Part 53 (1/2)

When she hurt us, or, as Darthea said, broke her china in trying to wash it, she fell back on our love with a quite childlike astonishment that what was come out of affection should give rise to resentment.

With a slight puzzle in my mind I went away with Delaney to dine at the London Coffee-house, which now showed our own new flag, where so often I had pa.s.sed in under the cross of St. George.

”We have a new St. George now,” said Mr. John Adams, in one of those ill-natured letters to Dr. Rush which filled my aunt with rage. ”_Sancte Was.h.i.+ngton, ora pro n.o.bis._” The Ma.s.sachusetts statesman admired _our_ grave and knightly St. George, but there are those who cannot fly a kite without the bobtail of a sneer--which is good wit, I think, but not my own; it was Jack said that.

When Delaney left me to call again upon my aunt, I little dreamed of what part she meant him to play. He left the town early next day, and had it not been for Jack I should not for a long while have known fully what an hour brought forth.

”On the afternoon of February 28 of this 1782,” says Jack's diary, ”I got a note from Mistress Wynne asking me to see her on business at nine.

I found with her, to my pleasure, the good fellow Delaney, and was able to thank him for the service he had done us all in his n.o.ble care of Hugh. We talked over our battles, and presently comes in Darthea, whom now we see but rarely, for reasons best known to herself.

”I do believe Hugh has given up his love-affair as a thing quite hopeless, and no wonder. I think she still sees that rascal of an English captain, and perhaps he will not have her keep up a closer friends.h.i.+p with such as no longer desire his own acquaintance.

”Mr. Delaney was, like all men, charmed with Miss p.e.n.i.ston, and the talk went on busily enough, the young woman in good spirits and the captain most amusing.

”By and by he spoke quite naturally of the horrors of their life in the provost's prison, and upon this Darthea, becoming of a sudden seriously attentive, listened with fixed gaze. Our hostess, seeing her chance, said: 'I meant to ask you more of that to-day, but my nephew hates even to hear of it. How long were you there?'

”'I was taken at Germantown like Mr. Wynne, and was kept until June.

After Wynne nearly killed that rascal, Cunningham, things were worse than ever.'

”'And was Hugh so very ill?'

”'He could not have been worse to live at all.'

”'And was there no inspection amidst all those horrors? Do you suppose Sir William knew nothing of them? I can hardly credit that.'

”Darthea looked round at Mistress Wynne. She had been unusually silent.

Now turning to Delaney, she said, with slow articulation: 'I also am curious, Mr. Delaney. We heard many rumours and some unpleasant facts.

Could Sir William Howe have known? I cannot think it.'

”'But he must, after the inspections, and there were three to my knowledge.'

”'Indeed!' said Mistress Wynne. ''T is most strange!'

”Delaney hesitated, not liking, I suppose, to mention Arthur, her cousin, of whose close relation to Darthea, however, he was not aware.

”'And one,' Mistress Wynne went on, 'was, I hear, made by our kinsman.'

”'Yes,' said Delaney, 'and that did certainly amaze me. Captain Wynne--'

”'Captain Wynne!' exclaimed Darthea, and, turning her head, she looked sharply at Mistress Wynne and then at me. I think that Delaney, being unfamiliar with her habits of speech, did not notice how strange was the tone in which she added, 'We all know Mr. Arthur Wynne.'

”'Indeed!' said Delaney; 'but of course I might have known that.'

”'Yes, yes! I interrupted you. Pray, go on; it is most interesting.'

”'Very,' said Mistress Wynne. And now I saw what a wicked trap our spinster-fox had laid for poor Darthea. Delaney, a bit puzzled, glanced at me. I made no sign. It must not stop here.

”'It is a queer story, Miss p.e.n.i.ston, and not much to the credit of his Majesty's officers.'

”'What next?' said Darthea.