Volume I Part 7 (1/2)
Howard, who with increasing malignancy endeavoured to revenge herself for the temporary respite he had enjoyed. Mr. Talton accompanied the Captain on board, where, promising to use every endeavour during his absence from England to discover Ellenor, he bade him adieu, and, returning on sh.o.r.e, proceeded to Bath, to renew his addresses to Lady Corbet.
No particular occurrence marked the voyage: the name of St. Ledger was still mentioned with regret by the crew, and dwelt on with a painful delight by Frederick and his uncle; who pa.s.sed his hours in painful retrospects, and conjectures for the present state of his Ellenor, enlivened only by the praises the friendly Frederick bestowed on the person and interesting manners of his son, so greatly resembling those of the deceased Sir Henry.
CHAPTER VII.
More than twelve months had elapsed since the death of Sir Henry, when the fleet returned to St. Helena. The pleasure experienced by his officers and crew, on attaining this favourite spot, extended itself to the bosom of the Captain: the mind of Harland too yielded to its influence; the stern contraction of his brow gave place to the smile of satisfaction, and, with a heart unwontedly attuned to cheerfulness, he accompanied the Captain and Frederick to the Governor's, where a large party were a.s.sembled, not only of the princ.i.p.al inhabitants, but several officers and pa.s.sengers belonging to some French vessels bound for Pondicherry, and which had arrived there the preceding day.
Amongst the pa.s.sengers, the Marchioness de Valois, her daughters, and a Mademoiselle de St. Ursule, claimed pre-eminence; the beauty of the latter, indeed, gained universal admiration, nor could the bosom of Harland long resist the influence of a softer pa.s.sion. The Governor's nephew likewise yielded an unresisting captive to charms unequalled in the Eastern clime; and, uncontrolled by any authority but that of an uncle, whose partiality ever extenuated his faults, and exaggerated the few amiable qualities he possessed to the height of human perfection, he looked on success as certain wherever he chose to prefer his suit.
Harland observed the freedom of his addresses with an eye of jealousy, heightened by the diffidence he for the first time experienced of himself. Humbled, yet indignant, he returned on board, and hastened to his cabin; whence, in the morning, he was roused by the information, that they were to pa.s.s the day with the Marchioness, with whom the Captain had been acquainted in England.
Impetuous in every pursuit, this intelligence in an instant dissipated every mortifying reflection, and he impatiently waited for the hour which would again present the lovely Louise to his sight.
The sentiments with which she had inspired him, he attempted not to conceal; his conduct through the day sufficiently evinced them; whilst the blus.h.i.+ng sweetness with which she permitted his a.s.siduities, and the mildness of her manners, so different from the generality of the French, but increased the pa.s.sion he had imbibed.
Though convinced she regarded the Governor's nephew with indifference, he became still more dissatisfied with that gentleman's behaviour toward her, which he found would oblige him to a declaration to the Marchioness sooner than he intended; as he wished to have been previously certified of Louise's sentiments respecting himself, and to learn from her an account of her family and connexions, with which he was as yet unacquainted. He could not, however, in idea yield to the pretensions of another, and accordingly, a few days after, took the opportunity of accompanying the Captain to the Marchioness, and, with all the energy of an unfeigned pa.s.sion, declared his admiration of Louise, and entreated her permission to his addresses.
The Marchioness, imagining the declaration to proceed from a prepossession as easily eradicated as raised, answered--”That Louise is deserving of your highest admiration, I acknowledge; but her station in life is beneath what you may with justice aspire to. She is an orphan--without a name; brought up by charity, and received into my family, at the request of my daughters, as a companion: and I think, young gentleman, you must acknowledge I should ill deserve the name of patroness, if I permitted an acquaintance a few weeks must unavoidably dissolve.--As a friend of Captain Howard, and a gentleman, I shall ever be happy to see you in the circle of my acquaintance, but never as the lover of Louise.
”It is now nineteen years, Captain,” continued the Marchioness, ”since Louise was found at the gate of the Convent of St. Ursule: the picture, as we suppose, of her mother, was tied round her neck with a paper, on which was written the word--”Louisa!” The Abbess caused a search to be made after the parents; but, not being able to discover them, received and reared the infant. My daughters were educated at St. Ursule's, and attached to Louise from her childhood; at their request, when she was about sixteen, the Abbess resigned her to my protection.”
Ill could the haughty soul of Harland brook this refusal of the Marchioness, which was beginning to raise a sentiment of indignation in his breast against that lady, when the entrance of Louise obliterated every idea but of her; each moment presented new attractions to his fascinated senses; and he determined to espouse her privately, and leave the issue to Providence, rather than forego his addresses; as love and pride whispered--her birth must be reputable, if not n.o.ble!
The day succeeding this, he accompanied the Captain and Frederick to a _fete_ at the Governor's, where the Marchioness and her family were likewise present: but the pleasure Louise's presence would have created, was destroyed by the marked attentions of young Ferrand, the Governor's nephew; and, unable to endure the seeming satisfaction, or even the presence of his rival, which prevented his conversing freely with Louise, he entreated to speak with her in private, and, without waiting for an answer, conducted her into an adjoining room. He there acquainted her with his application to the Marchioness; her rejection of his suit; and vehemently urged her to a private marriage.
Louise was concerned at the Marchioness's refusal, but declared she never would consent to any engagement without her approbation; and gently chid Harland for the rudeness of his behaviour to Ferrand.
Harland could not conceal his chagrin at this second rejection, and accused Louise of an unjust preference to his rival; against whom he vowed the severest vengeance.
The East-Indian, who had equally observed the a.s.siduities of Harland, and equally felt the influence of jealousy, had followed them unperceived, and heard the whole of their conversation. He now sprung from his concealment, and would have commenced hostilities on the spot, had not the terrified Louise entreated Harland to reconduct her to the company. Though hurried nearly to madness by the violence of pa.s.sion, the voice of Louise recalled him to reason; or rather her request, trivial as it was, implied, he thought, a preference to him over his rival, which, by gratifying his wishes, conduced to calm the tumult raised in his bosom.
Louise, though she had given a denial to his suit, could not behave to him with indifference: on the contrary, she endeavoured, by many little attentions, to soften her rejection, and which Harland was too happy at the moment in receiving, to bestow a thought on the motive whence they arose.
Amidst the festivity which reigned, young Ferrand was the only one really unconscious of pleasure. Ungovernable in his pa.s.sions, he could as little brook an appearance of slight, as Harland could refusal. A sentiment of respect and awe he entertained for his uncle, withheld him from disturbing the mirth of the evening by an open quarrel with the Lieutenant; he therefore determined on a surer revenge than he was certain of being able to inflict with his own hand.
It was late when the company separated, and Harland, with the Captain and Frederick, were returning to the Bay, when they were attacked by four men, who in a moment struck the Captain to the ground. Harland, whose courage equalled his pa.s.sions, immediately drew, as did Frederick, and endeavoured to guard the Captain, against whose life the ruffians seemed princ.i.p.ally to direct their attention. A sharp conflict ensued, in which their a.s.sailants had evidently the superiority, and they were nearly overpowered, when a man, wrapped in a large roquelaure, hastily approached. Frederick apprehended an a.s.sociate of the ruffians, but was agreeably undeceived by one of them being instantly levelled with the dust by the contents of a pistol! The stranger then flew to his side, and, seizing the Captain's sword, obliged the a.s.sa.s.sins in their turn to act on the defensive.
Alarmed by the report of the pistol, the boat's crew, who were waiting for the Captain, followed the direction of the sound, and arrived at the moment the ruffians, unable to perpetrate their design, fled; leaving their companion behind them, severely wounded.
Frederick instantly a.s.sisted to raise his uncle; and the sailors, mistaking the stranger for one of the a.s.sa.s.sins, as instantly secured him, and, finding the fort alarmed, took the Captain in their arms and returned to the boat.
When they arrived on board, proper applications were used to restore the Captain, who had been rendered senseless by the blow; and who, after a.s.suring his nephew he was not materially hurt, inquired after the men who had a.s.saulted them.
Frederick, whose anxiety for his uncle had till that moment precluded every other idea, immediately recalled to mind the generous stranger; and, with the warmest praises on his bravery, related the service he had rendered them. The glow of impatient grat.i.tude for a moment warmed the cheek of the Captain, as he looked round for this unknown friend: but not discovering him, he eagerly asked where he was?--and, to his great surprise, was informed the men had confined him till his pleasure respecting him should be known.
”Merciful Heaven!” he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed. ”What a return!--Frederick--”
Frederick flew out of the cabin, and in a short time re-entered, conducting the stranger, who held his cloak to his face, as wis.h.i.+ng to be concealed.