ess, and my loving godmother. Of all the imaginary
group, she alone did not smile. It was then, and not till then, that I
felt the bitterness of the word "farewell." My conscience smote me that
I had behaved unkindly towards her. I now remembered a thousand little
contrivances, all of which, in my exalted spirits, I had pertinaciously
eluded, that she had put in practice in order to be for a few minutes
alone with me. I now bitterly reproached myself for my perversity.
What secrets might I not have heard! And then my heart told me in a
voice I could not doubt, that it was she who had hovered round my bed
the whole night previous to my departure. My schoolfellows had all
slept soundly, yet I, though wakeful, had the folly to appear to sleep
also. Whilst I was considering how people could be so unkind, sleep
came kindly to me, and I awoke next morning in good spirits, and laughed
at my dejection of the preceding evening.

At breakfast in the coffee-room, I was a little surprised and a good
deal flattered by the appearance of Lieutenant Farmer. He accosted me
kindly, told me not again to attempt to offer first to shake hands with
my captain, for it was against the rules of the service; and then he sat
down beside me, and commenced very patiently _a me tirer les vers du
nez_. He was a fine, gallant fellow, passionately desirous of
promotion, which was not surprising, for he had served long, and with
considerable distinction, and was still a lieutenant, whilst he was more
than fourteen years above his captain, both in length of service and in
age. Was I related to my Lord A---? Did I know anything of Mr Rose?
Had I any connections that knew Mr Percival, etcetera? I frankly told
him that I knew no one of any note, and that it had been directly
enjoined upon me, by the one or two friends that I possessed, never to
converse about my private affairs with anyone.

Mr Farmer felt himself rebuked, but not offended; he was a generous,
noble fellow, though a little passionate, and too taut a disciplinarian.
He told me that he had no doubt we should be good friends, that I had
better go to the dock-yard, and inquire for the landing-place, and for
the _Eos'_ cutter, which was waiting there for stores. That I was to
make myself known to the officer of the boat, who would give me two or
three hands to convey my luggage down to it, and that I had better ship
myself as soon as I could. He told me, also, that he would probabl