A CANDIDATE FOR THE LEGISLATURE
"Don't you know that even granite millstones finally grind themselves into
impalpable powder? You give yourself no rest, Aubrey, and human machinery
wears rapidly. Simply for this reason, I sent for you to come and take a
cup of tea with me."
"I have been too much engaged of late to spare an evening to merely social
claims. A man whose life rests at his feet to be lifted to some fitting
pedestal, has little leisure for the luxury of friendly visiting."
The two were in Eric Mitchell's pleasant library. Russell sat in an
arm-chair, and the master of the house reclined on a lounge drawn near the
hearth. The mellow glow of the lamp, the flash and crackle of the fire, the
careless, lazy posture of the invalid, all betokened quiet comfort, save
the dark fixed face, and erect, restless figure of the guest.
"But, Aubrey, you have not asked my opinion of your speech."
"I was not aware that you heard it."
"Of course not, but I read it; and let me tell you, it was a great speech,
a masterly argument, that will make a lasting impression upon the people.
It has greatly changed the vote of this county already."
"You mistake appearances; the seed fell in good soil, but party spirit
came, as fowls of the air, and devoured it."
"At any rate, it produced a profound impression on public opinion, and
startled some of our political patriarchs."
"No, a mere transitory effect; they have folded their arms and gone to
sleep again. I am, of course, gratified by your favourable appreciation of
my effort, but I differ with you as to its result. The surging waves of
Northern faction and fanaticism already break ominously against our
time-honoured constitutional dykes, and if the South would strengthen her
bulwarks, there is no time to be slept or wrangled away."
As he spoke, Russell's eye fell upon a large oval vase on the mantelpiece
filled with rare exotics, whose graceful tendrils were tastefully disposed
into a perfumed fringe. Rising, he looked carefully at the brilliant hues,
and said, as he bent to inhale their fragrance--
"Where did you grow such flowers at this season?"
"Irene brings them almost every day from the greenhouse on the hill. She
takes a peculiar pleasure in arranging them in my vases. I think she stood
a half-hour yesterday twining and bending those stems the way she wanted
them to hang. They are so brittle that I snap the blossoms off, but in her
hands they seem pliable enough."
Russell withdrew the fingers which had wandered caressingly amid the
delicate leaves, and, reseating himself, took a book from his pocket.
He drew his chair nearer the lamp and began to read aloud. Nearly a
half-hour passed thus, when the library door was opened hastily, and Irene
came in, dressed magnificently in party costume. She stood a moment,
irresolute and surprised, with her eyes fixed on Russell's, then both bowed
silently, and she came to the fire.
"How are you, Uncle Eric? You look flushed, feverish." She laid her cold,
pearly hand on his forehead, and stood at his side.
"Tolerably comfortable, thanks to Mr. Aubrey, who has made me almost forget
my headache. You will be fashionably late at the party to-night."
"Yes! as usual; but for a better reason than because I wish to be
fashionable. I wanted to know how you were, and as father was not quite
ready, I came in advance, and sent the carriage back for him and Hugh. I
was not aware that you were in Mr. Aubrey's hands for the evening. You were
reading, I believe. Pardon my intrusion, and do not let me interrupt you."
She stood still a moment, listening.
"Good night, Uncle Eric; the carriage is coming. I believe I should know
the tramp of those horses amid a regiment of cavalry."
"Why need you hurry off? Let your father come in."
"I will spare him that trouble. Good night, Mr. Aubrey."
She turned to leave the room, but, in gathering her cloak around her,
dropped her fan. Russell stooped to pick it up, and, as he restored it,
their hands met. His brow flushed, but not even the pale pearly glow of a
sea-shell crept to her cheek. Again she raised her eyes to his, and a
haughty, dazzling smile flashed over her face as she inclined her head.
"Thank you, sir."
There was a brief silence, broken by Eric, when the sound of the carriage
had died away.
"Irene is the only perfectly beautiful woman I ever saw; and yet, Aubrey,
it makes me sad to watch her countenance."
"Whenever I see her I cannot avoid recalling an old Scandinavian myth; she
realizes so fully my ideal Iduna, standing at the portals of Valhalla,
offering apples of immortality."
He returned at once to his book and read several pages, occasionally
pausing to call attention to some special passage; finally he rose, and
took his hat.
"It is early yet, Aubrey; don't go."
"Thank you; I must fulfil another engagement."
"A word before you leave; will you be a candidate for the legislature?"
"Yes; I was waited upon by a committee to-day, and my name will be
announced to-morrow. Good night."
Slowly he walked back to town, and once upon the main street, took a new
pair of gloves from his pocket, fitted them carefully, and directed his
steps to the elegant residence, whose approach was well-nigh blocked up
with carriages. This was the second time that he had been invited by the
Hendersons, and he had almost determined to decline as formerly, but
something in Irene's chill manner changed his resolution. He knew, from
various circumstances, that the social edict against him was being revoked
in fashionable circles; that because he had risen without its permission,
aid, or countenance, and in defiance of its sneers, the world was beginning
to court him. A gloomy scowl sat on his stern lips as he mounted the steps
of the mansion from which his meek and suffering mother had borne bundles
of plain work, or delicate masses of embroidery, for the mother and
daughter who passed her in the street with a supercilious stare.
_Beau-monde_ suddenly awoke to the recollection that, "after all, Mrs.
Aubrey belonged to one of the wealthiest and first families in the state."
At first Russell had proudly repelled all overtures, but gradually he was
possessed by a desire to rule in the very circle which had so long excluded
his family. Most fully he appreciated his position and the motives which
actuated the social autocrats of W----; he was no longer the poor disgraced
clerk, but the talented young lawyer, and prospective heir of Mr.
Campbell's wealth. Bitterly, bitterly came memories of early trial, and now
the haughtiness of Irene's manner stung him as nothing else could possibly
have done. He was at a loss to comprehend this change in one who had dared
so much in order to assist his family, and proud defiance arose in his
heart. It was ten o'clock, the fete was at its height; the sound of music,
the shimmer of jewels and rustle of costly silks mingled with the hum of
conversation, and the tread of dancing feet as Russell deposited hat and
overcoat in the dressing-room and entered the blazing parlours. The
quadrille had just ended, and gay groups chattered in the centre of the
room; among these, Maria Henderson, leaning on Hugh's arm, and Grace
Harris, who had been dancing with Louis Henderson. As Russell crossed the
floor to speak to the host and hostess, all eyes turned upon him, and a
sudden hush fell on the merry dancers.
"Coaxed at last within the pale of civilization! how did you contrive it,
Louis?" asked Maria.
"Oh! he declined when I invited him; but I believe father saw him afterward
and renewed the request. Do observe him talking to mother; he is as
polished as if he had spent his life at court."
"He is a man whom I never fancied; but that two hours' speech of his was
certainly the finest effort I ever listened to. Caesar's ambition was
moderate in comparison with Aubrey's; and, somehow, even against my will, I
can't help admiring him, he is so coolly independent," said Hugh, eyeing
him curiously.
"I heard father say that the Democrats intend to send him to the
legislature next term, and the opposition are bothered to match him fully.
By the way, they speak of Mr. Huntingdon for their candidate. But here
comes your hero, Miss Maria." As he spoke, Charlie Harris drew back a few
steps, and suffered Russell to speak to the young lady of the house. Irene
stood not far off, talking to the Governor of the state, who chanced to be
on a brief visit to W----, and quite near her, Judge Harris and her father
were in earnest conversation. Astonished at the sudden apparition, her eyes
followed him as he bowed to the member of the central group; and as she
heard the deep, rich voice above the buzz of small talk she waited to see
if he would notice her. Soon Governor G---- gave her his arm for a
promenade, and she found herself, ere long, very near Maria, who was
approaching with Russell. He was saying something, at which she laughed
delightedly; just then his eye fell on Irene; there was no token of
recognition on the part of either; but the Governor, in passing, put out
his hand to shake Russell's, and asked for Mr. Campbell. Again and again
they met during the ensuing hour, but no greeting was exchanged; then he
disappeared. As Irene leaned against the window-frame in the crowded
supper-room, she heard Charlie Harris gaily bantering Maria on the events
of the evening.
"What have you done with Aubrey? I will challenge him before to-morrow
morning, for cutting me out of my schottische with his prosy chat."
"Oh! he left a half-hour ago; excused himself to mother, on the plea of
starting off to court at daybreak. He is perfectly fascinating; don't you
think so, Grace? Such eyes and lips; and such a forehead!"
Once more in his own room at the quiet boarding-house, Russell lighted the
gas-burner over a small desk, and sat down to a mass of papers. The
apartment was cold; the fire had long since died out; the hearth looked
ashy and desolate. The measured tones of the watchman on the town-tower
recalled him, finally, from his work; he took off his watch and wound it
up. It wanted but three hours to dawn, but he heeded it not; the sight of
the massive old watch brought vividly back the boyish days of sorrow, and
he sat thinking of that morning of shame, when Irene came close to him,
nestling her soft little hand in his, and from some long-silent, dark,
chill chamber of memory leaped sweet, silvery, childish echoes--
"Oh, Russell! if I could only help you!"
Since his return from Europe he had accustomed himself to think of her as
Hugh's wife; but he found it daily more difficult to realize that she could
willingly give her hand to her heedless, self-indulgent cousin; and now the
alteration in her manner toward him perplexed and grieved him. Did she
suspect the truth, and fear that he might presume on her charity in bygone
years? To his proud spirit this was a suggestion singularly insulting, and
he had resolved to show her in future that he claimed not even a nod of
recognition. Instead of avoiding her, as formerly, he would seek occasions
to exhibit an indifference which he little thought that her womanly heart
would rightly interpret. He had found it more difficult than he supposed to
keep his attention chained to Maria's and Grace's gay nonsense; to prevent
his eyes from wandering to the face whose image was enshrined in his lonely
heart, and now, with complex feelings of tenderness and angry defiance, he
sought his pillow for a short respite before the journey that waited but
for daylight.
For a few weeks all W---- was astir with interest in the impending
election: newspaper columns teemed with caustic articles, and Huntingdon
and Aubrey clubs vilified each other with the usual acrimony of such
occasions. Mr. Campbell's influence was extensive, but the Huntingdon
supporters were powerful, and the result seemed doubtful until the week
previous to the election, when Russell, who had as yet taken no active
part, accepted the challenge of his opponent to a public discussion. The
meeting was held in front of the court-house, the massive stone steps
serving as a temporary rostrum. The night was dark and cloudy, but huge
bonfires, blazing barrels of pitch, threw a lurid glare over the broad
street, now converted into a surging sea of human heads.
Surrounded by a committee of select friends, Mr. Huntingdon sat, confident
of success; and when the hiss of rockets ceased, he came forward, and
addressed the assembly in an hour's speech. As a warm and rather prominent
politician, he was habituated to the task, and bursts of applause from his
own party frequently attested the effect of his easy, graceful style, and
pungent irony. Blinded by personal hate, and hurried on by the excitement
of the hour, he neglected the cautious policy which had hitherto been
observed, and finally launched into a fierce philippic against his
antagonist--holding up for derision the melancholy fate of his father, and
sneeringly denouncing the "audacious pretensions of a political neophyte."
Groans and hisses greeted this unexpected peroration, and many of his own
friends bit their lips, and bent their brows in angry surprise, as he took
his seat amid an uproar which would have been respectable even in the days
of the builders of Babel. Russell was sitting on the upper step, with his
head leaning on his hand, and his eyes fixed on the mass of upturned, eager
faces, listening patiently to the lengthy address, expecting just what he
was destined to hear. At the mention of his family misfortunes he lifted
his head, rose, and advancing a few steps, took off his hat, and stood
confronting the speaker in full view of the excited crowd. And there the
red light, flaring over his features, showed a calm, stern, self-reliant
man, who felt that he had nothing to blush for in the past or to dread in
future. When the tirade ended, when the tumult ceased and silence fell upon
the audience, he turned and fixed his deep, glowing eyes full on the face
of his opponent for one moment, smiling haughtily; then, as Mr. Huntingdon
quailed before his withering gaze, he crossed his arms over his chest, and
addressed the meeting.
He came, he said, to discuss questions of grave import to the State, not
the pedigree or antecedents of his antagonist, with which, he supposed, the
public had no concern. Briefly he stated the issues dividing the people of
the State; warned the opposition of the probable results of their policy,
if triumphant; and, with resistless eloquence, pleaded for a firm
maintenance of the principles of his own party. He was, he averred, no
alarmist, but he proclaimed that the people slept upon the thin heaving
crust of a volcano, which would inevitably soon burst forth; and the period
was rapidly approaching when the Southern States, unless united and on the
alert, would lie bound at the feet of an insolent and rapacious Northern
faction. He demanded that, through the legislatures, the States should
appeal to Congress for certain restrictions and guarantees, which, if
denied, would justify extreme measures on the part of the people. The man's
marvellous magnetism was never more triumphantly attested; the mass, who
had listened in profound silence to every syllable which had passed his
lips, now vented their enthusiasm in prolonged and vociferous applause.
As he descended the steps and disappeared amid the shouts of the crowd,
Judge Harris turned to Mr. Huntingdon and said, with ill-concealed
annoyance--
"You have lost your election by your confounded imprudence."
The judge walked off, pondering a heavy bet which he had relative to the
result.
By sunrise on the day of the election the roads leading to town were
crowded with voters making their way to the polls. The drinking-saloons
were full to overflowing; the side-walks thronged with reeling groups as
the day advanced. Because the Huntingdon side bribed freely, the Aubrey
partisans felt that they must, from necessity, follow the disgraceful
precedent. Not a lady showed her face upon the street; drinking, wrangling,
fighting was the order of the day. Windows were smashed, buggies
overturned, and the police exercised to the utmost. Accompanied by a few
friends, Mr. Huntingdon rode from poll to poll, encouraging his supporters,
and drawing heavily upon his purse, while Russell remained quietly in his
office, well assured of the result. At five o'clock, when the town polls
closed, Russell's votes showed a majority of two hundred and forty-four.
Couriers came in constantly from country precincts, with equally favourable
accounts, and at ten o'clock it was ascertained, beyond doubt, that he was
elected. Irene and her uncle rode down to learn the truth, and, not knowing
where to find Mr. Huntingdon, stopped the carriage at the corner of the
main street, and waited a few moments. Very soon a rocket whizzed through
the air, a band of music struck up before Russell's office, and a number of
his adherents insisted that he should show himself on the balcony. A crowd
immediately collected opposite, cheering the successful candidate, and
calling for a speech. He came out, and, in a few happy, dignified words,
thanked them for the honour conferred, and pledged himself to guard most
faithfully the interests committed to his keeping. After the noisy
constituents had retired, he stood talking to some friends, when he chanced
to recognize the fiery horses across the street. The carriage-top was
thrown back, and by the neighbouring gaslight he saw Irene's white face
turned toward him, then the horses sprang off. Mr. Campbell noticed,
without understanding, the sudden start, and bitter though triumphant smile
that crossed his face in the midst of pleasant gratulations.
"Go home, Andrew. I know now what I came to learn."
Irene sank back and folded her mantle closer around her.
"Don't you think, Irene, that Aubrey deserves to succeed?"
"Yes."
Her dreary tone disconcerted him, and he offered no further comment, little
suspecting that her hands were pressed hard against her heart, and that her
voiceless sorrow, was: "Henceforth we must be still more estranged; a wider
gulf, from this night, divides us."