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Page 65
In the year 1842, just ten years after George Green (for he adopted his
master's name) arrived in England, he visited France, and spent some
days at Dunkirk. It was towards sunset, on a warm day in the month of
October, that Mr. Green, after strolling some distance from the Hotel de
Leon, entered a burial ground and wandered long alone among the silent
dead, gazing upon the many green graves and marble tombstones of those
who once moved on the theatre of busy life, and whose sounds of gaiety
once fell upon the ear of man. All nature around was hushed in silence,
and seemed to partake of the general melancholy which hung over the
quiet resting place of departed mortals. After tracing the varied
inscriptions which told the characters or conditions of the departed,
and viewing the mounds 'neath which the dust of mortality slumbered, he
had now reached a secluded spot, near to where an aged weeping willow
bowed its thick foliage to the ground, as though anxious to hide from
the scrutinizing gaze of curiosity the grave beneath it. Mr. Green
seated himself upon a marble tomb, and began to read Roscoe's Leo X., a
copy of which he had under his arm. It was then about twilight, and he
had scarcely gone through half a page, when he observed a lady in black,
leading a boy some five years old up one of the paths; and as the lady's
black veil was over her face, he felt somewhat at liberty to eye her
more closely. While looking at her, the lady gave a scream and appeared
to be in a fainting position, when Mr. Green sprang from his seat in
time to save her from falling to the ground. At this moment, an elderly
gentleman was seen approaching with a rapid step, who from his
appearance was evidently the lady's father, or one intimately connected
with her. He came up, and in a confused manner, asked what was the
matter. Mr. Green explained as well as he could. After taking up the
smelling bottle which had fallen from her hand, and holding it a short
time to her face, she soon began to revive. During all this time, the
lady's veil had so covered her face, that Mr. Green had not seen it.
When she had so far recovered as to be able to raise her head, she again
screamed, and fell back into the arms of the old man. It now appeared
quite certain, that either the countenance of George Green, or some
other object, was the cause of these fits of fainting; and the old
gentleman, thinking it was the former, in rather a petulant tone said,
"I will thank you, Sir, if you will leave us alone." The child whom the
lady was leading had now set up a squall; and amid the death-like
appearance of the lady, the harsh look of the old man, and the cries of
the boy, Mr. Green left the grounds and returned to his hotel.
Whilst seated by the window, and looking out upon the crowded street,
with every now and then the strange scene in the grave-yard vividly
before him, Mr. Green thought of the book he had been reading, and,
remembering that he had left it on the tomb, where he had suddenly
dropped it when called to the assistance of the lady, he immediately
determined to return in search of it. After a walk of some twenty
minutes, he was again over the spot where he had been an hour before,
and from which he had been so unceremoniously expelled by the old man.
He looked in vain for the book; it was no where to be found: nothing
save a bouquet which the lady had dropped, and which lay half-buried in
the grass from having been trodden upon, indicated that any one had been
there that evening. Mr. Green took up the bunch of flowers, and again
returned to the hotel.
After passing a sleepless night, and hearing the clock strike six, he
dropped into a sweet sleep, from which he did not awake until roused by
the rap of a servant, who, entering his room, handed him a note which
ran as follows:--"Sir,--I owe you an apology for the inconveniences to
which you were subjected last evening, and if you will honour us with
your presence to dinner to-day at four o'clock, I shall be most happy to
give you due satisfaction. My servant will be in waiting for you at
half-past three. I am, sir, your obedt. servant, J. Devenant. October
23, to George Green, Esq."
The servant who handed this note to Mr. Green, informed him that the
bearer was waiting for a reply. He immediately resolved to accept the
invitation, and replied accordingly. Who this person was, and how his
name and the hotel where he was stopping had been found out, was indeed
a mystery. However, he waited impatiently for the hour when he was to
see this new acquaintance, and get the mysterious meeting in the
grave-yard solved.
The clock on a neighbouring church had scarcely ceased striking three,
when the servant announced that a carriage had called for Mr. Green. In
less than half an hour, he was seated in a most sumptuous barouch, drawn
by two beautiful iron greys, and rolling along over a splendid gravel
road, completely shaded by large trees which appeared to have been the
accumulating growth of many centuries. The carriage soon stopped in
front of a low villa, and this too was imbedded in magnificent trees
covered with moss. Mr. Green alighted and was shown into a superb
drawing room, the walls of which were hung with fine specimens from the
hands of the great Italian painters, and one by a German artist
representing a beautiful monkish legend connected with "The Holy
Catherine," and illustrious lady of Alexandria. The furniture had an
antique and dignified appearance. High backed chairs stood around the
room; a venerable mirror stood on the mantle-shelf; rich curtains of
crimson damask hung in folds at either side of the large windows; and a
rich Turkey carpet covered the floor. In the centre stood a table
covered with books, in the midst of which was an old fashioned vase
filled with fresh flowers, whose fragrance was exceedingly pleasant. A
faint light, together with the quietness of the hour gave beauty beyond
description to the whole scene.
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