Percival Keene

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

  Although the aversion which I had taken to the whole Culpepper familywas so great, that I could have done anything to annoy them, my mind wasnow so fully occupied with the information which I had collectedrelative to my supposed birth and parentage, that I could not think ofmischief.

  I walked on the common or in the little garden during the whole of thefollowing day, plunged in deep thought, and at night, when I went tobed, I remained awake till the dawn. During these last two days I hadthought and reflected more than I had perhaps done from the hour of mybirth.

  That I was better off than I should have been if I had been the son of aprivate in the marines, I felt convinced; but still I had a feeling thatI was in a position in which I might be subjected to much insult, andthat, unless I was acknowledged by my aristocratic parent, my connectionwith his family would be of no use to me;--and Captain Delmar, how was Ito behave to him? I did not like him much, that was certain, nor didthis new light which had burst forth make me feel any more love for himthan I did before. Still my mother's words at Chatham rung in my ears,"Do you know who it is that you have been?" etcetera. I felt sure thathe was my father, and I felt a sort of duty towards him; perhaps anincrease of respect.

  These were anxious thoughts for a boy not fourteen; and the Culpeppersremarked, that I had not only looked very pale, but had actually grownthin in the face during my short stay.

  As I was very quiet and reserved after the first day, they were veryglad when my clothes were brought home, and I was reported ready toembark; so was I, for I wanted to go on board and see my friend TommyDott, with whom I intended, if the subject was brought up, to consult asto my proceedings, or perhaps I thought it would be better to consultBob Cross, the captain's coxswain; I was not sure that I should notadvise with them both.

  I had made up my mind how to behave to my mother. I knew that she wouldnever acknowledge the truth, after what had passed between the captainand her when I was present; but I was resolved that I would let her knowthat I was in the secret; and I thought that the reply to me would be aguide as to the correctness of the fact, which, with all the hastinessof boyhood, I considered as incontrovertible, although I had not theleast positive proof.

  The day that I was to go on board, I requested Miss Culpepper to give mea sheet of paper, that I might write to my mother; she supplied me veryreadily, saying, "You had better let me see if you make any mistake inyour spelling before the letter goes; your mamma will be so pleased ifyou write your letter properly." She then went down into the kitchen togive some orders.

  As I had not the slightest intention that she should read what I wrote,and resolved to have it in the post before she came up again, I was veryconcise in my epistle, which was as follows:--

  "Dear Mother:--I have found it all out--I am the son of Captain Delmar, and everyone here knows what you have kept a secret from me. I go on board to-day.

  "Yours truly, P. KEENE."

  This was very short, and, it must be admitted, direct to the point. Icould not perhaps have written one which was so calculated to give mymother uneasiness.

  As soon as it was finished, I folded it up, and lighted a taper to sealit. Old Mrs Culpepper, who was in the room, croaked out, "No, no; youmust show it to Medea." But I paid no attention to her, and havingsealed my letter, put on my hat, and walked out to the post-office. Idropped it into the box, and, on returning, found Mr Culpepper cominghome, accompanied by Bob Cross, the captain's coxswain, and two of theboat's crew.

  As I presumed, they were sent for me; I joined them immediately, and waskindly greeted by Bob Cross, who said:--

  "Well, Mr Keene, are you all ready for shipping? We've come for yourtraps."

  "All ready," replied I, "and very glad to go, for I'm tired of stayingon shore doing nothing."

  We were soon at the house; the seamen carried away my chest and bedding,while Bob Cross remained a little while, that I might pay my farewell tothe ladies.

  The ceremony was not attended with much regret on either side. MissCulpepper could not help asking me why I did not show her my letter, andI replied, that there were secrets in it, which answer did not at alladd to her good temper; our adieus were, therefore, anything butaffectionate, and before the men with my effects were a hundred yards inadvance, Bob Cross and I were at their heels.

  "Well, Master Keene," said Bob, as we wended our way across South SeaCommon, "how do you like the purser's ladies?"

  "Not at all," replied I; "they have done nothing but try to pump me thewhole time I have been there; but they did not make much of it."

  "Women will be curious, Master Keene--pray what did they try to pumpabout?"

  I hardly knew how to reply, and I hesitated. I felt a stronginclination towards Bob Cross, and I had before reflected whether Ishould make him my confidant; still, I was undecided and made no reply,when Bob Cross answered for me:--

  "Look ye, child--for although you're going on the quarter-deck, and I ambefore the mast, you are a child compared to me--I can tell you whatthey tried to pump about, as well as you can tell me, if you choose.According to my thinking, there's no lad on board the frigate that willrequire good advice as you will; and I tell you candidly, you will haveyour cards to play. Bob Cross is no fool, and can see as far through afog as most chaps; I like you for yourself as far as I see of you, and Ihave not forgotten your mother's kindness to me, when she had her ownmisery to occupy her thoughts; not that I wanted the money--it wasn'tthe money, but the way and the circumstances under which it was given.I told you I'd look after you a bit--a bit means a great deal with me--and so I will, if you choose that I shall; if not, I shall touch my hatto you, as my officer, which won't help you very much. So, now you haveto settle, my lad, whether you will have me as your friend, or not."

  The appeal quite decided me. "Bob Cross," replied I. "I do wish tomake you my friend; I thought of it before, but I did not know whetherto go to you or to Tommy Dott."

  "Tommy Dott! Well, Master Keene, that's not very flattering, to put mein one scale, and Tommy Dott in the other; I'm not surprised at itsweighing down in my favour. If you wish to get into mischief you can'tapply to a better hand than Tommy Dott; but Tommy Dott is not half sofit to advise you, as you are, I expect, to advise him; so make him yourplaymate and companion, if you please, but as to his advice, it's notworth asking. However, as you have given me the preference, I will nowtell you that the Culpepper people have been trying to find out who isyour father. Ain't I right?"

  "Yes, you are," replied I.

  "Well, then, this is no time to talk about such things; we shall be downto the boat in another minute, so we'll say no more at present; onlyrecollect, when you are on board, if they talk about appointing a man totake charge of your hammock, say that Bob Cross, the captain's coxswain,is, you understand, to be the person; say that and no more. I will tellyou why by-and-by, when we have time to talk together and if any of yourmessmates say anything to you on the same point which the Culpeppershave been working at, make no reply and hold yourself very stiff. Now,here we are at the sally port, so there's an end to our palaver for thepresent."

  My chest and bedding were already in the boat, and as soon as Cross andI had stepped in he ordered the bowman to shove off; in half an hour wearrived alongside the frigate, which lay at Spithead, bright with newpaint, and with her pennant proudly flying to the breeze.

  "You'd better follow me, sir, and mind you touch your hat when theofficers speak to you," said Bob Cross, ascending the accommodationladder. I did so, and found myself on the quarter deck, in the presenceof the first lieutenant and several of the officers.

  "Well, Cross," said the first lieutenant.

  "I've brought a young gentleman on board to join the ship. CaptainDelmar has, I believe, given his orders about him."

  "Mr Keene, I presume?" said the first lieutenant, eyeing me from headto foot.

  "Yes, sir," replied I, touching my hat.

  "How long have you been a
t Portsmouth?"

  "Three days, sir; I have been staying at Mr Culpepper's."

  "Well, did you fall in love with Miss Culpepper?"

  "No, sir," replied I; "I hate her."

  At this answer the first lieutenant and the officers near him burst outa-laughing.

  "Well, youngster, you must dine with us in the gun-room to-day; andwhere's Mr Dott?"

  "Here, sir," said Tommy Dott, coming from the other side of thequarter-deck.

  "Mr Dott, take this young gentleman down below, and show him themidshipmen's berth. Let me see, who is to take care of his hammock?"

  "I believe that Bob Cross is to take care of it, sir," said I.

  "The captain's coxswain--humph. Well, that's settled at all events;very good--we shall have the pleasure of your company to dinner, MrKeene. Why, Mr Dott and you look as if you knew each other."

  "Don't we, Tommy?" said I to the midshipman, grinning.

  "I suspect that there is a pair of you," said the first lieutenant,turning aft and walking away; after which Tommy and I went down thecompanion ladder as fast as we could, and in a few seconds afterwardswere sitting together on the same chest, in most intimate conversation.

  My extreme resemblance to our honourable captain was not unobserved bythe officers who were on the quarter-deck at the time of my making myappearance; and, as I afterwards heard from Bob Cross, he was sent forby the surgeon, on some pretence or another, to obtain any informationrelative to me. What were Bob Cross's reasons for answering as he did Icould not at that time comprehend, but he explained them to meafterwards.

  "Who brought him down, Cross?" said the surgeon, carelessly.

  "His own mother, sir; he has no father, sir, I hear."

  "Did you see her? What sort of a person was she?"

  "Well, sir," replied Bob Cross, "I've seen many ladies of quality, butsuch a real lady I don't think I ever set my eyes upon before; and sucha beauty--I'd marry to-morrow if I could take in tow a craft like her."

  "How did they come down to Portsmouth?"

  "Why, sir, she came down to Portsmouth in a coach and four; but shewalked to the George Hotel, as if she was nobody."

  This was not a fib on the part of the coxswain, for we came down by thePortsmouth coach; it did, however, deceive the surgeon, as was intended.

  "Did you see anything of her, Cross?"

  "Not when she was with the captain, sir, but at her own lodgings I did;such a generous lady I never met with."

  A few more questions were put, all of which were replied to in much thesame strain by the coxswain, so as to make out my mother to be a veryimportant and mysterious personage. It is true that Tommy Dott couldhave contradicted all this; but, in the first place, it was not verylikely that there would be any communication upon the point between himand the officers; and in the next I cautioned him to say nothing aboutwhat he knew, which, as he was strongly attached to me, he strictlycomplied with: so Bob Cross completely mystified the surgeon, who, ofcourse, made his report to his messmates.

  Mr Culpepper's report certainly differed somewhat from that of BobCross. There was my statement of my aunt being married to a marineofficer--but it was my statement; there was also my statement of mymother residing with Captain Delmar's aunt; altogether there was doubtand mystery; and it ended in my mother being supposed to be a muchgreater person than she really was--everything tending to prove her alady of rank being willingly received, and all counter-statements lookedupon as apocryphal and false.

  But whoever my mother might be, on one point every one agreed, whichwas, that I was the son of the Honourable Captain Delmar, and on thispoint I was equally convinced myself. I waited with some anxiety for mymother's reply to my letter, which arrived two days after I had joinedthe frigate. It was as follows:--

  "My dear Percival:--

  "You little know the pain and astonishment which I felt upon receipt of your very unkind and insulting letter; surely you could not have reflected at the time you wrote it, but must have penned it in a moment of irritation arising from some ungenerous remark which has been made in your hearing.

  "Alas, my dear child, you will find, now that you have commenced your career in life, that there are too many whose only pleasure is to inflict pain upon their fellow-creatures. I only can imagine that some remark has been made in your presence, arising from there being a similarity of features between you and the Honourable Captain Delmar; that there is so has been before observed by others. Indeed your uncle and aunt Bridgeman were both struck with the resemblance, when Captain Delmar arrived at Chatham; but this proves nothing, my dear child--people are very often alike, who have never seen each other, or heard each other mentioned, till they have by accident been thrown together so as to be compared.

  "It may certainly be, as your father was in the service of Captain Delmar, and constantly attended upon him, and indeed I may add as I was occasionally seeing him, that the impression of his countenance might be constantly in our memory, and--but you don't understand such questions, and therefore I will say no more, except that you will immediately dismiss from your thoughts any such idea.

  "You forget, my dearest boy, that you are insulting me by supposing any such thing, and that your mother's honour is called in question; I am sure you never thought of that when you wrote those hasty and inconsiderate lines. I must add, my dear boy, that knowing Captain Delmar, and how proud and sensitive he is, if it should ever come to his knowledge that you had suspected or asserted what you have, his favour and protection would be lost to you for ever: at present he is doing a kind and charitable action in bringing forward the son of a faithful servant; but if he imagined for a moment that you were considered related to him he would cast you off for ever, and all your prospects in life would be ruined.

  "Even allowing it possible that you were what you so madly stated yourself in your letter to be, I am convinced he would do so. If such a report came to his ears, he would immediately disavow you, and leave you to find your own way in the world.

  "You see, therefore, my dear boy, how injurious to you in every way such a ridiculous surmise must prove, and I trust that, not only for your own sake, but for your mother's character, you will, so far from giving credence, indignantly disavow what must be a source of mischief and annoyance to all parties.

  "Captain Bridgeman desires me to say, that he is of my opinion, so is your aunt Milly: as for your grandmother, of course, I dare not show her your letter. Write to me, my dear boy, and tell me how this unfortunate mistake happened, and believe me to be your affectionate mother, ARABELLA KEENE."

  I read this letter over ten times before I came to any conclusion; atlast I said to myself, there is not in any one part of it any positivedenial of the fact, and resolved some future day, when I had had someconversation with Bob Cross, to show it to him, and ask his opinion.