"Even if your name were not known to me, Mistress Thankful," said the commander-in-chief, looking down upon her with grave politeness, "nature has, methinks, spared you the necessity of any introduction to the courtesy of a gentleman.But how can Iespecially serve you?"
Alack! the blaze of Mistress Thankful's brown eyes had become somewhat dimmed in the grave half-lights of the room, in the graver, deeper dignity of the erect, soldier-like figure before her.The bright color born of the tempest within and without had somehow faded from her cheek; the sauciness begotten from bullying her horse in the last half-hour's rapid ride was so subdued by the actual presence of the man she had come to bully, that I fear she had to use all her self-control to keep down her inclination to whimper, and to keep back the tears, that, oddly enough, rose to her sweet eyes as she lifted them to the quietly critical yet placid glance of her interlocutor.
"I can readily conceive the motive of this visit, Miss Thankful,"continued Washington, with a certain dignified kindliness that was more reassuring than the formal gallantry of the period; "and it is, I protest, to your credit.A father's welfare, however erring and weak that father may be, is most seemly in a maiden--"Thankful's eyes flashed again as she rose to her feet.Her upper lip, that had a moment before trembled in a pretty infantine distress, now stiffened and curled as she confronted the dignified figure before her."It is not of my father I would speak," she said saucily: "I did not ride here alone to-night, in this weather, to talk of HIM; I warrant HE can speak for himself.I came here to speak of myself, of lies--ay, LIES told of me, a poor girl; ay, of cowardly gossip about me and my sweetheart, Capt.Brewster, now confined in prison because he hath loved me, a lass without polities or adherence to the cause--as if 'twere necessary every lad should ask the confidence or permission of yourself or, belike, my Lady Washington, in his preferences."She paused a moment, out of breath.With a woman's quickness of intuition she saw the change in Washington's face,--saw a certain cold severity overshadowing it.With a woman's fateful persistency--a persistency which I humbly suggest might, on occasion, be honorably copied by our more politic ***--she went on to say what was in her, even if she were obliged, with a woman's honorable inconsistency, to unsay it an hour or two later; an inconsistency which I also humbly protest might be as honorably imitated by us--on occasion.
"It has been said," said Thankful Blossom quickly, "that my father has given entertainment knowingly to two spies,--two spies that, begging your Excellency's pardon, and the pardon of Congress, Iknow only as two honorable gentlemen who have as honorably tendered me their affections.It is said, and basely and most falsely too, that my sweetheart, Capt.Allan Brewster, has lodged this information.I have ridden here to deny it.I have ridden here to demand of you that an honest woman's reputation shall not be sacrificed to the interests of politics; that a prying mob of ragamuffins shall not be sent to an honest farmer's house to spy and spy--and turn a poor girl out of doors that they might do it.
'Tis shameful, so it is; there! 'tis most scandalous, so it is:
there, now! Spies, indeed! what are THEY, pray?"In the indignation which the recollection of her wrongs had slowly gathered in her, from the beginning of this speech, she had advanced her face, rosy with courage, and beautiful in its impertinence, within a few inches of the dignified features and quiet gray eyes of the great commander.To her utter stupefaction, he bent his head and kissed her, with a grave benignity, full on the centre of her audacious forehead.
"Be seated, I beg, Mistress Blossom," he said, taking her cold hand in his, and quietly replacing her in the unoccupied chair."Be seated, I beg, and give me, if you can, your attention for a moment.The officer intrusted with the ungracious task of occupying your father's house is a member of my military family, and a gentleman.If he has so far forgotten himself--if he has so far disgraced himself and me as--""No! no!" uttered Thankful, with feverish alacrity, "the gentleman was most considerate.On the contrary--mayhap--I"--she hesitated, and then came to a full stop, with a heightened color, as a vivid recollection of that gentleman's face, with the mark of her riding-whip lying across it, rose before her.
"I was about to say that Major Van Zandt, as a gentleman, has known how to fully excuse the natural impulses of a daughter," continued Washington, with a look of perfect understanding; "but let me now satisfy you on another point, where it would seem we greatly differ."He walked to the door, and summoned his servant, to whom he gave an order.In another moment the fresh-faced young officer who had at first admitted her re-appeared with a file of official papers.He glanced slyly at Thankful Blossom's face with an amused look, as if he had already heard the colloquy between her and his superior officer, and had appreciated that which neither of the earnest actors in the scene had themselves felt,--a certain sense of humor in the situation.