Mr. Midshipman Easy

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN.

  IN WHICH CAPTAIN WILSON IS REPAID WITH INTEREST FOR JACK'S BORROWING HISNAME; PROVING THAT A GOOD NAME IS AS GOOD AS A LEGACY.

  "Well, Jack, my boy, have you any long story ready for me?" inquired theGovernor.

  "Yes, sir," replied Jack, "I have one or two very good ones."

  "Very well, we'll hear them after dinner," replied old Tom. "In themeantime find out your room and take possession."

  "That must not be for very long, Governor," observed Captain Wilson."Mr Easy must learn his duty, and there is a good opportunity now."

  "If you please, sir," replied Jack, "I'm on the sick-list."

  "Sick-list," said Captain Wilson; "you were not in the report that MrWilson gave me this morning."

  "No, I'm on Mr Pottyfar's list; and I'm going through a course of theuniversal medicine."

  "What's all this, Jack--what's all this?--there's some story here--don'tbe afraid of the captain--you've me to back you," said the Governor.

  Jack was not at all afraid of the captain, so he told him how thefirst-lieutenant had refused him leave the evening before, and how hehad now given him permission to remain, and try the universal medicine,at which the Governor laughed heartily, nor could Captain Wilson refrainfrom joining.

  "But, Mr Easy," replied the captain, after a pause, "if Mr Pottyfarwill allow you to stay on shore, I cannot--you have your duty to learn.You must be aware that now is your time, and you must not loseopportunities that do not occur every day. You must acknowledge thetruth of what I say."

  "Yes, sir," replied Jack, "I admit it all, provided I do intend tofollow the profession;" and so saying, our hero bowed, and left theveranda where they had been talking.

  This hint of Jack's, thrown out by him more with the intention ofpreventing his being sent on board than with any definite idea, was notlost upon either the captain or the Governor.

  "Does he jib, then?" observed the Governor.

  "On the contrary, I never knew him more attentive and so entirelygetting rid of his former notions. He has behaved most nobly in thegale, and there has not been one complaint against him--I never was moreastonished--he must have meant something."

  "I'll tell you what he means, Wilson--that he does not like to be senton board, nothing more. He's not to be cooped up--you may lead him, butnot drive him."

  "Yes, but the service will not admit of it. I never could allow it--hemust do his duty like the rest, and conform to the rules."

  "Exactly, so he must; but look ye, Wilson, you must not lose him: it'sall easily settled--appoint him your orderly midshipman to and from theship; that will be employment, and he can always remain here at night.I will tell him that I have asked, as a favour, what I now do, and leaveme to find out what he is thinking about."

  "It may be done that way, certainly," replied Captain Wilson, musing;"and you are more likely to get his intentions from him than I am. I amafraid he has too great a command of money ever to be fond of the ship;it is the ruin of a junior officer to be so lavishly supplied."

  "He's a long way from ruin yet, Wilson--he's a very fine fellow, even byyour own acknowledgment. You humoured him out of gratitude to hisfather, when he first came into the service; humour him a little now tokeep him in it. Besides, if your first lieutenant is such a fool withhis universal medicine, can you wonder at a midshipman taking advantageof it?"

  "No, but I ought not to allow him to do so with my eyes open."

  "He has made it known to you upon honour, and you ought not to takeadvantage of his confidence: but still what I proposed would, I think,be the best, for then he will be at his duty in a way that will suit allparties. You, because you employ him on service--the first lieutenant,because Jack can take his medicine--and Jack, because he can dine withme every day."

  "Well, I suppose it must be so," replied Captain Wilson, laughing; "butstill, I trust, you will discover what is working in his mind to inducehim to give me that answer, Governor."

  "Never fear, Jack shall confess, and lay his soul as bare as that of aCatholic bigot before his padre."

  The party sat down to dinner, and what with the Governor's aide-de-campand those invited, it was pretty numerous. After the cloth had beenremoved, the Governor called upon Jack for his stories, whereupon, muchto the surprise of Captain Wilson, who had never heard one word of it,for the admiral had not mentioned anything about it to him during theshort time the _Aurora_ was with the Toulon fleet, our hero gave theGovernor and the company the narrative of all that happened in the _MaryAnn_ transport--the loves of Captain Hogg and Miss Hicks--the adventuresof Gascoigne--and his plan, by which he baulked them all. The Governorwas delighted, and Captain Wilson not a little astonished.

  "You prevented a very foolish thing, Mr Easy, and behaved very well,"observed the captain, laughing again at the idea; "but you never told meof all this."

  "No, sir," replied Jack, "I have always reserved my stories for theGovernor's table, where I am sure to meet you, and then telling oncedoes for all."

  Jack received his appointment as orderly midshipman, and everything wenton well; for, of his own accord, he stayed on board the major part ofthe day to learn his duty, which very much pleased the captain and MrPottyfar. In this Jack showed a great deal of good sense, and CaptainWilson did not repent of the indulgence he had shown him. Jack's healthimproved daily, much to Mr Pottyfar's satisfaction, who imagined thathe took the universal medicine night and morning. Gascoigne also was apatient under the first lieutenant's hands, and often on shore with ourhero, who thought no more of quitting the service.

  For seven weeks they had now remained in harbour, for even the masts hadto be made, when, one day, Captain Wilson opened a letter he received atbreakfast-time, and having read it, laid it down with the greatestsurprise depicted in his countenance. "Good heavens! what can thismean?" said he.

  "What's the matter, Wilson?" said the Governor.

  "Just hear its contents, Sir Thomas."

  Captain Wilson then read in Spanish as follows:--

  "HONOURABLE SIR:--

  "It is my duty to advise you that the Honourable Lady Signora Alforgasde Guzman, now deceased, has, in her testament, bequeathed to you thesum of one thousand doubloons in gold as a testimony of your kindservices on the night of the 12th of August. If you will authorise anymerchant here to receive the money, it shall be paid forthwith, orremitted in any way you please to appoint. May you live a thousandyears.

  "Your most obedient servant:--

  "ALFONZO XEREZ."

  Jack heard the letter read, rose quietly, whistled low, as if notattending to it, and then slipped out of the room, unperceived by theGovernor or Captain Wilson.

  The fact was, that although Jack had longed to tell the Governor abouthis adventures after the masquerade, he did not like yet awhile, untilhe was sure that there were no consequences--because he had given thecaptain's name instead of his own. As soon as he heard the letter read,he at once perceived that it had been the old lady, and not the priests,who had made the inquiry, and that by giving Captain Wilson's name hehad obtained for him this fine legacy. Jack was delighted, but stillpuzzled, so he walked out of the room to reflect a little.

  "What can it mean?" said Captain Wilson. "I never rendered any servicesto any one on the 12th of August or after it. It is some mistake--12thof August--that was the day of the grand masquerade."

  "A lucky one for you, at all events--for you know, mistake or not, noone else can touch the legacy. It can only be paid to you."

  "I never heard of anything taking place at the masquerade--I was there,but I left early, for I was not very well. Mr Easy," said CaptainWilson, turning round, but Jack was gone.

  "Was he at the masquerade?" asked the Governor.

  "Yes, I know he was, for the first lieutenant told me that he requestednot to come on board till the next day."

  "Depend upon it," replied the Governor, striking his fist upon thetable, "that Jack's at the bottom of it."

&n
bsp; "I should not be surprised at his being at the bottom of anything,"replied Captain Wilson, laughing.

  "Leave it to me, Wilson, I'll find it out."

  After a little more conversation, Captain Wilson went on board, leavingJack on purpose that the Governor might pump him. But this Sir Thomashad no occasion to do, for Jack had made up his mind to make theGovernor his confidant, and he immediately told him the whole story.The Governor held his sides at our hero's description, especially at hisruse of giving the captain's name instead of his own.

  "You'll kill me, Jack, before you've done with me," said old Tom, atlast; "but now what is to be done?"

  Our hero now became grave; he pointed out to the Governor that hehimself had plenty of money, and would come into a large fortune, andthat Captain Wilson was poor, with a large family. All Jack wished theGovernor to manage was, that Captain Wilson might consent to accept thelegacy.

  "Right, boy, right! you're my own boy," replied the Governor; "but wemust think of this, for Wilson is the very soul of honour, and there maybe some difficulty about it. You have told nobody?"

  "Not a soul but you, Sir Thomas."

  "It never will do to tell him all this, Jack, for he would insist thatthe legacy belonged to you."

  "I have it, sir," replied Jack. "When I was going into the masquerade,I offered to hand this very old lady, who was covered with diamonds, outof her carriage, and she was so frightened at my dress of a devil, thatshe would have fallen down had it not been for Captain Wilson, whosupported her, and she was very thankful to him."

  "You are right, Jack," replied the Governor, after a short pause; "thatwill, I think, do. I must tell him the story of the friars, because Iswore you had something to do with it--but I'll tell him no more: leaveit all to me."

  Captain Wilson returned in the afternoon, and found the Governor in theveranda.

  "I have had some talk with young Easy," said the Governor, "and he hastold me a strange story about that night, which he was afraid to tell toeverybody."

  The Governor then narrated the history of the friars and the will.

  "Well, but," observed Captain Wilson, "the history of that will affordno clue to the legacy."

  "No, it does not; but still, as I said, Jack had a hand in this. Hefrightened the old lady as a devil, and you caught her in your arms andsaved her from falling, so he had a hand in it, you see."

  "I do now remember that I did save a very dowager-like old personagefrom falling at the sight of a devil, who, of course, must have been ourfriend Easy."

  "Well, and that accounts for the whole of it."

  "A thousand doubloons for picking up an old lady!"

  "Yes, why not?--have you not heard of a man having a fortune left himfor merely opening the pew-door of a church to an old gentleman?"

  "Yes, but it appears so strange."

  "There's nothing strange in this world, Wilson, nothing at all--we mayslave for years and get no reward, and do a trifle out of politeness andbecome independent. In my opinion, this mystery is unravelled. The oldlady, for I knew the family, must have died immensely rich: she knew youin your full uniform, and she asked your name; a heavy fall would havebeen to one so fat a most serious affair; you saved her, and she hasrewarded you handsomely."

  "Well," replied Captain Wilson, "as I can give no other explanation, Isuppose yours is the correct one; but it's hardly fair to take athousand doubloons from her relations merely for an act of civility."

  "You really are quite ridiculous; the old lady owned half Murcia, to myknowledge. It is no more to them than any one leaving you a suit ofmourning in an English legacy. I wish you joy; it will help you with alarge family, and in justice to them you are bound to take it.Everybody does as he pleases with his own money,--depend upon it, yousaved her from breaking her leg short off at the hip joint."

  "Upon that supposition I presume I must accept of the legacy," repliedCaptain Wilson, laughing.

  "Of course, send for it at once. The rate of exchange is now high. Iwill give you government bills, which will make it nearly four thousandpounds."

  "Four thousand pounds for preventing an old woman from falling," repliedCaptain Wilson.

  "Devilish well paid, Wilson, and I congratulate you."

  "For how much am I indebted to the father of young Easy!" observedCaptain Wilson, after a silence of some minutes; "if he had not assistedme when I was appointed to a ship, I should not have gained mypromotion--nor three thousand pounds I have made in prize-money--thecommand of a fine frigate--and now four thousand pounds in a windfall."

  The Governor thought that he was more indebted to Jack than to hisfather for some of these advantages, but he was careful not to pointthem out.

  "It's very true," observed the Governor, "that Mr Easy was of serviceto you when you were appointed; but allow me to observe that for yourship, your prize-money, and for your windfall, you have been whollyindebted to your own gallantry in both senses of the word; still MrEasy is a fine generous fellow, and so is his son, I can tell you.By-the-bye, I had a long conversation with him the other day."

  "About himself?"

  "Yes, all about himself. He appears to me to have come into the servicewithout any particular motive, and will be just as likely to leave it inthe same way. He appears to be very much in love with that Siciliannobleman's daughter. I find that he has written to her, and to herbrother, since he has been here."

  "That he came into the service in search of what he never will find inthis world, I know very well; and I presume that he has found that out--and that he will follow up the service is also very doubtful; but I donot wish that he should leave it yet; it is doing him great good,"replied Captain Wilson.

  "I agree with you there--I have great influence with him, and he shallstay yet awhile. He is heir to a very large fortune, is he not?"

  "A clear eight thousand pounds a year, if not more."

  "If his father dies he must, of course, leave: a midshipman with eightthousand pounds a year would indeed be an anomaly."

  "That the service could not permit. It would be as injurious to himselfas it would to others about him. At present, he has almost, indeed Imay say quite, an unlimited command of money."

  "That's bad, very bad. I wonder he behaves so well as he does."

  "And so do I: but he really is a very superior lad, with all hispeculiarities, and a general favourite with those whose opinions andfriendship are worth having."

  "Well, don't curb him up too tight--for really he does not require it.He goes very well in a snaffle."