A day of right,
Without a wrong,
Hallows our evening song.”
At an early hour of the day, succeeding the arrival of the Kyronese detachment, Indian women brought fresh fish and fruits as presents, then volunteered their service for clearing the houses, colonnades, and patios of the accumulations consequent upon the sickness of the Heracleans, and were made happy by the acceptance of their proffered aid. Gradually the cheerless gloom which had held sway in the depopulated portions of the city for ages, from the harassed anxiety of its defenders, passed away under the active hands of the Kyronese and their Indian aids. Fountains, whose conduits had become choked, were opened and cleaned, causing the house gardens and latifundium to rejoice in primal gladness from water distribution above and below the surface of the ground. The loving sympathy of the Heracleans made manifest in the tender care bestowed upon the reviving sick, brought forth the latent gentleness of the corps, which had been suppressed from childhood by the civilized decrees of fashionable folly and vanity, begot from the precedental inoculation of habits and customs derived from the heroic ages of classical brutality. Indeed the members of the corps were so often moved to express genial emotions with glistening tears commingled with smiles, they seemed to have developed a new inherent combination as necessary for the joyful expression of happiness, as sun and showers for the behests of fruitful vegetation. The padre, in his quaint emphatic style, expressed the prevailing influence in an evening salutation addressed to his compadre Dr. Baāhar after even song, in this wise: “Well I declare, doctor, upon my soul, I have passed such a happy day in useful labor that it seems as if I had just emerged from a life’s nightmare of torpid inactivity. Really, upon my hopes of salvation, I believe that I could live and thrive upon the joys of others, without material food.”
But the doctor, who was impaling the insect game obtained from his day’s hunting excursion, replied sneeringly. “So, so, h-m—I see, you are taken in, with the others, by this humdrum life of these Heracleans, with their puling, wishee-washy affectations of caring more for others than they do for themselves. The long and short of the matter is, that you are all subject to an unnatural influence, and if it is not thrown off immediately, from whatever source derived, you will shortly forswear manliness, and your hopes of heaven.”
This baited injunction caused the padre to exclaim, “My goodness gracious, doctor, you frighten me! I hope you don’t truly think there’s anything like magic or sorcery used upon us here? To be sure, now that I remember, I have had strange thoughts, to which I have never been accustomed to before! But they have been in motive pure, urging the necessity of controlling the appetites and passions, if we would attain the abiding confidence of a trustful affection, that outreaches self. But then, as you know, the devil can preach, and practice too, if it so minds him, self-condemnation?”
“Certes, the fact is,” replied the doctor, “you are subject to vagaries when your stomach is empty, and require to feel the force of sound German philosophy that urges substantial fullness as the source of generous impressions, eloquence, and heroic deeds, and for exorcism thorough fumigation with tobacco smoke.”
M. Hollydorf, from the intervention of multiplied causes, had procrastinated the inauguration of his scientific explorations, until compelled to enter upon the duties of his commission through fear that inquiries would be instituted to learn the cause of his long silence. Fully aware that the manifold attractions of Correliana had served to abate his professional enthusiasm, and urgency of his desire to fulfill the trust reposed in his discretion, he resolved to make a test of his naturalistic occupation for the diversion of his thoughts from an object of hopeless attainment. Notwithstanding his knowledge that her affections were irrevocably fixed, he could not withhold the manifestation of a hopeful desire in her presence, within the limits of reverential respect. Correliana, on her part, seemed to fully understand the import of his attentions, but was in no way embarrassed by their indulgence, which with her frankness appeared inexplicable. When he expressed his intention of commencing his microscopical field investigations, she asked the privilege of assisting him when free from the indispensable duties of the household; promising, if her request was granted, to be diligent for advancement in scientific knowledge. She was promptly accepted as a catechumenic aid, notwithstanding the promptings of his judgment which suggested that with the ever present cause of his disquietude, his remedy would prove of little avail for relief. But he determined, with a lover’s infatuation, to converse with her as an abstract divested of material embodiment.
On the first day of November, while engaged in preparing his instruments after evening song, M. Hollydorf was surprised with a visit from the prætor and family. Observing that the unusual hour caused fear that some mishap had occurred, Correliana hastened to relieve the anticipation of evil tidings by stating the object of the visit. “My father,” she said, “has been delegated to proffer you the perpetual hospitality of Heraclea. Not, however, with the design that you should hold it as an acknowledgment of service rendered, but rather as the promptings of affectionate esteem for your companionship. As you are aware, we have no practical knowledge of the world beyond our city walls, and feel that in winning from you a reciprocation of our affection, we shall be advised of a course that will avail us as a protection against the grasping cupidity you have described as the inherent motive power of civilization. To be forced to adopt habits of corruption, in defiance of local option, because your enlightened civilization holds that the power to enforce their arbitrary despotisms with brute strength, aided by destructive mechanical adjuncts, is right; would, with the introduction of ‘luxurious’ poisons which frenzy and degrade the human instincts, make us regret with anguish our liberation from the deadly intent of our savage foes. For their speedy poison, with its putrefactive torments, does not degrade the animus of goodness, but relieves it from material bondage in purity for immortal association with those who have gone before. We feel self-conscious that we are in intention pure and free from cupidity, which assures us that we merit the affectionate interest that you have bestowed for our liberation and welfare. This much we will advance for initiation without infringing upon the more matured wisdom in store for your direction. With the full development of our loving resources, we feel confident in securing your permanent residence among us, as advisors, in warding off those who would, for the gratification of craving instinctive cupidity, sacrifice our well-assured happiness, from which we realize in life a foretaste of immortality (smiling). Fortunately, the sage suggestion which led Mr. Welson to confer the honor of knighthood upon the savage for the indomitable bravery of his instinctive propensity to inflict deadly wounds with his teeth, has relieved us from anxiety from his kindred; and if we can persuade the grand master ‘Lobscounster’ to take up his abode in our midst, his influence may extend to the orders of civilization, for our protection in the enjoyment of affectionate association. If he will but exert his power to protect us from the forced invasions of trade, that would palm upon our weakness noxious devices, which in naught would advantage the invaders, but make us wretched beyond measure, he will insure our eternal gratitude.”
Mr. Welson in response said,—The eminent Lobscounster, if insured from increasing merit a continuance of Heraclean favor, he cannot be forced from his allegiance, and in earnest of his intention thankfully accepted the extended privilege of becoming their permanent guest. But would most devoutly beg to decline acceptance of the cognomic title bestowed upon him by the savage embogator; as to the English ear it was euphonious with smack of a descent from an ancient sea cook, and in no way likely to insure reverence among sea-faring men. Indeed, the individual referred to would have strongly suspected collusive substitution if the interpreter had been well versed in the aquatic lore of ocean English.