MESSRS GOODALL BROTHERS
For a short time we will leave the amateur aeronaut, in order to make
the acquaintance of his uncle, Mr William Goodall, who was a merchant
and shipowner in London.
His brother, Mr Henry Goodall, superintended the Sydney branch of the
firm, and was Harry Goodall’s father.
Both uncle and father were very averse to ballooning, and they were
unanimous in desiring that Harry should not only give up that pursuit
and settle down to a mercantile calling, but that he should conform to
their wishes as regards a young heiress, the only daughter of Squire
Dove of Wedwell Hall, Sussex, who was a friend of theirs. The brothers,
indeed, both desired that Harry should make Miss Dove’s acquaintance,
with a view to future matrimony; but he was obstinate, and could not
be persuaded to fall in with their views, of which he had been duly
apprised.
About the time of the lake experiment, Mr William Goodall was expecting
a call from a Mr Falcon, who had embarked at Sydney for Cape Town,
with Henry Goodall in his ship, the _Neptune_. On the voyage, whilst
a strong gale of wind was blowing, an accident had happened to the
owner, which was witnessed by Mr Falcon and his servant. Captain Link,
who commanded the _Neptune_ on this occasion, was not himself an
eye-witness of what took place, as he was on the poop directing the
crew. Mr Falcon was indeed the only person who could give reliable
information, with the exception of the ship’s steward,--who was lying
seriously ill from injuries he received by falling on his head.
Under these circumstances, Mr Falcon came on in a steamer from the
Cape, in advance of the _Neptune_, in order to give the London merchant
full details of the mishap, and to transact some financial business
with Squire Dove of Wedwell Hall, according to an arrangement made with
the Sydney merchant, who had approved of Mr Falcon’s plans and desired
that he should negotiate with Squire Dove on his arrival in England,
though the financier was not empowered to do so by any written document
that he could produce, but by an agreement, as he explained it, prior
to the merchant’s accident.
One evening, while Mr William Goodall was dozing in his armchair, Mr
Falcon was ushered into his presence, and so anxious was the merchant
about his brother’s fate, that he opened the conversation without much
ceremony; however, he did mention, as a business-like prelude, that
his brother Henry had told him by letter that Mr Falcon was going to
England on financial matters of great importance, and that he had
kindly promised to try and persuade Harry to abandon ballooning. It
was moreover mentioned that Mr Falcon would see Squire Dove, as the
financier specially wished to add his name and his contributions to the
new scheme which Mr Falcon had projected, and which he wished to float
in London. Mr Goodall admitted, too, that his brother had spoken of his
intention to handsomely reward Mr Falcon by testamentary disposition,
if he were successful. Mr Falcon was questioned, too, as to a recent
will which Henry Goodall was said to have made just before he left
Sydney,--but the financier was not communicative on this subject.
“Now,” said Mr William Goodall, “tell me what has happened to my
brother?”
“Certainly, sir; it is a painful duty, but I will do so to the best of
my recollection. When I decided upon leaving Sydney, accompanied by
my servant, an invaluable attendant, I had not the remotest idea that
your brother would go part of the way with us. It appears that he had,
only a day or two before the _Neptune_ sailed, made up his mind to go
as far as Cape Town on urgent business, the nature of which he did
not mention to me. We had been great friends for some time in Sydney,
and my servant, knowing his habits, was very useful to both of us on
board. Your brother was almost invariably on deck, for he could not
bear to be cooped up in his cabin owing to an asthmatic affection. And
when a storm sprang up, without much warning, soon after a rapid fall
of the barometer, and before ample preparations could be made to meet
it, whilst the _Neptune_ began to pitch and roll heavily, I begged of
Mr Henry Goodall to go below; but it was useless, he would remain. My
servant and I were both with him, when all hands were ordered to their
stations, and we began to ship heavy seas. Of course Captain Link’s
commands were promptly obeyed--men were sent at once aloft to shorten
sail, but, before they had time to secure the upper sails, the ship was
once or twice almost on her beam ends. The fore-royal and top-gallant
sails were blown out of the roping, and then the _Neptune_ righted,
but, as she flew up to the wind, a fearfully heavy sea struck her on
the port bow, sweeping her decks and dashing all three of us against
the bulwarks. When the ship cleared herself of this terrific sea, I
looked round, and, to my horror, your brother had disappeared. The
steward, who had come on deck to have a look round, immediately gave
the alarm that the owner was overboard, for he had caught sight of a
dark object with outstretched arms being swept over the _Neptune’s_
side. A moment afterwards, he himself was, by another heavy sea, struck
down the companion ladder and stunned. The fury of the gale, however,
was such that no man could live in such a sea. We laid to for more
than an hour and kept a most careful lookout, but no object could be
discerned, so that there remained no doubt, I am sorry to say, that the
owner had perished.”
“Excuse my emotion, Mr Falcon, the news is so shocking; but tell me,
did you or your servant see my poor brother go overboard?”
“We could not possibly do so, sir, as we were ourselves washed against
the bulwarks, and narrowly escaped being swept over too, but the
steward saw him go.”
“And what became of the steward?”
“God knows! I expect he is dead, sir. He was hurt in the spine and
head, so that when I left Cape Town his life was despaired of.”
“Then there is no hope that my poor brother was saved?”
“None whatever, I fear, for we saw nothing near us, so far as the thick
weather enabled us to perceive. An hour or two later, when the moon
rose and the sea went down somewhat, we saw a dismasted vessel in the
distance, but he could not have reached her.”
“I understand you to say that the weather had been thick previously?”
“Very thick, but, as I have said, it cleared afterwards, though no one
on board had the slightest hope that the owner could have survived the
fearful seas which raged at the time.”
At this point, Mr William Goodall was much moved by Mr Falcon’s
recital, then, for some moments, he seemed to be absorbed in
meditation, but, on regaining his self-possession, he exclaimed,--
“I may have to proceed to Sydney, Mr Falcon, but of course not before
Captain Link’s arrival with the _Neptune_. Now I must ask you _not_ to
move in any financial matter connected with me, Squire Dove and others,
or on behalf of my poor brother, at present, if you please, Mr Falcon,
for I shall be most anxious to hear Captain Link’s version of this
terrible affair.”
“I had your brother’s instructions to treat with Squire Dove as soon
after my arrival as possible, sir.”
“Yes, yes; but now that he is dead, you will kindly, I hope, defer to
my wishes under the sad circumstances; and, look here, Mr Falcon, I
would not, should you decide upon seeing my nephew, tell him what has
occurred.”
“In that respect, sir, I will attend to your wishes, but I must do
something, known or unknown by him, to prevent your nephew from seeking
an introduction to Miss Dove until he drops this frantic ballooning,
for I pledged myself to do so to your late brother, Mr Goodall, before
I left Sydney, and I believe, sir, that ‘prevention is better than
cure.’”
“I agree with you there, but you may not be aware that my nephew is
engaged in preparing for a series of ascents from the Crystal Palace
grounds. However, I will not dictate to one of your clear discernment.”
“Don’t, please, Mr Goodall. I shall follow a plan of which I think
you will not disapprove--a plan which may have a certain deterrent
effect--but I shall not put myself forward in such a way that he will
know me by name, nor shall I rashly check his movements.”
“No; I would not attempt to do anything that would scare him or make
him angry; but if you can give him a distaste for his hobby, I presume
you will be carrying out my late brother’s wish--”
“And my own desire, sir; but I had better not argue with him, perhaps,
just now, though my eye will be more frequently upon him than he may be
aware of; in fact, I have already seen him more than once, sir, though
he had no idea of it.”
“Indeed! Then when Captain Link arrives, Mr Falcon, would you like to
meet him, and join us on board near Gravesend?”
“Wouldn’t it be better for you to see Link alone, sir?”
“Yes, I think perhaps it would--and now will you favour me with your
address?”
“Allow me to hand you one of my cards, sir.”
“Ah! I perceive your name is Filcher Falcon.”
“Oh--ah--I have given you the wrong card.”
“Eh? A relative’s, perhaps?”
“You mustn’t guess again, Mr Goodall, but here is my own card and my
hotel, sir; and if you will let me have the other card back, I shall
feel much obliged.”
“Most certainly, Mr Falcon. And now, when do you propose to visit the
Doves?”
“I’ve already looked in at Wedwell Hall, Mr Goodall, on my way up
from Newhaven, as I had a packet to deliver as early after landing as
possible--that was your brother’s express wish.”
“Was it really? But wouldn’t his awfully sudden death check your ardour
a little, and, to be candid, I did not at all understand that you had
seen the Doves. Then, of course, you have seen Miss Edith Dove, the
squire’s only daughter?”
“I had that honour, sir, and found her a most charming young lady.”
“Well, then, as you have seen the young lady that my poor brother
wished his son to marry, you can easily understand what a silly fellow
my nephew is not to avail himself of such a splendid opportunity.”
“Say rather of such a golden opportunity, sir, which not one in a
thousand could resist.”
“May I ask if Mrs Falcon accompanied you to this country?”
“At present, sir, I am struggling on in single infelicity.”
“Well, to be sure! I was not aware of that. But I perceive that you
are of a facetious turn of mind. However, I should advise you to mind
how you deal with my nephew, for, beneath a calm demeanour, he is a
resolute and touchy young fellow and an expert in athletics,” said the
old gentleman, who was really very proud of his nephew. “But perhaps
you know what I mean, Mr Falcon?” he added.
“I don’t see much to fear, sir, but until your nephew throws up
ballooning, it would be perfect madness for him to go down to
Wedwell--to force himself into Miss Dove’s society.”
“Oh! that’s your candid opinion, is it? Then all I have to say further
this evening, is to thank you for this visit, and to remind you that we
must meet again shortly, if you have no objection.”
“Most readily, sir,” replied Mr Falcon, who took his departure with an
air of assurance, which left an impression on the merchant’s mind that
the colonial financier was a highly objectionable character, who was
not a fit companion, much less adviser, for his nephew--and certainly
not for Squire Dove’s rich and lovely daughter.