on board one of H.M. ships. And he was held
in such respect, and was so entirely one of the leading
men of the little growing colony, and had been known
as such a friend to the naval men, and had so gallantly
aided a Queen’s ship in that hurricane, that
his passage home in this manner only seemed a natural
tribute of respect. A few last words from Lawrence
told us that he was safely on board, all unconscious
of the silent, almost weeping, procession that had
escorted his litter to the Douro’s boat, only
too much as if it were his bier. In fact, Captain
Coles actually promised him that if he died at sea
he should be buried with the old flag.
We could not hope to hear more for at least six weeks,
since our letter had come by overland mail, and the
Douro would take her time. It was a comfort
in this waiting time that Martyn could be with us.
His rector had been promoted; there was a general
change of curates; and as Martyn had been working
up to the utmost limits of his strength, we had no
scruple in inducing him to remain with us, and undertake
nothing fresh till this crisis was past. Though
as to rest, not one Sunday passed without requests
for his assistance from one or more of the neighbouring
clergy.
’And hopes and fears that kindle hope,
An undistinguishable throng,
And gentle wishes long subdued —
Subdued and cherished long.’
S. T. Coleridge.
The first that we did hear of our brother was a letter
with a Falmouth postmark, which we scarcely dared
to open. There was not much in it, but that
was enough. ’D. G.- I shall see you
all again. We put in at Portsmouth.’
There was no staying at home after that. We
three lost no time in starting, for railways had
become available, and by the time we had driven from
the station at Portsmouth the Douro had been signalled.
Martyn took a boat and went on board alone, for besides
that Emily did not like to leave me, her dress would
have been a revelation that all were no longer
there to greet the arrival. The precaution
was, however, unnecessary. There stood Clarence
on deck, and after the first greeting, he laid his
hand on Martyn’s arm and said, ’My mother
is gone?’ and on the wondering assent, ’I
was quite sure of it.’
So they came ashore, Clarence lying in the man-of-war’s
boat, in which his friend insisted on sending him,
able now to give a smiling response and salute to
the three cheers with which the crew took leave of
him. He was carried up to our hotel on a stretcher
by half-a-dozen blue jackets. Indeed he was
grievously changed, looking so worn and weak, so
hollow-eyed and yellow, and so fearfully wasted,
that the very memory is painful; and able to do nothing
but lie on the sofa holding Emily’s hand, gazing
at us with a face full of ineffable peace and gladness.
There was a misgiving upon me that he had only come
back to finish his work and bid us farewell.
