Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

cloak, and we rowed towards the great rock in the glorious afternoon sunshine.

How often have I been disappointed in the outline of hills and mountains: they seldom appear steep enough to satisfy the expectation that fancy has raised.

Here there was no disappointment. The Great Skellig shot up perpendicularly from the sea-not an inch of shore, the clear water lapping round it was not soiled by the least bit of gravel or sand. As we drew near, its hue changed; a delicate green down seemed to grow on it here and there. I sat in the boat and looked up, till at last its towering ledges hung almost over us, and its grand solitary head was lost, and the dark base showed itself in all its inaccessible bareness.

As we had lain half-way between it and the vessel, I had looked back and seen that our floating home was but like a green duck riding on the water, while the Great Skellig in comparison was like the ramparts of some city whose crown was in the sky.

Now we were near, Tom said to me, "Do you see those peaks that look like little pinnacles?"

I looked, and his finger directed me to a row of points about a third of the height of the rock, and projecting from it.

"Those points," he continued, “are as high as Salisbury spire; when there is a storm, the wave breaks high enough to cover them with spray."

So sweet and calm they looked, serene and happy, I could hardly believe what I heard, nor picture to my heart the cries and wailing of human voices, the rending, pounding, and wrecking of human work that had been done on them, tossing from peak to peak, and ground on the pitiless rock, since first men sailed.

I was not sorry when we left the rock behind us; but Tom was bent on landing, if possible, and he also wished to see the Lesser Skellig; so as this could not be done that day, my uncle, who loved to give rocks a wide berth, meant to put out to sea for the night, and return so as to sight the Skelligs about morning dawn.

[blocks in formation]

who had told him that as the children now on board had no one at all to look after them, he did not intend to lose sight of them till they reached their destination.

They were to go to their grandmother, an old French lady who lived at Chartres. "So," said our kind uncle, "I have offered to take him and them into Havre, and that will facilitate matters very much."

Tom and I looked at one another on hearing this, and for once he caught us doing it.

"I shall not stop a day longer at Havre than I can help," he remarked. Neither of us said a word; but I knew very well that Tom would like to have a few days to spend in the north of France. He was familiar enough with the ends of the earth, and had spent years in cruising about on the west coast of South America and in the China seas, but, excepting once when there had been a few months spent in the Mediterranean, and that was in his boyhood, he had never set his foot on the shore of France.

"There is nothing more ridiculous than the modern fashion of racing through a foreign country, and then fancying you know all about it," said Uncle Rollin. "Butter, Brand."

Still silence.

"Cheese," said my uncle, raising his voice; "you can't stir a step beyond a French seaport without a passport. In fact, so long as I am the owner of this yacht, I shall never lie in harbour, waiting till it is your ahem! till it is other people's pleasure to come on board. Nobody takes any cheese, it appears. away."

Clear

His voice had been rising at every sentence he spoke, and the moment he had said grace he marched on deck without waiting for his wine. Tom went into my cabin to sit by Mr. Brandon, and as there was a good deal of work to be done for the children, I remained where I was and began to stitch. Presently, down came Uncle Rollin again.

"Well, Miss Graham, you seem very much at home."

"I thought you would not object to my working here, uncle, because you know the after-cabin is occupied."

"Modest! why don't you say 'my cabin.' No, I don't object; but now, understand this, if you think I am going to wait your pleasure while you run about in Normandy

1

[ocr errors]

"Indeed I never did think so, uncle; how could I run about there by myself? "By yourself! the presumption of some

young people is astonishing! Then I sup-
pose you expected me to escort you?"
I really was too much surprised to
answer. When I had said "by myself," I
had only wished him to think of me apart
from Tom, whose cause I did not want to
damage.

"Why don't you speak, Miss Graham? I know you have an answer on the tip of your tongue."

"I know I have presumed sometimes," I answered, unable to repress a smile; "but really, uncle, I never thought of that piece of presumption. If I had

[ocr errors]

give it up at once and for ever. So I say, go to Chartres you shall. I've set my mind on it, and I expect you to be content."

66

Very well, uncle, I'll try." "You will; nobody to see your grave little face would imaginewhat are you folding your work up for?" "It makes my head ache to work down here."

"Go on deck, then, and take the air; you may give me a kiss, if you like, first."

I went on deck, and about tea-time came below. As I reached the open door of my own cabin, I took off my hat and shawl and gave them to Mrs. Brand, desiring her to fetch me out my work, and as I waited these words fell on my ear,

"Well, if you had; go on, go on, I say." "I had much better not." "Then you should not have begun. Since you got over your sea-sickness you are more demure than ever; go on-no- "So, as they have set their minds on it, body knows better than I, whether you go they must; young people, you know — presume. I hate mysteries; speak out-young people contrive to get the better of if you had what

[ocr errors]

"If I had, perhaps you would have rewarded me for it; you always do."

"Rewarded! what do you mean, child? Do you mean to say that I encourage you and Tom in presuming, and let you have your own way ?"

"Yes, uncle, I think you do."

I felt a little alarmed when I had been compelled by questioning to give this direct answer, and I went on as fast as I could with my work.

[ocr errors]

an old man like me." He spoke as if this profession of slavery was made with great pride and self-gratulation.

66

A voice from the berth remarked in reply, on his great kindness and indulgence. Indulgent," was the reply, "well, perhaps I am. At any rate, I never deny them anything. Ask my niece if I do."

He had evidently come out, to his own apprehension, in a new character-that of the indulgent uncle. He had been quite unconscious hitherto of the manner "If a man ought to command anywhere in which he gave way to Tom and me; it is on board his own yacht. And here and now it was forced on his notice, he am I, told to my face, that I am encouraging mutiny. Well, Brandon shall go to Chartres because I said he should." "Yes, uncle, and I shall stay behind, because you said I should."

"Humph! Well, there was one thing that I prided myself on; only one- and it was Pooh child; what am I to kiss you for? a foolish custom stuff, nonsense. What do you want, coaxing a man in this way? what do you want, hey?" "Shall I have what I want?"

"I'll see about it."

"Then I want to stop with you in the dock at Havre."

was highly gratified, and even fussy. "Yes, yes," he said; "I suppose they will expect me to lie at Southampton Pier while they get their passports."

Mrs. Brand gave me my work, and I returned to the chief cabin.

From The Examiner. THE BOHEMIAN ELECTIONS.

"THE Bohemian Diet was opened today, but the Czech deputies did not take their seats. The Governor, Herr "You do, do you?" (a short laugh). von Koller, made a speech, in which he "I won't be lectured in this style for noth- expressed his satisfaction at seeing in the ing. If it is more convenient to me that Diet, as now constituted, a guarantee for you should go to Chartres, go you shall." strictly legal legislative proceedings, which "But you said you would see about it?" would tend to promote the interests both of He laughed; but I did not understand Bohemia and the Monarchy." It is in these the cause of his gratification till after- terms that the Prague telegrams of wards, and went on," I am very happy on Wednesday relate the astonishing facts board, I could not be happier than with that the Bohemian Diet has assembled you." without a single representative of the vast "Ahem!" he said, "if I don't assert majority of the Bohemian population, and some sort of authority now, I may as well' that the German Governor is of opinion

Not

that such a constitution of the Diet leaves | power of the present Auersperg Minisnothing to be desired. The unconscious try. It is already known that when the satire would be too scathing to be credited new Reichsrath, elected under the auspices were we not already too well acquainted of the new Cabinet, assembled a few days with the proceedings of the Government before Christmas last, it was extremely in Bohemia to doubt that Herr von Koller doubtful whether a sufficient number of has exactly expressed the settled convic-members could be kept together to constition of the Austrian Centralists in regard- tute a barely legal house. If the Poles ing as the most satisfactory of symptoms had followed the abstentionist example of the indignation and the absence of the the Czechs, the Reichsrath would have Czech representatives. The irritation of been stricken with incompetence from the the Magyars was doubtless considered by first, nor could a resignation of the new the Von Kollers of the day the most hope- Ministry be easily avoided. The Poles, ful feature in the Hungarian political sit- however, were conciliated by the promise uation previous to Sadowa. It may be of a favourable consideration of their permitted, however, to impartial observers, claims, and the Reichsrath was saved from who have been imbued with the idea that the fate which threatened it. Still, hownot the discontent but the happiness of ever, the Ministry remained at the mercy peoples is the truest safeguard of govern- of the Polish representatives, who were ments, to wish that Herr von Koller had always able to insist upon tolerably libless cause for the ominous congratulations eral concessions to Gallicia by the menace of his address. of abstention. It became incumbent on There is some reason, of course, for the the Centralist party to attempt to escape sort of policy which every Cabinet of Ger- from a dilemma so awkward and humiliatman Centralists uniformly pursues in refing, according to every canon of Centralerence to Bohemia in particular. The ist propriety, and in their perplexity they German Centralists, of course, are satis- meditated on the possibility of altering fied that centralization is the best possible the hostile attitude of Bohemia. system, and that the righteousness of the by any means of conciliation, however. preponderance of German influence might Thanks to the extraordinary electoral law be inferred at once from the most cursory common to Bohemia with the other states observation of the plan of the universe. and provinces, they thought they saw anHardly inferior to the Chinese in their other way than conciliation. It is a curicontempt for the outer barbarian, they are ous law, and most ingeniously contrived at the same time honestly desirous that to secure the best possible misrepresentathe immeasurably inferior being should tion of the people. We are accustomed to yet, on condition of his freely acknowledg- denounce class legislation. According to ing his immeasurable inferiority, enjoy the the electoral law of Bohemia, class legislasafety of protection and the example of tion is elaborated into a principle of govculture. The Czechs, like the Magyars ernment, and a wonderful sort of class and the Poles, have different ideas on the legislation it is. There is no such thing as subject of inferiority; and the utmost that a cominon and equal qualification for the these intractable Nationalists can be got franchise. The population is arbitrarily to confess as to their lower rank in civili- divided into rural voters and urban voters, zation is so unpleasant to German ears and also into commercial voters and prothat it may be called an aggravation of prietorial voters. The rural voters return their original undutifulness. The Czechs, so many representatives to the Diet, and in fact, assert that though they no longer the urban voters so many. Then come in the present day can boast the wealth the Chambers of Commerce, which elect a and culture of their German rulers, this is certain quota of deputies; and, finally, a result which has happened, not in spite the landed proprietors who pay at least of, but in consequence of, the fact of Ger- 251. a-year in direct taxation (Grosgrundman rule. In the ancient days of Bohe-besitzers) elect a quota. The authors of mian nationality, the University of Prague this scheme were devout believers in the was one of the intellectual centres of Eu- constitutional efficacy of landed property, rope; nor can the want of sterner quali- and accordingly arranged matters so that ties be a reproach to the race of the the Grosgrundbesitzers should always have mighty Wenzels and Ziskas, and Podie- the decisive vote in the Diet. The reprebrads and Wallensteins of the days of old. sentation of the other classes of the comWe have discussed at some length munity had been so arranged that, alalready, in former articles, the position of though the Czechs are more than double Cis-Leithan affairs since the accession to the Germans in Bohemia, the Czech depu

[ocr errors]

ties are only equal to the German deputies. | whole Bohemian delegation to the ReichsIt has usually happened, however, that, rath fifty-four deputies will support contrary to the calculations of the devis- the Auersperg Administration. The presers of the whole notable contrivance, the ent Cabinet will have. in consequence, a Grosgrundbesitzers have returned a major- firm majority of 150 German votes out of ity of Nationalists. But the majority was a total of 204 members of the Reichsrath. small, and the Auersperg Ministry were Though as little representative as ever of encouraged by this circumstance to try any real majority in the general populawhether some means potent with landed tion, this is a success which has not atproprietors could not be found to incline tended any Cis-Leithan Cabinet since the the balance the other way. It is unneces- reconstitution of the Empire-Kingdom in sary to tell the arts with which Ministers 1867. The Poles may now threaten abtickle the nice inclinations of "people of stention or opposition as much as they station : a gold stick here, a silver stick please. The Reichsrath will be legally there, an order of knighthood to this re-competent to pass the most fundamental spectable patriot, a countship to that more laws, even though the Lemberg Diet rearistocratic personage. 66 Every man has called every one of its eight-and-thirty his price," is not an exclusively Walpolian delegates. The question now arises,maxim. After this fashion the desired Will the Germans fulfil the engagement displacement of electoral power was partly which, in the weaker times of the Ministry, effected. Estates were divided for the Prince Auersperg got his party to enter purpose of qualifying additional electors. into with regard to the Gallician claims to For vulgar voters there were troops of national autonomy? As far as the Reichscavalry and measures of police. As soon rath goes, the Centralists are now absoas the Ministry thought the pear was ripe, lutely omnipotent. It only remains to see the existing Diet was dissolved. The re- what the masses of the population may be sult can be told in a few words. There urged to attempt, in case the Central Aswas a sharp crisis of national agony, for sembly presumes too far upon its dubious which, however, the Government had their and disputed supremacy - the supremacy prescriptions prepared, and then the gold of a mere third of the population, mainsticks and the silver sticks carried the tained or created by force and stratagem day. The representatives of the Czechs at the expense of the two-thirds. There have refused to appear in the new Diet on is always a certain instability of equilibthe ground of the illegalities committed, rium when a governmental structure seand Herr von Koller announces the satis-lects for its foundation, not its broadest, faction of the Government. but its narrowest base.

It may be taken for certain that the

VENOMOUS FISH - It is generally known that dorsal fin, each provided at its base with a bag the wounds inflicted by the weevers (Trachinus) containing the poison, and with a pair of deep of our coasts and by the sting-rays are ren-grooves along which the poison is guided to the dered poisonous by a mucous excretion adher-wound. As in all the other fishes of this kind, ing to the spines of the head, back, and tail of the poison-apparatus is merely a weapon of these fishes; and a most perfect poison-organ, defence, and comes into action when the fish is analogous to the poison-fang of snakes, was de- seized or trodden upon. The action of fish-poiscribed some years ago by Dr. Günther in two son upon the human organism appears to be less fishes (Thalassophryne) from Central America. rapid than that of snakes; though patients who Dr. Le Juge has found at the Mauritius another neglect to apply remedies similar to those used still more dangerous kind of venomous fish; it for snake-bites expose themselves to serious conwas long known to ichthyologists under the sequences, which may even terminate fatally. name of Synanceia verrucosa, and is readily In one case a fisherman died on the third day recognized by its monstrous appearance, the from a severe wound. Dr. Le Juge mentions head being deeply pitted, and the body scaleless that the fishermen of Mauritius successfully and covered with warts. It is by no means apply poultices of the leaves of a composite scarce, being found throughout the Indian plant, Microrhynchus sarmentosus. (TranOcean, and known at the Mauritius as the sact. R. Soc. of Arts and Sciences of Mauri"Laffe." There are thirteen spines in the tius, 1871.)

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

THE NETHER SIDE OF NEW YORK, or the Vice, Crime and Poverty of the Great Metropolis. By EDWARD CRAPSEY. New York: Sheldon & Co., 677 Broadway. For sale by A. Williams & Co., Boston.

PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY BY

LITTELL & GAY, BOSTON.

TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.

FOR EIGHT DOLLARS, remitted directly to the Publishers, the LIVING AGE will be punctually forwarded for a year, free of postage. But we do not prepay postage on less than a year, nor when we have to pay commission for forwarding the money; nor when we club THE LIVING AGE with another periodical.

An extra copy of THE LIVING AGE is sent gratis to any one getting up a club of Five New Subscribers Remittances should be made by bank draft or check, or by post-office money-order, if possible. If neither of these can be procured, the money should be sent in a registered letter. All postmasters are obliged to register letters when requested to do so. Drafts, checks and money-orders should be made payable to the order of LITTELL & GAY.

« VorigeDoorgaan »