"My genius whispers me
Go on and win her,--for there's nought
That's more unsteadfast than a woman's thought."
COOKE.
"There lies the sore point, which will brook no handling."
SIR WALTER SCOTT.
John and Eleanor, followed by Mrs. Rainsfield and Tom, commenced their
gathering of the forest's blossoms, and sauntered on without any seeming
interest in their occupation; for their thoughts were otherwise centred.
Eleanor would walk by the side of her companion, supporting her part for
some minutes at a stretch, in a spirited and lively conversation; ever
and anon directing her lovely eyes to the features of John; while he,
in ecstasies with the warmth of her manner, returned the glance with
redoubled tenderness; and with the force of his ardent and inspiring
conversation communicated the blush of pleasure to her cheek.
Thus they walked on for some time quite absorbed in themselves, until
they found they had got considerably in advance of their companions; so
much so, that they could not even see them. Upon this discovery, John
suggested that their friends might have slightly deviated from the
track; allured, perhaps, into the bush by something that might have
attracted their attention, and were possibly not far off. He therefore
proposed that Eleanor and himself should sit down and wait until they
overtook them; but to this his companion was unwilling to agree. He
however combatted her opinion that they had returned, and that it would
be better for herself and him to retrace their steps also, by saying
that Mrs. Rainsfield would never turn back without first giving them
intimation; and that by retracing their steps then, they would possibly
miss, and give one another a good deal of trouble and uneasiness, in a
mutual search. Whether this advice was agreeable or not to Eleanor, we
cannot say, but she silently complied; and sat down by his side, as he
threw himself on the grass.
John, at this moment, became absorbed with thoughts that entirely
subverted his former cheerfulness. The circumstances of his situation
presented themselves to his mind's eye in full force; and suggested, as
their solitude had very opportunely afforded him the means of declaring
to Eleanor the feelings uppermost in his thoughts, and which he had so
long burned to disclose, that he should not allow it to slip. But his
heart failed within him, as he was on the point of giving utterance to
his love; and though it spoke volumes, his tongue failed to articulate a
sound. Thus they sat for some minutes, when Eleanor broke the silence by
remarking, "What can have become of those truants?" and recieving no
reply from her companion, directed an enquiring gaze to his face.
In that countenance, where she used to witness animation and spirit, she
now only detected profound abstraction, and a vision directed fixedly
into space. She contemplated the features for some few moments; and
then, while she laid her hand upon John's shoulder, addressed him with
the enquiry, "May I participate in the pleasure of your thoughts, Mr.
Ferguson? they must be deeply interesting, for they seem to have
engrossed your entire attention."
John started at the sound of Eleanor's voice, and awaking from his
reverie, while he siezed in his fevered grasp the hand of his companion,
replied: "Indeed you may, my dear Eleanor (pardon my familiarity); your
sweet voice has broken the spell; and if you experience pleasure from a
recital of my thoughts, I shall indeed be the happiest mortal on earth.
When I say I love you, Eleanor, I convey but a shadow of what I
inwardly feel; it has long been my one consuming fire; you, and you
alone, are the object of my warmest and tenderest affections. Your kind
and sweet excellence first won my regard, and I early learnt to cherish
your image as my soul's talisman and idol; but ere I had an opportunity
of breathing in your ear the nature of the fire that consumed me, my
hopes were blighted. I learnt from your cousin the existence of an
engagement that has stamped my spirit with despair; and though I have
striven to forget you, save as a dear friend, and have almost driven
myself frantic in the struggle, yet it is without success. At a time,
when I had almost banished from my memory the existence of my passion,
some passing object would reflect your image in the mirror of my mind,
and would render me almost demented with the thought that your charms
were destined to bless some other one. Oh, say my angel! can that be? Is
it possible your troth is plighted to another? Pray, speak; my destiny
hangs upon your answer. Say but that you bid me hope; that you will not
reject me; anything rather than discard or banish me from your presence,
without the chance of catching one ray of the sunshine of your smile."
John then paused, and gently removing the hand that attempted to conceal
her face, in a more subdued tone he continued, "You weep; I have been
wild, I have agitated you. Oh, hear me, Eleanor! be but mine, and I need
not tell you I will cherish you above all earthly prizes. I already love
you to distraction; I would thenceforth live but for thee. You are
silent; you do not reciprocate my feeling. Oh, this torture! Utter my
doom, for I can bear it. I see it is as I feared; you are engaged to
another. Oh! speak, Eleanor, is it not so?"
"It is, sir," uttered a voice that made both parties start, and that put
an end to John's declaration. "She is engaged to me, and if she will
not say it herself, I will for her; and at the same time I have to
intimate to you, that since I have discovered your pretensions, I do not
intend to permit them to go unpunished, unless you instantly quit the
lady's side;" and the speaker, Bob Smithers, flourished his whip in a
menacing attitude, as he stalked up to the couple, who had now risen.
"As to you and your threats," replied John Ferguson, "I both equally
scorn to notice. Since you have chosen to act the part of eavesdropper,
you have certainly overheard our conversation; but my question was
directed to Miss Rainsfield, not to you; therefore, I decline
recognising your interference. If Miss Rainsfield desires me to leave
her presence, I will do so instantly, and--
"Oh, no, no, Mr. Ferguson," sobbed Eleanor, "don't leave me with
that--with Mr. Smithers."
"I would not leave you, but in the care of your friends," replied John;
and then continuing his remark to Smithers, he said, "and if I hear,
from her own lips, that she acknowledges her engagement to you, from the
respect which I entertain for her, I will at once withdraw my
pretensions."
"Ask her," exclaimed Smithers; "let her answer for herself."
"Is it so, Miss Rainsfield?" asked our dejected hero; "make no scruple
of answering, for fear of giving _me_ pain, I am perfectly inured to its
trials."
Poor Eleanor essayed to speak, but she could not; her heart was too full
for utterance, and she covered her face with her hands, and burst into
tears.
"Speak, Eleanor," cried Smithers, "and tell him, whether or not you are
engaged to me."
Eleanor took her hands from her face, and with an effort, which cost her
her consciousness, exclaimed, "I am;" and immediately sank to the ground
insensible. John stooped to raise her prostrate form, but was rudely
pushed on one side by his opponent; who exclaimed, with an oath, that
"he would knock him down if he dared to lay a finger on the lady."
"At any other time," cried John, "and under any other circumstances, I
would have resented your insult in a manner that would have given you
cause to remember me; at present, however, I shall consider you beneath
even my contempt. This young lady was entrusted to my protection by her
own family, who are not far distant; so touch me again at your peril;"
saying which he advanced, and lifted the inanimate form of his beloved
Eleanor.
"What is the meaning of this?" cried Mrs. Rainsfield, as she burst upon
the scene. "What, Eleanor fainted?" and she flew to the assistance of
her cousin, who under her sympathetic administration speedily exhibited
signs of returning consciousness. Then having time to address herself to
the parties about her, Mrs. Rainsfield at once turned to Smithers, and
in a voice, and with a look of scorn, said: "I perceive you, sir, are
the cause of this, which is in perfect keeping with your usual
barbarity. I request you will instantly remove from our presence; as I
have no desire, that my cousin's nerves should be again shocked, by
either the recollection of the past, or the recurrence of future
attrocities; both of which are entailed by your presence."
"For that speech, madam," exclaimed Smithers, "you may thank yourself
you wear the female garb, or, by heaven! I would give you good cause to
repent it."
"I am well aware of it, sir," replied the lady, "if your courage
permitted, you would attempt it; and even woman as I am, I doubt not,
you would not hesitate the application of your whip, were it not for the
restraining influence of these gentlemen present. But go, sir; we wish
no parley."
"The advisableness of that motion, madam," said Smithers, "I will
reserve to myself the right to decide. I am the most interested in the
young lady, who seems so much affected; resulting, I presume, from my
having detected her in a position with that gentleman (scowling at
John) which not only reflects impropriety on her, but discredit to you."
"That, sir," almost shrieked the now exasperated lady, "you have no
right to affirm. We, as her relations, are the best judges of her
conduct, as well as our own; and if Miss Rainsfield is objectionable to
you, I have no doubt she will at once exonerate you from your
engagement. But I have to request that you leave us; for the instant
Miss Rainsfield sufficiently recovers to walk, we will remove from the
spot; and you need not flatter yourself you'll be permitted to follow
us."
"You considerably over-estimate your own attractions, madam," replied
Smithers; "and the merits of your friends, if you imagine they are
sufficiently seductive to induce me to deviate from my path by following
your steps. But I am neither disposed to forgo my claim on Miss
Rainsfield, nor to permit the pretensions of any other suitor."
How long this controversy would have lasted, it is difficult to say,
had not Tom attempted to persuade Smithers to leave them; and Eleanor,
who at the same time opened her eyes, begged him, in a voice and look of
entreaty to depart, promising to explain the circumstances to him at
some other time. He then turned away into the bush, and joined a man who
appeared to be his companion, but whom they had not before noticed;
while the party retraced their steps to the camp, and were soon on their
way home. The feelings that agitated their various breasts, we will
leave the reader to conjecture; merely stating that they so operated, as
to cause the journey to be performed almost in silence. When they
reached Strawberry Hill, Eleanor at once proceeded to her chamber, and
in her privacy gave vent to the feelings that overpowered her in a flood
of tears; while John, very much subdued in spirit, almost immediately
took his departure, accompanied by Tom Rainsfield.
We may now explain the sudden appearance of Bob Smithers, when he so
unceremoniously interrupted the _tete-a-tete_ of John and Eleanor. He
had been accompanied by a man (to whom he was attempting to sell a run
on the Gibson, below Fern Vale) to show him the country; and in
returning, having taken the route by which he would cross the Wombi at
the upper flat on the Dingo plains a little below the falls, he
accidentally caught the sound of voices as he approached the river, and
being curious to know from whence they emanated, he rode with his
companion towards the spot. When he came sufficiently close to see what
we have already described, he could hardly believe his eyes; for he
instantly recognised John Ferguson, though the lady who was listening to
his appeal, he could not so readily detect. That it must be Eleanor
Rainsfield he did not doubt, though how she came in such company, and in
such a place, he could not imagine, and could hardly reconcile to his
belief. He, however, listened, and when he caught her name uttered by
her prostrate suitor, his rage at the discovery was unbounded. Yet his
inquisitiveness to hear more, and know how she received the addresses,
overcame for the moment, the first impulse of his malevolence; and kept
him silent until the moment, when he dismounted from his horse, we have
seen him appear on the scene.
After parting from the Rainsfields, he altered his determination of
going home direct; and arranging with his companion to meet him at
Brompton on the following day, he dashed his spurs into his horse's
flanks; and being impelled by the excitement of a jealous frenzy and
malice, he pulled up at Strawberry Hill a full hour before the pic-nic
party made their appearance; and instantly sought an interview with Mr.
Rainsfield.
Not finding him in the house, Bob Smithers commenced a search; and soon
distinguished his voice in high altercation with some one, as he
approached the door of the store, where he overheard the following
dialogue.
"I tell you again, you are an old fool; you knew perfectly well that I
never permit these villainous black scoundrels to come near my premises;
and yet you encourage this fellow to the place, and allow him to purloin
my property through your want of attention. I would not care a snuff,
were it not that I have taken considerable pains to keep them aloof: and
I know very well that if they are allowed to return, I shall never be
safe from their depredations; and this from your infernal idiotcy and
madness."
"You will pardon me, Mr. Rainsfield," replied a voice, which
distinguished its owner as Mr. Billing, "it grieves me to be under the
necessity of contradicting you; but, sir, I really must be permitted to
differ from you, in your expressed opinion of an aberration of my
intellect. I am proud to state, sir, that I have been ordained by the
Almighty with the full and unimpaired use of my faculties; I can
readily, sir, however, make allowance for the ebullition of your
feelings; but must most distinctly beg to inform you, sir, that you
labour under a misapprehension with regard to my sanity; for I may say
in the language of the immortal bard,
"My pulse as yours doth temperately keep time."
"Bosh!" ejaculated the other, "a truce to your trash; you sicken me with
your fastidiousness; and if you are not mad yourself, you are likely to
drive me so. No one unless afflicted with sheer insanity, would allow
that black fellow into the store; and then above all things leave him in
it. There isn't the slightest use in your attempting to excuse yourself,
for you can't improve matters: you are a perfect nuisance in the place;
and I declare if it were not for your family, I would not be bothered
with your continual absurdities."
"I really conceive myself flattered, sir, by your good opinion of my
valuable services; but doubt not, if they were as insignificant as you
profess my manner of performing them is distasteful to you, you would
ere this have dispensed with them. But, Mr. Rainsfield, you will excuse
my freedom, in defending myself against your imputations on my capacity;
you must know, sir, that I have been connected with one of the first
houses in London, the firm of Billing, Barlow, & Co., of Thames Street;
and but for the unfortunate circumstance, of my having allowed myself to
be allured to this country, by the glowing accounts of designing men, I
should, sir, have still been in the enjoyment of comfortable means, if
not of opulence. My experience therefore, sir, has been such as to
warrant my assertion; and I utter it, I assure you, sir, without
egotism, but merely as the result of a practical mercantile life; that I
am sufficiently conversant with business, to undertake the management of
any establishment; even, I may add, sir, without disparagement to you,
one of greater magnitude than Strawberry Hill; and also--
"For goodness sake, stop that trash; what on earth has all that got to
do with your permitting the black to enter the store, which is supposed
to be under your charge, and for the contents of which you are
responsible?"
"I was about to explain that point, sir, when you interrupted me; but my
first consideration was to establish my good fame, from the imputation
cast upon it by you; which imputation, I am fain to believe, was uttered
in a moment of hastiness; and which, after I have explained the
circumstances of the case, you will be happy to retract. However, sir,
permit me to continue. The black, I have every reason to believe, is in
the service of Mr. Ferguson at Fern Vale; for he came over this morning,
while you were absent at the bridge, with a message for that gentleman
from his overseer; and knowing him to be on an excursion with the
ladies, and thinking he would be back about mid-day, I advised him, sir,
to delay his return to the station, until he had seen his master. Hence,
you see, sir, his presence on the station was perfectly justifiable.
With regard to his peccancy I will not attempt, sir, to offer any
palliation beyond the expression of my belief, that the tobacco was
taken without any notion of the offence he was committing; in proof of
which, I may mention, sir, the absence of any concealment on his part,
when you came to the store. It was natural, sir, he should follow me
about the place, from my having advised him to stay until the arrival of
his master; and I, having occasion to go to the store, he accompanied me
there; and being suddenly called away, sir, I inadvertently perhaps,
left the door open and him inside. Then, it appears, he appropriated the
tobacco you found in his hand, and had I returned before you came up, I
should have as readily perceived, and as soon induced him to deliver it.
If I might venture, sir, to express an opinion, I would say, at most,
the offence is a paltry one, and could well be left unnoticed; more
especially as he is, as I have premised, a servant of Mr. Ferguson."
"Do you think that is any reason why the scoundrel should escape?"
exclaimed Rainsfield. "When Mr. Ferguson knows as much about them as I
do, he will likewise exclude them from his place. I have been at
considerable pains at keeping them at a distance, and do not intend to
let them be emboldened by the success of this scoundrel; which would
necessarily be the case were he to escape scathless. He shall be
punished, and that speedily and effectually."
At this point of the discussion Bob Smithers joined the disputants, and
having been an unseen listener to these objurgations; and, having a
natural antipathy to the blacks, and a vindictive desire to annoy his
lately discovered rival, had a corresponding inclination to support Mr.
Rainsfield's determination to punish the captive.
"Your arrival, Smithers," said the other, as Bob entered the store, "is
very opportune. I have just discovered a blackguardly black fellow
stealing tobacco, and it appears from my storekeeper's account, he is a
servant of Mr. Ferguson. What would you propose we should do with him?"
"I would say flog him," replied Smithers; "take him into the bush, so
that his voice cannot be heard at the house, and tie him up to a tree;
give him a taste of the stock-whip, and send him home to his master,
with a request that if he takes a fancy to the brutes, he either keeps
them on his run, or teaches them to exhibit better propensities when
they visit his neighbours."
"A capital idea, by Jove! Smithers," exclaimed Rainsfield; "we will
certainly give him a tickling. I have got a fellow on the station that
would cut a piece clean out of the hide of a bullock with his
stock-whip. I will get him to manipulate; and I calculate, our darkie
here will not trouble us with his presence again." As he said this he
joined his companion in a burst of merriment at the wonder depicted in
the countenance of their almost unconscious victim, who evidently
anticipated rough usage, though perfectly ignorant of the nature of the
sentence passed upon him. Rainsfield then called one of the men, and
directed him to get Smith, the stock-man, to take the black fellow into
the bush for a few hundred yards, and tie him up to a tree with his back
bared, and take a stock-whip with him, and await the coming of himself
and Mr. Smithers.
"You surely, gentlemen, do not intend putting your threat into
execution," cried Billing, who was standing amazed at the coolness of
their preparations. "I appeal, sir, to your sense of honour, to your
love of justice, to your charitableness, to induce you to desist from
the perpetration of so vile an outrage on humanity. How can you punish,
sirs, with such severity a poor, ignorant black, whose offence has been
so trifling, that no honourable man would notice it? Besides, gentlemen,
I maintain it is unjust to punish a poor aboriginal for an action in
which he perceives or knows no wrong. If you persist in the fulfilment
of this barbarity, and violation of your charge as Justices of the
Peace, let your own consciences be your accusers."
The result of this harangue was only the production of an inordinate
burst of laughter from both Rainsfield and Smithers; who, without any
further notice of the philanthropic storekeeper, than a forcible request
from the latter to visit certain regions, the utterance of which would
be unpleasant to ears polite, they followed the men to the place of
punishment.
We will not accompany them to witness this scene, the disgusting and
unfeeling nature of which we cannot sufficiently condemn, but merely
state that for some minutes the air was rent by the shrieks of the
victim; while the two gentlemen and J.P. watched the process, and then
returned arm in arm to the house in high glee. Upon reaching the
domicile, and discovering that the pic-nic party had come back, Smithers
drew his companion away, and told him he wished to have a few minutes
conversation with him privately; whereupon Rainsfield, first
ascertaining that Eleanor had retired to bed, that his wife was with
her, and that his brother and Ferguson had gone to Fern Vale, returned
with his companion to the store: in which they locked themselves. What
was the nature of their conversation we can pretty correctly conjecture;
as also, no doubt, can our readers. It will, therefore, be unnecessary
for us to trespass on their privacy; to the full enjoyment of which we
will leave them.