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

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Present. There Will Be Time Enough Hereafter To Disquiet Ourselves."

 

 

 "And I Will Hie Me Presently," Said Arundel, "To Boston, To Inform The

Governor Of Your Arrival, And To Discover, If That Be Possible, What

Means The Nonsense That Has Taken Possession Of Philip, Unless Lady

Geraldine Can Explain It, Which Will Save Me The Trouble. Is It Your

Pleasure To Accompany Me, Or Remain You Later?"

  

 

"I Have Some Trifling Duties To Attend To," Answered Sir Christopher,

"And Shall Remain. It Will Be Enough For Thee, With All Convenient

Dispatch, To Inform Him Of The Successfu Issue Of Our Mission."

 

  

They Now Entered The House Together, And The Knight Went Immediately

To Seek The Lady. He Was Absent But A Short Time, And, On His Return,

Stated That The Only Information She Had Was Derived From The Soldier.

"She Bade Me Say," He Added, "That Her Prayers Have Been Earnest On

Thy Behalf, And That She Welcomes Thee Again To Thy Friends."

 

  

The Young Man, (Who, Meanwhile, Had Been Listening To A Communication

From Philip,) As Was Meet, Returned Thanks, And Desired His Dutiful

Service To Be Presented To The Lady.

 

 

 Upon Parting, Sir Christopher Instructed Him Respecting His Message.

 

 

"Present To The Governor," He Said, In Conclusion, "My Congratulations

On The Successful Issue Of Our Enterprise. Now May The Husbandman,

Fearless, Sow His Seed, And His Wife And Little Ones Look With

Confidence For His Return. Midnight Treachery And Savage Cruelty Shall

Not Be Known, But Each One Expect With A Joyful Heart The Rising Of

The Sun. But I Counsel No Attempt At Nearer Approach. It Is Better

That The English And The Taranteens Should Avoid One Another. Only

Therein Is Safety. Say Also That I Purpose, After Needful Rest, To

Wait Upon Him Tomorrow, To Enjoy Once More The Charm Of His Gracious

Society, And To Possess Him More Fully Of Our Deeds."

  

 

With These Parting Words, He Waived Adieu, And, Turning, Sought The

Apartment Of Lady Geraldine.

 

 

 The Door Was Opened, As Before, By The Little Indian Girl, Neebin,

Who, As Soon As She Had Admitted The Knight, Ran To The Side Of The

Lady, And, Falling On Her Knees, Began With Curious Eyes To Examine A

Book Which The Lady Held In Her Lap.

 

  

The Knight Looked Affectionately At The Child, And, Approaching Her,

Placed His Hand Upon The Raven Hair That Fell Low Upon The Shoulders,

And, Caressing The Bent Head, Said Gently:

  

 

"Good Little Neebin! Has She Learned All About The Pretty Pictures?"

 

 

 

The Girl Turned Up To Him Her Bright Eyes, And, In Better English Than

That Commonly Used By The Indians, And Even With A Pronunciation That

Approached Correctness, Replied:

 

 

 "No--Neebin Knows Very Little Now, But The Lady Says The Book Will

Talk To Her By And By."

 

  

It Was One Of Those Illuminated Missals On Which, For Want Of Other

Occupation, And Sometimes With A Feeling Of Superstitious Piety, The

Monks Spent Incredible Pains, And Often A Capricious And Wonderful

Ingenuity, Which The Half-Reclaimed Little Savage Was Looking At. As

If Unable To Satisfy Her Curiosity Fast Enough, She Turned The Leaves

Over With Childish Impatience, Uttering Now And Then A Cry Of Delight

As She Beheld The Figure Of A Bird Or Of A Quadruped, While Her Eyes

Would Sadden As They Fell Upon The Mournful Face Of The Crucified

Saviour, Whose Image Was Delineated In Several Parts Of The Book.

 

 

 "She Knows All Her Letters," Said Sister Celestina, Whose True

Character As A Catholic And A Nun The Reader Has Long Ago Divined "And

I Permit Her, As A Reward, To Look At The Missal Whenever She Has Been

Diligent."

 

 

"Your Task Is Something Like Taming A Young Hawk," Said The Knight.

 

  

"Neebin Is Not A Hawk!" Exclaimed The Child. "Hawks Do Not Wear

Clothes, Nor Yellow Chains, Nor Can They Say _Pater Noster_ And _Ave

Maria_."

 

  

"No," Said The Lady; "Nor Have They A Soul To Be Saved, Like Neebin."

  

 

"What Is A Soul?" Inquired The Girl.

 

  

Tears Dimmed The Eyes Of Sister Celestina At The Question, And, Before

She Could Reply, The Knight Said:

 

  

"Thou Hast Asked A Question, Neebin, Which Puzzles Wiser Heads; But It

Is Something Which Lives When The Body Becomes Dust."

 

  

"O, Yes," Said The Child. "I Have Heard The Lady (For So She Had Been

Taught To Call Sister Celestina) Talk About It. How Does It Look?"

 

  

"There Thou Askest A Question Beyond The Boundaries Of Knowledge. No

One Has Returned From The Grave To Answer It," Said The Knight.

 

  

"I Know," Said The Child; "My Mother Told Me. It Is Neebin's Soul

Which Looks At Her When She Bends Over A Clear Spring; It Lives In The

Water."

 

 

 

"I Have Tried," Said The Lady, "To Impart The Idea, But It Seems Only

To Begin To Dawn Upon Her Mind. I Trust, By Heaven's Grace, (Crossing

Herself,) It Will Grow And Bear Fruit To The Glory Of Sweet Jesus's

Name."

 

 

"What Magnificent Results Do Flow From Seemingly Insignificant

Causes!" Said Sir Christopher. "A Spark Shall Light A Conflagration Of

A Mighty City; An Acorn Shall Bear An Oak To Waft Armies Over Oceans

To Conquest; And The Conversion Of A Child To The True Faith May

Change The Destinies Of Nations. It May Be Thy Blessed Lot, Celestina,

To Plant A Seed Which Shall Grow Into A Tree, Whose Branches Shall

Cover Earth With Grateful Shade, And Reach To Heaven. There Was A Time

When, Influenced By The Example Of A King Or Queen, Whose Mind Divine

Grace Had Illuminated, Whole Multitudes Rushed To Be Laved In The

Saving Waters Of Baptism. Wherefore Should Not Those Days Return? Now

Doth The Suffering Church Mourn Like A Pelican In The Wilderness, And

Though She Gives Her Blood In Streams From Her Torn Bosom--Alas! How

Flows That Crimson River, As If In Vain!"

 

 

 "Not All In Vain," Said The Lady. "Cheering Accounts Of The Progress

Of Our Missionaries In The Southern Portions Of This Vast Continent

Reach Us From Time To Time, And The Prayers Of The Church Are

Sanctifying The Land From The Flood Of The Mississippi To The Forests

Of Canada. But Tell Me Now, Sir Christopher, Of Thine Adventures."

 

  

The Knight Looked Significantly At The Indian Girl.

 

  

"Neebin," Said The Lady, "Take The Book And Examine It By Thyself. Sir

Christopher And I Desire To Be Alone. But Beware That Thou Show It To

No One, For All Are Not Privileged Like Thee To See Its Beautiful

Pictures."

 

 

The Child Took The Missal, But Lingered, As If Unwilling To Depart,

And It Was Not Until After A More Decided Repetition Of The Command,

That, With A Pout, She Left The Room. 

 

 

"Whom Of The Holy Fathers Saw You?" Inquired Sister Celestina, After

The Door Was Shut.

 

  

"Only Father Le Vieux," Answered Sir Christopher, "And He Charged Me

With A Commission Which I Now Discharge." So Saying, He Took From His

Bosom The Letter Which The Jesuit Missionary Had Entrusted Him With,

And Handed It To The Lady.

 

  

Sister Celestina Took It, And, Imprinting A Kiss Upon The Epistle

Which Had Come From The Holy Father's Hand, Laid It On The Table.

  

 

"Let My Presence Be No Restraint," Said The Knight. "I Have Nought To

Say, Which Can Be Of Equal Importance With Anything That Comes From

Father Le Vieux."

 

  

"Thanks For Your Courtesy," Said The Lady; And, Taking Up The Letter,

She Broke The Wrapper Wherein It Was Contained, And Which Was Fastened

Together By Means Of Some Unknown Cement Or Gum, And Commenced Its

Perusal.

  

 

Perhaps The Knight Had Some Design In Desiring Her To Open It In His

Presence, For, During The Whole Time While She Was Engaged In Reading,

He Watched Her Countenance, As If He Expected To See The Contents Of

The Letter There; And Though Her Training Had Been As Complete As His

Own, Yet, By Reason Of Her More Delicate Organization, She Was Unable

So To Conceal Her Emotion That It Should Be Entirely Unobserved. The

Faintest Possible Color Suffused Her Face As She Proceeded, And When

She Raised Her Eyes At The Conclusion, They Had In Them A Look Which,

Though It Baffled The Sagacity Of Her Keen Observer, Betrayed A

Something Which He Did Not Like. It Was Not Triumph, Nor Despondency,

Nor Joy, Nor Grief, But, According To The Fancy Of Sir Christopher, A

Strange Mingling Of Them All. The Two Had Been In The Habit, On Their

Arrival In The Country, And For Some Time Thereafter, To Show To Each

Other Their Letters--A Custom From Which The Knight Had Never

Departed, But Which, Of Late, Had Been Observed With Less

Scrupulousness By The Lady; And He Noticed Now, That, Instead Of

Handing The Epistle To Him, As Formerly, She Hid It In Her Bosom.

Something, Indeed, She Said About Its Being From Her Confessor, But

The Explanation, Though Natural, Did Not Satisfy. He Made No Remark,

However, But Proceeded To Give An Account Of What Had Befallen Him And

His Companion. He Told Her How, By An Arrangement With Mesandowit,

(Who Had Been Sent By The Taranteens To Inquire Of Him Whether Their

Second, Viz., Their Hostile Embassy, Would Be In Danger From The

English, And Which, In Consequence Of Sir Christopher's Assurances,

Had Been Ventured Upon,) They Had Been Taken Prisoners--Of The

Conversation Which Passed Between Himself And Father Le Vieux, And Of

The Means Resorted To, In Order To Remove Arundel From The Indian

Village. The Lady Listened With A Pleased Ear To The Recital, And, At

Its Conclusion, Expressed Her Gratification At The Dexterity With

Which The Business Had Been Managed, And The Success Which Had Crowned

It. 

 

 

"The Holy Saints And Angels Have Watched Over You, To Guard You In

Your Ways," She Said, "And It Proves The Divine Approbation."

 

  

"Truly, Celestina, Is Such A Belief Necessary, Else Would The Things I

Am Called Sometimes To Do, Break Me Down With Their Oppressive Weight.

Only By Its Means Can I Satisfy Myself, When The Commands Of My

Superiors Seem To Conflict With Mine Honor."

  

 

"Honor!" Exclaimed Sister Celestina--"What Is It But A Delusive

Phantom, Whereby Ye Men Are Frighted From The Noblest Undertakings?

What Right Has Such A Consideration To Interfere, When You Are Called

Upon To Act By Them Who Are Set Over You, And Whom You Are Bound To

Obey? It Is A Deadly Sin To Dream That They May Err, And Granting That

They Do, On Them And Not On You Rests The Responsibility."

 

 

 

"True; Yet Speak Not Slightingly Of A Feeling Which Is Ever The Parent

Of Glorious Deeds. Was It Not Inspired By Honor, That The Roman

Regulus Returned To Certain Torture And Death? That The Chivalrous

King Of Israel, When Fainting With Thirst, Poured Out To The Lord The

Water For Which His Soul Longed? That Gallant Hearts Innumerable Have

Crimsoned The Battle-Field With Their Hearts Blood, Rather Than That

Even A Suspicion Should Soil Their Escutcheon?"

 

  

"Were A Profane Heretic, Or An Accursed Jew, Or A Misguided Heathen,

To Set These Up To Himself As Ensamples, It Might Be Excused," Said

The Sister, Scornfully; "But What Has The Soldier, Who Has Enlisted

Under The Banner Of The Blessed St. Ignatius, To Do With Imaginations

Alike Fantastic And Full Of A Sounding Frenzy? Was It For The Glory Of

God That These Men Died, Or Because They Coveted The Praise Of The

World, And Gratified A Ferocious Instinct Of Their Nature?"

 

 

"I Deny Not The Superior Nobility Of The Principle Of My Order,"

Returned The Knight, "Inasmuch As It Excludes Selfishness, Save As It

Is Of Necessity, Connected With The Aspiration For Salvation; Still

Can I Not Be Mistaken In The Admiration Of A Sentiment Which Lifts Man

Above All Baseness, And Prompts Him To Achieve Exploits That Shall

Send His Name Reverberating Through The Halls Of Princes And The

Cabins Of Laborers, To Be Warbled By The Lips Of Beauty At The

Festival, Or Shouted In Front Of The Charging Host. Yet, Mistake Me

Not, Celestina, But Believe, That While My Heart Loves Not Honor Less,

My Understanding Renders A Deeper Homage To The Principle Of Ignatius.

But Whither Hath My Wandering Talk Strayed?" He Added, Checking

Himself. "I Did Desire, After Delivering Thy Letter, To Say, That It

Is My Purpose To Follow Hard On The Heels Of Master Arundel, And Also

To Caution Thee To Continue To Keep Carefully Concealed, During My

Absence, The Sacred Crucifix, And Whatever Else Might Betray Us To Our

Enemies. Forgive Me That I Give This Advice, But I See That Thou Hast

Relaxed Thy Watchfulness Over The Missal."

 

 

 "The Warning Is Unnecessary. Nightly Is The Blessed Cross, Whereon The

Hands Of His Holiness Have Been Laid, Deposited With My Missal And

Rosary In Our Place Of Concealment. And As For Neebin, Fear Not To

Trust Her. She Is As Jealous Of Her Treasure As Could Be Thou Or I.

But Leave Me Not Until You Receive Tidings From The Heretics. These

Ill-Omened Reports I Like Not. They May, Indeed, Be Idle, Yet It Is

Only, Prudence To Wait."

 

 

 "I