Part 23 (2/2)
”Gertrude's sake?”
”Why, yes; he protected them from the intrusion of the Yankees.”
”Oh--h! Aunt Sajane, I really thought you were going to ferret out a romance--a Romeo and Juliet affair--their families at war, and themselves--”
”Evilena!”
”When Gertrude says 'Evilena' in _that_ tone I know it is time to stop,” said the girl, letting go the kitten she was patting, and putting her arm around Gertrude. ”You dear, sensible Gertrude, don't mind one word I say; of course I did not mean it. Just as if we did not have enough Romeos in our own army to go around.”
The significant glance accompanying her words made Gertrude look slightly conscious.
”You are a wildly romantic child,” she said, smoothing the chestnut tinted waves of the girl's hair, ”and pray, tell us how many of our military Romeos are singing 'Sweet Evilena,' and wearing your colors?”
Dr. Delaven pa.s.sed along the hall in time to hear this bantering query, and came opposite the door when this true daughter of the South was counting all the fingers of one pretty hand.
”Just make it a half dozen,” he suggested, ”for I'm wearing yet the sunflower you gave me,” and he pointed to the large daisy in his b.u.t.tonhole.
”No, I'm always honest with Gertrude, and she must have the true number. We are talking of military men, and all others are barred out.”
”So you informed me the first day of our acquaintance,” he a.s.sented, arranging the daisy more to his liking.
”And I've never forgiven you for that first day,” she retorted, nodding her head in a way suggestive of some dire punishment waiting for him in the future. ”It was dreadful, the way he led me on to say things, Aunt Sajane, for how was I to guess he was the doctor? I was expecting a man like--well, like Dr. Allison, only more so; very learned, very severe, with eye gla.s.ses through which he would examine us as though we were new specimens discovered in the wilds of America.
I certainly did not expect to find a frivolous person who wore daisies, and--oh!” as she caught a glimpse of some one coming up the path from the landing--”there comes Nelse. Gertrude, _can't_ I have him in here?”
”May I ask if Nelse is one of the five distinguished by your colors?”
asked Delaven.
”Nelse is distinguished by his own colors, which is a fine mahogany, and he is the most interesting old reprobate in Carolina--a wizard, if you please--a sure enough voodoo doctor, and the black historian of the Salkahatchie. May I call him?”
”I really do not think uncle likes to have him around,” said Gertrude, dubiously; ”still--oh, yes, call him if you like. Don't let him tire you with his stories; and keep him out of uncle's way. He would be sure to tell him about those late runaways.”
”I promise to stand guard in that case myself, Miss Loring; for I have a prejudice against allowing witch-doctors access to my patients.”
Mrs. Nesbitt arose as if to follow Gertrude from the room, hesitated, and resumed her chair.
”When I was a girl we young folks were all half afraid of Nelse--not that he ever harmed any one,” she confessed. ”The colored folks said he was a wizard, but I never did give credit to that.”
”Aunt Chloe, she says he is!”
”Oh, yes; and Aunt Chloe sees ghosts, and talks with goblins, to hear her tell the story; but that old humbug is just as much afraid of a mouse as--as I am.”
”Nelse is a free n.i.g.g.e.r,” explained Evilena, turning from the window after having motioned him to enter. ”He was made free by his old master, Marmaduke Loring, and the old rascal--I mean Nelse, bought himself a wife, paid for her out of his jockey earnings, and when she proved a disappointment what do you think he did?”
Delaven could not get beyond a guess, as the subject of her discourse had just then appeared in the door.
He was a small, black man, quite old, but with a curious attempt at jauntiness, as he made his three bows with his one hand on his breast, the other holding his cane and a jockey cap of ancient fas.h.i.+on. It contrasted oddly with the swallow-tailed coat he wore, which had evidently been made for a much larger man; the sleeves came to his finger tips, and the tails touched his heels. The cloth of which it was made was very fine dark blue, with b.u.t.tons of bra.s.s. His waistcoat of maroon brocade came half way to his knees. Warm as the day was he wore a broad tie of plaid silk arranged in a bow, above which a white muslin collar rose to his ears. He was evidently an ancient beau of the plantations in court dress.
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