TALES OF THE SEA: 12 Maritime Adventure Novels in One Volume (Illustrated)
seamen, and a silent adieu was given by a wave of his hand; after which he disappeared from those to whom their present release seemed as imaginary and unreal as had appeared their late captivity.
The threat of the interference of the crew of the “Dolphin” was, however, still ringing in the ears of Wilder. He made an impatient gesture to his attendants to ply their oars, cautiously steering the boat on such a course as should soonest lead her from beneath the guns of the freebooters. While passing under the stern of the “Dolphin,” a hoarse hail was sent across the waters, and the voice of the Rover was heard speaking to the Commander of the “Dart.”
“I send you a party of your guests,” he said; “and, among them, all the divinity of my ship.”
The passage was short; nor was time given for any of the liberated to arrange their thoughts, before it became necessary to ascend the side of the cruiser of the Crown.
“Heaven help us!” exclaimed Bignall, catching a glimpse of the sex of his visiters through a port “Heaven help us both, Parson! That young hair brained fellow has sent us a brace of petticoats aboard; and these the profane reprobate calls his divinities! One may easily guess where he has picked up such quality; but cheer up, Doctor; one may honestly forget the cloth in five fathom water, you know.”
The facetious laugh of the old Commander of the “Dart” betrayed that he was more than half disposed to overlook the fancied presumption of his audacious inferior; furnishing a sort of pledge, to all who heard it, that no undue scruples should defeat the hilarity of the moment. But when Gertrude, flushed with the excitement of the scene through which she had just passed, and beaming with a loveliness that derived so much of its character from its innocence, appeared on his deck, the veteran rubbed his-eyes in an amazement which could not have been greatly surpassed, had one of that species of beings the Rover had named actually fallen at his feet from the skies.
“The heartless scoundrel!” cried the worthy tar, “to lead astray one so young and so lovely! Ha! as I live, my own lieutenant! How’s this, Mr Ark! have we fallen on the days of miracles?”
An exclamation, which came deep from the heart the governess, and a low and mournful echo from the lips of the divine, interrupted the further expression of his indignation and his wonder.
“Captain Bignall,” observed the former, pointing to the tottering form which was leaning on Wilder for support, “on my life, you are mistaken in the character of this lady. It is more than twenty years since we last met, but I pledge my own character for the purity and truth of hers.”
“Lead me to the cabin,” murmured Mrs Wyllys. “Gertrude, my love, where are we? Lead me to some secret place.”
Her request was complied with; the whole group retiring in a body from before the sight of the spectators who thronged the deck. Here the deeply agitated governess regained a portion of her self-command, and then her wandering gaze sought the meek, concerned countenance of the chaplain.
“This is a tardy and heart-rending meeting,” she said, pressing the hand he gave her to her lips. “Gertrude, in this gentleman you see the divine that united me to the man who once formed the pride and happiness of my existence.”
“Mourn not his loss,” whispered the reverend priest, bending over her chair, with the interest of a parent. “He was taken from you at an early hour; but he died as all who loved him might have wished.
“And none was left to bear, in remembrance of his qualities, his proud name to posterity! Tell me, good Merton, is not the hand of Providence visible in this dispensation? Ought I not to humble myself before it, as a just punishment of my disobedience to an affectionate, though too obdurate, parent?”
“None may presume to pry into the mysteries of he righteous government that orders all things. Enough for us, that we learn to submit to the will of Him who rules, without questioning his justice.”
“But,” continued the governess, in tones so husky as to betray how powerfully she felt the temptation to forget his admonition, “would not one life have sufficed? was I to be deprived of all?”
“Madam, reflect! What has been done was done in wisdom, as I trust it was in mercy.”
“You say truly. I will forget all of the sad events, but their application to myself And you, worthy and benevolent Merton, where and how have been passed your days, since the time of which we speak?”
“I am but a low and humble shepherd of a truant flock,” returned the meek chaplain, with a sigh. “Many distant seas have I visited, and many strange faces, and stranger natures, has it been my lot to encounter in my pilgrimage. I am but lately returned, from the east, into the hemisphere where I first drew breath; and, by permission of our superiors, I came to pass a month in the vessel of a companion, whose friendship bears even an older date than our own.”
“Ay, ay, Madam,” returned the worthy Bignall, whose feelings had been not a little disturbed by the previous scene; “it is near half a century since the Parson and I were boys together, and we have been rubbing up old recollections on the cruise. Happy am I that a lady of so commendable qualities has come to make one of our party.”
“In this lady you see the daughter of the late Captain——, and the relict of the son of our ancient Commander, Rear-Admiral de Lacey,” hastily resumed the divine, as though he knew the well-meaning honesty of his friend was more to be trusted than his discretion.
“I knew them both; and brave men and thorough seamen were the pair! The lady was welcome as your friend, Merton; but she is doubly so, as the widow and child of the gentlemen you name.”
“De Lacey!” murmured an agitated voice in the ear of the governess.
“The law gives me a title to bear that name,” returned she whom we shall still continue to call by her assumed appellation, folding her weeping pupil long and affectionately to her bosom. “The veil is unexpectedly withdrawn, my love, nor shall concealment be longer affected. My father was the Captain of the flag-ship. Necessity compelled him to leave me more in the society of your young relative than he would have done, could he have foreseen the consequences. But I knew both his pride and his poverty too well, to dare to make him arbiter of my fate, after the alternative became, to my inexperienced imagination worse than even his anger. We were privately united by this gentleman, and neither of our parents knew of the connexion. Death”—
The voice of the widow became choaked, and she made a sign to the chaplain, as if she would have him continue the tale.
“Mr de Lacey and his father-in-law fell in the same battle, within a short month of the ceremony,” add ed the subdued voice of Merton. “Even you, dearest Madam, never knew the melancholy particulars of their end. I was a solitary witness of their deaths for to me were they both consigned, amid the confusion of the battle. Their blood was mingled; and your parent, in blessing the young hero, unconsciously blessed his son.”
“Oh! I deceived his noble nature, and dearly have I paid the penalty!” exclaimed the self-abased widow. “Tell me, Merton, did he ever know of my marriage?”
“He did not. Mr de Lacey died first, and upon his bosom, for he loved him ever as a child; but other thoughts than useless explanations were then uppermost in their minds.”
“Gertrude,” said the governess, in hollow, repentant tones, “there is no peace for our feeble sex but in submission; no happiness but in obedience.”
“It is over now,” whispered the weeping girl; “all over, and forgotten. I am your child—your own Gertrude—the creature of your formation.”
“Harry Ark!” exclaimed Bignall, clearing his throat with a hem so vigorous as to carry the sound to the outer deck, seizing the arm of his entranced lieutenant, and dragging him from the scene while he spoke. “What the devil besets the boy! You forget that, all this time, I am as ignorant of your own adventures as is his Majesty’s prime minister of navigation Why do I see you, here, a visitor from a royal cruiser, when I thought you were playing the mock pirate? and how came that harum-scarum twig of nobility in possession