CHAPTER XVI.
--------My mind misgives, Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars, Shall bitterly begin his fearful date With this night's revels.
_Romeo and Juliet._
The new-comers were, according to the frequent custom of such frolickersall over the world, disguised in a sort of masquing habits, and designedto represent the Tritons and Mermaids, with whom ancient tradition andpopular belief have peopled the northern seas. The former, called byZetlanders of that time, Shoupeltins, were represented by young mengrotesquely habited, with false hair, and beards made of flax, andchaplets composed of sea-ware interwoven with shells, and other marineproductions, with which also were decorated their light-blue or greenishmantles of wadmaal, repeatedly before-mentioned. They had fish-spears,and other emblems of their assumed quality, amongst which the classicaltaste of Claud Halcro, by whom the masque was arranged, had notforgotten the conch-shells, which were stoutly and hoarsely winded, fromtime to time, by one or two of the aquatic deities, to the greatannoyance of all who stood near them.
The Nereids and Water-nymphs who attended on this occasion, displayed,as usual, a little more taste and ornament than was to be seen amongsttheir male attendants. Fantastic garments of green silk, and othermaterials of superior cost and fashion, had been contrived, so as toimitate their idea of the inhabitants of the waters, and, at the sametime, to show the shape and features of the fair wearers to the bestadvantage. The bracelets and shells, which adorned the neck, arms, andankles of the pretty Mermaidens, were, in some cases, intermixed withreal pearls; and the appearance, upon the whole, was such as might havedone no discredit to the court of Amphitrite, especially when the longbright locks, blue eyes, fair complexions, and pleasing features of themaidens of Thule, were taken into consideration. We do not indeedpretend to aver, that any of these seeming Mermaids had so accuratelyimitated the real siren, as commentators have supposed those attendanton Cleopatra did, who, adopting the fish's train of their original, wereable, nevertheless, to make their "bends," or "ends," (said commentatorscannot tell which,) "adornings."[45] Indeed, had they not left theirextremities in their natural state, it would have been impossible forthe Zetland sirens to have executed the very pretty dance, with whichthey rewarded the company for the ready admission which had been grantedto them.
It was soon discovered that these masquers were no strangers, but a partof the guests, who, stealing out a little time before, had thusdisguised themselves, in order to give variety to the mirth of theevening. The muse of Claud Halcro, always active on such occasions, hadsupplied them with an appropriate song, of which we may give thefollowing specimen. The song was alternate betwixt a Nereid or Mermaid,and a Merman or Triton--the males and females on either part forming asemi-chorus, which accompanied and bore burden to the principal singer.
I.
MERMAID.
Fathoms deep beneath the wave, Stringing beads of glistering pearl, Singing the achievements brave Of many an old Norwegian earl; Dwelling where the tempest's raving Falls as light upon our ear, As the sigh of lover, craving Pity from his lady dear, Children of wild Thule, we, From the deep caves of the sea, As the lark springs from the lea, Hither come, to share your glee.
II.
MERMAN.
From reining of the water-horse, That bounded till the waves were foaming, Watching the infant tempest's course, Chasing the sea-snake in his roaming; From winding charge-notes on the shell, When the huge whale and sword-fish duel, Or tolling shroudless seamen's knell, When the winds and waves are cruel; Children of wild Thule, we Have plough'd such furrows on the sea As the steer draws on the lea, And hither we come to share your glee.
III.
MERMAIDS AND MERMEN.
We heard you in our twilight caves, A hundred fathom deep below, For notes of joy can pierce the waves, That drown each sound of war and woe. Those who dwell beneath the sea Love the sons of Thule well; Thus, to aid your mirth, bring we Dance, and song, and sounding shell. Children of dark Thule, know, Those who dwell by haaf and voe, Where your daring shallops row, Come to share the festal show.
The final chorus was borne by the whole voices, excepting those carryingthe conch-shells, who had been trained to blow them in a sort of rudeaccompaniment, which had a good effect. The poetry, as well as theperformance of the masquers, received great applause from all whopretended to be judges of such matters; but above all, from TriptolemusYellowley, who, his ear having caught the agricultural sounds of ploughand furrow, and his brain being so well drenched that it could onlyconstrue the words in their most literal acceptation, declared roundly,and called Mordaunt to bear witness, that, though it was a shame towaste so much good lint as went to form the Tritons' beards andperiwigs, the song contained the only words of common sense which he hadheard all that long day.
But Mordaunt had no time to answer the appeal, being engaged inattending with the utmost vigilance to the motions of one of the femalemasquers, who had given him a private signal as they entered, whichinduced him, though uncertain who she might prove to be, to expect somecommunication from her of importance. The siren who had so boldlytouched his arm, and had accompanied the gesture with an expression ofeye which bespoke his attention, was disguised with a good deal morecare than her sister-masquers, her mantle being loose, and wide enoughto conceal her shape completely, and her face hidden beneath a silkmask. He observed that she gradually detached herself from the rest ofthe masquers, and at length placed herself, as if for the advantage ofthe air, near the door of a chamber which remained open, lookedearnestly at him again, and then taking an opportunity, when theattention of the company was fixed upon the rest of her party, she leftthe apartment.
Mordaunt did not hesitate instantly to follow his mysterious guide, forsuch we may term the masquer, as she paused to let him see the directionshe was about to take, and then walked swiftly towards the shore of thevoe, or salt-water lake, now lying full before them, its smallsummer-waves glistening and rippling under the influence of a broadmoonlight, which, added to the strong twilight of those regions duringthe summer solstice, left no reason to regret the absence of the sun,the path of whose setting was still visible on the waves of the west,while the horizon on the east side was already beginning to glimmer withthe lights of dawn.
Mordaunt had therefore no difficulty in keeping sight of his disguisedguide, as she tripped it over height and hollow to the sea-side, and,winding among the rocks, led the way to the spot where his own labours,during the time of his former intimacy at Burgh-Westra, had constructeda sheltered and solitary seat, where the daughters of Magnus wereaccustomed to spend, when the weather was suitable, a good deal of theirtime. Here, then, was to be the place of explanation for the masquerstopped, and, after a moment's hesitation, sat down on the rusticsettle. But, from the lips of whom was he to receive it? Norna had firstoccurred to him; but her tall figure and slow majestic step wereentirely different from the size and gait of the more fairy-formedsiren, who had preceded him with as light a trip as if she had been areal Nereid, who, having remained too late upon the shore, was, underthe dread of Amphitrite's displeasure, hastening to regain her nativeelement. Since it was not Norna, it could be only, he thought, Brenda,who thus singled him out; and when she had seated herself upon thebench, and taken the mask from her face, Brenda it accordingly proved tobe. Mordaunt had certainly done nothing to make him dread her presence;and yet, such is the influence of bashfulness over the ingenuous youthof both sexes, that he experienced all the embarrassment of one whofinds himself unexpectedly placed before a person who is justly offendedwith him. Brenda felt no less embarrassment; but as she had sought thisinterview, and was sensible it must be a brief one, she was compelled,in spite of herself, to begin the conversation.
"Mordaunt," she said, with a hesitating voice; then correcting herself,she proceeded--"You must be surprised, Mr. Mertoun, that I should havetaken this uncommon freedom."
"It was not till this morning, Brenda," replied Mordaunt, "that any markof friendship or intimacy from you or from your sister could havesurprised me. I am far more astonished that you should shun me withoutreason for so many hours, than that you should now allow me aninterview. In the name of Heaven, Brenda, in what have I offended you?or why are we on these unusual terms?"
"May it not be enough to say," replied Brenda, looking downward, "thatit is my father's pleasure?"
"No, it is not enough," returned Mertoun. "Your father cannot have sosuddenly altered his whole thoughts of me, and his whole actions towardsme, without acting under the influence of some strong delusion. I askyou but to explain of what nature it is; for I will be contented to belower in your esteem than the meanest hind in these islands, if I cannotshow that his change of opinion is only grounded upon some infamousdeception, or some extraordinary mistake."
"It may be so," said Brenda--"I hope it is so--that I do hope it is so,my desire to see you thus in private may well prove to you. But it isdifficult--in short, it is impossible for me to explain to you the causeof my father's resentment. Norna has spoken with him concerning itboldly, and I fear they parted in displeasure; and you well know nolight matter could cause that."
"I have observed," said Mordaunt, "that your father is most attentive toNorna's counsel, and more complaisant to her peculiarities than to thoseof others--this I have observed, though he is no willing believer in thesupernatural qualities to which she lays claim."
"They are related distantly," answered Brenda, "and were friends inyouth--nay, as I have heard, it was once supposed they would have beenmarried; but Norna's peculiarities showed themselves immediately on herfather's death, and there was an end of that matter, if ever there wasany thing in it. But it is certain my father regards her with muchinterest; and it is, I fear, a sign how deeply his prejudices respectingyou must be rooted, since they have in some degree quarrelled on youraccount."
"Now, blessings upon you, Brenda, that you have called them prejudices,"said Mertoun, warmly and hastily--"a thousand blessings on you! You wereever gentle-hearted--you could not have maintained even the show ofunkindness long."
"It was indeed but a show," said Brenda, softening gradually into thefamiliar tone in which they had conversed from infancy; "I could neverthink, Mordaunt,--never, that is, seriously believe, that you could sayaught unkind of Minna or of me."
"And who dares to say I have?" said Mordaunt, giving way to the naturalimpetuosity of his disposition--"Who dares to say that I have, andventures at the same time to hope that I will suffer his tongue toremain in safety betwixt his jaws? By Saint Magnus the Martyr, I willfeed the hawks with it!"
"Nay, now," said Brenda, "your anger only terrifies me, and will forceme to leave you."
"Leave me," said he, "without telling me either the calumny, or the nameof the villainous calumniator!"
"O, there are more than one," answered Brenda, "that have possessed myfather with an opinion--which I cannot myself tell you--but there aremore than one who say"----
"Were they hundreds, Brenda, I will do no less to them than I havesaid--Sacred Martyr!--to accuse me of speaking unkindly of those whom Imost respected and valued under Heaven--I will back to the apartmentthis instant, and your father shall do me right before all the world."
"Do not go, for the love of Heaven!" said Brenda; "do not go, as youwould not render me the most unhappy wretch in existence!"
"Tell me then, at least, if I guess aright," said Mordaunt, "when I namethis Cleveland for one of those who have slandered me?"
"No, no," said Brenda, vehemently, "you run from one error into anothermore dangerous. You say you are my friend:--I am willing to beyours:--be but still for a moment, and hear what I have to say;--ourinterview has lasted but too long already, and every additional momentbrings additional danger with it."
"Tell me, then," said Mertoun, much softened by the poor girl's extremeapprehension and distress, "what it is that you require of me; andbelieve me, it is impossible for you to ask aught that I will not do myvery uttermost to comply with."
"Well, then--this Captain," said Brenda, "this Cleveland"----
"I knew it, by Heaven!" said Mordaunt; "my mind assured me that thatfellow was, in one way or other, at the bottom of all this mischief andmisunderstanding!"
"If you cannot be silent, and patient, for an instant," replied Brenda,"I must instantly quit you: what I meant to say had no relation to you,but to another,--in one word, to my sister Minna. I have nothing to sayconcerning her dislike to you, but an anxious tale to tell concerninghis attention to her."
"It is obvious, striking, and marked," said Mordaunt; "and, unless myeyes deceive me, it is received as welcome, if, indeed, it is notreturned."
"That is the very cause of my fear," said Brenda. "I, too, was struckwith the external appearance, frank manners, and romantic conversationof this man."
"His appearance!" said Mordaunt; "he is stout and well-featured enough,to be sure; but, as old Sinclair of Quendale said to the Spanishadmiral, 'Farcie on his face! I have seen many a fairer hang on theBorough-moor.'--From his manners, he might be captain of a privateer;and by his conversation, the trumpeter to his own puppetshow; for hespeaks of little else than his own exploits."
"You are mistaken," answered Brenda; "he speaks but too well on all thathe has seen and learned; besides, he has really been in many distantcountries, and in many gallant actions, and he can tell them with asmuch spirit as modesty. You would think you saw the flash and heard thereport of the guns. And he has other tones of talking too--about thedelightful trees and fruits of distant climates; and how the people wearno dress, through the whole year, half so warm as our summer gowns, and,indeed, put on little except cambric and muslin."
"Upon my word, Brenda, he does seem to understand the business ofamusing young ladies," replied Mordaunt.
"He does, indeed," said Brenda, with great simplicity. "I assure youthat, at first, I liked him better than Minna did; and yet, though sheis so much cleverer than I am, I know more of the world than she does;for I have seen more of cities, having been once at Kirkwall; besidesthat I was thrice at Lerwick, when the Dutch ships were there, and so Ishould not be very easily deceived in people."
"And pray, Brenda," said Mertoun, "what was it that made you think lessfavourably of this young fellow, who seems to be so captivating?"
"Why," said Brenda, after a moment's reflection, "at first he was muchlivelier; and the stories he told were not quite so melancholy, or soterrible; and he laughed and danced more."
"And, perhaps, at that time, danced oftener with Brenda than with hersister?" added Mordaunt.
"No--I am not sure of that," said Brenda; "and yet, to speak plain, Icould have no suspicion of him at all while he was attending quiteequally to us both; for you know that then he could have been no more tous than yourself, Mordaunt Mertoun, or young Swaraster, or any otheryoung man in the islands."
"But, why then," said Mordaunt, "should you not see him, with patience,become acquainted with your sister?--He is wealthy, or seems to be so atleast. You say he is accomplished and pleasant;--what else would youdesire in a lover for Minna?"
"Mordaunt, you forget who we are," said the maiden, assuming an air ofconsequence, which sat as gracefully upon her simplicity, as did thedifferent tone in which she had spoken hitherto. "This is a little worldof ours, this Zetland, inferior, perhaps, in soil and climate to otherparts of the earth, at least so strangers say; but it is our own littleworld, and we, the daughters of Magnus Troil, hold a first rank in it.It would I think, little become us, who are descended from Sea-kingsand Jarls, to throw ourselves away upon a stranger, who comes to ourcoast, like the eider-duck in spring, from we know not whence, and mayleave it in autumn, to go we know not where."
"And who may yet entice a Zetland golden-eye to accompany hismigration," said Mertoun.
"I will hear nothing light on such a subject," replied Brenda,indignantly; "Minna, like myself, is the daug
hter of Magnus Troil, thefriend of strangers, but the Father of Hialtland. He gives them thehospitality they need; but let not the proudest of them think that theycan, at their pleasure, ally with his house."
She said this in a tone of considerable warmth, which she instantlysoftened, as she added, "No, Mordaunt, do not suppose that Minna Troilis capable of so far forgetting what she owes to her father and herfather's blood, as to think of marrying this Cleveland; but she may lendan ear to him so long as to destroy her future happiness. She has thatsort of mind, into which some feelings sink deeply;--you remember howUlla Storlson used to go, day by day, to the top of Vossdale-head, tolook for her lover's ship that was never to return? When I think of herslow step, her pale cheek, her eye, that grew dimmer and dimmer, likethe lamp that is half extinguished for lack of oil,--when I remember thefluttered look, of something like hope, with which she ascended thecliff at morning, and the deep dead despair which sat on her foreheadwhen she returned,--when I think on all this, can you wonder that I fearfor Minna, whose heart is formed to entertain, with such deep-rootedfidelity, any affection that may be implanted in it?"
"I do not wonder," said Mordaunt, eagerly sympathizing with the poorgirl; for, besides the tremulous expression of her voice, the lightcould almost show him the tear which trembled in her eye, as she drewthe picture to which her fancy had assimilated her sister,--"I do notwonder that you should feel and fear whatever the purest affection candictate; and if you can but point out to me in what I can serve yoursisterly love, you shall find me as ready to venture my life, ifnecessary, as I have been to go out on the crag to get you the eggs ofthe guillemot; and, believe me, that whatever has been told to yourfather or yourself, of my entertaining the slightest thoughts ofdisrespect or unkindness, is as false as a fiend could devise."
"I believe it," said Brenda, giving him her hand; "I believe it, and mybosom is lighter, now I have renewed my confidence in so old a friend.How you can aid us, I know not; but it was by the advice, I may say bythe commands, of Norna, that I have ventured to make this communicationand I almost wonder," she added, as she looked around her, "that I havehad courage to carry me through it. At present you know all that I cantell you of the risk in which my sister stands. Look after thisCleveland--beware how you quarrel with him, since you must so surelycome by the worst with an experienced soldier."
"I do not exactly understand," said the youth, "how that should sosurely be. This I know, that with the good limbs and good heart that Godhath given me, ay, and with a good cause to boot--I am little afraid ofany quarrel which Cleveland can fix upon me."
"Then, if not for your own sake, for Minna's sake," said Brenda--"formy father's--for mine--for all our sakes, avoid any strife with him, butbe contented to watch him, and, if possible, to discover who he is, andwhat are his intentions towards us. He has talked of going to Orkney, toenquire after the consort with whom he sailed; but day after day, andweek after week passes, and he goes not; and while he keeps my fathercompany over the bottle, and tells Minna romantic stories of foreignpeople, and distant wars, in wild and unknown regions, the time glideson, and the stranger, of whom we know nothing except that he is one,becomes gradually closer and more inseparably intimate in oursociety.--And now, farewell. Norna hopes to make your peace with myfather, and entreats you not to leave Burgh-Westra to-morrow, howevercold he and my sister may appear towards you. I too," she said,stretching her hand towards him, "must wear a face of cold friendship astowards an unwelcome visitor, but at heart we are still Brenda andMordaunt. And now separate quickly, for we must not be seen together."
She stretched her hand to him, but withdrew it in some slight confusion,laughing and blushing, when, by a natural impulse, he was about to pressit to his lips. He endeavoured for a moment to detain her, for theinterview had for him a degree of fascination, which, as often as he hadbefore been alone with Brenda, he had never experienced. But sheextricated herself from him, and again signing an adieu, and pointingout to him a path different from that which she was herself about totake, tripped towards the house, and was soon hidden from his view bythe acclivity.
Mordaunt stood gazing after her in a state of mind, to which, as yet,he had been a stranger. The dubious neutral ground between love andfriendship may be long and safely trodden, until he who stands upon itis suddenly called upon to recognise the authority of the one or theother power; and then it most frequently happens, that the party who foryears supposed himself only a friend, finds himself at once transformedinto a lover. That such a change in Mordaunt's feelings should takeplace from this date, although he himself was unable exactly todistinguish its nature, was to be expected. He found himself at oncereceived, with the most unsuspicious frankness, into the confidence of abeautiful and fascinating young woman, by whom he had, so short a timebefore, imagined himself despised and disliked; and, if any thing couldmake a change, in itself so surprising and so pleasing, yet moreintoxicating, it was the guileless and open-hearted simplicity ofBrenda, that cast an enchantment over every thing which she did or said.The scene, too, might have had its effect, though there was littleoccasion for its aid. But a fair face looks yet fairer under the lightof the moon, and a sweet voice sounds yet sweeter among the whisperingsounds of a summer night. Mordaunt, therefore, who had by this timereturned to the house, was disposed to listen with unusual patience andcomplacency to the enthusiastic declamation pronounced upon moonlight byClaud Halcro, whose ecstasies had been awakened on the subject by ashort turn in the open air, undertaken to qualify the vapours of thegood liquor, which he had not spared during the festival.
"The sun, my boy," he said, "is every wretched labourer'sday-lantern--it comes glaring yonder out of the east, to summon up awhole world to labour and to misery; whereas the merry moon lights allof us to mirth and to love."
"And to madness, or she is much belied," said Mordaunt, by way of sayingsomething.
"Let it be so," answered Halcro, "so she does not turn usmelancholy-mad.--My dear young friend, the folks of this painstakingworld are far too anxious about possessing all their wits, or havingthem, as they say, about them. At least I know I have been often calledhalf-witted, and I am sure I have gone through the world as well as if Ihad double the quantity. But stop--where was I? O, touching andconcerning the moon--why, man, she is the very soul of love and poetry.I question if there was ever a true lover in existence who had not gotat least as far as 'O thou,' in a sonnet in her praise."
"The moon," said the factor, who was now beginning to speak very thick,"ripens corn, at least the old folk said so--and she fills nuts also,whilk is of less matter--_sparge nuces, pueri_."
"A fine, a fine," said the Udaller, who was now in his altitudes; "thefactor speaks Greek--by the bones of my holy namesake, Saint Magnus, heshall drink off the yawl full of punch, unless he gives us a song on thespot!"
"Too much water drowned the miller," answered Triptolemus. "My brain hasmore need of draining than of being drenched with more liquor."
"Sing, then," said the despotic landlord, "for no one shall speak anyother language here, save honest Norse, jolly Dutch, or Danske, or broadScots, at the least of it. So, Eric Scambester, produce the yawl, andfill it to the brim, as a charge for demurrage."
Ere the vessel could reach the agriculturist, he, seeing it under way,and steering towards him by short tacks, (for Scambester himself was bythis time not over steady in his course,) made a desperate effort, andbegan to sing, or rather to croak forth, a Yorkshire harvest-homeballad, which his father used to sing when he was a little mellow, andwhich went to the tune of "Hey Dobbin, away with the waggon." The ruefulaspect of the singer, and the desperately discordant tones of his voice,formed so delightful a contrast with the jollity of the words and tune,that honest Triptolemus afforded the same sort of amusement which areveller might give, by appearing on a festival-day in the holyday-coatof his grandfather. The jest concluded the evening, for even the mightyand strong-headed Magnus himself had confessed the influence of thesleepy god. The guests went off as t
hey best might, each to his separatecrib and resting place, and in a short time the mansion, which was oflate so noisy, was hushed into perfect silence.
FOOTNOTES:
[45] See some admirable discussion on this passage, in the VariorumShakspeare.