Barrington Volume Ii Part 18

"Or rather, believed half of it, the cutting down part! Can you tell me physiologically,--for I think it comes into that category,--why it is that women not otherwise ill-natured, in nine cases out of ten take the worst alternative as the credible one? But never mind that. They condemn me. Is n't it so?"

"Yes; and while old Barrington insists--"

"Who cares what he insists? Such advocacy as his only provokes attack, and invites persecution. I 'd rather have no such allies!"

"I believe you are right."

"I want fellows like yourself, doctor,--sly, cautious, subtle fellows,--accustomed to stealing strong medicines into the system in small doses; putting the patient, as you call it in your slang, 'under the influence' of this, that, and t'other,--eh?"

Dill smiled blandly at the compliment to his art, and Stapylton went on:--

"Not that I have time just now for this sort of chronic treatment. I need a heroic remedy, doctor. I 'm in love."

"Indeed!" said Dill, with an accent nicely balanced between interest and incredulity.

"Yes, and I want to marry!

"Miss Barrington?"

"The granddaughter. There is no need, I hope, to make the distinction, for I don't wish to be thought insane. Now you have the case. What 's your prescription?"

"Propose for her!"

"So I have, but they hesitate. The old man is not unfavorable; he is, perhaps, more: he is, in a measure, friendly; but what avails such advocacy? I want another guess sort of aid,--a clever man; or, what is better still, a clever woman, to befriend me."

He waited some seconds for a reply, but Dill did not speak; so he went on: "A clever woman, to take a woman's view of the case, balancing this against that, never ignoring an obstacle, but inquiring what there may be to compensate for it Do you know such a one, doctor?"

"Perhaps I may; but I have my doubts about securing her services."

"Even with a retainer?"

"Even with a retainer. You see, Major,"--here Dill dropped his voice to a most confidential whisper,--"my daughter Polly,--for I know we both have her in mind,--Polly is a strange sort of girl, and very hard to understand; for while, if the case were her own, she 'd no more think of romance than she would of giving ten guineas for a dress, if she was advising another whose position and prospects were higher than hers, it's the romantic part of it she'd lay all the stress on."

"From which I gather that my suit will not stand this test!" said Stapylton, with a peculiar smile. "Eh, is n't that your meaning?"

"You are certainly some years older than the lady," said Dill, blandly.

"Not old enough to be, as the world would surely say, 'her father,' but fully old enough to give license for sarcasm."

"Then, as she will be a great fortune--"

"Not a sixpence,--she'll not have sixpence, doctor. That bubble has burst at last, and can never be blown again. The whole claim has been rejected, refused, thrown out, and there 's an end of it. It amuses the old man to sit on the wreck and fancy he can repair the shattered timbers and make them seaworthy; and, for the time he is likely to last, it is only kindness to leave him to his delusion; but he is ruined,--ruined beyond recall, and as I have told you, the girl will have nothing."

"Do they know this,--has Barrington heard it?"

"Yes, I broke it to him last night, but I don't think he fully realized the tidings; he has certain reserves--certain little conceits of his own--which are to supply him with a sort of hope; but let us talk of something more practical. How can we secure Miss Dill's services?"

"A few days ago, the easiest way would have been to offer to befriend her brother, but this morning brings us news that this is not needed,--he is coming home."

"How so?"

"It is a great event in its way; at least, it may be for Tom. It seems there was a collision at sea, somewhere near the Cape, between the s.h.i.+p 'St. Helen's,' that carried out General Hunter and his staff, and the 'Regulus,' with the Forty-ninth on board. It was at night, and a terrible sea on at the time. In the shock the 'St. Helen's' took fire; and as the two s.h.i.+ps were inextricably locked together, the danger was common to each. While the boats were being lowered and manned,--for it was soon seen the vessel could not be saved,--a cry was raised that the fire was gaining on the fore-hold, and would soon reach the magazine.

The woful news spread at once, and many jumped overboard in their terror. Just then Tom heard that there was a means of drowning the powder by opening a certain sluice, and, without waiting for more, he clambered across into the sinking vessel, made his way through smoke and fire, gained the spot, and succeeded, just as the very ladder itself had caught the flames. How he got back he cannot tell, for the vessel foundered in a few minutes, and he was so burned--face, cheek, and one shoulder--that he was unconscious of everything; and even when the account came, was still in bed, and not able to see."

"He was a wild sort of lad, was he not,--a scamp, in short?"

"No, not exactly that; idle--careless--kept bad company at times."

"These are the fellows who do this kind of thing once in their lives,--mark you, never twice. They never have more than one shot in their locker, but it will suffice in this case."

Though the worthy doctor was very far from enthusiastic about his son's gallantry, there was a degree of coolness in the Major's estimate of it that almost shocked him; and he sat staring steadily at the stern bronzed face, and the hard lineaments of the man, and wondering of what strange stuff such natures were fas.h.i.+oned.

"It's quite clear, then, that for Master Tom we can do nothing half so good as chance has done for him," said Stapylton, after a short interval.

"Chance and himself too," added the doctor.

Stapylton made no answer, but, covering his eyes with his hand, lay deep in thought.

"If you only had the Attorney-General, Mr. Withering, on your side,"

said Dill. "There is no man has the same influence over this family."

"It is not what _you_ call influence I want, my good sir. It is a far more subtle and more delicate agent. I require the sort of aid, in fact, which your daughter could supply, if she would. An appointment awaits me in India, but I must occupy it at once. I have no time for a long courts.h.i.+p. I 'm just as hurried as that boy of yours was when he swamped the powder-magazine. It's a skirmish where I can't wait for the heavy artillery, but must do my best with the light field-guns,--do you understand me?"

Dill nodded, and Stapylton resumed: "The thing can be done just by the very road that you have p.r.o.nounced impossible,--that is, by the romantic side of it,--making it a case of violent love at first sight, the pa.s.sion of a man past the heyday of youth, but yet young enough to feel a most ardent affection. I am, besides," said he, laughing with a strange blending of levity and sarcasm, "a sort of Brummagem hero; have been wounded, led a.s.saults, and that kind of thing, to a degree that puffery can take the benefit of. And, last of all, doctor, I am rich enough to satisfy greater ambitions than ought to live under such a roof as this. Do you see the part your daughter can take in this drama?"

"Perhaps I do."

"And could you induce her to accept it?"

"I'm not very certain,--I'd be slow to pledge myself to it."

"Certainly," said Stapylton, mockingly; "the pa.s.sing glimpses we bachelors obtain of the working of that vaunted inst.i.tution, The Family, fail to impress us with all its imputed excellence; you are, it seems to me, just as powerless within your own doors as I am regarding what goes on in a neighbor's house. I take it, however, that it can't be helped.

Children, like colonies, are only governable when helpless."

"I suspect you are wrong, sir; at least, I fancy I have as much of the sort of influence you speak of as others; but still, I think, here, in this particular case, you would yourself be your best amba.s.sador, if you were strong enough to come down with me in the boat to-day."

"Of course I am!" cried Stapylton, starting up to a sitting posture; "and what then?"

"You would be better in my house than this," said Dill, mysteriously.

"Speak out, and speak clearly, doctor; I have very little the matter with me, and am in no want of change of air. What I need is the a.s.sistance of one dexterous enough to advocate my plans with persons and in places to which I have no access. Your daughter is just such a one,--will she do it?"

"We can ask her."

"Well, how will you explain my absence to these people here? What will you say for my not appearing at breakfast, and yet being able to take an airing with you?"

"I will put it on hygienic grounds," said Dill, smiling acutely. "My profession has a number of sanctuaries the profane vulgar can never enter. I 'll just step down now and ask Barrington to lend me his boat, and I 'll throw out a dark hint that I 'd like to manage a consultation on your case without alarming you, for which purpose I 'd ask Dr. Tobin to be at my house, when we arrive there, by mere accident, so that a conference would follow as a matter of course."