Part 1 (2/2)

It requires, however, shelter from strong suns.h.i.+ne or violent winds.

For this purpose ”plantain” or coral-bean trees are planted between every second row; and these, quickly shooting up above the cacao-trees, afford the most luxuriant appearance to a plantation, their long bare stems being contrasted strongly with the rich green of the cacao below.

Nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove plantations were also formed; indeed, the utmost pains were taken to make the ground productive.

Some progress had been made in the work before the arrival of Uncle Paul and our cousin Arthur. They had been delayed longer than we had expected, and we were for some time anxiously looking out for them. We were consequently delighted when at length they appeared. Marian threw her arms round Arthur's neck, and gave him the welcome of a sister, for she loved him dearly.

Uncle Paul complimented our father on the energy he had displayed, and expressed his wonder that so much had been done.

”My success is mainly owing to the way in which I treat those whom I employ,” he answered. ”The natives especially flock here in numbers, and are more ready to labour for me than for anybody else in the neighbourhood.”

With the a.s.sistance of Uncle Paul and Arthur, still greater progress was made. They also established a house of business in Port Royal, of which Uncle Paul took the chief management, while Arthur and I a.s.sisted. We exported numerous articles, and among other produce we s.h.i.+pped a considerable quant.i.ty of timber; for magnificent trees, fit for s.h.i.+pbuilding and other purposes, grew in the island--the red cedar and several species of palms being especially magnificent. Altogether, our house was looked upon as the most flouris.h.i.+ng in the island, and, as might have been expected, we somewhat excited the jealousy of several of the native merchants. Our father, however, cared nothing for this, and dared the Spaniards to do their worst.

Necessity made Uncle Paul, Arthur, and me live, during the weekdays, in the town, but we returned home every Sat.u.r.day, where we received an affectionate welcome from my mother and Marian. It was, consequently, not remarked in the town that we did not attend ma.s.s; and as our house was at some distance from any church, we had a sufficient excuse for not going to one on the Sunday. We were aware, however, that the Inquisition existed in the island, though we could not ascertain who were the persons immediately connected with it. There were, we observed, in proportion to the population, a very large number of priests and friars, some of whom were constantly visiting the houses in the town and neighbourhood; but as we left our lodging at an early hour every day for the counting-house, and seldom returned till late in the evening, we had not hitherto been interfered with.

One Sat.u.r.day evening we were returning homeward, when we overtook a friar ambling along on his mule. We saluted him in the customary fas.h.i.+on, and were pa.s.sing on, when he stopped Uncle Paul by asking a question which took some time to answer. The friar then, urging on his beast, kept pace with us. Arthur and I had dropped a little behind, so that we could only partly hear what was said, but enough of the conversation reached us to let us know that the friar was talking about religious matters, and was apparently endeavouring to draw out our uncle's opinions. He was always frank and truthful, so we knew that he would find it a difficult task to parry the friar's questions.

”I feel almost certain that the friar knew we should pa.s.s this way, and came on purpose to fall in with us,” observed Arthur. ”I wish that Uncle Paul had galloped on without answering him. I don't like the tone of his voice, though he smiles, and speaks so softly.”

”Nor do I,” I replied. ”I only hope that he won't come and talk with us.”

”If he does, we must give him short answers, and say that the matter is too deep for us,” observed Arthur. ”We may perhaps puzzle him slightly, and at the worst make him suppose that we are very ill informed on religious matters; but we must be cautious what we say.”

Uncle Paul had from the first been endeavouring in vain to get ahead of the friar without appearing rude, but he did not succeed till the latter had got out of him all the information he wanted. The friar then allowed his mule to drop in between us, and at once addressed Arthur in a friendly way--inquiring of him how often he had attended ma.s.s since his arrival, and who was his father confessor. Arthur replied that, as he spent every Sunday in the country, and was occupied the whole of each weekday in business, he had to confess that he had not paid due attention to such matters.

”And you,” said the friar to me,--”are you equally careless?”

”I hope that I am not careless,” I answered; ”but we Englishmen are not brought up exactly like Spaniards, and consequently you may not understand us clearly.”

”All true Catholics are the same,” remarked the friar. ”You may expect a visit before long from the Superior of my Order to inquire into your religious condition, which appears to me unsatisfactory. Good-day, young gentlemen; I cannot give you my blessing till I know more about you.”

Bowing to the friar, who, having gained all the information he required, now reined in his mule, we rode on to rejoin Uncle Paul. Arthur laughed. ”I think we have somewhat puzzled the old fellow,” he observed.

”Depend upon it, though, that we shall before long receive the visit he promises from his Superior, who may manage by some means or other to find out the truth,” I remarked.

Though Uncle Paul made light of the matter, too, I saw that he was not altogether comfortable about it.

As soon as we arrived, I told my father and mother and Marian, that they might be prepared.

”We must not be entrapped by him,” said my father; ”and I will show my zeal by offering to a.s.sist in building a chapel in the neighbourhood.”

”I will not deny the truth,” said my mother, with tears in her eyes.

”Nor will I,” exclaimed Marian.

My father looked annoyed. ”You must try then and keep out of the way of the man,” he said. ”I will manage him, should he come.”

I afterwards had a conversation with my young sister.

”It will be cowardly and disgraceful to deny our faith,” she said. ”Let me entreat you, Guy, not to do so, whatever may be the consequences.

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