TheshipinwhichshecamepassengerhadarrivedatNewport，whence
LadyEleanorewasconveyedtoBostonintheGovernor’scoach，attended
byasmallescortofgentlemenonhorseback。Theponderousequipage，
withitsfourblackhorses，attractedmuchnoticeasitrumbled
throughCornhill，surroundedbytheprancingsteedsofhalfadozen
cavaliers，withswordsdanglingtotheirstirrupsandpistolsattheir
holsters。Throughthelargeglasswindowsofthecoach，asitrolled
along，thepeoplecoulddiscernthefigureofLadyEleanore，strangely
combininganalmostqueenlystatelinesswiththegraceandbeautyofa
maideninherteens。Asingulartalehadgoneabroadamongthe
ladiesoftheprovince，thattheirfairrivalwasindebtedformuchof
theirresistiblecharmofherappearancetoacertainarticleof
dress-anembroideredmantle-whichhadbeenwroughtbythemost
skilfulartistinLondon，andpossessedevenmagicalpropertiesof
adornment。Onthepresentoccasion，however，sheowednothingtothe
witcheryofdress，beingcladinaridinghabitofvelvet，whichwould
haveappearedstiffandungracefulonanyotherform。
Thecoachmanreinedinhisfourblacksteeds，andthewhole
cavalcadecametoapauseinfrontofthecontortedironbalustrade
thatfencedtheProvinceHousefromthepublicstreet。Itwasan
awkwardcoincidencethatthebelloftheOldSouthwasjustthen
tollingforafuneral；sothat，insteadofagladsomepealwith
whichitwascustomarytoannouncethearrivalofdistinguished
strangers，LadyEleanoreRochcliffewasusheredbyadolefulclang，as
ifcalamityhadcomeembodiedinherbeautifulperson。
“Averygreatdisrespect！”exclaimedCaptainLangford，anEnglish
officer，whohadrecentlybroughtdispatchestoGovernorShute。“The
funeralshouldhavebeendeferred，lestLadyEleanore’sspiritsbe
affectedbysuchadismalwelcome。”
“Withyourpardon，sir。”repliedDoctorClarke，aphysician，and
afamouschampionofthepopularparty，“whatevertheheraldsmay
pretend，adeadbeggarmusthaveprecedenceofalivingqueen。King
Deathconfershighprivileges。”
Theseremarkswereinterchangedwhilethespeakerswaitedapassage
throughthecrowd，whichhadgatheredoneachsideofthegateway，
leavinganopenavenuetotheportaloftheProvinceHouse。Ablack
slaveinliverynowleapedfrombehindthecoach，andthrewopenthe
door；whileatthesamemomentGovernorShutedescendedtheflight
ofstepsfromhismansion，toassistLadyEleanoreinalighting。But
theGovernor’sstatelyapproachwasanticipatedinamannerthat
excitedgeneralastonishment。Apaleyoungman，withhisblackhair
allindisorder，rushedfromthethrong，andprostratedhimselfbeside
thecoach，thusofferinghispersonasafootstoolforLadyEleanore
Rochcliffetotreadupon。Sheheldbackaninstant，yetwithan
expressionasifdoubtingwhethertheyoungmanwereworthytobear
theweightofherfootstep，ratherthandissatisfiedtoreceivesuch
awfulreverencefromafellow-mortal。
“Up，sir。”saidtheGovernor，sternly，atthesametimeliftinghis
caneovertheintruder。“WhatmeanstheBedlamitebythisfreak？”
“Nay。”answeredLadyEleanoreplayfully，butwithmorescornthan
pityinhertone，“yourExcellencyshallnotstrikehim。Whenmenseek
onlytobetrampledupon，itwereapitytodenythemafavorso
easilygranted-andsowelldeserved！”
Then，thoughaslightlyasasunbeamonacloud，sheplacedher
footuponthecoweringform，andextendedherhandtomeetthatofthe
Governor。Therewasabriefinterval，duringwhichLadyEleanore
retainedthisattitude；andnever，surely，wasthereanapteremblem
ofaristocracyandhereditarypridetramplingonhumansympathies
andthekindredofnature，thanthesetwofigurespresentedatthat
moment。Yetthespectatorsweresosmittenwithherbeauty，andso
essentialdidprideseemtotheexistenceofsuchacreature，that
theygaveasimultaneousacclamationofapplause。
“Whoisthisinsolentyoungfellow？”inquiredCaptainLangford，who
stillremainedbesideDoctorClarke。“Ifhebeinhissenses，his
impertinencedemandsthebastinado。Ifmad，LadyEleanoreshouldbe
securedfromfurtherinconvenience，byhisconfinement。”
“HisnameisJervaseHelwyse。”answeredtheDoctor；“ayouthof
nobirthorfortune，orotheradvantages，savethemindandsoul
thatnaturegavehim；andbeingsecretarytoourcolonialagentin
London，itwashismisfortunetomeetthisLadyEleanoreRochcliffe。
Helovedher-andherscornhasdrivenhimmad。”
“Hewasmadsotoaspire。”observedtheEnglishofficer。
“Itmaybeso。”saidDoctorClarke，frowningashespoke。“ButI
tellyou，sir，Icouldwell-nighdoubtthejusticeoftheHeavenabove
usifnosignalhumiliationovertakethislady，whonowtreadsso
haughtilyintoyondermansion。Sheseekstoplaceherselfabovethe
sympathiesofourcommonnature，whichenvelopsallhumansouls。
See，ifthatnaturedonotassertitsclaimoverherinsomemodethat
shallbringherlevelwiththelowest！”
“Never！”criedCaptainLangfordindignantly-“neitherinlife，
norwhentheylayherwithherancestors。”
NotmanydaysafterwardstheGovernorgaveaballinhonorof
LadyEleanoreRochcliffe。Theprincipalgentryofthecolony
receivedinvitations，whichweredistributedtotheirresidences，
farandnear，bymessengersonhorseback，bearingmissivessealedwith
alltheformalityofofficialdispatches。Inobediencetothesummons，
therewasageneralgatheringofrank，wealth，andbeauty；andthe
widedooroftheProvinceHousehadseldomgivenadmittancetomore
numerousandhonorablegueststhanontheeveningofLadyEleanore’s
ball。Withoutmuchextravaganceofeulogy，thespectaclemightevenbe
termedsplendid；for，accordingtothefashionofthetimes，the
ladiesshoneinrichsilksandsatins，outspreadover
wide-projectinghoops；andthegentlemenglitteredingoldembroidery，
laidunsparinglyuponthepurple，orscarlet，orsky-bluevelvet，
whichwasthematerialoftheircoatsandwaistcoats。Thelatter
articleofdresswasofgreatimportance，sinceitenvelopedthe
wearer’sbodynearlytotheknees，andwasperhapsbedizenedwith
theamountofhiswholeyear’sincome，ingoldenflowersand
foliage。Thealteredtasteofthepresentday-atastesymbolicofa
deepchangeinthewholesystemofsociety-wouldlookuponalmostany
ofthosegorgeousfiguresasridiculous；althoughthateveningthe
guestssoughttheirreflectionsinthepierglasses，andrejoicedto
catchtheirownglitteramidtheglitteringcrowd。Whatapitythat
oneofthestatelymirrorshasnotpreservedapictureofthescene，
which，bytheverytraitsthatweresotransitory，mighthavetaught
usmuchthatwouldbeworthknowingandremembering！
Would，atleast，thateitherpainterormirrorcouldconveytous
somefaintideaofagarment，alreadynoticedinthislegend-theLady
Eleanore’sembroideredmantle-whichthegossipswhisperedwas
investedwithmagicproperties，soastolendanewanduntried
gracetoherfigureeachtimethatsheputiton！Idlefancyasitis，
thismysteriousmantlehasthrownanawearoundmyimageofher，
partlyfromitsfabledvirtues，andpartlybecauseitwasthe
handiworkofadyingwoman，and，perchance，owedthefantasticgrace
ofitsconceptiontothedeliriumofapproachingdeath。
Aftertheceremonialgreetingshadbeenpaid，LadyEleanore
Rochcliffestoodapartfromthemobofguests，insulatingherself
withinasmallanddistinguishedcircle，towhomsheaccordedamore
cordialfavorthantothegeneralthrong。Thewaxentorchesthrew
theirradiancevividlyoverthescene，bringingoutitsbrilliant
pointsinstrongrelief；butshegazedcarelessly，andwithnowand
thenanexpressionofwearinessorscorn，temperedwithsuch
femininegracethatherauditorsscarcelyperceivedthemoral
deformityofwhichitwastheutterance。Shebeheldthespectacle
notwithvulgarridicule，asdisdainingtobepleasedwiththe
provincialmockeryofacourtfestival，butwiththedeeperscornof
onewhosespirithelditselftoohightoparticipateinthe
enjoymentofotherhumansouls。Whetherornotherecollectionsof
thosewhosawherthateveningwereinfluencedbythestrangeevents
withwhichshewassubsequentlyconnected，soitwasthatherfigure
everafterrecurredtothemasmarkedbysomethingwildandunnatural-
although，atthetime，thegeneralwhisperwasofherexceeding
beauty，andoftheindescribablecharmwhichhermantlethrewaround
her。Somecloseobservers，indeed，detectedafeverishflushand
alternatepalenessofcountenance，withacorrespondingflowand
revulsionofspirits，andonceortwiceapainfulandhelpless
betrayaloflassitude，asifshewereonthepointofsinkingtothe
ground。Then，withanervousshudder，sheseemedtoarouseher
energiesandthrewsomebrightandplayfulyethalf-wickedsarcasm
intotheconversation。Therewassostrangeacharacteristicinher
mannersandsentimentsthatitastonishedeveryright-mindedlistener；
tilllookinginherface，alurkingandincomprehensibleglanceand
smileperplexedthemwithdoubtsbothastoherseriousnessand
sanity。Gradually，LadyEleanoreRochcliffe’scirclegrewsmaller，
tillonlyfourgentlemenremainedinit。ThesewereCaptain
Langford，theEnglishofficerbeforementioned；aVirginianplanter，
whohadcometoMassachusettsonsomepoliticalerrand；ayoung
Episcopalclergyman，thegrandsonofaBritishearl；and，lastly，
theprivatesecretaryofGovernorShute，whoseobsequiousnesshad
wonasortoftolerancefromLadyEleanore。
Atdifferentperiodsoftheeveningtheliveriedservantsofthe
ProvinceHousepassedamongtheguests，bearinghugetraysof
refreshmentsandFrenchandSpanishwines。LadyEleanoreRoch-
cliffe，whorefusedtowetherbeautifullipsevenwithabubbleof
Champagne，hadsunkbackintoalargedamaskchair，apparently
overweariedeitherwiththeexcitementofthesceneoritstedium，and
while，foraninstant，shewasunconsciousofvoices，laughter，and
music，ayoungmanstoleforward，andkneltdownatherfeet。He
boreasalverinhishand，onwhichwasachasedsilvergoblet，filled
tothebrimwithwine，whichheofferedasreverentiallyastoa
crownedqueen，orratherwiththeawfuldevotionofapriestdoing
sacrificetohisidol。Consciousthatsomeonetouchedherrobe，Lady
Eleanorestarted，andunclosedhereyesuponthepale，wildfeatures
anddishevelledhairofJervaseHelwyse。
“Whydoyouhauntmethus？”saidshe，inalanguidtone，butwitha
kindlierfeelingthansheordinarilypermittedherselftoexpress。
“TheytellmethatIhavedoneyouharm。”
“Heavenknowsifthatbeso。”repliedtheyoungmansolemnly。“But，
LadyEleanore，inrequitalofthatharm，ifsuchtherebe，andfor
yourownearthlyandheavenlywelfare，Iprayyoutotakeonesipof
thisholywine，andthentopassthegobletroundamongtheguests。
Andthisshallbeasymbolthatyouhavenotsoughttowithdraw
yourselffromthechainofhumansympathies-whichwhosowouldshake
offmustkeepcompanywithfallenangels。”
“Wherehasthismadfellowstolenthatsacramentalvessel？”
exclaimedtheEpiscopalclergyman。
Thisquestiondrewthenoticeofthegueststothesilvercup，
whichwasrecognizedasappertainingtothecommunionplateoftheOld
SouthChurch；and，foraughtthatcouldbeknown，itwasbrimmingover
withtheconsecratedwine。
“Perhapsitispoisoned。”halfwhisperedtheGovernor’ssecretary。
“Pouritdownthevillain’sthroat！”criedtheVirginianfiercely。
“Turnhimoutofthehouse！”criedCaptainLangford，seizing
JervaseHelwysesoroughlybytheshoulderthatthesacramentalcup
wasoverturned，anditscontentssprinkleduponLadyEleanore’s
mantle。“Whetherknave，fool，orBedlamite，itisintolerablethatthe
fellowshouldgoatlarge。”
“Pray，gentlemen，domypooradmirernoharm。”saidLady
Eleanore，withafaintandwearysmile。“Takehimoutofmysight，
ifsuchbeyourpleasure；forIcanfindinmyhearttodonothingbut
laughathim；whereas，inalldecencyandconscience，itwould
becomemetoweepforthemischiefIhavewrought！”
Butwhiletheby-standerswereattemptingtoleadawaythe
unfortunateyoungman，hebrokefromthem，andwithawild，
impassionedearnestness，offeredanewandequallystrangepetitionto
LadyEleanore。Itwasnootherthanthatsheshouldthrowoffthe
mantle，which，whilehepressedthesilvercupofwineuponher，she
haddrawnmorecloselyaroundherform，soasalmosttoshroudherself
withinit。
