Mr. Midshipman Easy

by Frederick Marryat

  CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

  JACK LEAVES THE SERVICE, IN WHICH HE HAD NO BUSINESS, AND GOES HOME TOMIND HIS OWN BUSINESS.

  On the fourth day they arrived at Malta, and our two midshipmen, as soonas they had settled with the padrone of the vessel, went up to thegovernment-house. They found the Governor in the veranda, Who held outboth his hands, one to each.

  "Glad to see you, my lads. Well, Jack, how's the leg, all right? don'tlimp. And your arm, Gascoigne?"

  "All right, sir, and as sound as ever it was," replied they both.

  "Then you're in luck, and have made more baste than you deserve, afteryour mad pranks; but now sit down, and I suppose, my friend Jack, youhave a story to tell me."

  "Oh, yes, Sir Thomas, and a very long one."

  "Then I won't have it now, for I expect people on business; we'll haveit after dinner. Get your things up and take possession of your rooms.The _Aurora_ sailed four days ago. You've had a wonderful recovery."

  "Wonderful, sir!" replied our hero; "all Palermo rings with it."

  "Well, you may go now--I shall see you at dinner. Wilson will bedelighted when he hears that you have got round again, for he waslow-spirited about it, I can tell you, which is more than you deserve."

  "He's right there," said our hero to Gascoigne as they walked away.

  When dinner was over, Jack narrated to the Governor the adventures ofMesty, with which he was much interested; but when they were quite alonein the evening, the Governor called our two midshipmen into the veranda,and said:

  "Now, my lads, I'm not going to preach, as the saying is, but I've beenlong enough in the world to know that a compound fracture of the leg isnot cured in fourteen or sixteen days. I ask you to tell me the truth.Did not you deceive Captain Wilson on this point?"

  "I am ashamed to say that we did, sir," replied Easy.

  "How did you manage that, and why?"

  Jack then went into further details relative to himself and his amour,stating his wish to be left behind and all that had passed.

  "Well, there's some excuse for you, but none for the surgeons. If anysurgeon here had played such a trick, I would have hung him, as sure asI'm Governor. This affair of yours has become serious. Mr Easy, wemust have some conversation on the matter to-morrow morning."

  The next morning the packet from England was reported off the harbour'smouth. After breakfast the letters were brought on shore, and theGovernor sent for our hero.

  "Mr Easy, here are two letters for you, I am sorry to say with blackseals. I trust that they do not bring the intelligence of the death ofany very near relative."

  Jack bowed without speaking, took the letters, and went to his room.The first he opened was from his father.

  "My Dear John--

  "You will be much grieved to hear that your poor mother, after sittingin the corner for nearly two years waiting for the millennium, appearedto pine away; whether from disappointment or not I do not know; but atlast, in spite of all Dr Middleton could do, she departed this life;and, as the millennium would not come to her as she expected, it is tobe hoped she is gone to the millennium. She was a good wife, and Ialways let her have her own way. Dr Middleton does not appear to besatisfied as to the cause of her death, and has wished to examine; but Isaid no, for I am a philosopher, and it is no use looking for causesafter effects; but I have done since her death what she never wouldpermit me to do during her life. I have had her head shaved, andexamined it very carefully as a phrenologist, and most curiously has sheproved the truth of the sublime science. I will give you the result.Determination, very prominent; Benevolence, small; Caution, extreme;Veneration, not very great; Philo-progenitiveness, strange to say, isvery large, considering she has but one child; Imagination very strong:you know, my dear boy, she was always imagining some nonsense oranother. Her other organs were all moderate. Poor dear creature! sheis gone, and we may well wail, for a better mother or a better wifenever existed. And now, my dear boy, I must request that you call foryour discharge, and come home as soon as possible. I cannot existwithout you, and I require your assistance in the grand work I have incontemplation. The time is at hand, the cause of equality will soontriumph; the abject slaves now hold up their heads; I have electrifiedthem with my speeches, but I am getting old and feeble; I require my sonto leave my mantle to, as one prophet did to another, and then I will,like him, ascend in glory.--Your affectionate Father:--

  "NICODEMUS EASY."

  From this it would appear, thought Jack, that my mother is dead, andthat my father is mad. For some time our hero remained in a melancholymood; he dropped many tears to the memory of his mother, whom, if he hadnever respected, he had much loved; and it was not till half an hour hadelapsed, that he thought of opening the other letter. It was from DrMiddleton.

  "My Dear Boy,--

  "Although not a correspondent of yours, I take the right of havingwatched you through all your childhood, and from a knowledge of yourdisposition, to write you a few lines. That you have by this timediscarded your father's foolish, nonsensical philosophy, I am very sure.It was I who advised your going away for that purpose, and I am surethat, as a young man of sense and the heir to a large property, you willbefore this have seen the fallacy of your father's doctrines. Yourfather tells me that he has requested you to come home, and allow me toadd any weight I may have with you in persuading you to do the same. Itis fortunate for you that the estate is entailed, or you might soon be abeggar, for there is no saying what debts he might, in his madness, beguilty of. He has already been dismissed from the magistracy by thelord lieutenant, in consequence of his haranguing the discontentedpeasantry, and, I may say, exciting them to acts of violence andinsubordination. He has been seen dancing and hurrahing round a stackfired by an incendiary. He has turned away his keepers, and allowed allpoachers to go over the manor. In short, he is not in his senses; and,although I am far from advising coercive measures, I do consider that itis absolutely necessary that you should immediately return home and lookafter what will one day be your property. You have no occasion tofollow the profession with eight thousand pounds per annum. You havedistinguished yourself--now make room for those who require it for theirsubsistence. God bless you. I shall soon hope to shake hands with you.

  "Yours most truly:--

  "G. Middleton."

  There was matter for deep reflection in these two letters, and Jacknever felt before how much his father had been in the wrong. That hehad gradually been weaned from his ideas was true, but still he had, toa certain degree, clung to them, as we do to a habit; but now he feltthat his eyes were opened; the silly, almost unfeeling, letter of hisfather upon the occasion of his mother's death opened his eyes. For along while Jack was in a melancholy meditation, and then, casting hiseyes upon his watch, he perceived that it was almost dinner-time. Thathe could eat his dinner was certain, and he scorned to pretend to feelwhat he did not. He therefore dressed himself and went down, grave, itis true, but not in tears. He spoke little at dinner, and retired assoon as it was over, presenting his two letters to the Governor, andasking his advice for the next morning. Gascoigne followed him, and tohim he confided his trouble; and Ned, finding that Jack was verylow-spirited, consoled him to the best of his power, and brought abottle of wine which he procured from the butler. Before they retiredto bed, Jack had given his ideas to his friend, which were approved of,and wishing him a good-night, he threw himself into bed, and was soonfast asleep.

  "One thing is certain, my good fellow," observed the Governor to ourhero, as he gave him back his letters at the breakfast table the nextmorning; "that your father is as mad as a March hare. I agree with thatdoctor, who appears a sensible man, that you had better go homeimmediately."

  "And leave the service altogether, sir?" replied Jack.

  "Why, I must say that I do not think you exactly fitted for it. I shallbe sorry to lose you, as you have a wonderful talent for adventure, andI shall have no more yarns to hear when you return: but, if
I understandright from Captain Wilson, you were brought into the profession becausehe thought that the service might be of use in eradicating falsenotions, rather than from any intention or necessity of your followingit up as a profession."

  "I suspect that was the case, sir," replied Jack; "as for my own part, Ihardly know why I entered it."

  "To find a mare's nest, my lad; I've heard all about it; but never mindthat, the question is now about your leaving it to look after your ownproperty, and I think I may venture to say that I can arrange all thatmatter at once, without referring to admiral or captain. I will beresponsible for you, and you may go home in the packet which sails onWednesday for England."

  "Thank you, Sir Thomas, I am much obliged to you," replied Jack.

  "You, Mr Gascoigne, I shall, of course, send out by the firstopportunity to rejoin your ship."

  "Thank you, Sir Thomas, I am much obliged to you," replied Gascoigne,making a bow.

  "You'll break no more arms, if you please, sir," continued the Governor;"a man in love may have some excuse for breaking his leg, but you hadnone."

  "I beg your pardon, sir; if Mr Easy was warranted in breaking his legout of love, I submit that I could do no less than break my arm out offriendship."

  "Hold your tongue, sir, or I'll break your head from the very oppositefeeling," replied the Governor, good-humouredly. "But observe, youngman, I shall keep this affair secret, as in honour bound; but let meadvise you, as you have only your profession to look to, to follow it upsteadily. It is high time that you and Mr Easy were separated. He isindependent of the service, and you are not. A young man possessingsuch ample means will never be fitted for the duties of a juniorofficer. He can do no good for himself, and is certain to do much harmto others: a continuance of his friendship would probably end in yourruin, Mr Gascoigne. You must be aware that if the greatest indulgencehad not been shown to Mr Easy by his captain and first lieutenant, henever could have remained in the service so long as he has done."

  As the Governor made the last remark in rather a severe tone, our twomidshipmen were silent for a minute. At last Jack observed, veryquietly:

  "And yet, sir, I think, considering all, I have behaved pretty well."

  "You have behaved very well, my good lad, on all occasions in which yourcourage and conduct, as an officer, have been called forth. I admit it;and had you been sent to sea with a mind properly regulated, and withoutsuch an unlimited command of money, I have no doubt but that you wouldhave proved an ornament to the service. Even now I think you would, ifyou were to remain in the service under proper guidance and necessaryrestrictions, for you have, at least, learned to obey, which isabsolutely necessary before you are fit to command. But recollect, whatwould your conduct have brought upon you if you had not been under theparental care of Captain Wilson? But let us say no more about that: amidshipman with the prospect of eight thousand pounds a year is ananomaly which the service cannot admit, especially when that midshipmanis resolved to take to himself a wife."

  "I hope that you approve of that step, sir."

  "That entirely depends upon the merit of the party, which I know nothingof, except that she has a pretty face, and is of one of the bestSicilian families. I think the difference of religion a ground ofobjection."

  "We will argue that point, sir," replied Jack.

  "Perhaps it will be the cause of more argument than you think for, MrEasy; but every man makes his own bed, and as he makes it, so must helie down in it."

  "What am I to do about Mesty, sir? I cannot bear the idea of partingwith him."

  "I am afraid that you must; I cannot well interfere there."

  "He is of little use to the service, sir; he has been sent to sickquarters as my servant: if he may be permitted to go home with me, Iwill procure his discharge as soon as I arrive, and send him on boardthe guard-ship till I obtain it."

  "I think that, on the whole, he is as well out of the service as in it,and therefore I will, on consideration, take upon myself theresponsibility, provided you do as you say."

  The conversation was here ended, as the Governor had business to attendto, and Jack and Gascoigne went to their rooms to make theirarrangements.

  "The Governor is right," observed Gascoigne; "it is better that we part,Jack. You have half unfitted me for the service already; I have adisgust of the midshipmen's berth; the very smell of pitch and tar hasbecome odious to me. This is all wrong; I must forget you and all ourpleasant cruises on shore, and once more swelter in my greasy jacket.When I think that if our pretended accidents were discovered, I shouldbe dismissed the service, and the misery which that would cause to mypoor father, I tremble at my escape. The Governor is right, Jack: wemust part, but I hope you never will forget me."

  "My hand upon it, Ned. Command my interest, if ever I have any--mymoney--what I have, and the house, whether it belongs to me or myfather--as far as you are concerned at least, I adhere to my notions ofperfect equality."

  "And abjure them, I trust, Jack, as a universal principle."

  "I admit, as the Governor asserts, that my father is as mad as a Marchhare."

  "That is sufficient; you don't know how glad it makes me to hear you saythat."

  The two friends were inseparable during the short time that theyremained together. They talked over their future prospects, their hopesand anticipations, and when the conversation flagged, Gascoigne broughtup the name of Agnes.

  Mesty's delight at leaving the service, and going home with his patron,was indescribable. He laid out a portion of his gold in a suit of plainclothes, white linen shirts, and in every respect the wardrobe of a manof fashion; in fact, he was now a complete gentleman's gentleman; wasvery particular in frizzing his woolly hair--wore a white neckcloth,gloves, and cane. Every one felt inclined to laugh when he made hisappearance; but there was some in Mesty's look, which, at all events,prevented their doing so before his face. The day for sailing arrived.Jack took leave of the Governor, thanking him for his great kindness,and stating his intention of taking Malta in his way out to Palermo in amonth or two. Gascoigne went on board with him, and did not go down thevessel's side till it was more than a mile clear of the harbour.