“Mercy on us!” said Gascoigne, “his Majesty’s representative!”
“I shall not ask your consent,” replied the lady.
“Yes, but you shall not marry without my consent. I have, as you know, Julia, from my situation here, as one of his Majesty’s corps diplomatick, great power, and I shall forbid the banns; in fact, it is only I who can marry you.”
“Then I’ll marry elsewhere.”
“And what will you do on board of the transport until you are able to be married?”
“I shall do as I think proper,” replied the lady; “and I’ll thank you for none of your indelicate insinuations.” So saying, the lady bounced out of the room into her own, and our midshipmen then made a noise in the passage, to intimate that they had come in. They found Mr Hicks looking very red and vice-consular indeed, but he recovered himself; and Captain Hogg making his appearance, they went to dinner; but Miss Julia would not make her appearance, and Mr Hicks was barely civil to the captain, but he was soon afterwards called out, and our midshipmen went into the office to enable the two lovers to meet. They were heard then talking together, and after a time they said less, and their language was more tender.
“Let us see what’s going on, Jack,” said Gascoigne; and they walked softly, so as to perceive the two lovers, who were too busy to be on the lookout.
Captain Hogg was requesting a lock of his mistress’s hair. The plump Julia could deny him nothing; she let fall her flaxen tresses, and taking out the scissors cut off a thick bunch from her hair behind, which she presented to the captain: it was at least a foot and a half long and an inch in circumference. The Captain took it in his immense hand, and thrust it into his coat pocket behind, but one thrust down to the bottom would not get it in, so he thrust again and again, until it was all coiled away like a cable in a tier.
“That’s a liberal girl,” whispered Jack; “she gives by wholesale what it will take some time to retail. But here comes Mr Hicks, let’s give them warning; I like Hogg and as she fancies pork, she shall have it, if I can contrive to help them.”
That night Gascoigne went again on the roof, and after waiting some time, heard the same air repeated: he waited until it was concluded, and then, in a very low tone, sang it himself to the words he had arranged for it. For some time all was silent, and then the singing recommenced, but it was not to the same air. Gascoigne waited until the new air had been repeated several times, and then giving full scope to his fine tenor voice, sang the first air again. It echoed through the silence of the night air, and then he waited, but in vain; the soft voice of the female was heard no more, and Gascoigne retired to rest.