The Water-Witch; Or, the Skimmer of the Seas: A TaleCooper, James Fenimore
General
The Water-Witch; Or, the Skimmer of the Seas: A Tale
Cooper, James Fenimore
Sea stories
“Let him wait: there is no necessity for haste. He has probably
communicated some of the objects of this extraordinary call on my time,
Carnaby; and you can break them, in the intervening moments.”
“I am sorry to say, my lord, that the fellow is as obstinate as a mule.
I felt the impropriety of introducing him, personally, to your
lordship; but as he insisted he had affairs that would deeply interest
you, my lord, I could not take upon me to say, what would be agreeable
to your lordship, or what not; and so I was bold enough to write the
note.”
“And a very properly expressed note it was, Master Carnaby. I have not
received a better worded communication, since my arrival in this
colony.”
“I am sure the approbation of your lordship might justly make any man
proud! It is the ambition of my life, my lord, to do the duties of my
station in a proper manner, and to treat all above me with a suitable
respect, my lord, and all below me as in reason bound. If I might
presume to think in such a matter, my lord, I should say, that these
colonists are no great judges of propriety, in their correspondence, or
indeed in anything else.”
The noble visitor shrugged his shoulder, and threw an expression into
his look, that encouraged the retailer to proceed.
“It is just what I think myself, my lord,” he continued, simpering;
“but then,” he added, with a condoling and patronizing air, “how should
they know any better? England is but an island, after all; and the
whole world cannot be born and educated on the same bit of earth.”
“’Twould be inconvenient, Carnaby, if it led to no other unpleasant
consequence.”
“Almost, word for word, what I said to Mrs. Carnaby myself, no later
than yesterday, my lord, only vastly better expressed. ’Twould be
inconvenient, said I, Mrs. Carnaby, to take in the other lodger, for
everybody cannot live in the same house; which covers, as it were, the
ground taken in your lordship’s sentiment. I ought to add, in behalf of
the poor woman, that she expressed, on the same occasion, strong
regrets that it is reported your lordship will be likely to quit us
soon, on your return to old England.”
“That is really a subject on which there is more cause to rejoice than
to weep. This imprisoning, or placing within limits, so near a relative
of the crown, is an affair that must have unpleasant consequences, and
which offends sadly against all propriety.”
“It is awful, my lord! If it be not sacrilege by the law, the greater
the shame of the opposition in Parliament, who defeat so many other
wholesome regulations, intended for the good of the subject.”
“Faith, I am not sure I may not be driven to join them myself, bad as
they are, Carnaby; for this neglect of ministers, not to call it by a
worse name, might goad a man to even a more heinous measure.’
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