VOLUME THREE, CHAPTER FIVE.
"What singular emotions fill Their bosoms, who have been induced to roam, With flattering doubts, if all be well or ill, With love for many, and with fears for some!" BYRON.
The China fleet arrived without encountering any further danger; thecommodore and commanders of the several ships composing the fleetreceived that praise from their countrymen to which their conduct had sofully entitled them. As soon as the _Bombay Castle_ had entered thebasin of the East India docks, Newton requested, and easily obtained,permission to leave the ship. He immediately directed his steps toGreenwich, that he might ascertain if his father was in existence; forhe had received no letters since his departure, although he had takenseveral opportunities to write. It is true that he had not expectedany; he knew that his father was too absent ever to think about writingto him, and his uncle much too busy to throw away any portion of histime in unnecessary correspondence.
When we approach the dwelling containing, or supposed to contain, anobject of solicitude, of whose existence we are uncertain, what a thrillof anxiety pervades the frame! how quickened is the throbbing of theheart! how checked the respiration! Thus it was with Newton Forster ashe raised his hand to the latch of the door. He opened it, and thefirst object which delighted his eyes was his father seated upon a highstool smoking his pipe, in the company of two veterans of the hospital,who had brought their old bones to an anchor upon a large trunk. Theywere in earnest conversation, and did not perceive the company ofNewton, who waited a little while, holding the door ajar, as hecontemplated the group.
One of the pensioners was speaking, and continued:--"May be, or may notbe, Mr Forster, that's _dubersome_; but if so be as how he is alive,why you'll see him soon, that's sartain--take my word for it. A goodson, as you say he was, as soon as he can get over the side of the ship,always bears up for his parent's house. With the help of yourbarnacles, I worked my way clean through the whole yarn, and I seed thereport of killed and wounded; and I'll take my affidavy that therewarn't an officer in the fleet as lost the number of his mess in thataction, and a most clipping affair it was; only think of mounseerturning tail to marchant vessels! Damn my old buttons! what will ourjolly fellows do next?"
"Next, Bill! why there be nothing to do, 'less they shave off the beardof the grand Turk to make a swab for the cabin of the king's yacht, andsarve out his seven hundred wives amongst the fleet. I say, I wonderhow he keeps so many of them craft in good order?"
"I knows," replied the other, "for I axed the very question when I wasup the Dardanelles. There be a big black fellow, a _unique_ they callshim, with a large sword and a bag of sawdust, as always stands sentry atthe door, and if so be a woman kirks up a bobbery, why plump her headgoes into the bag."
"Well, that's one way to make a good woman on her; but as I was saying,Mr Forster, you mustn't be down in the mouth; a seaman as knows hisduty, never cares for leave till all the work be done. I'd bet a yardof pigtail that Mr Newton--"
"Is here, my good fellow!" interrupted Newton. "My dear father!"
Nicholas sprang off his seat and embraced his son.
"My dear, dear boy! why did you not come to me before? I was afraidthat you had been killed. Well, I'm glad to see you, Newton. How didyou like the West Indies?"
"The East Hinges, you mean, Mr Forster.--Newton," continued the oldpensioner, wiping both sides of his hand upon his blue breeches, andthen extending it--"Tip us your daddle, my lad; I like to touch theflipper of one who has helped to shame the enemy, and it will be nodisgrace for you to grapple with an old seaman, who did his duty as longas he had a pin to stand upon."
"With pleasure, my friend," replied Newton, taking the old man's hand,while the other veteran seized the one unoccupied, and, surveying Newtonfrom top to toe, observed, "If your ship be manned with all such lads asyou--why, she be damned well manned, that's all."
Newton laughed and turned to his father.
"Well, father, how are you?--have you been quite well? And how do youlike your berth here?"
"Why, Newton, I get on much better than I did at Bristol."
"It be Liverpool he mean, Mr Newton; but your good father be a littledamaged in his upper works; his memory-box is like a sieve.--Come, Bill,we be two too many. When father and son meet after a India voyage,there be much to say as wants no listeners.--Good-bye, Mr Forster; mayyou never want a son, and may he never want a ship!"
Newton smiled his thanks to the considerate old pensioners, as theystumped out of the door, and left him alone with his father. Thecommunications of Nicholas were as concise as usual. He liked hissituation, liked his company, had as much work as he wished for, and hadenjoyed good health. When Newton entered upon pecuniary matters, whichhe was the sooner induced to do by observing that his father's coat andsmallclothes were in a most ruinous condition, he discovered, thatthough the old gentleman had provided himself with money from thebankers, during the first year, to purchase a new suit of clothes,latterly he not only had quite forgotten that there were funds at hisdisposal, but even that he had procured the clothes, which had remainedin the chest from the day they had been sent home without having beentried on.
"Dear me! now I recollect, so I did; and I put them upstairs somewhere.I was busy at the time with my improvement on the duplex."
"Have you seen much of my uncle, sir?" inquired Newton.
"Your uncle!--dear me, no! I don't know where he lives; so I waiteduntil you came back. We'll go to-morrow, Newton, or he may think meunkind. I'll see if his watch goes well; I recollect he said it did.But, Newton, tell me all about your voyage, and the action with theFrench ships."
Newton entered into a detail, during which he perceived by his father'squestions that his memory had become more impaired, and that he was moreabsent than ever. He arranged to call upon his uncle the ensuing day;and then it was his intention, without communicating it to his father,to make every inquiry and advertise to ascertain the fate of his mother.This was a duty which he had long wished to repeat; but his necessitiesand want of time had hitherto prevented the renewal of the task.
Early the next morning, Newton and his father went up to London by theGreenwich coach; and a walk of a few minutes after they were put down,brought them to the chambers of Mr John Forster.
"How do you do, Mr Scratton? Is my uncle at home?" inquired MrNewton.
Mr Scratton immediately recognised him, and very graciously replied,that his uncle was at home and would be very glad to see him, havingtalked very often of him lately.
Newton and his father were ushered into the parlour, where he found hisuncle precisely in the same position as when he last saw him;--it wouldalmost have appeared that he had not quitted his seat during Newton'stedious voyage.
"Nephew," said Mr John Forster, without rising from his chair, "I amvery glad to see you.--Brother Nicholas, I am very glad to see youtoo.--Chairs, Scratton," continued the old lawyer, taking his watch offthe table, and placing it in his fob. "Well, nephew, I am very glad tohear such good accounts of you. I saw Mr Bosanquet yesterday, and hetold me that you had for your good conduct been promoted to the rank ofsecond-mate."
"It is more than I am aware of," replied Newton, much pleased with theinformation. "I am much obliged to you for the intelligence, as I amfor your many other acts of kindness."
"Well, so you ought to be; it's no bad thing, as I told you before, tofind out an uncle. By-the-bye, there has been some alteration in myestablishment since we parted, nephew. I have a house in Lincoln's InnFields, and a spare bed, if you will accept of it. We dine at six;brother Nicholas, I shall be very happy to see you, if you can stay. Itwill be too late to go home after dinner, but you can share my nephew'sbed."
"I shall be most happy to accept your kind offer for a few days, sir, ifit does not incommode you," replied Newton.
"No; you will not incommode me _there_, but you do very much _here_,where I am always busy. So good-bye, my boy; I shall be at home at six.Brother Nichol
as, you did not vouchsafe me an answer."
"About what, brother John?" replied Nicholas, who had been in theclouds.
"Oh, I'll tell you all about it, father," said Newton, laughing. "Comeaway now--my uncle is busy." And Nicholas rose up, with theobservation--
"Brother John, you appear to me to read a great deal."
"Yes, I do, brother."
"How much do you read a day?"
"I really cannot say; much depends upon whether I am interrupted ornot."
"It must be very bad for your eyes, brother John."
"It certainly does not improve them," replied the lawyer, impatiently.
"Come, father, my uncle is very busy," said Newton, touching Nicholas onthe arm.
"Well, good-bye, brother John. I had something to say--oh! I hope youare not displeased at my not coming to see you before?"
"Humph! not in the least, I can assure you, brother Nicholas; sogood-bye. Newton, you'll bring him with you at six," said Mr JohnForster; and he resumed his brief before they had quitted the room.
Newton was much surprised to hear that his uncle had taken a house, andhe surmised whether he had not also been induced to take a wife. Hefelt an inclination to put the question to Mr Scratton, as he passedthrough the office; but checked the wish, lest it should appear likeprying into his uncle's affairs. Being the month of February, it wasdark long before six o'clock, and Newton was puzzled what to do with hisfather until that time. He returned to the Salopian Coffee-house,opposite to which they had been put down by the Greenwich coach; andtaking possession of a box, called for some biscuits and a pint ofsherry; and requesting his father to stay there until his return, wentout to purchase a sextant, and some other nautical luxuries, which hispay enabled him to procure without trespassing upon the funds suppliedby the generosity of his uncle. He then returned to his father, who hadfinished the vine and biscuits, and had his eyes fixed upon the ceilingof the room; and calling a hackney coach, drove to the direction whichhis uncle had pointed out as his residence.
Mr John Forster had already come home, and they found him in thedining-room, decanting the wine for dinner, with Amber by his side.Newton was surprised at the appearance of a little girl; and, as he tookher proffered hand, inquired her name.
"Amber. Papa says it's a very foolish name; don't you, papa?"
"Yes, my dear, I do; but now we are going to dinner, and you must go toMrs Smith: so good-night."
Amber kissed the old lawyer, as he stooped to her; and wishing thecompany good-night, she left the room.
"Brother John," said Nicholas, "I really had no idea that you were amarried man."
"Humph! I am not a married man, brother."
"Then pray, brother, how is it _possible_ for that little girl to beyour daughter?"
"I did not say she was my daughter: but now we will go upstairs into thedrawing-room, while they put the dinner on the table."
The dinner was soon announced; the cookery was plain, but good, the wineexcellent. When the dessert was placed on the table, Mr John Forsterrose, and taking two bottles of port wine from the sideboard, placedthem on the table, and addressed Newton.
"Nephew, I have no time to _sip_ wine, although it is necessary that Idrink it. Now, we must drink fast, as I have only ten minutes to spare;not that I wish you to drink more than you like, but I must push thebottle round, whether you fill or no, as I have an appointment, what wecall a consultation, at my chambers. Pass the bottle, brother,"continued the lawyer, helping himself, and shoving the decanter toNicholas.
Nicholas, who had been little accustomed to wine, obeyed mechanically,swallowing down each glass _a gorge deployee_, as he was awoke from hismeditations by the return of the bottle, and then filling up his glassagain. Newton, who could take his allowance as well as most people,could not, however, venture to drink glass for glass with his uncle, andthe bottle was passed several times without his filling. When the tenminutes had elapsed, Mr John Forster took his watch from the table,replaced it in his fob, and rose from his chair. Locking up theremainder of the wine, he quitted the house without apology, leaving hisguests to entertain themselves, and order tea when they felt inclined.
"My brother seems to be very busy, Newton," observed Nicholas. "Whatwine was that we have been drinking? It was very strong; I declare myhead turns round;" and in a few moments more Nicholas dropped his headupon the table, and was fast asleep.
Newton, who perceived that his father was affected by the wine which hehad been drinking, which was, in the sum total, a pint of sherry at thecoffee-house before dinner, and at least a bottle during and after hismeal, thought it better that he should be allowed to take his nap. Hetherefore put out the candles, and went up into the drawing-room, wherehe amused himself with a book until the clock struck twelve. Accordingto the regulations of the house, the servants had retired to bed,leaving a light in the passage for their master on his return, whichsometimes was at a very late hour, or rather, it should be said, at avery early one. Newton lighted a chamber-candlestick, and went downinto the parlour to rouse his father; but all his attempts were in vain.The wine had taken such an effect upon him, that he was in a state oflethargy. Newton observed that the servant had cleared the table, andthat the fire was out: and, as there was no help for it, he removed thechairs to the end of the room, that his father might not tumble overthem if he awoke in the dark, and then retired to his own bed.