第16章

TheshipinwhichshecamepassengerhadarrivedatNewport，whence

LadyEleanorewasconveyedtoBostonintheGovernor’scoach，attended

byasmallescortofgentlemenonhorseback。Theponderousequipage，

withitsfourblackhorses，attractedmuchnoticeasitrumbled

throughCornhill，surroundedbytheprancingsteedsofhalfadozen

cavaliers，withswordsdanglingtotheirstirrupsandpistolsattheir

holsters。Throughthelargeglasswindowsofthecoach，asitrolled

along，thepeoplecoulddiscernthefigureofLadyEleanore，strangely

combininganalmostqueenlystatelinesswiththegraceandbeautyofa

maideninherteens。Asingulartalehadgoneabroadamongthe

ladiesoftheprovince，thattheirfairrivalwasindebtedformuchof

theirresistiblecharmofherappearancetoacertainarticleof

dress-anembroideredmantle-whichhadbeenwroughtbythemost

skilfulartistinLondon，andpossessedevenmagicalpropertiesof

adornment。Onthepresentoccasion，however，sheowednothingtothe

witcheryofdress，beingcladinaridinghabitofvelvet，whichwould

haveappearedstiffandungracefulonanyotherform。

Thecoachmanreinedinhisfourblacksteeds，andthewhole

cavalcadecametoapauseinfrontofthecontortedironbalustrade

thatfencedtheProvinceHousefromthepublicstreet。Itwasan

awkwardcoincidencethatthebelloftheOldSouthwasjustthen

tollingforafuneral；sothat，insteadofagladsomepealwith

whichitwascustomarytoannouncethearrivalofdistinguished

strangers，LadyEleanoreRochcliffewasusheredbyadolefulclang，as

ifcalamityhadcomeembodiedinherbeautifulperson。

“Averygreatdisrespect！”exclaimedCaptainLangford，anEnglish

officer，whohadrecentlybroughtdispatchestoGovernorShute。“The

funeralshouldhavebeendeferred，lestLadyEleanore’sspiritsbe

affectedbysuchadismalwelcome。”

“Withyourpardon，sir。”repliedDoctorClarke，aphysician，and

afamouschampionofthepopularparty，“whatevertheheraldsmay

pretend，adeadbeggarmusthaveprecedenceofalivingqueen。King

Deathconfershighprivileges。”

Theseremarkswereinterchangedwhilethespeakerswaitedapassage

throughthecrowd，whichhadgatheredoneachsideofthegateway，

leavinganopenavenuetotheportaloftheProvinceHouse。Ablack

slaveinliverynowleapedfrombehindthecoach，andthrewopenthe

door；whileatthesamemomentGovernorShutedescendedtheflight

ofstepsfromhismansion，toassistLadyEleanoreinalighting。But

theGovernor’sstatelyapproachwasanticipatedinamannerthat

excitedgeneralastonishment。Apaleyoungman，withhisblackhair

allindisorder，rushedfromthethrong，andprostratedhimselfbeside

thecoach，thusofferinghispersonasafootstoolforLadyEleanore

Rochcliffetotreadupon。Sheheldbackaninstant，yetwithan

expressionasifdoubtingwhethertheyoungmanwereworthytobear

theweightofherfootstep，ratherthandissatisfiedtoreceivesuch

awfulreverencefromafellow-mortal。

“Up，sir。”saidtheGovernor，sternly，atthesametimeliftinghis

caneovertheintruder。“WhatmeanstheBedlamitebythisfreak？”

“Nay。”answeredLadyEleanoreplayfully，butwithmorescornthan

pityinhertone，“yourExcellencyshallnotstrikehim。Whenmenseek

onlytobetrampledupon，itwereapitytodenythemafavorso

easilygranted-andsowelldeserved！”

Then，thoughaslightlyasasunbeamonacloud，sheplacedher

footuponthecoweringform，andextendedherhandtomeetthatofthe

Governor。Therewasabriefinterval，duringwhichLadyEleanore

retainedthisattitude；andnever，surely，wasthereanapteremblem

ofaristocracyandhereditarypridetramplingonhumansympathies

andthekindredofnature，thanthesetwofigurespresentedatthat

moment。Yetthespectatorsweresosmittenwithherbeauty，andso

essentialdidprideseemtotheexistenceofsuchacreature，that

theygaveasimultaneousacclamationofapplause。

“Whoisthisinsolentyoungfellow？”inquiredCaptainLangford，who

stillremainedbesideDoctorClarke。“Ifhebeinhissenses，his

impertinencedemandsthebastinado。Ifmad，LadyEleanoreshouldbe

securedfromfurtherinconvenience，byhisconfinement。”

“HisnameisJervaseHelwyse。”answeredtheDoctor；“ayouthof

nobirthorfortune，orotheradvantages，savethemindandsoul

thatnaturegavehim；andbeingsecretarytoourcolonialagentin

London，itwashismisfortunetomeetthisLadyEleanoreRochcliffe。

Helovedher-andherscornhasdrivenhimmad。”

“Hewasmadsotoaspire。”observedtheEnglishofficer。

“Itmaybeso。”saidDoctorClarke，frowningashespoke。“ButI

tellyou，sir，Icouldwell-nighdoubtthejusticeoftheHeavenabove

usifnosignalhumiliationovertakethislady，whonowtreadsso

haughtilyintoyondermansion。Sheseekstoplaceherselfabovethe

sympathiesofourcommonnature，whichenvelopsallhumansouls。

See，ifthatnaturedonotassertitsclaimoverherinsomemodethat

shallbringherlevelwiththelowest！”

“Never！”criedCaptainLangfordindignantly-“neitherinlife，

norwhentheylayherwithherancestors。”

NotmanydaysafterwardstheGovernorgaveaballinhonorof

LadyEleanoreRochcliffe。Theprincipalgentryofthecolony

receivedinvitations，whichweredistributedtotheirresidences，

farandnear，bymessengersonhorseback，bearingmissivessealedwith

alltheformalityofofficialdispatches。Inobediencetothesummons，

therewasageneralgatheringofrank，wealth，andbeauty；andthe

widedooroftheProvinceHousehadseldomgivenadmittancetomore

numerousandhonorablegueststhanontheeveningofLadyEleanore’s

ball。Withoutmuchextravaganceofeulogy，thespectaclemightevenbe

termedsplendid；for，accordingtothefashionofthetimes，the

ladiesshoneinrichsilksandsatins，outspreadover

wide-projectinghoops；andthegentlemenglitteredingoldembroidery，

laidunsparinglyuponthepurple，orscarlet，orsky-bluevelvet，

whichwasthematerialoftheircoatsandwaistcoats。Thelatter

articleofdresswasofgreatimportance，sinceitenvelopedthe

wearer’sbodynearlytotheknees，andwasperhapsbedizenedwith

theamountofhiswholeyear’sincome，ingoldenflowersand

foliage。Thealteredtasteofthepresentday-atastesymbolicofa

deepchangeinthewholesystemofsociety-wouldlookuponalmostany

ofthosegorgeousfiguresasridiculous；althoughthateveningthe

guestssoughttheirreflectionsinthepierglasses，andrejoicedto

catchtheirownglitteramidtheglitteringcrowd。Whatapitythat

oneofthestatelymirrorshasnotpreservedapictureofthescene，

which，bytheverytraitsthatweresotransitory，mighthavetaught

usmuchthatwouldbeworthknowingandremembering！

Would，atleast，thateitherpainterormirrorcouldconveytous

somefaintideaofagarment，alreadynoticedinthislegend-theLady

Eleanore’sembroideredmantle-whichthegossipswhisperedwas

investedwithmagicproperties，soastolendanewanduntried

gracetoherfigureeachtimethatsheputiton！Idlefancyasitis，

thismysteriousmantlehasthrownanawearoundmyimageofher，

partlyfromitsfabledvirtues，andpartlybecauseitwasthe

handiworkofadyingwoman，and，perchance，owedthefantasticgrace

ofitsconceptiontothedeliriumofapproachingdeath。

Aftertheceremonialgreetingshadbeenpaid，LadyEleanore

Rochcliffestoodapartfromthemobofguests，insulatingherself

withinasmallanddistinguishedcircle，towhomsheaccordedamore

cordialfavorthantothegeneralthrong。Thewaxentorchesthrew

theirradiancevividlyoverthescene，bringingoutitsbrilliant

pointsinstrongrelief；butshegazedcarelessly，andwithnowand

thenanexpressionofwearinessorscorn，temperedwithsuch

femininegracethatherauditorsscarcelyperceivedthemoral

deformityofwhichitwastheutterance。Shebeheldthespectacle

notwithvulgarridicule，asdisdainingtobepleasedwiththe

provincialmockeryofacourtfestival，butwiththedeeperscornof

onewhosespirithelditselftoohightoparticipateinthe

enjoymentofotherhumansouls。Whetherornotherecollectionsof

thosewhosawherthateveningwereinfluencedbythestrangeevents

withwhichshewassubsequentlyconnected，soitwasthatherfigure

everafterrecurredtothemasmarkedbysomethingwildandunnatural-

although，atthetime，thegeneralwhisperwasofherexceeding

beauty，andoftheindescribablecharmwhichhermantlethrewaround

her。Somecloseobservers，indeed，detectedafeverishflushand

alternatepalenessofcountenance，withacorrespondingflowand

revulsionofspirits，andonceortwiceapainfulandhelpless

betrayaloflassitude，asifshewereonthepointofsinkingtothe

ground。Then，withanervousshudder，sheseemedtoarouseher

energiesandthrewsomebrightandplayfulyethalf-wickedsarcasm

intotheconversation。Therewassostrangeacharacteristicinher

mannersandsentimentsthatitastonishedeveryright-mindedlistener；

tilllookinginherface，alurkingandincomprehensibleglanceand

smileperplexedthemwithdoubtsbothastoherseriousnessand

sanity。Gradually，LadyEleanoreRochcliffe’scirclegrewsmaller，

tillonlyfourgentlemenremainedinit。ThesewereCaptain

Langford，theEnglishofficerbeforementioned；aVirginianplanter，

whohadcometoMassachusettsonsomepoliticalerrand；ayoung

Episcopalclergyman，thegrandsonofaBritishearl；and，lastly，

theprivatesecretaryofGovernorShute，whoseobsequiousnesshad

wonasortoftolerancefromLadyEleanore。

Atdifferentperiodsoftheeveningtheliveriedservantsofthe

ProvinceHousepassedamongtheguests，bearinghugetraysof

refreshmentsandFrenchandSpanishwines。LadyEleanoreRoch-

cliffe，whorefusedtowetherbeautifullipsevenwithabubbleof

Champagne，hadsunkbackintoalargedamaskchair，apparently

overweariedeitherwiththeexcitementofthesceneoritstedium，and

while，foraninstant，shewasunconsciousofvoices，laughter，and

music，ayoungmanstoleforward，andkneltdownatherfeet。He

boreasalverinhishand，onwhichwasachasedsilvergoblet，filled

tothebrimwithwine，whichheofferedasreverentiallyastoa

crownedqueen，orratherwiththeawfuldevotionofapriestdoing

sacrificetohisidol。Consciousthatsomeonetouchedherrobe，Lady

Eleanorestarted，andunclosedhereyesuponthepale，wildfeatures

anddishevelledhairofJervaseHelwyse。

“Whydoyouhauntmethus？”saidshe，inalanguidtone，butwitha

kindlierfeelingthansheordinarilypermittedherselftoexpress。

“TheytellmethatIhavedoneyouharm。”

“Heavenknowsifthatbeso。”repliedtheyoungmansolemnly。“But，

LadyEleanore，inrequitalofthatharm，ifsuchtherebe，andfor

yourownearthlyandheavenlywelfare，Iprayyoutotakeonesipof

thisholywine，andthentopassthegobletroundamongtheguests。

Andthisshallbeasymbolthatyouhavenotsoughttowithdraw

yourselffromthechainofhumansympathies-whichwhosowouldshake

offmustkeepcompanywithfallenangels。”

“Wherehasthismadfellowstolenthatsacramentalvessel？”

exclaimedtheEpiscopalclergyman。

Thisquestiondrewthenoticeofthegueststothesilvercup，

whichwasrecognizedasappertainingtothecommunionplateoftheOld

SouthChurch；and，foraughtthatcouldbeknown，itwasbrimmingover

withtheconsecratedwine。

“Perhapsitispoisoned。”halfwhisperedtheGovernor’ssecretary。

“Pouritdownthevillain’sthroat！”criedtheVirginianfiercely。

“Turnhimoutofthehouse！”criedCaptainLangford，seizing

JervaseHelwysesoroughlybytheshoulderthatthesacramentalcup

wasoverturned，anditscontentssprinkleduponLadyEleanore’s

mantle。“Whetherknave，fool，orBedlamite，itisintolerablethatthe

fellowshouldgoatlarge。”

“Pray，gentlemen，domypooradmirernoharm。”saidLady

Eleanore，withafaintandwearysmile。“Takehimoutofmysight，

ifsuchbeyourpleasure；forIcanfindinmyhearttodonothingbut

laughathim；whereas，inalldecencyandconscience，itwould

becomemetoweepforthemischiefIhavewrought！”

Butwhiletheby-standerswereattemptingtoleadawaythe

unfortunateyoungman，hebrokefromthem，andwithawild，

impassionedearnestness，offeredanewandequallystrangepetitionto

LadyEleanore。Itwasnootherthanthatsheshouldthrowoffthe

mantle，which，whilehepressedthesilvercupofwineuponher，she

haddrawnmorecloselyaroundherform，soasalmosttoshroudherself

withinit。