CHAPTER XXXI
RESULTS OF SECESSION
Immediately after her arrival in Mobile, Electra prepared to forward herdespatches by Captain Wright, whose business called him to Richmond beforehis return to Cuba; and an examination of them proved that the expedientresorted to was perfectly successful. By moistening the edges of thedrawing-paper, the tissue missive was drawn out uninjured, and, to Eric'ssurprise, she removed the carefully-stitched blue silk which lined the topsof her travelling gauntlets, and extracted similar despatches, all of whichwere at once transmitted to the seat of government. While waiting for aboat, they heard the painful tidings of Major Huntingdon's death, whichincreased Eric's impatience to reach W----. The remainder of the journeywas sad, and four days after leaving the Gulf City the lights of W---- androar of the Falls simultaneously greeted the spent travellers. Havingtelegraphed of his safe arrival, the carriage was waiting at the depot, andAndrew handed to Electra a note from his mistress, requesting her to comeat once to her house instead of going to the hotel. Eric added earnestpersuasion, and with some reluctance the artist finally consented. Theywere prepared for the silent, solemn aspect of the house, and for themourning dress of the orphan, but not for the profound calm, themelancholy, tearless composure with which she received them. Mental andphysical suffering had sadly changed her. The oval face was thinner, andher form had lost its roundness, but the countenance retained its singularloveliness, and the mesmeric splendour of the large eyes seemed enhanced.Of her father she did not speak, but gave her uncle a written statement ofall the facts which she had been able to gather concerning thecircumstances of his death; and thus a tacit compact was formed; to make noreference to the painful subject.
As she accompanied Electra to the room prepared for her, on the night ofher arrival, the latter asked, with ill-concealed emotion--
"Irene, can you tell me anything about Russell? I am very anxious to hearsomething of him."
Irene placed the silver lamp on the table, and standing in its glow,answered quietly--
"He was wounded in the arm at Manassa, but retains command of his regiment,and is doing very well. Dr. Arnold is the regimental surgeon, and in one ofhis letters to me he mentioned that your cousin's wound was not serious."
"I am going to him immediately."
"Unfortunately, you will not be allowed to do so. The wounded were removedto Richmond as promptly as possible, but your cousin remained at Manassa,where ladies are not permitted."
"Then I will write to him to meet me in Richmond."
Irene made no reply, and, watching her all the while, Electra asked--
"When did you see him last? How did he look?"
"The day before he started to Richmond. He was very well, I believe, butlooked harassed and paler than usual. He is so robust, however, that Ithink you need entertain no apprehension concerning his health."
The inflexible features, the low, clear, firm voice were puzzling, andElectra's brow thickened and darkened as she thought--
"Her father is dead now; there is no obstacle remaining. She must lovehim, and yet she gives no sign of interest."
Two days later, they sat together before one of the parlour windows.Electra was engaged in tearing off and rolling bandages, while Irene slowlyscraped lint from a quantity of old linen, which filled a basket at herside. Neither had spoken for some time; the sadness of their occupationcalled up gloomy thoughts; but finally Electra laid down a roll of cloth,and, interlacing her slight fingers, said--
"Irene, the women of the South must exercise an important influence indetermining our national destiny; and because I felt this so fully, Ihurried home to share the perils, and privations, and trials of mycountrywomen. It is not my privilege to enter the army, and wield a swordor musket; but I am going to true womanly work--into the crowded hospitals,to watch faithfully over sick and wounded."
"I approve your plan, think it your duty, and wish that I could start toRichmond with you to-morrow--for I believe that in this way we may savevaluable lives. You should, as you have said, go on at once; you havenothing to keep you; your work is waiting for you there. But my position isdifferent; I have many things to arrange here before I can join you. I wantto see the looms at work on the plantation; and am going down next weekwith Uncle Eric, to consult with the overseer about several changes which Idesire made concerning the negroes. When all this is accomplished, I tooshall come into the hospitals."
"About what time may I expect you?"
"Not until you see me; but at the earliest practicable day."
"Your uncle objects very strenuously to such a plan, does he not?"
"He will acquiesce at the proper time. Take care! you are making yourbandages too wide."
"A long dark vista stretches before the Confederacy. I cannot, like manypersons, feel sanguine of a speedy termination of the war."
"Yes--a vista lined with the bloody graves of her best sons; but beyondglimmers Freedom--Independence."
"But do you still cling to a belief in the possibility of Republican formsof Government? This is a question which constantly disquiets me."
"My faith in that possibility is unshaken. We shall yet teach the worldthat self-government is feasible."
"But in Europe, where the subject is eagerly canvassed, the impressionobtains that, in the great fundamental principle of our government, will befound the germ of its dissolution. This war is waged to establish the rightof Secession, and the doctrine that 'all just governments rest on theconsent of the governed.' With such a precedent, it would be worse thanstultification to object to the secession of any State or States nowconstituting the Confederacy, who at a future day may choose to withdrawfrom the present compact. Granting our independence, which Europe regardsas a foregone conclusion, what assurance have you (say they, gloating, inanticipation over the prospect) that, so soon as the common dangers of war,which for a time cemented you so closely, are over, entire disintegrationwill not ensue, and all your boasts end in some dozen anarchicalpseudo-republics, like those of South America and Mexico?"
"That is an evil which our legislators must guard against by timelyprovision. We are now, thank God! a thoroughly homogeneous people, with noantagonistic systems of labour necessitating conflicting interests. AsStates, we are completely identified in commerce and agriculture, and nodifferences need arise. Purified from all connection with the North, andwith no vestige of the mischievous element of New England Puritanism, wecan be a prosperous and noble people."
Electra had finished the bandages, and was walking slowly before thewindows, and, without looking up from the lint, which she was tying intosmall packages, Irene said--
"Electra, my friend, are you sure that you realize your personalresponsibility? Your profession will give, you vast influence in formingpublic taste and I hope much from its judicious use. Be careful that youselect only the highest, purest types to offer to your countrymen andwomen, when Peace enables us to turn our attention to the great work ofbuilding up a noble school of Southern Art. We want no feeble, sicklysentimentality, nor yet the sombre austerity which seems to pervade yourmind, judging from the works you have shown me."
A slight quiver crossed the mobile features of the artist as she bit herfull lip, and asked--
"What would you pronounce the distinguishing characteristic of my works? Isaw, yesterday, that you were not fully satisfied."
"A morbid melancholy, which you seem to have fostered tenderly instead ofcrushing vigorously. A disposition to dwell upon the stern and gloomyaspects of the physical world, and to intensify and reproduce abnormal andunhappy phases of character. Your breezy, sunshiny, joyous moods you havekept under lock and key while in your studio."
"I admit the truth of your criticism, and I have struggled against thespirit which hovers with clouding wings over all that I do; but the shadowhas not lifted--God knows whether it ever will. You have finished yourwork; come to my room for a few minutes."
They went upstairs together; and as Electra unlocked and bent over
a largesquare trunk, her companion noticed a peculiar curl about the lines of themouth, and a heavy scowl on the broad brow.
"I want to show you the only bright, shining face I ever painted."
She unwrapped an oval portrait, placed it on the mantelpiece, and, steppingback, fixed her gaze on Irene. She saw a tremor cross the quiet mouth, andfor some seconds the sad eyes dwelt upon the picture as if fascinated.
"It must have been a magnificent portrait of your cousin, years ago; but hehas changed materially since it was painted. He looks much older, sterner,now."
"Irene, I value this portrait above everything else save the original; and,as I may be called to pass through various perils, I want you to take careof it for me until I come back to W----. It is a precious trust, which Iwould be willing to leave in no hands but yours."
"You forget that, before long, I, too, shall go to Virginia."
"Then pack it away carefully among your old family pictures, where it willbe secure. I left my large and best paintings in Italy, with Aunt Ruth, whopromised to preserve and send them to me as soon as the blockade should beraised."
"What are Mr. Young's views concerning this war?"
"He utterly abhors the party who inaugurated it, and the principles uponwhich it is waged. Says he will not return to America at least for thepresent; and as soon as he can convert his property into money, intends tomove to the South. He opposed and regretted Secession until he saw thespirit of the Lincoln dynasty, and from that time he acknowledged that allhope of Union or reconstruction was lost. Have you heard anything fromHarvey since the troubles began?"
"It is more than a year since I received a line from him. He was then stillin the West, but made no allusion to the condition of the country."
"Irene, I hope to see Russell soon. You were once dear friends; have youany message for him--any word of kind remembrance?"
One of Irene's hands glided to her side, but she answered composedly--
"He knows that he always has my best wishes; but will expect no message."
On the following day Electra started to Richmond, taking with her a largesupply of hospital stores, which the ladies of W---- had contributed.
Eric had proposed to his niece the expediency of selling the Hill, andbecoming an inmate of his snug, tasteful, bachelor home; but she firmlyrefused to consent to this plan: said that she would spend her life in thehouse of her birth; and it was finally arranged that her uncle shouldreserve such of the furniture as he valued particularly, and offer theresidue for sale, with the pretty cottage, to which he was warmly attached.During the remainder of autumn Irene was constantly engaged insuperintending work for the soldiers, in providing for several poorfamilies in whom she was much interested, and in frequent visits to theplantation, where she found more than enough to occupy her mind; and Ericoften wondered at the admirable system and punctuality she displayed--atthe grave composure with which she discharged her daily duties, and theinvariable reticence she observed with regard to her past life.