Chapter XXVI
Adventures at home--I am introduced to my grandfather--He obtainsemployment for O'Brien and myself, and we join a frigate.
As soon as we were on the deck of the cutter, the lieutenant commandingher inquired of us, in a consequential manner, who we were. O'Brienreplied that we were English prisoners who had escaped. "Oh, midshipmen,I presume," replied the lieutenant; "I heard that some had contrived toget away."
"My name, sir," said O'Brien, "is Lieutenant O'Brien; and if you'll sendfor a 'Steel's List,' I will have the honour of pointing it out to you.This young gentleman is Mr Peter Simple, midshipman, and grandson to theRight Honourable Lord Viscount Privilege."
The lieutenant, who was a little snub-nosed man, with a pimply face,then altered his manner towards us, and begged we would step down intothe cabin, where he offered, what perhaps was the greatest of allluxuries to us, some English cheese and bottled porter. "Pray," said he,"did you see anything of one of my officers, who was taken prisoner whenI was sent with despatches to the Mediterranean fleet?"
"May I first ask the name of your lively little craft?" said O'Brien.
"'The Snapper,'" replied the lieutenant.
"Och, murder; sure enough we met him. He was sent to Verdun, but we hadthe pleasure of his company _en route_ as far as Montpelier. Aremarkably genteel, well-dressed young man, was he not?"
"Why, I can't say much about his gentility; indeed, I am not much of ajudge. As for his dress, he ought to have dressed well, but he never didwhen on board of me. His father is my tailor, and I took him asmidshipman, just to square an account between us."
"That's exactly what I thought," replied O'Brien.
He did not say any more, which I was glad of, as the lieutenant mightnot have been pleased at what had occurred.
"When do you expect to run into port?" demanded O'Brien; for we wererather anxious to put our feet ashore again in old England. Thelieutenant replied that his cruise was nearly up; and he considered ourarrival quite sufficient reason for him to run in directly, and that heintended to put his helm up after the people had had their dinner. Wewere much delighted with this intelligence, and still more to see theintention put into execution half an hour afterwards.
In three days we anchored at Spithead, and went on shore with thelieutenant to report ourselves to the admiral. Oh! with what joy did Ifirst put my foot on the shingle beach at Sallyport, and then hasten tothe post-office to put in a long letter which I had written to mymother. We did not go to the admiral's, but merely reported ourselves atthe admiral's office; for we had no clothes fit to appear in. But wecalled at Meredith's the tailor, and he promised that, by the nextmorning, we should be fitted complete. We then ordered new hats, andeverything we required, and went to the Fountain inn. O'Brien refused togo to the Blue Posts, as being only a receptacle for midshipmen. Byeleven o'clock the next morning, we were fit to appear before theadmiral, who received us very kindly, and requested our company todinner. As I did not intend setting off for home until I had received ananswer from my mother, we, of course, accepted the invitation.
There was a large party of naval officers and ladies, and O'Brien amusedthem very much during dinner. When the ladies left the room, theadmiral's wife told me to come up with them; and when we arrived at thedrawing-room, the ladies all gathered round me, and I had to narrate thewhole of my adventures, which very much entertained and interested them.The next morning I received a letter from my mother--such a kind one!entreating me to come home as fast as I could, and bring my _preserver_O'Brien with me. I showed it to O'Brien, and asked him whether he wouldaccompany me.
"Why, Peter, my boy, I have a little business of some importance totransact; which is, to obtain my arrears of pay, and some prize-moneywhich I find due. When I have settled that point, I will go to town topay my respects to the First Lord of the Admiralty, and then I think Iwill go and see your father and mother: for, until I know how mattersstand, and whether I shall be able to go with spare cash in my pocket, Ido not wish to see my own family; so write down your address here, andyou'll be sure I'll come, if it is only to square my accounts with you,for I am not a little in your debt."
I cashed a cheque sent by my father, and set off in the mail that night;the next evening I arrived safe home. But I shall leave the reader toimagine the scene: to my mother I was always dear, and circumstances hadrendered me of some importance to my father; for I was now an only son,and his prospects were very different from what they were when I lefthome. About a week afterwards, O'Brien joined us, having got through allhis business. His first act was to account with my father for his shareof the expenses; and he even insisted upon paying his half of the fiftynapoleons given me by Celeste, which had been remitted to a banker atParis before O'Brien's arrival, with a guarded letter of thanks from myfather to Colonel O'Brien, and another from me to dear little Celeste.When O'Brien had remained with us about a week, he told me that he hadabout one hundred and sixty pounds in his pocket, and that he intendedto go and see his friends, as he was sure that he would be welcome evento Father M'Grath. "I mean to stay with them about a fortnight, andshall then return and apply for employment. Now, Peter, will you like tobe again under my protection?"
"O'Brien, I will never quit you or your ship, if I can help it."
"Spoken like a sensible Peter. Well, then, I was promised immediateemployment, and I will let you know as soon as the promise isperformed."
O'Brien took his leave of my family, who were already very partial tohim, and left that afternoon for Holyhead. My father no longer treatedme as a child; indeed, it would have been an injustice if he had. I donot mean to say that I was a clever boy; but I had seen much of theworld in a short time, and could act and think for myself. He oftentalked to me about his prospects, which were very different from whatthey were when I left him. My two uncles, his elder brothers, had died,the third was married and had two daughters. If he had no son, my fatherwould succeed to the title. The death of my elder brother Tom hadbrought me next in succession. My grandfather, Lord Privilege, who hadtaken no more notice of my father than occasionally sending him a basketof game, had latterly often invited him to the house, and had evenrequested, _some day or another_, to see his wife and family. He hadalso made a handsome addition to my father's income, which the death ofmy two uncles had enabled him to do. Against all this, my uncle's wifewas reported to be again in the family way. I cannot say that I waspleased when my father used to speculate upon these chances so often ashe did. I thought, not only as a man, but more particularly as aclergyman, he was much to blame; but I did not know then so much of theworld. We had not heard from O'Brien for two months, when a letterarrived, stating that he had seen his family, and bought a few acres ofland, which had made them all quite happy, and had quitted with FatherM'Grath's double blessing, with unlimited absolution; that he had nowbeen a month in town trying for employment, but found that he could notobtain it, although one promise was backed up by another.
A few days after this, my father received a note from Lord Privilege,requesting he would come and spend a few days with him, and bring hisson Peter who had escaped from the French prison. Of course this was aninvitation not to be neglected, and we accepted it forthwith. I mustsay, I felt rather in awe of my grandfather; he had kept the family atsuch a distance, that I had always heard his name mentioned more withreverence than with any feeling of kindred, but I was a little wisernow. We arrived at Eagle Park, a splendid estate, where he resided, andwere received by a dozen servants in and out of livery, and ushered intohis presence. He was in his library, a large room, surrounded withhandsome bookcases, sitting on an easy chair. A more venerable, placidold gentleman I never beheld; his grey hairs hung down on each side ofhis temples, and were collected in a small _queue_ behind. He rose andbowed, as we were announced; to my father he held out _two_ fingers insalutation, to me only _one_, but there was an elegance in the manner inwhich it was done which was indescribable. He waved his hand to chairs,placed by the _gentleman_ out
of livery, and requested we would beseated. I could not, at the time, help thinking of Mr Chucks, theboatswain, and his remarks upon high breeding, which were so true: and Ilaughed to myself when I recollected that Mr Chucks had once dined withhim. As soon as the servants had quitted the room, the distance on thepart of my grandfather appeared to wear off. He interrogated me onseveral points, and seemed pleased with my replies; but he always calledme "child." After a conversation of half an hour, my father rose, sayingthat his lordship must be busy, and that we would go over the groundstill dinner-time. My grandfather rose, and we took a sort of formalleave; but it was not a formal leave, after all, it was high breeding,respecting yourself and respecting others. For my part, I was pleasedwith the first interview, and so I told my father after we had left theroom. "My dear Peter," replied he, "your grandfather has one idea whichabsorbs most others--the peerage, the estate, and the descent of it inthe right line. As long as your uncles were alive, we were not thoughtof, as not being in the line of descent; nor should we now, but thatyour uncle William has only daughters. Still we are not looked upon asactual, but only contingent, inheritors of the title. Were your uncle todie to-morrow, the difference in his behaviour would be manifestedimmediately."
"That is to say, instead of _two fingers_ you would receive the _whole_hand, and instead of _one_ finger, I should obtain promotion to _two_."
At this my father laughed heartily, saying, "Peter, you have exactly hitthe mark. I cannot imagine how we ever could have been so blind as tocall you the fool of the family."
To this I made no reply, for it was difficult so to do withoutdepreciating others or depreciating myself; but I changed the subject bycommenting on the beauties of the park, and the splendid timber withwhich it was adorned. "Yes, Peter," replied my father, with a sigh,"thirty-five thousand a year in land, money in the funds, and timberworth at least forty thousand more, are not to be despised. But Godwills everything." After this remark, my father appeared to be in deepthought, and I did not interrupt him.
We stayed ten days with my grandfather, during which he would oftendetain me for two hours after breakfast, listening to my adventures, andI really believe was very partial to me. The day before I went away hesaid, "Child, you are going to-morrow; now tell me what you would like,as I wish to give you a token of regard. Don't be afraid; what shall itbe--a watch and seals, or--anything you most fancy?"
"My lord," replied I, "if you wish to do me a favour, it is, that youwill apply to the First Lord of the Admiralty to appoint LieutenantO'Brien to a fine frigate, and, at the same time, ask for a vacancy asmidshipman for me."
"O'Brien!" replied his lordship; "I recollect it was he who accompaniedyou from France, and appears, by your account, to have been a truefriend. I am pleased with your request, my child, and it shall begranted."
His lordship then desired me to hand him the paper and ink-standish,wrote by my directions, sealed the letter, and told me he would send methe answer. The next day we quitted Eagle Park, his lordship wishing myfather good-bye with _two_ fingers, and to me extending _one_, asbefore; but he said, "I am pleased with you, child; you may writeoccasionally."
When we were on our route home, my father observed that "I had made moreprogress with my grandfather than he had known anyone to do, since hecould recollect. His saying that you might write to him is at least tenthousand pounds to you in his will, for he never deceives any one, orchanges his mind." My reply was, that I should like to see the tenthousand pounds, but that I was not so sanguine.
A few days after our return home, I received a letter and enclosure fromLord Privilege, the contents of which were as follow:--
"My dear Child,--I send you Lord----'s answer, which I trust will provesatisfactory. My compliments to your family.--Yours, &c., PRIVILEGE."
The inclosure was a handsome letter from the First Lord, stating that hehad appointed O'Brien to the _Sanglier_ frigate, and had ordered me tobe received on board as midshipman. I was delighted to forward thisletter to O'Brien's address, who, in a few days sent me an answer,thanking me, and stating that he had received his 'appointment, and thatI need not join for a month, which was quite time enough, as the shipwas refitting; but, that if my family were tired of me, which wassometimes the case in the best regulated families, why, then I shouldlearn something of my duty by coming to Portsmouth. He concluded bysending his kind regards to all the family, and his _love_ to mygrandfather, which last I certainly did not forward in my letter ofthanks. About a month afterwards I received a letter from O'Brien,stating that the ship was ready to go out of harbour, and would beanchored off Spithead in a few days.