Home as Found, James Fenimore Cooper [bookreader txt] 📗

Divine favour would follow the commission of so

selfish and capricious a step, with a motive no better than the

desire for novelty."

 

"You quite mistake the object, Miss Eve, which is to stir the people

up; a hopeless thing, I fear, so long as they always sit under the

same preaching."

 

"I have been taught to believe that piety is increased, Mr. Bragg, by

the aid of the Holy Spirit's sustaining and supporting us in our good

desires; and I cannot persuade myself that the Deity finds it

necessary to save a soul, by the means of any of those human agencies

by which men sack towns, turn an election, or incite a mob. I hear

that extraordinary scenes are witnessed in this country, in some of

the other sects; but I trust never to see the day, when the

apostolic, reverend, and sober church, in which I have been nurtured,

shall attempt to advance the workings of that Divine power, by a

profane, human hurrah."

 

All this was Greek to Messrs. Dodge and Bragg, who, in furthering

their objects, were so accustomed to "stirring people up," that they

had quite forgotten that the more a man was in "an excitement," the

less he had to do with reason. The exaggerated religious sects, which

first peopled America, have had a strong influence in transmitting to

their posterity false notions on such subjects; for while the old

world is accustomed to see Christianity used as an ally of

government, and perverted from its one great end to be the instrument

of ambition, cupidity, and selfishness, the new world has been fated

to witness the reaction of such abuses, and to run into nearly as

many errors in the opposite extreme. The two persons just mentioned,

had been educated in the provincial school of religious notions, that

is so much in favour, in a portion of this country; and they were

striking examples of the truth of the adage, that "what is bred in

the bone will be seen in the flesh," for their common character,

common in this particular at least, was a queer mixture of the most

narrow superstitions and prejudices, that existed under the garb of

religious training, and of unjustifiable frauds, meannesses, and even

vices. Mr. Bragg was a better man than Mr. Dodge, for he had more

self-reliance, and was more manly; but, on the score of religion, he

had the same contradictory excesses, and there was a common point, in

the way of vulgar vice, towards which each tended, simply for the

want of breeding and tastes, as infallibly as the needle points to

the pole. Cards were often introduced in Mr. Effingham's drawing-

room, and there was one apartment expressly devoted to a billiard-

table; and many was the secret fling, and biting gibe, that these

pious devotees passed between themselves, on the subject of so

flagrant an instance of immorality, in a family of so high moral

pretensions; the two worthies not unfrequently concluding their

comments by repairing to some secret room in a tavern, where, after

carefully locking the door, and drawing the curtains, they would

order brandy, and pass a refreshing hour in endeavouring to relieve

each other of the labour of carrying their odd sixpences, by means of

little shoemaker's loo.

 

On the present occasion, however, the earnestness of Eve produced a

pacifying effect on their consciences, for, as our heroine never

raised her sweet voice above the tones of a gentlewoman, its very

mildness and softness gave force to her expressions. Had John

Effingham uttered the sentiments to which they had just listened it

is probable Mr. Bragg would have attempted an answer; but, under the

circumstances, he preferred making his bow, and diverging into the

first path that offered, followed by his companion. Eve and Paul

continued their circuit of the grounds, as if no interruption had

taken place.

 

"This disposition to change is getting to be universal in the

country," remarked the latter, as soon as Aristabulus and his friend

had left them, "and I consider it one of the worst signs of the

times; more especially since it has become so common to connect it

with what it is the fashion to call excitement."

 

"To return to the subject which these gentlemen interrupted," said

Eve, "that of the family ties; I have always heard England quoted as

one of the strongest instances of a nation in which this tie is

slight, beyond its aristocratical influence; and I should be sorry to

suppose that we are following in the footsteps of our good-mother, in

this respect at least."

 

"Has Mademoiselle Viefville never made any remark on this subject?"

 

"Mademoiselle Viefville, though observant, is discreet. That she

believes the standard of the affections as high in this as in her own

country, I do not think; for, like most Europeans, she believes the

Americans to be a passionless people, who are more bound up in the

interests of gain, than in any other of the concerns of life."

 

"She does not know us!" said Paul so earnestly as to cause Eve to

start at the deep energy with which he spoke. "The passions lie as

deep, and run in currents as strong here, as in any other part of the

world, though, there not being as many factitious causes to dam them,

they less seldom break through the bounds of propriety."

 

For near a minute the two paced the walk in silence, and Eve began to

wish that some one of the party would again join them, that a

conversation which she felt was getting to be awkward, might be

interrupted. But no one crossed their path again, and without

rudeness, or affectation, she saw no means of effecting her object.

Paul was too much occupied with his own feelings to observe his

companion's embarrassment, and, after the short pause mentioned, he

naturally pursued the subject, though in a less emphatic manner than

before.

 

"It was an old, and a favourite theory, with the Europeans," he said,

with a sort of bitter irony, "that all the animals of this hemisphere

have less gifted natures than those of the other; nor is it a theory

of which they are yet entirely rid. The Indian was supposed to be

passionless, because he had self-command; and what in the European

would be thought exhibiting the feelings of a noble nature, in him

has been represented as ferocity and revenge; Miss Effingham, you and

I have seen Europe, have stood in the presence of its wisest, its

noblest and its best; and what have they to boast beyond the

immediate results of their factitious and laboured political systems,

that is denied to the American--or rather would be denied to the

American, had the latter the manliness and mental independence, to be

equal to his fortunes?"

 

"Which, you think he is not."

 

"How can a people be even independent that imports its thoughts, as

it does its wares,--that has not the spirit to invent even its own

prejudices?"

 

"Something should be allowed to habit, and to the influence of time.

England, herself, probably has inherited some of her false notions,

from the Saxons and Normans."

 

"That is not only possible, but probable; but England, in thinking of

Russia, France, Turkey, or Egypt, when induced to think wrong, yields

to an English, and not to an American interest. Her errors are at

least requited, in a degree, by serving her own ends, whereas ours

are made, too often, to oppose our most obvious interests. We are

never independent unless when stimulated by some strong and pressing

moneyed concern, and not often then beyond the plainest of its

effects.--Here is one, apparently, who does not belong to our party."

 

Paul interrupted himself, in consequence of their meeting a stranger

in the walk, who moved with the indecision of one uncertain whether

to advance or to recede. Rockets frequently fell into the grounds,

and there had been one or two inroads of boys, which had been

tolerated on account of the occasion; but this intruder was a man in

the decline of life, of the condition of a warm tradesman seemingly,

and he clearly had no connection with sky-rockets, as his eyes were

turned inquiringly on the persons of those who passed him, from time

to time, none of whom had he stopped, however, until he now placed

himself before Paul and Eve, in a way to denote a desire to speak.

 

"The young people are making a merry night of it," he said, keeping a

hand in each coat-pocket, while he unceremoniously occupied the

centre of the narrow walk, as if determined to compel a parley.

 

Although sufficiently acquainted with the unceremonious habits of the

people of the country to feel no surprise at this intrusion, Paul was

vexed at having his tete a tete with Eve so rudely broken; and he

answered with more of the hauteur of the quarterdeck than he might

otherwise have done, by saying coldly--

 

"Perhaps, sir, it is your wish to see Mr. Effingham--or--" hesitating

an instant, as he scanned the stranger's appearance--"some of his

people. The first will soon pass this spot, and you will find most of

the latter on the lawn, watching the rockets."

 

The man regarded Paul a moment, and then he removed his hat

respectfully.

 

"Please, sir, can you inform me if a gentleman called Captain Truck--

one that sails the packets between New-York and England, is staying

at the Wigwam at present."

 

Paul told him that the captain was walking with Mr. Effingham, and

that the next pair that approached would be they. The stranger fell

back, keeping his hat respectfully in his hand, and the two passed.

 

"That man has been an English servant, but has been a little spoiled

by the reaction of an excessive liberty to do as he pleases. The

'please, sir,' and the attitude can hardly be mistaken, while the

_nonchalance_ of his manner '_a nous aborder_' sufficiently betrays

the second edition of his education."

 

"I am curious to know what this person can want with our excellent

captain--it can scarcely be one of the Montauk's crew!"

 

"I will answer for it, that the fellow has not enough seamanship

about him to whip a rope," said Paul, laughing; "for if there be two

temporal pursuits that have less affinity than any two others, they

are those of the pantry and the tar-bucket. I think it will be seen

that this man has been an English servant, and he has probably been a

passenger on board some ship commanded by our honest old friend."

 

Eve and Paul now turned, and they met Mr. Effingham and the captain

just as the two latter reached the spot where the stranger still

stood.

 

"This is Captain Truck, the gentleman for whom you inquired," said

Paul.

 

The stranger looked hard at the captain, and the captain looked hard

at the stranger, the obscurity rendering a pretty close scrutiny

necessary, to enable either to distinguish features. The examination

seemed to be mutually unsatisfactory, for each retired a little, like

a man who had not found a face that he knew.

 

"There must be two Captain Trucks, then, in the trade," said the

stranger; "this is not the gentleman I used to know."

 

"I think you are as right in the latter part of your remark, friend,

as you are wrong in the first," returned the captain. "Know you, I do

not, and yet there are no more two Captain Trucks in the English

trade, than there are two Miss Eve Effinghams, or two Mrs. Hawkers in

the universe. I am John Truck, and no other man of that name ever

sailed a ship between New York and England, in my day, at least."

 

"Did you ever command the Dawn, sir?"

 

"The Dawn! That I did; and the Regulus, and the Manhattan, and the

Wilful Girl, and the Deborah-Angelina, and the Sukey and Katy, which,

my dear young lady, I may say, was my first love. She was only a

fore-and-after, carrying no standing topsail, even, and we named her

after two of the river girls, who were flyers, in their way; at

least, I thought so then; though a man by sailing a packet comes to

alter his notions about men and things, or, for that matter, about

women and things, too. I got into a category, in that schooner, that

I never expect to see equalled; for I was driven ashore to windward

in her, which is gibberish to you, my dear young lady, but which Mr.

Powis will very well understand, though he may not be able to explain

it."

 

"I certainly know what you mean," said Paul, "though I confess I am

in a category, as well as the schooner, so far as knowing how it

could have happened."

 

"The Sukey and Katy ran away with me, that's the upshot of it. Since

that time I have never consented to command a vessel that was called

after _two_ of our river young women, for I do believe that one of

them is as much as a common mariner can manage.