marnanightingale | Jul. 19th, 2004

More letterspam from the All The King's Men universe

My Dear, Stern Edward,

I expected no better from Hood, but I know this is a sore blow to you, and you have all my sympathies -- no word yet on the fate of the 95th, but I am not entirely sanguine. I fear they believe we shall make a fine pair of tame goats, but we may yet disappoint them in that.

Neither fool nor cad, I hope. You have, as it happens, for once overlooked a crucial factor -- it was, at least initially, no scheme of mine. Your officer took himself, quite coolly and decisively, and if I connived at it I did not go far past only letting him see that I wished he would choose to come. If your Lt. H~ has not managed to make him feel the same and is now displeased with the result he has only himself to reproach for it -- even at the last I believe he could have kept him back with a word -- as I more than half-expected he might.

It seems to be the way of some men to sit indoors and pay no mind to the sun when it shines richly on them, and come to see its value only when December's long nights come -- but it is not my way.

Your Lt. H~ may learn to play Demeter, then, for his folly, and rest content with the greater part -- the whole he shall not have too easily now -- and may he profit by the lesson. If he is to rise as you hope it might be as well for him if he learned at once not to take the love & loyalty he seems to attract so effortlessly so much for granted -- I am certain it will be better for those who offer it to him, and you must allow that they have a point of view as well as he.

As it happens, however, I have seen Lt. H~, not two days past, and can put your mind partially at rest -- he was in the best of hands and his spirits seemed high enough, and if he gave me a sharp glance or two, that was all. The company he was keeping when we met with him, plus the promise that his Persephone will in time be restored to him, seemed to set him up wonderfully.

As to my reasons -- must I tell them over to you, who knows A~ -- and me -- so well? He is high-hearted, brave as any lion, and as beautiful as the day -- should that not suffice to fix my attention?

I think you will not find too much fault in my treatment of him -- I thank you for the warning, though as you surmised it arrived after the point at which care was most wanted -- and I will tell you what I shall never say to him, that when I first understood what he had endured my heart was in my mouth for fear the challenge should be beyond me -- the consequences for him of any failure on my part were I assure you as heavily on my mind as they seem to have been on yours.

At any rate, you must be the judge when you see him again, but for my part I may say he seems pleased enough with the bargain he struck.

I thought you disapproved of duelling -- I hope so, for never in this world would I care to face you so -- as for bending me over a breech, if what you mean is not that your advancing years and increasing dignity forbid any such affair, you are welcome to make the experiment, but I warn you I almost think I may have the reach of you now.

Yes, that does mean that I shall be in London -- one advantage of our tenure in Limbo being time to see about a few affairs of my own, and my supply of pomegranate seeds being not, alas, infinite -- and will present myself, and a fuller account of this business, to you there.

Your affectionate, if unruly,

Alexander.

* * *

June 8, 1799
Maj. the Earl of Edrington,
The Dolphin,
Plymouth

My Lord,

I must thank you for the most excellent advice you were so good as to give me, the more so as I am sure I did not mark my consciousness of your kindness sufficiently at the time.

It seems in fact that I am your debtor by a great deal -- both for what you have contributed with your excellent counsel to my own happiness and for your kindness to Mr Kennedy, for I would always wish to see him contented.

yr obedient servant,

H. Hornblower.
Mark of Friendship,
Plymouth.