Neil sighed, and rising suddenly, said, "Let us go upstairs; the room is growing very cold. And, mother, do not let father know I have told you about his "bit scrimmage." It would rob him of the triumph of his own recital."
"I"ll not say a word, Neil; you may be sure o" that."
And she did not say a word. Nevertheless, the Elder looked queerly at Neil the following evening, and when he found an opportunity, said, "You"ve been telling tales on me, lad. Your mother hasna petted me a"
the day lang for naething. Some one has whispered a word in her ear. I can see it in her e"en and hear it in her voice, and feel it in the stroke o" her hand. I wonder who it was."
"A bird of the air often carries such matters, sir. It would be but the generality; the particulars can come from yourself only."
"Aye, to be sure!" And he smiled and seated himself comfortably in his chair before the blaze, adding, "It was a wonderfu" bit o" comfort, Neil, and you"ll stand by me if your mother thinks wrong o" it?"
"Shoulder to shoulder, sir. You did quite right."
CHAPTER X.
MARIA GOES TO LONDON.
As the days lengthened, the cold strengthened, and New York experienced a winter of unparallelled severity. Food could only be procured with hard money, and at exorbitant prices, and the scarcity of fuel added greatly to the general distress. Wall Street surrendered most of its beautiful century-old shade trees, to warm the family of the German General Riederel, and before Spring, the streets and lanes of the city, the gardens and pleasure grounds of the burghers, were shorn of their finest fruit and shade trees. The aged, the very young, the men in the prisons and hospitals perished in great numbers, and the deathly cold of the atmosphere was full of the unspeakable misery everywhere present.
These distressing conditions were intensified by the fear of an attack from Washington. The waters around New York were for several weeks so hard frozen that the heaviest artillery could easily have crossed on them; and the city in losing its insular position, lost its chief advantage for defense. Knyphausen constantly expected Washington to cross the ice, and refugees and citizens alike, were formed into companies and subjected to garrison duty. During the dark, bitter watches, men sometimes froze at their posts, and women in their unheated rooms, knelt listening to the children"s breathing, for the atmosphere was so deadly cold that the babes shivered, even in the covert of their mothers" b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
Yet, in this city of frost, and famine, and suffering, a hectic and most unnatural gaiety was kept up. Maria would have little part in it. She could find no pleasure in listening to comedies and songs, in a freezing temperature, and the warmth induced by dancing was generally followed by a most uncomfortable and dangerous chill. Her status in society also led her to feel more content in withdrawing from it a little. She was not yet to be cla.s.sed among the married belles, nor was she quite at one with the girlhood that surrounded her. Her engagement to Lord Medway had set her a little apart; it was understood that she could not be in perfect sympathy with the plans and hopes of either maids or wives.
Yet her life was far from unhappy. She visited Mrs. Gordon and Mrs.
Jacobus a great deal; and the latter delighted in making little lunches and dinners, where the three ladies were joined by Lord Medway, and Neil Semple, and very often also by Major Andr, whose versatile gifts and cheerful temperament were the necessary and delightful ant.i.theses to Neil"s natural gravity and Medway"s cultivated restraint. The splendid rooms of Madame Jacobus were warm, her dinners well cooked, her wines of the finest quality, her good nature never failing. She made a pet of Maria, and Lord Medway--reclining with half-closed eyes in some luxurious chair--watched his betrothed managing this clever woman, so much older than herself, with infinite satisfaction and amus.e.m.e.nt. He foresaw that she would be equal to any social position, and it never occurred to him that it was likely she would manage Lord Medway quite as thoroughly as she managed Madame Jacobus. Occasionally, Medway gave return dinners, at which Madame Semple presided, and then Maria sat at his right hand, and he proved himself to be the most charming of hosts, and the most devoted and respectful of lovers.
Conversation was never to make, every one spoke as they listed, and as their prejudices or convictions led them. There was no Quentin Macpherson present, and opinions were as much individual property as purses. One day, toward the end of January, when the temperature was so low that the dining-table had been drawn close to the hearth, the usual party were sitting in the warmth and glow of its roaring fire. The dinner was over, the servants had left the room, Medway and Maria were picking their walnuts out together, and Major Andr and Neil Semple talking of a game of chess. Then Madame Jacobus drawing her gay Indian shawl closer around her, said suddenly, "Pray what is the news? Has n.o.body a mouthful of intelligence? Are we to wait for the Americans to make us something to talk about?"
"Indeed Madame," answered Maria, "we have not yet exhausted their night attack on the British troops encamped on Staten Island."
"They got nothing but five hundred sets of frozen hands and ears," said Major Andr.
"Oh, yes, they did, sir; blankets and food count for something these days," said Madame, "not to speak of the nine vessels destroyed at Decker"s Ferry--and the prisoners."
"It was a dashing absurdity, Madame."
"With all my soul; yet I am glad, it was an American dashing absurdity."
"You should have seen Knyphausen when he heard of it," continued Andr.
He pulled his whiskers savagely and said "Egad! d.a.m.n! These Americans have the come-back-again, come-back-again, of the flies; to drive them off--it is impossible--they come-back-again." We have, however, had our turn. Four nights ago, our troops entered Newark and Elizabeth and made a few reprisals, and then he began to hum:
"The New York rebs are fat, But the Jersey rebs are fatter; So we made an expedition, And carried off the latter."
Medway laughed. "Madame," he said, "the Major was desperately dull last night, and I wondered at it. But, this morning, as you hear, he is delivered of his verse, and he is cheerful."
"Oh, if the war is degenerating into midnight robberies!" cried Madame, "why does not Washington come? What hinders him from at least trying to get into New York? I do believe if he simply stood on Broadway, he would draw three-fourths of the men in the city to him; why does he not try?
It might end this dreadful war one way or the other, and people are beginning to be indifferent, which way. Why, in the name of wonder, does he not try?"
"It would be a desperate "try,"" answered Andr.
"Yes, but when ordinary means fail, desperate remedies should be tried."
"I saw the exact copy of a letter written by General Washington on the eighth of this month," said Lord Medway, "and in it he declares that his troops, both officers and men, are almost perishing for food; that they have been alternately without bread and meat for two weeks, a very scanty allowance of either, and frequently dest.i.tute of both.
Furthermore, he describes his troops as almost naked, riotous, and robbing the people from sheer necessity. Can you expect a general to lead men in such a condition to battle? He performs a miracle in simply holding them together."
"The poor fellows! And we are warm and comfortable. It seems almost wrong."
"Oh, no!" said Andr. "It is the rebels who are wrong; they are like runaway horses, and, as I said to one who talked to me, "my lad, a runaway horse punishes himself.""
In such freedom of conversation, without a moment"s doubt of each other, they pa.s.sed the hours, and about four o"clock the party usually broke up, and Lord Medway wrapped Maria in her furs, and drove her home.
However, the weariest road sometimes comes to an end, and the long dreadful winter wore itself away, the ice broke up, and the sun shone warmly out of the blue skies, and the trees put forth their young, tender, little leaves. Every one was ready to cry with joy, the simple endurance of misery was over, men could now work and fight, and some movement and change would be possible. Coming home from a delightful drive in the sweet Spring evening, Medway told Maria this, and added that his furlough, so long extended by General Clinton"s love, would probably terminate as soon as active hostilities began. But it was not yet a present case, and Maria did not take the supposition to heart.
Besides, there had been frequent talk of her lover"s departure, and somehow or other, he had never gone. At the Semple gate they stood a while. There were some lilies growing near it, and their fairy-like bells shook in the fresh wind and scattered incense all around. Maria stooped, gathered a handful, and offered them to her lover.
"Kiss them first, for me, Maria," he said, and she buried her lovely face in the fragrant posy, and then lifted it full of delight and perfume. He thought he had never before seen her so purely exquisite, so freshly adorable. His love was a great longing, he could hardly bear to leave her. So he stood holding her hands and the lilies, and looking into her face, but saying nothing, till Maria herself spoke the parting words: "I see grandmother at the door, Ernest, she is calling me; now we must say good-bye!" He could not answer her, he only kissed the lilies, leaped into the carriage, and went speechlessly away.
Maria watched him a few moments, and then hastened into the house.
Madame met her at the door. "There is a letter from your father, Maria,"
she said; "I thought you might want to tell Ernest what news it contained, so I called you, but you didna answer me."
"Yes, I answered, "coming, grandmother," and here I am. What a thick letter! Have you one also?"
"Aye, there was one for your grandfather. Better take yours to your room. When you have read it, and changed your dress, tea will be waiting."
"Is grandfather at home?"
"He is; so do not stay up stairs too long."
She nodded a bright a.s.sent, and holding the letter in her hand went swiftly up the stairway. In half an hour she came back to the parlor, but her face was then troubled and even angry, and her eyes full of tears. She held out the letter to her grandmother, and asked, "Do you know what father has written to me about?"
"I have a very sure suspect," answered Madame; but she went on setting out her china, and did not lift her face, or offer any further opinion.
"It is a shame! I ought to have been told before."
Then the Elder rose, and came toward the tea-table, "Maria," he said, "you will not use such like words, whatever your father pleases to do. I hae nae doubt at all that he has chosen a good wife for himsel" and a good mother for you. You had a long letter; what does he say anent her?"
"She is a nonesuch, of course. No woman in England, or out of England like her."
"I expect as much; my son Alexander has my ain perception concerning women-folk. He would hae the best, or nane at a". Wha was she? He said in my letter you would gie us a" the particulars."
"He has filled six pages about her. She was Miss Elizabeth Spencer.
Father says her family is one of the best and oldest in England. The Reverend Oswald Spencer married them; he is rector of St. Margaret"s Church in London, and a distant relative."
"A very fashionable congregation, and nae doubt the living is according."