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第19部分

condensed novels-第19部分

小说: condensed novels 字数: 每页4000字

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Blanchisseuse。

She is again in tears。

She reads Paul et Virginie。  She is secretly transported。  When she
reads how the exemplary young woman laid down her life rather than
appear en deshabille to her lover; she weeps again。  Tasteful and
virtuous Bernardine de St。 Pierre!the daughters of France admire
you!

All this time her doll is headless in the cabinet。  The mud pie is
broken on the road。


VI。

THE WIFE。


She is tired of loving and she marries。

Her mother thinks it; on the whole; the best thing。  As the day
approaches; she is found frequently in tears。  Her mother will not
permit the affianced one to see her; and he makes several attempts
to commit suicide。

But something happens。  Perhaps it is winter; and the water is
cold。  Perhaps there are not enough people present to witness his
heroism。

In this way her future husband is spared to her。  The ways of
Providence are indeed mysterious。  At this time her mother will
talk with her。  She will offer philosophy。  She will tell her she
was married herself。

But what is this new and ravishing light that breaks upon her?  The
toilet and wedding clothes!  She is in a new sphere。

She makes out her list in her own charming writing。  Here it is。
Let every mother heed it。*

          *          *          *          *          *

          *          *          *          *          *

She is married。  On the day after; she meets her old lover;
Hippolyte。  He is again transported。


* The delicate reader will appreciate the omission of certain
articles for which English synonymes are forbidden。


VII。

HER OLD AGE。


A Frenchwoman never grows old。



MARY MCGILLUP。

A SOUTHERN NOVEL。

AFTER BELLE BOYD。

WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY G。 A。 SLA。


INTRODUCTION。


〃Will you write me up?〃

The scene was near Temple Bar。  The speaker was the famous rebel
Mary McGillup;a young girl of fragile frame; and long; lustrous
black hair。  I must confess that the question was a peculiar one;
and; under the circumstances; somewhat puzzling。  It was true I had
been kindly treated by the Northerners; and; though prejudiced
against them; was to some extent under obligations to them。  It was
true that I knew little or nothing of American politics; history;
or geography。  But when did an English writer ever weigh such
trifles?  Turning to the speaker; I inquired with some caution the
amount of pecuniary compensation offered for the work。

〃Sir!〃 she said; drawing her fragile form to its full height; 〃you
insult me;you insult the South。〃

〃But look ye here; d'ye seethe tinthe bluntthe readythe
stiff; you know。  Don't ye see; we can't do without that; you
know!〃

It shall be contingent on the success of the story;〃 she answered
haughtily。  〃In the mean time take this precious gem。〃  And drawing
a diamond ring from her finger; she placed it with a roll of MSS。
in my hands and vanished。

Although unable to procure more than L1 2s。 6 d。 from an
intelligent pawnbroker to whom I stated the circumstances and with
whom I pledged the ring; my sympathies with the cause of a
downtrodden and chivalrous people were at once enlisted。  I could
not help wondering that in rich England; the home of the oppressed
and the free; a young and lovely woman like the fair author of
those pages should be obliged to thus pawn her jewelsher marriage
giftfor the means to procure her bread!  With the exception of
the English aristocracy;who much resemble them;I do not know of
a class of people that I so much admire as the Southern planters。
May I become better acquainted with both!

Since writing the above; the news of Mr。 Lincoln's assassination
has reached me。  It is enough for me to say that I am dissatisfied
with the result。  I do not attempt to excuse the assassin。  Yet
there will be men who will charge this act upon the chivalrous
South。  This leads me to repeat a remark once before made by me in
this connection which has become justly celebrated。  It is this:

〃It is usual; in cases of murder; to look for the criminal among
those who expect to be benefited by the crime。  In the death of
Lincoln; his immediate successor in office alone receives the
benefit of his dying。〃

If her Majesty Queen Victoria were assassinated; which Heaven
forbid; the one most benefited by her decease would; of course; be
his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales; her immediate successor。
It would be unnecessary to state that suspicion would at once point
to the real culprit; which would of course be his Royal Highness。
This is logic。

But I have done。  After having thus stated my opinion in favor of
the South; I would merely remark that there is One who judgeth all
things;who weigheth the cause between brother and brother;and
awardeth the perfect retribution; and whose ultimate decision I; as
a British subject; have only anticipated。

G。 A。 S。


CHAPTER I。


Every reader of Belle Boyd's narrative will remember an allusion to
a 〃lovely; fragile…looking girl of nineteen;〃 who rivalled Belle
Boyd in devotion to the Southern cause; and who; like her; earned
the enviable distinction of being a 〃rebel spy。〃

I am that 〃fragile〃 young creature。  Although on friendly terms
with the late Miss Boyd; now Mrs。 Hardinge; candor compels me to
state that nothing but our common politics prevents me from
exposing the ungenerous spirit she has displayed in this allusion。
To be dismissed in a single paragraph after years of  But I
anticipate。  To put up with this feeble and forced acknowledgment
of services rendered would be a confession of a craven spirit;
which; thank God; though 〃fragile〃 and only 〃nineteen;〃 I do not
possess。  I may not have the 〃blood of a Howard〃 in my veins; as
some people; whom I shall not disgrace myself by naming; claim to
have; but I have yet to learn that the race of McGillup ever yet
brooked slight or insult。  I shall not say that attention in
certain quarters seems to have turned SOME PEOPLE'S heads; nor that
it would have been more delicate if certain folks had kept quiet on
the subject of their courtship; and the rejection of certain
offers; when it is known that their forward conduct was all that
procured them a husband!  Thank heaven; the South has some
daughters who are above such base considerations!  While nothing
shall tempt me to reveal the promises to share equally the fame of
certain enterprises; which were made by one who shall now be
nameless; I have deemed it only just to myself to put my own
adventures upon record。  If they are not equal to those of another
individual; it is because; though 〃fragile;〃 my education has
taught me to have some consideration for the truth。  I am done。


CHAPTER II。


I was born in Missouri。  My dislike for the Northern scum was
inherent。  This was shown; at an early age; in the extreme distaste
I exhibited for Webster's spelling…book;the work of a well…known
Eastern Abolitionist。  I cannot be too grateful for the
consideration shown by my chivalrous father;a gentleman of the
old school;who resisted to the last an attempt to introduce
Mitchell's Astronomy and Geography into the public school of our
district。  When I state that this same Mitchell became afterward a
hireling helot in the Yankee Army; every intelligent reader will
appreciate the prophetic discrimination of this true son of the
South。

I was eight years old when I struck the first blow for Southern
freedom against the Northern Tyrant。  It is hardly necessary to
state that in this instance the oppressor was a pale; overworked
New England 〃schoolmarm。〃  The principle for which I was
contending; I felt; however; to be the same。  Resenting an affront
put upon me; I one day heaved a rock* at the head of the Vandal
schoolmistress。  I was seized and overpowered。  My pen falters as I
reach the climax。  English readers will not give credit to this
sickening story;the civilized world will avert its head;but I;
Mary McGillup; was publicly SPANKED!


* NOTE; BY G。 A。 S。In the Southwest; any stone larger than a pea
is termed 〃a rock。〃


CHAPTER III。


But the chaotic vortex of civil war approached; and fell
destruction; often procrastinated; brooded in storm。*  As the
English people may like to know what was really the origin of the
rebellion; I have no hesitation in giving them the true and only
cause。  Slavery had nothing to do with it; although the violation
of the Declaration of Independence; in the disregard by the North
of the Fugitive Slave Law;** might have provoked a less fiery
people than the Southrons。  At the inception of the struggle a
large amount of Southern indebtedness was held by the people of the
North。  To force payment from the generous but insolvent debtorto
obtain liquidation from the Southern planterwas really the
soulless and mercenary object of the craven Northerners。  Let the
common people of England look to this。  Let the improvident
literary hack; the starved impecunious Grub Street debtor; the
newspaper frequenter of sponging…houses; remember this in their
criticisms of the vile and slavish Yankee。


* I make no pretension to fine writing; but perhaps Mrs。 Hardinge
can lay over that。  O; of course!  M。 McG。

** The Declaration of Independence grants to each subject 〃the
pursuit of life; liberty; and happiness。〃  A fugitive slave may be
said to personify 〃life; liberty; and happiness。〃  Hence his
pursuit is really legal。  This is logic。  G。 A。 S。


CHAPTER IV。


The roasting of an Abolitionist; by a greatly infuriated community;
was my first taste of the horrors of civil war。  Heavens!  Why will
the North persist in this fratricidal warfare?  The expulsion of
several Union refugees; which soon followed; now fairly plunged my
beloved State in the seething vortex。

I was sitting at the piano one afternoon; singing that stirring
refrain; so justly celebrated; but which a craven spirit; unworthy
of England; has excluded from some of her principal restaurants;
and was dwelling with some enthusiasm on the following line:


     〃Huzza! she spurns the Northern scum!〃


when a fragment of that scum; clothed in that detestable blue
uniform which is the symbol of oppression; entered the apartment。

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