Japhet, In Search Of A Father by Frederick Marryat

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The widow left the room with tears of gratitude; and I must say, that I
was affected with the same. When she had gone, I observed to Melchior,
that up to the present he had toiled for nothing.

"Very true, Japhet; but depend upon it, if I assisted that poor woman
from no other feelings than interested motives, I did well; but I tell
thee candidly, I did it from compassion. We are odd mixtures of good and
evil. I wage war with fools and knaves, but not with all the world. I
gave that money freely--she required it; and it may be put as a set-off
against my usual system of fraud, or it may not--at all events, I
pleased myself."

"But you told her that her son was alive."

"Very true, and he may be dead; but is it not well to comfort her--even
for a short time, to relieve that suspense which is worse than the
actual knowledge of his death? Sufficient for the day is the evil
thereof."

It would almost have appeared that this good action of Melchior met with
its reward, for the astonishment of the widow at finding the gold in her
reticule--her narrative of what passed, and her assertion (which she
firmly believed to be true), that she had never left her reticule out of
her hand, and that Melchior had only touched it with his wand, raised
his reputation to that degree, that nothing else was talked about
throughout the town, and, to crown all, the next day's post brought her
a letter and remittances from her son; and the grateful woman returned,
and laid ten guineas on the black cloth, showering a thousand blessings
upon Melchior, and almost worshipped him as a supernatural being. This
was a most fortunate occurrence, and as Melchior prophesied, the harvest
did now commence. In four days we had received upwards of L200, and we
then thought it time that we should depart. The letters arrived, which
were expected, and when we set off in a chaise and four, the crowd to
see us was so great, that it was with difficulty we could pass through
it.

Chapter XIV

In which Melchior talks very much like an astrologer, and Tim and I
return to our old trade of making up innocent prescriptions.

We had taken our horses for the next town; but as soon as we were fairly
on the road, I stopped the boys, and told them that the Great
Aristodemus intended to observe the planets and stars that night, and
that they were to proceed to a common which I mentioned. The post-boys,
who were well aware of his fame, and as fully persuaded of it as
everybody else, drove to the common; we descended, took off the luggage,
and received directions from Melchior in their presence about the
instruments, to which the boys listened with open mouths and wonderment.
I paid them well, and told them they might return, which they appeared
very glad to do. They reported what had occurred, and this simple method
of regaining our camp, added to the astonishment of the good town
of ----. When they were out of sight we resumed our usual clothes, packed
all up, carried away most of our effects, and hid the others in the
furze to be sent for the next night, not being more than two miles from
the camp. We soon arrived, and were joyfully received by Fleta and
Nattee.

As we walked across the common, I observed to Melchior, "I wonder if
these stars have any influence upon mortals, as it was formerly
supposed?"

"Most assuredly they have," rejoined Melchior. "I cannot read them, but
I firmly believe in them."

I made the above remark, as I had often thought that such was Melchior's
idea.

"Yes," continued he, "every man has his destiny--such must be the case.
It is known beforehand what is to happen to us by an Omniscient Being,
and being known, what is it but destiny which cannot be changed? It is
_fate_," continued he, surveying the stars with his hand raised up, "and
that fate is as surely written there as the sun shines upon us; but the
great book is sealed, because it would not add to our happiness."

"If, then, all is destiny, or fate, what inducement is there to do well
or ill?" replied I. "We may commit all acts of evil, and say, that as it
was predestined, we could not help it. Besides would it be just that the
Omniscient Being should punish us for those crimes which we cannot
prevent, and which are allotted to us by destiny?"

"Japhet, you argue well; but you are in error, because, like most of
those of the Christian Church, you understand not the sacred writings,
nor did I until I knew my wife. Her creed is, I believe, correct; and
what is more, adds weight to the truths of the Bible."

"I thought that gipsies had no religion."

"You are not the only one who supposes so. It is true that the majority
of the tribe are held by the higher castes as serfs, and are not
instructed; but with--if I may use the expression--the aristocracy of
them it is very different, and their creed I have adopted."

"I should wish to hear their creed," replied I.

"Hear it then. Original sin commenced in heaven--when the angels
rebelled against their God--not on earth."

"I will grant that sin originated first in heaven."

"Do you think that a great, a good God, ever created any being for its
destruction and eternal misery, much less an angel? Did he not foresee
their rebellion?"

"I grant it."

"This world was not peopled with the image of God until after the fall
of the angels: it had its living beings, its monsters perhaps, but not a
race of men with eternal souls. But it was peopled, as we see it now is,
to enable the legions of angels who fell to return to their former happy
state--as a pilgrimage by which they might obtain their pardons, and
resume their seats in heaven. Not a child is born, but the soul of some
fallen cherub enters into the body to work out its salvation. Many do,
many do not, and then they have their task to recommence anew; for the
spirit once created is immortal, and cannot be destroyed; and the
Almighty is all goodness, and would ever pardon."

"Then you suppose there is no such thing as eternal punishment?"

"Eternal!--no. Punishment there is, but not eternal. When the legions of
angels fell, some were not so perverse as others: they soon re-obtained
their seats, even when, as children, having passed through the slight
ordeal, they have been summoned back to heaven; but others who, from
their infancy, show how bad were their natures, have many pilgrimages to
perform before they can be purified. This is, in itself, a punishment.
What other punishment they incur between their pilgrimages we know not;
but this is certain, that no one was created to be punished eternally."

"But all this is but assertion," replied I; "where are your proofs?"

"In the Bible; some day or other I will show them to you; but now we are
at the camp, and I am anxious to embrace Nattee."

I thought for some time upon this singular creed; one, in itself, not
militating against religion, but at the same time I could not call to
mind any passages by which it could be supported. Still the idea was
beautiful, and I dwelt upon it with pleasure. I have before observed,
and indeed the reader must have gathered from my narative, that Melchior
was no common personage. Every day did I become more partial to him, and
more pleased with our erratic life. What scruples I had at first,
gradually wore away; the time passed quickly, and although I would
occasionally call to mind the original object of my setting forth, I
would satisfy myself by the reflection, that there was yet sufficient
time. Little Fleta was now my constant companion when in the camp, and I
amused myself with teaching her to write and read.

"Japhet," said Timothy to me one day as we were cutting hazel broach
wood in the forest, "I don't see that you get on very fast in your
search after your father."

"No, Tim, I do not; but I am gaining a knowledge of the world which will
be very useful to me when I recommence the search; and what is more, I
am saving a great deal of money to enable me to prosecute it."

"What did Melchior give you after we left?"

"Twenty guineas, which, with what I had before, make more than fifty."

"And he gave me ten, which makes twenty, with what I had before. Seventy
pounds is a large sum."

"Yes, but soon spent, Tim. We must work a little longer. Besides, I
cannot leave that little girl--she was never intended for a
rope-dancer."

"I am glad to hear you say that, Japhet, for I feel as you do--she shall
share our fortunes."

"A glorious prospect truly," replied I, laughing; "but never mind, it
would be better than her remaining here. But how are we to manage that?"

"Aye! that's the rub; but there is time enough to think about it when we
intend to quit our present occupation."

"Well, I understand from Melchior that we are to start in a few days."

"What is it to be, Japhet?"

"Oh! we shall be at home--we are to cure all diseases under the sun.
To-morrow we commence making pills, so we may think ourselves with Mr
Cophagus again."

"Well, I do think we shall have some fun; but I hope Melchior won't make
me take my own pills to prove their good qualities--that will be no
joke."

"O no, Num is kept on purpose for that. What else is the fool good for?"

The next week was employed as we anticipated. Boxes of pills of every
size, neatly labelled, bottles of various mixtures, chiefly stimulants,
were corked and packed up. Powders of _anything_ were put in papers;
but, at all events, there was nothing hurtful in them. All was ready,
and accompanied by Num (Jumbo and Fleta being left at home) we set off,
Melchior assuming the dress in which we had first met him in the wagon,
and altering his appearance so completely, that he would have been taken
for at least sixty years old. We now travelled on foot with our dresses
in bundles, each carrying his own, except Num, who was loaded like a
pack-horse, and made sore lamentations:

"Can't you carry some of this?"

"No," replied I, "it is your own luggage; every one must carry his own."

"Well, I never felt my spangled dress so heavy before. Where are we
going?"

"Only a little way," replied Timothy, "and then you will have nothing
more to do."

"I don't know that. When master puts on that dress, I have to swallow
little things till I'm sick."

"It's all good for your health, Num."

"I'm very well, I thank'e," replied the poor fellow; "but I'm very hot
and very tired."

Chapter XV

In which Timothy makes a grand speech, quite as true as those
delivered from the hustings--Melchior, like the candidate, states
his pretentions for public favour, and the public, as usual,
swallow the bait.

Fortunately for poor Num, we were not far from the market town at which
we intended to open our campaign, which we did the next morning by Num
and Timothy sallying forth, the former with a large trumpet in his hand,
and the latter riding on a donkey. On their arrival at the market-place,
Num commenced blowing it with all his might, while Timothy, in his
spangled dress, as soon as they had collected a crowd, stood upon his
saddle, and harangued the people as follows:--

"Gentlemen and ladies--I have the honour to announce to you the arrival
in this town of the celebrated Doctor Appallacheosmocommetico, who has
travelled farther than the sun and faster than a comet. He hath visited
every part of the globe. He has smoked the calumet with the Indians of
North America--he has hunted with the Araucas in the South--galloped on
wild horses over the plains of Mexico, and rubbed noses with the
Esquimaux. He hath used the chopsticks with the Chinese, swung the
Cherok pooga with the Hindoos, and put a new nose on the Great Cham of
Tartary. He hath visited and been received in every court of Europe:
danced on the ice of the Neva with the Russians--led the mazurka with
the Poles--waltzed with the Germans--tarantulaed with the
Italians--fandangoed with the Spanish--and quadrilled with the French.
He hath explored every mine in the universe, walked through every town
on the continent, examined every mountain in the world, ascended Mont
Blanc, walked down the Andes, and run up the Pyrenees. He has been into
every volcano in the globe, and descending by Vesuvius has been thrown
up by Stromboli. He has lived more than a thousand years, and is still
in the flower of his youth. He has had one hundred and forty sets of
teeth one after another, and expects a new set next Christmas. His whole
life has been spent in the service of mankind, and in doing good to his
fellow-creatures; and having the experience of more than a thousand
years, he cures more than a thousand diseases. Gentlemen, the wonderful
doctor will present himself before you this evening, and will then tell
you what his remedies are good for, so that you may pick and choose
according to your several complaints. Ladies, the wonderful doctor can
greatly assist you: he has secrets by which you may have a family if you
should so wish--philters to make husbands constant, and salve to make
them blind--cosmetics to remove pimples and restore to youth and beauty,
and powders to keep children from squalling. Sound the trumpet,
Philotas; sound, and let every body know that the wonderful Doctor
Appallacheosmocommetico has vouchsafed to stop here and confer his
blessings upon the inhabitants of this town." Hereupon Num again blew
the trumpet till he was black in the face; and Timothy, dropping on his
donkey, rode away to other parts of the town, where he repeated his
grandiloquent announcement, followed, as may be supposed, by a numerous
cortege of little ragged boys.

About four o'clock in the afternoon, Melchior made his appearance in the
market-place, attended by me, dressed as a German student, Timothy and
Num in their costumes. A stage had been already prepared, and the
populace had crowded round it more with the intention of laughing than
of making purchases. The various packets were opened and arranged in
front of the platform, I standing on one side of Melchior, Timothy on
the other, and Num with his trumpet, holding on by one of the scaffold
poles at the corner.

"Sound the trumpet, Philotas," said Melchior, taking off his
three-cornered hat, and making a low bow to the audience, at every
blast. "Pray, Mr Fool, do you know why you sound the trumpet?"

"I'm sure I don't know," replied Num, opening his goggle eyes.

"Do you know, Mr Dionysius?"

"Yes, sir, I can guess."

"Explain, then, to the gentlemen and ladies who have honoured us with
their presence."

"Because, sir, trumpets are always sounded before great conquerors."

"Very true, sir-, but how am I a great conqueror?"

"You have conquered death, sir; and he's a very rum customer to have to
deal with."

"Dionysius, you have answered well, and shall have some bullock's liver
for your supper--don't forget to remind me, in case I forget it."

"No, that I won't, sir," replied Timothy, rubbing his stomach, as if
delighted with the idea.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said Melchior to the audience, who were on the
broad grin, "I see your mouths are all open, and are waiting for the
pills; but be not too impatient--I cannot part with my medicines unless
you have diseases which require their aid; and I should, indeed, be a
sorry doctor, if I prescribed without knowing your complaints. _Est
neutrale genus signans rem non animatam_, says Herodotus, which in
English means, what is one man's meat is another man's poison; and
further, he adds, _Ut jecur, ut onus, put ut occiput_, which is as much
as to say, that what agrees with one temperament, will be injurious to
another. Caution, therefore, becomes very necessary in the use of
medicine; and my reputation depends upon my not permitting any one to
take what is not good for him. And now, my very dear friends, I will
first beg you to observe the peculiar qualities of the contents of this
little phial. You observe, that there is not more than sixty drops in
it, yet will these sixty drops add ten years to a man's life--for it
will cure him of almost as many diseases. In the first place, are any of
you troubled with the _ascites_, or dropsy, which, as the celebrated
Galen hath declared, may be divided into three parts, the _ascites_, the
_anasarca_, and the _tympanites_. The diagnostics of this disease are,
swelling of the abdomen or stomach, difficulty of breathing, want of
appetite, and a teasing cough. I say, have any of you this disease?
None. Then I thank Heaven that you are not so afflicted.

"The next disease it is good for, is the _peripneumonia_, or
inflammation on the lungs--the diagnostics or symptoms of which are, a
small pulse, swelling of the eyes, and redness of the face. Say, have
any of you these symptoms--if so, you have the disease. No one. I thank
Heaven that you are none of you so afflicted.

"It is also a sovereign remedy for the _diarrhoea_, the diagnostics of
which are, faintness, frequent gripings, rumbling in the bowels, cold
sweats, and spasm."

Here one man came forward and complained of frequent gripings--another
of rumbling in the bowels, and two or three more of cold sweats.

"It is well. O I thank Heaven that I am here to administer to you
myself! for what says Hippocrates? _Relativum cum antecedente
concordat_, which means, that remedies quickly applied, kill the disease
in its birth. Here, my friends, take it--take it--pay me only one
shilling and be thankful. When you go to rest, fail not to offer up your
prayers. It is also a sovereign remedy for the dreadful _chiragra_ or
gout. I cured the whole corporation of city aldermen last week, by their
taking three bottles each, and they presented me with the freedom of the
city of London, in a gold box, which I am sorry that I have forgotten to
bring with me. Now the _chiragra_ may be divided into several varieties.
_Gonagra_, when it attacks the knees--_chiragra_, if in the
hands--_onagra_, if in the elbow--_omagra_, if in the shoulder, and
_lumbago_, if in the back. All these are varieties of gout, and for all
these the contents of this little bottle is a sovereign remedy; and,
observe, it will keep for ever. Twenty years hence, when afflicted in
your old age--and the time will come, my good people--you may take down
this little phial from the shelf, and bless the hour in which you spent
your shilling; for as Eusebius declares, '_Verbum personale concordat
cum nominativo_, which is as much as to say, the active will grow old,
and suffer from pains in their limbs. Who, then, has pains in his limbs,
or lumbago? Who, indeed, can say that he will not have them?"

After this appeal, the number of those who had pains in their limbs, or
who wished to provide against such a disease, proved so great, that all
our phials were disposed of, and the doctor was obliged to promise that
in a few days he would have some more of this invaluable medicine ready.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I shall now offer to your notice a valuable
plaister, the effects of which are miraculous. Dionysius, come hither,
you have felt the benefit of this plaister; tell your case to those who
are present, and mind you tell the truth."

Hereupon Timothy stepped forward. "Ladies and gentlemen, _upon my
honour_, about three weeks back I fell off the scaffold, broke my back
bone into three pieces, and was carried off to a surgeon, who looked at
me, and told the people to take measure for my coffin. The great doctor
was not there at the time, having been sent for to consult with the
king's physicians upon the queen's case, of _Cophagus_, or intermitting
mortification of the great toe; but fortunately, just as they were
putting me into a shell, my master came back, and immediately applying
his sovereign plaister to my back, in five days I was able to sit up,
and in ten days I returned to my duty."

"Are you quite well now, Dionysius?"

"Quite well, sir, and my back is like whale-bone."

"Try it."

Hereupon Dionysius threw two somersets forward, two backward, walked
across the stage on his hands, and tumbled in every direction.

"You see, gentlemen, I'm quite well now, and what I have said, I assure
you, _on my honour_, to be a fact."

"I hope you'll allow that to be a very pretty cure," said the doctor,
appealing to the audience; "and I hardly need say, that for sprains,
bruises, contusions, wrenches, and dislocations, this plaister is
infallible; and I will surprise you more by telling you, that I can sell
it for eight-pence a sheet."

The plaister went off rapidly, and was soon expended. The doctor went on
describing his other valuable articles, and when he came to his
cosmetics, &c., for women, we could not hand them out fast enough. "And
now," said the doctor, "I must bid you farewell for this evening."

"I'm glad of that," said Timothy, "for now I mean to sell my own
medicine."

"Your medicine, Mr Dionysius! what do you mean by that?"

"Mean, sir; I mean to say that I've got a powder of my own contriving,
which is a sovereign remedy."

"Remedy, sir, for what?"

"Why, it's a powder to kill fleas, and what's more, it's just as
infallible as your own."

"Have you, indeed; and pray, sir, how did you hit upon the invention?"

"Sir, I discovered it in my sleep by accident; but I have proved it, and
I will say, if properly administered, it is quite as infallible as any
of yours. Ladies and gentlemen, I pledge you my honour that it will have
the effect desired, and all I ask is sixpence a powder."

"But how is it to be used, sir?"

"Used--why, like all other powders; but I won't give the directions till
I have sold some; promising, however, if my method does not succeed, to
return the money."

"Well, that is fair, Mr Dionysius; and I will take care that you keep
your bargain. Will anybody purchase the fool's powder for killing
fleas."

"Yes, I will," replied a man on the broad grin, "here's sixpence. Now,
then, fool, how am I to use it?"

"Use it," said Timothy, putting the sixpence in his pocket; "I'll
explain to you. You must first catch the flea, hold him so tight between
the forefinger and thumb as to force him to open his mouth; when his
mouth is open you must put a very little of this powder into it, and it
will kill him directly."

"Why, when I have the flea as tight as you state, I may as well kill him
myself."

"Very true, so you may, if you prefer it; but if you do not, you may use
this powder, which upon my honour is infallible."

This occasioned a great deal of mirth among the bystanders. Timothy kept
his sixpence, and our exhibition for this day ended, very much to the
satisfaction of Melchior, who declared he had taken more than ever he
had done before in a whole week. Indeed, the whole sum amounted to L17,
10s., all taken in shillings and sixpences, for articles hardly worth
the odd shillings in the account; so we sat down to supper with
anticipations of a good harvest, and so it proved. We stayed four days
at this town, and then proceeded onwards, when the like success attended
us, Timothy and I being obliged to sit up nearly the whole night to
label and roll up pills, and mix medicines, which we did in a very
scientific manner. Nor was it always that Melchior presided; he would
very often tell his audience that business required his attendance
elsewhere, to visit the sick, and that he left the explanation of his
medicines and their properties to his pupil, who was far advanced in
knowledge. With my prepossessing appearance, I made a great effect, more
especially among the ladies, and Timothy exerted himself so much when
with me, that we never failed to bring home to Melchior a great addition
to his earnings--so much so, that at last he only showed himself,
pretended that he was so importuned to visit sick persons, that he could
stay no longer, and then left us, after the first half hour, to carry on
the business for him. After six weeks of uninterrupted success, we
returned to the camp, which, as usual, was not very far off.

Chapter XVI

Important news, but not communicated--A dissolution of partnership
takes place.

Melchior's profits had been much more than he anticipated, and he was
very liberal to Timothy and myself; indeed, he looked upon me as his
right hand, and became more intimate and attached every day. We were, of
course, delighted to return to the camp, after our excursion. There was
so much continued bustle and excitement in our peculiar profession, that
a little quiet was delightful; and I never felt more happy than when
Fleta threw herself into my arms, and Nattee came forward with her usual
dignity and grace, but with more than usual condescendence and kindness,
bidding me welcome _home_. Home--alas! it was never meant for my home,
or poor Fleta's--and that I felt. It was our sojourn for a time, and no
more.

We had been more than a year exercising our talents in this lucrative
manner, when one day, as I was sitting at the entrance to the tent, with
a book in my hand, out of which Fleta was reading to me, a gipsy not
belonging to our gang made his appearance. He was covered with dust, and
the dew drops hanging on his dark forehead, proved that he had travelled
fast. He addressed Nattee, who was standing by, in their own language,
which I did not understand; but I perceived that he asked for Melchior.
After an exchange of a few sentences, Nattee expressed astonishment and
alarm, put her hands over her face, and removed them as quickly, as if
derogatory in her to show emotion, and then remained in deep thought.
Perceiving Melchior approaching, the gipsy hastened to him, and they
were soon in animated conversation. In ten minutes it was over: the
gipsy went to the running brook, washed his face, took a large draught
of water, and then hastened away and was soon out of sight.

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