"Well, so you ought to be; it's no bad thing, as I told you before, to find out an uncle. By-the-bye, there has been some alteration in my establishment since we parted, nephew. I have a house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, and a spare bed, if you will accept of it. We dine at six; brother Nicholas, I shall be very happy to see you, if you can stay. It will be too late to go home after dinner, but you can share my nephew's bed."

"I shall be most happy to accept your kind offer for a few days, sir, if it does not incommode you," replied Newton.

"No; you will not incommode me _there_, but you do very much _here_, where I am always busy. So good-bye, my boy; I shall be at home at six.

Brother Nicholas, you did not vouchsafe me an answer."

"About what, brother John?" replied Nicholas, who had been in the clouds.

"Oh, I'll tell you all about it, father," said Newton, laughing. "Come away now--my uncle is busy." And Nicholas rose up, with the observation--

"Brother John, you appear to me to read a great deal."

"Yes, I do, brother."

"How much do you read a day?"

"I really cannot say; much depends upon whether I am interrupted or not."

"It must be very bad for your eyes, brother John."

"It certainly does not improve them," replied the lawyer, impatiently.

"Come, father, my uncle is very busy," said Newton, touching Nicholas on the arm.

"Well, good-bye, brother John. I had something to say--oh! I hope you are not displeased at my not coming to see you before?"

"Humph! not in the least, I can a.s.sure you, brother Nicholas; so good-bye. Newton, you'll bring him with you at six," said Mr John Forster; and he resumed his brief before they had quitted the room.

Newton was much surprised to hear that his uncle had taken a house, and he surmised whether he had not also been induced to take a wife. He felt an inclination to put the question to Mr Scratton, as he pa.s.sed through the office; but checked the wish, lest it should appear like prying into his uncle's affairs. Being the month of February, it was dark long before six o'clock, and Newton was puzzled what to do with his father until that time. He returned to the Salopian Coffee-house, opposite to which they had been put down by the Greenwich coach; and taking possession of a box, called for some biscuits and a pint of sherry; and requesting his father to stay there until his return, went out to purchase a s.e.xtant, and some other nautical luxuries, which his pay enabled him to procure without trespa.s.sing upon the funds supplied by the generosity of his uncle. He then returned to his father, who had finished the vine and biscuits, and had his eyes fixed upon the ceiling of the room; and calling a hackney coach, drove to the direction which his uncle had pointed out as his residence.

Mr John Forster had already come home, and they found him in the dining-room, decanting the wine for dinner, with Amber by his side.

Newton was surprised at the appearance of a little girl; and, as he took her proffered hand, inquired her name.

"Amber. Papa says it's a very foolish name; don't you, papa?"

"Yes, my dear, I do; but now we are going to dinner, and you must go to Mrs Smith: so good-night."

Amber kissed the old lawyer, as he stooped to her; and wishing the company good-night, she left the room.

"Brother John," said Nicholas, "I really had no idea that you were a married man."

"Humph! I am not a married man, brother."

"Then pray, brother, how is it _possible_ for that little girl to be your daughter?"

"I did not say she was my daughter: but now we will go upstairs into the drawing-room, while they put the dinner on the table."

The dinner was soon announced; the cookery was plain, but good, the wine excellent. When the dessert was placed on the table, Mr John Forster rose, and taking two bottles of port wine from the sideboard, placed them on the table, and addressed Newton.

"Nephew, I have no time to _sip_ wine, although it is necessary that I drink it. Now, we must drink fast, as I have only ten minutes to spare; not that I wish you to drink more than you like, but I must push the bottle round, whether you fill or no, as I have an appointment, what we call a consultation, at my chambers. Pa.s.s the bottle, brother,"

continued the lawyer, helping himself, and shoving the decanter to Nicholas.

Nicholas, who had been little accustomed to wine, obeyed mechanically, swallowing down each gla.s.s _a gorge deployee_, as he was awoke from his meditations by the return of the bottle, and then filling up his gla.s.s again. Newton, who could take his allowance as well as most people, could not, however, venture to drink gla.s.s for gla.s.s with his uncle, and the bottle was pa.s.sed several times without his filling. When the ten minutes had elapsed, Mr John Forster took his watch from the table, replaced it in his fob, and rose from his chair. Locking up the remainder of the wine, he quitted the house without apology, leaving his guests to entertain themselves, and order tea when they felt inclined.

"My brother seems to be very busy, Newton," observed Nicholas. "What wine was that we have been drinking? It was very strong; I declare my head turns round;" and in a few moments more Nicholas dropped his head upon the table, and was fast asleep.

Newton, who perceived that his father was affected by the wine which he had been drinking, which was, in the sum total, a pint of sherry at the coffee-house before dinner, and at least a bottle during and after his meal, thought it better that he should be allowed to take his nap. He therefore put out the candles, and went up into the drawing-room, where he amused himself with a book until the clock struck twelve. According to the regulations of the house, the servants had retired to bed, leaving a light in the pa.s.sage for their master on his return, which sometimes was at a very late hour, or rather, it should be said, at a very early one. Newton lighted a chamber-candlestick, and went down into the parlour to rouse his father; but all his attempts were in vain.

The wine had taken such an effect upon him, that he was in a state of lethargy. Newton observed that the servant had cleared the table, and that the fire was out: and, as there was no help for it, he removed the chairs to the end of the room, that his father might not tumble over them if he awoke in the dark, and then retired to his own bed.

VOLUME THREE, CHAPTER SIX.

Angels and ministers of grace defend us!

Be thy intents wicked or charitable, Thou com'st in such a questionable shape That I will speak to thee.

SHAKESPEARE.

It was past two o'clock when Mr John Forster returned from his chambers and let himself in with a pa.s.s-key. Having secured the street door, the old gentleman lighted his candle from the lamp, which he then blew out, and had his foot upon the first step of the stairs, when he was startled by a loud snore from Nicholas in the dining-room; he immediately proceeded there, and found his brother, with his heed still lying on the table.

"Humph!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the lawyer. "Why brother Nicholas! brother Nicholas!"

Nicholas, who had nearly slept off the effects of the wine, answered with an unintelligible sort of growling.

"Brother Nicholas, I say--brother Nicholas--will you get up, or lie here all night?"

"They shall be cleaned and ready by to-morrow morning," replied Nicholas, dreaming.

"Humph! that's more than you will be, apparently.--I say, brother Nicholas."

"Yes brother," replied Nicholas, raising his head and staring at the candle. "Why, what's the matter?"

"The matter is, that I wish to go to bed, and wish to see you in bed before I go myself."

"Yes, brother John, if you please, certainly. Where's my bed? I do believe I have been asleep."

"Humph! I have no doubt upon the subject," replied John Forster, lighting another candle. "Come this way, brother Nicholas," and they both ascended the stairs.

When Mr John Forster arrived at the door of his own room, on the first story, he stopped. "Now, brother Nicholas, are you quite awake? Do you think that I may trust you with a candle?"

"I should hope so," replied Nicholas; "I see that it is silver, but I hope I'm honest, brother John."

"Humph! I mean, can I trust you to put it out?"

"Yes, I think that you may. Pray which is my room?"

"The first door on the left, when you are at the top of the stairs."

"The first door."