Percival Keene
Page 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
About a month after my aunt's marriage, a letter was received fromCaptain Delmar, who had arrived at Spithead, requesting my mother tosend me to Portsmouth as soon as she could, and not go to the trouble orexpense of fitting me out, as he would take that upon himself.
This was but short notice to give a fond mother, but there was no helpfor it; she returned an answer, that in three days from the date of theletter I should be there.
I was immediately summoned from school that she might see as much of meas possible before I went; and although she did not attempt to detainme, I perceived, very often, the tears run down her cheeks.
My grandmother thought proper to make me very long speeches every threeor four hours, the substance of which may be comprehended in very fewwords--to wit, that I had been a very bad boy, and that I was littlebetter now; that I had been spoiled by over-indulgence, and that it waslucky my aunt Milly was not so much with me; that on board a man-of-warI dare not play tricks, and that I would find it very different frombeing at home with my mother; that Captain Delmar was a very great man,and that I must be very respectful to him; that some day I should thankher very much for her being so kind to me; that she hoped I would behavewell, and that if I did not, she hoped that I would get a good beating.
Such was the burden of her song, till at last I got very tired of it,and on the third evening I broke away from her, saying, "Law, granny howyou do twaddle!" upon which she called me a good-for-nothing youngblackguard, and felt positively sure that I should be hanged. Theconsequence was, that granny and I did not part good friends; and Isincerely hoped that when I had come back again, I should not find herabove ground.
The next morning I bade farewell to my dear Aunt Milly and CaptainBridgeman, received a very ungracious salute from granny, who appearedto think, as she kissed me, that her lips were touching somethingpoisonous, and set off with my mother in the coach to Portsmouth.
We arrived safe at Portsmouth, and my mother immediately took lodgingson the Common Hard at Portsea. The next day, having dressed herselfwith great care, with a very thick veil on her bonnet, my mother walkedwith me to the George Hotel, where Captain Delmar had taken up hisquarters.
On my mother sending up her card, we were immediately ushered upstairs,and on entering the room found the Honourable Captain Delmar sittingdown in full uniform--his sword, and hat, and numerous papers, lying onthe table before him. On one side of the table stood a lieutenant, hatin hand; on the other, the captain's clerk, with papers for him to sign.My friend Tommy Dott was standing at the window, chasing a blue-bottlefly, for want of something better to do; and the steward was waiting fororders behind the captain's chair.
My mother, who had pulled down her veil, so that her face was notvisible, made a slight courtesy to Captain Delmar, who rose up andadvanced to receive her very graciously, requesting that she would beseated for a minute or two, till he had time to speak to her.
I have thought since, that my honourable captain had a mind to impressupon my mother the state and dignity of a captain in his Majesty'sservice, when in commission. He took no notice whatever of me. TommyDott gave me a wink of his eye from the window, and I returned thecompliment by putting my tongue into my cheek; but the other partieswere too much occupied with the captain to perceive our friendlyrecognition. Captain Delmar continued to give various orders, and aftera time the officers attending were dismissed.
As soon as we were alone, my mother was addressed in, I thought, rathera pompous way, and very much in contrast with his previous politenessbefore others. Captain Delmar informed her that he should take meimmediately under his protection, pay all my expenses, and, if I behavedwell, advance me in the service.
At this announcement, my mother expressed a great deal of gratitude,and, shedding a few tears, said, that the boy would in future look up tohim as a parent. To this speech Captain Delmar made no reply; but,changing the conversation, told her that he expected to sail in aboutthree or four days, and that no time must be lost in fitting me out;that, all things considered, he thought it advisable that she shouldreturn at once to Chatham, and leave the boy with him as she could notknow what was requisite for me, and would therefore be of no use.
At the idea of parting with me, my mother cried bitterly. CaptainDelmar did then rise off his chair, and taking my mother by the handspeak to her a few words of consolation. My mother removed herhandkerchief from her eyes and sighed deeply, saying to Captain Delmar,with an appealing look, "Oh! Captain Delmar, remember that for you Ihave indeed made great sacrifices; do not forget them, when you look atthat boy, who is very dear to me."
"I will do him justice," replied the captain, somewhat affected, "but Imust insist upon inviolable secrecy on your part; you must promise methat under any circumstances--"
"I have obeyed you for thirteen years," replied my mother; "I am notlikely to forget my promise now; it is hard to part with him, but Ileave him in the hands of--"
"You forget the boy is there," interrupted Captain Delmar; "take himaway now; to-morrow morning I will send my coxswain for him, and youmust go back to Chatham."
"God bless you, sir," replied my mother, weeping, as Captain Delmarshook her hand, and then we left the room. As we were walking back toour lodging, I inquired of my mother--"What's the secret between you andCaptain Delmar, mother?"
"The secret, child! Oh, something which took place at the time I wasliving with his aunt, and which he does not wish to have known; so askme no more questions about it."
After our return, my mother gave me a great deal of advice. She told methat, as I had lost my father Ben, I must now look upon Captain Delmaras a father to me; that Ben had been a faithful servant to the captain,and that she had been the same to Mrs Delmar, his aunt; and that wasthe reason why Captain Delmar was interested about me, and had promisedto do so much for me; begging me to treat him with great respect andnever venture to play him any tricks, or otherwise he would be highlyoffended, and send me home again; and then I should never rise to be anofficer in his Majesty's service.
I cannot say the advice received the attention it deserved, for I feltmore inclined to play tricks to my honourable captain than any person Iever met with; however, I appeared to consent, and, in return begged mymother to take care of my dog Bob, which she promised to do.
My mother cried a great deal during the night; the next morning she gaveme five guineas as pocket-money, recommending me to be careful of it,and telling me I must look to Captain Delmar for my future supply. Shetied up the little linen I had brought with me in a handkerchief, andshortly after the coxswain knocked at the door, and came upstairs toclaim me for his Majesty's service.
"I'm come for the youngster, if you please, marm," said the coxswain, afine, tall seaman, remarkably clean and neat in his dress.
My mother put her arms round me, and burst into tears.
"I beg your pardon, marm," said the coxswain, after standing silentabout a minute, "but could not you _do the piping_ after the youngster'sgone? If I stay here long I shall be blowed up by the skipper, as sureas my name's Bob Cross."
"I will detain you but a few seconds longer," replied my mother; "I maynever see him again."
"Well, that's a fact; my poor mother never did me," replied thecoxswain.
This observation did not raise my mother's spirits. Another pauseensued, during which I was bedewed with her tears, when the coxswainapproached again--
"I ax your pardon, marm; but if you know anything of Captain Delmar, youmust know he's not a man to be played with, and you would not wish toget me into trouble. It's a hard thing to part with a child, I'm told,but it wouldn't help me if I said anything about your tears. If thecaptain were to go to the boat, and find me not there, he'd just say,`What were my orders, sir?' and after that, you know, marm, there is nota word for me to say."
"Take him, then, my good man," replied my mother, pressing meconvulsively to her heart--"take him; Heaven bless you, my dear child."
I once more pressed my lips to my poor mother's, and she resigned me tothe coxswain, at the same time taking some silver off the table andputting it into his hand.
"Thanky, marm; that's kinder still, to think of another when you're indistress yourself; I shan't forget it. I'll look after the lad a bitfor you, as sure as my name's Bob Cross."
My mother sank down on the sofa, with her handkerchief to her eyes.
Bob Cross caught up the bundle, and led me away. I was very melancholy,for I loved my mother, and could not bear to see her so distressed, andfor some time we walked on without speaking.
The coxswain first broke the silence:--"What's your name, my littleTrojan?" said he.
"Percival Keene."
"Well I'm blessed if I didn't think that you were one of the Delmarbreed, by the cut of your jib; howsomever, it's a wise child that knowsits own father."
"Father's dead," replied I.
"Dead! Well, fathers do die sometimes; you must get on how you canwithout one. I don't think fathers are of much use, for, you see,mothers take care of you till you're old enough to go to sea. My fatherdid nothing for me, except to help mother to lick me, when I wasobstropolous."
The reader, from what he has already been informed about Ben, themarine, may easily conceive that I was very much of Bob Cross's opinion.
"I suppose you don't know anybody on board--do you?"
"Yes, I know Tommy Dott--I knew him when the ship was at Chatham."
"Oh! Mr Tommy Dott; I dare say you're just like him, for you look fullof mischief. He's a very nice young man for a small party, as thesaying is; there is more devil in his little carcase than in twowomen's, and that's not a trifle; you'll hunt in couples, I dare say,and get well flogged at the same gun, if you don't take care. Now, herewe are, and I must report my arrival with you under convoy."
Bob Cross sent a waiter for the captain's steward, who went up toCaptain Delmar. I was ordered to go upstairs, and again found myself inthe presence of the noble captain, and a very stout elderly man, with aflaxen wig.
"This is the lad," said Captain Delmar, when I came into the room andwalked up to him; "you know exactly what he requires; oblige me byseeing him properly fitted out and the bill sent in to me."
"Your orders shall be strictly obeyed, Captain Delmar," said the oldgentleman, with a profound bow.
"You had better not order too many things, as he is growing fast; itwill be easy to make good any deficiencies as they may be required."
"Your orders shall be most strictly obeyed, Captain Delmar," replied theold gentleman, with another bow.
"I hardly know what to do with him for to-day and to-morrow, until hisuniforms are made," continued the captain: "I suppose he must go onboard."
"If you have no objection, Captain Delmar," said the old gentleman, withanother low bow, "I am sure that Mrs Culpepper will be most proud totake charge of any _protege_ of yours; we have a spare bed, and theyoung gentleman can remain with us until he is ready to embark in theuniform of his rank."
"Be it so, Mr Culpepper; let your wife take care of him until all iscomplete, and his chest is ready. You'll oblige me by arranging abouthis mess."
"Your wishes shall be most strictly attended to, Captain Delmar,"replied Mr Culpepper, with another profound inclination, which made mefeel very much inclined to laugh.
"If you have no further orders, Captain Delmar, I will now take theyoung gentleman with me."
"Nothing more, Mr Culpepper--good morning," replied Captain Delmar, whoneither said how d'ye do to me when I came in, or good bye when I wentaway in company with Mr Culpepper. I had yet to learn what a thing ofno consequence was a "sucking Nelson."
I followed Mr Culpepper down stairs, who desired me to remain with thecoxswain, who was standing under the archway, while he spoke to thecaptain's steward.
"Well," said Bob Cross, "what's the ticket, youngster,--are you to goabroad with me?"
"No," said I; "I am to stay on shore with that old chap, who doesnothing but bob his head up and down. Who is he?"
"That's our nipcheese."
"Nipcheese!"
"Yes; nipcheese means purser of the ship--you'll find all that outby-and-by; you've got lots to larn, and, by way of a hint, make him yourfriend if you can, for he earwigs the captain in fine style."
Perceiving that I did not understand him, Bob Cross continued: "I meanthat our captain's very fond of the officers paying him great respect,and he likes all that bowing and scraping; he don't like officers or mento touch their hats, but to take them right off their heads when theyspeak to him. You see, he's a sprig of nobility, as they call it, andwhat's more he's also a post-captain, and thinks no small beer ofhimself; so don't forget what I say--here comes the purser."
Mr Culpepper now came out, and, taking my hand, led me away to his ownhouse, which was at Southsea. He did not speak a word during the walk,but appeared to be in deep cogitation: at last we arrived at his door.