HORTENSE. THE LAST OF A NOBLE NAME. A ROMANCE OF REAL LIFE.
BYEMILY PIERPONT DE LESDERNIER.
NEW YORK. WENTWORTH MAXWELL & CO.
1867.Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1867, by EMILY PIERPONT DE LESDERNIER, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of New York. JOURNEYMEN PRINTERS' COÖPERATIVE ASSOCIATION 166 William Street.
PROEM.
It was a bright October morning, and the new day flooded with splendor a city of the Southern seaboard, as it lay in half Venetian loveliness, lapped in a water as warm, and glassing skies as beautiful, as those circling above the Adriatic.
The leaves were all alive with busy comers and goers, and heavily laden drays were seen hurrying through the streets to deposit great bales of merchandise, to be in readiness for exportation, for cotton then reigned king in unrivaled and uncontested might.
The palatial homes of this city on the sea, built in the old Huguenot style, presented an imposing picture to the eye, with their elegantly page: vi-vii[View Page vi-vii] gantly ornamented French entrances, having the family arms quartered above the lintels, and with their almost eudal grandeur of appointments.
One of these noble mansions was escutcheoned with a name that stood proudly in the archives of a nation's history; albeit the present bearer of those time-honored trophies had achieved nothing worthier the envy of men than the amassing of a colossal fortune.
The dwelling stood nearly in the centre of a spacious square, enclosed on all sides by a high wall. The traditionally fabulous embellishment of these grounds, the passer by could only guess at. There were more than hints of orange groves, and murmurs of fountains, and gushing songs of happily imprisoned birds, and stray sprays of exquisite things climbing, as if by stealth, over the heavy abutment; but only the favored few might be permitted to enjoy the fullness of the inner glory. From either side of the mansion were trellised verandahs stretching out like great brooding wings, and from them tendrils of the loveliest parasites went swaying, and clinging, and embracing, into the very midst of the luxuriant foliage; and, overtopping all, a belt of lofty palmettos waved majestically, fanning into accelerated motion the breezes, always fresh, swelling in with the tides from the Gulf.
Within the precincts of the picturesque garden, a lovely girl, in the first blush of young maidenhood, was culling here and there, from the world of flowers blooming around her, whatever suited her dainty fancy. An Italian greyhound followed her flying steps, evincing in short, rejoiceful howls, a keen relish of the pleasure of the time. These canine expressions of glee really sounded more like the magic of a happy laugh than some human creatures ever attain to in that direction; page: viii-ix[View Page viii-ix] but if brute reason is transient, Zip had a soul that looked out of those faithful brown eyes, watching for the approval of his sweet young mistress.
The air was filled to sensuous ravishment with blended fragrance of magnolia and teeming orange trees, whose delicate branches were laden at once with silver blossoms and with golden fruit, a revelation of beneficent delights. From the house there issued a gentleman of haughty bearing, and icily aristocratic cast of features. He was closely followed by an ebony-visaged servitor, carrying a salver with cups, coffee and biscuit, to furnish the morning repast. These were placed upon a table glittering with damask and silver.
The gentleman called out, with an imperious tone, one word. It was a name.
At the sound of his voice, the maiden has tened to take her place beside him, with her arms full of the sweet plunder of the garden, that all her care could not prevent from scattering by the way as she moved, she herself the fairest flower of all the clusters there. Her complexion concealed a rose-white, suntinctured light, that seemed to shine through the delicate texture of her veins like an immortal fire, not ruddy, but pure spirit-flame. There was an arch mobility of the handsome features, which were not too regular to be expressive. The eyes, large and lustrous as stars, held a wondrously penetrating power, in their sea-blue depths. Her hair, a peculiar golden brown, waved and rolled into large, soft curls, veiling her slight figure with their luxuriousness.
"What are you going to do with all those flowers, grand-daughter?"
"It is the birth-day of Aunt Agnes, and I am going to make her room beautiful, if you please, grandpapa."
"Humph," he murmured, and a slight page: x-11[View Page x-11] sneer lowered the corners of his sarcastic lips.
- "Her glance
- Spoke something past all mortal pleasures,
- As in a kind of holy trance,
- She hung above those fragrant treasures.
- Then hasten we, maid,
- To twine our braid,
- To-morrow the dreams and flowers will fade."
