IN WHICH MR. VANSLYPERKEN FINDS GREAT CAUSE OF VEXATION AND
SATISFACTION.
In the meanwhile, Mr Vanslyperken was anything but comfortable in his
mind. That Corporal Van Spitter should assert that he saw the devil at
his shoulder was a matter of no small annoyance any way; for either the
devil was at his shoulder or he was not. If he was, why then it was
evident that in consequence of his having attempted murder, and having
betrayed his country for money, the devil considered him as his own, and
this Mr Vanslyperken did not approve of; for, like many others in this
world, he wished to commit every crime, and go to heaven after all. Mr
Vanslyperken was superstitious and cowardly, and he did believe that
such a thing was possible; and when he canvassed it in his mind he
trembled, and looked over his shoulder.
But Corporal Van Spitter might have asserted it only to frighten him.
It was possible--but here again was a difficulty; the corporal had been
his faithful confidant for so long a while, and to suppose this, would
be to suppose that the corporal was a traitor to him, and that, upon no
grounds which Vanslyperken could conjecture, he had turned false: this
was impossible--Mr Vanslyperken would not credit it; so there he stuck,
like a man between the horns of a dilemma, not knowing what to do; for
Mr Vanslyperken resolved, had the devil really been there, to have
repented immediately, and have led a new life; but if the devil had not
been there, Mr Vanslyperken did not perceive any cause for such an
immediate hurry.
At last, an idea presented itself to Mr Vanslyperken's mind, which
afforded him great comfort, which was, that the corporal had suffered so
much from his boat adventures--for the corporal had made the most of his
sufferings--that he was a little affected in his mind and had thought
that he had seen something. "It must have been so," said Mr
Vanslyperken, who fortified the idea with a glass of scheedam, and then
went to bed.
Now, it so happened, that at the very time that Mr Vanslyperken was
arguing all this in his brain, Corporal Van Spitter was also cogitating
how he should get out of his scrape; for the corporal, although not very
bright had much of the cunning of little minds, and he felt the
necessity of lulling the suspicions of the lieutenant. To conceal his
astonishment and fear at the appearance of the dog, he had libelled Mr
Vanslyperken, who would not easily forgive, and it was the corporal's
interest to continue on the best terms with, and enjoy the confidence of
his superior. How was this to be got over? It took the whole of the
first watch, and two-thirds of the middle, before the corporal, who lay
in his hammock, could hit upon any plan. At last he thought he had
succeeded. At daybreak Corporal Van Spitter entered the cabin of Mr
Vanslyperken, who very coolly desired him to tell Short to get all ready
for weighing at six o'clock.
"If you please, Mynheer Vanslyperken, you think me mad last night 'cause
I see de tyfel at your shoulder. Mynheer Vanslyperken, I see him twice
again this night on lower deck. Mein Gott! Mynheer Vanslyperken, I say
twice."
"Saw him again twice!" replied the lieutenant.
"Yes, Mynheer Vanslyperken, I see twice again--I see him very often
since I drift in de boat. First, I see him when in de boat--since that
I see him one time, two times, in de night."
"It's just as I thought," said Mr Vanslyperken, "he has never got over
his alarm of that night.--Very well, Corporal Van Spitter, it's of no
consequence. I was very angry with you last night, because I thought
you were taking great liberties; but I see now how it is, you must keep
yourself quiet, and as soon as we arrive at Portsmouth, you had better
lose a little blood."
"How much, Mynheer Vanslyperken, do you wish I should lose?" replied the
corporal, with his military salute.
"About eight ounces, corporal."
"Yes, sir," replied the corporal, turning on his pivot, and marching out
of the cabin.
This was a peculiarly satisfactory interview to both parties. Mr
Vanslyperken was overjoyed at the corporal's explanation, and the
corporal was equally delighted at having so easily galled his superior.
The cutter weighed that morning, and sailed for Portsmouth. We shall
pass over the passage without any further remarks than that the corporal
was reinstated into Mr Vanslyperken's good graces--that he appeared as
usual to be harsh with the ship's company, and to oppress Smallbones
more than ever; but this was at the particular request of the lad, who
played his own part to admiration--that Mr Vanslyperken again brought
up the question of flogging Jemmy Ducks, but was prevented by the
corporal's expressing his fears of a mutiny--and had also some secret
conference with the corporal as to his desire of vengeance upon
Smallbones, to which Van Spitter gave a ready ear, and appeared to be
equally willing with the lieutenant to bring it about. Things were in
this state when the cutter arrived at Portsmouth, and, as usual, ran
into the harbour. It may be supposed that Mr Vanslyperken was in all
haste to go on shore to pay his visit to his charming widow; but still
there was one thing to be done first, which was to report himself to the
admiral.
On his arrival at the admiral's, much to his dissatisfaction, he was
informed that he must hold himself ready for sailing immediately, as
despatches for the Hague were expected down on the next morning. This
would give but a short time to pay his addresses, and he therefore made
all haste to the widow's presence, and was most graciously received.
She almost flew into his arms, upbraided him for being so long away, for
not having written to her, and showed such marks of strong attachment,
that Vanslyperken was in ecstasies. When he told her that he expected
to sail again immediately, she put her handkerchief up to her eyes, and
appeared, to Vanslyperken at least, to shed a few bitter tears. As soon
as she was a little more composed, Vanslyperken produced the packet with
which he was entrusted, which she opened, and took out two letters, one
for herself, and the other addressed to a certain person in a house in
another street.
"This," said the widow, "you must deliver yourself--it is of
consequence. I would deliver it, but if I do, I shall not be able to
look after my little arrangements for dinner, for you dine with me of
course. Besides, you must be acquainted with this person one time or
another, as it will be for OUR advantage."
"OUR advantage!" how delightful to Mr Vanslyperken was that word! He
jumped up immediately, and took his hat to execute the commission, the
injunction of the widow to be soon back hastening his departure.
Vanslyperken soon arrived at the door, knocked, and was admitted.
"Vat vash you vant, sare?" said a venerable-looking old Jew, who opened
the door to him.
"Is your name Lazarus?" inquired the lieutenant.
"Dat vash my name."
"I have a letter for you."
"A letter for me!--and from vare?"
"Amsterdam."
"Shee! silence," said the Jew, leading the way into a small room, and
shutting the door.
Vanslyperken delivered the letter, which the Jew did not open, but laid
on the table. "It vas from my worthy friend in Billen Shaaten. He ist
vell?"
"Quite well," replied Vanslyperken.
"Ven do you sail again, Mynheer?"
"To-morrow morning."
"Dat is good. I have the letters all ready; dey come down yesterday--
vill you vait and take them now?"
"Yes," replied Vanslyperken, who anticipated another rouleau of gold on
his arrival at Amsterdam.
"An den I will give you your monish at de same time."
More money, thought Vanslyperken, who replied then, "With all my heart,"
and took a chair.
The Jew left the room, and soon returned with a small yellow bag, which
he put into Vanslyperken's hand, and a large packet carefully sealed.
"Dis vas of the hutmost importance," said old man, giving him the
packet. "You will find your monish all right, and now vas please just
put your name here, for I vas responsible for all de account;" and the
Jew laid down a receipt for Vanslyperken to sign. Vanslyperken read it
over. It was an acknowledgment for the sum of fifty guineas, but not
specifying for what service. He did not much like to sign it, but how
could he refuse? Besides, as the Jew said, it was only to prove that
the money was paid; nevertheless, he objected.
"Vy vill you not sign? I must not lose my monish, and I shall lose it
if you do not sign. Vat you fear?--you not fear that we peach; ven
peoples pay so high, they not pay for noting. We all sall hang togeder
if de affair be found."
Hang together! thought Vanslyperken, whose fears were roused, and he
turned pale.
"You are vell paid for your shervices--you vas vell paid at doder side
of de vater, and you are now von of us. You cannot go back, or your
life vill be forfeit, I can assure you--you vill sign if you please--and
you vill not leave dis house, until you do sign," continued the Jew.
"You vill not take our monish, and den give de information, and hang us
all. You vill sign, if you please, sare."
There was a steadiness of countenance and a firmness in the tone of the
old man, which told Vanslyperken that he was not to be trifled with, and
assured him that he must have help at hand if requisite. If left to
himself, the Jew would have been easily mastered by the lieutenant; but
that such was not the case was soon proved, by the old man ringing a
small silver bell on the table, and shortly afterwards there was a
rustling and noise, as if of several persons, heard in the passage.
Vanslyperken now perceived that he was entrapped, and he also felt that
it was too late to retreat. Actuated by his fear of violence on the one
hand, and his love of gold on the other, he consented to sign the
voucher required. As soon as this was done, the old Jew was all
civility. He took the paper, and locked it up in a large cabinet, and
then observed--
"It is for your own shafety, sare lieutenant, dat we are obliged to do
dis. You have noting to fear--we are too much in want of good friends
like you to lose them, but we must be safe and shure; now you are von of
us--you cannot tell but we can tell too--we profit togeder, and I vill
hope dat we do run no risk to be hang togeder. Fader Abraham! we must
not think of that, but of de good cause, and of de monish. I am a Jew,
and I care not whether de Papist or de Protestant have de best of it--
but I call it all de good cause, because every cause is good which
brings do monish."
So thought Vanslyperken, who was in heart a Jew.
"And now, sare, you vill please to take great care of de packet, and
deliver it to our friend at Amsterdam, and you vill of course come to me
ven you return here."
Vanslyperken took his leave, with the packet in his pocket, not very
well pleased; but as he put the packet in, he felt the yellow bag, and
that to a certain degree consoled him. The old Jew escorted him to the
door, with his little keen grey eye fixed upon him, and Vanslyperken
quailed before it, and was glad when he was once more in the street. He
hastened back to the widow's house, full of thought--he certainly had
never intended to have so committed himself as he had done, or to have
positively enrolled himself among the partisans of the exiled king; but
the money had entrapped him--he had twice taken their wages, and he had
now been obliged to give them security for his fidelity, by enabling
them to prove his guilt whenever they pleased. All this made Mr
Vanslyperken rather melancholy but his meditations were put an end to by
his arrival in the presence of the charming widow. She asked him what
had passed, and he narrated it, but with a little variation, for he
would not tell that he had signed through a fear of violence, but at the
same time he observed that he did not much like signing a receipt.
"But that is necessary," replied she; "and besides, why not? I know you
are on our side, and you will prove most valuable to us. Indeed, I
believe it was your readiness to meet my wishes that made me so fond of
you, for I am devotedly attached to the rightful king, and I never would
marry any man who would not risk life and soul for him, as you have done
now."
The expression "life and soul" made Vanslyperken shudder, and his flesh
crept all over his body.
"Besides," continued the widow, "it will be no small help to US, for the
remuneration is very great."
"To US!" thought Vanslyperken, who now thought it right to press his
suit. He was listened to attentively, and at last he proposed an early
day for the union. The widow blushed, and turned her head away, and at
last replied, with a sweet mile, "Well, Mr Vanslyperken, I will neither
tease you nor myself--when you come back from your next trip, I consent
to be yours."
What was Vanslyperken's delight and exultation! He threw himself on his
knees, promised, and vowed, and thanked, kissed hands, and was in such
ecstasies! He could hardly imagine that his good fortune was real. A
beautiful widow with a handsome fortune--how could he ever have thought
of throwing himself away upon such a bunch of deformity as the Frau
Vandersloosh? Poor Mr Vanslyperken! Dinner put an end to his
protestations. He fared sumptuously, and drank freely to please the
widow. He drank death to the usurper, and restoration to the King
James. What a delightful evening! The widow was so amiable so gentle,
so yielding, so, so, so--what with wine and love, and fifty guineas in
his pocket, Mr Vanslyperken was so overcome by his feelings, that at
last he felt but so so. After a hundred times returning to kiss her
dear, dear hand, and at last sealing the contract on her lips, Mr
Vanslyperken departed, full of wine and hope--two very good things to
lay in a stock of.
But there was something doing on board during Mr Vanslyperken's
absence. Notwithstanding Mr Vanslyperken having ordered Moggy out of
the cutter, she had taken the opportunity of his being away to go on
board to her dear, darling Jemmy. Dick Short did not prevent her coming
on board, and he was commanding officer, so Moggy once more had her
husband in her arms; but the fond pair soon retired to a quiet corner,
where they had a long and serious conversation; so long, and so
important, it would appear, that they did not break off until Mr
Vanslyperken came on board just before dark. His quick eye soon
perceived that there was a petticoat at the taffrail, where they retired
that they might not be over heard, and he angrily inquired who it was?
His wrath was not appeased when he heard that it was Salisbury's wife,
and he ordered her immediately to be put on shore, and sent for Corporal
Van Spitter in his cabin, to know why she was on board. The corporal
replied, "That Mr Short had let her in; that he hind wished to speak on
the subject, but that Mr Short would not speak;" and then entertained
his superior with a long account of mutinous expressions on the lower
deck, and threats of doing him (Mr Vanslyperken) a mischief. This
conversation was interrupted by a messenger coming on board with the
despatches, and an order to sail at daylight, and return immediately
without waiting for any answers.
The reader may wish to know the subject of the long conversation between
Jemmy Ducks and his wife. It involved the following question. Moggy
had become very useful to Nancy Corbett, and Nancy, whose services were
required at the cave, and could not well be dispensed with, had long
been anxious to find some one, who, with the same general knowledge of
parties, and the same discrimination, could be employed in her stead.
In Moggy she had found the person required, but Moggy would not consent
without her husband was of the same party, and here lay the difficulty.
Nancy had had a reply, which was satisfactory, from Sir Robert Barclay,
so far as this. He required one or two more men, and they must be
trustworthy, and able to perform the duty in the boats. Jemmy was not
very great at pulling, for his arms were too short as well as his legs,
but he was a capital steersman. All this had been explained to Nancy,
who at last consented to Jemmy being added to the crew of the smuggler,
and Moggy had gone off to the cutter to persuade Jemmy to desert and to
join the smugglers.
Now, as to joining the smugglers Jemmy had not the least objection: he
was tired of the cutter, and being separated from his wife had been to
him a source of great discontent; but, as Jemmy very truly observed, "if
I desert from the vessel, and am ever seen again, I am certain to be
known, and taken up; therefore I will not desert, I will wait till I am
paid off, unless you can procure my discharge by means of your friends."
Such had been the result of the colloquy, when interrupted by the
arrival of Vanslyperken, and the case thus stood, when, on the next
morning, at daylight, the cutter weighed, and steered her course for the
Texel.