The Shadow of the North: A Story of Old New York and a Lost CampaignAltsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
History
The Shadow of the North: A Story of Old New York and a Lost Campaign
Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)
United States -- History -- French and Indian War, 1754-1763 -- Juvenile fiction
Robert was about to ask questions concerning this Adrian Van Zoon, who
seemed uneasy in their presence, but once more he restrained himself,
his intuition telling him as before that neither Willet nor Master
Hardy would answer them.
The play moved on towards its dramatic close and Robert was back in
the world of passion and tragedy, of fancy and poetry. Van Zoon was
forgotten, St. Luc faded quite away, and he was not conscious of the
presence of Tayoga, or of Grosvenor, or of any of his friends.
Shakespeare's _Richard_ was wholly the humpbacked villain to him, and
when he met his fate on Bosworth Field he rejoiced greatly. As the
curtain went down for the last time he saw that Tayoga, too, was
moved.
"The English king was a wicked man," he said, "but he died like a
great chief."
They all passed out now, the street was filled with carriages and the
torches of the link boys and there was a great hum of conversation.
St. Luc returned to Robert's mind, but he kept to himself the fact
that he had been in the theater. It might be his duty to state to the
military that he had seen in the city an important Frenchman who must
have come as a spy, but he could not do so. Nor did he feel any
pricklings of the conscience about it, because he believed, even if he
gave warning of St. Luc's presence, the wary chevalier would escape.
They stood at the edge of the sidewalk, watching the carriages, great
high-bodied vehicles, roll away. Mr. Hardy had a carriage of his own,
but the distance between his house and the theater was so short that
he had not thought it necessary to use it. The night was clear, very
cold and the illusion of the play was still upon the younger members
of his group.
"You liked it?" said Mr. Hardy, looking keenly at Robert.
"It was another and wonderful world to me," replied the youth.
"I thought it would make a great appeal to you," said Master Benjamin.
"Your type of mind always responds quickly to the poetic drama. Ah,
there goes Mynheer Adrian Van Zoon. He has entered his carriage
without looking once in our direction."
He and Willet and Master Jonathan laughed together, softly but with
evident zest. Whatever the feeling between them and whatever the cause
might be, Robert felt that they had the advantage of Mynheer Van Zoon
that night and were pushing it. They watched the crowd leave and the
lights fade in the darkness, and then they walked back together to the
solid red brick house of Mr. Hardy, where Grosvenor took leave of
them, all promising that the acquaintance should be continued.
"A fine young man," said Mr. Hardy, thoughtfully. "I wish that more
of his kind would come over. We can find great use for them in this
country."
Charteris also said farewell to them, telling them that his own house
was not far away, and offering them his services in any way they
wished as long as they remained in the city.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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