In the library room of the Hall, across from the dining-chamber2, and at the foot of the great staircase, on the bannister of which you may still see the marks of Joseph Brant's hatchet3, we men had a long talk in the afternoon. I recall but indifferently the lesser4 topics of conversation. There was, of course, some political debate, in which Sir William and I were alone on the side of the Colonist5 feeling, and Mr. Stewart, the two Butlers, and Sir John Johnson were all for choking discontent with the rope. Nothing very much to the point was said, on our part at least; for the growing discord6 pained Sir William too deeply to allow him pleasure in its discussion, and I shrank from appearing to oppose Mr. Stewart, hateful as his notions seemed.
Young Sir John stood by the window, I remember, sulkily drumming on the diapered panes7, and purposely making his interjections as disagreeable to me as he could; at least, I thought so. So, apparently8, did his father think, for several times I caught the wise old baronet glancing at his son in reproof9, with a look in his grave gray eyes as of dawning doubt about the future of his heir.
Young Johnson was now a man of thirty, blond, aquiline-faced, with cold blue eyes and thin, tight lips, which pouted10 more readily than they smiled. His hair was the pale color of bleached11 hay, a legacy12 from his low born German mother, and his complexion13 was growing evenly florid from too much Madeira wine. We were not friends, and we both knew it.
There was other talk--about the recent creation of our part into a county by itself to be named after the Governor; about the behavior of the French traders at Oswego and Detroit, and a report from Europe in the latest gazettes that the "Young" Pretender, now a broken old rake, was at last to be married. This last was a subject upon which Mr. Stewart spoke14 most entertainingly, but with more willingness to let it be known that he had a kinsman's interest in the matter than he would formerly15 have shown. He was getting old, in fact, and an almost childish pride in his equivocal ancestry16 was growing upon him. Still his talk and reminiscences were extremely interesting.
They fade in my recollection, however, before the fact that it was at this little gathering17, this afternoon, that my career was settled for me. There had been some talk about me while I remained alone outside to confer with Sir William's head farmer, and Mr. Cross had agreed with Mr. Stewart and Sir William that I was to accompany him on his trip to the far Western region the following week. My patron had explained that I needed some added knowledge of the world and its affairs, yet was of too serious a turn to gather this in the guise18 of amusement, as Mr. John Butler advised I should, by being sent on a holiday to New York. Mr. Cross had been good enough to say that he liked what he had seen of me, and should be glad of my company.
Of all this I knew nothing when I entered the library. The air was heavy with tobacco-smoke, and the table bore more bottles and glasses than books.
"Find a chair, Douw," said Sir William. "I have sent for my man, Enoch Wade19, who is to go westward20 with Mr, Cross next week. If he's drunk enough there'll be some sport."
There entered the room a middle-aged21 man, tall, erect22, well-knit in frame, with a thin, Yankeeish face, deeply browned, and shrewd hazel eyes. He bowed to nobody, but stood straight, looking like an Indian in his clothes of deer-hide.
"This is Enoch Wade, gentlemen," said the baronet, indicating the new-comer with a wave of his glass, and stretching out his legs to enjoy the scene the more. "He is my land-sailor. Between his last sale at Albany, and his first foot westward from here, he professes23 all the vices24 and draws never a sober breath. Yet when he is in the woods he is abstemious25, amiable26, wise, resourceful, virtuous27 as a statue--a paragon28 of trappers. You can see him for yourselves. Yet, I warn you, appearances are deceitful; he is always drunker than he looks. He was, I know, most sinfully tipsy last night."
"It was in excellent good company, General," said the hunter, drawling his words and no whit29 abashed30.
"He has no manners to speak of," continued the baronet, evidently with much satisfaction to himself; "he can outlie a Frontenac half-breed, he is more greedy of gain than a Kinderhook Dutchman, he can drink all the Mohawks of both castles under the bench, and my niggers are veritable Josephs in comparison with him--wait a moment, Enoch!--this is while he is in contact with civilization. Yet once on the trail, so to speak, he is probity31 personified. I know this, since he has twice accompanied me to Detroit."
"Oh, in the woods, you know, some one of the party must remain sober," said Enoch, readily, still stiffly erect, but with a faint grin twitching32 on the saturnine33 corners of his mouth.
This time Sir William laughed aloud, and pointed34 to a decanter and glass, from which the trapper helped himself with dignity.
"Look you, rogue," said the host, "there is a young gentleman to be added to your party next week, and doubtless he will of needs have a nigger with him. See to it that the boat and provision arrangements are altered to meet this, and to-morrow be sober enough to advise him as to his outfit35. For to-night, soak as deep as you like."
Enoch poured out for himself a second tumbler of rum, but not showing the first signs of unsteadiness in gait or gesture.
"This young gentleman"--he said, gravely smacking36 his lips--"about him; is he a temperate37 person, one of the sort who can turn a steadfast38 back upon the bottle?"
A burst of Homeric laughter was Sir William's reply--laughter in which all were fain to join.
"It's all right, General," said Enoch, as he turned to go; "don't mind my asking. One never can tell, you know, what kind of company he is like to pick up with here at the Hall."
My surprise and delight when I learned that I was the young gentleman in question, and that I was really to go to the Lakes and beyond, may be imagined. I seemed to walk on air, so great was my elation39. You will not marvel40 now that I fail to recall very distinctly the general talk which followed.
Conversation finally lagged, as the promptings of hunger, not less than the Ethiopian shouting and scolding from the kitchen below, warned us of approaching dinner.
The drinking moderated somewhat, and the pipes were one by one laid aside, in tacit preparation for the meal. The Butlers rose to go, and were persuaded to remain. Mr. Stewart, who had an Old-World prejudice against tippling during the day, was induced by the baronet to taste a thimble of hollands, for appetite's sake. So we waited, with only a decent pretence41 of interest in the fitful talk.
There came a sharp double knock on the door, which a second later was pushed partly open. Some of us rose, pulling our ruffles42 into place, and ready to start at once, for there were famous appetites in the wild Valley of those days. But the voice from behind the door was not a servant's, nor did it convey the intelligence we all awaited. It was, instead, the sharp, surface voice of Lady Berenicia, and it said:
"We are weary of waiting for you in civilized43 quarters of the Hall. May we come in here, or are you too much ashamed of your vices to court inspection44?"
Walter Butler hastened to open the door, bowing low as he did so, and delivering himself of some gallant45 nonsense or other.
The London lady entered the room with a mincing46, kittenish affectation of carriage, casting bold smirks47 about her, like an Italian dancer.
If her morning attire had seemed over-splendid, what shall I say of her appearance now? I looked in amazement48 upon her imposing49 tower of whitened hair, upon the great fluffs of lace, the brocaded stomacher and train, the shining satin petticoat front, the dazzling, creamy surfaces of throat and shoulders and forearms, all rather freely set forth50.
If the effect was bewildering, it was not unpleasant. The smoke-laden air of the dim old room seemed suddenly clarified, made radiant. A movement of chairs and of their occupants ran through the chamber, like a murmur51 of applause, as we rose to greet the resplendent apparition52. But there came a veritable outburst of admiration53 when my lady's companion appeared in view.
It was our Daisy, robed like a princess, who dawned upon our vision. She was blushing as much from embarrassment54 as from novel pride, yet managed to keep her pretty head up, smiling at us all, and to bear herself with grace.
Lady Berenicia, from the wealth of finery in those bulky chests which honest Mr. Cross in vain had protested against bringing over the ocean and up to this savage55 outpost, had tricked out the girl in wondrous56 fashion. Her gown was not satin, like the other, but of a soft, lustreless57 stuff, whose delicate lavender folds fell into the sweetest of violet shadows. I was glad to see that her neck and arms were properly covered. The laces on the sleeves were tawny58 with age; the ribbon by which the little white shawl was decorously gathered at the bosom59 carried the faint suggestion of yellow to a distinct tone, repeated and deepened above by the color of the maiden's hair. This hair, too, was a marvel of the dresser's art--reared straight and tight from the forehead over a high-arched roll, and losing strictness of form behind in ingenious wavy60 curls, which seemed the very triumph of artlessness; it was less wholly powdered than Lady Berenicia's, so that the warm gold shone through the white dust in soft gradations of half tints61; at the side, well up, was a single salmon62 tea-rose, that served to make everything else more beautiful.
Picture to yourself this delicious figure--this face which had seemed lovely before, and now, with deft63 cosmetics64, and a solitary65 tiny patch, and the glow of exquisite66 enjoyment67 in the sweet hazel eyes, was nothing less than a Greuze's dream--picture our Daisy to yourself, I say, and you may guess in part how flattering was her reception, how high and fast rose the gallant congratulations that the Valley boasted such a beauteous daughter. Sir William himself gave her his arm, jovially68 protesting that this was not the Mohawk country, but France--not Johnson Hall, but Versailles.
I came on at the tail of the dinner procession, not quite easy in my mind about all this.
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1
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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2
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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3
hatchet
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| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
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4
lesser
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| adj.次要的，较小的；adv.较小地，较少地 | |
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colonist
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| n.殖民者，移民 | |
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6
discord
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| n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐 | |
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7
panes
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| 窗玻璃( pane的名词复数 ) | |
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8
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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9
reproof
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| n.斥责，责备 | |
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10
pouted
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| v.撅（嘴）( pout的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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11
bleached
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| 漂白的，晒白的，颜色变浅的 | |
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12
legacy
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| n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西 | |
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13
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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14
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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15
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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16
ancestry
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| n.祖先，家世 | |
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17
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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18
guise
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| n.外表，伪装的姿态 | |
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19
wade
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| v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉 | |
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20
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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21
middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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22
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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23
professes
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| 声称( profess的第三人称单数 )； 宣称； 公开表明； 信奉 | |
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24
vices
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| 缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳 | |
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25
abstemious
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| adj.有节制的，节俭的 | |
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26
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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27
virtuous
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| adj.有品德的，善良的，贞洁的，有效力的 | |
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28
paragon
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| n.模范，典型 | |
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29
whit
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| n.一点，丝毫 | |
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30
abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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31
probity
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| n.刚直；廉洁，正直 | |
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32
twitching
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| n.颤搐 | |
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33
saturnine
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| adj.忧郁的，沉默寡言的，阴沉的，感染铅毒的 | |
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34
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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35
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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36
smacking
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| 活泼的，发出响声的，精力充沛的 | |
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37
temperate
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| adj.温和的，温带的，自我克制的，不过分的 | |
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38
steadfast
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| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 | |
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39
elation
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| n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意 | |
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40
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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41
pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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42
ruffles
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| 褶裥花边( ruffle的名词复数 ) | |
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43
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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44
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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45
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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46
mincing
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| adj.矫饰的；v.切碎；切碎 | |
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47
smirks
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| n.傻笑，得意的笑( smirk的名词复数 )v.傻笑( smirk的第三人称单数 ) | |
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48
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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49
imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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50
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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51
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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52
apparition
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| n.幽灵，神奇的现象 | |
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53
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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54
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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55
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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56
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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57
lustreless
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| adj.无光泽的，无光彩的，平淡乏味的 | |
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58
tawny
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| adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色 | |
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59
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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60
wavy
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| adj.有波浪的，多浪的，波浪状的，波动的，不稳定的 | |
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61
tints
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| 色彩( tint的名词复数 )； 带白的颜色； （淡色）染发剂； 痕迹 | |
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62
salmon
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| n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的 | |
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63
deft
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| adj.灵巧的，熟练的（a deft hand 能手） | |
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64
cosmetics
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| n.化妆品 | |
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65
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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66
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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67
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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68
jovially
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| adv.愉快地，高兴地 | |
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