CHAPTER III
MESSRS GOODALL BROTHERS
For a short time we will leave the amateur aeronaut, in order to make the acquaintance of his uncle, Mr William Goodall, who was a merchant and shipowner in London.
His brother, Mr Henry Goodall, superintended the Sydney branch of the firm, and was Harry Goodall’s father.
Both uncle and father were very averse to ballooning, and they were unanimous in desiring that Harry should not only give up that pursuit and settle down to a mercantile calling, but that he should conform to their wishes as regards a young heiress, the only daughter of Squire Dove of Wedwell Hall, Sussex, who was a friend of theirs. The brothers, indeed, both desired that Harry should make Miss Dove’s acquaintance, with a view to future matrimony; but he was obstinate, and could not be persuaded to fall in with their views, of which he had been duly apprised.
About the time of the lake experiment, Mr William Goodall was expecting a call from a Mr Falcon, who had embarked at Sydney for Cape Town, with Henry Goodall in his ship, the _Neptune_. On the voyage, whilst a strong gale of wind was blowing, an accident had happened to the owner, which was witnessed by Mr Falcon and his servant. Captain Link, who commanded the _Neptune_ on this occasion, was not himself an eye-witness of what took place, as he was on the poop directing the crew. Mr Falcon was indeed the only person who could give reliable information, with the exception of the ship’s steward,--who was lying seriously ill from injuries he received by falling on his head.
Under these circumstances, Mr Falcon came on in a steamer from the Cape, in advance of the _Neptune_, in order to give the London merchant full details of the mishap, and to transact some financial business with Squire Dove of Wedwell Hall, according to an arrangement made with the Sydney merchant, who had approved of Mr Falcon’s plans and desired that he should negotiate with Squire Dove on his arrival in England, though the financier was not empowered to do so by any written document that he could produce, but by an agreement, as he explained it, prior to the merchant’s accident.
One evening, while Mr William Goodall was dozing in his armchair, Mr Falcon was ushered into his presence, and so anxious was the merchant about his brother’s fate, that he opened the conversation without much ceremony; however, he did mention, as a business-like prelude, that his brother Henry had told him by letter that Mr Falcon was going to England on financial matters of great importance, and that he had kindly promised to try and persuade Harry to abandon ballooning. It was moreover mentioned that Mr Falcon would see Squire Dove, as the financier specially wished to add his name and his contributions to the new scheme which Mr Falcon had projected, and which he wished to float in London. Mr Goodall admitted, too, that his brother had spoken of his intention to handsomely reward Mr Falcon by testamentary disposition, if he were successful. Mr Falcon was questioned, too, as to a recent will which Henry Goodall was said to have made just before he left Sydney,--but the financier was not communicative on this subject.
“Now,” said Mr William Goodall, “tell me what has happened to my brother?”
“Certainly, sir; it is a painful duty, but I will do so to the best of my recollection. When I decided upon leaving Sydney, accompanied by my servant, an invaluable attendant, I had not the remotest idea that your brother would go part of the way with us. It appears that he had, only a day or two before the _Neptune_ sailed, made up his mind to go as far as Cape Town on urgent business, the nature of which he did not mention to me. We had been great friends for some time in Sydney, and my servant, knowing his habits, was very useful to both of us on board. Your brother was almost invariably on deck, for he could not bear to be cooped up in his cabin owing to an asthmatic affection. And when a storm sprang up, without much warning, soon after a rapid fall of the barometer, and before ample preparations could be made to meet it, whilst the _Neptune_ began to pitch and roll heavily, I begged of Mr Henry Goodall to go below; but it was useless, he would remain. My servant and I were both with him, when all hands were ordered to their stations, and we began to ship heavy seas. Of course Captain Link’s commands were promptly obeyed--men were sent at once aloft to shorten sail, but, before they had time to secure the upper sails, the ship was once or twice almost on her beam ends. The fore-royal and top-gallant sails were blown out of the roping, and then the _Neptune_ righted, but, as she flew up to the wind, a fearfully heavy sea struck her on the port bow, sweeping her decks and dashing all three of us against the bulwarks. When the ship cleared herself of this terrific sea, I looked round, and, to my horror, your brother had disappeared. The steward, who had come on deck to have a look round, immediately gave the alarm that the owner was overboard, for he had caught sight of a dark object with outstretched arms being swept over the _Neptune’s_ side. A moment afterwards, he himself was, by another heavy sea, struck down the companion ladder and stunned. The fury of the gale, however, was such that no man could live in such a sea. We laid to for more than an hour and kept a most careful lookout, but no object could be discerned, so that there remained no doubt, I am sorry to say, that the owner had perished.”
“Excuse my emotion, Mr Falcon, the news is so shocking; but tell me, did you or your servant see my poor brother go overboard?”
“We could not possibly do so, sir, as we were ourselves washed against the bulwarks, and narrowly escaped being swept over too, but the steward saw him go.”
“And what became of the steward?”
“God knows! I expect he is dead, sir. He was hurt in the spine and head, so that when I left Cape Town his life was despaired of.”
“Then there is no hope that my poor brother was saved?”
“None whatever, I fear, for we saw nothing near us, so far as the thick weather enabled us to perceive. An hour or two later, when the moon rose and the sea went down somewhat, we saw a dismasted vessel in the distance, but he could not have reached her.”
“I understand you to say that the weather had been thick previously?”
“Very thick, but, as I have said, it cleared afterwards, though no one on board had the slightest hope that the owner could have survived the fearful seas which raged at the time.”
At this point, Mr William Goodall was much moved by Mr Falcon’s recital, then, for some moments, he seemed to be absorbed in meditation, but, on regaining his self-possession, he exclaimed,--
“I may have to proceed to Sydney, Mr Falcon, but of course not before Captain Link’s arrival with the _Neptune_. Now I must ask you _not_ to move in any financial matter connected with me, Squire Dove and others, or on behalf of my poor brother, at present, if you please, Mr Falcon, for I shall be most anxious to hear Captain Link’s version of this terrible affair.”
“I had your brother’s instructions to treat with Squire Dove as soon after my arrival as possible, sir.”
“Yes, yes; but now that he is dead, you will kindly, I hope, defer to my wishes under the sad circumstances; and, look here, Mr Falcon, I would not, should you decide upon seeing my nephew, tell him what has occurred.”
“In that respect, sir, I will attend to your wishes, but I must do something, known or unknown by him, to prevent your nephew from seeking an introduction to Miss Dove until he drops this frantic ballooning, for I pledged myself to do so to your late brother, Mr Goodall, before I left Sydney, and I believe, sir, that ‘prevention is better than cure.’”
“I agree with you there, but you may not be aware that my nephew is engaged in preparing for a series of ascents from the Crystal Palace grounds. However, I will not dictate to one of your clear discernment.”
“Don’t, please, Mr Goodall. I shall follow a plan of which I think you will not disapprove--a plan which may have a certain deterrent effect--but I shall not put myself forward in such a way that he will know me by name, nor shall I rashly check his movements.”
“No; I would not attempt to do anything that would scare him or make him angry; but if you can give him a distaste for his hobby, I presume you will be carrying out my late brother’s wish--”
“And my own desire, sir; but I had better not argue with him, perhaps, just now, though my eye will be more frequently upon him than he may be aware of; in fact, I have already seen him more than once, sir, though he had no idea of it.”
“Indeed! Then when Captain Link arrives, Mr Falcon, would you like to meet him, and join us on board near Gravesend?”
“Wouldn’t it be better for you to see Link alone, sir?”
“Yes, I think perhaps it would--and now will you favour me with your address?”
“Allow me to hand you one of my cards, sir.”
“Ah! I perceive your name is Filcher Falcon.”
“Oh--ah--I have given you the wrong card.”
“Eh? A relative’s, perhaps?”
“You mustn’t guess again, Mr Goodall, but here is my own card and my hotel, sir; and if you will let me have the other card back, I shall feel much obliged.”
“Most certainly, Mr Falcon. And now, when do you propose to visit the Doves?”
“I’ve already looked in at Wedwell Hall, Mr Goodall, on my way up from Newhaven, as I had a packet to deliver as early after landing as possible--that was your brother’s express wish.”
“Was it really? But wouldn’t his awfully sudden death check your ardour a little, and, to be candid, I did not at all understand that you had seen the Doves. Then, of course, you have seen Miss Edith Dove, the squire’s only daughter?”
“I had that honour, sir, and found her a most charming young lady.”
“Well, then, as you have seen the young lady that my poor brother wished his son to marry, you can easily understand what a silly fellow my nephew is not to avail himself of such a splendid opportunity.”
“Say rather of such a golden opportunity, sir, which not one in a thousand could resist.”
“May I ask if Mrs Falcon accompanied you to this country?”
“At present, sir, I am struggling on in single infelicity.”
“Well, to be sure! I was not aware of that. But I perceive that you are of a facetious turn of mind. However, I should advise you to mind how you deal with my nephew, for, beneath a calm demeanour, he is a resolute and touchy young fellow and an expert in athletics,” said the old gentleman, who was really very proud of his nephew. “But perhaps you know what I mean, Mr Falcon?” he added.
“I don’t see much to fear, sir, but until your nephew throws up ballooning, it would be perfect madness for him to go down to Wedwell--to force himself into Miss Dove’s society.”
“Oh! that’s your candid opinion, is it? Then all I have to say further this evening, is to thank you for this visit, and to remind you that we must meet again shortly, if you have no objection.”
“Most readily, sir,” replied Mr Falcon, who took his departure with an air of assurance, which left an impression on the merchant’s mind that the colonial financier was a highly objectionable character, who was not a fit companion, much less adviser, for his nephew--and certainly not for Squire Dove’s rich and lovely daughter.