When Sally, bright as a new sixpence, appeared at breakfast the next morning, Parson Kendall regarded her with much thoughtfulness. And when he said, soberly, "I would see thee again in the library after thy meal is finished," she wondered what he might have to say.
"Maid Sally Dukeen, it hath pleased God to take unto himself the woman, Mistress Cory Ann Brace3, who departed this life at midnight just past.
"But there was that on her mind which it beseemed her must be told before she could die in peace. And she made confession4 that thy[Pg 245] father left thee suddenly when thou wert but six years of age, and being a stranger, and thinking better of Mistress Brace than I greatly fear she deserved, he left thee in her care, together with a considerable sum of money, which was to pay for board and proper schooling6.
"But being tempted7 of the Spirit of Evil, Mistress Brace used the money as if it was her own. A large portion of it she had spent, but some yet remains8. This, she also confessed with tears and with sighs, she intended to put at interest as soon as some of our present troubles were over.
"What thy treatment was with Mistress Brace we need not dwell upon."
"She was not cruel, sir," said Maid Sally, wishing in her tender young heart to speak kindly9 of the dead.
"Not cruel, perhaps, as to violent treatment, child," said the stern, just parson, "yet I hold it cruel, ah, very cruel, to have kept thee much as a serving-maid, and keeping back thy education as she did, and would have continued to[Pg 246] have done, had it not been for the good blood in thy veins10 that cried out for better things."
"Have I good blood in my veins, sir?" cried Sally, twisting her pointed11 fingers in an eager, nervous way.
"Aye, the best of blood, dear child, and the will of an iron-nerved forefather12. I hurried out last night for that man of the law, Sir Gaspard Culpeper, that he might witness to what the poor misguided woman had to say, and wishing God's mercy for myself as well as for all others, I have it in my heart to admit that ignorance had much to do with the great mistakes of Mistress Brace and her dealings.
"Hast thou ever seen this name before, Maid Sally? Look well upon it, and try to remember."
Sally looked at the paper the parson handed her, and the rich blood spread over her face.
"Speak truth, child," said the parson.
"I did indeed see that name once, both on a cape13 and in a letter that lay in a little trunk at Mistress Brace's," said Sally, "and—and—"
[Pg 247]"Speak out without fear," said Parson Kendall, as Sally groped for words; "much depends on my having a clear understanding of all thou canst tell."
Then Sally told of the soldier who had thrust his card into her bended arm.
"It was the same queer name," said Sally.
"Dost know what language it would belong to, young maid?" and the grave parson smiled.
"The soldier I think was French," said the maiden14, a droop15 of disappointment in her voice. "I fear me the name must be French also."
"Spell it, and then pronounce it," said the parson.
And Sally spelled, then pronounced:
"'D-u-q-u-e-s-n-e, Doo-kane.'"
"You need feel nought16 but pride at bearing that ancient name!" cried Parson Kendall. "No more noble officer hath the French navy ever known than the fearless, distinguished17 commander who once bore it. A marquis, child, a French nobleman! A Protestant, who conquered[Pg 248] Spanish, Danes, and Dutch during his splendid career.
"Hast not thou felt the will of thine ancestor, stirring thee to make the most of thyself? Hast thou not felt within thee a craving18 for the best things in life? Hast not thou pushed thy way up to those better things?"
"Yes, oh, yes!" burst forth19 Maid Sally, with a great shuddering20 sob1. "I felt it! I almost knew it! My good Fairy felt it must be so!"
"Your good Fairy?" The parson looked amazed.
"Yes," cried Sally, for to the winds went all fear of letting the kind parson know what was in her heart, and what had been one great comfort of her poor little life.
"Yes, my good Fairy, sir. I talked with another part of myself and found help in pretending a Fairy dwelt in my soul. My poorer self was one part of me, the good Fairy the other. And the good Fairy did hearten and comfort me."
"One was Sally Dukeen," and the parson[Pg 249] smiled most pleasantly, "the other was Sara Doo-kane. Strange how the accent of but one letter can change a name. I fancy it was Mistress Brace's incorrect way of calling it.
"But there is more for you to know. Your mother was an English lady, also of excellent birth, but on the way to this country with your father, to seek a better fortune, she died.
"Now very early this morning I sought out the soldier, Officer Duquesne, of whom you have told me and of whom I have heard. And although I know him to be a very different man from your ancestor of nearly a hundred years ago, and his also, and fighting I hold on the wrong side, he yet told me some things I was pleased to know.
"The man who gave you his card, my dear maiden, was your father's own cousin, and I feel sure he once felt great love for your mother. He told me of having seen a young maid who was so much the image of a beloved friend of the past that he desired to know her name. And tears filled his eyes when I showed him a[Pg 250] small painted picture of your mother that had lain in Mistress Brace's little trunk. For she would have us find the trunk and see what was hiding inside."
"There!" again exclaimed Sally, "I have said to my Fairy, 'How know I but Mistress Cory Ann hath things that were my mother's and should belong to me?'"
"There was a cape of finest needlework," continued the parson, "probably the one you saw, also a letter of importance, as it told the name of your mother's family, and a few articles beside money, of value to you, found in the little trunk. Here is the picture of your poor mamma."
Sally gazed with curious eyes at the little painting that was so like her own face as seen in the mirror, that she exclaimed:
"It is like my own face!" and suddenly she kissed it, a quick, warm kiss.
"I wonder what made me do that?" she asked, with a feeling of confusion.
"I think it was your warm French blood," said Parson Kendall.
[Pg 251]"And what was my mother's name?" asked Sally.
"Earlscourt. She was of the same house as Lady Gabrielle, wife of Sir Percival Grandison, although well removed. Officer Duquesne of the British army thought your mother lost money through some of her relatives, who have died, so nothing can be proved."
"Enough has been proved!" cried Maid Sally.
Parson Kendall smiled.
"There speaketh your good Fairy," he said; "enough has been proved. You are of noble blood on your father's side, and the Earlscourts hold themselves to be of the best, as no doubt they are. What better could'st thou wish?"
Sally was speechless.
She had not taken in the whole truth of the last fact until it was thus plainly set before her.
Could it be true? Yet here sat Parson Kendall, who had heard the story from her father's own cousin, a man who knew root and branch all the truth as to her kindred and relations.
[Pg 252]"I think I had better go away and be alone by myself," said Sally, her face crimson21, a feverish22 light in her eyes.
"We will say nothing of this outside the house for the present," advised the parson. "Officer Duquesne is one of the king's men,—and by the way, we had but until lately a fort of that name,—and he quite likely will acquaint Lady Grandison with the fact that she hath a young kinswoman in the town. But, my dear damsel, she would, I fear, look but coldly just now on one whom she would regard as a little rebel."
"Then her son is a rebel, too," said Sally, with dimples plumping in.
"Yes, and hath been aided in helping23 the rebel army, by his young kinswoman, Sara Duquesne," laughed Parson Kendall with quiet glee.
"I must go away by myself awhile," again said Maid Sally.
"And take thy good Fairy with thee," said the parson. "But return from wherever thou[Pg 253] goest in an hour, for Goodwife Kendall and myself go to Cloverlove plantation24 to dine, and we go by stage, which passes there and will not return until near evening.
"I have lessons for thee to learn, and would not have thee dwell too much on the knowledge that hath come to thee, and is indeed very pleasant."
"I think the world has turned topsyturvy," said the maiden, with the look of one who dreams.
"And Fairies are but bright fancies of very human creatures," said the parson, in a low, kind voice.
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收听单词发音
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1
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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2
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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3
brace
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| n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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4
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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5
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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6
schooling
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| n.教育；正规学校教育 | |
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7
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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8
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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9
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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10
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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11
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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12
forefather
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| n.祖先；前辈 | |
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13
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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14
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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15
droop
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| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
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16
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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17
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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18
craving
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| n.渴望,热望 | |
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19
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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20
shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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21
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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22
feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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23
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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24
plantation
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| n.种植园，大农场 | |
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