按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
turn out to be the fact。
There is a sort of prettiness about these islands which； though it
never rises to the loveliness of romantic scenery； is nevertheless
attractive in its way。 The land breaks itself into little knolls；
and the sea runs up； hither and thither； in a thousand creeks and
inlets； and then； too； when the oleanders are in bloom； they give a
wonderfully bright colour to the landscape。 Oleanders seem to be
the roses of Bermuda； and are cultivated round all the villages of
the better class through the islands。 There are two towns； St。
George and Hamilton； and one main high…road； which connects them；
but even this high…road is broken by a ferry； over which every
vehicle going from St。 George to Hamilton must be conveyed。 Most of
the locomotion in these parts is done by boats； and the residents
look to the sea； with its narrow creeks； as their best highway from
their farms to their best market。 In those daysand those days
were not very long sincethe building of small ships was their
chief trade； and they valued their land mostly for the small scrubby
cedar…trees with which this trade was carried on。
As one goes from St。 George to Hamilton the road runs between two
seas； that to the right is the ocean； that on the left is an inland
creek； which runs up through a large portion of the islands； so that
the land on the other side of it is near to the traveller。 For a
considerable portion of the way there are no houses lying near the
road； and； there is one residence； some way from the road； so
secluded that no other house lies within a mile of it by land。 By
water it might probably be reached within half a mile。 This place
was called Crump Island； and here lived； and had lived for many
years； an old gentleman； a native of Bermuda； whose business it had
been to buy up cedar wood and sell it to the ship…builders at
Hamilton。 In our story we shall not have very much to do with old
Mr。 Bergen； but it will be necessary to say a word or two about his
house。
It stood upon what would have been an island in the creek； had not a
narrow causeway； barely broad enough for a road； joined it to that
larger island on which stands the town of St。 George。 As the main
road approaches the ferry it runs through some rough； hilly； open
ground； which on the right side towards the ocean has never been
cultivated。 The distance from the ocean here may； perhaps； be a
quarter of a mile； and the ground is for the most part covered with
low furze。 On the left of the road the land is cultivated in
patches； and here； some half mile or more from the ferry； a path
turns away to Crump Island。 The house cannot be seen from the road；
and； indeed； can hardly be seen at all； except from the sea。 It
lies； perhaps； three furlongs from the high road； and the path to it
is but little used； as the passage to and from it is chiefly made by
water。
Here； at the time of our story； lived Mr。 Bergen； and here lived Mr。
Bergen's daughter。 Miss Bergen was well known at St。 George's as a
steady； good girl； who spent her time in looking after her father's
household matters； in managing his two black maid…servants and the
black gardener； and who did her duty in that sphere of life to which
she had been called。 She was a comely； well…shaped young woman；
with a sweet countenance； rather large in size； and very quiet in
demeanour。 In her earlier years； when young girls usually first bud
forth into womanly beauty； the neighbours had not thought much of
Anastasia Bergen； nor had the young men of St。 George been wont to
stay their boats under the window of Crump Cottage in order that
they might listen to her voice or feel the light of her eye； but
slowly； as years went by； Anastasia Bergen became a woman that a man
might well love； and a man learned to love her who was well worthy
of a woman's heart。 This was Caleb Morton； the Presbyterian
minister of St。 George； and Caleb Morton had been engaged to marry
Miss Bergen for the last two years past； at the period of Aaron
Trow's escape from prison。
Caleb Morton was not a native of Bermuda； but had been sent thither
by the synod of his church from Nova Scotia。 He was a tall；
handsome man； at this time of some thirty years of age； of a
presence which might almost have been called commanding。 He was
very strong； but of a temperament which did not often give him
opportunity to put forth his strength； and his life had been such
that neither he nor others knew of what nature might be his courage。
The greater part of his life was spent in preaching to some few of
the white people around him； and in teaching as many of the blacks
as he could get to hear him。 His days were very quiet； and had been
altogether without excitement until he had met with Anastasia
Bergen。 It will suffice for us to say that he did meet her； and
that now； for two years past； they had been engaged as man and wife。
Old Mr。 Bergen； when he heard of the engagement； was not well
pleased at the information。 In the first place； his daughter was
very necessary to him； and the idea of her marrying and going away
had hardly as yet occurred to him； and then he was by no means
inclined to part with any of his money。 It must not be presumed
that he had amassed a fortune by his trade in cedar wood。 Few
tradesmen in Bermuda do； as I imagine； amass fortunes。 Of some few
hundred pounds he was possessed； and these； in the course of nature；
would go to his daughter when he died； but he had no inclination to
hand any portion of them over to his daughter before they did go to
her in the course of nature。 Now； the income which Caleb Morton
earned as a Presbyterian clergyman was not large； and； therefore； no
day had been fixed as yet for his marriage with Anastasia。
But； though the old man had been from the first averse to the match；
his hostility had not been active。 He had not forbidden Mr。 Morton
his house； or affected to be in any degree angry because his
daughter had a lover。 He had merely grumbled forth an intimation
that those who marry in haste repent at leisure；that love kept
nobody warm if the pot did not boil； and that； as for him； it was as
much as he could do to keep his own pot boiling at Crump Cottage。
In answer to this Anastasia said nothing。 She asked him for no
money； but still kept his accounts； managed his household； and
looked patiently forward for better days。
Old Mr。 Bergen himself spent much of his time at Hamilton； where he
had a woodyard with a couple of rooms attached to it。 It was his
custom to remain here three nights of the week； during which
Anastasia was left alone at the cottage； and it happened by no means
seldom that she was altogether alone； for the negro whom they called
the gardener would go to her father's place at Hamilton； and the two
black girls would crawl away up to the road； tired with the monotony
of the sea at the cottage。 Caleb had more than once told her that
she was too much alone； but she had laughed at him； saying that
solitude in Bermuda was not dangerous。 Nor； indeed； was it； for the
people are quiet and well…mannered； lacking much energy； but being；
in the same degree； free from any