Blue Lights by Robert Michael Ballantyne (ebook reader with highlighter .txt) 📕

Miles is only a--a--soldier, you know, and--"

"_Only_ a soldier!" interrupted Marion, with a flash from her soft brown eyes; for she was an enthusiast as well as straightforward, modest, and simple! "I suppose you mean that he is only a private, but what then? May not the poorest private in the army rise, if he be but noble-minded and worthy and capable, to the rank of a general, or higher--if there is anything higher? Possibly the Commander-in-Chief-ship may be open to him!"

"True, my love, but in the meantime his social position is--"

"Is quite as good as our own," interrupted Marion; for she was a desperate little radical as well as an enthusiast, straightforward, modest, and simple!

"You know he let out something about his parents and position, and _of course_ he told the truth. Besides, I repeat that I cannot _help_ loving him, and surely we are not responsible for our affections. We cannot love and hate to order. I might fall in love with--with--well, it's no good talking; but, anyhow, I could not help it. I could be silent if you like, but I could not help myself."

Mrs Drew seemed a little puzzled how to deal with her impetuous daughter, and had begun to reply, when May interrupted her. Flushing deeply, for she was very sensitive, and with a feeling that amounted almost to indignation, she continued--

"I wonder at you, mother--it's so unlike you; as if those unworthy considerations of difference of rank and station could influence, or ought to influence, one in such a question as this!"

Mrs Drew paused for a moment. She knew that her daughter gave expression to the views that had marked the dealings of the husband and father, so lately lost to them, in every action of his life. Marion's happiness, too, during the remainder of her days, might be involved in the result of the present conversation, and she was moved to say--

"My dear, has John Miles ever spoken to you?"

"Oh! mother, how can you ask me? If he had done so, would I have delayed one minute in letting you know?"

"Forgive me, dearest. I did you wrong in admitting the thought even for a moment. But you spoke so earnestly--as if you might have some reason for thinking that he cared for you."

"Don't you know," answered Marion, looking down, and a little confused, "that men can speak with their eyes as well as their lips? I not only feel sure that he cares for me, but I feel sure, from the sentiments he expressed to me on the voyage, that _nothing_ would induce him to talk to me of love while in his present position."

"How does all this consist, my love," asked Mrs Drew, "with your knowledge of the fact that he left home in anger, and would not be persuaded, even by your dear father, to write home a penitent letter?"

Marion was silent. This had not occurred to her before. But love is not to be turned from its object by trifles. She was all that we have more than once described her to be; but she was not a meta-physician or a philosopher, capable of comprehending and explaining occult mysteries. Enough for her if she loved Miles and Miles loved her, and then, even if he did not deserve her love, she would remain true--secretly but unalterably true--to him as the needle is to the pole!

"Has it not occurred to you, dear," said her mother, pursuing her advantage in a meditative tone, "that if Miles has been so plain-spoken and eloquent with his blue eye, that your pretty brown ones may have said something to _him_?"

"Never!" exclaimed the girl, with an indignant flash. "Oh! mother, can you believe me capable of--of--no, I never looked at him except with the air of a perfect stranger--at least of a--a--but why should I try to deny what could not possibly be true?"

Mrs Drew felt that nothing was to be gained from pursuing the subject-- or one aspect of it--further.

"At any rate," she said, "I am glad, for his own sake, poor young fellow, that Sergeant Hardy spoke so hopefully."

"And for his comrades' sakes as well," said Marion. "You know, mother, that his friend Armstrong is also reported as missing, and Stevenson the marine, as well as that dear big bluff sailor, Jack Molloy. By the way, do you feel well enough to go to the lecture to-night? It is to be a very interesting one, I am told, with magic-lantern illustrations, and I don't like to go alone."

"I am going to-night, so you may make your mind easy," said her mother. "I would not miss this lecturer, because I am told that he is a remarkably good one, and the hall is likely to be quite full."

In regard to this lecture and some other things connected with the Alexandrian Institute, our friend Sergeant Hardy learned a good deal from the lady at the head of it, not long after the time that Mrs Drew had the foregoing conversation with Marion.

It is scarcely needful to say that the Lady-Superintendent was a capable Christian as well as an enthusiast in her work.

"Come to my room, Sergeant Hardy, and I'll tell you all about it," she said, leading the way to her apartment, where the sergeant placed himself upon a chair, bolt upright, as if he were going to have a tooth drawn, or were about to illustrate some new species of sitting-drill.


CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.


SHOWS HOW THE LADY OF THE INSTITUTE DISCOURSES TO THE SERGEANT, HOW JACK-TARS GO OUT ON THE SPREE, AND HOW MUSIC CONQUERS WARRIORS.

"It seems wonderful to me, madam," said Sergeant Hardy, looking round the lady's room with an admiring gaze, "how quickly you have got things into working order here. When I remember that last year this place was a heap of rubbish, it seems like magic."

"Ah! the work of God on earth seems magical the more we reflect on it," returned the lady. "The fact that our Institute was conceived, planned, and carried into successful operation by an invalid lady, in spite of discouragement, and, at first, with inadequate means, is itself little short of miraculous, but what is even more surprising is the fact that the Government, which began by throwing cold water on her Portsmouth work, has ended by recognising it and by affording us every facility here in Alexandria."

"Well, you see, madam, I suppose it's because they see that we soldiers and sailors likes it, an' it does a power o' good--don't you think?"

"No doubt, but whatever may be the reason, Sergeant, we are very thankful for the encouragement. I suppose you have heard what a grand occasion our opening day was?"

"No, madam, I haven't. You see, away at Suakim we was so constantly taken up with the attentions of Osman Digna that we had little time for anything but eatin' and sleepin' when we wasn't on sentry an' fightin', so that we often missed bits of news. Was there a great turn-out o' men?"

"Indeed there was," returned the lady, with animation; "and not only of men, but of all the Alexandrian notables. It was on the 23rd of February last (1885) that our Institute was opened by Major-General Lennox, V.C., C.B., who was in command of the garrison. This was not the first time by any means that the soldiers had paid us a visit. A number of men, who, like yourself, Sergeant Hardy, sympathise with our work in its spiritual aspects, had been frequently coming to see how we were getting on, and many a pleasant hour's prayer and singing we had enjoyed with them, accompanied by our little harmonium, which had been sent to us by kind friends in England; and every Sunday evening we had had a little service in the midst of the shavings and carpenters' benches.

"But on this grand opening day the men came down in hundreds, and a great surprise some of them got--especially the sceptical among them. The entrance was decorated with palms. At the further end of the reading-room the trophy of Union Jacks and the Royal Standard, which you see there now, was put up by a band of Jack-tars who had come to help us as well as to see the fun. Over the trophy was our text, `In the name of the Lord will we set up our banners,' for we liked to feel that we had taken possession of this little spot in Egypt for God--and we believe that it will always be His.

"Everything was bright and hearty. There were about five hundred soldiers and sailors, and between two and three hundred officers and civilians of all nationalities. On the platform we had Osman Pasha--"

"Ha!" interrupted the sympathetic sergeant, "I only wish we could have had Osman Digna there too! It would do more to pacify the Soudan than killing his men does!"

"I daresay it would," responded the lady with a laugh, "but have patience, Hardy; we shall have him there yet, and perhaps the Mahdi too--or some future grand occasion. Well, as I was saying, we had Osman, the Governor of Alexandria, on our platform, and a lot of big-wigs that you know nothing about, but whose influence was of importance, and whose appearance went far to make the place look gay. Of course we had music, beginning with `God save the Queen,' and speeches--brilliant as well as heavy; sententious and comic--like all other similar gatherings, and the enthusiasm was unbounded. How could it be otherwise with sailors to cheer and soldiers to back them up? And you may be sure that in such a meeting the enthusiasm about the undertaking did not fail to extend to the `Soldiers' Friend' who had originated the whole. In short, it was a splendid success."

"Of course it was," said the sergeant, with emphasis; "first, because of God's blessing, an', second, because the Institoot was greatly needed. Why, madam, if it wasn't for this place the thousands of soldiers stationed here, not to mention the sailors, would have no place to go to spend their leave and leisure time but the drinkin' dens o' the town; an _you_ know well, though p'r'aps not so well as I do, what terrible places these are, where men are tempted, fleeced, debauched, and sometimes murdered."

"Quite true, Hardy. Did you hear of the case that occurred just two days ago? A sergeant of one of the regiments, I forget which, after paying his fare to a donkey-boy, turned quietly to walk away, when the scoundrel felled him with a stick and robbed him of one pound 10 shillings. The case is before the law-court now, and no doubt the robber will receive a just reward.

"Well, as I was remarking, the opening day carried us to high tide, so to speak, and there has been no ebb from that day to this. One comical incident, however, occurred just at the beginning, which might have done us damage. The day after the opening all was prepared for the reception of our soldier and sailor friends. The tables were arranged with books and games, the writing-table with pens, ink, and blotting-paper, and the bar with all sorts of eatables, magnificent urns, coloured glass, etcetera. About one o'clock William, our barman, tasted the coffee. His usual