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THE TWO ADMIRALS
constant use, still conversing of the state of Sir Wycherly. As all
of them, but the two young men, were ignorant of the nature
of the message to Sir Reginald Wychecombe, and of the intelligence in connection with that gentleman, which had just been
received, Mrs. Dutton ventured to ask an explanation, which
was given by Wycherly, with a readiness that proved he felt no
apprehensions on the subject.
“Sir Wycherly desired to see his distant relative, Sir Reginald,” said the lieutenant; “and the messenger who was sent
to request his attendance, fortunately learned from a post-boy,
that the Hertfordshire baronet, in common with many other
gentlemen, is travelling in the west, just at this moment; and
that he slept last night, at a house only twenty miles distant.
The express reached him several hours since, and an answer
has been received, informing us that we may expect to see him,
in an hour or two.”
Thus much was related by Wycherly; but, we may add that
Sir Reginald Wychecombe was a Catholic, as it was then usual
to term the Romanists, and in secret, a Jacobite; and, in common with many of that religious persuasion, he was down in
the west, to see if a rising could not be organized in that part of
the kingdom, as a diversion to any attempt to repel the young
Pretender in the north. As the utmost caution was used by the
conspirators, this fact was not even suspected by any who were
not in the secret of the whole proceeding. Understanding that
his relation was an inefficient old man, Sir Reginald, himself
an active and sagacious intriguer, had approached thus near to
the old paternal residence of his family, in order to ascertain
if his own name and descent might not aid him in obtaining
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
levies among the ancient tenantry of the estate. That day he
had actually intended to appear at Wychecombe, disguised,
and under an assumed name. He proposed venturing on this
step, because circumstances put it in his power, to give what
he thought would be received as a sufficient excuse, should his
conduct excite comment.
Sir Reginald Wychecombe was a singular, but by no means
an unnatural compound of management and integrity. His position as a Papist had disposed him to intrigue, while his position as one proscribed by religious hostility, had disposed him
to be a Papist. Thousands are made men of activity, and even
of importance, by persecution and proscription, who would
pass through life quietly and unnoticed, if the meddling hand
of human forethought did not force them into situations that
awaken their hostility, and quicken their powers. This gentleman was a firm believer in all the traditions of his church,
though his learning extended little beyond his missal; and he
put the most implicit reliance on the absurd, because improbable, fiction of the Nag’s Head consecration, without having
even deemed it necessary to look into a particle of that testimony by which alone such a controversy could be decided. In
a word, he was an instance of what religious intolerance has
ever done, and will probably for ever continue to do, with so
wayward a being as man.
Apart from this weakness, Sir Reginald Wychecombe had
both a shrewd and an inquiring mind. His religion he left very
much to the priests; but of his temporal affairs he assumed a
careful and prudent supervision. He was much richer than
the head of the family; but, while he had no meannesses con-
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THE TWO ADMIRALS
nected with money, he had no objection to be the possessor
of the old family estates. Of his own relation to the head of
this family, he was perfectly aware, and the circumstance of
the half-blood, with all its legal consequences, was no secret
to him. Sir Reginald Wychecombe was not a man to be so situated, without having recourse to all proper means, in order, as
it has become the fashion of the day to express it, “to define his
position.” By means of a shrewd attorney, if not of his own religious, at least of his own political opinions, he had ascertained
the fact, and this from the mouth of Martha herself, that Baron
Wychecombe had never married; and that, consequently, Tom
and his brothers were no more heirs at law to the Wychecombe
estate, than he was in his own person. He fully understood,
too, that there was no heir at law; and that the lands must
escheat, unless the present owner made a will; and to this last
act, his precise information told him that Sir Wycherly had
an unconquerable reluctance. Under such circumstances, it is
not at all surprising, that when the Hertfordshire baronet was
thus unexpectedly summoned to the bed-side of his distant
kinsman, he inferred that his own claims were at length to be
tardily acknowledged, and that he was about to be put in possession of the estates of his legitimate ancestors. It is still less
wonderful, that, believing this, he promptly promised to lose
no time in obeying the summons, determining momentarily to
forget his political, in order to look a little after his personal
interests.
The reader will understand, of course, that all these details
were unknown to the inmates of the Hall, beyond the fact of
the expected arrival of Sir Reginald Wychecombe, and that
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
of the circumstance of the half-blood; which, in its true bearing, was known alone to Tom. Their thoughts were directed
towards the situation of their host, and little was said, or done,
that had not his immediate condition for the object. It being
understood, however, that the surgeons kept the sick chamber
closed against all visiters, a silent and melancholy breakfast
was taken by the whole party, in waiting for the moment when
they might be admitted. When this cheerless meal was ended, Sir Gervaise desired Bluewater to follow him to his room,
whither he led the way in person.
“It is possible, certainly, that Vervillin is out,” commenced
the vice-admiral, when they were alone; “but we shall know
more about it, when the cutter gets in, and reports. You saw
nothing but her number, I think you told me?”
“She was at work with private signals, when I left the headland; of course I was unable to read them without the book.”
“That Vervillin is a good fellow,” returned Sir Gervaise,
rubbing his hands; a way he had when much pleased; “and has
stuff in him. He has thirteen two-decked ships, Dick, and that
will be one apiece for our captains, and a spare one for each of
our flags. I believe there is no three-decker in that squadron?”
“There you’ve made a small mistake, Sir Gervaise, as the
Comte de Vervillin had his flag in the largest three-decker of
France; le Bourbon 120. The rest of his ships are like our own,
though much fuller manned.”
“Never mind, Blue – never mind: – we’ll put two on the
Bourbon, and try to make our frigates of use. Besides, you have
a knack at keeping the fleet so compact, that it is nearly a single battery.”
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THE TWO ADMIRALS
“May I venture to ask, then, if it’s your intention to go out,
should the news by the Active prove to be what you anticipate?”
Sir Gervaise cast a quick, distrustful glance at the other,
anxious to read the motive for the question, at the same time
that he did not wish to betray his own feelings; then he appeared to meditate on the answer.
“It is not quite agreeable to lie here, chafing our cables,
with a French squadron roving the channel,” he said; “but I
rather think it’s my duty to wait for orders from the Admiralty,
under present circumstances.”
“Do you expect my lords will send you through the Straits
of Dover, to blockade the Frith?”
“If they do, Bluewater, I shall hope for your company. I
trust, a night’s rest has given you different views of what ought
to be a seaman’s duty, when his country is at open war with
her ancient and most powerful enemies.”
“It is the prerogative of the crown to declare war, Oakes. No
one but a lawful sovereign can make a lawful war.”
“Ay, here come your cursed distinctions about de jure and de
facto, again. By the way, Dick, you are something of a scholar –
can you tell me what is understood by calling a man a nul-
lus?”
Admiral Bluewater, who had taken his usual lolling attitude in the most comfortable chair he could find, while his
more mercurial friend kept pacing the room, now raised his
head in surprise, following the quick motions of the other,
with his eyes, as if he doubted whether he had rightly heard
the question.
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
“It’s plain English, is it not? – or plain Latin, if you will –
what is meant by calling a man a nullus?” repeated Sir Gervaise, observing the other’s manner.
“The Latin is plain enough, certainly,” returned Bluewater,
smiling; “you surely do not mean nullus, nulla, nullum?”
“Exactly that – you’ve hit it to a gender. – Nullus, nulla,
nullum. No man, no woman, no thing. Masculine, feminine,
neuter.”
“I never heard the saying. If ever used, it must be some silly
play on sounds, and mean a numskull – or, perhaps, a fling at
a fellow’s position, by saying he is a ‘nobody.’ Who the deuce
has been calling another a nullus, in the presence of the commander-in-chief of the southern squadron?”
“Sir Wycherly Wychecombe – our unfortunate host, here:
the poor man who is on his death-bed, on this very floor.”
Again Bluewater raised his head, and once more his eye
sought the face of his friend. Sir Gervaise had now stopped
short, with his hands crossed behind his back, looking intently
at the other, in expectation of the answer.
“I thought it might be some difficulty from the fleet – some
silly fellow complaining of another still more silly for using
such a word. Sir Wycherly! – the poor man’s mind must have
failed him.”
“I rather think not; if it has, there is ‘method in his madness,’ for he persevered most surprisingly, in the use of the
term. His nephew, Tom Wychecombe, the presumptive heir,
he insists on it, is a nullus; while this Sir Reginald, who is expected to arrive every instant, he says is only half – or halfblood, as it has since been explained to us.”
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THE TWO ADMIRALS
“I am afraid this nephew will prove to be any thing but nullus, when he succeeds to the estate and title,” answered Blue-
water, gravely. “A more sinister-looking scoundrel, I never laid
eyes on.”
“That is just my way of thinking; and not in the least like
the family.”
“This matter of likenesses is not easily explained, Oakes.
We see parents and children without any visible resemblance
to each other; and then we find startling likenesses between
utter strangers.”
“Bachelor’s children may be in that predicament, certainly;
but I should think few others. I never yet studied a child, that
I did not find some resemblance to both parents; covert and
only transitory, perhaps; but a likeness so distinct as to establish the relationship. What an accursed chance it is, that our
noble young lieutenant should have no claim on this old baronet; while this d – – d nullus is both heir at law, and heir of
entail! I never took half as much interest in any other man’s
estate, as I take in the succession to this of our poor host!”
“There you are mistaken, Oakes; you took more in mine;
for, when I made a will in your own favour, and gave it to you
to read, you tore it in two, and threw it overboard, with your
own hand.”
“Ay, that was an act of lawful authority. As your superior,
I countermanded that will! I hope you’ve made another, and
given your money, as I told you, to your cousin, the Viscount.”
“I did, but that will has shared the fate of the first. It appearing to me, that we are touching on serious times, and Bluewater being rich already, I destroyed the devise in his favour, and
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
made a new one, this very morning. As you are my executor, as
usual, it may be well to let you know it.”
“Dick, you have not been mad enough to cut off the head
of your own family – your own flesh and blood, as it might
be – to leave the few thousands you own, to this mad adventurer in Scotland!”
Bluewater smiled at this evidence of the familiarity of his
friend with his own way of thinking and feeling; and, for a
single instant, he regretted that he had not put his first intention in force, in order that the conformity of views might
have been still more perfect; but, putting a hand in his pocket
he drew out the document itself, and leaning forward, gave it
carelessly to Sir Gervaise.
“There is the will; and by looking it over, you will know
what I’ve done,” he said. “I wish you would keep it; for, if ‘misery makes us acquainted with strange bed-fellows,’ revolutions
reduce us, often, to strange plights, and the paper will be safer
with you than with me. Of course, you will keep my secret, until the proper time to reveal it shall arrive.”
The vice-admiral, who knew that he had no direct interest
in his friend’s disposition of his property, took the will, with a
good deal of curiosity to ascertain its provisions. So short a testament was soon read; and his eye rested intently on the paper
until it had taken in the last word. Then his hand dropped,
and he regarded Bluewater with a surprise he neither affected,
nor wished to conceal. He did not doubt his friend’s sanity, but
he greatly questioned his discretion.
“This is a very simple, but a very ingenious arrangement,
to disturb the order of society,” he said; “and to convert a very
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THE TWO ADMIRALS
modest and unpretending, though lovely girl, into a forward
and airs-taking old woman! What is this Mildred Dutton to
you, that you should bequeath to her £30,000?”
“She is one of the meekest, most ingenuous, purest, and
loveliest, of her meek, ingenuous, pure, and lovely sex, crushed
to the earth by the curse of a brutal, drunken father; and, I am
resolute to see that this world, for once, afford some compensation for its own miseries.”
“Never doubt that, Richard Bluewater; never doubt that. So
certain is vice, or crime, to bring its own punishment in this
life, that one may well question if any other hell is needed.
And, depend on it, your meek, modest ingenuousness, in its
turn, will not go unrewarded.”
“Quite true, so far as the spirit is concerned; but, I mean
to provide a little for the comfort of the body. You remember
Agnes Hedworth, I take it for granted?”
“Remember her! – out of all question. Had the war left me
leisure for making love, she was the only woman I ever knew,
who could have brought me to her feet – I mean as a dog,
Dick.”
“Do you see any resemblance between her and this Mildred
Dutton? It is in the expression rather than in the features –
but, it is the expression which alone denotes the character.”
“By George, you’re right, Bluewater; and this relieves me
from some embarrassment I’ve felt about that very expression
of which you speak. She is like poor Agnes, who became a saint
earlier than any of us could have wished. Living or dead, Agnes
Hedworth must be an angel! You were fonder of her, than of
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JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
any other woman, I believe. At one time, I thought you might
propose for her hand.”
“It was not that sort of affection, and you could not have
known her private history, or you would not have fancied this.
I was so situated in the way of relatives, that Agnes, though
only the child of a cousin-german, was the nearest youthful
female relative I had on earth; and I regarded her more as a
sister, than as a creature who could ever become my wife. She
was sixteen years my junior; and by the time she had become
old enough to marry, I was accustomed to think of her only as
one destined for another station. The same feeling existed as to
her sister, the Duchess, though in a greatly lessened degree.”
“Poor, sweet Agnes! – and it is on account of this accidental
resemblance, that you have determined to make the daughter
of a drunken sailing-master your heiress?”
“Not altogether so; the will was drawn before I was conscious that the likeness existed. Still, it has probably, unknown
to myself, greatly disposed me to view her with favour. But,
Gervaise, Agnes herself was not fairer in person, or more lovely in mind, than this very Mildred Dutton.”
“Well, you have not been accustomed to regard her as a
sister; and she has become marriageable, without there having
been any opportunity for your regarding her as so peculiarly
sacred, Dick!” returned Sir Gervaise, half suppressing a smile
as he threw a quiet glance at his friend.
“You know this to be idle, Oakes. Some one must inherit
my money; my brother is long since dead; even poor, poor Agnes is gone; her sister don’t need it; Bluewater is an over-rich
bachelor, already; you won’t take it, and what better can I do
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