Varney the Vampire. James Malcolm Rymer

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СКАЧАТЬ to keep up. Indeed, it's rather the other way, for we dislike a bold woman as much as we hold in contempt a cowardly man."

      "But if you grant to us females that in consequence of our affections, we are not courageous, you must likewise grant how much we are doomed to suffer from the dangers of those whom we esteem."

      "You would be the last person in the world to esteem a coward."

      "Certainly. But there is more true courage often in not fighting than in entering into a contest."

      "You are right enough there, my dear."

      "Under ordinary circumstances, I should not oppose your carrying out the dictates of your honour, but now, let me entreat you not to meet this dreadful man, if man he can be called, when you know not how unfair the contest may be."

      "Unfair?"

      "Yes. May he not have some means of preventing you from injuring him, and of overcoming you, which no mortal possesses?"

      "He may."

      "Then the supposition of such a case ought to be sufficient ground for at once inducing you to abandon all idea of meeting with him."

      "My dear, I'll consider of this matter."

      "Do so."

      "There is another thing, however, which now you will permit me to ask of you as a favour."

      "It is granted ere it is spoken."

      "Very good. Now you must not be offended with what I am going to say, because, however it may touch that very proper pride which you, and such as you, are always sure to possess, you are fortunately at all times able to call sufficient judgment to your aid to enable you to see what is really offensive and what is not."

      "You alarm me by such a preface."

      "Do I? then here goes at once. Your brother Henry, poor fellow, has enough to do, has he not, to make all ends meet."

      A flush of excitement came over Flora's cheek as the old admiral thus bluntly broached a subject of which she already knew the bitterness to such a spirit as her brother's.

      "You are silent," continued the old man; "by that I guess I am not wrong in my I supposition; indeed it is hardly a supposition at all, for Master Charles told me as much, and no doubt he had it from a correct quarter."

      "I cannot deny it, sir."

      "Then don't. It ain't worth denying, my dear. Poverty is no crime, but, like being born a Frenchman, it's a d——d misfortune."

      Flora could scarcely refuse a smile, as the nationality of the old admiral peeped out even in the midst of his most liberal and best feelings.

      "Well," he continued, "I don't intend that he shall have so much trouble as he has had. The enemies of his king and his country shall free him from his embarrassments."

      "The enemies?"

      "Yes; who else?"

      "You speak in riddles, sir."

      "Do I? Then I'll soon make the riddles plain. When I went to sea I was worth nothing—as poor as a ship's cat after the crew had been paid off for a month. Well, I began fighting away as hard and fast as I could, and the more I fought, and the more hard knocks I gave and took, the more money I got."

      "Indeed."

      "Yes; prize after prize we hauled into port, and at last the French vessels wouldn't come out of their harbours."

      "What did you do then?"

      "What did we do then? Why what was the most natural thing in the whole world for us to do, we did."

      "I cannot guess."

      "Well, I am surprised at that. Try again."

      "Oh, yes; I can guess now. How could I have been so dull? You went and took them out."

      "To be sure we did—to be sure we did, my dear; that's how we managed them. And, do you see, at the end of the war I found myself with lots of prize money, all wrung from old England's enemies, and I intend that some of it shall find it's way to your brother's pocket; and you see that will bear out just what I said, that the enemies of his king and his country shall free him from his difficulties—don't you see?"

      "I see your noble generosity, admiral."

      "Noble fiddlestick! Now I have mentioned this matter to you, my dear, and I don't so much mind talking to you about such matters as I should to your brother, I want you to do me the favour of managing it all for me."

      "How, sir?"

      "Why, just this way. You must find out how much money will free your brother just now from a parcel of botherations that beset him, and then I will give it to you, and you can hand it to him, you see, so I need not say anything about it; and if he speaks to me on the subject at all, I can put him down at once by saying, 'avast there, it's no business of mine.'"

      "And can you, dear admiral, imagine that I could conceal the generous source from where so much assistance came?"

      "Of course; it will come from you. I take a fancy to make you a present of a sum of money; you do with it what you please—it's yours, and I have no right and no inclination to ask you what use you put it to."

      Tears gushed from the eyes of Flora as she tried to utter some word, but could not. The admiral swore rather fearfully, and pretended to wonder much what on earth she could be crying for. At length, after the first gush of feeling was over, she said—

      "I cannot accept of so much generosity, sir—I dare not"

      "Dare not!"

      "No; I should think meanly of myself were I to take advantage of the boundless munificence of your nature."

      "Take advantage! I should like to see anybody take advantage of me, that's all."

      "I ought not to take the money of you. I will speak to my brother, and well I know how much he will appreciate the noble, generous offer, my dear sir."

      "Well, settle it your own way, only remember I have a right to do what I like with my own money."

      "Undoubtedly."

      "Very good. Then as that is undoubted, whatever I lend to him, mind I give to you, so it's as broad as it's long, as the Dutchman said, when he looked at the new ship that was built for him, and you may as well take it yourself you see, and make no more fuss about it."

      "I will consider," said Flora, with much emotion—"between this time and the same hour to-morrow I will consider, sir, and if you can find any words more expressive of heartfelt gratitude than others, pray imagine that I have used them with reference to my own feelings towards you for such an unexampled offer of friendship."

      "Oh, bother—stuff."

      The admiral now at once changed the subject, and began to talk of Charles—a most grateful theme to Flora, СКАЧАТЬ