Japhet, In Search Of A Father Part 1 by Frederick Marryat (read people like a book .TXT) 📕

It Is Not Necessary,  Nor,  Indeed,  Would I,  On Any Account,  State Any

More. I Finished The Last Paper,  And Then Fell Into A Reverie. This Is,

Indeed,  A Secret,  Thought I; One That I Would I Never Had Possessed. In

A Despotic Country My Life Would Be Sacrificed To The Fatal

Knowledge--Here,  Thank God,  My Life As Well As My Liberty Are Safe.

The Contents Of The Papers Told Me All That Was Necessary To Enable Me

To Support The Character Which I Had Assumed. The Reason Why The Party,

Whom I Was Supposed To Be,  Was Intrusted With It,  Was,  That He Was In a

Direct Line,  Eventually Heir,  And The Question Was Whether He Would

Waive His Claim With The Others,  And Allow Death To Bury Crime In

Oblivion. I Felt That Were I In His Position I Should So Do--And

Therefore Was Prepared To Give An Answer To His Lordship. I Sealed Up

The Papers,  Dressed Myself,  And Went To Dinner; And After The Cloth Was

Removed,  Lord Windermear,  First Rising And Turning The Key In The Door,

Said To Me,  In a Low Voice,  "You Have Read The Papers,  And What Those,

Nearly As Much Interested As You Are In This Lamentable Business,  Have

Decided Upon. Tell Me,  What Is Your Opinion?"

"My Opinion,  My Lord,  Is,  That I Wish I Had Never Known What Has Come To

Light This Day--That It Will Be Most Advisable Never To Recur To The

Subject,  And That The Proposals Made Are,  In My Opinion,  Most Judicious,

And Should Be Acted Upon."

"That Is Well," Replied His Lordship; "Then All Are Agreed,  And I Am

Proud To Find You Possessed Of Such Honour And Good Feeling. We Now Drop

The Subject For Ever. Are You Inclined To Leave Town With Me,  Or What Do

You Intend To Do?"

"I Prefer Remaining In Town,  If Your Lordship Will Introduce Me To Some

Of The Families Of Your Acquaintance. Of Course I Know No One Now."

"Very True; I Will Introduce You,  As Agreed,  As Mr Newland. It May Be As

Well That You Do Not Know Any Of Our Relations,  Whom I Have Made To

Suppose,  That You Are Still Abroad--And It Would Be Awkward,  When You

Take Your Right Name By-And-Bye. Do You Mean To See Your Mother?"

"Impossible,  My Lord,  At Present; By-And-Bye I Hope To Be Able."

"Perhaps It'S All For The Best. I Will Now Write One Note To Major

Carbonnell,  Introducing You As My Particular Friend,  And Requesting That

He Will Make London Agreeable. He Knows Everybody,  And Will Take You

Everywhere."

"When Does Your Lordship Start For The Country?"

"To-Morrow; So We May As Well Part To-Night. By-The-By,  You Have Credit

At Drummond'S,  In The Name Of Newland,  For A Thousand Pounds; The Longer

You Make It Last You The Better."

His Lordship Gave Me The Letter Of Introduction. I Returned To Him The

Sealed Packet,  Shook Hands With Him,  And Took My Departure.

"Well,  Sir," Said Timothy,  Rubbing His Hands,  As He Stood Before Me,

"What Is The News; For I Am Dying To Hear It--And What Is This Secret?"

"With Regard To The Secret,  Tim,  A Secret It Must Remain. I Dare Not

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