Harland

“ Harland had told about his college friend at Oxford. I tried to picture his face and figure till presently it seemed as if I saw him,—indeed I could have sworn that a man's shadowy form stood immediately in front of me, bending upon me a searching glance from eyes that were strangely familiar. Startled at this wraith of my own fancy, I half rose from my chair—then sank back again with a laugh at my imagination's too vivid power of portrayal. ”

“ Though the unfortunate girl I am afraid is too well secreted to be discovered by any means we can use."
"Drive me not mad, Sir Henry, by the supposition," said Harland; "rather encourage me with hopes, though delusive ones, than tear my heart by such a truth."
"Alas, Harland," answered Sir Henry, "I would encourage hope in you, but it is dead in my own bosom. Louise, I am afraid, is irrecoverably lost."
"I must not, will not lose her," cried the frantic Harland. "Ferrand, the villain Ferrand, too surely has her in his power! ”

“ A transient peace possessed every bosom: when Harland, after a considerable pause, addressing his Louise, said—"I have often designed, my dear girl, to request some account of the occurrences attending your childhood; of which I have hitherto had a very imperfect knowledge: the present moment is favourable for the relation, which I think would prove equally gratifying to Sir Henry and our friends." ”

“ Harland's voice, harsh and caustic as it could be when he was irritated or worsted in an argument, broke the momentary silence.
"You are more impossible now than you ever were at Oxford, Santoris!" he said—"You out-transcend all transcendentalism! You know, or you ought to know by this time, that there is no such thing as an immortal soul—and if you believe otherwise you have brought yourself voluntarily into that state of blind credulity. ”

“ Harland is younger, freer, with juvenile spirits and a happy keenness and interest in life. He is more of a creator and less of a critic; perhaps some day he will even achieve the same kind of literary distinction as that which adorned his older rival. ”

“ He again bowed, and, repeating his salutation, walked on. "Stay! Sir Henry," vociferated Harland: "at least you shall not go alone to the Marchioness: and beware how you act; for, depend upon it, you shall hereafter render me account!" [Pg 229]
They arrived at the Marchioness's, as the Captain concluded the account he had received from Frederick. She smiled when they entered; and Harland, with all the incoherence that anxiety and jealousy could excite, renewed his entreaties, that she would permit his addresses to Louise. He offered to settle the whole of the fortune he then possessed on her ”

“ Harland drew his cigar from his mouth and looked up amazed, as we all did, at the mysterious way in which the sails filled out, pulling the cordage tightly into bands of iron strength,—and none of us could restrain an involuntary cry of wonder and admiration as their whiteness began to glitter with the radiance of hoar-frost, the strange luminance deepening in intensity till it seemed as if the whole stretch of canvas from end to end of the magnificent schooner was a mass of fine jewel-work sparkling under the moon. ”

“ For four days they continued their search, scarcely allowing themselves the rest and refreshment nature required, when, to add to their distress, they were informed the fleet was ready to sail, and only waited for a favourable wind.
"God of Heaven prevent it!" exclaimed Harland, "for if Louise be not found, I can sooner forfeit my commission, my honour, nay my life, than lose her! What can be done, Sir Henry? Which way can we go?" ”

“ HARLAND, HENRY (1861–1905) , American novelist, was born in St Petersburg, Russia, in March 1861, and was educated in New York and at Harvard. He went to Europe as a journalist, and, after publishing several novels, mainly of American-Jewish life (under the name of Sidney Luska) , first made his literary reputation in London as editor of the Yellow Book in 1894. ”

“ It was late when the company separated, and Harland, with the Captain and Frederick, were returning to the Bay, when they were attacked by four men, who in a moment struck the Captain to the ground. Harland, whose courage equalled his passions, immediately drew, as did Frederick, and endeavoured to guard the Captain, against whose life the ruffians seemed principally to direct their attention. A sharp conflict ensued, in which their assailants had evidently the superiority, and they were nearly overpowered, when a man, wrapped in a large roquelaure, hastily approached. ”

“ Passion gleamed in the eyes of Harland; and Frederick, fearing a quarrel would ensue, entreated they would cease the subject, and return to the company: but Sir Henry declared he was too much indisposed to experience pleasure in society. Harland, whose jealousy had induced him to follow Sir Henry, to demand an explanation of his words, concluding the attempt would prove ineffectual, yielded to the remonstrances of Frederick, and returned to the gentle Louise ”

“ When Harland concluded, he appeared for some moments absorbed in reflection, and then desired to see the slave. Sir Henry and Harland looked anxiously at each other, and would have interceded in behalf of the old man, but were prevented by his entrance; their apprehensions on his account, however, ceased, as the Governor said—
"So, Carlo—I find you have been a principal actor in the adventures of our European friends. You have undoubtedly acted right as a man, but not with the obedience and respect due from a slave to his owner. ”

“ I first met Harland in the elevator some time in the end of November. Seeing me every day he spoke to me casually and civilly, as one man does to another. There was nothing more than that till Johnston Barker began coming to the Azalea Woods Estates, then, bit by bit, Harland grew more friendly. I'll admit I was flattered, a chap in my position doesn't usually get more than a passing nod from a man in his. ”

“ Inconceivable was the rage of Harland and Ferrand at this restriction: but they were obliged to obey; each secretly tormented with the idea, that his rival would find opportunities of seeing Louise, and gaining her affections. The keen [Pg 216] eye of jealousy had soon told Ferrand Louise preferred Harland to himself; wounded pride and indignation now led to the desire of revenge; and before he reached the abode, appointed by his uncle, he resolved to carry her off; by which means he should effectually punish her disregard for himself, and triumph over his rival. ”

“ Why?" asked John, his blue eyes blank.
"A young man boarding with the parroco for six francs a day—" she began.
"Six francs fifty, please," he gently interposed.
"Make it seven if you like," her ladyship largely conceded. "Wouldn't your position be slightly false? Would they quite realize who you were?"
"What could that possibly matter? wondered John, eyes blanker still.
"I could conceive occasions in which it might matter furiously," said she. "Foreigners can't with half an eye distinguish amongst us, as we ourselves can; and Austrians have such oddly exalted notions. ”

“ Harland, as he led the way to Mulberry House, a lady on either side of him, "that your sons all enjoy good health."
"Lord save the man!" cried the lady with the glasses, "you don't suppose all them byes is mine. I've one of 'em, and he's enough--the limb! I've seven daughters, but they're Samuel Newton's, who is dead. The rest of them byes are Mr. Bindon's." ”

“ What Harland read was as follows:—
'I, Edward Derracott, being in the full possession of my senses, have decided to put an end to my life. It has become too much to bear. My debts have involved me too deeply, and I am tired of the struggle. I have no strength to go on. May God help my wife! Forgive me, Lucy: I have tried, but there seems no way out hut this. Let others take warning by my fate. The turf is accursed. God help me.'
Harland inquired of the writer with his eyes, and the latter jerked his cigarette at the ink. ”

“ From the turf under their feet rose the keen odour of wet earth, and the mingled scents of clover and wild thyme. All round them sand-martins wheeled and swerved, in a flight that was like aerial skating. Far below, and beyond the dark-green of Rowland Marshes, which followed the winding of the cliffs like a shadow, stretched the grey sea, with its legions of white horses.
"What a sense one gets, from here, of the sea's immensity," Susanna said. "I think the horizon is a million miles away."
"It is," affirmed Anthony, with conclusiveness, as one possessing exact knowledge. ”

“ Hall, the old minister, who had gone to his rest.
"You must exert yourself, Miss Ida," said he. "Have you walked yet?"
"No, sir."
"Cannot you do it?"
"I don't know, indeed, sir."
"But, my dear child, nature cannot do everything; we must aid her. It is as binding upon us to save our own lives, as those of others."
"When they are worth saving."
"You want more powerful tonics than any I have;" said the doctor, eyeing her curiously. "I must think your case over. I command you to walk across the room twice to-day, three times to-morrow, and so on. See that she minds me, Rachel!" ”

“ Many stories of the same type followed under the same pseudonym, and although of no high literary merit they brought Harland both reputation and pecuniary profit in America. 'Grandison Mather' (1890) , one of the last, was reviewed in the 'Athenæum' as 'a clever and lively novel by an author who deserves to be better known in England.' Soon after 1890 Harland resolved to abandon sensational fiction, and coming to England set himself deliberately to develop a literary style. ”

“ Harland, when he handed this epistle to his wife, "Mr. Bindon is a truly remarkable man."
The lady read the letter.
"Andrew, what does he mean? 'An assorted lot of five sons. Probably the lot may consist of seven.' I take my stand, Andrew, and I insist upon an explanation. I will not have this man shooting his children--or what he calls his children--into my house as though they were coals. Seven sons all of an age were hard to swallow, but at fourteen I draw the line."
"You're not a philosopher, Maria. At the rate of a hundred pounds a head I shouldn't draw the line at forty." ”

“ I was also rather dazed and bewildered; yet I still had enough of my wits about me to go up to the fisherman, and say politely, “Here, sir, is your pole.” He cried in response—and I noticed that he pronounced the English language in a very peculiar way—“My kracious! You was a brave boy, Bubby. Hurry up; dress; you catch your death of cold standing still there, mitout no clodes on you, like dot. My koodness! a boy like you was worth a tousand dollars.” ”

“ Sir Henry started up to accompany him.
"This madness must not be," said the Captain, detaining them. "Though suspicion points at Ferrand, you are not certain he is the aggressor; and if he be, it is to the friendship of his uncle you [Pg 247] must look for redress: do not then, by an avowed act of violence, induce him to espouse the cause you want him to condemn. But here comes the Governor; and I beg, Harland, you will at least restrain your passion, and hear his opinion, before you determine on your procedure." ”

“ In this house, the Aristocracy of Talent dines with the butler.”
“Is the Countess such a snob?” she asked.
“No; she’s an Austrian. They draw the line so absurdly tight in Austria.”
“Well, then, you leave me no alternative,” she argued, “but to conclude that Victor Field is a tremendous swell. Didn’t you notice, I bobbed him a curtsey?”
“I took the curtsey as a tribute to my Oriental magnificence,” he confessed. “Field doesn’t sound like an especially patrician name. I’d give anything to discover who you are. Can’t you be induced to tell me? ”

“ Harland, "must be Jolly Jack. You will be pleased to learn, young ladies," he added in a louder key, "that you have been shipped to Europe by mistake. I don't at this moment understand altogether how the mistake arose. There are eight of you--I perceive that there are eight--and one would think that a mistake to that extent would be one which it would be rather difficult to make. Still, you will be gratified to learn, it has been made. Mr. Bindon has telegraphed to tell me so. We expected a shipment to consist of an assorted lot of sons, possibly five--possibly seven. ”

“ The consequence was that the following day he again bent his footsteps in the direction of the bridge.
“It’s a lovely afternoon,” he said, lifting his hat.
“But a weary one,” said she, smiling, with a little pensive movement of the head.
“Not a weary one for the carp,” he hinted, glancing down at the water, which boiled and bubbled with a greedy multitude.
“Oh, they have no human feelings,” said she.
“Don’t you call hunger a human feeling?” he inquired.
“They have no human feelings; but I never said we hadn’t plenty of carp feelings,” she answered him. ”

“ He clenched his fists in the clammy pockets of his raincoat. Take my key would she the old harridan? I’ll show her, damn it. Joe Harland may be down and out but he’s got his pride yet.
He walked west along Fourteenth and without stopping to think and lose his nerve went down into a small basement stationery store, strode through unsteadily to the back, and stood swaying in the doorway of a little office where sat at a rolltop desk a blueeyed baldheaded fat man.
“Hello Felsius,” croaked Harland.
The fat man got to his feet bewildered. “God it aint Mr. Harland is it?” ”