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I once more resigned the wheel to Miss Onslow's hand, with strict injunctions to her not to leave it or attempt to get a peep at the interior of the boat, on any account, and then went forward to prepare a rope's-end to drop into her as we drew up alongside.
Merciful Heaven, how near it was! it looked as though one could lean over the rail and dabble one's hand in it. But it was clear; there was no wreckage or anything else so far as I could see to hurt us, should we leap. A lifebuoy was hanging over the taffrail, suspended by a stout lanyard; and this buoy I hurriedly cut adrift, passing it over Miss Onslow's shoulders and up under her armpits.
An end to it came at last, however; the gale broke, the wind softened down somewhat, and at length the sea went down sufficiently to permit of the wheel being once more lashed; when, leaving the brig in Miss Onslow's charge, with strict injunctions that I was at once to be called in the event of a change for the worse in the weather, I went below, rolled into the mate's bunk, and instantly lost all consciousness for the ensuing ten hours.
Instantly quite a little hubbub arose among the excited passengers, General O'Brien and some half a dozen other men among them pressing about poor Dacre with suggestions and proposals of the most impossible character. And in the midst of it all I heard Miss Onslow's clear, rich voice exclaiming bitterly: "Cruel! cruel!
I shouted, while vainly striving to shake off Miss Onslow's tenacious hold upon my arm, that I might get within striking reach of him "silence! How dare you address a helpless, defenceless woman in that insulting manner? What do you expect to gain by it? Address yourself exclusively to me, if you please." "Wid all me heart," answered O'Gorman, in nowise offended by my abuse of him.
The sky looked so beautifully fine and clear when I went below to breakfast, in response to Miss Onslow's summons, that it came upon me quite as a shock to discover as I did by a casual glance that the mercury was falling; not much, but just enough to indicate that the breeze was going to freshen.
I lament much that I have not preserved it; I only remember that he expressed a high opinion of his talents and virtues; but observed, that 'his perpetual study was to ward off petty inconveniences, and procure petty pleasures; that his love of continual superiority was such, that he took care to be always surrounded by women , who listened to him implicitly, and did not venture to controvert his opinions; and that his desire of distinction was so great, that he used to give large vails to the Speaker Onslow's servants, that they might treat him with respect.
Onslow, were enough to suggest to Vargrave that he might be on the verge of a family secret, the knowledge of which could be turned to advantage. He took care not to confess his ignorance, but artfully proceeded to draw out Mr. Onslow's communications. "Why, it is true," said he, "that Maltravers and I had no secrets. Ah, we were wild fellows then! The name of Butler is in his family, eh?"
Stop, I have not finished yet," I continued, as I saw that he was about to bluster. "You have been labouring under the delusion, all along, that Miss Onslow's presence among us affords you an effective means of coercing me to do certain things for you. Now, it is time that such an impression should be removed.
Miss Onslow's appetite was not, however, as yet quite keen enough to admit of her partaking of raw fowl; but she drank a little water out of the baler the only utensil we possessed. As she returned the baler to me she remarked: "You must not allow my squeamishness to be a bar to the satisfaction of your own appetite, if you feel hungry enough to eat raw flesh.
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