The diamond cross; a tale of American society

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CHAPTER i

u T wonder who those gentlemen are,” remarked Mrs.

Risley to her daughter Gertrude, as they stood on the deck of the Canada, glancing at the two individuals refer* red to. “ Does any one on board know them ? They look like very respectable persons. They converse in French always ; yet I heard the captain say that one is an American. Mr. Selman told me he overheard their conversation last evening, and that they were speaking of a large estate which has been left in the United States to the one who appears to be a Frenchman. I suppose he is going to take possession of it. I am surprised that Mr. Selman does not make their acquaintance ; he has a very ready way of becoming acquainted with people. If we knew them, Gertrude, I think they might be agreeable acquaintances ; and the society of such gentleman might make our voyage less tedious.”

These remarks were made on board the steamship men-

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tioned, on her passage across the Atlantic to the United States in the year 1849. The persons spoken of were Charles Mosely, a Virginian, who had been spending several years in Europe and was then returning home, and Emile Lanabere, a native of the south of France, who was going to take possession of an estate bequeathed to him in Louisiana.

These gentleman became acquainted with each other, as many acquaintances are made, by accidentally meeting on board the steamship. From this circumstance, though trifling in itself seemingly, sprung the series of events which are mentioned in the romantic history that follows. Providence evolves or controls events which we are in the habit of calling accidents, for wise purposes. Most of us have seen in the course of our experience instances of truth having been brought to light and justice vindicated through causes apparently fortuitous ; and it is often discovered that singular coincidences, as they are termed, are but the links of a chain properly connected.

Mosely was a fine looking man, of the English type, and was a descendant of an Anglo-Saxon family. He was thirty years of age, rather above the medium height, and had a symmetry of form that gave an impression of both strength and grace. Any one looking in his face would have said he was an intellectual man, for his forehead was full and his dark hazel-grey eyes were very expressive, varying much according to the impressions of his mind. He was much liked by all who knew him, and strangers who approached him were impressed by his manner and intelligence. Notwithstanding his frankness and occasional joyousness he was a man of much thought, and grave beyond his years, like one who had experienced a great deal of anxiety or whose mind had been occupied with serious matters.

He had been launched into the world early in life, in consequence of the death of his father (his mother having

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died when he was a child), and the breaking up of his home by the sale of the family estate. His mind was stored with knowledge on almost every subject; for he learned from whatever he saw or read, having a keen perception and the faculty of analysis in a high degree. He was throughly educated, therefore, in the sense of having acquired knowledge. Few men of his age had travelled more or had seen as much of the world. While he had naturally a lively imagination and sanguine disposition, his experience and logical powers made him as practical as a mathematician, thus giving him a well balanced mind. Contract with human nature in many of its phases and a knowledge of its selfishness had not blunted his feelings. He was charitable to the weakness and follies of people, loved what was beautiful and cherished what was good.

He was ambitious to distinguish himself as an intellectual and accomplished man, but having no profession, he could not see clearly in which career he might attain this distinction ; still the thought haunted him continually. The idea of entering into public life was more constantly in his mind than any other, and he was conscious of possessing qualifications for that. He had studied the science of government both in his own country and abroad, and he understood the political and social institutions of the nations of Europe as well as the United States. He possessed advantages that few had for forming liberal and comprehensive views and a correct judgement on questions pertaining to the condition and government of society. Such was one of the most prominent actors in this narrative ; and it will be seen hereafter what circumstances occured in the brief space of two or three years to develop his character and direct the current of his life.

Lanabere was of a different type. He was impetuous, generous, brave, and sensitive as the mimosa. His comp lection and hair were dark, his eyes black and full of language, instantly lighting up with beams of intelligence

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in conversation or when the imagination became excited ; his features were sharp, inclining to be aquiline and his forehead was high, but not broad or projecting, indicating a quick perception rather than profound reasoning powers. He was taller than most of his countrymen, slender, erect, and walked firmly and rapidly, like one conscious of intellectual superroity and who had lived amidst the mental excitement of a great capital. He was several years younger than Mosely, and had neither the experience nor sound judgement of that gentleman.

Lanabere had been educated in the first schools of France, and had studied the profession of an advocate. He went to Paris when twenty-four years of age to finish his law studies and to become connected with one of the eminent lawyers in that city. Although he had the mental qualifications and a certain aptitude for the profession, as well as ambition, he had more taste for the study of ethics and political science. The period of his residence in Paris was more favorable for the gratification of this taste than for his professional studies. The three or four years he was there the city was in a constant ferment of political agitation, which was just preceding the fall of Louis Philippe, during the revolution of 1848, and the reaction under Louis N apoleon. He, like almost every young man in Paris at that time, threw himself into the vortex of the revolution with all the ardor of his nature, became an active member of the clubs, and a journalist of the extreme school of republicans.

Just at the time when Lanabere might apprehend at any hour a visit from the agents of M. Carlier, the famous Prefect of the Police in Paris, and when Louis Napoleon, the astute ruler of France, had begun to curb, step by step, the fierce revolutionists, much to their disgust, as it placed them in imminent danger of the Conciergerie, a lawyer of Louisianna commenced a correspondence with the young Frenchman regarding the large

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estate which had been left by an uncle, the only brother of his deceased mother. This fortunate circumstance took him away from the dangers as well as the fascinations of the gay capital.

Although the prospetft before him appeared bright and decked with rosy hues as regards the fortune he was soon to possess, his actual situation was rather a dreary one. He had never left his beloved country before, and it was his first voyage on the ocean. He knew no one on board the ship till he met Mosely, spoke but a few words of English, and was going to a strange land. He naturally felt lonesome amid the “ wilderness of waters,” when the faces of those he saw and the language he heard spoken were unknown to him.

After the ship had been under way several days, and sea sickness began to wear off, the passengers, one by one, left their cabins to promenade the deck ; for Boreas, who delights to sport in different moods with those who live or travel on the water, is particularly capricious on the Atlantic, sometimes blowing softly till the deck is crowded, so that we wonder whence so many people come, and are astonished at the accommodating capacity of the vessel ; then blowing boisterously, driving all below and leaving an unpeopled waste above. Most persons may remember having seen the god of winds represented by certain old, quaint, and fanciful artists with his mouth full of and cheeks distended by the stormy elements ; and we may imagine the malicious satisfaction he feels at the havoc he makes ; yet even he is touched at other times “ with the feelings of our infirmities,” and “blows soft and still.” Mosely had often witnessed his freaks on the ocean, and he delighted in promenading the deck alone, inspired by and mingling his soul’s inspirations with the roar of the elements, or, when the soft breeze came he enjoyed in calm contemplation the vast expanse of waters, the illimitable heavens and the wonderful works and benignity of the

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Creator. He was quite social, however, and enjoyed the society of intelligent and refined people. This quality of sociability, both in him and Lanabere, naturally attracted them to each other.

Although the characters of these two gentlemen were dissimilar in some respedts they were not without congeniality ; and therefore the acquaintance formed then ripened in the course of time, through personal intercourse, into ntimacy.

Lanabere’s good fortune in having a large plantatation with several hundred negroes left him was not without alloy. There was a condition to the bequest that the estate should remain unchanged as regarded the negroes ; that they should neither be sold nor made free. The money left by the will was more than sufficient to pay all liabilities and legacies, and was assigned to that purpose without touching the real estate or slaves.

Now, Lanabere, as has been remarked, received his political education among the ultra republicans, socialists, and communists of Paris. He belonged to the school of the former, and marched under the banner of “ Liberty Fgalite , Fraternite .” If he did not go so far as the communists, to declair all “ property a thief, ” he was as levelling in his views as Prudhon or Louis Blanc. He believed slavery to be a crime, and the slaveholder little less, if anything less, than a criminal. Not that he had seen negro slavery in existence, or knew aught about the working of that institution, or the condition of the slaves ; he did not care or think it necessary to inquire about that ; it was sufficient that, according to his creed, it was wrong in principle and a crime. He was an enthusiastic theorist, and believed in the universal freedom and equality of all races of men.

Had he been avericious, or had his conscience been as flexible as that of many of the radical theosists of both his own country and the United States, his views and feelings

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would have been changed or greatly modified by the prospect of owning several hundred negroes. But he was unselfish, young, generous, honest and enthusiastic : and his political and socialist theories were, in his mind, principles, and indeed more like a religion to him than Christianity. He was much distressed with anxious thoughts, consequently, about the negro property. By the terms of will he could not possess the estate without owning the negroes ; and if he should refuse to be a slaveowner, he must renounce all his interest in the estate. This was the dilemma, and there was no way of escaping or getting round it. The will of his uncle -was plain, and framed carefully, and no doubt purposely, to avoid any question on that point. Could he, a poor, ambitious man, renounce property worth half a million dollars at least, when within his grasp? Could he, the ardent, honest champion of the freedom and equality of all men, black and white, become a slaveowner ? He had not decided ; he was perplexed : he was going to see if there could be any escape from the dilemma.

Added to all this there was the regret he felt at leaving Paris, that Mecca of all Frenchman, and its fascinations, to take up his residence among strangers, whose language even he could not speak. He knew no one in the United States, had no relatives there, and the only reference he had was to the lawyer in Louisiana who had written to him when he sent him a copy of the will. It was natural, under these circumstances, that he was troubled, felt lonesome and sighed for the gay and beautiful city he had lived in for four years, and which he had previously chosen for his home.

Another circumstance which gave him a great deal of thought was the mystery connected with his uncle’s name, and his settlement in Louisiana. Mr. Bouverie was his mother’s only brother, and his mother’s maiden name was Mercier. He knew they had the same father, and had heard that his uncle corresponded with his mother in the io The Diamond Cross.

proper name of Mercier while he was a resident of New York, though he had lived twenty years in Louisiana under the name of Bouverie. The uncle left France before his sister was married, and neither Lanabere or his father ever saw him, and only heard of him, of his residence in America, and of his character and habits, from Mrs. Lanabere. Mr. Bouverie used to write to his sister occasionally, but years would pass sometimes without any correspondence ; and when his sister died the family did not hear from him again. For five years — that is, from the time of the death of Mrs. Lanabere to the death of Bouverie — they had not heard of him, and hardly expected to hear again. Lanabere was surprised, therefore, on receiving the communication announcing his uncle’s death, and that he had been made heir to the estate.

The history of Mr. Bouverie, after he left France for America, was involved in much mystery. He lived ten years in New York, where he acquired a fortune. During this period he did not write to Mrs. Lanabere frequently. The last letter she received from him from that city informed her that he was about to marry, that, in fact, in the course of a few days he would be a husband. This letter was written in his accustomed laconic style, and did not give the name of his intended bride, or say anything about her family or position. Years elapsed after this before Mrs. Lanabere heard from or of her brother again, much to her astonishment and grief, for he was her only brother, and she dearly loved him. She could excuse his eccentricities, but her feelings were wounded at such apparent neglect. She received no information of the wedding, nor did she know her brother’s place of residence. She wrote again and again , but in vain ; no answer came to her letters.

After seven years of silence Mr. Bouverie wrote to Mrs. Lanabere from Louisiana, informing her of his change of residence, and that his name was no longer Mercier, but Bouverie. He gave no explanation of the motives that in-

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ii duced him to make this change, merely saying that circumstances of a most painful nature were the cause, and that he wished both his change of name and place of residence to remain a secret, except to the members of his sister’s family. He made no allusion to the letter he wrote seven years before from New York, in which he announced with joy his approaching marriage, but said he was living a bachelor, and should never marry. All inquiries made by Mrs. Lanabere were unavailing, and she ceased to probe his secret. It was not known to her even in what part of Louisiana he lived. Her letters were addressed to New Orleans, and his bore the postmark of that city, but she had been informed he did not live there. He appeared to be very careful in guarding his incognito. Nor did she know in what business he was engaged, if in any. She and her family had received intimations that he was rich, and that at his death they might receive the property. No sanguine expectations wese indulged by them, however, as Mr. Bouverie was regarded an eccentric and mysterious man, who might, in capricious mood, change his purpose, if he ever had one, of leaving them his estate ; and when he ceased to correspond with the family after the death of his sister they no longer expected to inherit his fortune. The announcement of the entire estate having been left to the nephew, Emile Lanabere, was, subsequently, a sudden and agreeable surprise.

How conflicting were the emotions, then, with which Lanabere crossed the Atlantic ! And no feeling was stronger, perhaps, than that of regret at leaving France, his beloved country. Still he found some relief to this in his enthusiastic admiration of the grand republic and magnificent country to which he was going. He had, it is true, but crude ideas of the institutions or people of the United States, and these had been formed from reading the miscellaneous writings of Europeans on America, which were not generally profound or reliable ; yet he understood suf-

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ficiently the great features of liberty and political equality that formed the foundation of the government to excite his admiration.

Disgusted with monarchical institutions, and -with the failure of the republicans of Europe, particularly in his own country, to reap the fruit of their revolutions by establishing a republican government, he looked to the United States as the refuge of oppressed people and the hope of the world. Like almost all Europeans who came to settle in this country, he believed the successful example of the great transatlantic republic and its wonderful growing power would be instrumental, at no distant day, in the political regeneration of Europe. He dreamed of returning even some day, with ripe experience, to aid the movement.

There was but one blot, in his opinion, on this fair and great country, and that was negro slavery. He consoled himself with the thought, however, that by “ the progress of ideas ” or “ by the march of civilization, ” slavery would be extinguished. Hence he looked upon the United States as destined to perform a magnificent role in the history of nations ; and this historic and national grandeur, under the name of a republic, was fascinating to his imagination apart from the sober practical questions of social or domestic well being. With such views and feelings he approached his future home in the New World.

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Chapter II

E inhabitants of a small community form a miniature tableau of those of larger ones, in the general outlines of human nature ; and a passenger ship is like a country village, in exhibiting the foibles, vices, absurdities, and virtues of people, only that those on board are more closely observed by each other in consequence of being crowded together, and isolated from the rest of the world for the time being. Every one is scanned by his neighbors ; the personal appearance, dress, manners, and the history, as far as it can be investigated, of each are scrutinized. The tediousness of a voyage and the limited number of objects to engage the mind are favorable to this inquisitive and meddling disposition. A person has only to appear singular or affect a mysterious bearing to be the cynosure of all eyes. Should any one skilfully sport with the curiosity and gossiping propensities of the floating denizens he may become as great a hero as he could desire.

Mosely and Lanabere, as has been observed, attracted the attention of their fellow passengers from the time they were first seen together, and particularly of Mrs. Risley, after she had heard about the Frenchman’s large fortune. The remarks she made to her daughter about these gentlemen, though uttered in a subdued voice, were sufficiently loud to be heard. Mosely, who understood human nature well, smiled as if he thought they were not intended for the young lady only. When no one else was near he told Lanabere that the object of his voyage to America had been discovered, their conversation having been overheard ; that his acquaintance would be eagerly sought, and that he

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might expect to become the lion of the company for the rest of the voyage.

As there was no motive to conceal or reveal the fact as to Lanabere’s fortune, these gentlemen rather enjoyed the prospect of seeing the wealth-worship and vanity of some of their fellow passengers displayed. Mosely, who had some little mischief in his nature, and who delighted in developing peculiarities of character, saw the opportunity for bringing out prominently the traits of those on board. He advised Lanabere accordingly not to be particular in the details of his business, but to maintain a proper reserve, when probed upon that subject, for in that way the curiosity of his questioners would be intensified and their respect for him increased. Mosely felt assured that the probing process would not be long delayed, and that Lanabere’s good fortune would soon become greatly magnified, his hundreds of thousands growing to millions in the gossiping reports that would be circulated. Neither one nor the other had any intention or disposition to deceive any of the vain, prying people, and thought only of deriving some amusement from their weaknesses.

A free and easy way of making acquaintances and of giving introductions are features of American life. Nowhere in the world, perhaps, is this carried so far as it is here ; and a freedom of manner which would be considered elsewhere as inquisitive or intrusiveness is tolerated. This remark is more applicable, however, to the people of the Eastern and Western States than to those of the Central States, while Southerners usually are more reserved. Such a custom would be very inconvenient in Europe or in other countries of Europe where there is so much class distinction ; but little trouble or evil follows from it here, and it, may be said to constitute an agreeable characteristic of American life, notwithstanding occasional acts of rudeness. But a greater freedom of manner and intercourse is allowed on board ship than elsewhere. This arises from people

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i5 being in close contact with each other and forming a limited community. The barriers raised by the conventionalities of society in large cities, which are like the stone walls that divide the inhabitants, are broken down.

One day as Mosely and Lanabere were conversing together on deck one of the passengers, a tall, lank, sharpfeatured man, about forty years of age, apparently, came up and with a self-possesed, nonchalant air, introduced himself, as if it were perfe&ly right he should do so, and that these gentlemen ought to be gratified at such an a 6t of amiability on his part. He attempted to be polite and graceful, putting on his best behavior, evidently, in order to make an impression, but neither nature nor art had bestowed upon him that suaviter in modo which is the first element of politeness, nor could all the masters of dancing and attitude in France have given grace to his awkward figure. His feet, legs, arms, and hands were long and large, and hung loosely on a stooping, angular frame, and his neck had the appearance of having grown too far out of his shoulders before his head was put on. He had a small, keen and restless eye, which indicated some intelligence or smartness, and a good deal of cunning. His hair was cut short, he wore no beard, and from his appearance throughout, as well as from his methodical, and pedantic manner of speaking, the impression was created that he was a New England school teacher, or a professor in a academy. This was Mr. Selman, who was mentioned in the conversation of Mrs. Risley, referred to before.

Immediately after introducing himself, Mr. Selman introduced a friend who was near, and who appeared to be there for the purpose— Mr. Augustus White, a young gentleman, who, in personal appearance, in charatter, and in almost every resp eft, except in having a large amount of assumption, was a contrast to his companion. He was small and slight made, had diminutive features and a turned up nose that expressed plenty of conceit, had light sandy hair, which he wore long, and he carried a mustache and imperial of the smallest dimensions. In dress he affected the latest style of fashion, and in his tout ensemble looked like a conceited exquisite of little brains. .

Mr. Selman spoke for himself and Mr. White in broken French, though the latter would break in frequently with a melange of English and French to show how much he knew. It was evident that the foreign vocabulary of both soon became exhausted in spite of their assertions that they understood French well and only failed to remember the words from want of practice in conversation. From the manner in which these persons conduced themselves towards each other, a quasi obsequiousness on the part of one and a familiar assurance on the part of the other, it appeared that they stood in the relation of a mentor and a nabob, the first finding intelligence to guide them and the latter money to pay their way.

After Mr. Selman had opened the way for conversation and congratulated himself and his friend in making the acquaintance of Mosely and Lanabere, he commenced a siege of inquiries and an attack of personal communications.

“ Were you long in Europe ? ” he asked Mosely. “ I was there four years,” that gentleman replied. “ Then ” added Mr. Selman. “ you were there as many years as we were months. But, sir, we made the most of our time ; we made the tour of Europe. We saw all that was to be seen in London and Paris, and had a sight of Queen Victoria and Louis Napoleon. In six weeks we visited Milan, Rome, Naples, Venice, Vienna, Munich, Berlin, Brussels, and were back again in Paris.

That is what I call traveling,” chimed in Mr. White, putting an emphasis on the word traveling, and smiling triumphantly at the feat they had accomplished. “There are not many men, I guess, who could have done as much

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in that time ; no, not even Americans, who are the fastest people in the world. Then, sir, we expect to make our travels profitable to ourselves and useful to the world. We have made notes of everything and intend to publish a book. Having the materials, why should we not have the fame and profit? We must hurry it out, too, for the age is so fast in intellectual movements that some one else may get ahead of us.”

He said this with pride and enthusiasm and with a refreshing sort of naivete , as having no doubt of his own abilities, and as if a book on the “ tour of Europe ” was new and striking thing. He felt that he should gather unfading laurels as an author, and he hinted that he and Mrs. Selman might travel in the Southern States, where they had not yet been, after the “ Tour of Europe” should be out, to enlighted the world on the domestic institutions and nature of that part of the United States, intimating at the same time that, as he understood Mr. Mosely was from the South, he should be glad to receive any information or letters of introduction to facilitate that object.

In this manner these two persons appropriated the time, talking of themselves, their doings and their plans, and occasionally probing Mosely and Lanabere to find out their history, business and purposes, as freely as if they had been acquainted with these gentlemen a long time and intimately. Lanabere understood only a part of what was said, but when Mosely informed him afterward, with some comments on the character of their new acquaintaces, he was greatly amused.

“These are singular individuals,” he said. “What audacity ! what self confidence ! This young man, who does not know, probably, the first lesson in literature, presumes to write a book on Europe. After a rapid journey of a few weeks to publish a work as a tourist ! Is this a sample of your countrymen, Mr. Mosely?”

Mosely assured him that this was not extraordinary:

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that these persons were types of a large class of his countrymen, and that to “ go ahead” and not to be appalled or checked by any obstacles is a prominent characteristic of Americans. “Why, sir,” he said, “there is not anything my countrymen, particulary New Englanders, will not undertake. A doctor, if he fail in the profession of medicine or it be not profitable, will take to law or divinity as readily as an amphibious animal will change from land to water. He will be anything you want him to be at a few hours’ notice. I should not be surprised if these gentlemen propose, within twenty-four hours, to become your attorneys and agents, though neither may know anything of law, to arrange and take charge of your affairs in Louisiana.”

“ A very remarkable people,” was the only response Lanabere quietly made, as he appeared to be studying deeply these phases of the new society he was about to enter.