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Practical Database
Programming with Java
Ying Bai
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Johnson C. Smith University
Charlotte, North Carolina
IEEE PRESS
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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Preface xxiii
Acknowledgments xxv
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
What This Book Covers 2
How This Book Is Organized and How to Use This Book 3
How to Use the Source Code and Sample Databases 5
Instructor and Customer Support 6
Homework Solutions 7
5.3.4 Build
a Java Web Application Project 214
5.3.5 Build
a Java Enterprise Edition Project 214
5.3.5.1 Overview of Java Enterprise Edition 6 215
5.3.5.2 Install and Configure Java EE 6 Software and Tools 222
5.3.5.3 Create a Java EE 6 Web Application Project 224
5.3.5.4 Creating the Entity Classes from the Database 227
5.3.5.5 Creating Enterprise Java Beans 229
5.3.5.6 Using JavaServer Faces (JSF) 2.0 232
5.3.5.7 Creating the Manufacturer Managed Bean 234
5.3.5.8 Creating the Manufacturer Listing Web Page 235
5.3.5.9 Building and Running the First Java EE 6 Web Page 238
5.3.5.10Deploying the Project Using the Administration Console 239
5.3.5.11Creating the Manufacturer Details Web Page 241
5.3.5.12Creating and Editing the faces-config.xml Configuration File 242
5.3.5.13Editing the General Web Application Configuration
File web.xml 247
5.3.5.14 Modifying the JSF Pages to Perform Page Switching 248
5.3.5.15 Building and Running the Entire Java EE 6 Project 249
5.3.6 Build a Maven Project 251
5.3.6.1 Introduction to Maven 251
5.3.6.2 Introduction to Hibernate Framework 253
5.3.6.3 Installing and Configuring the Apache Maven 255
5.3.6.4 Configuring Maven Inside the NetBeans IDE 258
5.3.6.5 Creating a Maven Database Application Project 259
5.3.6.6 Adding Hibernate Files and Dependencies 261
5.3.6.7 Generating Hibernate Mapping Files and Java Classes 265
5.3.6.8 Creating the Application GUI 268
5.3.6.9 Creating the Query in the HQL Query Editor 270
5.3.6.10 Adding the Query to the GUI Form 272
5.3.7 Build a PHP Project 276
5.3.7.1 Introduction to PHP 276
5.3.7.2 Downloading and Installing Apache HTTP Web Server 277
5.3.7.3 Configuring and Testing the Installed Apache HTTP
Web Server 279
5.3.7.4 Downloading and Installing the PHP Engine 280
5.3.7.5 Testing the Installed PHP Engine 281
5.3.7.6 Creating a PHP Project 283
5.3.7.7 Downloading and Configuring MySQL Database Server 285
5.3.7.8 Configuring the MySQL Server in NetBeans IDE 288
5.3.7.9 Creating Our Sample Database MySQLSample 290
5.3.7.10 Building the Functions for the PHP Project 293
5.3.7.11 Running and Testing the PHP Project 297
5.3.8 Build a NetBeans Module 299
5.3.8.1 Create a New NetBeans Module Project 300
5.3.8.2 Create the Customer Entity Class and Wrap It into a Module 301
5.3.8.3 Create Other Related Modules 303
5.3.8.4 Create the User Interface Module 306
6.2.8 Use Java JPA Wizards to Query the Course Table 372
6.2.8.1 Create a New CourseFrame Class and Add It into Our Project 372
6.2.8.2 Add Course Entity Manager and JPA Components into
the Project 373
6.2.8.3 Use Entity Classes to Perform Data Query from the
Course Table 374
6.2.9 Use Java JPA Wizards to Query Oracle Database 381
6.5 Create a Java Application Project to Access the Oracle Database 441
6.5.1 Create Graphic User Interfaces 442
6.5.2 Perform the Data Query for the LogIn Table 442
6.5.2.1 Add Oracle JDBC Driver to the Project 442
6.5.2.2 Load and Register Oracle JDBC Driver 443
6.5.2.3 The JDBC Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) 443
6.5.3 Develop the Codes for the SelectionFrame Form 445
6.5.4 Perform the Data Query for the Faculty Table 445
6.5.4.1 Create an Oracle Package FacultyInfo 446
6.5.4.2 Develop the Codes to Perform the CallableStatement Query 447
6.5.5 Perform the Data Query for the Course Table 449
6.5.5.1 Create an Oracle Package FacultyCourse 449
6.5.5.2 Develop the Codes to Perform the CallableStatement Query 451
6.5.6 Query Data from the Student Table Using the Java RowSet Object 453
6.5.6.1 Modify the Codes in the Constructor of the
StudentFrame Class 453
6.5.6.2 Modify the Codes in the Select Button Click Event Handler 453
6.6 Chapter Summary 455
Homework 457
Section II Insert, Update and Delete Data Using Java Runtime Objects Method 488
8.4.3 Create Five Web Pages Using Microsoft Office Publisher 2007 614
8.4.3.1 Create the LogIn Page 615
8.4.3.2 Create the Selection Page 617
8.4.3.3 Create the Faculty Page 619
8.4.3.4 Create the Course Page 622
8.4.3.5 Create the Student Page 625
8.5 Build Java Web Project to Access SQL Server Database 625
8.5.1 Access and Query the LogIn Table Using JSP and Help Class Files 626
8.5.1.1 Modify the LogIn.jsp Page and Create LogInQuery.jsp File 627
8.5.1.2 Create the Java Help Class File LogInQuery.java 629
8.5.1.3 Create a Dialog Box as the Message Box 630
8.5.1.4 Develop the Codes for the Help Class File 632
8.5.1.5 Add the JDBC Driver for the SQL Server Database into
the Project 635
8.5.2 Build the Selection Page 637
8.5.3 Query the Faculty Table Using JSP and JSP Implicit
Session Object 640
8.5.3.1 Modify the Faculty.jsp Page 641
8.5.3.2 Create the FacultyProcess.jsp Page 642
8.5.3.3 Create the Help Class File FacultyQuery.java 645
8.5.4 Insert New Records to the Faculty Table Using JSP and Java Beans 650
8.5.4.1 Modify the Java Help Class FacultyQuery to Make it Java
Bean Class 651
8.5.4.2 Modify the FacultyProcess.jsp Page to Handle Faculty Data
Collection and Insertion 652
8.5.5 Update and Delete Data from the Faculty Table Using JSP and Java
Beans Techniques 656
8.5.5.1 Create a New Java Session Bean Class 656
8.5.5.2 Modify the FacultyProcess Page to Handle Faculty
Data Updating 659
8.5.5.3 Add a Method to the Session Bean to Perform Faculty
Data Deleting 663
8.5.5.4 Modify the FacultyProcess Page to Handle Faculty
Data Deleting 664
8.5.6 Query Data from the Course Table Using JavaServer Faces and
Java Beans 668
8.5.6.1 Modify the Course Page to Make it JavaServer Face Page 668
8.5.6.2 Build the JavaServer Face Managed Bean CourseBean 672
8.5.6.3 Build the Session Bean for Entity Classes CourseFacade 676
8.5.6.4 Set Up Calling Relationship between the JSF Bean and
the Session Bean 680
8.5.6.5 Build and Run the Project to Test the Course Information
Query Functions 681
8.5.7 Update Records from the Course Table Using JavaServer Faces and Java
Beans 682
8.5.7.1 Create Codes for the Update() Method in the JSF
Managed Bean 683
9.5 Build Java Web Service Projects to Access SQL Server Database 787
9.5.1 Create a New Java Web Application Project WebServiceSQLApp 787
9.5.2 Create a New Java SOAP-Based Web Service Project WebServiceSQL 788
9.5.3 Add Desired Operations to the Web Service 789
9.5.4 Add New Operations to Our Web Services to Perform Data Query 790
9.5.5 Build the User-Defined Method DBConnection() 792
9.5.6 Deploy the Web Service Project and Test the Data Query Function 793
9.6 Build a Windows-Based Web Client Project to Consume the Web Service 795
9.6.1 Copy the FacultyFrame and MsgDislog Components as GUIs 795
9.6.2 Create a Web Service Reference for Our Windows-Based Client
Project 797
9.6.3 Develop the Codes to Call Our Web Service Project 799
9.6.4 Build and Run Our Client Project to Query Faculty Data via
Web Service 801
9.7 Build a Web-Based Client Project to Consume the Web Service 801
9.7.1 Create a Web-Based Client Project WebClientSQL 802
9.7.2 Create a Java Managed Bean FacultyMBean and Add the JDialog
Class MsgDialog 803
9.7.3 Create a Web Service Reference for Our Web-Based Client Project 804
9.7.4 Build the Codes to Call the Web Service to Perform Data Query 805
9.7.5 Build and Run Our Client Project to Query Faculty Data via
Web Service 808
9.8 Build Java Web Service to Insert Data into the SQL Server Database 808
9.8.1 Add a New Operation InsertFaculty() into Our Web Service Project 809
9.8.2 Deploy the Web Service Project 811
9.9 Build a Windows-Based Web Client Project to Consume the Web Service 811
9.9.1 Refresh the Web Service Reference for Our Windows-Based
Client Project 812
9.9.2 Develop the Codes to Call Our Web Service Project 812
9.9.3 Build and Run Our Client Project to Insert Faculty Data via
Web Service 814
9.10 Build a Web-Based Client Project to Consume the Web Service 815
9.10.1 Refresh the Web Service Reference for Our Web-Based
Client Project 816
9.10.2 Develop the Codes to Call Our Web Service Project 816
9.10.3 Build and Run Our Client Project to Insert Faculty Data via
Web Service 818
9.11 Build Java Web Service to Update and Delete Data from the SQL
Server Database 819
9.11.1 Add a New Operation UpdateFaculty() to Perform the Faculty
Data Updating 820
9.11.2 Add a New Operation DeleteFaculty() to Perform the Faculty
Data Deleting 822
9.11.3 Deploy and Test the Web Service Project 824
9.12 Build a Windows-Based Web Client Project to Consume the Web Service 827
9.12.1 Refresh the Web Service Reference for Our Windows-Based
Client Project 827
9.12.2 Develop the Codes to Call Our Web Service Project 827
9.12.2.1 Build the Codes to Call the UpdateFaculty() Operation 827
9.12.2.2 Build the Codes to Call the DeleteFaculty() Operation 830
9.12.3 Build and Run Our Client Project to Update and Delete Faculty Record via
Web Service 831
9.13 Build a Web-Based Client Project to Consume the Web Service 834
9.13.1 Refresh the Web Service Reference for Our Web-Based Client Project 834
9.13.2 Develop the Codes to Call Our Web Service Operation
UpdateFaculty() 835
9.13.3 Develop the Codes to Call Our Web Service Operation
DeleteFaculty() 837
9.13.4 Build and Run Our Client Project to Update and Delete Faculty Record via
Web Service 838
9.14 Build Java Web Service Projects to Access Oracle Databases 840
9.14.1 Create a New Java Web Application Project WebServiceOracleApp 841
9.14.2 Create a New Java SOAP-Based Web Service Project
WebServiceOracle 842
9.14.3 Add a JDialog Class into the Web Services Project 843
9.14.4 Add Java Persistence API and Entity Classes from Database 843
9.14.5 Add Java Session Beans for Entity Classes 845
9.14.6 The Organization of Web Service Operations and Session Bean
Methods 848
9.14.7 Add the Session Bean Classes CourseFacade into Our Web Service 849
9.14.8 Create and Build the Session Bean Methods and Web Service
Operations 849
9.14.8.1 Create and Build Session Bean Method getCourseID() 850
9.14.8.2 Create and Build Web Service Operation QueryCourseID() 852
9.14.8.3 Build and Run the Web Service to Test the course_id Query
Function 854
9.14.8.4 Create and Build Session Bean Method getCourse() 855
9.14.8.5 Create and Build Web Service Operation QueryCourse() 857
9.14.8.6 Build and Run the Web Service to Test the Course Query
Function 858
9.14.8.7 Create and Build Session Bean Method newCourse() 860
9.14.8.8 Create and Build Web Service Operation InsertCourse() 862
9.14.8.9 Build and Deploy the Web Service Project 863
9.14.8.10 Create and Build Session Bean Method setCourse() 864
9.14.8.11 Create and Build Web Service Operation UpdateCourse() 867
9.14.8.12 Build and Deploy the Web Service Project 868
9.14.8.13 Create and Build Session Bean Method removeCourse() 868
9.14.8.14 Create and Build Web Service Operation DeleteCourse() 870
9.14.8.15 Build and Test the Web Service Project 871
9.15 Build a Windows-Based Web Client Project to Consume the Web Service 873
9.15.1 Create a New Windows-Based Web Client Project WinClientOracle 873
9.15.2 Copy the CourseFrame and MsgDislog Components as GUIs 874
9.15.3 Create a Web Service Reference for Our Windows-Based Client
Project 875
9.15.4 Develop the Codes to Call Our Web Service Project 876
9.15.4.1 Build Codes for the Select Button Method to Query CourseIDs 877
9.15.4.2 Build Codes for the CourseListValueChanged() Method to Get Course
Details 879
9.15.4.3 Build Codes for the Insert Button Method to Insert Courses 882
9.15.4.4 Build Codes for the Update Button Method to Update Courses 885
9.15.4.5 Build Codes for the Delete Button Method to Delete Courses 888
9.16 Build a Web-Based Web Client Project to Consume the Web Service 890
9.16.1 Create a Web-Based Client Project WebClientOracle 890
9.16.2 Create a Java Managed Bean CourseBean and Add the JDialog Class
MsgDialog 891
9.16.3 Create a Web Service Reference for Our Web-Based Client Project 893
9.16.4 Develop the Codes to Call Our Web Service Project 894
9.16.4.1 Build Codes for the Select Button Method to Query CourseIDs 894
9.16.4.2 Build Codes for the Detail Button Method to Get Course
Details 897
9.16.4.3 Build Codes for the Update Button Method to Update Courses 899
9.16.4.4 Build Codes for the Delete Button Method to Delete Courses 901
9.17 Chapter Summary 904
Homework 905
Index 909
D atabases have become an integral part of our modern day life. We are an information-
driven society. Database technology has a direct impact on our daily lives. Decisions are
routinely made by organizations based on the information collected and stored in data-
bases. A record company may decide to market certain albums in selected regions based
on the music preference of teenagers. Grocery stores display more popular items at the
eye level and reorders are based on the inventories taken at regular intervals. Other
examples include patients’ records in hospitals, customers’ account information in banks,
book orders by the libraries, club memberships, auto part orders, winter cloth stock by
department stores, and many others.
In addition to database management systems, in order to effectively apply and imple-
ment databases in real industrial or commercial systems, a good graphic user interface
(GUI) is needed to enable users to access and manipulate their records or data in data-
bases. NetBeans IDE is an ideal candidate to be selected to provide this GUI functional-
ity. Unlike other programming languages, Java is a kind of language that has advantages,
such as easy to earn and easy to be understood, with little learning curves. Beginning from
Java 1.0, Sun has integrated a few programming languages, such as C++, JavaFX, and PHP,
with some frameworks into dynamic models that make Internet and Web programming
easy and simple, and any language integrated in this model can be used to develop pro-
fessional and efficient Web applications that can be used to communicate with others via
Internet.
This book is mainly designed for college students and software programmers who
want to develop practical and commercial database programming with Java and relational
databases, such as Microsoft Access, SQL Server 2008, and Oracle Database 10 g XE. The
book provides a detailed description about the practical considerations and applications
in database programming with Java and authentic examples and detailed explanations.
More important, a new writing style is developed and implemented in this book, com-
bined with real examples, to provide readers with a clear picture as how to handle the
database programming issues in NetBeans IDE environment.
The outstanding features of this book include but are not limited to the following.
1. A novel writing style is adopted to attract students or beginning programmers who are
interested in learning and developing practical database programs, with the hope of avoiding
the headaches caused by huge blocks of codes found in traditional database programming
books.
2. A real completed sample database, CSE_DEPT, with three versions (Microsoft Access 2007,
SQL Server 2008, and Oracle Database 10 g XE Release 2), is provided and used for the
entire book. A step-by-step, detailed description about how to design and build a practical
relational database is provided.
xxiii
3. Both fundamental and advanced database programming techniques are covered, for the
convenience of both beginning students and experienced programmers.
4. Updated Java database programming techniques, such as Java Persistence API, Java
Enterprise Edition 6, JavaServer Pages, JavaServer Faces, and Enterprise Java Beans, are
discussed and analyzed with real projects to enable readers to have a clear picture and
easy-to-learn path for Java database applications.
5. More than 30 real sample database programming projects are covered, with detailed illustra-
tions and explanations to help students to understand key techniques and programming
technologies.
6. Three types of popular databases are covered and discussed in detail with practical sample
examples: Microsoft Access, SQL Server 2008, and Oracle Database 10 g Express Edition
(XE).
7. The various actual JDBC APIs and JDBC drivers are discussed and presented with real
example coding explanations. The working structure and principle of using a JDBC driver
to establish a valid database connection, build an SQL statement, and process the query
results are introduced in detail with example codes. JDBC RowSet, a useful tool, is also
discussed and analyzed with some example codes.
8. Problems and selected solutions are provided for each chapter to strengthen and improve
understanding of the topics.
9. Power Point teaching slides are also provided to help instructors.
I sincerely hope that this book will be useful to all who adopt it, as a textbook for
college students, as well as a reference book for programmers, software engineers,
and academic researchers. I would be more than happy to know that you have been able
to develop and build professional and practical database applications with the help of
this book.
YING BAI
First, I thank my wife, Yan Wang, in particular. I could not have finished this book
without her sincere encouragement and support.
I also thank Satish Bhalla, who made important contributions to Chapter 2. Dr. Bhalla
is a specialist in database programming and management, in particular, in SQL Server,
Oracle, and DB2. Dr. Bhalla spent much time preparing materials for the first part of
Chapter 2, and this is gratefully acknowledged.
Many thanks also go to Mary Mann at Wiley, who helped to make this book available
to the public, and for her deep perspective and hard work. The same thanks are extended
to the editorial team, without whose contributions the book would not have been
published.
Thanks should also be extended to the following book reviewers for their important
feedback on the manuscript:
• Dr. Jifeng Xu, Research Scientist, Boeing Company
• Dr. Xiaohong Yuan, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, North Carolina
A&T State University
• Dr. Daoxi Xiu, Application Analyst Programmer, North Carolina Administrative Office of
the Courts
• Dr. Dali Wang, Assistant Professor, Department of Physics and Computer Science, Christopher
Newport University
Finally, thanks should be given to all of the people who supported me in the comple-
tion of this book.
xxv
Alrina's cup of misery was now full to the brim. It had required but
one drop more to fill it, and here it was. Her lover had deserted her
—that was most certain; but she had forgiven him, and made up her
mind that she would exonerate him from all his vows,—indeed, she
would insist on breaking off the engagement for ever, on account of
the dark mystery which hung over her family history.
But while the mystery was concealed, whatever it was, there was
still a hope that it might turn out in the end that there was no
mystery at all, and all might still be well. She secretly hoped this,
although, in her magnanimity, she considered it her duty to
exonerate her lover from all ties. But now the mystery was solved. It
was no longer dark and concealed, yielding a hope, however slight,
that it might have existed merely in her own imagination. It was no
longer dark or mysterious. Her father had robbed Mr. Morley (her
lover's brother) of a considerable sum of money, and had purloined
his valuable papers, and had moreover gone to a public ball at
Penzance, dressed in Mr. Morley's clothes. There was no getting over
this;—there was no mystery here. All this could be fully proved,—
and he had gone off, no one knew where.
What was she to do? She was left without a friend and penniless.
There was the house, it was true; but she could not live there
without a penny to buy food.
Squire Pendray told the sad story when he returned home; and good
Mrs. Pendray went herself to Mr. Freeman's, and begged Alrina to go
home with her, and live with them as one of her daughters. This kind
offer Alrina respectfully declined. Mrs. Pendray then offered her a
supply of money to purchase necessaries until her father's return.
"My father will never return, madam," said she, with dignity; "he
cannot. And, although I thank you from my heart for your kindness,
I cannot accept charity,—no, madam, I must gain my own livelihood,
as many a poor girl has done before."
So the good lady, having failed of success in her good intentions,
took an affectionate leave of the noble girl, begging her to
reconsider her determination, and to come to her still if she altered
her mind. "I shall watch over you, my dear," said the good lady at
parting, "and shall get information brought me of your progress.
Good bye! And may the Almighty Giver of all good watch over and
protect you."
This disinterested kindness was almost overpowering. It was as
much as Alrina could do to prevent herself from giving way to her
feelings. She had borne her lover's supposed desertion, and the
discovery of her father's disgrace without shedding a tear, or
allowing anyone to discover how much she was affected by them.
Now she could bear up no longer. Mrs. Pendray's kind offer of
protection and charity made her feel the full force of her situation,
and she returned to her room, and, throwing herself on her bed,
wept bitter tears of distress, mingled with feelings of anger and
wounded pride. She had been deserted, disgraced, and humiliated.
Long did she remain in that state of desponding wretchedness. It
was not in her nature to give way to her feelings, and weep for
every trifling thing that went wrong; she had been brought up in a
sterner school. But when she did give way, hers was not an ordinary
fit of weeping and then over; no, when she wept, it was a terrible
outbreak of pent-up feelings, like a large reservoir of water bursting
its banks, and carrying all before it. Nothing could stop it, until it had
spent itself out. And so it was now with Alrina;—she tossed and
rolled on her bed in her agony of mind, and wept until she became
exhausted, and then fell into a sound sleep, from which she awoke
after some hours, refreshed and renovated both in mind and body.
She bathed her eyes and face in cold water, and rearranged her hair,
and sat in her chair by the side of the dressing-table, calm and
dignified, and began to think of what she should do for the future.
The past was gone for her. She must leave the house at once, and
lock it up, after allowing Mr. Morley to take what remained of his
property.
She rang for Alice Ann, and told her her determination, and offered
her some money—all she had in the world—in payment of her wages
for the past few weeks. This the poor girl as indignantly but
respectfully refused, as Alrina herself had refused but a few hours
before the proposed kindness and protection of Mrs. Pendray.
"Why, she's maazed, I reckon," said Alice Ann, looking at her young
mistress as if she were some dangerous animal; "do 'ee knaw what
you're tellen' of, do 'ee?—you go out for to get your livin'—no, no,—
tarry here, Miss Reeney, an' I'll tend 'ee the same as I do now, an'
nevar take a penny. An' as for meat,—'where there's a will there's a
way,'—we'll take in stitchen' an' sawen', I cud used to do plain work,
brave an' tidy; an' you cud do the fine work. We'll get along, nevar
you fear."
"It is very kind of you, Alice Ann, to offer to help me to live," replied
Alrina; "but it cannot be,—I shall not remain in this house another
night after what has happened, if I can possibly help it. I shall go
out now for a short time, and when I return we will arrange for the
future." So saying, she put on her bonnet and shawl, and went down
the road, leaving Alice Ann at a loss to conjecture what she meant to
do, or where she could be going in such a hurry.
"She's gone to chat it over weth somebody, I s'pose," said the girl,
as she stood at the door and watched her young mistress walking
quietly down the road.
Alice Ann was right in a measure. Alrina was going to chat it over
with somebody, but not for the purpose of asking advice, nor by way
of idle gossip. She had fully determined in her own mind what she
would do; and when she had fully made up her mind to a thing it
was not an easy matter to turn her from her purpose.
Mrs. Trenow's house was generally her favourite resort when she
wanted a quiet chat; but, to Alice Ann's surprise, she passed that
house now, and went on into the heart of the village, and she soon
lost sight of her, and returned into the house to put things in order,
and prepare the tea against her young mistress returned.
Alrina stopped before the door of the "Commercial" Inn as if
doubtful what she should do. After a moment's hesitation, however,
she walked quietly in. Mrs. Brown had been working very briskly at
her needle, mending some old garment after a fashion; for she was
no great hand at that sort of work,—knitting she could get on with
tolerably well, because it required very little skill, and was therefore
rather pleasant work. She was now sitting looking at her work with
an angry brow; for, after all her trouble, she had put on the wrong
piece. She had sat for several hours, stitch, stitch, at that garment,
patching it up, as she thought, to look nearly as well as ever, and
now all her labour was lost, for the piece must come off again;—it
would never do as it was.
"Drat the old gown!" said she; "here have I be'n worken' my fingers
to the bone, an' puzzlin' my brain till I'm all mizzy mazey, an'
thinken' I had done a bra' job,—an' there it is."
"Send for the tailor, Peggy! send for the tailor, to be sure," said Mr.
Brown from his place in the chimney-corner, from whence he seldom
stirred now; for he had become feeble in body as well as in mind,
since the shock he had experienced by the terrible death of his
favourite mare. Mrs. Brown was very kind to him and indulged him
as far as she could; but she could not help being irritated sometimes
by his silly remarks; for he prematurely declined into second
childhood.
"Send for a fool! and that's you, John Brown," replied his wife,
testily, as she turned the garment in different directions to see if she
could make it do at all, without ripping out the piece again;—but it
was of no use, out it must come.
"If that lazy maid we've got here could stitch a bit tidy she wud be
some help," soliloquized the old lady; "but she's no good but to
scrub the floors, and tend the pigs,—she caen't draw a pint of beer
fitty. And there's Grace Bastian, the only decent maid we had in the
parish for to do a bit of sewing-work, she must prink herself off to
Penzance too. I don't knaw what's come to the maidens, not I. Miss
Reeney! how are 'ee my dear? Come in an' sit down;—why, you're
quite a stranger," continued the good landlady, as she rose to place
a chair for her visitor.
"Yes, I've been very much occupied since our return," replied Alrina;
—"but what are you about, Mrs. Brown?—you seem to have mended
your dress with a piece of a different colour. Why, here's a piece that
would have matched it exactly, and, if stitched in neatly, no one
would find out that it had been mended."
"That's the very thing I'm thinken' about," said Mrs. Brown. "Here
have I be'n stitch, stitch, nearly all the day, putten' on that piece, an'
when I had finished it I found I had put on the wrong one; but I
caen't stitch any more to-day,—my head is bad already."
"Let me see," said Alrina, taking the dress, and matching the right
piece on it;—"there, Mrs. Brown, that would do nicely, would it not?"
"Yes, my dear; but the thing is to stitch it in."
"Lend me your scissors, and I will soon manage it," replied Alrina.
"There," continued she, as she ripped off the piece that it had taken
Mrs. Brown so long to put in; "that's soon done. Now, lend me your
needle and thimble,—I'll put in the piece, while we gossip a little of
the latest news imported. Your thimble is too large;—haven't you a
smaller one in the house?"
"I believe our maid Polly have got one somewhere," said Mrs.
Brown; "I'll sarch for it."
"Poll! Poll! Polly!" said Mr. Brown, catching at the familiar sound:
"come out in the stable, Polly,—the mare must want her gruel by this
time. Wo! ho! Jessie, my beauty—wo! ho! mare!"
"Will you be quiet, John Brown?" said his wife, as she came
downstairs with the thimble.
"Here, Miss Reeney, I s'pose this is too big for your little finger."
"Never mind, Mrs. Brown," said Alrina, who had by this time pinned
on the proper piece; "I'll make this do."
The work now went on briskly—Mrs. Brown knitting, and Alrina
stitching and gossipping between. While the work was going on, two
miners came in, and asked for a pint of beer.
"Let me draw it, Mrs. Brown," said Alrina, putting down her work—"it
will be a change of work too."
"Well, you shall if you are fancical," replied Mrs. Brown, smiling.
"Take the brown jug, my dear—that's a pint exactly—and draw it out
of the end cask. Blow off the froth and fill up again,—our customers
don't like the jug half full of froth, I can assure you."
So Alrina drew the beer, and received the money, as if she had been
accustomed to it all her life, very much to the astonishment of the
two men, who seemed puzzled at being tended by Miss Reeney;—
but they liked it very well, nevertheless, and ere long asked for
another pint, for the sake, no doubt, of receiving it from so fair a
cup-bearer.
The two men were in a little room leading out of the kitchen, so that
neither party could hear distinctly the conversation of the others,—
nor was there much said by either party, indeed, worth the trouble
of listening to.
When the men were gone, Mrs. Brown said, "Why, I shud think you
had been used to the bar all your life, to see how handy you are;
and you've nearly finished the work that I wor all the day about.
Your husband will have a treasure, whoever he is."
"I shall never be married, Mrs. Brown," said Alrina, with a heavy
sigh.
"Iss, Iss, you'll be married fast enough, and I think I can tell his
name, though I'm no conjuror, asking your pardon."
"I have not seen the man yet that I would marry," returned Alrina,
with an effort.
"Oh! fie!" said Mrs. Brown; "you mustn't say so to me; I wasn't born
yesterday, an' I can see a bra' way, though tes busy all, I'll allow."
"What I have told you is perfectly true," replied Alrina; "and so far
from thinking of marrying, I am going to try to get my own living,—
will you take me into your service?"
"My dear young lady," replied Mrs. Brown, taking off her spectacles,
and looking at Alrina steadily and seriously, "you mustn't make game
of your elders, nor look down with scorn upon those you may
consider inferior in station to yourself,—but that remains to be
proved. Take her (a boarding-school young lady) into my service!
Did you hear that, John Brown?"
John Brown didn't hear that, or if he did he didn't understand it, for
he made no reply.
"You seem as if you didn't understand me, Mrs. Brown," said Alrina.
"No, sure, I don't understand your meanin' at all," replied Mrs.
Brown.
Alrina then related the circumstances of the morning to Mrs. Brown,
whom she knew she could trust, and whose advice she knew she
could rely on, for she was a shrewd intelligent woman. When she
had finished her tale, Mrs. Brown took her hand, and said, "You
must forgive me for my hasty speech just now. 'Tes an ugly
business, but you shall never want a house to shelter you, nor a bit
of morsel to eat while I have got it for you."
"You don't understand me now," said Alrina; "I will never accept
charity, either in the shape of food, raiment, or shelter. What I ask
you to do is this,—to take me into your service, to help you, as I
have done this afternoon, for instance. I will take the burden of the
house off your shoulders, and do the sewing, and attend to the bar.
Poor Mr. Brown is not able to do anything now, and indeed requires
more of your attention than you have time to give him, and I cannot
but remember that it was in consequence of some advice given him
by my father (for what reason I know not), that Mr. Brown lost his
mare, and became in consequence almost imbecile; and it is my
duty, if possible, to repair the injury that has been done. I cannot
return the mare, nor give Mr. Brown renewed strength; but I can
help you, and by that means you will have more time to devote to
his little comforts. I don't want money;—I merely want a home with
a respectable family, to whom I can render services sufficient to
remunerate them for their kindness, without having the feeling that I
am maintained merely out of charity. Now do you understand what I
mean?"
"I do," replied Mrs. Brown, "and it shall be as you wish, and I shall
always respect and honour you for the noble and independent way
in which you have acted."
This being settled, Alrina went back to her father's house, to inform
Alice Ann of what she had done; and, having arranged with Mrs.
Brown that Alice Ann should sleep at her house also for a night or
two, she locked up the house where so many evil deeds had been
performed, and took up her residence at the "Commercial" Inn, as
barmaid and general superintendent of the stitchery of the
household.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
CAPTAIN COURLAND'S RETURN AND HIS
WIFE'S ANXIETY.
The man of cunning had proved himself more than a match for his
pursuers. He had got the start of them, and was now out of their
reach. So the squire and Mr. Morley, accompanied by Josiah,
prepared to retrace their steps, angry and crestfallen at having been
thus outwitted. They walked on in silence until, on rounding a rock,
they met Lieutenant Fowler and one of his men, who were evidently
out on duty. Fowler seemed quite taken by surprise, and scarcely
knew what to do; but he instinctively touched his cap to the squire,
and, shaking Morley by the hand, was about to pass on. The squire,
however, was too much engrossed with the matter in hand to
remember his late treatment of the lieutenant, or the cause of it,
and Morley was ignorant of the whole matter. So they both greeted
Fowler heartily, and told him the whole affair, and pointed out the
vessel which was bearing away their crafty deceiver. Fowler put his
glass to his eye, and scanned the horizon after having looked
attentively at the vessel.
"She'll be back again" said he, "before long; there's a storm rising."
"No! no!" replied the squire; "that fellow will not return to this coast
again if he can by any possibility keep away; they'll probably reach
the Scilly Islands before the storm comes on."
"We shall see," said the lieutenant; "my men shall keep a good
watch, however, all night. Good day gentlemen." And he touched his
cap again, and was moving off.
"Where are you going in such a hurry, my dear fellow?" said Morley,
"I haven't seen you for an age. Come! I'm going up to your station
to have a serious chat with you."
"Go on, then; I shall be home soon; but I must go round to see
what the other men are about, whom I sent, some time ago, to
watch a suspicious looking craft, round the next headland. Go up to
my cabin, there's a good fellow; for I want to have a serious chat
with you too." So saying, he walked on, having seen that the squire
had got on his stilts again after the first impulse had subsided; for
he had walked on without taking any further notice of Fowler.
Mr. Morley, true to his appointment, declined the squire's pressing
invitation to dine with him at Pendrea-house, and proceeded towards
Tol-pedn-Penwith station, where he had not been very long before
his friend returned. After dinner, Fowler confided to him his secret,
and the manner in which he had been treated by the squire. Morley
at first treated it as a joke, saying, "Faint heart never won fair lady;"
but on reflection he thought there must be some mistake, and that a
mutual explanation would set all things right, which he undertook to
perform. But he was so anxious about his brother that he could not
settle his mind to anything until he had found him or ascertained his
fate. He had evidently been at Cooper's house,—that was pretty
certain, from what the old woman had said,—and it was also certain
that he was not there now, for they had searched everywhere, nor
was he at the Land's-End, nor St. Just; nor had any trace of him
been seen in that neighbourhood by anyone, and the boy had not
been seen either, for some time. Mr. Morley's only conjecture now
was, that he had probably escaped from Cooper's cellar, and had
returned to Ashley Hall, thinking that, as Josiah had seen Miss
Freeman there, Alrina might be there also, concealed somewhere;
and he no doubt thought that he would there also have the advice
and assistance of his brother and Josiah whom he had left there; for
Mr. Morley knew that neither of his letters had reached him, because
he found them both lying at the Penzance post-office. He therefore
determined at once to return to Ashley Hall. The more he thought of
it, the more was he confirmed in this belief, and he also felt certain,
that, having escaped through the underground cellar, and no trace of
him having been discovered in the neighbourhood, his brother had,
to avoid pursuit and suspicion, gone on board some vessel, bound to
Bristol, and proceeded thither by water.
Mr. Morley wished to see Miss Pendray once more before he left; but
his sense of duty prevailed over love, and he determined to start at
once, that very night, and to leave nothing untried until he found his
brother—dead or alive. He would have gone to Pendrea-house, just
to see her for a moment, and take leave of her, but he was afraid to
trust himself. She would have kept him on and on, he feared, until
the chance of finding his brother might be gone. He knew her
powers of fascination, and he would not trust himself to them. He
would come back to love and pleasure with greater satisfaction after
he had performed his duty.
He took the faithful Josiah with him; and so hasty was their
departure, that poor Josiah had not time to return to St. Just, to
take leave of Alice Ann, and so they did not know of the change that
had taken place in the abode of the mistress and maid.
So sure did Mr. Morley feel, now, that Frederick had returned to
Ashley Hall by water, that he did not make any inquiry on the road,
but rode night and day, hiring fresh horses at every stage, until they
reached the hall. Why he was so confident of finding his brother
there he could scarcely tell; but as that was the only hope he
seemed to have, and the only probable place to which he thought he
could have gone, he seized it as the "forlorn hope," as it were, and
brooded on it, so that it became fixed in his mind, and he would not
allow any other thought to supersede it. How great was his
disappointment, then, when he arrived at the hall, to find that his
brother had not been seen there, nor had anything been heard of or
from him, since he left it some weeks before. It was like a death
stroke. He could scarcely believe it. He could not bring his mind back
to the thought that his brother was lost. He searched everywhere.
Mrs. Courland and Julia were alarmed also when they heard how
matters stood, and even the poor dumb girl was alarmed and
agitated; for she saw there was something amiss, but she didn't
know what it was, and no one had the time or the inclination to tell
her; so she wandered about the house, unheeded.
Captain Courland had returned, and had now given up the sea,
having realized a handsome fortune, and looked forward to spending
the remainder of his life in peace and happiness, with his beautiful
wife, and her niece, Julia Morley, whom they had adopted as their
own, and whom they were both very fond of. The first day of his
arrival was a very happy one to him. He revelled in the society of his
wife and niece, and nothing occurred to mar his happiness. Flora
was kept out of the way in Mrs. Courland's private apartments,
where she had first been introduced to the house. These rooms had
been fitted up expressly for her. Here she had every amusement she
could enjoy, and she liked being here alone, and would frequently
spend whole days there, and in the little garden adjoining, planting,
and watching, and cultivating the flowers, of which, as we have said
before, she was passionately fond. A slight hint from Mrs. Courland
that there was company in the house, was quite enough to keep her
in her apartments the whole day; for she did not like mixing with
strangers. She always seemed to have a dread, lest she should meet
with someone she had seen before, and who she feared would take
her away and beat her.
Mrs. Courland knew whom she meant, but to the others this was a
mystery. Mrs. Courland still dreaded the introduction of this poor girl
to her husband, although she knew his kind heart would
compassionate a poor helpless creature thrown upon her charity, as
she had represented it, as much as the other members of the family
had done. But she did not feel the same repugnance at deceiving
them, as she did at deceiving her husband. She had already
deceived him by keeping this secret from him. And now, by the
introduction of this poor girl into his house, the secret might be
disclosed at some unlucky moment. She at first decided on
introducing her at once on his return, and telling him the story she
had framed; but her courage failed her, and she thought she would
put it off until his return from London, where he was going the day
after his arrival, to arrange his business with the principal
shareholders of his ship. He was detained there some days, and had
not returned when Mr. Morley and Josiah arrived, although he was
hourly expected. All was confusion throughout the house at the
intelligence brought by Mr. Morley, that his brother Frederick could
nowhere be found. He was a general favourite there, and all the
household turned out for this hopeless search, leaving poor Flora a
wanderer through the house.
While the search was going on, Captain Courland returned from
London, and, finding none of the servants in their accustomed
places, he walked into the breakfast-room, where he saw a young
lady standing at the window, with her back towards him as he
entered, looking intently into the garden below. At first he thought it
was his niece Julia, and he asked her what had occurred in the
house to make such a scarcity of servants, and where her aunt was;
but, to his great surprise, she took no notice of him,—so he went up
close to her and tapped her on the shoulder, when she turned
suddenly round, and gave a peculiar, disagreeable scream, and ran
out of the room. He thought this very extraordinary. He could not
imagine who the young lady could be, who seemed so much at
home in his house, and who treated him with such rude contempt.
He sought his wife for an explanation. On his mentioning the
circumstance to her, she seemed taken quite by surprise, and
hesitated, and looked confused while she told him her tale. He
thought it very strange that she had not mentioned this
circumstance to him in any of her letters, and he asked her rather
harshly why she had not mentioned it when he was home for a day
and a night, on his first arrival from sea. He spoke more harshly to
her than he had ever done before, perhaps without intending to do
so; but the consciousness that she had done wrong, and the fear
lest her secret should yet be discovered by him, overcame her, so
that, instead of explaining the reason, which she might easily have
done, she burst into tears, which pained him, and made him think
there was something more in this affair than he had yet heard; but,
in the goodness of his heart and his devoted affection and love for
his wife, he never suspected for a moment that she had done any
wrong, or was concealing anything from him of a serious nature;
while she, poor, timid, guilty creature, read his thoughts by her own,
and fancied that her husband was looking into her heart, and
reading there her guilty secret.
Had she possessed the moral courage to tell the truth in the
beginning, when they were first married, all would have been well.
But she had retained the secret in her own breast so long, and
thereby deceived her husband, that the telling of it now would be
like the confession of a twofold guilt. And if she had not the courage
to tell her secret, when it was but a little secret after all, how could
she tell it now, when years of deception had been added to it. And
so, by this little accidental discovery of nothing, as it were, her
courage deserted her, and the resolution she had formed of
explaining the way in which the poor dumb girl became an adopted
inmate of his house, was told in a way to create suspicion rather
than allay it.
As his wife had adopted this poor creature, Captain Courland tacitly
consented; for, although he felt that there was something that he
could not understand in the matter, he had the heart of a true British
sailor, and would not willingly wound the feelings of a woman if he
could avoid it, especially in such a trifle as this; and more especially
as the offender, if such she could be deemed, was his beautiful wife,
to whom he was attached with the most ardent and devoted
affection. After a time he became quite attached to the poor dumb
girl: she amused him, and he would spend hours in her private
room, while she taught him to talk with his fingers; and she was
interested in her task, and would laugh such a hearty, ringing laugh
when he made a mistake, that the jovial captain would throw himself
back in his chair, and laugh, too, till his sides shook;—and then he
could burst out with a nautical phrase in her society with impunity,
which, when he attempted unwittingly in the presence of his wife or
niece, caused a gentle reprimand, and he was obliged to "knock
under," as he expressed it.
Mr. Morley and the captain were old friends. They had met often in
India; and no one was more concerned than Captain Courland at the
loss of Mr. Morley's brother. Many days were spent in scouring the
country in endeavouring to find some trace of him, but, alas! without
effect. Nor could they gain any intelligence of the strange woman
whom Josiah had seen, at a distance, and who, he verily believed,
was Miss Freeman.
All their efforts having proved fruitless, Mr. Morley determined to
retrace his steps back to Cornwall once more; and Captain Courland,
feeling a deep interest in the discovery of his friend's brother,
proposed to his wife that they should accompany their friend there,
and help him in the search. This was the very thing Mrs. Courland
wished—to get away from the hall and its now unpleasant
associations, and, above all, to leave the object of her fear and guilt
behind her. She believed that Flora would be quite happy in the
undisturbed possession of her favourite rooms, and she could
depend on her being taken care of by the servants, for they all liked
and pitied her. This would be a great relief to her mind; and then
she could give to her husband her undivided attention, without the
constant dread of discovery. But when the time of departure arrived,
to her great surprise and annoyance, Captain Courland made
arrangements for taking Flora in the travelling carriage with them,
and was quite angry at his wife's even hinting that Flora would be
far happier at the hall. The captain had become so attached to her,
that she seemed necessary now to his amusement and occupation.
So she accompanied them.
CHAPTER XXXV.
THE DESPERATE PLUNGE.
Alrina had been at Mrs. Brown's several days, and was beginning to
like her employment, and to make herself very useful in the house,
when one evening, a strange-looking man came rushing in, and
asked for a glass of brandy, which he drank off in a hurried manner,
and then said he had seen a ghost. He had such an odd look, and
seemed to speak in such an incoherent manner, that both Mrs.
Brown and Alrina thought he was deranged: but, knowing the
suspicious treachery of persons in that state, they feared to let him
see their timidity, lest he might do them some injury. So Mrs. Brown
pretended to believe in his statement, and questioned him as to
what the ghost was like, and where he had seen it. The man was
well known to Mrs. Brown, as a poor half-witted creature, who
wandered about in a kind of melancholy state, but perfectly
harmless: and the neighbours were kind to "Mazed Dick," as he was
called, and gave him meat, and occasionally Mrs. Brown's customers
would give him a glass of beer, at the "Commercial," for the sake of
having a little amusement; for "Mazed Dick" could perform various
little feats of dexterity, such as standing on his head, climbing a
greasy pole, or dancing in a grotesque manner, or allowing a whole
pint of beer to be poured down his throat, as through a funnel,
without closing his mouth. But Mrs. Brown had never seen him so
excited before as he seemed to be now, nor had he ever asked for
brandy before; and after he had drank it, she wished she had not
given it to him. Without answering Mrs. Brown's questions, he
continued to talk in the same incoherent way, sometimes laughing
by way of interlude, and sometimes screaming as if he suddenly saw
some terrifying object before him. It was no use to ask him any
more questions, so they let him go on in his own way,—
"Down 'tween the rocks, Mrs. Brown, ma'm, a g'eat big ship (ha! ha!
ha!), bottom up, Mrs. Brown, ma'm, bottom up, ma'm (ha! ha! ha!),
kegs of brandy. Mrs. Brown, ma'm, kegs of brandy (ha! ha! ha!).
Little Dick creepy crawly, creepy crawly, up the top of the bottom
(oh! lor'!),—slip down agen,—see a g'eat hole, Mrs. Brown, ma'm.
Dick put in his hand to take out a keg of brandy (oh! lor'! oh! lor'!),
catch Dick's hand (oh! lor'! oh! lor'!) Dick run away,—a ghost!—a
ghost!"
From this story they gathered that a ship had been wrecked, and
thrown ashore with its bottom up. Some men who had seen "Mazed
Dick" running towards the public house, followed him, thinking he
was in a good mood for one of his performances; but on hearing
that there was a wreck on the coast, they started at once for the
spot, taking Dick with them as a guide, who continued to repeat the
same jargon until they arrived at the cove, where they saw a small
vessel, as "Mazed Dick" had described it, jammed between two
rocks, with her bottom up. To climb up the side of the vessel as she
lay thus, bottom up, was a difficult task; for the sides were slippery.
No one but little Dick could do it; so he, to show his dexterity,
climbed up at once like a cat, and put his hand into the hole, which
they could see as they stood on the rock. He had no sooner done so,
however, than he began to scream and kick about his legs in a vain
effort to get clear and slide down again; but no,—there he was held,
as it seemed, by some invisible power inside. What could it be?
Whatever it was, however, it had not the power of holding its victim
in that position long; for poor Dick was soon released, and came
sliding down again among his companions, exclaiming, "A ghost! a
ghost! oh! lor'! oh! lor'!"—and this was all they could get out of him.
He could give no account of what he had seen or felt. So it was
determined to send for a ladder and examine this mysterious affair
thoroughly.
The ladder was soon procured, and with it a host of wreckers, both
men and women, although it was now getting dusk, and they would
not be able to see what was inside when they got to the hole; so
lanterns were procured, and there was a parley as to who should go
up. All had been eager to reach the spot, and would have braved
any visible danger either by sea or land; but there was a mystery
about this which their superstitious fears deterred them from
attempting readily. In the midst of their hesitation, Captain Trenow
came down to see what it was all about, and he volunteered at once
to climb the ladder, and examine the interior of the vessel; for he
believed it was nothing but "Mazed Dick's" timidity that made him
scream, or perhaps one of his mad tricks. So up went the brave old
man, carrying a lantern in his hand; and, after looking in at the hole
for a few minutes, holding the lantern now on one side and now on
the other, to enable him to see every part of the interior, as far as
the size of the hole would admit, he came down again, and said very
deliberately,—
"'Tes a whished sight, soas!"
"Why, what ded 'ee see, cap'n?" cried a dozen voices.
"Why, I seed two men and a boy, so well as I cud make out," replied
Captain Trenow.
"Dear lor'!" exclaimed the women; "the crew starved to death, poor
souls! That's whisht, sure nuff."
"'Tes whishter to be standen' here like a passle of fools," said
Captain Trenow; "they mayn't be all dead, an' I don't think they are.
Lev the women run up to church-town for some blankets and sails
an' things, and some brandy, an' some of the men go down to bâl
for some ropes an' planks, an' a hatchet or two, and a saw; for the
hole esn't big enough to hale a man through."
Here was the master mind equal to any emergency; and, so
accustomed is the bâl captain to be obeyed by the miners under him
at the bâl, that Captain Trenow's commands were obeyed to the
letter, such discipline being as necessary in mining operations, where
there is so much risk and danger, as in a military army on the field of
battle. In an incredibly short time, the men returned with ropes, and
planks, and more ladders, accompanied by some of the mine-
carpenters, who had not left work in consequence of a breakage at
the mine.
"Go up," said Captain Trenow to the carpenters, "and enlarge that
hole three or four feet each way." And up they went at once and
commenced their work without asking a question; and very soon an
opening was made large enough to bring up any thing that might be
below.
By this time the women had arrived also, with plenty of blankets and
old sails, and brandy, accompanied by many more people from the
village. Captain Trenow, with three or four of the strongest men of
the party, now went up the ladders which were placed against the
side of the vessel, taking shorter ladders with them, which they let
down through the opening that the carpenters had made, taking
ropes and blankets and sails with them. On descending into the
vessel they found two men and a boy—the two men lying at the
bottom, apparently dead, or in the last gasp, while the boy was lying
on a cask near the hole. He was alive, and still retained the use of
his limbs; and it must have been he who had seized poor Dick in
that mysterious manner. They were soon got out of their perilous
situation; and that infallible remedy—brandy—having been applied to
their lips, it was ascertained that they were all alive. The boy revived
considerably, but the two men, with all the remedies Captain
Trenow's experience applied, only revived sufficiently to exhibit signs
of life.
They were speedily conveyed to the "Commercial" Inn, and Mrs.
Brown and her fair assistant prepared comfortable beds for them,
while Captain Trenow and one or two strong, trusty men remained
to watch them during the night. A little food was given them
frequently; for Captain Trenow saw that they were suffering
principally from exhaustion and want of food.
The boy did not require much attention; and, after a moderate
allowance of food, he fell fast asleep. Mrs. Brown's household also
went to bed, at Captain Trenow's earnest request, while he and one
of the miners remained in attendance on the invalids all night. The
boy slept soundly till morning, when he awoke refreshed, but
hungry; so he went downstairs in search of something to eat. Mr.
Brown was the only one stirring, and he was in the back kitchen
giving a finishing polish to his shoes.
"What! Billy, boy!" said he, as the boy entered; "come, 'tes time to
look to the mare. Come, boy! come!" And he led the way into the
stables, as he used to do, and the boy followed him; for he knew
that was the only way to get anything to eat. "Mare first and
breakfast afterwards," was always Mr. Brown's motto.
The sad reality very soon exhibited itself to poor Mr. Brown's
shattered brain; and he sat down on the pail which was standing
useless against the wall with its bottom up, and bewailed his loss.
"Iss, boy," said the poor man; "I seed them both go over cliff,—and
that poor young gentleman to be killed too. 'Twas whist, Billy, boy.
Semmen to me I can see them now tumblen' over. I've seed his
ghost since, boy, I have."
When Mr. Brown had exhausted himself with his monotonous
lamentation, on the loss of the mare and the young gentleman, the
boy went up close to him, and whispered something in his ear which
made him start; and, jumping up, he proceeded into the house at
once, exclaiming, "Peggy! Peg! Peg! Peggy! my dear,—here's that
gentleman; get breakfast quickly. What! Miss Reeney downstairs
already! Good morning, ma'am. Come to see "The Maister," I s'pose.
Get breakfast quickly, Peggy! Ods my life! how hungered they'll be!
Out exercising the mare, es he? That's brave. Get the corn ready
and a clean wisp o' straw to give her the first rub weth. Ods my life!
how glad I am."
"Hoity! toity! what's all the fuss?" exclaimed Mrs. Brown, as she
came slowly downstairs; "one wud think that the French were
landed."
"And so they are, I b'lieve, o' my conscience," said Mr. Brown.
"Hold your tongue, John Brown!" said his wife, angrily, as she
proceeded to get the breakfast. She had not seen Alrina or the boy;
for the latter made a signal to Alrina to follow him out into the little
garden at the back of the house, while Mr. Brown was giving his silly
and futile orders about the mare, which his wife was now too much
accustomed to, to notice.
Imagine Alrina's astonishment, when she heard from the boy, that
her father and lover were both in that house. What should she do?—
That was the first question she asked herself; and it was as quickly
answered in her own mind. She must do her duty; and her first duty
was to attend to her father, however disgraceful his conduct might
have been. And, under the circumstance, it was her duty also to
avoid meeting her lover, both for her own peace of mind and for his;
—for she had fully determined that nothing should induce her to
continue an engagement, which must bring disgrace on him and
misery to her;—she could never endure to marry a man whose
family would despise her. She learnt the whole history of his escape
from the boy, and she shuddered when he told her of the dreadful
moment, when the boat bumped against the rock, as they thought,
but which in reality was a vessel they could not see, as they lay in
the bottom of the boat, faint and exhausted. They were picked up
and taken on board, but his master was so exhausted that he was
unconscious all the time. The boy soon discovered, he said, that the
principal person on board was no other than his old master, Mr.
Freeman, who treated them both very kindly; but a storm arose that
night, and drove the little vessel back again towards the Land's-End.
He and Mr. Freeman were below, he said, attending to the invalid,
when the vessel struck on a rock, and her mast was blown over
somehow, and they felt the vessel turn on her beam ends. The
hatches had been closed down over them when they went below, for
the sea was washing over the deck. The two sailors must have been
washed overboard. How long they were in that awful state, beating
about, the boy did not know; it seemed an age. He was the
strongest of the party, he said; and, when he found that the vessel
was at last stationary, he got on a cask to be as near the hole which
the rocks had made in her as possible, and it was in this position
that he caught the man's hand; but he was too much exhausted to
speak.
Alrina consulted her good friend, Mrs. Brown, as to what she should
do with her father; and it was ultimately decided that he had better
be removed at once to his own house.
Who the other invalid was, Alrina did not say. Mr. Freeman seemed
in a very precarious state; and if he was to be removed at all,
Captain Trenow thought it should be done at once. It was early, and
few people were stirring as yet in the village; and so the poor
unconscious man was removed gently and quietly to that house
which he had left but a short time before, knowing and feeling that
his return to that place must end in public disgrace and punishment.
His faithful daughter, as in duty bound, made everything as
comfortable about him as she could, and her attendant, Alice Ann,
came back at once to her young mistress's assistance.
In undressing him to put him into bed, Captain Trenow discovered a
belt round his waist, which, on being opened, was found to contain a
considerable sum of money, principally in gold, and a quantity of
diamonds and other jewels apparently of great value. The money
Captain Trenow persuaded Alrina to take into her possession, and to
use as much as was necessary for the maintenance of the house and
for comforts for the invalid, while the jewels he placed in a drawer in
Mr. Freeman's private room, under lock and key. It was evident that
he had been preparing for flight for some time, and had secured
enough of "the needful" to enable him to live comfortably in some
distant country. Of his daughter's comfort he cared nothing; for he
did not leave a single shilling behind for her, and yet she forgave him
all, and came back again to the house she thought she had quitted
for ever, to be his guardian and ministering angel.
A surgeon was sent for from Penzance, who said it was doubtful
whether his patient would recover. By care, and attention, and good
nursing, he might rally.
Frederick Morley—for he was Captain Trenow's other patient—was
recovering slowly, when he learned that Mr. Freeman had been taken
home, and that his daughter was there also. He immediately got up,
weak as he was, and walked towards Mr. Freeman's house,
determined to see Alrina, whose image had been ever present to his
mind, night and day, and from whom he was now fully determined
no power on earth should separate him. When he arrived at the
house he was told that Alrina was in attendance on her father, who
was not able to leave his bed.
He waited some time in the little parlour before the object of his
adoration made her appearance, as she was obliged to school
herself into the proper state of mind in which she wished to appear,
before she met him to whom she must now say farewell for ever.
She had been expecting this visit, and had been preparing herself
for the meeting, and thought, poor girl, that she could be firm;—but
now, when the time was actually come, she found that it was more
than she could go through. She came at last, pale and trembling,
but firm. And when Frederick rushed towards her with the
impetuosity of a warm-hearted lover, from whom his darling had
been separated so long, she recoiled calmly and coldly from his
embrace, and requested him, in a dignified manner, to be seated.
"Alrina!" exclaimed he, in surprise; "what is the meaning of this
coolness? After so long an absence, I expected to have been
received by you in a very different manner. What have I done to
deserve this? Or has some vile calumniator been poisoning your
mind against me? Tell me, dearest!" And he attempted to approach
her again, his eyes beaming with the fondest love and devotion.
"Mr. Morley!" said Alrina, restraining her feelings with a strong effort;
"circumstances have changed since we last met; and I am
compelled, more for your sake than mine, to tell you that all further
intercourse must cease between us."
"Alrina!" exclaimed he, passionately; "what can you mean?—Can I
believe my ears,—that she, whom I so fondly and devotedly love,
can coldly and deliberately tell me that our intercourse must cease,
without assigning any reason. Tell me at least this. What cause have
I given you for treating me thus?"
"None!" said she; "none! you have been to me more than I deserve.
It is not that, oh! no!"
"You have seen another whom you love better," said he. "Tell me,—
only tell me, and relieve my racking brain,—anything is better than
this suspense. I will never give you up,—I swear I will not! The
villain who has supplanted me shall die!" And he paced the room in
mental agony, while poor Alrina scarcely knew what to do. She had
made up her mind to do her duty; and she was determined, for his
sake more than her own, to go through with it. He must not think he
had a rival; it would endanger some innocent person, perhaps; nor
could she make up her mind to tell him of her father's disgrace. He
would hear it, of course,—he must know it; but it should not come
from her. What should she do?
There was only one alternative that seemed open to her. She must
take all the blame on herself, and bear all his wrath, or scorn, or
hate, or whatever it might be, on her own shoulders. However
painful, it must be done. And, rising with as much coolness as she
could command at that awful crisis, she said, in a trembling voice,—
"Mr. Morley, we must part now and for ever; for I feel I cannot love
you as I ought."
"Oh! Alrina!" he exclaimed, taking her hand, which she could not
prevent; "do not say so! oh! do not say so,—you cannot mean it,—
say you do not mean that. Not love me! Oh! Alrina! after all——"
"I cannot stay longer," said she, hastily withdrawing her hand; "I can
only repeat that I cannot love you." And, in an agony of mind, which
it would be impossible to describe, she rushed to her own room,
and, locking the door, threw herself on the bed, and wept bitter
tears of agony unspeakable.
Morley remained motionless for some minutes, as one
thunderstruck. It seemed as if he had received his death blow. To be
treated thus coldly by one who, but a short time before, had
expressed the warmest affection for him, was inexplicable. He could
not understand it. There was only one solution that presented itself
to his disordered mind. She loved another! And that thought
rendered him desperate,—it maddened him.
Revenge was his first thought. But how, and on whom? He
staggered out of the house like a drunken man, and directed his
steps unconsciously towards the sea. Life had become a burden to
him within the last short hour. He had nothing now to live for. He
looked down into the deep blue sea, as he stood on the rock. All his
former hope of life and happiness had faded away like a shadow. He
could have lived on with the hope that she might one day be his,
knowing that she loved him still. But, now, she had told him that she
could not love him, and had bade him farewell for ever! He could not
endure the thought. Her coldness and the apparent cause thrilled
through his frame. This feeling of jealousy maddened him; his brain
reeled. One plunge into that deep blue water, and all his mental
sufferings would be ended. The waters would open to receive him;
and when they closed over him again, all the cares and troubles of
this life would be over, and she would be free from the dread of his
presence, if indeed she feared it.
His brain was on fire; he was mad; a temporary insanity had seized
him; and he thought only of escaping from present troubles. One
short plunge, and all would be over. Alas! he thought not of the
future. What mortal, when in that state of frenzied madness, does
think of that?
For if, he did,—if, in the act of making his quietus by self destruction,
one sane thought remained,—"that dread of something after death—
the undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveller returns—
would puzzle the will; and make him rather bear the ills he has, than
fly to others that he knows not of." Man's life is not in his own
hands. He who gave it, and He alone, has the right to take it when it
shall please Him so to do. Morley thought not of the future, but only
how to escape from "the pangs of despised love," which now
oppressed him. And the more he thought of this, the more did his
brain seethe and boil, till he could bear it no longer; and, taking a
desperate leap from the high rock on which he stood, he plunged
into the deep blue water that lay so tranquil at his feet.
A splash was heard as the waters opened to receive their prey; and
then they closed around and over him, and down he went,—down!
down!—five fathoms deep, or more, for the water here was deep
enough to swim a three-decked ship with all her thousand men on
board, and guns and ammunition. 'Twas an awful plunge, not like
the plunge of the agile swimmer, who jumps from off a rock and
dives until he touches the bottom, only to rebound and then come
up again some few yards ahead, and strike out boldly with head
erect, braving the restless sea, and riding over each wave buoyant
and graceful as a sea-bird, whose element it is. The plunge of the
victim of self destruction has a sadder and more decided sound.
Down he goes to the bottom, a dead weight, with all his sins upon
his head; for in that short space of time, all the actions of his past
life crowd on his mind, and he lives his life over again, as it were, in
a single moment.
And so went down the body of Frederick Morley to the bottom. But
as his body touched it, up it came again buoyant in that unruffled
sea. Ere it rose to the surface of the water, another splash was
heard, and a stout strong swimmer came breasting the waves, ready
to catch the rash young man as soon as he appeared; and, seizing
him in one of his strong arms, he swam with him to the shore and
landed him in safety.
Frederick had not been under water long enough to receive any
serious injury, although the salt water in his mouth and eyes and
ears, made him feel very uncomfortable. And this might have a very
serious effect, after his late sufferings and confinement; for he had
risen from his bed to go to Alrina, on learning that she was at home,
when he ought to have remained quiet for a little longer, in order to
be fully equal to the double shock he had sustained. Perhaps had he
been in robust health, he would not have taken this rash step; but
his nerves were weak. The plunge into the water, however, had
tended to cool his fevered brain; and, when he turned to thank his
deliverer, after he had recovered a little, what was his surprise to
find that he was indebted again for his life to that noble fellow,
Josiah Trenow, who had thus saved him a second time from the jaws
of death.
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