in this
great crisis. One hand--one heart--one voice even, may decide the
fate of England! In such circumstances, all should listen to the
voice of conscience, and endeavour to foresee the consequences of
their own acts. Confidential agents are in the west of England, and
one of them I have seen. By his communications I find more depends
on myself than I could have imagined, and more on the movements of
M. de Vervillin. Do not be too sanguine--take time for your own
decisions, and grant _me_ time; for I feel like a wretch whose fate
must soon be sealed. On no account engage, because you think this
division near enough to sustain you, but at least keep off until
you hear from me more positively, or we can meet. I find it equally
hard to strike a blow against my rightful prince, or to desert my
friend. For God's sake act prudently, and depend on seeing me in
the course of the next twenty-four hours. I shall keep well to the
eastward, in the hope of falling in with you, as I feel satisfied
de Vervillin has nothing to do very far west. I may send some
verbal message by the bearer, for my thoughts come sluggishly, and
with great reluctance.

"Ever _yours_,
"RICHARD BLUEWATER."

Sir Gervaise Oakes read this letter twice with great deliberation; then
he crushed it in his hand, as one would strangle a deadly serpent. Not
satisfied with this manifestation of distaste, he tore the letter into
pieces so small as to render it impossible to imagine its contents,
opened a cabin-window, and threw the fragments into the ocean. When he
fancied that every sign of his friend's weakness had thus been
destroyed, he began to pace the cabin in his usual manner. Wycherly
heard his step, and wondered at the delay; but his duty compelled him to
pass an uncomfortable half-hour in silence, ere the door opened, and Sir
Gervaise appeared. The latter had suppressed the signs of distress,
though the lieutenant could perceive he was unusually anxious.

"Did the rear-admiral send any message, Sir Wycherly?" inquired Sir
Gervaise; "in his letter he would seem to refer me to some verbal
explanations from yourself."

"I am ashamed to say, sir, none that I can render very intelligible.
Admiral Bluewater, certainly, did make a few communications that I was
to repeat, but when we had parted, by some extraordinary dullness of my
own I fear, I find it is ou