Japhet In Search Of A Father Part 1 - Frederick Marryat (best summer reads of all time .txt) 📗
- Author: Frederick Marryat
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"And I Have Assented, Sir. I Have Taken A Name Instead Of My Real One."
"May I Ask What It Is?"
"I Call Myself Mr Japhet Newland."
"Well, It Is Singular, But Perhaps As Good As Any Other. I Will Take It
Down, In case I Have To Write To You. Your Address Is--"
"Piazza--Covent Garden."
Mr Masterton Took My Name And Address, I Took The Papers, And Then We
Both Took Leave Of One Another, With Many Expressions Of Pleasure And
Good-Will.
I Returned To The Hotel, Where I Found Timothy Waiting For Me, With
Impatience. "Japhet," Said He, "Lord Windermear Has Not Yet Left Town. I
Part 1 Chapter 19 Pg 100Have Seen Him, For I Was Called Back After I Left The House, By The
Footman, Who Ran After Me--He Will Be Here Immediately."
"Indeed," Replied I. "Pray What Sort Of Person Is He, And What Did He
Say To You?"
"He Sent For Me In The Dining-Parlour, Where He Was At Breakfast, Asked
When You Arrived, Whether You Were Well, And How Long I Had Been In Your
Service. I Replied That I Had Not Been More Than Two Days, And Had Just
Put On My Liveries. He Then Desired Me To Tell Mr Newland That He Would
Call Upon Him In about Two Hours. Then, My Lord," Replied I, "I Had
Better Go And Tell Him To Get Out Of Bed."
"The Lazy Dog!" Said He, "Nearly One O'Clock, And Not Out Of Bed; Well,
Go Then, And Get Him Dressed As Fast As You Can."
Shortly Afterwards A Handsome Carriage With Greys Drew Up To The Door.
His Lordship Sent In His Footman To Ask Whether Mr Newland Was At Home.
The Reply Of The Waiter Was, That There Was A Young Gentleman Who Had
Been There Two Or Three Days, Who Had Come From Making A Tour, And His
Name Did Begin With An _N_. "That Will Do, James; Let Down The Steps."
His Lordship Alighted, Was Ushered Up Stairs, And Into My Room. There We
Stood, Staring At Each Other.
"Lord Windermear, I Believe," Said I, Extending My Hand.
"You Have Recognised Me First, John," Said He, Taking My Hand, And
Looking Earnestly In My Face. "Good Heavens! Is It Possible That An
Awkward Boy Should Have Grown Up Into So Handsome A Fellow? I Shall Be
Proud Of My Nephew. Did You Remember Me When I Entered The Room?"
"To Tell The Truth, My Lord, I Did Not; But Expecting You, I Took It For
Granted That It Must Be You."
"Nine Years Make A Great Difference, John;--But I Forget, I Must Now
Call You Japhet. Have You Been Reading The Bible Lately, That You Fixed
Upon That Strange Name?"
"No, My Lord, But This Hotel Is Such A Noah'S Ark, That It'S No Wonder I
Thought Of It."
"You'Re An Undutiful Dog, Not To Ask After Your Mother, Sir."
"I Was About--"
"I See--I See," Interrupted His Lordship; "But Recollect, John, That She
Still Is _Your Mother_. By-The-By, Have You Read The Papers Yet?"
"No, Sir," Replied I, "There They Are," Pointing To Them On The Side
Part 1 Chapter 19 Pg 101Table. "I Really Do Not Like To Break The Seals."
"That They Will Not Contain Pleasant Intelligence, I Admit," Replied His
Lordship; "But Until You Have Read Them, I Do Not Wish To Converse With
You On The Subject, Therefore," Said He, Taking Up The Packet, And
Breaking The Seals, "I Must Now Insist That You Employ This Forenoon In
Reading Them Through. You Will Dine With Me At Seven, And Then We Will
Talk The Matter Over."
"Certainly, Sir, If You Wish It, I Will Read Them."
"I Must _Insist_ Upon It, John; And Am Rather Surprised At Your
Objecting, When They Concern You So Particularly."
"I Shall Obey Your Orders, Sir."
"Well, Then, My Boy, I Shall Wish You Good Morning, That You May
Complete Your Task Before You Come To Dinner. To-Morrow, If You Wish
It--But Recollect, I Never Press Young Men On These Points, As I Am
Aware That They Sometimes Feel It A Restraint--If You Wish It, I Say,
You May Bring Your Portmanteaus, And Take Up Your Quarters With Me.
By-The-Bye," Continued His Lordship, Taking Hold Of My Coat, "Who Made
This?"
"The Tailor To His Serene Highness The Prince Of Darmsradt Had That
Honour, My Lord," Replied I.
"Humph! I Thought They Fitted Better In Germany; It'S Not Quite The
Thing--We Must Consult Stulz, For With That Figure And Face, The Coat
Ought To Be Quite Correct. Adieu, My Dear Fellow, Till Seven."
His Lordship Shook Hands With Me, And I Was Left Alone. Timothy Came In
As Soon As His Lordship'S Carriage Had Driven Off. "Well, Sir," Said He,
"Was Your Uncle Glad To See You?"
"Yes," Replied I; "And Look, He Has Broken Open The Seals, And Has
Insisted Upon My Reading The Papers."
"It Would Be Very Undutiful In You To Refuse, So I Had Better Leave You
To Your Task," Said Timothy, Smiling, As He Quitted The Room.
Part 1 Chapter 20 Pg 102
I Open An Account With My Bankers, Draw Largely Upon Credulity, And
Am Prosperous Without A _Check_.
Part 1 Chapter 20 Pg 103
I Sat Down And Took Up The Papers. I Was Immediately And Strangely
Interested In all That I Read. A Secret!--It Was, Indeed, A Secret,
Involving The Honour And Reputation Of The Most Distinguished Families.
One That, If Known, The Trumpet Of Scandal Would Have Blazoned Forth To
The Disgrace Of The Aristocracy. It Would Have Occasioned Bitter Tears
To Some, Gratified The Petty Malice Of Many, Satisfied The Revenge Of
The Vindictive, And Bowed With Shame The Innocent As Well As The Guilty.
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
Part 1 Chapter 20 Pg 104He 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
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