Frank Mildmay; Or, the Naval OfficerMarryat, Frederick
History
Frank Mildmay; Or, the Naval Officer
Marryat, Frederick
Great Britain -- History, Naval -- 19th century -- Fiction; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Officers -- Fiction; Sea stories
A gentleman in the carriage was supporting a young lady in his arms, to
all appearance lifeless. With my assistance, she was speedily removed
into the house, and conveyed to a bedroom. A surgeon was sent for, but
none was to be had; the only practitioner of the town being at that
moment gone to attend one of those cases which, according to Mr
Malthus, are much too frequent for the good of the country. I
discovered that the carriage had been overturned, and that the young
lady had been insensible ever since. There was no time to be lost; I
knew that immediate bleeding was absolutely necessary. I had acquired
thus much of surgical knowledge in the course of my professional duties.
I stated my opinion to the gentleman; and although my practice had been
very slight, offered my services to perform the operation. This offer
was accepted with thanks by the grateful father, for such I found he
was. With my sharp penknife I opened a vein in one of the whitest arms
I ever beheld. After a few moments' chafing, the blood flowed more
freely; the pulse indicated returning animation; a pair of large blue
eyes opened suddenly upon me like a masked battery; and so alarmingly
susceptible was I of the tender passion, that I quite forgot the little
actress whom I had left at the supper-table, and who, a few minutes
before, had occupied my whole thoughts and attention.
Having succeeded in restoring the fair patient to consciousness, I
prescribed a warm bed, some tea, and careful watching. My orders were
punctually obeyed; I then quitted the apartment of my patient, and began
to ruminate over the hurried and singular events of the day.
I had scarcely had time to decide in my own mind on the respective
merits of my two rival beauties, when the surgeon arrived; and, being
ushered into the sick room, declared that the patient had been treated
with skill, and that in all probability she owed her life to my presence
of mind. "But, give me leave to ask," said the doctor, addressing the
father, "how the accident happened?" The gentleman replied: that a
scoundrel, having got up behind the carriage, had been flogged off by
the postilion; and, in revenge, had thrown a stone, which knocked the
driver off his horse they took fright, turned round, and ran away down
the hill towards their own stables; and after running five miles, upset
the carriage against a post, "by which accident," said he, "my poor
daughter was nearly killed."
"What a villain!" said the doctor.
"Villain, indeed," echoed I; and so I felt I was. I turned sick at the
thought of what my ungoverned passion had done; and my regret was not a
little increased by the charms of my lovely victim; but I soon recovered
from the shock, particularly when I saw that no suspicion attached to
me. I therefore received the praises of the father and the doctor with
a becoming modest diffidence; and, with a hearty shake of the hand from
the grateful parent, was wished a good night and retired to my bed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account