Part 40 (1/2)

”He who is thus favored may, for a moment, even forget the brigantine!” he exclaimed, with all his natural recklessness of air. ”And the Alderman----?”

”Has more discretion than his niece, since he did not permit her to come alone.”

”Enough.--Captain Ludlow, let what will follow. We part as friends. Fear not, Sir, to touch the hand of a proscribed man, again; it is honest after its own fas.h.i.+on, and many is the peer and prince who keeps not so clean a palm. Deal tenderly with that gay and rash young sailor; he wants the discretion of an older head, but the heart is kindness itself--I would hazard life, to shelter his--but at every hazard the brigantine must be saved.--Adieu!”

There was strong emotion in the voice of the mariner of the shawl, notwithstanding his high bearing. Squeezing the hand of Ludlow, he pa.s.sed back into his own barge, with the ease and steadiness of one who made the ocean his home.

”Adieu!” he repeated, signing to his men to pull in the direction of the shoals, where it was certain the s.h.i.+p could not follow. ”We may meet again; until then, adieu.”

”We are sure to meet, with the return of light.”

”Believe it not, brave gentleman. Our lady will thrust the spars under her girdle, and pa.s.s a fleet unseen.--A sailor's blessing on you--fair winds and a plenty; a safe landfall, and a cheerful home! Deal kindly by the boy, and, in all but evil wishes to my vessel, success light on your ensign!”

The seamen of both boats dashed their oars into the water at the same instant, and the two parties were quickly without the hearing of the voice.

Chapter XXVII.

”--Did I tell this, Who would believe me?”

Measure for Measure.

The time of the interview related in the close of the preceding chapter, was in the early watches of the night. It now becomes our duty to transport the reader to another, that had place several hours later, and after day had dawned on the industrious burghers of Manhattan.

There stood, near one of the wooden wharves which lined the arm of the sea on which the city is so happily placed, a dwelling around which there was every sign that its owner was engaged in a retail commerce, that was active and thriving, for that age and country. Notwithstanding the earliness of the hour, the windows of this house were open; and an individual, of a busy-looking face, thrust his head so often from one of the cas.e.m.e.nts, as to show that he already expected the appearance of a second party in the affair that had probably called him from his bed, even sooner than common. A tremendous rap at the door relieved his visible uneasiness; and, hastening to open it, he received his visiter, with much parade of ceremony, and many protestations of respect, in person.

”This is an honor, my lord, that does not often befall men of my humble condition,” said the master of the house, in the flippant utterance of a vulgar c.o.c.kney; ”but I thought it would be more agreeable to your lords.h.i.+p, to receive the a--a--here, than in the place where your lords.h.i.+p, just at this moment, resides. Will your lords.h.i.+p please to rest yourself, after your lords.h.i.+p's walk?”

”I thank you, Carnaby,” returned the other, taking the offered seat, with an air of easy superiority. ”You judge with your usual discretion, as respects the place, though I doubt the prudence of seeing him at all. Has the man come?”

”Doubtless, my lord; he would hardly presume to keep your lords.h.i.+p waiting, and much less would I countenance him in so gross a disrespect.

He will be most happy to wait on you, my lord, whenever your lords.h.i.+p shall please.”

”Let him wait: there is no necessity for haste. He has probably communicated some of the objects of this extraordinary call on my time, Carnaby; and you can break them, in the intervening moments.”

”I am sorry to say, my lord, that the fellow is as obstinate as a mule. I felt the impropriety of introducing him, personally, to your lords.h.i.+p; but as he insisted he had affairs that would deeply interest you, my lord, I could not take upon me to say, what would be agreeable to your lords.h.i.+p, or what not; and so I was bold enough to write the note.”

”And a very properly expressed note it was, Master Carnaby. I have not received a better worded communication, since my arrival in this colony.”

”I am sure the approbation of your lords.h.i.+p might justly make any man proud! It is the ambition of my life, my lord, to do the duties of my station in a proper manner, and to treat all above me with a suitable respect, my lord, and all below me as in reason bound. If I might presume to think in such a matter, my lord, I should say, that these colonists are no great judges of propriety, in their correspondence, or indeed in any thing else.”

The n.o.ble visiter shrugged his shoulder, and threw an expression into his look, that encouraged the retailer to proceed.

”It is just what I think myself, my lord,” he continued, simpering; ”but then,” he added, with a condoling and patronizing air, ”how should they know any better? England is but an island, after all; and the whole world cannot be born and educated on the same bit of earth.”

”'Twould be inconvenient, Carnaby, if it led to no other unpleasant consequence.”

”Almost, word for word, what I said to Mrs. Carnaby myself, no later than yesterday, my lord, only vastly better expressed. 'Twould be inconvenient, said I, Mrs. Carnaby, to take in the other lodger, for every body cannot live in the same house; which covers, as it were, the ground taken in your lords.h.i.+p's sentiment. I ought to add, in behalf of the poor woman, that she expressed, on the same occasion, strong regrets that it is reported your lords.h.i.+p will be likely to quit us soon, on your return to old England.”