The Heart

Then that happened, which verily never happened before nor since in

Virginia, and can never happen again, because a maid like Mary

Cavendish can never live again.

Slow pacing into the New Field in that same blue and silver gown

which she had worn to the governor's ball, with a wonderful plumed

hat on her head, and no mask, and her golden hair flowing free,

behind her Catherine and Cicely Hyde, like two bridesmaids, came my

love, Mary Cavendish.

And while I shrank back, thinking that here was the worst sting of

all, like the sting of death, that she should see me thus, straight

up to the stocks she came, and gathering her blue and silver gown

about her, made her way in to my side, and sat there, thrusting her

two tiny feet, in their dainty shoes, through the apertures next

mine, for the stocks were made to accommodate two criminals.

And then I looked at her, and would have besought her to go, but the

words died on my lips, for in that minute I knew what love was, and

how it could triumph over, not only the tragedy, but that which is

more cruel, the comedy of life. Surely no face of woman was ever

like Mary Cavendish's, as she sat there beside me, with such an

exaltation of love, which made it like the face of an angel. Not one

word she said, but looked at me, and I knew that after that she was

mine forever, in spite of my love, which would fain shield her from

me lest I be for her harm, and I realised that love, when it is at

its best, is past the consideration of any harm, being sufficient

unto itself for its own bliss and glory.

But presently, I, looking at her, felt my strength failing me again,

and her face grew dim, and she drew my head to her shoulder and sat

so facing the multitude, and such a shout went up as never was.

And first it was half derision, and Catherine and Cicely Hyde stood

near us like bridesmaids, and my brother John kept his place. Then

came Madam Judith Cavendish in a chair, and she was borne close to

us through the throng and was looking forth with the tears running

over her old cheeks, and extending her hands as if in blessing,

and she never after made any opposition to our union. Then came

blustering up Parson Downs and Ralph Drake, who afterward wedded

Cicely Hyde, and the two Barrys who had braved leaving hiding, and

the two black wenches who dwelt with them, one with a great white

bandage swathing her head, and Sir Humphrey Hyde, who had just

been released, and who, while I think of it, wedded a most amiable

daughter of one of the burgesses within a year. And Madam Tabitha

Storey, with that mourning patch upon her forehead, was there,

and Margery Key, with--marvellous to relate in that crowd--the

white cat following at heel, and Mistresses Allgood and Longman

with their husbands in tow. All these, with others whom I will not

mention, who were friendly, gathered around me, the while Mary

Cavendish sat there beside me, and again that half-derisive shout

of the multitude went up.