Percival Keene Read online

  Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

  Percival Keene, by Captain Marryat.

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  Captain Frederick Marryat was born July 10 1792, and died August 8 1848.He retired from the British navy in 1828 in order to devote himself towriting. In the following 20 years he wrote 26 books, many of which areamong the very best of English literature, and some of which are stillin print.

  Marryat had an extraordinary gift for the invention of episodes in hisstories. He says somewhere that when he sat down for the day's work, henever knew what he was going to write. He certainly was a literarygenius.

  "Percival Keene" was published in 1842, the nineteenth book to flow fromMarryat's pen.

  This e-text was transcribed in 1998 by Nick Hodson, and was reformattedin 2003, and again in 2005.

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  PERCIVAL KEENE, BY CAPTAIN FREDERICK MARRYAT.

  CHAPTER ONE.

  A few miles from the town of Southampton there is an old mansion-house,which has been for centuries known as Madeline Hall, in the possessionof the de Versely family. It is a handsome building, surrounded by afinely timbered park of some extent, and, what is more important, byabout 12,000 acres of land, which also appertain to it. At the periodin which I commence this history, there resided in this mansion anelderly spinster of rank, named the Honourable Miss Delmar, sister ofthe late Lord de Versely and aunt to the present earl, and an HonourableCaptain Delmar, who was the second son of the deceased nobleman. Thisproperty belonged to the Honourable Miss Delmar, and was at her entiredisposal upon her decease.

  The Honourable Captain Delmar, at the time I am speaking of, commanded afrigate employed upon what was designated channel service, which inthose days implied that the captain held a seat in the House of Commonsand that he voted with the ministry; and further, that his vote might,when required, be forthcoming, the frigate was never sea-going, exceptduring the recess. It must be admitted that H.M. ship Paragon didoccasionally get under weigh and remain cruising in sight of land fortwo or three days, until the steward reported that the milk provided forthe captain's table was turning sour; upon which important informationthe helm was immediately put up, and the frigate, in a case of suchextreme distress, would drop her anchor at the nearest port under herlee. Now as the Paragon was constantly at Spithead, Captain Delmar wasvery attentive in visiting his aunt, who lived at Madeline Hall;ill-natured people asserted, because she had so fine an estate in herown gift. Certain it is, that he would remain there for weeks, whichgave great satisfaction to the old lady, who liked her nephew, likedattention, and was even so peculiar as to like sailors. But it must beobserved that there was another person at the mansion who also liked thecaptain, liked attention, and liked sailors; this was Miss ArabellaMason, a very pretty young woman of eighteen years of age, whoconstantly looked in the glass merely to ascertain if she had ever seena face which she preferred to her own, and who never read any novelwithout discovering that there was a remarkable likeness between theheroine and her pretty self.

  Miss Arabella Mason was the eldest daughter of the steward of the oldLord de Versely, brother to the Honourable Miss Delmar, and was muchrespected by his lordship for his fidelity and his knowledge ofbusiness, in the transaction of which he fell, for he was felling trees,and a tree fell upon him. He left a widow and two daughters: it wassaid that at his death Mrs Mason was not badly off, as her husband hadbeen very careful of his earnings. Mrs Mason, however, did notcorroborate this statement; on the contrary, she invariably pleadedpoverty; and the Honourable Miss Delmar, after Lord de Versely's death--which happened soon after that of his steward--sent both the daughtersto be educated at a country school, where, as everything that is taughtis second-rate, young ladies, of course, receive a second-rateeducation. Mrs Mason was often invited by the Honourable Miss Delmarto spend a month at Madeline Hall, and used to bring her eldestdaughter, who had left school, with her. Latterly, however, thedaughter remained as a fixture, and Mrs Mason received but anoccasional invitation. It may be inquired in what capacity MissArabella Mason remained at the Hall; she was not a servant, for herposition in life was above that of a menial; neither was she receivedaltogether in the saloon, as she was of too humble a grade to mix withgentry and nobility; she was, therefore, betwixt and between, a sort ofhumble companion in the drawing-room, a cut above the housekeeper in thestill-room, a fetcher and carrier of the honourable spinster's wishes, asort of link between the aristocratic old dame and her male attendants,towards whom she had a sort of old maidish aversion. However thisposition might be found useful to her mistress, it must be admitted thatit was a most unfortunate position for a young, thoughtless, and verypretty girl, moreover, who was naturally very lively, very smart inrepartee, and very fond of being admired.

  As the Honourable Captain Delmar was very constant in his visits to hisaunt, it was but natural that he should pay some little attention to herhumble companion. By degrees the intimacy increased, and at last therewere reports in the servants' hall, that the captain and Miss BellaMason had been seen together in the evergreen walk; and as the captain'svisits were continually repeated during the space of two years so didthe scandal increase, and people became more ill-natured. It was nowseen that Miss Bella had been very often found in tears, and the oldbutler and the older housekeeper shook their heads at each other likeresponsive mandarins; the only person who was ignorant of the scandalafloat was the old lady spinster herself.

  I must now introduce another personage. The Honourable Captain Delmardid not, of course, travel without his valet, and this importantpersonage had been selected out of the marine corps which had beendrafted into the frigate. Benjamin Keene, for such was his name, wascertainly endowed with several qualities which were indispensable in avalet; he was very clean in his person, very respectful in hisdeportment, and, after the sovereign of Great Britain, looked upon theHonourable Captain Delmar as the greatest person in the world.Moreover, Benjamin Keene, although only a private marine was, withoutexception, one of the handsomest men that ever was seen and beingequally as well made and well drilled as he was handsome in person, hewas the admiration of all the young women. But Nature, who delights ina drawback, had contrived to leave him almost without brains; andfurther, he was wholly uneducated--for he was too stupid to learn--hisfaculties were just sufficient to enable him, by constant drilling, tobe perfect in the manual exercise, and mechanically to perform hisduties as a valet.

  Ben always accompanied his master to the hall, where the former was atone and the same time the admiration and laughter of all the servants.It hardly need be observed, that the clever and sprightly Miss ArabellaMason considered Ben as one much beneath her, that is, she said so onhis first arrival at Madeline hall; but, strange to say, that two yearsafterwards, just at the time that reports had been raised that she hadbeen frequently discovered in tears, there was a change in her mannertowards him; indeed some people insinuated that she was setting her capat the handsome marine: this idea, it is true, was ridiculed by themajority; but still the intimacy appeared rapidly to increase. It wasafterwards asserted by those who find out everything after it has takenplace, that Ben would never have ventured to look up to such an unequalmatch had he not been prompted to it by his master, who actuallyproposed that he should marry the girl. That such was the fact isundoubted, although they knew it not; and Ben, who considered the wishof his captain as tantamount to an order, as soon as he could comprehendwhat his captain required of him, stood up erect and raised his handwith a flourish to his head, in token of his obedience. Shortlyafterwards, Captain Delmar again came over to Madeline Hall, accompaniedas usual, by Ben, and the se
cond day after their arrival it was madeknown to all whom it might concern, that Miss Arabella Mason hadactually contracted a secret marriage with the handsome Benjamin Keene.

  Of course, the last person made acquainted with this interestingintelligence was the Honourable Miss Delmar, and her nephew took uponhimself to make the communication. At first the honourable spinsterbridled up with indignation, wondered at the girl's indelicacy, and muchmore at her demeaning herself by marrying a private marine. CaptainDelmar replied, that it was true that Ben was only a private, but thatevery common soldier was a gentleman by profession. It was true thatBella Mason might have done better--but she was his aunt's servant, andKeene was his valet, so that the disparity was not so very great. Hethen intimated that he had long perceived the growing attachment; talkedof the danger of young people being left so much together; hinted aboutopportunity, and descanted upon morals and propriety. The HonourableMiss Delmar was softened down by the dexterous reasoning of her nephew;she was delighted to find so much virtue extant in a sailor; and, afteran hour's conversation, the married couple were sent for, graciouslypardoned, and Mrs Keene, after receiving a very tedious lecture,received a very handsome present. But if her mistress was appeased,Mrs Keene's mother was not. As soon as the intelligence was received,old Mrs Mason set off for Madeline Hall. She first had a closetedinterview with her daughter, and then with Captain Delmar, and as soonas the latter was over, she immediately took her departure, withoutpaying her respects to the mistress of the Hall, or exchanging one wordwith any of the servants; this conduct gave occasion to moreinnuendoes--some indeed ascribed her conduct to mortification at herdaughter's having made so imprudent a match, but others exchanged verysignificant glances.

  Three weeks after the marriage, the Parliament having been prorogued,the admiral of the port considered that he was justified in ordering thefrigate out on a cruise. Ben Keene, of course accompanied his master,and it was not until three months had passed away that the frigatereturned into port. As usual, the Honourable Captain Delmar, as soon ashe had paid his respects to the admiral, set off to visit his aunt,accompanied by his benedict marine. On his arrival, he found thateverything appeared to be in great confusion; indeed an event wasoccurring which had astonished the whole household; the butler made aprofound bow to the captain; the footmen forgot their usual smirk whenhe alighted. Captain Delmar was ushered in solemn silence into thedrawing-room, and his aunt, who had notice of his arrival received himwith a stiff, prim air of unwonted frigidity, with her arms crossedbefore her on her white muslin apron.

  "My dear aunt," said Captain Delmar, as she coldly took his profferedhand, "what is the matter?"

  "The matter is this, nephew," replied the old lady--"that marriage ofyour marine and Bella Mason should have taken place six months soonerthan it did. This is a wicked world, nephew; and sailors, I'm afraid,are--"

  "Marines, you should say, in this instance, my dear aunt," repliedCaptain Delmar, insinuatingly. "I must confess that neither sailors normarines are quite so strict as they ought to be; however, Ben hasmarried her. Come, my dear aunt, allow me to plead for them, although Iam very much distressed that such an event should take place in yourhouse. I think," added he, after a pause, "I shall give Mr Keene sevendozen at the gangway, for his presumption, as soon as I return onboard."

  "That won't mend the matter, nephew," replied Miss Delmar. "I'll turnher out of the house as soon as she can be moved."

  "And I'll flog him as soon as I get him on board," rejoined the captain."I will not have your feelings shocked, and your mind harassed in thisway, by any impropriety on the part of my followers--most infamous--shameful--abominable--unpardonable," interjected the captain, walkingthe quarter-deck up and down the room.

  The Honourable Miss Delmar continued to talk, and the honourable captainto agree with her in all she said, for an hour at least. When peopleare allowed to give vent to their indignation without the smallestopposition they soon talk it away; such was the case with the HonourableMiss Delmar. When it was first announced that Bella Keene was safely inbed with a fine boy, the offended spinster turned away from thecommunication with horror; when her own maid ventured to remark that itwas a lovely baby, she was ordered to hold her tongue; she would not seethe suffering mother, and the horrid marine was commanded to stay in thekitchen, lest she should be contaminated by meeting him on the stairs;but every day softened down her indignation, and before a fortnight wasover the Honourable Miss Delmar had not only seen but admired the baby;and at last decided upon paying a visit to the mother, who was nowsufficiently recovered to undergo a lecture of about two hours' length,in which the honourable spinster commented upon her _in_decency,_in_discretion, _in_considerateness, _in_correctness, _in_decorum,_in_continence, and _in_delicacy; pointing out that her conduct was mostinexcusable, iniquitous, and most infamous. The Honourable Miss Delmarhaving had such a long innings then gave it up, because she was out ofbreath. Bella, who waited patiently to make her response, and who was avery clever girl, then declared, with many tears, that she was awarethat her conduct was _in_excusable, her faults had been _in_voluntary,and her sorrow was _in_expressible; her _in_experience and her_in_fatuation her only apology; that her _in_felicity at her mistress'sdispleasure would _in_evitably increase her sufferings; assured her thatshe was not _in_corrigible, and that if her mistress would only indulgeher with forgiveness, as she hoped to _in_herit heaven she would never_in_cur her anger by committing the same fault again. Satisfied withthis assurance, the Honourable Miss Delmar softened down, and not onlyforgave, but actually took the child into her lap that Bella might readthe Bible which she had presented her with. Reader, the child who hadthis great honour conferred upon him, who actually laid in theimmaculate lap, on the apron of immaculate snowy whiteness of theimmaculate Honourable Miss Delmar, was no other person than the narratorof this history--or, if you please it, the Hero of this Tale.

  That my mother had so far smoothed things pretty well must beacknowledged; but it was to be presumed that her husband might not bepleased at so unusual an occurrence, and already the sneers andinnuendoes of the servants' hall were not wanting. It appeared,however, that an interview had taken place between Ben and CaptainDelmar shortly after my making my appearance: what occurred did nottranspire, but this is certain that, upon the marine's return to thekitchen, one of the grooms, who ventured to banter him, received such asound thrashing from Ben that it put an end to all further joking. AsBen had taken up the affair so seriously, it was presumed that if therehad been anticipation of the hymeneal rites he was himself the party whohad been hasty; and that now he was married, he was resolved to resentany impertinent remarks upon his conduct. At all events, the questionnow became one of less interest, as the scandal was of less importance;and as Ben had made known his determination to resent any remarks uponthe subject, not a word more was said, at all events when he waspresent.

  In due time I was christened, and so completely was my motherreinstalled in the good graces of her mistress, that as Captain Delmarhad volunteered to stand my sponsor, the Honourable Miss Delmar gave thenecessary female security; at the particular request of my mother, thecaptain consented that I should bear his own Christian name, and I wasduly registered in the church books as Percival Keene.