miss sarah jack, of spanish town, jamaica-第3章

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lieutenant；　not　now　bedecked　with　sash　and　epaulettes；　but　lolling　at
his　ease　on　Mrs。　Leslie's　sofa　in　a　white　jacket；　while　Marian　sat　at
his　feet　telling　his　fortune　with　a　book　about　flowers。

〃Oh；　a　musk　rose；　Mr。　Ewing；　you　know　what　a　musk　rose　means！〃　　Then
she　got　up　and　shook　hands　with　Mr。　Cumming；　but　her　eyes　still　went
away　to　the　white　jacket　and　the　sofa。　　Poor　Maurice　had　often　been
nearly　broken…hearted　in　his　efforts　to　manage　his　free　black
labourers；　but　even　that　was　easier　than　managing　such　as　Marion
Leslie。

Marian　Leslie　was　a　Creoleas　also　were　Miss　Jack　and　Maurice
Cumminga　child　of　the　tropics；　but　by　no　means　such　a　child　as
tropical　children　are　generally　thought　to　be　by　us　in　more　northern
latitudes。　　She　was　black…haired　and　black…eyed；　but　her　lips　were　as
red　and　her　cheeks　as　rosy　as　though　she　had　been　born　and　bred　in
regions　where　the　snow　lies　in　winter。　　She　was　a　small；　pretty；
beautifully　made　little　creature；　somewhat　idle　as　regards　the　work
of　the　world；　but　active　and　strong　enough　when　dancing　or　riding
were　required　from　her。　　Her　father　was　a　banker；　and　was　fairly
prosperous　in　spite　of　the　poverty　of　his　country。　　His　house　of
business　was　at　Kingston；　and　he　usually　slept　there　twice　a　week；
but　he　always　resided　at　Shandy　Hall；　and　Mrs。　Leslie　and　her
children　knew　but　very　little　of　the　miseries　of　Kingston。　　For　be　it
known　to　all　men；　that　of　all　towns　Kingston；　Jamaica；　is　the　most
miserable。

I　fear　that　I　shall　have　set　my　readers　very　much　against　Marian
Leslie；much　more　so　than　I　would　wish　to　do。　　As　a　rule　they　will
not　know　how　thoroughly　flirting　is　an　institution　in　the　West
Indiespractised　by　all　young　ladies；　and　laid　aside　by　them　when
they　marry；　exactly　as　their　young…lady　names　and　young…lady　habits
of　various　kinds　are　laid　aside。　　All　I　would　say　of　Marian　Leslie　is
this；　that　she　understood　the　working　of　the　institution　more
thoroughly　than　others　did。　　And　I　must　add　also　in　her　favour　that
she　did　not　keep　her　flirting　for　sly　corners；　nor　did　her　admirers
keep　their　distance　till　mamma　was　out　of　the　way。　　It　mattered　not
to　her　who　was　present。　　Had　she　been　called　on　to　make　one　at　a
synod　of　the　clergy　of　the　island；　she　would　have　flirted　with　the
bishop　before　all　his　priests。　　And　there　have　been　bishops　in　the
colony　who　would　not　have　gainsayed　her！

But　Maurice　Cumming　did　not　rightly　calculate　all　this；　nor　indeed
did　Miss　Jack　do　so　as　thoroughly　as　she　should　have　done；　for　Miss
Jack　knew　more　about　such　matters　than　did　poor　Maurice。　　〃If　you
like　Marion；　why　don't　you　marry　her？〃

Miss　Jack　had　once　said　to　him；　and　this　coming　from　Miss　Jack；　who
was　made　of　money；　was　a　great　deal。

〃She　wouldn't　have　me；〃　Maurice　had　answered。

〃That's　more　than　you　know　or　I　either；〃　was　Miss　Jack's　reply。　　〃But
if　you　like　to　try；　I'll　help　you。〃

With　reference　to　this；　Maurice　as　he　left　Miss　Jack's　residence　on
his　return　to　Mount　Pleasant；　had　declared　that　Marian　Leslie　was　not
worth　an　honest　man's　love。

〃Psha！〃　Miss　Jack　replied；　〃Marian　will　do　like　other　girls。　　When
you　marry　a　wife　I　suppose　you　mean　to　be　master？〃

〃At　any　rate　I　shan't　marry　her；〃　said　Maurice。　　And　so　he　went　his
way　back　to　Hanover　with　a　sore　heart。　　And　no　wonder；　for　that　was
the　very　day　on　which　Lieutenant　Ewing　had　asked　the　question　about
the　musk　rose。

But　there　was　a　dogged　constancy　of　feeling　about　Maurice　which　could
not　allow　him　to　disburden　himself　of　his　love。　　When　he　was　again　at
Mount　Pleasant　among　his　sugar…canes　and　hogsheads　he　could　not　help
thinking　about　Marian。　　It　is　true　he　always　thought　of　her　as　flying
round　that　ball…room　in　Ewing's　arms；　or　looking　up　with　rapt
admiration　into　that　young　parson's　face；　and　so　he　got　but　little
pleasure　from　his　thoughts。　　But　not　the　less　was　he　in　love　with
her；not　the　less；　though　he　would　swear　to　himself　three　times　in
the　day　that　for　no　earthly　consideration　would　he　marry　Marian
Leslie。

The　early　months　of　the　year　from　January　to　May　are　the　busiest　with
a　Jamaica　sugar…grower；　and　in　this　year　they　were　very　busy　months
with　Maurice　Cumming。　　It　seemed　as　though　there　were　actually　some
truth　in　Miss　Jack's　prediction　that　prosperity　would　return　to　him
if　he　attended　to　his　country；　for　the　prices　of　sugar　had　risen
higher　than　they　had　ever　been　since　the　duty　had　been　withdrawn；　and
there　was　more　promise　of　a　crop　at　Mount　Pleasant　than　he　had　seen
since　his　reign　commenced。　　But　then　the　question　of　labour？　　How　he
slaved　in　trying　to　get　work　from　those　free　negroes；　and　alas！　how
often　he　slaved　in　vain！　　But　it　was　not　all　in　vain；　for　as　things
went　on　it　became　clear　to　him　that　in　this　year　he　would；　for　the
first　time　since　he　commenced；　obtain　something　like　a　return　from
his　land。　　What　if　the　turning…point　had　come；　and　things　were　now
about　to　run　the　other　way。

But　then　the　happiness　which　might　have　accrued　to　him　from　this
source　was　dashed　by　his　thoughts　of　Marian　Leslie。　　Why　had　he
thrown　himself　in　the　way　of　that　syren？　　Why　had　he　left　Mount
Pleasant　at　all？　　He　knew　that　on　his　return　to　Spanish　Town　his
first　work　would　be　to　visit　Shandy　Hall；　and　yet　he　felt　that　of　all
places　in　the　island；　Shandy　Hall　was　the　last　which　he　ought　to
visit。

And　then　about　the　beginning　of　May；　when　he　was　hard　at　work　turning
the　last　of　his　canes　into　sugar　and　rum；　he　received　his　annual
visit　from　Miss　Jack。　　And　whom　should　Miss　Jack　bring　with　her　but
Mr。　Leslie。

〃I'll　tell　you　what　it　is；〃　said　Miss　Jack；　〃I　have　spoken　to　Mr。
Leslie　about　you　and　Marian。〃

〃Then　you　had　no　business　to　do　anything　of　the　kind；〃　said　Maurice；
blushing　up　to　his　ears。

〃Nonsense；〃　replied　Miss　Jack；　〃I　understand　what　I　am　about。　　Of
course　Mr。　Leslie　will　want　to　know　something　about　the　estate。〃

〃Then　he　may　go　back　as　wise　as　he　came；　for　he'll　learn　nothing　from
me。　　Not　that　I　have　anything　to　hide。〃

〃So　I　told　him。　　Now　there　are　a　large　family　of　them；　you　see；　and
of　course　he　can't　give　Marian　much。〃

〃I　don't　care　a　straw　if　he　doesn't　give　her　a　shilling。　　If　she
cared　for　me；　or　I　for　her；　I　shouldn't　look　after　her　for　her
money。〃

〃But　a　little　money　is　not　a　bad　thing；　Maurice；〃　said　Miss　Jack；　who
in　her　time　had　had　a　good　deal；　and　had　managed　to　take　care　of　it。

〃It　is　all　one　to　me。〃

〃But　what　I　was　going　to　say　is　thishumha。　　I　don't　like　to
pledge　myself　for　fear　I　should　raise　hopes　which　mayn't　be
fulfilled。〃

〃Don't　pledge　yourself　to　anything；　aunt；　in　which　Marian　Leslie　and
I　are　concerned。〃

〃But　what　I　was　going　to　say　is　this；　my　money；　what　little　I　have；
you　know；　must　go　some　day　either　to　you　or　to　the　Leslies。〃

〃You　may　give　all　to　them　if　you　please。〃

〃Of　course　I　may；　and　I　dare　say　I　shall；〃　said　Miss　Jack；　who　was
beginning　to　be　irritated。　　〃But　at　any　rate　you　might　have　the
civility　to　listen　to　me　when　I　am　endeavouring　to　put　you　on　your
legs。　　I　am　sure　I　think　about　nothing　else；　morning；　noon；　and
night；　and　yet　I　never　get　a　decent　word　from　you。　　Marian　is　too
good　for　you；　that's　the　truth。〃

But　at　length　Miss　Jack　was　allowed　to　open　her　budget；　and　to　make
her　proposition；　which　amounted　to　thisthat　she　had　already　told
Mr。　Leslie　that　she　would　settle　the　bulk　of　her　property　conjointly
on　Maurice　and　Marian　if　they　would　make　a　match　of　it。　　Now　as　Mr。
Leslie　had　long　been　casting　a　hankering　eye　after　Miss　Jack's　money；
with　a　strong　conviction　however　that　Maurice　Cumming　was　her
favourite　nephew　and　probable　heir；　this　proposition　was　not
unpalatable。　　So　he　agreed　to　go　down　to　Mount　Pleasant　and　look
about　him。

〃But　you　may　live　for　the　next　thirty　years；　my　dear　Miss　Jack；〃　Mr。
Leslie　had　said。

〃Yes；　I　may；〃　Miss　Jack　replied；　looking　very　dry。

〃And　I　am　sure　I　hope　you　will；〃　continued　Mr。　Leslie。　　And　then　the
subject　was　allowed　to　drop；　for　Mr。　Leslie　knew　that　it　was　not
always　easy　to　talk　to　Miss　Jack　on　such　matters。

Miss　Jack　was　a　person　in　whom　I　think　we　may　say　that　the　good
predominated　over　the　bad。　　She　was　often　morose；　crabbed；　and　self