The next morning I was pale and feverish, which they observed with
concern, Minnie was sitting by me, and Mr Vanderwelt had left the room,
when she said, "How very pale you are, and your hand is so hot; I wish
the doctor would come."
"I could not sleep last night, Minnie--and it was all your fault."
"My fault!"
"Yes, your fault; for I could not sleep for thinking of you; I thought
you were looking at me as you do now the whole night."
Minnie blushed, and I kissed her hand.
As soon as my wound was dressed, I requested writing materials, and
wrote to the Admiralty, giving an account of what had occurred since I
quitted Heligoland. (I had written to inform them of the loss of the
frigate when I was on the island). I stated in my despatches that my
wound would probably confine me for some weeks; but as soon as I was
able to be moved, I should return to England to await their orders. I
also wrote to my mother and Mr Warden. I informed the latter of what
had passed, and the delay which would be occasioned by my wound, and
requested him to write to me more fully as to the death of Lord de
Versely, and any other particulars which might interest me.
Having sealed these despatches, and entrusted them to the care of Mr
Vanderwelt, my mind was relieved, and I had nothing to do but to think
of and talk to Minnie. That my progress in her affections was rapid,
was not to be wondered at, her attachment to me having commenced so
early; and as her father was evidently pleased at our increasing
intimacy, in a fortnight after my arrival at Hamburg, Minnie had
consented to be mine, and her father had joined our hands, and given us
his blessing.
As I now had no secrets from them, I detailed my whole history, the
cause of Lord de Versely's patronage, and the mystery of my birth. I
opened the seal-skin pouch to show them Lord de Versely's letter to my
mother, and stated what had been the object of my ambition through life,
and how great was my disappointment at my hopes being overthrown by the
death of his lordship.
"My dear Percival," said old Mr Vanderwelt, after I had concluded my
narrative, "you have been pursuing a shadow, although the pursuit has
called forth all your energies, and led to your advancement. You have
the substance. You have wealth more than sufficient, for you know how
rich I am. You have reputation, which is better than wealth, and you
have now, I trust, a fair prospect of domestic happiness; for Minnie
will be as good a wife as she has been a daughter. What, then, do you
desire? A name. And what is that? Nothing. If you do not like your
present name, from its association with your putative father of low
origin, change it to mine. You will receive the fortune of an heiress,
which will fully warrant your so doing. At all events, let not your
pride stand in the way of your happiness. We cannot expect everything
in this world. You have much to be thankful to Heaven for, and you must
not repine because you cannot obtain all."
"I have so ardently desired it all my life; it has been the sole object
of my ambition," replied I, "and I cannot but severely feel the
disappointment."
"Granted; but you must bear the disappointment, or rather you must
forget it; regret for what cannot be obtained is not only unavailing,
but, I may say, it is sinful. You have much to thank God for."
"I have indeed, sir," replied I, as I kissed his daughter; "and I will
not repine. I will take your name when you give me Minnie, and I will
think no more about that of Delmar."
After this conversation, the subject was not renewed. I felt too happy
with Minnie's love to care much about anything else; my ambition melted
away before it, and I looked forward to the time when I might embrace
her as my own.
My wound healed rapidly; I had been a month at Hamburg, and was able to
limp about a little, when one day Cross came in with a packet of letters
from England.
There was one from the Admiralty, acknowledging the receipt of my two
letters, one announcing the loss of the Circe, and the other my
subsequent adventures, desiring me to come home as soon as my wound
would permit me, to have the cause of the loss of the Circe investigated
by a court-martial; that of course: one from my mother, thanking Heaven
that I had escaped so many dangers with only a bullet in my leg, and
stating her intention of going up to town to see me as soon as she heard
of my arrival; the third was a voluminous epistle from Mr Warden, which
I shall give to the reader in his own words.
"MY DEAR CAPTAIN KEENE:--
"I received your two letters, the first, acquainting me with your
miraculous preservation after the loss of your frigate, and the other
with your subsequent adventures on _terra firma_. You appear to me to
have a charmed life! and as there is now every prospect of a speedy
termination to this long and devastating war, I hope you will live
many days. I did not enter into many particulars as to Lord de
Versely's death, as it was so sudden; the property left you is not
perhaps of so much value in itself, as it is as a mark of his regard
and esteem. Nevertheless, if ever you sit down quietly and take a
wife, you will find that it will save you a few thousands in
furnishing and decorating; the plate, pictures, and objects _de
vertu_, as they are termed, are really valuable, and I know that you
will not part with them, bequeathed as they have been by your friend
and patron.
"I must now refer to particulars of more consequence. You know that,
as a legal adviser, my lips are supposed to be sealed, and they would
have remained so now, had it not been that circumstances have occurred
which warrant my disclosure; indeed, I may say that I have permission
to speak plainly, as you have to repel charges against you which, if
not disproved, may seriously affect your future interests. Know then,
that when you were last at Madeline Hall, I was sent for to draw up
the will of the Honourable Miss Delmar, and I then discovered that the
will which had been made in favour of Lord de Versely, to whom Miss
Delmar had left everything, was by his express desire to be altered in
your favour; and at the same time the secret of your birth was
confided to me. You will see, therefore, that Lord de Versely did not
neglect your interests. The de Versely property he could not leave
you, but he did what he could in your favour. This will was signed,
sealed, and attested, and is now in my possession; and as the old lady
is very shakey, and something approaching to imbecile, I considered
that in a short time I should have to congratulate you upon your
succession to this fine property, which is a clear 8,000 pounds per
annum.
"You must also know, that Colonel Delmar, whom you also met here, and
who accompanied you to Portsmouth, has always hoped that he would be
the heir of the old lady; and, indeed, had you not stepped in, I have
no doubt but eventually such would have been the case. It appears
that he has, by some means, discovered that you have ousted him, and
since you sailed he has returned to Madeline Hall, and has so
unsettled the old lady, by reporting that you are an impostor, and no
relation by blood, that she has given me instructions to make a new
will in his favour. By what means he has prevailed upon her I cannot
tell: the chief support of his assertion rests upon some letters,
which he has either surreptitiously obtained or forged, written by
your mother and addressed to you. Now that your mother has been
supposed to be dead many years I knew well for Lord de Versely told me
so. The old lady has shown me these letters, which certainly appear
authentic; and she says, that if you have deceived her and Lord de
Versely as to your mother's death, you have deceived them in
everything else, and that she does not now believe that you are the
son of her nephew. As I hinted before, the old lady is almost in her
dotage, and cannot well be reasoned with, for she is very positive. I
argued as long as I could with her, but in vain. At last she
consented to stop proceedings until I heard from you, saying, `If I
can have any proof under my nephew's own hand that Percival is his
son, I will be content; but without that I sign the new will.'
"Such is the state of affairs, that you have little chance if such a
document cannot be produced, I feel certain; at all events, I have
gained delay which we lawyers always aim at. I only wish the old lady
would take a sudden departure, and leave the question as unsettled as
it is. Had Lord de Versely not been so suddenly called away, this
would never have happened; as it is, we must make the best fight we
can. At present the colonel has it all his own way. Pray write
immediately, and explain as much as you can of this strange affair and
let me know what steps you think it advisable to be taken.--Yours very
truly,
"F. WARDEN."