Captain Wopper accepted the invitation heartily, and thought, though he said nothing, that it was indeed a poor table, seeing that the only food on it besides the very weak tea in the wonderfully small pot, consisted of one small loaf of bread.
Netta, exclaimed Mrs Roby, with a look of surprise, theres no butter! Go, fetch it, dear.
Mrs Roby was, or thought herself, a remarkably deep character. She spoke to Netta openly, but, in secret, bestowed a meaning glance on her, and slipped a small coin into her hand. The dirty, sweet-faced damsel replied by a remarkably knowing winkall of which by-play, with the reason for it, was as clear to Captain Wopper as if it had been elaborately explained to him. But the Captain was a discreet man. He became deeply absorbed in daguerreotypes and sauce-pan lids above the fireplace, to the exclusion of all else.
Youve forgotten the bag, maam, said the Captain, drawing his chair nearer the table.
So I have; dear me, what is it? cried Mrs Roby, taking it up. Its heavy.
Gold! said the Captain.
Gold? exclaimed the old nurse.
Ay, nuggets, said the seaman, opening it and emptying its contents on the table.
As the old nurse gazed on the yellow heap her black eyes glittered with pleasure, as though they had derived additional lustre from the precious metal, and she drew them towards her with a trembling, almost greedy, motion, at sight of which Captain Woppers countenance became troubled.
And did Willie send this to me, dear boy?
He did, maam, hoping that it would be of use in the way of making your home more comfortable, and enabling you to keep a better table.
He glanced uneasily round the poor room and at the small loaf as he spoke, and the old woman observed the glance.
It is very kind of him, very kind, continued Mrs Roby. What may it be worth, now?
Forty pounds, more or less, answered the Captain.
Again the old womans eyes sparkled greedily, and again the seamans countenance fell.
Surely, maam, said the Captain, gravely, things must be uncommon dear in London, for you tell me that Willum has sent you a deal of money in time past, but you dont seem to be much the better for it.
Captain Wopper, said Mrs Roby, putting her hand lightly on the Captains arm as it lay on the table, and looking earnestly into his face, if you had not been an old and valued friend of my dear Williewhich I learn that you are from his letterI would have said your remark was a rude one; but, being what you are, I dont mind telling you that I save up every penny I can scrape together for little Netta White, the girl that has just gone out to fetch the butter. Although shes not well cared for,owing to her mother, whos a washerwoman, bein overburdened with work and a drunken husband,shes one of the dearest creeters I ever did see. Bless you, sir, youd be amazed if you knew all the kind and thoughtful things that untrained and uncared for child does, and never thinks shes doing anything more than other people. Its all along of her mothers spirit, which is as good as gold. Some months ago Little Netta happened to be up here when I was at tea, and, seeing the difficulty I had to move about with my old rheumatic limbs, she said shed come and set out my tea and breakfast for me; and shes done it, sir, from that time to this, expecting nothing fur it, and thinking Im too poor to give her anything. But shes mistaken, continued Mrs Roby, with a triumphant twinkle in her black eyes, she doesnt know that Ive made a confidant of her brother Gillie, and give him a sixpence now and then to give to his mother without telling where he got it, and she doesnt know that Im saving up to be able to leave something to her when Im called homeit cant be long, now; it cant be long.
Old ooman, cried Captain Wopper, whose face had brightened wonderfully during this explanation, give us your flipyour hand. I honour your heart, maam, and Ive no respect whatever for your brain!
Im not sure that thats a compliment, said Mrs Roby, with a smile.
Captain Wopper assured her with much solemnity that it might or might not be a compliment, but it was a fact. Why, look here, said he, you go and starve yourself, and deny yourself all sorts of little comfortswhat then? Why, youll die long before your time, which is very like taking the law into your own hands, maam, and then you wont leave to Netta nearly as much as you might if you had taken care of yourself and lived longer, and saved up after a reasonable fashion. Its sheer madness. Why, maam, youre starving now, but Ill put a stop to that. Dont you mind, now, whether Im rude or not. You cant expect anything else from an old gold-digger, who has lived for years where there were no women except such as appeared to be made of mahogany, with nothing to cover em but a coating of dirt and a blue skirt. Besides, Willum told me at parting to look after you and see that you wanted for nothing, which I promised faithfully to do. Youve some regard for Willums wishes, maam?you wouldnt have me break my promises to Willum, would you?
The Captain said this with immense rapidity and vigour, and finished it with such a blow of his heavy fist on the little table that the cups and plates danced, and the lid of the little tea-pot leaped up as if its heart were about to come out of its mouth. Mrs Roby was so taken by surprise that she could not speak for a few seconds, and before she had recovered sufficiently to do so, Little Netta came in with the butter.
Now, maam, resumed the Captain, when the girl had retired, heres where it is. With your leave Ill reveal my plans to you, and ask your advice. When I was about to leave Californy, Willum told me first of all to go and find you out, and give you that letter and bag of nuggets, which Ive done. Then, says he, Wopper, you go and find out my brother Jims widow, and give em my love an dooty, and this letter, and this bag of nuggets,said letter and bag, maam, bein now in my chest aboard ship. So, says I, Willum, I willtrust me. I do, says he; and, Wopper, says he, keep your weather eye open, my boy, wen you go to see em, because Ive my suspicions, from what my poor brother said on his deathbed, when he was wandering in his mind, that his widow is extravagant. I dont know, Willum goes on to say, what the son may be, but theres that cousin, Emma Gray, that lives in the house with em, shes all right. Shes corresponded with me, off an on, since ever she could write, and my brother bein something lazy, poor fellar, through havin too much to do I fancy, got to throw all the letter-writin on her shoulders. You take special note of her, Wopper, and if it should seem to you that they dont treat her well, you let me know. Willum, says I, I willtrust me. Well, then, says Willum, theres one other individooal I want you to ferret out, thats the gentlemanhe must be an old gentleman nowthat saved my life when I was a lad, Mr Lawrence by name. You try to find him out and if you can do him a good turn, do it. Willum, says I, Ill do ittrust me. I do, says he, and when may I expect you back in Californy, Wopper? Willum, says I, that depends. True, says he, it does. Give us youre flipper, old boy, we may never meet again in these terrestrial diggings. Good luck to you. Dont forget my last will an testimony as now expressed. Willum, says I, I wont. So, maam, I left Californy with a sacred trust, so to speak, crossed the sea, and here I am.