The Gray Lady (translated from the German) [pp. 409-420]

The Gray Lady.
On the following day a new occupant took possession of the chamber, and on enquiring from the
maid, who boarded opposite 1 the servant replied
that the room had been occupied by a handsome
naval officer by the name of Drummond, who had
however left the day before to take command of a
ship. Often did Eliza, from this time, find her
thoughts turning to the handsome seamen, she frequently sighed as she looked towards the window
where he had been accustomed to set, and was
greatly surprised to see a young man, closely resembling himn, walking about the neighboring wharf.
The only difference in their appearance was, that
the one was fair complexioned, and the other darkened to an almost Spanish hue.
One day, while busied with some light needlework, a letter was brought in with Eliza's direction, and which proved to be the offer of marriage
already referred to; its signature was " J. W.
Drummond."'It must be hlie, and no other," whispered the voice of her heart, as she read its contents; for although the name was common in England, she believed that her admirer was her former
neighbor, since he wrote that although not personally acquainted, he had often had the pleasure of
seeing her. On confiding the matter to her miaid,
the letter almost settled her doubts by bringing in
a visiting card, left, as her acquaintance, the porter
at the boarding house had told her, by their late
lodger, and on which was inscribed " William John
Drummond."
"The matter is settled," observed Mr. Barlow,
as he one morning entered his niece's chamber, a
place wvith which he was but little acquainted. "I
have spoken with Captain Drummond, informed
him of your and rmy acceptance of his s,it; and
promised him to bestow on you two hundred pounds
per annum. He will be here to-morrow week, at
4 o'clock in the afternoon. I chose that time to
attend to this little matter, as it would be more
convenient than on mail day. The betrothal can
then take place in the presence of witnesses, and
the necessary papers be exectuted."
" ()h! how good you are, dear uncle," cried
Eliza, kissing his hand.
" I also told him that I should not object to his
visiting you, and he will be here to-day."
"So soon I" exclaimed Eliza, blushing with agitation; " 1 did not know that he was in the city!"
"Yes! and he sails in a short time for France."
"For France! A British naval officer! What
does he do there."
"He attends to his business and a little besides.
But what is this about a British officer. Drummond is captain of a rterchant ship."
"Impossible! I have seen him in uniform."
"It must have been some fancy uniform then, for
I have never observed him in any."
"' Then you have been acquainted with him for a
long time'1
"Not exactly, since I have never meddled with
the smugglinrg trade."
"How! what do you mean, uncle."
"Nay! I should have said nothing about it, since
it may, and may not he true; although people report that Drummond is tolerable active in that business. This much is certain, that he is intimate
with Hlackstone & Co., who have made a fortune
by contraband."
At the period of our story, smuggling was not
held in such disrepute as at present. yet, nevertheless, Eliza was greatly disturbed by this intitelligence; and she earnestly wished that the rumor,
as her uncle said, might prove false. Yet greater
was her anxiety on another point, whether the John
William Drummond, who sued for her hand, was
one and the same with the handsome stranger who
had boarded opposite. What if he should be anothier, she mentally exclaimed,' Ah! I shiall have to
marry him, whether he prove agreeable or disagreeable, since my uncle would never forgive me
if I hesitated.'
While absorbed in these reflections, Captain
Drummond was announced, and Eliza became so
pale and tremulous, as to be unable to stand. The
door opened and her lover entered; not her former
neighbor, but a handsome man about thirty, who
greatly resembled him, and whose animated and independent bearing stamped him immediately as a
seamiian. He seemed to notice the maiden's perplexity, and soought to remove it by observing that tinder
common circumstances, his conduct might have
been thought impertinent, in thus writing to her
withouit a formal introduction; but that hlie was better
acquainted with her than she supposed; since a
friend of his had often epoken of her, before lihe
himself had the pleasure of seeing her, which notice first induced him to sue for her hand. Fearful
that she might become the affianced of another before hlie returned to Liverpool, he had determined
to trust to luck like a seaman, and rejoiced that he
had been so successful.
Drummond's honest and ingenuous manner of
speaking, produced a favorable impression on
Eliza, indeed almost any girl would have looked
on him with favor; and it was therefore not to be
wondered at, that interested by his lively conversation and prepossessing appearance, the image of
the naval officer somewhat faded from her mind,
and when, after a long interview, he departed, she
felt that if not exactly a loving, she would not be an
unhappy bride. The visit was repeated every day
unlil the betrothal, on the evening previous to
which Eliza's lover infornied her that ire had succeeded in procuring a witness to sign the papers on
the following day. Without mentioning his name,
he remarked that it was the same person who had
first interested him in her favor, and who, no doubt,
woul(l be greatly surprised on learning the name of
his bride.
414
[JULY,