"Your people, son?" she said after a long pause. "Come with me a moment." She drew him into the brilliantly lighted hall. As they entered, he said to the servant in waiting,—
"See that my bay horse is saddled and brought around at once, and do you tell Dick to get another horse ready and accompany me; he would better take the black pony1."
"Are you going out, Hilary?"
"Yes, mother, when our conversation is over, if there is time. I thought to ride over to Colonel Wilton's. The night is pleasant, and the moon will rise shortly. What were you about to say to me?"
She led him up to the great open fireplace, on the andirons of which a huge log was blazing and crackling cheerfully. Over the mantel was the picture of a handsome man in the uniform of a soldier of some twenty years back.
"Whose face is pictured there, Hilary?"
"My honored father," he answered reverently2, but in some surprise.
"And how died he?"
"On the Plains of Abraham, mother, as you well know."
"Fighting for his king?"
"Yes, mother."
"And who is this one?" she said, passing to another picture.
"Sir James Talbot; he struck for his king at Worcester," he volunteered.
"Yes, Hilary; and here is his wife, Lady Caroline Talbot, my grandmother. She kept the door against the Roundheads while the prince escaped from her castle, to which he had fled after the battle. And over there is Lord Cecil Talbot, her father; he fell at Naseby. There in that corner is another James, his brother, one of Prince Rupert's men, wounded at Marston Moor3. Here is Sir Hilary, slain4 at the Boyne; and this old man is Lord Philip, your great-uncle. He was out in the '45, and was beheaded. These are your people, Hilary," she said, standing5 very straight, her head thrown back, her eyes aflame with pride and determination, "and these struck, fought, lived, and died for their king. I could bear to see you dead," she laid her hand upon her heart in sudden fear at the idea, in spite of her brave words, "but I could not bear to see you a rebel. Think again. You will not so decide?" She said it bravely; it was her final appeal, and as she made it she knew that it was useless. The sceptre had departed out of her hand.
He smiled sadly at her, but shook his head ominously6. "Mother, do you know these last fought for Stuart pretenders against the house of Hanover? George III., in your creed7, has no right to the place he holds. Do I not then follow my ancestors in taking the field against him?"
"Ah, my child, 't is an unworthy subterfuge8. They did fight for the house of Stuart, God bless it! It was king against king then, and at least they fought for royalty9, for a king; but now the house of Stuart is gone; the new king occupies the throne undisputed, and our allegiance is due to him. These unfortunate people who are fighting here strive to create a republic where all men shall be equal! Said the sainted martyr10 Charles on the scaffold, ''T is no concern of the common people's how they are governed.' A common man equal to a Talbot! Fight, my son, if you must; but oh, fight for the king, even an usurper11, before a republic, a mob in which so-called equality stands in very unstable12 equilibrium,—fight for the rightful ruler of the land, not against him."
"Mother, if I am to believe the opinions of those whom I have been taught to respect, the rightful rulers of this colony, of our country, of any country, are the people who inhabit it."
"And who says that, pray, my boy?"
"Mr. Henry."
"And do you mean to tell me, a Talbot, that you have been taught to look up to men of the social stamp of Patrick Henry, or to respect their opinions?" she said with ineffable13 disdain14.
"Mother, the logic15 of events has forced all men to do so. Had you heard his speeches before the Burgesses at Williamsburg, you would have thought that he was second to no man in the colony, or in the world beside; but if he be not satisfactory, there is his excellency General Washington."
"Mr. Washington," she replied with an emphasis on the "Mr." "Now there, I grant you, is a man," she said reluctantly. "I cannot understand the perversion16 of his destiny or the folly17 of his course."
"And, mother, you know his family was as loyal as our own. One of his forefathers18 held Worcester for King Charles with the utmost gallantry and resolution. And he had as a companion in arms in that brave attempt Sir George Talbot, one of our ancestors. There is an example for you. I have often heard you speak with the greatest respect of George Washington."
"It is true, my son," she replied honestly, "but I am at a loss to fathom19 his motive20. What can it be?"
"Mother, I am persuaded of the purity of his motives21; his actions spring from the very highest sense of his personal obligation to the cause of liberty."
"'Liberty, liberty,' 't is a weak word when matched with loyalty22. But be this as it may, my son, it is beside the question. Our family, these men and women who look down upon us, all fought for principles of royalty. It makes no difference whether or no they fought for or against one or another king, so long as it was a king they fought for. Such a thing as a democracy never entered their heads. And if you take this course, you will be false to every tradition of our past. In my opinion, the people are not fit to govern, and you will find it so. In the impious attempt that is being made to reverse what I conceive to be the divinely appointed polity and law of God, disaster must be the only end."
"Mother, I must follow my convictions in the present rather than any examples in the past. But this is a painful discussion. Should we not best end it? I honor your opinions, I love you, but I must go."
There was a long silence. She broke it. "Well, my child," she said in despair, "you have reached man's estate, and the men of the Talbot race have ever been accustomed to do as their judgment23 dictates24. If you have decided25 to join Washington's rabble26 and take part among the rebels in this fratricidal contest, I shall say no more. I cannot further oppose you. I cannot give you my blessing—as I might in happier circumstances—nor can I wish success to your cause. I too am a Talbot, and have my principles, which I must also maintain; but at least I can gird your sword about you, and express the hope and make the prayer, as I do, that you may wear and use it honorably; and that hope, if you are true to the traditions of our house, will never be broken,—I feel sure of that, at least."
The young man bent27 and kissed his mother, a new light shining in his eyes. "Mother, I thank you. At least, as far as I am concerned, I will endeavor to do my duty honorably in every field. And now I think, with your permission, I will go over and tell Katharine that I have at last made up my mind and cast my lot in with her—I mean with our country," he said, blushing, but with the thoughtless disregard of youth as to the meaning and effect of his words.
"Go, my son, and God be with you!" she said solemnly.
He stepped quickly out on the porch, and, swinging into the saddle of the horse which awaited him, with the ease and grace of an accomplished28 horseman, galloped29 off in the moonlight night followed by the groom30.
The little old woman stood rigidly32 in the doorway33 a moment, looking after her departed son, and then she walked quickly down to a rustic34 seat on the brow of the hill and sat down heavily, following with straining eyes and yearning35 heart his rapidly disappearing figure. The same pang36 that every mother must feel, those who have a son at least, once in her life if no more, came to her heart; all her prayers had been unavailing, her requests unheeded, her pleas and wishes disregarded. She had an idea, not altogether warranted perhaps, but still she had it, that the influence was not so much the example of General Washington, nor the eloquence37 of Patrick Henry, nor the force of neighborly example, nor rigid31 principle, but the influence of a sunny head, and a pair of youthful eyes, and a merry laugh, and a young heart, and a pleading voice. These have always stood in the light of a mother since the world began, and these have taken her son from her side. All her hopes gone, her dreams shattered, her sacrifice vain, her love wasted, she bowed her white head upon her thin hands, and wept quietly in the silent night. The deep waters had gone over her soul, and the rare tears of the old woman bespoke38 a breaking heart.
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1
pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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ominously
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| adv.恶兆地，不吉利地；预示地 | |
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7
creed
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| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
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subterfuge
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| n.诡计；藉口 | |
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9
royalty
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| n.皇家，皇族 | |
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martyr
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| n.烈士，殉难者；vt.杀害，折磨，牺牲 | |
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usurper
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| n. 篡夺者, 僭取者 | |
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unstable
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| adj.不稳定的，易变的 | |
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ineffable
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| adj.无法表达的，不可言喻的 | |
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disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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15
logic
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| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
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perversion
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| n.曲解；堕落；反常 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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18
forefathers
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| n.祖先，先人；祖先，祖宗( forefather的名词复数 )；列祖列宗；前人 | |
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19
fathom
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| v.领悟，彻底了解 | |
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20
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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21
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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22
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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24
dictates
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| n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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25
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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rabble
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| n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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29
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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31
rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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rigidly
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| adv.刻板地，僵化地 | |
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33
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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34
rustic
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| adj.乡村的，有乡村特色的；n.乡下人，乡巴佬 | |
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35
yearning
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| a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的 | |
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36
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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37
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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38
bespoke
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| adj.（产品）订做的；专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
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