Miss Ravenel's conversion from secession to loyalty

by John William De Forest

  CHAPTER XII.

  COLONEL CARTER BEFRIENDS THE RAVENELS.

  Captain Colburne indulged in a natural expectation that the kiss whichhe had laid on Miss Ravenel's hand would draw him nearer to her andrender their relations more sentimentally sympathetic. He did not basehis hopes, however, on the impression produced by the mere physicalcontact of the salute; he had such an exalted opinion of the younglady's spiritual purity that he never thought of believing that shecould be influenced by any simply carnal impulses, however innocent; andfurthermore he was himself in a too exalted and seraphic state offeeling to attach much importance to the mere motion of the blood andthrillings of the spinal marrow. But he did think, in an unreasoning,blindly longing way, that the fact of his having kissed her once wasgood reason for hoping that he might some day kiss her again, and bepermitted to love her without exciting her anger, and possibly even gainthe wondrous boon of being loved by her. Notwithstanding his practicalNew England education, and his individual sensitiveness at the idea ofdoing or so much as meditating any thing ridiculous, he drifted intocertain reveries of conceivable interviews with the young lady, whereinshe and he gradually and sweetly approxinated until matrimony seemed tobe the only natural conclusion. But the next time he called at theRavenel house, he found Mrs. Larue there, and, what was worse, ColonelCarter. Lillie remembered the kiss, to be sure, and blushed at the sightof the giver; but she preserved her self-possession in all otherrespects, and was evidently not a charmed victim. I think I am able toassure the reader that in her head the osculation had given birth to noreveries. It is true that for a moment it had startled her greatly, andseemed to awaken in her some mighty and mysterious influence. But it isalso true that she was half angry at him for troubling her spiritualnature so potently, and that on the whole he had not advanced himself asingle step in her affections by his audacity. If any thing, she treatedhim with more reserve and kept him at a greater distance than before.

  Mrs. Larue did her best to make up for the indifference of Lillie, andto reward Colburne, not so much for his friendly offices of the eveningprevious, as for his other and in her eyes much greater merits of beingyoung and handsome. The best that the widow could offer, however, waslittle to the Captain; indeed had she laid her heart, hand and fortuneat his feet he would only have been embarrassed by the unacceptablebenificence; and he was even somewhat alarmed at the dangerous glitterof her eyes and freedom of her conversation. It must be understood herethat Madame's devotion to him, fervent as it seemed, was notwhole-hearted. She would have preferred to harness the Colonel into hertriumphal chariot, and had only given up that idea after a series ofineffectual efforts. Some men can be driven by a cunning hand throughflirtations which they do not enjoy, just as a spiritless horse can beheld down and touched up, to a creditable trot; but Carter was not a nagto be managed in this way, being too experienced and selfish, toowillful by nature and too much accustomed to domineer, to allow himselfto be guided by a jockey whom he did not fancy. Could she have got athim alone and often enough she might perhaps have broken him in; for sheknew of certain secret methods of rareyizing gentlemen which hardlyever fail upon persons of Carter's physical and moral nature; but thusfar she had found neither the time nor the juxtaposition necessary to atrial of her system. Accordingly she had been obliged to admit, and makethe best of, the fact that he was resolved to do the most of his talkingwith Miss Ravenel. Leave the two alone she could not, according to NewOrleans ideas of propriety, and so was compelled for a time to play whatmight be called a footman's part in conversation, standing behind andlistening. It was a pleasant relief from this experience to take theribbons in her own hands and drive the tractable though reluctantColburne. While the Colonel and Lillie talked in the parlor, the Captainand Mrs. Larue held long dialogues in the balcony. He let her have themajor part of these conversations because she liked it, because he feltno particular spirit for it, and because as a listener he could glanceoftener at Miss Ravenel. Although a younger man than Carter and ahandsomer one, he never thought to outshine him, or, in common parlance,to cut him out; holding him in too high respect as a superior officer,and looking up to him also with that deference which most homebred,unvitiated youth accord to mature worldlings. The innocent country ladbows to the courtly roue because he perceives his polish and does notsuspect his corruption. Captain Colburne and Miss Ravenel were similarlyinnocent and juvenile in their worshipful appreciation of ColonelCarter. The only difference was that the former, being a man, made nosecret of his admiration, while the latter, being a marriageable younglady, covered hers under a mask of playful raillery.

  "Are you not ashamed," she said, "to let me catch you tyrannizing overmy native city?"

  "Don't mention it. Havn't the heart to go on much longer. I'll resignthe mayoralty to-day if you will accept it."

  "Offer it to my father, and see if I don't accept for him."

  This was a more audacious thrust than the young lady was aware of. Theidea of a civilian mayor was one that High Authority consideredfeasible, provided a citizen could be found who was loyal enough todeserve the post, and influential enough to pay for it by building upthat so much-desired Union party.

  "A good suggestion," said the Colonel. "I shall respectfully refer it tothe distinguished consideration of the commanding general."

  He entertained no such intention, the extras of his mayoralty beingexceedingly important to him in view of the extent and costly nature ofhis present domestic establishment.

  "Oh, don't!" answered Miss Ravenel.

  "Why not? if you please."

  "Because that would be bribing me to turn Yankee outright."

  This brief passage in a long conversation suggested to Carter that itmight be well for himself to procure some position or profitableemployment for the out-of-work Doctor. If a man seems likely toappropriate your peaches, one of the best things that you can do is tooffer him somebody else's apples. Moreover he actually felt a sincereand even strong interest in the worldly welfare of the Ravenels. By alittle dexterous questioning he found that, not only was the Doctor'scollege bare of students, but that his railroad stock paid nothing, andthat, in short, he had lost all his property except his house and somesmall bank deposits. Ravenel smilingly admitted that he had been justlypunished for investing in anything which bore even a geographicalrelation to the crime of slavery. He received with bewildered thoughcourteously calm astonishment a proposition that he should try his handat a sugar speculation.

  "I beg pardon. I really don't understand," said he. "I am sounaccustomed to business transactions."

  "Why, you buy the sugar for six cents a pound and sell it for twenty."

  "Bless me, what a profit! Why don't business men take advantage of theopportunity?"

  "Because they havn't the opportunity. Because it requires a permit fromthe powers that be to get the sugar."

  "Oh! confiscated sugar. I comprehend. But I supposed that theGovernment--"

  "You don't comprehend at all, my dear Doctor. Not confiscated sugar, butsugar that we can't confiscate--sugar beyond our reach--beyond thelines. You must understand that the rebels want quinine, salt, shoes,gold and lots of things. We want sugar and cotton. A barter is effected,and each party is benefited. I should call it a stupid arrangement andcontrary to the laws of war, only that it is permitted by--by very highauthority. At all events, it is very profitable and perfectly safe."

  "You really astonish me," confessed the Doctor, whose looks expressedeven more amazement than his language. "I should have considered such atrade nothing less than treasonable."

  "I don't mean to say that it isn't. But I am willing to make allowancesfor the parties who engage in it, considering whose auspices they actunder. As I was saying, the trade is contrary to the articles of war. Itis giving aid and comfort to the enemy. But the powers that be, forunknown reasons which I am of course bound to respect, grant permits tocertain persons to bring about these exchanges. I don't doubt that sucha permit could be obtained for you. Will you accept it
?"

  "Would you accept it for yourself?" asked the Doctor.

  "I am a United States officer," replied the Colonel, squaring hisshoulders. "And a born Virginian gentleman," he was about to add, butchecked himself.

  By the way, it is remarkable how rarely this man spoke of his nativeState. It is likely enough that he had some remorse of conscience, orrather some qualms of sentiment, as to the choice which he had made infighting against, instead of for, the Old Dominion. If he evermentioned her name, it was simply to express his pleasure that he wasnot warring within her borders. In other respects it would have beendifficult to infer from his conversation that he was a southerner, orthat he was conscious of being any thing but a graduate of West Pointand an officer of the United States army. But it was only in politicalmatters that he was false to his birth-place. In his strong passions,his capacity for domestic sympathies, his strange conscience (assensitive on some points as callous on others), his spendthrift habits,his inclination to swearing and drinking, his mixture in short ofgentility and barbarism, he was a true child of his class and State. Hewas a Virginian in his vacillation previous to a decision, and in thevigor which he could exhibit after having once decided. A Virginiangentleman is popularly supposed to be a combination of laziness anddignity. But this is an error; the type would be considered a marvel ofenergy in some countries; and, as we have seen in this war, it iscapable of amazing activity, audacity and perseverance. Of all theStates which have fought against the Union Virginia has displayed themost formidable military qualities.

  "And I am a United States citizen," said the Doctor, as firmly as theColonel, though without squaring his shoulders or making any otherphysical assertion of lofty character.

  "Very well.--You mean it, I suppose.--Of course you do.--You are quiteright. It isn't the correct thing, this trade, as a matter of course.Still, knowing that it was allowed, and not knowing how you might feelabout it, I thought I would offer you the chance. It pays like piracy. Ihave known a single smuggle to net forty thousand dollars, after payinghush money and every thing."

  "Shocking!" said the Doctor. "But you mustn't think that I am notobliged to you. I really am grateful for your interest in my well-being.Only I can't accept. Some men have virtue strong enough to survive suchthings; but I fear that my character is of too low and feeble astandard."

  "You are not offended, I hope," observed the Colonel after a thoughtfulpause, during which he debated whether he should offer the Doctor themayoralty, and decided in the negative.

  "Not at all. I beg you to believe, not at all. But how is it possiblethat such transactions are not checked!" he exclaimed, recurring to hisamazement. "The government ought to be informed of them."

  "Who is to inform? Not the barterers nor their abettors, I suppose. Youdon't expect that of these business fellows. You think perhaps that Iought to expose the thing. But in the army we obey orders withoutcriticising our superiors publicly. Suppose I should inform, and findmyself unable to prove any thing, and be dismissed the service."

  The Doctor hung his head in virtuous discouragement, admitting tohimself that this world is indeed an unsatisfactory planet.

  "You may rely upon my secrecy concerning all this, Colonel," he said.

  "I do so; at least so far as regards your authority. As for the tradeitself, I don't care how soon it is blown upon."

  If the Colonel had been a quoter of poetry, which he was not, he wouldprobably have repeated as he walked homeward "An honest man's thenoblest work of God." What he did say to himself was, "By Jove! I mustget the Doctor a good thing of some sort."

  Ten days later he called at the house with a second proposition whichastonished Ravenel almost as much as the first.

  "Miss Ravenel," he said, "you are a very influential person. Every bodywho knows you admits it. Mr. Colburne admits it. I admit it."

  Lillie blushed with unusual heartiness and tried in vain to think ofsome saucy answer. The Colonel's quizzical smile, his free and easycompliments and confident address, sometimes touched the pride of theyoung lady, and made her desire to rebel against him.

  "I want you," he continued, "to persuade Doctor Ravenel to be acolonel."

  "A colonel!" exclaimed father and daughter.

  "Yes, and a better colonel than half those in the service."

  "On which side, Colonel Carter?" asked Miss Ravenel, who saw a smallchance for vengeance.

  "Good heavens! Do you suppose I am recruiting for rebel regiments?"

  "I didn't know but Mrs. Larue might have brought you over."

  The Colonel laughed obstreperously at the insinuation, not in the leastdashed by its pertness.

  "No, it's a loyal regiment; black in the face with loyalty. GeneralButler has decided on organizing a force out of the free coloredpopulation of the city."

  "It isn't possible. Oh, what a shame!" exclaimed Lillie.

  The Doctor said nothing, but leaned forward with marked interest.

  "There is no secret about it," continued Carter. "The thing is decidedon, and will be made public immediately. But it is a disagreeable affairto handle. It will make an awful outcry, here and every where. Itwouldn't be wise to identify the Government too closely with it until itis sure to be a success. Consequently the darkies will be enrolled asmilitia--State troops, you see--just as your rebel friend Lovell, MissRavenel, enrolled them. Moreover, to give the arrangement a furtherlocal character it is thought best to have at least one of the regimentscommanded by some well known citizen of New Orleans. I proposed thisidea to the General, and he doesn't think badly of it. Now who willsacrifice himself for his country? Who will make the niggers in uniformrespectable? Doctor, will you do it?"

  "Papa, you shall do no such thing," cried Lillie, thoroughly provoked.Then, reproachfully, "Oh, Colonel Carter!" The Colonel laughed withimmovable good humor, and surveyed her pretty wrath with calmadmiration.

  "Be quiet, my child," pronounced the Doctor with an unusual tone ofauthority. "Colonel, I am interested, exceedingly interested in what youtell me. The idea is admirable. It will be a lasting honor to the manwho conceived it."

  "Oh, papa!" protested Lillie. She was slightly unionized, but not in theleast abolitionized.

  "I am delighted that General Butler has resolved to take theresponsibility of it," continued the Doctor. "Our free negroes arereally a respectable class. Many of them are wealthy and well educated.In the whole south General Butler could not have found another sofavorable a place to try this experiment as New Orleans."

  "I am glad you think so," answered the Colonel; but he said it with anair of no great enthusiasm. In fact how could an old army officer, aWest Point military Brahmin and a Virginian gentleman look with favor atfirst sight on the plan of raising nigger regiments?

  "But as for the colonelcy," continued the Doctor. "Are you positivelyserious in making me that proposition?"

  "Positively."

  "Why, I am no more fit to be a Colonel than I am to be a professor ofSanscrit and Chinese literature."

  "That needn't stand in the way at all. That is of no consequence."

  Ravenel laughed outright, and waited for an explanation.

  "Your Lieutenant-Colonel and Major will be experienced officers--thatis, for volunteers," said Carter. "They will know the drill, at anyrate. Your part will be simply to give the thing a local coloring, asif the New Orleans people had got it up among themselves."

  Here he burst into a horse-laugh at the idea of saddling Louisianianswith the imputation of desiring and raising nigger soldiers for puttingdown the rebellion and slavery.

  "You will have nothing to do with the regiment," he went on. "As soon asit is organized, or under way, you will be detached. You will besuperintendent of negro education, or superintendent of negro labor, orsomething of that sort. You will have the rank and pay of Colonel, yousee; but your work will be civil instead of military; it will be for thebenefit of the niggers."

  "Oh, indeed!" answered the Doctor, his face for the first time showingthat the prop
osition had for him a pole of attraction. "So officers canbe detached for such purposes? It is perfectly honorable, is it?"

  "Quite so. Army custom. About the same thing as making an officer aprovost-marshal, or military governor, or mayor."

  "Really, I am vastly tempted. I am vastly flattered and very grateful. Imust think of it. I will consider it seriously."

  In his philanthropic excitement he rose and walked the room for someminutes. The windows were open and admitted what little noise ofpopulation there was in the street, so that Miss Ravenel and theColonel, sitting near each other, could exchange a few words withoutbeing overheard by the abstracted Doctor. I suspect that the young ladywas more angry at this moment than on any previous occasion recorded inthe present history. Colburne would have quailed before her evidentexcitement, but Colonel Carter, the widower, faced her with a smile ofgood-natured amusement. Seeing that there was no prospect of striking apanic into the foe, she made a flanking movement instead of a directattack.

  "What do you suppose the old army will think of the negro regimentplan?"

  "_Vin ordinaire_, I suppose."

  "Then how can you advise my father to go into a thing which you call_vin ordinaire_?" she demanded, her lips trembling with an agitationwhich was partly anger, and partly alarm at her own audacity.

  As this was a question which Carter could not answer satisfactorilywithout telling her that he knew how poor her father was, and also knewwhat a bad thing poverty was, he made no reply, but rose and saunteredabout the room with his thumbs in his vest pockets. And Lillie was socuriously in awe of this mature man, who said what he pleased and wassilent when he pleased, that she made no further assault on him.

  "I must confess," said the Doctor, resuming his seat, "that this is amost attractive and flattering proposition. I am vain enough to believethat I could be of use to this poor, ignorant, brutish, down-trodden,insulted, plundered race of pariahs and helots. If I could organizenegro labor in Louisiana on a basis just and profitable to all parties,I should consider myself more honored than by being made President ofthe United States in ordinary times. If I could be the means ofeducating their darkened minds and consciences to a decent degree ofChristian intelligence and virtue, I would not exchange my good name forthat of a Paul or an Apollos. My only objection to this present plan isthe colonelcy. I should be in a false position. I should feel myself tobe ridiculous. Not that it is ridiculous to be a colonel," he explained,smiling, "but to wear the uniform and receive the pay of a colonelwithout being one--there is the satire. Now could not that point beevaded? Could I not be made superintendent of negro labor without beingburdened with the military dignity? I really feel some conscientiousscruples on the matter, quite aside from my desire not to appear absurd.I should be willing to do the work for less pay, provided I could escapethe livery. I am sorry to give you any trouble when I am already undersuch obligations. But would you have the kindness to inquire whetherthis superintendency could not be established without attaching to itthe military position?"

  "Certainly. But I foresee a difficulty. Will the General dare to foundsuch an office, and set aside public money for its salary? I suppose hehas no legal right to do it. Detach an officer for the purpose--that isall very simple and allowable; it's army fashion. But when it comes tofounding new civil offices, you trench upon State or Federal authority.Besides, this superintendency of negro labor is going to be a heavything, and the General may want to keep it directly under his own thumb,as he can do if the superintendent is an army officer. However, I willask your question. And, if the civil office can be founded, you willaccept it; is it not so?"

  "I do accept. Most gratefully, most proudly."

  "But how if the superintendency can't be had without the colonelcy?"

  "Why, then I--I fear I shall be forced to decline. I really don't feelthat I can place myself in a false position. Only don't suppose that Iam unconscious of my profound obligations to you."

  "What an old trump of a Don Quixote!" mused the Colonel as he lit hissegar in the street for the walk homeward. "It's devilish handsomeconduct in him; but, by Jove! I don't believe the old fellow can affordit. I'm afraid it will be up-hill work for him to get a decent living inthis wicked world, however he may succeed in the next."

  A few minutes later a cold chill of worldly wisdom struck through hisenthusiasm.

  "He hasn't starved long enough to bring him to his milk," he thought."When he gets down to his last dollar, and a thousand or two below it,he won't be so particular as to how he lines his pockets."

  The Colonel almost felt that a civilian had no right to such a delicateand costly sense of honor. He would have been rather glad to have theDoctor enter into some of these schemes for getting money, inasmuch asthis same filthy lucre was all that Miss Ravenel needed to make her avery attractive _partie_. The next day he repaired at the earliestoffice hours to head-quarters, and plead earnestly to have the proposedsuperintendency founded on the basis of a civil office, the salary to befurnished by the State, or by the city, or by a per-centage levied onthe wages of the negroes. But the Proconsul did not like to assume sucha responsibility, and moreover would not sympathise with the Doctor'sfastidiousness on the subject of the uniform. The Colonel hurried backto Ravenel and urged him to accept the military appointment. He repeatedto him, "Remember, this is a matter of twenty-six hundred a year," witha pertinacity which was the same as to say, "You know that you cannotafford to refuse such a salary." The Doctor did not dispute thecorrectness of the insinuation, but persisted with smiling obstinacy indeclining the eagles. I am inclined to think that he was somewhatunreasonable on the subject, and that the Colonel was not far from rightin being secretly a little angry with him. The latter did not care astraw for the niggers, but he desired very earnestly to put the Ravenelson the road to fortune, and he foresaw that a superintendent of coloredlabor would infallibly be tempted by very considerable side earnings andperquisites. Even Miss Lillie was rather disappointed at the failure ofthe project. To arm negroes, to command a colored regiment, wasabolitionistic and abominable; but to set the same negroes to work on ahundred plantations, would be playing the southerner, the planter, thesugar aristocrat, on a magnificent scale; and she thought also that inthis business her father might do ever so much good, and make forhimself a noble name in Louisiana, by restoring thousands of runawayfield-hands to their lawful owners. Let us not be too severe upon thebarbarian beliefs of this civilized young lady. She had not the samegeographical reasons for loving human liberty in the abstract that wehave who were nurtured in the truly free and democratic North. Moreover,for some reason which I shall not trouble myself to discover, all womenlove aristocracies.

  The Ravenel funds were getting low, and the Doctor, despairing offinding profitable occupation in depopulated New Orleans, was thinkingseriously of returning to New Boston, when High Authority sent him anappointment as superintendent of a city hospital, with a salary offifteen hundred dollars.

  "I can do that," he said jubilantly as he showed the appointment toCarter, unaware that the latter had been the means of obtaining it. "Mymedical education will come in play there, and I shall feel that I amacting in my own character. It will not be so grand a field ofusefulness as that which you so kindly offered me, but it will perhapsapproximate more nearly to my abilities."

  "It is a captain's pay instead of a colonel's," laughed Carter. "I don'tknow any body who would make such a choice except you and youngColburne, who supposes that he isn't fit to be a field officer. Some dayhead-quarters will perhaps be able to do better by you. When the WesternRailroad is recovered--the railroad in which you hold property--therewill be the superintendency of that, probably a matter of some three orfour thousand dollars a year."

  "But I couldn't do it," objected the Doctor, thereby drawing anotherlaugh from his interlocutor.

  He was perfectly satisfied with his fifteen hundred, although it was somiserably inferior to the annual six thousand which he used to draw fromhis scientific labors in and out of
the defunct college. As long as hecould live and retain his self-respect, he was not much disposed togrumble at Providence. Things in general were going well; the rebellionwould be put down; slavery would perish in the struggle; truth andjustice would prevail. The certainty of these results formed in hisestimation a part of his personal estate--a wealth which was invisible,it is true, but none the less real, inexhaustible and consolatory--awealth which was sufficient to enrich and ennoble every true-heartedAmerican citizen.

  When it was known throughout the city that he had accepted a positionfrom the Federal authorities, the name of Ravenel became entirelyhateful to those who only a few years before accorded it theirfriendship and respect. The hostile gulf between Lillie and her oldfriends yawned into such a vast abyss, that few words were everexchanged across it; and even those that did occasionally reach heranxious ears had a tone of anger which excited, sometimes her grief, andsometimes her resentment. The young lady's character was such that theresentment steadily gained on the grief, and she became from day to dayless of a Secessionist and more of a Unionist. Her father laughed in hisgood-natured way to see how spited she was by this social ostracism.

  "You should never quarrel with a pig because he is a pig," said he. "Theonly wise way is not to suppose that you can make a lap-dog of him, andnot to invite him into your parlor. These poor people have been broughtup to hate and maltreat every body who does not agree with theiropinions. If the Apostle Paul should come here, they would knock him onthe head for making a brother of Onesimus."

  "But I can't bear to be treated so," answered the vexed young lady. "Idon't want to be knocked on the head, nor to have you knocked on thehead. I don't even want them to think what they do about me. I wish Ihad the supreme power for a day or two."

  "What progress!" observed the Doctor. "She wants to be General Butler."

  "No I don't," snapped Lillie, whose nerves were indeed much worried byher internal struggles and outward trials. "But I would like to beemperor. I would actually enjoy forcing some of these horrid people tochange their style of talking."

  "I don't think you would enjoy it, my dear. I did once entertain thedesign of making myself autocrat, and deciding what should be believedby my fellow citizens, and bringing to deserved punishment such asdiffered from me. It would be such a fine thing, I thought, to manage inmy own way, and manage right, all the religion, politics, business,education, and conscience of the country. But I dropped the plan, aftermature consideration, because I foresaw that it would give me more to dothan I could attend to."

  Lillie, working at her embroidery, made no reply, not apparentlyappreciating her father's wit. Presently she gave token that the currentof her thoughts had changed, by breaking out with her usual routine ofquestions. "Who did you see in the streets? Didn't you see any body?Didn't you hear any thing?" etc. etc.

  By what has been related in this chapter it will be perceived thatColonel Carter has established a claim to be received with at leastcourtesy in the house of the Ravenels. The Doctor could not decentlyturn a cold shoulder to a man who had been so zealous a friend, althoughhe still admired him very little, and never willingly permitted him amoment's unwatched intercourse with Lillie. He occasionally thought withdisgust of Van Zandt's leering insinuations concerning the little Frenchboudoir; but he charitably concluded that he ought not to attach muchimportance to the prattle of a man so clearly under the influence ofliquor as was that person at Colburne's quarters; and finally hereflected with a sigh that the boudoir business was awfully common inthe world as then constituted, and that men who were engaged in it couldnot well be ostracised from society. So outwardly he was civil to theColonel, and inwardly sought to control his almost instinctiverepugnance. As for Lillie, she positively liked the widower, and thoughthim the finest gentleman of the very few who now called on her. CaptainColburne was very pleasant, lively and good; but--and here she ceased toreason--she felt that he was not magnetic.