e arranged.
It was pawned at a shop for a sum equivalent in our money to about
twelve pounds, and Temple obliged me by taking charge of the ticket.
Thus we were enabled to dress suitably and dine pleasantly, and, as Mr.
Double remarked, no one could rob me of my gold watch now. We visited a
couple of beer-cellars to taste the drink of the people, and discovered
three of our men engaged in a similar undertaking. I proposed that it
should be done at my expense. They praised their captain, but asked us,
as gentlemen and scholars, whether it was reasonable to object to
liquor because your brother was carried out on a high tide? Mr. Double
commended them to moderation. Their reply was to estimate an immoderate
amount of liquor as due to them, with profound composure.

'Those rascals,' Mr. Double informed us, 'are not in the captain's
confidence they're tidy seamen, though, and they submit to the captain's
laws on board and have their liberty ashore.'

We inquired what the difference was between their privileges and his.

'Why,' said he, 'if they're so much as accused of a disobedient act, off
they 're scurried, and lose fair wages and a kind captain. And let any
man Jack of 'em accuse me, and he bounds a india-rubber ball against
a wall and gets it; all he meant to give he gets. Once you fix the
confidence of your superior, you're waterproof.'

We held our peace, but we could have spoken.

Mr. Double had no moral hostility toward theatres. Supposing he did not
relish the performance, he could enjoy a spell in the open air, he said,
and this he speedily decided to do. Had we not been bound in honour
to remain for him to fetch us, we also should have retired from a
representation of which we understood only the word ja. It was tiresome
to be perpetually waiting for the return of this word. We felt somewhat
as dogs must feel when human speech is addressed to them. Accordingly,
we professed, without concealment, to despise the whole performance. I
reminded Temple of a saying of the Emperor Charles V. as to a knowledge
of languages.

'Hem!' he went critically; 'it's all very well for a German to talk
in that way, but you can't be five times an Englishman if you're a
foreigner.'

We heard English laughter near us. Presently an English gentleman
accosted us.

'Mr. Villiers, I believe?' He bowed at me.

'My name is Richmond.'

He bowed again, with excuses, talked of the Play, and telegraphed to
a lady sitting in a box f