Authors: Patrick O'Brian
he may have banks of an impregnable security in any one of
the innumerable caverns that are to be found where the limestone rises above
the sand. At all events he possesses the means and the zeal to carry out this
operation.’
‘In economies of this kind, would letters of credit,
drafts on a banking-house or the like have any existence, sir?’
‘They are not unknown, as between merchants in high
credit who have dealt with one another for many years: but in the present case
the gold itself would have to travel to the coast and then take ship - no great
matter, with a well armed troop of Azgar camels and the swift Algerine xebecs
or galleys. But with the pace at which the Russians are moving there is no
furious hurry, although from our latest information the fraternities’ messengers
may be on their way to Azgar by now; and in the intervening time, well before
Barclay de Tolly and Schwarzenberg can meet, it is to be hoped that the Royal
Navy will have made it impossible for any disaffected French man-of-war to help
the gold over the water, or for any vessel from the African shore to enter an
Adriatic port.’
Mr Dee paused: the colour that had risen into his
face while he was speaking faded. He was old and remote once more, and seeing Kent glance at him with evident
concern he said, ‘Pray go on, Mr Kent.’
‘Very well, sir,’ said William Kent. ‘Dr Maturin,
when we were speaking of this matter with Sir Joseph and his colleagues, it was
suggested that with your knowledge of these parts and of the at least nominally
Turkish officials governing them - of many important private and ecclesiastical
persons - that you might bring pressure to bear - in a word, that you might
cause this conspiracy to fail. The Ministry attaches great importance to the
matter and you could draw on the Treasury for very large sums indeed, if, for
example arbitrary arrests and the like were called for.’ He looked earnestly
into Stephen’s face, coughed and went on, ‘One of those present said that you
might decline, for personal reasons and on the grounds that your
Turkish and Arabic did not meet your very high standards...’
‘Arabic?’
‘Yes, sir: it might be necessary to intervene in
Africa - in Algiers or one of the other ports for example, or conceivably in
Azgar itself. Others observed that your command of languages had already
allowed you to deal admirably with Turks, Albanians and Montenegrins before:
but Sir Joseph, though agreeing most emphatically, was of opinion that a
lieutenant capable of writing both these languages might take a great deal of
the strain off your shoulders. He said that Mr Dee -’ a bow to the old
gentleman who nodded ‘- and he were acquainted with just such a person, whose
discretion could be guaranteed, whose parts and conversation were usually
thought acceptable, and whose presence might induce you to agree - a physical
gentleman.’
‘There is indeed a great deal to be said for a
literary as well as a merely colloquial knowledge of both those languages: and
of Hebrew,’ said Stephen. ‘Would it be possible to see him, at all?’
‘He is in Gibraltar at this moment, Doctor,’
said Kent. Then, ‘I believe I
gathered from Sir Joseph that you might possibly be acquainted with him
already.’
‘May I ask, sir,’ said Mr Dee, reviving, ‘whether
you have any strong feeling against Jews?’
‘I have not, sir,’ replied Stephen.
‘I am glad of that,’ said Mr Dee, ‘for the
gentleman, the physical gentleman in question, is a Jew, a Spanish Jew. That is
to say he was brought up as an orthodox Sephardi, which gave him not only the
curious Spanish the Sephardim speak in Africa and the Turkish dominions,
but Hebrew too and Arabic, together with an equally fluent Turkish. But with
age and the influence of the Enlightenment - he studied in Paris before the Revolution -
his principles grew more... liberal, as one might say. Very much more so,
indeed: he quarrelled with the synagogue, and this had a disastrous effect on
his practice, which, from the paying point of view, was entirely among its
members. He was reduced to sad straits; but in earlier days, and out of mere
kindness, he often used his linguistic skill to help one of our friends; and
some time ago it was suggested that this assistance should be put on a more
formal basis. Since then he has carried out several missions for us, usually as
a merchant in precious stones, of which he has a considerable knowledge; and
with his wide acquaintance, relations, medical skill and so on he has given
very great satisfaction. We have of course repeatedly tested his - his
discretion - in the usual way.’
‘Tell me, sir, is the gentleman married?’
‘I believe not,’ said Kent. ‘But if it is tomorrow’s
unhappy affair that prompts your question, I can assure you he is perfectly
orthodox in those respects. For a while he resided in Algiers on our behalf, and the
reporting agent mentioned two mistresses, one white, one black. But apart from
these ladies he had many connexions in Algiers, his musical abilities
making him particularly welcome among the Europeans of the better sort: and
these connexions may prove of the utmost value if Algiers is the chosen port, which
seems...
‘Very true,’ said Mr Dee. ‘But I must insist that
the Adriatic harbours and dockyards come first: a great show of force, the
elimination of potential enemies and the presence of the Royal Navy will
necessarily have a great effect upon the fraternities - so great an effect that
their conspiracy may well prove abortive. All our efforts should be directed
towards that end. I am too old and infirm to take an active part: but my
cousins have a banking-house in Ancona, just across the water,
and from there I can correspond with my Turkish friends in the Ottoman
provinces and co-ordinate our operations. I can also communicate with London by the bankers’ couriers.’
During the time of this conference, Jack had been
very much occupied with the rest of his squadron: on the way down from Madeira
he had had all the captains to dinner, he had been aboard them repeatedly, and
he had a fair notion of their abilities; but it was still not clear how he
should divide the ships for their separate duties. As far as the Adriatic was concerned, he would
certainly shift his pennant into the Surprise, with her wonderful sailing
qualities, her old, trained, thoroughly reliable
ship’s company, capable of such a deadly rate of fire: but for his consort he
could not decide between Pomone and Dover. The difference in
broadside weight of metal was very great: no less than a hundred and forty-four
pounds. But the thirty-gun Pomone was the unhappy ship whose captain was laid
up in Funchal with a badly broken leg, unlikely to recover, and whose second
lieutenant was confined to his cabin to await trial for an offence under the
twenty-ninth Article of War, which dealt with ‘unnatural and detestable sin’ -
a ship to which Lord Keith had appointed a young man, very recently made post,
the only qualified officer at hand. Whatever the outcome of tomorrow’s ugly
trial, the Pomone’s people would be very upset - new
officers, new ways ... mockery.
‘Larboard, sir?’ asked Bonden in an undertone.
Jack nodded. The gig hooked on and he ran up the
frigate’s side, still lost in thought. He had seen the flagship’s barge
carrying the civilians away long before and he expected to find Stephen in the
cabin. ‘Where is the Doctor?’ he cried.
‘Which he is in the other doctor’s cabin,’ said
Killick, appearing as if by magic, ‘discoursing of physical matters and
drinking rare old East India sherry. Dr Glover called
for another bottle a quarter of an hour ago.’
In fact at this moment they were discoursing of
impotence. Their conversation had begun when, having dismissed the Sick and
Hurt Board as a parcel of incompetent Ascitans, fit only to dance round an
inflated wineskin, Dr Glover asked Stephen whether he had heard of the death of
Governor Wood of Sierra Leone.
‘I have, alas,’ said Stephen. ‘A most
hospitable man: he and his wife entertained us nobly when we were there in
Bellona. I am about to write... the most difficult kind of letter in the world,
however highly you esteem the person to whom it is addressed, and however much
you sympathize. I grieve for her extremely.’
Dr Glover did not reply for some time: then, having
finished his glass, he looked sideways at his old friend and said, ‘I was in Freetown the best part of a year,
and they were both my patients. I can tell you as one medico to another that in
this case formal expressions of regret would be perfectly adequate: more indeed
might be offensive. It was not anything much of a marriage, you know. Indeed
legally I believe it was no marriage at all. The Governor was impotent. I took
the ordinary measures, and some out of the ordinary: but nothing answered. How
the connexion came about in the first place or what they made of it I do not
know: but they slept in separate rooms and I had the strong impression that it
was but a sad cohabitation - guilt and resentment just under the surface. He of
course was a busy man, and very fortunately she had her anatomical studies - a
most uncommonly gifted lady. No. Condolence by all means; but tempered, tempered .
Besides, one very usual and genuine source of grief
is wholly lacking: she is well-off in her own right. I know the family in Lancashire.’
‘So much the better. Now reverting to this
question of impotence: was it physical?’
‘Not evidently so.’
‘Was the patient an opium-eater?’
‘Certainly not. I once had occasion to
administer a very moderate dose, and he was astonished by the effects. No, no:
it was all in the head - and what innumerable strange surprising fancies the
head of a physically normal, active, intelligent man can hold, quite apart from
anxiety, that most- what is it?’
‘Commodore’s
compliments, sir,’ said a midshipman, ‘and when Dr Maturin is at liberty,
should be happy to see him. But I am to add that there is no hurry at all.’
‘Another glass before you go...
or rather let me call for another bottle, since there is no hurry.’
‘You are too kind,’ said Stephen, shaking his head;
and to the boy, ‘Pray tell the Commodore that I shall wait upon him directly.’
‘Why, Stephen, there you are,’ cried Jack. ‘I do beg
pardon for interrupting you. But since I am sure you have heard of poor
Governor Wood’s death, I thought you would like to know that there is a
Guineaman sailing this evening, in case you chose to send... Then again, the
Admiral has a courier setting off for England within the hour: I have asked for
William Reade to bring Ringle, and since she will need a day or two’s readying,
he could ride over to Woolhampton, taking messages and bringing things back.’
‘I had indeed heard of Captain Wood’s death, God rest
his soul, and I have been composing a letter to his widow in my mind - perhaps
I may be able to dash something off by this evening, though I am a slow, dry
and barren creature with a pen. As for William Reade, if he will buy a fine
bold hoop in Portsmouth and give it to Brigid with
my love, together with this crown piece, I should be infinitely obliged to him.
And if he would bring back my narwhal horn, or rather tusk - the tusk you so
very kindly gave me a great while since - I should be most uncommon grateful. I
was contemplating on it in the night, for I am told that in Mahon we are likely
to meet that eminent engineer, metallurgist and natural philosopher James
Wright, and I hope that he will be able to tell me - do you see the horn in
your eye, at all clearly?’
‘Fairly well.’
‘To tell me whether those
whorls, or perhaps I should say those torsades or undulations, and those
spirals running from the base almost to the very tip add strength or possibly
elasticity to the whole improbable structure.’
‘Beg pardon, sir,’ said Killick, ‘but your number
one scraper ain’t fit to be seen aboard the flag.’ He held up a gold-laced hat,
very fine, but strangely dented. ‘Which you trod on it last Thursday and put it
back in its case without a word: but there is still just time to have it
reblocked at Broad’s.’
‘Make it so, Killick,’ said Jack. ‘Ask Mr Willis
for a boat.’ And to Stephen, ‘I shall add your requests in my letter to Reade:
hoop and a crown for Brigid, with your love, and the narwhal horn.’
‘Love to dear Sophie too, of course, and the
kindest of wishes to Clarissa Oakes. The horn is in a bow-case, hanging in one
of the cupboards in the gunroom. Brother, I am afraid you are low in your
spirits.’
‘I do so hate a court-martial, above all one of
this kind. Will you attend?’
‘I will not. In any case I have an appointment
ashore.’ They gazed out of the great broad sweep of stern-lights at the tawny
Rock itself, soaring away as unlikely and as impressive as ever. ‘Jack,’ he
went on, with a significant expression familiar to them both, ‘it is not
impossible that I may bring an assistant surgeon back with me. If I am not
mistaken entirely, it would not be fit that the gentleman should mess with the
midshipmen and mates, so if he cannot be admitted to the gunroom, perhaps I
might be indulged in his company as a guest?’
‘Of course you may,’ said Jack. ‘But if he is a
gentleman of a certain age and standing, as I suppose, I am sure the gunroom
would stretch a point, particularly as you are almost never there: he could take
your place.’
‘As far as standing goes, he is as much of a
physician as myself - a doctor of medicine. We studied
in Paris together for a while: he
was some years junior to me, but already highly
considered as an anatomist. That would certainly be the best arrangement; for although he
is a tolerable musician, and you might very well consider inviting him on
occasion that would certainly be the best arrangement.’
Feeling Stephen’s embarrassment, Jack cried, ‘Oh, I
have not told you: tomorrow is going to be a day of hellish turmoil. I am
shifting my pennant into Surprise and there are going to be some important
changes: apart from anything else the squadron is promised two new drafts to
bring us up to something like establishment.’