The Hawk (15 page)

'Why not ask the patient himself?' said James now. 'He is
here in the room, ain't he?'

'In course he is, in course you are,' said Dr Stroud. 'Do you
wish it, Mr Hayter?'

'No, thank you, unless I am permitted to leave the hospital.
I will not like to receive her here.'

'I don't think that will be advisable, you know,' said Dr
Wing, moving round the bed to stand on the other side. He
took James's pulse, nodded once to Dr Stroud, and asked
James to put out his tongue.

'Eh? Why ain't it advisable? I am nearly hale again.'

'Tongue – if you please.'

James sighed, and put out his tongue. Dr Wing peered at
it, made a face, and shook his head. 'Costive, I should say.
What say you, Doctor?' Dr Stroud leaned, peered, and made
a face of his own.

'Costive,' he said. 'And he must be bled, don't you think
so?'

'Now then, look here,' began James in alarm. 'I will not like
to be bled, merely because I am confined to this damned
place, d'y'hear? Why am I not to be permitted to rise and
dress, in least, and take the air? Where the devil are my
clothes?' To Dr Wing, accusingly.

'Your shirt had to be cut off, and your waistcoat, that was
very bloody. Your breeches, I fear, are similarly irrecoverable.
It was not simply the large splinter in your neck, that
came within half an inch of killing you, but other splinters
that had penetrated the cloth up and down your person.
Blood leaked from you in alarming quantity. You nearly died
of that, leave aside the splintered wood. Had I not come to
you when I did, I think we would not now be engaged in this
happy conversation.'

'Ah.'

'Instead, we three here would have been required to stand
beside your open grave, and listen to the gloomy tones of a
clergyman, as he – '

'Yes, yes, very well, I understand you, Thomas. Thank you.
I am – I am very much obliged to you for saving my life.'

'Never think of it. It is my proper work. Captain Rennie –
that is, Mr Birch – will ye like to wait outside sir, or will you
stay and observe?'

'Observe?'

'While I bleed the patient. Some men find it a matter of
indifference. No doubt you are such a one, sir, since you have
often to my knowledge witnessed dreadful blood-letting at
sea, and terrible injury. You are welcome to stay at my side – '

'Nay, nay, thankee, Dr Wing.' Hastily. 'I – I shall go out. I
am in need of a little air, myself.'

When Rennie had stepped out of the room, Dr Wing said
to James: 'Perhaps, after all, I will not bleed you, James. That
is, if you will undertake to remain quietly here in your cot a
day or two longer.'

And then James did agree, acknowledging that Dr Wing
would not oblige him to be obedient simply out of a desire to
impose his will, but on sound medical grounds alone. Dr
Stroud now departed, saying that he must attend on his many
other patients, among them several of Lieutenant Hayter's
people.

'There is a young ordinary seaman who will lose a leg, I
fear. We must have it off this day, else lose the poor fellow
himself to gangrene.'

When he had gone, leaving James to think on those parting
words, Dr Wing began to change the dressing on his neck.
James allowed him to work, and then to examine his other
bodily wounds, apply salve, and strap them up. When he was
done, James thanked him, and:

'Thomas, you are aware certainly of my difficulty. The
longer I am detained here, the shorter grows the time I will
have to restore my good name. My cutter is to be surveyed for
damage, and very possibly condemned.'

'So I had heard from young Mr Abey.' Nodding.

'Either condemned, or sold out of the service. I need to
discover the way to prevent such a calamity, Thomas. If she
is broke up it is the same as losing her at sea, and I shall face
a court martial, and the end of my career.'

'What can I do to help?'

'You can persuade Dr Stroud to release me.'

'Nay, James, you have just now agreed that we detain you
here for good sound medical reason.' Beginning to be
agitated, and vexed.

'Yes, yes, so I did. But I wonder – if I did rise today, and got
myself dressed, and went out into the air, and the world, and
walked about a little, and perhaps took a ferry a short
distance, and so forth . . . would I die, d'y'think?'

'I do not think you would
die
, exact. You would likely set
yourself back, however. You would likely make my care of
you infinitely harder, and longer, if your wounds should
begin to bleed, or grow infected.'

'Indeed . . . but you do not think I would die?'

'Not at once, in least.' Reluctantly, with a vexed little
grimace.

'Very good, thank you, Thomas. Will you ask Captain
Rennie to come to me, as you go out?'

They came to the slip at Bucklers Hard in Captain Rennie's
hired ferry; he, Lieutenant Hayter and young Richard Abey.
On the way there, as the ferrymen bent their backs at the
oars:

'I had to slip away, sir.' Richard Abey glanced back towards
Portsmouth. 'We are all quartered at the marine barracks,
and – '

'Quartered at the barracks?' James. 'Why?'

'I think an official from the Admiralty has arranged it, sir.
All of us that was not wounded in the action. Excepting Dr
Wing, in course. And you, sir.' Nodding to Rennie.

'An official? D'y'know who?'

'An elderly gentleman, in a rather old coat – though his
linen is very fine – '

'Soames, by God.' James and Rennie exchanged a glance.

'I do not know his name, sir. I have only seen him once, at
the gate, speaking to the guards.'

James and Rennie exchanged another glance, and James
gave a little grimace.

And now they had come ashore below the slip, the wide
estuary of the river narrowing as it wound away north into the
countryside under the broad, gull-tilting sky.
Hawk
lay before
them, mast unstepped, heeled a little, showing her smashed
rail and splintered wales and ports. A sad sight. James and
Rennie stepped out toward the line of low yard buildings, and
Abey followed them, picking his way through mud, pools of
congealed tar, and loose ends of timber. A row of cottages
stood to the right, smoke curling from the chimneys on the
breeze. The smells of the yard wafted on that breeze: tar,
fresh adzed timber, rope, horse dung. Mr Blewitt, the
proprietor, emerged from the lower shed, donning an oldfashioned
tricorne hat. A big, heavy-set man, surprising light
on his feet, he lit a jutting pipe, puffed blue smoke, and came
forward. He had already guessed that his visitors' business
was with the broken cutter, and not with the brig building
higher up. He noted that none of the men approaching him
was in naval dress, and:

'So now, which of you is Mr Tickell?'

'Eh? Tickell?' James.

'The quarterman that I was informed was to be sent down
to me from the Check. Is none of ye himself?'

'Nay, we are not from the Clerk of the Check, sir.' Rennie.
'This is – '

'I am Lieutenant Hayter, commander of the
Hawk
.'
Nodding toward her.

'Oh. Ah. And Mr Tickell ain't with you? Joseph Tickell?'

'Nay, he ain't. I am Ca— I am Mr Birch, assisting the
lieutenant.' Rennie frowned at his near mistake.

'Mr Birch. Who is the squirt, then?' Puffing, glancing at
Abey, who drew himself up, and:

'Squirt! I am – '

'This is Mr Abey, my second-in-command.' James,
smoothly. 'And you are Mr Blewitt, I think.'

'I am, sir.' Lifting his hat.

James lifted his own hat, and at once came to business.
'What is her condition?'

'Well now, that in truth ain't for me to say, is it? That is for
Mr Tickell to say, when he – '

'In plain language, if y'please.' James, over him.

'In plain language, eh?' Removing the pipe from his
mouth, and scratching his ear with the stem. 'Well then, she
is broke, sir.'

'You mean – she is to be broke up?'

'Again, look . . . that ain't my say-so. That is for Mr Tickell,
when he – '

'Yes yes, Mr Tickell. But between you and me, Mr Blewitt.
Between you and me – what is your own opinion?'

'Well . . .' A face-creasing grimace, and an intake of breath
through the teeth. 'Well . . . she
could
be saved, but at very
considerable cost . . .'

'How costly?'

Another grimace. 'I fear we are looking at five hundred
pound, cutter, large repair.'

'Very well.'

'Eh?' Mr Blewitt nearly dropped his pipe.

'Eh?' said Rennie, at the same moment. They both stared
at the lieutenant. Richard Abey gaped in silence.

'Naturally I will like to see lists, and all items annotated
clear, down to the last shilling.'

'May I ask – may I ask, sir, whether or no you are engaging
me, Redway Blewitt, to undertake this large repair
yourself
?'

'I am.'

'What? James, you cannot mean it!' Rennie, aghast.

'I mean to repair my ship, sir, and take her to sea.' His jaw
set.

'You have gone mad.'

'Not at all. If I am to be dismissed the service, I will
undertake the full repair, lease the
Hawk
under private
colours, and put to sea. That bloody blackguard that battered
me, and her, will encounter us again, by God. And then we
shall discover who is master.'

Lieutenant Hayter, Captain Rennie and Mr Midshipman
Abey returned to Portsmouth in their hired boat with a storm
threatening in the west, and as they came ashore rain began
to fall. Rennie paid the ferrymen, and followed his two
companions across the Hard. Lightning flashed. Thunder
sounded almost at once, thudding and rumbling over the
harbour and its ships, and the roofs and spires of the town.

The rain grew heavier, billowing on the wind, and obscured
the three figures as they ran clutching their hats. Soon they
were lost to view.

'It is most kind in you, Admiral, to receive me. I had meant to
call at your office before this.' Mr Soames waited until
Admiral Hapgood had sat down, and then sat down himself,
laying aside his hat and cane. 'I was – delayed.'

'Happy to oblige the Admiralty,' said the admiral, with no
evident pleasure.

'I am most grateful, indeed.' Tucking his loose kerchief
into his sleeve.

'You mentioned there was matters you wished to convey to
me, when you came in.'

'I did, Admiral. They concern a – a delicate question.'

'Yes?'

'Yes. I wonder if I might trouble you for a glass of water.
My mouth is rather dry, and my throat.'

'Yes, forgive me.' Stung to action by the implied rebuke. 'I
am remiss in not having offered you refreshment.' He rang
the bell, and presently, as the servant came in:

'Pell, there you are. My guest will like a . . . Mr Soames,
perhaps ye'd prefer a glass of something more fortifying?
Wine, or brandy?'

'Most kind in you, sir. I should like a glass of sherry, if you
have it.'

'Sherry, Pell.' And when the servant had gone: 'And
now . . . ?'

'It concerns, the question concerns a vessel, the
Hawk
.
Commanded by Lieutenant Hayter.'

'I've heard of that vessel. Cutter, ain't she?'

'A cutter, indeed. There has been an accident at sea
involving that cutter, as I understand it.'

'Accident?'

'You have not heard of it? You were not informed?'

'I have not. I was not. What accident? When?' The
beetling brows formed into a black frown.

'Ah. Ah.' Mr Soames brought his lace kerchief to his nose
briefly, then returned it to his sleeve. 'The
Hawk
cutter is
engaged upon duties which have required her putting to sea
independent of the fleet. I thought that you – '

'I know nothing of these duties, sir. I know nothing of the
Hawk
. I recollect now that Lieutenant Hayter came to see
me, to ask what his duties were. I could not enlighten him.
Subsequent to that, his commission, his command, has
remained a mystery to me. You should I think ask Admiral
Hollister, as to that.'

'Yes. Yes, indeed, perhaps that will be a better course.'

The servant returned with the sherry. When Mr Soames
had taken his filled glass, and a sip or two, he nodded in
appreciation.

'Excellent sherry.'

'Very good. – Well?'

'Well, Admiral?' Politely raising his eyebrows.

'Do not you wish to tell me anything more?'

'More? – D'y'mean more as to
Hawk
, or Lieutenant
Hayter?'

'One or t'other. Nay, both.' The Admiral was not drinking
sherry, had not poured himself any from the decanter. 'That
is to say, if you please.'

'Yes. Well. Hm.' Returning his glass to the tray. 'I will not
intrude longer upon your time, sir. I must proceed with my
own pressing duties.' Making to rise.

'Mr Soames! I beg your pardon, I did not intend to
discommode you, sir, by shouting at you. However, I
will like to hear something more of your duties, your
purpose in coming to Portsmouth. Why have you come to
me?'

'Admiral, you have been most hospitable, and I have no
wish to offend . . . but if you do not know anything of
Lieutenant Hayter's duties in
Hawk
, then I fear we cannot
assist each other.' Rising from his chair and taking up his
cane.

'But why did ye suppose I did have such knowledge?
Y'must have had a reason to believe it!'

'You were not acquainted with Captain Marles?'

'Eh? Marles? I know that he had his throat cut.'

'He did.' A sigh. 'An unfortunate end.' Mr Soames took up
his hat.

'What the devil d'y'mean by that, sir?'

'I meant nothing, Admiral.' Mildly, a little shake of the
head, and he put on his hat. 'Nothing beyond a remark in
passing. Has the culprit been apprehended?'

'Don't know, sir. Don't know anything about it. Some
officer of marines has took it upon himself to investigate.
Don't know him, neither.'