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Page 8
A particular instance confirmed him in this belief. One day, being in
New York, he was extremely anxious to complete his business in order
to take passage home in a sloop, announced to leave port at a certain
hour in the afternoon. Resolving to be on board the vessel at the time
appointed, he hurried from place to place, from street to street, in
the accomplishment of his plan. But he was strangely hindered in his
arrangements and haunted by an impression of trouble connected with
the vessel. Having, however, left his wife ill at home, and being
still determined to go, he pressed on. It happened that he arrived at
the wharf just as the sloop had got beyond the possibility of reaching
her, and he turned away bitterly disappointed. The night that followed
was one of darkness and horror; the sloop caught fire and all on board
perished.
He had now received an impression that it was his duty to go, as an
ambassador of Christ, to Miramichi.
Having for sometime previous, "exercised his gift" with acceptance at
various social religious meetings, he applied to the authorities of
his religious denomination for license to preach.
After passing a creditable examination on points deemed essential in
the case, he obtained a commission and a cordial God speed from his
brethren. They augured well for his success.
To be sure, the deficiencies of his early education sometimes made
themselves manifest, notwithstanding the diligent efforts he had put
forth, of late years, to remedy the lack. But on the other hand, he
had knowledge of human nature, sagacity in adapting means to ends, a
wide tolerance of those unfortunate ones, involved by whatever ways in
guilt, deep and earnest piety, and a remarkable natural eloquence,
both winning and forcible.
So he had started on his long journey through the wilderness, and
here, at last, he is found, on the banks of the Miramichi, cheerful
and active, engaged in his great work.
The reader was informed, at the close of the last chapter, that after
the perplexing visions of the night, by the use of charms of which he
well knew the power, Mr. Norton had cleared his brain of the
unpleasant phantoms that had invaded it during his slumbers. Being
quick and forgetive in his mental operations, even while completing
his toilet, he had formed a plan for an attack upon the kingdom of
darkness lying around him.
As he entered the room, the scene of his last night's adventure, his
face beaming with cheerfulness and courage, Ad�le, who was just then
laying the table, thought his appearance there like another sunrise.
After the morning salutations were over, he looked around the
apartment, observing it, in its daylight aspect, with a somewhat
puzzled air. In some respects, it was entirely unlike what he had
seen before. The broad stone hearth, with its large blazing fire, the
Dutch oven, the air of neatness and thrift, were like those of a New
England kitchen, but here the resemblance ceased.
A paper-hanging, whose originally rich hues had become in a measure
dimmed, covered the walls; and curious old pictures hung around; the
chairs and tables were of heavy dark wood, elaborately and grotesquely
carved, as was also the ebony clock in the corner, whose wonderful
mechanism had so astonished him on the previous evening. A low lounge,
covered with a crimson material, occupied a remote corner of the room,
with a Turkish mat spread on the floor before it. At the head of the
couch was a case, curiously carved, filled with books, and beneath, in
a little niche in the wall, a yellow ivory crucifix.
It did not occur to the good man to make any comparison between this
room with its peculiar adornings, and the Puritan kitchen with its
stiff, stark furniture. One of the latter description was found in his
own home, and the place where his loved ones lived and moved, was to
him invested with a beauty altogether independent of outward form and
show. But, as he looked around with an air of satisfaction, this room
evidently pleased his eye, and he paid an involuntary tribute to its
historic suggestiveness, by falling into a reverie concerning the life
and times of the good Roman Catholic Fenelon, whose memoir and
writings he had read.
Soon Ad�le called him to the breakfast-table.
Mrs. McNab not having made her appearance, he inquired if any tidings
had been heard from the sick-room. Mrs. Dubois replied, that she had
listened at the door and hearing no sound, concluded Mr. Brown was
quiet under the influence of the sleeping powder, and consequently,
she did not run the risk of disturbing him by going in.
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