VOLUME THREE, CHAPTER SIX.
Angels and ministers of grace defend us! ... Be thy intents wicked or charitable, Thou com'st in such a questionable shape That I will speak to thee. SHAKESPEARE.
It was past two o'clock when Mr John Forster returned from his chambersand let himself in with a pass-key. Having secured the street door, theold gentleman lighted his candle from the lamp, which he then blew out,and had his foot upon the first step of the stairs, when he was startledby a loud snore from Nicholas in the dining-room; he immediatelyproceeded there, and found his brother, with his heed still lying on thetable.
"Humph!" ejaculated the lawyer. "Why brother Nicholas! brotherNicholas!"
Nicholas, who had nearly slept off the effects of the wine, answeredwith an unintelligible sort of growling.
"Brother Nicholas, I say--brother Nicholas--will you get up, or lie hereall night?"
"They shall be cleaned and ready by to-morrow morning," repliedNicholas, dreaming.
"Humph! that's more than you will be, apparently.--I say, brotherNicholas."
"Yes brother," replied Nicholas, raising his head and staring at thecandle. "Why, what's the matter?"
"The matter is, that I wish to go to bed, and wish to see you in bedbefore I go myself."
"Yes, brother John, if you please, certainly. Where's my bed? I dobelieve I have been asleep."
"Humph! I have no doubt upon the subject," replied John Forster,lighting another candle. "Come this way, brother Nicholas," and theyboth ascended the stairs.
When Mr John Forster arrived at the door of his own room, on the firststory, he stopped. "Now, brother Nicholas, are you quite awake? Do youthink that I may trust you with a candle?"
"I should hope so," replied Nicholas; "I see that it is silver, but Ihope I'm honest, brother John."
"Humph! I mean, can I trust you to put it out?"
"Yes, I think that you may. Pray which is my room?"
"The first door on the left, when you are at the top of the stairs."
"The first door."
"Yes, the first on the left; do you understand?"
"Yes, brother, I do; the first door on the left."
"Very well; then I wish you a good-night."
"Good-night, brother," replied Nicholas, ascending the stairs as JohnForster entered his room.
Nicholas arrived at the head of the stairs; but his brain was not veryclear. He muttered to himself "I think I'm right--yes, I'm right--thefirst door--to the right--yes--that's it," and instead of the room tothe left, where Newton was, he walked into the one to the right, whichappertained to the housekeeper, Mrs Smith.
The old lady was fast asleep. Nicholas threw off his clothes, put outhis candle, and stepped into bed without waking the old lady, whom hesupposed to be his son, and in a few minutes they snored in concert.
The morning dawned. The watchmen (London nightingales) ceased theirnotes and retired to their beds. The chimney-sweeps (larks of themetropolis) raised their shrill cry as they paced along with chatteringteeth. House-maids and kitchen-maids presented their back views to theearly passengers, as they washed off the accumulation of the previousday from the steps of the front door. "Milk below," (certainly muchbelow "proof"), was answered by the assent of the busy cooks, when aknock at the door of Mrs Smith's room from the red knuckles of thehousemaid, awoke her to a sense of her equivocal situation.
At her first discovery that a man was in her bed, she uttered a screamof horror, throwing herself upon her knees, and extending her handsbefore her in her amazement. The scream awoke Nicholas, who, astonishedat the sight, and his modesty equally outraged, also threw himself inthe same posture, facing her, and recoiling. Each looked aghast ateach: each considered the other as the lawless invader; but before aword of explanation could pass between them, their countenances changedfrom horror to surprise, from surprise to anxiety and doubt.
"Why!" screamed the housekeeper, losing her breath with astonishment.
"It is!" cried Nicholas, retreating further.
"Yes--yes--it is--my _dear_ Nicholas!"
"No--it can't be," replied Nicholas, hearing the fond appellation.
"It is--oh yes--it is your poor unhappy wife, who begs your pardon,Nicholas," cried the housekeeper, bursting into tears, and falling intohis arms.
"My dear--dear wife!" exclaimed Nicholas, as he threw his arms aroundher, and each sobbed upon the other's shoulder.
In this position they remained a minute, when Mr John Forster, whoheard the scream and subsequent exclamations, and had taken it forgranted that his brother had been guilty of some _contre temps_, firstwiped the remaining lather from his half-shaved chin, and then ascendedto the housekeeper's room from whence the noise had proceeded. When heopened the door, he found them in the position we have described, bothkneeling in the centre of the bed embracing and sobbing. They were sowrapped in each other, that they did not perceive his entrance. MrJohn Forster stared with amazement for a few seconds, and thus growledout:--
"Why, what are you two old fools about?"
"It's my husband, sir,"--"It's my wife, brother John," cried they, bothat once, as the tears coursed down their cheeks.
"Humph!" ejaculated the lawyer, and he quitted the room.
We must let the reader imagine the various explanations which took placebetween Nicholas and his truly reformed wife, Newton and his uncle,Amber, and every body in the household, while we narrate the eventswhich had brought about this singular _denouement_.
The reader may recollect that we left Mrs Forster in the lunaticasylum, slowly recovering from an attack of the brain-fever, which hadbeen attended with a relapse. For many weeks she continued in a stateof great feebleness, and during that time, when, in the garden, incompany with other denizens of this melancholy abode (wishing to beusefully employed), she greatly assisted the keepers in restrainingthem, and, in a short time, established that superiority over them,which is invariably the result of a pane intellect. This was soonperceived by Doctor Beddington, who (aware of her destitute condition)offered her a situation as nurse in the establishment, until theinspecting magistrates should make their appearance, with the promisethat she might continue in it afterwards, if she thought proper. Thisproposal was accepted by Mrs Forster, until she might resolve whatcourse to take, and she soon! became a most invaluable person in theestablishment, effecting more by lenient and kind treatment than thekeepers were able to do by their violence. So completely changed wasMrs Forster in disposition, that so far from feeling any resentmentagainst those who had been the means of her confinement, sheacknowledged to herself that her own conduct had been the occasion ofher misfortune, and that those who had contributed to open her eyes toher former insanity, were her best friends. She was humbled, andunhappy; but she kissed the rod. All that she now wished was to findout her husband, and by her future conduct to make reparation for thepast. One of the gaolers, at her request, made every inquiry as to thepart of England Nicholas had removed; but it was without success. Alltrace was lost, and Mrs Forster accepted the situation of nurse, untilshe might be enabled to prosecute her search, or obtain the intelligencewhich she desired.
For nine months Mrs Forster remained on the establishment, during whichtime she had saved a sum of money sufficient for her support andtravelling expenses. She then resolved to search after her husband,whose pardon for her previous conduct seemed to be the _sine qua non_for which she continued to exist. She took leave of the doctor; and,strange to say, it was with feelings of regret that she quitted anabode, once the source of horror and disgust: but time reconciles us toevery thing, and she made a half promise to Dr Beddington, that if shecould not hear any tidings of her husband, or should discover that hewas no more, that she would return to the situation.
Mrs Forster directed her course to London; why, or wherefore, shehardly knew; but she had imbibed the idea that the metropolis was themost likely place to meet with him. Her first inquiries were about anyfamilies of the name of For
ster; but the Directory gave such an enormouslist of Forsters, of all trades and callings, and in every situation inlife, that she closed it with despair. She had a faint recollectionthat her husband (who was not very communicative, and least of all toher), had stated that he had a brother alive somewhere; but this was allthat she knew. Nevertheless, she set about her task in good earnest,and called upon every one of the name in the middling classes of life,to ascertain if they were relations of her husband. There were many inhigh life whose names and addresses she had obtained from the Red-book;but to them she dared not apply. All she could do was to question theservants; but every answer was unsatisfactory; and Mrs Forster, whosemoney was nearly expended, had serious thoughts of returning to thelunatic establishment, when the advertisement in the newspapers of MrScratton, for a housekeeper, which Mr John Forster had desired him toprocure, met her, eye. Unwilling to leave London, she applied for, andobtained the situation, having received an excellent character fromDoctor Beddington, to whom she had written and explained her views.
Her heart leapt when she discovered that her master's name was Forster;and when she first saw him she could not but persuade herself that therewas a family likeness. The germs of hope were, however, soon withered,when Amber, in answer to her inquiries, stated, that Mr Forster had abrother lately dead, who had never been married, and that she neverheard of his having another. Her fellow-servants were all as strange asherself; and Mrs Forster (who had assumed the name of Smith) wasobliged to have recourse to that patience and resignation which had beenso severely inculcated. The charge of Amber soon proved a source ofdelight; the control which she had over the household a source ofgratification (not as before, for the pleasure of domineering, but forthe sake of exercising kindness and forbearance), and Mrs Forster washappy and resigned.
It may be surmised as strange, that during the period which she remainedin this capacity, she had never heard mention made of her husband or herson; but it must be remembered that Nicholas had never called upon hisbrother, and that Newton was in the East Indies; and, moreover, that MrJohn Forster was just as little inclined to be communicative as herhusband. Indeed, he never came in contact with his housekeeper, exceptto pay the bills, which was regularly once a month, when he called herdown after dinner, and after the accounts were settled, offered her aglass of wine, as a proof of his being satisfied with her conduct. WhenNewton and his father arrived at the chambers on the day before thediscovery, and were invited to dinner, his note of communication was aslaconic as usual.
"Mrs Smith--I have invited two gentlemen to dine with me to-day, sixprecisely."
"John Forster."
"PS. Let the spare bed be ready."
Mrs Forster prepared every thing as directed, and having done herduties below, retired to her room, where she usually sat with Amber.She did not therefore see the parties when they entered; and Amber, whohad run down to meet her protector, heard nothing during her short stayin the room, to suppose that they were relatives of Mr John Forster.All that she had to communicate was, that the parties were an elderlygentleman and a very handsome young man.
Yet, even this simple communication caused the pulse of Mrs Forster toaccelerate. They might be her husband and her son. It was the firsttime the spare bed had been ordered. Reflection, however convinced herthat her hopes were strung upon too slight a thread; and, musing on theimprobability of not having ascertained during a year the fact of hermaster having so near a relative--moreover, her son was not inexistence, she sighed, and dismissed the idea as ridiculous. Before thegentlemen had finished their wine, Amber was in bed, and Mrs Forsterinvariably sat at the side of it until her own hour of repose hadarrived. A certain indefinable curiosity still remained lurking; yet,as she could not gratify it without intrusion (if the strangers werestill up), she retired to bed, with the reflection, that all her doubtswould be relieved in the morning; and, after lying awake for some hoursin a state of suspense, she at last fell into that sound sleep, which isusually produced by previous excitement. How she was awakened from it,the reader has been already informed.
"It's rather awkward, Newton," said Mr John Forster, about ten daysafterwards. "I cannot do without your mother, that's certain: but whatam I to do with your father? Humph! Well, she must take charge of himas well as Amber. She must teach him--"
"Teach him what, sir?" replied Newton, laughing.
"Teach him what? Why to leave my watch and spectacles alone. I darenot lay them down for a moment."
"I think we may teach him that, sir, if it is all that you require."
"I ask no more: then he may go about the house like a tame rabbit. Whenwill your ship be ready, boy?"
"In about a fortnight, sir. I called upon Captain Oughton the daybefore yesterday, but he was not at home. His steward gave me theinformation."
"What is the name of the ship?"
"The Windsor Castle, sir."
"Why all the India ships appear to be called Castles. Your last shipwas the Bombay Castle I think?"
"Yes, sir: there are a great many of them so named:--they really arefloating castles."
"And full of ladies. You `castle your queens,' as they do at chess.Humph!"
A pun from Mr John Forster was a rarity: he never had been known tomake one before: and Newton asserts that he never heard him guilty of itafterwards. It deserves, therefore, bad as it was, to be recorded.