THE OATH IN THE TOWER OF TORONTO UNIVERSITY.
"Yes, dear, draw over your rocker, he will not return, and since you are
willing, I shall pour my griefs into the lap of your mind; seeking, as
you say, to lessen the dead weight on my own.
"Just about this time last year, not so late though, for the trees were
lovely in tints of deep orange and crimson, with the brown of the oak.
Our beautiful suburbs, with the Queen's Park, looking like huge bouquets
in the hands of Dame Nature; you know my passion for scenery, Ella. One
day--a bright and glorious day, it had been--the blue sky, almost out of
sight, it was so uplifted; a day sufficient to raise one's spirits as by
some powerful stimulant, I was returning from town to my modest quarters
(not here you know, dear), about four p.m., through the park; when, Mr.
Cobbe overtaking me, suggested our going up into the tower of the
Toronto University to enjoy the view. I consented, knowing that the
slanting beams of the sinking sun would kiss good-night to the
tree-tops, lighting them with additional loveliness. We entered the
grandly beautiful building, the janitor, unlocking the door to the
tower, reminding us of the rule, "keys turned at five." Up, and ever
upwards, the spiral stairway, making one dizzy in the ascent; at length,
the top is reached; and, oh! the view, Ella, was more than beautiful. My
eyes only rested with a passing glance at the handsome villas skirting
the park, ever returning to dwell on the superb mass of color in the
trees; the sun seeming to linger lovingly while photographing their
shadows upon the grass.
"I sat silent, or nearly so, for some time, when somehow the very air
seemed full of such quiet, solemn grandeur, that thought becoming
active, travelled in and about by-gone scenes and faces, bringing tears
to my eyes, as a strange fit of loneliness came upon me.
"I was just in the mood to say yes, to a proposal to link my life with
another, when Philip Cobbe pleaded his suit, saying, 'In a home together
we would be companions each for the other; that we would be happier in a
little home together than in the cold formality of a boarding-house;
that in our short acquaintance, we knew each other as well as people who
had a life-long knowledge of each other; that we were each too
warm-hearted to be content alone; that the long, dark autumn was coming
on, in which we would be all in all to each other; that his love for me
filled his heart.'
"Then, Ella, he was really eloquent in his description of a little home
together--a picture particularly inviting to me in my loneliness and in
my despondent mood.
"I had been, as you know, under fortune's wheel, season after season, in
the ice-bound winter, in the scorching sun of summer; sometimes in doubt
in which I suffered most. With a purse as 'trash,' society turned a cold
shoulder to me. Summer friends did not see me; my real friends at a
distance--yourselves among the foremost--could not prevail upon me to
visit them, as I knew the only sin society refuses to pardon is an
out-at-elbows gown; and I was too proud to accept gifts I could not
repay.
"Yet, still I hesitated in accepting Philip's offer, which seemed
tempting in its home view; but would it be wise for me to marry him,
simply because my life was a lonely one? I was in the act of telling
him, 'I would sleep on it, and give him his answer, to-morrow,' when
saying so, we were startled by the city clocks and bells striking,
ringing and chiming six o'clock! Ella, Ella, my heart with fright seemed
to stop beating; even yet a nervous tremor runs through me when I recall
that moment; it was too true, on Philip consulting his watch, really, in
the gloaming; for the sun was then sinking to rest at about five-thirty.
"'Great Heavens!' I cried; 'the tower door will be locked!' At this, can
you credit it, Ella; the face of my companion grew exultant, as he
cried:
"'Then we shall be here together until morning, and you will have to
marry me!'
"At this, Ella, a shudder of repulsion ran through me; all my liking for
him seemed at once to leave my heart, fear taking its place. 'What shall
we do?' I cried; 'there are no passers-by; God help me, for truly, "vain
is the help of man." Think of something, do something, Mr. Cobbe--go to
the foot of the stairs--hammer on the door--anything--get me out some
way,' I said, almost in a frenzy. 'There is no one in the building,' he
said. 'I would be no more heard than you hear your dog Tyr whining for
your return. You will have to stay. We will be married, which some women
would not grieve at. Come, come, cheer up; we will be married quietly in
the morning; say yes, with a kiss.'
"'Go away,' I said; 'you must have matches, I have hit upon a plan. I am
going to tie my bonnet to the end of your cane, and set fire to it. Some
one will see it, and tell the janitor or steward, and we shall be
liberated; here, quick, the matches!'
"'I have not one about me,' he said; and which I now feel sure was a
falsehood. 'Oh try, try; search every pocket; if you will only free us I
will promise anything, only get us out of here,' I said, half beside
myself.
"'You will promise anything,' he said, excitedly; 'then, down on your
knees, and swear by all you hold sacred, to become my wife.'
"'Oh, that is too awful an oath, ask me anything but that,' for I was
sure now I could not love him.
"'No, no; swear, or you stay here all night.' 'Half my money, when I get
it, instead, for pity's sake,' I said, distractedly.
"'Nonsense! I swear to liberate us from the tower and building, if you
swear as I have dictated; if not, take the consequences.' Again, he
pleaded his suit, winding up by asking me 'How I thought I would look
facing a crowd in the morning, emerging from such a midnight
resting-place, and in his company; of how the students would have food
for jokes, for the remainder of the term; of how the newspapers would
get hold of it,' etc.
"Driven to desperation, I knelt and swore by all I held sacred, to
become his wife--unless he himself set me free--the latter clause he
allowed, laughing at the idea; he then held me to his heart, telling me
I would have a good husband in him, and never have cause to repent of my
oath; tying my bonnet on, for I trembled so, my hands were useless; how
I got down the steps on steps I don't know; he must have carried me; for
what with the strain on my nerves from the whole scene, added to the
spiral stairway, I felt dizzy and faint; but we reached the bottom, and
my astonishment and indignation is easier imagined than described, on
seeing him coolly turn the handle and open the door! The bells we had
heard were fire-bells. The janitor, true to his trust, had locked the
great door and gone to a lecture-room for a moment, intending after to
mount for us.
"Philip seemed uplifted to a state of insane exultation at the success
of his plan; for, on my upbraiding him on such base means to attain his
ends, he laughed, as he said, 'All is fair in love or war,' as turning
the key in the oak door of the main entrance we were out in the free
air. Free! yes, but with my freedom gone. I looked at him with a sort of
curiosity, as merely shutting the door, though I suggested burglars; he
for answer, taking me in his arms, saying thickly, to the accompaniment
of the key turning, 'Make the best of me, love, it was only by stratagem
I could win you; I am lonely, so are you; I will make you happy, so help
me God!' and so it is, Ella, you find me engaged to wed Philip Cobbe.
"But, as you must see, there must be other reasons than my
disinclination to have prevented our union, for, you see, he still
haunts me, though not loving me so faithfully, perhaps," she said,
gravely.
"Of course I see it, you poor dear," she said, coming nearer, and
kissing her friend, "and you must _never_ marry that man. What a romance
of the tower it was; I have been fascinated listening to your recital. I
now see what he meant by his--as he thought--strange manner, on Henry
naming that we were going to the University with you. But, _mark my
words_, there will be a tragedy if you wed this man; I know something."
A tremor ran through Mrs. Gower; she clasped her hands nervously, her
lips quivered, and her dark eyes dilated, as she said, leaning towards
her friend,
"You mean about a woman!"
Here Garfield awoke at the entrance of his father, whose ring his mother
and Mrs. Gower had not heard. Miss Crew, entering, hat and mantle on,
and carrying the outdoor wraps of Mrs. Dale.
"Why, you both look startled!" said Mr. Dale; "have you been enjoying a
spiritual seance?"
"No, Henry, but you had better avoid me, for I have been tasting of the
tree of knowledge."
"We have had dogma, also, Mr. Dale; and your wife does not believe that
the end justifies the means," said Mrs. Gower, as Thomas brought in a
tray with delicious coffee and sandwiches.
"I hope such doctrine won't be forced down our throats some day, Mrs.
Gower. Roman Catholicism seems to be coming upon you, wave by wave, and
you in Ontario don't even seem to dream of a breakwater."
And so he talked on of city news, of the immense circulation of the
newspapers, of the power of the press, etc., seeing there had been grave
talk, and giving each time to bury gravity in heart's casket.
"Good night, little man; and so you get your feet on life's first rung,
at Upper Canada College, on Monday morning."
"Yes, Mrs. Gower, and I mean to show them what a New York boy can do."
"That's right; defy circumstance and fate, and mount."
"Good night, and good-bye, dear Mrs. Gower, for I leave, as you are
aware, for a run north-east, to look at some mines with our friend
Buckingham."
"Yes, so I hear; what birds of passage you men are; but you don't leave
until Monday, when your good little wife and Miss Crew come to me during
your absence."
"I really don't know what Ella would do without Holmnest and--you."
"Take care of yourself, Elaine," said Mrs. Dale, with a meaning pressure
of the hand.
"What for?" she said, rather sadly.
"Oh, for somebody!"