I pulled up suddenly. This was the ship which
carried Captain Parke and his friend Lieutenant Peel,
of the British Navy. The secret council at Montreal
was, therefore, apparently ended! There would
be an English land expedition, across Canada to Oregon.
Would there be also an expedition by sea? At
least my errand in Montreal, now finished, had not
been in vain, even though it ended in a mystery and
a query. But ah! had I but been less clumsy in
that war of wits with a woman, what might I have learned!
Had she not been free to mock me, what might I not
have learned! She was free to mock me, why?
Because of Elisabeth. Was it then true that faith
and loyalty could purchase alike faithlessness and—failure?
THE GENTLEMAN FROM TENNESSEE
Women distrust men too
much in general, and not enough in
particular.—Philibert
Commerson.
Now all the more was it necessary for me and my friend
from Oregon to hasten on to Washington. I say
nothing further of the arguments I employed with him,
and nothing of our journey to Washington, save that
we made it hastily as possible. It was now well
toward the middle of April, and, brief as had been
my absence, I knew there had been time for many things
to happen in Washington as well as in Montreal.
Rumors abounded, I found as soon as I struck the first
cities below the Canadian line. It was in the
air now that under Calhoun there would be put before
Congress a distinct and definite attempt at the annexation
of Texas. Stories of all sorts were on the streets;
rumors of the wrath of Mr. Clay; yet other rumors
of interesting possibilities at the coming Whig and
Democratic conventions. Everywhere was that strange,
ominous, indescribable tension of the atmosphere which
exists when a great people is moved deeply. The
stern figure of Calhoun, furnishing courage for a
people, even as he had for a president, loomed large
in the public prints.
Late as it was when I reached Washington, I did not
hesitate to repair at once to the residence of Mr.
Calhoun; and I took with me as my best adjutant my
strange friend Von Rittenhofen, who, I fancied, might
add detailed information which Mr. Calhoun would find
of value. We were admitted to Mr. Calhoun, and
after the first greetings he signified that he would
hear my report. He sat, his long, thin hands on
his chair arm, as I went on with my story, his keen
eyes scanning also my old companion as I spoke.
I explained what the latter knew regarding Oregon.
I saw Mr. Calhoun’s eyes kindle. As usual,
he did not lack decision.
“Sir,” said he to Von Rittenhofen presently,
“we ourselves are young, yet I trust not lacking
in a great nation’s interest in the arts and
sciences. It occurs to me now that in yourself
we have opportunity to add to our store of knowledge
in respect to certain biological features.”
