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Emma D. E. N. Southworth >> Capitola The Madcap
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21 This etext was produced by Charles Franks and the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
CAPITOLA THE MADCAP
PART II OF
THE HIDDEN HAND
BY
MRS. EMMA D. E. N. SOUTHWORTH
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I. The Orphan's Trial
II. Old Hurricane Storms
III. Cap's Visit to the Hidden House
IV. The Hidden Hollow
V. The Hidden House
VI. The Inmate of the Hidden House
VII. Cap's Return
VIII. Another Mystery at the Hidden House
IX. Cap Frees the Captive
X. Cap in Captivity
XI. An Unexpected Visitor at Marsh's Cottage
XII. Cap "Rests on her Laurels" and "Spoils for a Fight"
XIII. Black Donald
XIV. Glory
XV. Cap Captivates a Craven
XVI. Cap's Rage
XVII. Capitola Caps the Climax
XVIII. Black Donald's Last Attempt
XIX. The Awful Peril of Capitola
XX. The Next Morning
XXI. A Fatal Hatred
XXII. The Court-Martial
XXIII. The Verdict
XXIV. The End of the War
XXV. The Fortunate Bath
XXVI. The Mysterious Maniac
XXVII. The Maniac's Story
XXVIII. End of the Lady's Story
XXIX. Prospects Brighten
XXX. Capitola a Capitalist
XXXI. "There shall be light at the eventide."--Holy Bible
CAPITOLA THE MADCAP
SEQUEL TO
THE HIDDEN HAND
CHAPTER I.
THE ORPHAN'S TRIAL
"We met ere yet the world had come
To wither up the springs of youth,
Amid the holy joys of home,
And in the first warm blush of youth.
We parted as they never part,
Whose tears are doomed to be forgot;
Oh, by what agony of heart.
Forget me not!--forget me not!"
--Anonymous.
At nine o'clock the next morning Traverse went to the library to
keep his tryst with Colonel Le Noir.
Seated in the doctor's leathern chair, with his head thrown back,
his nose erect and his white and jeweled hand caressing his
mustached chin, the colonel awaited the young man's communication.
With a slight bow Traverse took a chair and drew it up to the table,
seated himself and, after a little hesitation, commenced, and in a
modest and self-respectful manner announced that he was charged with
the last verbal instructions from the doctor to the executor of his
will.
Colonel Le Noir left off caressing his chin for an instant, and,
with a wave of his dainty hand, silently intimated that the young
man should proceed.
Traverse then began and delivered the dying directions of the late
doctor, to the effect that his daughter Clara Day should not be
removed from the paternal mansion, but that she should be suffered
to remain there, retaining as a matronly companion her old friend
Mrs. Marah Rocke.
"Umm! umm! very ingenious, upon my word!" commented the colonel,
still caressing his chin.
"I have now delivered my whole message, sir, and have only to add
that I hope, for Miss Day's sake, there will be no difficulty thrown
in the way of the execution of her father's last wishes, which are
also, sir, very decidedly her own" said Traverse.
"Umm! doubtless they are--and also yours and your worthy mother's."
"Sir, Miss Day's will in this matter is certainly mine. Apart from
the consideration of her pleasure, my wishes need not be consulted.
As soon as I have seen Miss Day made comfortable I leave for the far
West," said Traverse, with much dignity.
"Umm! and leave mama here to guard the golden prize until your
return, eh?" sneered the colonel.
"Sir, I do not--wish to understand you," said Traverse with a
flushed brow.
"Possibly not, my excellent young friend," said the colonel,
ironically; then, rising from his chair and elevating his voice, he
cried, "but I, sir, understand you and your mother and your pretty
scheme perfectly! Very ingenious invention, these 'last verbal
instructions.' Very pretty plan to entrap an heiress; but it shall
not avail you, adventurers that you are! This afternoon Sauter, the
confidential attorney of my late brother-in-law, will be here with
the will, which shall be read in the presence of the assembled
household. If these last verbal directions are also to be found
duplicated in the will, very good, they shall be obeyed; if they
not, shall be discredited."
During this speech Traverse stood with kindling eyes and blazing
cheeks, scarcely able to master his indignation; yet, to his credit
be it spoken, he did "rule his own spirit" and replied with dignity
and calmness:
"Colonel Le Noir, my testimony in regard to the last wishes of
Doctor Day can, if necessary, be supported by other evidence--though
I do not believe that any man who did not himself act in habitual
disregard of truth would wantonly question the veracity of another."
"Sir! this to me!" exclaimed Le Noir, growing white with rage and
making a step toward the young man.
"Yes, Colonel Le Noir, that to you! And this in addition; You have
presumed to charge my mother, in connection with myself, with being
an adventuress; with forming dishonorable 'schemes,' and in so
charging her, Colonel Le Noir, you utter a falsehood!"
"Sirrah!" cried Le Noir, striding toward Traverse and raising his
hand over his head, with a fearful oath, "retract your words or--"
Traverse calmly drew himself up, folded his arms and replied coolly:
"I am no brawler, Colonel Le Noir; the pistol and the bowie-knife
are as strange to my hands as abusive epithets and profane language
are to my lips; nevertheless, instead of retracting my words, I
repeat and reiterate them. If you charge my mother with conspiracy
you utter a falsehood. As her son I am in duty bound to say as
much."
"Villain!" gasped Le Noir, shaking his fist and choking with rage;
"villain! you shall repent this in every vein of your body!"
Then, seizing his hat, he strode from the room.
"Boaster!" said Traverse to himself, as he also left the library by
another door.
Clara was waiting for him in the little parlor below.
"Well, well, dear Traverse," she said, as he entered. "You have had
the explanation with my guardian, and--he makes no objection to
carrying out the last directions of my father and our own wishes--he
is willing to leave me here?"
"My dear girl, Colonel Le Noir defers all decision until the reading
of the will, which is to take place this afternoon," said Traverse,
unwilling to add to her distress by recounting the disgraceful scene
that had just taken place in the library.
"Oh! these delays! these delays! Heaven give me patience! Yet I do
not know why I should be so uneasy. It is only a form; of course he
will regard my father's wishes."
"I do not see well how he can avoid doing so, especially as Doctor
Williams is another witness to them, and I shall request the
doctor's attendance here this afternoon. Dear Clara, keep up your
spirits! A few hours now and all will be well," said Traverse, as he
drew on his gloves and took his hat to go on his morning round of
calls.
An early dinner was ordered, for the purpose of giving ample time in
the afternoon for the reading of the will.
Owing to the kind forbearance of each member of this little family,
their meeting with their guest at the table was not so awkward as it
might have been rendered. Mrs. Rocke had concealed the insults that
had been offered her; Traverse had said nothing of the affronts put
upon him. So that each, having only their own private injuries to
resent, felt free in forbearing. Nothing but this sort of prudence
on the part of individuals rendered their meeting around one board
possible.
While they were still at the table the attorney, Mr. Sauter, with
Doctors Williams and Dawson, arrived, and was shown into the
library.
And very soon after the dessert was put upon the table the family
left it and, accompanied by Colonel Le Noir, adjourned to the
library. After the usual salutations they arranged themselves along
each side of an extension table, at the head of which the attorney
placed himself.
In the midst of a profound silence the will was opened and read. It
was dated three years before.
The bulk of his estate, after the paying a few legacies, was left to
his esteemed brother-in-law, Gabriel Le Noir, in trust for his only
daughter, Clara Day, until the latter should attain the age of
twenty-one, at which period she was to come into possession of the
property. Then followed the distribution of the legacies. Among the
rest the sum of a thousand dollars was left to his young friend
Traverse Rocke, and another thousand to his esteemed neighbor Marah
Rocke. Gabriel Le Noir was appointed sole executor of the will,
trustee of the property and guardian of the heiress.
At the conclusion of the reading Mr. Sauter folded the document and
laid it upon the table.
Colonel Le Noir arose and said:
"The will of the late Doctor Day has been read in your presence. I
presume you all heard it, and that there can be no mistake as to its
purport. All that remains now is to act upon it. I shall claim the
usual privilege of twelve months before administering upon the
estate or paying the legacies. In the mean time, I shall assume the
charge of my ward's person, and convey her to my own residence,
known as the Hidden House. Mrs. Rocke," he said, turning toward the
latter, "your presence and that of your young charge is no longer
required here. Be so good as to prepare Miss Day's traveling trunks,
as we set out from this place to-morrow morning."
Mrs. Rocke started, looked wistfully in the face of the speaker and,
seeing that he was in determined earnest, turned her appealing
glances toward Traverse and Doctor Williams.
As for Clara, her face, previously blanched with grief, was now
flushed with indignation. In her sudden distress and perplexity she
knew not at once what to do--whether to utter a protest or continue
silent; whether to leave the room or remain. Her embarrassment was
perceived by Traverse, who, stooping, whispered to her:
"Be calm, love; all shall be well. Doctor Williams is about to
speak."
And at that moment, indeed, Doctor Williams arose and said:
"I have, Colonel Le Noir to endorse a dying message from Doctor Day
entrusted to my young friend here to be delivered to you, to the
effect that it was his last desire and request that his daughter,
Miss Clara Day, should be permitted to reside during the term of her
minority in this her patrimonial home, under the care of her present
matronly friend, Mrs. Marah Rocke, Doctor Rocke and myself are here
to bear testimony to these, the last wishes of the departed, which
wishes, I believe, also express the desires of his heiress."
"Oh, yes, yes!" said Clara, earnestly. "I do very much desire to
remain in my own home, among my old familiar friends. My dear father
only consulted my comfort and happiness when he left these
instructions."
"There can be, therefore, no reason why Miss Day should be disturbed
in her present home," said Traverse.
Colonel Le Noir smiled grimly, saying:
"I am sorry, Doctor Williams, to differ with you or to distress Miss
Day. But if, as she says, her lamented father consulted her pleasure
in those last instructions, he certainly consulted nothing else--not
the proprieties of conventionalism, the opinion of the world, nor
the future welfare of his daughter. Therefore, as a man of Doctor
Day's high position and character in his sane moments never could
have made such a singular arrangement, I am forced to the conclusion
that he could not, at the time of giving those instructions, have
been in his right mind. Consequently, I cannot venture to act upon
any 'verbal instructions,' however well attested, but shall be
guided in every respect by the will, executed while yet the testator
was in sound body and mind."
"Doctor Rocke and myself are both physicians competent to certify
that, at the time of leaving these directions, our respected friend
was perfectly sound in mind at least," said Doctor Williams.
"That, sir, I repeat, I contest. And, acting upon the authority of
the will, I shall proceed to take charge of my ward as well as of
her estate. And as I think this house, under all the circumstances,
a very improper place for her to remain, I shall convey her without
delay to my own home. Mrs. Rocke, I believe I requested you to see
to the packing of Miss Day's trunks."
"Oh, heaven! shall this wrong be permitted?" ejaculated Marah.
"Mrs. Rocke, I will not go unless absolutely forced to do so by a
decree of the court. I shall get Doctor Williams to make an appeal
for me to the Orphans' Court," said Clara, by way of encouraging her
friend.
"My dear Miss Day, that, I hope, will not be required. Colonel Le
Noir acts under a misapprehension of the circumstances. We must
enter into more explanations with him, In the mean time, my dear
young lady, it is better that you should obey him for the present,
at least so far as retiring from the room," said Doctor Williams.
Clara immediately rose and, requesting Mrs. Rocke to accompany her,
withdrew from the library.
Doctor Williams then said;
"I advised the retirement of the young lady, having a communication
to make the hearing of which in a mixed company might have cost her
an innocent blush. But first I would ask you, Colonel Le Noir, what
are those circumstances to which you allude which render Miss Day's
residence here, in her patrimonial mansion, with her old and
faithful friends, so improper?" inquired Doctor Williams,
courteously.
"The growing intimacy, sir, between herself and a very objectionable
party--this young man Rocke!" replied Colonel Le Noir.
"Ah! and is that all?"
"It is enough, sir," said Colonel Le Noir, loftily.
"Then suppose I should inform you, sir, that this young man, Doctor
Rocke, was brought up and educated at Doctor Day's cost and under
his own immediate eye?"
"Then, sir, you would only inform me that an eccentric gentleman of
fortune had done--what eccentric gentlemen of fortune will sometimes
do--educated a pauper."
At this opprobrious epithet Traverse, with a flushed face, started
to his feet.
"Sit down, my boy, sit down; leave me to deal with this man," said
Doctor Williams, forcing Traverse back into his seat. Then, turning
to Colonel Le Noir, he said:
"But suppose, sir, that such was the estimation in which Doctor Day
held the moral and intellectual worth of his young protege that he
actually gave him his daughter?"
"I cannot suppose an impossibility, Doctor Williams," replied
Colonel Le Noir, haughtily.
"Then, sir, I have the pleasure of startling you a little by a
prodigy that you denominate an impossibility! Clara Day and Traverse
Rocke were betrothed with full knowledge and cordial approbation of
the young lady's father."
"Impossible! preposterous! I shall countenance no such ridiculous
absurdity!" said Colonel Le Noir, growing red in the face.
"Miss Day, Doctor Rocke, Mrs. Rocke, and myself are witnesses to
that fact."
"The young lady, and the young man are parties immediately
concerned--they cannot be received as witnesses in their own case;
Mrs. Rocke is too much in their interest for her evidence to be
taken; you, sir, I consider the dupe of these cunning conspirators--
mother and son," replied Colonel Le Noir, firmly.
"Tut!" said Doctor Williams, almost out of patience. "I do not
depend upon the words of Miss Day and her friends, although I hold
their veracity to be above question; I had Doctor Day's dying words
to the same effect. And he mentioned the existing betrothal as the
very reason why Clara should remain here in the care of her future
mother-in-law."
"Then, sir, that the doctor should have spoken and acted thus, is
only another and a stronger reason for believing him to have been
deranged in his last moments! You need give yourself no farther
trouble! I shall act upon the authority of this instrument which I
hold in my hand," replied Colonel Le Noir, haughtily.
"Then, as the depository of the dying man's last wishes and as the
next friend of his injured daughter, I shall make an appeal to the
Orphans' Court," said Doctor Williams, coldly.
"You can do as you please about that; but in the mean time, acting
upon the authority of the will, I shall to-morrow morning set out
with my ward for my own home."
"There may be time to arrest that journey," said Doctor Williams,
arising and taking his hat to go.
In the passage he met Mrs. Rocke.
"Dear Doctor Williams," said Mrs. Rocke, earnestly, "pray come up to
poor Clara's room and speak to her, if you can possibly say anything
to comfort her; she is weeping herself into a fit of illness at the
bare thought of being, so soon after her dreadful bereavement, torn
away from her home and friends."
"Tut! tut! no use in weeping! all will yet be right."
"You have persuaded that man to permit her to remain here, then?"
said Marah, gladly.
"Persuaded him! no, nor even undertaken to do so! I never saw him
before to-day, yet I would venture to say, from what I have now seen
of him, that he never was persuaded by any agent except his own
passions and interests, to any act whatever. No, I have endeavored
to show him that we have law as well as justice on our side, and
even now I am afraid I shall have to take the case before the
Orphans' Court before I can convince him. He purposes removing Clara
to-morrow morning. I will endeavor to see the Judge of the Orphans'
Court to-night, take out a habeas corpus, ordering Le Noir to bring
his ward into court, and serve it on him as he passes through
Staunton on his way home."
"But is there no way of preventing him from taking Clara away from
the house to-morrow morning."
"No good way. No, madam, it is best that all things should be done
decently and in order. I advise you, as I shall also advise my young
friends, Traverse and Clara, not to injure their own cause by unwise
impatience or opposition. We should go before the Orphans' Court
with the very best aspect."
"Come, then, and talk to Clara. She has the most painful antipathy
to the man who claims the custody of her person, as well as the most
distressing reluctance to leaving her dear home and friends; and all
this, in addition to her recent heavy affliction, almost overwhelms
the poor child," said Mrs. Rocke, weeping.
"I will go at once and do what I can to soothe her," said Doctor
Williams, following Mrs. Rocke, who led him up to Clara's room.
They found her prostrate upon her bed, crushed with grief.
"Come, come, my dear girl, this is too bad! It is not like the usual
noble fortitude of our Clara," said the old man, kindly taking her
hand.
"Oh, Doctor, forgive--forgive me! but my courage must have been very
small, for I fear it is all gone. But then, indeed, everything comes
on me at once. My dear, dear father's death; then the approaching
departure and expected long absence of Traverse! All that was
grievous enough to bear; and now to be torn away from the home of my
childhood, and from the friend that has always been a mother to me,
and by a man, from whom every true, good instinct of my nature
teaches me to shrink. I, who have always had full liberty in the
house of my dear father, to be forced away against my will by this
man, as if I were his slave!" exclaimed Clara, bursting into fresh
tears of indignation and grief.
"Clara, my dear, dear girl, this impatience and rebellion is so
unlike your gentle nature that I can scarcely recognize you for the
mild and dignified daughter of my old friend. Clara, if the saints
in heaven could grieve at anything, I should think your dear father
would be grieved to see you thus!" said the old man in gentle rebuke
that immediately took effect upon the meek and conscientious maiden.
"Oh! I feel--I feel that I am doing very wrong, but I cannot help
it. I scarcely know myself in this agony of mingled grief,
indignation and terror--yes, terror--for every instinct of my nature
teaches me to distrust and fear that man, in whom my father must
have been greatly deceived before he could have entrusted him with
the guardianship of his only child."
"I think that quite likely," said the old man; "yet, my dear, even
in respect to your dear father's memory, you must try to bear this
trial patiently."
"Oh, yes, I know I must. Dear father, if you can look down and see
me now, forgive your poor Clara, her anger and her impatience. She
will try to be worthy of the rearing you have given her and to bear
even this great trial with the spirit worthy of your daughter!" said
Clara within her own heart; then, speaking up, she said: "You shall
have no more reason to reprove me, Doctor Williams."
"That is my brave girl! That is my dear Clara Day! And now, when
your guardian directs you to prepare yourself for your journey, obey
him--go with him without making any objection. I purpose to arrest
your journey at Staunton with a habeas corpus that he dare not
resist, and which shall compel him to bring you into the Orphans'
Court. There our side shall be heard, and the decision will rest
with the judge."
"And all will be well! Oh, say that, sir! to give me the courage to
act with becoming docility," pleaded Clara.
"I have not a doubt in this world that it will all be right, for,
however Colonel Le Noir may choose to disregard the last wishes of
your father, as attested by myself and young Rocke, I have not the
least idea that the judge will pass them over. On the contrary, I
feel persuaded that he will confirm them by sending you back here to
your beloved home."
"Oh, may heaven grant it!" said Clara. "You do, indeed, give me new
life."
"Yes, yes, be cheerful, my dear; trust in Providence and expect
nothing short of the best! And now I dare not tarry longer with you,
for I must see the Judge at his house this night. Good-by, my dear;
keep up a good heart!" said the old man, cheerfully, pressing her
hand and taking his leave.
Mrs. Rocke accompanied him to the hall door.
"My dear madam, keep up your spirits also for the sake of your young
charge! Make her go to bed early! To-morrow, when she thinks she is
about to be torn from you forever, remind her in her ear that I
shall meet the carriage at Staunton with a power that shall turn the
horses' heads."
And so saying, the worthy old gentleman departed.
As Marah Rocke looked after him, she also saw with alarm that
Colonel Le Noir had mounted his horse and galloped off in the
direction of Staunton, as if impelled by the most urgent haste.
She returned to the bedside of Clara, and left her no more that
night. As the colonel did not return to supper, they, the family
party, had their tea in Clara's room.
Late at night Mrs. Rocke heard Colonel Le Noir come into the house
and enter his chamber.
Poor Clara slept no more that night; anxiety, despite of all her
efforts, kept her wide awake. Yet, though anxious and wakeful, yet
by prayer and endeavor she had brought her mind into a patient and
submissive mood, so that when a servant knocked at her door in the
morning with a message from Colonel Le Noir that she should be ready
to set forth immediately after breakfast, she replied that she
should obey him, and without delay she arose and commenced her
toilet.
All the family met for the last time around the board. The party was
constrained. The meal was a gloomy one. On rising from the table
Colonel Le Noir informed his ward that his traveling carriage was
waiting, and that her baggage was already on, and requested her to
put on her bonnet and mantle, and take leave of her servants.
Clara turned to obey--Traverse went to her side and whispered:
"Take courage, dear love. My horse is saddled. I shall ride in
attendance upon the carriage whether that man likes it or not; nor
lose sight of you for one moment until we meet Williams with his
habeas corpus."
"Nor even then, dear Traverse, nor even then! You will attend me to
the court and be ready to take me back to this dear, dear home!"
murmured Clara in reply.
"Yes, yes, dear girl! There, be cheerful," whispered the young man,
as he pressed her hand and released it.
Colonel Le Noir had been a silent but frowning spectator of this
little scene, and now that Clara was leaving the room, attended by
Mrs. Rocke, he called the latter back, saying:
"You will be so kind as to stop here a moment, Mrs. Rocke and you
also, young man."
The mother and son paused to hear what he should have to say.
"I believe it is the custom here in discharging domestics to give a
month's warning, or in lieu of that, to pay a month's wages in
advance. There, woman, is the money. You will oblige me by leaving
the house to-day, together with your son and all your other
trumpery, as the premises are put in charge of an agent, who will be
here this afternoon, clothed with authority to eject all loiterers
and intruders."
While the colonel spoke Marah Rocke gazed at him in a panic from
which she seemed unable to rouse herself, until Traverse gravely
took her hand, saying:
"My dear mother, let me conduct you from the presence of this man,
who does not know how to behave himself toward women. Leave me to
talk with him, and do you, dear mother, go to Miss Day, who I know
is waiting for you."
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