"Now, by two-headed Janus,
Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time;
Some that will ever more peep through their eyes,
And laugh like parrots at a bagpiper;
And others of such vinegar aspect,
That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile,
Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable."
SHAKESPEARE.
The next forenoon Nicholas and his son left the inn in good time to keep
their appointment. The weather had changed, and the streets through
which they passed were crowded with people who had taken advantage of
the fine weather to prosecute business which had admitted of being
postponed. Nicholas, who stared every way except the right, received
many shoves and pushes, at which he expostulated, without the parties
taking even the trouble to look behind them as they continued their
course. This conduct produced a fit of reverie, out of which he was
soon roused by another blow on the shoulder, which would twist him half
round; and thus he continued in an alternate state of reverie and
excitement, until he was dragged by Newton to his brother's chambers.
The clerk, who had been ordered to admit them, opened the parlour-door,
where they found Mr John Forster, sitting at his table, with his
spectacles on, running through brief.
"Your servant, young man.--Nicholas Forster, I presume," said he, taking
his eyes off the brief, and looking at Forster without rising from his
chair--"How do ye do, brother?"
"Are you my brother John?" interrogated Nicholas.
"I am John Forster," replied the lawyer.
"Well, then, I am really very glad to see you, brother," said Nicholas,
extending his hand, which was taken with a `humph!'--(A minute's pause.)
"Young man, you're ten minutes fast your time," said John, turning to
Newton. "I told you _one o'clock precisely_."
"I am afraid so," replied Newton; "but the streets were crowded, and my
father stopped several times."
"Why did he stop?"
"To expostulate with those who elbowed him: he is not used to it."
"He soon will be, if he stays here long.--Brother Nicholas," said
Forster, turning round, but perceiving that Nicholas had taken up his
watch, and was examining the interior, his intended remark was changed.
"Brother Nicholas, what are you doing with my watch?"
"It's very dirty," replied Nicholas, continuing his examination; "it
must be taken to pieces."
"Indeed it shall not," replied John.
"Don't be alarmed, I'll do it myself, and charge you nothing."
"Indeed you will not do it yourself, brother. My watch goes very well,
when it's left alone.--Do me the favour to hand it to me."
Nicholas shut up the watch, and handed it to his brother over the table.
"It ought not to go well in that state, brother."
"But I tell you that _it does_, brother," replied John, putting the
watch into his fob.
"I have brought the things that I mentioned, sir," said Newton, taking
them out of his handkerchief.
"Very well, have you the inventory?"
"Yes, sir, here it is."
"Number 1. A diamond ring."
"Number 2. ---."
"I should rather think that they were Number 3," observed Nicholas, who
had taken up his brother's spectacles. "You're not very short-sighted,
brother."
"I am not, brother Nicholas;--will you oblige me by giving me my
spectacles?"
"Yes, I'll wipe them for you first," said Nicholas, commencing his
polish with an old cotton handkerchief.
"Thanky, thanky, brother, that will do," replied John, holding out his
hand for the spectacles, which he immediately put in the case and
conveyed into his pocket. The lawyer then continued the inventory.
"It is all right, young man; and I will sign a receipt."
The receipt was signed, and the articles deposited in the iron chest.
"Now, brother Nicholas, I have no time to spare; have you any thing to
say to me?"
"No," replied Nicholas, starting up.
"Well, then, I have something to say to you. In the first place, I
cannot help you in your profession (as I told my nephew yesterday).
Neither can I afford you any time, which is precious; so good bye,
brother. Here is something for you to read, when you go home." John
Forster took out his pocket-book, and gave him a sealed letter.
"Nephew, although I never saw the sea, or knew a sailor in my life, yet
the law pervades every where. An East India Director, who is under
obligations to me, has promised a situation for you as third-mate on
board of the Bombay Castle. Here is his address; call upon him, and all
will be arranged. _You_ may come here again before you sail; and I
expect you will make proper arrangements for your father, who, if I can
judge from what I have already seen, will lose that paper I have given
him, which contains what is not to be picked up every day." Nicholas
was in a deep reverie; the letter had dropped from his hand, and had
fallen, unnoticed by him, on the carpet. Newton picked it up, and,
without Nicholas observing him, put it into his own pocket. "Now, good
bye, nephew; take away my brother, pray. It's a good thing, I can tell
you, sometimes to find out an uncle."
"I trust my conduct will prove me deserving of your kindness," replied
Newton, who was overjoyed at the unexpected issue of the meeting.
"I hope it will, young man. Good morning. Now, take away your father,
I'm busy;" and old Forster pulled out his spectacles, and recommenced
his brief.
Newton went up to his father, touched him on the shoulder, and said in a
low tone, and nodding his head towards the door--"Come, father."
Nicholas got upon his legs, retreated a few steps, then turned
round--"Brother, didn't you say something about a letter I was to put in
the post?"
"No, I didn't," replied John, shortly, not raising his eyes from the
brief.
"Well, I really thought I heard something--"
"Come, father; my uncle's busy."
"Well, then, good bye, brother."
"Good bye," replied John, without looking up; and Newton, with his
father, quitted the room.
No conversation passed during the walk to the inn, except an accidental
remark of Nicholas, that it appeared to him that his brother was very
busy.
When they arrived, Newton hastened to open the enclosure, and found it
to be a draft for 500 pounds, which his uncle had ordered to be filled
up the day before. Nicholas was lost in astonishment; and Newton,
although he had already gained some insight into his uncle's character,
was not a little surprised at his extreme liberality.
"Now," cried Nicholas, rubbing his hands, "my improvement upon the
duplex;" and the subject brought up by himself, again led him away, and
he was in deep thought.
There was a little piece of advice upon the envelope--"When you cash the
draft take the number of your notes." This was all; and it was
carefully attended to by Newton, who took but 20 pounds, and left the
remainder in the hands of the banker. The next day Newton called upon
the East India Director, who gave him a letter to the captain of the
ship, lying at Gravesend, and expecting to sail in a few days. To
Gravesend he immediately repaired, and, presenting his credentials, was
favourably received; with an intimation that his company was required as
soon as convenient. Newton had now no other object to occupy him than
to secure an asylum for his father; and this he was fortunate enough to
meet with when he little expected. He had disembarked at Greenwich,
intending to return to London by the coach, when having an hour to
spare, he sauntered into the hospital, to view a building which had so
much of interest to a sailor. After a few minutes' survey, he sat down
on a bench, occupied by several pensioners, outside of the gate, wishing
to enter into conversation with them relative to their condition, when
one addressed the other--"Why, Stephen, since the old man's dead,
there's no one that'll suit us; and I expects that we must contrive to
do without blinkers at all. Jim Nelson told me the other day, that the
fellow in town as has his shop full of polished brass, all the world
like the quarter-deck of the Le Amphitrite, when that sucking Honourable
(what was his name?) commanded her--Jim said to me, as how he charged
him one-and-sixpence for a new piece of flint for his starboard eye.
Now you know that old Wilkins never axed no more than threepence. Now,
how we're to pay at that rate, comes to more than my knowledge. Jim
hadn't the dirt, although he had brought his threepence; so his blinkers
are left there in limbo."
"We must find out another man: the shop's to let, and all handy.
Suppose we speak to the governor?"
"No use to speak to the governor; he don't use blinkers; and so won't
have no fellow feeling."
Newton entered into conversation, and found that an old man, who gained
his livelihood in a small shop close to the gate, by repairing the
spectacles of the pensioners, had lately died, and that his loss was
severely felt by them, as the opticians in town did not work at so
reasonable a rate. Newton looked at the shop, which was small and
comfortable, commanding a pleasant view of the river, and he was
immediately convinced that it would suit his father. On his return, he
proposed it to Nicholas, who was delighted at the idea; and the next day
they viewed the premises together, and took a short lease. In a few
days Nicholas was settled in his new habitation, and busily employed in
enabling the old pensioners to read the newspapers and count their
points at cribbage. He liked his customers, and they liked him. His
gains were equal to his wants; and, unless on particular occasions--such
as a new coat, which, like his birth-day, occurred but once a year,--he
never applied to the banker's for assistance. Newton, as soon as his
father was settled and his own affairs arranged, called upon his uncle
previous to his embarkation. Old Forster gave a satisfactory "humph!"
to his communication: and Newton, who had tact enough to make his visit
short, received a cordial shake of the hand when he quitted the room.