perstitious; as those must ever be
who have lived upon the sea, and have risked their all upon the faith of
its unsteady waves. It will mortify you (my young friend) to confess, (but
it is true) that much as storm, sun, passion, and hardships, may have
tanned and disfeatured my face, nevertheless it is still like thy gentle
woman's face, with its fair complexion and its overshadowing locks; and
when I look back upon that inanimate portrait which once an idle artist
painted of me, in my 16th year, I remember that it was one and the same
with thine. Kindred features should imply kindred dispositions and minds.
The first time that I observed you closely, on that evening when you came
on shore from Jackson's brig, sunk in reverie and thinking no doubt, if
indeed you thought of me at all, that I was asleep; then did I behold in
your eye my own; read in your forehead all the storms that too surely have
tossed and rocked the little boat of your uneasy life; saw your plans,
so wide and spacious--your little peace--your doubts about the end
which you were pursuing--your bold resolves--bold, and with not much
hope."

"Oh stranger, but thou knowest the art, far above thy education, of
reading the souls of others."

A smile passed over his countenance whilst he replied: "Education! oh
yes, I too have had some education: oh! doubtless education is a fine
thing, not to run in amongst gentlemen of refinement like a wild beast,
and shock the good pious lambs with coarse manners or ferocious
expressions. Oh yes, education is of astonishing value: a man of the
wildest pursuits, and the nature of a ruffian, may shroud himself in
this, as a wolf in sheep's clothing--and be well received by all those
accomplished creatures whom fortune brought into this world, not in
smoky huts, but in rich men's rooms decked with tapestry. I too have
stolen a little morsel of education amongst a troop of players; and if
my coarse habits will sometimes look out, why that's no fault of mine,
but of those worthy paupers that thought proper to steal me in my
infancy. There are hours, Bertram, in which I have longings, longings
keen as those of women with child--longings for conversations with men
of higher faculties--men that I could understand--men that could answer
me--aye, and that _would_ answer me, and not turn away from the poor
vagabond with disdain."

"And you have chosen me for such a comrade?"

"As you please: that rests with yourself. But, Bertr