of others, and confined you in a lonely, desolatedwelling, far from the sweets of society; and this only because youcannot heedlessly renounce a most solemn contract, formed under his eye,and sanctioned by his immediate consent and approbation. Pardon me,Melissa, I would not censure your father; but permit me to say, thatafter such treatment, you are absolved from implicit obedience to hisrigorous, cruel, and stern commands.--It will therefore be considered aduty you owe to your preservation, if you suffer me to remove you fromthe tyrannical severity with which you are oppressed."
Melissa sighed, wiping a tear which fell from her eye. "Unqualifiedobedience to my parents, said she, I have ever considered the first ofduties, and have religiously practised thereon----but where, Alonzo,would you remove me?" "To any place you shall appoint," he answered."I have no where to go," she replied.
"If you will allow me to name the place, said he, I will mention Mr.Simpson's. He will espouse your cause and be a father to you, and, ifconciliation is possible, will reconcile you to your father. This can bedone without my being known to have any agency in the business. It canseem as if Mr. Simpson had found you out. He will go any just lengths toserve us. It was his desire, if you could be found, to have you broughtto his house. There you can remain either in secret or openly, as youshall choose. Be governed by me in this, Melissa, and in all things Iwill obey you thereafter. I will then submit to the future events offate; but I cannot Melissa--I cannot leave you in this doleful place."
Melissa arose and walked the room in extreme agitation. What could shedo? She had, indeed, determined to leave the house, for reasons whichAlonzo knew nothing of. But should she leave it in the way she hadproposed, she was not sure but she would be immediately remanded back,more strictly guarded, and more severely treated. To continue there,under existing circumstances, would be impossible, long to exist. Shetherefore came to a determination--"I will go, she said, to Mr.Simpson's."
It was then agreed that Alonzo should proceed to Vincent's, interestthem in the plan, procure a carriage, and return at eleven o'clock thenext night. Melissa was to have the draw-bridge down, and the gate open.If John should come to the house the succeeding day, she would persuadehim to let her still keep the keys. But it was possible her aunt mightreturn. This would render the execution of the scheme more hazardous anddifficult. A signal was therefore agreed on; if her aunt should bethere, a candle was to be placed at the window fronting the gate, in theroom above; if not, it was to be placed against a similar window in theroom below. In the first case Alonzo was to rap loudly at the door.Melissa was to run down, under pretence of seeing who was there, flywith Alonzo to the carriage, and leave her aunt to scrape acquaintancewith the ghosts and goblins of the old mansion. For even if her auntshould return, which was extremely doubtful, she thought she couldcontrive to let down the bridge and unlock the gate in the eveningwithout her knowledge. At any rate she was determined not to let thekeys go out of her hands, unless they were forced from her, until shehad escaped from that horrid and dreary place.
Daylight began to break from the east, and Alonzo prepared to depart.Melissa accompanied him to the gate and the bridge, which was let down:he passed over, and she slowly withdrew, both frequently turning to lookback. When she came to the gate, she stopped;--Alonzo stopped also. Shewaved a white handkerchief she had in her hand, and Alonzo bowed inanswer to the sign. She then leisurely entered and slowly shut thegate.--Alonzo could not forbear climbing up into a tree to catch anotherglimpse of her as she passed up the avenue. With lingering step he sawher move along, soon receding from his view in the gray twilight ofmisty morning. He then descended, and hastily proceeded on his journey.
Traits of glory now painted the eastern skies. The glittering day-star,having unbarred the portals of light, began to transmit its retrocessivelustre. Thin scuds flew swiftly over the moon's decrescent form. Low,hollow winds, murmured among the bushes, or brushed the limpid dropsfrom intermingling foliage. The fire-fly[A] sunk, feebly twinkling,amidst the herbage of the fields. The dusky shadows of night fled to thedeep glens, and rocky caverns of the wilderness. The American larksoared high in the air, consecrating its matin lay to morn's approachingsplendours. The woodlands began to ring with native melody--the foresttops, on high mountains, caught the sun's first ray, which, widening andextending, soon gem'd the landscape with brilliants of a thousandvarious dies.
[Footnote A: The American lampyris, vulgarly called the lightning-bug.]
As Alonzo came out of the fields near the road, he saw two personspassing in an open chair. They suddenly stopped, earnestly gazing athim. They were wrapped in long riding cloaks, and it could not bedistinguished from their dress whether they were men or women. He stoodnot to notice them, but made the best of his way to Vincent's, where hearrived about noon.--Rejoiced to find that he had discovered Melissa,they applauded the plan of her removal, and assisted him in obtaining acarriage. A sedan was procured, and he set out to return, promising tosee Vincent again, as soon as he had removed Melissa to Mr. Simpson's.He made such use of his time as to arrive at the mansion at the hourappointed. He found the draw-bridge down, the gate open, and saw, as hadbeen agreed upon, the light at the lower window, glimmering through thebranches of trees. He was therefore assured that Melissa was alone. Hisheart beat; a joyful tremor seized his frame; Melissa was soon to beunder his care, for a short time at least.--He drove up to the house,sprang out of the carriage, and fastened his horse to a locust tree: Thedoor was open; he went in, flew lightly up stairs, entered herchamber--Melissa was not there! A small fire was blazing on the hearth,a candle was burning on the table. He stood petrified with amazement,then gazed around in anxious solicitude. What could have become of her?It was impossible, he tho't, but that she must still be there.
Had she been removed by fraud or force, the signal candle would not havebeen at the window. Perhaps, in a freakish moment, she had concealedherself for no other purpose than to cause him a little perplexity. Hetherefore took the candle and searched every corner of the chamber, andevery room of the house, not even missing the garret and the cellar.He then placed the candle in a lantern, and went out and examined theout-houses: he next went round the garden and the yard, strictlyexploring and investigating every place; but he found her not. Herepeatedly and loudly called her by name; he was answered only by thesolitary echoes of the wilderness.
Again he returned to the house, traversed the rooms, there also callingon the name of Melissa: his voice reverberated from the walls, dyingaway in solemn murmurs in the distant empty apartments. Thus did hecontinue his anxious scrutiny, alternately in the house and theenclosure, until day--but no traces could be discovered, nothing seen orheard of Melissa. What had become of her he could not form the mostdistant conjecture. Nothing was removed from the house; the beds, thechairs, the table, all the furniture remained in the same condition aswhen he was there the night before;--the candle, as had been agreedupon, was at the window, and another was burning on the table:--it wastherefore evident that she could not have been long gone when hearrived. By what means she had thus suddenly disappeared, was a mostdeep and inscrutable mystery.
When the sun had arisen, he once more repeated his inquisitive search,but with the same effect. He then, in extreme vexation anddisappointment, flung himself into the sedan, and drove from themansion. Frequently did he look back at the building, anxiously did hescrutinize every surrounding and receding object. A thrill of pensiverecollection vibrated through his frame as he passed the gate, and thekeen agonizing pangs of blasted hope, pierced his heart, as his carriagerolled over the bridge.
Once more he cast a "longing, lingering look" upon the premises behind,sacred only for the treasure they lately possessed; then sunk backwardin his seat, and was dragged slowly away.
* * * * *
Alonzo had understood from Melissa, that John's hut was situated aboutone mile north from the mansion where she had been confined. When hecame out near the road, he left his horse and carriage, after securing
them, and went in search of it.--He soon discovered it, and knew it fromthe description given thereof by Melissa.--He went up and knocked at thedoor, which was opened by John, whom Alonzo also knew, from the portraitMelissa had drawn of him.
John started in amazement. "Understanding, said Alonzo, that you havethe charge of the old mansion in yonder field, I have come to know ifyou can inform me what has become of the young lady who has beenconfined there."
"Confined! answered John, I did not know she was confined."
Recollecting himself, "I mean the young lady who has lately residedthere with her aunt," replied Alonzo.
"She was there last night, answered John; her aunt is gone into thecountry and has not returned."
Alonzo then told him the situation of the mansion, and that she was notthere. John informed him that she was there about sunset,