CHAPTER XVIII.
BACON AND BISCUIT--LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE--THE PATERNAL BENEDICTION--ANAPPARITION--A MOTHER NOT EASILY DECEIVED--THE ADIEU--THE EMPERORCONSTANTINE--IN HOC SIGNO VINCES--THE SAILOR'S POSTSCRIPT--CAESAR ANDHIS FORTUNES--RECOLLECTIONS--MRS. BECKER PLUCKS STOCKINGS AND KNITSORTOLANS--HOW DELIGHTFUL IT IS TO BE SCOLDED--THE BODIES VANISH, BUTTHE SOULS REMAIN.
On their return from Shark's Island, Fritz and Jack were deeplyaffected, not by the dread of the perils they were destined toencounter--these never gave them a moment's uneasiness--but by theknowledge that a merciless vulture was preying upon the vitals oftheir beloved mother.
Willis on the contrary, appeared as lively as if he had just receivednotice of promotion; but whether the idea of again dwelling on theopen sea had really elevated his spirits, or whether this gaiety wasonly assumed to encourage Becker and his sons, was best known tohimself.
It was arranged amongst them that no one, under any circumstances,should be made acquainted with the design they had in contemplation.By this means all opposition would be vanquished, and the regrets ofseparation would, in some degree, be avoided. Besides, if the projectwere divulged, might not Frank and Ernest insist upon their right toshare its dangers? This eventuality alone was sufficient to impressupon them all the urgency of secrecy. The really strong man knows hisweakness, and therefore dislikes to run the risk of exposing it, soBecker dreaded the tears and entreaties that this desperateundertaking would inevitably exercise, were it generally knownbeforehand to the rest of the family; whereas, if once the pinnacewere fairly at sea, it could not be recalled, and time would do therest.
Since, then, all the preparations had to be made in such a way as notto excite suspicion that any thing extraordinary was on foot, theprogress was necessarily slow. Willis, under pretext of amusinghimself, refitted the pinnace, and strengthened it so far as he couldwithout impairing its sailing efficiency. He called to mind that, whenCaptain Cook reached Batavia, after his first voyage round the world,he observed with astonishment that a large portion of the sides of hisfamous ship the _Endeavor_ was, under the water line, no thicker thanthe sole of a shoe.
As soon as the weather had settled, and the tropical heats set in, theWolstons resumed their abode at Falcon's Nest; whilst, under someplausible pretext or other, Willis, Fritz, and Jack took up theirquarters at Rockhouse. This arrangement gave the destined navigatorsthe means of carrying on their operations unobserved, especially asregards salting provisions and baking for the voyage.
Along with the stores, a portion of the valuables, that still remainedin the magazines of Rockhouse, were placed on board the pinnace; for,though gold and precious stones were not of much value in NewSwitzerland, Becker had not forgotten that such was not the case inother portions of the world; he reflected that his sons must befurnished with the means of returning to the colony with comfort.There was also a man of science and education to be bought, and that,he knew, could not be done without as the French proverb has it,having some hay in one's boots.
Storms are usually heralded by some premonitory symptoms: theatmosphere becomes oppressive, the clouds increase in density, the skygradually becomes obscure and large drops of rain begin to fall, thenfollows the deluge, and the elements commence their strife. It is muchthe same with impending misfortunes: gloom gathers on the countenance,our movements become constrained, our thoughts wander, and a tearlingers in the corner of the eye. Fritz and Jack endeavored in vain toappear unconcerned, but, in spite of their efforts, it was painfullyevident that their minds were burdened by some heavy weight. Theywere more tender and more affectionate, particularly towards theirmother. Towards evening, when they quitted the family circle forRockhouse, their adieus were so earnest, so warm, and so oftenrepeated, that it almost appeared as if they were laying in a stock ofthem for their voyage, to store up and preserve with the bacon andbiscuits. Even the animals came in for an extra share of caresses,and, if they were capable of reflection, it must have puzzled themsorely to account for all the endearments that were lavished upon themby the two brothers.
Becker himself was no less affected than his sons; sometimes, when thelatter were busily occupied with some preparation for the voyage, hewould fix his eyes sadly upon them, just as if every trait of thesecherished features had not already been deeply graven on his soul.
During the preceding rainy season, the two young men felt the dayslong and tedious, and wished in their inmost hearts that they wouldpass away more swiftly; now, the hours seemed to fly withunaccountable rapidity, and they would gladly have lengthened them ifthey had had the power. But no one can arrest
Le temps, cette image mobile De l'immobile eternite.
And time is right in holding on the even tenor of its way; for if itonce yielded to the desires of mortals, there would be no end ofconfusion and perplexity. It takes unto itself wings and flies away,say the fortunate; it lags at a snail's pace, say the unfortunate. Theidler knows not how to pass it away. The man of action does notobserve its progress. Those who are looking forward to some favoriteamusement exclaim, "Would that it were to-morrow!" but how many thereare that might well ejaculate, from the bottom of their souls, "Wouldthat to-morrow may never arrive!" How, then, could such wishes be metin a way to satisfy all?
A day at length arrived when everything was ready for departure, andwhen nothing was wanted to weigh anchor but courage on the part ofthe voyagers. The pinnace was laden to the gunwale, the compass was inits place, the casks were filled with fresh water from the JackalRiver, and Willis reported that both wind and sea were propitious fora start.
The morning of that day was lovely in the extreme. Willis, Fritz, andJack were early at Falcon's Nest; the two families breakfastedtogether under the trees in the open air. After breakfast anadjournment to the umbrageous shade of the bananas was proposed andagreed to.
"Mother," said Fritz, taking Mrs. Becker's arm, "I want you all tomyself."
"I object to that, if you please," cried Jack, taking her other arm.
"Why, you boys seem extravagantly fond of your mother to-day," saidMrs. Becker, gaily.
"Well, you see, mother, we have the right to have an idea now andthen--Willis has one every week."
"So long as your ideas are about myself, I have no reason to object tothem," said Mrs. Becker, smiling.
"We have always been dutiful sons, have we not, mother?" inquiredFritz.
"Yes, always."
"You are well pleased with us then?"
"Yes, surely."
"We have never caused you any uneasiness, have we?" inquired Jack.
"That is to say, inadvertently," added Fritz; "designedly is out ofthe question."
"No, not even inadvertently," replied their mother.
"Were you very sorry when Frank and Ernest were going to leave us?"
"Yes, my children, the tears still burn my cheek."
"Nevertheless, you knew that it was for the common welfare, and youfelt resigned to the separation."
"But why do you ask such a question now?"
"Well, _a propos de rien_, mother," replied Jack, "simply because welove you, and, like misers, we treasure your love."
Towards the afternoon both families were again assembled under thetrees at Falcon's Nest This time it was dinner that brought themtogether; the repast consisted of cold meats of various kinds, but thechief dish was a wonderful salad, the rich, fresh odor of whichperfumed the air. Wolston, Frank, and Ernest kept up a livelyconversation, yet, though all seemed happy and pleased, there werebursting hearts at the table that day."
"I am going to take a turn in the pinnace to-morrow," said Willis,quietly; "who will go with me?"
"I will!" cried all the four brothers.
"I shall require you, Frank and Ernest, to take a look at the riceplantation to-morrow," said Becker, "so I wish you to put off theexcursion till another time."
"We are at your orders, father," replied the two young men.
"Where are you going, Willis?" inquired Mrs. Wolston
.
"Well, I am anxious to discover whether we inhabit an island or acontinent, and may, consequently, extend the survey beyond the pointsalready known; so you must not be disappointed should we not returnthe same night."
"But what is the good of such an expedition?" inquired Mrs. Becker.
"The country may be inhabited, or there may be inhabited islands inthe vicinity," replied Willis.
"If there be natives anywhere near," said Mrs. Becker, "they have leftus at peace hitherto, and, in my opinion, since the dog sleeps, itwill be prudent for us to let it lie."
"It is not a question of creating any inconvenience," suggestedBecker, "but only to ascertain more accurately our geographicalposition: such a knowledge can do us no possible harm, but, some day,it may be of immense service to us."
"What if you should fall in with a ship?" inquired Mrs. Wolston.
"In that case we shall give your compliments to the commander,"replied Jack.
"You may do that if you like, but try and bring it back with you ifyou can."
"Do you wish to leave us?"
"I do not mean that," hastily added Mrs. Wolston, "but I am beginningto get anxious about my son, poor fellow. If the _Nelson_ has notarrived at the Cape, then he will suppose we are all drowned, and Ishould like to fall in with some means of assuring him of our safety."
"Oh yes," cried the two girls, "do try and fall in with a ship; ourpoor brother will be so wretched."
"You might say our brother as well," added the two young men.
Here the two mothers interchanged a glance of intelligence, whichmight mean very little, but which likewise might signify a great deal.
A moment of intense anxiety had now arrived for Becker and his twosons; they could scarcely refrain from shedding tears, but they feltthat the slightest imprudence of that nature would divulge everything.
"Come now, my lads, look alive," cried Willis, in a voice which hemeant to be gruff; "if you intend to take a few hours' repose beforewe start in the morning, it is time to be off."
Fritz and Jack, had it been to save their lives, could not now havehelped throwing more than usual energy into their parting embracesthat particular afternoon; but they passed through the ordeal withtolerable firmness, and then with heavy hearts turned towards thedoor.
"I think I will walk with you as far as Rockhouse," said Becker.
All four then departed; and when the party were about fifty yards fromFalcon's Nest, Fritz and Jack turned round and waved a final adieu tothose loved beings whom probably, they might never see again.
"It is well," said Becker. "I am satisfied with your conductthroughout this trying interval."
It was now an hour when there is something indescribably sombre aboutthe country; day was declining, the outlines of the larger objects inthe landscape were becoming less distinct, and the trees were assumingany sort of fantastical shape that the mind chose to assign to them.Here and there a bird rustled in the foliage, but otherwise thesilence was only broken by footsteps of the four men.
In ordinary life children quit the parental home by easy and almostimperceptible gradations. First, there is the school, then college;next, perhaps, the requirements of the profession they have adopted.Thus they readily abandon the domestic hearth; friends, intercourse,and society divide their affection, and the separation from homerarely, if ever, costs them a pang. Not so with Becker's two sons;their world was New Switzerland; therefore, like the rays of the sunabsorbed by the mirror of Archimedes, all their affections wereconcentrated on one point.
On the former occasion when the family ties were on the eve of beingrent asunder, the case was very different. It is true, Frank andErnest were about to leave for an indefinite period of time; but then,every comfort that the most fastidious voyager could desire wasawaiting them on board the _Nelson_; for a well-appointed ship is likea well-appointed inn on shore, all your wants are ministered to withthe utmost celerity. Besides, Captain Littlestone had taken the youngmen under his special protection, and had promised to see themproperly introduced and cared for in Europe. How dissimilar was theposition of Fritz and his brother; they were about to tumble into theold world should they be so fortunate as to reach it, much as if theyhad dropped from the skies, without a guide and without a friend. Theywere about to entrust themselves to the ocean, separated from itstreacherous floods by a few wretched planks; to be exposed for months,almost unsheltered, to wind, rain, and the mercy of pitiless storms.
"If God in His mercy preserves you, my sons," said Becker, breaking atlast the silence, "you will find yourselves launched in an ocean stillmore turbulent than that you have escaped--an ocean where falsehoodand cunning assume the names of policy and tact; where results alwaysjustify the means, whatever these may be; where everything issacrificed to personal interest and ambition; where fortune is honoredas a virtue that dispenses with all others, and where profligacies ofthe most odious kinds are decorated with gay and seductive colors. Itis difficult for me to foresee the various circumstances amidst whichyou may be placed; but there are certain rules of conduct thatprovide for nearly every emergency. I have no need to urge loyalty orcourage--these qualities are inseparable from your hearts. Strive onlyfor what is just and honest. Submit to be cheated rather than becheats yourselves; ill-gotten gains never made any one rich. Put yourtrust in Providence. Seek aid from on high, when you find yourselvessurrounded with difficulties. Never forget that there is no corner onthe earth's surface, however obscure, that the eyes of the Lord arenot there to behold your actions. Act promptly and with energy. Bearin mind that every moment lost will be to your mother an age ofsuffering, and that her life is suspended on the fragile thread ofyour return."
The party had now reached the banks of the Jackal River, where thepinnace was moored. Fritz and Jack were shedding tears unrestrainedly,and had dropped on their knees at their father's feet.
"I call," said Becker, in a trembling voice, "the benediction ofHeaven upon your heads, my sons."
"Oh, but they must not go!" cried Mrs. Becker, rushing out from behindsome tall brushwood that hid her from their view; "they shall not go!"
Fritz and Jack were instantly inclosed within their mother's arms.
"Ah!" cried she, pushing aside the hair from their brows, the betterto observe their features, "you thought to deceive your mother, didyou?"
"Pardon!" exclaimed both the young men.
Here Becker thought it necessary to interfere; and, summoning all thecourage he could muster to the task, said--
"Why should they not go? Is this the first expedition they haveundertaken?"
"No, it is not the first expedition they have undertaken, but it isthe first time their eyes and their looks betokened an eternal adieu.It is the first time that I felt they were forsaking me for ever, andit is the first time you ever addressed them with the words you justnow uttered."
Becker saw that it was useless to attempt to carry deceit anyfurther; he therefore withdrew his eyes from the piercing glance ofhis wife. Willis, caught in the act, as it were, was completely thrownoff his guard, and had not a word to say for himself. Fritz and Jackhad again fallen on their knees, this time at the feet of theirmother.
"Ah! I begin to understand," she screamed, as she glanced around onthe scared group that surrounded her, like a wounded lioness whosecubs were being carried off; "now the bandage begins to drop from myeyes. A thousand inexplicable things dart into my mind. You aresending the boys on an impracticable voyage to secure the safety oftheir mother; but you did not think that in order to prolong myexistence for a few years, you would kill me instantly with grief!What right have you to impose a remedy upon me that is a thousandtimes worse than the malady? Have I ever complained? May my sufferingsnot be agreeable to me? May I not like them? Is pain and suffering notour lot from the cradle to the tomb? But I am not ill, I was neverbetter in my life than I am at this moment."
Here she was seized with a paroxysm of nervous tremors that convulsedher frame most fearfully, and completely bel
ied her words. Beckerrushed forward and held her firmly in his arms.
"God give me strength!" he murmured. "Go, my children, where your dutycalls you; go, my friend, do not prolong this terrible scene aninstant longer."
Not another word was spoken, the pinnace was unmoored; Fritz, Jack,and Willis embarked. When at some little distance from the shore,there was just light enough for Fritz to notice that his father wasdirecting the feeble steps of his mother in the direction of Falcon'sNest. In a few moments more all the objects on shore were one confusedmass of unfathomable shadow. The pinnace dropped anchor at Shark'sIsland, where some few final preparations for the voyage had to bemade. Fritz here took a pen and wrote:
"We part. We are gone. When you read this letter, the sea, for somedistance, will extend between us. We shall live and move elsewhere,but our hearts still with you. We wish that Ernest and Frank woulderect a flagstaff on the spot where we last parted with our parents.It may be to us what the celestial standard bearing the scroll, _inhoc signo vinces_ was to the Emperor Constantine. The place is alreadysacred, and may be hallowed by your prayers for us. Our confidence inthe divine mercy is boundless. Do not despair of seeing us again. Wehave no misgivings, not one of us but anticipates confidently theperiod when we shall return and bring with us health, happiness, andprosperity to you all.
"Let me add a word," said Jack.
"The sea is calm, our hearts are firm, our enterprise is under theprotection of Heaven--there never was an undertaking commenced undermore favorable auspices. Farewell then, once more, farewell. All ouraspirations are for you.
"FRITZ.
"JACK.
"P.S.--Willis was going to write a line or two when, lo and behold! abig tear rolled upon the paper. 'Ha!' said he, 'that is enough, I willnot write a word, they will understand that, I think,' and he threwdown the pen."
"How is the letter to be sent on shore?" inquired Fritz.
"There is a cage of pigeons on board the pinnace," replied Jack, "butI do not want them to know that, for, if they should expect to hearfrom us, and some accident happen to the pigeons, they might bedreadfully disappointed."
"We can return on shore," observed Willis, "and place it on the spot,where we embarked; they are sure to be there to-morrow."
This suggestion was incontinently adopted. The letter was attached toa small cross, and fixed in the ground. The voyagers had allre-embarked in the pinnace, which was destined to bear even more thanCaesar and his fortunes. Willis had already loosened the warp, when, athought crossed the mind of Fritz.
"I must revisit Falcon's Nest once more," said he.
"What!" cried Willis, "you are not going to get up such another sceneas we witnessed an hour or two ago?"
"No, Willis, I mean to go by stealth like the Indian trapper, so as tobe seen by no mortal eye. I wish to take one more look at the oldfamiliar trees, and endeavor to ascertain whether my mother hasreached home in safety."
"But the dogs?" objected Willis.
"The dogs know me too well to give the slightest alarm at my approach.I shall not be long gone; but really I must go, the desire is toopowerful within me to be resisted."
"I will go with you," said Jack.
Here Willis shook his head and reflected an instant.
"You are not angry with us, Willis, are you?"
"Not at all," he replied, "and I think the best thing I can do, underthe circumstances, is to go too."
"Very well, make fast that warp again, and come along."
The party then disappeared amongst the brushwood.
"Some time ago," remarked Fritz, "we followed this track about thesame hour; there was danger to be apprehended, but the enterprise wasbloodless, though successful."
"You mean the chimpanzee affair," said Willis.
"Yes; this time we have only an emotion to conquer, but I am afraid itis too strong for us."
"These are the trees," said Jack, as they debouched upon the road,"that I stuck my proclamations upon. We had very little to think of inthose days."
As the party drew near Falcon's Nest, the dogs approached and welcomedthem with the usual canine demonstrations of joy.
"I have half a mind to carry off Toby," said Fritz; "but I fear Marywould miss him."
Externally all appeared tranquil at Falcon's Nest; this satisfied theyoung men that their mother had succeeded in reaching home, at least,in safety; a light streaming through the window of Becker's dwelling,however, showed that the family had not yet retired for the night.
"If they only knew we were so near them!" remarked Jack.
The entire party then sat down upon a rustic bench, shrouded withflowering orchis and Spanish jasmine.
"How often, on returning from the fields or the chase, we have seenour mother at work on this very seat," observed Fritz.
"Aye," added Jack; "once I observed she had fallen asleep whilstknitting stockings. I advanced on tip-toe, removed gently her knittingapparatus, stockings, and all, and placed on her lap some ortolansthat I had caught and strangled; but I first plucked one of them, andscattered the feathers all about, and then retreated into a thicket towatch the _denouement_ of my scheme. She awoke, put down her hand totake up a stocking, and laid hold of a bird. She stared, rubbed hereyes, stared again, looked about, and could find nothing but theortolan feathers. I then ran forward and embraced her, looking as if Ihad just come from unearthing turnips. 'Well, I declare,' she saidwith a bewildered air, 'I could have sworn that I was knitting justnow, and here I find myself plucking ortolans; and what is more, Ihave not the slightest idea where, in all the world, the birds havecome from!' Of course, I looked as innocent as possible; so that themore she stared and reflected, the less she could make the matter out.At last, she went on plucking the birds, and when this was done shestuck them on the spit. When the ortolans were roasted and ready to beserved up, I went into the kitchen, carried them off, and put mymother's knitting apparatus on the spit. Imagine her surprise when shebeheld her worsted and stockings at the fire, knowing, at the sametime, that four hungry stomachs were waiting for their dinners! Atlast, fearing that she was going to ascribe the metamorphosis to somehallucination of her own, I went up to her, threw my arms round herneck, told her the whole story, and we both of us enjoyed a heartylaugh over it."
"Aye, Jack, those were laughing times," said Fritz, sadly.
"Not only that, but our mother was always so even--tempered; she wasnever ruffled in the slightest degree by my nonsense; though she oftenhad the right to be very angry, yet she never once took offence. Onanother occasion, Mary and Sophia Wolston were working here at thosemysterious embroideries which they always hid when we came near."
"Toby's collar, I suppose," remarked Fritz.
"My tobacco pouch," suggested Willis.
"I approached," continued Jack, "with the muffled softness of a cat,and was just on the point of discovering their secret, when my monkey,Knips, who was cracking nuts at their feet, made a spring, and drew abobbin of silk after it; this caused them to look round, and great wasmy astonishment to find myself caught at the very moment I expected tosurprise them. They commenced scolding me at an immense rate, but thenit was so delightful to be scolded!"
"Aye," murmured Fritz, "that is all over now."
Like a file of sheep, one recollection dragged another after it, sothat the whole of the past recurred to their memories. Some faintstreaks of light now warned them that day was about to break; thecocks began to crow one after the other, and to fill the air withtheir shrill voices.
"Now," said Willis, "it is high time to be off."
Jack hastily gathered two bouquets of flowers, which he suspended tothe lintel of each dwelling.
"These," said he, "will show them that we have paid them anothervisit."
They then bent down all three on their knees, uttered a short prayer,and afterwards disappeared amidst the shadows of the chestnut trees.
"Listen!" said Willis, seeing that his companions were about to make ahalt, "if you stop again, or s
peak of returning any more, I will ceaseto regard you as men."
Half an hour afterwards, on the morning of the 8th March, 1812, thepinnace bore out to sea, and when day broke, the crew could not descrya single trace of New Switzerland on any point of the horizon.