Buford came down from Staunton the morning after my arrival to urge upon
mother and Jean an immediate marriage. News had just come to him that
made his presence in Philadelphia necessary within the fortnight, and he
was so unwilling, he declared, to leave the valley until Jean was his
own, beyond question of his right to return for her, that, rather than
do so, he would forfeit the chance for pardon, and restoration of his
property, which this call to Philadelphia seemed to promise him. With my
help mother's objections were overborne, and it was settled that the
ceremony should take place on the first day we could procure the
services of a clergyman of the Church of England.
Under the establishment, a marriage solemnized by any other than an
Episcopal rector was not strictly valid in law, and though such
marriages had been spasmodically tolerated under certain circumstances,
they were regarded with such ill favor by the courts that they often
gave rise to unpleasant complications afterwards. It was, therefore, our
custom to submit to the mortification of begging the nearest Episcopal
clergyman to read the service, previous to the solemnization of the
contract by our own minister. The nearest clergyman to us lived more
than thirty miles distant, and as he spent much of his time in
Williamsburg, it was a difficult matter to induce him to go any distance
to legalize the marriage of dissenters. However, I preferred not to be
the one to enlighten Buford on this subject.
Buford and I rode together to see the clergyman, while Thomas went to
Staunton for a persuasive interview with Nelly--we to join him there
next day. Our clergyman was at his midday meal when we arrived, and we
were left to cool our heels in his draughty hall while he finished
leisurely an evidently tempting repast. He came out to us after three
quarters of an hour, cleaning his teeth with a golden pick, a string of
hounds at his heels, and his top boots muddy from his morning ride. We
introduced ourselves, and announced our business.
"You are modest in your request, sirs. Think you I have nothing else to
do than to ride all over the State reading the marriage ceremony for
dissenters? Such usually come to me. Bring your wenches behind you any
afternoon this week and I'll make quick work of the marriage service for
your benefit."
"This gentleman, sir, who is to marry my sister," I made calm answer,
though restraining my anger with no small effort, "was late an officer
in the British army, and is a member of the Church of England. He is
entitled to your services, therefore, through the double claim of like
politics and religion. His sister weds my cousin. To neither of them
would it appear seemly to ride the width of two counties to seek their
church's blessing on their marriage."
"You should have stated those facts before," responded the clergyman
stiffly, but with sense enough of decency to flush as he turned to
Buford. "Your rank and name again, please. I shall be glad to come to
you any day and hour you may name. It is my duty and my privilege to go
wherever needed by those of the established faith, but I do not consider
it so to be gallivanting from hut to hut to marry all the heretics in
this valley--who have made such ado about the tithings of their pitiful
substance, that the State has been forced to heed their clamor, and we
are cut down to a beggar's stipend."
"Since the State requires your services to legitimatize marriage, since
you are paid to perform that duty--and from the scarcity of your
parishioners I judge your other duties are by no means onerous--I see
not how you can excuse yourself," was Buford's cool rejoinder "But you
shall be well paid for your needful assistance, sir. Shall we say
Thursday afternoon, McElroy? There is to be a second service in the
evening, solemnized by your own minister, as you know, and this would
better be got through with beforehand."
Buford, I saw, was seething inwardly by this time, and holding the reins
on his passion with rigid grip; the clergyman, too, was waxing hot, and
there was need to terminate the interview as soon as possible.
"It is small wonder, McElroy, that you Presbyterians are so set against
an established church," commented Buford as we remounted our horses. "I
understand as never before, that men appointed to holy office by royal
or state patronage are more likely than otherwise to be men unfitted for
the discharge of sacred duties; to them it is a living rather than a
holy calling. Count me on your side, Donald, when you are ready to throw
yourself into the fight for religious liberty, which is, I believe, the
next war you Scotch Irish propose to engage in, now that your state
independence has been won."
"The fight for religious liberty and for the separation of church and
state is already on. All through the greater war our ministers have kept
up a brisk warfare of yearly memorials and petitions to the State
Assembly. Four years ago Mr. Jefferson drew up a statute of religious
liberty which he offered to the Assembly, and which has since been
brought up at each session for warm discussion. Sooner or later the
measure will be carried, and you are right in supposing that that is the
next fight in which I shall enlist; nor shall I forget your promise to
be on my side the next time," and I laid my hand on Buford's arm.
Already I felt almost a brother's affection for him.
"After this, Donald," said Buford with feeling, "your people shall be my
people, your country my country, and your interests mine; and," he added
more lightly, "if I meet many more mere holders of livings, like the
clergyman we have just left, your religion shall be mine also."
"You and Jean shall settle that question to your mutual satisfaction," I
answered, smiling; "if you can make an Episcopalian out of her you have
my consent."
"She shall make anything out of me she wishes," and Buford's face and
voice were softened by quick springing tenderness. "My one ambition
shall be to make her happy."
"You will not find that a hard task," I answered, with a sigh for my own
delayed happiness; "she loves you dearly."
"Look here, Donald. Some forts may not be taken by the most persistent
siege; a bold assault is the only way. Miss Ellen loves you, but she
dare not close the door for good and all on the morbid conscience to
which she has so long listened. Surprise her into an irreclaimable step,
and she will but love you the more for having mastered her will, since
you have already mastered her heart."
"But how?" I questioned eagerly. "I was never shrewd at strategy, and
am, at best, but a backwoodsman in love warfare."
"Procure a license for your marriage _to-day_, and Wednesday show it to
her, refusing to listen to her plea for postponement.
"Ellen would hold no marriage valid for herself not solemnized by a
priest."
"Call this but the civil contract and explain it is to get this
unpleasant necessity for a Church of England ceremony over with. You
will surprise her into the necessary step before she has time to listen
to her doubts and fears, and can afford, then, to wait for priest's
blessing before you shall claim her. I will bring you a priest on my
return from Baltimore."
"Suppose Ellen should be angry?" and I shuddered at the bare thought.
"What woman was ever made angry by the daring determination of the man
she loves, to win her at all hazards? If at first Ellen should seem
angry, be deeply grieved, and declare your intention to go to Kentucky
to join Clark, and fight the Indians. If she loves you, as she does, she
will never consent to that."
Buford's suggestion appeared more and more feasible as my mind dallied
with the tempting prospect. In the end three licenses were procured.
Thomas, who acted for Ellen, swore profound secrecy, and I rode home
with the folded paper on which hung my destiny feeling warm against my
beating heart. The more I contemplated the rashness of my deed, next
day, the more I feared Ellen's displeasure. When evening came, I was
still in a state of excitement that seemed to key all my faculties to a
higher pitch.
An Indian summer's day had been followed by a calm but buoyant night.
The sky, unflecked by lightest cloud, sparkled overhead, an arch of
congealed azure, amidst which the big bright moon shone with such
radiant resplendence that the stars were quite outdone and gleamed
almost apologetically, as if aware that this was not their hour. As the
sky dipped down to meet the mountains, lifting their purple bulk in soft
but distinct undulation, the sparkling blue melted to a fathomless,
almost colorless mist, which cast over the dark blue range a mysterious
reflection, exaggerating its bulk, its mystery, and its silence.
The night, I thought, was like Ellen, exhilarating, joy-giving, yet
serious and thought-compelling--its beauty and sweetness far removed
from the beauty and sweetness of common things, by a silent suggestion
of unfathomed depths. I found her alone on the porch, a white shawl so
draped about her that once again she looked as she did that night at the
spring, when she was yet a child, like a spirit from some purer world.
"Ellen," I began, dropping down on the step below her, and compelling
her dream-held eyes to recognize mine, "have I kept high carnival in my
heart these last three days for naught, or are you but playing with my
hopes? Surely, Ellen, promise is but delayed fulfillment."
"Has it made you very happy--the hope?" she asked, her tones soft and
dreamy, like the far-away notes of a violin. "You are _very_ sure that
you will always be entirely content with me? The pleadings of my own
heart, Donald, I might have resisted, but to bring you happiness, to
bless and crown your life, as you say I alone can--to resist that
temptation, Donald, was beyond my soul's strength. I may have been hard
to win, dear, but your conquest is complete."
My right arm clasped her, and her head sank to my breast, as a bird into
its nest, and rested there as quietly.
"Then you will grant my request, Ellen?" my heart throbbing tremulously.
"Say you will! Even before I make it, that will be the sealing sign of
your love and confidence."
"You could ask nothing I would refuse."
"Then marry me to-morrow, mavourneen!" and before she could answer, I
dropped softly upon her lips the first kiss I had ever dared to claim.
"To-morrow, Donald?" she questioned, with more of curiosity than anger
or even surprise; "how could that be? But it shall be soon, dear, almost
as soon as you could ask."
Then I explained all, and told her how I had dreaded her anger, and yet
felt that I could endure suspense no longer, but must somehow force her
to make me the very happiest or most miserable of men.
"And you will wait for priest's blessing on our union, before you claim
me, Donald--you have thought fully about it?"
"When you come to my home, Ellen, it shall be with the full and glad
consent of your whole heart. This marriage to-morrow will be no more
than the publishing of our banns, after all, but I shall be sure of you
then; my heart will be at rest, and this annoying necessity for a Church
of England ceremony will be done with. Our real marriage will be wholly
a dear and solemn rite."
"Do you know, dear Donald," said Ellen, after a long silence while her
heart beat against mine, "I am very glad it is all settled at last, that
after to-morrow I shall have no right to question my soul, or even to
pray for further guidance? Once I am your wife, dear, I shall give all
my thoughts and prayers to wifely duty. Do not fear I shall still try
your patient soul with doubts and regrets."
"I fear nothing, dear one, now that we are one. Do you know, mavourneen,
that you can have no feeling, no thought, hereafter, that I shall not
share, and that I shall experience no emotion you will not feel? Awful
mystery, yet precious reality, this merging of two spirits into one!"
My eyes had turned from time to time to rest in rapt thankfulness upon
sky and mountain; but now, suddenly, I was aware that the haunting
mystery, lately brooding over the horizon, was gone, and in its place
only a perfect peace beyond which the shining circle of the moon,
climbing higher and higher in the azure dome, gave promise of joys
beyond, infinite and eternal.