Richard Carvel — Volume 04

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of Richard Carvel, Volume 4, by Winston ChurchillThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.netTitle: Richard Carvel, Volume 4Author: Winston ChurchillRelease Date: October 18, 2004 [EBook #5368]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RICHARD CARVEL, VOLUME 4 ***Produced by David WidgerRICHARD CARVELBy Winston ChurchillVolume 4.XIX. A Man of DestinyXX. A Sad Home-comingXXI. The Gardener's CottageXXII. On the RoadXXIII. London TownXXIV. Castle YardXXV. The RescueCHAPTER XIXA MAN OF DESTINYI was picked up and thrown into the brigantine's long-boat with a head and stomach full of salt water, and a heart as lightas spray with the joy of it all. A big, red-bearded man lifted my heels to drain me."The mon's deid," said he."Dead!" cried I, from the bottom-board. "No more dead than you!"I turned over so lustily that he dropped my feet, and I sat up, something to his consternation. And they had scarce hookedthe ship's side when I sprang up the sea-ladder, to the great gaping of the boat's crew, and stood with the water runningoff me in rivulets before the captain himself. I shall never forget the look of his face as he regarded my sorry figure."Now by Saint Andrew," exclaimed he, "are ye kelpie or pirate ...

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RICHARD CARVELBy Winston ChurchillVolume 4.XIX. A Man of DestinyXX. A Sad Home-comingXXI. The Gardener's CottageXXII. On the RoadXXIII. London TownXXIV. Castle YardXXV. The RescueCHAPTER XIXA MAN OF DESTINYI was picked up and thrown into the brigantine'slong-boat with a head and stomach full of saltwater, and a heart as light as spray with the joy ofit all. A big, red-bearded man lifted my heels todrain me."The mon's deid," said he."Dead!" cried I, from the bottom-board. "No moredead than you!"

I turned over so lustily that he dropped my feet,and I sat up, something to his consternation. Andthey had scarce hooked the ship's side when Isprang up the sea-ladder, to the great gaping ofthe boat's crew, and stood with the water runningoff me in rivulets before the captain himself. I shallnever forget the look of his face as he regarded mysorry figure."Now by Saint Andrew," exclaimed he, "are yekelpie or pirate?""Neither, captain," I replied, smiling as the comicalend of it came up to me, "but a young gentleman inmisfortune.""Hoots!" says he, frowning at the grinning half-circle about us, "it's daft ye are—"But there he paused, and took of me a secondsizing. How he got at my birth behind my tangledmat of hair and wringing linsey-woolsey I know notto this day. But he dropped his Scotch andmerchant-captain's manner, and was suddenly aFrench courtier, making me a bow that had donecredit to a Richelieu."Your servant, Mr.—""Richard Carvel, of Carvel Hall, in his Majesty'sprovince of Maryland."He seemed sufficiently impressed."Your very humble servant, Mr. Carvel. 'Tis in faith

a privilege to be able to serve a gentleman."He bowed me toward his cabin, and then in sharp,quick tones he gave an order to his mate to getunder way, and I saw the men turning to thebraces with wonder in their eyes. My ownastonishment was as great. And so, with myclothes sucking to my body and a trail of waterbehind me like that of a wet walrus, I accompaniedthe captain aft. His quarters were indeed a contrastto those of Griggs, being so neat that I paused atthe door for fear of profaning them; but was socourteously bid to enter that I came on again. Hesummoned a boy from the round house."William," said he, "a bottle of my French brandy.And my compliments to Mr. MacMuir, and ask himfor a suit of clothes. You are a larger man than I,Mr. Carvel," he said to me, "or I would fit you outaccording to your station."I was too overwhelmed to speak. He poured out aliberal three fingers of brandy, and pledged me ashandsomely as I had been an admiral come thitherin mine own barge, instead of a ragged lad pickedoff a piratical slaver, with nothing save my bareword and address. 'Twas then I had space to notehim more particularly. His skin was the rich colourof a well-seasoned ship's bell, and he was of themiddle height, owned a slight, graceful figure,tapering down at the waist like a top, which had setoff a silk coat to perfection and soured the beauswith envy. His movements, however, had all thedecision of a man of action and of force. But his

eye it was took possession of me—anunfathomable, dark eye, which bore more towardmelancholy than sternness, and yet had somethingof both. He wore a clean, ruffled shirt, anexceeding neat coat and breeches of bluebroadcloth, with plate burnished buttons, and whitecotton stockings. Truly, this was a person to makeone look twice, and think oftener. Then, as I wentto pledge him, I, too, was caught for his name."Paul," said he; "John Paul, of the brigantine John,of Kirkcudbright, in the West India trade.""Captain Paul—" I began. But my gratitude stuckfast in my throat and flowed out of my eyes. Forthe thought of the horrors from which he hadsaved me for the first time swept over me; his ownkind treatment overcame me, and I blubbered likea child. With that he turned his back."Hoots," says he, again, "dinna ye thank me. 'Tisnaething to scuttle a nest of vermin, but the duty ofilka man who sails the seas." By this, having gotthe better of his emotion, he added: "And if it hasbeen my good fortune to save a gentleman, Mr.Carvel, I thank God for it, as you must."Save for a slackness inside the leg and in the hips,Macbluir's clothes fitted me well enough, andpresently I reappeared in the captain's cabin riggedout in the mate's shore suit of purplish drab, andbrass-buckled shoes that came high over theinstep, with my hair combed clear and tied with aribbon behind. I felt at last that I might lay some

claim to respectability. And what was my surpriseto find Captain Paul buried to his middle in a greatchest, and the place strewn about with laced andbroidered coats and waistcoats, frocks andNewmarkets, like any tailor's shop in ChurchStreet. So strange they looked in those tropicalseas that he was near to catching me in a laugh ashe straightened up. 'Twas then I noted that he wasa younger man than I had taken him for."You gentlemen from the southern colonies are toowell nourished, by far," says he; "you are apt to belarge of chest and limb. 'Odds bods, Mr. Carvel, itgrieves me to see you apparelled like a barbersurgeon. If the good Lord had but made yousmaller, now," and he sighed, "how well thisskyblue frock had set you off.""Indeed, I am content, and more, captain," I repliedwith a smile, "and thankful to be safe amongstfriends. Never, I assure you, have I had less desirefor finery.""Ay," said he, "you may well say that, you whohave worn silk all your life, and will the rest of it,and we get safe to port. But believe me, sir, thepleasure of seeing one of your face and figure insuch a coat as that would not be a small one."And disregarding my blushes and protests, he heldup the watchet blue frock against me, and it wasnear fitting me but for my breadth,—the skirtsbeing prodigiously long. I wondered mightily whattailor had thrust this garment upon him; its fashion

was of the old king's time, the cuffs slashed like asea-officer's uniform, and the shoulders madecarefully round. But other thoughts were runningwithin me then."Captain," I cut in, "you are sailing eastward.""Yes, yes," he answered absently, fingering somePoint d'Espagne.""There is no chance of touching in the colonies? Ipersisted."Colonies! No," said he, in the same abstraction; "Iam making for theSolway, being long overdue. But what think you ofthis, Mr. Carvel?"And he held up a wondrous vellum-hole waistcoatof a gone-by vintage, and I saw how futile it wereto attempt to lead him, while in that state ofabsorption, to topics which touched my affair. Of asudden the significance of what he had said creptover me, the word Solway repeating itself in mymind. That firth bordered England itself, andDorothy was in London! I became reconciled. I hadno particle of objection to the Solway save theuneasiness my grandfather would come through,which was beyond helping. Fate had ordered thingswell.Then I fell to applauding, while the captain tried on(for he was not content with holding up) anotherfrock of white drab, which, cuffs and pockets, I'lltake my oath mounted no less than twenty-four:

another plain one of pink cut-velvet; tail-coats ofsilk, heavily broidered with flowers, and satinwaistcoats with narrow lace. He took aninconceivable enjoyment out of this parade,discoursing the while, like a nobleman with nothingbut dress in his head, or, perhaps, like amastercutter, about the turn of this or that lapel,the length from armpit to fold, and the number ofbutton-holes that was proper. And finally heexhibited with evident pride a pair of doeskins thatbuttoned over the calf to be worn with high shoes,which I make sure he would have tried on likewisehad he been offered the slightest encouragement.So he exploited the whole of his wardrobe, such anunlucky assortment of finery as I never wish to seeagain; all of which, however, became himmarvellously, though I think he had looked well inanything. I hope I may be forgiven the perjury I didthat day. I wondered greatly that such a foibleshould crop out in a man of otherwise sound senseand plain ability.At length, when the last chest was shut again andlocked, and I had exhausted my ingenuity atcommendation, and my patience also, he turned tome as a man come out of a trance."Od's fish, Mr. Carvel," he cried, "you will bestarved. I had forgot your state."I owned that hunger had nigh overcome me,whereupon he became very solicitous, bade theboy bring in supper at once, and in a short time wesat down together to the best meal I had seen for

a month. It seemed like a year. Porridge, andbacon nicely done, and duff and ale, with the searushing past the cabin windows as we ate, touchedinto colour by the setting sun. Captain Paul did notmess with his mates, not he, and he gave me tounderstand that I was to share his cabin,apologizing profusely for what he was pleased tocall poor fare. He would have it that he, and not I,were receiving favour."My dear sir," he said once, "you cannot know whata bit of finery is to me, who has so little chance forthe wearing of it. To discuss with a gentleman, aconnoisseur (I know a bit of French, Mr. Carvel), isa pleasure I do not often come at."His simplicity in this touched me; it was pathetic."How know you I am a gentleman, Captain Paul?" Iasked curiously."I should lack discernment, sir," he retorted, withsome heat, "if I could not see as much. Breedingshines through sack-cloth, sir. Besides" he,continued, in a milder tone, "the look of you iscandour itself. Though I have not greatly theadvantage of you in age, I have seen many men,and I know that such a face as yours cannot lie."Here Mr. Lowrie, the second mate, came in with areport; and I remarked that he stood up hat inhand whilst making it, very much as if Captain Paulcommanded a frigate. The captain went to a lockerand brought forth some mellow Madeira, and afterthe mate had taken a glass of it standing, he

the mate had taken a glass of it standing, hewithdrew. Then we lighted pipes and sat verycosey with a lanthorn swung between us, andCaptain Paul expressed a wish to hear my story.I gave him my early history briefly, dwelling butcasually upon the position enjoyed in Maryland bymy family; but I spoke of my grandfather, nowturning seventy, gray-haired in the service of Kingand province. The captain was indeed a mostsympathetic listener, now throwing in a questionshowing keen Scotch penetration, and anonmaking a most ludicrous inquiry as to the dresslivery our footmen wore, and whether Mr. Carvelused outriders when he travelled abroad. This wasthe other side of the man. As the wine warmed andthe pipe soothed, I spoke at length of Grafton andthe rector; and when I came to the wretchedcontrivance by which they got me aboard the BlackMoll, he was stalking hither and thither about thecabin, his fists clenched and his voice thick,breaking into Scotch again and vowing that hellwere too good for such as they.His indignation, which seemed real and generous,transformed him into another man. He showeredquestion after question upon me concerning myuncle and Mr. Allen; declared that he had knownmany villains, but had yet to hear of their equals;and finally, cooling a little, gave it as his judgmentthat the crime could never be brought home tothem. This was my own opinion. He advised me,before we turned in, to "gie the parson a Grunt" assoon as ever I could lay hands upon him.

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