house。
It stood upon what would have been an island in the creek； had not a
narrow causeway； barely broad enough for a road； joined it to that
larger island on which stands the town of St。 George。 As the main
road approaches the ferry it runs through some rough； hilly； open
ground； which on the right side towards the ocean has never been
cultivated。 The distance from the ocean here may； perhaps； be a
quarter of a mile； and the ground is for the most part covered with
low furze。 On the left of the road the land is cultivated in
patches； and here； some half mile or more from the ferry； a path
turns away to Crump Island。 The house cannot be seen from the road；
and； indeed； can hardly be seen at all； except from the sea。 It
lies； perhaps； three furlongs from the high road； and the path to it
is but little used； as the passage to and from it is chiefly made by
water。
Here； at the time of our story； lived Mr。 Bergen； and here lived Mr。
Bergen's daughter。 Miss Bergen was well known at St。 George's as a
steady； good girl； who spent her time in looking after her father's
household matters； in managing his two black maid…servants and the
black gardener； and who did her duty in that sphere of life to which
she had been called。 She was a comely； well…shaped young woman；
with a sweet countenance； rather large in size； and very quiet in
demeanour。 In her earlier years； when young girls usually first bud
forth into womanly beauty； the neighbours had not thought much of
Anastasia Bergen； nor had the young men of St。 George been wont to
stay their boats under the window of Crump Cottage in order that
they might listen to her voice or feel the light of her eye； but
slowly； as years went by； Anastasia Bergen became a woman that a man
might well love； and a man learned to love her who was well worthy
of a woman's heart。 This was Caleb Morton； the Presbyterian
minister of St。 George； and Caleb Morton had been engaged to marry
Miss Bergen for the last two years past； at the period of Aaron
Trow's escape from prison。
Caleb Morton was not a native of Bermuda； but had been sent thither
by the synod of his church from Nova Scotia。 He was a tall；
handsome man； at this time of some thirty years of age； of a
presence which might almost have been called commanding。 He was
very strong； but of a temperament which did not often give him
opportunity to put forth his strength； and his life had been such
that neither he nor others knew of what nature might be his courage。
The greater part of his life was spent in preaching to some few of
the white people around him； and in teaching as many of the blacks
as he could get to hear him。 His days were very quiet； and had been
altogether without excitement until he had met with Anastasia
Bergen。 It will suffice for us to say that he did meet her； and
that now； for two years past； they had been engaged as man and wife。
Old Mr。 Bergen； when he heard of the engagement； was not well
pleased at the information。 In the first place； his daughter was
very necessary to him； and the idea of her marrying and going away
had hardly as yet occurred to him； and then he was by no means
inclined to part with any of his money。 It must not be presumed
that he had amassed a fortune by his trade in cedar wood。 Few
tradesmen in Bermuda do； as I imagine； amass fortunes。 Of some few
hundred pounds he was possessed； and these； in the course of nature；
would go to his daughter when he died； but he had no inclination to
hand any portion of them over to his daughter before they did go to
her in the course of nature。 Now； the income which Caleb Morton
earned as a Presbyterian clergyman was not large； and； therefore； no
day had been fixed as yet for his marriage with Anastasia。
But； though the old man had been from the first averse to the match；
his hostility had not been active。 He had not forbidden Mr。 Morton
his house； or affected to be in any degree angry because his
daughter had a lover。 He had merely grumbled forth an intimation
that those who marry in haste repent at leisure；that love kept
nobody warm if the pot did not boil； and that； as for him； it was as
much as he could do to keep his own pot boiling at Crump Cottage。
In answer to this Anastasia said nothing。 She asked him for no
money； but still kept his accounts； managed his household； and
looked patiently forward for better days。
Old Mr。 Bergen himself spent much of his time at Hamilton； where he
had a woodyard with a couple of rooms attached to it。 It was his
custom to remain here three nights of the week； during which
Anastasia was left alone at the cottage； and it happened by no means
seldom that she was altogether alone； for the negro whom they called
the gardener would go to her father's place at Hamilton； and the two
black girls would crawl away up to the road； tired with the monotony
of the sea at the cottage。 Caleb had more than once told her that
she was too much alone； but she had laughed at him； saying that
solitude in Bermuda was not dangerous。 Nor； indeed； was it； for the
people are quiet and well…mannered； lacking much energy； but being；
in the same degree； free from any propensity to violence。
〃So you are going；〃 she said to her lover； one evening； as he rose
from the chair on which he had been swinging himself at the door of
the cottage which looks down over the creek of the sea。 He had sat
there for an hour talking to her as she worked； or watching her as
she moved about the place。 It was a beautiful evening； and the sun
had been falling to rest with almost tropical glory before his feet。
The bright oleanders were red with their blossoms all around him；
and he had thoroughly enjoyed his hour of easy rest。 〃So you are
going；〃 she said to him； not putting her work out of her hand as he
rose to depart。
〃Yes； and it is time for me to go。 I have still work to do before I
can get to bed。 Ah； well； I suppose the day will come at last when
I need not leave you as soon as my hour of rest is over。〃
〃Come； of course it will come。 That is； if your reverence should
choose to wait for it another ten years or so。〃
〃I believe you would not mind waiting twenty years。〃
〃Not if a certain friend of mine would come down and see me of
evenings when I'm alone after the day。 It seems to me that I
shouldn't mind waiting as long as I had that to look for。〃
〃You are right not to be impatient；〃 he said to her； after a pause；
as he held her hand before he went。 〃Quite right。 I only wish I
could school myself to be as easy about it。〃
〃I did not say I was easy；〃 said Anastasia。 〃People are seldom easy
in this world； I take it。 I said I could be patient。 Do not look
in that way； as though you pretended that you were dissatisfied with
me。 You know that I am true to you； and you ought to be very proud
of me。〃
〃I am proud of you； Anastasia〃 on hearing which she got up and
courtesied to him。 〃I am proud of you； so proud of you that I feel
you should not be left here all alone； with no one to help you if
you were in trouble。〃
〃Women don't get into trouble as men do； and do not want any one to
help them。 If you were alone in the house you would have to go to
bed without your supper； because you could not make a basin of
boiled milk ready for your own meal。 Now； when your reverence has
gone； I shall go to work and have my tea comfortably。〃 And then he
did go； bidding God bless her as he left her。 Three hours after
that he was disturbed in his own lodgings by one of the negro girls
from the cottage rushing to his door； and begging him in Heaven's
name to come down to the assistance of her mistress。
When Morton left her； Anastasia did not proceed to do as she had
said； and seemed to have forgotten her evening meal。 She had been
working sedulously with her needle during all that last
conversation； but when her lover was gone； she allowed the work to
fall from her hands； and sat motionless for awhile； gazing at the
last streak of colour left by the setting sun； but there was no
longer a sign of its glory to be traced in the heavens around her。
The twilight in Bermuda is not long and enduring as it is with us；
though the daylight does not depart suddenly； leaving the darkness
of night behind it without any intermediate time of warning； as is
the case farther south； down among the islands of the tropics。 But
the soft； sweet light of the evening had waned and gone； and night
had absolutely come upon her； while Anastasia was still seated
before the cottage with her eyes fixed upon the white streak of
motionless sea which was still visible through the gloom。 She was
thinking of him； of his ways of life； of his happiness； and of her
duty towards him。 She had told him； with her pretty feminine
falseness； that she could wait without impatience； but now she said
to herself that it would not be good for him to wait longer。 He
lived alone and without comfort； working very hard for his poor
pittance； and she could see； and feel； and understand that a
companion in his life was to him almost a necessity。 She would tell
her father that all this must be brought to an end。 She would not
ask him for money； but she woul