"A sailor's wife had chestnuts in her lap, and mouncht."
--_Macbeth_
"Thy abundant goodness shall excuse this deadly blot in
thy digressing son."
--_Richard II._
Little more than a month had elapsed since the marriage of the
impetuous and generous Ensign Ronayne to the woman he adored.
Absorbed by the intensity of their passion, fed by the solitude
around, each day increased their attachment, and their full hearts
acknowledged that the love which the man bears to his mistress--the
affianced sharer of his inmost thoughts--is passionless compared
with that which follows the mystic tie, linking their most secret
being in fearlessness of devotion. Then, for the first time, had
they felt and acknowledged all the power of the beauty of God's
holy ordinance, which seemed to wed not in mere form, but in fact,
the deepest emotions of their glowing souls. What was the world to
them? They hoped to live and die among those wild scenes in which
their passion had been cradled and nurtured, until now it had
acquired a force almost more than human. Often then, and often
even since the short period of their union, had they fallen on
their knees in the silence and solitude of the wilderness around,
and, clasped to each other's heart, returned fervent thanks to the
Deity, not only for having given them hearts to comprehend love in
all its mysterious and holy sublimity, but in having blessed them
with the dearer self in which each other found pleasure and lived
a double existence. More calm, more softened, more subdued in
feeling, after this passionate ebullition, a holy and voluptuous
calm would beam from their eyes; and when they alluded gently and
fondly to the years and years of happiness that yet awaited them
in the health and fulness of their youth, thoughts and looks, not
words, attested the deep thankfulness of their hearts.
All this had been up to the evening of the incidents named in our
opening chapter. Then, for the first time, had a change come over
Maria's feelings and manner. On leaving Mrs. Headley, she had
retired to her apartments, endeavoring to prepare herself for the
momentarily expected arrival of her husband, whom she longed, yet
dreaded to meet. She received him with a restraint which she had
great difficulty in disguising, and wept many bitter tears, as,
anxiously remarking her changed and extraordinary manner, he looked
reproachfully and fixedly at her, without, however, saying a word
that was passing in his mind.
"Nay, nay, Ronayne; you think me reserved, altered, to-day; but
indeed I am not well. The cause you shall know later, not now--it
would be premature. I am a bad dissembler, and cannot look gay
when my heart is full of anguish to overwhelming; but, my love, I
must entreat a very great favor of you, which I know you will not
refuse."
"Is there aught under heaven that I can refuse to my adored one?"
returned Ronayne, tenderly clasping her to his breast; "no, Maria,
you have a boon to ask, and the boon shall be granted."
"After all, it is not a Very great deal," she remarked, with a
sickly smile; "but I have a strong desire to ride to Hardscrabble
to-morrow. You know it is long since I have been there, and I have
a particular reason to visit it in the course of the afternoon
to-morrow." Her voice trembled, and she felt ill at ease.
Her husband looked grave. "Nay, Maria, is this wise? You know, as
you have just said, that you have not visited that scene since the
death of your father; wherefore now, and simply to reopen a
fast-closing wound?"
"It is for the reason," she said, "that I have so long neglected
this duty that I am the more anxious to repair the seeming neglect."
"Your first visit," remarked Ronayne, half reproachfully, "methinks
ought to have been to the grave of your poor mother. You have not
been over to the cottage since her death."
Had an arrow passed through the heart of Mrs. Ronayne, it could
not have imparted more exquisitely keen sensations than did that
casual remark. She turned pale, but made no reply; nay, almost fell
fainting on his bosom.
"What, my soul's beloved, is the matter? Nay, pardon me for bringing
up again the memory so suddenly upon your gentle thought! I should
have used more caution in renewing the recollection of the past."
"Say rather of the present," murmured Mrs. Ronayne, in a tone so
low that she could not be distinctly heard by her husband. "Oh,
this poor heart!"
"You spoke, Maria?"
"Oh, I did but repeat my dreamings to myself. I scarcely know what
I said."
"Well, love, since you desire to ride to Hardscrabble to-morrow,
I will even meet your wishes; and yet I know not how it is, but
something tells me that ill will grow out of this."
"Oh, no, say not so," she suddenly exclaimed, sinking on her knees
at his feet, and holding up her hands in an attitude of supplication;
"can that be ill in your eyes which brings happiness to the heart
of your loving wife? Pity rather the existence of those fears which
cause her to tremble, lest the cup be dashed from her lips ere yet
half tasted. Oh! I dare not speak more plainly--not yet--not
yet--to-morrow--then shall the restraint be removed, from my lips
and heart, and, whatever be the result, you shall know all. I feel
that to you I must appear to speak in parables and mystery; but
oh, since yesterday, I feel that I am not myself."
She drooped her head upon his shoulder, and wept profoundly.
"Calm yourself, dearest; I will harass you with no more converse
on this subject to-night. Let one remark suffice. I am afraid that
Captain Headley will refuse permission for us to venture as far as
Hardscrabble; he thinks it attended by risk to the officers on the
part of the Indians; of course, much more to you."
"Nay, Ronayne, there cannot surely be a greater risk incurred there
than in venturing on a fishing excursion, as you have done to-night.
Besides, we need not let him know that we are going in that
direction."
"What! you wicked mutineer," chided Ronayne, playfully, "do you
recommend insubordination? Would you have me to disobey the orders
of the commanding officer? Oh, fie!"
"Not exactly that," she returned, with a slight blush; "but gratify
me only this once, and I will never allow you to break an order
again."
"Nay, sweetest, I did but jest; were my life the penalty, I would
not deny you."
"Ah! how little does he think that more than life depends upon it,"
murmured Mrs. Ronayne to herself. "Or who could have supposed
yesterday that my heart would have been oppressed by the feelings
which assail it now? Wau-nan-gee--strange, wildly--loving,
fascinating, and incomprehensible boy--with what confidence do I
repose on your truth; with what joy do I at length glory in that
devotedness which has made you so wholly, so exclusively mine."
These words were abstractedly, almost involuntarily, uttered in a
low tone, as Ronayne left the room in search of Doctor Von Voltenberg,
who he was desirous should, for the better protection of his wife
from accident, accompany them on their ride of to-morrow.
She herself soon retired for the night, but not to rest.
In that wild and simple garrison, where the germs of the heart and
head alone shone forth, reflecting their brilliancy and beauty more
forcibly from the fact of the very limitation of their sphere of
contact, there was no sacrifice to the mere conventionalisms of
inane fashion. Customs there were military customs, duly observed,
and not less than treason against the state would it have been
considered by Captain Headley, had any officer of his sallied forth
without being duly caparisoned as a member of the corps to which
he belonged; but in all things else, and where duty was not involved,
each was free to adopt the style of costume or the general habits
that best suited his own fancy. And, whenever inclined, they were
suffered to leave the fort, either dressed in the rough, shaggy
blanket of the Canadian trapper or voyageur, or the more fanciful
and picturesque dress of the Indian. This had not always been the
case. Captain Headley had once been as severe as he now was indulgent,
and the uttermost conformity of costume with the regulations of
the United States had for a long period been exacted; but gradually,
on finding, as he conceived, the Indians around him too favorably
disposed to require the continuance of the imposing military parade
with which it had been his policy to awe them, he had gradually
relaxed in his system of discipline, conceding not more to his
officers themselves than to his noble and amiable wife, who was
ever the soother of whatever temporary differences sprang up between
them, many little points of etiquette, to which formerly he had
most scrupulously adhered.
Among the varieties of dresses possessed by Ensign Ronayne, was a
very handsome one which the mother of Wau-nan-gee, for whom it was
made, had disposed of to him; and this, when preparing for the ride
the next day, his wife strongly advised him to wear. As he knew
there could be no objection on the part of Captain Headley only to
the direction in which they rode, and that only from the possibility
of encountering a party of hostile Indians, and not to the costume
itself, he laughingly remarked that her old flame, Wau-nan-gee,
had certainly made a deeper impression on her heart than she was
willing to admit, since no dress pleased her half so well as that
which had once been worn by the gentle and dark--eyed youth.
For a moment or two she turned pale, and then suddenly flushing
the deepest dye, as the sense of her husband's remark came fully
upon her apprehension, she said, not without some pain and confusion,
mingled with gentle reproach:--
"You seem to have forgotten, Ronayne, that that was the dress you
wore on an occasion of danger, when life and death and happiness
hung upon the issue. Might I not have the credit of prizing it on
that account?"
"Nay, beloved one," he exclaimed, as he pressed her to his heart,
"you know I did but jest. Then was my strong love for yourself, my
protection and my shield; and if that love was powerful then, what
irresistible strength has it attained now. Maria, I would fain
desire to live for ever, if but to show the vastness and enduringness
of my love for you."
"Ah! to what a trial am I to be subjected," she murmured, "and yet
I would not shun it. Why has the calm deep current of our joy been
thus cruelly interrupted, Ronayne? Should fate or circumstances
ever interpose to separate us, will you always entertain for me
the same ardent affection that you do now?"
"Heavens! why do you ask? What means this question? What is there
to divide us? nay, even separate us for an hour?"
"Oh! I cannot explain myself," she returned. "I know I speak wildly,
but I only mean in the possible event of anything of the kind. I
do not say that it may or will happen; but you know it might. None
of these things are impossible. We cannot control our destiny."
"Well, my love," remarked Ronayne, with a sigh, while an expression
of gravity and sadness pervaded his features, "it cannot be denied
that you have adopted some strange fancies this morning; firstly,
a desire to visit Hardscrabble, a place which you have always
hitherto carefully avoided; secondly, to see me dressed in a costume
which I have not worn since the occasion to which you have just
adverted; and thirdly, to frighten me to death by even hinting at
the possibility of separation. By the bye," he added, "it is a very
long time since we have seen Wau-nan-gee. You know he disappeared
the night of our marriage, and has never been seen since. I wonder
what can have become of him. Would you not like once more, Maria,
to see his handsome face? I shall never forget the eagerness with
which he picked up the wedding-ring which I had let fall in the
act of putting it on your finger, or the look of deep disappointment
when I rather abruptly--nay, somewhat rudely--snatched it from him,
as he tremblingly proceeded to complete that part of the ceremony
himself. It certainly looked very ominous."
It was a great relief to Mrs. Ronayne when, at the very moment that
her husband ceased speaking, a knock was heard at the door, and in
the next moment the figure of Doctor Von Voltenberg crossed the
threshold. He came to announce that the horses were already saddled,
and waiting for them. With a heart full to oppression, she left
the room, and regained her chamber. There she threw herself upon
her knees at the bedside, and burst into a paroxysm of tears. It
was the first time she had been alone since the occurrence at the
summer-house; the first opportunity she had had of giving unrestrained
indulgence to the powerful emotions that had for many hours hung
like an immovable weight upon her soul. The first outburst of
hitherto-suppressed feeling over, she became more calm. She felt
that her long absence might excite surprise. A basin of cold water
soon removed all traces of her tears, and in less than half an hour
she had regained the party, her beautiful form clad in a dark green
riding habit made of cloth of the lightest texture, and her full
dark hair, surmounted by a straw hat tastily plaited and
fashioned by her own hands, and trimmed with a broad, pale, and
richly-bordered ribbon.
Ronayne's eye caught her own as she entered. Never had she appeared
so strikingly beautiful. He said nothing, but the rich Virginian
blood mounted to his cheek, while his expressive eye conveyed, as
plainly as language itself could render it, how ardent and enduring
was his love.
That look heightened the color on her own enchanting face, but it
was only for the moment, and evidently caused by some absorbing
recollection of an absent friend. She turned away her head to
conceal the tear that forced itself down her cheek, and then
everything being ready--for Ronayne had availed himself of her
absence to assume his Indian dress--the party went to the barrack
square, and were soon in the saddle.
"God bless her!" ejaculated Corporal Collins, as, after relinquishing
the bridle he had held while her husband assisted her to mount,
the graceful form of Mrs. Ronayne receded from his view, leaving
him once more to resume his monotonous walk in front of the building.
"Ah, there is nobody like that sweet lady!"
"There goes an angel!" said Sergeant Nixon in a low voice to his
companions of the guard, all of whom off sentry had risen, and were
now standing all attention, as the little party passed towards the
gate.
"Isn't she a trump!" said another man of the guard--Weston. "See
how she sits her horse--just as if she had been born to it."
"Sergeant Nixon," said Maria, in one of her sweetest tones, as she
moved her horse towards the non-commissioned officer in passing.
The Sergeant touched his cap with marked respect.
"Should anything occur to detain us in our ride, let this packet
be given to Mrs. Headley. Mind, Sergeant, certainly not before
midnight."
"Your command shall be obeyed, Mrs. Ronayne. Should you return
before midnight, it will be found with me; if not, I shall at once
carry it to Mrs. Headley."
"Just so. Good by, Nixon!" and as she placed the packet in his
possession, she pressed his hand, as if to signify that the proper
execution of the commission was of some importance.
"What is it, Maria? what do you wait for?" asked Ronayne, reining
in his horse to enable her to come up.
"Nothing. I am merely sending a trifling message to Mrs. Headley
by Sergeant Nixon," and then putting her horse into a canter, she
joined her cavaliers, and pursued with them the road that led along
the right bank of a branch of the Chicago river to the Hardscrabble
farm.