"Indeed!--then where is Mrs Turnbull?"
"At Bath, where she hath taken up her residence. Mr Drummond, who hath acted in thy behalf, permitted her to take away such articles as she might wish, but they were but few, chiefly those little objects which filled up rather than adorned the drawing-room. The house is all ready for thy reception, and thou mayst take possession this evening."
"But why did not Mr Turnbull leave it to his widow?"
"I cannot exactly say, but I think he did not wish her to remain in this place. He, therefore, left her 5000 pounds at her own disposal, to enable her to purchase and furnish another."
I then took my leave of the Dominie, and it being rather late, I resolved to walk to the house and sleep there.
CHAPTER FORTY TWO.
IN WHICH I TAKE POSSESSION OF MY OWN HOUSE, AND THINK THAT IT LOOKS VERY ILL-FURNISHED WITHOUT A WIFE--TOM"S DISCHARGE IS SENT OUT, BUT BY ACCIDENT IT NEVER REACHES HIM--I TAKE MY NEW STATION IN SOCIETY.
On my arrival the front gates were opened by the gardener"s wife, who made me a profound courtesy. The gardener soon afterwards made his appearance, hat in hand. Everything was neat and in good order. I entered the house, and as soon as possible rid myself of their obsequious attentions. I wished to be alone. Powerful feelings crowded on my mind. I hastened to Mr Turnbull"s study, and sat down in the chair so lately occupied by him. The proud feeling of possession, softened into grat.i.tude to heaven, and sorrow at his death, came over me, and I remained for a long while in a deep reverie. "And all this, and more, much more, are mine," I mentally exclaimed; "the sailor before the mast, the waterman on the river, the charity-boy, the orphan sits down in quiet possession of luxury and wealth. What have I done to deserve all this?" My heart told me nothing, or if anything, it was almost valueless, and I poured forth my soul in thanks to heaven. I felt more composed after I had performed this duty, and my thoughts then dwelt upon my benefactor. I surveyed the room--the drawings, the furs and skins, the harpoons and other instruments, all remaining in their respective places, as when I last had an interview with Mr Turnbull. I remembered his kindness, his singleness of heart, his honesty, his good sense, and his real worth; and I shed many tears for his loss. My thoughts then pa.s.sed to Sarah Drummond, and I felt much uneasiness on that score. Would she receive me, or would she still remember what I had been? I recollected her kindness and good-will towards me. I weighed these, and my present condition, against my origin and my former occupation; and could not ascertain how the scale might turn. I shall soon see, thought I. To-morrow, even, may decide the question. The gardener"s wife knocked at the door, and announced that my bed was prepared. I went to sleep, dreaming of Sarah, young Tom, the Dominie and Mary Stapleton.
I was up early the next morning, and hastened to the hotel; when, having arranged my person to the best of my power (but at the same time never so little to my satisfaction), I proceeded to the house of Mr Drummond.
I knocked; and this time I was not desired to wait in the hall, but was immediately ushered up into the drawing-room. Sarah Drummond was sitting alone at her drawing. My name was announced as I entered. She started from her chair, and blushed deeply as she moved towards me. We joined hands in silence. I was breathless with emotion. Never had she appeared so beautiful. Neither party appeared willing to break silence; at last I faltered out, "Miss Drummond,"--and then I stopped.
"Mr Faithful," replied she; and then, after a break--"How very silly this is; I ought to have congratulated you upon your safe return, and upon your good fortune; and, indeed, Mr Faithful, no one can do so more sincerely."
"Miss Drummond," replied I, confused, "when I was an orphan, a charity-boy, and a waterman, you called me Jacob, if the alteration in my prospects induces you to address me in so formal a manner--if we are in future to be on such different terms--I can only say that I wish that I were again--Jacob Faithful, the waterman."
"Nay," replied she, "recollect that it was your own choice to be a waterman. You might have been different--very different. You might at this time have been a partner with my father, for he said so but last night, when we were talking about you. But you refused all; you threw away your education, your talents, your good qualities, from a foolish pride, which you considered independence. My father almost humbled himself to you--not that it is ever humiliating to acknowledge and attempt to repair a fault, but still he did more than could be expected from most people. Your friends persuaded you, but you rejected their advice; and what was still more unpardonable, even I had no influence over you. As long as you punished yourself I did not upbraid you; but now that you have been so fortunate, I tell you plainly--"
"What?"
"That it is more than you deserve, that"s all."
"You have said but the truth, Miss Drummond. I was very proud and very foolish; but I had repented of my folly long before I was pressed; and I candidly acknowledge that I do not merit the good fortune I have met with. Can I say more?"
"No; I am satisfied with your repentance and acknowledgment. So, now you may sit down, and make yourself agreeable."
"Before I do that, allow me to ask, as you address me as Mr Faithful, how am I to address you? I should not wish to be considered impertinent."
"My name is Miss Drummond, but those who feel intimate with me call me Sarah."
"I may reply that my name is Faithful, but those who feel intimate with me call me Jacob."
"Very true; but allow me to observe that you show very little tact. You should never force a lady into a corner. If I appear affronted when you call me Sarah, then you will do wise to fall back upon Miss Drummond.
But why do you fix your eyes upon me so earnestly?"
"I cannot help it, and must beg your pardon; but you are so improved in appearance since I last saw you. I thought no one could be more perfect, but--"
"Well, that"s not a bad beginning, Jacob. I like to hear of my perfections. Now follow up your _but_."
"I hardly know what I was going to say, but I think it was that I do not feel as if I ought or can address you otherwise than as Miss Drummond."
"Oh, you"ve thought better of it, have you? Well, I begin to think myself that you look so well in your present dress, and have become so very different a person, that I ought not to address you by any other name than Mr Faithful. So now we are agreed."
"That"s not what I mean to say."
"Well, then, let me know what you did mean to say."
This puzzling question fortunately did not require an answer, for Mr Drummond came into the room and extended his hand.
"My dear Jacob," said he, in the most friendly manner, "I"m delighted to see you back again, and to have the pleasure of congratulating you on your good fortune. But you have business to transact which will not admit of any delay. You must prove the will, and arrange with the lawyers as soon as possible. Will you come now? All the papers are below, and I have the whole morning to spare. We will be back to dinner, Sarah, if Jacob has no other engagement."
"I have none," replied I; "and shall be most happy to avail myself of your kindness. Miss Drummond, I wish you a good morning."
"_Au revoir_, Mr Faithful," replied Sarah, courtesying formally, with a mocking smile.
The behaviour of Mr Drummond towards me was most kind and parental, and my eyes were often suffused with tears during the occupation of the morning. The most urgent business was got through, and an interview with Mr Turnbull"s solicitor put the remainder in progress; still it was so late when we had accomplished it, that I had no time to dress.
On my return, Mrs Drummond received me with her usual kindness. I narrated, during the evening, my adventures since we parted, and took that opportunity to acknowledge to Mr Drummond how bitterly I had repented my folly, and I may add ingrat.i.tude, towards him.
"Jacob," said he, as we were sitting at the tea-table with Mrs Drummond and Sarah, "I knew at the time that you were toiling on the river for shillings that you were the inheritor of thousands; for I not only witnessed but read the will of Mr Turnbull; but I thought it best that you should have a lesson which you would never forget in after life.
There is no such thing in this world as independence, unless in a savage state. In society we are all mutually dependent upon each other.
Independence of mind we may have, but no more. As a waterman, you were dependent upon your customers, as every poor man must be upon those who have more means; and in refusing my _offers_ you were obliged to apply for employment to others. The rich are as entirely dependent upon others as the poor; they depend upon them for their food, their clothes, their necessities, and their luxuries. Such ever will be the case in society, and the more refined the society may be--the more civilised its parts--the greater is the mutual dependence. Still it is an error originating in itself from high feelings, and therefore must be considered as an error on the right side; but recollect how much you might have thrown away had not you, in the first place, secured such a friend as Mr Turnbull; and secondly, if the death of that friend had not so soon put you in possession."
I was but too ready to acknowledge the truth of these remarks. The evening pa.s.sed away so rapidly that it was midnight before I rose to take my leave, and I returned to the hotel as happy in my mind, and as grateful as ever any mortal could possibly be. The next day I removed to the house left me by Mr Turnbull, and the first order I gave was for a wherry. Such was the force of habit, I could not do without one; and half my time was spent upon the river, pulling every day down to Mr Drummond"s, and returning in the evening, or late at night. Thus pa.s.sed away two months, during which I occasionally saw the Dominie, the Stapletons, and old Tom Beazeley. I had exerted myself to procure Tom"s discharge, and at last had the pleasure of telling the old people that it was to go out by the next packet. By the Drummonds I was received as a member of the family--there was no hindrance to my being alone with Sarah for hours; and although I had not ventured to declare my sentiments, they appeared to be well understood, as well by the parents as by Sarah herself.
Two days after I had communicated this welcome intelligence to the old couple, as I was sitting at breakfast, attended by the gardener and his wife (for I had made no addition to my establishment), what was my surprise at the appearance of young _Tom_, who entered the room as usual, laughing as he held out his hand.
"Tom!" exclaimed I, "why, how did you come here?"
"By water, Jacob, as you may suppose."
"But how have you received your discharge? Is the ship come home?"
"I hope not; the fact is, I discharged myself, Jacob."
"What! did you desert?"
"Even so. I had three reasons for so doing. In the first place, I could not remain without you; in the second, my mother wrote to say Mary was taken up with a sodger; and the third was, I was put into the report for punishment, and should have been flogged, as sure as the captain had a pair of epaulettes."
"Well, but sit down and tell me all about it. You know your discharge is obtained."
"Yes, thanks to you, Jacob; all the better, for now they won"t look after me. All"s well that ends well. After you went away, I presume I was not in the very best of humours; and that rascal of a master"s mate who had us pressed, thought proper to bully me beyond all bearing. One day he called me a lying scoundrel; upon which I forgot that I was on board of a man-of-war, and replied that he was a confounded cheat, and that he had better pay me his debt of two guineas for bringing him down the river. He reported me on the quarter-deck for calling him a cheat, and Captain Maclean, who, you know, won"t stand any nonsense, heard the arguments on both sides; upon which he declared that the conduct of the master"s mate was not that of an officer or a gentleman, and therefore _he_ should leave the ship; and that my language to my superior officer was subversive to the discipline of the service, and therefore he should give me a good flogging. Now, Jacob, you know that if the officers don"t pay their debts, Captain Maclean always does, and with interest into the bargain; so finding that I was in for it, and no mistake, I swam ash.o.r.e the night before Black Monday, and made my way to Miramichi, without any adventure, except a tussle with a sergeant of marines, whom I left for dead about three miles out of the town. At Miramichi I got on board of a timber ship, and here I am."
"I am sorry that you deserted, nevertheless," replied I; "it may come to mischief."
"Never fear; the people on the river know that I have my discharge, and I"m safe enough."
"Have you seen Mary!"
"Yes, and all"s right in that quarter. I shall build another wherry, wear my badge and dress, and stick above bridge. When I"m all settled, I"ll splice, and live along with the old couple."
"But will Mary consent to live there? It is so quiet and retired that she won"t like it."