Paul Heyse - "Andrea Delfin"

Dillon Wallace - "The Long Labrador Trail"

Rene Bazin - "The Ink Stain, v3"

Jean de La Fontaine - "The Tales and Novels, v20: Neighbor Peter's Mare &c."

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: Mr. Midshipman Easy

F >> Frederick Marryat >> Mr. Midshipman Easy




Mr Pottyfar took Jack down, and putting into his hand three or four
bottles of the preparation, told him that he was to take thirty drops
at night, when he went to bed, not to drink more than two glasses of
wine, and to avoid the heat of the sun.

"But, sir," replied Jack, who had put the bottles in his pocket, "I am
afraid that I cannot take it long; for as the ship is ready for
fitting, I shall be exposed to the sun all day"

"Yes, if you are wanted, Mr Easy; but we have plenty here without you;
and when you are unwell you cannot be expected to work. Take care of
your health; and I trust, indeed I am sure, that you will find this
medicine wonderfully efficacious."

"I will begin to-night, sir, if you please," replied Jack, "and I am
very much obliged to you. I sleep at the Governor's--shall I come on
board to-morrow morning?"

"No, no; take care of yourself, and get well; I shall be glad to hear
that you get better. Send me word how it acts."

"I will, sir, send you word by the boat every day," replied Jack,
delighted; "I am very much obliged to you, sir. Gascoigne and I were
thinking of asking you, but did not like to do so: he, poor fellow,
suffers from headaches almost as bad as I do, and the doctor's pills
are of no use to him."

"He shall have some too, Mr Easy; I thought he looked pale. I'll see
to it this afternoon. Recollect, moderate exercise, Mr Easy, and
avoid the sun at midday."

"Yes, sir," replied Jack, "I'll not forget"; and off went Jack,
delighted. He ordered Mesty to put up his whole portmanteau instead
of the small bundle he put into the boat, and telling Gascoigne what a
spoke he had put into his wheel, was soon in the boat with the
captain, and went on shore, where he was cordially greeted by the
Governor.


CHAPTER XXVII

In which Captain Wilson is repaid with interest for Jack's borrowing
his name, proving that a good name is as good as a legacy.

"Well, Jack, my boy, have you any long story ready for me?" inquired
the Governor.

"Yes, sir," replied Jack, "I have one or two very good ones."

"Very well, we'll hear them after dinner," replied old Tom. "In the
meantime find out your room and take possession."

"That must not be for very long, Governor," observed Captain Wilson.
"Mr Easy must learn his duty, and there is a good opportunity now."

"If you please, sir," replied Jack, "I'm on the sick list."

"Sick list," said Captain Wilson; "you were not in the report I was
given this morning."

"No, I'm on Mr Pottyfar's list, and I'm going through a course of the
universal medicine."

"What's all this, Jack, what's all this? There's some story here.
Don't be afraid of the captain--you've me to back you," said the
Governor.

Jack was not at all afraid of the captain, so he told him how the
first lieutenant had refused him leave the evening before, and how he
had now given him permission to remain, and try the universal
medicine, at which the Governor laughed heartily, nor could Captain
Wilson refrain from joining.

"But, Mr Easy," replied the captain, after a pause, "if Mr Pottyfar
will allow you to stay on shore, I cannot--you have your duty to
learn. You must be aware that now is your time, and you must not lose
opportunities that do not occur every day. You must acknowledge the
truth of what I say."

"Yes, sir," replied Jack, "I admit it all, provided I do intend to
follow the profession"; and so saying our hero bowed, and left the
veranda where they had been talking.

This hint of Jack's, thrown out by him, more with the intention of
preventing his being sent on board than with any definite idea, was
not lost upon either the captain or the Governor.

"Does he jib, then?" observed the Governor. "On the contrary, I never
knew him more attentive, and so entirely getting rid of his former
notions. He has behaved most nobly in the gale, and there has not
been one complaint against him--I never was more astonished--he must
have meant something."

"I'll tell you what he means, Wilson--that he does not like to be sent
on board, nothing more. He's not to be cooped up--you may lead him,
but not drive him."

"Yes but the service will not admit of it. I never could allow it--he
must do his duty like the rest, and conform to the rules."

"Exactly, so he must; but look ye, Wilson, you must not lose him: it's
all easily settled--appoint him your orderly midshipman to and from
the ship, that will be employment, and he can always remain here at
night I will tell him that I have asked, as a favour, what I now do,
and leave me to find out what he is thinking about."

"It may be done that way certainly", replied Captain Wilson, musing "and
you are more likely, to get his intentions from him than I am. I am
afraid he has too great a command of money ever to be fond of the
ship; it is the ruin of a junior officer to be so lavishly supplied."

"He's a long way from ruin yet, Wilson--he's a very fine fellow, even
by your own acknowledgment. You humoured him out of gratitude to his
father, when he first came into the service; humour him a little now
to keep him in it. Besides, if your first lieutenant is such a fool
with his universal medicine, can you wonder at a midshipman taking
advantage of it?"

"No, but I ought not to allow him to do so with my eyes open."

"He has made it known to you upon honour, and you ought not to take
advantage of his confidence: but still what I proposed would, I think,
be the best, for then he will be at his duty in a way that will suit
all parties. You, because you employ him on service--the first
lieutenant, because Jack can take his medicine--and Jack, because he
can dine with me every day."

"Well, I suppose it must be so," replied Captain Wilson, laughing;
"but still, I trust, you will discover what is working in his mind to
induce him to give me that answer, Governor."

"Never fear, Jack shall confess, and lay his soul as bare as that of a
Catholic bigot before his padre."

The party sat down to dinner, and what with the Governor's
aide-de-camp and those invited, it was pretty numerous. After the
cloth had been removed, the Governor called upon Jack for his stories,
whereupon, much to the surprise of Captain Wilson, who had never heard
one word of it, for the Admiral had not mentioned anything about it to
him during the short time the Aurora was with the Toulon fleet, our
hero gave the Governor and the company the narrative of all that
happened in the Mary Ann transport--the loves of Captain Hogg and Miss
Hicks-the adventures of Gascoigne--and his plan, by which he baulked
them all. The Governor was delighted, and Captain Wilson not a little
astonished.

"You prevented a very foolish thing, Mr Easy, and behaved very well,"
observed the captain, laughing again at the idea; "but you never told
me of all this."

"No, sir," replied Jack, "I have always reserved my stories for the
Governor's table, where I am sure to meet you, and then telling once
does for all."

Jack received his appointment as orderly midshipman, and everything
went on well; for, of his own accord, he stayed on board the major
part of the day to learn his duty, which very much pleased the captain
and Mr Pottyfar. In this Jack showed a great deal of good sense, and
Captain Wilson did not repent of the indulgence he had shown him.
Jack's health improved daily, much to Mr Pottyfar's satisfaction, who
imagined that he took the universal medicine night and morning.
Gascoigne also was a patient under the first lieutenant's hands, and
often on shore with our hero, who thought no more of quitting the
service.

For seven weeks they had now remained in harbour, for even the masts
had to be made, when, one day, Captain Wilson opened a letter he
received at breakfast-time, and having read it, laid it down with the
greatest surprise depicted in his countenance. "Good heavens what can
this mean?" said he.

"What's the matter, Wilson?" said the Governor. "Just hear its
contents, Sir Thomas." Captain Wilson then read in Spanish as
follows:--

"HONOURABLE SIR,

"It is my duty to advise you that the Honourable Lady Senora Alforgas
de Cuzman, now deceased, has, in her testament bequeathed to you the
sum of one thousand doubloons in gold as a testimony of your kind
services on the night of the 12th of August. If you will authorise any
merchant here to receive the money, it shall be paid forthwith, or
remitted in any way you please to appoint. May you live a thousand
years!

"Your most obedient servant,

"ALFONZO XEREZ."

Jack heard the letter read, rose quietly, whistled low, as if not
attending to it, and then slipped out of the room, unperceived by the
Governor or Captain Wilson.

The fact was, that although Jack had longed to tell the Governor about
his adventures after the masquerade, he did not like yet awhile, until
he was sure that there were no consequences--because he had given the
captain's name instead of his own. As soon as he heard the letter
read, he at once perceived that it had been the old lady, and not the
priests, who had made the inquiry, and that by giving Captain Wilson's
name, he had obtained for him this fine legacy. Jack was delighted,
but still puzzled, so he walked out of the room to reflect a little.

"What can it mean?" said Captain Wilson. "I never rendered any
services to anyone on the 12th of August or after it. It is some
mistake--12th of August--that was the day of the grand masquerade."

"A lucky one for you, at all events--for you know, mistake or not, no
one else can touch the legacy. It can only be paid to you."

"I never heard of anything taking place at the masquerade--I was
there, but I left early, for I was not very well. Mr Easy," said
Captain Wilson, turning round; but Jack was gone.

"Was he at the masquerade?" asked the Governor. "Yes, I know he was,
for the first lieutenant told me that he requested not to come on
board till the next day."

"Depend upon it," replied the Governor, striking his fist upon the
table, "that Jack's at the bottom of it."

"I should not be surprised at his being at the bottom of anything,"
replied Captain Wilson, laughing.

"Leave it to me, Wilson; I'll find it out."

After a little more conversation, Captain Wilson went on board,
leaving Jack on purpose that the Governor might pump him. But this
Sir Thomas had no occasion to do, for Jack had made up his mind to
make the Governor his confidant, and he immediately told him the whole
story. The Governor held his sides at our hero's description,
especially at his ruse of giving the captain's name instead of his
own.

"You'll kill me, Jack, before you've done with me," said old Tom, at
last; "but now, what is to be done?"

Our hero now became grave; he pointed out to the Governor that he
himself had plenty of money, and would come into a large fortune, and
that Captain Wilson was poor, with a large family. All Jack wanted
the Governor to manage was, that Captain Wilson might consent to
accept the legacy.

"Right, boy, right! you're my own boy," replied the Governor, "but we
must think of this, for Wilson is the very soul of honour, and there
might be some difficulty about it. You have told nobody?"

"Not a soul but you, Sir Thomas."
"It will never do to tell him all this, Jack, for he would insist that
the legacy belonged to you."

"I have it, sir," replied Jack. "When I was going into the masquerade
I offered to hand this very old lady, who was covered with diamonds
out of her carriage, and she was so frightened at my dress of the
devil that she would have fallen down had it not been for Captain
Wilson who supported her, and she was very thankful to him."

"You are right, Jack," replied the Governor, after a short pause:
"that will, I think, do. I must tell him the story of the friars,
because I swore you had something to do with it--but I'll tell him no
more. Leave it all to me."

Captain Wilson returned in the afternoon, and found the Governor on
the veranda.

"I have had some talk with young Easy," said the Governor, "and he has
told me a strange story about that night, which he was afraid to tell
to everybody."

The Governor then narrated the history of the friars and the will.

"Well, but," observed Captain Wilson, "the history of that will afford
no clue to the legacy."

"No it does not; but still, as I said, Jack had a hand in this. He
frightened the old lady as a devil, and you caught her in your arms
and saved her from falling, so he had a hand in it, you see."

"I do now remember that I did save a very dowager-like old personage
from falling at the sight of a devil, who, of course, must have been
our friend Easy."

"Well, and that accounts for the whole of it."

"A thousand doubloons for picking up an old lady!"

"Yes, why not?--have you not heard of a man having a fortune left him
for merely opening the pew door of a church, to an old gentleman?"

"Yes, but it appears so strange."

"There's nothing strange in this world, Wilson, nothing at a We may
slave for years and get no reward, and do a trifle out of politeness
and become independent. In my opinion, this mystery is unravelled.
The old lady, for I knew the family, must have died immensely rich:
she knew you in your full uniform, and she asked your name; a heavy
fall would have been to one so fat a most serious affair; you saved
her, and she has rewarded you handsomely."

"Well," replied Captain Wilson, "as I can give no other explanation, I
suppose yours is the correct one; but it's hardly fair to take a
thousand doubloons from her relations merely for an act of civility."

"You really are quite ridiculous; the old lady owned half Murcia, to
my knowledge. It is no more to them than anyone leaving you a suit of
mourning in an English legacy. I wish you joy; it will help you with a
large family, and in justice to them you are bound to take it.
Everybody does as he pleases with his own money,--depend upon it, you
saved her from breaking her leg short off at the hip joint."

"Upon that supposition I presume I must accept of the legacy," replied
Captain Wilson, laughing.

"Of course; send for it at once. The rate of exchange is now high. I
will give you government bills, which will make it nearly four
thousand pounds."

"Four thousand pounds for preventing an old woman from falling,"
replied Captain Wilson.

"Devilish well paid, Wilson, and I congratulate you."

"For how much am I indebted to the father of young Easy!" observed
Captain Wilson, after a silence of some minutes; "if he had not
assisted me when I was appointed to a ship, I should not have gained
my promotion--nor three thousand pounds I have made in prize-money--
the command of a fine frigate--and now four thousand pounds in a
windfall."

The Governor thought that he was more indebted to Jack than to his
father for some of these advantages, but he was careful not to point
them out.

"It's very true," observed the Governor, "that Mr Easy was of service
to you when you were appointed; but allow me to observe, that for your
ship, your prize-money, and for your windfall, you have been wholly
indebted to your own gallantry, in both senses of the word; still Mr
Easy is a fine generous fellow, and so is his son, I can tell you.
By-the-bye, I had a long conversation with him the other day."

"About himself?"

"Yes, all about himself. He appears to me to have come into the
service without any particular motive, and will be just as likely to
leave it in the same way. He appears to be very much in love with
that Sicilian nobleman's daughter. I find that he has written to her,
and to her brother, since he has been here."

"That he came into the service in search of what he never will find in
this world, I know very well; and I presume that he has found that
out--and that he will follow up the service is also very doubtful; but
I do not wish that he should leave it yet, it is doing him great
good," replied Captain Wilson.

"I agree with you there--I have great influence with him, and he shall
stay yet awhile. He is heir to a very large fortune, is he not?"

"A clear eight thousand pounds a year, if not more."

"If his father dies he must, of course, leave; a midshipman with eight
thousand pounds a year would indeed be an anomaly."

"That the service could not permit. It would be as injurious to
himself as it would to others about him. At present, he has almost,
indeed I may say quite, an unlimited command of money."

"That's bad, very bad. I wonder he behaves so well as he does."

"And so do I: but he really is a very superior lad, with all his
peculiarities, and a general favourite with those whose opinions and
friendship are worth having."

"Well, don't curb him too tight--for really he does not require it. He
goes very well in a snaffle."


CHAPTER XXVIII

"Philosophy made Easy," upon agrarian principles, the subject of some
uneasiness to our hero--The first appearance, but not the last, of an
important personage.

The conversation was here interrupted by a mail from England which
they had been expecting. Captain Wilson retired with his letters; the
Governor remained equally occupied; and our hero received the first
letter ever written to him by his father. It ran as follows:--

"MY DEAR SON,

"I have many times taken up my pen with the intention of
letting you know how things went on in this country. But as I can
perceive around but one dark horizon of evil, I have as often laid it
down again without venturing to make you unhappy with such bad
intelligence.

"The account of your death, and also of your unexpectedly being yet
spared to us, were duly received, and I trust, I mourned and rejoiced
on each occasion with all the moderation characteristic of a
philosopher. In the first instance I consoled myself with the
reflection that the world you had left was in a state of slavery, and
pressed down by the iron arm of despotism, and that to die was gain,
not only in all the parson tells us, but also in our liberty; and, at
the second intelligence, I moderated my joy for nearly about the same
reasons, resolving, notwithstanding what Dr Middleton may say, to die
as I have lived, a true philosopher.

"The more I reflect the more am I convinced that there is nothing
required to make this world happy but equality, and the rights of man
being duly observed--in short, that everything and everybody should be
reduced to one level. Do we not observe that it is the law of
nature--do not brooks run into rivers--rivers into seas--mountains
crumble down upon the plains?--are not the seasons contented to
equalise the parts of the earth? Why does the sun run round the
ecliptic, instead of the equator, but to give an equal share of his
heat to both sides of the world? Are we not all equally born in
misery? does not death level us all aequo pede, as the poet hath? are
we not all equally hungry, thirsty, and sleepy, and thus levelled by
our natural wants? And such being the case, ought we not to have our
equal share of good things in this world, to which we have undoubted
equal right? Can any argument be more solid or more level than this,
whatever nonsense Dr Middleton may talk?

"Yes, my son, if it were not that I still hope to see the sun of
justice arise, and disperse the manifold dark clouds which obscure the
land--if I did not still hope, in my time, to see an equal
distribution of property--an Agrarian law passed by the House of
Commons, in which all should benefit alike--I would not care how soon
I left this vale of tears, created by tyranny and injustice. At
present, the same system is carried on; the nation is taxed for the
benefit of the few, and it groans under oppression and despotism; but
I still do think that there is, if I may fortunately express myself, a
bright star in the west; and signs of the times which comfort me.
Already we have had a good deal of incendiarism about the country, and
some of the highest aristocracy have pledged themselves to raise the
people above themselves, and have advised sedition and conspiracy;
have shown to the debased and unenlightened multitude that their force
is physically irresistible, and recommended them to make use of it,
promising that if they hold in power, they will only use that power to
the abolition of our farce of a constitution, of a church, and of a
king; and that if the nation is to be governed at all, it shall only
be governed by the many. This is cheering. Hail, patriot lords! all
hail! I am in hopes yet that the great work will be achieved, in spite
of the laughs and sneers and shakes of the head, which my arguments
still meet with from that obstinate fellow, Dr Middleton.

"Your mother is in a quiet way; she has given over reading and
working, and even her knitting, as useless; and she now sits all day
long at the chimney corner twiddling her thumbs, and waiting, as she
says, for the millennium. Poor thing! she is very foolish with her
ideas upon this matter, but as usual I let her have her own way in
everything, copying the philosopher of old, who was tied to his
Xantippe.

"I trust, my dear son, that your principles have strengthened with
your years and fortified with your growth, and that, if necessary, you
will sacrifice all to obtain what in my opinion will prove to be the
real millennium. Make all the converts you can, and believe me to be,

"Your affectionate father, and true guide,

"Nicodemus Easy."

Jack, who was alone, shook his head as he read this letter, and then
laid it down with a pish! He did it involuntarily, and was surprised
at himself when he found that he had so done. "I should like to argue
the point," thought Jack, in spite of himself; and then he threw the
letter on the table, and went into Gascoigne's room, displeased with
his father and with himself. He asked Ned whether he had received any
letters from England, and, it being near dinnertime, went back to
dress. On his coming down into the receiving room with Gascoigne, the
Governor said to them,--

"As you both speak Italian, you must take charge of a Sicilian
officer, who has come here with letters of introduction to me, and who
dines here to-day."

Before dinner they were introduced to the party in question, a
slight-made, well-looking young man, but still there was an expression
in his countenance which was not agreeable. In compliance with the
wishes of the Governor, Don Mathias, for so he was called, was placed
between our two midshipmen, who immediately entered into conversation
with him, being themselves anxious to make enquiries about their
friends at Palermo. In the course of conversation, Jack enquired of
him whether he was acquainted with Don Rebiera, to which the Sicilian
answered in the affirmative, and they talked about the different
members of the family.

Don Mathias, towards the close of the dinner, enquired of Jack by what
means he had become acquainted with Don Rebiera, and Jack, in reply,
narrated how he and his friend Gascoigne had saved him from being
murdered by two villains; after this reply the young officer appeared
to be less inclined for conversation, but before the party broke up,
requested to have the acquaintance of our two midshipmen. As soon as
he was gone, Gascoigne observed in a reflective way, "I have seen that
face before, but where I cannot exactly say; but you know, Jack, what
a memory of people I have, and I have seen him before, I am sure."

"I can't recollect that ever I have," replied our hero, "but I never
knew anyone who could recollect in that way as you do."

The conversation was then dropped between them, and Jack was for some
time listening to the Governor and Captain Wilson, for the whole party
were gone away, when Gascoigne, who had been in deep thought since he
had made the observation to Jack, sprang up.

"I have him at last!" cried he.

"Have who?" demanded Captain Wilson.

"That Sicilian officer--I could have sworn that I had seen him
before."

"That Don Mathias?"

"No, Sir Thomas! He is not Don Mathias! He is the very Don Silvio
who was murdering Don Rebiera, when we came to his assistance and
saved him."

"I do believe you are right, Gascoigne."

"I'm positive of it," replied Gascoigne; "I never made a mistake in my
life."

"Bring me those letters, Easy," said the Governor, "and let us see
what they say of him. Here it is--Don Mathias de Alayeres. You may
be mistaken, Gascoigne; it is a heavy charge you are making against
this young man."

"Well, Sir Thomas, if that is not Don Silvio, I'd forfeit my
commission if I had it here in my hand. Besides, I observed the
change in his countenance when we told him it was Easy and I who had
come to Don Rebiera's assistance; and did you observe after that,
Easy, that he hardly said a word."

"Very true," replied Jack. "Well, well, we must see to this," observed
the Governor; "if so, this letter of introduction must be a forgery."

The party then retired to bed, and the next morning, while Easy was in
Gascoigne's room talking over their suspicions, letters from Palermo
were brought up to him. They were in answer to those written by Jack
on his arrival at Malta: a few lines from Don Rebiera, a small note
from Agnes, and a voluminous detail from his friend Don Philip, who
informed him of the good health of all parties, and of their goodwill
towards him; of Agnes being as partial as ever; of his having spoken
plainly, as he had promised Jack, to his father and mother relative to
the mutual attachment; of their consent being given, and then
withheld, because Father Thomaso, their confessor, would not listen to
the union of Agnes with a heretic; but nevertheless telling Jack that
this would be got over through the medium of his brother and himself,
who were determined that their sister and he should not be made
unhappy about such a trifle. But the latter part of the letter
contained intelligence equally important, which was, that Don Silvio
had again attempted the life of their father, and would have
succeeded, had not Father Thomaso, who happened to be there, thrown
himself between them. That Don Silvio in his rage had actually
stabbed the confessor, although the wound was not dangerous. That in
consequence of this, all further lenity was denied to him, and the
authorities were in search of him to award him the punishment due to
murder and sacrilege. That up to the present they could not find him,
and it was supposed that he had made his escape to Malta in one of the
speronares.