English
“Now,papa,”saidClarathatmorning,wrinklingherbrowsandputtingherfinger-tipstogetherwiththeairofanexperiencedpersonofbusiness,“Iwanttohaveatalktoyouaboutmoneymatters.”
“Yes,mydear.”Helaiddownhispaper,andlookedaquestion.
“Kindlytellmeagain,papa,howmuchmoneyIhaveinmyveryownright.Youhaveoftentoldmebefore,butIalwaysforgetfigures.”
“Youhavetwohundredandfiftypoundsayearofyourown,underyouraunt’swill.
“AndIda?”
“Idahasonehundredandfifty.”
“Now,IthinkIcanliveverywellonfiftypoundsayear,papa.Iamnotveryextravagant,andIcouldmakemyowndressesifIhadasewing-machine.”
“Verylikely,dear.”
“InthatcaseIhavetwohundredayearwhichIcoulddowithout.”
“Ifitwerenecessary.”
“Butitisnecessary.Oh,dohelpme,likeagood,dear,kindpapa,inthismatter,formywholeheartissetuponit.
Haroldisinsoreneedofmoney,andthroughnofaultofhisown.”
Withawoman’stactandeloquence,shetoldthewholestory.“Putyourselfinmyplace,papa.Whatisthemoneytome?
Ineverthinkofitfromyear’sendtoyear’send.ButnowIknowhowpreciousitis.
Icouldnothavethoughtthatmoneycouldbesovaluable.SeewhatIcandowithit.Itmayhelptosavehim.Imusthaveitbyto-morrow.
Oh,do,doadvisemeastowhatIshoulddo,andhowIshouldgetthemoney.”
TheDoctorsmiledathereagerness.“Youareasanxioustogetridofmoneyasothersaretogainit,”saidhe.
“InanothercaseImightthinkitrash,butIbelieveinyourHarold,andIcanseethathehashadvillainoustreatment.Youwillletmedealwiththematter.”
“You,papa?”
“Itcanbedonebestbetweenmen.Yourcapital,Clara,issomefivethousandpounds,butitisoutonamortgage,andyoucouldnotcallitin.”
“Oh,dear!oh,dear!”
“Butwecanstillmanage.Ihaveasmuchatmybank.IwilladvanceittotheDenversascomingfromyou,andyoucanrepayittome,ortheinterestofit,whenyourmoneybecomesdue.”
“Oh,thatisbeautiful!Howsweetandkindofyou!”
“Butthereisoneobstacle:IdonotthinkthatyouwouldeverinduceHaroldtotakethismoney.”
Clara’sfacefell.“Don’tyouthinkso,really?”
“Iamsurethathewouldnot.”
“Thenwhatareyoutodo?Whathorridthingsmoneymattersaretoarrange!”
“Ishallseehisfather.Wecanmanageitallbetweenus.”
“Oh,do,do,papa!Andyouwilldoitsoon?”
“Thereisnotimelikethepresent.Iwillgoinatonce.”Hescribbledacheque,putitinanenvelope,putonhisbroadstrawhat,andstrolledinthroughthegardentopayhismorningcall.
Itwasasingularsightwhichmethiseyesasheenteredthesitting-roomoftheAdmiral.
Agreatseacheststoodopeninthecenter,andallrounduponthecarpetwerelittlepilesofjerseys,oil-skins,books,sextantboxes,instruments,andsea-boots.
Theoldseamansatgravelyamidstthislumber,turningitover,andexaminingitintently;whilehiswife,withthetearsrunningsilentlydownherruddycheeks,satuponthesofa,herelbowsuponherkneesandherchinuponherhands,rockingherselfslowlybackwardsandforwards.
“Hullo,Doctor,”saidtheAdmiral,holdingouthishand,“there’sfoulweathersetinuponus,asyoumayhaveheard,butIhaveriddenoutmanyaworsesquall,and,pleaseGod,weshallallthreeofusweatherthisonealso,thoughtwoofusarealittlemorecrankythanwewere.”
“Mydearfriends,Icameintotellyouhowdeeplywesympathizewithyouall.Mygirlhasonlyjusttoldmeaboutit.”
“Ithascomesosuddenlyuponus,Doctor,”sobbedMrs.HayDenver.
“IthoughtthatIhadJohntomyselffortherestofourlives—Heavenknowsthatwehavenotseenverymuchofeachother—butnowhetalksofgoingtoseaagain.
apictureofthecountryside
“Aye,aye,Walker,that’stheonlywayoutofit.
WhenIfirstheardofitIwasthrownupinthewindwithallaback.
IgiveyoumywordthatIlostmybearingsmorecompletelythaneversinceIstrappedamiddy’sdirktomybelt.
Yousee,friend,Iknowsomethingofshipwreckorbattleorwhatevermaycomeuponthewaters,buttheshoalsintheCityofLondononwhichmypoorboyhasstruckarecleanbeyondme.
Pearsonhadbeenmypilotthere,andnowIknowhimtobearogue.
ButI’vetakenmybearingsnow,andIseemycourserightbeforeme.”
“Whatthen,Admiral?”
“Oh,Ihaveoneortwolittleplans.I’llhavesomenewsfortheboy.
Why,hangit,Walkerman,Imaybeabitstiffinthejoints,butyou’llbemywitnessthatIcandomytwelvemilesunderthethreehours.Whatthen?
Myeyesareasgoodaseverexceptjustforthenewspaper.Myheadisclear.
I’mthree-and-sixty,butI’masgoodamanaseverIwas—toogoodamantolieupforanothertenyears.
I’dbethebetterforasmackofthesaltwateragain,andawhiffofthebreeze.
Tut,mother,it’snotafouryears’cruisethistime.I’llbebackeverymonthortwo.
It’snomorethanifIwentforavisitinthecountry.”
Hewastalkingboisterously,andheapinghissea-bootsandsextantsbackintohischest.
“Andyoureallythink,mydearfriend,ofhoistingyourpennantagain?”
“Mypennant,Walker?No,no.
HerMajesty,Godblessher,hastoomanyyoungmentoneedanoldhulklikeme.
IshouldbeplainMr.HayDenver,ofthemerchantservice.
IdaresaythatImightfindsomeownerwhowouldgivemeachanceassecondorthirdofficer.
Itwillbestrangetometofeeltherailsofthebridgeundermyfingersoncemore.”
“Tut!tut!
thiswillneverdo,thiswillneverdo,Admiral!”
TheDoctorsatdownbyMrs.HayDenverandpattedherhandintokenoffriendlysympathy.
“Wemustwaituntilyoursonhashaditoutwithallthesepeople,andthenweshallknowwhatdamageisdone,andhowbesttosetitright.
Itwillbetimeenoughthentobegintomusterourresourcestomeetit.”
“Ourresources!”TheAdmirallaughed.“There’sthepension.I’mafraid,Walker,thatourresourceswon’tneedmuchmustering.”
“Oh,come,therearesomewhichyoumaynothavethoughtof.
Forexample,Admiral,Ihadalwaysintendedthatmygirlshouldhavefivethousandfrommewhenshemarried.
Ofcourseyourboy’stroubleishertrouble,andthemoneycannotbespentbetterthaninhelpingtosetitright.
Shehasalittleofherownwhichshewishedtocontribute,butIthoughtitbesttoworkitthisway.
Willyoutakethecheque,Mrs.Denver,andIthinkitwouldbebestifyousaidnothingtoHaroldaboutit,andjustuseditastheoccasionserved?”
“Godblessyou,Walker,youareatruefriend.Iwon’tforgetthis,Walker.”TheAdmiralsatdownonhisseachestandmoppedhisbrowwithhisredhandkerchief.
“Whatisittomewhetheryouhaveitnoworthen?Itmaybemoreusefulnow.There’sonlyonestipulation.
Ifthingsshouldcometotheworst,andifthebusinessshouldprovesobadthatnothingcansetitright,thenholdbackthischeque,forthereisnouseinpouringwaterintoabrokenbasin,andiftheladshouldfall,hewillwantsomethingtopickhimselfupagainwith.”
“Heshallnotfall,Walker,andyoushallnothaveoccasiontobeashamedofthefamilyintowhichyourdaughterisabouttomarry.Ihavemyownplan.
Butweshallholdyourmoney,myfriend,anditwillstrengthenustofeelthatitisthere.”
“Well,thatisallright,”saidDoctorWalker,rising.
“Andifalittlemoreshouldbeneeded,wemustnotlethimgowrongforthewantofathousandortwo.
Andnow,Admiral,I’moffformymorningwalk.Won’tyoucometoo?”
“No,Iamgoingintotown.”
“Well,good-bye.Ihopetohavebetternews,andthatallwillcomeright.Good-bye,Mrs.Denver.Ifeelasiftheboyweremyown,andIshallnotbeeasyuntilallisrightwithhim.”
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