A VISIT TO ALNWICK CASTLE.
"A young rose in the summer-time
Is beautiful to me,
And glorious are the many stars
That glimmer on the sea;
But gentle words and loving hearts,
And hands to clasp my own,
Are better than the brightest flowers
Or stars that ever shone.
"The sun may warm the grass to life,
The dew the drooping flower,
And eyes grow bright, and watch the light
Of Autumn's opening hour;
But words that breathe of tenderness,
And smiles we know are true,
Are warmer than the summer time,
And brighter than the dew.
"It is not much the world can give
With all its subtle art,
And gold and gems are not the things
To satisfy the heart;
But oh, if those who cluster round.
The altar and the hearth,
Have gentle words, and loving smiles,
How beautiful is earth!"--C. D. Stewart.
It has already been intimated that one of the pleasures which was given
to Grace, as the reward of her heroic deed, was caused by the kindly
notice and sympathy of one of the most noble ladies of the
north--namely, the Duchess of Northumberland. We have already referred
to some of the members of this ancient family, and their baronial
residence, Alnwick Castle. In the midst of the congratulations and
honours which were heaped upon her, the humble lighthouse maiden was
startled, as well as gratified, to receive an invitation from Her Grace
to visit her. It is not difficult to imagine the flutter of excitement
which this caused, nor to picture Grace, with glowing cheeks and bright
eyes, as she talked of the event with her father and mother. She was,
indeed, almost overcome by the prospect of it, and terribly anxious
lest she should not acquit herself properly in the interview. It may
be safely said that she was far more afraid of facing the great people
than she had been of contending with the wild and angry waves. She
knew what to expect from them, but she was rather puzzled to know what
was expected of her when she should appear before the noble ladies and
gentlemen who wished to see her. Still, of course, she must go bravely
to the one as she had gone to the other; for such an honour, which
would certainly occur only once even in her eventful life, must not be
slighted. She greatly mistrusted herself, for she had lived very
quietly in her lighthouse-home, and was thoroughly unversed and
inexperienced in the ways of the great world; and the thought of going
into such illustrious society as that of the Duchess might well have
made even more worldly-wise people than Grace Darling perturbed and
anxious.
"I am sure," she said, "that I shall make some stupid mistake, or not
be able to answer the questions that are put to me as I ought."
"Perhaps not," said her father. "It is a trying ordeal for you, Grace,
but I do not think you need be afraid; for every one speaks of the
Duchess as a most kind and condescending lady. Of course, she will not
expect from you those forms and ceremonies which other people render,
for she will know that your education has been of a different sort from
that which is given to those who have to shine in courts; but I am
quite sure she will make you feel at your ease, and that this visit
which you dread will be most pleasurable."
Thus comforted, Grace was able to bear to look forward more calmly to
the coming honour. Mr. Darling was a wise man, and he knew how to make
even this visit a simple and natural thing, by introducing some of the
home element into it.
"We will first go and see William," he said, for his son was living at
Alnwick, "and make him happy by a visit. He will almost be too proud
of his sister now, I imagine."
"It will be very good to see him," said Grace, who loved her brother,
and who thought henceforth of him when she thought of her visit to the
castle.
At last the day arrived on which she was expected. She dressed in her
usual simple style, and looked neat, pretty, and unpretending, as she
always did. Her mother was quite satisfied with her appearance, and
went down to the water's edge with her to bid her good-bye, and see her
start with her father.
They had a pleasant sail over the sea, and a warm greeting from
William, and then they went together to the castle.
It is a grand old place; and as they approached it, the heart of Grace
Darling was moved with admiration and awe. She thought of the olden
times, and all the scenes which those walls had witnessed, and begged
her father now and again to wait, while she examined the different
devices and relics that were visible. Through the gloomy archway they
passed, and then the castle, with its towers and battlements, was
before them, and presently they had entered the court. As soon as
their names were known, they were at once admitted, and an usher
conducted them up the spacious staircase, where the emblazoned
escutcheons were numerous, end where the lofty ceiling especially
attracted the admiration of the girl. They were then led into a
splendid saloon, whose walls were hung with portraits of the Percy
family; and here the Duchess of Northumberland received the heroine of
the Farne Isles.
For a moment Grace felt embarrassed as she recognised the fact of the
personality of the lady who, with gentle dignity, stood before her.
But soon, when the kindly voice of the Duchess addressed the girl, she
ventured to lift her hazel eyes to the fair face of the questioner, and
then she met a smile so sweet and reassuring that her timidity
vanished. It may be safely affirmed that the visit gave fully as much
pleasure to one as to the other; and the Duchess, allowing this to be
seen, was able to elicit from Grace her own description of the brave
and perilous feat which had gained the honour of an introduction to the
castle. When his daughter had finished, however, Mr. Darling asked
permission to give his version of the affair, remarking that the
modesty of his daughter had caused her to omit several points of
interest. The Duchess listened to him with respect, and now and then
asked a question, which caused the man to feel that her heart was
touched by the deed of heroism that his daughter had performed.
When she had been made acquainted with the facts from the lips of those
who were better able than any one beside to give an account of them,
the Duchess complimented them both on their courage, intrepidity, and
humanity, remarking to Grace that she would always feel particularly
interested in her, and would adopt her as her special protegee.
"You will perhaps be surprised to find," said the Duchess, graciously,
"that the fame of your heroic deed has reached the Court of the Queen,
and has been talked of in the presence of Her Majesty, who has
commissioned me to express to you her approval of your conduct."
Tears came to Grace's eyes, and she could scarcely speak, though every
fresh sentence made her again and again bow in humility; and her
courtesy expressed her thanks better than words could do.
"Nor is that all," said the Duchess. "Her Majesty has commanded me to
be the bearer of a present to you, and I trust it will contribute to
your comfort and delight. The Queen is quick to recognise any good
deeds of her subjects, and those who save life are especially dear to
her. I am sure you will be gratified by the notice of the Royal Lady."
She was, indeed; but had she attempted to say so tears must have
fallen, and the girl was really too much excited to speak. Her father,
however, who saw how matters stood, took the burden himself.
"Your Grace will, I hope, kindly pardon my daughter," he said. "She is
overwhelmed by the condescension of your Grace, and that of the Queen;
but, indeed, I know that she is most anxious to thank you, and does it
in her heart, if she cannot trust herself to put her sentiments into
words."
The Duchess looked first at the slender, frightened girl, and then at
the venerable form of her aged-looking father, and, as she thought of
the deed which they had done between them, she accorded them most
generous praise and admiration.
"Let me give you now Her Majesty's present," she said, handing a packet
to Grace, "and also ask you to accept from the Duke and myself a token
of our appreciation and regard."
After this Mr. and Miss Darling were conducted by an attendant to one
of the housekeeper's rooms, where they were asked to partake of some
refreshment. They had never before seen such a display of magnificence
and elegance; and as they took their meal, they could scarcely help
smiling at the contrast between their own humble home and the luxuries
which were strewn around them. The housekeeper knew how at once to
please the Duchess and her visitors, and make the latter feel at home,
even while they wondered at the splendour around them. She wanted to
make the lighthouse-keeper and his daughter really happy, and give them
such a treat as they would always remember with pleasure; and in her
efforts she was seconded by all the other members of the household, who
vied with each other in their attentions to their homely, but
celebrated guests; and the respect, and even deference with which they
were treated could not be otherwise than grateful to the feelings of
those whom Alnwick that day delighted to honour.
When the repast was ended, Grace and her father were asked if they
would like to look over the castle, and see its treasures, both ancient
and modern. They replied that they would be greatly delighted to do
so, and a very pleasant time was spent in visiting and examining the
different apartments. They saw the library, which set Grace longing,
for good books were her delight; and such books as those in the library
at Alnwick had hitherto only been seen by Grace in her dreams. Next to
the library, she admired the chapel, which is indeed worthy of all
admiration, for the magnificence and beauty of its adornments can
scarcely be surpassed.
Grace Darling was particularly interested in all that she saw. She had
not grown up in an ignorant, uncultured state, and her familiarity with
books, and especially with ballads, caused her to observe everything
around that presented new ideas and lessons. She had quick powers of
perception, and nothing was unnoticed or misunderstood by her. It is
absurd to see the blank astonishment, or dull sleepy inertness with
which some tourists look upon the castles and other great show-places
of our country. They evidently do not understand what is said, though
they are anxious to "do" the thing properly, and to secure a guide for
the purpose of assisting them. But Grace brought a large amount of
intelligence to bear upon this visit, and she received proportionate
pleasure and instruction in consequence.
When the rooms had been visited, Grace and her father passed into the
court-yard, when the porter, whose office it was to conduct strangers
around the building, came forward to act as their guide.
"So you have seen the interior of the castle, Mr. Darling? It is a
very grand place, both outside and in, and there are wonderful pictures
and so on, but I assure you that I shall have the pleasure of showing
you things far more astonishing and interesting than you have seen yet.
Come with me! Now, this is the seat of Henry Hotspur, what do you
think of that?"
Old memories came rushing over Grace, and especially of the border
ballads which she had learned long ago.
"Lord Percy made a solemn feast,
In Alnwick's princely hall,
And there came lords, and there came knights,
His chiefs and barons all."
"Now, come into the armoury, Miss Grace, for there are things there
that are particularly well worth looking at. Now, these are weapons
used in the French war. The Duke of Northumberland raised an army of
volunteers, and he supported them, too, and these are the arms we used."
"Were you then one of the volunteers who served under the command of
His Grace?" inquired Miss Darling.
"Yes, indeed," said the man, with a touch of natural pride; "I was one
of them, and would not have been left out of the number for a good
deal."
"What are these things?" inquired Grace, as they stood near some very
simple implements of warfare.
"They were brought from Otaheite," replied their guide. "Take them in
your hands, Miss Grace, and see what you think of them, and what use
you could make of them."
"I understand the use of an English oar much better," said Grace, with
a smile, and this brought another of the many compliments which the
guide passed upon her prowess and gallantry.
"This is one of the canoes which they use," he continued; "will you get
in and endeavour to paddle yourself across the lake?"
Grace was delighted to make the attempt, and still more pleased when
she succeeded in it.
After the usual remarks of the guide had been duly attended to, he
directed their attention to the donjon-keep--an abode so full of dreary
horror, that to it might justly be applied Dante's motto above the
gates of Eblis. Mr. Darling and Grace pursued this tour around the
ramparts of the castle, admiring afresh the view down the soft green
sloping lawn, to the beautiful and varied windings of the Aln. They
and their guide had by this time become familiar, and many a treasured
legend and traditionary tale were told relating to the house of Percy.
Stopping near a piece of artillery of an unusual design, their
conductor desired them to observe with attention its form and
appearance, for (continued he) I must tell you a singular circumstance
respecting this field-piece. "Many years ago this cannon was taken by
a party of English soldiers, during an engagement with the Spanish army
on the banks of the Tagus, brought to this country, and some time after
presented to His Grace. It happened on a Sunday morning, that two
Spanish officers, passing through Alnwick, desired to see through the
castle. When arrived at this particular spot, they stopped short, one
of them exclaiming, 'By heavens! this is the cannon lost by my men on
the banks of the Tagus!' 'Ha, ha! Mr. Darling, was it not a good joke
that this very Spanish officer should have come all the way to Alnwick
Castle to find a favourite piece of cannon lost by himself in his own
country?' When His Grace returned from church, I took an opportunity
of relating the whole circumstance, and that I believed, from their
manners, they would have liked to have taken it away with them. The
reply made by His Grace was--'They should have taken more care of it
when they had it.' 'Ha, ha! young lady, they should have taken more
care when they had it!'" [1]
After this the pleasant visit soon came to an end; but even before it
did so, Grace found it difficult to concentrate her thoughts upon the
remarks of their amusing guide. The mention of the word Spain brought
to the mind of the girl a lady whom in all fidelity she loved still,
who was at that time dwelling in that country--namely, Miss Caroline
Dudley. The girl felt that to see her friend again would give her
greater pleasure than many of the honours that were heaped upon her;
and she could not resist the feeling of regret and melancholy that
stole over her as she thought of the great distance between them. She
wondered, no doubt, whether the fame of her deed would reach the ear of
her friend, and if so, what she would think of it. Woman-like, Grace
would surely value much more the simple expression of approbation which
fell from the lips, or was written by the hand of one whom she loved,
than all the flatteries which the press heaped upon her, and the crowd
endorsed.
The day spent at the castle remained in the memory of Grace for another
reason than that of the kindly notice of the Duchess of Northumberland.
It was known in Alnwick that the heroine whom they all delighted to
honour was in the neighbourhood, and the town became astir with the
news. All who were acquainted with Grace knew that she shrank from
publicity and formality; but such an opportunity could not be allowed
to pass unimproved, and therefore the folk did their best to show the
maiden how much they loved her for her heroic conduct. The news was
rapidly circulated through the town, and an immense crowd gathered
outside the castle, and waited for the Darlings. No sooner did they
appear than the concourse sent up such a cheer that the air rang with
it. Surely no people can shout like the English can; for they put
their hearts into their voices when their enthusiasm has been really
aroused, and then the applause has a most thrilling sound. It was,
however, almost more than Grace could bear, and it frightened her so
much that she clung to her father for his protection. Again the loud
hurrahs rose in the air, and Grace's face turned pale, and her heart
beat violently.
"Do not be afraid, Grace. Only look at the people, and you will find
that they are all your friends."
Truly they were; and though, like English crowds, they were a little
boisterous, and though they did press closely to Grace, in order to
have a look at her, and though they tried to touch her hands, or at all
events her clothes, their faces were so friendly, and they looked so
good-humoured, and were evidently so delighted with their own good
fortune, that it was impossible for Grace to feel very antagonistic.
Still she could not help shrinking from so public a manifestation of
the feelings of the people, even though the feelings themselves were
kindly toward her; and as the crowd which escorted her increased in
numbers, and became even more noisy in its demonstration of delight,
she was heartily glad when the abode of her brother was reached, and
she could shut the door upon the admirers, and find the quiet for which
she longed.
She was even more glad when it was time to return to her dear island
home; and when she reached it, she found there had been visitors to the
lighthouse, who had regretted to have missed seeing her.
She and her father had been gone some time when a boat came to the
island; and two men landed--one elderly, and the other young and
handsome. They were dressed like seamen, but were evidently of a
superior class to that of the ordinary sailor.
They found Mrs. Darling, and immediately inquired after her husband and
daughter, and were not a little surprised and gratified when they heard
that Grace had been summoned to Alnwick Castle, on a visit to the
Duchess of Northumberland.
"You may well be proud of your honour, Mrs. Darling," said the elder
man. "Pretty Grace will be holding her head high after such favour,
and lucky will the lad be who wins her love. What do you say, Tom?"
The young man thus addressed said nothing, but his evident
embarrassment, and increase of colour, showed that Grace's heroism had
touched his heart. He showed his feelings so plainly that he had to
endure the usual penance inflicted in such cases, for both Mrs. Darling
and the young man's companion laughed heartily at him.
"You will stay until my husband and daughter return!" said Mrs.
Darling, with her usual hospitality; and the younger man looked eagerly
toward his companion.
"No, thank you, we cannot," replied the latter. "It will be getting
dark soon, and we must reach Holy Island before the shadows come. Now
then, Tom, hand out the parcel we have brought for Grace, and let us be
going."
They had left the island about an hour when Grace and her father
reached it. Mrs. Darling was anxious to hear all they had to tell her
of the eventful day; and her mother's pride received much gratification
when she learned all the particulars.
Then she told them of the visitors that she had had; and at the mention
of Tom's name, the colour came into Grace's face. She knew Tom very
well. He was an orphan, and his bachelor uncle, who had now
accompanied him, had taken care of him since his parents died. He was
a frequent visitor at the lighthouse, and long before Grace Darling's
name was famous, it had become dear to him. The girl knew that Tom
loved her, and it was this knowledge which made her blush. It is true
that Tom had never confessed to the feeling that glowed in his breast,
but Grace, with a woman's quick-wittedness, comprehended it. Her
mother wondered if she also returned it; but at present,
notwithstanding her blushes, she did not give him the love that he
evidently felt for her.
So ended one of the most eventful days in the girl's history; and very
happy it must have made her to feel that her simple effort in the cause
of humanity had commended itself both to the rich and great, and to
those who lived in the humbler walks of life. So true it is that a
good deed, by whomsoever performed, is recognised and admired by all
who know of it. The world is not as cold as it seems. And sometimes
it can feel, not envy and malice only, but real admiration and respect.
It is a pity that there are not more good deeds done, and more of the
right kind of enthusiasm created.
[1] "Grace Darling," by W. & T. Fordyce. 1839. [Transcriber's note:
This date was blurred--it appears to be 1839, but may be 1889.]