The Mauritius Command (10 page)
"Ugly, Bonden, very ugly," said Stephen, and no more until they were alongside the Boadicea, when he said, "Good night, now; and thank you for rowing me home."
He turned in with Leguat's Voyage, with its fascinating account of the solitaire, and Sparmann; and late in the middle watch he heard Jack come aboard. But it was not until quite late in the morning that they met, Stephen having been called to the sick-bay to deal with an alcoholic coma that had suddenly started to gush blood at the ears; and when they did meet it was clear to him that both his crapulous night and his crapulous morning (the sick-bay had smelt like a distillery) were to be prolonged. Captain Aubrey had the yellow, puffy look of one who has drunk far too much--so much indeed that his twenty-mile ride back had not worked it off. "Twenty miles, more than twenty miles, on a damned screw that flung me down three times, and spoilt my best nankeen trousers," he said. His steward had broken the coffee- pot: his French cook had gone ashore with Bretonniere to join the other prisoners of war, and never more would there be brioche for breakfast. But infinitely more than even the missing coffee was the fact that the Admiral had promised Jack his orders and had not produced them. An interminable, inconclusive conference with the Governor, Mr Farquhar and two general officers of a stupidity remarkable even for the army: then an equally long supper with the soldiers, determined to make their guest drunk. And all this while no orders. By the time Jack set off on his glandered mare the Admiral had long since gone to bed; the flag- lieutenant knew nothing about any orders, written or even contemplated. So here he was, as he told Stephen in the cabin, not knowing where he was: there had been no word about his pendant at any time. So here he was, left hanging up in the air: perhaps the expedition would not take place at all: and if It did, after months of delay, perhaps he was not intended to command at all--there had been a furtive, evasive look in the eye of the Admiral's secretary, an ill-looking, untrustworthy swab, for all he was a parson. There had been no mention of higher command in his original sailing orders, and although the Admiral had certainly spoken as though the matter were settled, the appointment no doubt lay at his discretion: the Admiral might have changed his mind: he might have been influenced by the opinion of the council. And then earlier there had been that ominous "if you hoist your pendant'.
"Let us take a turn on deck," he said. "My head seems to be made of hot sand. And Stephen, might I beg you, implore you, not to smoke those vile things in the cabin? It is your pot-house all over again, like that soldiers" mess last night."
They reached the quarterdeck in time to see an odd figure come up the side, a young man dressed in a gaudy coat and a little gaudy hat. He had come up the starboard side, the officers" side, and as he advanced towards Mr Seymour he saluted. The first lieutenant hesitated: not so Jack. "Turn that fellow off the ship," he roared. Then, in a lower voice, holding his hand to his aching forehead, "What the devil does he mean by it, prancing about the deck of a King's ship improperly dressed, like a Jack-pudding? "The young man got into a boat, and was rowed away by a crew of merry-andrews, all in much the same kind of rig.
Jack's steward cautiously sidled near, muttering something about "the gunroom's pot', and Stephen said, "I believe he means that coffee's up." It was: and as they drank it benignity returned, helped by fresh cream, bacon, eggs, pig's fry, the last of the true French short bastards, toasted, and Sophie's orange marmalade.
"I am sorry I was so cursed snappish just now, about your cigar," said Jack, pushing back his chair at last and undoing his waistcoat. "Pray smoke, Stephen. You know I like the smell."
"Ay," said Stephen. He broke a cigar in three, crumbled one piece, moistened it with a few drops of coffee, rolled it in paper, and lit it with a voluptuous indraught. "Listen, now, will you?" he said. "Bonden, Killick and some others are aboard the Nereide, and wish to return to you. All tastes are to be found in nature, we are told; and it is to be presumed that they like the brutal, arbitrary, tyrannical exercise of power."
"Oh," cried Jack, "how very, very pleased I am! It will be like old times. I have rarely regretted anything so much as having to part with them. But will Corbett ever let them go? He's devilish short- handed; and it's only a courtesy, you know, except to a flag. Why, a man like Bonden is worth his weight in gold."
"Corbett does not seem to be aware of his value, however: he gave him fifty lashes."
"Flogged Bonden?" cried Jack, going very red. "Flogged my cox'n? By God, I... "
A nervous young gentleman brought the news that the Commander-in-chief's flag-lieutenant had been seen putting off from the shore and the captain of the Otter from his sloop, and that Mr Seymour thought Captain Aubrey might like to know.
"Thank you, Mr Lee," said Jack, and he went on deck: Lord and Lady Clonfert had been far, far from his mind, but they came back with a rush as he saw the Otter's gig, pulled by the same merry-andrews of just before breakfast, approaching the Boadicea. It was at about the same distance as the Raisonable's barge, but the flag-lieutenant paused by the flagship to exchange a bellowed and apparently very amusing conversation with a friend on her poop, and before it was over the gig was alongside.
Clonfert was piped aboard, a slight, strikingly handsome, youthful-looking man in full uniform with a star on the bosom of his coat and a singular expression of expectation and uneasiness on his face. He flushed as Jack shook his hand, saying, "I am happy to see you again, Clonfert; but I heartily wish I had better news for you. Come into my cabin." Once there he went on, "I am very much concerned to tell you, that because of an unfortunate misunderstanding about the time, I was obliged to leave Plymouth without Lady Clonfert."
"Oh," said Clonfert, with a look of bitter contrariety on his mobile face. "I was afraid that might be so. I sent early to enquire, but it seems that the message I sent by one of my officers could not be received."
"An officer?" cried Jack. "I had no notion--an officer, in that rig?"
"I am sorry it did not meet with your approval, sir," said Clonfert stiffly. "But it is my custom to dress my gig's crew in my own colours--it is usual enough in the service, I believe--and the gentlemen under my command fall in with my humour. I confess it is irregular, however."
"Well, it can lead to misunderstanding. Still, it is cleared up now, and I have delivered my damned unwelcome news--I regret it extremely, but I am sure that Lady Clonfert will have taken the next Indiaman. She will have travelled in much greater comfort, and she should be here within the next week or so, for we made but a slow passage of it. You will dine with me? We have a sucking-pig, and I recall you was fond of sucking-pig in the Agamemnon."
Clonfert flushed again at the name of the ship: he darted an intensely suspicious glance at Jack, and then with an artificial air he said he must beg to be excused--with infinite reluctance he must plead a previous engagement--but that in taking his leave he must be allowed to express his sense of Captain Aubrey's great politeness in having intended to bring Lady Clonfert to the Cape; he was penetre, penetre-
He brought it off well enough to make Jack, whose conscience was far from easy on that score, feel something of a scrub; and if he had not tripped on his way out of the cabin the performance would have been well-nigh perfect. The flag-lieutenant was already on deck, talking and laughing with Seymour, when Jack saw his visitor to the side; and Jack's searching eye saw that the jolly young man was the bearer not of the unimportant inconclusive temporizing verbal order that he had so dreaded--that he had so reasonably dreaded, from the tone of last night's conference--but of an important folder bound up with tape, red official tape.
In the cabin once more he received the folder; but first he had to listen to the flag- lieutenant's message. "The Admiral desires me to say, sir, that he was taken unwell just after the meeting; that he was unable to give you your orders as he had intended; but that he dictated them from his bed at the earliest possible moment. In fact, sir, he dictated them to me, the secretary not being in the way."
"So you know what is in them, I dare say?"
"Yes sir; and may I be the first to wish you joy of your pendant, sir?"
"Thank you, Mr Forster," said Jack, with the full sun lighting up his heart and bowels, his whole being. "Thank you very much indeed. I trust the Admiral's indisposition causes him no pain or distress? I could wish him restored to the most amazing health and happiness immediately." The flag-lieutenant thought that perhaps the Admiral had eaten something; for his part he had recommended a dose of rhubarb; and Jack listened to him with an appearance of steady solicitous attention. Jack looked decently solemn, but his mind was swimming in happiness, a happiness made all the more wholly concrete, real and tangible when the flag-lieutenant's recollections of an occasion upon which he too had eaten something came to an end and Jack could cut the tape and see that his orders were addressed to Commodore Aubrey. Yet underlying this pure felicity there was another level of consciousness, a hard, sober determination to come straight into direct contact with the real thing', to see exactly what it amounted to, to gauge the limits of his possible initiative, to weigh up the forces in presence, and to start dealing with the situation at once.
The orders were clear, concise, and urgent: the Admiral had obviously had his way. Commodore Aubrey was directed and required to repair aboard the Raisonable; to hoist his pendant; to take the ships and vessels named in the margin under his command; to proceed to sea with the utmost dispatch; to seek out and destroy the French cruisers operating south of IO'S and west of 70*E, and, with the cooperation of the officer commanding the land forces on Rodriguez (which were to be reinforced at the appropriate juncture), to undertake the reduction of the French possessions of the Ile Bourbon, otherwise Ile de la Reunion, otherwise Ile Buonaparte, and of the Mauritius, otherwise Ile de France, together with that of tht French ships and vessels in the seas thereto adjacent: he was to attend to the general directions in the attached schedules A and B; and in all political matters or those having a bearing on contact with the civil population he was to seek the advice of William Farquhar, Esquire, H.M. Governor- Designate, and in the absence of Mr Farquhar then that of Dr. Stephen Maturin.
The schedules, together with various appreciations, charts, hydrographical notes, and estimates of the French strength, mostly derived from the American merchantmen that passed to and fro, were in separate packets; and among them was a paper bearing the superscription Lieutenant Johnson, R.N., Boadicea. "What is this?" asked Jack.
"The Admiral has confirmed your acting-order for Mr Johnson," said the flag lieutenant. "It is his commission."
Jack nodded, a fresh let of pleasure overcoming the underlying gravity for a moment, and the flag- lieutenant went on, "I am also to say, sir, that the Admiral desires you will use your own discretion entirely as far as Raisonable is concerned, and shift your pendant just as you see fit: he knows her condition only too well. He asks for this list of followers and servants to be sent to him in Cape Town, and he hopes you will see proper to maintain the following appointments. He much regrets that time and his present indisposition do not allow him to communicate the confidential remarks upon your captains personally, in the usual manner, and begs you will forgive this hasty scribble." He passed a half sheet of paper, folded and sealed, and said, "I believe that is all, sir, apart from Mr Shepherd's message: he says that since you will need a commodore's secretary he begs to recommend his cousin, Mr Peter. Mr Peter has been several months on this station and is thoroughly au courant.He is in Simon's Town at the moment--rode over with me--if you choose to see him."
"I should be happy to see Mr Peter," said Jack, strongly aware of the importance of these civilities, of the importance of good relations throughout the squadron.
Decency required Jack to refresh the flag-lieutenant; decency required the flag-lieutenant to see his share of the bottle out within ten minutes, in order to leave the new commodore free for the innumerable tasks awaiting him; but although the young man did his best, no period of Jack's life had ever passed so slowly.
When Mr Forster had gone at last, Jack summoned Johnson and said, "I wish you joy of your commission, Mr Johnson. Here it is. The Admiral has confirmed your acting-order, and I am very sure you deserve it." He handed over the precious document, even more precious perhaps to Johnson than his pendant was to Jack--certainly less loaded with responsibility--and both to cut short the flood of thanks and to gain a few minutes he said, "Pray be so good as to send the bosun as soon as possible," while to the bosun he said, "Mr Fellowes, I do not suppose we have a broad pendant in the colour-chest? If not, I should be obliged if you would have one run up directly."
"Aye aye, sir," said the bosun, trying to suppress a grin, "broad pendant it is." Out of piety, a dread of offending fate by presumption, Jack had never ordered one to be made: he had felt the temptation very strongly--he had longed to cherish it in private--but he had waited until it should be certain. On the other hand the Boadiceas had turned the matter over in their heads well north of the line, ferreting about and fitting odd scraps together; they had become convinced of the need for such an object, and it had been lying by these last four thousand miles.
The bosun hurried off forward: Jack broke the Admiral's seal and read: "Captain Pym of the Sirius is a thoroughly reliable, conscientious officer, but wanting in initiative; Captain Corbett of the Nereide, though he keeps an excellent discipline and is of outstanding value as a fighting commander, has a tendency to irascibility that is to be regretted; he is on bad terms with Captain Lord Clonfert of the Otter, and the two should not be sent together on detached service if it can be avoided. Lord Clonfert has distinguished himself recently in several minor actions of a most dashing nature; and he, like Captain Corbett, has a considerable acquaintance with the waters off Reunion and Mauritius." The confidential remarks told Jack perhaps rather more about the Admiral than the captains; but he had scarcely formulated this reflection before Fellowes came hurrying back, bearing the beautiful pendant in his arms. Jack looked at it with an affectation of detachment that could scarcely have deceived his daughters, far less the bosun. "Thank " you, Mr Fellowes," he said. "Pray put it on the locker, and then ask the Doctor, with my compliments, whether he can spare a moment."