Alonzo and Melissa; Or, The Unfeeling Father: An American Tale, Page 3

madam?

  Mel. For neglecting your friends.

  Alonzo. I hope it is not so considered, madam.

  Mel. Seriously, then, why have you stayed away so long? Has this placeno charms in the absence of my brother?

  Al. Would my presence have added to your felicities, Melissa?

  Mel. You never came an unwelcome visiter here.

  Al. Perhaps I might be sometimes intrusive.

  Mel. What times?

  Al. When Beauman is your guest.

  Mel. I have supposed you were on friendly terms.

  Al. We are.

  Mel. Why then intrusive?

  Al. There are seasons when friendship must yield its pretensions to asuperior claim.

  Mel. Perhaps I do not rightly comprehend the force of that remark.

  Al. Was Beauman here, my position might be demonstrated.

  Mel. I think I understand you.

  Al. And acknowledge my observation to be just?

  Mel. (hesitating.) Yes--I believe I must.

  Al. And appropriate?

  Melissa was silent.

  Al. You hesitate, Melissa.

  She was still silent.

  Al. Will you, Melissa, answer me one question?

  Mel. (confused.) If it be a proper one you are entitled to candour.

  Al. Are you engaged to Beauman?

  Mel. (blushing.) He has asked me the same question concerning you.

  Al. Do you prefer him to any other?

  Mel. (deeply blushing, her eyes cast upon the floor.) He has made thesame enquiry respecting you.

  Al. Has he asked your father's permission to address you?

  Mel. That I have not suffered him yet to do.

  Al. Yet!

  Mel. I assure you I have not.

  Al. (taking her hand with anxiety.) Melissa, I beg you will dealcandidly. I am entitled to no claims, but you know what my heart wouldask. I will bow to your decision. Beauman or Alonzo must relinquishtheir pretensions. We cannot share the blessing.

  Mel. (her cheeks suffused with a varying glow, her lips pale, her voicetremulous, her eyes still cast down.) My parents have informed me thatit is improper to receive the particular addresses of more than one.I am conscious of my inadvertency, and that the reproof is just. Onetherefore must be dismissed. But--(she hesitated.)

  A considerable pause ensued. At length Alonzo arose--"I will not pressyou farther," said he; "I know the delicacy of your feeling, I know yoursincerity; I will not therefore insist on your performing the painfultask of deciding against me. Your conduct in every point of view hasbeen discreet. I could have no just claims, or if I had, your heart mustsanction them, or they would be unhallowed and unjustifiable. I shallever pray for your felicity.--Our affections are not under ourdirection; our happiness depends on our obedience to their mandates.Whatever, then, may be my sufferings, you are unblameable andirreproachable." He took his hat in extreme agitation, and prepared totake his leave.

  Melissa had recovered in some degree from her embarrassment, andcollected her scattered spirits. "Your conduct, Alonzo, said she, isgenerous and noble. Will you give yourself the trouble, and do me thehonour to see me once more?" "I will, said he, at any time you shallappoint."--"Four weeks then, she said, from this day, honour me with avisit, and you shall have my decision, and receive my final answer.""I will be punctual to the day," he replied, and bade her adieu.

  * * * * *

  Alonzo's hours now winged heavily away. His wonted cheerfulness fled;he wooed the silent and solitary haunts of "musing, moping melancholy."He loved to wander through lonely fields, or along the verge of somelingering stream, "when dewy twilight rob'd the evening mild," or"to trace the forest glen, through which the moon darted her silveryintercepted ray."

  He was fondly indulging a tender passion which preyed upon his peace,and deeply disturbed his repose. He looked anxiously to the hour whenMelissa was to make her decision. He wished, yet dreaded the event.In that he foresaw, or thought he foresaw, a withering blight to hisbudding hopes, and a final consummation to his foreboding fears. He hadpressed Melissa, perhaps too urgently, to a declaration.--Had herpredilection been in his favour, would she have hesitated to avow it?Her parents had advised her to relinquish, and had permitted her toretain one suitor, nor had they attempted to influence or direct herchoice. Was it not evident, then, from her confused hesitation andembarrassment, when solicited to discriminate upon the subject, that herultimate decision would be in favour of Beauman?

  While Alonzo's mind was thus agitated, he received a second letter fromhis friend in the neighbourhood of Melissa. He read the following clausetherein with emotions more easily to be conceived than expressed:

  "Melissa's wedding day is appointed. I need not tell you that Beauman isto be the happy deity of the hymeneal sacrifice. I had this from his owndeclaration. He did not name the positive day, but it is certainly to besoon. You will undoubtedly, however, have timely notice, as a guest. Wemust pour a liberal libation upon the mystic altar, Alonzo, and twinethe nuptial garland with wreaths of joy. Beauman ought to devote a richoffering to so valuable a prize. He has been here for a week, anddeparted for New-London yesterday, but is shortly to return."

  "And why have I ever doubted this event? said Alonzo. What infatuationhath thus led me on the pursuit of fantastic and unreal bliss? I havehad, it is true, no positive assurance that Melissa would favour myaddresses. But why did she ever receive them? Why did she enchantinglysmile upon me? Why fascinate the tender powers of my soul by thatwinning mildness, and the favourable display of those complicated andsuperior attractions which she must have known were irresistible?--Whydid she not spurn me from her confidence, and plainly tell me that myattentions were untimely and improper? And now she would have me danceattendance to her decision in favour of Beauman--Insulting! Let Beaumanand she make, as they have formed, this farcical decision; I absolutelywill never attend it.--But stop: I have engaged to see her at anappointed time; my honour is therefore pledged for an interview; it musttake place. I shall support it with becoming dignity, and I willconvince Melissa and Beauman that I am not the dupe of their caprices.But let me consider--What has Melissa done to deserve censure orreproach? Her brother was my early friend: she has treated me as afriend to her brother. She was unconscious of the flame which her charmshad kindled in my bosom.--Her evident embarrassment and confusion onreceiving my declaration, witnessed her surprise and prior attachment.What could she do? To save herself the pain of a direct denial, she hadappointed a day when her refusal may come in a more delicate and formalmanner--and I must meet it."

  At the appointed day, Alonzo proceeded to the house of Melissa's father,where he arrived late in the afternoon. Melissa had retired to a littlesummer house at the end of the garden; a servant conducted Alonzothither. She was dressed in a flowing robe of white muslin, embroideredwith a deep fringe lace. Her hair hung loosely upon her shoulders; shewas contemplating a bouquet of flowers which she held in her hand.Alonzo fancied she never appeared so lovely. She arose to receive him."We have been expecting you some time, said Melissa; we were anxious toinform you, that we have just received a letter from my brother, inwhich he desires us to present you his most friendly respects, andcomplains of your not writing to him lately so frequently as usual."Alonzo thanked her for the information; said that business preventedhim; he esteemed him as his most valuable friend, and would be moreparticular in future.

  "We have been thronged with company for several days, said Melissa. Oncea year my father celebrates his birth day, when we are honoured with sonumerous a company of uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews and nieces, thatwere you present, you would suppose we were connected with half thefamilies in Connecticut. The last of this company took their departureyesterday, and I have only to regret, that I have for nearly a week,been prevented from visiting my favourite hill, to which you attended mewhen you was last here. It is much improved since then: I have had alittle arbour built under the large tree on its summit: you will
have noobjection to view it, Alonzo?" He assured her he accepted the invitationwith pleasure, and towards evening they resorted to the place and seatedthemselves in the arbour.

  It was the beginning of autumn, and a yellow hue was spread over thefading charms of nature. The withering forest began to shed its decayingfoliage, which the light gales pursued along the russet fields. The lowsun extended the lengthening shadows; curling smoke ascended from thesurrounding cottages. A thick fog crept along the vallies; a gray misthovered over the tops of the mountains. The glassy surface of the soundglittered to the sun's departing ray. The solemn herds lowed inmonotonous symphony. The autumnal insects in sympathetic wafting,plaintively predicted their approaching fate. "The scene is changedsince we last visited this place, said Melissa; the gay charms of summerare beginning to decay, and must soon yield their splendors to the rudedespoiling hand of winter."

  "That will be the case, said Alonzo, before I shall have the pleasure ofyour company