THE hours stole on, and the one for Lizzie's departure was at hand. As the sun sank slowly down to rest, on that memorable1 sunny June day, clouds of crimson2, purple, and gold, blended in fantastic shapes, overspread the broad horizon, and attracted the most casual observer by their wondrous3 beauty. Toward the eastern horizon the sky was blue and cloudless, blending with the water in a vast azure4 immensity.
The cool, crisp sea-breeze had dissipated the intense heat of the day, and crowds of gay pedestrians5, and scores of liveried vehicles, were passing and repassing upon the fashionable boulevard, where the wealth and beauty of the Queen City daily gathered after the heat of the day was over.
The Firefly, laden6 with her burden, was ready at the pier7, awaiting the signal to depart. Lizzie Heartwell's friends still lingered upon the inviting8 deck, reluctant to speak the parting word that must so surely come. Dr. and Mrs. Heartwell, her uncle and aunt, Judge Amity9 and his daughter, her Sabbath-school teacher, Bertha, Helen, and Leah, the remaining ones of the "indissoluble quartette," as the school-girls termed these friends, were assembled on the deck, and with them Emile Le Grande and her newly formed friend, George Marshall. In compliance10 with his promise he had come to speed the parting vessel11 with good wishes, and watch its receding12 form till it was lost from view upon the trackless waters.
As the citadel13 gun fired its sunset signal, the planks14 were ordered in, friends rushed on shore, and then the Firefly moved from her moorings, to plough the deep again. As George Marshall spoke15 his last adieu, he slipped a tiny billet-doux into the hand of the departing girl, who half heeding16 the action, dropped it into her pocket, and sat down in loneliness upon the deck, to watch the slowly vanishing shore. Fainter and dimmer grew the speck17 upon the deep to the friends who watched on shore, fainter and dimmer in the gathering18 twilight19, till the bark rounded old Defiance20, and was divided by distance and darkness from their vision.
When Lizzie Heartwell, attended by the kind captain, descended21 below deck, she remembered the little missive, and drawing it from its hiding-place, read:
"Miss HEARTWELL: What would you think, if my wanderings should lead me, some day, to Melrose? "Regretfully, "G.M."
"Think I should like to see you," uttered the young girl, with a smile, as she folded the note again out of sight.
As the last glimpse of the Firefly faded from the vision of the sad-eyed watchers, they turned slowly from their lookout22 of sorrow, and bent23 their steps homeward.
"It's growing late, Miss Leah," said Emile, who stood near the young Jewess. "May I see you safely home?"
"Thank you, but it is not too late for me to go alone," she replied; "besides, my walk will lead to my uncle Jacob's, where I may spend the night; that's not very far, you know."
Determined24 not to be baffled in his purpose to escort Leah, he replied:
"'The longer the walk, the shorter the way,' with you, Miss Leah. Allow me to attend you, I pray." His pertinacity25 prevailed; and falteringly26 she replied, "As you like, Mr. Le Grande," resolving in her heart though, that this should be the last time. "Only this morning," thought she, "what did I promise Lizzie? And before the day is ended, I have broken that promise. What an irresolute27 creature I am! But this shall be the last. I vow28 it again."
"You will miss Miss Heartwell, I judge," began Emile, as he walked forward by her side. "From your sorrowful expression, one might think she had died, instead of vanished from sight in a vessel. I trust there are yet some friends in the Queen City; at least one, who will be kindly29 remembered in the absence of Miss Heartwell."
"Yes, Mr. Le Grande, I have some friends, a few, I trust, left behind; but no one, not a soul, that can supply her place in my affections. She has been more than a school-friend to me; she has been a counsellor, a sister; one who above all others comprehends my nature and sympathizes with and appreciates my character," said Leah, warmly.
"Indeed, Miss Heartwell is to be envied in possessing so much of your affection, and yet I think you speak unjustly in attributing to her alone the heart of love and sympathy you do. Have I not told you of my attachment30 and devotion to you? And do you still require other protestations to confirm the sincerity31 of my confession32?"
At these words-unwelcome words to Leah-she colored deeply, and turning her dark, burning eyes full upon Emile, said:
"Mr. Le Grande, I pray you never let me hear you utter such a sentiment as that again. We are friends, and, if you choose, may always be; but, in all truthfulness33 I say it, more than friends we can never be. I confess frankly34 that your society is very agreeable to me, your manner fascinating, your style attractive; but I am a Jewess of the strictest sect35, and you a Christian36, and not a strict one; and these facts alone form an insurmountable barrier in the way of our being more than friends. A great gulf37 lies between us, over which even love cannot securely go. You cannot come to me, and I dare not cross to you. It is dishonor to God and disobedience to parents, to think of such a step. Mr. Le Grande, I beg you, forget this passion you profess38; crush it out if it exists, and remember Leah Mordecai, the Jewess, as only a friend. Do you promise?" she said, trembling from head to to foot, for it had required all the moral strength of her yielding nature to utter these words-words that could instantly quench39 the only taper40 of hope that still burned in her soul.
"Do I promise?" he replied with haughty41 emotion. "No! I swear I will not! So long as you are free I will love you; and so long as your maidenhood42 gives the opportunity, I shall tell you of that love. Give you up? I, who love you with a mad and foolish devotion? I promise not to love you? No! no! Never, never, never, while hope lasts. What care I if you are a Jewess? It's the shrine43 of beauty where I bow, and because a Jewess breathes therein, shall I withdraw my homage44? Never while I live. I swear it!"
Frightened at her desperate lover's words, Leah walked on in silence, almost regretting that her courage had permitted her to speak her mind so freely. After a time she said, "Do not be angry with me, Mr. Le Grande, I did not mean to offend you."
"It's worse than offence, it is death," he replied.
Ascending45 the steps of her uncle's house, by this time reached, Leah extended her hand and said, "Good-by. I'll tarry here to-night." Clasping her soft hand, he said, "I shall see you soon. Good-night."
A week after Madam Truxton's school closed, the term of the military academy ended. The drilling, drilling, drilling, was stopped, the graduating class of cadets had either won or lost the honors for which they contested; and the roll of candidates for military honors was handed to the world. Conspicuous46 among the names crowned with well-won distinction was that of George Marshall. A nobler, braver spirit never stepped from college walls upon life's crowded highway, or one with firmer, truer tread than he.
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memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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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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azure
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| adj.天蓝色的，蔚蓝色的 | |
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pedestrians
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| n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 ) | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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pier
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| n.码头；桥墩，桥柱；[建]窗间壁，支柱 | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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amity
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| n.友好关系 | |
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compliance
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| n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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receding
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的现在分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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citadel
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| n.城堡；堡垒；避难所 | |
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planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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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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heeding
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的现在分词 ) | |
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speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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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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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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pertinacity
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| n.执拗，顽固 | |
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falteringly
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| 口吃地，支吾地 | |
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irresolute
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| adj.无决断的，优柔寡断的，踌躇不定的 | |
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vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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truthfulness
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| n. 符合实际 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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sect
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| n.派别，宗教，学派，派系 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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profess
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| v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰 | |
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quench
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| vt.熄灭，扑灭；压制 | |
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taper
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| n.小蜡烛，尖细，渐弱；adj.尖细的；v.逐渐变小 | |
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haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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maidenhood
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| n. 处女性, 处女时代 | |
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shrine
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| n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣 | |
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44
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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