CHAPTER XIII. MR. ALLEN SHOWS HIS HAND
So Dorothy's beauty had taken London by storm, even as it had conqueredAnnapolis! However, 'twas small consolation to me to hear his Grace ofChartersea called a pig and a profligate while better men danced herattendance in Mayfair. Nor, in spite of what his Lordship had said, wasI quite easy on the score of the duke. It was in truth no small honourto become a duchess. If Mr. Marmaduke had aught to say, there was anend to hope. She would have her coronet. But in that hour of darkness Icounted upon my lady's spirit.
Dr. Courtenay came to the assembly very late, with a new fashion ofpinchbeck buckles on his pumps and a new manner of taking snuff. (Icaught Fotheringay practising this by the stairs shortly after.) Alwaysan important man, the doctor's prominence had been increased that dayby the letter he had received. He was too thorough a courtier to professany grief over Miss Manners's match, and went about avowing that he hadalways predicted a duke for Miss Dorothy. And he drew a deal of pleasurefrom the curiosity of those who begged but one look at the letter.Show it, indeed! For no consideration. A private communication fromone gentleman to another must be respected. Will Fotheringay swore thedoctor was a sly dog, and had his own reasons for keeping it to himself.
The doctor paid his compliment to the captain of the Thunderer, and tohis Lordship; hoped that he would see them at the meet on the morrow,tho' his gout forbade his riding to hounds. He saluted me in the mostfriendly way, for I played billiards with him at the Coffee Housenow, and he won my money. He had pronounced my phaeton to be as wellappointed as any equipage in town, and had done me the honour todrive out with me on several occasions. It was Betty that brought himhumiliation that evening.
"What do you think of the soar our Pandora hath taken, Miss Betty?" sayshe. "From a Maryland manor to a ducal palace. 'Tis a fable, egad! Noless!"
"Indeed, I think it is," retorted Betty. "Mark me, doctor, Dorothy willnot put up an instant with a roue and a brute."
"A roue!" cries he, "and a brute! What the plague, Miss Tayloe! I vow Ido not understand you."
"Then ask my Lord Comyn, who knows your Duke of Chartersea," said Betty.
Dr. Courtenay's expression was worth a pistole.
"Comyn know him!" he repeated.
"That he does," replied Betty, laughing. "His Lordship says Charterseais a pig and a profligate, and I remember not what else. And that Dollywill not look at him. And so little Mr. Marmaduke may go a-hunting foranother title."
No wonder I had little desire for dancing that night! I wandered out ofthe assembly-room and through the silent corridors of the Stadt House,turning over and over again what I had heard, and picturing Dorothyreigning over the macaronies of St. James's Street. She had said nothingof this in her letter to Betty, and had asked me to write to her. Butnow, with a duke to refuse or accept, could she care to hear fromher old playmate? I took no thought of the time, until suddenly myconscience told me I had neglected Patty.
As I entered the hall I saw her at the far end of it talking to Mr.Allen. This I thought strange, for I knew she disliked him. LordComyn and Mr. Carroll, the barrister, and Singleton, were standing by,listening. By the time I was halfway across to them the rector turnedaway. I remember thinking afterwards that he changed colour when hesaid: "Your servant, Mr. Richard." But I thought nothing of it at thetime, and went on to Patty.
"I have come for a country dance, before we go, Patty," I said.
Then something in her mien struck me. Her eyes expressed a pain I hadremarked in them before only when she spoke to me of Tom, and her lipswere closed tightly. She flushed, and paled, and looked from Singletonto Mr. Carroll. They and his Lordship remained silent.
"I--I cannot, Richard. I am going home," she said, in a low voice.
"I will see if the chariot is here," I answered, surprised, but thinkingof Tom.
She stopped me.
"I am going with Mr. Carroll," she said.
I hope a Carvel never has to be rebuffed twice, nor to be humbled bycraving an explanation before a company. I was confounded that Pattyshould treat me thus, when I had done nothing to deserve it. As I madefor the door, burning and indignant, I felt as tho' every eye in theroom was upon me.' Young Harvey drove me that night.
"Marlboro' Street, Mr. Richard?" said he.
"Coffee House," replied I, that place coming first into my head.
Young Harvey seldom took liberties; but he looked down from the box.
"Better home, sir; your pardon, sir."
"D--n it!" I cried, "drive where I bid you!"
I pulled down the fore-glass, though the night was cold, and began tocast about for the cause of Patty's action. And then it was the rectorcame to my mind. Yes, he had been with her just before I came up, and Imade sure on the instant that my worthy instructor was responsible forthe trouble. I remembered that I had quarrelled with him the morningbefore I had gone to Bentley Manor, and threatened to confess hisvillany and my deceit to Mr. Carvel. He had answered me with a sneer anda dare. I knew than Patty put honour and honesty before all else in theworld, and that she would not have suffered my friendship for a day hadshe believed me to lack either. But she, who knew me so well, was notlikely to believe anything he might say without giving me the chance toclear myself. And what could he have told her?
I felt my anger growing big within me, until I grew afraid of what Iwould do if I were tempted. I had a long score and a heavy score againstthis rector of St. Anne's,--a score that had been gathering these years.And I felt that my uncle was somewhere behind him; that the two of themwere plotters against me, even as Harvey had declared; albeit my UncleGrafton was little seen in his company now. And finally, in a sinisterflash of revelation, came the thought that Grafton himself was at theback of this deception of my grandfather, as to my principles. Fool thatI was, it had never occurred to me before. But how was he to gain by it?Did he hope that Mr. Carvel, in a fit of anger, would disinherit me whenhe found I had deceived him? Yes. And so had left the matter in abeyancenear these two years, that the shock might be the greater when itcame. I recalled now, with a shudder, that never since the spring of mygrandfather's illness had my uncle questioned me upon my politics. I wasseized with a fit of fury. I suspected that Mr. Allen would be at theCoffee House after the assembly. And I determined to seize the chance atonce and have it out with him then and there.
The inn was ablaze, but as yet deserted; Mr. Claude expectant. He bowedme from my chariot door, and would know what took me from the ball. Ithrew him some short answer, bade Harvey go home, saying that I wouldhave some fellow light me to Marlboro' Street when I thought proper.And coming into the long room I flung aside my greatcoat and commanded aflask of Mr. Stephen Bordley's old sherry, some of which Mr. Claude hadobtained at that bachelor's demise.
The wine was scarce opened before I heard some sort of stir at thefront, and two servants in a riding livery of scarlet and white hurriedin to seek Mr. Claude. The sight of them sufficed mine host, for he wentout as fast as his legs would go, giving the bell a sharp pull as hepassed the door; and presently I heard him complimenting two gentlemeninto the house. The voice of one I knew,--being no other than CaptainClapsaddle's; and him I had not seen for the past six months. I was justrisen to my feet when they came in at the door beside me.
"Richard!" cried the captain, and grasped my hand in both his own.I returned his pressure, too much pleased to speak. Then his eye wascaught by my finery.
"So ho!" says he, shaking his head at me for a sad rogue. "Wine andwomen and fine clothes, and not nineteen, or I mistake me. It was sowith Captain Jack, who blossomed in a week; and few could vie with him,I warrant you, after he made his decision. But bless me!" he went on,drawing back, "the lad looks mature, and a fair two inches broader thanlast spring. But why are you not at the assembly, Richard?"
"I have but now come from there, sir," I replied, not caring in thepresence of a stranger to enter into reasons.
At my answer the captain turned from me to the gentleman behind him,
whohad been regarding us both as we talked. There are some few men in theworld, I thank God for it, who bear their value on their countenance;who stand unmistakably for qualities which command respect andadmiration and love! We seem to recognize such men, and to wonder wherewe have seen them before. In reality we recognize the virtues theyrepresent. So it was with him I saw in front of me, and by his air andcarriage I marked him then and there as a man born to great things. Youall know his face, my dears, and I pray God it may live in the sight ofthose who come after you, for generation upon generation!
"Colonel Washington," said the captain, "this is Mr. Richard Carvel, theson of Captain Carvel."
Mr. Washington did not speak at once. He stood regarding me a fullminute, his eye seeming to penetrate the secrets of my life. And I takepride in saying it was an eye I could meet without flinching.
"Your father was a brave man, sir," he said soberly, "and it seems youfavour him. I am happy in knowing the son."
For a moment he stood debating whether he would go to the house of oneof his many friends in Annapolis, knowing that they would be offendedwhen they learned he had stopped at the inn. He often came to town,indeed, but seldom tarried long; and it had never been my fortune tosee him. Being arrived unexpectedly, and obliged to be away early on themorrow, he decided to order rooms of Mr. Claude, sat down with me at thetable, and commenced supper. They had ridden from Alexandria. I gatheredfrom their conversation that they were on their way to Philadelphia uponsome private business, the nature of which, knowing Captain Daniel'ssentiments and those of Colonel Washington, I went not far to guess. Thecountry was in a stir about the Townshend duties; and there being somerumour that all these were to be discharged save only that on tea,anxiety prevailed in our middle colonies that the merchants of New Yorkwould abandon the association formed and begin importation. It was ofsome mission to these merchants that I suspected them.
As I sat beside Colonel Washington, I found myself growing calmer,and ashamed of my lack of self-control. Unconsciously, when we comein contact with the great of character, we mould our minds to theirqualities. His very person seemed to exhale, not sanctity, but virility.I felt that this man could command himself and others. In his presenceself-command came to me, as a virtue gone out of him. 'Twas not hisspeech, I would have you know, that took hold of me. He was by no meansa brilliant talker, and I had the good fortune to see him at his ease,since he and the captain were old friends. As they argued upon thequestions of the day, the colonel did not seek to impress by words,or to fascinate by manner. His opinions were calm and moderate, andappeared to me so just as to admit of no appeal. He scrupled not to usea forceful word when occasion demanded. And yet, now and then, he hada lively way about him with all his dignity. When he had finished hissupper he bade Mr. Claude bring another bottle of Mr. Bordley's sherry,having tested mine, and addressed himself to me.
He would know what my pursuits had been; for my father's sake, what weremy ambitions? He questioned me about Mr. Carvel's plantation, of whichhe had heard, and appeared pleased with the answers I gave as to itsmanagement and methods. Captain Daniel was no less so. Mr. Washingtonhad agriculture at his finger ends, and gave me some advice which he hadfound serviceable at Mount Vernon.
"'Tis a pity, Richard," said he, smiling thoughtfully at the captain,"'tis a pity we have no service afield open to our young men. One ofyour spirit and bearing should be of that profession. Captain Jack wasas brave and dashing an officer as I ever laid eyes on."
I hesitated, the tingling at the compliment.
"I begin to think I was born for the sea, sir," I answered, at length.
"What!" cried the captain; "what news is this, Richard? 'Slife! how hasthis come about?"
My anger subdued by Mr. Washington's presence, a curious mood had takenits place. A foolish mood, I thought it, but one of feeling things tocome.
"I believe I shall one day take part in a great sea-fight," I said. And,tho' ashamed to speak of it, I told him of Stanwix's prophecy that Ishould pace the decks of a man-o'-war.
"A pox on Stanwix!" said the captain, "an artful old seadog! I neveryet knew one who did not think the sun rises and sets from poop toforecastle, who did not wheedle with all the young blood to get them tofollow a bow-legged profession."
Colonel Washington laughed.
"Judge not, Clapsaddle," said he; "here are two of us trying to get thelad for our own bow-legged profession. We are as hot as Methodists toconvert."
"Small conversion he needed when I was here to watch him, colonel. Andhe rides with any trooper I ever laid eyes on. Why, sir, I myself threwhim on a saddle before he could well-nigh walk, and 'twere a waste ofmaterial to put him in the navy."
"But what this old man said of a flag not yet seen in heaven or earthinterests me," said Colonel Washington. "Tell me," he added with apenetration we both remarked, "tell me, does your Captain Stanwix followthe times? Is he a man to read his prints and pamphlets? In other words,is he a man who might predict out of his own heated imagination?"
"Nay, sir," I answered, "he nods over his tobacco the day long. And Iwill make bold to swear, he has never heard of the Stamp Act."
"'Tis strange," said the colonel, musing; "I have heard of this secondsight--have seen it among my own negroes. But I heartily pray that thismay be but the childish fancy of an old mariner. How do you interpretit, sir?" he added, addressing himself to me.
"If a prophecy, I can interpret it in but one way," I began, and there Istopped.
"To be sure," said Mr. Washington. He studied me awhile as thoughweighing my judgment, and went on: "Needless to say, Richard, that sucha service, if it comes, will not be that of his Majesty."
"And it were, colonel, I would not embark in it a step," I cried.
He laughed.
"The lad has his father's impulse," he said to Captain Daniel. "ButI thought old Mr. Carvel to be one of the warmest loyalists in thecolonies."
I bit my lip; for, since that unhappy deception of Mr. Carvel, I hadnot meant to be drawn into an avowal of my sentiments. But I had, alas,inherited a hasty tongue.
"Mr. Washington," said the captain, "old Mr. Carvel has ever been a goodfriend to me. And, though I could not but perceive which way the lad wastending, I had held it but a poor return for friendship had I soughtby word or deed to bring him to my way of thinking. Nor have I eversuffered his views in my presence."
"My dear sir, I honour you for it," put in the colonel, warmly.
"It is naught to my credit," returned the captain. "I would not, for thesake of my party and beliefs, embitter what remains of my old friend'slife."
I drew a long breath and drained the full glass before me.
"Captain Daniel!" I cried, "you must hear me now. I have been waitingyour coming these months. And if Colonel Washington gives me leave, Iwill speak before him."
The colonel bade me proceed, avowing that Captain Carvel's son shouldhave his best assistance.
With that I told them the whole story of Mr. Allen's villany. How I hadbeen sent to him because of my Whig sentiments, and for thrashing a Toryschoolmaster and his flock. This made the gentlemen laugh, tho' CaptainDaniel had heard it before. I went on to explain how Mr. Carvel hadfallen ill, and was like to die; and how Mr. Allen, taking advantage ofhis weakness when he rose from his bed, had gone to him with the lie ofhaving converted me. But when I told of the scene between my grandfatherand me at Carvel Hall, of the tears of joy that the old gentleman shed,and of how he had given me Firefly as a reward, the captain rose fromhis chair and looked out of the window into the blackness, and sworea great oath all to himself. And the expression I saw come into thecolonel's eyes I shall never forget.
"And you feared the consequences upon your grandfather's health?" heasked gravely.
"So help me God!" I answered, "I truly believe that to have undeceivedhim would have proved fatal."
"And so, for the sake of the sum he receives for teaching you," criedthe captain, with another oath, "this scoundrelly clergyman has b
etrayedyou into a lie. A scheme, by God's life! worthy of a Machiavelli!"
"I have seen too many of his type in our parishes," said Mr. Washington;"and yet the bishop of London seems powerless. And so used have webecome in these Southern colonies to tippling and gaming parsons, that Iwarrant his people accept him as nothing out of the common."
"He is more discreet than the run of them, sir. His parishioners dislikehim, not because of his irregularities, but because he is attempting toobtain All Saints from his Lordship, in addition to St. Anne's. He isthought too greedy."
He was silent, his brow a little furrowed, and drummed with his fingersupon the table.
"But this I cannot reconcile," said he, presently, "that the reward isout of all proportion to the risk. Such a clever rascal must play forhigher stakes."
I was amazed at his insight. And for the moment was impelled to makea clean breast of my suspicions,--nay, of my convictions of the wholedevil's plot. But I had no proofs. I remembered that to the colonel myuncle was a gentleman of respectability and of wealth, and a memberof his Excellency's Council. That to accuse him of scheming for myinheritance would gain me nothing in Mr. Washington's esteem. AndI caught myself before I had said aught of Mr. Allen's conduct thatevening.
"Have you confronted this rector with his perfidy, Richard?" he asked.
"I have, colonel, at my first opportunity." And I related how Mr.Allen had come to the Hall, and what I had said to him, and how he hadbehaved. And finally told of the picquet we now had during lessons, notcaring to shield myself. Both listened intently, until the captain brokeout. Mr. Washington's indignation was the stronger for being repressed.
"I will call him out!" cried Captain Daniel, fingering his sword, as washis wont when angered; "I will call him out despite his gown, or elsehorse him publicly!"
"No, my dear sir, you will do nothing of the kind," said the colonel."You would gain nothing by it for the lad, and lose much. Such rascalswalk in water, and are not to be tracked. He cannot be approached savethrough Mr. Lionel Carvel himself, and that channel, for Mr. Carvel'ssake, must be closed."
"But he must be shown up!" cried the captain.
"What good will you accomplish?" said Mr. Washington; "Lord Baltimore isnotorious, and will not remove him. Nay, sir, you must find a way to getthe lad from his influence." And he asked me how was my grandfather'shealth at present.
I said that he had mended beyond my hopes.
"And does he seem to rejoice that you are of the King's party?"
"Nay, sir. Concerning politics he seems strangely apathetic, whichmakes me fear he is not so well as he appears. All his life he has feltstrongly."
"Then I beg you, Richard, take pains to keep neutral. Nor let anypassing event, however great, move you to speech or action."
The captain shook his head doubtfully, as tho' questioning the abilityof one of my temper to do this.
"I do not trust myself, sir," I answered.
He rose, declaring it was past his hour for bed, and added some kindthings which I shall cherish in my memory. As he was leaving he laid hishand on my shoulder.
"One word of advice, my lad," he said. "If by any chance yourconvictions are to come to your grandfather's ears, let him have themfrom your own lips." And he bade me good night.
The captain tarried but a moment longer.
"I have a notion who is to blame for this, Richard," he said. "When Icome back from New York, we shall see what we shall see."
"I fear he is too slippery for a soldier to catch," I answered.
He went away to bed, telling me to be prudent, and mind the colonel'scounsel until he returned from the North.