The Pirate, and The Three Cutters Part 24

We must, however, condense the matter, which was very voluminous. It stated that Cain, whose real name was Charles...o...b..rne, had sailed in a fine schooner from Bilboa, for the coast of Africa, to procure a cargo of slaves; and had been out about twenty-four hours when the crew perceived a boat, apparently with no one in her, floating about a mile ahead of them. The water was then smooth, and the vessel had but little way. As soon as they came up with the boat, they lowered down their skiff to examine her.

The men sent in the skiff soon returned, towing the boat alongside.

Lying at the bottom of the boat were found several men almost dead, and reduced to skeletons, and in the stern-sheets a negro woman, with a child at her breast, and a white female in the last state of exhaustion.

Osborne was then a gay and unprincipled man, but not a hardened villain and murderer, as he afterwards became; he had compa.s.sion and feeling.

They were all taken on board the schooner: some recovered, others were too much exhausted. Among those restored was Cecilia Templemore and the infant, who at first had been considered quite dead; but the negro woman, exhausted by the demands of her nursling and her privations, expired as she was being removed from the boat. A goat, that fortunately was on board, proved a subst.i.tute for the negress; and before Osborne had arrived off the coast, the child had recovered its health and vigour, and the mother her extreme beauty.

We must now pa.s.s over a considerable portion of the narrative. Osborne was impetuous in his pa.s.sions, and Cecilia Templemore became his victim.

He had, indeed, afterwards quieted her qualms of conscience by a pretended marriage, when he arrived at the Brazils with his cargo of human flesh. But that was little alleviation of her sufferings; she who had been indulged in every luxury, who had been educated with the greatest care, was now lost for ever, an outcast from the society to which she could never hope to return, and a.s.sociating with those she both dreaded and despised. She pa.s.sed her days and her nights in tears; and had soon more cause for sorrow from the brutal treatment she received from Osborne, who had been her destroyer. Her child was her only solace; but for him, and the fear of leaving him to the demoralising influence of those about him, she would have laid down and died: but she lived for him--for him attempted to recall Osborne from his career of increasing guilt--bore meekly with reproaches and with blows. At last Osborne changed his nefarious life for one of deeper guilt: he became a pirate, and still carried with him Cecilia and her child.

This was the climax of her misery; she now wasted from day to day, and grief would soon have terminated her existence, had it not been hastened by the cruelty of Cain, who, upon an expostulation on her part, followed up with a denunciation of the consequences of his guilty career, struck her with such violence that she sank under the blow. She expired with a prayer that her child might be rescued from a life of guilt; and when the then repentant Cain promised what he never did perform, she blessed him, too, before she died.

Such was the substance of the narrative, as far as it related to the unfortunate mother of these two young men, who, when they had concluded, sat hand-in-hand in mournful silence. This, however, was soon broken by the innumerable questions asked by Edward of his brother, as to what he could remember of their ill-fated parent, which were followed up by the history of Francisco's eventful life.

'And the treasure, Edward,' said Francisco; 'I cannot take possession of it.'

'No, nor shall you either,' replied Edward; 'it belongs to the captors, and must be shared as prize-money. You will never touch one penny of it; but I shall, I trust, pocket a very fair proportion of it! However, keep this paper, as it is addressed to you.'

The admiral had been made acquainted with all the particulars of this eventful trial, and had sent a message to Edward, requesting that, as soon as he and his brother could make it convenient, he would be happy to see them at the Penn, as well as the daughter of the Spanish governor, whom he must consider as being under his protection during the time that she remained at Port Royal. This offer was gladly accepted by Clara; and on the second day after the trial they proceeded up to the Penn. Clara and Francisco were introduced, and apartments and suitable attendance provided for the former.

'Templemore,' said the admiral, 'I'm afraid I must send you away to Porto Rico, to a.s.sure the governor of his daughter's safety.'

'I would rather you would send some one else, sir, and I'll a.s.sure her happiness in the meantime.'

'What! by marrying her? Humph! you've a good opinion of yourself! Wait till you're a captain, sir.'

'I hope I shall not have to wait long, sir,' replied Edward demurely.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _'Captain Templemore, I wish you joy!'_]

'By the bye,' said the admiral, 'did you not say you have notice of treasure concealed in those islands?'

'My brother has: I have not.'

'We must send for it. I think we must send you, Edward. Mr. Francisco, you must go with him.'

'With pleasure, sir,' replied Francisco, laughing; 'but I think I'd rather wait till Edward is a captain! His wife and his fortune ought to come together. I think I shall not deliver up my papers until the day of his marriage!'

'Upon my word,' said Captain Manly, 'I wish, Templemore, you had your commission, for there seems so much depending on it--the young lady's happiness, my share of the prize-money, and the admiral's eighth.

Really, admiral, it becomes a common cause; and I'm sure he deserves it!'

'So do I, Manly,' replied the admiral; 'and to prove that I have thought so, here comes Mr. Hadley with it in his hand: it only wants one little thing to complete it----'

'Which is your signature, admiral, I presume,' replied Captain Manly, taking a pen full of ink, and presenting it to his senior officer.

'Exactly,' replied the admiral, scribbling at the bottom of the paper; 'and now--it does not want that. Captain Templemore, I wish you joy!'

Edward made a very low obeisance, as his flushed countenance indicated his satisfaction.

'I cannot give commissions, admiral,' said Francisco, presenting a paper in return; 'but I can give information--and you will find it not unimportant--for the treasure appears of great value.'

'G.o.d bless my soul! Manly, you must start at daylight!' exclaimed the admiral; 'why, there is enough to load your sloop! There!--read it!--and then I will write your orders, and enclose a copy of it, for fear of accident.'

'That was to have been my fortune,' said Francisco, with a grave smile; 'but I would not touch it.'

'Very right, boy!--a fine principle! But we are not quite so particular,' said the admiral. 'Now, where's the young lady? Let her know that dinner's on the table.'

A fortnight after this conversation, Captain Manly returned with the treasure; and the _Enterprise_, commanded by another officer, returned from Porto Rico, with a letter from the governor in reply to one from the admiral, in which the rescue of his daughter by Edward had been communicated. The letter was full of thanks to the admiral, and compliments to Edward; and, what was of more importance, it sanctioned the union of the young officer with his daughter, with a dozen boxes of gold doubloons.

About six weeks after the above-mentioned important conversation, Mr.

Witherington, who had been reading a voluminous packet of letters in his breakfast-room in Finsbury Square, pulled his bell so violently that old Jonathan thought his master must be out of his senses. This, however, did not induce him to accelerate his solemn and measured pace; and he made his appearance at the door, as usual, without speaking.

'Why don't that fellow answer the bell?' cried Mr. Witherington.

'I am here, sir,' said Jonathan solemnly.

'Well, so you are! but, confound you! you come like the ghost of a butler! But who do you think is coming here, Jonathan?'

'I cannot tell, sir.'

'But I can!--you solemn old----Edward's coming here!--coming home directly!'

'Is he to sleep in his old room, sir?' replied the imperturbable butler.

'No; the best bedroom! Why, Jonathan, he is married--he is made a captain--Captain Templemore!'

'Yes--sir.'

'And he has found his brother, Jonathan; his twin-brother!'

'Yes--sir.'

'His brother Francis--that was supposed to be lost! But it's a long story, Jonathan!--and a very wonderful one!--his poor mother has long been dead!'

'_In coelo quies!_' said Jonathan, casting up his eyes.

'But his brother has turned up again.'

'_Resurgam!_' said the butler.

'They will be here in ten days--so let everything be in readiness, Jonathan. G.o.d bless my soul!' continued the old gentleman, 'I hardly know what I'm about. It's a Spanish girl, Jonathan!'

[Ill.u.s.tration: 'Resurgam!' _said the butler._]

'What is, sir?'

'What is, sir!--why, Captain Templemore's wife; and he was tried as a pirate!'