“I presume you will take an early opportunity of telling Sir Peter and
Lady Hawkshaw that I saw Philip Overton alone in this house, at five
o’clock yesterday morning?”
“I am quite unaware, Madam,” replied I, stung by this, “of anything in
my character or conduct which could induce you to think such a thing of
me.”
“You made me no promise not to tell,” she said.
“Certainly not. But some things are considered universally binding
among gentlemen, and one is to tell nothing to the disadvantage of a
woman. I neither made, nor will make, a promise about that affair; but
if it is ever known, it will be you or Overton who tells it, not I.”
And I walked out of the room.
I speedily found, after that, my life in Berkeley Square uncomfortable.
I felt constrained before Lady Arabella, and, what seemed strange to
me, little Daphne, who had hitherto treated me with greatest kindness,
seemed to take a spite at me, and her gibes and cuts were hard to bear.
Neither Sir Peter nor Lady Hawkshaw noted these things, but they were
strong enough to impel me to ask Sir Peter to look out for a ship for
me at the Admiralty.
I saw Giles Vernon every day, and he continued to come, with unabated
assurance, to Berkeley Square. We were not anxious that the fact of
the duel should leak out, and Overton was especially desirous to keep
it quiet. Of course, he came no more to Berkeley Square, and withdrew
more and more from his former associates. He began to consort much with
persons of the John Wesley persuasion, spending much of his time, when
not on duty, at Oxford, where the Wesleyans were numerous at the time.
I noticed that Lady Arabella treated Giles, and me, also, with more
civility than she had hitherto shown. I could not think it sincere,
but attributed it to a natural desire to conciliate those who knew so
much to her disadvantage. But that she made no effort to overcome her
infatuation for Overton, I very soon had proof. Sir Thomas Vernon, soon
after this, had the assurance to present himself in Berkeley Square,
and rare sport it was. Lady Hawkshaw, Lady Arabella, Daphne, myself,
and one or two other persons were in the Chinese drawing-room when he
was ushered in.
Lady Hawkshaw and Sir Thomas were old acquaintances, and had been
at feud for more than thirty years, neither side asking or giving
quarter. Sir Thomas had a shrewd wit of his own, and was more nearly
a match for Lady Hawkshaw than any one I had yet seen. He opened the
ball by remarking on Lady Hawkshaw’s improved appearance, partly due,
he thought, to her triumph in getting the K. C. B. for Sir Peter. This
nettled Lady Hawkshaw extremely, and she retaliated by telling Sir
Thomas that he looked younger than he did when she first knew him,
thirty years ago. As Sir Thomas hated any allusion to his age, this
shot told.
“And allow me to congratulate you, Sir Thomas,” added Lady Hawkshaw,
“upon your very promising cousin, Mr. Giles Vernon. Sir Peter has the
highest opinion of him, and he has won the favor of the _bong-tong_ to
an extraordinary degree.”
“He may have won the favor of the _bong-tong_,” replied Sir Thomas,
impudently mimicking Lady Hawkshaw’s French, “but he has not yet
succeeded in winning _my_ favor.”
“That’s a pity,” said Lady Hawkshaw; “but it doesn’t signify, I dare
say. It will not keep you alive a day longer. And there is your other
cousin--Captain Overton of the Guards. He is what so few of our young
men are, pious and God-fearing.”
“And a sniveling, John Wesley Methodist besides,” snarled Sir Thomas,
much exasperated.
“Bless me, Sir Thomas,” cried Lady Hawkshaw, “don’t be so hard on those
worthy people, the Methodists.”
I own this surprised me, for if there was anything on earth upon
which Lady Hawkshaw was uncompromising, it was Church and State; and,
excellent woman though she was, I believe she would have been rather
glad to make one big bonfire of all the dissenters in England.
Sir Thomas was far from insensible to Lady Arabella’s charms, and,
after a further exchange of hostilities with Lady Hawkshaw, turned to
Arabella. She smiled upon him, and seemed anxious to conciliate him;
and in a little while I caught enough of their conversation to know
that she was telling him of the meeting between Giles and Overton, and
representing that it had been forced upon Overton by the insults of
Giles Vernon. Sir Thomas’ response to her tale was that he did not give
a damn for either of them, and if both had bit the dust he should not
have been sorry.
When Sir Thomas left, Lady Hawkshaw called the tall footman.
“Jeames,” she said, “when that--person calls again, the ladies are not
at home. Do you understand?”
Jeames understood perfectly, in spite of Lady Arabella’s scowls.
It is not to be supposed that a young man of Giles Vernon’s spirit
had not been able to go through with his prize-money and run pretty
considerably in debt in five or six weeks in London, and one morning,
some days after this, when I went to see Giles at his lodgings, I found
the bailiffs in possession. Giles, however, was as merry as a grig,
because that very morning he had got an appointment to the _Belvidera_
frigate.
It was not much after having served in the _Ajax_, but it meant leaving
that uncertain and trying element, dry land, for another element on
which Giles was much more at home, to wit, the blue sea. So he sent out
for a pot of porter, and he and I, together with the bailiffs, drank
to the _Belvidera_; and I swore, then and there, that go with him I
would. For, in the excess of my affection for Giles, I would have taken
almost any service to be with him. The frigates, too, were more in the
way of activity, as the enemy was wary of meeting our ships of the
line, but the frigates could go hunting after him. So, when I returned
to Berkeley Square that day, I begged Sir Peter to get me a berth in
the _Belvidera_. He was pleased with my spirit, and the very next day
he went to the Admiralty for me. The complement was full, but, luckily
for me, one of the juniors got a billet more to his liking, and Sir
Peter, being on the spot, got me the vacancy, and I was ordered to
report at once at Plymouth.
It took me but a day or two to get my outfit and make ready to start.
Lady Hawkshaw showed me great kindness then, and actually allowed me to
have a considerable sum of my own money. Lady Arabella treated me with
her usual indifference, and, on the day I was to go, bade me a careless
adieu.
When the post-chaise was at the door and I went to the Chinese
drawing-room to tell Lady Hawkshaw and Sir Peter good-by, Daphne
was there with them, and she looked as if she had been weeping. Sir
Peter gave me a letter to my new captain, Vere, and some words of
encouragement. Lady Hawkshaw delivered a homily to me on my duty, which
I received out of respect for her real excellence of heart, and thanked
her in a manner which made Sir Peter my friend for life. Daphne said
not a word when I took her hand, but handing me a little parcel ran out
of the room. I afterward found it to be a little housewife made by her
own hands.
I went down to the chaise, puzzled at her conduct, but, looking up for
the last time to the windows, I saw her peering from behind a curtain.
I raised the parcel to my lips, and, as she saw it, a smile broke over
her face. My last glimpse of her was like an April day,--she was all
smiles and tears,--and it was destined to remain in my memory.
Giles Vernon was waiting for me at the corner of the street. We were to
make the journey to Plymouth together.
“Well,” he cried, when we found ourselves rolling along to meet the
coach, “I have had my cake and eaten it.”
“How I envy you!” I said bitterly. “I have not had my cake. Every
shilling of my prize-money is in bank, except about two hundred pounds.”
“Poor chap!” answered Giles feelingly. “How much more of life have I
seen in London than you! I have seen everything, including that queen
of hearts, Lady Arabella Stormont. She has treated me cruelly, the
jade! But I will bring her to my hand at last, that I swear to you.”
I longed that he might know of that episode with Overton in Sir Peter
Hawkshaw’s cubby-hole at five o’clock in the morning.
We had a pleasant journey to Plymouth, and were troubled with few
regrets at leaving London. We expected, in the foolishness of youth,
to capture many more such prizes as the _Indomptable_ and _Xantippe_.
The _Belvidera_ was nearly ready, and in a few weeks we sailed on our
second cruise. I shall not give the particulars of that cruise. It was
such an one as all the officers of his Majesty’s service were engaged
in, during those eventful years. We were constantly at sea; we kept
a tireless lookout for our enemies, and hunted and pursued them into
their own harbors. We never slept for more than four hours at a time,
in all our cruising. We lived on beef and biscuit for months at a time;
sometimes we had scurvy in the ship, and sometimes we did not. We
struggled with mighty gales, that blew us hundreds and even thousands
of miles out of our course; and we sweltered in calms that tried men’s
souls. In all that time, we watched night and day for the enemy, and,
when found, chased him, and never failed to get alongside when it was
possible; and we fought him with the greatest good-will. We had good
and ill fortune with the ship, but her colors were never lowered. And
it was five years before we set foot in London town again.
Only a year of that time was Giles Vernon with me. He then got
promotion which took him out of the ship. I had the extreme good
fortune to be with Nelson at the Nile. On that great day, as
sailing-master of the _Belvidera_, I took the frigate around the head
of Admiral Villeneuve’s line,--she was the leading ship,--and placed
her where she was enabled to fire the first raking broadside of the
battle. I got a wound in the forehead which left a scar that remains to
this day; but I also received the personal thanks of my Lord Nelson,
which I shall ever esteem as the greatest honor of my life. I had heard
nothing of Giles for nearly a year, when, among Admiral Villeneuve’s
officers, I found one, a young lieutenant like myself, who told me that
Giles had been captured, while on a boat expedition, and was then in
prison at Dunkerque.
I wrote him a dozen letters at least, by officers who were paroled; and
when the ship was paid off, the following spring, I lost no time in
getting to London, and using what little power I had in trying to have
him exchanged. Sir Peter was in great favor at the Admiralty. As soon
as I reached London, I went immediately to call in Berkeley Square.
My Lady Hawkshaw was at home, and received me in great state, black
feathers and all; and with her sat Daphne Carmichael.
I believe Lady Hawkshaw was really glad to see me; but Daphne, after
speaking to me, remained with her eyes fixed on her embroidery, I
noted, however, that she was a very charming girl, and her eyes,
under her long, dark lashes, were full of fire and sweetness. But she
had not, and never could have, the glorious beauty of Lady Arabella
Stormont. Lady Hawkshaw demanded of me a particular account of my whole
cruise, and everything that had happened at the battle of the Nile.
This I gave, to the best of my ability. She then invited, or, rather,
commanded me to take up my quarters in Berkeley Square, and told me
that I had three thousand and ten pounds, nineteen shillings and
seven-pence to my credit in bank.
After this, she was called upon to leave the room for a moment, and I
civilly inquired of Daphne how Lady Arabella was.
“She is well,” responded Daphne, rather tartly, I thought; “and as
devoted to Captain Overton as ever. You know Arabella ever liked him
rather more than he liked her.” At which ungenerous speech, I said
one word, “Fie!” and Daphne, coloring to the roots of her hair, yet
attempted to defend herself.
“I only tell you what all the world says, and so say my uncle and aunt.
Arabella could have married a dozen times,--she is all of twenty-one,
you know,--and married very splendidly, but she will not. Sir Peter
rages, and swears that he will marry her off in spite of herself; but
Arabella is her own mistress now, and laughs at Sir Peter.”
“And does she still play cards?”
Daphne raised her eyes. It seemed to give that otherwise sweet girl
positive pleasure to call over Lady Arabella’s faults.
“Yes,” she said. “Loo, lansquenet--anything by which money can be lost
or won. Three times a week she goes to the Duchess of Auchester’s,
where play is high. We go there to-night; but I do not play.”
I had not thought there was so much malice in Daphne, until that
conversation.
I left my adieux for Lady Hawkshaw, and repaired to the Admiralty,
where Sir Peter happened to be, that day. I explained that I should
have come to him at once, but for my inordinate wish to see Lady
Hawkshaw; and that I found her looking at least twenty years younger
since we met last. At which Sir Peter beamed on me with delight, and, I
believe, mentally determined to give me a thousand pounds additional,
in his will.
I then stated my real business, which was to get Giles Vernon
exchanged; and Sir Peter, without a moment’s hesitation, agreed to
do all he could for me; and then, as usual, directed me to have my
portmanteau sent to Berkeley Square, as Lady Hawkshaw had done. Before
I left the Admiralty, machinery had been put in motion to secure Giles
Vernon’s exchange. I returned to Berkeley Square, and again took up my
abode there.