按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
negroes to work for him。 But bribe as he would the negroes would not
work。 〃No； massa： me pain here； me no workee to…day；〃 and Sambo
would lay his fat hand on his fat stomach。
I have said that he lived generally alone。 Occasionally his house on
Mount Pleasant was enlivened by visits of an aunt； a maiden sister of
his mother； whose usual residence was at Spanish Town。 It is or
should be known to all men that Spanish Town was and is the seat of
Jamaica legislature。
But Maurice was not over fond of his relative。 In this he was both
wrong and foolish； for Miss Sarah Jacksuch was her namewas in
many respects a good woman； and was certainly a rich woman。 It is
true that she was not a handsome woman； nor a fashionable woman； nor
perhaps altogether an agreeable woman。 She was tall； thin； ungainly；
and yellow。 Her voice； which she used freely； was harsh。 She was a
politician and a patriot。 She regarded England as the greatest of
countries； and Jamaica as the greatest of colonies。 But much as she
loved England she was very loud in denouncing what she called the
perfidy of the mother to the brightest of her children。 And much as
she loved Jamaica she was equally severe in her taunts against those
of her brother…islanders who would not believe that the island might
yet flourish as it had flourished in her father's days。
〃It is because you and men like you will not do your duty by your
country；〃 she had said some score of times to Mauricenot with much
justice considering the laboriousness of his life。
But Maurice knew well what she meant。 〃What could I do there up at
Spanish Town；〃 he would answer； 〃among such a pack as there are
there？ Here I may do something。〃
And then she would reply with the full swing of her eloquence； 〃It is
because you and such as you think only of yourself and not of
Jamaica； that Jamaica has come to such a pass as this。 Why is there
a pack there as you call them in the honourable House of Assembly？
Why are not the best men in the island to be found there； as the best
men in England are to be found in the British House of Commons？ A
pack； indeed！ My father was proud of a seat in that house； and I
remember the day； Maurice Cumming； when your father also thought it
no shame to represent his own parish。 If men like you； who have a
stake in the country； will not go there； of course the house is
filled with men who have no stake。 If they are a pack； it is you who
send them there；you； and others like you。〃
All had its effect； though at the moment Maurice would shrug his
shoulders and turn away his head from the torrent of the lady's
discourse。 But Miss Jack； though she was not greatly liked； was
greatly respected。 Maurice would not own that she convinced him； but
at last he did allow his name to be put up as candidate for his own
parish； and in due time he became a member of the honourable House of
Assembly in Jamaica。
This honour entails on the holder of it the necessity of living at or
within reach of Spanish Town for some ten weeks towards the chose of
every year。 Now on the whole face of the uninhabited globe there is
perhaps no spot more dull to look at； more Lethean in its aspect；
more corpse…like or more cadaverous than Spanish Town。 It is the
head…quarters of the government； the seat of the legislature； the
residence of the governor；but nevertheless it is； as it were； a
city of the very dead。
Here； as we have said before； lived Miss Jack in a large forlorn
ghost…like house in which her father and all her family had lived
before her。 And as a matter of course Maurice Cumming when he came
up to attend to his duties as a member of the legislature took up his
abode with her。
Now at the time of which we are specially speaking he had completed
the first of these annual visits。 He had already benefited his
country by sitting out one session of the colonial parliament； and
had satisfied himself that he did no other good than that of keeping
away some person more objectionable than himself。 He was however
prepared to repeat this self…sacrifice in a spirit of patriotism for
which he received a very meagre meed of eulogy from Miss Jack； and an
amount of self…applause which was not much more extensive。
〃Down at Mount Pleasant I can do something；〃 he would say over and
over again； 〃but what good can any man do up here？〃
〃You can do your duty；〃 Miss Jack would answer； 〃as others did before
you when the colony was made to prosper。〃 And then they would run
off into a long discussion about free labour and protective duties。
But at the present moment Maurice Cumming had another vexation on his
mind over and above that arising from his wasted hours at Spanish
Town； and his fruitless labours at Mount Pleasant。 He was in love；
and was not altogether satisfied with the conduct of his lady…love。
Miss Jack had other nephews besides Maurice Cumming； and nieces also；
of whom Marian Leslie was one。 The family of the Leslies lived up
near Newcastlein the mountains； that is； which stand over Kingston…
…at a distance of some eighteen miles from Kingston； but in a climate
as different from that of the town as the climate of Naples is from
that of Berlin。 In Kingston the heat is all but intolerable
throughout the year； by day and by night； in the house and out of it。
In the mountains round Newcastle； some four thousand feet above the
sea； it is merely warm during the day； and cool enough at night to
make a blanket desirable。
It is pleasant enough living up amongst those green mountains。 There
are no roads there for wheeled carriages； nor are there carriages
with or without wheels。 All journeys are made on horseback。 Every
visit paid from house to house is performed in this manner。 Ladies
young and old live before dinner in their riding…habits。 The
hospitality is free； easy； and unembarrassed。 The scenery is
magnificent。 The tropical foliage is wild and luxuriant beyond
measure。 There may be enjoyed all that a southern climate has to
offer of enjoyment； without the penalties which such enjoyments
usually entail。
Mrs。 Leslie was a half…sister of Miss Jack； and Miss Jack had been a
half…sister also of Mrs。 Cumming； but Mrs。 Leslie and Mrs。 Cumming
had in no way been related。 And it had so happened that up to the
period of his legislative efforts Maurice Cumming had seen nothing of
the Leslies。 Soon after his arrival at Spanish Town he had been
taken by Miss Jack to Shandy Hall； for so the residence of the
Leslies was called； and having remained there for three days； had
fallen in love with Marian Leslie。 Now in the West Indies all young
ladies flirt； it is the first habit of their natureand few young
ladies in the West Indies were more given to flirting； or understood
the science better than Marian Leslie。
Maurice Cumming fell violently in love； and during his first visit at
Shandy Hall found that Marian was perfectionfor during this first
visit her propensities were exerted altogether in his own favour。
That little circumstance does make such a difference in a young man's
judgment of a girl！ He came back fall of admiration； not altogether
to Miss Jack's dissatisfaction