by Anonymous
CHAPTER VI.
Six weeks elapsed before the good ship “Eliza” again made theland. Then the heights of Maryland rose to the view, and on thefollowing morning, at an early hour, she made Cape Fear. PassingVirginia, she sailed slowly along the coast of Carolina, and atlast, after a very fair passage, came to an anchor at Roanoke.
Roanoke island, a little to the south of Albemarle Sound, andsomewhat further south of Dismal Swamp, was Sir Walter Raleigh’splantation, and the first of the British settlements in NorthAmerica. It had been established several years, but was,nevertheless, yet in its infancy, and the arrival of a ship fromdear old England naturally excited in the colony the liveliestsensation. Long and long before she came to an anchor, and whileshe was yet far in the offing, every human creature in Roanokehad made her the subject of their every thought, and conjecturehad deemed no point in her appearance too small for the exerciseof its powers. Boats put off to meet her miles out, and, as sheneared the island, a whole fleet of this craft, comprising everyclass of galley and canoe, hovered round her, and, though no onewas allowed to come on board, all the news from England was knownin every boat before the ship anchored.
Once anchored, Hildebrand lost no time, after he had completedhis arrangements, in communicating with the shore, and landingthe supplies which Sir Walter had sent out. The process ofunloading occupied him a whole week, and by the time that hehad taken in his return cargo, and procured fresh provisions,two weeks more had elapsed. Nevertheless, the ship which SirWalter Raleigh had promised to send him as a companion, that hemight be better able to cope with the Spaniards, and which heknew to have been nearly ready when he sailed from England, hadnot made her appearance, and there became reason to suppose thatshe had incurred some mishap. Another week elapsed, and stillthere was no sign of her coming, and Hildebrand began to fear,from the information he had had previous to leaving England,that, if he delayed much longer, the Spanish fleet would escapehim, and arrive at Cadiz before he could cross the Atlantic.This reflection determined him to make no further delay, andaccordingly, amidst the hearty cheers of the colonists, heweighed anchor, and made all sail for the Atlantic.
After three weeks’ sail, the “Eliza” came in sight of theAzores, and, holding off the land, cruized in the offing forthree weeks more; but saw no trace of the Spanish fleet. Anxiousand disappointed, Hildebrand began to fear that it must havepassed; and he resolved, after a little hesitation, and aconference with Master Halyard, who was of the same opinion ashimself, to run for Cadiz, where he would be able to ascertain ifhis conjectures were well founded.
A favourable wind soon brought him to Cadiz. On entering theharbour, he saw the fleet had not arrived, though there were,to his surprise, several large ships lying in-shore, evidentlypreparing for some expedition. Being only in search of theMexican fleet, however, Hildebrand would have put to sea again,but he was obliged, however it might assort with his design,to make some stay, lest he should excite suspicion, and so beprevented from departing at all.
But, though he came to an anchor, he kept a good distancefrom the shore, and made all ready against any visit from theauthorities. From whatever cause, however, he did not receivesuch a visit, and on the following morning he ventured to go onshore.
Leaving his boat at the mole, he passed up to the quay, andthence to the city. As he progressed, he found the whole city,from one end to the other, rife with those preparations which,previous to his landing, he had observed along the shore; and hebecame curious to know what could be the object of so formidablean armament. But whenever he was about to make it the subject ofinquiry, he found that he was closely attended by two cavaliers,whose faces, from their wearing their cloaks in the Spanishfashion, and having their slouched hats pulled over their brows,he could not well distinguish. Their appearance, however, causedhim to refrain from any inquiry, and ultimately drove him to thequay, and induced him to return to his ship.
The next day Hildebrand again visited the city. He had not gonefar, when, happening to look behind him, he found that the twovigilant cavaliers were on his heels once more. This brought himto a stand, and he resolved, since he could not shake them off,to let them pass him, and then return to his boat. They passedhim without hesitation, and, having watched them a few yards,he turned quickly round, and made off. In his hurry, however,he took a wrong turning, and, instead of finding himself on thequay, he came to a halt in front of the cathedral.
There was no time for deliberation: to return, even if he couldmake out the way, would be but to seek the two persons who hadbeen watching him; whereas, if he passed into the cathedral, hewould find a covert for the moment, and, after a short interval,might return unobserved. This view of the matter no sooneroccurred to him, than, with his accustomed decision, he resolvedon the latter course; and straightway entered the cathedral.
High mass was in course of celebration at the moment of hisentrance. The chapel in which the service was performed, beingdedicated to our Lady, was in high favour with the peopleof Cadiz, and, therefore, was well attended. But though asmall structure, it was not so full but that some seats wereunoccupied; and Hildebrand, directly they incurred his notice,took possession of one of these without ceremony.
As he sat down, his side adjoined the chapel-aisle, which dividedhim, by only a few paces, from another row of seats, placedlongitudinally. Thus, the occupiers of these seats, so far asthey were opposite to him, faced Hildebrand, and could make noone movement that did not incur his observation.
One of these seats, a little in his advance, was occupied bya young lady and her duenna, who, at his very first entry,attracted Hildebrand’s whole attention. She was tall for aSpaniard, but this did not reduce, but rather augmented, thedignity of her mien, and gave a more bewitching grace to herexquisite proportions. From the manner in which she wore hermantilla, which, turned over the back of her head and shoulders,fell down over only one arm, these could be partly distinguished,and, certainly, the most fastidious taste could not but admireall that was visible. Her bust was rounded so accurately, inevery turn of its outline, from her throat downwards, that thefigure which painters call the line of beauty could be tracedthrough all its proportions. But this incurred little notice, ifone could gaze on the more attractive loveliness of her face. Inher large eyes, indeed, there was a charm, dark and resistlessas the frown of death, that fell on the eyes of others with amagnetic effect, and seemed to absorb all light in their own.Above, her arched eyebrows, though as black as night themselves,appeared to melt away into the full radiance of morning, whichlent to her high forehead its most roseate colours, and mostcaptivating sweetness. Then the light was again broken by hersparkling raven hair, which, parted in the middle, was turned ina profusion of curls behind her ears. It made itself visible,however, once more, on the side where her mantilla was raised,in its fall downwards, which brought a cluster of three or fourringlets on her neck and bosom. This rather added to, thanweakened, the charm of her complexion, and its soft mellow tintsderived from the contrast of light and shade a new fascination,and a more striking and bewitching beauty. Its general effectwas, on a closer survey, also heightened by the warm blood thatplayed in her cheeks, and by the more dazzling red of her lips,which
----Grew together, Like to a double cherry, seeming parted; But yet a union in partition,-- Two lovely berries moulded on one stem.
Hildebrand’s were not the only eyes that the young lady hadcaptivated. Whether, however, it was owing to his tall personbeing more remarkable, or to the fact of his being a stranger,or to both causes combined, he alone had the good fortune, ifsuch it were, to receive from the fair maiden any degree ofencouragement. The first time her eyes met his, her glancewas not, it is true, free from some savour of disdain; butit brightened as it passed over his handsome features, andgradually assumed a softer and responsive sparkle. Several timesafterwards, in the course of the tedious service, he met herglance, and each time it wore a more tender tone, and broughtto her warm cheeks a livelier blush. At last, the servic
e wasconcluded, and the lady, together with her duenna, rose toretire. Hildebrand followed her with his eyes till she reachedthe church-porch. As she was making her egress, she turned round,and again bent her eyes on his.
Hildebrand was riveted to the spot: the next moment, the ladypassed out; and, though he hastened after her, she had gone outof sight when he reached the church-porch, and left no vestigebehind.
Hildebrand returned to his boat with some sense ofdisappointment. This was lessened, however, on reflection, asit occurred to him that his visit to the cathedral had, atleast, had the effect of misleading the two persons who hadbeen watching him, and with whose attendance he could welldispense. But he did not remember, what must have removed allsense of disappointment, that his stay in Cadiz could not beprolonged above a day or two, and, therefore, that he wouldhave no opportunity of pursuing the adventure which his visitto the cathedral had opened. A thought of Evaline de Neville,it is true, pierced his bosom with something like the sting ofself-reproach, but the remembrance of the last parting look ofthe fair Spaniard counteracted its effect, and made her alone thesubject of his reflections.
The next day, he resolved to visit the cathedral again. Heendeavoured to persuade himself, in answer to some scruples andreproofs of conscience, that he was actuated in this step by ahigher motive than the pursuit of an intrigue, and that his realobject was to ascertain, under the cloak of an intrigue, whatwas the destined purpose of that great and formidable armament,which, on his first arrival, he had observed to be in progress,and had since found to be employing the whole energies of Spain.And, though it was not his principal object, he really wasdesirous to acquire this information; for if, as he conjectured,the armament was designed to reinforce the Duke of Parma, inFlanders, it was highly advisable that the fact of its being onfoot should be immediately communicated to the court of England.Still, it must be owned, it was more his admiration of the fairSpaniard, than his jealousy of Spanish armaments, that led himagain to the cathedral.
The service had begun when he entered the sacred edifice.Advancing to the seat he had occupied the previous morning, heperceived that the young lady and her duenna were already settledin their seats, and, so far as outward appearances testified,engaged in their devotions. But though he was gratified at theirpunctual attendance, his gratification was not without alloy; forthe young lady, from whatever reason, wore a close veil over herface, and he did not receive one glance from her during the wholeservice. He was, however, unable to keep his eyes from her, and,on the service being concluded, they followed her, as on the dayprevious, to the church-porch. She would, he thought, at leastgive him a parting glance; she would at least raise her veilas she made her egress; but she passed out without so much aslooking round.
Hildebrand’s cheeks glowed with resentment, not unmingled withshame, as his vanity received this mortifying blow. He was sotaken aback, indeed, that he remained rooted to his seat, and itwas not till the silence around warned him that he was almostthe only person in the chapel, and, consequently, that it washigh time to take his departure, that the first effects of hisdisappointment began to subside. Then, gathering his cloak abouthim, he sprang to his feet, and walked hastily forth.
As he was passing through the church-porch, he felt some onetouch him behind. Turning round, his eye fell on an old woman, inwhom, despite of her close veil, he immediately recognised theSpanish maiden’s duenna.
“Senhor,” said this person, “thou hast made me wait long: I havea billet for thee.”
And, drawing her hand from under her mantilla, she disclosed asealed billet, which, without further speech, she placed in hiseager hands.
“Thanks, thanks!” answered Hildebrand, slipping a ring from hisfinger, and dropping it into the withered palm of the duenna.
The latter person, quietly closing her hand over her costlyguerdon, raised its forefinger to her lips, and, with thiscaution, broke away.
It may well be supposed, from his previous demeanour, thatHildebrand’s impatience to view and peruse the welcome billetwas excessive. Fearful that he might be watched, however, herestrained his curiosity, and held the billet close in his hand,under the fold of his cloak, till he reached a retired part ofthe city-quay. Then, drawing it forth, he tore it open and readthese words:--
“If thy looks belie not thy heart, and thou canst love truly, beunder the porch of the cathedral, at the southern entrance, thiseven, at ten of the clock.”
Hildebrand conned the billet over and over again, each time,as though he were really in love, viewing it more closely,and discerning in its fair penmanship a fresh grace. He didnot hesitate a moment as to the propriety of accepting theinvitation; indeed, in the excitement of the occasion, he didnot give it a thought. He only wondered how the adventure wouldend--only thought how many hours, slow and tedious as days,must precede the appointed hour; and sought to overlook theirweariness with the far-seeing eye of anticipation.
But the hour of the assignation arrived at last. Punctual tothe moment, Hildebrand pushed across the cathedral-close, andpresented himself at the southern porch.
It was a dark night, but still; and, in this retired quarter ofthe city, there was no person abroad. On taking his stationin the porch, Hildebrand thought it probable, from the tenorof her note, that his unknown mistress might be led by thesecircumstances to venture out, and give him a meeting in theshadow of the porch. But he was not left long to conjecture. Hehad been in the porch but a few minutes, when an approachingfootstep, followed by the rustling of drapery, saluted his ear.The next moment, a female appeared in sight: it was the oldduenna.
“Art thou here before me, Senhor?” she said, approaching him.“Now, I’ll swear, from this impatience of thine, thy love ishonest, and should win thee thy lady’s favour. Nay, nay, be notso eager. Thou shalt see her anon, I warrant you.”
“Let it be straightway, then, Senhora, I entreat thee,” answeredHildebrand, slipping a broad piece into her hand.
“Ay, ay, I am overfond, and ye both bend me as ye will,” answeredthe duenna. “St. Jago have mercy on me! I am afraid I do notright.”
“Nay, I’ll warrant, in thy young days, thou hast had loversthyself,” observed Hildebrand; “so thou canst not, with anyhonesty,--and I’ll swear thou art right honest,--deny them to thyfair young ward.”
“Well, indeed, thou speakest sooth,” returned the duenna; “for Ihave, in my younger days, had lovers enow; and though the timefor such follies is almost past with me,”--she was full sixtyyears of age--“it is not so with Donna Inez. Be of good heart,then, and follow me to her presence.”
Uttering these words, the old duenna turned away, and, with aquick step, passed out into the cathedral-close. Hildebrandfollowed her, a few paces in her rear, to a neighbouring street,which led them to the other end of the city. Here, turning intoa by-street, they passed along the outside of a dead wall to asmall doorway, inserted in the wall, some distance from anydwelling. The old woman came to a stand before the door, and,raising her hand over her eyes, looked narrowly round, on eitherside, to see that no one was about. It was very dark, and shecould not see far; but she seemed, after one glance around, tobe satisfied on this score, and turned to the door again. A keywhich she drew from her vest, and inserted in the lock, quicklyopened the door, and she whispered Hildebrand to enter.
Passing down two or three steps, Hildebrand found himself in alarge garden, which spread round, on either side of the walk hewas standing on, further than he could see. Having ascertainedthis, he was turning to look for his guide, when he descriedthe figure of another female, somewhat taller than the duenna,standing against a contiguous tree. A thought struck him that itwas his mistress, and, without further pause, he sprang lightlyto her side.
The lady’s arms were folded in the fall of her mantilla, butHildebrand, gently pushing that aside, easily possessed himselfof her trembling hand. As he did so, he came before her, andturned his eyes on her face.
Notwithstanding that he could not see very clearly, he readilydist
inguished the adorable features of his mistress, and the softlight that, in defiance of the darkness, beamed in her peerlesseyes. He could not, perhaps, discern the warm glow of confusion,mingled with pleasure, that his presence had called to hercheek, but her feelings were sufficiently revealed to him by thetrembling of her delicate hand. Love, whose refined sensibilitiesare entirely swayed by example, being so subject to impulse,and the action of passing influences, would have responded tothis confusion; and the rapture of the moment would have beenlocked in silence, and only seen in the excess of feeling. ButHildebrand was only a gallant, not a lover; and he was at noloss for words--earnest and musical, too, though lacking insincerity--in which he could address his mistress.
Readiness of compliment is a characteristic trait, if one mayso speak, of that passion which springs only from admiration,in contradistinction to that which flows, with a gentler wave,and a more constant and regular current, from the purer sourceof affection. In the one passion, all is but skin-deep; in theother, it is heart-deep: the first is, like the body, mortal; butthe other is an emblem of the soul, and is quick, etherial, andundying.
Clasping her hand in his, and drawing it under his arm,Hildebrand first proceeded to thank his mistress, in a fewpassionate words, for the distinguished favour which she hadbestowed upon him, in the concession of an interview. They movedonward while he spoke, and presently, turning a sweep in thewalk, came in view of the lady’s dwelling. Here Hildebrandwould have paused; but his mistress, though she had till nowbeen almost a passive agent, and had hardly seemed to exercisevolition, continued to move on, and, of course, drew him with her.
A few paces brought them to a flight of steps, which, after amoment’s hesitation, they ascended, and passed over the landingto an adjacent door. Raising the latch, the lady pushed the dooropen, and disclosed a lighted hall within.
“Follow, and say not a word!” she said.
She passed into the hall, and Hildebrand, pursuant to herinjunction, followed her in silence. They crossed the hall ontiptoe, and halted at the foot of a staircase, which, dividing inthe middle, ascended in two distinct flights, and opened into asort of gallery, or continuation of the landing, which ran roundthree sides of the hall above.
The lady looked anxiously up the stairs, on either side, andround the whole range of the hall, to see if any one was about,but everything was still as death, and the hall seemed to have noother inmates but themselves. Apparently satisfied on this point,the lady moved forward again, and, with a light but quick step,ascended to the gallery, followed by her silent gallant.
At the summit of the stairs, a few feet from the landing, wasa narrow door, which the lady opened. A flood of light pouredthrough the aperture, and, looking in, Hildebrand discovered awell-lighted and elegant room, furnished as a sitting-chamber.The lady held the door open, and Hildebrand, perceiving that shewished him to enter first, passed in. His companion followed inhis wake, and shut the door behind them.
Up to this moment, Donna Inez--for such was the name of thefair Spaniard--had spoken but once, and then only to requestHildebrand to be silent. But the effects of Hildebrand’s firstapproach had now worn off, and the excitement of her progressfrom the garden, through a part of the house which might haveexposed her to unfriendly observation, and which, therefore,involved some degree of peril, had re-nerved her, and herfeatures had lost all trace of confusion or embarrassment.
As she closed the chamber-door, she turned round, and fixed hereyes full on the face of her gallant.
“Thou art not an Andalusian,” she said, wistfully surveying hisfeatures, “nor art thou from Catalonia: wast born in Spain atall?”
“No, lady,” answered Hildebrand: “I am from the North.”
“Ah, methought thou hadst not our accent,” returned Donna Inez;“and yet, though they be foreign, thine accents are good, andbecome thee right well. Be the Northerns true?”
“Thou wilt find me true, lady,” replied Hildebrand.
“Thou’lt say so, I warrant,” said Donna Inez. And thrusting herhand under her mantilla, she drew forth a small dagger, andcontinued:--“Regard thou the temper of this steel! Consider,while thou admirest its flashing lustre, how ready it is todefend, and how prompt to revenge! Canst thou be true as this?”
“Ay, truer!” answered Hildebrand, smiling, and clasping heruplifted hand in his.
Firmly as she had clutched the dagger, the small hand of DonnaInez relaxed, after one vain effort, in the passionate grasp ofHildebrand. She turned her eyes on his face, but it was not, asbefore, with the searching glance of inquiry, but with a lookof the fullest confidence, mingled with overpowering passion.There was nothing in the tone of his face, however earnestlysurveyed, but might confirm her confidence; the flush of triumphon his cheek, and the excitement in his eye, while they lent hiscountenance a more stirring animation, seemed to offer to herhis warmest sympathy, and to speak of love that was as dear aslife, and as true as she could wish it.
Still holding her hand in his, Hildebrand led her to a contiguouschair, and seated himself by her side. Probably he would herehave followed up, by a few well-timed words, the impression whichhe had made upon her by his bearing; but if he had resolvedupon this, he was prevented from carrying his intention intoeffect. Just as he had taken his seat beside her, the door of thechamber, which was right opposite to where they were sitting, washastily pushed open, and the old duenna rushed in.
“Oh, Donna, child, thou art lost!” exclaimed the faithfulgovernante, in broken accents. “Don Gonzalez has returned, andis, alack! even now upon the stairs, calling for thee with allhis main.”
Nothing could exceed the embarrassment of the lovers on hearingthis intelligence. Hildebrand, it is true, did not know who DonGonzalez was, or precisely understand what might be the effectof his arrival. But, though he was unacquainted with the exactand particular nature of the danger, he clearly saw that a dangerimpended, and that its consequences might cause both Inez andhimself very serious annoyance. Inez viewed the arrival of DonGonzalez with still greater concern. She had known him fromher childhood, when she was left, with a large dower, to hisuncontrolled guardianship, by his younger brother, her father.Being thus entirely at his disposal, and knowing him to be a manof unscrupulous passions, and a jealous and vindictive temper,she naturally saw the danger in its blackest colours, and wasperfectly overwhelmed with anxiety and apprehension.
“Alack!” she exclaimed, “I am indeed undone! Fly, Sir! fly, Ibeseech thee!”
“Madonna! and how is he to fly, I prithee?” asked the duenna.“There is no way out, I ween, but through this door, and thetyrant will be on the threshold presently.”
Startled by this intelligence, Hildebrand glanced round in searchof some place of concealment. A large casement stood on one sideof the chamber, screened from observation by a flowing merinocurtain, which was fastened, about a foot below the roof, to apole of cedar, whence its ample folds fell to the floor. This wasthe only covert that presented itself, but Hildebrand thoughtthat, unless the jealous Spaniard should suspect his ward to havebeen entertaining a gallant, and subject the chamber to a rigidsearch, it might prove sufficient.
“Have no fear!” he said to Inez. “I will hide me behind yondercurtain; and if it come to the worst, I carry a good Toledo at myside, and will make my way against more foes than one.”
There was no time to spare; for the step of Don Gonzalez,rendered more distinct by the clink of his spurs, was now heardat the door. Hardly had Hildebrand slipped behind the curtain,when, pushing open the door, he entered the chamber.
He was a man in years; but time, though it had whitened hishair, had not bent his tall form, or broken the stiffness of hisfigure. Even his grey hair, which would have given a venerablelook to others, served to render his appearance more rigid, andthe severity of his glance was magnified by his white brows,while his lips, pressed sternly together, looked more repulsiveunder his grizzled moustachios. He was dressed in grave habits,with a slouched hat, as though--which probably was
the case--hehad but just returned from abroad, and had passed straight to hisward’s sitting-chamber.
On his entrance into the apartment, he closed the door behindhim, and, turning round, glanced inquiringly at the two inmates.His quick eye, surveying them earnestly, readily detected theembarrassment of his niece, and discerned that all was not rightwith her grave duenna. But what probably tended most to excitehis suspicions, and led him to surmise that some evil was onfoot, was the attire of the two females, which, considering thelateness of the hour, was certainly singular, as it comprehendedtheir veils and mantillas.
“Ye have been walking late, Senhoras,” he said, “yet not, Itrust, without good escort, or ye may have met some misadventure.”
There was a pause.
“And whither hast thou roamed, fair niece?” resumed Don Gonzalez.“What happy gallant, of all the young bachelors of Cadiz, hastthou favoured with an assignation?”
“What meanest thou, Sir?” said Inez, recovering herself.
“Wouldst thou outface me?” demanded Gonzalez. “There is that onthy cheek, woman, would avow thy guilt, though thy tongue grewdumb in swearing its tale false.”
But Inez was not to be brow-beaten. Though the unexpectedintrusion of her uncle had taken her aback, it could not, byany possible bearing, bend and overcome her indomitable spirit;and now that the first shock of the surprise had worn off, shewas prepared to meet him, and could look the danger in the facewith perfect firmness. She met his insinuations with indignantremonstrance; and answered his taunts, though they were the mostbitter he could devise, with taunts more galling. He sought tosilence her once or twice; but the more he stormed, the more didInez persist, both by her voice and gesture, in braving his fury,and treating him with scorn and defiance. At last, his passionrose, almost to madness. There was one thing that Inez had notexplained, and that was, how, at so late an hour of the night,she and her duenna were dressed for walking. This was a point,however innocent it might be in itself, that he was not disposedto give up, and it furnished him with an excuse for his lastoutburst.
“Thou hast had no assignation,” he said, “and yet, by allappearance, hast been abroad at midnight. I prithee what mightymatter took thee forth so late?”
“Is it a sin, then, Senhor, to stroll at nights in the garden?”demanded Inez.
“’Tis a fair night, certes, for ladies to go strolling,” answeredGonzalez.
“Thou art too careful for me, Sir,” returned Inez. “There was norain.”
“No rain!” exclaimed Gonzalez. “Wouldst thou make me doubtmine own senses? But, no! I will not be braved thus. Thou shaltconfess, with thine own lips, and before thy helpmate here, thatthe rain hath been abundant.”
As he thus spoke, he caught a firm hold of her wrist, and drewher towards the chamber casement. The detection of her lover, towhom the curtain of the casement had hitherto afforded a securecovert, seemed inevitable; and her rage sank under her anxietyand terror.
“Hold, Senhor! hold!” she exclaimed, throwing all her weight onher guardian’s arm: “I know it hath rained hard.”
But her submission had not the effect she sought. Indeed, itrather increased suspicion, than subdued it; and as it wasnot till he moved towards the casement that she had tried toconciliate him, Gonzalez fancied that the casement would presentsomething to view, in some way or other, that she desired toconceal. Directly the thought occurred to him, he cast off herhold, and threw her from him.
Inez beheld him approach the curtain of the casement, behindwhich her lover had taken refuge, without the power ofinterposing. The old duenna, in the back-ground, was equallyhelpless, and could only raise her hands in speechless terror.Inez scarcely dared to breathe, when, twining one hand round thehilt of his rapier, Gonzalez fastened the other on the curtain,and tore it aside.
The two females started back in astonishment: the casement wasopen, and Hildebrand had gone.