Your highness may imagine, that I ought to have been pretty well tired
of going to sea, after so many mishaps; but there is a restlessness
attending a person who has once been a rover, that drives him from
comfort and affluence in possession, to seek variety through danger and
difficulty in perspective. Yet I cannot say that it was my case in the
present instance, for I was forced to embark against my inclination. I
had travelled through France to Marseilles, with a small sum of money
presented me by the captain of the ship who gave me a passage home, for
I could no longer bear the idea of not again seeing my father, if he was
alive; and I felt no apprehensions from the circumstance of the lady
abbess, as I knew how soon every thing in this world is forgotten, and
that I was so altered from time and hardship, that I was not likely to
be recognised.
On my arrival at my native city, I proceeded to the well-known shop,
where I had been accustomed to exercise my talents, under my father's
superintendence. The pole was extended from the door, the bason still
turned round in obedience to the wind; but when I entered the shop,
which was crowded with people (for it was Saturday afternoon), I
perceived that all the operators were unknown to me, and that my father
was not there. One of the expectants, who waited his turn, politely
made room for me beside him on the bench, and I had time to look about
me before I made any interrogations.
The shop had been newly painted, a looking-glass of considerable
dimensions had been added, and the whole wore the appearance of a more
thriving establishment.
"You are a stranger, monsieur," observed my neighbour.
"I am," replied I; "but I have been at Marseilles before, and when I was
last here I used to frequent this shop. There was a short stout man who
was at the head of it, but I do not recollect his name."
"Oh--Monsieur Maurepas. He is dead; he died about two months since."
"And what has become of his family?"
"He had but one son, who had an intrigue with the daughter of an old
officer in this town, and was obliged to leave it. No one has heard of
him since: he is supposed to have been lost at sea, as the vessel in
which he embarked never arrived at the port to which she was bound. The
old man died worth money, and there is a law-suit for his property now
carried on between two distant relations."
"What became of the lady you were speaking of?"
"She retired to a convent, not three miles off, and is since dead.
There was some mystery about the abbess, and she was supposed to be able
to explain it. I believe she was pronounced `contumacious' by the
inquisition, and put into prison, where she died from the severity of
her treatment."
My heart smote me when I heard this. The poor girl had endured all this
severity on my account, and was faithful even to the last. I fell into
a reverie of most painful feelings. Cerise, too, whose fate I had
before ascertained when I was at Toulouse--dear, dear Cerise!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I tell you again, Huckaback; I wish to have no more of Cerise," cried
the pacha. "She is dead, and there's an end of her."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information that I received made me doubtful how to proceed; I could
easily prove my identity, but I had a degree of apprehension that I
might be catechised in such a manner as to raise suspicions. At the
same time without a sou in the world, I did not much like the idea of
abandoning all claim to my father's property. I had formerly dressed
the peruke of an elderly gentleman who practised in the law, and with
whom I was a great favourite. Although five years had elapsed since I
first ran away from my father, I thought it very likely that he might be
still alive. I resolved to call at his house. When I knocked and asked
if he was at home, the girl who opened the door replied in the
affirmative; and I was shown into the same little study, littered with
papers, into which I formerly used to bring him his peruke.
"Your pleasure, sir?" inquired the old man, peering at me through his
spectacles.
"I wish," replied I, "to ask your opinion relative to a disputed
succession."
"What is the property?"
"That of Monsieur Maurepas, who died some short time since."
"What, have we another claimant? If so, as I am employed by one party
already, you must go elsewhere. I wish Francois would make his
appearance and claim his own, poor fellow."
Delighted to find that the old gentleman had still a regard for me, I
made no scruple of making myself known.
"I am Francois, sir," replied I.
The old gentlemen rose from his seat, and coming close to me, looked at
me earnestly in the face. After a minute's scrutiny--
"Well--I do believe you are; and pray, sir, where have you been all this
while?"
"That's what I cannot very well tell; but I have seen, and suffered
much."
"But that's what you must tell, if you wish to obtain your property--
that is to say, you must tell me. Don't be afraid, Francois: it is a
part of our profession to be confidants to strange secrets; and I think
there are many locked up in this breast of more importance than any
which you can disclose."
"But, sir, if my life is concerned."
"What then--your life will be safe. If I told all I knew, I could hang
half Marseilles. But laying my professional duty aside, I wish you
well; so now sit down, and let me hear your narrative."
I felt that I could confide in my old acquaintance, and I therefore
commenced a detail of my adventures. When I stated my being wrecked
near Marseilles, he interrupted me, laughing--
"And you were the holy abbess?"
"I was."
"Well, I thought I recollected your face, when I came with the rest of
the tom fools to pay my respects to you: and when it was whispered that
a man had personified the holy abbess, I said to myself, `that it was
either Francois or the devil,' but I never mentioned my suspicions."
When I had finished my narrative, he observed, "Now, Francois, there
will be some risk of proving your identity in a court of justice, which
the other parties will insist upon. What I should advise you to do, is,
to compromise with the party that employs me. Make over to him a
conveyance of all the property, on condition of your receiving one half,
or more if we can get it. I will represent you as a careless young man,
anxious to obtain money and spend it. If he agrees, you will obtain a
good round sum without risk, and I shall oblige both my clients, which
is always my endeavour."
I agreed to the good sense of the proposal, and my old friend advanced
me some louis to enable me to improve my appearance. Advising me not to
show myself too much, he offered me a bed at his house. I left him to
procure a more decent wardrobe; and for better disguise, fitted myself
with an officer's undress suit, and having purchased a few other
necessaries returned to his house.
"Well, upon my honour, you do justice to your dress. I don't wonder at
Mademoiselle de Fonseca falling in love with you. That is a sad story
though--I don't know whether I ought to trust you with my housekeeper,
for she is very young and very pretty. Promise me, on your honour, that
you will not make love to the poor girl, for I have an affection for
her, and will not have her added to your list of broken hearts."
"Mention it not, I beg, sir," replied I, mournfully; "my heart is dead
and buried with her whose name I have just mentioned."
"Well, then, go up stairs and introduce yourself. I have people waiting
in the next room."
I obeyed his directions, and when I entered the parlour above, perceived
a youthful figure working at her needle, with her back towards me. She
turned her head at my approach what was my amazement, what was my
delight, when I beheld Cerise!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Holy Prophet," exclaimed the pacha, "is that woman come to life again?"
"She was never dead, your highness, and will occupy your attention more
than once, if I am to proceed with my voyages."
"But I hope there will be no more love scenes."
"Only the present one, your highness: for after that we were married."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cerise looked at me for one moment, screamed, and fell lifeless on the
floor. I caught her in my arms, and, as she lay senseless, called her
by her name, and imprinted a hundred kisses on her lips.
The noise had alarmed the old gentleman, who, unobserved by me came in,
and witnessed the scene. "Upon my honour, sir, considering your promise
to me just now, you are making rather free."
"'Tis Cerise, my dear sir--Cerise!"
"Cerise de Fonseca?"
"Yes, the same; the dear girl whom I have ever lamented."
"Upon my soul, Mr Francois, you've a talent for adventures," said the
old gentleman, leaving the room, and returning with a tumbler of water.
Cerise was soon restored, and lay trembling in my arms. Our old friend,
who considered that he was `_de trop_,' quitted the room, and left us
together.
I will not dwell upon a scene which can have no charms to those, who,
like your highness, buy love ready made; I shall therefore narrate the
history of Cerise, which at my request was imparted, previous to her
receiving a similar confidence on my part.
"Allow me to observe, Felix, or what is your name, you impostor?" said
Cerise, half reproachfully and half in jest.
"My name is Francois."
"Well, then, Francois; but I never shall like that name so well as
Felix, for it was to Felix that--but there's nothing in a name after
all--except that the first is engraven on my heart, and cannot be
effaced. But let me tell my story, and allow me to commence with an
observation, which my acquaintance with you, and subsequent reflections
have deeply impressed upon my mind. It unfortunately happens, that
those who are highest in rank in this world pay dearly for it in a point
upon which almost all the real happiness of life consists. I mean in
the choice of the partner with whom they are destined to walk the
pilgrimage of life hand in hand; and the higher their rank, the more
strictly are they debarred from making a selection which the meanest
peasant can enjoy without control.
"A king has no choice, he must submit to the wishes of his subjects, and
the interests of his country. The aristocracy in our country are little
better off, at least the female part of it, for they are dragged from
convents to the altar, and offered up as a sacrifice to family
connection. At the time that we were, or were supposed to be (for as
yet it is a mystery to me), assisted by you on the road--"
"In one point not a supposition certainly, my Cerise, for I took off my
only garment to cover you."
"You did--you did--I think I see you now, leaving the side of the
chariot; I loved you from that moment. But to continue: I was then
going down to the chateau, to be introduced to my future husband, whom I
had never seen, although the affair had been long arranged.
"My father had no idea that any harm could result from a few days'
acquaintance; and he felt too grateful to forbid you the house; but he
little knew how situation and opportunity will overcome time; and I knew
more of you in a few days than I thought I could have known of any man
in so many years. That I loved you--loved you dearly--you know well.
"But to proceed: (nay, don't kiss me so, or I shall never tell my
story.) The next morning I heard that you had gone, as you had told me
it was your intention; but my father's horse did not come back--my
father was grave, and the bishop more gloomy than usual. Two days
afterwards I was informed by my father that you were an impostor, that
all had been discovered, and that if taken you would probably be seized
by the inquisition; but you had fled the country, and were supposed to
have embarked at Toulon. He added, that my intended husband would
arrive in a few days.
"I considered all that he had told me, and I formed the following
conclusions:--First, that you were not the person you described yourself
to be; and, Secondly, that he had discovered our attachment, and had
insisted upon your not re-appearing--but that you had deserted me, and
left the country, I knew, after what had passed, _to be impossible_.
But whether you were Monsieur de Rouille or not, you were all I coveted,
and all that I adored; and I vowed that for you I would live or die. I
felt assured that one day or another, you would come back; and that
conviction supported me. My future husband appeared--he was odious.
The time fixed for our wedding drew nigh--I had but one resource, which
was flight. A young girl who attended me (you recollect her, she came
and told us the bishop was coming, when we were in the garden), I knew
to be attached to me. I took her in confidence, and through her means I
obtained a peasant's dress, with the promise of shelter in her father's
cottage, some leagues distant. The night before the marriage was to
take place, I ran down to the river that flows past the chateau, threw
my bonnet and shawl on the bank, and then made my escape to where her
father was waiting to receive me, in a cart which he had provided as a
conveyance. The girl, who was left, managed admirably: it was supposed
that I had drowned myself; and as they had no further occasion for her
services, she was dismissed, and joined me at her father's cottage. I
remained there for more than a year, when I thought it advisable to
move, and come to Marseilles I where I obtained the situation of
housekeeper to this old gentleman, who has treated me more like a
daughter than a domestic. Now, Mr Francois, can you give so good an
account of yourself?"
"Not quite, Cerise; but I can honestly declare, that when I thought you
alive, I never forgot you; and believing you dead, I never ceased to
lament you, nor have I looked at a woman since. Our old friend below
can prove it, by my answer when he cautioned me against the charms of
his housekeeper."
I did not, your highness, tell the whole truth to Cerise; for I have
always considered it perfectly justifiable to retain facts which cannot
add to people's happiness. I declared that I left her because my life
would have been forfeited if I had remained, and I valued it only for
her sake. That I always intended to return; and when I quitted
Valencia, and had become a man of property, I immediately proceeded to
make inquiries, and heard the news of her death. Neither did I acquaint
her with the profession which I had followed; I merely stated that my
father was a man of eminence, and that he had died rich--for although
people of good family will sometimes bow to love, taking the risk of
high or low birth, they are always mortified when they discover that
their ticket in the lottery has turned up a blank.
Cerise was satisfied--we renewed our vows--and the old gentleman, who
declared that of all the secrets in his possession ours would be the
most dangerous to him if discovered, was not sorry to see us united, and
quit the house.
I obtained two thirds of my fortune from the claimant; and with it and
my wife repaired to Toulon.
For one year I enjoyed uninterrupted happiness. My wife was every thing
to me, and so far from leaving her in search of variety, I could not
bear to go out of the house unless she accompanied me: but we were
living much too fast, and at the end of the year I found one third of my
property had been spent. My affection would not permit me to reduce my
wife to beggary, and I determined to take some measures to secure the
means of future existence. Consulting her on the occasion, with many
tears Cerise acknowledged my prudence; and having divided the remainder
of my property, one half of which I laid out in merchandise, and the
other I gave to her, for her support during my absence, I embarked on
board of a vessel bound to the West Indies.
We made the islands without any accident, and I was extremely successful
in my speculations; I began to think that fortune was tired of
persecuting me, but knowing how treacherous she was, I shipped one half
of my return cargo in another vessel, that I might have more than one
chance.
When our captain was ready to sail, the passengers repaired on board,
and amongst others a rich old gentleman who had come from Mexico, and
who had been waiting for a passage home to France. He was very ill when
he came on board, and I recommended his losing a little blood, offering
my services on the occasion. They were accepted; the old gentleman
recovered, and we were very intimate afterwards. We had been about a
fortnight clear of the island, when a hurricane came on, the equal to
which in force I never beheld. The sea was one sheet of foam, the air
was loaded with spray, which was thrown with such violence against our
faces that we were blinded; and the wind blew so strong that no one
could stand up against it. The vessel was thrown on her beam ends, and
we all gave ourselves up for lost. Fortunately the masts went by the
board, and the ship righted. But when the hurricane abated, we were in
an awkward predicament; the spare spars had been washed overboard, and
we had no means of rigging jury-masts and making sail. There we lay
rolling in a perfect calm which had succeeded, and drifting to the
northward by the influence of what is called the Gulf stream.
One morning, as we were anxiously looking out for a vessel, we perceived
something at a distance, but could not ascertain what it was.
At first we imagined that it was several casks floating, which had been
thrown overboard, or had forced their way out of the hold of some vessel
which had foundered at sea. But at last we discovered that it was an
enormous serpent, coming directly on towards the vessel, at the rate of
fifteen or twenty miles an hour. As it approached, we perceived to our
horror, that it was about a hundred feet long, and as thick as the
main-mast of a seventy-four; it occasionally reared its head many feet
above the surface, and then plunging it down again continued its rapid
course. When it neared us to within a mile, we were so alarmed that we
all ran down below. The animal came to the ship, and rearing its body
more than half way out of the water, so that if our masts had been
standing, his head would have been as high as our topsail-yards, looked
down on deck. He then lowered his great diamond-shaped head, and
thrusting it down the hatchway, seized one of the men in his teeth,
plunged into the sea and disappeared.
We were all horror-struck, for we expected his re-appearance, and had no
means of securing ourselves below, every grating and sky-light having
been washed overboard in the hurricane. The old gentleman was more
alarmed than the rest. He sent for me, and said--
"I did look forward to once more seeing my relations in France, but that
hope is now abandoned. My name is Fonseca, I am a younger brother of a
noble family of that name, and I intended, if not to enrich my brother,
at least to endow his daughter with the wealth I have brought with me.
Should my fears be verified, I trust to your honour for the performance
of my request. It is, to deliver this casket, which is of great value,
into the hand of either one or the other. Here is a letter with their
address, and here is the key; the remainder of my property on board, if
saved, in case of my death, is yours; and here is a voucher for you to
show in case of necessity."
I took the casket, but did not tell him that I was the husband of his
niece--as he might have disinherited her for having married so much
below her rank in life. The old gentleman was right in his supposition,
the serpent returned in the afternoon, and seizing him as he had the
sailor, in the morning, again plunged into the sea; and so he continued
bearing two or three off every day, until I was the only one left. On
the eighth day he had taken off the last but me, and I knew that my fate
must be decided in the evening; for large as he was, he could penetrate
every part of the ship, and could draw you to him, when you were many
feet distant, by sucking in his breath.
There happened to be two casks, of a material lately invented in
England, which we were taking to France on trial; during the hurricane,
one had burst, and the stench proceeding from it was intolerable.
Although it had gradually evaporated, I perceived that whenever the
serpent approached any thing that had been defiled with it, he
immediately turned away, as if the smell was as unbearable to him as it
was to us. I don't know what it was composed of, but the English called
it _coal tar_. It struck me that I might save myself by means of this
offensive composition. I knocked out the head of the remaining cask,
and arming myself with a broom dipped in it, I jumped into the cask
which contained the remainder, and awaited any fate with anxiety. The
serpent came; as usual, forced his head and part of his body down the
hatchway, perceived me, and with eyes darting fire reached out his head
to seize me. I dashed the broom into his mouth, and bobbed my head
immediately under the coal tar. When I lifted it up again, almost
suffocated, the animal had disappeared. I crawled out, and looking over
the side, perceived him lashing the ocean in his fury, plunging and
diving to rid himself of the composition with which I had filled his
mouth. After exhausting himself with his furious endeavours, he went
down, and I saw him no more.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Did you never see him again?" inquired the pacha.
"Never but that once; nor has the animal been seen before or since,
except by the Americans, who have much better eyes than the people of
Europe can boast of."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The vessel drifted to the northward with the Gulf stream, until she was
close to the land, when a pilot boat came out and boarded her. The
people belonging to her were much annoyed to find me on board. Had
there been no one in her, they would have claimed the whole vessel and
cargo, whereas they were now only entitled to one eighth. I understood
English enough to hear them propose and agree to throw me overboard. I
immediately ran down below to secure my casket, and when I returned on
deck, they launched me over the side. I sank down, and diving under the
counter, laid hold of the rudder chains, unperceived by them. In the
mean time another pilot boat came to us, and sent her boat on board; I
swam to it and was hauled in. The captains being rivals, I was taken to
New York as evidence against the people who had attempted my life. I
staid there just long enough to sell my seven eights of the cargo, and
see the men hung, and I then took a passage in a vessel bound to
Bordeaux, where I arrived in safety. From thence I repaired to Toulon,
and found my dear Cerise as beautiful and as fond as ever.
I was now a rich man; I bought a large estate, with a marquisate
attached to it. I also purchased the chateau of Fonseca, and made a
gift of it to my dear wife. I was pleased at having the means of
raising her again to that rank in society, which she had quitted for my
sake. For some years we lived happily, although we had no children.
After that, events happened which again sent me to sea. Such, your
highness, is the history of my Fourth Voyage.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Well," observed the pacha, "I never heard of so large a snake before;
did you, Mustapha?"
"Never, your highness; but travellers see strange things. What is to be
the extent of your highness's bounty?"
"Give him ten pieces of gold," said the pacha, rising from the throne,
and waddling behind the curtain.
Mustapha told out the sequins. "Selim, if I might advise you, it would
please his highness better, if you continued more at sea, and dealt a
little more in the marvellous. That wife of yours, Cerise as you call
her, is rather a bore."
"Well, I'll get rid of her to-morrow; but I can tell you, vizier, that I
deserve all my pay, for its rather fatiguing work--besides, my
conscience."
"Holy Prophet! hear him--his conscience! go, hypocrite, drown it in wine
to-night, and it will be dead tomorrow; and don't forget to kill your
wife."
"Allow me to observe, that you Turks have very little taste;
nevertheless, I will get rid of her after your own fashion, for she
shall go to the bottom of the sea--Bashem ustun, on my head be it."