University of Virginia Library

11. CHAPTER XI.
MATCH MAKING.

The Governor's guests and family were already seated at breakfast, more
than one messenger having been despatched for the two missing young ladies.
They entered at the very moment, when some surprise was being expressed at
the unwonted length of Miss Evylin's walk.

“So, so, Doctor,” said the Governor, looking in triumph at his worthy old
friend, “I told you Kate was the better Doctor of the two, now look at your
daughter and tell me if that is not pretty well for the first morning?”

The Doctor made room near himself, for his daughter, and looked indeed
with much interest for the refreshened bloom to which his Excellency alluded.
There it was sure enough, two round red spots in her cheeks—whether the
result of health or disease he seemed somewhat puzzled to tell.

Be that as it might, the effect upon her beauty was indeed lustrous. Her
eyes too, which on the previous night, seemed to move slowly and painfully
over objects in the room, were bright as diamonds, with the late excitement.
Every one approved of Kate's practice, and the Doctor was free to confess
himself out-done, yet he was not so sanguine as others as to the final result.
He would rather have seen that red and white blending imperceptibly in her
cheeks like Kate's. His professional experience led him to distrust those
deceitful heralds of an early grave. The effect for the present was
much the same however, for the trinmphant and enthusiastic Kate herself,
had not brought in from the fields and flowers a richer harvest of beauty.
Sickness rather lent an interest to, than diminished from, the loveliness of that
delicate young creature. In that large company of gay and fashionable people,
she looked like a little nun, just escaped from the gates of a living tomb.
Those two, father and daughter, were objects of peculiar solicitude and interest—there
was a sweet, confidential air between them, quite different from
the ordinary manifestations in similar relations, so placed. They appeared to
be all in all to each other—they had of late lived with and for no one else—
of course that air of monastic seclusion about the daughter particularly, was
far removed from the conventional courtly grace of most of those around her.
Not that there was any gaucherie, far from it, she was rather elevated above
the conventional standard, than fallen below it—so much did that constant,
self-sustained spirit and mental endowments of the rarest order, elevate her
above any mere temporary rules of propriety. She scarcely seemed to think that
she was called upon to bear a part in the general conversation, and yet, when
the Governor or Reverend Commissary, addressed any remark to her, she
answered in a manner to convince every one, that she had read and reflected
upon most subjects comprehended under the terms of general information, even
in the sterner sex.

It had been one of the favorite projects of the Governor, in days gone by,
to unite his eldest son and heir to the daughter of his oldest and best friend.
There seemed a peculiar propriety in this, on every account. Some persons
thought they could perceive a remarkable similarity of mental constitution.
John Spotswood was then one of the ablest men within the boundaries of the
Old Dominion—of vigorous intellect—learned and subtle in the use of scholastic
weapons, and with a power of eloquence, when he chose to use it, which a
public assembly could rarely withstand. There seemed then a propriety in the
proposed union of these most carefully educated persons, but a greater mutual
repugnance sprung up between them than could could have been imagined
from the premises stated. These are matters our fair readers have doubtless
discovered ere this, which are not soluble either by mathematical or logical

rules. So it seemed in this case. Any one to have become acquainted with
the parties, separately, would have declared at once, that they were just made
for each other, and yet all things, thus conspiring thereto, the match could not
be brought about. We are speaking of John rather as he once was, than as
he has been presented to the reader. He was now a walking mystery to his
friends—past finding out—perhaps that mystery may be solved ere we progress
much farther in our narrative. He paid her several visits, and spent some
long evenings with the Doctor, but when his father catechised him in his bantering
way upon the progress of the affair, he answered abruptly that she was
a prude.

Ellen ran her eyes over the company at the table, in search of the new
tutor, anxious to see how he would appear by daylight, and almost afraid to
see those lips again that called up so many painful memories—while she was
in the very act, a servant entered with an answer to a message, which the Governor
had despatched to him previous to her entrance—to the effect, that he
would pay his respects to his Excellency and his guests directly.

“Poor fellow,” said the Governor, “he doubts his position in our little circle,
and was too unpresuming to present himself, but I will soon shew him that if Lady
Spotswood marshals her guests to the table in order of their rank, that I range
mine in the order of their merit.”

Her Ladyship laughed at this saily and replied “That it was the first time
in her recollection that she had been charged with too exact an observance
of form and ceremony. What says the Commissary?”

“I think that the papers relating to the Tramontaine expedition might answer
that question for his Excellency. Are not three-fourths of the aristocracy of
the land ranged against it?” said he.

“It was not her Ladyship who offended them; that sin lies upon my shoulders.
Indeed I did but jest about the order of precedence.”

A cloud came over that hard weather-beaten face, as soon as the great subject
of all his meditations were mentioned, and he remained in a thoughtful mood
for a while, and then continued: “My first offence was that I, a military man,
and nothing else, arrived in the Colony most unexpectedly to take the place
of a gentleman who was captured on his way hither by the French. He was
expected to espouse the cause of the clique whom I have mortally
offended by attending to the real interests of the whole Colony. Instead
of being too much of a political partizan, I have not been enough so to please
them. In the second place, I have established ware-houses for the inspection
of tobacco at convenient places throughout the land, and this touches the
pockets of the planting interest. In the third place, I have established a
large iron furnace and forge, and this separates me still more from that interest.
And fourthly and lastly, I have advocated the establishment of military
posts from the frontiers to the head waters of the Mississippi, thus disuniting
the grasping French from forming in our rear, and this they say, all the men
and tobacco in the Colony could not accomplish. Is it truly put, Mr. Commissary?”

“Very fairly stated, but you forgot to mention the Indian hostages at the
College.”

“Oh, aye. They say farther that I am putting a stick into the hands of
savages to break our own heads. Now we have the whole case; was ever a
glorious and magnificent scheme of conquering an Empire, thwarted from
from such pitiful and contemptible motives. Oh, if I only had some of
Marlborough's brave boys here, how I would shame these poor sordid narrow
minded creatures. I would plant the British Lion on the most commandin
position which it has ever yet occupied. Grand as the enterprise is, in a military
point of view, it is far surpassed in importance by its civil and social
relations. The discovery of Columbus itself was nothing—the achievements

of Smith and Raleigh are nothing if we are to be hemmed in here within a
narrow strip of land along the Atlantic coast. Accomplish my design and
resources are opened to the west, which the most enthusiastic visionary cannot
now foresee.”

Kate exchanged a smile with some of the young gentlemen. She had so
often heard him dilate upon the same subject, while Dorothea looked up in his
face and remarked, “Papa, I have always heard that old soldiers love to fight
their battles over again, but you are always fighting them by anticipation.”

Patting her on the head, he replied, “Then I am a gasconader, am I?”

Before any reply was uttered, the tutor entered, dressed pretty much as he
had been the night before, but looking weary and haggard as if he had spent
a sleepless night. Notwithstanding this, his carriage was erect, and he walked
to his place and made the salutations of the morning with a grace and
ease, more like a courtier just from the saloons of the Queen, than a poor
houseless tutor and private secretary. There was nothing extravagant at all
in his manners; on the contrary, they were regulated with the best possible
taste, with the exception, that he had seemingly not yet schooled himself into
the humble deferential air, usually supposed to become one in his position.
Before he was seated, the Governor named the ladies to him, and he again
bowed to them, bending over very low and gracefully saluted Kate and
Ellen, but not uttering a syllable. He passed the hour of breakfast
very much in the same way, scarcely ever speaking, except when the Governor
addressed some questions directly to him, and which he answered like
a man possessed of ample information touching all the interesting questions
then involved in the subject of the succession.

It was curious to watch the painful sort of interest with which Ellen Evylin's
eyes seemed to gloat on his face every now and then, before she would turn
away with a dissatisfied air.

His face was one which, like the Governor's, had seen some little vicissitudes
of weather, with this difference, that old Boreas had put his marks on
the first after the zenith of life had been passed, while in the other, it was
scarcely approached. He wore large brown whiskers, overshadowing much
of his face, retained no coubt from his military life, and stretching from one
of them, the scar of a deep sabre cut ran along his face and down into his
very month. So that his countenance, when in repose, had rather a ferocious
look, from which, however, it was instantly redeemed when lighted up in conversation.
He was tall and slender, and not apparently in good health. Altogether,
he was a remarkable looking man.

Kate whispered to Ellen, as they were leaving the room, arm in arm, “Our
new tutor has quite as aristocratic an air as any person at the table, and more
of the camp grace about him than even papa himself.”

“Did you ever hear such a deep toned voice, Kate?” said Ellen, “it sounds
like the bass pipes of your organ; I could not help fancying him giving commands
along a line of soldiers in battle array.”

“The very idea, Ellen! there is command in it, aye, and in more than that
about him; poor man, he has not always been a tutor, I dare say.”

“Kate, I always feel sorry for your broken down gentleman; there is no
more melancholy expression in our language, han `such a one has seen better
days,' and how instantly they occur en looking at Mr. Hall. Without
the slightest appearance of an attempt to excite sympathy—indeed quite the
reverse—every tone and attitude tells of fallen fortunes. Papa seems to have
fallen in love with him at first sight, but that big scar over his face would captivate
him, at any time. He loves a soldier for his own sake, independent of
the cause he has been engaged in!”

“And what cause, Kate, did Mr. Hall espouse?”

“I do not know, Ellen, perhaps papa enquired into that; but, as I said just

now, it would matter little with him, if his soldiership and personal honor
remained unimpeached.”

“I would almost be a surety for them myself, so firmly persuaded am I that
he is a true man.”

“What strange prejudices you do take up, Ellen, and almost at first sight.
Here is Mr. Harry Lee, a gentleman of princely fortune, high birth, great personal
accomplishments, and a plavmate of your childhood, whom you cannot bear
the sight of; while on the other hand, you are ready to vonch for the honor
and honesty of a poor stanger whom you never saw but once before in your
life.”

“True, Kate, I believe it is the nature of our sex to judge more by the heart
than the head, and I don't know but they err as seldom in their estimates of
character as the other. As to the fortune and birth, and all that, which you
have tossed into Harry Lee's scale in balancing these two characters. I do
not value them at that,” (snapping her fingers.) “I would not marry him
if he was heir apparent to the throne of England.”

“I heard a servant announce to my father, as I left the room, that Mr. Lee
would be here to-day.”

“Yes, I recognized the livery, and so odious has even the poor servant's
badge of office become, that it hurried me from the table.”

“Why, my Ellen, I had no idea, that you were such a spiteful, bitter little
jade!”

“Did you suppose because out of health, I was a poor tame somebody that
said yea and nay, with a drawl, and nasal twang, and that I would be Mr.
Lee's humble servant as soon as he laid his fortune at my feet. No, no Kate,
you, if placed in my position, without ehanging characters, would do just as
I have done.”

“I confess Ellen, that I never admired him myself, even before your sketch,
and I cannot say that my estimate has increased since; he is a gentleman for
all that.”

“Yes, as your holyday world has it—your world that estimates every thing
by the surface, he is a gentleman, but oh, Kate, how I have come to despise
that hollow, deceitful, average of all men to one common conventional standard.
A certain quantity of broad-cloth or velvet—quantum sufficit (as father's prescriptions
say) of lace, four silver buckles—or perhaps gold—a pair of pumps
and a cocked hat—and there is your gentleman.”

“Oh no, Ellen, that is a mere stuffed figure, such as the tailors shew their
fine clothes upon.”

“Well, what more is your ball room gentleman, just give this figure a
motion backwards and forwards, whenever it meets a lady and is spoken to,
and is not the picture complete?”

“Oh no, Ellen, it must talk and laugh.”

“Yes, Kate, and to be very excruciating, it must weep too, but how much
talk will answer, and how small a phial of tears? poh! poh! you know their
small talk is nothing—half of it is about the weather, and the vane upon the
cupola does that a great deal better, and says nothing.”

“Why, Ellen! if the forthcoming shadow of Harry Lee makes you as satirical
as that amusing churchman whom I read to you last night, what will his
real presence do?”

“Make me as stately and formal as he is, if not so pempous.”

“And is he one of your stuffed figures, that talks of the weather and one
thing or another—a walking weather-cock, or the clerk of the weather's
deputy?”

“No, not just that to give him his due, he has some mind—covered up,
beneath all the pomps and vanities of all the Lee's.”

“And what is the staple of his conversation?”

“His world material and immaterial, has one common centre, and that is
Mr. Harry Lee, member of the house of Burgesses. He is a philosopher too,
and has discovered a new theory of the solar system!”

“Indeed, and what is his grand principle?”

“Why, that Henry Lee, Esq., of Westmoreland, is the grand centre of that
system, and that the sun revolves around him.”

“Oh, Ellen, how we have all been slandering you here, in your absence.
One gentleman declared, that you were only prevented from taking the veil,
because there was no nunnery convenient. Another that you were going to
join the Dissenters, and another the Quakers—and poor John, that you were a
man-hater.”

“I am sure I never gave your brother any reason to say so. He, I'm certain,
can never be ranked with the automaton figures. Neither of us had
much fancy I believe for each other, in a matrimonial point of view, but no
one can converse with John, for one hour, without respecting his understanding;
but do you know Kate, that he has imbibed deeply of Bolingbroke's most
dangerous opinions?”

“Ha! and that is the secret then of your sudden disagreement, or rather
agreement to disagree?”

“No, no, Kate, I have let you enough into the history of my past life, to
convince you, that I can never listen to the addresses of any living being
more, and this may explain also, the story of my man-hating; and presbyterianism,
and quakerism; but I will not disguise from you, that had those things
never happened, I could never love, honor, and obey any man who did not
honor and obey our holy religion. That creature, whether male or female,
who has lived in this world even no longer than we have, (and God knows I
have lived long enough) must be radically wrong in heart, mind, or education,
who can suppose that we poor mortals were placed upon this earth to grope
our way, without a guide or light of any kind. Look Kato, at the wonderful
disproportion in the grasp of our minds and the duration of our lives. We
are but beginning to live as rational creatures when we are called upon to
die. Father tells me that his mind is maturing every day, and that he is
conscious of no diminution of mental vigor, and his head is silvered o'er with
age. His mind is actually climbing the steps of knowledge and science,
while his body is going fast down the hill of mortality to the grave. Would
it not be the bitterest mockery, if this were our only stage of existence.
Why should the mind grow brighter and brighter, as the body grows weaker
and weaker, if the mind was not to survive the struggle? No, no, Kate, John
and I, could never have been more to each other, than the children of old,
long tried friends.”

“You astonish as well as afflict me, Ellen, by this statement.”

“I know it, my dear Kate, but seeing how ignorant you all are, of the dangerous
precipice upon which he stands, could I be silent. I have debated the
matter with him, to the full extent of my poor capacity, but what can a heart-sick,
half educated girl do in an argument with a man like your brother—his
natural endowments of the highest order, and polished by the culture of the
schools. Don't you undertake the subject Kate, he will only play with your
woman's argument as the fisherman plays with the trout. Your brother is an
antagonist, powerful enough for Dr. Blair. Tell him of it, Kate, and let his
long tried wisdom select the time and the manner of combatting these pernicious
principles. Oh, I do hope he will be rescued before it is too late. I
could tell you more about your brother, but I have distressed you enough for
one occasion. Come, get ready for church, you are going to York with Dr.
Blair, I know. In the mean time, I will seek my own room and think over
all these things. Good day, Kate.