Home as Found by James Fenimore Cooper (diy ebook reader txt) 📕

had been taught to think interdicted. Notwithstanding these slight

separating shades in character, however, the natural affection was

warm and sincere; and if Eve, according to Grace's notions, was a

little stately and formal, she was polished and courteous, and if

Grace, according to Eve's notions, was a little too easy and

unreserved, she was feminine and delicate.

We pass over the three or four days that succeeded, during which Eve

had got to understand something of her new position, and we will come

at once to a conversation between the cousins, that will serve to let

the reader more intimately into the opinions, habits and feelings of

both, as well as to open the real subject of our narrative. This

conversation took place in that very library which had witnessed

their first interview, soon after breakfast, and while the young

ladies were still alone.

"I suppose, Eve, you will have to visit the Green's.--They are

Hajjis, and were much in society last winter."

"Hajjis!--You surely do not mean, Grace, that they have been to

Mecca?"

"Not at all: only to Paris, my dear; that makes a Hajji in New-York."

"And does it entitle the pilgrim to wear the green turban?" asked

Eve, laughing.

"To wear any thing, Miss Effingham; green, blue, or yellow, and to

cause it to pass for elegance."

"And which is the favourite colour with the family you have

mentioned?"

"It ought to be the first, in compliment to the name, but, if truth

must be said, I think they betray an affection for all, with not a

few of the half-tints in addition."

"I am afraid they are too _prononcees_ for us, by this description. I

am no great admirer, Grace, of walking rainbows."

"_Too_ Green, you would have said, had you dared; but you are a Hajji

too, and even the Greens know that a Hajji never puns, unless,

indeed, it might be one from Philadelphia. But you will visit these

people?"

"Certainly, if they are in society and render it necessary by their

own civilities."

"They _are_ in society, in virtue of their rights as Hajjis; but, as

they passed three months at Paris, you probably know something of

them."

"They may not have been there at the same time with ourselves,"

returned Eve, quietly, "and Paris is a very large town. Hundreds of

people come and go, that one never hears of. I do not remember those

you have mentioned."

"I wish you may escape them, for, in my untravelled judgment, they

are anything but agreeable, notwithstanding all they have seen, or

pretend to have seen."

"It is very possible to have been all over christendom, and to remain

exceedingly disagreeable; besides one may see a great deal, and yet

see very little of a good quality."

A pause of two or three minutes followed, during which Eve read a

note, and her cousin played with the leaves of a book.

"I wish I knew your real opinion of us, Eve," the last suddenly

exclaimed. "Why not be frank with so near a relative; tell me

honestly, now--are you reconciled to your country?"

"You are the eleventh person who has asked me this question, which I

find very extraordinary, as I have never quarrelled with my country."

"Nay, I do not mean exactly that. I wish to hear how our society has

struck one who has been educated abroad."

"You wish, then, for opinions that can have no great value, since my

experience at home, extends only to a fortnight. But you have many

books on the country, and some written by very clever persons; why

not consult them?"

"Oh! you mean the travellers. None of them are worth a second

thought, and we hold them, one and all, in great contempt."

"Of that I can have no manner of doubt, as one and all, you are

constantly protesting it, in the highways and bye-ways. There is no

more certain sign of contempt, than to be incessantly dwelling on its

intensity!"

Grace had great quickness, as well as her cousin, and though provoked

at Eve's quiet hit, she had the good sense and the good nature to

laugh.

"Perhaps we do protest and disdain a little too strenuously for good

taste, if not to gain believers; but surely, Eve, you do not support

these travellers in all that they have written of us?"

"Not in half, I can assure you. My father and cousin Jack have

discussed them too often in my presence to leave me in ignorance of

the very many political blunders they have made in particular."

"Political blunders!--I know nothing of them, and had rather thought

them right, in most of what they said about our politics. But,

surely, neither your father nor Mr. John Effingham corroborates what

they say of our society!"

"I cannot answer for either, on that point."

"Speak then for yourself. Do _you_ think them right?"

"You should remember, Grace, that I have not yet seen any society in

New-York."

"No society, dear!--Why you were at the Henderson's, and the

Morgan's, and the Drewett's; three of the greatest _reunions_ that we

have had in two winters!"'

"I did not know that you meant those unpleasant crowds, by society."

"Unpleasant crowds! Why, child, that _is_ society, is it not?'

"Not what I have been taught to consider such; I rather think it

would be better to call it company."

"And is not this what is called society in Paris?"

"As far from it as possible; it may be an excrescence of society; one

of its forms; but, by no means, society itself. It would be as true

to call cards, which are sometimes introduced in the world, society,

as to call a ball given in two small and crowded rooms, society. They

are merely two of the modes in which idlers endeavour to vary their

amusements."

"But we have little else than these balls, the morning visits, and an

occasional evening, in which there is no dancing."

"I am sorry to hear it; for, in that case, you can have no society."

"And is it different at Paris--or Florence, or Rome?"

"Very. In Paris there are many houses open every evening to which one

can go, with little ceremony. Our sex appears in them, dressed

according to what a gentleman I overheard conversing at Mrs.

Henderson's would call their 'ulterior intentions,' for the night;

some attired in the simplest manner, others dressed for concerts, for

the opera, for court even; some on the way from a dinner, and others

going to a late ball. All this matter of course variety, adds to the

case and grace of the company, and coupled with perfect good manners,

a certain knowledge of passing events, pretty modes of expression, an

accurate and even utterance, the women usually find the means of

making themselves agreeable. Their sentiment is sometimes a little

heroic, but this one must overlook, and it is a taste, moreover, that

is falling into disuse, as people read better books."

"And you prefer this heartlessness, Eve, to the nature of your own

country!"

"I do not know that quiet, _retenue_, and a good tone, are a whit

more heartless than flirting, giggling and childishness. There may be

more nature in the latter, certainly, but it is scarcely as

agreeable, after one has fairly got rid of the nursery."

Grace looked vexed, but she loved her cousin too sincerely to be

angry, A secret suspicion that Eve was right, too, came in aid of her

affection, and while her little foot moved, she maintained her good-

nature, a task not always attainable for those who believe that their

own "superlatives" scarcely reach to other people's "positives." At

this critical moment, when there was so much danger of a jar in the

feelings of these two young females, the library door opened and

Pierre, Mr. Effingham's own man, announced--

"Monsieur Bragg."

"Monsieur who?" asked Eve, in surprise.

"Monsieur Bragg," returned Pierre, in French, "desires to see

Mademoiselle."

"You mean my father,--I know no such person."

"He inquired first for Monsieur, but understanding Monsieur was out,

he next asked to have the honour of seeing Mademoiselle."

"Is it what they call a _person_ in England, Pierre?"

Old Pierre smiled, as he answered--

"He has the air, Mademoiselle, though he esteems himself a

_personnage_, if I might take the liberty of judging."

"Ask him for his card,--there must be a mistake, I think."

While this short conversation took place, Grace Van Cortlandt was

sketching a cottage with a pen, without attending to a word that was

said. But, when Eve received the card from Pierre and read aloud,

with the tone of surprise that the name would be apt to excite in a

novice in the art of American nomenclature, the words "Aristabulus

Bragg," her cousin began to laugh.

"Who can this possibly be, Grace?--Did you ever hear of such a

person, and what right can he have to wish to see me?"

"Admit him, by all means; it is your father's land agent, and he may

wish to leave some message for my uncle. You will be obliged to make

his acquaintance, sooner or later, and it may as well be done now as

at another time."

"You have shown this gentleman into the front drawing-room, Pierre?"

"Oui, Mademoiselle."

"I will ring when you are wanted."

Pierre withdrew, and Eve opened her secretary, out of which she took

a small manuscript book, over the leaves of which she passed her

fingers rapidly.

"Here it is," she said, smiling, "Mr. Aristabulus Bragg, Attorney and

Counsellor at Law, and the agent of the Templeton estate." This

precious little work, you must understand, Grace, contains sketches

of the characters of such persons as I shall be the most likely to

see, by John Effingham, A.M. It is a sealed volume, of course, but

there can be no harm in reading the part that treats of our present

visiter, and, with your permission, we will have it in common.--'Mr.

Aristabulus Bragg was born in one of the western counties of

Massachusetts, and emigrated to New-York, after receiving his

education, at the mature age of nineteen; at twenty-one he was

admitted to the bar, and for the last seven years he has been a

successful practitioner in all the courts of Otsego, from the

justice's to the circuit. His talents are undeniable, as he commenced

his education at fourteen and terminated it at twenty-one, the law-

course included. This man is an epitome of all that is good and all

that is bad, in a very large class of his fellow citizens. He is

quick-witted, prompt in action, enterprising in all things in which

he has nothing to lose, but wary and cautious in all things in which

he has a real stake, and ready to turn not only his hand, but his

heart and his principles to any thing that offers an advantage. With

him, literally, "nothing is too high to be aspired to, nothing too

low to be done." He will run for Governor, or for town-clerk, just as

opportunities occur, is expert in all the _practices_ of his

profession, has had a quarter's dancing, with three years in the

classics, and turned his attention towards medicine and divinity,

before he finally settled down into the law. Such a compound of

shrewdness, impudence, common-sense, pretension, humility,

cleverness, vulgarity, kind-heartedness, duplicity, selfishness, law-

honesty, moral fraud and mother wit, mixed up with a smattering of

learning and much penetration in practical things, can hardly be

described, as any one of his prominent qualities is certain to be met

by another quite as obvious that is almost its converse. Mr. Bragg,

in short, is purely a creature of circumstances, his qualities

pointing him out for either a member of congress or a deputy sheriff,

offices that he is equally ready to fill. I have employed him to

watch over the estate of your father, in the absence of the latter,

on the principle that one practised in tricks is the best qualified

to detect and expose them, and with the certainty that no man will

trespass with impunity, so long as the courts continue to tax bills

of costs with their present liberality.' You appear to know the

gentleman, Grace; is this character of him faithful?"

"I know nothing of bills of costs and deputy sheriffs, but I do know

that Mr. Aristabulus Bragg is an amusing mixture of strut, humility,

roguery and cleverness. He is waiting all this time in the drawing-

room, and you had better see him, as he may, now, be almost

considered part of the family. You know he has been living in the

house at Templeton, ever since he was installed by Mr. John

Effingham. It was there I had the honour first to meet him,"

"First!--Surely you have never seen him any where else!"

"Your pardon, my dear. He never comes to town without honouring me

with a call. This is the price I pay for having had the honour of

being an inmate of the same house with him for a week."

Eve rang the bell, and Pierre made his appearance.

"Desire Mr. Bragg to walk into the library."

Grace looked