Newton Forster; Or, The Merchant Service

by Frederick Marryat

  VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

  "Thus the rich vessel moves in trim array, Like some fair virgin on her bridal day: Thus like a swan, she cleaves the watery plain, The pride and wonder of the Aegean main.

  "The natives, while the ship departs the land, Ashore, with admiration gazing stand: Majestically slow before the breeze, In silent pomp, she marches on the seas." FALCONER.

  Much to the satisfaction of Captain Drawlock, the chronometers and theladies were safe on board, and the Bombay Castle proceeded to the Downs,where she was joined by the purser, charged with the despatches of theaugust directors. Once upon a time a director was a very great man, andthe India board a very great board. There must have been a very greatmany plums in the pudding, for in this world people do not take troublefor nothing; and until latter years, how eagerly, how perseveringly wasthis situation applied for--what supplicating advertisements--whatfawning and wheedling promises of attention to the interests of theproprietors--your "voices, good people!" But now nobody is soparticularly anxious to be a director, because another board "biggerthan he" has played the kittiwake, and forced it to disgorge for theconsumption of its superior,--I mean the Board of Control: the readerhas probably heard of it; the board which, not content with the Europeanresidents in India being deprived of their proudest birthright, "theliberty of the press," would even prevent them from having justiceawarded to them, by directing two tame elephants (thereby implying two--- ---) to be placed on each side of a wild one (thereby implying anhonest and conscientious man). Notwithstanding all which, for thepresent, the tongue, the ears and the eyes are permitted to be madediscreet use of, although I believe that the new charter is to have aclause introduced to the contrary.

  The prevalent disease of the time we live in is ophthalmia of intellect,affecting the higher classes. Monarchs, stone-blind, have tumbledheadlong from their thrones, and princes have been conducted by theirsubjects out of their principalities. The aristocracy are purblind, andcannot distinctly decipher the "signs of the times." The hierarchycannot discover why people would have religion at a reduced price: infact, they are all blind, and will not perceive that an enormous mass,in the shape of public opinion, hangs over their heads and threatens toannihilate them. Forgetting that kings, and princes, and lords,spiritual or temporal, have all been raised to their various degrees ofexaltation by public opinion alone, they talk of legitimacy, of vestedrights, and Deuteronomy.--Well, if there is to be a general tumble,thank God, I can't fall far!

  We left the Bombay Castle in the Downs, where she remained until joinedby several other India vessels. On the arrival of a large frigate, whohad orders to escort them as far as the Island of St. Helena, they allweighed, and bore down the Channel before a strong South East gale. Thefirst ten days of a voyage there is seldom much communication betweenthose belonging to the ship and the passengers; the former are too muchoccupied in making things shipshape, and the latter with the miseries ofsea-sickness. An adverse gale in the Bay of Biscay, with which they hadto contend, did not at all contribute to the recovery of the digestivepowers of the latter; and it was not until a day or two before thearrival of the convoy at Madeira that the ribbon of a bonnet was to beseen fluttering in the breeze which swept the decks of the BombayCastle.

  The first which rose up from the quarter-deck hatchway was one thatencircled the head of Mrs Ferguson, the wife of the presbyteriandivine, who crawled up the ladder, supported on one side by her husband,and on the other by the assiduous Captain Drawlock.

  "Very well done, ma'am, indeed!" said the captain, with an encouragingsmile, as the lady seized hold of the copper stanchions which surroundedthe sky-lights, to support herself, when she had gained the deck."You're a capital sailor, and have by your conduct set an example to theother ladies, as I have no doubt your husband does to the gentlemen.Now allow me to offer you my arm."

  "Will you take mine also, my dear," said Mr Ferguson.

  "No, Mr Ferguson," replied the lady, tartly; "I think it is enough foryou to take care of yourself. Recollect your Scripture proverb of `theblind leading the blind.' I have no inclination to tumble into one ofthose pits," added she, pointing to the hatchway.

  Captain Drawlock very civilly dragged the lady to the weather-side ofthe quarter-deck, where, after in vain attempting to walk, she sat downupon one of the carronade slides.

  "The fresh air will soon revive you, ma'am; you'll be much betterdirectly," observed the attentive captain. "I beg your pardon onemoment, but there is another lady coming out of the cuddy."

  The cabins abaft the cuddy or dining-room were generally occupied by themore distinguished and wealthy passengers (a proportionate sum beingcharged extra for them). The good people of Glasgow, with a due regardto economy, had not run themselves into such unnecessary expenses forthe passage of Mr and Mrs Ferguson. Mr Revel, aware of the effectproduced by an appearance of wealth, had taken one of them for hisdaughters. The other had been secured by Miss Tavistock, much to thegratification of the captain, who thus had his unmarried ladies and hischronometers both immediately under his own eye.

  The personage who had thus called away the attention of the captain wasIsabel Revel, whom, although she has already been mentioned, it will benecessary to describe more particularly to the reader.

  Isabel Revel was now eighteen years old, endowed with a mind sosuperior, that had not her talents been checked by a natural reserve,she might have stepped from the crowd, and have been hailed as a genius.She had been brought up by a foolish mother, and had in her earlieryears been checked by her two insipid sisters, who assumed over her anauthority which their age alone could warrant. Seldom, if ever,permitted to appear when there was company, that she might not "spoilthe market" of the eldest, she had in her solitude applied much toreading, and thus had her mind been highly cultivated.

  The conduct of her father entitled him to no respect; the heartlessnessof her mother to no esteem; the tyranny of her sisters, to no affection;yet did she strive to render all. Until the age of sixteen she had beenthe Cinderella of the family, during which period of seclusion she hadlearned to think and to act for herself.

  Her figure was a little above the middle size, light and elegant; herfeatures beautiful, with an expression of seriousness, arising probablyfrom speaking little and reflecting much. Yet she possessed a mindardent and enthusiastic, which often bore her away in animateddiscourse, until the eye of admiration fixed upon her, would suddenlyclose her lips, for her modesty and her genius were at perpetualvariance.

  It is well known to most of my readers that woman is a problem; but itmay not be as well known that now-a-days, she is a _mathematicalproblem_. Yet so it is. As in the latter you have certain knownquantities given by which you are to find a quantity unknown, so in alady you have the hand, the foot, the mouth, etcetera, apparent; and'tis only by calculation, now that modern dresses are made so full, thatyou can arrive at a just estimate of her approach to total perfection.All good arithmeticians, as they scrutinised the outward and the visibleof Isabel Revel, were perfectly assured as to her quotient. But if Italked for hours, I could say no more than that she was one of thoseideal images created in the dream of youth and poetry, fairly embodiedin flesh and blood. As her father had justly surmised, could she havebeen persuaded to have tried her fortune on the stage, she had personalattractions, depth of feeling, and vivacity of mind to have rendered herone of the very first in a profession, to excel in which, perhaps, thereis more correct judgment and versatility of talent required than in anyother, and would have had a fair prospect of obtaining that coronetwhich has occasionally been the reward of those fair dames who "stoop toconquer."

  Mr Revel, who had been made acquainted with the customs on board ofEast India ships, had been introduced to Mrs Ferguson, and hadrequested her to take upon herself the office of _chaperone_ to hisdaughters, during the passage; a nominal charge indeed, yet consideredto be etiquette. Mrs Ferguson, pleased with the gentleman--likedemeanour and personal appea
rance of Mr Revel, and perhaps at the sametime not sorry to have an authority to find fault, had most graciouslyacquiesced, and the three Miss Revels were considered to be under herprotection.

  As I said before, Miss Isabel Revel made her appearance not unattended,for she was escorted by Doctor Plausible, the surgeon of the ship. Andnow I must again digress while I introduce that gentleman. I nevershall get that poor girl from the cuddy-door.

  Doctor Plausible had been summoned to prescribe for Miss Laura Revel,who suffered extremely from the motion of the vessel, and the remedieswhich she had applied to relieve her uneasiness. Miss Laura Revel hadbeen told by somebody, previous to her embarkation, that the mosteffectual remedy for sea-sickness was gingerbread. In pursuance of theadvice received, she had provided herself with ten or twelve squares ofthis commodity, about one foot by eighteen inches, which squares she hadcommenced upon as soon as she came on board, and had never ceased toswallow, notwithstanding various interruptions. The more did herstomach reject it, the more did she force it down, until, what, withdeglutition, _et vice versa_, she had been reduced to a state of extremeweakness, attended with fever.

  How many panaceas have been offered without success for two evils--sea-sickness and hydrophobia! and between these two there appears to bea link, for sea-sickness as surely ends in hydrophobia, as hydrophobiadoes in death. The sovereign remedy prescribed, when I first went tosea, was a piece of fat pork, tied to a string to be swallowed, and thenpulled up again; the dose to be repeated until effective. I should nothave mentioned this well-known remedy, as it has long been superseded byother nostrums, were it not that this maritime prescription has been theorigin of two modern improvements in the medical catalogue--one is thestomach pump, evidently borrowed from this simple engine; the other isthe very successful prescription now in vogue, to those who are weak inthe digestive organs, to eat fat bacon for breakfast, which I have nodoubt was suggested to Doctor Vance, from what he had been eye-witnessto on board of a man-of-war.

  But here I am digressing again from Doctor Plausible to Dr Vance.Reader, I never lose the opportunity of drawing a moral; and what animportant one is here! Observe how difficult it is to regain the rightpath when once you have quitted it. Let my error be a warning to you inyour journey through life, and my digressions preserve you fromdiverging from the beaten track, which, as the Americans would say,leads _clean slick_ on to happiness and peace.

  Doctor Plausible was a personable man, apparently about five-and-thirtyyears old: he wore a little powder in his hair, black silk stockings,and knee-breeches. In this I consider Doctor Plausible was right; theabove look much more scientific than Wellington trousers; and muchdepends upon the exterior. He was quite a ladies' man; talked to themabout their extreme sensibility, their peculiar fineness of organicstructure, their delicacy of nerves; and soothed his patients more byflattery than by physic. Having discovered that Miss Laura was notinclined to give up her gingerbread, he immediately acknowledged itsvirtues, but recommended that it should be cut into extremely smalldice, and allowed, as it were, to melt, away upon the tongue; stating,that her digestive organs were so refined and delicate, that they wouldnot permit them selves to be loaded with any large particles, even offarinaceous compound. Isabel Revel, who had been informed that MrsFerguson was on deck, expressed a wish to escape from the confinedatmosphere of the cabin; and Doctor Plausible, as soon as he hadprescribed for Miss Laura, offered Miss Isabel his services; which, forwant of a better, perhaps, were accepted.

  The ship at this time had a great deal of motion. The gale was spent;but the sea created by the violence of the wind had not yet subsided,and the waves continued still to rise and fall again, like the pantingbreasts of men who have just desisted from fierce contention. CaptainDrawlock hastened over to receive his charge from the hands of themedical attendant; and paying Isabel some compliments on her appearance,was handing her over to the weather-side, where Mrs Ferguson wasseated, when a sea of larger dimensions than usual careened the ship towhat the sailors term a "heavy lurch." The decks were wet and slippery.Captain Drawlock lost his footing and was thrown to leeward. Isabelwould have most certainly kept him company; and indeed was already underweigh for the lee-scuppers, had not it been that Newton Forster, whostood near, caught her round the waist, and prevented her from falling.

  It certainly was a great presumption to take a young lady round thewaist previous to any introduction; but, at sea, we are not veryparticular; and if we do perceive that a lady is in danger of a severefall, we do not stand upon etiquette. What is more remarkable, wegenerally find that the ladies excuse our unpolished manners, eitherupon the score of our good intentions, or because there is nothing sovery impertinent in them after all. Certain it is, that Isabel, as soonas she had recovered from her alarm, thanked Newton Forster, with asweet smile, for his timely aid, as she again took the arm of CaptainDrawlock, who escorted her to the weather-side of the quarter-deck.

  "I have brought you one of your _protegees_, Mrs Ferguson," saidCaptain Drawlock. "How do you feel, Miss Revel?"

  "Like most young ladies, sir, a little giddy," replied Isabel. "I hopeyou were not hurt, Captain Drawlock; I'm afraid that you fell by payingmore attention to me than to yourself."

  "My duty, Miss Revel. Allow me to add, my pleasure," replied thecaptain, bowing.

  "That's very politely said, Captain Drawlock," replied Isabel.

  "Almost too polite, I think," observed Mrs Ferguson (who was out ofhumour at not being the first object of attention), "considering thatCaptain Drawlock is a married man, with seven children." The captainlooked glum, and Miss Revel observing it, turned the conversation, byinquiring--"Who was that gentleman who saved me from falling?"

  "Mr Newton Forster, one of the mates of the vessel. Would you like towalk Miss Revel or remain where you are?"

  "Thank you, I will stay with Mrs Ferguson."

  The gentlemen passengers had as yet but occasionally appeared on deck.Men generally suffer more from the distressing sickness than women. Assoon, however, as the news had been communicated below, that the ladieswere on deck, some of the gentlemen immediately repaired to theirtrunks, to make themselves presentable, and then hastened on deck. Thefirst on deck was the old colonel, who tottered up the hatchway, and bydint of seizing rope after rope, at last succeeded in advancing hislines to within hearing range of Mrs Ferguson, to whom he had beenformally introduced. He commenced by lamenting his unfortunatesufferings, which had prevented him from paying those attentions, everto him a source of enjoyment and gratification; but he was a martyr--quite a martyr; never felt any sensation which could be compared to it,except when he was struck in the breast with a spent ball, in the battleof ---; that their appearance had made him feel revived already; that asthe world would be a dark prison without the sun, so would a ship bewithout the society of ladies; commenced a description of Calcutta, andthen--made a hasty retreat to the lee-gangway.

  The young writer next made his appearance, followed by two boys, whowere going out as cadets; the first, with a new pair of grey kid gloves,the others in their uniforms. The writer descanted long upon his ownmiseries, without any inquiry or condolement for the sufferings of theladies. The cadets said nothing; but stared so much at Isabel Revel,that she dropped her veil.

  The ladies had been about a quarter of an hour on deck, when the sun,which had not shown itself for two days, gleamed through the clouds.Newton, who was officer of the watch, and had been accustomed when withMr Berecroft, to work a chronometer, interrupted the captain, who wasleaning on the carronade, talking to Mrs Ferguson.

  "The sun is out, and the horizon pretty clear, sir; you may have sightsfor the chronometers."

  "Yes, indeed," said the captain, looking up; "be quick, and fetch mysextant. You'll excuse me, ladies, but the chronometers must beattended to."

  "In preference to us, Captain Drawlock?--Fie for shame!" replied MrsFerguson.

  "Why, not exactly," replied the captain, "not exactly; but the fact
isthat the sun may go in again."

  "And we can stay out, I presume?" replied Isabel, laughing. "I think,Mrs Ferguson, we ought to go in too."

  "But, my dear young lady, if the sun goes in, I shall not get a_sight_!"

  "And if we go in, you will not get a sight either," replied MrsFerguson.

  "Between the two, sir," observed Newton, handing Captain Drawlock hissextant, "you stand a chance of losing both. There's no time to spare;I'm all ready."

  Captain Drawlock walked to the break of the gangways, so far concealedfrom the ladies that they could not perceive that he was looking throughhis sextant, the use of which they did not comprehend, having never seenone before. Newton stood at the capstern, with his eyes fixed on thewatch.

  "Captain Drawlock," said Mrs Ferguson, calling to him, "allow me toobserve--"

  "_Stop_," cried Captain Drawlock, in a loud voice. Newton, to whom thiswas addressed, noted the time.

  "Good heavens what can be the matter;" said Mrs Ferguson, withastonishment, to those near her; "how excessively rude of CaptainDrawlock;--what can it be?" continued she, addressing the colonel, whohad rejoined them.

  "Really, madam, I cannot tell; but it is my duty to inquire," repliedthe colonel, who, going up to Captain Drawlock, commenced--"Have theladies already so fallen in your estimation--"

  "Forty degrees!" cried Captain Drawlock, who was intent upon hissextant. "Excuse me, sir, just now."

  "When will you be at leisure, sir?" resumed the colonel, haughtily.

  "Twenty-six minutes," continued the captain, reading off his sextant.

  "A little sooner, I should hope, sir," retorted the colonel.

  "Forty-five seconds."

  "This is really quite insufferable! Miss Revel, we had better go in."

  "Stop!" again cried Captain Drawlock, in a loud voice.

  "Stop!" repeated Mrs Ferguson, angrily; "surely we are not slaves."

  Newton, who heard what was passing, could not repress his laughter.

  "Indeed, I am sure there must be some mistake, Mrs Ferguson," observedIsabel. "Wait a little."

  "Forty-six minutes, thirty seconds," again read off the captain."Capital sights both! but the sun is behind that dark cloud, and weshall have no more of his presence."

  "Nor of ours, I assure you, sir," said Mrs Ferguson, rising, as CaptainDrawlock walked from the gangway to the capstern.

  "Why, my dear madam, what is the matter?"

  "We have not been accustomed to such peremptory language, sir. It maybe the custom on board ship to holla `stop' to ladies when they addressyou, or express a wish to leave the deck."

  "My dearest madam, I do assure you, upon my honour, that you are under amistake. I ordered Mr Forster to stop, not you."

  "Mr Forster!" replied the lady; "why, he was standing still the wholetime!"

  It was not until the whole system of taking sights for chronometers hadbeen satisfactorily explained that the lady recovered her good-humour.While the captain was thus employed with Mrs Ferguson, Newton, althoughit was not necessary, explained the mystery to Miss Revel, who, withMrs Ferguson, soon after quitted the deck.

  The sights taken proved the ship to be to the eastward of her reckoning.The other ships in company had made the same discovery, and the coursewas altered one quarter of a point. In two days they dropped theiranchor in Funchal Roads.

  But I must for a little while recross the Bay of Biscay, and with myreader look into the chambers of Mr John Forster.

  Look Upon this child I saved her, must not leave Her life to chance; but point me out some nook Of safety, where she less may shrink and grieve. ... This child, who parentless, is therefore mine. BYRON.

  A few minutes after Newton had quitted the chambers of his uncle theclerk made his appearance, announcing to Mr John Forster that agentleman requested to speak to him.

  "I asked the gentleman's name, sir," observed the clerk, shutting to thedoor, "but he did not choose to give it. He has a little girl withhim."

  "Very well, Scratton, the little girl cannot concern me," replied theold lawyer; "ask him to walk in;"--and he again conned over the brief,not choosing to lose the minute which might elapse before he was againto be interrupted. The door was reopened, and Edward Forster, withAmber holding him by the hand, entered the room.

  "Your servant, sir. Scratton, a chair--two chairs, Scratton. I begyour pardon, young lady."

  When the clerk had retired, Mr John Forster commenced as usual. "Now,sir, may I request the favour of asking your business with me?"

  "You do not recollect me; nor am I surprised at it, as it is fifteenyears since we last met. Time and suffering, which have worn me to askeleton, have also worn out the remembrance of a brother. I am EdwardForster."

  "Edward Forster!--humph! Well, I did not recollect you; but I'm veryglad to see you, brother. Very strange never have heard of one of myfamily for years, and now they all turn up at once! No sooner get ridof one than up starts another. Nicholas came from the Lord knows where,the other day."

  Edward Forster, who was better acquainted with his brother's characterthan Newton, took no notice of the abruptness of his remarks, butreplied:--

  "Nicholas! Is he then alive? I shall be delighted to see him."

  "Humph!" replied John, "I was delighted to get rid of him. Take care ofyour watch or spectacles when you meet him."

  "Indeed, brother! I trust he is not such a character."

  "But he is a character, I can tell you; not what you suppose--he'shonest enough. Let me see if my memory serves me, brother Edward, welast met when you were passing through London on your way to ---, havingbeen invalided, and having obtained a pension of forty pounds per annumfor a severe wound received in action. And pray, brother, where haveyou been ever since?"

  "At the same spot, from which I probably never should have been inducedto remove, had it not been for the sake of this little girl who is nowwith me."

  "And pray who may be that little girl? is she your daughter?"

  "Only by adoption."

  "Humph, brother! for a half-pay lieutenant that appears rather anexpensive whim!--bad enough to maintain children of our own begetting."

  "You say true," replied Edward; "but if in this instance I have incurredan expense and responsibility, it must be considered to be more mymisfortune than my fault." Edward Forster then entered into theparticulars connected with Amber's rescue. "You must acknowledge,brother John," observed Edward, as he closed his narrative, "that Icould not well have acted otherwise; you would not have yourself."

  "Humph! I don't know that; but this I do know, that you had better havestayed at home!"

  "Perhaps so, considering the forlorn prospects of the child; but we mustnot judge. The same Providence which willed that she should be somiraculously saved, also willed that I should be her protector;--whyotherwise did the dog lay her at my feet?"

  "Because it had been taught to `fetch and carry,' I suppose: but,however, brother Edward, I have no right to question your conduct. Ifthe girl is as good as she is pretty, why all the better for her; but,as I am rather busy, let me ask if you have any more to say to me?"

  "I have, John; and the discourse we have had is preliminary. I am herewith a child, forced upon me I may say, but still as dear to me as ifshe were mine own. You must be aware that I have nothing but my pensionand half-pay to subsist upon. I can save nothing. My health isundermined and my life precarious. Last winter I never expected to quitmy bed again and, as I lay in it, the thought naturally occurred of theforlorn and helpless state in which this poor little girl would be incase of my decease. In a lonely cottage,--without money--without familyor friends to apply to--without any one near her being made acquaintedwith her unfortunate history. What would have become of her? It wasthis reflection which determined me, if my life was spared, as soon asmy health would permit, to come to you, the only relative I was certainof still having in the world, that I might acquaint you with herexistence, and, with her history, c
onfide to you the few articles ofdress which she wore when rescued, and which may eventually lead to herrecognition:--a case of extreme doubt and difficulty, I grant; but theways of Providence are mysterious, and her return to the arms of herfriends will not be more wonderful than her preservation on thatdreadful night. Brother! I never have applied to you in my own behalf,although conscious how ample are your means--and I never will; but I donow plead in favour of this dear child. Worn out as I am, my pilgrimageon earth can be but short; and if you would smooth the pillow of a dyingbrother, promise him now that you will extend your bounty to this poororphan, when I'm no more!"

  Edward Forster's voice was tremulous at the close of his appeal, and hisbrother appeared to be affected. There was a silence of a minute, whenthe customary "humph!" was ejaculated, and John Forster then continued:"A very foolish business, brother--very foolish indeed. When Nicholasand his son came here the other day and applied to me--why, it was allvery well there was relationship;--but really, to put another man'schild upon me!"

  "Not while it pleases Heaven to spare _my_ life, brother."

  "`May you live a thousand years!' then, as the Spanish say; but,however, brother Edward, as you say, the poor thing must not starve; so,if I am to take care of a child of another man's begetting, as soon asyou are dead, I can only say, it will very much increase my sorrow atyour loss. Come here, little one: What's your name?"

  "Amber."

  "Amber! who the devil gave you that fool's name?"

  "I did, brother," replied Edward, "I thought it appropriate."

  "Humph! really can't see why. Why did you not call her Sukey, or somename fit for a Christian? Amber! Amber's a gum, is it not? Stop,let's see what Johnson says."

  The lawyer went to a case of books which were in the next room, andreturned with a quarto.

  "Now," said he, seating himself; "AG--AL--AM--Ambassador--Ambassadress--Amber! humph! here it is, `A yellow transparent substance of a gummousor bituminous consistence, but of a resinous taste, and a smell like oilof turpentine; chiefly found in the Baltic sea or the coast of Prussia.'Humph! `Some have imagined it to consist of the tears of birds; othersthe'--humph!--`of a beast; others the scum of the Lake Cephesis, nearthe Atlantic; others a congelation in some fountains, where it is foundswimming like pitch.' Really, brother," continued the lawyer, fixinghis eyes on the little girl, and shutting the book, "I can't see theanalogy."

  "Be her godfather, my dear brother, and call her any name you please."

  "Humph!"

  "Pray, papa," said Amber, turning to Edward Forster, "what's the meaningof humph?"

  "Humph!" repeated the lawyer, looking hard at Amber.

  "It implies yes or no, as it may be," replied Edward Forster, smiling.

  "I never heard any one say it before, papa. You're not angry with me,sir?" continued Amber, turning round to John Forster.

  "No, not angry, little girl; but I'm too busy to talk to you--or indeedwith you, brother Edward. Have you any thing more to say?"

  "Nothing, my dear brother, if I have your promise."

  "Well, you have it; but what am I to do with her, God only knows! Iwish you had kept better hours. You mentioned some clothes which mightidentify her to her relations; pray let me have them, for I shall havethe greatest pleasure in restoring her to them, as soon as possible,after she is once in my hands."

  "Here they are, brother," replied Edward, taking a small packet from hiscoat-pocket: "you had better take charge of them now; and may God blessyou for having relieved my mind from so heavy a load!"

  "Humph! by taking it on my own shoulders," muttered John, as he walkedto the iron safe, to deposit the packet of linen; then returning to thetable, "Have you any thing more to say, brother?"

  "Only to ask you where I may find my brother Nicholas?"

  "That I can't tell; my nephew told me somewhere down the river; but,it's a long way from here to the Nore. Nephew's a fine lad; I sent himoff to the East Indies."

  "I am sorry then that I have no chance of seeing him:--but you are busy,brother?"

  "I have told you so three times, as plain as I could speak?"

  "I will no longer trespass on your time. We return home to-morrowmorning; and, as I cannot expect ever to see you again, God bless you,my dear John! and farewell, I am afraid I may say, in this world atleast, farewell for ever!"

  Edward held out his hand to his brother. It was taken with considerableemotion. "Farewell, brother, farewell!--I'll not forget."

  "Good-bye, sir," said Amber, going close up to John Forster.

  "Good-bye, my little girl," replied he, looking earnestly in her face;and then, as if thawing towards her, as he scanned her beautiful andexpressive features, removing his spectacles and kissing her,"Good-bye."

  "Oh! papa," cried Amber, as she went out of the room, "he kissed me!"

  "Humph!" said John Forster, as the door closed upon them.

  The spectacles were put on, and the reading of the brief immediatelycontinued.