"Heaven forgive us! Have I known that man for ten years to hear this account of him at last? But tell me, sir, have you really any true idea of what has been the fate of the poor young widow?"
"No; not the slightest. Immediately after his brother"s funeral, Gabriel Le Noir gave out that Madame Eugene had lost her reason through excessive grief, soon after which he took her with him to the North, and, upon his return alone, reported that he had left her in a celebrated lunatic asylum. The story was probable enough, and received universal belief. Only now I do not credit it, and do not know whether the widow be living or dead; or, if living, whether she be mad or sane; if dead, whether she came to her end by fair means or foul!"
"Merciful heaven, sir! you do not mean to say----"
"Yes; I do mean to say; and if you would like to know what is on my private mind I"ll tell you. I believe that Madame Eugene Le Noir has been treacherously made away with by the same infernal demon at whose instigation her husband was murdered and her child stolen."
The minister seemed crushed beneath the overwhelming weight of this communication; he pa.s.sed his hand over his brow and thence down his face and sighed deeply. For a few moments he seemed unable to reply, and when he spoke it was only to say:
"In this matter, Major Warfield, I can offer you no counsel better than that of your confidential attorney--follow the light that you have until it lead you to the full elucidation of this affair; and may heaven grant that you may find Colonel Le Noir less guilty than you apprehend."
"Parson, humbug! When charity drivels it ought to be turned off by justice! I will follow the little light I have. I suspect, from the description, that the wretch who at Le Noir"s instance carried off the nurse and child was no other than the notorious Black Donald. I have offered an additional thousand dollars for his apprehension, and if he is taken he will be condemned to death, make a last dying speech and confession and give up his accomplices, the accomplished Colonel Le Noir among the rest!"
"If the latter really was an accomplice, there could be no better way of discovering the fact than to bring this Black Donald to justice; but I greatly fear that there is little hope of that," said the minister.
"Aye, but there is! Listen! The long impunity enjoyed by this desperado has made him daring to fatuity. Why, I was within a hair"s breadth of capturing him myself a few days ago."
"Ha! is it possible?" asked the minister, with a look of surprise and interest.
"Aye, was I; and you shall hear all about it," said Old Hurricane. And upon that he commenced and told the minister the adventure of Capitola with Black Donald at Hurricane Hall.
The minister was amazed, yet could not forbear to say:
"It seems to me, however, that it was Capitola who was in a hair"s breadth of capturing this notorious desperado."
"Pooh! she clung to him like the reckless lunatic that she is; but Lord, he would have carried her off on his back if it had not been for me."
The minister smiled a little to himself and then said:
"This protege of yours is a very remarkable girl, as interesting to me in her character as she is in her history; her very spirit, courage and insubordination make her singularly hard to manage and apt to go astray.
With your permission I will make her acquaintance, with the view of seeing what good I can do her."
"Pray do so, for then you will be better able to counsel me how to manage the capricious little witch who, if I attempt to check her in her wild and dangerous freedom of action, tells me plainly that liberty is too precious a thing to be exchanged for food and clothing, and that, rather than live in bondage, she will throw herself upon the protection of the court. If she does that the game is up. Le Noir, against whom we can as yet prove nothing, would claim her as his niece and ward, and get her into his power for the purpose of making way with her, as he did with her father and mother."
"Oh, for heaven"s sake, sir! no more of that until we have further evidence," said the minister, uneasily, adding, "I will see your very interesting protege to-morrow."
"Do, do! to-morrow, to-day, this hour, any time!" said Major Warfield, as he cordially took leave of the pastor.
CHAPTER XXV.
CAP"S TRICKS AND PERILS.
I"ll be merry and free, I"ll be sad for naebody; Naebody cares for me, I care for naebody.
--Burns.
The next day, according to agreement, the pastor came and dined at Hurricane Hall. During the dinner he had ample opportunity of observing Capitola.
In the afternoon Major Warfield took an occasion of leaving him alone with the contumacious young object of his visit.
Cap, with her quick perceptions, instantly discovered the drift and purpose of this action, which immediately provoked all the mischievous propensities of her elfish spirit.
"Uncle means that I shall be lectured by the good parson. If he preaches to me, won"t I humor him "to the top of his bent?"--that"s all," was her secret resolution, as she sat demurely, with pursed-up lips, bending over her needlework.
The honest and well-meaning old country clergyman hitched his chair a little nearer to the perverse young rebel, and gingerly--for he was half afraid of his questionable subject--entered into conversation with her.
To his surprise and pleasure, Capitola replied with the decorum of a young nun.
Encouraged by her manner, the good minister went on to say how much interested he felt in her welfare; how deeply he compa.s.sionated her lot in never having possessed the advantage of a mother"s teaching; how anxious he was by his counsels to make up to her as much as possible such a deficiency.
Here Capitola put up both her hands and dropped her face upon them.
Still farther encouraged by this exhibition of feeling, Mr. Goodwin went on. He told her that it behooved her, who was a motherless girl, to be even more circ.u.mspect than others, lest, through very ignorance, she might err; and in particular he warned her against riding or walking out alone, or indulging in any freedom of manners that might draw upon her the animadversions of their very strict community.
"Oh, sir, I know I have been very indiscreet, and I am very miserable,"
said Capitola, in a heart-broken voice.
"My dear child, your errors have hitherto been those of ignorance only, and I am very much pleased to find how much your good uncle has been mistaken, and how ready you are to do strictly right when the way is pointed out," said the minister, pleased to his honest heart"s core that he had made this deep impression.
A heavy sigh burst from the bosom of Capitola.
"What is the matter, my dear child?" he said, kindly.
"Oh, sir, if I had only known you before!" exclaimed Capitola, bitterly.
"Why, my dear? I can do just as much good now."
"Oh, no, sir; it is too late; it is too late!"
"It is never to late to do well."
"Oh, yes, sir; it is for me! Oh, how I wish I had had your good counsel before; it would have saved me from so much trouble."
"My dear child, you make me seriously uneasy; do explain yourself," said the old pastor, drawing his chair closer to hers and trying to get a look at the distressed little face that was bowed down upon her hands and veiled with her hair; "do tell me, my dear, what is the matter."
"Oh, sir, I am afraid to tell you; you"d hate and despise me; you"d never speak to me again," said Capitola, keeping her face concealed.
"My dear child," said the minister, very gravely and sorrowfully, "whatever your offense has been, and you make me fear that it has been a very serious one, I invite you to confide it to me, and, having done so, I promise, however I may mourn the sin, not to "hate," or "despise," or forsake the sinner. Come, confide in me."
"Oh, sir, I daren"t! indeed I daren"t!" moaned Capitola.
"My poor girl!" said the minister, "if I am to do you any good it is absolutely necessary that you make me your confidant."
"Oh, sir, I have been a very wicked girl; I daren"t tell you how wicked I have been!"
"Does your good uncle know or suspect this wrongdoing of yours?"