The Amorous Intrigues and Adventures of Aaron Burr/Chapter 11
CHAPTER XI.
Death of Gen. Montgomery.—Burr's return home.—Miss Margaret Moncrieffe, the young English girl.
Captain Burr soon exchanged love for war, and instead of warm kisses from amorous lasses, he received the welcome of grape-shot and musket balls.
Burr was equally at home in either station. The wars of Venus, or those of Mars, always found him ready and effective.
The attack on Quebec was made on the morning of December 31st, 1775, before daylight. The snow was falling fast at the time. Burr and other officers had endeavored to dissuade General Montgomery from leading in the attack; but the gallant Irishman persisted in his first resolve to take up his station in the front of the battle.
While they were advancing, a piece of artillery in the British battery went of accidently. A fortunate accident it was for the British, but a most deplorable one for us. The brave Montgomery, and every other person in the front, excepting Captain Burr and a French guide, were killed. When Montgomery received his death wound, he was within a few feet of Captain Burr, who was his aid-de-camp at the time.
General Arnold now assumed the command of the army, and young Burr was called upon to perform the duties of brigade major.
In the spring of 1776, Burr left the army under Arnold, and started for home.
When our hero arrived at Albany, he received a message from General Washington, that it would be agreeable to him if he would visit New York. Burr set out accordingly, and reached the city of New York on the 20th of May, 1776. Washington invited him to join his family at head-quarters, till he received an appointment. This was at Richmond Hill.
Burr was dissatisfied, and wrote to John Hancock, The President of Congress, who offered him the appointment of aid-de-camp to Major-General Putnam. Burr accepted it, and removed from the head-quarters of the Commander-in-Chief to those of Major-General Putnam, which were also in New York, in the large brick house at the corner of Broadway and the Batery.
Although Burr was now much engaged with his military duties, yet it would appear that he had some leisure to attend to the fair sex also.
One morning, rising rather early, he saw from his chamber window, which looked out upon the garden, an unexpected apparition, standing in the midst of a grass-plot, edge round with a box.
This was a young lady, not quite fourteen years of age, whose form and features were apparently English, and of extraordinary beauty.
The rich black eyes, red cheeks, exquisitely beautiful mouth, roundness of the face, and general wholesomeness of aspect, were certainly English. The form of the shoulders, plumpness of the bust, and vigor of her movements, with a certain indescribable fullness of nature and self-possession, left little doubt in the mind of Burr that she was from the land of George III, with whom he and his compatriots were at war. He also observed that she was richly attired in a robe of cherry-colored silk, trimmed with lace en point d'Angleterre; a gold band encircled her forehead, and about her neck was a beautiful necklace, composed of a triple row of pearls, and a magnificent opal.
But withal, she wore these things with such a perfect grace and nonchalance, that one would scarcely observe her dress, while her beauty would have stirred the blood beneath the ribs of an anchorite. Burr thought he had never seen so glorious a neck. Every motion had a soul in it; every look, every step, every turn of her head, was perfectly natural and unaffected, yet had a charm so winning and unique that Burr stood looking upon the lovely vision perfectly entranced, and forgetful of the fact that she might, by just elevating her eyes, detect the bold gaze of her stealthy admirer.
This did, indeed, happen. She looked up and saw Burr, upon whose countenance was to plainly visible the interest which she had awakened in his breast.
He withdrew immediately, but not until the young lady had caught the expression of his magnificent black eyes.
At the breakfast table, Burr met the young creature again, who sat opposite to him, and upon Burr it devolved to help her to whatever she wanted, and to pay those little attentions which characterize well-bred society.
He now perceived that the young lady was accustomed to polished manners, and her replies were delivered with a grace and self-possession peculiarly her own, while her repartees and bon mots both surprised and delighted him. In short, she was somewhat eccentric, and expressed her opinions with a freedom and enthusiasm not usual in one who had scarcely attained her fourteenth year.
But her expressive countenance, and the charm which she threw around every thing that she said, divested her out-spoken sincerity of every appearance of impropriety; and as soon as the family arose from table, Burr begged Mrs. Putnam to tell him who the young lady was with whom he had had the honor of taking breakfast that morning.
The good lady told him that the young girl was a daughter of Major Moncrieffe, of the British army. She had resided in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, while her father was with Lord Percy, on Staten Island.
The best way to account for her residence with General Putnam, is to give her own words, as they appeared in Memoirs written by herself some time afterwards. She says:
"Thus destitute of friends, I wrote to General Putnam, who instantly answered my letter by a very kind invitation to his house, assuring me that he respected my father, and was only his enemy in the field of battle; but that in private life, he himself, or any part of his family, might always command his services.
"On the next day, he sent Colonel Webb one of his aid-de-camps, to conduct me to New York. When I arrived in the Broadway (a street so called), where General Putnam resided, I was received with great tenderness by Mrs. Putnam and her daughters, and on the following day I was introduced by them to General and Mrs. Washington, who likewise made it their study to show me every mark of regard; but I seldom was allowed to be alone, although, sometimes, indeed, I found an opportunity to escape to the gallery on the top of the house, where my chief delight was to view, with a telescope, our fleet and army at Staten Island.
"My amusements were few; the good Mrs. Putnam employed me and her daughters continually to spin flax for shirts for the American soldiers; indolence being totally discouraged; and I likewise worked some for General Putnam, who, though not an accomplished muscadin, like our dilletantis of St. James' street, was certainly one of the best characters in the world; his heart being comqosed of those noble materials which equally command respect and admiration."
Such was Miss Margret Moncrieffe, daughter of Major Moncrieffe, who had placed herself under the protection of the noble-hearted Putnam.
She had been in the family but three days, when Burr, having gone to the house-top to make some observations on the enemy, heard another individual approaching. He took little heed of this, untill the appearance on the platform of Miss Moncrieffe caused him to start with both surprise and pleasure.
Seeing Burr with the telescope, she merely bowed, and was about to retire, when Burr immediately tendered her the instrument, saying that he should esteem it a happy epoch in his life that he was able to afford any pleasure to so excellent and charming a young lady as Miss Moncrieffe.
"Oh! by no means, sir," returned she, blushing; "my observations have already made me acquainted with the value which my dear General Putnam places upon the services of Major Burr, and the curiosity of a girl like myself should not be permitted to—"
"Nay, I was only gratifying my own curiosity at present; and the curiosity of a lady is legitimate, and has claims upon us for its gratification."
"Still, sir, I shall be best satisfied to retire," said she, casting down her eyes, and turning to descend the steps.
"If my request will avail nothing," returned Burr, "I can give you Scripture for pursuing a contrary course to that which you propose."
"Indeed, sir!" cried she all alive to hear how Scripture could apply to her movements.
"We are admonished," said Burr, "in this wise: 'Let him that is on the house-top not come down.'"
"Well, we are upon the house-top, certainly," said Miss Moncrieffe, with a light, ringing laugh, and looking at Burr with some attention; "but, sir, I can think of another Scripture, that two shall be together, and that 'one shall be taken and the other left.' I fear that yon, sir, must be the party that is left, especially as your text says, 'Let HIM(not HER) that is upon the house-top not come down."
Burr replied:
"I am unhappy that in a Scripture controversy Miss Moncrieffe should have the advantage of me, since it deprives me of her company, but I am about to retire, and since you insist that, 'one shall be left,' let it be yourself, since I know that you would not have come here if you did not wish to remain awhile, and the slightest wish of Miss Moncrieffe will always have the force, with me, of an order from head-quarters."
Burr then descended so quickly that Miss Moncrieffe found herself alone ere she was aware of it.
When Burr went to his military duties, after the above-mentioned interview with the charming English girl, he first asked himself whether Miss Moncrieffe had really wished to avoid being alone with him. What would have been more natural, thought he, than for a young lady to accept of the attentions of one of the opposite sex, who could prepare the telescope for her, point out and name the various locations and objects at which she desired to look; and, in short, pay those ordinary attentions which common gallantry requires?
"Why, then," said he, to himself, "should she be so fastidious? Why not remain with me a few moments? Certainly she is not bashful; she can be free enough when the rest of the family are present. Indeed, perhaps, the attentions of the general have turned her little head, and she thinks that any thing below a general officer ought not to meddle with her. Nay, she has seen Washington; perhaps that he has said something in her presence, that was calculated to lower me in her estimation. If I thought so—but pshaw! Why indulge suspicion, when there is not a shadow of proof? If she is a haughty aristocrat, it is enough. Perhaps that I have now hit the right nail on the head. I will be ruled accordingly. Ah! my fine bird in fine feathers, you shall see that an American officer does not twice lower his crest to the minions of royalty."
With this resolve in his head, and a flame of admiration for the young girl in his heart, Burr went to his duties.
Though he did not neglect the tasks which devolved upon him, Burr continued to think of the young girl, and longed for the dinner-hour, that he might show her, by the cold formality of his attentions, that he thought no more about her.
"I will, as if by accident, speak highly of some fictitious young lady, whom I will pretend to have seen in the course of the morning," said he to himself, "and that will account for my coldness towards her. She will perceive that I am no provincial booby, to imagine there is no other pretty woman in the world, but the maid of the mill to which he carries his bag of corn."
With these feelings and sentiments, Burr entered the dining-hall. The place of Miss Moncrieffe at the table had been changed; she was no longer his vis-a-vis. Opposite to him sat the General's eldest daughter.
Burr could scarcely conceal his feelings. He now felt certain that his interpretation of the young girl's conduct was the true one—that Miss Moncrieffe was too arrogant to receive his attentions, and had altered her position at the table on purpose to avoid them.
He did not know how to act: he mechanically waited upon Miss Putnam, who, holding Burr in high esteem, accepted his kindness with the most evident delight, and endeavored to make herself as agreeable as possible.
Then it came into Burr's mind that he would treat Miss Putnam with marked politeness, and he became so engaged in his manner towards her, that she, once or twice, looked up with evident surprise.
At length our hero glanced towards the place where Miss Moncrieffe was seated, for the purpose of discovering whether she noticed his demeanor, for he had wanted to impress her with the idea that it was not on account of any peculiar admiration for her that he had been so attentive when the care of her devolved upon him, but that it was only his custom, when dealing with any one of her sex.
He looked, therefore, at the young English lady, and was surprised to perceive that her eyes were fixed upon his countenance, with an expression of mournful anxiety, and also, that she ate but little, and scarcely replied to the officer who addressed her.
Burr was sorely puzzled. If she really regarded him with respect, why had she changed her place?
When dinner was concluded, Burr met the beautiful English girl in a passage, who stopped him, and reaching out a penknife, said:
"This is, I think, the property of Major Burr, left on the house-top this morning, when he so kindly relinquished the telescope for a silly foreigner, who had not the good manners to thank him a he descended. That silly foreigner has punished herself by sitting in another place at table, and thus denying herself those pleasing attentions, from a brave and noble-minded young officer, which she has justly forfeited by her conduct towards him."
"Ah! but, my dear Miss Moncrieffe, it is not yourself whom you punish," cried Burr, seizing her hand hastily; "it is that young officer, whose merits your generous nature prompts you to estimate far above their value. You punish HIM, Miss Moncrieffe, when you place it out of his power to be near you—to attend to your wishes."
"Say you so? Oh! then, that alters the case," replied she, deeply blushing, and then added with a smile:
"Nothing would have given me greater happiness than to have kept company with Major Burr on top of the house, but he must remember that I came up last—I felt as if it might appear that I knew you were there."
Burr felt the force of this apology, and wondered that he had not given the circumstances of their meeting due weight before. Miss Moncrieffe had been surprised at finding Burr on the house-top, and had been fearful that her conduct would be misconstrued.
"You speak truly," said Burr; "there might be cases in which suspicious persons would entertain such a notion: but no one who knew Miss Moncrieffe would dare to do so, and certainly never to express the unworthy thought;" and Burr laid his hand upon his sword in a threatening manner.
Miss Moncrieffe was evidently pleased with Burr's mode of treating the subject, and, with downcast eye, she passed on to the inner room.
It might have been supposed by some, if they had witnessed this interview, that Burr would have felt pretty sure of winning the heart of Miss Moncrieffe, and receiving favors in consequence of it. But our hero was not so sanguine. The frankness of Miss Moncrieffe under the circumstance, the self-sacrifice which she had made in confessing her supposed fault, argued, in the mind of Burr, against such flattering hopes; for here seemed to be displayed a coolness of judgment, and heroic perseverance of duty, which he had not looked for in one so young, and so enthusiastic in her admiration of liberty, and of those who were fighting to obtain it.
The deportment of the English beauty, immediately subsequent to that time, strengthened Burr in his opinion of her character and conduct.
Miss Moncrieffe took her former place at the table, but she accepted the attentions of Burr, with such acknowledgements as any well-bred young lady would have felt warranted in returning to a meritorious officer who resided in the family of her protector, while her conversation remained as lively and piquant as ever, and she took her full share in the general topic of remark, whenever it was one with which she was acquainted.
This state of things remained several days, and Burr had began to believe that Miss Moncrieffe would be careful not to meet him again in the passage, when, one day, that he chanced to be standing near her, he heard a low sigh. At the same moment, he turned, his eyes fell on the young lady, and she colored deeply.
The next time that Miss Moncrieffe went to the top of the house, Burr followed her. He pretended to be taken by surprise when he saw her at the telescope; but approached her with these words:
"Miss Moncrieffe is surveying her good friends at Staten Island. I fear that we colonists are but dull companions for one who has been accustomed to European habits, and to the various amusements which are so rife in her native land. Perhaps that she sighs for scenes far away, and would gladly return to them."
"On the contrary, sir, I love America dearly; and its people, struggling for freedom, are certainly, at this moment, the most interesting of any on the face of the globe."
"You do us honor, and from the lips of beauty, what so cordial to the soldier's heart as such commendation."
Burr then proceeded to draw Miss Moncrieffe's attention to several interesting views, both seeming pleased with each other.
"See yon green slope," said Burr, "on the far side of the Hudson, where lately the Indian gamboled, ignorant of the very existence of civilization, till our fathers came and robbed him of his home. How happy might two loving hearts be in that bosky solitude, roving among the sunny glades, and listening to the music of ten thousand birds, their couch the heather and their canopy the green leaves of the forest!"
Burr fixed his eyes boldly on those of the English girl, as he uttered these words, and his soul beaming through them, seemed to indicate that if she were his companion, he could happily spend his life amid the wild flowers and the purling brook of that charming landscape.
Miss Moncrieffe was silent, but she looked at Burr, and then cast down her eyes, as if inviting him to go on.
As Burr waited for a reply, she murmured:
"Yes, it would be a perfect paradise."
Burr then took her hand, which was not withdrawn, and said:
"With such a one as yourself, for instance."
Miss Moncrieffe interrupted him by a light laugh, and said:
"Me!" cried she, "why Mrs. Putnam considers me a mere child!"
"You are not a child in intelligence," returned Burr, "nor in deportment."
"Yet I don't think I can go over there with you at present, as I have not spun my share to-day; and that reminds me that I have loitered long enough on the house-top."
The young girl then descended with Burr, who was satisfied with his morning's work, and believed that he had paved the way to a better acquaintance with Miss Moncrieffe.
On the ensuing Sunday, Burr proposed a ride in the environs of the city, to which Miss Moncrieffe acceded all the more readily that her life was somewhat monotonous at the general's house, and any thing like variety was attractive to her.
Burr procured a horse and chaise, and they set out. Our hero drove slowly out of town to a shady lane, since known as "Love Lane," and there fastened the horse to a tree, when both descended, for the purpose of getting a few flowers.
"Mrs. Putnam is so kind," said the young lady, "and I know that a few of these would please her much."
"Yes," said the young soldier, "and now we can commence our life, in the way we talked about, when we surveyed the pleasant landscape at the other side of the river."
The English beauty was, at that moment, very busy in gathering flowers, and did not raise her head till the blush had passed away, which had suffused her cheek at hearing words which might well be interpreted as a profession of love, or something of the kind.
Burr assisted her in her task till he had found a beautiful lily, which he said she should place in her breast, as it would well become her; then he officiously undertook to pin it there, pressing her bosom rather more than was absolutely necessary in performing the task.
Miss Moncrieffe did not say that she was ticklish in that place, but she certainly acted as if she was susceptible of some sort of feeling, while Burr, with affected clumsiness, was fumbling round her bosom.
Burr was very attentive, very polite, and assisted the young lady with an empressment which certainly was not without its effect.
Her words became very soft; she looked into his eyes from time to time, and read there what seemed to be the most devoted affection and the most exalted admiration.
The afternoon waned, and the trees cast their shadows long and round upon the grass. It was a delightful solitude. The murmuring of the streams was heard, the birds flitted among the branches over their heads, and no human footsteps ventured near them. They sat enjoying the cool breeze that rustled among the leaves, upon a green bank, and talked freely of the various subjects that arose, one after another, in the fertile mind of Burr.
At length, his arm stole around her waist; she sighed, he kissed her on the lips, and her head dropped on his shoulder. Burr gently laid her back upon the grass, and she was helpless in his hands. He was surprised that she offered no resistance to his attempts upon her virginity.
The truth is, that her heart had long ago been won, though Burr knew it not, and her feelings had, that afternoon, been wrought up to the highest pitch. Therefore she sank passive upon the grass, and Burr threw up her dress, revealing all her budding charms to his enraptured gaze. He had not expected to find so much development. Her limbs were unusually plump and robust, and all things invited to those transports which they soon enjoyed to fruition.
It was now that the young girl betrayed the love which she had felt for Burr, almost from the first moment she saw him. She clung to him, kissed him, and wound herself about him with a perfect frenzy, and told him over and over again that her heart was entirely his, and that she would go with him through fire and water, death, or dishonor.
It is needless to say that Burr made her thoroughly acquainted with pleasures of which she had before no conception, and indeed he found her sufficiently able to perform her part in the encounters of Venus.
At length, the lateness of the hour warned them that their return should be no longer delayed, lest suspicion of the truth should visit the minds of the good people at home.
After one last embrace, in which their very souls seemed to rush from their bodies, they returned to the chaise, and set out for the residence of General Putnam.
On the way home, Burr was surprised at the depth of love and tenderness in so young a heart as that of Miss Moncrieffe. She frankly told him every thing how she had been struck by his appearance—"pierced to the heart," she termed it—the first time that she saw him; how she, at first strove to conquer her passion; but found it impossible; and that, at all their subsequent meetings, she had had much ado to keep from rushing into his arms and avowing her love.
Never had Burr listened to such a rhapsody as she poured forth, smothering him, ever and anon, with the most ardent kisses.
But, however enraptured the English beauty had been by the embraces of Burr, and the enjoyments of those new and unimagined transports that she had found in his arms, she possessed sufficient judgment to behave with perfect decorum when she appeared again in the presence of the family.
She dwelt at large upon the beautiful scenery she had found in the rural sections, and all her talk was about flowers, birds, trees, and landscapes, as if she had thought of nothing else since she had been gone.
Yet Mrs. Putnam did perceive something unusual in her looks; but if she suspected the truth, she did not make her suspicions manifest.
For three or four days, Burr had very little opportunity for conversing with Miss Moncrieffe. His time was much employed in his military duties, while Mrs. Putnam, on the other hand, was hurried with work, and Miss Moncrieffe found her task at the spinning-wheel increased.
The glances which the fair girl now began to cast at Burr convinced him that she was growing impatient of this state of things, and that she longed to be alone with him once more.
He intended, therefore, to propose another ride on the coming Sunday, and while he lay awake at night, thinking upon the subject, he imagined that he heard a light footfall in the entry. As the next chamber was occupied by his general and lady, this caused him to start up and listen, for the thought, at first, struck him that some mischief might be intended towards the gallant old chief.
He then heard the handle of he lock jar slightly, as if some one had laid his hand upon it. It was, perhaps, some intruder, who had mistaken his room for that of the general's.
He arose softly, and felt for his pistols; but at that moment, a low, soft voice came to his ear, like that of a woman, and he knew by whom his privacy had been invaded. He flew to the key, turned the bolt softly, and Miss Moncrieffe stood before him.
"Margaret, my love!"
"Aaron, dear!" was the response, and Miss Moncrieffe glided into his arms.
"How could you come to me and escape detection?" whispered he
"The sentinel at the landing of the stairs was leaning on his musket fast asleep."
"Aha! I'll see to that to-morrow."
"No, you must not, for it was my fault. I mixed him the nicest little glass of punch that you ever tasted."
"You mixed it!"
"Yes; I gave him a night-cap which would send a devout anchorite to the land of dreams, when wacthing watching at the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem."
"Treason!" cried Burr, kissing her little pouting mouth. "Oh! let women alone for concocting mischief—"
"And sleeping potions," said she, archly. Burr shook his head with an air of mock reproof, but in reality felt concerned at this proof of Miss Moncrieffe's adventurous spirit. What might she not attempt next?
Burr removed from the shoulders of the young girl a cloak which she had thrown over her when she left her chamber, and she stood before him in her shift. He then took her in his arms, and laid her in his bed, quickly springing in after her.
This was a luxury indeed. For several hours they took their fill of love, revelling in such delights as only stolen pleasures yield, when attended with a perfect sense of security.
Miss Moncrieffe never forgot the joys of that night, to the latest day of her existence. She was enraptured with the performances of her lover, who enjoyed free access to all her youthful charms, and thrilled her with his caresses and embraces. When the time came to part, she flung herself on the breast of the young soldier, and expressed a regret that she could not grow there forever. But the gray dawn had already made its appearance, and go she must; so
"Vowing oft to meet again,
They tore themselves asunder."
Burr dressed himself, and went out first to reconnoitre. He found the sentinel at his post, and attentive to his duty. He dispatched him on some trifling errand, and then saw Margaret to her sleeping apartment. He then threw himself down, and enjoyed a refreshing sleep.