The Knight Of The Golden Melice, John Turvill Adams [the reading list TXT] 📗

Places, Branching Horns Of The Moose And Deer, Over Which Were

Hung Hunting-Shirts And Skins Of Various Wild Animals, Tanned With The

Hair On. The Antlers Also, In Many Instances, Supported Guns, And

Swords, And Hunting Pouches, And Powder-Horns, And, In Short, Whatever

Might Be Necessary For Attack Or Defence In War, And Success In The

Chase. In The Centre Of The Room A Table For Four Or Five Persons Was

Set, And A Squaw Was Busy Near A Fire Preparing The Meal.

  

 

It Was Not Long Before The Simple Dinner, Consisting Principally Of

Venison Steaks And Bread Made Of Indian Corn, Was Placed By The Squaw

On The Board, And The Three Men Drew Up, Philip Manifesting Some

Modest Reluctance, Until Pressed Thereto By The Knight.

 

  

"The Vain Distinctions Of The World," Said Sir Christopher, "Are Out

Of Place Here. My Soul Sickens At The Servile Respect Paid To Stars

And Garters. The Jewel Of The Spirit Is To Be Prized, Not By The

Setting, But By The Degree Of Its Own Splendor It Darts Around."

  

 

Nor Simple Though The Dinner Was, Were There Wanting Draughts Of Wine

Like That Of Which The Soldier Had Drank Upon His Arrival. Of The

Three, He Drank The Most Freely; Arundel Moderately, And The Knight

Almost Abstemiously. As The Last Regarded The Pale Face Of Philip, And

Marked The Kindling Lustre Of His Eyes, He Pardoned The Poor Fellow,

In Consideration Of What He Had Endured, The Freedom Of His Libations.

 

  

At The Conclusion Of The Meal, Arundel, Turning To The Knight, Said:

  

 

"Philip Has Brought Me Word, Sir Christopher, Which Will Necessitate

The Abridgment Of A Visit I Did Intend Should Be Longer. My Purpose Is

To Return To Boston In The Morning." 

 

 

"May A Friend Inquire After The Cause Of Your Sudden Departure?" Asked

The Knight.

  

 

"It Hath Some Connection," Answered The Young Man, Slightly Blushing,

"With A Matter Wherewith You Are Already Acquainted, I Know Not Why I

Should Hesitate To Aver Before Yourself And Philip That It Hath

Reference To Mistress Eveline Dunning."

 

  

"Fear Not To Speak The Honest Impulses Of Thine Heart, Master

Arundel," Said The Knight, "Nor Deem That I Can Take Amiss Thy

Preference Of The Starry Eyes Of Pretty Mistress Eveline To A

Hermitage In The Wood." 

 

 

"She Desires To See Me," Returned The Young Man, "And I Hold It A

Sacred Duty To Watch Over Her, For She Is A Lamb In The Jaws Of A

Lion."

 

  

"My Opinion Of The Worshipful Master Spikeman," Said The Knight, "Is

Not Much More Favorable Than Thine Own, Though Mine Eyes Be Not

Blinded By The Deceitful Mists Of Passion. Be Wary, However, Else

Mayest Thou Incur An Enmity Which It Were Well To Avoid."

 

  

"What Wouldest Have Me Do, Sir Christopher?" Demanded The Young Man,

Rising With Some Impatience. "Detains He Not My Affianced Bride?

Refuses He Not Even To Allow Me To See Her, And Must Not Our Meetings

Be Stolen? Does He Not Deny The Solemn Obligation He Took Upon Himself

By The Death-Bed Of His Too Confiding Friend, To Unite Eveline With Me

In Marriage, And Is He Not Thereby A Perjured Wretch, Regardless Alike

Of His Vow To God And Of Duty To The Dead And Living? I Care Not For

His Enmity, But Prefer It To His Friendship, Nor Will I Tamely Permit

Him To Triumph In His Villainy."

  

 

"Calm Thyself, Master Arundel," Said The Knight; "Truly I Counselled

No Such Thing. My Heart Is With Thee, And My Hand At Thy Service In

This Matter, For I Esteem Thee Wronged, But Neither Violence Of Speech

Nor Precipitancy In Action Will Avail To Right Thee. All Means Of

Persuasion Are Not Exhausted. Why Not Endeavor To Interest Governor

Winthrop In Thy Behalf?"

 

 

 

"To What Purpose? Suppose You He Would Take My Word In Opposition To

That Of A Fellow Saint And Magistrate?"

  

 

"Unjust! Master Arundel; Degrade Not The Noble Winthrop, A Pattern Of

Many Christian Virtues, And Some Knightly Qualities, By Such

Association. But To Thy Word Would Be Superadded That Of The Young

Lady. He Must Believe Her."

  

 

"Nay, Sir Christopher, Your Eagle Glance At Once Detects Falsehood

Wherewith It Has No Affinity, And You Judge Of Others According To The

Standard Of Your Own Nobleness, But I Am Persuaded The Attempt Would

Be In Vain. The Case Stands Thus: There Is Really But Witness Against

Witness, For What Know I Of What Occurred At The Death-Bed Of

Eveline's Father, Except What She Herself Has Told Me? Kind Though May

Be The Heart Of The Governor, And Sound His Judgment, The False

Asseveration Of The Assistant Would Outweigh The Declaration Of

Eveline; And, Did It Not, And Were He Ever So Favorably Disposed, No

Court In This New Canaan, As They Call It, Would Decide Against One Of

The Congregation In Favor Of An Orphan Girl Not Protected By Their

Magic Covenant, And Whose Hand Is Sought By An Intruder Into Their

Fold."

 

  

"I Deny Not The Force Of Thine Argument," Replied The Knight, "And Yet

Have I Remarked An Omnipotence In Truth, That Doth Make Me Insist On

Having Recourse To Governor Winthrop. As Is The God-Like Sun,

Animating And Vivifying All Things, Searching Into Dark Recesses And

Driving Out Bats And Impure Vermin By His Intolerable Presence, And

Unveiling Ugliness And Hatefulness, So Is Truth. Withersoever She

Turns Her Shining Mirror There Error May Not Abide, But Like A

Dastardly Coward, Flies From The Glory. Believe, Master Arundel, That

He Who Is Uncreated, Truth Will Magnify That Wherein He Delights." 

 

 

"To Pleasure Thee, Sir Christopher, There Is Nothing Which I Would Not

Undertake, Convinced Though I Am Of Its Inefficacy."

  

 

"So Please You Then, Represent Your Grievance In The Highest Quarter,

Before You Further Proceed. And Now, I Propose To Present Philip To

Lady Geraldine, If Her Leisure Serve. You Will Accompany Us."

  

 

Passing Through A Vestibule, Which Separated The Two Rooms, The Knight

Threw Open A Door, And Admitted Them Into An Apartment Of Smaller

Dimensions Than The First, But Fitted Up With Far More Regard To

Comfort, And With Even Some Pretension To Elegance. The Floor Was

Covered With Matting Made By The Indian Women, On Which Strange

Figures Were Drawn, Stained With Brilliant Dyes; The Sides Of The Room

Also Were Hung With Matting, Over Which Fell Folds Of Scarlet Cloth

Reaching To Within A Couple Of Feet Of The Floor, Imparting An Air Of

Gayety, While Overhead Was Tightly Drawn And Fastened To The Rafters A

Light Blue Cloth, Approaching In Color The Hue Of The Sky. Some Chairs

Were Scattered Around, And On A Table Lay A Guitar, On The Top Of A

Book. No Person Was In The Apartment At The Moment Of Their Entrance,

And, Upon The Invitation Of The Knight, They Took Seats To Await The

Arrival Of The Lady.

  

 

They Had Been Seated But A Short Time When Another Door Opened, And A

Comely Gentlewoman Entered, Ushered By A Little Indian Girl. The Age

Of The Lady Appeared To Be About The Same As That Of The Knight, And,

To Judge From Her Complexion, She Was Not Of English Extraction. Her

Features, Though Not Regular, Were Handsome; The Eyes Large And Black,

With Hair Of The Same Color, Confined By A White Cap; Her Figure Was

Tall And Slender, And Her Carriage Dignified And Noble. Her Dress

Consisted Merely Of A Black Gown, Without Ornament, And Rising High

Into The Neck, And As She Approached She Looked Like One Oppressed

With Sadness.

  

 

Her Little Swarthy Attendant Seemed To Be A Pet Which She Took Delight

In Adorning, And Truly, The Little Girl Was Not Unconscious That Her

Childish Beauty Was Enhanced By Richness Of Attire. A Crimson Satin

Tunic, Like A Basque, Was Fastened Around Her Waist By A Golden Band,

Beneath Which Fell A Blue Silk Skirt As Far As The Knees, While High

Upon The Ankles Were Laced Deer-Skin Buskins, Profusely Bedecked With

Shining Beads And Colored Porcupine Quills. Around Her Arms, Above The

Elbows, Were Strings Of Colored Beads, Her Wrists Were Clasped By

Bracelets Of The Same Description, And About Her Neck Was Twined A

Gold Chain.

  

 

As The Lady Thus Attended Advanced, All Rose To Pay The Respect Due To

Her Sex And Station.

  

 

"Behold, Lady Geraldine," Said The Knight, Presenting To Her The

Soldier, "The Valiant Man To Whom I Once Owed My Life."

 

 

"He Is Very Welcome," Replied The Lady, In An Accent Just Foreign

Enough To Impart A Strange Interest To Her Speech. "The Savior Of My

Cousin's Life Is Very Welcome."

  

 

The Embarrassed Soldier, Confounded At The Presence Of One Who Looked

To Him Like A Superior Being, Could Find No Words To Return To Her

Greeting, And Only Bowed Low To Conceal His Confusion.

 

  

"I Have Heard, Sir Christopher," She Continued, "Speak Of The Daring

Feat Of Arms Whereby He Was Rescued From The Foe, And Longed To Behold

His Valorous Deliverer To Return My Soul-Felt Thanks. Be Seated, Most

Welcome Gentlemen. And Thou, Master Arundel, I Trust, Hast Received

Intelligence From Boston Which Will Chase Away The Cloud That

Sometimes Gathers On Thy Brow."

 

  

"Honored Madam," Answered The Young Man, In The Inflated Style Of

Gallantry Which The Custom Of High-Bred Society Not Only Permitted But

Enjoined, "When The Beautiful Majesty Of The Heavenly Sun Appears,

Clouds Have No Place Above The Horizon, But Fly Away, Chased By His

Golden Shafts." 

 

 

"Would That I Had The Power," Said The Lady, "As The Beneficent Sun

Dispels The Clouds, So To Drive Away All Sorrow And Disappointment.

There Is No Grief-Laden Heart That Should Not Be Cheered."

  

 

"Recount Now, Philip, To Lady Geraldine, The Adventure Which Causes

The Colony To Lose A Valiant Soldier, And Me To Gain For Our Solitude

An Old Friend And Companion In Arms," Said The Knight.  

 

The Soldier, Upon Being Thus Addressed, Found His Voice, And Narrated

To The Lady The Circumstances Of His Enforced Departure From Boston.

She Listened With An Appearance Of Interest, And Upon Its Conclusion

Spoke A Few Words Expressive Of Her Sorrow For His Imprisonment, And

Of Congratulation For The Knight, To Whom She Hoped He Would Be For

The Future Attached.

   

"I Do Begin To Consider My Banishment As No Misfortune," Said The

Soldier, Whose Confidence In Himself Was Now Restored. "The Labor Of

My Forge And Exposure Of Life For Folk Who Know Not How To Excuse A

Hasty Word Or Two, Are Well Exchanged For The Service Of So Noble A

Master And Mistress."

   

"Be Sure, Thou Shalt Not Rust Like A Sheathed Sword," Said The

Knight, "And It Shall Go Hard, But I Will Find For Thee Employment To

Content An Undegenerate Spirit. But, Lady Geraldine, While We Gain One

To Our Company, We Lose (Only For A Short Time, I Hope) Another.

Master Arundel Purposes To Leave Our Solitude To-Morrow."

   

The Lady Looked Inquiringly At The Young Man, Who Answered With A

Blush:

 

  

"A Message Brought By Philip Doth Constrain My Departure."

   

"A Sweet Constraint," Said The Knight, Smiling. "Fear Not, Master

Arundel, That Lady Geraldine Will Blame Thee For Obeying An Impulse As

Natural As The Love Of A Bee For A Flower. The Diamond Eyes Of

Mistress Eveline Would Furnish Apology For A Deeper Crime."

 

 

"I Trust All Is Well With Sweet Mistress Eveline," Said The Lady.

   

"All Well, May It Please You, Madam, Save For The Injurious Durance

Which, In Despite Of His Promise, And Regardless Of All Honor As A

Man, The Villain Spikeman, Who Calls Himself Her Guardian, Imposes On

Her." 

  

"He Will Relent," Said The Lady. "It May Be He Desires Only To Try The

Strength Of Thy Devotion. The Flame Of Thy Love Will Burn The Brighter

For The Trial." 

  

"I Have No Hope Of Such Result, Arundel. He Is So Wedded To Evil,

That To Do A Good Action Would Be To Him A Pain." 

  

"Nay," Said The Lady, "It Cannot Be There Is A Creature Who Loves Evil

For Its Own Sake. That Were Quite To Extinguish The Heavenly Spark.

Judge Not Unhappy Master Spikeman So Harshly. Commend Me To The Love

Of Mistress Eveline," She Added, Rising, "When You See Her, And Say

That I Wear Her Sweet Image In My Heart."

  

 

So Saying, She Bowed And Left The Apartment, Preceded By The Little

Girl, The Others Rising, And Remaining Standing As Long As She Was In

Sight.

Chapter VII (Thinkest Thou That I Could Bear To Part From Thee And