Simtel MSDOS - Coast to Coast

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Text File | 1993-09-22 | 45KB | 631 lines

│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ or most of my boyhood, ever present with │ │ me, were a shadow and a light. The │ │ shadow was my Uncle Grafton. And the light was │ │ Miss Dorothy Manners. │ │ │ │ Little Miss Dolly was often at the Hall, as │ │ her home, Wilmot House, was scarce three miles │ │ across wood and field by our plantation roads. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ And all my childhood I was busily wooing her, │ │ but she would give me no satisfaction. │ │ │ │ I can see her now standing among the straw- │ │ berries, her black hair waving in the wind, and │ │ her red lips redder still from the stain. And │ │ after all these years the sound of our childish │ │ voices comes back to me. │ │ │ │ "Dorothy, when you and I grow up, you will │ │ marry me, and I shall give you all these │ │ strawberries." │ │ │ │ "I will marry none but a soldier, and a great │ │ man." │ │ │ │ "Then, Dolly, I will be a soldier, and greater │ │ than the governor himself." │ │ │ │ │ │ "Papa says I shall marry an earl." │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ "But there are no earls among us." │ │ │ │ Dorothy turned up her nose. "Then I shall go │ │ home when I am eighteen, and I shall meet his │ │ Majesty the King, and all the earls and dukes." │ │ │ │ And to such an argument, alas, I could find │ │ no logical answer. │ │ │ │ │ │ remember that at Christmas there was │ │ always a ball, sometimes at Wilmot House, │ │ sometimes at Colonel Lloyd's or Mr. Bordley's, │ │ and sometimes at Carvel Hall, for my grandfather │ │ spent the holidays there, and dearly loved the │ │ company of the young. │ │ │ │ He himself would lead off the minuet, save │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ when once or twice his Excellency │ │ Governor Sharpe chanced to be │ │ present, and would draw his sword │ │ with the young gallants that the │ │ ladies might pass under. │ │ │ │ That was before Dolly and I were let upon the │ │ floor. We sat with the other children, our │ │ nurses at our sides, in the narrow gallery with │ │ the tiny rail that ran around the ball-room. │ │ │ │ There the sweet odour of the green myrtle- │ │ berry candles mixed with that of the powder and │ │ perfume of the dancers. And when the beauty of │ │ the evening was led out, Dolly would lean over │ │ the rail, and pout and smile by turns. She │ │ could hardly wait for the conquering years to │ │ come. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ hey came soon enough, alack! The season │ │ Dorothy was sixteen, we had a ball at the │ │ Hall on the last day of the year. │ │ │ │ When she was that age, Dolly had near arrived │ │ at her growth, and was full as tall as many │ │ young ladies of twenty. │ │ │ │ I had cantered with her that morning from │ │ Wilmot House to Mr. Lloyd's, and thence to │ │ Carvel Hall. The sun was shining warmly, and │ │ after Harvey had taken our horses, we strayed │ │ through the house, where the servants were busy │ │ decorating, and out into my grandfather's │ │ English flower garden, taking the seat by the │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ sundial. │ │ │ │ "Have you a new suit to wear tonight, to see │ │ the New Year in, Master Sober?" Dolly asked. "I │ │ am to wear a brocade that came out this autumn │ │ from London, and Papa says I look like a duchess │ │ when I have my grandmother's pearls." │ │ │ │ "Always the ball!" I answered. "I am sure you │ │ have danced before--at my birthdays in Marlboro' │ │ Street, and at your own, and Will Fotheringay's, │ │ and I know not how many others." │ │ │ │ "Of course," said Dolly, sweetly; "but never │ │ with a real man. Boys like you and Will and the │ │ Lloyds do not count. Dr. Courtenay is at Wilmot │ │ House, and is coming tonight, and he has asked │ │ me out. Think of it, Richard. Dr. Courtenay!" │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ "He is a fop." │ │ │ │ "A fop?" Dolly's humour │ │ bettered as mine went down. │ │ "He is more sought after │ │ than any gentleman at the │ │ assemblies, and Miss Dulany │ │ vows his steps are ravishing, │ │ and no other man in the │ │ colony can turn a compliment │ │ with his grace." She gave │ │ me a glance. "Shall I tell │ │ you more?" │ │ │ │ I shook my head, but to │ │ no avail. │ │ │ │ "He sat with me for over an hour last night, │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ until mama sent me off to bed, and he was very │ │ angry at you because I had engaged to ride with │ │ you today." │ │ │ │ "And I suppose you wish you │ │ had stayed with him?" I said. │ │ "He would have spun you a score │ │ of fine speeches and a hundred │ │ empty compliments by now." │ │ │ │ "He would be better company │ │ than you, sir. I never heard you turn a │ │ compliment in your life, and you are now │ │ seventeen. What headway do you expect to make │ │ at the assemblies, Richard?" │ │ │ │ "None," I answered, sadly; for she had │ │ touched me upon a sore spot. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ My lady drew her hand across my knee. "You │ │ must tell us we are beautiful, Richard." │ │ │ │ "You have but to look in a pier-glass." │ │ │ │ She laughed. "Sir, but you have wit, if you │ │ can be got angry. If you would agree to stay │ │ angry for a day," she said, in a low tone, │ │ "perhaps--" │ │ │ │ "Perhaps?" │ │ │ │ "Perhaps you would be better company. You │ │ would surely be more entertaining." │ │ │ │ "Dorothy, I love you." │ │ │ │ "To be sure. I know that. I think you have │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ told me so before." │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ ______ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ y lady had more moods than the sea. I │ │ remember the evening of my eighteenth │ │ birthday, when I met her outside her house in │ │ Annapolis. │ │ │ │ She was holding her skirt in one hand and │ │ her fan in the other; and I was in a brave blue │ │ coat, and in pumps with gold buttons, and a │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ cocked hat of the newest fashion. │ │ │ │ I saw her leaning over the gate in Prince │ │ George Street. And, strange for │ │ her, she was so deep in thought │ │ that she jumped when I spoke │ │ her name. │ │ │ │ "Dorothy, I have come to │ │ walk you to the party, as we │ │ used to when we were children." │ │ │ │ "As we used to when we were children!" she │ │ said, and flung wide the gate. │ │ │ │ She stretched out her hand for me to take. │ │ "Richard, it seems but last year that we skipped │ │ hand in hand to Marlboro' Street!" │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ t the ball, my grandfather, as in former │ │ years, sat in his great chair on the │ │ sward beside the fiddlers, his old friends │ │ gathered around him. │ │ │ │ And I, by Mr. Carvel's side, received the │ │ guests, while Dolly was carried off immediately, │ │ as I had expected. │ │ │ │ And how easily I marked her in that throng! │ │ │ │ But at some length she approached me. "So I │ │ am ever forced to ask you to dance, Richard," │ │ she said. "What are you about, moping off │ │ alone, with a party in your honour?" │ │ │ │ "I was watching you." │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ "Oh, fie! Why don't you assert yourself, sir? │ │ There was a time when you gave me no peace." │ │ │ │ "But then you rebuked me for dangling." │ │ │ │ Just then the music started up, the │ │ fiddlers bending over their bows, and │ │ soon we were in the heat of it--sober │ │ minuet no longer, but romp and riot, │ │ the screams of the lasses a-mingle │ │ with our own laughter. │ │ │ │ We spun until we were dizzy, and I awoke to │ │ find Dolly pinching my arm. │ │ │ │ "Have you forgotten me, Richard?" she │ │ whispered. "My other hand, sir. 'Tis 'down the │ │ middle.'" │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ And down we flew between the laughing lines, │ │ Dolly tripping with her head high, then back │ │ under the clasped hands in the midst of a fire │ │ of raillery. But as the music stopped, some │ │ strange exhilaration was in her. │ │ │ │ "Richard, do you remember the place where I │ │ used to play fairy godmother, and wind the │ │ flowers in my hair?" │ │ │ │ "Need you ask?" │ │ │ │ "If we can but slip away unnoticed, no one │ │ will ever find us." │ │ │ │ She led the way, and at length we came to the │ │ damp shade where the brook flowed under the │ │ corner of the garden wall. I stooped to gather │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ the lilies of the valley, and she wove them into │ │ her hair. │ │ │ │ But then she stopped suddenly, the flowers │ │ poised in her hand. │ │ │ │ "Would you miss me if I went away, Richard?" │ │ │ │ "What do you mean?" I said. │ │ │ │ "Just that." │ │ │ │ "I would miss you, and sorely, tho' you give │ │ me trouble enough." │ │ │ │ "Soon I shall not be here to trouble you. │ │ Papa has decided that we sail next week on the │ │ Annapolis for home." │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ "Home!" I cried. "England?" │ │ │ │ "I am going to make my bow to royalty." She │ │ dropped a deep curtsey. "'Your Majesty, this is │ │ Miss Manners, of the province of Maryland.'" │ │ │ │ "But next week? Surely you cannot be ready │ │ for the Annapolis in a week?" │ │ │ │ "Our factor, Mr. McAndrews, has instructions │ │ to send our things after. So there! You are │ │ the first person I have told. You should feel │ │ honoured, sir." │ │ │ │ I sat down upon the grass by the brook, and │ │ for the moment the sap of life seemed to leave │ │ me. Dorothy continued to twine the flowers, and │ │ when I looked up, she was gazing into the water. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ "Are you glad to go?" I asked. │ │ │ │ "Of course. I shall see │ │ the world, and meet │ │ people of consequence." │ │ │ │ "So you are going to │ │ England to meet people │ │ of consequence!" │ │ │ │ She turned to me. "How provincial you are, │ │ Richard. What people of consequence have we │ │ here? The Governor and the honourable members │ │ of his Council, forsooth! There is not a title │ │ save his Excellency's in our whole colony, and │ │ Virginia is scarce better provided." │ │ │ │ In spite of my emotions I was fain to laugh, │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ knowing full well that she had culled it all │ │ from Mr. Marmaduke, her father, who was a little │ │ fop. "All in good time, Dolly," I said at │ │ length. "We shall have no lack of noted men │ │ presently." │ │ │ │ "Mere twopenny heroes," she said. "I know │ │ your great men, such as Dr. Henry and Mr. │ │ Adams." │ │ │ │ "You have ever said you would marry an earl," │ │ I answered glumly. "I believe you do not care │ │ for any of us one little bit." │ │ │ │ She turned her face away, so that for the │ │ moment I could not see her expression, and when │ │ she looked back, the low tones of her voice were │ │ of a richness seldom used. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ "You will be coming to Oxford?" she said. │ │ │ │ I shook my head sadly. "Mr. Carvel is too old │ │ for me to leave him, Dolly." │ │ │ │ At that another mood │ │ seemed to come upon her, │ │ like a gust of wind on │ │ the Chesapeake. │ │ │ │ "Oh, how I wish they │ │ were all like you!" she │ │ said. "Sometimes I │ │ despise gallantry. I hate │ │ the smooth compliments of │ │ the macaronies. I thank │ │ Heaven that you are big │ │ and honest and clumsy and--" │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ "And what, Dorothy?" │ │ │ │ "And stupid," said she. │ │ │ │ ______ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ n just one week, the morning of the │ │ sailing came. │ │ │ │ I knew that Captain Waring proposed to sail │ │ at ten of the clock, but after breakfasting I │ │ was of two minds whether to see the last of Miss │ │ Dolly, foreseeing a levee in her honour upon the │ │ ship. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ And so it proved. I had scarce │ │ set out in a pungy from the dock, │ │ when I perceived a dozen boats │ │ about the packet; and when I thrust │ │ my shoulders through the gangway, │ │ there was the company gathered at │ │ the mainmast: Dr. Courtenay in a │ │ green coat laced with fine Mechlin, │ │ Fitzhugh in claret and silk │ │ stockings of a Quaker gray, and the │ │ other gentlemen as smartly drest. │ │ │ │ The Dulany girls and the │ │ Fotheringay girls, and I know not │ │ how many others as well, were there to see their │ │ friend off for home. │ │ │ │ In the midst of them was Dorothy, in a crimson │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ silk capuchin. │ │ │ │ It was she who spied me. "It is Richard!" I │ │ heard her cry. │ │ │ │ I gripped the rope tightly, sprang to the │ │ deck, and faced her as she came out of the │ │ group. │ │ │ │ "I had given you over, Richard," she said, as │ │ her eyes met mine. "Another ten minutes and I │ │ should not have seen you." │ │ │ │ Indeed, the topsails were already off the │ │ caps, the captain on deck, and the men gathered │ │ at the capstan. │ │ │ │ "Have you not enough to wish you good-by?" I │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ said. │ │ │ │ "There must be a score of them"; and she │ │ made a face. "But I wish to talk to you." │ │ │ │ Mr. Marmaduke, however, had no notion of │ │ allowing a gathering in his daughter's honour to │ │ be broken up. It had been said of him, when the │ │ news of the coming departure got around, that he │ │ feared Dorothy would fall in love with some │ │ provincial beau before he could get her within │ │ reach of a title. │ │ │ │ And when he observed me talking to her, he │ │ hurried away from friends, and seizing me by the │ │ the arm, implored me to take good care of my │ │ dear grandfather, and to write occasionally of │ │ the state of his health, and likewise how I │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ fared. │ │ │ │ "I think │ │ Dorothy will │ │ miss you more │ │ than any of │ │ them, Richard," │ │ he said. "Will │ │ you not, my │ │ dear?" │ │ │ │ But she │ │ was gone. │ │ I, too, left │ │ him without │ │ ceremony. │ │ │ │ Then the mate came, with his hand to his cap, │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ cap, respectfully to inform the visitors that │ │ the anchor was up and down. Albeit my spirits │ │ were low, 'twas no small entertainment to watch │ │ my rivals at their adieus. │ │ │ │ When at length the impatient mate had hurried │ │ most of them off, Dolly turned to me. It was │ │ not in me to say more than, "Good-by, Dorothy, │ │ and do not forget your old playmate." │ │ │ │ I had but the time to press her hand. The │ │ boatswain's pipe whistled, and the big ship was │ │ already sliding in the water as I leaped into my │ │ pungy, which Hugo, my servant, was holding to │ │ the ladder. │ │ │ │ We pulled off to where the others waited; │ │ and the Annapolis sailed down the bay, and never │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ another glimpse we caught of my lady. │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │