The Allen House | Page 4

love affair on hand?"
"I think not."
"Hasn't he been paying attention to Squire Floyd's daughter?"
"Delia?"
"Yes."
"I believe not, Doctor."
"I've seen him at the Squire's."
"Nothing serious, or I should have known of it. Henry is rather shy
about the girls."
"And you wish me to see him to-night?"
"Yes. Something ought to be done."
"What is his condition just now?" I inquired. "How did you leave him?"
"He's been in bed nearly all day, and hasn't touched a mouthful. To all
my persuasions and entreaties he answers--'Please, mother, let me alone.

I will be better after a while.'"
"I think," said I, after musing on the case, "that, may be, the let-alone
prescription will be the best one for the present. He is prostrated by
some strong mental emotion--that seems clear; and time must be given
for the mind to regain its equipoise. If I were to call, as you desire, it
might annoy or irritate him, and so do more harm than good. No
medicine that I can give is at all likely to reach his case."
Mrs. Wallingford looked disappointed, and demurred strongly to my
conclusion.
I'm sure, Doctor, if you saw him you might suggest something. Or, may
be, he would open his mind to you."
"I'll think it over," said I. "Mrs. Jones has sent for me to see her baby
to-night. I was just about starting when you called. On my way back, if,
on reflection, it seems to me advisable, I will drop in at your house."
"Call at any rate, Doctor," urged Mrs. Wallingford. "Even if you don't
see Henry, you may be able to advise me as to what I had better do."
I gave my promise, and the troubled mother went back through storm
and darkness to her home. By this time my overcoat was thoroughly
dried. As Constance brought it forth warm from the fire, she looked
into my face with an expression of inquiry. But I was not ready to
speak in regard to Mrs. Wallingford, and, perceiving this at a glance,
she kept silence on that subject.
As I opened the front door, the storm swept into my face; but I passed
out quickly into the night, and shielding myself with an umbrella, as
best I could, bent to the rushing wind, and took my solitary way in the
direction of Mrs. Jones's humble dwelling, which lay quite upon the
outskirts of our town. To reach my destination, I had to pass the Old
Allen House, which stood within a high stone enclosure, surrounded by
stately elms a century old, which spread their great arms above and
around the decaying mansion, as if to ward off the encroachments of
time. As I came opposite the gate opening upon the carriage way, I

stopped suddenly in surprise, for light streamed out from both windows
of the north-west chamber, which I knew had been closed ever since
the death of Captain Allen, who passed to his account several years
before.
This Allen House was one of the notable places in our town; and the
stories in circulation touching the Allen family, now almost extinct,
were so strongly tinctured with romance, that sober-minded people
generally received them with a large measure of incredulity.
The spacious old two-story mansion, with its high-pitched roof and
rows of dormer windows, was built by the father of Captain Allen, who
had also followed the sea, and, it was said, obtained his large wealth
through means not sanctioned by laws human or divine. Men and
women of the past generation, and therefore contemporaries, did not
hesitate to designate him an "old pirate," though always the
opprobrious words were spoken in an undertone, for people were half
afraid of the dark, reserved, evil-looking man, who had evidently
passed a large portion of his life among scenes of peril and violence.
There were more pleasing traditions of the beautiful wife he brought
home to grace the luxurious dwelling he had fitted up in a style of
almost princely splendor, compared with the plain abode of even the
best off people in town. Who she was, or from whence she came, no
one knew certainly. She was very young--almost a child--when the
elder Captain Allen brought her to S----.
Very little intercourse, I believe, passed between the Allen family and
the town's-people, except in a business way. The first regular entry
made into the house beyond the formal drawing-room, was on the
occasion of a birth, when the best nurse and gossip in town was
summoned to attend the young mistress. A son was born. He was called
John; though not under the sign of Christian baptism--John Allen;
afterwards Captain Allen. The old sea-dog, his father, was absent at the
time; but returned before the infant was