The Two Admirals

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"Ah! this may be so with _men_; but--surely--surely--_women_ never can
feel thus!"

"I suppose, a sailor's daughter yourself, you know Jack's account of his
wife's domestic creed! 'A good fire, a clean hearth, the children abed,
and the husband at sea,' is supposed to be the climax of felicity."

"This may do for the sailor's jokes, Admiral Bluewater," answered
Mildred, smiling; "but it will hardly ease a breaking heart. I fear from
all I have heard this afternoon, and from the sudden sailing of the
ships, that a great battle is at hand?"

"And why should you, a British officer's daughter, dread that? Have you
so little faith in us, as to suppose a battle will necessarily bring
defeat! I have seen much of my own profession, Miss Dutton, and trust I
am in some small degree above the rhodomontade of the braggarts; but it
is _not_ usual for us to meet the enemy, and to give those on shore
reason to be ashamed of the English flag. It has never yet been my luck
to meet a Frenchman who did not manifest a manly desire to do his
country credit; and I have always felt that we must fight hard for him
before we could get him; nor has the result ever disappointed me. Still,
fortune, or skill, or _right_, is commonly of our side, and has given us
the advantage in the end."

"And to which, sir, do you ascribe a success at sea, so very uniform?"

"As a Protestant, I ought to say to our _religion_; but, this my own
knowledge of Protestant _vices_ rejects. Then to say _fortune_ would be
an exceeding self-abasement--one, that between us, is not needed; and I
believe I must impute it to skill. As plain seamen, I do believe we are
more expert than most of our neighbours; though I am far from being
positive we have any great advantage over them in tactics. If any, the
Dutch are our equals."

"Notwithstanding, you are quite certain of success. It must be a great
encouragement to enter into the fight with a strong confidence in
victory! I suppose--that is, it seems to me--it is a matter of course,
sir,--that our new Sir Wycherly will not be able to join in the battle,
this time?"

Mildred spoke timidly, and she endeavoured to seem unconcerned; but
Bluewater read her whole heart, and pitied the pain which she had
inflicted on herself, in asking the question. It struck him, too, that a
girl of his companion's delicacy and sensibility would not thus advert
to the young man's movements at all, if the latter had done aught justly
to awaken censure; and this conviction greatly relieved his mind as to
the effect of sudden elevation on the handsome lieutenant. As it was
necessary to answer, however, lest Mildred might detect his
consciousness of her feelings, not a moment was lost before making a
reply.

"It is not an easy matter to prevent a young, dashing sailor, like this
Sir Wycherly Wychecombe, from doing his part in a general engagement,
and that, too, of the character of the one to which we are looking
forward," he said. "Oakes has left the matter in my hands; I suppose I
shall have to grant the young man's request."

"He has then requested to be received in your ship?" asked Mildred, her
hand shaking as she used the spoon it held.

"That of course. No one who wears the uniform could or would do less. It
seems a ticklish moment for him to quit Wychecombe, too; where I fancy
he will have a battle of his own to fight ere long; but professional
feeling will overshadow all others, in young men. Among us seamen, it is
said to be even stronger than love."

Mildred made no answer; but her pale cheek and quivering lips, evidences
of feeling that her artlessness did not enable her to conceal, caused
Bluewater again to regret the remark. With a view to restore the poor
girl to her self-command, he changed the subject of conversation, which
did not again advert to Wycherly. The remainder of the meal was
consequently eaten in peace, the admiral manifesting to the last,
however, the sudden and generous interest he had taken in the character
and welfare of his companion. When they rose from table, Mildred joined
her mother, and Bluewater walked out upon the cliffs again.

It was now evening, and the waste of water that lay stretched before the
eye, though the softness of summer was shed upon it, had the wild and
dreary aspect that the winds and waves lend to a view, as the light of
day is about to abandon the ocean to the gloom of night. All this had no
effect on Bluewater, however, who knew that two-decked ships, strongly
manned, with their heavy canvass reduced, would make light work of
worrying through hours of darkness that menaced no more than these.
Still the wind had freshened, and when he stood on the verge of the
cliff sustained by the breeze, which pressed him back from the
precipice, rendering his head more steady, and his footing sure, the
Elizabeth was casting, under close-reefed top-sails, and two reefs in her
courses, with a heavy stay-sail or two, to ease her helm. He saw that the
ponderous machine would stagger under even this short canvass, and that
her captain had made his dispositions for a windy night. The lights that
the Dover and the York carried in their tops were just beginning to be
visible in the gathering gloom, the last about a league and a half down
channel, the ship standing in that direction to get to windward, and the
former, more to the southward, the vessel having already tacked to
follow the admiral. A chain of lights connected the whole of the long
line, and placed the means of communication in the power of the
captains. At this moment, the Plantagenet was full fifty miles at sea,
ploughing through a heavy south-west swell, which the wind was driving
into the chops of the channel, from the direction of the Bay of Biscay,
and the broad Atlantic.

Bluewater buttoned his coat, and he felt his frame invigorated by a gale
that came over his person, loaded by the peculiar flavour of the sea.
But two of the heavy ships remained at their anchors, the Dublin and the
Caesar; and his experienced eye could see that Stowel had every thing on
board the latter ready to trip and be off, as soon as he, himself,
should give the order. At this moment the midshipman, who had been
absent for hours, returned, and stood again at his side.

"Our turn will soon come, sir," said the gallant boy, "and, for one, I
shall not be sorry to be in motion. Those chaps on board the Plantagenet
will swagger like so many Dons, if they should happen to get a broadside
at Monsieur de Vervillin, while we are lying here, under the shore, like
a gentleman's yacht hauled into a bay, that the ladies might eat without
disturbing their stomachs."

"Little fear of that, Geoffrey. The Active is too light of foot,
especially in the weather we have had, to suffer heavy ships to be so
close on her heels. She must have had some fifteen or twenty miles the
start, and the French have been compelled to double Cape la Hogue and
Alderney, before they could even look this way. If coming down channel
at all, they are fully fifty miles to the eastward; and should our van
stretch far enough by morning to head them off, it will bring us
handsomely to windward. Sir Gervaise never set a better trap, than he
has done this very day. The Elizabeth has her hands full, boy, and the
wind seems to be getting scant for her. If it knock her off much more,
it will bring the flood on her weather-bow, and compel her to tack. This
will throw the rear of our line into confusion!"

"What should we do, sir, in such a case? It would never answer to leave
poor Sir Jarvy out there, by himself!"

"We would try not to do _that_!" returned Bluewater, smiling at the
affectionate solicitude of the lad, a solicitude that caused him
slightly to forget his habitual respect for the commander-in-chief, and
to adopt the _sobriquet_ of the fleet. "In such a case, it would become
my duty to collect as many ships as I could, and to make the best of our
way towards the place where we might hope to fall in with the others, in
the morning. There is little danger of losing each other, for any length
of time, in these narrow waters, and I have few apprehensions of the
French being far enough west, to fall in with our leading vessels before
morning. If they _should_, indeed, Geoffrey--"

"Ay, sir, if they _should_, I know well enough what would come to pass!"

"What, boy?--On the supposition that Monsieur de Vervillin _did_ meet
with Sir Gervaise by day-break, what, in your experienced eyes, seem
most likely to be the consequences?"

"Why, sir, Sir Jarvy, would go at 'em, like a dolphin at a flying-fish;
and if he _should_ really happen to catch one or two of 'em, there'll be
no sailing in company with the Plantagenet's, for us Caesar's!--When we
had the last 'bout with Monsieur de Gravelin, they were as saucy as
peacocks, because we didn't close until their fore-yard and
mizzen-top-gallant-mast were gone, although the shift of wind brought us
dead to leeward, and, after all, we had eleven men the most hurt in the
fight. You don't know them Plantagenet's, sir; for they never _dare_ say
any thing before _you_!"

"Not to the discredit of my young Caesars, I'll answer for it. Yet,
you'll remember Sir Gervaise gave us full credit, in his despatches."

"Yes, sir, all very true. Sir Gervaise knows better; and then _he_
understands what the Caesar _is_; and what she _can_ do, and _has_ done.
But it's a very different matter with his youngsters, who fancy because
they carry a red flag at the fore, they are so many Blakes and Howards,
themselves. There's Jack Oldcastle, now; he's always talking of our
reefers as if there was no sea-blood in our veins, and that just because
his own father happened to be a captain--a _commodore_, he says, because
he happened once to have three frigates under his orders."

"Well, that would make a commodore, for the time being. But, surely he
does not claim privilege for the Oldcastle blood, over that of the
Clevelands!"

"No, sir, it isn't that sort of thing, at all," returned the fine boy,
blushing a little, in spite of his contempt for any such womanly
weakness; "you know we never talk of that nonsense in our squadron. With
us it's all service, and that sort of thing. Jack Oldcastle says the
Clevelands are all civilians, as he calls 'em; or _soldiers_, which
isn't much better, as you know, sir. Now, I tell him that there is an
old picture of one of 'em, with an anchor-button, and that was long
before Queen Anne's time--Queen Elizabeth's, perhaps,--and then you
know, sir, I fetch him up with a yarn about the Hedworths; for I am just
as much Hedworth as Cleveland."

"And what does the impudent dog say to that, Geoffrey?"

"Why, sir, he says the name should be spelt Head_work_, and that they
were all _lawyers_. But I gave him as good as he sent for that saucy
speech, I'm certain!"

"And what did you give him, in return for such a compliment? Did you
tell him the Oldcastles were just so much stone, and wood, and old iron;
and that, too, in a tumbledown condition?"

"No, sir, not I," answered the boy, laughing; "I didn't think of any
answer half so clever; and so I just gave him a dig in the nose, and
that, laid on with right good will."

"And how did he receive that argument? Was it conclusive;--or did the
debate continue?"

"Oh, of course, sir, we fought it out. 'Twas on board the Dover, and the
first lieutenant saw fair play. Jack carried too many guns for me, sir,
for he's more than a year older; but I hulled him so often that he owned
it was harder work than being mast-headed. After that the Dover's chaps
took my part, and they said the Hedworths had no Head_work_ at all, but
they were regular sailors; admirals, and captains, and youngsters, you
know, sir, like all the rest of us. I told 'em my grandfather Hedworth
was an admiral, and a good one, too."

"In that you made a small mistake. Your mother's father was only a
_general_; but _his_ father was a full admiral of the red,--for he lived
before that grade was abolished--and as good an officer as ever trod a
plank. He was my mother's brother, and both Sir Gervaise and myself
served long under his orders. He was a sailor of whom you well might
boast."

"I don't think any of the Plantagenets will chase in that quarter again,
sir; for we've had an overhauling among our chaps, and we find we can
muster four admirals, two commodores, and thirteen captains in our two
messes; that is, counting all sorts of relatives, you know, sir."

"Well, my dear boy, I hope you may live to reckon all that and more too,
in your own persons, at some future day. Yonder is Sir Reginald
Wychecombe, coming this way, to my surprise; perhaps he wishes to see me
alone. Go down to the landing and ascertain if my barge is ashore, and
let me know it, as soon as is convenient. Remember, Geoffrey, you will
go off with me; and hunt up Sir Wycherly Wychecombe, who will lose his
passage, unless ready the instant he is wanted."

The boy touched his cap, and went bounding down the hill to execute the
order.

CHAPTER XVIII.

"So glozed the Tempter, and his poison tuned;
Into the heart of Eve his words made way,
Though at the voice much marvelling."

MILTON.

It was, probably, a species of presentiment, that induced Bluewater to
send away the midshipman, when he saw the adherent of the dethroned
house approaching. Enough had passed between the parties to satisfy each
of the secret bias of the other; and, by that sort of free-masonry which
generally accompanies strong feelings of partisanship, the admiral felt
persuaded that the approaching interview was about to relate to the
political troubles of the day.

The season and the hour, and the spot, too, were all poetically
favourable to an interview between conspirators. It was now nearly dark;
the head-land was deserted, Dutton having retired, first to his bottle,
and then to his bed; the wind blew heavily athwart the bleak eminence,
or was heard scuffling in the caverns of the cliffs, while the
portentous clouds that drove through the air, now veiled entirely, and
now partially and dimly revealed the light of the moon, in a way to
render the scene both exciting and wild. No wonder, then, that
Bluewater, his visiter drawing near, felt a stronger disposition than
had ever yet come over him to listen to the tale of the tempter, as,
under all the circumstances, it would scarcely exceed the bounds of
justice to call Sir Reginald.

"In seeking you at such a spot, and in the midst of this wild
landscape," said the latter, "I might have been assured I should be
certain of finding one who really loved the sea and your noble
profession. The Hall is a melancholy house, just at this moment; and
when I inquired for you, no one could say whither you had strolled. In
following what I thought a seaman's instinct, it appears that I did
well.--Do my eyes fail me, or are there no more than three vessels at
anchor yonder?"

"Your eyes are still good, Sir Reginald; Admiral Oakes sailed several
hours since, and he has been followed by all the fleet, with the
exception of the two line-of-battle ships, and the frigate you see;
leaving me to be the last to quit the anchorage."

"Is it a secret of state, or are you permitted to say whither so strong
a force has so suddenly sailed?" demanded the baronet, glancing his dark
eye so expressively towards the other as to give him, in the growing
obscurity, the appearance of an inquisitor. "I had been told the fleet
would wait for orders from London?"

"Such was the first intention of the commander-in-chief; but
intelligence of the sailing of the Comte de Vervillin has induced Sir
Gervaise to change his mind. An English admiral seldom errs when he
seeks and beats an active and dangerous enemy."

"Is this always true, Admiral Bluewater?" returned Sir Reginald,
dropping in at the side of the other, and joining in his walk, as he
paced, to and fro, a short path that Dutton called his own quarter-deck;
"or is it merely an unmeaning generality that sometimes causes men to
become the dupes of their own imaginations. Are those _always_ our
enemies who may seem to be so? or, are we so infallible that every
feeling or prejudice may be safely set down as an impulse to which we
ought to submit, without questioning its authority?"

"Do you esteem it a prejudice to view France as the natural enemy of
England, Sir Reginald?"

"By heaven, I do, sir! I can conceive that England may be much more her
own enemy than France has ever proved to be. Then, conceding that ages
of warfare have contributed to awaken some such feeling as this you hint
at, is there not a question of right and wrong that lies behind all?
Reflect how often England has invaded the French soil, and what serious
injuries she has committed on the territory of the latter, while France
has so little wronged us, in the same way; how, even her throne has been
occupied by our princes, and her provinces possessed by our armies."

"I think you hardly allow for all the equity of the different cases.
Parts of what is now France, were the just inheritance of those who have
sat on the English throne, and the quarrels were no more than the usual
difficulties of neighbourhood. When our claims were just in themselves,
you surely could not have wished to see them abandoned."

"Far from it; but when claims were disputed, is it not natural for the
loser to view them as a hardship? I believe we should have had a much
better neighbourhood, as you call it, with France, had not the modern
difficulties connected with religious changes, occurred."

"I presume you know. Sir Reginald, that I, and all my family are
Protestants."

"I do, Admiral Bluewater; and I rejoice to find that a difference of
opinion on this great interest, does not necessarily produce one on all
others. From several little allusions that have passed between us
to-day, I am encouraged to believe that we think alike on certain
temporal matters, however wide the chasm between us on spiritual
things."

"I confess I have fallen into the same conclusion; and I should be sorry
to be undeceived if wrong."

"What occasion, then, for farther ambiguity? Surely two honourable men
may safely trust each other with their common sentiments, when the times
call for decision and frankness! I am a Jacobite, Admiral Bluewater; if
I risk life or fortune by making the avowal, I place both, without
reserve at your mercy."

"They could not be in safer hands, sir; and I know no better mode of
giving you every possible assurance that the confidence will not be
abused, than by telling you in return, that I would cheerfully lay down
my life could the sacrifice restore the deposed family to the throne."

"This is noble, and manly, and frank, as I had hoped from a sailor!"
exclaimed Sir Reginald, more delighted than he well knew how to express
at the moment. "This simple assurance from your lips, carries more
weight than all the oaths and pledges of vulgar conspiracy. We
understand each other, and I should be truly sorry to inspire less
confidence than I feel."

"What better proof can I give you of the reliance placed on your faith,
than the declaration you have heard, Sir Reginald? My head would answer
for your treachery in a week; but I have never felt it more securely on
my shoulders than at this moment."

The baronet grasped the other's hand, and each gave and received a
pressure that was full of meaning. Then both walked on, thoughtful and
relieved, for quite a minute, in profound silence.

"This sudden appearance of the prince in Scotland has taken us all a
little by surprise," Sir Reginald resumed, after the pause; "though a
few of us knew that his intentions led him this way. Perhaps he has done
well to come unattended by a foreign force, and to throw himself, as it
might be singly, into the arms of his subjects; trusting every thing to
their generosity, loyalty, and courage. Some blame him; but I do not. He
will awaken interest, now, in every generous heart in the nation,"--this
was artfully adapted to the character of the listener;--"whereas some
might feel disposed to be lukewarm under a less manly appeal to their
affections and loyalty. In Scotland, we learn from all directions that
His Royal Highness is doing wonders, while the friends of his house are
full of activity in England, though compelled, for a time, to be
watchful and prudent."

"I rejoice, from the bottom of my heart, to hear this!" said Bluewater,
drawing a long breath, like one whose mind was unexpectedly relieved
from a heavy load. "From the bottom of my heart, do I rejoice! I had my
apprehensions that the sudden appearance of the prince might find his
well-wishers unprepared and timid."

"As far from that as possible, my dear sir; though much still depends on
the promptitude and resolution of the master spirits of the party. We
are strong enough to control the nation, if we can bring those forward
who have the strength to lead and control ourselves. All we now want are
some hundred or two of prominent men to step out of their diffidence,
and show us the way to honourable achievement and certain success."

"Can such men be wanting, at a moment like this?"

"I think we are secure of most of the high nobility, though their great
risks render them all a little wary in the outset. It is among the
professional men--the gallant soldiers, and the bold, ardent seamen of
the fleet, that we must look for the first demonstrations of loyalty and
true patriotism. To be honest with you, sir, I tire of being ruled by a
German."

"Do you know of any intention to rally a force in this part of England,
Sir Reginald? If so, say but the word--point out the spot where the
standard is to be raised, and I will rally under it, the instant
circumstances will permit!"

"This is just what I expected, Mr. Bluewater," answered the baronet,
more gratified than he thought it prudent to express; "though it is not
exactly the _form_ in which you can best serve us at this precise
moment. Cut off from the north, as we are in this part of the island, by
all the resources of the actual government, it would be the height of
imprudence in us to show our hands, until all the cards are ready to be
played. Active and confidential agents are at work in the army; London
has its proper share of business men, while others are in the counties,
doing their best to put things in a shape for the consummation we so
anxiously look for. I have been with several of our friends in this
vicinity, to bring matters into a combined state; and it was my
intention to visit this very estate, to see what my own name might do
with the tenantry, had not the late Sir Wycherly summoned me as he did,
to attend his death-bed. Have you any clue to the feelings of this new
and young head of my family, the sea-lieutenant and present baronet?"

"Not a very plain one, sir, though I doubt if they be favourable to the
House of Stuart."

"I feared as much; this very evening I have had an anonymous
communication that I think must come from his competitor, pretty plainly
intimating that, by asserting _his_ rights, as they are called, the
whole Wychecombe tenantry and interest could be united, in the present
struggle, on whichever side I might desire to see them."

"This is a bold and decided stroke, truly! May I inquire as to your
answer, Sir Reginald?"

"I shall give none. Under all circumstances I will ever refuse to place
a bastard in the seat of a legitimate descendant of my family. We
contend for legal and natural rights, my dear admiral, and the means
employed should not be unworthy of the end. Besides, I know the
scoundrel to be unworthy of trust, and shall not have the weakness to
put myself in his power. I could wish the other boy to be of another
mind; but, by getting him off to sea, whither he tells me he is bound,
we shall at least send him out of harm's way."

In all this Sir Reginald was perfectly sincere; for, while he did not
always hesitate about the employment of means, in matters of politics,
he was rigidly honest in every thing that related to private properly; a
species of moral contradiction that is sometimes found among men who aim
at the management of human affairs; since those often yield to a
besetting weakness who are nearly irreproachable in other matters.
Bluewater was glad to hear this declaration; his own simplicity of
character inducing him to fancy it was an indication to the general
probity of his companion.

"Yes," observed the latter, "in all eases, we must maintain the laws of
the land, in an affair of private right. This young man is not capable,
perhaps, of forming a just estimate of his political duties, in a crisis
like this, and it may be well, truly, to get him off to sea, lest by
taking the losing side, he endangers his estate before he is fairly
possessed of it. And having now disposed of Sir Wycherly, what can I do
most to aid the righteous and glorious cause?"

"This is coming to the point manfully, Sir Richard--I beg pardon for
thus styling you, but I happen to know that your name has been before
the prince, for some time, as one of those who are to receive the riband
from a sovereign really _authorized_ to bestow it; if I have spoken a
little prematurely, I again entreat your pardon;--but, this is at once
coming manfully to the point! Serve us you can, of course, and that most
effectually, and in an all-important manner. I now greatly regret that
my father had not put me in the army, in my youth, that I might serve my
prince as I could wish, in this perilous trial. But we have many friends
accustomed to arms, and among them your own honourable name will appear
conspicuous as to the past, and encouraging as to the future."

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