Though every moment is precious, yet I cannot refrain from repenting a remark of our good friend, Mrs. Marshall, wife of the Attorney General, in relation to our dear sister. She said, "Mr. Benson"s family reminds me of Cowper"s description of his friends, the Unwins, "Go when I will, I find a house full of peace and cordiality in all its parts and am sure to hear no scandal, but such discourse instead of it, as we are all the better for.""
You would laugh if you could see the quant.i.ty of baggage master Franky has collected for the journey, and which he has no doubt aunt Emily will be able to get into his trunks. This moving a whole family for an absence of nine months, which is probably the length of time we shall be away from home, is no trifling matter.
Mother insists that I shall not trouble myself with a thought about home arrangements. She will attend to everything here. My dear husband gains a little every day, and I think would gain faster if it were not for his anxiety to do more than he is able. He has been so long accustomed to take care of all of us, that he can hardly restrain himself until he is overcome with fatigue.
_Wednesday, October 23rd._
Dear mother, our trunks are packed, and we are on the eve of departure.
To-morrow morning we leave for New York, and are to sail on Thursday.
A day or two since the Doctor received a champagne-basket full, not of wine, but of London porter, from his grateful patient, Lucy Mansfield.
This we are to take with us, and Frank has already received benefit from it. With love to all the dear ones at home, I must bid you _farewell_. I intend to take my journal with me to New York and mail it from thence.
CHAPTER x.x.xIII.
"With wild surprise As if to marble struck devoid of sense, A stupid moment motionless she stood." THOMSON.
_Nice, France, Tuesday, December 10th, 1850._
Dear Mother,--After a long, but not tedious voyage, the good ship "Unicorn," bore us gallantly into the port of Havre, where we arrived on the twenty-eighth of November.
I could almost see my dear husband gain in flesh and strength, so rapidly did he improve. He walks about now as erect and strong as ever.
We tarried but two days in Havre, and then proceeded to this place, where we are comfortably established for the winter. That is, we _shall_ be, when we can get our trunks unpacked.
I don"t know but I shall regret not having taken mother Lenox"s advice to bring Ann instead of Ruth. The poor girl appears almost demented, as she cannot understand a word of the language; and whenever I send her to the kitchen to bring water, or anything from thence, I hear a perfect roar of laughter from the servants at her droll talk and signs. She generally comes back empty handed as she went, rolling her white eyes from side to side, while she sometimes laughs, and sometimes cries at her "poor luck," as she calls it. To-day she came to me in great indignation, saying, "I "clare, missus, "pears like I"se couldn"t bring down my idees to make dem doe heads "stand anything I"se seb. I"se tink dey find dis chile has been brought up in de way to teach dem manners."
The weather is perfectly delightful. I only wish all the dear ones I love were here to enjoy it with us. It is quite fortunate for me that I have no household cares, for I have a double portion of journalizing. I promised to write mother Lenox, in the same full, free manner, as I have always written to you. And as the same journal will be pa.s.sed from mother to Emily, and from Emily to Lucy, and from Lucy to somebody else, I must be especially careful of my style, while in writing to you I merely let my pen travel on at its utmost speed, and with our own poet,
"I feel a certain tingling come Down to my fingers, and my thumb."
Perhaps you can imagine, but I cannot describe to you, the thrill of delight which I felt when I first stepped upon _terra firma_ in Havre; and remembered that though still far from home, and the grave of my dear father; yet I was in the same hemisphere with yourself and my beloved sisters.
No ocean rolled between us.
I was quite amused at a discussion, I overheard between Nelly and Frank, just before I commenced writing. Nelly was earnestly talking of the pleasure she antic.i.p.ated in going to England, and wishing the time were already come. In both expectation and regret, she was cordially joined by her brother. She then proceeded to give Frank a particular account of aunt Nelly which could hardly be from memory; and ended by saying, "I am the most related to her of any of the family."
This, Frank stoutly denied, saying, "She is as much my aunt as yours."
After quite a warm discussion of this interesting point, the disputants agreed to leave it to Ruth, who, after carefully weighing the subject, said in a very gracious tone to Frank, "I "spects, she is, Ma.s.s"r Frank.
But then "pears like its you that"s the nearest to ma.s.s"r, "cause your name be like his." I hope Mrs. Colonel Morton will not be unduly elated at the honor to which Nelly aspires.
_Sat.u.r.day, December 14th._
With the Doctor"s efficient aid, we are now reduced to order; and can find a dress or ap.r.o.n without strewing the floor with the contents of three or four trunks. The same hands have driven up an innumerable number of nails for clothes, of which Ruth and I have made extempore closets by sewing rings to a sheet, and hanging them in front, so that we have only to put aside our curtain, and we are in the inclosure, while coats, dresses, and other clothes are free from dust. Master Franky has a trunk devoted to him for his toys, and so far thinks it much more convenient than his drawers and lockers at home. Another trunk has been a.s.signed to books, slates and apparatus. School commenced in earnest to-day.
The Doctor has sent for a piano, that the children may not lose their practice. He also intends Pauline to take lessons on the harp. I am not, as you know, a proficient upon that instrument.
I have added to my family a little French girl, daughter of one of the peasants, who was very willing to leave her parents for a time, to come to us. Ruth is a very good sempstress; and I find enough of that employment for her, and in following "ma.s.s"r Franky" in his walks of discovery about the town.
My husband chose this location from the fact of its being so healthy; and because there is a Protestant church here. Nice is a great resort for invalids. There are quite a number of families here at present. One lady, with her husband, child and servant occupy rooms above ours. Frank intends calling with me on the aged pastor, whom we have not seen except at church. Our landlord speaks of him with the greatest enthusiasm and affection; and ascribes the peace and prosperity of the place mainly to his influence, and untiring efforts for the good of his people.
_Friday, December 20th._
There is very little variety in our life, and I fear, I shall not be able to relate much that will interest you. I give six hours a day to the children, while Pauline recites in mathematics and Italian to her father. I wish, dear mother, you could see our Pauline again. She reminds me of an author, who describing a young lady, says, "she is near that age, sixteen, at which every day brings with it some new beauty to her form." No one can be more modest, nor, (which seems wonderful in a woman,) more silent; yet when she speaks you might believe a muse was speaking. But then her face,
"So lovely, yet so arch, so full of mirth, The overflowings of an innocent heart."
She is silent only when strangers are present. In the company of those she loves, she is all animation, and merriment. Her father says it is a perfect delight to teach her. The remainder of the school hours Frank devotes to reading, which is a real luxury to him, reserving his walks until we can accompany him.
The Doctor and myself called last evening upon Mr. Percival, whose gray locks, and venerable aspect had already inspired us with respect. He received us with the kindness of a father, and related many incidents connected with his flock which were very pleasing. He has established two schools, one for infant scholars, and another for those more advanced. The infant scholars, however, are many of them near a dozen years of age. He accompanied us part of the way on our return to visit an English gentleman, who is very sick and has come here to die.
"Perhaps," said the old gentleman, "at some future time, I may communicate some facts relative to his history. His life has been one of no common interest."
We parted from our companion with regret, having obtained from him a promise to return our call at his earliest convenience.
_Monday, December 23d._
This morning an incident occurred, which for want of other excitement, has given us a fruitful subject for conversation. Having observed a retired spot not far distant from the house where the invalid of whom I spoke was stopping, we turned our steps toward it, and found it to be a family burying place containing five graves, upon one of which was a beautifully white marble monument, inscribed with the simple word "Imogen." We stood a while to weave each for ourselves a history of this loved one, whose grave was of the usual size of a fully grown woman.
Perhaps she was an only daughter, or a young wife, whose early departure had cast a gloom over a large family.
Pauline and Nelly who started with us had lingered on the way, and came in sight just as we turned to leave the place. Meeting our good friend, Mr. Percival, we walked on slowly together, leaving them to visit the simple grave. It was nearly an hour before they returned. The Doctor and I were enjoying a delightful conversation with our aged friend, who had accompanied us home, when Nelly came bounding into the room, saying, in an excited tone, "oh, mamma!" But seeing we were not alone she checked herself, and was introduced together with Pauline to our visitor. I gazed at Pauline with wonder. Her whole countenance was lighted with animation. Her eyes sparkled, and there was the richest bloom upon her cheeks. I saw at a glance that something unusual had occurred, and said inquiringly, "Well, my daughters, have you had a pleasant walk?"
"Very," they replied, and retired from the room.
Our visitor had no sooner taken his departure than they came running in, eager to communicate their adventure.
"Oh, mamma!" exclaimed Nelly, throwing herself into a chair, "Pauline has had such a scene."
"Yes, mamma," said Pauline, "I never expected to create such a sensation as I did soon after you left. I went to the cemetery with Nelly, and after walking around had thrown myself down before the monument marked "Imogen." I was imagining my own feelings, had the interred been my mother, and thinking if such were the case, how I should love to visit her grave, and plant flowers around it, when I looked up to meet the glance of a young man who was tenderly a.s.sisting an old gentleman toward the very spot where I knelt, while in one hand he carried a portable seat. A single glance sufficed to a.s.sure me that they were mourners for some beloved friend lying there; and I sprang up hastily and apologized for my intrusion. The old gentleman had not appeared to observe me until I spoke; but then he started back as if he had seen a ghost, and would have fallen to the ground had not his companion hastily thrown down the stool, and caught him in his arms. I opened it, and stepping behind them motioned the younger one that it would be better to let him be seated.
He put his hand feebly to his head, saying audibly, "Oh, my G.o.d! support me under this." Then turning to his son, he said, "Did you see her, Eugene?"
""Who, father?"
""Why oh! I forgot myself. Let us return; I can"t stay here. Perhaps she"ll come back."
""Dear father, your eyes have deceived you. It was only a young lady who happened to be reading the epitaph upon the tomb stone;" and he turned to look again at me.
"I had lost all power of motion, and was so drawn toward father and son, that I had not thought of moving.