What if Father Gibault's priestly zeal should prove stronger than the
common sense, and sound humanity, I credited him with? What if he should
conclude that the immolation of two lives was necessary to the saving of
one soul? Should strengthen Ellen's superstition as to the sacred
obligation of her impulsive vow? Well! in that case I should have two
strong forces to war against, Ellen's superstition, and a priest's
influence. But I had no thought of resigning Ellen until the authority
of the Roman Church had put her forever beyond reach of my hopes. She
had been created for love, and happiness, for the duties and ties of
earth; once the fervor of self-sacrifice had exhausted itself, she would
be miserable in a convent. I thought I knew her nature better than she
understood it, and meant to save her from self-immolation for a happier
life, and one, I truly believed, not less holy in God's sight. As
impatient as I was to take once more my part in the struggle waging
beyond the Alleghanies, I meant not to leave the Illinois Country until
Ellen had consented to go with me, or was immured for life behind
convent walls.
Father Gibault was with her when she came to me the next morning, and my
heart beat fast with apprehension; his presence seemed to convey a hint
of doom to my hopes. Ellen's face was very serious, but rigidly
self-controlled, and about her was an air of unaccustomed meekness and
humility.
"The Father has made my duty plain, Cousin Donald," she began; "I must
go back to the guardians to whom my parents left me, and go from them to
my seclusion, when, by meekness and obedience, I have won their
forgiveness; I must shrive myself for the holy life by conquering will
and pride," and she turned and left us, without having once lifted her
eyes to mine. But my first point was gained, and my heart beat more
calmly as I turned to Father Gibault, still standing by the window,
looking pensively upon the landscape, to exclaim vehemently:
"And you think a rash vow, made by a child, under stress of fright and
suffering, obligatory, Father Gibault? You will allow this girl to feel
herself doomed to self-immolation because of an irresponsible promise to
her own excited conscience? Cannot you foresee that she will live a long
life of regret, and unavailing struggle against natural inclinations?
And can you believe a half-hearted sacrifice, an immolation of the body
only, is more likely to fit Ellen for Heaven, or more sure to do God's
service, than the thrice holy calling of Christian wife and mother?"
"You are vehement in your argument beyond necessity, monsieur," answered
the Father, in his soft precise English, and smiling calmly at me from
the chair in which he had seated himself, while I strode up and down the
room excitedly.
"The matter excuses vehemence," I answered. "Have you not guessed that I
love my Cousin Ellen, that I wish her for my wife? And I would have good
hope of winning her but for this absurd superstition of your cold and
bigoted faith, that a fair and innocent young woman does honor to God by
shutting herself up and doing penance--thus perpetuating a heathen
custom, originating in the need of unprotected women for a place of
refuge in a lawless age, to a more civilized time, which has greater
need of the example and the inspiration of holy matrons, than for
useless bead-counting nuns."
"You have unsuspected fluency of the tongue, Captain McElroy," and
Father Gibault's habitual expression of gentle benevolence had given
place to one of droll humorousness. "Priest though I be, and with mind,
I trust, fixed usually on holier things, I could not easily have blinded
myself to signs of earthly love so evident as those you have shown for
your cousin. I guessed many things when the maiden lay ill of fever last
autumn, and you haunted my steps for news of her. I wonder not that you
love Ellen O'Neil. A maiden more sweet I have not known, nor one better
worth a man's heart. When I learned of her vow, I thought first of you,
with much sympathy, and fearing that her convictions were but the
expression of extreme sensibility natural to girlhood, I was most
careful not to say aught to fix them into resolve. Later, seeing that
she took a maiden's natural pleasure in her small court, and that her
influence over Colonel Clark and the rest of you was good, softening and
restraining you, I soothed Ellen's unquiet conscience, and showed her
that the holy God had given her a present work she could not wisely
abandon until the way was opened to her. Moreover, I advised her to test
farther her heart, and to be sure of full, free consecration before she
should take the holy vows of a nun. Neither the Supreme God nor the holy
church value half-hearted service, and such vow as Ellen made is binding
only so long as conscience, will, and heart are in full accord. Ellen
goes with you, Captain McElroy, free in conscience, unfettered by
priestly admonition."
These words of Father Gibault's lifted a weight from my heart. I seized
both his hands, and shook them gratefully, saying: "You are as honest
and as true hearted as I thought you, Holy Father," calling him for the
first time by the reverend title the Kaskaskians gave him. "I have not
words sufficient to express my appreciation of your interest in my
happiness and your regard for Ellen's welfare."
"I have advised you both as my conscience dictates," he answered,
resuming the expression of benevolence, blended with worldly
abstraction, and the tone of fatherly authority usual to him. "In doing
so I have shifted my responsibility for Ellen O'Niel's future to you,
until she is safe in her uncle's home; even then you must share jointly
with her other kinsmen the trust which I, as her priestly guardian, have
transmitted to you. Had I not full confidence in your honor, and your
manly faith, Captain McElroy, I could not give you so delicate a charge
with free conscience. You are to conduct this maiden in all safety and
honor to her uncle's home; you are to leave her there in unmolested
peace for at least one year--longer if she desires--and then allow her
to choose, with absolute freedom, between your love and a nun's life.
She is to choose, I repeat, freely, as her heart dictates and her
conscience approves. Meantime, while she is under your sole guardianship
you are to take no slightest advantage of her unprotected state, nor
even of her new-found humility, to wring from her any promise or to
exact any condition; you will not so much as trouble her with
protestations, nor frighten her with appeals and entreaties."
"Most solemnly, I promise all, Holy Father," and I raised my eyes and
hand to Heaven; "in no way will I trouble Ellen's peace for a full year;
I will conduct her in honor and safety to the care of her lawful
guardians, who shall in future be accountable to me for her happiness;
and if she shall adhere to her resolutions to take nun's vows, my mother
shall escort her to the convent she may choose."
"You leave for Virginia at once, Captain McElroy?"
"In ten days, if my cousin can be ready so soon."
"You will take all the brightness from Kaskaskia with Ellen, and leave
many sad hearts behind. Others go with you?"
"Captain Bowman and twenty of his company."
"You make the journey by water?"
"To the headwaters of the Alleghany; there I shall procure horses, and
we will make our way to the valley by the nearest pass."
* * * * *
Givens, after much deliberation with himself and others, concluded to
remain with Colonel Clark; there was strong possibility, indeed, that he
would settle in Kaskaskia for the rest of his life. Only one thing
seemed to mar his content--that he would have fewer opportunities in the
Illinois country for killing Indians than in Kentucky, or almost
anywhere else in our borders. Colonel Clark had concluded an alliance
with all the tribes in that part of our territory, and was very positive
in his instructions that no quarrel was to be stirred up among them, and
no excuse whatever given them to molest the whites, and they seemed
equally to desire to live in friendly relations with the Americans.
"Wut in ther name uv all ther saints en all ther holies," said Givens,
who had been almost converted to the Catholic faith, "Cunnel Clark mout
be hevin' en his mind I doan' know--but, ef he'd er listened ter me he'd
never made no sich er terms with ther murderin' savages es ud lef no
chance fur er man ter git his revenge on 'em fur injuries es is more an
human flesh en blood ought ter be axed ter forgive."
* * * * *
Ellen parted with Givens, Father Gibault, and the faithful Angelique and
her many friends in Kaskaskia, with heartfelt sorrow, and they from her
with evident grief. It seemed, at the last, almost cruel to take her
away from so much tenderness, and sympathy, to a cold, loveless
atmosphere. I, too, bade them, and gay Majore Legere, and genial Dr.
Lafonte, farewell, and took my leave of the pleasant village of
Kaskaskia with genuine regret.
The parting with Clark was a real heart wrench. He had said good-by to
Ellen cheerfully, even gayly,--for it was not his way to wear heart on
sleeve--presenting her with a large Indian basket full of amulets,
chains of shells, small totems, rugs, blankets, beaded moccasins, and
other curious things of Indian workmanship, to remind her, he said, of a
year's life among savages, red savages and white:
"The happiest year of my life," said Ellen, beaming gratitude upon him
for his cheerful and unselfish God-speed to us; "and also the most
glorious of Colonel Clark's. I go back to chant the victories, both in
war and diplomacy, of our American Hannibal!"
"The comparison is too flattering, Queen Eleanor," said Clark, but I
knew he was pleased. I thought of Hannibal's end, even as I saw the
force of Ellen's comparison, and a sad premonition was borne in upon my
mind, adding to my grief at parting with him.
"If our expedition has been successful, even beyond our hopes," added
Clark, "most of the credit is due to my loyal officers and my brave men.
Especially must I share any glory that is mine with this brave, true
comrade," and he laid a hand upon my shoulder, and looked into my eyes
with his own bold and piercing ones, softened to the tenderness of a
woman's. I knew this generous speech was made to forward my cause with
Ellen, and I choked in my throat as I grasped his hand again, and, when
I had given him one look of thanks, must needs turn aside to regain
control of my feelings.
"If you needed me, Clark, I could not leave you," I found voice,
presently, to say; "I but go to fight for our cause beyond the
Alleghanies. But never can I have a commander more honored, or more
beloved."
"Success to you, McElroy, in war and peace!--in all things you may have
at heart!" he answered me, also much moved; "and when you have won all
you strive for I shall come to rejoice with you. Farewell, comrade!"
"Farewell, Queen Eleanor! A pleasant journey and a pleasant home-coming!
Forget me not in your prayers, sweet saint!" and he bent and kissed her
hand, then handed her into the boat with a courtly grace which well
became him.
He was still standing upon the wharf, when we made the first bend in the
river--his arms folded, his gaze fixed upon the receding boat, as if he
saw it but as part of a vision. We waved to him, but he did not move.
The virgin freshness of the early morning, and the roseate radiance of
the newly risen sun brought out, with added force, the heroic
proportions and carriage of the man, silhouetted like a carven statue,
representing human will, against the far sweeping, luxuriant bluffs,
crowned with the growth of centuries, marking that vast and opulent
territory which his single purpose had won and held for his country.
* * * * *
Floating down the river through the soft October haze on our comfortably
fitted flat boat was ideal journeying. Often now when I fall into
reveries, I live over again those golden autumn days, and see the rich
and varied landscape through which we drifted with the swift current of
the majestic Mississippi.
Ellen spent the days and half the nights on deck, protected from sun and
dew, by the overhanging roof of the little cabin in which she slept. She
had her own chair which Clark had ordered conveyed on board from the
commandant's house, and there were thick Indian mats for her feet. I
sprawled on these, hour after hour, making talk to amuse her, or
listening to her when she pleased to entertain me, and entirely content
were she silent, or talkative, gay or pensive, so only there was no
shadow of regret upon her face. But one thing was lacking,--a book or
two to read from. In lieu of them we told each other stories we had
read, or repeated passages, prose or poetry, as we could remember. Ellen
gave me long extracts from Shakespeare. I recited parts from "The School
for Scandal"--that being, in truth, all the poetry I had learned by
heart since my schoolboy days, and, seeing Ellen was interested,
described the costumes we wore at its playing in Philadelphia, and the
appearance and air of the players. From that I was led on to talk of the
society I had mingled with in Philadelphia, and then of the Bufords and
their kindness to me. Ellen's questions and shrewd guessing brought me
at last to narrate the whole story of my whilom infatuation for Miss
Nelly, and the narrow escape I made from being led to play a traitor's
part by her wiles.
"She must be loyal Tory, indeed," was Ellen's comment, "or else she knew
you less than her opportunities permitted, for she risked her happiness
most rashly."
"Her happiness was little at stake, I have thought since; had she truly
loved me she would have prized my honor more."
"She is fair and very winsome, did you say?"
"Yes; her manner wins you whether you will or no, and her beauty is of a
kind to bewitch--to lead a man on like a swamp light, till, before he
realizes his danger, he is hopelessly entangled."
"Would she not resume her sway over you were you to see her again?"
A throb of joy set my blood bounding at this question. Did it not
suggest a twinge of jealousy in Ellen's heart? And the thought modified
my answer somewhat.
"Can a man ever measure the influence of a woman's beauty and
fascination upon him? Miss Buford bewitched me once; she might be able
to do so again--unless my heart had some firm anchor to hold by."
Ellen sighed lightly, "I wish you had been born a Catholic, Cousin
Donald."
"Or you a Protestant, sweet Ellen."
Her eyes did not answer the playful smile in mine, nor did she, as
usual, chide my endearment; instead, she sighed lightly again, and
looked dreamily at the water, breaking about our boat in golden ripples
under the slanting rays of a declining sun. "It were a difficult thing
for a Catholic to be happy in the valley, Donald."
"When Mr. Jefferson has carried his statute of religious liberty it will
not be. The persecuted become readily persecutors; but when we shall all
enjoy complete religious freedom, such as this statute gives us, we
shall be more liberal toward others. And when the war is ended, and we
have formed a free government, we shall have ideals so lofty before us,
and scope so broad for all our energies, that there'll be small time or
inclination for narrow bickering about creed or doctrine."
"And this statute will be enacted?"
"Without doubt. It is one of Mr. Jefferson's cherished measures; and
when peace is won, he with Mason, Henry and others, I among them, of
divergent creeds, but a single ideal, are pledged to give all our
energies to its enactment."
"The brave, I think, are ever liberal-minded," said Ellen, "yet they are
stubborn too, fixed as adamantine in their principles." And then, as she
was wont to do when the talk between us grew personal, she called
Captain Bowman to her side and asked him laughingly, if he still thought
a Catholic worse than an unbeliever, and priests monsters of
superstition, now that he had lived among them, and had known good
Father Gibault?
"If ever I have thought so I do no longer," replied Bowman. "The
Kaskaskians are honest Christians, and have been faithful friends to us,
while Father Gibault is, I must admit, the equal for piety and
charitableness of any Presbyterian parson I have ever known."
"Then will you not tell them so in the valley?" pleaded Ellen; "cannot
you, with good conscience, speak a kind word for a misunderstood and
reviled sect?"
"But I have yet one serious objection to your church, Queen Eleanor,
that it encourages the immuring behind convent walls such as you--women
whom the world _needs_ to leaven its sodden mass of selfishness and sin.
Since you have relinquished your vow of nunnery, however, and are half
willing to reward as he deserves this brave comrade of mine, I can
heartily promise not only my tongue but my rifle also to your defense,
and the defense of your religion--should there ever be need."
"But you misapprehend my cousin's purposes, Captain Bowman," I made
haste to say; "she is not my promised wife; she but goes to her uncle's
home under our protection, and from there, when she is fully ready, to a
convent."
"Grant me your pardon for a soldier's bluntness," said Bowman with an
embarrassed bow to Ellen; then followed my lead eagerly, as I broached
another subject.
Fair weather attended us the entire route, with only summer showers now
and then to drive us to the cabin's shelter; and placid currents made
the rowing, when we came to ascend the Ohio and the Alleghany, easy
work. More fatiguing was the landward journey, which Bowman, Ellen, and
I continued, in company, across mountain range after mountain range,
valley after valley. When the top of the last ridge was reached, and the
fair land of the Shenandoah lay unrolled to my eager vision, I lifted my
hat, and said aloud:
"Thank God! once more I am home!"
"Aye, thank God for this crowning mercy!" added Bowman devoutly. There
it lay, the sweet, peaceful scene I loved better than nature's grandest
efforts! My horse must have felt the joyful impetus throbbing in my
heart and tingling through my nerves, for he quickened his gait to match
my eagerness.
We were still some miles from home, and the sun was setting, when Bowman
halted at a farm gate.
"A cousin of mine lives a mile beyond this meadow," he said, "and I
shall spend the night with him. He will gladly welcome my friends, and
since you cannot hope to reach home before midnight, McElroy, why not
come with me? Queen Eleanor is already tired; see how her shoulders
droop; and for an hour she has not spoken."
I thought I saw assent in Ellen's eyes and so answered him, "Thank you,
Captain, for a kind suggestion. I accept gladly for my cousin, but I am
too hungry for a sight of home to need rest. On the day after to-morrow,
Ellen, I shall return for you."
"You are very thoughtful, Cousin Donald," said Ellen, in low tones, as
Captain Bowman considerately rode up to the gate, and occupied himself
with its fastenings. "You will break the news of my coming, and soften
the way for me. Good-by--till Thursday." Then she added with a merry
smile, "You may promise what you will for me; I shall be good, and meek,
and humble; I will even learn the Shorter Catechism, and wear my beads
and crucifix beneath my bodice. It is easier to be good"--her expression
changing to one of serious gratitude--"when one has a friend and
sympathy."
"And love, you should say, also, Ellen. My tongue is bound by a promise,
for a year, yet I wish you not to forget that I shall love you with
unchanging devotion to the end of my life. Every breeze that caresses
your hair, Ellen, every sunbeam that kisses your cheek, will bring a
love message from my heart to yours. You cannot get away from my love,
dear one, never again while you live! It will follow you even behind
convent walls, should ever your conscience take you there. You will then
bury my happiness as well as your own."
The words had sprung from my heart, and were spoken without
premeditation. I realized, as soon as they were uttered, that they
strained, perhaps, the strict letter of my compact with Father Gibault;
yet when I saw the flush upon Ellen's cheeks, and met for an instant a
tender glance, which seemed to beam without permission from those rare
blue eyes, I did not regret the impulse which had made me speak. Who can
set bounds to a lover's tongue, or demand of the eye of love that it
express only what cold reason bids it say? Hearts have swayed heads
since Adam listened to Eve, in the garden, and will to the end of time.