And mercy then will breathe between your lips,
Like men new made.”
Measure for Measure.
After Appadocca had jumped overboard, the large ship passed the bocas safely, entered upon the still waters of the gulf, and within a few hours afterwards her large Anchor was cast off the harbour of Port-of-Spain.
As the vessel approached nearer to her port of destruction, Charles Hamilton had become more and more anxious, and uneasy about the fated doom which he saw every moment hanging lower and lower over his friend. He reasonably argued that, with such a willing witness as James Willmington, and with such a stoical disposition as his friend had formed to himself, there would not be the slightest chance of Appadocca’s acquittal when he should be tried. For Willmington, it was to be supposed, would not attenuate the least feature of the case, nor would Appadocca descend from his high notions of philosophy to conceal or deny the charges that would be brought against him.
In this state of mind, Charles Hamilton considered a long time, and endeavoured to think of some means of still saving his friend. It was, however, a difficult and perplexing matter, for the only available measures that he could adopt, were doggedly repudiated by Appadocca himself.
“Confound his obstinacy,” the young officer muttered, when he thought of his friend’s infatuation; “he might have been saved long ago if it were not for that.”
Among a number of expedients and plans, Hamilton at last adopted the one of having an interview with James Willmington, of endeavouring to soften down his persecuting feeling, and of establishing, if not terms of kindness and affection, at least those neutrality and indifference between him and Appadocca.
It was in this disposition, that long before the sun had risen on the morning after the man-of-war had come to an anchor, Charles Hamilton requested a servant to ask James Willmington to be good enough to attend him in his cabin. Willmington, whose excitement had kept him awake the whole night, shortly appeared.
“Be good enough to sit down, sir,” said Hamilton.