Newton Forster; Or, The Merchant Service

by Frederick Marryat

  VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER TWELVE.

  "Now, by two-headed Janus, Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time; Some that will ever more peep through their eyes, And laugh like parrots at a bagpiper; And others of such vinegar aspect, That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile, Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable." SHAKESPEARE.

  The next forenoon Nicholas and his son left the inn in good time to keeptheir appointment. The weather had changed, and the streets throughwhich they passed were crowded with people who had taken advantage ofthe fine weather to prosecute business which had admitted of beingpostponed. Nicholas, who stared every way except the right, receivedmany shoves and pushes, at which he expostulated, without the partiestaking even the trouble to look behind them as they continued theircourse. This conduct produced a fit of reverie, out of which he wassoon roused by another blow on the shoulder, which would twist him halfround; and thus he continued in an alternate state of reverie andexcitement, until he was dragged by Newton to his brother's chambers.The clerk, who had been ordered to admit them, opened the parlour-door,where they found Mr John Forster, sitting at his table, with hisspectacles on, running through brief.

  "Your servant, young man.--Nicholas Forster, I presume," said he, takinghis eyes off the brief, and looking at Forster without rising from hischair--"How do ye do, brother?"

  "Are you my brother John?" interrogated Nicholas.

  "I am John Forster," replied the lawyer.

  "Well, then, I am really very glad to see you, brother," said Nicholas,extending his hand, which was taken with a `humph!'--(A minute's pause.)

  "Young man, you're ten minutes fast your time," said John, turning toNewton. "I told you _one o'clock precisely_."

  "I am afraid so," replied Newton; "but the streets were crowded, and myfather stopped several times."

  "Why did he stop?"

  "To expostulate with those who elbowed him: he is not used to it."

  "He soon will be, if he stays here long.--Brother Nicholas," saidForster, turning round, but perceiving that Nicholas had taken up hiswatch, and was examining the interior, his intended remark was changed."Brother Nicholas, what are you doing with my watch?"

  "It's very dirty," replied Nicholas, continuing his examination; "itmust be taken to pieces."

  "Indeed it shall not," replied John.

  "Don't be alarmed, I'll do it myself, and charge you nothing."

  "Indeed you will not do it yourself, brother. My watch goes very well,when it's left alone.--Do me the favour to hand it to me."

  Nicholas shut up the watch, and handed it to his brother over the table."It ought not to go well in that state, brother."

  "But I tell you that _it does_, brother," replied John, putting thewatch into his fob.

  "I have brought the things that I mentioned, sir," said Newton, takingthem out of his handkerchief.

  "Very well, have you the inventory?"

  "Yes, sir, here it is."

  "Number 1. A diamond ring."

  "Number 2. ---."

  "I should rather think that they were Number 3," observed Nicholas, whohad taken up his brother's spectacles. "You're not very short-sighted,brother."

  "I am not, brother Nicholas;--will you oblige me by giving me myspectacles?"

  "Yes, I'll wipe them for you first," said Nicholas, commencing hispolish with an old cotton handkerchief.

  "Thanky, thanky, brother, that will do," replied John, holding out hishand for the spectacles, which he immediately put in the case andconveyed into his pocket. The lawyer then continued the inventory.

  "It is all right, young man; and I will sign a receipt."

  The receipt was signed, and the articles deposited in the iron chest."Now, brother Nicholas, I have no time to spare; have you any thing tosay to me?"

  "No," replied Nicholas, starting up.

  "Well, then, I have something to say to you. In the first place, Icannot help you in your profession (as I told my nephew yesterday).Neither can I afford you any time, which is precious; so good bye,brother. Here is something for you to read, when you go home." JohnForster took out his pocket-book, and gave him a sealed letter.

  "Nephew, although I never saw the sea, or knew a sailor in my life, yetthe law pervades every where. An East India Director, who is underobligations to me, has promised a situation for you as third-mate onboard of the Bombay Castle. Here is his address; call upon him, and allwill be arranged. _You_ may come here again before you sail; and Iexpect you will make proper arrangements for your father, who, if I canjudge from what I have already seen, will lose that paper I have givenhim, which contains what is not to be picked up every day." Nicholaswas in a deep reverie; the letter had dropped from his hand, and hadfallen, unnoticed by him, on the carpet. Newton picked it up, and,without Nicholas observing him, put it into his own pocket. "Now, goodbye, nephew; take away my brother, pray. It's a good thing, I can tellyou, sometimes to find out an uncle."

  "I trust my conduct will prove me deserving of your kindness," repliedNewton, who was overjoyed at the unexpected issue of the meeting.

  "I hope it will, young man. Good morning. Now, take away your father,I'm busy;" and old Forster pulled out his spectacles, and recommencedhis brief.

  Newton went up to his father, touched him on the shoulder, and said in alow tone, and nodding his head towards the door--"Come, father."

  Nicholas got upon his legs, retreated a few steps, then turnedround--"Brother, didn't you say something about a letter I was to put inthe post?"

  "No, I didn't," replied John, shortly, not raising his eyes from thebrief.

  "Well, I really thought I heard something--"

  "Come, father; my uncle's busy."

  "Well, then, good bye, brother."

  "Good bye," replied John, without looking up; and Newton, with hisfather, quitted the room.

  No conversation passed during the walk to the inn, except an accidentalremark of Nicholas, that it appeared to him that his brother was verybusy.

  When they arrived, Newton hastened to open the enclosure, and found itto be a draft for 500 pounds, which his uncle had ordered to be filledup the day before. Nicholas was lost in astonishment; and Newton,although he had already gained some insight into his uncle's character,was not a little surprised at his extreme liberality.

  "Now," cried Nicholas, rubbing his hands, "my improvement upon theduplex;" and the subject brought up by himself, again led him away, andhe was in deep thought.

  There was a little piece of advice upon the envelope--"When you cash thedraft take the number of your notes." This was all; and it wascarefully attended to by Newton, who took but 20 pounds, and left theremainder in the hands of the banker. The next day Newton called uponthe East India Director, who gave him a letter to the captain of theship, lying at Gravesend, and expecting to sail in a few days. ToGravesend he immediately repaired, and, presenting his credentials, wasfavourably received; with an intimation that his company was required assoon as convenient. Newton had now no other object to occupy him thanto secure an asylum for his father; and this he was fortunate enough tomeet with when he little expected. He had disembarked at Greenwich,intending to return to London by the coach, when having an hour tospare, he sauntered into the hospital, to view a building which had somuch of interest to a sailor. After a few minutes' survey, he sat downon a bench, occupied by several pensioners, outside of the gate, wishingto enter into conversation with them relative to their condition, whenone addressed the other--"Why, Stephen, since the old man's dead,there's no one that'll suit us; and I expects that we must contrive todo without blinkers at all. Jim Nelson told me the other day, that thefellow in town as has his shop full of polished brass, all the worldlike the quarter-deck of the Le Amphitrite, when that sucking Honourable(what was his name?) commanded her--Jim said to me, as how he chargedhim one-and-sixpence for a new piece of flint for his starboard eye.Now you know that old Wilkins never axed no more than threepence. Now,how we're to pay at that rate
, comes to more than my knowledge. Jimhadn't the dirt, although he had brought his threepence; so his blinkersare left there in limbo."

  "We must find out another man: the shop's to let, and all handy.Suppose we speak to the governor?"

  "No use to speak to the governor; he don't use blinkers; and so won'thave no fellow feeling."

  Newton entered into conversation, and found that an old man, who gainedhis livelihood in a small shop close to the gate, by repairing thespectacles of the pensioners, had lately died, and that his loss wasseverely felt by them, as the opticians in town did not work at soreasonable a rate. Newton looked at the shop, which was small andcomfortable, commanding a pleasant view of the river, and he wasimmediately convinced that it would suit his father. On his return, heproposed it to Nicholas, who was delighted at the idea; and the next daythey viewed the premises together, and took a short lease. In a fewdays Nicholas was settled in his new habitation, and busily employed inenabling the old pensioners to read the newspapers and count theirpoints at cribbage. He liked his customers, and they liked him. Hisgains were equal to his wants; and, unless on particular occasions--suchas a new coat, which, like his birth-day, occurred but once a year,--henever applied to the banker's for assistance. Newton, as soon as hisfather was settled and his own affairs arranged, called upon his uncleprevious to his embarkation. Old Forster gave a satisfactory "humph!"to his communication: and Newton, who had tact enough to make his visitshort, received a cordial shake of the hand when he quitted the room.