Chapter XXIX
"HAMLET.--Is not parchment made of sheepskin?
HORATIO.--Ay, my lord, and of calves' skins too.
HAMLET.--They are sheep and calves which Seek out their assurance in that."
SHAKESPEARE.
The door opened as intimated at the end of our last chapter, and Newtonobeyed the injunction from the lawyer's eye to follow him into the room.
"Now, sir, your pleasure?" said Mr Forster.
"I must introduce myself," replied Newton: "I am your nephew, NewtonForster."
"Humph! where's your documents in proof of your assertion?"
"I did not consider that anything further than my word was necessary. I amthe son of your brother, Nicholas Forster, who resided many years atOverton."
"I never heard of Overton: Nicholas I recollect to have been the name of mythird brother; but it is upwards of thirty years since I have seen or heardof him. I did not know whether he was alive or dead. Well, for the sake ofargument, we'll allow that you are my nephew;--what then?"
Newton coloured up at this peculiar reception. "What then, uncle?--why Idid hope that you would have been glad to have seen me; but as you appearto be otherwise, I will wish you good morning;"--and Newton moved towardsthe door.
"Stop, young man; I presume that you did not come for nothing! Before yougo, tell me what you came for."
"To tell you the truth," replied Newton with emotion, "it was to ask yourassistance, and your advice; but--"
"But jumping up in a huff is not the way to obtain either. Sit down on thatchair, and tell me what you came for."
"To request you would interest yourself in behalf of my father and myself;we are both out of employ, and require your assistance."
"Or probably I never should have seen you!"
"Most probably: we knew that you were in good circumstances, and thrivingin the world; and as long as we could support ourselves honestly, shouldnot have thrust ourselves upon you. All we wish now is that you will, byyour interest and recommendation, put us in the way of being againindependent by our own exertions; which we did not consider too much to askfrom a brother and an uncle."
"Humph!--so first you keep aloof from me because you knew that I was ableto assist you, and now you come to me for the same reason!"
"Had we received the least intimation from you that our presence would havebeen welcome, you would have seen us before."
"Perhaps so; but I did not know whether I had any relations alive."
"Had I been in your circumstances, uncle, I should have inquired."
"Humph!--Well, young man, as I find that I have relations, I should like tohear a little about them;--so now tell me all about your father andyourself."
Newton entered into a detail of the circumstances, with which the reader isalready acquainted. When he had finished, his uncle, who had listened withprofound attention, his eye fixed upon that of Newton, as if to read hisinmost thoughts, said, "It appears, then, that your father wishes toprosecute his business as optician. I am afraid that I cannot help him. Iwear spectacles certainly when I read; but this pair has lasted me elevenyears, and probably will as many more. You wish me to procure you asituation in an East Indiaman as third or fourth mate. I know nothing aboutthe sea; I never saw it in my life; nor am I aware that I have a sailor inmy acquaintance."
"Then, uncle, I will take my leave."
"Not so fast, young man; you said that you wanted my _assistance_ and my_advice_. My assistance I cannot promise you for the reasons I have stated;but my advice is at your service. Is it a legal point?"
"Not exactly, sir," replied Newton, who was mortified almost to tears;"still I must acknowledge that I now more than ever wish that the articleswere in safe keeping, and out of my hands." Newton then entered into adetail of the trunk being picked up at sea; and stated his having broughtwith him the most valuable of the property, that it might be deposited insafe hands.
"Humph!" observed his uncle, when he had finished. "You say that thearticles are of value."
"Those who are judges consider the diamonds and the other articles to beworth nearly one hundred pounds; I cannot pretend to say what their realvalue is."
"And you have had these things in your possession these seven years?"
"I have, sir."
"Did it never occur to you, since you have been in distress, that the saleof these articles would have assisted you?"
"It often has occurred to me, when I have found that the little I couldearn was not sufficient for my father's support; but we had already decidedthat the property was not _legally mine_, and I dismissed the idea as soonas I could from my thoughts. Since then I have ascertained to whom theproperty belongs, and of course it has become more sacred."
"You said a minute ago that you now more than ever wished the property insate keeping. Why so?"
"Because, disappointed in the hopes I had entertained of receiving yourassistance, I foresaw that we should have more difficulties than ever tostruggle against, and wished not to be in the way of temptation."
"You were right. Well, then, bring me those articles to-morrow, by oneo'clock precisely; I will take charge of them, and give you a receipt. Goodmorning, nephew; very happy to have had the pleasure of making youracquaintance. Remember me kindly to my brother, and tell him I shall behappy to see him at one, precisely."
"Good morning, sir," replied Newton, with a faltering voice, as he hurriedaway to conceal the disappointment and indignation which he felt at thiscool reception and dismissal.
"Not _legally_ mine--humph! I like that boy," muttered the old lawyer tohimself when Newton had disappeared.--"Scratton!"
"Yes, sir," replied the clerk, opening the door.
"Fill up a cheque for five hundred pounds, self or bearer, and bring it tome to sign."
"Yes, sir."
"Is it this evening or to-morrow, that I attend the arbitration meeting?"
"This evening, seven o'clock."
"What is the name of the party by whom I am employed?"
"Bosanquet, sir."
"East India director, is he not?"
"Yes, sir."
"Humph!--that will do."
The clerk brought in the draft, which was put into his pocket-book withoutbeing signed; his coat was then buttoned up, and Mr John Forster repairedto the chop-house, at which for twenty-five years he had seldom failed tomake his appearance at the hour of three or four at the latest.
It was with a heavy heart that Newton returned to the inn in the Borough,at which he had left his father, whom he found looking out of window,precisely in the same seat and position where he had left him.
"Well, Newton, my boy, did you see my brother?"
"Yes, sir; but I am sorry to say that I have little hope of his being ofservice to us."
Newton then entered into a narration of what had passed.
"Why really, Newton," said his father, in his single-heartedness, "I do notsee such cause of despair. If he did doubt your being his nephew, how couldhe tell that you were? and if he had no interest with naval people, whyit's not his fault. As for my expecting him to break his spectacles onpurpose to buy new ones of me, that's too much, and it would be foolish onhis part. He said that he was very happy to have made your acquaintance,and that he should be glad to see me. I really don't know what more youcould expect. I will call upon him to-morrow, since he wishes it. At fiveo'clock precisely, don't you say?"
"No, sir, at one."
"Well, then, at one; those who have nothing to do must suit their hours tothose who are full of business. Recollect now, two o'clock precisely."
"One o'clock, sir."
"Ay, very true, one o'clock I meant; now let's go to dinner."
Nicholas Forster appeared in excellent spirits: and Newton, who did notlike to undeceive him, was glad to retire at an early hour, that he mightbe left to his own reflections, and form some plan as to their proceedingsin consequence of this unexpected disappointment.