THE DESPERATE PLUNGE.
Alrina had been at Mrs. Brown's several days, and was beginning to like
her employment, and to make herself very useful in the house, when one
evening, a strange-looking man came rushing in, and asked for a glass of
brandy, which he drank off in a hurried manner, and then said he had
seen a ghost. He had such an odd look, and seemed to speak in such an
incoherent manner, that both Mrs. Brown and Alrina thought he was
deranged: but, knowing the suspicious treachery of persons in that
state, they feared to let him see their timidity, lest he might do them
some injury. So Mrs. Brown pretended to believe in his statement, and
questioned him as to what the ghost was like, and where he had seen it.
The man was well known to Mrs. Brown, as a poor half-witted creature,
who wandered about in a kind of melancholy state, but perfectly
harmless: and the neighbours were kind to "Mazed Dick," as he was
called, and gave him meat, and occasionally Mrs. Brown's customers would
give him a glass of beer, at the "Commercial," for the sake of having a
little amusement; for "Mazed Dick" could perform various little feats of
dexterity, such as standing on his head, climbing a greasy pole, or
dancing in a grotesque manner, or allowing a whole pint of beer to be
poured down his throat, as through a funnel, without closing his mouth.
But Mrs. Brown had never seen him so excited before as he seemed to be
now, nor had he ever asked for brandy before; and after he had drank it,
she wished she had not given it to him. Without answering Mrs. Brown's
questions, he continued to talk in the same incoherent way, sometimes
laughing by way of interlude, and sometimes screaming as if he suddenly
saw some terrifying object before him. It was no use to ask him any more
questions, so they let him go on in his own way,--
"Down 'tween the rocks, Mrs. Brown, ma'm, a g'eat big ship (ha! ha!
ha!), bottom up, Mrs. Brown, ma'm, bottom up, ma'm (ha! ha! ha!), kegs
of brandy. Mrs. Brown, ma'm, kegs of brandy (ha! ha! ha!). Little Dick
creepy crawly, creepy crawly, up the top of the bottom (oh!
lor'!),--slip down agen,--see a g'eat hole, Mrs. Brown, ma'm. Dick put
in his hand to take out a keg of brandy (oh! lor'! oh! lor'!), catch
Dick's hand (oh! lor'! oh! lor'!) Dick run away,--a ghost!--a ghost!"
From this story they gathered that a ship had been wrecked, and thrown
ashore with its bottom up. Some men who had seen "Mazed Dick" running
towards the public house, followed him, thinking he was in a good mood
for one of his performances; but on hearing that there was a wreck on
the coast, they started at once for the spot, taking Dick with them as a
guide, who continued to repeat the same jargon until they arrived at the
cove, where they saw a small vessel, as "Mazed Dick" had described it,
jammed between two rocks, with her bottom up. To climb up the side of
the vessel as she lay thus, bottom up, was a difficult task; for the
sides were slippery. No one but little Dick could do it; so he, to show
his dexterity, climbed up at once like a cat, and put his hand into the
hole, which they could see as they stood on the rock. He had no sooner
done so, however, than he began to scream and kick about his legs in a
vain effort to get clear and slide down again; but no,--there he was
held, as it seemed, by some invisible power inside. What could it be?
Whatever it was, however, it had not the power of holding its victim in
that position long; for poor Dick was soon released, and came sliding
down again among his companions, exclaiming, "A ghost! a ghost! oh!
lor'! oh! lor'!"--and this was all they could get out of him. He could
give no account of what he had seen or felt. So it was determined to
send for a ladder and examine this mysterious affair thoroughly.
The ladder was soon procured, and with it a host of wreckers, both men
and women, although it was now getting dusk, and they would not be able
to see what was inside when they got to the hole; so lanterns were
procured, and there was a parley as to who should go up. All had been
eager to reach the spot, and would have braved any visible danger either
by sea or land; but there was a mystery about this which their
superstitious fears deterred them from attempting readily. In the midst
of their hesitation, Captain Trenow came down to see what it was all
about, and he volunteered at once to climb the ladder, and examine the
interior of the vessel; for he believed it was nothing but "Mazed
Dick's" timidity that made him scream, or perhaps one of his mad tricks.
So up went the brave old man, carrying a lantern in his hand; and, after
looking in at the hole for a few minutes, holding the lantern now on one
side and now on the other, to enable him to see every part of the
interior, as far as the size of the hole would admit, he came down
again, and said very deliberately,--
"'Tes a whished sight, soas!"
"Why, what ded 'ee see, cap'n?" cried a dozen voices.
"Why, I seed two men and a boy, so well as I cud make out," replied
Captain Trenow.
"Dear lor'!" exclaimed the women; "the crew starved to death, poor
souls! That's whisht, sure nuff."
"'Tes whishter to be standen' here like a passle of fools," said Captain
Trenow; "they mayn't be all dead, an' I don't think they are. Lev the
women run up to church-town for some blankets and sails an' things, and
some brandy, an' some of the men go down to bâl for some ropes an'
planks, an' a hatchet or two, and a saw; for the hole esn't big enough
to hale a man through."
Here was the master mind equal to any emergency; and, so accustomed is
the bâl captain to be obeyed by the miners under him at the bâl, that
Captain Trenow's commands were obeyed to the letter, such discipline
being as necessary in mining operations, where there is so much risk and
danger, as in a military army on the field of battle. In an incredibly
short time, the men returned with ropes, and planks, and more ladders,
accompanied by some of the mine-carpenters, who had not left work in
consequence of a breakage at the mine.
"Go up," said Captain Trenow to the carpenters, "and enlarge that hole
three or four feet each way." And up they went at once and commenced
their work without asking a question; and very soon an opening was made
large enough to bring up any thing that might be below.
By this time the women had arrived also, with plenty of blankets and old
sails, and brandy, accompanied by many more people from the village.
Captain Trenow, with three or four of the strongest men of the party,
now went up the ladders which were placed against the side of the
vessel, taking shorter ladders with them, which they let down through
the opening that the carpenters had made, taking ropes and blankets and
sails with them. On descending into the vessel they found two men and a
boy--the two men lying at the bottom, apparently dead, or in the last
gasp, while the boy was lying on a cask near the hole. He was alive, and
still retained the use of his limbs; and it must have been he who had
seized poor Dick in that mysterious manner. They were soon got out of
their perilous situation; and that infallible remedy--brandy--having
been applied to their lips, it was ascertained that they were all alive.
The boy revived considerably, but the two men, with all the remedies
Captain Trenow's experience applied, only revived sufficiently to
exhibit signs of life.
They were speedily conveyed to the "Commercial" Inn, and Mrs. Brown and
her fair assistant prepared comfortable beds for them, while Captain
Trenow and one or two strong, trusty men remained to watch them during
the night. A little food was given them frequently; for Captain Trenow
saw that they were suffering principally from exhaustion and want of
food.
The boy did not require much attention; and, after a moderate allowance
of food, he fell fast asleep. Mrs. Brown's household also went to bed,
at Captain Trenow's earnest request, while he and one of the miners
remained in attendance on the invalids all night. The boy slept soundly
till morning, when he awoke refreshed, but hungry; so he went downstairs
in search of something to eat. Mr. Brown was the only one stirring, and
he was in the back kitchen giving a finishing polish to his shoes.
"What! Billy, boy!" said he, as the boy entered; "come, 'tes time to
look to the mare. Come, boy! come!" And he led the way into the stables,
as he used to do, and the boy followed him; for he knew that was the
only way to get anything to eat. "Mare first and breakfast afterwards,"
was always Mr. Brown's motto.
The sad reality very soon exhibited itself to poor Mr. Brown's shattered
brain; and he sat down on the pail which was standing useless against
the wall with its bottom up, and bewailed his loss.
"Iss, boy," said the poor man; "I seed them both go over cliff,--and
that poor young gentleman to be killed too. 'Twas whist, Billy, boy.
Semmen to me I can see them now tumblen' over. I've seed his ghost
since, boy, I have."
When Mr. Brown had exhausted himself with his monotonous lamentation, on
the loss of the mare and the young gentleman, the boy went up close to
him, and whispered something in his ear which made him start; and,
jumping up, he proceeded into the house at once, exclaiming, "Peggy!
Peg! Peg! Peggy! my dear,--here's that gentleman; get breakfast quickly.
What! Miss Reeney downstairs already! Good morning, ma'am. Come to see
"The Maister," I s'pose. Get breakfast quickly, Peggy! Ods my life! how
hungered they'll be! Out exercising the mare, es he? That's brave. Get
the corn ready and a clean wisp o' straw to give her the first rub weth.
Ods my life! how glad I am."
"Hoity! toity! what's all the fuss?" exclaimed Mrs. Brown, as she came
slowly downstairs; "one wud think that the French were landed."
"And so they are, I b'lieve, o' my conscience," said Mr. Brown.
"Hold your tongue, John Brown!" said his wife, angrily, as she proceeded
to get the breakfast. She had not seen Alrina or the boy; for the latter
made a signal to Alrina to follow him out into the little garden at the
back of the house, while Mr. Brown was giving his silly and futile
orders about the mare, which his wife was now too much accustomed to, to
notice.
Imagine Alrina's astonishment, when she heard from the boy, that her
father and lover were both in that house. What should she do?--That was
the first question she asked herself; and it was as quickly answered in
her own mind. She must do her duty; and her first duty was to attend to
her father, however disgraceful his conduct might have been. And, under
the circumstance, it was her duty also to avoid meeting her lover, both
for her own peace of mind and for his;--for she had fully determined
that nothing should induce her to continue an engagement, which must
bring disgrace on him and misery to her;--she could never endure to
marry a man whose family would despise her. She learnt the whole history
of his escape from the boy, and she shuddered when he told her of the
dreadful moment, when the boat bumped against the rock, as they thought,
but which in reality was a vessel they could not see, as they lay in the
bottom of the boat, faint and exhausted. They were picked up and taken
on board, but his master was so exhausted that he was unconscious all
the time. The boy soon discovered, he said, that the principal person on
board was no other than his old master, Mr. Freeman, who treated them
both very kindly; but a storm arose that night, and drove the little
vessel back again towards the Land's-End. He and Mr. Freeman were below,
he said, attending to the invalid, when the vessel struck on a rock,
and her mast was blown over somehow, and they felt the vessel turn on
her beam ends. The hatches had been closed down over them when they went
below, for the sea was washing over the deck. The two sailors must have
been washed overboard. How long they were in that awful state, beating
about, the boy did not know; it seemed an age. He was the strongest of
the party, he said; and, when he found that the vessel was at last
stationary, he got on a cask to be as near the hole which the rocks had
made in her as possible, and it was in this position that he caught the
man's hand; but he was too much exhausted to speak.
Alrina consulted her good friend, Mrs. Brown, as to what she should do
with her father; and it was ultimately decided that he had better be
removed at once to his own house.
Who the other invalid was, Alrina did not say. Mr. Freeman seemed in a
very precarious state; and if he was to be removed at all, Captain
Trenow thought it should be done at once. It was early, and few people
were stirring as yet in the village; and so the poor unconscious man was
removed gently and quietly to that house which he had left but a short
time before, knowing and feeling that his return to that place must end
in public disgrace and punishment. His faithful daughter, as in duty
bound, made everything as comfortable about him as she could, and her
attendant, Alice Ann, came back at once to her young mistress's
assistance.
In undressing him to put him into bed, Captain Trenow discovered a belt
round his waist, which, on being opened, was found to contain a
considerable sum of money, principally in gold, and a quantity of
diamonds and other jewels apparently of great value. The money Captain
Trenow persuaded Alrina to take into her possession, and to use as much
as was necessary for the maintenance of the house and for comforts for
the invalid, while the jewels he placed in a drawer in Mr. Freeman's
private room, under lock and key. It was evident that he had been
preparing for flight for some time, and had secured enough of "the
needful" to enable him to live comfortably in some distant country. Of
his daughter's comfort he cared nothing; for he did not leave a single
shilling behind for her, and yet she forgave him all, and came back
again to the house she thought she had quitted for ever, to be his
guardian and ministering angel.
A surgeon was sent for from Penzance, who said it was doubtful whether
his patient would recover. By care, and attention, and good nursing, he
might rally.
Frederick Morley--for he was Captain Trenow's other patient--was
recovering slowly, when he learned that Mr. Freeman had been taken home,
and that his daughter was there also. He immediately got up, weak as he
was, and walked towards Mr. Freeman's house, determined to see Alrina,
whose image had been ever present to his mind, night and day, and from
whom he was now fully determined no power on earth should separate him.
When he arrived at the house he was told that Alrina was in attendance
on her father, who was not able to leave his bed.
He waited some time in the little parlour before the object of his
adoration made her appearance, as she was obliged to school herself into
the proper state of mind in which she wished to appear, before she met
him to whom she must now say farewell for ever.
She had been expecting this visit, and had been preparing herself for
the meeting, and thought, poor girl, that she could be firm;--but now,
when the time was actually come, she found that it was more than she
could go through. She came at last, pale and trembling, but firm. And
when Frederick rushed towards her with the impetuosity of a warm-hearted
lover, from whom his darling had been separated so long, she recoiled
calmly and coldly from his embrace, and requested him, in a dignified
manner, to be seated.
"Alrina!" exclaimed he, in surprise; "what is the meaning of this
coolness? After so long an absence, I expected to have been received by
you in a very different manner. What have I done to deserve this? Or has
some vile calumniator been poisoning your mind against me? Tell me,
dearest!" And he attempted to approach her again, his eyes beaming with
the fondest love and devotion.
"Mr. Morley!" said Alrina, restraining her feelings with a strong
effort; "circumstances have changed since we last met; and I am
compelled, more for your sake than mine, to tell you that all further
intercourse must cease between us."
"Alrina!" exclaimed he, passionately; "what can you mean?--Can I believe
my ears,--that she, whom I so fondly and devotedly love, can coldly and
deliberately tell me that our intercourse must cease, without assigning
any reason. Tell me at least this. What cause have I given you for
treating me thus?"
"None!" said she; "none! you have been to me more than I deserve. It is
not that, oh! no!"
"You have seen another whom you love better," said he. "Tell me,--only
tell me, and relieve my racking brain,--anything is better than this
suspense. I will never give you up,--I swear I will not! The villain who
has supplanted me shall die!" And he paced the room in mental agony,
while poor Alrina scarcely knew what to do. She had made up her mind to
do her duty; and she was determined, for his sake more than her own, to
go through with it. He must not think he had a rival; it would endanger
some innocent person, perhaps; nor could she make up her mind to tell
him of her father's disgrace. He would hear it, of course,--he must know
it; but it should not come from her. What should she do?
There was only one alternative that seemed open to her. She must take
all the blame on herself, and bear all his wrath, or scorn, or hate, or
whatever it might be, on her own shoulders. However painful, it must be
done. And, rising with as much coolness as she could command at that
awful crisis, she said, in a trembling voice,--
"Mr. Morley, we must part now and for ever; for I feel I cannot love you
as I ought."
"Oh! Alrina!" he exclaimed, taking her hand, which she could not
prevent; "do not say so! oh! do not say so,--you cannot mean it,--say
you do not mean that. Not love me! Oh! Alrina! after all----"
"I cannot stay longer," said she, hastily withdrawing her hand; "I can
only repeat that I cannot love you." And, in an agony of mind, which it
would be impossible to describe, she rushed to her own room, and,
locking the door, threw herself on the bed, and wept bitter tears of
agony unspeakable.
Morley remained motionless for some minutes, as one thunderstruck. It
seemed as if he had received his death blow. To be treated thus coldly
by one who, but a short time before, had expressed the warmest affection
for him, was inexplicable. He could not understand it. There was only
one solution that presented itself to his disordered mind. She loved
another! And that thought rendered him desperate,--it maddened him.
Revenge was his first thought. But how, and on whom? He staggered out of
the house like a drunken man, and directed his steps unconsciously
towards the sea. Life had become a burden to him within the last short
hour. He had nothing now to live for. He looked down into the deep blue
sea, as he stood on the rock. All his former hope of life and happiness
had faded away like a shadow. He could have lived on with the hope that
she might one day be his, knowing that she loved him still. But, now,
she had told him that she could not love him, and had bade him farewell
for ever! He could not endure the thought. Her coldness and the apparent
cause thrilled through his frame. This feeling of jealousy maddened him;
his brain reeled. One plunge into that deep blue water, and all his
mental sufferings would be ended. The waters would open to receive him;
and when they closed over him again, all the cares and troubles of this
life would be over, and she would be free from the dread of his
presence, if indeed she feared it.
His brain was on fire; he was mad; a temporary insanity had seized him;
and he thought only of escaping from present troubles. One short plunge,
and all would be over. Alas! he thought not of the future. What mortal,
when in that state of frenzied madness, does think of that?
For if, he did,--if, in the act of making his quietus by self
destruction, one sane thought remained,--"that dread of something after
death--the undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveller
returns--would puzzle the will; and make him rather bear the ills he
has, than fly to others that he knows not of." Man's life is not in his
own hands. He who gave it, and He alone, has the right to take it when
it shall please Him so to do. Morley thought not of the future, but only
how to escape from "the pangs of despised love," which now oppressed
him. And the more he thought of this, the more did his brain seethe and
boil, till he could bear it no longer; and, taking a desperate leap from
the high rock on which he stood, he plunged into the deep blue water
that lay so tranquil at his feet.
A splash was heard as the waters opened to receive their prey; and then
they closed around and over him, and down he went,--down! down!--five
fathoms deep, or more, for the water here was deep enough to swim a
three-decked ship with all her thousand men on board, and guns and
ammunition. 'Twas an awful plunge, not like the plunge of the agile
swimmer, who jumps from off a rock and dives until he touches the
bottom, only to rebound and then come up again some few yards ahead, and
strike out boldly with head erect, braving the restless sea, and riding
over each wave buoyant and graceful as a sea-bird, whose element it is.
The plunge of the victim of self destruction has a sadder and more
decided sound. Down he goes to the bottom, a dead weight, with all his
sins upon his head; for in that short space of time, all the actions of
his past life crowd on his mind, and he lives his life over again, as it
were, in a single moment.
And so went down the body of Frederick Morley to the bottom. But as his
body touched it, up it came again buoyant in that unruffled sea. Ere it
rose to the surface of the water, another splash was heard, and a stout
strong swimmer came breasting the waves, ready to catch the rash young
man as soon as he appeared; and, seizing him in one of his strong arms,
he swam with him to the shore and landed him in safety.
Frederick had not been under water long enough to receive any serious
injury, although the salt water in his mouth and eyes and ears, made him
feel very uncomfortable. And this might have a very serious effect,
after his late sufferings and confinement; for he had risen from his bed
to go to Alrina, on learning that she was at home, when he ought to have
remained quiet for a little longer, in order to be fully equal to the
double shock he had sustained. Perhaps had he been in robust health, he
would not have taken this rash step; but his nerves were weak. The
plunge into the water, however, had tended to cool his fevered brain;
and, when he turned to thank his deliverer, after he had recovered a
little, what was his surprise to find that he was indebted again for his
life to that noble fellow, Josiah Trenow, who had thus saved him a
second time from the jaws of death.