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Updated: June 11, 2025
Mr Barnacle touched the bell, and Doubleday appeared. "Doubleday, go to Hawkesbury's desk and bring me the petty-cash book and box." Hawkesbury turned pale and broke out into a rage. "What is this for, Mr Barnacle? I am not going to stand it! What right have you to suspect me?" "Give Doubleday the key," repeated Mr Barnacle. "No," exclaimed Hawkesbury, in a white heat.
"Gentlemen," said Mr Merrett, "this is my nephew, Mr Hawkesbury. I trust you will all be good friends. Eh! what!" This last exclamation was occasioned by Hawkesbury's advancing first to me and then to Smith, and shaking our hands, much to the surprise of everybody. "These two gentlemen were at school with me, uncle," he said, by way of explanation.
I was too exhausted by my effort to say anything. Jack remained by my side while the unwelcome visitor slowly walked to the door. But if one of Hawkesbury's enemies was disposed of, another remained. Billy, who had been a fuming and speechless witness of this last scene, now boiled over completely, and was to be kept in check no longer.
The horses of the French envoy's carriage were unharnessed, that he might be drawn in triumph to Lord Hawkesbury's house; and everywhere in the streets there were shouts of "Long live Bonaparte!" At the banquets the First Consul's health was drunk, and cheered as loudly as the speeches in favor of the friendship of the two nations.
Napoleon received Hawkesbury's first overtures, those of March 21st, 1801, with thinly veiled scorn; but the news of Nelson's victory at Copenhagen and of the assassination of the Czar Paul, the latter of which wrung from him a cry of rage, ended his hopes of crushing us; and negotiations were now formally begun. These claims were declared by Bonaparte to be inadmissible.
Jack did not answer, and I saw it was no use pursuing the unpleasant topic. But I was vexed with him. Why should he consider himself better than all of us who had accepted the proffered friendship of our new comrade? "Young Batch," said Doubleday one morning about a week after Hawkesbury's arrival, "come up to my diggings this evening. The other fellows are coming up, and the new boss too."
No, he didn't tell me that, my poor boy: he never told me that!" "I am," quietly said Jack. I was amazed at the composure with which he said it, and looked the visitor in the face as he did so. The face was full of pity and sympathy. Not a shade of horror crossed it, and for all he was Hawkesbury's father, I liked him more than ever.
"I'll teach him!" I had been standing up, adding my endeavours to Hawkesbury's to pacify our companion, when he suddenly lashed furiously at the horse. The wretched animal, already irritated beyond endurance, gave a wild bound forward, which threw me off my feet, and before I could put out a hand to save myself pitched me backwards into the road.
As the story had been much talked of, and apparently from good authority, I could not but have animadverted upon it in this work, had it been as was alleged; but from my earnest love of truth, and having found reason to think that there might be a mistake, I presumed to write to his Lordship, requesting an explanation; and it is with the sincerest pleasure that I am enabled to assure the world, that there is no foundation for it, the fact being, that owing to some neglect, or accident, Johnson's letter never came to Lord Hawkesbury's hands.
It's a good job Hawkesbury's booked you, my boy, for I meant to ask you to join us, and that would have done you out of your quiet day with Petty-Cash and his friends, which would be a pity." The Monday came at last, and opened perfectly.
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