'I was little more than twelve years of age when I entered the British
Navy as a midshipman, much against my good father's will, for I was his
only child, and my mother died the day I first saw the light. But I was
a wayward, unruly boy, and he feared I might take to bad courses if
restrained. It was a time of stirring action, and before I was twenty
years of age I bore upon my shoulder the epaulette of a lieutenant,
earned in many a bloody fight. The naval service was then in high
favour, and many sprigs of nobility condescended to walk the
quarter-deck as captains and commanders, though they seldom knew as much
about a ship as the ship's boys. One of these was the late Earl de
Montford--He had the haughty courage of his race; few of them were
deficient in that; but he had disdained to learn his profession, and
when he was appointed to command a corvette, I was sent on board as
first lieutenant, but in fact as what is called a nurse--to do the work,
while my incapable but titled commander reaped the glory. We were
anchored in the bay of Naples, having borne despatches to the fleet then
stationed there, and were under orders to sail the next morning, when he
sent for me into his cabin, and with more familiarity and kindness than
he had ever used to me before, he confided to me that he was in love,
and wanted my assistance to rescue her he loved from a convent. Fond of
adventure, I consented, and we succeeded, so they were that very evening
united by the chaplain on board the corvette. She was very beautiful,
and he was both proud and fond of her. His father was alive, however,
and as the old Earl had negotiated for him a marriage with the daughter
of some proud Marquis in England, he did not dare to acquaint him of
it--for though the title and the estate could not be alienated, yet the
enormous personal property could, and even his love for the fair Italian
could not reconcile him to risk the chance of enduring what he would
have called poverty. He purchased a villa at Leghorn, and leaving the
ship almost entirely at my command, lived for the time at least as