按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
meanwhile without care or fear。 He was to check himself in
nothing； his two extravagances； valuable horses and worthless
brothers； were to be indulged in comfort； and whether the year
quite paid itself or not； whether successive years left accumulated
savings or only a growing deficit； the fortune of the golden aunt
should in the end repair all。
On this understanding Charles Jenkin transported his family to
Church House； Northiam： Charles the second； then a child of three；
among the number。 Through the eyes of the boy we have glimpses of
the life that followed： of Admiral and Mrs。 Buckner driving up
from Windsor in a coach and six； two post…horses and their own
four； of the house full of visitors； the great roasts at the fire；
the tables in the servants' hall laid for thirty or forty for a
month together； of the daily press of neighbours； many of whom；
Frewens； Lords； Bishops； Batchellors； and Dynes； were also
kinsfolk； and the parties 'under the great spreading chestnuts of
the old fore court；' where the young people danced and made merry
to the music of the village band。 Or perhaps； in the depth of
winter； the father would bid young Charles saddle his pony； they
would ride the thirty miles from Northiam to Stowting； with the
snow to the pony's saddle girths； and be received by the tenants
like princes。
This life of delights； with the continual visible comings and
goings of the golden aunt； was well qualified to relax the fibre of
the lads。 John； the heir； a yeoman and a fox…hunter； 'loud and
notorious with his whip and spurs；' settled down into a kind of
Tony Lumpkin； waiting for the shoes of his father and his aunt。
Thomas Frewen； the youngest； is briefly dismissed as 'a handsome
beau'； but he had the merit or the good fortune to become a doctor
of medicine； so that when the crash came he was not empty…handed
for the war of life。 Charles； at the day…school of Northiam； grew
so well acquainted with the rod； that his floggings became matter
of pleasantry and reached the ears of Admiral Buckner。 Hereupon
that tall； rough…voiced； formidable uncle entered with the lad into
a covenant： every time that Charles was thrashed he was to pay the
Admiral a penny； everyday that he escaped； the process was to be
reversed。 'I recollect；' writes Charles； 'going crying to my
mother to be taken to the Admiral to pay my debt。' It would seem
by these terms the speculation was a losing one； yet it is probable
it paid indirectly by bringing the boy under remark。 The Admiral
was no enemy to dunces； he loved courage； and Charles； while yet
little more than a baby； would ride the great horse into the pond。
Presently it was decided that here was the stuff of a fine sailor；
and at an early period the name of Charles Jenkin was entered on a
ship's books。
From Northiam he was sent to another school at Boonshill； near Rye；
where the master took 'infinite delight' in strapping him。 'It
keeps me warm and makes you grow；' he used to say。 And the stripes
were not altogether wasted； for the dunce； though still very 'raw；'
made progress with his studies。 It was known； moreover； that he
was going to sea； always a ground of pre…eminence with schoolboys；
and in his case the glory was not altogether future； it wore a
present form when he came driving to Rye behind four horses in the
same carriage with an admiral。 'I was not a little proud； you may
believe；' says he。
In 1814； when he was thirteen years of age； he was carried by his
father to Chichester to the Bishop's Palace。 The Bishop had heard
from his brother the Admiral that Charles was likely to do well；
and had an order from Lord Melville for the lad's admission to the
Royal Naval College at Portsmouth。 Both the Bishop and the Admiral
patted him on the head and said； 'Charles will restore the old
family'； by which I gather with some surprise that； even in these
days of open house at Northiam and golden hope of my aunt's
fortune； the family was supposed to stand in need of restoration。
But the past is apt to look brighter than nature； above all to
those enamoured of their genealogy； and the ravages of Stephen and
Thomas must have always given matter of alarm。
What with the flattery of bishops and admirals； the fine company in
which he found himself at Portsmouth； his visits home； with their
gaiety and greatness of life； his visits to Mrs。 Buckner （soon a
widow） at Windsor； where he had a pony kept for him； and visited at
Lord Melville's and Lord Harcourt's and the Leveson…Gowers； he
began to have 'bumptious notions；' and his head was 'somewhat
turned with fine people'； as to some extent it remained throughout
his innocent and honourable life。
In this frame of mind the boy was appointed to the CONQUEROR；
Captain Davie； humorously known as Gentle Johnnie。 The captain had
earned this name by his style of discipline； which would have
figured well in the pages of Marryat： 'Put the prisoner's head in
a bag and give him another dozen！' survives as a specimen of his
commands； and the men were often punished twice or thrice in a
week。 On board the ship of this disciplinarian； Charles and his
father were carried in a billy…boat from Sheerness in December；
1816： Charles with an outfit suitable to his pretensions； a
twenty…guinea sextant and 120 dollars in silver； which were ordered
into the care of the gunner。 'The old clerks and mates；' he
writes； 'used to laugh and jeer me for joining the ship in a billy…
boat； and when they found I was from Kent； vowed I was an old
Kentish smuggler。 This to my pride； you will believe； was not a
little offensive。'
THE CONQUEROR carried the flag of Vice…Admiral Plampin； commanding
at the Cape and St。 Helena； and at that all…important islet； in
July； 1817； she relieved the flagship of Sir Pulteney Malcolm。
Thus it befel that Charles Jenkin； coming too late for the epic of
the French wars； played a small part in the dreary and disgraceful
afterpiece of St。 Helena。 Life on the guard…ship was onerous and
irksome。 The anchor was never lifted； sail never made； the great
guns were silent； none was allowed on shore except on duty； all day
the movements of the imperial captive were signalled to and fro；
all night the boats rowed guard around the accessible portions of
the coast。 This prolonged stagnation and petty watchfulness in
what Napoleon himself called that 'unchristian' climate； told
cruelly on the health of the ship's company。 In eighteen months；
according to O'Meara； the CONQUEROR had lost one hundred and ten
men and invalided home one hundred and seven； being more than a
third of her complement。 It does not seem that our young
midshipman so much as once set eyes on Bonaparte； and yet in other
ways Jenkin was more fortunate than some of his comrades。 He drew
in water…colour； not so badly as his father； yet ill