"AU REVOIR"
"While memory watches o'er the sad review
Of joys that faded like the morning dew."
It was a busy morning that followed--no time for idle thoughts or vain
regrets. If we were to dine with Mrs. O'Fallon at Mulberry Hill, all
hands must work hard.
A line of ten men with the cordelle was attached to each boat to pull
it up the stream, and at the same time ten more on each boat planted
the great pole at the bow, and then, pushing on it, walked back to the
stern, lifted it out of the soft mud, carried it forward to the bow,
planted it again in the mud, and, pushing mightily, again walked back
to the stern. In this way we made great progress. We moved as fast as
the ten men on shore carrying the cordelle could walk, and the men at
the pole lightened their load so greatly, they were able to walk at a
good round pace.
So it was not yet quite noon when the white walls of Mulberry House
came in view, the blue smoke curling from its chimneys giving promise
of good cheer awaiting us. The men at the cordelle walked faster, the
men at the pole pushed harder, and, there being here a chance to use
them, two great sweep-oars were fastened in the rowlocks, and, four
men at each oar, we went forward at such a gait that the water curled
back from our prow in two foaming streams, and before many minutes we
were running our nose into the bank at the foot of Mulberry Hill.
Down the bank came a long line of men and boys, chiefly negroes,
shouting in every key, and running to catch the ropes our crew were
throwing them, and tying us fast to big stumps left standing on the
bank for that purpose.
Foremost to step foot on board was young John O'Fallon, running first
to greet his uncle William, whom next to his uncle General Clarke he
thought the greatest man on earth, and then coming to greet me, whom
he called "cousin" in his kindly Southern fashion, for I could not
claim to be kin. He was a bright, engaging lad of twelve or thirteen,
"with the manners of a chevalier of France," I said laughingly to
mademoiselle, when my captain was bringing him up to present to her.
She was greatly taken with him at once, and as for him, 'twas a case
of love at first sight, and he took full possession of her, giving me
small chance to help her off the boat or up the hill.
At the top of the hill, Aunt Fanny, as his mother always insisted I
should call her, was waiting for us. She kissed me on each cheek and
called me "my boy" in a manner that made me feel very young indeed.
Much as I loved her, I could have wished that in mademoiselle's
presence she had treated me as one too old for such gracious
liberties. But mademoiselle seemed not to notice her greeting to me;
she had eyes only for the beautiful and charming woman and her manly
little son. Indeed, I felt so much left out in the cold (for, after
the manner of women, the two instantly made violent love to each
other) that I was not sorry to find letters awaiting me from my uncle,
inclosing letters from home that required my instant attention. When I
had read them I knew not whether to be sorry or glad. I had fully
intended to make no stay at all at Mulberry Hill, but go on at once to
my uncle's; but now that there was no chance left me,--that marching
orders I dared not disobey ordered me East at once,--I realized that
lurking in the depths of my heart had been a secret hope that
something would happen to delay me longer in mademoiselle's society.
I was at once busy with preparations for a more hasty departure than I
had expected, so that I saw neither Mrs. O'Fallon nor mademoiselle
again until we were seated at the long table in the great dining-room
overlooking the river, which here makes a wide and graceful sweep to
the south. The warm winter sun was flooding the room through its many
windows, lighting up the table with its brave show of silver and glass
and snowy linen, and by its cheery glow warming all hearts and setting
all tongues free, so that there was a pleasant confusion of talk, such
as a hostess dearly loves. It was a bright and happy scene, and every
face was smiling and every heart was gay save one; for I could not
hope that mademoiselle's bright smile and beaming glance disguised
another aching heart.
I was seated at Mrs. O'Fallon's left hand; a Mr. Thruston, whom I had
never met, but who was evidently paying earnest court to the charming
widow, was on her right; and mademoiselle was almost at the other end
of the long table, between Captain Clarke and young John--about as far
from me as possible, which, since it was to be our last meal together,
I felt to be a distinct grievance. But as no one was to blame but Aunt
Fanny, and she had set me beside her to do me honor, I could not well
find fault.
It was in response to her asking me to show some little courtesy to
Mr. Thruston after dinner (I do not now recall what) that I told her I
must set out on my journey as soon after dinner as I could start. Her
short, sharp exclamation of surprise and displeasure caught the
attention of all the table.
"Brother William, do you hear that?" she called to my captain. "Our
kinsman leaves us immediately."
Aunt Fanny spoke with her knife poised in air. A noble great bird, a
wild turkey, was on the platter before her, oozing a rich brown gravy
from every pore. With a deftness I have never seen equaled, she had
been separating joints and carving great slices of the rich dark meat,
sending savory odors steaming up into my nostrils. Now, as she paused
in her work to make her announcement, there arose instantly a chorus
of remonstrances, loudest from young John and his younger brother Ben.
I answered them modestly, I hoped, looking at everybody except
mademoiselle, who yet, I saw distinctly, turned very pale, then red,
then pale again.
I addressed myself directly to Captain Clarke:
"My uncle has forwarded me letters from home, requiring my presence
there as shortly as possible. The letters do not enlighten me as to
the reasons for haste, and I am naturally beset with some misgivings,
but I hope all is well with my family."
My captain smiled inscrutably.
"Set your anxieties at rest, my lad. I also found a letter awaiting me
from your father. It explains the reasons for haste, but wishes them
kept from you for the present; but they are of the most agreeable
nature, and all is well at home."
I was greatly relieved, and so expressed myself.
"But why start immediately?" my captain continued. "You will have to
wait for a boat, and the waiting had best be done here."
"I have found one, sir," I answered. "It is expected up the river this
afternoon, and goes as far as Clarksville. My instructions are to go
by way of Washington, and call on Mr. Jefferson, so nothing could suit
me better, for I find the road from Clarksville to Washington is
comparatively short, and the boat is a small keel-boat and likely to
make good time."
"Well, well!" said my captain, pleasantly, "you must have been hard at
work to find out all this between landing and dinner; but I know the
reasons for haste are imperative, and you are quite right to set off
at once."
Then suddenly mademoiselle spoke up:
"Mon Capitaine, if monsieur is going just where I must go, why do not
I and Clotilde go with him?"
There was a moment's embarrassing silence, and then I, feeling the
silence unbearable and a great discourtesy to mademoiselle, answered
her.
"Mademoiselle, nothing could give me greater pleasure if my captain
and Aunt Fanny think it could be arranged. But I fear the route would
be a hard one for a lady's traveling, since the boat goes only to
Clarksville, and from there to Washington there is but a bridle-path,
and a very rough one."
Then everybody broke forth at once, volubly:
"Oh, no, no, no! We cannot think of letting you go!"
"Indeed, miss," said Aunt Fanny, in her pretty imperious way, "you may
think yourself fortunate if you get away from here any time in the
next two months. We do not get hold of a lovely young lady visitor
very often, and when we do we mean to keep her as long as we can. And
here is my son John over head and ears in love." (Young John blushed
like a peony.) "Would you break his heart, madam? And Ben is no
better" (for Ben had been slyly laughing at his brother's
discomfiture, but now looked very silly indeed as he took his share of
his mother's tongue-lash). "You will be having my family at
loggerheads if you stay, no doubt, but stay you must, for now that we
have once seen you, there is no living without you."
Mademoiselle took the speech adorably (as I knew she would, though I
doubt whether she understood half of it), smiling and blushing, and
saying in her pretty baby-English that they were very good to her, and
she would not break "Meester Jean's" heart, no, nor "Meester Ben's";
she would stay with "dear madame."
If I did not thereupon fetch a long and deep sigh from the very bottom
of my boots, it was not because it was not there to fetch, as I
thought of all I was missing in not spending a happy two months with
mademoiselle under Aunt Fanny's delightful roof.
But I had short time to indulge vain regrets. We were in the midst of
dessert, a huge bowl of steaming punch brewed by Aunt Fanny before our
eyes, and a great Christmas cake, which she said she had saved for our
home-coming, when a small negro burst open the door in great
excitement.
"Hi, Miss Fanny, she's comin'!"
"Who's coming, Scipio? And where are your manners? Go tell your mother
if she doesn't teach you how to come into a room properly, I will have
to take you in hand."
It was a terrible threat, and had been many times employed--always
successfully, for "Miss Fanny" never did "take in hand" the small
darkies, and so, having no notion of what taking in hand might mean,
all the terrors of mystery were added to their fears. Young Scipio was
greatly abashed, and pulled his forelock respectfully as he answered
Mrs. O'Fallon's question.
"It's de boat, missus; she's comin' roun' de ben'."
In a moment all was confusion. There was no time to be lost. Yorke was
despatched to get together my belongings, see that they were carried
to the landing, and himself lead Fatima down the bank and on to the
boat; for to no other would I trust my beauty. The boat by this time
had nearly reached the landing, and there was a hurry of good-bys,
Aunt Fanny shedding tears of vexation that my visit should be so
short, and calling me her "dear boy," and kissing me and scolding me
in one breath.
She and mademoiselle walked as far as the top of the bluff with me (I
would not let them come farther, for the bank was steep and muddy),
and then I said my good-by to mademoiselle. I raised her hand to my
lips as I said it, and she looked straight into my eyes with eyes that
shone with something brighter than smiles as she answered:
"Au revoir, monsieur!"
The captain of the keel-boat was shouting to us to make haste, and
there was no time for another word; and I was glad to have it so, for
another word might have made me indeed the boy Aunt Fanny was always
calling me.
The two boys, Mr. Thruston, and my captain went down to the boat with
me (which proved to be a more comfortable one than I had dared to hope
for), and Fatima having been coaxed aboard and quarters found for her
in a warm shed, and my captain pressing my hand with an affectionate
"Good-by, dear lad," that was once more near to my undoing, we were
untied, and the men at the poles pushed hard and walked rapidly back
to the stern, and the men at the cordelle pulled all together, with a
long-drawn "Heave, ho, heave!" and we were off.
I stood in the stern watching the two figures on the bluff until one
of them went away and there was only one, slender and of but little
stature, with soft dark curls, and eyes whose tender glow I could feel
long after the figure was but one indistinct blur, with a white hand
waving farewell.
Then came another bend in the river and shut her from my sight. And
there was naught left to me of Mademoiselle Pelagie but a memory of
tears and smiles; of hard words and gentle ones; of cold looks and
kind ones; of alternate hopes and fears on my side; of scorning
and--yes, I believed it with all my heart--of scorning and loving on
hers.