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it was the very address given to the driver of the cab in which the girl with whom he had travelled to london more than a year ago had gone as it seemed out of his sight every little incident connected with her came to his mind how she had spoken of the books she loved in old and english and how she had said she knew the way to earn her own living if this was the way if she was indeed the author of the book which had stirred and the soul of the age then she had not ed in vain aloud he said it seems to be another case of the author of and the great i suppose you ll take anything else you can get by the same hand rather and the nodded emphatically we have already secured a second work through miss yes through miss laughed i believe you re all than he said why on earth you should think that because a woman looks like a school girl she cannot write a clever book if gifted that way is a condition of non intelligence i fail to you speak of this author as a he do you think only a male creature can produce a work of genius look at the men turn out every day in the form her fancy and his fact of novels alone i many of them are worse than the worst weak fiction by women i tell you i ve lived long enough to know that a woman s brain can beat a man s if she cares to test it so long as she does not fall in love when once that disaster happens it s all over her it s the one to a woman s career if she would only keep clear of love and self sacrifice she d do wonders i men never allow love to interfere with so much as their own smoke very few among them would sacrifice a good cigar for a woman as for this girl miss i u pluck out the heart of her for i suppose you won t pay any less for good work if it turns out to be by a she instead of a tie the was amused certainly he answered we have already paid over a thousand pounds in on the present book and we have agreed to give two thousand in advance on the next the author has expressed himself as perfectly satisfied through miss put in yes through miss and turned to go i hope miss will also express herself as perfectly satisfied after i have seen her i i shall write and ask permission to call surely and the looked distressed you do not intend to trouble this poor girl by questions concerning her employer it s hardly fair to her and of course it s only your way of joking but your idea that she wrote the book we re all talking about is simply at i she couldn t do it when you see her you ll understand i i shall and smiled don t you worry i m too old a hand to get myself or anybody else into trouble but i ll you anything that your simple school girl is the author innocent he went back then and there to the office of his big newspaper and wrote a guarded little note as follows miss i wonder if you remember a old fellow who travelled with you on your first journey to london rather more than a year ago you never told me your name but i kept a note of the address you gave through me to your driver and through that address i have just by chance heard that you and the miss who corrected the proofs of a wonderful book recently published are one and the same person may i call and see you yours sincerely john he waited impatiently for the answer but none came for several days at last he received a simple and put off thus expressed dear mr i remember you very well you were most kind and i am grateful for your thought of me but i hope you will not think me rude if i ask you not to call i am living as a paying guest with an old lady whose health is not very strong and who does not like me to receive visitors and you can understand that i try not to inconvenience her in any way i do hope you are well and successful yours sincerely he folded up the note and put it in his pocket that me very he said with a laugh at himself for his own who is it says a woman cannot keep a secret she can and her fancy and his fact will and does when it suits her to do so never mind miss i shall find you out when you least expect it never fear meanwhile miss s little house in was the scene of mingled confusion and triumph the paying guest the little girl with all her wardrobe in a and her of four hundred pounds in notes tucked into her bosom had achieved a success beyond her wildest dreams and now had only to declare her identity to become a miss had been for some days in a state of nervous excitement knowing that it was innocent s first literary effort which had created such a sensation by this time she had learned all the girl s history innocent had told her everything save and except the one fact of her and this she held back not out of shame for herself but consideration for the memory of the handsome man whose portrait stood on the silent for she in her turn had discovered | 33 |
miss s secret how the dear lady s heart had been devoted to pierce all her life and how when die knew he had been drawn away from her and by another woman her happiness had been struck down and withered like a rose in a hard gale of wind for this romance and the she had suffered innocent loved her the two had become fast friends almost like devoted mother and daughter miss was as she had stated in her morning post advertisement well connected and she did much for the girl who had by chance brought a new and thrilling interest into her life more than innocent could possibly have done for herself the history of the child as much as she was told of it who had been left so casually at a country farm on the mere of its being kept and taken innocent care of affected her profoundly and when innocent confided to her the fact that she had never been the gentle old lady was moved to tears no time was lost in lifting this spiritual ban from the young life concerned and the sacred waa performed quietly one morning in the church which miss had attended for years miss having herself explained beforehand some of the circumstances to the and standing as to the newly received little christian and though there had arisen some question as to the name by which she should be miss held to the idea that she ould retain the name her unknown father had given her innocent suppose he should not be dead she said then if he were to meet you some day that name might his memory and lead him to identify you and i like it it is pretty and original quite christian too there were several named innocent the girl smiled she thought of robin and how he had his knowledge to her on the same subject but it is a man s name isn t it she asked not more so than a woman s declared miss you can always call yourself for short if you like but innocent is the prettier name and so innocent it was and by the of water and the blessing of the church the name was finally bestowed and innocent herself was peacefully glad of her newly attained spiritual dignity and called miss her fairy do you mind she asked it makes me so happy to feel that you are one of those kind her fancy and his fact people in a fairy tale bringing good fortune and blessing i m sure you are like that miss protested against the sweet flattery but all the same she was pleased she began to take the girl out with her to the houses of various great personages friends whom she knew well and who made an intimate little social circle of own old fashioned people certainly but happily free from the sort of suppressed which the riches of the present day people who rigidly to almost notions of honour and dignity who lived simply and well within their means who spoke reverently of things religious and believed in the old manners the man so by degrees innocent found herself among a small choice set chiefly made up of the fragments of the real old aristocracy to which miss herself belonged and with her own quick and natural grace she soon became a favourite with them all but no one knew the secret of her literary aspirations save miss and when her book was published and the reading world began to talk of it as something unusual and wonderful she was more terrified than pleased its success was greater than she had ever dreamed of and her one idea was to keep up the mystery of its as long as possible but every day made this more difficult and when john wrote to her she felt that disclosure was imminent she had always kept the visiting card he had given her when they had travelled to london together and she knew he belonged to the staff of a great and leading newspaper he was a man not likely to be baffled in any sort of he might choose to make she thou t about this as she sat in her quiet little room at the last few chapters of her second book a innocent b e t a change had been wrought in her life since she left farm more than a year aye nearly eighteen months ago for one thing au fears of financial difficulty were at an end her first book had brought her more money than she had ever had in her life and the s offer for her second her most ambitious desires she waa independent she could earn sufficient and more than sufficient to keep herself in positive luxury if she chose but for this she had no taste her little rooms in miss s house satisfied all her ideas of rest and comfort and she stayed on with the kind old lady by choice and affection helping her in many ways and to her guidance in every little social matter the charming of a and obedient spirit all too rare in these days when youth is more full of than modesty she had managed her literary business so far well and carefully representing herself as the private secretary of an author who wished to remain and who had gone abroad her with his manuscript to place any suitable firm that would make a suitable offer the would hardly have succeeded in the case of any ordinary piece of work but the book itself was of too exceptional a quality to be passed over and the firm to which it was first offered recognised this and accepted it without enough to see its possibilities and | 33 |
to risk its chances of success and now she that her little plot might be discovered any day and that she would have to declare herself as the writer of a strange and brilliant book which was the of the moment i wonder what they will say when they know it at farm she thought with a and a half sigh her fancy and his fact farm seemed a long way off in these days she had written both to and robin giving her address and briefly stating that she had taken the name of feeling that she had no right to that of but could not write and contented herself with sending her dear love and duty and do come back soon through robin who answered for both in letters that were carefully cold and restrained now that he knew where she was he made no attempt to visit her he was too grieved and disappointed at her continued absence and deeply hurt at what he considered her conduct in a different name an as he called it have separated yourself from your old home by own choice in more than one he wrote and i see i have no right to your actions you are in a strange place and you have taken a strange name i cannot feel that you are innocent the innocent of our happy years i it is better i should not go and see you not unless you send for me when of course i will come she was both glad and sorry for this she would have liked to see him again and yet well she knew instinctively that if they met it would only cause him fresh new life had bestowed new grace on her personality all the interior intellectual phases of her mind had developed in her a beauty of face and form which was rare subtle and and though she was not conscious of it herself she had that compelling attraction about her which few can resist a fascination far greater than mere physical perfection no one could have called her actually beautiful hardly could it have been said she was even pretty but in her slight figure and intelligent face with its large blue grey eyes half veiled under dreamy drooping and innocent long lashes there was a charm which was both sweet and powerful moreover she dressed well in quiet taste with a careful of anything foolish or eccentric in fashion and wherever she went she made her effect as a graceful young presence expressive of repose and harmony she spoke delightfully in a delicious voice to the most melodious and her constant study of the finer literature of the past gave her certain ways of expressing herself in a manner so far removed from the abrupt commonly used to day by young people of both sexes that she was called quaint by some and weird by others of her own sex though by men young and old she was declared charming guarded and by good old miss she had no cause to be otherwise than satisfied with her apparently reckless and plunge into the mighty of london some beneficent spirit had led her into a haven of safety and brought her straight to the goal of her ambition without difficulty of course i owe it all to she thought if it had not been for the four hundred pounds he left me to buy with i could not have done anything i have bought my not ones but things so much better as the memory of her came over her tears sprang to her eyes in her mind she saw the smooth green pastures farm the beautiful old house the trees waving their branches in the wind over the tomb of the the round and round in the clear air and her own falling like a from the roof to her caressing hand all the old life of country sights and sounds passed before her like a fair giving place to dark days of sorrow and loss the fleeting her fancy and his fact glimpse of her self confessed mother lady and the ki she had so unexpectedly gained as to the actual identity of her father he whose portrait was in the very house to which she had come through no more romantic means than a chance advertisement in the morning post and miss her fairy could she have found a better friend even in any stepping out of a magic if she ever knows the truth if i am ever able to tell her that i am his daughter she said to herself i wonder if she will care for me less or more but i must not tell her she says he was so good and noble it would break her heart to think he had done anything or that he had deserted his child and so she held her peace on this point though she was often tempted to break silence whenever miss to the story of her being left in such a casual yet romantic way at farm i wonder who the handsome man was my dear she would perhaps he ll go back to the place and for you he may be some very great personage and innocent would smile and shake her head i fear not my she would reply you must not have any fairy dreams about me i was just a deserted baby not wanted in the world but the world may have to take me all the same and her eyes would flash and her sensitive mouth would quiver as the vision of fame like a rainbow the heaven of her youthful imagination while miss would si and listen and wonder she whose simple | 33 |
hope and faith had been in a love which had proved false and vain praying that the girl might her ambition without the and of her life innocent one evening an evening destined to mark a turning point in innocent s destiny they went together to an at home held at a beautiful in the house of an artist famous miss had a great taste for pictures no doubt since the early days of her romantic attachment to a man who had painted them and she knew most of the artists whose names were more or less celebrated in the modem world her host on this special occasion was what is called a fashionable portrait painter from the queen downwards he had painted the of ladies of wealth and title flattering them as delicately as his clever brush would allow and thereby securing golden opinions as well as golden guineas he was a sort of man quite without vanity or any sort of art and he had been a friend of miss s for many years innocent loved going to his whenever her would take her and he in his turn found interest and amusement in talking to a girl who showed such a fresh simple and nature united to intelligence and perception far beyond her years on the particular evening in question the was full of notable people not crowded but sufficiently so as to compose a brilliant effect of colour and movement beautiful women in wonderful attire fluttered to and fro like gaily birds among the dark clothed men who stood about in that fashion they so often affect when to talk or to make themselves agreeable and there was a pleasantly subdued murmur of voices voices well and incapable of breaking into the sheep like or innocent keeping close beside her watched the animated scene with happy in her fancy and his fact unconscious that many of those present watched her in turn with a good deal of scarcely restrained curiosity for somehow or other rumour had whispered a fl word or two that it was possible she even she that young looking creature might be and probably was the actual author of the clever book everybody was talking about and thou no one had the to ask her point blank if the report was true people at her and murmured their of suggestion or incredulity finding it difficult to believe that a woman could at any time or by any means alone and snatch one flower from the of fame she looked very fair and sweet and non literary clad in a simple white gown made of some softly clinging material wholly save by a small of natural roses at her bosom and as she stood a little apart from the throng several artists noticed the grace of her one especially a rather handsome man of middle age who gazed at her and with a frank which though bold was scarcely rude she caught the t light of his keen blue eyes and a thrill ran her whole being as though she had been suddenly influenced by a current then she flushed deeply as she fancied she saw him smile for the first time in her life she found pleasure in the fact that a man had looked at her with plainly evinced admiration in his fleeting glance and she watched him talking to several people who all seemed delighted and flattered by his notice then he disappeared later on in the evening she asked her host who he was the famous r a considered for a moment do you mean a man with rough dark hair and a innocent face rather good looking in an eccentric sort of way innocent nodded eagerly yes and he had blue eyes had he really and tiie great artist smiled well i m sure he would be flattered at your close observation of him i think i know him that is i know him as much as he will let anybody know him he is a curious fellow but a magnificent painter a real genius he s half french by descent and his name is de for a moment the room went round in a giddy whirl of colour before her eyes she could not credit her own hearing de the name of her old stone of france on his tomb at farm with his mon me de she repeated are you sure i mean is that his name really it s so unusual so curious if yes it is curious agreed her host ut it s quite a good old french name belonging to a good old french family the bore arms for the due d in the reign of queen elizabeth and this man is a sort of last very proud of his i ll bring him along and introduce him to you if you ll allow me innocent murmured something she scarcely knew what and in a few minutes found herself giving the conventional bow in response to the formal words miss mr de and looking straight up at the blue eyes that a short while since had flashed an almost compelling glance into her own a strange sense of familiarity and recognition moved her something of the expression of her was in the face of this other of whom she knew nothing and her heart beat so her fancy and his fact quickly that she could scarcely speak in answer when he addressed her as he did in a somewhat abrupt manner are you an art student she smiled a little oh no i am nothing i love pictures of course there is no of course in it he said a humorous curve lifting the comers of his | 33 |
marked as missing but stayed at home in france and in due course inherited his father s grim old castle and lands he married and had a large family much larger than the six olive branches allotted to your friend of farm and he smiled he is my and i can trace myself back to him in direct so you see i have quite the right to my curious name she clasped and her little hands nervously she was shy of raising her eyes to his face it is wonderful she murmured i can hardly believe it possible that i should meet here in london a real one of the family of the does it seem strange he laughed oh no i her fancy and his fact nothing is strange in this queer little world but i don t quite know what the exact connection is between me and your knight it s too for me to grasp i suppose i m a sort of great grand nephew however nothing can alter the fact that i am also an de she glanced up at him quickly you are indeed she said it is you who ought to be the master of farm ought i he was amused at her earnestness why because there is no direct heir now to the she answered almost sadly his last is dead his name was and he was a farmer and he left all he had to his nephew the only child of his sister who died before him the nephew is very good and clever too he was educated at oxford but he is not an actually he laughed again this time quite heartily at the serious expression of her face that s very terrible he said i don t know when i ve heard anything so lamentable and i m afraid i can t put matters right i should never do for a farmer i m a painter i had better go down and see this famous old place and the tomb of my ever so great great grand i could make a picture of it i ought to do that as it belonged to the family of my ancestors will you take me she gave him a little fleeting reluctant smile are making fun of it all she said that is not wise of you you should not laugh at grave and noble things he was charmed with her was he grave and noble i he asked his blue eyes sparkling with a kind of you are sure well all honour innocent to him i and to you for believing in him i hope you ll consider me kindly for his sake will you a quick blush her cheeks of course i must do so she answered simply i owe him so much then fearful of be her secret of literary she hesitated i mean he taught me all i know i studied all his old books just then their cheery host came up well have you made friends ah i see you have mutual intelligence mutual comprehension will you bring miss innocent in to supper i leave her in your charge miss innocent repeated doubtful as to whether this was said by way of a joke or not yes some people call her but her real name is innocent isn t it little lady she smiled and coloured looked at her with a curious really your name is innocent he asked yes she answered him i m afraid it s a very unusual name it is indeed he said with emphasis innocent by name and by nature will you come she rose at once and they moved away together chapter ii and coincidence play curious with human affairs and one of the most obvious facts of daily experience is that the merest trifle in the most way will often suffice to change the whole intention and career of a life for good or for evil it is as though a in the composition of a s should suddenly himself of a new and strange melody and pleasing his fancy with the should introduce it at the last moment thereby creating more or less of a surprise for the audience something of this kind happened to innocent after her meeting with the painter who bore the name of her long knight of france de she soon learned that he was a somewhat famous personage famous for his genius his scorn of accepted rules and his contempt for all push and patronage as well as for his in society and carelessness of she also heard that his works had been rejected twice by the royal academy council a reason he deemed all sufficient for never appealing to that exclusive school of again while he chose to send was eagerly accepted by the and purchased as soon as exhibited his name had b un to stand very hi and his original character and personality made him somewhat of a curiosity among men one more feared than favoured he took a certain pleasure in his own disposition for the benefit of any of his acquaintances innocent who chose to listen and the harsh judgment he passed on himself was not altogether without justice or truth i am an essentially selfish man he would say i have met selfishness everywhere among my fellow men and women and have it as a water i ve had a fairly hard time and i ve experienced the rough side of human nature getting more than now that the have ceased i m in no mood for soft soap i know the of so called friendship the of sincerity and as for love there s no such thing permanently in man woman or child what is called love | 33 |
is merely a comfortable con that one particular person is agreeable and useful to you for a time but it s only for a time and marriage which seeks to bind two people together till death is the heaviest curse ever imposed on manhood or womanhood devotion and are merest folly the people you sacrifice yourself for are never worth it and devotion is generally if not always the only thing to do in this life is to look after yourself serve yourself please yourself no one will do anything for you unless they can get something out of it for their own advantage you re bound to follow the general example notwithstanding this candid confession of the man had greatness in him and those who knew his works readily recognised his power the impression he had made on innocent s and romantic nature was beyond analysis e did not try to understand it herself his name and the connection he had with the old french knight of her childhood s dreams and fancies had moved and roused her to a new interest in life and just as she had hitherto been unwilling to betray the secret of her fancy and his fact t her literary she was now eager to have it declared for one reason only that he might perhaps think well of her whereby it will be seen that the poor child endowed with a singular genius aa she was knew nothing of men and their never failing contempt for the of gifted women delicate of taste and sensitive in temperament she was the very last sort of creature to the ugly truth that men taken en consider women in one only way that of sex as the lower half of man necessary to man s continuance but always the mere vessel of his pleasure to her de was the wonderful of an ideal but die was very silent concerning him reserved and almost cold this rather surprised good miss whose romantic tendencies had been greatly stirred by the story of the knight of farm and the discovery of a of the same family in one of the most admired artists of the day they visited s together a vast bare place wholly by the which is sometimes affected by third rate men to create an art impression on the minds of the and they had stood lost in wonder and admiration before a great picture he was painting on commission entitled wild weather it waa what is called by an important work and represented night closing in over a sea lashed into fury by the sweep of a stormy wind so faithfully was the scene of terror and confusion rendered that it was like nature itself and the imaginative eye almost looked for the rising waves to tumble from the painted canvas and break on the floor in stretches of foam gentle miss was conscious of a sudden beating of the heart as looked at this of form and colour it reminded her of the work of pierce innocent she ventured to say so with a little hesitation and caught at the name yes he was beginning to be rather famous some five and twenty years ago i wonder what became of him he promised great things by the way and he turned to innocent your name is any relation to him the colour rushed to her cheeks and fled again leaving her very pale no she answered he looked at her ell is not as a name sa de he said will hardly find two of me i and i expect i shall hardly find two of and he smiled especially if what i have heard is more than rumour her eyes filled with an eager light what do you mean he yet in himself was conscious of a certain embarrassment well that a certain innocent young lady is a great author he said there you have it i m loth to believe it and hope the report isn t true for i m afraid of clever women indeed i avoid them whenever i can a sudden sense of and loss fell over her like a cloud her lips quivered why should you do so she asked we do not avoid clever men he smiled ah that is different she was silent miss looked a little dis he went on lightly my dear miss don t be angry with me he said you are so delightfully ignorant of the of our sex and i for one heartily wish you her fancy and his fact might always remain so but we men are selfish and we like to consider cleverness or genius if you will a our own exclusive property we hate the feminine on our particular preserves we consider that women were made to charm and to amuse us not to equal us do you see when a woman is clever perhaps than we are she ceases to be amusing and we must be amused we cannot have our fun spoiled by the blue element though you you do not look in the least t she turned from him in a mute vexation she thought his talk trifling and miss came to the rescue no innocent is certainly not t she said sweetly if by that term you mean advanced or in any way but she has been singularly gifted by nature yes dear child i must be allowed to speak this as innocent made an appealing gesture and if people say she is the author of the book that is just now being so much talked of they are only saying the truth the secret cannot be kept much longer he heard | 33 |
then went quickly up to the girl where she stood in a somewhat dejected attitude near his then it is true he said i heard it yesterday from an old friend of mine john but i couldn t quite believe it let me congratulate you on your brilliant success you do not care she said almost in a whisper oh do i not he was amused and taking her hand kissed it lightly if all literary women were like you he left the sentence unfinished but his eyes conveyed a language which made her heart beat foolishly and her nerves thrill she forgot the innocent easy mockery which had distinguished his manner since when speaking of the blue element and once more de sat firmly on her throne of the ideal that very afternoon on her return from s to miss s little house in which she now called her home she foimd a reply paid from her running thus eminent john book in evening paper suggesting that you are the actual author may we deny or confirm she thought for some minutes before deciding and went to miss with the in her hand mine she said kneeling down beside her tell me what shall i do is it any use continuing to wear the veil of mystery shall i take up my burden and bear it like a man miss smiled and drew the fair head to her bosom poor little one she said tenderly i know just what you feel about it you would rather remain quietly in your own than face the criticism of the world or be pointed out as a yes i quite but i think you must in justice to yourself and others take up the burden as you put it yes child you must wear your though for you i should prefer the rose innocent shivered as with sudden cold a rose has thorns she said as she got up from her kneeling attitude and moved away it s beautiful to look at but it soon her fancy and his fact she sent off her reply wire to the without further delay statement quite true you can confirm it and so the news was soon all over london and for that matter all over the world from one end of the globe to the other the fact was made known that a girl in her twentieth year had produced a literary admirable both in design and execution worthy to rank with the highest work of the most brilliant and renowned authors she was speedily overwhelmed by letters of admiration and invitations from every possible quarter where lion hunting is practised as a to and society but amid all the attractions and offered to her she held fast by her of safety miss who her loving care and vigilance keeping her as much as she could in the harbour of that small and exclusive set of well bred and finely educated people for whom noise and fuss and show meant all that was worst in taste and manners and remaining more or less in seclusion despite the growing around her name she finished her second book and took it herself to the great house which was rapidly good hard ca out of the delicate dream of her woman s brain the head of the firm received her with eager and respectful cordiality you kept your secret very well he said i assure you i had no idea you could be the author of such a book you are so young she smiled a little sadly one may be young in years and old in thought she answered i passed all my childhood in reading and studying i had no and no games innocent and i was nearly always alone i had only old books to read mostly of the century i suppose i formed a style unconsciously on these it is a very beautiful and expressive style said the i told mr when he first suggested that you might be the author that it was altogether too for a girl she gave a slight gesture pray do not let us discuss it she said i am not at all pleased to be known as the author no and he looked surprised surely you must be happy to become so suddenly famous are famous persons happy she asked i don t think they are to be stared at and whispered about and that s not happiness and men never like you the laughed you can do without their liking miss he said you ve beaten all the literary fellows on their own ground you ought to be satisfied we are very proud you she said simply as she rose to go i am grateful for your good opinion when she had left him the eagerly turned over the pages of her new manuscript at a glance he saw that there was no falling oflf he recognised the same of expression the same point and of which had distinguished her first effort and the wonderful charm with which a thought was pressed firmly yet tenderly home to its mark it will be a greater triumph for her and for us than the previous book he said she s a wonder and the most wonderful thing about her is that she has no conceit and is unconscious of her own power her fancy and his fact two or three after the announcement of her came a letter from robin dear innocent it ran i see that your name or rather the name you have taken for yourself is made famous as that of the author of a book which is creating a great sensation and i venture to write a word of hoping it may be acceptable | 33 |
to you from your and friend of days i can hardly believe that the dear little innocent of farm has become such a celebrated and much talked of personage for after all it is not yet two years since you left us i have told and she sends her love and duty and hopes god will allow her to see you once again before she dies the work of the farm goes on as usual and everything all is as uncle would have wished all except one thing which i know wiu never be but you must not think i at my fate i might feel lonely if i had not plenty of work to do and people dependent on me but under such circumstances i manage to live a life that is at least useful to others and i want for nothing in the evenings when the darkness in and we light the tall candles in the old i often wish i could see a little fair head shining like a against the dark oak s vision of grace and hope and comfort but as this cannot be i read old books even some of those belonging to your favourite french knight and try to add to the little learning i gained at oxford i am sending for your book when it comes i shall read every word of it with an interest too deep to be expressed to you in my poor language is well he flies to my hand surprised i think to find it of so rough a texture as compared with the little innocent rose velvet palm to which he was accustomed will you ever come to farm again god bless you i robin she shed some tears over this letter then moved by a sudden impulse sat down and answered it at once giving a full account of her meeting and acquaintance with another de the real last she wrote of the real old family of the very of farm she described his appearance and manners on his genius as a painter and all unconsciously poured out her ardent enthusiastic soul on this wonderful discovery of the real in the ideal she said nothing of her own work or success save that she was glad to be able to earn her living and when robin read the simple of her thoughts his heart grew cold within him he with the keen instinct of a lover guessed at once all that might happen saw the hidden fire and became conscious of an inexplicable dread as though a note of alarm had sounded in his brain what would happen to innocent if she with her romantic fancies should allow a possible traitor to intrude within the crystal pure sphere where her sweet soul dwelt and serene he told the strange story and she in her shrewd way felt something of the same fear eh the poor lamb she that old french knight was ever a fly in her brain and a block in the way of us all and now to come across a man o the same name an family turning up all unexpected like why it s like a ghost s sudden from the tomb an what does it mean robin are you the master o farm now or is he the one laughed a trifle bitterly her fancy and his fact i am the master he said according to my s will this man is a painter famous and admired she ll scarcely go in for farming if he did if he d buy the farm from me i ould be glad enough to sell it and leave the country robin cried reproachfully he patted her hand gently not not yet anyhow he said i may be yet of some use to innocent he paused then added slowly i think we shall hear more of this second de but months went on and he heard nothing save of innocent s growing fame which by leaps and bounds was spreading abroad like fire blown into brightness by the wind he got her first book and read it with astonishment and admiration utterly confounded by its brilliancy and power when her second work appeared with her adopted name to it as the author all the reading world rushed at it and equally rushed at her lifting her as it were on their and bearing her aloft against her own desire above the tide of fashion and as though she were a queen of many crowned with victory and again the old john sought an audience of her and this time was ot refused she received him in miss s little drawing room holding out both her hands to him in cordial welcome with a smile frank and sincere enough to show him at a glance that her had left her she was still the same simple child like soul wearing the of spiritual dreams rather than the brazen of material prosperity and he bitterly in the hardest ways of humanity felt a thrill of compassion as he looked at her wondering how her frail with fine thought and rich imagination would weather a innocent storm should storms arise he sat talking for a long time with her and miss reminding her of their journey up to london together while she in her turn amused and astonished hun by the fact that it was his loan of the morning post that had led her through an advertisement to the house where she was now living so i ve had something of a hand in it all he said cheerily glad of that it was chance or luck or whatever you call it but i never thought that the little girl with the frightened eyes carrying a | 33 |
for all her luggage was a future great author to whom i as a poor old would have to bow he kindly as he spoke and you are still a little or you look one i feel disposed to play literary grandfather to you but you want nobody s help you have made yourself she has indeed said miss with pride sparkling in her tender eyes when she came here and suddenly decided to stay with me i had no idea of her plans or what she was studying she used to shut herself up all the morning and write she told me she was finishing off some work in fact it was her first book a manuscript she brought with her from the country in that famous i knew nothing at all about it till she confided to me one day that e had written a book and that it had been accepted by a i was amazed and the result must have amazed you still more said but i m a very person and i guessed at once when i was told the address of the private secretary of the author that the secretary was the herself innocent blushed perhaps it was wrong to say what was not true she said but really i was and am the secretary of her fancy and his fact the author i write all the manuscript with my own hand they laughed at this and then went on to say i believe you know the painter don t you yes well i was with him hie other day and i said you were the author of the wonderful book he told me i was talking nonsense that you couldn t be he had met you at an artist s evening party and that you had told him a about some of his own family she s a nice little thing with baby eyes he said but die couldn t write a clever book she may have got some man to write it for her innocent gave a little cry of pain oh he say that of course he did i all men say that sort of thing they can t bear a woman to do more than marry and have children girl with the don t you know that you mustn t mind it it s their way of course i rounded on and told him he was a fool with a swelled head on the subject of his own sex he is a fool in many ways he s a great painter but he might be much greater if he d get up early in the morning and stick to his work he ought to have been in the front rank long ago but surely he is in the front rank miss mildly he is a wonderful artist tv yes with a lot of wonderful things in him which haven t come out declared and which never will come out i fear he turns night into day too often oh he s clever i grant you all but he hasn t a resolute will or a great mind like or jones or any of the fellows who served their art nobly he s a selfish sort of chap innocent heard and longed to utter a protest innocent she wanted to say tn o no you wrong him i he is good and noble he must be he is de but she repressed her thought and sat very quiet then when paused she told him in a sweet even voice the story of the knight of france who farm he was not so much by the tale as by her way of telling it and so the painter is tiie of the brother of your the knight who disappeared and took to farming in the days of elizabeth he said upon my word it s a quaint bit of history and almost too romantic for such days as these innocent smiled is romance at an end now she asked looked at her kindly almost it s gasping its last gasp in company with poetry is our only wear and prose very prose you are a romantic child i can see that but don t over do it and if you ever made an ideal out of your sixteenth century man don t make another out of the one he couldn t stand it he d at a touch she answered nothing but avoided his glance he prepared to take his leave and on rising from his chair suddenly caught sight of the portrait on the i know that face he said quickly who is he he was also a painter as great as the one we have just been of answered miss his name was pierce that s it exclaimed with some excitement of course pierce i knew him one of the fellows i ever saw her fancy and his fact there was an artist if you like he might have been anything what became of him do you know he died abroad so it is said and miss s gentle voice trembled a little but nothing is quite certainly known turned swiftly to stare eagerly at innocent your name is he said and do you know you are rather like him your face reminds me are you any relative she gave the usual answer no strange he bent his eyes upon her i remember i thought the same thing when i first met you and his features are not easily for gotten you have his eyes and mouth might almost be his daughter her breath quickened i wish i were she said he | 33 |
still looked puzzled don t wish for what would perhaps be a misfortune he said youve done very well for yourself but don t be romantic keep that old french knight of yours in the pages of an old french chronicle the volume lock it up and lose the key i chapter iii some weeks later on when the london season was at its height and fashion that and goddess sat in state the moods of the and which she chooses to call society innocent was invited to the house of a well known renowned for a handsome personality and also for an position certain sinister people said people are always saying something that her morals were easy going but agreed that her taste was she this great lady whose rank permitted her to entertain the king and queen heard of as the brilliant whose books were the talk of the town and forthwith made up her mind that she must be seen at her house as the sensation of at least one evening to this end she glided m her noiseless up to the door of miss s modest little dwelling and left the necessary slips of bearing her name with similar slips on behalf of her husband the duke for miss and miss the slips were followed in due course by a more imposing and formal card of invitation to a reception and small dance r s v p on receiving this good old miss was a little fluttered and excited and turning it over and over in her hand looked at innocent with a kind of nervous anxiety i think we ought to go my dear she said or rather i don t know about myself but you her fancy and his fact ought to go certainly it s a great house a great family and she is a very great lady a little a little modem perhaps lifted her eyebrows with a slight almost weary smile a scarcely perceptible change had come over her of late a change too subtle to be noticed by anyone who was not as keenly observant as miss but it was sufficient to give the old lady who loved her cause for a suspicion of trouble what is it to be modem she asked in your sense i mean i know what is called modem generally bad art bad literature bad manners and bad taste i but what do you call modem miss considered looking at the girl with steadfast eyes tou speak a trifle bitterly for you dear child she said these things you name as modem truly are so but they are ancient as well the world has altered very little i think what we call bad has always existed as it is only presented to us in different forms innocent laughed a soft little laugh of tenderness wise she said you talk like a book miss laughed too and a pretty pink colour came into her wan cheeks naughty child you are making fun of me she said what i meant about the innocent stretched out her hand for the card of invitation and looked at it well she said what about the miss hesitated i hardly know how to put it she answered at last she s a kind hearted woman very generous innocent and most in works of charity i never knew such energy as she shows in charity balls and perfectly wonderful but she likes to live her life who would not murmured the girl scarcely audibly and she lives it very much so rather to the continued the old lady with emphasis she has no real aim beyond the satisfaction of her own vanity and social power and you with your beautiful thoughts and might not like the kind of people she herself with who only want amusement and sensation particularly sensation innocent said nothing for a minute or then she looked up brightly to go or not to go mine which is it to be the decision rests with you yes or no i think it must be y j d miss the word with a little nod of her head it would be unwise to refuse especially just now when is talking of you and wishing to see you and you are quite worth seeing the girl gave a slight gesture of indifference and moved away slowly and as though fatigued by the mere effort of speech miss noted this with some concern watching her as e went and admiring the grace of her small figure the well shaped little head so proudly poised on the slim throat and the of her bright hair she grows prettier every day she thou t but not happier i fear not happier poor child innocent meanwhile upstairs in her own little study was reading and re reading a brief letter a her fancy and his fact which had come for her by the same post that had delivered the s invitation i hear you are among the guests invited to the of s party it ran i hope you will go for the purely selfish reason that i want to meet you there hers is a great house plenty of room and a fine garden for london people crowd to her but one can always escape the mob i have seen so little of you lately and you are now so famous that i shall think myself lucky if i may touch the hem of garment will you encourage me thus far like hamlet i lack advancement when will you take me to farm i should like to see the tomb of my very uncle could we | 33 |
not arrange a day s in the country while the weather is fine i throw myself on your consideration and for this and for many other things yours de there was nothing in this easily to make an ordinarily normal heart beat faster yet the heart of this simple child of the gods gifted with genius and deprived of worldly wisdom as all such divine children are uneasily and her eyes were wet more this she touched the signature tiie long familiar name her soft lips and as though afraid of what she had done hurriedly folded the letter and locked it away then she sat down and thought nearly two years had elapsed since she had left farm and ia that short time she had made the name she had adopted famous she could not call it her own name bom out of die had no right by the stupid law to the name of her father she could i innocent have worn the maiden name of her mother h she known it but she did not know it and what she was thinking of now was this should s te tell her lately discovered second de the true story of her birth and at this the outset of their friendship before well before it went any further she could not consult miss on the point without the reputation of pierce the man whose memory was in that dear lady s heart as a thing of honour she puzzled herself over the question for a long time and then decided to keep her own counsel after all why should i tell him she asked herself it might make trouble he is so proud of hi and i too am proud of it for him why should i let him know that i inherit nothing but my mother s shame her heart grew heavy as her position was thus forced back upon her by her own thoughts up to the present no one had asked who she was or where she came from she was understood to be an orphan left alone in the world who by her own genius and effort had lifted herself into the front rank among the shining lights of the day this so far had been information for all with whom she had come in contact but as time went on would not people ask more about her who were her father and mother where she was bom how she had been educated these demands were surely among the of fame and if she told the truth would she not despite the renown she had won be lightly even scornfully esteemed by conventional society as a and though the manner of her birth was no fault of her own and she was for the sins of her parents such being ihe wicked law her fancy and his fact the night of the s reception was one of those close nights of june in london when the atmosphere is well nigh as as that of some prison where have been pacing their dreary round all day royal was just over and space and opportunity were given for several social to be conveniently checked off before outside the duke s great house there was a constant stream of cars and a passing stranger might have imagined all the world and his wife were going to the s at home it was to effect an entrance but once inside the scene was one of veritable enchantment the lovely hues and of flowers the softened glitter of thousands of electric lamps shaded with rose colour the bewildering of women s clothes and jewels the exquisite music pouring like a rippling stream through the magnificent reception rooms all combined to create a effect of beauty and luxury and as innocent accompanied by tlie sweet faced old fashioned lady who played the part of with such gentle dignity approached her hostess she was a little dazzled and nervous her timidity made her look all the more charming she had the air of a wondering child called up to receive an unexpected prize at school she shrank visibly when her name was shouted out in a voice by the major in attendance quite unaware that ic created a thrill throughout the fashionable assemblage and that all eyes were instantly upon her the diamond crowned and glorious in gold embroidered kept back by a slight gesture the pressing crowd of guests and extended her hand with marked and a delightful smile such si pleasure and honour she said sweetly i innocent so good of you to come you will give me a few words with you later on yes everybody wiu want to speak to you but you must let me have a chance too innocent murmured something gently bs a to this sort of society which always troubled her and moved on everybody whispered and wondered astonished at the youth and evident of the author of those marvellous books so the ran the women her gown which was one of pale blue silken stuff caught at the waist and shoulders by quaint of dull gold a gown with nothing remarkable about it save its cut and fit melting itself as it were around her in harmonious folds of fine which suggested without the graceful lines of her form the men looked and said nothing much except a pity she s a writing woman about fleet street mere senseless talk which they knew to be senseless inasmuch as about fleet street is no part of any writer s business save that of the professional happily ignorant of comment the girl made her way quietly and through the splendid throng till she was presently addressed by ill pleasant man with small twinkling eyes and an agreeable surface manner i missed you just now | 33 |
when my wife received you he said may i present myself i am your host proud of the privilege innocent smiled as she bowed and held out her hand she was amused and taken a little by surprise this was the duke of this quite insignificant looking personage he was the owner of the great house and the husband of the great lady and yet he had the appearance of a very ordinary nobody but that he was a somebody of her fancy and his fact mount importance there was no doubt and when he said may i give you my arm and take you through the rooms there are one or two pictures you may like to see she was a little startled she looked round for miss but that lady seeing the position had disappeared so she laid her little cream hand on duke s arm and went with him at first yet with a pretty which was all her own and moving slowly among the crowd of guests gradually recovered her ease and self possession and began to talk to him with a delightful and which fairly his in fact him over as he afterwards declared she was unaware that his manner of her on his arm through the long vista of the magnificent rooms had been commanded and arranged by the in order that she be well looked at and by all assembled as the show person of the evening she was so unconscious of the ordeal to which she was being subjected that she bore it with the perfect indifference which such gives all at once the duke came to a here is a great friend of one of the best i have in the world he said i want to introduce him to you this as a tall old man paused near them with a smile and glance lord miss innocent s heart gave a wild bound for a moment she felt a struggling sensation in her throat moving her to cry out and it was only with a violent effort that she repressed herself youve heard of miss haven t you went on the duke of course all the world has heard of her indeed it has and lord bowed may i congratulate you on winning innocent your while you are young enough to enjoy them one moment my wife is most anxious to meet you e turned to look for her while innocent trembling violently wondered desperately whether it would be possible for her to nm away anywhere anywhere rather than endure what e knew must come the duke noticed her sudden with concern are you cold he asked i hope there is no draught oh no no she murmured it is nothing then she herself up in every drawing her little body erect as though a lily should lift itself to the she saw lord approaching with a handsome woman dressed in silvery grey and wearing a of and in one moment looked full in the face of her mother lady miss lady turned white to the lips her dark eyes opened widely in amazement and fear she put out a hand as though to steady herself her husband caught it alarmed are you ill not at all and she forced a laugh i am perfectly perfectly well a little faint perhaps the heat i think yes of course miss the famous author i am i am very proud to meet you most kind of you said innocent quietly and they still looked at each other very strangely the men beside them were a little embarrassed the duke his short white moustache and lord glanced at his wife with some wonder and curiosity both imagined with the usual of the male sex that the women had t en a sudden fantastic dislike to one her fancy and his fact by jove she s jealous thought the duke that lady was occasionally moved that way the girl seems frightened of her was lord s inward knowing that his wife did not always create a sympathetic atmosphere but her was soon herself and laughed quite merrily at her husband s anxious expression i m all right really she said with a quick almost defiant turn of her head towards him the in her dark hair flashing with a sinister gleam like lightning on still water you must remember it s rather overwhelming to be introduced to a famous author and think of just the right thing to say at the right moment isn t it miss it is as you feel replied innocent coldly lady rattled on gaily do come and talk to me for a few moments wiu be so good of you the garden s lovely shall we go there now my dear duke don t look so cross i ll bring her back to you directly and she nodded pleasantly you want her of course everybody wants her such a then turning again to innocent will you come as one in a dream the girl obeyed her inviting gesture and they passed out of the room together a large open french window to a garden dimly in the distance by the glitter of fairy lamps but for the most part left to the tempered brilliancy of a misty red moon once away from the crowd lady walked quickly and impatiently scarcely looking at the youthful figure that accompanied her own like a fair ghost gliding step for step beside her at last she stopped they were well away from the house in a quaint bit of garden shaded with formal fir trees and innocent where a fountain dashed up a slender thread of white spray a strange sense of fury in her broke loose with pale face and cruel glittering eyes she | 33 |
turned upon her daughter how dare you she half whispered through her set teeth how dare you innocent drew back a step and looked at her i do not understand you she said you do understand you understand only too well and lady put her hand to the pearls at her throat as though she felt them choking her oh i could strike you for your insolence i wish i had never sought you out or told you how you were bom is this your revenge for the manner of your birth that you come to me among my own class my own people innocent s eyes flashed with a fire seldom seen in then soft depths shame you she echoed i what shame have i brought you what shame shall i bring had you owned me as your child i would have made you proud of me i would have given you honour you abandoned me to strangers and i have made honour for myself shame is yours and yours only it would be mine if i had to acknowledge you as my mother you who never had the courage to be true her young voice with passion i have won my own way i am something beyond and above you your own class your own people as you them are at my feet and you you who played with my father s heart and spoilt his career you have lived to know that i his deserted child have made his name famous lady stared at her like some enraged cat ready to his name his name she muttered fiercely her fancy and his fact yes and how dare you take it you have no right to it in law wise law just law said the girl passionately would you rather i had taken yours i might have done so had i known it though i think not as i should have been ashamed of any maiden name you had when you came to farm to me to s e me so late so late after long years of desertion i told you it was possible to make a name one cannot go nameless through the world i have made mine and honestly in fact and she smiled a sad cold smile it is an honour for you my to know me your daughter lady s face grew ghastly pale in the uncertain light of the half veiled moon she moved a step and caught the girl s arm with some violence what do you mean to do she in an angry whisper i must know what are your plans of vengeance your campaign of your scheme of self advertisement what claim will you make none and innocent looked at her fully calm and fearless dignity i have no claim upon you thank god i am less to you than a dropped lamb lost in a thicket of thorns is to the sheep that bore it that s a rough country i was brought up on a farm you know but it will serve case think of me as i think nothing of you what i am or what i may be to the world is my own affair there was a pause presently lady gave a kind of shrill hysterical laugh then when we meet in society as we have met to night it will be as comparative strangers why of course we have always been innocent strangers the girl replied quietly no strangers were ever more strange to other than we you mean to keep my secret and your own certainly do you suppose i would give my father s name to father you talk of your father hi he was worth consideration he was chiefly to blame for your position was he i am not quite sure of that said innocent slowly i do not know all the circumstances but i have heard that he was a great artist and that some woman he loved ruined his life and i believe you are that woman lady laughed a hard laugh believe what you like she said you are an imaginative little fool when you know more of the world you will find out that men ruin women s lives as casually as nuts but they take jolly good care of their own skins pierce was too selfish a man to sacrifice his own pleasure and comfort for anyone he was glad to get rid of me and of you and now now she threw up her hands with an expressive half tragic gesture now you are famous actually famous good heavens why i thought you would stay in that old all your life the floors and looking after the poultry and perhaps marrying some country famous you social london dancing attendance on you what a ghastly comedy she laughed again come we must go back to the house they walked side by side the dark fuu figured woman and the fair slight girl the one a mere in an exclusively aristocratic and fashionable set the other the possessor of a sudden brilliant fame which was spreading a new across the two not another word was her fancy and his fact exchanged between them and as they re entered the reception rooms now more crowded than ever lord met them i was just going to look for you he said to his wife there are of people waiting to be presented to miss the has asked for her several times lady to innocent with a dazzling smile how guilty i feel she exclaimed everybody wanting to see you and i you in the garden it was so good of you to | 33 |
passed his hand carelessly through the rough dark hair which gave his handsome a singular softness and charm would she my dear nobody takes anything au grand nowadays we grin through every scene of life and we don t know and don t care whether it s comedy or tragedy we re grinning at it doesn t do to be serious i never am r her fancy and his fact life is real life is earnest was the line of conduct practised by my french ancestors they cut up all their enemies with long swords and then sat down to wild whole for dinner that was real life earnest life we in our day don t cut up our enemies with long sword we cut them up in the press it s so much easier how you love to hear yourself talk commented the i let you do it but i know you don t mean half you say think not well i m going to join the court of she s not the usual type of i fancy she has a heart and you want to steal it if you can of course and the men always long for what they haven t got and tire of what they have true queen we are made so blame not us but the creator of the poor world he away and was soon beside innocent who blushed into a pretty rose at sight of him i thou t you were never coming she said i m so glad you are here he looked at her with an admiring softness in his eyes may i have the first dance he said t timed myself to tiie privilege she gave hun her dance programme where no name was yet inscribed he took it and his name down several times then handed it back to her several of the younger men in the group which had gathered about her laughed and remonstrated give somebody else a chance miss she looked round upon them smiling but of course mr de has not taken all they laughed again innocent his name your programme anyhow her eyes shone softly it is a beautiful name she said granted but show a little mercy to the names said one man near her my name for instance is can you it she gave a light gesture of protest you play with me she said of course you will find a dance mr smith and i will dance it with they were all now ready for fun and taking her programme handed it amongst themselves and soon filled it when it came back to her she looked at it amazed but i shall never dance all these she exclaimed o you will sit out some of them said with me the ball room doors were just then thrown open and strains of music came swinging and ringing in sweet on the ears he passed his arm round her waist we ll begin the he said and in another moment she felt herself floating as it were in his arms her little feet flying over the polished floor his hand warmly clasping her sum soft body and her heart fluttered wildly like the wings of a bird as she fell into the mystic web woven by the strange and pitiless loom of destiny the threads were already about her but she made no effort to escape she was happy in her dream she imagined that her had been found in the real chapter iv the first over led his partner out of the ball room come into the garden he said it s quite a real garden for london and i know every inch of it we ll find a quiet comer and sit down and rest she answered nothing she was flushed and breathing quickly from the excitement of the dance and he paused on his way to pick up a light wrap he found on one of the and put it her shoulders you mustn t catch a chill he went on but it s not a cold night in fact it s very dose and almost like thunder a little air will be good for us they went together pacing along slowly she meanwhile thinking of her previous walk in that same garden what would he de say of it and of her mother if he knew he looked at her sideways now and then curiously moved by mingled pity admiration and desire tiie cruelty latent in every man made him long to awaken the first spark of passion in that soul and with the full consciousness of a powerful personality he was perfectly aware that he could do so if he chose but he waited playing with the fire of his own inclinations and talking lightly and y of things which he knew would interest her sufficiently to make her in her turn talk to him naturally and candidly thereby displaying more or less of her disposition and temperament with every d innocent word she spoke he found her more and more she had a quaint of speech which was extremely refreshing after the half veiled conveyed in the often conversation of the women he was accustomed to meet in society while there was no doubt she was endowed with extraordinary intellectual grasp and capacity her knowledge of things artistic and literary might perhaps have been termed but it waa based upon the principles which are good and true for all time and as she told him quite simply and of her studies by herself among the old books which had belonged to the of farm he was touched and interested so you made quite a friend of the he said he was your teacher and guide fm jealous of him she laughed softly he was a spirit she | 33 |
said are a man well his spirit has had a good with you and taking her hand he drew it within his arm i bear his name and it s time i came in somewhere she laughed again a trifle nervously you think so but you do come in you are here with me now he bent his eyes upon her with an he did not attempt to conceal and her heart leaped within her a warmth like fire ran swiftly through her veins he heard her sigh he saw her tremble beneath his gaze there was an like fascination about her child like face and figure as she moved beside him a dame charm which roused the strongly side of his nature he quickened his steps a little as he led her down a sloping path shut in on either side by tall trees where there was a seat placed her fancy and his fact in the deepest shadow and where the dim uplifted moon cast but the faintest glimmer just sufficiently to make the darkness visible shall we stay here a little while he said in a low tone she made no reply something vaguely sweet and irresistible overpowered her she was barely conscious of herself or of anything save that de was beside her she had lived so long in her dream of the old french knight whose written thoughts and had influenced her imagination and swayed her mind since childhood that she could not herself from the conception she had formed of his character and to her the sixteenth century had become embodied in this modem man of brilliant but genius who if the truth were told had about him but his art whidi in itself was more the of than conviction he drew her gently down beside him feeling her quiver like a leaf touched by the wind and his own heart began to beat with a thrill the silence around them seemed waiting for speech but none came it was one of those tense moments on which sometimes hangs the happiness or the misery of a lifetime a stray thread from the web of chance which may be woven into a smooth pattern or knotted into a cruel a in which the human beings most concerned are helplessly involved without any conscious of impending fate suddenly yielding to a passionate impulse he caught her close in his arms and kissed her forgive me he whispered i could not help it she put him gently back from her with two little hands that rather than him and innocent gazed at him with startled tender eyes in which a new and wonderful radiance shone while he in audacity still held her in his embrace you are not angry he went on in quick soft accents no why should you be why should not love come to you as to other women don t don t speak there is nothing to be said we know all silently she clung to him yielding more and more to the sensation of exquisite joy that poured through her whole being like sunlight her heart beat with new and life the warm blood burned her cheeks like the breath of a hot wind and her whole soul rose to meet and greet what she in her poor welcomed as the crown and glory of existence love love was hers she thou t at last she knew the great secret the long delight that death itself could not destroy her ideal of romance was and de the brave the true the the strong was her very own enchanted with the ease of his conquest he played with her pretty hair as with a bird s wing and held her against his heart to feel her soft breast heaving with its pent up emotion and to hear her murmured words of love confessed how i have wished and prayed that you might love me she said raising her eyes to his in the darkness is it good when god one s prayers i am almost afraid my it is a dream come true he was amused at her fidelity to the romance which surrounded his name dear child i am not a of old don t think it he said you mustn t run away with that idea and make me a kind of sixteenth i couldn t live up to it her fancy and his fact you are more than a knight of old she answered proudly you are a great genius he was embarrassed by her simple praise no he answered not even that sweet soul as you are not even that you think i am but you do not know you are a clever imaginative little girl and i love to hear you praise me but her lips touched his and sweetly no she said i shall always stop your mouth if you put a but against any work you do in that way he asked smiling yes in that way then i shall put a t ut to everything he declared they laughed together like children where is miss all this while he she started suddenly to and poor little she must be wondering where i am but i did not leave her she left me when the duke took charge of me i lost sight of her then well we must go and find her now and m again folded his arms closely round the dainty like figure in its moonlight blue innocent look at me she lifted her eyes and as she met his glowing with the fervent fire of a new passion her cheeks grew hot and she was thankful for the darkness his closed on hers in a long kiss this is our | 33 |
secret he said you must not speak of it to anyone how could i speak of it she asked he let her go from his embrace and taking her hand began to walk with her towards the house innocent ou might do so he continued and it would not be wise neither for you in your career nor for me in mine you are famous your name is being talked of everywhere you must be very careful no one must know we are lovers she at the word lovers and her hand trembled in his no one shall know she said not even miss he insisted if i say no one of course i mean no one she answered gently not even miss he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it relieved by assurance he wanted his uttle to go on without suspicion or interference and he felt instinctively that if this girl made any sort of a promise she would fulfil it you can keep a secret then he said unlike most women she looked up at him smiling do men keep secrets better she asked i not will you for instance keep mine yours and for a moment he was puzzled being a man who thought chiefly of himself and his own pleasure for the moment what is your secret she laughed oh you pretend not to know is it not the same as yours you must not tell anybody that i i he understood and pressed hard the little hand he held that well go on i i must not teu anybody what that i love you she said in a tone so grave and sweet and tender that for a second he was smitten with a sudden sense of shame was it right to steal all this treasure of love from a heart so warm and susceptible was it her fancy and his fact fair to enter such an ivory castle of dreams and break open all hie magic opening on the foam of perilous seas in fairy lands forlorn he was silent having no response to give to the simple of her utterance what he felt for her was what men feel for each woman who in turn their wandering fancies the desire of conquest and possession he was moved to this desire by the fact that this girl had startled an public on both sides of the atlantic by the display of her genius in tiie short space of two years whereas he had been more than fifteen years at work without securing any such fame to throw the of love round the flying on which she rode so lightly and securely would be an excitement and amusement which he was not inclined to a triumph worth but love such as she imagined love to be was not in his nature he conceived of it merely as a powerful physical attraction which exerted its influence between two p sons of opposite sexes and lasted for a then and wore and he recognised as a legal device to a woman when the inevitable indifference and coldness of her mate set in making him no longer a lover but a household companion of habit and circumstance bound to pay for the education of children and the necessary expenses of living in his inmost consciousness he knew very well that innocent was not of the ordinary feminine mould she had visions of the high and and her of life were of that pure and quality which belongs to finer elements unseen the mind can never comprehend nevertheless was a man and clever enough to feel that though he himself could not enter and did not even care to innocent enter the uplifted of thought this strange child with a gift of the gods in her brain already dwelt in them serenely unconscious of any lower plane and she loved him and he would on that of love teach her many things she had never known he would her outlook warm her senses increase her train her like a wild rose on the iron of his experience while thus to instruct an soul in would be for him an interesting and and i can make her happy was his additional thought in the only way a woman is ever happy for a little while all this ran through his mind as he held her hand a moment longer till the convincing music of the band and the brilliant lights of the house warned them to break away from each other we had better go straight to the ball room and dance in he said no one will have missed us long only been absent about a quarter of an hour so much in such a little time she said softly he smiled answering the look of her eyes with his own glance and in another few seconds ihey were part of the brilliant whirl of dancers now crowding the ball room and round in a blaze of colour and beauty to the somewhat strains of the and as they floated and flew the delight of their to each other drew them closer together till the sense of seemed lost and in a force of mutual comprehension when this was finished she was claimed by many more partners and danced till she was weary then between two she went in search of her fancy and his fact miss whom she found sitting patiently in one of the great drawing rooms looking somewhat pale and tired oh my she exclaimed running up to her i had forgotten how late it is getting miss smiled cheerfully never mind child she said are young and ought to enjoy yourself i am old and hardly fit for these late and how very late they | 33 |
are too when i was a girl we never stayed beyond midnight and is it midnight now asked innocent amazed turning to her a young of the aristocracy who looked as if he had not been to bed for a week he smiled and glanced at his watch it s nearly two o he said in fact it s tomorrow morning just then came up are you going he inquired well perhaps it s time may i see you to your carriage miss gratefully accepted hm suggestion and innocent smiling her good night to partners whom she had disappointed walked with her through the long vista of rooms leading the way they soon ran the of the ladies cloak room and the waiting mob of and that lined the long passage leading to the entrance hall and going out into the street succeeded in finding their modest little hired and assisting them into it good night miss he said leaning on the door of the vehicle and smiling at them through the open window good night miss i hope you are not very tired i am not tired at all she answered with a thrill innocent of joy in her voice like the note of a sweet bird have been so very happy he smiled his face was pale and looked unusually handsome she stretched one little hand out to him good night he bent down and kissed it good night the began to move another moment and they were off innocent sank back in the with a sigh care tired child you must be said miss no mine that sigh was one of pleasure it has been a most wonderful evening wonderful it was certainly very brilliant agreed miss and i m glad you were made so much of my dear that was as it ought to be lord told me he had seldom met so charming a girl innocent sat up suddenly lord do you know him no i cannot say i really know him replied miss i ve met him several times and his wife too there was some scandal about her years and years ago before she was nobody ever knew exactly what it was and her people hushed it up i it wasn t very much anyhow lord married her and he s a very fine man with a great position i thought i saw you talking to lady innocent spoke almost mechanically i had a few minutes conversation with her she s very handsome went on miss she used to be quite beautiful a pity she has no children her fancy and his fact innocent was silent the glided along you and mr seem to get on very well together observed the old lady presently he is a very taking man but i wonder if he is quite sincere innocent s colour rose fortunately the interior of the was too dark for her face to be seen why should he not be she asked surely with his great art he would be more sincere than most men well i hope so and miss s voice was a little tremulous but artists are very and live so much in a world of their own that i sometimes doubt whether they have much understanding or sympathy with the world of other people even pierce who was very dear to me ran away with impressions like a child with toys he would a person one day and hate him or her the next and she laughed softly and he would indeed poor fellow he was rather like in his likes and you ve read all about your of course indeed i have the girl answered a glorious poet but he must have been to live with difficult if not impossible and the gentle old lady took her hand and held it in a kind clasp you are a genius yourself but you are a human little creature not above the sweet and simple ways of life some of the poets and artists were and are in human now mr he is human said innocent quickly tm sure of that you are sure well dear you like him very much and you have made a friend of him which is quite natural considering the long association you have had with his name such a curious and roman innocent coincidence but i hope he won t disappoint you innocent laughed happily don t be afraid you dear little she said i don t expect anything of him so no disappointment is possible here we are the stopped and they alighted opening the house door with a latch key they entered and pausing one moment in the drawing room where the lights had been left burning for their return miss took innocent tenderly by the arm and pointed to the portrait on the there was a true genius she said he might have been the greatest artist in england to day if he had not let his impressions and prejudices his judgment you know for i have told you my story that he loved me or thought he did and i loved him and knew i did there was the difference between us he tired of me all artists tire of the one face they want and he lost his head over some woman whose name i never knew the result must have been fatal to his career for it stopped short just when he was succeeding for me it only left me resolved to be true to his memory till the end but my child it s a hard lot to be alone all one s days with only the remembrance of a past love to keep one s heart from | 33 |
growing cold there was a little sob in her voice innocent touched to the quick kissed her tenderly why do you talk like this so sadly to night she asked has something reminded you of of and she glanced half nervously towards the portrait yes answered the old lady simply something has reminded me very of him good her fancy and his fact dear little child keep your beautiful dreams and as long as you sleep well she turned off the lights and they went upstairs together to their several rooms once alone innocent flung off her dainty ball attire released her bright hair from the pins that held it bound in rippling waves about her head and slipping on a loose white sat down to think she had to the fact that against her own wish and will she had become involved in mysteries secrets which she dared not for the sake of others betray her could not be because her father was pierce the worshipped memory of miss s heart while her mother lady occupied a high social position which must not be assailed and now now de was her lover yet no one must know because he did not wish it for some cause or other which she could not determine he insisted on secrecy so she was in of others weaving and could not take a step to herself and stand clear of her own accord she would have been frank and open as the t but from the first a fate appeared to have taken delight in surrounding her with enforced by the sins of others her face burned as she thought of s passionate kisses she must hide all that joy it had already become almost a guilty secret he was first man that had ever kissed her since her died the first that had ever kissed her as a lover her mind flew suddenly and back to farm to robin who had longed to kiss her and yet had refused to do so unless she could have loved him she had never loved him no and yet the thought of him just now gave her a thrill of tenderness she knew in herself at last what love could innocent mean and with that knowledge she what robin must have suffered to love without return without hope she mused oh it would be torture to me death poor poor robin indeed he would not have dared to caress her with the wild and tender audacity of de my love she whispered to the silence my love she repeated as she knelt down to say her prayers sending the adored and name up on of light to the throne of the most hi and my love were the last words she murmured as she into her little bed her fair head on its white pillow looking like the head of one of s angels her own success her as a genius in literature her dreams of fame these now were all as naught less than the clouds of a night or the mists of a there was for her in earth or heaven save my love i c v lord was sitting alone in his library he was accustomed to sit alone and rather liked it it was the evening after that of the of s reception his wife had gone to another similar crush but had graciously excused his attendance for which he was honestly grateful he was old enough at sixty eight to appreciate the luxury of peace and he had put on an old coat and an ea pair of slippers and was thoroughly enjoying himself in a comfortable arm chair with a book and a cigar the book was by the cigar one of a choice brand known chiefly to fastidious of tobacco the book however was a powerful rival to the charm of the grant for every now and again he allowed the cigar to die out and had to re h t it owing to his fascinated in the volume he held he was an exceedingly clever deeply in literature and languages and in his younger days had been a great student he had read nearly every book of note and was as familiar with the greatest authors as with his greatest friends so that he was well fitted to judge without prejudice the merits of any new to literary fame but he was wholly unprepared for the power and the daring genius which stamped itself on every page of the new writer s work he forgot while reading whether it was man or woman who had given such a production to the world so impressed was he by innocent the treatment of a simple subject made beautiful by a and style it was literature of the highest kind and this with every sentence he it was with a shock of surprise that he remembered the personality of the author the girl who had been the show animal at her grace of s reception and dance positively i can scarcely believe it he exclaimed that child i met last night actually wrote this amazing piece of work it s almost incredible a nice child too simple and perfectly natural nothing of the blue about her well well what a career she ll make what a name that is if she takes care of herself and doesn t fall in love which she s sure to do that s the worst of women occasionally gives them brains but they ve scarcely begun to use them when heart and sentiment step in and overthrow all reason now we men he paused thinking there had been a time in his life | 33 |
long ago when he was very young when heart and sentiment had very nearly reason in his own case and sometimes he was inclined to regret that such overthrow had been averted for the moment it is perhaps worth everything else he mused but for the moment only the ecstasy does not last his cigar had gone out again and he re lit it the clock on the struck twelve with a silvery and almost at the same instant he heard the rustle of a silk gown and a light footstep the door opened and his wife appeared are you busy she may i come in he rose with hie stately old fashioned courtesy habitual to him her fancy and his fact ft by all means come in he said tou have returned early she loosened her rich evening cloak with and let it fall on the back of the chair in which she seated herself it was a affair there were and music which i hate so i came away you are reading not now and he closed the volume on the table beside him but i have been reading that amazing book by the young girl we met at the last night it s really a fine piece of work she was silent you didn t take to her i m afraid he went on yet she seemed a charming modest little person perhaps she was not quite what you expected lady gave a sudden harsh laugh you are right she certainly was not what i expected is the door well shut surprised at her look and manner he went to see the door is quite closed he said rather stiffly one would think we were talking secrets and we never do no she rejoined looking at him curiously we never do we are model husband and wife having nothing to conceal he took up his cigar which he had laid down for a minute and with careful off the ash you have something to tell me he remarked quietly pray go on and don t let me interrupt you do you object to my smoking not in the least he stood with his back to the fireplace a tall stately figure of a man and looked at her she meanwhile in a chair innocent with the folds of her falling about her like a queen of luxury i suppose she began hardly anything in the social life of our day would very surprise or shock you very little certainly he answered smiling coldly i have lived a long time and am not easily surprised not even if it concerned some one you know his fine open brow itself in a momentary line of puzzled consideration some one i know he repeated well i should certainly be very sorry to hear anything of a scandalous nature connected with the girl we saw last night she looked too young and too innocent innocent oh yes and lady again laughed that harsh laugh of suppressed excitement she is innocent pardon i thought you were about to speak of her as you said she was not what you expected he paused startled by the haggard and desperate expression of her face richard she said are a good man and you hold very strong opinions about truth and and all that sort of thing i don t you could ever understand real downright could you in that child he exclaimed she gave an impatient angry gesture dear me you are perfectly by that child as you call her she answered you had better know the truth then at once that child is my daughter your daughter your your the words died on his he staggered slightly her fancy and his fact as under a sudden blow and the behind him with one hand good he half what do you mean you have had no children not by you no she said with a flash of scorn not in marriage that church and law form of union but by love and passion yes stop do not look at me like that i have not been false to you i have not betrayed you your honour has been safe with me it was before i met you that this thing happened he stood rigid and very pale before you met me yes i was a silly romantic girl my parents were compelled to go abroad and i was left in the of one of my mother s society friends a thoroughly worldly woman whose life was made up of and gambling and i ran away with a man pierce pierce the name broke from him like a cry of agony yes pierce did you know him he looked at her with eyes in which there was a strange horror know him he was my best friend she shrugged her shoulders and a slight weary smile parted her lips well you never told me i have never heard you mention his name but hie world is a small place and when i was a girl he was beginning to be known by a good many people anyhow he threw up everything in the way of his art and work and ran away with me i went quite willingly i took a maid whom we we pretended we were married and we had a charming time together a time of real romance till he b an to get tired and want change all men are like that then he be innocent came a bore with a bad temper he certainly behaved very well when he knew the child was coming and offer to marry me in | 33 |
real earnest but i refused refused lord echoed the words in a kind of of course i did he was quite poor and i should have been miserable running about the world with a man who depended on art for a living besides he was ceasing to be a lover and as a husband he would have been we managed everything very well my own people were all in india and my mother s friend if die guessed my affair said nothing about it wisely enough for her own sake so that when my time came i was able to go away on an easy pretext and get it all over secretly pierce came and stayed in a hotel close at hand he was rather in a fright lest i should diet it would have been such an awkward business for him however all went well and when i had quite recovered he took the child away from me and left it at an old he had once made a drawing of saying he would call back for it as if it were a parcel she li he wrote and told me what he had done and gave me the address of the farm then he went abroad and i never heard of him again he died interposed lord slowly he died alone and very poor so i was told die rejoined indifferently oh yes i see you look at me as if you thought i had no heart perhaps i have not i used to have something like one your friend killed it in me anyhow i knew the child had been adopted by the farm people as their own and i took no trouble my parents came home from india to inherit an fortune and they took me her fancy and his fact about with them a great deal they were never told of my romantic i then i met you and you married me a sigh broke from him but he said nothing are sorry you did i suppose she went on in a quick reckless way anyhow i tried to do my duty when i heard by chance that the old farmer who had taken care of the child was dead i made up my mind to go and see what she was like i found her and offered to adopt her but she wouldn t hear of it so i let her be lord moved a little from his attitude of attention told her you were hear mother i did and offered to adopt your own child she gave an airy gesture it was the only thing to dot one cannot make a social scandal and she refused she refused i admire her for it said lord calmly she shot an angry glance at him he went on in cold deliberate accents ou were unprepared for the strange compensation you have received the sudden fame of your deserted ter her hands clasped and themselves nervously i knew nothing of it is not an uncommon name and i did not connect it with her she has no right to wear it if her father were alive he would be proud that she wears it moreover he would give her the right to wear it and would make it legal said lord sternly out of old memory i can say that for him you recognised each other at once i sup innocent pose when i presented her to you at the s reception of course we did retorted his you yourself saw that i was rather taken it was difficult to conceal our mutual astonishment it must have been and a thin smile hovered on his lips and you carried it o f well but the poor child what an ordeal for her you can hardly have felt it so keenly being to for so many years her eyes flashed up at him indignantly he raised his hand with a warning gesture permit me to speak you can scarcely wonder that i am well a little shaken and bewildered by the confession you have made the secret you have after years of marriage suddenly you suggested at the b of this interview that perhaps there was nothing in the social life of our day that would very much shock or surprise me and i answered you that i was not easily but i was thinking of others it did not occur to me that that my own wife he paused his voice then continued that my own wife s honour was involved in the matter he paused again sentiment is of course out of place nobody is supposed to feel anything nowadays or to suffer or to break one s heart as the phrase goes that would be considered or bad form but i had the idea a foolish one no doubt that though you may not have married me for love on your own part you did so because you recognised the love the truth the admiration and respect on mine i was at any rate happy in believing you did i never dreamed you married me for uie sake of convenience to kill t e memory of a scandal and establish a safe position her fancy and his fact she moved and gathered her cloak about her as though to rise and go one moment he went on after what you have told me i hope you see clearly that it is impossible we can live together under the same roof again if you could endure it could not she sprang up pale and excited what you mean to make | 33 |
trouble i who have kept my own counsel all these years am to be disgraced because i have at last confided in you you will society you will separate from me she stopped half choked by a rising of rage he looked at her as he might have looked at some small angry animal i shall make no trouble he answered quietly and i shall not society but i cannot live with you i will go away at once on some convenient excuse abroad anywhere and you can say whatever you please of my prolonged absence if i could be of any use or protection to the girl i saw last night the daughter of my friend pierce i would stay but circumstances render any such service from me impossible besides she needs no one to assist her she has made a position for herself a position more than yours or mine you have that to think about by way of consolation or reproach she stood drawn up to her full height looking at him you cannot forgive me then she said he shuddered forgive you is there a man who could forgive twenty years of deliberate deception from the wife he thought the soul of honour we live in times truly when men and women innocent laugh at principle and good faith and deal with each other less honestly than the beasts of the field but for me there is a limit a limit you have i think i could pardon your wrong to me more readily than i can pardon your desertion of the child you t into the world your lack of i your deliberate refusal to give pierce the chance of l e wrong he had committed in a rush of thoughtless passion i he would have it i know and been a loyal husband to you and a good father to his child for whatever his faults were he was neither nor brutal you prevented him from doing this you were tired of him your so called love for him was a mere selfish caprice of the moment and you preferred deceit and a rich marriage to the simple duty of a woman i well you may find excuses for yourself i cannot find them for you i could not remain by your side as a husband and run the risk of coming constantly in contact as we did last night with that innocent girl placed as she is in a situation of so much difficulty by the sins of her parents her mother my wife her father my dead friend the position is and would be still she stood looking at him have you done she asked he met her fixed gaze coldly i have i have said all i wish to say so far as i am concerned the incident is closed i will only bid you good night and farewell night and farewell she repeated with a mocking then she suddenly into a fit of shrill laughter oh dear oh dear she cried between little screams of hysterical mirth you are so very funny you know like what s his name in the ruins of or one of those her fancy and his fact antique classical with their household gods broken around them you you ought to have lived in their days you are so terribly behind the times she laughed again e don t do the and business now life s too full and too short really richard i m afraid you re getting very old poor dear past sixty i know t and you re quite in some of your fancies good ni t er and farewell sounds so doesn t it she wiped the tears of mirth from her eyes and still shaking with laughter gathered up her rich wrap on one white arm good lord deliver us i never thou t you likely to preach at me if i had i wouldn t have told you anything i took you for a sensible man of the world but you are only a stupid old fashioned thing after all good night and farewell she performed the of an elaborate court and passed him a handsome gleaming vision of and glittering jewels and opening the door with some noise and emphasis she turned her head gracefully over her shoulder unkind laughter still lit up her face and hard brilliant eyes good ni t farewell she said again and was gone for a moment he stood where she left him then sinking into a chair he covered his face with his hands so he remained for some time silently with himself and his own emotions he had to that at an age when he might naturally have looked for a tranquil home life a life tended and soothed into its natural decline by the care and devotion of the wife he had but most tenderly loved he was suddenly cast adrift like the of an old broken from its innocent with nothing but solitude and darkness closing in upon his latter days then he thought of the girl his wife s child the child too of his college and dearest friend he saw impressed like a picture on the of his brain her fair young face pathetic eyes and sweet intelligence of expression he remembered how modestly she wore her sudden fame as a child might wear a wild flower and placed by her in a difficulty for which she was not responsible she must have suffered considerable pain and sorrow i will go and see her to morrow he said to himself it | 33 |
will be better for her to know tiiat i have heard all her sad little history then if she ever wants a friend she can come to me without fear ah if only she were my daughter he sighed his handsome old head drooped he had longed for children and the boon had been denied if she were my daughter he repeated slowly i should be a proud man instead of a sorrowful one he turned off the lights in the library and went upstairs to his bedroom outside his wife s door he paused a moment thinking he heard a sound but all was silent imagining that he probably would not sleep he placed a book near his bedside but nature was kind to his age and temperament and after about an hour of and sad perplexity all care was gradually smoothed away from his mind and he fell into a deep and slumber meanwhile lady had been by a drowsy maid whom she sharply reproached for being sleepy when she ought to have been wide awake though it was long past midnight and the girl at last she sat alone before her mirror think her fancy and his fact ing with some of the interview she had just had with her husband old fool she he ought to know better than to play the tragic sentimental with me at his time of ufe i thought he would accept the situation reasonably and help me to tackle it of course it will be simply abominable if i am to meet that girl at every big society function i don t know what i shall do about it why didn t she stay in her old farm house who could ever have imagined her becoming famous i shall go abroad i think will be the best thing to do if leaves me as he i shall certainly not stay here by myself to face the music besides who knows the girl herself may round on me when her head gets a little more swelled with success such a horrid bore i wish i had never seen pierce even as she thought of him the vision came back to her of the handsome face and passionate eyes of her former lover again she saw the romantic little village by the sea where they had dwelt together as in another she remembered how he would up from the shore bringing with him the sketch he had been working at eager for her eyes to look at it thrilling at her praise and pouring out upon her such tender words and caresses such as she had never known since those wild and ardent days a slight shiver ran through her something like a pang of remorse stung her hardened spirit and the child she the child it clung to me and i kissed it it was a dear little thing she glanced about her nervously the room seemed full of wandering shadows i must sleep she thought i am worried and out of sorts i must sleep and forget innocent she took out of a drawer in her table a case of marked one or two more or less will not hurt me she said with a pale forced smile at herself in the mirror i am accustomed to it and i must have a good long sleep she had her way morning came and she was still sleeping noon and could her doctors hastily summoned did best to rouse her to that life which with all its pains and still in the world around her but their efforts were vain suicide whispered one oh no mere accident an of some carelessness quite a occurrence nothing to be done no nothing to be done her slumber had deepened into that strange stillness which we call death r and her husband a and rigid figure gazed on her quiet body with eyes good night he whispered to the heavy silence good night chapter vi one of the advantages or of the way in which we live in these modem days is that we are ceasing to feel that is to say we do not permit ourselves to be affected by either death or misfortune provided these natural leave our own persons we are beginning not to understand emotion except as a phase of bad manners and we cultivate an indifference to events of great moment er triumphant or tragic whenever they do not involve our own well being and creature comforts whole boat loads of may go forth to their doom in the teeth of a gale without moving us to pity so long as we have our well sole or for and even such appalling as the wicked of or tiie of ocean with more than a thousand human beings all at once in the pitiless depths of the sea leave us cold save for the of our eyes and shoulders during an hour or so an expression of slight shock followed by forgetfulness the spaces of the sky fall headlong and are smashed to every month or so without rousing us to more than a passing comment and a chorus of how dreadful from women and the greatest and best man alive cannot hope for long remembrance by the world at large when he dies shakespeare recognised this tendency in nature when he made his hamlet say innocent o heavens die two months ago and not forgotten yet then there s hope a great man s memory may his life half a year but by r lady he must build churches then or else shall he suffer not thinking on wives recover the loss of their husbands with amazing rapidity husbands get over | 33 |
the of their wives with the galloping ease of trained leaping an accustomed fence families forget their dead as resolutely as some forget their bills and to express sorrow pity tenderness affection or any sort of sentiment whatever is to expose one s self to derision and contempt from the normal who as a fine art many of us elect to live each one in a little back yard garden of selfish interests walled round carefully and guarded against possible intrusion by uplifted of the door is kept closed and only now and then does some impulsive spirit bolder than the rest venture to put up a ladder and peep over the wall shut in with various favourite forms of and cowardice each little passes its short life in its neighbour and death finds none of them wiser better or nearer the utmost good than when they were first bom among such vain and of life lady had been one of the and most though of such social importance as to be held in respectful awe by hunters and who feed on the rich as the green fly on the rose the news of her sudden death briefly by the fashionable intelligence columns of the press with the usual we deeply regret created no very sorrowful sensation a few people idly remarked to one another then her fancy and his fact her great ball won t come oflf somewhat as if she had retired into the grave to avoid the trouble and expense of the function cards inscribed sympathy and kind were left for lord in the care of his butler who received them with the of a idol and deposited them all on the in the hall and a few messages of deeply shocked and grieved by wires not exceeding sixpence each were despatched to the lonely but beyond these purely formal the handsome brilliant society woman dropped out of thought and remembrance as swiftly as a dead leaf drops from a tree she had never been loved save by her two pierce and her husband no one in the whole wide range of her social acquaintance would have ever t of feeling the slightest affection for her the first announcement of her death appeared in an evening paper stating the cause to be an accidental of taken to procure sleep and miss seeing the paragraph by merest chance gave a shocked exclamation innocent my dear how dreadful that poor lady we saw the other night is dead the girl was standing by the tea table just pouring out a cup of tea for miss she started so nervously that the cup almost fell from her hand dead she repeated in a low stifled voice lady dead yes it is awful that horrid such a dangerous it appears she was accustomed to take it for sleep and unfortunately she took an over dose how terrible for lord innocent sat down trembling her gaze involuntarily wandered to the portrait of pierce the lover of the dead woman and her father innocent the handsome face with its dreamy yet proud eyes appeared conscious of her intense she looked and looked and longed to speak to tell miss all but something held her silent she had her own secret now and it restrained her from the secrets of others nor could she that it was her mother actually her own mother who had been taken so suddenly and from the world the news barely affected her nor was this surprising seeing that she had never entirely grasped the fact of her mother s personality or existence at all she had felt no emotion concerning her save of and dislike her unexpected figure had appeared on the scene like a strange vision and now had vanished from it as strangely innocent was in very truth but so she had always been for a mother who deserts her child is worse than a dead yet it was some few minutes before she could control herself sufficiently to speak or look calmly and her eyes were downcast as miss came up to the tea table newspaper in hand to discuss the tragic incident she was a very brilliant woman in society said the gentle old lady then ou did not know her of course and you could not judge of her by seeing her just one evening but i remember the time when she was much talked of as the beautiful she was a very lively wilful girl and she had been rather neglected by her parents who left her in england in charge of some friends while they were in india i think she ran rather wild at that time there was some talk of her having gone off secretly somewhere with a lover but i never believed the story it was a silly scandal and of course it stopped directly she married lord he gave her a splendid position and he was devoted to her poor man her fancy and his fact yet murmured mechanically she did not know what to say if had been blessed with or even one child went on miss i it would have b en better for her i am sure she would have been happier he would i feel certain no doubt tiie girl answered in the same quiet tone my dear you look very pale said miss with some anxiety have you been working too hard she smiled that would be impossible she answered i could not work too hard it is such happiness to work one forgets one forgets all that one does not wish to remember the anxious expression still remained on miss s face but true to the | 33 |
instincts of an she did not press where she saw they might be embarrassing or unwelcome and though she now loved innocent as much as if she had been her own child she never failed to remember that after all the girl had earned her own almost wealthy independence and was free to do as she liked without anybody s control or interference and that though she was so young she was bound to be in all respects in her life and actions she went where she pleased she had her own little hired she also had many friends who invited her out without including miss in the invitations and she was still the paying guest at tiie little house a guest who was never tired of doing kindly and deeds for the benefit of the sweet old woman who was her hostess once or twice miss had made a faint half hearted protest against her constant and lavish generosity innocent my dear she had said with all the money you earn now you could live in a much larger house you could indeed have a house of your own with many more luxuries why do you stay here advantages on me who am nothing but a old body you could do much better could i really and innocent had laughed and kissed her well i don t want to do any better i m quite happy as i am one thing is and you seem to forget it that i m very fond of you and when i m very fond of a person it s difficult to shake me off so she stayed on and lived her life a simplicity and economy spending her money on others than herself and helping those in need and never even in her dress which was always exquisite into of extravagance and follies of fashion she had discovered a little french whose husband had deserted her leaving her with two small children to feed and and to this humble un famous of the needle she her wardrobe with entirely successful results worth and other loudly advertised personages were all quoted as of her gowns she was amused a little personal taste and thought go so much further in dress than money she was wont to say to some of her rather envious women friends i would copy the clothes in an old picture than the clothes in a fashion book odd fancies about her dead mother came to her when she was alone in her own room particularly at night when she said her prayers some mysterious force seemed compelling her to offer up a petition for the peace of her mother s soul she knew from the old books written by the tiiat her fancy and his fact to do this was a custom of his creed she missed it out of the church of england prayer book though she followed the of tiie faith in which miss had had her and confirmed but in her heart of hearts she it good and right to pray for the peace of departed souls for who can tell she would say to herself what strange confusion and sorrow they may be suffering away from all that once knew and cared even if prayers cannot help them it is kind to pray and for her mother s soul she felt a dim and sense of pity almost a fear lest that spirit might be lost and wandering in a chaos of dark experience without any clue to guide or any light to shine upon its dreadful solitude so may the dead come nearer to the living than when they also lived some three or four weeks after lady s sudden exit from a world too to care whether she stayed in it or went from it lord called at miss s house and asked to see her he was admitted at once and the pretty old lady came down in a great flutter to the drawing room to receive him she found him standing in front of the looking at the portrait upon it he turned quickly round as she entered and spoke with some i must for calling rather late in the afternoon he said but i could not wait another day i have something important to tell you he paused then went on it s rather startling to me to find that portrait here i knew the man surely it is pierce the painter yes and miss s eyes opened in a little surprise and bewilderment he was a great friend of and of yours he was my college and he walked closer innocent to the picture and looked at it that must have been taken when he was quite a young man before he paused again then said a forced smile talking of is miss in no die is not and the old lady looked she has gone out to tea i m sorry it s just as well and lord took one or two restless paces up and down the little room i would rather talk to you alone first yes that portrait of pi ce must have been taken in early days just about the time he ran away with miss gazed at him with who afterwards became my wife miss trembled and drew back looking about her in a dazed way as though seeking for some place to hide in lord saw her agitation i m afraid i m worrying you he said kindly sit down please and he placed a chair for her e are both elderly folk and are not good for us there and he took her hand and patted it gently | 33 |
as i was saying t at portrait must have been taken about then did he give it to you she answered faintly he did we were engaged engaged good god you to pierce my dear lady forgive me i m very sorry i had no idea but miss composed herself very quickly please do not mind me she said it all happened so very long ago yes pierce and i were engaged but he suddenly went away and i was told he had gone with some very beautiful girl he had fallen head over ears in love and her fancy and his fact i never saw him again but i never reproached him i i loved him too well silently lord took the worn little hand and raised it to his lips pierce was more cruel than i thought was to him he said at last very gently but you have best of him you in his daughter his daughter she sprang up white and scared he ha arm and held it fast to support her yes he his daughter that is what i have come to tell you the girl who lives with you the famous author whose name is just now ringing through the world is his child and her mother was my wife there was a little stifled cry she dropped back in her chair and covered her face with her hands to hide the tears that rushed to her eyes innocent she murmured his child innocent he was silent watching her his own heart deeply moved he thought of her life of unbroken wasted in its youth solitary in its age all for the sake of one man presently her quiet weeping she looked up does she the dear girl does she know this she asked in a half whisper she has known it all the time he answered she knew who her mother was before she came to london but she kept her own counsel i think to save the honour of all concerned and she has made her name famous to escape the reproach of birth which others fastened upon her a brave child it must have been strange to her to find her father s portrait her you ever speak of him to her innocent often replied miss she knows all my story he smiled very kindly tj io wonder she was silent he said just then they heard the sound of a latch key turning in the lock of the hall door there was a light step in the passage they looked at one another half in wonder half in doubt a moment more and innocent entered radiant and smiling she stopped on the threshold amazed at the sight of lord why she began then glancing from one to the other her cheeks grew pale she hesitated instinctively at the truth lord advanced and took her gently by both hands dear child your secret is ours he said quietly miss knows and know that you are the daughter of pierce and that mother was my late wife no one can be dearer to us both than you are for your father s sake chapter vii startled and completely taken she let her hands remain in his for a moment then quietly withdrew them a hot colour rushed into her cheeks and as swiftly leaving her very pale how can you know she faltered who has told you your mother herself told me on the night she died he answered she gave me all the truth of herself at last after long years she was silent standing as though she had received a blow miss rose and came towards her my my dear she exclaimed i wish i had known it all before i might have done more i might have tried to be kinder the girl sprang to her side and embraced her you would have tried in vain she said fondly no one on could have been kinder than my beloved little you have been the dearest and best of friends then she turned towards lord it is very good of you to come here and say what you have said and she spoke in soft almost pathetic accents but i am sorry that anyone knows my story it is no use to know it really i should have always kept it a secret for it chiefly concerns me after all and why should my exist innocent ence cast a shadow on the memory of my father perhaps you may have known him i him and loved him said lord quickly she looked at him with wistful tear wet eyes weu then how hard it must be for you to think that he ever did unworthy of himself she said and for this dear lady it is cruel for she loved him too and what am i that i should cause all this trouble i am a nameless creature i took his name because i wanted to a little light of my own round it i have done that and then i wanted to guard his memory from any whisper of scandal will you help me in this the secret must still be kept and no one must ever know i am his daughter for though your wife is dead her name must not be for the long ago sin of her youth nor must i be as what i am base bom profoundly touched by the simple straightforward eloquence of her appeal lord went up to her where she stood with one arm round miss my dear child he said earnestly | 33 |
t me i shall never speak of your or give the slightest hint to anyone of the true facts of your history still less would i allow you to be li esteemed for what is no fault of your own you have made a brilliant name and fame for yourself you have the right to that name and fame i came here to day for two reasons one to tell you that i was fully acquainted with all you had endured and suffered the other to ask if you will let me be your guardian your other father and give me some right to shelter you from the rough ways of the world i may perhaps in this way make some amends to you for the loss of mother love and father love i would do my best her fancy and his fact he stopped little troubled by unusual emotion innocent drawing her embracing arm away from miss looked at him with wondering grateful eyes how good you are she said softly would take care of me you with your proud name and place and i the poor unfortunately bom child of your dead friend ah you gentle heart i thank you but no i must not accept such a sacrifice on your part it would be no sacrifice he interrupted her eagerly no child it would be pure selfishness for i m getting old and am lonely and and i want to look after me he laughed a little awkwardly why not come to me and be my daughter she smiled caught his hand and kissed it i will be a daughter to you in affection and respect she said but i will not take any benefits from you no none oh i know well all you could and would do for me you would place me in the highest ranks of that society where you are a leader and you would surround me with so many advantages and powerful friends that i should forget my duty whidi is to work for myself and owe nothing to any man dear kind lord do not think me ungrateful but i have made my own little place in the world and i must keep it am i not right my miss looked at her anxiously and si ed my dear you must think well about it she said lord would care for you as his own child i am sure and his home would be a safe and splendid one for you but there do not ask and the old lady wiped away one or two tears her eyes i am selfish and now i know you are pierce s daughter i want to keep you innocent for myself to have you near me to look at you and love you her voice broke her gaze instinctively wandered to the portrait of the man whose memory she had cherished so long and so fondly what did you think what you have thought the first day you came here when i asked you if you were any relation to pierce and told you that was his portrait she said i thought that god had guided me to you the girl answered in soft grave accents and that my father s spirit had not forsaken me there was a moment s silence then she spoke more lightly dear lord she said ow that you know so much may i tell you my own story it wiu not take long come and sit here yes and she placed a comfortable arm chair for him she drew miss gently down on the sofa and sat next to her it is nothing of a story my little life is not at all like the lives lived by all the girls of my age that i have ever met or seen it s all in the past as it were the old very old past as far back as the days of elizabeth she laughed but there were tears in her eyes she brushed them away and holding miss s hand in her own she told with simple truth and the narrative of her childhood s days h r life on farm how she had been trained by to and and wash and and how she had found her chief joy and from household duties in the reading of the old books she had found away in the belonging to the de as she pronounced the name with an unconsciously tender lord interrupted her her fancy and his fact why that s a curious i know a clever painter named de and surely you were dancing with him on the evening i first met you a wave of rosy colour swept over her cheeks that is what i was just going to tell you she said he is another de i and he is actually connected with a branch of the same family his was the brother of that very who lies buried at farm is it not strange that i should have met him and he is going to paint my portrait is he indeed and lord did not look impressed i he was a landscape man so he is explained with eagerness but he can do portraits and he wishes to make a e of me because i have been a student of the books written by one of his ancient line those books taught me all i of you see it is curious isn t it it is he agreed rather but i ve never quite liked he s clever yet he has | 33 |
always struck me as being intensely selfish a sort of man many artists are her eyes drooped and her breath came and went quickly i suppose all clever men get self absorbed sometimes she said with a quaint little air of wisdom but i don t think he is really she broke off and anyhow we needn t discuss need we i just wanted to tell you what an odd experience it has been for me to meet and to know descended from tiie family of the old french knight whose spirit was my in beautiful things the little books of his own poems were full of and i used innocent to read them over and over again they were all about love and faith and honour very old fashioned subjects said lord with a slight smile and not very much in favour nowadays miss looked at him you think not she said he gave a quick sigh it is to know what to think he answered but i have lived a long life long enough to have seen the of many illusions i fear selfishness is the of the greater part of humanity those who do the kindest deeds are invariably the worst rewarded and love in its highest form is so little known that it may be almost termed non you and he looked at innocent you write in a very powerful and convincing way about things of which you can have had no real experience and therein lies your charm you restore the lost youth of manhood by and you compel your readers to with you but to is rather a dangerous and its generally means trouble and disaster unless they are of the spiritual kind on this planet are apt to be very innocent smiled but love is an ideal which cannot disappoint because it is everlasting she said almost the story of the old french knight is in its way a proof of that he loved his ideal all his life even though he could not win her very wonderful if true he answered but i cannot quite believe it i am too familiar with the ways of my own sex anyhow dear child i should advise you not to make too many apart from the characters in the books you write her fancy and his fact your special talent brings you an occupation which will save you from that kind of thing you have ambition as an and fame for a goal she was silent for a moment in relating the story of her life at farm she had not spoken of robin some instinct told her that the sympathies of her hearers mi t be in his favour and she did not want this well now you know what my literary education has been she went on since i came to london i have tried to improve myself as much as i can and i have read a great many modem but to me they seem to lack the real feeling of the literature for instance if you read the account of the battle of the by a modem historian it tame and cold but if you read the same account in s elizabeth the whole scene rises before you you can almost see every ship riding the waves her cheeks glowed and her eyes shone lord smiled i see you are an he said and you could not have better teachers than the they lived in a great age and they were great men our times though crowded with the splendid discoveries of science seem small and poor compared to theirs if you ever come to me i can give you the run of a library where you will find many friends she thanked him by a look and he went on you will come and see me often will you not you and miss by and by when the conventional time of mourning for my poor wife is over make my house your second home both of you and when i return from italy k innocent h the girl exclaimed are you going to italy for a few weeks yes wiu you come with me you and your his old heart beat a sudden joy lighted his eyes it would have been like the dawn of a new day to him had she consented but she shook her fair little head i must not she said i am bound to fin i sh some work that i have promised but some day ah yes some day i should love to see italy the light went slowly from his face some day well i hope i may live to be with you on that some day i ought not to leave london just now but the house is very lonely and i think i am best away for a time much best said miss and if there is anything we can do yes there is one thing that will please me very much said lord drawing from his pocket a small velvet case i want my friend pierce s daughter to wear this it was my first gift to mother here he opened the case and showed an exquisite in the shape of a dove finely wrought in superb and supported on a thin gold chain i gave it as an emblem of innocence a quick sigh escaped him i little knew but you dear girl are the one to wear it now let me fasten it round your neck she stooped forward and he took a lingering e in putting the chain on and watching the diamonds flash against her fair skin she was too | 33 |
much moved to express any thanks it was not the value or the beauty of tiie gift that touched her but its association and the way it was given and then after a little more conversation he rose to go her fancy and his fact remember he said taking her tenderly by both hands whenever you want a home and a father both are ready and for you and he kissed her lightly on the forehead you are famous and independent but the world is not always kind to a clever woman even when she is visibly known to be earning her own living there are always tongues in e secret comers and ready to assert that her work is not her own and that some man is in the background helping to keep her he then shook hands warmly with miss if she ever comes to me he went you are free to come with her and be assured of my utmost friendship and respect i shall feel i am in some way doing what i know my old friend pierce would in his best moments approve if i can be of the least service to you you will not forget miss was too overcome by the quiet sweetness and dignity of his manner to murmur more than a few scarcely audible words of gratitude in reply and when at last he took his leave she relieved her heart by throwing her arms round innocent and having what she called a good cry and you pierce s child she half laughed half sobbed oh how could he leave you at that farm poor little thing and yet it might have been much worse indeed i should think so and innocent soothed her fondly with the tenderest caresses very much worse why if i had not been left at farm i should never have known and he was one of the best of men and i should never have learned how to and write my thoughts from the teaching of the de there was a little thrill of triumph in her voice innocent and miss wiping away her tears looked at her timidly and curiously how you dwell on the memory of that french knight she said when are you going to have your portrait painted by the modem innocent smiled very soon she answered we are to begin our next week i am to wear a white frock and i told him about my dove and how it used to fly from the of the house to my hand and he is going to paint tiie bird as well as me she laughed with the joy of a child fancy wiu be there echoed miss t usually known as the little god of love but only a dove this time so much more harmless than the god miss touched the diamond at the girl s neck you have a dove there now she said all in jewels and in your heart dear child i pray there is a spiritual dove of holy purity to guard you from all evil and keep your sweet soul safe and clean a startled look came into the girl s soft grey blue eyes a deep flush of rose flew over her cheeks and brow a blessing or a warning mine she said miss drew her close in her arms and kissed her both she answered simply there was a moment s silence then innocent her face still warm with colour walked close up to the where h father s picture stood let us talk of aim she said now that you her fancy and his fact know i am his daughter tell me all you remember of him how he spoke how he looked what sort of pictures he painted and what he used to say to you he loved you once and i love you now so you must tell me chapter viii fame or whichever that special noise may be called when the world like a hound gives tongue and that the in some form of genius is at bay is apt to increase its in proportion to the of the pursued animal and innocent who saw nothing remarkable in remaining somewhat secluded and apart from the ordinary routine of social life so followed by more than half her sex was very soon bs proud eccentric difficult and vain by idle and ignorant persons who knew nothing about her and only judged her by their own limited of what a successful author might or could possibly be like some of these more foolish than the rest expressed themselves as afraid or unwilling to meet her lest she should put them into her books this being a common form of conceit with many individuals too utterly dull and uninteresting to make copy for so much as the it was quite true that she showed herself sadly deficient in the appreciation of society functions and society people to her they seemed stupid and much waste of precious time but notwithstanding this she was invited everywhere and the of r s v p cards on her table and desk made such a formidable heap that it was quite a business to clear them as she did once a week with the assistance of the useful waste paper basket as a writer her popularity was and so her fancy and his fact great and was the public demand for from her pen that she could her own terms from any quarter her ood fortune made very little effect upon her it seemed as if she hardly or cared to it she had odd almost child like ways of spending some of her money in dainty surprise gifts to her friends that | 33 |
tenderness for him her clinging arms and the lingering passion of her caresses to be the of pleased vanity the satisfaction of being and the sense of her own sex but of anything deep and closely rooted in the centre of a more than usually sensitive nature he had not the faintest conception taking it for granted that all women even clever ones were more or less alike easily consoled by new when lovers failed sometimes during the progress of their secret a thrill of uneasiness and fear ran coldly her veins a wondering doubt which she with indignation whenever it suggested itself de was and must be the very of loyalty and honour to the woman he loved it could not be otherwise his tenderness was ardent his passion fiery and eager yet she wondered timidly and with deep humiliation in herself for daring to think so far why if he loved her so much as he declared did he not ask her to be his wife she supposed he would do so thou die had heard him marriage as a necessary evil evidently he had his own good reasons for the question meanwhile she made a little picture gallery of ideal joys in her brain and one of her fancies was that when she married her she would ask robin to let her buy farm he could paint weu there she thought happily already seeing in her mind s eye the great hall transformed into an artist s and i almost think could carry on the farm innocent would help me and we know just how liked things to be done if if robin went away and the master of the house would again be a true the whole plan seemed perfectly natural and only one obstacle presented itself like a dark shadow on the of her dream and that was her own t birth the brand of was upon her and whereas once she alone had known what she judged to be a shameful secret now two others shared it with her miss and lord they would never betray it no but they could not alter what unkind fate had done for her this was one reason why she was glad that de had not as yet spoken of their marriage for i should have to tell him she thought i should have to say that i am the daughter of pierce and then perhaps he would not marry me he might change ah no he could not he would not he loves me too dearly he would never let me go he wants me always we are all the world to other nothing could part us now and so the time drifted on and with its drifting her work drifted too and only one all absorbing passion possessed her life with its close and fire de was an expert in the of a soul little by little he taught her to judge all men as worthless save himself and au opinions and iu founded unless he confirmed them and leading her away from the contemplation of high visions he made her the blind of a very inadequate idol she was happy in her faith and yet not altogether sure of happiness for there are two kinds of love one with strong wings which lift the soul to a dazzling her fancy and his fact perfection of immortal destiny the other with gross and heavy chains which every hope and and drag the finest intelligence down to dark waste and chapter in of love a woman is perhaps most easily by a man who can passion with and hot pursuit with social tact and de was an at this kind of thing he was if it may be so expressed a refined loving women from a purely physical sense of attraction and pleasure conveyed to himself and ignorant of the needs or demands of their higher natures from a mental or intellectual all women to him were alike made to be managed alike used alike and alike set aside when their use was done with the of the jew or the was in the temperament of this of a long line of french who had gained their chief honours by killing men women and their neighbours though occasional flashes of bravery and chivalry had glanced over their annals in history like the light from a wandering will o the flickering over a gifted in his art but wholly in his nature he had lived a life of selfish aims to selfish ends and in the course of it had made love to many women one especially on whose devoted affections he had uke an insect that the flower from which it has sucked the honey this woman driven to bay at last by his neglect and had roused the scattered forces of her pride and had given him his and he had been looking about for a fresh victim when he met innocent she was a complete novelty to a her fancy and his fact him and stimulated his more or less emotions he found her quaint and charming as a poet s dream of some of the her manner of looking at life and the things of life was so simple almost for she believed that a man should die rather than his word or his honour which to waa such a primitive state of things as to seem then there was her fixed and absurd about the noble qualities and manifold virtues of the french knight who had served the due d and who had been to her from childhood a kind of lover in the spirit a being whom she had | 33 |
or as her from trouble oh no he merely considered himself and how she would care for him never once did he consider how he would care for her meanwhile things went on in an outwardly even and course innocent worked steadily to fulfil certain into which she had entered with the who were eager to obtain as much of her work as she could give them but she had lost heart and her once soaring ambition was like a poor bird that had been shot at and had fallen to the ground with a broken wing what she had dreamed of as greatness now seemed vain and futile the de of the sixteenth century had taught her to love literature to believe in it as the of thought and expression and to use it as a charm to inspire the mind and the soul but the de of the twentieth had no such lessons to teach utterly lacking in reverence for great he dismissed her fancy and his fact the passages of poetry or prose from his with light scorn as purple patches that phrase from the low walks of the press the most inspired writers both of ancient and modem times came equally under the careless lash of his derision so that innocent utterly bewildered by his sweeping of many brilliant and famous authors shrank into her wounded self with pain humiliation and keen disappointment feeling that there was certainly no chance for her to appeal to him in any way through the thoughts she cherished and expressed with truth and to a listening world that world listened but he did not therefore the world seemed worthless and its praise mere mockery e had no vanity to support her she was not enough to oppose her own individuality to that of the man she loved and so she began t a little her bright and ardent spirit sank like a sinking flame much to the concern of miss who watched her with a jealous tenderness of love beyond all expression the child of pierce or was now to her the one joy of existence the link that fastened her more closely to life and she worried herself secretly over the evident fatigue and depression of the girl who had so lately been the very of happiness but she did not like to ask questions she knew that innocent had a very resolute mind of her own and that if she elected to remain silent on any subject whatsoever nothing not even the most affectionate appeal her to speak you will not let her come to any harm pierce ed the old lady one day standing before the portrait of her former and lover you will step in if danger her innocent yes i am sure you will you will guide and help her again as you have guided and helped her before for i believe you brought her to me pierce yes i am sure you did in that other world where you are you have learned how much i loved you long ago how much i love you now and how i love your child for your sake as well as for her own all wrongs and mistakes are forgiven and forgotten pierce and when we meet again we shall understand and with her little trembling worn hands she set a rose just opening its deep red heart bud into flower in a crystal beside the portrait as a kind of offering with something of the same superstitious feeling a devout roman catholic to bum a candle before a favourite saint in the belief that the spirit of the dead man heard her words and would respond to them just at this time innocent went about a good deal among the few friends who had learned to know her well and to love her accordingly lord was still away having prolonged his tour in order to enjoy the beauty of the italian lakes in autumn summer in england was practically over but the weather was fine and warm stiu and country house parties especially in scotland were the order of the day the social swim was and what are called notable people were beginning to leave town once or twice by the general innocent thought of going down to farm just for a few days as a surprise to but a feeling for robin held her back it would be needless to again vex his mind with the pain of a hopeless passion so she paid a few casual visits here and there chiefly at houses where de was also one of the invited guests she was made the centre of a considerable amount of which her fancy and his fact did not move her to any sort of self satisfaction because in the background of her thoughts there was always the light jest and smile of her lover who laughed at praise except be it here said when it was to himself then he did not laugh he assumed a playful humility which being admirably acted almost passed for modesty but if by chance he had to listen to any praise of as author or woman he changed the subject as soon as he could conveniently do so without and very gradually it dawned upon her that he took no pride in her work or in the position she had won and that he was more reluctant than glad to hear her praised he seemed to prefer she be unnoticed save by himself and more or less to his will had she been she would by every action have moved a silent protest against this his particular form of sex but she was of too loving a nature to dispute any right of command he chose to assume other men younger and far higher | 33 |
in place and position than admired her and made such advances as they dared finding her very coldness attractive united as it was to such sweetness of manner as few could resist but they had no chance with her once or twice some of her women friends had sounded her on the subject of love and lovers and she had put aside all their questions with a smile love is not to be talked about she had said it is like god served best in silence but by scarcely perceptible degrees busy rumour got hold of a thread or two of the clue leading to the of her mystery people nodded at each other and began to whisper suggestions suggestions which certainly did not go very far but just floated in the air bits of innocent she is having her portrait painted isn t she yes by that man with the queer name de has she given him the commission oh no i believe not he s painting it for the french oh then there would follow a silence with an exchange of smiles all round and presently the talk would begin again will it be a case do you think a case you mean a marriage oh dear no isn t a marrying man isn t she a little er well a little taken with him perhaps very likely clever women are always fools on one point if not on several and he isn t he very attentive not more so than he has been and is to of other women he s too clever to show her any special attention it might compromise him he s a man that takes care of number one so the gossip ran and only himself caught wind of it sufficiently to set him thinking his de had gone far enough and he that the time had come for him to beat a retreat but how to do it the position was delicate and difficult if innocent had been an ordinary type of woman vain and selfish fond of and in new his task would have been easy but with a girl who believed in love as the of all good and who trusted her lover with faith as next in order of worship to god what was to be done we talk a vast amount of sentimental rubbish about women being pure and faithful he but when they are pure and faithful we her fancy and his fact are more bored with them than if they were the worst women in town he had however one subject of for which he patted himself on the back as being a good boy he had not gone to such extremes in his love affair as could result in what is usually called trouble for the girl he had left her save in a moral and spiritual sense the sweet body with its delicate wavering tints of white and rose was as the of a no one could guess that within the the lily itself was and slowly withering one may question whether it is not a more cruel thing to the soul than the body to crush all the fine and happy illusions of a fair mind and leave them by a fire whose traces shall never be de would have laughed his and most laugh at the bare possibility of such being wrought by the passion of love alone what s the use of loving or remembering anything he would exclaim one loves one of love and by and by one forgets that love ever existed i look forward to the time when my memory shall dwell chiefly on the agreeable of life a good dinner a choice cigar these things never bother you afterwards unless you eat too much or smoke too much then you have headache and distinctly your own fault but if you love a woman for a time and tire of her afterwards she always you reminding you of the days when you once loved her with persistent and dreadful monotony i believe in forgetting and letting go with these sentiments which were the true of his real self it was not and never would be possible for him to conceive that with certain hi innocent and sensitive natures love is a greater necessity than life itself and that if they are deprived of the glory they have been led to imagine they possessed nothing can make compensation for what to them is eternal loss coupled with eternal sorrow meanwhile innocent s portrait on which he had worked for a considerable time was nearly completed it was one of the best things he had ever done and he contemplated it with a pleasant thrill of artistic triumph forgetting the woman entirely in satisfied consideration of the subject as a portrait he that it would be the crown of the next year s bearing comparison with any work of the greater modern masters he was however a trifle perplexed and not altogether pleased at the expression which entirely away from his will and intention had thrown a shadow of sadness on the face it had come there apparently of itself he had been particularly proud of his success in the drawing of the girl s extremely sensitive mouth for he had as he thought caught the fleeting sweetness of the smile which was one of her greatest charms but now despite his pains that smile seemed to lose itself in tiie sorrow and pathos of an reproach which though and appealing to the as the look of the famous had fastened itself as it were on the canvas without the painter s act or consent he was annoyed at this yet dared not touch it in any attempt to alter what | 33 |
like a jewel in the sun picturesque boats with little red and blue rocked at the edge of the lake in charge of their and red waiting for hire the air was full of fragrance and every visible thing appealed to beauty loving eyes with exquisite and irresistible charm his attention however had wandered far from the prospect he was reading and re reading a letter he had just received from miss in which certain passages occurred which caused him some on leaving england he had asked her to write regularly giving him all the news of innocent and she had readily undertaken what to her was a pleasing duty his thoughts were constantly with the little house in where the young daughter of his dead friend worked so patiently to bring forth the fruits of her genius and live j by their results and his intense sympathy or the position in which she had been placed through no fault of her own and the courage with which she had surmounted it was fast deepening into affection he rather encouraged this sentiment in himself with the latent hope that possibly when her fancy and his fact he returned to england she might still be persuaded to accept the position he was so ready to her that of daughter to him and and just now he was troubled by an evident anxiety which betrayed itself in miss s letter anxiety which die plainly did her best to conceal but which made itself apparent the dear child works incessantly she wrote but she is very quiet and seems easily tired she is not as bright as she used to be and looks very pale so that i fear she is doing too much though she says she is perfectly well and happy we had a call from mr john the other afternoon i think you know him and he seemed quite to think with me that she is over working herself he suggested tiiat i should persuade her to go for a change somewhere either with me or with other friends i wonder if you would care for us to join you at the italian lakes if you would i might be able to manage it i have not mentioned the idea to her yet as i know she is finishing some work but she tells me it will all be done in a few days and that then she will take a rest i hope she will for i m sure she needs it another part of the letter ran as follows i rather hesitate to mention it but i think so many prolonged for her portrait to that painter with the strange name de have rather tired her out the picture is finished now and i and a few friends went to see it the other day it is a most beautiful portrait but very sad and it is wonderful how the likeness of her father as he was in his young days comes out in her face she and mr de are very intimate friends and some people say he is in love with her perhaps he may be but i do hope she is not in love with him innocent lord took off his spectacles folded up the letter and put it in his pocket then he looked out towards the lake and the charming picture it presented how delightful it would be to see innocent in one of those dainty boats scattered about near the water s edge with au the of a bright imaginative temperament m the natural loveliness around her young and with the promise of a brilliant career opening out before her happiness seemed ready and waiting to bless and to adorn the life of the little deserted girl who left alone in the world had nevertheless managed to win the world s hearing through the name she had made for herself yet now yes now there was the cruel suggestion of a shadow an ugly darkness like a black cloud the of a blue sky and felt an uncomfortable sense of and wrong as the thought of de came into his head and stayed there what was he that he should creep into the sphere of a woman s opening life a painter something of a genius in his line but and in his character known more or less for several affairs of gallantry which had slipped off his easy conscience like water off a duck s back not a hi ly man by any means because ignorant of many of the finer things in art and letters and without any positively assured position yet undoubtedly a man of strong physical and charm fascinating in his manner especially on first acquaintance and capable of many a stronger than the tender heart of a sensitive girl like innocent who by a most curious had been associated all her life with the romance of his name and es of course she must come out here decided after a few minutes i ll send her fancy and his fact a wire to miss this morning and follow it up by a letter to the child herself urging her to join me the change and distraction will perhaps save her from too much association with i do not trust that man never have trusted him poor little girl she shall not have her spirit broken if i can help it he stayed yet another few minutes at the open window and taking out a cigar from his case began to light it while doing this his eye was suddenly t by the picturesque well knit figure of a man sitting easily on a step near the boats gathered dose to the hotel s special landing place he was apparently one of the many road | 33 |
side artists one meets everywhere about the italian lakes ready to paint a sunset or t on or on commission at short notice for a few he was not young his white hair and moustache marked the passage of time yet there was something and graceful about him that suggested a kind of youth in age his attire consisted of much worn brown trousers and a loose white shirt kept in place by a red belt his shirt sleeves were rolled up to the elbow displaying thin brown muscular arms expressive of and he wore a battered brown hat which might once have been tf the so called shape but which now resembled nothing ever seen in the way of ordinary head gear he was busily engaged in a view of the lake and the opposite mountains evidently to the order of some fa dressed women who stood near him watching the rapid and sure movements of his he had box of water colours beside him and smiled and talked as he worked lord watched him with lively interest while the first of his lately lit cigar innocent a clever chap evidently he thought these are all artists and poets at heart when those women have finished with him i ll get him to do a sketch for me to send to innocent just to show her the loveliness of the place she ll be delighted and it may tempt her to come here he waited a few minutes longer till he saw the artist hand over the completed drawing to his lady one of whom paid him with a handful of silver coin something in the bearing and attitude of the man as he rose from the step where he had been seated and lifted his brown hat to his customers in courteous acknowledgment of their as they left him struck with an odd sense of familiarity i must have seen him somewhere before he thought in perhaps or these fellows are like they wander about everywhere he sauntered out of the hotel into the garden and from the garden down to the landing place where he slowly approached the artist who was standing with his back towards him his lately earned into his pocket several drawings were set up in view beside him lovely little studies of lake and mountain which would have done honour to many a royal and paused looking at these with wonder and admiration before speaking that the artist had taken a backward glance at him of swift and more or less startled recognition you are an admirable painter my friend he said at last speaking in italian of which he was a master drawings are worth much more t an you are asking for them wiu you do one specially for me her fancy and his fact ive done a good many for you in my time was the half laughing answer given in perfect english but i don t mind doing another and he turned pushing his cap off his brows and showing a wonderfully handsome face worn with years and but fine and and full of the light which is given by an and enduring spirit lord staggered back and caught at the of the landing steps to save himself from falling my god he gasped you you of all men in the world you you pierce and he stared wildly his brain swimming his beating hammer strokes was it could it be possible the artist in brown trousers and white shirt straightened himself and instinctively sought to assume a less tramp like appearance looking at his former friend meanwhile with a half glad half doubtful air well well dick he said after a moment s pause don t take it badly that you find me pursuing my profession in this style it s a nice life better than being a pavement artist in you mustn t be afraid i m not going to claim acquaintance with you before the public eye you a peer of the realm dick no no i won t shame you shame me sprang forward and caught his hand in a close warm grip never say that pierce you know me better thank god you are here alive thank god i have met you he stopped too overcome to say another word and wrung the hand he held with unconscious tears springing to his eyes the two looked full at each other and smiled a little innocent dick he began turning his head quickly he glanced up at clear blue sky to hide and to master his own emotion i believe we feel like a couple of sentimental still dick in spite of age and he laughed while at last his hand took him by the arm regardless of the curious observation of some of the hotel guests who were strolling about the g and come with me pierce he said in hurried nervous accents i have news for you such news as you cannot guess or imagine put away all drawings and come inside the hotel to my room what in this guise and shook his head my dear fellow your enthusiasm is running away you besides there is some one else to consider some one else whom do you mean demanded with visible impatience hesitated wife he said at last looked him steadily in the eyes my wife is dead dead loosened his arm from the other s hold and stood as though he had received a blow dead when did she die in a few words told him heard in silence mechanically he began to collect his drawings and put them in a his face was pale under its tint his expression almost tragic lord watched him for a moment moved by strong heart beats of affection and | 33 |
you see i really loved in a stupid man s way of love i didn t want to worry her or remind her of her phase of youthful madness with or cause scandal to her in any way but did you ever think of the child interrupted suddenly looked up think of it of course i did the place where i left it was called farm a wonderful old sixteenth century house i made a drawing of it once when the apple blossom was out and the owner of it known as farmer had a wonderful reputation in the neighbourhood for integrity and kindness i left the child with him one stormy night in autumn saying i would come back for it of se i never did but for twelve years i sent money for it from different places in europe and before i left england i told where it was in case she ever wanted to see it not that such an idea would ever occur to her i thought the were that the farmer having no children of his own would be likely to adopt the one left on his hands and that she would grow up a happy healthy country without a care and marry some good sound simple rustic fellow but you know everything i suppose or so your looks imply is the child alive lord held up his hand now pierce it is my turn he said share in the story i already knew in part but one thing you have not told me one wrong you have not confessed oh there are a thousand wrongs i have committed said with a slight weary gesture life and love have both disappointed me and i her fancy and his fact when that sort of happens a man goes more or less to the life and love have disappointed a good many folks said women perhaps more than men and one woman especially who hardly one who loved you very truly pierce have you any idea who it is i mean moved a slight flush coloured his face you mean he said yes i behaved like a i know it but j could not help myself drew me on with her lovely eyes and smile and to think she is dead all that beauty in the grave cold and he covered his eyes with one hand and a visible tremor shook him somehow i have always fancied her as young as ever and endowed with a sort of earthly immortality she was so bright so imperious so queen like you ask me why i did not let you know i was living i would have died in very truth by my own hand rather than trouble her peace in her married life with you he paused then glanced up at his friend with the wan of a smile and do you know i do answered i know and honour her and your daughter is with her now sprang up my daughter with no impossible incredible sit down again pierce and lord himself drew up a chair close to sit down and be patient you know the lines there s a divinity that shapes our ends rough them how we will divinity has worked in strange with you pierce and still more strangely with your child will you listen while i tell you all sank into his chair his hands trembled innocent he was greatly a and his eyes were fixed on his friend s face in an eager passion of appeal i will listen as if you were an angel speaking dick he said let me know the worst or the of everything and in a low quiet voice thrilled in its every accent by the and sympathy of his honest spirit told him the whole story of innocent of her sweetness and of her grace and genius of the sudden and brilliant fame she had won as of the brief and bitter knowledge she had been given of her mother of her strange in going straight to the house of miss when she travelled alone and from the country to london and lastly of his own admiration for her courage and independence and his desire to adopt her as a daughter in order to leave her his fortune but now you have turned up pierce i resign my hopes in that direction he concluded with a are her father and you may well be proud of such a daughter and there is a duty staring you in the face a duty towards her which when once performed will release her from a good deal of pain and perplexity you know what it is rather and rose and began pacing to and fro to acknowledge and her as my child i can do this now and i will i can declare she was bom in now is dead for no one will ever know the real identity of her mother he paused and came up to resting his hands on his shoulders the real identity of her mother is and shall ever be ot r secret there was a pause then s mellow musical voice again broke the silence i can never thank you he said you blessed old man as you are you seem to me like her fancy and his fact a god disguised in a suit you have changed life for me altogether i must cease to be a wandering on the face of the earth i must try to be worthy of my fair and famous daughter how strange it seems little innocent the poor baby | 33 |
i left to the of a farm yard training for her i must become respectable i think i u even try to paint a great picture so that she isn t ashamed of her what do you say will you help me he laughed but there were great tears in his eyes they clasped hands silently then lord spoke in a u t tone i ll wire to miss this morning he said i u ask her to come out here with innocent as soon as possible i won t break the news of you to them yet it would quite miss it might kill her why how asked with joy answered hers is a faithful soul he waited a moment then went on i ll prepare e way cautiously in a letter it would never do to the whole ing out at once i ll tell innocent i have a very great and surprise awaiting her oh very great and delightful indeed echoed with a sad little the discovery of a tramp father with only a couple of shirts to his back and a handful of in his pocket my dear chap what does that matter and gave him a light friendly blow on the shoulder we can put these exterior matters right in no time trust me are we not old friends you have come back from death as it seems just when your child may need you she does need you every young girl needs some protector innocent in this world especially when her name has become famous and a matter of public talk and curiosity ah i can already see her joy when she throws her arms around your neck and says my father i would gladly change places with you for that one exquisite moment they stayed together all that day and night lord sent his wire to miss and wrote his letter then both men settled down as it were to wait went off for two days to and returned transformed in dress looking the very of an handsome englishman and the people at who had known him as the wandering landscape painter corn failed to recognise him now in his true self tes said again with the fine which was part of his nature when at the end of one of their many conversations concerning innocent he had gone over every detail he could think of which related to her life and literary success when she comes she will give you all her hearty pierce she will be proud and glad she will think of no one but her beloved father she is like that she is full of an love you will possess it all and in his honest joy for the joy of others he never of de chapter xi it was a september afternoon in london and autumn had given some signs of its early presence in the yellow leaves that flew whirling over the grass in gardens and other open spaces where trees spread their kind s to the rough and chilly wind a pretty little elm in miss s tiny garden was clothed in gold instead of green and shook its glittering foliage down with every breath of air like fairy from the sky innocent leaning from her study window watched the falling brightness with an unwilling sense of pain and summer is over i m afraid she sighed such a wonderful summer it has been for me the summer of my life the summer of my love oh dear stay just a little longer and the verse of a song sung so often as to have become rang in her leaf and fading tree lines of white in a sullen sea shadows rising on you and l the are making them ready to fly out on a windy sky summer good bye good bye she shivered and closed the window she was dressed for going out and her little waited for her below miss had gone to lunch and to spend the afternoon with some old friends out of town an unusual and wonderful innocent thing for her to do as she seldom accepted invitations now where innocent was not concerned but the people who had asked her were venerable folk who could not by the laws of nature be expected to live very much longer and as they had known from she considered it somewhat of a duty to go and see them when as in this instance they earnestly desired it moreover she knew innocent had her own numerous engagements and was never concerned at being left alone especially on this particular afternoon when she had an with her and another appointment afterwards of which she said nothing even to herself she had taken more than usual pains with her attire and looked her sweetest in a soft dove coloured silk gown gathered about her slight figure in folds of exquisite line and while the tender gold of her hair shone like com from under ttie curved brim of a graceful picture hat of black velvet adorned one drooping pale grey a small knot of roses among the delicate lace on her and the diamond dove lord had given her sparkled like a frozen against the ivory whiteness of her throat she glanced at herself in the mirror with a smile wondering if he would be pleased with her appearance he had been what is called difficult of late finding fault with some of the very points of her special way of dress which he had once eagerly admired but die attributed his capricious humour to fatigue and from over strain that convenient which is now a days brought in as a disguise for mere want of control and bad temper he has been working so hard to finish his portrait | 33 |
shall go away oh no no no do not go away she moaned have some little pity do not leave me is everything forgotten so soon think for a moment what you have said to me what you have been to me i thought you loved me dear yes i thought you loved me you told me her fancy and his fact and she held up her little hands to him folded as in prayer the tears down her but if for some fault of mine you do not love me any more kill me now here just where i am kill me or tell me to go away and kill myself i will obey you but don t don t send me into the empty darkness of life again all alone oh no no let me die rather than that you would not think of me if i were dead he took her uplifted hands in his own he began to be interested with hie same sort of interest might have felt while the effects of some new poison on a tortured slave and a slight very slight sense of regret and remorse at his tou heart strings i should think of you exactly as i do now he said resolutely if you were to kill yourself i should not pity you in the least i should say that though you were a bit of a clever woman you were much more of a fool so you would gain nothing that way you see i m sane and sensible you are not you are excited and hysterical and don t know what you are talking about yes child that s the fact he patted the hands he held and then let them go i wish you d get up from the floor and be reasonable the position is quite simple and clear we ve had an ideal time of it together but isn t it shakespeare who says these violent delights have violent ends my work calls me to yours keeps you in london therefore we must part but we shall meet again some day i hope she slowly rose to her feet her sobbing ceased then you never loved me she said it was au a lie i never lie he answered coldly i loved you for the time being you amused me innocent and for your amusement you have ruined me ruined you he turned upon her in indignant protest you must be mad you have been as fe with me as in the arms of your mother at this she laughed a shrill little laugh with tears it you may laugh but it is true he went on in a tone i have done you no harm on the contrary you have to me for a great deal of happiness she gave a tragic gesture of eloquent despair oh yes i have to thank you she said and her voice now with intense and passionate sorrow i have to thank you for so much for so very much indeed you have been so kind and good yes and you have never thought of or your own pleasure at all but only of me and i have been as safe with you as in my mother s arms yes you have been quite as careful of me as she was and a wan smile flitted over her face all this i have to thank you for but you have ruined me just the not my body but my soul he looked at her she returned his gaze with eyes that glowed like burning stars and he thou t e was as he put it to himself down he laughed a little uneasily soul is an unknown quantity he said it doesn t count she seemed not to hear him you have ruined my soul she repeated steadily you have stolen it from god you have made it all your own for your amusement what remainder of life have you left to me nothing i have no hope no no power to work no ambition to fulfil no dreams to you gave her fancy and his fact me love as i thought and i lived you take love from me and i die he bent his eyes upon her with a kind almost gentleness his personal vanity was immense and tiie utter humiliation of her love for him flattered the deep sense he had of his own value dear little goose you will not die he said for heaven s sake have done with all this sentimental talk i am not a man who can it you are such a pleasant creature when you are cheerful and self possessed so bright and clever and and there is no reason why we shouldn t make love to each other again as often as we like but change and novelty are good for both of us come kiss me be a good and let us part friends he approached her there was a smile on his lips a smile in which a suspicion of mockery as well as victorious self satisfaction she saw it and swiftly there came over her brain the horrible of the truth it was all over that never never again would she be able to dwell on the looks and words and love phrases of her de that no happy future was in store for her with him that he had no interest whatever in her cherished memories of farm and that he would never care to accept the right | 33 |
of dwelling there even if she secured it for him moreover that he viewed her very work with indifference and had no concern as to her name or fame so tiiat everything every pretty fancy every radiant hope every happy possibility was at an end life stretched before her dreary as the desert for her whose nature was to love but once there was no gleam of light in all the world s cruel darkness a red mist swam before her black clouds seemed descending upon her and innocent whirling round about her she looked wildly from right to left as though seeking to escape from some invisible startled at her expression tried to hold her but she shook him off she made a few unsteady steps along the floor what is it he said don t stare like that she smiled strangely and nodded at him she was the plant of that stood in its accustomed place between the and the wall she plucked a flower and began hurriedly off its ii m un pas du pas du she cried de you hear what it says pas du you promised it should never come to that but it has come she threw away the stripped flower there was a quick hot throbbing behind her temples she put up her hands then all suddenly a sharp scream broke from her lips he sprang towards her to seize and silence her she stuffed her handkerchief into her mouth tm sorry she panted forgive i couldn t help it and she herself against his breast her eyes large and brilliant searched his face for any sign of tenderness and searched in vain say it isn t true she whispered oh my love say it isn t true her little hands him she drew his head down towards her and her pleading kiss touched his lips say that you t really mean it that you love me still you could not be cruel you will not break my heart but he was too angry to be pitiful her scream had him he thought it would alarm the her fancy and his fact t street bring up the servant and ve rise to all sorts of scandal in which he mi t be and he roughly loosened her clinging arms from his and pushed her from him break your heart he exclaimed bitterly i wish i could break your temper i you like a i shall go away to my room when i come back i expect to find you calm and or else gone remember she stood gazing at him as though he swung past her rapidly and opening tiie door of the passed it and disappeared she ran to it tried to open it it was locked on the other side she was alone she looked about her bewildered like a child that has lost its way she saw her pretty little hat on the where she had left it and in a trembling hurry she put it on then paused going on tip toe to tiie she looked vaguely at her own portrait and smiled you must be good and reasonable she said waving her hand to it when you have lost every thing in the world you must be calm you mustn t think of love any more that s only a fancy you mustn t no you mustn t have any fancies or your dove will fly away you are holding it to your heart just now and it seems quite safe but it wiu fly away presently yes it will fly away she lifted tiie painter s and looked curiously at it then took up the brush moist with colour which had lately used softly she kissed its handle and laid it down again then she waited with a puzzled air and listened there was no sound another moment and she moved noiselessly almost to the little private door by which she had always entered the and it slipped out leaving the key ia the innocent lock it was heavily but she was not conscious of this she had no very clear idea what she was doing there was a curious calm upon her a kind of cold like that of a dying person who has strength enough to ask for some dear friend s presence before departing from life she walked steadily to the place where her waited for her and entered it the looked at her for orders to station she said i am going out of town stop at the first telegraph office on your way the man touched his hat he thought she seemed very ill but it was his place to obey instructions not to sympathy at the telegraph office she got out moving like one in a dream and sent a wire to miss am staying with friends out of town don t wait up for me back to the she went still in a and at dismissed the if i want you in the morning i will let you know she said with matter of fact and turning was lost at once in the crowd of passengers pouring into the station the man was for a moment puzzled by the of her face and the of her eyes but like most of his class made little effort to think beyond the of everything being au right to morrow and went his way meanwhile miss had returned to her house to find it of its living sunshine there were two awaiting her one from lord urging her to start at once with innocent for italy the other from innocent herself which alarmed her by its unusual | 33 |
purport in all the time she had her fancy and his fact lived with her god mother the girl had never stayed away a night and that she was doing so now worried and perplexed the old lady to an acute degree of nervous anxiety john happened to call that evening and on hearing what had occurred became equally anxious herself and moved by some curious instinct went on his way home to s to ascertain if innocent had been there that afternoon but he knocked and rang at the door in vain all was dark and silent de was a wise man in his generation when he had returned to innocent again and find her as he had suggested either recovered from her temper and calm and reasonable or else gone he had rejoiced to see that she had accepted the latter alternative there was no trace of her save the unlocked private door of the which he now locked putting the key in his pocket he gave a long breath of relief a sort of thank god that s over and arranged his affairs of both art and business with as to leave for paris in peace and comfort by the night boat train chapter xii that evening the fitful and wind increased to a gale which swept the land with force breaking down or great trees that had the storms of centuries and rain fell laying whole tracts of country under water all round the coast the sea was lashed into a tossing tumult the waves rolling in like great green walls of water with angry white as though flashed with lightning and the weather reports made the usual matter of fact statement that cross channel made rough passages winds and waves however had no disturbing effect on the mental or physical balance of de who wrapped in a comfortable fur lined overcoat sat in a sheltered comer on the deck of the boat smoking a good cigar and himself on the ease with which he had slipped out of what threatened to have been a very unpleasant and embarrassing if she were an ordinary sort of girl it wouldn t matter so much he thought she would be practical with sufficient vanity not to care she would see more comedy than tragedy in the whole thing but with her romantic ideas about love and her name in everybody s mouth i might have got into the devil s own mess i wonder where die went to when she left the straight home i suppose to miss will she tell miss no i not she s not likely to tell anybody her fancy and his fact she ll keep it all to herself she s a silly little fool but she s she s loyal yes she was loyal of that there could be no manner of doubt and easy going man of the world as he had ever been and ever would be the steadfast truth and tender devotion of the poor child moved him to a faint sense of admiration on the blackness of the night he saw her face floating like a vision her little uplifted praying hands he heard her voice sweet crying say you didn t mean it say it isn t true i you loved me dear you told me so the waves round the rolling steamer and every now and again white tongues of foam darted at him from the of the heaving waters yet amid all the roar and of the storm he could not get the sound of that pleading voice out of his ears silly little fool he repeated over and over again with inward vexation nothing could be more absurd than her way of looking at life as though it was only made for love yet she suited her name she was really the most innocent creature i have ever known and and she loved me the sea and the wind shrieked at him as the vessel plunged heavily on her difficult way his nerves cool as they were seemed to himself on edge and at certain moments during that channel passage he felt a pang of remorse and pity for the young life on which he had cast an shadow a life instinct with truth beauty and brightness just opening out as it were into the bloom of fulfilled promise he had not betrayed her in tiie world s vulgar sense of he had not wronged her body but he had done far worse he had robbed innocent her of her peace of mind little by little he had stolen from the flower of her life its honey of sweet content he had checked the active impulses of her ambition and as they upwards like bright birds to the sun had brought them down to the ground slain with a mere word of light mockery he had led her to judge all things of no value save himself and when he had attained to this end he had destroyed her last dream of happiness by voluntarily proving his own and it has all been her own fault he mused trying to excuse and to console himself she fell into my arms as easily as a ripe falls at a touch that childish fancy about de did the trick curious very curious that a member of my own family tree should be mixed up in my affair with this girl of course she ll say nothing there s nothing to say we ve kept our secret very well and except for a few suggestions and hints here and there nobody knows we were in love with each other then she s got her work to do it isn t as | 33 |
if she were an idle woman without an occupation and she ll think it down and live it down of course she will i m worrying myself quite it will be au right and as she doesn t go to her farm now i she ll even forget her of a knight the de he laughed idly amused as he always had been at the romantic ideal she had made of the old french knight who had so strangely out to be the brother of his own far away and then on landing at was soon absorbed in numerous other thoughts and interests and gradually dismissed the whole subject from his mind after all for him it was only one little affair out of at least her fancy and his fact a dozen or more which from time to time had served to entertain him and provide a certain for his artistic emotions the storm had it all its own way in the fair english country sweeping in from the sea it tore over hill and with haste and fury working terrible among the luxuriant foliage and bringing down whirling wet showers of gold and crimson leaves round farm it raged all day long tearing away from the walls one giant branch of old rose and snapping it oflf at its stem robin coming home from the fields in the late afternoon saw the fallen bough covered with a scented splendour of late roses and lifting it tenderly carried it into the house thinking somewhat sadly that in the old days innocent would have been grieved had she seen such made setting it in a big brown jar full of water he put it in the entrance hall where its shoots reached nearly to the ceiling and friday exclaimed at the sight of it eh eh is the old rose tree broken robin that s never happened before in all the time ive been ere i don t like the looks of it no robin i don t it s only one of the bigger branches answered robin the rose tree itself is all right i don t think any storm can hurt that it s too deeply rooted this was certainly a very fine branch but it must have got loosened by the wind even as he spoke a fierce gust swept over the old house with a sound like a scream of wrath and agony and a furious torrent of rain emptied itself as though from a cloud burst half drowning the flower beds and for the moment making a pool of the court yard hurried to see that all the windows were shut and the doors well barred and innocent when evening closed in the picturesque of the roof were but a black in the almost incessant whirl of rain as the night deepened the storm grew worse and the howling of the wind through the cracks and of the ancient building was like the noise of wild animals for food and robin sat together in the kitchen the most comfortable apartment to be in on such an unkind night of uproar it had become more or less their living room since innocent s departure for robin could not bear to sit in the best parlour as it was called now that there was no one to share its old world charm and comfort with him and when s work was done and everything was cleared and the other servants gone to their beds he preferred to bring his book and pipe into the kitchen and sit in an old arm chair on one side of the fire place while sat on the other mending the house linen both of them talking at intervals of the past and of the happy and days when farmer had been alive and well and when innocent was like a fairy child flitting over the meadows with her light and joyous movements her brown gold hair flying loose like a trail of on the wind her face into rose and white loveliness as a flower blossoms on its slender stem her voice carrying sweet the air and making music wherever it rang however they had not spoken so much of her the fame of her genius and the sudden leap she had made into a position of public note and brilliancy had somewhat scared the simple soul of who felt that the she had reared from infancy had been taken by some strange and not to be fate away far out of her reach while robin whose her fancy and his fact at oxford had taught him that persons of his own sex to even a mild literary were apt to become somewhat touch me not characters almost persuaded himself that perhaps innocent sweet and simple of nature as he had ever known her to be might under the influence of her rapid success and prosperity change a little and such change he thought would be surely natural if only just as much as would lessen by ever so slight a degree her former romantic passion for the home of her childhood and sometimes at the back of all his thoughts there crept l e suggestive shadow of de not the french knight of old but the french painter of whom she had told him and of whose very existence he had a strange and secret distrust on this turbulent night the old kitchen looked very peaceful and home like the open fire burned brightly flashing its flame light against the ceiling s huge oak beams everything was swept clean and polished to the utmost point of perfection and the table on which robin rested the book he was reading was covered with a cloth embroidered in many colours dark and bright contrasted with an effect that was soothing and to | 33 |
the eyes in the centre there was placed a shaped jar of old brown lustre which held a full tall of golden rod and deep a expressing autumn with a greater sense of gain than loss robin was reading with patience and considerable difficulty one of the old french poetry books belonging to the de and s small glittering needle flew in and out the open work of a linen pillow slip she was mending as as any of times over the old yet delicately fine writing of the innocent whose influence on innocent s young mind had been so pronounced and absolute and in robin s opinion so he slowly the meaning of the verses though written in a language he had never cared to study he was conscious of a certain sweetness and melancholy in the swing of tiie lines though did not appeal to him very forcibly n un cruel on me p en au je me et me f qui ne de ma n ai je en te le le sort d injustice m ce un je si j a sudden of the wind shook the very of the house as though some great bird had grasped it with and and stopped her swift needle drawing it out to its full length of linen thread and it there a strange puzzled look was on her face she seemed to be listening intently presently taking off her spectacles she laid them down and spoke in a half whisper robin robin my dear he looked up surprised at the grave and wonder of her old eyes tes i m my time is short dear lad she said slowly i ve got a call an i ll not be much longer here that s a for me her fancy and his fact a warning what do you mean drawing in her needle and thread she pricked it through the linen she held and looked full at him didn t ye hear it she asked a sudden chill crept through the young man s blood there was something so wan and mournful in her expression dear you are dreaming hear what she lifted one brown wrinkled hand with a gesture of attention the crying of the child she answered crying crying crying crying for me robin held his breath and listened the wind had for the moment lessened in violence and its roar had dropped to a moaning sigh now and again there was a pause that was almost silence and during one of these intervals he fancied but surely it was only fancy that he actually did hear a faint human cry he looked at and in doubt she met his eyes with a fixed and solemn resignation in her own it s as i tell you she said my time has come it s for me the child is calling just as she used to call whenever she wanted an robin rose slowly and moved a step or two towards the door the storm was gathering fresh force and heavy rain against the windows making a continuous sound like the of swords straining his ears to close attention he waited and all at once as he stood in suspense and something of fear a plaintive sobbing wail crept above the noise of the wind there was no the human voice this time and got up from where she sat though trembling so much that she had to lean one hand on the table to steady herself innocent ye heard that surely she said answered her by a look his heart beat thickly an awful fear beset him his energies was innocent dead was that pitiful wail the voice of her departed spirit crying at the door of her childhood s home oh the old woman straightened her bent figure and lifted her head robin i must answer that call she said storm or rain we ve no right to sit here with the child s voice crying and the old house shut and barred against her we must open the door he could not speak but he obeyed her gesture and went quickly out of the kitchen into the adjacent hall there he and unlocked the massive old entrance door and threw it open a sheet of rain flung itself in his face and the wind was so furious that for a moment he could scarcely stand then recovering himself he peered into the darkness and could see nothing till all at once he became vaguely aware of a small dark object crouching in one comer of the deep porch like a frightened animal or a lost child he stooped and touched it it was wet and he grasped it more firmly and it moved under his hand and lifted itself turning a white face up to the light that streamed out from the hall a face wan and death like but still the face he had ever thought the sweetest in the world the face of innocent with a loud cry of mingled terror and rapture he caught her up and held her to his heart innocent my little love innocent she made no answer no sort of resistance her little body hung heavily in his arms her head drooped helplessly against his shoulder he her fancy and his fact was already beside him she had hurried into the hall directly she heard his exclamation of fear and amazement and now as she saw him carrying the forlorn little burden tenderly along she threw up her hands with a piteous almost despairing gesture god save us all it s the child herself she exclaimed mercy on the poor lamb what can have happened to her she s half drowned with rain as quickly as robin s strong | 33 |
passive hands but i couldn t think it was yourself i thought i was dreaming so did i she answered feebly i thought i was dreaming yes i have been dreaming such along long time all dreams i have walked through the rain it was very dark and the wind was cold and cruel but i walked on and on i don t know how i came but i wanted to get home to farm do you know farm stricken to the soul by the look of the wistful eyes expressing a mind in chaos answered you re in farm now surely you know you are this is your own old don t you know it don t you remember the old kitchen of course you do there there look up and see she lifted her head and gazed about her in a lost way no she murmured i wish i could believe it but i cannot i believe nothing now it is all her fancy and his fact strange to me i have lost the way home and i shall never find it never never here she suddenly to standing aloof in utter misery who is that she asked irresistibly impelled by love fear and pity he came and knelt beside her it s robin he said dear innocent don t you know me she touched his hair with one little hand smiling like a pleased child robin she oh no you cannot be robin he is ever so many miles away she looked at him curiously laughed a cold little laugh i thought for a moment you might be his hair is like s thick and soft you know him of course he is the great painter de all the world has heard of him he went out just now and shut the door and locked it but he will come back yes he will come back robin heard and understood the whole explanation of her misery suddenly flashed on his mind and inwardly he cursed the man who had such on her trusting soul all at once she sprang up with a wild cry he will come back he must come back you will not leave me all alone no no you cannot be so cruel she stretched out her arms as though to embrace some invisible treasure in the air then as took her gently round the waist and tried to calm her she began to laugh again the old motto you remember it the motto of the de mon me you know what it means my heart me yes and you know why his heart is so strong innocent because it is made of stone a stone heart can sustain anything it is hard and firm and cold no rain no tears can soften it no flowers ever grow on it it does not beat it feels nothing nothing and her hands dropped wearily at her sides it is not like my heart my heart and it is a foolish heart and my brain is a foolish brain i cannot think with it it is all dark and confused and i have no one to help me i am all alone in the world innocent cried robin passionately oh my love my darling try to recall your dear wandering mind you are here in the old home you used to love so well you are not alone you never shall be alone any more i am with you to love you and take care of you i have loved you always i shall love you till i die she looked at him with a sudden smile robin it is robin you poor boy you always talked like that but you must not love me i have no love to give you i would make you happy if i could but i cannot a violent shudder as of icy cold shook her limbs she stretched out her hands would you take me somewhere to sleep she i am very tired and when he comes you will wake me i will not keep him a moment waiting tell him i am quite well and that i knew he did not mean to be unkind her voice broke she and nearly fell robin caught her in his arms and laid her gently back in the chair where she seemed to lapse into he turned a white desperate face on what is to be done he asked shall i go for the doctor shook her head her fancy and his fact the doctor would be no use she answered she s just fairly worn out and wants rest her little room is ready i ve kept it and the bed made warm and ever since she went away lest she should ever come back sudden like could you carry her up d ye think she ll be better in her bed and she would come to herself quicker and with infinite tenderness he lifted the girl as though she were a baby and carried her up the broad oak staircase leading the way and soon they brought her into her own room unchanged since she had occupied it and kept by s loving and half superstitious care ready for her return at any moment her down on her little bed robin left her thou hardly able to tear himself away and going downstairs again he flung himself into a chair and wept like a child for the ruin and wreck of the fair young life which might | 33 |
have been the joy and of his days de he muttered a curse on him why should the founder of this house bring evil on us rising up like a ghost to us and spoil our happiness let the house perish and all its traditions if it must be so rather than that she should suffer for she is innocent she was quite innocent the little intruder on the unbroken line and history of the and yet it was with a kind of horror that the memory of that unbroken line and history to him was there could there be anything real in the long idea that if the direct of the were broken the peace and prosperity so long attendant on tjie old farm would be at an end he put the thou t away with a sense of anger innocent no no she could only bring joy wherever she went no matter who her parents were or how she was born my poor little one she has suffered for no fault at all of her own he listened to the dying of the storm the wind still round the house making a noise like the beating wings of a great bird but the rain was ceasing and there was a deeper sense of quiet an approaching step startled him he looked up and saw she smiled up robin she said she is much better she knows where she is now bless her heart and she s glad to be at home let her alone and if she as a good sleep she ll be a most herself again in the morning i ll leave my bedroom door open all night an i ll be in at er when die doesn t know it her like for all i m worth so don t ye worry my lad there s a good god in heaven an it ll all come right robin took her rough work worn hands and clasped them in his own bless you you dear woman he said do you really think so will she be herself again our own dear little innocent of course she will and away the tears in her eyes an you ll win er yet the lord s ways are ever wonderful an past out a clear voice calling from the staircase interrupted them running to answer the summons they saw innocent at the top of the stairs a little vision of pale smiling sweetness in her white wool her hair falling loose over her shoulders she kissed her hands to them her fancy and his fact only to say good night she said i know just where i am now it was so of me to forget i am at home and this is farm and i feel almost well and robin he sprang up the stairs and took one of her hands and kissed it that s my true knight she said dear robin you deserve everything good and if it will give you joy i will marry you marry me he cried scarcely believing his ears innocent you will dearest little love you will she looked down upon him where he knelt like some small compassionate angel i will to please you and tomorrow if you like but you must say good night now and let me sleep he kissed her hand again good night sweet she started and drew her hand away he said that once and once in a letter he wrote it it seemed to me beautiful good ni t sweet she waited as if to think a moment then good ni t again she said do not be anxious about me i shall sleep well good ni t she waved her hand once more and disappeared like a little white phantom in the dark corridor does she mean it do you think asked robin turning eagerly to will she marry me after all i shouldn t wonder and the old woman nodded let her sleep on it lad an you sleep on it too the storm s nigh over an our dark cloud as a silver half an hour later on she went to her own bed and on the way thought she would peep into i innocent cent s room and see how she but the door was locked vexed at her own lack of foresight in not possessing herself of the key before the girl had been carried to her room she left her own door open that she might be ready in case of any call and for a long time she lay awake thinking and wondering what the next day would bring forth till at last anxiety and bewilderment of mind were overcome by sheer fatigue and she slept not so robin excited and full of new hope which he hardly dared breathe to himself he made no attempt to rest but paced his room up and down up and down like a restless animal in a cage waiting with hardly impatience for ttie dawn thoughts chased each other in his brain too quickly to any practical order out of them he tried to plan out what he would do with the coming day how he would let the farm people know that innocent had how he would send a to her friend miss in london to say she was safe in her old home and then the recollection of her literary success swept over his mind like a sort of cloud her fame the she had won in that wider world outside farm was it fair or honest to her that he should | 33 |
take advantage of her weak and half condition and allow her to become his wife she whose genius was acknowledged by a wide and public and who mi t be considered as only at the beginning of a and prosperous career for after all i am only a farmer he said and with the friends she has made for herself she might marry any one the best way for me will be to give her time time to recover from this this terrible trouble she seems to have on her mind this se of that fancy for de her fancy and his fact by heaven i d kill him without a minute s grace if i had him in my power still pacing to and fro and thinking he wore the slow hours away and at last the grey peep of a misty silvery dawn peered his window he threw the open and leaned out the scent of the wet fields and trees after the night s storm was sweet and refreshing and cooled his heated blood he the whole situation with greater and decided that he must not be selfish enough to grasp at the proffered joy of marriage with the only woman he had ever loved he could be made sure that it would be for her own happiness just now she hardly knows what she is saying or doing he mused sadly some great disappointment has broken her spirit and she is wounded and in pain but when she is quite herself and has mastered her grief she will see things in a different li t she will the fame she has won the brilliant name she has made yes she must think of all this she must not wrong herself or injure her position by marrying me the silver grey dawn brightened steadily and in the eastern y long folds of mist began to away in thin of delicate showing of pale between fitful touches of faint rose colour flitted here and there against the gold and a sense of relief that the day was at last breaking and that the sky showed promise of the sun he left his room and stepping noiselessly into the outside corridor listened s door was wide open and as he passed he looked in she was fast asleep he could not hear a sound and thou he walked on cautious tip toe along little passage which led to the room where innocent slept and waited there a minute or two straining innocent his ears for any little sigh or sob or whisper none came all was silent quietly he went downstairs and opening the hall door stepped out into the garden every and plant was with wet many were beaten down and broken by the of the night s storm and there was more desolation than beauty in the usually well ordered and carefully tended garden the confusion of fallen flowers and trailing stems made a melancholy impression on his mind at another time he would scarcely have what was after all only the natural wrought by high winds and heavy rains but this morning there seemed to be more than the usual ruin he walked slowly round to the front of the house and there looked up at the projecting window of innocent s room it was wide open surprised he stopped underneath it and looked up half expecting to see her but only a white curtain moved gently with the first of the morning air he stood a moment or two recalling the ni t when he had climbed up by the natural ladder of the old and had heard her tell the plaintive little story of her base bom condition with tears in her eyes and the pale lighting up her face like the face of an angel in a dream and she had written her first book already then he thought she had all that genius in her and i never knew a deeper in the sky began to glow and a light spread itself over the land the sun was rising he looked towards the low hills in the east and saw the golden rim lifting itself like the edge of a cup above the horizon and as it ascended higher and higher some white clouds rolled softly away from its glittering splendour showing glimpses of tenderest ethereal blue a still and her fancy and his fact solemn beauty invested all the visible scene a peace the peace of an obedient and nature wherein man alone strange discord robin looked long and lovingly at the fair prospect the wide meadows the stately trees warmly tinted with glory and thought could she be happier than here safe in the arms of love safe and sheltered from au trouble in the home she once he would not answer his own inward and suddenly the fancy seized him to call her by name as he had called her on that night long ago and persuade her to look out on the familiar fields shining in the sunlight of the morning innocent there was no answer he called a little louder innocent still silence a robin out from the cover of wet leaves and peered at him its bold bright eye acting on an irresistible impulse he set his foot on the root of the old and started to climb to the window sill three minutes him to reach it he looked into the little room the room which had formerly been the study of the de and there seated at the old oak table with her head bowed down upon her hands and her hair covering her as with a veil was innocent the t flashed | 33 |
led it from victory to victory she back the tide of the s preface years war she crippled the english power and died with the earned title of op france which she bears to this day and for all reward the french king whom she had crowned stood and indifferent while french priests took the noble child the most innocent the most lovely the most the ages have produced and burned her alive at the stake a peculiarity of of arc s history thb details of the life of of arc a biography which is unique among the world s in one respect it is the only story of a human life which comes to us under oath the only one which comes to us from the witness stand the b records of the great trial of and of the process of of a quarter of a century later are still preserved in the national of and they furnish with remarkable the facts of her life the history of no other life of that remote time is known with either the certainty or the that to hers the louis de is faithful to her o history in his personal recollections and thus far his is but his mass of added particulars must depend for credit upon his own word alone thb the louis de to hi and is the year x i am eighty two years of age the things i am going to tell you are things which i saw myself as a child and as a youth in au the tales and songs and histories of of arc which you and the rest of the world read and sing and study in the books wrought in the late invented art of mention is made of me the louis de i was her page and secretary i was with her from the beginning until the end i was reared in the same village with her i played with her every day when we were little children together just as you play with your mates now that we how great she was now that her name fills the whole world it seems strange that what i am saying is true for it is as if a paltry candle speak of the eternal riding in the heavens and say he was gossip and to me when we were candles together and yet it is true just as i say i was her and i fought at her side in the wars to this day i carry in my mind fine and clear the picture of that dear little figure with breast bent to the flying horse s neck charging at the head of the armies of xvii the louis de her hair streaming back her silver mail steadily deeper and deeper into the thick of the battle sometimes nearly drowned from sight by tossing heads of horses uplifted sword arms and i was with her to the end and when that black day came whose shadow will ke always upon the memory of the french slaves of england who were her and upon france who stood idle and no rescue my hand was the last she touched in life as the years and the drifted by and the spectacle of the child s flight across the war of france and its in the smoke clouds of the stake deeper and deeper into the past and grew ever more strange and wonderful and divine and pathetic i came to comprehend and recognize her at last for what she was the most noble life that was ever bom into this world save only one personal recollections of of arc book i in personal recollections of of arc chapter i i the louis de was bom in the th of january that is to say exactly two years before of arc was bom in my family had fled to those distant regions from the neighborhood of paris in the first years of the century in politics they were they were for our own king crazy and impotent as he was the party who were for the english had stripped them and done it well they took everything but my father s nobility and when he reached he reached it in poverty and with a broken spirit but the political atmosphere there was the sort he liked and that was something he came to a region of comparative quiet he left behind him a region peopled with devils where slaughter was a daily and no man s life safe for a moment in paris roared through the streets nightly burning killing the sun rose upon mark twain wrecked and smoking buildings and upon here there and yonder about the streets just as they fell and stripped naked by thieves the after the mob none had the courage to gather these dead for burial they were left there to rot and create and they did create swept away the people like flies and the were conducted secretly and by night for public were not allowed lest the revelation of the magnitude of the plague s work the people and plunge them into despair then came finally the bitterest winter which had visited in five years famine slaughter ice snow paris had all these at once the dead lay in heaps about the streets and wolves entered the city in daylight and devoured them ah france had fallen low so low for more than three quarters of a century the english had been in her flesh and so had her armies become by ceaseless and defeat that it was said and accepted that the mere sight of an english army was sufficient to put a french one to flight when i was five years old the prodigious disaster of fell upon france and although the english king went home to enjoy his glory he left the country prostrate and a prey | 34 |
to bands of free companions in the service of the party and one of these bands came through one night and by the light of our burning roof i saw all that dear me recollections of of arc in this world save an elder brother your left behind with the court while they begged for mercy and heard the laugh at their prayers and their i was overlooked and escaped without hurt when the savages were gone i crept out and cried the night away watching the burning houses and i was all alone except for the company of the dead and the wounded for the rest had taken flight and hidden themselves i was sent to to the priest whose housekeeper became a loving mother to me the priest in the course of time taught me to read and write and he and i were the only persons in the village who possessed this learning at the time that the house of this good priest became my home i was six years old we lived dose by the village church and the small garden of s parents was behind the church as to that family there were d arc the father his wife rom e three sons ten years old eight and seven four and her baby sister about a year old i had these children for from the beginning i had some other besides four boys and whose father was at that time also two girls about s age who by and by became her one was named the other was called little these girls were common peasant like herself when they grew up both mark twain married common their estate was lowly enough you see yet a time came many years after when no passing stranger great he might be failed to go and pay his reverence to those two humble old women who had been honored in their youth by the friendship of of arc these were all good children just of the ordinary i type not bright of course you would not expect that but good hearted and obedient to their parents and the priest and as they grew up they became properly with and prejudices got at second hand from their elders and adopted without reserve and without examination also which goes without saying their was inherited their politics the same john and his sort might find fault with the church in it disturbed nobody s faith and when the split came when i was fourteen and we had three at once nobody in was worried about how to choose among them the pope of rome was the right one a pope outside of rome was no pope at all every creature in the village was an a and if we children hotly hated nothing else in the world we did certainly hate the english and name and in that way chapter ii our was like any other humble little hamlet of that remote time and region it was a of crooked narrow lanes and shaded and sheltered by the overhanging roofs of the houses the houses were dimly lighted by wooden windows that is holes in the walls which served for windows the floors were of dirt and there was very little furniture sheep and cattle was the main industry all the young folks tended flocks the situation was from one edge of the village a plain extended in a wide sweep to the river the from the rear edge of the village a grassy slope rose gradually and at the top was the great oak forest a forest that was deep and gloomy and dense and full of interest for us children for many had been done in it by in old times and in still earlier times prodigious that fire and poisonous from their nostrils had their homes in there in fact one was still in there in our own time it was as long as a tree and had a body as big as a and scales like great and deep eyes as large as a s hat and an anchor on its tail as big as i don t mark twain know what but very big even unusually so for a as everybody said who knew about it was thought that this was of a brilliant blue color with gold but no one had ever seen it therefore this was not known to be so it was only an opinion it was not my opinion i think there is no sense in forming an opinion when there is no evidence to form it cm if you build a person without any bones in him he may look fair enough to the eye but he will be and cannot stand up and i consider that evidence is the bones of an opinion but i will take up this matter more at large at another time and try to make the of my position appear as to that i always held the belief that its color was gold and without blue for that has always been the color of that this lay but a little way within the wood at one time is shown by the fact that was in there one day and smelt it and recognized it by the smell it gives one a horrid idea of how near to us the danger can be and we not suspect it in the earliest times a hundred knights from many remote places in the earth would have gone in there one after another to kill the and get the reward but in our time that method had gone out and the priest had become the one that p did it in this case he had a procession with candles and incense and and marched the edge of the wood and the and it was never heard of again although | 34 |
it was the opinion of many that the recollections op op arc smell never wholly passed away not that any had ever smelt the smell again for none had it was only an opinion like that other and lacked bones you see i know that the creature was there before the but whether it was there afterward or not is a thing which i cannot be so positive about in a noble open space with grass on the high ground toward stood a most majestic tree with wide reaching arms and a grand spread of shade and by it a spring of cold water and on summer days the children went there oh every summer for more than five hundred years went there and sang and danced the tree for hours together refreshing themselves at the spring from time to time and it was most lovely and also they made wreaths of flowers and hung them upon the tree and about the spring to please the that lived there for they liked that being idle innocent little creatures as all are and fond of anything delicate and pretty like wild flowers put together in that way and in return for this attention the did any friendly thing they could for the children such as keeping the spring always full and clear and cold and driving away and insects that sting and so there was never any between the and the children more than five hundred years tradition said a thousand but only the warmest affection and the most perfect trust and confidence and whenever a child died the mourned just as that child s did and the mark twain sign of it was there to see for before the dawn on the day of the funeral they hung a little over the place where that child was used to sit under the tree i know this to be true by my own eyes it is not and the reason it was known that the did it was this that it was made all of black flowers of a sort not known in anywhere now from time all children reared in were called the c of the tree and they loved that name for it carried with it a mystic privilege not granted to any others of the children of this world which was this whenever one of these came to die then beyond the vague and images drifting through his darkening mind rose soft and rich and fair a vision of the if all was well with his soul that was what some said others said the vision came in two ways once as a warning one or two years in advance of death when the soul was the captive of sin and then the tree appeared in its desolate winter aspect then that soul was with an awful fear if repentance came and purity of life the vision came again this time summer and but if it were otherwise with that soul the vision was withheld and it passed from life knowing its doom still others said that the vision came but once and then only to the forlorn in distant lands and longing for some last dear of their home and what of it could go to their hearts like the picture of the tree that was the darling of their love and the comrade of their joys and of their lo recollections op op arc small all through the divine days of their vanished youth now the several traditions were as i have said some believing one and some another one of them i knew to be the truth and that was the last one i do not say anything against the others i think they were true but i only know that the last one was and it is my thought that if one keep to the things he knows and not trouble about the things which he cannot be sure about he will have the mind for it and there is profit in that i know that when the children of the tree die in a far land then if they be at peace with god they turn their longing eyes toward home and there far shining as through a in a cloud that curtains heaven they see the soft picture of the fairy tree clothed in a dream of golden light and they see the sloping away to the river and to their nostrils is blown faint and sweet the fragrance of the flowers of home and then the vision and passes but they know they know and by their faces you know also you who stand looking on yes you know the message that has come and that it has come from heaven and i alike about this matter but and d arc and many others believed that the vision appeared twice to a sinner in fact they and many others said they knew it probably because their fathers had known it and had told them for one gets most things at second hand in this world now one thing that does make it quite likely that ii mark twain there were really two of the tree is this fact from the most ancient times if one saw a of ours with his face ash white and rigid with a ghastly fright it was common for every one to whisper to his neighbor ah he is in sin and has got his warning and the neighbor would shudder at the thought and whisper back yes poor he has seen the tree such evidences as these have their weight they are not to be put aside with a wave of the hand a thing that is backed by the experience of centuries naturally gets nearer and nearer to being proof all the time and if this continue and continue it will some | 34 |
day become authority and authority is a rock and will abide in my long life i have seen several cases where the tree appeared announcing a death which was still far away but in none of these was the person in a state of sin no the apparition was in these cases only a special grace in place of the tidings of that soul s till the day of death the apparition brought them long before and with them peace that might no more be disturbed the eternal peace of god i myself old and broken wait with serenity for i have seen the vision of the tree i have seen it and am content always from the remotest times when the children joined hands and danced around the fairy tree they sang a song which was the tree s song the song of f e de they sang it to a quaint sweet air o sweet air which recollections of op arc has gone through my dreaming spirit all my life when i was weary and troubled resting me and carrying me through night and distance home again no stranger can know or feel what that song has been through the drifting centuries to children of the tree and heavy of heart in foreign to their speech and ways you will think it a simple thing that song and poor perchance but if you will remember what it was to us and what it brought before eyes when it floated through memories then you will respect it and you will understand how the water wells up in eyes and makes all things dim and our voices break and we cannot sing the last lines and when in exile ring we shall fainting for glimpse of thee oh rise upon our sight i and you will remember that of arc sang this song with us around the tree when she was a little child and loved it and that it yes you will grant that l p e de song of the now what has kept your leaves so green f de the children s tears they brought each grief and you did comfort them and cheer their hearts and steal a tear that rose a leaf and what has built you up so strong f de t mark twain the children s they ve loved yoa long ten hundred years in they ve nourished you with praise and song and warmed your heart and kept it young a thousand years of bide always green in our young hearts f e de and we shall always youthful be not time his flight and when in exile ring we shall fainting for glimpse of thee oh rise upon our sight the were still there when we were children but we never saw them because a hundred years before that the priest of had held a religious function under the tree and them as being blood kin of the and barred out from and then he warned them never to show themselves again nor hang any more on pain of perpetual from that parish all the children pleaded for the and said they were their good friends and dear to them and never did them any harm but the priest would not listen and said it was sin and shame to have such friends the children mourned and could not be comforted and they made an agreement among themselves that they would always continue to hang flower wreaths on the tree as a perpetual sign to the that they were still loved and remembered though lost to sight but late one night a great misfortune s mother passed by the tree and recollections op op arc the were stealing a dance not thinking anybody was by and they were so busy and so with the wild happiness of it and with the of dew sharpened up with honey which they had been drinking that they noticed nothing so dame stood there astonished and admiring and saw the little fantastic holding hands as many as three of them tearing around in a great ring half as big as an ordinary bedroom and leaning away back and spreading their mouths with laughter and song which she could hear quite distinctly and kicking their legs up as much as three inches from the ground in perfect abandon and oh the very and dance the woman ever saw but in about a minute or two minutes the poor little ruined creatures discovered her they burst out in one of grief and terror and fled every which way with their nut fists in their eyes and and so disappeared the heartless woman no the foolish woman she was not heartless but only thoughtless went straight home and told the neighbors all about it whilst we the small friends of the were asleep and not the calamity that was come upon us and all unconscious that we ought to be up and trying to stop these fatal tongues in the morning everybody knew and the disaster was complete for where everybody knows a thing the priest knows it of course we all to crying and begging and he had to cry too seeing our sorrow for he had a most kind and gentle nature is mark twain and he did not want to banish the and said so but said he had no choice for it had been that if they ever revealed themselves to man again they must go this all happened at the worst time possible for of arc was ill of a fever and out of her head and what could we do who had not her gifts of reasoning and persuasion we flew in a swarm to her bed and cried out wake wake there is no moment to lose come and plead for the come and save them only you can do it but | 34 |
her mind was wandering she did not know what we said nor what we meant so we went away knowing all was lost yes all was lost forever lost the faithful friends of the children for five years must go and never come back any more it was a bitter day for us that day that p re held the under the tree and banished the we could not wear that any could have noticed it would not have been allowed so we had to be content with some poor small rag of black tied upon garments where it made no show but in our hearts we wore mourning big and noble and occupying au the room for our hearts were ours they could not get at to prevent that the great tree de was its beautiful name was never afterward quite as much to us as it had been before but it was always dear is dear to me yet when i go there now once a year in my old age to sit imder it and bring back the lost i recollections op op arc of my youth and group them about me and look npon their faces through my tears and break my heart oh my god i no the place was not quite the same afterward in one or two ways it could not be for the protection being gone the spring lost much of its freshness and coldness and more than two thirds of its volume and the banished and insects returned and multiplied and became a torment and have remained so to this day when that wise little child got well we realized how much her illness had cost us for we found that we had been right in believing she could save the she burst into a great storm of anger for so little a and went straight to p re and stood up before him where he sat and made reverence and said the were to go if they showed themselves to people again is it not so yes that was it dear if a man comes into a person s room at midnight when that person is half naked will you be so unjust as to say that that person is showing himself to that man no the good priest looked a little troubled and uneasy when he said it is a sin a sin anyway even if one did not intend to commit it threw up his hands and cried out oh my poor little child i see all my fault and he drew her to his side and put his arm around ber and tried to make his peace with her but her mark twain temper was up so high that she could not get it down right away but buried her head against his breast and broke out crying and said then the committed no sin for there was no intention to commit one they not knowing that any one was by and because they were little creatures and could not speak for themselves and say the law was against the intention not against the innocent act and because they had no friend to think that simple thing for them and say it they have been sent away from their home forever and it was wrong wrong to do it the good father her yet closer to his side and said oh out of the mouths of and the heedless and are condemned would god i could bring the little creatures back for your sake and mine yes and mine for i have been unjust there there don t cry could be than your poor old friend don t cry dear but i can t stop right away i ve got to and it is no little matter this thing that you have done is being sorry penance enough for such an act away his face for it would have hurt her to see him laugh and said oh thou but most just no it is not i will put on and ashes there are you satisfied s sobs began to and she presently looked up at the old man through her tears and said in her simple way yes that will do if it will clear you z recollections op op arc would have been moved to laugh again i if he had not remembered in time that he had made a contract and not a very agreeable one it must be fulfilled so he got up and went to the fireplace watching him with deep interest and took a of cold ashes and was going to empty them on his old gray head when a better idea came to him and he said would you mind helping me dear how father he got down on his knees and bent his head low and said take the ashes and put them on my head for me the matter ended there of course the victory was with the priest one can imagine how the idea of such a would strike or any other child in the village she ran and dropped upon her knees by his side and said oh it is dreadful i didn t know that that was what one meant by and ashes do please get up father but i can t i am forgiven do you forgive me i oh you have done nothing to me father it is yourself that must forgive yourself for those poor things please get up father won t you but i am worse off now than i was before i thought i was earning your forgiveness but if it is my own i can t be it would not become me now what can i do find me some way out of this with your wise little head x mark twain the would not stir for all s she was about | 34 |
to cry again then she had an idea and seized the and her own head with the ashes out through her and there now it is done oh please get up father the old man both touched and amused gathered her to his breast and said h you child it s a humble and not of a sort in a picture but the right and true spirit is in it that i testify then he brushed the ashes out of her hair and helped her her face and neck and properly tidy herself up he was in spirits now and ready for further argument so he took his seat and drew to his side again and said you were used to make wreaths there at the fairy tree with the other children is it not so that was the way he always started out when he was going to comer me up and catch me in something just that gentle indifferent way that fools a person so and leads him into the trap he never noticing which way he is until he is in and the door shut on him he enjoyed that i knew he was going to drop com along in front of now answered yes father did you hang them on the tree no father didn t hang them there recollections of of arc no why didn t your i weu i didn t wish to didn t wish tor no father what did you do with them i hung them in the church why didn t you want to hang them in the tree because it was said that the were of kin to the and that it was sinful to show them honor did you believe it was wrong to honor them so yes i thought it must be wrong then if it was wrong to honor them in that way and if they were of kin to the they could be dangerous company for you and the other children couldn t they i suppose so yes i think so he studied a minute and i judged he was going to spring his trap and he did he said then the matter stands like this they were creatures of fearful origin they could be dangerous company for the children now give me a rational reason dear if you can think of any why you call it a wrong to drive them into and why you would have saved them from it in a word what loss have you suffered by it how stupid of him to go and throw his case away like that i could have his ears for vexation if he had been a boy he was going along all right until he ruined everything by winding up in that foolish and fatal way what had she lost by it was he never going to find out what kind of a child mark twain of arc was was he never going to learn that things which merely concerned her own gain or loss she cared nothing about could he never get the simple fact into his head that the sure way and the only way to rouse her up and set her on fire was to show her where some other person was going to suffer wrong or hurt or loss why he had gone and set a trap for himself that was all he had accomplished the minute those words were out of his mouth her temper was up the indignant tears rose in her eyes and she burst out on him with an energy and passion which astonished him but didn t astonish me for i knew he had fired a mine when he touched off his ill chosen climax oh father how can you talk like that who owns god and the king not satan satan my child this is the of the most high satan owns no handful of its soil then who gave those poor creatures their home god who protected them in it all those centuries god who allowed them to dance and play there all those centuries and no fault with it god who of god s approval and put a threat upon them a man who caught them again in harmless sports that god allowed and a man forbade and carried out that threat and drove the poor things away from the home the good god gave them in his mercy and his pity and sent down his rain and dew and recollections op of arc shine upon it five hundred years in token of his peace it was their home theirs by the grace of god and his good heart and no man had a right to rob them of it and they were the truest friends that children ever had and did them sweet and loving service au these five long and never any hurt or harm and the children loved them and now they mourn for them and there is no healing for their grief and what had the children done that they should suffer this cruel stroke the poor could have been dangerous company for the children yes but never had been and could is no argument of the what of it of the have rights and these had and children have rights and these had and if i had been here i would have spoken i would have begged for the children and the and stayed hand and saved them all but now oh now all is lost everything is lost and there is no help more then she finished with a blast at that idea that fairy of the ought to be and denied sympathy and friendship because salvation was barred against them she said that for that very reason people ought to pity them and do every humane and loving thing they could to make them forget the hard fate | 34 |
that had been put upon them by accident of birth and no fault of their own poor little creatures she said what can a person s heart be made of that can pity a christian s child and yet can t pity a devil s child that a thousand times more needs it j mark twain she had torn loose from p re and was crying with her in her eyes and stamping her small feet in a fury and now she burst out of the place and was gone before we could gather our senses together out of this storm of words and this of passion the had got upon his feet toward the last and now he stood there passing his hand back and forth across his forehead like a person who is dazed and troubled then he turned and wandered toward the door of his little and as he passed through it i heard him murmur sorrowfully ah me poor children poor they have rights and she said true i never thought of that god forgive me i am to blame when i heard that i knew i was right in the thought that he had set a trap for himself it was so and he had walked into it you see i seemed to feel encouraged and wondered if i might get him into one but upon reflection my heart went down for this was not my gift chapter iii speaking of this matter reminds me of many incidents many things that i could tell but i think i will not try to do it now it wiu be more to my present humor to call back a little of the simple and good times we used to have in our village homes in those peaceful days especially in the winter in the summer we children were out on the with the flocks from dawn till night and then there was noisy and ah that but winter was the time winter was the snug time often we gathered in old d arc s big dirt apartment with a great fire going and played games and sang songs and told and listened to the old villagers tell tales and histories and lies and one thing and another till twelve o clock at night one winter s night we were gathered there it was the winter that for years afterward they called the hard winter and that particular night was a sharp one it blew a gale outside and the screaming of the wind was a stirring sound and i think i may say it was beautiful for i think it is great and fine and beautiful to hear the wind rage and storm and blow its like that when you are inside and comfortable and we were we had a roar s mark twain ing fire and the pleasant of the snow and falling in it down the chimney and the and laughing and singing went on at a noble rate till about ten o clock and then we had a supper of hot and beans and meal cakes with butter and to match little sat on a box apart and had her bowl and bread on another one and her around her helping she had more than was usual of them or economical because all the outcast cats came and took up with her and or animals of other kinds heard about it and came and these spread the matter to the other and they came also and as the birds and the other timid wild things of the woods were not afraid of her but always had an idea she was a friend when they came across her and generally struck up an acquaintance with her to get invited to the house she always had of those in stock she was hospitable to them au for an animal was an animal to her and dear by mere reason of being an animal no matter about its sort or social station and as she would allow of no no no but left the creatures free to come and go as they liked that contented them and they came but they didn t go to any extent and so they were a nuisance and made d arc swear a good deal but his wife said god gave the child the instinct and knew what he was doing when he did it therefore it must have its course it would be no prudence to with his affairs when no invitation had been extended so the were left in peace and here recollections op op arc ihey were as i have said birds cats and other all around the child and full of interest in her supper and helping what they could there was a very small on her shoulder sitting up as those creatures do and turning a rocky fragment of chestnut cake over and over in its hands and hunting for the less places and giving its elevated tail a and its pointed ears a toss when it found one and surprise and then it filed that place off with those two slender front teeth which a carries for that purpose and not for ornament for ornamental they never could be as any will admit that have noticed them was going fine and and but then there came an interruption for somebody on the door it was one of those ragged road the eternal wars kept the country full of them he came in all over snow and stamped his feet and shook and brushed himself and shut the door and took o e his limp ruin of a hat and it once or twice against his leg to knock off its of snow and then glanced around on the company with a pleased look upon his thin face and a most yearning and one in his eye when it | 34 |
fell upon the and then he gave us a humble and salutation and said it was a blessed thing to have a fire uke that on such a night and a roof overhead uke this and that rich food to eat and loving friends to talk with ah yes this was true and god help the and such as must the roads in this weather mark twain nobody said anything the embarrassed i creature stood there and appealed to one face after the other with his eyes and found no welcome in any the on his own face flickering and fading and meanwhile then he dropped his gaze the muscles of his face began to and he put up his hand to cover this sign of weakness sit down this thunder blast was from old d arc and was the object of it the stranger was startled and took his hand away and there wa standing before him offering him her bowl of the man said god almighty bless you my darling and then the tears came and ran down his cheeks but he was afraid to take the bowl do you hear me sit down i say there could not be a child more easy to persuade than but this was not the way her father had not the art neither could he learn it said father he is hungry i can see it let him go work for food then we are being eaten out of house and home by his like and i have said i would endure it no more and will keep my word he has the face of a rascal anyhow and a villain sit down i tell you i i know not if he is a rascal or no but he is father and shall have my i do not need it if you don t obey me are not it recollections of of arc entitled to help from honest people and no bite nor sup shall they have in this house she set her bowl down on the box and came over and stood before her father and said father if you will not let me then it must be as you say but i would that you would you would see that it is not right to one part of him for what the other part has done for it is that poor stranger s head that does the evil things but it is not his head that is hungry it is his stomach and it has done no harm to anybody but is without blame and innocent not having any way to do a wrong even if it was minded to it please what an ideal it is the most speech i ever heard but the broke in he being fond of an argument and having a pretty gift in that regard as all acknowledged rising in his place and leaning his upon the table and looking about him with easy dignity after the manner of such as be he began smooth and i will differ with you there gossip and will undertake to show the company here he looked around upon us and nodded his head in a confident way that there is a grain of sense in what the child has said for look you it is of a certainty most true and that it is a man s head that is master and supreme ruler over his whole body is that granted will any deny it he glanced around again everybody indicated assent very well then that being the case no part of the body ag mark twain is responsible for the result when it carries out an order delivered to it by the head the head is alone responsible for crimes done by a man s hands or feet or stomach do you get the idea am i right thus far everybody said yes and said it with enthusiasm and some said one to another that the was in great form to night and at his very best which pleased the exceedingly and made his eyes sparkle with pleasure for he overheard these things so he went on in the same fertile and brilliant way now then we will consider what the term responsibility means and how it affects the case in point responsibility makes a man responsible for only those things for which he is properly responsible and he waved his spoon around in a wide sweep to indicate the comprehensive nature of that class of which render people responsible and several exclaimed he is right he has put that whole tangled thing into a it is wonderful after a little pause to give the interest opportunity to gather and grow he went on very good let us suppose the case of a pair of that falls upon a man s foot causing a cruel hurt will you claim that the are for that the question is answered i see by your faces that you call such a claim absurd now why is it absurd it is absurd because there being no reasoning faculty that is to say no faculty of personal command in a pair d personal responsibility for the acts of the is wholly absent from the and therefore responsibility being absent cannot recollections of of arc am i right a hearty burst of applause was his answer now then we arrive at a man s stomach how exactly how indeed its situation to that of a pair of listen and take careful note i beg you can a man s stomach plan a murder no can it plan a no can it plan an fire no now answer me can a pair of there were admiring shouts of no and the cases are just exact and don t he do it splendid now then friends and neighbors | 34 |
and took off and held up his to god with his failing hand and breathed his prayer with his lips all burst out in sobs and but when the final great note died out and the song vas done they all flung themselves in a body at the singer mad with love of him and love of and pride in her great deeds and old renown and recollections of of arc him with their but was there fi f dose to his breast and covering his face with kisses the storm raged on outside but that was no matter this was the stranger s home now for as long as he might please chapter iv a ll have and we had ours i we got one apiece early and they stuck to us but was richer in this matter for as time went on she earned a second and then a third and so on and we gave them to her first and last she had as many as half a dozen several of these she never lost peasant girls are naturally but she surpassed the rule so far and colored so easily and was so easily embarrassed in the presence of strangers that we her the we were all but she was called the because our warmest feeling for our country was cold beside hers also she was called the beautiful and this was not merely because of the extraordinary beauty of her face and form but because of the loveliness of her character these names she kept and one other the brave we grew along up in that and peaceful region and got to be good sized boys and girls big enough in fact to begin to know as much about the wars raging perpetually to the west and north of us as our elders and also to feel as stirred up over the occasional news from those red fields as they did i remember certain of these days very clearly one tuesday a crowd of us were and sing recollections op of arc ing around the fairy tree and hanging on it in memory of our lost little fairy friends when little cried out look what is that when one like that in a way that shows astonishment and apprehension he gets attention all the panting breasts and flushed faces together and all the eager eyes were turned in one direction down the slope toward the village it s a black flag a black flag is it you can see for yourself that it is nothing else it is a black flag now has any ever seen the like of that before what can it mean mean it means something dreadful what else that is nothing to the point anybody knows that without the telling but that is the question it is a chance that he that bears it can answer as well as any that are here if you can contain yourself till he comes he runs well who is it some named one some another but presently all saw that it was called the because he had yellow hair and a round marked face his ancestors had been some centuries ago he came straining up the slope now and then projecting his flag stick aloft and giving his black symbol of woe a wave in the air whilst all eyes watched him all tongues dis mark twain him and every heart beat faster and faster with impatience to know his news at last he sprang among and struck his flag stick into the ground saying there stand there and represent france while i get my breath she needs no other flag now all the giddy chatter stopped it was as if one had announced a death in that chilly hush there was no sound audible but the panting of the breath blown boy when he was presently able to speak he said black news is come a treaty has been made at between and the english and by it france is betrayed and delivered over tied hand and foot to the enemy it is the work of the of and that she devil the queen of france it henry of england to of france is not this a lie the daughter of france to the butcher of it is not to be believed you have not heard aright if you cannot believe that d arc then you have a difficult task indeed before you for worse is to come any child that is bom of that marriage if even a girl is to inherit the of both england and france and this double is to remain with its posterity forever now that is certainly a lie for it runs counter to our law and so is not legal and cannot have said called the because of the armies he was always going to eat up some day he would have said more but he recollections of of arc was drowned out by the of the others who all burst into a fury over this feature of the treaty all talking at once and nobody hearing anybody until presently persuaded them to be still saying it is not fair to break him up so in his tale pray let him go on you find fault with his history because it seems to be that were reason for satisfaction that kind of not discontent tell the rest there is but this to tell our king charles vi is to reign until he dies then henry v of england is to be of france until a child of his shall be old enough to that man is to reign over us the butcher it is lies all lies cried the besides look what becomes of our what says the treaty about him nothing it takes away his throne and makes him an outcast then everybody shouted | 34 |
at once and said the a lie and all began to get cheerful again saying our king would have to sign the treaty to make it good and that he would not do seeing how it serves his own son but the said i will ask you this would the queen sign a treaty her son that certainly nobody is talking of her nobody expects better of her there is no she will stick at if it feed her spite and she hates her son her it is of no consequence the king must sign mark twain i will ask you another thing what is the king s condition mad isn t he yes and his people love him all the more for it it brings him near to them by his and pitying him makes them love him you say right d arc well what would you of one that is mad does he know what he does no does he do what others make him do yes now then i tell you he has signed the treaty who made him do it you know without my telling the queen then there was another uproar everybody talking at once and all upon the queen s head d arc said but many reports come that are not true nothing so as this has ever come before nothing that cuts so deep nothing that has dragged france so low therefore there is hope that this tale is but another idle where did you get it the color went out of his sister s face she dreaded the answer and her instinct was right the cur of brought it there was a general gasp we knew him you see for a man the hearts almost stopped beating then came the answer he did and that is not all he said he knew it to be true some of the girls began to sob the boys were struck silent the distress in s face was like that which one sees in the face of a dumb a recollections op op arc that has received a mortal hurt the animal bears it making no complaint she bore it also saying no word her brother put his hand on her head and her hair to indicate his sympathy and she gathered the hand to her and kissed it for thanks not saying anything presently the reaction came and the boys began to talk said h are we never going to be men we do grow along so slowly and never needed soldiers as she needs them now to wipe out this black insult i hate youth said called the fly because his eyes stuck out so you ve always got to wait and wait and wait and here are the great wars wasting away for a hundred years and you never get a chance if i could only be a soldier now as for me i m not going to wait much longer said the and when i do start hear from me i promise you that there are some who in a castle prefer to be in the rear but as for me give me the front or none i will have none in front of me but the officers even the girls got the war spirit and said i would i were a man i would start this minute and looked very proud of herself and glanced about for applause so would i said c ale the air like a war horse that smells the battle i warrant you i would not turn back from the field though all england were in front of me x mark twain said the girls can but that s all they are good for let a thousand of them come face to face with a of soldiers once if you want to see what running is like here s little next she u be threatening to go for a soldier the idea was so funny and got such a good laugh that the gave it another trial and said why you can just see see her plunge into battle like any old yes indeed and not a poor shabby common soldier like us but an officer an officer mind you with on and the bars of a steel to blush behind and hide her embarrassment when she finds an army in front of her that she hasn t been introduced to an officer why she ll be a captain a captain i tell you with a men at her back or maybe girls oh no common soldier business for her and dear me when she starts for that other army you ll think there s a blowing it away well he kept it up like that till he made their sides ache with laughing which was quite natural for certainly it was a very idea at that time i mean the idea of that gentle uttle creature that wouldn t hurt a fly and x t bear the sight of blood and was so girlish and shrinking in all ways rushing into battle with a gang of soldiers at her back poor thing she sat there confused and ashamed to be so laughed at and yet at that very minute there was something about to happen which would change the aspect of things and make those young people see that when it comes to recollections of of arc the person that laughs last has the best chance for just then a face which we all knew and all feared projected itself from behind the fairy tree and the thought that shot through us all was crazy has gotten loose from his cage and we are as good as dead this ragged and hairy and horrible creature glided out from behind the tree and raised an ax as he came we all broke and fled this way and that | 34 |
the girls screaming and crying no not all all but she stood up and faced the man and remained so as we reached the wood that borders the grassy clearing and jumped into its shelter two or three of us glanced back to see if was gaining on us and that is what we saw standing and the gliding stealthily toward her with his ax lifted the sight was sickening we stood where we were trembling and not able to move i did not want to see the murder done and yet i could not take my eyes away now i saw step forward to meet the man though i believed my eyes must be deceiving me then i saw him stop he threatened her with his ax as if to warn her not to come further but she paid no heed but went steadily on until she was right in front of him right under his ax then she stopped and seemed to begin to talk with him it made me sick yes giddy and everything swam around me and i could not see anything for a time whether long or brief i do not know when this passed and i looked again was walking by the man s side toward the village holding him by his hand the ax was in her other hand mark twain one by one the boys and girls crept out and we stood there open mouthed till those two entered the village and were hid from sight it was then that we named her the brave we left the black flag there to continue its mournful for we had other matter to think of now we started for the village on a run to give warning and get out of her peril though for one after seeing what i had seen it seemed to me that while had the ax the man s chance was not the best of the two when we arrived the danger was past the madman was in all the people were to the little square in front of the church to talk and exclaim and wonder over the event and it even made the town forget the black news of the treaty for two or three hours all the women kept and kissing and her and crying and the men patted her on the head and said they wished she was a man they would send her to the wars and never doubt but that she would strike some blows that would be heard of she had to tear herself away and go and hide this glory was so trying to her of course the people began to ask us for the p i was so ashamed that i made an excuse to the first comer and got privately away and went back to the fairy tree to get relief from the embarrassment of those there i found but she was there to get relief from the embarrassment of glory one by one the others the and joined us in our refuge then we recollections op op arc gathered around and asked her how she had dared to do that thing she was very modest about it and said tou make a great thing of it but you mistake it was not a great matter it was not as if i had been a stranger to the man i know him and have known him long and he knows me and likes me i have fed him through the bars of his cage many times and last december when they off two of his fingers to remind him to stop seizing and people passing by i dressed his hand every day till it was well again that is all well enough said little but he is a madman dear and so his and his gratitude and friendliness go for nothing when his rage is up you did a perilous thing of course you did said the didn t he threaten to kill you with the ax yes didn t he threaten you more than once yes didn t you fed afraid no at least not much very little why didn t you she thought a moment then said simply i don t know it made everybody laugh then the said it was like a lamb trying to think out how it had come to eat a wolf but had to give it up c asked why didn t you run when we did because it was necessary to get him to his cage mark twain else he would kill some one then he would come to the like harm himself it is noticeable that this remark which that was entirely forgetful of herself and her own danger and had thought and wrought for the preservation of other people alone was not or or commented upon by anybody there but was taken by all as matter of course and true it shows how clearly her character was defined and how well it was known and established there was silence for a time and perhaps we were all thinking of the same thing namely what a poor figure we had cut in that adventure as contrasted with s performance i tried to think up some good way of explaining why i had run away and left a little girl at the mercy of a armed with an ax but all of the explanations that offered themselves to me seemed so cheap and shabby that i gave the matter up and remained still but others were less wise awhile then broke out with a remark which showed what his mind had been running on the fact is i was taken by surprise that is the reason if i had had a moment to think i would no more have thought of running than i would think of running from a baby for after all what | 34 |
is th that i should seem to be afraid of him the idea of being afraid of that poor thing i only wish he would come along now i d show you so do ii cried if i wouldn t recollections of of arc make him climb this tree quicker than well you d see what i would do taking a person by that way why i never meant to run not in earnest i mean i never thought of running in earnest i only wanted to have some fun and when i saw standing there and him threatening her it was all i could do to restrain myself from going there and just tearing the and lights out of him i wanted to do it bad enough and if it was to do over again i would if ever he comes around me again h hush said the breaking in with an air of disdain the way you people talk a person would think there s something heroic about standing up and facing down that poor remnant of a man why it s nothing there s small glory to be got in facing him down i should say why i wouldn t want any better than to face down a hundred like him if he was to come along here now i would walk up to him just as i am now i wouldn t care if he had a thousand and say and so he went on and on telling the brave things he would say and the wonders he would do and the others put in a word from time to time describing over again the they would do if ever that madman ventured to cross their path again for next time they would be ready for him and would soon teach him that if he thought he could them twice because he had them once he would find himself very seriously mistaken that s all mark twain and so in the end they all got back their yes and even added somewhat to it indeed when the sitting broke up they had a finer opinion of themselves than they had ever had before chapter v they were and pleasant those young and smoothly flowing days of ours that is that was the case as a rule we being remote from the seat of war but at intervals bands approached near enough for us to see the flush in the sky at night which marked where they were burning some or village and we all knew or at least felt that some day they would come yet nearer and we should have our turn this dull dread lay upon our spirits like a physical weight it was greatly a couple of years after the treaty of it was truly a dismal year for one day we had been over to have one of occasional pitched battles with those hated boys of the village of and had been whipped and were arriving on our side of the river after dark bruised and weary when we heard the bell ringing the we ran all the way and when we got to the square we found it crowded with the excited villagers and lighted by smoking and on the steps of the church stood a a priest who was telling the people news which made them weep and and rage and mark twain curse by turns he said our old mad king was dead and that now we and france and the crown were the property of an english baby lying in his cradle in london and he us to give that child and be its faithful servants and well and said we should now have a strong and stable government at last and that in a little time the english armies start on their last march and it would be a brief one for all that it would need to do would be to conquer what odds and ends of our yet remained under that rare and almost forgotten rag the of france the people and raged at him and you could see of them stretch their fists above the sea of torch lighted faces and shake them at him and it was all a wild picture and stirring to look at and the priest was a first rate part of it too for he stood there in the strong glare and looked down on those angry people in the and most indifferent way so that while you wanted to bum him at the stake you still admired the coolness of him and his winding up was the thing of all for he told them how at the of our old king the french king at arms had broken his staff of office over the coffin of charles vi and his at the same time saying in a loud voice god grant long life to henry king of france and england our sovereign lord and then he asked them to join him in a hearty amen to that the people were white with wrath and it tied for the moment and they could not recollections op op arc speak but was standing dose by and she looked up in his face and said in her sober way i would i might see thy head struck from thy body then after a pause and crossing herself if it were the will of god this is worth remembering and i will you why it is the only harsh speech ever uttered in her life when i shall have revealed to you the storms she went through and the wrongs and then you will see that it was wonderful that she said but one bitter thing while she lived from the day that that dreary news came we had one scare after another the coming almost to our doors every now and then | 34 |
so that we lived in ever increasing apprehension and yet were somehow spared from actual attack but at last our turn did really come this was in the spring of the in with a great noise in the middle of a dark night and we had to jump up and fly for our lives we took the road to and rushed along in the wildest disorder everybody trying to get ahead and thus the movements of all were but had a cool head the only cool head there and she took command and brought order out of that chaos she did her work quickly and with and despatch and soon turned the panic flight into a quite steady going march you will grant that for so young a person and a girl at that this was a good piece of work she was sixteen now and graceful and si mark twain of a beauty so extraordinary that i might myself any extravagance of language in describing it and yet have no fear of going beyond the truth there was in her face a sweetness and serenity and purity that justly reflected her spiritual nature she was deeply religious and this is a thing which sometimes gives a melancholy cast to a person s but it was not so in her case her religion made her inwardly content and joyous and if she was troubled at times and showed the pain of it in her face and bearing it came of distress for her no part of it was to her religion a considerable part of our village was destroyed and when it became safe for us to venture back there we realized what other people had been suffering in all the various quarters of france for many years yes of years for the first time we saw wrecked and smoke blackened homes and in the lanes and of creatures that had been in pure among them and that had been of the children and it was pity to see the children lament over them and then the taxes the taxes i everybody thought of that that burden would fall heavy now in the s crippled condition and all faces grew long with the thought of it said paying taxes with naught to pay them with is what the rest of france has been doing these many years but we never knew the bitterness of that before we shall know it now and so she went on talking about it growing recollections of op arc more and more troubled about it until one could see that it was filling all her mind at last we came upon a dreadful object it was the madman and to death in his iron cage in the comer of the square it was a bloody and dreadful sight hardly any of us young people had ever seen a man before who had lost his life by violence so this had an awful fascination for us we could not take our eyes from it i mean it had that sort of fascination for all of us but one that one was she turned away in horror and could not be persuaded to go near it again there it is a striking that we are but creatures of use and custom yes and it is a too of how harshly and fate with us sometimes for it was so ordered that the very ones among us who were most fascinated with and bloody death were to live their lives in peace while that other who had a native and deep horror of it must presently go forth and have it as a familiar spectacle every day on the field of battle you may well believe that we had plenty of matter for talk now since the of our village seemed by long odds the greatest event that had really ever occurred in the world for although these dull may have thought they recognized the of some of the previous that had from the world s history dimly into their minds the truth is that they hadn t one biting little fact visible to their eyes of flesh and felt in their own personal became at once more to them than the remote episode ii mark twain the world s history which they had got at second hand and by it me now when i recall how our elders talked then they and fretted in a fine fashion ah yes said old d arc things are come to a pretty pass indeed the king must be informed of this it is time that he cease from idleness and dreaming and get at his proper business he meant our king the hunted charles vii you say well said the he should be informed and that at once it is an outrage that such things should be permitted why we are not safe in our beds and he taking his ease yonder it shall be made known indeed it shall all shall hear of it to hear them talk one would have imagined that all the previous ten thousand and in france had been but and this one the only fact it is always the way words will answer as long as it is only a person s neighbor who is in trouble but when that person gets into trouble himself it is time that the king rise up and do something the big event filled us young people with talk too we let it flow in a steady stream while we tended the flocks we were beginning to feel pretty important now for i was eighteen and the other youths were from one to four years older young men in fact one day the was the of and said look at of call him a general just put me in his place once never mind recollections op op | 34 |
arc what i would do it is not for me to say i have no stomach for talk my way is to act and let others do the talking but put me in his place once that s all and look at and that la hire now what a general that is it shocked everybody to hear these great names so handled for to us these renowned soldiers were almost gods in their far off splendor they rose upon our dim and huge shadowy and awful and it was a thing to hear them spoken of as if they were mere men and their acts open to comment and criticism the color rose in s and she said i know not how any can be so hardy as to use such words regarding these sublime men who are the very pillars of the french state supporting it with their strength and preserving it at daily cost of their blood as for me i could count myself honored past all deserving if i might be allowed but the privilege of looking upon them once at a distance i mean for it not become one of my degree to approach them too near the was disconcerted for a moment seeing by the faces him that had put into words what the others felt then he pulled his complacency together and fell to again s brother said if you don t like what our do why don t you go to the great wars yourself and better their work you are always talking about going to the wars but you don t go look you said the it is easy to say ss mark twain that now i will tell you why i remain here in a tranquillity which my reputation teaches you is repulsive to my nature i do not go because i am not a gentleman that is the whole reason what can one private soldier do in a contest like this nothing he is not permitted to rise from the ranks if i were a gentleman would i remain here not one moment i can save france ah you may laugh but i know what is in me i know what is hid under this peasant cap i can save france and i stand ready to do it but not these present conditions if they want me let them send for me otherwise let them take the consequences i shall not but as an of alas poor france france is lost said d arc since you so at others why don t you go to the wars yourself d arc oh i haven t been sent for either i am no more a gentleman than you yet i will go i promise to go i promise to go as a private your orders when you are sent for they all laughed and the fly said so soon then you need to begin to get ready you might be called for in five years who knows yes in my opinion you ll march for the wars in five years he will go sooner said she said it in a low voice and but several heard it how do you know that said the with a surprised look but d arc broke in and said recollections of op arc i want to go myself but as i am rather young yet i also will and march when the is sent for no said he will go with she said it as one who talks to himself aloud without knowing it and none heard it but me i glanced at her and saw that her knitting needles were idle in her hands and that her face had a dreamy and absent look in it there were fleeting movements of her lips as if she might be occasionally saying parts of sentences to herself but there was no for i was the nearest person to her and i heard nothing but i set my ears open for those two speeches had affected me i being superstitious and easily troubled by any little thing of a strange and sort said there is one way to let have a chance for her salvation we ve got one gentleman in the at any rate why can t the scholar change name and condition with the then he can be an officer france will send for him then and he will sweep these english and armies into the sea like flies i was the scholar that was my because i could read and write there was a chorus of approval and the said is the very thing it settles every difficulty the de will easily agree to that yes he will march at the back of captain and die early covered with common soldier glory he will march with and and live till mark twain these wars are forgotten muttered and at the hour and the will join these but not of their own desire the voice was so low that i was not perfectly sure that these were the words but they seemed to be it makes one feel to hear such things come now continued it s all arranged there s nothing to do but under the s banner and go forth and rescue france you ll all m r all said yes except d arc who said i ll ask you to excuse me it is pleasant to talk war and i am with you there and i ve thought i should go about this time but the look of our wrecked village and that carved up and bloody madman have taught me that i am not made for such work and such sights i could never be at home in that trade pace swords and the big guns and death it isn t in me no no me out and besides i m the son | 34 |
and and protector of the family since you are going to carry and to the wars somebody must be left behind to take care of our and her sister i shall stay at home and grow old in peace and tranquillity he will stay at home but not grow old murmured the talk rattled on in the gay and careless fashion privileged to youth and we got the to map out his and fight his battles and win h and the english and put our king upon his throne and set his crown upon his s recollections of of arc head then we asked him what he was going to answer when the king should require him to name his reward the had it all arranged in his head and brought it out promptly he shall give me a name me peer and make me y lord high of and marry you to a princess you re not going to leave that out are you the colored a trifle and said he may keep his i can marry more to my taste meaning though nobody suspected it at that time if any had the would have been finely for his vanity there was no fit mate in that village for of arc every one would have said that in turn each person present was required to say what reward he would demand of the king if he could change places with the and do the wonders the was going to do the answers were given in fun and each of us tried to his in the extravagance of the reward he would claim but when it came to s turn and they rallied her out of her dreams and asked her to testify they had to explain to her what the question was for her thought had been absent and she had heard none of this latter part of talk she supposed they wanted a serious answer and she gave it she sat considering some moments then she said if the out of his grace and should say to me now that i am rich and am come mark twain to my own again choose and have i should kneel and ask him to give command that our village be it was so simple and out of her heart that it touched us and we did not laugh but fell to think ing we did not laugh but there came a day when we remembered that speech with a mournful pride and were glad that we had not laughed perceiving then how honest her words had been and seeing how faithfully she made them good when the time came asking just that boon of the king and refusing to take even any least thing for herself chapter vi all through her childhood and up to the middle l of her year had been the most light hearted creature and the in the village with a hop and jump gait and a happy and catching laugh and this disposition by her warm and sympathetic nature and frank and winning had made her everybody s pet she had been a hot all this time and sometimes the war news had her spirits and wrung her heart and made her acquainted with tears but always when these had run their course her spirits rose and she was her old self again but now for a whole year and a half she had been mainly grave not melancholy but given to thought abstraction dreams she was carrying france upon her heart and she found the burden not light i knew that this was her trouble but others attributed her abstraction to ecstasy for she did not share her with the village at large yet gave me glimpses of and so i knew better than the rest what was absorbing her interest many a time the idea crossed my mind that she had a secret a secret which she was keeping wholly to herself as well from me as from the others this idea had come to me because several times she had i mark twain cut a sentence in two and changed the subject when apparently she was on the verge of a revelation of some sort i was to find this secret out but not just yet the day after the conversation which i have been we were together in the pastures and fell to talking about france as usual for her sake i had always talked before but that was mere lying for really there was not anything to hang a rag of hope for france upon now it was such a pain to lie to her and cost me such shame to offer this treachery to one so snow pure from lying and treachery and even from suspicion of such in others as she was that i was resolved to face about now and begin over again and never her more with deception i started on the new policy by saying still opening up with a small lie of course for habit is habit and not to be flung out of the window by any man but downstairs a step at a time i have been thinking the thing all over last night and have concluded that we have been in the wrong all this time that the case of france is desperate that it has been desperate ever since and that to day it is more than desperate it is hopeless i did not look her in the face while i was it it could not be expected of a person to break her heart to crush her hope with a so frankly brutal speech as that without one charitable soft place in it it seemed a shameful thing and it was but when it was out the weight gone and my conscience recollections of op arc rising to the surface i glanced at | 34 |
her face to see the result there was none to see at least none that i was expecting there was a barely perceptible suggestion of wonder in her serious eyes but that was all and she said in her simple and placid way the case of france hopeless why you think that tell me it is a most pleasant thing to find that what you thought would inflict a hurt upon one whom you honor has not done it i was relieved now and could say all my say without any f and without embarrassment so i began let us put sentiment and patriotic illusions aside and look the facts in the face what do they say they speak as plainly as the figures in a merchant s account book one has only to add the two columns up to see that the french house is that one half of its property is already in the english s hands and the other half in nobody s except those of and robbers to nobody our king is shut up with his and fools in idleness and poverty in a narrow little i of the kingdom a sort of back lot as one may say and has no authority there or else hasn t a to his name nor a regiment of soldiers he is not fighting he is not intending to fight he means to make no further resistance in truth there is but one thing that he is intending to do give the whole thing up pitch his crown into the and run away to scotland there are the facts are they correct mark twain yes they are correct then it is as i have said one needs but to add them together in order to what they mean she asked in an ordinary level tone what that the case of france is hopeless necessarily in face of these facts doubt of it is impossible how can you say that how can you feel like that how can i how could i think or feel in any other way in the circumstances with these fatal figures before you have you really any hope for france really and actually hope oh more than that i france will win her freedom and keep it do not doubt it it seemed to me that her dear intellect must surely be clouded to day it must be so or she would see that those figures could mean only the one thing perhaps if i them again she would see so i said your heart which france is your head you are not perceiving the importance of these figures here i want to make a picture of them here on the ground with a stick now this rough outline is france through its middle east and west i draw a river yes the now then this whole northern half of the is in the tight grip of the english yes and this whole southern half is really in nobody s at all as king by meditating of op arc desertion and flight to a foreign land england has armies here opposition is dead she can assume full possession whenever she may choose in very truth au france is gone france is lost france has ceased to exist what was france is now but a british province is this true her voice was low and just touched with emotion but distinct yes it is true very well now add this fact and surely the sum is complete when have french soldiers won a victory scotch soldiers under the french flag have won a barren fight or two a few years back but i am speaking of french ones since eight thousand englishmen nearly sixty thousand a dozen years ago at french courage has been and so it is a common saying to day that if you fifty french soldiers with five english ones the french will run it is a pity but even these things are true then certainly the day for hoping is past believed the case would be dear to her now i thought it could not fail to be dear to her and that she would say herself that there was no longer any ground for hope but i was mistaken and disappointed also she said without any doubt in her tone will rise again you shall see rise with this burden of english armies on her back she will cast it off she will it this with spirit s if mark twain without soldiers to fight with the drums will summon them they will an and they will march march to the rear as no to the front ever to the front always to the front you shall see and the king he will mount his throne he will wear his it crown well of a truth this makes one s head dizzy why if i could believe that in thirty years from now the english be broken and the french monarch s head find itself with a real crown of both will have happened before two years are sped indeed and who is going to perform all these sublime god it was a low note but it rang dear what could have put those strange ideas in her head this question kept running in my mind during two or three days it was inevitable that i should think of madness what other way was there to account for such things and brooding over the woes of had weakened that strong mind and filled it with fantastic yes that must be it but i watched her and tested her and it was not so her eye was clear and sane her ways were natural her speech direct and to the point recollections op of arc there was nothing the matter with her mind it was | 34 |
still the in the village and the best she went on thinking for others planning for others sacrificing herself for others just as always before she went on to her sick and to her poor and still stood ready to give the her bed and content herself with the floor there was a secret somewhere but madness was not the key to it this was plain now the key did presently come into my hands and the way that it happened was this you have heard all the world talk of this matter which i am about to speak of but you have not heard an talk of it before i was coming from over the ridge one day it was the of may a and when i got to the edge of the oak forest and was about to step out of it upon the open space in which the haunted tree stood i happened to cast a glance from cover first then i took a step backward and stood in the shelter and concealment of the foliage for i had caught sight of and thought i would devise some sort of id surprise for her think of it that trivial conceit was neighbor with but a scarcely interval of time between to an event destined to forever in histories and songs tlie day was and all that grassy space wherein the tree stood lay in a soft rich shadow sat on a natural seat formed by great roots of the tree her hands lay loosely one in the other in her lap her head was bent mark twain a little toward the ground and her air was that of one who is lost in thought in dreams and not conscious of herself dr of the world and now i saw a most strange thing for i saw a white shadow come slowly gliding along the grass toward the tree it was of grand proportions a form with wings and the whiteness of this shadow was not like any other whiteness that we know of except it be the whiteness of the but even the are not so intense as it was for one can look at them without hurt whereas this brilliancy was so blinding that it pained my eyes and brought the water into them i my head perceiving that i was in the presence of something not of this world my breath grew faint and difficult because of the terror and the awe that possessed me another strange thing the wood had been silent smitten with that deep stillness which comes when a storm cloud a forest and the wild creatures lose heart and are afraid but now all the birds burst forth in song and the joy the rapture the ecstasy of it was beyond belief and was so eloquent and so moving withal that it was plain it was an act of worship with the first note of those birds cast herself upon her knees and bent her head low and crossed her hands upon her breast she had not seen the shadow yet had the song of the birds told her it was coming it had that look to me then the like of this must have happened before yes there might be no doubt of that recollections op op arc the shadow approached slowly the extremity of it reached her flowed over her clothed her in its awful splendor in that immortal light her face only beautiful before became divine with that glory her mean peasant habit was become like to the of the clothed children of god as we see them the of the throne in our dreams and presently she rose and stood with her head still bowed a little and with her arms down and the ends of her fingers lightly together in front of her and standing so all with that wonderful light and yet apparently not knowing it she seemed to listen but i heard nothing after a little she raised her head and looked up as one might look up toward the face of a giant and then clasped her hands and lifted them high and began to plead i heard some of the words i heard her say but i am so young oh so young to leave my mother and my home and go out into the strange world to undertake a thing so great ah how can i talk with men be comrade with men soldiers it would give me over to insult and rude usage and contempt how can i go to the great wars and lead armies i a girl and ignorant of such things knowing nothing of arms nor how to mount a horse nor ride it yet if it is commanded her voice sank a little and was broken by sobs and i made out no more of her words then i came to myself i reflected that i had been in mark twain upon a mystery of god and what might my punishment be i was afraid and went deeper into the wood then i carved a mark in the bark of a tree saying to myself it may be that i am dreaming and have not seen this vision at all i will come again when i know that i am awake and not dreaming and see if this mark is still here then i shall know chapter vii i heard my name called it was s voice it startled me for how could she know i was there i said to myself it is part of the dream it is all dream voice vision and all the have done this so i crossed myself and pronounced the name of god to break the enchantment i knew i was awake now and free from the spell for no spell can withstand this then i | 34 |
heard my name called again and i stepped at once from under cover and there indeed was but not looking as she had looked in the dream for she was not crying now but was looking as she had used to look a year and a half before when her heart was light and her spirits high her old time energy and fire were back and a something like exaltation showed itself in her face and bearing it was almost as if she had been in a trance all that time and had come awake again really it was just as if she had been away and lost and was come back to us at last and i was so glad that i felt like to call everybody and have them flock around her and give her welcome i ran to her excited and said ah i ve got such a wonderful thing to tell you about you would never imagine it i ve had a dream and in the dream i saw you right here where you are standing now and mark twain but she put up her hand and said it was not a dream it gave me a shock and i began to feel afraid again not a dream i said how can you know about it are you dreaming now i i suppose not i think i am not indeed you are not i know you are not and you were not dreaming when you cut the mark in the tree i myself turning cold with fright for now i knew of a certainty that i had not been dreaming but had really been in the presence of a dread something not of this world then i remembered that my sinful feet were upon holy ground the ground where that celestial shadow had rested i moved quickly away smitten to the bones with fear followed and said do not be afraid indeed there is no need come with me we will sit by the spring and i will tell you all my secret when she was ready to begin i checked her and said first tell me this you could not see me in the wood how did you know i cut a mark in the tree wait a little i will soon come to that then you will see but tell me one thing now what was that awful shadow that i saw i will tell you but do not be disturbed you are n i i li recollections op of arc not in danger it was the shadow of an michael the chief and lord of the of heaven i could but cross myself and tremble for having that ground with my feet you were not afraid did you see his face did you see his form yes i was not afraid because this was not the first time i was afraid the first time when was that it is nearly three years ago now so long have you seen him many times yes many times it is this then that has changed you it was this that made you thoughtful and not as you were before i see it now why did you not tell us about it it was not permitted it is permitted now and soon i shall tell all but only you now it must remain a secret a few days still has none seen that white shadow before but me no one it has fallen upon me before when you and others were present but none could see it to day it has been otherwise and i was told why but it will not be again to any it was a sign to me then and a sign with a meaning of some kind yes but i may not speak of that strange that that dazzling light could rest upon an object before one s eyes and not be visible with it comes speech also several saints come attended by of angels and they speak to mark twain me i hear their voices but others do not are very dear to me my voices that is what i call them to myself what do they tell you all of things about france i mean what things have they been used to tell you she sighed and said only and misfortunes and there was naught else to they spoke of them to you yes so that i knew what was going to happen before it happened it made me grave as you saw it could not be otherwise but always there was a word of hope too more than that was to be rescued and made great and free again but how and by whom that was not told not until to day as she said those last words a sudden deep glow shone in her eyes which i was to see there many times in after days when the sounded the charge and learn to call it the her breast heaved and the color rose in her face but to day i know god has chosen the meanest of his creatures for this work and by his command and in his protection and by his strength not mine i am to lead his armies and win back france and set the crown upon the head of his servant that is and shall be king i was amazed and said you you a child lead armies yes for one uttle moment or two the thought crushed me for it is as you say i am only a child a child and ignorant ignorant of everything that recollections op op arc to war and not fitted for the rough life of and the companionship of soldiers but those weak moments passed they will not come again i am | 34 |
which was raised a couple of steps higher than the general table at the small table sat several other guests besides myself and at the general table sat the chief officers of the garrison at the entrance door stood a guard of in and as for talk there was but one topic of the desperate situation of france there was a some one said that was making preparations to march against it raised a turmoil of excited conversation and opinion fell thick and fast some believed he march at once others that he could not accomplish the before fall others that the siege would be recollections op op arc long and bravely but upon one thing all voices agreed that must eventually fall and with it france with that the prolonged discussion ended and there was silence every man seemed to sink himself in his own thoughts and to forget where he was this sudden and stillness where before had been so much animation was impressive and solemn now came a servant and whispered something to the governor who said would talk with yes your h m a strange idea certainly bring them in it was and her at the spectacle of the great people the courage out of the poor old peasant and he stopped and would come no further but remained there with his red crushed in his hands and bowing humbly here there and everywhere with embarrassment and fear but came steadily forward erect and self possessed and stood before the governor she recognized me but in no way indicated it there was a of admiration even the governor to it for i heard him by god s grace it is a beautiful creature he her a moment or two then said well what is your errand my child my message is to you robert de governor of and it is this that you will send and tell the to wait and not give battle to his enemies for god will presently send him help if mark twain this strange speech amazed the company and many murmured the poor young thing is the governor and said what nonsense is this the king or the as you call him needs no message of that sort he will wait give yourself no as to that what further do you desire to say to me this to beg that you will give me an escort of men at arms and send me to the what for that he may make me his general for it is ap pointed that i shall drive the english out of france and set the crown upon his head what you why you are but a child yet am i appointed to do it nevertheless indeed and when will au this happen next year he will be crowned and after that will remain master of there was a great and general burst of laughter and when it had subsided the governor said who has sent you with these extravagant messages my lord what lord the king of heaven many murmured ah poor thing poor thing and others ah her mind is but a wreck the governor hailed and said take this mad child home and whip her soundly that is the best cure for her as was moving away she and said with simplicity i so recollections op op arc you refuse me the soldiers i know not why for it is my lord that has commanded you yes it is he that has made the command therefore must i come again and yet again then i shall have the men at arms there was a great deal of wondering talk after she was gone and the guards and servants passed the talk to the town the town passed it to the country was already with it when we got back chapter viii human nature is the same everywhere it success it has nothing but scorn for defeat the village considered that had disgraced it with her grotesque performance and its ridiculous failure so all the tongues were busy with the matter and as and bitter as they were busy that if the tongues had been teeth she would not have survived her those persons who did not did what was worse and harder to bear for they her and at her and ceased neither day nor night from their and and laughter and little and i stood by her but the storm was too strong for her friends and they avoided her being ashamed to be seen with her because she was so and because of the sting of the that assailed them on her account she shed tears in secret but none in public in public she carried herself with serenity and showed no distress nor any resentment conduct which should have softened the feeling against her but it did not her father was so that he could not talk in terms about her wild project of going to the wars like a man he had dreamed of her doing such a thing some time s recollections op op arc before and now he remembered that dream with apprehension and anger and said that rather than see her herself and go away with the armies he would require her brothers to drown her and that if they should refuse he would do it with his own hands but none of these things shook her purpose in the least her parents kept a strict watch upon her to keep her from leaving the village but she said her time was not yet that when the time to go was come she should know it and then the would watch in vain the wasted along and when it was seen that her purpose continued steadfast the parents were glad of a chance which finally offered itself for bringing her projects to an end through marriage the had the | 34 |
to pretend that she had engaged herself to him several years before and now he claimed a of the engagement she said his statement was not true and refused to marry him she was to appear before the court at to answer for her when she declined to have counsel and elected to conduct her case herself her parents and all her ill rejoiced and looked her as already defeated and that was natural enough for who expect that an ignorant peasant girl of sixteen would be otherwise than frightened and tongue tied when standing for the first time in presence of the practised doctors of the law and by the cold of a court yet all these people were mistaken they to mark twain to see and enjoy this fright and embarrassment and defeat and they had their trouble for their pains she was modest tranquil and quite at her ease she called no witnesses she would content herself with examining the witnesses for the when they had she rose and their testimony in a few words pronounced it vague confused and of no force then she placed the again on the stand and began to search him his previous testimony went rag by rag to ruin under her ingenious hands until at last he stood bare so to speak he that had come so richly clothed in fraud and falsehood his counsel began an argument but the court declined to hear it and threw out the case adding a few words of grave compliment for and referring to her as this child after this victory with this high praise from so imposing a source added the village turned again and gave compliment and peace her mother took her back to her heart and even her father and said he was proud of her but the time heavy on her hands nevertheless for the siege of was begun the clouds lowered darker and darker over and still her voices said wait and gave her no direct commands the winter set in and wore along but at last there was a change book ii in court and camp chapter i the th of came to me with her and said the time is come my voices are not vague now but clear and they have told me what to do in two months i shall be with the her spirits were high and her bearing martial i caught the and felt a great impulse stirring in me that was like what one feels when he hears the roll of the drums and the tramp of marching men i it i said i also believe it said if she had told me before that she was commanded of god to rescue i should not have believed i should ha let her seek the governor by her own ways and held myself dear of in the matter not doubting she was mad but i have seen her stand before those and mighty men and say her say and she had not been able to do that but by the help of god that i know therefore with all i am at her command to do with me as she will my uncle is very good to me said i sent and asked him to come and persuade my mother to let him take me home with him to tend i mark twain his wife who is not well it is arranged and we go at dawn to morrow his house i shall go soon to and wait and strive until my prayer is granted who were the two who sat to your left at the governor s table that day one was the de de the other the de good metal good metal both i marked them for men of mine what is it i see in your face doubt i was teaching myself to speak the truth to her not it or it so i said they considered you out of your head and said so it is true they pitied you for being in such misfortune but still they held you to be mad this did not seem to trouble her in any way or her she only said the wise change their minds when they perceive that they have been in error these will they will march with me i shall see them presently you seem to doubt again do you doubt n no not now i was remembering that it was a year ago and that they did not belong there but only chanced to stop a day on their journey they will come again but as to matters now in hand i came to leave with you some instructions you will follow me in a few days order your affairs for you will be absent long will and go with me no they would refuse now but presently they will come and with them they will bring my parents blessing and likewise their consent that i take up recollections op op arc my mission i shall be stronger then stronger for that for lack of it i am weak now she paused a little while and the tears gathered in her eyes then she went on i would say good by to little bring her outside the village at dawn she must go with me a little of the way and she broke down and began to cry saying no oh no she is too dear to me i could not bear it knowing i should never look upon her face again next morning i brought and we four walked along the road in the cold dawn till the village was far behind then the two girls said their good clinging about each other s neck and pouring out their grief in loving words and tears a pitiful sight to see and took one long look back upon the distant | 34 |
village and the fairy tree and the oak forest and the plain and the river as if she was to print these scenes on her memory so that they would abide there always and not fade for she knew she would not see them any more in this life then she turned and went from us sobbing bitterly it was her birthday and mine she was seventeen years old chapter ii a a few days took to and found lodging and for her with a s wife an honest and good woman went to mass regularly she helped do the earning her keep in that way and if any wished to talk with her about her mission and many did she talked freely making no regarding the matter now i was soon near by and witnessed the effects which followed at once the tidings spread that a girl was come who was appointed of god to save france the common people in crowds to look at her and speak with her and her fair young loveliness won the half of their belief and her deep earnestness and transparent sincerity won the other half the well to do remained away and but that is their way next a prophecy of s more than eight years old was called to mind which said that in a far time france would be lost by a woman and restored by a woman was now for the first time lost and by a woman of her base queen doubtless this fair and pure yoimg girl was of heaven to complete the prophecy recollections of of arc this gave the growing interest a new and powerful impulse the excitement rose higher and higher and hope and faith along with it and so from wave after wave of this inspiring enthusiasm flowed out over the land far and wide all the villages and refreshing and the children of france and from these villages came people who wanted to see for themselves hear for themselves and they did see and hear and be they filled the town they more than filled it and lodgings were packed and yet half of the had to go without shelter and still they came winter as it was for when a man s soul is starving what does he care for meat and roof so he can but get that nobler fed day after day and still day after day the great tide rose was dazed amazed and said to itself was this world wonder in our familiar midst all these years and we too dull to see it and went out from the village stared at and envied like the great and fortunate of the earth and their progress to was like a triumph all the country side to see and salute the brothers of one with whom angels had spoken face to face and into whose hands by command of god they had delivered the of the brothers brought the parents blessing and to and their promise to bring it to her in person later and so with this happiness in her heart and the high hope it inspired she went and confronted the governor again but mark twain he was no more table than he had been before he refused to send her to the king she was disappointed but in no degree discouraged she said i must still come to you i get the men at arms for so it is commanded and i may not i must go to the though i go on my knees i and the two brothers were with daily to see the people that came and hear what they said and one day sure enough the de came he talked with her in a and ul way as one talks with children and said what are you doing here my little maid will they drive the king out of france and shall we all turn english she answered him in her tranquil serious way i am come to bid robert de take or send me to the king but he does not heed my words ah you have an admirable truly a whole year has not turned you from your wish i saw you when you came before said as as before it is not a wish it is a purpose he will giant it i can wait ah perhaps it will not be wise to make too sure of that my child these are stubborn people to deal with in case he shall not grant your prayer he will grant it he must it is not matter of choice the gentleman playful mood began to disappear a recollections of of arc one could see that by his face s earnestness was affecting him it happened that people who began in jest with her ended by being in earnest they soon began to perceive depths in her that they had not suspected and then her manifest sincerity and the of her convictions were forces which levity and it could not maintain its self respect in their presence the de was thoughtful for a moment or two then he b an quite is it necessary that you go to the king soon that is i mean before mid lent even though i wear away my legs to the knees she said it with that sort of repressed that means so much when a person s heart is in a thing you could see the response in that nobleman s face you see his eye light up there was sympathy there he said most earnestly god knows i think you should have the men and that somewhat would come of it what is it that you do what is your hope and purpose to rescue france and it is appointed that i shall do it for no one else in the world neither kings nor nor any | 34 |
the last moment we march the d at eleven of the clock at night then we were dismissed the two knights were startled yes and troubled and the said even if the governor shall really furnish the letter and the escort he still may not do it in time to meet the date she has chosen then how can she venture to name that date it is a great risk a great risk to select and decide upon the date in this state of i said since she has named the d we may trust her the voices have told her i think we shall do best to obey we did obey s parents were to mark twain com before the d but prudence forbade that they be told why this limit was named all day the d she glanced up wistfully whenever new bodies of strangers entered the house but her parents did not appear still she was not discouraged but hoped on but when night fell at last her hopes perished and the tears came however she dashed them away and said it was to be so no doubt no doubt it was so ordered i must bear it and will de tried to comfort her by saying the governor sends no word it may be that they will come to morrow and he got no further for she interrupted him saying to what good end we start at eleven to night and it was so at ten the governor came with his guard and torch and delivered to her a mounted escort of men at arms with horses and for me and for the brothers and gave a letter to the king then he took off his sword and it about her waist with his own hands and said you said true child the battle was lost on the day you said so i have kept my word now go come of it what may gave him thanks and he went his way the lost battle was the famous disaster that is called in history the battle of the all the lights in the house were at once put out and a little while after when the streets had become dark and still we crept stealthily through them and out at the western gate and rode away under whip and spur chapter iii we were twenty five strong and well equipped we rode in double file and her brothers in the of the column with de at the head of it and the at its extreme rear the knights were so placed to prevent for the present in two or three hours we should be in the enemy s country and then none would venture to desert by and by we began to hear groans and sobs and from different points along the line and upon inquiry that six of our men were who had never ridden a horse before and were finding it very difficult to stay in their and moreover were now beginning to suffer considerable bodily torture they had been seized by the governor at the last moment and pressed into the service to make up the tale and he had placed a alongside of each with orders to help him stick to the saddle and kill him if he tried to desert these poor devils had kept quiet as long as they could but their physical miseries were become so sharp by this time that they were obliged to give them vent but we were within the enemy s now so there was no help for them they must the march though said that if they chose mark twain to take the risk they might depart they preferred to stay with us we modified our pace now and moved cautiously and the new men were warned to keep their sorrows to themselves and not get the command into danger with their curses and toward dawn we rode deep into a forest and soon all but the were sound asleep in spite of the cold ground and the frosty air i woke at noon out of such a solid and sleep that at first my wits were all astray and i did not know where i was nor what had been happening then my senses cleared and i remembered as i lay there thinking over the strange events of the past month or two the thought came into my mind greatly me that one of s had failed for where were and the who were to join us at the hour by this time you see i had gotten used to expecting ever said to come true so being disturbed and troubled by these thoughts i opened my eyes well there stood the leaning against a tree and looking down on me how often that happens you think of a person or speak of a person and there he stands before you and you not dreaming he is near it looks as if his being near is really the thing that makes you think of him and not just an accident as people imagine well be that as it may there was the looking down in my face and waiting for me to wake i was ever so glad to see him and jumped up and shook him by the hand and led him a little way in recollections op of arc from the camp he like a and told him to sit down and said now where have you dropped down from and how did you happen to light in this place and what do the soldier clothes mean tell me all about it he answered i marched with you last night no to myself i said the prophecy has not all failed half of it has come true yes i did i hurried up from to join and was within a half a minute | 34 |
of being too late in fact i was too late but i begged so hard that the governor was touched by my brave devotion to my country s cause those are the words he used and so he yielded and allowed me to come i thought to myself this is a lie he is one of those six the governor by force at the last moment i know it for s prophecy said he would join at the hour but not by his own desire then i said i am glad came it is a noble cause and one should not sit at home in times like these sit at home i could no more do it than the could stay hid in the clouds when the storm calls it that is the right talk it sounds like you that pleased him i m glad you know me some don t but they win presently they will know me well enough before i get done with this war that is what i think i believe that wherever loi mark twain danger you you will make yourself conspicuous he was charmed with this speech and it swelled him up like a he said if i know myself and i think i do my performances in this campaign will give you occasion more than once to remember those words i were a fool to doubt it that i know i shall not be at my best being but a common soldier still the country will hear of me if i were where i belong if i were in the place of la hire or or the of well i say nothing i am not of the talking kind like no and his sort i thank god but it will be i take it a novelty in this world i should say to raise the fame of a private soldier above theirs and the glory of their names with its shadow why look here my friend i said do you know that you have hit out a most remarkable idea there do you realize the gigantic proportions of it for look you to be a general of vast renown what is that nothing history is and confused with them one keep their names in his memory there are so many but a common soldier of supreme renown why he would stand alone he would be the one moon in a of seed stars his name would the human my friend who gave you that idea he was ready to with happiness but he suppressed of it as well as he could he z recollections op op arc simply waved the aside with his hand and said with complacency it is nothing i have them often ideas like that and even greater ones i do not consider one much you astonish me you do indeed so it is really your own quite and there is plenty more where it came from tapping his head with his finger and taking occasion at the same time to cant his over his right ear which gave him a very self satisfied air i do not need to borrow my ideas like speaking of when did you see him last half an hour ago he is sleeping yonder like a corpse rode with us last night i felt a great in my heart and said to myself now i am at rest and glad i will never doubt her again then i said aloud it gives me joy it makes me proud of our village there is no keeping our lion hearts at home in these great times i see that lion heart who why he begged like a dog to be let off cried and said he wanted to go to his mother him a lion heart that tumble dear me why i supposed he volunteered of course didn t he oh yes volunteered the way people do to the why when he i was coming up from to he asked me to let him come along in my protection and see the crowds and i mark twain the it well we arrived and saw the out at the castle and ran there and the governor had him seized along with four more and he begged to be let off and i begged for his place and at last the governor allowed me to join but wouldn t let off because he was disgusted with him he was such a cry baby yes and much good he ll do the king s he ll eat for six and run for sixteen i hate a with half a heart and nine why this is very surprising news to me and i am sorry and disappointed to hear it i thought he was a very manly fellow the gave me an outraged look and i don t see how you can talk like that i m sure i don t i don t see how you could have got such a notion i don t him and i m not saying these things out of prejudice for i don t allow myself to have prejudices against people i like him and have always with him from the cradle but he must allow me to speak my mind about his faults and i am willing he shall speak his about mine if i have any and true enough maybe i have but i reckon they ll bear inspection i have that idea anyway a manly fellow you should have heard him and wail and swear last night because the saddle hurt him why didn t the saddle hurt i was as much at home in it as if i had been bom there and yet it was the first time i was ever on a horse all those old soldiers my riding | 34 |
frosty or snowy and get warm as we might and sleep if we could for it would not have been i to build fires our energies under these hardships and deadly but s did not her step kept its spring and firm ness and her eye its fire we could only wonder at this we could not explain it but if we had had hard times before i know not what to call the five nights that now followed for the were as the as cold and we were seven times in addition and lost two and three in the fights the news had out and gone abroad that the inspired virgin of was making for the king with an escort and all the roads were being watched now these five nights the command a good deal this was by a discovery which made and which he promptly made known at some of the men had been trying to understand why continued to be alert vigorous and confident while the strongest men in the company were with the heavy and exposure and were become and irritable there it shows you how men can have eyes and yet not see all their lives those men had seen their own women folks up with a cow and dragging the in the fields while the men did the driving they had also seen other evidences mark twain that women have far more endurance and patience and fortitude than men but what good had their seeing these things be i to them none it had taught them nothing they were still surprised to see a girl of seventeen bear the of war better than trained of the army moreover they did not reflect that a great soul with a great purpose can make a weak body strong and keep it so and here was the greatest soul in the universe but how could they know that those dumb creatures no they knew nothing and their were of a piece with their ignorance argued and discussed among themselves with listening and arrived at the decision that was a witch and had her strange pluck and strength from satan so they made a plan to watch for a safe opportunity and take her life to have secret of this sort going on in our midst was a very serious business of course and the knights asked s permission to hang the but she refused without she said neither these men nor any others can take my ufe before my mission is accomplished therefore why should i have their blood upon my hands i will inform them of this and also them call them before me when they came she made that statement to them in a plain matter of fact way and just as if the thought never entered her mind that any one could doubt it after she had given her word that it was true the men were evidently amazed and im tub recollections op op arc pressed to hear her say such a thing in such a sure and confident way for boldly uttered never fall barren on superstitious ears yes this speech certainly impressed them but her closing remark impressed them still more it was for the and said it sorrowfully it is a pity that you should plot another s death when your own is so close at hand that s horse stumbled and fell on him in the first ford which we crossed that night and he was drowned before we help him we had no more this night was harassed with but we got through without having any men killed one more night would carry us over the hostile frontier if we had good luck and we saw the night dose down with a good deal of solicitude always before we had been more or less reluctant to start out into the gloom and the silence to be frozen in the and persecuted by the enemy but this time we were impatient to get way and have it over although there was promise of more and harder fighting than any of the previous nights had furnished moreover in front of us about three there was a deep stream with a frail wooden bridge over it and as a cold rain mixed with snow had been falling steadily all day we were anxious to find out whether we were in a trap or not if the swollen stream had washed away the bridge we might properly consider ourselves and cut off from escape as soon as it was dark we filed out from the depth of the forest where we had been hidden and began mark twain the march from the tune that we had begun to encounter had ridden at the head of the column and she took this post now by the time we had gone a league the rain and snow had turned to and under the impulse of the it lashed my face like and i envied and the knights who could dose their and shut up their heads in their as in a box now out of the darkness and dose at hand came the sharp command we obeyed i made out a dim mass in front of us which might be a body of but one could not be e a man rode up and said to in a tone of reproof well you have taken time truly and what have you found out is she still behind us or in front answered in a voice she is still behind this news softened the stranger s tone he said if you know that to be true you have not lost your time captain but are you sure how do you know because i have seen her seen her seen the virgin herself yes i have been in her camp is it possible captain i ask you to pardon me for speaking | 34 |
didn t know he had more discretion than other people said for discretion brains and he hasn t any more brains than the rest of us in my opinion no you are wrong there discretion hasn t anything to do with brains brains are an to it for it does not reason it feels perfect discretion means absence of brains discretion is a quality of the heart solely a quality of the heart it acts upon us through feeling we know this because if it were an intellectual quality it would only mark twain perceive a danger for instance where a danger exists whereas hear him the damned idiot muttered the whereas it being purely a quality of the heart and proceeding by feeling not reason its reach is wider and it to perceive and avoid dangers that haven t any existence at all as for instance that night in the fog when the took his horse s ears for hostile and got off and climbed a tree it s a lie a lie without shadow of foundation and i call upon you all to beware how you give to the malicious inventions of this mill that has been doing its best to destroy my character for years arid will grind up your own for you next i got off to my saddle i wish i may die in my tracks if it isn t so and whoever wants to believe it can and whoever don t can let it alone there that is the way with him you see he never can discuss a theme but always flies off the handle and becomes disagreeable and you notice his defect of memory he remembers getting off his horse but forgets all the rest even the tree but that is natural he remember getting off the horse because he was so used to doing it he always did it when there was an alarm and the dash of arms at the front why did he choose that time for it asked i don t know to up his he x recollections of of arc thinks to climb a tree think i saw him climb nine trees in a single night you saw nothing of the kind a person that can lie like that deserves no one s respect i ask you all to answer me do you believe what this has said all seemed embarrassed and only replied he said hesitatingly i well i hardly know what to say it is a delicate situation it seems offensive to refuse to believe a person when he makes so direct a statement and yet i am obliged to say rude as it may appear that i am not able to believe the whole of it no i am not able to believe that you climbed nine trees there cried the now what do you think of yourself l how many do you believe i climbed only eight the laughter that followed the s anger to white heat and he said i bide my time i bide my time i will reckon with you all i promise you that don t get him started pleaded he is a perfect lion when he gets started i saw enough to teach me that after the third after it was over i saw him come out of the bushes and attack a dead man single handed it is another lie and i give you fair warning that you are going too far you will see me attack a live one if you are not careful meaning me of course this wounds me more mark twain than any number of injurious and unkind speeches could do in gratitude to one s benefactor benefactor what do i owe you i should like to know you owe me your life i stood between the trees and the foe and kept and thousands of the enemy at bay when they were for your blood and i did not do it to display my daring i did it because i loved you and could not live without you there you have said enough i will not stay here to listen to these i can endure your lies but not your love keep that corruption for somebody with a stronger stomach than mine and i want to say this before i go that you people s small performances might appear the better and win you the more glory i hid my own deeds through all the march i went always to the front where the fighting was to be remote from you in order that you might not see and be discouraged by the things i did to the enemy it was my purpose to keep this a secret in my own breast but you force me to reveal it if you ask for my witnesses yonder they lie on the road we have come i found that road mud i paved it with i found that i it with blood time and again i was urged to go to the rear because the command could not proceed on account of my dead and yet you you accuse me of climbing trees and he strode out with a lofty air for the recital of his imaginary deeds had already set him up again and made him feel good recollections of of arc next day we mounted and faced toward was at our back now and close by lying in the grip of the english soon please god we would face about and go to their relief from the news had spread to that the peasant maid of was on her way to raise the siege the news made a great excitement and raised a great hope the first breath of hope those poor souls had breathed in five months they sent at once to the king to beg him to | 34 |
consider this matter and not throw this help lightly away these were already at by this time when we were half to we happened upon yet one more of enemies they burst suddenly out of the woods and in considerable force too but we were not the we were ten or twelve days before no we were to this kind of adventure now our hearts did not jump into our throats and our weapons tremble in hands we had learned to be always in battle array always alert and always ready to deal with any emergency that might turn up we were no more dismayed by the sight of those people than our was before they could form had delivered the order forward and we were down upon them with a rush they stood no chance they turned tail and scattered we through them as if they had been men of straw that was our last and it was probably laid for us by that treacherous rascal the king s own minister and favorite de la mark twain we ourselves in an inn and soon the town came to get a glimpse of the maid ah the tedious king and his tedious people our two good knights came presently their patience well wearied and reported they and we reverently stood as becomes persons who are in the presence of kings and the of kings until troubled by this mark of homage and respect and not content with it nor yet used to it although we had not permitted ourselves to do otherwise since the day she that wretched traitor s death and he was straightway drowned thus many previous signs that she was indeed an am of god commanded us to sit then the de said to the king has got the letter but they will not let us have speech with him who is it that none but there be three or four that are nearest his person and every one that put in the way and seek all ways by lies and to make delay of these are de la and that fox the of while they keep the king idle and in bondage to his sports and follies they are great and their importance grows whereas if ever he assert himself and rise and strike for crown and country like a man their reign is done so they but they care not if the crown go to destruction and the king with it you have spoken with others besides these not of the court no the court are the meek it recollections op op arc slaves of those and watch their mouths and their actions acting as they act thinking as they think saying as they say wherefore they are cold to us and turn aside and go another way when we ear but we have spoken with the from th said with heat it is a marvel that any man in such desperate case as is the king can moon around in this way and see his au go to ruin without lifting a finger to stay the disaster what a most strange spectacle it is here he is shut up in this comer of the realm like a rat in a trap his royal shelter this huge gloomy tomb of a castle with rags for and crippled furniture for use a very house of desolation in his treasury forty and not a more god be witness no army nor any shadow of one and by contrast with this hungry poverty you behold this and his of fools and out in the and you shall find in any court in and look you he knows that when our city falls as fall it singly will except come swiftly france falls he knows that when that day comes he will be an and a and that behind him the english flag will float over every acre of his great he knows these things he knows that faithful city is fighting all solitary and alone against disease starvation and the sword to stay this awful calamity yet he will not strike one blow to save her he will not hear our prayers he will not even look upon faces that is mark twain what the said and they are in despair said gently it is pity but they must not despair the will hear them presently tell them so she almost always called the king the to her mind he was not king yet not being crowned we will tell them so and it will content them for they believe you come from god the and his have for that soldier de grand master of the palace a worthy man but simply a soldier with no head for any greater matter he cannot make out to see how a country girl ignorant of war can take a sword in her small hand and win where the trained of have looked for only for fifty years and always them and so he lifts his frosty and when god fights it is but small matter whether the hand that bears his sword is big or little he will perceive this in time is there none in that castle of who us yes the king s mother in law queen of who is wise and good she spoke with the she us and she hates those others the king s said she was full of interest and asked a thousand questions all of which i answered according to my ability then she sat thinking over these replies until i thought she was lost in a dream and would wake no more j recollections of op arc but it was not so at last she said slowly and as is she were talking to herself a child of seventeen a girl country bred ignorant of war the use of arms and | 34 |
the conduct of battles modest gentle shrinking yet throws away her shepherd s and clothes herself in steel and fights her way through a hundred and fifty of hostile territory never losing heart or hope and never showing fear and comes she to whom a king must be a dread and presence and will stand up before such an one and say be not afraid god has sent me to save you ah whence could come a courage and conviction so sublime as this but from very god himself she was silent again awhile thinking and making up her mind then she said and whether she comes of god or no there is that in her heart that raises her above men high above all men that breathe in france to day for in her is that mysterious something that puts heart into soldiers and turns of into armies of that forget what fear is when they are in that presence who go into battle with joy in their eyes and songs on their lips and sweep over the field like a storm that is the spirit that can save france and that alone come it whence it may it is in her i do truly believe for what else could have borne up that child on that great march and made her despise its dangers and the king must see her face to face and shall she dismissed me with those good words and i know her promise will be kept they will delay her all they can those but she will not fail in the end mark twain would she were king said the other knight fervently for there is little hope that the king himself can be stirred out of his he is wholly without hope and is only thinking of throwing away everything and to some foreign land the say there is a spell upon him that makes him hopeless yes and that it is shut up in a mystery which they cannot i know the mystery said with quiet confidence i know it and he knows it but no other but god when i see him i will tell him a secret that will drive away his trouble then he will hold up his head again i was miserable with curiosity to know what it was that she would tell him but she did not say and i did not expect she would she was but a child it is true but she was not a to tell great matters and make herself important to little people no she was reserved and kept things to herself as the truly great always do the next day queen got one victory over the king s for in spite of their and she procured an audience for our two knights and they made the most they could out of their opportunity they told the king what a and beautiful character and how great and noble a spirit animated her and they implored him to trust in her believe in her and have faith that she was sent to save france they begged him to consent to see her he was strongly moved to do this and promised that he would not drop the matter out of his mind but would consult recollections op op arc with his council about it this began to look encouraging two hours later there was a great stir and the came up to say a commission of was come from the king from the king his very self think of this vast honor to his little and he was so overcome with the glory of it that he could hardly find breath enough in his excited body to put the facts into words they were come from the king to speak with the maid of then he flew down stairs and presently appeared again into the room and bowing to the ground with every step in front of four imposing and austere and their train of servants rose and we all stood the took seats and for a while no word was said for it was their to speak first and they were so astonished to see what a child it was that was making such a noise in the world and degrading personages of their dignity to the base function of to her in her tavern that they could not find any words to say at first then presently their told they were aware that she had a message for the king wherefore she was now commanded to put it into words briefly and without waste of time or of speech as for me i could hardly contain my joy r message was to reach the king at and there was the same joy and pride and exultation in the faces of our knights too and in those of s brothers and i knew that they were all praying mark twain as i was that the awe which we felt in the presence of these great and which have tied our tongues and locked our jaws would not affect her in the like degree but that she would be enabled to word her message well and with little stumbling and so make a favorable impression here where it would be so valuable and so important ah dear how little we were expecting what happened then we were aghast to hear her say what she said she was standing in a attitude with her head down and her hands clasped in front of her for she was always toward the consecrated servants of god when the had finished she raised her head and set her calm eye on those faces not any more disturbed by their state and grandeur than a princess would have been and said with all her ordinary simplicity and modesty of voice and | 34 |
manner ye will forgive me reverend but i have no message save for the king s ear alone those surprised men were dumb for a moment and their faces flushed darkly then the said hark ye do you fling the king s command in his face and refuse to deliver this message of yours to his servants appointed to receive it god has appointed one to receive it and another s may not take of that i pray you let me have speech of his grace the forbear this folly and come at your message deliver it and waste no more time about it x a recollections of op arc you indeed most reverend fathers in god and it is not well i am not come hither to talk but to deliver and lead the to his good city of and set the crown upon his head is that the message you send to the king but only said in the simple fashion which wont ye will pardon me for reminding you again but i have no message to send to any one the s messengers rose in deep anger and swept out of the place without further words we and kneeling as they passed our countenances were vacant our hearts full of a sense of disaster our precious opportunity was thrown away we co not understand s conduct she who had been so wise until this fatal hour at last the found courage to ask her why she had let this great chance to get her message to the go by who sent them here she asked the king who moved the king to send them she waited for an answer none came for we began to see what was in her mind so she answered herself the s council moved him to it are they enemies to me and to the s or are they friends enemies answered the if one would have a message go sound and does one choose and to send it by mark twain i saw that we had been fools and she wise they saw it too so none found anything to say then she went on they had but small wit that contrived this trap they thought to get my message and seem to deliver it straight yet twist it from its purpose you know that one part of my message is but this to move the by argument and to give me men at arms and send me to the siege if an enemy carried these in the right words the exact words and no word missing yet left out the of gesture and tone and looks that inform the words and make them live where were the value of that whom could it convince be patient the will hear me presently have no fear the de nodded his head several times and muttered as to himself she was right and wise and we are but dull fools when all is said it was just my thought i could have said it myself and indeed it was the thought of all there present a sort of awe crept over us to think how that girl taken suddenly and unprepared was yet able to penetrate the cunning devices of a king s trained and defeat them over this and astonished at it we fell silent and spoke no more we had come to know that she was great in courage fortitude endurance patience conviction fidelity to all duties in all things indeed that make a good and soldier and perfect him for his post now we were beginning to feel recollections op op arc that maybe there were in her brain that were even greater than these great of the heart it set us thinking what did that day bore fruit the very day after the king was obliged to respect the spirit of a young girl who could hold her own and stand her ground like that and he asserted himself sufficiently to put his respect into an act instead of into polite and empty words he moved out of that poor inn and her with us her servants in the castle of personally confiding her to the care of madame de wife of old de master of the palace of course this attention had an immediate result all the great lords and ladies of the court began to flock there to see and listen to the wonderful girl soldier that all the world was talking about and who had answered the king s with a bland refusal to obey charmed them every one with her sweetness and simplicity and unconscious eloquence and all the best and among them recognized that there was an something about her that that she was not made of common day that she was built on a plan than the mass of mankind and moved on a plane these spread her fame she always made friends and that way neither the high nor the low could come within the of her voice and the sight of her face and go out from her presence i id chapter vi well anything to make delay the king s council advised him against arriving at a decision in our matter too he arrive at a decision too so they sent a committee of priests always priests into to inquire into s character and history a matter which would several weeks of course you see how fastidious they were it was as if people come to put out the fire when a man s house was burning down and they waited till they could send into another country to find out if he had always kept the sabbath or not before letting him try so the along dreary for us young people in some ways but not in all for we had one great anticipation in front of us we | 34 |
had never seen a king and now some day we have that prodigious spectacle to see and to treasure in our memories all our lives so we were on the and always eager and watching for the chance the others were doomed to wait longer than i as it turned out one day great news came the with and our knights had at last the council s position and persuaded the king to see recollections of op arc received the immense news gratefully but without losing her head but with us others it was otherwise we could not eat or sleep or do any rational thing for the excitement and the glory of it during two days our pair of noble knights were in distress and on s for the audience was to be at night and they were afraid that would be so by the glare of light from the long of the solemn and ceremonies the great se of renowned personages the brilliant and the other of the court that she a simple maid and all unused to such things would be overcome by these terrors and make a piteous failure no doubt i could have comforted them but i was not free to speak would be disturbed by this cheap spectacle this show with its small king and his butterfly she who had spoken face to face with the princes of heaven the of god and seen their of angels stretching back into the of the sky upon like a fan of light a glory like the glory of the sim streaming from each of those innumerable heads the radiance filling the of space with a blinding splendor i thought not queen wanted to make the best possible impression upon the king and the court so she was to have her clothed in the richest es wrought upon the pattern and set off with jewels but in that she bad to be x mark twain disappointed of course not being to it but begging to be simply and sincerely dressed as became a servant of god and one sent upon a mission of a serious sort and grave political import so then the gracious queen imagined and contrived that simple and which i have described to you so many times and which i cannot think of even now in my dull age without being moved just as and music moves one for that was music that dress that is what it was music that one saw with the eyes and felt in the heart yes she w as a poem she was a dream she was a spirit when she was clothed in that she kept that and wore it several times upon occasions of state and it is preserved to this day in the treasury of with two of her swords and her banner and other things now sacred because they had belonged to her at the appointed time the count of a great lord of the court came richly clothed with his train of servants and to conduct to the king and the two knights and i went with her being entitled to this privilege by reason of our official positions near her person when we entered the great audience hall there it all was just as i have already painted it here were ranks of guards in shining and with polished two sides of the hall were like for variety of color and the magnificence of the light streamed upon these masses of color from two hundred and fifty there was a wide free space down the middle of the hall recollections of op arc and at the end of it was a throne and upon it sat a crowned and figure nobly clothed and blazing with jewels it is true that had been and put off a good while but now that she was admitted to an audience at last she was received with honors granted to only the greatest personages at the entrance door stood four in a row in splendid with long slender silver trumpets at their mouths with square silken depending from them embroidered with the arms of france as and the passed by these trumpets gave forth in one long rich note and as we moved down the hall under the pictured and gilded this was repeated at every fifty feet of our progress six times in all it made our good knights proud and happy and they held themselves erect and their stride and looked fine and they were not expecting this beautiful and honorable tribute to our little country maid walked two yards behind the count we three walked two yards behind our solemn march ended when we were as yet some eight or ten steps from the throne the count made a deep s name then bowed again and moved to his place among a group of near the throne i was devouring the crowned personage with all my eyes and my heart almost stood still with awe the eyes of all others were fixed upon in a gaze of wonder which was half worship and which seemed to say how sweet how lovely how mark twain divine all lips were parted and motionless which was a sure sign that those people who seldom forget themselves had forgotten themselves now and were not conscious of anything but the one object they were gazing upon they had the look of people who are under the enchantment of a vision then they presently began to come to life again rousing themselves out of the spell and shaking it off as one drives away little by uttle a clinging or now they fixed their attention upon with a strong new interest of another sort they were full of curiosity to see what she do they having a secret and particular reason for this curiosity so they watched this is what they | 34 |
saw she made no nor even any slight inclination of her head but stood looking toward the throne silence that was all there was to see at present i glanced up at de and was shocked at the of his face i whispered and said what is it man what is it his answering whisper was so weak i could hardly catch it they have taken advantage of the hint in her letter to play a trick upon her she will and they will laugh at her that is not the king that sits there then i glanced at she was still gazing toward the throne and i had the curious fancy that even her shoulders and the back of her head expressed bewilderment now she turned her recollections of of arc head slowly and her eye wandered along the lines of standing till it fell upon a young man who was very quietly dressed then her face lighted and sh ran and threw herself at his feet and clasped his knees exclaiming in that soft melodious voice which was her and was now charged with deep and tender feeling god of his grace give you long o dear and gentle in his astonishment and exultation de cried out by the shadow of god it is an amazing thing then he all the bones of my hand in his grateful grip and added with a proud shake of his mane now what have these painted to say meantime the young person in the plain clothes was saying to ah you mistake my child i am not the king there he is and he pointed to the throne the knight s face clouded and he muttered in grief and indignation ah it is a shame to use her so but for this lie she had gone through safe i will go and proclaim to all the house what stay where you are whispered i and the in a breath and made him stop in his place did not stir from her knees but still lifted her happy face toward the king and said no gracious you are he and none other de s troubles vanished away and he said mark twain verily she was not she knew now how could she know it is a miracle i am content and will no more for i perceive that she is equal to her occasions having that in her head that cannot be helped by the that is in mine this interruption of his lost me a remark or two of the other talk however i caught the king s next question but tell me who you are and what you i am called the maid and am sent to say that the king of heaven wills that you be crowned and consecrated in your good city of and be thereafter lieutenant of the lord of heaven who is king of france and he also that you set me at my appointed work and give me arms after a pause she added her eye lighting at the sound of her words for then will i raise the siege of and break the english power the monarch s amused face a little when this martial speech fell upon that sick air like a breath blown from and fields of war and his trifling smile presently faded wholly away and disappeared he was grave now and thoughtful after a little he waved his hand lightly and all the people fell away and left those two by themselves in a vacant space the knights and i moved to the opposite side of the and stood there we saw rise at a sign then she and the king talked privately together all that host had been consumed with curiosity to recollections op op arc see what would do well they had seen and now they were full of astonishment to see that she had really performed that strange miracle according to the promise in her letter and they were fully as much astonished to find that she was not overcome by the and about her but was even more tranquil and at her ease in holding speech with a monarch than ever they themselves had been with all their practice and experience as for our two knights they were beyond measure with pride in but nearly dumb as to speech they not being able to think out any way to for her managing to carry herself through this imposing ordeal without ever a mistake or an awkwardness of any kind to mar the grace and credit of her great performance the talk between and the king was long and earnest and held in low voices we could not hear but we had our eyes and note effects and presently we and all the house noted one effect which was memorable and striking and has been set down in and histories and in testimony at the process of by some who witnessed it for all knew it was big with meaning though none knew what that meaning was at that time of course for suddenly we saw the king shake off his indolent attitude and up like a man and at the same time look astonished it was as if had told him something almost too for belief and yet of a most and welcome nature it was long before we foimd out the secret of mark twain this conversation but we know it now and all the world knows it that part of the talk was like this as one may read in all histories the perplexed king asked for a sign he wanted to believe in her and her mission and that her voices were supernatural and endowed with knowledge hidden from mortals but how could he do this unless these voices could prove their n some absolutely way it was then that said i will give you a sign and you shall | 34 |
s side each time and more general wreck and disaster all and more and and suffering in the neighborhood where it happened he could not tell his battles apart himself except by their names and by the time he had told one of them ten times he had to lay it aside recollections of op arc and start a new one in its place because it had grown so that there wasn t room enough in france for it any more but was over the edges but up to that point the audience would not allow him to substitute a new battle knowing that the old ones were the best and sure to improve as long as france could hold them and so instead of saying to him as they would have said to another give us something fresh we are fatigued with that old thing they would say with one voice and with a strong interest tell about the at again tell it three or four times that is a compliment which few narrative have heard in their lifetime at first when the heard us tell about the glories of the royal audience he was broken hearted because he was not taken with us to it next his talk was full of what he have done if he had been there and within two days he was telling what he did do when he was there his mill was fairly started now and could be trusted to take care of its within three nights afterward all his battles were taking a rest for already his in the tap room were so with the great tale of the royal audience that they have nothing else and so with it were they that they would have cried if they could not have gotten it hid himself and heard it and came and told me and after that we went together to listen the inn hostess to let us have her little private parlor where we stand at the in the door and see and hear mark twain the tap room was large yet had a snug and look with its inviting little tables and chairs scattered over its red brick floor and its great fire flaming and in the wide chimney it was a comfortable place to be in on such chilly and march nights as these and a goodly company had taken shelter there and were their in contentment and one with another in a way while they waited for the historian the host the hostess and their pretty daughter were flying here and there and among the tables and doing their best to keep up with the orders the room was about forty feet and a space or aisle down the of it had been kept vacant and reserved for the s needs at the end of it was a platform ten or twelve feet wide with a big chair and a small table on it and three steps leading up to it among the wine were many familiar faces the the the blacksmith the the the the the baker the miller s man with his dusty coat and so on and conspicuous and important as a matter of course was the surgeon for he is that in all villages as he has to pull everybody s teeth and and all the grown people once a month to keep their health sound he knows everybody and by constant contact with all sorts of folk becomes a master of etiquette and manners and a of large facility there were plenty of and their sort and iso recollections of of arc when the presently came in he was received with a cheer and the forward and greeted him with several low and most graceful and bows also taking his hand and touching his lips to it then he called in a loud voice for a of wine for the and when the host s daughter brought it up on to the platform and dropped her courtesy and departed the called after her and told her to add the wine to his score this won him of approval which pleased him very much and made his little rat eyes shine and such applause is right and proper for when we do a liberal and gallant thing it is but natural that we should wish to see notice taken of it the called upon the people to rise and drink the s health and they did it with alacrity and affectionate their metal together with a crash and the effect with a cheer it was a fine thing to see how that yoimg had made himself so popular in a strange land in so little a while and without other helps to his advancement than just his tongue and the talent to use it given him by god a talent which was but one talent in the beginning but was now become ten through and the and that do naturally follow that and reward it as by a law the people sat down and began to hammer on the tables with their and call for the king s audience the s audience the king s mark twain ence the stood there in one of his best attitudes with his great hat tipped over to the left the folds of his short drooping from his shoulder and the one hand resting upon the of his and the other lifting his as the noise died down he made a stately sort of a bow which he had picked up somewhere then fetched his with a sweep to his lips and his head back and drained it to the bottom the jumped for it and set it upon the s table then the began to walk up and down his platform with a great deal of dignity and quite at his ease and as he walked he talked and every little while | 34 |
stopped and stood facing his house and so standing continued his talk we went three nights in succession it was plain that there was a charm about the performance that was apart from the mere interest which to it was presently that this charm lay in the s sincerity he was not lying he believed what he was saying to him his statements were facts and whenever he enlarged a statement the became a fact too he put his heart into his extravagant narrative just as a poet puts his heart into a heroic fiction and his earnestness criticism it as far as he himself was concerned nobody believed his narrative but all believed that he believed it he made his without flourish without emphasis and so casually that often one failed to notice that a change had been made he spoke recollections of of arc of the governor of the first eight simply as the governor of he spoke of him the second night as his uncle the governor of the third night he was his father he did not seem to know that he was making these extraordinary changes they dropped from his lips in a quite natural and way by his first night s the governor merely attached him to the maid s military escort in a general and way the second night his uncle the governor sent him with the maid as lieutenant of her rear guard the third night his father the governor put the whole maid and all in his especial charge the first night the governor spoke of him as a youth without name or but destined to achieve both the second night his uncle the governor spoke of him as the latest and of the and noblest of the twelve of the third night he spoke of him as the of the whole dozen in three nights he promoted the count of from a acquaintance to and then brother in law at the king s audience everything grew in the same way first the four silver trumpets were twelve then thirty five finally ninety six and by that time he had thrown in so many drums and that he had to the hall from five hundred feet to nine hundred to accommodate them under his hand the people present multiplied in the same large way the first two nights he contented himself with mark twain merely describing and the chief incident of the audience but the third night he added illustration to description he the in his own high chair to represent the sham king then he told how the court watched the maid with intense interest and suppressed merriment expecting to see her by the deception and get herself swept permanently out of credit by the storm of scornful laughter which would follow he worked this scene up till he got his house in a burning fever of excitement and anticipation then came his climax turning to the he said but mark you what she did she gazed upon that sham s villain face as i now gaze upon yours this being her noble and simple attitude just as i stand now then turned she thus to me and stretching her arm out so and pointing with her finger she said in that firm calm tone which she was used to use in directing the conduct of a battle pluck me this false from the throne i forward as i do now took him by the collar and lifted him out and held him aloft thus as if he had been but a child the house rose shouting stamping and with their and went fairly mad over this magnificent exhibition of and there was not the shadow of a laugh though the spectacle of the limp but proud hanging there in the air like a held by the of its neck was a thing that had nothing of solemnity about it then i set him down upon his feet thus being minded to get him by a better hold and heave him is recollections op op arc out of the window but she bid me forbear so by that r he escaped with his life then she turned her about and viewed the throng with those eyes of hers which are the dear shining windows whence her immortal wisdom out upon the world its and coming at the of truth that is hid within them and presently they fell upon a young man modestly clothed and him she proclaimed for what he truly was saying i am thy servant thou art the king then all were astonished and a great shout went up the whole six thousand joining in it so that the walls rocked with the volume and the tumult of it he made a fine and picturesque thing of the march out from the audience the glories of it to the last limit of the then he took from his finger and held up a brass nut from a bolt head which the head at the castle had given him that morning and made his conclusion thus then the king dismissed the maid most graciously as indeed was her desert and turning to me said take tliis ring son of the and command me with it in day of need and look you said he touching my temple preserve this brain has use for it and look well to its also for i foresee that it will be with a one day i took the ring and knelt and his hand saying where glory calls there will i be found where danger and death are that is my native air when france and the throne need help well i say s mark twain ing for i am not of the talking sort let my deeds speak for me it is all i | 34 |
ask so ended that most and memorable episode so big with future for the crown and the nation and unto god be the thanks rise fill your i now to france and the king drink they emptied them to the bottom then burst into cheers and and kept it up as much as two minutes the standing at stately ease the while and smiling from his platform chapter viii when told the king what that deep secret was that was his heart his doubts were cleared away he believed she was sent of god and if he had been let alone he have set her upon her great mission at once but he was not let alone and the holy fox of knew their man all they needed to say was and they said it your says her voices have revealed to you by her mouth a secret known only to yourself and god how can you know that her voices are not of satan and she his for does not satan know the secrets of men and use his knowledge for the destruction of their souls it is a dangerous business and your will do well not to proceed in it without the matter to the bottom that was enough it up the king s little soul like a with terrors and apprehensions and straightway he privately appointed a commission of to visit and question daily they find out whether her supernatural helps hailed from h ven or from hell the king s relative the duke of three years prisoner of war to the english was in these mark twain days released from through promise of a great and the name and fame of the maid having reached him f or the same filled all mouths now and penetrated to all parts he came to to see with his own eyes what manner of creature she might be the king sent for and introduced her to the duke she said in her simple fashion you are welcome the more of the blood of france that is joined to this cause the better for the cause and it then the two talked together and there was just the usual result when they parted the duke was her friend and advocate attended the king s mass the next day and afterward dined with the king and the duke the king was learning to prize her company and value her conversation and that might weu be for like other kings he was used to getting nothing out of people s talk but guarded phrases and non or carefully tinted to with the color of what he said himself and so this kind of conversation only and and is wearisome but s talk was fresh and free sincere and honest and by self watching and she said the very thing that was in her mind and said it in a plain straightforward way one can believe that to the king this must have been like fresh cold water from the mountains to lips used to the water of the baked of the plain after dinner so charmed the duke with her is recollections op op arc and lance practice in the meadows by the castle of whither the king also had come to look on that he made her a present of a great black war every day the commission of came and questioned about her voices and her mission and then went to the king with their report these accomplished but little she told as much as she considered advisable and kept the rest to herself both threats and were wasted upon her she did not care for the threats and the traps caught nothing she was perfectly frank and about these things she knew the were sent by the king that their questions were the king s questions and that by all law and custom a king s questions must be answered yet she told the l ng in her way at his own table one day that she answered only such of those questions as suited her the finally concluded that they couldn t tell whether was sent by god or not they were cautious you see there were two parties at court therefore to make a decision either way would them with one of those parties so it seemed to them wisest to on the fence and shift the burden to other shoulders and that is what they did they made final report that s case was beyond their powers and recommended that it be put into the hands of the learned and illustrious doctors of the university of then they retired from the field leaving behind them this httle item of testimony wrung from them by mark twain s wise they said she was a gentle and simple little very candid but not given to talking it was quite true in their case but if they could have looked back and seen her with us in the happy pastures of they would have perceived that she had a tongue that could go fast enough when no harm come of her words so we to to endure there three weeks of tedious delay while this poor child was being daily questioned and before a great bench of what military since what she had come to apply for was an army and the privilege of leading it to battle against the enemies of france oh no it was a great bench of priests and profoundly learned and renowned professors of instead of setting a military commission to find out if this little soldier could win they set a company of holy and phrase to work to find out if the soldier was sound in her piety and had no the rats were devouring the house but instead of examining the cat s teeth and claws they only concerned themselves to | 34 |
was a chuckle back of her eyes for all their innocence everybody shouted brother s was and asked do you believe in god answered with an oh well yes better than you it is likely brother s lost his patience and heaped sarcasm after sarcasm upon her and finally t out in angry earnest exclaiming very well i can tell you this you whose belief in god is so great god has not willed that any shall believe in you without a sign where is your sign show it recollections of of arc this roused and she was on her feet in a moment and flung out her retort with spirit i have not come to to show signs and do miracles send me to and you shall have signs enough give me men at arms few or many and let me go the fire was leaping from her eyes ah the heroic little figure can t you see her there was a great of and she sat down blushing for it was not in her delicate nature to like being conspicuous this speech and that episode about the french language two points against brother s while he nothing against yet sour man as he was he was a manly man and honest as you can see by the histories for at the he could have hidden those incidents if he had chosen but he didn t do it but spoke them right out in his evidence on one of the later days of that three weeks the scholars and professors made one grand assault all along the line fairly overwhelming with objections and arguments from the writings of every ancient and illustrious authority of the roman church she was well nigh smothered but at last she shook herself free and struck back crying out listen the book of god is worth more than all these ye and i stand upon it and i tell ye there are things in that book that not one among ye can read with all your learning from the first she was the guest by invitation of mark twain the dame de wife of a of the parliament of and to that house the great ladies of the city came nightly to see and talk with her and not these only but the old lawyers and scholars of the parliament and the university and these grave men accustomed to weigh every strange and questionable thing and cautiously consider it and turn it about this way and that and still doubt it came night after night and night after night falling ever deeper and deeper the influence of that mysterious something that si ell that and fascination which was the of of arc that winning and and convincing something whidi high and low alike recognized and felt but whidi neither high nor low could explain or describe and one by one they all surrendered saying this child is sent of god all day long in the great court and subject to its rigid rules of was at a disadvantage her judges had things their own way but at night she held court herself and matters were reversed she with her tongue free and her same judges there before her there could be but one result all the objections and they could build around her with their hard labors of the day she would charm away at night in the end she carried her judges with her in a mass and got her great verdict without a voice the court was a sight to see when the president of it read it from his throne for all the great people of the town were there who could get admission and i recollections op op arc find room first there were some solemn ceremonies proper and usual at such times when there was silence again the reading followed the deep hush so that every word was heard in even the remotest parts of the house it is and is declared that ov arc called the maid is a good christian and good catholic that there is nothing in her person or her words contrary to the faith and that the king may and ought to accept the she offers for to it would be to offend the holy spirit and render him unworthy of the aid of god the court rose and then the storm of burst forth dying down and bursting forth again and again and i lost sight of for she was swallowed up in a great tide of people who rushed to congratulate her and pour out upon her and upon the cause of france now solemnly and delivered into her little hands i chapter ix it was indeed a great and a stirring thing to see she had won it was a mistake of and her other ill to let her hold court those nights the commission of priests sent to to inquire into s character in fact to her with and wear out her purpose and make her give it arrived back and reported her character perfect our affairs were in full career now you see the verdict made a prodigious stir dead france woke suddenly to life wherever the great news whereas before the and people their heads and away if one mentioned war to them now they came to be the banner of the maid of and the roaring of war songs and the thundering of the drums filled all the air i remembered now what she had said that time there in our village when i proved by facts and that france s case was hopeless and nothing could ever rouse the people from their they will hear the drums and they will answer they will march recollections op op arc it has been said that misfortunes never come one at a time but in a body in our case it | 34 |
was the same with good luck having got a start it came in tide after tide our next wave of it was of this sort there had been grave doubts among the priests as to whether the church ought to permit a female soldier to dress like a man but now came a verdict on that head two of the greatest scholars and of the time one of whom had been of the university of paris rendered it they decided that since must do the work of a man and a soldier it is just and legitimate that her apparel should to the situation it was a great point gained the church s authority to dress as a man oh yes wave on wave the good luck came sweeping in never mind about the smaller waves let us come to the largest one of all the wave that swept us small quite off our feet and almost drowned us with joy the day of the great verdict had been despatched to the king with it and the next morning bright and early the clear notes of a came floating to us on the crisp air and we pricked up our ears and began to count them one two three pause one two pause one two three again and out we and went flying for that was used only when the king s herald at arms would a to the people as we hurried along people came racing out of every street and house and alley men women and children all flushed excited and throwing lacking articles of clothing on as they ran still those clear notes mark twain out and still the rush of people increased till the whole town was abroad and streaming along the principal street at last we reached the square which was now packed with citizens and there high on the of the great cross we saw the herald in his brilliant costume with his about him the next moment he began his delivery in the powerful voice proper to his office know all men and take heed therefore that the most high the most illustrious charles by the grace of god king of hath been pleased to confer upon his well beloved servant of arc called the maid the ti le authorities and dignity of general in chief of the armies of here a thousand caps flew in the air and the multitude burst into a of cheers that raged and raged till it seemed as if it would never come to an end but at last it did then the herald went on and finished and hath appointed to be her lieutenant and chief of staff a prince of his royal house his grace the duke of that was the end and the began again and was split up into by the of it and through all the lanes and streets of the town general of the armies of with a prince of the blood for subordinate yesterday she was nothing to day she was this yesterday she was not even a not even a not even a private to day with one step she was at the top yesterday she was less than nobody to the recollections op of arc to day her command was law to la hire the of and au those others of old renown illustrious masters of the trade of war these were the thoughts i was thinking i was trying to realize this strange and wonderful thing that had happened you see my mind went back and presently lighted upon a picture a picture which was still so new and fresh in my memory that it seemed a matter of only yesterday and indeed its date was no further back than the first days of january this is what it was a peasant girl in a far off village her year not yet quite completed and herself and her village as unknown as if they had been on the other side of the globe she had picked up a wanderer somewhere and brought it home a small gray in a forlorn and starving condition and had fed it and comforted it and got its confidence and made it believe in her and now it was curled up in her lap asleep and she was knitting a coarse and thinking dreaming about what one may never know and now the had hardly had time to become a cat and yet already the girl is general of the armies of france with a prince of the blood to give orders to and out of her village obscurity her name has climbed up like the and is visible from all comers of the land it made me dizzy to think of these things they were so out of the common and seemed so impossible chapter x s first official act was to dictate a letter to the english at them to deliver up all in their possession and depart out of france she must have been thinking it all out before and arranging it in her mind it flowed from her lips so smoothly and framed itself into such and forcible language still it might not have been so she always had a quick mind and a capable tongue and her faculties were constantly developing in these latter weeks this letter was to be forwarded presently from men provisions and money were in plenty now and appointed as a station and of supplies and ordered up la hire from the front to take charge the great him of the house and governor of had been for weeks for to be sent to him and now came another messenger old d a officer a man and fine and honest the king kept him and gave him to to be chief | 34 |
of her household and commanded her to the rest of her people herself making their number and dignity accord with the greatness of her office and at the same time he gave order that they should be properly equipped with arms clothing and horses recollections of of arc meantime the king was having a complete of made for her at it was of the finest steel heavily with silver richly ornamented with engraved designs and polished like a mirror s voices had told her that there was an ancient sword hidden somewhere behind the altar of st s at and she sent de to get it the priests knew of no such sword but a search was made and sure enough it was in that place buried a little way under the it had no and was very rusty but the priests it up and sent it to whither we were now to come they also had a of crimson velvet made for it and the people of equipped it with another made of cloth of gold but meant to carry this sword always in battle so she laid the away and got one made of leather it was generally believed that this sword had belonged to but that was only a matter of opinion i wanted to that old blade but she said it was not necessary as she should never kill anybody and carry it only as a s of authority at she designed her standard and a scotch painter named james power made it it was of the most delicate white with of silk for device it bore the image of god the father in the clouds and holding the world in his hand two angels knelt at his feet presenting lilies inscription maria on the reverse the crown of france supported by two angels mark twain she also caused a smaller standard or to be made whereon was represented an angel offering a lily to the holy virgin everything was humming there at every now and then one heard the and crash of military music every little while one heard the measured tramp of marching men of leaving for songs and and filled the air night and day the town was full of strangers the streets and were thronged the bustle of preparation was everywhere and everybody carried a glad and cheerful face around s a crowd of people was always hoping for a glimpse of the new general and when they got it they went wild but they seldom got it for she was busy planning her campaign receiving reports giving orders and giving what odd moments she could spare to the companies of great folk waiting in the as for us boys we hardly saw her at all she was so occupied we were in a mixed state of mind sometimes hopeful sometimes not mostly not she had not appointed her household yet that was our trouble we knew she was being with for places in it and that these were backed by great names and influence whereas we had nothing of the sort to recommend us she fill her places with folk folk whose would be a for her a valuable support at all times in these t recollections op op arc would policy allow her to consider us we were not as cheerful as the rest of the town but were inclined to be depressed and worried sometimes we discussed slim chances and gave them as good an appearance as we could but the very mention of the subject was anguish to the for whereas we had some little hope he had none at all as a rule was quite willing to let the dismal matter alone but not when the was present once we were talking the thing over when said cheer up i had a dream night and you were the only one among us that got an appointment it wasn t a high one but it was an appointment anyway some kind of a or body servant or something of that kind the roused up and looked almost cheerful for he was a in dreams and in anything and everything of a superstitious sort in fact he said with a rising i wish it might come true do you think it will come true certainly i might almost say i know it will for my dreams hardly ever fail i could you if that dream could come true i could indeed to be servant to the first general of and have all the world hear of it and the news go back to the village and make those stare that always said i wouldn t ever amount to wouldn t it be g do you think it wiu come true don t you believe it wiu i do there s my hand on it mark twain if it comes true i ll never forget shake again i should be dressed in a noble livery and the news would go to the village and those animals would say him to the general in chief with the eyes of the whole world on him admiring well he has shot up into the sky now hasn t he he began to walk the floor and pile castles in the air so fast and so high that we could hardly keep up with him then all of a sudden all the joy went out of his face and misery took its place and he said oh dear it is all a mistake it will never come true i forgot about that foolish business at i have kept out of her sight as much as i could all these weeks hoping she would forget that and forgive it but i know she never will she can t of course and after all i wasn t to blame i did say she promised to marry me | 34 |
but they put me up to it and persuaded me i swear they did the vast creature was almost crying then he pulled himself together and said it was the only lie i ve ever told and he was drowned out with a chorus of groans and outraged exclamations and before he could begin again one of d s servants appeared and said we were required at we rose and said there what did i tell you i have a the spirit of prophecy is upon me she is going to him and we are to go there and do him homage come along recollections of of arc but the was afraid to go so we left him when we presently stood in the presence in front of a crowd of glittering o of the army greeted us with a winning smile and said she appointed all of us to places in her household for she wanted her old friends by her it was a beautiful surprise to have ourselves honored like this when she could have had people of birth and consequence instead but we couldn t find our tongues to say so she was become so great and so high above us now one at a time we stepped forward and each received his warrant from the hand of our chief d all of us had honorable places the two knights stood highest then s two brothers i was first page and secretary a young gentleman named was second page l was her messenger she had two and also a and whose name was she had previously appointed a d h and a of now she looked and said but where is the the said he thought he was not sent for your now that is not well let him be called the entered humbly enough he ventured no farther than just the door he stopped there looking embarrassed and afraid then spoke pleasantly and said i watched you on the road you began badly but improved of old you were a fantastic but there is a man in you and i will bring it out mark twain it was fine to see the s face light up when she said that will you follow where i lead into the fire he said and i said to myself by the ring of that i think she has turned this into a hero it is another of her i make no doubt of it i believe you said here take my banner you will ride with me in every field and when is saved you will give it me back he took the which is now the most precious of the that remain of of arc and his voice was unsteady with emotion when he said if i ever disgrace this trust my comrades here will know how to do a friend s office upon my body and this charge i lay upon them as knowing they will not fail me chapter xi and i went back together silent at first and impressed finally l came up out of his and said the first shall be last and the last first there s authority for this surprise but at the same time wasn t it a lofty for our big bull it truly was i am not over being stunned yet it was the greatest place in her gift yes it was there are many and she can create more but there is only one standard bearer true it is the most conspicuous place in the army after her own and the most and honorable sons of two tried to get it as we know and of all people in the world this majestic carries it off well isn t it a gigantic promotion when you come to look at it there s no doubt about it it s a kind of copy of s own in miniature i don t know how to for it do you yes without any trouble at all that is i think i do was surprised at that and glanced up quickly as if to see if i was in earnest he said mark twain i thought you couldn t be in earnest but i see you are if you can make me understand this puzzle do it tell me what the explanation is i believe i can you have noticed that our chief knight says a good many wise things and has a thoughtful head on his shoulders one day riding along we were talking about s great talents said but greatest of all her gifts she has the seeing eye i said like an fool the seeing eye i shouldn t count that for much i suppose we all have it no he said very few have it then he explained and made his meaning dear he said the common eye sees only the outside of things and judges by that but the seeing eye through and reads the heart and the soul finding there which the outside didn t indicate or promise and which the kind of eye couldn t detect he said the military genius must fail and come to nothing if it have not the seeing eye that is to say if it cannot read men and its with an judgment it sees as by that this man is good for that one for dash and assault the other for patient and it each to his right place and while the commander without the seeing eye would give to each the other s place and lose he was right about and i saw it when she was a child and the tramp came one night her father and all of us took him for a rascal but she saw the honest man through the rags when i dined with the governor of so long i saw | 34 |
nothing x o recollections op of arc in our two knights though i sat with them and talked with them two hours was there five minutes and neither spoke with them nor heard them speak yet she marked them for men of worth and fidelity and they have confirmed her judgment whom has she sent for to take charge of this of new at made up of old unspeakable every one why she has sent for satan himself that is to say la hire that military that that lurid lion of that of forever in does he know how to deal with that mob of roaring devils better than any man that lives for he is the head devil of this world his own self he is the match of the whole of them ed and probably the father of most of she places him in temporary command until she can get to herself and then why then she will certainly take them in hand personally or i don t know her as well as i ought to after all these years of intimacy that will be a sight to see that fair spirit in her white delivering her will to that heap that rag pile that abandoned refuse of la cried our hero of all these years i do want to see that man i too his name me just as it did when i was a little boy i want to hear him swear of course i would rather hear him swear than man pray he is the man there is i i mark twain and the once when he was for on his he said it was nothing said he if god the father were a soldier he would rob i judge he is the right man to take temporary charge there at has cast the seeing eye upon him you see which brings us back to where we started i have an honest affection for the and not merely because he is a good fellow but because he is my child i made him what he is the and most catholic liar in the kingdom i m glad of his luck but i hadn t the seeing eye i shouldn t have chosen him for the most dangerous post in the army i should have placed him in the rear to kill the wounded and the dead well we shall see probably knows what is in him better than we do and i ll give you another idea wh n a person in of arc s position tells a man he is brave he believes it and believing it is enough in fact to believe yourself brave is to brave it is the one only essential thing now you ve hit it cried she s got the creating mouth as well as the seeing eye ah yes that is the thing was and a coward of arc has spoken and is marching with her head up i was summoned now to write a letter from s during the next day and night our several were made by the and our new provided we were to look upon now whether clothed for peace or war clothed recollections op op arc for peace in costly and rich colors the was a tower with the glories of the sunset and and iron for war he was a still thing to look at orders had been issued for the march toward it was a dear sharp beautiful morning as our great company trotted out in column riding two and two and the duke of in the lead d and the big standard bearer next and so on we made a handsome as you may well imagine and as we through the cheering crowds with bowing her head to left and right and the sun from her mail the spectators realized that the curtain was rolling up before their eyes upon the first act of a prodigious drama and their rising hopes were expressed in an enthusiasm that increased with each moment until at last one seemed to even physically feel the of the as well as hear them par down the street we heard the softened strains of wind blown music and saw a of moving the sim glowing with a subdued light upon the but striking bright upon the soaring lance heads a vaguely luminous so to speak with a twinkling above it and that was our guard of honor it joined us the procession was complete the first war march of of arc was begun the curtain was up i chapter we were at bids three days oh that camp it is one of the treasures of my memory order there was no more order among those than there is among the wolves and the they went roaring and drinking about shouting swearing and entertaining themselves with all manner of rude and horse play and the place was full of loud and women and they were no whit the men for and noise and it was in the midst of this wild mob that and i had our first glimpse of la hire he answered to our dearest dreams he was of great size and of martial bearing he was in mail from head to heel with a of on his and at his side the vast sword of the time he was on his way to pay his respects in state to and as he passed through the camp he was restoring order and that the maid was come and he would have no such spectacle as this exposed to the head of the army his way rf creating order was his own not borrowed he did it with his great fists as he moved along swearing and he let drive this way that way and the other and wherever his blow landed a man went down | 34 |
j recollections of of arc damn you i he said staggering and cursing around like this and the commander in chief in the camp and he laid the man flat what his idea of up was was his own secret we followed the to listening observing admiring yes devouring you may say the pet hero of the boys of france from our up to that happy day and their idol and ours i called to mind how had once the there in the pastures of for uttering lightly those mighty names la hire and the of and how she said that if she but be permitted to stand afar off and let her eyes rest once upon those great men she hold it a privilege they were to her and the other girls just what they were to the well here was one of them at last and what was his errand it was hard to realize it and yet it was true he was coming to his head before her and take her orders while be was a considerable group of his in his soothing way near we stepped on ahead and got a glimpse of s military family the great chiefs of the army for they had all arrived now there they were six officers of wide renown handsome men in beautiful but the lord high admiral of was the of them all and had the most gallant bearing when la hire entered one could see the surprise in his face at s beauty and extreme and mark twain one could see by s glad smile that it made her happy to get sight of this hero of her childhood at last la hire bowed low with his in his hand and made a bluff but handsome little speech with hardly an oath in it and one could see that those two took to each other on the spot the of ceremony was soon over and the others went away but la hire stayed and he and sat there and he her wine and they talked and laughed together like old friends and presently she gave him some instructions in his quality as master of the camp which made his breath stand still for to begin with she said that all those loose must pack out of the place at once she wouldn t allow one of them to remain next the rough must stop drinking must be brought within proper and strictly defined limits and discipline must take the place of disorder and finally she the list of surprises with this which nearly lifted him out of his every man who my standard must confess before the priest and himself from sin and all accepted must be present at divine service twice a day la hire could not say a word for a good part of a minute then he said in deep oh sweet child they were in hell these poor of mine attend mass why dear heart they ll see us both first and he went on pouring out a most pathetic stream of and which broke i recollections op of arc all up and made her laugh as she had not laughed since she played in the pastures it was good to hear but she stuck to her point so the soldier yielded and said all right if such were the orders he must obey and do the best that was in him then he refreshed himself with a lurid explosion of oaths and said that if any man in the camp refused to sin and lead a pious life he would knock his head off that started off again she was really having a good time you see but she would not consent to that form of she said they must be voluntary la hire said that that was all right he wasn t going to kill the ones but only the others no matter none of them must be killed couldn t have it she said that to give a man a chance to on pain of death if he didn t left him more or less and she wanted him to be entirely free so the soldier sighed and said he would the mass but said he doubted if there was a man in camp that was any more likely to go to it than he was himself then there was another surprise for him for said but dear man you are going i impossible oh this is oh no it isn t you are going to the service twice a day h am i dreaming am i or is my hearing playing me false why i rather mark twain never mind where in the morning you art going to begin and after that it will come easy now don t look like that soon you won t mind it la hire tried to cheer up but he was not able to do it he sighed like a and presently said well i ll do it for you but before i would do it for another i swear i but don t swear break it off break it off it is impossible i beg you to to why oh my general it is my native speech i he begged so hard for grace for his that left him one fragment of it she said he might swear by his b ton the symbol of his he promised that he swear only by his when in her presence and would try to himself elsewhere but doubted if he could manage it now that it was so old and stubborn a habit and such a solace and support to his declining years that tough old lion went away from there a good deal tamed and not to say softened and for perhaps those expressions would hardly fit him no and i believed that when | 34 |
he was away from s influence his old would come up so strong in him that he could not master them and so wouldn t go to mass but we got up early in the morning to see well he really went it was hardly but there he was along holding himself grimly to his duty and looking as pious as he but growling and like a it was an i recollections op op arc other instance of the same old whoever listened to the voice and looked into the eyes of of arc fell under a spell and was not his own man any more satan was converted you see well the rest followed rode up and down that camp and wherever that fair form appeared in its shining with that sweet face to grace the vision and perfect it the rude host seemed to think they saw the god of war in person descended out of the clouds and first they wondered then they after that she could do with them what she would in three days it was a clean camp and orderly and those were to divine service twice a day like good children the women were gone la hire was by these he could not understand them he went outside the camp when he wanted to swear he was that sort of a man sinful by nature and habit but full of superstitious respect for holy places the enthusiasm of the army for its devotion to her and the hot desire she had aroused in it to be led against the enemy exceeded any of this sort which la hire had ever seen before in his long career his admiration of it all and his wonder over the mystery and miracle of it were beyond his power to put into words he had held this army cheap before but his pride aiid confidence in it knew no limits now he said two or three days ago it was afraid of a one could storm the gates of hell with it now mark twain and he were inseparable and a quaint and pleasant contrast they made he was so big she so little he was so gray and so far along in his pilgrimage of life she so his face was so and hers so fair and pink so fresh and smooth she was so gracious and he so stem she was so pure so innocent he such a of sin in her eye was stored all charity and compassion in his when her glance fell upon you it seemed to bring and the peace of god but with his it was different generally they rode through the camp a dozen times a day visiting every comer of it observing and wherever they appeared the enthusiasm broke forth they rode side by side he a great figure of and muscle she a little of and grace he a fortress of rusty iron she a shining of silver and when the and caught sight of them they spoke out with affection and welcome in their voices and said there they come satan and the page of christ all the three days that we were in worked earnestly and to bring la hire to god to rescue him from the bondage of sin to breathe into his stormy heart the serenity and peace of religion she urged she begged she implored him to pray he stood out the three days of our stay begging almost to be let off to be let off from just that one thing that impossible thing he would do anything else recollections of of arc command and he would obey he go through the fire for her if she said the word but spare him this only this for he couldn t pray had never prayed he was ignorant of how to frame a prayer he had no words to put it in and yet can any believe it she carried even that point she won that incredible victory she made la hire pray it shows i think that nothing was impossible to of arc yes he stood there before her and put up his hands and made a prayer and it was not borrowed but was his very own he had none to help him frame it he made it out of his own head saying pair sir god i pray you to do by la hire as he would do by you if you were la hire and he were god then he put on his and marched out of s tent as satisfied with himself as any one might be who had arranged a perplexed and difficult business to the content and admiration of all the parties concerned in the matter if i had known that he had been i could have why he was feeling so superior but of course i could not know that i was coming to the tent at that moment and saw him come out and saw him march away in that large fashion and indeed it was fine and to see but when i got to the tent door i stopped this prayer has been stolen many times and by many nations in the past four hundred and sixty years but it originated with la hire and the fact is of official record in the national of france we have the authority of for this mark twain and grieved and shocked for i heard crying as i thought crying as if she could not contain nor endure the anguish of her soul crying as if she die but it was not so she was laughing laughing at la hire s prayer it was not until six and thirty years afterward that i found that out and then oh then i only cried when that picture of young care | 34 |
and impatience rose higher and higher with every mile of progress but at last we recollections of op arc and down it went and indignation took its for she saw the trick that had been played upon her the river lay between us and she was for attacking one of the three that were on our side of the river and forcing access to the bridge which it guarded a project which if successful would raise the siege instantly but the long fear of the english came upon her and they implored her not to make the attempt the soldiers wanted to attack but had to suffer disappointment so we moved on and came to a halt at a point opposite ch six miles above of with a body of knights and citizens came up from the to welcome was still burning with resentment over the trick that had been put upon her and was not in the mood for soft speeches even to of her childhood she said are you the of yes i am he and am right glad of your coming and did you advise that i be brought by this side of the river instead of straight to and the english h high manner abashed him and he was not able to answer with anything like a confident prompt n ss but with many and partial excuses he to get out the confession that for what he and the council had regarded as imperative reasons they had so advised in god s name said my lord s mark twain is safer and wiser than yours you thought to deceive me but you have deceived yourselves for i bring you the best help that ever knight or city had for it is god s help not sent for love of me but by god s pleasure at the prayer of st louis and st he has had pity on and will not suffer the enemy to have both the duke of and his city the provisions to save the starving people are here the boats are below the the wind is contrary they cannot come up hither now then tell me in god s name you who are so wise what that council of yours was thinking about to invent this foolish difficulty and the rest around the matter a moment then gave in and that a blunder had been made yes a blunder has been made said and except god take your proper work upon himself and change the wind and correct your blunder for you there is none else that can devise a remedy some of those people began to perceive that with ignorance practical good sense and that with all her native sweetness and charm she was not the right kind of a person to play with presently god did take the in hand and by his grace the wind did change so the fleet of boats came up and went away loaded with provisions and cattle and conveyed that welcome to the hungry city managing the matter successfully under protection of a from the walls against the of st then began on the again z recollections op op arc you see here the army yes it is here to this side by advice of your council yes now in god s name can that wise council explain why it is better to have it here than it would be to have it in the bottom of the sea made some wandering attempts to explain the inexplicable and excuse the but cut him short and said answer me this good sir has the army any value on this side of the river the confessed that it hadn t that is in view of the plan of campaign which she had devised and and yet knowing this you had the to my orders since the army s place is on the other side will you explain to me how it is to get there the whole size of the needless was apparent were of no use therefore admitted that there was no way to correct the blunder but to send the army all the way back to and let it begin over again and come up on the other side this time according to s original plan any other girl after winning such a triumph as this over a soldier of old renown might have a little and been for it but showed no disposition of this sort she dropped a word or two of grief over the precious time that must be lost then began at once to issue commands for the march back she to see her army i i mark twain go for she said its heart was great and its enthusiasm high and that with it at her back she did not fear to face all the might of england all arrangements having been completed for the return of the main body of the army she took the and la hire and a thousand men and went down to where all the town was in a fever of impatience to have sight of her face it was eight in the evening when she and the troops rode in at the gate with the preceding her with her standard she was riding a white horse and she carried in her hand the sacred sword of you should have seen then what a picture it was such black seas of i such a of such roaring of welcome such of bells and thundering of cannon it was as if the world was come to an end ever in the glare of the one saw rank upon rank of white faces the mouths wide open shouting and the tears down her slow way through the solid masses her form projecting above the pavement of heads like a silver statue the people about her struggled along gazing up at her through | 34 |
their tears with the look of men and women who believe they are seeing one who is divine and always her feet were being kissed by grateful folk and such as failed of that privilege touched her horse and then kissed their fingers nothing that did escaped notice everything she did was commented upon and applauded you could hear the remarks going all the time recollections of of arc there she s see now she s taking her little cap off to somebody ah it s fine and graceful she s patting that woman on the head with her oh she was bom a see her turn in her saddle and kiss the of her sword to the ladies in the window that threw the flowers down now there s a poor woman lifting up a child she s kissed it oh she s divine what a dainty little figure it is and what a lovely face and such color and animation s slender long banner streaming backward had an accident the fringe caught fire from a torch she leaned forward and crushed the flame in her hand she s not afraid of fire nor they shouted and delivered a storm of admiring applause that made everything she rode to the cathedral and gave thanks to god and the people crammed the place and added their to hers then she took up her march again and picked her slow way through the crowds and the wilderness of to the house of of the duke of where she was to be the guest of his wife as long as she stayed in the and have his young daughter for comrade and room mate the delirium of the people went on the rest of the night and with it the of the and the cannon of arc had stepped upon her stage at last and was ready to begin chapter xiv she was ready but must sit down and wait until there was an army to work with next morning saturday april she set about inquiring after the messenger who carried her to the english from the one which she had dictated at here is a copy of it it is a remarkable document for several reasons for its matter of fact for its high spirit and forcible and for its confidence in her ability to achieve the prodigious task which she had laid upon herself or which had been laid upon her which you please all through it you seem to see the of war and hear the of the drums in it s warrior soul is revealed and for the moment the soft little has disappeared from your view this country unused to anything at all to anybody much less documents of state to kings and out this procession of vigorous sentences as as if this sort of work had been her trade from childhood maria king of england and you duke of who yourself of france william de la pole earl of and you thomas lord scales who style yourselves of the recollections op op arc said do right to the king of heaven render to the maid who is sent by god the keys d all the good towns you have taken and in she is sent hither by god to restore the royal she is very ready to make peace if you will do her right by giving up and paying for what you have held and you companions oi war noble and otherwise who are before the good city ci into your own land in god s name or expect news from the maid who will shortly go to see you to your very great hurt of england if you do not so i am chief of war and wherever i shall find your people in france i will drive them out willing or not willing and if they do not obey i will them all but if they obey i will have them to mercy i am come hither by god the king of heaven body for body to put you out of france in spite of those who would work treason and mischief against the kingdom think not you shall ever hold the kingdom from the king of heaven the son of the blessed mary king charles shall hold it for god wills it so and has revealed it to him by the maid if you believe not the news sent by god through the maid wherever we shall meet you we will strike boldly and make such a noise as has not been in france these thousand years be sure that god can send more strength to the maid than you can bring to any assault against her and her good men at arms and then we shall see who has the better right the king of heaven or you duke of the maid you not to bring about your own destruction if you do her right you may yet go in her company where the french shall do the finest deed that has been done in and a you do not you shall be reminded shortly oi your great wrongs in that sentence she them to go on with her to rescue the holy no answer had been returned to this and the messenger himself had not come back so now she sent her two with a new letter warning the english to raise the siege and requiring them to restore that missing messenger the came back without him all they brought was mark twain notice from the english to that they presently catch her and bum her if she did not dear out now while she had a chance and go back to her proper trade of cows she held her peace only saying it was a pity that the english would persist in inviting present disaster and destruction when | 34 |
she was doing all she could to get them out of the with their lives still in their bodies presently she thought of an arrangement that might be acceptable and said to the go back and say to lord this from me come out of your with your host and i will come with mine if i beat you go in peace out of if you beat me bum me according to your desire i did not hear this but did and spoke of it the challenge was refused sunday morning her voices or some instinct gave her a warning and she sent to to take command of the army and hurry it to it was a wise move for he found de and some more of the king s pet there trying their best to the army and all the efforts of s to head it for they were a fine lot those they turned their attention to now but he had once with results to himself and was not minded to in that way again he soon had the army moving chapter xv we of tiie staff were in now during the few days that we waited for the of the army we went society to our two knights this was not a novelty but to us young villagers it was a new and wonderful life any position of any sort near the person of the maid of conferred high distinction upon the and caused his society to be and so the d arc brothers and and the humble at home were gentlemen here personages of weight and influence it was fine to see how soon their and melted away under this pleasant sun of ence and disappeared and how lightly and easily they took to their new atmosphere the was as happy as it was possible for any one in this earth to be his tongue went all the time and daily he got new delight out of hearing himself talk he began to his and spread it out all around and it right and left and it was not long until it consisted almost entirely of he worked up his old battles and them out with fresh also with new terrors for he added now we had seen cannon for the first time at a few pieces here there was plenty mark twain of it and now and then we had the impressive spectacle of a huge english hidden from sight in a mountain of smoke firom its own guns with of red flame darting through it and this grand picture along with the away in the heart of it the s imagination and enabled him to dress out those of ours with a which made it impossible for any to recognize them at all except people who had not been there you may suspect that there was a special inspiration for these great efforts of the s and there was it was the daughter of the who was eighteen and gentle and lovely in her ways and very beautiful i think she might have been as td as herself if she had had s eyes but that could never be there was never but that one pair there will never be another s eyes were deep and rich and wonderful beyond anything merely earthly they spoke all the languages they had no need of words they produced all effects and just by a glance just a single glance a glance that could a liar of his lie and make him confess it that could bring down a proud man s pride and make him humble that could put courage into a coward and strike dead the courage of the that could and real that could speak peace to storms of passion and be obeyed that make the believe and the hopeless hope again that the mind that could persuade ah there it ia that is the word recollections op op arc what or who is it that it couldn t persuade the of the fairy priest the reverend of the doubting and superstitious the obstinate of the heir of the and scholars of the parliament and university of the darling of la hire the of accustomed to acknowledge no way as right and rational but his own these were the of that great gift that made her the wonder and mystery that she was we mingled with the great folk who to the big house to make s acquaintance and they made much of us and we lived in the clouds so to speak but what we preferred even to this happiness was the occasions when the formal guests were gone and the family and a few dozen of its familiar friends were gathered together for a social good time it was then that we did our best we five with such as we had and the chief object of them was none of us had ever been in love before and now we had the misfortune to all fall in love with the same person at the same time which was the first moment we saw her she was a merry heart and full of life and i still remember tenderly those few evenings that i was permitted to have my share of her dear society and of with that little company of charming people the made us all jealous the first night for when he got fairly started on those battles of his he had to himself and there was no use in mark twain anybody else s tr to get any attention those people had been living in the midst of real war for seven months and to hear this windy giant lay out his imaginary and fairly swim in blood and it all entertained them to the verge of the grave was like to die for | 34 |
pure she didn t laugh loud we of course wished she would but kept in the shelter of a fan and shook there was danger that she would her ribs from her then when the had got done with a battle and we began to feel thankful and hope for a change she would speak up in a way that was so sweet and that it in me and ask him about some detail or other in the early part of his battle which she said had greatly interested her and would he be so good as to describe that part again and with a little more which of course the whole battle on us again with a hundred lies added that had been overlooked before i do not know how to make you realize the pain i suffered i had never been jealous before and it seemed intolerable that this creature should have this good which he was so ill entitled to and i have to sit and see myself neglected when i was so longing for the least little attention out of the thousand that this beloved girl was upon him i was near her and tried two or three times to get started on some of the things that had done in those battles and i felt ashamed of myself too for stooping to such a business but she cared for nothing but his battles and could not be got to c recollections of of arc listen and presently when one of my attempts caused her to lose some precious rag or other of his and she asked him to repeat thus bringing on a new engagement of course and increasing the and damage i felt so by this pitiful of mine that i gave up and tried no more the others were as outraged by the s selfish conduct as i was and by his grand luck too of course i indeed that was the main hurt we talked our trouble over together which was but for rivals become brothers when a common affliction them and a common enemy bears off the victory each of us could do things that please and get if it were not for this person who occupied all the time and gave others no chance i had made a poem taking a whole night to it a poem in which i most happily and delicately celebrated that sweet girl s charms without mentioning her name but any one could see who was meant for the bare title the rose of would reveal that as it seemed to me it pictured this pure and dainty white rose as growing up out of the rude soil of war and looking abroad out of its tender eyes upon the horrid machinery of death and then note this conceit it for the sinful nature of man and turns red in a single night becomes a red rose you see a rose that was white before the was my own and quite new then it sent its sweet perfume out over the and when the forces smelt it they laid ao mark twain down their arms and wept this was also my own idea and new that closed that part of the poem then i put her into the of the not the whole of it but only part that is to say she was the moon and all the were following her about their hearts in flames for love of her but she would not halt she would not listen for twas thought she loved another twas thought she loved a poor who was upon the earth facing danger death and possible in the bloody field war against a heartless foe to save her from an all too early grave and her from destruction and when the sad pursuing came to know and realize the bitter sorrow that was come upon them note this idea their hearts broke and their tears forth filling the of heaven with a fiery splendor for those tears were falling stars it was a rash idea but beautiful beautiful and pathetic wonderfully pathetic the way i had it with the rhyme and all to help at the end of each verse there was a two line refrain the poor earthly lover separated so far and perhaps forever from her he loved so well and growing always paler and weaker and thinner in his agony as he the cruel grave the most touching thing even the boy s themselves could hardly keep back their tears the way said those lines there were eight four line in the first end of the poem the end about the rose the end as you may say if that is not too large a name for such a little poem and eight in the end recollections op op arc sixteen altogether and i have made it a and fifty if i had wanted to i was so inspired and so all swelled up with beautiful thoughts and fancies but that would have been too many to sing or before a company that way whereas sixteen was just right and could be done over again if desired the boys were that i could make such a poem as that out of my own head and so was i of course it being as much a surprise to me as it could be to anybody for i did not know that it was in me if any had asked me a single day before if it was in me i should have told them frankly no it was not that is the way with us we may go on half of our life not knowing such a thing is in us when in reality it was there all the time and au we needed was something | 34 |
to turn up that would call for it indeed it was always so with our family my grandfather had a and they never knew what was the matter with him till he died and he didn t himself it is wonderful how gifts and diseases can be concealed that way all that was necessary in my case was for this lovely and inspiring girl to cross my path and out came the poem and no more trouble to me to word it and rhyme it and perfect it than it is to stone a dog no i have said it was not in me but it was the boys couldn t say enough about it they were so charmed and astonished the thing that pleased them the most was the way it do the s business for him they forgot everything in their mark twain anxiety to get him and silenced was dear beside himself with admiration of the poem and wished he could do such a thing but it was out of his line and he couldn t of course he had it by heart in half an hour and there was never anything so pathetic and beautiful as the way he it for that was just his gift that and he better than anybody in the world and he could take off la hire to the very life or anybody else for that matter now i never could worth a and when i tried with this poem the boys wouldn t let me finish they would have nobody but no l so then as i wanted the poem to make the best ble impression on and the company i told he might do the never was anybody so delighted he hardly believe that i was in earnest but i was i said that to have them know that i was the author of it would be enough for me the boys were full of and said if he could just get one chance at those people it would be all he would ask he would make them realize that there was something higher and finer than war lies to be had here but how to get the that was the difficulty we invented several schemes that promised fairly and at last we hit upon one that was sure that was to let the get a good start in a battle and then send in a false call for him and as soon as he was out of the room have take his place and finish the battle himself in the s own style to a shade recollections of of arc that would get great applause and win the house s favor and put it in the right mood to hear the poem the two together would finish the standard bearer him anyway to a certainty and give the rest of us a chance for the future so the next night i kept out of the way the had got his start and was sweeping down upon the enemy like a at the head of his corps then i stepped within the door in my official uniform and announced that a messenger from general la hire s quarters desired speech with the standard bearer he left the room and took his place and said that the interruption was to be but that fortunately he was personally acquainted with the details of the battle himself and if i would be glad to state them to the company then without waiting for the i he turned himself into the a of course with manner tones gestures attitudes everything exact and went right on with the battle and it would be impossible to imagine a more perfectly and ridiculous imitation than he furnished to those shrieking people they went into of laughter and the tears flowed down their cheeks in the more they laughed the more inspired grew with his theme and the greater the he worked till really the laughter was not properly laughing any more but screaming feature of all was d with and presently there was little left of her but and victory it was a i mark twain the was gone only a couple of minutes he found out at once that a trick had been played on him so he came back when he approached the door he heard in there and recognized the state of the case so he remained near the door but out of sight and heard the performance through to the end the applause got when he finished was wonderful and they kept it up kept it up clapping their hands like mad and shouting to him to do it over again but was clever he knew the very best for a poem of deep and refined sentiment and pathetic melancholy was one where great and merriment had prepared the spirit for the powerful contrast so he paused until all was quiet then his face grew grave and assumed an impressive aspect and at once all faces in sympathy and took on a look of wondering and expectant interest now he began in a low but distinct voice the opening verses of the rose as he breathed the measures forth and one gracious line after another fell upon those enchanted ears in that deep hush one could catch on ev y hand half audible of how lovely how beautiful how exquisite by this time the who had gone away for a moment with the opening of the poem was back again and had stepped within the door he stood there now resting his great frame against the wall and gazing toward the like one when got to the second part and that refrain began to melt and move all listen recollections op op arc ers the began to wipe away tears with the back of first one hand and then the other the next time | 34 |
the refrain was repeated he got to and sort of half sobbing and went to wiping his eyes with the sleeves of his he was so conspicuous that he embarrassed a little and also had an ill effect upon the audience with the next repetition he broke quite down and began to cry like a calf which ruined all the effect and started many in the audience to laughing then he went on from bad to worse i never saw such a spectacle for he fetched out a from under his and began to his eyes with it and let go the most infernal mixed up with and and and and and and and and he twisted himself about on his heels and this way and that still pouring out that brutal and flourishing his in the air and again and wringing it out hear you couldn t hear yourself think was wholly drowned out and silenced and those people were laughing the very lungs out of themselves it was the most degrading sight that ever was now i heard the that plate makes when the man that is in it is running and then alongside my head there burst out the most explosion of laughter that ever rent the drum of a person s ear and i looked and it was la hire and he stood there with his on his and his head back and his jaws spread to that degree to let out his and his that it amounted to in i mark twain decent exposure for you see everything that was in him only one thing more and worse could happen and it happened at the other door i saw the and bustle and and of officials and which means that some great personage is coming then of arc stepped in and the house rose yes and tried to shut its mouth and make itself grave and proper but when it saw the maid herself go to laughing it thanked god for this mercy and the earthquake followed such things make life a bitterness and i do not wish to dwell upon them the effect of the poem was spoiled chapter xvi this episode with me and i was not able to leave my bed the next day the others were in the same condition but for this one or another of us might have had the good luck that fell to the s share that day but it is that god in his compassion sends the good luck to such as are ill equipped with gifts as compensation for their defect but requires such as are more fortunately endowed to get by labor and talent what those others get by chance it was who said this and it seemed to me to be well and justly thought the going about the town all the day in order to be followed and admired and the people say in an awed voice look it is the standard bearer of of arc had speech with all sc ts and conditions of folk and he learned from some that there was a stir of some kind going on in the on the other side of the river and in the evening seeking further he found a from the fortress called the who said that the english were going to send men over to strengthen the on our side during the darkness of the night and were greatly for they meant to spring upon and the army mark twain when it was passing the and destroy it a thing quite easy to do since the witch would not be there and without her presence the army would do like the french armies of these many years past drop their weapons and run when they saw an english face it was ten at night when the brought this news and asked leave to speak to and i was up and on duty then it was a bitter stroke to me to see what a chance i had lost made searching inquiries and satisfied herself that the word was true then she made this remark you have done well and you have my thanks it may be that you have prevented a disaster your name and service shall receive official mention then he bowed low and when he rose he was eleven feet high as he swelled out past me he pulled down the comer of his eye with his finger and muttered part of that refrain oh tears ah tears oh sad sweet tears name in general orders personal mention to the king you see i wished could have seen his conduct but she was busy thinking what she do then she had me fetch the knight de and in a minute he was off for la hire s quarters with orders for him and the lord de and d to report to her at five o clock next morning with five hundred picked men well mounted the histories say half past four but it is not true i heard the order given we were on our way at five to the minute and the head of the arriving between x recollections op op arc six and seven a couple of from the was pleased for the army had to get and show uneasiness now that it was getting so near to the dreaded but that all disappeared now as the word ran down the line with a that swept along the length of it like a wave that the maid was come asked her to halt and let the column pass in review so that the men could be sure that the report of her presence was not a to revive their courage so she took position at the side of the road with her staff and the swung by with a martial stride was armed except her head she was wearing the | 34 |
cunning little velvet cap with the mass of curved white tumbling over its edges which the city of had given her the night she arrived the one that is in the picture that hangs in the de at she was looking about fifteen the sight of soldiers always set her blood to leaping and lit the fires in her eyes and brought the warm rich color to her cheeks it was then that you saw that she was too beautiful to be of the or at any rate that there was a subtle something somewhere about her beauty that differed it from the human types of your experience and exalted it above them in the train of laden with supplies a man lay on top of the goods he was stretched out on his back and his hands were tied together with ropes and also his ankles signed to the in charge of that division of the train to come to her and he rode up and saluted x mark twain what is he that is bound there she asked a general what is his he is a what is to be done with him he will be hanged but it was not oil the march and there was no hurry tell me about him he is a good soldier but he asked leave to go and see his wife who was dying he said but it could not be granted so he went without leave meanwhile the march and he only overtook us yesterday evening overtook you did he come of his own will yes it was of his wiu he a name of god bring him to me the officer rode and the man s feet brought him back with his hands still tied what a figure he was a good seven f t high and built for business he had a strong face he had an shock of black hair which showed up in a striking way when the officer removed his for him for weapon he had a big ax in his broad belt standing by s horse he made look than ever for his head was about on a level with her own his face was all interest in life seemed to be dead in the man said hold up your hands the man s head was down he lifted it when he heard that soft friendly voice and there was a wistful i recollections of op arc something in his face which made one think that there had been music in it for him and that he would like to hear it again when he raised his hands laid her sword to his bonds but the said with apprehension ah madam my general what is it she said he is under sentence yes i know i am responsible for him and she cut the bonds they had his wrists and they were bleeding ah pitiful she said blood i do not like it and she shrank from the sight but only for a moment give me something somebody to his wrists with the officer said ah my general it is not fitting let me bring another to do it another de par le you would seek far to find one that can do it better than i for i learned it long ago among both men and beasts and i can tie better than those that did this if i had tied him the ropes had not cut his flesh the man looked on silent while he was being stealing a glance at s face occasionally such as an animal might that is receiving a kindness from an unexpected quarter and is trying to reconcile the act with its source all the staff had forgotten the army drifting by in its rolling clouds of dust to their necks and watch the as if it was the most interesting and absorbing novelty that ever was i have often seen people do like that get entirely mark twain lost in the simplest trifle when it is something that is out of their line now there in once i saw two and a dozen of those grave and famous scholars together watching a man paint a sign on a shop they didn t breathe they were as good as dead and when it began to they didn t know it at first then they noticed it and each man a deep sigh and glanced up with a surprised look as wondering to see the others there and how he came to be there himself but that is the way with people as i have said there is no way of for people you have to take them as they are there said at last pleased with her success another could have done it no better not as well i think tell me what is it you did tell me all the giant said it was this way my angel my mother died then my three little children one after the other all in two years it was the famine others so it was god s will i saw them die i had that grace and i buried them then when my poor wife s fate was come i begged for leave to go to her she who was so dear to me she who was all i had i begged on my knees but they would not let me could i let her die and alone could i let her die believing i would not come would she let me die and she not come with her feet free to do it if she would and no cost upon it but only her life ah she would come she come through the fire so i went i saw her she the dwarf recollections of of arc in my arms i her then the | 34 |
army was gone i had trouble to overtake it but my legs are long and there are many hours in a day i overtook it last night said and as if she were thinking aloud it sounds true if true it were no great harm to the law this one time any would say that it may not be true but if it is true she turned y to the man and said i would see your eyes look up the eyes of the two met and said to the officer the man is give you good day you may go then she said to the man did you know it was death to come back to the army yes he said i knew it then why did you do it the man said quite simply because it was death she was all i had there was nothing left to love ah yes there was france the children of have always their mother they cannot be left with nothing to love you shall live and you shall serve france i will serve your you shall fight for france i wiu fight for your you shall be france s soldier i will be your soldier you shall give all your heart to france i will give all my heart to you and all my soul if i have and all my strength which is great mark twain for i was dead and am alive again i had nothing to live for but now i have you ate france for me you are my france and i will have other smiled and was touched and pleased at the man s grave enthusiasm solemn enthusiasm one may call it for the manner of it was deeper than mere gravity and she said well it shall be as you will what are you called the man answered with simplicity they call me the dwarf but i think it is more in jest than otherwise it made laugh and she said it has something of that look truly what is the office of that vast ax the soldier replied with the same gravity which must have been bom to him it at upon him so naturally it is to persuade persons to respect france laughed again and said have you given many lessons ah indeed yes many the pupils behaved to suit you afterward yes it made them quiet quite pleasant and quiet i should think it would happen so would you like to be my man at arms orderly or something like that if i may then you shall you shall have proper and shall go on teaching your art take one of those led horses there and follow the staff when we move recollections of of arc that is how we came by the dwarf and a good fellow he was picked him out on sight but it wasn t a mistake no one could be than he was and he was a devil and the son of a devil when he turned himself loose with his ax he was so big that he made the look like an ordinary man he liked to like i therefore people liked him he liked us boys from the start and he liked the knights and liked pretty much everybody he came across but he thought more of a of s finger nail than he did of all the rest of the world put together yes that is where we got him stretched on the going to his death poor chap and nobody to say a good word for him he was a good find why the knights treated him almost like an equal it is the honest truth that is the sort of a man he was they called him the sometimes and sometimes they called him which was on account of his warm and style in battle and you know they wouldn t have given him pet names if they hadn t had a good deal of affection for him to the dwarf was the spirit of made flesh he never got away from that idea that he had started with and god knows it was the true one that was a eye to see so great a truth where some others failed to me that seems quite remarkable and yet after all it was in a way just what nations do when they love a great and noble thing they it they want it so that they can see it with their eyes like liberty for mark twain instance they are not content with the cloudy abstract idea make a beautiful statue of it and then their beloved idea is substantial and they can look at it and worship it and so it is as i say to the dwarf was our country embodied our country made visible flesh cast in a gracious form when she stood before others they saw of arc but he saw sometimes he would speak of her by that name it shows you how the idea was in his mind and how real it was to him the world has called our kings by it but i know of none of them who has had so good a right as she to that sublime title when the march past was finished returned to the front and rode at the head of the when we began to file past those grim and could glimpse the men within standing to their guns and ready to empty death into our ranks such a f came over me and such a sickness that au things seemed to turn dim and swim before my eyes and the other boys looked too i thought including the although i do not know this for because he was ahead of | 34 |
me and i had to keep my eyes out toward the side because i could better when i saw what to at but was at home in paradise i might say she at up straight and i could see that she was feeling different from me the thing was the silence there wasn t a sound but the of the the and the of the horses by the recollections of of arc dust which they kicked up i wanted to myself but it seemed to me that i would rather go or suffer even a torture if there is one than attract attention to myself i was not of a rank to make suggestions or i would have suggested that if we went faster we should get by sooner it seemed to me that it was an ill judged time to be taking a walk just as we were drifting in that stillness past a great cannon that stood just within a raised with nothing between me and it but the moat a most uncommon in there split the world with his and i fell out of the saddle sir me as i went which was well for if i had gone to the ground in my i could not have gotten up again by myself the english on the laughed a coarse laugh forgetting that every one must b in and that there had been a time when they themselves would have no better when shot by a the english never uttered a challenge nor fired a shot it was said afterward that when their men saw the maid riding at the front and saw how lovely she was their eager courage cooled down in many cases and vanished in the rest they feeling certain that that creature was not mortal but the very child of satan and so the officers were prudent and did not try to make them fight it was said also that some of the officers were affected by the same superstitious fears well in any case they never offered to us and we by all the in peace during the march i caught up aa mark twain on my were in so it was not au loss and no profit for me after all it was on this march that the histories say told that the english were expecting the command of sir john and that she turned upon him and said in god s name i warn you to let me know of his coming as soon as you hear of it for if he passes without my knowledge you shall lose your head it may be so i don t deny it but i didn t hear it if she really said it i think she only meant she take os his official head him front his command it was not like her to threaten a comrade s life she did have her doubts of her and was entitled to them for she was all for storm and d they were for holding still and the english out since they did not believe in her way and were experienced old soldiers it be natural for them to prefer their own and try to get hers out but i did hear something that the histories didn t mention and don t know about i heard say that now that the on the other side had been weakened to strengthen those on our side the most effective point of operations had shifted to the south shore so she meant to go over there and storm the which held the bridge end and that would open up with our own and raise the siege the began to right away but they only baffled and delayed her and that for only four days recollections of of arc all met the army at the gate and it through the streets to its various quarters but nobody had to rock it to sleep it down dog tired for had rushed it without mercy and for the next twenty four it would be quiet all but the chapter xvii when we got home breakfast for us minor was waiting in our mess room and the family honored us by coming in to eat it with us the nice old and in fact all three were eager to hear about our adventures nobody asked the to begin but he did begin because now that his specially ordained and peculiar military rank set him above everybody on the personal staff but old d who didn t eat with us he didn t care a for the knights nobility nor mine but took in the talk whenever it suited him which was all the time because he was bom that way he said god be thanked we found the army in admirable condition i think i have never seen a finer body of animals animals said miss i will explain to you what he means said i will trouble you not to trouble yourself to explain anything for me said the i have reason to think that is his way said rs when he thinks he has reason to think he thinks he does think but this is an error he didn t see the army recollections op of arc i noticed him and he didn t see it he was troubled by his old complaint what is his old asked prudence i said seeing my chance to help but it was not a fortunate remark for the said it probably isn t your turn to people s you who fall out of the saddle when a donkey they all laughed and i was ashamed of myself for my hasty i said it isn t quite fair for you to say i fell out on account of the donkey s it was emotion just ordinary emotion very if you want to call it that i am not what would | 34 |
you call it sir well it well whatever it was it was i think all of you have learned how to behave in hot hand to hand engagements and you don t need to be ashamed of your record in that matter but to walk along in front of death with one s hands idle and no noise no music and nothing going on is a very situation if i were you de i would name the emotion it s nothing to be ashamed of it was as straight and sensible a speech as ever i heard and i was grateful for the opening it gave me so i came out and said it was and thank you for the honest idea too it was the and best way out said the old er you ve done well my lad mark twain that made me comfortable and when miss said it s what i think too i was grateful to myself for getting into that scrape sir de said we were all in a body together when the donkey and it was still at the time i don t see how any young could escape some little touch of that emotion he looked about him with a pleasant expression of inquiry on his good face and as each pair of eyes in turn met his the head they were in nodded a confession even the delivered his nod that surprised everybody and saved the standard bearer s credit it was clever of him nobody believed he could tell the truth that way without practice or would tell that particular sort of a truth either with or without practice i suppose he judged it would impress the family then the old said passing the in that way required the same sort of nerve that a person must have when ghosts are about him in the dark i should think what does the standard bearer think well i don t quite know about that sir i ve often thought i would like to see a ghost if i would you exclaimed the young lady we ve got one would you try that one will you she was so eager and pretty that the said straight out that he would and then as none of the rest had bravery enough to expose the fear that was in him one volunteered after the other with a prompt mouth and a sick heart till all were recollections of of arc for the voyage then the girl clapped her hands in glee and the parents were gratified too saying that the ghosts of their house had been a dread and a misery to them and their for generations and nobody had ever been yet who was willing to them and find out what their trouble was so that the family heal it and content the poor and them to tranquillity and chapter xviii about noon i was with madame iv nothing was going on au was quiet when suddenly entered in great excitement and said sir fly the maid was in her chair in my room when she sprang up and cried out french blood is flowing my arms give me my arms her giant was on guard at the door and he brought d who began to arm her and i and the giant have been warning the staff and stay by her and if there really is a battle keep her out of it don t let her ri herself there is no need if the men know she is near and looking on it is all that is necessary keep her out of the fight don t fail of this i started on a nm sa ring for i was always fond of sarcasm and it was said that i had a most neat gift that way h yes nothing easier than that i ll attend to it at the end of the house i met fully armed toward the door and she said ah blood is being and you did not tell me indeed i did not know it i said there are a into recollections of of arc no sounds of war everything is quiet your you will hear war sounds enough in a moment she said and was gone it was true before one could count five there broke upon the stillness the swelling rush and tramp of an approaching multitude of men and horses with hoarse cries of command and then out of the distance came the muffled deep boom boom boom boom of cannon and straightway that rushing multitude was roaring by the house like a our knights and all our staff came flying armed but with no horses ready and we burst out after in a body the in the lead with the banner the crowd was made up half of citizens and half of soldiers and had no recognized leader when was seen a went up and she shouted a horse a horse a dozen were at her disposal in a moment she mounted a hundred people shouting way there way for the maid op the first time that that immortal name was ever uttered and i praise god was there to hear it the mass divided itself like the waters of the red sea and down this lane went like a bird forward french hearts follow me and we came in her wake on the rest of the borrowed horses the holy standard streaming above us and the lane closing together in our rear this was a different thing from the ghastly march past the dismal no we felt fine now and mark twain all with enthusiasm the explanation of this sudden was this the city and the little garrison so long hopeless and afraid had gone wild over s coming and could no longer restrain their desire to get | 34 |
at the enemy so without orders from anybody a few hundred soldiers and citizens had plunged out at the gate on a sudden impulse and made a charge on one of lord s most formidable st and were getting the worst of it the news of this had swept through the city and started this new crowd that we were with as we poured out at the gate we met a force bringing in the wounded from the front the sight moved and she ah french blood it makes my hair rise to see it we were soon on the field soon in the midst of the turmoil was seeing her first real battle and so were we it was a battle in the open field for the garrison of st had confidently out to meet the attack being used to when were not around the sally had been by troops from the paris and when we approached the french were getting whipped and were falling back but when came charging through the disorder with her banner displayed crying forward men follow me there was a change the french turned about and forward like a solid wave of the sea and swept the english before them and and being and in a way that was terrible to see recollections op op arc in the field the dwarf had no that is to say he was not under orders to any particular place therefore he chose his place for himself and went ahead of and made a road for her it was horrible to see the iron fly into fragments imder his dreadful ax he called it nuts and it looked like that he made a good road and paved it well with flesh and iron and the rest of us followed it so briskly that we our forces and had the english behind us as well as before the knights commanded us to face outward around which we did and then there was work done that was fine to see one was obliged to respect the now being right under s and eye he forgot his native prudence he forgot his in the presence of danger he forgot what fear was and he never laid about him in his imaginary battles in a more tremendous way than he did in this real one and wherever he struck there was an enemy the less we were in that close place only a few minutes then our forces to the rear broke through with a great shout and joined us and then the english fought a retreating fight but in a fine and gallant way and we drove them to their fortress foot by foot they facing us all the time and their on the walls showers of arrows cross bow and stone cannon balls upon us the bulk of the enemy got safely within the works and left us outside with piles of french and english dead and for company a sickening sight mark twain an awful sight to us for our little fights in february had been in the night and the blood and the and the dead faces were dim whereas we saw these things now for the first time in all their naked now arrived from the city and plunged through the battle on his foam horse and galloped up to and uttering handsome compliments as he came he waved hand toward the distant walls of the city where a multitude of flags were gaily in the wind and said the were up there observing her fortunate performance and rejoicing over it and added that she and the forces have a great reception now hardly now not yet why not yet is there more to be done more we have but we will take this fortress ah you can t be serious we can t take this place let me urge you not to make the attempt it is too desperate let me order the forces back s heart was overflowing with the joys and of war and it made her impatient to hear such talk she cried out will ye play always with these english now verily i tell you we will not until this place is ours we will carry it by storm sound the charge ah my waste no more time man let the the assault and we saw that strange deep light in recollections op op arc her eye which we named the battle light and learned to know so well in later fields the martial notes out the troops answered with a yell and down they came against that formidable work whose outlines were lost in its own and whose sides were flame and thunder we suffered after but was here and there and everywhere encouraging the men and she kept them to their work during three hours the tide and flowed flowed and but at last la hire who was now come made a final and charge and the st was ours we it taking all its stores and and then destroyed it when all our host was shouting itself hoarse with and there went up a cry for the general for they wanted to praise her and her and do her homage for her victory we had trouble to find her and when we did find her she was off by herself sitting among a of with her face in her hands crying for she was a young girl you know and her hero heart was a young girl s heart too with the pity and the tenderness that are natural to it she was thinking of the mothers of those dead friends and enemies among the prisoners were a number of priests and took these under her protection and saved their lives it was urged that they were most probably in disguise but she said as to that how can any tell they | 34 |
wear the livery of god and if even one of these wears it right mark twain fully surely it were better that all the guilty should escape than that we have upon our hands the blood of that innocent man i will lodge them where i lodge and feed them and send them away in safety we marched back to the with our crop of cannon and prisoners on view and our displayed here was the first substantial bit of the imprisoned people had seen in the seven months that the siege had endured the first chance they had had to rejoice over a french you may guess that they made good use of it they and the went mad was their darling now and the press of people struggling and each other to get a glimpse of her was so great that we could hardly push our way through the streets at all her new name had gone all about and was on everybody s lips the holy maid of was a forgotten title the had claimed her for its own and she was the maid op now it is a happiness to me to remember that i heard that name the first time it was ever uttered between that first utterance and the last time it will be uttered on this earth ah think how many ages will lie in that gap the family her back as if she had been a child of the house and saved from death against all hope or probability they her for going into the battle and exposing herself to danger during all those hours they could not realize that she had meant to carry her so far and asked her if it had really been her recollections of of arc pose to go right into the turmoil of the fight or hadn t she got swept into it by accident and the rush of the troops they begged her to be more careful another time it was good advice maybe but it fell upon pretty soil chapter xix being worn out with the long fight we all slept the rest of the afternoon away and two or three hours into the night then we got up refreshed and had supper as for me i could have been willing to let the matter of the ghost drop and the others were of a like mind no doubt for they talked diligently of the battle and said nothing of that other thing and indeed it was fine and stirring to hear the his deeds and see him pile his dead fifteen here eighteen there and thirty five yonder but this only postponed the trouble it could not do more he could not go on forever when he had carried the by and eaten up the garrison there was nothing for it but to stop unless would give him a new start and have it all done over again as we hoped she would this time but she was otherwise minded as soon as there was a good opening and a fair chance she brought up her unwelcome subject and we faced it the best we could we followed her and her parents to the room at eleven o clock with candles and also with to place in the on the walls it was a big house with very thick walls and this room was in a remote part of it which had been left recollections op of arc for nobody knew how many years because of its evil this was a large room like a and had a big table in it of enduring oak and well preserved but the chairs were worm eaten and the on the walls was rotten and by age the dusty under the ceiling had the look of not having had any business for a century said tradition says that these ghosts have never been seen they have merely been heard it is plain that this room was once larger than it is now and that the wall at this end was built in some time to make and fence off a narrow room there there is no communication anywhere with that narrow room and if it exists and of that there is no reasonable doubt it has no light and no air but is an absolute wait where you are and take note of what happens that was all then she and her parents left us when their had died out in the distance down the empty stone an silence and solemnity ensued which was to me than the mute march past the we sat looking at each other and it was easy to see that no one there was comfortable the longer we sat so the more deadly still that stillness got to be and when the wind began to moan around the house presently it made me sick and miserable and i wished i had been brave enough to be a coward this time for indeed it is no proper shame to be afraid of ghosts seeing how helpless the living are in their mark twain hands and then these ghosts were invisible which made the matter the worse as it seemed to me they might be in the room with us at that moment we could not know i felt airy touches on my shoulders and my hair and i shrank from them and and was not ashamed to show this fear for i saw the others doing the like and knew that they were feeling those faint too as this went on oh it seemed the time dragged so all those faces became as and i seemed sitting with a of the dead at last faint and far and weird and slow came a boom boom boom a distant bell midnight when the last ke died that stillness followed again and | 34 |
as before i was staring at those faces and feeling those airy touches on my hair and my shoulders once more one minute two minutes three minutes of this then we heard a long deep groan and everybody sprang up and stood with his legs it came from that little there was a pause then we heard muffled mixed with pitiful then there was a second voice low and not distinct and the one seemed trying to comfort the other and so the two voices went on with and soft and ah the tones were so full of compassion and sorrow and despair indeed it made one s heart sore to hear it but those were so real and so human and so moving that the idea of ghosts passed straight out ci our minds and sir de spoke out and said recollections of of arc come we will that wall and set those poor free here with your ax the dwarf jumped forward swinging his great ax with both hands and others sprang for the and brought them bang went the ancient bricks and there was a hole an ox could pass through we plunged within and held up the nothing there but i on the floor lay a rusty sword and a rotten fan now you know all that i know take the pathetic relics and about them the romance of the s long vanished inmates as best you can chapter xx the next day wanted to go against the enemy again but it was the feast of the and the holy council of were too pious to be willing to profane it with but privately they it with a sort of industry just in their line they decided to do the only thing proper to do now in the new circumstances of the case an attack on the most important on the side and then if the english weakened the far more important on the other side of the river to come to its help cross in force and capture those works this give them the bridge and free with the which was french territory they decided to keep this latter part of the secret from and took them by surprise she asked them what they were about and what they had resolved upon they said they had resolved to attack the most important of the english on the side next morning and there the stopped said weu go on there is nothing more is all am i to believe this that is to say am i to recollections op op arc that you have lost your wits she turned to and said you have sense answer me this if this attack is made and the taken how much better off would we be than we are now the hesitated and then began some rambling talk not quite to the question interrupted him and said that will do good you have answered since the is not able to mention any advantage to be gained by taking that and stopping there it is not likely that any of you better the matter you waste much time here in plans that lead to nothing and making that are a damage are you concealing something from me this council has a general plan i take it without going into details what is it it is the same it was in the beginning seven months ago to get provisions in for a long siege and then sit down and tire the english out in the name of god as if seven months was not enough you want to provide for a year of it now ye shall drop these dreams the english shall go in three days several exclaimed ah general general be prudent be prudent and starve do ye call that war i tell this if you do not already know it the new circumstances have changed the face of matters the true point of attack has shifted it is on the other side of the river now one must take th mark twain that command the bridge the english know that if we are not fools and we will try to do that they are grateful for your piety in wasting this day they will the bridge from this side to night knowing what ought to happen to morrow you have but lost a day and made our task harder for we will cross and take the bridge tell me the truth does not this know that there is no other course for us than the one i am speaking of that the did know it to be the most desirable but considered it ble and he excused the council as well as he could by sa that inasmuch as nothing was really and to be hoped for but a long continuance of the siege and out of the english they were naturally a little afraid of s impetuous notions he said you see we are sure that the waiting game is the best whereas you would carry everything by storm that i would i and moreover that i will you have my orders here and now we will move upon the of the south bank to morrow at dawn and carry them by storm yes carry them by storm i la hire came in and heard the last remark he cried out by my that is the music i love to hear i yes that is the right tune and the beautiful words my general we will carry them by storm j if recollections op of arc he saluted in his large way and came up and shook by the hand some member of the council was heard to say it follows then that we must begin with the st john and that will give the english time to turned and said give | 34 |
yourselves no about the st john the english will know enough to retire from it and fall back on the bridge when they see us coming she added with a touch of sarcasm even a war council would know enough to do that itself then she took her leave la i re made this general remark to the council she is a child and that is all ye seem to see keep to that superstition if you must but you perceive that this child this complex game of war as well as any of you and if you want my opinion without the trouble of asking for it here you have it without or by god i think she can teach the best of you how to play it had spoken truly the sagacious english saw that the policy of the french had undergone a revolution that the j of and was ended that in place of taking blows blows were to be struck now therefore they made ready for the new state of things by heavy to the of the south bank from of the north the city learned the great news that once more in mark twain french history after all these humiliating years france was going to take the offensive that france so used to retreating was going to that france so long accustomed to was going to face about and strike the joy of the people passed all bounds the walls were black with them to see the army march out in the morning in that strange new position its front not its tail toward an english camp you shall imagine for yourselves what the excitement was like and how it expressed itself when rode out at the head of the host with her banner floating above her we crossed the river in strong force and a tedious long job it was for the boats were small and not our landing on the island of st was not disputed we threw a bridge of a few boats across the narrow channel thence to the south shore and took up our march in good order and for although there was a fortress there st john the english and destroyed it and fell back on the bridge below as soon as our first boats were seen to leave the shore which was what had happen when she was with the we moved down the shore and planted her standard before the of the the first of the formidable works that protected the end of the bridge the trumpets sounded the and two charges followed in handsome style but we were too weak as yet for our main body was still behind before we gather for a third the garrison of st were seen so recollections op of arc coming up to the big they came on a nm and the out and both forces came against us with a rush and sent our small army flying in a panic and followed us and and shouting and at us was doing her best to rally the men but their wits were gone their hearts were for the moment by the old time dread of the english s temper up and she halted and commanded the trumpets to sound the advance then she wheeled about and cried out k there is but a dozen of you that are not it is enough follow me away she went and after her a few dozen who had heard her words and been inspired by them the pursuing force was astonished to see her sweeping down upon them with this handful of men and it was their turn now to experience a fright surely this is a witch this is a child of satan that was their thought and without stopping to the matter they turned and fled in a panic our heard the and turned to look and when they saw the maid s banner in the other direction and the enemy ahead of it in disorder their courage and they came after us la hire heard it and his force forward and caught up with us just as we were planting our banner again before the of the we were strong enough now we had a long and tough piece of work before us but we carried it through before night keeping us hard at it mark twain and he and la hire saying we were able to take that big and must the english like well they fought like the english when that is there is no more to say we made assault after assault through the smoke and flame and the cannon and at last as the sun was sinking we carried the place with a rush and planted our standard on its walls the was ours the must be ours too if we free the bridge and raise the siege we had achieved one great undertaking was determined to accomplish the other we must lie on our arms where we were hold fast to what we had got and be ready for business in the morning so was not minded to let the men be by and riot and she had the burned with all its stores in it excepting the and everybody was tired out with this long day s hard work and of course this was the case with still she wanted to stay with the army before the to be ready for the assault in the morning the chiefs argued with her and at last persuaded her to go home and prepare for the great work by taking proper rest and also by having a look to a which she had received in her foot so we crossed with them and went home just as usual we the town in a of joy all the bells everybody shouting and several people we never went out or came | 34 |
in without furnishing good and sufficient reasons for recollections op of arc one of these pleasant and so the tempest was always on hand there had been a blank absence of reasons for this sort of for the past seven months therefore the people took to the with all the more relish on that account chapter xxi to get away from the usual crowd of visitors and have a rest went with straight to the apartment which the two occupied together and there they took their supper and there the was dressed but then instead of going to bed weary as she was sent the dwarf for me in spite of s and she said she had something on her mind and must send a to with a letter for old to read to her mother i came and she began to dictate after some loving words and greetings to her mother and the family came this but the thing which moves me to write now is to say that when you presently hear that i am you shall give self no concern about it and refuse faith to any that shall try to make you believe it is serious she was going on when spoke up and said ah but it will fright her so to read these words strike them out strike them out and wait only one day two days at most then write and say your foot was wounded but is well again for it will surely be well then or very near it don t distress her do as i say recollections of op arc a laugh like the laugh of the old days the impulsive free laugh of an spirit a laugh like a of bells was s answer then she said my foot why should i write about such a scratch as that i was not thinking of it dear heart child have you another wound and a worse and have not spoken of it what have you been dreaming about that you she had jumped up full of vague fears to have the called back at once but laid her hand upon her arm and made her sit down again sa there now be tranquil there is no other wound as yet i am writing about one which i shall get when we storm that to morrow had the look of one who is to understand a proposition but cannot quite do it she said in a fashion a wound which you are going to get but but why grieve your mother when it when it may not happen may not why the puzzle was a puzzle still said in that same abstracted way as before wiu it is a strong word i cannot seem to my mind is not able to take hold of this oh such a is a dreadful thing it takes one s peace and courage all away cast it from you drive it out it will make your whole night miserable and to no good for we will hope but it isn t a it is a fact and mark twain it will not make me miserable it is that do that but this is not an uncertainty do you know it is to happen yes i know it my voices told me ah said if they told you but are you sure it was they quite sure yes quite it will happen there is no doubt it is since when have you known it since i think it is several weeks turned to me louis you will remember how long is it your spoke of it first to the king in i answered that was as as seven weeks ago you spoke of it again the th of april and also the d two weeks ago as i see by my record here these disturbed profoundly but i had long ceased to be surprised at them one can get used to anything in this world said and it is to happen to morrow always tomorrow is it the same date always there has been no mistake and no confusion no said the th of may is the date there is no other then you shall not go a step out of this house till that awful day is gone by you will not dream of it will you promise that you will stay with us but was not persuaded she said ci recollections of of arc it would not help the matter dear good friend the wound is to come and come to morrow if i do not seek it it will seek me my duty calls me to that place to morrow i should have to go if my death were waiting for me there shall i stay away for only a wound oh no we must try to do better than that then you are determined to go of a certainty yes there is only one thing that i can do for france her soldiers for battle and victory she thought a moment then added however one should not be unreasonable and i do much to please you who are so good to me do you love ft ice i wondered what she might be now but i saw no clue said reproachfully ah what have i done to deserve this question then you do love i had not doubted it dear do not be hurt but answer me have you ever told a lie in my life i have not told a lie but no lies that is you love france and do not tell lies therefore i will trust you i will go or i will stay as you shall decide oh i thank you from my heart how good and dear it is of you to do this for me | 34 |
to you there s a noble for breakfast wait be persuaded said oh there s going to be fish in plenty when this day s work is done the whole river front will be yours to do as you please with ah your will do well that i know but we don t require quite that much even of you you shall have a month for it in place of a day now be wait and eat there s a saying that he that would cross a river twice in the same day in a boat will do well to eat fish for luck lest he have an accident mark twain that doesn t fit my case for to day i cross but once in a boat h don t say that aren t you coming back to us yes but not in a boat how then by the bridge v listen to that by the bridge now stop this dear general and do as i would have you it s a noble fish be good then and save me some for supper and i will bring one of those englishmen with me and he shall have his share ah well have your way if you must but he that must attempt but little and stop early when shall you be back when i ve raised the siege of forward we were off the streets were full of citizens and of groups and of soldiers but the spectacle was melancholy there was not a smile anywhere but only universal gloom it was as if some vast calamity had smitten all hope and cheer dead we were not used to this and were astonished but when they saw the maid there was an immediate stir and the eager question flew from mouth to mouth where is she going whither is she heard it and called out whither would ye suppose i am going to take the it would not be possible for any to describe how recollections op op arc those few words turned that mourning into joy into exaltation into frenzy and how a storm of burst out and swept down the streets in every direction and woke those multitudes to vivid life and action and turmoil in a moment the soldiers broke from the crowd and came to our standard and many of the citizens ran and got and and joined us as we moved on our increased steadily and the continued yes we moved through a solid of noise as you may say and all the windows on both sides contributed to it for they were filled with excited people you see the had closed the gate and placed a strong force there under that stout soldier de of with orders to prevent from getting out and the attack on the and this thing had the city into sorrow and despair but that feeling was gone now they believed the maid was a match for the and they were right when we reached the gate told to open it and let her pass he said it be impossible to do this for his orders were from the council and were strict said there is no authority above mine but the king s if you have an order from the king produce it i cannot claim to have an order from him general i mark twain then make way or take the consequences he began to argue the case for he was like the rest of the tribe always ready to fight with words not acts but in the midst of his interrupted with the order charge we came with a rush and brief work we made of that small job it was good to see the s surprise he was not used to this he said afterward that he was cut in the midst of what he was saying in the midst of an argument by which he have proved that he could not let pass an argument which could not have answered still it appears she did answer it said the person he was talking to we through the gate in great style with a vast accession of noise the most of which was laughter and soon our van was over the river and moving down against the first we must take a supporting work called a and which was otherwise nameless before we could assault the great its rear with the by a under which ran a swift and deep strip of the the was strong and doubted our ability to take it but had no such doubt she it with all the then about noon she ordered an assault and led it herself we poured into the through the smoke and a tempest of and shouting to her men started to climb a ladder recollections op op arc when that misfortune happened which we knew was to happen the iron bolt from an struck between her neck and her shoulder and tore its way down through her when she felt the sharp pain and saw her blood over her breast she was frightened poor girl and as she sank to the she began to cry bitterly the english sent up a glad shout and came down in strong force to take her and then for a few minutes the might of both was concentrated upon that spot over her and about her english and french fought with desperation for she stood for indeed she france to both sides whichever won her won france and could keep it forever right there in that small spot and in ten minutes by the clock the fate of france for all time was to be decided and was decided if the english had captured then charles vii would have flown the country the treaty of would have held good and already english property would have become without | 34 |
further dispute an english province to so remain the judgment day a and a kingdom were at stake there and no more time to decide it in than it takes to hard boil an egg it was the most momentous ten minutes that the clock has ever in france or ever will whenever you read in histories about hours or days or weeks in which the fate of one or another nation hung in the balance do not you fail to remember nor your french hearts to beat the quicker for the remembrance the ten minutes that called other mark twain wise of arc lay bleeding in the that day with two nations struggling over her for her possession and you will not forget the dwarf for he stood over her and did the work of any six of the others he his ax with both hands whenever it came down he said those two words for france and a flew like and the skull that carried it had learned its manners and would offend the french no more he piled a of iron clad dead in front of him and fought from behind it and at last when the victory was ours we closed about him him and he ran up a ladder with as easily as another man would carry a child and bore her out of the battle a great crowd following and anxious for she was with blood to her feet half of it her own and the other half english for bodies had fallen across her as she lay and had poured their red life streams over her one t see the white now with that awful dressing over it the iron bolt was still in the some say it projected out behind the shoulder it may be i did not wish to see and did not try to it was pulled out and the pain made cry again poor thing some say she pulled it out herself because others refused saying they could not bear to hurt her as to this i do not know i only know it was pulled out and that the was treated with oil and properly dressed lay on the grass weak and suffering hour after but still that the fight go on recollections of of arc which it did but not to much purpose for it was only under her eye that men were heroes and not afraid they were like the i think he was afraid of his shadow i mean in the afternoon when it was very big and long but when he was under s eye and the inspiration of her great spirit what was he afraid of nothing in this world and that is just the truth toward night gave it up heard the what she cried sounding the retreat her wound was forgotten in a moment she the order and sent another to the officer in command of a battery to stand ready to fire five shots in quick succession this was a signal to a force on the side of the river under la hire who was not as some of the histories say with us it was to be given whenever feel sure the was about to fall into her hands then that force must make a attack on the by way of the bridge mounted her horse now with her staff about her and when our people saw us coming they raised a great shout and were at once eager for another assault on the rode straight to the where she had received her wound and standing there in the rain of and arrows she ordered the to let her long standard blow free and to note when its should touch the fortress presently he said it touches now then said to the waiting mark twain the place is yours enter in sound the assault now then all together and go it was you never saw anything like it we up the and over the like a wave and the place was our property why one might live a thousand years and never see so gorgeous a thing as that again there hand to hand we fought like wild beasts for there was no give up to those english there was no way to convince one of those people but to kill him and even then he doubted at least so it was thought in those days and maintained by many we were busy and never heard the five fired but they were fired a moment after had ordered the assault and so while we were and being in the smaller fortress the reserve on the side poured across the bridge and attacked the from that side a fire boat was brought down and imder the which the with our wherefore when at last we drove our english ahead of us and they tried to cross that and join their friends in the the burning gave way them and emptied them in a mass into the river in their heavy and a pitiful sight it was to see brave men die such a death as that ah god pity them said and wept to see that sorrowful spectacle she said those gentle words and wept those compassionate tears although one of those men had insulted her with a coarse name three days before when she had s recollections op op arc sent a message asking him to surrender that was their leader sir william a most knight he was clothed all in steel so he under the water like a lance and of course came up no more we soon patched a sort of bridge together and threw ourselves against the last of the english power that barred from friends and supplies before the sun was quite down s forever memorable day s work was finished her banner floated | 34 |
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