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AFLOAT AND ASHORE
“True – true – it is very natural that you should prefer
hearing me talk about Miss Merton, to hearing me talk about
potatoes – I’ll tell that to Lucy, too, you may depend on it.”
“I sincerely hope you will do no such thing, my dear sir,” I
cried, in no little alarm.
“Ah! that betrays guilt – consciousness, I should say; for
what guilt can there be in a virtuous love? – and rely on it,
both the girls shall know all about it. Lucy and I often talk
over your matters, Miles; for she loves you as well as your own
sister. Ah! my fine fellow, you blush at it, like a girl of sixteen!
But, there is nothing to be ashamed of, and there is no occasion for blushes.”
“Well, sir, letting my blushes – the blushes of a shipmaster! – but setting aside my blushes, for mercy’s sake what
more did you tell Lucy?”
“What more? Why I told her how you had been on a desert
island, quite alone as one might say, with Miss Merton, and
how you had been at sea, living in the same cabin as it were, for
nine months; and it would be wonderful – wonderful, indeed,
if two so handsome young persons should not feel an attachment for each other. Country might make some difference, to
be sure – ”
“And station, sir? – What do you think would be the influence of the difference of station, also?”
“Station! – Bless me, Miles; what difference in station is
there between you and Miss Merton; that it should cause any
obstacle to your union?”
“You know what it is, sir, as well as I do myself. She is the
daughter of an officer in the British army, and I am the master
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
of a ship. You will admit, I presume, Mr. Hardinge, that there
is such, a thing as a difference in station?”
“Beyond all question. It is exceedingly useful to remember
it; and I greatly fear the loose appointments of magistrates and
other functionaries, that are making round the country, will
bring all our notions on such subjects into great confusion. I
can understand that one man is as good as another in rights,
Miles; but I cannot understand he is any better, because he
happens to be uneducated, ignorant, or a blackguard.”
Mr. Hardinge was a sensible man in all such distinctions,
though so simple in connection with other matters.
“You can have no difficulty, however, in understanding
that, in New York, for instance, I should not be considered
the equal of Major Merton – I mean socially, altogether, and
not in personal merit, or the claims which years give – and of
course, not the equal of his daughter?”
“Why – yes – I know what you mean, now. There may be
some little inequality in that sense, perhaps; but Clawbonny,
and the ship, and the money at use, would be very apt to strike
a balance.”
“I am afraid not, sir. I should have studied law, sir, had I
wished to make myself a gentleman.”
“There are lots of vulgar fellows getting into the law,
Miles – men who have not half your claims to be considered
gentlemen. I hope you do not think I wished you and Rupert
to study law in order to make gentlemen of you?”
“No, sir; it was unnecessary to take that step as regards
Rupert, who was fully born in the station. Clergymen have a
decided position all over the world, I believe; and then you
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are extremely well connected otherwise, Mr. Hardinge. Rupert
has no occasion for such an assistance – with me it was a little
different.”
“Miles – Miles – this is a strange fancy to come over a
young man in your situation – and who, I am afraid, has been
the subject of envy, only too often, to Rupert!”
“If the truth were known, Mr. Hardinge, I dare say both
Rupert and Lucy, in their secret hearts, think they possess advantages, in the way of social station, that do not belong to
Grace and myself.”
Mr. Hardinge looked hurt, and I was soon sorry that I had
made this speech. Nor would I have the reader imagine that
what I had said, proceeded in the least from that narrow selfish feeling, which, under the blustering pretension of equality,
presumes to deny the existence of a very potent social fact; but
simply from the sensitiveness of feelings, which, on this subject, were somewhat in danger of becoming morbid, through
the agency of the most powerful passion of the human heart –
or, that which has well been called the master-passion. Nevertheless, Mr. Hardinge was much too honest a man to deny a
truth, and much too sincere to wish even to prevaricate about
it, however unpleasant it might be to acknowledge it, in all its
unpleasant bearings.
“I now understand you, Miles; and it would be idle to pretend that there is not some justice in what you say, though I
attach very little importance to it, myself. Rupert is not exactly
what I could wish him to be in all things, and possibly he may
be coxcomb enough, at times, to fancy he has this slight advantage over you, – but, as for Lucy, I’ll engage she never thinks
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
of you but as a second brother – and that she loves you exactly
as she loves Rupert.”
Mr. Hardinge’s simplicity was of proof, and it was idle to
think of making any impression on it. I changed the subject,
therefore, and this was easily enough done, by beginning again
to talk about the potatoes. I was far from being easy, nevertheless; for I could not avoid seeing that the good divine’s restlessness might readily widen the little breach which had opened
between his daughter and myself.
That day, at dinner, I discovered that Grace’s winter in
town had led to a sensible melioration of the domestic economy; most especially as related to the table. My father and
mother had introduced some changes, which rendered the
Clawbonny household affairs a little different from those of
most other of the Ulster county families near our own class;
but their innovations, or improvements, or whatever they
might be called, were far from being as decided as those introduced by their daughter. Nothing, perhaps, sooner denotes
the condition of people, than the habits connected with the
table. If eating and drinking be not done in a certain way, and
a way founded in reason, too, as indeed are nearly all the customs of polished life, whatever may be the cant of the ultras of
reason – but, if eating and drinking be not done in a certain
way, your people of the world perceive it sooner than almost
anything else. There is, also, more of common sense and innate
fitness, in the usages of the table, so long as they are not dependent on mere caprice, than in almost any other part of our
deportment; for everybody must eat, and most persons choose
to eat decently. I had been a little nervous on the subject of the
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AFLOAT AND ASHORE
Mertons, in connection with the Clawbonny table, I will confess; and great was my delight when I found the breakfast going off so well. As for the Major, himself by no means familiar
with the higher classes of his own country, he had that great
stamp of a gentleman, simplicity; and he was altogether above
the cockney distinctions of eating and drinking; those about
cheese and malt liquors, and such vulgar niceties; nor was he a
man to care about the silver-forkisms; but he understood that
portion of the finesse of the table which depended on reason
and taste, and was accustomed to observe it. This I knew from
near a twelve month’s intercourse, and I had feared we might
turn out to be a little too rustic.
Grace had made provisions against all this, with a tact and
judgment for which I could have worshipped her. I knew the
viands, the vegetables, and the wines would all be good of
their kind, for in these we seldom failed; nor did I distrust the
cookery, the English-descended families of the Middle States,
of my class, understanding that to perfection; but I feared we
should fail in those little incidents of style and arrangement,
and in the order of the service, that denote a well-regulated
table. This is just what Grace had seen to; and I found that a
great revolution had been quietly effected in this branch of
our domestic economy during my absence; thanks to Grace’s
observations while at Mrs. Bradfort’s.
Emily seemed pleased at dinner, and Lucy could again
laugh and smile. After the cloth was removed, the Major and
Mr. Hardinge discussed a bottle of Madeira, and that too of
a quality of which I had no reason to be ashamed; while we
young people withdrew together to a little piazza, that was
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
in the shade at that hour, and took seats, for a chat. Rupert
was permitted to smoke, on condition that he would not approach within fifteen feet of the party. No sooner was this little group thus arranged, the three girls in a crescent, than I
disappeared.
“Grace, I have not yet spoken to you of a necklace of pearls
possessed by your humble servant,” I cried, as my foot again
touched the piazza. – “I would not say a word about it – ”
“Yet, Lucy and I heard all about it – ” answered Grace
with provoking calmness, “but would not ask to see it, lest
you should accuse us of girlish curiosity. We waited your high
pleasure, in the matter.”
“You and Lucy heard I had such a necklace!”
“Most unquestionably; I, Grace Wallingford, and she, Lucy
Hardinge. I hope it is no infringement on the rights of Mr.
Miles Clawbonny” – so the girls often called me, when they
affected to think I was on my high-ropes – “I hope it is no
infringement on the rights of Mr. Miles Clawbonny to say as
much.”
“And pray how could you and Lucy know anything about
it?”
“That is altogether another question; perhaps we may accord an answer, after we have seen the necklace.”
“Miss Merton told us, Miles,” said Lucy, looking at me with
gentleness, for she saw I really wished an answer; and what
could Lucy Hardinge ever refuse me, that was right in itself
when she saw my feelings were really interested?
“Miss Merton? Then I have been betrayed, and the surprise
I anticipated is lost.”
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AFLOAT AND ASHORE
I was vexed, and my manner must have shown it in a slight
degree. Emily coloured, bit her lip, and said nothing; but Grace
made her excuses with more spirit than it was usual for her to
show.
“You are rightly punished, Master Miles,” she cried; “for
you had no business to anticipate surprises. They are vulgar
things at best, and they are worse than that when they come
from a distance of fifteen thousand miles – from a brother to a
sister. Besides, you have surprised us sufficiently once, already,
in connection with Miss Merton.”
“I!” I exclaimed.
“Me!” added Emily.
“Yes, I and me; did you tell us one word about her, in your
letters? and have you not now both surprised and delighted
us, by making us acquainted with so charming a person? I can
pardon such a surprise, on account of its consequences; but
nothing so vulgar as a surprise about pearls.”
Emily blushed now; and in her it was possible to tell the
difference between a blush and the suffusion that arose from
a different feeling; but she looked immensely superior to anything like explanations.
“Captain Wallingford” – how I disliked that Captain –
“Captain Wallingford can have but little knowledge of young
ladies,” she said, coldly, “if he supposes such pearls as he possesses would not form the subject of their conversation.”
I was coxcomb enough to fancy Emily was vexed that I had
neglected to be more particular about her being on the island,
and her connection with the ship. This might have been a mistake; however.
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
“Let us see the pearls, Miles; and that will plead your apology,” said Lucy.
“There, then – your charming eyes, young ladies, never
looked on pearls like those, before.”
Female nature could not suppress the exclamations of belight that succeeded. Even Rupert, who had a besetting weakness on the subject of all personal ornaments, laid aside his
segar, and came within the prescribed distance, the better to
admire. It was admitted all round, New York had nothing to
compare with them. I then mentioned that they had been
fished up by myself from the depths of the sea.
“How much that adds to their value!” said Lucy, in a low
voice, but in her warm, sincere manner.
“That was getting them cheap, was it not, Miss Wallingford?” inquired Emily, with an emphasis I disliked.
“Very; though I agree with Lucy, it makes them so much
the more valuable.”
“If Miss Merton will forget my charge of treason, and condescend to put on the necklace, you will all see it to much
greater advantage than at present. If a fine necklace embellishes a fine woman, the advantage is quite reciprocal. I have seen
my pearls once already on her neck, and know the effect.”
A wish of Grace’s aided my application, and Emily placed
the ornaments around her throat. The dazzling whiteness of
her skin gave a lustre to the pearls that they certainly did not
previously possess. One scarcely knew which to admire the
most – the ornaments, or their setting.
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AFLOAT AND ASHORE
“How very, very beautiful they are now!” cried Lucy, in
generous admiration. “Oh! Miss Merton, pearls should ever be
your ornaments.”
“Those pearls, you mean, Lucy,” put in Rupert, who was always extremely liberal with other people’s means; “the necklace ought never to be removed.”
“Miss Merton knows their destination,” I said, gallantly,
“and the terms of ownership.”
Emily slowly undid the clasp, placed the string before her
eyes, and looked at it long and silently.
“And what is this destination, Miles? What these terms of
ownership?” my sister asked.
“Of course he means them for you, dear,” Lucy remarked in
haste. “For whom else can he intend such an ornament?”
“You are mistaken, Miss Hardinge. Grace must excuse me
for being a little selfish this time, at least. I do not intend those
pearls for Miss Wallingford, but for Mrs. Wallingford, should
there ever be such a person.”
“Upon my word, such a double temptation, my boy, I Wonder Miss Merton ever had the fortitude to remove them from
the enviable position they so lately occupied,” cried Rupert,
glancing meaningly towards Emily, who returned the look
with a slight smile.
“Of course, Miss Merton understood that my remark was
ventured in pleasantry,” I said stiffly, “and not in presumption. It was decided, however, when in the Pacific, that these
pearls ought to have that destination. It is true, Clawbonny is
not the Pacific, and one may be pardoned for seeing things a
little differently here, from what they appeared there. I have a
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
few more pearls, however, very inferior in quality I confess, to
those of the necklace; but, such as they are, I should esteem it
a favour, ladies, if you would consent to divide them equally
among you. They would make three very pretty rings, and as
many breast-pins.”
I put into Grace’s hands a little box containing all the pearls
that had not been placed on the string. There were many fine
ones among them, and some of very respectable size, though
most were of the sort called seed. In the whole, there were several hundreds.
“We will not balk his generosity,” said Grace, smiling –
“so, Miss Merton, we will separate the pearls into three parcels,
and draw lots for them. Here are handsome ornaments among
them!”
“They will have one value with you, at least, Grace, and
quite likely with Lucy, while they might possibly possess another with Miss Merton. I fished up every one of those pearls
with my own hands.”
“Certainly, that will give them value with both Lucy and
me, dearest Miles, as would the simple fact that they are your
gift – but what is to give them their especial value with Miss
Merton?”
“They may serve to remind Miss Merton of some of her
hair-breadth escapes, of the weeks passed on the island, and
of scenes that, a few years hence, will probably possess the
colours of a dream, in her recollection.”
“One pearl I will take, with this particular object” – said
Emily, with more feeling than I had seen her manifest since
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