elinor wyllys-2-第54章

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　was　no　tell…tale；　nothing　has　ever　transpired　on　the　subject。　We　may　suppose；　however；　that　two　young　people；　strongly　attached　to　each　other；　united　under　such　peculiar　circumstances；　did　not　part　again　until　a　conclusive　and　satisfactory　explanation　had　taken　place。　Harry　no　doubt　was　enabled　to　quiet　any　scruples　he　may　have　felt　with　regard　to　Ellsworth；　and　probably　Elinor　was　assured；　that　she　had　entirely　mistaken　Hazlehurst's　feelings　during　the　past　summer；　that　Mrs。　Creighton　was　his　friend's　sister；　and　a　charming　woman；　but　not　the　woman　he　loved；　not　the　woman　he　could　ever　love；　after　having　known　his　Elinor。　Then；　as　both　parties　were　frank　and　warm…hearted；　as　they　had　known　each　other　for　years；　and　had　just　been　reunited　under　circumstances　so　solemn；　there　was　probably　more　truth；　less　reserve；　and　possibly　more　tenderness　than　usual　at　similar　meetings。　Doubtless　there　were　some　smiles；　and　to　judge　from　the　tone　of　both　parties　on　separating；　we　think　that　some　tears　must　have　been　shed。　We　are　certain　that　amid　their　own　intimate　personal　communications；　the　young　friend　so　dear　to　both；　so　recently　lost；　was　more　than　once　remembered；　while　at　the　same　time　it　is　a　fact；　that　another　communication　of　some　importance　to　Harry；　the　disclosures　of　Stebbins；　was　forgotten　by　him；　or　deferred　until　the　interview　was　interrupted。　Mr。　Wyllys　entered　to　let　Harry　know　that　Hubert　de　Vaux　had　come　for　him。

〃De　Vaux　is　here　waiting　for　you；　Harry；〃　said　Mr。　Wyllys；　opening　the　drawing…room　door。

〃Is　it　possible；　my　dear　sir？Is　it　so　late？〃　exclaimed　Harry。

It　was　in　fact　de　Vaux；　come　to　accompany　Harry　to　Longbridge；　to　meet　the　body　of　our　poor　Charlie：　so　closely；　on　that　eventful　day；　were　joy　and　sadness　mingled　to　the　friends　at　Wyllys…Roof。

Elinor　had　risen　from　her　seat　as　her　grandfather　approached。

〃You　feel　better；　my　child；〃　he　said　kindly。

〃I　am　happy；　grandpapa！happy　as　I　can　be　TO…DAY！〃　she　added；　blushing；　and　weeping；　and　throwing　her　arms　about　his　neck。

〃It　is　all　right；　I　see。　May　you　be　blessed；　together；　my　children！〃　said　the　venerable　man；　uniting　their　hands。

After　an　instant's　silence；　Elinor　made　a　movement　to　leave　the　room。

〃I　am　going　to　Longbridge；　but　I　shall　hope　to　see　you　again　in　the　evening；〃　said　Harry；　before　she　left　him。

〃When　you　come　back；　then。　You　are　going　to　Longbridge；　you　say？〃

〃Yes；〃　Said　Harry　sadly；　〃to　meet　Van　Horne　and　Smith；　with〃

Elinor　made　no　reply；　she　understood　his　sad　errand；　offered　him　her　hand　again；　and　left　the　room。　She　retired　to　her　own　apartment；　and　remained　there　alone　for　a　long　time；　and　there　the　young　girl　fell　on　her　knees；　and　offered　up　most　fervent；　heartfelt　thanksgivings　for　the　safety　of　one　she　loved　truly；　one　she　had　long　loved；　so　recently　rescued　from　the　grave。

That　afternoon；　just　as　the　autumn　sun　was　sinking　towards　the　woods；　throwing　a　rich；　warm　glow　over　the　country；　a　simple　procession　was　seen　moving　slowly　and　sadly　over　the　Longbridge　highway。　It　was　the　body　of　Charlie　Hubbard；　brought　home　by　his　friends；　to　pass　a　few　hours　beneath　his　mother's　roof；　ere　it　was　consigned　to　its　last　resting…place　under　the　sod。　We　have　not　yet　dared　to　intrude　upon　the　stricken　inmates　of　the　old　grey　cottage；　we　shall　not　attempt　to　paint　their　grief；　such　grief　is　sacred。　The　bereaved　mother；　half…infirm　in　body　and　mind；　seemed　to　feel　the　blow　without　fully　understanding　it：　Patsey；　poor　Patsey　felt　the　affliction　fully；　comprehended　it　wholly。　Charlie　had　been　her　idol　from　infancy；　she　had　watched　over　the　boy　with　an　engrossing　affection；　an　earnest　devotion；　which　could　be　only　compared　to　a　mother's　love；　which　might　claim　a　mother's　sacred　name。　She　was　entirely　overcome　when　the　young　artist's　body　was　brought　into　the　house；　and　placed　in　the　coffin；　beneath　his　father's　portrait。

〃My　boy！my　brother！Charlie！〃　she　cried　wildly；　all　her　usual　calmness；　her　usual　firmness　giving　way　at　the　moment；　as　the　young　face　she　loved　so　tenderly　was　first　disclosed　to　her　view；　pale　and　lifeless。　But　the　fine　features　of　the　young　artist；　almost　feminine　in　their　delicate　beauty；　returned　no　answering　glancethey　were　rigid；　cold；　and　partially　discoloured　by　death。

Hazlehurst　and　de　Vaux　passed　the　night　beside　the　body　of　their　friend；　Miss　Agnes　and　Mrs。　Van　Horne　were　with　the　bereaved　mother　and　sisters。

Early　on　the　following　morning；　Mr。　Wyllys　and　Elinor　came　to　take　a　last　look　at　their　young　friend。

'Can　it　indeed　be　true？Charlie　gone　for　ever；　gone　so　suddenly！'　thought　Elinor；　as　she　leaned　over　his　body；　weeping　with　the　sincere；　heartfelt　grief　of　a　true　friend；　until　Hazlehurst；　pained　by　her　emotion；　gently　drew　her　away；　not；　however；　before　she　had　bent　over　poor　Charlie；　and　gently　kissed　the　discoloured　forehead　of　her　young　companion；　for　the　first　and　the　last　time。

Patsey's　grief；　though　not　less　deep；　was　more　calm　than　at　first。　Again　and　again　she　had　returned　to　her　young　brother's　coffin；　with　varying　feelings；　now　overwhelmed　by　poignant　grief；　now　partially　soothed　by　the　first　balm　of　holy　resignation；　now　alone；　now　accompanied　by　her　friends。　Once；　early　that　morning；　the　infirm　mother　was　brought　into　the　room　to　look　for　the　last　time　on　the　face　of　her　son；　she　was　carried　in　a　chair　and　placed　by　the　coffin；　then　assisted　to　rise　by　Miss　Agnes　and　her　daughter　Kate。　Her　tears　flowed　long；　falling　on　her　boy's　cold；　but　still　beautiful　features；　she　wiped　them　away　herself；　and　with　an　humble　phrase　of　resignation；　in　the　words　of　Scripture；　expressed　the　thought　that　ere　long　she　should　be　laid　by　his　side。　Her's　was　not　the　bitter；　living　grief　of　Patsey；　she　felt　that　she　was　near　the　grave　herself。　Tears　of　gentle…hearted　women　were　not　the　only　tears　which　fell　upon　Charlie's　bier；　his　uncles；　his　elder　brothers；　and　more　than　one　true　friend　were　there。　But　amid　all　the　strong；　contending　emotions　of　those　who　crowded　the　humble　room；　who　hung　over　the　coffin；　still　that　youthful　form　lay　rigid　in　the　fearful　chill；　the　awful　silence　of　death；　he；　whose　bright　eye；　whose　pleasant　smile　had　never　yet　met　the　look　of　a　friend　without　the　quick　glance　of　intellect；　or　the　glow　of　kindly　feeling。　Patsey　felt　the　change；　she　felt　that　the　being　she　loved　was　not　all　there；　the　dearer　portion　was　already　beyond　her　sightand　with　this　reflection　came　the　blessed　consolations　of　Christian　hope；　for　the　unfeigned　faith　and　the　penitent　obedience　of　the　Christian；　had　been　known　to　Charlie　Hubbard　from　childhood；　nor　had　they　ever　been　forgotten　by　the　young　man。

Soon　after　sun…rise；　friends　and　neighbours　began　to　collect；　they　came　from　miles　around；　all　classes　and　all　agesfor　the　family　was　much　respected；　and　their　sudden　bereavement　had　excited　general　compassion。　The　little　door…yard　and　the　humble　parlour　were　filled；　with　those　who　justly　claimed　the　name　of　friends；　the　highway　and　an　adjoining　field　were　crowded　with　neighbours。

After　a　solemn　prayer　within　the　house；　those　who　had　loved　the　dead　fixed　their　eyes　for　the　last　time　on　his　features；　the　coffin　was　closed　from　the　light；　the　body　was　carried　for　the　last　time　over　the　threshold；　it　was　placed　on　a　carriage；　and　the　living　crowd　moved　away；　following　the　dead；　with　the　slow；　heavy　movement　of　sorrow。　The　mother；　the　sisters；　and　the　nearest　female　friends　remained　in　privacy　together　at　the　house　of　mourning。　As　the　funeral　train　moved　along　the　highway　towards　Longbridge；　it　gradually　increased　in　length；　the　different　dwellings　before　which　it　passed　had　their　windows　closed；　as　a　simple　token　of　sympathy；　and　on　approaching　the　village；　one　bell　after　another　was　heard；　tolling　sadly。　The　hearse　paused　for　a　moment　before　the　house　of　Mr。　Joseph　Hubbard；　those　who　had　come　thus　far　in　carriages　alighted；　and　joined　by　others　collected　in　the　village；　they　moved　from　there　on　foot。　Several　brother　artists　from　New　York；　and　other　associates　of　the　young　man's；　bore　the　cloth　which　covered　his　coffin；　and　immediately　after　the　nearest　relatives；　the　elder　brothers；　and　the　uncles；　came　Hazlehurst　and　de　Vaux；　with　the　whole　party　of　the　Petrel；　and　the　crew　of　the　little　schooner：　and　sincerely　did　they　mourn　their　young　friend；　it　is　seldom　indeed　that　the　simple　feeling　of　grief　and　compassion　pervades　a　whole　funeral　train　so　generally　as　that　of　the　young　artist。　But　our　poor　Charlie　had　been　much　loved　by　all　who　knew　him；　he　was　carried　to　the　grave　among　old　friends　of　his　family；　in　his　native　villageand　there　were　many　there　capable　of　admiring　his　genius　and　respecting　his　character。　As　the　procession　entered　the　enclosure　it　passed　before　a　new…made　grave；　that　of　the　negro　sailor；　who　had　been　decently　interred　by　the　directions　of　de　Vaux；　on　the　preceding　evening；　the　party　of　the　Petrel　having　also　attended　his　funeral。　On　reaching　the　final　resting…place　of　the　young　artist；　among　the　tombs　of　his　family；　by　the　side　of　his　father　the　minister；　an　impressive　prayer　and　a　short　but　touching　address　were　made；　the　coffin　was　lowered；　the　earth　thrown　on　it；　and　the　grave　closed　over　Charlie　Hubbard：　the　story　of　his　life　was　told。

｛〃entered　the　enclosure〃　=　at　Christ　Episcopal　Church；　in　Cooperstown；　which　Susan　Fenimore　Cooper　attended；　African…Americans　were　at　this　time　buried　just　inside　the　churchyard　entrance；　away　from　the　other　graves；　〃was　told〃　=　was　ended｝

Harry　was　the　last　to　leave　the　spot。　While　the　funeral　train　returned　with　the　mourners　to　the　house　of　Mr。　Joseph　Hubbard；　he　remained　standing　by　the　grave　of　his　friend；　his　mind　filled　with　the　recollection　of　the　brilliant　hopes　so　suddenly　extinguished；　the　warm　fancies　so　suddenly　chilled；　the　bright　dreams　so　suddenly　blighted　by　the　cold　hand　of　death。　The　solemn　truth；　that　the　shadow　of　death　had　also　passed　over　himself　was　not　forgotten；　life　in　its　true　character；　with　all　its　real　value；　all　its　uncertainties；　all　its　responsibilities；　rose　more　clearly　revealed　to　him　than　it　had　ever　yet　done；　he　turned　from　Charlie's　grave　a　wiser　man；　carrying　with　him；　in　the　recollection　of　his　own　unexpected　restoration；　an　impulse　for　higher　and　more　steadfast　exertion　in　the　discharge　of　duty。

But　if　Hazlehurst's　thoughts；　as　he　retraced　his　solitary　way　towards　Wyllys…Roof；　were　partly　sad；　they　were　not　all　gloomy。　Wisdom　does　not　lessen　our　enjoyment　of　one　real　blessing　of　life；　she　merely　teaches　us　to　distinguish　the　false　from　the　true；　and　she　even　increases　our　happiness　amid　the　evils　and　sorrows　against　which　we　are　warned；　by　purifying　our　pleasures；　and　giving　life　and　strength　to　every　better　thought　and　feeling。　When　Harry　entered　the　gate　of　Wyllys…Roof；　his　heart　beat　with　joy　again；　as　he　saw　Elinor；　now　his　betrothed　wife；　awaiting　his　return　on　the　piazza；　he　joined　her；　and　they　had　a　long　conversation　together　in　the　fullness　of　confidence　and　affection。　They　were　at　length　interrupted　by　Miss　Agnes；　who　returned　from　the　Hubbards'。　The　young　people　inquired　particularly　after　Miss　Patsey。

〃She　is　much　more　calm　than　she　was　yesterday；　more　like　herself；　more　resigned；　thinking　again　of　others；　attending　to　Mrs。　Hubbard；　she　seems　already　to　have　found　some　consoli