I AM SO UNFASHIONABLE AS TO PAY MY DEBTS--BEN'S OPINION AS TO MY
FATHER'S RETURN--THE CHANCES EXEMPLIFIED IN THE LIST OF KILLED AND
WOUNDED--THE L'ORIENT BLOWING UP, AND THE ROYAL GEORGE GOING DOWN.
Time passed, and three years of it certainly were not unprofitably
spent. Anderson had instructed me well. I could read, write, and
cipher, and, what the reader will consider of more consequence, I was
well acquainted with the Bible, and duly admonished by my preceptor of
my duty towards God and man. Nor was my sister Virginia neglected. My
mother, as soon as she was seven years old, sent her as a day scholar to
a young ladies' seminary, where she was well taught, although the style
of the school was much above my sister's situation in life; but my
mother would not allow her to go anywhere else, although there were
several schools more appropriate: she declared that Virginia should not
mix with the vulgar ungenteel girls of the place, and that, if _she_ had
demeaned herself by marrying below her rank, at all events _her_
daughter should be brought up as she ought to be. The neighbours
laughed at her, but my mother did not care; she worked hard, and always
was ready to pay the quarter's bill for schooling whenever it was due.
To me Sunday was a day of rejoicing, I was so glad to throw off my
ragged apparel of "Poor Jack," and put on my best clothes, that I might
walk with my sister, for my mother gradually softened down her asperity
(perhaps, out of prudence), as she could raise no objection to Virginia
walking with her brother when he was clean and well dressed, and
Virginia was very firm in supporting me when I requested permission.
Indeed, latterly my requests were more like demanding a right than a
favour, and my mother appeared to wish to avoid a contest with me. She
knew that I was a good scholar, very independent of her, and very much
liked: the favourable opinion of others induced her to treat me with
more consideration; but we had no regard for each other, only preserving
a sort of armed neutrality.
There are grades in all classes of life; and the young ladies' seminary,
to which Virginia went as a day scholar, had its distinctions of rank.
The first in consequence among the young ladies were the two daughters
of Mr Tippet, the haberdasher; then came the hatter's daughter, Miss
Beaver. The grades appeared to be as follows: manufactures held the
first rank; then dry goods, as the tea-dealers, grocers, etcetera; the
third class consisted of the daughters of the substantial butchers and
pastrycooks. The squabbles between the young ladies about rank and
precedence were continual; what then must have been the position of poor
little Virginia, whose mother was a clear-starcher and getter-up of fine
linen? At first they called her the washerwoman's daughter, and would
not associate with her, which made her very uncomfortable; and she used
to tell me on the Sundays, when we walked out, how she had been treated
during the week. But it was all for her advantage, and tended to
correct the false pride and upstart ideas which in time must have been
engendered by my mother's folly. Neither, after a few weeks, was my
sister unhappy; she was too meek in disposition to reply, so that she
disarmed those who would assail her; and being, as she was, of the
lowest rank in the school, there could be no contest with the others as
to precedence. Her mildness, humility, and sweetness of temper soon won
upon both the schoolmistress and the scholars; eventually the Miss
Tippets took Virginia under their protection, and this magnanimity on
their part silenced all opposition. My mother had desired my sister to
take lessons in dancing. At first the girls would not stand up with
her; but, when the elder Miss Tippet took her as a partner, my sister
became quite the fashion, and, what was better, a great favourite and
pet with everybody; and they all patronised her as "little Virginia."
I very soon paid off my debt to old Nanny, without having to apply to
Peter Anderson. I had assistance (but without asking for it) as
follows:--The second Sunday after I had obtained my clothes, I called,
with Virginia, upon the widow of St. Felix. She was in the back
parlour, and the doctor, as usual, sitting with her. She received us
very kindly, spoke a deal to Virginia, and told me that I looked very
handsome for "Poor Jack."
"You'll be quite the fashion," continued she; "and I presume, like most
fashionable gentlemen, your clothes are not paid for."
I replied, laughing, that they were not; but that they should be, if I
lived and could work.
"I've heard the whole story from old Ben," replied she. "Come in
to-morrow, Jack; I want to speak with you."
I did so in the forenoon, when she put a five-shilling piece in my hand,
and said, "That's from me, to help you to pay your debt to old Nanny.
But that's not all, Jack; I've coaxed the doctor (not that he required
much coaxing, to do him justice), and here's two half-crowns from him,
which, I believe, will go about as far as my five shillings. Now, Jack,
you look very happy; so, just out of gratitude, run as fast as you can,
and make poor old Nanny happy, for she moans over her generous fit, and
wonders all day long whether you will ever pay her again."
I had listened all this while to Mrs St. Felix, but I was so moved by
her kindness and generosity that I could not speak. I had received
money for services performed, and I had obtained it from Nanny as a
loan, to be repaid with interest; but so much money, as a gift, had
never entered into my imagination. I could not restrain my feelings; I
dropped my face on the counter, to conceal the tears which escaped.
"I can't say `thank you,' as I wish, indeed I can't," said I, as I
looked up at her.
"Why, you foolish boy, you have said thank you," replied the widow; "and
now run away, for I must leave the shop a minute."
This assistance made me redouble my exertions, and in three months I had
repaid the whole: the last portion which was due I received from
Virginia. She knew how much I paid off every week; and, when on Sunday
I told her that I had only one and sixpence owing, she ran upstairs,
and, when she came down again, put the sum into my hand. She had been
saving up all she could coax out of my mother ever since I had first
obtained the clothes; and great indeed was her delight when she gave me
the money,--she kissed me, and began to dance, although it was Sunday,
and then she proposed that we should walk together to old Nanny's, and
close the account. We found the old woman sitting on her steps; the
door was open, but the shop shutters were up. On the Saturday night I
had paid her two shillings, so that she did not expect to see me.
Virginia put the one and sixpence in her hand, saying, "Now brother has
paid you all."
"Yes, darling, he has," replied old Nanny; "but then he promised--"
"I know I did," interrupted I; "and I will keep my promise. I promised
you good bargains."
"You're an honest boy, Jack, and what's more strange, your sister isn't
a spoiled girl; but that's not her mother's fault. My dear, if it was
not Sunday you would be able to see all the pretty things in my shop,
and perhaps you might like something. You must come another day."
I thanked old Nanny once more for having trusted me, and then we left
her. I did keep my word with her, and gave her good bargains for a long
while afterwards.
I often thought of my father, who had been absent now for nearly four
years, and, as the time advanced, I became more anxious to hear of him.
I seldom met old Ben the Whaler without talking about my father, and
asking Ben what chance he thought there was of his return.
"Why, you see, Jack," said Ben, "in these times it's hard to say whether
a man be alive or not. Every day we hear of some naval action or
another, and therefore every day some must lose the number of their
mess; and then you see, Jack, a man may be supposed to be dead for
years, and after all turn up in some French prison or another; and then
ships change their stations, and ships' companies their ships; and then
ships are sometimes wrecked, with all hands, or take fire, and are blown
up. Many a good seaman loses his life by falling overboard in a gale,--
and who knows or cares? Whether your father be alive or be dead, Jack,
it is impossible for me to say; but, howsomever, I hope he be."
This was not a satisfactory, although a cautious reply, and I never
could get Ben to give any other. I began to think that one of the
mischances enumerated in Ben's catalogue might have occurred, and that I
never should see my father again, when one morning, as I was standing at
the landing-place, Ben came up to me and said, "Now, Jack, perhaps we
may hear something of your father. Here's been a famous action fought,
and a matter of a thousand men killed and wounded. I've only just heard
about it. Nelson has licked the French on the coast of Egypt" (Ben here
referred to the battle of the Nile), "and the Oudacious, the ship on
board of which your father was boatswain's mate, was in the action.
Now, you see, the names of the killed will be sent into the office here,
that their relations may receive the pay and prize-money due to them; so
now, Jack, perhaps you'll hear something about your father."
"But I shall only hear of his being killed, by your account. I don't
want to hear that."
"No, boy, of course you don't; but if you do, you'll hear the worst of
it, and that's some comfort, and if he aren't killed, why, perhaps he's
wounded, and perhaps he aren't; all perhapses in this world.
Howsomever, come with me. I saw Anderson, with a paper in his hand,
walking up to his retreat, as he calls it; so let's make all sail after
him, and we shall overhaul him before he begins to read it."
There is a small hill just inside of the Greenwich Park gates,
commanding a beautiful view of the river and the hospital. Here
Anderson was accustomed to repair when the weather was fine, that, as he
told me, he might commune with himself. In this instance he had retired
there to avoid the excitement and confusion which prevailed; he had,
however, been accompanied by three other pensioners, whom we found on
the hill when we arrived, and, before we had been there a minute, the
pensioners had followed up so fast that there was quite a crowd. We
were just in time to hear him commence reading the newspaper account.
The wind was very high; old Anderson had taken off his hat (out of
respect, I presume, for the service), and his long grey locks were swept
by the wind, which, indeed, carried away his voice, so that it was with
difficulty that I could hear what he said. "_Second Edition_. Glorious
news! We have the felicity to inform our readers, that, by despatches
received at the Admiralty this day, a splendid naval victory has been
gained over the French fleet lying in Aboukir Bay, by Rear-Admiral Sir
Horatio Nelson, and the gallant seamen under his command. We refer our
readers to the despatch of Sir Horatio Nelson for the details; we have
only to say, in few words, that the French fleet of thirteen sail of the
line and four frigates were, on the 1st of August last, when lying at
anchor in Aboukir Bay, attacked by the English fleet of twelve sail of
the line and one fifty-gun ship, and after a severe action, eleven sail
of the line and two frigates belonging to the French were taken or
burnt. The loss on our side amounts to two hundred and eighteen killed,
and six hundred and seventy-seven wounded."
"Hurrah! three cheers, my lads!" cried Anderson, dropping the hand which
held the newspaper, and raising the other with his hat in it above his
head. The three hearty cheers were given by the crowd which had now
assembled; and then Ben said to me:--
"You see, Jack, there's a lot of killed and wounded; so now, perhaps,
you will hear something about your father."
By this time I had been pushed back, first by one, and then by another,
until I was a long way off from where Anderson stood.
"I can't hear a word that Peter says," replied I to Ben.
"No, because the wind's so high, and I myself am, a little hard of
hearing out of doors; suppose we go now, and by-and-bye you shall get
the paper from Anderson, and read it all over to me."
"Come away, Ben," replied I, impatiently, "I've got a shilling, and I'll
buy one."
We left the hill and went down into the town, directing our course to
where we heard the horns blowing. I had not, however, to go to such an
extraordinary expense, as "a full and particular account" had been
struck off for twopence; one of these I purchased, and then Ben and I
sat down on the bench outside of a public house, and I commenced
reading.
"How good that porter looks!" observed Ben, after a pause, as he eyed a
man near to him who was blowing off the froth from the top of the pot he
held in his hand.
"Well, Ben, as I have bought the account of the battle for twopence,
suppose I spend the rest of the money I intended to pay for it in a pot
of, porter, to drink the health of Nelson?"
"Ay, my boy, and of those who fought with him," replied Ben; "your own
father, Jack, whether he be dead or alive."
I sighed at the idea of my father being dead, for I had a great regard
for him, although I had not seen much of him. The porter was brought,
and after we had both drunk I recommenced reading. Having concluded
Admiral Nelson's despatch and the list of the ships taken, we then came
to the loss in killed and wounded on board of the respective English
ships.
"Vanguard--thirty killed, seventy-five wounded; total, a hundred and
five."
"Yes, Jack, that was Nelson's own ship; and he is always to be found
where the shot fly thickest."
"Bellerophon--forty-nine killed, a hundred and forty-eight wounded;
total, a hundred and ninety-seven."
"Well, she was in the thick of it, anyhow!" observed Ben.
"Majestic--fifty killed, a hundred and forty-three wounded; total, a
hundred and ninety-three."
"Why, she and the Bellyruffron seem to have pretty well shared and
shared alike. You see, Jack, they led into the action, and had all the
cream of the fire."