Amelia E. Barr

“ The noble not caring of the spirit, is beyond the mere passion of the animal. What does Annie say?”
“Annie is an angel. I walk far below her—and I hate the man who has so wronged—Cornelia. I think, sir, you must also hate him.”
“I hate nobody. God send, that I may be treated the same. George, you have flashed your sword only in a noble quarrel, will you now stain it with the blood of a man below your anger or consideration? You have had your follies, and I have smiled at them; knowing well, that a man who has no follies in his youth, will have in his maturity no power. ”

“ What is there I would not do to please you, sir?”
“Let me tell you, George, such words are very sweet to me. As to yourself, I do not fear for you. It is above, and below reason, that you should do anything to shame your kindred, living or dead—the living indeed, you might reconcile; the dead are implacable; and their vengeance is to be feared.”
“I fear not the dead, and I love the living. The honour of Hyde is safe in my keeping. If you have any advice to give me, sir, pray speak plainly.” ”

“ Grandfather, will you see Doctor Moran for me? You can speak a word that will prevail.”
“I will not, my Joris. If thy father were not here, that would be different. He is the right man to move in the matter. Ever thou art in too much of a hurry. Think now of thy life as a book of uncut leaves, and do not turn a page till thou hast read it to the very last word.”
“I will see Cornelia for thee,” said Madame Van Heernskirk. “I will ask the girl what she means. Very often she passes here, sometimes she comes in. I will say to her—why did thou throw my grandson’s love away like an old shoe? ”

“ Have I not found all women of a piece? Did not Molly Trefuses throw me over for a duke? and Sarah Talbot tell me my love was only calf-love and had to be weaned? and Eliza Capel regret that I was too young to guide a wife, and so marry a cabinet minister old enough for her grandfather? Women are all just so, not a cherry stone to choose between them—I will never wonder again at anything a woman does—Was ever a lover so betrayed? Oh Cornelia! your ink should have frozen in your pen, ere you wrote such words to me.”
Thus his passionate grief and anger tortured him until midnight. ”

“ As for Rem, she had a decided feeling of annoyance, almost of fear, as he entered her mind. She was angry that he had chosen that day to urge his unwelcome suit, and thus thrust his personality into Hyde’s special hour.
“He always makes himself unwelcome,” she thought, “he ever has the way to come when he was least wanted; but Joris! Oh there is nothing I would alter in him, even at the cost of a wish! JORIS! JORIS!” and she let the dear name sweeten her lips, while the light of love brightened and lengthened her eyes, and spread over her lovely face a blushing glow. ”

“ But it was after dark when he reached the tall stone portals of Hyde Manor House. The ride, however, had given him back his best self. For when we leave society and come into the presence of Nature, we become children again; and the fictions of thought and action assumed among men drop off like a garment. The beauty of the pale green hills, and the flowing river, and the budding trees, and the melody of birds singing as if they never would grow old, were all but charming accessories and horizons to his constant pictures of Cornelia. ”

“ The doctor was so satisfied with affairs, that he was often heard timing his firm, strong steps to snatches of long forgotten military songs; and Cornelia, knowing her lover was every day coming nearer and nearer, was just as happy as a girl loving and well beloved, ought to be. Sorrow was all behind her, and a great joy was coming to meet her. Until mortal love should become immortal, she could hope for no sweeter interlude in life. ”

“ Madame Jacobus was the first to interrupt these pretty reminiscences. “All this is very fine,” she said, “but the most of it is no good for us. The satin and the lace and even the gems, we can have; the music can be somehow managed, and we shall not make a bad show as to love and beauty. But castles and lords and military pomp, and old cathedrals hung with battle flags— Such things are not to be had here, and, in plain truth, they are not necessary for the wedding of a simple maid like our Arenta.” ”

“ This is the great saying that men forget—Death is Life!”
“Yet life ceases.”
“It does not, Annie. Death, is like the setting of the sun. The sun never sets; life never ceases. Certain phenomena occur which deceive us, because human vision is so feeble—we think the sun sets, and it never ceases shining; we think our friends die, and they never cease living.”
As he spoke these words Mary Damer entered, and she laid her hand on his shoulder and said, “My dear Doctor Roslyn, after death what then? we are not all good—what then?” ”

“ At this moment Madame Van Heemskirk came quickly forward. She turned a face of disapproval on her husband, and asked sharply, “Why dost thou complain?”
“I like not my house-door struck so rudely, Lysbet. No man in all America, but Joris Hyde, would dare to do it.”
At these words Joris flung himself from his horse and clasped his grandfather’s hand. “I did wrong,” he said warmly; “but I am beside myself with happiness; and I thought of nothing but telling you. My heart was in such a hurry that my hands forgot how to behave themselves.” ”

“ She knew now every turn of an event so full of sorrow. She was positive Rem Van Ariens was himself the thief of her cousin’s love and happiness, and the bringer of grief—almost of death—to Cornelia. All the facts she did not have, but facts are little; intuition is everything. She said to herself, “I shall not be long here, and before I go away, I must put right love’s wrong.” ”

“ Thank you, aunt. You always know what is in a young girl’s heart.”
“First, listen to what I say. No woman of our family has escaped calamity of some kind, if they owned these beads. My mother lost her husband the year she received them. My Aunt Hildegarde lost her fortune as soon as they were hers. As for myself, on the very day they became mine your Uncle Jacobus sailed away, and he has never come back. Are you not afraid of such fatality?”
“No, I am not. Things just happen that way. What power can a few beads have over human life or happiness? To say so, to think so, is foolishness.” ”

“ The next morning Mary Damer called. She knew that a letter from Cornelia was possible, and she knew also that it would really be as fateful to herself, as to Hyde. If, as she suspected, it was Rem Van Ariens who had detained the misdirected letter, there was only one conceivable result as regarded herself. She, an upright, honourable English girl, loving truth with all her heart, and despising whatever was underhand and disloyal, had but one course to take—she must break off her engagement with a man so far below her standard of simple morality. ”

“ And it is not an impossible thing I desire. In short, there is some way to compass it.” Then a sudden, invincible persuasion of success came to him; he believed in his own good fortune; he had a conviction that the very stars connived with a true lover to work his will. And under this enthusiasm he galloped into town, took his horse to a stable, and then walked towards Maiden Lane.
In a few moments he saw Arenta Van Ariens. She was in a mist of blue and white, with flowing curls, and fluttering ribbons; and a general air of happiness. ”

“ But she bravely put down all the clamouring selfishness of her long sweet care and affection, and said cheerfully—
“Very much to my liking is Cornelia Moran, She is world-like and heaven-like, and her good heart and sweet nature every one knows. A loving wife and a noble mother she will make, and if I must lose thee, my Joris, there is no girl in America that I like better to have thee.” ”

“ She fell into his joyous mood, and as star to star vibrates light, so his soul touched her soul, through some finer element than ordinary life is conscious of. A delightsome gladness was between them, and their words had such heart gaiety, that they seemed to dance as they spoke; while the wind blowing Cornelia’s curls, and scarf, and drapery, was like a merry playfellow.
Now Love has always something in it of the sea ”

“ Was he—and are we—fallen angels, working our way back to our first estate through many trials and much suffering? Doctor Roslyn talked to me of these things till I thought I felt wings stirring within me. Wings! Wings! Wings to fly away and be at rest. Wings! they have been the dream of every race and every age. Are they a memory of our past greatness, for they haunt us, and draw us on and on, and higher and higher?—but why do you look so troubled and reluctant?”
Before Hyde could answer, the Earl came into the room and the young man was glad to see his father. ”

“ For while thy grandfather talked of Aaron Burr, this thought came into my mind—if to Annie Hyde my Joris is married, he will live in England, and I shall see him no more in this world. But if to Cornelia Moran he is married, when his father goes to England, then here he will stay; he will live at Hyde Manor, and I shall go to see him, and he will call here to see me;—and then, many good days came into my thoughts. Yes, yes, in every kind thing, in every good thing, somewhere there is hid a little bit of our own will and way. Always, if I look with straight eyes, I can find it. ”

“ I have seen that every one forgives much in themselves that they find unpardonable in other people.”
“In so far, Arenta, we are all at fault.”
“I think it is cruel, father, to ask Rem to speak truth to his own injury. Even the law is kinder than you, it asks no man to accuse himself.”
“Right wrongs no man. Till others move in this matter, you be quiet. If you talk, evil words you will say; and mind this, Arenta, the evil that comes out of your lips, into your own bosom will fall. ”

“ As for Hyde, no thought that could mar the sweetness and joy of this fortunate hour came into his mind. Neither Rem’s evident hatred, nor Arenta’s disapproval, nor yet Cornelia’s silence, troubled him. He had within his heart a talisman that made everything propitious. And he was so joyous that the people whom he passed on the street caught happiness from him. Men and women alike turned to look after the youth, for they felt the virtue of his passing presence, and wondered what it might mean. Even the necessary parting from Cornelia was only a phase of this wonderful gladness ”

“ I think Rem Van Ariens has as much of Cornelia’s liking as George Hyde; and perhaps neither of them have enough of it to win her hand. All lovers do not grow to husbands.”
“Thank God, they do not! But what you say about Rem is only cobweb stuff. She is too friendly, too pleasantly familiar, I would like to see her more shy and silent with him. Every one has already given my daughter to Hyde, and, say what you will, common fame is seldom to blame.”
“Dinner is waiting, John, and whether you eat it or not Destiny will go straight to her mark. Love is destiny; and the heart is its own fate. ”