University of Virginia Library

11. CHAPTER XI.
The Declaration.

`Well, what success, Captain?' asked Hastings in about half an
hour after the scene which closed the last chapter, approaching him
as he came on deck with a light step.

`Excellent, Harry! I am a happy man!'

`I congratulate you, upon my soul. What said she? How did you
manage it, to come off with such flying colors?'

`You shall hear,' answered Marshall. `Step aft here, where the
General and Captain Deland will not overhear,' he added, glancing at
those two gentlemen, who were walking in the waist together, conversing.

`At first,' said Marshall, `I felt like a fool, and thought she would
think me one outright; but I took courage and resolved to venture all,
win or lose!'

`That was your only way.'

`Yes, as it proved. I began, by regretting her departure from the
brig, and then assuring her how happy I was that she had ever honored
the brig with her presence. She stared, and then I bluntly out with
the truth, and told her how I loved her, how I had loved her from the
first, and should love her to the last.'

`What did she say to this?'

`Well, what do you guess?'

`That she was very grateful to you!'

`No. She quietly asked me, if I was courting for myself, or for
my lieutenant.'

`For me?'

`Yes, the baggage! And when I asked what she asked me that for,
she replied with a roguish look, that as my lieutenant had a little while
before been courting her for me, she thought it likely that I was now
reciprocating matters.'

`She has wit!'

`Yes, she is as witty as she is beautiful, the gipsy!'

`What did you reply?'

`Why this question, put in such a queer way, kind of broke the ice,
as they say in Yankee land, and placed us on a footing at once. I
laughed and so did she, and we were hand and glove at once. My
awkwardness vanished like a fog before her smiling face, and my
courage came back so stoutly that, — what do you think I did?'

`I have no idea!'

`I caught her hand and kissed it!'

`You made progress rapidly. I do n't see but that you do your
own love-making much better than I could have done it for you.'

`It was all off hand, and a sort of forlorn hope affair, dash and go.
I felt that unless I made soundings then, it was all up with me!'

`How did she receive this little liberty of hand-kissing?'

`She withdrew her hand and blushed, but did not look offended.
So I took courage and asked her, if she would have pity upon me,
and tell me whether there was any hope for me. She did n't reply
for some time, and seemed perplexed; and I thought I should have to
come on deck and jump over-board, concluding she would say No, when
she did speak.'

`But she did n't?'

`Not exactly.' She said, speaking in her musical way, `Monsieur
Captain, I cannot but feel deeply grateful to you for your preference.
I am agreeably flattered by your notice. You seem to be sincere and
earnest. I assure you that I am not indifferent to your regard for
me. I owe you much for protection and kindness since I have been in
your vessel. I feel deeply your attentions to my father. I have admired
the excellent traits of your character, developed by circumstances
since I have been on board. I learn from your lieutenant,
(here she sighed, Harry,) that you are an honorable man, and I will
confess to you, that he informed me of your interest in me. You desire
me to give you a positive reply, whether you can hope or not. To this
I answer, that I cannot consent to become the wife of the enemy of
France. If you will cease to serve Mexico and become the friend of
France, you shall have a daughter of France for your bride.'

`She answered as I supposed she would do! What did you say to
this?'

`I told her, that if I had the command of the whole Mexican fleet

and army, — nay, was Emperor of Mexico, — I would resign all for
her hand.'

`Nothing could have been more gallant.'

`She smiled, and extended to me her hand, and I touched my lips
to it, without her snatching it away as she did before.'

`That was encouraging!'

`Encouraging? How cool you take things! It was Elysium, sir.
It was the seal of our love, Harry. But there is a draw-back!' he
added, with a sad air.

`What is that?'

`The Loraine! I must give her up?'

`Did she say so?'

`Yes, she mentioned that in particular, and with emphasis.'

`What did she say?'

`When I told her I would lay Mexico at her feet if it were mine,
and all that, I never thought a word about the Loraine. It never
entered my mind. So when I had done speaking, she said, smiling
like a houri, I do n't wish you to resign, dear Captain —'

`Did she say dear Captain?'

`Dear Captain!'

`That was advancing, Jack!

`It was. Said she, I do n't wish you, dear Captain, to resign what
you do not possess. All I wish is, to know if you will resign your
commission and command of your brig, if I will give you my hand.'

`Yes, I answered, I will most cheerfully, and deem it no sacrifice
for such a treasure. Here I pressed her hand again very warmly
indeed.

`I will give you thirty days,' said she, `after I leave the brig, for
you to return your brig and commission to Mexico, and come back to
New Orleans where I shall be.'

`This was coming to the point!'

`It was. But I did not hesitate. I promised that I would do it.'

`The Loraine will therefore go on to her port undisturbed and unimpeded
by you, Monsieur Captain,' said she, with a peculiar look in
the corner of her wicked eyes.

`Bless me, Harry, if this did n't thrown me all aback! It like to
have carried away my spars, and foundered me!'

`The Loraine! I repeated, with my mouth half a yard open.'

`Yes, Monsieur,' she answered, as quietly as a summer's sea.
`You promised me that you would become a friend to France, if you
married a daughter of France. You must, therefore, from this hour,
give up all hostile intentions against the Loraine.'

`And what did you say? This was a severe test of your love.'

`I was staggered, for my heart was set on capturing this ship. She
saw my hesitation, and looked very grave. There I was,—the Loraine
on one side,' and the beautiful Josephine on the other. She
suddenly threw all her charms into her eyes and smiles, and I threw
myself at her feet, crying,

`You, beauteous Fontleroy, before all the French ships on the
ocean!'

`And you have then seriously pledged yourself to resign your commission,
and let the Loraine pass freely to her port.'

`Yes. What could I do. If I had said no, and then captured the
Loraine, I should still have loved her as before, and should then have
loved in vain. I should have lost her forever.'

`And seriously, you have given up all intention of attacking this
ship should you fall in with her!'

`Seriously I have!'

`Well, you have really been in love; and you have surely shown the
sincerity of your devotion to her.'

`So she said. But I am content. I consider her worth a dozen
French ships. If I possessed all the world, Harry, and had not her
love, I should be poor.'

`Well, I must say you are a paragon of a lover. I hardly think my
love in such a case would have withstood the trial. I think I should
have told her, that if she did not love me without exacting any conditions,
I could not believe that she loved me at all.'

`But consider, my dear Harry, that she did not love me at first.
That all the interest I have got her to feel in me, grew out of your
speaking a good word for me, showing her you were not in the market,
and by my bold and sincere declaration of my passion. I confess that
I have bought her love with the price she has named; but if I have it,
I have it, and I care not at what sacrifice, so I do have it!'

`Well, Jack, if you are content I am. I am glad you are going to
give up cruising, for I have been thinking that if I succeeded in finding
Auguste's love for me undiminished by the report of my mad career,

I will reside in Louisiana. If you marry the beautiful Josephine, you
will, perhaps, be my neighbor.'

`That will be delightful! We will visit each other every day; dine,
and smoke, and chat with each other; our wives will be great friends,
and our—'

`And our children—'

`Yes, and our children will be cousins—'

`Not exactly cousins—'

`Well, they shall call each other so, and they shall marry together,
and—'

`Our grandchildren—'

`We will dance upon our knees!'

`What a charming picture!'

`Delightful!'

`But, ah, Jack, we must get our wives first.'

`That is true. I hope nothing will prevent me from getting mine.

`You have nothing to fear, so long as you let the Loraine alone.
But I have little hope. Yet I shall try boldly.'

`And I will aid you all I can, now I have got my bread buttered.'

`I suppose you will stand right up for the city then, without waiting
for the Loraine?'

`Do n't mention the Loraine again!'

`When I do, I will mention Josephine in the same breath. I see
you are a little sore.'

`Not a bit! Though, to tell you the truth, she was most too hard
upon me. But she is right. I would n't like her half so well, if she
would promise to marry a man who was laying in wait to capture a
ship of her native country, degrade her flag, and slaughter her people.
She is right. Every time I think about the Loraine, I will look at her
handsome face and think how much richer a treasure I possess in her!'

`How are you to proceed now? What is your course?'

`The cruel and adorable Josephine gives me thirty days. I shall
use them in this way. To-morrow we shall be in the Mississippi river.
I shall proceed up to the city and wait on the Mexican Consul, and to
him surrender the brig and my commission. If you choose, you can
take her to Vera Cruz, and there receive the money due us for the
prizes we have sent in. You can then return to New Orleans. It will
occupy less than thirty days. In the meanwhile, I shall be enjoying

the society of Josephine, and in seeing in your behalf the lovely Auguste
Livaudais.'

`Will you see her?'

`I will. If you will take the brig to Vera Cruz, and surrender her
to the authorities, by the time you return, I will have the way cleared
for you.'

`I feel that I shall have the need of some intercessor, and one who
will palliate and excuse to her my course of follies in New York, of
which I feel heartily ashamed. If you will make use of the interval
in conciliating her, I will take the brig to Vera Cruz. But first, I
must try and see her in person before I call upon you. I shall avail
myself of your services only in case she refuses to see me.'

`In that case, then, I will manage to see her and negotiate for you
as warmly as you have done for me. I will leave you at the plantation,
then, as I go up!'

`Yes, you may put me ashore there, and anchor in the river, and
wait until you hear my success. If I fail, I proceed to the city with
you, and then return in the brig down the river, and take her to Vera
Cruz.'

`Very well. Our plan then is mutually understood,' responded
Marshall, crossing the deck to speak to General Fontleroy.