The Buccaneer - A Tale

"He would never have been what he is," said the Cavalier; "for

contention is the school of greatness."

"It's mighty fine to see you two sit there," exclaimed Robin, "praising

up that man in the high place: pretty Cavaliers indeed! Well, my opinion

is, that--but indeed it is rude to give an opinion unasked, so I'll keep

mine to myself. You were talking of the conveniences of this place; why,

bless you, sir, it's nothing to fifty others along St. George's Channel.

'Twould do your heart good to see those our captain has among the

Cornish rocks; such comfortable dwellings, where you could stow away

twenty people, never to chirrup to the sun again; such hiding-holes,

with neat little trains of gunpowder, winding like snakes in summer, so

that, to prevent discovery, one crack of a good flint would send the

caverns and the cliffs high into the air, to tell stories to the stars

of the power of man's skill to destroy the most sublime as well as the

most beautiful works of nature."

"Robin, you ought to have been a preacher."

"No," said Robin mournfully, and shaking his head, as was his custom,

"for I know nothing of your book-holiness; only I can't bear anything

moulded and made by the hand of God to be ruined by that of man."

"What ails ye, lad?" inquired the Buccaneer; "I thought ye had got over

all your shadows, as ye used to call them."

"Not all of them; only they do not come upon me as often as they used,"

he replied gravely; for poor Robin had one time been subject to

periodical fits that bordered on insanity, and during such afflictions

wandered about the country, without seeking repose or speaking word to

any one. Constance Cecil, with her usual kindness, had him frequently

taken care of at Cecil Place; and Barbara's kind attention to him during

such fearful trials was the source of as strong, as unvarying, and

devoted an attachment as ever human being manifested towards another.

By degrees the conversation sunk into low confidential whispers, as if

caution, even there, was necessary. It was near four o'clock in the

morning before the Buccaneer departed for his ship, and then Robin

escorted the Cavalier to his usual chamber in the Gull's Nest.