University of Virginia Library

3. CHAPTER III.
The Heir and the Mexican Captain.

Hastings felt, at first, inclined to treat the intruding stranger with
angry impatience; but seeing that, like himself, he was a son of the
sea, and that his manner was friendly, he entered the inn with him;
and on coming more fully into the light, he closely examined his face to
see if he had ever met him before.

`We have never met before, Mr. Hastings,' said the seaman, `but
that makes very little difference, as we have met now. Come, let us sit
down here in this box opposite the fire and have a chat.'

`Indeed, sir, you are familiar on a first acquaintance,' answered
the ruined young heir, haughtily and moodily. `I choose to be
alone.'

`Nay, my dear fellow, you are, just now, the worst possible company
for yourself.'

Hastings looked at him with the air of one disposed to resent his
manner; but seeing that he was sincere and friendly, he thought it best
to bear with him for awhile, and he also felt forcibly the truth of his
words, that he was poor company for himself.

`I will sit with you,' he answered, for he was desirous of knowing
who he was and how he came to address him.

`Come into this box, then,' said the seaman. `Ah, my pretty
Bessy Wynn,' he said to the handsome young girl behind the bar, who
had just been placing two pewter mugs of foaming ale before two
mates that sat in the adjoining box, `come hither, dear, and bring with
you a bottle of your best wine.'

`I 'll bring it presently, sir,' said the smiling bar-maid, who, however,
was a young widow of two years.

`Now, sir,' said Hastings, with the dark, gloomy air that his face
had worn since he had left the gaming saloon, `tell me, if you please,
who you are.'

`I am a sailor,' answered Marshall.

`That I can see. But why have you addressed me? Have you
sailed in the same ship?'

`Not that I recollect.'

`How do you know me?'

`I will tell you. I saw you pass out of the restaurant. I was
talking with Burrows, the shipping-master, and your face struck me for
its look of wild despair, which has not yet worn off, and I asked who
you were. I was told that you had been in the navy, had inherited a
fortune a year ago, thrown up your berth, and given yourself to a gay
life, till you had run through your money and were reduced to your
last penny.'

`They told you the truth. But does the world so soon know my
fall!' he cried, bitterly. `I have been a fool and a madman!'

`Courage! It is never too late to tack ship, so long as the
soundings are free.'

`I have been a fool! I am goaded by my own conscience, and
rendered wild with the deep sense of my degradation! The world has
told you truly, sir, whoever you may be who has asked after me. I
was left a fortune of fifty thousand dollars, not eighteen months ago;
All that remains of it, is the shirt, pantaloons, cap, and boots, that I
have on, for the coat was given me. I have been driven to ruin by a
sort of blind fatality. It seemed to me, at first, that my thousands
could never melt. I launched out into the wildest extravagances
But if I had not gambled, I might now have had a good part of my
fortune. Gaming fascinated me. Losses maddened me, and inspired
me with efforts to recover what I lost. But the evil only increased.
Money went first, then my horses and equipage, then I found the way
to the Pawnbroker's with my jewelry, and then with my wardrobe.
To-night, I parted with the last article I could spare without making
myself naked. I had been playing all the afternoon with various
success, but finally lost all. I resolved still to try my fortune, and
took my coat and vest and pawned them. My cloak followed. Within
the last two hours, I have won and lost two thousand dollars. I am
now a beggar, and tired of life. When you saw me leaving the hall,
it was with the deliberate purpose of committing suicide. The man
who owned the coat I wear, drowned himself in the Hudson. I shall
drown myself to-night. It is therefore that I talk to you so freely.'

`Well, we will drink first. Wine is better than water, my dear

fellow,' said Marshall, as the young widow brought the bottle of wine
and two glasses. `Thanks, sweet mistress, has any one been here for
me since I went out?'

`The tall, black-looking fellow with the one eye, sir.'

`It is Van Dom. What did he want?'

`He said he would call again, when you were at breakfast.'

`Very well. Let me fill for you, Mr. Hastings. Your good health,
sir, and our better acquaintance. This is fair wine, Mistress Wynn,
very fair wine.'

`You should know, Captain,' answered the widow, with a courtesy
and a smile, `you, who have sailed all over the world, ought to know
to be sure!'

`I never tasted better; did you, sir?'

`It is good wine,' answered Hastings, absently.

`I dare swear you do n't know whether it be wine or water. Cheer
up, man! Drink it all, and let me fill again. I'll warrant me, you'll
not think of the Hudson after your third glass.'

`How came you to follow me, Captain, if I may call you so?'

`Marshall's my name, Captain Jack Marshall. You may leave off
the Captain and call me Jack, when we get a little better acquainted.'

`We seem to be in a fair way for it, sir,' answered Hastings with a
faint smile.'

`Fair weather. Sky lifting. Why that smile is the sign of clear
sky by and by. How did I come to follow you? Why you see I took
a liking to your figure-head and gave chase, not as an enemy, but as a
friend. But you led me a regular zigzag beat to windward, and at
last brought up just at the port I would have towed you into.'

`Do you lodge here?' asked Hastings, looking round, for the first
time, upon the smoky walls, and dark polished joists and beams of the
ceiling; upon the small, pulpit-like bar on the back side of the room,
and the little curtained alcoves containing tables, lining one wall.

`Yes, and you are welcome to be my guest.'

`No. I shall soon go.'

`Where?'

`Anywhere,' answered Hastings, after a moment's hesitation. `The
more I realize my degrading position, the more irksome life becomes.'

Do n't talk in this style. You shall stop here to-night. In the
morning you will wake and feel better about it.'

`Sleep! I cannot sleep, sir. If I could, waking to the full
realization of all, would drive me crazy. If I could sleep forever, then
I would sleep. I cannot dwell upon the idea of the waking moment.
To-morrow I should feel worse than now.'

`Let me fill your glass. Mistress Bessy, another bottle of wine.
Do n't despair. You have lost nothing but what can be got back again.
You have health, hands, strength, courage, and are a seaman. I
would not give a thought to the past. Begin to live from this moment.
Let the past go to Davy Jones. The present is yours, and no man can
say more. The future is no man's. To-morrow is as much yours as
it is Astor's. You are young, and can yet live half a dozen lives before
you are grey. Come, do not give up, so long as two planks hold
together. You are only stranded. The next flood will float you off
again.'

`But I have not a cent, sir. It is well enough for you to talk so,
perhaps; but I am in a desperate situation.'

`No man's situation is desperate who has hands, heart, and health.
What do you propose to do, if you live till to-morrow? Answer me
fairly.'

`Beg or rob; I have nothing to buy a loaf with.'

`I can do better for you than begging or robbing.'

`How?'

`I can put you in a way of making your fortune.'

`You mock me.'

`No. I have the power to serve you. It was to propose to you
what I am about to do, that I followed you. But we are not alone.
Will you come with me into the next room? Have you a fire in the
sitting parlor, Mistress Wynn?'

`Yes, Captain. Walk in, gentlemen.'

`Come, Mr. Hastings. You are worth a score of drowned men yet.
A man's life should not be weighed against gold — no, not even fifty
thousand worth of it. Gold may be got again; but life, never. Will
you come with me?'

`Yes; I will hear what you have to propose,' answered Hastings,
following his new found friend into a small room in the rear of the tap.
The hostess placed a candle upon the table and left them together.

`Landlady,' said one of the mates seated in the box, `who was the
shorter man of the two that went in there just now?'

`Captain Marshall, late of the Mexican navy.'

`That's where I've seen him,' answered the mate with emphasis,
looking at his companion. `I knew I'd seen him somewhere. He
commanded a Mexican gun-brig, and brought us to, off Vera Cruz, as
we were running for Sisal, last year. He came aboard himself, and
asked our Captain to loan him five thousand dollars. Of course he was
refused. But he would n't take No for an answer, and took out the
money, for we had twenty thousand in the run, and gave us an order,
to be repaid, on a merchant in Havana.'

`And was it paid?' asked the other.

`Down upon the nail. If it had n't been, I'd have him now hauled
up for piracy.'

`There was no harm done, if he paid it again. Probably he was
run short just then.'

`He said his men were ready to mutiny, because government had n't
paid 'em, and he should lose his vessel if he did n't take the money out
of ours.'

`It was a bold act.'

`Yes, and he was the very man to do it. He was as civil, all the
while, as you would wish to see anybody; but our Captain saw in his
eye, that it would not be safe to attempt to resist. Indeed, he said
that if we did n't let him quietly take the five thousand, his men would
board us and plunder us of the whole.'

`Well, I do n't see, as long as it was paid, as he was much to blame.
It was a case of distress at sea. I should like to have you speak to
him when he comes out.'

`No; he wont care to be reminded of it, and I might make him my
enemy and get a knife into me by some of his fellows some dark night,
in a by-street. I have seen enough of these Mexicans, to keep quiet.'

`But he is not a Mexican.'

`No; I should judge he was Yankee born. But shall we go aboard
ship?'

`No; I'm going to the theatre to-night,' answered the other. `I
shant go down aboard till morning.'

The two seamen then settled their score, and left the tap-room
together.

The subject of their conversation, having seated himself by the table,
in the inner room, with Hastings on the opposite side, thus began:

`Mr. Hastings, I am, as I told you, a seaman. You are, or have
been, one also. You are now in a situation, from the loss of everything,
to be fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils. Before you, you
can see nothing, by your own confession, but beggary or crime. Go to
any one of those of your friends who have basked in the sunshine of
your prosperity, and not one of them will aid you. The world and you
have to-night shaken hands. You are as fairly dead to it, as if, an
hour ago, you had committed suicide, and your body were floating out
towards Neversink Head. Now, I take you up just where the world
and you are quits, and offer to make your fortune again.'

`How?' asked Hastings, with animation.

`I like to see your eye brighten, and your cheek get back a little of
its color. This shows how good wine gladdens the sad heart of a man.
I can talk with you now your blood is warmed, and you can listen
better. I am about to confide to you a secret. Can I also confide in
your honor?'

`Can you trust to the honor of a beggar?'

`Money is not honor, sir. In losing your money, I do not believe
you have parted with your honor as a man. Your wish to fly to death,
shows me that you feel deeply that your honor has been wounded.
But it is not lost. I will trust you.'

`You may, Captain,' answered Hastings, firmly. `I also hereby
pledge myself to enter into any scheme or plan you may propose, short
of —'

`Why do you hesitate?'

`—Short of piracy, then,' he added, coloring and watching his
countenance closely.