Part 70 (1/2)

”I had better not read it,” said Jack. ”Let Miss Summerhayes do so.”

”I've no secrets from _you_, lad. There's nothing in it you shouldn't know; but, no, no, 'tain't for my dar'ter's eyes. It's from my brother's lawyers, to say he's dead.”

”What, dead?”

”Yes, died last January. They say he had summat on his mind; they refer me to this packet here--his journals.” The Pilot took up two fat little books, in which a diary had been kept in a clear, clerkly hand. ”I've been looking them through, and it's all as clear as if it had been printed.”

Scarlett sat down, and looked at the old man earnestly.

”I've told you,” continued Summerhayes, ”how I hated my brother: you've heard me curse him many a time. Well, the reason's all set down in these books. It worried him as he lay sickening for his death. To put it short, it was this: He was rich--I was poor. I was married--he was single. He had s.h.i.+ps--I had none. So he gave me command of one of his tea-clippers, and I handed over to his care all I held dear. But I believed he proved unworthy of my trust. And so he did, but not as I thought. Here in his diary he put down everything he did while I was on that voyage; writing himself down blackguard, if ever a man did. But he owns that however base was his wish, he was defeated in the fulfilment of it. And here, as he was slowly dying, he puts down how he repents. He was bad, he was grasping, he was unscrupulous, but he wasn't as bad as he wished to be, and that's all you can say for him. I bury my resentment with his body. He's dead, and my hatred's dead. To prove his repentance he made his Will, of which this is a certified copy.”

The Pilot handed to Jack a lengthy legal doc.u.ment, which had a heavy red seal attached to it, and continued, ”To my dar'ter he leaves the bulk of his money, an' to me his s.h.i.+ps. There, that ends the whole matter.”

Jack read the deed while the Pilot smoked.

”You're a rich man, Captain Summerhayes,” said he, as he handed back the doc.u.ment to its owner.

”If I choose to take the gift,” growled the Pilot.

”Which you must, or else see an immense sum of money go into the maw of Chancery.”

”Chancery be smothered! Ain't there my dar'ter Rose?”

”Yes, but she couldn't take the s.h.i.+ps except at your wish or at your death.”

”Then she shall have 'em.”

”Nonsense, Pilot. You know now that your brother never wronged you unpardonably. You own that in a large measure you misjudged him. Now then, place your unfounded charge against his evil intention, and you are quits. He tried to square himself by leaving you half his wealth, and you will square yourself with him by accepting his gift. If you don't do that, you will die a worse man than he.”

The Pilot was silent for some time, and drummed the table with his fingers.

”I don't like it,” he complained.

”You must take it. If you don't, you will drag before the public a matter that must grieve your daughter.”

”All right, I'll take it; but I shall hold it in trust for my gal.”

”That is as you please.”

”But there's one good thing in it, Jack. Sartoris! Rosebud! Come here.

There's a gentleman wants to see you.”

Rose Summerhayes and the s.h.i.+pless Captain, when the Pilot opened his mail, had retired to the kitchen, in order that the old man, who was evidently upset by his news, might digest it quietly. They now reappeared, looking half-scared lest the heavens had fallen on the Pilot.

They were astonished to see him radiant, and laughing with Jack.

”Now, my gal and Captain Sartoris, sir, I've got a little matter to clear up. I own there was a problem in them letters as almost bamfoozled me. I confess it almost beat me. I own it got the better of me considerably. But this young man, here--stand up, Jack, and don't look as if you'd stolen the sugar out of the tea-caddy--this young man, my dear, pulled me through. He put it to me as plain as if he'd bin a lawyer an' a parson rolled into one. The difficulty's overcome: there's nothing of it left: it don't exist.”

Sartoris' eyes opened wider and wider as he gazed in astonishment at the Pilot, who continued, ”Yes, Sartoris, you well may look, for I'm goin'

to tell you something you don't expect. You are to have another s.h.i.+p. I have letters here as warrant me in saying that: you shall have command of another s.h.i.+p, as soon as you land in England.”