Late in the spring Ensign Michael Shields received orders to join his regiment1 in Canada, and upon their reception he had an explanation with Edith, and with her permission, had requested her hand of her uncle, Commodore Waugh. This threw the veteran into a towering passion, and nearly drove him from his proprieties2 as host. The young ensign was unacceptable to him upon every account. First and foremost, he wasn't "Grim," Then he was an Israelite. And, lastly! horror of horrors! he was a British officer, and dared to aspire3 to the hand of Edith. It was in vain that his wife, the good Henrietta, tried to mollify him; the storm raged for several days—raged, till it had expended4 all its strength, and subsided5 from exhaustion6. Then he called Edith and tried to talk the matter over calmly with her.
"Now all I have to say to you, Edith, is this," he concluded, "that if you will have the good sense to marry Mr. Grimshaw, these intentions shall be more than fulfilled—they shall be anticipated. Upon your marriage with Grimshaw, I will give you a conveyance7 of Luckenough—only reserving to myself and Old Hen a house, and a life-support in the place; but if you will persist in your foolish preference for that young scamp, I will give you—nothing. That is all, Edith."
During the speech Edith remained standing8, with her eyes fixed9 upon the floor. Now, she spoke10 in a tremulous voice:
"That is all—is it not, uncle? You will not deprive me of any portion of your love; will you, uncle?"
"I do not know, Edith! I cannot tell; when you have deliberately11 chosen one of your own fancy, in preference to one of mine—the man I care most for in the world, and whom I chose especially for you; why, you've speared me right through a very tender part; however, as I said before, what you do, do quickly! I cannot bear to be kept upon the tenter hooks!"
She went out, and found him pacing the lawn at the back of the house.
He turned toward her with a glad smile, took her hand as she approached him, and pressed it to his lips.
"Dearest Edith, where have you been so long?"
"With my uncle, Michael. I have my uncle's 'ultimatum,' as he calls it."
"What is it, Edith?"
"Ah! how shall I tell you without offense13? But, dearest Michael you will not mind—you will forgive an old man's childish prejudices, especially when you know they are not personal—but circumstantial, national, bigoted14."
"Well, Edith! well?"
"Michael, he says—he says that I may give you my hand—"
"Said he so! Bless that fair hand, and bless him who bestows15 it!" he exclaimed, clasping her fingers and pressing them to his lips.
"Yes, Michael, but—"
"But what! there is no but; he permits you to give me your hand; there is then no but—'a jailer to bring forth16 some monstrous17 malefactor18.'"
"Yet listen! You know I was to have been his heiress!"
"No, indeed I did not know it! never heard it! never suspected it! never even thought of it! How did I know but that he had sons and daughters, or nephews away at school!"
"Well, I was to have been his heiress. Now he disinherits me, unless I consent to be married to his friend and favorite, Dr. Grimshaw."
"You put the case gently and delicately, dear Edith, but the hard truth is this—is it not—that he will disinherit you, if you consent to be mine? You need not answer me, dearest Edith, if you do not wish to; but listen—I have nothing but my sword, and beyond my boundless19 love nothing to offer you but the wayward fate of a soldier's wife. Your eyes are full of tears. Speak, Edith Lance! Can you share the soldier's wandering life? Speak, Edith, or lay your hand in mine. Yet, no! no! no! I am selfish and unjust. Take time, love, to think of all you abandon, all that you may encounter in joining your fate to mine. God knows what it has cost me to say it—but—take time, Edith," and he pressed and dropped her hand.
"I do not need to do so. My answer to-day, to-morrow, and forever, must be the same," she answered, in a very low voice; and her eyes sought the ground, and the blush deepened on her cheek, as she laid her hand in his. How he pressed that white hand, to his lips, to his heart! How he clasped her to his breast! How he vowed20 to love and cherish her as the dearest treasure of his life need not here be told.
Edith said:
Michael led her into the hall, where the commodore strode up and down, making the old rafters tremble and quake with every tread—puffing—blowing over his fallen hopes, like a nor'-wester over the dead leaves.
Michael advanced, holding the hand of his affianced, and modestly announced their engagement.
"Humph! So the precious business is concluded, is it?"
"Yes, sir," said Michael, with a bow.
"Well, I hope you may be as happy as you deserve! When is the proceeding22 to come off?"
"What, sir?"
"The marriage, young gentleman?"
"When shall I say, dearest Edith?" asked Michael, stooping to her ear.
"When uncle pleases," murmured the girl.
"Uncle pleases nothing, and will have nothing to do with it, except to advise as early a day as possible," he blurted23 out; "what says the bride?"
"Then let it be at New Year," said Edith, falteringly25.
"And so it really is, beloved," whispered Michael.
"Let it be next week," abruptly27 broke in the commodore. "What's the use of putting it off? Tuesdays and Thursdays are the marrying days, I believe; let it then be Tuesday or Thursday."
"Tuesday," pleaded Michael.
"Thursday," murmured Edith.
pipe;" and the commodore withdrew to his sanctum.
Good Henrietta came in, took the hand of the young ensign, and pressed it warmly, saying that he would have a good wife, and wishing them both much happiness in their union. She drew Edith to her bosom31, and kissed her fondly, but in silence.
As this was Friday evening, little preparations could be made for the solemnity to take place on Sunday. Yet Mrs. Henrietta exerted herself to do all possible honor to the occasion. That very evening she sent out a few invitations to the dinner and ball, that in those days invariably celebrated32 a country wedding. She even invited a few particular friends to meet the bridal pair at dinner, on their return from church.
The little interval33 between this and Sunday morning was passed by Edith and Shields in making arrangements for their future course.
Sunday came.
A young lady of the neighborhood officiated as bridesmaid, and Cloudesley Mornington as groomsman. The ceremony was to be performed at the Episcopal Church at Charlotte Hall. The bridal party set forward in two carriages. They were attended by the commodore and Mrs. Waugh. They reached the church at an early hour, and the marriage was solemnized before the morning service. When the entries had been made, and the usual congratulations passed, the party returned to the carriages. Before entering his own, Commodore Waugh approached that in which the bride and bridegroom were already seated, and into which the groomsman was about to hand the bridesmaid.
"Stay, you two, you need not enter just yet," said the old man, "I want to speak with Mr. Shields and his wife, Edith!"
Edith put her head forward, eagerly.
"I have nothing against you; but after what has occurred, I don't want to see you at Luckenough again. Good-by!" Then, turning to Shields, he said, "I will have your own and your wife's goods forwarded to the hotel, here," and nodding gruffly, he strode away.
Cloudesley stormed, Edith begged that the carriage might be delayed yet a little while. Vain Edith's hope, and vain Mrs. Waugh's expostulations, Old Nick was not to be mollified. He said that "those who pleased to remain with the new-married couple, might do so—he should go home! They did as they liked, and he should do as he liked." Mrs. Waugh, Cloudesley, and the bridesmaid determined34 to stay.
The commodore entered his carriage, and was driven toward home.
The party then adjourned35 to the hotel. Mrs. Waugh comforting Edith, and declaring her intention to stay with her as long as she should remain in the neighborhood—for Henrietta always did as she pleased, notwithstanding the opposition36 of her stormy husband. The young bridesmaid and Cloudesley also expressed their determination to stand by their friends to the last.
Their patience was not put to a very long test. In a few days a packet was to sail from Benedict to Baltimore, and the young couple took advantage of the opportunity, and departed, with the good wishes of their few devoted37 friends.
Their destination was Toronto, in Canada, where the young ensign's regiment was quartered.
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1
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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2
proprieties
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| n.礼仪，礼节；礼貌( propriety的名词复数 )；规矩；正当；合适 | |
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aspire
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| vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于 | |
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4
expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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5
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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6
exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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7
conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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8
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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9
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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10
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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11
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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12
meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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13
offense
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| n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪 | |
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14
bigoted
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| adj.固执己见的，心胸狭窄的 | |
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15
bestows
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的第三人称单数 ) | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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18
malefactor
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| n.罪犯 | |
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19
boundless
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| adj.无限的；无边无际的；巨大的 | |
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20
vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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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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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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23
blurted
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| v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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falteringly
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| 口吃地，支吾地 | |
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26
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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28
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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29
extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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spliced
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| adj.（针织品）加固的n.叠接v.绞接( splice的过去式和过去分词 )；捻接（两段绳子）；胶接；粘接（胶片、磁带等） | |
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31
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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32
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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33
interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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34
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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35
adjourned
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| （使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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37
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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