Japhet In Search Of A Father Part 1 by Frederick Marryat (unputdownable books TXT) 📕

Tell It Even To You." Timothy Looked Rather Grave At This Reply. "No,

Timothy,  As A Man Of Honour,  I Cannot." My Conscience Smote Me When I

Made Use Of The Term; For,  As A Man Of Honour,  I Had No Business To Be

In Possession Of It. "My Dear Timothy,  I Have Done Wrong Already,  Do Not

Ask Me To Do Worse."

"I Will Not,  Japhet; But Only Tell Me What Has Passed,  And What You

Intend To Do?"

"That I Will,  Timothy,  With Pleasure;" And I Then Stated All That Had

Passed Between His Lordship And Me.

"And Now,  You Observe,  Timothy,  I Have Gained What I Desired,  An

Introduction Into The Best Society."

"And The Means Of Keeping Up Your Appearance," Echoed Timothy,  Rubbing

His Hands. "A Thousand Pounds Will Last A Long While."

"It Will Last A Very Long While,  Tim,  For I Never Will Touch It; It

Would Be Swindling."

"So It Would," Replied Tim,  His Countenance Falling; "Well,  I Never

Thought Of That."

"I Have Thought Of Much More,  Tim; Recollect I Must,  In a Very Short

Time,  Be Exposed To Lord Windermear,  For The Real Mr Neville Will Soon

Come Home."

"Good Heavens! What Will Become Of Us?" Replied Timothy,  With Alarm In

His Countenance.

"Nothing Can Hurt You,  Tim,  The Anger Will Be All Upon Me; But I Am

Prepared To Face It,  And I Would Face Twice As Much For The Distant Hope

Of Finding My Father. Whatever Lord Windermear May Feel Inclined To Do,

He Can Do Nothing; And My Possession Of The Secret Will Ensure Even More

Than My Safety; It Will Afford Me His Protection,  If I Demand It."

"I Hope It May Prove So," Replied Timothy,  "But I Feel A Little

Frightened."

"I Do Not; To-Morrow I Shall Give My Letter Of Introduction,  And Then I

Will Prosecute My Search. So Now,  My Dear Tim,  Good-Night."

The Next Morning,  I Lost No Time In Presenting My Letter Of Introduction

To Major Carbonnell. He Lived In apartments On The First Floor In St

James'S Street,  And I Found Him At Breakfast,  In a Silk Dressing Gown. I

Had Made Up My Mind That A Little Independence Always Carries With It An

Air Of Fashion. When I Entered,  Therefore,  I Looked At Him With A

Knowing Air,  And Dropping The Letter Down On The Table Before Him,  Said,

"There'S Something For You To Read,  Major; And,  In The Meantime,  I'Ll

Refresh Myself On This Chair;" Suiting The Action To The Word,  I Threw

Myself On A Chair,  Amusing Myself With Tapping The Sides Of My Boots

With A Small Cane Which I Carried In My Hand.

Major Carbonnell,  Upon Whom I Cast A Furtive Eye More Than Once During

The Time That He Was Reading The Letter,  Was A Person Of About

Thirty-Five Years Of Age,  Well-Looking,  But Disfigured By The Size Of

His Whiskers,  Which Advanced To The Corners Of His Mouth,  And Met Under

His Throat. He Was Tall And Well Made,  And With An Air Of Fashion About

Him That Was Undeniable. His Linen Was Beautifully,  Clean And Carefully

Arranged,  And He Had As Many Rings On His Fingers,  And,  When He Was

Dressed,  Chains And Trinkets,  As Ever Were Put On By A Lady.

"My Dear Sir,  Allow Me The Honour Of Making At Once Your Most Intimate

Acquaintance," Said He,  Rising From His Chair,  And Offering His Hand,  As

Soon As He Had Perused The Letter. "Any Friend Of Lord Windermear'S

Would Be Welcome,  But When He Brings Such An Extra Recommendation In His

Own Appearance,  He Becomes Doubly So."

"Major Carbonnell," Replied I,  "I Have Seen You But Two Minutes,  And I

Have Taken A Particular Fancy To You,  In Which I,  No Doubt,  Have Proved

My Discrimination. Of Course,  You Know That I Have Just Returned From

Making A Tour?"

"So I Understand From His Lordship'S Letter. Mr Newland,  My Time Is At

Your Service. Where Are You Staying?"

"At The Piazza."

"Very Good; I Will Dine With You To-Day; Order Some Mulligatawny,  They

Are Famous For It. After Dinner We Will Go To The Theatre."

I Was Rather Surprised At His Cool Manner Of Asking Himself To Dine With

Me And Ordering My Dinner,  But A Moment'S Reflection Made Me Feel What

Sort Of Person I Had To Deal With.

"Major,  I Take That As Almost An Affront. You Will Dine With Me

_To-Day!_ I Beg To State That You _Must_ Dine With Me Every Day That We

Are Not Invited Elsewhere; And What'S More,  Sir,  I Shall Be Most

Seriously Displeased,  If You Do Not Order The Dinner Every Time That You

Do Dine With Me,  And Ask Whoever You May Think Worthy Of Putting Their

Legs Under Our Table,  Let'S Have No Doing Things By Halves,  Major; I

Know You Now As Well As If We Had Been Intimate For Ten Years."

The Major Seized Me By The Hand. "My Dear Newland,  I Only Wish We _Had

Known_ One Another Ten Years,  As You Say--The Loss Has Been Mine; But

Now--You Have Breakfasted,  I Presume?"

"Yes; Having Nothing To Do,  And Not Knowing A Soul After My Long

Absence,  I Advanced My Breakfast About Two Hours,  That I Might Find You

At Home; And Now I'M At Your Service."

"Say Rather I Am At Yours. I Presume You Will Walk. In Ten Minutes I

Shall Be Ready. Either Take Up The Paper,  Or Whistle An Air Or Two,  Or

Anything Else You Like,  Just To Kill Ten Minutes--And I Shall Be At Your

Command."

     I Come Out Under A First-Rate Chaperon,  And At Once Am Established

     Into The Regions Of Fashion--Prove That I Am Deserving Of My

     Promotion.

"I Beg Your Pardon,  Newland," Said The Major,  Returning From His

Dressing-Room,  Resplendent With Chains And Bijouterie; "But I Must Have

Your Christian Name."

"It'S Rather A Strange One," Replied I; "It Is Japhet."

"Japhet! By The Immortal Powers,  I'D Bring An Action Against My

Godfathers And Godmothers; You Ought To Recover _Heavy Damages_."

"Then I Presume You Would Not Have The Name," Replied I,  With A Knowing

Look,  "For A Clear Ten Thousand A Year."

"Whew! That Alters The Case--It'S Astonishing How Well Any Name Looks In

Large _Gold_ Letters. Well,  As The Old Gentleman,  Whoever He Might Have

Been,  Made You Compensation,  You Must Forgive And Forget. Now Where

Shall We Go?"

"With Your Permission,  As I Came To Town In These Clothes,  Made By A

German Tailor--Darmstadt'S Tailor By-The-Bye--But Still If Tailor To A

Prince,  Not The Prince Of Tailors--I Would Wish You To Take Me To Your

Own: Your Dress Appears Very Correct."

"You Show Your Judgment,  Newland,  It _Is_ Correct; Stulz Will Be

Delighted To Have Your Name On His Books,  And To Do Justice To That

Figure. _Allons Donc_."

We Sauntered Up St James'S Street,  And Before I Had Arrived At Stulz'S,

I Had Been Introduced To At Least Twenty Of The Young Men About Town.

The Major Was Most Particular In His Directions About The Clothes,  All

Of Which He Ordered; And As I Knew That He Was Well Acquainted With The

Fashion,  I Gave Him Carte Blanche. When We Left The Shop,  He Said,  "Now,

My Dear Newland,  I Have Given You A Proof Of Friendship,  Which No Other

Man In england Has Had. Your Dress Will Be The Ne Plus Ultra. There Are

Little Secrets Only Known To The Initiated,  And Stulz Is Aware That This

Time I Am In earnest. I Am Often Asked To Do The Same For Others,  And I

Pretend So To Do; But A Wink From Me Is Sufficient,  And Stulz Dares Not

Dress Them. Don'T You Want Some Bijouterie? Or Have You Any At Home?"

"I May As Well Have A Few Trifles," Replied I.

We Entered A Celebrated Jeweller'S,  And He Selected For Me To The Amount

Of About Forty Pounds. "That Will Do--Never Buy Much; For It Is

Necessary To Change Every Three Months At Least. What Is The Price Of

This Chain?"

"It Is Only Fifteen Guineas,  Major."

"Well,  I Shall Take It; But Recollect," Continued The Major; "I Tell You

Honestly,  I Never Shall Pay You."

The Jeweller Smiled,  Bowed,  And Laughed; The Major Threw The Chain Round

His Neck,  And We Quitted The Shop.

"At All Events,  Major,  They Appear Not To Believe Your Word In That

Shop."

"My Dear Fellow,  That'S Their Own Fault,  Not Mine. I Tell Them Honestly

I Never Will Pay Them; And You May Depend Upon It,  I Intend Most

Sacredly To Keep My Word. I Never Do Pay Anybody,  For The Best Of All

Possible Reasons,  I Have No Money; But Then I Do Them A Service--I Make

Them Fashionable,  And They Know It."

"What Debts Do You Pay Then,  Major?"

"Let Me Think--That Requires Consideration. Oh! I Pay My Washer-Woman."

"Don'T You Pay Your Debts Of Honour?"

"Debts Of Honour! Why I'Ll Tell _You_ The Truth; For I Know That We

Shall Hunt In couples. If I Win I Take The Money: But If I Lose--Why

Then I Forget To Pay; And I Always Tell Them So Before I Set Down To The