"I think it would. I intend going by-and-by up the island, and will
take care to arrange that first, and also about the reception of the
boat when it does arrive."
Mrs. Costello looked up anxiously.
"Are you going quite to the other end of the island?" she asked.
"Yes; to your old house. The woman who lives there is very ill, and, you
know, I am doctor and parson both in one."
"Will you take me with you?"
"You! Impossible! You would be frozen to death."
"It would not hurt me; and I confess I have so little control of myself
to-day that sitting here quietly by the fire is just the hardest thing I
could have to do."
Mr. Strafford examined her face, and perceived that she had really grown
painfully nervous and excited. He turned to Lucia.
"What do you think?" he asked. "Ought I to say yes or no?"
"Say yes, please, and let me go too."
"But, my dear friends, what good can you possibly do? If the drift and
mist clear away, you may be able to see a little way up the river, but
your doing so will not bring the boat one bit faster."
"That is true; but it may end our uncertainty a little sooner."
"I doubt even that. One cannot calculate on having more than an hour or
two of clear daylight between the subsiding of the storm and sunset; and
even if it were possible for you to stand watching all that time, I do
not believe the boat would come while there was daylight enough to see
it."
"Who is the sick woman? Did I ever know her?"
"No; she came to the island after you left."
"Don't you think she would let us sit for a while in her outer room? It
has a window looking right up the river, and she, I suppose, is in the
inner one, so that we need not disturb her."
"You seem to have decided," Mr. Strafford said, smiling, "so I give up.
Yes, poor Martha has not been out of the inner room for weeks, and you
can sit by the window you speak of as long as you please. I am sure you
will be welcome; only, remember I do not approve of your going at all."
However, they remained obstinate. As soon as dinner was over they
wrapped themselves warmly, and started with Mr. Strafford for the house
on the promontory. Mrs. Costello felt her heart beat faster and faster
as they followed the well-remembered paths, which, now that a veil of
snow covered all the improvements made under Mr. Strafford's teaching,
seemed quite unchanged since she traversed them last. She recalled the
sensations of that night, the bitter cold, and clear starlight round
her, and the tumult of fear, anger, and hope within. To-day what a
difference! Then she was flying from her husband's tyranny, now she was
going to meet his corpse, and to receive it with tenderness and honour.
Her heart was too full for her to speak. Her companions guessed it, and
left her in peace.
Mr. Strafford had a thousand things to explain and describe to Lucia.
The island was his kingdom; its prosperity his own work; and it was one
of his greatest pleasures to find a stranger who was interested in all
he could tell him. This young girl, too, whom he had known from her
birth, whom he had seen so many times in his wife's arms, who had been
the baby-playfellow of his daughter, had a claim, stronger than she
herself could understand, on the solitary and childless man. He would
have liked to keep her with him always, and see her devote her life, as
he had devoted his, to the cause of her father's people. Her frank and
yet modest manner, joined to what he knew of her conduct lately, pleased
and satisfied him. He took a certain speculative delight in examining
her character, and deciding that, after all, the union of the Indian and
Anglo-Saxon races would be favourable to both. Talking, therefore, in
the most friendly humour with each other, they pursued their way through
the loose and uneven snow, sometimes stumbling into a deep drift,
sometimes crossing a space swept almost bare by the wind. Mrs. Costello
leaned on her old friend's arm. Scarcely half the distance was passed
when she began to be conscious of a feeling of exhaustion from cold and
fatigue, but her determination to go on sustained her; she kept her veil
closely over her face that the others might not see her paleness, and
exerted all her energies to overcome her fatigue. At length they
approached the shore. The sky had lightened considerably, and they could
see some distance up the river. Both sky and water were of a leaden
dulness; only the effects of the morning storm could be seen in the
great waves, tipped with foam, which still rolled sullenly upon the
beach. But there was no sail in sight. A small canoe, which was
labouring to make its way from the island to the American shore, was the
only speck upon the broad, swift-flowing stream; and the party, after
pausing for a moment to make quite certain that it was so, turned
towards the house on the point, where they meant to keep their watch.
They had been seen from within; and as they came to the gate of the
small enclosure in front, a little girl opened the door to admit them.
They passed immediately into the room where, on the evening of her
flight, Mrs. Costello had found Christian and his companions. Its aspect
was very little changed. The house and furniture, such as it was, had
been sold years ago to its present occupants; Mr. Strafford had rescued
such small articles as the fugitive wife's desk, workbox, and various
trifles which had been in her possession before her marriage, but other
things remained just as they had been. Two children, girls of ten and
twelve, were the only occupants of the room, and they cast curious
glances at the two ladies who followed the clergyman into their domains.
He spoke to them in Ojibway, asking first for their mother, and then
why the younger sister was not at school?
"It was so stormy this morning," the elder answered. "She is going this
afternoon."
"It is quite time she was gone, then. These ladies will stay with you,
Sunflower, while I go in to see your mother. Tell her I am here."
"Sunflower"--always thus called instead of by her baptismal name of
Julia--obeyed; and while she was away, Mr. Strafford placed a chair for
Mrs. Costello in front of a window which commanded the long reach of the
river towards Cacouna. She sat down, and commenced her watch, which a
glance at the American clock hanging on the wall told her would not be a
very long one.
The younger girl had wrapped herself in a great shawl, and hurried off
to school; the elder one was occupied at the further end of the room,
making bread of Indian meal, and baking it in thin cakes upon the stove.
Mr. Strafford was with the invalid, and the mother and daughter sat
silently at the window and watched. The afternoon advanced. The American
clock struck one quarter after another. It was already half-past four.
Mr. Strafford came back; but, seeing the absorbed attitude of Mrs.
Costello, he would not disturb her, and the silence continued. At last
she moved. She had been looking, with intense eagerness, at one point
far away in the distance. She turned round to Mr. Strafford.
"Look!" she said; "it _is_ a sail."
He rose, and looked as she pointed.
"I see nothing," he answered.
"Lucia!" she said impatiently, "can't you see it?"
But Lucia shook her head. She had fancied several times already that she
saw something.
Mrs. Costello said no more just then. A minute or two afterwards,
however, she spoke still more positively.
"It is a boat with two sails. It is coming down quickly now. They must
have waited for the storm to be over."
Next moment the others saw something faintly marked against the horizon.
It _was_ a sail.
But Mrs. Costello either was gifted with longer sight, or her excitement
sharpened her faculties. She declared that it was certainly the expected
boat; it was one, she knew well, and could recognize distinctly.
They began to speculate as to the time of its arrival; and while they
spoke, still watching eagerly, they did not notice how the sky darkened.
The horizon still remained light; it even grew brighter; but the
brightness was only a line, surrounded with a silvery border; the black
cloud spread out overhead. By-and-by the wind began to rise again in
long, wailing blasts, as it had done that morning. The edges of the
cloud seemed to be torn into long, jagged fringes, and there fell sharp,
momentary showers of snow and sleet, hissing as they touched the water.
The boat came on fast now; but at intervals it was hidden; once, when a
denser obstacle than usual of rain and drift and frosty mist had come
between it and the land, there appeared in the lull that followed
another object much further away, but moving down the river also. It was
a large steamer coming down from the lakes, and hurrying on before the
storm.
Again the distance was hidden. Again, after a longer interval, the two
boats were seen--the small one tacking from side to side, using every
contrivance to hasten its course, and reach the port; the other holding
steadily and swiftly on its way.
But as the wind increased there came with it a dense fog. Gradually it
settled down over the river and then the wind sank, blowing only, as at
first, in single gusts, which wailed horribly round the house and
through the trees about it. There was nothing to see now, but still the
three kept their places at the window, and hoped the fog might rise if
but for a moment, and show them where the boat was.
Sometimes, indeed, the fog did vary in intensity. A current of wind
seemed to sweep through it, and then they could distinguish the lights
which the steamer was now burning at the mast head, and guess how far
distant that still was. But these lights seemed at last to be almost
close at hand; and the boat, which had been at first so much before the
steamer, ought to be quite near also. It might be even now passing the
place where they were, on its way to the village at the further end of
the island.
Mr. Strafford reminded Mrs. Costello of this, and proposed that they
should start on their return.
"If we delay much longer," he said, "it will be quite dark, and besides,
the paths are getting every moment more choked up."
She rose instantly.
"I beg your pardon," she said, "I ought to have thought;" but still, as
she fastened her cloak, she continued to keep her eyes fixed upon the
veil of fog which hung between her and the river.
Mr. Strafford and Lucia both stopped to say a few words to Sunflower,
who was still busy with her cakes, but Mrs. Costello never ceased to
look out until she was obliged to follow the others from the house. The
air was bitterly cold; and, hastened by storm and mist, the night was
coming on fast. They paused for a moment outside the wicket; and Mrs.
Costello, looking at Mr. Strafford with a consciousness that her wish
was foolish and unreasonable, said--
"I should like to go down quite to the shore, just for a moment, to try
if I can see anything."
He turned instantly and walked with her to the very extremity of the
little point, Lucia following.
They stood exactly on the spot where she had landed as a bride, and
looked out into the darkness. Suddenly she grasped Mr. Strafford's arm.
"Listen!" she said, "there are oars close by."
"Impossible," he answered. "See, the steamer's lights are just there
opposite us. It must be turning round to go into Claremont."
But she bent her head forward listening. For even through the beat of
the paddles, which she could now distinguish plainly, it still seemed
that she heard the sound of oars, and she thought,
"They have given up trying to use their sails, and taken to rowing."
Suddenly a current of wind passing along the surface of the water lifted
the fog. Just to their right, towering high in the air and holding a
swift, steady course, came the steamer; but in front of it, scarcely a
dozen yards from its huge bulk, lay the little boat. In that moment, as
the fog rose and showed the danger, a single cry of terror burst from
the boatmen and from those on shore. Instantly afterwards a shout was
heard on board the steamer, and the engines were reversed; but the space
was awfully small, and the monster, carried by the strong current, bore
on still. Lucia hid her face; Mrs. Costello, still leaning forward,
tightened her grasp on the arm that supported her. Mr. Strafford
unconsciously spoke aloud,
"In the hour of death, and in the day of judgment, Good Lord deliver
us."
And as he spoke the crash came. Next moment the boat had disappeared,
and the steamer still swept on.
Neither of the three on shore saw more than this. At the moment when
the boat was struck and sunk, Mr. Strafford felt Mrs. Costello's clasp
loosen on his arm. He turned just in time to save her from falling, and
carried her back into the house in one of those fainting fits which so
much alarmed Lucia. It did not, however, last long; and when she had a
little recovered, he left her and went out again.
The fog had once more settled down, but he could distinguish the many
lights which now gleamed from the deck and from the windows of the
steamer which still lay where it had been stopped. Voices were audible,
too, and he contrived to make out that boats had been let down to search
for the fisherman and his companions. This was all that could be learned
here, and he became anxious to reach home, that he might himself cross
to Claremont and learn what was known there.
He went back to the house, therefore, and found Mrs. Costello quite
determined, in spite of her weakness, to start at once on their walk
back. With painful forebodings and regrets, therefore, they left the
promontory, and walked as fast as they were able towards the village.
Little was said on the way; but as soon as they were near his house, Mr.
Strafford told his companions of his intention. Neither could find
anything to say against it; but Mrs. Costello looked anxiously at him
while he explained that he meant to take a good boatman with him and
burn a bright light. Then she held out her hand to him to express the
thanks she had no words for.
They found Mrs. Hall unhappy at their absence, and ready to do
everything possible for their comfort; but it was not until she had seen
Mr. Strafford push off from the landing-place that Mrs. Costello could
be induced to lie down and rest.
Then there was nothing more to be done, and she submitted readily; and
so great was her exhaustion that she almost instantly fell asleep. Lucia
and Mrs. Hall sat watching her, and two hours passed before she woke.
At last, she moved, and Lucia was glad to see that her face was less
pale than when she lay down, and that she looked up at her with a smile.
"Is Mr. Strafford come back?" she said. "He will bring us good news, I
think."
"He has not come yet," Lucia said; but almost as she spoke, footsteps
were heard outside. Mrs. Hall hurried to open the door, and Mr.
Strafford came in.
"They are safe?" Mrs. Costello asked.
"Yes; all three. There was the man and two boys--one of them his son.
The steamer's boat picked up the boys almost immediately. The man's arm
is broken; and he was carried a little way down the stream before they
found him."
"Are they at Claremont?"
"Yes. They will go back home by the steamer to-morrow, and you will hear
more of them when you return to Cacouna."
"And the boat?"
"No one knows anything of that. In the darkness and confusion it must
have floated away with the current."
There was another question to ask, but she stopped, scarcely knowing how
to ask it. Mr. Strafford understood her silence.
"The man told me," he said, "that the coffin was on deck, and that when
the steamer struck them the boat capsized. He himself clung to the side
for a moment when it was upside down in the water, so that everything on
board, which was not secured, must have gone to the bottom."
So it was. Standing beside the home of her married life, she had
witnessed her husband's burial. After his stormy life he was not to
rest in quiet consecrated ground; but to lie where the current of his
native river washed over him continually and kept him in perpetual
oblivion. It was better so. No angry feelings had followed him to his
death; but having been freely forgiven, it was well that he should leave
no memorial behind him--not even a grave--but pass away and be
forgotten. When all was over, Mrs. Costello felt this. For Lucia's sake,
it was well--let the dead go now, and make way for the living.
END OF VOL. II.
PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND CO.,
LITTLE QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS.
End of Project Gutenberg's A Canadian Heroine, Volume 2, by Mrs. Harry Coghill