The Two Admirals (37 page)

Sir Gervaise stopped short in his walk, looked Bluewater steadily in the
face, and nodded his head.

"I understand by the expression of your countenance," continued the
other, "that I am expected to speak. I had no more to say, than to make
the simple suggestion that your plan would be most likely to be
executed, were I to lead the van, and were
you
to bring up the rear."

"The devil you do!—This comes as near mutiny—or
scandalum
magnatum
—as one can wish! And why do you suppose that the plan of the
commander-in-chief will be least in danger of failing, if Admiral
Bluewater lead on this occasion, instead of Admiral Oakes?"

"Merely because I think Admiral Oakes, when an enemy is pressing him, is
more apt to take counsel of his heart than of his head; while Admiral
Bluewater is
not
. You do not know yourself, Sir Jarvy, if you think it
so easy a matter to run away."

"I've spoiled you, Dick, by praising your foolish manoeuvring so much
before your face, and that's the whole truth of the matter. No—my mind
is made up; and, I believe you know me well enough to feel sure, when
that is the case, even a council of war could not move it.
I
lead out,
in the
first
two-decked ship that lifts her anchor, and
you
follow
in the
last
. You understand my plan, and will see it executed, as you
see every thing executed, in face of the enemy."

Admiral Bluewater smiled, and not altogether without irony in his
manner; though he managed, at the same time, to get the leg that had
been lowest for the last five minutes, raised by an ingenuity peculiar
to himself, several inches above its fellow.

"Nature never made you for a conspirator, Oakes," he said, as soon as
this change was effected to his mind; "for you carry a top-light in your
breast that even the blind can see!"

"What crotchet is uppermost in your mind, now, Dick? Ar'n't the orders
plain enough to suit you?"

"I confess it;—as well as the motive for giving them just in this
form."

"Let's have it, at once. I prefer a full broadside to your minute-guns.
What is my motive?"

"Simply that you, Sir Jarvy, say to a certain Sir Gervaise Oakes, Bart.,
Vice-Admiral of the Red, and Member for Bowldero, in your own mind,
'now, if I can just leave that fellow, Dick Bluewater, behind me, with
four or five ships, he'll never desert
me
, when in front of the enemy,
whatever he might do with
King George
; and so I'll make sure of him by
placing the question in such a light that it shall be one of friendship,
rather than one of loyalty.'"

Sir Gervaise coloured to the temples, for the other had penetrated into
his most secret thoughts; and, yet, spite of his momentary vexation, he
faced his accuser, and both laughed in the heartfelt manner that the
circumstance would be likely to excite.

"Harkee, Dick," said the vice-admiral, as soon as he could command
sufficient gravity to speak; "they made a mistake when they sent you to
sea; you ought to have been apprenticed to a conjuror. I care not what
you think about it; my orders are given, and they must be obeyed. Have
you a clear perception of the plan?"

"One quite as clear, I tell you, as I have of the motive."

"Enough of this, Bluewater; we have serious duties before us."

Sir Gervaise now entered more at length into his scheme; explaining to
his friend all his wishes and hopes, and letting him know, with official
minuteness, what was expected at his hands. The rear-admiral listened
with his accustomed respect, whenever any thing grave was in discussion
between them; and, had any one entered while they were thus engaged, he
would have seen in the manner of one, nothing but the dignified
frankness of a friendly superior, and in the other the deference which
the naval inferior usually pays to rank. As he concluded Sir Gervaise
rang his bell, and desired the presence of Sir Wycherly Wychecombe.

"I could have wished to remain and see this battle for the succession
fairly fought," he said; "but a battle of a different sort calls us in
another quarter. Show him in," he added, as his man intimated that the
young baronet was in waiting.

"What between the duties of our professional stations, and those of the
guest to the host," said the vice-admiral, rising and bowing to the
young man; "it is not easy to settle the question of etiquette between
us, Sir Wycherly; and I have, from habit, thought more of the admiral
and the lieutenant, than of the lord of the manor and his obliged
guests. If I have erred, you will excuse me."

"My new situation is so very novel, that I still remain all sailor, Sir
Gervaise," answered the other, smiling; "as such I hope
you
will ever
consider me. Can I be of any service, here?"

"One of our cutters has just come in with news that will take the fleet
to sea, again, this morning; or, as soon as the tide begins to run a
strong ebb. The French are out, and we must go and look for them. It was
my intention and my hope, to be able to take you to sea with me in the
Plantagenet. The date of your commission would not put you very high
among her lieutenants; but, Bunting deserves a first lieutenancy, and I
meant to give it to him this afternoon, in which case there would be a
vacancy in the situation of my own signal-officer, a duty you could well
perform. As it is, you ought not to quit this house, and I must take my
leave of you with regret it is so."

"Admiral Oakes, what is there that ought to keep one of my station
ashore, on the eve of a general battle? I sincerely hope and trust you
will alter the last determination, and return to the first."

"You forget your own important interests—remember that possession is
nine points of the law."

"We had heard the news below, and Sir Reginald, Mr. Furlong, and myself,
were discussing the matter when I received your summons. These gentlemen
tell me, that possession can be held by deputy, as well as in person. I
am satisfied we can dispose of this objection."

"Your grandfather's brother, and the late head of your family, lies dead
in this house; it is proper his successor should be present at his
funeral obsequies."

"We thought of that, also. Sir Reginald has kindly offered to appear in
my place; and, then, there is the chance that the meeting with Monsieur
de Vervillin will take place within the next eight-and-forty hours;
whereas my uncle cannot be interred certainly for a week or ten days."

"I see you have well calculated all the chances, young sir," said Sir
Gervaise, smiling. "Bluewater, how does this matter strike you?"

"Leave it in my hands, and I will see to it. You will sail near or quite
twenty-four hours before me, and there will be time for more reflection.
Sir Wycherly can remain with me in the Cæsar, in the action; or he can
be thrown aboard the Plantagenet, when we meet."

After a little reflection, Sir Gervaise, who liked to give every one a
fair chance, consented to the arrangement, and it was decided that
Wycherly should come out in the Cæsar, if nothing occurred to render the
step improper.

This arrangement completed, the vice-admiral declared he was ready to
quit the Hall. Galleygo and the other servants had already made the
dispositions necessary for embarking, and it only remained to take leave
of the inmates of the dwelling. The parting between the baronets was
friendly; for the common interest they felt in the success of Wycherly,
had, in a degree, rendered them intimates, and much disposed Sir
Reginald to overlook the sailor's well-known Whiggery. Dutton and the
ladies took their departure at the same time, and what passed between
them and Sir Gervaise on this occasion, took place on the road to the
head-land, whither all parties proceeded on foot.

A person so important as Sir Gervaise Oakes did not leave the roof that
had sheltered him, to embark on board his own ship, without a due escort
to the shore. Bluewater accompanied him, in order to discuss any little
point of duty that might occur to the mind of either, at the last
moment; and Wycherly was of the group, partly from professional feeling,
and more from a desire to be near Mildred. Then there were Atwood, and
the surgeons, Mr. Rotherham, and two or three of the cabin attendants.
Lord Geoffrey, too, strolled along with the rest, though it was
understood that his own ship would not sail that day.

Just as the party issued from the gate of the park into the street of
the hamlet, a heavy gun was fired from the fleet. It was soon succeeded
by others, and whiffs and cornets were seen flying from the mast-heads
that rose above the openings in the cliffs, the signals of recall for
all boats. This set every one in motion, and, never within the memory of
man, had Wychecombe presented such a scene of confusion and activity.
Half-intoxicated seamen were driven down to the boats, by youngsters
with the cloth diamond in their collars, like swine, who were reluctant
to go, and yet afraid to stay. Quarters of beeves were trundled along in
carts or barrows, and were soon seen swinging at different main-stays;
while the gathering of eggs, butter, poultry, mutton, lamb, and veal,
menaced the surrounding country with a scarcity. Through this throng of
the living and the dead, our party held its way, jostled by the eager
countrymen, and respectfully avoided by all who belonged to the fleet,
until it reached the point where the roads to the cliffs and the landing
separated, when the vice-admiral turned to the only midshipman present,
and courteously lifting his hat, as if reluctant to impose such a duty
on a "young gentleman" on liberty, he said—

"Do me the favour, Lord Geoffrey, to step down to the landing and
ascertain if my barge is there. The officer of the boat will find me at
the signal-station."

The boy cheerfully complied; and this son of an English duke, who, by
the death of an elder brother, became in time a duke himself, went on a
service that among gentlemen of the land would be deemed nearly menial,
with as much alacrity as if he felt honoured by the request. It was by a
training like this, that England came, in time, to possess a marine that
has achieved so many memorable deeds; since it taught those who were
destined to command, the high and useful lesson how to obey.

While the midshipman was gone to look for the boat, the two admirals
walked the cliff, side by side, discussing their future movements; and
when all was ready, Sir Gervaise descended to the shore, using the very
path by which he had ascended the previous day; and, pushing through the
throng that crowded the landing, almost too much engaged to heed even
his approach, he entered his barge. In another minute, the measured
strokes of the oars urged him swiftly towards the Plantagenet.

"'Twas not without some reason, for the wind
Increased at night, until it blew a gale;
And though 'twas not much to a naval mind,
Some landsmen would have look'd a little pale,
For sailors are, in fact, a different kind;
At sunset they began to take in sail,
For the sky show'd it would come on to blow,
And carry away, perhaps, a mast or so."

BYRON.

As it was just past the turn of the day, Bluewater determined to linger
on the cliffs for several hours, or until it was time to think of his
dinner. Abstracted as his thoughts were habitually, his mind found
occupation and pleasure in witnessing the evolutions that succeeded
among the ships; some of which evolutions it may be well now briefly to
relate.

Sir Gervaise Oakes' foot had not been on the deck of the Plantagenet
five minutes, before a signal for all commanders was flying at that
vessel's mast-head. In ten minutes more every captain of the fleet, with
the exception of those belonging to the vessels in the offing, were in
the flag-ship's cabin, listening to the intentions and instructions of
the vice-admiral.

"My plan of sailing, gentlemen, is easily comprehended," continued the
commander-in-chief, after he had explained his general intentions to
chase and engage; "and everyone of you will implicitly follow it. We
have the tide strong at ebb, and a good six-knot breeze is coming up at
south-west. I shall weigh, with my yards square, and keep them so, until
the ship has drawn out of the fleet, and then I shall luff up on a taut
bowline and on the starboard tack, bringing the ebb well under my
lee-bow. This will hawse the ship over towards Morlaix, and bringing us
quite as far to windward as is desirable. While the ebb lasts, and this
breeze stands, we shall have plain sailing; the difficulty will come on
the flood, or with a shift of wind. The ships that come out last must be
careful to keep their seconds, ahead and astern, in plain sight, and
regulate their movements, as much as they can, by the leading vessels.
The object is to spread as wide a clew as possible, while we hold the
ships within signal-distance of each other. Towards sunset I shall
shorten sail, and the line will close up within a league from vessel to
vessel, and I have told Bluewater to use his discretion about coming out
with the last ships, though I have requested him to hold on as long as
he shall deem it prudent, in the hope of receiving another express from
the Admiralty. When the flood makes, I do not intend to go about, but
shall continue on the starboard tack, and I wish you all to do the same.
This will bring the leading vessels considerably to windward of those
astern, and may possibly throw the fleet into a bow and quarter line.
Being in the van, it will fall to my duty to look to this, and to watch
for the consequences. But I ask of you to keep an eye on the weather,
and to hold your ships within plain signal-distance of each other. If it
come on thick, or to blow very hard, we must close, from van to rear,
and try our luck, in a search in compact order. Let the man who first
sees the enemy make himself heard at once, and send the news, with the
bearings of the French, both ahead and astern, as fast as possible. In
that case you will all close on the point from which the intelligence
comes; and, mark me, no cruising to get to windward, in your own
fashions, as if you sailed with roving commissions. You know I'll not
stand
that
. And now, gentlemen, it is probable that we shall all never
meet again. God bless you! Come and shake hands with me, one by one, and
then to your boats, for the first lieutenant has just sent Greenly word
that we are up and down. Let him trip, Greenly, and be off as soon as we
can."