I do not wonder that the patriarchs lived to the good old age which
they attained. I do not wonder that they counted by hundreds where we
count by tens. Sparsely scattered over the face of the earth, with
their flocks and their herds and their servants; living a frugal and a
homely life; inheriting a constitution unbroken by many generations of
vice, indulgence, and luxury; with constant but gentle activity of
body, and rare and scanty excitement of mind--there was little in the
whole course of their existence to wear down the frame and to impair
the health. The sword was so seldom drawn--in short--only enough to
keep it from rusting--that it did not fret the scabbard. With us, how
different is the case! The pursuit of wealth, of pleasure, of fame;
the constant exertion of mind and of body; the struggles of an
overpacked population, each man like the cuckoo whose offspring tried
to shoulder the other out of the nest; the wearing and fretting of
continual disappointments; the musquito-bites of small cares; the
everlasting thought for the morrow--all these things break us down and
shorten life, "_Et corpore frangitur curis et laboribus_."
Nevertheless, in this troublesome and toilsome existence--troublesome
and toilsome even to those whom fate and fortune have most
favoured--come lapses, either of calm and pleasant tranquillity or of
dull and heavy inactivity. Such was the case with me for several
weeks. My wound would have healed, probably, at once, had it not been
for the slight injury to the bone of the arm. That, however, produced
a long train of unpleasant, though not dangerous, symptoms, for which
there were no remedies but patience and perfect tranquillity. Anything
like exercise was actually forbidden; and I found to my cost when,
once or twice, I broke through the rule, that violent irritation and
even inflammation followed. There was nothing for it but to submit
quietly to a sort of life which was not at all congenial to my habits
or my taste.
But there were many mitigations to a state which would have been dull
and wearisome enough in ordinary circumstances. I suffered very little
as long as I was perfectly quiet. I was allowed to rise and go down to
the drawing room with my arm in a sling; and I had constantly the
society which was most delightful to me, with very little of that
which might have annoyed or irritated me. Sometimes there was a little
business to break monotony; sometimes a little cheerful society from
without. But I had always Bessy Davenport near me; for, by some
arrangement, made between her and Mrs. Stringer, she had agreed to
stay at Beavors and keep her friend company, while Mr. Stringer, his
boys, and the tutor, went up into the interior of Virginia to visit
the natural bridge, Weir's cave, and the Peaks of Otter. Perhaps my
situation had some share in deciding her to stay; at least, she said
so; for Bessy had a habit of always putting the most open and
straightforward construction upon her actions, depriving others of the
power to insinuate motives by boldly avowing her own.
One day, when Mrs. Stringer was saying how kind it was of her to stay
with her during Mr. Stringer's absence, she answered laughing,--
"I should always be glad to stay with you, my dear friend, at any time
when I could be of comfort or assistance to you; but you must not
thank me on the present occasion; for the truth is, I am staying to
nurse and amuse my cousin Richard there." And she did so, untiringly.
I do not intend to enter into many details of the next month's events,
if indeed events they could be called; but some must be slightly
touched upon. The day after the duel, I had several visitors--Mr.
Henry Thornton, Billy Byles, the sheriff of the county, and others.
Mr. Thornton continued to come, two or three times every week, and
once or twice brought Mr. Hubbard with him, when some little matters
of business were talked of. Mr. Wheatley returned to Norfolk on the
morning of the third day; and I should certainly have felt his loss
much, had not Bessy Davenport been there. From Dr. Christy I heard
every day of the progress of Robert Thornton, and glad indeed I was to
find that the surgeon's favourable anticipations were likely to be
verified. It is true the unfortunate man struggled for his life during
nearly ten days; but from that time, his convalescence, though slow,
was steady. It is true, that he was somewhat thrown back at one time
by the decision of a court in regard to Aunt Bab's slaves. My claim
was admitted; and though an appeal was taken, the slaves were placed
in the hands of the sheriff, till the case could be finally decided.
"There can be no doubt whatever upon the question," said Mr. Hubbard,
when he communicated the facts to me; "and the poor people, in the
end, will be put at your disposal. But with regard to the landed
property," he added, shaking his head, "we shall have more difficulty.
They are trying to get it escheated, and I fear we shall not be able
to prevent it. I think, nevertheless, I see a course of proceeding to
frustrate their ultimate object of getting possession of it
themselves, though we cannot place it absolutely in your hands."
"How is that, my dear sir?" I asked.
"Oh, a little legal fiction," he answered, "a little legal fiction;
but you must let me mature my scheme, and then I will tell you all
about it."
I was well contented to let the question remain in abeyance; for, to
say the truth, I did not care how it was decided. Having fully as much
as I wanted, and a surplus for any contingencies which might involve
increased expenditure, I was not anxious for an augmentation of
fortune, although I will confess that I felt no little desire to
frustrate those land-sharks, always desirous of preying upon the
inheritance of others, which swarm in the southern states of this
union. It is quite extraordinary, how many, how voracious, and how
dexterous they are.
With the execution of these visits of courtesy or business, few events
occurred to interrupt the perfect tranquillity of Beavors, especially
after the departure of Mr. Stringer and his sons. One day was a
complete pattern of the other, except that a little variation crept in
as I improved in health. After a time, I was permitted by the doctor
to take a short walk out in the cool of the morning, and another in
the evening, with a strenuous recommendation not to carry exercise to
the length of fatigue.
I had learned to know exactly the sound of the opening of Bessy
Davenport's door on the great corridor. Her maid always went in and
out the back way; but she had seldom got on the veil which she usually
wore over her head, nor raised her parasol from the seat in the hall,
before I was at her side; and then we had a short dreamy walk in the
shady parts of the plantation. which afforded some of the pleasantest
moments I have yet known in life.
It may seem very strange that we who, in the early part of our
acquaintance, had talked a great deal of love and marriage, and the
mistakes that are made in both, now seldom touched upon such topics at
all. Nothing had been said, nothing had been done, to bind us in any
shape to each other; and a certain tranquillity was in the minds of
both, I am assured, which seemed as if all had been spoken and all was
understood.
We walked along, side by side. We conversed on various topics, some
strange and new, at least to one of the parties--of Europe and its
monuments--of customs, of scenes, of enjoyments, all different from
those of the land in which we then were--nay, of a still older world
in the far East, the cradle of the human race, where, as if for the
purpose of preserving a connecting link between the past and the
present, God had implanted in the mind of man a tenacious adherence to
ancient habits, which gives us, to the present day, living pictures of
those early times when His word was first revealed to a chosen nation
separated from all other people, to preserve, amongst struggles and
contentions, and errors and follies, the knowledge of the one true
God.
Then she would tell me strange tales of the aboriginal inhabitants of
this vast continent; of the Indians, which, even in her young days,
had been numerous in Virginia; and we would deviate together into some
of the by-paths of thought, leading us afar into discussions of art
and science, on the state of society, and what was good and what was
bad in the present artificial condition of man.
A great change appeared to have come over her, I knew not how or why.
Her opinions seemed softened--perhaps I may call it weakened. At all
events, they were put forward with less decision. A more calm, a less
cutting spirit seemed to animate her; and she would often laugh gaily
at her former harsh opinions upon some subjects, and say,--
"My dear Richard, I have all my life been acting on the defensive, and
been obliged to show a bold front to the enemy; especially," she
added, with a quiet smile, "when I feared there might be treachery in
the garrison."
Then we would walk home again, and take our early breakfast, often
without the company of Mrs. Stringer, who was in delicate health; and
if Werter fell in love with Charlotte cutting bread and butter, I
might surely feel my love increased, when I saw those beautiful hands
tending to all my wants, and cutting the food which I was still unable
to cut for myself. She would trust nobody else to do it; and certainly
she did it better than any one. Oh those little marks of kindness and
tenderness! how they sink into the heart, and how peculiarly they are
woman's! After breakfast, she would often read to me for an hour or
more; and then we would sit side-by-side in the shady part of the
house--for now the full heat of summer was upon us--speaking very
little; but both feeling very deeply, I do believe.
Our evening walk was shorter than that of the morning; for every one
seemed to have a horror of the dews of sunset; but the after hours,
till bed time, passed very pleasantly; for Bessy now had no coquetry
about her singing, and her store seemed inexhaustible. Yet there were
some songs which, though perhaps neither so rich in melody nor so
scientific in composition, pleased me more than others; and I would
have them over and over again. Perhaps it was that there seemed some
fanciful relation between them and our mutual fate. One I remember
especially:--
BESSY'S SONG.
"I will not love," the maiden said.
"My breast is hard as steel;
No heart e'er loved but was betrayed--
Mine will not, shall not, feel."
Why droops the maid her sunny head?
Why swims her dewy eye?
What is there in that distant tread,
That makes her heart beat high?
"I will not wed," the maiden said;
"None ever me shall see,
Like captive in a triumph led,
A tyrant's slave to be."
Why decks the maid her glossy hair
With orange-blossoms bright?
Why binds she round her forehead fair
That veil of snowy white?
The fish may 'scape the fisher's net;
The deer, the hunter's dart;
The toils of love, more deeply set,
Are pitched in woman's heart.
She stands before the altar now--
Her heart, her hand are given;
Love's rosy hope is on her brow,
And in her breast lies heaven.
Thus passed the time; and day by day I grew better in health. The
wound in my arm began to heal. I recovered strength, and even thought
of some day mounting on horseback and taking a ride for exercise.
About this time, Mr. Hubbard and Mr. Henry Thornton came together to
see me. I was sitting with Bessy in the drawing-room; but although the
two gentlemen came on business, they did not seem to think her
presence any impediment.
"My scheme is now pretty well matured, Sir Richard," said Mr. Hubbard;
"and as I think it may be as well to take our measures at once, I wish
to explain it to you. No alien can hold real estate in Virginia; and
the real property of any person dying without heirs in this state is
subject to escheat. The legislature can then grant the lands to whom
it will; but this is always regulated by a certain vague sense of
justice; and those who have been serviceable personal friends to, or
nearly connected with, the deceased, can usually obtain the grant, if
they apply in proper form and show good cause. You are an alien; and
we do not suppose that the object of dear old Aunt Bab's property
would induce you to become an American citizen, even if your
declaration of such an intention would save it, which is doubtful. But
we think that your conveyance, regularly drawn up, of your right,
title, and interest in the property, to a person having as near a
connection with the original American proprietor as yourself--indeed
nearer, for your claim is peculiarly under your aunt's will--would be
conclusive with the legislature against the intrigues of Mr. Robert
Thornton and his father."
"Besides," remarked Mr. Henry Thornton, bluntly, "we have more
influence with the legislature than he has by a great deal; and that
is the principal thing in Virginia and everywhere else, my good friend
Hubbard."
"Perhaps so," said Mr. Hubbard, quietly. "But let me explain the whole
matter to Sir Richard fully. We do not propose that you should lose
the property; but an honourable understanding can be entered into with
the party to whom you assign, that he or she, as the case may be,
holds it as in trust for you. Do you understand me?"
"Perfectly," I replied. "The assignment, I suppose, is in reality
invalid, and only useful as giving a direction to the operations of
the legislature."
Mr. Hubbard nodded his head.
"But pray," I continued, for I had already arrived at my own
conclusion, "have you fixed upon the person to whom the assignment
should be made?"
"We know of no one who fulfils all the conditions," answered Mr.
Hubbard, "except Miss Davenport. She is full niece to Colonel
Thornton, half niece to Aunt Bab; and though the half blood does not
inherit, it gives a good claim. Thus, in fact, she is nearer in every
sense than Robert Thornton; and your assignment will, we think, remove
every obstacle."
"Besides, she is a girl," observed Mr. Thornton; "and our Virginia
legislature is very fond of girls."
Bessy's face had been in a glow for several minutes, and I never saw
her look more lovely.
"I do not understand this," she observed, with marked emphasis.
"Richard, I will not take your property from you. Though it is the
home of my youth, and I would buy it willingly if it were to be sold,
it is yours, and I will not have it."
"Be quiet, my dear, be quiet," interposed Mr. Hubbard, with a kindly
smile. "We only want him to give it to you to secure it for him. You
can give it back to him again in various different ways, and a great
number of valuable things to boot, if you like."
"Well, well," returned Bessy, laughing and sitting down, "if that is
the case, manage it as you like. I would not have that Robert Thornton
possess Beavors for anything I possess myself."
It may easily be conceived that I consented readily; and as it was
judged advisable that the assignment should be made before any active
steps were taken towards the escheat, Mr. Hubbard promised to bring me
the deed next day.
It is strange how dissimilar things connect themselves. This mere
matter of business seemed to me to afford an opportunity for doing and
saying that to Bessy Davenport to which my mind had been for some time
made up. I was very little doubtful of what her reply would be. I was
sure she was not a coquette at heart; and words and looks and acts had
told me she was mine. When the two gentlemen were gone, I seated
myself beside her, and put my arm over the back of her chair. It was
nearly round her waist, but she did not shrink from it.
"Let us talk over this matter, Bessy," I said, quietly; "for there are
two or three points which these friends of ours have not considered,
as, indeed, how could they, for they know nothing about them----"
But just at that moment Mrs. Stringer entered the room--I never heard
of its happening otherwise in my life,--and the words, almost spoken,
died away upon my lips.