While we were talking, I had observed a dapper little well-dressed man come into the room, and look eagerly around. He soon discovered the Baroness, and having talked to her for some time in an animated style, he advanced with her towards us. He then ran forward, and taking Mr Johnson"s huge paw in his hand, he wrung it warmly, exclaiming--
"I congratulate you, Sir Jonathan Johnson, and your amiable and charming lady--indeed I do, from the bottom of my heart--on your accession to t.i.tle and property. As you never saw, or indeed, I fancy, never heard of, your relative the late baronet, your grief need not be very poignant on that account, so we"ll say nothing about it just now. I have been working away like a mouse in a cheese ever since I got an inkling that you were the rightful heir, and have only just discovered the last link in the chain of evidence; and then, having rigged myself out, as you nautical gentlemen would say, in a presentable evening suit, I hurried off here; and so there"s no doubt about it, and I should like to give way to an honest hearty cheer to prove my satisfaction."
Our friend"s countenance was worthy of the pencil of a painter, while the little lawyer was thus running on. His astonishment for a time overpowered his satisfaction.
"I Sir Jonathan Johnson!" he at length slowly exclaimed. "I a baronet-- I the possessor of a t.i.tle and fortune--I no longer a rattan-using, call-blowing, grog-drinking, pipe-smoking, yarn-spinning boatswain, but a right real English baronet--my dear Baroness! I am proud, I am happy, I am," and he threw his arms round his wife"s neck, in spite of all the company present, and bestowing on her a hearty kiss, gave way to a jovial cheer, in which Grey and I and the lawyer, and even Captain Collyer, could not help joining.
The new Sir Jonathan, however, very soon recovering himself, became aware of the absurdity of his conduct, and the guests, collected by the cheer, coming round to congratulate him, he apologised in a fitting way for his unwonted ebullition of feeling. In a wonderfully short time he was himself again, and no man could have borne his honours with a better grace.
When the captain and Grey and I again congratulated him, he replied, "I am much obliged to all my kind friends here, but I know that your good wishes are sincere."
Numberless speeches on the subject were made at supper, and when Captain Collyer shook his late boatswain by the hand at parting, he a.s.sured Sir Jonathan that nothing had given him greater pleasure than so doing.
"All I"ll ask, Captain Collyer, is, that when you get a ship, you"ll give me a cruise some day. I don"t think that I could go to sleep happily if I was to fancy that I should never have the salt spray again dashing into my face, or feel the deck lifting under my feet."
The promise asked was readily given, and Sir Jonathan Johnson was afterwards engaged in one of the most gallant actions during the war, when, as a volunteer, he led the boarders in his old style, and was mainly instrumental in capturing the enemy.
After peace was established he bought a yacht, and many a pleasant cruise I took with him during those piping times, our old shipmate Perigal, to whom he had thus an opportunity of offering a handsome salary, acting as his captain.
Toby Bluff, by his steady behaviour and st.u.r.dy bravery, became a boatswain, and has now charge of a line-of-battle ship in ordinary at Portsmouth.
The captain"s old servant at last came on sh.o.r.e, and took to gardening, but as he usually pulled up the flowers instead of the weeds, he was directed to confine himself to sweeping the walks, which he did effectually, with delightful slowness and precision. He was one day in summer found sprinkling the housemaid"s tea leaves over them, as he remarked, to lick up the dust.
I have said nothing about my own family. It is a sad subject. Poor Bertha! The gallant Ceaton never came home. His health gave way, but he did not die of disease. He fell on the deck of his own ship in action, at the moment the enemy"s flag was seen to come down, the cheers of his victorious crew ringing in his ears.
Now, dear readers, old and young, farewell. I must bring these recollections of my early career as a Midshipman to a conclusion. I wish that I had reason to believe they were as edifying as I hope they may have proved amusing. All I ask is, that you will deal lightly with the faults of the work. Take whatever good advice you may have found scattered through the previous pages, and do not, by imitating the bad example of any of my old shipmates, give me cause to regret that I undertook to write this veracious history, as Mr Jonathan Johnson would say, of the early days of...
MARMADUKE MERRY, THE MIDSHIPMAN.
THE END.