IN WHICH IS A HAPPY MEETING, AND SOMETHING PLEASING
IT is night-Mr. Keepum is seen seated before a table in his drawing-room, finishing a sumptuous1 supper, and asking himself: "Who dares to question me, the opulent Keepum?" Mr. Snivel enters, joins him over a glass of wine, and says, "this little matter must be settled tonight, Keepum, old fellow-been minced2 long enough." And the two chivalric3 gentlemen, after a short conversation, sally into the street. Yonder, in the harbor, just rounding the frowning walls of Fort Sumpter, blazes out the great red light of the steamer, on which the impatient lover fast approaches Charleston city.
"She can do nothing at law--against our influence she is powerless!" ejaculates Keepum, as the two emerge from the house and stroll along up Broad street.
Maria, pale and exhausted4 with the fatigues5 and excitements of the day, sits in her solitary6 chamber7, fearing lest each footstep she hears advancing, may be that of her enemies, or hoping that it may announce the coming of her lover and rescuer.
"You are richer than me!" still tinkles8 its silvery music in her ear, and brings comfort to her agitated9 heart. The clock strikes ten, and suddenly her room is entered by Keepum and Snivel. The former, with an insinuating10 leer, draws a chair near her, while the latter, doffing11 his coat, flings himself upon the cot. Neither speak for some minutes; but Maria reads in their looks and actions the studied villany they have at heart.
"Inconsistency adorned12!" exclaims Keepum, drawing his chair a little nearer. "Now, I say, you have stuck stubbornly to this ere folly13." Mr. Keepum's sharp, red face, comes redder, and his small, wicked eyes flash like orbs14 of fire. "Better come down off that high horse-live like a lady. The devil's got Tom, long ago."
"So you have said before, Mr. Keepum," rejoins Maria, turning upon him a look of disdain15. "You may persecute16 me to the death; you may continue to trample17 me into the dust; but only with my death shall your lust18 be gratified on me!" This declaration is made with an air of firmness Mr. Keepum seems to understand. "D-n it," rejoins Mr. Snivel, with a sardonic19 laugh, "these folks are affecting to be something."
Maria raises her right hand, and motions Mr. Keepum away. It does indeed seem to her that the moment when nature in her last struggle unbends before the destroyer-when the treasure of a life passes away to give place to dark regrets and future remorse20, is come. Let us pause here for a moment, and turn to another part of the city.
The steamer has scarce reached her berth21 at the wharf22, when the impatient lover springs ashore23, dashes through the throng24 of spectators, and, bewildered as it were, and scarce knowing which way he is proceeding25, hurries on, meeting no one he knows, and at length reaching Meeting street. Here he pauses, and to his great joy meets an old negro, who kindly26 offers to escort him to the distant quarter of the city where Maria resides. Again he sets out, his mind hung in suspense27, and his emotions agitated to the highest degree. He hurries on into King street, pauses for a moment before the house of the old Antiquary, now fast closed, and as if the eventful past were crowding upon his fancy, he turns away with dizzy eyes, and follows the old negro, step by step-faint, nervous, and sinking with excitement-until they reach the cabin of Undine, the mulatto woman, under whose roof Maria once sought refuge for the night. Ready to exclaim, "Maria, I am here!" his heart is once more doomed28 to disappointment. The question hangs upon his lips, as his wondering eyes glance round the room of the cabin. Undine tells him she is not here; but points him to a light, nearly half a mile distant, and tells him she is there! there! The faithful old negro sets off again, and at full speed they proceed up the lane in the direction of the light. And while they vault29 as it were o'er the ground, let us again turn to the chamber of Maria.
With a sudden spring, Keepum, who had been for several minutes keeping his eyes fixedly30 set upon Maria, and endeavoring to divert her attention, seized her arms, and was about to drag her down, when Snivel put out the light and ran to his assistance. "Never! never!" she shrieks31, at the very top of her voice. "Only with my life!" A last struggle, a stifled32 cry of "never! never!" mingled33 with the altercation34 of voices, rang out upon the air, and grated upon the impatient lover's ear like death-knells. "Up stairs, up stairs!" shouts the old negro, and in an instant he has burst the outer door in, mounts the stairs with the nimbleness of a catamount, and is thundering at the door, which gives way before his herculean strength. "I am here! I am here! Maria, I am here!" he shouts, at the top of his voice, and with an air of triumph stands in the door, as the flashing light from without reveals his dilating35 figure. "Foul36 villains37! fiends in human form! A light! a light! Merciful heavens-a light!" He dashes his hat from his brow, turns a revengeful glance round the room, and grasps Maria in his arms, as the old negro strikes a light and reveals the back of Mr. Snivel escaping out of a window. Keepum, esteeming38 discretion39 the better part of valor40, has preceded him.
Tightly Tom clasps Maria to his bosom41, and with a look of triumph says: "Maria! speak, speak! They have not robbed you?"
She shakes her head, returns a look of sweet innocence42, and mutters: "It was the moment of life or death. Thank heaven-merciful heaven, I am yet guiltless. They have not robbed me of my virtue44-no, no, no. I am faint, I am weak-set me down-set me down. The dawn of my morning has brightened."
And she seems swooning in his arms. Gently he bears her to the cot, lays her upon it, and with the solicitude45 of one whose heart she has touched with a recital46 of her troubles, smooths her pillow and watches over her until her emotions come subdued47.
"And will you believe me innocent? Will you hear my story, and reject the calumny48 of those who have sought my ruin?" speaks Maria, impressing a kiss upon the fevered lips of her deliverer, and, having regained49 her self-command, commences to recount some of the ills she has suffered.
"Maria!" rejoins Tom, returning her embrace, "you, whom I have loved so sincerely, so quietly but passionately50, have no need of declaring your innocence. I have loved you-no one but you. My faith in your innocence has never been shaken. I hastened to you, and am here, your protector, as you have been mine. Had I not myself suffered by those who have sought your ruin, my pride might be touched at the evil reports that have already been rung in my ears. Grateful am I to Him who protects the weak, that I have spared you from the dread51 guilt43 they would have forced upon you."
Again and again he declares his eternal love, and seals it with a kiss. His, nature is too generous to doubt her innocence. He already knows the condition of her father, hence keeps silent on that point, lest it might overcome her. He raises her gently from the cot and seats her in a chair; and as he does so, Mr. Snivel's coat falls upon the floor, and from the pocket there protrudes52 four of his (Tom's) letters, addressed to Maria.
"Here! here!" says Tom, confusedly, "here is the proof of their guilt and your innocence." And he picks up the letters and holds them before her. "I was not silent, though our enemies would have had it so."
And she looks up again, and with a sweet smile says: "There truly seems a divine light watching over me and lightening the burdens of a sorrowing heart."
The excitement of the meeting over, Maria rapidly recounts a few of the trials she has been subjected to.
Tom's first impulse is, that he will seek redress53 at law. Certainly the law will give an injured woman her rights. But a second thought tells him how calmly justice sits on her throne when the rights of the poor are at stake. Again, Mr. Keepum has proceeded strictly54 according to law in prosecuting55 her father, and there is no witness of his attempts upon her virtue. The law, too, has nothing to do with the motives56. No! he is in an atmosphere where justice is made of curious metal.
"And now, Maria," says Tom, pressing her hand in his own, "I, whom you rescued when homeless-I, who was loathed57 when a wretched inebriate58, am now a man. My manhood I owe to you. I acknowledge it with a grateful heart. You were my friend then-I am your friend now. May I, nay59! am I worthy60 of retaining this hand for life?"
"Rather, I might ask," she responds, in a faltering61 voice, "am I worthy of this forgiveness, this confidence, this pledge of eternal happiness?"
It is now the image of a large and noble heart reflects itself in the emotions of the lovers, whose joys heaven seems to smile upon.
"Let us forget the past, and live only for the future-for each other's happiness; and heaven will reward the pure and the good!" concludes Tom, again sealing his faith with an ardent62 embrace. "You are richer than me!" now, for the last time, rings its gladdening music into her very soul.
Tom recompenses the faithful old negro, who has been a silent looker on, and though the night is far spent, he leads Maria from the place that has been a house of torment63 to her, provides her a comfortable residence for the night, and, as it is our object not to detain the reader longer with any lengthened64 description of what follows, may say that, ere a few days have passed, leads Maria to the altar and makes her his happy Bride.
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1
sumptuous
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| adj.豪华的，奢侈的，华丽的 | |
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minced
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| v.切碎( mince的过去式和过去分词 )；剁碎；绞碎；用绞肉机绞（食物，尤指肉） | |
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chivalric
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| 有武士气概的，有武士风范的 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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fatigues
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| n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 )；杂役；厌倦；（士兵穿的）工作服 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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tinkles
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| 丁当声，铃铃声( tinkle的名词复数 )； 一次电话 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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insinuating
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| adj.曲意巴结的，暗示的v.暗示( insinuate的现在分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
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11
doffing
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| n.下筒，落纱v.脱去，（尤指）脱帽( doff的现在分词 ) | |
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12
adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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orbs
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| abbr.off-reservation boarding school 在校寄宿学校n.球，天体，圆形物( orb的名词复数 ) | |
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15
disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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persecute
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| vt.迫害，虐待；纠缠，骚扰 | |
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trample
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| vt.踩，践踏；无视，伤害，侵犯 | |
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lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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sardonic
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| adj.嘲笑的，冷笑的，讥讽的 | |
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remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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berth
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| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
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wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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throng
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| n.人群，群众；v.拥挤，群集 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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26
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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suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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fixedly
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| adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地 | |
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shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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32
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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altercation
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| n.争吵，争论 | |
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dilating
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| v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的现在分词 ) | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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esteeming
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| v.尊敬( esteem的现在分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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valor
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| n.勇气，英勇 | |
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41
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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42
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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43
guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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44
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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45
solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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46
recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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47
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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48
calumny
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| n.诽谤，污蔑，中伤 | |
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49
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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50
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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51
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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52
protrudes
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的第三人称单数 ) | |
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53
redress
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| n.赔偿，救济，矫正；v.纠正，匡正，革除 | |
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54
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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55
prosecuting
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| 检举、告发某人( prosecute的现在分词 )； 对某人提起公诉； 继续从事（某事物）； 担任控方律师 | |
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56
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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57
loathed
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| v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的过去式和过去分词 )；极不喜欢 | |
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inebriate
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| v.使醉 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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faltering
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| 犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的 | |
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62
ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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63
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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lengthened
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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