GENERAL HARRINGTON'S SECRET.
Harrington and Ralph stood opposite Zillah's house, pausing for a
moment's conversation before they went in.
"No," said Ralph, earnestly, "do not ask it; I will not give even this
evidence of a doubt which I never can feel again. Go yourself, and see
her alone. Learn, if possible, by what evil influence she has been wiled
from her home. If she has fled to escape the importunity of my love,
tell her to fear it no more; I will leave the country--do anything
rather than stand in the way of her return to my mother."
Harrington wrung the hand which Ralph had in his earnestness extended.
"Wait at the hotel," he said; "in an hour expect me with news. I will
not leave the poor child till her secret is mine. Be hopeful, Ralph, for
I tell you Lina is an honest, good girl, and a little time will make it
all clear."
"God grant that we do not deceive ourselves!" said Ralph, hopefully. "I
will wait for you, but it will be a terrible hour, James."
"But such hours go by like the rest," answered Harrington, with a grave
smile; "you will learn this in time."
With these words, James Harrington crossed the street, and entered
Zillah's house.
Ralph watched him till the door closed, and then walked slowly back to
the hotel.
Harrington was right--such hours do go by like the rest; those that are
tear-laden toil on a little slower than such as are bright with smiles,
but the eternity which crowds close upon them receives both alike, and
they float away into the past, mistily together.
In less than the given time, James Harrington came back, but his step
was heavy as he mounted the stairs, and a look of haggard trouble hung
upon his brow. Ralph felt his breath come painfully; he dared not speak,
for never in his life had he felt such awe of the man before him. At
length he drew close to James, and whispered:
"One word, only one: is she lost?"
"Ralph" said Harrington, drawing a hand across his forehead once or
twice, as if to sweep away some pain that ached there, "I am at a loss
what to say!"
Ralph turned white and drew back.
"No, no, it is not as you think. The sweet girl is blameless as the
angels, but she is bound by promises and obligations that even I cannot
feel free to fling aside: yet this secrecy can only end in pain. It is
my duty, at any risk, to free her name from reproach. Ralph, I have
something very distressing to tell you, and it must be told."
"If Lina is innocent, if she loves me, all else is nothing!" answered
Ralph, with enthusiasm. "Oh, James, you have made a man of me once
more!"
"This hopefulness pains me, Ralph."
"How? Did you not charge me to keep hopeful? did you not tell me that
Lina was blameless? While I can respect, love--nay, adore her--what else
has the power to wound me?"
James Harrington shrank back, and his face flushed.
"Hush! hush! these words are too ardent--they wound, they repulse me! If
you guessed all that I know, your own heart would recoil from them."
"Guessed all that you know!--well, speak out. It must be something
terrible, indeed, if it prevents me loving her, after what you have
already said."
James Harrington hesitated; looked wistfully at the eager face turned
full of inquiry to his, and at last said, in a low, almost solemn voice:
"Ralph, Lina is your father's daughter."
"My father's daughter?" cried Ralph, aghast; "my father's daughter!"
"He told her so with his own lips, binding her by a promise not to
reveal the secret to us. Poor thing, it was too weighty for her
strength; she grew wild under it and fled to the woman you saw, who
claims to be her mother."
"Claims to be her mother! That woman--it is false!"
"I fear not, Ralph! I myself recognized that woman as a beautiful slave
whom your father owned when my own poor mother died. She has changed
but"----
"A slave--Lina, the child of a slave? I tell you it is false; the dews
of heaven are not more pure than the blood that fills those blue veins;
there is some fraud here!" cried Ralph, impetuously.
"I fear not. She is certain of it; this cruel conviction is killing her.
But for her feeble state, I never could have won her secret. Poor child,
poor child, what can be done for her?"
Ralph walked the room impetuously, beating the air with his hand: all at
once he stopped--the cloud upon his brow cleared away--his lips parted
almost with a cry.
"I tell you, brother James, this is a fraud, to which Lina's face alone
is enough to give the lie! Ask Ben Benson--only ask Ben, he is truthful
as the sun; he has known her from the cradle. Ben Benson told me with
his own lips, that Lina's mother was dead!"
James Harrington became excited; his eye kindled.
"Did Ben Benson tell you this?"
"He did, indeed; but why waste time in guessing? Let us go home; the old
fellow will help us to put this right."
James hesitated, and shrunk within himself; the look of pain came back
to his face, and he answered with some constraint, that the steamer
sailed for Europe on the morrow, and his passage was already taken.
Ralph looked astonished and distressed.
"Would you leave us now?" he said, reproachfully.
James remained thoughtful a moment, and then answered with a touch of
mournfulness:
"No, I will remain for a little time. So long as I am wanted, it must be
so."
"Then, let us go home at once."
"Yes, it is a duty; I will return with you," said Harrington, with
gentle concession; and, spite of himself, a gleam of pleasure broke into
his eyes.
"Come, then, come!" cried Ralph, impetuously. "I cannot breathe till old
Ben has spoken. Come!"
"Have patience, Ralph; let us talk this matter over more quietly. We are
not at liberty to tell this painful secret to your mother, it would
shock her too much; besides, I pledged my honor to the poor child that
it should not be done. Let me find General Harrington, and learn the
whole truth from him. If Lina proves to be your sister--do not turn so
pale, my dear boy--if she proves to be this, you must go with me to
Europe, and learn to regard her with that gentle affection which becomes
these new relations."
"I tell you, Lina is _not_ my sister; every feeling of my soul rises up
to contradict it!" cried the youth, impetuously. "General Harrington
will not say it."
"Is the General at home now?" inquired Harrington, with a gentle wave of
the hand.
"No; he seldom is, of late. He almost lives at the club-house."
"I will seek him there," said Harrington; "come with me."
"Not on this errand, James; I could not see my father, and maintain that
self-control which is due from a son to his parent. His sins have fallen
too heavily on me for that."
"You are right, perhaps," answered James, thoughtfully. "It will be a
painful interview; but for her sake I will undertake it, though I had
thought all subjects of this kind were at an end between General
Harrington and myself."
Ralph wrung the hand extended to him, and the two went out, each taking
his own way.