"You might get that of your nurse also, if she happens to be still alive," mocked Bickley."As for his Lordship, I don't think he will raise any objection when he sees the certificate I will give you about the state of your health.He is a great believer in me ever since I took that carbuncle out of his neck which he got because he will not eat enough.As for me, I mean to come if only to show you how continually and persistently you are wrong.
But, Arbuthnot, how do you mean to go?"
"I don't know.In a mail steamer, I suppose.""If you can run to it, a yacht would be much better.""That's a good idea, for one could get out of the beaten tracks and see the places that are never, or seldom, visited.I will make some inquiries.And now, to celebrate the occasion, let us all have another glass of port and drink a toast."They hesitated and were lost, Bastin murmuring something about doing without his stout next day as a penance.Then they both asked what was the toast, each of them, after thought, suggesting that it should be the utter confusion of the other.
I shook my head, whereon as a result of further cogitation, Bastin submitted that the Unknown would be suitable.Bickley said that he thought this a foolish idea as everything worth knowing was already known, and what was the good of drinking to the rest?
A toast to the Truth would be better.
A notion came to me.
"Let us combine them," I said, "and drink to the Unknown Truth."So we did, though Bastin grumbled that the performance made him feel like Pilate.
"We are all Pilates in our way," I replied with a sigh.
"That is what I think every time I diagnose a case," exclaimed Bickley.
As for me I laughed and for some unknown reason felt happier than I had done for months.Oh! if only the writer of that tourist tale of the South Sea Islands could have guessed what fruit his light-thrown seed would yield to us and to the world!
I made my inquiries through a London agency which hired out yachts or sold them to the idle rich.As I expected, there were plenty to be had, at a price, but wealthy as I was, the figure asked of the buyer of any suitable craft, staggered me.In the end, however, I chartered one for six months certain and at so much per month for as long as I liked afterwards.The owners paid insurance and everything else on condition that they appointed the captain and first mate, also the engineer, for this yacht, which was named Star of the South, could steam at about ten knots as well as sail.
I know nothing about yachts, and therefore shall not attempt to describe her, further than to say that she was of five hundred and fifty tons burden, very well constructed, and smart to look at, as well she might be, seeing that a deceased millionaire from whose executors I hired her had spent a fortune in building and equipping her in the best possible style.In all, her crew consisted of thirty-two hands.A peculiarity of the vessel was that owing to some fancy of the late owner, the passenger accommodation, which was splendid, lay forward of the bridge, this with the ship's store-rooms, refrigerating chamber, etc., being almost in the bows.It was owing to these arrangements, which were unusual, that the executors found it impossible to sell, and were therefore glad to accept such an offer as mine in order to save expenses.Perhaps they hoped that she might go to the bottom, being heavily insured.If so, the Fates did not disappoint them.
The captain, named Astley, was a jovial person who held every kind of certificate.He seemed so extraordinarily able at his business that personally I suspected him of having made mistakes in the course of his career, not unconnected with the worship of Bacchus.In this I believe I was right; otherwise a man of such attainments would have been commanding something bigger than a private yacht.The first mate, Jacobsen, was a melancholy Dane, a spiritualist who played the concertina, and seemed to be able to do without sleep.The crew were a mixed lot, good men for the most part and quite unobjectionable, more than half of them being Scandinavian.I think that is all I need say about the Star of the South.
The arrangement was that the Star of the South should proceed through the Straits of Gibraltar to Marseilles, where we would join her, and thence travel via the Suez Canal, to Australia and on to the South Seas, returning home as our fancy or convenience might dictate.
All the first part of the plan we carried out to the letter.Of the remainder I say nothing at present.
The Star of the South was amply provided with every kind of store.Among them were medicines and surgical instruments, selected by Bickley, and a case of Bibles and other religious works in sundry languages of the South Seas, selected by Bastin, whose bishop, when he understood the pious objects of his journey, had rather encouraged than hindered his departure on sick leave, and a large number of novels, books of reference, etc., laid in by myself.She duly sailed from the Thames and reached Marseilles after a safe and easy passage, where all three of us boarded her.
I forgot to add that she had another passenger, the little spaniel, Tommy.I had intended to leave him behind, but while Iwas packing up he followed me about with such evident understanding of my purpose that my heart was touched.When Ientered the motor to drive to the station he escaped from the hands of the servant, whimpering, and took refuge on my knee.
After this I felt that Destiny intended him to be our companion.
Moreover, was he not linked with my dead past, and, had I but known it, with my living future also?