Sir Robert was never insensible to his daughter's praise, but it did

not prevent his continuing the subject. He stated that Dalton was a

clever, experienced seaman;--that his knowledge of foreign seas and

foreign affairs in general might be made most useful to government, if

government would avail itself of such advantages;--that the Buccaneer

was a bitter thorn in the side of the Protector, as he had been known to

convey malcontents to England, as well as to ship them off;--that his

Fire-fly might be termed a meteor of the waters, now here, now there,

shining like a blazing star--stealing like a moon-beam--in the Texel, in

the Thames, in the Baltic, or the Black Sea--as occasion required;

everywhere when mischief was doing, nowhere when it was to be

remedied:--that all this evil might be avoided by giving Dalton a pardon

and the command of a Commonwealth ship; that he would accept, indeed he

(Sir Robert) was sure that he desired, such an employment, and that it

would be a grievous thing for the state if an arrangement could not be

made to purchase his future services and his good conduct at so small a

price.

Burrell was astonished, but saw clearly enough that there must be some

covert motive for such deep and unaccountable anxiety: he dexterously

set forth the various arguments that might be urged by government

against a man of Dalton's character; the ill example, the dangerous

precedent of one so circumstanced taking his place amongst honourable

men, and so forth; mooting a variety of points, in order that he might

judge of Sir Robert's object by his manner of answering objections.

The baronet was caught in the toils; he betrayed so much anxiety, so

much panting eagerness in the Buccaneer's behalf, as to satisfy Burrell

that hardly any thing less than a cause of life and death could create

such intense earnestness on such a subject in a person who seemed

balancing between this world and the next. Various surmises and

conjectures, which he had heard in former times, strengthened the

opinion. Having assured himself upon this point, he ventured upon one of

those daring falsehoods that had hitherto been the principal means of

his success: he assured the baronet, in the most solemn manner, that he

had a secret way, one which he could not explain, but it was a species

of promise for service performed, of winning from Cromwell the desired

pardon and appointment;--that he had avoided asking such a favour until

something particular occurred, something of deep value and

importance;--that he was willing to sacrifice his own prospects to

oblige his friend; and the only favour he asked in return was one that,

though above all price in his estimation, could be easily bestowed by

Sir Robert Cecil--the immediate gift of his daughter's hand. He did not

wish her feelings to be wounded by a public ceremony so shortly after

the loss they had all sustained; nay, he would prefer receiving her from

her father in the ruined but beautiful little chapel that belonged to

the house: all he requested, all he entreated, was that the marriage

should be speedy. Then, with the power of one deeply skilled in

deceitfulness, he wound up the whole by tender allusions to the

weakness, the precariousness of Sir Robert's health, and the despair he

might experience on his death-bed, if he expired with the knowledge that

his beloved, and only child, had no earthly protector.




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