Chapter LX
An old friend in a new case--Heart of oak in Swedish fur--A man's a manall the world over, and something more in many parts of it--Peter getsreprimanded for being dilatory, but proves a title to a defence--Allowed.
When we were about forty miles off the harbour, a frigate hove in sight.We made the private signal: she hoisted Swedish colours, and kept away acouple of points to close with us.
We were within two miles of her when she up courses and took in hertopgallant sails. As we closed to within two cables' lengths, shehove-to. We did the same; and the captain desired me to lower down theboat, and board her, ask her name, by whom she was commanded, and offerany assistance if the captain required it. This was the usual custom ofthe service, and I went on board in obedience to my orders. When Iarrived on the quarter-deck, I asked in French, whether there was anyone who spoke it. The first lieutenant came forward, and took off hishat: I stated that I was requested to ask the name of the vessel and thecommanding officer, to insert it in our log, and to offer any servicethat we could command. He replied that the captain was on deck, andturned round, but the captain had gone down below. "I will inform him ofyour message--I had no idea that he had quitted the deck;" and the firstlieutenant left me. I exchanged a few compliments and a little news withthe officers on deck, who appeared to be very gentlemanlike fellows,when the first lieutenant requested my presence in the cabin. Idescended--the door was opened--I was announced by the first lieutenant,and he quitted the cabin. I looked at the captain, who was sitting atthe table: he was a fine, stout man, with two or three ribands at hisbutton-hole, and a large pair of moustachios. I thought that I had seenhim before, but I could not recollect when: his face was certainlyfamiliar to me, but, as I had been informed by the officers on deck,that the captain was a Count Shucksen, a person I had never heard of, Ithought that I must be mistaken. I therefore addressed him in French,paying him a long compliment, with all the necessary _et ceteras_.
The captain turned round to me, took his hand away from his forehead,which it had shaded, and looking me full in the face, replied, "MrSimple, I don't understand but very little French. Spin your yarn inplain English."
I started--"I thought that I knew your face," replied I; "am Imistaken?--no, it must be--Mr Chucks!"
"You are right, my dear Mr Simple: it is your old friend, Chucks, theboatswain, whom you now see. I knew you as soon as you came up the side,and I was afraid that you would immediately recognize me, and I slippeddown into the cabin (for which apparent rudeness allow me to apologise),that you might not explain before the officers."
We shook hands heartily, and then he requested me to sit down. "But,"said I, "they told me on deck that the frigate was commanded by a CountShucksen."
"That is my present rank, my dear Peter," said he; "but as you have notime to lose, I will explain all. I know I can trust to your honour. Youremember that you left me, as you and I supposed, dying in theprivateer, with the captain's jacket and epaulettes on my shoulders.When the boats came out, and you left the vessel, they boarded and foundme. I was still breathing; and judging of my rank by the coat, they putme into the boat, and pushed on shore. The privateer sank very shortlyafter. I was not expected to live, but in a few days a change tookplace, and I was better. They asked me my name, and I gave my own, whichthey lengthened into Shucksen, somehow or another. I recovered by amiracle, and am now as well as ever I was in my life. They were not alittle proud of having captured a captain in the British service, asthey supposed, for they never questioned me as to my real rank. Aftersome weeks I was sent home to Denmark in a running vessel; but it sohappened, that we met with a gale, and were wrecked on the Swedishcoast, close to Carlscrona. The Danes were at that time at war, havingjoined the Russians; and they were made prisoners, while I was of courseliberated, and treated with great distinction; but as I could not speakeither French or their own language, I could not get on very well.However, I had a handsome allowance, and permission to go to England assoon as I pleased. The Swedes were then at war with the Russians, andwere fitting out their fleet; but, Lord bless them! they didn't knowmuch about it. I amused myself walking in the dockyard, and looking attheir motions; but they had not thirty men in the fleet who knew whatthey were about, and, as for a man to set them going, there wasn't one.Well, Peter, you know I could not be idle, and so by degrees I told one,and then told another--until they went the right way to work; and thecaptains and officers were very much obliged to me. At last, they allcame to me, and if they did not understand me entirely, I showed themhow to do it with my own hands; and the fleet began to make a show withtheir rigging. The admiral who commanded was very much obliged, and Iseemed to come as regularly to my work as if I was paid for it. At last,the admiral came with an English interpreter, and asked me whether I wasanxious to go back to England, or would I like to join their service. Isaw what they wanted, and I replied that I had neither wife nor child inEngland, and that I liked their country very much; but I must take timeto consider of it, and must also know what they had to propose. I wenthome to my lodgings, and, to make them more anxious, I did not make myappearance at the dockyard for three or four days, when a letter camefrom the admiral, offering me the command of a frigate if I would jointheir service. I replied, (for I knew how much they wanted me,) that Iwould prefer an English frigate to a Swedish one, and that I would notconsent unless they offered something more; and then, with the expressstipulation that I should not take arms against my own country. Theythen waited for a week, when they offered to make me a _Count_, and giveme the command of a frigate. This suited me, as you may suppose, Peter;it was the darling wish of my heart--I was to be made a gentleman. Iconsented, and was made Count Shucksen, and had a fine large frigateunder my command. I then set to work with a will, superintended thefitting out of the whole fleet, and showed them what an Englishman coulddo. We sailed, and you of course know the brush we had with theRussians, which, I must say, did us no discredit. I was fortunate todistinguish myself, for I exchanged several broadsides with a Russiantwo-deck ship, and came off with honour. When we went into port I gotthis riband. I was out afterwards, and fell in with a Russian frigate,and captured her, for which I received this other riband. Since that Ihave been in high favour, and now that I speak the languages, I like thepeople very much. I am often at court when I am in harbour; and, Peter,I am _married_."
"I wish you joy, count, with all my heart."
"Yes, and well married too--to a Swedish countess of very high family,and I expect that I have a little boy or girl by this time. So youobserve, Peter, that I am at last a gentleman, and, what is more, mychildren will be noble by two descents. Who would have thought that thiswould have been occasioned by my throwing the captain's jacket into theboat instead of my own? And now, my dear Mr Simple, that I have made youmy confidant, I need not say, do not say a word about it to anybody.They certainly could not do me much harm, but still, they might do mesome; and although I am not likely to meet any one who may recognize mein this uniform and these moustachios, it's just as well to keep thesecret, which to you and O'Brien only would I have confided."
"My dear count," replied I, "your secret is safe with me. You have cometo your title before me, at all events; and I sincerely wish you joy,for you have obtained it honourably; but, although I would like to talkwith you for days, I must return on board, for I am now sailing with avery unpleasant captain."
I then, in a few words, stated where O'Brien was; and when we parted, Iwent with him on deck, Count Shucksen taking my arm, and introducing meas an old shipmate to his officers. "I hope we may meet again," said I,"but I am afraid there is little chance."
"Who knows?" replied he; "see what chance has done for me. My dearPeter, God bless you! You are one of the very few whom I always loved.God bless you, my boy! and never forget that all I have is at yourcommand if you come my way."
I thanked him, and saluting the officers, went down the side. As Iexpected, when I came on board, the captain demanded, in an angry tone,w
hy I had stayed so long. I replied, that I was shown down into CountShucksen's cabin, and he conversed so long, that I could not get awaysooner, as it would not have been polite to have left him before he hadfinished his questions. I then gave a very civil message, and thecaptain said no more; the very name of a great man always silenced him.