I obeyed: the twilight gave sufficient light for reading the manuscript. Besides, the writing was large and in bold characters. "Why," I said, "I know this writing. It is Sam Semple's."
At the very first words I understood what had already happened and guessed, pretty well, what was going to happen--
"Molly divine! Thy heavenly charms prevail; As when the sun doth rise stars fade and pale."
"No need for much more of the rubbish, Jack. Read the last of it. I read it all and it made me sick."
"So, matchless maid, thy silence grants consent. See, at thy feet, the poet's knee is bent-- When evening roses scatter fragrance faint And the sad Philomel renews his plaint."
"Did ever man hear such stuff, Jack? Go on."
"Within this bow'r afar from sight of men; To-morrow, Wednesday, at the hour of ten, That bow'r a shrine of Love and Temple fair, I will await thee--Samuel Semple--there."
"What do you think of that, Jack? Samuel Semple! the ragged, skulking, snivelling, impudent son of a thieving exciseman! A very fine lover for my little maid! Ha! Will he? Will he?" The captain grasped his cudgel, with resolution.
"Sir," I said, with submission. "What did Molly say to this precious epistle?"
"Molly? Dost think that I would let the little maid see such ranting stuff? Not so. The black woman brought the precious letters to me. There are three of them. Wait, Jack. Thou shalt see. Hush! I hear his step. Let us get into the summerhouse, and lie snug to see what happens."
We stepped into the summerhouse, now pretty dark, and waited expectant.
Like the captain, I was filled with amazement that Samuel, whom I knew well, who was my schoolfellow, should presume to lift his eyes so high. Alas! There is no bound, or limit, I am assured, to the presumption of such as this stringer of foolish rhymes. Yet I felt some compunction for him, because he would most assuredly receive a basting such as would cure him effectually of the passion called Love, so far as this object was concerned.
Presently, we heard footsteps crunching the gravel. "Snug, my lad! Lie snug," whispered the captain. We heard the steps making their way along the path between the gooseberry and current bushes. Then they came out upon the grass lawn before the summerhouse. "The grass is as big as a quarter-deck, Jack," said the captain. "It will serve for the basting of a measley clerk. I've knocked down many a mutinous dog on the quarter-deck."