“After all,” he continued, “what is the use of passing, when, if a man has not the devil and all of Scotch interest, and all that stuff, he don’t know when he’ll get made; but may, in all probability, be a youngster at forty! a middy in the cockpit, when he is as grey as a badger! There’s a fellow aboard of us now, who jumped over three times,—no less,—to save boys who fell over the ship’s side, and couldn’t swim; (he swims like a fish himself;) but he’s not Scotch! Well, the captain wrote word to the Admiralty; and what reward do you think they gave him? Why, employed one of their sneaking under scratchatories to write an official line and a half, importing, that ‘their lordships were pleased to approve of his conduct.’”
“You may depend upon it,” replied Ormond, to whom Bullen chiefly addressed himself, “that his name is marked for promotion, as soon as a convenient opportunity offers.”
“Convenient!” interrupted Bullen: “it would be devilish convenient to me, I know, to be made just now.”
“And in the meantime,” continued Ormond, “what can be more gratifying than the approbation of the respectable heads of the department, under which he serves his country?”
“I think,” said our hero, whose opinions, like himself, were young, and therefore unsophisticated, “the lords of the admiralty do but justice to the motives of British officers, when they deem approbation the first of rewards! I mean, of course, in a public sense; considering their lordships, in pronouncing that approbation, as the organs, not only of government, but also of the nation, on naval affairs; of which they are constituted the judges.”
“Besides,” said Ormond, “you forget how many men, in the British navy, have risen to the highest rank, without any interest whatever, entirely in consequence of meritorious conduct.”
“That was long ago,” replied Bullen sulkily. “But it’s very easy for you to talk! You, the son of Admiral Lord Fitz-Ullin; sure of whatever you want, and want nothing neither! Aye, aye, that’s the way of the world! I wish you’d make your father get me my commission, I know!”
The other young men looked at each other, and smiled.
“Well,” said Ormond, laughing; “do something very brilliant to deserve it; and if the Admiralty give you approbation only, I pledge myself you shall not want interest. Here is my friend, Montgomery,” he added, turning to Edmund, “saying not a word; and yet, so just a sense have their lordships of his merits, that he has no use for interest, though he possesses it in the greatest profusion.”
“Does he faith?” exclaimed Bullen, “I wish he’d give it to me, then!”