miss sarah jack, of spanish town, jamaica-第2章

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prepared　to　repeat　this　self…sacrifice　in　a　spirit　of　patriotism　for
which　he　received　a　very　meagre　meed　of　eulogy　from　Miss　Jack；　and　an
amount　of　self…applause　which　was　not　much　more　extensive。

〃Down　at　Mount　Pleasant　I　can　do　something；〃　he　would　say　over　and
over　again；　〃but　what　good　can　any　man　do　up　here？〃

〃You　can　do　your　duty；〃　Miss　Jack　would　answer；　〃as　others　did　before
you　when　the　colony　was　made　to　prosper。〃　　And　then　they　would　run
off　into　a　long　discussion　about　free　labour　and　protective　duties。
But　at　the　present　moment　Maurice　Cumming　had　another　vexation　on　his
mind　over　and　above　that　arising　from　his　wasted　hours　at　Spanish
Town；　and　his　fruitless　labours　at　Mount　Pleasant。　　He　was　in　love；
and　was　not　altogether　satisfied　with　the　conduct　of　his　lady…love。

Miss　Jack　had　other　nephews　besides　Maurice　Cumming；　and　nieces　also；
of　whom　Marian　Leslie　was　one。　　The　family　of　the　Leslies　lived　up
near　Newcastlein　the　mountains；　that　is；　which　stand　over　Kingston…
…at　a　distance　of　some　eighteen　miles　from　Kingston；　but　in　a　climate
as　different　from　that　of　the　town　as　the　climate　of　Naples　is　from
that　of　Berlin。　　In　Kingston　the　heat　is　all　but　intolerable
throughout　the　year；　by　day　and　by　night；　in　the　house　and　out　of　it。
In　the　mountains　round　Newcastle；　some　four　thousand　feet　above　the
sea；　it　is　merely　warm　during　the　day；　and　cool　enough　at　night　to
make　a　blanket　desirable。

It　is　pleasant　enough　living　up　amongst　those　green　mountains。　　There
are　no　roads　there　for　wheeled　carriages；　nor　are　there　carriages
with　or　without　wheels。　　All　journeys　are　made　on　horseback。　　Every
visit　paid　from　house　to　house　is　performed　in　this　manner。　　Ladies
young　and　old　live　before　dinner　in　their　riding…habits。　　The
hospitality　is　free；　easy；　and　unembarrassed。　　The　scenery　is
magnificent。　　The　tropical　foliage　is　wild　and　luxuriant　beyond
measure。　　There　may　be　enjoyed　all　that　a　southern　climate　has　to
offer　of　enjoyment；　without　the　penalties　which　such　enjoyments
usually　entail。

Mrs。　Leslie　was　a　half…sister　of　Miss　Jack；　and　Miss　Jack　had　been　a
half…sister　also　of　Mrs。　Cumming；　but　Mrs。　Leslie　and　Mrs。　Cumming
had　in　no　way　been　related。　　And　it　had　so　happened　that　up　to　the
period　of　his　legislative　efforts　Maurice　Cumming　had　seen　nothing　of
the　Leslies。　　Soon　after　his　arrival　at　Spanish　Town　he　had　been
taken　by　Miss　Jack　to　Shandy　Hall；　for　so　the　residence　of　the
Leslies　was　called；　and　having　remained　there　for　three　days；　had
fallen　in　love　with　Marian　Leslie。　　Now　in　the　West　Indies　all　young
ladies　flirt；　it　is　the　first　habit　of　their　natureand　few　young
ladies　in　the　West　Indies　were　more　given　to　flirting；　or　understood
the　science　better　than　Marian　Leslie。

Maurice　Cumming　fell　violently　in　love；　and　during　his　first　visit　at
Shandy　Hall　found　that　Marian　was　perfectionfor　during　this　first
visit　her　propensities　were　exerted　altogether　in　his　own　favour。
That　little　circumstance　does　make　such　a　difference　in　a　young　man's
judgment　of　a　girl！　　He　came　back　fall　of　admiration；　not　altogether
to　Miss　Jack's　dissatisfaction；　for　Miss　Jack　was　willing　enough　that
both　her　nephew　and　her　niece　should　settle　down　into　married　life。

But　then　Maurice　met　his　fair　one　at　a　governor's　ballat　a　ball
where　red　coats　abounded；　and　aides…de…camp　dancing　in　spurs；　and
narrow…waisted　lieutenants　with　sashes　or　epaulettes！　　The　aides…de…
camp　and　narrow…waisted　lieutenants　waltzed　better　than　he　did；　and
as　one　after　the　other　whisked　round　the　ball…room　with　Marian　firmly
clasped　in　his　arms；　Maurice's　feelings　were　not　of　the　sweetest。
Nor　was　this　the　worst　of　it。　　Had　the　whisking　been　divided　equally
among　ten；　he　might　have　forgiven　it；　but　there　was　one　specially
narrow…waisted　lieutenant；　who　towards　the　end　of　the　evening　kept
Marian　nearly　wholly　to　himself。　　Now　to　a　man　in　love；　who　has　had
but　little　experience　of　either　balls　or　young　ladies；　this　is
intolerable。

He　only　met　her　twice　after　that　before　his　return　to　Mount　Pleasant；
and　on　the　first　occasion　that　odious　soldier　was　not　there。　　But　a
specially　devout　young　clergyman　was　present；　an　unmarried；
evangelical；　handsome　young　curate　fresh　from　England；　and　Marian's
piety　had　been　so　excited　that　she　had　cared　for　no　one　else。　　It
appeared　moreover　that　the　curate's　gifts　for　conversion　were
confined；　as　regarded　that　opportunity；　to　Marion's　advantage。　　〃I
will　have　nothing　more　to　say　to　her；〃　said　Maurice　to　himself；
scowling。　　But　just　as　he　went　away　Marian　had　given　him　her　hand；
and　called　him　Mauricefor　she　pretended　that　they　were　cousinsand
had　looked　into　his　eyes　and　declared　that　she　did　hope　that　the
assembly　at　Spanish　Town　would　soon　be　sitting　again。　　Hitherto；　she
said；　she　had　not　cared　one　straw　about　it。　　Then　poor　Maurice
pressed　the　little　fingers　which　lay　within　his　own；　and　swore　that
he　would　be　at　Shandy　Hall　on　the　day　before　his　return　to　Mount
Pleasant。　　So　he　was；　and　there　he　found　the　narrow…waisted
lieutenant；　not　now　bedecked　with　sash　and　epaulettes；　but　lolling　at
his　ease　on　Mrs。　Leslie's　sofa　in　a　white　jacket；　while　Marian　sat　at
his　feet　telling　his　fortune　with　a　book　about　flowers。

〃Oh；　a　musk　rose；　Mr。　Ewing；　you　know　what　a　musk　rose　means！〃　　Then
she　got　up　and　shook　hands　with　Mr。　Cumming；　but　her　eyes　still　went
away　to　the　white　jacket　and　the　sofa。　　Poor　Maurice　had　often　been
nearly　broken…hearted　in　his　efforts　to　manage　his　free　black
labourers；　but　even　that　was　easier　than　managing　such　as　Marion
Leslie。

Marian　Leslie　was　a　Creoleas　also　were　Miss　Jack　and　Maurice
Cumminga　child　of　the　tropics；　but　by　no　means　such　a　child　as
tropical　children　are　generally　thought　to　be　by　us　in　more　northern
latitudes。　　She　was　black…haired　and　black…eyed；　but　her　lips　were　as
red　and　her　cheeks　as　rosy　as　though　she　had　been　born　and　bred　in
regions　where　the　snow　lies　in　winter。　　She　was　a　small；　pretty；
beautifully　made　little　creature；　somewhat　idle　as　regards　the　work
of　the　world；　but　active　and　strong　enough　when　dancing　or　riding
were　required　from　her。　　Her　father　was　a　banker；　and　was　fairly
prosperous　in　spite　of　the　poverty　of　his　country。　　His　house　of
business　was　at　Kingston；　and　he　usually　slept　there　twice　a　week；
but　he　always　resided　at　Shandy　Hall；　and　Mrs。　Leslie　and　her
children　knew　but　very　little　of　the　miseries　of　Kingston。　　For　be　it
known　to　all　men；　that　of　all　towns　Kingston；　Jamaica；　is　the　most
miserable。

I　fear　that　I　shall　have　set　my　readers　very　much　against　Marian
Leslie；much　more　so　than　I　would　wish　to　do。　　As　a　rule　they　will
not　know　how　thoroughly　flirting　is　an　institution　in　the　West
Indiespractised　by　all　young　ladies；　and　laid　aside　by　them　when
they　marry；　exactly　as　their　young…lady　names　and　young…lady　habits
of　various　kinds　are　laid　aside。　　All　I　would　say　of　Marian　Leslie　is
this；　that　she　understood　the　working　of　the　institution　more
thoroughly　than　others　did。　　And　I　must　add　also　in　her　favour　that
she　did　not　keep　her　flirting　for　sly　corners；　nor　did　her　admirers
keep　their　distance　till　mamma　was　out　of　the　way。　　It　mattered　not
to　her　who　was　present。　　Had　she　been　called　on　to　make　one　at　a
synod　of　the　clergy　of　the　island；　she　would　have　flirted　with　the
bishop　before　all　his　priests。　　And　there　have　been　bishops　in　the
colony　who　would　not　have　gainsayed　her！

But　Maurice　Cumming　did　not　rightly　calculate　all　this；　nor　indeed
did　Miss　Jack　do　so　as　thoroughly　as　she　should　have　done；　for　Miss
Jack　knew　more　about　such　matters　than　did　poor　Maurice。　　〃If　you
like　Marion；　why　don't　you　marry　her？〃

Miss　Jack　had　once　said　to　him；　and　this　coming　from　Miss　Jack；　who
was　made　of　money；　was　a　great　deal。

〃She　wouldn't　have　me；〃　Maurice　had　answered。

〃That's　more　than　you　know　or　I　either；〃　was　Miss　Jack's　reply。　　〃But
if　you　like　to　try；　I'll　help　you。〃

With　reference　to　this；　Maurice　as　he　left　Miss　Jack's　residence　on
his　return　to　Mount　Pleasant；　had　declared　that　Marian　Leslie　was　not
worth　an　honest　man's　love。

〃Psha！〃　Miss　Jack　replied；　〃Marian　will　do　like　other　girls。　　When
you　marry　a　wife　I　suppose　you　mean　to　be　master？〃

〃At　any　rate　I　shan't　marry　her；〃　said　Maurice。　　And　so　he　went　his
way　back　to　Hanover　with　a　sore　heart。　　And　no　wonder；　for　that　was
the　very　day　on　which　Lieutenant　Ewing　had　asked　the　question　about
the　musk　rose。

But　there　was　a　dogged　constancy　of　feeling　about　Maurice　which　could
not　allow　him　to　disburden　himself　of　his　love。　　When　he　was　again　at
Mount　Pleasant　among　his　sugar…canes　and　hogsheads　he　could　not　help
thinking　about　Marian。　　It　is　true　he　always　thought　of　her　as　flying
round　that　ball…room　in　Ewing's　arms；　or　looking　up　with　rapt
admiration　into　that　young　parson's　face；　and　so　he　got　but　little
pleasure　from　his　thoughts。　　But　not　the　less　was　he　in　love　with
her；not　the　less；　though　he　would　swear　to　himself　three　times　in
the　day　that　for　no　earthly　consideration　would　he　marry　Marian
Leslie。

The　early　months　of　the　year　from　January　to　May　are　the　busiest　with
a　Jamaica　sugar…grower；　and　in　this　year　they　were　very　busy　months
with　Maurice　Cumming。　　It　seemed　as　though　there　were　actually　some
truth　in　Miss　Jack's　prediction　that　prosperity　would　return　to　him
if　he　attended　to　his　country；　for　the　prices　of　sugar　had　risen
higher　than　they　had　ever　been　since　the　duty　had　been　withdrawn；　and
there　was　more　promise　of　a　crop　at　Mount　Pleasant　than　he　had　seen
since　his　reign　commenced。　　But　then　the　question　of　labour？　　How　he
slaved　in　trying　to　get　work　from　those　free　negroes；　and　alas！　how
often　he　slaved　in　vain！　　But　it　was　not　all　in　vain；　for　as　things
went　on　it　became　clear　to　him　that　in　this　year　he　would；　for　the
first　time　since　he　commenced；　obtain　something　like　a　return　from
his　land。　　What　if　the　turning…point　had　come；　and　things　were　now
about　to　run　the　other　way。

But　then　the　happiness　which　might　have　accrued　to　him　from　this
source　was　dashed　by　his　thoughts　of　Marian　Leslie。　　Why　had　he
thrown　himself　in　the　way　of　that　syren？　　Why　had　he　left　Mount
Pleasant　at　all？　　He　knew　that　on　his　return　to　Spanish　Town　his
first　work　would　be　to　visit　Shandy　Hall；　and　yet　he　felt　that　of　all
places　in　the　island；　Shandy　Hall　was　the　last　which　he　ought　to
visit。

And　then　about　the　beginning　of　May；　when　he　was　hard　at　work　turning
the　last　of　his　canes　into　sugar　and　rum；　he　received　his　annual
visit　from　Miss　Jack。　　And　whom　should　Miss　Jack　bring　with　her　but
Mr。　Leslie。

〃I'll　tell　you　what　it　is；〃　said　Miss　Jack；　〃I　have　spoken　to　Mr。
Leslie　about　you　and　Marian。〃

〃Then　you　had　no　business　to　do　anything　of　the　kind；〃　said　Maurice；
blushing　up　to　his　ears。

〃Nonsense；〃　replied　Miss　Jack；　〃I　understand　what　I　am　about。　　Of
course　Mr。　Leslie　will　want　to　know　something　about　the　estate。〃

〃Then　he　may　go　back　as　wise　as　he　came；　for　he'll　learn　nothing　from
me。　　Not　that　I　have　anything　to　hide。〃

〃So　I　told　him。　　Now　there　are　a　large　family　of　them；　you　see；　and
of　course　he　can't　give　Marian　much。〃

〃I　don't　care　a　straw　if　he　doesn't　give　her　a　shilling。