CHAPTER X.
CUPID AGAIN AT WORK.
Belton, after graduating from Stowe University, returned with his mother to their humble home at Winchester.
He had been away at school for four years and now desired to see his home again before going forth into the world.
He remained at Winchester several days visiting all the spots where he had toiled or played, mourned or sung, wept or laughed as a child.
He entered the old school house and gazed with eyes of love on its twisting walls, decaying floor and benches sadly in need of repair.
A somewhat mournful smile played upon his lips as he thought of the revengeful act that he had perpetrated upon his first teacher, Mr. Leonard, and this smile died away into a more sober expression as he remembered how his act of revenge had, like chickens, come home to roost, when those dirty socks had made him an object of laughter at Stowe University on commencement day.
Revenge was dead in his bosom.
And it was well for the world that this young negro had been trained in a school where there was a friendly lance to open his veins and let out this most virulent of poisons.
Belton lingered about home, thinking of the great problem of human life.
He would walk out of town near sunset and, taking his seat on some grassy knoll would gaze on the Blue Ridge mountains.
The light would fade out of the sky and the gloom of evening gather, but the mountains would maintain their same bold appearance.
Whenever he cast his eyes in their direction, there they stood firm and immovable.
His pure and lofty soul had an affinity for all things grand and he was always happy, even from childhood, when he could sit undisturbed and gaze at the mountains, huge and lofty, rising in such unconquerable grandeur, upward toward the sky.
Belton chose the mountain as the emblem of his life and he besought God to make him such in the moral world.
At length he tore himself loose from the scenes of his childhood, and embracing his fond mother, left Winchester to begin life in the city of Richmond, the capital of the old Confederacy.
Through the influence of Mr. King, his benefactor, he secured a position as a teacher in one of the colored schools of that city.
The principal of the school to which Belton was assigned was white, but all the rest of the teachers were young colored women.
On the morning of his arrival at the school building Belton was taken in charge by the principal, and by him was carried around to be introduced to the various teachers.
Before he reaches a certain room, let us give you a slight introduction to the occupant thereof.
Antoinette Nermal was famed throughout the city for her beauty, intelligence and virtue.
Her color was what is termed a light brown skin.
We assure you that it was charming enough.
She was of medium height, and for grace and symmetry her form was fit for a sculptor's model.
Her pretty face bore the stamp of intellectuality, but the intellectuality of a beautiful woman, who was still every inch a woman despite her intellectuality.
Her thin well-formed lips seemed arranged by nature in such a manner as to be incomplete without a kiss, and that lovely face seemed to reinforce the invitation.
Her eyes were black, and when you gazed in them the tenderness therein seemed to be about to draw you out of yourself.
They concealed and yet revealed a heart capable of passionate love.
Those who could read her and wished her well were much concerned that she should love wisely; for it could be seen that she was to love with her whole heart, and to wreck her love was to wreck her life.
She had passed through all her life thus far without seriously noticing any young man, thus giving some the impression that she was incapable of love, being so intellectual.
Others who read her better knew that she despised the butterfly, flitting from flower to flower, and was preserving her heart to give it whole into the keeping of some worthy man.
She neither sang nor played, but her soul was intensely musical and she had the most refined and cultivated taste in the musical circles in which she moved.
She was amiable in disposition, but her amiability was not of the kind to lead her in quest of you; but if you came across her, she would treat you so pleasantly that you would desire to pass that way again.
Belton and the principal are now on the way to her room.
As they entered the door her back was to them, as she was gazing out of the window.
Belton's eyes surveyed her graceful form and he was so impressed with its loveliness that he was sorry when she began to turn around.
But when she was turned full around Belton forgot all about her form, and his eyes did not know which to contemplate longest, that rich complexion, those charming eyes, or those seductive lips.
On the other hand, Miss Nermal was struck with Belton's personal appearance and as she contemplated the noble, dignified yet genial appearance which he presented, her lips came slightly apart, rendering her all the more beautiful.
The principal said: "Miss Nermal, allow me to present to you our newly arrived associate in the work, Mr. Belton Piedmont."
Miss Nermal smiled to Belton and said:
"Mr. Piedmont, we are glad to have a man of your acknowledged talents in our midst and we anticipate much of you."
Belton felt much flattered, surprised, overjoyed.
He wished that he could find the person who had been so very kind as to give that marvelously beautiful girl such a good opinion of himself.
But when he opened his mouth to reply he was afraid of saying something that
would shatter this good opinion; so he bowed politely and merely said, "Thank you."
"I trust that you will find our association agreeable," said Miss Nermal, smiling and walking toward him.
This remark turned Belton's mind to thoughts that stimulated him to a brisk reply.
"Oh assuredly, Miss Nermal.
I am already more than satisfied that I shall expect much joy and pleasure from my association with you--I--I--I mean the teachers."
Belton felt that he had made a bad break and looked around a little uneasily at the principal, violently condemning in his heart that rule which led principals to escort young men around; especially when there was a likelihood of meeting with such a lovely girl.
If you had consulted Belton's wishes at that moment, school would have been adjourned immediately, the principal excused, and himself allowed to look at and talk to Miss Nermal as much as he desired.
However, this was not to be.
The principal moved to the door to continue his tour.
Belton reluctantly followed.
He didn't see the need of getting acquainted with all the teachers in one day.
He thought that there were too many teachers in that building, anyhow.
These were Belton's rebellious thoughts as he left Miss Nermal's room.
Nevertheless, he finished his journey around to the various rooms and afterwards assumed charge of his own room.
Some might ascribe his awkwardness in his room that day to the fact that the work was new to him.
But we prefer to think that certain new and pleasing sensations in his bosom were responsible.
When the young lady teachers got together at noon that day, the question was passed around as to what was thought of Mr. Piedmont.
Those teachers whom Belton met before he entered Miss Nermal's room thought him "very nice."
Those whom he met after he left her room thought him rather dull.
Miss Nermal herself pronounced him "just grand."
All of the girls looked at Miss Nermal rather inquiringly when she said this, for she was understood to usually pass young men by unnoticed.
Each of the other girls, previous to seeing Belton, had secretly determined to capture the rising young orator in case his personal appearance kept pace with his acknowledged talents.
In debating the matter they had calculated their chances of success and had thought of all possible rivals.
Miss Nermal was habitually so indifferent to young men that they had not considered her as a possibility.
They were quite surprised, to say the least, to hear her speak more enthusiastically of Belton than any of the rest had done.
If Miss Nermal was to be their rival they were ready to abandon the field at once, for the charms of her face, form, and mind were irresistible when in repose; and what would they be if she became interested in winning the heart of a young man?
When school was dismissed that afternoon Belton saw a group of teachers walking homeward and Miss Nermal was in the group.
Belton joined them and somehow contrived to get by Miss Nermal's side.
How much she aided him by unobserved shifting of positions is not known.
All of the rest of the group lived nearer the school than did Miss Nermal and so, when they had all dropped off at respective gates, Miss Nermal yet had some distance to go.
When Belton saw this, he was a happy fellow.
He felt that the parents of the teachers had shown such excellent judgment in choosing places to reside.
He would not have them change for the world.
He figured that he would have five evenings of undisturbed bliss in each week walking home with Miss Nermal after the other teachers had left.
Belton contrived to walk home with the same group each evening.
The teachers soon noticed that Miss Nermal and Belton invariably walked together, and they managed by means of various excuses to break up the group; and Belton had the unalloyed pleasure of escorting Miss Nermal from the school-house door to her own front yard.
Belton secured the privilege of calling to see Miss Nermal at her residence and he confined his social visits to her house solely.
They did not talk of love to one another, but any one who saw the couple together could tell at a glance what was in each heart.
Belton, however, did not have the courage to approach the subject.
His passion was so intense and absorbing and filled him with so much delight that he feared to talk on the subject so dear to his heart, for fear of a repulse and the shattering of all the beautiful castles which his glowing imagination, with love as the supervising architect, had constructed.
Thus matters moved along for some time; Miss Nermal thoroughly in love with Belton, but Belton prizing that love too highly to deem it possible for him to be the happy possessor thereof.
Belton was anxious for some indirect test.
He would often contrive little devices to test Miss Nermal's feelings towards him and in each case the result was all that he could wish, yet he doubted.
Miss Nermal thoroughly understood Belton and was anxious for him to find some way out of his dilemma.
Of course it was out of the question for her to volunteer to tell him that she loved him--loved him madly, passionately; loved him in every fibre of her soul.
At last the opportunity that Belton was hoping for came.
Miss Nermal and Belton were invited out to a social gathering of young people one night.
He was Miss Nermal's escort.
At this gathering the young men and women played games such as pinning on the donkey's tail, going to Jerusalem, menagerie, and various other parlor games.
In former days, these social gatherings played some games that called for kissing by the young ladies and gentlemen, but Miss Nermal had opposed such games so vigorously that they had long since been dismissed from the best circles.
Belton had posted two or three young men to suggest a play involving kissing, that play being called, "In the well."
The suggestion was made and just for the fun of having an old time game played, they accepted the suggestion.
The game was played as follows.
Young men and young women would move their chairs as close back to the walls as possible.
This would leave the center of the room clear.
A young man would take his place in the middle of the floor and say,
"I am in the well."
A questioner would then ask, "How many feet?"
The party in the well would then say, for instance, "Three feet."
The questioner would then ask, "Whom will you have to take you out?"
Whosoever was named by the party in the well was required by the rules of the game to go to him and kiss him the number of times equivalent to the number of feet he was in the well.
The party thus called would then be in the well.
The young men would kiss the ladies out and vice versa.
Miss Nermal's views on kissing games were well known and the young men all passed her by.
Finally, a young lady called Belton to the well to kiss her out.
Belton now felt that his chance had came.
He was so excited that when he went to the well he forgot to kiss her.
Belton was not conscious of the omission but it pleased Antoinette immensely.
Belton said, "I am in the well."
The questioner asked, "How many feet?"
Belton replied, "ONLY one."
"Whom will you have to take you out?" queried the questioner.
Belton was in a dazed condition.
He was astounded at his own temerity in having deliberately planned to call Miss Nermal to kiss him before that crowd or for that matter to kiss him at all.
However he decided to make a bold dash.
He averted his head and said, "Miss Antoinette Nermal."
All eyes were directed to Miss Nermal to see her refuse.
But she cast a look of defiance around the room and calmly walked to where Belton stood.
Their eyes met.
They understood each other.
Belton pressed those sweet lips that had been taunting him all those many days and sat down, the happiest of mortals.
Miss Nermal was now left in the well to call for some one to take her out.
For the first time, it dawned upon Belton that in working to secure a kiss for himself, he was about to secure one for some one else also.
He glared around the room furiously and wondered who would be base enough to dare to go and kiss that angel.
Miss Nermal was proceeding with her part of the game and Belton began to feel that she did not mind it even if she did have to kiss some one else.
After all, he thought, his test would not hold good as she was, he felt sure, about to kiss another.
While Belton was in agony over such thoughts Miss Nermal came to the point where she had to name her deliverer.
She said, "The person who put me in here will have to take me out."
Belton bounded from his seat and, if the fervor of a kiss could keep the young lady in the well from drowning, Miss Nermal was certainly henceforth in no more danger.
Miss Nermal's act broke up that game.
On the way home that night, neither Antoinette nor Belton spoke a word.
Their hearts were too full for utterance.
When they reached Miss Nermal's gate, she opened it and entering stood on the other side, facing Belton.
Belton looked down into her beautiful face and she looked up at Belton.
He felt her eyes pulling at the cords of his heart.
He stooped down and in silence pressed a lingering kiss on Miss Nermal's lips.
She did not move.
Belton said, "I am in the well." Miss Nermal whispered, "I am too."
Belton said, "I shall always be in the well."
Miss Nermal said, "So shall I."
Belton hastily plucked open the gate and clasped Antoinette to his bosom.
He led her to a double seat in the middle of the lawn, and there with the pure-eyed stars gazing down upon them they poured out their love to each other.
Two hours later Belton left her and at that late hour roused every intimate friend that he had in the city to tell them of his good fortune.
Miss Nermal was no less reserved in her joy.
She told the good news everywhere to all her associates.
Love had transformed this modest, reserved young woman into a being that would not have hesitated to declare her love upon a house-top.
Let's see if Heinlein's definition plays out.
'Love is putting another's happiness over your own.'
