have not the pleasure of recollecting his lordship's family name--"
"Ossulton, sir," cried Cecilia, looking at Pickersgill with surprise.
"Then with your permission, Miss Ossulton, I will now make you my
confidant: excuse my using so free a term, but it is because I wish to
relieve your fears. At the same time, I cannot permit you to divulge
all my intentions to the whole party on board. I feel that I may trust
you, for you have courage, and where there is courage there generally is
truth; but you must first tell me whether you will condescend to accept
these terms?"
Cecilia demurred a moment; the idea of being the confidant of a smuggler
rather startled her: but still, her knowledge of what his intentions
were, if she might not reveal them, might be important; as, perhaps, she
might dissuade him. She could be in no worse position than she was now,
and she might be in a much better. The conduct of Pickersgill had been
such, up to the present, as to inspire confidence; and, although he
defied the laws, he appeared to regard the courtesies of life. Cecilia
was a courageous girl, and at length she replied:--
"Provided what you desire me to keep secret will not be injurious to any
one, or compromise me in my peculiar situation, I consent."
"I would not hurt a fly, Miss Ossulton, but in self-defence; and I have
too much respect for you, from your conduct during our short meeting, to
compromise you. Allow me now to be very candid; and then, perhaps, you
will acknowledge that in my situation others would do the same, and,
perhaps, not show half so much forbearance. Your father, without any
right whatever, interferes with me and my calling: he attempts to make
me a prisoner, to have me thrown into jail, heavily fined, and, perhaps,
sent out of the country. I will not enter into any defence of
smuggling; it is sufficient to say that there are pains and penalties
attached to the infraction of certain laws, and that I choose to risk
them. But Lord B--- was not empowered by Government to attack me; it
was a gratuitous act; and had I thrown him and all his crew into the
sea, I should have been justified; for it was, in short, an act of
piracy on their part. Now, as your father has thought to turn a yacht
into a revenue-cutter, you cannot be surprised at my retaliating, in
turning her into a smuggler; and as he has mixed up looking after the
revenue with yachting, he cannot be surprised if I retaliate, by mixing
up a little yachting with smuggling. I have dressed your male
companions as smugglers, and have sent them in the smuggling vessel to
Cherbourg, where they will be safely landed; and I have dressed myself,
and the only person whom I could join with me in this frolic, as
gentlemen in their places. My object is twofold; one is to land my
cargo, which I have now on board, and which is very valuable; the other
is, to retaliate upon your father and his companions for their attempt
upon me, by stepping into their shoes, and enjoying, for a day or two,
their luxuries. It is my intention to make free with nothing but his
lordship's wines and eatables--that you may be assured of; but I shall
have no pleasure if the ladies do not sit down to the dinner-table with
us, as they did before with your father and his friends."
"You can hardly expect that, sir," said Cecilia.
"Yes, I do; and that will be not only the price of the early release of
the yacht and themselves, but it will also be the only means by which
they will obtain anything to eat. You observe, Miss Ossulton, the sins
of the fathers are visited on the children. I have now told you what I
mean to do and what I wish. I leave you to think of it, and decide
whether it will not be the best for all parties to consent. You have my
permission to tell the other ladies that, whatever may be their conduct,
they are as secure from ill-treatment or rudeness as if they were in
Grosvenor-Square; but I cannot answer that they will not be hungry, if,
after such forbearance in every point, they show so little gratitude as
not to honour me with their company."
"Then I am to understand that we are to be starved into submission?"
"No, not starved, Miss Ossulton; but recollect that you will be on bread
and water, and detained until you do consent, and your detention will
increase the anxiety of your father."
"You know how to persuade, sir," said Cecilia. "As far as I am
concerned, I trust I shall ever be ready to sacrifice any feelings of
pride to spare my father so much uneasiness. With your permission, I
will now go down into the cabin and relieve my companions from the worst
of their fears. As for obtaining what you wish, I can only say that, as
a young person, I am not likely to have much influence with those older
than myself, and must inevitably be overruled, as I have not permission
to point out to them reasons which might avail. Would you so far allow
me to be relieved from my promise, as to communicate all you have said
to me to the only married woman on board? I think I might then obtain
your wishes, which, I must candidly tell you, I shall attempt to effect
_only_ because I am most anxious to rejoin my friends."
"And be relieved of my company," replied Pickersgill, smiling
ironically,--"of course you are; but I must and will have my pretty
revenge: and although you may, and probably will, detest me, at all
events you shall not have any very formidable charge to make against me.
Before you go below, Miss Ossulton, I give you my permission to add the
married lady to the number of my confidants; and you must permit me to
introduce my friend, Mr Ossulton;" and Pickersgill waved his hand in
the direction of Corbett, who took off his hat and made a low obeisance.
It was impossible for Cecilia Ossulton to help smiling.
"And," continued Pickersgill, "having taken the command of this yacht
instead of his lordship, it is absolutely necessary that I also take his
lordship's name. While on board I am Lord B---; and allow me to
introduce myself under that name; I cannot be addressed otherwise.
Depend upon it, Miss Ossulton, that I shall have a most paternal
solicitude to make you happy and comfortable."
Had Cecilia Ossulton dared to have given vent to her real feelings at
that time, she would have burst into a fit of laughter; it was too
ludicrous. At the same time, the very burlesque reassured her still
more. She went into the cabin with a heavy weight removed from her
heart.
In the meantime, Miss Ossulton and Mrs Lascelles remained below, in the
greatest anxiety at Cecilia's prolonged stay; they knew not what to
think, and dared not go on deck. Mrs Lascelles had once determined at
all risks to go up; but Miss Ossulton and Phoebe had screamed and
implored her so fervently not to leave them that she unwillingly
consented to remain. Cecilia's countenance when she entered the cabin,
reassured Mrs Lascelles, but not her aunt, who ran to her crying and
sobbing and clinging to her, saying, "What have they done to you, my
poor, poor Cecilia?"
"Nothing at all, aunt," replied Cecilia, "the captain speaks very
fairly, and says he shall respect us in every possible way, provided
that we obey his orders; but if not--"
"If not--what, Cecilia?" said Miss Ossulton, grasping her niece's arm.
"He will starve us, and not let us go!"
"God have mercy on us!" cried Miss Ossulton, renewing her sobs.
Cecilia then went to Mrs Lascelles, and communicated to her apart, all
that had passed. Mrs Lascelles agreed with Cecilia that they were in
no danger of insult; and as they talked over the matter they at last
began to laugh; there was a novelty in it, and there was something so
ridiculous in all the gentlemen being turned into smugglers. Cecilia
was glad that she could not tell her aunt, as she wished her to be so
frightened as never to have her company on board the yacht again; and
Mrs Lascelles was too glad to annoy her for many and various insults
received. The matter was therefore canvassed over very satisfactorily,
and Mrs Lascelles felt a natural curiosity to see this new Lord
B--- and the second Mr Ossulton. But they had had no breakfast, and
were feeling very hungry now that their alarm was over. They desired
Phoebe to ask the steward for some tea or coffee. The reply was, that
"Breakfast was laid in the cabin, and Lord B--- trusted that the ladies
would come to partake of it."
"No, no," replied Mrs Lascelles, "I never can, without being introduced
to them first."
"Nor will I go," replied Cecilia, "but I will write a note, and we will
have our breakfast here." Cecilia wrote a note in pencil as follows:
"Miss Ossulton's compliments to Lord B---, and, as the ladies feel
rather indisposed after the alarm of this morning, they trust that his
lordship will excuse their coming to breakfast; but hope to meet his
lordship at dinner, if not before that time on deck."
The answer was propitious, and the steward soon appeared with the
breakfast in the ladies' cabin.
"Well, Maddox," said Cecilia, "how do you get on with your new master?"
The steward looked at the door, to see if it was closed, shook his head,
and then said, with a look of despair, "He has ordered a haunch of
venison for dinner, miss, and he has twice threatened to toss me
overboard."
"You must obey him, Maddox, or he certainly will. These pirates are
dreadful fellows. Be attentive, and serve him just as if he was my
father."
"Yes, yes, ma'am, I will; but our time may come. It's _burglary_ on the
high seas, and I'll go fifty miles to see him hanged."
"Steward!" cried Pickersgill, from the cabin.
"O Lord! He can't have heard me--d'ye think he did, miss?"
"The partitions are very thin, and you spoke very loud," said Mrs
Lascelles: "at all events, go to him quickly."
"Good bye, miss; good bye, ma'am; if I shouldn't see you any more," said
Maddox, trembling with fear, as he obeyed the awful summons--which was
to demand a tooth-pick.
Miss Ossulton would not touch the breakfast; not so Mrs Lascelles and
Cecilia, who ate very heartily.
"It's very dull to be shut up in this cabin," said Mrs Lascelles;
"come, Cecilia, let's go on deck."
"And leave me!" cried Miss Ossulton.
"There is Phoebe here, aunt; we are going up to persuade the pirates to
put us all on shore."
Mrs Lascelles and Cecilia put on their bonnets and went up. Lord
B--- took off his hat, and begged the honour of being introduced to the
pretty widow. He handed the ladies to a seat, and then commenced
conversing upon various subjects, which at the same time possessed great
novelty. His lordship talked about France, and described its ports;
told now and then a good anecdote; pointed out the different headlands,
bays, towns, and villages, which they were passing rapidly, and always
had some little story connected with each. Before the ladies had been
two hours on deck they found themselves, to their infinite surprise, not
only interested, but in conversation with the captain of the smuggler,
and more than once they laughed outright. But the _soi-disant_ Lord
B--- had inspired them with confidence; they fully believed that what he
had told them was true, and that he had taken possession of the yacht to
smuggle his goods, to be revenged, and to have a laugh. Now none of
these three offences are capital in the eyes of the fair sex, and Jack
was a handsome, fine-looking fellow, of excellent manners and very
agreeable conversation; at the same time, neither he nor his friend were
in their general deportment and behaviour otherwise than most
respectful.
"Ladies, as you are not afraid of me, which is a greater happiness than
I had reason to expect, I think you may be amused to witness the fear of
those who accuse your sex of cowardice. With your permission, I will
send for the cook and steward, and inquire about the dinner."
"I should like to know what there is for dinner," observed Mrs
Lascelles demurely; "wouldn't you, Cecilia?"
Cecilia put her handkerchief to her mouth.
"Tell the steward and the cook both to come aft immediately," cried
Pickersgill.
In a few seconds they both made their appearance. "Steward!" cried
Pickersgill, with a loud voice.
"Yes, my lord," replied Maddox, with his hat in his hand.
"What wines have you put out for dinner?"
"Champagne, my lord; and claret, my lord; and Madeira and sherry, my
lord."
"No Burgundy, sir?"
"No, my lord; there is no Burgundy on board."
"No Burgundy, sir! Do you dare to tell me that?"
"Upon my soul, my lord," cried Maddox, dropping on his knees, "there is
no Burgundy on board--ask the ladies."
"Very well, sir, you may go."
"Cook, what have you got for dinner?"
"Sir, a haunch of mut--of venison, my lord," replied the cook, with his
white night-cap in his hand.
"What else, sirrah?"
"A boiled calf's head, my lord."
"A boiled calf's head! Let it be roasted, or I'll roast you, sir!"
cried Pickersgill, in an angry tone.
"Yes, my lord; I'll roast it."
"And what else, sir?"
"Maintenon cutlets, my lord."
"Maintenon cutlets! I hate them--I won't have them, sir. Let them be
dressed _a l'ombre Chinoise_."
"I don't know what that is, my lord."
"I don't care for that, sirrah; if you don't find out by dinner-time,
you're food for fishes--that all; you may go."
The cook walked off wringing his hands and his night-cap as well--for he
still held it in his right hand--and disappeared down the fore-hatchway.
"I have done this to pay you a deserved compliment, ladies; you have
more courage than the other sex."
"Recollect that we have had confidence given to us in consequence of
your pledging your word, my lord."
"You do me, then, the honour of believing me?"
"I did not until I saw you," replied Mrs Lascelles, "but now I am
convinced that you will perform your promise."
"You do, indeed, encourage me, madam, to pursue what is right," said
Pickersgill, bowing; "for your approbation I should be most sorry to
lose, still more sorry to prove myself unworthy of it."
As the reader will observe, everything was going on remarkably well.
CHAPTER SIX.
THE SMUGGLING YACHT.
Cecilia returned to the cabin, to ascertain whether her aunt was more
composed; but Mrs Lascelles remained on deck. She was much pleased
with Pickersgill; and they continued their conversation. Pickersgill
entered into a defence of his conduct to Lord B---; and Mrs Lascelles
could not but admit the provocation. After a long conversation she
hinted at his profession, and how superior he appeared to be to such a
lawless life.
"You may be incredulous, madam," replied Pickersgill, "if I tell you
that I have as good a right to quarter my arms as Lord B--- himself; and
that I am not under my real name. Smuggling is, at all events, no
crime; and I infinitely prefer the wild life I lead at the head of my
men to being spurned by society because I am poor. The greatest crime
in this country is poverty. I may, if I am fortunate, some day resume
my name. You may, perhaps, meet me, and if you please, you may expose
me."
"That I should not be likely to do," replied the widow; "but still I
regret to see a person, evidently intended for better things, employed
in so disreputable a profession."
"I hardly know, madam, what is and what is not disreputable in this
conventional world. It is not considered disreputable to cringe to the
vices of a court, or to accept a pension wrung from the industry of the
nation, in return for base servility. It is not considered disreputable
to take tithes, intended for the service of God, and lavish them away at
watering-places or elsewhere, seeking pleasure instead of doing God
service. It is not considered disreputable to take fee after fee to
uphold injustice, to plead against innocence, to pervert truth, and to
aid the devil. It is not considered disreputable to gamble on the Stock
Exchange, or to corrupt the honesty of electors by bribes, for doing
which the penalty attached is equal to that decreed to the offence of
which I am guilty. All these, and much more, are not considered
disreputable; yet by all these are the moral bonds of society loosened,
while in mine we cause no guilt in others--"
"But still it is a crime."
"A violation of the revenue laws, and no more. Observe, madam, the
English Government encourage the smuggling of our manufactures to the
Continent, at the same time that they take every step to prevent
articles being smuggled into this country. Now, madam, can that be a
_crime_ when the head of the vessel is turned north, which becomes _no
crime_ when she steers the opposite way?"
"There is a stigma attached to it, you must allow."
"That I grant you, madam; and as soon as I can quit the profession I
shall. No captive ever sighed more to be released from his chains; but
I will not leave it, till I find I am in a situation not to be spurned
and neglected by those with whom I have a right to associate."
At this moment the steward was seen forward making signs to Mrs
Lascelles, who excused herself, and went to him.
"For the love of God, madam," said Maddox, "as he appears to be friendly
with you, do pray find out how these cutlets are to be dressed; the cook
is tearing his hair, and we shall never have any dinner; and then it
will all fall upon me, and I--shall be tossed overboard."
Mrs Lascelles desired poor Maddox to wait there while she obtained the
desired information. In a few minutes she returned to him.
"I have found it out. They are first to be boiled in vinegar, then
fried in batter, and served up with a sauce of anchovy and Malaga
raisins!"
"First fried in vinegar, then boiled in batter, and served up with
almonds and raisins."
"No--no!" Mrs Lascelles repeated the injunction to the frightened
steward, and then returned aft, and re-entered into a conversation with
Pickersgill, in which for the first time, Corbett now joined. Corbett
had sense enough to feel, that the less he came forward until his
superior had established himself in the good graces of the ladies, the
more favourable would be the result.
In the meantime Cecilia had gone down to her aunt, who still continued
to wail and lament. The young lady tried all she could to console her,
and to persuade her that if they were civil and obedient they had
nothing to fear.
"Civil and obedient, indeed!" cried Miss Ossulton, "to a fellow who is a
smuggler and a pirate! I, the sister of Lord B---! Never! The
presumption of the wretch!"
"That is all very well, aunt; but recollect, we must submit to
circumstances. These men insist upon our dining with them; and we must
go, or we shall have no dinner."
"I, sit down with a pirate! Never! I'll have no dinner--I'll starve--
I'll die!"
"But, my dear aunt, it's the only chance we have of obtaining our
release; and if you do not do it Mrs Lascelles will think that you wish
to remain with them."
"Mrs Lascelles judges of other people by herself."
"The captain is certainly a very well-behaved, handsome man. He looks
like a nobleman in disguise. What an odd thing it would be, aunt, if
this should be all a hoax!"
"A hoax, child?" replied Miss Ossulton, sitting up on the sofa.
Cecilia found that she had hit the right nail, as the saying is; and she
brought forward so many arguments to prove that she thought it was a
hoax to frighten them, and that the gentleman above was a man of
consequence, that her aunt began to listen to reason, and at last
consented to join the dinner-party. Mrs Lascelles now came down below;
and when dinner was announced they repaired to the large cabin, where
they found Pickersgill and Corbett waiting for them.
Miss Ossulton did not venture to look up, until she heard Pickersgill
say to Mrs Lascelles, "Perhaps, madam, you will do me the favour to
introduce me to that lady, whom I have not had the honour of seeing
before?"
"Certainly, my lord," replied Mrs Lascelles. "Miss Ossulton, the aunt
of this young lady."
Mrs Lascelles purposely did not introduce _his lordship_ in return,
that she might mystify the old spinster.
"I feel highly honoured in finding, myself in the company of Miss
Ossulton," said Pickersgill. "Ladies, we wait but for you to sit down.
Ossulton, take the head of the table and serve the soup."
Miss Ossulton was astonished; she looked at the smugglers, and perceived
two well-dressed gentlemanly men, one of whom was apparently a lord and
the other having the same family name.
"It must be all a hoax," thought she, and she very quietly took to her
soup.
The dinner passed off very pleasantly; Pickersgill was agreeable,
Corbett funny, and Miss Ossulton so far recovered herself as to drink
wine with his lordship, and to ask Corbett what branch of their family
he belonged to.
"I presume it's the Irish branch?" said Mrs Lascelles, prompting him.
"Exactly, madam," replied Corbett.
"Have you ever been to Torquay, ladies?" inquired Pickersgill.
"No, my lord," answered Mrs Lascelles.
"We shall anchor there in the course of an hour, and probably remain
there till to-morrow. Steward, bring coffee. Tell the cook these
cutlets were remarkably well-dressed."
The ladies retired to their cabin. Miss Ossulton was now convinced that
it was all a hoax; "but," said she, "I shall tell Lord B--- my opinion
of their practical jokes when he returns. What is his lordship's name
who is on board?"
"He won't tell us," replied Mrs Lascelles; "but I think I know; it is
Lord Blarney."
"Lord Blaney you mean, I presume," said Miss Ossulton; "however the
thing is carried too far. Cecilia, we will go on shore at Torquay, and
wait till the yacht returns with Lord B---. I don't like these jokes;
they may do very well for widows, and people of no rank."
Now Mrs Lascelles was sorry to find Miss Ossulton so much at her ease.
She owed her no little spite, and wished for revenge. Ladies will go
very far to obtain this. How far Mrs Lascelles would have gone, I will
not pretend to say; but this is certain, that the last innuendo of Miss
Ossulton very much added to her determination. She took her bonnet and
went on deck, at once told Pickersgill that he could not please her or
Cecilia more than by frightening Miss Ossulton, who, under the idea that
it was all a hoax, had quite recovered her spirits; talked of her pride
and ill-nature, and wished her to receive a useful lesson. Thus, to
follow up her revenge, did Mrs Lascelles commit herself so far, as to
be confidential with the smuggler in return.
"Mrs Lascelles, I shall be able to obey you, and, at the same time, to
combine business with pleasure."
After a short conversation, the yacht dropped her anchor at Torquay. It
was then about two hours before sunset. As soon as the sails were
furled, one or two gentlemen, who resided there, came on board to pay
their respects to Lord B---; and, as Pickersgill had found out from
Cecilia that her father was acquainted with no one there, he received
them in person; asked them down in the cabin--called for wine--and
desired them to send their boats away, as his own was going on shore.
The smugglers took great care that the steward, cook, and lady's-maid,
should have no communication with the guests; one of them, by Corbett's
direction, being a sentinel over each individual. The gentlemen
remained about half-an-hour on board, during which Corbett and the
smugglers had filled the portmanteaus found in the cabin with the lace,
and they were put in the boat; Corbett then landed the gentlemen in the
same boat, and went up to the hotel, the smugglers following him with
the portmanteaus, without any suspicion or interruption. As soon as he
was there, he ordered post-horses, and set off for a town close by,
where he had correspondents; and thus the major part of the cargo was
secured. Corbett then returned in the night, bringing with him people
to receive the goods; and the smugglers landed the silks, teas,
etcetera, with the same good fortune. Everything was out of the yacht
except a portion of the lace, which the portmanteaus would not hold.
Pickersgill might easily have sent this on shore; but, to please Mrs
Lascelles, he arranged otherwise.
The next morning, about an hour after breakfast was finished, Mrs
Lascelles entered the cabin pretending to be in the greatest
consternation, and fell on the sofa as if she were going to faint.
"Good heavens! What is the matter?" exclaimed Cecilia, who knew very
well what was coming.
"Oh, the wretch! He has made such proposals!"
"Proposals! What proposals? What! Lord Blaney?" cried Miss Ossulton.