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

The Major,  Who Now Considered Me To Be Insane Upon That Point,  And Who

Would Seldom Allow Me To Go Out Without Him,  When I Again Perceived The

Same Carriage,  With The Gentleman Inside As Before.

"There He Is,  Major," Cried I.

"There Is Who?" Replied He.

"The Man So Like My Father."

"What,  In That Carriage? That Is The Bishop Of E----,  My Good Fellow.

What A Strange Idea You Have In Your Head,  Newland; It Almost Amounts To

Madness. Do Not Be Staring In That Way--Come Along."

Still My Head Was Turned Quite Round,  Looking At The Carriage After It

Had Passed,  Till It Was Out Of Sight; But I Knew Who The Party Was,  And

For The Time I Was Satisfied,  As I Determined To Find Out His Address,

And Call Upon Him. I Narrated To Timothy What Had Occurred,  And

Referring To The Red Book,  I Looked Out The Bishop'S Town Address,  And

The Next Day,  After Breakfast,  Having Arranged My Toilet With The Utmost

Precision,  I Made An Excuse To The Major,  And Set Off To Portland Place.

     A Chapter Of Mistakes--No Benefit Of Clergy--I Attack A Bishop,  And

     Am Beaten Off--The Major Hedges Upon The Filly Stakes.

My Hand Trembled As I Knocked At The Door. It Was Opened. I Sent In My

Card,  Requesting The Honour Of An Audience With His Lordship. After

Waiting A Few Minutes In an Ante-Room,  I Was Ushered In. "My Lord," Said

I,  In a Flurried Manner,  "Will You Allow Me To Have A Few Minutes'

Conversation With You Alone?"

"This Gentleman Is My Secretary,  Sir,  But If You Wish It,  Certainly,  For

Although He Is My Confidant,  I Have No Right To Insist That He Shall Be

Yours. Mr Temple,  Will You Oblige Me By Going Up Stairs For A Little

While."

The Secretary Quitted The Room,  The Bishop Pointed To A Chair,  And I Sat

Down. I Looked Him Earnestly In The Face--The Nose Was Exact,  And I

Imagined That Even In The Other Features I Could Distinguish A

Resemblance. I Was Satisfied That I Had A Last Gained The Object Of My

Search. "I Believe,  Sir," Observed I,  "That You Will Acknowledge,  That

In The Heat And Impetuosity Of Youth,  We Often Rush Into Hasty And

Improvident Connections."

I Paused,  With My Eyes Fixed Upon His. "Very True,  My Young Sir; And

When We Do We Are Ashamed,  And Repent Of Them Afterwards," Replied The

Bishop,  Rather Astonished.

"I Grant That,  Sir," Replied I,  "But At The Same Time,  We Must Feel That

We Must Abide By The Results,  However Unpleasant."

"When We Do Wrong,  Mr Newland," Replied The Bishop,  First Looking At My

Card,  And Then Upon Me,  "We Find That We Are Not Only To Be Punished In

The Next World,  But Suffer For It Also In This. I Trust You Have No

Reason For Such Suffering?"

"Unfortunately,  The Sins Of The Fathers Are Visited Upon The Children,

And,  In That View,  I May Say That I Have Suffered."

"My Dear Sir," Replied The Bishop,  "I Trust You Will Excuse Me,  When I

Say,  That My Time Is Rather Valuable; If You Have Anything Of Importance

To Communicate--Anything Upon Which You Would Ask My Advice--For

Assistance You Do Not Appear To Require,  Do Me The Favour To Proceed At

Once To The Point."

"I Will,  Sir,  Be As Concise As The Matter Will Admit Of. Allow Me,

Then,  To Ask You A Few Questions,  And I Trust To Your Honour,  And The

Dignity Of Your Profession,  For A Candid Answer. Did You Not Marry A

Young Woman Early In Life? And Were You Not Very Much Pressed In Your

Circumstances?"

The Bishop Stared. "Really,  Mr Newland,  It Is A Strange Question,  And I

Cannot Imagine To What It May Lead,  But Still I Will Answer It. I Did

Marry Early In Life,  And I Was,  At That Time,  Not In Very Affluent

Circumstances."

"You Had A Child By That Marriage--Your Eldest Born--A Boy!"

"That Is Also True,  Mr Newland," Replied The Bishop,  Gravely.

"How Long Is It Since You Have Seen Him?"

"It Is Many Years," Replied The Bishop,  Putting His Handkerchief Up To

His Eyes.

"Answer Me,  Now,  Sir;--Did You Not Desert Him?"

"No,  No!" Replied The Bishop. "It Is Strange That You Should Appear To

Know So Much About The Matter,  Mr Newland,  As You Could Have Hardly Been

Born. I Was Poor Then--Very Poor; But Although I Could Ill Afford It,  He

Had Fifty Pounds From Me."

"But,  Sir," Replied I,  Much Agitated; "Why Have You Not Reclaimed Him?"

"I Would Have Reclaimed Him,  Mr Newland--But What Could I Do--He Was Not

To Be Reclaimed; And Now--He Is Lost For Ever."

"Surely,  Sir,  In Your Present Affluence,  You Must Wish To See Him

Again?"

"He Died,  And I Trust He Has Gone To Heaven," Replied The Bishop,

Covering Up His Face.

"No,  Sir," Replied I,  Throwing Myself On My Knees Before Him,  "He Did

Not Die,  Here He Is At Your Feet,  To Ask Your Blessing."

The Bishop Sprang From His Chair. "What Does This Mean,  Sir?" Said He,

With Astonishment. "You My Son!"

"Yes,  Reverend Father--Your Son; Who,  With Fifty Pounds You Left--"

"On The Top Of The Portsmouth Coach!"

"No,  Sir,  In The _Basket_."

"My Son! Sir,--Impossible; He Died In The Hospital."

"No,  Sir,  He Has Come Out Of The _Hospital_," Replied I; "And As You

Perceive,  Safe And Well."

"Either,  Sir,  This Must Be Some Strange Mistake,  Or You Must Be Trifling

With Me," Replied His Lordship; "For,  Sir,  I Was At His Death-Bed,  And

Followed Him To His Grave."

"Are You Sure Of That,  Sir?" Replied I,  Starting Up With Amazement.

"I Wish That I Was Not,  Sir--For I Am Now Childless; But Pray,  Sir,  Who,

And What Are You,  Who Know So Much Of My Former Life,  And Who Would Have

Thus Imposed Upon Me?"

"Imposed Upon You,  Sir!" Replied I,  Perceiving That I Was In error.

"Alas! I Would Do No Such Thing. Who Am I? I Am A Young Man Who Is In

Search Of His Father. Your Face,  And Especially Your Nose,  So Resembled

Mine,  That I Made Sure That I Had Succeeded. Pity Me,  Sir--Pity Me,"

Continued I,  Covering Up My Face With My Hands.

The Bishop,  Perceiving That There Was Little Of The Impostor In My

Appearance,  And That I Was Much Affected,  Allowed A Short Time For Me To

Recover Myself,  And Then Entered Into An Explanation. When A Curate,  He

Had Had An Only Son,  Very Wild,  Who Would Go To Sea In Spite Of His

Remonstrances. He Saw Him Depart By The Portsmouth Coach,  And Gave Him

The Sum Mentioned. His Son Received A Mortal Wound In action,  And Was

Sent To The Plymouth Hospital,  Where He Died. I Then Entered Into My

Explanation In a Few Concise Sentences,  And With A Heart Beating With

Disappointment,  Took My Leave. The Bishop Shook Hands With Me As I

Quitted The Room,  And Wished Me Better Success At My Next Application.

I Went Home Almost In despair. Timothy Consoled Me As Well As He Could,

And Advised Me To Go As Much As Possible Into Society,  As The Most

Likely Chance Of Obtaining My Wish,  Not That He Considered There Was Any

Chance,  But He Thought That Amusement Would Restore Me To My Usual

Spirits. "I Will Go And Visit Little Fleta," Replied I,  "For A Few

Days; The Sight Of Her Will Do Me More Good Than Anything Else." And The

Next Day I Set Off For The Town Of ----,  Where I Found The Dear Little

Girl,  Much Grown,  And Much Improved. I Remained With Her For A Week,

Walking With Her In The Country,  Amusing Her,  And Amused Myself With Our

Conversation. At The Close Of The Week I Bade Her Farewell,  And Returned

To The Major'S Lodgings.

I Was Astonished To Find Him In deep Mourning. "My Dear Carbonnell,"

Said I,  Inquiringly,  "I Hope No Severe Loss?"

"Nay,  My Dear Newland,  I Should Be A Hypocrite If I Said So; For There

Never Was A More Merry Mourner,  And That'S The Truth Of It. Mr M----,

Who,  You Know,  Stood Between Me And The Peerage,  Has Been Drowned In The

Rhone; I Now Have A Squeak For It. His Wife Has One Daughter,  And Is

_Enceinte_. Should The Child Prove A Boy,  I Am Done For,  But If A Girl,

I Must Then Come In To The Barony,  And Fifteen Thousand Pounds Per

Annum. However,  I'Ve Hedged Pretty Handsomely."

"How Do You Mean?"

"Why They Say That When A Woman Commences With Girls,  She Generally Goes

On,  And The Odds Are Two To One That Mrs M---- Has A Girl. I Have Taken

The Odds At The Clubs To The Amount Of Fifteen Thousand Pounds; So If It

Be A Girl I Shall Have To Pay That Out Of My Fifteen Thousand Pounds Per

Annum,  As Soon As I Fall Into It; If It Be A Boy,  And I Am Floored,  I

Shall Pocket Thirty Thousand Pounds By Way Of Consolation For The

Disappointment. They Are All Good Men."

"Yes,  But They Know You Never Pay."

"They Know I Never Do Now,  Because I Have No Money; But They Know I Will

Pay If I Come Into The Estate; And So I Will,  Most Honourably,  Besides A

Few More Thousands That I Have In My Book."

"I Congratulate You,  With All My Heart,  Major. How Old Is The Present

Lord B----?"

"I Have Just Been Examining The Peerage--He Is Sixtytwo; But He Is Very

Fresh And Hearty,  And May