[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Howard, I return you a thousand thanks for the care you have taken, hitherto,
of this precious charge, and believe me, sir, that I speak frankly, when I
say, that next to myself, I should choose to intrust her with you in
Page 79
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preference to any man on earth.
The Colonel turned to the speaker, and bowed low, while he answered with
grave courtesy--
Sir, you repay my slight services with too much gratitude. If Miss Katherine
Plowden has not become under my guardianship, all that her good father, Capt.
John Plowden, of the Royal Navy, could have wished a daughter of his to be,
the fault, unquestionably, is to be attributed to my inability to instruct,
and to no inherent quality in the young lady herself. I will not say, take
her, sir, since you have her in your possession already, and it would be out
of my power to alter the arrangement; I, therefore, can only wish that you may
find her as dutiful as a wife, as she has been, hitherto, as a ward and a
subject.
Katherine had yielded her hand, passively, to her lover, and suffered him to
lead her more into the circle than she had before been; but now she threw off
his arm, and shaking aside the dark curls which she had rather invited to fall
in disorder around her brow, she raised her face and looked proudly up, with
an eye that sparkled with the spirit of its mistress, and a face that grew
pale with emotion at each moment, as she proceeded--
Gentlemen, the one may be as ready to receive as the other is to reject; but
has the daughter of John Plowden no voice in this cool disposal of her person!
If her guardian tires of her presence, other habitations may be found, without
inflicting so severe a penalty on this gentleman, as to compel him to provide
for her accommodation in a vessel which must be already straitened for room!
She turned, and rejoined her cousin with such an air of maidenly resentment,
as a young woman would be apt to discover, who found herself the subject of
matrimonial arrangement, without her own feelings being at all consulted.
Barnstable, who knew but little of the windings of the female heart, or how
necessary to his mistress, notwithstanding her previous declarations, the
countenance of Cecilia was, to any decided and open act in his favour, stood
in stupid wonder at her declaration. He could not conceive that a woman who
had already ventured so much in secret in his behalf, and who had so often
avowed her weakness, should shrink to declare it again, at such a crisis,
though the eyes of a universe were on her! He looked from one of the party to
the other, and met in every face an expression of delicate reserve, except in
those of the guardian of his mistress, and of Borroughcliffe.
The colonel had given a glance of returning favour at her, whom, he now
conceived, to be his repentant ward, while the countenance of the entrapped
captain exhibited a look of droll surprise, blended with the expression of
bitter ferocity it had manifested since the discovery of his own mishap.
Perhaps, sir, said Barnstable, addressing the latter, fiercely, you see
something amusing about the person of this lady, to divert you thus
unseasonably. We tolerate no such treatment of our women in America!
Nor do we quarrel before ours in England, returned the soldier, throwing
back the fierce glance of the sailor, with interest; but I was thinking of
the revolutions that time can produce! nothing more I do assure you. It is not
half an hour since I thought myself a most happy fellow; secure in my plans
for overreaching the scheme you had laid to surprise me; and now I am as
miserable a dog as wears a single epaulette, and has no hope of seeing its
fellow!
And in what manner, sir, can this sudden change apply to me? asked
Katherine, with all her spirit.
Page 80
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Certainly not to your perseverance in the project to assist my enemies,
madam, returned the soldier with affected humility; nor to your zeal for
their success, or your consummate coolness at the supper table! But I find it
is time that I should be superannuated--I can no longer serve my king with
credit, and should take to serving my God, like all other worn out men of the
world! My hearing is surely defective, or a paddock wall has a most magical
effect in determining sounds!
Katherine waited not to hear the close of this sentence, but walked to a
distant part of the room, to conceal the burning blushes that covered her
countenance. The manner in which the plans of Borroughcliffe had become known
to his foe, was no longer a mystery, and her conscience reproached her a
little also, with some unnecessary coquetry; for she remembered, that quite
one half of the dialogue between her lover and herself, under the shadow of
that very wall to which Borroughcliffe alluded, had been on a subject
altogether foreign to contention and tumults. As the feelings of Barnstable
were by no means so sensitive as those of his mistress, and his thoughts much
occupied with the means of attaining his object, he did not so readily
comprehend the indirect allusion of the soldier, but turned abruptly away to
Griffith, and observed, with a serious air--
I feel it my duty, Mr. Griffith, to suggest, that we have standing
instructions to secure all the enemies of America, wherever they may be found,
and to remind you, that the States have not hesitated to make prisoners of
females, in many instances.
Bravo! cried Borroughcliffe; if the ladies will not go as your mistresses,
take them as your captives!
Tis well for you, sir, that you are a captive yourself, or you should be
made to answer for this speech, retorted the irritated Barnstable. It is a
responsible command, Mr. Griffith, and must not be disregarded.
To your duty, Mr. Barnstable, said Griffith, again arousing from deep
abstraction; you have your orders, sir; let them be executed promptly.
I have also the orders of our common superior, Capt. Munson, Mr. Griffith;
and I do assure you, sir, that in making out my instructions for the
Ariel--poor thing! there are no two of her timbers hanging together!--but my
instructions were decidedly particular on that head.
And my orders now supersede them.
But am I justifiable in obeying a verbal order from an inferior, in direct
opposition to a written instruction?
Griffith had hitherto manifested in his deportment nothing more than a cold
determination to act, but the blood now flew to every vessel in his cheeks and
forehead, and his dark eyes flashed fire, as he cried authoritatively--
How, sir! do you hesitate to obey?
By heaven, sir, I would dispute the command of the Continental Congress
itself, should they bid me so far to forget my duty to--to--
Add yourself, sir!--Mr. Barnstable, let this be the last of it. To your
duty, sir.
My duty calls me here, Mr. Griffith.
Page 81
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
I must act, then, or be bearded by my own officers. Mr. Merry, direct Capt.
Manual to send in a serjeant, and a file of marines.
Bid him come on himself! cried Barnstable, maddened to desperation by his
disappointment; tis not his whole corps that can disarm me--let them come
on! Hear, there, you Ariels! rally around your captain.
The man among them, who dares to cross that threshold without my order, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl szamanka888.keep.pl
Howard, I return you a thousand thanks for the care you have taken, hitherto,
of this precious charge, and believe me, sir, that I speak frankly, when I
say, that next to myself, I should choose to intrust her with you in
Page 79
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
preference to any man on earth.
The Colonel turned to the speaker, and bowed low, while he answered with
grave courtesy--
Sir, you repay my slight services with too much gratitude. If Miss Katherine
Plowden has not become under my guardianship, all that her good father, Capt.
John Plowden, of the Royal Navy, could have wished a daughter of his to be,
the fault, unquestionably, is to be attributed to my inability to instruct,
and to no inherent quality in the young lady herself. I will not say, take
her, sir, since you have her in your possession already, and it would be out
of my power to alter the arrangement; I, therefore, can only wish that you may
find her as dutiful as a wife, as she has been, hitherto, as a ward and a
subject.
Katherine had yielded her hand, passively, to her lover, and suffered him to
lead her more into the circle than she had before been; but now she threw off
his arm, and shaking aside the dark curls which she had rather invited to fall
in disorder around her brow, she raised her face and looked proudly up, with
an eye that sparkled with the spirit of its mistress, and a face that grew
pale with emotion at each moment, as she proceeded--
Gentlemen, the one may be as ready to receive as the other is to reject; but
has the daughter of John Plowden no voice in this cool disposal of her person!
If her guardian tires of her presence, other habitations may be found, without
inflicting so severe a penalty on this gentleman, as to compel him to provide
for her accommodation in a vessel which must be already straitened for room!
She turned, and rejoined her cousin with such an air of maidenly resentment,
as a young woman would be apt to discover, who found herself the subject of
matrimonial arrangement, without her own feelings being at all consulted.
Barnstable, who knew but little of the windings of the female heart, or how
necessary to his mistress, notwithstanding her previous declarations, the
countenance of Cecilia was, to any decided and open act in his favour, stood
in stupid wonder at her declaration. He could not conceive that a woman who
had already ventured so much in secret in his behalf, and who had so often
avowed her weakness, should shrink to declare it again, at such a crisis,
though the eyes of a universe were on her! He looked from one of the party to
the other, and met in every face an expression of delicate reserve, except in
those of the guardian of his mistress, and of Borroughcliffe.
The colonel had given a glance of returning favour at her, whom, he now
conceived, to be his repentant ward, while the countenance of the entrapped
captain exhibited a look of droll surprise, blended with the expression of
bitter ferocity it had manifested since the discovery of his own mishap.
Perhaps, sir, said Barnstable, addressing the latter, fiercely, you see
something amusing about the person of this lady, to divert you thus
unseasonably. We tolerate no such treatment of our women in America!
Nor do we quarrel before ours in England, returned the soldier, throwing
back the fierce glance of the sailor, with interest; but I was thinking of
the revolutions that time can produce! nothing more I do assure you. It is not
half an hour since I thought myself a most happy fellow; secure in my plans
for overreaching the scheme you had laid to surprise me; and now I am as
miserable a dog as wears a single epaulette, and has no hope of seeing its
fellow!
And in what manner, sir, can this sudden change apply to me? asked
Katherine, with all her spirit.
Page 80
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Certainly not to your perseverance in the project to assist my enemies,
madam, returned the soldier with affected humility; nor to your zeal for
their success, or your consummate coolness at the supper table! But I find it
is time that I should be superannuated--I can no longer serve my king with
credit, and should take to serving my God, like all other worn out men of the
world! My hearing is surely defective, or a paddock wall has a most magical
effect in determining sounds!
Katherine waited not to hear the close of this sentence, but walked to a
distant part of the room, to conceal the burning blushes that covered her
countenance. The manner in which the plans of Borroughcliffe had become known
to his foe, was no longer a mystery, and her conscience reproached her a
little also, with some unnecessary coquetry; for she remembered, that quite
one half of the dialogue between her lover and herself, under the shadow of
that very wall to which Borroughcliffe alluded, had been on a subject
altogether foreign to contention and tumults. As the feelings of Barnstable
were by no means so sensitive as those of his mistress, and his thoughts much
occupied with the means of attaining his object, he did not so readily
comprehend the indirect allusion of the soldier, but turned abruptly away to
Griffith, and observed, with a serious air--
I feel it my duty, Mr. Griffith, to suggest, that we have standing
instructions to secure all the enemies of America, wherever they may be found,
and to remind you, that the States have not hesitated to make prisoners of
females, in many instances.
Bravo! cried Borroughcliffe; if the ladies will not go as your mistresses,
take them as your captives!
Tis well for you, sir, that you are a captive yourself, or you should be
made to answer for this speech, retorted the irritated Barnstable. It is a
responsible command, Mr. Griffith, and must not be disregarded.
To your duty, Mr. Barnstable, said Griffith, again arousing from deep
abstraction; you have your orders, sir; let them be executed promptly.
I have also the orders of our common superior, Capt. Munson, Mr. Griffith;
and I do assure you, sir, that in making out my instructions for the
Ariel--poor thing! there are no two of her timbers hanging together!--but my
instructions were decidedly particular on that head.
And my orders now supersede them.
But am I justifiable in obeying a verbal order from an inferior, in direct
opposition to a written instruction?
Griffith had hitherto manifested in his deportment nothing more than a cold
determination to act, but the blood now flew to every vessel in his cheeks and
forehead, and his dark eyes flashed fire, as he cried authoritatively--
How, sir! do you hesitate to obey?
By heaven, sir, I would dispute the command of the Continental Congress
itself, should they bid me so far to forget my duty to--to--
Add yourself, sir!--Mr. Barnstable, let this be the last of it. To your
duty, sir.
My duty calls me here, Mr. Griffith.
Page 81
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
I must act, then, or be bearded by my own officers. Mr. Merry, direct Capt.
Manual to send in a serjeant, and a file of marines.
Bid him come on himself! cried Barnstable, maddened to desperation by his
disappointment; tis not his whole corps that can disarm me--let them come
on! Hear, there, you Ariels! rally around your captain.
The man among them, who dares to cross that threshold without my order, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]