"Here's your fine clams!
As white as snow!
On Rockaway these clams do grow."
_New York Cries_.
It was some time before Jason's offended dignity and disappointment would
permit him to smile at the mistake; and we had walked some distance towards
Old Slip, where I was to meet Dirck, before the pedagogue even opened his
lips. Then, the only allusion he made to the white wine, was to call it
"a plaguy Dutch cheat;" for Jason had implicitly relied on having that
peculiar beverage of his caste, known as "bitters." What he meant by
a _Dutch_ cheat, I do not know; unless he thought the buttermilk was
particularly Dutch, and _this_ buttermilk an imposition.
Dirck was waiting for me at the Old Slip; and, on inquiry, I found he had
enjoyed his draught of white wine as well as myself, and was ready for
immediate service. We proceeded along the wharves in a body, admiring the
different vessels that lined them. About nine o'clock, all three of us
passed up Wall Street, on the stoops of which, no small portion of its
tenants were already seated, enjoying the sight of the negroes, as, with
happy "shining" faces they left the different dwellings, to hasten to the
Pinkster field. Our passage through the street attracted a good deal of
attention; for, being all three strangers, it was not to be supposed we
could be thus seen in a body, without exciting a remark. Such a thing could
hardly have been expected in London itself.
After showing Jason the City Hall, Trinity Church, and the City Tavern, we
went out of town, taking the direction of a large common that the King's
officers had long used for a parade-ground, and which has since been called
the Park, though it would be difficult to say why, since it is barely a
paddock in size, and certainly has never been used to keep any animals
wilder than the boys of the town. A park, I suppose, it will one day
become, though it has little at present that comports with my ideas of such
a thing. On this common, then, was the Pinkster ground, which was now quite
full of people, as well as of animation.
There was nothing new in a Pinkster frolic, either to Dirck, or to myself;
though Jason gazed at the whole procedure with wonder. He was born within
seventy miles of that very spot, but had not the smallest notion before, of
such a holiday as Pinkster. There are few blacks in Connecticut, I believe;
and those that are there, are so ground down in the Puritan mill, that they
are neither fish, flesh, nor red-herring, as we say of a nondescript. No
man ever heard of a festival in New England, that had not some immediate
connection with the saints, or with politics.
Jason was at first confounded with the noises, dances, music, and games
that were going on. By this time, nine-tenths of the blacks of the city,
and of the whole country within thirty or forty miles, indeed, were
collected in thousands in those fields, beating banjoes, singing African
songs, drinking, and worst of all, laughing in a way that seemed to set
their very hearts rattling within their ribs. Everything wore the aspect of
good-humour, though it was good-humour in its broadest and coarsest forms.
Every sort of common game was in requisition, while drinking was far from
being neglected. Still, not a man was drunk. A drunken negro, indeed, is by
no means a common thing. The features that distinguish a Pinkster frolic
from the usual scenes at fairs, and other merry-makings, however, were of
African origin. It is true, there are not now, nor were there then, many
blacks among us of African birth; but the traditions and usages of their
original country were so far preserved as to produce a marked difference
between this festival, and one of European origin. Among other things, some
were making music, by beating on skins drawn over the ends of hollow
logs, while others were dancing to it, in a manner to show that they felt
infinite delight. This, in particular, was said to be a usage of their
African progenitors.
Hundreds of whites were walking through the fields, amused spectators.
Among these last were a great many children of the better class, who had
come to look at the enjoyment of those who attended them, in their own
ordinary amusements. Many a sable nurse did I see that day, chaperoning
her young master, a young mistress, or both together, through the various
groups; demanding of all, and receiving from all, the respect that one of
these classes was accustomed to pay to the other.
A great many young ladies between the ages of fifteen and twenty were also
in the field, either escorted by male companions, or, what was equally as
certain of producing deference, under the dare of old female nurses, who
belonged to the race that kept the festival. We had been in the field
ourselves two hours, and even Jason was beginning to condescend to be
amused, when, unconsciously, I got separated from my companions, and was
wandering through the groups by myself, as I came on a party of young
girls, who were under the care of two or three wrinkled and grey-headed
negresses, so respectably attired, as to show at once they were
confidential servants in some of the better families. As for the young
ladies themselves, most were still of the age of school girls; though there
were some of that equivocal age, when the bud is just breaking into the
opening flower, and one or two that were even a little older; young women
in forms and deportment, though scarcely so in years. One of a party of two
of the last, appeared to me to possess all the grace of young womanhood,
rendered radiant by the ingenuous laugh, the light-hearted playfulness, and
the virgin innocence of sweet seventeen. She was simply, but very prettily
dressed, and everything about her attire, air, carriage and manner, denoted
a young lady of the better class, who was just old enough to feel all the
proprieties of her situation, while she was still sufficiently youthful to
enjoy all the fun. As she came near me, it seemed as if I knew her; but it
was not until I heard her sweet, mirthful voice, that I recollected the
pretty little thing in whose behalf I had taken a round with the butcher's
boy, on the Bowery road, near six years before. As her party came quite
near the spot where I stood, what was only conjecture at first, was reduced
to a certainty.
In the surprise of the moment, happening to catch the eye of the young
creature, I was emboldened to make her a low bow. At first she smiled,
like one who fancies she recognises an acquaintance; then her face became
scarlet, and she returned my bow with a very lady-like, but, at the same
time, a very distant curtsey; upon which, bending her blue eyes to the
ground, she turned away, seemingly to speak to her companion. After this,
I could not advance to speak, though I was strongly in hopes the old black
nurse who was with her would recognise me, for she had manifested much
concern about me on the occasion of the quarrel with the young butcher.
This did not occur; and old Katrinke, as I heard the negress called,
jabbered away, explaining the meaning of the different ceremonies of
her race, to a cluster of very interested listeners, without paying any
attention to me. The tongues of the pretty little things went, as girls'
tongues will go, though my unknown fair one maintained all the reserve
and quiet of manner that comported with her young womanhood, and apparent
condition in life.
"Dere, Miss Anneke!" exclaimed Katrinke, suddenly; "dere come a genttleum
dat will bring a pleasure, I know."
"_Anneke," I_ repeated, mentally, and "gentleman that will cause pleasure
by his appearance." "Can it be Dirck?" I thought. Sure enough, Dirck it
proved to be, who advanced rapidly to the group, making a general salute,
and finishing by shaking my beautiful young stranger's hands, and
addressing her by the name of "cousin Anneke." This, then, was Annie
Mordaunt, as the young lady was commonly called in the English circles,
the only child and heiress of Herman Mordaunt, of Crown Street and of
Lilacsbush. Well, Dirck has more taste than I had ever given him credit
for! Just as this thought glanced through my mind, my figure caught my
friend's eye, and, with a look of pride and exultation, he signed to me to
draw nearer, though I had managed to get pretty near as it was, already.
"Cousin Anneke," said Dirck, who never used circumlocution, when direct
means were at all available, "this is Corny Littlepage, of whom you have
heard me speak so often, and for whom I ask one of your best curtsies and
sweetest smiles."
Miss Mordaunt was kind enough to comply literally, both curtsying and
smiling precisely as she had been desired to do, though I could see she was
also slightly disposed to laugh. I was still making my bow, and mumbling
some unintelligible compliment, when Katrinke gave a little exclamation,
and using the freedom of an old and confidential servant, she eagerly
pulled the sleeve of her young mistress, and hurriedly whispered something
in her ear. Anneke coloured, turned quickly towards me, bent her eyes more
boldly and steadily on my face--and then it was that I fancied the sweetest
smile which mortal had ever received, or that with which I had just before
been received, was much surpassed.
"Mr. Littlepage, I believe, is not a total stranger, cousin Dirck," she
said. "Katrinke remembers him, as a young gentleman who once did me an
important service, and now I think I can trace the resemblance myself! I
allude to the boy who insulted me on the Bowery Road, Mr. Littlepage, and
your handsome interference in my behalf."
"Had there been twenty boys, Miss Mordaunt, an insult to _you_ would have
been resented by any man of ordinary spirit."
I do not know that any youth, who was suddenly put to his wits to be
polite, or sentimental, or feeling, could have done a great deal better
than _that_! So Anneke thought too, I fancy, for her colour increased,
rendering her ravishingly lovely, and she looked surprisingly pleased.
"Yes," put in Dirck with energy,--"let twenty, or a hundred try it if they
please, Anneke, men or boys, and they'll find those that will protect you."
"You for one, of course, cousin Dirck," rejoined the charming girl, holding
out her hand towards my friend, with a frankness I could have dispensed
with in her; "but, you will remember, Mr. Littlepage, or _Master_
Littlepage as he then was, was a stranger, and I had no such claim on
_him_, as I certainly have on you."
"Well, Corny, it is odd you never said a word of this to me! when I was
showing him Lilacsbush, and talking of you and of your father, not a word
did he say on the subject."
"I did not then know it was Miss Mordaunt I had been so fortunate as to
serve; but here is Mr. Newcome at your elbow, Follock, and dying to be
introduced, as he sees I have been."
Anneke turned to smile and curtsey again to Jason, who made his bow in
a very school-master sort of a fashion, while I could see that the
circumstance I had not boasted of my exploit gave it new importance in the
sweet creature's eyes. As for Jason, he had no sooner got along with
the introduction,--the first, I fancy, he had ever gone regularly
through,--than, profiting by some questions Miss Mordaunt was asking Dirck
about his mother and the rest of the family, he came round to me, drew me
aside by a jerk of the sleeve, and gave me to understand he had something
for my private ear.
"I did not know before that you had ever kept school, Corny," he half
whispered earnestly.
"How do you know it now, Mr. Newcome? since the thing never happened?"
"How comes it, then, that this young woman called you _Master_ Littlepage?"
"Bah! Jason, wait a year or two, and you will begin to get truer notions of
us New Yorkers."
"But I heard her with my own ears--_Master_ Littlepage; as plain as words
were ever called."
"Well, then, Miss Mordaunt must be right, and I have forgotten the affair.
I must once have kept a woman's school, somewhere^ in my younger days, but
forgotten it."
"Now this is nothing (nawthin', as expressed) but you? desperate York
pride, Corny; but I think all the better of you for it. Why, as it could
not have taken place after you went to college, you must have got the start
of even me! But, the Rev. Mr. Worden is enough to start a youth with a
large capital, if he be so minded. I admit he does understand the dead
languages. It is a pity he is so very dead in religious matters."
"Well--well--I will tell you all about it another time, you perceive, now,
that Miss Mordaunt wishes to move on, and does not like to quit us too
abruptly. Let us follow."
Jason complied, and for an hour or two we had the pleasure of accompanying
the young ladies, as they strolled among the booths and different groups of
that singular assembly. As has been said, most of the blacks had been born
in the colony, but there were some native Africans among them. New York
never had slaves on the system of the southern planters, or in gangs of
hundreds, to labour in the fields under overseers, and who lived apart in
cabins of their own; but, our system of slavery was strictly domestic, the
negro almost invariably living under the same roof with the master, or, if
his habitation was detached, as certainly sometimes happened, it was still
near at hand, leaving both races as parts of a common family. In the
country, the negroes never toiled in the field, but it was as ordinary
husbandmen; and, in the cases of those who laboured on their own property,
or as tenants of some extensive land-ford, the black did his work at his
master's side. Then all, or nearly all our household servants were, and
still are, blacks, leaving that department of domestic economy almost
exclusively in their hands, with the exception of those cases in which the
white females busied themselves also in such occupations, united to the
usual supervision of the mistresses. Among the Dutch, in particular, the
treatment of the negro was of the kindest character, a trusty field slave
often having quite as much to say on the subject of the tillage and the
crops, as the man who owned both the land he worked, and himself.
A party of native Africans kept us for half an hour. The scene seemed to
have revived their early associations, and they were carried away with
their own representation of semi-savage sports. The American-born blacks
gazed at this group with intense interest also, regarding them as so many
ambassadors from the land of their ancestors, to enlighten them in usages
and superstitious lore, that were more peculiarly suited to their race. The
last even endeavoured to imitate the acts of the first, and, though the
attempt was often ludicrous, it never failed on the score of intention and
gravity. Nothing was done in the way of caricature, but much in the way of
respect and affection.
Lest the habits of this generation should pass away and be forgotten, of
which I see some evidence, I will mention a usage that was quite common
among the Dutch, and which has passed in some measure, into the English
families that have formed connections with the children of Holland. Two of
these intermarriages had so far brought the Littlepages within the pale,
that the usage to which I allude was practised in my own case. The custom
was this: when a child of the family reached the age of six, or eight, a
young slave of the same age and sex, was given to him, or her, with some
little formality, and from that moment the fortunes of the two were
considered to be, within the limits of their respective pursuits and
positions, as those of man and wife. It is true, divorces do occur, but it
is only in cases of gross misconduct, and quite as often the misconduct is
on the side of the master, as on that of the slave. A drunkard may get in
debt, and be compelled to part with his blacks this one among the rest; but
this particular negro remains with him as long as anything remains. Slaves
that seriously misbehave, are usually sent to the islands, where the toil
on the sugar plantations proves a very sufficient punishment.
The day I was six, a boy was given to me, in the manner I have mentioned;
and he remained not only my property, but my factotum, to this moment.
It was Yaap, or Jacob, the negro to whom I have already had occasion to
allude. Anneke Mordaunt, whose grandmother was of a Dutch family, it will
be remembered, had with her there, in the Pinkster field, a negress of just
her own age, who was called Mari; not Mary, or Maria; but the last, as
it would be pronounced without the final a. This _Mari_ was a buxom,
glistening, smooth-faced, laughing, red-lipped, pearl-toothed, black-eyed
hussy, that seemed born for fun; and who was often kept in order by
her more sedate and well-mannered young mistress with a good deal of
difficulty. My fellow was on the ground, somewhere, too; for I had given
him permission to come to town to keep Pinkster; and he was to leave
Satanstoe, in a sloop, within an hour after I left it myself. The wind had
been fair, and I made no question of his having arrived; though, as yet, I
had not seen him.
I could have accompanied Anneke, and her party, all day, through that
scene of unsophisticated mirth, and felt no want of interest. Her presence
immediately produced an impression; even the native Africans moderating
their manner, and lowering their yells, as it might be, the better to suit
her more refined tastes. No one, in our set, was too dignified to laugh,
but Jason. The pedagogue, it is true, often expressed his disgust at the
amusements and antics of the negroes, declaring they were unbecoming human
beings and otherwise manifesting that disposition to hypercriticism, which
is apt to distinguish one who is only a tyro in his own case.
Such was the state of things, when Ma_ri_ came rushing up to her young
mistress, with distended eyes and uplifted hands, exclaiming, on a key that
necessarily made us all sharers in the communication--
"Oh! Miss Anneke!--What you t'ink, Miss Anneke! Could you ever s'pose sich
a t'ing, Miss Anneke!"
"Tell me at once, Mari, what it is you have seen, or heard; and leave off
these silly exclamations;" said the gentle mistress, with a colour that
proved she was unused to her own girl's manner.
"Who _could_ t'ink it, Miss Anneke! Dese, here, werry niggers have sent
all'e way to deir own country, and have had a lion cotched for Pinkster!"
This was news, indeed, if true. Not one of us all had ever seen a lion;
wild animals, then, being exceedingly scarce in the colonies, with the
exception of those that were taken in our own woods. I had seen several
of the small brown bears, and many a wolf, and one stuffed panther, in my
time; but never supposed it within the range of possibilities, that I could
be brought so near a living lion. Inquiry showed, nevertheless, that Mari
was right, with the exception of the animal's having been expressly
caught for the occasion. It was the beast of a showman, who was also the
proprietor of a very active and amusing monkey. The price of admission was
a quarter of a dollar, for adult whites; children and negroes going in for
half-price. These preliminaries understood, it was at once settled that all
who could muster enough of money and courage, should go in a body, and gaze
on the king of beasts. I say, of courage; for it required a good deal for a
female novice to go near a living lion.
The lion was kept in a cage, of course, which was placed in a temporary
building of boards, that had been erected for the Pinkster field. As we
drew near the door, I saw that the cheeks of several of the pretty young
creatures who belonged to the party of Anneke, began to turn pale; a sign
of weakness that, singular as it may appear, very sensibly extended itself
to most of their attendant negresses. Mari did not flinch, however; and,
when it came to the trial, of that sex, she and her mistress were the only
two who held out in the original resolution of entering. Some time
was thrown away in endeavouring to persuade two or three of her older
companions to go in with her; but, finding it useless, with a faint smile,
Miss Mordaunt calmly said--
"Well, gentlemen, Mari and myself must compose the female portion of the
party. I have never seen a lion, and would not, by any means, miss this
opportunity. We shall find my friends waiting for such portions of us as
shall not be eaten, on our return."
We were now near the door, where stood the man who received the money, and
gave the tickets. It happened that Dirck had been stopped by a gentleman of
his acquaintance, who had just left the building, and who was laughingly
relating some incident that had occurred within. I stood on one side of
Anneke, Jason on the other, while Mari was close in the rear.
"A quarter for each gentleman and the lady," said the door-keeper, "and a
shilling for the wench."
On this hint, Jason, to my great surprise, (for usually he was very
backward on such occasions,) drew out a purse, and emptying some silver
into his hand, he said with a flourish--
"Permit me, Miss--it is an honour I covet; a quarter for yourself, and a
shilling for Mari."
I saw Anneke colour, and her eye turn hastily towards Dirck. Before I had
time to say anything, or to do anything in fact, she answered steadily--
"Give yourself no trouble, Mr. Newcome; Mr. Littlepage will do me the
favour to obtain tickets for me."
Jason had the money in his fingers, and I passed him and bought the
tickets, while he was protesting--
"It gave him pleasure--he was proud of the occasion--another time her
brother could do the same for his sisters and he had six," and other
matters of the sort.
I simply placed the tickets in Anneke's hand, who received them with an
expression of thanks, and we all passed; Dirck inquiring of his cousin, as
he came up, if he should get her tickets. I mention this little incident as
showing the tact of woman, and will relate all that pertains to it, before
I proceed to other things. Anneke said nothing on the subject of her
tickets until we had left the booth, when she approached me, and with that
grace and simplicity which a well-bred woman knows how to use on such an
occasion, and quietly observed--
"I am under obligations to you, Mr. Littlepage, for having paid for my
tickets;--they cost three shillings, I believe."
I bowed, and had the pleasure of almost touching Miss Mordaunt's beautiful
little hand, as she gave me the money. At this instant, a jerk at my elbow
came near causing me to drop the silver. It was Jason, who had taken this
liberty, and who now led me aside with a earnestness of manner it was not
usual for him to exhibit. I saw by the portentous look of the pedagogue's
countenance, and his swelling manner, that something extraordinary was on
his mind, and waited with some little curiosity to learn what it might be.
"Why, what in human natur', Corny, do you mean?" he cried, almost angrily.
"Did ever mortal man hear of a gentleman's making a lady pay for a treat!
Do you know you have made Miss Anneke pay for a treat!"
"A treat, Mr. Newcome!"
"Yes, a treat, Mr. Corny Littlepage! How often do you think young ladies
will accompany you to shows, and balls, and other sights, if you make _them
pay_!"
Then a laugh of derision added emphasis to Jason's words.
"Pay!--could I presume to think Miss Mordaunt would suffer me to pay money
for her, or for her servant?"
"You almost make me think you a nat'ral! Young men _always_ pay for young
women, and no questions asked. Did you not remark how smartly I offered to
pay for this Miss, and how well she took it, until you stepped forward and
cut me out;--I bore it, for it saved me three nine-pences."
"I observed how Miss Mordaunt shrunk from the familiarity of being called
Miss, and how unwilling she was to let you buy the tickets; and that I
suspect was solely because she saw you had some notion of what you call a
treat."
I cannot enter into the philosophy of the thing, but certainly nothing is
more vulgar in English, to address a young lady as Miss, without affixing
a name, whereas I know it is the height of breeding to say Mademoiselle in
French, and am told the Spaniards, Italians and Germans, use its synonyme
in the same manner. I had been indignant at Jason's familiarity when he
called Anneke--the pretty Anneke!--Miss; and felt glad of an occasion to
let him understand how I felt on the subject.
"What a child you be, a'ter all, Corny!" exclaimed the pedagogue, who was
much too good-natured to take offence at a trifle. "You a bachelor of arts!
But this matter _must_ be set right, if it be only for the honour of my
school. Folks"--Jason never blundered on the words 'one' or 'people' in
this sense--"Folks may think that you have been in the school since it has
been under my care, and I wouldn't for the world have it get abroad that
a youth from my school had neglected to treat a lady under such
circumstances."
Conceiving it useless to remonstrate with _me_ any further, Jason proceeded
forthwith to Anneke, with whom he begged permission to say a word in
private. So eager was my companion to wipe out the stain, and so surprised
was the young lady, who gently declined moving more than a step, that the
conference took place immediately under my observation, neither of the
parties being aware that I necessarily heard or saw all that passed.
"You must excuse Corny, Miss," Jason commenced, producing his purse again,
and beginning to hunt anew for a quarter and a shilling; "he is quite
young, and knows nawthin' worth speaking of, of the ways of mankind. Ah!
here is just the money--three ninepennies, or three York shillings. Here,
Miss, excuse Corny, and overlook it all; when he is older, he will not make
such blunders."
"I am not certain that I understand you, sir!" exclaimed Anneke, who had
shrunk back a little at the 'Miss,' and who now saw Jason hold out the
silver, with a surprise she took no pains to conceal.
"This is the price of the tickets--yes, that's all. Naw-thin' else, on
honour. Corny, you remember, was so awful dumb as to let you pay, just as
if you had been a gentleman."
Anneke now smiled, and glancing at me at the same instant, a bright blush
suffused her face, though the meaning of my eye, as I could easily see,
strongly tempted her to laugh.
"It is very well as it is, Mr. Newcome, though I feel much indebted to
your liberal intentions," she said, turning to rejoin her friends; "it is
customary in New York for ladies to pay, themselves, for everything of this
nature. When I go to Connecticut, I shall feel infinitely indebted to you
for another such offer."
Jason did not know what to make of it! He long after insisted that the
young lady was 'huffed,' as he called it, and that she had refused to take
the money merely because she was thus offended.
"There is a manner, you know, Corny," he said, "of doing even a genteel
thing, and that is to do it genteelly. I much doubt if a genteel thing
_can_ be done ungenteelly. One thing I'm thankful for, and that is, that
she don't know that you ever were at the 'Seminarian Institute' in your
life;" such being the appellation Jason had given to that which Mr. Worden
had simply called a 'Boys' School.' To return to the booth.
The lion had many visitors, and we had some difficulty in finding places.
As a matter of course, Anneke was put in front, most of the men who were in
the booth giving way to her with respectful attention. Unfortunately,
the young lady wore an exceedingly pretty shawl, in which scarlet was a
predominant colour; and that which occurred has been attributed to this
circumstance, though I am far from affirming such to have been literally
the case. Anneke, from the first, manifested no fear; but the circle
pressing on her from without, she got so near the cage that the beast
thrust a paw through, and actually caught hold of the shawl, drawing the
alarmed girl quite up to the bars. I was at Anneke's side, and with a
presence of mind that now surprises me, I succeeded in throwing the shawl
from the precious creature's shoulders, and of fairly lifting her from the
ground and setting her down again at a safe distance from the beast. All
this passed so soon that half the persons present were unconscious of what
had occurred until it was all over; and what astonishes me most is, that I
do not retain the least recollection of the pleasure I ought to have felt
while my arm encircled Anneke Mordaunt's slender waist, and while she was
altogether supported by me. The keeper interfered immediately, and the lion
relinquished the shawl, looking like a disappointed beast when he found it
did not contain its beautiful owner.
Anneke was rescued before she had time fully to comprehend the danger she
had been in. Even Dirck could not advance to her aid, though he saw and
comprehended the imminent risk ran by the being he loved best in the world;
but Dirck was always so slow! I must do Jason the credit to say that he
behaved well, though so situated as to be of no real use. He rushed forward
to assist Anneke, and remained to draw away the shawl, as soon as the
keeper had succeeded in making the lion relinquish his hold. But, all this
passed so rapidly, as to give little opportunity for noting incidents.
Anneke was certainly well frightened by this adventure with the lion, as
was apparent by her changing colour, and a few tears that succeeded. Still,
a glass of water, and a minute or two, seated in a chair, were sufficient
to restore her self-composure, and she remained with us, for half an hour,
examining and admiring her terrible assailant.
And, here, let me add, for the benefit of those who have never had an
opportunity of seeing the king of beasts, that he is a sight well worthy to
behold! I have never viewed an elephant, which travelled gentlemen tell me
is a still more extraordinary animal, though I find it difficult to imagine
anything finer, in its way, than the lion which came so near injuring
"sweet Anne Mordaunt." I question if any of us were aware of the full
extent of the danger she ran, until we began to reflect on it coolly, after
time and leisure were afforded. As soon as the commotion naturally produced
at first, had subsided, the incident seemed forgotten, and we left the
booth, after a long visit, expatiating on the animal, and its character,
apparently in forgetfulness of that which, by one blow of his powerful paw,
the lion might have rendered fatal to one of the very sweetest and
happiest innocents of the whole province, but for the timely and merciful
interposition of a kind providence.
After the little affair of the tickets, I walked on with Anneke, who
declared her intention of quitting the field, her escape beginning to
affect her spirits, and she was afraid that some particularly kind friend
might carry an exaggerated account of what had happened to her father.
Dirck offered to accompany her home, for Mr. Mordaunt kept no carriage; or,
at least, nothing that was habitually used as a town equipage. We had all
gone as far as the verge of the Common with Anneke, when the sweet girl
stopped, looked at me earnestly, and, while her colour changed and tears
rose to her eyes, she said,--
"Mr. Littlepage, I am just getting to be fully conscious of what I owe to
you. The thing passed so suddenly, and I was so much alarmed, that I did
not know how to express myself at the time, nor am I certain that I do now.
Believe me, notwithstanding, that I never can forget this morning, and I
beg of you, if you have a sister, to carry to her the proffered friendship
of Anneke Mordaunt, and tell her that her own prayers in behalf of her
brother will not be more sincere than mine."
Before I could recollect myself, so as to make a suitable answer, Anneke
had curtsied and walked away, with her handkerchief to her eyes.